After the Fall: A Vampire Chronicle (Book One) (12 page)

             
“Go to him and his mentor, go to the girl, and convince them to let you join them.”

             
“How will I do that?” she asked incredulously. What he was asking sounded impossible. He turned his gaze on her and grinned, the smile of a dangerous, feral animal.

             
“Be cunning, my Angel,” he said, stepping closer, reaching out and running a cold finger down her equally cold cheek.

             
“Convince them that your family was also attacked by vampires. That’s how the girl got in. If she can do it, so can you. Be creative.”

             
She was still listening, although all she could think of was his touch, of his hand on her face, in her hair, on her body.

             
“You must be my eyes and ears, my Angel. Join them, and they will trust you. Use that trust to find out all you can, and then report back to me. Help me bring down the hunter, my Angel, and your reward will be great.”

             
He stared into her eyes, and she thought she might drown in the blackness of his own.

             
“Help me bring down the hunter, my Angel, and I will make you my Queen.”

Chapter Ten

Caroline was sitting in the lobby of the police station. She had been there for an hour, waiting to see either of the detectives on her case. She had initially met with them shortly after being released from the hospital following that night…the night that had changed everything. And while they both seemed more than competent, she had quickly realized upon meeting Chris and Lorenzo that they were way over their heads. How were the police supposed to catch a killer that according to society didn’t even exist? Caroline was pretty sure “Master Vampire” had never made it onto the FBI’s 10 most wanted list.

She had left a message at the front desk that she was “inquiring about anything new in the case,” but she knew they wouldn’t have anything. This was way beyond their league. She just didn’t want them getting suspicious of the fact that she wasn’t interested – if this was a normal case, she’d be at the station, hounding the detectives to find her family’s killers.
Hence, waiting in the lobby, playing the part.

Chris had offered to come with her, but it was the middle of the day and as much as she enjoyed his company, she wanted to be alone. She used to do things by herself all the time – go to the park, go to the movies. She had enjoyed being alone. If only she had known…

So now she was waiting. She didn’t mind the wait. She needed to clear her head of vampires and killers and death. She leaned back in the plastic, hardback chair and closed her eyes. In her mind, she could see her mother in the kitchen, grading papers, her sisters playing video games in the bedroom, her father parked in front of the television, watching the Yankees play. Just as they had been last time she saw them. Her father was always promising to take her to Yankee Stadium to see the team up close and personal. He knew she had a huge crush on Derek Jeter. Maybe they would go next spring, after the family came back from that trip out west that they had been planning for years. Katie and Lauren would bicker constantly, and Mom would ask her how school was going and why she didn’t call more, but it would be fun. They always had fun together. She knew it wasn’t real, that these things would never happen. But sometimes just picturing her family in her head made it feel like they were still here, like she wasn’t quite so alone.

Caroline opened her eyes, brought back to reality by the realization that a commotion was occurring in the lobby. Cops were running by, out to the garage, and two of them were her detectives.
             

“I’ll meet you downtown,” one called to the other, before they disappeared through different doors. Caroline watched them leave. The killers had struck again. That was the only explanation for them leaving in such a rush. They were the detectives covering the vampire killings, all of them, though they didn’t know it. That meant her family’s killers had struck again. Fear stabbed at her heart, but she forced herself to shake it off. Running outside, watching several police cruisers squealing down the street, sirens blaring, she grabbed her cell phone from her purse and dialed the number of the hotel. She heard the other end ringing.

              “Come on, dammit, pick up,” she muttered under her breath, sighing in relief when she heard the connection being made.

             
“Lorenzo, it’s Caroline. I’m at the police station, but you and Chris have to meet me right away… There’s been another murder.”

              Caroline stood with Chris across the street from the building where the murder had occurred and watched Lorenzo approach. Caroline was trying very hard to detach herself from the situation, but it must not have been working very well because Chris kept asking her if she was okay.

             
“I’m fine,” she snapped for the twelfth time. She was about ready to hit him.

             
“Well?” he asked as Lorenzo finally reached them, but the grim set of the old priest’s mouth told them what they needed to know. He told them anyway.

             
“From what I could overhear, which wasn’t much…it was another vampire attack.”

             
“Dammit,” Christian cursed.

             
“Christian,” Lorenzo warned.

             
“I’m sorry, Lorenzo, but how many more people have to die before the Master Vampire is defeated?” His voice was full of anger, but both Lorenzo and Caroline knew it was anger directed solely at himself.

             
“Christian, you have killed how many vampires in the past two weeks? Eight? Nine? Believe me, you are saving lives. And the people who die will get their revenge on their killers because the pattern of their deaths will lead you to the culprits, and you will destroy them all.”

              Angel had a plan. It was a really good plan, too. She was proud of it. The only problem was, she needed Anya and Gideon in order for it to work. As much as they hated her, she hated them even more. But this was for the Master. She could work with the two freaks if it was for him. And it would work. It just had to. There was no other way.

              They were back in the hotel. Lorenzo was in his bedroom, going through his books again. Caroline was going through her pile of books in the sitting room. Christian was getting ready to go out. It was getting late.

             
“I know you hate when I ask you this,” he asked, plopping down on the couch next to where she was curled up, “but are you okay? I mean, I know it was hard for you to be there today. It’s so soon. It’s not good.”

             
Caroline sighed. She knew he was being overprotective because he cared, but she didn’t know what he wanted her to say.

             
“Chris,” she said, putting a hand on his leg. “I’m fine. I mean, this is my life now, right? I have to learn to deal with it.”

             
“Yeah, but you can talk to me about it,” he insisted. Sometimes she worried him. In the few weeks she had been with him and Lorenzo, Christian had learned that there were times when Caroline never shut up, but there were some things she never talked about, and her feelings was one of those things. He didn’t think that could be healthy. How could someone just keep those kinds of things inside forever? All he could do was keep trying. Until she opened up, or until she killed him.

             
“I could,” she agreed, smiling, “or, I know, you could go out and do your job.”

             
He frowned, but got up.

             
“Don’t think I’m giving up,” he warned. “I’ll be back later.”

             
“Okay,” she answered softly, not looking up. She didn’t say it, but she knew that he wouldn’t necessarily be back later. She hated that. But she never said it, because then maybe the issue would disappear and he really would be back.

             
He wanted to stay with her and hug her and let her cry on his shoulder. She never cried. But he had to go out. He had his job. People’s lives were at stake. And so he left. Alone in the room, Caroline allowed a single tear to slip down her cheek before she wiped it away, and returned to her book.

              Angel watched from the shadows as the Hunter left the building and walked down the street.

             
“Okay, he’s leaving,” she said to the three figures standing with her.

             
“So, what’s this grand plan of yours?” Anya asked, sounding extremely bored.

             
“The three of you are going to attack me,” she began.

             
“Oh, fun,” Gideon said slyly, his eyes lighting up.

             
“Would you let me finish?” Angel asked crossly. God, he was a pain in the neck, in more ways than one, she supposed. She turned to the third figure.

             
“Excuse me, but what’s your name again?”

             
“His name is Todd. We grew up together,” Gideon told her.

             
“Great,” Angel said unenthusiastically. The third vampire looked like he had been a total meathead in high school. Probably dumb as a post, too. She just hoped he got the job done right.

             
“Okay, we’re going to follow the Hunter, and we’ll set it up so he finds you guys attacking me. And then you’ll let him save me. That way, he’ll take me in, at least for a little while, and I can find out what the Master needs to know. Does everyone understand?”

             
Her three companions nodded. Angel smiled coldly.

             
“Good. Let’s go.”

              It was a quiet night. Christian walked the streets, trying to focus on the shadows and anything that might be out of the ordinary, but his mind kept drifting to Caroline. She was shutting herself off from everyone and everything, including him. He could feel it. He knew that every time he left to patrol, Caroline worried he wouldn’t come back. She never said it, but he could see it in her eyes, and the way she refused to say good-bye to him when he left.

             
There was nothing he could do, though. This was his job. It was his calling. It was so frustrating. Yet another reason why his life didn’t really allow for having friends. But it felt good to have a friend, to have Caroline as a friend. Maybe he should try to spend more time with her outside of looking for the Master. It was important to find him, but he could spare an hour or two to take her to a movie or something, right? She had mentioned she liked going to the movies.

             
He was contemplating picking up a
Daily News
to see what movies were playing when he heard someone screaming. He stopped in his tracks. Maybe he was hearing things. But no, there it was again. It sounded like it was coming from the parking garage underneath the next building. Christian didn’t even think, sprinting towards the screams. He didn’t know why the woman was screaming, but whatever it was, he could help.

             
She was backed up against the far wall, crouched in a ball on the ground, surrounded by three figures. Christian approached them, saying nothing, but walking loudly. All three figures turned and the closest one, a pale, blond young man, sneered at him, his oversized canines glinting in the harsh fluorescent light of the garage.

             
“Can I help you?” he asked, his voice icy cold. His female companion started giggling, reminding Christian of a hyena, as if the male vampire had just said something insanely funny.

             
“Yeah, actually, you can,” Christian said. “I’m looking to kick some ass and well, here you are. What do you say? Can you help me out?”

             
The lead male snarled and lunged for Christian, who hit him once, twice, before taking a blow to the gut. The second male was upon him, kicking him in the side. Christian whirled and landed a blow to the vampire’s face, his stomach, his face again. The vampire crumpled to the ground, a bewildered look on his face as he and Christian noticed at the same time that the other two vampires had disappeared into the night. Christian didn’t care. He pulled out a stake, and buried it in the vampire’s heart. He disappeared in a burst of dust.
Ashes to ashes,
Christian thought, as he always did when that happened.

             
Christian turned to find that the girl who had been attacked was standing up. She was sickly looking – thin as a rail, her strange red hair hanging in strings in her face.

             
“Are you okay?” he asked. She had a dazed look on her face. She was probably in shock. He couldn’t blame her.

             
“What just happened?” she asked incredulously, her eyes finally focusing on Christian’s face.