Beso de la Muerte (Kiss of Death)
Author: Tracy Vettier-Chevalier
*Disclaimer in Chapter One.
Chapter Three:
After five hours on a plane, even the midget airport in Acapulco,Mexico
was a welcome change. Normally, I hate airports. Okay, so I only started
hating them when Edward, my bestest assassin buddy, called in a favor and I
was exposed to too much Western decor while simultaneously almost being
killed several times, but I still hate airports
.
I walked through the terminal with my suit jacket unbuttoned and the
Browning visible. I didn't have a clue about the gun laws in Mexico, but I
had a carry permit, and wasn't in the mood to get hassled. Usually, that
meant I'd keep the jacket buttoned so that no one saw the gun, but have you
ever been in Acapulco during the summer with a buttoned suit jacket on? Two
words: Heat stroke.
So the gun was visible. Jean-Claude was too smart to comment on it, but
once again, Richard saved him the trouble.
"Anita, is that really necessary?" He asked, giving me his best stern
teacher look. Mrs. Pringle's was better. Then again, she'd had fifty or so
years to practice it.
To my credit, I didn't say anything rude to him. In fact, I didn't say
anything at all. Okay, so I glared. Sue me.
Richard had a kicked puppy look on his face when I snatched my suitcase
off of the conveyor belt at the baggage claim and walked off, leaving him to
either catch up, or stand there and wait for World War III. He caught up.
Jean-Claude was walking beside me, his steps more of a rolling glide than
an actual walk. I was feeling like a klutz with my suitcase banging into the
back of my knee every other step I took, but I'd be damned if I was going to
ask either of them to carry it for me. One, I could carry my own damn
suitcase. I'm female, not helpless. Two, the suitcase had just about every
gun I owned in it. If something jumped out and tried to eat me, I wanted
access to the guns. Paranoid, who me?
Jean-Claude took the lead when we walked outside, gesturing for Richard
and I to stay put. If I'd had a clue where the hell I was, I would have
ignored him. But, since we could have been on the far side of the moon for
all I knew, I stayed put. Who says I haven't learned anything?
Richard was looking at me oddly, and being the patient person I am, I
snapped. "What?"
He just shook his head. "You've changed."
I fought the urge to roll my eyes."Everyone changes,Richard. It's called
life."
He shook his head again. "No. This is different. You seem...harder."
"Did Jean-Claude tell you what happened in Albuquerque?" I asked.
"No," Richard said,looking confused.
"Edward called in his favor," I said.
"For killing his backup?" He asked.
I nodded.
"Shit. What was so bad that Death needed backup?" Richard looked
horrified, and I hadn't even told him yet. Funny how anything to do with
Edward automatically spooks him now. He used to think Edward was a pussycat.
"A vampire that thought it was a god. It skinned people and used the
skins as clothing for its servants. The people it didn't want, it tore apart.
I managed to keep one of its zombies from eating a nursery full of babies at
the hospital, but it almost killed me, from more than ten miles away,Richard.
And then I got to meet it up close and personal, when it wanted to sacrifice
me," I told him.
He didn't seem to know what to make of all of that. "What are you trying
to say,Anita?"
"I'm still alive, so quit bitching." I made it a statement.
Richard sighed and turned away from me, watching the people walk in and
out of the airport. I couldn't see his face, but I had a sneaking suspicion
that he looked a lot like the Big Bad Wolf eyeing Little Red Riding Hood as
he watched the crowd. I don't think he ever caught on to the hungry look he
got when he watched a crowd. I'd seen it a lot. Usually I was on the
receiving end of that look, from one beastie or another.
After a few more minutes, I started scanning the crowd. Where the fuck
was Jean-Claude?
I put my suitcase down on the pavement and sat on it, my right hand
casually on my hip, as close to my gun as I could get without holding a sign
that said 'arrest me, I'm armed'.
A moment later, Jean-Claude sauntered out of the crowd, toward us. He
didn't look too happy. Joy. Now what?
<The Master of the City wants to meet you, ma petite.> I jumped like I'd
been stung at hearing his voice in my head.
Richard had an odd look on his face. Made me wonder if he'd heard the
same thing I had.
When Jean-Claude was close enough that I wouldn't have to yell to talk to
him, I stood up and stalked over him, standing close enough that our bodies
almost touched. Sometimes, it made me want to jump his bones, now, I was just
pissed.
"Next time you have something to tell me, say it. But stay the fuck out
of my head, or I'll bust your ass just on principle," I hissed into his face.
Jean-Claude raised an eyebrow,looking slightly amused. "Very well, ma
petite. The Master wishes to meet you. He has acknowledged you as he would
another Master, so you have the right to refuse. But, it could cause
complications."
"Complications? What kind of fucking vacation is this?" I asked.
"Such language, ma petite. If it were a vampire and his servant in our
city, we would request audience as well. No Master worth his position would
let strange people into his territory without meeting them to see what their
intentions were. And you are too well known now for anyone not to request to
meet with you," Jean-Claude said softly.
We were close enough that if I stood on tiptoe, I could have kissed him.
Or bit him. Biting was more his thing though.
I took a step back, so he wasn't in my personal space. "Fine. I'll go see
him, whoever he is. But after that, I want to spend the rest of this trip on
the beach."
"Of course, ma petite." Jean-Claude smiled
.
I shook my head and went to get my suitcase off of the sidewalk before
someone took off with it. This trip was a seriously fucked up idea, I
thought, and I hadn't even gotten out of the airport yet. Shit.