Beso de la Muerte (Kiss of Death)
 Author: Tracy Vettier-Chevalier
 
 *Disclaimer in Chapter One. 

    Chapter Four:

    We managed to make it to the hotel without anyone hassling me about the 
gun. Richard seemed happier about it than me. For some reason, he thought I 
was going to get arrested for having it out in plain view. 

    If he'd known I was seriously considering carrying the Browning naked in 
my hand, he might've been a little happier that it was in the holster. Then 
again, maybe not. For all his tastes in clothing had changed, it didn't seem 
like he'd gotten any more practical. Cynical, who me?

    But, I was supposed to be meeting the Master of the City of Acapulco, and 
I'd be damned if I was going to hide the gun so that Richard would feel 
better. He might be more comfortable with the gun out of sight, but if the 
Master ate me, I was going to be pissed. 

    Jean-Claude was silent for the first few minutes of the drive to meet the 
Master. He just sat beside me like a living statue. Scratch that. Undead 
statue.

    "Will you quit it?" I'd finally had enough of him pulling the 'see how 
human I'm not' on this trip. It was starting to seriously bug me.
    He turned slowly, fixing his blue eyes on me like I was something alien. 
"Stop what, ma petite?" He asked.

    "Knock off the arcane vampire shit. It's bad enough I have to meet the 
Master. I don't need you going all otherworldly on me," I said,glaring.
    "My apologies, ma petite," he said, his voice soft as silk. I could feel 
his voice in my mind, like he was touching me there, and glared more. 
    He just smiled and sat back in his seat.

    Richard was staring at me again, and I turned to look at him. "What?"

    He shook his head. "Nothing."

    I knew better, but I didn't call him on it. I didn't feel like arguing. 
The three of us were going to meet the Master of the City, and fighting 
amongst ourselves was a definite no-no. So, the Master hadn't exactly 
threatened us or anything. So what? Neither had Seraphina, until we didn't 
want to do things her way. Okay, so *I* didn't want to do things her way.
    The car stopped and we got out. Richard walked behind Jean-Claude and I. 
I guess not talking to him had hurt his feelings. Damn.

    "Richard, hurry the fuck up," I called over my shoulder.

    I almost jumped out of my skin when he just seemed to appear beside me a 
second later."Shit!"

    "I know you're upset about having to meet the Master. But don't take it 
out on me," Richard said, his voice a low growl.

    The full moon was two weeks away. He shouldn't have been going all wolfie 
yet. Guess I'd made him angry. 

    "That's not why I'm pissed at you,Richard. I'm pissed at you because 
you've still got that better than thou attitude toward me. You've seen my 
life, Richard. I haven't lived this long by being nice, so either get used to 
it, or leave me the fuck alone, but stop trying to change me," I snapped.

    Richard looked  like I'd slapped him. I didn't wait for him to think of 
something to say to that, I kept walking. I really wasn't in the mood.

    Jean-Claude lagged behind, talking to Richard in an almost whisper. I 
couldn't hear what they were saying, but I was betting it was about me. I was 
really starting to regret coming on this trip. Twenty minutes out of the 
airport and Richard was mad at me, and I was meeting the Master of the City. 
Could this night get any worse? Don't answer that.

To Be Continued...

Trace's Diary