by Megan Hawke
"Maybe a dozen or more," I said. "The police aren't sure yet."
"A dozen rogues?" Gabe said. "All one family?"
"Probably," I said, retrieving my meal from the microwave. After taking a deep swallow, "Ack! Ugh, what the hell? What kind of blood is this?"
"What?" Sabrina said, looking anywhere but at me. She's my sister. Younger by four years at twenty-one. "There are different kinds?"
"Duh," Desiree said, hurrying into the kitchen. Desiree was still wearing her hooker clothes. From the look of her, she must've had a record breaking night. All shiny florescent pink: midriff baring top, low riser short-shorts and six inch stiletto platform Mary Janes. The beautiful African-American pulled the discarded blood bag from the trash. "It's blended. No wonder."
"Blended?" Sabrina said.
My sister could be my twin in the face, but that's where the similarities ended. Her hair was dark brown, where mine was black. I was taller, a bit more voluptuous, with much longer hair. That night her face was caked with makeup, eyes painted black, lips a dark blood red. Her bangs fell into her eyes, which always made me want to brush it away. She was wearing a lacy black bra showing under an oversized ZZ Top "Gimme All Your Lovin'" t-shirt, with the sleeves and collar cut out, snug black pants and her square-toed, kick-butt boots.
"When it says blended it means they blend cow, pig, and chicken blood," Desiree said. "In fact, it could have other animals in it, too. I never met a vamp that didn't think it was nasty, but it's cheap and they sell a lot."
"Never buy blended," I said. "Only cow blood. Nothing else."
"It was on sale."
"It's not worth it," I said. "How much did you buy?"
"Three cases."
"Oh Jesus," I said under my breath. I couldn't waste that much blood.
"You wanna bite, baby?" Desiree said, sweeping straightened red hair back over one shoulder. "You do, don't you?"
I stopped and stared at her neck. Her skin was so soft and warm. I licked my lips thinking about it, and the taste of her sweet blood. I so wanted to bite her, but that would lead to other things real fast. I could smell it.
Desiree picked up on my interest, and she grew more aroused. Her excitement called to me in the most basic way imaginable, and I hungered for her. It was my curse. The curse of all vampires, really. My libido had a hair trigger, and Desiree knew how to pull it. It took all of my willpower to keep from filling the air with vampire pheromones.
"Not now," I said, stepping back from her. "We have business to discuss."
"Yeah," Dane said. He stood up and headed to the kitchen. I stopped to watch, biting my lower lip. He was wearing faded jeans and plain white t-shirt. Now that he was officially unemployed, he had been working out more and needed to buy bigger t-shirts. Or, maybe he didn't. "A dozen rogue vamps are a serious problem. Do we have an address for them?"
"No. Longhouse isn't even sure who they are, or how many," I said. "He doesn't know their daytime resting places, either. He wants us to find them."
"I bet he does," Dane said, blue eyes flashing. "He's going to get us killed."
He looked so damn hot when angry. My Dane, tall, dark, and handsome. Well, not classically handsome. Rough, dangerous handsome. My kinda man.
"Too late for Sable," Gabe said, and laughed at his own joke. He was the only one that laughed.
"And they say my jokes suck," I said.
"I try," he said.
"Try harder."
"Back to the vampires," Dane said. No one took staking vampires more seriously than Dane. It was his life. "What do we know?"
"They've killed three times in three nights," I said. "They only kill werewolves."
"Whoa, that's just rude," Gabe said. Our resident werewolf stood up and headed into the kitchen. I knew that tidbit would get his attention. "What about killing werewolves?"
Gabe was two inches shy of Dane's six foot four, but he was a bit heavier. Both men were thick with muscles, but Gabe was bigger boned. He looked like an outlaw biker with his long brown hair, full beard, and tattoos. He wore a black Harley-Davidson t-shirt with sleeves cut out, faded jeans, and scuffed biker boots.
"Tonight the vamps attacked one of those discount gas stations, with two werewolves working at the time. They chased off the mortals, but slaughtered the wolves," I said.
"Slaughtered?" Desiree said, looking a bit sick.
"Tore them into tiny bite-sized chunks, and left them all over the place," I said. "It was the most brutal murder site I've ever seen. It looked like a really pissed off pack of wolves killed them."
"The same group of vamps killed three times in three days," Dane said. "Always wolves. Are they trying to start a war?"
"Looks that way, doesn't it?" I said. "The wolves are still pissed off about last January. And the vamps are still pissed off about Fritz Rotmensen killing so many vamps, including Council members."
"Two powder kegs waiting for a spark," Sabrina said. "I hear Miami is beautiful this time of year. Maybe we should go on vacation while there's still time."
"That would be the smart thing to do," I said. I grinned at her.
"We're not going to do the smart thing, are we?"
"Do we ever?"
"No." Sabrina grimaced. "Damn."
"Gabe, I need you to contact the packs. Find out what they are thinking and planning," I said. "Desiree, I need to find out what the vampires are thinking. See if anyone heard anything. Names would be nice. Addresses better."
"What should I do?" Sabrina said.
"Get some sleep, and then go to class," I said. "If you can't keep your grades up, then you can't hunt vampires."
"I'm thinking about dropping out to hunt vamps full time," she said. "I don't need a college education to slay vampires."
"If you drop out to slay vampires, Mom and Dad will kill me," I said. "You just have one more year after this."
"I'm out of here," Gabe said. He stepped up and wrapped his arms around me. We kissed. "I need to find some people before the sun comes up."
"Be careful," I said. "If you get yourself killed, I'll reanimate you and kill you again."
"Ha! That'll be fun."
He grabbed Desiree's butt as he passed her, making her squeak and jump. She liked it. Desiree already had a phone to her ear, calling people. Yeah, we moved fast. Lives were on the line.
I opened my laptop and waited for it to boot up. Then I logged into my e-mail account and smiled. There was an e-mail with attachment from Sergeant Longhouse. I opened it.
The e-mail was short and sweet: Tonight's victims were Charlie Winters and Nathaniel Sedgewood. Both were members of the Night Hunter Pack, over in Mesquite. Charlie was the pack leader. In the two previous murders, one werewolf was killed each time. The first was Salvador Espinoza, a member of the Rio Loco Pack in South Dallas, and the second victim was Anita Agnew of the Wild Pack, a motorcycle girl gang of werewolves. Attached are crime scene photos of the victims and the killers. Let me know if you find out anything. AND I MEAN ANYTHING. - Steve
"What, no addresses?" I asked as Dane read the e-mail. "Typical."
We checked out the photos from the stores' security cameras. The pictures were grainy at best, but good enough I could identify a few suspects if we crossed paths. Then I called Sergeant Longhouse before he went home for the night.
"Longhouse, it's Sable. Thanks for the e-mail."
"No problem. I hope it helps. These bastards are brutal," he said. "Worse, the packs are getting restless."
"Just restless?"
"Okay, they are pissed off royally. They are demanding we stop the killings and arrest the vamps responsible. Or else."
"The 'or else' is what scares me," I said. "Werewolves are not subtle. They'll kill vampires, thralls, and anyone else in the general vicinity. It'll be a bloodbath."
"That's why you have to find them. Yesterday."
"Hm. Give me some addresses," I said. "I especially need the addresses and phone numbers of the Night Hunters, Rio Locos, and Wi
ld Pack leaders."
"You do not want to go see those people, Sable. They will kill you," Longhouse said. He sounded adamant. Did he like me? Sometimes it was hard to tell. Cops. They can be scary to an undead girl in the city.
"Let me worry about the wolves," I said. "I've dealt with them before."
"Exactly, and they like you a lot less since," he said. "You have a knack for pissing people off, Sable."
"A gift, I know," I said. "But don't worry about me. You just try to get an address for the vamps' daytime resting place. Call Dane the second you find it."
"Is Dane there? Let me talk to him. He'll keep you from going to see those crazy wolves," Longhouse said.
"If he was here, I would've had him call you," I said, glancing over at Dane and Sabrina speaking softly. My little sister's body language revealing she so wanted to get her hands on him. Though Sabrina was not subtle, Dane appeared totally clueless. Thank God. Sabrina and I needed to have a long talk. "So give me the addresses. You know I can find them on the internet, but that will take time. Help me here, Longhouse. Tell me something I can use for once."
"Damn you, Sable," he growled, and then he gave me the addresses and phone numbers I requested. Then he gave me another address. "It's an all night pool hall, called Jeric's Place. He's Jeric Holmes and the new pack leader for the Night Hunters. He works nights, and is over there right now. That might be the safest place to meet him, kind of on neutral ground."
I entered the info into my phone as soon as we hung up.
"You might want to step back, Dane," I said.
"I don't bite," Sabrina said, her bright green eyes narrowing.
"I do," I said.
"Oh, I see, you can sleep with anyone and everyone you meet, but I have to be a good girl," Sabrina said, glaring defiantly. Dane's eyes widened, suddenly understanding. "I'm twenty-one years old, Sable. I can take care of myself. I don't need my big sister babysitting me."
I glanced at the clock. It was almost four. The calendar was hanging next to it, and the sunrise, sunset times were written down for each day. Sunrise was 7:27 AM for Friday, March 23rd. Twilight started about half hour before that. So three hours. Thirty minutes to Mesquite and thirty back. I had time.
"Dane, feel like taking a trip over to Mesquite?"
He glanced at the clock. "Are you sure? It'll be close."
"I'm sure."
"Can I come?" Sabrina asked.
"No. Go home and get some rest before classes," I said. "I mean it. I won't let you hunt vampires with us if your GPA drops."
"You can't protect me forever," Sabrina said, snatching up her purse and stomping toward the door.
"I can try," I whispered.
Chapter 3
"There it is," I said, pointing at single story, standalone building. It kind of looked like an old chain restaurant in some serious need of a little upkeep. Dane was driving his old Jeep Wrangler. Typical man, he didn't like to ride with a woman driving. I could've gotten us there a lot faster in the Mustang. "Jeric's Place."
Jeric's Place was near the street in an old, rundown strip mall. There were more Harley's around it than cars. Really, hardly any cars. Pickups, SUVs, and four-wheelers for the most part.
"Oh, this is going to be fun," Dane said. He was scowling at the pool hall. "You strutting into a club full of crazy biker werewolves. I should be filming this."
"Who are you worried about? Me? Or them?" I said, grinning.
"I only care about you," he said. "Be careful. No one in there likes vampires."
Dane parked in a space facing the street. Really, if we need to make a fast escape he could just drive straight across the sidewalk and onto the street. Of course, if there ends up being a chase we'd be much better off with my Mustang. He didn't want to hear that.
"Don't worry. I'm not in a particularly playful mood right now,' I said. "I just want to find out what I need to know, and go home."
"Just be careful who you shoot. If you shoot a mortal, there will be hell to pay."
"Who said I'm going to shoot anyone?"
He gave me an oh please look.
"I know you. You're faster to the trigger than Billy the Kid."
"Oh, that is just so wrong." I grinned at him. "But I kinda like it."
"I know. That's part of the problem."
We headed for the door. I felt like I was finally dressed appropriately. Jeric's Place was basically a biker bar. I was dressed like a biker chick: black leather biker jacket, over matte black leather bustier, faded low-rider jeans with a wide black belt, and matte black thigh boots. Yeah, I was vamped out.
In both pockets of the jacket were Glock 31 .357 pistols. Inside the jacket, was hidden a Glock 33, also .357. The jacket was modified, with strategically placed "vents" in the back and the outside pockets were altered into hidden holsters for the two Glocks. It wasn't a fast draw option, but really all I had to do was reach in and grab. I didn't have to pull the pistols to shoot them. But vampires are fast, relative to mortals.
Really, even though it was March, and 4:30 AM, the temperature was just 65 degrees. As a vampire, temperature had absolutely no affect on me. Dane could've gone without the jacket as well. We only needed the jackets to hide our weapons.
Dane's biker jacket was similarly modified, also with a pair of Glock 31s. He had a few other weapons, too. In his jeans, t-shirt, and biker boots he could pass for a biker.
"Yeow, Momma! Strut it, girl," a man standing beside the door called.
There were two men flanking the door, smoking cigarettes. They were both dressed like Dane, but looked rougher, more brutal. Neither one of them was a werewolf. Their auras proclaimed them to be normal mortals.
"You boys out for a smoke, or guarding the gates into Hell?" I said.
"Ha! Hell doesn't need guards, babe," the other one said. "Go on in."
"Thanks," I said, noticing them sizing up Dane.
We stopped just inside the door. Really, the only light came from the overhead lights above the pool tables. There were a dozen tables, all occupied. I counted two men for every woman in the place, and most of the women were wait staff. I attracted a bit of unwanted attention, noticing way too many were glaring at me.
"Fucking vampire!" someone shouted, and then everyone turned to glare at us.
"How quaint, you noticed," I said, smiling brightly. "I'm Sable Hart, and I'm looking for Jeric."
"Why, you staking wolves now, Black Heart?" a tall, redheaded man said. He was a good six foot eight, with a drooping paunch and scraggly beard. His eyes were the palest green I’d ever seen. "How many wolves have you murdered?"
"In my own defense, those wolves needed killing," I said. Strangely, that didn't console them. I smiled with wicked delight as I locked eyes with red. "So, Big Red, are you Jeric, or are you the boy he's hiding behind?"
"I don't hide from anyone, especially not some two-bit vamp with delusions of grandeur," he said. Jeric's aura was huge. Almost as big as Gabe's. I didn't let his paunch fool me. For a werewolf that was an asset. When he morphed into a wolf his mass increased. That fat would turn into lean, hard muscle and sinew. Besides, in human form they really weren't much stronger than a normal mortal. "You were a fool to come here. But it'll be your last mistake."
"Told you he wouldn't want to play," Dane said, his hands already in his jacket pockets.
"Oh, pooh," I said, and laughed at Jeric's surprised look. He didn't know me very well. "I've been asked by the Dallas Police to try and find the vamps that killed Charlie Winters and Nathaniel Sedgewood. I have a few questions, if you don't mind?"
"You're not in Dallas any more, baby girl," Jeric said. He cracked his knuckles. Why do men do that? Ouch. "You're in Night Hunter territory, and the nights in Mesquite can be very, very dark."
I gawked at him. "That has got to be the cheesiest threat I’ve ever heard."
"You like to throw gasoline on fires, too, don't you?" Dane muttered.
I slanted an amused look at Dane.
; The others were starting to move towards us. I counted twenty werewolves, and some sixty other mortals. Five of the werewolves were women, including three of the waitresses.
I reached into my jacket, and pulled out a dozen sheets of paper, folded lengthways. "I have some photos of the crime in progress. Pictures of the attackers," I said. I held the pictures out to Jeric. "I want you to look at them and see if you recognize anyone."
"You're serious?" Jeric said. "You expect us to help you?"
"Of course, because I'm here to help you," I said. He took the pictures and riffled through them quickly. "Keep them. Show them around. I have more. Just tell me if you recognize anyone."
"Yeah, I recognize someone," Jeric said. He tossed the pictures on a table. "I recognize you from TV. You are an admitted wolf killer. For that, you are going to pay dearly."
Dane and I pulled our pistols. Suddenly, they were staring at four Glock 31s. They were not impressed.
"Guns don't hurt us," Jeric said.
"They do if loaded with silver bullets," Dane said. "Silver kills werewolves."
"Sometimes it does," Jeric said. The wolves all stopped moving forward. A little wariness tainted their anger. "Why should we believe you are loaded with silver?"
"We hunt vampires. They are even harder to kill, and it takes blessed silver to even get their attention," I said. "Blessed silver is just as effective against werewolves as plain silver. Anyone think otherwise?" No one said anything. "Good. Now, about those pictures –"
The door behind me boomed open. Dane and I dove in opposite directions. I expected the wolves to dog pile me, but instead they roared in rage and attacked the door. It took me a few seconds to realize vampires were pouring through the door. Lots of vampires.
"Son of a bitch!" I cried as one of the vamps leapt at me.
He was a skinny black man, no more than twenty. His eyes were wild as he reached for my head. I was sitting on the floor, so rocked back and kicked straight up. I caught him in the belly, pulled my knees close, and then thrust hard. He flew away as another two vampires attacked me.
Men and women screamed in pain and horror all around me. The vamps were too fast for the wolves. It took werewolves time to change. A really powerful wolf could morph in fifteen to thirty seconds, but he was very vulnerable during that time.