CHAPTER THREE
"Not to sound like an arrogant jerk, but let me do the talking where Mr. D'Amato is concerned," Lindsey said as they headed for the hotel's elevator. "I know how to deal with his ego."
Faith eyed him hostilely. "I don't like playing the mute servant, Lindsey."
"No one does, Faith, but some times it's necessary. Don't make me remind you what happens if the Senior Partners are displeased with your performance." Lindsey hated playing that card again but it was easier to deal with Faith if she didn't get enough rope to hang herself. He ignored her scowl as they got into the elevator. Oh, she remembered what happens well enough, at least enough to silence her.
Lindsey led her to the penthouse. He moved stiffly. His back hurt. In the bedroom mirror, he could read part of the gravestone she had screwed him on inscription in the bruises on his back. He knocked on the door. "Mr. D'Amato, it's Mr. McDonald and Dante's arranged companion," he called softly.
Lindsey wasn't surprised to be greeted with a Desert Eagle .50 caliber pointed at his face. Still, that didn't mean he was happy staring down that cannon. If Faith was nervous, he couldn't tell it.
D'Amato gave him a greasy smile. "A little girl?"
Lindsey put a hand on Faith's arm, feeling her tense for an explosion. "She's far more than a little girl."
"I trust the Senior Partners's judgement, Mr. McDonald." D'Amato waved them in with his gun. "We're just about ready."
"We'll wait here until you're done, sir," Lindsey said, not wanting to go any further inside. He didn't want to know what D'Amato was doing.
Faith gave Lindsey a shove once D'Amato disappeared into the house. "I have to guard that jerk?" she hissed.
"No, you're not guarding Mr. D'Amato. You're guarding his son."
Faith's brow beetled. Lindsey could see the confusion. He had regretfully kept Faith light on the details to cut down on the chances she might just blow off the assignment. She had been happy thinking she was guarding a wealthy man. "His what?"
"His son, Dante. You'll like him," Lindsey promised. "Dante's a smart kid."
"I'm the fucking baby-sitter?" she growled in his ear, her fingers digging into his arm painfully.
"Let's hope not." He smirked. "The way it works is this, someone is trying to kill Dante to get at D'Amato. Your job is to make sure that doesn't happen."
"I can't believe this." She shoved him again, hard enough he knew the heel of her hand was going to leave a bruise.
"Lindsey!" a young voice cried excitedly. Lindsey and Faith looked at the doorway. A short ten-year-old stood there, a Playstation system cradled in his arms. Lindsey saw Faith studying Dante's dark curls, his deep dark eyes and the fragile whiteness of his skin. It was obvious to anyone with eyes Dante was unwell. "I'm gonna whip your butt." Dante tapped the game.
Lindsey laughed. "I have no doubts. Dante, this is Faith. She's going to be keeping an eye out for you."
Dante shoved the game into Lindsey's hands then held out one slender hand to Faith. "Hi. I like your name."
Faith managed a smile and shook hands as if afraid of kids. Lindsey knew that look well. He had seen it in Lilah's eyes. "Nice to meet ya, kid."
"I have it you know, faith," Dante said, and Faith gave him a perplexed look.
"Dante, don't be morbid," D'Amato warned, wagging a finger at his son.
The boy just shrugged and looked up at Faith. "We ready?"
"We're ready."
Lindsey carried the toy down to the car garage and saw Johnson, D'Amato's major domo, there with the boy's luggage. They loaded up the car and Lindsey started for Lake View Drive. Dante sat in the back with Faith and he could see the boy was ready to burst with all the questions and tidbits of information he loved to share. "How's it been going, Dante?"
"Good," the boy said unconvincingly. "I found out something new for you, Lindsey. Did you know St. Angelus Orsucci was burned to death in Japan in the 1600's?"
"No, that's pretty harsh," Lindsey said, glancing over at Faith. "Dante's fascinated with the saints."
"Not the saints," Dante corrected, leaning over the back of Faith's seat. "How they died."
"Sit back, please, Dante. Are you strapped in?" Lindsey looked up into the rearview mirror. "He's a wealth of famous last words and how a variety of people met their ends untimely or otherwise, Faith."
"Untimely's more interesting," Dante assured him, his dark eyes glinting.
"Strange little hobby," Faith muttered. "I'm still trying not to giggle at St. Angelus."
Lindsey snorted, catching Dante's perplexed expression in the rear view mirror. He, of course, had no idea who Faith meant.
"There's two St. Angelus's," Dante said, immediately warming to a fresh audience. "Angelus of Arci lived in the late 1600's and into the next century but he didn't die in an interesting way. He had visions though, and could heal, see into men's souls and could bilocate. I wouldn't mind meeting a real healer."
"I wouldn't mind being in two places at once," Lindsey replied, thinking of all the advantages that would entail.
"Uh-huh." Faith twisted in her seat to looked at Dante. "You believe in all that stuff, kid?"
"I like to think there's something good waiting for us after we die. That's what I meant when I said I had faith. I like your name," Dante reminded her. "My name, D'Amato, means God's Love. I kinda hope there's some of that, too. How did you get to be a bodyguard, Faith?"
"I'm not exactly," she grumbled.
"You're special, Dante," Lindsey said. "Faith's a big gun. She'll make sure the bad things stay away."
Dante pouted. "I wish the demons would stay away. I get tired of hiding from them."
Faith smiled at him. "I'm good at making demons stay away, kid. I'm gonna make sure nothing touches you." Lindsey thought she might actually mean it and that surprised him.
"Thanks. Since you asked, I think near death experiences are trying to tell us something about the other side. Lots of people see fog. Did you know Emily Dickinson's last words were 'the fog is rising?' She had Bright's disease and would only let her doctors examine her by watching through a half-closed door. Ain't that nuts?" Dante put his hand over Faith's.
"Uh, yeah." Faith tapped Lindsey's shoulder. He waved her off.
Lindsey amused himself with catching glimpses of Faith's face as Dante continued to regalia her with splashy deaths and disasters all the way to the safe house. She was quick to get out of the car and check out the house to be sure it was clear. They hustled Dante inside and Lindsey went back to the car to collect their stuff.
Faith was waiting for him at the door. "Lindsey, what have you gotten me into? Daycare for Baby Death?"
Lindsey grinned. "Dante's not so bad."
"He's a freaky little kid," she hissed. "Being a death encyclopedia isn't normal."
"Well, Dante has his own style." Lindsey muscled the luggage past her. "Where is he?"
"Setting up his Playstation." Faith hesitated then whispered. "What's wrong with him, really?"
"Viral endocarditis," Lindsey replied and off her blank look added, "A virus ate up his heart muscle. Dante's dying, Faith. That's why he's so preoccupied with death and saints and the afterlife. He's trying to make it less scary for himself."
"Dying," she murmured, pity in her eyes, or at least he thought it was pity. Lindsey had never seen the emotion on display in Faith before.
"Unless he gets a new heart, yes." Lindsey took a deep breath, hating to think on the boy's chances. "And Dante's a rare blood type."
Faith's lips skinned back. "And some bastard wants the kid to die faster?"
Lindsey liked hearing the indignation in her growl. He hated people who hurt kids. It was a line he drew, even with Wolfram and Hart. It made him feel better that Faith seemed to share that dislike. "Faster and more horribly, just to get back at his father."
"That sucks."
"Now you see why I thought this was a good assignment for you?"
Faith nodded and followed him inside. Dante was still plugging in the Playstation.
"What games you bring, kiddo?" Lindsey asked.
"Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Mortal Kombat." Dante climbed up on the couch and looked over at Lindsey. "Can I play Faith first?"
"I've never played these kinds of games, kid," Faith said.
"That'll make it easier." Dante grinned. "I'll slaughter you."
Faith laughed. "How about you slaughter Lindsey first, and I'll watch him so I know how to play?"
Dante's grin grew. "Okay."
"Thanks, Faith." Lindsey gave her a wry smile.
They played for awhile, mostly letting Dante win, until he'd protest they were too easy on him. Lindsey let the play go on, with him and Faith trading off watching the outside for danger, until Dante started wheezing.
"Okay, let's take a break." He patted the boy's shoulder. "Dante, you could use a nap."
"No! I'm not tired." He pushed out his lower lip when Lindsey didn't relent. "Can I just lay on the couch and watch tv?"
"I guess so but you need to lay quietly," Lindsey said sternly, remembering what he'd been told about Dante's rest requirements.
"Okay."
It didn't take Dante long to fall asleep in spite of his protests. Lindsey went to fish a V-8 out of the fridge. "When Dante wakes up, remind him he needs to have one of these." Lindsey took a swig.
"That stuff's gross." Faith grimaced.
He shrugged. "It's good for you."
Faith put a hand on Lindsey's arm. "Is Dante going to be okay? He was looking blue."
"That's why I had him take a break. He gets excited and his heart has to strain. It could kill him."
Faith glanced out the kitchen door towards the living room. "How long does he have?"
"No one knows. He's responding to the anti-arrhythmia drugs but just barely. He doesn't have long," Lindsey said, feeling a pit forming in his stomach at the thought.
Faith sighed. "I'm going to check the woods again. It's starting to get dark."
"Okay. I'll start dinner." He glanced into the freezer. "Frozen burritos or frozen pizza?"
"Lovely." Faith made a face. "Pizza."
He gave her an indignant look. "Hey, at least it's DiGiorgno's so it won't be too bad."
"You'll make a great house husband some day." Faith chucked his arm before heading out.
Lindsey slung some pizzas in the oven. He didn't really care for the stuff either but it wasn't like he could order out. Faith didn't come back quickly. Getting nervous, Lindsey went back to the living room, feeling for the side arm he had. The holy water, stakes and a sword were in storage in the living room. He was going for them when Faith returned. The sound of the door woke Dante.
"Problems?" Lindsey's gaze cut towards the window.
"Thought I heard something but I couldn't find anything," Faith replied.
"Is this the point in the action picture when they say something stupid like 'stay frosty'?" Dante asked wryly, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"Yeah, pretty much." Faith smiled. "We could wing one of Lindsey's frozen pizzas at them. That'll stop a demon in its tracks."
Lindsey eyed her evilly. "There is nothing wrong with my pizza."
"Nothing beer wouldn't fix," Faith zinged back.
"You're stuck with V-8, orange juice, or water," Lindsey replied.
"I guess I'll get us all a V-8," Faith grumped. "Well, you two. Water it is for me."
Dante turned on The Simpson's. They soon sat down to a meal of pizza and healthy drinks. Lindsey could tell Dante would be ready for bed soon after dinner and knew the boy would fight him on it. Dante always did. He felt bad for the kid. Not many deserved to suffer like this and he had yet to meet many kids that would fit the 'they deserve it' category.
Dante sat next to Faith on the couch, barely nibbling down two slices of pizza. He looked at the tattoo on her arm. He touched it gently. "Did it hurt?"
Faith pushed back a stray strand of hair, thinking on her answer. "Actually, yeah. I mean, I still would have done it but it hurt more than I thought it would."
Dante chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully, his dark eyes studying Faith. "I can't ever get one, even if I get my new heart. Too risky."
"Well, when you got this much handsome going on, what do you need ink for?" Faith ruffled his hair.
Dante hunched up, giggling. His cheeks burned red. "I'm not handsome."
"Sure you are, kid. I knew boys back in school who would have done anything to have your looks," Faith assured him.
Lindsey grinned, watching her flirt. As odd as Dante was, he had a way of getting into people's hearts. And the boy was cute, just pale and too thin. Still, it was easy to see the man he would most likely never become.
"Really?" Dante asked.
"You'll be a regular Casanova some day," Faith replied.
"Did you know Casanova died of old age and his last words were 'I have lived as a philosopher and die as a Christian? Kinda boring but he did try to starve himself to death once over a girl." Dante's face turned somber. "I've never had a girlfriend. Dad says I will some day but I'm not so sure."
"Your dad's right." Faith tried to sound optimistic but didn't quite make it.
Dante shrugged. "You have a boyfriend?"
Faith looked over at Lindsey. "Not really."
Lindsey didn't feel hurt. He never considered her his girlfriend. They were fuck buddies at best, something uglier at worse.
Dante beamed. "Want to be my girlfriend?"
Faith laughed. "Well, I'm a little older than you but sure."
"Cool."
"Hey Romeo, I hate to break this up, but did you do your breathing exercises yet?" Lindsey asked, giving a glance at the clock.
Dante scowled at him. "Yes."
"Uh-huh. Want to try again?" Lindsey knew how much Dante hated them and Lindsey knew there was no way the boy had done them without someone pushing him. He didn't blame the boy. He was always exhausted afterwards.
Dante tromped off and got his breathing equipment. Lindsey had to keep a watchful eye on the boy until he did the exercises. He was shaking and bluish again by the time he was done. Lindsey let him sit up for another hour watching TV and flirting with Faith before sending him to bed.
"I'll take first watch," Faith said once Dante was settled. "Why don't you get some sleep yourself?"
Lindsey didn't argue. Neither of them had said much about what Faith might have heard in the woods but he knew they were both thinking on it, hoping for the best.