Chapter 3
I knew they would find out the truth, or some flaw in my story eventually. Either my preternatural nature would be seen, or surface or something. If the 'jig' wasn't already up with Jean-Claude unable to enter my mind. I would have to be careful. No matter how I looked at it I would need friends, or I would end up in serious trouble or totally dead.
The slaying was routine, in the sense it was an escapee from a nearby morgue. I deliberately went hand to hand with it. I had to see how strong they were. This newbie was incredibly strong, more so than a were. Despite vampires being strong here and a high pain tolerance, they could take tremendous amounts of damage, more so than I would have thought possible, despite no real physical changes. I took blood and tissue samples to look into it.
How strong would Jean-Claude be if we fought? Some of the older vampires here you could shoot with silver and they would keep coming, despite injuries. They would heal, not as fast as me. Shit! Maybe I had just bitten off more than I could chew. I doubt they had my combat experience of constantly fighting my own kind, and other preternaturals, but I could be wrong. Only time would tell. I had a lunch date with Marie tomorrow, and decided to get some sleep. I arrived home, and I was alone. I undressed, and left my things near the bed. Just in case. I slept till about 5am, and couldn't sleep any more. I needed to go somewhere where I could train. I found a kempo dojo on the internet. At 8am I headed over there, traffic wasn't too bad, it was Saturday. I walked into the dojo, and had a chat with the instructor, just about using the pads, and bags, and the back room for Kata and the like. Why not use my backyard, because people think I'm respectable. Loonies.
I punched the bags for a while, and was halfway through a double Katana form & guess who walks in, Anita Blake. She does not look too happy to see me, but I could do the form blindfolded; I've known it for almost 900 years. People seem to have stopped to watch me, including the instructor. I put a katana in the scabbard, as part of the form, and draw a kusari, a weighted chain, and continue. I finish my form, almost three minutes later, not even breathing hard. I leave both Katanas in my belt, and continue with a Naginata, or Japanese halberd. I put all the weapons down, and begin one of my favourite katas, with two shoto. I place both in my belt, they are slightly height offset to enable a fast draw. My kata continues for another 5 minutes. People are still watching, but I ignore them. I place both weapons back in my belt, and place my kit back in my bag. The Naginata belonged to the dojo though.
I turn to walk out, and the instructor turns and approaches me, people have awe in their eyes.
"I've never seen such level of skill. Can you teach those katas to me?"
"Which one would you prefer to learn" I inquired.
"What martial art is that? What grade are you?"
"I have mastered many martial arts. Those kata you saw were an ancient Samurai forms, no longer practiced, unfortunately". This was true, I had trained with Samurai, Ninja or Yamambushi Mountain Monks, and the Shaolin Monks. Plus innumerable other arts, I thought some of the Italian Saber work truly excellent.
"I see you are a 3rd Dan in Kempo, anything else?"
"A 4th Dan in judo"
"Interesting mix, judo is too easily countered though"
"By the time they've grabbed you it's too late" he replied
"Three words really. Drop your hips. Additionally, if you poke them in the eyes or throat, they stop trying to throw you. Usually around that time you beat them to death"
"Would you demonstrate?" And off we went with me teaching the class judo counters. The really advanced counter no one got. You have to become water like, and flow away from the grab allowing them to overbalance. It sounds easy when explained, but difficult to do-trust me on this. I then switched to some really violent street stuff, and explained how judo really works in a fight. Some got it, some didn't. Although I suspected Anita didn't like me much, she was wary of me. That was good. I had a shower at the end of the class, and got changed and left to meet Marie.
Lunch date was good, it was also helped by Marie being really attractive, okay stunning. Being a preternatural, we keep people at 'arms length', and do not tell ours secrets readily. Marie, had lots of friends, but no family. An only child, and her family had died in a car accident when she was little. Determined not to grow up in poverty, she got herself a good education and a good job. She went back to work being a 'high flying' lawyer. She earns six figures a year, which is pretty good. I was still unable to make anti-vamp rounds, but my search continued. The hollow point silver nitrate were easy. The Kempo instructor wanted me to teach some more tomorrow, certainly wanted a few of the 'set patterns'; which to be honest I was happy to 'pass on' some of my knowledge. It had been a long time since I had a student, human or preternatural. I used to train with some Japanese monks that used to run two marathons a day for two weeks to understand their own mortality. In retrospect, they were nuts, they had only one life and sought to destroy it. Many did.
When I got home I went for a run, well okay about twenty miles; just to clear my head.
Another week passed, and nothing really happened. I decided to 'make friends' with people. I was quite isolated and did not like it, not one damn bit. I waited until nightfall, and went to Guilty Pleasures, unarmed.
"I'm going to need to search you" the vamp doorman explained. I don't like being searched.
"I don't think so" I replied grabbing hold of his arm and twisting it into a lock really fast, "in you piss me off I'm break it and stuff the bone into your brain; understand". He was currently on the ground in intense pain. Even if he were stronger than me it wouldn't help, the bone was at break point.
As I said this I changed hands and positioning and maintained the lock with one hand, and showed him I was unarmed. "do you still need to search me?"
"Jean-Claude will kill me if I don't"
"Let's just take that you had resistance and leave it at that" I said releasing the lock, and walking by him. Another vamp doorman was walking this way, obviously curious, but had not seen the fracas. I overtly ignored him, just like any other professional would, but keeping a covert eye to see if he was going to do anything. I walked towards Jean-Claude's office & I could also sense that Anita was in there; and from the sounds they were having very loud sex. I could feel waves of magic emanating from the room; and did not want to interrupt any sexual magic, that I didn't want to get drawn in. I'm dating remember?
I waited till all the moaning, and in her case screaming subsided; and then another minute on top of that and opened the door.
"I hope I didn't catch either of you at an all together inopportune time, if you'll pardon my pun" I said sardonically. They were almost dressed. Jean-Claude was completely compus mentis, and she reached straight for her gun. I ignored her gun, and sat down.
"Don't fucking move, or I will kill you" I raised my hands in a comforting 'I don't want any trouble' sort of gesture.
"I didn't come here to fight"
"So what did you come for?" asked Jean-Claude in those silken tones.
"I presume you have guessed or made some assumptions about me?" I aimed this at Jean-Claude.
"Yes" he replied.
"Such as?"
"If we told you what would be the point? If what you said is true you could easily destroy us" spoke Jean-Claude in tones so soft and silky, yet so sharp they could cut like glass.
"It wasn't. So humour me, and I might just be able to offer you a gift"
"What could you possibly offer me? I want to know whose servant you are, it is considered a declaration of war to openly walk into my territory like this"
"Let's get this straight" I answered and began to stand.
"Stand and I will shoot you" said Anita. I could see tension leaving her body as she exhaled; and all trace of emotion.
"Shooting me in the head won't do it I'm afraid" I said and stopped concealing my power or my Quickening. I watched both gasp and stumble as my power flowed over them. "I am no ones servant. Now JC I believe we need to talk"
"Who are you?" he answered. I could see both were still a little shaken. I could see small sparks of electricity arc around the office, and they could too.
"The answer is Jean-Claude I am alone here. No friends really, or family and I very much need allies or friends" I emphasized the last bit.
"Why do we need you" replied Anita.
"Because I believe my blood will give Jean-Claude what he has always wanted. To be a daywalker" There was almost a 'pregnant' pause, before he spoke again.
"It is not possible, sadly" replied Jean-Claude. If I were human, or under 250 years old you would almost feel like crying as his power crashed over me. Fortunately I wasn't and it had no effect.
"It is actually. You see my blood has certain properties. Should you drink my blood, you will be a new man."
"I could just shoot you, and let Jean-Claude drink from your dead body, whatever you are" said Anita still her pointing a gun at me.
"You would never hit me with a bullet from that pistol, ever, but feel free to try Anita", and I took at step forward. I heard her tendons tense in her arm, and saw the flutter of her metacarpals before she even fired. Just a slight rotation and my body was long gone out of harms way. Missed!
"Jean-Claude" I said with a sense of urgency. Not that she would hit me, it was beginning to piss me off. I really didn't want to fight tonight.
"Ma petit, stop, please. Let us just hear him out" Her shot missed a second time, and a third. I disarmed her. I turned the gun over and the magazine flipped out, using my thumb to knock the bullets onto the floor. I suspect the reason Jean-Claude had not intervened was that he was evaluating my level of skill and honestly believed I did not want to fight. Which was good.
She was reaching for another weapon, will she ever stop? I used the 'voice' with a compulsion "Sit down". And she did, right where she was standing. I took a small pocket knife out of my pocket, and cut my arm open with a quick movement of the blade. I made sure it was deep.
"Watch", and Jean-Claude did. He saw it heal, quicker than any Lycanthrope or vampire, with a couple of sparks of Quickening.
"I have never seen anyone heal in that manner, how?"
"I am what you would call a 'Living Vampire', in that my heart always beats, I can walk in daylight without harm. I can even eat real food. Although I am sure you would gain most of those benefits, except the latter. Interested?" I didn't want to mention my other peculiarity yet. Keep them off balance in any manipulation. Truth would could later, this was fine. You expect to tell them everything straight away? Fat chance!
"Why should I not take it from you?"
"Do you think you can Jean-Claude? When you come into your power that's it from what I understand. Besides, this offer is for you only, no one else not even the Council" I could almost see his lips salivate at the thought. Anita was starting to shake off my spell, and stand up, no matter. Jean-Claude was the real threat here anyway. I proffered a wrist for him to drink from.
"Just a pint or two Jean-Claude, a taster, should you decide to accept my offer".
"Don't. He could be lying" Anita urged.
"Will your blood heal burns from holy water" asked Jean-Claude.
"Yes, why? Is there someone else you would choose have my gift"
"A friend of mine lost much and it has caused friction in our friendship"
"Shall we try you first and take it from there?" I gave him my wrist, and saw him reach for it to drink. Damn his grip was strong! I felt him drink, and my body attempt to restore any lost blood. Even so, such a healing is not without cost. I would need rest or lots of food.
"Well Jean-Claude?" I caught him as he swooned, as he clutched his chest, and gasped. "It'll be dawn in an hour, daylight"
"Sunrise"
"Let him go", Anita had picked up the knife.
"If he can survive daylight, will that assure you my good intentions?"
"If he dies" she started to threaten.
"Anita, It doesn't really matter if I could beat Jean-Claude and several others in a fight. We all know that the number of preternaturals you can send against me will sign my death warrant. I don't want that" Hopefully I might to live a little bit longer.
"Why should I or any others trust you? Why the games?"
"If I'd have come in here sooner, and told you the truth as you hear it. What then, you'd totally believe me? Trust me?"
"It would have helped" Anita replied, her anger rising again, doubt in her voice. Jean-Claude was recovering and able to stand unaided.
"No ma petit, he is right. If someone of his power had walked in here like he did, it would've ended badly"
"We had to jump through a few hoops. Then hopefully you won't set dozens of lycanthropes and other vampires on my ass, and I might just get to see tomorrow alive and in one peace"
"Maybe" Anita replied, "Just maybe".