The Blood Order (Fanghunters Book Two) (6 page)

Dom shook his head. "Not exactly."

That look of disappointment appeared on Vincent's features once more. "Really, the manners around here are appalling. Especially from people who should know better." He gave Trixie an acidic stare.

Trixie merely shrugged her shoulders. "Are you coming or not?" she asked Dom.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Dom said. He turned back to face Vincent. "What about my stuff?"

"We'll send someone to collect any belongings you require in due course. My goodness, you really are a worry wart aren't you?"

"Vincent, I'm a broke worry wart. The few things I own are all I've got in this world."

"Well, that will all change once you start work with us."

Dom gave him an ironic nod. "If you say so." Right then, all he wanted to do was lay his head down and get some rest, then work out what the hell was going on in the morning. "I wanna lie down," he declared.

"Of course you do," said Vincent. "Trixie."

Dom turned to face her; she spun away and continued up the steps. Vincent gave him a final pat on the back. Dom held up his palm in return and then headed for the stairs, his limbs starting to ache now the adrenaline burn had subsided. He went up the stairs one at a time, weariness taking its toll. Trixie was already at the summit, hands on hips. She was rolling her head around in its socket as if she had a neck ache.

"Man, that's a lotta steps," Dom stated once he finally reached the top, feeling like he'd just conquered Yellowstone.

"You'll get used to it," Trixie retorted before heading along the corridor. Dom followed. He was led past more doors as well as a multitude of art: expensive paintings, statuettes sitting atop small stone plinths. All of a sudden, he was transported back to creeping around the derelict house in the slum, hunting Drake. This was like a more upscale version of that place, only without vamps. He shivered as he walked past a depiction of the last supper, a stone carving of the Virgin Mary sitting on a plinth beneath it. Further up was a famous surrealist painting; the one of the melting clocks. Vincent was obviously a man of many and varied tastes. Dom's eyes then fell on another work of art. Trixie. Her tight body was on show just for him, and he found he couldn't take his eyes off her.

She came to a sudden stop. She first glanced upward and then turned around to face him.

Those green eyes glowered at him. "Maybe you should take a picture," she advised him. "Then you can stare to your heart's content."

A half-smile spread up Dom's cheek. "Sounds like a good idea."

"I'm full of 'em."

"I can believe it."

"Ugh!" She shook her head. She then turned to the side, reached for a door handle, and threw the door open. "There's your room," she said, jabbing a finger at the open doorway. "If you need anything pick up the phone and dial one nine nine. Someone will answer."

Dom took a step toward her, making sure his eyes never left hers. "And what's your number?"

"My number's: oh-eight-hundred-none-of-your-business. Now get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow." She turned and began striding along the corridor away from him.

Dom glanced through the open doorway into his new room. There was a bed, a desk with a phone, and not much else. He turned his attention back to Trixie. "Hey!"

She stopped, placed her hands on her hips and turned her face up to the ceiling.

"I forgot to say thanks for saving me. Twice."

"Think nothing of it. I hate those bastards as much as you." She then began walking again.

"Nighty night, Trixie," Dom said after her, a big grin on his face.

Trixie held a limp hand in the air, not breaking stride. She reached the end of the corridor and disappeared around the corner.

Dom watched her vanish, then sighed. She was a tough cookie, but kinda fun to tease.

He smiled to himself as he stepped into his new room. He flicked on the light and closed the door behind him. "Welcome home, buddy," he said to the empty room. "Again." He went to the window and looked outside. A full moon greeted him, illuminating a mass swathe of land that stretched for acres.
Could have a great garden party out there. Maybe set up a marquee, bouncy castle.

He closed the curtains and went over to the mirror on the wall. His tired reflection greeted him. His hair was a mess. Tonight had been a crazy one. It was all so hard to believe.
Vincent Beauchamp turning out to be a vampire hunter. Man, that was unexpected.
And that Drake job had been some kind of test. What did it mean? Vincent wanted an apprentice of some kind? Where did Trixie fit into all of it? Did he actually let his daughter run around town hunting vamps? Christ, no wonder he was outsourcing help.

He rubbed his head and stepped back away from the mirror. What did the future hold? What about his family? How would he go about finding them now? What did Eddie get himself into with those 'Order' vamps?

Too many questions. His brain was numb. He just wanted to shut down. To sleep. He turned and faced his bed.

He collapsed down onto it. Within moments
,
he was fast asleep.

CHAPTER SIX

D
om woke up the next day with a slight headache. Maybe it was from the smoke grenade Trixie used in the club, or maybe it was just from the general weirdness of the whole night. He couldn't say for sure. At first, he was disorientated from waking up in a strange bed, in a strange room, in a strange house, but once his memory kicked in, things slotted back into place, albeit a bizarre place. He checked his watch: 10:44 am. He'd slept long, slept hard. For the first time since waking up in that basement. Before that? Who knew? The venom had definitely put him into a dream state, sent him to sleep for who knew how long. That was what he needed to find out. He glanced down to see he was still dressed in his clubbing clothes; a smart shirt, trousers. Even his shoes were still on his feet.

Man, I must've been wrecked.

He rubbed his face. He then wondered where Trixie was at. What she was doing? Maybe she slept in too. A part of him reckoned that chick didn't know how to sleep in. He imagined her jumping out of bed at the crack of dawn and performing a thousand and one sit-ups before tackling a light breakfast of grapefruit juice; if she even needed breakfast.

A rueful smile played across his face as he climbed gingerly off his bed. He staggered over to the mirror. He looked like crap, which was exactly how he felt. He opened his mouth, stuck his tongue out and checked it out in the mirror. He didn't know what he was supposed to be looking for, but that's what they always did in the movies. He popped it back in, satisfied that everything was cool. His stomach then growled and he grabbed it.

"I need me some of that grapefruit juice," he realized. "If Trixie saved me any."

He brushed his hair with his hand, straightened his collar, then went and opened the door. He poked his head out into the corridor. Just as he did, Trixie came marching past like some kind of prison warden. "You're finally up," she noted, her voice laced with irony.

"Good morning to you too, cupcake," Dom said with a smile, neatening his hair.

"Come downstairs," Trixie ordered, not breaking stride nor responding to his quip. "We need to talk."

"Yes ma'am," Dom said, straightening his back and saluting her.

She merely continued with her ardent stride through the corridor, barely registering him.

Dom stepped into the corridor, closed his bedroom door behind him and neatened his cuffs. He hoped his hair wasn't too messy for Sergeant Trixie. He licked his hand and slicked it down just in case.

He cleared his throat and got into his groove. He injected an air of confidence into his stride as if it was he who owned the mansion and not the weird limey. Up ahead he watched Trixie reach the stairs and scuttle down them. He upped his pace to keep up, taking the steps two at a time. Soon, he was level with her. "Hey, er... what's the deal with your pop?" he asked her in a quiet voice.

"What do you mean?" Trixie asked back, not breaking stride.

He showed her his palms. "I don't mean to offend, it's just, I'd like to know what's up."

"What's up?"

"You know, why does he hunt vampires? How long's he been doing it? Did he manage to get this big house from slaying vamps? That kinda stuff."

Trixie sighed. She stepped up to the door to the conference room and opened it. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" she said, clearing the way.

"Ah, there you are, young man!" Vincent said with a big grin once he saw Dom in the doorway.

Dom's head snapped around to face him. He was sitting at the table beneath a deer's head.

"Come in, come in," he ushered them, getting to his feet.

"He's got some questions for you," Trixie told her dad as she entered the room and stood at the head of the table.

"
He
, is called Dominic, Trixie. Manners please."

"Whatever," came her reply.

"Dom," Dom corrected. "And it's okay, Vincent, I'm getting used to the attitude." He glanced over at Trixie, who sneered and looked away.

Dom smiled.

"Of course,
Dom
," Vincent said with a warm chuckle. "I know you're positively brimming with questions. So, fire away!"

Dom sucked in a lungful of air and blew it out. He didn't know where to start. "I... It's... what..." he stammered. He then laughed.

"Come on, young man, what is it?"

Dom grabbed his tender forehead. "I don't know where to begin."

Vincent came over and put a friendly arm around his shoulder. "Maybe it's best if I get the ball rolling. Please take a seat." He pulled out a chair and Dom took it. "Trixie get Dom something to drink, please."

She let out an annoyed huff. "Sure." She turned to Dom. "What are you having?"

"Got any more of that grapefruit juice?"

She frowned. "Yeah, we got plenty."

Dom grinned. "That's my girl! Could you get me a glass?"

"Yes, your eminence!" Trixie said with a slight curtsey. She turned and left the room without saying another word.

They both watched her leave. When she was gone, Dom turned to Vincent and shrugged.

Vincent sighed. "Go easy on Trixie, Dom," he said. "She's been through a lot."

"It's all right, Vincent. Compared to some of the other ladies I've known, your daughter's an angel."

Vincent chuckled. "She
is
an angel. You'll see that once you get to know her and she accepts you."

"Well, here's hoping."

"Indeed." Vincent placed his palms on the surface of the table. "Now, I realize all of this must be a shock to you, but I must inform you of what is going on here. I'm getting old. As you can see."

Dom feigned shock. "No. You don't look a day over twenty-one!"

"Unfortunately it's been a long
,
long
time since I was that age. And that's why I need a younger man on board to fight the good fight."

"And so that's what your advert was all about?" Dom said with a knowing nod. "Your replacement?"

"In a nutshell. Yes. The reality is, we're hurtling towards a crossroads in human evolution. You can feel it, sense it. Something's wrong. Society is sliding towards an abyss. Financial and political institutions are crumbling. A darkness is descending, a darkness that is attempting to convince us is our savior. That darkness is the hidden hand that we must shrug off if we are ever to be free. We're either going to descend into total chaos or finally free ourselves from the evil shackles that have gripped us for centuries."

"Woah," Dom responded. "That's heavy."

"Indeed." Vincent's head sagged. "But, I'm fatigued. I can't bear the load any longer. I've been fighting these things for a long time now, and I need to pass on the baton so to speak. I don't have a son, and Trixie, she cannot fight them alone. The truth is, she doesn't like getting blood on her clothes."

"Figures..."

"Yes, it does." Vincent leaned back and stared with graveness in his eyes. "The Great Unveiling is almost upon us, Dom, and so we need to make our final stand."

"Great Unveiling?"

Vincent gave him a serious look. "Yes. The vampire prophecy of the reawakening."

Dom leaned back and looked away. "
Riiiight.
"

"I know it sounds insane--"

"It sure does!"

"But vampires have their own prophecies in the same way humans do. They have belief systems, a structure. And it's vital you learn these if you're to survive past next week."

Trixie then came back in the room, a glass of grapefruit juice in her hand. She placed it down on the table ahead of Dom, spilling some onto the surface of the table. "So, has he told you about the impending vampire apocalypse that's about to strike at any moment, rendering us humans slaves for all eternity?"