“But you’re going, right? At least it sounded that way.” Shaniqua said.
“Yeah, I convinced him that she has information we need and she’d only talk to me. “
“Eva, why are you doing this? I know we’ve been watchin’ Ramirez for a while now but, since he’s dead, we’re right back to square one. We need to start looking elsewhere for his drug connection so why not let Miller work this homicide?”
“Because Miller’s a dick and any chance I have to screw him I’m going to take. Besides—there’s something about this case—something I need to figure out. I know it sounds crazy but it’s as if I’m being pulled towards Moon Lake. Call it a hunch—call it intuition, but my gut is telling me to go with the girl, Shani. This case is bigger than we realize and I need to see where it leads us.”
“Well, your instincts have never steered you wrong—much.” Shaniqua said with a grin. “I hope that’s the case this time. So what’s the plan?”
“The plan is you take me home so I can pack.” Eva said as she called Gloria back to let her know what the judge had said.
“Okay…” Shaniqua said when Eva finished her conversation. “…Al and I will handle things from this end so keep us posted.”
“Thanks, and Shani—you know Miller will be pissed when he finds out the girl’s with me?”
“Don’t worry about that little weasel. We can handle him.”
“Okay then. Listen—I know we were going to stop by the station but can you take me straight home instead? The sooner the girl and I get on the road the better. For some reason I can’t seem to shake this sense of urgency.”
“Your gut again?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Okay—home it is then.”
An hour later Evangeline had finished packing and called the bus station. After cancelling Selene’s ticket, she loaded up her car. She’d also retrieved a signed release from the judge to escort Selene Peters to Moon Lake. She picked up the girl and thirty minutes later they were well on their way out of the city. They drove in silence for quite some time, Selene listening to the latest tunes on her MP3 player which suited Eva just fine. She needed time to think—to figure out why, all of a sudden, she was filled with apprehension. She knew she’d made the right move in agreeing to take Selene home. So, why then, did she feel she was heading for trouble? Why did she have such a sense of impending doom? Only time will tell, I guess, she thought as they left the city lights far behind them.
Chapter 8
A shrill noise shattered the quiet of the night. What—is—that? Rick wondered; the sound growing louder and louder as it fought to break through the troubled thoughts crowding his tired mind. His eyes flew open with a start as the piercing sound was heard again. Jumping up from the bed he looked around in confusion until… “There it is.” he whispered as he leaned towards the nightstand to silence the ringing cell phone.
“Yeah—and this better be good,” he said as he flipped open the cover of the offending instrument.
“What—did I wake you Sleeping Beauty?” At the sound of Roy’s voice all that had happened the night before came flooding back to the vampire. “I was under the impression you wanted to help us catch the bastards that killed Jaclyn. If I’ve made a mistake then, by all means, go back to sleep. We don’t really need you anyway.”
“Trust me, wolf boy, the feeling’s mutual.” Rick yelled into the phone. “I work better on my own.”
“Yeah, well you might want to re-think that statement considering the fact that the hellhound was about to take you out, too, until we came along to save your ass. You need us a hell of lot more than we need you, blood sucker, but go ahead—you want to face that thing alone hey—who am I to stop you? I made a promise to my alpha that the pack would keep you safe. If you refuse our protection then it’s outta my hands.”
Rick listened to the voice on the other end of the phone with growing agitation—and a rising sense of guilt. It was obvious he and Roy didn’t trust each other but the entire pack had done nothing but help him since his arrival in Red Rock. He knew this was mainly because of Jaclyn so he had to put his personal feelings aside and try to get along with her people. And Roy was right; if they were going to find the hellhound they had a better chance of doing it together.
“Wait…” Rick said, “…tell me what you have in mind.”
“Awe, is the big bad vampire finally admitting he’s afraid of the devil doggie?” Roy taunted.
“Look Samuelle…” Rick said as he leaped out of bed, “… I know you’re not stupid so quit acting like you are. If you’ve learned anything at all about me over the past few days it’s that I don’t give a damn what happens to me so, no—I’m not afraid of anything. But you’re right about one thing—we need to work together. It’s what Jaclyn wanted so, for her sake, I’ll come with you.”
“Alright—we’re all meeting at the Inn to try and come up with a plan of attack. I was just about to send out a scout—see if he can pick up anything that’ll point us in the right direction.”
“I can do that…” Rick told him. “…since that’s what I’d originally planned to do anyway. I’ll stay in contact—keep you posted if I come across anything and Roy…”
“Yeah.”
“When this is all over and Jaclyn’s murder’s been avenged—I’ll no longer be a concern of yours. I’ll be leaving.” Rick told him.
“Have it your way, vampire. Oh—and there’s something else you need to know. A few more towns’ people went missing. It looks like the hound’s rebuilding its depleted forces. Unfortunately we don’t have that luxury. When one of ours is killed off our numbers are permanently depleted so I couldn’t send anyone after you if I wanted too. If you insist on going off alone—you’d better be damned careful. You might be able to take on a newborn but the hound is another matter.”
“Don’t worry your furry little head on my account. Oh and Roy—who’s in charge now, you? Is that how this thing works?”
“Basically, yeah but in our pack things are a little different. The pack leader has always been a woman. In the absence of a family member the alpha can chose another pack member or—those willing can fight to the death for the position. Since Jaclyn died so suddenly, it was understood by all members that I would take over until the new alpha arrived to claim leadership.”
“So there is someone else—a family member, I mean?” Rick asked a little surprised by this piece of news.
“Yes—there is someone. Whether she’ll choose to claim the title or not remains to be seen.”
“Funny, Jaclyn never…”
“Look, vampire, I’d really love to go on chatting all night but I have better things to do. They’re waiting for me at the Inn.”
“Alright, I’m heading out, too. Like I said I’ll check in periodically.” Rick told him.
“Fine but we shouldn’t be too far behind you. I don’t anticipate this meeting lasting that long so we’ll pick up your trail sooner or later—and Rick, it’ll take any kind of silver directly through the head or heart to take these newborns down. Without backup you can’t afford to miss or you may not get another chance. Talk to you later.”
Rick heard the click of the phone as the line went dead. His first thought was of food so he headed for the kitchen. He had no idea what he’d find on the hunt tonight so he had to be at full strength. He pulled three bags of blood from the freezer emptying them in seconds. He could feel his senses heightening as raw power surged through his entire body. Going into the bedroom, he pulled the duffle bag from the closet. Searching its contents he began to pull out weapon after weapon, scattering the arsenal out across the bed.
First he grabbed a shoulder holster and two forty five’s already loaded with silver bullets. After sliding it around his shoulders he threw on a waist length black leather coat and thick leather glo
ves. The jacket had plenty of pockets perfect for carrying concealed weapons. The gloves were a little trick Simon had shown him enabling a vampire to handle silver without feeling its destructive effects. He proceeded to stuff his pocket with bullets, a couple of silver knives and a handful of four pronged Ninja Dragon Stars, silver of course. Two long silver daggers placed in a loop on either side of his belt completed Rick’s ensemble.
The way he felt right now, Rick didn’t need any of these weapons. After witnessing what that demon had done to Jaclyn he could tear out the bastard’s heart with his bare hands but, if he’d learned anything after tangling with Dragone’s hordes last year, he’d learned to be prepared. He wasn’t about to be caught off guard again. As he walked through the living room and headed for the front door, his sharp hearing picked up a sound off in the distance. Running to the door, he ripped it open and stood very still on the small porch of the cabin—listening—smelling the night air.
There it was again, he thought as his eyes searched the surrounding darkness. Slowly he proceeded down the steps and along the cement sidewalk. The crack of a twig caught his attention as he turned towards the rear of the cabin. There was something there—he could feel it. Even though he still hadn’t actually seen anything, his vampire senses were screaming a warning.
Then a sound, like nails across a chalkboard, reached his ears. As he looked towards the source of the sound he could feel his fangs extending as his beast roared to life. He withdrew the two long daggers at his side just as a huge form stepped out from behind the cabin. The beast walked on two legs, standing at least seven feet tall, its razor sharp claws dragging along the weathered wood of the cabin as it moved forward out of the darkness.
A ferocious roar shattered the silence of the night as the beast fell forward on all fours. Lips drawn back to reveal long, sharp teeth, the werewolf growled low in its throat, its hind legs bunched and corded as it prepared to charge the vampire. But, even with its size and ferocity, Rick knew this was not the creature that had killed his friend.
“Where is your creator, demon?” Rick shouted as he stood, arms crossed in front of his chest as he prepared for the beast’s attack. The wolf growled in anger as it reared on its hind legs then, throwing itself forward, it broke into a run, the only thought to tear apart the man standing in its way.
“Come on, you devil— your death will be just as satisfying!” Rick screamed as his own beast took over releasing the killer inside of him.
He met the werewolf head on, his right arm swinging in a large arc as it aimed for its target. A howl of pain told the vampire his blade had found its mark. Rick whirled around to face the beast again. The demon stumbled, roaring at its attacker but failed to charge again for Rick had severed its front paw. Howling in pain and frustration, the creature raised itself up on its hind legs once more giving Rick the opportunity he needed.
With the speed of light he was upon the beast, the silver dagger flashing in the light of the full moon. Rick ducked as the monstrous wolf swung its good paw, the sharp claws barely missing his face as the vampire lunged forward—plunging the dagger deep into the heart of the beast.
The wolf threw its head back roaring in pain. The two figures seemed frozen in time for a split second before the wolf swayed—then pitched forward falling lifeless to the ground. Rick barely avoided being crushed by its massive bulk as he dove sideways rolling out of harm’s way. Rising off of the ground, the vampire approached the fallen animal. He knelt, weapon drawn, beside the wolf leaning forward to make sure it was truly dead but, before he could lay a hand on the beast, the body began to shimmer and pulsate as bones cracked and fur split. Within seconds, the body of a tall, dark male lay on the ground next to him.
“Damn it,” Rick whispered as he drew back away from the body. This was probably one of the villagers—someone who’d lived in this area his entire life before Hell came to town and destroyed his entire world. “Damn,” he said again as he reached for the cell phone in his pocket. Dialing as quickly as he could, he waited for a response.
“Now’s not a good time, vampire. The others have—left—and I was just getting ready to follow.”
“Listen Samuelle—I’ve just killed one. It was waiting for me outside the cabin.”
“Fuck! I didn’t think they’d come that close to the town. Out in the middle of nowhere—the darkness of the woods—that’s usually their hunting grounds. I should’ve known. The type of beasts we’re dealing with have no rules—anything goes.”
“That’s not the worst of it.” Rick told him.
“What’ya mean?”
“It changed—back to its human form right after I killed it. I think—I think it might be one of the town’s people. I was going to burn the body but—I’m not sure how to proceed now.”
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Roy said, “Leave him— another issue I hadn’t foreseen.”
“I know these—things—are the enemy but, at one time, they were your neighbors—friends. We should have some sort of plan for their disposal. They deserve at least that much. It’s not their fault what they’ve become.” Rick said as the priest, now buried deep within him, fought to break through.
“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know. Listen—don’t do anything, I’ll take care of it. I’ll have some of the pack handle this side of things. It’s going to lessen our numbers in the fight but—it has to be done. Thanks vamp—Rick— for informing me. What about you—you alright?
“Fine.”
“Okay—stay alert and Rick…”
“Yeah?”
“If you come across the bastard that did this—the hound himself—don’t just stab him. You need to take the heart.”
“Right.”
“Listen—it’s not enough to just cut it out. You have to burn it as well—as soon as possible. Those hell demons are nearly invincible. We don’t even know if destroying the heart will keep them down for good but we have to try.”
“Got it,” Rick said, “See you when this is over.”
Rick didn’t wait for a response as he flipped the phone shut shoving it back inside his coat pocket. As he stared at the lifeless form on the ground below him an uncontrollable rage filled his soul. He was angry for what had happened to Jaclyn, this man and the others in the town. He was angry for the senseless violence and slaughter of the past year and for all those who had suffered because of it. And most of all he was angry for the turn his life had taken and everything he had lost because of it. Someone will pay—for all of it, he thought as he shoved the daggers back into his belt and disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter 9
Lord she was tired. Eva had been driving for hours and it was beginning to take its toll on her. She blinked to clear her eyes as she stared into the darkness ahead. The only good thing about the long drive was the information she’d been able to extract from Selene. She’d gotten a complete description of the old man in the park as well as his female companion. The girl was also able to supply her with some of Guillermo’s drug contacts, something she’d call Shaniqua and Al with later so they could follow up on things. As it turned out, Selene really couldn’t give her much more info. Ramirez kept her in the dark about a lot of things. The bastard, Eva thought as she kept on driving. Finally, off in the distance, she could just make out a sign, Moon Lake, Luzerne County, Pa.
“Turn here,” she heard Selene say in the middle of a yawn. Turning the wheel, Eva pulled onto a road that led to a scattering of houses surrounding the lake itself, the still water glistening in the moonlight. “It’s the third house on the left—that’s it—right there.” Selene pointed to a small, almost cottage-like house with a boat dock off to the side.
“What a great place, Selene. It looks so peaceful—serene almost. Who would ever want to leave it?” The words were out before Eva realized what she’
d said. “I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean…”
“No—it’s okay. I guess I didn’t realize what I had here until I left. Anyway—thanks for driving me. I—I really do hope some of the stuff I told you will help—you know, with your investigation and all.”
“It will, Selene—and thanks.”
As the car rolled to a stop near the front of the small cottage, a woman, looking to be in her late forties, came out onto the front porch. Before Evangeline realized what was happening, Selene was out of the car and running up the porch steps. She was in the woman’s outstretched arms in a matter of seconds.
“Momma!”
“Oh my baby—you’re home—you’re home,” the woman whispered between sobs.
“Cough—cough.” Eva cleared her throat as she came up behind the two woman holding Selene’s suitcase.
“Momma, this is Eva. She brought me here.”
“Eva…” the woman acknowledged Evangeline, her hand outstretched in greeting. “…thank you so much for bringing my girl home.”
“My pleasure,” Evangeline said as she set the suitcase down on the porch. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I really need to get going. I still have a little way to go before I reach the Lakeview Inn.”
“You’re welcome to stay here the night. It’s the least I can do. Then you could go to the Inn in the morning after you’ve had some sleep.” Selene’s mother told her.
“No, thanks, I’ll be fine. Besides you two have a lot of catching up to do. Selene, I’ll contact you in a few days. You have my number if you need me for anything in the meantime.”
“Yeah—yeah, it’s somewhere here in my purse,” the girl replied as she shuffled through the huge bag hanging from her shoulder. She pulled out a small piece of paper, waving it triumphantly.
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