2 Sean Hayden

by Hayden, Sean

  Thompson wasn't happy after I told him about my post shower visitation. He wanted to be here when Strozzini came back, but I pulled a puppy dog maneuver and got him to concede to let me meet with him alone. I knew absolutely nothing about the stranger in my room last night except his name. I don't know why, but I figured bringing a werelion on our first date would piss him off.

  After getting my gun and jacket on, someone knocked on my door. I took a deep, unnecessary breath and made my way to the door. I peered through the peephole and saw Thompson standing there holding a newspaper. I smiled and turned the handle letting him in.

  "You made the paper again," he said and tossed the Sacramento Bee into my hands. I took in the picture of me going into the limo head first with several silver stakes jutting from my back with grace. The headline read, "Close Call for governor." I read the article quickly and gave a little inward smile at the "heroic FBI agent who saved the governor" part and frowned at the "second attempt on his life" part. The rest of the article contained a brief history of Greer's political career and fight to become governor as well as the reporter's theories as to who had been behind the attempts on his life. The fact that Greer used to be the mayor of San Francisco surprised me. I felt a little miffed that he left that part out of our conversation last night.

  "At least they didn't call me his girlfriend," I said nonchalantly to Thompson and tossed the paper back to him.

  "That would've been more like your luck lately. The press loves you," he said with his usual chortle. "What time is your guest coming?"

  "Anytime now. You better get out of here," I told him as politely as I could.

  "Do I need to tell you to be careful and how much I don't like this?"

  I laughed. "No, Thompson, I'll be a good girl. I promise."

  He just nodded his head and stood to leave. "I'll be keeping an eye on the governor while you're entertaining. Call me when you're done and I'll let you know where I am. I had the office drop off another car. Connors wasn't too happy about it, but he'll get over it. I don't think he likes us very much."

  "I don't think it's us, I think it's vampires in general. If anything interesting happens text me or call," I said and ushered him out the door. Once I had it fully closed, I leaned back against it for a moment. I wasn't afraid of Strozzini; I feared what he wanted to talk about.

  I busied myself straightening the room. I wrapped the garbage bag containing my blood soaked clothes and left it tied in the can. I don't know why, but I made the bed and covered up the rip marks with the thick comforter. I knew once they changed the linens they'd see the damage, but I didn't want my guest to get the wrong impression.

  Just as I finished, a tentative knock sounded from the door. I sighed and made my way over and peered through the peephole. Strozzini stood in the hallway. I debated not opening it and pretending I wasn't there, but he smiled at me from the other side of the door. I rolled my eyes and turned the handle and stood aside.

  Without so much as a by your leave he strode into the room as if he owned the place. I laughed to myself, for all I knew he did. I wanted some answers from my new friend. He walked to the little desk table, sat and crossed his legs. He waited for me to close the door and join him. I glanced down the hallway then locked the door before joining Strozzini.

  "What can I do for you, Mr. Strozzini?" Impatient didn't begin to describe my mood as I pulled out the heavy chair and sat down on it.

  "Please, child, call me Antonio."

  "Only if you call me Ashlyn, Antonio." I smiled. The "child" thing was getting a little annoying. I didn't mind when Darenthalis, my elven instructor at Quantico called me that, but this guy made it sound a little condescending.

  "Very well, Ashlyn. I have one question to start and I beg, answer me true. When did you become a vampire?" He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, and stared intently at my face. I avoided his eyes, closed mine, and thought very hard on how I wanted to answer him.

  I decided to stick as close to the truth as possible and tried to say, "Eighteen years ago." It's not what came out of my mouth. I heard myself say, "I've always been a vampire."

  "How many years have you been this way?" Antonio continued as if it were the answer he expected.

  "Eighteen years," again the truth to his question flowed freely from my mouth before I could edit my response.

  "How did you survive a silver stake through your heart?"

  "Silver doesn't bother me like normal vampires," I said and froze. This had gone on long enough. I clenched my fists and my talons pierced the palms of my hands. The pain felt refreshing, almost clearing the fog that had settled in my mind. I looked up from the table and met the man's gaze.

  The room fell away. We hovered a few feet apart over two vast oceans that surged and flowed against each other. Mine rolled like a stormy sea, while Antonio's surged forward, pushing against mine with incredible force. Our bodies became illuminated from within and I spoke.

  "Why are you doing this to me?"

  "You intrigued me last night with your bravado and unbelievable strength. I simply needed to know the truth."

  "What do you plan on doing with the information? Why do you care?"

  "I don't think I'll be sharing that information with you right now, little one. You have much to learn." He smiled. His waters churned and began forcing the tide of mine back. I snarled and willed my ocean to push back, almost like a liquid game of tug of war.

  His look of superiority vanished, replaced by surprise. I could feel him strain under the onslaught of my waters. He redoubled his efforts, as did I. I watched his tide fight against mine and then suddenly recede as mine pushed his forward. He gave an anguished cry and the light illuminating him from within flared.

  I came to in my hotel room, quite alone. I lay sprawled on the carpet next to the chair I'd been sitting on. Both it, and the one Antonio had occupied, lay tipped over, so at least I knew he'd suffered as much as I had. I looked around for any traces of him, but he'd apparently woken before me and fled. He could have at least left a note. How rude! Next time I saw him I'd have to shoot him. I owed him at least that much for the pain in my head he'd left me with. I got up off the floor and pulled out my cell phone, dialing Thompson without so much as a thought. Thinking hurt way too much. I would have to avoid it for at least the next day or so.

  "Are you done, kid?"

  "You could say that, where are you?" My question came out through clenched teeth, my own voice reverberating through my head.

  "Governor Greer is about to give a press conference about the incident last night. Why don't you come down to the mansion? I don't think the people trying to kill him will try again here, but you never know."

  "I'll be right there." I pressed the end key.

  * * *

  I walked up to Thompson while he stood behind Greer who was still wrapping things up with the reporters. Walking out onto the stage had been a huge error on my part. The press stood and started shouting questions beginning with, "Agent Ashlyn," all at once. Before I left the hotel I opened my mini-fridge and downed a couple pouches of lycanthrope type A I kept stashed for emergencies. I'd started to feel better until the questions started.

  I held up my hand and walked to the podium which Governor Greer reluctantly relinquished to me. I fought the urge to rub my face and bent the microphone down to something more suited to my height.

  "Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, this is Governor Greer's press conference and I'm sure he answered any and all questions you could possibly have about last night's incident. Thank you," I said and turned around. I expected them to be satisfied. Silly me.

  "Agent Ashlyn, how did you survive being shot with silver multiple times," one reporter shouted as soon as I turned around. I ignored him and let Greer handle it.

  "As I said earlier, Jim, the stakes weren't made out of silver, they were steel and meant as a warning," he fielded the question expertly. I found myself impressed with Greer's lie. I wouldn't have thought o
f that one.

  He answered ten more questions, all about me of course. With each question I felt a little more comfortable. Next time I found myself at a press conference, I'd have to give him a call. Some people were meant to be in front of the camera; I wasn't.

  Greer ended their questions and walked off the stage. Thompson and I followed him, grateful for the end of the ordeal. I didn't like being in the spotlight and Thompson had a natural aversion to anything that might get us in trouble. We wound our way through the bowels of the mansion and ended up in the study where we'd first met the governor. Without waiting for an invitation, I sat in one of the comfortable leather chairs.

  "Won't you sit down?" The sarcasm practically dripped from his voice.

  "Thank you, Governor. I've had a rough evening."

  "What happened?" I smiled at the concern Thompson showed.

  "Antonio and I ran into a little mental impasse." I filled him in, forgetting the governor had vampiric hearing too.

  "Who?"

  "A vampire named Antonio Strozzini, do you know him, Governor?" I watched his face go from pale to about three shades shy of translucent.

  "Could you repeat the name?" I knew he'd heard me, but I repeated it anyway. "This isn't possible, why would The Council be here?"

  "Isn't the council made up of local masters of various cities? I thought they didn't get involved." I waited for a response. Greer dropped his arms to his sides and sat down in the chair opposite me, gripping the arms of the chair like he wanted to extract several gallons of juice from it.

  "Not the North American Council, the Council," he said like it clarified everything and emphasizing the word meant something to me.

  "Let's pretend I don't know what you're talking about, Governor," I said and lowered my eyelids halfway, suspiciously.

  "Marcel never told you about The Council? I figured he would since he was once one of their enforcers."

  "No. After my making he pretty much left me on my own. I'll have to give him a call," I said and meant it. "What do you know about it?"

  "I have broken enough of their laws, and if they wanted you to know, I'm sure Strozzini would have told you," he said dismissively.

  "He didn't get a chance; he kept forcing answers as to why I lived through having a silver stake through my heart. It ticked me off, so I rolled his mind."

  "You what," Thompson and Greer said simultaneously.

  "He kept trying to force truths from me, so I turned the tables and started asking him questions." Greer became pale enough that I worried for his health. "Are you okay, Governor?"

  "Is she serious?" He asked the question without even looking at Thompson.

  "I'm afraid so, Governor. Ashlyn has a very straightforward way about her and unfortunately her power doesn't match her experience. I've often likened it to an infant holding a fully loaded forty-five," he replied, which pissed me off.

  "I'm an infant now?" I looked at him and could feel my talons piercing the skin of my palms, but his comment stung a little.

  "No, but you're young and powerful enough to scare me sometimes, kid," he said earnestly.

  It made me feel a little better.

  "I could see The Council checking up on me, I have taken an office in direct authority over humans, but I didn't think they would care. It's just a governorship. Their edicts clearly state, 'no title of monarch may be assumed by our kind', but I won the election. The citizen's of the State of California elected me as governor. That's a huge difference."

  "Is it? Could it be The Council trying to kill you, Governor?" He paled further at my questions, but seemed to assure himself.

  "They probably have come to question me or at least make sure the vampire community is comfortable with the idea. If they wanted me dead, it wouldn't be with car bombs and snuffers."

  "Snuffers?"

  "The guns that shoot the silver stakes," Thomson supplied.

  "Agent Ashlyn, right at this moment, I'm more afraid for you than I am with their concerns for me. You are obviously an anomaly, and the bad part is now you have come up on The Council's radar, so to speak. Be careful, and if I were you, I would hide. Go back to Chicago and spend some time with Marcel. If anyone can protect you it would be him."

  "Unfortunately, Governor Greer, I took an oath to the FBI. My job is here and I can't hide from anybody. Plus, I'm just not that type of person," I added and watched him nod resignedly.

  Chapter 6

  The governor had a charity benefit to get to. I tried to talk him into riding in the Suburban instead of the dented limo, but he told me he'd already had it replaced. I sighed and resignedly sat in the back with him while Thompson drove. I half expected Greer to be afraid of me and sit as far away as possible, but it appeared he'd put last night's events out of his mind, like I should.

  Thompson put the glass partition up, which struck me as unusual, but I figured he wanted to be reminded of last night less than I did. I doubted he'd called Marion, his wife, and told her about it. I felt horrible and resolved never to feed from him again, even if it meant the difference between life and death.

  We pulled up to one of the many homeless shelters scattered through the Sacramento area. The governor would be ladling soup to wealthy individuals for the low price of five hundred dollars a bowl to support the growing needs of the shelter. I couldn't eat it, but I had a check already filled out for a donation. I know what it means to go hungry.

  I opened the door, stepping out in front of the governor. I really hoped not to get shot tonight. I hated clothes shopping. We made our way into the kitchen while Thompson parked the limo. I expected the shelter to have a particular smell, but bleach prevailed. I guess they'd scrubbed it in honor of the governor.

  Rows and rows of tables occupied every square inch of the dining area which separated it from the bedrooms. The kitchen we entered was enormous as well. Huge kettles stood against the wall and people stirred soup and stews with what looked like small boat oars. The shelter obviously housed more people than I'd imagined. The governor met with the aides who'd organized the whole shebang and started discussing the events of the evening. I stood guard.

  The whole ordeal with the governor and Strozzini really put me on edge. It's hard to describe, but fear doesn't really come in to play. I honestly just dread anything coming in the future. I've just started my life and I already have to constantly worry about doing my job competently. Now I have this whole other world I want nothing to do with, threatening to disrupt it. I wonder if they'd accept that I wanted nothing to do with them. Maybe pigs will sprout wings.

  "I called Marcel," Thompson said from behind me. I didn't jump, but he scared the hell out of me. I really needed to shake myself out of the mental hole I'd dug myself into. Concentrate on the moment.

  "What did he say?"

  "He'll be here before sunrise."

  "Oh, really?" I could barely keep the surprise from registering in my voice.

  "Yeah, he seemed very concerned. No offense, but I'm getting kind of tired of all the vampire crap," he said with a grin to soften the blow.

  "Me too, big guy. Me too." I fought the urge to cry.

  * * *

  I guess the bad guys took the night off because the charity event went off without a hitch. Well, at least without an assassination attempt. I guess the events of the previous evening turned off a lot of potential donors who wanted to spend five-hundred dollars for soup. Guilt gnawed at my insides and ended up writing a check for five-thousand dollars. The governor raised his eyebrows when I handed him my check. All in all, the entire benefit raised ten. The event made the eleven o'clock news as a flop. "Danger keeps charity goers away." Reporters suck.

  We left the governor tucked away safely in his mansion and made our way back to the hotel. Thompson had told me Marcel would arrive before sunrise, but I hadn't expected him to be waiting for us in the lobby. I held my breath when I saw him. It had been a while since I'd last seen him, and the memory of my time spent with him came rushing back. I
did however, resist the urge to fling myself into his arms. I hated how the whole situation made me feel, but damned if I'd let anybody else know it.

  "Hello, Ashlyn, got yourself in a bit of trouble again I see," he said without any hint of smile. I looked at his face, and found absolutely no comfort there.

  "Hey, Marc. Just exactly how much trouble am I in?"

  "Let's talk upstairs," Thompson said and got our attention by pointing to the corner of the lobby. I looked around and saw a few people at the desk checking in, but behind them, almost out of view, stood Strozzini. He made no motion to move toward us, but his gaze focused on me intently.

  Enough was enough. I scowled and turned toward my vampire stalker, but before I could walk over to him and tell him to leave me the fuck alone, Marc firmly grasped my arm and directed me to the elevator. Part of me wanted to protest, but the frightened child in me won the argument. We rode the elevator in silence. I hadn't wanted to, but when I opened my mouth to speak Marcel held up his hand for silence. We also passed our floor.

  The elevator opened two floors above and then sneaky Marc led us up another flight of stairs. He probably thought Strozzini stood on the first floor watching the electronic floor display by the elevator door. He should get a job with the FBI.

  We walked down the hall to the last room on the right and Marc reached into his jacket pocket and produced a key card exactly like mine. He slid it into the locking mechanism and the light above the handle blinked green. He opened the door and ushered us inside while watching down the hallway for any movement. I gasped when I walked into the room. It spanned twice the size of my single room, had several private sitting areas, and a sliding glass door leading out to a balcony. We had to be on the top floor of the hotel. I felt a little jealous at the luxuriousness of the room. I made my way over to a comfortable looking chair and sat down.