Fall of the Mortals (Book 1) (13 page)

“What I have is yours,” Miranda replied devotedly, as if she was ready to sacrifice herself for him at any moment.

They kissed passionately. Kristof used his tongue vigorously in her mouth. He filled with intoxication on the residual taste of Shaun’s blood. He looked at Alicia and pulled her close to him.

“You have it too,” he said, his voice growling with desire.

Kristof kissed Alicia heartily. He made sure there was nothing left on her tongue or the walls of the insides of her cheeks. He kissed Miranda again. Then Alicia until he filled with exuberant bliss. He closed his eyes, stepped away from then and savored the taste of fresh blood. Miranda and Alicia watched him in his intoxicated stupor and smiled.

“Yes,” said Kristof softly. “Finer than the sweetest wine. Simply magical.”

He glanced at Miranda with an evil stare. He waved his hand and caused the CD changer to open by itself. One of the CDs on the carousel floated off the tray and enclosed itself in its jewel case in mid-air. The jewel case placed itself on a stack of CDs on the table next to the stereo equipment. Another CD jewel case lifted off the table. The disk came out of the case and lowered to the carousel. The carousel closed and a romantic song came on with a slow, loud beat and breathy voices.

“Dance with me, Miranda,” said Kristof, taking hold of her. 

Kristof and Miranda embraced and lifted off the floor. He held her closely while they floated through the air high above the dance floor. Miranda bent backwards gracefully extending her arms outward. Kristof kept one hand in the arch of her back. He caressed her chest, running his long fingernails gently down the crevice of her bosom as they flew near the high arched ceiling above the dance floor. Miranda came back up. They gazed into each other’s eyes, holding each other. He held her by the hand. She spun out then twirled back into his chest. They kissed again. 

The vampires below watched them move around the spacious open area of the upper level. The female vampires watched in envy. The males smiled. Kristof and Miranda twirled around holding each other and looking into each other’s eyes. They lowered to the floor. The music stopped. The party guests applauded loudly. Some of them raised their fists and cheered. Krisof smiled holding Miranda’s hand. He raised his and Miranda’s hands up together. The clapping continued but soon ceased.

Kristof stepped away from the dance floor with Miranda and Alicia.

“A fine dance. Have you any other birthday wishes, my lord?” asked Alicia.

“Yes. Tomorrow night, we attack
them
,” said Kristof.

The three of them grinned.

CHAPTER SEVEN
Tension at the Tower

The next morning, Kim and Ni wiped down the dining table and the kitchen counters after breakfast. They spoke in Vietnamese together. They were having a girly conversation, laughing back and forth at one another wiping the crumbs from the previous meal off the table.

Mark watched them from the main living area through the doorway. He pretended to be reading one of Chris’ magazines with his sunglasses on but he was there for something else. The thoughts of Kim were growing on him badly. He glanced at a page of the heavy metal magazine but his eyes darted back into the kitchen at Kim. Her heavenly body tortured him. The way she moved. The way she fit into her clothing was nearly unbearable. His forehead began to perspire. His heartbeat raced. An old itch that needed to be scratched came back on him like a bad dream. The memories of him holding a few women down in the woods raping them and beating them badly afterwards flashed in his mind. Another thought of his aunt sexually molesting him when he was little came in his mind too. He hated her for what she did to him and he would have his revenge on women. When he took what he wanted from women, it gave him a sense of power and control. He was a predator and Kim was his next target.

“Well, all done here. I’m going to have a shower, Betty,” said Kim.

“Okay. Thanks for your help, sweets,” said Betty.

“You’re welcome,” answered Kim, walking towards the doorway.

Mark positioned himself at the doorway so that Kim would be forced to notice him. He was a pathetic pervert. He didn’t have a clue how to interact with people, especially the opposite sex. If he saw something he wanted, he took it like an animal. It had always been his way. Kim came to the door. She noticed Mark standing there but didn’t say anything.

“Excuse me, please,” said Kim, trying to pass by him.

“Oh sorry, my bad,” Mark responded, moving out of her way. He cherished the closeness he had with Kim just in her walking through the doorway. Her body being so close to his inflamed him. The urges to
take what he wanted from a woman
had returned. He had to act on them or he was going to explode.

***

Kim was taking a long, leisurely shower on level seventy-nine. The shower door was
frosted
. Only a distorted image of Kim’s body could be seen. She liked the shower on this level the most because it had the best water pressure. She ran her fingers through her hair rinsing out the soap.

Mark crept into the bathroom following the sounds of the shower water running. He knew he was in for a treat. He came around the corner watching Kim bathe herself. She sang a modern pop song softly and danced to her own tune swiveling her hips for a moment. Mark stood there getting turned on. He took out his long, sharp knife and stared at the blade feeling the sides of it, testing its sharpness. He began to breathe heavy again. He looked back at Kim and took a deep breath. It was time for him to act. It was time for him to execute his target. He stepped towards the shower slowly.

“Hey Kim!” Betty’s voice called out from outside the bathroom.

Mark turned his head to the sound. Someone was coming! He had to get out of there and fast! He ran out of the bathroom and hid in a room across the hallway just as Betty walked by.

Mark was gravely disappointed. The feelings of guilt, shame and grief poured over him. He had to see himself for what he was. It was an ugly monster. His plan of forced intimacy with Kim was foiled. He gnashed his teeth in frustration listening to Betty talking to Kim in the other room. He ran out the door putting his knife away. He wasn’t finished though. He would have to get his target. Later.

***

It was around one thirty p.m. the next day. Shaun drove the Ferrari with the top down on the freeway. Thai and Yuri were with him. Yuri was the front passenger. Thai sat on top of the car, his feet resting in between Shaun and Yuri.

“So, where are we going?” asked Thai.

“Just want to head down the I-10 and see if there’s a vehicle we can use to get out of here,” answered Shaun.

“We’re pretty far away, Shaun. We’re not going to break down are we?” asked Thai, looking around nervously.

“It’s a brand new Ferrari,” said Shaun.

“Last time the three of us went somewhere, there was an earthquake,” said Thai.

“Don’t be ridiculous, my friend,” said Yuri. “We’re okay on fuel,” he stated, noticing the gas gauge was three quarters full.

“I’ve got a spare gas can in the back,” said Shaun. “We’re okay.”

They began to notice that multiple cars had been thrown off to the roadside. Most of them were upside down. Others faced the wrong direction. Shaun knew that the displaced and thrown vehicles were the work of Sharon and the other vampires but he didn’t dare say anything.

“What do you think happened to those cars?” asked Thai. “That is bizarre, guys.”

“Anything is possible,” said Shaun, delaying his response.

“It’s like they chucked the cars right off the road,” said Thai. “It is scary how strong they are.”

“It’s good for us,” said Yuri. “Perhaps they were angry they can’t find blood.”

“I thought the freeways would be blocked,” said Thai. “It’s weird.”

“Maybe they’re clear all the way to Vegas, yes?” replied Yuri.

 “Shaun, you heard from Mason?” asked Thai.

“Nope.”

“Doesn’t driving to Vegas worry you?” asked Thai. “I mean you heard what Terry and those guys said, right?”

“Of course I did. I was there,” Shaun responded as if he dismissed anything Terry had to say.

“Is that a smart thing to do without knowing if Mason is there?” asked Thai.

“We don’t have a choice anymore,” said Shaun. “There’s complications brewing at the tower. We have to get away.”

“What complications?” asked Yuri.

“Can you guys keep a secret?” asked Shaun.

“Sure,” said Thai and Yuri.

“This stays between us,” Shaun added.

“Okay. What is it?” asked Thai.

“I don’t trust Terry or any of the bikers,” said Shaun.

“Why?” asked Yuri.

“Yeah, what’s up?” asked Thai.

“I hate to say it but I think they’re bad people. I mean
very bad people
,” stated Shaun. “I wouldn’t trust any of them for the world.”

“Shaun. Terry saved your life,” said Thai trying to understand where he was coming from.

“So he did,” Shaun responded. “But just because a guy helps another guy out doesn’t make him a saint.”

“What are you basing this on, Shaun?” asked Yuri.

“I went down to their area the other night. A few of them were higher than a kite,” said Shaun. “It really creeped me out. “

“High on what?” asked Thai. 

“I think they’re making a meth lab,” answered Shaun.

“What?” asked Thai, stricken with disbelief.

“Terry got mad when I came in the room,” Shaun responded. “They slammed the door in my face.”

“Oh no. This is bad,” said Yuri.

“There’s something else,” stated Shaun. “I got a gut feeling something happened in Vegas too.”

“Like what?” asked Thai.

“I don’t know, but Terry and Curtis were throwing down some weird signals when I brought it up,” answered Shaun.

“You think they killed Mr. Mason?” asked Yuri.

Shaun didn’t respond. He feared that was the truth. Terry and Mason got into an argument which escalated into a full blown brawl then the bikers wiped out him and the other survivors. 

“Look, do me a favor okay? Just help keep an eye on them for me,” asked Shaun.

“We need to tell Harold about this,” said Thai.

“What are you, nuts?” asked Shaun. “What the freak is Harold going to do? He’s an older guy with a forty-four inch waist. Law and order are over. It’s all about survival of the fittest now. Besides, Terry and his guys have guns and they’re experienced criminals.”

“You know this?” asked Yuri.

“I’m willing to bet my life on it,” answered Shaun.  “I don’t think they would hesitate for a second if we got in their way.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Thai.

“Stay quiet for now,” answered Shan. “But keep your eyes open. We’re in danger, boys.”

***

Terry, Curtis and the other bikers pulled up to their old hideout. Chris rode on the back with Billy. Terry sat and stared at their destroyed home in the hills. There was a mobile home trailer in a gravel lot about a half-acre in size that had tipped over to its side from the last earthquake. The windows on the trailer home were broken. The rear wheels stuck in the air.

Behind the trailer was a hillside that had once been a large cave with a wide opening. It was hollow inside. The walls and the dome-shaped ceiling were paved with cement. There were old sofas, chairs, a table and a TV inside the opening. They had even hung pictures on the walls, which were now broken on the floor. It was made to be a living area. The floor was now piled up with heaps of dirt from the hillside caving in. Instead of a wide opening, there was a narrow walk space to enter from the outside because of how the ceiling caved in.

“Well guys, there she is. Home sweet home,” said Terry.

“Is this your old home?” asked Chris.

“That it is, Christopher,” answered Terry. “It’s time to get the rest of our stuff.”

“What stuff?” asked Chris.

“Well, get your ass off the bike and I’ll show ya,” Terry responded.

They walked to the trailer.

“Trent? Billy? Check the trailer. See if it’s there,” said Terry.

“Right,” said Billy, climbing up the side of the wrecked trailer. Trent was right behind him.

Trent opened the side door of the trailer and looked in.

“Well?” asked Curtis. “Is it there?”

“I’m not seeing it yet,” answered Trent. “I’m going in for a closer look. Wait here, Billy. If it’s there, I’ll hand it up to ya.”

“You got it,” Billy responded.

Trent leaped down into the trailer.

“Terry? What are they looking for?” asked Chris with a puzzled look on his face. He could tell what they were searching for was important.

Terry glanced at Chris but didn’t respond. Chris didn’t push the issue.

***

Inside the trailer, Trent rummaged through garbage, cardboard boxes, table scraps, tools and other miscellaneous items.

“Seeing anything yet?” hollered Terry.

“No!” Trent responded. “Where are you guys?” he mumbled pulling a sheet off of some glass clandestine equipment.

“There you guys are,” mumbled Trent going through some more piles of garbage, wadded up newspaper, empty fast food cups, cartons and sacks.

***

Billy helped Trent climb back out of the trailer. He handed Billy glass jars, pitchers and a few hoses. It was standard clandestine lab equipment. Trent and Billy glanced at Chris to see if he would say anything.

“Whoa, what’s that stuff?” asked Chris, intrigued.

“Just some lab stuff,” answered Terry.

“Lab for what?” asked Chris.

“Curtis and I … uh … we make medicine,” answered Terry. “Hey Trent! Box that stuff up too. It’s going to the tower.”

“I’m on it,” said Trent.

“C’mon guys. Let’s head back in the cave. We got to find it,” said Terry, sounding worried, taking out a flashlight. 

“What is it you’re looking for, Terry?” asked Chris.

“Something special,” Terry answered making his way through the narrow crevice of the cave opening. He shined his flashlight all over the inside. The others came in behind him turning on their flashlights.

“Is it safe to be going in here?” asked Chris, feeling fearful, looking up at the unstable cave ceiling that looked like it was about to collapse. There were large cracks all around the ceiling that was paved in cement. Dirt was spilling into the room on top of them in small amounts. It looked as if it was about cave in. The smell of fresh soil was all over the room.

“No place is a hundred percent safe, little buddy,” Curtis responded, shining his light in Chris’ face. “Hey, Chris. I got you something,” he added, tossing Chris a denim jacket with its sleeves cut off. It had a rocker of the gang logo on the back stating ‘L.A. Riders North’.

“Whoa! Seriously?” said Chris, mesmerized at the sight of it in his hands. “You’re really giving this to me?”

“I think you been wanting to be one of us ever since we met,” said Curtis with a big smile. “Let’s check the back rooms down the tunnel for it, Terry.”

Terry led them through the main opening of the cave. There was another man-made tunnel that went down a ways. It was three feet wide, and about six feet tall. It was too dark to see the end of it. Terry shined his light into small rooms that were off the sides of the tunnel.