HUNTERS OF DARKNESS

Darkness meant the vampires would be active and Wendy expected the country club where she had met the vampire matriarch to be a beehive of activity, but things seemed quiet. This was the night that Lady Roeskellov was supposed to fly back to Europe and Wendy hoped to catch her before she departed.

Nobody was at the door this night and she pulled one of them open and stormed in. Her new predapire status had her confidence higher than it had ever been, perhaps a little too much.

The ballroom within was empty of people and she strode across it without fear. Nobody was about and the place was very quiet. On the other end was the door that led to the matriarch’s private suite and she wasted no time arriving there, yanking the door open in one fluid motion.

Lady Roeskellov was sitting where she had been before, but this time she stood as Wendy stormed in. Two of her bodyguards, who were very big, very well dressed vampires like those before, were at her sides and appeared to be ready, moving swiftly to intercept the young predapire as she approached.

Seeing them, Wendy warned, “You boys might want to think twice about that.”

As she had witnessed vampires do before, the two suddenly moved too swiftly for the human eye to keep up with, but this time Wendy was not seeing them with human eyes. Yes, they were fast, but she tracked them both easily and as they were upon her she responded too quickly for them to react, torpedoing her palms simultaneously into their chests as they reached her and knocking them across the room. There were three more in the matriarch’s entourage, a man and two women, and the man rushed forward in a blur. Wendy grabbed his forearm and twisted and he was flipped over almost effortlessly to slam onto the floor hard on his back. The larger of the two women vampires strode forward and stopped halfway between Roeskellov and Wendy, setting herself for a savage fight, but the advancing predapire head-butted her and brushed her aside as easily as she had done the others. One escort remained, and she did not look like she was up to fighting, her wide eyes locked on the predapire as she backed away a step.

Wendy stopped only three feet away from the matriarch and stared back into her eyes for long seconds.

Lady Roeskellov raised her chin slightly. Her eyes were held wide and locked on the young woman in front of her and for the first time there was a little fear there.

“I didn’t come to fight,” Wendy assured.

The vampire matriarch countered, “That is not what I see.”

“I only want to be heard,” Wendy insisted. “Believe me. If I had come to kill you then I wouldn’t be here alone and unarmed.”

“A bold move,” Roeskellov commended. “What makes you think you’ll leave here alive?”

Raising her brow slightly, Wendy replied, “It seemed like we’d made some kind of connection the last time we talked. I’m hoping we can again.”

Roeskellov folded her arms, her brow low over her eyes.

“It’s important,” Wendy urged.

“Just do what you came here to do,” the matriarch ordered with hard words.

Wendy glanced around at the vampires who had gathered around her, though at a safe distance. She drew a breath and released it slowly, looking back to this imposing vampire and trying not to openly feel impatient with her. With a little nod, she softly observed, “You know what I’ve become then.”

“Yes,” Lady Roeskellov confirmed.

“I’m still Wendy Shaw in here,” she insisted.

Shaking her head, the matriarch hissed, “You were never one of us.”

“But you made me feel accepted anyway,” Wendy countered, “and I haven’t forgotten that.”

“Then that was my mistake,” Roeskellov said spitefully. “If you did not come here to kill me then just go.” She gracefully took her seat, settling her arms on the armrests. “I’ll not have you in my presence another moment.”

When the matriarch looked away, Wendy set her jaw. She slowly turned away but only made it a step before she stopped and folded her arms, looking to the ceiling. “I guess this war is entirely your problem then, isn’t it?” When Roeskellov did not respond, she continued, “It looks like Sebastian is going to blindside you and he’ll have taken over before you realize it.” She sighed loudly. “I guess the others were right. We should just sit this one out and watch you guys kill each other off.”

“You must think me a fool,” the matriarch finally observed.

Wendy turned back to her. “If I thought that then I’d let him take you out, or I would just do it myself. Don’t you think there are more predapires than just me?”

The vampire’s neck stiffened and the others around them became uneasy.

Roeskellov crossed her legs beneath the heavy skirts she wore. “You and one other that we know of. Your kind are being watched, child, and don’t think that we don’t know who they are and how many.”

Wendy smiled. “I’d love to have you in a poker game, lady. You bluff like an amateur.” When the matriarch’s eyes narrowed, she went on, “The predapires are a huge threat to you so if you knew all about where they are and who they are you would already have taken them out. Truth is you don’t have any idea and you’ve been hiding behind everything you can to try and not be noticed. You’re scared shit-less of us and you know it.”

Lady Roeskellov glared back and ground her teeth.

Raising her brow, Wendy went on, “Why don’t we just can the crap and talk about what’s really on your mind. You think I’m a traitor because I’m a predapire now. Well I have news for you, lady. I didn’t make the choice. Again! I’ve had people pulling my strings most of my life and I’m sick to death of it! I came here because you’re about to go to war with these renegade clans and I wanted to help your side out. Problem is you’re to God damned pig-headed to realize what’s right in front of you!”

The matriarch sprang to her feet and hissed, “How dare you?”

Wendy stepped right up to her, raising her chin slightly to look up at the slightly taller woman from only inches away as she shouted, “Do something about it, bitch! Come on! I came here to help you out and you’re treating me like I just shot your dog or something. You want to throw down then let’s do it!”

“Leave,” the vampire hissed.

“And then what? I had to convince the others to let me come here and now you’re blowing it.”

“I said get out,” Roeskellov ordered.

Setting her hands on her hips, Wendy asked, “So what makes you think I’d leave without killing you first?”

“You would not leave here alive if you did,” the vampire replied through clenched teeth. “I’ve been gracious enough to allow you to leave here with your life. Take that gift and go.”

Wendy dared to smile at her. “I think you like me.”

Roeskellov set her hands on her hips and looked away. “I said go.”

“I kind of like you, too,” Wendy admitted.

The matriarch ground her teeth.

Wendy changed tactics yet again. Slowly, she knelt down, looking up at the vampire matriarch, daring to take her hand. Softly, and with a vulnerable tone to her voice she begged, “Please listen to me. Please let me help. The other predapires know where you are and they are ready to come in and kill every vampire here. You were nice to me and I don’t want them to do that.”

Still looking across the room, the matriarch grumbled, “Why should I trust you?”

“Because you know in your heart you should,” Wendy replied.

The matriarch finally looked down to her. “Do you think you have the power to kill me?”

“I know I do,” Wendy replied, “just not the desire.”

Lady Roeskellov just stared down at her for long seconds, then she pulled her hand free and sat back down. In her ancient eyes Wendy could see the conflict she was facing, and she could see how the vampire wanted to trust her.

Looking away, the vampire gestured and ordered in a scolding voice, “Get up off of the floor, child.”

Wendy stood and folded her hands before her.

The matriarch’s mouth tightened to a thin slit. After a moment of consideration, she said, “I will speak to the leader of your people. Since you already know where I am and where my clan will be then just bring him here in two nights. I will delay my journey back to the Old Country and we will discuss matters then.”

Wendy nodded. “I’ll pass that along.”

Roeskellov finally looked back to her. “Do you think you can keep your people from killing any more of mine until then?”

“I’ll work on it,” Wendy assured. “Right now we’re more worried about Sebastian and his bunch. We have Vanessa so we’ll see what she knows.”

The matriarch’s eyes narrowed. “You did not kill her during your escape?”

“Sure didn’t,” Wendy replied, “and I’m not going to let anyone else hurt her either.” Her eyes narrowed. “Anyone. She wants away from Sebastian and I’m going to help her.”

Raising her chin, Roeskellov observed, “I’ve never heard of one of your kind showing such compassion to one of us.”

“Yeah,” Wendy said dismissively, “I’m kind of new and I’ve always had problems with the rules.”

“She will have to feed tonight,” the matriarch informed. “Sebastian’s loyals will be available for her, but he will know if she visits them.” She looked to one of the vampire women at her side. “Supply her the address of the loyals we use who have not been fed on as of yet, those who Sebastian is unaware of.” She looked back to Wendy. “I will see you in two nights.”

Wendy nodded and turned to leave, pausing only a few steps later to half turn and look back at the vampire matriarch, arching her brow as she offered, “Sorry about calling you a bitch.”

Lady Roeskellov smiled and folded her hands in her lap. “I suppose it takes one to know one, my dear.”

Wendy arrived back at Ryan’s house and gently closed the door behind her, her eyes darting from one scornful predapire to the next as they confronted her right inside.

And Ryan looked really angry.

He folded his arms, approaching to within a foot of her as he glared back at her and growled, “Just let the little night walker live. She needs our help and she’s willing to help us in return. Well here’s a news bulletin for you, Red: She’s gone!”

Wendy found herself a little surprised but retained her composure as she always did. Raising her brow, she asked, “Did she take the bear?” When Ryan nodded she continued, “Did she take the blanket?”

He nodded again.

“Did you look under the bed?” she questioned.

He glared back for a few long seconds, then slowly turned and looked to the other two.

Wendy pushed past him and shook her head as she strode toward the back bedroom. “How in the world did you make detective before me?”

Inside, the bedroom light was still on, the linens were a mess and as reported the blanket and bear were gone. There was nothing to indicate that anyone was still in there, nothing at all.

Wendy knelt down beside the bed, which sat just a foot off the ground, and got down on all fours, finally lying to her belly to peer underneath. In the darkness her predapire eyes could see the slight vampire on her belly with one leg drawn up to her beneath the blanket, and she was hugging the teddy bear tightly to her. Her eyes were wide and fearful. The girl was terrified.

“Well hi,” Wendy greeted as if talking to a puppy. “What are you doing under there?” When the girl tensed up and tried to curl up tighter, Wendy prodded, “Come on, now. Let’s get out of there and go out to dinner, okay?”

Vanessa shook her head.

“Oh, come on,” Wendy urged. “It’s time to get up.” When the girl shook her head again she warned, “Don’t make me come in there and get you.”

“They’re going to kill me,” Vanessa whimpered.

“No they aren’t,” Wendy assured. “You know how guys talk, all tough and macho. Come on out. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.

Vanessa turned her eyes away and considered. Ever so slowly, she reached out and moved toward Wendy with hesitant and fearful movements. Wendy took her hand and backed away, pulling gently to get her out. In short order she was out and standing with the blanket still draped over one shoulder and the bear in the embrace of both arms. Her gaze was on the floor and her eyes were held wide.

Wendy rubbed her shoulder and comforted, “Hey, girlfriend. You’re okay. Let’s get out of here and go out on the town. I know a place where you can get a bite to drink.”

Vanessa finally glanced at her.

Slowly and gently, Wendy took her hand. “Come on. Let’s get out of here and away from the boys for a while.”

Merrill entered, his eyes on the little vampire and held in an almost animalistic rage. He paused in the doorway for only a second before storming forward. “There’s that little—”

Wendy slammed her palm into his chest and stopped him cold, warning, “Back off, buddy, and do it right now.”

His eyes shifted to her. “Look, newbie…”

Turning fully on him, she did not seem at all intimidated by his superior size as she stepped toward him and snarled, “I said back the hell off and do it now!”

Ryan had approached from behind him and took his shoulder. “It’s okay, Mel. This night walker’s with us.”

Merrill half turned his head and growled, “I don’t like this, Ryan.”

“Just deal with it for now,” Ryan ordered, looking to Wendy. “Nobody hurts this one until further notice, got it?”

Backing away a step, Merrill’s eyes were locked on the slight vampire girl in a deadly stare. Nodding, he grumbled, “Okay, we’ll keep this one alive.” He turned to leave, adding, “For now,” as he departed.

Ryan locked his gaze on Wendy and warned, “You’d better know what you’re doing, Red.”

“Got it covered, Handsome,” she assured. Taking Vanessa’s hand, she led her to the door and pushed Ryan toward it, urging, “Come on. We have somewhere to go.”

This place was a contrast to the country club setting where Lady Roeskellov entertained her audiences and held court. This was an older apartment building surrounded by an old iron fence that was painted black, rusty in areas and a few places had bars missing. Overgrown shrubs were cared for from time to time but not often enough to keep them from looking a bit neglected. This was not a place that anyone would give a second look. Brown trimmed windows and white stucco walls were simply not eye catchers, and this was the idea.

Night had fallen hours ago and Wendy did not realize how long it had been since she had slept, nor did she feel any real fatigue. Glancing down at the paper in her hand again, she mumbled, “One thirteen. How fitting.” She looked over her shoulder at Vanessa, who followed close behind. “Have you ever been here before?”

The vampire girl shook her head.

“Then hopefully Sebastian hasn’t, either.” Looking to Ryan, who glanced about as he brought up the rear, she asked, “Do you need a stiff drink or something?”

“I don’t like this,” he grumbled.

“So you’ve said,” she confirmed, looking forward again, finishing under her breath, “the whole freaking trip here.”

Finally finding the apartment they were looking for, Wendy knocked on the door and shoved the paper into her back pocket as they waited, and they did not wait long.

The door opened and a young man of about nineteen years peered out. He had well groomed brown hair down to his shoulders and was a very attractive young man with dark brown eyes and a rather tan complexion that was free of blemishes and scars. Opening the door further, he revealed that he was wearing a long sleeved, silk shirt that was crimson red and white trousers. He did not seem nervous, more inquisitive as he looked them all over.

“Hi there,” Wendy greeted. “Vanessa, party of three.”

The young man opened the door fully and stepped aside to invite them in. “Yes, we’ve been expecting you.”

Inside, the apartment was very clean, well furnished and very well decorated. Expensive looking paintings were on the walls, the furnishings looked like genuine leather and there was a big screen TV hanging on the wall opposite the sofa. Deep cushioned recliners flanked this. The kitchen was separated from the living room by a granite bar and the cabinets in the kitchen were all oak. Appliances looked new and the red carpet on the floor appeared to have been recently shampooed. Two other people were in the living room, a young man and young woman, and both were sitting on the sofa. They were also dressed in red and white, but the young woman, who had long black hair, wore a tight short skirt. Nobody wore shoes, but they all looked very uneasy.

Looking around her, Wendy nodded and complimented, “Really nice digs you have here.”

“Thank you,” the young man offered as he closed the door. “My name is Adam.” He looked to Vanessa and offered her his hand. “I am for you tonight.”

She took his hand and glanced at Wendy as he led her toward the back bedrooms.

The two on the sofa stood and the girl bade, “Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

Standing by the door, Ryan folded his arms and said, “I’m good.”

Wendy flopped down in one of the deep recliners and reclined back, rolling her head back and closing her eyes. “Oh, when I grow up I want a chair just like this one.”

“May I offer you a massage?” the young man asked.

She looked to him, then to Ryan. With a shrug, she replied, “Um, sure.”

The young woman, barely eighteen if that, strode to Ryan and looked up at him, asking, “Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?”

“Just keep your distance,” he growled back.

She froze where she was, then bowed her head to him and backed away.

The young man squeezed himself behind Wendy’s chair and began to rub her shoulders and neck with expert hands and she moaned at his touch. His eyes did not remain on what he was doing long and he looked to Ryan with a fearful gaze.

Ryan’s brow lifted slightly as he stared back. Looking to the young woman, he ordered, “Get me a pen and something to write on.”

She bowed her head to him and hurried to the kitchen, returning a few seconds later with a pen and a clean pad of paper.

Ryan quickly scratched some words down and then showed them to the fellow who was rubbing Wendy’s shoulders. The young man’s eyes widened slightly and he nodded in subtle motions, glancing at the girl whose attention was still on Ryan as he did. When Ryan motioned to the back bedrooms where Vanessa had been taken, the young man nodded again. He scratched something else on the pad and showed it to the young man, who responded by holding up three fingers.

His eyes narrowing, Ryan ordered, “Go into the kitchen and get me a beer.”

The girl shrugged her shoulders up and timidly reported, “Um, we don’t have any.”

He looked to the young man and snapped, “Drive her to the store and get some beer.”

Quick to spring into action, the young man abandoned Wendy and assured, “Right away, sir. Come on, Kathy.”

Wendy lifted her head and barked, “Hey! I’m not done with him!”

“He’ll be right back,” Ryan assured, moving aside to let them out. When the door closed behind them he reached behind his back and removed his pistol, pulling the slide back and looking to make sure it was loaded. Looking to Wendy, he pointed to his eyes, held up three fingers, bared his teeth and pointed to the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

Wendy deciphered this quickly: Three vampires in the back with Vanessa. She slowly rose and looked that way, then back to Ryan as he stalked toward the hallway. He half turned and offered Wendy the pistol and directed her to the door at the end of the hall, pointed to his eyes again and patted her back.

She nodded, holding the weapon tightly with both hands and cautiously approached the door, listening for any sound. All she heard was a muffled shuffle of some kind, and the creak of what sounded like bedsprings. Then, the high whimper of a girl’s voice, Vanessa’s voice, as if someone was holding a hand over her mouth! Glancing back at Ryan, who had stopped on the other side of the first doorway, she nodded, and when he nodded back she turned back to the door and kicked hit hard.

The door gave with that single kick and Wendy strode into its place, holding the weapon out and ready. Over the sights she saw Vanessa, and the black clad man behind her who held a hand clamped over her mouth while the other was wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides. Terror was in her eyes as she looked back at Wendy with a begging expression. The man holding her was a big fellow and his eyes were locked on her in anger and surprise. He was taller and behind her and she had a clear shot at his head, and when he showed his teeth and fangs and hissed at her she squeezed the trigger and sent her first round right into his forehead, snapping his head back. She followed it with two more in quick succession that also struck his head and he staggered back, stumbled over the bed and fell. Pivoting quickly, she fired twice into the tall vampire woman who lunged at her from the left, but the body shots did not even slow the vampire as she grabbed the gun and reached for Wendy’s throat, forcing her back against the wall. This vampire was extremely powerful and Wendy found she had her hands full with this fight.

Alerted to the commotion, another big vampire man burst from the room down the hall and was quick to charge toward the bedroom, not noticing Ryan behind him until his neck was grabbed. By then it was too late. Ryan hurled him out of the hallway, through the living room and through the granite bar into the kitchen where he slammed into the cabinets on the other side and crumpled to the floor.

Looking back to the wrestling match going on in the bedroom, Ryan shouted, “You okay, Red.”

“Peachy!” she shouted back, still grappling with the vampire woman.

As the vampire in the kitchen rose from the debris of the cabinet and staggered to his feet, Ryan strode toward him with heavy steps and in a second had transformed into the beast that hunted the vampires. Faced with such a nightmare, the vampire was hesitant to act, but he spun around and reached into the debris of the cabinet for a butcher knife, holding it ready as the beast Ryan had become strode fearlessly toward him. He lunged with the knife and the predapire easily caught his forearm, twisting sharply and snapping the bones like twigs, and as the vampire yelled in pain Ryan grabbed his head, forcing it over as his jaws opened and he plunged his predator teeth into the vampire’s neck and easily through long dead flesh and bone. This struggle would be a brief one as the predapire mauled his enemy and ultimately tore him apart.

It was time to call on some police combat training. Knowing never to release her weapon, Wendy spun around and slammed her elbow as hard as she could into the vampire’s face, which snapped her head back. With her enemy stunned, she grabbed the vampire’s wrist and forced the muzzle of the gun right at her face, squeezing the trigger four times in rapid succession and sending the four point-blank rounds through the vampire’s skull.

As her first opponent fell, Wendy looked across the room to see that Vanessa had backed up against the wall, her eyes on the first one as he slowly got to his feet. He looked angry and was baring his teeth as he turned to face his predapire enemy again. The wounds to his head were healing quickly and the bleeding from them had already stopped.

Raising her brow, Wendy asked, “Oh, you want seconds?” She leveled the weapon and fired, hitting him once in the chest before the gun made an empty click with the next pull of the trigger. Looking down at the gun and the slide that was open and awaiting a fresh magazine, she mumbled, “Well shit,” before turning her eyes back to the vampire as he strode toward her. Tossing the gun over her shoulder, she set herself to receive him, and when he was close enough she spun around and kicked him hard into the chest, harder than she had ever kicked before.

Once again he stumbled as he contacted the bed and slammed head-first into the wall right beside Vanessa, who retreated from him as he hit and ended up pressing her back to the corner of the room.

Tearing her eyes from the downed vampire man, the slight vampire looked with wide eyes to Wendy, then behind her, and she pointed, shouting, “Look out!”

Mostly by reflex, Wendy swung her arm and slammed her fist into the side of the woman vampire’s head, knocking her into the wall behind the door. Spinning back, the male vampire was already on his feet and charging and she ducked under his hand and torpedoed her fist into his chest, then brought her knee up into the same spot and finally punched hard downward into the back of his head, and down he went.

Wendy backed away, toward Vanessa as the two vampires got to their feet and turned on her again. Stopping a couple of feet from the wall, she took her combat stance and glanced back at the slight vampire girl, asking, “Little help, girlfriend?”

Vanessa looked terrified, but still she pushed off of the wall and took Wendy’s side, confessing, “I don’t really know how to fight.”

“Go for the chick,” Wendy ordered. “and pretend she’s me that night we first met. I’ll take out the guy and help you as soon as…” She raised her chin and slowly lowered her arms.

The vampires stopped advancing and just stared back for long seconds.

Wendy set her hands on her hips and smiled slightly as she said, “You guys really didn’t plan this out well, did you?”

They looked to each other, then they heard the deep growl from behind and looked over their shoulders as Ryan, still in the form of the vampire killing beast, ducked under the doorway.

Wendy pulled Vanessa to her and grasped the side of her head, turning the girl’s face toward her neck as she informed, “You aren’t going to want to watch this.”

Hearing the first sounds of the bloody fight, Vanessa kept her eyes closed and clung to Wendy until the last sounds were gone. When she started to look, Wendy held her firmly and would not allow her to.

“Come on,” Wendy ordered. “Let’s get back to the living room.” She looked over her shoulder as she left, saying, “Save me a piece, will you?”

Ryan grunted and nodded back.

Back in the living room, they sat down on the couch and Wendy stroked the girl’s hair, asking, “You okay? Did they hurt you?”

Vanessa shook her head, staring blankly down at the coffee table. “They grabbed me as soon as I went in there. The woman got Adam before I could feed.”

Back in full human form, Ryan strode in and pointed to the back room with his thumb, reporting, “One of them killed the kid, broke his neck.”

Vanessa cringed, drawing her shoulders up.

Looking to Ryan, Wendy insisted, “She needs to eat someone. Where did the other two go?”

“Probably still running if they’re smart,” he replied. “Somebody set us up, Red.”

“Yeah,” Wendy said softly, looking back to Vanessa. “Someone set us all up.”

“I thought you said this Roeskellov woman was on board,” he growled.

“I thought she was, too,” Wendy countered with a regretful tone.

Vanessa looked to her and said, “Those were not Lady Roeskellov’s. They were Sebastian’s.”

Confusion took Wendy’s eyes as she protested, “But he didn’t know about this place.”

“Unless someone tipped him off,” Ryan added, “or your Lady Roeskellov thought this would be an easy way to get rid of some of us.”

Shaking her head, Wendy corrected, “She could have done that when I was standing right in front of her. This wasn’t her. It couldn’t have been.”

“Did they follow us here?” Vanessa asked, turning her attention to Ryan.

“No,” Ryan corrected, “they were here waiting for us. Somebody knew we were coming here, and the only people who knew were at that meeting you had with the big vampire lady.”

Wendy considered, slowly stroking Vanessa’s hair as she held her brow low over her eyes. “Ryan, Lady Roeskellov asked me to set up a meeting between our leader and her.” She looked up at him. “She wanted to talk to him about us joining them against the renegade clans.”

Folding his arms, Ryan asked, “And whose idea was that?”

“Might have been mine,” she admitted. “Remember when I said we need to pick a side?”

“I never said I agreed with you,” he reminded.

“Still,” she argued, “it’s better than watching the bloodbath that will ensue if the wrong side wins.” She stood and pulled the vampire girl up with her. “Come on, kids. We’ve got some things to take care of.”

Lady Roeskellov’s eyes narrowed. “Sebastian’s people met you there?”

Wendy’s arms were folded and she nodded. “Waiting in ambush. They knew to expect Vanessa and at least one of us.”

The matriarch looked to the vampire girl who stood beside Wendy, the girl who kept her hands folded before her and her eyes on the floor. She turned her eyes away, to one of the many bodyguards that were always around her. Her gaze found Vanessa again. “It would seem that your clan has elected to operate outside of our laws. That means your clan must be erased.”

Vanessa cringed, drawing her shoulders up.

“I’m with you,” Wendy assured,

“Sadly,” the matriarch added as she gestured to one of her guards and shifted her eyes to Vanessa, “we must start with you.”

Even before the big vampire man could advance Wendy raised her hand to him and barked, “Whoa! She’s not a part of his clan anymore!”

“She always will be,” Roeskellov informed, “and she knows that as well as anyone. As long as she lives, he can see through her and most likely knows more than we would like for him to. I am sorry, Wendy, but this must be.”

Wendy took a step toward her, baring her teeth as she snapped, “You’d better get this straight right now. Anyone who makes a move on her will get to deal with me and all the others.”

All of the vampires exchanged uneasy looks.

All but Roeskellov, whose eyes narrowed as she gripped the armrests of her chair. “You would ask for an alliance with people we have considered our enemies for almost eight hundred years and now you would come in here and demand that I make exceptions to our laws, those laws that have maintained order among the vampire clans for more than half a millennium?”

“Are these the same laws that some of your clans don’t want to live under anymore?” Wendy countered. “You’d better wake up and smell the coffee. She didn’t want to be made by him to begin with and I’ve removed her from that situation.”

“She will always be a part of that clan,” Lady Roeskellov informed.

“Not after we kill Sebastian,” Wendy insisted. “Look. Arguing about this is pointless. I told her I’d look out for her and that’s what I’m going to do, and if Sebastian wants to come for her then I’ll be waiting to rip his head off and shove it up his—”

“Suppose he does not come for her? Suppose he goes into hiding to quietly build his forces against us. Then he will still be able to see through her and know what your activities entail. I can guarantee he already knows about this proposed alliance thanks to you keeping her at your side.”

Wendy gave Vanessa a long, hard stare, then she looked back to the matriarch and asked, “Does it work both ways?”

Half turning her head, Roeskellov suspiciously asked, “Does what work both ways?”

“Can we see into him through her?”

The matriarch’s attention shifted to Vanessa and her eyes narrowed. “It seems that others have done this before. I never have, but I’ve heard of it.”

Raising her brow, Wendy said, “Well I have no clue how to do that.”

“One of great power can,” Lady Roeskellov informed absently as she studied the vampire girl. Beckoning, she ordered, “Come here, child.”

Vanessa fearfully glanced at Wendy and cringed at the command, but hesitantly closed the space between her and the matriarch and knelt down before her.

Wendy approached from behind and placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders, warning, “Remember what I said about not hurting her.”

Lady Roeskellov shot her an impatient glance as she leaned forward and grasped the sides of the girl’s head. She bored into her with her mind and demanded, “Tell me what you see, child.”

Wendy squeezed her shoulders and soothed, “Just relax, girlfriend. Concentrate on what Sebastian is doing.”

Drawing a breath, Vanessa nodded and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She shuddered, then reported in a meek voice, “There’s a girl. She is very afraid.”

Lady Roeskellov closed her eyes, nodding as she confirmed, “I see her.”

“She’s so afraid,” Vanessa breathed. “What is he doing?” She shrieked, breaking away from the grasps of both women as she stumbled to her feet, only to fall to the floor again, holding herself up with her palms as she cried, “He’s doing it to her, too! He’s doing what he did to me!” She sucked in breaths in short gasps, glancing fearfully around her.

Wendy rushed to her and crouched down, collecting the girl in her arms. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s gone.”

“No,” Vanessa wept, “it isn’t. He’s taking another girl!”

Looking over her shoulder to the matriarch, Wendy asked, “Can we break the hold he has on her?”

“He will have to be killed to do that,” Roeskellov replied grimly.

Wendy turned her attention back to the vampire girl and gently stroked her hair, asking in a calm, reassuring voice, “Do you know where he is?”

Vanessa shook her head, staring into the distance as she softly replied, “No, I don’t recognize it. He isn’t at the mansion.”

“Found him some new digs,” Wendy snarled. Standing, she pulled Vanessa up and ordered, “Come on, girlfriend. We got work to do.” She looked to Lady Roeskellov and advised, “You guys might want to stay away from that mansion.”

“Some of his people are likely to still be there,” the matriarch informed.

Nodding, Wendy confirmed, “Exactly, and they’ll be expecting a visit from you, and it’ll be a prime opportunity to take you out and anyone loyal to you.”

Roeskellov clenched her teeth and softly said, “I see.”

“Just sit tight,” Wendy advised. “If you find out anything let me know. I’ll leave my new cell number with one of your guys on the way out.”

As she watched Wendy lead the distraught vampire girl from her presence, the matriarch called after her, “Be careful, child, and do not underestimate him.”

Vanessa entered Ryan’s front door right ahead of Wendy, shaking her head as she complained, “Because everyone wants to kill me! Sebastian wants to kill me, your people want to kill me, Lady Roeskellov wants to kill me…”

“Oh, would you just get over it!” Wendy barked. “You talk like everything is about you!”

“Lately everything is about killing me.”

They paused right inside as they saw the tree men staring at them. Leon was seated on the couch and looking over his shoulder at them. Merrill had just emerged from the kitchen, carrying a bowl and stirring something in it with a wooden spoon. Ryan had stood from the chair he was seated in, his arms folded over that big chest as his eyes were locked on them.”

Though Vanessa was hesitant to enter further and just stood there, fearfully staring back, Wendy walked past her and greeted, “Hey, guys. You didn’t have to wait up for us.”

“How did it go?” Ryan asked.

Wendy flopped down on the couch beside Leon and replied, “She didn’t seem to know anything and acted a little surprised when I told her Sebastian’s people were there waiting for us.”

He motioned to Vanessa with his head. “Does she agree that one is still a threat?”

Her eyes flared and she warned, “Don’t start! Yeah Sebastian can see through her, but we discovered that it works the other way, too.”

The predapire men all glanced at each other.

Wendy continued, “With Lady Roeskellov’s help we were able to catch a glimpse of what he was doing.” She looked to each of them in turn. “He’s got another girl and it looks like he’s doing the same to her that he did to Nessa and me.”

“Not good,” Merrill grumbled.

“Oh,” Wendy assured, “It gets worse. We feel that he’s turning more people to build an army to take control from the Roeskellovs. That goes against this vampire code of theirs, but it looks like he doesn’t care anymore. Now that we’re in the picture he’s going to accelerate what he’s doing and we can look for bodies to start piling up as they feed.”

Leon observed, “We haven’t seen that many so far.”

Vanessa had approached quietly and offered, “He is breaking away from the aristocrats and the laws mean little to him. We’re not supposed to kill when we feed, but he doesn’t care about the laws anymore. Also, he acts civilized, but he has a temper.”

“Don’t we know it,” Wendy added, looking back at her.

Ryan slowly strode toward the slight vampire girl, his gaze fixed on her. She was afraid of him, terrified, but she did not retreat from him, rather she crossed her arms over her belly and turned her eyes down.

Folding his arms again as he loomed over her, he asked in an authoritative voice, “Can you feed without killing?”

She would not look back at him but timidly replied, “I do not like to kill, and I prefer not to.”

He looked back to Merrill.

Merrill nodded and turned back toward the kitchen. “Sun will be up in a couple of hours, so I’ll go ahead and make the call.”

Wendy stood, concern in her eyes as she stammered, “Wha—Wait a minute. What call?”

Ryan turned and strode back into the living room as he replied, “Merrill knows this crazy Goth group that believes in all of the blood drinking rituals and all that. One or two of them are apparently really good customers and are wrapped up in it enough to be some kind of… Well, I’m not sure there’s even a word for it. They’ve asked him before if he knows anyone who would like to join their group.”

Leon added, “We just have to be careful that nobody drinks from her.”

Vanessa raised her brow and mumbled, “Yes, that would be very bad if they did.”

Wendy set her hands on her hips and smiled, looking back and forth from Leon to Ryan. “You know, it’s good to see you boys finally coming around to help take care of her.”

An hour later the knock on the door came that they had been waiting for and Wendy sprang that way to answer it. When she opened the door she found herself looking at three people, all in their mid or late twenties. All of them had their hair dyed black, had very pale skin and were dressed in black. Two of them were women and the other was man with a black goatee. He stood behind them, and he was the one who spoke.

Raising his chin as the women kept their heads down, he greeted, “I am called Morpheus and I am looking for he who has summoned us.”

Wendy blinked as she stared back at them, then finally declared, “Oh! Merrill called you.” She stepped aside and extended her hand, offering, “Come on in.”

They entered to find candles lit, per Merrill’s instructions, and nobody else in the house.

Morpheus stopped in the middle of the living room with the two women and looked about him. “He said there is one here who wishes to feed on blood and I have brought two who wish to be offerings.”

“Great!” Wendy said as she stopped behind them. “The boys stepped out for a while so it’s just us.”

“We must leave at sunup,” he continued, turning to look to her, “so we must begin soon.”

“Got ya,” she confirmed. “I’ll just go get her.”

She rushed from the living room, to the bedroom where Vanessa waited, took her hand, and drug her into the living room. Holding the vampire girl in front of her by the shoulders, she announced, “Ladies and gentleman, I present the vampire Vanessa.”

They all bowed to her.

Her brow arched, Vanessa looked over her shoulder to Wendy.

“Just go with it!” Wendy hissed.

The two women strode step for slow step toward her, keeping their heads down as they stopped only a couple of feet away.

Vanessa looked to them in turn, then looked back to Wendy and whispered, “But I’m not that hungry.”

Setting her hands on her hips, Wendy scolded, “Young lady, you eat all your dinner or no dessert!” She raised a brow slightly. “And I think Morpheus over there is the dessert.” Clapping her hands together, she said for all, “Come on, people. Let’s get to the living room and get comfortable.”

She ushered them all into the living room and sat Vanessa on the middle of the sofa. One of the girls sat to her left, reached behind her head and pulled her hair over one shoulder. When she finally looked to Vanessa, finally made eye contact, there was an eagerness in her eyes over what was to come and she turned her head to the right, offering the left side of her neck and throat.

Slowly and gently, Vanessa slipped a hand around the girl’s neck, holding her in position, and she assured in a whisper, “This won’t hurt at all.”

Closing her eyes, the girl leaned her head back more and pled, “Hurt me all you like, Mistress Vanessa.”

Wendy watched with a certain sense of awe as the vampire girl fed. This was almost a sensual act and she was very gentle with those who offered her their blood. She seemed to know right when to stop and kissed the wound with her mouth and tongue to stop the bleeding.

Seemingly out of breath, the girl met Vanessa’s eyes and whispered, “Thank you.” With that she rose from the sofa and stepped aside for the other to take her place.

Vanessa fed slowly from each of them and for about the same amount of time, and was clearly careful not to drink too much from them. It was obvious that she had done this many times and was still a creature of conscience despite her life as a vampire. Having finished the second, she watched her stand and looked up to them, nodding to them and offering, “Thank you. I feel all right now.”

The second young woman slowly raised a hand to her neck, just the hint of a smile on her lips as she breathed, “You are really a vampire.”

Vanessa confirmed this with a little nod and, “Yes. Please don’t tell anyone.”

Morpheus stepped forward, between the women and assured, “Nobody outside of the Covenant will know, and you have our word. I will send someone each night to help sustain you. How many do you need each night?”

She glanced at Wendy, then shrugged. “I… I usually only have one a night, and some nights I don’t feed at all.”

He approached one more step and took her cold hands in his. “I shall convene the Covenant tomorrow evening and we shall draw lots of the volunteers to see who serves you next.”

Turning her eyes down, Vanessa nodded in slight motions and offered, “Thank you.”

The first young woman said, “Thank you for the privilege, Mistress Vampire.”

“Be welcome to the Covenant if you please,” Morpheus offered. “We shall bring offerings to you or we would welcome you among us to choose. Our blood is yours to sustain you and you may bed any of us you like at your bidding.”

Wendy raised her brow and barked, “Orgy? Count me in!” When they all looked to her, she simply barked, “What!”

The volunteers took their leave and departed and Wendy and Vanessa sat down on the sofa.

“How ya feel?” Wendy asked.

Nodding, the vampire girl admitted, “Good, thank you.”

“So,” Wendy started, “we going to do that orgy or what?”

Vanessa’s eyes slid to her, her brow arched over them.

Smiling, Wendy patted her shoulder. “Come on, Blondie. Let’s get you ready for bed.”