by Megan Hawke
That got their attention. Even Desiree was a tad frightened. No one wanted a starving vamp feeding off them. No siree.
"I was in Oak Cliff, nailed to a cross." That shut them up. All they could do was gawk. "I still need blood. Please."
"I'll get it," Sabrina said, wide-eyed and her hand over her mouth.
"That's horrible!" Dane cried. "How did that happen? The police said you weren't there when they arrived."
"The police? Have y'all learned anything new while I was indisposed?" Their grim looks spoke volumes. "I guess that was too much to hope for."
"At least we put an end to the murders," Heidi said.
"Until they get more vampire blood, and reanimate more vampires," Dane said.
"And that brings us back to me." I sat down on my relatively new black leather couch. It was big and shiny and smelled wonderfully of leather. "I was captured in part to get more blood. They drained me and have begun the reanimation of at least five more vampires."
"How did they catch you?" Gabe said. "You're usually so alert."
"I was tricked. I think that house was set up as an ambush site or something. There were zombies in the attic with chloroform."
"That's clever," Dane said. "Vampires can't detect the undead. No heart beat to hear, or even breathing. No nothing."
"I'm glad you approve," I said. "But I do have to hand it to them. It was clever."
Sabrina returned with my blood. It was not completely warmed up, but lukewarm was better than nothing. Sucking it down fast, I then handed the cup back and asked for another.
"So you know who is behind the killings?" Dane said.
I shook my head. "No. I met my keeper, who was just one witch in the coven," I said. "She wouldn't give any names."
"How did you escape?" Desiree said.
"I used my super duper vamp powers," I said, grinning.
"With blessed silver inside you?" she said.
"Oh, yeah. Okay, it's kind of gruesome, but I…"
And my home phone rang. Sabrina ran over and answered it. It was for me.
"Sable speaking, how may I help you?"
"It's Jeric. We heard you killed the rest of the vampires."
That brightened my mood. The werewolves knew I killed the vamps killing them.
"That's true. We killed them Tuesday night."
"Good. But you know this doesn't get you off the hook, right? The real threat to us and peace is the person controlling them," he said. "You have to stop that person."
I didn't know what to say to that. I replayed that night in my mind. What did we agree to? There was no argument that the person Changing vampires and controlling them, forcing them to kill on command, had to be found and stopped. Life would be easier if I didn't have that gruesome deadline. It was Thursday, and I only had to Sunday at midnight.
"Are you still there?"
"Yes. I was thinking. You realize how hard I'm working to resolve this, don't you?"
"Of course, but don't think that will save your fat ass if you fail us," Jeric said. His voice got lower. "Truth be told, I am hoping you fail. I have plans for you."
Jeric hung up.
Chapter 12
After I told my sad tale of woe, we moved to the family room and got comfortable. We reviewed all we'd done and learned. There could be no other answer, a coven of witches had decided, for unknown reasons, to facilitate a war between werewolves and vampires.
Next question: what would the coven gain from a war? Tougher question, since none of us were witches or really knew any witches. Vampires, werewolves, and witches didn't cross paths as much as some would think. We were all outside the mainstream, but at least witches and werewolves were tolerated.
"Power or money," Dane said. "No other options. The witch community is the smallest, with the slowest growth rate."
"Or even growth potential," Gabe said. "Wolves and vamps can go out and create more of themselves relatively quick and easy compared to witches."
We tried to come up with a scenario that would leave the witches the dominant paranormal group in Dallas. I couldn't image that many wolves or vamps being killed. First off, vampires were a lot harder to kill, or to even corner and force to fight. The vampire in question would have to want to fight, have a reason to fight. And if the vamp was losing, he could just morph into a bat and fly away.
"There has to be another objective. Maybe there's a certain werewolf, or pack leader the witches want to kill and are trying to hide the murder amid mass murders," I said. "Or, they plan to implicate a certain vampire when it's all over, to discredit him before the rest and Council."
Around midnight I got another call.
"Hello, Sergeant Longhouse. Are you calling to give info, or get it?"
"You have information you haven't shared?"
I rolled my eyes. Sometimes cops just didn't have a sense of humor. "A joke. How can I help you?"
"Why aren't you answering your phone?"
I paused to give Dane an exasperated look. Steve Longhouse was his friend. Indeed, it was Dane's secret life as a vampire slayer that dragged the cop into that world, and ended up with him in charge of the Dallas Police Department's Paranormal Investigation Team.
"I lost my phone. How can I help you? I'm on a deadline here."
"What deadline?"
The man was going to drive me crazy. "I promised the packs to resolve the problem by Sunday at midnight. I really want to keep that promise."
"Hmm. Really? Okay. I need to see you. Right now."
"Not another murder scene?"
"No. I just need to meet with you, face-to-face. Just the two of us."
"Sounds serious."
"It is. When can you be here?"
"You want me to waltz into Police headquarters? Are you mad?"
"Oh no, PIT is out of the new substation in Deep Ellum, at the corner of Main and Hall. It's safe."
Though I trusted him, I wasn't so sure about any other cop. No police station was safe haven for a vampire.
"Not for a vampire. No. How about we meet on the roof deck of The Bone?" The Bone was a club, where the roof was converted to an outdoor entertainment area complete with stage for live bands. I'd been there with Gabe a few times, just for some fun. They didn't cater to vampires, or our subculture, but then didn't ban us either. "It's neutral and very public."
"And there is a rock band playing there right now. I can hear them from here. No. You want public, then let's just meet on the street. How's the corner of Walton and Commerce?"
"Fine. I’m on my way."
"Come alone. What I have to say is just between us."
"Now you're scaring me."
He just grunted and hung up. That last comment got everyone's attention.
"What's scary?" Dane said. "Has there been another killing? There hasn't been enough time to raise more vampires."
"No. Longhouse is getting all cryptic on me. Apparently there's something going down so big he wants to tell me face-to-face, and alone. For my ears only."
"I don't like it," Gabe said. "You can't trust the police. They don't necessary share our goals."
"We can trust Steve. I've known him for years. All he cares about is doing right, and justice. He's not as by-the-book as others."
While Dane and Gabe argued over the trustworthiness of the police in general, and Sergeant Longhouse in particular, I headed downstairs. My clothes were ruined. The bustier was damaged, and my favorite faded black jeans were blood stained. Desiree might be able to save them. She was good at getting blood out.
The thunderstorms and rain had passed while we spoke that evening. If the band was playing on the roof deck of The Bone, then it definitely wasn't raining in Deep Ellum. Of course, Longhouse could be wrong and it was a very loud DJ. Either way, the local radar and forecast I pulled up on the computer showed we were between bands of storms, and I had three or four hour window.
I started to vamp out, but changed my mind. Longhouse seemed to relax more when I wore regular
street clothes. So I picked out new, low-rider jeans, over ankle boots and a light blue tank with "Milk Does A Body Good" written across my bosom. It was sassy, without being vampy.
"You look like you're going out with Dane," Heidi said, disapproval written all over her face. "I have a new Donna Karan dress and strappy Louboutins that would kill Longhouse to see you in. I'll get them."
"You do that."
I let her run into her room, and then left. I hurried through the house, giving everyone a kiss and was out the door before Heidi came back. I grinned. She would be so pissed.
The tank top allowed my wings to extend without fear of ripping. The cloth kinda bunched between the wings, and tightened across my chest, but it was doable. I was soon flapping away south, towards Deep Ellum. It wasn't that far as-the-vamp-flies.
The band was still playing when I reached Deep Ellum. I'd never heard of them, but they sounded really good. Rock band, heavy on the guitar. The lead singer looked cute, but he wore way too much eyeliner.
I swung by the new substation. It was new construction. Two stories, pale yellow brick, and few windows. It looked really out of place in Deep Ellum, which was mostly old one story buildings, with a few two and three story structures. A few business people, most notably Valerie St. Clair, had built big, new structures for their dance clubs. In many ways the vampire subculture revitalized Deep Ellum. In my parents day it was hippies and head shops. Now it was thralls and vampire themed dance clubs. Not necessarily an improvement.
The sidewalks were teeming with young people. Most were under twenty-five, with few over thirty. Street musicians sang, beggars begged, groups of kids harassed everyone. I spotted over twenty vampires as I circled, and even a few werewolves. I had to be a lot closer to witches to separate them from normal mortals, but witches generally avoided Deep Ellum.
Sergeant Longhouse was waiting. Rather impatiently, I might add. He checked his watch several times while I circled above. Yeah, I was keeping an eye on him. I wanted to check out the area first, just to make sure everyone was behaving. But when people began to notice me up there, I decided it was time to talk to the man.
I came to a stop about twenty feet above Longhouse, then retracted my wings. Sucked them right back into my body. I fell straight down to land to his left.
"Good evening, Sergeant," I said, startling him.
Longhouse jumped back. He half dropped into a defensive stance, and then froze. I wagged my brows at him, and that kind of pissed him off.
"Dammit! Why do you always do that?"
I shrugged, and then pointed up.
"I thought you knew I was up there. People were pointing at me."
He looked around warily. I don't think I'd ever seen him look so uncomfortable.
"I'm preoccupied."
Once again, he glanced around nervously. That worried me. What did he have to be afraid of? Or who? Vampire or wolf? His eyes lingered just half a second on two men behind me, whose heart rates spiked upon my arrival. I glanced over my shoulder at them, noticing them watching me.
"You boys have a problem?" I said.
From their aura's I knew they were werewolves. Probably not alpha wolves. Considering the tension between vamps and wolves, their presence surprised me. It was something I would have to investigate.
"Yeah. You're a vampire."
That response pretty much said they were not employees of a vampire, like Valerie. I smiled tightly.
"It's Deep Ellum. You were expecting Santa Claus?" They just looked away. I wanted them to leave, but they seemed happy where they were. "Can we talk here? Or should we move down the road a bit?"
Longhouse waved me closer, reaching into his pocket as he hunched over, back to the wolves. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. I moved up to his side, trying to see what was on the paper.
"We know who created and controlled the vampires," he whispered.
"Who?"
He looked me in the eyes. "You."
"What?" That was all I had time to say. The two wolves jumped me. They were big and strong, even in human form. In less than two heartbeats they had my wrists handcuffed behind my back. Intense cold slammed into me, running up my arms. "Enchanted cuffs?"
The enchantment neutralized my ability to use any of my powers. I couldn't morph or mesmerize. My wings wouldn't extend. I was trapped.
"Sable Hart, you are under arrest for murder," Sergeant Longhouse said.
"And it's about time," Detective Morris said, walking up the sidewalk with a big smile.
"What murder?"
"The murders of Hannah Jimenez, Chanah Weinlaub, Zane Drake, Aaron Kagan…"
"You're charging me for killing the vampires that were killing werewolves? Are you fucking crazy? It's not illegal to kill vampires," I said.
"But it is illegal to kill them to create vampires," Morris said. "You killed them, reanimated them, and then forced them to commit the murders just so you could 'solve' the crime and get the glory."
"You are crazy. I don't want glory. I want to make the world safe."
Sergeant Longhouse didn't say anything. He just looked grim and disappointed. Disappointed in me? I couldn't believe it.
"I bet you do. Damn lying vampires," Detective Morris said, looking me up and down with a look of disgust. He pulled out his phone and dialed. "This is Morris. The vampire is secured. Take them now."
"Take who?" I said.
"Everyone," Longhouse said. "You're entire family is being arrested for murder and as accessories to murder."
"Even Dane? He's your friend." He said nothing. "My God, you are going to be so sorry you did this. So very sorry."
"Is that a threat?" Morris said.
"It's a fact. I don't know what kind of convoluted logic twisted your minds around to think I would commit such a terrible crime, but to blame the members of my family is beyond comprehension. The truth will come out, and you will realize just how horribly you screwed up," I said.
"If true, you won't be around to see it and gloat," Morris said. He looked up. "I understand there is a chance for blue skies this morning, before more rain moves in tonight."
I just froze, cold to my core. The police always took any vampire they arrested to Lew Sterrett Justice Center and put him in the Sun Room on the roof. The Sun Room was a super secure, massively thick glass jail cell. The glass was so thick, so hard that no vampire could break out. And no vampire had ever come back out of that cell. Ever. With the first light of day, any vampire in that cell vaporized.
They were going to take me to that cell. The Lew Sterrett Justice Center was just down Commerce, on the other side of downtown. A straight trip to my death for me. Just a few miles, a few minutes away.
A squad car and an unmarked car pulled up. Detective Grinstead was driving the unmarked car, with Detective Parker riding shotgun. They just got out and stood in the open doors to watch. Both cops just gave me that cold cop stare that said, "You filthy criminal."
"What are you going to do when the killings start up again?"
"The vamps are dead," Morris said.
"But if you are wrong, the guilty party is still out there to create more vampires and start over. The police didn't find or kill a single vampire. Me and my family tracked them down, found them, and killed them. Without us you are up a creek without a paddle. It will be war." I gave them a cold look. I couldn't tell them the coven was already creating more with my blood. The use of my blood would just be seen as proof that I was involved. "You cannot imagine how destructive it will be, or how many innocents will be killed or maimed. It is only my reputation that is holding the wolves back. You won't have that if you kill me."
"Well, Black Heart, if that comes to pass I'll cry a big crocodile tear for you," Morris said. "Take her way."
"Wait! You haven't read me my rights."
"The undead have no rights. Take her away," Morris said. I was pushed towards the squad car. "Dead vampire walking."
My head whipped around and my jaw dropped.
Morris grinned at me.
I was forced into the back of the squad car. The cops pulled away without any pause. Two cops sat in the front seat. They looked confident and pleased. I didn't feel so good. The handcuffs cut me off from my family links. The police might be arresting them that very moment. And I was sitting in the back of a police car trembling, terrified.
God, how I needed to pee.
Grinstead and Parker were following in their unmarked car. Were they afraid I'd escape? Or were they going to ensure I was put into the Sun Room? Would they even take the time to book me? No. That would require removing the handcuffs, and they wouldn't do that. Most likely they would wait to recover the cuffs from the pile of dust the sun left behind when it hit me. All that would be left of me was clothes, teeth, and hair.
As we passed under Interstate 45 and entered downtown, I forced myself to stop contemplating my eminent doom, and instead consider options. There were always options. Usually, anyway. I didn't see any obvious scenarios where I would survive.
I had to get out of the handcuffs. They put them on tightly. I tugged on them, and got no movement. They were a solid piece of steel, not a chain between the manacles set. Pretty standard for securing vampires and werewolves. We couldn't break them with our super strength.
"This is going to hurt," I muttered.
"What did you say, vampire?" the driving cop said. "You keep quiet."
"I said this will hurt!"
I lifted both feet and kicked the back of the front bench seat. I was still super strong. My kick ripped the seat off its bolts and slammed both cops into the steering wheel and dashboard. The car veered right and smashed into a brick building.
I moved my handcuffed hands below my rump, extended my fingers to make my hands as narrow as possible and pulled up with all my preternatural strength. My wrists and hands were just flesh and bone. They couldn't handle that much pressure. They slipped out of the handcuffs, but with a lot less skin than I started with.
"Jesus! That hurt! Lord have mercy!"
I didn't hesitate. Freed of the cuffs, I turned in the seat and kicked the right door with all of my strength. The door flew off the car. I heard Detective Parker on the radio saying that I was escaping. I hoped Morris shit his pants when he heard that.