Page 41 of Sinistram
“Brace yourself,” Travis warned, going as fast in reverse as he dared on the side street. He swerved from side to side, hoping to dislodge the attacker, who held on despite everything.
“Holy shit.” Brent grabbed the armrest and planted his feet wide, ready for a crash.
Travis found an empty parking lot and floored it, steering into tight circles that would have broken a human’s grip. Nothing worked to shake their attacker.
Travis couldn’t imagine how it must look to bystanders, and he didn’t have time to worry about it.
“You’re in the way,” the vamp shouted through the windshield. “I was sent with a message. Back off.”
“Who sent you?” Brent shouted as Travis raced down side streets not intended for high speeds.
“God works in mysterious ways.” The vampire had a glint in his eyes like he was on a drugged blood high, and his predicament didn’t seem to worry him.
“Here goes nothing.” Travis sent them down Canton Avenue, the steepest street not just in Pittsburgh but in the entire United States, hoping gravity and speed would dislodge their unwelcome passenger. He swerved back and forth, glad it was one-way and that they were long after rush hour.
Travis steered to hit a pothole without reducing speed. The jolt loosened the vampire’s grip, and the car cut hard to one side, sending him tumbling off. For good measure, Travis ran himover, then slammed into reverse and did it again, making sure to spin the tires. He didn’t know if that would destroy the vampire, but it certainly wouldn’t be pleasant.
“Did you just—” Brent stared in the rearview mirror to see the bloodied vampire stagger to his feet.
“Yeah.” Travis expected to feel the vampire slam into them from behind at any second and was ready for another attack. When that didn’t happen, he took a deep breath.
“Can’t kill a dead man, but I guess he decided not to go for round two.” Travis slowed the car and watched to make sure the cops hadn’t noticed them.
“Or maybe he delivered his message and was done.”
Travis slid a look toward Brent. “Meaning?”
“Sounds like he was sent. Who do we know who thinks they speak for God?”
“You think the Sinistram sent avampireto warn us off?” Even as Trent said the words, something settled in his gut telling him it was true. “Why?”
Brent chewed his lip as he thought for a moment. Travis drove up and down streets randomly, making sure they had shaken their pursuer. “Who thinks even more highly of themselves than the Sinistram?” Brent said after a long pause.
“Vampires? Yeah, most of them are pretentious bastards with a few exceptions. But the Sinistram kills vampires.”
Brent turned to look at him. “What if there was some sort of alliance between apex predators, as it were? A business deal. Stop killing ours and we’ll stop killing yours.”
The possibility made Travis’s head spin. “That would be a big change. Huge. I can’t imagine getting it past Cardinal Vasylyk. He hates anything paranormal. And certainly not past the Vatican.”
“You’ve said many times that The Sinistram runs on lies and misdirection. How involved is the Cardinal in day-to-day affairs?Does he live in the US, or is he in Rome most of the time? It’s not like the vampires would have to be inside headquarters.” Brent ran with the possibilities.
“Let’s say you’re right.” Travis still grappled with the idea. “It would be a huge mission shift for a truce.”
“Maybe not just a truce,” Brent said. “Vampires are old. They know things. Some of them were witches and alchemists before being turned. Plenty of them gained fortunes and exerted political power over people they’ve bought off or put into thrall. Money, inside knowledge, and power, exactly what the Sinistram lusts after.”
Travis shuddered at the juxtaposition of “Sinistram” and “lust” since the leaders he met from the organization looked dour and cadaverous, far removed from the temptations of the flesh.
“Poor word choice?” Brent asked with a laugh, as if he guessed Travis’s thoughts.
“Yeah.” His mind whirred, looking for connections. “I keep going back to how rough they were on me because of my abilities, even though they use the same magic and mediumship. The Church has an unfortunate history of lying when it suits its purposes. So, although collaborating with vampires is a total mind-fuck, it’s possible.”
“Do you mind if I stay at St. Dismas again tonight?” Brent asked. “Just in case there’s another vamp back at mine.”
“Did you notice that’s where I’m heading? I kinda figured that.”
“Thanks.” Brent sounded rattled, and his leg jittered, a sure tell.
“You want to stop somewhere for a drink? No alcohol at St. Dismas, but you look like you could use one,” Travis offered.
