by S. L. Eaves
“Really? You watch too many gangster films.”
Smiling sheepishly, “Lotta good it's done me.”
“How long are you going to dodge my questions?”
“As long as I can… I’m doing well so far,” I joke. She is not amused.
I sense her glaring at me as I busy myself picking up remnants from last night.
“Seriously, we just got you back and you bolt. Then this. Can't you see we're here for you this time? I'm here for you. We all want to help. You're not protecting us keeping us in the dark like this. And it could've gotten you killed last night. So for the last time, what the hell is going on?”
“I'll tell you,” I say, turning to face her. “But first, I need to take a long, hot shower. You’re welcome to join me.”
She follows me into the bedroom, grabs my arm as I pass the bed, and throws me onto it. Next thing I know she is gripping both my wrists and pinning me on my back. Determined eyes lock on mine. She’s not messing around.
“Striden. He's alive and he's here in L.A.” I cave. “Vega must have spotted him on the camera feed and when he couldn't reach me, he called you. My cell died on the plane ride here and I didn't get any of the warnings from him or from my security system. He was sitting in my kitchen when I arrived home. He's pretty rough around the edges, but he survived.”
Crina bulks, but does not release her vice-like grip on my wrists.
“No...no, it can't be. No mortal could have survived that blast.”
“No mortal human maybe...he's covered in scars and hasn't aged well, but he's still a force to be reckoned with. It's nothing short of a miracle that I survived his attack last night.”
Crina shakes her head, finally releases her hold and sits on the bed.
“What did he want? I can't see him risking exposure, resurfacing after all these years just to avenge his brother...well, maybe that's plausible, but it doesn't fit his MO.”
I nod. “Same thought crossed my mind. But he didn't exactly take the time to spell out his motives for returning. He was too busy trying to take me apart.”
“And he's still alive? The window?”
“He didn't go through the window. I wasn't that fortunate.”
“Oh…wait so you – and you survived unscathed?”
“Hardly unscathed. It wasn't a straight drop. And I consumed a fair amount of blood between when I landed and when you saw me walk back through the door.”
She furrows her brow, looks as if she wants to ask about the blood then thinks better of it.
“Still...it's hard to fathom...even the strongest of us would be nursing broken bones right now. Except maybe a Pureblood. What happened to you inside the temple? I can tell you're stronger. You were never stronger than me before.”
I shake my head, refusing to make eye contact.
“I didn't feel stronger last night. Felt like a human going against him.”
“Striden's an Alpha. He's made us all look weak at one point or another. You survived, that's an accomplishment in itself...Did the Purebloods help? I mean other than Vega's call.”
“Honestly I don't know, Crina,” my voice inexplicably lower, “There was only one that I saw and he moved like a ghost, but he was very real.
“We exchanged blood. I wasn't given the choice. Now it's like I can feel their presence. It's powerful and alive inside of me. I'm worried they can control me and it terrifies me.”
“Jesus.”
She hops off the bed and paces the room.
I sit up trying hard not to look as pathetic as I feel.
“Was Striden the reason you needed to return to Los Angeles? The unfinished business?”
“No. I had no idea he was in L.A. The unfinished business relates to the string of attacks here recently. I got a tip about a vampire hunting in clubs downtown. I wanted to take care of the problem in my backyard first.”
I'm going to have to mention the hunter and the half breed at some point, but with Crina I'd prefer to sparse out the details.
“You said you had no idea he was in town when you should have said you had no idea he was alive.”
Oh right. I sit up and she stops pacing.
“About that...Vega brought me footage of him. He found out he was alive and for reasons I'm still not one hundred percent on he was expecting him to show up in Los Angeles. Again, I don't think it was me. And I insisted we bring you all into the fold. I didn't know about this affront with the Purebloods. I feel like I know more lies than truths at this point. But after what happened overseas I figured the news about Striden could wait till the dust settles from this conflict with our kind. Forgive the pun.”
Crina resumes pacing. I try to remember where I left my cigarettes.
“Considering what you just did for us and what you went through last night, I guess I can't be mad at you for keeping that secret.”
I consider reminding her that Vega and Malik kept his existence quiet longer, but she's mumbling incoherently as she kicks clothes across the floor, seemingly more frustrated with herself for not finishing him off that night on the roof.
“I almost paid the ultimate price for it. Not that telling the clan back in England would have necessarily changed things.”
“Maybe not, but they have now. We need to deal with Striden first, then figure out how to deal with the Purebloods. These vampires in Nevada...I'm confident the others can handle it. We need to go after Striden.”
“By we you mean us, not the others then?”
“Let's not alarm the others. He's not after them. Let them focus on the rebel problem. He doesn't know we are on this side of the pond, right? This gives us an upper hand.” Another thought occurs to her. “But he knows where you live. We're sitting ducks in here.”
Her eyes dart to the windows as if they could blow open at any second.
I shake my head, “He won't. If I proved anything last night it's that I'm ready for him here. He's not the type to make the same mistake twice.”
“Alright...” She looks around the room, unconvinced but satisfied for now.
“There's something else you need to know.”
“I don't doubt that. And it's probably a good idea, given everything that happened with Trion, that we be upfront with one another going forward. No secrets Lori.”
“Probably a good idea. Though once you hear what I've got to say you may rethink that.”
I proceed to tell her about the vision that led me to the encounter with the vampire hunters. And everything that went down since. When I finish I wait for her response.
She lets out a whistle.
“Why should I expect anything different? Of course you befriended a slayer and a werewolf. Of. Fucking. Course.” She chuckles, shaking her head. “Those visions of yours lead you down some dark paths.”
“There’s more - they're products of S&D; victims of their experiments. Zach, the wolf, can barely turn. He was basically a failed experiment who was lucky enough to get out before they took him out. He's domesticated. Lives a normal human life. Hailey says he never killed a human or a vampire. And after spending a few hours with him last night, I'm inclined to believe that. He was terrified at the club. He couldn't fight. He's mostly just angry and resentful at what he's become.”
“Gee sounds familiar,” she smirks. “Is he just as reckless? And Hailey, she's the slayer?”
“I'd say aspiring one. More like a human with heightened senses chasing police reports and playing vigilante. She's hunted down a few vampires that we would've taken out anyways for killing humans.”
After a moment Crina nods. The difference between us is she would have killed them, but she knows me well enough by now to understand that difference. It doesn't mean she approves.
“The initial save I get, even bringing her here to get answers. Makes sense to an extent. Letting her leave here - that's the stupid part. It's super risky. Even if you can justify this allegiance, it's temporary, you will always end up on opposing sides. It's just a fact.”
/>
I start to object but she continues.
“She’s not going after humans committing crimes, right? Just vampires? Then she’s not just some enhanced human playing vigilante; she’s a slayer, and it’s just a matter of time before what you are gets in the way of what you do.”
Crina’s probably right. However, at the moment we need all the help we can get, in any form. Maybe the tide will shift down the road, but right now she’s with us and right now is all that counts.
“She's got a family to protect. Her husband was murdered. She was experimented on by S&D.” I shrug, “What can I say, her struggles hit pretty damn close to home. And try as I might, I'm not completely devoid of compassion.”
“It's a dangerous game you're playing.”
That draws a grin. “It's the only kind I like to play.”
Crina rolls her eyes. “Walked right into that one didn't I?”
***
I linger a little longer in the shower and when I emerge dressed and refreshed, I find Crina has already made herself at home in the kitchen. Her silver plated pistols sit in pieces in front of her. That was something she and Catch had in common: they both busied themselves by cleaning weapons when they were stressed and needed time to think. All those years living under the same roof and I’d never noticed that before now.
“You have a nice place here, you know, when it’s not missing a wall.” Crina does not look up from whatever gun part she is cleaning with my dish towel.
“Thanks.”
“You went to some trouble to disappear.”
I walk over to the fridge. “I was desperately in need of a fresh start. Didn't know another way to go about it.”
“I don't doubt that for a second. But wasn't retirement boring?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Retirement isn't the word I'd use. And no actually I found enough normal, human activities to pass the time. Believe it or not, a world without guns isn't always boring.”
While a couple packs of blood heat up in the microwave, I cross to my desk and fish a new disposable phone from the drawer. There's a charging pad on my kitchen counter and when I set the phone on it I’m able to retrieve the number. I jot it down on a post-it and hand it to Crina.
“My new number. Mind texting me yours and sharing mine with the others?”
She finishes assembling one of the pistols, then takes out her phone. The microwave beeps and I pour us breakfast.
“When they attacked you guys at the mansion, how many Purebloods were there?” I ask, handing her a mug.
She shakes her head as her eyes fall to her feet.
“It's all a blur. I couldn't tell you if it were ten or two.”
“I guess regardless it doesn't change anything for now.”
“No I suppose it doesn't...How many did you encounter in the temple?”
“One that I recall. But I heard several voices.”
She sips from her mug. “Can you hear them now? Are you able to communicate directly with them after what happened?”
“No clue. I don't know what this connection means. Not yet at least. Another reason I need to find Vega.”
I find Catch's sword propped up against the door where I'd left it when I returned last night. I want to keep it with me, to keep him close to me. There hasn't been a time since his death that I haven't wanted him by my side. I'd given Marcus the sword because I'd felt ashamed and unworthy. That hasn't changed. But I've begun to adopt Catch's ideology. He fought for change, he fought to make the world a better, safer place. To me, he was both a killer and a hero.
Taking one of the stock panoramic photos off my living room wall, I rest his sword across the nails.
“Looks good up there,” Crina smiles approvingly.
Her phone rings.
“It's Xan.” She puts him on speakerphone. “Hey, Xan, you guys get settled in over there?”
“Hey, yeah we took over an abandoned office building with boarded up windows outside of Henderson. Is everything alright on your end? Is Lori with you?”
“Yeah I'm here,” I call from across the room as I read the results of the security scan initiated earlier. The system didn't detect any other bugs.
“Good, you two okay then?”
“We're fine, but there were more vampire attacks out here last night, so we're going to stay put for at least another night or two to investigate.”
Crina is only partly lying.
“Roger that. We've already got our first lead. Quinn and Dade went up to Vegas last night and encountered a vampire. Or rather a vampire found them, gave them an address.”
“Wow that was fast.”
“Alarmingly fast. Way Quinn puts it, he was trying to recruit them. Told them to have fun hunting. He's definitely part of the group responsible for the human deaths out here. Rex looked up the coordinates he gave them and we can't find anything on satellite. We think it's underground. We're going to check it out tonight. Plan is to make friends, get inside their base of operations. I'll keep you posted on what we find.”
“Sounds good. We'll do the same. Be careful.”
“You too.”
She taps her phone and disconnects the call.
“They'll be fine without our help.”
“If anything they're better off without mine,” I grin.
She waves her hand dismissively. “Right now we need to be wherever Striden is.”
Joining her in the kitchen, I find a pack of cigarettes and light one.
“Speaking of...where do you think we should start looking for him?”
“I thought about that. How do you feel about playing bait?”
“I'm listening.”
“We know he wants you. You make it appear easy, go someplace where you're exposed, but not too public. Let him come to you. That's when I strike. He won't be expecting me and he sure as shit won't see me coming.”
“Works for me. We just need the right environment. A scenario where he will feel comfortable confronting me.”
“I bet he knows about the vampire attacks in the clubs around here. We'll hang around the clubs tonight, see if you can have any luck drawing him out.”
“As an added bonus we might even stumble across some rogue vampires.” Then I remember something, “Oh crap I have a shift tonight.”
“A shift?”
“At the bar. I completely forgot, I have to swing by there first.”
Crina shoots me a look that says, You've got to be kidding me.
“You can't just call out?”
“I'm supposed to meet Hailey and Zach there after dusk. At the time I made the plans, I was figuring on bringing them to Nevada with me tonight. I don't want them running around playing vigilante, especially with Striden out there...Now I'm not sure what to propose. Maybe keep them close? Take them to the clubs?”
“Absolutely not. We are not babysitting a slayer and a wolf. You want to help them, tell them to hang up the crossbows and leave the hunting to us.”
I raise my hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. It's probably best anyways.”
She sets her assembled gun down. “Wait, actually, I had a thought. Maybe we could use the wolf to help us track Striden.”
“Now who's talking crazy?”
“You said they were victims of S&D. Do they know he's alive?”
I shake my head.
“Well shit. Tell them. Send them out after Striden. They want revenge right? They'd make for perfect bait.”
Its' my turn to shoot her an admonishing glare.
“We'll be there to intervene. They won't get hurt.”
“I don't think it's a good idea but admittedly it might be a way to keep them close.”
“See you can protect your new friends and in return they can help us take out Striden. Win-win.”
“Somehow I doubt they'd share your take on the situation.”
“Only one way to find out.”
Chapter 16
“Hey, boss, there's something here you'll want to see.”
/>
The cyber security technician turns from his computer screen, just one of many lining the rows of the counterintelligence office’s ‘special projects’ division, to a woman in a suit reviewing papers at her desk across the room. She looks over and slides her reading glasses up the bridge of her nose.
Having gotten her attention the young man continues without prompting, “This video came through intelligence with a high priority flag. It's footage of what appears to be a vampire killing recorded from outside a bank in downtown Los Angeles.”
“A vampire killing or being killed?”
“Being killed.”
The woman sets the papers down and crosses the room to join the tech in front of his monitor. He queues up the video, playing it in slow motion.
The footage shows a young woman turning the corner into the alley; she's running towards the camera and it captures her glowing eyes, as if reflecting from a camera flash. She is followed by a woman and then a male pursuer.
Another camera angle shows them catching up to her and, after a brief struggle, the encounter closes with the female attacker jamming a stake into her chest. The woman disintegrates.
Aside from a few motion blurs, the footage is pretty clear. Slowed down you can even see the fangs on the vampire when she reacts to the stake impaling her chest. The cameras around the bank have night vision lenses and leave little to the imagination.
“Well, that's new.”
The woman gestures to another man sitting at a computer station down the aisle. He joins them.
“Replay it,” the woman instructs. They watch it again.
“Who else has seen this?” she asks.
“Someone in the surveillance department flagged it and sent it over. Otherwise just us.”
“Forward it to Niles.” She turns to the man standing next to her. “Niles, run it through our database, see if it comes back with any hits. This may be one of the vampires we've been tracking or a new one. We need to ID her and her two pursuers.”
The man nods and return to his desk.
Scrolling through her phone, she continues, “Looks like our vampire problem is now exacerbated by the added issue of vigilantes. We need to get out in front of this.”