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The dreams I had enjoyed earlier in the day did not turn out to be literally prophetic, but they functioned
perfectly in an allegorical sense. Lynn and I, after we dropped off her great-aunt, spent some time
wandering through the market, laughing about what her aunt had said. As Lynn doesn't know about the
Old One yet, I didn't tell her his comments, but I let my laughter batter him into grumbling retreat. That
was good because we later retreated to my apartment and engaged in activities that would have had him
yipping encouragement to Lynn on a nearly incessant basis.
Lynn woke me up early the hour on the clock wasn't even close to double digits then showered and
headed off to work. She normally didn't spend the full evening with me because she shared a corporate
suite with her folks. With Aunt Sadie using her room, the In-golds chose to believe Lynn's story that she
would stay the night with a friend.
She asked if she'd see me later, but I told her Raven was coming back into town and I had something to
do. Because we'd met in the course of Raven, Stealth, and I saving her from kidnappers, she has a vague
idea of what I do. Given that I was planning to meet Selene later, I decided that not clarifying my plans
was a good thing.
I crashed for another couple of hours, then got up close to noon. I decided that I needed a new suit for
the night's adventure, so I dressed quickly and headed out. The Old One's grumbling started to give me a
headache, but I managed to ignore him and it. Hopping into the Fenris, I headed downtown and started a
walking tour of the haberdasheries.
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After a few false starts I settled on a French-cut black suit with double-breasted blazer. The tailor who
measured me for alterations asked if I would be "heavy" or "thick" while wearing it, but I shook my head.
Wearing a gun or a kevlar vest was not in order for dinner at one of the city's most elegant clubs. I
picked out a tie and shirt to go with the suit, then had lunch and a beer at Kell's while the tailor worked
on the alterations.
As night began to creep close, it brought with it a sense of impending doom. Normally I would have put
it down to Stealth being in the vicinity, but I suspected that Lynn and Selene were at the root of it. As I
thought things over, I could see myself speeding in the Fenris toward a cliff with a nasty drop-off. A
cloud of dust obscured what was behind me, and I had the distinct feeling that it hid an equally
devastating drop.
I knew I loved Lynn and I hoped she felt the same way about me. I had never fallen so hard for a
woman, nor had I ever lasted as long with one. Most women decided I was trouble and gave me walking
papers before things became serious. Getting rejected like thatdid hurt, but we usually managed to part
on friendly terms, which helped take a lot of the sting out of it. Besides, plenty of other women were
willing to offer me solace, so I learned to live within the myth that someday I'd find the woman meant for
me.
Now that day had dawned and I found it more terrifying than most of the gun battles I'd lived through. In
those instances the worst that could happen was that I could die. In this situation, I could end upliving.
I'd have responsibilities and obligations. While Lynn was more than worth all that, a huge chunk of me
saw my window on freedom snapping shut.
Enter Selene. She and Lynn were of the same species and gender, but the similarities ended there.
Selene was very attractive and aggressive. Being pursued by someone so powerful and desirable was
one hell of an ego- steroid. I was staring at a future imprisoned with one woman while Selene Reece
stood there handing me a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
The Pacific Northwest Hunting Club was downtown and not that far from the Fuchi corporate tower
where Lynn lived, so I parked the Fenris in an alley about four blocks from the club. I set the anti-theft
system at three chirps, figuring that the alley would keep down the number of injured bystanders.
Pocketing the remote control, I set off for the club.
The heavy-set gentleman who'd ushered me to the bar the night before was again at his station. He
smiled when he saw me and beckoned me to follow him. "This way, Mr. Kies. Ms. Reece has already
been seated."
Selene slipped out of the corner booth as I arrived. She wore a cerulean blue chemise with hair-thin
straps under a darker blue crepe du chine jacket and matching pants. She offered me her hand and I
kissed it, bowing slightly as I did so. She laughed and we both sat down.
The maitre'd offered me a menu, but I shook my head. "I trust your judgment, Selene."
She smiled and ordered a magnum of champagne and raw oysters for an appetizer. "For the main course
we will have the venison steaks with mushrooms and wild rice."
"Very good, madam."
As he withdrew, she looked at me carefully. "I trust you like venison."
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I nodded. "Get it yourself?"
"No. The last deer I shot was a year ago and I gave some of the meat to another member. He is
repaying the favor." Her smile grew. "I didn't get the oysters myself either, but I trust you will enjoy them
nonetheless."
"I am sure I will."
Our champagne arrived and she sat back to sip from her glass. "You are even more fascinating than I
thought, Wolfgang. Until I did some research I had no idea you were associated with Richard Raven.
From what I learned, you've hunted enough to be a member here."
I shrugged. "I bag vermin, mostly. Doc keeps me around for amusement value. And my friends call me
Wolf."
"You are too modest, Wolf." Her voice lingered over my name, and the prospect of her becoming an
intimate friend made me smile. "From what I understand, a number of the local street gangs consider you
quite dangerous."
"I gather, Selene, that various species of big game think of you in the same way."
"Touche. We are a pair, it seems, evenly matched."
I raised my glass in a salute. "To being a perfect match."
"Indeed."
The rest of the evening went from there to become quite hot. We both drank more champagne than we
should have, but we stopped at silly on our way to being drunk. We engaged in a war of innuendo and
double-entendre that promised much for the night until the maitre'd came over and informed her that the
Director was in his office.
She became serious with that news, then broke into a giggle when the maitre'd walked away. "I suppose
we should take care of business before weget down to business, yes, Mr. Kies?" She looped her purse
strap over her left shoulder and slid from the booth.
I nodded almost soberly. "Indeed, Ms. Reece."
I followed her from the dining room and up some stairs. We passed down a corridor that took us
beyond the room below and ended at a double door. As we approached, I heard a click and the doors
opened for us. Without a second thought I walked on into the dark room.
Before I could even begin to ponder why the room was so dimly lit, fire ignited in my spine. I heard a
faint crackling sound and agony convulsed my body radiating out from a spot between my shoulder
blades. I tried to turn, but given that my equilibrium had succumbed to the alcohol and that the electricity
running through me had clobbered my muscles, all I managed to do was drop hard to the floor. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]