CHAPTER TWO
Rupert's head felt like a well-used football when he woke up. Bits and pieces of the night before came filtering back. His skin felt stickier than a spill of Lyle's Golden syrup. A rock-hard bladder forced him up out of bed. He had to move someone's legs out of his way so he could sit up and get his bearings before trying to stand. They were Gemma's strong, shapely legs, a sweet kiss of cinnamon tan to them. She wiggled a bit as his getting up woke her. Rupert looked at the other occupant of the king-sized bed, a ghost-pale girl, eyebrows so white they were barely visible. Her platinum hair, now a tangle, had been Farrah Fawcett feathered last night when she pulled his watch from the key jar and took him and Gemma home with her. He leaned over and gave her back side a stroke but she barely stirred. Just as well given his hangover, and how bad he had to pee.
He staggered into the bathroom to take care of his business. Rupert splashed water on his face, trying to revive himself. Thin, red threads crazed his eyes, racoon-like with purple-black from a lack of sleep. His shoulder-length swag of hair looked elf-locked. His mouth felt stuffed with rank cotton. This wasn't his bathroom, but he felt no real guilt about going through the medicine cabinet, rooting past the prescription bottles of amphetamines to find the mouthwash. It would do until he could get home where he could shower and brush his teeth.
A soft knock sounded at the door. "Rupert, are you almost done? I have to go!"
He opened the door to trade places with Gemma. She was the only one of their group who called him by his name and he found, as hot as he had been to leave dull little Rupert behind and become Ripper, there was a part of him that warmed when he heard his name.
He stumbled about trying to find his clothing. The thin ghostly girl lifted her head off the pillow, shooting him an irritated look. He couldn't remember her name. "Where are we in relationship to Tod's place?"
"He's up three floors." She flopped back down, and covered her head with the sheet.
Rupert was rather glad of it. He didn't really feel like making a lot of small talk. Last night was something he needed to help shake him out of his grim little post-Eyghon world, and it had done that. It put in perspective the fact that he could never escape what had happened so he needed to learn to live with it. Or maybe that was just some primo pot talking. Either way, he figured it to be good advice, and he wanted out of this apartment and not look back. He had bigger things to concentrated on, like what he and his friends could do with the grimoire when they got it.
Gemma came back out of the bathroom and took her cues from him. She dressed silently and they crept out of the apartment, slogging up the steps to Tod's place. Rupert couldn't escape the feeling that all the carvings in the railing, all the faces in the stained glass windows were looking at him. He wished he knew what it was that made him uneasy about the brownstone but something did. The door to Tod's place was unlocked, and the apartment was eerily silent, reeking of alcohol, pot smoke, and sex.
They headed directly to the shower; nothing sexual about it, just two hungover young people desperately trying to get clean. After the shower and tooth brushing, Rupert felt loads better. They went into the living room, still not quite ready for breakfast. The TV was on, Ethan parked in front of it. Rupert sat on the floor in front of the couch after Gemma curled up on it. She had his brush, and started brushing out his long locks. It was a very relaxing ritual for them. Sometimes he combed her waist-length walnut hair, sometimes not depending on her moods. Her silver brush wasn't in sight so it was a 'not' day.
"Deirdre alive yet?" Gemma leaned against Rupert's shoulders, her soft breasts tantalizing him.
"She was waiting for you two to get done with the shower so she could use it," Ethan replied. "Tod's still snoring, last I heard."
"What the bloody hell are you watching?" Rupert nodded at the TV.
"I think it's a kid's show. There's a boy and his talking flute," Ethan said, pointing out the two obvious characters.
Rupert snorted. "Nothing Freudian there."
"Don't be gross." Gemma whacked him on the head with the brush, then squinted at the screen. "Isn't that the kid from Oliver?"
"How the hell should I know? It's called H.R. Pufnstuf," Ethan said. "It's damn frightening."
"I think I've had bad trips like this," Rupert replied. "Find something else. The title's giving me ideas, and I'm not sure I'm up to any more smoking just yet."
"Demanding sot, isn't he, Gem?" Ethan dragged up and flipped through the channels, settling on something less horrifying than a dinosaur in white cowboy boots; some cartoon about freaky kids in a van and their dog. "When you're done making Ripper beautiful, Gem, think you can whip up some breakfast?"
"Sod off. You know where the kitchen is. Do it yourself." Gemma eyed him evilly.
"Birds," Ethan grumbled. "Didn't bring them along so I could make my own meals. She's probably all up on this ERA stuff the American birds keep chattering about."
"Ethan, you'd better shut your gob before she shoves the brush up your ass," Rupert said.
Ethan curled his lip at them but got up.
Rupert looked over his shoulder at his lover. "Just so you know, Gemma, I didn't ask you along so you could fix my meals."
She kissed the crown of his head. "I didn't think you did. Ethan's a pig. I should pull a Circe on him."
Rupert laughed. "Ethan would be the world's skinniest pig."
Her eyes danced. "You have a point."
"And for the record, I think the ERA is a good idea."
"You would. You were raised by Watchers. You're used to strong women, but I'm glad to hear it anyhow. There." Gemma set aside the brush. "You're beautiful...well, as beautiful as you're going to get." She grinned.
"I wasn't expecting miracles." He fluffed his hair, his one big vanity. "Thank you. Oh, mornin' Tod," he added, seeing his host coming into the room.
Tod collapsed in a chair. "Did you have a good time last night with Cynthia?"
"Excellent," Rupert said, hoping that was the Speed-freak he had woken up with. "Ethan's helping himself to the kitchen."
"Good luck with that. I might have some stale corn flakes." Tod laughed, rubbing a hand over his thin belly then shoved up his thick glasses. Rupert figured his eyes were burning too much for his contacts. Rupert had thought about getting contacts but putting hard pieces of plastic in his eyes scared him. "We can go out for breakfast...uh, lunch, at this point, I guess."
"As soon as Deirdre gets out of the shower, we can go," Gemma said.
Tod waved her off. "Forget going out. I'm too beat. I'll just call for take out. Pizza, Chinese, or the Jewish deli down the street?"
"I'm not sure how much my stomach can take," Gemma replied, making a face.
"The deli might be the best bet then."
Within the half hour, they sat in the living room with hot bowls of matzo ball soup and sandwiches. Rupert concentrated on the soup. His pastrami sandwich was a little heavy for his angry stomach.
"So, Tod, Ethan's told us a little about your plan," Rupert said, paring off a bit of matzo with his spoon. "I'd like to hear it from you."
Tod shoved up his glasses again, a broad smile on his face, obviously happy to expound on it. "Lily Moundalexakis, she's the last of the Moundalexakis line. They're the guardians of the Biblio schisimo kai afaimasso. Lily could care less about the book. I'm not sure she even gets the true significance of it. She's more into partying all night and snorting as much nose candy as humanly possible."
"So, how did you learn she had the grimoire?" Rupert considered what Tod had just said. He understood all too well how family obligations could suck. He felt for Lily.
"I was just getting into magic when I came over to England and met you guys. It really opened my mind up to the possibilities. I did some research, came across the book, and realized I didn't live that far from the owners." Tod swept a hand over to Ethan, bouncing in his seat. "That's when I contacted Ethan for help."
"If you know who owns the book, why do you need us?" Gemma asked before Rupert could.
"Lily doesn't own it, per se. Her family does. She hasn't really told me where it's hidden which is where I thought you guys could come in. Besides, I know I'm not skilled enough to use the book on my own. I thought if I paid you for lessons, we'd all benefit." Tod nearly knocked over his bowl of soup in his excitement. It made Rupert nervous. The man seemed a little too eager. Rupert glanced at Ethan but his friend didn't seem worried about it.
"And I agreed," Ethan replied.
"So are you just going to ask her to come back to your place since you know her?" Deirdre asked.
Tod shook his head. "I've tried. I might have money but I'm still the four-eyed geek to girls like Lily. I could have the best blow in New York, and she still really wouldn't give me the time of day. The only time she even talks to me is if I can get into the cool clubs, and she's too high to know any better. Which is why we have to go to her, tonight would be good. I know where she'll be."
"Oh?" Ethan's eyes took on a predatory gleam.
"Studio 54." Tod grinned.
Rupert' lips curled. "You want us to go to some bloody disco?"
"It's not just a disco, Ripper, it's the place to be. They turn celebrities away from this place. You have to be majorly cool to get in," Tod said, his eyes deep with longing to have that kind of charisma
"And you somehow think we're majorly cool?" Gemma appeared amused by this. Rupert fingered his earring. He was cool but he wasn't sure he was Studio 54 'beautiful people' cool. Rupert wasn't sure he wanted to be that slick kind of phoney cool.
"I was hoping you had a spell that could make us too cool to resist," Tod admitted sheepishly.
"Actually, I have a little charm spell that might do the trick," Gemma replied.
"Bloody hell," Rupert groaned. "Disco music is from the devil. It sucks."
"Hey, I'd rather it be at a Stones concert but what can we do?" Ethan shrugged.
"Perfect." Rupert slung his hair back. "I don't have any disco clothes."
"Not a problem," Tod said. "Eat up and I'll take us all shopping, on my dime. We'll be the coolest people at the club and trust me, if we are, Lily will take notice. She's like a fixture at Studio 54, and I'm betting together we can make Lily tell us where her family has the book under lock and key."
"Buck up, Rupert." Gemma patted his thigh. "I bet your butt looks great in skin tight disco pants."
Rupert just rolled his eyes. Ethan tried not to choke on his laugher.
