Know Thine Enemy

CHAPTER Eighteen



There were times experience made familiar places look different. Standing outside The Wall with Briggs and the cell behind him, and with love for Izzie burning his chest, nothing looked as he remembered.

God, he had never been so grateful to be home in his life.

"The Wall," Izzie said. She stood beside him, her arms crossed and her expression unreadable.

"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy." Ryker grinned, but it faded when he registered the vacant look on her face. "What?"

Izzie arched an eyebrow. "What the hell was that?"

"It's a Star Wars quote."

She stared a moment longer, then barked a laugh. "Wow."

"What?"

"I didn't know vamps could be nerdy."

He frowned. "We can be whatever we like. And I'm not nerdy."

"Sure."

"It's a well-known movie."

"That you have memorized."

"And a well-known line," Ryker said defensively, though he couldn't pretend to be irritated long. The mirth in her eyes had him higher than a paper kite. Whatever it took to keep it in place, he would do without argument.

"Whatever, nerd."

"Bite your tongue."

She grinned and shuffled her feet before directing her gaze forward once more. "I feel different. Do you?"

"Things have changed. Last time I was here, I hadn't any experience being a lab rat." He sighed. "Home sweet f*cking home."

"You consider this place home?"

"As close as I've come. 'Til you, of course."

"Me?"

He nodded. "Home is where the heart is. Isn't that what they say?"

Izzie's cheeks tinged but she didn't take the bait. Instead, she said, "I thought Connor was nice."

"He is. Dumb as a mailbox, but kinder than most." Ryker shrugged. "I like The Wall, too. Feels like neutral territory. All manner of creatures can come in here without feeling like they need to look over their shoulder. It's why I tailed you, remember?"

"To make sure I wouldn't mess things up."

"That's right."

"For you and your vampire friends."

"Don't think it's limited to just vampires, sweets," Ryker replied. "We get shifters, demons, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my."

"Wizard of Oz."

"Oh, that one you know?"

"Just the line."

He decided against goading her about her lack of cinematic knowledge since her upbringing had been more than sheltered. For the first time, he had to wonder how much of the underworld she'd really experienced. Vampires weren't the only otherworldly creatures. They were, perhaps, the most publicized thanks to pop culture, but not the most populous, or even the most dangerous.

Had Wright's late wife been chow to another sort of beast, Izzie might never have crossed Ryker's path. It was for want of vampire blood she was here at all.

As though sensing his thoughts, Izzie inhaled and said, "Zack and I both knew vampires weren't the only supernaturals."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. We even ran into a few, but I guess I'd always thought . . . I don't know how to say this."

"That we were the baddest of the bad?"

"Or something," she agreed. "The night your cousin snatched us up, there was some sort of lizard-creature here."

"A hisser." Izzie looked at him askance, and he shrugged. "That's what we call them, at least."

"A hisser?"

"I'm sure they have an actual name. We just call them hissers. If they shift into something warm-blooded, we call them fuzzies."

"Fuzzies?"

"'Cause of the fur," he elaborated. "You know . . . fuzzy."

"Wow. You guys get top pick at the Lame Name Awards. What do they call you?"

"Bloodsucker," Ryker replied. "Or leech, if they wanna be really nasty."

"Nice."

He chuckled and shook his head, then reached for her arm. "Come on. You gotta be hungry for something other than canned noodles."

Ryker hadn't any idea what day it was, but he guessed the weekend was near by the size of the crowd. The Wall's patrons seemed to multiply the closer the week grew to Friday, as that was when the streets thickened with tourists.

Connor stood behind the bar, polishing a smudge on the counter with a rag and looking even more miserable than usual. The stains on his wife-beater tank were at least three days old and hadn't yet seen a wash cycle. A second dishrag lay across his left shoulder, and the layer of sweaty grease that seemingly coated every inch of his skin made him almost shine under the bar's weak lighting.

Connor might be a disgusting slob of a human being, but Ryker had never been more relieved to a man in his life. He tightened his hold around Izzie's arm and pulled her through the crowd toward bar.

Connor didn't look up. "What's yer poison?"

"Bloody Mary, hold the Mary. Or give me a lot, depending on the source."

The polishing stopped. "Now where the flying f*ck have you been?" Connor demanded, his head whipping up.

The concern in his eyes betrayed his tone, and though Ryker wasn't sure how much he liked the idea of being worried after, it was appreciated all the same.

"Miss me?" he asked.

"Miss ya? I tought that skinny thing offed yer good and proper. Sent 'er after ya and didn't hear nufink."

"You mean this skinny thing?" Ryker asked, nodding to Izzie.

"Hi," Izzie said.

Connor's brow gathered, confusion setting in. "Oh, 's you."

"Skinny Thing Numero Uno," she agreed. "And former demon hunter. I've officially resigned."

Ryker's lips quirked at her tone, and the bartender's gaze flickered between them.

"Yer with him now?"

There was no hesitation in her voice. "Yes. I am."

Connor huffed, his squinty eyes narrowing on Izzie. "Ya know, a guy come lookin' fer you ta other night."

She deflated at the news. "Oh?"

"Ya. Wuddn't ta friendly sort, neither. Made my customers jumpy. Jumpy customers ain't happy customers." He paused and waved at them. "Now where'd the two of yous come from?"

"It's a long story," Izzie replied. She sounded slightly distracted, but didn't otherwise react.

"Too long for out here," Ryker added. "Care to take this to your office?"

Connor shook his head. "Jus' me t'night. Have to clear 'er out."

It was a testament to how much Connor trusted him. Clearing out the bar on a crowded night was a costly move, but the man did so without flinching. After hollering last call and swatting off the groans and protests, he disappeared into the kitchen and didn't emerge until Ryker had shown the last patron to the door.

"Ya din't eat before," Connor all but growled at Izzie. "Fryin' ya up a burger. Tink you'll find yer appetite?"

Ryker stifled a grin when Izzie's eyes widened. He was nearly surprised she didn't drool.

"Oh God, yes."

"Dunno how yer skinnier than before, but ya need meat on them bones." Connor wheezed as though she offended him and then waddled back into the kitchen. When he reappeared this time, he had a heaping plate of greasy burger and a mountain of fries, which he shoved unceremoniously across the counter. "Eat 'er up, girlie."

Izzie didn't need to be told twice. She dove into the food with all the markings of a girl who didn't know from where her next meal would come.

"Beer?" Connor asked.

"Give the lady a glass of water," Ryker said. "I'll take a beer."

Connor poured and served, then leaned back and crossed his arms. "'M all ears. Start yer yappin'."

Ryker glanced at Izzie. She was too occupied with her burger to speak, but she nodded her permission. He hadn't realized he needed it until that moment. He wanted to make sure her secrets were his to tell.

"The last night she was in here—the night you tried to make her eat—"

"An' she wouldn't." Connor sniffed. This was clearly still a sore spot.

Izzie looked up, her cheeks full and her eyes contrite.

"Oh, lay off," Ryker said. "The girl was just being cautious."

She swallowed. "Stupid. This is delicious."

"Damn right," Connor muttered.

Ryker groaned. "Not the point. She was grabbed after she left here."

"Grabbed?"

He reached for his beer and downed a hearty gulp. "By my cousin."

This revelation took a few seconds to sink in. "Yer cousin?" Connor repeated. "Since when didja have a cousin?"

The whole story regarding Michael, Caroline, and the business back in Natchez had the effect of a stone sitting in his stomach. Nonetheless, Connor had a right to know—especially for the favor Ryker was about to ask. He rushed through the account as painlessly as possible, doing his best not to blink when he recounted draining a dying Caroline or the confrontation with Michael years later in the cemetery. Discussing the recent events seemed more bearable. He could access his frustration without guilt—for while Michael had cause for his outrage where Caroline was concerned, he had targeted Izzie for no reason aside from the fact that she had captured Ryker's interest.

"Yer cousin grabbed 'er then, diddee? After she wuddn't eat my food."

Izzie polished off the last of her burger, scowling at Connor. "I'm eating it now, aren't I?"

The bartender grunted, looking particularly flushed.

"Told you Connor was proud of his cooking," Ryker replied, tossing back another mouthful of beer.

"Just seems silly to keep focusing on that," she said.

"So why don't you change the subject and tell the nice man about your conversation with Michael."

Izzie shrugged. "He was there with two other vamps. They said they were a part of something called—" She frowned. "Shit. I forgot."

"C.R.O.S.S," Ryker supplied.

"That's it. Current . . . no, Community Something of Subhuman Species." Another pause. "Representatives. They're like some vampire hate group."

"Hate group?" Connor echoed. "Chrissake, not anudder one."

"These were vamps turned against their will," Ryker explained. "Apparently after I left him in the graveyard, Michael was found by the wrong manner of creature."

Connor looked somber. "That ain't good."

"It gets worse." Ryker offered a dry smile. "His little pet project is in talks with some branch of the government. The night you sent Izzie after me, Michael and friends knocked us out with something heavy and shipped us up north."

"This is sounding more and more like something out of The X-Files," Izzie muttered. "Completely nutso. And I lived it."

Ryker looked at her. "X-Files? You don't get Star Wars references and you've never seen The Wizard of Oz, but you get X-Files?"

"What? Zack and I catch the reruns. He said it might be good research."

"He was off his head."

Connor snickered.

"To be fair, I think it was just an excuse," Izzie explained, looking somewhat chastised. "I think it was something he used to watch with Amber and didn't want me to know about, so he made up something crazy to avoid . . . I dunno, me pitying him or something."

"'E'd lie 'bout that?" Connor asked.

Ryker knew the man had no idea who Zack even was, much less Amber, but he would often piece together essential pieces in a conversation without stopping for directions. Though Connor wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he had a way of shocking people with what he did pick up.

"Zack didn't like looking weak. And my theory is it made him feel close to her." Izzie fell silent for a moment. "He did a lot of things like that."

"Makes sense, I s'pose," said Connor. He looked to Ryker. "Ya said you was up Narth?"

Ryker hesitated again before responding, now unsure of how much to divulge, with or without the go-ahead from Izzie. Though he wasn't the sort of guy to find certain subjects taboo, what had happened in the cells—what had happened between him and Izzie—was no one's business. They might have been pitted against each other for any number of reasons, but what they took from it was theirs and theirs alone. "Iowa," he said at last. "They—well, let's just say it wouldn't make the Zagat's Guide."

"They wanted to study vampire biology," Izzie said, her voice much calmer than his.

Ryker avoided looking at her, concerned he might betray something if their eyes met.

"What?" Connor asked.

"What makes them tick," she continued. "And I guess I was there for the same reason. To see how vamps would react when humans were thrown in."

Connor still looked confused but didn't say anything.

"I killed the main researcher." Izzie's voice grew soft. "And one of the guards. And we got out. The past couple days we were at this cabin off the main highway."

"Now we're here," Ryker concluded.

"Now yer here," Connor agreed. "An' whaddya gonna do about it?"

Izzie blinked. "What?"

"The facility in Iowa's going to be a problem," Ryker said. "Maybe not tomorrow, but soon."

"Briggs is dead," Izzie said. "He was the one who made us his science project."

"And we were careful on the way back for a reason," Ryker replied. "Briggs might've been our very own mad scientist, but he wasn't the one pouring the funds into the place. Whatever else goes on in there is bad business."

Izzie looked numb when she nodded. She shivered and crossed her arms, then turned away, and without warning a stab of shame hit his gut.

No matter what had happened to him, Ryker knew she had fared much worse. It was one thing to be poked and prodded, but another thing altogether to be victimized. And while his relationship with Izzie had never been one of force, while they were together now, it didn't change what happened in the cell. It didn't change the fact she was taken and stripped and put at a man's mercy. Nothing could sweeten the knowledge she was forced into submission. It wasn't a matter of strength—f*ck, she was the strongest person he knew. Rather, her strength likely played a part of the larger problem. She hadn't felt helpless in a long time, and those hours during which she had no control over anything had affected her more than anyone could understand.

Even Connor seemed to sense the shift, and while he might not know what had exactly they had been through, he could at least put enough pieces together to get a vague idea of the shape. "If the place is as bad as all that," he said, "it'll take lots more than jus' the t'ree of us."

Ryker nodded, releasing a relieved sigh. "Yeah."

"I'll ring up my brudder. See whut he knows."

"Your brother?" Izzie asked, turning back.

"He has a farm," Connor explained. This was the first time he had made mention of his family in the time he and Ryker had known each other. "Outside Waverly up thare. Him an' his girl, Faith. Her mamma died few years back, an' she helps 'im out. I tink Faith's seein' one of our military boys. She might be able ta get close."

"And he knows?" Ryker asked. "Your brother? He knows what sort of business you run?"

"Yassir."

Connor didn't elaborate and Ryker knew better than to push the issue. "Well, that's something."

"Seems ta me yer real trouble is dis Michael fella."

"If he doesn't already know, he's gonna be one angry mother f*cker once he hears we got out." He paused. "That's why I came to you."

"It is?" Izzie asked. "I thought it was because you guys were friends."

"There's that, too." There was no good way to lure Connor into a false sense of security with what he had to ask, and the trust between them wouldn't allow for it as it was. So, inhaling deeply, Ryker pressed forward. "We need Bessy."

"No," came the immediate response.

"Who's Bessy?" Izzie asked.

"My pride an' joy." Connor's eyes narrowed, unmoving from Ryker. "An' you can't have 'er."

"You want Connor's pride and joy?" Izzie poked him in the ribs. "And here I thought you loved me."

"You love 'er?"

Ryker nodded, smiling. It wasn't the sort of thing he'd ever envisioned declaring to a woman, much less sharing with others. Yet with Izzie at his side, with the hard part behind them and the knowledge she loved him as well—even if she didn't know it—nothing seemed insurmountable. "I do."

"When did that hap'n?"

Ryker shrugged. "Just did. And I'd like to get Michael outta the way before we to move on. Which brings us back to Bessy."

"Connor's pride and joy," Izzie said.

"Ya can't have 'er."

"We're just taking her out for a spin," he reasoned.

"My Bessy!"

"Come on." Ryker quirked an eyebrow. "Sharing is caring."

"Ya can't have 'er!"

The front door exploded open without ceremony, sending Izzie back into Ryker's arms. Pieces of wood flew across the floor and a spiraling cloud of dust gathered in the open space. A man crowded the doorway—a rough, tall, broad-shouldered son of a bitch. An instantly recognizable son of a bitch, even if they had never met.

A cold, dark hatred filled Ryker's veins. His canines pulled down into fangs without warning—the way they did when a predator was near.

Just try it, a*shole. Just try. She's mine now.

"Guess some introductions are in order," Izzie murmured. "Ryker, Connor, meet my friend. Zack Wright."