“I have a present.” Kristoff crowed, fishing in his coat pockets. He pulled out a little flip phone and tossed it to her. “Here you are. Hold down one and you get me, hold down two and you get Kolya. Only we have the number and you are not to use this to contact anyone else.”
“Yesss Massteerrr.” Growled Amelia, examining the small device. It seemed relatively simple for someone who’d never owned a cell phone.
“Good. Now we’re off to the Brooklyn Bridge.”
Amelia eyed Kristoff. “What? Are we doing extreme hitchhiking?”
“Nope, we’re going to examine the beneath of it, I think I could get a few good shots of the architecture that way.”
“Can I point out it’s getting dark and the monsters like such places?”
Kristoff gave a sly grin. “Of course. You could use a beginners class on hand to hand. I also need to gauge what you can do so far. Thus, onward into the sunset my fair vassal.”
This sounded like a painful night.
Chapter 10
Going down towards the water always smelled bad. It was an eternal truth. Pollution, unwashed bodies and other things unknown floated like flotsam on both the water and its shore. Amelia shivered and clutched Kristoff’s camera as he examined the area critically trying to decide where he wanted to start shooting. Meanwhile the underworld denizens of the bridge examined them with hungry eyes.
Kristoff motioned Amelia forward, “Here I think.” Then without looking back he made a gimme gesture for the camera. Amelia complied, noticing that the rats were indeed as big as cats, and looked just as hungry. She cleared her throat.
“Where’s your cane tonight?” Amelia looked around, swearing the shadows were closing in.
Kristoff pointed his camera at the skeletal struts of the bridge. “Home.”
“So…What will we do if attacked?”
“Defend ourselves.” He didn’t even pause in shooting as he answered dismissively.
“With what?”
“A good hunter does not require accoutrement. Now, as you see. I’m busy.”
Amelia rolled her eyes and wandered to the water’s edge. The shore was made of broken bottles sharp like bared teeth stuck in sludgy sand. For what had to be the nth time she wondered why she was hanging out with a screwball. Then she noticed a small crucifix in the black murk. Amelia dug around in the ick, and fought the need to gag as the slimy water slipped around her fingers. But once she got the jewelry free Amelia choked on her breath.
It was Mona’s.
“KRISTOFF!” Amelia yelled, holding the necklace out from her body as if it would bite her. He whipped around in annoyance.
“Yes?”
“What’s the meaning of this?” She stomped angrily towards him, waving the necklace in his face.
Kristoff frowned. “That is unfortunate. I’d hate to speculate on how such a thing got here.”
“UNFORTUNATE? This is my sister’s!”
“Really Amelia, I could be anyone’s, it’s just a simple crucifix.”
“No, I would know this one anywhere. Don’t you remember what I told you?”
“Assuming you are correct. Remember what?”
“She was murdered by…Never mind.”
“No, explain.”
“It’s nothing,” Amelia slipped the necklace in her back pocket.
“It is not nothing obviously, and I won’t tolerate this level of mystery from someone I’m working with.”
Amelia shook her head. “Ridiculous, you aren’t exactly forthcoming with your history. It’s none of your business.”
“For the simple fact I’m training you, if this represents a possible danger, you need to tell me. Now, I won’t ask again. What do you think this signifies?”
“If you won’t ask again then we’re obviously done.” Amelia snapped.
Kristoff glared and shouldered his camera to cross his arms threateningly over his chest. “Look, I told you my sister died a few years back - murdered. She was killed by a vampire….The crucifix was missing when she was found.” Amelia gritted out.
Kristoff frowned softly, “I’m sorry, I’d not understood the implication. But you know, if it’s here, that’s not a good sign.”
Amelia exhaled deeply, trying to re-compose herself. “I know.”
“So somehow you thought this meant I was involved?” Asked Kristoff in both annoyance and discomfiture. “Just because you found it while I was with you?”
It was Amelia’s turn to be disturbed, of course this had nothing to do with him. Why had she flown off the handle? “I’m sorry,” she murmured. She had to admit with her lack of luck finding Nikolais over the years, it seemed she had started jumping at shadows, desperate for a clue.
Kristoff raised an eyebrow. “Then in order to let me clear my name I shall help you solve your sister’s murder.” He said decisively.
“It’s been solved.”
“If you know who did it, why is the perpetrator loose?”
“I told you, it was a vampire.”
“Yes? And you come from a hunting family.”
“It was a very powerful vampire.”
“Who?’
Amelia shook her head, “You’re new to town you wouldn’t know him.”
His lips pursed into a fine white line, “A hunter does his homework before moving into new territory. Try me.”
“He calls himself Nikolais.”
“Ahh, the apartment building you constantly stake out. I see. He is a bit for you to handle isn’t he?” Kristoff asked wryly. Amelia’s face flamed.
“Yesss. But that won’t stop me from trying, he has to be taken down.” Amelia hissed out.
“As I said, I will help you then, however, for us to take on the head of the local clan, I need to have proof he did it. I won’t stir such a hornet’s nest without aolid cause.”
“But…she was hunting him, then she was dead. It had to be him.”
“It sounds like you don’t have anything but suspicions.”
Amelia shook with self righteous rage at his cavalier attitude about her sister’s killer. “I was there, she was getting too close to him and he got her. You weren’t even in the country at the time!”
Kristoff stood like stone. “I promised to help you find and eliminate her killer. I did not say I would kill an innocent man.”
“You’re protecting Nikolais? A vampire?”
“No, I’m just not stupid. To kill Nikolais out right would be a certain death sentence. Which I don’t mind fighting out of. But I do not want to risk my life - or yours - on some Quixotic vendetta against windmills.”
“What do you care? You just employ me. What I do in my personal time is mine.”
“First off,” Challenged Kristoff. “I do care. And Second, if I am training you, you shouldn’t have time to be roaming around on a half-cocked quest for vengeance.”
Amelia gritted her teeth. “I’m not sure your help is worth that.”
“Too bad, you should know deals between witches are binding. It is a matter of honor.”
Suddenly it occurred to Amelia what she had agreed to, she spent so much time thinking of Kristoff as a spoiled rich kid, that she forgot that he was an accomplished hunter from an acknowledged clan. Her agreement, no matter how silly, was binding.
Amelia groaned. “Alright, but this is my business. I’ll take care of Nikolais in my own time.”
“You’ll need my help and I’m training you. As it stands, you aren’t even close to ready. Even in a year you won’t be that good. He’ll decimate you and you’ll just be another pet. Do you know if your sister lives at his side even now? Did she rise?”
“No, she was returned to the clan truly dead.”
“That doesn’t sound like Nikolais. He’d find making a pet of a Dagda hunter a worthy acquisition.”
“Acquisition? He’d keep her? I don’t understand, what do you mean?”
“That it doesn’t fit.” He shrugged off the camera and shoved it at her. Then he star
ted pacing the sandy shore in thoughtful agitation. “Nikolais doesn’t deal in messy death, he assimilates his adversaries, turns them so they become assets - a sign of his power. Was there anyone else she was stalking? Besides, why would he bother to toss her necklace in the Hudson?”
“Maybe he tried converting her and accidentally killed her… maybe she fought… That’s it, Mona wouldn’t go down with a fight.”
“What was the state of the body?”
Amelia gulped and squze her eyes tight trying to block the image of her broken sister out. “She’d been bitten repeatedly, to the muscle in some places, her neck was torn…it was …horrible.”
“No, that doesn’t sound like a conversion gone wrong.” Argued Kristoff. “He’d have glamoured her and it would have been over. He doesn’t damage his pets.”
“Like you would know.” Amelia groaned, “We’re not getting anywhere.”
“There, you are right, we have too little to go on right now. This will take work. And you aren’t becoming a better hunter anytime soon if we don’t train you.” He straightened and stood. “Come at me.”
Amelia looked at him like he was crazy. “Isn’t this a bit of a quick subject change? Besides I have your camera.”
“Ah. Right. Give that back to me.” Amelia handed it over.
“But if I hit you won’t I hurt the camera anyway?”
“You won’t get that close.”
“So sure are you?”
“Come at me.”
Amelia waited and decided to throw him off by staying still, acting like she wouldn’t do it. Just as he relaxed to smirk at her challengingly, she charged kicking out her leg in a swift move meant to hit his sternum. Kristoff grabbed her ankle and flipped her with it. Amelia found herself going toward the dirty rocky ground with a cry. But before she hit the ground, Kristoff grabbed her and set her right. “Try again.” Kristoff continued calmly. Amelia felt the adrenaline rise, she had just started and he was already beating her.
Amelia let her body go slack and his grip loosened, in response she kicked out low to sweep his legs from under him. This time Kristoff let her fall on her ass. “Sorry, I can’t catch you when you’re falling on purpose.” He snickered. “Again.” Amelia stood and scraped some of the sticky soil off her butt and glared. She started circling him, but he stood still giving her his back, deceptively loose. Amelia decided playing fair was overrated and went to kick out at his knee to knock him down.
Kristoff's dropped to a crouch to miss her kick, then darted up again. He stood and rotated on his foot in a graceful arc around into her stomach.
“OOoof.” Cried out Amelia. She was quickly becoming beaten up. In rage she grabbed his foot as he spun away, and she yanked. But instead he raised his other foot in a different scissor kick, knocking her off balance again and just missing her face. Amelia fell to the ground, while Kristoff landed in a lithe crouch.
Amelia jackknifed up and started swinging madly, each fist grabbed as it came forward. She was so angry. She kept going until, Kristoff just grabbed her coat lapels in one hand and lifted her off the ground. After struggling a little longer, she went still. She glared deeply as she panted for breath.
Kristoff set her down and crossed his arms still looking cocky. “We will start with the fact that you telegraph your moves, your eyes giving away your plan of attack as they dart around to the point you intend to impact.” Amelia grimaced. “Next. Once you have planned your first moves and executed them, you simply start improvising and losing your concentration. You do not strategize past that first move. You fight with passion and fire, but sloppily, allowing your emotion and frustration to steadily degrade your strategy and style as the fight continues. The shot at my knees was good, so was dropping your weight. Always fight dirty. Vampires will, always. Don’t hesitate to take low blows. You are fighting for your life and not for a title belt. I think we’ll try this again with a little coaching now.” He smirked “Kick me like you did the first time.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Giving up already?”
Amelia rushed him and kicked out. Kristoff grabbed her ankle again and didn’t let go. Amelia stood balanced precariously on the opposite foot. “So, what happened there?”
“You were too fast for me.”
“Vampires are faster,” He pointed out. “No, I’m not too fast, you can make the first move, but then you do not move further in your mind to how you would counter the next attack when it comes. Now, drop your weight. and kick out with your free foot toward my knees.”
Amelia looked confused but dropped to her bottom and kicked out to hook her opposite foot around Kristoff’s knees. He jumped back before she could get a catch. Amelia groaned in defeat from the ground. “No, that was good.” Kristoff said. “I’m just better than you. But in a basic fight that would have been good. So, you’re on the ground now. A bad place to be. But both feet and legs are free again. Throw your weight through your legs your feet and pop yourself back up to a stand. As you do, you can take a shot with a fist because the attacker will often be taken by surprise. Try it.” Amelia swung her legs up and then planting her feet she came back up and immediately went for a hook to his jaw as she moved through the leap. He jumped back and landed in an offensive crouch. Amelia eyed him.
“What?” She asked impatiently.
“Actually, wait for me. Watch.” He admonished. Amelia did.
Kristoff rushed her head on. Thinking back to Kristoff’s moves she dodged to the side and flung her arm out, shoving his back as he passed to push him in a quicker forward motion -making him stumble.
As usual he caught himself. “Good. Good. If I were less experienced my momentary stutter would have cost me. I think we can stop for the night,” He smiled, dusting off imaginary dirt from his immaculate coat. “You need a shower,” Kristoff wrinkled his nose. “You smell like dead fish.”
Amelia brushed herself off further and grimaced, she did smell like dead fish. “I guess I’ll go home for the night.”
“Did I say that?”
“What? I can’t just walk off the street anywhere and get clean clothes and a quick bath.”
“You can go home and shower, then we’ll go back to the studio.”
“Ok, I’ll meet you in an hour.”
“No, I’ll just come along to your home and wait. I could use to warm up.”
“I did not invite you to my home.”
“It would be polite though,” He pointed out. “It’s a cold night and I’ve been spending my photo time teaching your ass.”
“You can wait in the apartment building’s hall, that’s it.” She said firmly.
“Alright.”
Chapter 11
Kristoff followed as Amelia led him toward her defunct apartment building. He eyed the neighborhood in disgust, just as unimpressed with Jack’s living quarters as he was the first time. Until they reached her door. Where once there had been a rusted knob, there was now a finger print scanner and camera. Kristoff smirked, apparently his visit had shaken Jack’s apple tree.
Amelia turned briefly to him, probably to explain, but Kristoff just shrugged. “Whatever you require to be safe in this tenement, I’m all for.” Amelia looked a bit flummoxed by his blaise response but just turned and pressed her finger to the scanner. A series of thunks signaled several deadbolts falling into place, and then the door swung open.
“Amelia!” Jack’s voice came from somewhere inside the apartment. “So glad you’re back, I need you to run to the all-night -I’m out of Mountain Dew!”
Amelia cleared her throat beside him then glanced over, “I can’t, I’m kind of…busy.”
“What?” Jack came stomping out, then froze when he saw Kristoff. Kristoff slit his eyes threateningly and shook his head, warning the British mage to keep his counsel. Jack glared back, then turned to Amelia, “I see you’ve brought home a friend.”
“He’s a vampire hunter too.”
“I’m sure he is.” Jack replied sarcasti
cally, baring his teeth at Kristoff. Kristoff narrowed his gaze further and silently sneered out a bared fang. Jack blanched. “Any friend of yours is a friend of mine.” Jack ground out. “Come in…what’s your name?”
“Kristoff.”
“Just Kristoff?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph.” Jack turned to Amelia, “When you’re done playing VanHelsing I thought perhaps we’d get Chinese for dinner. Your friend could join us.” Jack smirked.
“Amelia and I have a prior engagement, we’ll be unable to stay.”
“What? Aren’t you hungry?”
“Famished.” Kristoff snarled back threateningly. Amelia meanwhile was watching the two volley back and forth in confusion.
“Surely you could stay for a glass of red wine.” Jack snickered.
“But Jack, we don’t have any wine… You don’t like it and I can’t afford it…”
“Ah, so it is. Pity you’ll be leaving us to a quiet dinner by ourselves.”
Kristoff was about to argue that he’d be leaving with Amelia so Jack would be eating alone, but one look at her reminded him that she was already a malnourished wisp of a thing and she probably needed the calories. Kristoff cleared his throat, “Your charming roommate is right, it has already been a long evening. We’ll get back to the studio tomorrow.”
“I can go back out…”
“No, I think a good dinner and rest would work wonders for you. Stay in tonight, lyublyu.” He smiled down at her fondly. Kristoff could see Jack just beyond looking at him suspiciously through slit eyes. In the spur of the moment, just to taunt Jack, Kristoff swiftly bent down to Amelia’s level. Her scent hit him first, a mix of lavender, frankenscience and leather. He fought the urge to breathe her in. “But in return I’ll take a goodnight kiss.” He grinned and quickly pressed his lips to Amelias. Then realized what a bad idea this had been. In the process of pretending to be attracted to Amelia to taunt Jack, he realized he was attracted to Amelia. Pulling away slightly he looked into Amelia’s shocked and reddening face and considered moving in for a deeper kiss.
A Guide to Vampire Hunting: ...and other failures (Alchemy Inc. Book 1) Page 7