Don't Kill Dinner (The Rules Trilogy) (6 page)

I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and much calmer. I didn’t remember how I got home but I assumed it was because of the amount of anger that had been coursing through my veins. I walked downstairs in my PJs for some coffee and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Ihrin, Aurel, Tim and Arthur deep in conversation in the library. Trying to get over what happened the day before, I walked in to see why the Sef was in our house.

When I walked in
, the room got silent. “What’s up?” I asked like a perky cheerleader, “It looks like someone died.” Arthur stood up, grabbed my shoulders and let his hands slide down my bare arms until he was holding my hands when he finally said “Yes, someone did.”

I was shocked, all the air was stolen from my body. “Who would kill a vampire?” I asked in a hoarse whisper, the only noise I could make.

“It’s much worse than that,” Ihrin stood as she spoke “it was a human.”

Now I really lost it. Who would have the audacity to kill a human! What was to gain? “We have to find whoever was responsible. They need to pay. Do we know who did it?” Now I was pacing like a caged animal. If this was another group what could we really do? If it was a vampire the punishment is death, no questions asked. “We aren’t sure yet.” Tim answered, “It was a neck bite which leads us to believe vampire but it was savage, like a dog with rabies. It happened by Loyola and no groups have laid claim yet. I have a group already looking into who might have done it. We also have a group taking care of the cover up.”

I looked around at the group ready to jump in and prove my worth. “So what do you need me to do?” I asked. Aurel responded this time “We’ve got it covered, don’t worry about it.” I let out an obvious sign of indignation and stalked out of the room.

When I went back up to my room I saw a text from Becca. She had had a rough week and wanted some girls time. I could definitely use it too so we decided to meet up for a couple drinks.

In true New Orleans fashion
, Coops Place was well used. I could smell the remnants of hurricane Katrina mixed with the sweet smell of barley and hops. When Becca arrived we exchanged the normal pleasantries and a brief rundown of everything before getting into the nitty gritty. As soon as she started talking about the woman we affectionately referred to as the dragon lady I could feel her pulse quicken.

It was unusual that I could actually feel a heartbeat in the air. I took a second and started noticing other things around me, I could feel everyone's heart beat. If I concentrated I could even separate each heartbeat from each person. I didn't know where this power was coming from and I knew something had changed. I was snapped back into reality when Becca asked me if I was okay. I replied “Yeah, sorry. Just had a shitty day of my own.”

We talked about our days and how the dragon lady had rudely called her out without knowing the whole story at work and all of the fun things we would love to do to her. I could tell that Becca was unhappy but she refused to leave her job because she did not want it to look bad on the friend who had helped her get it. A few hours later we finally decided that it was time to leave the bar. We walked around town for a little bit and stopped at the café for some pralines before going our separate ways.

When I got home everyone was still there and I was not in the mood to deal with being told that I still couldn't do something. I decided to go down to the basement for a workout, punching the bag felt amazing. The coarse material on my knuckles made my heart sing. It felt so good to feel the pain.

After a while I noticed I was getting even more worked up being down there and decided to go for a run. Knowing that I could run forever, I decided to take the long trek. I ran down the main street to the lower ninth Ward and back up through Metarie before coming around to Tchoupitoulas. When I arrived back in the quarter, I took a water break. I looked over my shoulder and who did I see, the dragon lady.

I was still amped up from my conversation with Becca and knew that this lady was up to no good. I walked up behind her and lightly tapped her shoulder
. I explained to her that I knew someone she worked with and that they needed her help. As I led her down the alley I could feel her fear mounting, it tasted like sautéed garlic in the air and I couldn't wait to pin her down and take what was rightfully mine. Once we finally got out of public view I heard her heart rate increase when she realized we were alone.

I turned around slowly looking over my shoulder before I smiled and said, “So I hear you’re a raging bitch on wheels. What do you have to say for yourself?” Her fight or flight response kicked in and I could smell the stink of fear permeating the air like a poison. After a few incoherent mumbles she screamed. My arm reached out and my hand enfolded her throat stopping the scream as soon as it started. I pushed her against the wall and politely explained to her that she would not scream again because if she did I would slice open her throat and rip out her vocal cords.

With her body stuck against the wall, I informed her that I knew all of the things she was saying. I knew how she was targeting employees and bullying them, how she was talking to the owners about things that didn’t concern her and slandering good honest employees. As the color drained from her face I could feel her blood calling to me like the song of the Sirens I should be hunting. It begged to be taken from her unworthy body. There was enough paranom scum in this world, the last thing humans needed was their own to be against them as well.

I was not breaking the rules, I was saving the people I loved. As my fangs elo
ngated and pierced my lower lip, I glared at her and whispered into her ear “Didn’t your mother ever teach you if you can’t say anything nice, just die?” A small whimper escaped her lips and I finally gave in to my carnal urges.

I grabbed her hair and pulled her neck to the side. I eyeballed her throbbing jugular and gave her fear soaked blood one last whiff before I sunk my fangs into her throat. The instant her blood crashed into my mouth I could feel the euphoria I had felt this morning returning to my veins. It was me, I killed that human last night. That is why I could feel people’s life forces, because I had taken one. I became drunk with the power I now possessed and growled as I continued to suck every last ounce of that bitches blood out of her body. She hurt my friend and no one hurts someone I love and lives to tell about it. I had already gotten away with a murder once I could do it again. With my new powers I could prove once and for all that I was meant to be in this fight and that I would do whatever it took to succeed. In the last seconds of her life I could feel her soul escape and her last breath collapse out of her exhausted lungs.

The sizzle started in the base of my skull and travelled all the way down to my toes. I was one with my city, saving it from maliciousness. I was a modern day Robin Hood, ridding the rude so the kind could flourish. My senses were more heightened than I ever thought possible. Now time to hide the body. I licked the holes on her neck to remove my mark before crushing her chest, the true sign of a Siren’s kiss. Pleased with my work I left her hidden, more or less, behind the dumpster and finished my run. Not only had the blood heightened my senses but I could not wait to get home and lay claim to my man.

I sauntered in the door to find the library finally vacant. I could smell Arthur training downstairs so that’s where I headed. I stopped halfway down the stairs and took in the view. He was obviously frustrated and trying to relieve that stress the same way I had tried. I could see he already busted one bag and had hung a second to keep going. Finally, I cleared my throat to get his attention. He jumped in alarm before grabbing his chest in a mocking tone.

“Holy shit Kenna. When did you get so stealthy? You scared the crap out of me!” I just smiled coyly before finishing my descent down the stairs. “So what did everyone decide?” I asked as my hands trailed his chiseled stomach stopping for a rest at the top of his shorts. He grabbed my wrists and placed me behind the punching bag as he continued to hit and talk.

“We decided we are sending out the sentinels. We need to find out who did this and quick. There can’t be any more deaths or things will be out of our control, one we can hide, but a massacre? Even humans aren’t that stupid.” I giggled as he worked out. His eyebrow cocked and he looked to my side of the bag to see me barely holding it. “How are you barely holding the bag? I am punching full force and its not moving.”  I rolled my eyes before scoffing and replying “Its called channeling, doll. I channeled my anger of being treated like a fucking child into the strength to prove you wrong.”

I could tell my statement hurt his feelings when his head dropped and his chin rested on his heaving chest. “Kenna,” he started looking at me with eyes filled with love and sorrow, “we can’t let you fight this. You were lucky with Destin, he was still a baby but if you were… if there was an adult… I couldn’t live with losing you. I made a promise and I will never break it. No matter what.”

I felt a sheepish smile creep onto my face and pulled him into a strong hug. “You will never lose me Arthur. I am stronger than even you know,” I whispered into his ear before placing a light kiss on his earlobe. His head lifted up and our lips met crashing into each other filled with love, passion and fear. As my fingers began to entwine in his dark brown hair the door to the basement flew open and Timothy came running in panting, “Another body. They found, another body, on Tchoupitoulas. Fuck! We gotta go.” I rolled my eyes as Arthur grabbed my hand and said “Quick, lets change and get there.” A grin worthy of Christmas morning plastered my face and we sprinted to our room to change.

Within five minutes we arrived at the alley I had just left a few hours ago. I had hoped it would take at least six hours to find the body but with the sentinels out I guess I would have to be a little more careful. Ihrin wasn’t there but Aurel was. We walked through the glamour on the alley and it felt like spider webs were stuck to my entire body. I hated the feeling but understood the need for privacy.

As I looked down on dragon lady, Aurel came up behind me and asked “Kenna, this is your first human death, what do you notice?” Knowing this was just another stupid test I kept my cool and replied, “No signs of a struggle so it wasn’t human. Skin is very pale, it looks like hypovolemic shock, she was probably drained. No neck wounds, suggesting it wasn’t a vamp or wolf. Chest is crushed.” Pause for dramatic effect, “ Fuck, it’s the Siren’s isn’t it? They are trying to use the humans against us.” I looked over my shoulder seeking Aurel’s approval. It’s nice to see the years of acting classes finally pay off, I thought to myself while searching his face for approval. “He patted me on the back and said proudly, “Good job, that’s exactly what it looks like. Once we find out just how much blood was drained we will be able to determine if it really was a Siren or if it was a frame job.
”

As the sentinels packed up the body for transport back to the coven morgue; Tim, Arthur, Aurel and I discussed what the two murders in twenty-four hours meant for the coven.

While the seer looked at the body the four of us joined Ihrin in the strategy room. Two murders in twenty-four hours was not something to be taken lightly. As we all poured over the two crime scenes we realized something wasn’t right. There had to be a reason for the deaths. We couldn’t know for sure until we got the seers results back but we were pretty sure it was the Sirens trying to run the other groups out of New Orleans.

An hour later the seers results came back inconclusive and she transported the body to the human morgue for the traditional autopsy. Turns out dragon lady wasn’t a human after all, well in the true sense. She was a griffin Halfling. It was dormant, she probably never knew it, but because of the magic they could not tell the true cause of death. This brought a whole new line of questioning to the group, were they targeting halflings. Four hours and countless heated discussions later we finally had a plan.

I had to lay low. Sentinels were everywhere and every vampire was all vigilante on the human killer. I was still super me but I couldn’t feel everything like I used to. Now instead of directed pinpricks from different people I felt a general hum. I did not like it and knew I was going to have to eat a good meal again soon. Arthur and I still fed together but I had to become detached so I wouldn’t go too far.

He noticed the change in my eating habits and I assured him I was simply being careful, which, was not a lie. I though he may have suspected something but I was not about to spaz out on him. I still loved Arthur but I knew he wouldn’t understand that I was only killing bad people. I was like those two brothers from the Boondock Saints, killing evil and stupid people to make the world a better place.

It took a few weeks but things finally started getting back to normal. Since no one had been killed in three weeks everyone came to the conclusion that it was just a nomad passing through town. Ihrin still had sentinels patrolling the city but not nearly as many as right after the killings. I was proving my worth and continued my training daily. I was back to normal now and I hated it. No more Super Kenna. After about two weeks I couldn’t feel the blood anymore. I did manage to maintain my new stealth but I blame that on a lot of practice. If Arthur was busy before now he was a mad man. He was required to note everything about the killings into the tomes for the coven. He was stressed and exhausted, I wish I could tell him I knew a way to make it all better but he was too old school. It was a secret I had to keep to myself even if it killed me.

I tried spending as much time as possible with him knowing that it was the only way I could not kill some other puny human who deserved to die. I read, a lot. Finally I couldn’t take it any more. Arthur couldn’t entertain me because he was too busy documenting my killings and I couldn’t sit in the house anymore. I donned my gym clothes and told him I was going out for a run.

I ran through some of the seedier parts of town in my black shorts and pink tank hoping someone would be stupid enough to try something. Two boroughs and five miles later someone finally tried to get fresh. I stopped to wait for a walk sign and the guy grabbed me by the wrist. I could smell the lust in the air and tried my best to fake scared. When I felt the cold metal of the gun on my back it took all my power to stifle the laugh. I guess he took my shaking to be fear instead of laughing because he whispered into my ear, “Don’t be scared little girl, do exactly what I say and I may let you walk away when I’m finished with you.” I simply nodded as he led me down the alley where he intended to rape and probably kill me.

Once he had picked the perfect spot for his own death, he shoved me. Instead of falling to the ground, I simply turned around my eyes glowing and my fangs peeking out over my bottom lip. I watched the color drain from his face as he pointed the gun at my heart. I was behind him in an instant with his own gun now pointing at his back
proving to him I was in charge. When I saw him start to shake I whispered in his ear, “Don’t be scared little boy, do exactly what I say and I will make your death… less painful.” I stepped back in disgust as his bladder emptied into the alleyway. None of the people I had drained so far were this pathetic but then again you could always count on a man to overcompensate.

After my revulsion subsided I was facing him again. I shoved him back into the wall and with his gun in hand told him to strip to his skivvies. Now trembling in fear wearing nothing but his fruit of the looms he would get a taste of what he had done to other women.
I squeezed the gun in my fist as I stalked up to him. I dropped the now mangled waste of metal on the ground before I put a hand on either side of his head. I leaned in close and I could smell the intoxicating aromas of fear and distress mixed with the smell of his blood pumping through his body.

I wanted to take him right there, end his life and leave. He was a foul and loathsome creature who was stealing precious air from the people who deserved it. As much as I wanted him dead he hadn’t suffered enough. I used my fang to nip his throat and start the slow trickle of blood down his surprisingly well maintained chest. I dabbed the wound with my index finger coating it in blood.

As I sat there licking his life on my finger I said, “Obviously you are a pathetic coward and a rapist. What other skeletons do you have in your closet?” Through the sobs now escaping his throat he said, “nothing.” I growled as I slammed my hands into the wall “I hate liars!” I screamed in his face while bits of brick and mortar began to rain down on his half naked body, then more calmly said, “Now be honest or it will hurt more.”

He finally came clean that he was a con man who stole money from old ladies and he killed someone in a robbery once but his friend got the wrap for it. That was all I needed to know.

This man was the scum of the scum. I grabbed his blonde hair and yanked his head to the side with just enough force not to kill him and began drinking. It was an amazing feeling to be able to drink as I pleased and not have to worry about stopping. I savored his death. The power returned to my veins almost immediately as his life started to leave his body. He was fighting a losing battle. Once his life was truly mine I let him sink to the floor.

I had plans for this guy. He wasn’t just mean
. He was filthy, vile and disgusting. I still had to hide my trail so I closed my wounds and grabbed a piece of glass from the ground as I slit his throat open I rolled him to the side to get the right amount of blood out of the wound. I then wrote the words Rapist and Con into his chest with the tip of the glass just enough to scratch. I wasn’t a psycho after all, I couldn’t go carving the man up even if he did those things. I had morals. Once I was happy with my cover up I dragged him to the mouth of the alley for all to see and used my vamp speed to get me back to the quarter for a delicious cheeseburger. His evil and vile blood left a bad taste in my mouth even if it brought the power to my veins.