Vampire Lane (17 page)

***

Camilla came out of the kitchen, her head beaded with sweat. “This spell was very difficult, but I narrowed it down. Here is a map of the area. It’s mostly swamp, shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Tanek took the map from Camilla and stared at it. He knew the area. It was a bit of a drive, and he hoped Natasha hadn’t found it yet. He knew they had to get going immediately.

“Are you ready?” Blake asked.

“Yes. Someone should stay behind just in case Godfryd comes back here.”

“I will stay,” Adrian answered. “This isn’t really my area of expertise.”

“Thank you, Adrain,” Tanek answered as he left out the door.

Tanek and Blake rode in silence most of the way. Tanek had no idea what he would do when he got there. Godfryd was much older, and Blake wasn’t even a vampire. He wasn’t entirely confident they could kill him.

“Do you have a plan?” Blake began. “I don’t know much about vampires; I only hunt Fae.”

“Godfryd isn’t just any vampire; he is very old, ancient really. He made Natasha, and he is what we in the vampire world call a traditionalist. He likes to stay under the radar, coming out mostly to feed and use humans for his personal enjoyment.”

“So what is his weakness? How do we kill him?”

“We can’t overpower him, so our only option is to surprise and kill him fast.”

“It sounds like you don't have much of a plan. This will end badly,” Blake retorted.

Tanek honestly agreed with him. He didn’t really have a plan. He knew there was a real possibility they wouldn’t walk away from this, but as long as Maureen and Natasha got away, he was okay with it.

The car came to a stop. There were no houses anywhere he could see. The sun was just beginning to set, and he knew they were running out of time. “So now what?” Tanek asked.

“This is the center of the area on the map. We can narrow it down. It’s going to be an isolated, abandoned building.”

Blake looked at the map again and started the car. “There are only a few areas; we will search until we find something.”

“Blake, I have to ask. Why are you helping me? I know Adrian a little, but you, I don’t know you at all.”

“Adrian and I both capture Fae. He is an enforcer. I worked as a freelance bounty hunter. We have crossed paths in the past. I have been on sabbatical for a time when he called me to help. I don’t know why, but I liked the idea of helping someone who needs me.”

“You’re okay, Blake. I like you, for a Fae.”

“And you're okay for a bloodsucking vampire,” Blake added.

Tanek stopped and stared. Blake turned down an unmarked dirt road. It led right to an old looking house. Tanek looked out the window and spotted Natasha’s car in some bushes. He knew he had to have the right place. Blake opened the car trunk and took out two wooden stakes and two guns, handing one of each to Tanek.

“You know guns won’t work, right?”

“It won’t kill him, but it will slow him down.”

They both walked over to Natasha’s car and looked inside. She wasn’t there. The sun was finally almost all the way down, and Tanek knew it would get dark very quickly. Godfryd would come out to feed, if he wasn’t out already.

Blake and Tanek slowly and quietly approached the house. Tanek went ahead and looked inside the window. He saw Maureen and Natasha on the couch. Tanek busted down the door and rushed to Natasha, who was out cold. Maureen, who was next to her, was sweating and screaming in her sleep in pain. Tanek rushed over to Natasha. He could see she was hurt. She would heal, but out cold for the moment.

Blake ran out to his car and came back with bolt cutters to release Maureen. “Stop!” Tanek said, taking the bolt cutter from Blake at the door. “She is in the middle of a turn, she could kill you. Any non-vampire will smell like food right now.”

Tanek shook Maureen and lifted her up. She was moaning, but never woke. “It’s safe; cut her loose and take her to the car.”

Blake cut the chains and took Maureen.

Tanek was left to take care of Natasha. He never felt so scared in his life. His Natasha was injured, even if he knew she would heal. It still scared the shit out of him.

Tanek was about to pick up Natasha when he was stopped unexpectedly. He turned to see Godfryd standing there.

Godfryd smiled an evil, menacing smile, and Tanek frowned. He was hoping to get the women out of there before he returned.

“You must be the so called fiancé.” Godfryd chuckled. “I see Natasha’s taste is not what it used to be.”

“Godfryd, you nasty old bastard,” Tanek answered.

“Name calling is so childish. Tell me, did she tell you I took her virginity? Yes, I was the first man to be inside her sweetness. I found her quite cold and less than impressive, but I’m sure you know that already.”

Tanek charged for Godfryd, unable to control his anger. He wanted Godfryd dead, and he didn’t care if it got him killed.

Godfryd got out of the way quickly and raced behind Tanek and snapped his arm. Tanek yelped, but held in a scream. He wouldn’t give that monster the satisfaction. He knew Godfryd was like a cat; he would play with him rather than kill him right away. Tanek would try and use it to his advantage.

“Let me guess, Tanek, she seduced you by playing hard to get. Who do you think taught her all her skills? That would be me. I enjoyed watching men and women fuck her.”

Tanek knew about Natasha’s past, but hearing her described like that was still tough. He loved her, and whatever that crazy son of a bitch made her do was in the past and he would keep it there.

Godfryd rushed him again, this time kicking Tanek in the leg and breaking it. He couldn’t help but yell out. Tanek fell to the ground and thought that would be it; Godfryd was going to behead him and he would be dead. Godfryd’s eyes widened with pain, and he looked down at his chest as a sharp, wooden stake poked through his chest. Tanek rolled out of the way, and Godfryd fell to the ground and his body disintegrated into dust.

Chapter 35

Tanek was in pain, but as soon as his limbs healed even a little, he insisted on carrying Natasha to the car himself. He refused any help from Blake. He tried not to be angry at the fact Blake killed Godfryd and not him, but it was difficult. He knew he should be happy that he was dead no matter who did the killing.

Tanek sat in the back with Maureen in case she woke and wanted to use Blake as a snack. Natasha was starting to stir a bit, moaning as the break in her neck mended itself. Tanek reached behind her and whispered in her ear how much he loved her. Tanek felt as if he was crawling out of his own skin by the time they reached the house.

When they finally pulled up to Natasha’s house, Tanek’s limbs were fully healed and Natasha was awake, but still in much pain. Tanek helped Natasha into the house. She was able to walk, but did not say much. Adrian ran out to meet them.

“Get Maureen, and be careful; she in the midst of turning vampire,” Tanek commanded.

Tanek helped Natasha onto the couch, and he covered her with a nearby blanket. He wanted to instantly make her feel all better, but knew it would take time. Broken bones healed quickly, but nerve damage, especially the neck and spine, would take longer and was much more painful.

Adrian came up the stairs from the lower level. Luckily, all vampire homes on Vampire Lane had an emergency vampire proof room for emergencies such as this. “I tucked her in, but she’s still in the painful nightmare stage. I am not familiar what to do in this situation.”

Tanek felt like the worst vampire ever not knowing what to do. Why hadn’t he researched this sooner? He picked up the phone and made the only call he could make to his old friend Javon.

The phone rang then a voice answered the other end of the line. “Hello?”

“Javon, this is Tanek.”

“Tanek? I can’t remember the last time I heard from you. How is it in the big easy?”

“Well, things are not very good at the moment. I’ve had a Vampire turning thrusted on me, and I have never witnessed one so I’m at a loss what to do.”

“Let me guess, you old buzzard. You want me to drop everything and come help you out.”

“I know you have a lot going on with your family, but I really need some guidance. I don’t know what to do.”

“I can’t drop everything right now and come help you, but I think I can convince Sally to go help out.”

“Thank you. That would be great. I will text you the address.”

“No prob, man, take care.”

Tanek hung up the phone and quickly texted the address. He knew it would still be a while until help arrived, but at least he knew someone would be coming.

***

Krispin sat in his office after getting a call from Blake. They had found Godfryd and killed him in self defense, but there was no mention of a second man, which was good. So far his involvement would stay a secret. His phone rang again the caller ID read
unknown caller
, but he answered, anyway.

“Hello? Krispin speaking.”

“It’s me, Shane. It’s bad, man, really bad.”

“What happened?”

“That bitch Natasha came looking for her friend. I broke her neck and left her for Godfryd. I went out for a snack, and when I returned, he was dead and both women gone.”

“How could this happen? Godfryd was our ticket to domination. Now the whole plan has gone to shit.”

“We need another ancient one.”

“Yes, because vampires over a millennium just fall from the sky every day. Not only that, they have to embrace the philosophy.”

“I’m sorry, Krispin. What do I do?”

“Lay low. If you are found by my officers, or by Natasha and her band of paranormal idiots, you will be killed and there is nothing I can do to stop it.”

“Should I leave town?”

“No! I need you here. We will need to start again,” Krispin added. “You have the list?”

“Yes, Godfryd had me take a copy just in case.”

“I want you to keep an eye on the targets, but don’t let yourself be seen. I don’t even what you out feeding, stick to bagged or the homeless.”

“Nasty, are you kidding me?” Shane grumbled.

“We need to be extra cautious.”

Krispin hung up the phone. He was not happy. His perfect plan had just gone to shit. He needed another old one, an old traditionalist who could be controlled and would go along with the plan. He decided he would need to pay Natasha’s house a visit to see exactly what she knew. He called his secretary to let her know he would be leaving early, and then grabbed his phone and keys.

Chapter 36

Natasha was finally able to speak a little, though her throat burned and her neck was still tender and ached.

“Tanek!” she tried yelling, but it ended up coming out more of a whispered croak.

He came rushing in and had a mug of warmed blood with a straw for her.

“Here, my love, drink; it will help you heal.”

Natasha took the drink and took a small sip. It soothed her throat and she steadily drank it until it was completely gone.

“I will get you more.”

“No, please stay. I want you to hold me for a moment. I thought I would never see you again.”

Tanek leaned down and brushed her hair from her face. He gave her a kiss and held her. “Anything you need, I am here for you.”

“Where is Maureen? I want to see her.”

Tanek froze. He cleared his voice and began to speak. “When we found you and Maureen, you were out cold and Maureen was in the middle of turning.”

“What? Turning? Oh please no, are you sure?” Natasha cried.

“Godfryd turned her while you were out.”

“But you killed him?”

“Blake killed him, while he was kicking my ass. I guess I’m not much of a protector.”

“Oh Tanek, don’t think that. He was an ancient, and not many vampires could kill him.”

“I promise, Natasha, I won’t ever fail you again.”

“I know, I know. I need to see Maureen now.”

“I think you need to rest some more. She’s downstairs, and in a great deal of pain. I have called for help. I think we should wait for reinforcements before we go see her.”

Natasha did not want to wait, but she could see the logic in what Tanek was saying.

“Who is still here?”

“I had everyone leave. I said I would call if I need help. I thought all the commotion was too stressful on you and Maureen.”

“You think you could get me another drink? I’m very thirsty.”

“Right away.”

Tanek disappeared into the kitchen, and Natasha sat up and found the TV remote and flipped through channels to find something to watch. She went through all the channels at least three times before she gave up and turned it off. The doorbell rang, and rather than call for Tanek, she slowly got up and decided to answer it herself. She looked through the peephole to find a beautiful dark skinned woman standing there. She opened the door.

“Hello?”

“Good evening, I am Sally. I am here to help with the turning.”