Darkness Haunts (The Sensor Series)

by Susan Illene

  This place had cost me more than I had wanted to spend, which is why it hadn’t been my first choice. The functioning bathroom in it made the cabin even more expensive. Many of them had outhouses and no running water. That wouldn't be practical under the circumstances. The last thing I needed was to be caught outside with my pants down.

  Though the cabin wouldn’t be considered large, it did have a decent size bedroom, large walk-in closet, and a small kitchen with a pantry. The living room spanned about ten by fourteen feet, which would be more than enough for my needs. The owner had furnished the place with stuff that might have been around since the eighties.

  The couch had brown, flowery print on it and the wood end tables on either side were scratched and worn. The rest of the furniture came in varying shades of dark wood, not really matching, but close enough. Lamps provided lighting everywhere except the kitchen and closets. The yellow-tinted shades covering them had seen better days, but would serve their purpose. I did purchase my own blankets and sheets, considering them a necessity. The ones that had been left here were now sitting at the bottom of the bedroom closet.

  After settling in and making sure everything worked as it should, I began my preparations on the cabin for withstanding a supernatural assault. I’d hoped to never need to use the knowledge of how to go about it. There wouldn’t be much time to get things ready before sundown, but every moment counted. My first move was to spread my stash of wolfsbane around the place. The cabin’s small size worked to my advantage or else my supply might not have been enough. I couldn't perform magic myself, but the herb acted on its own—a natural repellant werewolves couldn't go near.

  It had been one of the few things I’d known could give me an edge when coming to Alaska. Wolfsbane had to be reserved for emergencies, though, because otherwise you would be letting the sups know you were on to them. No one carried it around just for the sake of it. Any were or sup with enhanced smelling abilities would smell it if you came near them. Never a good idea if you wanted to keep a low profile.

  My personal stock still had the flowers on the herbs, but that would add to their effect, so I didn’t remove them. Their purple petals might have stood out except I was tossing it all into the crawlspace under the cabin. The weather forecast predicted a thunderstorm tonight. I hoped none of it would get blown away.

  After sprinkling the last of the herb, I began the next task of preparing for witches. With no way of knowing who might come for me, it seemed like a good idea to take every precaution. I grabbed an IV catheter from my first aid kit, along with a band to tie off my arm and set to work collecting a portion of my blood.

  For magical spells, you had to cut yourself as part of the sacrifice, but I didn’t need to do that. Cutting myself when I didn’t have to wouldn’t serve any purpose and it would be more difficult to collect all the blood needed, not to mention the mess a deep wound created. Needles proved far more efficient and clean if they could be used instead. A pint of it would cover the perimeter of the cabin and do the job I needed it to.

  Long ago sensors discovered their blood, on its own, could negate spells. Since then, my kind had used the secret to protect their homes. By spilling fresh blood once every few months around the perimeter of a dwelling, the place could be kept safe against all types of magical attacks. Sups, aside from vampires, could still enter but they couldn't use their powers against the residence or its occupants. That gave a definite advantage in most cases.

  Wanda used to protect our home this way, which is how I learned of it. It couldn’t stop a physical attack, but at least it negated magic from being used as a weapon. I’d once tried using my blood to keep Lucas from flashing in, but that didn’t go so well. He kicked down the door and threatened to destroy my home if I ever did it again. I had to hope he wouldn’t hold to that promise under the circumstances.

  In a methodical manner, I smeared my blood in thin lines around the bottom edges of the cabin, between the crevices of the logs. The stains didn't stand out this way, and would have some protection from the elements. Even diluted, sensor blood could protect well so long as it was laid fresh, but I preferred to err on the side of caution.

  About the time I finished covering the cabin, a crunch of tires caught my attention. It came from a vehicle heading down the drive in this direction. The standard red and blue lights on top sent me into a panic.

  With no time to spare, I dashed in to wash the blood off my hands, scrubbing hard at my fingernails where some red spots didn’t come off so easily. I also pulled a long-sleeve fleece top over my t-shirt, not wanting the cop to see the needle mark on my arm and make me out for a drug addict. With my luck, it would inspire him to search the property.

  "Ms. Sanders,” a male voice called out. He sounded familiar.

  I looked through the living room curtains to find the deputy who’d spoken to me a few days before outside. He stood by his car, leaning on his good leg, wearing pressed khaki pants and a white button-up shirt. Voices from his police radio blared from the open window of his vehicle.

  My palms were sweaty as I made my way out to greet him. The blood stains on the cabin walls didn’t look too visible, a quick glance assured me of that, but I still didn’t want him getting close.

  "Hello Deputy, what brings you here?” I stuffed my hands into the back pockets of my jeans, and pasted a sweet smile on my face.

  "I heard you moved out here and wanted to check on you,” he said, studying the area around us.

  Aside from the cabin and my SUV, trees and vegetation dominated the scene. Not much to look at. There were a few neighbors some distance away, but none of them were visible from where we stood.

  “Where’d you hear that?” I asked.

  “Fairbanks isn’t that large, Ms. Sanders. People talk.”

  Right. He didn’t need to spell it out any clearer. He was keeping tabs on me and I needed to watch myself. Something about him felt off, but I didn’t know what.

  “Moved in today. Thought I would stick around for a while.”

  He gave me a skeptical look. “You’re not still searching for that friend of yours, are you?”

  I opened my mouth to deny the accusation, but stopped myself. He wouldn’t buy any excuse I gave. Considering my recent activity, he must have heard about my ongoing search efforts. I shrugged instead. “She’s here. It’s just a matter of finding her.”

  He shook his head. “It’s a wasted effort. She’ll turn up when she’s ready, they always do.”

  Somehow, I doubted that, but didn’t have time to debate the matter. Daylight hours were burning. “Is there something you need deputy?”

  My question brought his eyes back around from where he had been studying the cabin. I crossed my arms at his penetrating stare, not liking the suspicion reflecting in his gaze. The movement drew his attention to my hip.

  "Is that a gun I see on you?"

  His observation made me twist my neck around to look at the object in question. I had forgotten it was still tucked in my pants. Carrying the weapon at all times in recent days had made it feel like a part of my attire. In my haste, I must not have pulled the fleece top over it all the way. Damn the deputy for noticing.

  "It's for protection,” I explained, falling back on the excuse I’d given the gun dealer. “I heard about all the wild animals roaming the woods and figured it might be a good idea to have one with me."

  His face relaxed. Maybe I wasn’t the first woman to take that kind of precaution around here.

  "A young girl like you, that's understandable, but do be careful. A gun isn't a guaranteed way to stop big animals."

  "Of course, but better than nothing, right?” I asked with a raised brow. A good firearm could kill anything if aimed well, so long as your target didn’t have immortality as part of its make-up. Then things got tricky.

  "That's true,” he frowned. "Do you know the Alaska laws for carrying concealed firearms?"

  Had this become an interrogation? I was familiar with those and
didn’t find it amusing, especially since I was on private property. The guy seemed determined to draw out our conversation. At least I had an answer for him. If you were going to skirt the law, you needed to know it first. I stated the basics off the top of my head.

  "No permit required, but don't bring it into schools, courthouses, or bars?” Not that I followed that last part, but he didn’t need to know that.

  "Yes, but next time, remember that you should always inform a police officer when you're carrying it. Otherwise, you can be charged for failure to do so."

  "Sorry about that,” I apologized. "You surprised me with your visit and I wasn’t thinking."

  He nodded, accepting my excuse like all men who underestimated women. Most of the time that annoyed me, but in this case it worked to my advantage. I had forgotten to tell him about the gun, so my answer had been the truth.

  "It's alright,” the deputy said, “but do be more careful in the future. A young girl such as yourself shouldn't be living alone out in the bush.”

  "It isn't that far out from the city, deputy, but thank you for your concern,” I replied, taking a step back toward the cabin.

  He tipped his hat. “I’ll let you finish settling in."

  After his car disappeared beyond the trees I went inside to finish cleaning up the mess from my earlier bloodletting. Better to hide the evidence in case any more nosy people came around to “check” on me. I couldn’t be sure if he came for the reasons he’d stated or if he had an ulterior motive. Human minds could be manipulated by vamps, leaving me unsure. My truth meter worked best against sups, whose minds usually couldn’t be tampered with. The deputy could be a pawn for all I knew.

  Chapter Eight

  An hour before sunset, the cabin stood ready for whatever might come. I typed a short email to Lisette and Mrs. Singh updating them with my progress, or lack thereof, but left out Aniya’s recent phone call. No point in worrying them further. Both had been checking with me almost daily since I arrived. I gave Lisette my new address, wanting someone trustworthy to know my location in case the worst should happen. At least she could pick up my things since my body would have little chance of being found. A morbid thought, but my optimism wasn’t very high at the moment.

  To keep up my strength, I ate some spaghetti I’d cooked earlier for lunch. The meal settled into my stomach like lead. Staying calm hadn’t been easy since discovering my life was in imminent danger. At least in the military it had been a general threat as opposed to this time, where the enemy had singled me out. They would be coming sooner or later. All the different types of painful torture methods they might use if they captured me swirled through my head.

  The hours rolled by with no sign of them. By midnight, I lay on the couch near the front door. The Sig rested on my lap, with a round loaded in the chamber, its cold metal a small comfort. It had no safety. One pull of the trigger would do the job. I kept my fingers away from that part of the gun. No point in saving the sups the trouble by taking myself out.

  Would they really come for me? I had this morning’s phone call to go by, but nothing more. Part of me wanted them to show up so we could get this confrontation over with. Sitting here waiting in anticipation was going to drive me crazy.

  My senses lit up about the time I began to doze off. Vague sensations of dread rolled over me as they came, moving at a steady speed in my direction. The group consisted of three vampires. They couldn’t get inside, but my hand still gripped the gun. Having a sword right now might have been helpful. Beheading was one of the few ways to kill a vamp. I doubted I could strike fast enough for it to work. Stakes to the heart could hold them immobile so you could finish them off, but getting one in the chest would be almost as difficult as simply cutting their head off. They were too strong and fast for me to do it without the element of surprise.

  The vampires closed in on the cabin, slowing to a walking pace as if they had all the time in the world. Their ages ranged from twenty to one hundred. Just strong and experienced enough to be a problem. My combat training gave me the proficiency needed to fight newly turned vamps, but these were beyond my skill level. The protection of my new home had better work.

  Within moments, they arrived and sent the youngest one ahead to the door. The knob sizzled when the vampire jiggled it. He let out a shocked yelp and a string of curses. The idiot should have known that would happen, even if I had only moved in twelve hours ago.

  Chuckling came from across the yard. Did they think this was some kind of game? I was tempted to go to take a peek out the window, but didn’t want to be near it with one of them so close. The idiot standing in front of the window always died first in the movies.

  "Melena,” the oldest vamp drew out my name in a compelling voice, "why don't you come out here and talk to us."

  Of course, the compulsion in his voice didn’t work—not even with using my name. Names could have power over a person, but not mine. I ignored their repeated calls and remained silent. They might have been able to hear my heart beating faster, but there was no point in talking to them yet. All three began calling to me at once, so that “Melena” echoed across the yard with an eeriness that made me shiver. It went on for a few tense-filled minutes before dying down.

  Uncertainty rose to fill in the sudden silence. There were rare humans born resistant who weren't sensors, but they numbered at a fraction of one percent. Maybe they would think me part fae or something. Some people appeared to be human but had a trace of the supernatural from their ancestors crossbreeding with humans. It gave enough of a boost so they couldn’t be compelled, except by the very old immortals—who held enough power to do it anyway. Except on sensors.

  "You can't stay in there forever,” the first one called out.

  I’d had enough of playing the quiet girl.

  "And you can't stay out there forever,” I yelled back.

  "We can stay out here long enough,” he replied. “We know you’re looking for your friend. She belongs to us now, but don’t worry, you’ll be joining her soon."

  Not if I could help it. They must have made her a blood slave, which sickened me, but drinking my blood wouldn’t have quite the same affect on vamps that a human’s did.

  “You’re not getting in, so go away.” Not my best come back, but I couldn’t think of anything else.

  “Come out now and we’ll go easy on you.” His voice came out cajoling. “I give my word of honor.” Right. He said this while his buddies stalked around the cabin. It didn’t take my senses to see the truth.

  "Not a chance,” I shouted back.

  "Very well, the choice was yours.”

  They were far enough away from the front window that I could take a peek. The vampire I had spoken to, the oldest of the group, stood about fifty feet away near the trees. The moonlight illuminated him enough for me to see some of his features. He had the same dark hair as Philip, Aniya’s kidnapper, but his shape was leaner and he had a more arrogant posture.

  “Some choice,” I muttered.

  He smiled, looking straight at me through the window. “Better than none at all, little human.”

  There was no point in replying.

  The vampire and his friends backed away from the cabin at least a hundred feet, probably so I couldn't hear them. The oldest one held his phone to his ear, no doubt calling for reinforcements.

  I stepped away and let the drapes fall back in place. While the bedroom had blackout curtains to block sunlight during the height of summer, when the nights were short, the living room window had sheer fabric. It made it easy to peer out so long as I stood close. I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator to relieve my dry mouth and paced the living room.

  Thirty minutes later, I sensed half a dozen werewolves enter the area. Their signatures raked over my mind like sharp claws digging at my skull. It took me a minute to adjust. They moved at a semi-rapid pace, but were close enough together to make me think they rode in a vehicle. I didn’t worry too much. The wolfsbane would hold
them back. At least in theory—I’d never actually tried it myself. Wanda had kept the herb around, so she must have believed it worked.

  I sunk into a chair near the window that matched the couch. In a habit formed during my childhood, my fingers crossed hoping they wouldn’t get close. The herb had to have a range of effectiveness, but I didn’t know how far it might be. They didn’t seem bothered by it yet.

  For now, the werewolves stood speaking with the vampires, their postures rigid. A casual observer would think they were about to head off to war. Ten minutes passed before they moved toward the cabin. When they came within thirty feet of the walls, they started sneezing. A little closer and their breath wheezed in and out as if their airways were closing off. Those in wolf form went into convulsions. Maybe the animal form came with a heightened sense of smell.

  I snickered, unable to help myself. They’d come in with so much confidence that they never guessed a well placed herb could keep them away. One of the vamps, who had come forward to help the werewolves, glared in my direction.

  "Think you're smart don’t you?”

  "Not at all, just prepared,” I said, not bothering to raise my voice. Vamps had no better sense of smell than humans did, but he’d proved his hearing worked more than well enough.

  "We’ll see,” he yelled back over his shoulder.

  Once they had the werewolves out of the "danger zone", the vamps stalked their way back towards me with determination written all over their faces. They spread out, getting as close to the cabin as possible. Sizzles sounded all around when their hands tried to reach underneath the structure. Their muttered curses confirmed my suspicions.

  They were trying to remove the wolfsbane, but soon discovered it was out of their reach. I had expected they might try that when I decided to put it outside. It would be impossible for them to get to so long as it lay within the confines of the home’s support structure. I wanted to thank whoever laid the curse on the vampire race a few millennia ago, preventing them from getting into any human’s residence without an invitation. As soon as they got close to the borders of a home, it was nothing but sizzles for them if they weren’t welcome.