Katie gazed out the windows. The emptiness of the night closed in around her. For the second time in her life, she felt cold and alone. The first time came after the death of her parents. At fifteen, it took a little time to heal, but she did. She rose up stronger and in control of her life. She’d survive the turmoil of loosing her lover and take charge again, starting tomorrow. Until then, she thirsted for a few drinks to ease the heartache.
“All right.” Jules sighed after enough silence had passed. “But if he’s bitten you again, or hurt you in some way, I’m putting a stake through his heart in the morning.”
Katie half cried and half chuckled. God love her friend. Her intentions were honest and caring with an underlying layer of seeking answers. She had no way of knowing her words stung Katie worse than a hundred hornets. The flood gate of tears was about to burst again.
“No need to worry about him biting me anymore.” Katie swallowed the lump in her throat. “Someone removed him from earth permanently.”
3
Katie sat across from Jules at the center island in Jules’s kitchen, watching her pour liquor into their glasses. A small amount of the clear fluid spilled over the rim and splashed on the countertop. Jules set the bottle down with a clank, then the two of them tossed their drinks into their mouths. This was their second shot. Katie felt warm, slightly numb and lightheaded, but the best part of all was the lack of stress, worries and heartache.
“He’s gone? Really…gone?” Jules asked as if she were in shock from the news. She repeated her questions, which was unlike her. After they’d left the liquor store, Katie supplied her with the basics to calm her curiosity, if only a little. Katie’s plan worked since Jules drove quietly to her house. But once they’d started downing the vodka, words flew from her mouth and had yet to stop.
“Eternally.” Katie licked her lips as she slid her empty glass across the counter. Keeping her fingers wrapped around it and meeting Julie’s gaze, she wordlessly asked for more vodka.
“How is that possible?” Jules tilted the bottle.
“Severe the head or burn the body until there’s nothing left.”
“You have to cut off a vampire’s head?”
Katie nodded. “Or burn the body. I’m guessing a vamp doesn’t stay still long enough for someone to set them ablaze, so the former is probably the most common method of getting rid of one.”
Her friend wrinkled her nose. “That’s sick and so…gruesome.”
Jules’s choice of words didn’t begin to describe the horror. Katie didn’t want to ponder what Kyle had felt. He was a strong vampire and a damn good fighter. He’d battled other vamps and destroyed them. How anyone could have decapitated him was a mystery she’d rather not solve. The fact he was gone forever said enough.
Katie lifted her drink. “Yeah. I don’t want to think about it.” She downed the clear fluid.
“So a stake through the heart doesn’t work?”
“No, it will piss the vamp off.” That’s what Kyle had told her.
Jules swallowed another shot. “So…someone cut off Kyle’s head, tied him to a cross and set him on fire in your front yard?”
“Yes, but technically it wasn’t my yard. Kyle owned the property. Everything was in his name, except my car.”
The only real asset Katie owned was her Camaro. Kyle had purchased it for her as a gift, insisting she needed it to appease her lead foot. He’d given her cash to pay for it so she’d have the title in her name. Since she needed a vehicle to get around town and to drive to nearby cities such as Chicago, South Bend, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, she accepted his generous gift with an abundance of love in return. Besides the clothes on her back and her purse, the car was the only other property she had.
“I don’t understand. Why would anyone want Kyle dead? I mean…” She shook her head. “What do you call it?”
“Extinguished. Destroyed. Annihilated.”
“That sounds horrible.”
“It is. I’m glad no one else saw it.”
The picture of his headless body tied to the cross and burning was one branded deep within her skull like a permanent tattoo. She’d never forget the image.
Elbow pressed to the counter, Katie held the tiny glass between her fingers and in front of her friend.
“Ben and Charles were there?” Jules asked as she poured more vodka.
“Yeah, they saw it.”
Katie winced inwardly and berated herself mentally for calling Kyle’s body an it. He’d loved her, cared for her, taught her a world of knowledge about supernatural creatures and how to fight them. How did she show respect? Calling him it. What a terrible, disrespectful girlfriend she was. She threw the liquor into her mouth and swallowed.
Jules shook her head. “I can’t imagine.” Her eyes lifted. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Katie lowered her eyes as a long list of apologies filled her mind. She regretted she wasn’t there to help Kyle. If she’d been with him, she could’ve battled to save him. If that wasn’t enough, she was sorry she wasn’t a better girlfriend. She challenged him on just about everything and although she kissed him daily and had intimate relations with him most nights, she failed to tell him how much she loved him everyday. But she wasn’t a mushy girly-girl. Katie had shown her affection and admiration in many other ways. He had to know how deep her feelings were for him, or else he wouldn’t have wanted her to live with him, wouldn’t have proposed to her and wouldn’t have offered immortality. Yes, he knew she loved him, but she still could’ve spoken the tender words to reinforce how she felt.
Jules reached over the counter and placed her hand on top of Katie’s arm. “I am so, so sorry. I know how much he meant to you.”
Katie stared into her friend’s eyes and saw genuine affection and concern. “I…I…” Her tongue refused to move. So many words filled her mind, but she couldn’t speak a single one. Kyle was the love of her life and he wanted to love her forever. Words couldn’t describe his value to her.
“You should stay here. We have a spare room you can use. I’ll talk to Joe and let him know you’ll be here for a while.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it. I can give you some cash to help out.”
Jules poured another drink. “No, no. You’re family to me. You’ve always helped me out. I know if something happened to Joe, you would be there for me too.”
Unquestionably, Katie would do anything to help her best friend. Before Joe came into her life, Jules went through a string of problems. When the weather was bad and she didn’t have enough money to pay the gas bill, Katie loaned Jules the funds. When Jules couldn’t afford to fix her car, Katie paid for the repairs. For a couple of years, Jules worked two jobs to pay her mortgage and bills. Putting food in the house was last on her list of priorities, so Katie stocked Jules’s pantry and refrigerator a few times to make sure she stayed healthy. Jules was far more then a sister to Katie. She was a loyal and trusting friend who would never turn her back on her, never judge her and never do anything to harm her. Katie was damn lucky to have met her, even if she was a bit sneaky at times.
“I hope you never have to go through this.” Katie lifted her drink. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.” She downed the vodka fast.
Jules tossed another shot into her mouth, then set her glass down with a heavy clank. “Did Ben or Charles find any evidence of who killed Kyle? I mean, destroyed him?” She gritted her teeth. “I hate saying that word. It just sounds fucking horrible.”
Katie leaned her elbows on the counter and held her face in her hands. “They think Kyle might have been involved with drugs.”
She burst with laughter. “What? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“They used a drug sniffing dog to check out my trunk after I told them I picked up a package tonight for him.” Katie swallowed hard as she thought about the item she’d collected for Kyle. Too distraught, she didn’t want to open it or even look at it. She’d deal with it later.
J
ules held a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God.”
“Yeah, and since the crime was so gruesome…” Katie leaned back in her chair. “Fuck. I guess it’s better they think that anyway. They can’t handle the truth.”
Jules lowered her arm. “Then you’ll never find out who did it.”
Katie stiffened. “I have every intention of finding out who destroyed him. And when I do, I’m going to enjoy slicing off his head.”
Heat rushed to her head as resolve filled her. Nothing would stand in her way of locating the prick who took Kyle from this earth.
“How? Do you have any idea who would’ve wanted Kyle…gone?”
While Katie didn’t know specifically who, she knew enough about the organization he hid from. If anyone wanted him removed, the trail would lead back to the group.
“Remember when I told you he was hiding from the Order of the Legacy?”
“A little, but that was a long time ago and I’ve had a few drinks since then.” She grinned as she held up her shot glass filled with vodka.
Katie leaned on the countertop of the center island. Her mind was cloudy, but she could still give a history lesson on vampires.
“Kyle worked for the Order of the Legacy for many, many years. He said there are four types of vampires.” Katie lifted her hand and held out a finger. “Ones who want to dominate the human race and rule the world. Ones who believe humans are here as a food source only. New ones who are a century or two old and uneducated about how to act as a vampire and treat humans. Then ones who want to survive in peace with humankind.” By the time she’d finished, she held four fingers up.
“And he was one who wanted to live in peace with us?”
“Yes. He’d hunted down vampires to teach them to be…kinder toward the human race.”
“So they wouldn’t kill us for food.”
“Basically. He wanted to teach them morals and the meaning of life.”
Katie’s gaze drifted off to the side. The great lover of life no longer existed. She’d met Kyle soon after she started attending college in Michigan. He was a professor in psychology and archeology, two areas she’d had a keen interest in. Katie attended school at night and worked during the day to pay for her education. Outside of classes, he’d met her at the library and told her in-depth stories. She was intrigued with his wealth of knowledge. As their relationship progressed, he took her to museums, then on to cities they could travel to in a plane within a few hours. Always the teacher, he shared his experiences with her, though she didn’t know at the time they were real life ones. Ten months had passed before he confessed his true nature. The news had shocked her and she didn’t believe. With a little time, she realized the type of person he was and overlooked how he had to survive. In all his five centuries, he’d taught hundreds of vampires to live civilly and with compassion toward others. God only knew, he probably saved thousands of human lives.
“Didn’t you say some vampires didn’t want to be taught the good ways?” Jules rested her chin in the palm of her hand. Her eyes looked weary, yet curious.
“Yes, there were some that refused.”
“And he killed them?”
Katie leaned back in her seat. “He had to destroy them. That was the way of the Order.”
Jules scrunched her brows. “I’m confused. If he worked for the Order and it was good, why would he hide from them?”
Katie inhaled a deep breath. “The Order existed way before Kyle. Old vamps wanted to ensure their continued existence and believed teaching vampires to leave peacefully with humans would accomplish their goal. Over the years, members disappeared and they were never seen again.”
“That’s weird. They’re immortal. How can they disappear?”
The same question had popped into Katie’s mind multiple times in the past. According to Kyle, rumors he’d heard suggested the missing vamps were gone for good.
“Who knows?” Katie shrugged. “The fact is, was, they left and someone had to fill their vacant spots.” The alcohol started to impair her thinking and speech process. At least she wasn’t slurring her words, yet.
“New vamps stepped in.”
“Yeah, new ones filled the vacancies. Over time, it became clear their status went to their heads. Kyle said their attitudes changed. Older members, original ones, vanished one at a time. Within two centuries, the Order had an entirely new quorum. They didn’t come out and state what their goals were, but it was clear to every vampire this new Order of the Legacy was the direct opposite of the old one.”
“God, I can’t imagine. It sounds worse than the politics in Washington.”
Katie twitched her lips. Blood sucking vampires wanting to feed off humans at their own will was far worse than standard U.S. politics.
“Did Kyle try to talk to them?” Jules asked.
“Several times. Many others did too. Then when vampires who disagreed with the Order’s new policies started to disappear, they silenced their voices and hoped time would change things. Like many vampires, Kyle left. He later heard rumors someone created a list of those who’d argued against the Order and were a threat to accomplishing their goals.”
“Which were?”
“Based on changes the Order made, Kyle and others believed they wanted to rule the human race.”
Jules stiffened. “That’s fucking scary.”
“Yeah, so anyway…” Katie paused while she attempted to recall where she’d left off. The damn liquor jumbled her train of thought.
“What about this list? Is it real?”
“Yes, he confirmed it with a good friend. The Order paid handsomely to anyone who proved the extinction of people on the list. Many vampires went into hiding.”
“It sounds like a ‘most wanted’ list.”
“In a way, it was. Kyle and many like him couldn’t fight back since too many vampires wanted to follow the new Order. And he heard they not only paid with money, but with human lives.”
“What?”
“Slaves,” Katie said, nodding. “They’d kidnap people and keep them locked up until the vamp was ready to feast.” Her stomach churned at the thought. Kyle had told her they were slaves for the slaughter. She’d never forget his words.
“That’s sick,” Jules said with a curl of her lip.
“Very.”
“So the Order is behind Kyle’s death, or his–”
“Without a doubt, they wanted him gone,” Katie said, knowing Jules couldn’t get the right word out. “What I don’t know is who did it.”
“It has to be a vampire.”
“Of course. No human could’ve brought Kyle down.” Except for her and it took years of training. They’d fought for hours in the barn one night. She’d taken a small dose of his blood to give her strength and quickness to match his. She had cuts everywhere from their battle with daggers, but it didn’t stop her in the least. She punched, thrust, swiped, kicked and amongst the flurry of motions, she spun and had his head in her grasp with a knife to his throat. It could’ve been a fluke, but it was a memory etched in her brain. She’d actually beaten him, a five-century-old vampire.
“Then how can you find this vampire? What will you do if you do?” Jules asked. “You’re as human as the rest of us. You can’t possibly think you can chop off its head or burn it.”
She poured more vodka into their glasses.
Katie’s stomach twisted. The alcohol in her empty system started to disagree with her. She rubbed her hand over her belly, trying to calm the unease.
“There’s someone who might be able to help me. I’m going to try to contact him. I figure I have a few days before the vampire who destroyed Kyle decides to leave.”
Jules pushed the drink toward Katie. “You don’t think he’s already left.”
“No, they like to clean up messes. Less speculation is better.” Katie lifted the glass though her stomach yelled at her not to take it. She tossed the fluid into her mouth and swallowed. Keeping her lips sealed, she made sure it went down and stay
ed down.
“They kill, but cover up their mess? Why bother since they want to rule the world?” Jules took her shot and smacked her glass on the counter. “Damn, that’s good stuff.”
Katie’s head swam in an ocean of vodka and clouds. Suddenly a soft bed or sofa seemed like the best place to be.
“Because when they come, they want to surprise us.” She paused and forced her eyelids to stay open. “If humans suspect they exist, we could rise up and beat them.”
Her stomach gurgled loudly. A small spasm signaled a warning. She cupped her mouth with her hand.
“Are you all right, sweetie? You’re turning pale.”
Katie shook her head.
Jules jumped to her feet and shot her arm toward the open doorway. “Second door on the left. Guest room is the next one down.”
Her gut retched again. She snatched her purse from the counter and dashed down the hall. She reached the bathroom as a kick to her gut pained her. Her body burned and sweat burst from her pores. She managed to reach the toilet and fell to her knees. She dropped her bag on the floor, lifted the seat cover and emptied her system. When she had nothing left but dry heaves, she lay on the soft red rug and closed her eyes. Within a matter of minutes, her mind shut down fast and she drifted off into darkness.
4
Katie woke with a blanket covering her and a horrible taste in her mouth. Her body, mostly her lower abdomen, ached terribly. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and the cover slid down to her lap. Head spinning, she closed her eyes and waited for the dizziness to end.
The aroma of coffee drifted into the room from the one-inch gap under the door. She breathed in the pleasant scent as she glanced at her surroundings. Light from the adjoining room spilled in, allowing her to see the red walls and a toilet at her side. She must have fallen asleep in Jules’s bathroom.
Using the commode to steady herself, she rose to her feet. Another round of swirling in her head threatened to take her down, but she fought it. She held onto the countertop and stepped in front of the mirror. Near the basin, she spotted her purse. She suddenly wished she’d carried a toothbrush with her. Rubbing a finger over her front teeth, she lifted her gaze and startled herself. Her hideous reflection showed she had a pale sheen, red eyes and tangled hair.
Immortal Revenge Page 3
