Vampire in Conflict

by Dale Mayer

  His gaze flicked past the scenery, then hit the brakes and slid backwards, landing on Tessa. She was standing, holding onto a big rock. She appeared to be dazed, but more or less fine.

  "She really got blasted."

  Cody glanced at the huge kid in front of him. And damn if he wasn't the one wearing the rest of the motorcycle gear.

  In the distance, he heard sirens approaching. Hopefully more Council vehicles were coming to help move the injured. And a fire truck would be good. The damn truck looked to be ready to burn for quite awhile.

  Tessa, honey, are you okay?

  She straightened as if she was getting some message, but she wasn't responding. At least, given the ringing in his ears, he wasn't hearing her.

  Tessa, can you jump down?

  He closed his eyes and concentrated. Tessa? Tessa, please talk to me.

  No answer.

  He took a deep breath and shouted, "Tessa! Can you hear me?"

  The crowd turned to watch Tessa on the hill. She seemed to hear something. She turned. Took an unsteady step. Tried for another one. And staggered.

  The crowd cried out.

  "Oh no." As Cody watched, he realized the hillside was steep. As in too steep. "Tessa, wait. I'm coming. Don't move."

  And she straightened, lifted a foot, obviously dazed, and tried to take another step.

  "Man, she won't quit, will she?"

  Cody groaned. "She doesn't know how."

  Tessa tried for one more step, and fell down…and down… and down the rest of the hill.

  ***

  Serus walked into the Council Hall. He'd been trying to reach Goran for the last ten minutes to get an update. So far, Goran hadn't answered.

  And Serus hated that.

  It was rare for there to be silence between them. That door had been open for centuries. Always available to contact each other in case of an emergency.

  Goran hadn't called for his help, so in theory, he should be fine.

  Or he was out cold.

  "Where are they?" he bellowed. The two hapless vamps within his earshot slapped their hands over their ears. Serus grinned. That felt much better.

  Rhia smiled gently at the two men. "He means where are the vamps coming in by transport to be interrogated? Serus is looking forward to that part," she added wryly.

  The two vamps looked at each other, then over at Serus.

  "We've just had word that the truck carrying vamps has been involved in a bad accident with a transport truck." The other male vamp added, in a low voice, "There is one fatality."

  Blood rushed to his head. Serus wanted to pound someone into the ground. And the two vamps in front of him were the only ones available.

  Rhia placed a calming hand on his arm, "Do you know who?" Her voice was sharp but not trembling.

  The odds were good that Goran wasn't the deceased vamp, but neither could Serus forget that he'd been with the kids. And one of them might have been in the big van with the men. He shook his head and tried to shove that thought deep down. "Where?"

  The street was named. Serus turned without a word and headed back to his car.

  "Wait, Serus," Rhia said, "Maybe they have more information."

  Serus turned to face the men, but they were both shaking their heads. "Nope, they don't."

  And he walked away. He called out to Goran. You there?

  Still no answer.

  Damn it.

  ***

  School was almost over. He hadn't seen Tessa all day. He checked his phone. Nothing from anyone.

  "Hey Jared." He turned to face Greg, one of the nicer guys at the school. He planned to be a doctor if he could get into med school. His marks were solid but not spectacular, and Greg had to work for those.

  Unlike some people. And damn if that didn't remind him of Tessa again. He checked his phone yet again. "Yeah, what's up?"

  "Did you hear about the big accident on the highway?" Greg asked. "Some vampire truck was involved in a big accident. Along with another car full of vamps. They were talking about a couple of people that were involved in saving them. There are tons of pictures on the Internet. Like crazy pics of when the van blew up. I wondered if it was Tessa."

  Something inside Jared froze. "I haven't heard anything. I wonder if that's why she wasn't at school today."

  "That's what I'm asking you." Greg held his hands out. "I thought you two were tight."

  "We are." He spun around, looking to see if there was anyone else he could ask. "I have no idea where she is, but that would make a terrible kind of sense. She hasn't been answering my emails or texts all afternoon."

  But he'd find out for sure.

  As he looked down at his phone, he realized that was also likely why David wasn't answering, too.

  They couldn't.

  Chapter 15

  Tessa slammed up against a big boulder and hung suspended for a long moment before rolling back to lie face up. She groaned and stared up at the blue sky. It would be pretty if the clouds didn't dance up and down.

  She hurt – everywhere. Who'd have thought a landing like that could rattle her brains so much?

  Tessa!

  Cody. She smiled and said, "I'm over here."

  Tessa, talk to me.

  "I'm over here," she called again in a louder voice, but it still came out as a squeak. She tried again. "Here." She lifted a hand and tried to wave it.

  And cried out in pain. Crap, her arm was injured. She turned her head slightly and saw how far down she'd rolled and wanted to laugh – but groaned instead. She assessed the rest of her body and realized she'd gotten off lightly. Outside of some aches and pains – and depending on her arm – everything appeared functional.

  Good thing.

  She looked around for Cody but couldn’t see him. But then her vision was still wonky.

  Damn it, Tessa, I'm inside your head, can't you hear me?

  Oh. I can, she cried. But for some reason I thought you were talking to me out loud.

  How badly are you hurt? he asked worriedly. You don't sound very good.

  I'm fine. Just bruised. Then again, I haven't stood up. Memories of the blast filled her head. Are you okay? Did you get hurt? She struggled to sit up, biting back the cry of pain when she accidentally put her weight on her arm.

  Struggling and swearing, she made it to her feet. And heard a cheer. She turned to find a large group of people gathered around parked vehicles and a still-smoldering truck cheering for her. She mustered up a smile and waved.

  The cheers rose into a deafening noise.

  Well, I'm up, she said. Can't say much more than that. Did we all survive?

  Except for the one. Cody reminded her in a grim voice.

  I remember now. I don't know exactly what was going on there with him. I'd seen that before, but only after being hit with silver or sunlight. I wish I knew what killed him.

  Chances of finding out now aren't good.

  Moving slowly, Tessa limped over toward the crowd who still cheered. What was their problem? She groaned as she landed heavily on the uneven ground, jarring her head. Cody, how's Goran?

  I'm heading over there now. I'll let you know.

  By the time you find out, I should be at the car.

  Take it easy, he said. Apparently you literally flew. They are calling it an epic jump.

  Really? Feeling better already, Tessa said, Go check on your father. I'm fine, just a little shaky.

  She watched as Cody raced to the car. She was surprised that David and Wendy hadn't gotten out. Then the car was parked in the bright sunlight, pinning them inside. Hopefully, they were recovering from their slam into the windshield. Cody had been the only one wearing a coat.

  She took a deep breath and slid around the rock. She could do this. After what she'd already done today, this wasn’t a problem. So what if the ground was wavering as if she were drunk? And the heat seemed too hot and her arm too sore. This was nothing.

  It could have been so much worse.

  Te
ssa, Cody called. Dad is in a bad way. We need to get him some help.

  Won't he heal on his own?

  Normally, but it looks like his leg is broken and needs to be set.

  I'm coming. And she was. Just slowly. Sirens echoed in the distance, gaining in volume the closer she got. The air stank, too. Horrible black smoke plumed upward into the sky. She kept her focus on placing one foot in front of the other. As she approached, the crowd stepped back slightly.

  She grimaced. "I look that bad, do I?"

  One massive guy in front grinned. "You look like you took a beating. But that jump flip thing you did was seriously awesome."

  She didn't want to ask what he was talking about. She remembered the jump – not the flip. But that might explain why so much of her hurt – particularly if that flip was how she landed.

  She smiled at the good-looking male, his face still filled with awe. "Don't suppose you caught on film, huh? Be nice to have a copy to see what I survived."

  Tessa, Cody growled. We need to go.

  She waved at the crowd to let them know she was okay and walked as fast as she could the rest of the way to the car.

  Sirens were cut off as rescue vehicles arrived.

  As far as she was concerned, this was a great time to leave.

  ***

  David drove carefully. His headache boomed through his skull. Wendy looked the way he felt. Both had smashed into the windshield, neither of them having thought to wear seatbelts. So not a vampire invention. For the first time, he considered the merits of such things. Still, he'd heal without much effort. He understood humans wearing them all the time. They were so delicate, their bodies fragile. He wondered how the species survived. Even as he settled into the slow pace of driving past the piled up vehicles, he realized his head was feeling better. In the rearview mirror, he studied Tessa's features. She looked like she'd been blasted to hell and back. Her skin, always pale, now looked white. At least the little bit he could see of it. The rest was covered in soot and grime. She needed a shower in the worst way. And likely a long rest in bed.

  Wendy held her own head as if she had a massive headache. Then again, she'd been banged up pretty damn good, too.

  They were a sad looking lot. This accident had been the last thing they'd needed. Had it been as simple as that or had the Council truck been hit on purpose? Outside of the semi that had caused the accident driving away, he had nothing suspicious to prove it either way.

  Cody had survived the worst of the blast, but now that his father lay in his arms, he looked almost as bad as Tessa. Cody leaned his head back and closed his eyes, his lips in a grim line.

  David returned his gaze to the road. They'd survived so much. He knew the odds had been against them from the beginning. That everyone had survived was wonderful – and tested fate. He wanted to quit while they were ahead. Quit while they were safe. They were supposed to be safe.

  And they weren't. He'd been trying to call Jewel and Ian and hadn't gotten an answer from either of them.

  "Cody, what about those other vamps, is someone driving the truck for us? I never even thought about them. You could have driven that truck."

  "The owner is bringing them in." Cody twisted to look out the back window. "He's coming up behind us."

  "Where do we go?" David asked. "The hospital is no longer an option, and the human hospital is completely overwhelmed – not that they'd be much help in any case."

  Tessa's phone rang. She opened it and spoke to the caller. From what David could hear, it was their father.

  She explained where they were and that there was a truck full of injured vamps following them.

  By the time she hung up the phone, he thought he understood. "We're to take them to the Council Hall?"

  "Yes," Tessa said tiredly. "Dad is going to track down medics. Supposedly there are enough rooms for them to stay there until they heal."

  David nodded. "Good thing. We all need rest."

  "Not me," Wendy said. "I need Ian. Alive and whole."

  "Let's get everyone to the Council Hall, then we'll organize a group and go take the damn hospital back under our control. Just think, at least they are all in one place."

  Tessa spoke up. "The mine was just one place. That didn't make it any easier."

  "I suggest we surround the hospital so no one can get out, then go in with a vamp army and clean the assholes out." Cody's tone was vicious.

  David glanced in the mirror. Cody's jaw twitched with temper.

  "How's he doing, Cody?"

  "Not good. Get us to the Council Hall. Then I'm heading to that goddamned hospital. If anyone there can help him, I'll find him and bring him back with me."

  "How can you know who to trust?" David asked curiously.

  Cody grinned, but it was a movement that hardened the planes of his face and highlighted the anger in his eyes. "Tessa."

  ***

  Cody sat back, anger churning a hole in his gut. He'd half expected Tessa's tinkling laugh to slide through his mind after his comment. He meant what he said. If she could determine who was infected in some way by this disease, then he was going to line them all up and have her separate them into groups. The guilty group he'd dispatch immediately.

  With the others, he might have to listen to the how and why to determine the extent of their guilt.

  But maybe not. As far as he was concerned – anyone involved was guilty.

  Tessa, are you all right? You're awfully quiet.

  No answer. He studied her up in the front seat. She'd leaned her head against the car door and her eyes were closed. Maybe she was sleeping.

  "Wendy," he whispered. "Is Tessa sleeping?"

  Cody listened inside her head. He hadn't heard anything when she'd gotten knocked out. Was she okay?

  Tessa? Please answer me, sweetheart.

  Again, no answer.

  Damn it. She was hurt worse than he thought. Cody couldn’t move with his father stretched across his lap.

  "She looks asleep." Wendy leaned over and frowned. "Tessa, are you okay?"

  She nudged Tessa's shoulder.

  Tessa's head rolled to the side and hit the door – hard.

  And she never made a sound.

  David hit the gas and the car lurched forward.

  ***

  Serus paced back and forth in the underground secure parking lot at the Council Hall waiting for David and the rest to arrive. Rhia leaned against the closest wall, eyes closed. She'd insisted everyone eat then had sent Sian upstairs to lie down. Good thing. All of this couldn't be good for the baby. Not that Serus knew much about babies, but Rhia had alternated from being the sweetest woman in the world to a woman on a rampage to a zombie barely functioning at times. He'd only been able to watch and be there for her. And sympathized. Most of the time, she hadn't wanted anything to do with that, either.

  He wished Taz and Sian well.

  This wasn't the easiest of journeys. Look at him. He was waiting for two of his kids to arrive, and he barely knew about their condition as it were. On top of that, his other son was in the hospital and if Goran was correct, Seth was either a prisoner of some asshole or he'd been recovered so his evil training would resume.

  Serus would do anything to stop that. He hadn't had a chance to even speak to Seth since the mountain blew up. His son had been unconscious the whole time. At least the doctors had said he was. Now he had to wonder. What if they'd kept Seth separated? Knowing who he was and what he'd been singled out to become. And were even now regaining lost ground.

  If that happened, he swore he'd kill every last bastard. They had nerve to be involved at the hospital. It's not as if they could hide up there for long.

  He frowned, thinking about that. So far this group had been wily and resourceful. They'd operated under everyone's noses for decades. No one had any inkling of what was going on and that took some serious smarts to pull off. They had to have a game plan. Other locations. A way to escape. Something.

  A vehicle came screaming in
to the parking lot. Damn it. That had to be David. He'd been telling that kid to ease his lead foot up since he'd started driving.

  Then he caught sight of his son's face.

  Behind David came a pickup. Serus didn't know the driver but from the looks of him, the driver was human. Probably bringing the injured vamps. He alerted the medics he had waiting.

  David parked and hopped out. "Tessa is unconscious."

  Rhia raced over to Tessa's side of the vehicle, opened the door, and caught her daughter as she slumped sideways.

  Serus turned around to find the first of the medical team running toward them. Rhia wouldn't surrender her burden, choosing instead to carry her directly upstairs. Serus wanted to do the same. He directed the men to the second vehicle while he, with Cody's help, tugged Goran out of the car. Serus studied the face of his old friend. He was alive, but barely.

  David raced beside him. Serus glanced back to see Wendy and Cody going to help the vamps in the back of the truck. While David held open the door, he took one last look into the parking lot and watched as vamp after vamp was tugged out of the back of the truck. He walked toward the stairwell and started to climb. "Jesus, David. What the hell happened?"

  As David gave him a short version of the events, Serus realized that the semi truck had to have targeted the vamp vehicle. Surely there'd have been no other reason to run off. Still, humans were charged for accidents, especially if they were at fault. Vamp road rules were different. Still, he'd love to talk to the driver of the semi in order to find out for sure.

  "Did you catch the number on the license plate? Did Tessa?" he asked David.

  David shook his head. "Sorry, Dad. We were hit at the same time, and it was all I could do to keep us on the road." He reached up a hand and touched the side of his face. That was the first time Serus realized that likely everyone in that damn car had been injured in some way. They were all very lucky to be alive.

  ***

  Ian stared at Motre standing in the hallway outside his room. The grin on the other man's face was something. But was he friend or foe? Ian really wanted him to be a friend.