Part 25 (1/2)

”I don't know, but the possibility is there-a strong possibility,” Sebastian said. ”I don't know. My experience with Tereza made me gun-shy. I thought a blood transfusion would be enough to save her, and it wasn't. It was a horrible mistake. Once she was dead, it was too late. The formula must be drunk by a living person.”

So, Parrish and his vampire friends were out of luck. There was no Holy Grail-no cure for their particular brand of vampirism.

”At least, I a.s.sume,” Sebastian admitted with a defeated sigh. ”I... your mother's death shook meprofoundly, Matyas. I had never loved anyone enough to want to live with them forever besides your mother-and then to have things go so horribly awry. It was devastating. And then there was you... I knew that my blood had tainted you, as well. I thought the formula must surely be a curse, a poison.

Thus, I found myself unwilling to experiment with any other lives. Not with my blood, nor with formula. I have never attempted to duplicate it.”

Matyas's gaze seemed to linger on the dark splotches on Sebastian's face. ”And now you have to.”

Sebastian didn't say anything. The answer was obvious, as was his need for blood.

Matyas turned his head to expose his neck again. ”Drink,” he said.

Sebastian hesitated, clearly moved by his son's sacrifice. He took Matyas into his arms in an embrace, and then plunged his fangs deep into his throat. I heard Matyas gasp in pain and surprise.

I turned away. I didn't like being bitten, and I had no desire to watch someone else being drained, either. I made my way back to Sebastian's car. The car did not come with a radio, I discovered in my search for distraction. I kind of wanted to see what was happening, but just when I thought I'd take a look, Sebastian opened the door and slid into the driver's seat.

He smelled like blood. In the enclosed s.p.a.ce, the earthy, metallic odor was unmistakable.

Of course, it smeared his chin and chest.

Sebastian started the car.

”The parking attendant is going to call the cops unless you have some napkins hidden in this car somewhere,” I remarked as dryly as I could, given how much my hands shook as I cranked the window down a crack.

When Sebastian steered around Matyas's p.r.o.ne form, I couldn't help but ask, ”Sebastian, uh, everything work out with you and Matyas?”

”Under your seat,” he said.

”What?”

”Handi Wipes.” After groping around for a moment, my hands seized on a canister of alcohol wipes. I offered them to Sebastian, who pulled out a fistful. ”He's not dead,” he said.

Well, I'd hoped the h.e.l.l not. After all, Matyas had offered freely. Of course, so had Feather, and she'd nearly died. Sebastian scrubbed at his face, smearing it pink.

”Ugh. You're making it worse. Pull over a second and let me do it,” I told him.

Sebastian wedged the car into a s.p.a.ce one floor up between a minivan and a pickup truck covered in political stickers. As soon as he s.h.i.+fted into park, I began daubing at his face like a mother hen.

”I'm having some trouble with control lately.” He shut his eyes and leaned his head heavily back onto the seat. ”I noticed,” I said, finis.h.i.+ng my ministrations by b.u.t.toning up his coat to hide the stained s.h.i.+rt.

”I can't seem to get enough. The Hunger... it's never been so strong before.” Sebastian s.h.i.+fted into reverse and pulled the car back out. As we started circling our way upward, Sebastian fished a wallet out of his back pocket and handed it to me.

”It'll be okay,” I said lamely. I didn't have a better answer.

”Part of me wanted to kill him, Garnet. My only son.”

I couldn't precisely say that I knew how he was feeling, but I'd been wrestling with a similar question all day. I'd decided that what separated the good guys from the bad guys came down to intent. How could I continue to feel morally superior to the Order if I started acting like them? I'd killed, but so far, the deaths on my hands could mostly be considered self-defense. I recognized that in truth, there was an element of something much nastier, like Lilith's- and my-desire for vengeance, but when I'd walked through that door, they were the ones holding the weapons. For now, that's what was important.

If I could stay on that side of the line, I could live with myself.

”I know,” I said finally. We were approaching the ticket booth, so I handed Sebastian a twenty. ”But you didn't, and that's what counts.”

”Yeah,” Sebastian said, as he handed the ticket and the money to the bored-looking attendant wearing a Somali-style head scarf. She handed Sebastian his change and mumbled a thank-you without really ever looking at him. I wondered if we could have driven out with his face completely smeared in blood, after all.

”The worst part? I'm still hungry,” he said, as we pulled out past the early evening crowds headed to the bars on State Street. ”I need that formula, Garnet. You do have it somewhere, right?”

”Yeah... about that.” I chewed my lip. Finding Parrish might be a problem. Then I had an idea. ”Do you remember William from last night?”

Sebastian gave me a concerned glance through narrowed eyes. ”I nearly killed his girlfriend, right?”

”Yeah, that's the one.” I smiled. ”We're going to help him pick up a hustler.”

I sent Sebastian two doors down to the clothing boutique for a new s.h.i.+rt while I collected William. The Closed sign hung in the window, and all the lights were out. Though I couldn't see William, I a.s.sumed he was in the back counting out the till. I reached for my key to unlock the door, then remembered I'd broken it. I tried the door anyway. I was surprised when it opened, but more so to find William's key ring hanging on the other side. Sloppy and very unlike him. I left it as I found it, intending to drag his b.u.t.t out here to show him the evidence of his absentmindedness.

As I approached the storeroom, I heard voices. At first, I thought maybe William had tuned the store stereo system to NPR to keep himself company while he worked, but then I recognized a few words, chiefly, my name.

Someone's muscular arm propped the door open slightly. Black T-s.h.i.+rt and the dull glint of the muzzle ofa large automatic weapon slung over said shoulder was all I needed to tell me the Vatican agents had cornered William. I pressed myself against the bookcase when the agent turned to glance toward the interior of the shop. I willed myself to melt into the shadows as he scanned the room.

”We have lots of grimoires,” I heard William protest. ”You want a book of shadows? We have a million blank ones. Or I could order you the book by Curott by that name.”

”Don't play stupid with us, Warlock.”

Mother of All, they thought William was a player. Which, as funny as that might strike me on one level, meant he was in real trouble. I had to help him, but how?

I thought about the display of wands at the front of the store. There was a silver-plated one with a big honking amethyst crystal at the top that could probably do some serious damage if I swung it hard enough. Problem? I'd only get one shot. These guys had guns.

I always had Lilith, but I'd never asked Her to distinguish between friend and foe before. Somehow I imagined She'd just as likely slaughter William as save him, especially if he bolted, which any sane person would. No, Lilith was a last resort only.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and felt for the part of me I usually kept under lock and key.

Purple light streamed out, filling me, surrounding me. I visualized myself surrounded by a bubble of luminescent purple mist.

”What I need,” I told the universe, ”is a distraction. Something big enough that all the agents will go and leave William unharmed.”

I held my hands out-my right hand, palm up; my left, palm down-and began to spin in a clockwise direction. Golden light swirled in a spiral from my fingertips, creating a kind of magical tornado. I could feel the power building. When it reached its peak, I released it through the top of the bubble and sent it in the direction of the storeroom.

A cell phone trilled.

I could hear a brisk exchange, then: ”We have to move out. Now. The source has been attacked. We'll deal with you later.”

With a thanks to the universe, I rested my palms on the floor and grounded any excess energy charge I might be holding. While I crouched behind the shelves, the agents hurried past me. I felt rather than saw Sensitive pause, but he followed his compatriots out the door without a word. Once the door closed, I stood up and drew the purple mist back into myself.

When I opened my eyes, William was standing in the doorway of the storeroom gripping a crowbar in his hands as though it were a baseball bat. ”Garnet? Is that you?”

”Yes,” I said. ”Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?”

William lowered the crowbar with a relieved sigh. ”Those guys. They were looking for you.”