“Do you know what's going on?”
He nodded. “I think so, at least a little. I'm still a cop, you know. But we can't talk here.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “There's a park-and-ride train station just up the highway. Let's meet up there.”
I let go of her hand. The tingling vanished, and Victoria could no longer see William.
With a touch, I could let others see into the spirit world.
My mind was going in crazy directions as I followed Victoria up the highway. I thought about the exploding medical center, poor Bill, the insane vampire mess we were in. But my mind kept drifting back to those lost ghosts walking out of the burning wreckage of their workplace. One second, they were working a normal night shift. The next, their ghosts were wandering the parking lot. Everything gone, in less than a second.
It made me think of Cindy. I needed to talk to her, tell her how I felt. Victoria was right, there was never enough time.
The park-and-ride was almost completely empty. Only a few cars sprinkled the lot. I saw Victoria leaning against her car. William stood next to her. It made me wonder how he got there. I guess ghosts teleport somehow.
I took a deep breath as I parked next to her. I wasn't looking forward to the conversation we were getting ready to have. A vampire, ghost, and some kind of demon thing getting ready to talk about feral vampires.
“Alex,” she said as I got closer. She looked all around her. “Is William here?”
I nodded and pointed. “Yeah, right next to you.”
Victoria held out a hand. I took it. She almost jumped when she saw William.
“Okay,” Victoria said. She wasted no time. “What's going on, William?”
He nodded. “I was a step ahead of you in finding that medical center. I was checking it out, and saw some mercenary lookin' bastard with no hair wiring explosives all over the place. He really knew what he was doing.”
Victoria snarled. “Heins.”
“You know him?”
“Yeah, I know him. Works for an old vampire hunter buddy of mine named Bachner. Why the hell would they want to blow up the medical center?”
I shook my head. Something didn't make sense here.
“Victoria, when I found Bachner, they had a feral locked in a cage. It didn't seem like they had any idea of what it was. I don't think they know where they came from.”
“Well, maybe they just found out, and decided to kill the labs where the virus was cooked up.”
Yeah, maybe. Seemed like a stretch though. The day before, they didn't have a clue. To go from not having a clue, to wiring a building to explode, seemed like a large leap. But something else ate at me.
“Bachner, he wouldn't kill anyone.”
“Oh, really? You're a shrink now?”
She was irritated at my defending him. “No. I'm just saying. I know, he hates you. He hates vampires. But he wouldn't have killed those people in that building.”
“But Heins would.”
“Well, Heins works for Bachner.”
We were all quiet for a moment, unsure of what to think. It didn't feel like we were getting anywhere. Victoria looked at Bill.
“Did you get a look at Section B?”
“I got a look at the whole place. They had a huge lab in the basement. No humans were there. But they did have about ten vampires locked in cages, strapped to tables. Looked like they were studying them. I'm guessing that's your Section B.”
“Okay, so the lab is destroyed, the ferals dead. They kill innocent people doing it, but they wipe out that virus. Now we have to make one hundred percent sure the virus is dead and gone.”
“How do we do that?”
She smiled. “Tomorrow, we go to their little hideout, and ask Bachner what he knows.”
Bill looked at me. “Give me the address. I'll go scope out the place. Then I'll come get you when the sun starts going down.”
“I'll have some friends check it out too,” Victoria said.
“Okay. Until tomorrow night, then? What do you want me to do?”
“Well, it's early Monday morning already. Go to work.”
Easy for her to say.
Chapter 29
The day at work went like any other. It was actually refreshing. As much as loading trucks sucked sometimes, I could put behind me all the crap I'd been dealing with over the past few days. Vampires, ghosts, exploding buildings, my sister. It felt good to settle back into an eight hour routine and drive a forklift all day, even if I was exhausted.
An hour after I got home, I was listening to the ballgame, making a simple dinner, when the cell phone rang. I was surprised the call didn't come much sooner. I took a breath, knowing it was time to run out soon.
“Hello?”
“Alex. It's Victoria. You heard from Bill?”
“Nah, not at all.”
She was quiet. “That's weird. I had a friend check out that address you gave me. Completely empty.”
I sat on the couch, ignoring dinner. So much for another night out with Victoria and Bill. Not if we didn't know where Bachner was. “Are you kidding? I'm telling you, they had a huge thing going on there. Guns, plans, maps, and that damn vampire.”
“I believe you. I'm just saying, there's nothing there now. They know we're on to them, and they packed up and left.”
“They gotta be somewhere else. Probably still in the city.”
“I know. But where? And what the hell are they up to? Bad things are gonna happen if that vampire they have gets out.”
“I wouldn't worry about that too much. They must have blown up the research center to cover up the virus. They're vampire killers. They don't want that to spread. Believe it or not, whatever the hell it is they cooked up in that place, I think Bachner and us are on the same side.”
”Maybe. But I'll feel much better when we find Bachner and he says 'Yes, we killed the last feral and the virus is dead.'”
“Then he'll go after you.”
“Well, he can certainly try.”
The front door opened. I turned to make sure it was Cindy. She gave me a smile and wave. She just got off work herself, wearing a gray skirt with a white shirt and gray jacket. Looking hot and professional. She stopped for a second, seeing I was on the phone. I motioned for her to come inside. Despite all the crazy things going on, I missed her.
“What's the next move?” I asked.
“We find them. It's that simple. I got some friends out snooping around. And I have no idea what Bill is doing, but hopefully he'll get with you.”
“So we wait?”
She didn't sound happy. “Afraid so. The sun's down, so I'm gonna get to work, hit the streets. You get a night off, rest and relax. I've been pushing you harder than I thought I would.”
“I've been handling it so far.”
“Yes, you have. Don't worry, I'll call if I need you.”
“Okay. You take it easy.”
I hung the phone up.
I leaned on my knees. I knew in a perfect world, Bachner had discovered the vampire virus, and killed that vampire they had in a cage. The virus would be dead and gone. Then we could get back to something that was almost normal.
Cindy was getting a soda out of the fridge. I almost forgot she was there. My mind was going in so many directions.
“Was that Red Hot?” she asked.
I smiled. I almost forgot about that nickname. “Yeah.”
“Sure you're not interested in her? I can give you some good advice.”
“Ha, yeah. Like I gave you? No, we're just working together right now.”
“More demon stuff?”
“Yeah, you could say that. Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it later.”
“Cool. You know if you need someone to talk to, I'm here.”
“I know. But I'm okay. Getting things under control.”
She nodded. “I talked to Leese today. She's doing alright. Still a little down, though.”
“I'll bet.”
“She
's lucky she's got a big brother looking out for her.”
“That's my job. I'm gonna give her a day or so, then check up on her. She knows she can stop by whenever she needs to.”
“Yeah, she'll be fine. She's actually at the game tonight with her friends,” she said, pointing at the TV.
I was jealous for a second. We hadn't been to a game in a while. Cindy leaned in the kitchen doorway. I remember when I thought to myself that the next time I got the chance, I'd tell Cindy exactly how I felt. I couldn't the other night when the gang was over. But I was home, and she was with me, relaxing like we always did. There was so much going on, and there might have been no such thing as a perfect time. But it was now or never.
“Uh, Cindy,” I said from the couch. I could already feel my stomach knotting up. “We gotta talk about some stuff.”
She finished a drink of soda and took a deep breath. “Me first.”
I was surprised. “Everything okay?”
“No.”
I kept quiet. She tossed her soda away and actually started pacing. She was making me nervous. I had to get up and move too. I got a soda from the fridge, just to keep my hands busy and stand with her. I don't know why, but I was terrified of what she had to say.
“Cindy. You can tell me anything, you know.”
She finally stood still long enough to give me a sad smile. “Maybe not this time.”
“You want to sit down?”
“No.”
I leaned against the wall and waited patiently. It took her about a minute to say something.
“Shit. This has been on my mind forever. And I don't know where to start.”
“How about the beginning?”
“That would be high school.”
I didn't say anything, just gave her a puzzled look.
“Every guy I've ever dated, they always end up saying the same thing. 'You spend too much time with that friend Alex of yours. Either you stop hanging out with him, or we're through.'”
I smiled. “I had a few of those talks too.”
“Yeah. And every time, I picked you. Didn't do much for my dating.”
I was tense. I didn't like where this seemed to be going.
She started pacing again. Her hands were actually shaking.
I tried to brace myself for the friendship-only talk.
“I can't believe I'm doing this.”
“Cindy, what's going on?”
I took a step toward her and put my hands on her shoulders. She backed away, almost like I was a snake. I put my hands up and stepped back.
“Sorry.”
She looked frustrated. “No, Alex. I didn't mean-”
She made a disgusted sigh and rested her hands on the back on the couch.
“When college started, I kept comparing every boyfriend to you. I wanted them all to be like you. 'Why can't they all be like Alex?' Then it finally clicked one day. I wanted you, and couldn't have you. How the hell do you tell your best friend you got eyes for him? All I've been trying to do is find excuses to get close to you. I even moved right next door.”
My jaw hung open a little. She wasn't done.
“So I watched you date all these other women, who I knew weren't right for you. Every day, trying to hide being jealous. I was getting sick of it. So last week, I finally decide to try to move on, and go on a date. And it's the same shit all over again. I just wanted him to be you. He was a nice guy, but it wasn't fair to him.”
So that's why she was mad at me. It was making a little more sense.
“Sorry, I'm rambling. I've been whining to Leese about this for a year now. I know she's getting tired of hearing it. So here goes.” She took another deep breath. ”Alex, we should try going out a few times. You know, like real dates. We both know each other better than anyone else, and I think there could be something between us. What do you think?”
I'd never seen her so nervous. It was actually funny. For so long, I struggled with my feelings whenever I was around her. She did the same, even longer than me, and I never even realized it.
I stood there staring at her. So much went through me. The first girl I'd ever known. We both stood up to the kindergarten asshole together. She knew most everything about me, even the fact that I had wings inside me. Here she was, in my apartment, stuttering over her words to ask me out on a date.
“Uh, Alex? Say something? Did I mess that up? Want me to leave you alone?”
I wanted to kiss her so bad.
So that's what I did.
I caught her off guard. I kissed her harder than I meant to. She didn't respond for a second, and I heard her make a startled sound. I thought I went too far. I was getting ready to pull away when I felt her hands slip around my neck. And off we went.
There was definitely something between us.
We wrapped our arms around each other and just kissed. Real light, getting used to each other's lips. I lost track of time, but she eventually pulled away. She had the brightest smile I'd ever seen. She was still shaking a little.
“Did you want to say something?” she asked.
I shook my head. Our lips were only inches apart. “Nope. You pretty much covered it.”
“Leese kept telling me. I didn't believe her.”
She laughed, and we kissed some more. After a while, it was my turn to pull away.
“Cindy, listen,” I said. “You really don't care? You know, about me-”
I didn't even get a chance to finish the question about me not being completely human. She shut me up with a kiss. She pushed my lips apart with her tongue and pressed up against me. Her body felt great. Our breathing started picking up. It wasn't just a kiss anymore.
I was making out with my best friend. Our hands started going all over the place. The gentleness faded away, and passion took over. We'd known each other since we were five. We used to play in the dirt together in her parents' backyard. We used to babysit Alicia when we were in middle school. Maybe it should have felt strange, but it didn't at all.
She was the first one to go for the clothes.
I felt her hands grabbing at my shirt. I didn't fight her trying to take it off. I helped her shrug out of her coat and took her shirt off. Just an amazing body. With a smile on her face, she shoved me backwards. I fell over the arm of the couch and landed on my back. I looked up to see Cindy in her skirt and bra. I can't remember if my mouth hung open or not, but whatever I did, got a laugh out of her. She climbed on top of me, very slow, very sexy, and pressed her chest against me as she kissed me again.
“I guess you don't mind me being a freak. I mean, I do have wings,” I managed to say, this time with a smile, instead of a frown.
She returned the grin and looked at me. She had a glow about her. I'd never seen her happier, and I was the one she was happy about. Wow. Not even flying through the sky compared to how I felt as she looked me in the eyes. She played with my hair. I had a hand resting on her lower back. Just the fact that our bodies were touching, flesh to flesh, drove me nuts.
“A freak? I thought you were gonna ask if I cared that you were a white boy.”
We laughed, and kissed again.
The longer we made out, the more our barriers dropped. It wasn't long before I had her skirt pulled up to her hips and was rubbing her legs and firm ass. She had a hand on the front of my pants and grinded against me. Between nibbles on my ear I heard her quite clearly.
“You don't know how long I've wanted this,” she whispered.
“What took us so long?”
She undid the top of my jeans. My heart started hammering. Cindy was gonna take it as far as we could go. And I wasn't gonna stop her. As she fumbled with the snap, I leaned up and kissed the top of her breasts. She moaned and wrapped her fingers in my hair. I wanted her so bad. And she wanted me. I felt goosebumps on my skin as she went for my pants again.
Unfortunately, the goosebumps were only half from Cindy.
“Alex,” the voice said.
I turned my head to see Detecti
ve Bill Sloane's face staring at me.
“What the hell!” I called out.
Cindy jumped from the couch. I scared the hell out of her. I stood next to her and looked at Bill, who stood behind the couch. His eyes weren't on me, though. He looked Cindy up and down. Can't say I blame him. Only a bra, her skirt pulled up to her hips, showing off a pair of thin black panties. Cindy was looking at me, more confused than afraid. I jumped in front of her with my back to her. She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed against me. It was strange to cover up someone from the prying eyes of a ghost.
“You got good taste, Alex. Look, we got major problems.”
“Bill, that's just not cool,” was all I could say.
“I would have knocked, if I could. Listen to me. We've gotta go.”
Cindy was quick. “Who's Bill? Alex, are you talking to a ghost?”
“Yeah.”
She gripped me a little tighter. She had some fright in her voice. “Well, uh, is it a good ghost?”
I gave Bill a look. “At least I thought so.” I held Cindy's hand and stayed in front of her. I felt the same tingling that I had the last time I tried my latest trick with Victoria. I heard Cindy take in a breath behind me, and I knew she could see him.
“Cindy. This is Detective William Sloane.”
“Call me Bill. Listen, the warehouse address you gave us, it's empty.”
Cindy squeezed my hand. “Holy shit,” she said. “Alex, how are you doing this?”
It was tough talking to two people at once. “I got a magic touch. I know, Bill. Victoria called and told me. She's looking for them.”
“Well, I found them.”
As soon as he said it, the ballgame actually went off TV. All there was was a tone and a technical difficulties message. Hadn't seen one of those in quite a while.
“The stadium,” Bill said. “Those bastards sneaked their little pet bloodsucker to the stadium and let it loose near one of the back doors. Took me forever just to figure out how to get here to tell you.”
“What? Camden Yards? The game we're watching right now? They're trying to spread the virus? Was Bachner there?”
Demonspawn Page 28
