EVEN VAMPIRES GET THE BLUES

to. I assume from your non-denial that you do, in fact, have possession of the statue, or at least you know where it is.'

'I don't have it on me, no. But I might know where it is.' That wasn't exactly a lie, I told my conscience—I did know it was in a tomb of some sort. I just didn't know where that tomb was.

He laughed. 'You have the statue—pardon me, know where it is—but you have not yet handed it over to your client, Mr. Paen Scott? Excellent. We progress. I take it you have no other interested persons in the statue?'

'That's not necessarily true,' I answered, wondering how he knew about Paen. I didn't look at Pilar, but I felt the heat from my body being sucked out as the cold that surrounded him leached the surroundings of all warmth.

'Is it not?' Caspar set down his glass to consider me. 'Who else might you represent?'

'Well, for one, there's me,' I said, smiling.

'Well done, my dear. The mercenary streak does you proud.' I almost rolled my eyes at that, but managed to keep my face a polite mask of interest. 'I do like a woman who isn't afraid to take care of herself before others.'

I let my smile widen. It couldn't hurt for him to think I'd be willing to sell out Paen. He might be more forthcoming with his role in the whole mess if he thought I could be swayed to find the statue for him.

'Why don't you tell me a little about the statue,' I suggested, settling back in the chair.

He pursed his lips and I thought for a moment he was going to refuse, but he made a conceding gesture and said, 'I suspect you know as much about it as I do, but if it pleases you to pretend ignorance, I shall indulge you. The Jilin God statue is approximately so big'—he held out his hands about six inches apart—'made of ebony, commissioned from Gu Kaizhi, one of the leading artists of the fourth century. It was later given to Marco Polo upon his arrival in Peking by the emperor himself, but mysteriously was not included in the inventory Polo had conducted when he left China.'

'Was it stolen?' I asked, pondering the coincidence of both the Coda and the statue having their origins with Marco Polo.

'Perhaps. The statue reappeared briefly in Venice in the early eighteenth century, and then passed through private families for several generations. It was known to be in Paris and the American colonies, but then it disappeared from sight altogether.'

'Hmm. Why is it called the Jilin God?'

'The origins of the name are shrouded, but the statue itself depicts the monkey god Sun Wukong. Are you familiar with the legend?'

I shook my head. 'I'm afraid my knowledge of Chinese history is pretty pathetic.'

'Ah. That, too, is lamentable. Sun Wukong was the god of monkeys who escaped capture by Yan Luowang, the god of death. Sun Wukong not only escaped death, he also destroyed the books of the dead. He was called to heaven for judgment, and wreaked havoc there as well; his reign of terror finally ended when Buddha imprisoned him.'

'Wow. So he represents, what, the ability to overcome death?'

Caspar nodded, looking pleased. 'You picked that up quickly. Yes, the monkey god is a representation of the origins of many of the immortal races—he overcame death and imprisonment to end up a warrior against demons and evil spirits. Yan Luowang is said to have created the statue to hold Sun Wukong prisoner, but was unsuccessful. It is rumored that instead, he placed within its safe confines the secrets of the immortal races.'

'Secrets like what?'

His shoulders rose in a slight shrug. 'Just what secrets it contains is unknown.'

'Hmm. But because of this, the statue is highly desirable?'

His eyelids veiled, the long fingers of his hand toying with the sherry glass that sat on a small table next to him. 'It is treasured first for its artwork, second for the historical importance, and third and most importantly for the secrets said to be contained within it, yes.'

'How much is it worth?' I asked, wondering why a demon lord would want the statue. Perhaps because it was valuable?

'Let us say that I am willing to offer you twenty-five thousand pounds for it, a fraction of its true worth.'

I tried not to look stunned. Twenty-five thousand pounds! 'What sort of fraction?'

'Its true value has never been calculated,' Caspar said with a slight shrug. 'But I can assure you that there are many who would pay almost anything to get it.'

'And you?' I asked, relishing my role as double agent. 'How much would you pay to get it?'

'I said I would pay you twenty-five thousand pounds.'

I smiled and waited. He didn't disappoint me. 'Naturally that could be considered a retainer. I would be willing to pay another twenty-five thousand upon delivery.'

'I see. Well, thank you for the information,' I said, gathering my things as I stood. 'I will be in touch, I'm sure.'

Caspar frowned. It wasn't a nice expression. 'You have not said whether you were taking the job or not.'

'Haven't I?' I tried my best to look innocent. 'I'm sorry for the confusion—I've already been hired to find the statue for someone else.'

'But I will pay you much more than he will—'

'That doesn't matter,' I said, starting for the door. 'I don't betray my clients' confidences like that, not for any amount of money. Thanks for the sherry and the conversation. You're right—it is a lost art.'

'Pilar—' Caspar nodded toward me. His henchman leaped to his feet and started toward me.

'I wouldn't be so trusting of your little bullyboy,' I tossed over my shoulder as I reached for the door. 'Earlier, he—'

I didn't see it coming, didn't even have an inkling. My elf senses, usually so sharp (if not accurate) didn't warn me at all. Pilar grabbed me just as I was opening the door. One moment I was there about to tattle on Pilar to his boss, the next a massive wave of energy slammed into me, so powerful it knocked me clear out of reality.

Chapter 13

Um… Paen?… Paen?… Helloooo?

Sam?

Oh, good, I was hoping you didn't have your mental voice mail turned on.

My what?

Nothing. Little joke.

Very little.

Yeah, well, you try making a joke when you're caught between realities, and see how well you do.

A pause filled my head. You're caught between realities?

Yes. I seem to be stuck here. I was wondering if there was something you could do to help me out?

His silence was telling. Where are you?

I don't think I'm anywhere, to be honest. I seem to be nowhere, caught in some sort of a web between reality and the beyond.

Then how do you expect me to help you?

We have to pass through this to get to the beyond. I was hoping you'd merge with me, and that would pull me out. Kind of a reverse of what I did with you earlier.

Or it might just pull me in.

True. I hesitated, hating to ask him for anything, but not seeing any other choice. I'd been stuck here for the last couple of hours as I tried everything I knew to get out, to no avail. Can you help me, please?

He didn't answer, but I knew the moment he merged with me, the two of us like separate pools of mercury