Have Teeth, Will Bite

by L D Marr

  Jonah looked at the man lying on the bed.

  Was this man of the cloth a killer of women? he wondered. The lowest of low murdering scum on planet Earth?

  Yes, the stake and mallet and the small circle of blood that stained Roz’s nightdress just over her breast proved that was true. He deserved the death he got, but Jonah wasn’t sure how to proceed from here.

  “In any case, it’s imperative that this body is disposed of before it’s discovered,” said Cowboy Bob as if he’d read Jonah’s mind. “I know you want to follow standard police procedure, but if the sheriff and the people in this town find out that Roz is a vampire, all hell will break loose.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Jonah.

  “I mean that you know the manner of this man’s death. Roz drained him of his blood. At the least, the townspeople will come after her with stakes, fire, and silver bullets,” said Cowboy Bob.

  “And at the worst?” Jonah asked.

  “In the extreme case, the knowledge of the existence of vampires will create widespread terror and destruction throughout the world,” Cowboy Bob answered. “Fear drives people to desperate acts. Hate and suspicion might cause them to burn, kill, and pillage recklessly and wantonly. Much in the same way that witch hunters are now killing so many innocent women at the whim of anyone who has the slightest grudge against them.”

  “But Jonah is the law in this town, so the choice is up to him,” said Roz.

  She looked at him calmly waiting for his answer.

  Jonah saw movement in the corner of his eye. Roz’s cat had jumped off the window and landed next to her on the bed. Buttons glared up at him with eyes that glowed orange in the night—predatory eyes. Jonah felt the promise of his own destruction by this cat if anything happened to Roz.

  I must be imagining things, he thought.

  Jonah stood silent for a moment and considered what to do next.

  If I tell the sheriff, and people find out about this vampire business, will anyone even believe it? They’ll either think I’m crazy, or he’s right, they’ll come after Roz, or worse. But this evildoer got the justice he deserved. I think it’s best to let it go this time. There’s more good reasons for that than just because I’m in love with her,” Jonah told himself.

  He turned to face Cowboy Bob.

  “I guess you’re right. I’ll go along with getting rid of this body, but how do you plan to do it?” he asked.

  Cowboy Bob smiled down at him.

  “Ah! You have seen reason!” he said. “And disposal of this body is quite simple.”

  Without answering Jonah’s question, Cowboy Bob lunged toward the prone corpse. In mere seconds, he scooped the limp body up into his arms, ran to the window, and dove out.

  Jonah expected to hear the thud of Cowboy Bob hitting the ground below, but there was only silence.

  “He’s such a show off,” said Roz.

  She stood up, yanked her bedding off the bed, and tossed it into the corner of the room near the door. Then Roz sat back down on the bed.

  “I’ll have to wash everything,” she said. “I didn’t spill any blood, but it all stinks like his unwashed body odor.”

  Jonah felt woozy. He pulled the wooden chair from the desk and collapsed on it. Then he looked at Roz. She stared back at him. So compelling. Desirable. Confusing. Unnaturally calm after what she’d just been through. Unnatural was the key word here.

  “Well Jonah, have you thought about our engagement?” she asked.

  Chapter 27

  With Brother Thatcher’s dead body held tight against his chest, Cowboy Bob moved on a lightning-fast path that curved around trees and other obstacles through the thick-wooded forest. In minutes, he was miles away from town.

  He stood on an expanse of mossy ground beneath a giant redwood tree. The tree’s thick branches blocked the sun and discouraged plant growth around its circumference.

  Before setting down his latest offering, Cowboy Bob shoved a pile of clean-picked bones into a clump of shrubby bushes off to one side. The bones clattered as they knocked against the pile that was growing there.

  With that done, Cowboy Bob set Brother Thatcher’s body in the center of the now bare area. Then he stepped a few feet away.

  He sent out his supernatural feelers. Were any of his familiars nearby? Yes. He sensed them. A group of six were less than five miles away.

  Cowboy Bob tipped his head back and drew in a deep breath. He opened his mouth wide and let out an ear-splitting howl.

  Within seconds, the sound of six answering howls came back to him. His heightened sensitivity detected the slight tremble of animal feet pounding fast across the ground in his direction.

  Good. They’re on the way, he thought.

  Then Cowboy Bob disappeared from the sight of mortal eyes as he shot away into the night.

  Chapter 28

  Meanwhile, Roz sat on her bed waiting patiently for Jonah to answer her question. Minutes had passed, and he hadn’t said anything.

  That’s OK, she thought. I have all the time in the world.

  “But he doesn’t,” said Buttons in her mind.

  Roz sighed. It was clear that this cat would not stop his invasive behavior of reading her mind despite all previous requests.

  “I’m sorry I’m taking so long to answer,” said Jonah, perhaps misinterpreting her sigh. “It’s just that I’m having trouble connecting the dots of everything that’s been happening here. I’m even more confused than the last time we talked.”

  “I can wait,” said Roz. “But if you already know the answer, and you want to break off our engagement, just tell me. I’ll understand. You just saw me kill a man. That’s not what most men are looking for in a wife.”

  She stared at Jonah. In the moonlit room, his strong features were distinctly visible to her. And she knew without a doubt that he was the man she loved. The only man she would ever love for all time whether he stayed with her or not.

  Roz looked into Jonah’s eyes, but she was careful not to put any compulsive power into her gaze. She wanted to hear the true answer from his heart and mind without any supernatural influence from her.

  Jonah stared back at her for a long time. Roz thought she saw love in his eyes. Along with confusion, desire, and other unreadable thoughts and emotions. But she didn’t know if she was imagining the love. And it was up to him to make sense of his own inner turmoil.

  Finally, he spoke.

  “It doesn’t make sense…,” Jonah began. “It’s not at all logical, but even with everything I know about you, I’m still in love with you. I guess that will never change.”

  He paused and wiped a hand across his brow. Jonah’s words had filled Roz with hope and joy, but she waited for him to continue. Down at her side, Buttons purred, and she reached a hand to scratch under his chin.

  Jonah took in a deep breath and spoke again.

  “So anyway,” he said. “I’m sorry I’ve been so wishy washy about all this. And what I’m trying to say is even though you’re a vampire, I still want to marry you if you’ll still have me. I’m in love with you, and that won’t change no matter what kind of supernatural being you change into.”

  “Of course, I’ll still have you,” said Roz.

  She reached out a hand to him. Jonah took it and pressed it to his lips.

  Buttons stood up on the bed next to Roz.

  “I’m out of here,” he said in her mind.

  He crouched on his haunches and then jumped out the window in one fast leap.

  Jonah quickly took Button’s place on the bed next to Roz. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his face against her neck.

  “How soon can we get married?” he said. “Tomorrow?”

  “Is that possible?” she asked. “I just killed the only preacher in town.”

  “That’s OK,” said Jonah. “The sheriff can perform marriages. He’s a Justice of the Peace.”

  “Then tomorrow will be perfect,” said Roz.

  Jonah lifted h
is face up close to hers. She felt that a kiss was imminent, and her lips parted. But he had another question for her.

  “There’s just one more thing I’m wondering about if we get married,” he said. “You said you’ll live forever, and you’ll stay young forever. But I’ll get old and die. Will that be a problem for you to be married to an old man? And then to become a widow?”

  “No, it won’t be!” Roz insisted. “I’ll still love you when you grow old. And I’ll love you after you die—for all time.”

  But the thought of Jonah’s death and loss chilled her. She put her arms around him and hugged him tight against her.

  “There’s an option to that, however,” she said. “If you’re willing.”

  “What’s that?” Jonah asked.

  “You could become a vampire too. And then you’d live forever. We could be together for all eternity,” said Roz.

  He didn’t answer right away, and she stared into his eyes, so full of love and so alive. She inhaled and breathed in the intoxicating aroma of his living blood mixed with his own personal irresistible scent.

  Would he lose something if he were changed? she wondered for the first time.

  But Jonah’s answer put that question to rest.

  “As much as I want to spend all eternity with you, that’s not right for me. I don’t want to be a vampire. But you’re welcome to feed from me whenever you want to,” he said in a husky voice.

  Roz had just consumed a huge meal. She wasn’t very hungry, but the throbbing of Jonah’s blood in his veins called to her.

  “Maybe just a little taste for now,” she said.

  Chapter 29

  After he dropped off the corpse of Brother Thatcher, Cowboy Bob had one more stop to make before he returned home. Shrouded in his dark cloak, he silently picked the flimsy lock of the jail’s front door and the even flimsier lock on Madame’s cell.

  Cowboy Bob closed the cell door behind him. Then he stared down at Madame, who was snoring softly on a small, hard cot.

  “Wake up, Madame,” Cowboy Bob sent the order into her mind.

  She stirred. Her eyes opened, and she lifted her head and looked around.

  “What…what?” she said.

  “It’s me, Cowboy Bob,” he said. “I’m here for a visit and a chat with you.”

  Madame sat up on the bed and tilted her head back to look up at him. Cowboy Bob pulled down the hood of his cloak, so she could see his face. Then he crouched down with knees bent and held that position closer to her eye level.

  “Cowboy Bob! Oh, Cowboy Bob! Have you come to get me out of this place?” she pleaded.

  “Ah, well, Madame. I’m here to help you as much as I can, but I can’t make any promises,” he said.

  “At least that’s something,” she sniffed. “Everyone else has abandoned me. No one else cares if I live or die.”

  “Like I said, I’ll try to help you,” said Cowboy Bob. “But first, I need to ask you some questions about the crimes.”

  “I’ve already told everyone all about that,” said Madame. “The sheriff, the deputy, even Brother Thatcher—such a pure, holy man!”

  She reached a hand up to her heart and held it there for a moment before she continued.

  “Yes, I’ve told the whole story. How it wasn’t my fault. How I had to do it. But the sheriff says I still have to hang for it!” Madame broke off into loud sobs.

  Cowboy Bob pulled a linen handkerchief out of a pocket and handed it to her. Then he placed a comforting hand on her plump shoulder.

  “You’ve told everyone except me,” he said. “But I need to hear too. Tell me, Madame. Why did you have to kill Gertie and Roz?”

  He stared into her eyes and gave her the irresistible mental command to tell him the truth. And to tell the whole story.

  Madame’s mouth opened. She trembled and shook.

  “Uh. Uh. Buh…,” she said.

  Cowboy Bob sensed her resistance.

  Someone else has hypnotized her! he realized. But my commands will overpower those of whomever that was.

  “Tell me all!” he ordered again, speaking both out loud and through the power of his hypnotic stare.

  Madame broke out into a sweat, but she spoke.

  “I had to kill the redhead! The redheaded witch!” she sputtered. “I made a mistake when I killed Gertie. She wasn’t the right redhead. Roz was the witch I was supposed to kill. But I failed! And now I’m going to hang for it, but it wasn’t my fault. Don’t you see, Cowboy Bob?”

  “Yes. I think I do see,” he said. “Someone ordered you to kill. Isn’t that right? Who gave you that order, Madame?”

  “Can’t say! Can never tell!” said Madame.

  She stiffened and then shook violently. Her skin turned bright red, and her eyes rolled up in her head.

  Cowboy Bob gripped her arms with both hands. He focused his mental power and sent another command straight into her mind.

  “All orders that anyone else has given you are now broken,” he said. “You will only respond to my commands. Only they will have power over you.”

  Madame’s eyes closed, and her body went limp under his hands. She sighed a deep, ragged sigh.

  “Thank you, Cowboy Bob. Thank you for releasing me from that torment,” she said.

  He gave her arm an encouraging squeeze.

  “Now tell me, Madame. Who gave you the order to kill?” he asked.

  “It was Brother Thatcher! Oh, Lordy, it was him!”

  She gasped and then put both hands over her mouth as if to take the words back.

  “Yes. I expected as much. But I needed your confirmation. Thank you, Madame,” said Cowboy Bob, slipping into his genuine, cultured manner of speaking.

  Madame looked confused for a moment, but she didn’t comment on the change.

  “Now that you know it wasn’t my fault, will you get me out of here, Cowboy Bob?” she begged. “That man made me do it. You understand that, right?”

  “I understand that he gave you the order, but in reality, he didn’t force your hand,” said Cowboy Bob. “Hypnosis can only plant a suggestion. It encourages behavior, but it can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to. You must have wanted to kill Gertie and Roz, and you did it of your own free will. Isn’t that true, Madame?”

  “Well, yes. I wanted to kill them. But I wouldn’t have normally done it if I wasn’t ordered to,” she argued. “Please don’t let them hang me, Cowboy Bob.”

  “Regardless of the order, you wanted to kill Gertie, and you did. The desire to murder was in your heart, and you acted on it. And now you’ll have to take the punishment that the law of this land demands. There’s no getting out of it. I’m sorry, Madame,” said Cowboy Bob with sincerity.

  “But I’m scared of the rope! I’m scared of the pain!” she wailed.

  Madame leaned forward and sobbed against his chest. Cowboy Bob patted her high-teased hair.

  “Please help me, Cowboy Bob! Please!” she begged.

  “I can’t prevent your death, but I can take you from this life in a painless and even pleasurable manner, if you so desire,” he said.

  Madame looked up at him with confusion in her eyes.

  “What do you mean? Why are you talking so strange?” she asked, finally noticing that he’d abandoned his artificial Texas drawl. “What are you going to do? Shoot me?”

  “You know I don’t carry a gun, Madame,” he answered. “And I can’t explain what I’ll do. But I promise that I’ll do exactly what I say. If you tell me that’s your wish, I will end your life tonight. You’ll feel no pain, only bliss. But you must tell me now. I believe there are plans for your hanging tomorrow.”

  “No! No!” she said. “I mean, yes! Do it now then. I don’t want to hang.”

  She threw her arms up around his neck and clung to him.

  Cowboy Bob breathed in the aroma of her somewhat stale, sluggish-moving blood. But its flavor was quickened by the deadly hatred in her heart and her recent murderous actions.

&
nbsp; His knees were still bent in a low crouch. But with his superhuman strength, Cowboy Bob could hold that position for an endless time without feeling any discomfort.

  A large expanse of skin was exposed by Madame’s low-cut blouse. Cowboy Bob reached up a hand and brushed away the hair that covered an artery that throbbed on her neck.

  She snuggled into him and purred.

  “I’ve always had a thing for you, Cowboy Bob. Did you know that? And you were with that Loretta, but you wanted me all along, didn’t you, Cowboy Bob?” she asked.

  “I want you now, Madame,” Cowboy Bob answered. “I hunger for you, and you will be delicious.”

  He placed his mouth over the throbbing vein and sunk in his teeth.

  “Ooh!” Madame squealed, and then she began to moan in ecstasy as he sucked and swallowed her blood.

  Time passed, and Madame’s moans grew softer. Cowboy Bob felt her body go limp. He laid her down on the cot and drained the rest of her blood. Then Cowboy Bob left the jail, locking its doors behind him.

  Chapter 30

  At around noon the next day, Jonah stood next to Sheriff DuBois in Madame’s jail cell. Both men stared down at her lifeless body. The town’s only doctor, and undertaker, was bent over her.

  After a minimal examination, the doctor straightened and addressed the two lawmen.

  “It appears that Madame has had a heart attack,” he said. “There’s no other cause of death that I can see. She’s quite pale. Maybe the trauma of knowing she was going to be hanged today was too much for her old heart to take. Better for her to go this way, I’d say.”

  “I’ll have to agree with that,” said the sheriff. “I sure didn’t have the stomach to do that hanging today. Frankly, my own heart was a mite traumatized by it too.”

  “All’s well that ends well, then,” said the doctor. “I’ll go get my cart, so I can take the body away and prepare it for burying.”

  “Appreciate it,” said the sheriff.

  The doctor and the sheriff both turned and walked out of the cell. But Jonah stayed there for a few minutes more.