Vampires 101 (Twilight Hunters Book 1) A Vampire Romance (14 page)

Picking up the pepper spray, I read the instructions for about the fourth time. I wanted to go back to the tunnels and look for Shadow, but that can of pepper spray just seemed so insignificant. No way was it going to be much use against that thing I saw last night. If there were really zombies, I seriously doubted they’d be too intimidated by pepper spray.

So what was I going to do for two days?

I couldn’t just forget that Shadow could still be in the tunnels. And with each passing hour, I was becoming more convinced that she was, and that she might actually be in danger. It was strange to think of a vampire being in danger, but it was possible. Vampires were not completely immune to death.

My thoughts were interrupted when Jingle Bells jingled from my phone. The sound was way too cheery for my current mood.

“Hello,” I said into the phone.

“Is this Cassie Jordan?” A nasally female voice asked.

“It is.” There was something in the woman’s voice that put me on edge. The gloom I’d been feeling all day suddenly turned into downright dread.

“This is Nancy Masterson from Pine View Regional Hospital. I have you down as an emergency contact for Mr. Edward Jordan.”

As soon as she said my father’s name, I felt the ground sway beneath my feet. “Oh God! Is my dad ok?”

“He was admitted to the emergency room about half an hour ago Miss Jordan. You will probably want to come down here.”

I didn’t miss the fact that she hadn’t told me he was ok. “Thanks,” I muttered before flipping my phone closed.

Frantic with worry, I ran for my car, almost forgetting to lock the door behind me. I’d never really considered myself to be an extremely sensitive person, yet the thought of losing Dad could instantly reduce me to a sniveling mess.

Nothing could have prepared me for the shock I felt when I walked into the ICU and saw my father’s motionless body. The steady blip of the heart monitor should have been comforting, but it almost felt ominous. It was as if what happened to my father was some kind of warning that I should not tread into the unknown. The unbidden thought popped into my head and now I couldn’t banish it.

It was heartbreaking to see my father looking so vulnerable. He’d been a rock throughout my entire life, but the man lying in that hospital bed looked nothing like my dad.

As soon as I’d arrived at the hospital, the doctor had filled me in on Dad’s condition. He’d had a heart attack, just before leaving work for the day. If it was possible to be grateful for anything concerning the situation, I was grateful that it happened at work, and not after he got home. If it had happened after he was home, he would have been completely alone. There was no telling how long it would have taken for someone to find him.

Along with fear and grief, I also felt shame. Like so many people, I’d gotten so caught up in dealing with my own life, that I tended to forget about Dad. Not that I didn’t visit him, but probably not as much as I should. I vowed that if he pulled through this, I would definitely be seeing him more often.

His status wasn’t good. The doctor had informed me that he was in critical condition. They were hoping that he’d stabilize, but even if he did, he would need bypass surgery. The guys from the station had been dropping by throughout the day, but now that it was getting late, I sat alone in Dad’s room. At least I thought I was alone.

“He’ll be ok.”

I looked up to see Chaz sitting on the opposite side of the bed, occupying the only other chair in the room. Like most ICU rooms, this one was constructed of walls of glass, so that the nurses could easily look up from the main nurse’s station to view the patients. There would be no getting away with talking to ghosts right now. I did the only thing I could think to do. I took out my phone and pretended to make a call.

“How can you be so sure?” I asked, hoping he would have some insight on the subject.

“That reaper over there. Chaz motioned to the room next to us. “ He hasn’t been paying him any attention at all.”

I’d been so caught up in my own worry, that I hadn’t noticed any of the other patients in the ICU, so I didn’t have a clue who was in the next room. Looking over my shoulder, I saw several people standing around the patient’s bed. There were so many people, that I couldn’t actually see the patient.

Standing apart from the others, was a man who almost looked dead himself. He appeared ancient. The man was so pale and thin, that I could not help but wonder how he managed to walk without help. He seemed out of place in the immaculate, black business suit he was wearing. My first thought was that he was some kind of undertaker, and he was just waiting for the patient to pass so that he could get his job done.

How morbid was that?

“I don’t see a reaper,” I said, turning back to Chaz.

Ok, I admit. I might have been having an airhead moment, but I was looking for some bony guy in a black - hooded robe. I figured he’d be hard to miss with the scythe he’d be holding.

“Are you blind or what?” Chaz shook his head in disbelief. “It’s that guy in black … right there,” he pointed.

I drew my brows together. “You mean that undertaker - looking guy?”

“Now you get it.”

“Well he doesn’t look anything like the Angel of Death,” I protested, sure that Chaz was just messing with my head.

“He’s not the Angel of Death, he’s a reaper. There is only one angel of death, but there are tons of reapers,” he explained.

“Ok … so the other people in the room can’t see him?” I figured the answer was obvious, but I asked anyway.

“Sure they can. Just like I can. They are dead,” Chaz snickered.

I wasn’t exactly sure I liked this new development. Now I could see reapers, along with dead people.

“So now do you understand why I think your dad is going to be fine? If your dad was on his last leg, not only would that reaper be popping back and forth between rooms, but you’d be seeing a lot of dead relatives in here.”

Chaz seemed to lose interest in the conversation as he concentrated on leaning the chair back on two legs.

“Will you stop that? Some nurse is going to come in here and you’ll scare her half to death. You already have Riley asking questions.”

“Oh your cop friend?” Chaz gave me a half smile. “That was fun. I like messing with skeptics.”

I tossed him a look of disapproval. “So why can I see reapers?”

Chaz shrugged. “I don’t know why.”

“So why isn’t he coming for you then?” I found that small fact a little confusing. If he was a reaper, he should be able to take Chaz to the other side.

Guessing my train of thought, Chaz shook his head. “They don’t take you into the light, they only help your soul separate from your body.”

My thoughts were in a whirl. It was possible that I’d always been able to see reapers, but just didn’t know that’s what I was seeing. He did look weird, but probably not someone I’d pay a lot of attention to under normal circumstances.

Suddenly I felt so utterly exhausted, all I wanted was to crawl into bed and cover my head with blankets. That’s what I did as a child when I wanted to keep away the monsters. The reality I’d known my entire life had been shattered. I was seeing beyond the veil of death, and that didn’t feel natural to me. Something didn’t seem right. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was something that just didn’t fit.

Maybe I really was insane.

* * *

I stood in my kitchen, turning the gun over in my hand. Though I tried my hardest, I couldn’t help but stare at it as if it were a snake ready to strike out at me. Riley had helped me pick it out, or should I say, he picked it out for me. He thought that a 38 special - snub-nosed revolver would be the perfect weapon for me. It was lightweight and easy to carry, but still powerful enough to put down an attacker.

It had been two days now, and still I hadn’t heard anything from Shadow. I was really starting to get worried. Damian also seemed to be missing in action. I kept telling myself that he was laid up somewhere, letting his wounds heal. But in my darker moods, I had doubts. Maybe he’d been hurt worse than he thought, or maybe he’d just given up on me. Both of these possibilities really sucked to think about.

Just as Chaz had predicted, Dad came through his surgery with flying colors, and was well on his way to mending. He turned ornery once he found out he was going to have to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks, but I’d pacified him with the promise of bringing him stuff from home.

I felt bad that I’d already had to renege on part of that promise. He’d wanted a hamburger and fries, but his doctor had overheard the request and stepped in. Those kinds of foods were a definite no no from now on. This only served to make Dad even more difficult.

“So are you going to stare at that thing all night, or are we going to go look for Shadow?” Chaz asked.

I’d almost forgotten that Chaz was hovering around, waiting for me to decide if tonight was the night we’d go back to the tunnels. “I’m surprised at you Chaz. I thought you didn’t like Shadow?”

“I don’t,” he frowned. “But I do kind of miss her snarky little remarks.”

I wasn’t so sure I did, though I had to admit that since Shadow had been gone, I felt as if something was missing - most likely that would be sarcasm. There was no doubt she was good at dishing that out.

Ok, so she wasn’t the best friend in the world to have, not even for a vampire, but she had been helpful.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” I asked him. “It could get a bit gnarly down there.”

“You are the one that needs to be sure. I think I’m about as dead as I can get.”

I smiled. “I’d race you to the car, but something tells me you’d win.”

“You think?” he said with a roll of his eyes. “ By the way, I thought you didn’t want the police to see your car?”

“I don’t, but walking home from the cemetery with just a ghost … isn’t really an option.” I shuddered, thinking of the last time I’d walked home from the cemetery.

“Just a ghost!”

“Seriously Chaz? If that thing comes after me, what can you do to help?”

He shrugged. “I guess I could make contact with a psychic and have them call the police. Hey … I haven’t messed with a psychic since I’ve been dead. I bet that would be a real trip.”

“So I could expect help in about a week?” I arched one brow.

“Ok,” he conceded. “Let’s take the car.”

It took all of five minutes to drive to Cemetery Road. I found a little pull off where the car would be partially concealed by trees. The idea of there being so much cover for someone to hide, didn’t really appeal to me, but neither did dealing with the cops.

Getting out of the car, I turned to Chaz. “Do you think you can scout the area and make sure there isn’t anyone around … especially zombies,” I added, thinking of Killer Tom.

“You’re kidding? You don’t actually think zombies are real do you?” he laughed.

“Hey … a girl can’t be too careful you know.” I threw him a scathing look. I really hated it when people mocked my very unreasonable and irrational fears.

Chaz disappeared, and being the cautious kind of person, or just plain chicken, I waited by the car. My hand strayed to the gun I had slipped into the waistband of my jeans. The feel of the hard steel was reassuring.

A few minutes later, Chaz reappeared. “Coast looks clear,” he told me. “Well all except for that flesh eating dead guy, headed this way through the trees.”

“That’s not funny!” I glared at him.

“I thought it was,” he shrugged.

Before stepping out from behind the trees, I scanned the road in both directions. I was looking for anything - dead or living. Chaz was right; everything looked clear.

As quietly as possible, I stepped out to the road and headed in the direction of the tomb. I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d get that heavy door open without Shadow, but I’d have to find a way. For a brief moment, I felt some regret that I hadn’t told Riley everything. At least then I might have been able to talk him into coming with me and opening the door.

Who was I kidding?

He was a cop through and through. The first thing he would have done was report the possibility of human remains in the tunnels. You just couldn’t trust anyone these days.

“So what’s the plan again?” Chaz asked.

“There is no plan. I’m just going to check those tunnels for Shadow and any evidence of Killer Tom. Then I’m getting the hell out of there and turning it over to the cops.”

“Well I guess that’s better than no plan at all,” Chaz mumbled. He’d fallen into step beside me. I liked it better when he was walking rather than floating. Floating was a little creepy. It was then that I realized that I could actually hear his footsteps - except that ghosts didn’t make noise when they walked.

“Wait a minute,” I whispered.

We both came to as stop. For several seconds I listened, but didn’t hear the footsteps.

Oh well, you learn something new everyday. I guess ghosts did make noise when they walked.