Chloe groaned and went back out to the restaurant. She sat down at a table and waited for the vampire to bring her food. Eventually, he did. It was a huge hamburger with a side of fries.
"No charge," he said. "I can tell you can't afford it."
Chloe glared at him, and briefly wondered if the food was poisoned. Then she decided she was so hungry that she didn't care. She picked up the burger and took a bite. She nearly spat it out, it was so good. The man -- no, the vampire, she reminded herself -- could cook! She ate the entire thing in minutes and then washed it down with a coke he brought her. Then she stuffed fries into her face.
"You really were hungry," the vampire said. He sat down beside her. She grabbed at her purse but he held up his hands. "Come back tomorrow," he said. "If you want me dead then, you can kill me, alright?"
It had been unusual for her, but maybe she'd felt friendly from the food. Chloe had found herself nodding.
"Tomorrow, then," she said to the vampire. "Tomorrow you die."
SEVEN
Sarah and Chloe headed over to Brian's house after the Afterlife team had decided each person's job. Sarah took lead, knocking on the door. Brian answered, dressed in a pair of faded jeans, a western checkered shirt, and a pair of old house slippers. His wispy hair was uncombed, and he had a pair of glasses on a string that hung down around his neck.
"Hello, ladies," he said pleasantly. "Sarah and Chloe, right?"
"That's right," Sarah said with a smile.
She couldn't help but like Brian; he was old and friendly, and reminded her of her own grandfather. Of course, he'd died when she was only eight years old, leaving her and her family alone with her abusive father.
"Good to see you again," Chloe said. "Can we come in?"
"Of course," Brian said. "Can I get you girls something? Would you like some water? Milk? I'm having coffee myself. Shouldn't, my doctor says caffeine isn't great for me, but old habits die hard, and I can't help but drink the stuff. I can get you cups."
"No, thank you," Sarah said.
"I'm alright," Chloe said.
"Well then come in and sit down," Brian said.
He led them into his sitting room, which was decorated with the belongings of someone who'd lived a long life. There were hand-knitted quilts, cross-stitched throw pillows, art on the walls, knick-knacks on the shelves, and comfortable looking couches.
Sarah paused by a collection of snow globes, remembering that Brittney collected them too.
"This is a nice set," she said.
Brian smiled. "They belonged to my late wife," he said. "Mary loved them. Whenever we'd travel, she'd find a gift shop and buy one from there. Those were her favorites, but I must have a hundred more packed up in a box in the spare room."
"That's wonderful," Chloe said.
They all sat on the couches.
"So what can I do for you girls?" Brian asked.
"We had a few questions," Sarah said. She crossed her legs and looked around again. "You have such a full life, Mr. Moser. How long were you and your wife married for?"
"Please, call me Brian. Mary and I were married for fifty-three years. I remember our wedding day perfectly. Oh, she was beautiful. I have a picture..." He got up and went over to his mantle. He took down a framed, black-and-white photograph. It showed a much younger Brian and a beautiful woman in a long, white gown. She was holding a bouquet of flowers and looked incredibly happy.
"She was beautiful," Chloe said.
"She really was," Sarah agreed.
Brian nodded. "She passed two years ago. Stomach cancer. Took her fast when it came. The doctors said she didn't go in pain, and I'm glad for that much. I got to hold her hand when she went, and I thank the Lord every night for that miracle."
Sarah said nothing to this. She couldn't imagine what that must be like; to love someone so much that you were grateful to be there when they died. It sounded more like a nightmare than a miracle to her.
"That sounds nice," Chloe said. She cleared her throat. "So the questions..."
"Yes," Sarah said. "We wanted to know how the rest of your life has been, Mr. Moser."
"Brian," he reminded.
"Brian," she said.
"Well, what do you mean?" he asked.
Sarah shrugged. "Have you had good luck anywhere else? Or bad luck? Things like car accidents, fires, lost possessions, things that just seem to go wrong for you?"
Brian considered this for a moment and shook his head. "Nope."
"You're sure?"
"Quite," he said. "Life has been the same as it always is."
"No good luck either? Other than the casino?" Chloe asked.
Brian shook his head. "Well, no. Normal for me. Other than I keep getting invited to a singles' cruise. Couldn't afford to go, of course. I wouldn't want to anyway. Can't replace my Mary. Not after fifty-three years together."
"Of course," Sarah said. "Who invited you to the singles' cruise?"
"Some ladies from my golf club," Brian said. "They said it would be good for me. I told them what I told you, but they just don't know to let it drop."
Chloe smiled. "It sounds like you just have some good friends, Brian. Can you think of anything else unusual in your life at all?"
Brian shook his head.
Sarah sighed. "Alright, well, thanks anyway. We're working on figuring out why you keep winning, and we'll let you know. For now, I don't think there's anything else you can do for us."
"Alright, girls," Brian said. "Thanks for stopping by."
"Sure," Chloe said.
She and Sarah stood, shook hands with Brian, and left.
"Well, that was a waste of time," Sarah said. "We found nothing out. Come on, let's head back to Afterlife. Let the others know that his life is fine, other than winning at keno."
Chloe nodded. They were on their way back out to the car when Sarah's phone rang. She held up a hand to Chloe, stepped away, and answered.
"Hello? Hi Joyce. No, no, you're alright. Of course I'll come. Where are you?"
Sarah listened for a moment and then hung up. She turned to Chloe. "Do you mind if we make a stop? Remember that woman I was telling you about? Joyce Pishner? The one who just left her husband? She thinks he's stalking her. She's at a hotel and wants me to check on her."
"You mean, you're going to let me come along?" Chloe asked. "That's a first."
"No, it's not," Sarah said. "Is it?"
Chloe nodded. "You took Harper once, but it was just because she was in the car with you. The rest of the time, you make me go back home by myself first. Sure, let's go."
Sarah considered this for a minute. She'd never before realized how hard she worked to keep her personal life and her Afterlife life separate. Chloe was her best friend, but she'd never even taken her to meet the women she worked with. They got in the car and Sarah drove toward the hotel Joyce was staying at.
"Sarah," Chloe asked after a few minutes. "Isn't Samuel in town?"
"Yes."
"Why are you working this case then?" Chloe asked. "None of us would have made you, you know. It's not exactly high priority."
Sarah glanced over at Chloe. Her friend was watching her with a curious expression. "Where'd that come from?" she asked.
"It's just how you looked when Brian Moser was talking about his wife," Chloe said. "I couldn't tell if you were fascinated or freaked out by their marriage. It made me think about you and Samuel."
"I don't see the connection," Sarah said.
"Sure you do," Chloe said. "Come on, Sarah. How long have we known each other? What's going on with the two of you?"
Sarah sighed. "To be honest, I don't know. It's just weird having him in town. I know he'd like to spend more time together but I don't want him to think our relationship is more serious than it is."
"And how serious is it?"
"It's not," Sarah admitted. "I'm not ready to commit to someone, and even if I was, I'm not sure I want that person to be Samuel. We barely know each other."
"Maybe," Sarah said. They drove along in silence after that until they reached the Lucky Sevens Casino. Once there, they got out, and made their way inside.
"It's this way," Sarah said, heading to the hotel lobby. Once they'd reached Joyce's room, Sarah knocked.
"Who is it?"
"It's me," Sarah said. The door opened, and Joyce stood there. She was a beautiful woman with black hair and blue eyes and a tall stance. She was incredibly athletic, like Sarah, and wore a pair of glasses. Right now, she was dressed in a pair of jeans, a tank top, and running shoes.
"Who's this?" Joyce asked, looking at Chloe.
"I'm Chloe McAllister," Chloe said, extending a hand. "Best friend of Sarah. I hope you don't mind I came along. I was in the car."
Joyce looked a little paranoid but took the hand and shook it anyway.
"Alright," she said. "Come in."
"What's going on?" Sarah asked, as they followed her into the hotel room.
"I think Roger is following me," Joyce said. "I was out for a run, and I saw someone that looked like him. He had a camera. I think he was taking pictures. I'm really freaked out. I told him I wanted a divorce and he wasn't happy about that, but I didn't think he'd stalk me."
Sarah nodded. "Some men like to feel like they have all the power. When that power is taken away, they often resort to unconventional methods in an attempt to get it back. We're going to make sure that he won't bother you, alright?"
"Okay," Joyce said.
"Do you have a picture of him?" Sarah asked. "So I can show Chloe. We're going to go look for him, and if she knows what he looks like, it'll be a lot easier to find him."
Joyce went over to her purse and pulled out her wallet. Inside was a picture of her and her husband. Roger was a tall man as well, though not quite as tall as Joyce. He had blond hair and brown eyes. Sarah showed the photograph to Chloe, who nodded.
"Alright, we're going to go scare him off," Sarah said. "Stay here, keep the door locked, and call if anything happens, okay?"
"Of course," Joyce said. She sat down on the bed, and Chloe and Sarah left.
"Do you want to split up?" Chloe asked.
Sarah shook her head. "We don't know what kind of man he is. Let's stick together in case he's trouble." Chloe nodded. The two of them began circling the area, looking at the random people on the streets. As usual, there were lots of people out, even though it was evening.
"How are we going to find him?" Sarah asked, frustrated.
"You mean, him?" Chloe asked. She pointed at a man who resembled the one from the picture. As Joyce had said, he was carrying a camera.
"Good thing I let you come along," Sarah said. She quickly jogged up to the man. "Roger?"
"Yes?"
Sarah crossed her arms. "I'm here on behalf of your soon to be ex-wife, Joyce. She said you've been stalking her since she asked for a divorce. I wasn't sure if she was just being paranoid, but I can see now that you have been stalking her. So I'm going to warn you: stop. Understand?"
"Yeah," Chloe said. "You're going to leave her alone."
Roger blinked at them. "Is that what she told you?"
"That's what we know," Sarah said.
"Listen to me," Roger said. "Joyce isn't what she seems. I'm not stalking her. I'm trying to get proof of what she is."
"Oh, let me guess," Sarah said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "She's cheating on you, and you're getting proof. Men like you disgust me."
Roger crossed his arms, matching Sarah's stance. He looked incredibly nervous, which didn't surprise her at all. People were often nervous when confronted.
He cleared his throat. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, okay?"
"Try us," Chloe said.
Sarah shot her a glare. She didn't need to hear all of his whining excuses. Chloe shrugged a helpless shoulder at her and then nodded back to Roger. Sarah turned to him and saw that his face was white and his eyes were flickering back and forth with unease.
She frowned. "Fine, what is it?"
"She's a demon," Roger said.
Both of them blinked.
"What?"
"She's some kind of demon," Roger said. "I don't know how to explain it other than that. I didn't know at first, I just thought that she was this beautiful woman. I couldn't stop thinking about her when we first met. She was in my dreams every night. When we got married, I was happy. I thought I was the luckiest man on earth. Then I started seeing her with other people. People who seemed to love her as much as I did. And then they'd disappear. I was scared, but I confronted her. I asked for a divorce, and she changed into... whatever she is. She had tattoos, and horns."
"You asked her for a divorce?" Sarah asked.
"Yes," Roger said. "I didn't want to be another person who just disappears. That's why I was taking pictures. I thought if I had proof, I could go to the police."
"The police won't help you," Chloe said. "They don't know anything about the supernatural world."
"Do you have pictures of her in this form?" Sarah asked.
"Yes," Roger said. He lifted up the satchel he was carrying and opened it. He brought out some photographs of Joyce. She looked like a female version of Conner when he was in his demonic form. "See?"
"Great," Sarah said. "She's a succubus."
"What?" Roger asked.
Sarah nodded. "That's how she gets people to fall for her. I don't know how you managed to break out of her charm, but I can't imagine she's happy about it. And if she's sending us to talk to you, she'll know you'll tell us. Which means she's planning on killing us all."
"Very good," Joyce said. They turned around to see her standing there. She was in her human form, but Sarah could feel her charm working anyway. She glanced at Chloe for help, but Chloe didn't have any of her fairy dust on her that would have protected them.
She tried to fight the attraction, but slowly her eyes glossed over and she found her mouth was drying out. Joyce was looking more and more beautiful and she suddenly wondered why she was fighting it at all.
She let go.
"Joyce," Sarah said.
"Don't fall for it," Roger said. He grabbed Sarah's arm. "Fight it!"
Joyce looked between the two women, smiling. "Take him, girls. To my hotel room. We'll feast together."
EIGHT
The younger Chloe had went back to the fast food joint the following night, this time loaded down with supplies. She had holy water, a crucifix, her stake, and her pepper spray. She had also brought a knife, though she had known it'd do little good against a vampire.
She thought about waiting outside for the vampire to come out, like she had the night before, but decided to go inside instead and order a hamburger. There was no reason to go into the fight with any empty stomach. She had managed to scrounge up enough cash to pay for it herself this time.
The vampire approached her table as she waited for her food. "So you came back."
"Were you expecting differently?" she asked.
"Can I sit?" he asked.
"I guess."
The vampire took a seat next to her. He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "You know, I can't help but wonder what happened to make you this way."
Chloe frowned at him. "What way is that?"
"Just, how you are," he said. "Bent on destruction, whether it's someone else's or your own."
"I'm not bent on self-destruction," she said sweetly. "Just on yours."
"I don't believe you," the vampire said. "I think you're ready to give up your life for whatever self-prescribed mission you've decided you need to be on. I'm just wondering why."
Chloe was silent as the waiter approached, bringing her her burger. She took a bite. It wasn't as good as the one from the night before. She chewed slowly, thinking.
"Vampires killed my parents," she finally said. "I was there. I saw it happen. And I swore on their names that I would stop that from happening to other children."
The vampire nodded, reaching out for one of her fries. "I don't kill anymore," he told her. "You're not saving anyone by staking me. You're just ending another life. Is this who you really want to be? Do you think your parents would be proud?"
"I don't know," Chloe whispered, but that wasn't true. She did know. She knew her parents wouldn't want to see her living this kind of life. It wasn't what they wanted for her. They would have wanted her to be happy. And was she? Really?
"I think you do," he said.
Before Chloe could respond, he stood suddenly. "Excuse me."
"Where are you going?" she asked. He ignored her and walked toward a man who'd just entered the restaurant. Chloe got up and followed him. He glared at her, and she recognized the need to hang back a little. She leaned against the wall nearby and listened to them.
The man was holding a briefcase. He put it down on a table.
"Is it all there?" the vampire asked.
"Yes."
"Show me."
The man opened up the briefcase and revealed cash; lots of cash. Chloe's eyes widened. She'd never seen so much money at once.
"Good," the vampire said. "And you have the address?"
"Yes," the man said. He took out a slip of paper from the briefcase and handed it to him. "They're chained and waiting for you."
The vampire nodded. "And you want me to change them all?"
"That's what you're getting paid for," the man said.
"Right," he said. "And are you sure you don't want me to change you too? If you're building an army, you could change them yourself if you let me..."
"Right," the man scoffed. "We have no idea how that would interact with my blood. No, I'm ageless already. I don't need to be undead. Just change them, and I'll contact you when I need more."
The vampire nodded. He took the briefcase and closed it. "And I get the other half after?"
"That's the deal." They shook hands and then the man left.
Chloe walked up the vampire. "I thought you were different," she said coldly. It was taking all of her energy not to scream in his face. She felt an odd sense of betrayal. "I thought you didn't kill. I thought you were--"
Six-Spot (Afterlife Book 7) Page 4