“That seems odd.”
Keisha nodded. “Yes, it was. I went out to the pub that night, upset and angry. Dan met me there and listened to all of my ranting and raving about how unfair it was, and how I should just present my thesis anyway, and let the future ultimately decide if I was right or wrong.”
Yuri leaned forward, “Let me guess. Soon after that your troubles began?”
“Yeah. The next night was when you called and asked me to meet you for coffee. I was still pissed but the chance to talk about my woes with a fellow scientist was just what I wanted. I went out to grab a few things from the store and when I got home, there were two men in my apartment...probably the same two who you did...whatever...to last night.”
Yuri smiled but only with his mouth—making his face look evil.
“I forcibly reminded them how unwise it is to pick on a woman who has a strong friend with an anger problem.”
“I heard bones breaking...”
“Yes...big ones. Then after I saw to bringing you across and you were unconscious, I put them both into the car and soaked it with the gas from the cans they were putting into the tank. I set it on fire before I left with you. The explosion was immensely satisfying. I don’t know if the bodies will be recognizable. I assume forensics will be able to discover they were both male. No doubt whoever wanted you killed will wonder where you are and how you got away.”
“We’ll just let them wonder a while, okay?”
Yuri nodded. “Excellent idea. In fact, I think we should leave town...move somewhere they won’t look for you.”
“We?”
“Of course. I saved your life...well, gave you a new one, anyway. I’m not saying that you owe me or anything but there is still the matter of my questions that only someone with your highly specialized skills would be able to research.”
“Uh-huh. What makes you think that they won’t find me no matter where I move?”
The evil grin again. “I’m pretty good at escaping notice when I don’t want to be found. Those who do find me are never heard from again. Problem solved.”
Keisha’s face suddenly registered alarm.
“I can still be killed, can’t I?”
“For now...until you are stronger in the blood. If you continue feeding from me you will gain my strength. I have been what I am for over a century—which is not very old by our standards but old enough for the hunger to be manageable. I also have been stabbed with wooden stakes through the heart...immensely painful, by the way. I don’t wish it on anyone. But survivable. Fire is harder to survive but doable. I’ve already told you that sunlight just gives us a bad burn. A beheading might do the trick but no one still uses guillotines and few walk around carrying scythes anymore.”
Keisha leaned back and laughed.
“God, this is so surreal. I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation. It’s true, isn’t it? It’s all true?”
Yuri nodded solemnly. “Yes. Continue with your narrative. What did you do when you arrived to find the men in your apartment?”
“I fought them. They tried to drug me but I hit one of them with the wine bottle...broke that sucker right over his head. Just like in the movies, he was out like a light. The other guy got in a few good hits but I punched him in the nuts and he went down. That’s when I ran. I called 9-1-1 to report the break-in to the police and then I called Dan. I was in the stairwell, afraid to go back into the apartment in case either of the goons woke up, so I heard what the police said as they walked to my door from the elevator. One said to the other that they were supposed to bring me to the station and hold me there until I was picked up. He said I was wanted for questioning. The other guy asked what they were supposed to do with the guys who had broken in. He said they were going to be booked but would probably be out on the street before the morning.”
“Do you have any idea why they’re hunting you or who is doing it?”
“Not really. I mean, I guess they do own my research but it will get out anyway, right? Sooner or later they’ll want to make some kind of profit from all of the money they sunk into helping me.”
Yuri stared off into space. “Do you know any of the names of the money-men, besides good old Dan’s dad?”
“Not really. I did hear there’s some guy who is suspected of being involved in some Central American drug cartel but that could just be a rumor or someone’s over-active imagination.”
“Central American, eh? I might be able to make some inquiries, to find out why the top researcher, who has finally found what the lab was looking for, is now a target.”
“You have contacts from Central America?”
Yuri chuckled, “Honey, when you have been alive for a really long time, you have contacts all over the world. It may be a big place but when you have forever, what is distance?”
Keisha shook her head. “Wow...just...wow.”
Yuri stood and walked over to the desk to take out some papers. “Here are some ideas I would like you to look through. I’ve read many of your published works. I would be honored to have you read mine. They will tell you what I know about what we are and maybe inspire you to pursue the research to answer my questions.”
“What are you going to do?”
Yuri pulled out a cell phone. “I’m going to send some texts and see if I can set up a meeting to figure out what’s going on to endanger you.”
“Texts? Don’t you just, you know, put the whammy on someone? Oogie-boogie stuff, read their minds, and all that?”
Yuri laughed. “Uh, no. I can only read minds when I’m in physical contact with the blood of someone and even then it’s hard to do. Most peoples’ minds are such a jumble of whirling ideas and thoughts. It’s difficult to get them to focus on what you want to find out—especially without them realizing someone is in their minds with them.
“Besides, the people I need to talk to are also vampires. We don’t intrude on each others’ minds without permission. I don’t often share blood with other men. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course, but I don’t find them attractive.”
Yuri leered at Keisha, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. “Not like attractive women...like, I don’t know...you?”
Keisha made a face at him. “Down, boy. Men. I guess it doesn’t matter if you are blood-sucking demons; you’re still men, huh? Fine; give me those papers. By the way, why are they papers? Why not notes in your laptop?”
Yuri smiled, “Because they are papers I’ve been writing for years. Some of them are very old, so be careful with them. I was always interested in science, even when I was a young mortal. Once I was turned, I was shocked at how little was known about what I became, so I tried to answer my own questions. Only gradually I realized that I don’t have the specialized education and skills needed to discover what we really are. That’s what you can do for me. Then we will be even-Steven and you won’t owe me anything for saving your life.”
Keisha snorted. “Asking me on my deathbed wasn’t much of a choice, but whatever. I don’t really feel indebted to you...”
Yuri nodded. “You will. I don’t think those who want you dead will be happy with no female body having been found in the car. So, I may be of more use to you in the future. Besides…” He flashed a mischievous grin. “I’m a big man. Most guys won’t mess with a big man as fast as they will with a gorgeous woman.”
“Thanks. Don’t think I’m that grateful, Romeo. I may be a nerd but I’m not easy.”
“Ah, but you have yet to discover just how sensitive your skin has become and how enhanced your senses are now that you...”
Keisha blushed and, even though she had milk chocolate-colored skin, the sudden rush of dark blood to her face was noticeable.
Yuri snorted with amusement. “Oho. So, that’s part of what took you so long in my shower, little girl. I’m so glad to discover that I was right about you in so many ways.”
“Little girl? I’m a thirty-six year old woman, thank-you. You don’t look like
you even made it into your thirties.”
Yuri nodded. “Good guess. I was twenty-nine, which was considered fairly old at the time, when I was turned. The average life-span back then was about forty.”
“Back when?”
“Enough questions. You get to reading; I’ll get to texting. We’ll have lots of other times when I can answer your questions. In fact, that’s the most often neglected part of bringing someone across...most teach their newbies how to feed and hunt safely but few bother to answer even the most basic questions. Rest assured I won’t do that to you.”
Keisha whistled softly. “Phew. What a relief. I may be a demon of the undead now...excuse me, differently-animated, and I face an eternity of drinking blood from hapless humans and offering only a mind-fuck in return, but at least you will answer my questions...sometime...when you are good and ready.”
Yuri lifted one eyebrow and glared at her. Keisha took that as a sign that she should start reading. He took his cell phone over to the window and began texting by the light of the moon.
While she was reading, Keisha peeked up to study her inhuman rescuer and was pleased with what she saw.
I thought he was hot when I met him in the bar, but now? It’s like my eyes never had good enough vision to see everything there is to see before now. He’s about six feet of hard, blond, Slavic good-looking man. A nice tight ass, good muscles, broad shoulders...and a package in his pants that almost pushed me up and off his lap when it twitched. I guess if I had to be killed by someone, I’m glad it was him.
With that thought amusing her, she smiled as she began reading the papers.
Chapter Seven
After assuring Keisha that he would be back soon, Yuri left the penthouse apartment by leaping off the balcony. She ran over with alarm, expecting to see him flattened on the pavement below. Instead, he floated in a leisurely manner right in front of her face.
“Did you think I tried to kill myself? Silly woman...” he teased her.
“You are flying?”
Yuri nodded. “How do you think I got you back here last night? I had to get you to someplace safe quickly so you would wake up in a secure environment to finish your change. Now I’m off to meet with someone who can hopefully answer some of your questions. Please wait here for me. I don’t want to have to rescue you again.”
Keisha made a face at him. “I’m not used to taking orders from men but I’ll consider sitting around reading your notes until you get back.”
Yuri snorted. “Consider? Yes, you do that. I’ll be back soon.”
He turned and sailed away from her, soon becoming a distant speck in the night sky.
Keisha stood and admired the view of the city from his penthouse. If she looked in one direction, the lights of the skyscrapers were all around her—almost blinding in their intensity. Looking in the other direction, her eyes were soothed by the inchoate amorphous darkness that was the water of Lake Michigan at night. She was struck by how acute her vision was and how loud the sounds of the people were out on the streets at night. She stared down at the moving figures and was astounded when she heard specific heartbeats and snippets of conversations. She trembled with fear.
Quickly she reentered the penthouse and closed the balcony door, taking deep calming breaths to help her to overcome her temporary panic attack.
Okay, Keisha. Everything is going to be different from now on. I’ll have to get used to this new way of being. For now, I need something to occupy my mind so I don’t run panic-stricken into the street. I’m only wearing a robe. I sure don’t want to start grabbing random passers-by and draining them of blood, when I don’t know what I’m doing yet or how to do it without killing anyone.
She felt a wave of revulsion race through her, as the horror of what she now found to be an interesting idea, drinking blood from other people’s bodies, terrified her.
Sit and read, girl. The hunger is mostly gone now. Yuri said his blood would be all I need for a while. I just hope he’s right, and that he’s back before I need to drink again. May I say again, ew.
* * * *
As he flew, Yuri allowed himself some time to think about the woman he left in his penthouse. She was enigmatic and fascinating. She was intelligent beyond anyone he had ever met before.. Considering how many years he had sought out educated people with novel ideas, that was a daunting concept. She was so attractive that he found it hard to concentrate on what she was saying when he was in the same room with her. However, there were details he needed to find out before he could pursue the relationship he wanted to have with her. He needed to know she was safe but he also needed to know why she was a target. Her casually dropping the information about a Central American drug cartel was propitious. Especially since he was aware of the recent arrival in town of someone he had known for many years. So, he headed directly for the destination he was sent by text message.
The hotel was not far from his penthouse. It was in a very expensive part of town and too brightly-lit for him to simply fly up to the proper balcony. So, he landed a block away in an alley, then dusted himself off and looked around. There was only one other person in the alley—an old man in shabby clothing who muttered to himself as he drank from a bottle in a paper bag.
How cliché. Yuri smiled to himself as he approached the unwitting donor. Smoothly he eased himself into position behind the man who was unaware that anything was happening until the fangs punctured his neck. His mind was flooded with images of happier times in his life, of family moments, of memories he enjoyed.
Yuri only took a pint or so, to ensure he would have the strength he needed to deal with the formidably old vampire he was to meet with. Then he left the old man lying in the alley, snoring with a smile on his face.
Yuri strolled casually up to the front door of the expensive hotel. He smiled at the doorman who let him into the lobby. He went over to the main reception desk to give the name of the person he came to see.
The impeccably-dressed receptionist barely acknowledged his arrival until he cleared his throat audibly.
“Excuse me; I’m here to visit Casimiro Pavlenko. Can you tell me which room he is in?”
The man, who looked to be barely old enough to have a drink, sneered at him after consulting his computer screen.
“I’m sorry, sir. There isn’t anyone with that name in our hotel.”
Yuri leaned closer, smiling as the young man recoiled in surprise.
“Oh, he’s here. You just need some help to remember...”
Yuri touched the back of the young man’s hand and felt gently in his mind for the information. He knew Casimiro would’ve placed it in a hidden area so that only those who knew what to look for would be able to find him. Just as he suspected, the image of the young man on his knees using his mouth to pleasure Casimiro was directly in front of the room number of his suite.
Yuri let go of the man’s hand. The receptionist shook his head, his curls bouncing as his eyes came back into focus. Not knowing or caring if the sexual image was real or planted, Yuri smiled warmly at the young mortal.
“Thank-you for your cooperation.”
The man nodded, “You’re very welcome, sir. Please tell the Count that if there is anything at all that he needs, he only has to ask.” The man’s face quickly slid back into its mask of studied indifference. Yuri knew that he had once again forgotten all about the mysterious resident in the penthouse suite.
Yuri strode quickly to the elevator. It glided smoothly up to the top of the building. When the door opened, there was a mortal armed guard standing in front of him. The man stared solemnly at Yuri.
“Please wait while I send him your image,” he said and then closed his eyes. He was quiet for a moment, then nodded as if he heard a response, before he opened his eyes.
“You are expected, Yuri Kozakov. Please go right in.”
As he entered the suite Yuri took a deep breath in admiration at the opulent splendor of the surroundings. The man he came to see was seated by the win
dow, simultaneously watching a television set to a news channel with the sound turned down and manipulating the touch pad on his laptop to browse various sites.
“Come in, my dear Yuri. It has been too long.”
“Casimiro Pavlenko. Don’t get up...no, really. There is no need for such formalities between us, is there, old friend?”
Casimiro clicked off the television and minimized the computer screen, Then he turned to face Yuri.
“Sit, sit, comrade. What is it that disquiets your mind and forces you to contact me when I have only been in town for a few days?”
“Are you bankrolling neurobiological research at a local facility? Is that why you are in town?”
Casimiro smiled. “And you? Are you still pursuing the answers to your questions about the nature of our existence? I swear, Yuri; no one is as single-minded as you are when you are curious about something.”
Yuri grinned. “Yes. I have finally found someone who can answer my questions. She is being threatened and hunted. I need to find out if you are in any way connected to that.”
“Why? What makes you think I have anything to do with that?”
“She told me one of the backers of her research is reputed to be a member of a Central American drug cartel. When she said that I remembered I felt your presence return to this area recently. So, I wanted to find out if you are able to call off the dogs hunting her. I don’t want any conflict with you but she is under my protection. Anyone trying to hurt her will have to deal with me first.”
Casimiro leaned back and concentrated. He spoke slowly and deliberately.
“She? Is she perhaps the researcher who seeks the chemical responsible for intelligence in our mortal citizens?”
Yuri nodded. “Yes. Right after she isolated the enzyme, her life became a living hell. I want that to end.”
“Funny. I was told that she was dead. The GPS tracker attached to her body is no longer reading any body heat. I was told it was just a matter of time before the body turned up.”
Yuri nodded solemnly at the other man, whose eyebrows rose with understanding.
Prophecy of the Undead Page 4
