Keystone (Crossbreed #1)(4)
Being part Mage posed an even greater threat. Each Breed has its own form of government or law, and the Mageri catalogues every Mage legally created. They also require that every new Mage live with his or her Creator until granted their independence. If they found out about me, I could wind up in serious trouble. And I had no idea how Vampire elders ran things, so fear kept me a rogue.
I sat on the back of the toilet tank, my shoes on the seat, staring at my wet dress that hung on the stall hook. Unfortunately, the only hand dryer in the bathroom was broken.
After leaving the Breed bar on an empty stomach, I’d found the nearest human club where I could wash the cheese stain off my dress and relax. Since there weren’t many cars in the parking lot, I figured it would be a good spot to chill for a little while. I’d hidden my duffel bag nearby; most humans thought people carrying large bags into a public place were terrorists. Human clubs were safe places, and unless I instigated a fight, I never had trouble. I still brought one of my push daggers with me just in case; the leg holster was looped around the hook on the door, hidden behind the dress. Most of the weapons I owned were ones I’d taken from my victims—trophies from battle.
I tugged at the frayed threads surrounding the hole in my jeans.
I’d give anything to have a bed right now. To be able to curl up with a blanket over my head until the misery of the Mage’s dark energy left my body, but I had no place to call home. In the summertime, I climbed onto rooftops to sleep under the stars. Any high place I could gain access to felt like home and separated me from the dangers of the city. But tonight the heavy rain would make it difficult to find a dry place to sleep, especially with the storm drains overflowing and flooding the streets.
I never thought I could feel so damn lonely, but the weight of it pressed down with each passing year. I sometimes thought about it in the daytime when people were having lunch with friends or shopping with their children, but the melancholy feeling often struck me in the late hours of the night.
Being a bounty hunter wouldn’t be such a bad gig. But who would hire me? I had no credentials, and if the higher authority figured out who I was and arrested me, I’d have no one to come to my rescue.
Imagining this as my life for the next five centuries was terrifying—no one had prepared me for immortality. But whenever I found myself wallowing in solitude, reality would intrude, reminding me that settling down would only make it easier for a certain someone to find me, and that someone was the reason why I had to keep moving and stay in the shadows.
I rubbed my eyes, staring down at the bathroom tile. The only thing I wanted was to get through the night without any more drama.
“Is it empty?” a man asked in a low register.
I cocked my head, wondering if I’d accidentally wandered into the men’s bathroom. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Someone’s clothes rustled, and a second voice with a scratchy tone answered. “It’s clear. The stalls are empty.”
“I want you to take care of him. He’s not cooperating, and I’ve given him plenty of time to change his mind.” It was a commanding voice, smooth and controlled.
“Don’t you think someone’s going to make a connection?” the second guy asked. “Maybe we should space it apart like the others. Two human club owners in one week—if the higher authority gets wind of it, they’re going to hire someone to investigate.”
“I don’t give a damn,” the first man replied. “It’ll send a message to these humans that I mean business. They can either pay for my protection or risk one of the local gangs torching their club.”
The second guy chortled. “Yeah, but we’re the gang. The new ones always want proof or else they think it’s just a rumor. Why don’t we have a couple of guys go in, rough up the patrons, make threats, and vandalize the place to make it look real?”
“Because we’re dealing with humans, and humans like to involve the police. You’ll end up with witnesses who will ID my men, and that’s too much cleanup. Let me worry about the details. You just do as you’re told.”
“You got it, Darius.”
“Make it clean. No witnesses, no fingerprints, no surveillance cameras. Torch the place.”
“Whatever you say, boss. I need to go pick up some gasoline, but it’ll be done by morning.”
I heard a long, drawn-out sigh before Darius spoke. “They have no right to be here.”
Hinges on the door squeaked, and then it grew quiet. What the hell were these guys doing, messing around with humans?
Footsteps strolled in my direction, and then I heard the sound of unzipping in the stall to my right. The door hadn’t opened again, so I presumed one of the men stayed behind to drain his pipe.
I stayed absolutely silent.
Until my stomach growled like a mountain lion.
I grimaced, hoping he hadn’t heard. But when the stream of urine abruptly stopped, I had only seconds to prepare.
His footsteps retreated, and my door kicked in with a crash.
I smirked at a man with a bad comb-over. “You’re not all that scary.”
Before he could open his mouth, I dove forward and slammed into him. The force of my attack caused him to stumble backward into the sink. He gripped my shoulders and threw a blast of energy into me.
I fell onto my back, energized. Mage energy only worked as a weapon against other Breeds, but throwing your energy into another Mage only juiced them up.