Immortal Death (Kieran Grey Psionic Hunter Book 3)

by Fivecoat, R. B.

  “Sorry about that. I have issues with trusting people.”

  “And you don’t know much about vampires do you?”

  “Honestly, no I don’t.”

  “Crash course, we can’t digest solid foods. Anything we eat that isn’t pure liquid gets tossed right back up. I can drink any liquid though. And I can even get drunk too. Also, I can survive on stored blood from the Blood Farm, so, as a personal rule I don’t drink from living beings. Of course if the opportunity arises, human blood is always better than that clone shit I’ve been drinking. Clone blood is like drinking flat warm beer. It’s still beer, but it tastes completely different, and terrible.”

  “What month is it? How long did it take for you to find me? Six, seven weeks?”

  “Whoa, it’s not as bad as you think! You were taken on Monday night and I found you about five hours later. I used the GCP tracking implant in your neck to find you. Then you were brought here to the Archives for medical treatment. It’s now five-thirty on Thursday evening of the same week. You’ve been outta it for four days now. I hate to ask, but how do you feel?”

  “Dirty,” was the only word I could choke out.

  “I, uh, saw what they did to you. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you sooner.”

  “You saved me, that’s what matters.”

  “Phawne call! Phawne call! Emmy calling Darcy Queen of Darkness!” a little singsong voice chimed.

  A tiny doll like the others was dancing on the end of a chain tied to Darcy’s laced up leather pants. It looked like an adorable little vampire, with tiny fangs and a black cape. It hissed and bit at Darcy’s hand as she picked it up and turned the little vampire towards her.

  “Receive.”

  Lightning flickered and produced a small image of Emmy in-between the outstretched hands of the little vampire. Emmy’s voice came from the tiny dolls mouth.

  “Darcy, how’s Kieran doing?”

  “See for yourself,” Darcy said as she turned the doll to face me.

  “Y-you’re up?! Oh thank god. Is everything going alright?”

  “Alright for waking up after the worse fucking possible nightmare in existence, only to find out that it was real, and that I am even less of a human now then I was. Thanks for asking.” Harsh, I know.

  Darcy turned the doll back to her.

  “She only woke up about twenty minutes ago.”

  “Do you think she will be able to come home then?”

  “I don’t see why not. I have some clothes here for her.”

  “Alright, I’ll have Mary make something special. But I won’t tell them you’re bringing her home, it’ll be a great surprise. See you at seven!”

  The image faded and the tiny vampire turned to look at me. She put her hands on her hips and leaned forward hissing at me.

  “I am Vampirina, Minion fawr the Queen of Darkness!”

  I laughed a little, but it hurt, so I groaned instead.

  “Emmy had her made for me after I saw the doll Detective Michaels had. I made a comment about how cute it was, next thing I know Emmy hands me Vampirina my own personal minion.”

  “She is cute, all of them are.”

  “We should get you dressed. Do you want a shower first?”

  I had wanted a shower since the moment the monster had breathed on me by the tree oh so long ago. A scalding hot shower, with a steel-wool pad to scrape off the feeling of them touching me sounded good. I nodded and slowly stood. Darcy quickly maneuvered herself between me and the mirror above the sink.

  “We need to talk about something first.”

  I gave her an unfriendly puzzled look.

  “The medics fixed you up, but I am sure you felt some of the scars. Everywhere they grafted synthetic skin next to your normal skin, there is a scar. It may be kinda shocking to see yourself.”

  That didn’t sound good at all.

  “Move,” I ordered with a gruff voice that meant not to question me.

  She never said a word, but simply sidestepped out of the way. I saw my face in the mirror, and the thick scar that ran down the center of it and circled around my jaw on the left side. Scars were noticeable above the hospital gown I had on, on my shoulder and neck. I reached up and tore off the gown. My bare chest was covered in patches of scars where chunks of skin had been replaced. Extra thick scars covered my upper-right chest, shoulder, and back where they had attached the new arm. Plain flat skin in circles covered where my nipples used to be, I had red healing cut marks all over my body, and my toenails were gone. I looked like the Bride of Frankenstein.

  I finally noticed that I had been screaming. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Darcy moving away from me slowly. I glared at my reflection. Rage grew inside me until my temper broke. I lashed out smashing the mirror with my synthetic hand. I hit it again and again.

  Screaming wordlessly I ripped the sink out of the wall with a newfound strength. Then I tore out the toilet with my synthetic arm and tossed it at the bed. When there was nothing left to break in the bathroom I started tearing apart the walls themselves until I was destroying the main room. I punched my fist through the monitoring equipment, and stopped.

  “What the fuck is that?” Darcy gasped.

  I was staring as well. Coming out of the back of the equipment wasn’t my fist like I thought it would be. Instead there were four long jagged knives. I jerked my hand out of the mess of wires and broken circuits. We both gasped at the sight of the blades sticking out at each knuckle of my hand. With a little thought the blades turned to liquid and shifted into a long sword straight out of my hand.

  “What else can you do?” Darcy gasped again in amazement.

  “I-I don’t know. . . .”

  * * *

  I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin, or whoever’s skin I was patched up with, much less with returning home after what had happened. The only good news was that I was moving on my own, no more wheelchair.

  I know everyone loves me, and they will all be so happy to see me better, but I really would prefer not to deal with people at all right now.

  Charles was pleasant and offered his help just like he always does, but kept to himself otherwise, except for the casual glance at my bare shoulders and face. The tank top Darcy brought me showed off my scars a little too well. Darcy had her own keycard for my place already. She used it to let us in.

  “I’m back!” she called out.

  The others answered her call with questions about her day and about me. I hesitated before turning the corner of the dining room to see everyone sitting there, including Tanaka and Ren. Silverware and a few glasses crashed to the table along with jaws, when they saw me.

  Cassie burst into tears, stomped one foot on top of the table knocking over plates and glasses, and used it as she launched herself clear across the room into my arms. I caught her, barely, and held her tight as I fought back the rising tears.

  “Big Sister, you’re crushing me!” she groaned.

  I dropped her, afraid that I had hurt her with my synthetic arm. She just threw her arms around me again. It took a lot of hugs and even more “I’m fine”s before we sat down to eat. Everyone filled their plates except Julie and Darcy. Julie sat at an empty place, and Darcy had a tall glass full of something I was pretty sure wasn’t tomato juice.

  “Honestly Mary, you don’t need to garnish this for me,” Darcy complained as she removed the lemon wedge and parsley from her glass.

  “I know, but it makes me feel better.”

  A plate filled with some of Mary’s best dishes was set before me. I smiled sheepishly and picked up a fork in my right hand like always. Turning the fork on its side I placed it on top of the baked potato, then pushed down. Down through the potato, through the plate, and into the table hard enough that it lifted the other end off the ground spilling everyone’s drinks. Everyone’s except Darcy’s, she was holding her glass to her lips and looking around at us wide eyed.

  “Uh, sorry about that,” I apologized.

  I switch
ed the fork to my left hand after we cleaned up the spills and got me a new plate. I had never eaten left handed.

  I could shoot with my left, so eating shouldn’t be a problem, right?

  Wrong. My hand shook so much nothing stayed on the fork unless I stabbed it. Then I missed my mouth about every other bite I tried to take. I was embarrassing myself to no end. It was time to either ask for someone to feed me like a child, or lie and declare I was no longer hungry. I went for the lie.

  “Thanks for the meal Mary. I’m kinda tired, so I think I’ll go lay down for a while.”

  I slid my chair away from the table and went for my room. As soon as I was out of sight I broke down crying. I moved to the farthest back part of my closet and sat down on the floor. No one would see me unless they came clear into the closet, and I would hear them before they got there. On the way I’d grabbed a turtleneck and pulled it on to cover the scars along with a light glove for my left hand. I just sat there and cried.

  “Here. Drink.”

  Darcy shoved a mug of soup into my right hand. I had never heard her coming.

  “Don’t worry, the mug is unbreakable. Marsala gave it to me when I was first learning to control my new strength. I was always crushing the glasses in my hand. Now drink.”

  I put the mug to my lips and Darcy tipped it up almost drowning me until it was empty.

  “Feel better?”

  I nodded. She filled the mug again from a pitcher. This time she let me drink at my own pace. She just sat on the floor next to me and filled the mug each time I emptied it until I was full.

  “Mary thought the soup would be a good idea for you. You know that girl is bound and determined to find a way to make me regular food in liquid form that tastes right. She tried just sticking lasagna in the blender, but it didn’t get the chunks small enough. I still got sick. It didn’t taste right at any rate. Strange that it tastes funny, when it all gets mixed up in your mouth as you chew anyway. But she keeps trying, anytime I am willing to test her concoctions that is. Everyone here is great. They all just accepted me as one of their own with few questions. I’m glad I can be here to help you.”

  “How can you walk so quietly with those big clunky heels on? When I wear heels like that, it sounds like an elephant tap dancing.”

  She broke out laughing so hard she started coughing. It took her a few minutes to catch her breath.

  “Moving quietly is just part of the total vampire package I suppose. The others are worried about you. Would you at least come sit down with them?”

  She stood and offered me her hand. I waited, then gave in and let her pull me to my feet. We went back to the dining room and everyone was finishing up dinner. No one said a word to me as I sat back down. The others talked about their day like they did it all the time and it was just a normal day. But it still seemed like an act to me. I sat there and stared off into space.

  “I can help you adjust if you like,” Tanaka stated out of the blue with a strange look in my direction.

  Everyone else fell silent and busied themselves, looking anywhere but at me. Suddenly everyone grabbed their dishes and carried them to the kitchen without a word. Tanaka sat there looking right at me. It made me shiver a little.

  “It took me months to adjust to my new body when I went total synthetic. Your body is the same and yet different. It’s strange. I’ll be happy to help you learn to control–”

  Anger got the best of me. “What? Control what exactly? This hardware attached to my shoulder? The strange visions this fake eye gives me? My partially synthetic brain that proves I’m no longer human!?! WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO ABOUT THIS?!?!”

  I raised my arm as the blades extended from my knuckles and formed into a sword. With a flick of the wrist I accidentally cleaved the dining table in two. Tanaka shoved back in his chair as the table folded in on itself. He stared at the sword sticking out of my fist.

  “Creator gave you the prototype arm? What was he thinking? That’s way too dangerous for you to have!”

  Tanaka sounded genuinely concerned. It just pissed me off. I spun away from him and stormed across the living room to the balcony. Maybe standing out in the snow will help me cool off. I reached for the door. The sword sticking out of my hand met the glass before I could stop it. It sliced right through the bulletproof glass and metal frame like they were nothing but tissue paper.

  “AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!” I growled and forced the doors open, then slammed them closed behind me as best the broken door would allow.

  The snow fell slow and steady adding a glow to the city as it reflected the streetlights. It was refreshing to get away from everyone and into the fresh, freezing cold air. I leaned backwards over the rail staring up at the cloudy sky.

  “God why is this happening to me?” I whispered.

  “Big Sister?”

  I lifted my head as Cassie walked out onto the balcony beside me.

  “Wait! Don’t look at–” I spun around and threw my left arm over to hide the sword sticking out of my hand, but it wasn’t there anymore.

  “Don’t look at what? Are you okay Big Sister?”

  I faced Cassie slowly. She looked frightened. Her eyes wide with fear. I stood there staring at her as the snow fell. She started to move a few times before she reached out for my hand. I jerked it away from her grasp at first, then let her cradle my right hand in hers. She lifted my hand to her face, turning it to look at all sides.

  Had she seen the blade sticking out of it earlier?

  The next thing she did shocked me. She kissed my hand. A light brush of her lips against my knuckles. The move was strange coming from this little girl. It sent an odd wave of comfort through my body.

  I started to pull my hand back. She pulled against me and rubbed my hand against her cheek. Then she moved closer pulling me to my knees in the snow. When I was her height, she threw her arms around me and pulled me close as she cried.

  “Big Sister! Don’t leave me! Don’t ever leave me!” she wailed and hugged me tighter.

  My heart melted. I had been so caught up in my own misery I never noticed how it affected the others. What a selfish bitch I’ve been. I hugged her back, careful not to squeeze too hard with my right arm. We hugged for what seemed to be an hour, then I felt her pocket move against me.

  I pushed her out to arm’s length and looked down at her coat pocket. “What do you have in there? Is it alive?”

  “Oh, I found her in your closet after you were hurt. Please don’t be mad.”

  Cassie reached in her pocket and pulled out Kiyoshi. The doll blinked at me then bowed.

  “Hellaw again Miss Kieran.”

  “Hi Kiyoshi. So you found her then Cassie? What do you think?”

  “Kiyoshi is great! She fits in my pocket, plays chess with me, helps me with my homework, and all kinds of stuff! She is a great friend, thank you Big Sister!”

  Cassie threw her arms around my neck hugging me again, but this time she was smiling.

  Thank goodness she’s smiling again. I couldn’t handle her being upset along with everything else.

  We stayed out on the balcony as she filled me in on what all had been going on at school. Apparently she was leaving in the morning for a day-long chess tournament and wouldn’t be back home until late.

  Emmy tried to sneak out onto the balcony but failed. The broken doors made too much noise not to notice. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

  “Charles is sending someone to fix the doors, and . . . uh, the table is being replaced tomorrow morning. Cassie, you have homework to do before you go on your trip. You better go get it done.”

  Cassie hugged me again and left with a quick kiss on my good cheek. I looked up at Emmy and blushed with embarrassment.

  “I guess I need to control my temper a little better, huh?”

  “I’ve been telling you that since before we met. No real damage done though. Well, except that Tanaka is scared you’ll kill yourself with your arm unless you learn to control it
right away.”

  “He may be right.”

  We stood out on the snow-covered balcony in silence for a few minutes before Emmy spoke up again.

  “Cassie found Kiyoshi late Monday night. She has kept her with her since. Kiyoshi even sits on the sink when Cassie bathes. They spend hours talking and playing chess. Julie downloaded a chess program for Kiyoshi so that she could play. It has been a good distraction for her. The last few days have been . . . tense.”

  “I’m sorry Emmy. Everyone is trying to help, and I don’t ever stop long enough to listen.”

  “Give it time. By the way, you are still a thousand times more human than Vixen ever was. Or at least I think so.”

  Chapter 15

  I was jolted awake in my bed as the Nine Immortals all stormed into my room. They all snarled at me and tried to pin me down. I thrashed and screamed.

  No way am I letting them take me again!

  With a thought and a flex of my hand, the blades poured out of my knuckles. The old guys backed up at the sight of them.

  One of them threw himself onto my arm forcing it to stay down so I couldn’t cut them. Growls and screams came from everyone. I put up a good fight, but was overwhelmed by their numbers and strength. The one that was holding my body down by setting on me, grabbed my left wrist and lifted it to his mouth. I screamed and kicked as hard as I could to break away. His rotten teeth bared, he suddenly had vampire fangs. The fangs sliced effortlessly into my wrist. The blood began to flow.

  The old man sucking at my wrist began to change. Hair began to grow at an alarming rate to cover my entire body like a blanket from that bald head. Then his skin turned colors from corps-blue-grey to healthy-human-tan. The face began to change shape to a beautiful feminine form. Then I saw the eyes, or more specifically the eye shadow.

  As soon as I recognized Darcy’s makeup, the rest of the room melted away to show what was really there. Cassie held my feet as Tanaka and Julie fought to control my synthetic arm. Darcy sucked on my wrist then glanced up. I saw Vicki, holding my head down, nod to her. Darcy took her mouth away from my wrist and gave it a cleaning lick before dropping it.