Vampires Dead Ahead (18 page)

He swallowed. The wire pressed against his throat. Desmond kept the magic fist around Gary’s neck. “Volod wants to create far more paranorm Vampires than he has. He wants an entire army.”

Chills rolled over me. “An army,” I repeated.

He licked his lips. “Volod plans to—”

A pinging sound. A red stripe across his throat. A stunned look on Gary’s face.

Gary’s head tipped forward. And fell from his shoulders and landed by my feet.

Shocked silence followed the head as it rolled across the office floor.

I looked at Desmond, who had a surprised expression. “Oops,” he said.

Somehow his magic fist had set off the wire.

“What the—” Ice started when the Fae bells jingled yet again at the front door.

A male being entered through the doorway. He paused as he pabelswept his gaze over us and looked at Gary’s lifeless head on the floor. The male was a Dragon, and a powerful one if his scent and my senses were right, and they usually were.

He was a tall male, confidence and arrogance in his clear, dark eyes. His head was shaved, gleaming in the morning light streaming through the window. His well-muscled body hummed with strength and power.

“Private meeting.” No amount of friendliness was in Ice’s tone as he spoke to the stranger.

I walked through the crowd of Trackers until I stood in front of the male, who was about a foot taller than me. “Is there something I can help you with?” I wasn’t in the mood to be polite yet I did a credible job of it.

The male looked from me to the headless body then back to me. He sniffed the air then scowled before looking back at me. “I believe it’s a matter of what I can do for you.”

His gaze was piercing as he glanced at the other Trackers—it was the kind of look that could instill fear in lesser beings. But we were Trackers. The intimidation factor wouldn’t work with us.

“We’re busy.” I kept my arms loose at my sides, but I was feeling anything but casual at that moment. I was limber, filled with anger, and ready for anything.

“Such attitude.” The Dragon spoke with a smooth Cajun accent. “That will change.”

Every Tracker in the place bristled. Ice pushed away from where he’d been leaning up against the desk.

“I am Armand Despre.” The tall, powerfully built male spoke in a commanding voice. “Your new Proctor.”

NINETEEN

The room was thick with tension as we all digested what the Dragon, who called himself Armand Despre, had said.

I had heard of this powerful Tracker before but had never met him. He had a reputation as the top Vampire fighter in all of our ranks. Still, I didn’t need the pretentious entry and grandstanding attitude.

“Pardon us if we don’t simply take your word for it.” I held my ground beneath his arrogant gaze. “Who assigned you?”

An amused expression crossed the Dragon’s features. “James, chairman of the Proctor Directorate, asked me to fill in for Rodán until he is found.”

“We located Rodán early this morning.” I swallowed back the bile that was rushing into my throat. “He has been … taken by Vampires.”

Armand Despre stilled. “Vampires.” He said the word slowly, each syllable deep with thought. “Are you certain?”

“Several of us were there when he was bitten.” I couldn’t show any sign of weakness by revealing the depth of the pain I felt. “It was the second bite.”

The Proctor’s gaze narrowed. “Rodán was turned?”

“He="1ete fo powerfll never be one of them.” The defensive tone of my voice and my posture likely made it clear to the Proctor how much I cared for Rodán. I’d wanted to do the opposite.

Armand Despre brushed aside my words with a dismissive gesture. “If that is the case, he is gone. Now he is the enemy.”

I had to bite my tongue as anger started rolling through me in waves.

“We have a team set to search for his body.” Angel stepped up beside me. I was grateful for her support. “We’ll find it before he rises.”

“No.” The Proctor’s statement caught me off guard. “That is a waste of Tracker time and effort. We will take Rodán out when the time comes.”

“Kill him?” I clenched and unclenched my hands. “You want to murder him?”

Armand Despre looked at me as if I were a Vampire who needed to be taken out. “It is not murder to kill a Vampire.”

“We’re talking about Rodán, not just any future Vampire.” Angel touched my arm, but I shook her off as I spoke. “We owe him help before he becomes what he would never have chosen. Not just wait and murder him.”

“You are the Drow female.” The Dragon studied me. “You have served the New York City Trackers according to your reputation.”

I hadn’t known I had a reputation outside our local team, and his comment caught me off guard.

“I am not impressed with reputation,” he replied, “but with action and results.”

I ground my teeth. I’d action him.

Armand Despre put his hands behind his back and began walking back and forth among us. He looked to be forty at most, but likely he was far older than that. There was power in the way he moved, decisiveness in his gaze, arrogance in his posture and on his handsome face.

He addressed us like a military commander might address his troops. “We will arrange a meeting place. You will be introduced to my handpicked team of Trackers, and you will work with them in solving the disappearances that started on the West Coast and have now spread to New York City.”

“How did you know this was related?” Ice said with a hard edge to his voice. “We only discovered for ourselves this morning.”

“Clues have arisen.” Armand Despre looked like he didn’t appreciate having to give any explanations but was doing so to avoid further questioning. “And they have been tracked to this city.

“I have additional news for you.” Armand’s black T-shirt and jeans were snug around his biceps and powerful thighs. “Your Paranorm Council has been taken.”

Angel sucked in her breath audibly. Other Trackers made sounds of shock and disbelief.

“When?” I said.

“From what information has been gathered,” the Proctor said, “just hours ago.”

It felt like a It for sweeping wave was coming toward us. If we didn’t do something about it and soon, that wave could wipe out all of us.

Armand turned from me and faced the front door of the office. “I have brought a few of my Trackers here to join us.”

Irritation made my skin itch. That’s all we needed was to introduce a new team, led by an arrogant Proctor, when we were trying to coordinate our efforts.

Rather than just tinkling, the Fae bells at the office door started jingling in a fierce melody. I frowned as a female walked through the door with a pit bull on a leash and a falcon on one shoulder.

“This isn’t an animal shelter,” Olivia said from where she sat behind her desk. I glanced at her T-shirt.

I DON’T NEED A WEAPON. I AM ONE.

Yeah, and you’d better watch out, I thought. It was easy to underestimate Olivia—until you got to know her.

“This is Megan, a Witch.” Armand extended his hand. “Along with Bruce, a Doppler.” He gestured to the pit bull, then the falcon. “And the bird is Tate. Bruce just prefers to be in animal form on Megan’s leash.”

The Witch continued to hold the leash as the pit bull morphed into a male with the body of a middle linebacker.

The falcon flew down from the female’s shoulder and seemed to hover in the air for a moment. Then Tate shifted into a tall, muscled, and heavily scarred male.

A short male with a runner’s physique came through the doorway—but he didn’t walk. He
floated
.

“Since when did Peter Pan become a Tracker?” Olivia said. A couple of those on my team laughed.

“Air is a Cloud Shifter.” Armand sounded clearly annoyed, but Air didn’t seem affected by Olivia’s crack.

I’d heard of Cloud Shifters but never met one. They could float in human form or shift into a cloud, both useful skills for moving around and reconnaissance.

Armand gestured to the door again. “And meet Cindy.” We all looked … and saw nothing. Then I noticed Ice staring at a black mouse scurrying in his direction.

Ice vanished and in his place, on the floor, was a white mouse, one of Ice’s preferred forms.

The mice scampered toward each other and rubbed noses.

I blinked. Then glanced at Armand, who was frowning.

Dave rolled his eyes. “Get a room.”

“I’ve got a shoe box.” Olivia leaned over her desk. “Better yet, I can get one of those cages with two hamster wheels.”

I shook my head. Olivia was in fine form today.

When Ice shifted, he rose up to his full intimidating height, his blue eyes glinting like sunlight on new-fallen snowew-iv>.

Beside him, the black mouse shifted into a pretty, dark-haired female who was a couple of inches shorter than me.

I’d never, ever seen Ice look at anyone the way he looked at Cindy. His eyes had softened and his smile was almost gentle. But when he turned back at the other Trackers his characteristic smart-ass expression was fully in place.

“We grew up together.” Cindy had a soft, pleasant voice. She looked like the girl next door. She smiled up at him. “It’s good to see you, Ice.”

The look he gave her was enough to tell me that he loved her—and somewhere along the way she’d broken his ice-covered heart.

“Can we talk without a head rolling around?” Olivia said as she pointed to the floor. I’d forgotten all about poor Gary.

Desmond approached me and I nodded. Too late to worry about triggering Vampire straitjackets now.

He raised both hands this time and emitted more green light. This time his light formed a cube around Gary’s head and body. Desmond moved his hands in the direction of a corner of the office and we all watched the cube float there.

Then the cube shuddered—and began to shrink. We were mesmerized as the cube and the body inside it became smaller and smaller until it was the size of a golf ball. A loud
pop
and it vanished. All disappeared except for a small pool of blood the cube missed.

“That’s a handy skill.” Olivia jerked her head in Angel’s direction. “Can you make blondie over there disappear?”

I smiled. Olivia actually liked Angel and enjoyed teasing her.

“You left a mess.” The Witch looked at the pool of blood left on the floor and raised her hand. “I like to keep things tidy.” She snapped her fingers and the mess disappeared.

“Why don’t we get rid of our Shifter maids and hire Samantha here to snap her fingers?” Olivia said.

The Witch looked a little irritated and I thought perhaps it might not be a good idea to tease someone who could make things disappear. “Not Samantha. It’s Megan.”

Olivia shrugged. “Whatever.”

“How did you find us?” Angel asked Armand, drawing attention away from Olivia.

“It wasn’t difficult.” The Proctor’s arrogant demeanor had me grinding my teeth. “We are great Trackers, and great Trackers know how to find things. After all, the Vampires found you easily, so why not us?”

“Who do you think you are, penis head?” So much for drawing attention away from Olivia.

I mentally shook my head.

“What have you discussed in terms of a plan?” The Proctor turned to me. “Where are you and what has happened until this point? I’m aware of all that you have done until your last report yesterday.”

This took me off guard. He actually . He to keepcared what we had been discussing before he arrived? I’d expected him to just toss it all out the window and do everything from scratch. Perhaps that’s what he was going to do anyway.

“We’re dividing up in teams.” I crossed my arms over my chest as I faced him. “There are twenty-five of us and fifteen territories to cover.

“Our priority,” I continued, “is to shake down Vampires and get what information we can gather in order to find Volod and stop him. We’re going to check every house, hole, bar, and haunt where Vampires are known to hang out.”

Armand looked at me expectantly, and I went on. “Vampire attacks have been increasing. Rumors are rampant that Trackers have lost control and Vampires can feed now. We believe that someone knows something. We’re going to shake as much as can be shaken and learn what we can.”

When I finished talking, he slowly nodded. “A good plan. However, I will be taking charge from this point on.”

I hadn’t expected anything different.

“We aren’t just fighting Vampires.” Armand met each of our gazes. “We’re fighting our own kind. And remember … the person next to you could become your enemy.”

TWENTY

If the Vampires didn’t kill Armand Despre, I might.

Only the light from the waxing moon illuminated the alleyway. My back brushed the brick wall behind me as I shifted my position behind the Dumpster.

I glanced at Armand. Complete arrogance was in the Proctor’s gaze, his posture, his very presence. No doubt he had chosen me to serve as his teammate to keep an eye on me.

A sword was sheathed at one side and a dagger to the other as he knelt beside me. It seemed as though his complete attention was on the mouth of the alley, but I felt that he was as keenly aware of my presence as I was of his.

I leaned forward, and moonlight peeked through the cloud cover and brushed my skin. The moon’s glow highlighted my cobalt hair and the light amethyst of my skin. I wrinkled my nose at the rotten scent of garbage coming from the Dumpster.

“I hope our intel is good,” I murmured. “According to the Vamp whom Lawan and Max shook down earlier, we should see some action soon. At least if the Vamp was telling the truth and Vampires do meet up here.”

“They do.”

Those two simple words and the tone of his voice made hair prickle at my nape. His self-confidence and complete and utter arrogance were clear.

“How are you so sure?” I asked and then wished I hadn’t.

“I sense they have been coming here a long time.” Armand glanced at me. “And I smell them. I am never wrong on this.” He looked back at the alleyway. “There is no better Vampire hunter.” It came out as fact.

The urge to slap him upside thal ca sword we head was strong. Someone needed to take Mr. Ego down a rung or two.

Colin’s humbleness was the opposite of this guy’s demeanor. Both had amazing powers, and from what I heard about Armand and knew of Colin, each was every bit as talented a Dragon. They just had different skill sets. Armand had chosen to be a Vampire specialist, and Colin had so many versatile abilities.

“How long have you been a Vampire hunter?” I asked to fill the silence.

“Many years now.” Armand continued to stare into the night. “There is no one as good as I am.” He glanced at me. “It is my specialty. I’ve been doing this for over twenty-five years, not to mention the fact that I am a Dragon.”

More and more points in the I’m-not-too-sure-of-this-guy column.

“What made you decide to specialize in Vampires?” I was genuinely curious.

“Two of my closest friends were turned.” He moved his attention away from me. “I had to kill one of them.”

My stomach cramped at the thought of being faced with that dilemma. I couldn’t imagine it.

“It is dangerous for a once-bitten Tracker to actually be going after Vampires,” Armand said. “I have thought about taking you off this case.”

“Who do you think you are?” I scowled. “I have been laying my life on the line for a long time as a Tracker. If you think I’d back off this case now, you don’t know me well.

“I either go after Volod with your team,” I continued, “or I do it alone. I’ll worry about my personal risk. You don’t need to. I’ve gotten on just fine for years with my approach.”

“I worry what you could add to the other team if you are turned. If I become a Vamp,” he said, “I expect you to kill me. If you are turned, I
will
kill you.”

“I am clear what your position is.”

“I’m on a mission. If I had it my way I would not stop until every Vampire is dead. Because of the truce, of course, I can’t kill one until he crosses the line or I’d kill them all.”

“Where does that leave Volod’s bunch today?” I asked.

“Everyone on Volod’s team has crossed the line by my rules, so as far as I’m concerned they are dead.”

I looked at the shadows lying across the alleyway. “Is the Proctor Directorate going to have anyone talk with the Great Guardian?”

Armand was quiet for a moment. “There is no one,” he finally said.

I cut my gaze to him. “What do you mean?”

“Rodán and Monique were the only Light Elves with a connection to the Great Guardian,” Armand said. “The directorate never expected to lose either of them, much less both.”

That made my head spin. No liaisons to the GG? Someone would need to be.

My own senses kicked into gear at the same time Armand’s body tensed. Vampires—I caught their odor of old dirt and must.

“Six.” Armand stood, remaining behind the Dumpster, still close to me. He drew his sword, and the sharp edge glinted in the moonlight. “Vampires, not Vampire paranorms.”

The rush of blood in my ears intensified as I placed my hand on my buckler. I didn’t have that many sets of Vampire cuffs, and I didn’t think they were going to volunteer to come with us.

And then I sensed them, too. They made no sound as they approached but I could hear them, smell them, feel them. They said nothing as they pressed back farther into the alleyway, almost upon Armand and me.

Armand shimmered and vanished as he pulled a glamour. I drew my own, grateful that at least the Vamps wouldn’t be able to see me. It had taken a Master previously to sense me, and I could tell that none of these Vampires was a Master. And now not even a Master Vampire would detect my glamour.

The buckler at the front of my weapons belt felt cool beneath my fingers. The edges were sharp, easily able to slice a Vampire’s head from his shoulders if necessary.

But these Vampires might have information. What Volod was up to. And maybe even what he’d done with Rodán’s body.

Bastards. My hatred for Vampires grew with every day that passed. When Volod had bitten me and nearly killed me with a paranorm virus serum, I’d thought I couldn’t hate anyone more than I did right then. Well, he had surpassed that.

And he would be mine.

Small stones and gravel crunched beneath shoes. A pair of the Vampires were laughing and joking around, which seemed bizarre for Vampires. I sensed the two were newly turned, which would account for the lack of dourness.

“Where’s the bite party tonight?” One of the pair grinned. He looked cocky and sure of himself. He and Armand would have gotten along fine. “I’m thirsty. I could use a little fun and some real blood,” Cocky added.

An older Vampire looked at the younger one with haughty amusement. “Beneath an old church in New Jersey.”

“Just over the state line,” said another of the older Vamps, this one more serious.

“Thanks for including me tonight. I was wondering, though. Before, you guys always said we had to be careful,” Cocky said. “Now there are parties happening all over the place. What’s the story on the Trackers backing off? Everyone I talk with has a different story.”

“Supposedly Trackers are going down,” Amused said, not looking so amused anymore. “And all will be changing in the Vampire way of life, to what it should be.”

“That’s cool with me,” Cocky said.

One of the three Vampires who hadn’t spoken interrupted. He was tall and lean and looked very hungry. “I don’t know if they are going down. No one really knows. Rumors are that the Trackers aren’t focused on us rank-and-file Vampires. They have other distractions.”

Amused gave a slow nod. “I have heard the same.”

“Groups of our people have started feeding freely on humans even though Volod has not instructed them to,” Serious added. “I am not so certain that is wise.”

“Volod? Volod is back?” Cocky asked.

“The story is that he is behind all of this,” Amused said. “However, I don’t know anyone who has actually seen him back.”

Cocky changed the subject. “So what’s happening at that party in Jersey?”

Amused looked at the other three older Vampires before returning his gaze to Cocky. “From what I understand, those who organized the party have a bunch of once-bitten humans in coffin storage beneath the old church. Supposedly at least two dozen. Hopefully that is true.”

A fourth Vampire nodded. “Once everyone has arrived, the hosts will turn the humans loose. Then there will be a chase, with the winners getting to keep the prey they catch.”

“I love, love, love it. Let’s go then.” Cocky jerked his head in the direction he had come from.

“I thought we were going after humans in the city,” the other young Vampire said. He had an odd, nasally voice.

“Are you kidding—when there is a chance there are twenty-four once-bitten humans rounded up for a Vampire rodeo? Let’s go see this for ourselves,” Cocky said.

He went on, “I love seeing the look of horror on humans’ faces. As the coffin is opened they experience one last thread of hope … only to be recaptured and bitten. I just love that game.”

I really wished I could see Armand. At the same moment I saw a shimmer appear beside me where Armand had been standing earlier. He was still in glamour, but visible enough that I could see him.

“Let’s follow them.” Even though the Vamps shouldn’t be able to hear us through our glamours, I kept my voice down.

With the readiness of his stance, the calculating look in his dark eyes, Armand looked like he wanted to wipe out every Vampire there, but he gave a nod. “Of course. They will lead us to something far more rewarding.”

He was clearly relishing the opportunity to take on multiple Vampires.

Well, bring it on.

We followed the six Vamps back out to the street, where a Tahoe SUV and a Lincoln Town Car waited.

“Follow us.” Amused walked toward the SUV with Serious.

“I will go with the first car,” Armand said to me. “Can you make it into the second?

“Yes.” At least I hoped I could.

I waited until Armand vanished then reappeared in the backseat of the Town Car. Cocky and Hungry had loaded up with Amused and Serious in the Tahoe. The other two Vampires went to the Lincoln.

ack height="0" width="1em">Now I had to make it to the back of the Tahoe. I just hoped I could do it without throwing up.

I knelt on one knee, bracing myself with my fingers on the ground. I closed my eyes, picturing myself in the backseat.

Prickles ran up and down my skin. I clenched my teeth. And leapt forward in my mind. Before I opened my eyes I smelled the strong odor of dirt, heard the sound of the engine running and talk among the Vampires. Apparently Cocky thought everything was all about him because he was talking over the others.

I opened my eyes, still in a crouch, and found that I’d just done the transference behind the backseat rather than into it. My stomach pitched a little, but it was nothing compared with how sick I got when I did a transference across a long distance or through stone walls.

The two young Vamps, along with Hungry and another older Vampire, talked about the most boring subjects. I’d never realized what gossips Vampires were. Who was sleeping with who, what Vampire was feeding when he shouldn’t be, just the disgusting ways of Vampires.

Sheesh. Get a life already.

Oh, yeah. Vampires have no life.

I was really hoping Armand was learning something useful on his joyride, because I certainly wasn’t with Hungry, Amused, Serious, and Cocky. Give them pointy hats, white beards, and shrink them, and you’d have Snow White’s seven Dwarves—Vampire style.

They obviously had no new information. At least we could save humans, though, and these lowlifes would soon find out that Trackers hadn’t disappeared.

When the Tahoe finally stopped, I was ready for a drink. Preferably a vodka martini with three olives on a cute little sword. More than that, I was really wishing I could just wipe these bastards out and move on to the next bunch.

The doors opened and the Vampires got out. I heard multiple voices and peeked through the window to see dozens of Vamps milling around an old church lit by the bright moon.

They looked like people out for a Saturday-night church potluck. Only sloppy joes, casseroles, potato salad, and watermelon were not on the buffet table.

I didn’t sense any paranorms or Vampire paranorms. All of these Vamps had once been human before the bite had twisted their minds like a virus.

The church itself was dark, but the beings outside obviously didn’t need the light. Vampires couldn’t go inside a church, but I think they enjoyed the ability to be around one without bursting into flames. The small graveyard in the back likely made them feel at home.

I waited for the Vamps to get far enough away from the SUV that they might not notice me appear if for some reason I couldn’t hold a glamour while I did the transference. I closed my eyes and imaged myself outside the Tahoe.

A quick rush of blackness then I felt ground beneath where I crouched. My heart pounded a little. I refrained from patting myself on the back for making two short transferences in a row. My father would be proud.

My glamo

“I’ll call for backup.” I started to reach for my phone but he put up his hand in a
stop
motion.

“Twenty to twenty-five Vampires is child’s play.” His gaze roved over the crowd. “I have heard of your skills. They will do. This is what it is all about. Let’s have some fun.”

My skills will do? I gritted my teeth. I forced myself to remain calm. And professional.

I gestured to the church. “The Vamps said something about the humans being kept beneath.”

A Vampire moved to the walkway just outside the doors. In the background a cross on each door started to glow, warding against Vampires.

The tall, slender Vamp raised his voice to be heard over the crowd. “We are ready to begin.”

Loud applause broke out, and hoots and whoops were heard as if kickoff before a big game was imminent.

“We will give the humans a two-minute head start,” the Vampire said. “To make it more sporting.”

Right. More sporting.

Anger burned beneath my skin, a hot flush creeping over me at the thought of what these Vampires were about to do, not to mention all that they had done up to this point. At the same time, I knew the annihilation these Vampires were about to experience.

“You can smell their fear from here.” The speaker smiled as Vamps around him nodded and bared their fangs. “Prepare for an entertaining evening.” He turned away and headed around the church to the east side. The creak of hinges of a gate opening was followed by the soft thump of the wood as it fell back in place.