by Jaz Primo
They’ll have my complete attention.
I’ll make them regret their birth, and will welcome their return into oblivion.
Paige plopped onto the couch and picked up the television remote.
“Good, while you two sort that out, I’m going to catch the new season of Cosplay Island,” she said. “It’s an all-stars special and Steampunk Tranny Tim is returning.”
Alton gave her a long look. “Steam-who?”
“Trust me. Don’t ask,” I said, absently waving my hand in the air. “It’s just a reality program.”
“Hey, it’s not just a reality program,” she protested. “It’s the best reality program…as in, ever.”
I shook my head. The only reality I cared about was the one that certain parties were preparing to exit.
Chapter 3
Caleb
I woke abruptly to the sound of my alarm going off. I reached over to shut it off and lay there half asleep for a moment.
I hated Mondays.
The gray illumination peeking through the slats of the blinds suggested a cloudy and likely very cold day. I was half tempted to roll over and go back to sleep.
Two distinct things convinced me otherwise.
First, I wanted to see if there’d been any progress in identifying my attackers.
Second, I desperately craved normality; or at least, some semblance of it.
At the very least, I had to live a lie in convincing fashion, pretending to be just another mundane graduate student striving to complete his PhD.
It was a façade; a fabrication of reality. And yet, I was getting better and better at presenting it to the world around me.
In those moments when I was studying, or typing an essay, or just hanging out with friends at a local pub, I nearly believed it myself.
Almost, anyway.
However, I longed for an actual mundane reality; one with no rival vampire factions, assassins trying to kill me, or people I loved being in danger.
Maybe someday. Only someday couldn’t come soon enough.
After a quick shower, I slipped on a pair of jeans and a turtleneck sweater and headed downstairs.
The living room was empty and I noticed that the door to the nearby study was closed. My human bodyguard, Roman, sat atop a barstool at the kitchen counter, nursing a glass of orange juice and looking more himself.
“You look almost human again,” I said, walking over to pat him on the back.
“Yeah. Feelin’ a lot better. Thanks,” he said. “How about you?”
I shrugged. “Okay, or at least, on my way to it.”
The study door opened and Kat walked through the living room to where I stood.
“Good morning, my love,” she said, enfolding me in her arms. “Sleep well?”
I tightly embraced her, happy to hold her.
“Well enough,” I said. “Actually, I barely remember my head hitting the pillow. The next thing I knew, my alarm’s going off.”
“It’s no wonder. You’re exhausted,” she said. “Maybe you can go to bed early tonight.”
She kissed me and separated from our hug to walk into the kitchen and over to a water kettle that was heating on the stove.
“That’ll depend on what I find out in my classes today,” I said. “I sense more lengthy essays in my future.”
Graduate work was a full-time job all its own; including frequent overtime.
“Hey, where are Paige and Ethan?” I asked.
“They’re sleeping in,” Kat said with a wink.
I was happy for Paige. I knew how much she’d been missing Ethan, though no more than I’d missed Kat.
She poured hot water into three mugs with teabags and scooted two mugs toward me. “One of those is for Alton. He’s in the study.”
She placed the third mug in front of Roman, who gratefully nodded at her. “This should help to perk up your morning, Roman.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” he said.
I carefully transported my two mugs into the study without spilling either. Alton looked up at me as he sat behind the oak desk.
“Good morning, my boy,” he said, accepting one of the mugs. “Mm. Earl Grey.”
He gestured to the notebook computer screen before him. “Come around here. I’ll show you what we’ve discovered.”
He opened up a photo of one of my attackers. It may have been the light that night, but for some reason the photo didn’t make him look as pale as I’d recalled.
“He’s Angelo Potenza, age thirty-two,” Alton said. “A third-generation American of Italian heritage.”
“You mean, he was,” I said.
“No, he still is,” he said. “Merely more dead than he was last week.”
What could I say to that?
I took a tentative sip of hot tea.
“Potenza has an arrest record going back to age eighteen. He’s from Philadelphia; his last known address of residence, though arrest records within the past year place him in and around Newark, New Jersey and New York City. His adult record reflects mostly aggravated assault, petty larceny, and disorderly conduct charges,” he said. “Though I wouldn’t be surprised if his juvenile records are filled with similar references.”
“Do you know who sent him after me?” I asked.
“Not as yet,” he said. “But I will in time.”
“Was he a vampire?” I asked. “Maybe turning?”
Somehow, I doubted I’d have been able to kill one vampire, much less two. But if they’d been like me when I was in the process of turning, that might be another story.
He frowned. “Not as such. But we should know more when we get the blood test results back.”
He brought up the photo of my other attacker; again with a more normal-looking complexion.
“Donnie Norwood, age twenty-nine,” he said. “He’s originally from Compton, California, but his recent address indicates New York City. His arrest records are similar to Potenza, except there are added charges referencing both stalking and witness intimidation.”
“So these guys were just thugs?” I asked.
He took a sip of his tea. “This is a lovely blend.”
He cleared the notebook screen and lightly patted my shoulder. “This is all preliminary information; just the beginning, so to speak. For now, you only need to concern yourself with college and your research. Incidentally, I’ll expect a progress report on your dissertation subject very soon.”
My mind buzzed with quandaries concerning Norwood and Potenza, but clearly Alton wanted me to focus on more pressing matters.
“Just go to class?” I asked. “It’s going to be hard to focus on that after all that’s happened.”
“Perhaps,” he said. “Still, that’s your mission, remember? That’s why you’re here. Let Katrina and me worry about these other matters.”
He draped his arm around my shoulders and guided me back toward the study door. “Now, why don’t you get some breakfast and carry on with your day. Do stay close to Mr. Lee, won’t you? We’ll chat more this evening. Oh, and don’t forget, you and I have some additional training activities to add to your regimen, as well.”
Great, more things to occupy my already limited time.
“Have a productive day. We both have a full agenda, it seems,” he said. “Oh, and thank you for the tea.”
Before I could say anything further, he promptly closed the study door on me.
“Um, you’re welcome,” I said.
I wandered back to the kitchen counter where Roman still sat, only to discover Kat was busy cooking breakfast.
The combined smell of eggs, bacon, and pancakes made my mouth water.
“I hope you don’t mind turkey bacon, Roman,” Kat said. “It’s much leaner and healthier than pork.”
She spared a warm smile as she glanced back over her shoulder at me. “Caleb has grown to like it.”
I sat on a barstool next to Roman as she presented him and me with heaped platefuls of food.
“Th
ank you, ma’am,” Roman said.
“Dig in,” she said.
“Wow, this looks and smells amazing,” he said. “Sure beats our usual bowl of oatmeal.”
“You’re in for a treat. Kat’s a great cook,” I said.
She sat a bottle of maple syrup on the counter between us.
As I expected, everything tasted absolutely wonderful. Among all the other things surrounding Kat’s daily absence in my life, I missed her preparing meals for me.
“Oh, I’m in heaven,” I said.
She reached out to caress the side of my face with her soft fingertips. A pleasurable shiver ran through my body.
“Nobody’s going to believe me when I tell them the General made breakfast for me,” Roman said.
He paused, as if catching himself, and warily looked up at Kat. “That is, unless you have an objection, General. I certainly don’t openly discuss personal matters involving you, Mr. Taylor, or the household.”
She appeared amused. “Meals are safely open for discussion, Roman. Besides, I enjoy shocking the troops from time to time.”
And, just like that, my mate, the love of my life, went from being my lover back to being figurehead in charge of a combined vampire-human army.
I didn’t think I’d ever get used to that.
It was yet another of my secret realities that must not be revealed to anyone.
After she prepared a second set of pancakes, she leaned back against the kitchen counter and watched me eat with a satisfied expression.
Roman finished eating first and went upstairs, so I helped clear the counter of dishes.
“Thanks for breakfast,” I said.
She took me in her arms and imparted a lengthy kiss, which I returned in kind.
“Will you be here tonight, or is this your way of saying goodbye?” I asked.
I was half-afraid to ask that. I realized that she and Alton were both probably needed back in London, but I didn’t want her to leave town yet.
“This is my way of saying have a good day today,” she said. “I’ll be here for a few more days.”
“Until?” I asked.
She lightly tapped me on the tip of my nose with her fingertip. “Until I follow up on some leads, and I’m satisfied that you’re safe.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” I said.
She nodded. “Me, too.”
After a quick kiss, she said, “Okay, go do something academic.”
I winked at her. “Hey, my entire day is academic.”
Then I paused. “Wait, that sounded all wrong.”
She shook her head and giggled in an uncharacteristic fashion.
Frankly, it was a lovely sound coming from her.
* * *
Before I knew it, the day passed quickly. I silently commended myself on a practiced sense of subterfuge, playing at being just a normal student among my peers.
“How was your weekend?” asked Natalie, a fellow grad student.
“Pretty routine,” I lied. “Studying and watching some TV. You?”
“Oh, I got you beat,” she said. “I went to a frat party with one of my girlfriends Friday night. Then Saturday it was dancing out at clubs all night long.”
Yeah, I got beat, all right. Friday night, I was almost beaten to death!
I listened as she proceeded to describe the club guys she had trouble choosing between.
Such was my day.
By early evening, I stopped by Yale’s main library. One of my inter-library loans had arrived. It was a rare copy of a book published in 1908 by my dissertation subject, Dr. Oliver Simonson.
For some reason, Alton had insisted that I write my dissertation about Simonson. It was part of my bargain for being able to attend Yale with a full ride, courtesy of Uncle Alton.
Simonson was considered an early evolutionary biologist, even before the term had been properly coined and widely accepted. The book I checked out was a detailed study on diseases of the blood.
Upon skimming through it, I quickly anticipated hours of complete and utter boredom.
I received a text message from Roman: You going to be much longer?
I texted: Why? Got a hot date on a Monday night?
He texted: Funny.
I scanned the interior of the library and noticed him sitting in a corner with a book propped open before him. He frowned at me.
I texted: Need a little more time here.
His reply was: Ok.
Because I’d grown to become a cringing masochist in my research pursuits, I decided to browse the catalog system for any books on phlebotomy, just for some essential background information.
A few minutes later, a text from Kat interrupted me: Coming home soon?
I replied: Still at the library. Need more time.
She didn’t reply, so I continued my search.
I used my iPad to look up the materials in the online catalog and made my way to a relatively deserted portion of the stacks to search for the books in question.
Too bad they don’t have these available as eBooks.
As I picked a book from the shelf, I thought I heard a shuffling sound nearby.
“Roman?” I asked.
I turned to exit the aisle and found myself face to face with Paige. “Geez!”
She smirked at me. “Surprise. You’re sure jumpy, kiddo. You nerds aren’t very observant.”
I shook my head with exasperation and turned to walk in the opposite direction, only to practically run into Katrina.
“Crap,” I muttered with a start.
She steadied me by grasping me by the upper arms.
“You vamps are so damned stealthy,” I said.
Kat arched one of her eyebrows at me. “Well, somebody’s awfully grumpy.”
I rolled my eyes and she released my arms.
That’s when I noticed her outfit with satisfaction.
Oh, so very sexy.
Her fitted blue jeans, knee-high boots, and black leather jacket made her look like an edgy movie star.
She appeared both lethal and desirable.
“You’re dressed to kill tonight,” I said. “What are you two out doing?”
“I’m relieving Roman,” Paige said. “He gets off at sunset, you know.”
“Hard to believe it’s already sundown,” I said as I looked at my watch.
It was nearly seven o’clock.
“News flash; it gets darker earlier in the fall, nerdo,” Paige said.
“Finally taking your science courses more seriously, I see,” I said.
“Well, snarkety-snark-snark to you, too,” she said. “Don’t you watch the weather forecasts on the local news? They tell you these things, you know.”
“Only old people watch the local news,” I said. “Young people Google it.”
She flicked me on the ear with her fingertip.
“Ouch!”
“Don’t get lippy with me, twerp,” she said.
I rubbed at my ear. “Well, I hope I didn’t hold Roman up from anything.”
“He said he didn’t mind, really,” she said.
I nodded.
“Slave driver,” she added.
I gave her a withering look.
“So, watcha lookin’ up there, smarty-pants?” she asked.
“It’s a book on phlebotomy,” I said.
Paige made a sour face. “Ew, like when they sever part of your brain in one of those sanitariums?”
“That’s lobotomy,” Kat said. “He’s talking about the ancient art of bloodletting.”
“Oh, yeah. Well, that’s something I know a helluva’ lot about,” Paige said. “You could’ve just asked me.”
“Yeah, but it’s your impromptu demonstration that I might not survive,” I said.
“All right you two, that’s about enough,” Kat said. “I need for my mate to focus on another topic.”
She wrapped one arm around my waist and guided me back to the nearby table where I’d left my backpack.
I pulled
out a chair for her and then sat in the one next to hers.
“You’re rather carefree, leaving your backpack lying about,” she said.
“Not an issue,” I said. “Usually, there’s a dependable bodyguard somewhere nearby to watch over it.”
“Mm,” she said. “Point well made, I suppose.”
“So, how’s the investigation going?” I asked.
“Anymore leads on those two thugs?”
Paige snickered. “Thugs? What’re you, Philip Marlowe now?”
Kat gave her a flat stare.
“I’m just askin’,” she said.
“Not as many leads as I’d like,” Kat said. “But I have a matching set of keys that Paige removed from their pockets. Most likely, they’re for wherever they were either staying or operating out of. So, I’m trying to track down any locations they frequented here in town.”
“Good idea,” I said. “Except who could you ask about that? It’s not like we know any of their local contacts, if they even had any.”
“Admittedly, challenging,” she said.
“Too bad you can’t just trace their phone signal activity or something,” I said. “I mean, the NSA does it all the time. Hell, they record everyone’s phone conversations nowadays, so it’s got to be stored somewhere that can be accessed.”
“Good thinking,” she said.
“Go ahead, pat him on the head,” Paige said. “Good, Caleb.”
Kat glared at her.
Paige held up her hands. “What? I tease; it’s one of my key roles in his life.”
Kat shook her head. “Actually, Alton’s working on the phone tracking angle. He’s hacking their phone chipsets as we speak,” she said. “But I have another idea in the meantime.”
“Yeah?” I asked.
She handed me her smartphone. “Would you mind looking at these photos?”
“Sure. What am I looking for?”
“Paige said that, on the evening you purchased your new smartphone, you’d seen one of the men who’d been following you,” she said.
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” I said. “He was leaving one of the shops.”
“Think you could pick out which building he exited?” she asked.
“Why not check them all? They were just down the street from the AT&T shop,” I said.