Iced
Page 14
So I do.
I get a few good elbow jabs in on the waitresses, too. Half of them are those stupid See-You-in-Faery chicks who chirp the stupid phrase at each other every time they part, like going to Faery is something to aspire to instead of something to avoid like ten variations of the black plague.
They should be out in the streets, helping us fight and rebuild our world. Instead theyre in here, consorting with the enemy, selling themselves for a shot at immortality. I dont buy that bunk. I think the Unseelie made that part upthat if you eat enough Unseelie flesh, eventually you become immortal, too, and you can hang with them in Faery all social-like.
I slay every last one of the Fae in the kiddie subclub, ignoring the waitresses screaming at me to stop. Some people just dont know whats good for them.
Theres black blood on my hands, goop in my hair, and my eyes are so swollen from my earlier collisions that I can barely see, but I dont need to see much. Ive got a homing device where Fae are concerned. I sense Unseelie. I slay.
I feel a big bad one behind me, worse than any of the ones Ive killed so far, oozing all kinds of power. Sword back, poised for the killing blow, I whirl and bring my blade slashing down
And miss!
The Unseelie ducks, rolls, and springs lightly to his feet half a dozen tables away. He flips his long black hair over a muscled, tattooed shoulder and hisses at me.
I lunge after him without even thinking and am about to slam into him when I realize what he is.
I change direction mid-lunge and scramble back, feet pedaling air. Feck, feck, feck, one of the Unseelie princes found me!
This is a battle Im not up to today! I wasnt expecting this because I never heard of any of the princes strolling into Chesters!
I crash into a table, fall over backward, roll onto all fours and launch myself away. Im about to find out if I can freeze-frame faster than it can sift. I rip open a power bar, shove half of it in my mouth and start shifting gears when the Unseelie prince says, Lass, what the bloody hell are you doing? Have you taken a look around?
Im seeing through slits from all the swelling in my face, and my vision is a little dim, but I scan the place quick-like. All activity in the club has stopped. Fae and humans are lined up at balconies, staring at me from every level.
I tune in to what theyre saying.
Crazy. The kids nuts.
Somebody needs to put that bitch down.
Im not going near her. Did you see her move? Do you see what shes holding?
The Sword of Light, a Fae says icily. Our sword.
Take it from her!
How dare she?
Kill her now.
I bet I can sift faster than she can slay, onegrowls.
I toss my hair from my eyes, on all fours, every muscle tense, waiting. Well sure as feck find out.
Who permitted that that revolting human thing in here? Where is our host? This is neutral ground!
He swore an oath to us. He has failed us!
I cant help but smirk. Assuming Ryodan survives the collapse, hes going to be seriously pissed. I just accomplished exactly what hed tried to hire me to prevent. Ruined his rep. The whole club now knows Ryodan cant guarantee safety at Chesters. Itll be all over Dublin within an hour. I might as well print up a special edition of The Dani Daily, broadcasting it. Good. If fewer folks come to Chesters, fewer folks will die.
I glance back at the dude I initially thought was an Unseelie prince. The moment hed spoken, Id relaxed. Now that Im slo-mo again, I see the differences.
I almost killed a human. Well, a human thats in the process of becoming something else. If he hadnt spoken up, I still might not be sure who he was, but Ive never heard a Fae call anybody lass. I dont think theyd stoop to it, not even to fake someone out.
Its the Scot who crashed my water tower party the same night Ryodan did.
Theyd faced off with each other, all bristling hostility, giving me time to escape. It had seemed he was there either to help me or to feck with Ryodan. Whicheverthat makes him good for me.
This dude has problems as big as mine, maybe bigger. I consider him. He doesnt like Ryodan. And hes got some serious mojo. I can feel it shivering in the air around him. He could be a valuable ace in my hidey-hole. If he can be trusted.
Youre a MacKeltar, right?
Christian, he says.
Arent your uncles some kind of warlocks or something? They helped hunt the Sinsar Dubh.
Druids, lass. Not warlocks.
Can you fight?
He gives me a mocking look. I dont need to. I can walk you out of here without lifting a finger.
Big talk. I decide to let him try.
He flanks me and we head for the door. Between what he looks like and my sword, every last occupant of Chesters draws back as we pass. I cant help but swagger a little.
Hisses, jeers, threats follows us.
But no one makes a move.
I could get used to this. Who needs TP? I got what looks like an Unseelie prince at my side and nobody, but nobodynot even the Unseeliemess with their princes. Oh, yeah, this guys going to be a major plus in my column. I take a sidewise glance at him.
If I can get past that he looks like the most terrifying of all the Unseelie.
I get a few good elbow jabs in on the waitresses, too. Half of them are those stupid See-You-in-Faery chicks who chirp the stupid phrase at each other every time they part, like going to Faery is something to aspire to instead of something to avoid like ten variations of the black plague.
They should be out in the streets, helping us fight and rebuild our world. Instead theyre in here, consorting with the enemy, selling themselves for a shot at immortality. I dont buy that bunk. I think the Unseelie made that part upthat if you eat enough Unseelie flesh, eventually you become immortal, too, and you can hang with them in Faery all social-like.
I slay every last one of the Fae in the kiddie subclub, ignoring the waitresses screaming at me to stop. Some people just dont know whats good for them.
Theres black blood on my hands, goop in my hair, and my eyes are so swollen from my earlier collisions that I can barely see, but I dont need to see much. Ive got a homing device where Fae are concerned. I sense Unseelie. I slay.
I feel a big bad one behind me, worse than any of the ones Ive killed so far, oozing all kinds of power. Sword back, poised for the killing blow, I whirl and bring my blade slashing down
And miss!
The Unseelie ducks, rolls, and springs lightly to his feet half a dozen tables away. He flips his long black hair over a muscled, tattooed shoulder and hisses at me.
I lunge after him without even thinking and am about to slam into him when I realize what he is.
I change direction mid-lunge and scramble back, feet pedaling air. Feck, feck, feck, one of the Unseelie princes found me!
This is a battle Im not up to today! I wasnt expecting this because I never heard of any of the princes strolling into Chesters!
I crash into a table, fall over backward, roll onto all fours and launch myself away. Im about to find out if I can freeze-frame faster than it can sift. I rip open a power bar, shove half of it in my mouth and start shifting gears when the Unseelie prince says, Lass, what the bloody hell are you doing? Have you taken a look around?
Im seeing through slits from all the swelling in my face, and my vision is a little dim, but I scan the place quick-like. All activity in the club has stopped. Fae and humans are lined up at balconies, staring at me from every level.
I tune in to what theyre saying.
Crazy. The kids nuts.
Somebody needs to put that bitch down.
Im not going near her. Did you see her move? Do you see what shes holding?
The Sword of Light, a Fae says icily. Our sword.
Take it from her!
How dare she?
Kill her now.
I bet I can sift faster than she can slay, onegrowls.
I toss my hair from my eyes, on all fours, every muscle tense, waiting. Well sure as feck find out.
Who permitted that that revolting human thing in here? Where is our host? This is neutral ground!
He swore an oath to us. He has failed us!
I cant help but smirk. Assuming Ryodan survives the collapse, hes going to be seriously pissed. I just accomplished exactly what hed tried to hire me to prevent. Ruined his rep. The whole club now knows Ryodan cant guarantee safety at Chesters. Itll be all over Dublin within an hour. I might as well print up a special edition of The Dani Daily, broadcasting it. Good. If fewer folks come to Chesters, fewer folks will die.
I glance back at the dude I initially thought was an Unseelie prince. The moment hed spoken, Id relaxed. Now that Im slo-mo again, I see the differences.
I almost killed a human. Well, a human thats in the process of becoming something else. If he hadnt spoken up, I still might not be sure who he was, but Ive never heard a Fae call anybody lass. I dont think theyd stoop to it, not even to fake someone out.
Its the Scot who crashed my water tower party the same night Ryodan did.
Theyd faced off with each other, all bristling hostility, giving me time to escape. It had seemed he was there either to help me or to feck with Ryodan. Whicheverthat makes him good for me.
This dude has problems as big as mine, maybe bigger. I consider him. He doesnt like Ryodan. And hes got some serious mojo. I can feel it shivering in the air around him. He could be a valuable ace in my hidey-hole. If he can be trusted.
Youre a MacKeltar, right?
Christian, he says.
Arent your uncles some kind of warlocks or something? They helped hunt the Sinsar Dubh.
Druids, lass. Not warlocks.
Can you fight?
He gives me a mocking look. I dont need to. I can walk you out of here without lifting a finger.
Big talk. I decide to let him try.
He flanks me and we head for the door. Between what he looks like and my sword, every last occupant of Chesters draws back as we pass. I cant help but swagger a little.
Hisses, jeers, threats follows us.
But no one makes a move.
I could get used to this. Who needs TP? I got what looks like an Unseelie prince at my side and nobody, but nobodynot even the Unseeliemess with their princes. Oh, yeah, this guys going to be a major plus in my column. I take a sidewise glance at him.
If I can get past that he looks like the most terrifying of all the Unseelie.
