Free Paint it Black: 4 (The Black Knight Chronicles) by John G Hartness Page A

don’t like humans.”
    “In case you missed it, I’m not exactly human anymore, Ogg.”
    “Don’t matter. These things hate vampires more than normal humans. They call you wingless bats.” Ogg’s shoulders shook a little at that, like he was holding back a big laugh. I was less amused.
    I reached over and grabbed Ogg’s chin, getting a fistful of slimy flesh and troll spittle. “Ogg, let me be very clear. You will take us back there. You will take us to the guy who gives you your jawbones. Or I will put so many bullets through your head that your face looks like moldy Swiss cheese.”
    Ogg looked me straight in the eye, all hint of goofy troll guard gone. In his eyes I saw the monster all the faerie tales talked about, vicious, intelligent, and absolutely not interested in taking orders from a skinny vampire with a big nose. When he opened his mouth, it was like I was hearing to a whole different monster.
    “Take your hand off me vampire, if you want to keep it. I’ve had enough of your stupid questions, enough of your condescension, and enough of this ridiculous charade Lilith calls a ‘job.’ Lilith, I quit. I’m going home. Vampire, if you value what passes for a life for your miserable carcass, you will stay far away from the Goblin Market.”
    Ogg took my wrist firmly in one hand and removed my hand from his face. I thrashed the best I could, but I couldn’t even think about breaking his grip. The troll stood up, released me, and stepped to the center of the office. He made a few strange gestures with his hands, and a glowing yellow circle appeared out of thin air. Ogg turned back to Lilith, gave her a very formal bow, and stepped to the circle. As he was about to step through, he paused and looked back at me.
    “Remember what I said, vampire. The Goblin Market is no place for you or your people. Ignore this warning at your peril.” Then he stepped through the glowing circle and disappeared. I got up to run through the circle after him, but crashed into the iron bar of Lilith’s outstretched arm. She clotheslined me like vintage Hulk Hogan, and for the second time tonight my feet kept going while my shoulders and head stopped cold. I flopped to the carpet on my back and the air whooshed out of me in an explosion of profanity.
    “What the hell did you do that for?” I demanded once I’d regained both oxygen and my feet.
    “If you’re going to get yourself killed chasing after him, I don’t want it coming back on me. Ogg was a very good servant, and now I have to find a replacement. I will not have you starting an inter-dimensional war in my office on top of that. You have inconvenienced me quite enough for one night. Now get the hell out of my office.”
    I thought about pushing it, but took a good look at the fire in Lilith’s eyes and decided that I may have pushed enough things for one night. I got up with all the dignity I could muster, which wasn’t very much, and headed for the door. Greg and Sabrina were right on my heels, but Abby hung back. I looked at her, and she waved a hand for me to go on without her.
    “I’ve got a couple of things I wanted to talk with Lilith about. I’ll meet you guys out front.” I didn’t move for a minute, not liking anything about those two getting chummy, but Abby waved a hand at me, and I turned around, muttering about snotty kids these days. Sabrina laughed and grabbed my arm as we made our way past rooms with loud music and even louder guttural noises coming from them. The club was much busier than it had been when we first arrived, and I had to push my way past several dancers and a couple of drunken patrons on my to the door.
    One of the drunker guys took exception to me blocking his view of the stage, and decided to get in my face. He reeked of sweat, stripper perfume, and stale Mexican food, and that’s what I could smell from three feet away. When he got up close and started poking me in the chest and slurring things about my manners, I was