Kaitlyn Strong Books 1-3: The Complete First Trilogy

by Art DeForest

  The process this time was easier. My inner beast seemed to have learned her lesson well and was able to connect with the prey on a whole new level. As I felt the bond settle in with the others, a quiet sense of accomplishment settled over me and I opened my eyes grinning contentedly. The power from the two new bonds seemed to infuse me with power that I’d never known before.

  Sara returned my grin. “I knew you could do it! You have just completed the first step in becoming a blood shaman. The discipline you have worked so hard to instill in yourself has helped you become more than just a simple vampire.

  The rush of power inside me made me giddy, but I still didn’t know exactly how it would help me. “What does this mean for me?” I asked, still smiling.

  Sara considered for a moment. “You were already strong and fast. You now have even more energy to apply in those directions at need. Also you have extra power available to you for use in the powers of your mind. Your mesmerization is one such mind power, but with training and knowledge your may be able to acquire even more abilities if the spirits allow. Using the technique you learned this morning will also greatly reduce your need to feed. Spending time each day making sure the bonds are strong will keep them tied to you indefinitely. It is appropriate to switch them for other bonds regularly so as not to stress the people or animals you are bonded to. Doing that and attempting to retain new bonds are the only reasons for you to drink blood at this point.”

  I sat back, considering all that she had told me. It was quite an adjustment to how I had perceived the world around me. “So you believe that the spirits have a job for me?” I asked pensively.

  Sara shrugged. “I believe that you have been doing the work of the spirits for most of your existence. They have seen fit to reward you for your diligence and to prepare you for foes that you may have to face in the future.”

  “Tougher than Darius?” I asked with a shudder. “He was the head of house Abandonados for two hundred years. He was over five hundred years old.”

  “Darius was undoubtedly a very powerful vampire, but certainly not the most powerful. If I am reading the signs correctly, vampire kind is reaching a tipping point. I believe you will be a major player in the coming confrontation. A confrontation that will see the vampire race move forward into the light or flee back into the dark times when humans were used as cattle and Others were used as servants, Should they embrace the darkness, they may well find themselves hunted to extinction. Humans and Others are not as weak as they once were.

  I sat for awhile thinking about that. “I can see that.” I said. “The Council is already deeply divided. If the Abandonados are found to be complicit in the fiasco Darius started here in Denver, then the Council may very well be split permanently. War would be an almost certainty at that point.”

  Sara’s face grew serious. “We must avoid war at all cost. Given the access to information available in this modern age, war would almost invariably lead to our discovery and subsequent extinction. It will be our task and those of people like us to see that things are kept quiet.

  5

  As we sat talking about the ramifications of a vampire war, there came a light tap on the door. Deacon and Marcus entered, their faces set in a grim expressions. “Aurora PD just found another body.” Said Marcus.

  “Same area?” I asked, as I set Fangs on the floor and stood.

  Marcus nodded his head. “A little farther south, on a hiking trail.”

  “Can you get us into the scene?” I asked.

  “I don’t think so.” Said Marcus unhappily. “I’m DPD. I just got a heads up from another lycan that works for Aurora PD. He’s not high enough up the food chain to help us.

  I sighed in frustration. “Well, we can at least go out and try to pick up a scent. If we’re lucky we can track it back to its lair and take it while it's down for the day.”

  “I would like to go with you. Kangee and I may be able to help.” said Sara as she got up herself. She picked up the ceremonial knife and placed it back in its position on the shelf before picking up an old walking stick that was as tall as she was from it’s spot in a corner. It looked ancient and weathered, but it also looked to be as hard as stone. There were intricate decoration all along its length and a crystal of some kind set into the top. Something told me it wasn’t a normal staff, but I let the thought go.

  “The more the merrier.” I replied.

  I gave a single nod in her direction. “We can use all the help we can get.” I looked down at Fangs. He was staring intently at Marcus, but wasn’t making any hostile actions. “Fangs has never met a Lycan.” I said looking up at Marcus. “Why don’t you come say hello.”

  Marcus walked casually into the room, approaching slowly to within three feet of Fangs before crouching down to meet his eye and stretching forth a hand in invitation. Fangs acted casual as he stood and stretched lazily. Taking his time, he approached Marcus’ outstretched hand slowly and sniffed around his finger tips for a moment. Apparently Marcus didn’t come off as a threat. Fangs abruptly took a step forward and rubbed the side of his face against Marcus’ palm.

  I looked up from the two when I heard a “humph” come quietly from Deacon. I grinned a little at his disgruntled expression he had on his face as he looked down at Marcus and Fangs getting along so well. Fangs looked up momentarily from the ear rubbing he was getting to give Deacon his best “disdainful cat” look, before lowering his head down for more attention.

  “Well” I said smiling up at Deacon. “Why don’t we go and sniff around. Maybe Fangs here can give us the edge.” I said, gesturing at my friend.

  We split up into two vehicles for the drive. Marcus, Sara and Kangee were in Marcus’ SUV, while Deacon, Fangs and me went in the big black Suburban.

  “How are you feeling?” asked Deacon as we traveled back towards Aurora.

  “Better than I expected to be.” I answered honestly. “Sara showed me a few things that helped me stay awake. The sun still hurts, but it’s manageable now.”

  “What did she do?” Deacon asked curiously

  “She did some kind of ritual on Fangs and me. That along with some of my blood, made him my spirit companion. Since he’s a creature of both night and day, the bond we share has made being up during the day easier for me as well as healing and strengthening him.” I said.

  “She has a….formidable reputation in the vampire community.” Said Deacon with a concerned expression on his face. “Many have died by her hand.”

  I chuckled darkly at that. “I bet there was a pretty good reason for every one that she killed also.” Looking over at the side of Deacon’s face as he drove, I continued. “She told me that she shared freely, the secret of holding the blood bonds instead of killing outright. She said it made her a lot of enemies back in the day.”

  “That was the main reason she was unpopular.” agreed Deacon. “She also killed every single vampire that was sent to quiet her. Once she moved into lycan territory, it was deemed prudent to let sleeping dogs lay. “There is still a bounty on her head, however. Placed by Abandonado, oddly enough.” He said with a tight grin.

  “It all keeps coming back to them, doesn’t it?” I asked.

  “So it would seem.” said Deacon. “Perhaps she has something they want.”

  “Knowledge, I would bet.” I said thoughtfully. “She’s incredibly powerful and I bet they would just love to have a blood shaman of their own.

  “Perhaps” Was all Deacon said as we continued on our journey in silence.

  ++++

  The scene of the crime was just a little south of Del Mar park, where a canal with a hiking trail beside it ran behind a church. There were a myriad of flashing red and blue lights in the church’s parking lot from all of the emergency vehicles. As we dove south down Peoria, gawking as best we could, a coroner’s van pulled in with the rest of its fellows.

  We turned right off Peoria as soon as we could and drove through a housing development taking a street that ran parallel to the
canal, hoping we could find a place to access the trail away from the police presence. The street we were on ended at First Avenue and as luck would have it, First avenue dead ended right at the canal. Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the canal.

  It wasn’t running full however, so the leap across was not any problem. At least, it wasn’t any problem for people like us. If a normal human would have seen us flying across the expanse of the canal however, it would have caused them to question their own sanity. Fortunately we didn’t have any observers hanging around.

  We’d walked perhaps a hundred yards up the trail, towards the crime scene when the smell of vampires came to us on the afternoon breeze. Continuing on cautiously, we came to where Second Avenue dead ended at the trail. We split up then and followed the scent of individual vampires as they separated and spread out. They appeared to have been waiting on either side of the trail, in the bushes and trees, like they were waiting to ambush someone.

  Once Fangs and I were past the scent of the vampires who had lain in wait, It became readily apparent who that someone was. The new vamp had been headed down this trail and it was my bet that it had been caught in the ambush. We made a large circle around the area, sniffing and searching constantly, but there was no sign of the new vamp’s scent after it met up with the scent of the ones who had waited in ambush.

  “Dammit” I said as the others and I met up on the trail once more. “Whoever they were, they got the new vamp. I bet Gino brought buddies along.”

  “Yes” agreed Sara. “They seem to have left in a vehicle on down this street. The scent fades rather quickly.”

  “They could be anywhere by now” I said disconsolately. I was having visions of a young girl vampire tied up and tossed into a trunk. I know there was no proof that the vampire was a girl, but given Darius’ proclivities, that was my bet.

  Deacon, who was standing beside me, put his hand on my shoulder in commiseration. “We can take heart in the fact that their are no piles of dust blowing away on the breeze. That means it was alive when they left here.”

  “I don’t know which is worse” I said in anger. “Being dead or being in the hands of those monsters once again.”

  Having no further clue as to how to proceed, we split up. Marcus and Sara headed back to Lycan Headquarter with a promise to let us know if they heard anything from their search parties or the police. Deacon found a nice hotel close by where we planned to freshen up and wait for the night. I was planning to patrol the area once more under the cover of darkness in hopes that they hadn’t taken it too far away. I didn’t believe the baby vamp had drifted too far away from where it had been held before the urge to feed overcame it.

  Deacon drove to the hotel near the local Children’s Hospital. It was very nice, but since we were checking in at the last minute, we had to settle for individual rooms instead of a suite. It didn’t take long for me to get my things put away. I took a shower and got out some fresh clothes. The Lycans had done us a considerable favor and laundered all our gear while we were out investigating the first crime scene. Anticipating the night ahead, I dressed in my work clothes, Boots, black cargo pants and a snug fitting knit top rounded out the ensemble. My utility belt, holding my kukri and stake, rested on the bed.

  After dressing, I wandered around the room for a while, stopping for a time to give Fangs a good ear rubbing as he reclined regally in the plush recliner by the window. He purred and pushed his head against my hand lovingly.

  I stood brooding for a while, looking out the window, over at Children’s Hospital. The hospital that dedicated itself to taking care of children brought my mind to the young vampire that had been taken by Gino and his thugs. The chain of thoughts took me inexorably back to my own captivity. My thoughts became darker and darker as the lowering sun dimmed the light outside.

  A soft knock came at my door. Walking over, I opened it to see Deacon standing in the entry. We had chosen similar clothing for the night. He was dressed in black slacks and tee shirt, with a black windbreaker covering his own weapons. Motioning him in I returned to the window, looking out at the darkening sky. I felt Deacon’s hard masculine presence come up behind me. “Why capture her again? Why didn’t they just kill her?” I asked quietly.

  “Her?” asked Deacon.

  “The new vampire” I said. “Given who was holding her, it has to be a girl.” I shivered a little as I looked back on the torments visited on me and envisioned them being repeated.

  Deacon came up close behind me. His strong hands came up to grasp my shoulders and I leaned my head back against his chest. Allowing myself to be comforted by his presence. “I don’t know.” he said. “Maybe the family as a whole has plans for her.”

  “I thought Darius just got his jollies torturing girls, but my gut is telling me there’s more to it this time.” Deacon released his grip on my shoulders as I turned around to face him. “And why here?” I asked staring up into his cobalt blue eyes. “Why a lycan city where he has no chance to blend in?”

  “It’s a mystery that we must seek to solve.” he said. We were mere inches apart as we stared intently at each other. Slowly, as if he was unsure how his actions would be treated, he raised his arms and enfolded me in a muscular embrace. I felt my body start to stiffen almost by instinct, but I forced myself to relax into his arms. I leaned the side of my head once more onto his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist, returning the embrace.

  “The real puzzle is why Abandonados is here in force with Darius already dead? They’re after something and I just can’t figure out what.”

  We stood like that for a while. Seeking comfort in each other’s arms as we tried to make sense of the situation. From over on the bedside table, my phone started ringing. Disengaging somewhat reluctantly from Deacon, I smiled softly at him as I headed for the phone. “Hello” I said.

  “Kaitlyn this is Marcus. One of our search teams picked up vampire scent not far from that park. They tracked it to a house not to far from the last attack. They’re waiting for backup before they try going in.”

  “Give me the address we’ll meet you there.” I said urgently.

  He rattled off the numbers and we headed out the door, hoping and praying we could save an innocent.

  6

  We sped through the night, headed back towards Aurora. The house they had tracked the scent to was behind the local middle school on Salem Court. Part of me thought that should be ironic. Wasn’t there a vampire movie with the name Salem in it? Shaking my head to clear it of superfluous thoughts I focused on the task ahead.

  I was in full battle gear for this. The stake and kukri rode my hips. My shoulder harness had my 1911 and a couple spare clips tucked under my arms. Yeah, a bullet wouldn’t kill a vampire, but throwing a 200 grain, silver enhanced slug through on at a 1000 feet per second would still get one’s attention in a very painful way. Strapped to my to my shoulder harness and riding vertically down my spine was a willow leaf sword I called my ‘tactical gladius’. It left big holes when used to stab and the weight forward construction of the blade made it just about perfect for taking heads.

  We pulled up behind Marcus’ SUV parked around the corner from the corner from the cul de sac where the vampires suspected lair was located. Sara stepped down from the passenger’s seat and pulled her staff out of the back seat. Kangee hopped from the seat back to her shoulder briefly before taking off silently into the night

  Marcus came around to the back of his vehicle and met Deacon between the two SUV’s. I opened the back door of the Suburban and let Fangs leap down to the ground. He looked around curiously, sniffing the air.

  Sara came up to me. “I thought you were going to keep him out of dangerous situations.” She said gesturing at the big cat.

  “It wasn’t altogether my choice.” I said, looking down fondly at my furry companion. “He was insistent to the point of trying to tear the hotel room door off, that he be allowed to come along.”

  Sara snorted softly, but nodde
d in understanding. “I don’t believe I could have left Kangee either, but he does not often engage in combat. He’s more of a reconnaissance asset.”

  “I didn’t think ravens flew at night.” I said in a questioning tone.

  “They don’t usually. However, Kangee’s night vision was increased by our bonding. Its not as good as an owl’s, but he won’t run into any trees.

  Together we walked up to the guys. Looking up at Marcus, I smiled. “About to lose more of your wardrobe big guy?” I asked playfully.

  “Not really” He rumbled with a chuckle. “Tee shirts are cheap and the pants are a heavy lycra blend.” he said, pulling out his waistband a bit and letting it slap back into place.

  “Nice” I said. Glad you came prepared. So where are the rest of your people?” I said, looking around briefly.

  “Some are keeping watch on the house, the rest are down the street a bit. We didn’t want people getting nervous looking out their window and seeing a large group of people walking down the street.” Marcus replied.