Kirk
gets much needed information from the other vamp, before ending him.
When they and the police officers get downstairs, they find that
their cars have been disabled.
"So,
we're dealing with vampires here?" Sandra was stunned. "I
thought they were vampire Hunters—humans?"
"We
were wrong," Kirk said. "This must be the work of a rival
coven."
"Doesn't
that make it that much more difficult?" Sandra looked worried.
"Yes
and no. At least we know what kind of firepower to take to the
fight," Kirk said as he whipped out a cellphone.
The
humans looked on, puzzled, as he seemed to speak in code. Margo knew
that was precisely what he was doing. It was a simple system that
Andres had implemented as soon as he came into power. It was as much
a part of them as blood drinking. Kirk had quickly and efficiently
conveyed the information to their coven what he'd discovered.
Minutes
later, two limos pulled up. The rear doors popped open. Kirk took
Scott in one with him while Margo and Sandra got into the other.
There were three other vampires in each car. All of them were armed
and ready for a fight.
"Do
you require weapons?" the driver asked the women.
"Please,"
Margo replied.
The
man in the backseat with her and Sandra opened a hatch in front of
him and started handing Margo a wide array of weapons.
"I
suppose I shouldn't ask if you have a license for those," Sandra
said wryly.
Margo
chuckled. "We're all very legit. We each hold a concealed
weapons license, among many other things. We don't purposely break
the law, Sandra. It's far better for all of us if we do things
legally, flying just above the radar. It's much easier to hide within
a crowd than outside it."
Margo
handed Sandra a lightweight vest with a mesh gorget to go around her
neck. "The vest will stop both bullet and blade," Margo
explained. "Some of our more archaic members prefer swords to
guns."
"My
Kevlar can't do that," Sandra spoke in awe as she put on the
lightweight vest. "And this?" She fingered the gorget
cautiously.
Margo
cast her eyes at the young human woman. "I should think it was
obvious. Even we can be harmed by a bite. Best to protect against it.
Though we can bite and feed from anywhere, the neck is traditional,
and most vulnerable. It also protects against a blade."
Sandra
gulped. "Thank you," she mumbled.
Margo
took her hand, gazing into the human woman's eyes. "You can stay
outside," she told her. "We'll need someone on backup. You
needn't be in the thick of it."
Sandra
shook her head. "I don't back out when friends need me, Margo.
But you have to admit, this is somewhat unsettling."
Margo
considered for a moment. "Yes, had I encountered this when I was
your age, I'd have found it disturbing as well. To be honest, even
now, as long as I've lived, it's still frightening. The only thing
that keeps me going is knowing that somewhere out there, the man I
love is in danger. I'll do whatever I must to save him."
It
was Sandra's turn to comfort now. She hugged the vampire woman close.
"We'll find him and bring him safely home, Margo. Don't worry."
They
rode for nearly 45 minutes before coming to a crossroads. To the
north and west, the paved road continued. To the east, a rutted track
continued as far as the eye could see. Several cars waited for them,
their occupants pacing around the deserted highway. Margo saw Drea,
and leaped from the car as it slowed. Sandra followed when the car
stopped.
Drea
saw her friend and ran to her. "Any further word?" she
asked.
"No.
Maybe Kirk's heard something. I think we're close. I can feel him,
Drea. He's safe, at the moment, but terrified. What are they doing to
him?"
"It's
better not to think about it," Drea assured her.
"Is
Phillida coming?" Margo asked.
"She's
here already, coordinating with Andres. I'm glad she's here. If I've
got to storm a castle, there's few more experienced and fierce than
she."
"Not
to mention she can mask our presence," Margo added.
The
car with Kirk and Scott pulled up. The men hopped out, attired as the
women were.
"Are
we waiting for something?"
"Andres
said to wait for Heinrich and the twins. They should be here.... Ah,
there they are." Drea pointed to another car that had just
pulled up.
Phillida
signaled for them to get in the cars and follow her. As the convoy
got closer to the compound, some of the vehicles circled to the right
and left. The cars with Drea, Kirk and Margo followed Phillida.
The
mansion, or castle, sat in a lonely spot, far from everything. They
had a clear view of the countryside, yet no alarm seemed to have been
raised. Kirk pointed out security features to Scott that the young
policeman had never seen before.
"I
told Andres not to market them," Kirk muttered. "If they've
got his equipment on line, they hardly need guards."
"What
do those do?" Scott pointed to an odd looking device mounted on
a pole.
The
cars had stopped just shy of the pole, idling.
©
2019 Dellani Oakes
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