Excerpt: Drink of Wormwood

Copyright (C) 2010 by Kevin L. O'Brien

When Differel and Sweets got back to the ceremonial arena, she found that the bar patrons had everything pretty much wrapped up. Billy Wyatt and the tougher, burlier patrons had taken charge of the cultists and those members of the Devil's Own that had been captured; the rest, she was told, had run off. Differel was relieved to see no one had been killed, and while there were some serious injuries, none appeared critical. Sunny helped the bikers tending the wounded. One of them had given her a vintage World War II German great coat to cover up with. A couple of lady bikers were tending to Eile, and one of them had given her her leather jacket to stave off the cold. The rest of the patrons were busy destroying or defacing the altar, statues, and monuments to desecrate the site. While Differel would have questioned the effectiveness of such actions, she could see how agitated the Fiends and cultists were at the sight of the destruction, and that convinced her it was the right thing to do.

Upon their return to The Thirsty Hog, the Fiends and the cultists were locked in the storeroom pending the arrival of the sheriff, after which a spontaneous, impromptu, and rather boisterous celebration began. The barmaids whisked the Girls into the back rooms to clean them up and find them something suitable to wear until they could get home. With their car wrecked, Differel knew they would all need a ride back to Denver, and while a number of bikers volunteered, she politely refused rather then subject Eile to all that bouncing around. She called Dolores Cadera-Hueso, and the police detective agreed to drive out and get them. Besides, Differel knew she would want to began an investigation into both the Devil's Own and the cult, and they could give her a report on their way back.

She had to retreat into the women's lavatory to make her call because of the raucous noise. As she came out, flipping the cell phone closed and slipping it back into her pocket, she looked around for Sweets, but couldn't see him. She went up to the bar and caught Billy's attention.

"What'll ya have?" he bellowed over the din.

"Sweets!" she shouted back. He gave her an odd look, and she realized her reply had not been well phrased, but she made no correction.

"I think he left!" Then he turned away to respond to a call from further down the bar.

The information shocked her more than she thought it would. The idea he could be gone actually sent her into a mild panic, and she raced for the door, dodging around patrons who suddenly seemed determined to bar her way, if inadvertently. When she finally reached the main exit, she threw open the door and ran out into the parking lot.

She found him on his bike maneuvering it away from the other parked vehicles. "Sweets!" she called out.

He looked up at her, and grinned. "Hey, Differel, come ta see the main man off?"

"So you are leaving," she said as she came up beside him.

"Yeah, I've got a problem with authority figures, especially cops."

Differel smiled; if only he knew, she thought. "I wanted to thank you for all your help tonight. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to save the Girls."

"No prob, Diff-gal. Besides, I really like them two ladies, especially Sunny; she's feisty. But don't you tell them that, I've gotta reputation to uphold."

"You and me both. I assure you, your secret's safe with me. But I would like to reward you in some way."

He gave her a thoughtful look. "Well, now, we never did have that roll in the hay we were talking about. There's a nice place I know in Morrison; hop on and we can be there inside an hour."

Differel balked; she hadn't expected him to bring that up. "Sweets, I — I'm flattered, but I'm sorry, I can't. I apologize for leading you on like I did, but, you see, . . . I'm married."

"Married?"

"Yes, I left my ring at home tonight."

He didn't say anything at first, and she steeled herself against his enraged outburst, but his actually reaction caught her completely by surprise.

He laughed.

"Oh, man!" he finally managed to gasp out. "You really had me goin' there fer a moment. I thought you were gonna say you were a lesbian, or worse, that you wasn't interested."

She was surprised at the relief she felt. "Then, you're not upset?"

"Hell, no, Diff-gal, I jest wish my Old Lady had been as faithful as you. I knew she needed ta go out and have fun with her gal-pals, but sometimes she took it too far."

"Believe me, if I was not already spoken for, I would be very interested, if only for curiosity's sake."

He gave her a suggestive smile. "Well, in that case, I'll settle fer a kiss."

Differel grinned. "That I think I can manage that." She stepped up to him, he wrapped an arm around her waist and hugged her against him, and they bent their heads towards each other. As their lips touched, Differel draped one arm around his shoulders.

The kiss lasted for a good several seconds, as much because she enjoyed it as he did. Finally, however, they pulled apart. "Damn, gal, yer husband's the luckiest man alive!" he said.

Differel grunted. "Interesting choice of words."

"Huh?"

She chuckled. "Never mind. You take care of yourself, Sweets." She patted him on the shoulder.

"You, too, Diff-gal," he replied, and he patted her rump as he let her go. She jumped a little, but grinned at him and gave him a mock punch on the jaw. "Get out of here, you bum," she said.

He gave her one last grin as he started his chopper and revved it up.

"Wait," she said, and she pulled out her wallet.

"I'm not interested in charity," he said, frowning.

"And I'm not offering any," she replied as she pulled out a business card. She handed it to him, and he took and read it.

She waited until his eyes grew wide. "If there's ever anything you need," she explained, "anything at all, you call me. Understand?"

He looked up at her with an expression that mixed amusement and amazement, but he stuck the card inside his leather jacket. "Yer an interesting gal, Sir Differel Van Helsing, and I wish I could've gotten ta know you better." He flashed her a facetious, lecherous leer, then roared off into the night without another word.

"And I you," she said under her breath as she watched him disappear down the road.

"My, this is unusual: Sir Differel playing the Tom Cat," a low, deep voice rumbled behind her. She jumped from surprise, then kicked herself. She should have guessed he'd show up about now.

She turned and glowered as Dracula stepped out from a black shadow. "What are you doing here, Servant?" she growled in a displeased tone.

"I have come in answer to your summons, Master."

"You're late."

"There was a ward cast over this area before, and I was engaged in a more important matter."

"More important than saving the Girls?"

"I shall leave that to your judgment. In any event, you seem to have handled everything quite well without me."

"Hmph. Bring the report around tomorrow morning, and I'll have a look."

"Yes, Director. Meanwhile, let me say that I approve of you expanding your interests. Thinking of starting a seraglio?"

Differel scowled in irritation. He was needling her; he did that sometimes, when he was bored, or needed to make a point in a way she could not reject out of hand.

"Do not presume, Thrall. What I do in private is no concern of yours, or did Victor not make that clear the first time?"

"Perfectly clear, My Master," he said, bowing, his hand over his chest, but he grinned a leer at her as well. "But I understand. Having only a single consort can become boring."

"Idiot! Get back to Britain before I blow your brains out!" she snarled.

Dracula disappeared into shadow, but his grinning leer remained behind a few seconds longer, like that of the Cheshire Cat. "After all," his voice echoed, "variety is the spice of life." Then the grin disappeared.

"Bloody fool," she cursed, but then she smiled. That was about as close to a joke as he ever came, juxtaposing her general lack of a life with his unlife, while pointing out she had a choice whereas he did not. It amazed her that he could still teach her things after all these years.

She back into the bar, and up to the table where Eile and Sunny had been placed. They were wrapped in blankets and drinking coffee. As Differel sat down, a barmaid placed a beer in front of her.

"On the house," she said, as Differel reached for her wallet.

"Please give the landlord my thanks."

The barmaid grinned and shook her head. "You damn Brits!" she muttered as she walked away.

"What were you doing outside?" Sunny asked.

"Saying goodbye to Sweets," she said after taking a sip.

"So he did take off," Eile said in a disparaging tone. "I shoulda figured."

"We're really sorry about what happened," Sunny said.

Differel waved her off. "Don't be, I had a wonderful time, except for the Satanic cultists, of course. Or is that what you meant?"

"No, we mean Sweets hitting on you and all," Eile corrected.

"Oh, that! No worries, I was able to handle him."

"Yeah, you took care of him real good!" Sunny laughed. "Did you send him packing?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Whaddya do, beat him senseless or whittle him down to size with Caliburn?"

"Nothing so dramatic. I kissed him."

The Girls stared at her like she had just grown horns, then they laughed.

"Good one, Differel!" Eile said.

She waited for them to stop. "No, really, I kissed him," she corrected with an enigmatic smile.

Now they stared at her like she was some crap they had just stepped in. "Yer not serious!" Eile barked.

"Why in Heaven's name would you do that?!" Sunny squealed.

Differel shrugged her shoulders. "It seemed harmless enough, and it made him happy."

"If Sweets had kissed me, I'd be wanting a shower!" Sunny remarked.

Differel smiled. "Well, he's no Victor, but it wasn't half bad. I actually enjoyed it."

"EEEEWWWW!!!!" Sunny said as she and Eile made yuck faces. Eile stuck her finger in her mouth as if trying to make herself gag. Differel only grinned and took another sip of beer.