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Master of the Lines 5: Coda 147
Shut up, Vladimir snarled.
Vision chewed his lip. His brain just couldn t work fast enough, so he pushed it harder.
You couldn t take Janus s lines. You must have felt that. Janus couldn t give them to you
even if he wanted to. But you still want to be the biggest cock on the block, though to be
perfectly honest, from what I saw that s not going to be happening any time soon.
Vladimir cuffed him. Vision supposed he deserved that. He continued on. So you re
going to destroy the lines.
And tell me, Vision, how am I going to do that? Vladimir snarled.
Vision looked at him. Even after jerking off, he still had power in him. But part of that
was Vision s. Vision tried to pull up the answer, but got nothing. His probing, however,
caused Vladimir to shift in his seat.
Not that Vision trusted him. He sat back, pulling up more of his wild lines and fed
them directly to Vladimir, who took the power as his due.
They entered the dead zone on the bottom border of the park just before midnight.
Vision s wild lines still ran under it, but there was no trace here of Janus. The zone pulsed
with negative energy, so much so that the lights, from the posts to the few apartments with
lights on so late, flickered ever so slightly. Vision found himself wondering if humans could
see it. From the looks of the few pedestrians on the street, along with the occasional
doorman standing by his post, they all felt something, and Vision wondered if the energy
that had gathered here was affecting their brain chemistry.
Why doesn t Janus feel this? Vision asked, mostly to himself, but Vladimir chose to
answer it.
This whole area is dead to him, Vladimir said, with a smirk. But he d obviously been
keeping it to himself for too long. Why would he feel it? This is the death of what he is.
But still, he must feel something, Vision said. His teeth hummed with the excess
energy.
148 Angela Fiddler
If he ever returned. I thought he was on to something when he noticed his wards had
broken down, but he didn t clue in then, and he won t now.
Do you really think you can reverse the entire city s lines? Vision asked.
Vladimir stopped in front of Breylorn s old building. I already have. It surprised me
how easy it was. I had thought I would need another month, especially given how much the
moon has waned. You re a lot better for me than you think you are, my little bitch. He ran
his knuckles down Vision s face, and Vision was very, very glad he didn t bite him.
Yeah, about that, Vision said and got out of the car. He wasn t reprimanded for it, but
then, they had company.
The doorman didn t greet them, but pulled the door open silently. It will all be over
soon, Vision told him. The man didn t respond. Vladimir grabbed the back of his neck and
squeezed, hard enough to bring tears to Vision s eyes, so he didn t offer any more words of
comfort to the concierge or the elevator man, even though their jaws were clenched just as
badly.
You don t hurt Janus s humans, Vision told Vladimir on the way up to the penthouse.
Actually, I do. Though it won t be for much longer. This mark spread out over the
entire city won t cause too much discomfort.
Wow, that s big of you.
Vladimir grabbed him and threw him against the wall. Vision hit hard and didn t try to
fight him. Vladimir s eyes didn t quite focus on him. In the center of the city as they were,
Vision had far more juice to pull from. Vladimir s pupils dilated just that little bit more. You
should thank me that I needed you here, he whispered. And that you would be no use to
me if I had broken you in completely. But rest assured, when we get back to the warehouse,
I ll have what s left of you on your back for me. Are we perfectly clear?
Crystal, Vision said, glad that Vladimir didn t recognize any change in Vision. It was
probably because he had so much of Vision s power in him, and everything was a matter of
Master of the Lines 5: Coda 149
perspective. It probably meant they were very close to being equals, but Vision had never
liked even odds. He followed Vladimir into the apartment and into the white living room.
The lights were dark, the moonlight weak in the window, but still the white leather
furniture seemed to glow. When Vladimir stepped into the center of the room, where the
moon s light was the strongest, his footsteps rustled. It didn t surprise him that Breylorn had
left his supply of painter s plastic drop cloths behind.
Vision leaned up against the archway. Janus s old runes were on the hall side, so of
course Vladimir didn t see them when they started to glow. Did I forget to mention the one
important bit? Vladimir asked and took a wicked-looking knife out from his suit jacket.
Apparently, Vision said, staring at the naked silver blade.
I didn t think you d be so willing to come if I mentioned the fact that the ritual to
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