by Lily Luchesi
“Hey. Good as new, huh?” she asked, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She was the type of woman who always looked beautiful, even when exhausted and with no makeup. He had not seen her in months and was surprised she had come to his rescue. Even he could admit that he’d treated her horribly after they’d killed Vincent.
He suddenly felt shy. “Thanks to you,” he said. “I appreciate your coming to my rescue last night. What happened with the werewolf corpse?”
She sat up, moving the blanket aside. “The PID coroner took care of it. So, tell me what happened?” She moved aside so he could sit.
“Well, I went for a walk and the werewolf came up on me and tried to eat me. That’s pretty much the long and short of it,” he replied.
“Were there others? Did he mention a pack?”
Danny shook his head no. “Oh, there was one anomaly. It was in mid-transformation. Like those ones from my past life.”
Angelica froze. “Tell me you’re joking.”
“Why would I joke about this?” he asked. “It’s serious, isn’t it? Weren’t the werewolves like that cursed before?”
She nodded. “Yes. By Guilfoyle. But I killed her last year.”
Chapter Two
“What the fuck are you going to do now? Angelica, are you sure you killed her? Positive?” Danny asked, running a hand through his already askew curls.
The look she gave him could have curdled milk. “I know how to perform an execution, thank you. The first thing we need to do is sleep. I have not rested properly in months, and you’re still recovering from a werewolf attack.
“We can meet up after sunset at the offices.”
“No.”
Angelica looked back up at him, and she felt herself trying to contain her frustration. On the list of things she despised, insubordination was near the top. “Excuse me?”
“I’m done, I told you. I am not doing this anymore. I want out, and I have been out. Don’t drag me back into this life,” Danny said.
She stood up and said, “Tough, Mancini. You got into this mess by engaging the shifters. By law, you’ve got to come to the office and file a formal report. Meet me there at sunset, and if you’re not there, I will send someone to fetch you.”
She walked to her front door and held it open for him to leave, not wanting to give him time to respond. She watched him carefully, wishing in her heart that things could be different. Well, it’s like that old saying, if wishes were pigs…
Danny stood, and she recognized the look of resignation on his face.
“Fine, Angelica. We’ll do it your way. No need to send your werewolf goons to fetch me.” He left then, slamming the door behind him.
“We have a problem,” he said.
“Lovely. What now?” she groaned. “We have enough going on I have to fill you in about.”
“Your lead agent in Paris? The one you sent there in the late 80s?”
She nodded. Miranda Valdez. The vamp she couldn’t execute before she woke.
“She’s back.”
Danny watched the vamplet’s eyes widen.
Angelica started to protest, “She shouldn’t be here. Her family could—”
The director cut her off. “I think it’s best that you go in and interview her now. What can I do in your stead?”
“Danny will explain. Thanks, Frederic.” She sighed. “I hate Mondays.”
As Danny began to tell the director he needed to file an incident report, Angelica opened the door to the director’s office and saw Miranda sitting there, looking just as she had twenty-six years prior. Her brown hair was full and shiny, her skin was still olive despite being unable to be in the sun whatsoever and her dark eyes sparked with emotion.
“Hello, Agent Valdez,” she said, closing the door behind her. “What brings you back to the US?”
Miranda gave Angelica a death glare as she got up from her chair. “My parents are both dead. You told me, once all my loved ones were gone, I could come home. Here I am.”
“I’m sorry about your parents, Miranda,” Angelica said cautiously, “but what about your fiancé? Is he still here in Chicago?” Miranda seemed decidedly unmoved by the deaths of the people who had given her life, whereas Angelica was still mourning her mother.
Miranda huffed. “I don’t know. He was publicly disgraced from his job a few years ago and hasn’t been heard from since. His house is still under his name, but it’s not like he’ll think I’m alive again if he ever sees me. It could be just a random resemblance.”
Angelica watched her employee’s eyes as she spoke and knew immediately that the young vampire was lying. “Don’t try to pull your shit with me. I’ve lived eight times as long as you have, Valdez. You plan on going to see him, don’t you? Do you think a civilian will just accept your existence? He’ll reject you, Miranda. I’ve had it happen. I know. You’re making a big mistake, and as your boss, I will not allow you to change posts.”
“I want my life back, Angelica. And I’m going to get it. I will make him believe. You didn’t know him. He’s a sweet, kind man. He’ll accept me as long as I explain about the vampire laws and how I won’t…you know…eat him.”
She went to push past Angie, but she blocked her. Angelica outweighed Miranda by about forty pounds and was six inches taller than the little pixie.
“Move.” Miranda ordered, trying to shove her away.
Angelica didn’t budge. Age and bloodline trumped blood purity. Angelica’s vampiric lineage could be traced back to 44 BC. She beat Miranda in every way, despite being half-human. “If you quit, I can’t be responsible for you or what happens to you anymore.”
Miranda slapped Angelica out of rage. “Who the Hell said I wanted you to look out for me? Who gave you the authority to even start this stupid organization? You can’t control every paranormal creature out there, you know. We have our own free will.”
Angelica could read the fear in her eyes now that she’d made a physical assault on her. She obviously knew she’d made a mistake. Unfortunately for Angelica, she couldn’t execute Miranda for being a bitch.
“Don’t you think I know that?” Angelica snapped, grabbing Miranda’s wrist hard enough to hurt. It took all her willpower not to hit back. “I took care of you because you were already awake by the time I got to your grave. I couldn’t save your soul, so I feel responsible for you.”
“No one asked you to help me. I wanted you to kill me, in case you don’t remember.” Miranda said, pushing Angelica to the side so she could get to the door.
“You walk out of here now, don’t expect to ever get help from this company again. You really will be on your own,” Angelica warned. “I’ll let the rogues eat you alive.”
****
The door to the office burst open, and Danny watched in shock and horror as an all-too-familiar young woman stalked out.
“I am done with your bullshit, Cross. I’m reclaiming the life that your kind took from me.” She whirled to face the older vamp standing in the open doorway.
“Fine. I can’t stop you. I have enough going on here right now. Get lost.” Angelica saw Danny and must have noticed the look on his face. “Danny, you okay over there? Frederic, what happened?”
Miranda, who had been about to leave, turned. She looked at the handsome man seated at a desk in the main office. His dark hair was thick and curly, and his beard was speckled with grey. His eyes must’ve been beautiful, but at that moment, they were blank with shock.
Angelica looked back and forth between them and said, “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“Miranda?” Danny asked, his head reeling. The last time he’d seen her had been the morning before she had supposedly died. He stood up shakily, not sure if he wanted to pass out or run out of there screaming. “Tell me I’m dreaming.”
Miranda scrutinized him. “Oh, my God. Did you do this?” she screeched at Angelica. “Bring him here on purpose?”
“You’re acting like I knew you’d be here and that I
knew that he was your old fiancé!” Saying the word “fiancé” made Angelica look as if she wanted to vomit. “This is as much of a surprise to me as it is to any of you.” She leaned against the doorframe, the past twenty-four hours showing on her weary face.
Danny walked towards Miranda, the woman he had once loved and wanted to marry. He had mourned her death for years before moving on. He had had closure. Now, there she was, and his world was twisted into a tornado again. She looked almost the same as she had been in 1989, but there was something different about her. She was hard now, no softness or laughter left in her. She was a vampire. Not even half-human, like Angelica. She was a turned vampire, living solely off human blood. The compassion and laughter that had always been in her eyes were long gone. She was not the same Miranda she had once been.
“Daniel. Wow. I…the only reason I even came back to America was to find you. And here you are.”
She reached for him, but he stepped back. Her face betrayed the shock and hurt she felt.
“Sorry, Miranda, but…I thought you were dead. For twenty-six years, I thought you were worm food. And now you’re here. It’s a lot for me to take in,” he said.
She nodded. “Right. I’m sorry. I should’ve expected that. But you already know vampires exist. I don’t have to convince you or anything. This is progress already.”
“Progress? This is regression,” he commented. “I…I can’t believe this. And because I know vampires exist doesn’t mean I like the idea of it. Ask Angelica. I don’t. I’m still new to this world. I don’t know what you expected, Miranda, but what you should not expect is for me to get right on board with this right now.” He moved towards the door, saying, “I need to go home. Angelica, my report is in the computer. Call me if you need me. I pray that you don’t.”
****
Miranda watched as her fiancé, the man she loved, walked out the door as if the room was on fire because he wanted to get away from her.
Angelica looked on, smug satisfaction gracing her face. It was nice to know that she was not the only vampire Danny had a problem with loving. This situation was very similar to what she had gone through last year.
“What are you looking at, you bitch?” Miranda cried.
“Right now? A woman with all the eloquence of a streetwalker. I told you what would happen. Had I known your fiancé was Danny, I would’ve warned you better,” Angelica said. “Now he’s left when we have a very big case to deal with, all because of you.”
“A case? You work together?” Miranda was flabbergasted. “He works here?”
“He was a temporary agent. He might need to be reinstated again. You quit, remember? Why do you care? Please, leave the premises.” Angelica turned and walked into her office on the other side of the lobby, effectively locking the world out.
As soon as the door was closed behind her, she sank into her chair with her head in her hands. What a clusterfuck she was in now. Of all people her volatile vampire agent could’ve been engaged to, it had to be Daniel Mancini? Forget the fact that she was in love with him and had been for over a century. She needed him professionally. He was involved in an active case. With Miranda around, who knew how cooperative he’d be.
Yep, she thought, I really need a vacation.
****
Miranda knew where Danny lived. She had been tracking him since she’d died. Following him home was easy. Getting him to let her in was another issue, but she would deal with it as she saw fit—even if it meant glamouring him.
She rang his doorbell repeatedly until he swung the door open with a vengeance.
To her dismay, he said, “Angelica, I don’t want to hear— Oh, Miranda. I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “It’s okay. I guess you didn’t expect me to ever show up on your doorstep again. I know it’s a big thing, but if you could at least hear me out, I’d appreciate it. It might help you.”
He sighed and invited her in. She was glad that he didn’t realize that, if he hadn’t, she’d be locked out forever.
“Can I offer you a drink or anything?” he asked obviously uncomfortable.
She didn’t know what he was thinking, but she couldn’t blame him for being uneasy. “Not unless you keep bottled AB negative in your refrigerator,” she commented, sitting down on his favorite chair.
“You can’t drink anything…you know…like you used to?” he asked.
She nodded . “Only dhampirs can eat and drink human fare…because they are part human,” she said disdainfully. ”Like that bitch, Cross.”
“Daniel?” she said, knocking him out of his own thoughts. “Please, will you listen to me?” Danny moved to go into what she assumed the kitchen.
“Go on. Just let me get a drink first.”
After he sat down with his small glass of whiskey, Miranda began a tale of her death, rebirth as a vampire and just how she came to know and hate Angelica Cross.
Chapter Three
June, 1989
Miranda had been walking home the night she’d been attacked. Having left her job, she’d decided against taking the bus and had walked the two miles home, figuring she could skip the gym the next day.
The vampire who had attacked her hadn’t been subtle. Instead of playing human, playing a ruse, he’d simply used his strength to grab her and carry her into an alleyway. She had screamed, but either no one had heard or no one had given a damn, because there had been no help for her. She’d even tried to bite her assailant to no avail. It had simply made him laugh. He’d thrown her to the ground, hurting her ankle and effectively making an attempted escape a pipe dream. She’d heard more than felt it snap, but fear had kept the pain at bay.
She’d whimpered as the young, pale man had loomed over her. She’d watched as his eyes had changed from a normal grey to black and red. At the same moment, his jaw had extended, making room for a mouthful of inch-long, needle-thin fangs. Except for the incisors, which had been over three inches long. Miranda had immediately began to pray aloud, hoping that, like in the books, a vampire would be hurt by anything religious—from items to words—but no such luck. He’d acted as if he didn’t even hear her as he’d held her still and sunk his fangs into her flesh. The pain had been excruciating, like nothing she could have imagined or could ever describe. The bite had hurt, as if someone had put two thick needles into her flesh and was steadily driving it deeper and twisting it. It had felt as if she was being robbed of her energy as her blood had left her body and she’d quickly and progressively became weaker and had felt colder.
Her screams had died and then she’d died of blood loss as the vampiric curse had already started to work in her veins.
The next thing she’d known, she had been opening her eyes over a week later, and the first thing she’d seen had been Angelica’s beautiful face— looking upset and perplexed. She’d squirmed, wondering what was encasing her and why she smelled wet dirt.
“Ms. Valdez, can you hear me? Do you know who you are and where you are?” Angelica had asked.
“M-my name is Miranda Valdez. Where am I? The last thing I remember is…is being attacked by a… Was it a dream? Who are you?” She’d paused and added, almost as an afterthought, “I’m so thirsty.”
When Angelica hadn’t answered right away, she’d sat up, her muscles sore from disuse. She’d looked around at the walls made of dirt and the concrete used to keep graves from falling in on themselves in certain places. Miranda looked down and had seen a narrow bed of pink silk and noticed that she was wearing the pure white dress she’d worn to her cousin’s wedding three years before. She’d screamed, realizing that she was in her very own coffin.
Angelica had clapped a hand across Miranda’s mouth. “Quiet. The night watchman might hear you.”
After Angelica had removed her hand, Miranda asked again, “Who are you?” She had been so scared that she hadn’t understand what was happening.
Maybe I’m still dreaming, she’d thought
“Let me help you up and get you fed. I’ll e
xplain everything, I promise.”
They’d climbed out of the grave, Miranda’s distaste and unease growing steadily.
“Come. We have a lot to talk about.”
Angelica and Frederic had taken Miranda to the PID offices downtown for her debriefing. Miranda had felt in awe of the splendor around her, but as she’d walked, she’d noticed some new things she hadn’t before her death. She could see in the darkness of the night outside, she could smell everyone near her and not near her and she could sense energy signatures. She’d quickly recognized both Frederic and Angelica’s. The heartbeats of the mortals around her had been like a steady beat in her ears, not annoying but invigorating.
Frederic had gotten her settled into a comfortable room that had looked like a sitting room in a fancy house. A few minutes later, Angelica had come in and dismissed him. She had been carrying three large, steaming mugs with a smell Miranda had never thought would be appealing—the scent of freshly warmed human blood.
“Drink up. Two are for you. You need your strength,” Angelica had told her, pushing the mugs toward her.
Miranda had looked at the mugs, feeling a churning in her stomach that was somewhere between hunger and disgust. “So…I wasn’t dreaming. That man…that thing…was really a vampire? And now…I am, too?” Bloody tears had fallen from her eyes, staining her dress, as reality had hit her.
“Yes. I am sorry. I was trying to spare you the pain of this reawakening, but I was too late. We are currently searching for the careless vamp, who turned you without a thought or permission, to properly punish him. Please, drink, and I will explain about our kind and what is going to happen to you now.”
“How are you going to punish the vampire that…bit me?” Miranda had asked, taking a tentative sip of her blood and deciding that, yes, she liked it. “Are you a vampire?”
Angelica had nodded. “I am a vamplet, or dhampir, if you prefer. I am half-vampire, half-human. I was born this way, not made. And vampires have laws that make us able to infiltrate and survive within human society. Law number one is to never turn a human without PID permission. Law number two is to never kill a human for food. We have plenty of blood banks to utilize for food here at the PID, and there are also humans who are living donors. The vampire that turned you broke both of the biggest laws we have in one fell swoop. For that, he will be executed.