From reading his thoughts, she had discovered that he was madly in love with his partner. It was that kind of love, that made people like him, not just uncontrollable, but unpredictable.
Their minds were coated with this 'love magic', as she called it.
There was something to this emotion, that was surprising and, at the same time, irritating. For one, she had thought it died out long ago. Yet, apparently, this chivalry and love still existed in some humans.
Frowning over at her cop, she saddled his lap.
As she ran her fingers over his bruised, bloody, face – he had put up one hell of a fight—she said, “Don't worry..., your delicious partner will soon be here.”
It was the way he pulled away from her and the fury in his eyes, that had her lowering her mouth to his throat. Before she sank her fangs into his neck, she said, “Regretfully, you'll have to watch her die in front of you...Yet, afterwords, you and I will have some more fun.”
XXX
The problem with Tucson traffic, was how unbelievably congested it could get. If someone was in a hurry to get somewhere, they were either stopped by every red light. Or behind some idiot, that had gotten their driver's license out of a cracker jack box.
As it was, Genevieve had made every red light, and every time she had thought to stomp down on the gas and speed through them, her brake, like her cellphone, had developed a mind of it's own.
Something or someone, kept hitting the brake.
This happened, every time that she hit one of these, blasted, red lights. When she would decide to press down on the gas, the brake, inadvertently, would go down at the same time.
“What the hell...!?” she hissed.
As she went forward, for the fifth time that night, in her seat, she looked down at the brake and saw that some invisible force was holding it down. She was so focused on this, that she didn't even notice that the light had turned green.
If it hadn't been for those cars behind her, honking at her, she would have still continued to gaze perplexedly down at that brake.
It was during this time, that she noticed, how the brake, itself, instantly was released by this invisible force.
By the next red light, Genevieve had come to the conclusion that her car either had a glitch or it was possessed.
Whatever was wrong with it, had her very irritated.
Yet, if it hadn't been for those short red light intervals, there was this chance that her nerves would have been so on edge, that she would have just gone into that complex; without formulating a plan or calming herself down.
There was one definite outcome, that could happen if she didn't have a plan; she could go in there, like Dirty Harry, with guns a blazing and no clear destination. And in the end, she would most likely not come out a live or even with her partner.
When eventually Genevieve had reached Sherries apartment complex's street, she was so surprised to see the building looming in front of her, that at first she didn't even know what to think. She was even more astonished when the car's headlights inadvertently went off by themselves.
It was a good idea to turn the headlights off, but still it surprised her that the car had done it on it's own.
“Alright...” she edged the car slowly down the street and was about to pull it up to the same curb as before. Yet, the car had other plans; it decided that it would rather drive half a block up from the apartment complex, and then stop.
“My car is a genius.”
After turning the car off and pulling the keys out of the ignition, she sat there, briefly, marveling over how intelligent her car was. When Genevieve eventually unclasped her seat belt, and was about to get out of her car, the locks, by themselves, went down.
Frowning, she pushed the lock button to open the car. Yet, no sooner had she tried to open the car again; did it lock again.
“What the hell...!” she irritably slammed her fist on to the steering wheel. “I take it back, you're not a genius...you're a jackass!”
It was just a few minutes of sitting there, that had her finally deciding on trying to unlock the car again. Yet, no sooner had she reached for the handle, did it lock itself again. Finally throwing her hands up in the air, she shouted, “Fucking shit...come on!!!”
It was during this little hissy fit of hers, that Genevieve then noticed the wooden box, with the cross and vial of water, sitting on her passenger seat. It was such a shock, seeing that box, that she didn't right away pick it up.
She had been almost positive, that she had taken this box upstairs.
Yet, because of it's sudden appearance, she was now doubting that she had.
As she held the box in her hands, she looked at the locked door. “If I put this cross on and take the vial with me, will you let me out of the car?”
If Amelia's shrink had heard her at that moment, he, and her sister, most likely would have had her committed; talking to a car, as if it was an actual person, was just not mentally done – Knight Rider only existed in shows.
In response to her question, all the locks in her car; proceeded at going up and down. It was during this, that a small smile started creeping to her lips.
XXX
As his shadow sat there, just contently watching her, he was relieved when she finally put the cross on. He had had no intention of letting her leave that car, without the contents of that box.
Once she had the cross securely under her shirt and had pocketed the vial of holy water, he finally released his hold on the locks.
The moment the car was unlocked, it didn't take long for her to get out, and, like a bullet, she hastily rushed down the street towards Sherries.
As he swiftly followed after her, blending himself with her shadow, he alerted the rest of himself, that she was already making her way to her destination.
XXX
From the moment Genevieve had gotten out of her car, she had sensed that someone or something was behind her. Yet, she hadn't given much thought on what it was. Besides, she couldn't afford to waste any more time. She needed to get to Kyle.
She couldn't stand the idea that he could be hurt or...worse...
Unable to bear the latter possibility, she willed her legs to go faster; toward that ominous apartment building, that appeared to be beckoning her.
It was when she was only a few inches away from Sherries' fenced in area, and she could see the trunk of Kyle's Mustang, that someone yanked her by the arm and, turning around, expecting to see whoever had her partner or that person's fledgelings—as the strange woman on the phone had called her group—she was very much surprised to see nobody standing there.
Just her shadow.
After she had looked up and down the deserted street, she was just about to turn and continue on her way, when she heard Cirpian.
“Gen...,” hastily scanning the street and behind her, she could see that nobody was standing on the adjacent side or even behind her. Yet, his voice had sounded as if he had been standing right next to her...; which he wasn't. “go down the back alleyway.”
When Genevieve heard his voice, again, this time, she literally flinched. And, subconsciously, looking behind her at the back alleyway, she instantly cringed at how dark it was down there; there wasn't even a light present.
How would she be able to see her way? Or, better yet, how would she be able to prevent herself from running into something?
She'd be...blind.
“Are you kidding!” mumbling to herself, she said, “This is crazy.”
She was just about to continue in the direction she had been heading, when she heard him say, “Trust me...I won't let anything happen to you, Gen.”
Irritably sighing, she looked first in the direction she had been heading and then down that back alleyway. While the direction she was going, looked safer than the pitch black alleyway, she finally decided to trust Cirpian and let his voice lead her down the back alleyway. Before heading in this direction, though, she said a quick prayer.
While Genevieve made her way down the pitch b
lack alleyway, the only comfort she had, was the silver cross next to her heart and Cirpian's voice in her head; urging her on and telling her that everything would be fine – he would protect her.
Chapter Thirty
It felt like an eternity of just walking in a black maze, not knowing where she was going and following Cirpian's voice. When he eventually told her to stop, and stay quiet, she was not just surprised, but anxious for a reason on why she was suddenly halting.
Yet, it didn't take long, even though it seemed like it had; for him to tell her that she could continue.
When she finally emerged from the dark alleyway, it was this single light, above the back door of the complex, that had her slightly dazed.
“Stay put.”
“What?”
“Shhh...Stay put and don't make a sound, I'll tell you when you can enter.”
Genevieve couldn't say why she was letting a man tell her what to do. Not to mention, a man who wasn't even present. It was his voice that she was listening to.
Yet, for some reason, her stubbornness and, for that matter, her common sense, had both decided to take a brief vacation—together. And, because neither one was around to, deliberately, pester her, she was left feeling more than a little cooperative.
As she stood there watching that back door, itching to go in, and wondering to herself what the hold up was, it was then that she saw the door open and a man emerge. The man didn't look too friendly. In fact, he looked liked someone she wouldn't have wanted to meet in a dark alleyway.
Oh.., wait...
Well, he looked like someone, who she might have either seen on the news or used in a photo line up as a murder suspect. It wasn't just that, though, there was something not quite right about his looks. She couldn't quite put her finger on it...Possibly, the most accurate description of him, was that he was inhuman looking.
Just the sight of him, had her warily edging herself back into the shadowy alleyway. This was bullshit, she wasn't going to wait around for this ape monster to leave – she needed to get to Kyle. Yet, just as she was about to turn tail and head back the way she had come, she stepped on something hard. The moment she heard that crack under foot, she knew that she was in trouble, because the man started making his way toward her. Reaching for her gun, she was astonished to not feel it at her side. As she stood there, thinking where it could possibly be, the answer, like the man coming toward her, suddenly dawned on her.
Shit, her gun holster was still laying on the coffee table.
Before she could even chastise herself, for her stupidity, she heard Cirpian say, “Don't worry, you won't need it.”
When the man suddenly halted in his tracks, Genevieve was surprised when he, sparing one last glance in her direction, turned and hurried in the opposite direction of her and the door.
As Genevieve perplexedly watched the ape monster's departing back, she tried figuring out what or who could have possibly gotten him to leave so quickly?
Yet, before she could think any more on it, she heard Cirpian's voice, “Go now...”
He didn't have to tell her twice, she hastily left her hiding place and slipped, silently, through that back door.
As she made her way along the dark corridor, she was astonished to no longer hear Cirpian's voice.
Where was he?
“Cirpian...” she whispered his name at least three times, before eventually giving up.
During the course of whispering Cirpian's name, Genevieve had tried to keep her voice from betraying her true emotions – she was scared shitless. Yet, she couldn't turn back and leave Kyle to these...these...
Well, she couldn't really say what they were...All, she knew, was that something inside her, either her conscience or something deeper than that, was saying these individuals, that had her partner, were not human.
It was just as Genevieve was about to give up hope of ever finding her why through this dark maze, that she heard voices. As she followed these voices, she, a few seconds later, noticed this faint, yellowish, glow, coming from where the voices were at.
It didn't take but minutes, for her to eventually stumble upon the owners of these voices. Yet, as bad luck would have it, she had come out in the open.
As Genevieve frantically looked around her, she noted that there was close to thirty people around; all congregated around a red headed woman. Yet, what really caught her attention; was the man tied up in the chair. She knew, just from his clothing and crew cut, that it was Kyle.
Instinctively, Genevieve wanted to run to him.
Yet, it was her cautious cop instincts that had her halting in her tracks.
Hastily propelling herself back into the shadowy dark corridor, her survival instincts quickly started to kick in.
Find a hiding place.
Once she had hastily scanned the area, for a good place to hide, she finally decided on a group of boxes over in the far left corner – behind Kyle; that seemed a better place than any.
Quickly eyeballing the distance, Genevieve tried determining how much time it would take her to get over there. She would have to be pretty stealthy, and as silent as a mouse.
It would be so nice, if Cirpian would intervene now and instruct her on the appropriate course of action.
Yet, still, there was that possibility that he hadn't been with her; that it had just been her sanity's fatal attempt at killing itself.
Before moving from her spot, she took a deep breathe and willed her legs to move.
The moment she moved out into the open and toward those boxes, she was positive that someone would turn around and see her.
All and all, the distance to the boxes, was just about eight or so feet away. Yet, while, in any another circumstances, it would have just been a nice stroll over to them; this was by far the most excruciating stroll she had ever made. Her legs were so sluggish, that she thought they would give out; before she even made it over to the boxes.
If it wasn't bad enough that her legs were giving her problems, then it was this cold perspiration slowly working its way down her back and face, which had her clothes not just sticking to her, but her eyes itching from the sweat that had already rolled into them.
What had seemed like hours, was actually just a few minutes. Yet, when she finally got over to those boxes, she was so relieved that she found herself breathing a sigh of relief.
This brief relief was stupid of course, because Genevieve knew that she shouldn't have been so relieved to be behind those moldy, smelly, boxes. For it wasn't as if she was home free. She was still out in the open and, whoever came over to those boxes, would see her by just looking down.
While her new vantage point was less cover than the one in the corridor, she now had a better view of Kyle' back; she noticed that he was tied up with rope, not zip ties.
That was good, considering how zip ties were a bitch to try and cut. As it was, it would still be a pain in the ass to get him untied, because the rope didn't look frayed or, even, old – it appeared to be pretty new.
As Genevieve looked around for something to cut his binds with, she saw a sharp rusty piece of metal sitting on the ground—not too far from his chair.
Well, that was convent.
Before edging her way over to him, she hesitantly looked over at the red head and her group, who, presently, had their backs to her and, it appeared, that nobody was even paying attention to Kyle's tied up form; their attention appeared to be more focused on something else, other than what she was doing at that moment.
No sooner had she left her hiding place, was Genevieve again feeling that sensation of being completely exposed. While nobodies eyes were on her, she was still terrified over someone turning around and seeing her.
Yet, when she eventually got over to Kyle, she was again relieved, which had her, once more, left wondering why that was; and if it was possible for her brain to have completely converted itself to insanity.
Deciding not to dwell on it, she quickly grabbed the rusty piece of metal and sta
rted cutting at Kyle's bindings.
“Kyle...,” she whispered, “I'm here.”
“That's nice to know.”
The moment she heard this person's voice, she knew that it wasn't Kyle.
She was so surprised, though, by this knowledge, that her attention was no longer on the red head and the others, but the person, who she had thought was Kyle.
When he broke away his rope bindings and stood up, he didn't give her much time to be even surprised over that; before he was taking a step toward her.
“You're pretty...no wonder he likes you so much...”
Possibly her sisters were right and she really did need glasses. How she had thought this guy was Kyle, was beyond her; he had a pot marked face and his teeth were all yellow from years of drug abuse. The only characteristic that both this man and Kyle had in common, was that they both had that same dark complexion. Not, just that, though, this man was also wearing Kyle's clothes; which fit him poorly.
As he wickedly grinned at her, he took another step toward her.
During her surprise over this man not being her partner, Genevieve had been slightly taken off guard. Yet, no sooner did he make a move toward her, was that emotion quickly replaced with her survival instincts. And tightening her grip on the piece of metal, that she had in her hand, she got ready to swig.
“I'm sure he won't mind, if I have a little bite.”
It was him grabbing hold of the chair, that he had been tied up in, and throwing it to the side, that had her marking, with her eyes, where she was going to swig her piece of metal at. She had just marked out this spot, when he suddenly rushed her; which had her instinctively swinging her weapon, right at his head.
XXX
The moment the big ape monster, had come outside, he had sensed Genevieve's blood; he had been all too ready to pounce on her. Yet, it had been this strange voice, in his head, that told him that his prey was no longer over there in that direction; that he needed to head in the opposite direction.
When he eventually got over to where the voice had instructed him to go, he at first couldn't hear anything. Yet, when he heard this small rustling, coming forth from a group of trash cans, he quickly headed over to them.
The Alexandru Chronicles: The Beginning Page 26
