Vampires 101 (Twilight Hunters Book 1) A Vampire Romance (22 page)

Deflated by this new realization, I continued telling him what happened, but I left out the more intimate details, including my spat with Damian. Even if it had been appropriate to talk about, I wouldn’t have done so. I was still too humiliated and hurt, though it did help a little to know that Damian hadn’t just left when I was out cold on the floor.

“I went to sleep and woke up in my own bed when you called,” I finished, a deep sigh escaping my lips.

It was evident by the look on Riley’s face that he wasn’t taking any of this lightly. “I was afraid this might happen when they realized you might not go along with their plan.”

I lifted my hands in a gesture of helplessness. “I don’t know what to do. There’s no way to protect myself from them. They can even pop in and out of locked rooms. If they wanted … they could take me out of my bed while I’m sleeping.”

“There is one way,” he sighed. “The Anunnaki have a severe allergy to garlic. You could keep that in your bedroom, though I doubt your boyfriend will like it much,” he added.

“Garlic,” I pulled a sour face. “You mean I’ll have to walk around smelling like a pizza?”

He shrugged. “It’s either that or hope your boyfriend can keep a rein on the rest of them, but I wouldn’t count on that.”

“But seriously … you are saying I will have to live the rest of my life smelling like garlic? I hate garlic. The stuff chokes me.”

“Really?” Riley arched one brow.

Whatever he was thinking, he kept it to himself. It didn’t matter, there was no way I was going around wearing a garlic necklace.

“There has to be another way,” I insisted. “They have to have other weaknesses, otherwise they would be dominating the entire universe.”

Riley leaned back in his chair. “You have to understand, they only do these things to those they consider to be lower life forms. They view humans as a sort of pet. As far as they are concerned, they are your creators,” he said, attempting to provide some clarity. “They don’t feel they need your permission to do what they want with you.

“Is that so?’ I felt my hackles rise.

“Would you ask a pet permission before taking him to a vet, or breeding him with a female of his species?” Riley pointed out.

I didn’t much care for the comparison that he used. “Are you trying to tell me that’s the way Damian thinks of me?” The thought sickened me.

Riley shook his head. “As much as I’d like to say yes … I doubt it. He wouldn’t have helped you get away if he did. I don’t think all Anunnaki look at humans in this way, but the majority probably do.”

“So what are you saying?” My impatience was getting the best of me. I really wanted to hear if there was an alternative to garlic.

“If you joined us … they would be forced to look at you as something more.”

“Us? Who exactly is that?” I’d heard him talk about some organization he was part of, but he’d never really explained it.

“We are the Hunters, an elite team of soldiers from a variety of species. It is basically our job to police the universe. But it’s not easy to be one of us.”

Ok then.

I suddenly felt as if I’d just stepped onto the set of a science fiction movie. “So if I wanted to be a Hunter, how would I go about doing it?”

“First you would have to show that you have abilities that can be useful. Just being able to see ghosts isn’t going to cut it. As you said … psychics can do that.”

I shrugged. “As far as I know that’s all I can do.”

Riley shook his head. “There has to be more to it … otherwise you wouldn’t be so important to them.”

“So how do we figure that out?”

“You could go under hypnosis. Didn’t you say that Sean Taft was into the alien abduction phenomena? He probably does regressive hypnosis. If you can get beyond the memory blocks they have on you, it’s possible you might remember overhearing something. Maybe Prince Charming told you something that you can’t remember,” he added with a note of disdain.

Though I was annoyed with him for his sarcasm concerning Damian, he was still right. I had no doubt they’d been implanting false memories in my head for a long time. Damian had admitted as much.

“Ok. I’ll call him and ask if he’ll help us.”

* * *

I was a mass of nerves, and it was only noon. Sean Taft had agreed to put me under hypnosis, but he wouldn’t be over until after seven. Riley had left to take care of some police business, so I was left with only myself for company, which I wasn’t really enjoying at the moment.

After cleaning my apartment and throwing a load of laundry in my little portable washer, I was left with nothing to do but tap my fingers against the kitchen table. I’d already eaten almost the entire pizza Riley had dropped off for me. He thought I hadn’t been eating enough lately, and he was probably right. But when I did eat, I really pigged out.

Well I hadn’t checked the mail for the last week and a half. The mailman was probably cursing me because there was likely no more room in the little box where he stuffed my mail.

Since checking the mail was better than doing nothing, I slipped on a pair of flip-flops and headed for the mailboxes. To my surprise, ghost boy was sitting on the stairs leading to the bottom floor. I hadn’t seen him in weeks, mostly because he usually wasn’t there, except for late at night.

After carefully stepping around him, I looked back and smiled. “How’s it going?”

Johnny smiled in return, but said nothing. My heart twisted painfully. He looked so lost that I just wished I could do something to help him.

After reaching the first floor, I went through the double glass doors and down the little sidewalk that led to my building’s mailboxes. Pulling the tiny bronze key from my pocket, I opened my box. A horde of envelopes and junk mail came gushing out at me, much of it ending up on the ground at my feet.

Given that I found junk mail to be an irritating nuisance, I was half tempted to leave it where it landed, but that would have been too rude to the apartment manager. Besides, with my address on all the fliers that hit the ground, the manager wouldn’t have too much difficulty finding the littering culprit.

Partly out of a sense of duty, but mostly to keep from getting a lease violation, I bent over to pick up all the junk mail that had fallen out of my mailbox. Right away I noticed a little pink envelope mixed in with the fliers that were advertising car sales events and milk on sale at half price.

Curious, I scooped up the mail and pulled out what little remained in the box. After relocking the mailbox, I headed back to my apartment. Johnny was no longer on the stairs. Again I wondered what ghosts did with their time when they weren’t busy haunting people.

Considering that my arms were laden with a full week and half of mail, it was quite a chore to unlock my apartment door and get inside. I managed, though probably not so gracefully. Kicking the door shut behind me, I went into the kitchen and dumped the mail on my kitchen table.

My curiosity was getting the best of me, so I discarded all the junk mail, as well as a bill or two, and went right for the pink envelope.

I never got letters from anyone.

Turning the envelope over in my hand, I searched for a return address, but there was none.

After carefully opening the envelope, I pulled out a piece of paper that had been triple folded. As soon as I opened it and looked at the letter, I knew a woman had written it. The script was feminine and neat.

Hey girl

Sorry I disappeared on you like I did, but hey shit happens. I just wanted to let you know that I took care of your graveyard problem. But anyway, walking in the cemetery shouldn’t be a big deal anymore. I’ll bet you’re glad to hear that. Since you’re so into telling the police everything, tell them they’ll find the body in the bushes, near the statue of the Unknown Soldier. That thing tried to attack me, but I showed him he wasn’t dealing with some twit little girl. I always knew it wasn’t human; I just didn’t want to scare you with it.

Anyway, I found some people that say they can help me with my problem. Maybe I’ll see you again someday.

Shadow

I looked at the envelope again, this time searching for a postmark. It was sent from Italy, but I couldn’t make out the city. While it was a relief to know that Shadow was ok, and that the psychotic reptilian was no longer a threat, I still felt a vague sense of unease. Trying to ignore the feeling, I picked up my phone to call Riley. He’d be happy to find out that the cemetery killer was no longer a problem.

Everything seemed to be falling into place, but I couldn’t dispel the feeling that all wasn’t as it seemed.

* * *

Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on the sound of Sean’s soft - soothing voice. This was the easy part. The hard part was trying to slip into an altered state of consciousness without falling asleep.

“Go back as far as you can. Go back to the first time you remember seeing the shadows.”

Sean’s voice seemed to drift away as images started forming in my mind.

“Tell me what you see.” The hollow ghostly voice was floating somewhere in the back of my mind. It was there, but barely noticeable.

I was no longer just seeing pictures. It was like I was actually there - reliving it all for the first time.

I was a child of maybe three or four. The thick comforter surrounded me like a protective shield. I felt so warm and safe, but it was the last time that I would ever feel truly safe in my own bed.

Mommy is with me, and she’s beautiful. She looks so much different than she does in her pictures. Mommy’s thick black hair fell in waves to her waste, and her dark brown eyes are so warm - so loving.

Mommy is reading me a story. It’s Snow White. She knows it’s my favorite story so she reads it to me all the time. Tonight something is different. Mommy seems sad - nervous for some reason.

After closing the book, Mommy brushes a stray lock of hair away from my eyes and leans over to kiss my forehead. “No matter what happens Cassandra, you must remember how much I love you.”

“But Mommy … you didn’t finish reading the story.”

“It’s getting late baby. We’ll finish it later … I promise.”

Somewhere deep inside I know that there won’t be a later - I know Mommy will never finish the story.

“But Mommy … you won’t,” I sobbed.

A sad smile touched her lips. “Cassandra … you are a very special little girl. You have to be brave, no matter what happens.”

“Now Mommy’s gone and the lights are off. I know I’m supposed to be alone, but I can sense someone else in the room. There’s a full moon out and its light is coming in through my bedroom window. That’s how I can see the shadows moving around the bed.

Suddenly it’s no longer dark. The light is so bright that it’s hurting my eyes. Now I can see the shadows, but they’re not really shadows at all - they are little men, only a little bigger than me. They have gray skin and their heads are really big. Those heads almost look like an upside down teardrop.

I’m paralyzed, but not because they’ve done anything. I’m paralyzed with fear. Their eyes are huge and black - they are making me stare into them. Their telling me that I will be ok - that they won’t hurt me. But I’m still afraid and I’m screaming for Mommy.

One of them is telling me that my mommy is gone, but that they will be taking care of me.

I’m crying … I can’t stop crying because I want Mommy.

Now I’m somewhere else. I’m no longer in my room. I think they must be doctors because I’m on a table - like the kind in a hospital. They are giving me shots and checking my ears … and checking my throat.”

“What else do you see?” Sean’s voice came from someplace far away.

“I see the grays, but I also see people. They are tall and they are wearing funny clothes, but they look like people.

Now I’m back home and the gray men are telling me not to worry … that they’ll take care of me.

“Ok now move forward. Go to a time when they are telling you why they are taking you?” Sean’s voice was like wisps of smoke floating around my head.

“I’m with Damian.”

“Where are you? How old are you?” Sean asked.

“I don’t know. I think I’m eighteen maybe. Damian is arguing with someone. He’s really angry. I can hear him telling them that I’m not ready.”

“Is this the first time you see Damian?” he asked.

“No. He’s been with me for a long time.”

“Tell us what he thinks you’re not ready for. How can you understand what they are saying?” Sean was pushing for more detail.

“I don’t know … they want me to do something. They are talking about an apocalypse on earth and angels. The mean one … he thinks that I can stop the apocalypse … that I can convince the angels to help. Damian thinks that if they send me to the other side, I will be lost like my mother.”

“Ok … go on. What happens next?”

“I’m back in my room, but Damian is still with me. He’s staring out my bedroom window with his back to me.”

Suddenly I was no longer lying on my couch, listening to Sean’s words. I was transported back in time to that night when I realized I was in love with my Watcher.