Free Thicker Than Water (Blood Brothers) by Greg Sisco Page A

vampires were capable of, even proficient at, sexual intercourse.
    They died with terror in their hearts.

    “We’ve reported on the so-called ‘Blood Brothers’ before,” Tyr read aloud from the Las Vegas Sun, “the notorious gang of blood-sucking criminals who have terrorized the United States since the Amtrack Massacre in 1986. Well it seems a recent bank robbery in Carson City is the latest work of the diabolical desperados…”
    Thor laughed. They were sitting on a ledge not visible to or accessible by humans on the fake Eiffel Tower at the Paris casino. After the pleasures and the blood of the women had been enjoyed in a cobweb of naked limbs and dual geysers of red mist, they had come here to unwind.
    “It isn’t funny,” said Tyr. “Loki has done a lot of stupid shit in the time I’ve known him, but this is irresponsible even for him. You guys are going to get yourselves killed.”
    “Jesus,” Thor muttered. “You know, when you were around your opinion meant something, but who the hell are you to try to take charge now?”
    “What’s to gain? I know the worst case scenario is you get chained up in silver and suffocated with each other’s severed dicks, so what’s the best case scenario? Why is it worth the risk?”
    “Look, Tyr. I’ve been following Loki as far back as I can remember and so far it’s always been a gas. Okay, so maybe a little celebrity status could get us in a bit of trouble, but if you want to talk about disobeying shit that’s explicitly stated in The Augury, why don’t we talk about sustaining a romantic relationship with a human fucking being.”
    Tyr fell silent. The Butcher. That son of a bitch. If word had spread to Thor already it was only a matter of time before vampires older and smarter than he was would be knocking down Tyr’s door and dragging him back to the torture chambers.
    “Yeah, that’s right,” said Thor. “I’m not going to judge you. I’m not going to tell you you’re being stupid. But you and I both know we’re walking similar territories here, so don’t get all fucking smug and indignant.”
    “Does Loki know?”
    “I don’t know. I didn’t tell him. You know, you might not realize this, Tyr, but Loki doesn’t give a shit about you. He was pissed off for a little while, but we don’t talk about you now.”
    “So you’re not in Vegas to kill me?”
    “Is that what you thought? Shit, I didn’t even know you were here until this week and I can’t tell you whether Loki knows at all. You might want to check your opinion of self-worth Tyr; the sun doesn’t set and rise on your ass.”
    “So if I went back with you tonight and talked to him, you’re telling me he wouldn’t kill me?”
    “Hell, I don’t know. If you come to him like you’re coming to me, telling him he’s an idiot and he needs to reconsider his whole way of life, he might give you a fuckin’ Holy Water baptism. The fact is, and again I’m saying this as a friend, you were the antithesis to all of his aspirations and he’s glad not to have you in the way anymore. To the best of my knowledge he doesn’t want you back.”
    Tyr breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t fantastic news, but it was about the best he could have hoped for. At least he wasn’t being hunted. That put one worry aside. There was still Ofeigr to think about, and if Loki were to get himself killed he hated to see Thor going down with him.
    “All right,” said Tyr. “You’re right. I’m being as stupid as you are. How about this? You stay with me tonight and I’ll kill Eva before sunrise. Tomorrow night, first thing, we get the hell out of town. Leave Loki to walk this path and suffer for his own vices. What do you say?”
    “He may not give a shit about you going off on your own,” said Thor with a smirk, “but if we both abandon him, he’s going to come after us. That I can guarantee.”
    “He won’t find us. We can go to Africa. Loki hates Africa.”
    “Everybody hates fuckin’