Lover Arisen (Black Dagger Brotherhood 20)

The orderly little stack of hand-rolleds being offered was exactly what he needed.

“You’re going for sainthood, you know that?” Balz said as he took the largesse.

“Not hardly. You still have that lighter I gave you?”

By way of answer, Balz outed the Bic that the Brother had lent him and flicked his thumb at the same time he put one of the cigs between his lips. Then he offered the Brother his own creations.

“And you’re a gentlemale,” V murmured as he accepted it.

Balz lit his own. Lit the Brother’s. Put what remained of the stash away inside his leather jacket.

“So I’m guessing you ran into my cousin.”

V nodded. “We crossed paths.”

When the Brother didn’t move on to another subject, Balz felt his exhaustion get heavier by about seven hundred thousand tons.

Shaking his head, he said, “No, I’m not going back—”

“Good. I’m glad that’s what you’re not doing.”

Balz blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t want you at the mansion, not right now. And I know where you’ve been staying during the day. I’ve asked Fritz to kit your flop out a little more properly so when you’re there, you’re more comfortable.”

“Thanks, but I don’t need anything.”

“I didn’t ask whether you did. Besides, you want to tell Fritz he can’t make up a bed?”

Balz conceded that one. Then he frowned. “How did you know where to find me—”

V waved his Samsung cell phone. “Like you have to ask, true?”

“Oh. Right.” Balz took another drag and looked over his shoulder casually, making it like he wasn’t checking on the human woman in that window. “I’m not too bright right now.”

“You’re smarter than you think. And you’re doing the right thing.”

“I’m curious, why do you believe me?” He picked a loose flake of tobacco off his lower lip. “No one else does.”

“A hunch—that happens to have a pair of wings and a sun fetish. Also really bad taste in pretty much everything. But you don’t know anything about that. I just want you to have confidence that it’s all going to be handled.”

How, he wondered.

“Will the others believe you?”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

Balz stared down at the hand-rolled in between his fore- and middle fingers. “Thanks.”

“So why are you sitting here?” V indicated the lot with his gloved hand. “You think that demon doesn’t want to get arrested or some shit? Important tip, human police don’t mean anything to her.”

“Oh, yeah, no. I mean, no particular reason.”

He was very careful to lock eyes with the tip of the cigarette. And ignore the soft chuckle that came back at him, said sound suggesting that the Brother had taken one look at the woman spotlit in that row of windows and guessed precisely why no-particular-reason meant this very specific kiosk.

“I’m not talking about it,” Balz muttered.

“You’re right to stay away from her, too.”

Fuck you, Vishous. Even though the guy was spot-on and then some.

The Brother rotated his right shoulder like it was stiff, his black leather jacket creaking. “I want you to call me if you need anything, ’kay? In the meantime, I’m going to find out what we can do for you. The Scribe Virgin’s library on the Other Side has all kinds of information in it, and there’s no way that demon doesn’t have a weakness. We’re going to find it, and exploit it without using the Book—”

“Vishous.”

The Brother frowned and tilted his head, the tattoos at his temple highlighted by illumination from the security lights. “Funny tone in your voice there, Bastard.”

Balz stood up and stared at his detective—not that she was his. When he finally spoke, his words were slow and steady. “If we can’t get the demon out, I want you to take care of the problem.” He glanced over at V. “And don’t pretend you’re missing my drift. If something… needs to be done, I want you to put a bullet in my head. Don’t let my cousins or Xcor be the one. I don’t want them having to live with that kind of thing on their conscience for the rest of their lives. For you, there’s enough distance so it’ll just be another shit job you got stuck with, instead of something that eats you alive.”

“Don’t have much faith, do you.”

“Life has trained me to be realistic. So promise me, here and now. You’ll do what has to be done. You’re the only one who’ll walk away clean. And if I do it, no Fade, right?”

“Not to throw a wrench in your grave, but your death might not be your salvation. It might keep you with that demon forever, a little commitment ceremony that has no divorce court, feel me?”

Balz closed his eyes. “Fuck.”

“Give me some time.” There was a pause. “And yeah, if there’s no other way… I’ll take care of you.”

The Brother extended his dagger hand, and as they shook, Balz nearly cursed in relief. A moment later, V dematerialized into thin air, nothing remaining of him but the exhale of smoke that left his lips and drifted off.