"I have ID,” he stammered, scared
out of his wits. One hand was raised in the air while the other
was
still in his back pocket. “We are a legal brood.” He carefully pulled the identification card from his pocket and held it in his palm.
Snatching the card from him and returning to my position faster than he could follow, I kept the weapon aimed at his head. Scanning over the card, my eyes grew wide. I tossed the card back to the young Vampire and grabbed my walkie-talkie. I keyed the radio. “Abort! Abort!" The crack of a P90 startled me. My gaze came up to see the young Vampire crumble to the ground in a pool of his own blood. Snapping around, I came face to face with Patrick. His blood was splattered with the ruby red life of his enemy.
"Call off your men,” I ordered. “This nest is legal." "Stake that Vampire.” Patrick tossed a stake to one of his men. The Cleaner dropped down and slammed the wooden stake cleanly into the heart of the Vampire and stepped back. Shooting straight up with a horrible shriek, the Vampire's hands wrapped instinctively around the stake as his eyes shifted from black to blood red. Gagging and gasping, the Vampire vomited blood and finally fell back to the floor dead. Patrick snorted and started to walk past me. This wasn't the Patrick I knew. Grabbing his arm, I yanked him back to face me. The snap-click of multiple P90s told me the remaining four members of his squad had their weapons drawn on me. I was overmatched. I slowly let go of Patrick. “They were legal,” I said again. Patrick said as he motioned for his men to lower their weapons, “Job's done.” He turned and started out of the nest followed by his men. Spinning on his heels as he reached the sidewalk, a large grin grew across his face. “Oh, and, Rose?"
I snapped the safety on my Beretta and slid it back into its holster. “What?” I couldn't help but sound hostile.
He pointed past me into the house. “We found your puppy." A knot welled up in my throat. Spinning on the balls of my feet I charged back into the nest. Skittering over a multitude of dead bodies I searched from room to room. Charging up the stairs in no more than three steps, I skidded to a stop on the second floor. Amidst a pile of dead Vampires I saw a bloody patch of gray fur.
I wanted to fall to my knees.
I involuntarily drew a breath, a reflex reaction. The pungent odor of death hit my senses like a slap, but there was something more, something akin to the deep woods. It was weak, but very distinctive. It struck me at once.
Stuffing my hand into my pockets, I searched for my phone. I started to panic then I realized where I left it. Vaulting over the railing, I hit the floor running. I was out the front door and across the street, my feet barely touching the ground. Snatching my coat from behind the bush, I ripped open the pocket and grabbed my cell.
still in his back pocket. “We are a legal brood.” He carefully pulled the identification card from his pocket and held it in his palm.
Snatching the card from him and returning to my position faster than he could follow, I kept the weapon aimed at his head. Scanning over the card, my eyes grew wide. I tossed the card back to the young Vampire and grabbed my walkie-talkie. I keyed the radio. “Abort! Abort!" The crack of a P90 startled me. My gaze came up to see the young Vampire crumble to the ground in a pool of his own blood. Snapping around, I came face to face with Patrick. His blood was splattered with the ruby red life of his enemy.
"Call off your men,” I ordered. “This nest is legal." "Stake that Vampire.” Patrick tossed a stake to one of his men. The Cleaner dropped down and slammed the wooden stake cleanly into the heart of the Vampire and stepped back. Shooting straight up with a horrible shriek, the Vampire's hands wrapped instinctively around the stake as his eyes shifted from black to blood red. Gagging and gasping, the Vampire vomited blood and finally fell back to the floor dead. Patrick snorted and started to walk past me. This wasn't the Patrick I knew. Grabbing his arm, I yanked him back to face me. The snap-click of multiple P90s told me the remaining four members of his squad had their weapons drawn on me. I was overmatched. I slowly let go of Patrick. “They were legal,” I said again. Patrick said as he motioned for his men to lower their weapons, “Job's done.” He turned and started out of the nest followed by his men. Spinning on his heels as he reached the sidewalk, a large grin grew across his face. “Oh, and, Rose?"
I snapped the safety on my Beretta and slid it back into its holster. “What?” I couldn't help but sound hostile.
He pointed past me into the house. “We found your puppy." A knot welled up in my throat. Spinning on the balls of my feet I charged back into the nest. Skittering over a multitude of dead bodies I searched from room to room. Charging up the stairs in no more than three steps, I skidded to a stop on the second floor. Amidst a pile of dead Vampires I saw a bloody patch of gray fur.
I wanted to fall to my knees.
I involuntarily drew a breath, a reflex reaction. The pungent odor of death hit my senses like a slap, but there was something more, something akin to the deep woods. It was weak, but very distinctive. It struck me at once.
Stuffing my hand into my pockets, I searched for my phone. I started to panic then I realized where I left it. Vaulting over the railing, I hit the floor running. I was out the front door and across the street, my feet barely touching the ground. Snatching my coat from behind the bush, I ripped open the pocket and grabbed my cell.