Midnight Awakening(2)

Her head spun with the continued bombardment of painful, ugly thoughts, but finally she managed to single out the Minion. He stalked ahead of her by several yards, his head covered by a black knit cap, his body draped in a tattered, faded green camouflage jacket. Animosity poured out of him like acid. His corruption was so total, Elise could taste it like bile in the back of her throat. And she had no choice but to stick close to him, waiting for her chance to make her move.

The Minion exited the station and headed up the sidewalk at a fast clip. Elise followed, her fingers wrapped tightly around the dagger in her pocket. Outside with fewer people, the psychic blare had lessened, but the pain of overload in the station was still present, boring into her skull like a steel spike. Elise kept her eyes trained on her quarry, picking up her speed as he ducked into a business off the street. She came up to the glass door and peered past the painted FedEx logo to see the Minion waiting in line for the counter.

“Excuse me, miss,” someone said from behind her, startling her with the sound of a true voice, and not the buzz of words that were still filling her head. “You going inside or what, lady?”

The man behind her pushed open the door as he said it, holding it for her expectantly. She hadn’t intended to go in, but now everyone was looking at her—the Minion included—and it would draw more attention to herself if she refused. Elise strode into the brightly lit business and immediately feigned interest in a display of shipping boxes in the front window.

From her periphery, she watched as the Minion waited his turn in line. He was edgy and violent-minded, his thoughts berating the customers ahead of him. Finally he approached the counter, ignoring the clerk’s greeting.

“Pickup for Raines.”

The attendant typed something into a computer, then hesitated a second. “Hang on.” He headed to a back room, only to return a moment later shaking his head. “It hasn’t arrived yet. Sorry ’bout that.”

Fury rolled off the Minion, tightening like a vise around Elise’s temples. “What do you mean, ‘it hasn’t arrived’?”

“Most of New York got hit with a big snowstorm last night, so a lot of today’s shipments have been delayed—”

“This shit’s supposed to be guaranteed,” the Minion snarled.

“Yeah, it is. You can get your money back, but you have to fill out a claim—”

“Fuck the claim, you moron! I need that package. Now!”

My Master will have my ass if I don’t turn up with this delivery, and if my ass goes in a sling, I’m going to come back here and rip your goddamn lungs out.

Elise drew in her breath at the virulence of the unspoken threat. She knew the Minions lived only to serve the one who made them, but it was always a shock to hear the terrible depth of their allegiance. Nothing was sacred to their kind. Lives meant nothing, be they human or Breed. Minions were nearly as awful as the Rogues, the bloodthirsty, criminal faction of the vampire nation.

The Minion leaned over the counter, fists braced on either side of him. “I need that package, asshole. I’m not leaving without it.”

The clerk backed away, his expression suddenly gone wary. He grabbed the phone. “Look, man, as I’ve explained to you, there’s nothing more I can do for you on this. You’re gonna have to come back tomorrow. Right now, you need to leave before I call the police.”

Useless piece of shit, the Minion growled inwardly. I’ll come back tomorrow all right. Just you wait ’til I come back for you!

“Is there a problem here, Joey?” An older man came out from the back, all business.

“I tried to tell him that his stuff ain’t here yet on account of the storm, but he won’t give it up. Like maybe I’m supposed to pull it out of my a—”

“Sir?” the manager said, cutting off his employee and pinning the Minion with a serious look. “I’m going to ask you politely to leave now. You need to go, or the police will be called to escort you out of here.”

The Minion growled something indistinguishable but nasty. He slammed his fist down on the countertop, then whirled around and started stalking away. As he neared the door where Elise stood, he swept over a floor display, sending rolls of tape and bubble packs scattering to the floor. Although Elise stepped back, the Minion was coming too hard toward her. He glared down at her with vacant, inhuman eyes.

“Get out of my way, cow!”

She’d barely moved before he barreled past her and out the door, pushing so hard the glass panes rattled like they were going to shatter.

“Asshole,” one of the patrons still in line muttered once the Minion had gone.