Immortal Revenge (14 page)

“He asked what I was doing. I said I was driving by. I asked what happened and he told me the Browns died when their house burnt down eight years ago.”

“The Browns?”

“He said they were an old couple and he couldn’t remember them. They didn’t go into town much.”

“Yeah, because they aren’t real.”

“He also said he had an odd vibe. He thought Charles would’ve had someone clean up the mess.”

“Do you think he was trying to remember something?”

“I don’t know. It was strange. Then he started peeking inside my car and eyeing me as if I’d done something wrong.”

“Thank God I hid the bags in your trunk.”

Ditto.

“I asked him what was wrong and he said a guy came into the station and said someone might check out the property. If someone did, the police are to notify him.”

“Holy fucking shit.” Jules shot up. “You have to leave. You have to come with us.”

Katie stood and faced her friend. “Not possible.”

“But–”

She gripped Jules’s shoulders. “Calm down, girlfriend. I took care of it.”

“How?” Jules crossed her arms and gave her a look of disbelief.

“I asked him what would happen if he acted as if he hadn’t seen me. His response was nothing. I told him I’d go out with him on a date if he kept mum about our encounter. He agreed.”

“But what if the vampire shows up at the police station again?”

“I told him to leave and call me. I think he’ll do it.”

Jules tossed her hands in the air. “This is fucking crazy. You’re going to end up at the cemetery. I just know it.”

“I appreciate your vote of confidence.”

“This isn’t funny!” She stomped her foot.

“No, it’s not. It’s fucking reality and it sucks dick. That’s why I’m trained to fight, and I will. I will not die!”

A sharp chill shot down her spine. Kyle had trained her for years. Why? To prepare her. Though he tried not to preach gloom and doom, he shared enough that revealed one day she’d have to face another vampire, a killer, someone not like him. She played along with his game because she loved him and enjoyed his challenges. She never truly thought she’d face a heartless enemy. Then, after she’d finally beat Kyle, he’d said she was the perfect fighter. Of course, she’d thought he was merely complimenting her.

As if she were waking from a dream, she realized she’d been wrong for years about the world she lived in and Kyle had been right about her. She was determined, willing to take the battle to the end. And it wouldn’t be hers.

Tears began to fill Jules’s eyes. “I’m scared, Katie.”

She wrapped her arms around her best friend and held her tight. “I know. It’s okay.”

“I don’t want to lose you.” Jules sniffled. “I don’t want this creep to get away with killing anyone.”

Katie relaxed her arms and took a step back. “Now that’s what I want to hear.”

Jules rubbed a finger under each eye. “You’ll send his ass to hell?”

“Count on it.”

“Good, because when Joe and I come back, I want you to show me how to fight and use guns. I think I can handle them better.”

“It’s a deal, disco queen.”

Jules took in a deep breath. Her mood calmed along with her emotions. “I think you need to get going. The sun will set soon.”

Katie glanced past her at the dim light spilling from the kitchen. She doubted she had enough time to shop for a jacket.

“Would you have a coat or light jacket I could borrow?”

“Uh…I have some fleece jackets.”

“Can I use one?”

“Yeah, sure. Let me grab it.” Jules took off down the hall.

While she searched for the jacket, Katie grabbed a few pairs of underwear and jeans from the guest room she’d spent one night in. If Riker asked, she’d tell him she had extra clothes stored in the cellar.

“Here,” Jules said.

Katie looked at the brown jacket Jules held and read the metallic letters on the front. “Disco or die?”

Jules lowered the garment. “I know. I feel bad, but it’s the only clean one I have right now.”

She snatched it from her hand. “It’ll do.” Anything to hide the sheaths strapped to her would work.

“I’ll call Andy after you leave and let him know we won’t be available for a week.”

“Good idea.” An idea popped into Katie’s head. “And ask him and Amy to contact me if they notice any unusual visitors at the bar, especially ones with green eyes. It’s very likely the vampire might stop in there once he learns I work there.”

“Got it.”

Katie walked around her, one arm full of clothes while she held the jacket in her free hand. “I’ve got to run. You and Joe will be gone soon, promise?”

“I’m packing now, then I’ll shower and load the car. Joe should be home soon. I’ll knock him out and put him in the back seat if I have to.”

Katie grabbed her purse from the sofa, then faced her friend. “Text me during daylight hours only.”

“You’ll notify me tomorrow on your progress, right?”

“Definitely.” She reached the door and waited for Jules to open it, which she did.

“Be careful, Katie.”

She stopped past the door, then turned around.

Jules rushed at her, threw her arms around Katie’s neck, and pecked her cheek. “Kick some vampire ass for me.”

Katie soaked in the love and support. If her arms were free, she would’ve returned the same.

Jules ended the embrace and then stepped back into the house.

“Don’t worry, I plan to do more than kick ass.”

Following up with a smile, she turned and headed for her car. One headless vampire coming up.

9

Katie reached her hotel room with time to spare. Carrying several bags, she pushed the door open and then dumped everything on the bed. Her tired arms felt much better after she freed them. Finding an empty space on the mattress, she fell face first on it and hoped to relax if only for a few minutes.

She looked at the pile on the bed and a mental prodding encouraged her to get the rest of the weapons from her car. But she’d locked the doors and activated the alarm. Were they safer in a car or a hotel room where workers could see them? She opted for the former and turned over to lie on her back.

Laying in silence, her mind wandered. Ben had said the person who had visited him had short, dark hair and green eyes. The description lacked details, but it was a start. So where was the vampire staying? In a hotel bathroom like Riker? What if Kyle’s assassin was in the same hotel?

Katie hurried off the bed. She needed to prepare for fighting at any given second. The first step involved taking a shower. From the pile of clothes, she plucked out clean underwear, jeans and a thin long sleeved shirt with a tank top. She strode into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

The necklace with Kyle’s ring bounced as she stripped off her clothes. She held the band as she stepped into the bathtub. The small piece of gold reminded her a part of him would always be with her. She’d never let anyone take the ring from her.

Katie later emerged from the bathroom happier and cleaner. Riker sat at the round table in the corner of the room, staring at his laptop. Her mood could’ve dived south, but she decided to play nice.

“Evening, Riker.”

She set her pile of dirty clothes on the dresser, then looked at the bed. Contents from the bags lay scattered across it.

“Is that a complete inventory of the weapons?”

Upon hearing his sergeant-like tone, her hope of a kinder Riker flew out the window.

“No, I have more locked in the trunk of my car. The rest is secured in the cellar of the barn.” She raised her mental shields, concealing the fact she’d stashed an ample supply of weapons at Jules’s house.

“How safe are they on the property?”

“Very” Katie took a small hair band from her purse and tied her damp hair into a ponytail. “Keys are hidden. The cellar door is in a spot in the back where it’s too dark for the human eye to see, unless you have a good light and know where to look.”

“Human eye?”

“Yeah.” She eyed him closely, wondering what he was pondering.

“How’s your vision?”

“Fine. I see better than most.”

“Most
humans
?”

Katie inhaled a deep breath. Though he hadn’t asked her if she’d taken some of Kyle’s blood, his line of questioning seemed to indicate he would soon.

“I have above average sight, among other senses.”

“I’m sure you paid for the price for them too.”

Price? If he was referring to the horrible withdraw symptoms, then she most certainly had paid a heavy toll, multiple times. She’d spent days in bed cramped in a ball, cold, sweating and puking uncontrollably. Head and body aches lasted for at least a week. The human body took full advantage of what vampire blood offered–healing, speed, strength, but once the elixir run its course through the system, she wish she’d never ingested the fluid.

“I’m sure you know enough about it.”

“How much of Kyle’s blood have you consumed?”

“I have no idea how much in terms of quarts, liters, whatever. He trained me for eight of our nine years together, and well enough to beat him. I’m sure you can take a gander how much blood that would entail.”

“Too much is dangerous.”

“He knew that. We both did.” She sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t worry, it’s not a problem anymore.” The two vials in her purse weren’t enough to kill or transform her, not that she’d consume them both at the same time anyway. One dosage gave her plenty of extra strength for a few days.

“You have unique gifts, Ms. Dillinger. Use them to your advantage.” He shifted his attention to the laptop monitor. “Did you learn anything valuable from your visit with the police officer?”

Katie stared at the back of his head as she considered his response. He’d advised her not to talk to Ben. How did he know she had?

“No need to lie. Your hesitation to respond says enough.”

“How did you–”

“Human nature, and you said you went to college with him. I suspected emotions would come into play and you would want to warn him of any danger.”

Katie stood and moved closer to Riker. She crossed her arms. “I wanted to find out if he remembered a description of the vampire.”

He stopped typing. “And?”

“He said he couldn’t remember anything more than short, dark hair. He’s very good with details and he’s upset he can’t recall anything else.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“Ben said the person told him someone might show up at the property, and to let him know if someone did.”

Riker slid his hands away from the desk. “Sounds like we have a problem.”

“Not really. I told him I’d take him out on a date if he kept his lips sealed.”

“Eager to jump in bed with another man already?”

Katie’s anger flared and she shot her fist at his face. He caught her wrist and leaped from his seat.

“Careful,” he said. “You don’t want to lose control.”

She jerked her knee up and hit his groin. A sound similar to an
umph
slipped from him and his features took on a stiff, painful expression.

“Thanks for the advice.”

She yanked her arm from his grasp and stepped away. Did he think she was some weak human to push around? Disrespect annoyed her and she wouldn’t tolerate it.

Riker’s face turned a light shade of pink. He glared at her while the green tint in his eyes illuminated. The lethal look of death triggered her internal alarm bells.

She took another step back. The knives were on the bed, but he was quick and could stop her before she couldn’t reach one. Still, she’d try.