Fallen Blood (19 page)

"I don't see why not. Then I could at least see how and where they are."

"Okay, do it." She said, and got a hopeful smile.

"First, we need to make sure that werewolf doesn't find you here while I'm gone." He smiled as he reached into his pocket and popped out Bobby's phone. The connection rang a few times before it finally picked up.

"Yeah? This better be important." The gruff voice of the old trucker answered.

"Bobby?"

"That you, kid? Sorry, I thought it was my ex calling for more money. She wouldn't stop calling all last night. Anyway, that's another story. What can I do for you, kid?"

Brian couldn't help but smile at hearing the old guy's grumpy voice. He hadn't realized he had once been married, but then again, he didn't remember asking him anything about himself either.

"We got some trouble, and I think we could use your help."

"Not a problem, you where I left you?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then, give me a couple of hours and I'll be right there."

The truck's cab rocked and shook as Bobby changed gears. Brian opened his left eye and peered at the older trucker.

"Sorry kid, but we're not quite out of town. Traffic will be a lot lighter once we get outta this darned blamed town."

He was right. Once they cleared all the traffic, the big rig they were riding in would start to sail smoothly along without the jerking caused by slowing and speeding up. Then, it would be a lot easier for him to calm himself and travel. At least, that was the plan. After calling Bobby, Brian had outlined his plan to Heather. She wasn't too thrilled with the whole idea, as she was worried what would happen if the werewolf came back, or even just the agents. When he had explained that was where Bobby came in, she had readily agreed. Theoretically, she should be safe as long as the two of them were moving. It was unlikely that werewolves or agents could take them in the truck. All he had to do was find her parents if at all possible, and get some blood. Then catch back up to them while they would still be driving. Easy and simple as far as he could see. The only weird part would be when he disappeared to feed. He had to explain how that was going to work to both of them twice. Even still, they both acted like they would only believe it when they saw it.

"Only a few more minutes, kids." Bobby said again.

Heather sat next to him patiently waiting for word on her parents. She did ask if he could check on Chuck again as well, and even though it pained him greatly to find his main competition, he had agreed to look for him as well.

"Alright, it looks like it's clearing up."

Brian opened his eyes again and looked out the front windshield. Sure enough, the traffic had cleared up enough that Bobby wasn't hitting his brakes every time some maniac pulled in front of him trying to car jockey himself a little farther up the road. Brian had never actually thought about it before, but how insane was a person who could possibly think of cutting off a truck so massive? Didn't they realize how heavy the truck was, or what the truck would do to their little car if it failed to stop? The whole idea bewildered him. If he ever started to drive one day, he hoped he would never be so foolish.

"Yeah, you're right, Bobby. Okay, if we can keep this up long enough I should be able to travel. Remember, don't stop unless you absolutely have to." Brian instructed them for what was probably the tenth time. Neither one of them pointed that out, however, as he was sure they were nervous and didn't have time to argue with him. Thankfully, the truck's seats were comfortable enough for him to relax now. It would have been nice if Bobby owned a truck with a bed in the back, but he had said that cost a bit more than he could afford. So, in the end, Brian would just have to do with what they had. Once the truck started running along smoothly, it didn't take long before Brian heard and felt the pop in the back of his neck as he found the terrain blur around him. He pictured Heather's parents in his mind. He hadn't spoken to them very often, but he had run into them in her dreams often enough that he actually felt like he knew them personally. So locking onto them should be easy enough.

The scenery that materialized around him was becoming quite familiar lately. The dark-gray shabby stairway shot down in front of him. He could still make out the landing below where he now stood. its familiar turn and the stairway that continued beyond his sight. A wave of dread rose up from somewhere below where the stairs came from. It was palatable this time. Not only did his stomach feel queasy like some dark hand was reaching up and squeezing it, but now he could swear he smelled a sick rotting rising up with the dread. Whatever was down there was worse than anything he could imagine. He was sure of it, and so, too, were Heather's parents. He wasn't sure how he was going to tell her this, or how she was going to react to this news.

He had considered this might be where they were long before, but he never really wanted to broach the subject with her. After all, what were they going to do about it? He couldn't even cross the threshold for some reason. The police weren't going to help them, as they were either in on the whole thing, or were ignorant accomplices.

No, he would just have to come up with another plan. He was sure Heather would insist on saving them, not that he could see how that would be possible. In the end it would happen, he would just have to find a way to protect her and to come along as well. There had to be a way past this barrier, and they would find it. Now only one last thing to do, and he was pretty certain the results would be the same. Brian summoned Chuck's memory to his mind, and closed his eyes as he concentrated on all the things that he hated about him. He could feel his traveling body begin to move and feel what he was sure was the blurring of everything around him. Just to be safe, he opened his eyes to make sure. The entire house had disappeared just as he he thought and replaced with blurred images of god-knew-what. Abruptly, the blur faded and was replaced with the gray staircase again. This is exactly what he suspected, but he had to try again for her sake. Chuck had been here the last time as well, so he really didn't see why things would have changed. Nevertheless, now he could tell her with a clear conscience that he had given it a shot.

He decided to walk around the top of the house to see if there was anything different, but as far as he could tell, nothing had changed in the old Warren place. "Well I can't see any reason to stay here. " He said to himself. "Good thing, as I'm really starting to get hungry."

Not much later, he found himself sitting up in his bed at home. The place looked the same, undisturbed, he found that strange, as he would have thought U. S. agents would have at least stormed the house long ago, but they hadn't and he wasn't going to complain. He really hoped Heather and Bobby weren't freaking out right now. He did warn them about his body disappearing when he would come here, and that he would return, but he hardly believed that they took him seriously. Oh, they nodded their heads and acted as if such an occurrence was just a normal thing, but he knew they didn't really believe he could do this. Hopefully, Bobby didn't crash his truck when it happened or there would be a lot more of a mess to clean up when he got back.

The front room and kitchen were just the way he left them as he headed down to the basement stairs. He threw the door open with a bang as he began to move faster in anticipation of feeding. He didn't even look around the basement as he ripped opened the fridge door and grabbed a box of food, shredding it with his nails that had now involuntary grew to look almost like small six-inch daggers. The plastic or vinyl bag filled with the precious liquid was cold to his lips and throat as he poured and sucked the bag dry. Fire rose from his stomach and began to flow through his veins. A sweet, painful, pleasurable experience all rolled into one.

"You would find it even more pleasurable if you actually fed on someone." A woman's voice said behind him. Brian moved faster than he thought possible, as he leaped halfway across the basement floor away from the woman's voice, landing against the far wall and clinging to it, a feat he had previously not known he could do, either.

"It's alright, Brian, calm down."

A dark-haired woman he knew too well, dressed in a loose fitting blue blouse and dark slacks, stood by the stairs smiling at him.

"Aunty? Why did you scare the hell out of me like that?"

"I don't know. Why didn't you sense me here to begin with?" She said, as she walked into the room, looking around disdainfully "Didn't your mother tell you to clean this filth up?"

"Yeah. Like years ago, when she was still alive." He answered, as he slid down the wall and landed lithely on his feet. He paused to look at his hands for a second. They looked normal still. He didn't see claws or glue on them, and in fact his finger nails were back to normal again.

"That's not a very good excuse." His aunt said, before sitting down on the cleanest chair she could find.

"I didn't know I was making an excuse." Brian walked over and looked down at her. "Is it already time for another delivery?"

She patted a nearby chair for him to sit. He wasn't sure that he wanted to, as he had to get back to Heather, and he really did want another IV of blood. For some strange reason, that last one was better than any other he remembered. Then again, the sooner he got rid of his Aunt Jenn, the sooner he could get going. So, reluctantly, he sat down in a different chair than the one she chose.

She arched an eyebrow at him, then smiled as she crossed her legs. "Brian, please tell me you're not involved with this Heather Thompson?"

He shrugged, wondering what she knew.

"Mm hm. Well, I'll take that as a yes." Brian still didn't answer her. He didn't see why he needed to. It was really none of her business what he was doing. It wasn't like she cared about anything else he had done recently, why should she care about this?

"Well, Brian, or should I say...Edward? We're in a pickle of a situation here."

He hoped he didn't show his surprise when she had said that name. Only one person, or technically
thing
would know to call him that name. Now, the question was how he should react to this new knowledge. Should he feign innocence and get the hell out of there, or should he press her for what she knew? Considering he would most likely meet that werewolf again, and would still go to the old Warrens place, it was most definitely time for answers.

"You know about werewolf?" Brian threw at here.

"Oh, I know a bit more than that." She smiled. He waited for a few seconds wondering why she simply sat there, not elaborating further. If she knew so much, why didn't she say something?

"Well?" He asked, annoyed. He always seemed to be annoyed with her over something or another.

"I'm waiting for your answer, Brian. " She tapped her chin with her finger. "I did ask you first."

This was ridiculous. She wanted to play games with him. Typical of her, always acting mysterious and aloof. Well, fine...if that was the way she wanted to play it, he didn't need her help. Standing, he brushed his pants off as he headed for the stairs to leave.

"Brian, if you leave without the answers you seek, you may never find them in time."

He paused as he reached the stairs with his arm resting on the railing and one foot on the first stair. "Tell me then, and quit playing games."

"Answer my question first." She said, and for the first time he heard what sounded like a barely discernible accent whisper from her voice. He thought about it for a second. Had he ever heard that sing song melody from her before? He really hadn't thought about it before, but now that he thought about it he decided he had. It was really never noticeable before this, yet now it was there clear as a bell, and in his memories he now could see it too. It had to be the fact that he had just eaten. He knew the blood made him stronger, but he never knew how much so it affected just his regular senses, or his memory. He couldn't help but wonder how much more interesting his life would be if he ate daily, or even maybe three times a day like any normal person would.

"Fine, you win. But I better get some answers." He walked back to his chosen chair and threw himself into it, dust flew up all around him and yet somehow the dust particles seemed to be moving slowly, almost as if they were suspended in the air, and without thinking he counted every particle floating near his face before he answered her. "Yes. I'm mixed up in this."

His aunt exhaled as if she had been holding her breath for quite some time, yet he was sure she had been breathing the entire time.

"Brian, you interfered in a Class One hunt."

"Now, what does that mean exactly?" He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees and clasping his hands together.