Sui Generis – 28

 

It was decided that Randulf and Dante would accompany Mag and Brand home and stay until morning, after making it seem as if they'd left. Since neither of the Enforcers had come by car, they borrowed Antton's SUV. When they got to the house, Dante drove slowly by it and around to the alley where he parked and they all got out.

"Looks okay so far," Brand said after a quick visual check of the backyard and the tree. "No dead animals."

Dante went to porch. "Let me check inside." He misted, slipping under the back door.

"He'd make a good burglar," Mag said. "He doesn't have to worry about locks or alarms."

"Which we don't have," Brand pointed out. "Alarms, that is." He began pacing, opening his senses for any signs of vampires other than Dante. He knew he wouldn't feel Fedor but he wouldn't put it past him to send a couple of his lesser vampires to try to pull something as part of his reign of terror.

"Anything?" Randulf asked, apparently picking up on what he was doing.

"Nope. All clear unless he's in the neighborhood somewhere."

Mag looked around fearfully as if anticipating Fedor would show up any second. When Dante opened the back door, he scurried into the house, quickly followed by Brand and Randulf.

Dante stopped them as soon as they were inside. "I presume the two of you aren't into blood as a form of wall art."

"Shit," Brand growled. "Now what?"

"It looks like he paid another visit. Much earlier this evening, since the blood is dry, but it's there."

"I wish to hell he'd just show his face, grab one of us, and get this over with," Brand said angrily.

Mag walked into the living room and swore, not too quietly. "The landlord is not going to be a happy camper."

Brand followed and had to agree. Two walls were liberally spattered with blood, heavily at the top with long streams coming down from there almost to the floor. Fedor, presuming it had been him who had done it, had also left a message in blood on the third wall. It said, "It ends soon."

"What's his definition of soon?" Brand spat out.

"I suspect it depends on how much longer he wants you looking fearfully over your shoulder," Randulf replied. "Still…" He took out his phone and called Antton to let him know the latest developments.

"We should probably take you back to Antton's so you can get some sleep," Dante said. "I doubt you'll be able to here, after this."

"Hell no. We're not running scared," Brand said adamantly. "Right?" he added, looking at Mag.

"Right," Mag agreed, although he looked as if he wasn't quite as certain as Brand.

Randulf grinned. "Didn't think you'd take us up on the offer. You two have guts. So Dante and I will make an obvious exit then return less openly. If Fedor is around somewhere, he'll sense Dante's back. I don't think he'll do anything tonight but we're not taking chances."

"Thanks," Brand said. He glanced at the walls again, trying to repress a shudder. "Come on, Mag, let's see them out and then go upstairs." Turning back to Dante, he said hopefully, "He didn't get up there did he?"

"No sign of it. Or at least if he did, he didn't do anything."

"Good." He headed through the kitchen into the backyard, followed by the others. Then he and Mag watched as Dante and Randulf drove away before going back inside.

"We probably have five minutes before they're back," Mag said, as soon as he closed and locked the door.

"Not enough time to do anything—exciting," Brand replied with a bit of a grin.

"No, but…" Mag wrapped Brand in a tight embrace. "We can make out a little." He didn't give Brand any chance to object, kissing him quite heartily—a kiss Brand returned very enthusiastically, exploring the taste and feel of Mag's mouth when Mag opened to his questing tongue.

"Told you," Dante said from behind them a few moments later.

"Like I doubted you?" Randulf replied with a laugh. "Sorry to break up your fun, guys," he said when Brand and Mag spun around to look sheepishly at them, "but it really is necessary for the two of you to get some sleep. Preferably in your own beds. Emphasis on 'beds'. Plural."

Brand nodded. As much as he'd have liked to continue what he and Mag had been doing, he knew Randulf was right. Now was not the time. Later though, when all of this is over. He smiled softly at Mag. "Guess we'd better do as ordered."

"Yeah," Mag agreed with a sigh. "Not that I'll actually sleep, but… yeah."