"If you're that concerned about her, why not talk to her employer? Maybe they can help you out."
Kara hadn’t thought of that. Olivia's employer, Vasha, had connections and could pull some strings to find out where she was. And,if she was being held in the police station, she might even be able to get her out. Kara had misgivings about meeting with Vasha, but it was her best bet at the moment.
Kara got up from the table and gathered her things. "Thanks, Mr. Mongomery. I'll be back later."
"Stay safe," Magnus said, not turning around.
"I will," Kara replied as she exited the apartment.
She pulled out a business card from her wallet. On the front in a stylized font was the name Vasha, and on the back an address. The font was ostentatious at best, and even though Kara had never met Vasha before, from this and from what she'd heard of the woman, she was in for a ride.
Kara hailed a cab to take her to Vasha's address, but when she stepped out in front of an Italian restaurant she became confused. She leaned into the window of the cab.
"This is the place?" she asked while pointed to the restaurant. The cabbie confirmed that it was the correct address, and then sped off for a new fare.
Kara shrugged her shoulders and entered the restaurant. As soon as she opened the door the smells coming from the kitchen filled Kara's nostrils with intoxicating sweet and savoury notes. Inside, the small restaurant was cleanly divided into sections. On the left was a bar with stools lining the counter, and a hefty stock of alcohol. There were a few patrons drinking and talking with each other at the bar, despite it being the afternoon. On the middle and right side of the restaurant there were tables and booths for a fine dining experience. And finally, at the back, there was the chef's table in front of an open kitchen.
In front of the chef's table there were two large men acting as bodyguards for a woman currently eating at said table. The bodyguards fixed their eyes on Kara the minute she walked in, and despite their relaxed appearance, she could tell they were like coiled snakes: ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Seriously? What is this, a gangster movie?
She walked over to the chef's table, completely indifferent to how she looked in what appeared to be a classy restaurant. The bodyguards tensed and one of them put their hand out to stop her.
"No entry beyond this point, miss."
"I'm here to see Vasha," Kara replied. She tried to look behind the guards to whom she thought was Vasha, but the guards tightened their formation and blocked her view.
"Make an appointment," the other guard commanded.
I don't have time for this. Kara tensed and used her mind to bind the guards, and then she passed by them unimpeded. She sat down at the chef's table in front of Vasha.
The woman had the palest skin Kara had ever seen, almost as if she were a marble statue come to life. The left side of her jet black hair was partially shaved, and the rest flowed in waves over her right shoulder and rested on her chest. A ruby hairpin held it in place so it wouldn't fall on her face as she moved, and she wore an opulent necklace and several rings on her fingers. She was tall and lithe like an athlete, and yet from her lips, chest, and hips she was voluptuously figured. She was wearing a pin-stripe suit which somehow showed off her curves and gave her a powerful yet provocative look. Men and women alike would no doubt be drawn to her beauty.
Kara couldn't help but stare at her. Olivia had mentioned how beautiful Vasha was, but this was on a whole other level.
"And you are?" Vasha asked, but the tone was more like a command. She didn't even feel the need to look up from her food to acknowledge Kara was there, despite hearing the exchange with her bodyguards.
"I'm Kara. Are you Vasha?"
"Of course I am," Vasha quipped
"Of course you are," Kara repeated, feeling as small as an ant.
"Olivia's mentioned you. You're quite unique. A psychic and a vampire, how… interesting."
Kara couldn't help but gulp at Vasha's tone of pure ecstasy. It was as if, in that instant, Vasha was draining her blood and drinking in her essence. Kara reached for her neck just to be sure there weren’t any marks.
Vasha finished her meal, wiped her mouth, and then glared at Kara. Her mind went numb and she felt like she’d lost something. Before she could recover, the body guards had their powerful arms on her.
"Leave her," Vasha commanded.
"Yes, Miss Vasha." The guards removed their hands from Kara and went back to their post without any deliberation.
Kara was sweating, and she knew better than before that she was in the presence of an unbelievably powerful vampire. "How…?" was all she could muster.
"When you've lived as long as I have, my dear," Vasha began, picking up a wine glass with a red, viscous liquid in it, "you learn a few tricks."
Kara knew what the drink was. Its intoxicating smell was swimming in the air, dancing on her nose and tempting her with its nostalgic taste. It had been so long since she’d fed, and the sweet nectar's aroma made her weak in the knees with anticipation. She needed to remain strong. Now wasn't the time for that.
Vasha took a drink from the glass, and Kara could see her perfect white teeth and long fangs. "Why are you here? Speak up, now."
Kara cleared her throat. "Olivia was at the job you sent her on when police showed up and took her away. I went to the station the car was from and they didn't have any record of her arriving, nor any women in the timeframe which she should have arrived in. She's also not replying to any texts I've sent."
"That's a problem… but I don't see what it has to do with me."
Kara's jaw dropped, and despite the numbness that the woman's gaze gave her, she became angry. "It is your problem. She works for you. You need to help her get out of whatever trouble she's in!"
"No, I don't need to do anything, actually. It is my choice when I perform any action, and I don't see any reason to act at this time."
"The man you wanted her to get the money from, he said there are other psychics in the police force, detectives, and that he would tell them that she's a vampire. If they find out about her, they'll hurt her."
"Oh my, how tragic," Vasha replied, taking another sip of her drink.
Kara gritted her teeth in fury. "What's wrong with you! Olivia talks so highly of you, but you won't even help her."
Vasha held her hand up, silencing Kara. "I gain nothing by doing what you ask. If she is indeed in police custody, and they are aware of her race, I only bring unwanted attention to myself by announcing our mutual association. Olivia is special, she will make it out on her own. And, if she doesn't, there will be others to replace her."
Kara fumed, but before she could lash out, Vasha spoke again.
"I suppose I could be convinced to lend my aid."
Kara's anger subsided a twinge. "How?"
"If I was offered the favour of one psychic vampire for use at my discretion, why, that would be quite the bargaining chip indeed."
"Tch." Kara shook her head and looked away from Vasha as she considered the proposition. "What kind of favour?"
"Indiscriminate. When I have use of your particular services, I will call, and you will answer. No questions asked." Vasha emphasised each word with deeper inflection.
Kara's thoughts drifted to Olivia and what might be happening to her right now. She had heard about horror stories of what psychics have done to vampires in the past, seen them first-hand even, and the thought brought chills to her spine. She was desperate and didn't know where else to turn at this point.
"Alright, please just help however you can."
Vasha smiled in a way that made Kara sick. "Excellent. I shall apply some pressure and I'll let you know what I find. And don't worry, I already have your number."
Kara got up from the chef's table and began to leave, but stopped just short of the bodyguards. She looked over her shoulder and said, "You know, the whole gangster thing is really cliché."
Vasha laughed as she lifted her wine gl
ass in one hand and folded her arms. "What can I say? I liked the fifties."
3. The Need to Feed
Kara walked down the street, the cold wind once more blowing in her face. She was too focussed to even take the time to stop the gust with a psychic barrier. She might not have the contacts that Vasha had, but she knew people who knew people.
She went up to an old dilapidated house in what police called a "bad neighbourhood." She knocked on the door and then shoved her hands back into the pockets of her hoodie. She could hear music playing inside the house, so there were definitely people home. She knocked again after a moment.
Soon, someone opened the door. In front of her was a muscular and tall man from the same generation as she. He had the chiselled features of an Adonis from the modern age, the alabaster skin of an aged-as-wine vampire, and the look of a pissed-off bulldog aimed straight at Kara.
Of course it had to be him.
"What are you doing here?" he questioned, crossing his arms.
"Nice to see you again too, Damien," Kara replied with a smile. "I'm here to see Raymond."
"Yeah, I'll bet. Nobody wants you here, so why don't you just—"
"Kara?" a soft voice called from further into the house.
Kara smiled. "Hi Raymond."
Raymond came over and glanced back and forth between Kara and Damien, unsure of what to do. He was like an antithesis to Damien. He was short but wiry, wore glasses, and had bags under his eyes. He had the same white skin as Damien, but on Raymond it felt more like aged vinegar than wine.
"Ignore him," Kara said, pulling Raymond between her and Damien. Damien refused to leave though, even after her display. "Did you get my text? Did you find out anything?"
Raymond nodded. "No specifics, but I did hear a rumour going around about a lot of psychics being detectives. It's easy to catch people when you can read their minds. Makes them look like better detectives because they can close more cases." Raymond chuckled.
"And what about…" Kara glared at Damien, hesitant to say Olivia's name in front of him.
"Olivia?" Raymond finished.
Kara let out a sigh at Raymond's gaffe. The look on Damien's face changed from anger to concern in an instant.
"What's wrong? Is Olivia in trouble?"
Kara pursed her lips and grabbed Raymond's arm. She took him outside, over the threshold of the house, and put up a barrier. Damien tried to follow, but was stopped in his tracks.
"You still have a car?" she asked.
"Yeah," Raymond replied.
Kara walked to the side of the house, pulling Raymond along. Raymond entered one of the vehicles in the driveway, and she entered the passenger seat.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Away."
Raymond nodded, turned on the car, and drove it away from the house. He drove to a nearby park which was nearly empty save a few couples walking hand in hand and an old man feeding birds that had yet to migrate.
"So, what happened to Olivia?"
"I wasn't able to find that out, but I did find out that police picked up a vampire and are holding whoever it is in the precinct you mentioned. It wasn't on any official channels though, so it could be a rumour."
"No, that's Olivia for sure. The timing is too close to be a coincidence." Now that Kara had confirmation Olivia was being held in the police station, she just needed to wait for Vasha to pull through. She let out a sigh. At least she knew where Olivia was now. All that was left was to get her out of there.
Kara felt a sharp pain begin at the back of her head and creep to the sides. She thought it might have been the pressure and stress, but she knew it was something else. Her teeth ached and she felt tired. She held her head and began taking deep breaths.
"You haven't fed in a long time, have you?" Kara shook her head. "You need something." Raymond reached into his pocket and pulled out a twist-off vial carrying a red liquid. "Here, take mine. It's from a blood bank one of the guys raided."
Kara looked at the vial with longing. The blood called to her as her brain pulsated and pounded. It would be so easy to take Raymond's offer and ease the pain, but she refused. That was a road she didn't want to go down again.
"Still feeding on the recently deceased?"
Kara nodded, trying to push the fatigue and the headache away. If not for Vasha's drink that had smelled so intoxicating, she wouldn't be feeling this right now.
"You always were a woman of conviction," Raymond said with a slight chuckle.
Kara couldn't help but think he wanted to say more than he did. "But you think it'll end up killing me one day, huh?"
Raymond's eyes went wide. She’d hit the stake in the heart. "Don't worry, I can't read minds. It was just obvious what you wanted to say."
Raymond nodded, his expression changing to concern. "I just don't want you to die, Kara. Those other guys just don't understand, but someday they'll come around."
"I don't want to wait a few generations for that to happen," Kara replied, rubbing her neck and temples.
"Well, I think you're really cool." Kara glanced over at Raymond and he shook his head. "I… I mean your powers." He took a few breaths and wiped his brow. "I think it would be awesome to be able to move things with your mind, or read other people's minds."
"I think if you were the one who had this blessing you'd think differently. Although, having the power to read people's minds could come in handy. I wish I had that. Maybe then I wouldn't have to do all this running around."
"Well, telekinesis is still pretty cool, and what was it you called that other thing… where you can see people before they die?"
"Death Knell."
Raymond chuckled. "For whom the bell tolls, huh?"
"Exactly," Kara replied with a smile. The headache wasn't gone, but it had subsided a bit. She leaned over and hugged Raymond. "Thank you Ray, you've always been there when I needed you, and I haven't been a good friend to you."
Raymond pulled away from Kara and shook his head vigorously. "Don't say that. I know why you don't come around anymore…" He trailed off, not wanted to bring up old wounds, or retread fresh ones received from Damien. "I could try harder, if it wasn't for all the crowds."
Kara had a sad smile on her face. "Tell you what, when all this is over, let's all go to that restaurant you like."
Raymond laughed. "The one with the horrible food?"
Kara nodded. "At least there we don't have to worry about crowds."
"True that," Raymond said with a smile.
Kara gave Raymond another hug, said her goodbye, and left the car. She waved to him as he drove back to the house where he, Damien, and the others lived.
She could feel the pang of hunger and the desire to bite someone's neck open. The couples in the park were tempting, but Kara meditated for a moment and the pang was gone. She needed to focus.
She pulled out her phone and texted the number on Vasha's business card. She asked if there was any further information on Olivia, as she had been able to confirm she was with the police.
After a moment, she received a reply, but it was a generic text about Vasha's restaurant saying that it can't accept texts. Of course she wouldn't put her real number on the business card. Despite that, after another moment passed, she received another text from a different number saying to come to the restaurant.
She rode a cab back to the restaurant, lamenting the fares she'd had to pay over the course of the day. When this is over, Liv, you're treating me and Ray to that meal.
She went into the restaurant and to the back, where Vasha was still sitting at the chef's table, this time for supper. The bodyguards stepped aside to let Kara pass, but kept a watchful eye on her lest she try something again.
Kara stood at the edge of the table. "Did you get Olivia out?"
"Please, sit." Kara obliged and sat down across from Vasha. "Olivia is in police custody, but it is off the books. As for getting her released, I wasn't able to secure that."
"What?"
"
As she is being kept off the records, they are forgoing due process, and committing an illegal act. Even if they were to just let her go, it would in effect be acknowledging their illegal activity. All my inquiries went unheeded."
Kara gritted her teeth. "I thought you said you were going to handle this."
Vasha raised her eyebrow. "I said I would apply some pressure and see what I could find out. This is what I found out. I have about as much sway with psychics as I do with the weather. It is an unfortunate reality for ones such as ourselves who work outside the law."
Kara started tapping her feet on the floor. The headache was creeping its way through her skull, and she could feel it behind her eyes now. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head.
"What now, then? What can we do?"
Vasha put on her best look of concern, but it felt hollow to Kara. "I'm afraid we are at the mercy of the detectives that have her in custody. Unless they release her, or someone breaks in to rescue her, there's not much we can do."
Break in…? "That's it."
"Hmm?" Vasha mumbled, intrigued.
"I'm going to break into the police station to rescue Olivia."
4. The Third Eye Opens as the Fangs Close
Vasha smirked. "You're going to rescue Olivia?"
"That's right, no thanks to you." Kara got up from her seat.
"Oh, but if you leave now I won't be able to earn that favour you gave me."
"You haven't so far," Kara said. "What are you holding back?"
Vasha picked up a tablet from the table beside her and began tapping on it. "I wanted to wait and be sure of your conviction to our dear Olivia before showing you this." She passed the tablet over to Kara.
Kara took the tablet and looked at the image on the screen. It looked like a blueprint of something, and there was a red dot in the middle on one side. "What am I looking at?"
Psychics Vs. Vampires Episodes 1-4 (Psychics Vs. Vampires Collection) Page 2