Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 18

"What did you find out about Mike's family?" Paddy asked Vic.

"To start with, Amanda is still in Wellton, living in the house Mike's father rented when they moved there. She works for an accounting firm as an internal auditor for the various businesses they handle. She's engaged to one"—he checked his notes—"Owen McKim. Mrs. Paladin, the aunt who used to live here, has moved to the west coast with her family. Mrs. Rogers, Mike's other aunt, still lives where he said, on the east coast. His uncle, Peter O'Donnell, and his family live in Virginia which"—Vic shook his head, looking at Mike—"really isn't down south."

Mike shrugged. "It was considered a Southern state during the Civil War."

"A technicality," Vic said. "Anyway, all three families are doing well. No money problems that I could find. The same holds true for your sister, Mike. Your cousins are spread out across the country but again, they don't appear to be hurting for money."

"Be that as it may," Paddy said, "three quarters of a million is a sizable chunk of change. Is there any proviso in the will about who would get it if Mike can't be found?"

"Yes. If Mike isn't located within a year after the will is probated, or if he has died, Amanda would get half. The other half would be divided between Mike's aunts and his uncle."

"For Amanda, that would be a sizable incentive to make certain Mike stays gone…permanently."

"She wouldn't!" Mike protested. "I told you we were very close."

"Four years ago, Mike," Vic said. "Since then, who knows what could have changed? Four years of living with your father. If he tried the same thing with her he did with you, she could be royally pissed when she found out he left everything to you."

"But trying to have me killed?" Mike shook his head disbelievingly.

"Trust me; people have done that for less."

"I won't believe it's her until…until we find Mr. Keefe and he tells me himself that she hired him."

"Which brings us back to how we're going to find someone who seems to know how to stay invisible," Paddy said.

Vic snorted, casting an amused glance at Paddy.

"Present company excepted" Paddy muttered in Vic's mind.

Mike noted the silent interplay between the two men and figured it had to be some inside joke. He was tempted to ask but didn't. Instead he said, "What about my idea?"

"Which is?" Vic asked.

"I…we"—he nodded toward Paddy—"talk to the detective in charge of Micky's case and ask him to tell his news sources they know Micky's real name. Mr. Keefe sees that it isn't me and maybe, if we're lucky, he'll come by the shelter again."

"First off, he might not because he'd be recognized. What he would do, probably, is check out the other shelters again since he'd still be looking for any kid who even remotely resembles your picture," Vic pointed out.

Paddy nodded. "Exactly what I said, and if he does, Keefe's not going to look the way he did when he was around before. So having Detective Massey warn the shelters to be on the lookout for him would probably be a waste of time."

"That's why we need to give him a reason to come back to Crossroads," Mike said. "Is there anything on the news about the attack on Micky?"

"Yes," Vic replied. "Nothing much. Just a small item in the newspaper about a street kid who was injured in a fall at the shelter."

"Then what if…"

(48) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"What do you want," Roderick asked, looking up from what he was working on with a frown. "I'm rather busy right now, Linden."

"Yeah, well you can stop being 'busy' and talk to me." Without invitation, Linden sat down in the chair beside Roderick's desk to stare at him.

"Linden, I'm not in any mood for your games. Now, out."

"No." Linden crossed his arms over his chest.

With a sigh, Roderick asked, "Alright, what do you need to talk about?" Then a light dawned. "You and Helmut had a fight and you want me to intercede. Not happening. What goes on between the two of you, the two of you have to handle on your own."

Linden's eyebrows rose in derision. "The way you and Piers handle your problem?"

"We don't have a problem," Roderick hissed.

"So that's why he's fading away, barely feeding, spending most of his time sequestered in his room like a hermit? Because everything's hunky dory with him?"

"He's what?" Roderick looked at him in shock. "Why hasn’t anyone told me about this before now?"

"Why haven't you seen it for yourself? I'll tell you why, because you spend all your time these days trying to avoid him. God damn it, Roderick, when are you going to pull your head out of your ass and realize that loving him is no one's business but yours and his. No one, no one has the right to tell you how to live your life. And that, sir, includes the personage you call 'King'."

"I'm one of his subjects, damn it!"

"No, you're his slave, under his thumb," Linden countered, getting to his feet, leaning on the desk to glare at Roderick. "Hell, I have more freedom than you do. Does that tell you something?"

"Because Piers isn't a despot," Roderick spat out. Then he realized what he'd just said.

"Exactly." Linden looked at him with pity. "Think about that, and then make a decision on what's more important to you, the love you have for Piers, or some false notion that the King has a right to rule your life."

With that said Linden turned on his heel and left the room, leaving a very surprised and thoughtful man staring after him.

(47) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Week followed week until a month had passed since the revenant's destruction. Roderick left on another assignment for the King, returning once for a few tense days before leaving again.

As Linden and Helmut's relationship progressed, Piers watched, happy for his friends. He was miserable otherwise, however, each loving look or action between Linden and Helmut just reinforcing for him what he was missing and so desperately craved.

Linden was well aware of what was happening with Piers. There was no way he could have missed it. One taste of Piers' blood told him all, Piers was not feeding enough to keep even an elder vampire alive.

"Are you trying to starve yourself to death?" Linden had asked one evening, worried and angry. "Because you're coming close to doing so, which, as selfish as I might sound, would mean I'd need to find a new vampire to be bound to. And that could play hell with my life."

"Sorry," Piers had replied, meaning it. "I'm just—" he sighed deeply. "I just don't care anymore." He laid one hand on Linden's shoulder. "I mean I care about you. I'm not going to let you suffer, but to be quite honest you're the only reason I haven't walked into the sun. You're the only one who gives a damn about me, and don't—" he said, putting his hand over Linden's mouth, "try to tell me differently. You care as a friend; you would even if we weren't blood-bonded."

Linden would have debated that he wasn't the only one who cared, but he knew it wouldn't change how Piers felt.

Now, with Roderick due to return for a brief visit, Linden was tense with worry.

"We have to do something," he said, leaning on his elbow, looking at Helmut.

"I thought we just did," the shifter replied, yawning, "and rather well in my opinion."

"That's not what I mean and you know it." Linden swatted him somewhat harder than was necessary, wanting him to pay attention. "We need to talk to Roderick."

Helmut cocked an eyebrow. "Personally, been there, done that, and he won't listen."

"Well he's going to listen to me," Linden stated emphatically. "One way or another."

Helmut nodded, a small grin crossing his lips. "Somehow, if anyone can make him see reason I have the feeling it'll be you."

(46) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"Long story, short," Helmut said a couple of hours later as he and his friends sat in one of the parlors at the manor house, "I'm a descendant of one of the men responsible for the revenant's death."

Roderick cocked an eyebrow. "Just how long have you known this, and were you ever planning on telling me?"

"Forever, and not really," Helmut replied, shifting Linden in his lap when the boy insisted on wriggling around, muttering in his ear, "Stay still, damn it."

Linden smirked, but did as Helmut ordered, mostly.

"Can I presume that's the reason you took the job here?" Roderick asked.

"Yes. I had to be where I could deal with him, once I figured out how to get to him. Unfortunately, I didn't do very well at that. If it hadn't of been for two nosy brats—"

"If you had told me," Roderick said, a trace of anger in his voice, "then between us we might have been successful at that and saved some lives."

Helmut bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Those people will always be on my conscience, but I am what I am. I don't share secrets well, especially ones involving me personally."

"Believe me, my friend, I understand. We all have our secrets."

"And some of them can hurt the ones you love," Piers murmured so softly Roderick almost didn't hear him.

However, he did, and stood. "If you'll excuse me, I have things to do before dawn." Bending, he kissed Piers' forehead. "You, I'll see tomorrow evening. Go get some sleep."

"As if I had a choice," Piers grumbled, remaining where he was, watching disconsolately as Roderick left the room.

"Give him time, Piers," Helmut told him.

"One hundred years isn't time enough!" Piers bounced to his feet. "For him, for us, a thousand years won't be time enough," he said angrily as he fled the room.

Linden watched his friend leave, shaking his head sadly. "I wish—"

"There's nothing either of us can do, Lin. Roderick is the only one who can make the choice between love and obedience. And unfortunately, so far, he's chosen obedience."

"He needs a good, swift kick in the ass," Linden grumbled.

"Agreed." Helmut chuckled. "Are you going to do that?"

With a laugh, small as it might have been, Linden replied, "You never know, I might."

(45) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Searing flames engulfed the revenant just as he was about to thrust his sword through Linden, aiming for Helmut's heart. A fearsome scream rent the air as fire began to consume the revenant.

Helmut stepped back, grasping Linden tightly to him. "Just in the nick of time," he said, staring at someone over Linden's head.

"Sorry. Would have been here sooner," Roderick replied. "But no one bothered to inform me as to what was going on until I arrived at the estate."

"You—did that?" Linden stuttered out, turning in Helmut's arms to look at the pile of ashes rapidly dispersing on the floor in front of him.

"One of my abilities, the Fire Gift." Roderick moved to them, assessing those of Helmut's wounds that he could see. "You'll live," he told him with a slight smile.

"Thanks to you, my friend. As for you—" he glared at Linden.

"I know, I'm in so much trouble."

"That's putting in mildly, boy. Did I or did I not tell you to stay with the others?"

Linden dropped his eyes. "You did," he whispered. "But I had to know—"

"And almost died as a result," Helmut growled before wrapping his arms tightly around Linden. "Don't ever do that again; I think I aged thirty years when he grabbed you."

"That would be—" Linden calculated quickly, "four human years. No one would even notice."

Helmut put a finger under Linden's chin, lifting it to stare at him grimly. "Do you always have to make a joke out of things?"

With a nod, Linden replied, "Beats crying. Damn, I was so scared for you."

"I promised you I'd be alright," Helmut said softly. "I always keep my promises."

"Speaking of promises, I told Piers I'd be right back," Roderick told them. "I'll see the two of you when you return to the manor house. And then," he shot a stern look at Helmut, "you can explain why the revenant called you 'enemy mine'."

Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 17

"What scares the shit out of me," Mike said the next morning, looking between Paddy and Vic, "is the fact Mr. Keefe wasn't just supposed to locate me. If what he did to Micky is any indication he's supposed to kill me."

"I'd say that's a given," Vic agreed, "and I might have found out why." He opened a website, going to the page he needed. "You father left you everything he owned, less a few minor bequests to the other members of his family."

"You're kidding!"

"Not at all. The codicil to the will is that you're to use the money to make something of yourself."

"That would be just like him. He couldn't control me in life so he tries to in death. Not that what money he would have left would do much other than maybe get me a better apartment."

"Mike, your father was well-to-do, not to say rich," Vic told him.

"Not possible. He worked construction all his life. We lived in a lower-middle class neighborhood. Maybe he managed to save something, but rich? No way."

"Not according to this." Vic tapped the screen.

Mike leaned over to look, gasping in shock. "Three quarter of a million? Where, how…?"

"It doesn't say how, but he had it and the majority of it goes to you, once you're found. However,"—Vic looked hard at Mike—"I would suggest you don't suddenly show up to claim it. It's pretty obvious someone wants you dead before you can."

"Then wouldn't it be smarter if he did show up?" Paddy asked. "If he had a fatal accident afterwards… Okay, yeah, that's not what we want to happen even if it did lead to Keefe and whoever hired him."

Mike managed to chuckle. "Not exactly my idea of how I want this to end on a personal level. Still…" He drummed his fingers on the edge of Vic's desk.

"Yes?" Vic asked.

"All that money. It can't be legitimate. Is there any way to tell where it came from?"

"Some is in a bank account so I suspect it's just savings." Vic ran a few searches, "The rest is in… Okay, from the reports from his broker he invested in some very risky ventures that paid off big time." Vic looked impressed. "He seems to have known what he was doing."

"That sounds like him, but damn, seven-hundred and fifty thousand?"

"You're a rich young man now."

"Presuming I live long enough to inherit it."

"I'm going to make damned sure you do," Paddy said adamantly.

"I'd appreciate that," Mike replied, smiling a bit.

It's release day for 'A Secret to Die For'!

A Secret to Die For

https://www.jms-books.com/erotic-romance-c-29_94/a-secret-to-die-for-p-2519.html

 

GENRE: Gay Paranormal Erotic Romance
LENGTH: 40,207 words

 

Brian Newell is an average young man, working in a coffee shop. That is, until he learns he’s the sole heir to his grandfather Alistair's fortune. A grandfather he didn't even know he had. There is a proviso, however. He has to live in his grandfather's house for one year, and take care of his macaw, before he can inherit anything.

Conley Finnegan was close friends with Alistair, cataloguing his book collection and tending to his yard. He’s less than happy when he meets Brian, or so it seems. But that isn't quite the truth. Conley has a deep secret, and part of it requires Brian in his life -- but only as a friend.

However, his wishes to the contrary, Conley falls in love with Brian, and vice versa. That small problem, as Conley thinks of it, will impact their lives in ways neither can imagine.

EXCERPT:

Conley knew that he'd pissed Brian off. He hadn't intended to. He thought their playing with Sir Kenith might ease the tension between them. Tension he'd initiated to get Brian's attention. It had worked, but not the way he'd hoped. "Because I was stupid."

"Stupid," the macaw said. "Con stupid."

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in."

"Rub." Sir Kenith pushed his head against Conley's hand.

"Later, bird. I have to see if I can fix things." He set the macaw on a branch and made his escape before the bird could follow him.

It took him a few minutes to find out where Brian had gone. Then he saw him sitting on the patio. He was doing something, but from his viewpoint through the open patio doors Conley couldn't tell what, so he moved closer. Apparently, Brian was so engrossed in it that he didn't hear him approach, which gave Conley a chance to look at the drawing he was creating.

He inherited Alistair's talent, if this is any indication. The drawing wasn't complete, but what Brian had done so far was detailed and yet had an abstract feel to it in the play of light and shadow. How often did I try to get Alistair to do more than hang his paintings here, or on the walls at his company? Too often, with no success. He chuckled softly.

Brian must have heard him because he glanced up before quickly closing the pad. "Prying?"

"Not in the least." Needing an excuse to be there, Conley added, "I have to mow the lawn. It's beginning to look like a jungle." He took a couple of steps toward the edge of the patio and paused. "Were you sketching something?"

"Yes. I find it relaxes me." Brian smiled briefly. "Of course now I have to head to work, which will have the opposite effect."

"May I see," Conley asked, holding out his hand. Brian hesitated before giving him the pad. There were only three drawings. The two completed ones were, in Conley's opinion, very well done and he said so.

"I'm an amateur, nothing more," Brian protested, ducking his head at Conley's praise as he took back the drawing pad.

"I disagree. I think you have talent. As much talent as Alistair did. Of course when I told him so he demurred, the same way you are. 'It's a hobby, nothing more,' he'd insist and I couldn't convince him differently."

Brian worried his lip between his teeth. "I sometimes dream of taking art classes."

"Well, now you can afford to."

"In a year, maybe, when I've fulfilled the provisions of Grandpa's will."

Conley decided now was not the time to argue the point, when Brian was finally starting to open up a bit. "Until then," he said instead, "keep on drawing, and maybe try you hand at painting. I know for a fact Alistair has a ton of supplies in his studio. I'm sure he'd rather you use them than have to toss them because they ... Do oils and acrylics have an expiration date?"

"Probably." Brian stood, starting to the door. "I might do that, but right now --"

"You need to get to work, and I have a lawn to mow."

Conley watched him until he was out of view inside the house. Take it slow and easy. Don't ruffle his feathers again. I've got almost a year to do what Alistair and I planned. If I don't succeed by then ... He sighed bleakly as he went to the garden shed to get the lawnmower. 

 

Also available from:

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H7YX8NQ

B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-secret-to-die-for-edward-kendrick/1129348753?ean=9781634866828

 

(44) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Another tunnel faced Linden, much shorter than the other ones and brighter. At the far end was an open door from which came the sounds of fighting, consisting mostly of growls and hisses, interspersed with the clang of steel on steel.

Moving fast but silently, Linden arrived at the door in time to hear Helmut swearing vehemently. Peering around the edge of the doorjamb, Linden saw the shifter down on one knee, a large sword in one hand, which he swung, aiming for the revenant's legs. The revenant danced backwards but not in time to completely avoid the sword slashing deeply into one calf.

To Linden's horror, the wound immediately began sealing up, the revenant giving a maniacal laugh as it did. Then it lunged forward, the sword it was battling with narrowly missing Helmut's neck, leaving a thick line of blood across his shoulder. Helmut rolled to the side and regained his feet, seemingly unaware or unconcerned about the new wound.

Helmut circled the revenant, looking for an opening. Then he shifted, the sword clattering to the flagstone floor as he leapt for the revenant's throat, jaws clamping down fiercely as his weight dragged the creature down.

The revenant appeared impervious to both the bite and the pain that would have debilitated anyone else. As it struggled to free itself, the revenant's glance landed momentarily on the open door and it hissed gleefully. It brought the hilt of its sword down with fearsome force across the wolf's back. The wolf howled, releasing its grip. The revenant, with one prodigious leap, landed beside Linden, wrapping a decayed arm around him, pulling him against his moldering chest.

"I will kill him," the revenant hissed, his eyes locked on the wolf while he dragged Linden into the center of the room.

The wolf shifted and Helmut stood in its place, blood oozing from several wounds. He bent with amazing speed to retrieve his fallen sword. "Let him go," he growled. "Your fight is with me, not him."

The revenant cackled gleefully. "He is important to you, therefore he dies."

Helmut shook his head. "He's but a toy, a momentary distraction in my day to day life. Kill him if you must." As he spoke, he moved closer, the sword hanging loosely in one hand at his side.

The revenant seemed to consider his words. After a moment he laughed, his fetid breath washing over Linden. "As you wish." The revenant gripped Linden's throat in one hand, his long nails deeply piercing the skin.

"No!" Helmut shouted, leaping forward, sword raised.

With one strong thrust the revenant propelled Linden forward, his body crashing into Helmut's. As Helmut's sword descended, the revenant grabbed the blade then spun it to grip the hilt. Pressing the tip of the blade to Linden's back, he screamed, "Now you and your pet die, enemy mine!"

(43) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Linden and the vampire followed Helmut. Several yards from a dimly lit arch at the end of the tunnel, Helmut held up a hand to stop them, and then signaled they were to wait where they were until he told them otherwise.

"How?" Linden asked in a barely audible voice, and then realized that the vampire would keep a mind link with Helmut. He wanted to scream to release some of his tension as he watched Helmut shift and then disappear into whatever was beyond the arch. Instead, he started pacing back and forth, his eyes never leaving the arch. After what seemed forever the vampire stepped in front of him, indicating it was time.

Linden followed close on his heels as the vampire entered the dungeon. Two flickering torches provided what little light there was in the cavernous room. Along one wall Linden could see a row of cells, three occupied by living beings, two more holding the desiccated corpses of past victims of the revenant.

Piers stood at the door to his cell, fear and relief on his face. In the one next to him, Dixon was slumped against one wall, deathly pale but definitely alive and somewhat aware if the movement of his eyes as he looked from Linden to the vampire and back was any indication. The unknown human in the third cell was very obviously not going to survive without immediate medical help Linden thought, as he crossed to look at him. He was skin and bones, as pale as death, with no discernible movement to his chest.

The sound of a muffled crack had Linden tensing, looking for the source. He sighed in relief when the door to Piers cell opened and the young vampire emerged. Twice more the old vampire snapped the locks on the cell doors and opened them.

::I will take this one,::  the vampire said, easily lifting the human into his arms. ::You and your friend help the other one.::

Piers had already entered Dixon's cell, lifting him to his feet. "Let's get out of here," he mouthed as he put an arm around Dixon's waist and urged him to move.

"Go," Linden whispered, watching the vampire leave the dungeon with his burden. "Follow him, he'll lead you out." When Piers started to reply, frowning deeply, Linden said urgently, "Just go. I have to—I can't leave without Helmut."

Piers' mouth tightened but he nodded once, quickly walking to the arch, half carrying Dixon.

Linden followed them as far as the arch and stood, watching until they were all out of sight. Then he turned back, crossing the dungeon to the only other exit, a huge iron door that stood partially ajar. Silently he slipped through the opening.

(42) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

The trio moved far enough down the dark tunnel for Helmut to consider it safe to talk, albeit very quietly. "As I said, things could be worse, and they could be a hell of a lot better."

"Piers?"

"Is alive," Helmut assured Linden. "It's rather like we thought from what I could see," he glanced at the vampire. "The revenant doesn't kill his victims immediately. He has Piers, Dixon and some human I've never seen before. They're each in separate cells in what was the castle's dungeon. Unfortunately, from what I could tell, the human is close enough to death that I doubt he'll survive more than a day or two at best. I'd say the revenant has fed at least once from Dixon. He looks very pale and appears to be shock, and I suspect he captured Piers just because he could and he plans on holding him until the others expire."

"By which time he'll be dead as well," Linden snarled angrily. "Doesn't he know what Piers is?"

"You know, I forgot to ask him that," Helmut replied with a flash of a smile before turning serious once more. "I think we can get them out of there. My associate here has the strength to break the locks on the cell doors, and then the two of you can get the human and Dixon back to the exit. Piers seems to be in good enough shape to move on his own."

Linden shot him a dismayed look, knowing the answer even as he asked the question. "Just what are you going to be doing while we're rescuing them?"  

"Destroying the revenant."

"Something no one in five hundred years has been able to do. What makes you think you can oh great and wonderful superhero," Linden said, anger accenting the fear for Helmut's safety that was boiling to the surface.

"Because I'm a creature of life whereas he's a creature of revenge and death," Helmut replied with quiet conviction.

"And death always wins in the end."

"Not always," the vampire pointed out. "I live, the shifter lives. We have both defied death by our very natures."

"So has the revenant in case you hadn't noticed and you said he's nearly invincible."

"Nearly being the operative word there, Lin." Ignoring the presence of the vampire, Helmut kissed Linden quickly. "I'm going to be all right, I promise. You just have to help get his captives free and away from here."

"Don't make promises unless you can keep them," Linden whispered.

"I never do," was Helmut's reply as he started back towards the other branch of the tunnel.

Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 16

It was late when Mike and Paddy finally left the shelter. Mike had called it correctly when he said the place would be full again. The story of what happened to Micky had spread and morbid curiosity brought a lot of the kids to the shelter who normally would have spent the night on the streets since the weather was good.

"You look beat," Paddy said when he and Mike started walking.

"I feel it," Mike admitted. "Physically anyway. Mentally I keep playing what happened over and over, trying to figure out some way to catch Mr. Keefe."

"Want to grab something to eat and bounce ideas?"

"Sure. Same place as last time?"

"Works for me."

Several minutes later they were seated at a table, orders given and coffee in front of them.

"I came up with one thing," Mike said. "But we'd probably have to get that nice police detective to help us."

"Nice detective?" Paddy asked with a glimmer of a smile.

"Well he was. A lot of cops would have blown off what happened to Micky, just saying he tripped and fell, and left it at that."

"You don't have much faith in the police I take it."

Mike shrugged. "I had my fair share of run-ins with them when I was on the streets. A lot of them see the homeless, teens and adults, as a royal pain in the butt. Some of them care, but not all that many." He took a drink of coffee. "Anyway, what I was thinking was, maybe we could convince Detective Massey to let it out to the newspaper and TV stations that Micky's real name is… whatever. Something other than Michael O'Donnell, which of course it is."

"Even if he went along with that, it doesn't mean Mr. Keefe will come back to the shelter again. It isn't the only one in the city and there are undoubtedly other kids who look somewhat like the picture he has."

"True." Mike sighed in frustration. "If Mr. Keefe thinks he's accomplished what he was hired for he's going to disappear and we'll never find him, or find out who hired him. If we get it out there that he blew it, and the detective lets the other shelters know they have to be on the lookout for him, maybe he'll try again and we can catch him."

Paddy nodded slowly. "It would be better if we could draw him back to Crossroads House."

"How?"

"That, Mike, is the burning question. For the moment though, let's eat since our food is about to arrive. And before we go talk to the detective, if we do, let's get together with Vic in the morning and see what he's come up with about your family. After all, one of them is the most likely person to have hired Keefe."

"Which is not a pleasant thought."

(41) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

The tunnel descended so steeply that Linden found it difficult to stay on his feet as they inched their way down. After one near fall onto his ass, Helmut told him to grab hold of his belt. Any other time Linden would probably have made some ribald comment about that but now that was the last thing on his mind. He just wanted to make it to the bottom in one piece.

"Finally," he muttered when he felt the flat ground under his feet. In the stygian darkness that surrounded them, he could barely make out Helmut's form and so continued to hang on to his belt as the shifter moved slowly forward.

After what felt like forever the tunnel seemed to brighten, although almost imperceptibly. Linden barely kept from crying out in surprise when a voice in his head said, ::We are nearing—something. Be wary.:: He saw Helmut nod and realized the voice belonged to the vampire.

Moments later, they came to a stop. It took Linden a second to realize the tunnel split into two branches. One was pitch dark, the other faintly illuminated as if a door stood open somewhere at the end of it.

Linden watched as Helmut and the vampire seemed to be holding a silent conversation with each other punctuated with nods or shakes of their heads. Finally, the vampire spoke in his mind again. ::You are to stay with me while the shifter checks out what is ahead.::

Seconds later Helmut was again in wolf form, padding silently down the tunnel. Every muscle in Linden's body tensed as he waited for the revenant to discover Helmut's presence.

::There are three of us to his one,:: the vampire said with unexpected understanding. Then, as if reading Linden's doubt, which Linden realized he probably had, he added, ::The creature may be strong, but nothing is absolutely invulnerable, even a thing such as he.::

Although he nowhere near as confident as the vampire seemed to be in his assessment of the situation, Linden nodded his thanks, smiling a bit when the vampire gently squeezed his shoulder.

After an interminably long wait during which Linden imagined every possible horrible scenario, Helmut padded back down the tunnel, taking a moment to shift and clothe himself before whispering softly, "Things could be worse." Then, holding a finger to his lips, he motioned to the other branch of the tunnel.

(40) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"What the hell," Helmut growled when he heard a shout from the side of the ruins.

"A young male who looks upset," the vampire told him from where he was suddenly perched on one of higher walls of the ruined castle.

As Helmut started to move, a voice he knew well cried out, "Piers, where are you?" His speed increased incrementally with his growing fear for his boy, reaching him well before the vampire who raced along the top of the ruins.

"Helmut!" Linden flew into his arms. "Piers—he was right in front of me and then I thought he fell but he—he disappeared."

The shifter didn't know whether to hug Linden in relief, or yell at him for being there. He opted for the middle ground, giving him a quick hug before grabbing his shoulders, shaking him hard. "Why the hell are you here?"

"I had to be sure you were all right." Linden replied, his eyes wide with fear when he realized how upset Helmut was.

"Noble gesture, if stupid," the vampire said as he leapt down from the wall to join them.

"I'm sorry," Linden said, staring down at the ground.

"I will deal with you later," Helmut told him, "Right now, however, exactly where was Piers when he vanished?"

Linden pointed to a spot at the edge of the mound. "There."

"Don't move," Helmut ordered as he walked to the spot Linden had indicated. The vampire came to stand beside him and they studied the ground, their eyes searching it inch by inch. Helmut shifted and the wolf sniffed the dirt and then the air. Suddenly he froze, his nose to the ground beside one of several large rocks that scattered the area. Shifting again, flashing on his clothing seconds later, he knelt and with some difficulty managed to move the rock a few inches away from where it had stood.

"Clever," the vampire said, a note of admiration in his voice. The two men looked at the edge of a dark hole. "Let's open it the rest of the way."

Between them, they got the rock shifted to the point that the entrance to what appeared to be a steeply down-sloping tunnel was revealed.

"He has to be damned strong," Helmet muttered, "to be able to move the rock as quickly as he must have in order to grab Piers, get back into the tunnel, and cover it again without Linden knowing what had happened."

The vampire nodded. "I have to wonder how many more of these he has."

"We'll find out once we get down there." Helmut turned to look at Linden. "You, home, now."

"Like hell," Linden growled in a passable imitation of Helmut. "It's my fault he's down there, I'm coming with you."

"Boy!"

"No, I am going too, whether with you or following you." Linden crossed his arms over his chest, daring Helmut to do anything about it.

Helmut stalked over to him. "I should transport you back to the manor and give you to Mr. Pope to guard."

"You should, but you won't. We can't waste the time doing that. Piers is down there somewhere and who knows what the revenant is doing to him."

Sighing deeply, Helmut nodded. "I go first, you stay between me and him," he nodded towards the vampire. "You will do whatever I tell you to once we're inside, and immediately. Is. That. Understood?"

"Yes," Linden replied quietly. "I promise."

(39) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"You know this is totally insane," Piers whispered as he and Linden stole out the back door of the manor house.

"I have to find out if he's all right."

"I understand, believe me. Just stay close."

Linden nodded sharply. "Since using a flashlight is out of the question I haven't much choice."

The two young men moved cautiously to the edge of the trees, checking every few seconds to be certain none of the servants were watching. It wouldn't do for them to raise the alarm even though their intentions would be to keep them safe.

Once in the woods, Piers moved slowly enough that Linden had no trouble keeping up. In fact he began to get antsy that they weren't making faster progress. He told Piers just that, saying that with the quarter moon and his somewhat enhanced eyesight they didn't have to move at a turtle's pace.

"Yes we do," was Piers' reply. "Slowly and carefully because you know they're still searching for Dixon, even if we're sure he's at the ruins."

"Or under them. Okay, point made."

It seemed to take forever before they saw the ruins up ahead of them, the two towers limned by the pale moonlight in stark silhouette against the dark sky.

Upon reaching the top of the low mound surrounding the ruins its front side, they both searched for Helmut.

"I don't see him." Linden's voice was taut with worry.

"Me neither, but he could be somewhere on the far side." Piers started along the rim of the mound.

Linden followed, stopping every few feet to scan the exterior walls of the ruins, as well as what he could see beyond them in the dim moon light. He took one final look at what he could see of the front of the ruins then started after Piers, who was several yards ahead of him where the mound began angling down to the ground.

"Piers," he called out softly, "wait."

Piers started to turn towards him, and then from where Linden stood it looked as if his foot slipped. Piers gave a shout of surprise, his arms flailing as he tried to catch himself, and then he vanished from sight.

(38) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Helmut watched from just outside the boundaries of the ruins. Beside him stood one of the vampire guardians, an old one, just over one thousand. While the two of them weren't friends, or even friendly, they did hold grudging respect for each other.

Now the vampire asked quietly, "You're certain you can get inside if you know what a part of the subterranean area looks like?"

"I am." Helmut rubbed his temples between his fingers. "It's either that, or discover the entrances. The only one I know about is the one Piers and Lin found, and the revenant undoubtedly has done all in his power to make it impregnable now."

"If there's even the smallest crack I can get inside."

"Too dangerous."

"And yet you want to," the vampire hissed.

Helmut smiled tightly. "I'm not one of the undead. He'll know how to fight you with your own weapons so to speak."

"A possibility, I suppose, but my duty to save the young man is as strong as yours."

Helmut changed the subject for the moment by saying, "There has to be another entrance, one we're not seeing. There's no other way he could have gotten Dixon, or any of his other victims, inside."

"Presuming he has. He may have fed on them and then buried their bodies under the rubble."

"No, I think he keeps them in there, and keeps them alive for as long as possible. He can't leave the boundaries of his land, therefore he has no recourse if he's to remain alive other than to maintain them, in stasis or otherwise, until there's nothing left of them to feed on."

The vampire tapped his fingers together, considering that. "Agreed. Allow me to search the ruins. With my superior senses I may be able to find this other entrance, if it exists."

Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 15

As soon as the detective left Paddy took Mike aside, asking, "Are you all right?"

"Hell no. Micky was…was attacked and…" Suddenly his hands started shaking as the realization of what that meant hit him. "He though Micky was me."

Paddy nodded, gripping his shoulder. "I hate to say it but I think you're right."

"What if…?"

"If you'd been here? I suspect he'd have gone after Micky anyway. From what little I could see of the kid as they took him out, he looked like the…" Paddy almost said 'the picture' before remembering there was no way he could have seen it as far as Mike was concerned. "He looked like the way you described the picture Keefe showed you."

"Skinnier, but yeah, sort of. Damn it, Paddy. We have to find him."

"I think that's the cops' job."

"But Micky isn't me. What if Mr. Keefe realizes that somehow? If the cops find out Micky's real name it won't be mine. Or if Mr. Keefe figures out Micky is younger than me, because he is."

"You know Micky. Does he look younger?"

"Yeah. He claims he's nineteen. I think that's pushing it a bit but he passes for that." Mike smiled grimly. "Living on the streets can do that to a guy."

"So you're really only twenty?" Paddy asked with a smile, trying to relax Mike a bit if possible.

"Twenty-one," Mike retorted. Then he almost grinned. "Honest. I may feel ancient at times but yeah, I'm twenty-one and counting." With a sigh, he said, "I guess I'd better get to work. I have a feeling it's going to be rough. The story will have spread fast about what happened and the kids will bombard me with questions."

He glanced at the admissions counter, which at the moment was being manned by another employee. Three teens were already lined up there, even though it was just after twelve-thirty. "We'll have a full house again tonight I think," Mike told Paddy as he went around behind the counter. "I'll take over now, Carl."

Carl nodded, looking relieved, and headed through the door into the employee's area after Mike buzzed him through.

"I'll help," Paddy said, joining Mike. "Unless there's something else I should be doing."

"I could use your company." Mike replied before turning his attention to the first kid in the line, which had now grown to five teens of varying ages. He took down what information the kid was willing to give him, while answering questions about what had happened.

Paddy did the same with the next teen, wondering as he did when he could legitimately leave for a few minutes. He wanted to go to the hospital where they'd taken Micky and pick his brain—literally—to see if he could find out exactly what had happened.

About half an hour later, Paddy got his chance when the line slowed down to a trickle. Pleading the need for a bathroom break he headed to the restroom. The moment he entered one of the stalls, he went invisible. Seconds later, with no one the wiser, he was in the ICU at the hospital. A quick mental reading of one of the nurses let him know what room Micky was in.

Still invisible, Paddy went into the room, swearing silently when he saw the teen. He was encased in casts and attached to several monitoring units. We'll find Keefe and deal with bastard, he promised before probing Micky's mind for details on exactly what had happened.  

It took a bit of prodding but he got Micky to remember leading Mr. Keefe to the basement door. When Micky turned to leave, Keefe asked him to wait because he needed help bringing something upstairs. Keefe stepped between Micky and the door and a minute later he opened it. "After you," the man said, moving aside. The last thing Micky remembered was feeling a hand on his back and being shoved.

Definitely was not an accident.

Scowling, Paddy returned to the restroom stall at the shelter. Smoothing his features, he became visible and rejoined Mike.