Chapter 6

I walked into the smoky basement bar, feeling every muscle in my body quiver as the eyes of the immortals within settled on me. I was an expert as schooling my features to calm arrogance though, so any trepidation was hidden well behind the cool observation I cast around me, a cigarette held loosely between my glossed lips. I caught who I was looking for in seconds, fighting the bitterness that crawled through me as he beckoned me over, not moving from where he slouched in his booth, his boots on the table before him. His man, a big, burly, brainless lump of what looked like a lot of solid fat came up behind me and took my jacket, patting me down. I stood still, face expressionless. Showing him how much I resented dealing with this when six months before he wouldn’t have dared disrespect me this way would do me no good.

Seeing Mica held tightly at his side, her too white face accenting her wide, frightened almond shaped eyes made it easier to take a slightly more humble stance then I was used to.

“Sean.” I acknowledged with a slight incline of my head as I reached his table. Sean looked me over appreciatively and I swallowed back my disgust. Fine, he was built like a pro weight lifter, but his skin head and bright tacky green eyes made me think of a big ugly snake. Nevertheless I didn’t move a muscle, waiting patiently as he looked his fill.

“Nicky…it’s been awhile.” He commented. I knew what the statement implied, and it had nothing to do with the passing of time, because considering everything I really hadn’t been gone that long. He was reminding me, as if I didn’t know, that I didn’t have a leg to stand on in Montreal anymore. I nodded.

“Too long.” I acknowledged. He smiled, overjoyed by the situation he’d trapped me in. Holding all the cards will do that to one. “Maybe once I’ve seen my girls safely home we can arrange a meeting. Do some catching up. Talk shop.”

Sean smirked.

“Not so fast Nicky.” He said with a drawn out emphasis on each word. “Me and Mica have some business of our own to deal with…so she really can’t go anywhere. But I am glad you came, there was something I meant to ask you about.”

Something hard slammed into my back, knocking me to my knees. I clenched my teeth to keep from crying out, glancing back at Sean’s enforcer who stood over me with a large lead pipe, then lifted my eyes to Sean, unable to hold back the hostile glare.

“And what’s that?” I asked through my teeth. Sean dropped his feet beneath the table and leaned forward.

“Is there a reason you and Mica killed two of my runners, on my turf, and dumped them in the river?”

I bit my tongue, thinking quick. This was bad.

“Your guys? We thought they were just mortal scum…they were on some girl when we found them…” The pipe caught me up the side of the head. I fell to my side.

“They were valued employees. I’m going to lose profit while I look for replacements for them.” Sean said angrily, his previous act of unconcern dropped. He leaned back, watching as the enforcer brought the pipe down hard on my stomach, forcing a grunt from my throat. “I have a very specific way of dealing with people that cause me inconvenience Nicky…it’ll bring me much pleasure to see my methods used on you, I really never thought I’d get the opportunity.”

The pipe came towards me again and I grabbed it, rolling and jabbing it forward with enough force that it broke through the skin and muscle of the enforcers thigh, jutting out smoothly on the other side. He snarled in pain and reached for me. I bent my knee up to my chest and drove my steel heel into his knee, knocking him away from me and jumping to my feet. I could feel the ooze of blood on my face and the throbbing of my back but I pushed it aside to meet the next attack I knew would come. I ducked a brass knuckled fist and crouched, sweeping out the feet of two of my attackers, broke a bottle off the table and jabbed it into the chest of the third. I turned to face the next attack, my breath catching as the bullets burst through my skin, driving into my stomach and chest. I stepped back, my thoughts racing, knowing I had to figure a way out of this fast before they killed us both.

Sean was suddenly before me, too close. I could feel his hard body up the length of mine. Swallowing I looked up at him. I could feel his fingers playing around the holes in my stomach, and watched as he held out his crimson coated fingers to the slender blond that came to his side. He smiled at her as she sucked his fingers clean, then turned back to me, his hot breath running over my face.

“So powerless Nicky. Oh God, how seeing you like this makes me want you.” He whispered. I pushed back against the wall. He chuckled. “Nicky, Nicky. I’m not gonna rape you my dear. I know who you’ve been with and that makes you sloppy seconds I just don’t want. I can smell it on you, back to playing with the Hawke brothers….Or should I say brother? Rumour is the almighty David met his end in the battle against Alderic’s forces…”

“What do you want then Sean.” I hissed. His grin broadened.

“Just because your body holds no appeal to me in that…way…Nicky, doesn’t mean you don’t have other things that tempt me.” He inhaled as his head lowered, his lips drifting over the dripping wound on my chest. He looked back up at me, my blood wetting his lips, warmth of his breath on my flesh. “The fresh blood of my men in you, the faint flavour of your oh so powerful sire lingering sweetly in your veins. Draining you would be the most luscious treat I’ve had in a very long time.”