Immortal Revenge (5 page)

“God, I can’t imagine. It sounds worse than the politics in Washington.”

Katie twitched her lips. Blood sucking vampires wanting to feed off humans at their own will was far worse than standard U.S. politics.

“Did Kyle try to talk to them?” Jules asked.

“Several times. Many others did too. Then when vampires who disagreed with the Order’s new policies started to disappear, they silenced their voices and hoped time would change things. Like many vampires, Kyle left. He later heard rumors someone created a list of those who’d argued against the Order and were a threat to accomplishing their goals.”

“Which were?”

“Based on changes the Order made, Kyle and others believed they wanted to rule the human race.”

Jules stiffened. “That’s fucking scary.”

“Yeah, so anyway…” Katie paused while she attempted to recall where she’d left off. The damn liquor jumbled her train of thought.

“What about this list? Is it real?”

“Yes, he confirmed it with a good friend. The Order paid handsomely to anyone who proved the extinction of people on the list. Many vampires went into hiding.”

“It sounds like a ‘most wanted’ list.”

“In a way, it was. Kyle and many like him couldn’t fight back since too many vampires wanted to follow the new Order. And he heard they not only paid with money, but with human lives.”

“What?”

“Slaves,” Katie said, nodding. “They’d kidnap people and keep them locked up until the vamp was ready to feast.” Her stomach churned at the thought. Kyle had told her they were slaves for the slaughter. She’d never forget his words.

“That’s sick,” Jules said with a curl of her lip.

“Very.”

“So the Order is behind Kyle’s death, or his–”

“Without a doubt, they wanted him gone,” Katie said, knowing Jules couldn’t get the right word out. “What I don’t know is
who
did it.”

“It has to be a vampire.”

“Of course. No human could’ve brought Kyle down.” Except for her and it took years of training. They’d fought for hours in the barn one night. She’d taken a small dose of his blood to give her strength and quickness to match his. She had cuts everywhere from their battle with daggers, but it didn’t stop her in the least. She punched, thrust, swiped, kicked and amongst the flurry of motions, she spun and had his head in her grasp with a knife to his throat. It could’ve been a fluke, but it was a memory etched in her brain. She’d actually beaten him, a five-century-old vampire.

“Then how can you find this vampire? What will you do if you do?” Jules asked. “You’re as human as the rest of us. You can’t possibly think you can chop off its head or burn it.”

She poured more vodka into their glasses.

Katie’s stomach twisted. The alcohol in her empty system started to disagree with her. She rubbed her hand over her belly, trying to calm the unease.

“There’s someone who might be able to help me. I’m going to try to contact him. I figure I have a few days before the vampire who destroyed Kyle decides to leave.”

Jules pushed the drink toward Katie. “You don’t think he’s already left.”

“No, they like to clean up messes. Less speculation is better.” Katie lifted the glass though her stomach yelled at her not to take it. She tossed the fluid into her mouth and swallowed. Keeping her lips sealed, she made sure it went down and stayed down.

“They kill, but cover up their mess? Why bother since they want to rule the world?” Jules took her shot and smacked her glass on the counter. “Damn, that’s good stuff.”

Katie’s head swam in an ocean of vodka and clouds. Suddenly a soft bed or sofa seemed like the best place to be.

“Because when they come, they want to surprise us.” She paused and forced her eyelids to stay open. “If humans suspect they exist, we could rise up and beat them.”

Her stomach gurgled loudly. A small spasm signaled a warning. She cupped her mouth with her hand.

“Are you all right, sweetie? You’re turning pale.”

Katie shook her head.

Jules jumped to her feet and shot her arm toward the open doorway. “Second door on the left. Guest room is the next one down.”

Her gut retched again. She snatched her purse from the counter and dashed down the hall. She reached the bathroom as a kick to her gut pained her. Her body burned and sweat burst from her pores. She managed to reach the toilet and fell to her knees. She dropped her bag on the floor, lifted the seat cover and emptied her system. When she had nothing left but dry heaves, she lay on the soft red rug and closed her eyes. Within a matter of minutes, her mind shut down fast and she drifted off into darkness.

4

Katie woke with a blanket covering her and a horrible taste in her mouth. Her body, mostly her lower abdomen, ached terribly. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and the cover slid down to her lap. Head spinning, she closed her eyes and waited for the dizziness to end.

The aroma of coffee drifted into the room from the one-inch gap under the door. She breathed in the pleasant scent as she glanced at her surroundings. Light from the adjoining room spilled in, allowing her to see the red walls and a toilet at her side. She must have fallen asleep in Jules’s bathroom.

Using the commode to steady herself, she rose to her feet. Another round of swirling in her head threatened to take her down, but she fought it. She held onto the countertop and stepped in front of the mirror. Near the basin, she spotted her purse. She suddenly wished she’d carried a toothbrush with her. Rubbing a finger over her front teeth, she lifted her gaze and startled herself. Her hideous reflection showed she had a pale sheen, red eyes and tangled hair.

Hating the foul taste on her tongue, she turned on the tap and rinsed her mouth several times. The disgusting flavor disappeared, but now she had to do something about the way she looked before venturing into the world of the living. She glanced toward the red shower curtain and spotted two folded towels and a washcloth on the side of the tub.

Thank you, Jules.

With careful movements, she removed her clothes and then stepped into the bathtub. Warm water spilled over her from the shower and soothed her body aches while she scrubbed her hair and body. Once finished, she stepped from the bath clean and refreshed. Soreness clung to her abdomen and decimated any hunger, but she had to eat something to keep up her strength. Time was ticking by fast. She had to hurry if she wanted to find and destroy the vampire who eliminated Kyle.

Clutching a towel around her body, she stood in front of the vanity. Excess water dripped from her hair as she stared down at her purse. Kyle had given her resources in case of an emergency. She unzipped her bag, searched through the contents and withdrew a silver case resembling a contact lens storage unit. She popped up the lid and stared at the two small cylindrical pouches. The means to accomplish her goal lay within her hands.

She took one of the pouches from the case, slipped the thin cloth lining down the tube and inspected the contents. A small bubble moved within the dark fluid. Kyle’s blood would give her vampire quickness, strength and energy. She had two vials. Two chances to destroy the person who eliminated Kyle. Sadly, the blood in the tubes was the last remaining evidence that he existed.

Grief overwhelmed her. She slid the vial back into the pouch and then placed it in the case. Tears distorted her vision and her knees quivered. She leaned against the counter for support. All she had left of him was his blood. She didn’t want to use it. Yet, she needed Kyle’s blood to get rid of his killer. What a fucking dilemma.

She closed the case and placed it back in purse. If she found the vampire, she’d have to take his blood. There was no question about it. First, she had the find the prick. And that was a big problem.

A fed vampire looked as normal as a regular human did at night. She couldn’t pick one out of a line up if she tried. Green eyes were the only similar trait they had and some humans possessed the same color. Vamps didn’t smell or talk different. Similar to a chameleon, they blended in with their human counterparts. At least that was what Kyle had told her. If she had to depend on looks alone to find Kyle’s killer, she’d never find him.

Next, she considered where to begin her search. Vampires were born of night and forced to survive in darkness. The sun wouldn’t destroy them, but it would burn their skin and could cause serious damage with enough time. No vampire wanted to become char grilled for eternity. Basements were the most common place they slumbered during the day. They could stay in a hotel and hide in a dark room, but she suspected a rogue would prefer a roomier place. Where could a vampire hide in her town?

In any event, the rogue would explore at night and she wouldn’t be able to find him without some kind of help. Kyle had given her a name and number of a person he trusted. He made her memorize the information and several times a year, he asked her to repeat it back to him. Kyle had said if anything ever happened, she should contact him. Though she dreaded having to rely on someone for help, she had no other option if she wanted to achieve her mission.

Holding her purse open wide, she spotted her phone and grabbed it. She dragged her finger over the screen. The battery had plenty of juice left, but in a day, she’d need to recharge it. She’d make it a point to get to a store for a charger later. After she dialed the number from her memory, she lifted the phone to her ear.

Anxiety rose from the pit of her stomach while she listened to the phone ring. What would she say to this stranger? How would he react at hearing the news of Kyle’s demise? What if he wouldn’t help her? She didn’t want to ponder the last thought. Hearing the fourth ring, she turned and headed for the bedroom.

“Who is this?” The man on the other end of the line asked.

Katie stopped in her tracks. “Uh…Hi. Is this Riker?”

“Who is this?”

Assuming the person was Riker, she continued. “My name is Katie Dillinger. My boyfriend, Kyle–”

“Stop. Did you say
Kyle
?”

“Yes. Something has happened to him and I need your help. He said I could–”

“What happened?”

His deep tone and quickness to cut her off sparked her temper. What a rude prick.

“Are you Riker?”

“Answer my question.”

“You answer mine first.”

There was a long silence. She held the phone in front of her to see if the line had cut off. The ticker on her phone continued to count. She pressed the cell back to her ear.

“Look, I need to know if you’re Riker. If not, I’m wasting my time.”

“I am he. Now, tell me what happened.”

“Someone destroyed him.”

More silence followed. She waited for a response.

“Are you certain?”

“Without a doubt. I saw the…results with my own eyes.”

“Where are you?”

Katie hesitated. Kyle had told her Riker was the only person he trusted besides her. Yet, the person on the other end of the line didn’t sound trustworthy or the least bit friendly for that matter. Did she really want to divulge her location?

“Ms. Dillinger, I knew Kyle for a long time. He didn’t tell me your name, but he informed me you might call one day. I told him I hoped he was wrong. I made a promise to him and I will keep it. Please, tell me where you are.”

The vampire actually said the word please. Impressive for someone who sounded like such a hardass.

“I’m in Mishawaka, Indiana.”

“I’ll make arrangements to get there, but it will take some time. I see Chicago and Fort Wayne have the closest International airports. You can expect to see me early in the morning from one of them. I’ll send you a text at this number.”

“Am I picking you up at the airport?”

“How else do you plan to meet?”

Katie’s fingers tightened on the phone. She had the sudden urge to throw it across the room. What an arrogant prick.

“Send me a text. I’ll pick up your rude ass.” She slid her finger over the phone and ended the call.

The vamp had some nerve with his bossiness. Although she trusted her belated lover, she questioned if she’d made the right decision to contact Riker.