The Man Behind the Vampire (The Silver Series)

by Samantha Bates

  Chapter 3

  Lying on the bed, in the villa he had rented, contemplating his next move, he was still surprised about how all of them left by teleportation. Every single one of them, the wolves and the vampires left together. This huge Amazon woman arrived; shit there was some power in that woman, she was awe inspiring. He had watched as she greeted many of the townspeople from the village, and he watched as all of the Others disappeared with her, taking his quarry. Now what to do, if he went to the village and asked about them too soon, questions would be asked and this could essentially take away his element of surprise. No that certainly wouldn’t be helpful he had been so close before and still lost, his prey was too clever and elusive to risk that.

  Then the solution came, the vibrations in his pocket had alerted him to the message on his cell, ‘email on its way’. Using his superior speed to move he had returned to the villa and checked his emails. Making the call from an untraceable cell he was met with a familiar voice,

  "Are you available for the job?" Good question, was he? Taking a job would give him time for things to settle here, and then he could return and find out more about the visitors,

  "Email me the rest of the details and I will provide you with an answer in 72 hours."

  "And the cost for this service."

  "Depends on the job, an unforgettable warning is between $10-15000, a permanent removal of one person is about $20,000, more than one person, add half again per person."

  "The email is on its way."

  Hanging up he had checked to see the email waiting, opening the attachment he found details of a human male using blackmail to extort money from his employer. The employer was quite a high profile business man who liked to cross dress in his spare time. This employee had pictures of him and was using these to extort money, this alone was not reason enough to take out the man. But within 10 minutes he had hacked into the local police records and saw that on at least two occasions, the wife had been admitted to the local hospital, once with a wrist fracture (records say she slipped) and the other with a broken cheekbone (she banged herself on the dining room table), this had been enough reason to check out the job.

  Immediately he packed his things, within four hours he was heading to France. Calculating one week watching before the job, another two to execute it, timing was great. In a couple of weeks he could return and find out where his prey had returned to. He had waited a very long time for this moment.

  Chapter 4

  Entering the station Darius parked the car as Mitch roared up next to him on his motorcycle; the guy just hated cars, apparently the feeling of being closed into the space made him feel slightly claustrophobic. Darius could understand this, as a warrior for the Gods and Goddesses, Mitch had been sent to New York for some reason yet to be given. All they did know was that when things went bad which inevitably was quite often, Mitch was there beside them.

  Mitch didn’t really talk about his life in the heavens, although Darius knew that when he was in the heavens he had wings, here he didn’t. Being on the motorcycle was the closest he had to feeling the wind run through him and he made the most of it. He had to be the most outgoing guy he had ever met, with every intention of making the most of his time on earth. The guy spent most of his time when off the job partying hard and playing even harder, often with Darius for company.

  He and Mitch were employed in the Paranormal Task Force, part of the police force that dealt with the other species involved in criminal activities. After all the species became known in society, it took a few years for the politicians to realise that normal laws were useless against other species. A few years after that, new laws were developed, agreements made by the heads of species and the result was the emergence of the PTF.

  Members used glamour to disguise themselves during the shifts just for safety reasons it would really suck to be recognised when out in the street unarmed and alone. Mitch was the only one of the PTF that didn’t use glamour on shift to protect his identity. The job was hard enough as it was, letting every weird and dangerous predator know who they were, was just asking for trouble.

  The PTF was fronted by an accountancy firm protecting the operation behind the scenes. In fact from the front there was a respectable accountancy firm that truly did run from here. Behind the scenes was a rather large police headquarters, specifically designed to house the Other species that could not be contained in a normal prison. The cells were built out of steel, coated in silver, the wards prevented people using magic, and the bars of the cells were blessed weekly by a local priest whose memories were removed before he left.

  The PTF ran from one main office, at one end Josie, the only human currently working with them ran all the computers and technology. The tall redheaded woman was a genius who tended to keep irregular hours, coming in specifically when they needed her expertise but she was also available on 24 hour call out. More recently Imogen who was mated to Theo in the wolf pack had started coming in to assist Josie. Wanda their resident witch had a room off to the side where she translated spells and brewed potions. The room always had some sweet smell drifting out permeating the air. The PTF ran two shift rotations each with 12 members, in addition to Bastian a high level warlock who headed the PTF. When Bastian was unavailable Darius stepped in.

  The Other species had only formally been out in society and living openly with the humans for about fifteen years, the PTF had only officially been established about 10 years or so ago. Darius had been one of their first employees, it was a decision that he had never regretted. He had seen firsthand the suffering humans could inflict on each other, then after he had been turned, he had seen the suffering Other stronger species could inflict on each other and humans. When the decision had been made for Other species to live openly with humans, Darius had seen the huge benefits of this, but he had also been prepared for the huge risks that would accompany this.

  Lucky had joined the PTF about 18 months after they went operational, initially he had reservations about partnering a human, but she had more than proven her worth. When Ben the Alpha of Silver Pack, and his best friend, had found out he was joining the PTF he was livid. Ben was fiercely protective of everyone he knew and he didn’t see the point in Darius deliberately putting himself in harm's way. When he later found out Darius was to be partnered with a human he was furious, which amused Darius. However when Ben and Lucky had a chance encounter and Ben declared she was his mate, his attitude changed. Ben then put it on Darius to make sure Lucky was safe. Looking back Ben chasing a woman was hysterical; the single, strong Alpha had given no indication that he wanted a mate. The fact that Darius knew the woman was even more hysterical.

  Mitch joined the PTF about the same time as Lucky, no one thought it a coincidence at the time. What they weren’t aware of then, was that Lucky and her offspring were crucial to the order of the world at some point in the future. Mitch was here to assist in making sure the order of the universe was kept, that was the extent of anyone's knowledge of what was going to happen in the future.

  "Hey D, how was your weekend? Missed you in the club, Silver's was heaving."

  The Silver Wolf Pack owned several bars and a nightclub in New York; all were popular with both humans and Other species. Darius and Mitch often went to either the bars or the club after shift. Mitch emitted some sort of animal magnetism and women just flocked to him. It was odd really; he had long hair that contained pretty much every shade of blonde and brown imaginable. Physically it was obvious he worked out but other than that Darius thought he was pretty average, he didn’t see the attraction. Clearly he was not the right person to judge a man's looks. Considering the multitude of women he bedded, Mitch obviously had hidden talents.

  "I would say I had plans with a beautiful woman but that would be a lie. Let's go" he just couldn’t be bothered to go out looking for women right now.

  They swiped their cards to get through the security door, they then had to use a retinal scan to get through the interior doors, securi
ty was taken very seriously here. Arriving for handover Darius was not surprised to see he and Mitch were the last to arrive, they always were.

  "Nice of you to joins us, in your absence you have both been nominated to do patrols tonight."

  Bastian was grinning at them, knowing that taking part in the patrols usually resulted in a long and boring shift. They only ever had one patrol out on the streets, as a general rule they didn’t need any more. The Wolf Pack and Vlads Vampire Elite Team also had patrols out during the evening. Although Silvers and the Elite team were not official police they had an agreement to assist the PTF in managing the street crimes committed by other species. They had more man power than all of the New York Police Department combined.

  Darius could hear George snickering to the side of him, the man was just an ass. As a fox shifter George could have been an asset to the team, instead he was an arrogant and annoying man who was actually disliked by the team. He was short, with red curly hair, a goatee beard and insisted on wearing pants that were far too tight. When Lucky had been part of the team he antagonised and disrespected her. They couldn’t shift him out although Darius knew Bastian wanted to. George's friends in high places wouldn’t take too kindly to that, so instead they tried to ignore him, if he was asked to do anything serious Mitch partnered him, Bastian didn’t trust anyone else not to accidentally chop his head off.

  There were the usual problems to discuss, rogue wolves, witches and warlocks using spells on humans, and as usual vampires arriving in the city trying to take down Vlad. The Vlad thing was a regular problem, it was one Vlad handled rather than the PTF. Leading the vampires was no easy job, it was essentially the strongest who survives and Vlad was pretty strong. Any vampire considered strong enough to manage the species in any area was pretty powerful; one strong enough to manage the City of New Yorks vampires was damn powerful.

  When he had first arrived in New York with Ben, Darius had been asked if he wanted to join Vlad's team of Elites. These were a team comprising of strong and loyal vampires willing to support and protect the head vampire. Throughout his travels Darius had seen many vampire heads lead their species, hell he had even been part of these teams before and had no intention of going there again. His experience had taught him that these heads could be deceitful and dangerous. Over time though he had seen Vlad lead with honour and respect, if he had to stand by any vampire head it would have been Vlad, but he didn’t which suited him fine.

  Heading out he and Mitch arrive at the Manhattan district, there had been an increase in vampire activity and Bastian wanted a higher visibility in that area. Darius didn’t mind, it was where Mary lived, maybe he would bump into her. Using one of the PTF cars it didn’t take long to get there, although Mitch's groaning had made the journey seem longer.

  This place was busy during the day but at night time it was heaving. The bars and clubs had queues of people waiting to get in, people dressed up for a night on the town. He could see a few discreet ladies plying their trade. Some he had known for a while others were new, heading into the coffee shop he and Mitch brought several cups and headed out to see them. Some people avoided the prostitutes, he never had, growing up in the era he did, prostitution was normal, very often they were just mothers trying to make enough to feed and clothe their children. With a sigh he yet again considered what had changed? Many of these women were still trying to earn enough to feed and clothe their children.

  Handing a cup to Angie, a prostitute he had known from when she started here, she wrapped her hands around the cup, blowing into it as she tried to warm up,

  "You guys are great. God I think this is the coldest October in a long time."

  Mitch laughed "every October here is cold" he was still unused to the ever changing weather down here.

  "How's business ladies?" several others had joined them to collect hot coffee. Angie with her bleached blonde hair, thick make up and too short skirt, should have been tucked up at home with her 3 children. Instead she was out here trying to make enough to keep a roof over their heads,

  "Mmmm better now you two have arrived. It's been a little slow for a few days but payday is coming so it will pick up soon" her legs were shivering with no covering to warm them, her boots were thigh high offering a little protection. You could sell your wares in a long coat and woolly hat.

  He watched as Mitch left to get more coffee, some of the girls had taken the coffee and moved back to their places, reluctant to miss business.

  "Any problems, increase in the fanged ones? Where's Leila, night off?" he fired the questions at Angie, conscious that if a customer pulled up she would be gone.

  Leila and Angie had been working this area for the last 10 years; Darius had gotten to know them well and often checked on them. He watched a look of anger darken in Angie's eyes,

  "She should be on a permanent night off, but who the hell listens to me" her tone had deepened to an almost growl.

  "Meaning?"

  Darius was certain he was not going to like the answer and he didn’t.

  "About three weeks ago she went with a punter who got a little carried away, some sort of fucking warlock had the nerve to tie her up, cut her all over while chanting some sort of shit, when it didn’t work he went ballistic and beat her so badly she is still finding it hard to move. Not that that bastard Carlos has let me see her for over a week now."

  "Shit why didn’t you ring me? Angie please tell me you reported it?" he knew how hard it was for these women to talk to the police, he had also seen some of the responses the women received.

  "Of course we did, not that we have fucking heard anything from them. I know some off you guys at the PTF are good, but others are just assholes, no different from some of the regular cops." He could hear the resignation in her voice; he wished he had a solution for them. What amazed him was the way society had accepted his kind but still these men and women were used and abused with few consequences.

  "Where is she now? Is she still with Carlos?" Angie had no pimp, she couldn’t afford one but Leila did and Darius knew Carlos would be pissed at the loss of earnings.

  "She’s at home but he's not happy, keeps going on about getting her back out, he's probably still working her, just not outside. If you want to help her, get her away from him, she wants out but is scared, she has nowhere to go. I've offered her my place but she knows he will come after her." Pulling a note pad and pen out of his pocket he handed it to her.

  "Write the address down. I know just the place for her, don’t worry about Leila. I take it she has not seen a doctor. Listen she won't be able to tell you where she is but I will get her to call you later."

  Handing him the paper, he saw steel and tears in Angie's eyes. He knew that Leila reminded Angie of a younger version of herself, which is why she looked out for her. Leila arrived on the streets at a mere 15 years of age. Angie had shielded her as best she could, but Carlos was her pimp from the beginning and thus in control.

  Throwing the car keys to Mitch he turned to leave "oh and Darius" he turned back to Angie,

  "Thank you for the school, I am only here 3 nights a week now so that I can add to their college fund" he shrugged and left, pleased he had helped.

  The reason she worked the streets was to pay for a low cost private school for her children, they were all bright and she wanted them to have the opportunities she never had. Darius had discreetly paid off the school fees for the years ahead, naïvely thinking it would help her and the kids. Well it had in a roundabout way, he should have realised she would find another use for the money she earned.

  Handing Mitch the address Darius proceeded to make the phone calls. He was not surprised when Mitch pulled up in front of a rundown apartment block. Even in the dark of night, it looked awful, peeling paint, boarded windows, and rubbish on the lawn. He could see a group of teenage boys out front with music blaring from the car they were sat in. In different areas around the apartments he could see at least 3 drunks, and a further four people were slumped or w
eaving in and out of the streets. Mitch moved out of the way to let an old man passed, he even caught him as he stumbled only to be snarled at and abused. As they made their way past the teenagers he saw them watching, could read the intent in their faces. Flashing them a bit of tooth he watched them fall back.

  "Don’t bother us and we won't bother you." Darius knew that with his size and physical demeanour he was intimidating, on occasions it was helpful.

  His nose recoiled; the smells immediately assailed him as soon as they entered the doorway of the apartments, urine, vomit, bleach (crap cleaners), and stale alcohol. Mitch actually put his hand over his nose. Making their way up the stairs they stopped and listened. Behind the door where Leila was, they heard some sort of argument going on. Banging on the door, he smiled when he saw Carlos' reaction when he opened it to him and Mitch, although, he fear didn’t last long, he had always been an arrogant son of a bitch.