42nd & Lex (29 page)

Even though leaving our conversation
unfinished goes against every fiber of my being; I concede and allow Lucan to
carry the bottle of wine and me upstairs. He’s purposefully blocking me as he
hoists me over his shoulder. I can feel it like white noise in my head. Zaid
and Amelia are hovering over a pot on the stove when we open the door. 

“Lucan, my brother, I cannot believe how much
food you have in this place! Everything I need to make my famous Italian stew. Abri,
you’re going to love it,” Zaid exclaims as we walk into the kitchen. It smells
wonderful.

Once we settle around the table, I take the
opportunity to begin our dinner conversation. “So Amelia, Lucan was telling me
about the Sodali ceremony earlier and I wanted to get your perspective on it.”

Lucan and Zaid’s spoons clang against their
bowls and Zaid lets out a little choking cough. I have possibly just ruined the
appetites of the two people at the table that don’t actually have appetites in
the first place. But I don’t care. Amelia gives me a knowing smile. If I could
read her thoughts I'm sure they would be along the lines of ‘you go girl’ for
having the guts to hold Lucan’s feet to the fire in front of company. Amelia
clears her throat and looks at Lucan. He shrugs in defeat, and goes back to his
soup with a little smile that says he knows when he’s been bested. 

“Well,” Amelia begins. “It is kind of like a
wedding in that it is a joining of two people. There was a lot of chanting and
ceremonial things that I didn’t understand at the time but it wasn’t painful or
scary.”

Zaid joins in. “The ceremony itself is like
a wedding, yes, but not all Sodali are in love or even of the opposite sex. Vampire
tradition demands that a ceremony take place to bind the vampire’s soul back
together. Vampires don’t have marriage, per se; although, they can avail
themselves to human notions of marriage if they wish.”

My eyes wide and Zaid chastises, “Lucan, you
haven’t told this poor girl crap!”

“Yeah, I, uh, well—” Lucan is stumbling to
find the right words. After a deep breath, he continues where Zaid left off. “The
act of creating a vampire causes a split in the person’s soul. The broken piece
is cast back out into the universe and sometimes, hopefully, it becomes part of
a new soul. If the vampire is lucky, he or she will eventually find the person
who received that broken piece of soul in the making of their own. That is a Sodalis.”

 It reminds me of something I learned in
high school physics about matter being neither created or destroyed, just moving
from one form to another. Like water evaporating into steam and then condensing
down into rain. Science class aside, the whole idea is very romantic. Finding
the lost piece of your soul and being rejoined with your predestined other
half.

“If the vampire finds the other half of his
soul the connection between them is incredibly strong, the two halves of the
soul recognize each other. As I said before, when I heard your thoughts in the
elevator that day it freaked me out. I actually went to the Enclave’s doctor
that afternoon; I thought I was losing my mind. He told me that Sodali could sometimes
hear each other’s thoughts. When I came to your office and actually talked to
you, I was sure you were mine.” The word ‘mine’ sets my body on fire.

“So where does the blood come in?” I ask aloud,
and then think to Lucan, “
I’m glad I’m yours.”

He smiles. “If I were to take your blood
before the ceremony is performed we would be bound but my soul would still be
broken. A blood bond between Sodali prior to the ceremony prevents the souls
from rejoining. The theory being that a little of the person’s soul leaves with
the blood and gets joined with the vampire but without the proper send up. Or
at least that’s my understanding of it all.” He slumps a little in his chair when
he’s finished.

“Is that why you don’t like taking from a
Patron, you were afraid that if you found your Sodalis and a bond was formed
you would be out of luck?”

“A little, but mostly, I just don’t like
taking something so personal, so vital, from someone like it was taken from me,
even if they are willing. Don’t ask me why it makes it different when it’s
neatly packaged in a plastic IV bag, it just does. I know, ultimately, it came
from someone else.” Lucan looks down at the table, swirling his soup around
with his spoon. 

“I understand,” I say. Not really, but seems
like the right thing to say. “You know I will do this for you, this ceremony. It’s
not like I have to eat a live chicken or anything, right? Right?”

Amelia cuts in, trying to sound upbeat.
“Abri, it sounds really complicated, and it is, but don’t worry about it right
now. There is no rush to perform the ceremony until you’re comfortable. Zaid
and I waited a few years.”

“There might be a reason to rush it along,” Zaid
interjects. “If this Serge asshole is as intent on harming Abri as he seems to
be.”

“Why?” I ask. “How will a rejoined soul stop
a mad man from eating me?”

“Sodali confer certain benefits of their individual
natures on each other, like the agelessness that Zaid and Amelia share,” Lucan starts
before Zaid can answer, which is probably for the best if the answer is in need
of a delicate explanation. “You won’t start to crave blood or weaken the sun,
but you will become stronger and faster and your senses will be more acute. Our
mental connection will be greater as well. You will be able to hear my thoughts
without touching me. You get all the good stuff and none of the annoying bits.”

“Cool,” I say and I mean it. I rather like the idea of
having superhuman hearing and being able to read Lucan’s thoughts might come in
handy as well. “What good stuff of mine do you get?”

 “I will be able to stay in the sun and go without blood
for longer periods of time. The best thing is that Serge will not be able to
harm you. The binding creates an invisible bubble of sorts around a human
Sodalis that keeps other vampires from harming them as long as their vampire
Sodalis is alive. It keeps the soul from resplitting.”

“Makes sense since a vampire caused the split in the
first place. So basically I would be immortal?”

“Not exactly. The barrier only protects from vampire
attacks, not every day accidents or fatal illness. There is still the risk of dying
from a car wreck or getting cancer.”

“It’s like suspended animation,” Amelia chimes in again.
“It sounds impossible and I’m not sure anyone really understands it completely.
Since Sodali are so rare, no one really wants to put us under the microscope
and figure out how it works. I’ve never heard of a Sodali dying from any human
illnesses though. Actually, I’ve never heard of a Sodalis dying.”

“This is all so confusing and…wow.” I pause. “It’s a lot
all at once again. I’m not freaking out or anything; trust me. But if it means
that Serge will not be able to harm me, it does sound like a sooner rather than
later kind of thing.”

“I will not rush you into this, love. It is a lot to ask
of you.” Lucan assures me.  

“Not really, I mean, unless there is something else
you’re not telling me. I would be helping you and getting a lot of cool
benefits on the side. It doesn’t sound like a single negative on my end.” I
would do anything for Lucan. Even though we haven’t known each other very long,
I know Lucan is a wonderful man who obviously cares deeply for me, and not just
because I hold part of his soul. 

“You hold all of my soul, love,” he whispers to me. “But,
you are correct, that is not why I love you. I love you because you are brave
and beautiful and smart.”

I’m blushing.  

 “Maybe it’s time we left, give you two
lovebirds some privacy?” Zaid teases. Amelia playfully punches his arm.

“Nonsense!” I say. Lucan looks a little
crestfallen. He is obviously ready to be alone. “I want to hear about your
meeting at the Enclave. You talked to them about Mark and Serge, right?”

Zaid and Lucan explain their recent meetings
with the Council. Zaid’s arrival is not a coincidence. The Council had
suggested Zaid be summoned to track Mark and his maker in case they were
planning to increase the vampire population in the city. Most vampires don’t
like to create newbies so when a new vampire surfaces it’s typically cause for
concern. As for Serge, the Enclave has had its eye on him for a while now,
especially given his trouble with sticking to their rules. So far all Zaid has
found is that Serge hasn’t been spending much time in his apartment in Hell’s
Kitchen because there was probably a month’s worth of mail in his mailbox and
the place smelled of rotting trash. Zaid planned to follow him after his next
shift to find out where he was hiding out.

“He was supposed to come into work today,
but I think the beating Lucan gave him last night might have him lying low a
few days.” Zaid slaps Lucan on the back in a congratulatory gesture. 

“That bad?” I ask. “Good. Fucking bastard.”

Zaid lets out a whooping laugh. “She’s a fiery
one, Lucan.”

Lucan nods and joins his friend’s laughter. “Aye,
I’m proud.”

“Serge turned Mark didn’t he?” My question
ends their laughter. “It just seems like the obvious connection, doesn’t it?”

Zaid and Lucan look at each other with
raised eyebrows. They have obviously stumbled onto the same conclusion.

“She’s a quick one too, mate,” Zaid
appraises. “That’s what we think at least. Do you have anything to add to the
theory?”

“No, it’s just that Max blurted it out today
when we were talking about last night.” Zaid looks uncomfortable but lets me
finish. “Max is my assistant and he used to be a Patron so it’s okay that he
knows about this.”

“Did Serge say anything to you about it—”
Lucan pauses and I catch the blue of his eyes heading towards violet. “Mark
wasn’t there was he?”

“No, he wasn’t there and Serge didn’t say
anything about it, or at least I don’t remember him saying anything before he
knocked me out.”

Zaid and Lucan exchange a few uneasy looks
before Lucan begins again. “We think Serge created Mark too, but the why
doesn’t add up. Neither of them knew you existed at that point so it’s not as
if Serge created Mark to get to you. Surely it can’t be just coincidence.”

“Why not? Stranger things have happened. Serge
created Mark, and Mark is married to Sarah, who turned up in my office needing
divorce from her Halfling husband. That part is pretty straight forward, I
think. The question is why he created Mark in the first place. I didn’t have
anything to do with it until that shithead saw me with you at the Enclave, so
I'm pretty sure I’m a bonus kill at this point.”

Lucan’s eyes flare red and he growls. “He
will not live.”

“I agree, brother.” Zaid chimes in. “And I
think it is all the more reason to hurry the ceremony. Dealing with a Halfling
is bad enough but his psychotic maker up our asses is more than the two of you
want to handle unprotected. You should speak to the Council about it soon.”

“Now boys,” Amelia cautions. “Abri’s had a
long twenty four hours and you two are not helping a thing. We’ve dumped a lot
on her plate. Serge needs to be stopped, I agree. But let’s give this some time
to sink in, shall we.” She must have noticed the decidedly green shade my face
has taken on. “Until then, the Council and Lucan will see that she’s safe.”

“Thanks,” I say to no one in particular.
“Say, do you think that maybe Serge is living with Mark?”

“Abri, love, you are wonderful! Why didn’t
we think of that?” Lucan exclaims. “Where does Mark live?”

“I don’t know. Sarah hasn’t talked to him
since I filed the papers and I served those on him at work. But I should know
after court on Monday. Mark will have to take the stand and I’ll ask him if
Hicks doesn’t.”

“Good. Then it’s decided,” Zaid pronounces
with a mischievous glint in his eye. Amelia looks uneasy and I am sure they are
speaking telepathically. “Why don’t you ladies go relax on the couch while Luke
and I clean up this mess?”

Well that conversation was over abruptly. It
is obvious that Zaid is accustomed to people doing as he commands. Zaid is obviously
one man I do not want to piss off.

Lucan and Zaid move into the kitchen to
clean up and mutter quietly to each other where Amelia and I cannot hear. Or at
least I can’t hear with my normal human ears. I take my wine and follow Amelia
to the couch. She tries to make polite conversation about non-vampire things
but it doesn’t work.

“Can I ask you something personal,” I whisper,
scooting closer to Amelia on the couch. She looks at me with wide eyes, but
after a few seconds, she takes a sip of her wine and nods so I continue. “Does
Zaid drink from you?”

“Now, yes. Before, no.” She looks relieved,
like my question was not the one she was expecting. She sets her glass down on
the table and curls her legs underneath her body before she continues. “As for
Lucan, I wouldn’t worry about where he’s drinking from. I know he uses the
reserves at the Enclave, not a Patron.”

“That’s what he’s said, and I believe him. What
does it feel like?” The heat rushes into my face. This is on par with asking my
mother to describe what sex is like.

“I can’t really describe it, but it doesn’t
hurt any worse than when they draw blood at the doctor. It’s actually quite
pleasurable in the right circumstances, if you know what I mean.” Amelia lifts
her hair from her shoulder to show me two faint pink circles on her neck. “That’s
from this morning.”

“Oh,” is all I can say.

“Abri you’re going to be late!” Lucan shakes
me  while the window shades whir up into the ceiling. “I made coffee. Get up!”

“Mmm, ok,” I mumble and turn over away from
the early light that’s streaming in from the east. “What’s the hurry?”

“Court. Sarah. Monday.” He punctuates each
word with a nudge on my ass. The blankets keep the amps from penetrating me.