Phantoms of the Otherworld (In Spiritu Et Veritate)

by Reed, Zoe

  Eventually, through the near silence as Wes and David argued softly in the front seat about core exercises, Lacey elbowed me gently. “Hey.”

  It was a careful, questioning ‘hey’, as if she was trying to ask what I was thinking. Instead of answering, I just gave a small smile and turned back toward the window. But she knew me better than that. Though, I supposed anyone could’ve figured out what was on my mind.

  “You know,” she started, waiting until I turned to look at her again. “She didn’t leave the library the whole time you were unconscious.”

  I took in a painful breath. It should have meant something that Kyla stayed by my side, but what was it supposed to mean? I was all Kyla had out here in Oregon. She had to act like she cared. I couldn’t let myself get my hopes up too much, not if I wanted to keep my sanity. “Yeah, but she chose where she wanted to be tonight.”

  Lacey shrugged and turned to look out her own window. Before she did I caught a discontented frown on her face like she disagreed, but I must have been successful in giving off the vibe that I didn’t want to talk about it. The rest of the car ride was noiseless until we reached town and got to a part where the city was a bit denser than the rest. The buildings were crowded close together on either side of the street, and many of them were worn down and dim. The street itself was dark, and the beams of the car seemed to be the only thing that cast any light. After a few blocks on the road Wes turned into a parking lot with a single streetlamp in the center of it. He parked closest to the light in the near empty lot and shut down the car, peering through the windshield at the gloomy building in front of us.

  “This looks like it,” he said, and after glancing around the outside of the vehicle to make sure our surroundings were safe he opened the door. As he did an immediate rush of stench filled the car. “This is definitely it.”

  I followed suit and opened my door with the rest of them. The stench was overwhelming. It was a mixture of different body odors and the heavy scent of decay and vanilla, an odd and disgusting combination. The scent was clearly coming from the brown brick building in front of us, and though the door to the inside was closed, it was still strong. The windows of the two-story bar were blacked out, and the only thing that lit them up was a neon beer sign hanging in one window on the far left side of the building.

  After a moment of letting our noses adjust David led us forward toward the main entrance. As he pulled open the heavy wood door and we each stepped in, what little chatter there had been ceased. Every pair of dark eyes watched us carefully as we made our way to a small booth near the door. I slid in next to Lacey, nervously glancing around at the eyes still on us. It was too dark in the bar for me to tell for sure by looks who was a vampire and who wasn’t, and the rancid smell was definitely too overwhelming to pinpoint anyone in particular. There was a group of two men and a woman sitting a couple booths away from us, a pair of guys were playing billiards at the other end of the bar, two girls and two guys sat in stools at the bar top nearest us, and a single man occupied a stool at the far corner of the counter.

  It took a good minute after we sat down for the eyes to gradually move focus away from us, and when the watchful customers finally stopped staring and the chatter returned to normal the bartender cautiously made his way to the table. “Look guys, I don’t want any trouble, okay? And if you’re going to start some, then I want you to leave.”

  David shook his head, his voice soft and reassuring. “No trouble friend, you have my word.”

  By the way the horrid stench of vampire increased as the bartender stood at the table, I knew he was one, though he seemed to be attempting the utmost civility toward us. One thing I knew about vampires was that they never aged, once bitten they were frozen in time. Judging by the bartender’s looks he was turned later in life, probably in his early fifties. His hair was white and thinning, and his dark blue eyes were cold and emotionless.

  “Your kind don’t just come to places like this for thrill,” he pointed out accusingly, “But if I have your word. What can I do for you guys?”

  “I’ll start with a cola,” David told him calmly, and then pointed to each of us so we could order. When we all shook our heads, he shrugged. “When you’ve got a moment, I’d appreciate a minute of your time.”

  With a nod the bartender returned to behind the bar counter and began to pour David’s drink. Even though I knew we weren’t here to start any fights, I couldn’t help but be anxious. Since we’d entered the bar two of the customers, the ones playing billiards, had left, and while I couldn’t be sure they’d left because of the arrival of werewolves, the tension from the rest of the patrons had increased. As I looked around at each of the remaining customers I realized the lone man at the far end of the bar was staring at me.

  I met his gaze, but he didn’t seem to mind having been caught, he just watched on with curious intensity. It was more than the typical lusty look I received from men who were checking me out – he was staring as if he knew me. His hair was a curly dark brown, falling just below his eye line, and though I couldn’t see the exact color of his eyes from my distance, I could tell they were dark too. He was sitting, but he appeared to be slightly tall, just over six foot I assumed, and through his faded and worn dark-brown leather jacket I could tell that, even though he had a thin build, he was well muscled.

  After studying him for a minute as he studied me right back, I turned my attention to the bartender, who’d just returned with David’s drink and squatted down at the edge of our table to talk. “What can I help you with?”

  David leaned closer to the man and, to keep their conversation private, whispered, “We just need a little information, and if you don’t have it perhaps you could point us in the right direction. We’ve been having problems with some vampires.”

  Out of the corner of my eye as David explained our situation to the bartender, I saw the man at the other end of the counter get up, stroll across the venue, and pass us on his way out the door. While he did I knew he was watching me. I could feel his gaze on me the entire time, and for some reason it made me feel like I should follow. Abby had said we had a vampire ally. What if this guy was him? However, there were also an unknown number of vampires out there trying to catch us, and it could be a trap. I contemplated my course of action for another second before whispering to Lacey about needing air and getting up to walk out the front door.

  The cold, outside air was definitely refreshing, even though it was still tainted with the smell of vampire. That smell made it difficult to track any kind of scent to the man who had now disappeared from sight. I strode to and glanced around the sides of the building, looking for him, but he hadn’t made his way around any of the corners. Or, if he had, he’d left in quite a hurry. When I returned to the entrance to look around the parking lot one last time I caught sight of something by our car. It was him, crouched near Wesley’s hatchback and peering through the driver’s side window.

  “Hey!” I called after him, starting toward the parking lot. At my shout he stood and took off in the opposite direction. “Hey, wait!”

  I wanted to follow, but every ounce of common sense in my body screamed at me not to. This area was new to me, and there could be vampires lurking around every corner. I stopped before I got too far into the dark lot and retreated until my back was pressed against the door of the bar. It couldn’t be denied as I watched him disappear into the night that I was frustrated at not having followed, but I’d done the right thing. At times like this our safety had to come first.

  Opening the door back into the bar I sat down beside Lacey as David continued to speak with the bartender. “You haven’t heard vampires talk about kidnapping Pack members?” The bartender shook his head. “But you have heard about the increased number of missing persons? Those are vampire attacks, am I mistaken?”

  “That’s right,” the bartended nodded and threw the towel he’d been wringing in his hands over his shoulder. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he looked tense. �
��The missing persons are all over the newspaper lately, but I don’t let those kinds of trouble-making vamps into my bar. Only peaceful kinds here.”

  David nodded thoughtfully as he considered what else to ask. It hadn’t seemed like he’d gotten much information while I’d been outside. “Would you mind if I asked a few of your peaceful customers if they’d be interested in helping us out?”

  The bartender sighed as he stood up, and he rested his palms on the surface of the table, bending over to lean toward us. “I’m sorry, wolf. I can’t have you bugging my patrons. Now unless there’s something else I can get for you folks, I’ve got some work to do.”

  “I appreciate your help,” David answered politely as the bartender strolled back behind the counter. He pulled out his wallet and grabbed a five-dollar bill for his drink while he glanced around the bar. “Nobody here is going to help us, let’s go.”

  He threw the bill down on the table and stood, leading the way to the door. Lacey waited until we were outside and at the car before asking, “You think the bartender was telling the truth that he didn’t know anything?”

  “I know for a fact he was lying.” The disdainful tinge of David’s voice made my jaw clench in mirrored scorn. “I recognized one of the vampires in there from our records. He’s right hand man to a vamp named Benjamin, and if there’s anyone the bartender wants to keep out to avoid trouble, it’s them.” As we all got into the car he slammed his door with a little more force than usual, sighing as he did so. “Benjamin is notorious for pulling shit like this, and no doubt anyone who associates with him is in on it. The only problem is the good guys can never find him.”

  Each of us fell silent. If none of the vampires were going to help us, we were at a dead end, another waiting game. “Did any of you see the guy who walked out after we went in, he was alone?” I asked from the back seat.

  Lacey and David shook their heads, but Wes nodded. “Yeah, I saw him. I didn’t recognize him though.”

  I shrugged. I’d never seen a real vampire before coming to Oregon. I didn’t even know the Pack kept track of some of them. “When I came outside he was crouching by the car and looking through the windows.”

  “That’s weird,” David muttered quietly as he unconsciously ran his thumb down the scar on his jaw. “We’ll have to keep an eye out for him. What did he look like?”

  “Brown eyes, dark brown hair, curly, almost long enough to cover his eyes. About six foot, a little on the skinny side,” Wesley said, and then glanced back at me. “That the guy, Camille?”

  “That’s him,” I agreed.

  Thinking quietly to ourselves, everyone was silent until we reached the dorms at the school. When I got out I expected Lacy to follow, but the young girl stayed in the car. “You’re not coming?”

  She shook her head and leaned further over the seat so she could see me better through the open door. “No, we’re going for a run tonight. You can come if you want.”

  I seriously considered it for a moment before deciding that, even though my strength had fully returned, my body was in need of a poison-free rest. “It’s okay, I’m kind of tired. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

  After they all waved bye I stood there for another second before turning and starting for the dorm building. It was a short walk, only one building away from the main office where they’d dropped me off, but now that I’d been thinking of sleep my limbs almost instinctively began to feel exhausted. Continuing forward, I grinned as I saw little flurries of snow begin to fall around me. There being so few lights between the separate buildings, the only thing that illuminated the small flakes was the moonlight, and there was something magical about how softly the delicate powder fell over my head and shoulders and onto the ground. It covered everything in a fresh blanket of cleanliness. It was something I wished I could share the magic of with Kyla.

  At the thought of Kyla I let out a soft growl. It was mostly at myself for not being able to go any substantial amount of time without thinking about her, and every time I did it only brought on a fresh spurt of pain. A pain that I’d hoped time would start to heal, but that hadn’t yet started to show any sign of yielding. At least all this vampire business was giving me something of a distraction. I froze, and instantly regretted being grateful for that distraction. As if on cue the wind picked up and carried to me the scent of a vampire, causing the hair on my arms and neck to rise.

  Stopping and taking a deep breath through my nose, I looked around. I recognized the underlying and faint scent of body odor mixed in with the overwhelming sweet and decay. It was the same vampire I’d followed out of the bar earlier. Had he tracked us all the way here? As I glanced around I couldn’t catch a glimpse of him, or even anyone for that matter. The wind was coming from east, beyond the dorm building, which meant he was probably hiding somewhere behind it. Should I follow him again? What if this was a trap? From what I’d read or heard about vampires they were rarely completely illogical. I couldn’t imagine he’d ignored the direction of the wind. Surely he must have known I’d catch his scent. Was he using it to call to me?

  Taking another deep breath, this time to calm my nerves, I began forward for the side of the building. I was taking a huge risk, and if it was a mistake it could be fatal, but I had to figure out who this guy was. The last thing I could handle was waiting at a dead end for something to happen. That never ended well.

  Every step I took was slow and cautious, and as I reached the corner of the building I peered around it suspiciously. As I looked around the corner not only did I find the area empty, but also the scent disappeared from the air, and the tension around me seemed to dissipate as swiftly as it had come. It didn’t appear this guy wanted to be found. With a sigh I turned to walk back to the front of the building. Almost immediately after I did I felt a hand on my shoulder, and with the hand the scent returned.

  The suddenness of it startled me, but I’d been trained my whole life to react to an attack, and I instantly grabbed the hand and ducked sideways, making a move to pull my attacker’s arm behind him. Only, as I did the vampire wrenched his hand free of my grasp. He turned around to face me and brought his outside leg behind both of mine, kicking them out from under me and sending me straight on my ass. Before I could even react to having fallen he grabbed one of my shoulders and flipped me onto my stomach, and not a second later I felt a knee dig into my back, holding me in place on the ground.

  I didn’t know what to do. I was in perhaps the most compromising position of my life and a guy who was obviously well trained had put me there in less than a second. It was infuriating and terrifying, but there was nothing I could do about it. Squirming and wriggling under his knee, I tried to throw him off balance, tried to roll out from his lock. Every time I attempted to push myself off the ground with my hands, he pulled them out from under me. After a minute I eventually stopped struggling, wondering why he hadn’t just knocked me out or killed me yet.

  “I always knew werewolves were a little jumpy,” the vampire chuckled, continuing to hold me down. “But you were on high alert.”

  “And the guy who’s got me pinned is wondering why?” I asked bitterly, once again trying to push myself off the ground, only to be forced back down another time. As my frustration and more than a bit of fear began to rise again, I started to feel a tingling in my fingertips. “You better let me up, or you’re going to be sitting on top of a pissed off wolf.”

  “You don’t feel entirely threatened, or you would have already Phased,” he said confidently, and I couldn’t help but think that he was right. Instincts had ultimate control, and if I felt I was in more danger then I would have Changed without being able to stop myself. Only, the itching had just started. “If I let you up, will you promise not to attack me?” he asked, hesitantly beginning to shift his weight off of my back to let me know he was serious about letting me go.

  While my first instinct was to use his shifting weight to my advantage to flip him off of me and get the upper hand, I refrained, an
d nodded with an aggravated sigh. “Fine.”

  He stood, and the second he did I scrambled up and away from him. When I got my footing at a comfortable six-foot distance I realized he was pulling his outstretched hand away from where I’d been situated on the ground. He’d been offering to help me up. I kept a keen eye on him as I twisted my body to work out the sore spot from his knee while he stood there, cautiously watching me back.

  “What do I owe this pleasure?” I asked sarcastically as I rubbed out the last of the kink in my back with my hand.

  “I’m here to help, but if you don’t want it then my time could be applied somewhere else,” he told me unconcernedly and turned to walk away.

  “Help with what?” I asked hastily, before he could disappear around the corner.

  Shoving his hands in his jacket pockets he turned to face me again, and leaned the side of his shoulder against the wall of the building. “The vampires that are trying to kidnap your kind,” he told me seriously, a grave sense of importance lighting his dark eyes.

  I nodded, urging him on. “Why are they doing it?”

  He pulled his shoulder off the wall, causing me to tense as my body instinctively prepared for action. He could say he was here to help, but I still didn’t know exactly what helping meant, and there was no way I could trust him just yet. “I have my theories, but I know the results will be catastrophic. Not just for the werewolves, for everyone.”

  “Well, what are your theories?” I asked, poorly hiding my curiosity.

  “Some kind of summoning,” he said with a shrug. “I know they’re using sorcery, but I can’t say until I know for sure. I just wanted you to know you had a friend among us.”

  “Who’s behind it all?”

  He ran a hand through his curly dark hair, brushing off the flakes of snow that had collected there. “A guy named Benjamin.” I nodded knowingly, recalling the name David had mentioned earlier. “You’ve heard of him?” the vampire asked.