Murder in Vein

by Sue Ann Jaffarian

  When she had turned on the sofa so that she was sitting with her back to him, he'd raised her sweater from behind and lifted it over her head, leaving her arms encased in the sleeves. She'd helped him, not understanding why. Once the sweater was off, Wilhelm had gathered up her long hair, sweeping it over her right shoulder. Then he had kissed her on her neck, on the left side, at the very place he sought to defile. It hadn't been a sexual kiss but one of preparation, almost of worship. Madison had relaxed, taking a deep breath. Soaking in his words of persuasion, she'd given in to Wilhelm like a drowning man who realizes he's too tired to thrash any longer and accepts his fate.

  When the lancet first stuck, Madison had cried out in pain. It had been fast, and the instrument had penetrated surprisingly deep for such a small blade. Almost immediately, Wilhelm had encircled her waist with one arm and clamped his mouth down on the wound, making gleeful sucking noises like a babe to a breast. Beneath his grasp, Madison had whimpered.

  When Wilhelm pulled away, she'd thought it was over, but the lancet had struck again, and again she'd cried in pain. By the time the tiny blade had ripped into her skin for a fourth time, an emotionally and mentally exhausted Madison had passed out.

  Lifting her face to the bathroom mirror, she lowered the facecloth and studied her reflection again. What horrified her wasn't what had happened but the fact that, if she were honest with herself, she'd liked it or had found it stimulating on some bizarre level. Jerry Lerma had called being bitten just that-stimulating.

  Madison felt ashamed.

  Turning her back to the mirror, Madison slid to the bathroom floor until she was sitting with her long legs straight out and her back against the cabinet. She tried to focus on the bathtub across from her, using the clean white porcelain to cleanse her mind.

  "Madison, are you all right?"

  Madison didn't move, just continued to stare glassy-eyed at the tub while she sniffed back tears.

  Dodie Dedham, dressed in her nightgown and robe, stepped into the bathroom and looked down at the devastated young woman. "What is it, dear? We could hear you crying."

  When Madison started weeping harder, Dodie slipped down on the tile floor next to her and took her in her arms. Madison gave in to the comfort of the older woman and nestled against her soft but cold body, clinging to her as the tears continued to flow.

  Doug Dedham appeared in the doorway in his pajamas and looked down at the two women, a look of concern stamped on his face. Cradling the crying Madison, Dodie looked up at her husband and indicated for him to leave them alone for a bit. He tiptoed away without Madison ever noticing he was there.

  For the next several minutes, Dodie held Madison, whispering words of comfort as she rocked her gently.

  "I let him do it," Madison finally choked out without looking at Dodie. "I'm so stupid."

  Keeping her voice soft and even, Dodie asked, "Who did what, Madison?"

  "Wilhelm. I let ... I let him suck my blood."

  The rocking stopped as Dodie stiffened. "Wilhelm? The high priest at Bat Beauty? He attacked you?"

  Still weeping, Madison shook her head against Dodie's shoulder. "He didn't attack me. I let him."

  With ragged words, Madison gave Dodie a summary of what had happened at Bat Beauty and why she'd gone there. When Madison was done, her tears again flowed heavily. Dodie continued rocking and murmuring words of comfort, but her face was hard and her eyes flashed with anger.

  "Someone will deal with Lord Wilhelm," she told Madison. "I can assure you.

  "No" Madison turned her puffy face toward Dodie. "You don't understand. I let him. I bartered with him for the information about Sylvia. It was no different than if I'd dropped my pants and spread my legs." A sob from deep in her gut tore through Madison. "At least it felt no different." She pulled back a few inches and wiped her face with her hand. "Mike's right-I am a whore."

  Dodie grabbed Madison by her shoulders and gently shook her, staring into her wet eyes. "You are no such thing, Madison Rose. No such thing. You hear me?"

  "But ... but...," Madison stammered. "I think I wanted him to do it. I think I liked it. I..."

  Dodie's face softened as she tried to find words that would teach and comfort the girl at the same time. She moved her hands from Madison's shoulders and brought the girl back into her embrace.

  "Being bitten or having your blood sucked is a very intimate act, Madison, as you've just learned. It's a lot like sex in that way. While it can be painful, it can also bring intense physical pleasure. We're not sure why, but it does. I think that's why so many of the living are into it, and why so many of the vampire movies and shows have sexual themes"

  "It felt as if... as if he'd screwed me." Madison's voice was small and edged with disgust. "And I let him."

  "Emotionally, Madison, he did. But you were also seduced, and by a man, it seems, well versed in mind control. Most of the coven leaders are very skilled at that. It's how some keep many of their followers loyal for so long. They mentally enslave them, especially the younger ones."

  Dodie released Madison and held her so she could look into her face. "You are a good person, Madison. I know that, even if you don't. No matter what you've been through-no matter what you will go through in the future-never lose sight of the fact that you are a good and valuable human being." Dodie lightly touched Madison's chest, directly over her heart. "In here, pure gold. And don't you ever let anyone tell you otherwise."

  Madison started crying again. No one had ever said anything like that to her before.

  "I know it, and so does Samuel," Dodie continued. "Don't think for a moment that Samuel La Croix would have spared you had he thought you weren't worthy."

  Madison remained quiet, trying to believe what Dodie was telling her about herself.

  Dodie touched Madison's cheek with a fingertip. "Wilhelm should never have done this to you, and he knows it. Especially since he was under the impression that you're with Colin. There are certain codes within covens, even for the high priest."

  Madison took a deep breath. "I think that's one of the reasons he did do it, because he thought Colin and I ...," her words drifted off. "He has a thing for Colin"

  "That may be, but it's still no excuse. Lord Wilhelm has lots of pretty and willing followers he can suck from without seducing you." Dodie's voice turned harsh before she caught herself and toned it down.

  Dodie stood up and smoothed out her long robe. "Let me see the wound. I want to make sure it doesn't get infected."

  While Dodie went to get her first-aid kit, Madison slipped off her top and studied her neck wounds in the mirror. They were larger than she expected, and she asked Dodie about it.

  "Didn't you say Lord Wilhelm had fangs?" Dodie asked, cleaning the wounds.

  Madison flinched as the alcohol hit the raw openings. "Yes. Dental implants that look like real fangs."

  "Then I'd say that after he made the cuts, he inserted his fangs, making the openings larger so he could suck more."

  Madison's stomach lurched at the thought.

  Dodie readied a needle and swabbed Madison's upper arm with more alcohol.

  "What's that for?" Madison asked.

  "It's a tetanus shot," Dodie explained as she jabbed Madison with the disposable syringe. "I want to make sure you stay well."

  "A tetanus shot? You just happen to have one laying around?"

  "This might hurt for a day or so." Dodie put a small bandage on the puncture. "From time to time, vampires bring their human lovers to me for first aid. Even in a mutual consent relationship," Dodie told her, "things can get carried away. And it's not as if they can go to a doctor without raising questions." When she saw Madison's face go pale, Dodie added, "Don't worry, it doesn't happen often."

  When Dodie was satisfied with the state of the wounds on Madison's neck, she said, "Come on now, let's both get moving. Before long, Samuel and the others will be here"

  Madison groaned as she slipped her sweater back on. "Another council meeting. Do
die, I'm really not tip for it tonight. Or for going out with Colin to Bloodlust-especially not that."

  "Yes, dear, you are up to it." Dodie smiled at her. "I know you are. Besides, it's not a council meeting, it's just Samuel, Colin, Mike, Doug, and me. Mike has some more information on your friend Evie."

  Dodie started to leave, but Madison stopped her. "Dodie," she began, struggling to find the words. "Thanks. For everything."

  Dodie smiled at the hurt young woman and opened her arms. Madison fell into them again, this time not in despair but in relief.

  Doug, now dressed, poked his head back into Madison's room. "Everything okay?" When Dodie gave him a positive nod, he entered. In his hands were two pieces of fruit.

  "Here, Madison," he said, holding them out to her. "You'll need to eat something."

  "Thanks, Doug, but I'm not hungry."

  He pushed them on her. "We don't know how much blood the bastard took from you. Probably not much, but you still should eat a little something."

  Madison took the fruit. "You heard?" she asked Doug.

  Doug gave her a sheepish grin. "Unless we're asleep, we hear everything." He looked at Madison with compassion. "However you came to us, Madison, you'll always have a safe haven here. Know that."

  Still clutching the fruit, Madison walked up to Doug and put her arms around him. She buried herself against his strength while his wife looked on with a smile.

  "Thank you," Madison murmured.

  Doug Dedham gently wrapped his arms around the young woman and gave her a tender squeeze. "You know," he told her quietly, "I once had two daughters. One was about your age when I was turned. Abigail and Caroline. I still miss them every day. Every year. Hell, every century." Madison looked up at Doug. He looked down into her face with warmth. "Maybe one day you'll let this old man tell you about them."

  Madison eased herself out of his arms. "I'd like that, Doug. Truly."

  Dodie beamed with happiness. "You like lasagna?" she asked Madison, who nodded with a slight smile. "Good, because I'm going to make it for your supper tonight before the meeting. Mike will be joining us."

  TWENTY

  t seems that Evie Banks was involved with vampire covens," Mike Notchey told the group gathered around the Dedhams' formal dining table.

  He'd announced the news earlier to Madison and the Dedhams over a dinner of lasagna and salad in the kitchen. Doug and Dodie had their usual animal blood-a new concoction Dodie had whipped up in the blender, mixing cow's blood with that of wild boar. At the last minute, she'd added a dash of sheep's blood for extra flavor.

  Mike had seemed edgy during the meal and said he had other news that he didn't want to share until everyone was together. But whatever it was, it agitated him further, like a large splinter pushed deep under his skin, when Madison told him she'd visited Bat Beauty to get more information.

  "Damn it, Madison;" he'd barked after slapping his fork down on the table. "That was a very stupid and dangerous thing to do."

  Madison shifted her left shoulder. She hadn't told Mike about Wilhelm, and she was pretty sure the Dedhams hadn't told him either. Doug had warned her, though, that Samuel would know just by looking at her and might bring it up at the meeting. Dodie confirmed that, saying Samuel could read a person's history as if it were stamped on their forehead. She also advised Madison that it would be best not to show fear if he questioned her about it. Show respect, Dodie had said, but not fear. Madison was not looking forward to the piercing stare of Samuel La Croix's dead eyes.

  "It's not like I'm in prison here," Madison shot back at Mike. "I was told I could go anywhere I wanted."

  "That doesn't mean you can behave stupidly. There's a reason why we sent Colin with you last night." Mike picked up his fork again but didn't go back to eating. He looked at Madison. "Are you at least going to tell me why you went back there?"

  Madison rolled her eyes at him. "Colin remembered later that there was once a woman at Bat Beauty with a bloodline. Wilhelm said she'd left the coven to marry, but we wanted to make sure she didn't just disappear. I went to ask him for some information on her."

  "And did Wilhelm give it to you?"

  "Yes, he did." Madison looked down at the food on her plate and stuffed a forkful of pasta into her mouth before she said anything more. The Dedhams were silent.

  "And?" Mike prodded.

  Madison chewed, swallowed, and took a drink of the iced tea that had been freshly brewed by Pauline earlier in the day. "I did a search online using the information Wilhelm gave me. There were a lot of Sylvia Hannafords around the country, but I did find a wedding announcement for one here in California. Based on the photo I also found, I'm pretty sure it's the same one."

  "So Wilhelm was telling the truth" Notchey went back to eating.

  "The announcement was for several months ago, but I went on Facebook and found her. Lucky for me, she's using her maiden name of Hannaford as her middle name now." Madison played with her food. "As of this afternoon, she was posting to Facebook about her pregnancy. So there's one less dead girl with a bloodline."

  "Good job," Mike said, half under his breath. "Stupid but productive."

  Samuel listened intently while Mike continued filling them in on Evie Banks. Once in a while he jotted down some notes.

  "They found more than just a little proof at her apartment," Mike continued. "Clothing, photos, books. She even had a small altar in a closet. Seems she was dabbling in witchcraft."

  "Any particular coven?" asked Samuel from the head of the table. Colin was sitting to Samuel's left. Next to him was Madison. Doug and Dodie were on the other side of the table, to Samuel's right. Mike was seated at the opposite end, as before.

  Mike shook his head. "Buddy on the case said there was no sign of any one specific coven, vampire or witch, but they did find photos of her taken at a party at Bloodlust. He recognized the setup in the background. But there was also a matchbook from Fang Me mixed in with her other trinkets."

  "What about Bat Beauty?" asked Colin.

  He was already dressed to go out to Bloodlust right after the meeting, and so was Madison. Tonight she was wearing snug black jeans and a black, clingy, sleeveless knit top with a mock turtleneck. The tiny bandage from the needle puncture was gone, and the turtleneck covered the larger bandage protecting the wounds Wilhelm had inflicted. Half of Madison's hair was piled on top of her head in a carefully disheveled manner, and she was wearing red lipstick so dark it was almost black. She'd purchased the lipstick and heavier eye makeup between her trip to her apartment and Bat Beauty. Dangling from her ears were large antique-looking earrings, another purchase made today at the drugstore where she'd bought the makeup. When she'd come downstairs for the meeting, every man but Doug had stared in fascination. It had made Madison uncomfortable, but judging from what she'd seen of the club scene so far, she was sure she'd fit right in at Bloodlust.

  "So far," Notchey answered, "there's been no link to them or any of the other covens, but she was definitely into the vampire scene.

  "But she seemed so shy and straight-laced," commented Madison, who was still having a difficult time believing that Evie had been involved with dark dealings. "Are you sure?" she asked Mike. "Isn't her father a minister or something like that?"

  "They're often the worst-and the most vulnerable," scoffed Colin. "The more strict the upbringing, the wilder the kid once they get a taste of freedom."

  "I'm afraid Colin is right. Not always, but often it's that way," Mike added. "Evie Banks was from a very strict home in a small town up north. Seems she moved here a couple of years ago against her family's wishes. At least that's what I've heard."

  Madison thought of Geoff. "When Colin and I were at Bat Beauty last night," she told the group, "I met a young man who had just arrived from Nebraska a few months ago. He seemed awfully naive to be in such fast company. And he had a bloodline."

  Mike Notchey shifted in his chair and coughed. Samuel studied him, then said, "I sense Detective Notchey has some
other unpleasant news for us. Might as well spill it, Mike."

  Mike coughed again and rolled his neck to try and expel tension. Madison could hear the pops of his vertebrae with each head twist.

  "Another body was found early this morning," Mike told them. "On a wooded jogging trail near Valencia. It was a young man." He glanced at Madison. "His name was Geoff Baxter."

  Madison raised a hand to her mouth, then lowered it to squeak out, "Did he have a bloodline? The Geoff I met had a bloodline."

  "Don't know about that yet, but I was told he was from Nebraska. At least he still had a Nebraska driver's license."

  "Wilhelm said Geoff didn't show up for ... for a meeting they had scheduled today." As soon as Madison said it, Colin and Samuel turned to her-Colin with angry surprise, Samuel with his usual stone face from behind dark glasses.

  "Seems Miss Rose also has something to tell us," announced Samuel.

  "Go ahead, dear," coaxed Dodie. "Tell them what you learned."

  As Madison told the group what she'd learned about Sylvia Hannaford, Samuel took his sunglasses off and stared at her. Madison avoided looking at him.

  "What is it you're not telling us, Madison?" Samuel demanded.

  "That's about it. Seems this Sylvia, who Colin had met, did leave the coven to marry. She lives in Thousand Oaks now. And Geoff didn't come by Bat Beauty today for his meeting with Wilhelm."

  "And?" pushed Samuel.

  Madison stirred up the courage to look in Samuel's direction. "And what?"

  In an instant, Samuel vanished from his seat and popped up directly behind Madison. Startled, her breath caught in her throat, and she put a hand over her heart. The others seemed less surprised.

  "Don't you have more to tell us, Madison?" Samuel coaxed in a soothing voice, not unlike the tone Wilhelm had used. He placed his hands on Madison's shoulders at the base of her neck. Madison stifled a cry of pain as one of his hands squeezed the area where she'd been cut.

  "Wilhelm-," she started, but stopped as she fought not to cry.

  "Wilhelm-," Dodie jumped in, but was stopped short by a look from Samuel.