The Bride Wore Black Leather

was lounging lazily against the altar; smiling happily, even arrogantly. The smile of a man who knows he’s already won and is waiting for you to notice, so he can indulge in a little quiet preening and gloating. His Coat of Vivid Colours looked over-bright and even gaudy in the new light. Or perhaps it always had, and I needed to see it in its proper setting to realise. The Sun King pushed his tinted granny glasses down his nose, so he could peer at me over the top of them. His eyes were full of childish mischief and a terrible certainty.
    “All the time and trouble it took you, to get here,” he said. “And all of it for nothing. You even found time to pick up a girl side-kick! I am impressed. But there’s nothing you can do to stop me now, or even slow me down. It’s all going to happen right here, in this most ancient of places, where the Nightside had its beginnings.”
    “I know,” I said. “I was there, when it happened.”
    The Sun King looked at me uncertainly, then shrugged. “You do get around, don’t you, Mr. Taylor? It doesn’t matter. I will raise the sun, and the dawn will come, and the longest night in the world will finally come to an end.”
    “Girl side-kick? You arrogant little tosser! You don’t mess with my boss!”
    Cathy had a very large pistol in her hand, aimed right at the Sun King’s chest. I grabbed her arm and pulled it down, then wrestled with Cathy till I was sure she wasn’t going to try that again. She stopped fighting me, breathing hard, and glared at me. I glared right back at her.
    “Why not, boss? Give me one reason why not?”
    “You really think a bullet is going to stop him? Or the Entities behind him? He could turn you inside out just by looking at you! Where did you get hold of a gun, anyway? No, don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.”
    “Suzie gave it to me.”
    “Of course she did. Please, Cathy, as a personal favour to me, put the gun away. Before he decides to do something amusing to it. Or you.”
    Cathy snarled but made the gun disappear somewhere about her person again. I had to lean on the nearest pew for a moment. Even the brief struggle with Cathy had taken a lot out of me. There wasn’t a lot left in me to draw on. Cold sweat beaded my face, and my legs were trembling. I could barely feel the rough ancient wood of the pew, under my hands.
    “Not looking too good there, John,” the Sun King said cheerfully. “In fact, I’d have to say you were looking pretty shit. Been having a hard time, have you? Getting near the bottom of the barrel? I knew there was a reason why I had the Entities mess you up and drive you round the Nightside like a mad thing. Killing you would have been far too kind. I wanted you to catch up with me and be here for my final triumph. Because it’s never enough to break your opponents; they have to admit they’ve been beaten.”
    “That’ll be the day,” I said. I pushed myself upright and turned away from the pew, with an effort I hoped wasn’t too obvious. I met the Sun King’s gaze steadily.
    “You made it as difficult as you could, but I’m still here. And I will stop you.”
    “How did it feel, John?” said the Sun King. “Having to kill your old friend, Julien Advent?”
    I heard Cathy’s breath catch in her throat. “You killed him, John? You really did kill him?”
    “I need you to trust me, Cathy,” I said, not looking round. “I have no right to ask it of you, but . . .”
    “Of course you do. You risked your life to save me. Nothing else matters. You can fill me in on the details later.”
    “Yes. I promise I’ll tell you everything, later.” I took a step towards the Sun King. “I did what I had to do. I’ve always been able to do the hard, necessary thing.”
    “Yes, but how did it feel, John? Did it break your heart? Well, now you know how I feel. The world, the future that I gave my heart and soul to, betrayed me by not becoming what it was supposed to.”
    “Wallow in self-pity on your own time,” I said. “Where’s the Lord of Thorns?”
    The Sun King shrugged easily. “I had the Entities lure him away, with urgent news. Though I can’t believe anyone his age still believes in angels. Only room for one living god in this church, and that’s me.”
    “But why here?” said Cathy bluntly. “Come on; you know you want to tell us. Your sort always likes to make speeches and justify yourself.”
    “Girl side-kicks should be seen and not heard,” said the Sun King.