I just stare at her, blinking. Ryodan aint exclusive with nobody. Settle down? Tornados touch down. They dont settle. They leave destruction in their wake. Not shiny, happy people. I feel sick inside, at the idea of him and Jo setting up house together, making plans for the future. As fecking if. What am I going to be? Their little fetch-it dog? I shake my head, reminding myself again that Ryodans dead. How does she keep getting me all distracted? Talking like hes alive is confusing me.
I aint talking to you anymore. I got things to do. Maybe you noticed Dublin is turning into the North Pole?
Of course I have. Youre the one that took off for a month and didnt tell anyone that you were going to Faery with Christian.
Huh? I gape at her. Howd you know that?
Christian told me.
Scary-Unseelie-prince-Christian dropped in and told you I was okay?
I dont know why he came, but he overheard me talking with Cormac yesterday in the Tux Club about how worried I was about you and he said the two of you had just gotten back and you were fine. Im not going to breathe a word to Ryodan even though we tell each other everything. But I dont appreciate you putting me in a position where I have to lie to him. Now get out of here before he comes down! Things are calm tonight. Id like them to stay that way.
Tell each other everything? Shes wrong on all counts. Ryodan was the most keep-it-to-yourself dude I ever met. Things arent calm in here; as usual theyre a catastrophe waiting to happen. And he aint ever coming down again.
So Im walking away from Jo, heading toward the Tuxedo Club to commandeer the Gray Bitchs services, when somebody crashes into me from behind so hard I go flying into one of the fluted columns at the exit of the kiddie subclub. I end up hugging it, to keep myself from puddling to the floor. I hit it so hard Im going to have another black eye and the whole left side of my face is already working itself into the mother of all contusions. I think: Who the feck would dare attack me when Im carrying so blatantly? Mac? Cause she hates me so much it made her stupid? I didnt hide my sword when I came in. I peeled my leather coat back so everybody could see its mine again!
I stumble away from the column and am about to turn when I get slammed into it again. This time I swear I see stars and hear cuckoo birds whistling. My hand falls off the hilt of my sword, Im so dazed. I hear Jo yelling behind me. Stop it! Dont hurt her! Stop it!
I get slammed again as soon as I start to move. This time I bust my lip against the column. It pisses me off so bad that I shift up into fast-mo, grab my sword and yank it out. If its Mac, I dont want to hurt her. I just want to run. But shes really got to stop pushing me around in front of the whole fecking club. I got areputation to consider.
Its gone from my hand before I even can turn around. I get slammed again and I bite the fecking column a fourth time.
You move one more time, Ill rip your fucking heart out.
I go still as the slayed Unseelie chunks at the iced scenes. That was not Ryodan that just spoke behind me because he, like, got gutted and died. Apparently Im having hallucinations. Either that or a ghost is haunting me. It would figure the dude would come back from the dead just to make my life miserable. He was such a pro at it when he was alive.
Im crushed so tight between the column and whatevers behind me I almost cant breathe.
You cant be here, I say. Youre dead.
He slams me into the column again and I make an involuntary squeak.
I first learned of your existence when you were nine years old, he says. Fade told me hed seen a human child on the streets that could move like us. He advocated, as did the rest of my men, killing you immediately. I have rarely found it necessary to kill human infants. They dont live long anyway.
That sure sounds like Ryodan. Cold. Void of inflection. Maybe Ryodan had a twin brother I knew nothing about. If not, Ive gone completely nuts and being tormented by a guilty conscience in a weird and incredibly real way. He died. I watched it happen. There was no mistaking it. I try to move my hand, thinking to wipe blood from my face. He crushes it in his fist so hard my bones grind together.
I said dont fucking move. Not a hair on your head. Got it.
Another Ryodan characteristic. No question mark. I hate being cued so I dont say anything. A bone snaps in my little finger. Gently. Precisely. Like hes showing me he could break them all, one at a time, if he felt like it. I grit my teeth. Got it.
When you were ten, Kasteo told me youd somehow gotten the sword. Again my men advocated I take it and kill you. Again, I felt the mewling pup would die soon enough.
Im not a pup and I dont mewl. Ow! You said dont move. I didnt. I spoke!
Dont. And you will mewl before the night is over. In a moment Im going to step back and let you go. You will turn around and follow me, walking behind me. You will not speak to anyone. You will not look at anyone. If anyone but me speaks to you, you will not answer. You will not move any part of your body that is not absolutely necessary to get you up the stairs and into my office. If you deviate from my orders in any way, I will break your left leg in front of the entire club. If you piss me off while Im doing it, I will break your right leg. Then Ill carry you up the stairs Im currently giving you the choice to walk up and break both your arms. I trust Ive made myself clear. Answer me.
I aint talking to you anymore. I got things to do. Maybe you noticed Dublin is turning into the North Pole?
Of course I have. Youre the one that took off for a month and didnt tell anyone that you were going to Faery with Christian.
Huh? I gape at her. Howd you know that?
Christian told me.
Scary-Unseelie-prince-Christian dropped in and told you I was okay?
I dont know why he came, but he overheard me talking with Cormac yesterday in the Tux Club about how worried I was about you and he said the two of you had just gotten back and you were fine. Im not going to breathe a word to Ryodan even though we tell each other everything. But I dont appreciate you putting me in a position where I have to lie to him. Now get out of here before he comes down! Things are calm tonight. Id like them to stay that way.
Tell each other everything? Shes wrong on all counts. Ryodan was the most keep-it-to-yourself dude I ever met. Things arent calm in here; as usual theyre a catastrophe waiting to happen. And he aint ever coming down again.
So Im walking away from Jo, heading toward the Tuxedo Club to commandeer the Gray Bitchs services, when somebody crashes into me from behind so hard I go flying into one of the fluted columns at the exit of the kiddie subclub. I end up hugging it, to keep myself from puddling to the floor. I hit it so hard Im going to have another black eye and the whole left side of my face is already working itself into the mother of all contusions. I think: Who the feck would dare attack me when Im carrying so blatantly? Mac? Cause she hates me so much it made her stupid? I didnt hide my sword when I came in. I peeled my leather coat back so everybody could see its mine again!
I stumble away from the column and am about to turn when I get slammed into it again. This time I swear I see stars and hear cuckoo birds whistling. My hand falls off the hilt of my sword, Im so dazed. I hear Jo yelling behind me. Stop it! Dont hurt her! Stop it!
I get slammed again as soon as I start to move. This time I bust my lip against the column. It pisses me off so bad that I shift up into fast-mo, grab my sword and yank it out. If its Mac, I dont want to hurt her. I just want to run. But shes really got to stop pushing me around in front of the whole fecking club. I got areputation to consider.
Its gone from my hand before I even can turn around. I get slammed again and I bite the fecking column a fourth time.
You move one more time, Ill rip your fucking heart out.
I go still as the slayed Unseelie chunks at the iced scenes. That was not Ryodan that just spoke behind me because he, like, got gutted and died. Apparently Im having hallucinations. Either that or a ghost is haunting me. It would figure the dude would come back from the dead just to make my life miserable. He was such a pro at it when he was alive.
Im crushed so tight between the column and whatevers behind me I almost cant breathe.
You cant be here, I say. Youre dead.
He slams me into the column again and I make an involuntary squeak.
I first learned of your existence when you were nine years old, he says. Fade told me hed seen a human child on the streets that could move like us. He advocated, as did the rest of my men, killing you immediately. I have rarely found it necessary to kill human infants. They dont live long anyway.
That sure sounds like Ryodan. Cold. Void of inflection. Maybe Ryodan had a twin brother I knew nothing about. If not, Ive gone completely nuts and being tormented by a guilty conscience in a weird and incredibly real way. He died. I watched it happen. There was no mistaking it. I try to move my hand, thinking to wipe blood from my face. He crushes it in his fist so hard my bones grind together.
I said dont fucking move. Not a hair on your head. Got it.
Another Ryodan characteristic. No question mark. I hate being cued so I dont say anything. A bone snaps in my little finger. Gently. Precisely. Like hes showing me he could break them all, one at a time, if he felt like it. I grit my teeth. Got it.
When you were ten, Kasteo told me youd somehow gotten the sword. Again my men advocated I take it and kill you. Again, I felt the mewling pup would die soon enough.
Im not a pup and I dont mewl. Ow! You said dont move. I didnt. I spoke!
Dont. And you will mewl before the night is over. In a moment Im going to step back and let you go. You will turn around and follow me, walking behind me. You will not speak to anyone. You will not look at anyone. If anyone but me speaks to you, you will not answer. You will not move any part of your body that is not absolutely necessary to get you up the stairs and into my office. If you deviate from my orders in any way, I will break your left leg in front of the entire club. If you piss me off while Im doing it, I will break your right leg. Then Ill carry you up the stairs Im currently giving you the choice to walk up and break both your arms. I trust Ive made myself clear. Answer me.
