surface.
“What was that?”
“Nothing,” I replied. “Must be a glitch in the line.”
“I suppose, considering the circumstances, this news should be shared,” he made no attempt to hide his scorn. “Hold while I check to see if James is available to join us.”
“Wait,” I said. “Join us?”
“Of course, Freewill. I am in charge of the wellbeing of your coven now, after all. As this concerns me, it’s only appropriate that I take the lead in investigating this heinous crime.” His emphasis indicated that any sorrow he might’ve felt at my plight was only because my attackers hadn’t succeeded.
If this was the new power structure, eternal life would be a very long time indeed.
* * *
Colin took a good long while. Sally passed the time with a string of angry insults as to what a fucktard he was. It was highly amusing to listen to her vent about someone who wasn’t me for a change.
Finally, just when I was starting to suspect we’d been purposely forgotten, we were taken off hold.
“Hello, Sally, are you still there?” James asked from the speakerphone. Hearing him, I immediately felt a little better. In a world populated by backbiting, supernatural assholes, James was one of the few exceptions. He wasn’t exactly a saint - I had once seen him tear through a gang of street thugs like they were made of tissue paper - but he had always been cool to me.
“James it’s...”
Colin’s greasy voice cut her off. “Eh hem! Please rise to show respect for the Wanderer, bold explorer of the shadows and esteemed member of the First Coven.”
Rise? What a fucking douchebag.
“All glory to the First!” No doubt his lips were nice and puckered up for James’s ass. “His eminence is recognized.”
“Thank you, Colin, I’m sure,” James replied dryly. It was painfully obvious that his tolerance for his former aide was limited. There was more than one reason I liked him.
“Are we done yet?” Sally asked. “Because we have...”
“The children shall not speak until the First addresses them to do so!” Colin snapped.
Motherfucker! The guy probably had the rules tattooed to his eyelids, although surely part of it was because he disliked us.
“Colin, please,” James’s tone showed his restraint was barely hanging on. “I think we can suspend protocol for the Freewill.”
“Very well, my lord.” Though Colin’s words were entirely subservient, there was an undertone of fuck-you to his tone.
“Thank you,” James replied flatly before addressing us. “I apologize for not answering earlier...”
“The First need never apologize to...”
“Colin, please!” James’s voice had an edge this time. That finally shut up the little ass-kisser. The silence hung in the air for several seconds.
“Sally, my dear, please forgive me. My new duties, combined with our combat preparations, have, alas, taken up a great deal of my time.”
“I can understand,” she replied with a smile on her face. No doubt her expression was at the fact that Colin was probably seething at that moment.
“I’m not being flippant when I say I truly doubt that.”
“Anything we can help with?” I asked, immediately realizing how stupid it probably sounded.
James chuckled. “Thank you, Dr. Death.” At the time I was turned, Jeff had a dumbass rule in place that called for all members to adopt new code names, for lack of a better word, hence why coven members had names like Starlight and Dread Stalker. Dr. Death had been mine.
What can I say? I was under a bit of a pressure at the time. Although the rule, like Jeff, was long gone, a few people had grown fond of my dopey moniker and continued to use it.
“I think I can handle things,” James continued. “Although it is an interesting coincidence that you called. I was just compiling a database of special vampires, yourself being at the top of that list.”
Now it was Sally’s turn to chuckle. She hit mute just long enough to ask me, “Should I buy
“What was that?”
“Nothing,” I replied. “Must be a glitch in the line.”
“I suppose, considering the circumstances, this news should be shared,” he made no attempt to hide his scorn. “Hold while I check to see if James is available to join us.”
“Wait,” I said. “Join us?”
“Of course, Freewill. I am in charge of the wellbeing of your coven now, after all. As this concerns me, it’s only appropriate that I take the lead in investigating this heinous crime.” His emphasis indicated that any sorrow he might’ve felt at my plight was only because my attackers hadn’t succeeded.
If this was the new power structure, eternal life would be a very long time indeed.
* * *
Colin took a good long while. Sally passed the time with a string of angry insults as to what a fucktard he was. It was highly amusing to listen to her vent about someone who wasn’t me for a change.
Finally, just when I was starting to suspect we’d been purposely forgotten, we were taken off hold.
“Hello, Sally, are you still there?” James asked from the speakerphone. Hearing him, I immediately felt a little better. In a world populated by backbiting, supernatural assholes, James was one of the few exceptions. He wasn’t exactly a saint - I had once seen him tear through a gang of street thugs like they were made of tissue paper - but he had always been cool to me.
“James it’s...”
Colin’s greasy voice cut her off. “Eh hem! Please rise to show respect for the Wanderer, bold explorer of the shadows and esteemed member of the First Coven.”
Rise? What a fucking douchebag.
“All glory to the First!” No doubt his lips were nice and puckered up for James’s ass. “His eminence is recognized.”
“Thank you, Colin, I’m sure,” James replied dryly. It was painfully obvious that his tolerance for his former aide was limited. There was more than one reason I liked him.
“Are we done yet?” Sally asked. “Because we have...”
“The children shall not speak until the First addresses them to do so!” Colin snapped.
Motherfucker! The guy probably had the rules tattooed to his eyelids, although surely part of it was because he disliked us.
“Colin, please,” James’s tone showed his restraint was barely hanging on. “I think we can suspend protocol for the Freewill.”
“Very well, my lord.” Though Colin’s words were entirely subservient, there was an undertone of fuck-you to his tone.
“Thank you,” James replied flatly before addressing us. “I apologize for not answering earlier...”
“The First need never apologize to...”
“Colin, please!” James’s voice had an edge this time. That finally shut up the little ass-kisser. The silence hung in the air for several seconds.
“Sally, my dear, please forgive me. My new duties, combined with our combat preparations, have, alas, taken up a great deal of my time.”
“I can understand,” she replied with a smile on her face. No doubt her expression was at the fact that Colin was probably seething at that moment.
“I’m not being flippant when I say I truly doubt that.”
“Anything we can help with?” I asked, immediately realizing how stupid it probably sounded.
James chuckled. “Thank you, Dr. Death.” At the time I was turned, Jeff had a dumbass rule in place that called for all members to adopt new code names, for lack of a better word, hence why coven members had names like Starlight and Dread Stalker. Dr. Death had been mine.
What can I say? I was under a bit of a pressure at the time. Although the rule, like Jeff, was long gone, a few people had grown fond of my dopey moniker and continued to use it.
“I think I can handle things,” James continued. “Although it is an interesting coincidence that you called. I was just compiling a database of special vampires, yourself being at the top of that list.”
Now it was Sally’s turn to chuckle. She hit mute just long enough to ask me, “Should I buy
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