EJ tapped open the door and Walter entered. The bodyguard stopped in the doorway and studied the assortment on the kitchen island/table. It was filled with amulets made from musical instruments, as well as feathers, leaves, wooden disks, polished stones in various shapes, crystals, a paper map printed fromOjosin eight-by-eleven sheets and taped together to form an outline of the entire city. Walter got a strange look in his eyes and said, “In my day, paper maps were quite useful and kept on hand for years as reference guides. Dare I say, that I’m deeply intrigued that you created one, Evan Junior.”
The words came out unbidden, all by themselves. “During the war, online maps were worthless in the field because the Rus and their cronies kept hitting the net with Graboids. Paper was the only secure guide when we were on the ground.”
Walter reached out and touched a rooting from the Everhart ever-living rosemary, its pot holding down one corner of the map. He said, “I’ve seen the original tree at your mother and father’s home. It’s massive.”
EJ had no idea Walter had met his parents and didn’t trustthis sharing of information Walter was likely supposed to keep secret.
“It stands twenty feet tall,” Walter said, “and takes up a good portion of their spacious backyard.”
“And you’re telling me this, why?” EJ said, more than asked.
Walter picked up an empty elixir bottle and studied the silver bowl on a tripod with a flame beneath. Hanging above the silver bowl from its own taller tripod, was a clear, greenish quartz crystal.
“Evan Junior,” Walter said. “You have been dowsing. Using a paper map. Why?”
“It’s an old method. Doesn’t work with electronics. I dowsed with the elixir to track all the remaining bottles. It took a while because some were moving.” He gestured to the wall screen, where a sat-map of Chattanooga was displayed, every street, business, and home. Satellites were as safe and protected as they could be now, in a time of peace, and he zoomed to street level. In one location was a star. “All the vials of the elixir are now at this address.”
Walter smiled slightly. “That is the location for the lair? Oh my,” he said, sounding weirdly proud. “Good work, boy. Very good work.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
EJ
EJ swiveled his head from the wall screen to their bodyguard. “The star marks the Sacred Heart of Mary Mission Church.”
Walter’s tiny smile fell away. “They are using a church for…for what? If this is their bolt-hole, they will use it for more than simply to store the elixir. Yet, they can’t sleep there by day. Even now, places of worship are painful for most of my kind.”
EJ gave Walter a careful look, letting the silence alert the bodyguard to incoming information. “Peg was feeling bored and wanted a breath of fresh air.”
Walter went vamp still and turned his head to EJ in one of those not-quite-human motions they hide from non-vamps. Lizard-like. Creepy. “You sent him to reconnoiter. Without discussing it with me.”
“I did.”
“Is our arrangement no longer satisfactory?”
As formally as he knew how, from a youth growing up in the vampire court, EJ stood straight and bowed, tipping forward a few inches from the hips. “Walter of the queen’s court. Our arrangement must needs be reexamined.”
Walter looked as if he’d been slapped. “Why?”
“Regardless of whether we are successful in this takedown, without involving the human authorities any more than they were at Londyn’s, without creating undue havoc for the citizens, without losing a single royal guard, the queen will wish to alter our contract with her in some way. You will be involved with that realignment.”
Walter’s shoulders relaxed. “Go on.”
EJ tapped the virtual keyboard and their contract with the queen appeared on the screen. “I’ve been doing some research. The queen could force us to keep her banner flying. Even then we might have some autonomy. Or we might have none. Angie and I are issuing you an invitation to join us more permanently.”
Again, Walter’s eyes went unfocused, his undead body utterly still, breathless, unblinking. Seconds passed. “Elucidate.”
“Irrespective of how this goes down, I’m pretty sure we’ll be stuck with a guard unit whose base will be the ninth floor next door. The queen just bought the entire building.”
“Interesting. And?”
“We want you under contract.” EJ shifted his body so he was bladed to the vampire. “Because I think we’ll be stuck with Shiloh.”
Walter walked to the sitting area where they had enjoyed a bottle of wine and cheese. The vampire sat down without his usual grace, leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. His palms covered his eyes as if to block out the room, or maybe hide what he was thinking. His fingers squeezed into his own hair, his talons extended, pressing in hard enough to dent his scalp.
George stood from his bed and waddled over to Walter, bumping the vampire’s ankles and snuffling. Getting drool on the man’s black clothing.
EJ watched, not sure what was happening except that Walter had ignored the formality in the offer. Ignored the protocol. And ignored the drool. That part was unexpected. The unexpected was dangerous, especially among bloodsuckers.
