The Dark Edge Chronicles - Hardwire

Chapter 30: The Qos Viran

As Dee and Duffy strode towards the rather small-looking house in the suburbs on the southeast, Dee couldn't help but feel a tremble make its way through her body as a chill of fear began to settle in her belly. And it wasn't the growing cold that was giving her that chill. The sun was just dipping below the horizon, something that it was doing earlier and earlier in the day. Today, sunset was at 8:32 pm and already the air was getting cold enough for their breath to be visible.

A cloudy sky overhead hid both the stars and the full moon that was supposed to be hanging up there, making things even darker as the sun continued to slip out of sight. Nothing that helped settle her nerves.

No, it was the fact that they were marching into a house full of vampires which, according to her knowledge, hadn't eaten all day, that was sending the cold chill racing through her body.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea!" she muttered half to herself as they climbed the short flight of stairs leading to the house's front door. "We certainly don't want to piss these guys off."

"Considering what we'll be asking them, I highly doubt we will, as you so quaintly put it, 'piss' any of them off," Duffy reassured her with a half smile. Still, Dee could see questions of his own dancing in his rheumy eyes. Mordecai had said that the old detective hadn't enjoyed his brief sojourn with the vampires as it was. To be marching right back to the place where he had literally feared that his life would come to an end, must have taken more than a fair measure of intestinal fortitude.

Then it was Duffy that was muttering under his breath as he came to a halt in front of the house's door, his breath pluming whitely in front of him.

"I just hope they hear us out before they suck us bloody dry!"

A light tap on the storm door led immediately to movement inside the house.

"Well, at least we know they're awake," Dee commented softly as they heard someone walk almost silently towards the door. "Let's just hope they don't get grouchy like humans do when they first wake up!"

The door handle to the inside door rattled slightly before being swiftly twisted to release the catch holding the door closed. Then it was swinging out of the way, revealing the shadowed figure of a rather large man, dressed completely in black from head to toe. A man, Duffy thankfully recognized.

"Yes?" a softly accented voice hissed.

"Commander Lash, it's Duffy." Duffy stepped slightly forward and the big man crossed his arms across his chest.

"Ah, yes. The human detective. I was just about to send a team to discover your whereabouts, Mr. Duffy." The man's head turned slightly and, though his face was completely hidden in shadow, Dee could feel his eyes rake over her. "And it would appear that you have a new companion. An associate of Mordecai's no doubt, or you wouldn't have risked bringing her here."

"This is Detective Tragedy McMaster, Lash." Duffy introduced Dee with a gesture. "She and I work together with the Calgary Police Department."

"Detective." Lash bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement. "You have an unusual first name. May I ask as to how you received it?"

Dee abruptly found her mouth desert dry, her throat tightening at the thought that she now had the full attention of a rather large, blood-sucking mutant.

"Uh," she began with a stammer. "It was actually my mother. She named me that because she, uh, she considered her pregnancy with me a tragedy because she didn't really like my father that much."

"I see," Lash answered, his voice oddly thoughtful. "Every child born to my people, detective, is treasured more than the finest silks, the most pure gold, or the most perfect gem stone. No vampire woman would consider a child a tragedy, but the most precious blessing." Without warning he stepped back, holding the door open wide.