“No.” Rick voice was tormented—tortured as he pushed her away from him. “Eva—we can’t be here like this. I— can’t control the monster I’ve become. I can’t promise that I won’t hurt you. You have to leave—quickly,” he said when he saw the look of defiance in her eyes. “I’m weak and I’m tired. I’m not strong enough—not yet—to be with you—this way. It’s been a long time since …”
“…since you’ve been with a woman.”
“Yes— I was a priest— for god’s sake. Even before the urges of the vampire took over I’ve had to fight to control my emotions. Now, the monster within me only heightens those feelings and with you here—alone with me—and so near—Jezuz…” he said as he brushed a hand through his tangled hair, backing as far away from her as possible “Please, Eva—you have to go—trust me on this.”
She took a step towards him, her hand reaching for his, “I’m sorry, Rick. I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted you to hold me— to be in your arms.”
He closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to regain some semblance of control. He breathed deeply, in and out, willing himself to be calm, forcing the scent of her body and her blood far back inside the dark recesses of his mind. Opening his eyes, he dared to take a step closer to her. He reached out to touch her cheek gently as he said, “I wanted this just as much as you did, Eva. It’s just—too soon. Go to New York—be safe. Then call me when you get back—okay?”
She nodded in agreement then turned to walk from the room. This time he didn’t call out to her—even though he wanted to more than he cared to admit. Instead he did the smart thing. He went to the kitchen and poured himself another goblet of blood. Tomorrow I’ll be making another trip to the blood bank. Better yet, tonight I think I’ll hunt. After downing the last drop of blood in the glass he went back to the bedroom and closed the door.
He fell upon the bed, exhausted, wondering if his raging emotions would calm down long enough to let him sleep. But he didn’t have to worry. He was so worn out from all that had happened in the last few hours he was asleep in minutes, his last waking thought was of Evangeline wrapped tightly in his arms.
As Rick slept, Eva arrived at the Inn where she found Roy anxiously waiting for her.
“Finally—are you alright?” he asked, unable to hide his concern.
“Yes—did you think I wouldn’t be?” she tried to keep the irritation from her voice but it bothered her that Roy might entertain the notion that Rick would harm her in anyway. She knew the pack’s second in command was just concerned for her welfare, but this was no time for a pissing contest.
“No—I know you can take care of yourself. It’s just—well, the vampire could very easily…”
“…hurt me? Look Roy, I know you were worried about me but I’m fine. I’m a cop, remember, and I’ve been on my own for a long time”
“Yes, but that was before werewolves and vampires were thrown into the mix. Alright, alright…” Roy said holding his hands up in front of him when he saw the scowl on Eva’s face. “…I won’t say anything more about it—for now. I’m aware of your skill Eva. I know you can shoot a gun with the best of them. But you have other skills as well. Tonight proved that and it’s my job to help you understand what you were and what you’ve now become. I just wanted to be sure I got that chance.”
“That’s why I’m here—so you can explain a few things to me—about my heritage—about the Loupe Garou and the sooner the better. Red Rock isn’t the only place these demons have been. As soon as we’ve talked I’m leaving for New York.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You need time to adjust to the changes you’ve gone through. It’ll take a while to fully understand…”
“Roy…”she said, stepping up to the bar and laying a hand on his arm. “… I realize that everything you’re saying is true but time is one thing I don’t have right now. They’re burying a colleague of mine tomorrow. He was one of my best friends and I have to be there.”
“Sorry, Eva, I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay, but that’s not the worst of it.”
“There’s more”
“Yes—he was murdered—his heart was ripped right out of his chest. Sound familiar?”
“Oh shit!”
“Exactly—his death has to have some connection to what’s been going on around here,” she told Roy.
“But how—and why?” Roy asked in surprise.
“I don’t know—but I’m going to use all the resources at my disposal to find out so—give me a quick lesson in how to be a good little wolf and I’ll be on my way.”
Two hours later, Eva was on the road to New York City. It had taken Roy that long to give her a watered down version of what it was like to be Loupe Garou and to fill in some of the gaps about Jaclyn’s life. She’d left wishing she’d had the chance to know her mother for Roy made it clear that the pack leader had been a truly amazing woman. Eva found herself promising that she would consider assuming Jaclyn’s position—and all that that entailed. Can I really do it—leave my life in New York behind and stay in Red Rock to lead a pack of wolves? she wondered. Then, an image appeared in her mind’s eye—a tall man dressed in black, his handsome face surrounded by a mass of unruly dark hair—Rick. Suddenly the answer was clear to her—yes; she could live here—as long as Rick was with her. The sooner I get to New York and get to the bottom of things, the sooner I can get back, she told herself as she drove towards her home—and all that waited for her there.
Chapter 17
The sixty strong members of the Scottish Guard squealed out the last few bars of ‘Amazing Grace’ as Evangeline, Shaniqua and six other members of the Nineteenth’s Drug Enforcement Task Force loaded Al Slokavich’s casket into the hearse for the short ride to the cemetery. Behind them stood Mayor Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Kelly and Deputy Inspector Wells, each of whom had eulogized Al, his career and his sacrifice during the nearly three hour long service at Our Lady of Victory Church in Bedford Stuyvesant.
Al’s three grown daughters huddled together behind them, holding onto each other in a desperate attempt to stave off their emotions. Evangeline and Shaniqua took their place in the sea of blue uniforms as Shaniqua gently sobbed into her handkerchief. Eva herself was fighting for control, her emotions a mixture of grief and extreme anger. Wrapping her arm around the shoulders of the woman standing next to her, Eva whispered, “Shaniqua, you need to pull it together—for Al. We need to make him proud.”
“I know—I know—just give me a second.”
Eva looked away from her partner as her own eyes filled with tears. The last few days had been a real roller coaster ride for her. The recent discovery of a mother she’d thought long dead, the revelation of who—and what—she really was—and Rick. Now she had to deal with this. Al’s death wasn’t just one of the saddest occasions of her life but one of the most mysterious. His death made no sense. Who—and why—would someone want Al to die the way he did? The more Evangeline thought about it, the more angry and upset she became.
A single tear traveled down her cheek. Angrily she wiped it away. Someone’s going to pay—and pay dearly. She turned back to Shaniqua as the woman dabbed the tears from her large brown eyes, blowing her nose in the process.
A smile crossed Shaniqua’s pretty face as a thought came to her. “You know Eva—Al would find this whole thing pretty amusing—all these suits blubbering over him,” she scoffed.
Eva smiled back at her friend—and the irony of the whole situation. “Yeah, didn’t he tell Wells to “shove it” fairly recently?”
“That he did. Just didn’t like the suits—called them bottom feeders.” Shaniqua said with a chuckle.
“That’s our Al—he always did have a way with words.” Eva said.
“Big dumb Pollock—I never should’ve let him go off on his own. He was in a real mood after leaving Wells
’ office.”
The tears started flowing as Shaniqua reached, once again, for her handkerchief. She wiped her eyes furiously just as four motorcycle cops started their engines, leading the procession at a snail’s pace to the cemetery, their lights flashing. The Scottish Guard marched behind them while playing the hymn ‘The Battle is Over’.
The hearse crept along down the street as Al’s three daughters, swollen eyes now covered by oversized sunglasses, moved forward. The youngest, Jamie, stumbled falling to one knee. Wells ran back, offering his hand as he gently lifted her. The girl struggled to regain her composure, stiffening her back as she slipped her arm through the Inspector’s with a small smile of gratitude.
The thousand man force representing police from all over the state choked the street as they somberly marched shoulder to shoulder. On the sidewalk another group of police, as well as firemen, stretched the entire length of the funeral route, standing at attention, saluting the casket as it slowly passed them by.
News vans clogged the side streets and alleys eager to capture footage of the funeral now that there had been another ‘Heart Attack Murder’. Behind the crowd of onlookers and hidden deep within the shadows, three sets of eyes, two yellow—one red, watched in satisfaction as the procession continued on. The inhuman eyes sifted through the multitude of blue uniforms until Roman’s locked onto Evangeline.
“There—there she is!” he yelled, his outstretched hand pointing to the front of the line.
Robert craned his neck to get a better look. “Oh, she’s quite lovely, my brother. Are you sure she’s with the priest?”
“Yes, I’m sure. She fought with the ferocity of a she-wolf against one of my newborns to protect the vampire. She even killed one of my best fighters in an attempt to keep her lover safe.” Roman growled at his fellow hound.
“Tsk, tsk—you should have trained them better, Roman. It seems your pups are not strong enough to take down one puny female?” taunted Robert.
“There’s nothing puny about her. She’s not even human, you fool! She’s the Wolf Mother and the spirits of her ancestors are strong within her. She brought about the transformation simply by the force of the emotions rising within of her. I was nearby and I could feel it happening myself. Make no mistake, hound of Hell…” Roman said as his yellow eyes flared with hatred for his comrade, “…she will make a formidable foe and her heart…” he roared, “…I will enjoy taking!”
“Then stop preaching and let’s get on with it. I’ll enjoy seeing how you go about capturing your prey.”
From behind the hounds a sultry voice could be heard, “You are both such fools…” Lilith, clad in a red Valentino dress that clung to every curve of her voluptuous body, stepped in front of the two bickering hounds. Lifting her Givenchy sunglasses, she glared at them with red feral eyes.
“…and neither of you have the first clue how to bait a trap. Fortunately, you have me—so listen closely. The Wolf Mother is prepared. She knows what she’s up against and she’s not alone in her fight against us. So—we don’t go after her—we make her come to us—willingly.”
Roman took a step closer to the demon. “Mistress, why would a creature as noble as the Wolf Mother come to us—for any reason?”
“Why Roman—you almost sound as though you admire her,” said the man standing next to him.
“I have a history with her kind, Robert, and I admire her courage and that of her ancestors—something you could never understand.”
Lilith, ignoring the squabbling of her two minions, responded to Roman’s question. “She will come to us, my pet, because we have something she wants—someone she hates almost as much as I hate her and all that she stands for. And hate is a strong motivator. Robert—fetch me your newest creation, will you—please.” Lilith ordered with an evil grin.
* * * * *
As the funeral procession rounded the corner entering Holy Cross Cemetery, the Honor Guard broke from the rest of the group, marching up a steep grade to the crest of the hill. There they positioned themselves under the limb of a sprawling old oak just to the left of a mound of freshly turned earth.
Al’s daughters, along with others members of the family, took their seats in chairs that had been set up for them as Eva and the rest of the pall bearers removed the steel blue casket from the back of the hearse. Moving forward, they gently placed it on the straps that would lower it into the deep hole that would become its home for all eternity. Then Eva and Shaniqua broke rank, moving slowly past the family to take their place behind Inspector Wells.
The priest, with a slight nod towards Al’s daughters, began the eulogy. Eva listened, his words fading into the background as her mind traveled back to Red Rock and the man she’d left behind. How many times had Rick done this very same thing during his years as a parish priest? How many times, during an occasion just like this one, had he consoled the grief stricken with a promise of hope? That was his life—until it was stripped away from him with one vicious act of cruelty, she thought as sadness overwhelmed her.
Rick’s broodingly handsome face filled her mind as she rehashed, word for word, the story he’d recently told her. She remembered how her heart ached for him when he explained how he’d died and been reborn as a vampire. He’d lost his life—and his very humanity—and now the battle between good and evil raged within him on a daily basis. He was a soul in torment. All he could see stretched out before him was an eternity of pain and anguish.
She had to prove him wrong—show him that life was still worth living—but how. Her mother had managed it—had given him a sense of hope if only for a very short time. Then, even that had been ripped from his grasp. A lone tear traveled down her face at the thought of all this man she’d come to care for had been through. How cruel the world could be, she thought.
Eva had been lucky so far, she even considered herself blessed. She’d been given the skill and opportunity to rid the world of the human scum that polluted it on a daily basis. She knew there was unspeakable evil in the world and felt extreme satisfaction when she took a drug dealer or murderer off the city streets. One less monster to prey upon the innocent, she thought and she was actually beginning to think she was making a difference until—until I found out what a true monster really was.
The darkness hid many things—and the supernatural realm was beginning to invade her personal space—and had been for a long time now, she suddenly realized. And with her new found knowledge came the discovery of the limitations of the human form. She couldn’t fight the creatures she now knew were out there as plain old Detective Evangeline Meredeloupe—no matter how good a shot she was. She needed more strength, more skill. She needed to be more than human.
They say everything happens for a reason. Maybe this is why I have to accept what I’ve become—embrace the gift my mother’s passed down to me. It’s the same for Rick, she told herself. He died trying to help his friends when he’d faced the monsters the last time. He was only human, after all, but now he was so much more. This time they wouldn’t take him down so easily. This time he had the power of the vampire to make him strong and that was a good thing because it would give him the edge he needed to beat the evil that was out there—hunting him down. I just need to make him see that. If I can get through to him then maybe he and I could have something together—something worth living an eternity for, she thought—but she wasn’t sure who needed the most convincing, Rick—or herself.
She re-focused her attention on the ceremony at the cemetery where the priest was just finishing the final prayer. “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace—Amen.”
The entire crowd ritualistically crossed themselves as a single member of the Scottish Guard stepped forward to begin playing taps. The shoulders of Al’s three daughters began to heave and shudder in unison as the haunting music flowed across the cemetery. When
the music ended, the seven members of the Honor Guard stepped forward. Raising their gleaming rifles, they released three short volleys of shots.
Evangeline closed her eyes tightly, as if that simple act would calm her as the loud boom—boom—boom—of the guns played on her last nerve. Opening her eyes again, she realized everyone was leaving the gravesite. She stood for a moment at the foot of Al’s grave not quite ready to say her final farewell. She knew Shaniqua was somewhere close behind—watching—waiting for her. Eva’s hazel/green eyes scanned the sea of grey tombstones filling the large cemetery. “Well Al, my friend, I guess this is goodbye but it’s not the end. I give you my word that I’ll find the thing that did this to you and…” suddenly the words froze on her lips as she noticed a lone figure off in the distance. The tall thin form was barely visible behind an ornate, ivy covered mausoleum but Eva had no problem seeing him. As a matter of fact she was sure that’s what the weasel faced prick wanted.
“Miller!” hatred dripped like venom from her lips as she spat out the name. Al’s former tormentor didn’t move, an evil smile splitting his cruel face in two as he stared back at Evangeline. Anger set off a hailstorm of emotions inside of her as the fury of the wolf took over. Eva bolted forward, moving with inhuman speed as she covered the distance between herself and Miller in a matter of seconds.
“You son-of-a-bitch, what did you do to Al!”
Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she thought she heard Shaniqua’s voice calling out to her. “Eva—Eva, where you going?” but Eva was oblivious, her only thought was to confront the man now standing before her. She stretched out her arm, grabbing Miller by the collar of his soiled coat and lifting him high off the ground. But, much to Eva’s surprise, Miller didn’t panic. In fact he didn’t react at all like she expected him too. Instead he started to laugh—a slow maniacal laugh. He’s laughing—at me—that damn bastard thinks this is funny.
A Soul in Torment Page 31
