The Shadow Box: Paranormal Suspense and Dark Fantasy Thriller Novels

by Travis Luedke

  The look in my eyes must have been one of horror; his laughing grew in volume. “A snack?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “You mean Amun feeds off you?”

  “Yep.”

  “And you don’t mind?”

  He was laughing again. “Mind! Hell no! It’s one of the perks of the job.” My confusion must have spread across my face quickly. He continued, “Have you ever done drugs?”

  A little out of left field but okay I’ll bite. “Weed years ago. Why?”

  “Okay, imagine the best high you’ve ever been on then multiply that by a thousand. You’ll have some idea of what it feels like to be a willing meal for someone like Amun.” He said it with a shit-eating grin on his face.

  “You’re going to need to explain that one to me.” I needed another smoke for this story.

  “You think that by donating blood it would hurt right.”

  “Yeah, I take it I’m wrong?”

  “Eh…” He shrugged his shoulders. “Only half wrong. If a vampire attacks you, it’s gonna hurt like hell. If you have a friend that is a vampire and you donate, they can make it the greatest feeling you’ve ever had. They enter your mind and keep you on that edge of pain and pleasure.”

  “You get mind raped so they can have a meal?” The sarcasm sounded heavy even to me.

  He didn’t take any offense to it. “You can’t rape the willing.”

  “Good point.” I don’t care how good it felt, I don’t think I could bring myself to allow such a thing.

  “I have a few.”

  “Why doesn’t he just take the blood of humans?”

  “He does.” He searched his mind for a way to explain. “You know that vampires get their energy from blood right, just as you do from food and I from meat?” I nodded; I didn’t know he needed to eat meat. “Well there are different… strengths… to blood. Human, lycan, gypsy, witch, necromancer, the more magical, shall we say, the more potent the blood.” Good to know.

  “Isn’t it close to sex for them? Taking blood?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And you don’t mind that either?”

  “Nope. I swing both ways. Doesn’t bother me one bit.”

  “Whatever twists your tits?” Everyone has their own style. Hell, and I thought foot fetishes were odd.

  He was laughing at my last comment. “Yep.”

  “So,” subject change, “why did Michael send you to service Amun?”

  “Well,” he said, adjusting his legs, “I ran in this world before I was turned. I, um… donated before.” Something about how he said that told me there was another story behind it. One I didn’t think I wanted to know. “Michael knew my feelings towards it. Other than that, I don’t know why he sent me.”

  “You don’t think it’s because he trusts you.”

  He just looked at me blankly. Had he really never thought of it that way? Did he totally miss that he was the diplomat of his pack? I didn’t think so. He was just following orders and took no pride in doing a good job. After speaking with both of his masters, I could tell they both thought highly of him. His eyes shut for a moment. “Amun’s awake. I’m to take you down now.”

  I stood up brushing the dust off my jeans. “You know Johnny,” I said, “I’m glad I didn’t have to cut you that day.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “You’re not a bad guy.”

  He didn’t respond aloud, he just bowed his head and lead the way to Amun. Just like every other visit, the doors opened on their own. I was beginning to wonder why. Not that it mattered, just a hint of curiosity.

  Amun again was in his study. “You came alone.” He was reclining on one of the sofas.

  “Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea for you and me to have a chat. Try to figure me out and all.”

  He set his book down. “Yes, I would love the opportunity.” He still worried me, though I’d seen into his mind, there were too many secrets still around him. “Jonathan, would you please excuse us.”

  “Thanks, Johnny.” I nodded to him. He bowed. Damn, that shit had to stop. But before I could make a protest he’d left.

  “Please, sit.” A graceful hand offered the other couch. “Can I offer you anything?”

  “No thanks, I’m good.”

  “Very well. Where then do we begin?”

  “Before we get in to the whys and the how I am the way I am, I’ve got something else to ask you.” He questioned with a lean of his head. “Can you please tell Johnny to knock off the bowing shit?”

  “Does it bother you?”

  “A bit, yeah.” I was trying not to sound irritated. “I don’t see myself as above him. I know there are vampire laws about how he should act to me. But for fuck’s sake, can we tone it down to ‘only when necessary’? Please?”

  “Your powers do place you higher than him.” He sounded so damn matter-a-fact about it.

  Oh I thought I’d be in for trouble, but I just couldn’t hold back. “When it comes to experience, I am beneath him. And I hold experience in more regards than powers that I don’t know how to use. A man can carry a bigger fucking gun than I have, but if he’s never been in a firefight, I don’t want him at my side. Does that make sense in your world Amun?” Oh I thought I was going to die right then and there. But there was no anger in his expression. Was I safe, or was he really mad behind that cool exterior? I guess I’d soon find out.

  “I do understand your feelings, Mr. Black. But there is no place for it in our laws. Power gives you your placement. That is the way it is. However, I will talk with Jonathan, he will be more personal the next time you arrive. I only ask that you understand there will be times that he will have to show you the level of respect you should be given.”

  This was a hopeless battle. “That’s all I ask. Do you always follow the laws so strongly?”

  “No.” He grinned, that eerie grin of his. The one that says ‘I’m too evil to trust but you want to anyway.’ Oh how he must have worked to perfect that grin over the centuries. “No, this is why he, and every other lesser vampire, does not offer you their necks as you walk past.”

  Damn. “I going to assume when I meet a council member, their vampires aren’t going to show me that same level of respect?”

  “Unlikely, a master must deem you worthy first. Now,” he said, resting his cheek against his long outstretched fingers as he leaned into the arm of the sofa, “about you.”

  “About me.” I leaned back ‘til I was fully reclined on the upper edge of the couch, interlacing my fingers, staring at him eye to eye.

  We sat in utter silence for I don’t know how long. Neither of us moved, we sat like statues, just gazed at one another, not to intimidate but to understand the problem that we both faced. “What have you discovered?” He broke that golden silence.

  “Unfortunately,” I broke the eye contact, “nothing helpful, only stories of witches and such with little to no details on how they got their powers.

  He looked frustrated, though not with me. “I’d hoped,” he spoke slowly, “that The Guild had other interests besides vampires and lycans.”

  “If they do, all the information is kept restricted. And none of us have access to that area of the library.” He rolled his eyes, not surprised by the news. The frustration hadn’t left his face yet. “Did you have any ideas?”

  “A few, but they are only theories. To my knowledge only three beings have powers such as yours.”

  “Witches, gypsies, and necromancers.” I said cutting him off.

  At that there was a look of pleasant surprise to him. “Yes. But which?”

  “I haven’t a clue.”

  “The gifts,” I was beginning to hate them being called gifts, more like headaches, “you carry are, telepathy, and foresight. Those are what we know of. As your life in this world progresses, more may show themselves.” My life, I hadn’t even thought about that. There was no way I would be able to go back to being the old me anymore. After this adventure how could I? If I
didn’t die, I’d be hunted by the vampires that served the Council. This world, still so strange to me, was now mine. I had no way out. My life would always belong to this world of night.

  For a moment I said nothing. “But…” I had nothing to finish the question.

  “What’s bothering you, Mr. Black?”

  “Everything!” I lost my cool and was on my feet. He didn’t move. “I’m lost, Amun. I’ve been pulled into this upside down world and nothing is the same. Here people need me, they depend on me. Out there, before all this, I was alone. Now nothing is right, not even me. Amun, I am changing for reasons that I don’t know. That you don’t even know. I’m lost, with no guide!” I dropped back to my seat, my face buried in my hands. “I’m sorry, Amun. I should not have spoken so abruptly to you.”

  “There is no need to apologize, Vincent.” He’d never called me by my first name before. I lifted my head to look at him. Through the loose strands of my hair that fell around my face and hands I saw he had sat up and leaned toward me. “We have all expected so much of you and thought nothing of how these changes might have been affecting you. It is I that should apologize to you. We need you in our fight, there is no doubt of that. But we need all of you not just the gifts.” I laughed a bit at the term gifts.

  I brushed the hair out of my face and leaned back again. “So what do I do?”

  “We continue to search for answers. But you must also begin to let your friends in. Lean on them, as they do you. I am here if you ever need a guide in anything, both mystical and mundane. Everyone needs someone to talk to,” he said, and smiled as he continued, “even us immortals.” Almost mirroring me, he pulled his hair out of his face and rested against the back of the couch. “In the end we are all alone, but while we live there is no need to be, only if you chose it.”

  “I guess three thousand years helps with wisdom.”

  “Three thousand?” It sounded like a question. “Only sometimes. You’ll think differently when you meet some of the Council. But you needn’t worry about that now. I will leave you with this. Witches and gypsies share many of the same abilities. They have some control over all energies. Necromancers have total control, once mastered, over dead energies.” I wondered what he meant by dead energies. There was no need to ask when he continued. “Dead energies are the essence of the once living, ghosts, spirits, and yes, vampires. Witches and gypsies powers run through their families, but the powers are often untouched if not taught from a very young age. Powers over the dead generally do run in families but skip too many generations to be learned. The reason I lean toward a heritage of necromancers, is due to your powers increasing with the presence of the dead. However, you have had a conversation with Michael in your mind, correct?”

  I nodded. “Yes, once.”

  “And you can feel the living moving around you, despite not being able to see them?”

  “Yes.”

  “Odd.” Odd? Odd?! No fucking shit it was odd! “Hmm…” He looked solemnly at me for a moment. “I’m afraid that without knowing your family tree, it is a waiting game. Do you have any relatives that you could contact?”

  He must have seen the anger growing in my expression. He looked curious but didn’t press the issue. “My mother is dead, and I have no ties with my father.” I left it at that. He understood that my family was a taboo point.

  “I hate to end the night on a sour note, but I have yet to feed and the hunger grows within me.”

  “Thank you for everything, Amun. Again, I am sorry for my outburst,” I spoke, as I rose to leave.

  I took his offered hand and a strange power fed between us. It was unsettling. But I didn’t feel like questioning it just then. My temper was still too hot from my family being brought up. I knew he felt the spike in power between us, so I was sure that we’d talk about it when the time was right.

  “As I said, there is no need for apologies. Thank you for coming tonight, I do enjoy your company. I pray you remember my words. All of them. Leaning on others creates strength, it doesn’t take it away.”

  I had nothing else to say, so I left without another word. On my way out, I didn’t see Johnny anywhere. I thought that he might have been the meal Amun was referring to. However, whether or not I was right made no difference.

  Alone, I got into my car and drove back toward the mansion.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The drive was not without troubles. As soon as I pulled out of my parking spot, a small SUV a half a block behind me began to follow. Following me around one turn, maybe two, I could pass off as coincidence. After the third turn, and the addition of a matching truck, there was no chance of that. I was being chased. I could easily outrun them. But if I did that, I’d have no clue who they were or why they were following me. Those were questions that I wanted answered. For a while they kept their distance, they were only following. As the half block distance began to close, I started to wonder if they wanted more than just to see where I was going. They were close enough to feel that they were human. And also close enough to see the machine gun the passenger had. Just fucking great. I swore I’d fucking put a bullet in each of their heads if they put one scratch on this car.

  “You’re not alone.” Amun’s voice rang in my head.

  “Yeah, no shit!” I said aloud, figuring he’d still hear it. “Where are you?”

  “I’m above you.”

  “Above me?!”

  “Yes.”

  “This is just so fucking wonderful!” I was getting annoyed with the whole situation. And Amun being in my head wasn’t helping. “What the fuck are you doing above me? How the hell are you above me?!”

  “I’m flying.”

  “You can fly?!” He could fly! Oh the night just kept getting better. “Are you coming down here to help me out?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Thanks.”

  Then he was silent. I was again feeling alone, with two trucks full of bad guys on my ass. I needed both hands to drive this car. So if shit went bad and shooting started, I needed help. My only help was flying, that’s right flying, above my fucking head.

  “What’s the plan?”

  No response.

  The rear vehicle suddenly screeched to a halt on the side of the road. I could tell by the lean of the front end, one of their tires had blown.

  “You did that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thanks.” That time I actually did have something to thank him for.

  “I think one group is enough to worry about right now. Their fire power seems to outmatch yours.”

  Wow, he’s a quick one, that vampire buddy of mine. Leaving the city and their comrades behind, the SUV quickly accelerated to close the remaining distance. With the room to run, I opened up the Porsche and let her fly. “Now what?! They don’t look like they want to play anymore!”

  “I’m coming down.”

  “Coming down?” Before I’d even finished the question, he’d come through the open roof and was seated next to me looking back at the still following truck that was merely two headlights by then. “Hi!” I yelled over the engine. I would have said it was nice that he dropped in, but I thought it was a little too punny. “Can you drive?” The road was straight enough that the car wouldn’t hit anything if I let go of the wheel.

  “Yes.”

  “Switch me places.” I jumped up and over his head, as he seemed to just appear in the driver’s seat, he’d moved so fast the car didn’t lose any speed.

  “What is your plan?” he asked. “Kill ’um.” I thought that was obvious.

  I was kneeling in the passenger’s seat facing our tail. Struggling with the wind, I put my hair into a messy ponytail and produced my pistols. I dropped out the magazines filled with silver shot and replaced them with ones filled with standard 40cal. rounds. Waste not, want not. When the slides clicked forward, I said, “Bring ‘um close.”

  He didn’t question, he just slowed the pace. His only comment was, “Don’t kill them all. We need in
formation.” Fuck, he was right. But I wanted to kill them! He didn’t say anything about not killing them after the information was collected, right?

  “I know.” By that point we were a few miles from where we’d lost the second truck and in the open country. It was a small bit of comfort. Out here there was less chance of bystanders getting caught up in the mix. Innocent people getting killed kinda got on my nerves.

  There were only two men in the truck. Since we were in a right hand driven car and their truck was British made, I was on the opposite side of the passenger, which in theory meant he’d be the one shooting. Though I would try to take him out first, I wanted them at a close enough distance that I could get a clean shot at both sides of the SUV, just in case my theory fell through. I crouched in the seat waiting for that key distance. Watching out of the small slit that passed as a rear window, I tried keeping myself hidden. I didn’t want them knowing I’d been joined by anyone ‘til I was in control. Surprise can be such a wonderful asset to have when you are outgunned. So I waited.

  It took longer than I thought it would for them to catch up. I didn’t realize just how great the distance I’d gained had been. But they were getting closer. I clicked off the safeties. Closer. I adjusted my weight. Closer. I took a deep breath. Closer. The passenger began to lean out the window. The idiot didn’t put the gun out first. His head and shoulder were exposed. Now! I thought. I rose in the seat; fully erect on my knees. A gun aimed at each of them. Two shots blasted from the gun in my right hand. The first of the bullets was high, the second hit home. His head burst open in an explosion of red, like a tomato hurled against a wall. His body fell limp half in, half out of the truck. I felt the horror of the driver as he realized what had happened. He was reaching his arm out the window, a gun in hand. I released my next shot. I didn’t want him dead just hurt enough to pull over. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do that. But I shot to the side of his head and low, hoping for a shoulder hit. Hoping, because shooting left handed at a moving target when I was doing 80 plus miles per hour is not an easy thing to do. The windshield spider-webbed around the entry hole and the truck jerked uncontrolled for a second before he regained the wheel. He’d dropped the gun. That, at least, was a bonus. I couldn’t tell if I hit him or just startled him. Whichever it was, he was slowing down.