“And what’s to keep them from seeing you as a bully?” Griffen said.
“Why should you care? Beyond it doesn’t matter how they see you. If bullying is what it takes to get the job done, why look for a weaker tool?”
Griffen didn’t have an answer but didn’t like the question. Flynn broke again, this time nothing fell, and Griffen stepped up to the table.
“Why would the other groups out there be so worried about a dragon trying to take them over?” Griffen said.
“They are afraid. Fear makes them stupid. They know dragons could rule if we chose to, and don’t think to ask why we should bother,” Flynn said.
“You really see them as that much less?”
Griffen had a three-ball run, then missed. Flynn stepped up to the table.
“Why wouldn’t I? Shifters, spooks, spell slingers. They don’t have anything we don’t have, and none of them have our power or variety.”
“But within their own sphere aren’t they stronger? Can you take all the different animal forms a chimera can?” Griffen said.
Flynn had a four-ball run, but miscued when Griffen asked that question.
“No, but then I never really got into shape-shifting. I like myself as I am.”
“What about the fairies, the changelings? I haven’t heard about what they can and can’t do.”
“They are letting those nuts in this year? I didn’t know their standards had gotten that lax. Those aren’t fairies, not really. Oh, they claim they are part of them, but have no proof. In fact, I’ve never seen or heard of any real evidence there are fairies,” Flynn said.
Griffen was down to the eight, but the shot was lousy. A bank into the side pocket was his best bet. He missed.
“Okay, the changelings, then. What can they do?”
“Well… okay, you’ve got me on that one. From what I’ve heard on rumor, they have a wide range of powers, but each one has its own unique gifts and styles. Only no one has any proof on whether the stuff is real or some form of hypnosis or illusion. You know the old legends of fairy gold turning to trash in the morning? Same deal. The effects don’t often seem to last.”
“Often?”
“Again, there are rumors of more, but nothing I would put any credit into. Plus everything I’ve heard says they only have limited control over their powers. Kind of flighty and undisciplined. Shouldn’t be too much trouble for you.”
Griffen watched as Flynn put ball after ball away. Including—eventually—the eight. Griffen winced and felt his bank account shrink by another big hunk.
“Another?” Flynn asked.
“Double or nothing?” Griffen said, voice strained.
“Now, why would I let you off the hook that easy? Then you wouldn’t learn anything.”
Flynn grinned, and Griffen found himself racking again. Flynn broke, and again nothing fell. Griffen began to shoot.
“Okay, since my ‘consultant fees’ are mounting up. I’ve been a little worried about security. I can only be in so many places at once. What if something goes wrong?”
“You’ve got a crew, don’t you?”
Griffen winced again, thinking back to his talk with Jerome.
“Let’s just say they are busy elsewhere.”
“Hmm… remember what I said about throwing your weight around? If you are the head dragon, you need to act like it.”
Griffen had run the table. He was aiming on a fairly easy shot on the eight.
“Didn’t I hear a rumor about you and some drug dealers?” Flynn asked.
Griffen miscued, and came close to scratching.
Flynn smiled and stepped back up to the table.
“Only a brief incident,” Griffen said. “Why?”
“Well, seems in this town they would be ideal. Good for thug work. Let’s face it—expendable. And not likely to talk about any weirdness they might see, not to anyone who matters and will listen anyway.”
“I really don’t think I want to end up owing anything to that lot.”
“So make it a cash deal up front, no favors or anything,” Flynn said.
“Well… if things got desperate… maybe,” Griffen said dubiously.
Flynn scratched with two balls left on the table.
“Damn!” he said.
Griffen took the cue and very carefully lined up his shot. He looked at Flynn to see if he was going to speak, then checked his shot again. Much to his relief, he made it.
“Only other option would be some type of tag or mental tracer. An amulet or coded ID badges or something like that,” Flynn said, and began to put his stick back.
“Don’t you want another game?” Griffen said.
“Nope. Always quit while you’re ahead, kid. ‘Thus endeth the lesson.’ ”
Griffen watched Flynn leave the bar. He couldn’t bring himself to be too angry. Back in school he had pulled similar stunts when playing cards.
He never realized just how it felt.
Nineteen
“You sure are limber.”
Val jumped. She had been sitting out in the courtyard of her apartment complex, thinking of not very much in particular. It was sunset, fading slowly to night. For once her shift at work had been busy, and she had been enjoying the solitude and a little downtime. Only when she had sat down, no one had been in the complex but her.
She looked around, and a figure slipped out from behind a tree. It was a small woman, slim and attractive. She flowed as she moved, every step natural and smooth, a kind of roll to her hips that would have made Val feel awkward. Then she smiled, and even in the dim light Val recognized that grin.
“You!”
Val stood quickly as she recognized the woman who had tried to run her over. This was the first time she had seen her when the woman wasn’t behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. She looked dangerous, deadly. Something about her made Val’s heart beat a little faster. Perhaps it was those eyes.
They were broken, it was the only word Val had for them. Like stained glass smashed and crushed together. Shining as if backlit and filled with malevolence. Eyes that swept up and down her, appraising, judging,… hating.
“Wow, you are bigger than I thought. A real cow.”
“Why, you little pips—” Val started.
“Little, honey—the Statue of Liberty is ‘little’ compared to you.”
Val was throwing a punch before she had even thought about it, long legs rushing her forward as her fist drove for the woman’s nose.
The hit never landed. She moved so fast Val couldn’t track. It was like trying to punch a single raindrop. The woman crouched, Val’s swing whizzing over her head. She straightened then, and gave a little push to Val’s elbow that twisted the momentum of her missed punch and whirled her about, wrenching her shoulder.
“Who knew my brother had such a thing for livestock?” Lizzy said, looking Val over from behind.
Val started to turn back to Lizzy, only to jump again. The smaller woman had moved forward, and now was pressed against Val’s back. Her hand was very firmly squeezing Val’s ass.
“Mmm. Tender, though. Bet you’d taste good with a little seasoning,” Lizzy said.
