Shades of Red

by T L Christianson

  He nodded and threw the rectangle to me.

  Typing in a detailed text message, I sent it to Hazel and Dr. Peters.

  I continued my exploration. Pulling a sheet off in the corner, I found an old desk and an ancient computer. It read IBM and had two 5-inch slots for floppy disks.

  I laughed out loud, “What is this?”

  “That is one of the first real computers.” Karsten stepped closer and flipped the switch, but it didn’t work. “Hold on, I saw an extension cord, I’ll plug it into the power strip the freezer is plugged into.”

  I opened a box that held several neatly labeled disks. “I remember these!” I told him.

  Running back across the room, he flipped the switch, and the machine rewarded us with a hum and green lines across the screen.

  “Do you know how to work this?”

  He nodded, and I handed him the first disk.

  When we finally got it to load, it read:

  January 3, 1983

  The final strain of my human virus has gone global. The transition from monkey to human occurred quicker than I would have predicted. My newly released disease appears to be the most promising…

  I covered my mouth with my hand. “Holy shit.”

  My Viking hovered over my shoulder and startled me when he spoke. “I’m thinking HIV.”

  I turned toward him, and he straightened. “Yeah, I was thinking that too.”

  Reading the screen in stunned excitement, I startled when the doors burst open, hitting the walls.

  Turning, Karsten took a fighting stance, while I stood.

  Three tattered, bug-eaten vamps stood in the center of the room growling and advancing. I examined their desiccated faces and realized that they must’ve been in hibernation for several years.

  “They’re the guardians of the house. I should’ve expected this.” Sten told me, before he advanced toward them menacingly. “Boys, you know why we’re here. Your maker has been doing bad things. You don’t have to get hurt, but if you stay here, I’m going to kill you. All three of you.”

  The tall one drooled, but speaking was beyond his capability at the moment. However, the stocky one ran at Karsten faster than I would’ve thought possible.

  He managed a gargled, “Arrrgh.”

  My Viking spun with his sword, even quicker than my sight could take in. The attacker’s head fell to the floor, while his body took another stop before crumpling into a heap.

  At this, the other two rushed us. Karsten took two steps toward them, slicing both across the stomach. They fell side by side and turned to ash after a moment.

  Half sitting on the edge of the desk in shock, I watched as Karsten cleaned his sword with the shirt of one of his attackers. I knew that my guards from Chronos would be good, but I was shocked. Everything happened so quickly.

  My face must have reflected my thoughts.

  “It had to be done. They wouldn’t have stopped.” He told me.

  “I…” my voice came out in a croak, “I know.” I bit my lip and shoved myself away from the desk.

  Karsten’s gaze penetrated my own, his face grim as his strides ate up the space between us.

  “Are you okay? You look afraid.” His fingers brushed up my arm and pulled the blue paper hood back from my face.

  “Yeah…I’ve never seen anyone do…” I motioned to the bodies, “What you just did before.”

  His fingers tangled in the hair behind my ear. His nearness made my knees grow even weaker, if possible.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Unable to speak, I reached out to touch him but lost my nerve and managed a weak hug.

  Karsten’s phone chimed, and he pulled it from a pocket, saving me from my own awkwardness.

  “The Chronos team is due here tomorrow. They’re going to tag and bag everything.”

  Chapter Eleven

  It was a tedious task, looking through the files on that green computer screen. Most entries were abstract and lacked specifics.

  I ground my teeth as I slipped in another floppy. The computer was extremely slow and hindered any kind of quick reading.

  After disk eight and no hints or progress made, I decided to take a break and check out more of the house.

  Light streamed in through gauzy curtains in the hallway, and I followed it to a staircase.

  The floorboards creaked beneath my feet as I strolled through the second story corridor, peeking into bedrooms here and there.

  At the end of the hallway, I discovered an elaborate master suite. Against the far wall sat a large four-poster bed. Stepping up, I pulled the dust cover off and laughed. It was decked out in Pepto-Bismol pink, and lace. The smell of detergent, floral and clean wafted up to me, beckoning me.

  Feeling sleepy, I climbed up into the center of the bed and closed my eyes. My thirst was coming back, and sometimes sleep helped.

  As hard as I tried, as sleepy as I was, I stayed conscious.

  Turning on my side, I pulled several pillows away and reached my arm under the last pillow to cradle it to my head.

  Thunk.

  My hand hit something. Sitting up, I pulled out a metal box. I pulled on the lock, examining it.

  “Karsten?” I called, “Karsten, I need you!”

  His footsteps echoed through the hallway as he jogged into the empty room.

  I held the box up to him, “Look, can you open it?”

  Sitting on the bed, he pulled out his lock pickers and went to work.

  In only a second, I heard a pop and Karsten handed the box to me.

  When I lifted the lid, several things stood out, a dog collar with tags and a large, flattened, dried flower.

  My Viking picked up the dog's collar in his hand and read the inscription.

  I’M COTTON, IF LOST, CALL 512-389-5772

  “That’s the area code in Texas. I should call it.” I said, taking a photo with my phone.

  “The Butcher had a dog?” He frowned and examined the tag for anything else.

  “I bet it died, and he,” I motioned to the pink walls of the room we sat in, “–Or she–kept the tag.”

  Then I picked up the dried flower, handling it carefully. Ribbons hung from the back, and I realized what it was with excitement. My ex-husband Owen was from Texas, and I knew this type of flower. I’d seen one a few years ago on his younger sister for homecoming at her high school.

  “This is a homecoming mum! Oh my gosh! The Butcher has to have lived in Texas! Maybe he’s still in the US.”

  The flower crumbled a little from my touch. It was a large Chrysanthemum, a very old one. The pastel ribbons were faded and the backing yellowed with age. This was a beloved keepsake, and I felt a little like a voyeur holding and touching something that was apparently so precious.

  Setting the flower to the side, I began removing stacks of different currencies in bundles, when a slip of paper at the bottom caught my eye.

  It was a check, I pulled it out and read it to myself while Sten was preoccupied with the room.

  What the hell?

  Pay to the order of Amelia…signed Aurev Vatia?

  This check was from Aurev. Why would the Butcher have a bank note from my boss?

  I flipped the piece of paper in my fingers.

  A private check for two million dollars, dated five years ago.

  “Hmmm…” I hummed under my breath.

  A cold chill ran up my spine as a thought entered my mind. Did Aurev pay the Butcher to create the Moroi Plague? No, no… But I wasn’t sure. Pressing my lips into a line, I pocketed the clue.

  “This is a girl’s room, everything is pink and ruffles.” Karsten’s voice broke me from my thoughts. Wandering around and examining the space, he continued to expose the furniture.

  One last item was in the box–a large brass ring that held maybe a dozen keys.

  I schlepped myself off the bed and examined them. Then, meandering over to the fireplace, I pulled the dust cover off a large lump to reveal a couch. It m
atched the rest of the décor, flowery and mauve.

  “Did it cross your mind that the girl we met is the Butcher?” I asked.

  “I think this room belonged to her, the girl Amy. I smell her here.”

  Pulling on another sheet, I sent a billowing cloud of dust through the air, revealing a pink painted vanity.

  “I don’t know, something is off. This is the master bedroom. It should’ve belonged to the owner of the house and the lab.”

  “Do you think those two are together, together?” I asked in disgust. “It makes sense.” I sighed and sat down on the pastel sofa thinking of Aurev’s check. “Do you think that maybe one of the Moroi clans has been helping him?”

  Karsten gave me a grim smile. “I hope not. Why?”

  “Just a thought. Why hasn’t he been caught until now?”

  Sitting across from me, he asked, “You worked with Forest, the private investigator?” I nodded, and he continued, “I’ve heard of him–why did you hire him specifically?”

  We both spoke at the same time, saying the same thing. “Aurev.”

  “Right,” he continued, “The question is, why hasn’t Aurev gone after the Butcher before?” Sten nodded. “We’ll find him.” Then he reached out to me. “Hand me the keys. I have an idea.”

  I followed him downstairs and out the back door. It led to an old detached garage. After trying a few keys, Karsten unlocked the deadbolt, and the door swung inward.

  “Did you ever think that the Butcher might not know how to cure the plague?” He asked me.

  The thought had crossed my mind, but I didn’t want it to be true.

  “If I made a disease as terrible as OVC, I would make sure that I had a way to cure it.”

  Shoving those thoughts into the back of my mind, I pushed past him into the dusty garage. The space held four parking spots, and three tarp-covered vehicles. An SUV, a car and a motorcycle.

  My Viking pulled the tarp off the motorcycle and began searching the contents. He found a bag of old beef jerky and a lighter.

  Making my way to the car, I began to search the inside. It was a small compact thing from a company I’d never heard of before. Opening the glove box, I looked at the registration. The owner was apparently a jokester.

  I snorted, “This car’s registered to Marilyn Monroe.”

  Looking over my shoulder, I noticed Sten shaking his head, a smile curving his mouth. “Yeah, this one is registered to Babe Ruth. Find anything else?”

  “No, you?”

  “Nothing yet. Check under the seats.” He moved toward the SUV and pulled the tarp off.

  I bent and looked under the seat. There was a hair tie, a pen, and an empty paper wrapper. “Nothing here.”

  In a flash, Karsten was by me. I should be used to vampire speed by now, but I’m really not.

  He spoke, “The girl was here. I’m starting to believe she has more to do with the Butcher than we originally thought.”

  “I agree,” I said, as I straightened. “I think we should go to Texas next. That phone number on the dog tag is from the Austin area.”

  The early light from the windows filtered in and highlighted large motes of dust.

  If I were still human, I’d sneeze like crazy. But I wasn’t, and I didn’t.

  Slumping down beside the car, I rested my head on my knees. Sten stayed standing, feet apart in his soldier stance.

  “What does this all mean?” I asked myself aloud, my brain grinding like a fork in a blender. “Every step we take, we’re always too late. What other crazy diseases are in that freezer? What is the Butcher trying to do? Is he just crazy or does he have some kind of twisted mission?”

  Sten crouched down before me and stroked my hair down the back of my neck before settling his hand on my arm. “Lille heks, we’re at the beginning. There has to be more than this, and there is. We’ll find it.”

  Gazing up into his eyes, I found them full of earnestness.

  “Thank you for being here, I know I’m pushing you beyond your job description.”

  His eyes searched my face, “I’m here to help you, whatever it takes.” Karsten stood and pulled me to my feet.

  His gaze flicked from my mouth to my eyes and back. I couldn’t help but do the same. He hadn’t shaved in several days, and I longed to reach out and touch his stubble.

  Boldly, I ran my fingers over his full lips, before forcing myself to turn away–but he didn’t let me go and gently pulled me back into him.

  Bending down toward me, his lips grazed my slightly open mouth.

  When I leaned into him, he nipped at my lip before deepening the kiss. Heat stirred within me, and I responded, my tongue meeting his.

  Reluctantly, we pulled apart, standing between motes of dust.

  “We still need to check the SUV,” I told him.

  Looking over my shoulder, a cocky grin spread across his face. I rolled my eyes and strode to the Land Rover.

  Maybe I swayed my hips a little, but it wasn’t on purpose.

  Chapter Twelve

  I awoke in an empty plane in New York. Stretching, I sat and looked out the window. Karsten was leaning against a town car that sat parked near the plane.

  The interior temperature was warm but cooling, meaning we must’ve landed not too long ago.

  After gathering up my things, I strolled down to the car, donning my sunglasses and a baseball hat. The temperature was cold, making the bright sun feel nice for once.

  Since being turned, I usually hated direct sunlight and could barely tolerate the feel of it on my skin.

  In the car, I popped the top of a bottle of blood I’d taken from the plane and sighed.

  Home.

  “Did you tell the driver to take us to headquarters?” I asked my Viking.

  His mouth quirked up on one corner. “Yeah, I also need to speak to Forest.”

  I cleared my throat and licked my lips, swallowing. “What?”

  Had he seen Aurev’s check?

  “I didn’t know you knew him,” I said, sounding suspicious, but had no idea how to… not seem suspicious.

  He raised an eyebrow at me. “What do you know, Dr. Shepard?”

  I blew out a huff, “We’re beyond that, call me Sarah.”

  He wore a cat ate the canary expression as he practically purred my name, “Sarah… what do you know?”

  I bit the side of my bottom lip, then swallowed. Leaning toward him, I whispered, “What makes you think I know something else?”

  He leaned closer, and his spicy cologne filled my senses, bringing heat to my body and memories of the kiss.

  We sat there as our gazes locked, mere inches apart.

  I waited for him to blink. He waited for me to talk.

  We were both Moroi, so this could go on forever.

  Finally, I spoke, instantly regretting my hasty decision. I wasn’t sure that I really could trust him, but I wanted to. “Fine, I found something.” I pulled out the check from my pocket. It was still folded up.

  His warm hand touched my own longer than necessary as he took the paper from me. After unfolding it, Sten shook his head.

  His eyes crinkled around the edges as his mind worked in thought.

  I asked, “Did you know about this?”

  “No. Why didn’t you show this to me when you found it?” He sounded slightly hurt.

  “I thought this was what you wanted to talk to Forest about.”

  “No, but I’ll add this to the list. I’m skeptical about how he found the Butcher in the first place. Forest knows more than he’s letting on, and this…” He held the check up to me, “is only the edge of the iceberg.”

  “It’s tip of the iceberg.”

  “This is the tip of the iceberg.” He examined the banknote again.

  “Do you know anything about this?” I asked. “Is there any particular reason why you were made my guard at this time?”

  He shook his head, his eyes bright and steady. “I’ve told you everything I know about that.”


  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” He shrugged, and I continued, “That maybe Aurev is involved in the making of OVC. If not, then he’s known what the Butcher or whoever has been doing all these years and he hasn’t stopped it.” I took the check from his hand and turned it over and over in my fingers. “He knows something. He’s involved somehow, and I want to know how.”

  “Right, but we find Forest first.”

  “What? No, I need to get Aurev to talk!” I know my voice was raised, but I couldn’t help my emotion. I’d trusted Aurev, and now I didn’t know what to think. Was he sending me on a wild goose chase or was there another motive behind all of this?

  Karsten stopped my whirling thoughts by covering my hand with his.

  “No, Sarah. Aurev is powerful and ancient in even Moroi society. You cannot simply storm into his office and demand answers.” His gaze penetrated mine. I shook my head, and he held my shoulders. “Listen to me. I’m trying to protect you. When you or both of us speak to him, the time will be right, and we go gently.”

  “…But…”

  The fear in his eyes drained the fight out of me.

  “He can have you killed with a word, and no one would question him. Do you understand?”

  I nodded and was glad that the driver was human and listening to headphones. We’d been way too careless.

  Tears formed at the corners of my eyes and I tried to blink them away. “I don’t understand. Aurev has always been kind to me. I’m just trying to help, why would…”

  I clutched onto Karsten’s button up shirt, my tears falling onto his shoulder.

  “We’ll figure this out. I have to believe Aurev wouldn’t be involved in this. We have to assume nothing. But it’s best to err on the side of caution.”

  I shook my head as he cradled me. “I can’t. He’s involved. We know he’s involved.”

  “Trust me.”

  I wasn’t sure I could trust him, but I wanted to.

  Karsten had been around for a long time and probably had lots of tricks up his sleeve. I was barely a newborn in this world, struggling to figure it out.

  When his lips touched mine, a shiver went through my body. I’d been so lonely, these past years, struggling with my strange addiction. Afraid of hurting humans but wary of other vampires. Sten was different, and when he kissed my neck, I wanted to believe that he was right and I could trust him.