Gunmetal Magic: A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels

take him years to get out of the Guild’s debt. About two years ago, he got piss-drunk, took off all of his clothes, and broke through the gates of a Buddhist meditation center on the South Side. A group of bhikkhunis, female monks, was deep in meditation on the grounds. He chased them around, roaring something about them hiding hot Asian ladies. I guess he mistook them for men, because of the robes and shaved heads.”
    “And why didn’t anybody point out the error of his ways to this fool?” Doolittle asked.
    “Perhaps because they are Buddhists,” Curran said. “Violence is generally frowned upon in their community. How did it end?”
    “Dagfinn pulled a robe off one of the nuns and an elderly monk came up to him and hit him in the chest with the heel of his hand. Dagfinn did some flying and went through the monastery wall. Bricks fell on his face and gave him a quickie plastic surgery. Since the old monk had raised his hand in anger, he went into a self-imposed seclusion. He still lives near Stone Mountain in the woods. He was greatly revered and the monks got pissed off and went to see the Norse Heritage Foundation. Words were exchanged and the next morning the Foundation gave Dagfinn the boot. The neo-Vikings will know where he is. They kicked him out, but he’s still their boy.”
    Curran nodded. “Okay, we’ll take the Jeep.”
    “They don’t permit any technology past the fourteenth century AD in their territory. You’ll have to ride a horse.”
    Curran’s face snapped into a flat Beast Lord expression. “I don’t think so.”
    “You can jog if you want, but I’m getting a horse.”
    A low rumble began in Curran’s throat. “I said we’ll take the Jeep.”
    “And I said they will put an axe into your carburetor.”
    “Do you even know what a carburetor is?” Curran asked.
    I knew it was a car part. “That’s irrelevant.”
    Doolittle cleared his throat. “My lord, my lady.”
    We looked at him.
    “Take it outside my hospital before you break anything.” It didn’t sound like a request.
    A careful knock echoed through the door. A young woman stuck her head in. “Consort?”
    What now? “Yes?”
    “There is a vampire downstairs waiting to see you.”

CHAPTER 4

    The vampire sat on his haunches in the waiting room, an emaciated monstrosity. Vampires were nocturnal predators. Daylight burned their skin like fire, but the People had recently gotten around this restriction by applying their own patented brand of sunblock to their undead. It dried thick and came in assorted colors. This particular vampire sported a coat of bright lime-green. The sunblock covered the undead completely, every wrinkle, every crevice, every inch. The effect was vomit-inducing.
    The vampire turned its head as I walked in, its eyes focusing on me with the intelligence of its navigator, sitting in an armored room miles away. The nightmarish jaws opened.
    “Kate,” Ghastek’s dry voice said. “Curran. Good morning.”
    “What are you doing here?” Curran asked.
    The vampire folded itself, perching in the chair like some mummified cat. “I have a direct interest in determining the nature of that necklace. We have suffered great losses, we must account for them. Have you found a way to remove it?”
    “No,” I said.
    “So the boy’s life is still in jeopardy,” Ghastek said.
    Thank you, Captain Obvious.
    “It’s being handled,” Curran said.
    “I would like to be involved in that handling.”
    “I’m sure you would,” Curran said. “It’s hard to believe, but I go whole days without worrying about your likes and dislikes.”
    The vampire opened its mouth, imitating a sigh. It was an eerie sight: his jaws unhinged, his chest moved up and down, but no air came out.
    “I believe in civil discourse, so please forgive me if I soundblunt: you took a child away from his parents against their will. In other words, you abducted him by force. Last time I checked, that constitutes kidnapping. I have a very capable staff, which, should I give the word, would present a very compelling case to the Paranormal Activity Division.”
    “The PAD can bite me,” Curran said. “I also have a very capable staff. I’ll drown you in paper. How would you like to be sued?”
    “On what grounds?” The vamp looked outraged.
    “Reckless endangerment.” Curran leaned forward. “Your journeymen dropped two vampires in the middle of a crowded restaurant.”
    “There were extenuating circumstances and you