Page 29 of Blood and Bone
He waited as Eoghan and John exchanged glances. “I don’t know how to answer that,” Eoghan said. “I don’t have any experience with getting the various kinds of supes together. Most of my experience has been in helping them stay as far outside of each other’s space as is possible.” He addressed John. “You’ve lived a long life, John. What’s your experience been?”
The king shrugged. “I don’t know. Ifeveryonewas threatened, then maybe an understanding could be reached but honestly, the chances aren’t great unless we could find at least one leader who’d see the big picture and I sure as hellhaven’t met one.” He glanced at Eoghan. “I think you should talk to Priest. She’s worked for the I.S.R. a long time, hasn’t she?”
Eoghan frowned. “Yes, but how’d you know that?”
He smiled. “I do my homework. When I ‘escaped’ your custody, the first thing I did was check out the woman who’d gone against her own agency, risking treason as you told me back there in the jail. Learning about her wasn’t an easy thing for a man on the run to do, let me tell you. She’s a good woman, your chief. Maybe she’ll have some idea how to approach another shifter or werewolf clan.”
“Who would we ask?” Eoghan asked.
“Well, like I said, it wouldn’t be easy. Of course, the werewolves would be better but much more difficult. Wolves are bastards of the highest order, but you already know that, don’t you, Marshal Sapphire?”
Eoghan narrowed his eyes at the vampire and then sat up straighter on the couch as Ari’s eyes flew wide in surprise. He saw the long scars on his lover’s back which had been made by the werewolf who’d attacked him down in Texas every time he made love to the man. But if that was what John Townsend was referring to, he had no idea how he’d known. Surely he hadn’t seen Eoghan naked.
In response to the king’s question, Eoghan nodded. “Yeah, I know what bastards werewolves can be. We might just have to go a different route if we’re going to find help from another supernatural clan.”
“Can I trust you to work on that?” the vampire asked.
They both nodded. “Yes,” Eoghan replied.
“Well, all right then,” John said, nodding as though he’d made up his mind. He stood and they both extricated themselves from the worn, velvet sofa. “Thank you for coming out here to talk to me.” He took Eoghan’s hand when heoffered it, covering it with his other and not letting go as he looked into his eyes imploringly. “Please, promise me you’ll work diligently on what we talked about here, Marshal Sapphire. Please. I have no one else to turn to.”
“I will,” Eoghan promised. He caught Ari’s gaze. “We both will.”
“It’s going to have to happen soon. I will have to leave here in a few months’ time.”
“Why?”
He smirked as he let go of Eoghan’s hand and then lifted his chin, making his point as he sniffed the air. “The garlic. You know Gilroy is the garlic capital of the country, right?”
“I guess,” Eoghan said. “I never thought much about it but I can sure smell it every time I drive through this part of the state.”
“Well, it is, and as such, every year the farmers all get together and throw a massive garlic festival for all the crazy, garlic eating Californians. From what I’ve read, they come out in droves to eat garlic soup, garlic bread, garlic ice cream, and they even have garlic drinks.” He visibly shuddered. “In any case, I’m going to lose my humble lodgings when the harvest season and festival are upon us come summer. I won’t be able to rest during the day. I simply can’t trust someone not to stumble into my earthen hole in the ground and come upon me by accident.” He looked down at the square depression in the floor.
“I’m sorry to hear about that, John,” Eoghan said. “We’ll try to figure out something quickly. It can’t be fun for you to be living on a garlic farm.”
“Yeah, I was meaning to ask you about that,” Ari said as he shook the vampire’s hand. “Aren’t vampires supposed to be repelled by garlic?”
“We are supposed to be, yes,” he said with a grin.
“And yet, here you are. Taking refuge on a garlic farm in a garlic town,” Ari said.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” the vampire said as they walked out into the yard and were hit once again with the pungent scent of garlic from the fields all around them.
“Actually, it is,” Ari said. “What’s up with that?”
“My clan has a gene which makes us immune to the effects it has on other vampires. It’s the reason I came to Gilroy. I knew Bradshaw wouldn’t be able to follow and because his progeny don’t have the gene, they wouldn’t be able to either.”
“But he could always send someone else. There have got to be lots of scummy humans who’d kill you for a healthy sum of money,” Eoghan said.
“And some who’d do it for less,” Ari added, frowning thoughtfully.
“Or they might take payment in meth,” John said. He blew out a tired breath. “It’s neither here nor there. The fact is, my clan and I will be dead in a short time if this situation isn’t resolved anyway.”
“I’m really sorry to hear about the troubles you’ve been having, John,” Ari said. “We’ll do whatever we can.”
“Thank you so much. And thank you for driving out to meet me here at my palace.” He gestured absently behind him before turning back to them. “Maybe the next time we meet, I’ll be back in my home, and you’ll be my honored guests.” He bowed deeply and a pang of sadness shot through Ari’s chest like an arrow through the heart. He felt terribly sorry for the once proud vampire king who’d never hurt humans, only used human donors, and had conducted himself with dignity, other than threatening Eoghan a time or two. To be reduced to living this way was terrible. Whatever happened, he hoped it would happen fast. He really wanted a solution to the king’sproblems and that of his clan who were paying the ultimate price for simply losing a war against a corrupt, newly-made vampire who was utterly ruthless.
“We look forward to the day, John,” Eoghan said as they both turned and walked toward their vehicle, climbing in, and driving out of the field.