Gator Baitin' (The Grateful Undead series Book 2)

by Susan Stec

  Babe, AKA Tootles, didn't have much more information. She saw the old man arguing with Julie then Kim helping restrain her. The old man left with Julie tied up in the back of the skiff and that's when I pulled Babe into our home.

  We reversed the spell and Jeni was now sans bitchy canine attitude. Babe was lying by Jeni's feet, head bobbing around as she followed our conversation.

  "That was an experience I wish never to repeat." Jeni sat next to Paul on the sofa.

  "It won't happen again. I'll make sure of that," Paul barked, giving me a nasty look. Jeni smiled sweetly at him.

  I wanted to puke. Putting Babe inside of Jeni wasn't anything remotely near her falling for a dog in wolf's clothing. I sure wasn't into paper training my grandkids.

  Babe rolled over on her side, stretching, like we were boring her. The taffeta skirt and pink colored toenails were history. JoAnn kept shooting the dog glances and every time she tried to touch her, Babe growled.

  "What did it feel like, Jen?" Mom asked from the recliner by the couch. She was dressed in florescent purple spandex, her bare feet tucked up under while she applied sunscreen to her face and arms.

  "It's quite unpleasant not having control of your body, but the scents in this room were the worst. You guys smell like rotting meat. It was all I could do to keep from getting sick. I also felt very light headed. I'm not doing it again. If you want to talk to the dog, find another body."

  "You have no idea what you're doing!" Dorius slapped the kitchen counter getting everyone's attention as he glared at me. "Calling someone from the other side without knowing the ramifications was inordinately stupid! Erzsebet is out and killing mortals. That should be enough to dissuade you from turning this into a game! What if she slipped through? Could you have dealt with her in your own home?" He paused waiting for an answer I was unwilling to give him at the moment. He was too damn mad. I turned away.

  He let out a deep threatening growl. "I will not have you using your witch powers without me present. We will discuss your insubordination later, in great length, but right now we need to decide what to do with the dog."

  Clearly, playing with demons was not new to him. I shot him a pair of pissed off, hooded eyes, a sneer dressing out the rest of my face.

  Marcus started to speak; I stuck my elbow in his side and gave him a 'don't even think about it' look.

  Gibbie flew over me dusting that silver powder again. I sneezed.

  Christopher lit a cigarette.

  Dorius paced, his eyes riveted on mine.

  "Hey, no smoking in the house. Take it out on the porch." Mom pointed to the sliding glass doors.

  Christopher dropped the cigarette into a soda can, giving Mom a curt smile as he swished the can around, a trail of smoke wafting in front of his face.

  Jake farted loudly, burped, and speed-walked out of the living room. "I'm going upstairs. I can't take the drama." With his butt cheeks clenched, he sidled past Dorius.

  Ignoring the rest of the room, my eyes met Dorius' in defiance. "Look, you egotistical ass, at least you know more than the local police. You know who's got her and what the motive is. I'd say without me you'd have diddley-squat." I was two seconds away from jumping over the picnic table.

  Dorius gripped the kitchen counter hard enough to leave marks in the Formica. "Yooou are about to cross a line, Susan. It would behoooove you to shut up and take orders. Go over there and make ready to send the dog back. I will assist you this time. We're going to find out if it can tell us where the old man took Julie." His eyes dared me to disobey.

  I could smell Marcus' need to defend and Jeni started to object, but I raised my hand signaling both to nip it.

  "Uh-huh, and are you sure you want me to send it back, Sir? Because this little redhead is stupid, remember? Maybe you should handle it, Sir. Here, take these candles and this book and see how far they get you." I picked up the book and a stack of colored candles off the table and shoved them in his direction.

  "Susabella," Mom warned. I ignored her.

  Dorius let the counter go and walked to the end of it. He was trying to intimidate me, but I was ready to make my point.

  "Big man always thinks it's all about him. Not this time, 'cause without my cooperation you have Jack-shit." I pushed the book off the end of the picnic table where it landed with a loud smack on the floor.

  Dorius briskly walked toward me. I met him halfway. We stood chest to chest glaring at each other, the room filled with pheromones.

  Zaire and Resi stood up.

  Marcus rumbled behind me.

  "Susan, stop this and get the candles ready!" Mom yelled.

  Dorius grabbed me by the throat. I grinned at him. "What are you going to do, Dorius? Kill your only chance at finding out more information?"

  Marcus jumped in my head with both feet. Susan, you go too far sometimes. I could feel his body humming behind me.

  You haven't seen nothin' yet. I'm about to slap the shit out of your brother, I pushed back.

  That would be very unwise. Dorius is clearly in a mood to accommodate you. Settle down and change the direction of this conversation or you're going to start something we may not be able to finish.

  I glared at Dorius, begging for a confrontation.

  Jeni looked down at Babe, who was pawing at her feet. "Do you want to go back, Toots? Your Uncle Dorius is pissing Auntie Susan off and if he keeps it up, you may never go back."

  Dorius' grip eased up. I pulled away.

  "Tootles, isn't going anywhere!" JoAnn scooped the protesting dog up and ran for her bedroom. "I don't care if she smells like dirt and mold—nothing a bubble bath won't…" Very aggressive yapping drowned out the rest of JoAnn's words.

  "I swear they both take after their demon father." Mom gave me one of her Italian death glares as she walked toward the kitchen. "Susan, get your frigging temper in line. Go sit down and shut up, for Christ's sake. I'll go talk to the other imbecile. She isn't right in the head either."

  "Let's just give it another twenty-four hours, Dorius." Marcus gave his brother a concerned look. "If we don't find a lead by then, I'm afraid we'll have to send the dog back, Susan."

  "Really, it's not like the bitch can start without you." Zaire hopped on the 'kick Dorius in the nuts' bandwagon. "Didn't the dog say they orchestrated this whole thing to get your ugly ass to follow them?"

  There was a loud bang and Mom yelled, "Open this damn door, you little shit. If Dorius wants to send the dog back, we send the dog back!"

  A muffled voice answered, "I am not opening this door! You can just break it down for all I care, but you're not getting my baby!" It was followed by a shit-load of barking and growling.

  Dorius pushed me toward the kitchen. "The dog is the key. Get your sister and mother down here." I knew he was all about control, leadership, and respect, but tonight he was getting on my last nerve.

  "We Stech women don't react well to domineering men. In case you haven't noticed, none of us do submissive." I watched spittle fly from my lips, landing on his chest. "But we do the bitchy, kick-ass, controlling thing pretty good. In fact, I personally go out of my way to avoid taking orders from condescending narcissistic jerks and then I look for an opportunity to kick someone, anyone, in the ass."

  "Mommy Dearest, I believe you might want to back it up a notch," Jeni scolded.

  I shot her one of my mother's looks.

  "Your daughter's right. This is accomplishing nothing," Paul told me.

  "I have had enough of your rebellious attitude, Susan." Dorius' nose was inches from mine.

  "Oh yeah? Give me a target, you asshole," I snapped. "Turn your back on me you son-of-a-bitch, 'cause I've had enough of you, too!"

  "Dorius, this is not constructive," Marcus warned grabbing me by the shoulder and dragging me back three feet.

  "Really Dorius, you need an attitude adjustment. What's your problem?" Resi asked.

  I shook my shoulder from Marcus' grasp and stepped closer to Dorius. "I'm not backing down this
time."

  "I will not be spoken to in this manner!" Dorius exploded.

  Before I could dig my teeth into his throat, we heard loud banging on the door upstairs. Everyone turned in its direction.

  "JOANN, OPEN THIS DOOR, NOW!"

  "FORGET IT! I AM NOT COMING OUT!"

  Marcus cleared his throat. "Alright ladies, I think Dorius is exceptionally distraught tonight." He looked at me with pleading eyes. "Maybe we should all just settle down and try to figure out what our next move is going to be."

  Dorius turned to Marcus and sighed. His shoulders dropped as he moved away from me, shaking his head.

  Marcus was right. This was getting us nowhere. We were about to bring a creature from Hell into our living room and I was not at all sure I was ready to do that without some answers.

  "Let's have it, Dorius," I said. "I want to know why this woman has you so freaked out. Because this isn't about you and me this time, is it? How did she get out of that room they put her in?" I slid in between Marcus and Christopher at the picnic table, waiting for a response.

  Dorius locked eyes with me and started to say something.

  "YOU'RE PAYING FOR THIS DOOR IF I BREAK IT DOWN!" Mom yelled.

  Dorius threw up his hands in frustration.

  "I AM NOT!"

  (More banging)

  I yelled, "MOM, YOU'RE WORKIN' US HERE!"

  The banging stopped.

  "I think it's time you let us know what we are dealing with, Dorius," Marcus softly prompted.

  Dorius raked his hands through his long black hair and turned his back on me. He walked into the kitchen, leaned on the counter, and with a defeated voice, said, "I met Erzsebet at her castle in Cachtice. I knew she was a possible mate the minute I laid eyes on her. At the time, I thought her proclivities with regard to using blood as a fountain of youth, a tool I could work with to sway her in my immortal direction. She jumped on it and quickly dismissed me after I turned her, unwilling to keep up her side of the bargain. Then she went on a killing spree that threatened to disclose her identity."

  Mom walked back into the room. "JoAnn won't unlock her door. Do you want me to break it down?" she asked Dorius.

  Marcus answered, "No, Chick, Dorius is explaining his relationship with Erzsebet. I think we are all interested in what he has to say."

  Mom walked over to the couch, plopping down between Jeni and Paul.

  Paul turned to her with a smile as he scooted over to give her room. "Chick, is there a reason you don't want me sitting next to your granddaughter?"

  "Nope, just wanted to get all cozy" Mom leaned into Paul's chest.

  "Plasma? Popcorn?" Christopher asked.

  Dorius growled. "Shall I continue?"

  "Please do," I answered, glaring at Christopher.

  "Erzsebet would not listen to reason. I tried for two years to persuade her."

  "Dang, what'd I miss? Can you back up and fill me in?" Mom asked.

  Dorius' eyebrows arm-wrestled. Mom sat back and shut her mouth.

  "When it was clear Erzsebet was not going to join me, I had no choice but to… I made some… suggestions, to the Hungarian authorities to… well, have a look into the matters of a Lutheran minister, Istivan Mafyari, who was already on a bandwagon, complaining about the atrocities committed by Erzsebet. I pushed King Matthias to assign Juraj Thruzo, Erzsebet's Uncle, to investigate the issues."

  "So you're the one who turned her in?" Zaire asked with a saucy smile.

  Marcus wiggled in his chair. "If there was ever a time for all of you to submit to silence, it would be now."

  I huffed next to him. Damnit, he was right. "Please continue, Dorius. Everyone will shut up now, right?" I glanced around the room. They all settled in.

  Dorius continued. "When she was locked in her chambers, I went to see her with a new bargaining tool; her freedom. But she was using her abilities to persuade the staff to allow her to roam the town at night. She was killing more young women. Once again I tried to dissuade her, but she threatened to expose me."

  Dorius stood still, deep in thought.

  "And?" I gently coaxed.

  "I bargained with a local dark witch to summon a demon and traded Erzsebet into servitude. I saw no other way to stop the woman I had gifted with a reign of deadly immortality."

  "Holy shit! A friggin' Demon! What the hell were you thinking?" Zaire got up from the fireplace where she was sitting with Resi, strutted around the room and ran a hand through the hair over her forehead, pulling it from her face. "I would've killed the bitch! What did you ask for in return? Must've been something really special."

  Dorius whipped his head toward Zaire. "What I asked for in return was that the demon would leave the local townspeople alone. He was terrorizing them. A story I do not wish to get into. To this day, I believe Erzsebet led the old man to her demon. He must have found a way to pull her from servitude for short periods of time, promising human souls in return. An idea I am sure Erzsebet contrived, enabling her to kill again. That's where Julie and Kim's mother, Sarah, came in. Erzsebet needed a human body to experience her sadistic sexual pleasures again."

  "But how did they convince Sarah to let Erzsebet use her body?" Resi asked.

  "A profitable ministry? The safety of her children? I do not know," Dorius answered. "Erzsebet, along with the old man, could also have aided Sarah in performing what appeared to be miracles of a godly nature."

  "But Sarah disappeared," I whispered.

  Dorius was quite for a minute then answered. "Yes, soon after the girls came of age. I feel she might have been a threat to the pact, maybe unwilling to allow these murders to continue. Sarah had a strong following before she disappeared. She might have thought she could continue without the aid of Erzsebet. I could never prove any of this. The only thing I had to go on was the murders were like those of the seventeenth century. Most were women, sadistically tortured, sexually abused, and bled. She did kill men, and still does, which is why I didn't catch the other similarities at first."

  "So that's why the murders stopped for a couple of years and Sarah disappeared?" Christopher asked.

  "Yes, but it would seem Julie took up where her mother would no longer tread. I have been trying to prove this for almost thirty years. That's why capturing Eval was so crucial. However, instead of being part of it, it seems he was trying to stop what his father started. He will have to be dealt with for the destruction of the immortals attributed to him, but for the time being I've decided to delay his trial." Dorius walked into the living room, settling into a chair by the front windows. He rubbed his face, looking weary.

  "So Erzsebet is really a vampire that is in the servitude of this demon, and if she ever gets totally free she would be just like us?" I asked, finally getting the whole picture.

  "Yes," Dorius said.

  I could see pain in his eyes. This woman was still a possible mate for him. I knew how that felt. And he'd lost another possible mate because Christopher killed her. For the first time, I understood that part of Dorius.

  Marcus' clarification moved around in my mind.

  "And I blew this whole thing out of the water," Christopher piped up.

  "That you did," Dorius replied.

  "So, what's the plan? Where do we go from here?" Resi asked.

  "The wolf cannot track the old man since he escaped with Julie by water," Dorius said, not at all happy. "We could lean on Kim but after speaking with a friend at the police station, I feel that would be difficult. They've stationed officers at the church and her home. He informed me she will be closely monitored.

  "I could snoop around the police station. Maybe I'll hear something we can use," Gibbie said. I'd almost forgotten he was sitting on the ceiling fan above my head.

  I sent him a wink. "That would work."

  "I think that's an excellent idea. Anyone have any other suggestions?" Marcus asked.

  "I have something I want Susan to look into with me," Christopher said, pulling my eyes to his.

  "
We're a team. No one looks into nothin' without approval," Mom said.

  Everyone waited.

  "I just want to sniff around the crime scenes again and go out to the river, maybe scout around and see if I can come up with anything. That's all." Christopher tried for submissive, didn't work.

  "I see no harm in that, Chick. I'll go with them." Marcus gave me a look that made me want to kiss it right off his face.

  Dorius got all business again and started dishing out orders, but this time I listened. "I want the rest of you out looking for the gator. That's the reason we sent you here in the first place. We need to capture it and destroy it before we can leave. While Gibbie checks out the police station and Christopher's team searches the crime scenes, Chick will lead the rest of you around the lakes."

  His words 'Christopher's team' choked up tears in my throat. I grinned at Christopher. He nodded back seriously, suddenly quite the little professional.

  "Hey, I thought Resi and I were Rogue Hunters now," Zaire exploded.

  "We all do what needs to be done, Zaire," Dorius answered. "It's just as important to search for the gator while we're waiting for another lead to follow."

  "What will you be doing?" Resi questioned, hand on her cocked hip.

  Dorius gave her a look that made her sit back down. "I'm going to question Eval again, although it is not your place to address me in such a manner. I give the orders, girls, and I would like all of you to remember that," he said with a pointed stare in my direction. "Maybe he knows where his father is hiding Julie. I can bargain with him for his freedom. Finding the old man and putting Erzsebet back where she belongs is more significant than his execution at the moment."

  I felt strongly that this was taking its toll on him. It had to be hard to give up a mate, even if it was the right thing to do. I wondered if destroying her would give him closure. With her out there, he would never move on. I made a mental note to discuss this with both Marcus and Christopher as soon as we were alone.

  "Sounds like a plan." Christopher looked quite proud of himself. I was curious about what he really had planned.