Fanghunters (Book 4): The Claw Order

by Leo Romero

  “They’ll have to catch us first!” Selena retorted, tightening her grip on the steering wheel.

  Troy grabbed his head. “Oh man, I wish you’d left me where I was!”

  “Can’t do that, Troy,” Selena snapped out of the side of her mouth. “Someone wants to speak with you.”

  Before Troy could ask how she knew his name or who this someone was, the police blockade grew massive in the windshield.

  “Stop! Pull back or you’ll be—”

  “Vaporized,” Selena finished in a cool tone, just before she threw the steering wheel to the right. The car veered off, hitting the submerged kerb, jolting them all in their seats, except Selena, who spun the wheel back the way she came, leveling out just before she smashed head-first into a store front. A loud screech rang out as the side of the car briefly scraped along a wall, slicing off a wing mirror.

  Troy let out a panicked scream. But, Selena was undeterred. Now on the sidewalk, she slammed the gas, causing the cops lined up to scatter, clearing the way. She whipped through the tiny gap between the last car in the blockade and the buildings.

  Troy watched the blockade shoot past the side windows in bewilderment; he couldn’t believe the balls on this Selena chick. She constantly checked her rear-view mirror as they left the cops behind. By the time they could react, Selena was turning down a new street and bombing down it, leaving the cordoned area behind.

  Troy collapsed in his seat, relief smothering him. “Christ, you almost gave me a heart attack back there.”

  “Hey, we just saved your sorry ass,” the girl next to him stated.

  Troy glanced at her and she stuck her gun into his side some more.

  He let out a groan of discomfort and looked the other way, locking eyes with Selena in the rear-view mirror. Now that things were calmer, he noticed his spine tingle was on, which was strange, unless...

  Selena slowed down and went through the new streets nice and steady, the squeak of the windshield wipers now audible over the purr of the engine. Troy scrutinized those eyes in the rear-view. Somehow he recognized them, from a time...

  “Same old Troy,” Selena said. “Getting people all worked up.”

  “Do I know you?” Troy asked, looking left and right at the girls next to him in confusion.

  “How could you forget us?” Selena asked. “Has it really been that long?”

  Troy shook his head. “I’m sorry, ladies, I don’t follow.”

  “Lucky we followed you though or you’d be history.”

  Troy shrugged. “I suppose it is. But, now what kinda trouble am I in?”

  “A whole heap,” Selena said with a small chuckle.

  Troy grinned an uneasy grin. He glanced to the side to lay eyes on the barrel of the gun wedged into his side. If Selena went over a bump... Troy gulped. “What’s with the hardware, ladies? Can’t we all be friends?”

  “When we get to where we’re going, we’ll stop sweating you,” Selena told him.

  “That’s nice to know. So, where are we going?”

  “Someone wants to speak with you.”

  Troy frowned. “Who’s that?”

  Selena lifted her face higher so her lips were visible in the rear-view. “You’ll see,” she said, and as she spoke, Troy caught the reflection of her fangs.

  Vamps? Troy thought to himself. Ambrosia vamps or the real thing?

  They had to be the real thing, those Ambrosia vamps had that wild look about them. These chicks kinda seemed more normal.

  “Chicago’s gone crazy, huh, Troy?” Selena asked as she weaved in and out of more serene streets.

  “You’re telling me. What’s going on?”

  “Haven’t you heard? There’s a new high on the streets.”

  “I’ve only just found out.”

  “You should watch the news more, Troy, you’ll be more informed.”

  “I find that the less mass media I consume, the more informed I get.”

  “Not this time, honey. They’re pushing Ambrosia on the masses hard.”

  Troy squinted his eyes. “But why?”

  “Ever wanted your own personal army?”

  “No.”

  “Well, someone does.”

  “But what kind of army can’t fight in daylight?”

  “A vampire one.’

  Troy grinned. “Exactly, so it’s a pointless exercise.”

  Selena let out a small chuckle. “Not if there’s no more daylight, it isn’t, honey.”

  Troy’s brow furrowed. “What are you getting at?”

  “The darkness is coming, Troy, haven’t you heard?”

  “I musta missed that one too. On the news was it?”

  “No, these are old vampire myths and legends going back centuries. They talk of a time of darkness, of the Great Unveiling.”

  Troy puffed his cheeks. “Well that sounds like a helluva lotta fun.”

  Selena gave him an absent laugh. “It will be,” she said.

  Troy shivered. He gave the girl next to him a quick glance. Her mouth scrunched up, her eyes glimmering with anger. Troy was getting tired of being shoved from one dangerous situation to another. And it was ’cause of Trixie. Man, why’d he ever agree to help her? She was gonna be the death of him if he didn’t do something about it.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Hey, what was going on back there with the cops?” he asked Selena.

  “Big areas of South Side are on lockdown,” she answered. “It’s the breeding ground, the germination chamber.”

  Troy gulped. “Breeding ground? For what? Vamps?”

  “The Great Unveiling is upon us, Troy. Embrace the darkness.” She tilted up her chin to show him her wicked grin.

  “I think I’ll pass,” Troy said to himself, suddenly feeling nauseous. The future was looking bleak, bleaker than that winter back in ’98 when he lost his sled to a blizzard.

  Things went silent for a while, the sound of rain hitting the car and the tires swishing through water taking over the airwaves. Troy turned his head to the side. “Hi,” he mouthed to the vamp glaring back at him.

  She hissed at him like an angered cat.

  “Feisty,” Troy said to himself as he turned his head the other way. “Just how I like em.”

  He was now staring at the one on his opposite side. Her face was a portrait of piercings and dark hues of disjointed make-up. “How about you, Princess?” he asked.

  She shoved the muzzle of her gun into his gut. Troy groaned. “Goddamnit, what is it I’ve done wrong to you people? Who are you anyways?”

  “You’re about to find out,” Selena said, slamming on the brakes. The car skidded through the flood; Troy was sent forward once more. He smashed his forehead into the edge of the driver’s seat.

  “Home sweet home,” said Selena.

  Troy sat gingerly back in his seat, rubbing his hurting head. What’s she talking about? He looked out of the window. They were pulled up outside a derelict building. The brickwork was chipped, the windows boarded over. The word ‘HOTEL’ painted on the side was fading fast. Troy’s vamp detector was suddenly ramped up to ‘scream’ level. Yeah, there were vamps aplenty in that place all right. He gulped. “Hotel Vamp, huh?” he said in a nervy voice.

  “Enjoy your stay,” Selena said before she threw open her door, letting the rain in. “Come on.”

  The others got out. The vamp that had been sitting next to Troy reached her hand into the car and curled her finger inward, beckoning him, her gun still pointing his way. He huffed and slapped the backseat with both palms. He was sick of having guns pointed at him. And sick of being told what to do. From Trixie to crazy monks, and now to vampires.

  He reluctantly shifted over toward the open door. “Remember I’m doing this against my will,” he said. He received no answer.

  He placed a tentative foot down into water. He checked both ways, wary of snakes. The stream looked clear, so he hoisted himself out of the car and stood in the rain, both palms on show. These chicks were lively, th
ey probably needed any reason to pull the trigger, and Troy didn’t wanna get em pissed.

  Selena strode past him. “Inside, honey,” she said as she stepped up to the entrance.

  Troy gazed up at the roof of the building; the rain was pummeling it. It was an imposing, dark den of vampire activity. He really didn’t wanna step foot in there. Without warning, he was shoved toward the entrance, giving him no other choice.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Troy was led through a deserted lobby and up four flights of candlelit stairs, the whole time accosted by the all-female vamp entourage. They kept their guns and paranoid gazes fixed on him as they went. In whatever way they knew him, it can’t have been his good side.

  They entered the fourth floor landing. The overhead lights worked up here; they lit up the long corridor. Troy set eyes on all the ladies lined up along both sides. Some were vamp, some were human. The vamps were feeding on humans, while others were sprawled over the old carpet, out of their minds on venom. Groans of pleasure filled the air.

  As he gazed at all the flesh ahead of him, Troy realized that he was the only guy in sight. It was a ladies only club; he was outnumbered thirty to one. Just how he liked it. He pushed his tongue into his cheek and nodded his head, eyeing up all the fine-looking ladies around him. Some of them were good enough to eat. He thought back to those crazy monks and that fine Latina they brought out for him at that temple. Then depression set in once he saw that gorilla chop her head off in his mind’s eye. Good thing there were no crazy monks around, and the female vamps accosting them didn’t look like they were gonna be carving them up any time soon. In his mind, he rubbed his hands in glee. Maybe I can get me a bit of action here, he thought to himself, drooling.

  “Look but don’t touch, Troy,” Selena said, turning to face him. She no doubt noticed him eyeballing everything in sight.

  “That ain’t no fun,” Troy retorted.

  Selena came to a sharp stop. She turned and shoved the muzzle of her gun in Troy’s crotch. Troy’s back straightened, his eyes widening in fear.

  Selena’s smile was cold. “One pull of the trigger, Troy. That’s all it takes.”

  Troy cleared his throat. “Look but don’t touch. I get it!”

  “You better,” Selena said. She pulled back her gun and continued along the corridor. Troy slicked down his greasy hair and followed. He flashed a look at every chick he passed, wishing the clowns with the guns weren’t around so he could get busy.

  They got to the end of the corridor and Selena knocked at a door numbered 415.

  “Who is it?” asked a muffled voice from inside.

  “It’s Selena.” She glanced back at Troy. “I’ve got Troy with me.”

  Troy grinned. He was obviously something to these vamps, although he didn’t know what. But, with all the fine ass around, he didn’t care.

  The door clicked open and a mean, chiseled face popped out. She laid her eyes on Troy, looked him up and down, and met his stare.

  Troy held his hands out to the sides. “Here I am,” he said with a grin.

  The mean face turned her top lip up. “Bring him in!” she growled before disappearing into the room.

  As Troy was led toward the open door, he passed by a cutie in a vest and electric pink shorts. He flashed her a grin. “Hi.”

  She smiled back, her glassy venomed-up eyes gleaming. Troy stopped to talk, but was grabbed by the upper arm and shoved toward the open door.

  Troy grabbed his arm. “Hey, easy, that hurt.”

  “Just get in the room!” the vamp that shoved him ordered.

  “I’ll catch you later,” Troy said over the shoulder of the vamp pushing him through the door.

  The cute girl let out a small laugh.

  Troy looked down at the vamp accosting him. She gave him a final shove across the threadbare carpet and he was now fully in the room. He stopped, straightened his waist jacket, and turned. The moment he did, he flinched back. Standing by the boarded over windows with her arms crossed over her chest was a face he recognized, but with a look he didn’t.

  She stared at him without any emotion on her face, her head cocked slightly to the side. “Hi, Troy,” she said, her facial expression remaining neutral.

  Troy grabbed his forehead. Oh, man, I should’ve known.

  “Veronica,” he said with a nod and a sigh. “What a pleasant surprise.” He looked her up and down. Her leather pants hugged her svelte body, her vest tight over her pert breasts. She’d had her hair cut short and dyed red, curling it into tiny spikes. Troy barely recognized her. She used to have long, dark hair and she used to wear long, elaborate dresses. She’d gone from Dracula’s bride to steampunk. One thing that was the same however, were her big, burning black eyes. They hypnotized whether she was in ice mode or not.

  “Dig the new look,” Troy said.

  “Likewise. It’s been a long time, Troy. Where have you been?”

  “Around,” Troy replied, eyeing more guns to his left and right. Girls, some vamps, others human, were scattered around the room, around their leader.

  “You left just when it was getting interesting,” Veronica stated.

  Troy slicked down his hair. “It wasn’t you, Veronica, it was me. I just wanted us to be friends.”

  “Cute,” Veronica said with a prolonged blink. “I see you’ve got fangs.”

  “A byproduct of our love.”

  Veronica gave him a sideways stare. “Very unusual for a fanghead to develop fangs, but not turn. Maybe you’re special. So, what other attributes did you get from me?”

  “A survival instinct.”

  “Hmm, you do have a knack for staying alive, don’t you? Good for you one of my girls spotted you down there tonight. I thought about leaving you to the dogs, but we’ve got unfinished business.”

  “That right?”

  “That’s right, Troy. Take a seat.”

  Troy cleared his throat, and advanced into the room, all those pairs of eyes watching him. As he moved further into the room, they closed in on him, making sure he didn’t escape. He reached a small, battered leather recliner. He dusted off the seat, then glanced up. He was being sweated by guns and mean faces. “You been busy hiring, Veronica?” Troy asked, staring at the guns and eyes.

  “It’s not easy constructing an order, Troy. It takes time.”

  “An order?” Troy echoed, staring at her through squinted eyes.

  “That’s right.” Veronica spread out her arms. “We’re the Pink Order.”

  Troy stifled a smirk. ‘The Pink... Order?”

  “Find something amusing, Troy?”

  “Only the outfits.”

  “We have to look out for each other, Troy, since the male vampire community are such a bunch of chauvinistic pigs.”

  Troy took his seat and sat back. “What were you expecting? Gentlemen?”

  “Leviah was an abuser. He treated us like dirt. When we were human, we couldn’t see it ’cause of the venom. The venom was clouding our judgment. It’s all we wanted. But, once we turned, it all became clear.”

  Troy threw up his hands. “Thank Heavens for that!”

  “Always doing his bidding, existing merely to satisfy his perversions.”

  Troy frowned. “You mean to say Leviah was kinky? Wow, I’d never have guessed.”

  “I couldn’t live that way any more, Troy.”

  “You don’t live. You’re dead.”

  “Don’t get too smart, those guns pointing at your head are loaded.”

  Troy cleared his throat. “You got it, Veronica. I’ll just listen from now on. Please. Continue.”

  Veronica crossed her arms over her chest. “Word has it that you’re working for the Dentist now.”

  “Word talks a lot, Veronica. And not everything Word says is true.”

  “That may be the case, Troy, but in this instance, I’m pretty sure he’s legit.”

  Troy shrugged. “I might’ve bagged a couple of dregs for him on Leviah’s behalf. You know how much Le
viah hated dregs.”

  Veronica leaned back, her arms crossed over her chest. “Well, with the way things are going in Chicago these days, you and the Dentist are gonna have a lot of work on your hands.”

  Troy’s eyes narrowed; a look of concern emerged on his face. “What was going on back there?”

  “You tell me. You were there.”

  “The people are going crazy for this stuff.” Troy pulled out his syringe of Ambrosia.

  Veronica shrugged. “They say the Great Unveiling is coming.”

  Troy sighed. “I keep hearing that same crap.”

  “Maybe the prophecy is true.”

  “All I know is a prophecy is a sure way to get you killed.”

  Veronica stepped up to him. Troy eyed her like she was a spider and he was a fly caught in her web. As she drew near, he caught an aroma of musk and perfume, a unique intoxication that triggered the memories. He could see himself as a younger, inquisitive mind. He remembered when Veronica first bit him; the painful sensation, swiftly followed by elation. The injection of venom; then the rush. The pleasure, the comfort she gave him in his hour of need. Some would say she took advantage of him, others that he was too damn curious for his own good. Either way, he came back for more and more, pushing the boundary as far as it would go. He knew, he knew exactly what was gonna happen to him if he kept up his addiction to Veronica, and it was tough breaking the spell she had him under. But, he wanted what she had, wanted to get it and cling on to whatever humanity remained within him. Troy recalled snapping outta sleep in agony as those fangs pushed his incisors right outta his gums. He thought he was dead, fully turned vamp. But somehow he was still on the human side of the divide. At that point he knew he’d pushed it to the edge. Any more, and it was bye bye.

  It wasn’t easy, but he managed to crack her hex, clawing himself away from her by his fingernails. Not that he didn’t wanna stay; the venom was good, the feel of her was good, and the fact that she was the lady of the big vamp in town made it even better. It was like seeing the mob boss’s woman behind his back. But, he knew once he turned, he’d be nothing to her and he’d have to go off into the night and seek out his own prey.