6 comments/ 4941 views/ 6 favorites The End of Fear By: Hawksheart The End of Fear "Rio, that was fucking amazing!" Qhuinn caught her face in his hands, his grin tight. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" Blaylock turned her from Qhuinn, pressing her hands to his broad chest. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, the worry still flooding his face. "Are you kidding, Blay?" Qhuinn cried, shaking his head. "Did you see her? She's gonna kick your ass if you get outta hand." Rio laughed as Blaylock pulled her close and tucked her under his shoulder. They followed the other two up the steps leading to the VIP section and past the velvet rope separating it from the club's gen pop area. The Barbies were waiting and as soon as Qhuinn got within range, they latched onto him like fly paper, flashing Rio another look of envy. Destination - the open banquette at the far back corner right next to the exit. Rio stepped away from Blaylock, scanning the area for an empty table. He caught her hand as she started to move away and pulled her close again. "Where are you going?" He frowned in confusion. "I told you I just needed in," she reminded him. "I'm not looking for anything else." "No, come." Blaylock tugged on her hand. "Fuck that," Qhuinn turned, agreeing with his friend. "You sit with us, right, John?" John nodded enthusiastically, signing quickly but carefully. You're with us. No pressure. Rio dropped her head, not speaking for a long moment. Finally she nodded and without lifting her head she signed Ok. "Good," Qhuinn pronounced, turning back to their table. "Now let's get those drinks happening." Rio slid into the booth beside one of the Barbie twins and nodded in approval. Right where she wanted to be -- in the shadows. She would've preferred to be alone but all things considered, she could live with this. At least for tonight. The waitress stopped in front of their table, waiting with half a smile. Qhuinn ordered for himself and the girls and translated John's preference. Blaylock asked for a Corona then looked at Rio. "No beer for me. Allergic. I'll have a Grey Goose, straight up. And a shot of JD." "You don't fool around, do you?" Blaylock asked with a smile. Rio smiled back. "Well, I don't do the shot every time but after that dance out there," she jerked her chin in the direction of gen pop, "I think I'm good for one this round." The drinks came and raising her shot glass in a toast to the table, she downed it in a quick swallow. Qhuinn's attention was riveted to the two girls draped over him but she saw both John and Blaylock cock an eyebrow at her as she set her glass down. She snickered and raised her vodka glass to them before taking a drink. It wasn't long after Qhuinn shot at look at John, who slid out of the booth to let his friend and the Barbie twins out. Rio watched Blaylock's face tighten up as he pretended not to watch the three of them head to the large private bathrooms in the back. He signalled to the waitress, who nodded without coming over. Rio quickly raised her shot glass and shook her head, then reached out and stroked a finger lightly over the back of Blay's hand, the one clenched into a fist. He sucked his breath in and clenched the hand tighter. "Easy, sweetheart," she murmured. "That 'no pressure' promise has no specific name on it, you know." "Sorry," he answered. "I didn't mean to..." "No worries." She took a long, slow breath. "Do you ever just stay home? Or go...somewhere else? Anywhere else?" He shot her a quick look. Rio held his eyes, her look direct, full of knowledge. She knew he could see her compassion for him, her empathy for the pain of his situation, but there was no judgement, no condemnation. Just the sorrow that it was what it was and none of the parties involved seemed able to change it. Blaylock shot a glance at John, who returned the look with his usual solid support. He turned back to Rio with a small sigh. The sound laid out the truth in no uncertain terms. "No." He shook his head. "What would be the point? I'd still know and I'm not sure it would hurt any less." "It might. At least you wouldn't have to watch it happen." Blaylock's smile was so empty, his face so ruined, that Rio felt her heart wrench in her chest, locking her breath inside. "I'd still see it played out in my mind," he murmured softly. "At least here I'm close to him. And he isn't always with...someone else." Her lungs unlocked and she sucked in a light gasp. She cleared her throat a couple of times then spoke in a low, hoarse voice. "Oh, baby, what I'd put on the line for you if I thought it would make a difference." She felt John watching her with sharp speculation but she never took her eyes off Blaylock. His shock was apparent but he let her hold his gaze steady. She stretched out her hand toward him and waited. The seconds ticked by until Blaylock finally reached out. He captured her hand uncertainly and she twisted her fingers through his and squeezed firmly. Blaylock turned her hand over and brought it to his mouth, pressing his lips to her inner wrist. Rio raised her eyebrows in surprise then slid her palm down his cheek. John signalled the waitress for another round and as she dropped the drinks and turned away, he shot upright, his hands clenching on the table. Before Rio could ask what was wrong a figure stopped in the shadows in front of them. "Do you want to move over a little there, John Matthew?" a low, hard female voice spoke. "I'd like to sit down for a minute, talk some business with your friend here." John shifted a few inches further into the booth but nowhere near enough to make anyone else sliding in comfortable. Rio fought to hold back her smile, biting down on her bottom lip till it hurt. Alex Hess slid slowly into the booth and Rio knew by the sudden low hiss coming from the male beside her that the security head's thigh was pressed against his. "John?" she spoke quietly, the warning clear in her voice, and he slowly inched a little further away. "My name's Alex Hess. I'm head of security here." She looked at Rio, who nodded twice. "I've heard that," she acknowledged. "I've seen you here a few times now," Alex continued. "You got a name?" "Rio." Alex cocked an eyebrow, waiting for a last name that didn't come. "Rio what?" she finally asked. "Just Rio." Alex's eyebrow climbed a little higher and the light hanging over the table cast shadows on her face, turning her surprise into something dark. "Well, just Rio, I notice you always come in alone, tonight being a surprising exception. You don't drink a lot and if you do, you don't get sloppy. You don't cause any trouble and you always leave alone. You don't seem particularly disturbed by anything that goes on around you here and I can't say that I've seen any...disapproval over anything, either. Is that a fairly accurate assessment so far?" Rio leaned her elbows on the table and clasped her hands in front of her, propping her chin on them. With a single nod and a shrug of her shoulders, she indicated her agreement with everything Alex had just said. Then she waited. The security head's eyes shifted to the general population area past the glassed-in waterfall that separated to two sections of the club. She shot her chin out in a quick movement then looked back at Rio. "That was an impressive display out there with that sack of shit. Can you do that any time you need to or was it a fluke tonight?" She felt Blaylock shift beside her and the tension that tightened John's body told her she was probably right about where her thoughts were heading. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before answering. "Well, the last time I had to worry about it they were sober. And both armed." She paused for a moment and felt the tension at the table crank up. "I believe the families still take flowers to the...him...every week," she finished softly, her eyes locked on the female sitting across from her. The energy at the table thrummed through the air and after a few moments, a hard tight smile lifted the corners of Alex's mouth. Approval flared briefly in her eyes and she nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, where did you learn to fight like that?" Rio laughed softly. She leaned back in her seat and dropped her hands to the table top. "You aren't gonna believe this but I don't have a clue. I think of a situation. I close my eyes. I see it in my head, every movement needed. Then I walk through it, every step. If I can do it smoothly, if the movements are possible and easy to reach for, that's it." She shrugged. "If not, I start over and do it till it is." Alex stared at her. Rio saw the reluctant amazement in her eyes, the belief that her explanation was so unorthodox it had to be a joke. Yet she had seen it in action. "You have got to be kidding," she finally said, her voice flat. Rio grinned and shook her head. "That's it. All of it." "Fucking unbelievable," Alex breathed. This time Rio caught the waitress's eye. Alex didn't speak until the drinks were on the table. She seemed to come to a decision and abruptly straightened up. "Are you working anywhere right now?" "I am unfortunately in between jobs at the moment. And I don't mind telling you it sucks." "What did you do?" Rio grinned ruefully and rubbed her forehead. Then she laughed as she let her breath out in a huff, drawing her hand down over her face. "I was an admin assistant and a dispatcher at Caldwell Trucking." There was several seconds of dead silence and then Alex spoke, her voice shaking with incredulity. "You. Are. Fucking. Kidding. Me." Her stare cut through Rio like a high powered drill. Blaylock burst out laughing and John slammed his fist into table, his body shaking silently. At that moment, Qhuinn strode into view. He was alone and trying desperately to straighten out his clothing. His hair was in fabulous disarray, his lips swollen and red. His beautiful mismatched eyes had a glassy sheen to them and everything about him looked thoroughly used and well satisfied by it. "What's doing?" he asked as he slid into the booth beside Blaylock, who was still laughing. Rio held up a finger, putting him on hold for a moment but not taking her eyes off Alex. "With those skills," Alex said in the same tone, like Rio was yanking her chain just for kicks and giggles. "A fucking secretary." Rio held up a finger again and shook her head. "Not a secretary. An admin assistant." Once again, Blaylock's laughter rang across the table and John shook his head. Rio's grin split her face wide and still not taking her eyes off the security head's stunned face she lost control over her own laughter. "This is such bullshit," Alex said, shaking her head in defeat. "It is what it is," Rio agreed with a sigh, her laughter drifting away. "And pretty much the story of my life. So, where are we going from here?" Qhuinn's eyes bounced around the table, taking in the expressions on each face. It was obvious something was in the works and just like everyone else who wasn't directly involved, he held his breath, waiting. Time stretched out as the two women locked eyes, neither one making the first move. Alex seemed to be digging into Rio, looking for some sign of weakness, some flicker of uneasiness at the directness of her gaze. Rio held her stare; calm, rock solid, like the outcome didn't matter in the least and so wasn't worth worrying about. Finally Alex nodded, satisfied at whatever she saw in Rio's head. She tapped her hand on the table twice and straightened up in her seat. "Do you want to come work for me? The rest of my security are all male but nobody will have a problem with you." Rio heard Qhuinn's hiss of surprise but she didn't drop her gaze from Alex. This test wasn't over yet, despite how it appeared, and Rio knew it. "Are you sure you want to offer that?" she asked softly, her challenge clear. "Yeah. My team is tight. I wouldn't offer if I wasn't sure," Alex said. Her expectation was that Rio would come in needing no proving time before being accepted as an equal member of the team. And her reassurance that everyone would accept her without that proof up front was clear in her tone. It was in Rio's court now. Rio nodded once and leaned forward on the table, her hand outstretched. Alex reached out and as the two women clasped palms the three men sagged in their seats in disbelief. "Holy shit, Rio, am I hearing this right?" Qhuinn blurted out. "Did you just get hired as part of the security here?" "Apparently, that does seem to be the situation," she said dryly. "I know you said you weren't looking for anything but a faster entry time tonight," Qhuinn's eyes sparkled at her, "but this calls for some serious celebrating." He wrapped his heavy arms around her and dragged her across his lap. Before she could protest he bent his head, his mouth covering hers. He kissed her hard, deep, his tongue finding its way into her heat despite her shock. When he released her a moment later, she smacked him hard across the back of his head. "Drop me, kid, or we're gonna visit the alley out back and only one of us is coming back in." Qhuinn growled at her in mock warning and bent his head to nip at her neck. Rio squealed and smacked him again as she slid off his lap. "Watch who you're calling kid, woman." He let the hoarse growl roll off his tongue, his eyes sparking with laughter. "I'll bet you've never been around someone like me before." "Oh, I have no doubt about that," she laughed, "but the kid still stands. I'm pretty sure I was babysitting somebody somewhere the day you decided to check in." Blaylock choked on his beer and John leaned across the table to give Qhuinn another solid knock on the shoulder. Alex stood up, fighting a smile. She tapped her knuckles on the table and pointed at Rio. "I'll give you tomorrow to get things together. Be here at seven pm Saturday. I'll walk you through some shit, get you ready for an eight to four shift." Rio nodded. "Thanks, Alex." The security head looked around the table then back to Rio. "I guess since you'll be working here you'd better call me Xhex. That's what I go by." "Just for the select few, right?" Rio's chuckle rolled out, low and sleek. Xhex lifted her hand before drifting off into the darkness. Chapter 3 The silence at the table drew out and finally Rio shifted and rapped her knuckles on the table top. "Alright, boys. If your mouths are open, close them. If you're staring at me, stop. If you're not breathing, start. This is not show and tell and I'm not a science exhibit. Somebody talk." "Holy shit, Rio," Blaylock spoke softly, awed. "Exactly," Qhuinn snapped, excitement sharpening his voice. "What the hell happened while I was gone?" "You didn't miss much," Rio told him. "You were here for the important part." "Bullshit! I missed something," he growled. John lifted his hands. Xhex came over to talk to Rio about the fight. Blaylock nodded. "She asked if Rio could do that all the time." He trailed off at the memory of what came after that. He looked at her quickly and Qhuinn immediately grabbed at the shift. "What?" he demanded. "What happened?" Blaylock shot a glance at John before turning back to Rio. "Come on!" Qhuinn pushed. "What the hell happened?" Rio took a deep pull from her glass before responding, her eyes on the table. "You might as well tell him now. You know you will as soon as you're alone anyway." Blaylock looked at John, who raised his hands to Qhuinn. Rio killed a guy. Qhuinn's head snapped around and his eyes bored into her. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he breathed. When she didn't respond, Blaylock continued. "When Xhex asked about the fight, Rio told her the last time she'd faced it the guys were sober and armed. She said the families still take flowers to them every week." "Rio?" Qhuinn shot the question at her, his voice low, demanding an answer. She'd never talked about this to anyone before, other than the police, and she couldn't believe how strong her need was to open her mouth now. Especially since the three men waiting to hear it were barely beyond being strangers. The strength of that pull inside, of the need to share this with them, made no sense to her and yet it felt right. "It was a couple of years ago. I wasn't living here yet. I was in a small town further west. It was summer and a neighbor girl had just gotten a new ten speed for her birthday. She was dying to give it a workout but she didn't want to go alone and both her parents were working. I was off for a few days so I told her I'd go with her. She wanted to hit the country roads outside of town so she called her mom who said there was no problem if she was with me. "We were about four miles out when she picked up a nail. The tire went flat as a board. We started back, just talking, pushing our bikes. We'd only covered about a mile when the truck pulled up beside us." Her voice was low, barely above a whisper, with no discernible inflection in the words strung together. But despite the cacophony of sounds bleeding into every available space around them, the encroaching horror building in the softly spoken story was a scream. Rio realized that Xhex was standing in the shadows just behind them, close enough to hear the verbal equivalent of her self-evisceration. "There were two guys in it. Probably in their late twenties, early thirties. Jenna was only fourteen but I knew it was going to be bad when I saw them looking at her. They offered us a ride but I told them we were good. They insisted we take the ride and one guy got out and threw her bike in the truck box. The other guy was crowding me, brushing his hands against me, whispering vulgarities in my ear. I knew there was only one way to get Jenna out of there safely. I offered myself if they let her go. To let her get on my bike and ride away. "They jumped on the offer. I watched her leave. She'd only gotten a few hundred yards down the road before the first one dragged me to the back of the truck and ripped off my jeans. When he finished, the second one climbed on. He was almost finished when I heard the first one say he was going after Jenna. He jumped in the truck and I started fighting the guy on top of me. He pulled a gun and stuck it to my temple. When the truck started moving, I lost control. I knew if I didn't stop them, they'd both rape Jenna when they caught her. There was no way she'd made it back to town yet. "I had longer nails back then and I reached up and drove them into that bastard's eyes. He started shrieking and made a grab for his face. I shoved him off me and he fell off the truck. He dropped his gun when he went over and I grabbed for it but it slid off the tailgate when we hit a bump. I turned and caught the side of the box and prayed I could keep my balance then kicked out the back window. I reached in and grabbed that other prick by the hair and pulled with everything I had. When his head came back, I started hammering on him. When he finally couldn't control the truck anymore, he slammed on the brakes and dragged me right through the window and out the door. "He reached for his back pocket and I knew he was going for a gun. I grabbed his nuts and twisted like there was no stopping point. He went down and I started kicking the hell out of him. He kept grabbing for me and I just kept kicking. I drove my boot heel into him so many places so hard I heard bones breaking all over. His gun had worked its way out of his pocket while he was thrashing around and he tried to grab for it. I got it first but somehow he got me turned and got his arm around my neck. When I started blacking out I just reached up behind me, socked that barrel tight against his head and pulled the trigger. The End of Fear "The other guy had dragged himself up and I saw him coming down the road after us. I crawled in behind the wheel of the truck and was gone. I caught up to Jenna just outside of town and after I dropped her safe at home I dumped the truck clear across town. I never saw the other guy again." The silence around the table screamed and even with the club in full party mode, she was sure if someone would have dropped a pin in front of them, they'd have all heard it. She drained her glass and set it down with a little clink. "So I guess that means I know how to handle a gun, too," she finished flatly. She pushed on Blaylock and waited while he and Qhuinn slid out of the booth. Each man caught one of her arms. She knew they were trying to offer her comfort but supported between the two like that she felt like she was back at that truck. There was a shifting in the shadows behind their booth and Rio snapped her head in that direction. The glow in her eyes was clearly a back-the-fuck-off and the shifting stopped. Turning her head, she stared straight ahead and drew in a deep breath. Then she opened her clenched hands, spreading her fingers wide, and waited. The boys reluctantly let go of her and without a word she walked away and down the hall to the bathrooms. The water was ice cold as Rio thrust her hands into the stream and her breath caught in her throat as she splashed it up over her face. "Ah, to hell with this," she grumbled and jammed the plug into the sink. When the basin was full she cranked off the tap and holding her hair back with one hand, she plunged her face into the water. Instantly her body seized, holding her rigid for seconds that lasted for days. She lifted her head and gasped, sucking in a huge breath. Again, she plunged her face into the ice water. As her skin numbed out, she caught herself thinking about that gun. Felt her hand itching and wished she had it again. Just for awhile. Her face was still in the water when she heard the door open. The rattling told her someone was pulling paper towel from the dispenser and when she raised her head, the towels were in front of her face. She took them as she turned and propping herself against the counter, she blotted herself dry then looked up. Xhex's gunmetal gray eyes locked on hers like a magnet. Rio held her stare for several long minutes then threw her head back with a sigh. "Fuck, there's nothing like being frozen out in a sink full of ice water," she muttered as she shook back her hair. She ran her fingers through the long curls, shaking out the tangles, and waited for Xhex to speak. The silence grew, spreading through the room like smoke. Rio pushed herself away from counter and started pacing. She ran her fingers along the counter top, skimming over each of the copper basins. She reached the end of the counter and stopped. Faced the wall. Sucked in a deep breath of that smoky silence. Turned and started back up the aisle, skimming her fingers across each stall door. Halfway up she stopped. Xhex still leaned against the bathroom door, those gunmetal gray eyes still locked on her. In a quick surge, Rio felt heat blast through her, searing every nerve ending, swimming through her eyes till they spilled over, effectively closing down her vision. She stepped into the stall beside her, slamming the door back against the wall. Her fist shot straight out from her shoulder. She hammered that door over and over, the metal changing from small dips to a concave basin the size of a volleyball. The instant sting from the first punches turned into sharp spears of pain shooting deep through her bones and still she kept pounding that door. Finally, when the front panel of the door was flat against the back panel and the metal refused to give any further, she straightened with a hoarse roar. It rolled up from deep in her belly and barreled out through her chest. The echo bounced around the room like the dying thunder of a passing storm. Rio left the stall slowly and walked to the sink, still full up. She thrust her ruined hand into the freezing water, sucking her breath in with a sharp hiss. Xhex held up the fresh paper towels and when Rio hit the knob to drain the water, she stepped away from the door. Rio took the towels in silence and awkwardly reached across her body to dig in her front right pocket. She pulled out a hundred dollar bill and snapped it up in front of Xhex who took it and followed Rio out of the bathroom, still in silence. Nobody commented on her raw, swollen knuckles but sometime after she had sucked back a couple of more drinks, Blaylock reached out and captured her hand. Bringing it up to his mouth, he gently brushed his lips over it, his warm eyes holding hers. Qhuinn kept fishing out ice cubes from her drinks, sliding them over her knuckles. When John protested, Qhuinn flashed that boyish sparkle and insisted the alcohol would help prevent any infection and the ice would take down the swelling. Rio eased back in her seat with a sigh and thought about how good it felt to spend time with someone again. She looked around at the three gorgeous young men sitting with her, then let her eyes roam over the club and realized that in two days she would be an employee. "So, tell me, boys, what do you all do for a living? It occurs to me that you've all learned an incredible amount about me in a very short time and the only thing I know about any of you is you're all gorgeous and very kind, compassionate and, I think, extremely loyal." She laughed at the cocky grin that spread over Qhuinn's face and the blush made her want to wrap Blaylock tight in her arms. John's face tightened up, though, and the flicker of pain that crossed his eyes briefly peaked her interest. He looked up and caught her gaze. With a quick glance around the table, he raised his hands. We're military students. We're in training. "Really." She nodded, her tone curiously flat. Her eyes touched on each one of the men. She noted the slight tightening in each of them. So that's how it was. Well, everyone was entitled to their secrets and who was she to push it. "Well, you know, it doesn't surprise me. I mean, look at you all. You're huge! What else would you be?" She sat back while the tension drained from them as they all laughed and thought she'd give a lot to know what they really were into. When they finally called it a night the boys insisted on taking Rio home. She couldn't talk them out of it so she finally gave in with a minimum of grace. They were shocked to realize that she walked to and from the club all the time and she broke out laughing at the identical disapproving scowls they turned on her. "Come on, Rio," Blaylock argued. "It's not safe out here at nights, especially for a woman." "This isn't Manhattan, boys," Rio pointed out, tucking her arms through Blaylock's on one side and Qhuinn's on the other. "Maybe not," Qhuinn said, his tone turning serious. "But we're close enough to get their spillover. And Caldwell has its own crazies." By this time they were at her apartment and she leaned back against her door. Her eyes touched on each of them. She took a quick look around to make sure nobody was close and dropped her voice. "I'm going to be working security at one of the busiest clubs in town, with enough shit going on inside those walls to make the entire Caldwell police force crazy, and you're worried about me walking at night." She watched them exchange glances and again wondered what all their buried secrets said. "Thank you for worrying, but I'm fine, boys. And since I have no vehicle and it costs too much for a cab twice a day, I don't have a lot of choices. You know, if I were Xhex we wouldn't be having this conversation, right?" She burst out laughing at the expressions of horror on their faces. Reaching out, she gave each one a hug before turning them around. "Go home, or wherever you go when you leave the club. I'm here, I'm safe and I'm fine." They refused to move until she had closed herself into the apartment and they heard the click of the lock. She flipped back the curtain beside the door and watched them walk away. Broad shoulders rolled, powerful thighs pushed them forward, heavy, muscular arms swung loosely by their sides. Rio felt a quiver ripple through her stomach as she watched pure, male power walk away from her till it was lost in the drifting shadows at the end of her street. Chapter 4 She hung her leather jacket in the small closet then dragged herself to the bathroom. Though she went to the club often, she didn't usually stay this late and the night was crashing in on her now. The drinks were swimming around in her head and as she walked into the bathroom she stumbled and bounced off the door. She made a grab for the sink but missed and face-planted into the wall. She stopped moving immediately and stretched her hands out in front of her, propping herself up. "Well, fuck, I hate sloppy drunks," she grumbled, pissed at her lack of control. "And after that nice compliment from Xhex about how I don't get sloppy. Fuck!" She slapped her hands hard against the wall then shoved herself upright. She tore her clothes off and cranked on the shower. Without waiting for the water to heat all the way, she climbed into the tub. "Fuck!" she yelled as the water hit her. "That's cold." She yanked the curtain closed, grabbed her shampoo and poured the thick liquid on her hair. But when she bent her fingers to massage her scalp, pain shot through the right one and her hand wouldn't close all the way. "Well, bloody hell, isn't this just a party you can't wait for," she growled in frustration. Determined not to let anything else get the better of her tonight, she dug the fingers of her left hand into her scalp. She had thick hair, and long, past her shoulders, and it was a bitch to clean it well with only one hand. But Rio was nothing if not stubborn and she tunneled and massaged and ran the long strands through her good hand until she was satisfied. The water was hot by this time and she stood under the spray while the suds raced their way down to the drain. When most of the shampoo had rinsed away she massaged out the rest then poured body wash on a loofah sponge and scrubbed herself hard. A tangy ocean scent filled the air as the body wash foamed thickly and the rough sponge felt good on her skin. As it slicked over her, she felt like she was being buffed to a shine, her skin tingly and awake. Rio shut off the water and wrapped herself in a fluffy bath sheet. Grabbing a smaller towel, she rubbed her head vigorously for several minutes then squeezed the length, absorbing any remaining water. As she went into the kitchen, her fatigue caught up to her, slowing her down. She poured a small glass of milk and then went to pull out the futon. Except for the vicious memory that had been dredged up, the night had been good. She was used to being in the club alone but the boys had brought her a sense of fun and companionship she hadn't felt in a long time. Yet, even after the pleasure of the evening the hole was still there. And the ache still squeezed tight in her chest. Whatever she was looking for still wasn't here yet. Rio popped her eyes open and tried to focus on the clock. Two pm. Not bad considering how last night had lasted forever. She rolled over and stretched, then kicked back the burgundy and cream comforter. As cool air hit her overheated body, she shivered lightly then closed her eyes again and thought about her first night as a member of ZeroSum's security team. She'd showed up at seven and the first thing Xhex had done was take her on a tour of the club. Except they hit all the places not open to the general clientele. She got the codes to access the behind the scene spaces, did a run-through of the security monitoring station, got the hi-how-are-ya's from the guy on shift as well as the girls in the staff room. Xhex assigned her a locker then took her out to meet the rest of the staff. Girls on the floor, bartenders, the rest of the bouncers marched by like a parade. Rio focussed on each face and made sure she shook each hand. It was a way to connect, to get a feel for how each relationship might play out, and she held down her smile at the jolt that lit several of the males over her grip. Rio had no use for nancy-weak handshakes. If it scared you to get gripped, then don't stick your hand out. That didn't mean she was a bone-crusher. She had an instinct for how each handshake would go down and within the first second of taking hold of someone's hand she knew how hard to squeeze. For example, women, for the most part, didn't shake hard. Most didn't even shake all that firmly, which was why she disliked shaking hands with women. But some surprised you and with those Rio tempered her hold. But if a man thought he was going to intimidate her with a power grip, he was in for his own surprise. Xhex had then led her through the VIP section and introduced her to Trez and iAm, the two huge Moors who served as the club owner's bodyguards, among other things. No handshaking here but the direct looks and single nods of acknowledgment told her all she needed to know about her reception. With two short knocks on the door at the Moors' backs, she led the way into the Reverend's office. Rio shifted on the bed as a flush ran through her and she smiled at the memory of that huge male behind the desk. When it came to men's fashions she couldn't have told you the difference between one designer or another, not even their names. But she did know that the dove gray double breasted he was wearing was a masterpiece. A work of art. Just like the male wearing it. And the black shirt matched with a muted figured black tie had to be silk because nothing else had a sheen like that. As for the work of art wearing all that elegance...shit! He was massive. He'd been on his feet once while she was in there with him and he was a jacked six foot six if he was an inch. That beautiful suit hugged massive shoulders, caressed a thick, powerful chest and slimmed down to wrap around lean hips like a lover. Rising above the beautifully knotted tie was a thick neck, the skin golden and smooth. He had a short, precisely trimmed mohawk that begged to be touched and when Rio looked into the amethyst eyes burning out of that hard, very masculine face her breath was gone. He'd welcomed her to the club and expressed his approval of the way she handled herself. He'd apparently reviewed the tape of her run in with the drunk on Thursday night. "Were you armed?" he'd asked. "Yeah, always," she'd responded, her tone neutral. "Well, I'm impressed that you handled him that well without drawing anything. What do you carry, by the way?" She had pulled out her blade, passing it across handle first when he'd held out his hand. He ran his hands over the weapon, turning it so the light lit off it like liquid silver. "Nice steel," his voice was like a rush of warm water. "Unusual. Mind telling me where you got it?" Her stomach clenched, the instinct to redirect that spear of inquiry riding her hard. But he had a lot going on here and it was totally understandable that he'd want to protect it any way he could. And it was only logical, and reasonable, to expect loyalty from his employees. She cleared her throat and it was obvious that she had to push the answer out. "Souvenir. Reminder of times gone by." "And of personal strength," he'd added softly, a knowing edge to his voice. "And beating the odds." She had flicked a fast glance at Xhex then pegged the Rev with ice cold, flat eyes. "I don't consciously subscribe to that particular standard of success. It's too unreliable. And up here," she tapped her temple, "where it counts for me, if I go in looking at odds, I've already lost." Rio shifted again as an odd prickling swept the length of her body as she remembered the way the Reverend's gorgeous amethyst eyes had flashed hot at her response. It was almost as if he'd never thought about it that way before but after hearing her put the idea into words, it made perfect sense to him. "Alright, enough reminiscing," she grumbled as she rolled out of bed. "I most definitely do not need to be remembering those eyes all day." She headed for the bathroom and twisted on the shower. But despite her determination to push the memories of last night from her head, she found herself still drifting through the first feeling of being grounded she'd had in a long time. As she shampooed and loofahed, she relived her first shift. Xhex had been right about the team accepting her at face value. The guys had deferred to her when anything started with her and accepted her backup when it was their beef. If movement and visibility were needed, she moved and was seen. If disappearing into the shadows and being still was called for, Rio became nothing. Eyes in the dark. She had an instinct about trouble building before it was apparent and Xhex often saw her fading into the background, watching a table that appeared to be enjoying their night just like the rest of the cattle. Drinks, laughter, flirting, they looked like everyone else around them. Until anger flared like the head of a match; the sting of a sulfur flash, sharp and bitter. Before hands could do more than a quick lash out, before a pair of chairs could do more than get kicked backward to hit the floor with a sharp crash, Rio was there. Separating, blocking, preventing a flash fire. And if the flash burned out of control, she kept pace with the blaze. She took down the one who was the most trouble and kept the others back with a fast punch or a swift kick. While she left those for her back up, she focussed on the trigger and if she projected faces or feelings of vengeance on any of these, nobody ever said anything to her about it. They just backed her up and helped her take out the trash. ZeroSum was closed on Sunday, something Rio was grateful for since she was still too wired. And not necessarily in a good way, if she was being honest with herself. Hyper vigilance was a good thing when you worked a place like ZeroSum but in this case, it was first night jitters. It just meant the unfamiliarity of the situation, the need to keep her adrenaline level on a hair trigger yet under control and a few of those projections from the past weren't allowing her to come back down to earth. And that wasn't a good way to go into the same arena the next day. She needed a break between these first working days, a chance to step back and let go of the energy surge that had her hands vibrating and her body twitching as the fine tremor rolled through her. She dressed in jeans and a tight black t-shirt and reached for her dagger holster. Snapping it around her waist, she slid the blade into it and pulled her shirt over it. Leaning against the kitchen counter, she ate a couple of bananas, shuffling one foot over the pattern on the floor, her mind drifting. When she was finished, she headed to the door. She'd killed about two hours since she woke up and the sun was on the west side of town as she stepped out onto the street. She wasn't going anywhere in particular so her choice of direction was unimportant. Just somewhere to walk. Her eyes scanned the brownstones parading down the street, their lines old world elegance, the large oaks lining the sidewalks throwing shade all over the place. The neighborhood noises were typical Sunday sounds; kids screaming and laughing at play, the low purr of cars taking their prescribed Sunday drives, the occasional bark of dogs. The neighborhoods changed as the hours rolled by, the brownstones changing into houses, which changed from old world to just old. They went from being packed tightly together to drifting away from each other, the spaces getting wider and a little more back to nature. Just a fancy way of saying scruffy and weedy. Not much urban planning happening here. The End of Fear Rio knew she was getting closer to the river by the smell but she loved the peace of the area so she kept walking. Despite the stink of dead fish that drifted by on the breeze and the occasional unidentified odor that was most definitely not fish, Rio came here often. She liked to sit on the bank and watch the water roll slowly by. Some days she imagined past shit drifting by under that dark, oily sheen. On those days she wished it was a .40 at the small of her back instead of a dagger. Drifting along in that water just wasn't enough for her at those times and some precision target practice sounded like a hell of an idea on the days when that twist in her chest got cranked too hard. Getting to her feet, she realized Xhex might be just the right personal catalogue for her to consult on that very idea. And if she couldn't offer the right inventory, the Reverend most definitely could. Night had made its appearance by the time Rio got back to town. She headed for downtown before going home. Despite the closed doors and dark windows of most of the businesses worth seeing in the city hub, she had an affinity for those streets usually overflowing with life. She wouldn't be able to settle down for the night if she didn't take at least a quick tour through them. The core of a city had its own beauty at night. Headlights pierced the shadows in quicksilver flows, lighting this corner in a flash, pulling the dark back in around the next one. Black rectangles rose overhead, looming like giants hulking over smaller creatures scurrying around while even blacker spaces pooled at their feet, hiding their secrets in every twist and turn. Rio was back on Trade Street only a few blocks from work when a noise caught her attention. It was a noise out of place mostly because it was the sound of the living in an area that, at this time of night on a Sunday, should have been dead. She followed the sound, hearing it grow louder the closer she got to the alley ahead. Her skin tightened as she approached the lane, her instincts screaming at her, and she reached back to check her dagger. As she turned the corner, she gave thanks for the full moon, which, thank you God, was shining right on the scene in front of her. Rio had decent enough night vision but with no street lights close by and no windows shining down this back-door-hole-in-the-landscape, she wasn't able to make out enough to put those screaming nerves back to sleep. About twenty yards down the alley were three men, their backs to her. They were big men, all of them. Two of them were hitting someone she couldn't see while the third, a Man from Glad lookalike with all that white hair, was shooting questions as fast as their fists. Rio eased her way down the alley, hoping to get as close as she could before anyone saw her. Thank god she was downwind but when the light breeze did puff toward her she screwed up her nose and held her breath at the stench of baby powder. A little went a long way with her and this was definitely a tanker full. Rio had made it to the dumpster about ten feet from the group and at the next flurry of fists and the flash of a blade she heard the unseen man cry out, his pain sharp and deep. The breeze picked that moment to shift and as the trio caught her scent they turned. So much for the element of surprise, she thought and took a step forward and to her left. "Hey, boys, looks like you've got quite the party going on. And it just so happens I'm looking for some fun. Can I join in or is it only by invitation?" "Get out of here," the talker snapped out. "This is none of your business." Rio kept moving slowly left, each step taking her a little closer to the man bleeding out against the dead end wall of the alley. She kept her arms a few inches out from her sides, hoping to keep the trio calm by the sight of her empty hands. At least until she could get closer to their victim. "What, no party?" she crooned, her eyes sharp. "I mean, come on, fellas, by all that pale skin you obviously don't party much in daylight so I'm thinking you don't get to see many bikinis. And since I'm in the mood to party, I am willing to get naked right here and remedy that situation for you. What d'ya say? How about I stay and you send this guy home. He doesn't look like he's having a whole lot of fun here." It was obvious by the expressions on the two dark haired guys they didn't know what the fuck to do with her but Whitey squeezed his eyes down and got ready to jump. Rio shot a quick look at the guy they'd been using as a punching bag and gasped lightly. The guy had his mouth open wide, his breath sawing in and out like a long distance runner, and the sharp canines were clearly visible. Chapter 5 Alriiiight, then. No time to dig deeper into this revelation. Whitey was making his move. She had one shot to get this right or this party was going to turn ugly fast. Rio reached behind her and in a swift move pulled her blade free and threw herself at the guy now charging her. She threw herself low, at his legs, and stretched out to hit both of them at the same time. He went down over her rolling body hard. Rio snapped out of her roll and swung the dagger low and wide. She meant to take out the tendons across the backs of both his thighs but Whitey was clearly a fighter. He'd barely hit the ground when he pulled his legs close, trying to roll out of her range. Rio only managed one slice across the back of a calf but she grinned as she saw the blade go deep. Alright, another revelation to ponder at a later date. Whitey bled black. What the hell? she thought as she pushed herself upright. By now, the other guys had figured out they'd better get into this party and both were coming at her fast. One had pulled a Glock and as he pushed his gun hand forward, Rio flipped her dagger over. She caught it by the handle and her hand flashed out and down. Her attacker screamed as she drove the blade into his forearm. At the same time she stepped to the side, her back to him, and drove her elbow up into his nose. She yanked her blade free as he went down and she kicked the gun hard, sending it skittering across the asphalt. The second man was almost on her when she looked up. She had no time to move and on instinct she brought her dagger up, thrusting out hard. She felt a momentary resistance as the blade hit his chest then it slid in to the hilt. His scream was cut off by a pop and in a huge flash of light, he winked out of existence like a soap bubble. Rio didn't know what should be more upsetting; that all this Wizard of Oz shit was happening or that it wasn't freaking her out more. And what normal person would even look at the issue as an either/or question? The first guy was still howling on the ground, cradling his arm to his body like a bad actor. Whitey was dragging himself to his feet. Rio shot a quick look at the guy with the serious dental hardware and grabbed his arm. "Listen, buddy, if you've got some fancy way to get your ass out of here, now would be a good time to use it, get my drift? This is about to go south fast and it's gonna be bad. You hear me?" The shock at her intervention was clear on his face but as her words sank in he closed his eyes, took two deep breaths and disappeared. Rio shook her head and turned to Whitey. "I gotta learn how to do that," she muttered. "If I get out of here in one piece." He took a step and his leg gave out. He lunged for her as he started going down and Rio drove her blade into his side. With a roar, he threw an arm around her neck. She yanked her blade free and sank it into his back. They went down to the pavement together, with him choking the air out of her. He rolled her onto her back and pinned her hard, his knees crushing into her thighs, and he hammered her rib cage. When Rio lost count of how many times he'd hit her, she let go of her knife and grabbed for his balls. She dug her fingers in, twisting and squeezing so hard her knuckles cracked. As he shrieked she lifted her head, sank her teeth into his neck and bit down hard. She nearly gagged at the vile taste that shot into her mouth but she forced it back and held on. As he tried rolling away from her she pushed herself up to her knees, ripping a chunk of flesh from his throat then spit hard to clear her mouth. "Fucking hell, that's disgusting!" she roared and drove her fist into his temple. She hammered into him again and again, realizing his buddy had finally decided to quit whining about his arm. As he lurched to his feet, Rio saw two other men running down the alley toward them. "Goddamn it, now what?" she yelled, still driving her fist into the man under her. After the pounding she'd given the bathroom stall door at the club Thursday night, her right hand was so not appreciating this new assault on it. She felt the instant swelling, then the skin split wide. The throb pounded through her bones like a heartbeat. Blood, black and red, covered not just her torn hand but ran down her face and chest. The foul taste coated her tongue and throat and Rio spit again. She was vaguely aware that one of the men who had joined the fight had grabbed the second assailant before he could get to her. Four more appeared at the opening to the ally. But judging by their moves, they were not coming in on the hero side of this battle and it appeared that these were the guys who knew what the hell they were doing. They all had white hair, just like the guy Rio had under her, and if the reek of baby powder and rotten fish had been a weapon, everybody in that alley would be dead. Brownie went up in a pop and a flash, which just left the pros. The Man from Glad picked that moment to decide he'd had enough and he grabbed Rio by the hair and yanked her off him. He slammed her down like an old rug and as her breath exploded from her, she knew she wasn't likely coming out of this alley tonight but as long as he didn't pull out a weapon he'd have to work hard to put her down. Rio didn't start life as a scrapper but she'd turned herself into one and this ass wipe was going to have to earn his triumph. The sounds of the battle going on around them turned hollow, like a far off echo, as Whitey drove his fist into her head twice. It came down like a fucking hammer and she went numb instantly. That wouldn't last long, though, and she sunk her thumb into the hole she'd torn in his neck. She dug and twisted, a satisfied surge of heat flooding through her at his scream of pain. "Get the fuck off me, you piece of shit cocksucker!" she yelled, reaching for his eyes. She pushed her thumbs into his sockets and digging her heels into the pavement she bucked up, trying to dislodge him. He grabbed her hair and cracked her head against the ground again. Her arms dropped wide as the bolt of pain ripped through her skull. Oh, fuck, here it comes, she thought as he pulled a .40 from his pocket and shoved it against her forehead. Before the trigger was pulled someone came up behind him and as his weight was yanked off her, Rio saw a face more terrifying than any she'd ever seen before. Hair skull trim short, a scar slashing across the middle of his face and black eyes as ice cold as death, her unlikely saviour grabbed Whitey's head and wrenched. The crack of a broken neck rang out loud and yet as the body was thrown several feet from him, the huge scarred fighter went after him like the guy was still alive. Ok, something else to worry about later. Rio fought the pain drilling through her skull and forced her body to move. She managed to roll onto her stomach then taking a deep breath pushed herself to her knees. Her head starting spinning and the nausea rolled in like a tidal wave. "Oh, fuck..." she groaned and planted her fists on the asphalt. Her stomach clenched and rolled, then everything came up. The vile black blood she'd swallowed roared up her throat like a freight train and burned like acid. It smelled as bad coming up as it had going down and that thought had Rio retching hard again. When the spasms finally quieted down, she backed away from the mess. She found herself next to the dumpster and pulled herself to her feet. The scene in front of her was like something out of the latest fantasy flick. The scarred warrior who had just saved her ass was fighting beside a guy who looked amazingly like him -- except he had no scar...and he had gorgeous, multicolored hair down past his shoulders. There was a huge guy with black hair and a goatee, a black driving glove on his left hand only and...were those tattoos on his left temple? He's just finished letting out a large quantity of that disgusting black blood from the guy he was currently slicing and dicing and his black leathers tightened and flexed around a pair of muscled thighs the size of oak trees. When Rio looked at the fourth fighter every molecule of air in her body was sucked out, leaving her lungs heaving in a vacuum. This blonde god had to stand six foot eight at least and weigh in a 285 lbs. Rio was positive that if she'd bet he was the most visually stunning male on the planet, there was no way she could lose. His masculine beauty left her aching inside. He had to have fallen from the stars. Nobody on earth could be that breathtaking. His full length black leather coat flared out around him, his fists and feet just blurs, as he tore apart the piece of shit in front of him. Rio tore her eyes away from the scene, looking for her dagger. It was on the ground just past the dumpster and she staggered over to scoop it up. There was black, oily sludge coating the blade and she wiped it off on her pant leg before sliding it back into the sheath at her back. Pop! Flash. She caught the tail end of another vanishing, this one done by the dark dream with the tattoos. Instantly he turned to her and her heart skipped a beat as he started toward her. Despite the fact that the bad vibes turning her stomach over didn't extend to him and his buddies, she still had the feeling that hanging around was a bad idea. After all, they appeared to be connected in some way to the guy she'd saved. Let's face it, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? These guys were ripping through the ones who'd tried to kill the guy with the fangs. It stood to reason they were on his side but she still hadn't had the chance to work out her place in a world that had guys with that much calcium in their smile. And she so didn't want to find out surrounded by Gargantua and his crew over there. Her eyes shot around the cage she found herself in. How the hell was she going to get past all that muscle to get the fuck out of this alley? Before the dark dream got more than three or four steps in her direction, there was a shift in the power balance behind him. While he got pulled back into the battle, Rio spotted a fire escape ladder in the dead end corner of the alley. She shook off the pain pounding through her and took a running leap for the bottom rung praying to God she didn't miss. She didn't and once on the ladder she shot a glance over her shoulder as someone yelled at her. One of the white knights was making a break for it down the alley out to Trade Street and the other three were keeping the Dream Team busy. Rio saw the frustration on the dark dream's face as he swung his blade at his opponent, trying to break loose enough to come after her. She scrambled to the top of the building and with a last look at the battle she disappeared. Rio groaned as she limped up her walkway. She stumbled over an uneven flagstone, barely catching herself from slamming into her front door. "Shit and hellfire," she muttered, coughing against the burning in her raw throat. She shoved the door out of her way, tripping again, this time on the door sill. "Christ in a cartoon! Get the fuck out of my way!" she snarled, slamming the door shut and ripping off her jacket. She threw it down on the armchair and in a fit of fury fired her keys through the kitchen door. She heard the harsh metallic jangle as they hit the counter then the unmistakable crash of something breaking. "Fabulous. What next?" What next turned out to be the discovery of her torn back pocket. The pocket she carried her ID in. The ID with her address on it. On the heels of this discovery she heard a soft scraping sound at her front door. Without pausing, she hit the light switch and plunged the room into darkness. There was no way to check who was at the door without being seen since the landlord hadn't installed her peephole yet. She watched the knob turn fractionally but she always threw the lock so whoever was out there wasn't getting in this way. Her dresser was in the small storage room at the back of the kitchen and she scooped up her jacket as she made her way soundlessly through the dark rooms. Grabbing a backpack, she stuffed in a couple of changes of clothes and her stash of cash, wishing again for that loaded .40. Her small bathroom overlooked the alley and after a quick peek showed her it was still empty, she pushed open the window and dropped out onto the ground. Keeping to the shadows as much as possible, she took the long leg of the alley to the next street, figuring that way she'd come out farther away from whoever was at her door. Fifteen minutes later Rio was calling for a cab from a pay phone beside a darkened Chinese take-out place. There was a small rundown motel around the corner but it was too close to home for her comfort zone. If her mystery caller figured out she was gone he might assume that in her panic to get off the street she'd head to the closest available place. So naturally, she was going for the farthest available place. Rio scanned the street carefully before climbing out of the cab Monday night. Her shift was starting in half an hour and she figured that would give her enough time to get a coffee and try to get her head into the right space. She kept telling herself there was no way those white haired, smelly freaks would be sliding unnoticed into the club. So if she could just get through the first hour or so and prove that to herself, she'd be set. She wound her way through spaces already packed with bodies on various planes of consciousness, as well as various stages of undress. She was starting to hope she'd make it to the staff room unscathed when she nearly ran into Trez. "Hey, how's it going so far?" she tossed off casually. There was no fooling that mountain of muscle, though. He ran a look over her quickly and his eyebrows rose. Without a word he stepped to one side to let her pass. This was not going unreported, she thought as her stomach sank to somewhere around her knees. She sighed in relief to discover the staff room empty and she tossed her jacket and backpack into her locker. She grabbed a coffee in the kitchen area, swallowing her first mouthful fast when she heard the door open behind her. "Look at me," Xhex rapped out with no preamble. Chapter 6 Rio set her cup down and leaned into the counter. Xhex came up behind her and grabbing her arm, spun her around. She pushed Rio's chin up, turning her head to one side to look at her bruised throat, then grabbed her hands. The scabs were barely dry on the knuckles and the swelling still hadn't gone completely down. "You look like shit. What the fuck happened?" "You know, I would've thought, when I moved here, that Sundays in Caldwell would be nice quiet, peaceful days," she said, her voice as light and casual as if she were discussing the weather. "Huh." "Rio! Quit jerking me. Trez said you barely made it up the steps into the lounge." "Oh, now that's a serious exaggeration," she protested hotly. Xhex reached out and grabbed Rio's thigh. Rio let out a sharp hiss and her leg buckled. She grabbed the counter and shifted her weight to catch her balance. The End of Fear "Not so much, it seems," Xhex pointed out. "And you're not much good to me in this condition." "Don't, Xhex." Rio shook her head slowly, her eyes locked on her boss's. "Don't back me into a corner on this. It doesn't matter how bad I look tonight, I can do my job and you know it. This means something to me and that hasn't happened to me often. And that means I won't let you down." Xhex faced Rio, her arms crossed, and held her gaze for several long minutes. "What happened?" "I can't tell you. It's not my story." "So you're protecting somebody," Xhex made it a statement. "What happens if this story follows you here?" "I can guarantee part of that won't happen and there's very little left of the rest of it to make a difference." "My job is to make sure none of it will happen, not just part of it," the security head snapped, her tone harsh. "Xhex, trust me when I tell you there are too many fucking people around here for this to ever be a problem. The only danger in this is to me and only when I'm alone." Xhex watched Rio, not speaking, her arms still crossed over her chest. Rio didn't look away, her face determined, her gaze straightforward, strong. Finally Xhex nodded once and walked out. Rio dropped her head, exhaling hard and fast. She reached down and absently rubbed her knotted thighs, trying to loosen the battered muscles. The night ran fairly smooth for a change. At least, it started out that way. Around ten o'clock there was a sudden stirring and Rio knew by the spike in the energy level around her that the Reverend had arrived. Nobody else sucked the air out of a room and raised heart rates the way that huge male did. Rio was just settling down a couple of guys when he appeared at the top of the stairs in the VIP section. He bowed his head slightly in her direction and she knew he was calling her to the office. That meant Xhex had talked to him already. Well, shit. As soon as she was satisfied her table was good, she crossed the room and knocked on his door. The security head let her in, closing the door behind her and waiting for the Rev to speak. "Xhex tells me you're a little worse for wear tonight. Lift your hair and put your head back." "Boss, I'm good." "Just do it," he repeated, his voice hardening. Rio swept her hair up with her battered hand, hoping to keep at least that much from his scrutiny. "Jesus, who did that to you?" he growled. "And let me see your hand." "Shit, Xhex, you got a big mouth, you know," she grumbled as she stretched her arm out. The Reverend cursed violently and slammed his fist onto his desk. "This does not make me happy. My people don't get tossed like this without something being done to fix it. You're going to tell me who did this and I'm going to make sure it never happens again." Despite the fury simmering just under the surface of his words, Rio shook her head at him. "I know Xhex told you I'm not talking. This was about someone else so I'm not free to discuss it. Sorry, boss, but just leave it alone." The Reverend let loose another string of curses that would've brought a blush to a longshoreman and Rio watched his magnificent amethyst eyes darken and blaze with heat. "Xhex also says you've admitted there could be danger to you when you're alone. So what's going to happen to you when you leave tonight if I can't fix this." She shrugged. "I'm not at home. I went to a motel last night and it's clear across town." "Goddamn it, Rio, this is bullshit! Tell me what the fuck happened?" Before she could answer his cell rang. "What!" he yelled, then exhaled harshly. "Fine." "We're not done with this." He pointed at her. "But your boys are here looking for you. Apparently they're a little agitated. Could this give me the answers I want, I wonder?" She frowned, unease flickering across her face as she left the office. Xhex and the Rev were close behind her as she crossed the lounge. John spotted her first and waved to get the other two's attention. Blaylock slid off his seat and started toward her. Qhuinn, standing in front of their table, spun around and took off like a shot. In the next breath, Rio was caught up in a bear hug, which unfortunately set off a coughing jag as he squeezed her tender ribs. He set her on her feet and bent down to look at her when Blaylock pushed him back. "What the hell, Qhuinn," he snapped then sucked in a sharp breath when he saw her face. " Jesus Christ, Rio, what the hell happened? My god, John, look at her!" John stepped in front of her and tipped her head back. While he ran his fingers gently over her neck, Qhuinn caught her battered hand and growled. "This isn't from the bathroom stall door," his voice went ice cold. "What the fuck happened?" "That's what I'm trying to find out." The Rev came up behind her. "Unfortunately, she's not talking. Maybe you'll have more luck getting it from her." When John shifted slightly, Rio's eyes locked on their table and saw the three men sitting there in the shadows. "God, this is not happening," she murmured and took a step back. "It's her, V," the star-fallen blonde blurted out. "Damn, it's her!" The dark dream slid out of the booth and before she could take another step backward he was on her. "You're not running again. You're going to tell me what happened. And how you got away," his shock at finding her here was clear in his voice. Suddenly Rio was surrounded by men. Huge men towering over her, crowding in on her, running hands over her injuries, reassuring themselves by touch that she was ok. She felt the sudden claustrophobia crushing down on her and her head started to spin. She shot out both hands, looking for bodies to push away, and ended up with Qhuinn's and John's chests under her palms. "Enough," she cried out softly, not wanting to disturb the rest of the customers any more than necessary. "Everybody needs to step off a bit cos there's too damn much testosterone crowding me here." The Reverend reached out and took her arm gently to draw her away. "I think we all need to step into my office, gentlemen. I have the distinct feeling I'm finally going to get to the bottom of this. Shall we?" Moments later everyone crowded into the Rev's office and Rio let out a long breath as she sank into a chair. "I know I'm on shift but I need a fucking drink," she said quietly. "Excellent idea," the Rev said smoothly. "What's your poison?" "Tonight? I don't care as long as it's wet, strong and straight." The Reverend barked out a sharp laugh and splashed two fingers of Grey Goose vodka into a squat crystal glass. He slid it across in front of her and she upended the glass, emptying it in one swallow. He threw back his head and laughed again, the sound rolling through the room like thunder, and poured her another. "I think this one a little slower, ok. Can't have you passing out before we all get some answers." Everyone sat quietly, all eyes on her. She could see them all chomping at the bit to start questioning her but nobody said a word. Just waiting. "Crap," she sighed. "Let's take this in order." She looked at the boys. "Why were you so anxious to see me tonight?" They exchanged a quick look between them before glancing at the three huge males covered in leather and looking edgy enough to bite through chains. Qhuinn spoke first. "Remember we told you we were in military training?" She snorted rudely. "Yeah, that's the story I got." "Well, these are some of our...instructors." "Oh, is that what they are," she muttered. The dark dream frowned and his gaze sharpened like a razor. "You sound like you don't believe that," he spoke in a soft slide, a hard dangerous caress. "Sorry." She held his gaze, her eyes as direct as his. "Just thinking out loud. Didn't mean to interrupt. Please continue." "We heard about some trouble downtown last night," Qhuinn spoke again, trying to sound nonchalant and not succeeding. "Our instructors said there was a pretty serious fight and that a woman was involved. Their description fit you and since you only live ten or twelve blocks away we got worried." "Why would that make you think it was me?" she asked quietly. "We know you like to walk at night," Blaylock answered, holding her less damaged hand, his thumb sliding over her knuckles carefully. "Rio, out with it," the Rev told her. "You've got a room full of witnesses and no way to deny any of it." "Well, if we're gonna draw that kind of line, I've got a room full of people who, I think, already know what's going on, you included all of a sudden." She shot him a shrewd glance and watched his magnificent eyes flare again. "What makes you say that?" he asked smoothly. "Boss, I've spent my life being invisible and that's afforded me a lot of time to people watch. The minute you saw this crew," she swept her hand out indicating the three massive males as well as the boys, "and their expressions, you clicked in. You know this bunch. You know what they're about. They're not your run of the mill customers. Which means you probably know as much about what happened last night as they do, even without asking. But in case not everybody knows everything, I'm still not talking. I told you. It's not my story. So until I'm told different by someone I'll never see again, I got nothing to say." He leaned back in his chair, his hard face not softened at all by the broad grin spreading over it. His eyes slid over each man in front of him and he shook his head as he looked back at her. "She knows enough there's no point to this anymore. She's too strong to scrub and the danger to her means you shouldn't anyway. I don't see how you can't bring her in." The silence dragged, feeling like days passing. Rio crossed her arms over her chest and looked at each man in turn. Finally she turned to John. How long can they keep this going? she signed. He shook his head and shrugged. The huge blonde finally shook his head and spoke softly. "V, Wrath is gonna snap over this, man. He's just gonna go ballistic." "What choice do we have? Besides, if she's covering for someone, he'll want to know." He turned to her and she gasped when she got her first good look at him in any kind of light. His eyes glittered white, diamond bright, and were circled with a navy ring. The black, intricate tattoos on his temple were even more dramatic beside that stare. "My god, how beautiful," she breathed. Her comment clearly threw him off his stride. She watched him lose his focus and he frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?" "Your eyes. They're the stuff of dreams." "You mean nightmares," he murmured, his tone harsh. She laughed. "Maybe in your world but trust me in this. In mine, those are dream makers. Now, where were we?" The Reverend's deep, rich laugh rumbled through the room again and he shook his head at the continued distractions. "She's good. And none of us are ever getting out of here tonight if you don't get this moving." At that, the one everyone called V, her dark dream, slammed his palms down on the desk and leaned in close to Rio. He peeled his lips back from his teeth and bared a set of long, very white, very sharp fangs. She gasped in delight and laughed softly. "Well, damn, look at that," she crooned. "There they are. Again." Her voice hardened on the last word and her laughter died away as she locked eyes with him. "There was a civilian." He made it a statement. "Before we got there. You walked in on it." She nodded once in assent before speaking. "So if he was a 'civilian', that makes you all...what? And don't say vampire. I already figured that part out myself." She let her eyes roam around the room before turning back to V. He frowned at the Reverend's low chuckle, full of knowledge. "The Black Dagger Brotherhood. We're warriors, bred to defend the race." "Against who? I mean, obviously I've seen them but what are they?" "Lessers." Rio snorted inelegantly. "Catchy name. Where do they come from?" "They're part of the Lessening Society. They're humans who've given up their souls to become undead killers and they're trying to hunt us to extinction." "Gentlemen, if you don't mind, I'm going to step in here for a moment. Since you've decided to bring my employee fully into the fold, so to speak, there is too much information to impart to her in the time we have here right now. I've got a club to run, which she has to police. Let's deal with the fight tonight and you can bring her up to speed later." "Yeah, ok." "How about introductions first," Rio said. "I can't keep referring to you the way I am right now in my head." "I think I'd like to hear that," the Reverend said, his laugh low, evil. "I'm Vishous." He shot a scowl at the huge club owner. "That's Rhage, Zsadist and the other one from last night is his twin, Phury." "Twins!" She clapped her hands. "I could see, even over that distance, that you two looked alike. Well, except for the hair and the scar." "People don't often see the resemblance," Zsadist spoke gruffly, discomfort making him shift in his seat. "My twin is good looking. I'm not." "Oh, yes you are," Rio protested. "And yellow eyes. How exquisite. I'll bet you think the scar makes you ugly, scares people. It doesn't, you know. It's when your eyes go black that does it. I could tell you why that is, from an outsider's perspective, but I won't insult you by making you think I'm presuming to know what your life has been like." She looked around the room, a small frown touching her face. "What is it with your race and eyes? Do you even recognize how you've all got such gorgeous eyes? And from a human perspective some of you have eyes that only come out of a fantasy tale. Do you know how much that sucks for the rest of us who have to settle for the plain crap the good Lord left us with?" "You are incredible, do you know that?" the Reverend told her softly. She shot him a look, her eyebrows raised questioningly. "Ok, spill one of your secrets." "My name is Rehvenge, son of Rempoon." He bowed his head slightly. "Hmm, just like Xhex. Known only to the select few. Thank you." She bowed back to him then got serious again. Chapter 7 "Ok, on with last night. Like Blay said, I was out walking. And I walk the alleys whenever I can. I prefer walking at night because I can avoid the hordes and I like the secrets found in alleys. Although last night's secrets were a little bigger than I usually find. "I heard noises as I got close and I saw three guys beating on someone. I worked my way to about ten feet from them before they saw me. I started giving them some smack about partying and could I join the fun. I was hoping to keep them off keel long enough for me to get next to that guy. And what's the deal with the no tans and the white hair?" V answered her. "The skin, hair and eyes on lessers pale out the longer they're in the Society. Nobody knows why but it's a sure way to know long they've been fighting." "And also how strong they are, too, right?" Rio nodded to herself. "Makes sense of what I saw. Two of them had brown hair and they were totally unglued when I ignored their warnings to get lost. Whitey was sharp. I didn't throw him off for long. Anyway, I did manage to get right up to your civilian before I lost control of the situation. That's when I saw the fangs. That's also when Whitey made his move toward me. I pulled my dagger and threw myself at him, low, taking out his legs. My plan was to come up behind him as he went down and cut his thighs but like you said, strength and experience. He pulled up his legs as he hit and rolled and all I managed was a deep cut across one calf. While he was down, the other two finally decided to play. One came at me with a gun and I stuck him in the arm, then broke his nose. The other one was right on top of me and I barely had time to get my knife up to his chest. And wasn't that a sharp wake up. Pop, flash and the bastard was gone. If only I could have got that going every time. What's that about?" "It doesn't matter what you do to a lesser, there are only two ways to kill him." V explained. "One is by stabbing him in the chest with something metal. That only sends him back to the Omega. The other way is permanent but we can talk about that later." "The Omega and permanent. Later. Right." She nodded, then continued. "So Brownie was still howling about his arm but Whitey was coming back. I said a quick prayer for your civie and took a chance on him being different enough for this to work. Told him if he had a fancy way of getting himself out of there now was the time. And he did. And shit, there was another trick I wish I knew. So now it was just a matter of staying alive long enough to get outta Dodge. Unfortunately I was stuck with the guy who knew what he was doing and he made that a hard trick to pull off. He came at me. I stuck him in the side. I stuck him in the back. I'd guessed he'd reached his limit when he threw an arm around my neck and started choking the life out of me. Then just for good measure he decided to soften up my ribs a little." She heard several sharp breaths at that admission and she shook her head. "Hey, as Jimmy Malone in the Untouchables says 'what the hell, you gotta die of something'. But I wasn't gonna make it easy for him. If any of you boys left him alive, he'll be singing soprano for awhile and his eyes are gonna hurt like a bitch where I dug my thumbs in. And I took a good chunk out of his neck, too. Holy crap, that black shit is disgusting! I could still taste it when I woke up this afternoon. And I'm hoping like hell that it washes out of clothes cos mine are a mess and I only grabbed a couple of changes when I ran. Anyway, that's when you guys started showing up and I knew it was time to make my getaway." "Why did you run from us?" Rhage asked. "And why run from your place?" "I ran from you because since nobody very often sees the kind of smile I saw I guessed that might be something you boys would want to keep secret. I wasn't sure if I'd like whatever way you chose to do that. As for running from home..." she trailed off with a shrug. They tracked you home, didn't they? John signed. "Your right." She nodded at him. "I saw that one hightailing it when I hit that ladder and when I got home I realized my back pocket got torn somewhere along the way. My ID was in that pocket and it was gone. I was barely back when someone showed up at my door. Since none of you have admitted to that yet, I'm assuming it was him. I wasn't waiting around to find out. I grabbed some clothes and cash and ran. And that's about all there is to tell. So where do we go from here?" She listened to the silence roll out over everybody but she kept her eyes on Vishous. It struck her early on that the gray matter behind those piercing diamond bright eyes was sterling quality material. This guy was a genius and definitely somebody worth listening to. "We'll have to take you back with us," he finally said. "Wrath is going to want to see you when he hears this and it's too dangerous for you at home." "So, if this is a whole society and not just an alley full of wing nuts, when will it be safe for me at home?" she asked shrewdly, her eyes still on Vishous. She saw the shift in his expression and leaned back with a heavy sigh then scrubbed at her face with both hands before running them through her hair. "Well," she pushed herself to her feet, "I'm off at four. You can come back for me then." Voices stepped all over each other as everyone erupted at once. "You can't go to work." Zsadist jumped to his feet, his eyes turning black as his anger flared out. "You're not safe," Rhage insisted. "You gotta come now."