by T C Galinari
“Let’s get this settled so the decision can be made sooner rather than later.” Don rocks back on his heels as he questions Vlad. “Would you like to ride with me to the station or follow?”
“I will follow. Once we have concluded our interrogation, I have some errands I must attend to,” Vlad replies, taking one last sip of his coffee and tossing the cup in the trash can as he follows Don out of the room.
“Will you try and reach him again?” Luke requests, shifting from foot to foot.
I nod as I swallow the chai in my mouth. “I will. But right now, if it’s okay with you, I’m going to go hunt for one of Anthony’s goons to see if I can find out anything. Also, to give you some time alone with your friend in case you decide to take Vlad up on his offer.”
“Giselle, why are you willing to let Vlad change Ian, considering you hunt and kill vampires?”
“I learned at a really young age that things aren’t always black and white. Not all vampires are evil, just like humans aren’t all good. They’re just people, and sometimes people need to be taken out, and that’s what I was born and trained to do. From what I know about Sebastian, he’s a good person. Turning him may be the only way to make a shitty situation into something that’s slightly less shitty,” I explain, hoping I’ve answered the question in a helpful way.
“What would you do?” Sorrow fills his eyes.
“If I had to be turned, I’d want Vlad to do it. That said, even after all these years, I’m still not sure I want to become a full vampire. Don’t get me wrong, there are perks, but I’m not sure they outweigh everything else,” I answer him honestly.
“Like what?”
“Vampires can still go out into the sunlight, obviously, but they’re weaker and aren’t at their full strength. They can eat some human food, but not everything and all meat has to be prepared rare. Drinking blood is a necessity. Silver can, and will, kill them, and most vampires are highly flammable,” I list, watching as the wheels turn in Luke’s head at what I’m telling him.
“I guess I don’t see much of a downside,” Luke says, furrowing his brow.
“Vampires still hide from the public. They are creatures of myth and legend, so most people don’t believe they exist. They don’t have rights. It can be a very lonely life. Most aren’t out turning everyone they can get their hands on, either. Those that do are the ones I hunt down. But they do create families. They can produce children, though not without a black witch, and that is highly frowned upon. And death always follows whether it’s the vampire’s human family and friends that they outlive, having to fake their own death so that there are no questions or the animal or person they feed from. Death always lingers.”
“That leads me to my next question. Where do vampires get their blood?” he asks, leaning against the bed.
“Mostly from butcher shops. They prefer pigs’ blood. I mean, who doesn’t love bacon?” I grin, and Luke chuckles.
“Bacon is good,” Luke agrees, and I laugh.
“In all seriousness, the only time I’ve seen Vlad or his men feed on a human was when it was a life or death situation, and that hasn’t been in years. And even then, they don’t take much. A pint or two at most, and the human is well compensated after the vampire gives them a false memory,” I explain before finishing my chai.
“False memory?”
“It’s kinda like in that movie, Men In Black, but they can do that memory wipe with just a whisper. Like I said, I’ve only ever seen it a few times, and it doesn’t work on me, so I don’t really know how to explain it any better.”
Luke nods before moving toward the empty chair. “So…Ian will still be Ian?” he asks.
“Turning can change people, but for the most part, they are still the same person they were before. On the flip side, there are instances where if the person had a darker side they held in check while they were human, it can surface once they’ve changed. But that is more of a…deliberate change if you will. Those are the vampires that decide they can do whatever they want, and I am then sent to fix the issue.”
“So, as a hunter, you clean up the messes these…unruly vampires make,” Luke clarifies, his question coming out more as a statement.
“Yes, and then I destroy the vampire, as well.” I make eye contact with Luke before dropping my gaze and gathering my trash.
I need to get out of here and let him think everything over.
Luke doesn’t ask any more questions, and we remain in silence until my phone buzzes with an incoming call. I don’t recognize the number, so I send it to voicemail. Rising from the chair, I make my way over to the trash can and toss in my trash. My phone rings again, and again, I send it to voicemail. The caller tries a third time, and this time, I answer.
“Hello, my dear niece,” greets an accented voice I loathe hearing. “Have you figured out the dream walker’s plight yet? The clock’s ticking––tick, tock. You have just under twenty-four hours to help him before time runs out. For good.”
Without another word, the line goes dead.
Chapter 9
Giselle
What the hell did Anthony do?
“Luke, I have to go. That was Anthony, my crazy, evil uncle. Sebastian doesn’t have much time, and I need to see if I can find answers,” I tell him as I rush out the door.
“Go,” I hear Luke call out as I all but run down the hallway.
He wants answers just as much as I do.
Halfway down the hall, I pull up my messaging app and send Vlad a text.
Me: Anthony called. Can we trace the number?
Drac: Yes. Send the information to me. What did he say?
Me: Sebastian has less than 24 hrs for me to figure out how to save him.
Drac: I am at the police station now. I will get something from the witch.
Me: I’m leaving the hospital to do a little research. I’ll let you know if I find anything.
Drac: Be safe.
Me: I’ll try.
I bypass the elevator and take the stairs, making my exit that much faster. Getting in my rental, I debate for half a second on whether I should go to the hotel or straight for Sebastian’s house, hoping it might have answers for me. Giving myself a sniff, I opt for Sebastian’s place and start the car. It takes me twenty minutes to get there, and when I arrive, I’m met with an unexpected surprise.
“Nikolas, what are you doing here?” My voice is strained as I narrow my gaze at him.
With slow, measured steps, I make my way up the sidewalk toward Sebastian’s home. Nikolas eyes me from his perch on the porch as if making a calculation.
“Half-breed, we need to talk.”
Eyebrow cocked, I inquire, “And why is that?”
With his lips pressed together in a slight grimace, Nikolas lowers his head. “I knew your parents. Did you know that?” he asks, not answering my question.
“I’m not sure what you want me to say to that. If it’s to impress me, it doesn’t,” I fire back at him.
“It may sound like that, but no, that’s not my intention. I just wanted to give you context,” he explains, and I make my way closer to him, staying out of arm’s reach.
“Go on.” I gesture for him to continue as I take a seat on the bottom porch step.
“Many years before she met your father, your mother, Ann de Chantraine, wasn’t just a witch, and she wasn’t always a black witch. I’m sure Țepeș told you about Balthasar,” he says, lifting his head up to look at me.
“Vlad says my father was ruthless and more maniacal than he is. He’s also said that he and Anthony are about the same, and Balthasar put them to shame,” I reply, shifting to get comfortable.
“I’d met your mother before she and your father got together. It was a chance meeting, and she was discussing a vision she’d had with a few of her peers. The vision was of you. She’d seen what was to come. Knew you’d be a hunter, and one of the best there was,” Nikolas informs me.
“Is that why she turned evil?” I wonder, lo
oking away and crossing my arms over my chest.
“In some respect, yes, but you weren’t the only deciding factor. Ann did fall hard for Balthasar. When she was caught, her plan was to give you up but kill those that got in her way as she made her way back to him. You were––and still are––her only saving grace,” he adds, his voice gentle.
“Why are you telling me all of this? Do you think it’s going to make me want to change? That I’ll be more sympathetic to Anthony or what my parents did?” I question grinding my teeth as my eyes narrow and lock onto his.
I really didn’t care to listen to Nikolas’s knowledge of my birth parents. They were monsters, and humanizing them wasn’t sitting right with me. I didn’t want to know my mother had been good, or that she wanted to give me up so that I could become the best hunter, as she’d seen I would. That said, I still wasn’t a good enough reason for her not to become a black witch…and worse.
Taking in a breath he doesn’t need, Nikolas’s eyes brighten as if he’s made a decision, yet I’m not sure what he’s resigning himself for.
Is he here to attack me, or does he want a quick ending?
Nikolas lets out a long sigh. “I heard what your uncle did. This kid is a dream walker, isn’t he?”
I blink.
How does he know?
“Don’t look so surprised. Your mother saw him, as well. More accurately, she saw a dream walker.” He rakes his hand through his golden, shoulder-length locks. “Damn it. I really hate your mother some days,” he mutters.
“This history lesson has been enlightening, but you still haven’t answered my question,” I remind him, pulling a silver knife from my boot.
“Put that away. I’m not here to harm you. I’m here to help. I’m always here to help. That’s what I came to tell you. I’m your parents’ version of help, anyway. Before they were hunted, as they prepared for their deaths, they sent me to watch Anthony and protect you from him. Your father was my maker, but before that, he was a friend. I’m the one who introduced your parents to each other, but not until many years after I’d been friends with Ann,” Nikolas explains.
“How do I know you’re not feeding me bullshit from Uncle Anthony?” I question.
“I’ll prove it. First, Țepeș has a mole in his house. He goes by the name Emil,” Nikolas begins, his expression leaving no doubts about his sincerity. “Dru––the witch that attacked the boy––bit him in his dream. That’s been Anthony’s plan this whole time. He wants to turn and corrupt the dream walker and have the boy kill you,” he admits, tension threading throughout his words.
“So…she changed him?” I ask, wrinkling my nose as I shudder.
“I don’t think she finished the spell she was working before you stopped her.”
“Son of a bitch! How can I fix this?” I exclaim aloud, not really expecting a response.
“I brought you this.” Nikolas pulls a leather-bound book I hadn’t noticed closer to him. “Your mother told me to protect this and give it to you when you needed it. I’d say now is the time you need it. Just be careful with it. She didn’t want her evil magic corrupting you.”
Glancing at his watch, Nikolas gets to his feet, stretches out his arms, and rolls his neck. With very slow and deliberate movements, he bends down and picks up the book before taking the stairs one step at a time down to me.
“This is your family history, and you will find a way to help the boy within these pages. Ann saw all this happening, and she knew you’d have to save him,” he reveals, holding the book out for me to take it.
“Thank you.” I’m not sure how to settle the warring emotions going off inside of me.
“You’re welcome. I have to go. I can’t let Anthony get suspicious. Take care of yourself, half-breed,” Nikolas calls out just before he vanishes from sight.
Holy mother of God, what wonderland hell did I fall into?
With my free hand, I reach for my phone in my back pocket and get into the messages app. Maneuvering the book around, I text Vlad.
Me: I just had a very strange conversation. I may have the answers we need. Let you know soon.
Not waiting for a response, I put my phone away and head inside Sebastian’s house. Finding a comfortable place to sit, I place my Mother's grimoire down on the coffee table. Just looking at her book leaves an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. Biting the inside of my lip, I take a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves as my phone rings, making me jump.
Pulling my phone back out of my pocket, I accept the call without checking to see who’s calling. “Hello?”
“Giselle, is everything all right?” Vlad asks concern lacing his voice.
“Yes. Nikolas was waiting for me at Sebastian’s house. He gave me the name of your mole and gave me a history lesson on my parents. Seems he was one of my father’s men and introduced my parents. He gave me my mother’s grimoire,” I explain, frowning as I start to reach for the book before stopping myself.
“That is rather interesting. Have you opened the book?”
“No. I’m not sure I want to, but Nikolas believes this will help fix Sebastian. Has the witch, her name’s Dru by the way, said anything?”
“She has not. Why?”
“She somehow got into Sebastian’s dream and bit him,” I spell it out for him.
“That most certainly changes things.” His tone is sharp. Cold.
That tone always gives me chills as violence usually follows. Even with Don watching that witch, he won’t like what happens now that Vlad knows the truth.
“I doubt I will be able to retrieve any answers from this witch. Would you like help examining the grimoire?” he offers.
“I’ll do it. It sucks, and I really don’t want to touch her book, but I can do it,” I reply stoically.
“If you change your mind, send me a text, and I will either come to you or send Christopher. In the meantime, who is the spy?” he grits out.
“Nikolas said the vampire goes by the name of Emil. That name doesn’t ring a bell for me,” I admit scrunching my nose.
“Son of a bitch. When I get my hands on that little shit, he is going to wish for a quick death,” Vlad rants on, and I have to pull the phone away from my ear. Hearing Vlad’s speech going from his usual formal language to modern-day slang is shocking. Yep. Emil is going to see Vlad Țepeș in his full sadistic glory, and for once, I don’t want to be there to see it. Vlad’s ranting finally stops, and I put the phone back to my ear.
“Giselle, I must go. There is a witch I must dispose of, as well a mole. Little one, that grimoire was destined to be yours since before you were born. You will not become your mother because you read it. You are much stronger than she ever was,” he emphasizes, giving voice to my unspoken fears and concerns before disconnecting the line.
With Vlad’s reassurance helping to bring my own apprehension under control, I reach for my mother’s book, pulling it onto my lap. The musky aroma of the old book with hints of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla takes me back to a simpler time when I didn’t know I’d been born to the evil that lurked outside.
Put on your big girl panties, Giselle. You’re a hunter, and this is just another tool.
Chapter 10
Sebastian
It’s taking me hours to dig myself out of my grave. I’d never really given much thought to how deep six feet really is, but digging myself up is giving me plenty of time to ponder it.
This is crazy. I feel like I’m digging my way to China. Why do we even have that saying? It's silly, and no one could realistically dig to China!
Yep. This is me and all my crazy thoughts, ladies and gents. If Luke was here, he’d be laughing his ass off at me. One of these days, I’ll tell him about my dream walking adventures. Though maybe not this specific one. He’d lose his shit. Hell, right now, I want to lose it too.
Dragging myself out of the soil, I find Giselle sitting beside my grave dressed in skinny jeans with holes in the knees and distressed on the thighs, a long-sle
eved gray henley with a hood underneath a fall jacket vest, and some kickass knee-high boots that would hurt like hell if she kicked someone. Even with her black and platinum-colored hair pulled back into a messy bun, she is stunning in this casual look. I’m taken aback by the sight of her. She reminds me of my mom. Even when she was dressed like a bum––her words, not mine––my mom still seemed put together in a strange way.
"Finally. I didn’t think I’d reach you," she declares, her voice sounding sultry. Or maybe that’s just my wishful thinking coming from my oxygen-deprived mind.
“What do you mean?” I’m a little confused by her words.
"I’ll explain as we get out of here. Come on. You'll be safe with me," she replies, getting to her feet and holding out her hand to me.
I study her and her hand for a moment before taking it and letting her help pull me the rest of the way out of the dirt. Even in my dream state, I feel a bit inferior to her. This is the second time she’s been there to help me when I needed it. And I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to repay her.
How did I ever think that other creature that embraced me was Giselle? They look nothing alike.
“How did you know where to find me?” I ask, breaking the sudden silence.
“I’ll tell you on the way,” she answers curtly, turning as she walks away into the night and away from my grave.
My jumbled thoughts are going about a mile a minute, and I don’t follow right away, too shocked to move.
She came for me. Why? What does this mean? Does she know why my dream had me buried alive?
“Sebastian,” she practically growls my name, “I can hear you thinking from here. I swear I’ll answer all of your questions, but I need to get you somewhere safe. Come on!”