Blood Sport (The American Arcane Book 2)

by Justen Hunter

  The young woman sunk her fangs into Vincent's arm. A soft gasp came from him as Serena started to drink. The sucking sound filled the room, and as Serena kept focused on drinking, I drew my gun and kept it behind my back. I didn't want to use it, but if I needed to, it was there. I wasn't sure Serena noticed, but Teresa tensed a moment, and I was sure she noticed.

  Each second seemed to take an eternity, but Vincent seemed to be doing well. Teresa watched, with her shoulders tensing. Vampires, I had found, had few physical tells once they got older. It was probably the most nervous I had ever seen Teresa.

  Vincent brought his free hand to Serena's cheek. “Okay, Serena, I'm going to need you to slowly pull away. Can you do that for me?” His hand moved to her jaw and slowly pulled her away. Serena didn't resist, and with a wet popping sound, her teeth slipped free of his arm.

  Matt offered a hand to Vincent. “Come on, let's get you patched up.” Vincent stood with Matt, and they walked out of the living room, heading down the hall to one of the bathrooms.

  I looked down to Serena. “How's it going there, camper?” I asked.

  Serena sighed, and she rested back on the couch. “Much better.” She flexed her arms, grunting. “Damn. That was...good. Really good. Like ambrosia.”

  “There's nothing quite like it.” Teresa said. “There are some things that you'll have to do. If you plan on staying in San Francisco, you'll have to be introduced to Count Ishmael.”

  “Ishmael?” Serena asked.

  “Ishmael is the leader of the vampires in the Bay.” Amy answered. “It is traditional etiquette that you introduce your presence to a local leader. In return, he will give you some help locating blood, even help you buy synthetics, for you.”

  “Huh,” Serena cocked an eyebrow. “You guys think of everything, don't you?”

  “We take care of our own.” Teresa said. She reached out a hand, and touched Serena's cheek. “Vincent seemed rather taken with you. I'm sure if you asked, he wouldn't be against offering again.”

  A little blush crossed Serena's cheeks. I had never seen a vampire blush before. I hadn't even known that was possible. “Oh.” A little chuckle escaped her. “I suppose that wouldn't be terrible. Do all people taste like that?”

  “Not all. Generally, it will depend on the person. People who take care of their bodies, who are healthy, will have a cleaner taste.” Teresa explained.

  We spent the next few minutes answering Serena's questions. Matt and Vincent came back, and we took some time swapping numbers. Teresa and Vincent left after a bit, leaving us all sitting in the living room.

  “I don't know about you guys, but I could go for a drink right about now.” Matt stood. “Anyone else?”

  “Please,” I groaned as I sunk into the chair I was sitting in.

  “I don't even care if I'm undead now. I'll take one.” Serena supplied.

  Amy looked between the three of us, and acquiesced. “Very well, I will also partake.”

  Matt disappeared into the kitchen, and a minute later returned with a few glasses and a bottle of scotch. He poured out the amber liquor into glasses, and remarked. “Honestly can't remember the last time I served you guys drinks.”

  “Hey, I still would be serving you drinks, if it weren't for the whole witch and knight deal.” I shrugged. “Terry was not into me having to cut and run my job when there were murders about.”

  Amy nodded as she took her glass. “Indeed. So, Eric, speaking of murder, what was the crime scene from earlier?”

  “Two vampires were killed. They'd been tied up, and their stomachs cut open. I've never seen anything like it. There was magic at the scene. Somebody did something with their deaths. What it was, I can't be sure.”

  Amy took a sip of the scotch before answering. “Magic. How did it feel?”

  “Cold, like ice water over my spine. It wasn't like my magic.”

  She considered for a moment. “Eric, there is the possibility that this could be another witch.”

  “Seriously?” Matt looked between us. “I thought there wasn't any others.”

  “Not necessarily. Most of the old bloodlines of witch disappeared in the nineteenth century. After that, it looks like any who survived went into hiding. Your mother's line, for instance, Eric. The Torres line went quiet until I found your mother a few months before your birth.”

  “So, wait,” Serena looked towards Amy. “You met his mother? You look a few years older than me.”

  “And you are now an immortal vampire.”

  Serena paused for a moment. “Point taken.”

  “So, any ideas on where to start with looking for a possibly evil witch?”

  “Well, there are your mother's journals.” Amy said. “And if that fails...”

  “Nick.” I sighed.

  “Nick.” Amy repeated.

  Chapter 6

  Nick. Head of the US Marshals' Arcane Division. The man who possibly brought my mother to some unknown ruin. I was not a fan. He had offered me a job as one of his Marshals, people who do the government's work hunting down rogue Arcanes. Frankly, I didn't trust him enough to take the job.

  I decided to hold off on my call to Nick until the next morning. First, though, I had my morning work out with Matt.

  Since now I actually had to fight with supernatural creatures and monsters, I was hitting the gym a lot more seriously than when I was just tending bar. Three days a week, Matt and I went to his gym. He went to a place with a monthly premium that was definitely out of a part-time school counselor's wage bracket.

  However, here we were. We started off with some stretches and a light jog before we did our main reps. Since we were about the same height, we were pretty great gym partners.

  Amy had come over to watch Serena this morning so we could do our workout. It was after we had wrapped up our first reps that Matt asked. “So, what's the plan with Serena?”

  “I don't know, honestly. We've got to send her to Bakersfield to deal with the aftermath of this.” I chewed my lip a moment as I grabbed my Gatorade. “As for the aftermath of this, I'm going to ask her if she wants to stay in San Francisco to get settled in as a vampire. Teresa and Ishmael are good people, and they can teach her what she needs to know.”

  “You think she'll be able to cope?” He asked.

  “I don't know. If Teresa's guiding, she'll be able to help her along.” I grabbed my towel and wiped sweat off my brow.

  Matt paused a moment before taking a drink of water. “Do vampires usually turn out well?”

  “Most do. The first few years are hard, I'm told.” I explained. “Vamps can be suspect to acting on their hunger, aggressively. A support system helps. It's why vampires group up.”

  He considered that a moment. “It makes sense, I suppose. I mean, you're drinking blood and before artificial substitutes, you would have had to be careful.”

  “Most vampires prefer willing donors.” I frowned as I thought about it. “It's the really messed up ones that prey on people.”

  “And just how many are those?” Matt asked.

  “I don't know. The vamps don't exactly keep statistics.” I thought about it. “It makes me wonder how other cities deal with this stuff. I pass for human, so I can talk with local law enforcement. Price from LA seemed to be alright with the local cops.”

  “Maybe the Knights have been working with the cops since before they went public.” He said. “There had to be people in the know.”

  I considered it. “That's scary in itself.” We went back to our reps, and spent another half hour on our usual routine. By the time we were done, Matt had a new subject in mind.

  “So, Amy.”

  I groaned. “She is so not interested.”

  Matt shrugged. “A guy can try.” He paused. “I mean, what do we really know about her?”

  “Amy?” I started off back towards the lockers. “She's not exactly someone who opens up.” I shrugged. “I don't even know where she lives.”

  Matt considered for a moment. �
��You don't think she's one of those people who lives off the grid and steals electricity, do you?”

  “Wouldn't surprise me, honestly.” I said. “I don't think she's had too many friends recently.” I paused before adding. “She deserves better than just schlepping around as my guardian, though. Whatever my mother offered her...”

  “You don't think she might have had a say in it?” Matt suggested. “What do you think it was?”

  “Maybe it was protection from something.” I suggested. “Whatever, let's get cleaned up and get some breakfast. I've got to go be a detective.”

  After I was done at the gym, I found Nick's contact info and dialed him up. I waited a few rings before he picked up. “Mister Carpenter. Always a pleasure.”

  “Why do I never get your voice mail?” I asked.

  His rough baritone voice chuckled. “I'm a very busy man, but I always have time for a Knight of the Bay.”

  “Seriously?”

  “You're a special project, Mister Carpenter.” That sent a little shiver down my spine. Nick was like Amy, a being with a lot of power. Amy was a guardian, while Nick had seemingly used his powers to place himself high within federal law enforcement.

  I cleared my throat. “Right. I need a favor. Some information, specifically.”

  “And what might this be regarding?”

  “Two vampires were found murdered last night.” I answered. “There's some things here that don't sit right with me. I want to know if there might be some history with it. Victim's names are Katrina and Luis Otero.”

  “What was the situation?” He asked.

  “They were bound with silver, drugged, and had their stomachs cut open. And there was magic at the scene.”

  He paused a moment. “Magic, you say? I'll have it looked into. See if there might be anything like it in our records. In return, I've got a favor I want to ask of you.”

  “Go for it.”

  I could almost hear the smile. “I've got a job I need done in a few days, and a Marshal will be in town. I would like you to provide backup.”

  “That I can do.” I answered. “Just give me a call when you need it.”

  “Perfect,” He said. “And Eric? I heard about Miss Laurent. Very well done.”

  “Thank you. She's crashed in one of Matt's guest rooms right now.”

  “Good.” He paused for a moment, “How is she doing?”

  “You don't strike me as the concerned type, Nick.” I answered.

  “Don't presume to know anything about me, Mister Carpenter.” He growled. “When a vampire steps out of line, murders, and brings back a human girl, it is very concerning.”

  I sighed, waited a moment before answering. “She's...taking it well, it looks like. She fed last night, on some human guy, and it looks like she's going to be all right. She will just need some time to adjust.”

  “Let's hope that's all.” Nick answered. “I'll have some information for you in a few days, hopefully. Until next time, Mister Carpenter.”

  “Catch you later, Nick.” I hung up, and I pocketed my phone. I checked the time, and realized I should probably head over to the police station. However, I had a vampire to take care of as well. I left my room and headed down the hall to the room we'd put Serena in. I knocked on it. “Hey, Serena?”

  The door cracked open. A shower had done Serena a world of good, cleaned her up and restored some color to her face, though she still had the trademark vampiric pallor. “Hey there, Eric. Good morning.”

  “Feel up for making a little excursion? I've got to make a trip down to a precinct to get a file and talk with the new Captain of the Arcane unit SFPD is set up.”

  She considered a moment, and nodded. “Sure, give me a minute. Matt gave me some clothes, but I need to figure out what fits or not.”

  “Sure, I'll be downstairs,” I said, and headed down to fix up some coffee for a travel mug. By the time I had filled up my cup, I could hear Serena descending the steps. It made me wonder whether vampires had to learn to do their creepy sneaky routine, or if it just came naturally after a certain point.

  “Smells good.” Serena said. She'd dressed simply in a jeans and a white tee. Part of me wondered which ex of Matt's it had belonged to. “So, vampires can drink coffee, right?”

  “Definitely. Grab a mug.” I opened up the cabinet where we kept the mugs.

  Serena walked over and grabbed a mug and closed the door. “So, uh, weird thing to ask, but, what's the deal with this place? I mean, it's pretty...well, it's a spiffy place, but doesn't really scream you or Matt.”

  “It's part of Matt's family's holdings. His mother is...well, I'll leave it at that she is very wealthy, and he keeps the house here.”

  “So, what does Matt do?”

  I shrugged as I added some cream to my coffee. “He's a counselor at an elementary school.”

  “Really?” She laughed softly. “Didn't strike me as the type.”

  “He's a good guy.” I put the cap on my coffee. “Come on, get your java and let's head out.”

  We headed out to the garage, where I opened up the blue Toyota that Matt was loaning me. “Hop in.” I said. Weird how things changed. I didn't even really drive six months ago. Now I drove stick, in San Francisco of all places. Life is insanity.

  “Retro. I can dig it.” She slid into the passenger's seat and buckled up.

  We headed over to the precinct where the AIU was stationed. It was a large red brick building, that had been built in the twenties, and renovated several times since. We got out of the Toyota, and I went to the back to pop the trunk.

  “What're you getting?” Serena asked as I rummaged.

  I found an old Giants cap Amy had used before on a stakeout, and I tossed it to Serena. “Sun's killer for you. At least wear a hat.”

  Serena blanched at the logo, but begrudgingly put the hat on. “All right, let's head in.”

  We walked in past the front doors, out of the summer heat and into the cool air conditioning. I walked up to the front desk and showed my Arcane Specialist's license to the desk sergeant. “Hi, Eric Carpenter. I'm here to see Captain Novak, AIU. I was told to come here today to discuss the murders from last night.”

  The sergeant, a bald man in his fifties, nodded. “I'll let her know you two are here. Take a seat.” He gestured to the row of chairs in the lobby.

  I took a seat with Serena, and started to drink from my travel mug. After a few minutes, Serena spoke up. “Hey, who was it you were talking to? On the phone earlier, there was something about a favor.”

  “Oh, that.” I sighed. “The guy is like Amy, but you don't need to know a lot about him. He's a big shot, and you will hopefully never have to deal with him.”

  “Right.” Serena took a sip from her coffee. “So, why were you asking for a favor?”

  I frowned, but I hadn't been told I couldn't talk about the case, so I went ahead. “The murder we're here about, and the one I was looking at last night. It's magic, I think, or at least something to do with it.”

  “Can't you figure it out?” Serena asked. Her head tilted to one side, inquisitive.

  “I don't know much about magic. I understand a lot of basics, but from what I know, magic mostly depends on who you learned it from. The stuff I sensed in that apartment, it wasn't like anything I know. So I asked someone who does know more.”

  “Do I get to know that mystery man's name?”

  I closed my eyes a moment. “I don't want you to get too involved on this already. Let's just take it slow.”

  “You sound like a boyfriend I had once,” She huffed.

  I shook my head. “So, who is Serena Laurent? Do you have a family?”

  Serena paused a moment. “Raised by my aunt and uncle. Mom jumped out of the picture early, and dad was never around. They did all right by me, but I struck out on my own. Went to college on a scholarship, got a degree, was living by myself in Bakersfield off unemployment when I, well, died.”

  I bit my lip, thinking on that. “Amy and
I will help you get back on your feet. I mean, who knows, maybe Ishmael and Teresa can find something for you here.”

  “Here? Can't I go back home?” She asked.

  “Of course you can. It's just that a lot of vampires like to live in communities. To keep each other in check, to help each other.”

  She paused a moment. “Oh, I just...I don't know. I need some time to adjust.”

  I placed a hand on her shoulder. “It's okay. I understand. I had a rough transitioning into this world as well.”

  “What happened to you?” Serena turned her head to look at me.

  I reached up to my jacket, and pulled the collar of my shirt aside to expose the base of my neck.

  “Oh.” She grimaced. I had healed well from Lucien's crony's attack, but the scar remained. “A vampire did that to you?”

  “Yes.” I quickly moved to reassure her. “It's not always like that. Vincent didn't have any nasty scars, did he?” She shook her head. “The wound was sloppy, and Amy saved me. It was sort of how I got dragged into all of this.”

  “Sort of?”

  “I have a feeling I would have made my way here some way or other,” I replied.

  The desk sergeant called out. “Mister Carpenter? Novak's ready to see you now.”

  I stood and walked over to the desk. “Where can I find her office?”

  “Third floor, detective offices.” He passed a pair of visitor's badges across the desk for Serena and I. “Go past the door into the offices, then take the elevator up to the third floor.”

  “All right, thanks.” I said, and clipped the badge onto my jacket. I handed the other to Serena, who promptly put it on her shirt. “Let's get going.”

  We headed past the doors, and I took a moment to survey the squad house's activity. Rows of desks, stations, and dozens of officers filled the ground floor of the precinct. I found the elevator easy enough, and I hit the button for the third floor when we entered it. The trip up was quick, and we got deposited on the third floor.

  The detective's floor was quieter than the first floor. Some of the desks were empty, and those that were working were either typing on their desks, or engaged in a conversation with one or two other officers.