Night Bites (16 page)

“Really? I thought the bond was either there or it wasn't and I thought that once it was in place it was permanent.”

“Yeah, well join the party. How well do we know this guy?” I ask curious how much should actually be said in front of him. I can tell he isn't that old, maybe a hundred years.

“I have issues with his maker and so does he. It is something we have bonded over the years about. I wouldn't tell him all of our secrets, since I have not seen him in a while and don't know for sure the company he has been keeping, but general things about
our
relationship should be okay,” Sebastian says. I take it by his emphasis on “our”, that I shouldn't mention I have a horny werewolf waiting at home for me.

“Ouch. You do know I am standing right here. Even before coming here, I was out of any scary circles back in the real world and the other vamps here are just hiding out from working with you in your resistance,” he informs us.

“Who else is here?” Sebastian asks.

“Cleo and Maria. They said they have been hiding out from Collective assassins for a while now. Obviously, the Collective's assassin extraordinaire here was never put on their cases.”

“I retired a month ago for personal reasons,” I say not planning on going into any of the details.

“I didn't know when, but I kind of figured that part out. You two would make very strange bedfellows otherwise. Talk about sleeping with the enemy.”

“Have you seen any other resistance associated vampires come through the town? There are quite a few that we haven’t been able to find and as you can imagine, even if they were killed, bodies don’t always turn up,” Sebastian states.

“Sure, in just the year I have been here there have been a handful of your little soldiers. Brady, Nate, Catherine, and Jonathan have all been seen slumming it through town. From what I gathered during their visits, they just needed a place to lie low while some heat cooled down.”

“Do you know how long ago Nate, in particular, came through? We heard rumors six months ago that a Collective agent got to him.”

“Nah. Couldn’t have. He was here for a couple of days about two months ago. The wolves tend to hunker down around here, but I am the only vampire that has stayed a whole year. The food supply is limited and the company isn’t usually worth a shit.”

“Can we get on to the reason for our visit? I can assure you Dante, or Roger, whatever your name is, that we didn't drop by to socialize,” I say trying to move things along. Even though the guy has been providing some good information for Sebby, I don’t like him and I want to get away from him as quickly as possible.

“My apologies. It has just been a while since I have seen anyone I know and you haven't even given me a chance to try to rile Marcus,” he says giving me a wink. “Now why don't you guys come in so we can discuss what has brought you to my door this day.”

He moves out of the way and we all scuttle in. The layout and furniture is the same as Debra's, so nothing really new to report. He indicates we should sit on the couch and we follow the suggestion with me being flanked by Sebastian and Marcus.

“I will get to the point, now that playtime is over. We were told you would be the person to see in town if we wanted to identify where a certain scent may have originated.”

“I do keep my nose open. Things get rather tedious around here, so I write down different things I notice about the wolves around town. Let me get my book and we can look and see what I have on the subject.” He moves into the bedroom area and comes back quickly with a large black book. “So, what are we looking for?”

“Cloves. We are investigating the skinning of three wolves in town and two of the victims have smelled like cloves.”

“I don't even need my book for that one. The only person I have smelled with that scent is this uppity blonde bitch. I don't know her name, nor do I want to. She thinks she is something real special and parades around the town in next to nothing,” he says in disgust.

“Do you know if she hangs out with the sheriff, by any chance?” I ask wanting to solidify that connection.

“Oh yeah. If she could glue herself to the man, I am pretty sure she would. Sheriff ain't like that, though, and really likes to keep his options open.”

“So we have heard. Do you happen to know where this 'blonde bitch', as you put it, lives?” I ask.

“Sure. She has a house close to the center of town. Maybe a block or two west from the main strip. I am almost positive it is the only house in town with them purple and yellow flowers. I think she has the sheriff get them special for her each year.”

“You're sure there aren't any other houses in town with the flowers?” I ask wanting to verify before I go charging in.

“I am pretty certain. I walk around a lot and other people have flowers, but they are usually red or pink. She is the only one that has those purple ones. I want to say they are a kind of hydrangea.”

“Great. Thanks, you have been a big help. I hate to end our visit so quickly, but we need to leave. Now,” I say standing, trying to drag Sebastian with me.

“Do you mind if I come along? It sounds like something interesting is going to happen and I have been so bored lately.”

“Keep up,” I say wishing I had put my holster back on after the road trip. I settle on grabbing one of my thigh knives and start running. I have a feeling I know how that glamour potion is being used and it ain't pretty.

Chapter 21

Let the killing finally commence

At full speed, I make it back to Debra's house within a minute. The lights are out, so I am not too hopeful Debra is home. Not worrying about knocking, I barge in. The clove scent is still strong so I follow it into the bedroom.

Reaching around on the wall, I try to feel for a light switch and finally find one. Flipping it up, I am face-to-face with an empty bed.

“Crap. We had her earlier. She has probably found a new wolf to take. The questions are who and where they are now,” I say rubbing my hand across my face.

“She seems to be obsessed with a certain individual. Maybe he will have an idea where to find her,” Sebastian suggests. Thank goodness, the other half of my brain is working tonight.

“Dante slash Roger, do you know where the sheriff lives? We can check the jail first, but we might have to go looking for him.” The fact that he could be in about twenty homes boinking whichever female caught his eye tonight, is something I am not even going to think about right now.

“You can just call me Dante, and yes, I know where the sheriff lives. It is actually closer, since it is right next door and the lights were on when we came in here.”

“Which side?” I ask needing to know before I break into the wrong house.

“It is the one on the left when you exit this one,” he says to my back as I am off and running again.

I pound on the sheriff's door and wait. I hear something fall inside, seems like only voices don't carry out, and I hope that means he is on his way. After another thirty seconds with no answer, I have had enough and wave Sebastian forward in hopes he will break down the door.

“Did you even try the knob?” he asks reaching for it. Well, no, I didn't. It isn't anywhere near dramatic enough for the moment. Why does he have to be logical at a time like this?

The knob turns easily in his hands and he swings the door open. I can hear three beings breathing inside. Two are somewhat muffled and the third seems agitated. I don't think we are going to have very far to look for Debra.

Like the two other houses in town that I have been in, there is the open area and a single room. Sadly, the door to that room is currently closed, so I cannot see the action.

“Debra, I am guessing that is you in there and I really hope the glamour has worn off because seeing you in a literal meat suit, up and walking around, has zero appeal to me right now,” I announce from just inside the door. I move to the side a bit, so I am not lined up with the closed door in case she decides to start shooting or something.

“Figured it out already, have you? I knew you were going to be trouble the minute Kent brought you over earlier. In case no one has told you, there is something seriously off about you.”

“Story of my life. Do you mind telling me who the third person in the room with you is? I assume the sheriff is with you, probably gagged.”

“Oh yes, Kent is with me. Did you know he hasn't spent the night here since I was found and Sheila went missing? He has spent all his free time trying to figure out who the big bad mutilator was. Long nights combing the streets, all four whole streets. Then he would usually fall asleep at his desk.” She seems to have a nice speech planned out, so I am fine letting her just talk. It gives me time to come up with a plan. So far, with the house this tiny and, if memory serves me, no other access points to the room, it looks like the door in front of me is the only option. Would it have killed the “town” to have put bedroom windows in?

“Can you imagine how surprised he would have been if he came home to find his precious Sheila lying in his bed? I am sure he would be horrified because she is not a pretty sight to see at the moment. The pain she is in must be horrible. She has been stuck here with only me knowing of her location, so her pain medication hasn’t been delivered in a timely fashion.”

“Yes, we all understand what a sick person you are. How about you just turn yourself over now,” I suggest.

She laughs, just proving further to my mind that she has lost all touch with reality. I thought my request was totally reasonable. “I see no grounds to do that. I have two hostages in here with me.”

“You would have a point, if I was a regular person, but I didn't become an expert assassin by giving two rat farts about hostages. I will ask again, won't you come out here and turn yourself over, so I can get on with my day?”

“Let me think about it. I am going to have to stick with no,” she insists.

I put my knife away; it isn't going to help me against the closed door. I know Sebastian doesn't carry a gun, so I look to Marcus. He smiles and nods then reaches behind his back to reveal a beautiful Ruger revolver.

I need to have a few questions answered before I use it, though. I use my hand to make a small circle and then a large one, wanting to know the size of hole I can expect it to make. There is no telling what my guards pack in their ammunition.

He holds his hands far and wide to let me know this would do some major redecorating. Perfect. That is just what I was looking for.

Next question. I pinch myself on the top of my hand and for the opposite I close my eyes and drop my head to the side. I stick my tongue out just a little for an extra effect.

When I open my eyes, he is pinching his hand. Good. The bullet will make a big hole, but isn't packing any silver that would kill anyone in the room.

“Last chance, Debra,” I yell towards the door while I take my stance.

“You are going to have to come and get me, crazy bitch,” she hollers back.

“On my way,” I say pulling the trigger. Just before the bullet hits the door, pieces come flying off it widening the hole. I can see enough daylight through it to see Debra's clothed torso, which for now at least doesn’t look like hamburger, so I fire another shot towards her gut. I don't want to chance hitting the heart. The bullet may disintegrate it before I am done with her.

“You shot me,” she screams from the other room. I can no longer see her, so I would venture a guess she fell to the floor.

I smile and hand the gun back over to Marcus. “Thanks,” I tell him taking my knife back out and marching towards the door.

“Do you guys always just kind of stand back and let her run things?” Dante asks.

“She is the P.I. and this is her case. I blocked her from meeting you earlier without a shield, but that was a rare moment. Nyx knows how to take care of herself,” Sebastian explains.

“Must drive you crazy.”

“You have no idea.”

Yeah, yeah, whatever. I kick in the already mostly destroyed door to enter the bedroom. Debra is down on the ground, like I expected, whining. Kent is tied to a chair and gagged. I might just keep him like that for a while. It may teach him that he needs to learn to control his boy parts.

Looking to the bed last, I see another grotesque body and I really wish I could not tell that it was breathing. Sheila looks just like Betty of the freezer did.

I lean over Debra and smack her face for fun. Hey, I am a woman and it is my prerogative. “Do you still have her skin?” I ask hoping as horrifying as it would be that she says yes.

“In my freezer,” she whimpers. Good. It should be well preserved. Why she would keep it, I really don’t want to know.

“Why did you take her and then pretend you were the next victim?” I could just kill her already, but I am inquisitive by nature.

“Kent. She wasn't going to give up like Betty. She was fighting to live. He was spending so much time with her. He still made his rounds, but it was clear he was starting to change just a bit. He didn’t flirt as much and seemed more reluctant to partake in the activity he loves most in life. I was getting rid of the competition, not paving their way into his heart. I figured since it was working for her, I would get rid of her and take her place.”

I look over to Kent to make sure he is getting all this. His eyes are closed and he looks to be in physical pain. I still don't feel sorry for him. The only victims here are Betty and Sheila.

“I hope it was worth it. You tortured two women causing one of them to die. To me that warrants a death sentence. It has been a while for me and I am not a member of the Collective's team anymore, so I don't have a special script, but here goes nothing.

“Debra I don't have a fucking clue what your last name is, I have convicted you of killing another being without provocation and I am here to serve as your executioner. In the name of my sanity and that of the other inhabitants of your little backward town, I remove you from this world to make it a better place for others.”

I shove her so she is lying flat on her back. With the pain in her gut she doesn’t give much fight, she must have a weak wolf. I take my knife, which is silver, and place it just a bit above her breasts. I slam it down into her chest causing her to convulse. Not done, I drag it down effectively cutting her heart in half.