by Mary Abshire
In the distance, Anna heard sirens.
“We need to go now!” she yelled. “More officers will be here within minutes.”
They were out of time. If more local cops arrived, she’d have to either wipe their minds or come up with some explanation as to why two men dripping blood and with bullets were still standing. She didn’t think she could handle the latter well.
She circled around to the vampire pinning the man on the hood. The demon grinned and stared at her with his black eyes.
“Knock him out for me,” she said to the vampire.
“What about this one?” the tall vamp asked.
“He’s human. He can ride with Zale.” She met his gaze. “Bring him to the office and I’ll meet you there. We have to hurry.”
“What about the police?” Zale asked, aiming his thumb at the two in the cruiser.
“I already took care of them,” she said.
The vampire punched the demon twice in the face. The demon slid down the bumper to the ground.
“How?” Zale asked. “And why didn’t they?” He pointed to the vamps.
“We didn’t have time,” said the tall one. “And we couldn’t after they’d shot us. We’re too weak.” He shoved the man to the ground near Zale. The human fell on his hands and knees.
Zale lifted him by one of his arms. “Try anything and I’ll knock you out myself.”
“He’s all yours,” said the vamp who’d punched the demon.
Blood covered half of the man’s face. His eyelids were closed as if he were sleeping.
“Help me get him on my bike please,” she said to the vamp and then looked at Zale. “Get going.”
Following a nod, Zale escorted his prisoner to his car.
The sirens were getting closer. They were cutting it close, but she could make it.
Excitement thrived within her. She had a human and a demon to interrogate. As soon as she could get them into rooms, she was going to have a chat with each of them. And she didn’t care about the sun rising in a few hours. She’d force herself to stay up to question the two.
Chapter Twelve
Electronic equipment used for audio and video recordings surrounded Zale in the small room where he sat, waiting for direction from Anna or someone in the DS. One-way mirrors on each of the long walls allowed him to see into the interrogation rooms. He’d been watching the human in one and the demon in the other for a while, but boredom had started to settle in. He hadn’t seen Anna since they’d brought the two men in for questioning. She’d asked him to wait and said she’d return.
He’d thought about her showing up on her bike. Damn, the woman had looked sexy. He’d love to ride a motorcycle with her sometime. The thought of her arms wrapped around him while they flew down a road was one he entertained and would like to turn into reality. There was so much more he’d like to know about her too.
The human in the interrogation room cursed. Zale twisted in his chair to check on him. Wearing baggy jeans and an oversized shirt, he sat at a square table with his arms crossed and leg bobbing. He looked like the typical thug. Zale doubted the human would cooperate in sharing information.
The demon lay on a gurney in the other room. He wore dark jeans and a t-shirt with a beer logo. The upper half of his body lay at an angle with his head elevated. Thin bandages covered his nose. A nurse had spent close to thirty minutes attending to the possessed human’s bloody face. The demon had yet to wake up.
Zale checked the clock on his phone. Based on the time, he estimated Anna had been gone well over an hour. Something had to be going on to delay her.
The door opened and a tall thin woman with fluffy light-brown hair and dark skin walked in. She wore black slacks and a long-sleeved blouse. She strode toward Zale with a smile.
“Hi, I’m Rachel.” She extended her hand.
Zale rose and accepted her greeting. “Zale Wallace.”
“Anna told me to check on you. She apologizes. She’s been detained by Aziel. She said she’d be here shortly. Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m fine. Is she okay? She’s not in any trouble, is she?”
“I think she’s fine. He wanted to know what had happened. We’re also trying to confirm staff for the care of the two men.” She angled her head to the room with the demon. “Are you sure I can’t get you anything?”
“I’m good, thanks. What do you mean about confirming staff?”
“Sunrise is less than forty minutes away. Most of us are heading home. Anna insists on questioning both now, so she had to get Aziel’s approval. He’s allowed her to interrogate the demon, but the human will have to wait until tonight. I’m going to take him to a different room where he can rest.”
“He told me his name is Leon. Will someone check on him during the day?”
“Yes, we have a few humans we trust. One is on the way here now.”
If he were in Anna’s shoes, he’d want to do the same thing. Too many lives rested on the shoulders of the DS and UoJ. At least she’d been permitted to question one of them now.
“She said you could leave if you wanted to.” Rachel passed him and started pushing buttons on the equipment. Lights illuminated while electricity whined softly.
“No, I’ll stay.”
He returned to his seat and watched the human in the adjoining room. The young man had darker skin than Rachel. Cursing, he began pacing in his prison.
Zale twisted in his chair and checked on the unconscious demon. “How long does it take to question a demon?”
Rachel continued powering the electronics. “Depends. Sometimes they talk. Most of the time they ramble. Usually we get better information from them once the demon is exorcised.”
The door clicked before it opened again. This time, Anna walked in. Zale shot up.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize he’d call me in and demand a report,” Anna said.
“Is there anything I can help with?” he asked.
“No, but do you know how to use any of this equipment?” Anna asked.
“It’s okay,” Rachel said before he could answer. “I’ve set up the digital recorder. He doesn’t need to touch anything. It can run all day. There’s plenty of memory.”
“Is it recording now?” Anna asked.
“Yes,” Rachel said.
“I can press a start or stop button if you need me to,” he said.
“No, we’ll let the recorder run. Someone can edit it later tonight,” Anna said, and then met Rachel’s gaze. “You should go.”
“I’ll take Leon to a room and put him to sleep,” Rachel said.
“Leon?” Anna’s brows drew together.
“He told me his name on the way here,” Zale said.
“Did he give you his last name?” Anna asked.
“No, and I didn’t ask,” Zale said.
“That’s fine. I’ll find out later,” Anna said.
Rachel looked at Zale. “Take care of my future partner.”
“I plan on it.” He smiled.
“Thanks, Rachel. Get some rest,” Anna said.
Rachel gave her a nod before she left.
Anna crossed her arms and approached the window looking into the room with the demon. Behind them in the other holding cell, Rachel approached the human. Zale decided to give Anna his attention.
“Future partner?” he asked, coming to stand next to her.
“She’s been working in the office for over thirty years and wants to go into the field. I trained her, so I know she can handle it. I guess I put it off because she’s been such an asset to me with her research. After demons destroyed my partner, I told her she would start working with me once you and I found the masters and foiled their plans.”
“Did you…create her?”
Vampires were allowed to convert one human every fifty years. If the vamp brought over a second within the same time frame, the vamp would have to wait a full century to create another. If any vamp
ire converted more than two in the span of a half-century, the UoJ had to destroy the creator.
“No, I didn’t create her,” Anna said. “Some jerk of a vampire did in the late seventies. She doesn’t like to talk much about him. I found her at a club in the eighties and told her about the DS. She wanted to join, so I set her up in a house and with a job here at headquarters. I trained her for several years too.”
Zale tried to remember what he’d read in Anna’s file. He couldn’t recall any mention of her having created anyone. “Have you created any vampires? And if this is too personal—“
“No, no, it’s not personal at all. I created one, Glenn, and he’s gone now. He was my partner the demons destroyed a few nights ago.”
Zale stared at her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—“
“No need to apologize. We all take risks working for the DS or UoJ. I guess it was his time to go.”
“And you’d worked with him a long time?”
“Since the thirties. I found Glenn soon after the outbreak. His family had died and he was on his deathbed, so he had no one. I gave him a choice and he accepted. He never regretted it. We’d worked together for over eighty years.”
Sadness crept into his heart. He had the urge to embrace her. Losing the one and only vampire she’d created had to cause her great pain. He could imagine it would feel similar to losing a child. “I’m truly sorry for your loss.”
“It angers me every time I think about what the demons did to him. I have to find the masters to prevent more loss to vampires and humans. I give you my word, I will not stop until I have exorcised them.”
Her steadfast words showed her devotion. She wanted justice and he couldn’t blame her for seeking it. He wanted retribution for his partner’s life too. It seemed they had more in common than he’d originally thought.
“Demons killed the partner I had worked with since the fifties. I don’t want to see any more bloodshed either,” he said.
The demon laying on the gurney began moving his head.
Anna lowered her arms. “He’s waking.”
“Do you think you’ll get anything out of him?”
“Probably not, but I have to try. Odds are high I’ll get better information once I exorcise the demon.” She rubbed her eyes.
“Are you feeling okay?” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Dark circles under her eyes revealed her need for blood and rest.
“I should’ve had more blood by now, but I haven’t had time. I’m extra tired and my head hurts, but I can do this. I need to do this.”
“If you need me for anything, just look at the window and I’ll come in.”
“I’ll be fine. Really.” Her smile showed her determination to persevere no matter how exhausted she felt. “Don’t touch anything. Just stay and watch.”
He nodded and then she walked away, leaving him alone again with the equipment.
Zale twisted to find the human and Rachel gone from the other holding cell.
The door to the demon’s room clicked, gathering Zale’s attention. Anna walked in. She removed her jacket as she approached the demon.
“Where am I?” the demon asked, his eyes appearing as normal as any regular human’s.
She set her jacket at the end of the gurney. “You’re in a holding facility. I have a few questions to ask you.” She pushed up the sleeves of her black sweater.
“Are you a doctor?”
She came to a halt near the demon’s side. “No.”
“My head is killing me.” He tried to lift his arms, but the restraints stopped him. “Why am I tied down?”
“Can you tell me who you were with tonight?”
The young man pulled harder on the manacles. He tried to move his feet, but they too had been strapped to the gurney. It didn’t take the man long to grow irritated.
“Who were you with this evening?” she asked again.
He ground his teeth as he strained to free his wrists. Sweat formed on his face. Blood trickled from his nose. In seconds, a black cloud hid the whites of his eyes.
“I will set you free after you answer a few questions,” she said.
The demon laid his head back and licked the red fluid above his lip. “You’re a maggot. You don’t belong here.” His voice sounded deep and sinister, nothing like the voice from a minute ago.
She withdrew a chain from around her neck. A piece of jewelry hung from the necklace. “Who is your master?”
“Come closer and I’ll tell you.”
Arms at her sides, she leaned closer to him. When he bent toward her in a sudden flash, she flinched. Zale clenched his fists and growled as the demon laughed at her.
“Glad I could amuse you since I’m a maggot,” she said, crossing her arms.
The demon’s laughter faded. “You and your ilk are all going to end up in the river. We are going to rule and you can’t stop us.”
“Does this mean you’re not going to tell me who your master is or his plans?”
“I already told you.”
“What? You mean about ruling the Earth? I’ve heard that so many times. Yet, I’m still here and I keep sending more of you to Hell.”
“We are everywhere. Starting tonight, you will fear us. You will know we are coming for you.”
Zale stilled from the demon’s words. What evil plans were in the works?
“What do you mean, starting tonight?” Anna asked.
The demon laughed. “You will see.”
“If you’re planning something, why don’t you invite me?”
“Nice try.”
“You want me off this Earth, why not tell me what’s going to happen?”
The demon tugged on the restraints again. While he tried to free himself, Anna ambled in the room with her arms crossed.
“Is Reggie or Rodney your master?” she asked.
“My master will take pleasure shredding your kind into pieces.”
“When? Tonight?”
“I hope he cuts your eyes out and feeds them to you. Or maybe he’ll gut you and play with your insides while you watch. He likes that.”
Anna stopped and faced him. “Did Reggie or Rodney mention he liked me?”
Zale crinkled his brows at the strange question.
The demon twisted his head at different angles as if he were studying her. “He did say he was looking for a female vampire.”
She moved closer to the gurney. “Tell me where I can find him. I’ll meet him.”
The demon snickered in his evil voice. “He has plans for you.”
“At this thing going on tonight?”
“Show up to the gathering and you’ll see.”
“Will Reggie or Rodney be there?”
“Wait and see. Wait and see.”
Anna spun away, shaking her head. She gripped her necklace again.
“He will rip you apart and play with you. I hope I get to watch,” the demon said.
She turned to face him. “I’m not afraid of you or your master. I know in my heart I will walk this Earth longer than both of you.”
She put her hand on his head. The demon fought to get away from her touch. He yanked on the binds while he twisted his head from side to side. She held it firmly and started chanting in a language Zale didn’t recognize. He stared with wide eyes and listened to her. The demon continued to squirm. Her hand slid over his wet forehead. When his body began to convulse, she said the words louder.
Zale’s heart sped as he watched the demon writhe and sneer. The demon’s voice sounded hoarse and constricted. She repeated the lines again. The demon’s body arched as if something were pulling it upward. Black steam began to rise from him. The thin vapor thickened and grew bigger as it hovered near the ceiling. A chill snaked through Zale as he stared at the dark matter. He’d never seen evil outside of a human.
The demon’s body fell to the gurney. Blood dripped from his nose while he took gulps of air through h
is mouth. Above him and Anna, the black cloud disappeared. In a matter of seconds, no traces of it remained.
Anna pushed aside the wet brown bangs sticking to the young man’s head. “What’s your name?”
She acted so casual and unfazed by the evil she’d expelled. How she did what she did so fearlessly amazed Zale.
The young man blinked several times. “Brandon Singleton.” He licked his lip and cleared some of the blood. “Where am I?”
“You’re in an infirmary. You were hurt. Do you remember who you were with this evening?”
He lifted his head and gazed at his body. “Why am I tied to the bed?”
“You were having convulsions. You were unconscious for a while. We didn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
He laid his head back. “Can I have some water?”
“Sure. Can you answer a few questions for me real quick?”
He nodded as he licked his lip again.
“Who were you with tonight?” she asked.
“Uh… Leon, Jerry, and Marshal.”
“Do you know their last names?”
“Leon Taylor, Jerry Conway, and Marshal…” He looked up at the ceiling as if he were trying to remember. “Pemberton. I think that’s his last name.”
“How old are you, Brandon?”
“Nineteen.”
Zale shook his head. He despised how demons used young people, especially kids.
“Have you known your friends long?” she asked.
“Leon and I went to school together. He introduced me to the others tonight.”
“So you just met Jerry and Marshal?”
“Yeah.”
“Where did you meet them?”
“At a party.”
Anna rubbed her forehead. “Have you ever met a Fin Morris, Stan Richman, Rodney Stewart, or Reggie Thompson?”
“I know Fin and Reggie. Are you a cop or something?”
She lowered her hand. “No, but I’ve been looking for Fin and Reggie. Do you know where I can find them?”
“You don’t look like a cop, but you ask questions like one.”
She touched his forearm. “When did you meet Reggie?”