The Vampire Hunters: Book I of The Vampire Hunters Trilogy

by Scott M. Baker

Taking a deep breath, Jessica crossed the street and walked over to the bench. She stopped a few feet from the boy reading the comic book. “Excuse me. Are you Jason Clark?”

  Jason looked up from his comic book, then answered with an unenthusiastic, “Yeah.” He went back to his reading.

  “My name’s Jessica.”

  “Hi.”

  “May I sit down?”

  The boy shrugged.

  Jessica took a seat on the bench beside Jason. “What are you reading?”

  “A comic book.”

  “What’s it called?”

  Jason stopped reading long enough to close the comic book and show its cover to Jessica. The Tomb of Dracula. When he thought Jessica had had enough time to read the title, he opened the comic book again and went back to reading.

  “Scary stuff, huh?” asked Jessica.

  “No. This is only a comic book. It’s not real.” Jason finally looked directly at Jessica. “Are you a psychiatrist?”

  “No. I’m a reporter.” It seemed like a very unusual question from a ten-year-old boy. “Why did you think I was a psychiatrist?”

  Jason hesitated, almost as if embarrassed to admit the answer. He eventually sighed. “Because lately they’re the only grownups who want to talk to me.”

  “Is that because of what happened at the train station last week?”

  The boy nodded again and looked down at his comic book. “No one believes me when I tell them what happened.”

  “I’ll believe you.”

  “That’s what they said. But they didn’t.”

  “You mean the psychiatrists?”

  “Yeah.” Jason turned to Jessica and forced a smile. “They never said they didn’t believe me. Grownups never do. Everyone thinks I was so scared I imagined what I saw. But I did see it.”

  “What did you see?”

  Jason acted as if he had not heard the question. “At first they wanted to accuse the man in the leather jacket of attacking me.”

  “You mean Mr. Matthews?”

  “I guess. I don’t know his name. But the man in the leather jacket saved me from it.” Jason sighed again. “The police wanted me to say he attacked me.”

  “Did the police eventually believe you? I mean, about the man in the leather jacket saving your life?”

  “Yeah.” Jason nodded his head half a dozen times. “Though they still don’t believe what attacked me.”

  Jessica noticed that Jason never referred to his attacker as “he”, but always in the impersonal. Probably because of how much the incident had traumatized him. For a moment, Jessica contemplated ending the interview now, but pushed that thought out of her mind. Jason had been the only person besides Drake Matthews who got a good look at the man who died in the inferno at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the man whose bone fragments were three hundred years old. She had come this far and could not turn back now.

  “Jason, can I ask you a few questions about the man who attacked you?”

  “Sure.” Jason looked at Jessica. His eyes betrayed a range of emotions. Anxiety about reliving the horror of that night. Uncertainty over whether to trust her. Trepidation that he would be disbelieved again. “But it wasn’t a man who attacked me.”

  “A woman attacked you?”

  “No.”

  “Then who attacked you?”

  Silence. Jason stared at the comic book as he slowly turned the pages. The only sounds came from children playing in the nearby schoolyard and a police car siren a few blocks away. Jessica hoped she had not scared him off. Not now. Not so close to getting an answer.

  “Jason, who attacked you?”

  A heavy, resigned sigh. But Jason still would not answer.

  “Jason, please tell me. I want to know.”

  “You won’t believe me.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  Jason started to answer, then stopped. Jessica assumed that every adult he told his story to had discredited it. Jason continued to look at his comic book. He finally responded, his voice soft and low.

  “I was attacked by a monster.”

  Jessica kept her expression stoic as she formulated a response. She now understood why no one believed him. The entire scenario sounded like a self-induced nightmare. Every ounce of common sense told her to walk away, that this led her nowhere. But a gut instinct urged Jessica to forge ahead.

  Before Jessica could respond, Jason looked up at her, his eyes accusing. “I told you you wouldn’t believe me.”

  “I do believe you,” Jessica lied, trying to salvage the interview.

  “You do?” Jason sounded both excited that a grownup finally believed him yet uncertain as to whether he could trust her.

  “Of course. I just don’t understand what you mean by ‘monster’.”

  A commotion in front of the school attracted Jessica’s attention. A middle-aged black woman in a smart-looking business suit, more than likely the principal, had exited the school’s main entrance and raced down the stairs. She stared directly at Jessica and yelled for her to leave Jason alone. Two burly men followed behind her, one a young muscular man in gym clothes, the other about forty-five and wearing a white shirt, the seams of which strained under his hefty paunch. Even worse, the sirens she heard belonged to a pair of Metro Police cruisers racing down either end of the street. Jessica had no illusions that they were intended for anyone other than her. She should have realized that after the incident at Union Station, everyone would be looking out for Jason. She had miscalculated. Badly. And she was about to pay for that.

  The principal and her muscle men were already on the sidewalk and running toward her, and the police cars had closed to within one hundred yards. Jessica had thirty seconds at most before the shit hit the fan. She needed to make the next few questions count.

  “Jason, when you said you were attacked by a monster, did you mean a very large and scary man?”

  “No. It was a real monster.”

  “What type of monster?”

  “It looked like this.” Jason folded the comic book in half along its crease and handed it to Jessica so that only one page showed. She took the comic book. The page consisted of a single frame. In it, a young woman cowered under attack from a creature with pale-gray skin, blood-red eyes, talon-like fingernails, and fangs.

  A vampire.

  Before Jessica could ask another question, the black woman inserted herself between Jessica and Jason. The fat man in the white shirt clasped Jason by the shoulders and gently but firmly steered him back toward the school, while the muscular man stood just behind and to the right of the principal, his arms menacingly folded across his chest.

  “Who the hell do you think you are?” asked the black woman.

  “I was just asking Jas…”

  “Do you have permission to talk with him?”

  As the fat man led Jason away, he looked over his shoulder and waved goodbye. Jessica returned the wave, which only excited the black woman to a frenzy.

  “I’m talking to you. Do you have permission from Jason’s mother to talk with him?”

  “No. Sorry. I didn’t know…”

  The slamming of car doors heralded the arrival of the police. Not that Jessica minded, because she felt a lot safer with them than she did around the principal. The officer from the nearest police car approached while the officer from the second car stood back several yards, one hand clasped around his service revolver.

  “Ma’am, please step away from the bench and keep your hands where I can see them.”

  IN HIS CAR ACROSS the street, Bill slouched down into the driver’s seat, desperately trying not to be noticed. He already had taken several photographs of Jessica and the boy, stopping only when all hell broke loose. He watched the black woman and two large men descend on Jessica and made sure the altercation did not become physical. A part of him wanted to go to Jessica’s defense and attempt to calm the situation, but he knew that his presence would only incite the situation further. Any thoughts of playing the hero were
pushed out of his mind with the arrival of the two police cars.

  Bill watched as the police handcuffed Jessica and escorted her to one of the cruisers. He contemplated snapping off a few pictures. Not for the paper, just so he could have a few photographs of that sanctimonious bitch getting taken down a peg. In the end, though, he opted against pushing his luck. No sense both of them spending a night in jail. Instead, he melted into the seat as much as possible.

  It took only a few minutes for the police to arrest Jessica. Bill waited until the two police cars pulled away and everyone had gone back into the school before he headed back to The Standard. He had no idea how he would break the news to Dan, but he knew he would enjoy doing so.

  * * *

  THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK Suburban cruised along Constitution Avenue. Jim drove. Drake sat beside him in the passenger’s seat, searching the Mall for vampires. In the back seat, Alison looked out the window with the infra-red goggles. None of them had spoken since beginning the hunt over two hours ago. For the fourth time they traversed the length of the Mall, turning right onto 4th Street, and right again onto Independence Avenue.

  Alison suddenly reached out and tapped Drake’s shoulder. “I have one.”

  “Where?”

  “Heading up 17th Street toward the Washington Monument.” Alison switched the goggles to night vision mode, pausing as the screen adjusted its view. “He’s about halfway between the street and the monument. A few paces behind a couple pushing a baby stroller.”

  Drake leaned closer to the window. He easily spotted the couple pushing the stroller. A few yards behind the family plodded a tall, lanky figure in a dark-blue parka, the hood covering its lowered head. It was not on the prowl. It ignored the couple, an easy target, and passed them.

  “It doesn’t seem to be hungry,” said Jim.

  “They’re always hungry. This one’s keeping a low profile,” responded Drake. “If it corners someone alone, trust me, it’ll feed.”

  “What do we do now?” asked Alison.

  “Track him.” Drake tapped Jim’s shoulder and pointed toward 17th Street. “Turn here and drop us off by the walkway. Then cruise around the block and wait for my signal.”

  “Gotcha.”

  Alison kept track of the vampire until the Suburban rolled to a stop. “Okay, boss. It’s passing the southwest corner of the monument.”

  Drake could see it plodding along. It had just passed the couple with the baby stroller. “I have a visual. Let’s go.”

  Alison pulled off the night vision goggles and dropped them onto the backseat, then stepped out of the SUV alongside Drake. “Ready?”

  Drake nodded. He adjusted his leather jacket so it concealed his shoulder holsters. The two headed toward the monument.

  FROM ACROSS 17th STREET, seated at the base of the stairs leading up to the World War II Memorial, Toni watched the hunters. Dressed in tight jeans and a denim jacket, she blended in with the tourists and other pedestrians. Toni waited until the Suburban pulled away and the hunters started toward the monument. She then stood up and followed, monitoring them at a discreet distance.

  THE CLUSTER OF HUNTERS and hunted wound its way through the Mall in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. They crossed 15th and 14th Streets, and were almost to 12th Street when the vampire suddenly veered to the right toward Independence Avenue. At the entrance to the Smithsonian Metro stop, the vampire quickened its pace and disappeared down the stairs.

  “Feasting on the subway?” asked Alison. “That’s a first.”

  “Let’s make sure it’s also a last.”

  Drake and Alison raced downstairs into the Metro station, careful to keep the vampire in view. Toni followed.

  Once underground, the vampire made its way along the platform, doing nothing to attract attention to itself. It stopped two-thirds of the way down where few people stood, and moved close to one of the central pillars, attempting to blend into the shadows. It pulled the hood down farther over its head.

  Turning to keep his back to the vampire, Drake leaned close to Alison. “Wait here. If it tries to leave, follow it. If it gets on a train, take the last car and be ready to provide backup. And make sure your radio is on.”

  “Right. Just be careful.”

  “Aren’t I always?”

  Alison sighed good-naturedly. “You don’t pay me enough for this shit.”

  Drake smiled and patted her upper arm. He walked down the platform, stopping halfway between Alison and the vampire.

  Toni sat on a bench a few yards from Alison.

  Less than five minutes passed before the string of lights running along the platform flashed, signaling the imminent arrival of a commuter train. The vampire glanced at the station clock, then stepped out to the platform’s edge. Deep inside the tunnel, a bright light reflected off the wall, growing brighter as the train rounded the curve and pulled into the station. The vampire walked alongside as the train slowed, peering into each car. It stopped two cars from the front, and stepped inside when the doors slid open.

  Drake stepped into the third car from the front and moved to the storm door separating the third and second cars, leaning against the bulkhead so he could watch the vampire through the window. Alison entered the last car and took up position near the rear door. She did not notice Toni take a seat five feet behind her.

  As Drake watched, the vampire strolled aimlessly down the car. It finally took a seat between an overweight middle-aged black woman in a nurse’s outfit who sat near the end of the car, and a young woman in an expensive business suit. The only other person in the car was a vagrant in a baggy coat and wool cap who sat off to the left beside the storm door, hunched over and asleep.

  With a slight lurch, the train pulled out of the station, disappearing into the tunnel.

  “Alison, are you still there?” Drake asked into his headset.

  “Haven’t lost me yet. Anything going on?”

  “Nothing at the moment.” Drake leaned forward to look through the window. “There are too many people around for it to try anything.”

  “That’s fine by me. Last thing I want is a battle royale down here.” Alison paused. “Are you planning on following it if it leaves the Metro?”

  “We’ll play that by ear. Just be ready if I need you.”

  “I always am.”

  Drake stood by the storm door, keeping his eye on the vampire. The vampire did not move as the train stopped at the next three stations—Federal Triangle, Metro Center, and McPherson. At Faragut West Station, the woman in the business suit stood up and exited the car, leaving behind the nurse and the vagrant. As the young woman stepped onto the platform, the vampire looked up slightly. Drake caught a glimpse of the creature’s red eyes. It waited for the doors to close before standing. As the train pulled out of the station and entered the confines of the tunnel, the vampire strolled over to the nurse.

  “Shit!” Drake reached under his jacket and pulled out a stake. “Alison, are you there?”

  “What’s up?”

  “Looks like our snuffy is about to feed. I need backup.”

  Drake slid open the storm door and rushed into the adjoining car.

  “OKAY, BOSS. BE RIGHT THERE.”

  Alison started forward, but a hand tightly gripped her upper right arm. “Not so fast, hunter.”

  Turning around, Alison looked into the face of a beautiful redhead. In an instant, those features turned evil as the skin shrunk tightly around Toni’s skull and the eyes morphed into glowing blood-red orbs. The lips contorted into a sneer, exposing a set of fangs that lunged for Alison’s throat.

  DRAKE BARGED INTO THE TRAIN CAR, startling the nurse. Her eyes widened with concern when she spotted the stake in his hand. He focused not on her, however, but on something to her right. She turned to the new danger as the vampire lunged. It placed one hand on her left shoulder and the other on the side of her head, pushing them apart to expose the woman’s neck. Her screams echoed off the interior of the car as the vampire plunged its t
eeth into her throat.

  Drake fell upon the vampire a second later and plunged the stake into its back. Instead of piercing its heart, the tip broke off.

  “Surprise, hunter.” The voice came from behind him. Drake spun around to stare into the dead eyes of the vagrant. The vampire cocked its head to one side and smiled sadistically. Its talon-like fingers slowly curled up into a fist, then tapped its chest with a dull solid thud. “Body armor.”

  Before Drake could react, the vagrant vampire attacked. Drake ducked and dodged behind the vampire. When it turned to face him, Drake plunged the stake into its heart. It clunked harmlessly against the body armor. With a sardonic laugh, the vampire grabbed Drake by his jacket collar, lifted him up, and flung him down the car. Drake hit the floor and slid its entire length, coming to a stop only after he slammed into one of the seats. Disoriented, Drake rolled over and struggled to his feet as the vagrant vampire strode toward him.

  A loud sucking sound attracted the vagrant vampire’s attention. It stopped and turned. The other creature had finished feeding on the nurse and now stood in front of her, wiping a shriveled hand across its blood-drenched lips.

  “Save some for me,” hissed the vagrant vampire. The other creature responded with a snarl.

  Drake took advantage of the distraction. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew the sharpened commando saw and stretched it to its full length. Racing forward, Drake made a loop of the wire. As the vampire turned to face him, he wrapped the wire around its neck and yanked the handles in opposite directions. The vampire stared dumbfounded at Drake. A rivulet of blood started to flow from the slice in its neck. The vampire looked down at its wound and attempted to howl, its cry cut off as its head fell to the deck, shattering into a cloud of dust. Blood gushed from the open neck, spraying the walls and ceilings and dripping back into small pools on the floor. As its body drained, the thing thrashed around in agony as its skin shriveled and decayed from its skeleton. After several seconds that seemed like an eternity, the vagrant vampire crumbled into dust.

  By now the train had slowed as it pulled into Foggy Bottom Station. The other vampire crouched, preparing to attack. Drake took a defensive stance. When the entry doors slid open, the vampire lunged to its right out onto the platform and raced for the exit. Drake ran after it, pausing as he passed by the nurse. Two rows of jagged teeth marks had been gnawed into her neck where the vampire had fed, the mangled flesh glistening with fresh blood. Her eyes were closed, her breathing labored and shallow. She was still alive—for now. Soon she would become one of the undead like the others. The humane thing to do would be to put her out of her misery. Despite everything, Drake could not bring himself to kill a human. He would deal with her later.