Demon Tracker (Divine Justice, 2)

by Mary Abshire

  Zale turned left onto the side street. Several windows on the warehouse had been boarded up. A few had gaping holes. Finding a police cruiser parked on the lot in the back, Zale steered toward it. He pulled into a spot next to the cop car.

  “Maybe the cop is inside,” Ray said, his gaze aimed at the empty police vehicle.

  Head beams from the Explorer shined on the entrance. Yellow crime scene tape had been stretched across the double steel doors.

  “I don’t think a cop is inside. The doors look sealed,” Zale said. “I’m guessing the police left the car to deter people from snooping around. They do that a lot since they are short staffed.”

  Ray sighed. “I hope they left the doors unlocked. I really don’t want to have to call Gordon and tell him we can’t get inside. He seemed like he was in a bad moon.”

  If Gordon had been grumpy when he’d given the tip-off to Ray, then something was definitely wrong.

  They left the SUV and headed for the doors. The scent of a gas grill carried in the wind. A tree line and six-foot wood fence ran behind the surface lot. Further away, dogs barked. The nearest heartbeat came from the homes on the other side of the trees.

  Zale stopped in front of the entrance and withdrew his switchblade from his back pocket.

  “Someone’s grilling,” Ray said.

  “Seems a bit late to grill.” He sliced the police tape between the two doors.

  “I’ve grilled out at two in the morning.”

  Zale turned the handle and the door opened. “A bit risky to leave it unlocked.”

  “Maybe they knew we were coming.”

  Ray entered the warehouse first. A wave of human waste, blood, and rot hit Zale as he followed Ray. Zale quickly dimmed the odor so it wouldn’t make him sick. The small room appeared to have been a waiting area when the business had been operating. They continued through an open door and then down a hallway, passing a few empty offices and a bathroom. The pungent smell of fecal matter perfumed from the facility.

  “Someone’s been here quite a bit,” Ray said.

  Zale passed him and then turned a corner. He found another open door at the end of the hall. Pausing, he withdrew his phone from his back pocket and then activated the light. Although he had exceptional vision in the dark, the light would deter any critters from approaching.

  Past the door, they entered the warehouse. The scent of blood and decay grew stronger.

  “Are you picking up traces from several individuals?” Ray asked.

  “Yes, I’d guess a dozen at this point.”

  The large room had remnants of blood leading to another section of the building. Zale led the way into a bigger room with huge machines. The coppery aroma grew stronger.

  “What kind of warehouse is this?” Ray asked.

  Clanking above gathered Zale’s attention. His eyes widened and he aimed his light upward.

  “Fuck me,” Ray said.

  Chains holding body parts hung from the pipes. Zale counted six arms. Blood dripped near one set. He moved closer and found a large pool of the fluid on the concrete surface.

  “This one is fresh. I’d say within the last twenty-four hours,” Zale said before he looked up again at the limbs. Skin had tightened around the hands.

  Ray pointed up. “Those have definitely been here a while.”

  Zale shifted his light to the other body parts hanging. They were almost nothing but bones.

  “Who would do this?” Ray asked. “And where are the rest of the bodies?”

  Zale took a breath and focused on the rot. Careful not to step in any blood, he followed the horrid odor around the machines. He stopped when he found the remains of four headless bodies. One had been a female given the smaller frame, brassiere, and high-heeled shoes. The female still had her arms attached. Her body and two others had withered to bones. Startling Zale more, all were shirtless and had gaping holes in their abdomens.

  “This is a violent act,” Zale said. “Whoever did this made them suffer. They didn’t just destroy these vamps. And I am confident in saying these were vamps even without proper authentication.”

  “Who would torture a vampire?” Ray asked.

  “Humans wouldn’t do this. Some non-humans have the ability, but they have nothing against vamps as far as I know. The only ones who detest vamps are demons. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of them torturing, but they would be my first guess.”

  “This is disgusting. We don’t even do things like this.”

  Zale had interrogated many vampires during his career. For those who failed to cooperate, he sliced open a major artery. It was the quickest way to get one to talk. Draining a vamp always worked to acquire a confession. Perhaps the demons knew this. But for Zale, he’d never tortured a vamp. Unless the criminal was going to be destroyed, he supplied the vamp with nourishment from a bag after his interrogation. And while he held a negative opinion toward the bloodsuckers, he wasn’t the type of person to inflict pain upon them.

  “Gordon might know if demons have done this sort of thing before or not,” Zale said.

  Zale moved closer to the corpses and started taking pictures of them.

  “Do you see the heads anywhere?” Ray asked.

  Zale searched the area. “I don’t see them.”

  “They’re not over here,” Ray said from the other side of the room.

  While Ray continued looking, Zale headed back to the front where the arms hung from chains. He scanned for the heads along the way.

  “Nothing,” Ray called out and his voice echoed.

  Zale snapped shots of the limbs above. He moved from one end of the room to the other so he could capture each pair. By the time he finished, Ray stopped at his side.

  “I don’t think they’re here,” he said.

  “That’s strange,” Zale said.

  Before Zale could return his cell to his pocket, the ring tone sounded. Gordon’s number appeared on the screen. Zale lifted the phone to his ear.

  “Hello?” Zale asked.

  “Where are you?” Gordon asked.

  “We’re about to leave the warehouse. I just finished taking pictures.”

  “How bad is it?”

  “I haven’t seen anything like this. It looks like a group came together and tortured four vampires.”

  “Our contact with the city police said there were arms hanging from the ceiling.”

  “That would be correct. We looked and can’t find any heads, but the bodies are here.”

  “And you detect multiple scents?”

  “At least a dozen. Three of the corpses have been here a while, so the odor is a bit overwhelming.”

  “Okay, document what you can. Send your photos to Henry and myself and I’ll ask him to determine times, if he can. It might help to know how long the bodies have been there. But right now, I need you to go somewhere else.”

  Zale met Ray’s gaze. The younger werewolf started leading the way back they way they’d come.

  “Is there another crime scene?” Zale asked.

  “No. I got a report of a rowdy vampire at a club called Race to the Finish. It’s not far from the warehouse. I’ll send you the address. Find out what’s going on. Calm him down or bring him in. If he hurts anyone—”

  “I’ll take care of him.”

  “The police haven’t been called yet. I’m having the staff monitor the lines and the area around the club in case he leaves.”

  Zale rounded the corner to get to the hall leading to the office. Ray continued several feet ahead.

  “Do you have a description for the vampire?” Zale asked.

  “No. If he’s causing a disturbance, you should be able to find him easily.”

  “Right.” He pushed the door open. “Send me the address. We’re heading there now.”

  Zale ended the call before he reached the driver’s side. He held onto his phone as he settled behind the wheel.

  “So now we’re
to look for a troublemaking vampire?” Ray asked as he buckled his seatbelt.

  The cell buzzed in Zale’s hand. On the screen, a message from Gordon contained an address.

  Zale handed the phone to Ray. “Get directions. The club shouldn’t be too far away. I’m guessing near the track.”

  Anxiety fueled Zale’s heart. The hour hadn’t reached eleven yet and already a vampire had started causing a problem. Zale wondered if the rest of the night was going to be as eventful.

  Chapter Six

  Zale found the club two blocks from the Motor Speedway. The bright sign with a racecar stood out in the night. The one-level brick building with a flat roof didn’t fit in with the remodeled buildings in the area, but that didn’t seem to hurt the business. Zale circled the parking lot behind the club and couldn’t find a single space available. The sides of the street he’d turned from had been lined with vehicles too.

  “Just park behind these cars,” Ray said. “I doubt anyone is going to leave in the time we’re in there.”

  Given the urgency of the situation, Zale agreed. He stopped behind the first row of idle vehicles while Ray removed a Taser from the glove compartment. Zale always kept an extra stored there for emergencies.

  “Let me do the talking,” Zale said on the way toward the sidewalk on the side of the building. “We want to bring him out in a calm manner. As far as we know, this vamp hasn’t committed any crimes.”

  Ray handed him the weapon. “Disturbing the peace isn’t a crime?”

  “Not to us.” Zale tucked the Taser in the back of his jeans and under his shirt.

  “Damn. I was looking forward to kicking some vamp ass.”

  They strode along the side of the building. A tune with a heavy beat seeped through the walls. They rounded a corner to reach the main entrance in the front. Ray grabbed the handle and opened the door. Zale stepped inside the club first.

  Loud hip-hop music almost drowned out the man yelling in the back near the bar. People were either sitting at tables or standing near them with their attention focused on the crowd near the bar. Zale passed through the social area to reach the mass of bodies. All of them had their gazes directed at the tall African American man wearing a leather jacket and shouting. Bartenders stared from behind the counter.

  “Someone in here has to know something,” the vamp said. “I just want to know who saw her last. Please, just tell me.”

  Zale wedged between men and women to reach a clearing in front of the vamp. He had a lean build and his skin was as dark as the night. Two large men stood near the loudmouth. Zale suspected they might be werewolves given their bulky frames. Werewolves had larger bones and muscles than any top human weight lifter. Needless to say, many worked as bouncers or security guards.

  “What’s your name?” Zale asked.

  The vampire gave him a once over. “Let me guess, you’re with the UoJ.”

  “I am,” Zale said.

  The vamp smirked. “Great. Someone called you guys but nobody wants to tell me where the fuck my girlfriend is.”

  Zale kept his hands at his sides. He didn’t want to look threatening. Besides, in the time it would take him to get the Taser and aim it, the vamp would probably grab a human to use as a shield. Zale’s best chance at getting the angry vamp to leave with him would be to play the calm cop.

  “There’s no need to start any trouble,” Zale said.

  “I beg to differ. Someone in here knows where my girlfriend is.” The vamp shifted his gaze around the room.

  Zale took a step closer. “What’s her name?”

  “Bethany. She comes in here regularly with me. They know it.” The vamp pointed to the bartenders. “And they do too.” He shifted his gaze to the bouncers.

  “Why don’t you come with us and we can handle questioning them about Bethany?”

  The vamp shook his head. “I’m not leaving until someone here talks. She’s been missing for a fucking week. I demand to know who saw her last.” His deep firm tone revealed his determination.

  Zale moved toward him and the vamp backed up.

  “I suggest you let us handle talking to these fine people,” Zale said.

  “Fuck you, man. You don’t care about us,” the vamp scoffed. “I know she was here last because she told me. If I don’t get answers, I’m going to start killing one person at a time until someone talks.”

  “You don’t want to do that,” Zale stepped forward.

  “Stay the fuck back,” the vamp said.

  “There’s no reason for anyone here to get hurt,” Zale said.

  When Zale took another step, the vamp reached out in one swift move and grabbed a man standing nearby. Women in the crowd gasped. Someone dropped a glass and it shattered on the floor. The vampire locked his arm around the young man’s neck and held his chin up.

  “Come one step closer and his death will be on your hands,” the vamp said.

  “All right everybody,” Ray said loudly. “I need you to exit the building in a calm and orderly fashion. Everyone out. Now!”

  Ray gave Zale a nod as he nudged people toward the exit. Most were slow to move.

  “I want answers and I want them now!” The tips of the vamp’s canines showed below his upper lip.

  The tension in the room quadrupled. Zale’s heart raced. If he didn’t calm the vamp soon, they were going to have another major problem on their hands. The majority of humans didn’t know supernatural creatures existed. If the customers watching saw the vamp bite the young man, the UoJ would have to create a story to try and make them think what they’d witnessed hadn’t been real.

  Zale lifted his palms up. “You don’t want to hurt him. Don’t do anything in front of these people.”

  “Fuck you. And fuck them,” the angry vamp said.

  He lifted the hostage and took off through the back of the crowd. A few gasped while a woman screamed. Zale rushed after the vamp.

  Pushing through the mass of bodies, Zale picked up the scent of blood. Instead of people moving aside, they stood in the way and watched the vamp run with the hostage to a hall. Zale didn’t bother to reach for the Taser. He couldn’t use it with so many in his path. As the vamp reached the exit at the end, he dropped the young man. In a split second, the vampire disappeared out of the building.

  Zale came to a halt to check the man on the floor. Blood oozed from the guy’s neck. Zale squatted to get a closer look. The tear in the man’s flesh was too big to stop the flow.

  Ray caught up to Zale after he squeezed through the approaching crowd.

  “Call an ambulance,” Zale said.

  Ray quickly withdrew his phone and then tapped the screen.

  The human’s heart thudded irregularly. By the time paramedics would arrive, it would be too late. Even if Zale took him to the hospital, the young man would bleed out before reaching the emergency.

  One of the bouncers stretched out his arms and ushered the mass back. The other one stepped forward and passed Ray who was holding the phone to his ear.

  “I called the hotline,” the brown-haired bouncer said.

  Zale rose. “Do you know anything about the vamp?”

  “His name is Robert Galloway. He and Bethany have been regulars for over twenty years. They always come in on Wednesdays. I haven’t seen her for over a week. I don’t know why he thinks someone here would know anything.”

  Zale put his hand on the bouncer’s shoulder. “You may hear from us or another agent soon. We need to go and catch him. Do you have any idea what he drives?”

  “A black vintage Camaro. His license plate has the letter B, the number four, and the word ever.

  “B 4 ever?” Zale asked.

  The bouncer gave a jittery nod.

  Ray lowered his phone and stepped around the bouncer. “Ambulance is en route.”

  “We need to go,” Zale said.

  Ray passed him to reach the exit.

  “Thank you,” Zale told the bou
ncer. “We’ll be in touch.”

  Zale hurried out the door behind Ray. With a name and plate details, someone at the office could locate an address. Zale had no doubt the vampire would go on the run now that he’d killed an innocent human. The vamp was distraught over his missing girlfriend, but it wasn’t an excuse to end a life.

  Anger surged within Zale as he reached his vehicle. He hoped to catch the criminal before anyone else became a victim.

  Chapter Seven

  The engine hummed as Zale kept his foot on the pedal and the speed above sixty miles per hour on the dark road leading out of the city. Large homes were spread out on the sides. He gripped the wheel tighter when he drove over small hills. By his estimate, the vampire had a five to seven minute head start. It wasn’t much, but it could give enough time for the fiend to grab a few belongings and get away.

  “Have you ever seen any of them act like that before?” Ray asked.

  “Take a hostage? No.”

  “He was determined to get information. He must have loved Bethany enough to kill for answers, but he didn’t get any.”

  The situation was far from normal. There seemed to be a lot of irregularities happening lately.

  Eyeing a church, Zale slowed his SUV. The location and empty lot would serve as a perfect place for them to shift. Vampires had superior hearing. If Zale stopped the car too close to the vamp’s house, the vamp would hear the vehicle and could prepare to flee or fight.

  “According to the map on my phone, his house is about three quarters of a mile ahead,” Ray said.

  Zale steered onto the lot for the dark church. Lights near the cross at the top of the building and above the doors were the only ones in the area. He parked the car at the far side of the lot.

  “We’re not risking the chance he will hurt anyone else. We’ll change, go in, and either force him to surrender or take him down,” Zale said.

  Ray lifted his shirt. “Assuming he’s there.”