The Blood Order (Fanghunters Book Two) (5 page)

"I already figured that," Green Eyes said with an ironic grin. She huffed, then pointed out of the rear windshield. "Those vamps back there were Order. Order vamps are off limits unless you want to trigger off a full-scale war on the streets of Chicago."

Dom's face pinched. "But they know me. And I wanna know how they know me."

Green Eyes looked away. "Does it really matter?"

Dom gave her a sharp nod of his head. "Hell yes it does. They know my brother. I need to find him so I can find my family."

Green Eyes flipped her hand on the air. "I wouldn't bother if I were you."

"Wouldn't bother?"

"Yeah."

"Why not?"

Green Eyes sighed. "Cause you'll only end up disappointed by what you discover."

Dom sat up in his seat. "Wait a minute. You know my brother?"

Green Eyes jabbed a finger at him. "Hey, I don't know anyone! I just know how these things always turn out."

Dom frowned. "Who exactly are you people?" He flicked his eyes to the side. He caught a glimpse of the driver's face in the rear view; his jaw went slack. He was just a kid; looked like he just started shaving last week.

"Is
he
old enough to drive?" Dom asked Green Eyes, cocking a thumb toward the driver.

"Is he driving?" Green Eyes replied, her voice tetchy. "Yes. So I'd say he's old enough."

Dom growled. "Look. What do you want with me?" he asked them both. "What's this really all about?"

Green Eyes gave him a straight stare. "Hey, I just saved your ass back there. If I was a danger to you, would I have even bothered?"

"
Okay.
So where are you taking me?"

"Home."

"Home? Humboldt is back the other way."

"Not that home. Your new home." She sat back and stared out of her window.

Dom went to respond, but knew she wasn't listening anymore.

He shook his head
.
My new home? This chick's crazy for real.

He thought about making a jump for it. But, like she said, she saved his ass back there. For the second time. He was sure she didn't mean him harm.

Maybe I should just wait and see how this plays out.

He nodded. That probably would be the best idea. He didn't really wanna mess with her, or get her more upset than she already was.

Instead, he turned and looked out of his window. They exited the city limits where they joined Route 94. That sense of familiarity began rearing its head again inside Dom's mind as if he'd trodden this path before. This route was in his recent memory. A half hour later they were turning off onto Route 41 toward Highland Park.

Dom began nodding. Yeah, he was just up here last week.

Things were getting weirder by the minute. They got even more weird once they slowed to a crawl and turned into the drive of the one of the mansions, stopping outside the wrought iron gates.

Dom sat up in his seat. "Hey, I know this place," he declared. "This is Vincent Beauchamp's estate."

"Clever boy," said Green Eyes.

"What's going on?"

"Vincent wants to speak with you."

Dom eyed Green Eyes with suspicion. "What about?"

"Tonight. Among other things."

Dom shook his head. "I don't understand."

"Here we go again..." Green Eyes lamented with a wry smile.

The iron gates then swung open and the kid driver rolled the car through into the Beauchamp estate. Dom watched on with bated breath, half-bemused and half-intrigued. What did Vincent know about what happened to him tonight? How was he connected to Green Eyes? Who the hell was Green Eyes anyway?

Trepidation rose inside him. Things were unfolding that had a sense of
planning
about them. As if fate were guiding proceedings and no matter how hard he tried to avert things, he was powerless.

The car rolled steady and slow along the graveled path leading up to the mansion. Dom looked up at it. It was just how he left it last week. Quiet. A couple of downstairs lights were switched on. He imagined old man Beauchamp sitting in the dining room, his taxidermy specimens watching the whole room. He shivered.

The kid came to a stop outside the front door and killed the engine.

"Home sweet home," said Green Eyes. "Thanks, Rufus," she then said to the driver. Rufus briefly turned his head to the side and nodded, not saying a word in reply.

"Let's go," Green Eyes said to Dom before opening her door and stepping out of the car.

Dom went to get out, then stopped. "Hey," he said to Rufus
,
the driver. Rufus turned back in his seat to face him. Dom now saw just how young he was and took back the remark about him starting to shave only last week. He most probably hadn't even begun shaving yet.

Dom gave him a nod. "Thanks."

Rufus just gave him a small smile in return and didn't say a word.

Probably shy,
Dom thought.
I was like that at his age.

Rufus turned back to face the front.

"Come on," Green Eyes then said from outside. "We haven't got all night."

Dom sighed in exasperation. "She always like this?" he asked Rufus.

Rufus caught his stare in the rear view. He just gave him a shrug in return.

"A man of few words, huh?" Dom said to himself. "Maybe some other time, buddy." Dom threw his door open. The cool night air hit him as he stepped out, his shoes touching gravel. Green Eyes was already at the front door, waiting. Dom had a final look up at the mansion before he closed the car door and followed.

CHAPTER FIVE

T
hey both entered the marbled lobby, the very one Dom had been in a week before. Green Eyes went over to the couch up against the right
-
hand wall, sat, and crossed her legs. Dom stood where he was, in the center of the room, his head still full of unanswered questions.

"Ah, Dominic," came a voice from the right. Dom snapped his head that way to see Beauchamp step into the lobby from one of the many doors surrounding them; he was dressed in a red robe and slippers, his hair slicked back from his brow. He was wiping the back of it with a small towel, indicating to Dom he'd just stepped out of the shower. Beauchamp threw it over his shoulder as he approached Dom. On reaching him, he put out his hand. Dom took it without even realizing he was doing so.

"Good to see you again, young man," Beauchamp said.

"Mr. Beauchamp!" Dom said in a half-stern, half-exasperated tone. 'Maybe
you
can tell me what's going on here."

Beauchamp released a heavy sigh. "Well. You were about to put yourself in extreme danger and so I had no choice but to intervene."

Dom shook his head. "I don't get it. You mean to say you knew about the vampires all along?"

Beauchamp interlocked his fingers together. "Yes," he said in an almost apologetic manner, rocking slightly on his heels.

Dom grabbed his forehead. "Man, this is the single most strangest night of my life."

Beauchamp chuckled. He placed a friendly arm around Dom's shoulder. "Young man, things are about to get even stranger."

"Who are you?" Dom asked, now totally exasperated.

"I'm Vincent. I,
we
, hunt vampires," he said in a matter-of-fact manner. "Just like you."

Dom frowned. "It was me who almost got hunted just now."

Vincent let out a hearty laugh. "Yes, which is exactly why I sent Trixie to save you."

"So that's her name," Dom said with an ironic nod.

Vincent gave him a look of surprise. "She didn't tell you?" Vincent turned and stared at her in disappointment. "
Trixie...
"

Trixie shrugged. "Sorry, I forgot."

Vincent let out a rueful sigh. "Well, I suppose formal introductions are in order." He cleared his throat. "Dominic Dempsey meet Trixie Beauchamp. Trixie Beauchamp. Dominic Dempsey."

"Hi," Trixie said without a lot of enthusiasm.

"Beauchamp?" Dom echoed, cocking a thumb over his shoulder toward Trixie.

Vincent inhaled deep. "Yes. My daughter."

Daughter?
Dom gave him a sideways stare. "I thought you said your daughter was killed by a vampire."

Vincent shrugged in an innocent fashion, his lips pursed. "No, she's definitely alive and kicking, as you can see." He held his open palm out toward Trixie.

Dom crossed his arms over his chest. "Uh-huh, I can see that! But, you told me the last time I was here that she was dead and you wanted revenge on the vamp who killed her."

Vincent wiggled his fingers on the air. "A small... bending of the truth." He chuckled.

"Bending of the truth? I could've been killed by you bending the truth!"

Vincent's back straightened. He jabbed a finger at Dom's chest. "You wanted to hunt vampires, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"And I paid you well, didn't I?"

Dom rocked his head from side-to-side. "Hmm..."

Vincent's eyes lit up. "Ah! Come on now, answer. I paid you
very
well didn't I?" He bent down and glared up into Dom's eyes, who was reluctant to meet his stare.

Dom then glanced down; Vincent was grinning and pointing. "Okay, yeah," he agreed, finally caving in. "You got my uptight landlord off my back."

"Ha! Exactly. My bending of the truth set you on your way. I even sent Trixie out to save you when you got into trouble."

Dom went to speak, but then stopped short.

"Ah, didn't think I knew, did you? In-out job, eh? Pah. Now who's the one bending the truth?"

Dom went to respond, but didn't know how to. He let out a hot breath. "All right, all right. This is just all so weird." He grabbed his forehead. "It's all too much to handle right now. I feel like I'm in some kind of dream. I've got too many questions."
Like
,
ain't you a little old to be her father? But, let's just not go there.

"Of course you have, young man," agreed Vincent. "We'll have plenty of time tomorrow to get up to speed on things before your training starts."

Dom froze. "Training?"

Vincent gave him a vehement nod. "Of course. You'll need to be trained to look after yourself while performing your new job. By Jove you need it. Get some meat on these bones so you can tear those vamps a new one!"

"Wait, I... Job? What job?"

"The one you applied for when you answered my classified. You passed the interview with flying colors once you killed that vampire and brought me his corpse."

Dom stepped back. He stared at Vincent through squinted eyes. "And who says I want this job?"

Vincent chuckled. "No one. If you don't want to take the job, then that's fine, no hard feelings. The front door is there." He pointed at the door Dom just walked through and straightened his back.

Dom glanced at it; he then locked eyes with Trixie, who diverted her stare up and away from him.

Dom's shoulders drooped. "I suppose I better sleep on it."

Vincent gave him a pat on the back. "That a boy! You'll have a clearer mind in the morning to make a better judgment on your future. You'll also get a chance to ask any burning questions you may have. Now, Trixie will show you to your room." Both Vincent and Dom glanced over at Trixie.

She groaned in irritation. "Must I?"

"Yes, Patricia," Vincent retorted. "Dominic is our guest. Please show him some respect."

Trixie mumbled something under her breath as she reluctantly got to her feet. She turned and stretched, giving Dom a real chance to view her svelte body in full, which was accentuated by that tight, leather superhero suit she liked to wear. Dom's mouth became a small O.
Man, she's hot, no doubt about that.

Shame about the attitude.

She strode over to where they both stood, her heels clacking across the marble. "Follow me to your room, sir," she said with a slight bow, before striding away toward the stairs.

Dom looked from her pert derriere to Vincent, who put on a toothy grin. "Don't worry, Dominic, you're safe with us now. What happened tonight is a mere triviality."

"A mere triviality that almost got my ass handed to me."

"Well, you did decide to venture into the heart of Order territory, didn't you?"

"What the hell is this Order anyway?"

Vincent placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll discuss all that tomorrow. Right now, I think you should get some sleep. I'll have Rufus bring you up some refreshments."

A puzzled look came over Dom's face. "That's the underage driver guy right?"

"Yes. And by that response, I take it you weren't introduced to him either."