"I'm not sure. He was just headed this way when I jumped back in. I think we have to leave now if we're going to do it." Olivia pulled out the key to Stephanie's car and handed them to Anne. Anne raised her brow and looked like she was about to ask a question, but Olivia interrupted. "Your car is outside. Take the key, run out the emergency exit and don't look back. We'll take care of that guy and make sure he doesn't come after you."
Anne shook her head. "I can't do that. I can't just leave you here in my place."
"You don't have to worry about us. We can take care of ourselves. We came here to save you, so let us do our jobs."
Anne looked at the key, then back to Olivia and Kara. She steeled her lips and nodded at them.
Kara and Olivia nodded back, and then ran out of the room. "Run, Anne, run!" Kara screamed.
Anne dashed out of the room and to the fire escape as Kara and Olivia ran towards the psychic in front of them.
Olivia wasn't joking when she said the man was massive. He was over six feet tall and built like a weightlifter or a wrestler. If he also had psychic powers to augment his strength, they would need to work together to take him down.
Kara threw out a psychic blast as they rushed towards him. The man pulled his arms up to block it. The blast made contact, but he was only pushed back a few steps. His lips curled into a devilish smile.
Olivia jumped off the hallway wall and thrust her hand forward, aiming her sharp vampire claws at his neck. He grabbed her hand, spun around, and used her momentum to slam her against the floor. The ground shook with the impact, and it knocked the wind out of her. She coughed and gasped for air.
He's too strong, Kara thought. Olivia's voice sounded in her head. 'Go for the kill.' That's right, I can't afford to hold back, or else we're all dead.
Kara concentrated on her hands, putting her psychic power behind her fist. She stopped just as she reached the enemy, pivoted on her hips, and threw her best punch at him. It hit him in the back, right at the center of the spine. His back contorted and arched with the punch and he fell to the floor. Kara smiled, proud she was able to hurt him.
Her pride was short-lived, as after he fell to the ground he immediately rolled over onto his back and kicked Kara in the stomach. She doubled over as the blow sent pain throughout her body. The man jumped to his feet, grabbed Kara by the neck, and slammed her to the floor. It took all her willpower just to bring up a barrier, and even then it wasn't enough. Her skull smashed against the carpeted concrete and steel. Her head ached and called out for her to let go of her consciousness.
She fought against the pain and opened her eyes to see the man looming over her. He pressed his burly form against her, and his hand was on her neck and cutting off her air. I'm sure I hurt him earlier, but he rolled with the punch so it lost all power. If I can just get a clear hit on him…
Olivia jumped on the man's back, and he let Kara go as he rose to his full height. She was trying to choke him out with her arm wrapped against the tree trunk that was his neck.
Kara coughed to clear her throat, and she struggled for her breath to return as she stumbled to her feet. Olivia was trying her best to knock him out, but he wasn't making it easy. She even tried to bite him right on the cheek and head, but his psychic barrier was too powerful. He was punching her in the face and elbowing her in the ribcage. It wouldn't be long before she would lose her strength.
Kara summoned all her might to her hands, then darted at the psychic. She jumped up, clasped her hands together and threw her hands down at his head.
Before Kara made contact, he dropped to his knees and twisted. Olivia lost her balance on him and her grip on his neck. With those few seconds of weakness, he pulled her off and threw her at Kara. Olivia hit Kara at the center of her mass, and they tumbled backwards.
They tried to get up and regroup, but the psychic wrestler was on them in an instant. He picked up the both of them by their necks with his massive hands and held them in the air. He squeezed on their necks, and they couldn't breathe. The only thing stopping him from crushing their windpipes was their strong vampire bodies.
Kara and Olivia both tried to escape from his grasp, but no matter what they tried it didn't work. They slammed their fists against his arm, pried his fingers, tried to bite him, and kicked him in the chest, but it was all in vain. His long arms meant their kicks didn't reach, and his psychic strength protected his arm and hand.
Kara poured herself into her fists, but it didn't seem to affect him at all. The more she tried, the weaker she became, and she could feel her world going dark. Her eyes became heavier and heavier, and her arms slower and slower. Darkness creeped in from the corners of her eyes.
Liv! her mind screamed. Stay awake, fight! Fight or Liv dies! she called out to herself, but her body wouldn't answer. Her arms raised for one last punch, then fell to her side, listless. Damn it. I wasn't strong enough this time, Liv. Tears streaked her face; her weakness and failure was the last sting she felt before her eyes closed.
A loud crack brought Kara back to the world of the living, and her eyes sprung open as the constraint around her neck was released. She caught a brief glimpse of Anne standing behind the psychic bodybuilder with a huge fire extinguisher gripped in both hands. Kara fell to the ground, coughing and wheezing. OIivia was in the same condition beside her, grabbing her neck and panting for air.
"Liv! Are you okay?" Kara sputtered out through ragged breaths and a damaged windpipe.
Olivia couldn't stop coughing long enough to answer, but she held her thumb up.
The two of them took another moment to regain their strength, breath, and consciousness. Anne was helping them as best as she could, rubbing their backs and checking their bruised necks. After they were mostly alright, they all rose to their feet.
Olivia moved towards the psychic Anne had knocked out, and she cocked her fist. "No, stop, Liv!" Kara urged in a loud whisper. "We don't have time for this. There could be more of them, and we're in no shape to fight anymore. We need to leave."
Olivia gritted her teeth with her hand still held in the air. After a moment she punched the wall, causing the surroundings to shake. "Tch." She lowered her hand, and the three of them ran to the emergency exit.
"Thanks, Dr. Barker-Wilson, you really saved us back there."
"No problem. I believed you might need help despite what you said, so I located a fire extinguisher and returned as soon as possible. From what I can perceive I arrived just in time."
"You did. Another moment and I don't know what would have happened."
The three women went down the emergency exit and left the building at the side in the middle of the alley. They didn't meet any further resistance as they returned to the car, and, after they piled in, they sped off back to Anne's apartment building.
No one talked for the duration of the car ride. Through the near-death experience and the kidnapping, all three women were still reeling from the trial, and for different reasons.
When they arrived at the apartment, the doorman was shocked and awed to see Anne once again. He was overjoyed, and holding himself back from expressing it. He just kept ushering her into the building telling her to go see her daughter, as well as thanking Olivia and Kara for their good work.
When they got to her apartment, the door opened and Stephanie jumped into her mother's arms with tears streaming down her face. Anne kept stroking her daughter's hair and telling her that it was all right and that she was home safe over and over.
Kara and Olivia both smiled at the sight, and waited for them to finish.
After a moment, Stephanie parted from her mother and rushed over to Kara and Olivia to hug them as well. She pulled them in tight as she bawled her eyes out, babbling thanks again and again into their hair.
They returned the hug, and after another moment they all entered the apartment together to rest. Kara asked for permission to use their kitchen, and she brewed some tea for everyone. While they sipped on the hot minty green tea, they told Stepha
nie what happened.
First, Anne gave her account of how she was taken and blindfolded until she was brought into the office building. She was isolated and the only times she was visited was to be fed or taken to the bathroom. She attempted escape a few times, and described what Kara and Olivia knew to be psychic occurrences preventing it. Throughout the ordeal, she never learned why they kidnapped her, as no one asked her questions or did anything beyond lock her up.
From there, Kara and Olivia detailed their rescue attempt, glossing over the fact that they used psychic and vampiric powers. After the story was finished, Anne and Stephanie once again thanked them for their help.
"So, we were trying to figure out why you might have been kidnapped, and the only thing we can think of is it somehow relating to your research. Your daughter told us a little bit about what you were doing. Can you think of any reason why someone might have wanted you to stop your research?"
Anne shook her head. "Truthfully, I pondered it quite a bit while I was confined in that room and I wasn't able to come up with a hypothesis."
"Your daughter mentioned you were working on stimulating brainwaves. Can you go into more detail on that?"
"Well, the research is in its infancy, but it's based off of not-so-recent findings from the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle. Scientists were attempting to prove that the claustrum, a particular batch of neurons in the brain, are what holds our conscious thought together. When they stimulated that part of the brain with an electrode, their test subject lost consciousness."
Kara’s and Olivia's jaws both dropped. "Just from electric stimulation?"
"That's correct. And my research was to see if there was a way to reproduce the effect externally, without invasive procedures."
"What would be the practical applications of such research?" Olivia asked.
Anne looked away in thought, as if the question had never occurred to her. "Well, I suppose it could help in a number of ways, depending on the end results of my research. If it's only possible with something attached to the body, then it could assist anaesthesiologists during surgery. Having a patient lose consciousness without the use of drugs or invasive technology could save money and aid post-operative care." Anne placed her hand under her chin. "If it is possible to stimulate that part of the brain separate from the body, then it expands the potential indefinitely. Police or the military could use it to control crowds."
"What about stimulating other parts of the brain?" Kara asked.
"I believe we are getting quite ahead of ourselves with this train of thought, but yes, it could be expanded to stimulate other parts of the brain fairly easily, I imagine."
Kara and Olivia looked at each other warily. It was clear now why Vasha had wanted this woman saved and brought to her. She wanted to make a weapon. Kara turned to Olivia, a look of concern on her face. Olivia looked back at her friend with sad eyes, and then she turned away.
"There is something that I need to tell you both," Olivia said.
"Olivia," Kara whispered, "don't."
Olivia ignored her friend. "I said before how we were hired by your research firm, but that wasn't true. We were independently contracted by a woman named Vasha. I work for her, and I believe the reason she wanted us to help you was to offer you a job. She'd like to see you, if you'd be willing to hear out her offer."
Anne looked surprised and glanced at her daughter, then back to Olivia. "Well, I suppose I have her to thank as well. It can't hurt to listen to what she has to say. I owe her that much at least."
"Thank you," Olivia replied. "I understand if you want to rest first, so if you give me your number I'll pass it along to her and she'll contact you at a later time."
"Yes, thank you. That would be best."
Olivia and Anne exchanged information, and after a few more words of thanks, Olivia and Kara left. They went to the elevator and waited for its arrival.
"You didn't have to tell Dr. Barker-Wilson about Vasha. You could have just told Vasha she refused," Kara said.
Olivia stared at her friend. "You know Vasha can see right thought lies, and besides, she would have followed up with Anne anyway."
The elevator came and the two entered it.
"I just can't help but think that we're handing Vasha the tools for a new war," Kara said.
Olivia pursed her lips and turned away. She couldn't look her friend in the eyes. "We don't know that. She might want it to empower all vampires for self-defence."
"I guess it's as you always say: we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. There's nothing we can do about it now."
"If we do go to war, Kara, I promise I'll protect you." Olivia stared deep into Kara's eyes and she could see the sincerity reflected in them.
"Same here," Kara replied with a smile.
Olivia pulled Kara in close, and held her hand as they thought on the future, and just what might happen to them if there was another war of psychics versus vampires when one of them was literally caught in the middle.
Epilogue
Olivia and Kara entered the small diner called Kalie's together. When they entered, the door struck a bell hanging in front of it and it let out a pleasant tone. The smell of meat and bread cooking wafted up to the both of them as they crossed the threshold.
Olivia had a grin plastered on her face, and when she entered she took in the familiar sights and smells like a child at a theme park. "We're here!" she yelled excitedly, causing the few other patrons to turn their attention to her.
A rotund middle-aged woman ran out of the kitchen, her eyes wide and a curious look on her face. When she saw Olivia and Kara her eyes lit up and she smiled as wide as Olivia. Before she let the smile linger too long, she frowned.
"Where have you two been?" she questioned with her hands at her sides. Her slightly accented voice was motherly, but chastising, like an Italian-American's should be.
Olivia couldn't contain her happiness even to feign shame. "I know, I'm sorry, Kalie. I've wanted to come back for a long time. We're here now, though."
"Tch," she replied. "Ray's in the corner, waiting for you. You want the usuals? Kara?"
"The usual for me," Olivia exclaimed.
"Yes, please," Kara confirmed.
Kalie nodded. "I'll have them out before you can say meatball." She returned to the kitchen.
As Olivia and Kara made their way over to the corner booth that Raymond was sitting in, the other customers said hellos and told them how happy they were to see them again. The few regulars, among whom they used to be included, were like a family unto itself, and like family it didn't matter how much time passed between visits.
They sat down in the booth with Raymond, who was huddled in the corner trying to stay unseen. He smiled to them as they joined him. He was wearing a heavy jacket and scarf despite it not being that cold out.
"Sorry we're late, Ray," Kara said.
"It's alright, I wasn't waiting long. Kalie berated me though." Raymond was sweating, but he still smiled.
"At least it's like usual and not crowded."
"Yeah," Raymond replied.
"I'm so excited!" Olivia blurted out.
Kara and Raymond laughed. Olivia was by far the most excited for the food they were about to receive. Kara and Raymond both thought the food at Kalie's was mediocre at best, but it was their usual spot to eat because of the lack of crowds and the atmosphere.
Before long, their food was brought out to them by Kalie herself. "Meatball Sammie for Olivia," Kalie said, handing the plate to Olivia. "Chorizo and bacon pizza for Kara, and salmon and spinach fettuccine for little Raymond," she said with a smile.
Olivia was drooling at the sight of the meatball sub and french fries in front of her. The massive pile of bread, meat, and sauce was steaming, and the smell filled the booth and overpowered the other dishes.
"Well, what are ya waiting for? Dig in!" Kalie commanded.
Olivia went first, and stuffed herself with the sub, her cheeks filling with food like
a chipmunk. Kara and Raymond delicately ate their food, watching Olivia scarf hers down with smirks on their faces.
They ate their food, catching up with Kalie and talking with each other about nothing. They laughed as they ate their food, forgetting their troubles if but for a moment.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Olivia asked as she took the last bites of her sub.
Kara took another bite from her pizza. "Yeah, yeah it is."
THE END
Psychics vs. Vampires
Book 3:
The Vampire's Omen
By Shawn Wiseman
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission from the author of this novel.
This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 Shawn Wiseman
All rights reserved.
Prologue
Detective Simmons sat in his car, the ceiling light illuminating the interior as he took drags from his cigarette. The smoke filtered into the vehicle despite his attempts to blow it out the window. The keys were in the ignition, but the car was not running. Simmons was waiting for someone.
Simmons stared into the darkness of the alley he was parked in, his eyes moving from shadow to shadow as he waited for someone to appear. There was a pain in his shoulder and he moved his free hand to rub the wound there. Though it was no longer bleeding and didn't need bandages, there were two marks from a vampire bite that had hit clean down to the nerves. He could touch the wound and not feel it, but the pain was still there in the surrounding tissue. He would have a scar there the rest of his life, he imagined. A constant reminder of his failure, and of the freak hybrid who gave it to him.
After he rolled his shoulder and went back to staring at shadows, he noticed movement in the back seat of his car. There was a man sitting there, shrouded in shadows and a hood.
Psychics Vs. Vampires Episodes 1-4 (Psychics Vs. Vampires Collection) Page 10