“One day, my dear. I suppose you're wondering why I called.”
She smiled. She adored Bradley, but knew he wasn't calling to be social. There were a few groups of vampires in the world who engaged in politics, and enforcing whatever ridiculous rules were in fashion at the time. Bradley was one of those vampires.
Victoria agreed with some of the general vampire ideologies. Keeping their existence a secret was something they all knew was a good thing. But she was more lax about it than other vampires.
It was like she told her friend Alex once. People didn't believe the truth when it was right in front of them.
“I thought you called to talk about old times,” she joked.
“I wish it were that simple. Are you up for any work?”
Victoria laughed at his choice of words. Vampires, like any other thing mortal or supernatural, could be good, or not-so-good. Victoria had spent much of her time challenging the not-so-good creatures.
“I don't know, Bradley. I'm still basking in the glow of saving the world a year ago.”
He smiled. “The terror threat at Camden Yards? I had a feeling you had something to do with that. Is it true what I hear? You had help from some kind of half demon?”
Victoria said nothing. Trust with Bradley wasn't an issue, but he was a politician. She was protective of Alex, and wanted to keep him as far away from certain vampire circles as possible.
“What work are you talking about?”
“Are you familiar with a town called Walton? It's right there in Maryland, near the border to Virginia.”
“Never been there.”
“We think they may be having a werewolf problem.”
“Out of control?”
He tried to hide a smile. “Yeah. Two murders during a full moon.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. I blame your American Hollywood.”
“What do you want me to do? I can't mentor him. Or her.”
“All we ask is for you to try. If not, kill it. You know the age we live in, Victoria. The last thing we need is a moronic TV-loving wolf showing up on the Internet.”
She hesitated. Vampires weren't suited to travel, and she enjoyed the company of her mortal friends.
She especially looked forward to the return of Jake Bachner.
Jake was the first human in centuries to get her undead blood flowing. She pushed the lustful thoughts away, and focused on Bradley.
“I don't know,” she said.
“You know you'll be paid well.”
“I have enough money for a few more lifetimes. It's just a pain. So many preparations. I'll have to take care of lodging, have supplies sent, have my affairs tended to here in Baltimore-”
“The victims were two children,” Bradley said. “A boy and girl, still in high school.”
Victoria lowered her head. Bradley was poking at her heart strings, and he knew it.
Some vampires felt nothing for humans, only seeing them as a source of food. They lived eighty or so years, and then they died, leaving more in their place.
Victoria didn't feel that way.
“I'll need more details,” she said. “I'll prepare, but send me everything you can find.”
“Thank you, Victoria. Like I said, I'll make sure to add some weight to your bank account.”
“You'll owe me money, and a favor,” she said with a smile.
He laughed and nodded. “As always.”
She disconnected the call and leaned back in her chair for a moment. It had been a while since she had to handle a werewolf.
She was nearly done writing her list of preparations when the buzzer rang.
Someone was at her front gate, at nearly four in the morning.
Her computer was tied into the home security system. She cycled through the cameras until she settled on the view of the front gate.
A familiar van was parked just outside. He was back in town early.
If she had a pulse, it would have fluttered.
Jake Bachner.
They had a relationship that even the most carefree of vampires would find strange.
Jake had spent twenty years of his life trying to find Victoria with one purpose. To kill her. He wanted revenge for her killing his grandfather.
It took saving the city of Baltimore to convince him that not all vampires were evil.
They spent time together. Then the sex started.
Victoria convinced herself it was only sex. Vampires enjoyed sex as much as humans and Jake was a more-than-sufficient partner.
Then she started missing him when he was gone. Now she didn't know what was going on, and she liked it.
It was good to know after four centuries life still had surprises.
She buzzed him in and poured a glass of tea for him. Her house was stocked with more normal food and drink since she began entertaining more human company.
His light footsteps crossed the empty first floor above her.
He was opening the door to the basement when she remembered she wore nothing but a robe.
She ran across the basement at a speed a human eye would have trouble keeping up with. Her hand was on a pair of sweatpants when she heard his voice.
“Wow. Now that's how you come back from a trip.”
She froze, a huge smile on her face.
“I swear, this is by accident. I'm not trying to seduce you.”
“Damn.”
She turned to face him. Jake was an attractive man, just past forty years old. He kept himself in shape, rugged and hardened from a lifetime of hunting vampires.
“Did you just get back?” she asked. “How did it go?”
He put his hands on her hips. “I'm still alive,” he said with a smile. “Three kills. They were newborns, trying to bite everyone they could find to make a little vampire army. Idiots.”
She laughed. Humans and newborn vampires alike thought any bite victim was a potential vampire. It didn't work that way. Vampirism was like a disease, and not everyone could contract it.
Leaning into him, she sniffed up and down his body. She missed his scent.
“You just get back, and I have to leave,” she complained.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Werewolf case. I have a lot to do.” She smiled. “But I have some time.”
He let his hands slip under her robe. “I guess I'd better give you a reason to be careful.”
The vampire led the vampire-killer to her bed.
Chapter 10
The mood of Walton High School was somber for a while as everyone mourned the deaths of Donna and Paul. Police looked for any signs of the animal that killed them, but turned up nothing.
Kevin and Rachel spent time together every day. It had become a tradition for Kevin to work out in the weight room, and then wait by Rachel's car while she finished up in the computer lab.
She left the lab after a half hour meeting with Tyler and Kent to discuss Homecoming. Kevin was late. She was putting her backpack in the back seat when she saw him approaching. She smiled at him as a voice called out from the soccer field.
“Hey, Kevin! Practice ends in ten minutes. Why don't you hang out with us? Then I'll take you home.”
Rachel turned to see Tessa Hayes standing near the edge of the soccer field. She had a hand on her hip, looking like only she could. Half of the girls' soccer team practiced behind her. The other half stared at Kevin as he crossed the lot.
She felt her heart sink. Kevin had stopped wearing his jacket, and the girls had noticed.
It was only a matter of time.
With seniors like Tessa Hayes chasing him, why would he want to hang out with her?
Rachel had the door to her Mustang open and one leg inside, expecting to leave school alone.
Kevin barely stopped to look at Tessa.
“No, thank you. I always ride with my friend, Rachel.”
Tessa frowned. “Why?”
He ignored her and joined Rachel in the Mustang. Shaking his head, he
sighed and looked at her.
“What is with the girls in school lately?” he asked. “I'm working out and suddenly the cheer squad comes in to lift weights. They never lift weights.”
She laughed. One of the many reasons she found him adorable was because he was either oblivious to his new-found status, or simply didn't care.
“Kevin, you're the new hot guy. Every girl wants a piece of you.”
“How did I magically become hot? Is it because I got a kitten?”
“You stopped wearing your coat.”
He looked down at the plain tee shirt he wore. “How do you deal with it?”
“Deal with what?”
“With being cute. You've been cute a lot longer than me.”
She laughed for a moment, but read his face, realizing he was serious.
“You think I'm cute?”
He nodded. “Doesn't everyone?”
She wanted to say something, but nothing came out. A simple thank you would do. But she couldn't stop smiling.
She started her Mustang, and almost pulled out of the lot when she heard her name over the roar of the engine.
Mister Daly, the adviser for the school paper, jogged toward them. She killed the engine and rolled the window all the way down.
“Rachel,” he said, trying to catch his breath. “Could I talk to you a second?”
She looked at Kevin. “Is it okay?”
He laughed. “Go ahead. I'm not going anywhere.”
She left the Mustang and followed Mister Daly across the lot. He stopped when they were out of earshot from everyone else.
“Is everything okay?” she asked. “We've got Homecoming covered.”
He waved his hand. “Forget Homecoming. We've got something big here.” He looked around one more time before producing a piece of paper from his pocket. “I just got out of a parent-teacher conference with a junior who turned in a paper I know wasn't his. I grilled him a little, his parents leaned on him, and check it out.”
She studied the paper as he waited patiently.
“Is this what I think it is?”
He nodded and smiled. “Yes. The post office box that our infamous paper writer has been using for the past few weeks.”
“Holy shit.”
“That's what I said. Are you up for some recon?”
She smiled. “You bet.”
“Good. I want you to find out who it is, and get me something written up as soon as possible for the website. We have the chance to do some good here. Finally, maybe students will start earning their own grades around here.”
Rachel looked over the sheet of paper as Mister Daly walked away. For the longest time they struggled to find one of the culprit's random email addresses. Now they had something better. One of his post office boxes.
She took a step back toward her Mustang, and stopped when she saw Tessa Hayes.
The star soccer player was practically leaning into her car, shoving her breasts in Kevin's face. Kevin leaned away as far as he could. Rachel heard the tail end of their conversation as she drew closer.
“You should really come, Kevin. You'll have a good time. I promise.”
“Yeah, uh, thanks. Maybe I will.”
Tessa gave Rachel an angry glare before walking away. She climbed behind the wheel and looked at her friend.
“What was that about?”
“Tessa invited me to a party at her house on Friday.”
“Lucky you.”
They left the parking lot. She headed toward his apartment, but Kevin stopped her at a red light.
“You hungry?” he asked. “Let's go to that diner on Wilson Avenue. My treat.”
She frowned. A lot of teens from their school hung out at the diner.
“I don't know.”
“Come on,” he said, playfully nudging her shoulder with his own. “We'll go to the diner, eat some food. Then we'll go back to my place and play with Oscar, since you never let me come over your house.”
“Kevin, I told you. My parents are just weird, that's all.”
“You're embarrassed by me,” he said, putting on a fake frown.
She brushed hair from her face and gave him a smile. “You're my best friend.”
“Same for you,” he said.
Awkward silence.
“Let's go to the diner,” she said.
“I knew you'd see it my way.”
*****
Kevin and Rachel stepped out of the heat into the cool diner. Kevin sighed as he wiped his forehead. The cold air felt great.
“Kevin! Come sit with us,” a female voice said.
They both searched the diner for the voice. Rachel cringed slightly. John Crowe, Melissa Johnson, and her brother Michael sat at a booth. Melissa still wore her skimpy cheerleading uniform. A few of their friends sat in the booth behind them, all laughing and talking. Melissa waved at Kevin, but tried to shrink in her seat when she noticed Rachel. Her boyfriend John gave her an irritated glare.
“No, thanks,” Kevin shouted. “We're good.”
They sat in a booth as far away as they could.
Kevin noticed Rachel constantly glancing at them as they looked over their menus.
“What's wrong?”
“They keep looking at me,” she said.
He laughed. “They're jealous.”
“Well, the girls are. They want you. They're trying to figure out what we're doing together.”
“No. They're jealous because you're hotter and smarter than they are.”
She closed her eyes. “Kevin, please stop calling me hot.”
She brushed hair out of her face. He wanted to tell her that the simple gesture of keeping her eyes hair-free was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen, but he held his tongue.
“Why?”
“Because we both know I'm not, okay? Just look at them all over there. I know I don't compare with any of them, and I'm okay with that. But stop lying to me.”
He didn't know what to say. Her self-esteem had been so battered over the years, he wasn't sure what he could say to counter it.
The waitress showed up to take their drink order. Kevin smiled at Rachel after she walked away.
“I'll be right back.” He pointed to the corner. “Bathroom.”
She grinned. “Don't fall in.”
Kevin was gone three minutes. He expected to leave the bathroom and see Rachel sitting at their booth, possibly drinking a soda.
Instead, he saw the back of Rachel as she disappeared into the ladies' bathroom across from him. He thought he saw her hair dripping and her shirt wet.
“Rachel?”
She shut the door in his face.
Kevin was confused for a moment, until he started putting the clues together.
There was a trail of soda leading from their booth to the ladies' bathroom. Ice and soda were all over her seat, along with an empty cup on the floor.
John Crowe and all his friends were laughing hysterically. The only one who looked slightly annoyed was Melissa Johnson.
Kevin tried to keep calm as he crossed the diner and stood over them. He stayed in between the booths so he could address everyone. There were eight people in all, four at each booth. A mix of athletes and cheerleaders.
“One of you poured soda on my friend?”
He was answered by giggling and laughing.
John reached across the table to high-five Michael.
“Look,” Michael said. He wrapped an arm around his girlfriend. “You got it all wrong. I thought I saw a rat run across the floor and climb in her hair. I was just trying to scare it away.”
Kevin surveyed the table. The only one who had a full drink was Melissa.
“I'll buy you another one,” he told her.
He grabbed the drink and dumped it on Michael's head. The girls squealed and everyone jumped to their feet as soda splashed everywhere.
Michael's face turned red as he balled his fists.
“You little-”
Kevin slapped him across the
face with an open left hand before he could finish whatever he had to say. Michael reacted exactly how Kevin thought he would.
He covered his face and crumpled in his seat, leaning back against his girlfriend.
“Leave him alone!” his girlfriend shouted.
Kevin grabbed Michael's plate of half eaten food, a cheeseburger with fries and ketchup, and dumped it in his lap. Michael made no move to get up. His girlfriend was trapped between him and the wall. He looked up at Kevin, fear in his eyes.
Kevin locked eyes with everyone, making sure to hold John's stare for a few extra seconds.
“Did anyone else see a rat?”
No one responded.
Kevin was tempted to say more. He wanted to curse at them and warn them to stay away from Rachel.
But he thought his message was clear.
He went to the ladies' bathroom and slowly cracked open the door.
Rachel stood near the hot air hand dryer. He got a peek of her slim stomach as she held her shirt up to the dryer.
She turned to look at him.
“Kevin! This is the girls' bathroom.”
He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. The anger threatened to build up all over again as he looked at the soda dripping from her hair.
“Still think they're jealous of me?” she asked, her tone venomous. “Still think I'm hot?”
He was quiet as he pulled some paper towels from the dispenser and started wiping at her hair.
She pulled away.
“Kevin, please don't touch me right now.”
He backed up. He wanted to say something desperately to make her feel better, but nothing came to mind.
“All the jokes they've played on me, you'd think I'd have eyes in the back of my head by now.”
Dipping her head under the dryer, she ran her hands through her hair. She was in the middle of drying the collar of her shirt when she gripped the sides of the sink.
Tears fell from her eyes.
Kevin watched her body shake as the sobs came. She kept her head low, staring into the sink.
He grabbed her shoulders from behind. She shook free.
“Don't.”
He spun her around and took her in his arms. She tried to push him away, but he held her tight.
“I don't want your pity. I don't need a pity hug.”
“I don't do pity hugs, Rachel. I hug my friends.”
A Witch to Live Page 8
