Fangs for Freaks

by Serena Robar

  I saw Sophie and asked if she’d seen Tina.

  “Not since yesterday, mum.”

  I made the rounds upstairs, knocking on doors and getting no response. I hurried downstairs to witness Sage and Cookie hugging each other and Sage telling her all about her adventures to date. Including the attack by vampires, which had Cookie checking her over from head to toe to make sure she was truly safe. The look she shot me was pure venom. How dare I put her little girl in danger, it seemed to say.

  I smiled weakly and hurried to the library. I slipped inside the bookcase and called to Tina. Where was she?

  I found Angie watching reruns of Buffy and asked if she’d seen Tina.

  “Nope, not since yesterday. She was on the computer after Lucy when I went to bed. Colby, isn’t this hysterical? Look at their faces! They have no idea what a vampire really looks like. Too funny.”

  I ignored her and stepped into the sleeping dorm. I noted two beds were unmade, and assumed they were Lucy and Angie’s. I opened the door to the next partition and found one bed slightly askew, but the others were perfectly made up. Had Tina slept down here last night or had she gone upstairs?

  I hurried out of the dorm and asked Angie, “Where did you sleep last night?”

  “In the first bed. I didn’t make it yet. Is that okay?” She seemed concerned, especially after seeing the expression on my face.

  “I can’t seem to find Tina,” I told her and she immediately jumped up to help me look.

  “She probably slept upstairs and didn’t hear you call her,” Angie tried to reassure me but I was beginning to panic. Something wasn’t right, I could feel it.

  We made our way to the main living room, where Cookie demanded to know where Tina was.

  “Still looking, ma’am. I’m going back upstairs to check again.”

  “What’s going on?” Lucy asked, cup of tea in hand as she wandered in from the kitchen.

  “We’re looking for Tina, have you seen her?” Angie asked.

  Lucy shook her head no.

  I took the steps two at a time and this time I opened each room to look, I didn’t just call her name.

  The first bedroom was filled with excess furniture that Ileana had moved from her room, but no Tina. The next room was empty. Ileana’s room was also empty, unless you counted Ileana and Sophie, both a little miffed that I just barged in. Neither had seen Tina.

  Next to her was Lucy and Angie’s room; no luck there so I took a deep breath and pushed open Sage and Tina’s bedroom door. To my surprise it was empty as well. Where could she be?

  I quickly searched the bathroom and showers, then my room. Where could she be?

  “Did she go to feed or something?” I asked the girls. I turned to Thomas, who’d followed behind me. “Check with Security and see if she left with one of them.” Thomas immediately snapped open his cell phone and walked down the hall to check it out.

  I looked at the concerned faces of the girls in front of me and felt a cold dread slip up my spine. There was one room I hadn’t checked. Slowly, almost like I was hypnotized, I walked past each of them and down the stairs. The look on my face must have been something because Cookie was in mid-complaint and stopped when she saw me. I turned away from her and walked back toward the only bedroom I hadn’t checked, the housemother’s room. I opened the door slowly and clicked on the light. Everything was quiet and looked undisturbed but I knew, I knew in my heart that she was here.

  I stepped over to Ileana’s trunks and pulled the smaller one off the top. I carelessly flung it over my shoulder; it bounced on the bed, then hit the floor.

  Ileana had just joined the group and scolded, “Hey, those are my things you’re throwing about. Have a care, will you?” But I ignored her. I took the next two trunks and flung them aside with equal disregard. They were empty and easily tossed. The bottom trunk was quite large. Large enough for a wardrobe full of clothes or for a body. I grasped the handle on one side and lifted. It was heavy and I gently laid it back down.

  I shook as I popped open the latch. Please no, please no, please no, I chanted in my head. Let me be wrong about this, please, I begged to myself.

  I lifted the trunk lid and laid out before me, her legs folded up as though she were sitting in a chair, was Tina. She wore a halter top, flowing skirt and socks. She looked unharmed except for the puncture marks at her throat. She’d been drained of all her blood. She was dead.

  The scream that erupted from Cookie’s throat reverberated in my head long after she broke down in sobbing hysterics. No parent should have to see their child like this. I leaned forward, turning Tina’s head gently to get a better view of the puncture wounds.

  Cookie erupted again. “Get your hands off her! Don’t you touch her! You killed her, you hear me! I hold you responsible. You killed her!” She broke down again as Mr. Holloway and Carl pulled her gently from the room. She collapsed in hysteria, clutching Sage like a doll to her chest. They cried together, comforting each other as best they could.

  Thomas ushered the rest of the girls out of the room and closed the door, leaving us alone with Tina.

  “I don’t understand how she died,” I wondered aloud. “I thought the only way to kill a vampire was to stake them in the heart or decapitate them. Our blood doesn’t move that fast, how could she be drained?”

  Thomas kneeled down next to me and examined her ankles. Beneath the socks—and really I should have picked up on that right away as Tina never wore socks—her ankles were red and angry.

  “Rope burns,” I whispered.

  Thomas nodded grimly.

  I sank down on the corner of the bed and pushed the hair that escaped from its braids off of my sweaty brow. I was feeling very woozy. Thomas recapped what we knew.

  “Okay, sometime after Angie saw her on the computer, someone fed off of her, tied her feet and hoisted her overhead to drain her. But they didn’t do it here.” He motioned toward the ceiling. “There isn’t a pulley that could be rigged in this room. They must have moved her to this room after they were through.”

  “The showers,” I whispered. “They did it in one of the shower stalls and after that, dressed her back up and brought her downstairs to this room, putting her in the bottom trunk. Then they stacked the other trunks up so it didn’t look disturbed.”

  “Why? Why go through all of that to kill a half-blood? Doesn’t it serve a better purpose to leave her where the girls would find her? That sends a more powerful message.”

  “I don’t think we were supposed to find her, Thomas. I think we were supposed to think she ran away, went back to California or wherever. Someone went to an awful lot of trouble to keep this hidden and tidy.”

  Thomas looked back at Tina and gently shut the trunk lid. I sat on the bed, staring at it. I whispered softly, “This was my fault. Cookie’s right. I might as well have killed Tina myself. I brought her here, into danger. I failed to protect her. She’s dead because of me.”

  Thomas sat down next to me and put his arm around me. “It’s not your fault, Colby,” he tried to comfort me, but it was no use. We both knew better.

  “I’m not sure I can do this, Thomas,” I said in a small, empty voice that didn’t sound like me at all.

  “Colby, you’re in shock. Let me take you upstairs to your room to lie down.” He tried to get me to stand but I couldn’t. I was numb all over.

  “I just can’t. I’m not cut out for this. Don’t you see I’m only a kid? All I wanted to do was go to college and live in a sorority like other girls. I never asked for any of this. You were right all along. I can’t protect anyone.” I felt helpless, like I was drowning.

  Thomas dropped down in front of me and took my face in his hands. “Colby? Listen to me very carefully. We’ll get through this. We will. I know you didn’t ask for this but you’re the strongest person I know. You’re not like the other girls. You’re special. Colby, you might not like it but I know you can do this.”

  I stared into his eyes and in their depth
s I could see he meant what he said. He believed in me. And it was that belief that helped me rally past the suffocating guilt and depression. I was the Protector. I didn’t ask for the job, didn’t even want the job, but it was mine all the same.

  Nine

  Thomas and I left the back room to join the others. The girls were subdued; Sage was still struggling with her grief. Cookie had pulled herself together and was rocking Sage back and forth on the couch, clucking and softly hushing Sage’s tears. I never wanted my mother more than I did at that moment.

  I needed her to hold me and tell me everything was going to be okay and take control of the situation so I wouldn’t have to deal. But I knew better. This was my responsibility. Growing up had never hurt so much.

  Mr. Holloway was out on the porch with the men who’d escorted Cookie here. Carl was standing by the door; I couldn’t tell if he was there to keep us from leaving or keep anyone from entering. Either way, I was glad to see him.

  Thomas looked at me as though in question and I nodded. I would address the group. They were my responsibility.

  “As you all know, we found Tina in …” I cleared my throat. “We found Tina.” It was not an auspicious start for me. “Thomas and I have ascertained the cause of death and need to ask each of you some questions. We believe someone managed to get into the House and commit this crime so we need everyone to cooperate with the questioning.”

  Thomas looked at me in speculation, but I kept searching the faces of each of the girls in the room. I didn’t believe for a moment that someone broke into the House and killed Tina. I believed it was one of the girls before me, but I wanted her to think she was safe, above suspicion. I wanted her to get cocky and make a mistake that would lead us to her.

  “Now, when was the last time each of you saw Tina?” I started with Sophie. She was human so I knew she couldn’t have bitten Tina, but she was Ileana’s loyal maid and would do anything Ileana asked her to do, including disposing of Tina.

  “I saw her briefly after my lady came to bed. She walked down the hallway with Sage. They said they were headed downstairs to watch a spot of tellie.”

  “And that was the last time you saw her?”

  “Yes, mum.” Her head bobbed.

  “Thank you, Sophie. Ileana, was that the same time you saw her?”

  “Actually, I didn’t see her at all. I was inside my room. I heard her talk to Sophie, though, through the door.”

  I nodded. “How about you, Angie?”

  “I was watching television and Lucy was on the computer when Sage and Tina joined us. I went to bed about an hour later.”

  “Did you go upstairs first?”

  She nodded. “Yes, I went upstairs to take my makeup off and brush my teeth. I wore my sweats and tank top to bed.”

  “Did you see Sophie when you went to bed?”

  Angie wrinkled her forehead. “No, I don’t think so. I was pretty dog tired, though.”

  Sophie looked guilty, stealing sideway glances toward Ileana, who completely ignored her and appeared bored by the entire questioning.

  “Thanks, Angie. How about you, Lucy?”

  “I went to bed right after Angie. I didn’t go upstairs because I brushed my teeth earlier and was already in my pajamas.”

  “Angie, did you hear Lucy come to bed?”

  She shook her head no. “But I’m a pretty heavy sleeper.”

  “Sage, when did you last see Tina?”

  “I went upstairs to get a milkshake. Tina was on the computer. When I went back downstairs, she wasn’t there. I assumed she went upstairs to go to bed, even though we’re supposed to sleep in the dormitory.” She bit her lip to keep it from trembling. “She wanted to sleep under the window so she could see the sky.”

  “Did you see or meet anyone while you were in the kitchen?”

  Sage shot a quick look toward Sophie, who was practically rolled into a ball on the couch, trying to look invisible.

  “I saw Sophie in the kitchen.”

  I was hardly surprised, Sophie reeked of guilt. I could smell her deceit a mile away.

  “Oh mum, I’m so sorry I left my post. I really am. You were sound asleep and I was so thirsty. There isn’t anything to drink around here and I saw Sage bring back groceries from the store. She had ice cream and milk and offered to make milkshakes for everyone,” she practically wailed. “I only left for a short time. I promise.”

  Ileana looked at her disapprovingly, but said nothing. Sophie looked like she was going to have a heart attack over the indiscretion. I exchanged a look with Thomas. I think we could rule out Sophie being a coconspirator if a stolen milkshake caused this type of commotion.

  “It’s okay, Sophie. No one cares if you enjoyed a milkshake with Sage. Ileana’s fine with it, aren’t you, Ileana?”

  She pursed her lips together disapprovingly and we locked eyes for a moment. Finally she relented and patted poor Sophie on the arm. “Of course I don’t mind, Sophie. I’m not a monster, you know. I’m happy you took a break.”

  “Oh, thank you, mum,” Sophie gushed and I couldn’t help but curl my lip in distaste. This poor woman was worse than a lapdog that piddled on the carpet. Just rub her nose in it and forgive her already. It’s just a freakin’ milkshake.

  “Thank you, everyone, you can leave. However, be advised that no one is to leave the House without a security escort for the time being.”

  They all were starting to get up when Cookie demanded, “What about you? When was the last time you saw my Tina?”

  I looked over at Thomas as everyone sort of froze in place. Me? Did she think I went all the way to California to bring Sage and Tina back just so I could off one of them here? But it got me thinking—when did I last see Tina, anyway? Was it before I went outside and had my run-in with Tribunal Security?

  “Actually, the last time I saw her was when we were all talking downstairs. I went upstairs to check e-mail from my laptop and surf the Net. I tripped over Sophie around dawn but didn’t see anyone else. I called Carl from my cell then went back to bed.” I omitted the Security confrontation. If they knew Security was watching the house during the day, they would never buy my break-in story.

  Cookie glared at me, but said no more. That seemed to be the sign for everyone to go about their business. Mr. Holloway gathered Carl, Thomas and me for a quick meeting. The only place we could go out of earshot was outside or in the bedroom where Tina rested. And I really didn’t want to go back in there.

  We went out the back door, which was heavily bolted, and stood on the concrete patio slab overlooking the alley behind the house. The backyard was basically extra parking, but none of us owned a car at the moment.

  “Hell of a first week on the job, Colby,” Mr. Holloway murmured.

  Thomas and Carl were quick to jump to my defense but I waved them aside. This was my responsibility and I wasn’t going to let them take the brunt of Mr. Holloway’s displeasure.

  “It’s certainly been a learning experience, sir.”

  He looked me over and clapped his hand on my shoulder. “You’re holding up remarkably well, under the circumstances.”

  It was the closest thing to praise I was likely to get and I much preferred that to screaming about my incompetence.

  “A determined vampire could probably find his way inside the house if he really wanted to,” Mr. Holloway remarked and I snorted at him.

  “One of the girls did it, sir. We both know that.”

  He nodded in agreement and asked, “Any guesses as to who’s responsible?”

  I debated how much to reveal and opted for the truth. “I am, sir. I didn’t kill Tina, but it happened on my shift all the same. I’ll find the killer.”

  He nodded sagely. “I have faith in you. Keep me abreast of your progress.” He walked to the door and opened it, then paused to add, “And Colby, the shopping trip was the right move. Those two girls should not have been treated like that. Rest assured we are investigating the matter.”

  And the
n he left us standing outside under the night sky.

  “Come on, Colby,” Thomas said, pulling my hand and leading me through the backyard.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, looking back at Carl, who followed Mr. Holloway into the house.

  “To get a break from all this.”

  He led me to his car and opened the door. I was grateful to be away from Psi Phi House for a respite but wasn’t sure if being alone with Thomas was the best medicine right now. Things weren’t right between us and I just couldn’t take another emotional confrontation.

  He slid into the driver’s side and started the car. The ’68 Mustang rumbled to life and Thomas eased onto the side street. It only took a few moments to reach the freeway and soon we were barreling south on Interstate 5.

  “What about Tina’s body?” I asked quietly.

  “I’ve got Carl taking care of all that.” And we both stopped talking.

  The silence was pretty heavy in the car; Thomas didn’t turn on the radio and neither did I. What kind of music do you listen to when you’re investigating a murder? It hardly seemed appropriate to blast Coldplay and the thought of Avril’s angst seemed shallow. I mean, did Avril ever have to investigate a vampire death? I think not.

  I closed my eyes, ignoring the scenery whizzing by. I would just let Thomas handle it. It felt good to release control to someone who clearly loved to be in charge. Thomas pulled off the freeway at the south end of town, stopping the car in a large, deserted parking lot.

  “Thomas?” I asked in question. This wasn’t my first choice for a feeding ground. It was the parking lot to the Fun Park, which didn’t appear to be much fun, judging by the lack of occupants.

  “I am taking you miniature golfing,” he announced, catching me by surprise.

  “Miniature golfing? Why?”

  “Because that’s what normal couples do. They make plans to do activities together. Activities that don’t include dodging swords, memorizing vampire law or investigating half-blood murders.”