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The more fool, him.
I let go of Eloise’s hand just as we step into the yellow light spilling from within. The place only carries legal goods, which lends credence to Mr. Garner’s public image. If he’s seen walking in here, no one would question his business. Oh, how people only see what they wish to see. The warehouse is neatly organized with three rows of shipping transport boxes, stacked only two high. No debris or trash litter the floor, as a warehouse in the Barrows would have. Then again, the warehouses in my kingdom are also made of sheetrock and corrugated metal roofing.
“Stay by my side,” I order quietly, and to Eloise’s credit, she doesn’t roll her eyes. I’ve only told her this multiple times, but the amused frustration aimed at me settles her nerves more. In one stride, I assume the heartless monster that is the vampire king and we come to a stop at a crossroad in the warehouse. The rows of transport boxes are before us, to our left are forklifts and other necessary machinery, and to our right is a bay of desks as if the operators preferred to work close to their goods rather than in the offices making up a second floor along one wall.
Garner began his walk towards us the moment we crossed the threshold and it’s not long before he joins us. Like me, he’s wearing a suit and tie, though his is a deep navy rather than black. His hair is slicked back, and when Eloise notices, she snorts. A snippet of her thoughts brushes my mind, too quick for me to hear them clearly. From the rest of what I sense from her, I gather she’s amused at how Garner is trying to match me in appearance, and perhaps puts too much credit into mafia movies for crime lord fashion.
I care less about his appearance than his emotions. His heartrate is too steady, and no scent of fear or trepidation comes from him. In fact, I can’t smell anything. His eyes meet mine, a pleasant camera-ready grin on his face that reveals nothing. I narrow my gaze in at the leather cord at his neck, and his grin grows wider as he comes to a stop.
“Ambrose,” he greets and raises his hand to hook the cord on a finger and tug it up from under his tie. A pale stone carved with a bindrune hangs there. “Do you like my new amulet? Cost a pretty penny but it seems to be worth it from your reaction.”
Whatever witch had created that for Garner has signed her death warrant. Bindrunes or protection amulets are not forbidden in the Barrows; ones that erase the traces of a being are though. To younger vampires and creatures who haven’t come into their full power, Garner is invisible to them. The amount of magic it takes for such a spell to maintain its power beyond a few hours is staggering.
“Ambrose?” Eloise whispers, but I don’t respond. I’m scanning the shadows, catching signs of the few human guards I’d already sensed.
Michael Garner lets the leather cord drop, the pendant sliding back under his tie, and shoves his hands in his front pockets. He cocks his head, making a pointed effort of studying Eloise. I bite back the growl building in my chest, forcing myself to freeze my heart once more. An impenetrable wall of ice armors me, and from the hitch of Eloise’s breath, she feels our bond being blocked off. I cannot send her away; she’s already a player in the game we’ve begun and must see it through.
I meet Garner’s eyes, and his pupils dilate a fraction. I may not be able to scent his fear, but his body language is clear enough.
“An expensive trinket,” I say at last, and Michael’s smile becomes a touch forced. I keep my hands at my side rather than in my pockets, my blades a comforting weight at my back. “It is too bad the witch who created it will have to die. They know my laws.”
Michael laughs, and Eloise shifts her weight beside me. I’ll have to teach her to master her emotions and not display them for all to see. He’s shaking his head. “Yourlaws? When did you become an elected official? Did I miss the fundraising and campaign?”
I only allow a slow blink of my eyes, though my ire is quickly rising. “I have been here since before the fou—”
“Yes, yes, I know,” Michael interrupts me and cocks his head. “Sorry, did I interrupt your grandstanding?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Though I’m already tempted to make him suffer for such disrespect. He believes he has something keeping him safe, not just the protection amulet. Something I’ve missed. “We have business, do we not?”
Michael’s body language changes, squaring his shoulders he looks at Eloise instead of me. I let out a soft growl, unable to stop it. Michael’s eyes dart to me, satisfaction in them, and I tamp down my temper. Instead of snapping at him, I reach out with my senses and brush up against Malachi’s, letting him sense my anger enough that he will set the others on high alert.
“Eloise, right?” he continues without letting her answer. “Your friend Deidre was a fighter. I wish I could have brought her over to my side, but she refused. Called me a dirty politician just like the rest of them. As much of a fighter as she is, she’s still human. Couldn’t fight back against the vampires.”
“You’re a fucking asshole,” Eloise snaps, rage infusing her voice. “And she’s right about you. But you’re not getting away with hurting her.”
“Hurting her?” Michael shook his head. “I didn’t hurt her. I set her free.” I wait, preternaturally still in the way only vampires can achieve, as he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a vial of Rapture. It’s different, though. Any human wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, but I can see the glowing blue is undercut with green. “With this. Shame I didn’t get to see the final result, though. Maybe when this is over, I’ll go find her and that Kasar of yours. I owe him anyways, considering how many of my men he’s killed.”
“What do you mean, you set her free?” Eloise asks, taking a step forward with her fists balled. “That’s just fucking Rapture.”
Michael holds it up in the light, inspecting it with false curiosity. “Is it though?” He muses, before shrugging and lowering it. He nods his head towards me. “Did he not tell you then? About what she was like when that savage took her from me?”
Eloise stares at him for two long ticks before turning just enough to see me. I meet her gaze, cold and unflinching. “What is he talking about?”
“She was forcibly addicted to Rapture.” I’m blunt and when a part of me wishes to wrap Eloise in my arms after I see the pain in her eyes, I force myself to be cold once more. “It’s being handled. We had a bargain and I keep my word.” I turn my attention back to Garner, who is smirking now. If that was his trump card, he has much to learn about surviving at the top of the criminal world. “Enough of this. You are establishing a crime syndicate in Topside with supernaturals and humans alike. I’m prepared to offer you terms to allow it. If you don’t agree...” I shrug.
Garner fucking tsks at me, shaking his head again. “So predictable, d’Vil. You know what your problem is?”
“I have the feeling you’re going to tell me,” I droll, bored.
“Arrogance. Hubris. Being in power for too long,” Garner lists off as he begins to pace. He’s becoming riled, excited, unable to stay still until the perfect moment to strike a death blow. “You believe you have no challengers because you’ve ruled with fear for so long. You couldn’t see what was right in front of your face, but an upstart human could.”
I drop my head back, as if exasperated, but in doing so I see the dark form of Malachi slipping into the building through a window. I drop my gaze back to Garner. “And you’re that challenger, I presume? The one who will take my seat from me?”
Garner raises the vial of altered Rapture as if toasting me. “Right in one. Did you know Rapture can do more than just give a taste of power to humans? With the right additions... well, let me show you.”
Garner uses his thumb to unscrew the cap with a swift flick and then downs the entire drug. I’m dragging Eloise behind me before the liquid hits his tongue. The garage bay door slams down behind us, and she whirls to look while my eyes stay on Garner.
He drops the vial and rolls his neck, his nostrils flaring as he pants. Something is happening, but the damn bindrune amulet stops me from sensing him. When his eyes open, they’re the same color as the Rapture.
