Free The Dark Communion (The Midnight Defenders) by Joey Ruff Page B

finger.
    “Oh, Fuck!” He grabbed himself in pain, doubled over and scooted away from me. I had a feeling it was more for show, as all eyes in the room focused on us, despite Warrant’s Cherry Pie now being played over the speakers. From the corner of my eye, I saw Victor step just inside the entrance with a curious eye.
    “Shit, Jono, you can’t be in here. If anyone sees me with you…”
    “Too late for that, isn’t it.”
    “I mean, seriously. A guy like me…I got a reputation to uphold.”
    I smiled and waved to the blonde as she took her boa and stormed out of the tent.
    “Why the fuck did you hit me in the pecker? What do you want from me?”
    “Relax, mate. I’m not here to chop down your tree, just to shake the branches and see what falls out.”
    “I got nothing to tell you, Swyftt.”
    I cocked my head to the side, studied him for a moment. I slipped a hand into my pocket. He fidgeted more nervously than before and started to sweat. “You remember what happened last time you wouldn’t talk to me?” I asked.
    “You fucking drug me behind your car in a noose, Swyftt. Jesus H., how the fuck can I forget that?”
    “Then make this easy.”
    “You don’t have a bumper to tie me to this time, and I got nothing for you even if you did.”
    “Seven, I’ve been squeezing information from you for four years now. You think I don’t know by now when you’re shit-balling me?” I waited for an answer, but none came. “You really want to do this the hard way?”
    I jumped at him, pulled the knife from my pocket. With a flick of my wrist, the blade smiled at Seven and bared its serrated jags of teeth.
    I hit Seven in the shoulder and we collided together to the ground, but he didn’t seem to be worried about anything but the knife blade, the iron flashing scarlet as it neared his flesh.
    “I don’t know anything, Swyftt. I swear to Zeus.”
    “Seems like you should wait to hear what I’m asking about.”
    I had the blade to his throat, barely touched metal to skin, and it smoked just a little. His eyes were huge as he watched it.
    “There are these homeless guys and these children…”
    “Ohfuckme,” he squealed. “Idon’tknowanything, Idon’tknowanything…” His voice went up three octaves as he writhed under me. From the reaction, you’d think I’d just plugged his nipples to a live car battery and shoved my knife in his arsehole.
    His reaction caught me off-guard, and I let up enough for him to wiggle out from under me.
    He stood, rigid and disturbed. I expected some recognition, but not this. It was more than a bloke could hope for. “Seems like you’re already telling me more than you meant.”
    I heard the music stop then, and without directly looking, made out the hulking form of Victor making his way to us, saying, “Put the weapon away, Mr. Swyftt.” I pocketed the knife as the house lights came up.
    Seven’s eyes were wild, a panicked look spread over every inch of his features. “Jono, shit, leave me out of this. I promise, I don’t know nothing!!! DON’T MAKE ME…”
    I wasn’t going to get anywhere with this kind of reaction, not before being thrown out, anyway. “Fucking…. Calm down, Seven. Nobody wants to make a scene. Just tell me how to stop this. Tell me where to find the kids that are going missing.”
    “LEAVE ME OUT OF THIS!!!! I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING!!” He yelled and burst from the tent in terror, spilled onto the ground.
    I stood, looked down at Seven where he twitched on the floor. “Get up, mate. You’re embarrassing yourself.” Any other moment, I might have been embarrassed, too, but instead was just pissed off. This wasn’t the way it should have happened.
    “Swyftt,” came Victor’s strong baritone. “I’m going to have to ask you to come with me.”
    I looked up at him, smiled faintly, and noticed he wasn’t alone. Two more, roughly the size and shape of Victor had joined him. One had long black hair, the other a short, bleach-blonde