“What pictures?” I growled.
He moved to back up even more but was still against the wall. “You—you’re in my pictures. Pictures I’ve taken over the years.”
“And you showed them to Susan?”
Sean nodded weakly, his face growing more panicked.
“Perfect.” I huffed out a breath and ran a hand through my hair. “Show them to me,” I commanded.
“They’re in my car.” His voice was practically a whisper now, but I had no trouble hearing him.
“What else do you have on me?”
“Nothing; I swear.”
I knew I couldn’t trust him at this point; he was getting in the way and his curiosity was going to get him hurt. This boy had officially become a liability.
I quickly advanced on Sean, making him squeal as I grabbed him by the neck and brought my nose to his. “What have you said to Fiona’s friends about me?”
I could feel his racing pulse as I tightened my grasp just enough to get his attention. He grabbed my wrist, attempting to break my hold on him. But he soon realized how helpless he was.
“I—I just showed Alexis the pictures. That’s all.”
“And Candace?”
“I barely talk to Candace. We’re not exactly close. But—but she’s the one who told me about you.”
“About what I told them,” I said and let him go, taking a step back and allowing him to fall to the floor in a fit of coughing. “I can live with that. What did Susan say when you showed her the pictures?”
Sean was still trying to regain his breath. I gave him a slight nudge with my foot to get him to focus.
“She… ahh… didn’t say much. Just that it was weird, but you were harmless and the police had already questioned you.”
I chuckled at the description of me being harmless. Even though I didn’t know what Susan was up to, she surely wasn’t giving any information to this kid.
“The police never questioned you, did they?”
At this point, it didn’t matter what I told him. “No,” I said.
“You know where Fiona is, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I said. I’d brought a syringe for Susan, not knowing how things would go, but the plan had changed. Sean had become a more immediate problem.
“Where is she?”
“In a vampire-run psychiatric hospital, committed as a temporary patient, to be fed upon as the staff members see fit,” I said, matter-of-factly.
Judging by the conflicted expression on his face, he had no idea how to take what I’d just said.
“That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” he said, purely bewildered. “Where did that even come from? Is that some kind of sick joke?”
“No, Sean. There’s a lot of craziness in this world and one day you’ll come to realize it. Luckily for you, you won’t remember any of this interaction and you’ll be able to go back to your normal life a while longer,” I said. I removed the syringe from my pocket and put him to sleep.
22
Matthew
I lay Sean’s sleeping body on Fiona’s bed. I had about eight hours to get done what I needed to. I didn’t want to have to knock him out a second time in one night; he’d be in bad shape if I did.
I rummaged through his pants pockets for his car key, which had a Hyundai logo. I’d had a feeling his previous car wasn’t worth repairing. Then, I pocketed his cellphone and the extra house key, which could come in handy.
“What did you do to him?” Rebecca asked.
“I just had to put him to sleep for a little while. I assure you he’ll be alright,” I said.
“But why?”
“Well… because he didn’t know it, but he was going to get himself in trouble. I’m helping him.”
“Are you going to leave him here until my mother gets home? Is she going to help him too?”
“He was going to get in trouble with your mother, so no—I won’t be asking her for help. I’ll take him with me shortly,” I said. “Can I ask another favor of you?”
“Yes.”
“If your mother knew he was in here, coming in while she wasn’t here with a secret key, then she’s going to be very upset with him. She probably won’t want Fiona to see him anymore.”
“I like Sean,” she said, concern in her voice.
“I thought you did. So please don’t tell her about him being here. Then no one will get in trouble.”
“So, I shouldn’t tell her you were here either?” she asked.
“You know, you’re right. That didn’t occur to me. You’re a smart girl,” I said.
“I know,” she said, confidently, making me smile. She sounded so much like Fiona just then.
I left Sean in Fiona’s room and went out the front door in search of his new car. As I traveled down the sidewalk, a tow truck was rounding the corner of the parking lot and driving away.
I clicked the button on the electronic key and saw the lights blink on a sedan in the first row, about ten cars down. It was close enough, so I wasn’t worried about moving it. Peering in through the driver’s window, I noticed a book bag in the passenger seat, probably containing the pictures Sean had mentioned. Then I clicked the button to pop the truck and found it empty. Another good thing.
I left the trunk open and sped back into the house. Inside Fiona’s closet, I found a spare comforter and used it to wrap up Sean’s body.
“We’ll talk again soon,” I told Rebecca and sped back to the car before anyone could get a good look at what I was doing.
I slammed the trunk door and gazed around to ensure I was in the clear. A woman was getting out of her minivan a few rows over, but she hadn’t even noticed me yet. An older couple was walking in my direction on the sidewalk, but they were talking to each other, not paying much attention to what else was going on. As they drew closer, the woman glanced over and smiled.
“Good evening,” I said to them both, and they both returned the pleasantry.
It seemed everything was going well so far, so I hopped into the driver’s seat and started the car—or tried to. The engine wouldn’t turn over; the battery seemed to be in the last throes of life.
It always has to be something! I cursed to myself, slamming my palms against the steering wheel almost hard enough to bend it.
I didn’t feel good about leaving Sean there, so I brought my Land Rover over and moved Sean’s wrapped body into my trunk. I’d have to retrieve his car later, but it was the last thing I needed to worry about. Last, I snatched the book bag from his front seat, then sped away in the direction of his house.
I’d been to his house numerous times before, especially during the time Fiona and he were dating. The best way to inconspicuously enter his house was through the side door, which led to the laundry room. If members of his family were home, then the door was usually unlocked. Unfortunately, I couldn’t easily get to his room from outside since it was on the second floor.
I brought the book bag with me as I leapt over the fence and crept through the side yard. There had been cars in the driveway, so that meant both of his parents were home. Sean also had two younger sisters—one a freshman and the other in junior high. One or both of them could also be home, but I didn’t have time to wait for everyone to go to bed.
The side door was open to let in the evening breeze and the screen door was unlocked. Listening for voices, I tried to determine where they were coming from in the house. No one seemed to be currently in the kitchen, just beyond the laundry room. I quietly crept inside and took one more inventory of the sounds from other rooms. No one seemed to notice or react to the creak from the screen door. The sound was probably so typical from family members going in and out, it didn’t raise alarm anymore.
I sprinted through the house and up the stairs, making it to Sean’s room in a few seconds flat. The clock was ticking and I didn’t have the luxury of wasting time, so I thoroughly scoured his room for anything that might have information related to me. I gathered his laptop, a tablet, e
xternal hard drive, several flash drives, and the rest of his stack of pictures that I assumed had been hanging on the walls. A few notebooks lay in a desk drawer, so I took them as well. I stuffed everything into the book bag and was ready to leave when I noticed a small figure standing in the doorway.
“Who’re you?” the girl asked. It was Sean’s youngest sister.
“No one you should remember,” I said, snatching the girl from the doorway, covering her mouth, then cutting off her airflow until she passed out. I didn’t have another syringe with me but wasn’t afraid of her waking up and telling her parents what she thought she saw.
I carried her limp body to her room and laid her on the floor behind the bed, so no one would notice her from the door. I tried not to focus on the fact I was getting hungry. I gazed down at her sweet, sleeping form and had to fight back the urge to bite into her creamy white neck.
It took all my willpower to resist, but I managed. Once again, I listened for others, determining where my obstacles were. When I was confident I’d accounted for everyone, I raced to get the book bag, then maneuvered my way out of the house, over the fence, and back to the street. I didn’t slow until I reached my SUV.
On the way to Sisters of Mercy, I gave Jack a call to make sure he was there and would be available to help me out.
23
Fiona
When Nurse Dalio guided us to the Common Room after breakfast, Mallory stayed and sat with me. Before sitting down, she went to the bookcase filled with board games and came back with the box for checkers. I’d seen checkers played in old movies, but never played it myself, so Mallory took the time to teach me.
We weren’t exactly talkative, but the game kept us occupied. After a few games of which I didn’t win any, Mallory turned her chair to face the television. We remained at the table together but focused our attentions on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
“I found out my father has another family,” I said during a commercial break.
Mallory swiveled in her chair. “Wow; that’s probably not what you were expecting.”
“It was a bit of a surprise,” I said, thinking back to my strange interaction with him, as well as the time Matthew had let me into my father’s old office. “He has a wife and another daughter.”
“Are you going to look them up?”
“I already did,” I said, ashamed to admit it. “I visited their house the first chance I got. I had to know what they were like.”
“And?” Mallory pressed.
“And the wife’s kind of a bitch.”
Mallory burst out laughing, which caused me to do the same. When we realized we were being rather loud, I glanced around the perimeter, at the vampires supervising the room, to see if our laughter had caught anyone’s attention. A few of them were looking in our direction, so I whispered to Mallory to keep it down.
“I’d probably get along with her,” Mallory said, still smiling from my previous comment.
“I’m not going to confirm or deny that statement,” I said, grabbing one of the checkers chips and spinning it on the table top.
“Oh, come on; you can say it.”
“I just hope I can get to know the daughter one day. It would be nice having a sister again,” I said.
“A sister again? What are you talking about?” Mallory’s smile faded.
“I had a twin sister,” I said. “She was killed when we were kids. I survived, but was left with these scars you’ve previously been so eager to point out.” I touched my right cheek, then adjusted my hair to better cover it.
“Whoa,” she said. “I should have guessed it was from something traumatic, but I never would have guessed it was so morbid. Are you willing to tell me what happened?”
“I don’t really remember the incident itself. We were six. My mother found the front door open and we were outside by the parking lot. A pit bull was loose and attacked Becca. I screamed for help. Mom came running just as the vicious dog attacked me. She saved me, but Becca was already dead by the time the ambulance arrived.”
“I’ve read terrible stories like that online, but never knew someone personally affected by such an event.”
“My mother told me animal control found the dog sometime later,” I said.
“I’d think it was put to sleep. Did your mother sue the owner? Seems like you could have gotten some good money from something like that.”
“Enough to pay the funeral costs.” I sighed. “I don’t know why we weren’t able to get more. We don’t talk about it much. I guess it was better just to move on.”
“I’d want to see those dog owners thrown in jail,” Mallory said. “Maybe after all this and once you’re initiated, you can find them and exact some revenge.”
I shook my head. “Don’t think so. We’ve plenty more things to worry about.”
“Maybe, I’ll help you.”
“That’s okay.”
Mallory shrugged and turned back toward the television. “Think about it.”
We went back to occupying the table in silence while we watched more of the Tonight Show. Nurse Dalio came to collect us before the show was over, walking us back to our room. When we got back, there was already a large, muscular man waiting. He smiled wide at the sight of us, his fangs already extended, making the smile much more fiendish than friendly.
“This is Mr. White and he’ll be your first guest for the evening,” Nurse Dalio said. “You all behave yourselves.”
Mallory and I both hovered in the doorway, but the nurse was quick to shove us into the room, so she could close the door. Mallory regained her balance, but I spilled onto the floor—right at the man’s feet. I raised my gaze to meet his emerald eyes. His face was free of wrinkles, but he had long, radiant gray hair, streaked with black. His neck was nearly as thick as his head and his muscles were nearly ripping the seams of his black tee-shirt.
Mr. White turned his gaze away from me, searching out Mallory, who had backed up against the far wall, opposite the beds. Without saying a word, he stalked toward her and swiped at her uniform top, catching the fabric and pulling her toward him.
Mallory elbowed him in the neck, which would probably have dropped a human man, even one of his size. But her attack didn’t even faze this beast of a man. He grabbed a fistful of her hair, jerking her head to the side and quickly sinking his fangs into her neck. She continued to fight—clawing at him and kneeing him in the groin. Her onslaught had little effect, other than angering him.
Mr. White came up for air but still held tightly to her hair, fixing her in place. “You are a feisty one,” he said in a deep voice. “And if I had more time, I know I’d enjoy our time together.”
“You sicken me!” Mallory snapped and spat in his face.
Instead of responding, he tossed her to the side. Mallory violently crashed over the toilet and slammed her head into the metal sink on the far side before crumpling to the floor. Immediately, blood began pooling around her head.
I gasped and wanted to run to her, but Mr. White was already staring in my direction.
“All they had to do was pay up,” he said, inching closer. “Your accident was just a warning. Did she really think she was going to get away with killing a member of the Order?”
“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, scooting backward on the floor. I was abruptly stopped by hitting Mallory’s bed.
“Your mother,” he growled. “We have it on good authority she was responsible for killing the Order representative tasked with carrying out the warning.”
“What warning? What are you talking about?”
“Your car accident.”
“Our accident was due to a coyote running across the road,” I said, so confused. I glanced back at Mallory, who still wasn’t moving, the blood from her head wound still spreading.
“You’re in here, seeing what is all around you, yet you still don’t see,” he said ominously. “No matter. Your mother takes one of ours; we take one from her. Goodnight,
little princess.”
Then he was pulling me to my feet by my hair and forcing me down onto the bed. He gave out a bloodcurdling roar before leaning in to feast on my blood. But unlike all the others, I was certain he had no intention of stopping.
24
Matthew
I was cautious walking through the parking lot of Sisters of Mercy, which was full now it was after dark. I wasn’t going to be surprised by some stray animal again.
There wasn’t time to exchange pleasantries with the reception nurse, so I barreled on through the facility, straight to Jack’s office. He didn’t look up from his computer when I barged into the room and dropped the book bag on a chair.
“This is everything, I said, removing all the electronics from the bag and piling them onto Jack’s desk.
“Come on, Matthew. Don’t mess up my papers. Everything’s exactly where I want it.”
“It’s all a jumbled mess,” I scoffed.
“Only I understand the organization,” he countered.
“So, like I said on the phone…if you can go through his computer and erase anything associated with me, including cloud storage and whatever email accounts you can hack into.”
“I know; I know,” Jack said, putting his laptop aside to make room for everything dumped on his desk. “It’s going to take me a few hours.”
“That’s fine, but we don’t have much more than that. I need to get everything put back before he wakes up.”
“Where’s he now?”
“In my trunk.”
Jack shook his head disapprovingly. “I’ll work as fast as I can. Is this everything now?”
“I think so.” I went through all the bag pockets to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything, then confirmed that yes, it was everything.
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