by Garth Ono
"There's a diner in town," Kate said.
"Too heavy," Haley said. "Do you have jelly for the toast? Found it!"
While they made toast, Kate checked her phone for messages. Then she dressed in jeans and her favorite Def Leppard t-shirt. It was gray, with "Def Leppard" across the Union Jack. The other women were dressed by the time she returned to the kitchen. Shea and Victoria had pulled their hair back in ponytails, and the blonde was braiding Haley's hair just like Kate's.
"Ah, that's lovely," Kate said. "Maybe today everyone will call you 'Lara' instead of me."
They laughed.
"I have to get our heads out of here before my landlord figures it out," Kate said. "Anyone want to help me? You can stay here until I get back if you want."
"Will it take long?" Victoria asked.
"Not really."
"I'll stay. I feel the need for another shower. You ran out of hot water before I got mine last night."
Shea also opted to remain behind. Haley was eager to go. That was perfect in Kate's book, since she always wanted more alone time with her sister. Then she heard a familiar sound. Glancing out the window, she spotted Mr. Rose out edging the driveway. He would see the full black trash bags in her truck as she backed out.
"Um, I can't believe I'm asking this," Kate said. She caught Shea's eyes. "But would you and Victoria be willing to lure Mr. Rose away from the drive long enough for us to leave?"
Shea and Victoria looked at each other, wagged their brows, and nodded.
"Our pleasure," Victoria said with the sultriest voice. "We might still be distracting him when you get home."
"I bet he has a prescription for Viagra," Shea said. "Best recreation drug ever."
"Eww. No," Kate said, shaking her head.
"Shh, let them have some fun," Haley said. "Mr. Rose won't mind."
Kate turned on a heel and marched into her bedroom to collect her keys and purse. She didn't want to know.
Victoria and Shea were in the skimpiest bikinis Kate could imagine, and what her mother liked to call "stripper heels," by the time Kate returned to the living room. They were heading for the door. Her first instinct was to stop them. It was wrong to unleash those two on poor Mr. Rose. But then, he might actually like it.
"I'm probably going to go to hell for all of this," she muttered.
"Aren't we all," Haley said. "They'll be fine."
"It isn't Shea and Victoria I'm worried about."
The blonde and redhead laughed as they departed. Kate watched from the window as they went over and flirted with him. Then he put down his edger and followed the women to the pool. Her jaw dropped when they removed their tops and lay face-down on the loungers. Mr. Rose began applying suntan lotion.
"They are good," Haley said. "And it's all perfectly innocent. You're soul is safe for now."
"Funny. Let's get out of here," Kate said, leading the way out and down the stairs. "Leave the door unlocked for them."
There were two doors at the base of the stairs, one into the garage and one outside. Kate went straight into the garage. She opened the roll-up door and quickly started the Defender. The garage door was left open as she backed out to the street quicker than ever before, before heading for downtown.
"We could've walked over," Haley said.
"Not carrying fifteen heads."
That wouldn't go over well. It would probably generate a dozen 911 calls. Kate's neighbors really liked calling the police for some reason. The deputies parked in front of the sheriff's office, so the closest parking place was five up. They quickly pulled out four black plastic bags and headed for the office.
"Everyone's staring at us," Haley whispered.
"I know. It's a small town, so everyone knows what I do for a living. It's just morbid fascination," Kate said. "Welcome to my world."
"Wouldn't it be fun if I accidently dropped a bag and heads rolled out?" Haley teased.
"Don't you dare! I have to live with these people."
She slanted an evil smile back at Kate, but held onto her bags. Kate couldn't relax until they entered the sheriff's office. Haley had a very perverse sense of humor.
"Deputy Dawg, how you doing?" Kate called upon entering. The deputies were sitting at the desk filling out paperwork. "You're looking mighty fine this morning."
"How come you lose your English accent and get a southern drawl every time you see him," Deputy Rumpstead asked.
"Because Kate wants him to drive her Dixie down," Haley said, and burst out laughing with Rumpstead.
Kate and Deputy Doge just stared at them.
"First of all, I don't even know what that means," Kate said. "Secondly, shut up."
"All of you shut up. I have a conference call with seven other sheriffs in a few minutes," Sheriff Coleman called from his office. "Better yet, get out."
"We’re here to claim the bounty on fifteen heads," she said. "I'm not going anywhere until I get my money."
The sheriff came out in a rush. Fifteen heads had to be new record for Tennyson. They oohed and awed over them, before the press of time forced the sheriff to quickly pay the women $750 in fifties.
"We're in the wrong line of work, Jed," Deputy Rumpstead said.
"Tell me about it, Vic," Sheriff Coleman said. He picked up the phone, put it on speaker, and started dialing. "Now everyone out. This is important."
Kate noticed the sheriff staring at her chest. She got that a lot from most men, but he wasn't usually so rude.
"Is there a problem?" she asked, which was her usual response.
"What? Oh, no. Your t-shirt brings back memories of my youth," he said. "I'm old enough to have gone to Def Leppard concerts in Chicago."
"You went to rock concerts?" Kate asked.
"Your generation didn't invent crazy or good times," Sheriff Coleman said.
"But we perfected it," Haley said.
Kate wasn't sure that was a good thing or not. Haley certainly thought it a positive, but she was a little on the crazy side. Kate's mother thought it was because she grew up inside an outlaw biker gang. Her sister claimed they weren't outlaws, but misunderstood.
Haley had second thoughts about breakfast at the diner, but Kate could only think about poor Mr. Rose with Victoria and Shea. She drove home in all due haste. Her sister looked at her like she was crazy, shaking her head.
They found the threesome in the hot tub. The women were snuggled up to either side of the elderly landlord. Mr. Rose had his arms around their shoulders and a blissful look on his face. Kate noticed the women's bikini bottoms and heels were on the ground next to the hot tub, and his clothes were in another pile. She couldn't see any of the women's hands, and they gave her the wickedest look.
"Leave them alone," Haley whispered. "Let's go upstairs and discuss strategy."
"But…"
"Never, ever interrupt anyone's bow chicka bow wow," her sister said. "He looks happy."
Kate's phone rang and vibrated in her back pocket. She pulled it out and looked to see who was calling. Unknown number. She had to answer, because it could be work related. It also let her concentrate on something other than what was happening in the hot tub.
"Hello, this is Kate Brokenshire," she said automatically as she turned to face in the opposite direction. "Got zombies?"
"Yes!" a man cried. "I'm out north of town and just saw three zombies crossing the road."
Kate hesitated. Her first thought was if he wasn't a landowner or homeowner, then she wasn't going to be paid a fee on top of the bounties. Still, three zombies came to $150. And they might be part of Alex's horde. The possibility they were looking for a new daytime hideout occurred to her.
"Is this on your farm or something?"
"No, I'm just passing through," he said. "But they are going up a dirt road by Mile Mark 175."
That would be around the Benton farm. Then she remembered there was an old logging road between the Stacy and Benton farms. She could imagine there being some old logger shacks up there for t
he drac to spend the days.
"Thanks, mister. I'll take care of it right away," she said and hung up.
"Rotters?" Haley asked.
"At least three north of town."
"Can we come with?"
"Do you expect a cut?"
"Duh." Haley laughed when she scrunched her nose. "Victoria! Shea! We got rotters!"
Shea and Victoria didn't hesitate in abandoning poor Mr. Rose. Oddly enough, Kate hoped they got him off first. Blue balls would probably make him surly.
They dressed a lot faster than Kate thought possible. Her sister and friends were excited. She'd never met anyone who loved hunting zombies more. They balked at piling into the Defender, since it didn't have "real" back seats. So Kate headed out of town in the Defender, with three Harleys thundering behind.
Stopping on the shoulder of the highway, they got out to examine the dirt road. There were lots of foot prints on the dry, sandy logging road. All went one direction, up into the woods. The road passed between two farms, and then between two steep hills about a mile up. Kate had been up that road once in her life, and that was about five years back.
"That's a lot of footprints," Shea said. "Jackpot!"
"Cha-ching," Haley replied.
"Don't count your heads before they're chopped," Kate said. "I've always wanted to say that."
They headed up the road. Kate kept the speed down below 20 MPH. Her windows were rolled down, and all senses alert. She was almost moving too fast to see the footprints on the road. Mostly, she was looking for any sign they'd turned off the road.
The road curved as it went between the two big hills. Halfway through it she hit the brakes. A tree lay across the road. It was clearly cut down, though a professional logger wouldn't make that mistake. She wondered why the loggers left it there.
Getting out, she looked at the size of the tree, and then how narrow the road was at that spot. There was just enough room to do a three-point turn.
"What the hell?" Haley called. "I'd rather not follow them on foot."
"The road ends on the other side of these hills," Kate said.
"Now what?" Victoria asked, putting her kickstand down. "Do you think whoever chopped that tree down is still around?"
They joined Kate in front of the Defender and stared at the tree. Kate realized Victoria said something odd. She glanced at the stump. The tree was chopped down. Loggers didn't chop, they used chain saws.
"It's a trap!"
"Get them!" a male voice shouted.
Zombies charged down the hillside to either side. Before the women could react, cold, undead hands seized them. Kate kicked and struggled as she was forced to the ground. And more and more zombies piled on. She could hear her sister and friends screaming and cursing.
Someone approached more slowly, before a man's voice triumphantly said, "Gotcha."
Chapter 15
"Let go of me you ugly rotters!" Kate screamed.
She kicked one in the chest, sending him flying. Then bit another's wrist, which didn't faze him and left a truly vile taste in her mouth.
"You bastard!" Victoria screamed. "Stop biting my tit!"
Haley groaned, and then started grunting every time Kate heard a meaty thump. Were they beating her?
"Leave her alone!" Kate screamed. "I will kill you!"
Two of them began pounding fists into Kate's belly, ribs, and back. Soon the air was filled with the pained grunts of the four women. Shortly after that, the fight was beaten out of them.
"Disarm them," the man called.
Kate felt hands touching her all over, very inappropriately. She wasn't armed, but they all copped feels. Did zombies cop feels? Surely they had so sexual desires. After a few minutes of that indignity, the zombies started sorting themselves out. Soon the slayer found herself forced to kneel before a man she knew of, but had not met personally. Simon Williams didn't grow up in Tennyson, but came to town with Mayor Gilbert's oldest daughter about a year back. They were married a few months back.
Shea was to her left, Victoria, and then Haley to her right. Zombies held onto their arms, with arms around their necks as well. The women struggled, but were held firmly.
"Who is in charge?" Simon asked. "You, Kate?"
She recognized his voice. He was the man that called to tell her about the zombies. She felt like such a fool.
"I suppose."
He kicked her in the belly. "Uggh!"
Then he kicked her again and again. "Bitch, your attack last night got me in trouble." He kicked her again. "I was that close to getting my ass killed by Alexander."
He kicked her again.
That last kick was too much. Kate's puked her guts out. It was mostly just bile, since she hadn't eaten. Simon grinned down at her. It was the cruelest kind of smug smile she'd ever seen.
I'm going to enjoy cutting off your head, she thought.
"Wow. If looks could kill, Kate," he said, and barked a laugh. "When Alex bites you and turns you into his minions, I'm going ask for you as my personal sex slave." He looked south, scowling. Simon seethed for a moment. "He's pretty much given Mercy to Mongrel. I deserve something, too."
"Don't even think about it," Kate sneered. "I'd rather die."
He dropped to a knee before her, pinched her chin between thumb and forefinger, pulling down her lip. For a second she thought he was going to kiss her. And there wasn't a damned thing she could do to stop him.
"You're prettier than Mercy, so not a bad trade," he said.
She was stunned. Was he saying he preferred her to his own wife? Did the vamp's power over Simon cause him to change so dramatically? Or was he truly that kind of pathetic piece of shit? Then he lifted her face a little more, demanding her undivided attention.
Their eyes locked.
"You won't have a choice, pretty lady. Alex's power is absolute," he whispered rather huskily. "If he tells to you to grovel and beg at my feet, you will not hesitate to obey. You will lick, nibble, caress, and beg me to ravish you. The need and desire to give yourself to me will be all consuming." For a second he looked bitter. "I know."
He took his time checking her for weapons. He did take her phone, tossing it aside after a cursory look. Kate didn't really care. She wasn't about to share the PIN to access it. What she cared about was him feeling her up, fondling her under the guise of searching for weapons.
"Having fun, moron?"
"Yes."
Simon stood up and examined the other three women in the same manner. Kate huffed and puffed as she knelt there, trembling like a leaf. Everything she knew said Simon was telling the truth. A drac's minion was obedient if nothing else. She knew she'd do whatever she was commanded to do once bitten.
I don't want to be his plaything, she thought, slanting a wary look at Simon.
"Man, I hit the jackpot today," Simon said. "You are some fine looking women. Alex is going to be real happy with me."
He grabbed Victoria's ponytail, pulled it loose, and fluffed her long fire-red locks.
"Dayum. I've always had a thing for redheads," Simon said. "Maybe I should ask for you instead. What's your name, Red."
"Screw you."
"Did your parents name you that?" he said, grinning. "I'll just call you Red."
Simon personally tied the women's wrists behind their backs. Kate couldn't believe her rotten luck. He wasn't taking any chances. A zombie couldn't be trusted to do anything as intricate as tie a secure knot. Hell, she wasn't sure they were capable of tying any kind of knot.
Once Simon was satisfied, he led the way around the felled tree and up the road. Kate scowled at the stump. The ax they used to fell it was lying on the ground. Just the sight of that tree across the road should've warned her of an ambush, but no one ever expected stupid zombies to do anything like that.
Kate was looking left and right, trying to figure out a way to escape. She was pretty sure she could outrun the zombies with her wrists tied behind her back, but Simon looked like he was faster. She looked at how s
teep the hills were, and Kate knew she'd have to stick to the road until she reached level ground.
First, she'd have to ensure the others were able to run away with her. Leaving anyone behind was not an option. Of course, if Simon was leading them straight to Alex all bets were off. They were doomed.
At first the zombies held onto her arms. Every so often she jerked free, but they'd quickly grab her again. After she proved she wasn't going to run away, the zombies stopped trying to hold her. So the first step was accomplished.
She slanted a look back at Victoria, who was watching her. The redhead immediately jerked free of the lone zombie holding her. After the third time she broke free, he let her be. Kate and Victoria shared a smile.
They proved to be closer to the old logging camp than she realized. The road came to an end in the middle of a forest of ten foot tall pines so close together she couldn't see five feet inside. Simon pushed through and between the small trees, forcing his way deeper. The zombies forced the women to follow.
They had to have gone another hundred yards before coming to a small clearing. There was a single shed at the edge of the trees. It looked like a small pole barn, roofed and sided with rusty, corrugated steel. Simon stopped next to it and pulled out his phone.
"Is he in there?" Haley asked.
Simon gave her a crafty look. It brought them no comfort. Kate gnawed on her lip, looking left, right, all around. The zombies weren't holding any of them, but there were twenty rotters crowded around.
"You're first," Simon said, and grabbed Haley's long braid.
She screamed and cursed as he dragged her toward the shed's closed door. He could've won the battle easily if he put the phone up, but Simon looked like he wanted to prove a point or something.
"Master, here's the first of our slayer girls!" he shouted as one of the zombies pulled the door open.
"No!" Haley cried, and changed tactics. She stopped trying to pull away, turned, and kneed him between the legs. Simon dropped to all fours and emptied his stomach. The dark-haired slayer tried to press her attack, but five rotters tackled her, wrestling her to the ground. "I'm going to chop off all of your heads!"