Any characters you recognize belong to Laurell K. Hamilton or the
members of this group. I’m just doing this for fun. It’s rated PG so far but
that may change.
Camden had two great loves. One was music, which was why he
co-owned a guitar shop with his older brothers. The second was motorcycles,
dirt bikes in particular. He'd spend hours in the summer with friends riding
the trails around St. Louis but he went out on his own as well.
On this spring afternoon he had been riding in the foothills on
the outskirts of the city. Had been was
the key. He'd come up on this three-foot mound that he had jumped over
repeatedly but this time something ran up the side of the hill and across the
path right in front of him. He hit the jump too late and flipped the bike end
over end.
Landing on the hard ground on his back, he laid there for a few
minutes, stunned. He could just hear his folks. His mom would be all doting.
His dad would want to ground him for life. That's how it always was until he
had moved out.
He lay there thinking about what had run out in front of him. It
was like a big dog or something. He sat up slowly and took off his helmet. His
auburn hair fell to his shoulders. Dark blue eyes scanned the area. His bike
was only a few feet away.
Inching his way to his feet, feeling every bruise forming, he
walked over to the machine and set it upright, hanging the helmet off the
handlebars. It didn't appear to be damaged but he checked it out as a
precaution before starting it up and getting on. He'd had enough fun for one
day. He kicked the bike into gear and headed down the trail unaware of amber
eyes watching from the tree line.
Once down the trail he loaded the bike into the back of a blue
Ford Ranger, securing it with straps to keep it upright. He walked around the
truck and opened the driver’s side door. He couldn't get what had happened out
of his mind. He hadn't seen where the dog had gone or if there had been someone
near.
Throwing the helmet on the seat, Camden got behind the wheel and
started the engine. Breaking Benjamin came blaring out of the speakers. He
started singing along as he pulled away from the makeshift dirt ramp, all
thoughts of the dog gone for the moment.
Half an hour later he was back at his place showering the dirt and
dust off his body. His mind kept going back to the spill. People were generally
pretty good about keeping their animals leashed or at least in sight. It was
odd. The thing was the size of a Great Dane. He shook his head and finished his
shower.
Toweling off he walked across the hall to his bedroom and flopped
down on the bed. He was supposed to go to his parents for dinner. His brothers
and their girlfriends would be there too. The two women could be a pain,
especially when they were teasing the nineteen-year-old baby brother.
He looked over at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was
after six. He had to be at his parents across town at seven. Sighing, he got up
and started getting dressed, putting on blue jeans and a black tee shirt. He
pulled on a pair of black boots, lacing them tight. He put on the two pieces of
jewelry that he always wore, his watch and a silver cross that his grandmother
had given him.
Putting his wallet in his back pocket, he grabbed his keys and
jacket then headed to the living room. The phone started ringing. He let the
machine get it and left. He was going to take the truck but decided instead to
take the Kawasaki. It was a Ninja model, black all over, his favorite. He took
the black helmet off the seat, put it on and strapped it under his chin.
He then started the bike and coasted out of the garage. Pulling
the visor down he was off. Driving through the city at night was always fun
especially if you went through the heart of it.
He got to his folks’ house with five minutes to spare.
Parking the Ninja at the curb, he was about to dismount when the
front door to the house opened and Chris walked out. Chris and Matt were two
years apart. Matt was older at twenty-seven. Both had dirty blond hair and
green eyes. Chris was always in a good mood.
So why Camden was getting a strange vibe as Chris walked down to
meet him, he didn't know.
He lifted up the visor as his brother asked. “Didn't you get my
message?”
“Evidently not. What's got you so moody?”
“Trisha is inside.” Camden looked toward the house and back to his
brother for an explanation. “Mom ran into her at the grocery. She wants to see
you.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
“I tried to call.” The older man defended himself.
“It's okay.” He flipped the visor down and pulled the Ninja back
onto the road. “I'll see ya later.”
Chris asked, “Cam?” His brother just shook his head as he started
the bike and roared off.
Chris walked back inside the house. His dad cornered him in the
entryway. The elder Daniels was a retired Marine. He was over six feet and very
intimidating to people that didn't know him.
The young man told his father. “He's not coming in dad and I don't
blame him.”
“It's okay Chris. I don't blame him either.” He put an arm around
his son’s shoulder. “Let's go have some dinner. I'll give them the bad news.”
“Why did mom invite her here? The last time she tried to lay all
kinds of crap on Cam.”
The old man sighed. “I think she honestly feels they need to
talk.”
“Right.” Chris muttered right before they entered the dining room.
Mrs. Daniels looked from her son to her husband. “Where's Camden?”
The older man shrugged. “He isn't coming. Let's eat before it gets
cold.”
The matriarch snapped. “That was rude. Call him and get him back
here, David.”
Chris groaned. “Mom, get a clue. He doesn't want to see her.”
The girlfriends, Ellen and Cathy, stared at him. Matt just
grinned. The woman in question, Trisha, looked at him with dark eyes. Chris
ignored her and looked at his mom as he explained. “If you'd done to me, what
she did to him. I wouldn't want to see you either.”
He got up from the table and left the room. Cathy went after him.
Matt tried to change the subject. “Chicken looks good.”
Ellen smiled next to him. “Yes it does.”
Mr. Daniels started serving the meal as Trisha told his wife.
“It's all right Allison. I'll wait for Camden to come to me. Everything does
look very good.”
The older woman smiled though it looked a bit forced. “I'm glad.
Let's not let his actions spoil a good dinner.”
Matt started to say something but his father gave him a look that
told him to let it go for now.
Camden didn't go home. He went through a Burger King drive through
and rode up into the hills. There was an overlook that you could see the Arch
and most of downtown from. He sat on the bike eating his sandwich and trying to
not think of anything that had to do with Trisha.
Maybe he should have just confronted her and got it over with but
the weird things she had told him… especially about his father. It wasn't just
weird though. It hurt that she would make crap up just to cover that she hadn't
wanted to keep him. ‘At least she hadn't aborted me,’ he thought.
Camden finished his food and stowed the litter in the compartment
under the bike's seat. He heard movement behind him and turned only to find
nothing there. Putting on his helmet, Camden got on the bike and started it.
He needed to go home and sleep. He had to open the shop early.
There were two guitars he needed to get restrung. He put the bike in gear and
headed for home.
He tossed and turned all night. He'd be riding on the trails and
things would jump out in front of him or Trisha would be standing over him. He
woke up at seven feeling like he hadn't slept at all.
Groaning he got up, showered and dressed. He drove the ranger to
work. He had to deliver a couple of amps to a club in the Blood Quarter, a
place called Dead Druids. It was supposed to be a decent place to hear good
live rock but Camden didn't like going down there. The Quarter gave him the
creeps. Still this club was the only one not owned by the vampires. For that
he'd give the owner kudos.
The shop was in a large house off the main highway out of town. It
sat on three acres. The large living room served as the display room. Two of
the bedrooms were clean rooms for work on amps and instruments. The backyard
had been known to be used for impromptu jam sessions. There was a kitchen and a
Rec room with a wet bar. It was nice. You could even sleep there if you had to.
Camden unlocked the front door and turned on the overhead lights.
There were guitars, bass guitars and parts everywhere. He hit the button on the
answering machine and played about ten messages as he went about fixing coffee.
Most were asking about hours and if the shop had a payment plan. One asked if
they suggested bands. There were a few local bands that the brothers would
suggest, bands that actually knew how to play their instruments.
Camden was about finished with the second guitar when his brothers
showed up. It was after nine and he'd gone through one pot of coffee already,
not to mention a half dozen donuts.
Matt whacked him upside the head. “Caffeine is gonna kill you.”
The youngest brother grinned. “I'll die on a buzz then.” Chris
laughed as his younger brother asked, “One of you guys want to take the amps to
that club in the Quarter?”
“You're the delivery guy.” His eldest brother told him.
“You know I don't like going down there.” The youngest Daniels
shrugged.
Matt shook his head. “Yeah? Too bad. I'm the big brother. I
delegate the chores.”
“Want me to go with you?” Chris asked.
Their oldest brother scolded him. “He's nineteen. Not nine.”
The younger man told them. “I'll be okay. I'll go as soon as I
finish this last string.” When Matt went into the back, Camden told his middle
brother. “Thanks for trying to warn me about Trisha being there.”
“No problem. Dad wasn't happy about it either.” Chris confided.
“Have they ever mentioned, you know? Who he might be?”
“Your dad?” Camden nodded his head at the question. Chris
shrugged. “Just that he was young, early twenties. Trisha says you two could be
twins.”
“Great.” The younger man sighed. Chris walked over behind the
sales counter as his brother told him. “Oh there was a message from Trent.
He'll be in at two.”
Camden finished stringing the guitar and tuned it by ear before
returning it to the back room. He pulled his truck around behind the back to
the garage area. Opening the garage door he wheeled out the three amps one at a
time and loaded them into the bed of the Ranger.
He figured if he went fairly early, the vamps wouldn't be up
moving around. 'Dead Druids,' he thought. What a name for a club. Well it was
going to be a quick in and out. No worries.