CHAPTER SIX

CAL

Story time. Every elementary school, Hallmark greeting card, or holiday warm-and-fuzzy commercial depicted it in the same cavity-inducing way. A mother (or father) sitting on their kid's sweet bed in the shape of a racecar or decked out in princess pinks and diamonds. And the brat holding open a book and pointing with a smile missing teeth as the doting parent read to him the story of a little train that could or a frog gone to market. I might have had a few of those, back in the day. I know I remember curling up in Niko's lap as he read his own books aloud. That was only so I could fall asleep without thinking about the monsters under my bed. Yeah, 'cause I still thought that was where they came from. His voice would lull me to sleep, drooling on his pant leg, probably. I never paid attention to the words though. Whether he was reading a textbook or Keats poems I wouldn't know.

And once I was old enough to read for myself it wasn't the Hungry Caterpillar and Peter Rabbit. It was a general encyclopedia of 'How to Survive in this F-ed up World' volumes one through eight. Histories of the world and human literature were sprinkled among 'How to Kill a Vampire-unabridged' and 'Seven Ways to Disembowel a Boggle'. Obviously all that light reading did nothing for me, because I was living with a vampire and only knew one or two ways to kill a Boggle, wasn't sure if they even had bowels to 'disem'. What was my point? Oh, right.

My brother is boring.

Not quite, inner bastard, but sometimes true. My brother liked story time and his version was not the Hallmark-adorable-still-frame version. His father had even commented on it before we found out he was a double-crossing, dick-head Rom. What had Kalakos said? Niko was very giving with his words? Or maybe it was free with his words? Either way, it was probably the most honest and truthful thing the bastard had said to us. I would always forever love the fact that he hit Niko over the back of the head too. We had to kill him and he ruined whatever smidge of a father figure Nik had in mind, but at least I got to see my big brother get a tasted of his own medicine with that little whap. I don't think I'd ever dare it on my own. Not without an escape plan.

"Are you listening?"

I glanced up from packing the back of the El Dorado with supplies we would need for our trip to the most under populated state in America: Wyoming. It would take us a couple days, if we switched off, less than two as long as Robin didn't make us pull over so he could sleep on some satin-sheeted pillow top. He'd been all right last time thought and that was during the tumultuous monogamy trial period. "No, I'm not."

Niko tilted in his head to one side to scold me, then thought better of it and closed the side door. Robin was doing nothing, per usual, in the passenger's seat –he apparently wasn't mad at me anymore. He had his feet propped up in the open window frame and was currently dicking around on his cell phone with some new game that had the most annoying soundtrack. I never pursued that means of entertainment. Applications and downloaded games onto my phone? That was just asking me to get frustrated and chuck that shit to the concrete.

"Please, listen so I don't have to repeat myself four times during this trip. It is a very long ride, Cal. I can even put it on tape for you so you can fall asleep to it like the old days."

I had to smile at that, amused that he could follow my disjointed train of thought without even trying. Nik's blond eyebrow lifted at my expression as he came around the back of the junker to the trunk; he was intuitive, not psychic, so he didn't really know why I was grinning and it usually wasn't from fluffy thoughts. "No, I'll listen. The Inkonya, Cargura, Xenophobia, and Mezzo forte clans all have missing peris. They live in the least wanted states of America. We go there, see if I can track Grimm or the Bae and we kill lots of things along the way."

"Close," Niko responded. He eyed the trunk, probably surveying my packing job. Currently, the actual overnight duffle bags (and Robin's matching suitcase and carry-all) were sitting on the car lot behind me. The false bottom that held my preferred traveling necessities was exposed. A case of pen dynamite from a previous adventure, several first aid kits, the cases and ammo for my back up weapons and various knifes and other bladed weaponry strapped along the sides for my brother. I wanted to pack the flamethrower, but considering the last time all our weapons were packed in a car a schizophrenic Rom exploded it, we weren't taking the chance of making an even larger firework display.

"Inquoia, Calgra, Xenothe, and Mezphane clans from Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Considering the radius of the area they have gone missing, Grimm is not attempting to keep his location secret. We can assume he's tempting you. He is aware that you work for a peri, after all." The inspection of my organizational skills went well, because Niko nodded and lowered the false bottom back into place. We weren't at our usual lot either. Promise's penthouse allowed for her pristine black Cadillac to park in their secure lot, but our clunker would not be tolerated. They did, however, valet it at another 'tourist-friendly' lot a few blocks away free of charge. Maybe my lingering essence kept the delinquents away, but we had yet to have it broken into –even for parts.

Still leaving the illegal firearms exposed to an open lot that many humans strolled on through and passed by was not a wise thing to do. I reached down and picked up Robin's suitcase, chucking it into the back. "Please, don't explode my luggage." I heard the puck whine from the front seat. In response, I threw the small bag in even harder. Mine and Niko's followed there after.

"But we already discussed that Grimm wouldn't be going through all this trouble just to piss me off. He, obviously, has a plan for the peris."

"Yes, but pissing people off is a shared pastime for you and Grimm," Robin called, then promptly let off a string of curses in another language before his tone of voice lifted to that false salesman perkiness. "Hi there, stranger. Haven't seen you since you were picking Evaline's eyes out of your blackened teeth."

What the hell? I slammed the trunk shut and understood his digging sarcasm when I saw who was prowling up to us. It was never fun meeting up with someone you imagined as a one-night-stand. "Genesee?"

"You never call, you never write, what's a girl to think?" She looked good. In jeans that formed to her hips and ass like paint. Her shirt was a little eighties in style as it slipped over one shoulder, but the indigo color set off her gray eyes and the fabric was far richer than any cut off jersey the girls wore decades ago. Her skin glowed like silk under the harsh lamplight above.

"Perhaps she should think that she is a vacuous kariola and move on," Goodfellow provided. He had returned to his cell phone, but he was out of the car now. Leaned up against the door and alert; getting him off his ass was enough to have me realize just how much he didn't appreciate this woman's presence. Not that his early morning phone call hadn't already provided that information.

Genesee spared him a sharp glance as she tucked a piece of her dark hair behind her ear. "As to diavolo."

"You first."

"Genesee," I said again before the Wendigo and puck went into an all out cat-fight. "What did you need?"

She lifted her eyebrows, those gray eyes that looked just a shade lighter than mine, were following Nik as he paced around the other side of the car. He waited at the driver's side door, allowing me to finish this conversation, but subtly warning me to make it short and sweet. "No need at the moment. I just saw you in passing…are you leaving town?"

"For a few days." I left it at that, mostly because I could almost feel the tension wafting off of my brother and Robin. Last time, we hopped in the car and across the US, Delilah had invited herself along for the ride. No one was happy about this, save for me and my manly needs, but that only lasted until the part where she nearly got me killed by her avenging pack and then tried to shoot one of the few werewolves of the world that actually somewhat liked me. I wasn't planning a repeat of all that, especially with a woman I'd been with once.

"Mm." Genesee gave a shrug and flicked her nail against the collar of my jacket. "Plan C then, I guess. Perhaps I'll see you later." She turned to leave just like that, no complaint no pushing. I was surprised. She just waved a goodbye, patted Goodfellow on the cheek as she passed him, and went on her merry way. "Have fun on your trip."

I leered after her, mostly because she was putting on a show with the sway of her hips. "Do you not like her because she's still got it and you don't?"

"I still have 'it'," Robin defended. He got back into the car, grumpier than usual. "I may not use 'it' to 'its' full marveled extent on pitiful creatures like you anymore, but I certainly still have 'it'."

"Sure, mm-hmm," I slid into the back seat, adjusting the gun under my arm and settling in to be the first to sleep.

"Oh, trust me, when you wake up to find you're choking on your own mediocrity because she got bored waiting for you to rouse for another tumble you will not be so quick to fall for her web of sensual lies." He dropped his seat back a few inches, slamming me in the knees. I hissed in pain and kicked at the back with what little space he provided. "And by mediocrity, I'm referring to your penis."

"The hell do you think you're doing? Backseat gets to sleep first."

"Tough."

"You didn't have to ride with us, you know? You could have flown."

Goodfellow grinned, even with his eyes closed I could see mischief playing across his features. "You would have missed me too much. I could never force you to suffer that pain any longer."

"We still have a lot to discuss, Cal," Niko added. I groaned and dropped my head to the rest behind me. "I know, road trips are torture, but look on the bright side one way or another you'll probably get to kill some Bae."

For some reason sleeping on road trips had become a near impossibility. Usually, I could conk out anywhere, anytime. It was a practiced trait; one learned from years and years ducking the monsters out for my throat. Grab sleep when you could get it. Only I had plenty of time to get it and it alluded me. Last cross-country drive Suloyak –the anti-healing bastard– had been invading my sleep, this time (thanks to Robin) it was her.

She stood before me in a darkened room with no definition and she was beautiful. Her smile teased and her slender fingers drifted through my hair to scratch pleasurably at my scalp. Her lips danced over mine, tantalizing and tangible, full and sweet. She whispered she loved me. I told her the same. There was a bundle of cloth at our feet, a periwinkle blue and moving like a little mouse was poking around to get out. I crouched down to release the poor animal.

"We made that," Cassie said softly. Her hand coasted over my crown. Blood trailed down her legs in heavy rivulets. I stared up at her, watching the deep red strain blossom from the center of her chest. It cascaded down, dying her white dress red. "We suck as parents, don't we?"

The bundle burst into flames and I jerked back, falling on my ass in the darkness. Cassie fell into me. My cheeks were damp with tears and Cassie's body lied in my arms, her last breath escaping.

I bolted upright with a gasp, quickly surveying my surrounding to ground myself for what seemed like the fiftieth time. There was a hand to my shoulder. I glanced beside me to see Niko casting a baleful look in my direction from the open window. We were stopped at a gas station again, filling up the gas guzzler somewhere in rural America. The backseat was empty so I could only assume Goodfellow, who switched seats with me sometime in Pennsylvania, was inside searching for food he deemed worthy enough to eat.

"Hey. How long was that?"

"Twenty minutes," Niko replied. "A new record." It had been like this all trip. Every second I closed my eyes I would see her and the many ways she could die. I would see Dante, newborn, infant, twenty five and cursing me out for abandoning him. The worse were when I was doing the killing. My body not under my own control I would plant the bullet in Cassie's chest. I would snap Dante's neck and toss him like a discarded doll into the fiery pits of hell.

I ran my hands over my face and leaned into the headrest. "Where are we?"

"Ohio. Did you want anything inside?" I grunted an affirmative, but unlatched my seatbelt to go get it myself. I was done with sleep. Screw these crazy nightmares; I need some coffee. I grabbed a hotdog and some chips as well, purposefully ignoring Robin, who was chatting up the cute cashier next to the old man that waited on me. Once a puck always a puck. He'd never cheat on Ishiah, not even if the peri said it was okay, but flirting and stroking his ego was permitted in his book obviously.

Back in the car, Niko had settling into the passenger's seat. He knew I wanted to stay away from my nightmares for a while, what better way than the distraction of driving. Shoving the last bite of hot dog into my mouth, I plopped down behind the wheel and looked over at him. "Can we leave him? Please?"

Niko snorted and tugged his hood up over his eyes. "Only if you want to hear about it for the rest of your life." I decided that prolonged torture just wasn't worth the instant gratification of leaving Robin in the dust today.

Goodfellow kept it short, surprisingly, and slipped into the back seat with a cocky grin slapped on his face. "You done with your quickie in the bathroom?" His smile turned down just enough in annoyance that it put one on my face. Of course, it brought on the most inane soliloquy to come pouring from his mouth for the three hours I drove. Then the puck finally dozed off and left me in the peace and quite of a silent car at midnight.

It was like that for the next two days, switching between drivers; we even stopped at a motel one night because Niko thought a bed might help me catch some z's but nightmares didn't care how bundled up and snug you were. Eventually, Robin and Niko refused to leave me behind the wheel; I hadn't slept since the first day, not for more than ten minutes at a time, at least. It might have had something to do with me almost taking out a speed limit sign, then a guard rail. I lied like a sloth in the back, struggling between dozing and clawing at the seat mid-dream. I didn't gate home, which was a win; I'd done that when I was caught in nightmares with Suloyak. I lost my appetite, even for fast food milk shakes. It worried both of them. Robin even apologized; it was buried beneath another hour of drabble, but he apologized and tried to comfort me.

We pulled off-road almost as soon as we crossed into Wyoming. I was very doubtful that the El Dorado was going to survive the bang and crunch of the stones we were bottoming out on, but I also wouldn't be sad to see it go. We rolled up to a little village a few miles north of a town called Lusk. The settlement, from what I could see, wasn't much to look at. The buildings looked like they had been built by hand, or, at least I doubted they had a front loader or bulldozer to help with these shacks. I wondered how they survived a winter up here.

"Stay," Robin commanded and patted me on the head like a dog. He was leaned against the open door frame, a shit-eating grin plaster on his face. I shared it and I jabbed a throwing knife in his direction as he pulled back; surprised him enough that I sliced his finger with the edge. "Ow, no biting! The peris are apprehensive to have you around, so stay here."

I glared, but Niko was making no motion or sound to negate what the puck was saying. "I just drove how many miles to wait in the car?"

"This is the boring part, Cal. We're just getting information from them. Why don't you try and get some sleep while we talk?" I rolled my eyes, but crossed my arms over my chest and hunkered down in my seat. They moved off, sated that I would remain. There was no reason for me to fight it anyway. I didn't really care what the peris had to say and I certainly didn't feel like putting up with all those 'back evil hell-spawn' looks I would get traipsing through their little reservation.

From where we parked, I could only see darkened structures with flickering lights in the windows. No electricity. I knew peris liked to keep it down to the basics, but this clan was just plain missing out. The po-dunk townies south of here probably thought they were some mysterious cult. I watched Niko and Robin walk down the stone and pebble road into the huddle of huts, until my eyelids started to droop. I rested, half awake and just aware enough not to dream. It probably was the only way I hadn't gone crazy these past few days.

It wasn't a nightmare or an annoying puck that interrupted my cat-nap this time; it was a sharp tingling sensation that sliced down my spine. I cursed and traveled out of the car, there was no time for doors when a gate opened right next to me. I kept the car between us and bared my teeth at my visitor. "Grimm, you mother fucking bastard."

"Hello, brother. Did you miss me?"

"Like a catheter."

After that sweet little reunion we just stared for a moment. Part of me was waiting to wake up, convinced this wasn't really happening. Grimm stood casually a few feet away from the car on the passenger's side; I had gated outside on the driver's side near the back. Putting the hunk of metal between us and making it easier for me to spring open the trunk and shove a stick of pen dynamite up his ass. He looked no worse for the wear, unfortunately. Whatever bullet holes I had left behind were either covered by his black sweater and jacket or had healed up. He'd cut his hair though, no longer trying to mimic me since that boat had sailed. He still looked like my inverted doppelganger regardless.

His height and stature were about the same as mine. His hair was now within an inch of its life to his skull, but still stark white blond in opposition to my thick, black hair. His skin was a tanned wheat, mine moon pale. His eyes narrow and blood-red, mine wider, rounder, and that Leandros gray. Yin and Yang, except both of us were a little more than crazy and together we were far from balanced. Our features didn't really match or oppose like our coloring did. I considered myself more handsome, but now that he didn't have that stringy white hair in his face I supposed he wasn't hideous.

He smiled and those special order metal needles that covered his teeth glinted in the moonlight. Scratch that, hideous fit well enough. "You're a long way from home."

"Called out to clean up your mess," I offered. I was smiling as well. My heart was thrusting blood through my veins like firewater. I slipped another throwing knife between my fingers to join the one that I'd cut Robin with. Grimm has his own set of claws; a black glove with the stubby little talons attached like a poor man's Wolverine or Kruger. It was more fun when we leveled the playing field and with my gates now limitless again it was truly level.

"You tricked me, brother," Grimm hummed in a teasing tone. His deeper voice sounded like a tire crunching over glass in his playful mirth. He wasn't angry; he was excited. My fighting him, my besting him and forcing him into hiding, it enticed him. I'd proven myself a very worthy opponent and isn't that what every good little Auphe wanted? An enemy worth killing.

Oh, yes, spill his blood and show him just how worthy.

For once, well maybe not once, but for the first time in a while, I agreed whole-heartedly with the devil on my shoulder. "I'm not your brother and I'm telling you right now this ends tonight. You and me, winner takes all."

Grimm chuckled and started pacing around to the front of the car. His nose was in the air as if tasting it. "You and me, hm? The human and goat won't be joining us?"

I was unsurprised that he knew Goodfellow and Niko were with me –their scents were all over the car, naturally. What was surprising was the use of 'human'. Grimm referred to the humans as cattle. Nothing but a source of food or mild entertainment; apparently, Niko had also proven himself and been promoted. "Nope, mano y mano."

"The translation of that would actually be 'hand and hand' and I certainly hope you aren't planning on murdering me through a rousing chorus of Kumbaya around the peris' campfire. Mano a mano is hand to hand, meaning combative."

I ignored this rather good comeback and slipped my hand under my jacket to pull out the Desert Eagle and aimed it dead center between his eyes. "I plan on using any means necessary. How do you say bullet to brain in Spanish?"

"You aren't curious?" Grimm asked, still with that metal grin flashing in the distant lights of the peris' village. "What brought me here? Why the virtuous peris? It was a pity I didn't start with them. They're so much more…entertaining than the succubae. Perhaps not as fertile, but dragging them down, stripping them of their pride, their dignity, their chastity and honor." He scoffed at the last word and the only reason I didn't open fire was because I was curious, sickened, but curious of how much he knew. "They are quite majestic writhing beneath me, but you already know that, don't you? Very well."

"Congrats. I believe you have leveled up from sick cultist breeder to full fledged serial rapist."

"Save the witty quips, Caliban, you lied to me," Grimm snapped. His eyes flashed dead on to mine and his upper lip pulled up in a snarl. "Claiming my efforts pointless, while you had already begun your own plans. Everything in motion and you pretended I was crazy. And working with them of all demons."

"Sorry I for not keeping you updated." So he knew about Dante and 'them' when spoken with the loathing and spite Grimm just spat out, usually referred to the Auphe, which meant he knew they were alive. But why did he think Dante was the Auphe's idea or planned at all? I refused to fill in the blanks for him. Never reveal all your tricks in the game.

Strike now, ask questions to his dying corpse.

"You can never create what I created, Grimm," I said, ignoring my inching trigger finger. "Not with the peris, not with anyone."

"I thought that too for a while," Grimm hummed; he even chuckled as he scraped his fake claws along the hood of the car. I lifted the Eagle back on target and took a sidestep to keep the distance between us. He was circling. Not that it mattered; one gate and we would be upon each other. "Tell me, Caliban. What was your end game? To create him in your likeness like a god? It's brilliant really. Unmistakable. Or was it her? That slender little body of hers, so taut with muscles and the sharp curve of her bones, so delicate it seems like you could break her with the slightest touch. It took a bit more than a slight touch, but those skinny little bones do break."

I could feel my eyes narrow. My jaw clenched. What game was he playing now? No blood had been shed yet; we usually didn't get this far into a conversation before a little pain was dished out. This was a new type of game he'd learned. A manipulative one. He though he could disorient me by playing with emotions he thought he could control. Implying things my nightmares were made of. Cassie in his hands. The images sent burning stones to my stomach, but I leaned into the seething rage for support. It would be stupid to let it get to me. It was impossible.

Grimm was always like this, partially the Auphe's fault, but he'd always been fucked up. Cassie would have sooner killed him than screw him. I was positive he'd never met her, proof being he was still here. He was attempting to twist a metaphoric dagger in my chest, either dredge up memories I had emotional attachment to or just test me to see if I would react. So I couldn't. If this was the game I needed to show my poker face. "Are we going to try and kill each other now or are you planning on boring me to death? My ears bleed enough from Goodfellow's constant chattering."

"Have I struck a nerve?" Grimm tugged at the collar of his jacket, flipping it up as if the cold was bothering him. I doubted it; even if he spent no time in Tumulus (something I never asked him) the cold wasn't that intense and there was no way Grimm would show me any weakness no matter how trivial. "Does it bother you, Caliban, knowing that I've taken what was once yours? Did she scream for you too? Those creamy breasts heaving until she had no more breath to give?"

I hated to admit it was bothering me. I would be damned if I let him win this round, or any. He was trying to distract me with his ridiculous stories and attack the moment I cracked. The moment I went for blood. Grimm knew I was close.

"Did you take her until she bled? Her claws tearing into your flesh? Or was it…yes, it was, wasn't it?" His grin widened so I could almost see his normal white molars around the hypodermic needles. "You're just like them; the cattle you walk among. Weakened by frivolous things. Love and loyalty. I thought better of you, Caliban. You loved her, didn't you?"

"Oh stop, your jealousy just makes my ego all tingly," I teased. I gripped onto the cold and callous strings of that devil inside me, felt them wrap around like a cocoon. The muscles loosened along my back as I let Caliban out to play, just a little, just enough to make the words come out. I relished that smirk dropping to a frown around those metal teeth. "Her claws did dig into me, she did scream, but was she squeezing her legs around your waist to pull you in deeper? Was she screaming your name like you were king? Did she wrap those full lips around your dick and suck you dry?" It was crude, coarse, and a bit more than I ever wanted to share with Grimm, but he had to know there was no leverage here. His platform was crumbling. I needed to set it aflame. "You will never know the pleasures she could provide. You will never create a child like mine as perfect as he was. You can't. Because they're dead. You're chasing after ghosts, Grimm. Give it up."

We both heard the soft rustling of footfalls coming from the village. We both heard them quickly halt and become nothing but a whisper in the grass, splitting to circle us. Grimm's eyes flickered to their corners, but he didn't move save for a tilt of his head to his shoulder. "Ghosts," Grimm echoed and let off a little chuckle. "I suppose that's my cue. I really didn't want to interrupt the family outing. I just wanted to say hello."

I could smell Robin to our left. As much as he could walk on silent feet he couldn't mask his forest-y musk unless he used that special spray he had. And Niko, who I knew was on the right probably smelled just as obvious, though I couldn't really catch that scent as readily. Grimm knew my driving buddies were back though, and it seemed he wasn't sticking around for them to get into position.

The air split behind me in the same moment he stepped into a gate. I let him follow that gate, to lean in over my shoulder and whisper his parting words. "You're wrong about lot of things, Caliban."

I stepped forward and spun around, gun aimed and finger pulling the trigger. Grimm was gone before the bullet loosed, but I let it fly in frustration anyway. Robin had to dodge, but it was an easy pivot for him. He stared across the now empty space between us. "What was that?"

"Why didn't you call us?" Niko demanded, his stern tone overtaking Goodfellow's question. I sighed and scoured the area with both sight and sense to see if Grimm was within the vicinity. The second gate he took…I couldn't feel the exit.

"Obviously, we were just having a little chat. No need to get your panties in a twist," I grumbled, wishing it had been more of a bloodbath myself. I holstered my gun and walked up to the car, yanking open the driver's side door. "Give me the keys and tell me where we're going. I'll tell you all about his bullshit in the car."

Neither of them argued; curious as well, no doubt.