Bloodline World Seven Book Bundle: 7 Books from the Bloodline Awakened Series and Scarlet Dragon Saga

by J. P. Rice

  “I’m not saying that. I’m just saying that conventional weaponry isn’t going to do a damn thing against this faction. I’ve already said too much. You two know where the door is.” He pointed to it to expedite our exit.

  We walked back out into the bright sunlight and Gretchen immediately turned to me. “What the hell was he babbling about?”

  I smirked. “Apparently they got to him and scared the pants off of him. Not sure how he knows that they can’t be killed by bullets unless they are vamps. Unless he used that gun he was talking about. I was going to use a little magic to coerce some answers out of him, but I thought that would be unfair.”

  “You can do that?” Gretchen checked her phone again.

  “I could do a great many things, Gretchen, but you will be glad to know that we cannot abuse our powers, or we risk losing them.”

  She closed one eye. “Why would I be glad to know that?”

  “Because I could have a lot of fun with you.”

  She asked, “If you use it to glean information from a witness, how can it be considered abuse?”

  I paused for a second, figuring out how to phrase this. “I can only use magic when it is absolutely necessary, and while this seems important, it’s not exactly a life or death situation right now.”

  “Not according to that young man back there who was scared out of his wits.”

  “The other problem is that I am still somewhat in training. I mean I’ll be in training for the rest of my life, but using mental magic is tricky and I still haven’t fully mastered it. I might see or hear something that isn’t true. Then, if we acted on that foolishly, I could get in a lot of trouble.”

  Gretchen talked on the way back to my house, but I spaced out. I tried to suppress the anger toward my father and concentrate on the uprising. As a guardian of the city, it upset me that an unknown supernatural was roaming the streets of Pittsburgh. I knew the Red Cavern hated me because of my tussle with the Jersey Devil, but were the vampires out to cause trouble too?

  I didn’t have much to go on other than the watchman’s story about the supposed Men in Black, who might be working for the vampires. This didn’t give me much to go on yet. I still could barely believe that someone or something could just plow upward and out of the ground. It had to be part of a bigger plot.

  I had to talk to Alayna to find out if she had any ideas as to what was going on. I also had some friends around the city I could call to gain more info on the matter.

  Gretchen dropped me off at my house and I could see that there were people inside.

  Chapter 3

  I walked through the front door, and Alayna, Reg and Colossus were hanging out in my living room. The damages incurred during eclipse week had been repaired and I was up to date on rent.

  Alayna stood about three and a half feet tall. Her alternating braids rotated from black to platinum blond and hung to her waist. She wore her signature purple dress and matching slippers.

  “Look at this crew here.”

  Reg was the only Normal I knew who could see Alayna, the wingless, ageless faerie from the druidic underworld. Although technically, Reg couldn’t be referred to as a Normal anymore after proving he could wield magic. He said, “What’s the word?”

  I shook hands with Reg and bowed to Alayna. “My lady, hope you’re comfortable.”

  She kicked her feet up on the coffee table. “I’m doing fine, thanks.”

  Reginald Danforth rolled his wheelchair close to the table. The Vietnam War veteran lost the use of his legs during an unexpected bombing. The older, dark-skinned man had an enormous upper body. He often scratched his chin through his goatee.

  I picked up my growing dog and stroked his neck. “Have you heard about the graveyard dig up?”

  Both of my friends shook their heads. Alayna pulled her feet back and sat up. Reg’s eyes widened with anticipation. I sat down next to Alayna with Colossus on my lap.

  I stroked my dog’s head. “Jewish cemetery out on Saxonburg Boulevard. Shady stuff going on. I was just out there and it appeared that the body or skeleton by this point, pushed open the coffin and burrowed his way out of there. It was like a narrow, vertical, six-foot tunnel from the middle of the coffin, but the lid was open.”

  Alayna threw her hands up dramatically, and said, “I knew these vampire clans would start causing problems at some point. The police should have done something about them already. They feed on blood, and I’m not buying that they are only drinking animal blood.”

  I hated to defend the vamps, but my allegiance to Alayna and Gretchen left me between a rock and a hard place. “They never committed any crimes so it’s hard for the police to do anything. As far as I know, most of the clans have a deal with the blood banks to do their feeding.”

  Alayna didn’t seem to be buying it. “How many missing bodies have there been in the city over the last few months?”

  “More than usual, I’ll give you that. What do you think, Reg?”

  Reg’s forehead wrinkled in thought. “I didn’t know vampires just rose from the dead. I mean, I knew they were immortals, just didn’t know they could bust through the ground like that. That’s some power.”

  I nodded, and pointed at Reg. “That’s what I say. Anyway, this watchman told us that he was approached by these men in black type people that made him destroy the tape. Oh shit.”

  “What?” Alayna asked.

  “I hadn’t thought about it at the time, but if he destroyed the tape, he probably knows what’s on it. Reg, you know how to cut a digital feed?” I didn’t have much experience in the matter.

  He snatched my dog from me with his giant hands, pulling the animal close to his chest, and answered, “You can always go back and record over something if you wanted to, just like a video tape. If they started at the beginning and just recorded over it, the watchman might not have seen anything.”

  I tapped my chin. “But he said they made him destroy the evidence. Evidence. Hmm. Anyway, security footage is gone and this watchman won’t talk. He did, however, tell me that the men in black characters said they were coming after me.”

  Reg asked, “After you? Why you?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Dunno. If it’s the demons from the Red Cavern, I already know they want me dead. The vamps hadn’t scared me until I found out about the After Midnight Council that united all the clans. They were broken up into so many little clans and warring with each other just a month ago before the truce. Now they have a joint council and seem to be working together.”

  Alayna said, “That’s why I said the cops should have taken care of this before it became a problem. Now we have a problem. Not to change the subject, but how did it go with your father?”

  I lowered my head. “Not good. He’s still the same piece of trash that I remember.”

  Alayna leaned over and gave me a hug. A jealous Colossus jumped over from Reg’s lap and wedged himself between us. Her warmth and love cascaded over us. She spoke in her high-pitched, yet soothing voice with a slight English accent, “I’m sorry. It’s amazing that you’ve become the great young man you are without any help from your father.”

  “Says the woman who led the brigade to have me executed.” I still hadn’t let her live that one down.

  She closed her eyes and her cheeks wrinkled, irritated. “You would have done the same as I. I was carrying out my oath, same as you would.”

  My phone buzzed, and I took it out of my pants pocket. Text message from Satoku. No sir, I didn’t like it.

  Reg rubbed his beard (see where I get it) and leaned toward me. “What’s going on there? You look like you might punch someone now.”

  I couldn’t hide my emotions. One of the few gifts my father had given me. I was working on that. “I’m not happy. Satoku is going out to dinner with Felix. Again. Do you believe she had the audacity to ask me to become friends with that twerp?”

  Alayna and Reg shrugged their shoulders, and the faerie said, “I think it’s a good idea.”<
br />
  Reg spoke in his husky voice, “Me too. He probably has some Eastern ideas that might jibe with some of your stuff.”

  These were supposed to be my two best friends, by the way. “You guys are taking her side? Maybe I need some new friends.”

  Reg said, “Take it easy now, young man. You’re letting this stuff mess with your head. We’ve all been bitten by the jealousy bug before...”

  I laughed it off, overcompensating for a weakness my father had given me. “This isn’t jealousy. I share a blood line with Merlin. He killed a few big bugs. What’s there to be jealous of?”

  Alayna immediately answered, “Who he’s hanging out with. You aren’t jealous of his prowess as a mage. You hate him because he is hanging out with your girlfriend.”

  My jealousy stemmed from my father. No doubt. I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “I don’t even know if she is officially my girlfriend at this point. She’s been spending more time with him than me.”

  Reg scrunched his eyebrows down and held an open hand up like he was a crossing guard. “Slow down now. He’s one of her only Japanese friends in Pittsburgh. Of course, she’s going to want to hang out with him.”

  “That makes some sense. But if anything happens, I have Gretchen to answer to. Even if it isn’t my fault she’s leaving me for another guy.”

  Alayna poked my side. “I think you need to focus on this zombie rising to keep your mind from this woman.”

  That would probably help. “You’re right. I think I’m going to head over to the office. I’ll be back in a little bit.”

  Alayna had helped me rent an office building twenty feet down the street from my house. The tiny brick building with white siding provided more than enough space for several desks and chairs around the open room. I entered and closed the door quickly, trying not to let the winter air in. I turned to the thermostat by the door and cranked it up.

  My desk sat closest to the door, next to a window that let in the sun’s rays. The warped shadow of my computer monitor stretched across the carpeting.

  I noticed the red light blinking on the corded phone (old school) indicating a new message. I picked up the phone and punched in the code to hear the messages.

  A computerized voice announced, “Message One.” Another voice came through, “Hello, Micheal Merlino. My friends and I require your services for a special job of sorts. It pays tremendously well, but it doesn’t serve to talk about these matters over the phone. Please call 412-555-5334 and ask for Jonathan. I trust you’ll call back. Good day.”

  He pronounced my name correctly, like the classic Michael. I called the number and the phone rang several times. I prepared to leave a message when someone finally answered. A female voice said, “Hello.”

  “Hi, can I speak to Jonathan please?”

  The woman said, “Just a moment.”

  Many moments later someone finally picked up the phone. “Jonathan Rickleshaw.”

  Was this some kind of joke? Jonathan Rickleshaw was one of the thirteen elder vamps who sat on the After Midnight Council. I didn’t know what to say. “This is Mike Merlino. I just had a message from you on my answering machine.” I’d forgotten to use my deep voice routine.

  “Then I’m afraid you realize that I cannot say much more. If you are interested, come to the Purple House after midnight tonight. I can have my secretary give you directions.” He spoke quickly, like an excited theater actor, using smooth, legato bursts and dramatic pauses.

  “I know where it’s at.” Shit, should I not have said that? I don’t know if they are trying to keep it a secret.

  “Excellent. And when I say lots of cash, you can take that to the bank.” Excitement clung to his words, giving them an infectious quality.

  The corners of my mouth started to curl up. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

  “Until then.” He hung up.

  What in God’s name do they want me to do? Was this just an effort to bring me in to kill me? No. He wouldn’t invite me to his home turf, knowing I have an in with the cops. I didn’t doubt he had more than enough money to pay me for a job. The various vampire clans all had substantial amounts of money. Where it came from was anyone’s guess.

  The phone rang again and I looked at it skeptically. This wizard didn’t normally get more than one call a day. I didn’t recognize the number and picked up the phone.

  Remembering this time, I sparked up my Humphrey Bogart speak. I talked like the famous actor to make me seem older. It also helped with my social anxiety issues. “Mike Merlino Detective Service, we specialize in paranormal and occult.”

  A confused female voice came through the line, “Hello?”

  “Yes, hello, Mike Merlino.”

  “I have something you might want to check out,” said a woman with a husky voice.

  “What is your name?”

  “Rebecca Lint. I live out in Indianola on a farm.”

  “Okay Rebecca, what can I help you with?”

  She sighed. “Some crazy stuff is happening out here. It started in the barn and then it moved outside. Or maybe it started outside and then went to the barn and then outside again,” she rambled.

  “What kind of stuff? What is it?”

  She paused for a few moments. “That’s what we need you to tell us. My husband knows more about it than I do. He went out there when that stuff was happening. I think it’s best if you come check it out yourself.”

  “I’m going to need a little more information before I come out to see you. I’ve had too many false alarms putting a major dent in the gas tank.” Stupid, that sounded cheap.

  “It was like different colored fogs shaped like people floating around. Screaming and yelling utter nonsense that shook the walls of the house. The red spirit is raising the other spirits from the ground. I think. I don’t know,” she rambled again, but it added authenticity to her story.

  “I think that’s enough, ma’am. How does tomorrow at two o’clock sound?” I looked at my imaginary watch.

  “That sounds great. We need to do something about this immediately because it keeps getting worse.”

  She gave me her address and I hung up the phone. Two possible private jobs and the police investigation into the rise of the living dead in the same day. The vampire call sounded the most lucrative, but obviously the most dangerous too.

  The floating gases made me think about the Dark Artistry box that I had opened at my house on Halloween. A red spirit had escaped from that box with demonic intentions. It couldn’t be. Could it?

  No. Nine times out of ten, these calls turned out to be absolutely nothing. People thought they had seen something, yet as soon as I show up, it doesn’t come around anymore.

  My cellphone buzzed, and I sat up straight. I pulled it out of my pants pocket and recognized the number.

  “Hey, what’s going on?”

  Satoku said, “Not much. How are you?”

  “Fine. Jobs are rolling in left and right today.”

  Her tone softened, “How are you about your dad?”

  I tried to be strong. “Fine. Don’t even care anymore. I’m laser focused on my job right now. And you, of course.”

  “Of course. I talked to Felix and we want to know if you want to have dinner with us tomorrow?”

  We? Us? What the hell is happening here? “Okay. Sounds good to me. Where do you want to go?”

  “How about Thai Place down the street from where you live?”

  “What time?”

  She paused for a second. “Let’s do early. Five o’clock sound good to you?”

  “Perfect. I have to go up to Indianola to check out a job at four and then I can stop at home and get cleaned up to meet my new buddy,” I laid on the heavy sarcasm toward the end.

  “Don’t be a jerk. I’m warning you now. Just give him a chance.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  She said, “All right. I need to run so I will either talk to you later tonight or tomorrow, okay?”

  “All
righty roo.”

  “You dork.”

  I chuckled. “I know, but you love it.”

  “I do. See you later.”

  “Bye.”

  My dance card was filling up nicely over the next day and a half. I was still irate with my father, and trying to let it go by focusing on the new developments of today. I didn’t want to go to dinner with Felix, but if it would make my girlfriend happy, bon apetit. Having girlfriend and family issues at the same time wasn’t good for my wizard brain.

  I tried to think whether the vampire meeting and haunted barn in Indianola were connected to the uprising. The watchman at the cemetery stopped just short of saying it was vampires. But they wouldn’t have Men in Black working for them, would they?

  I pulled a notebook out of my desk drawer and jotted down my commitments.

  Meeting with Rebecca Lint at 2:00 p.m. to check out some strange activity.—Tomorrow.

  Dinner with Satoku and Felix at 5:00 p.m.—Tomorrow.

  Meeting with Jonathan Rickleshaw at any time After Midnight.—Tonight!

  The vampire meeting was the most intriguing, and more than likely, the most lucrative one. I didn’t want money to be rich or famous. However, it would be nice not to worry about rent or bills and have some financial independence. It would also put me in a position to be more charitable.

  I went home and spent most of the day reading a book called, A Shifter’s Voyage. I took a short nap and woke up to my cell phone alarm going off at midnight. I slid my thumb across the screen to stop it.

  Time to go see Jonathan Rickleshaw, elder vampire of the Purple Clan.

  Chapter 4

  The Purple House was located in an affluent area called South Hills. I crept up the long, snaking driveway in my car as the mansion came into view. Alayna had helped me finance a black 2002 Nissan Maxima. She put up the money and I was on a payment plan.

  The house had been painted a deep, dark purple that bordered on black and camouflaged the property at night, except for the lights on the front porch. Pulling up to the front, I almost wrecked from checking out the gargoyle statues lining both sides of the driveway. Each statue had to be over eight feet tall and chiseled by a master craftsman.