Blood Sacrifice: Vampires of Blood and Bones

by B. A. Stretke

  They appeared to be a typical gay couple in town for the Bed and Breakfast Association’s conference at the Chippewa Hotel. They looked like the type of entrepreneurs who were able to afford the conference but not a room in the high-end hotel hosting it. The rest of his team were back at Coven DuCane, waiting for the cleanup portion of this operation.

  Rawl was a tall, dark vampire with eyes that could bore through steel, and Terence, although just as tall, had a lightness about him that confused people. He was both deadly and approachable, and it made him the perfect partner for Rawl. They’d worked together often while under Bastian’s leadership, and he found them to be two of his best when dealing with surveillance. They were also ruthless cleanup men and let nothing stand in the way of securing the secrecy of the paranormal.

  They had no time to waste being moral or high minded. They already arrived late to this dance, so now they were playing catch up with Agent Theo Hawke. Master DuCane had laid out the situation to him last evening in brutal clarity, and it was obvious that Korbin was behind it all. He would, once this was over, find Korbin and show him the error of his ways, and then he would kill the traitorous shifter.

  He looked down at his phone and opened the short brief he’d received last night. In it, he learned the bare bones of Agent Hawke and also received a picture. He stared at it for a long time last night after retiring to his quarters. The face was familiar in an odd way. He knew he had not met this man before, and yet he seemed to feel that he knew him.

  Hawke was a handsome man, soft features with a dark brown stare and honey blonde hair that was styled but not particular. His lips were full and pink and inviting in direct contrast to the overall authority of the professional image. It was a puzzle he labored with even now. He would figure it out, he always did.

  Closing the file, he remained at the window just out of sight, observing the man across the parking lot. Agent Hawke got out of his car, hung a messenger bag over his shoulder, and grabbed a small suitcase from the back seat. He looked like a businessman; only this supposed businessman was taking in his surroundings in infinite detail as he walked casually to his door. He took one more glance around before stepping inside and closing the door.

  Agent Hawke was thorough, if not a little obvious, but he assumes the clientele to be about their own business and not his. He was average height with a slim yet muscular build. He wasn’t a weightlifter, but he was definitely a runner. His body was toned and controlled.

  Once he was inside, Bastian radioed Rawl and gave him the specifics on Agent Hawke. If only he could have just cornered the man and cleared his memories. He longed for the days when information did not travel at the speed of light. “He’s in.” He told him. “I’m going to the Sheriff’s office. Let me know when he leaves.”

  “Will do, General,” Rawl stated, and they closed communications.

  Bastian left out the back window and headed two blocks down to where he’d parked his car. The agent’s next stop would be local authorities, which was protocol. Bastian intended to present himself as a council member and liaison to DuCane Industries. He would offer to take him to the Palace if he wished to speak with Louis DuCane. In the meantime, he would be someone sent by the council to help the new Sheriff, Kassius Keller, get up to speed in his position. He would just play it by ear from there.

  What he’d learned over his six hundred and eighty-seven years was that the best-laid plans were never the best-laid plans, and one must always leave room for adjustment.

  …

  Theo hung his jacket on the metal rack attached to the wall by the bathroom and arranged a few things in the small drawers. Then he did a sweep of the room, and when he was satisfied that there were neither cameras nor listening devices in the room, he pulled out his phone and called Agent Lisa Schmitt. She would be joining him in a couple of days to complete the investigation. At present, she was gaining all the intelligence available on Louis DuCane and DuCane Industries.

  “Find anything interesting?” He asked, knowing that she was like a dog with a bone when given a discovery task. She could find out anything about anybody with her computer and research skills.

  “I’m shocked to say that I’ve been at it since you gave me the case, which was three days ago, and I have found nothing of any real interest.” She sounded aggravated but not defeated.

  “He inherited the business and property from his father who inherited it from his father, the usual rich family chain of power and influence but nothing criminal or supernatural that I can find. Not even anything alluding to the unnatural, which is strange in itself.”

  “Why do you say that?” Theo sat on the edge of his bed and watched out the window at the parking lot.

  “His family has been in that area of the state for a couple centuries, so you’d think there would be some good stories. Something spooky or creepy or pause worthy, but there is nothing.” She exclaimed. “Nothing but the usual philanthropic good deeds, business news, and local supportive endeavors. The guy sounds boring as all hell.” She finished.

  Theo couldn’t keep the chuckle out of his voice. “So, nothing about a nine-hundred-year-old vampire master and his coven of loyal minions?”

  “No.” she stated curt and final. Theo laughed this time.

  “Well, maybe the paranormal went off the rails a bit, but the turnover at the Sheriff’s department and the death of Deputies Clark and Lawrence are based in fact.”

  “Doesn’t mean there was a crime committed. As we said before, the department might have needed a change up, and officer deaths are not uncommon, especially in rural areas. Lawrence died of an opioid overdose, and Clark died from a wild animal attack, a bear, I believe.” She reminded him of his own words.

  “I’ll explore the evidence and speak with everyone connected and hopefully put the complaint to rest. This seems like a decent city, but the investigation needs to be satisfied one way or another.”

  “You going to visit the DuCane compound today?” She asked.

  “I’m going to the Sheriff’s office first, and hopefully they’ll escort me to DuCane’s either today or tomorrow. Why you want to come?” Theo teased. Lisa was becoming a good friend, and he knew she hated being left out of important aspects of a case. She hadn’t been at the Bureau long, only ten months, but she was smart and ambitious two things you need in order to move up.

  “I’m not sure when I will be arriving. I’m going to drive, so it will depend on the traffic. You go ahead and fill me in later.”

  “Okay, talk to you later.” Theo closed the call and walked over to the large window and closed the blinds. He stood there for a few seconds and stared at the blinds and then at the floor and then back at the blinds. He felt something, and he never ignored his intuitions, especially when on a case. He had the distinct feeling of being watched. There was nothing in the area that indicated such, but the feeling was strong.

  He freshened up and reviewed once again the charges made against the office of the Sheriff. Some of them were outrageous, but he would check them all out even if he had to ask the new Sheriff if he were indeed a hellhound. He shook his head and left the room and, while walking to his car, noticed a man leaving room twenty-six.

  Theo nodded in greeting, and the man reciprocated but did not speak. Theo slowed down, and the man got into his car and left. Yeah, he was getting paranoid. The guy was part of a couple here to take in the Bed and Breakfast conference at the Chippewa Hotel. He was alone, so Theo wondered if his other half was still inside or waiting at the Hotel. He’d given the license plate a cursory check when he saw the room next to him was occupied, but it didn’t look nefarious. Besides, the man looked at him with curiosity and not interest. But he would stay alert none the less.

  …

  “He just left, and he’s coming your way,” Rawl called Bastian and notified him that Agent Hawke was on the move. “I’m heading to the Hotel, and Terence is keeping watch at the Skyline.”

  “Okay.”

  “A
lso, he spoke with another agent by the name of Lisa Schmitt about Louis DuCane. She’s been researching Master DuCane but coming up empty so far. She’s going to be joining him on this assignment in a few days.” Rawl finished.

  “Go make yourself seen at the Hotel for a while and make it look legit. I’ll let you know when he leaves here.” Bastian directed and then closed the call. He turned to regard Kassius, who was fairly new on the job as Sheriff, but exceptionally qualified for the position.

  “He’s on his way.” He stated, and Kassius, better known as Kass, nodded and they walked together back to his office, not wanting to look as if they were waiting for him to arrive. Kass, a large and imposing individual, led the way.

  Bastian hadn’t met many hellhounds in his life, but the few he had all left an impression. All hellhounds were men, and they were large as a rule over six feet and solid muscle. They could partially shift, which was terrifying to witness and were the only shifter species he knew that could go head to head with a dragon.

  “Any word on where Korbin is hiding?” Bastian asked.

  “Not yet, but we’ll find him,” Kass assured. “It takes a special kind of evil to attack an entire subset of the population. He put families and children at risk with his revenge letter.” Kass shook his head. “If he had a problem, he should have stood up and faced it and not acted like a coward.”

  “We’re in agreement on that.” They turned to the door when Miriam appeared and let Kass know that Agent Hawke was there to see him.

  “Send him back Miriam, thank you.” He said and gave a furtive glance to Bastian as they waited.

  The moment that Agent Theo Hawke cleared the doorway and stepped towards Kass was the moment Bastian was slammed by an awareness that he thought never to experience. He was nearly seven hundred years old and in all that time never smelled anything as sweet as alluring as staggering as this human standing before him. He saw his picture and watched him from across the parking lot and was attracted. He thought it was an errant reaction, nothing important, but now that feeling made sense.

  The young man reached out his hand and introduced himself to Kass, who did likewise and then turned and introduced Bastian. He had to push it down, push it all down, and seal it away for now. Agent Hawke would become rightly suspicious if he stood there captivated by his presence. But he couldn’t control his arousal at having his beloved so near. Thankfully only Kass would detect the change in his scent. Humans were not so fine-tuned when it came to scents.

  “This is Bastian DuFort from the City Council. He also works security for Louis DuCane.” Kass introduced him, and Bastian took Theo’s hand in his and held it for just a beat, although he wanted to revel in the strength and warmth of that hand. This mission had just taken on a whole new dimension, and he wasn’t sure how he would proceed. After a quick consideration of his options, he decided to proceed as planned and deal with their connection later. Fate could be such a bitch sometimes.

  “What can I do for you, Agent Hawke?” Kass indicated for all of them to take a seat as he sat behind his desk. “I’d like for Bastian to stay since I’m new on the job and may not have all the answers you seek.”

  “Yes, of course.” He glanced over at him, and Bastian noticed that he was not the only one feeling aroused; he could smell Theo’s interest. Theo looked confident because that was his training, but he also had an edge of dismay. He felt the connection but had no explanation for it. Bastian found the subtle recognition very satisfying.

  He handed Kass Korbin’s letter, although Theo didn’t know Sheriff Korbin had written it. Kass read it and handed it to Bastian. They’d already seen the letter but went through the motions of reading it and looking surprised.

  “There’s no signature. Do you know who wrote it?” Kass asked, and Theo shook his head.

  “No, but I would guess it had to be someone connected to this office. The information was based on supposed incidents that occurred within the Sheriff’s Department.” Theo answered, keeping his eyes on both Bastian and Kass. He was weighing and measuring their every move and expression.

  Kass looked over at Bastian as if he were confused by the letter and what Agent Hawke was asking. The new Sheriff was very good at playing his part. He then swung his gaze back to Theo.

  “That letter sounds like ravings of a lunatic. Were you really sent here to determine if I’m a hellhound and if the town is occupied by paranormal beings?” he tried to keep the sarcasm out of his tone, putting on a respectable face.

  “It does sound quite fantastical, but according to the facts, there were two deputies who died within the last six months, and the entire department, including the previous Sheriff, were let go and an entirely new staff hired within that same time period. I don’t believe it’s due to the supernatural, but fraud and corruption are possibilities.” That statement was meant to get a rise out of one or both of them, but neither Bastian nor Kass accommodated Agent Hawke.

  “Okay, how can I help you with your investigation?” Kass kept a level tone that seemed to irritate Theo. Bastian was impressed with his beloved. The scent of arousal was coming off him in waves, but like Bastian, he controlled himself.

  “I’d like all the records pertaining to the death of Deputy Lawrence and Deputy Clark. Do you have any information on the murder that was stated as having been committed by Deputy Lawrence but covered up by Mr. Louis DuCane?” Another attempt at a reaction.

  “You mean David McNab, the werewolf who was killed behind the Zen bar?” Bastian spoke up with not even an ounce of irony and with infinite calm. Theo nailed him with a stare that was both hard and questioning.

  “Yes, and also the number of missing persons this area has racked up in the past two years. Rather unusual for such a low population, wouldn’t you agree?” Theo shot back just as calm.

  Bastian shrugged. “It’s a rural area next to a highway. It’s easy to disappear if you want to.” Bastian sited three examples of similar small towns with more missing person reports than Mt. Pleasant. “And I could give you more so, no, I don’t see four people over two years as particularly surprising.” Bastian was gratified when his beloved was finally looking just a touch flustered. That was an achievement considering the chill the man was trying to maintain.

  “Regardless.” He stated tersely and turned his attention to Kass. “I want to see the reports on the deaths of your two deputies, all four missing person files and the McNab murder investigation.” Kass nodded and called for Miriam to get the desired files for Agent Hawke. Bastian stood and moved towards the door.

  “I’ll leave you now, but if you have further questions, feel free to call me.” He said and turned towards the door.

  “May I have your number?” Theo asked with a quick glance over his shoulder. Bastian rattled it off and then left the office, needing some distance between himself and Theo Hawke, his beloved.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Theo was shocked at his reaction to Bastian DuFort. Yeah, he was French, and that in itself was a major turn on. But Theo had never in his professional career had trouble tamping down his arousal during an investigation. He was glad when the man left the office but also disappointed that he hadn’t stayed longer. He was confused by his reaction. He had met stunning looking men before and never had this type of reaction.

  Even after his departure, visions of his jet-black hair, which was perfectly styled to highlight the hard plains of his rugged yet refined features, danced through his mind. But it was the eyes, black as coal and framed by brows that questioned and scrutinized that were truly emblazoned on his brain.

  Sheriff Kass was speaking to him, and he quickly adjusted his attention to the case at hand, but Bastian was not far from his thoughts. “Thank you, Sheriff.” He said as he was handed the hard files and also set up with an office and a computer for him to access the online information.

  Miriam brought him a cup of coffee and closed the door when she left. He was alone now with all the information he needed to either pursue t
his further or let the whole thing drop. He would make his decision in a few hours.

  The missing persons looked straightforward and thoroughly investigated. They were still open as they should be, and the facts were sent out nationwide as is expected. There didn’t appear to be any cover-up or obfuscation that he could detect on an initial run through. He would have Lisa review them as well.

  He logged into the murder investigation involving Deputy Robert Lawrence next, deciding to follow the timeline of occurrences. David McNab shot outside a local bar. It was all there, the evidence tampering, the involvement of other officers in the coverup, and the attempt at throwing suspicion onto another. The investigation seemed thorough with the assisting officers being fired but not prosecuted due to insufficient proof of their willful involvement.

  Deputy Robert Lawrence took his own life by lethal overdose rather than face punishment for his actions. It all made sense, which bothered him. He went back and skimmed the information this time and just let his mind touch the high points and see what he found. It could be accurate, or it could be too clean with the alleged involved officers leaving and Lawrence dead the case was closed, completely closed.

  Then he saw it, a name that he had read but didn’t consider apart from simply being the man set up to take the fall for McNab’s murder. Sawyer Dawson, the ex-boyfriend of Lawrence and according to his notes current partner of Ira Shaw personal driver to Louis DuCane. It could mean something or nothing, but it gave this case a clear connection to DuCane.

  Deputy Arron Clark was the final case for today. He was one of the initial new hires but was killed by a bear while on patrol on Highway 48. 48 was a lesser-used route that fell out of favor after the main highway was built, but the locals still often used it. It also ran adjacent to DuCane property at the location that Deputy Clark was killed.