Title: Lost In Las Vegas
Author: Paula Cas
Characters: Jeremiah Parks,/Ray Kowalski, Tallikut Clan members, Sylum Clan members, Original Characters
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After many years in Las Vegas, it was time to disappear until all but their Chosen Ones forgot their names and faces.
Author’s Notes: THANK YOU! Taibhrigh for the fantastic artwork. The title is borrowed from the song, Lost Vegas by the Moonshine Bandits.
Sylum Timeline: Yet to Be – this takes place in 2050 – So way out there!
***
Anyone driving by the house in the old section of the city rarely gave it a second glance. Set back from the street behind a well-maintained brick fence, it gave the appearance of people who valued their privacy. The house that had been too dark and too silent for many years had for the past few weeks been a hive of activity.
Delivery and repair vans had been in and out of the gated driveway like clockwork. Three weeks later, in the dark of night, a sleek black piece of American muscle rumbled through the gate. A slim blond looking like the bad boy anti-hero from the latest TV show oozed from behind the wheel.
“Come on, Jer. Pitter patter.”
The man who emerged from the passenger side moved slower than his companion and was proceeded by a silver-headed cane that helped support a partially healed left leg.
“If it is all the same to you, Ray, I believe I will ease along.”
“It wouldn’t be buddy for me to let you suffer like that, so let me give you a hand.”
Grinning wildly, he scooped the older man up into a bridal style carry and when the front opened to the laughing caretaker, he carried Jeremiah across the threshold like a proper bride. Setting his Mate, who was alternating between laughing and cursing his Mate, on his feet, he proclaimed,
“Home, sweet home, finally. No more traveling for a while. I’m tired, Babe.”
Pulling his Mate into his arms, Jeremiah reached through their bond to reassure Ray and to share his exhaustion as they could finally take a step back from the project that had started many years ago to give sanctuary to children society had thrown away. The moment was broken by their caretaker, Iris.
“You boys going to unload the Goat, or just stand here in the foyer?” She smiled wide at her adopted uncles.
Iris was the great-granddaughter of their original caretakers George and Margaret Crawford and considered the two Vampires family as much as her parents and siblings.
“How long are you here for this time?” She frowned at Jeremiah’s cane.
“For a long while. Let me introduce ourselves, Ray and Jeremiah Parks at your service.” He gave her an exaggerated bow.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you gentlemen. Didn’t you use Parks when you hired the grands, George and Martha?”
“Names like Parks are common enough to not draw attention. Besides, Ray was still Kowalski the last time I used Parks. I think for our next life it’ll be Kowalski.” He gave Ray a beaming smile.
“Maybe you should think about adopting a kid or two to carry on all these names.” Iris teased the men as she led them toward the kitchen for a coffee break before unloading the GTO.
“An old friend suggested the same thing recently.” Jeremiah winked at Ray as the memory of an evening in the bayou sipping cane squeeze on the patio at Journey’s End, Queen Mousette’s school for mutant children. “It seems we are a bit better at adopting houses than children. Buying houses to rehab that had been used as a place to squat started a bit of underground railroad for mutant children looking for a safe place to land.”
“So, you backtrack your little angels, and convince their idiot parents to legally sign them over to you?”
“Oh no, that’s why I have Ray. I’m just the paper pusher. When Ray stomps through their suburban oasis with his steel-toed boots and leather jacket, they are more than relieved to speak with the civilized one.” Jeremiah gave them his most innocent look.
“Those high Micky manners of yours should be good for something besides making people fall at your feet.
“There is not a thing wrong with my Victorian manners. They have gotten us out of many a dicey situation.”
“Mickey … Vicky … Same difference.” Ray set coffee for them both on the island. “Didn’t want to go back to Chicago. We’re not caring for the present atmosphere, we’ve been in New York too much lately, so after traveling across the country making sure we got our kids all nice and legal from mostly douchebag parents, we decided the house in Las Vegas missed us, and here we are.”
Looking around the house, Iris thought the house did seem lighter, and not as shadowed as before. “Whatever you say, Ray.”
Seeing her cheeky grin, the blond huffed and headed back out to the car. “I need to get my girl out of the desert sun. At least something around here loves me.” He flounced out the door leaving a laughing Iris and Jeremiah behind.
*^*^*^*
While they had been moving from city to city setting up safe houses for human and mutant runaways, they had started building the background for their new life cycle. Ray and Jeremiah would find poker tournaments with the thought of working their way to the big shows held in Las Vegas. They would open the house they had closed down years ago and unpack their suitcases.
Refusing to spend their time living out of hotels, the men had purchased a motorhome they could pull their vehicle behind. The black Jeep Wrangler allowed for a bit of anonymity since they didn’t want the attention that came from driving the GTO. The motorhome and Jeep were parked inside a building their company owned in Summerlin. Both vehicles would be thoroughly cleaned, and the motorhome ready for their next tournaments away from Las Vegas, but the Jeep would be going to the house for Jeremiah to drive.
By the end of the week, they were settled back into their favorite residence. When Jeremiah came to the breakfast table in black jeans, dark red brocade waistcoat, and black frock coat, Ray not only wanted to spread him out on the table but was also curious about where he was going.
“Something you forgot to tell me, Babe?”
“We bought a church. I’m going after breakfast to meet with our architect to get started on the remodel. What to tag along?”
“A church! Have you become as unhinged as Fraser? Of course, I’ll go with you. Someone has to keep you from going around the bend.” Ray muttered into his coffee cup. “Next thing you know the Pope will be showing up to smite us for buying his church.”
“It’s not a Catholic Church, Ray, and Ernesto would let Nico know if the Pope was roaming around Vegas.” Jeremiah filled his cup and plate from the warming pans Iris had left. “I want to convert it into a hostel, with an eye to our special guests. There’s a commercial kitchen and a basement with ingress and egress.”
“What do egrets have to do with a basement?”
“If you come with, I can show you what egrets have to do with it.” Jeremiah chuckled as he dropped a kiss on his Mate’s temple on his way to his seat at the island.
“If we get struck by lightning, I’ll be saying I told you so all the way to the Pearly Gates.” Ray grumbled.
*^*^*^*
Wandering through the basement of the church and through the access tunnels under the street came out a hatch in the floor of the garage attached to a two-bedroom bungalow … That Jeremiah had also purchased. Shaking his head at his Mate’s antics, Ray promised himself he was going to pay closer attention when Queen and Jeremiah were sitting with their heads together. He thought they were talking about their return to Las Vegas from Louisiana, but obviously, Ray had missed a couple of details.
He had to admit that a hostel would be a perfect cover for providing shelter for mutants and humans alike who were escaping a bad situation. Worrying about Jeremiah was a constant. Seeing the older Vampire still using a cane after nearly losing a leg on their last mission still gave Ray nightmares. Hunters, who killed or captured mutants for sport or experimentation even to the point of mutants hunting their kind for money. His unassuming Mate had surprised the man who’d thought Jeremiah was down permanently after he used his inhuman strength to crush his leg. The bounty hunter had been reaching for the girl Jeremiah was protecting when he lost his head. By the time Ray had reached Jeremiah and the girl, the body had disappeared into the brackish water that lay along the game trail. No one told him South Carolina had alligators.
Feeling his Mate slipping away through their Bond almost led to panic, but he mentally kicked that in the head as he wrapped the wound in Jeremiah’s fancy pirate coat and got everyone to the rendezvous point with Jeremiah slung over his shoulder like a sack of feed. If he lived as long as Heather and Evy, he hoped to never again experience the feeling of Jeremiah leaving him. Thankfully Isamene and Queen knew what to do and had Chosen Ones on standby for emergencies. He barely let his Mate out of his sight, though six weeks had passed since the injury. He knew he was smothering the older Vampire, but Jeremiah would give him that smile that said he knew exactly what Ray was doing, and it was okay … For now.
Jeremiah’s ringtone brought Ray out of his memories. Digging his phone out of his pocket, he answered.
“Hey, Babe.”
“Stop thinking about our last mission and meet me at the Jeep.”
“How did you …”
“I always know.”
“Me too.” He admitted sheepishly. “See you in a few.”
The architect was getting in his car when Ray made it back to the Jeep. “He handling the basement renovation?”
“As a matter of fact, no. Our next stop is Basher’s office. He’ll have someone that will keep it on the down low.”
“Look at you trying to talk slang.” Ray teased.
Smacking his partner with his cane, as he walked around to the passenger side, Jeremiah rolled his eyes. “I obviously have been hanging about with the bad element.” He said in his best Chicago Gold Coast voice.
“I can show you bad element,” Ray winked. “And I’m not talking the dive bar types on Fremont Street either.”
Laughter flowed out the windows of the Jeep as the men headed to their next appointment.
*^*^*^*
As he had many times over the years, Basher Tarr knew someone who could transform the basement of the old church into secure quarters for any of their kids who had visible mutations. He would also be handling the security system for the entire building. To reward Ray’s patience, Jeremiah turned the Jeep for Vickie’s. It was Ray’s favorite diner in Las Vegas. The fact that the fourth generation of the owner’s family was still running the diner was amazing in a town as fickle as Las Vegas. When Ray realized where they were going, his smile lit the inside of the SUV.
“Now this is buddies.” Ray rubbed his hands together as Jeremiah pulled into the parking lot.
“You’ve been very patient with all the boring stuff today, Love.”
“I can be patient.” Ray pouted as Jeremiah put the car in park.
“You learned from the best. As much as I hated being separated, your adventure with Benton helped shape you into the person you are today.” Ray knew the high-intensity glare coming from across the Jeep wasn’t because Jeremiah was angry with him but …
Four Years Ago
Jeremiah Parks, Mate to Ray Kowalski, had been tasked with keeping one Raymond Vecchio on an even keel since the man was co-leader of the Tallikut Clan with his Mate, Benton Fraser. Some things would need tending to, and while Fraser was only a satellite phone call away, someone needed to handle the everyday minutia. So, while Raymond stayed in Chicago to tend to the Clan, Jeremiah remained in Seattle with the Clan’s Second-in-Command, Jim Ellison, and his Mate, Blair Sandburg. RayK and Fraser would return to Seattle once they were done freezing off their bits while mushing through the snow on their grand adventure. Benton’s black German Sheperd, Trudeau II, let the Clan Leader know it was his job to keep Jeremiah from being lonely instead of chasing a bunch of Canadian Inuit dogs across the Yukon.
Jeremiah and the two Rays had done their best not to laugh at the flummoxed Fraser when his faithful four-legged companion had sat on Jeremiah’s foot and refused to be loaded on the plane.
Trudeau patrolled Jim and Blair’s house and grounds while Jeremiah attended classes to keep his psychology credentials current. The dog prodded him to run, and Jim kept after Jeremiah to spar with him, so he wouldn’t spend all his time in his books, the mutant underground, and brooding over Ray’s absence.
The denizens of after-dark Seattle became accustomed to seeing a long-haired man dressed in weird clothes with his silent black shadow roaming their streets. To many, he was a hot cup of coffee and a willing ear to listen to their troubles. To some, a flash of amber in the eye or a show of fang with a growl sent them scurrying off to their bolt holes not willing to try their luck against man and dog. To a special few, they were saviors that opened the door to a new life. As a by-product of Jeremiah and Trudeau’s nocturnal prowling, Jim was smiling more as fewer cases landed on his desk in Major Crimes.
Along the way, Jeremiah received sly invitations to games of chance by those thinking of fleecing a lamb. As he knocked the rust off of skills learned as a way to finance his clubs in the early days, Jeremiah found he enjoyed the competition and began entering some legitimate poker tournaments. Though they needed more time to pass before they returned to Las Vegas, in the six months Ray and Benton toured the Yukon by dog sled, Jeremiah and Trudeau traveled the western US with stops in Chicago to visit Bob and Carolyn then let Raymond take him to dinner at little mom and pop Italian restaurants that he always swore were just like his Ma used to make while using Jeremiah as a sounding board for his concerns and complaints. Thankfully, any crisis that arose in Fraser’s absence was handled by Ellison and Vecchio.
By the time Ray and Benton stepped off the plane in Seattle, Jeremy Parks had begun to build a reputation as an up-and-comer to watch on the poker circuit.
Present Day
“Hey! It wasn’t my fault Raymond couldn’t buy Armani long johns and Ferragamo muggers. Fraser needed the time away from all that civilization. It’s cool to learn history from the guy that was there.”
“Mukluks, Ray.” Jeremiah chided.
“What I said, Jer. Besides, I brought back that caribou coat you swear is the best coat you own.”
“Point.”
Ray grabbed Jeremiah’s hand as they crossed the parking lot and with a mischievous smile danced his Mate through the door.
*^*^*^*
The absence woke Ray. After fifteen years of what amounted to couch surfing through various friends and Clan members as they networked through the Vampires that made people and things move behind the scenes, an alarm went off in Ray’s subconscious when Jeremiah wasn’t within reach while they slept. There wasn’t any reason for Jer to not be sleeping. The renovations to The Church were nearly finished. Basher’s team was coming in next week to wire the Internet and security. The combination of bunk beds, warm colors, and personal lockers had the old church looking like a European hostel.
Scratching his fingers through his bramble patch of hair to get the blood circulating through his brain, Ray opened all his senses including their Bond to find Jeremiah. Their Bond was quiet, but he caught the smells that meant the sliding doors were open to the backyard. Seeing a half pot of coffee, he paused long enough to throw a handful of Smarties in a cup. Filling it with coffee, he went to join his Mate on the patio.
“Why are you up?” Jeremiah frowned at the blond.
“Can’t sleep when you’re not there, and you have been there for a bunch of nights.”
“Sorry. There is a lot rattling around in my head.” Jeremiah huffed as Ray shoved and squirmed until he was wrapped around the taller man.
“Look at you trying to be the big spoon.” Jeremiah teased.
“If it gets you to tell me what’s got your undies in a knot it’ll be worth it. You nervous about next week’s tournament?”
“What? … No.” Jeremiah emptied his mug and set it to the side. He leaned back against Ray and tried to relax. “You never asked what I did the six months you and Benton were gallivanting about the Territories.”
“I figured you were doing your brain shrink stuff at the college. You said you were going to take some classes.”
“I did do that.” Jeremiah hesitated.
“Jer?”
“Trudeau II and I used to wander through Cascade … Visiting with the night people.”
“Jer!” Ray tightened his grip. He had gotten so used to the silence and the company of Benton and the dogs. Jeremiah had taken him to Lewis and Clark’s Hood River house to him time to reacclimate to the world of noise and people. By the time he was fit for polite company, Jeremiah had them headed to Salem Center to visit Professor X’s school and visit some of the kids they had relocated. “Why would you do that? Where was Ellison while you were trying to get mugged?”
“There wasn’t anyone who could have hurt me, Ray, and I helped a lot of people. Besides, I had Trudeau. He is a great deterrent.”
Silence fell between the men.
“You’re thinking of doing it again.” Ray whispered against the back of his neck.
“I could help people, Ray.”
“You help people shrinkin’ their heads … Diggin’ around in their brains until they get better.”
“What about those that can’t find me? Everyone talks about people living on the streets with mental health problems … The vets … The kids … And still do all the other things we have planned.” Jeremiah turned into Ray’s chest.
*^*^*^*
The denizens of the shadow parts of Las Vegas became accustomed to seeing a long-haired man dressed in weird clothes with his silent blond shadow dressed in black leather roaming their streets. To many, he was a hot cup of coffee and a willing ear to listen to their troubles. To some, a flash of amber in his eyes or a show of fang with a growl from the blond sent them scurrying off to their bolt holes not willing to try their luck against the two men. To a special few, they were saviors that opened the door to a new life.
~ Fini ~
Wow, I very much enjoyed reading this! Excellent!
Thank you!
Excellent story, Paula! I really enjoyed it!
—Naj 😀 😀 ❤️❤️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️