Halfway to the Grave

by Jeaniene Frost

  “Money. So that’s why you hunt vampires. You’re a hit man!”

  I was so amazed by this new information, I opened the screen while only wearing my bra and panties.

  He cast a leisurely look down the length of me before meeting my eyes.

  “Yeah, that’s right. It’s what I do. But don’t fret. You could also say I’m a bounty hunter. Sometimes my clients want ’em back alive.”

  “Wow. I just thought we were going after people who had pissed you off.”

  “And that was enough for you to kill for, someone who might have looked at me cross-eyed? Blimey, but you’re not particular. What if I were chasing some nice sweet thing that’d never hurt a fly? Still be all right with it then?”

  I snapped the screen shut and found my mother’s words coming out of my mouth.

  “None of you are nice sweet things. You’re all murderers. That’s why it didn’t matter. Point me at a vampire and I’ll try to kill it, because at one time they’ve done something to deserve it.”

  It was so silent outside the screen, I wondered if he’d left. When I peeked, he was still standing where he’d been before. A flicker of emotion passed over his face before it became blank again. Suddenly uncomfortable, I retreated back inside to don my revealing costume.

  “Not every vampire is like the ones who killed those girls Winston told you about. It’s just your bad luck to be living in Ohio at this particular time. There are things going on you don’t know about.”

  “Winston was wrong, by the way,” I said smugly. “I looked up those girls’ names the next day, and none of them were dead. They weren’t even missing. One of them, Suzy Klinger, lived in the town next to mine, but her parents said she moved away to study acting. What I don’t know is why Winston would make that up, but far be it for me to understand the mental workings of a ghost.”

  “Bloody hell!” Bones almost shouted. “Who did you talk to, aside from Suzy Klinger’s parents? The police? Other families?”

  I didn’t know why he was so worked up. It’s not like there had been multiple homicides, after all. “No one. I entered their names online at the library’s computer and when nothing came up, I looked in a few local papers and then called Suzy’s parents saying I was a telemarketer. That was it.”

  Some of the tension drained out of him. At least he wasn’t clenching his fists anymore.

  “Don’t go against what I tell you to do again,” he said in a very calm tone.

  “What did you expect? For me to forget about over a dozen girls being murdered by vampires because you told me to? See, this is just what I’m talking about! A human wouldn’t act like that. Only a vampire could be that cold.”

  Bones folded his arms. “Vampires have existed for millennia, and though we have our villains among us, the majority of us just have a sip here and there, but everybody walks away. Besides, it’s not like your kind hasn’t made its mark for ill on the world. Hitler wasn’t a vampire, was he? Too bloody right. Humans can be just as nasty as we are, and don’t you forget it.”

  “Oh, come on, Bones!” Dressed now, I pulled back the screen and started fixing hot rollers into my hair. “Don’t give me that crap. Are you telling me you’ve never murdered someone innocent? Never drank the life out of someone when you were hungry? Never forced a woman who said no? Hell, the only reason you didn’t kill me the night we met was because you saw my eyes glow, so sell that smack to someone who’s buying!”

  His hand flashed out. I braced myself, but all he did was catch a falling curler. Without blinking, he rolled it back into my hair.

  “Think I’d strike you? You really don’t know as much as you claim to. Aside from teaching you how to fight, I’d never lay a harsh hand on you. As for the night we met, you did your level best to kill me. I thought you were sent by someone, so I smacked you and threatened you, but I wasn’t going to kill you. No, I would have sipped from your neck and green-eyed you until you told me who they were. Then I would have sent you back to the shit with your limbs broken as a warning, but I promise you this—at no point would I have forced myself on you. Sorry, Kitten. Every woman I’ve been with has wanted me to be there. Have I killed any innocents in my time? Yeah, I have. When you’ve lived as long as I have, you make mistakes. You try to learn from them. And you shouldn’t be so quick to judge me on that. No doubt you’ve killed innocents as well.”

  “The only people I’ve killed were vampires who tried to kill me first,” I said, rattled by his nearness.

  “Oh?” Softly. “Don’t be so sure. Those blokes you killed, did you wait for them to try to bite you first? Or did you just assume because they were vampires and they’d gotten you alone, they intended to murder you? Ignoring the very real likelihood that they were there because they’d thought a beautiful girl was hot to shag them. Tell me—how many of them did you kill before they’d even shown you their fangs?”

  My mouth dropped even as immediate denial echoed in my brain. No. No. They’d all been trying to kill me. They had. Hadn’t they…?

  “Whether they showed their fangs or not doesn’t change the fact that vampires are evil, and that’s enough for me.”

  “Bloody mule-headed woman,” he muttered. “Then if all vampires are the filth you claim them to be, why wouldn’t I just pry your legs open now and take out some of my evil on you?”

  He was too strong for me to stop him, if he decided on that course of action. I glanced at my stakes, but they were too far away on the floor.

  Bones saw me looking and a sardonic snort escaped him.

  “You never have to fret about it. Told you, I don’t come in unless invited. Now hurry up. You have another murderous fiend to kill.”

  He was gone in a whoosh of air that left me trembling. Great, I’d offended my backup. Smart. Real smart.

  We drove separately to avoid being seen together. In fact, I didn’t see him at all after our little spat at the dressing table. He’d left me a note telling me he’d be watching and to proceed with the plan. On my way to the club, I was inexplicably upset by what had happened. After all, what I’d said was right, wasn’t it? Okay, maybe every vampire I’d killed hadn’t been going for my throat, true. Some of them had been pretty focused on my cleavage, in fact. But they would have tried to kill me, wouldn’t they? Bones might act different, but all vampires were bad.

  Weren’t they?

  The music greeted me with its loud pumping beat. Same vibrations, different songs. According to Bones, Sergio would probably put in an appearance in about an hour. I seated myself at the bar, making sure I had a clear view of the doorway, and ordered a gin and tonic. Aside from that half gallon of moonshine, alcohol seemed to make me calmer instead of inebriated. Bones said it was due to my bloodline. He should know—he could knock back bottles of whiskey without even a twitch. On the plus side, it added to the helpless female image to look drunk.

  It had been a while since my last gin and tonic, so I promptly had it refilled by the attentive bartender when I was done. His eyes had been undressing what little clothing I was wearing since I’d walked in. Good to know Bones knew what he was about when it came to picking bait apparel. We’d see if it worked as well with the monsters.

  As the hour dragged on, it became apparent that the bartender wasn’t alone in his admiration of my new look. After refusing offer after offer of drinks or dancing, I had passed the flattered stage and gone into the irritated one. My God, I must look easy. No less than a baker’s dozen had made a go at me.

  The vampire came through the door with the gliding stealth only the undead could manifest. Judging from his height and black hair, it had to be Sergio. Even though he wasn’t well muscled or overly handsome, his grace and aura of confidence had more than a few feminine eyes following him as he made his way through the throngs of people. In a nonchalant manner, I sipped my drink and stretched my legs, crossing them while rubbing one calf against the other. The bar I was at was elevated and in direct sight of the entrance, so he had a good view of
me over the heads of the other patrons. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him pause, stare, and change direction. Headed now straight toward me.

  The seat next to me was occupied by an older man staring fixedly down my dress, but the vampire never hesitated. With a flick of his hand, Sergio dislodged him from his chair. “Go,” he commanded.

  The other man walked away with his eyes glazed over. Mind control. Bones had warned me about that.

  “Thank you,” I remarked. “If he’d have drooled any more, the bartender would’ve had to mop the floor.”

  “Who can blame him?” The smooth accented voice flowed over my ears. “I can’t take my eyes off you, either.”

  I smiled and took a deep sip of my drink, letting the liquid roll around inside my mouth before swallowing. He didn’t miss a motion of it.

  “I seem to have finished my drink.”

  I looked at him expectantly. He gestured to the bartender and a fresh one was poured.

  “What’s your name, my young beauty?”

  “Cat,” I replied, this time letting my tongue linger on the edge of my glass before swallowing another long draught.

  “Cat. What a coincidence. I love pussies.”

  The double-entendre was so bald, I was glad Bones had put me through that dirty-talk test or I’d have blushed right then. Instead, I raised a brow in perfect imitation of his trademark.

  “And you are, my pussy-loving new friend?” Kudos to me, not a hint of a flush.

  “Roberto. Cat, I must say, you look far too young to be gracing such a place.”

  I leaned forward conspiratorially, opening my dress to spectacular proportions. “Can you keep a secret? I’m not really twenty-one. Actually, I’m nineteen. My friend loaned me her ID, we look kind of alike. You won’t tell, will you?”

  From his expression, he was downright delighted. “But of course I will keep your secret, sweet one. Is your friend with you night?”

  The question sounded innocent, but I knew what it meant. Will anyone miss you if you leave?

  “No. She was supposed to meet me, but she hasn’t shown up yet. Maybe she met someone, you know how it is. You just forget everything else around you.”

  He covered my hand with his and I almost gasped. Ten more points for Bones. Sergio’s power nearly crawled up my arm. None of the other vampires but one had felt like this, and look where he’d gotten me.

  “I know what you mean,” he said, squeezing my hand.

  I smiled seductively and squeezed back. “I think I do, too.”

  Less than thirty minutes later we were out the door. I made sure to drink multiple gin and tonics beforehand, so there was valid reason for me to be staggering in his eyes. Sergio kept up a steady stream of innuendo about pussies, cream, and licking that would have shocked me into bolting if it hadn’t been for Bones. Damn him, but it was turning out he’d come in handy.

  Sergio drove a Mercedes. Never having been in one before, I kept up a line of suggestive compliments about how I loved the interior. Especially the backseat. So roomy.

  “This leather feels wonderful,” I purred, rubbing my cheek against the cushion of the passenger seat. “That’s why I wear the gloves and boots. Love the way it rubs against my skin.”

  The tops of my breasts were straining against my push-up bra. Sergio grinned, showing a crooked front tooth he’d managed to conceal at the bar.

  “Stop doing that, little pussycat, or I won’t be able to drive. How about we go to my place instead of that club I told you about?”

  Warning. “No,” I breathed, getting an angry look in return. Clearly he didn’t expect to be disagreed with, but there was no way we were doing that. Thinking fast, I caressed his arm. “I don’t want to wait that long. Pull off somewhere. Kitty needs a tongue bath.” Ick, my mind protested, but as incentive I rubbed my hands across my stomach and down to skim my outer thighs.

  He bought it, hook, line, and sinker. Too well.

  Sergio kept one hand on the steering wheel and reached over to run his other hand along my leg. It climbed higher up my thigh and toward his goal with relentless determination. As instructed, I wasn’t wearing any underwear. The thought of his fingers touching me there sent a wave of revulsion through me. Quickly, I grabbed his hand and stuck it in my cleavage instead. Better there than the alternative.

  “Not yet.” Anxiety made me breathless. Hopefully he would think it was desire. “Pull off. Pull off now.”

  The sooner I had a stake in him, the better. His hand seemed happy where it was, but just in case, I unfastened my seat belt and climbed over the seat.

  He gave me a surprised look. I wrapped my arms around him from behind, licking the side of his ear. Double ick. “I’m waiting, Roberto. Come and get me.”

  The car swerved to the shoulder of the road. Damn, we weren’t even in the woods yet. I hoped someone wouldn’t drive by while we were decapitating him. That would be hard to explain.

  “I’m coming, pussycat,” Sergio promised, and then his teeth clamped on my wrist.

  “Motherfucker!”

  The word flew out of my mouth in a yelp as he bit me savagely.

  “You like this, pussycat?” he snarled, sucking at the blood pouring from my forearm. “Slut. Whore.”

  Furious, I unsheathed my stake with my free hand and plunged it into his neck. “Didn’t your mother tell you not to talk with your mouth full?”

  A howl escaped him and he let go of me to grab the stake. I yanked my arm out of his mouth, tearing it more, and went for my other stake.

  In a flash, he was in the backseat. Sergio loomed over me, but I kicked out hard and scored a direct hit to his groin. Another pain-filled bellow shook the car.

  “Bitch! I’m going to rip out your throat and fuck your bleeding neck!”

  Not wanting him to get anywhere near my neck, I brought my knees up as a barrier when he flung himself on me. With my boots so close, I managed to extract the other stake and then ram it in his back.

  Sergio flew out of the car, smashing through the doorframe as though it were paper. I charged after him, needing to retrieve one of my weapons. A blow knocked me sideways as soon as I cleared the door. I rolled to avoid the kick aimed at my head and sprang to my feet.

  Sergio lunged at me again—and then was yanked backward by the vampire who seemed to materialize behind him. Bones held him roughly, one hand on the stake in his neck, the other gripping the one in his back.

  “About time,” I muttered.

  “Hallo, Sergio!” Bones said cheerfully, giving a vicious jerk to the stake in Sergio’s neck.

  There were a few sickening gurgles before Sergio spoke. “Filthy bastard, how’d you find me?”

  It amazed me he could talk at all with half his throat laid open. Bones tightened his hold on the stake in Sergio’s back next, digging it deeper until it must have been grazing the other vampire’s heart.

  “I see you’ve met my friend. Isn’t she just wonderful?”

  Blood was running in rivulets down my arm. I ripped off one of my sleeves and wrapped it around the wound, which throbbed in accordance with my pulse. Even with that, I managed to get a grim satisfaction out of the look on Sergio’s face when his eyes swung back to me.

  “You. Set me up.” Incredulity filled his voice.

  “That’s right, pussycat. Guess you won’t be giving me that tongue bath after all.” There was a piece of me that was startled by my coldness, and another that gloried in it.

  “She is something, isn’t she?” Bones went on. “Knew you couldn’t pass up a pretty girl, you worthless sod. Isn’t it fitting that now you’re the one who’s been lured into a trap? What, did you grow short on funds so you had to go out for dinner instead of order in?”

  Sergio went still. “I don’t know what you say.”

  From his expression, he did know. Well, I didn’t have a clue.

  “Of course you do. You’re his best client, from what I hear. Now, I have just one question for you, and I know you’re going
to answer me honestly, because if not”—he gave another twist of the stake in Sergio’s back—“I’m going to be really unhappy. Do you know what happens when I’m unhappy? My hand twitches.”

  “What? What? I tell you! I tell you!” His accent was thicker now, almost incoherently so.

  Bones smiled a truly frightening smile. “Where’s Hennessey?”

  A petrified look came over Sergio’s face. If it were possible, he blanched even paler than his vampire white.

  “Hennessey will kill me. You don’t cross him and live to brag about it! You don’t know what he’ll do if I talk. And you kill me anyway if I tell you.”

  “See, mate.” Twist, turn, yank. “I promise I won’t kill you if you tell me. That gives you a chance to run from Hennessey. But I swear to you, if you don’t tell me where he is”—another thrust of the stake, and Sergio let out a high-pitched wail—“you’ll die right here. Your call. Make it now.”

  He had no choice, it was clear on the doomed vampire’s face. Defeated, his head slumped forward and a single sentence emerged from his bloody mouth.

  “Chicago Heights, south side of town.”

  “Thanks ever so, mate.” With a cock of his eyebrow, Bones turned his attention to me. “This your stake, luv?”

  He ripped the one out of Sergio’s back and threw it at me. Catching it in midair, I met his eyes with perfect comprehension.

  “You promised! You promised!”

  Sergio whimpered as I advanced, my torn arm clutched to my chest. It was amazing how frightened he was at the thought of his own death when minutes ago he’d been delighted to hasten mine.

  “I did. She didn’t. Got something you want to say to him, Kitten?”

  “No,” I answered, and shoved the stake into Sergio’s heart. My hand went into his chest with the momentum and I jerked back, shaking his thick dark blood off in disgust. “I’m done talking to him.”

  Chapter Seven

  BONES WAS FAR MORE EXPEDITIOUS IN disposing of a body than I’d been. He had Sergio wrapped in plastic and tucked inside the trunk within a few minutes, whistling to himself all the while. Meanwhile, I sat with my back against the car applying pressure to my wrist. He squatted down next to me after he’d closed the trunk with a bang.