In a Different Light 7
Tal and Thorn
Instant Infamy
Claire watched Dice�s retreating form as it was swallowed by the thick shadows. He pulled the blanket tighter about his body, curling up with his knees tucked nearly to his chest. It was too cold. It shouldn�t be this cold, even in the basement. Claire closed his eyes. But Dice would fix it. He had said he would. Giovanni always� No, it had been Dice. Hadn�t it?
�Giovanni,� Claire whispered as he slid into an uneasy sleep, already lost in a dream.
He shook the older boy again. �Wake up. Please.�
Dark, sleep heavy eyes cracked reluctantly. �What is it, Master Claire?� Giovanni muttered, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. He blinked at the boy who stood by the side of his bed, looking at him with wide violet eyes. �How did you get in here?� He would have heard the door open, it squeaked loudly.
�I�� Claire pointed to Giovanni�s open closet door. �I came through the hole in the closet.�
�Okay� What do you need?� Giovanni looked over Claire at the closet, perplexed.
�My room is too cold. Papa turned off the heat� Can I sleep here?�
�I�� Giovanni knew he should say no and send the boy back to his room with an extra blanket or something. �Fine. As long as you go back through your hole in the closet before they come to get you for breakfast.�
Claire nodded and crawled up into bed with Giovanni, yanking all of the blankets out of his grip. He nestled down, smiling just a little at the older boy.
�I didn�t say you could�� Giovanni sighed and laid back down. �Never mind. Good night Master Claire.�
�G�night, Giovanni.�
Daisuke reached the top of the stairs. Surprised to find absolutely no one hovering about, he tried to remember the passage they�d come through. One led to the craziness of the casino. One led to the servant�s area. One directly to the head offices. However, you had to know which wall wasn�t just a wall to start, and right now he�d settle for a light switch. He�d better find something fast. He really didn�t want to run back down the stairs and search for the flashlight he remembered Ian setting down. �Damn it. I was half out of it when they gave me the tour.�
He pressed on a promising wooden panel. No, not the right one. He needed to get some help for Claire fast. He wanted a pot of tea and something warmer for him to wear, but all that was just to make the Vampire comfortable. What Claire needed was a doctor. Dice feared the worst from the way Claire had fallen cold and ill so quickly.
�You�re getting your greasy fingerprints all over the wood work,� Giovanni stepped out of nowhere, deep heavy voice lecturing Dice. �Why aren�t you with the Vampire?� Giovanni had a box tucked under his arm. �I heard you yell. Ian and Mitchal are getting some tea and soup for him.�
It occurred to Dice after Giovanni had scared the hell out of him appearing seemingly out of thin air, this was not going to go very well. But he couldn�t lie, not when Claire�s life could depend on it. �I was hoping to find you. You seem the most clear-headed, ready to take any action for your boss. I think he might be having a reaction to what he took.�
Giovanni narrowed his eyes suspiciously. �I gave you aspirin and extra strength Tylenol. I replaced Master Claire�s uppers weeks ago with those. What else did you give him?� Giovanni headed for the basement stairs, talking to Dice as he went.
Well, at least I know Claire�s in good hands. Dice thought as he tried to explain. �He made it sound like they were a lot stronger so I tried to keep them away from him.� Dice paused trying to find the best way to finish. �And well, he kind of got away from me for a minute, and wandered over to this broken down cabinet� Well it didn�t look like there was anything in it��
Giovanni paused and turned to glare at Dice. �Get to the point.�
Dice shrugged off a chill and blurted out before he could censor it. �He gave himself an injection with a really bright blue liquid. I�m not sure what it is. Then he went crazy with� well he got a huge surge of energy and seemed to forget he was wounded.�
�Shit,� Giovanni doubled his pace down the stairs. �That was Celestial Blue. I thought we finally got rid of all that. It�s almost impossible to find, unless you�re the Vampire. It almost killed him a few months ago.�
�I was afraid of that. He also had a bit of... fuck, what did he call it�the red stuff�oh right Virgin Blood. Do you have a counter drug or antidote we could give him? Do you know what or if those together with a questionable bullet wound might cause? His blood would be circulating faster, meaning if he was already fighting a bad infection �well��
Giovanni glanced back at Dice. He looked like he was going to yell at him. Then he just let out a heavy breath and said softly. �The Virgin Blood shouldn�t react with the Celestial Blue too badly. It�s a form of Ecstasy. It�s made to be taken with other stuff, especially stuff as strong as Blue that usually kills the�� Giovanni paused, searching for the words, and not finding polite ones. �Sex drive.� He shoved the box into Dice�s hand. �Hold this. We should change the bandages.�
Daisuke was suddenly grateful for the lack of light. That way Giovanni couldn�t see how red he had turned. Both from the embarrassment of him seeming to know what went on and because he�d done such a horrible job protecting Claire. Well, he�d feel bad about it later. He held the box tightly to his chest as he followed Giovanni. �I wasn�t�I mean I didn�t want him to�I think he might need a doctor.�
�Probably. He literally escaped from the hospital the second the ER staff turned their backs on him,� Giovanni said, kneeling down next to Claire. �Help me get his shirt off.�
�Sure,� Dice was all business. �Can you hold him up a little more so I can slide it off without disturbing the wound?�
Giovanni lifted Claire up, cradling him gently as Dice worked the shirt up. The Vampire stirred, muttering incoherently.
�Damn. It wasn�t that long ago I changed them. Look at this blood.� Dice started unwrapping what was left of his make-shift club wear bandages. �Agh, that�s a bit too dark for my liking.�
Giovanni was stroking Claire�s hair, trying to keep the Vampire still while Dice removed the old bandages. �The guy fired six shots. Only one missed. Two just grazed him, but the other three�� Giovanni let the wounds speak for themselves as Dice pulled away the last layer of bandages. �I�m just glad the shooter had lousy aim. Another inch or two lower�� Giovanni�s hand rested protectively on the top of Claire�s head. �There�s some clean towels and bottled water in there. And some alcohol swabs. Let�s get him cleaned up.�
Dice was already digging through and had wet a towel to wash off the sticky almost goopy blood. �I�m not so sure this guy had bad aim. If you look at where these wounds sit,� Daisuke shuddered. He�d done this quickly last time in a dark alley. He hadn�t seen the extent of the damage. �It�s something I�ve seen before. The way they went in, he was trying to cause maximum pain, minimum damage. Had Claire stayed in the hospital, it would have been healed quick but sore for weeks.� He now started the delicate process of dabbing the alcohol. �Get ready, he might jump or freak out or something. Anyway, I think this guy wants to draw out the assassination. It may be personal. Might not even be the same guy that�s doing the others.�
Giovanni looked up from muttering to the squirming, almost whimpering Vampire. �Look, let�s just get this done, and maybe we can get him some real medical help while he�s too out of it to stop us.� Giovanni shifted his grip on Claire. �It looks like he popped a couple stitches.�
Dice, having finished the alcohol wash, could now see the unhealthy color around the wounds. �What the fuck were you thinking?� he said to Claire. �You were in no shape to do any of that.� The worry was coming out without Daisuke having full awareness of it. �I need to get you to a doctor and you aren�t going to fight me about it.� He looked up, as if noticing Giovanni for the first time. �If we can�t get one to come to us, we can�t very well risk the hospital� I know a guy in the underground but that would be moving Claire a lot more than we want to.�
�There�s no other way, unless your underground doctor friend will come here. But those people don�t tend to wander above ground.� Giovanni laid Claire back down, covering him. �I�m going to get a couple things and the other two. Stay here, talk to him or something. I�ll be back for him in a minute.�
�Just try not to be slowed down for any reason,� Dice said as he stretched out and wrapped himself around the blanketed Claire. �He can�t afford to wait very long.� He doubted Giovanni cared how he kept Claire warm as long as he took care of him and this was all he could think to do. He started to whisper reassurances in Claire�s ear.
�Giovanni?� Claire was only half out of his dream. �Is it time to go?�
Dice didn�t want to disturb Claire too much. Maybe he wouldn�t be too happy to find him and not Giovanni protecting him. Even that wild passion may have been a result of the drugs. So he answered without actually correcting him. �Not yet .� Well Giovanni wouldn�t call him Claire or Vampire so� �Master Claire, just go ahead and rest a while longer, and I�ll wake you when it is.�
Claire tucked himself closer to Dice. �Okay,� he sounded so much younger, and trusting. �Remember, Papa can�t know I was here.�
Wondering if the two and two he was starting to put together made four, Dice held him closer. �Don�t you worry about any of that. I just want you to get some rest and not be so cold.�
�You said you would always be warm for me,� Claire sleepily muttered, burying his face against Dice�s chest. �So I don�t worry about the cold anymore.�
Daisuke held him a little tighter. He didn�t understand everything that was going on. He did understand Giovanni was a great deal more to Claire than he�d realized. He felt horribly inadequate, almost an imposter. His feelings were real enough. He just wasn�t Giovanni. So why the flirting then if they were� Maybe he was acting out, angry at Giovanni for making him go to the hospital or something. Well he�d see this through, get Claire the help he needed but then he was going back to his apartment. Alone. And then he was going back to work. He would find this guy and then he�d forget all about Claire. Good plan. Of course Claire wasn�t exactly going to go off the radar. Well then maybe he�d leave Judoh�
�You smell like Daisuke�s bed,� Claire stated as he slipped an arm around Dice�s waist. �But you�re not as squishy.�
Try not to think of him as cute, it�s not helping. �Just... um�let me be what you need most okay, Claire?�
Claire giggled a little, completely unthreatening, and unlike himself. �You even sound like him. I make him nervous, Giovanni. I think I scare him. Do I scare you? No, I guess not, huh?� Claire�s hand weakly slid up from Dice�s waist to fall on his face in an attempt to pat his cheek. �You�re not afraid of anything.�
�I�m afraid of losing you.� The words came out. It was the truth but also likely what Giovanni would say.
�You always lose me,� Claire replied, trying to sound haughty. �You�re a lousy bodyguard. Do you think I did the right thing? I�m not so sure now.�
Assuming he meant escaping the hospital or oh god maybe he meant what he did with him, Dice did his best to think fast. �You did what you had to, that�s all. Once you get something in your head�you have to do it�you have to get it out of your system.�
�It�s not like that this time� I�ve got it in my system now��
�Let�s go,� Giovanni had appeared with Ian and Mitchal at his heels.
The fluffy strawberry blonde haired attendant took one look at Claire and Dice curled around him and whispered to Ian. �Do you think he�s ok?�
�Master Claire is tough. He�ll be fine. It�s not him I�m worried about,� he looked pointedly at Giovanni.
�That�s what I meant. Those two look fine.� Mitchal also turned to look at Giovanni. �But I always thought Master Claire and Boss would... well, you know.�
�Where have you been?� Ian asked, throwing the heavy sweater in his hand to Dice. �They did, then they weren�t anymore. It didn�t last long.�
Giovanni turned to glare at Ian. �Don�t you have something better to do then standing around running your mouth?�
�Yes, sir,� Ian headed up the stairs to get the car ready.
Mitchal put a hand on Giovanni�s shoulder. For a bodyguard the man had no sense of personal space. �You alright, Boss?�
�Fine. Help him get Master Claire up�� Giovanni pushed Mitchal�s hand off his shoulder. �Never mind.� He bent down and scooped Claire up. �Let�s go.�
Claire stirred, dropping an arm around Giovanni�s neck. �You don�t smell nice anymore. Just like you.�
Dice tried to get out of Giovanni�s way as he went up the stairs. That wasn�t a very nice thing to say. Though it made no sense with what he thought at all.
Mitchal put a scolding finger in Claire�s face. �Now, Master Claire there�s no reason to be like that. Giovanni loves you. You shouldn�t be like that.�
Claire�s head turned, and one eye half opened. �Who asked you?� He said softly, sounding more like his usual self. �I pay him to love me. And he does his job quite well. Right, Giovanni?�
�Whatever you say, Master Claire,� he muttered, pushing his way past Mitchal to carry Claire up to the waiting car.
Ian was standing just inside the door. �Um, Aurora, you�ve got company.� He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing to the narrow landing outside the back door of the casino.
�Wow, J that has to be record for you. Where you been?� he called to the android. �Did you need some quality time with the doc?�
�Antonia had to run some extensive motor skills tests after my usual tune-up. Having recently been completely rebuilt, she wanted to familiarize herself with any quirks the new system may have had.� J explained. �However, you have been off my radar for some time now.� The android reprimanded him. �A man should not show such disrespect to his partner.�
�Tell your electronic spouse that we have to hurry,� Giovanni called from where he sat in the car. �Or aren�t you coming now?�
�Wait. Just a minute.� Dice called to Giovanni, �J, couldn�t you get Claire and me to the southwest Underground entrance ten times as fast as that car?�
J assessed the car. �No, Daisuke. It would be closer to four point eight three times as fast.�
�Good enough for me,� Dice said walking quickly to Giovanni, �Hey, if you trust me with him, J and I can get him there four point eight two times faster.�
�Four point eight three, Daisuke,� J helpfully corrected.
Dice rolled his eyes. �Point three, then.� He pointed J to Claire. �But you have to be careful with him.� He said to Giovanni. �I can give you the directions if you want to be there.�
�I don�t think that��
�Just do it,� Ian cut Giovanni off. �Mitchal�s driving. We�ll get there right after them.�
�Sure thing, boss. Bet it will only be two point five times, anyway.� Mitchal said offended.
�Are you implying that my calculations are off? My functions were all carefully checked and monitored just this morning.�
�I bet,� Giovanni muttered. �Fine.� He carefully slid out of the car with Claire in his arms. �You make sure that machine doesn�t drop him or anything, okay?� He glared at Dice.
Dice wasn�t trying to be facetious but it may have come out that way. �J, do not drop Claire. That�s an order.�
�Roger, Daisuke,� J lifted Claire away from Giovanni. Claire�s slight form fit in the crook of J�s arm like he were a small child. �Are you ready Daisuke?�
�Yeah, fast as you can go then, J,� Dice try to climb on but J picked him up. �Now you know I wouldn�t do this if it wasn�t absolutely necessary. You know how I feel about this.�
�Yes, Daisuke. You have repeatedly made your feelings towards me quite clear.� J responded, leaping into the air, rocket boosters kicking in.
Mitchal tried to get Giovanni�s attention. �Hey boss, you coming?� He wanted to inquire about what they knew of Daisuke and J�s relationship but thought better of it.
�Yeah,� Giovanni got in the car. �Hurry, okay?�
�Maybe I�ll even beat the android.� Mitchal said pocketing the dice he�d been playing with and taking off as fast as the moderated motor could go.
Part Eight |
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