The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Seventeen

"Only if you finish your yard work, little man," Julien laughed.

"Yard? Didn't think you were into English units."

"But really, you know how to do bottle runs?" Julien asked.

"Course. Angel taught me, didn't she?"

Julien shrugged. "Then you and Dolly can go wherever you like, tonight, if you make it a bottle run."

"Is it safe for them?" Ardor asked.

"Greater LA, or Faye?" Julien asked, patting at his sleeves and pockets, again. Morpheus supposed it was a cigarette he wanted this time. Julien didn't have blood at the table like the others, as he'd been into the cellar before they woke. He answered without waiting for clarification, "The city's safe. I couldn't tell you details, but it's probably like in other cities. Athen makes some kind of deals with law enforcement and organized crime. As for Faye herself, I can't see how her being mad at Athen or Angel or Shade translates to targeting these two." He gestured across the table to where Ganymede and Dolores had found seats beside each other.

"We could take a couple of them, if we had to," Dolores said. She glanced to Ganymede from between cap and sunglasses. "The thing with old ones is you make them chase after you, and then you dart away very quickly. One of the old ones takes a hard fall, even Ardor here would have time to cut them up."

"Even Ardor?" She asked.

"There's not one fast formula for ranking Vampyres, but if you've been around enough, you should have a sense of comparing power. It's not personal, but even with Joy being fourth generation, she seems a big stronger.

"Then what chance do I have, if other Vampyres ever attack?" Ardor said.

"It's my responsibility to see you have a chance," Julien said, "We also have Troy, so we'll make it work!"

"I may be able to help you, but I can't fight for you," Morpheus whispered.

"Of course."

"Opium's not here, and Absinthe and Laudanum haven't shown up for dinner. It's probably a lot for Morpheus to be here with us," Steven said, "I'm pretty sure Angels have something like the Prime Directive."

"Murph's Children of Night, and the rest of his family," Spider said.

"Let's not pretend we're Angels of Revelation," Morpheus said, pleading silently with Spider. Morpheus and his family were privileged among Halfangels on Earth, being Sidhe and related to Leliel. Most of the part-angels in the Empty World were in Spider's situation; they'd been abandoned by their most Angelic ancestor and lacked access to spells or portals that could enable them to leave. "But, I know I have it better than many of our kind on Earth. I try to help as I can."

"I didn't really mean it like that," Spider said, "We're cool. Laudy and me, too."

Morpheus smiled, "Absinthe likes you, too, she just shows it differently."

"We should get going," Ganymede said, "It's just about dark."

"I'll help you get the bottles, then walk you out," Julien offered. He stood from his seat at the table, as Ganymede and Dolores also did. "I'll be locking the doors, so if anyone goes out, or needs to be let back in, you need to let me know."

Those remaining at the table fell into a silence for a few minutes. Morpheus picked at his salad and pasta, though River, Spider and Steven seemed to enjoy the food.

"So, Joy," Steven said, "Where would you most hate to be stabbed?"

She answered immediately, apparently knowing what he meant to ask. "Stab them in the heart, Steven, and make sure you do it hard as you can or the knife will just get caught between the ribs." Joy pointed a finger to her heart. "Right here," she said, "and when they get all dizzy and swoon, draw out the knife, you have to tug hard because of all the gross suction and bone, then go for their head."