I stood and caught a glimpse of my own shadow. “If you sprout wings, I’ll cut your throat myself.” I knew threatening myself out loud was pathetic. I just couldn’t stand the idea of having all of my clothes let out to make room for feathered appendages. Also, I assumed they itched.
I strolled to the bedroom and lay on the bed. I stared at the ceiling and actually wished that I could sleep. I knew that my mind needed rest, even if my body thought it didn’t. Too many thoughts raced through my noggin and I needed a way to silence them or at least calm it down.
Surprisingly, that anxious feeling had passed. As soon as Thor left, that itch in the back of my head dissipated like a fart in a whirlwind and my body relaxed. Perhaps I could sense that he was looking for me.
I continued to lie on the mattress and stare at the ceiling. There had to be a way to calm that progressively irritating inner monologue.
I sat up suddenly and actually felt a smile forming. I had no idea if my plan would work or not, but at this point, I was willing to grasp at straws.
I closed my eyes and imagined where I wanted to go.
Chapter 12
“STOP SLOUCHING.” THE crack of the dried cane against my shoulders snapped my eyes open.
“How am I supposed to relax and concentrate if you keep hitting me?”
“How are you supposed to reach nirvana if you slouch like a sack of wet sand?”
I turned and glared at the robed man standing behind me. He raised the cane as if to strike again and I quickly turned away from him and closed my eyes, doing my best to keep my back straight.
“Good. Now relax.”
I sighed inwardly. “Give me patience, but give it to me now. You realize that’s what you sound like, right?”
I knew the cane was coming before he ever swung the damned thing. I did my best not to jump when it stung my upper back.
“Relax. Now.” His barking was really starting to unnerve me.
I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the object he had suggested. It was a totem of sorts. A simple wooden turtle. Small and unassuming. It gave me something to concentrate on that didn’t run the risk of my body poofing to somewhere else inadvertently.
I suppose I should back up a hair and explain where I was and why I was there.
It was during my failed effort to fall asleep that the idea came to me. Meditation. It might allow me to quiet my mind and give my mental facilities a chance to rest and recuperate when needed.
I imagined a place, high in the mountains where little bald men walked around in robes being all enlightened and thinking deep thoughts. I opened my eyes and found myself here.
In all honesty, I really had no idea where “here” was, but I assumed it was probably in Nepal. The air was thin and the monks, if you could call them monks, all appeared to be much more enlightened than I will ever be. Luckily, I found one master who shared a common language with me and he agreed to help; the caning wasn’t mentioned during our initial chat.
It was a bit odd at first. It was like he knew what I was and what my problems were, even though he never asked. I think that secretly, I wished that he actually had all of the answers to any questions I might think to ask, but I would have been happy if all he did was teach me the right way to meditate. A simple practice that could help silence the voice in my head...a voice that would not be ignored. It screamed to either be heard or be silenced. Either way, I knew I needed help, and he was the only one who might be able.
So here I sat, legs crossed, ass hurting on the stone floor, eyes closed and mind focusing on the little carved wooden figure that he had placed on the window sill. I tried to imagine the small totem as I concentrated. The few times that I almost succeeded in silencing that insidious voice, allowing my mind to calm and quiet itself, something always seemed to snap me out of it.
It wasn’t until much later that I learned that once one reaches that zen point, it really doesn’t matter what happens around you physically. You can choose to either act or react accordingly.
It was late one night after the others had all gone to sleep that I finally reached that point. I had focused on the totem, my mind seeing every tiny scratch, every fiber of its surface, every nick, every aspect of it, and my inner voice became silent.
I didn’t realize that the sun had come up but I was partially aware that the master was speaking to me. I was so deeply in the zen state that I ignored his words. I also chose to ignore when he used the cane across my shoulders to get my attention. I craved the peace that I had found and I wasn’t ready to give it up.
It was somewhere between the fourth and fourteenth strike of the cane that my hand shot up and caught the rod before it connected with me again. It was as if I were standing outside my body and watching the events unfold. The master smiled when I released the cane and continued to sit in the chamber they’d offered me as a room.
He stepped to the side and brought the cane around again, this time intending to catch my attention by bouncing it off my face. Once more, my hand caught the cane and deflected the blow.
The master was satisfied. He stepped back and disappeared, leaving me to whatever it was that I was doing. I wish I had the words to describe what I experienced, but there simply aren’t any. I found the pathway to leading my mind to the place it needed to be.
When I finally opened my eyes again, my inner voice wasn’t screaming at me. If anything, it sighed with a huge ‘ahhh’ and I could feel my entire body relax. It truly was as though I had experienced a deep and healing sleep.
I met the master in his garden and he said nothing when I arrived. I picked up a small set of pruning shears and assisted him. We worked in silence until the midday meal. When the bell tolled, he set his shears down and walked away.
I followed him, even though I still had no desire to eat. I sat in my room and practiced my meditation until he came to see me again. He sat down across from me and assumed the lotus position. It was moments later I could see him in my mind.
He approached me and I could see that he was happy. “You have achieved Mushin. No-mindness.”
“It certainly is easier to find your way back once you have been there.” In my mind, we stood in a clearing of wild flowers surrounded by trees.
“This is your creation. This place brings you joy.”
“It brings me peace.” I turned and made a wide sweeping motion. “That is all I sought.”
The master nodded. “For now.” He turned to leave. “Your time with us comes to an end, but you will return.”
“I have no need to return.” I reached out and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. “I can never thank you enough.”
He smiled and gave me a curt nod. “You will return. The day will come when you will wish to continue to learn; there is much you do not know. For now, I will wish you well.”
He faded from my happy place and I knew that he had left. I opened my eyes and glanced about the empty room. He was right about one thing. It was time to leave.
I stood and dusted my pants off. I simply thought of my home and found myself standing in the middle of the living room again.
Surprise. It hadn’t miraculously cleaned itself.
I turned to grab a broom when I noticed the stack of papers piled near the fax machine and on the floor. I had forgotten my “duties” while I was gone.
Funny thing about time. You don’t realize it passing when you’ve lived as long as I have. I glanced at the stack and had to wonder…how long had I been gone? I could only assume it had been months. Time really flies when you’re having fun.
I flipped through the pages and had no desire to hunt down and destroy the people listed. I glanced out the window and knew that it was midday. The vampires they wanted dead would either be sleeping or hiding.
I shrugged my long coat on and checked the inner pockets. All of my weapons were still in place.
I pulled the first sheet from the short stack and glanced at the last known location of public enemy number one. “T
ime to get dirty.”
I LOOKED AROUND the room and shook my head. It made my home look clean and tidy and that was after a god had destroyed the place. I stepped lightly to the end of the darkened room and entered the hall. I made the mistake of placing a hand to the wall to feel for sounds that my ears might miss.
I pulled back a sticky mess and recognized the coppery stench of old blood. Before eating Grigori, I probably would have smelled it first. Since gorging on angel blood, my senses seemed to have shifted.
I walked to the end of the hallway and peeked inside a room. It was filled with bloody clothes and discarded belongings. Trophies perhaps.
I slipped to the next room and the only thing in it was a wooden shipping crate, roughly the same dimensions as a coffin. I assumed the mark was using it as a bed. I walked into the room and reached for the lid. The closet door flew open and a screeching vampire jumped onto my shoulders, clawing and digging at my flesh.
I didn’t mean to hurt him. I mean, yeah, I was there to kill him, but I wasn’t out to hurt him. I grabbed him from my shoulders and flung him across the room and into the opposite wall.
He slid to the floor and stared at me with wide eyes. “You’re their hunter, aren’t you? The c-council sent you, d-didn’t they? You’re here to remove me.”
I raised a brow and wiped at the blood left from his attack. The wounds had already healed, but the blood was still wet on my skin. “You’re not as dumb as you look.”
“I’m not dumb!” He squatted along the floor and stared at me with wide eyes. He looked like many of the humans who abused psychedelic drugs for too many years.
“You don’t look healthy, my friend.” I tilted my head and studied him. “When was the last time you slept?” Damned if I didn’t want to ask him if he’d ever considered meditation. I sighed to myself and stepped closer to him, my hand reaching for the short sword.
“I didn’t do it!” He tried to cover his face with his hands. “I swear to the gods I didn’t do whatever they claim I did.”
“I don’t care.” My slice cleaved him in half, his ashes settling to the filthy carpet below him. I kept telling myself that I’d done him a favor by removing him from this reality.
I folded his data sheet and shoved it into a pocket. I pulled the next and glanced at the location. Without thinking, I found myself standing outside the building. It appeared to be an abandoned gas station.
A swift kick to the door gave me access and the settling dust and scurrying rats would have told anybody else that nothing lived there. A quick sniff of the air and I could taste the fear. Someone was there and didn’t want to die.
Okay, that was stupid. Who actually wants to die? Not many. Apparently even those who try to commit suicide often regret it as soon as they’ve past the point of no return. From what little I’ve read, those who attempt it and fail claim that they instantly regretted it and felt fortunate to have survived their mistake.
Whatever was hiding in the shadows would face the music whether they wanted to or not. I flipped the larger pieces of junk out of my way and waded through the refuse. I could sense eyes on me and knew that they were watching, hoping I wouldn’t find them.
“You might as well come out. I’ll just make it painful if you force me to tear through all of this crap to get to you.” I waited a moment for the target to come to their senses. They didn’t. “Fine. Have it your way. But believe me when I tell you that you will feel pain like you never thought possible.”
“Wait!”
I paused and stared into the shadows. “Step out.”
“Please, I don’t want to die.” It was a woman’s voice. I could see her outline in the back of the room and she scooted slightly into view.
“Nobody wants to.”
“I haven’t done anything. I swear.”
I groaned. “That’s the second time today I’ve heard that.”
“How were you able to walk in the light?” Her question was an honest one, not some desire to put off her demise for a few more moments.
“I’m different.” I stepped closer and she lurched back against the rear wall.
“I can see that.” She pointed at me. “But you…you’re a vampire too. I can tell.” She swallowed hard and made a slight move to the door beside her. I knew that way only led to sunlight and a painful death. I made no move to stop her.
“You’re absolutely correct. I am a vampire.” I paused and considered what I’d just said. “Well, I used to be. I have no idea what I am now.”
“Your eyes. They’re different. You can see in the dark, but they don’t reflect light like other vampires’ do. They’re…different.”
“That’s what I said. I’m different. Now step on out here so we can–"
She darted for the doorway and threw it open. The flames shot from her form as soon as the sunlight struck her skin. The door sealed shut behind her and I heard her beat on the metal skin for just a moment before it stopped.
I really hated that smell. But at least I knew it was over. I walked to the side of the building and used my boot to scatter her ashes in the wind. With a heavy heart I folded her sheet up and stuffed it in my pocket with the first one.
I pulled the next sheet and stared at it. The photo attached wasn’t anything special. She looked like your typical soccer mom. I continued to stare at the picture. I imagined where I wanted to go and I was gone.
IT ONLY TOOK a few moments to jot down my words. I fed the paper into the machine and pressed the send button. I sat beside the fax machine and waited. I don’t know why I expected the fax to reply to me but I was actually surprised when my cell phone rang.
I felt just a bit stupid when I answered it.
“You can’t quit.”
“I just did.”
I could hear the vampire on the other end breathing. “You know that we’ll send another hunter for you.”
“You can try, but you’ll run out of hunters very quickly if you do.”
He actually laughed. “You’re not that good.”
“Want to bet?” I wasn’t trying to sound like a bad ass. I wasn’t making unwarranted threats. I was just sick of the game.
“Your days are numbered, hunter.”
“I’m telling you now, if you send a hunter after me, I will kill them. Then I’ll come for you.”
“You don’t have your Nephilim to help you any longer, hunter.” He sounded almost hopeful.
“I don’t need one.” I stared at the handle of the angelic sword in my coat. “I’ll be out of your house in a few days. Until then, don’t do anything stupid.”
“We’ll be seeing you soon.” The phone went dead and I knew they couldn’t resist. If they didn’t send someone, it would make them appear weak. When they did, I’d be forced to retaliate, lest I appear weak.
I hated this killing game.
Chapter 13
I DIDN’T EXPECT them to send somebody so quickly. I was still packing what little belonged to me when the front door exploded on its hinges. I glanced to the window and realized that night had only just fallen.
I groaned to myself and closed my eyes, focusing on the intruder. There were three of them. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised they’d send a force. I had built a reputation for being an efficient killer.
I reached for my coat and slipped it on. I poofed myself to the front entryway and slipped in behind the rearmost intruder. A quick vibrating slice removed his head and I watched as his ashes fell to the tile floor. I stepped farther inside and noticed a shadow in the kitchen.
“I’m going to give you a chance to leave before I ash your sorry ass.”
I watched the shadow stiffen then a pair of eyes peered around the corner. I heard the blades slide from their sheathes and a figure dressed in black stepped out in front of me.
I really didn’t want to do this.
He sprang into action, and rather than slicing the assassin in two, I used the butt of the hilt to knock the flying attacker senseless. He crumpled to the
floor in a heap. I looked up to see the lead intruder step out of a bedroom. His eyes widened when he saw his partner sprawled on the floor and the ashes behind me. He stepped out fully and squared his shoulders.
“You don’t have to die tonight.” I pointed the sword at him. “Hell, take back those ashes and tell them it’s me. They won’t know the difference.”
“I would know the difference.” He pulled his blades and prepared to launch.
I poofed in behind him and pressed the blade to his throat. “You really don’t have to die tonight.”
I could smell the fear instantly. He stiffened and swallowed hard against the edge of my blade. I could feel it vibrating in my hand, wanting to slice into his throat.
“H-how did you do that?” He was probably in shock.
“I’m not like you.” I lowered my voice and leaned close to his ear. “Now how about you scoop up those ashes and tell them that it’s me?”
He swallowed hard and nodded slightly, afraid to move against the blade at his throat. I let off the pressure and pulled the blade slowly from his neck.
The little bastard spun and sank two silver plated blades into my midsection. I staggered back, waiting for the heat of the internal flame that would render me to ash…but it never came. We both looked on in shock as I slowly pulled the blades out and dropped them to the floor.
He shook his head as he took a half step backward and away from me. He continued to back away and tripped over his partner’s body. He didn’t slow down at all as he crab walked through the ashes and to the front stoop. I watched him spin around, get his feet under him and disappear into the night.
I pulled my shirt up and the wounds had already healed. I bent and retrieved one of the blades. Holding it to my nose, I could smell the silver in the metal.
Something wasn’t right.
I HAD TO test my theory. I gripped the gold necklace and felt the metal burn my flesh. “Son of a bitch!” I dropped the hot metal and flipped on the cold water. It eased the pain and the wound began itching as it healed, but quite slowly.
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