Blood, Sweat and Demon Tears (The Grateful Undead series Book 3)

by Susan Stec

  I ignored both of them. "Come on, Betty, I have blood in the house. We'll fix you right up."

  Betty's eyes jerked around the bubble, lips curled back, long fangs dripping saliva. She jerked toward me—hesitated—I crawled a little closer; the team dishing out comments.

  "Susan, I could hardly hold her," Marcus whispered. "Her strength is not that of a new immortal."

  Betty's eyes shot to Marcus'. She tilted her head, spittle running down her chin. "Whaddaya mean, immortal?"

  "You don't have a weapon, Mom," Resi warned.

  "Oh for heaven's sake, bitch-slap her and get this over with," Mom said.

  Christopher tried to reason with her. "Betty, it's gonna be fine. I'll make sure of that," he said softly. "Susan, take down the shield."

  I set my jaw, and crawled closer.

  Betty, looking like a woman in need of a strait-jacket, lurched for the bubble and bounced off, landing on my back. We rolled around on the grass, growling, grunting, fangs rooting, as the others cheered us on. I felt like I was in a cage fight on Expo.

  "Break the bubble!" Resi shouted.

  "Susan, roll towards the shield," Marcus instructed.

  Mom added, "That's it! Hit her! Knock her socks off!"

  "Betty, watch her fangs," Christopher yelled.

  Marcus' voice filled the air. "Get the hell out of there, right now!"

  Betty had me by the hair—I had her by the hair. Our legs wrapped around each other, fangs extended as we wrestled for each other's throats. We rolled a few times, and stopped three feet from the wall of the shield. Seeing as I was only five feet tall, it seemed like miles away.

  I glared Italian eyes at Marcus, which is sort of a threatening,"You're on my shit-list—so watch your back" kind of glare, thingy that I inherited from Mom and have already passed on to my girls. "Any idea how I manage that, sweet-cheeks?"

  Marcus rumbled louder than Zaire's Cuda.

  I gave Betty's hair a good yank. She struck out with her fist and hit me squarely on the jaw. I shook my head, hearing bells.

  Betty exploded like a ho in a turf war, "Get the fuck away from me—you mutha-fuckin', bitch from hell—or I'm gonna kill yer scrawny little ass!"

  Christopher laughed.

  Mom shook her head.

  Resi pumped her fist, cheering, "Go Betty—Go Betty—Go Betty."

  Marcus revved his engine.

  Wiggling like a wrestler in a high school gym, I pinned her to the ground, one arm flailing for the bubble. I wasn't even close. I quickly placed both hands around her neck, squeezing for dear life. That shut her up. She bucked, eyes bulged, face red, chest heaving, and I rode her like a bronco buster.

  "Susan, cut it out!" Christopher wasn't laughing now.

  I gave him a sarcastic, fanged look, slammed my eyebrows together, and hissed at him.

  Betty knocked me off, rolling on top of me. My eyes found Christopher's. "Thank you so very much for–" She wrapped her hands around my throat, choking off my words.

  Betty leaned down, fangs reaching for my throat. I grabbed her bleached-blonde hair, yanking her head back, and sunk my fangs in her neck, then started sucking. She melted over my chest.

  My eyes danced over to Marcus, and I pushed, Okay, now what?

  "Get your fangs out of my woman's neck!" Christopher snapped.

  I growled and fanged deeper.

  "Reach your foot out, darling. I think you might be able to touch the shield." Marcus looked hopeful.

  Betty was placid over me. I kept a firm grip on her head as I wiggled my butt in the grass and scooched out from under her. Slowly, I managed to get her on her side, my fangs still embedded in her throat. I dug up dirt and grass, directing my legs toward the shield, getting closer. It looked like everyone was holding their breath, with all eyes on my feet.

  I inched around, reaching for the shield with one foot. No such luck.

  Mom pointed her telekinetic fingers at Betty and gave them a wiggle. "Let her go, pop the shield, and I'll take care of the rest."

  I looked at Marcus.

  "Do as she says, Susan," Marcus said. "Everyone make ready. As soon as Susan breaks the barrier, we pounce on Betty."

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jeni heading towards us. I popped my eyebrows in her direction. Christopher turned and yelled, "Get back in the house. We're about to cut her loose and she could kill you!"

  Jeni did an about-face and scurried toward the front door.

  "Jeni, put a few bags of blood outside the front door," Marcus yelled after her. Jeni threw up her fist, thumb extended, as she walked in the front door.

  "Everybody ready?" Marcus asked.

  "Stand back and let me handle this," Mom hollered, looking like a goalie, bent at the knees, her hands in front of her, fingers spread.

  "Chick, I think we all need to restrain her," Marcus said, his eyes on me. He was poised to pounce.

  Resi shuffled from one foot to the other. "Should I try my mentalist stuff?"

  Everyone looked at her. I kept sucking on Betty's neck while the idiots came up with a plan.

  "That would have been a good idea about twenty minutes ago, but if it doesn't work now, she could bolt," Christopher said, his little knees bent. "Let's just all be ready to do whatever we do best."

  "I'm telling ya, I got it," Mom said.

  Marcus nodded at me. I pulled my fangs from her neck and rolled away, kicking the shield before it disintegrated around us.

  Betty was on her feet in a heartbeat and everyone jumped her.

  Mom wiggled her fingers and sent all of us flying twenty-feet into the air. She wiggled them again and Betty was captive in the air, spinning circles, cussing like a sailor.

  "Put me down, ya bitch!" she screamed. "If I get my hands on you, I'll kill ya—you goddamn, scum-sucking whore!"

  The girl sure had a way with words. I shook my head, got up and dusted my shorts off. "Can you waltz her to the front door like that?"

  "Gimme a break," Mom said. A gold haze flowed from her extended fingers and surrounded Betty. Mom raised her hand, and Betty's body followed. That's Mom's demon-blood gift—telekinetic powers.

  Betty floated alongside of my mother, just out of reach, screaming and yelling, as we headed for the house.

  "Anyone got any ideas on what we do when we get there?" Resi asked.

  ~~~~

  Chapter Seven

  ~~~~

  Betty, suspended in mid-air, followed Mom all the way to Resi's bed, screaming like a turf war ho. When Mom broke the telepathic connection, Betty grabbed for anything within reach and a catfight ensued, complete with hair pulling, fangs ripping, hands slapping, and feet kicking. It took every one of us to handcuff her to the headboard. After she sucked down several bags of blood, Betty was finally sleeping like the undead.

  All worn out, we stood in the living room, blood bags hanging from our fangs.

  Marcus addressed Christopher. "We need to contact Dorius, and address Betty's immortality."

  "I'm not going to let you do that," Christopher said, tossing his empty bag into the trash.

  Jeni closed the laptop sitting in front of her on the picnic table. "I'm going up to take a shower and get some sleep, but I want to go on record as saying; I think you all need to go easy on Christopher, he's not a kid. Sometimes all of you forget that."

  "How the hell do you suggest we keep this from Dorius?" Mom shouted, spilling blood all over the room when she pulled a glass of exsanguinated deer blood from her lips, and waved it around in front of her.

  Jeni headed for the bathroom. "I don't think he intends to, Nan."

  Resi shook her empty bag at Christopher. "This is gonna come back and bite you in the ass if you don't handle it right."

  "Christopher, I agree," I said, "You have to tell him. He's going to find out anyway."

  "I will, just give me some time," Christopher argued. "I want her to know what she is before we tell him. That's all. I think I should be the one to explain things."

&
nbsp; "Told ya," Jeni sang as she shut the bathroom door.

  Marcus ran fingers through his long, black hair, eyes smoldering. "If you don't handle this immediately, I will."

  "Screw that; she's my problem," Christopher said as he huffed away, heading for Betty, who was sleeping in Resi's bedroom.

  "Get your ass back here, you little shit!" Mom screeched. "I don't give a flying flip what Jeni says, I'm not going to let this one ride."

  Christopher stopped short. "Are you going to call him, Chick? Because you have no room to talk. You did a hell of a lot more before Dorius had a little talk with you. You sucked and killed! At least I had the sense to…"

  Marcus hammered a path to the computer on the picnic table. "That's enough, Christopher. Chick doesn't have to call Dorius because I absolutely will, and if you want your say, I suggest you stay right here." He booted up the computer and began to type.

  Christopher hurried back into the room. He wasn't smiling. "You know this will be addressed by the council and I'll be brought up on charges, don't you?"

  I jumped in. "No, you won't. You did nothing wrong. You just had sex with her, right? I mean, you're not bullshitting us, are you?"

  Christopher shook his head. "I didn't drink from her and you know it."

  Dorius' voice floated into the room, ending the discussion. "Marcus, what can I do for you?"

  Marcus glanced up at Christopher.

  Christopher strutted up behind him and addressed Dorius himself. "We have a problem. One of the animals turned a mortal. I was having an affair with her. And before you go all ape shit on me—just listen—I didn't drink from her. It was all about the sex."

  I could see the anger seething in Dorius. "Did any of you see how this woman was turned?"

  Marcus cleared his throat. "There is no mark on her from Christopher. A raccoon is to blame. The woman took off after the animal and Christopher came to us for help. We've subdued her."

  Dorius locked suspicious eyes with Christopher. "We have been unable to prove that an immortal animal can turn a human. If you did this–"

  "I did not turn her!" Christopher yelled. "My fangs never came close to her throat."

  Dorius hit him from another angle. "There is no written law against having sex with a mortal, without council approval. But it is an unwritten law, Christopher, and you know it, unless the mortal is a possible blood mate. Is she?"

  Christopher kicked the leg of the picnic table as he turned away from the computer screen. "No, not a blood mate, but she could be a mate if she agrees, and I just want to discuss options with her. Damn it, I deserve a chance to have a partner, just like any of you do!"

  Dorius sucked in air, flaring his nostrils. "You better talk fast. I'll be sending out a van to pick up the woman and bring her here for testing, immediately. If you did not drink from her—which is against the rules without council approval—we will drop this matter. However, I am giving you a direct order; do not attempt lascivious behavior with a mortal again. Do I make myself clear?"

  Christopher glared at the computer. "Screw you, Dorius! You didn't hear a word I said. I'm not going to stop mate hunting! Got it? So give me a chance with Betty. She's a perfect candidate!"

  Dorius raised an eyebrow. "I have no intentions of sitting on this. The matter needs to be investigated immediately. The implications are horrifying if one of the infected animals actually turned her. I'm sending out the van—so give her your sales pitch before it gets there."

  "I'm coming with her," Christopher answered.

  Dorius smiled. "No. You are not. When I've tested her, she can make up her mind what she wants to do as far as you're concerned. If this immortal was infected by one of the animals, I intend to make full use of the incident." Dorius moved his eyes to his brother. "Marcus, can you see any visible difference in her behavior?"

  "She seems much stronger than a new immortal."

  "Excellent," Dorius smiled. "I look forward to meeting her. Anything else?"

  Christopher smacked the table and huffed off toward the kitchen.

  Marcus shook his head. "No. I was about to discuss our plans for JoAnn and Lilith with the rest of the team when Christopher came to get us. We'll do that now and I'll keep you posted."

  Dorius nodded. "The wolf and fairy are on their way back. They should be there within the hour. The scent was the same at this crime scene, and leads nowhere, just like the rest. Get your plan ready because as soon as you have JoAnn and the child back, I will need your help. All of you. I also want to meet the child immediately. Call me before you set the portal." The screen went black; Dorius didn't even wait for an answer.

  "What plans?" Mom wanted to know, glaring at Marcus.

  "We got another call from JoAnn." I jumped right in before Marcus could answer, giving him warring eyebrows. He shut his mouth. I smiled and continued. "She wants to come home, but Raphael is not making it easy for her and refuses to let Lily leave without him."

  "There's got to be a way. I have faith in the Virgin." Mom walked over to the altar, picking up a statue of the Virgin Mary and kissed it.

  I started to giggle and really wanted to tell Mom that Mary wasn't about to divinely intervene.

  Marcus answered before I could, "Susan and I will be going when the time is right. It may be a while, Chick. The fairy is the only one that will be joining us. The rest of you will remain on this side of the portal."

  Mom slammed Mary back on the altar. "The hell you say! I'm going!"

  Let me handle this Fang-Boy, I pushed at Marcus. He raised an eyebrow and waved a hand at Mom in a "Be my guest" gesture.

  I eyed Mom's hand, still resting on the statue, ready to duck if she decided to hurl Mary at me again. "We need you here if something goes wrong, Mom. You're the only one I trust to make sure Dorius sends someone to get us back if this doesn't work out." I bent my knees, ready to leap.

  My remark seemed to appease her. She patted Mary on the head, kissing her fingers and putting them to Jesus' lips. Then she turned to me. "Damn right, and if…"

  Somewhere over the…

  All eyes turned to the front of my shorts. I pulled the pink phone out of my pocket and flipped it open. JoAnn's horrified face filled the screen.

  "Susan, I'm so glad I got you!" JoAnn said in a hurried voice. "Raphael's in the shower, and Lilith is in bed, so I can only talk for a minute. Raphael said that Lilith has to attend some crowning ceremony this weekend. She's been dubbed: Demon Queen—Guardian of the Gates of Hell or something big like that, and… and she's only three years old! Darn it, I was hoping as soon as I got home, we could see about talking to a priest so Lilith can get baptized, and maybe receive her Holy Communion early—she's so bright—but now, no self-respecting Catholic church will… Oh God, my little girl is going to be crowned a Demon Queen!"

  Marcus' body vibrated, radiating pheromones when he moved up behind me.

  I ignored him, trying not to laugh at my sister's idiotic remark. "JoAnn, honey, I don't think Lilith can receive the sacraments, no matter… well, sweetie, she's a…"

  "God, I miss that woman," Christopher giggled. "My shit is small stuff compared to hers."

  JoAnn blurted, "Susan, don't interrupt me!" I heard a big sigh. "I have to go to this event and sit in the front pew—the mother of the Queen—and, and, oh God, tell Mom to pray for me—the church will be full of demons! And if that isn't bad enough, Raphael is going out to buy some special black material tomorrow, and I have to make Lilith a dress with it—it's part of the ceremony. I don't even know what I'm gonna wear—it should probably be something red or black—I'll have to check my closet. It's all so sudden."

  Now I really wanted to laugh. My sister couldn't even hem a pair of pant legs, never mind make a frigging dress. "JoAnn, you've got to be kidding me. Does he know you can't sew?"

  JoAnn sniffled, "I tried to tell him, but the mother has to…"

  Marcus shoved his face in front of mine. "JoAnn, is he taking Lilith with him tomorrow?"

  JoAnn's
head bounced up and down. "Yes, he has to take the material to a demon that will wrap it around Lilith and bless it or something."

  "What the hell?" Mom said, shoving the statue of Jesus at the phone, and shaking it up and down. "Bless the material? As God is my witness…"

  Marcus cut her short. "Call us as soon as they leave, JoAnn. We need to discuss removing both of you before this event takes place."

  JoAnn wiped her eyes. "Okay, thanks. He's leaving around nine in the morning. That's about twelve hours from now. So, I guess I won't have to worry about what to wear if you promise you can…" JoAnn's head jerked to the side and jerked right back. "The shower just shut off! I'll call you tomorrow as soon as he leaves."

  The phone screen turned into a mirror and JoAnn was gone.

  Mom immediately became animated. She shoved Jesus into her bra, then picked up Mary, the statue, which joined Jesus. She turned on Marcus as she adjusted her new cleavage. "You better come up with something or I'm calling in the troops. Got it?"

  "What troops?" Marcus asked.

  "I have my sources." She turned to Christopher. "I may need your help."

  "I'm in," Christopher said.

  ~~~~

  Chapter Eight

  ~~~~

  "Mom! You better start talking," I snapped.

  My mother sassed, "I've been doing some research. That's all I'm going to say to you. You and Marcus can work out your plan to get JoAnn and Lily back; and if mine works first, so be it." She turned to Christopher. "Follow me, and don't worry about the snake. We can't try to make it immortal until JoAnn gets here anyway." Her eyes jumped to Resi. "You! Go try your mind push thing until then—maybe slap a raccoon or something in the cage, and see if you can keep Monty from eating it."

  "I can do that." Resi replied as she got up and headed toward the garage. "At least it'll take my mind off Zaire for a few minutes, but I will not be fondling the snake."

  Christopher yelled after her, "Make sure you use the small hatch to put the animal in the cage, and lock it when you finish."