by Parker Blue
“Can’t you do that on your own?”
Austin turned to look at me. “You are the best person to handle them without hurting them. And you seemed so concerned earlier about the demons they drank from. Don’t you want to know who the demons are and if they’re all right?”
HE HAS YOU THERE, Fang said.
Like I needed to be reminded that Austin always had the upper hand. Dang it, I really wanted out of that contract. But he was right. The demons here weren’t close family like the ones in San Antonio—more like distant cousins you didn’t really want to hang out with but still felt akin to. I didn’t care about Dina, but I owed it to Micah—and David and Pia—to find out what was going on.
I sighed. “Of course I do.” I gazed down at the two we’d caught, remembering how mindless they’d appeared. “Austin, did they seem more out of it than the ones in San Antonio to you?”
Austin nodded. “You have a theory about that?”
“Yeah. I think they drank a lot more demon blood than the others.” If the demons in question even had any left. “I’ll go back to the park tomorrow in the light of day and see what I can find. We didn’t get a chance to look around much.”
“I appreciate it,” Alejandro said. “I’ll ask Lisette to send a clean-up crew after nightfall tomorrow to get the deer and anything else you find.” He paused for a moment, then added,
“It is close to dawn and we have much to do here. We’ll see you tomorrow at sunset.”
Oh, good. Free time. I headed for the elevator before he could change his mind, with Jack and Fang following. What should I do? Call Shade? No, he could call me for a change. Besides, he was probably asleep. The question was, who was he sleeping with? Not that I distrusted Shade, but Dina’s succubus could force him.
I winced. No—don’t go there. That place hurt.
HOW ABOUT FEEDING YOUR FAVORITE HELLHOUND? Fang asked plaintively. AND JACK IS HUNGRY, TOO.
Jack’s stomach growled, right on cue. He shrugged, looking sheepish.
Thankful for the distraction, I said, “Okay, let’s get something to eat.”
A diner was open nearby, so I grabbed some breakfast and took it back to the room so Fang could eat with us.
While we ate, I decided to grill Jack some more about the books. “So, what else can you tell me about the books?”
“What do you want to know?” he countered.
Sheesh. Squeezing info out of Jack was like trying to take pizza away from Fang. Even if you could eke out a little, what was left wasn’t worth much.
VERY FUNNY, the hellhound said.
“If I want a particular ability, can I ask the encyclopedia for it, or do I have to look through the whole thing to find it?”
“You can ask.” Jack shrugged. “But whether the books respond or not is up to them. And only the second two volumes have spells. The first is merely an encyclopedia of demons and other nonhuman species.”
I knew that. “So, if I decide to read one of the spells to get an ability, do I lose some of the succubus abilities right away?”
“No, not until you use the new spell or ability.”
“Then how much succubus power do I lose?”
Jack paused, then said, “It depends.”
COME ON, DUDE, Fang said. IF YOU DON’T TELL HER, I CAN READ IT FROM YOUR MIND, YOU KNOW.
From the widening of his eyes, I gathered Jack hadn’t thought of that. And didn’t like it much.
“What does it depend on?” I asked him.
With a sidelong glance at Fang, Jack said, “It depends on how difficult the ability is and on how long and how intensely you use it.”
GO ON, Fang said. TELL HER THE REST.
I raised my eyebrows at Jack. “Give.”
“Some spells you can use all the time, like the shield Trevor used. Others, once you use them, you have to wait a period of time before you can use it again.”
Oh, wonderful. “How do I know which is which?”
“There’s usually an indication on the page, at the bottom.”
In other words, read the fine print. Mage demon lawyers… just peachy. “What else aren’t you telling me?”
He hesitated for a moment, and Fang said, HE’S WORRIED IF HE TELLS YOU EVERYTHING, YOU WON’T HAVE ANY MORE USE FOR HIM. HE ISN’T FAMILIAR WITH THIS TIME, SO HOW CAN HE SUPPORT HIMSELF?
“It’s okay, Jack,” I told him. “Micah will find something for you to do. That’s what the Underground is for, remember?”
He nodded, but the tight expression around his eyes showed he didn’t quite believe me.
“It’s all right,” I told him. “There’s time.” And now that I’d finished eating and relaxed a little, I suddenly felt all of the day’s aches and pains clamor for my attention. And that wasn’t even taking into account how tired I was. “How about we get some sleep and do some more searching in the morning?”
“Good idea,” Jack said, and left for his own room.
I cleaned up the debris from the take-out and checked the windows. Since this was a vampire establishment, they had excellent black-out metal blinds that completely cut off the light. I made sure they were closed and asked Fang, “Need anything before I take a shower?”
He settled down on the bed. NOPE. JUST SLEEP. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT VIOLENCE AND MAYHEM TOMORROW WILL BRING.
I chuckled. “Maybe it’ll be uneventful.”
Fang snorted. AROUND YOU? I DOUBT IT.
Chapter Thirteen
I woke around two in the afternoon, and by the time I roused Fang and Jack and fed them, it was almost three.
I stood up from the table outside the diner. “C’mon, guys, daylight’s burning.” The sun set around five thirty this time of year. Luckily, someone had left keys to one of Alejandro’s cars hanging on my doorknob with the license plate number on a tag.
I drove back to the park and there were a few cars around, but not many. I hadn’t noticed it last night, but now I saw a sign saying, “All pets on leash.” I read it aloud to Fang.
I’M NOT A PET, he said stubbornly.
“I know, but no one else does.” And there was a Parks and Recreation truck parked in the lot, with a man inside watching us. “Don’t worry, I won’t keep hold of it unless I have to.” I rummaged in the backpack for the leash, carried for times like this when Fang had to pretend to be a real dog, and snapped it on him.
“You lead the way,” I told him, trying to make him feel better.
He set a brisk pace that Jack and I had a hard time following, until we got to the place where the coyote had been killed. “Okay, let’s search.”
“What are we looking for?” Jack asked.
Good question. This was Dan’s area of expertise, not mine. “I don’t know. Any kind of clue. Another pile of ash, a scrap of fabric or any sign of where the vampires may have holed up during the day.” A big sign with a pointing arrow saying, Clue Here would be nice.
I dropped the leash and we investigated the area around the ash pile that had been Etienne. We didn’t find anything, so we went to take a look at the areas where the animals had been killed. Jack headed for the deer and Fang took off in his own direction, trying to sniff up some identifiable scents, I guess. I took the coyote kill, checking every square inch around it.
I was bent over, peering at a bush, when I heard a voice behind me. “Didn’t you have a dog earlier?”
Startled, I spun around to see a fit middle-aged man with a Parks and Rec logo on his shirt. Pressed pants, short haircut, very straight arrow. “Sorry, you scared me. What did you say?”
He smiled, the kind of smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I said, didn’t you have a dog earlier?”
From the expression on his face and the book in his hand, I gathered he was about to write me a citation.
“Yes,” I said carefully.
“You know they’re supposed to be leashed.”
“Oh, he is. My friend has him.” I turned in the direction Jack had gone. “Jack, can you come here?”
Fang, I called mentally. Find Jack, tell him what’s going on and have him bring you here on the leash.
Fang grumbled, but knew it was necessary. I heard some rustling through the underbrush, then Fang bounded out, with Jack behind him holding the leash. Fang sat down beside me, his tongue lolling out, making him look innocent and goofy.
Nice touch.
I THOUGHT YOU’D LIKE IT, Fang snarked.
“What is it?” Jack asked, looking at the guy and acting dumb. He was almost as good at it as Fang.
I nodded at Mr. Straight Arrow. “He just wanted to be sure we had… Snookums… on a leash.”
SNOOKUMS? Fang said indignantly. COULDN’T YOU COME UP WITH A BETTER NAME THAN THAT?
Sorry. Not on such short notice. I didn’t want to get into a whole conversation about Fang’s name.
Jack nodded, saying heartily, “Of course we do, sir. We’d never break the law, would we, love?” Jack grabbed the man’s hand and pumped it. “Thank you, sir, for everything you’re doing to keep our parks safe and clean.”
Fake much? Tell him to tone it down a notch, willya? I asked Fang.
ALREADY DONE. HE’LL KEEP IT ZIPPED.
“Call me Ben,” the guy said. Then, “What were you doing there?”
“What? Where?” I asked, stalling for time. I could use Lola to force him to do what I wanted, but I didn’t see any need for that yet.
“You were looking very closely at that bush. Did you lose something?”
“No, I uh… I’m just doing some research.”
“Research on what?”
“On the area. For a book.” Then in case he didn’t get what I was trying to say, I added, “I’m a writer.”
NICE SAVE, Fang complimented me.
“Really?” Ben’s face lost its tension and he looked more interested. “What kind of book?”
“Oh, a novel. A horror novel.” My life certainly resembled one.
“Have I ever heard of you?”
How the blazes would I know who he’d heard of? “No, I’m sure you haven’t. This is my first book and I need to do some more research on exactly what kind of foliage and stuff are in the park.” There. That ought to explain why I was examining the bush.
“Maybe I can help,” he said, grinning. “What do you need to know? I know a lot about the park.”
Maybe he could help. “Well, you see, I have this girl who’s been kidnapped right here and dragged away by a monster.”
“What kind of monster?”
“A vampire.”
Jack made an abortive movement, evidently out of surprise that I’d said the v word, but kept his mouth shut.
“Like Dracula?” Ben asked.
Sheesh, was that the only vampire he’d heard of? “Kind of, but this one is scarier and meaner.” Trying to keep him on my track, I said, “So, picture this. It’s nearing daylight and the vampire has to find somewhere to hide away from the sun. Are there any caves nearby where he might hide out? I want to get the details right.”
Jack looked at me like I’d just grown a brain he didn’t know I had.
Fang said, GOOD ONE.
I thought so.
The guy thought for a moment. “Couldn’t you put the story near Bee Cave or the Inner Space Caverns?”
“No, it has to be right here—the book is almost done so I can’t change it. And the cave needs to be close.”
He scratched his chin. “I don’t know of any caves near here, but do you think he might be able to hide under a rock overhang?”
“Good thinking. Do you know of such a place?”
“Maybe. Most people come here for the swimming, hiking and biking in this part of the park, but a few get off the path. You think a vampire would?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay, then follow me.”
We followed Ben and thrashed our way through the brush as he led us toward an outcropping of rocks. “On the other side,” he said.
So, we clambered over the boulders while Jack and Fang went to find a way around. Fang wasn’t made for climbing rocks, and since Jack had the leash, he had to follow the hellhound.
Ben jumped down on the other side of the rock and grinned, gesturing at the area underneath. “Will this work?”
“It just might.”
WHAT DO YOU SEE? Fang asked.
A big gray rock with an overhang, I told him. The area underneath is tall enough for several men to crouch under. And it looks like it goes back a ways.
“Think a vampire could hide out here?” Ben asked.
“Yes, I do.” Several, in fact. “If you don’t mind, let me go in alone to get the feel of the space.” And keep him out of Lola’s proximity.
“Sure. Do your thing.”
I wasn’t sure what kind of thing writers did, but Ben probably didn’t know either. I crouched down and went as far underneath as I could, trying to look like a writer taking note of all the details. Crap. I just hoped there wasn’t a vampire there now.
There wasn’t, but there was enough space farther in for several people to lie down where the sun wouldn’t reach them. And I recognized the smell. Wes and Ronald had been here, all right. I felt around for clues, but the only things under this rock were dirt, twigs and dead leaves.
My backpack bumped against the rock above, making it difficult to go farther, so I slipped it off and felt around in the dark. Wait—there was something. Two somethings. One felt like a piece of fabric and the other was something small, smooth and flat. I wanted to get a good look at it, but if I took it into the sunlight, Ben might see it and take it away from me.
So I stuffed it in my backpack and made my way out of the space.
Jack and Fang had evidently found a way around, because they were waiting there.
WE FOUND SOMETHING, Fang said.
So did I. What did you find?
ANOTHER PILE OF ASH. AND A BELT BUCKLE.
Maybe the other missing vampire?
“Well?” Ben asked. “Did you get what you were looking for?”
I brushed the debris off my clothes. “Yes, I did. Very spooky. Perfect for my book. Thanks so much for showing it to me.”
“No problem. Anything else you need to see?”
“No, that’s it.” He might get suspicious if we hung around, and I wanted to get rid of him so I could get a good look at what we’d found. “You ready to go, Jack?”
He nodded wordlessly, apparently taking Fang’s zipping instructions to heart.
We went back to the stream, Ben following us all the way. He’d turned from being a hard-ass into a burr I couldn’t shake. On the way back to the parking lot, he asked me tons of questions about my story, and I made things up with Fang’s help. The hellhound watched a lot of television, so he gave me a plausible plot.
When we got back to the parking lot, I dumped the backpack in the back seat. “I know it sounds confusing, but it makes sense when you read it. Thanks for your help, Ben. I appreciate it.”
“Sure, no problem,” he said genially. “Say, what’s the title? I’ll be on the lookout for it.”
I opened the door and sat in the driver’s seat, hoping to give him a hint. “I don’t have a title yet.”
“Oh. Well, then, I’ll just look for your name. What is it? You didn’t tell me.”
My inventiveness was tapped out. What was a good horror writer’s name? “It’s Steph—Stephanie. Stephanie Queen.” I closed the door in his face so he couldn’t ask me any more questions.
He took it in stride and waved as I started the car and pulled out of the lot. “I’ll watch for it,” he yelled to my retreating car.
“You do that,” I muttered.
STEPHANIE QUEEN? Fang asked, snickering. HOW ORIGINAL.
I shrugged. Hey, it worked, didn’t it?
Jack reached down to unhook Fang’s leash. “Fang said you found something. What is it?”
“I don’t know, but when we get far enough away so I’m sure Ben isn’t following us, I’ll take a
look.”
A couple miles later, we went through a drive-through for some drinks, then parked in the back of the lot. “Let me see the buckle you found.”
Jack handed me a metal belt buckle that looked like a skull with a cowboy hat being choked by a snake. It was certainly distinctive. Maybe it would help identify someone. “Let me see what I found.” I pulled the pack out from the back seat and rummaged inside, then came out with the two things I’d found under the rock—a wallet and a scrap of fabric. “Well, well. You think this might be a clue?”
DON’T GLOAT, Fang said. OPEN IT.
I did, and the young face that stared back at me from the driver’s license was one I’d never heard of. “Adam Bukowski. Do you know that name?” I asked Fang.
NOPE.
I rifled through it, but it contained only the normal stuff you’d find in a wallet. Nothing saying “Member of the New Blood Movement” or “Bloodsuckers-R-Us.” Though he did have an expired University of Texas student ID.
“Nothing,” I complained. “What was it doing under the rock?”
“What about that?” Jack asked, pointing at the fabric.
Ah, now it made sense. The scrap of fabric was denim, with the imprint of the wallet outlined in faded white where it had rubbed against the material. “He must have ripped his pocket off on the rock without realizing it.”
“You think it belonged to a vampire?” Jack asked.
MAYBE. OR MAYBE IT BELONGED TO SOME GENERIC SCHMUCK FOOLING AROUND WHERE HE SHOULDN’T BE. Fang snorted. WOW. SOME CLUE YOU FOUND THERE, BABE.
But I wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. “Maybe. Maybe not. Let’s do some checking.”
By the time we got back to the blood bank, it was almost sunset. I waited until the sun was fully down, then knocked on Austin’s door, leaving Jack and Fang-the-Cynical behind.
This time, Austin was fully dressed, thank goodness. “Hi,” I said brightly. “Have a computer?”
He raised his eyebrow but ushered me in. “In the corner.”
Of course. Lisette would provide her special guests with all of the latest toys. I crossed the room to the laptop and switched it on. Right about now, I sure wished Shade was with me. He was a real whiz with electronics.