I Kissed a Dog (26 page)

“With the murders and everything, I think I’m kinda losing it.”

He relaxed. “Yeah, we all are. It’s just if anything happened …”

“Nothing is going to happen to me. I just need some time away. Zane is overprotective.
That’s why I need you to cover for me. If anyone asks, we had a meeting, and I headed
home. No matter what happens, please, stick to that story.”

“I’m not sure why I’m agreeing to this. We sure need you here. The animals need you.
I can tell they’re acting differently. Mack and Michael are great and all, but you,
Chloe, are one of a kind.” He gave me the warm smile I’d come to love over the past
two years. Why couldn’t I have fallen for him?

With that question still harassing me, I pulled out of the lot. I hadn’t bothered
confirming with Alcuin the place where I planned to park my car. I’d have to trust
in his vampire honing skills to locate me.

Just to park’s south side, there was a little dirt road, hidden behind a wall of brush
and connected to the wildlife park’s property. No one used it anymore. It led to a
tiny cabin that had been boarded up ever since I’d started working for Luke, who’d
stayed there when he’d first inherited the land from his grandfather. No one would
notice my car tucked conveniently behind the cabin.

I found the entrance without a lot of trouble, because I knew what I was looking for.
An old tree trunk, a white cross propped at its base, marked the place I needed to
turn.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, I confirmed no one was following me, and made a quick
right turn and drove through the undergrowth, trusting I’d find the road on the other
side. Sure enough, my tires crunched along as they rolled across the gravel. I slowed
to a crawl and flicked on my brights. I saw the old cabin looking as forlorn as I’d
ever seen it. It sat off to the left of the road about a hundred feet ahead

A few minutes later, I’d parked behind the now-slanting structure. I was amazed Luke
hadn’t either remodeled the place, or torn it down. I was partial to the second option.
It looked ready to collapse on its own.

Maybe my emotional outburst had made me stupid, but it hit me like bullet between
the eyes just how dumb it was for me to be sitting in a pitch black forest with Jazmine,
mutants, and God knows what else seeking my destruction.

I tried again to reach out for Zane. As before, the mental brick wall kept me from
entering his thoughts. So much for his promise to protect me despite our breakup,
it appeared he was off duty tonight.

Ignoring the insane urge to leave the car like the idiots in every known horror movie,
I turned my attention to the landscape. The cabin was boarded up and looked like it
hadn’t been used in years. I couldn’t see beyond the edge of trees and foliage that
surrounded the structure. Eerie shadows drifted through the trees — a thick coastal
fog was blanketing the area. As much as I hated to admit it, the place looked haunted.
I expected an army of ghosts to appear any second.

“Alcuin, please hurry. I need you,” I whispered urgently.

From the corner of my eye I saw one of the shadows separate itself from the trees
and dash to the cabins opposite side, then another did the same, and another.

I wanted to believe my eyes were playing a cruel trick on me, but I knew otherwise.

I wasn’t alone out here. I was being surrounded.

***

Chapter 33

Faster than I thought possible, I scanned the area for my supernatural stalkers. Seven
showed up on my mental radar. Five were mutants. Two of them, I wasn’t certain which
ones, caused my fear to escalate. The mutants made sense. I should have expected an
attack. I’d gotten complacent with Zane always around. Tonight, I was on my own. But
one thing was certain, I wasn’t going to roll over and die without a fight.

I hoped Zane had left behind his pistol.

He had wanted to equip me for the worst during our searches of the murder scenes.
It sure wouldn’t hurt to have some old-fashioned fire power on hand despite my aversion
to guns.

I remembered my stepdad’s gun collection with mixed feelings. Bob had made it a priority
to show me gun safety basics, too bad he hadn’t thought teaching me to shoot was as
important.

Frantic with fear, I dug through the glove compartment and was preparing to scramble
into the back seat, to access the trunk, when I remembered my very effective, mind-bending
barrage in Vegas. I could only hope my abilities had expanded yet again, because I
was planning an attack on multiple levels. Reaching more than one mind at time wasn’t
something I’d ever attempted.

Another shadowy form ducked behind the cabin. They were going to systematically attack
me.

I had to act now.

Not sure how to start, I allowed my anger at Zane, Jazmine, and the mutants to soar
to the surface like scorching lava rising in an erupting volcano. Until now, I hadn’t
a clue to the extent of my bitterness.

A rush of crimson and black filled my mind like a whirling tornado. I was somehow
controlling the swirling mass. I probed the minds around me.

Picturing a huge weapon, loaded with tormenting pain, I readied myself to fire.

“Three, two, one! Take that you freaks!” I screeched.

Something inside my head burst outward like a series of guided missiles launching
from an aircraft carrier. My mental missiles hit their targets at once. I knew they’d
made impact by the screams and roars that followed. Opening my eyes that I must have
closed during the “launch” provided all the confirmation I needed.

Writhing on the ground, around my car, were the five mutants. They were all gripping
their heads. One by one, they stopped moving.

Still wary, I opened my door and leaned out, surveying the scene. The mutant closest
to me was staring with blank eyes at the starry night sky. His eyes locked in what
I’d come to think of as the death gaze. Feeling bolder, I leapt from the car. The
four other mutants were lifeless.

I’d killed them.

A little shiver trailed down my spine. My animal reading capabilities had turned from
healing and helping to inflicting pain, even death. I wasn’t ready to accept myself
as someone who killed. I doubted I’d ever be.

“You had no choice,” a familiar voice said from behind.

Not sure who or what I’d find, I forced myself to turn. I was facing two of the cloaked,
ugly men. They were very similar in appearance, but I was able to recognize the one
speaking as the same creature I’d met before. The other nodded his agreement.

I took a slow step backward
—
the car’s safety beckoning.

“Don’t be afraid. We’re here to help. We’ve been keeping an eye on the park’s property.
The mutants have been congregating at this cabin,” the creature explained.

I realized then I was no longer afraid. There was something calming about these misfits.
“Who are you? Can you tell me what you know?”

“My name is David,” the familiar one answered.

What was it with the ordinary names? I still expected every supernatural being to
have some exotically foreign name. “David? Not what I expected.”

He chucked. “It wasn’t my first choice either.”

“The coins …” I started but was interrupted by a flash of light and the sudden appearance
of none other than Alcuin.

It was about time.

My new friends didn’t have the same warm fuzzy response to the vampire. I didn’t have
a clue what they thought, because they’d made a swift exit to nowhere — vanished,
without warning, again. I fought the urge to scold my vampire accomplice. He was nowhere
in sight when I’d needed him. Now he’d ruined my opportunity to find out more about
anything.

Aware of his poor timing, he had the sense to look as disappointed as I was feeling.
“I scared off your friends,” he said somewhat contrite. “It looks like you were able
to handle things on your own.” He made a point of kicking one of the fallen mutants
in the side.

Realizing I should have shared my parking location to begin with, I decided not to
lecture him. “I could’ve used you sooner, or later,” I muttered, unable to resist
one final jab.

“What’s done is done. Let’s get you to Portland, and then I’ll return to deal with
this … mess.” Despite his scolding tone, I could tell he was impressed by my ingenuity.

I should have been the one sprawled on the ground, less an arm or leg or head. At
least my mess was bloodless and the bodies were still intact.

“I don’t feel good about leaving my car. According to the bald guy, this is a haven
for the bad mutants.” I hoped he’d have an acceptable solution. I’d already given
up my home, at least temporarily, to the two M’s, and now that I was on the outs with
Zane, I wasn’t sure about our living arrangement. The last thing I wanted was to lose
my car.

“I will find someone to ward this entire property, and I have a feeling your cloaked
crusaders will keep watch until I return.”

Reassured, I removed my small travel case from the trunk and made sure the car was
locked. I’d have to trust that Alcuin would make good on his promise of protection.
There weren’t any other options, unless I wanted to postpone my trip.

“I’m ready. Let’s go.”

I didn’t need to say it again. We vanished in a rush of wind, and moments later were
standing in field behind one of several, windowless, storage buildings. The research
facility loomed ahead of us. Lights around the property brightened up the area.

Alcuin glanced at my bag. “Let’s get you checked into a hotel. You can’t cart your
bag around, and you need a home base. Also, I took the liberty of picking up a rental
car.”

“Wow. Thanks. I didn’t even think about all that.” I decided right then that he was
forgiven for interrupting my conversation back at the cabin.

Moments later, we teleported into a hotel room. I just had to ask. “You already …”

“Paid for the room, number 412,” He handed me the cardkey. “A black BMW is parked
in a space with the corresponding number.” He grinned. “I wanted to make sure you
had a place to unwind and a car to drive.”

I had to give Alcuin credit. For a vampire, he was pretty in tune to a woman’s needs.

“We’re on Cornell Road. The institution is out by the Hillsboro Airport. The state
purchased a portion of their land to build it. I’ve also confirmed that the boy you
seek is indeed a patient.”

I was again amazed by Alcuin’s resourcefulness, but now I had bigger things to think
about — like how to make contact with a boy who didn’t speak. I trusted that Alcuin
would get us inside, but facing Joshua Smart, and getting him to open up to a complete
stranger didn’t seem likely. Why was I attempting the impossible?

Wanting to improve my odds, I reviewed the plan with Alcuin. He would teleport me
to the facility. He’d already figured out a way around the guards. I didn’t ask how,
because part of me was scared to know the answer. All I wanted was Alcuin to get me
in and back out uninjured.

There were no hitches getting in. We landed in a long hallway; steel doors with barred
windows lined both sides. Alcuin raised a finger to his lips and tilted his head to
the left.

A young man in a security uniform sat behind a small desk at the hallway’s end. He
was hunched over a laptop screen. With his typical boldness, Alcuin stepped into his
line of vision. The security guard registered Alcuin’s presence and staggered to his
feet. “Stop! Don’t move.”

His eyes darted between Alcuin and a nearby exit. Rather than flee, he scooted around
the desk to face Alcuin, pulled out his weapon and raised it, his hand shaking. “What
are you doing here?

“I’d like to visit one of your patients,” Alcuin said, as if similar requests happened
every night in this fashion.

I almost laughed at the guard’s bewildered expression. He glanced at his watch.

In that second Alcuin gripped him around the neck. I couldn’t hear what he whispered,
but it got the guy’s attention. He bobbed his head as Alcuin relaxed his hold and
moved to face him. They stood eye to eye.

I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the kid; after all, that’s all he was. I guessed
him to be about twenty-one, twenty two. This was probably his first job out of college.
I’m sure he never expected to see a fanged-man on the psych ward. Though he’d more
than likely met a few patients who believed they could sprout fangs.

Alcuin spoke loud enough for me to hear from my position in the shadows. “What’s your
name, young man?

“Randy Miller, Sir.”

“Mr. Randy Miller, I need you to unlock Joshua Smart’s door. I understand he is on
this ward. Is that correct?”

“Yes Sir, but he doesn’t talk.” Randy stared blankly at Alcuin. Vamp mind magic at
its best. I decided hiding was no longer necessary and stepped into the corridor.

“Chloe, no!” he ordered, losing control of Randy, who jumped sideways. Alcuin snatched
him back by the collar and once again stared into his widened eyes. “Randy, you will
not do that again, will you?”

“No, Sir.”

“Good boy. You are unable to move or speak without my permission. No matter what happens
you will remain at your post. You will do nothing.” Randy straightened his shoulders
and walked like a robot to his desk.

Alcuin flashed to stand in front of me. “The cameras, I can keep myself from being
videotaped, but you don’t have that luxury. Everything’s being operated by the laptop.
I’ll need a minute to delete you from the tape and get the room information.”

I waited, trying to stay patient under the circumstances. With his vampire speed and
abilities, he solved the problems and was rewarded by a door’s lock disengaging with
a loud clank. “Are you ready?” His eyes met mine.

“How much time do we have?” Not knowing what Alcuin had arranged left me at a disadvantage.
This would be my only opportunity to talk with a human eyewitness who’d actually seen
the killers. I hoped I had enough time.

I couldn’t screw it up.