Vamp Town (The Monster Keeper Series Book 1)

by Jeff Seats

  Amanda stopped sucking on Cindra's neck and immediately Charles took his turn. He too approached this act in the same tender, loving manner. There had been no violent action from the two vampires: no rending of tissues, no gushing blood, no screaming victim. They wanted to keep Cindra around.

  When he finished, Charles looked to the O’Neils and deliberately bit into his wrist, blood erupted from the wound. He lowered it down to Cindra but stopped. “Sorry, where are my manners?” He then held his bleeding wrist out to Wilson and Marion. “You must be famished. What? No? Well, okay then. Children first.”

  Charles turned his attention back to Cindra and lowered his arm down so that Cindra's mouth was in line with his wrist.

  Marion and Wilson screamed for Cindra to stop but their voices were muted by the vampires and their daughter had already ceased acknowledging their existence even if she had been allowed to hear them.

  Without a moment's hesitation, Cindra grabbed Charles' arm with both hands and pulled it to her eager mouth. She locked her lips onto his wrist and began to drink from the wound. With a look of superiority, the man smiled at Marion and Wilson; a smile of pleasure as she greedily took in his blood.

  “That's it, sweetheart. Slowly now, not too fast.” Amanda said as she stroked Cindra's hair.

  Marion and Wilson’s screams turned into desperate cries of anguish that merely echoed in their heads as they watched their daughter drink a vampire’s blood. Any hopes of their survival had just been put to rest with their fates a seeming foregone conclusion.

  Amanda gently pried Cindra’s mouth from Charles’ wrist. “Not too much the first time dearest. We don’t want to hurt your father do we?”

  Wilson was bursting with rage but could do nothing with it. He was Cindra’s father. He fought the power holding him, but there was no way to break free and get his daughter away from the vampires.

  Then Charles put his arm around Amanda's shoulder and they posed for the O’Neils with Cindra standing in front of them, blood dripping from her mouth. It was the perfect portrait of an American vampire family.

  Marion prayed that someone would help them, but no one came. They were alone, their family lost.

  Then the Wainwrights walked to Marion and Wilson. Cindra remained standing, like a pale, porcelain doll.

  Charles stepped next to Marion. He opened up her blouse just enough to expose her throat then lowered his head so that he could breathe in the scent at the nape of her neck. The fragrance of fear.

  Amanda nuzzled in next to Wilson. She and Charles exchanged meaningful, lustful leers. The female vampire studied Wilson's throat. She ran her fingers up and down his neck and watched his jugular throb with the pounding flow of blood; his heart pumping madly.

  The male vampire felt Marion's pulse point quicken. Marion’s eyes revealed that she was screaming though all remained quiet inside the suburban ranch house.

  Amanda addressed Marion, “You may be right about the ‘bitch’ part, but I wouldn't call myself an ‘abomination.'” Then she spoke to her husband, “Would you dear?”

  “I most certainly would not my darling.” Then Charles looked at the feast they were about to consume and politely asked his wife, “Shall we?”

  The two vampires gazed longingly into each other’s eyes and on an unspoken cue they simultaneously bit into the necks of Marion and Wilson.

  Contrary to how they treated Cindra, this was an act of violence. Their fangs stabbed deep into their victim’s necks. The vampires sucked and tore at the couple's exposed throats in a perverse act of ecstasy.

  Amanda and Charles watched each other bite and suck. Their actions became more intense with every thrust of fang into warm flesh; each movement inciting the other into ever escalating acts of crazed feeding, doing more and greater damage to the bodies that were once Marion and Wilson O'Neil.

  Amanda stepped back from Wilson's lifeless body and looked at Charles. “My dearest, you have a little on your collar.”

  Touching his shirt Charles pulled away bloody fingers. “Why, so I do. And you should see yourself sweetness. Where ever did our manners go?”

  “Yes, we used to be such neat eaters...”

  The room that could have been a set for The Dick Van Dyke Show had become a bloody butcher shop. The vampires wallowed in the fresh blood. Nothing had tasted as good since they entered this hell of a town; this prison. While they feasted on the humans, Cindra remained standing, framed by the opening of the kitchen door, the ceiling light forming a perfect halo around this fallen angel's head.

  —— FEAR NO EVIL ——

  THE ACTION TEAM sat, rocking back and forth, in their seats from the bumpy ride that the Osprey provided. The interior was bathed in the red glow of the night running lights. The nervous banter among the team had died off, and the loud hum of the engines had taken over. Each of the seven was now lost in individual thoughts; mentally preparing for the encounter they would be having with the vampires.

  None of them knew if this operation would just be a simple police action or end up as something more, maybe a life and death battle. Nothing good could come from having to rush to save innocent humans from being drained of their blood. With the exception of Liz, who just didn’t know any better, not one of the Action Team believed that tonight’s activity would turn out well.

  Several looked at their watches. Based on how long they had already been airborne they knew that Vamp Town wasn't very far away. With the time they had remaining before insertion, some checked their weapons one last time while others cinched up their armor, tightened their gloves or did radio checks. They all went through their private mental rituals as they prepared for the possibility of battle.

  Okada fingered the beads of a rosary that hung around his neck. Finishing a silent prayer, he used the crucifix to make the sign of the cross ending his personal spiritual talk with God as he kissed the figure of Christ nailed to the cross.

  Across from Okada sat Timmons. A wallet was open in his hands, and he was looking at family photos. He traced the face of a woman with his finger, losing himself in the image, remembering the day it was taken.

  Near the tail, by the rear door, Ortega sat with his back up against the fuselage. His eyes were closed, and his head rolled back and forth with the aircraft. He appeared to be asleep, but his teammates knew that he was listening to his inner music; probably composing another of his piano pieces, perhaps adding to the symphony which he started a while ago.

  This action was their first encounter with more than a couple vampires at a time. They had no eyes on the ground so they were flying in blind, having no idea of the numbers that they would potentially be confronting.

  What they did know was that they were down five team members. Four were missing due to injury, reassignment or retirement. The fifth member had just been lost in the mountains along the California/Oregon border to a lycan trying to make a dash for it out of Delta.

  Until tonight they had supposed that they could handle any situation, any, unless you were speaking about a full on vampire rebellion. Would they have to take on the entire population with only seven Action Team members, well nine, if you counted Agent Wright and the newbie?

  Sergeant Todd looked up through the interior of the Osprey to where Craig and Liz were sitting. She knew Agent Wright. He was good; thought fast on his feet. The entire team trusted him. But the wild card was the newbie. What was her name? Adams. Shit, she just got the assignment a day ago now we gotta go in with an unknown. Not good. Not her fault, though. Todd was only interested in keeping a change in her human status from happening or her life span being cut short. If she died in action how would the CSC spin her death to her husband? “A terrible cooking accident. Her knife slipped while she was dicing potatoes and the blade found its way up to her throat and slashed it all to hell. Very messy. Sorry, we had to incinerate her body immediately. A grateful country thanks you. Here are her ashes.” The morbid humor made her smile, and she laughed out loud.

  The laugh
drew the notice of Sergeants St. Jean and Evers who had been playing some game on a smartphone. They knew her sense of humor. “I wonder which of us got eaten this time?” Evers asked.

  St. Jean got back to the game first. “Ha. Got you!” The figure in the game that Evers was controlling was being swarmed by raging zombies and torn to shreds.

  “Fuck you.” Evers retorted.

  “Well, at least we don't have zombies to contend with on this job.” St. Jean said.

  “No just vampires and werewolves and other shit.”

  “Eh, it’s a living.”

  “Shut up you two I'm trying to read.” Ellingson yelled as she kicked St. Jean in the shin from across the aisle.

  The crew chief flicked on a green light at the front of the craft telling all on board that they are close to target and turned back to Craig and Liz. “We’re fifteen minutes from touching down.” The chief handed them a tablet. “I want you to see this live drone feed from Mountain Home.” They were looking at an infrared video image of Vamp Town. The four square blocks of the town appeared sitting in the middle of a whole lot of nothing.

  Liz got a good look at Vamp Town for the first time. “That's a pretty compact place.”

  The chief pointed to spots on the screen. “A human has a core temp of ninety-eight point six degrees which reads as light red-yellow areas. Like those two there.” Several “hot spots” were visible some brighter than others; many were moving. He was pointing to two of the human signatures in an alley in the northwest quadrant. They appeared to be stationary.

  The chief continued. “Now, a vamp burns at a temperature lower than humans—generally. They read as pale pink. But right after they feed they get especially intense. The pink coloring will turn to a bright red depending upon the amount of blood ingested.” He swiped the surface of the tablet, and the image zoomed in a bit showing two super bright red spots.

  “See the two bright, red spots next to the two ice blue ones? There in the center of the park. My guess is we have two feeders and two dead bleeders. And...just a sec...” He grabbed the pad and tapped the image a couple of times calling up a wider view of the town. From the northwest, a group of bright red spots came out of a building that was known to be the community “watering hole” and was moving south. He handed the pad back to Craig. “...and there is a large group of feeders coming out of the bar. Must have had themselves a taste. See how bright they are?”

  Craig studied the image. “Damn, this suggests that out of the nine people we know entered the town we can only confirm that there are two left alive...” He shook his head acknowledging how bad this information meant for their mission.

  The crew chief pointed to the pad. “Ah, sir, look...”

  On the screen, they saw a super bright red spot followed by a very weak, pale pink spot had just come out of the bar. These two joined the first group and paused a moment.

  “Why are they stopping?” asked Liz.

  As if responding to her question the bright red spot led the group down the street south towards the park and the alley where the remaining humans were.

  “Vlad...” Craig said under his breath.

  The chief watched the spots move. “Looks like they were stopping to get their bearings and now they know where our live ones are hiding.”

  “Like they're tracking their prey,” Liz said following the movement of the spots. “They've got the scent, and now they’re going in for the kill.”

  “Chief, how close to here can we put down?” Craig asked pointing at the alley.

  The crew chief took the tablet and widened the image and pointed. “That empty area over there just to the southwest of the park.”

  “Well, then, looks like we have our LZ chief. But before we set down I want Okada and Timmons to fast-rope down outside that bar, here in the northwest quadrant.” Craig indicated the Bucket of Blood in the overview of Vamp Town. And I want to fast-rope two more here at the end of A Street. Then we set down, and the remaining force will proceed through the park. That doable?”

  “Can do sir.”

  “Good. Inform the pilot.”

  Craig stood and looked back to the Action Team and toggled his intercom switch “Okay. We’re going in hot. Remember, not all of the vamps are hostile. Do not take one out unless you feel threatened. But if you do have to kill, make sure you do it quickly and thoroughly. One mistake will be your last. Got your maps out?” The team nodded and waved their folded pieces of paper indicating they were with him.

  “Okay, Okada and Timmons you'll fast-rope down to the bar where a large group of vamps has exited about the middle of the northwest block. I need you to confirm that there isn't anyone still alive inside. Then join us in the park. Ortega and Ellingson, you’ll fast-rope down to the east of the park at the southern base of A Street and work your way up in a flanking sweep. The rest of us will debark the bird just southwest of the park and enter the town at a diagonal. It looks like the vamps are massing along the north side of the park. If all goes well, we'll just contain the rogues and end this nightmare. If not I guess we'll see what seven Action Team members and two agents can do to stop something like twelve, maybe fifteen vampires. Hopefully, the other vamps will keep their heads down and away from the trouble. Knock wood.”

  Craig scanned the faces of his team. “Sorry. I know this won't be easy. Be careful and good luck.”

  St. Jean spoke for the group. “Piece of cake sir.”

  Craig smiled and turned back to Liz and bent down. He released a few Velcro tabs around the top of her vest and pulled up a stainless steel, chainmail collar around her neck. “I told you I would help you with your collar and now’s the time.” He connected the collar snug around her throat. “Hold out your wrists.” Craig fished out some more chainmail from his bag. He wrapped it around Liz's upturned wrists securing it tightly.

  “Okay, now show me your knife.” Liz handed him the hardwood knife he gave her back in the armory. He took it and held it by the blade, handle up. “See, a cross.”

  “I thought you told me...”

  Craig held up a bottle of what looked like sunblock. “And squirt some of this on like they're doing.”

  Liz looked back at the Action Team who were all smearing liberal amounts of the lotion over the exposed areas of their faces and arms. “What is this?” Craig squirted some in his hand and put it up to her nose. Liz's face wrinkled at the smell. “Garlic! You said ...”

  Smiling, Craig rubbed the lotion on his face. “Well, I didn’t say crosses and garlic were totally ineffective, with vamps you gotta use every advantage you can to stay in one piece.”

  “Well, the smell sure as hell grosses me out.” Liz said as she copied Craig in applying the garlic lotion. “I can't see why it won't work on a vampire.”

  “If it comes to close quarters fighting, which it more than likely will, any vamps getting a good whiff of this stuff should be momentarily distracted long enough for you to shove the knife blade into its damned heart, as hard as you can.”

  Craig looked intently into Liz’s eyes. “Copy?”

  “Loud and clear, sir!”

  He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Good. Stick with me and you'll get through this."

  Liz looked at Craig and gave him a confident nod of the head.

  I sure hope I don't let her down. Craig looked back at the other team members. Or let them down either.

  —— CORNERED ——

  CROUCHING BEHIND THE dumpster in the alley, Paul and Ellie were focused on making some weapons that might help them survive until morning. Paul had used the saw on his Leatherman to cut a piece off of his walking stick and then whittled down an end of it into a pointed stake. Ellie took it and rubbed the tip against the pavement to sharpen it further as he shaped the end of the remainder of his walking into a spear.

  They had been working in silence, intent on making these minimal weapons, neither wanting to talk about watching Dick being savagely butchered in the bar or the carnage they saw
as Jenna and Kelvin were slaughtered in the park. The experience was just so foreign to them. Even to Paul, who thought he had seen about every kind of bad that there was to see.

  Ellie held up her stake and touched the tip with her finger. Sharp enough, she pulled her finger quickly away and sucked on it, “I think mine’s ready.”

  Paul held up his walking stick, turned spear, and looked down its length examining it like it was a pool cue. He pulled it back down into his lap and worked the tip a bit more with the knife blade. Then he held the tip out in front of him and sighed, “These may not be great but...”

  Liz reached out and placed her hand on his knee. “Paul, stop. I get it. We don’t stand much of a chance. Even with a couple of sharp pieces of wood we probably are going to d...” Liz lowered her eyes and shut down the rest of what she was going to say. “But, thank you.”

  “Listen. I've been in a few tight situations. The attack that gave me this fucked, God damned, limp was just the last one. I have witnessed a lot of bad things. What we just saw...that wasn't bad, that was just plain evil, but as effed-up as it was, it's no different than anything else I've experienced. Admittedly we are dealing with vampires, which is hard to say and harder to believe...” Paul's voice drifted off as he tried to convince himself that what he just said was anywhere near the truth of their situation.

  Liz looked around the alley. “Have you noticed how clean this alley is? I mean, where's the trash? This dumpster's paint looks like it could be new if it weren't so dirty from the rain and dust.”

  “Yeah, I noticed a lot of things about this town.”

  “Your model train set idea.”

  “Right. It’s just too ordered. Too predictable. And by the looks of things totally unused.

  “Well, there’s at least one part that isn’t unused. The bar...”