by Nina Pierce
Silence fell over the room like a thick blanket smothering him. No one moved. Time hung suspended.
It was Ronan’s condescending laugh that finally broke the spell of disbelief. “Oh, now that’s rich. The irony of the savior being the slayer …” He stopped to catch his breath. “Seriously, who would’ve predicted our villain was sweet innocent—”
“Shut up, Ronan. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” Josh’s words came out through clenched teeth.
Reese fought through the fog of confusion. “Alex Flanagan? My Alex Flanagan?” He’d known his undercover work would eventually tear them apart, he just never could not have imagined it would take her life. His timing definitely sucked.
“Yes, Alexandra Flanagan, you idiot.” Ronan stormed back to the table. “Stop thinking with your dick and look at the facts.” He pounded a finger on one of the highlighted circles. “How’s this person related to Alex?”
Josh slapped his hand away. “Back off, Nason.”
“No, he’s right.” Reese knew there had to be another explanation, but without understanding everything, he wouldn’t be able to get to the bottom of it. “Tell us, who they are.”
“The university fire was a student of hers.” Josh moved his finger around the map. “This fire killed her hairdresser. This one was a cashier at Ricker’s Market in town.”
“That’s a stretch. All three of us could be suspect there,” Reese said.
“That’s true. But the cashier was a vampire and a regular at the tavern.”
“Go on.” A cold knot of dread coiled tight in Reese’s gut as he listened to Josh explain Alex’s connection to all but a handful of the fires.
“So that’s it? Case closed.” Ronan straightened the cuffs of his shirt. “Once it’s reported and the tribunal takes Alex in, do they transfer us right away to the next case or—”
Josh’s left hook took Ronan down before the arrogant asshole had seen the flash of movement. If the impact hadn’t kept him on the floor, Josh’s knee in his chest and grip on his throat was certainly doing the trick. “This is a fellow vampire and a friend. Our job is to gather solid evidence before taking it to the tribunal. You aren’t going to breathe a fucking word of this to anyone. Got it?” His grip tightened imperceptibly. “Nod if you understand.”
Ronan’s features contorted into rage as he reluctantly dipped his chin.
“Good.” Josh ground his knee into Ronan’s gut as he pushed himself up. “Your only job right now is to keep your head down and stay the fuck out of our way.”
“Whatever, asshole.” Ronan got up from the floor and straightened his coat. “I didn’t join RISEN to take shit from you two.”
Reese stepped in front of him. “Why did you join RISEN?”
“To protect the vampire population.” His lips pursed in a tight line. “Isn’t that why we’re all undercover?” He elbowed his way past Reese. “I won’t report her to RISEN … yet. But trust me, when I find the proverbial smoking gun, Alex is going to wish like hell she hadn’t crossed paths with Ronan Nason.”
Reese stared at Ronan’s back as he stormed out of the cabin. “Think he’ll steer clear of her?” He turned back to Josh’s tired expression.
“Yeah. He’s too green to go forward on his own.”
“And this?” Reese swept his hand over the map, wondering what the hell they were going to do. “Is Nason right? Is my personal involvement blinding me to the facts?”
“Depends on how bad you have it for her.”
“Let’s just say after today, you can rip up that IOU.” Reese’s whole world had been dropped in a blender and put on pulverize to shit.
“You certainly picked a lousy time to get over your fear of commitment.”
“Ya think?”
“Dude, the whole situation just sucks.” Josh raked his fingers through his hair. “I’d like to think someone is setting her up for some reason.”
“Is that what you honestly believe?”
“What I know is that Alex has been working to perfect a nutritional supplement so vamps don’t have to drink human blood. She’s got the protection of Glenn and the blessing of the tribunal. What I believe doesn’t matter.”
“But …” Reese dragged the word slowly over his tongue.
“Since I’m a betting man, I’d wager my left nut she’s mired in this whole thing up to that nice rack of hers.”
* * * *
“… and a veggie burger, lettuce, tomato, hold the mayo, but add avocados and extra pickles.” The young woman looked at Alex and smiled. “And could I have unsweetened iced tea with lemon?”
“Fries?” Alex wrote the order on her pad, fighting through the double vision blurring the words. The young couple at the table bantered back and forth about potatoes and fry oil, until Alex regretted making the suggestion. “How about I just bring you a sample platter of our fries and onion rings, on the house?” She gathered their menus and hurried into the kitchen before they could change their minds.
Thank goodness the lunch rush was over and only a few late afternoon stragglers had stopped by the tavern. Alex’s morning queasiness had become full blown cramping and the headache that had tapped at her temples, now left her head throbbing in a vise grip of pain. She counted the minutes until Katie would arrive and relieve her.
“Order for table four,” she mumbled, laying her slip on the stainless steel counter with the others.
Chris caught her wrist, stopping her escape. “Hey, you okay?”
She forced a tremulous smile. “Yeah, fine.”
“It’s me you’re talking to.”
“I’m a little distracted that Glenn hasn’t gotten back. I’m not sure what’s keeping him today. I’ve still got work I need to finish up in the wine cellar.”
His face scrunched in doubt. “I’ve watched you dragging your ass around here all afternoon. And you called Katie in. It’s pretty bad when you call in reinforcements.”
“I guess the professor’s death is finally sinking in.” A lie. Hopefully one Chris would accept. “I’m not sure who’s going to make the funeral arrangements and …” Pain stabbed through her gut, bringing water to her eyes.
Chris misunderstood her tears. “Hey, now, we’re all here for you.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. She knew there was more than friendship behind the gesture, but she was too weak to fight him. “You won’t have to go through this alone.”
Yes, she did. “Thanks, friend.” She pushed away from him, forcing another smile. “Katie’ll be here in a couple. I’m just going to go downstairs and finish up the bookkeeping down there.” She didn’t even bother to take off her apron before running for the refuge of the cellar.
Unlocking the door, she let the damp, cool air settle around her. Less than twenty-four hours had passed since she’d been with the professor and already her body was craving the one thing she couldn’t give it—sustenance.
She ran into the back room. Alex took small, shallow breaths, working to keep her stomach from heaving as she grabbed a bottle of blood wine and a small measuring beaker from the shelf. Returning to her office, she fell heavily in her chair, her knees shaky and weak. With trembling hands, she grabbed a half dozen saltine crackers from her drawer, unwrapped them and crumbled them into the beaker. She poured the blood wine over them, holding her breath as she stirred the bloody mush with her finger.
Alex had no idea if this would work, but without the professor to guide her, she was running out of ideas—and time. Too far from one world and not close enough to the other, she prayed this would at least ease the cramping. Pinching her nose, she forced herself to swallow the concoction she’d made, twice gagging as it slid down her throat.
Heavy footfalls sounded on the stairs.
She shoved the beaker into the drawer with the crackers, corked the wine, and cleaned the crimson evidence from her lips. “I’m here in the office.”
“I was just checking to see how you’re feeling.” Chris stood in the doorway, disappointment reflected
in his eyes. “I don’t know why you drink that stuff.” He walked to her in slow, measured steps. “It goes against your nature.” Dropping to his knees in front of her, he brushed his thumb over her lips, his gaze taking an intimate journey over her face. “You’re losing weight and your skin is so pale. Why do you fight the gift you’ve been given?”
She hadn’t expected this conversation again. Chris viewed immortality with all the innocence of a twenty-something hoping to hold onto his youth, not the tired outlook of a woman frustrated that time no longer mattered. “Chris, I—”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “No, I’m not asking you to change me this time. Just drink from me.” Tipping his head to the side, Chris offered her his blood. Though touched by his gesture, Alex’s revulsion at the throbbing artery in front of her, made her gag.
Chris flinched as if the sound had been a physical blow. “That repulsive?” He stood and backed away from her. “I just thought … I mean—”
She jumped up, reaching for him, ignoring the way the room spun in her vision. “It’s not like that, Chris. It’s so complicated and—”
“Yeah, don’t bother. I’m done asking.” He held his hands up and pushed at the air, stopping her excuses. “I get it. You think I’m not good enough to join your club. Whatever. I don’t need you.”
The overly cheerful notes of Alex’s phone cut through his anger. “Chris, it’s not like that.”
“Answer the phone, Alex. No doubt it’s one of the chosen you’re willing to help.” He stormed away. She was too tired to fight him anyway. When the crackers and wine kicked in, she’d explain as best she could.
The final strains of her ringtone sang. She didn’t look at the number when she answered. “Hello, this is Alex.”
“Now. I need you now.”
“Who is this?”
“John Sampson. Who the fuck do you think it is? I need to see you.” His words were slurred with anger and something else that raised the hair on her arms. “The professor’s death has caused all sorts of problems.”
“I know.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“Why would I—”
“Because you created this situation and I need a solution!”
Alex’s knees gave way and she dropped into her chair. She hadn’t actually created the situation, but there was no doubt vampires like John would be turning to her for help. She couldn’t save herself, she had no idea how she’d help them all. “I’m working on it. I’ll be in touch when something—”
“Now! I’m on my way to the tavern.”
“No.” Panic gripped her throat, making it hard to breathe. She couldn’t meet him here and possibly put people in danger. “Meet me at my apartment.”
He laughed, a deep rumbling sound that echoed with evil. “No, I think I’ll just go to Glenn’s. Perhaps it’s time to bring him in on this.”
“Glenn already knows.”
“Right.” John dragged out the word. “And when I die, I’m going to heaven.” She heard him gasp in pain, his labored breathing accentuated by moans. “Thirty minutes, Alexandra. I’ll wait in the woods,” he said through clenched teeth. “Don’t be late or I’ll be forced to share our secret.” He clicked off the line before she could respond.
She’d only wanted her life back, not to carry the hopes of so many on her shoulders. How many times would this scene play out before she found a way to save them all? Alex pushed out of the chair, ready to lie to Chris about where she was headed, ready to lie to Glenn about what she was doing and ready to lie to John about how she could save him.
* * * *
Despite staying in bed for several hours, sleep had been an elusive veil Hope hadn’t been able to capture. Tossing restless through dreams filled with fires and warped images of Alex, she’d finally given up and soaked in a tub of lavender-scented bubbles. Even that, and a glass of Chardonnay, hadn’t quelled the uneasiness in her gut.
She’d only been in South Kenton a couple of years, but had been a reporter since her first Barbie sat down with Ken and grilled him on his relationship with Midge. Hope had started a newspaper in middle school and uncovered the ham salad/spam fiasco in the cafeteria. Her love of justice in journalism continued through high school with an exposé of sports teams’ budgets. It hadn’t slowed down in college where she’d garnered a Mark of Excellence award for standing up to the university in a series of articles regarding hiring/firing practices. So, yeah, Hope knew a thing or two about guilt and innocence. And there was something about what she’d uncovered that was niggling at her psyche, and it had nothing to do with Alex being her best friend.
Hope had had every intention of setting it right when she’d shown up at the tavern to talk with Alex. Only, she’d gotten there just in time to see Alex driving like a madwoman from the parking lot, not even bothering to acknowledge Hope.
That had been nearly half an hour ago.
Hope had jumped back in her car and followed her at a reckless speed, careening over the back roads of South Kenton as if the devil himself were chasing them. So why was she sitting in her VW Bug in a shadowed corner of Glenn’s driveway, spying on Alex from afar? Fear. Few people ran from the truth, but the guilty were known for fast escapes and covering tracks. Hard to imagine it wasn’t secrets that had Alex hiding her black Honda in the deep shadows beside the barn.
What the hell was her friend up to?
Hope checked her watch again as if it held the answer. She’d watched the sun slip below the horizon, dragging the shadows of dusk across the landscape and still Alex hadn’t emerged from the barn. Glenn’s truck wasn’t around. There were no lights on in the house. No one else had shown up. The woman was probably doing nothing more than tending the animals. Simple. Innocent. Routine. Right. And Glenn’s pigs were going to take flight any moment.
There didn’t seem to be a better time to clear up this mess than right now. Hope had no idea what she was going to say to her friend as she threw her keys under her seat and dragged herself out of the car. She’d been going over all the facts, trying to find the one chink in the shield of guilt hovering over Alex. There’d been nothing. And didn’t that just suck? Hope had never done a story where her heart was wrapped around so many of the people involved. Being an impartial reporter was nearly impossible when emotions were involved.
A muffled scream stopped her in her tracks. It had come from behind the barn. Hope ran toward it without thought to her own safety. A wedge of light from the open back door illuminated the panic on Alex’s face as an assailant gripped her by the throat. Hope grabbed a shovel stuck in a pile of dirt. Running at the two of them, she swung it like a bat, aiming for the attacker’s back, praying she didn’t harm Alex.
The impact sang up Hope’s arms, but did nothing more than anger the man. He let go of Alex and turned to Hope with a menacing growl that brought every hair on the back of her neck to full attention. High on drugs or alcohol, the man’s movements were jerky and unbalanced. His eyes were unnaturally large in their sunken sockets. Washed in the yellow haze of light spilling from the barn, the skin pulled taut over bony features gave him an otherworldly appearance. The fear clogging Hope’s throat and holding in the scream had nothing to do with her own safety and everything to do with the man’s wild gaze assessing her as if she were his next meal.
“Hope, this is John. He’s not going to hurt you.” Alex held her hand out to keep Hope from swinging the shovel again. “He met me here for a little chat and there’s been a slight misunderstanding.”
He scented the air. “She’s human.” The words slurred out around teeth hanging unnaturally long from the man’s mouth. “She a friend of yours?”
Human? What kind of hallucination was he having?
“She is.” All three of them moved in some bizarre synchronized ballet that kept Alex positioned between Hope’s shovel and the crazed lunatic. “But she’s leaving. She thought you were going to hurt me. And since you didn’t mean to attack me, she’s just g
oing to get back in her car and meet me at the tavern. Right, Hope?”
“Only if you come with.” No way in hell was she going to leave Alex alone to become the bi-line of tomorrow’s obituary section.
“John and I aren’t quite finished. He just needs a ride—”
“I don’t need a fucking ride!” He inhaled as if trying to find his sanity among the chaos flashing across his features. “I. Need. The. Stuff.” He laughed, a deep, barking sound that clawed its way up Hope’s spine. “You’re feeling it too, Alex. I know you are. We both need a fix. Just get me the stuff.”
“Alex, what the hell’s he talking about?”
“Hope, seriously, just leave. I’ve got this under control.”
“Guess she’s hanging out in the dark, just like the rest of your friends. Obviously, she doesn’t know about you and the professor, does she?” Saliva dripped from the man’s mouth and insanity gleamed in his eyes. “Maybe we can do a little human education tonight.”
He jumped in the air so quickly, Hope saw him only as a dark flash headed in her direction. She held up the shovel, shielding herself from the impact that never came. Alex had mirrored his movement and they landed together in the dirt, a tangle of arms, legs and teeth. They moved much too fast for Hope to have any chance of swinging the shovel.
She searched her yoga pants in vain for a cell phone that she’d left in her car. Seconds dragged into excruciating minutes. The sounds emanating from their struggle were more animalistic than human, and Hope began to wonder what the hell Alex fought.
“No!” The man’s cry split the darkness, reverberating through the barn. “I won’t let you do this.” The man broke free and, in two great leaps, was swallowed in the shadows of the forest.
Alex turned to Hope, her hand held in the air. “Don’t ask. I don’t have time to explain.”
The woman wasn’t even out of breath.
“Go back to the tavern. Tell Glenn.” Alex turned to the forest then back to her, sadness contorting her features. Hope wasn’t sure which one of them Alex grieved for. “I have to find John. Hurry. Get Glenn.” In an astounding feat of athleticism, her best friend bounded into the night after the monster.