Red Sunset Drive, page 34
Dragos snarled. “Randall.”
“Guys, Detective Randall has joined us.”
Anders snorted. “Randall. What the hell are you doing here?”
Randall nervously shifted. “I was—”
“Chief,” Brett interrupted, “it’s too late to send him back.”
He turned toward Randall. “Victor has kidnapped Dragos’s girlfriend. He may have other men with him.”
Randall cast a look at Dragos. “Sorry,” he muttered.
Brett grabbed Randall’s arm. “Listen up. We don’t have much time. The guys with Victor are very fast and lethal. If they get close to you, just shoot like hell.”
Dragos raised his head, listening to something down the tunnel. Without a word, he took off running.
“Let’s go,” Brett said.
By the time they caught up with Dragos, the vampire had come to a complete stop. Brett felt the fury pouring from Dragos’s body. Brett’s gaze took in the scene before them.
They stood at the edge of a large cavern. Trickles of water dripped to the floor, running through the cracks in the rocks to the outside river. Sconces were strategically placed to provide lighting. Tens of large shipping trunks were set on the floor. Large crates were stacked in the corner. Furniture from the past three centuries was wrapped in plastic, ready to be moved. It looked as though someone planned on leaving town.
Several vampires were in the process of loading boxes. Victor and Candy were noticeably absent.
Brett turned toward Dragos. The vampire’s dark, piercing gaze assessed the situation before them. Dragos twisted his head, cracking the bones in his neck. Straightening his shoulders, Brett watched Dragos walk toward the vampires.
“Gentlemen, are you going somewhere?”
Everyone froze. The vampires’ dangerous gazes fixated on Dragos before giving the rest of the group a cursory glance.
As one, the vampires smiled, the tips of their teeth showing. Dragos smiled as well.
Brett wished he knew what Dragos had planned. Randall came up to his side.
“Pssst. O’Shea, what the hell are those guys?” Randall’s body trembled.
“Vampires.”
Randall gasped. “You’re shitting me.”
Michael walked up on the other side of Randall and smacked the back of the detective’s head. “If I were you, I’d quit talking and get that gun of yours ready.”
Brett turned toward Anders and the other officers. “Spread out and find cover.”
Before Anders got into position, the vampires surged forward. He dived behind a rock as the bullets flew. Brett peered around the stone and saw Randall standing frozen in place. His face was twisted in fear. His gun hung at his side—not a good thing when vampires were attacking.
A vampire smiled and stalked toward his coworker. Brett cursed under his breath. Randall seemed to be completely oblivious to the danger he was in. Pulling out a stake, Brett lunged for the vampire approaching Randall’s side. The vampire was so intent on his victim that he wasn’t prepared for Brett’s attack. Brett plunged the stake deep into the vampire’s chest.
Randall screamed as Brett and the vampire rolled on the ground in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, Brett saw Randall waving the gun at them.
“Don’t you dare shoot that gun, Randall,” he bellowed. He drew back a fist and punched the vampire’s jaw, and the vampire retaliated by trying to bite him. “Grab a stake!”
A few seconds later, Randall returned with a stake in his hand. The vampire suddenly lunged forward, overpowering him. Brett braced for the pain. Instead the weight of the vampire collapsed on top of him.
Opening his eyes, he saw Randall kick the vampire to the side and jam the stake deep into his heart. The vampire’s body twitched, and blood gurgled from his mouth.
After sucking in a deep breath, Brett rolled over and rose to his feet. He jumped as the other detective leaned down and shot the vampire in the temple.
Randall glanced at him. “Just wanted to make sure he was dead.”
Brett shook his head and looked for Anders or Foster. They were ripping off shots at two vampires. The bodies jerked in a ghoulish manner as they tried to reach the two officers. Johnson crept up behind them and planted stakes deep in their chests. He hit them so hard the tips of the stakes poked out the other sides of the bodies. Anders hurried over to the bodies and splashed them with holy water. Screams of dying vampires filled the cavern.
Where is Dragos? More importantly, where are Candy and Victor? Brett picked up a couple of stakes. Gun in hand, he walked toward a connecting tunnel. When a woman’s scream ripped through the air, he started running.
He entered a smaller cavern. Dragos and Victor were locked together as they fought. Candy was tied to an old bed. Dried blood was caked to her arms and neck. He ran to her side, cutting the ropes to free her. She jumped into his arms, sobbing.
“Do something. Dragos needs help.” Tears coursed down her flushed cheeks.
Brett glanced at Dragos, who was holding his own against Victor. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “It was horrible. He forced me to go with him. He snapped my gun as if it were nothing. He let the vampires bite me; over and over.” She angrily swiped the tears from her cheeks. “They’re planning to leave tonight. They were going to kill me. Take my blood and kill me.” Candy choked back a sob.
He wrapped her in a tight hug, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re safe now. Stay here. I need to see if your boyfriend needs any help.”
Dragos saw red. He entered the cavern and saw Candy. Alive and tied to a bed. She was bruised and bloodied. He’d barely taken a step toward her when Victor’s laughter stopped him.
He turned as Victor slammed into him, knocking him across the floor. He jumped up with arms outstretched and attacked Victor. He wrapped his hands around the vampire’s neck. Victor’s grin faded as bones cracked under the pressure Dragos applied. Victor hit him in the face and tossed him to the side.
He scrambled to his feet. Pleased that Victor didn’t look so cocky any longer.
He spit the blood from his mouth and glared at Victor. His lip curled in derision. “Are you worried?”
Victor threw back his head. His laughter echoing through the cavern. “Do not get ahead of yourself, Dragos. I’ve been a vampire much longer than you. My powers are much stronger than yours.”
Dragos took one step, and then another, until he stood in front of Victor. His chin jutted outward, his gaze focused on his target. “That may be. However, I happen to believe in the power of justice—the power of good over evil. And you, sir, fall into the evil category.”
Victor rolled his eyes, and his fingertips lengthened. His head tilted slightly to the side; he studied Dragos as if seeing him for the first time. “Evil? Vampires were set upon this earth to take control over those weaker than us. We were made to rule.”
Dragos stared unblinkingly at Victor. The bloodied vampire didn’t have the capability to show empathy or compassion. “You made me this … this creature, thinking that I would be like you. You couldn’t be more wrong. I will never be like you.”
Victor hissed and turned away from him. “I don’t know what I ever saw in you. You could have had so much more. Now you are nothing but a weak vampire who needs to be killed. I will make sure my next creation is superior to you.”
Dragos briefly glanced over Victor’s shoulder before facing his nemesis again. A large smile lit his face as he stepped back. A look of puzzlement filled Victor’s gaze.
“Unfortunately you will not have the opportunity to create anything ever again.”
Victor swung toward him, anger blossoming across his face. “You’re a poor excuse for a vampire, I will end your … your li …”
Victor clasped his chest before collapsing to the floor. A wooden stake protruded several inches from his chest. As Victor lay on the ground, he looked up at Dragos with a quizzical gaze. Blood seeped from his body and pooled nearby. Victor clutched the stake and writhed in pain. The holy water was eating away at Victor’s insides.
Dragos leaned down, “What’s wrong, Victor?”
Brett joined Dragos at his side. Dragos turned and hugged the detective.
“Hey! Let’s not get mushy.”
Victor gasped for air. A trickle of blood ran out the corner of his mouth. Victor’s dark eyes glared at them.
“Detective O’Shea. It was yo … you?”
“Yeah, it was me. Your rants were growing tedious. And more importantly, you hurt my friends.”
As Victor moaned and hissed on the floor, Michael walked over and stood over the vampire with another stake in hand. Holy water dripped from the stake. Terror flashed in Victor’s eyes.
“Say good bye, Victor.” Michael plunged the stake into the vampire’s chest. Almost immediately, the body began to decompose.
Candy’s voice drifted toward Dragos. He turned and saw her running to him with arms outstretched. He drew her close. His heart clenched as her soft sobs filled the air. He brushed the curls from her face and pressed his lips over every inch of her face. When his lips met hers, he sighed. He had found home once again.
Epilogue
Brett loaded the last suitcase. He forced a smile as Dragos and Candy piled into the car. Lisa waited in the front seat.
Lisa yelled out the car window. “Hurry up, Brett. They’re going to miss their plane.”
The past four weeks had been nothing but a blur. As far as the public was concerned, the murders had ended as quickly as they had begun. Anders held a press conference and announced that the primary suspects had been killed in a shootout near the river. They burned all the vampires’ remains and sealed up the tunnels and caverns in the hope that they would stay hidden forever.
Nichols was given a hero’s burial. Unfortunately, Officer Johnson decided to take early retirement. Johnson didn’t want to face any other paranormal entities. Not that Brett blamed him; he didn’t want to see any more creatures either.
Detective Randall made a complete turnaround. He believed he was now Brett’s new partner. The guy experienced a major attitude adjustment. It would take some time before Brett trusted Randall. But at least Randall’s opinion of women appeared to have changed for the better. Brett and Randall were pleasant to one another, and that was a start.
They pulled up to the curb of the airport. Candy and Lisa jumped out and hugged one more time. Tears freely flowed down their faces.
Dragos walked up to Brett and embraced him in a hug. “I can never thank you enough for everything you did. You gave me a home, believed in me, and introduced me to the most beautiful woman in the world. Thank you. We want you to come visit us in England as soon as you can.”
“Are you sure that you want to go back to England?”
Dragos nodded. “I can never bring back what was lost. Now that I am the only heir left to inherit my family estate, I welcome the chance to return there and run the family property and business. If Candy hadn’t done an investigation of my family, we wouldn’t have a home to go back to.”
Brett turned aside, already missing Dragos and Candy. If he wasn’t careful, he’d end up crying like a baby.
“From what Candy has told me, you’ve inherited a very large estate. This should provide you with the needed privacy.”
Dragos nodded. “Yes, being a vampire does require a certain amount of privacy. Hopefully we can learn more about vampires and figure out a way for the two of us to grow old together. I won’t live without her.”
Brett paused. Dragos’s words brought home how he felt about Lisa.
Candy called to Dragos and pointed to her watch. It was nearly time. He was losing his childhood friend. As well as losing Dragos, a close friend and brother.
“Well, buddy. I think it’s time.” Brett’s throat tightened until his words were no longer audible. He embraced Dragos and squeezed hard, not wanting to let go. He finally released Dragos and took a step back. “I mean it. If you two need anything, call me and I’ll be there.”
Dragos’s serious gaze bore through him before he nodded. It was as if Dragos were memorizing what he looked like. Dragos draped his arm around Candy. Newly married, they giggled and kissed, barely able to take their eyes off of each other. The pair entered the airport, ready to embark on their new life and adventure.
As if sensing Brett’s sadness, Lisa looped her arm around his.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded. “Let’s go.”
In a melancholy mood, he decided to drive south out of town. He didn’t want to go home. It would be so different with Dragos and Candy both gone. Lisa reached over and held his hand. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to it.
“Since we’re going this way, I take it we’re not going back to your house.”
“Nope. I’d like to drive for a while. Do you have anywhere you have to be?”
She flashed a brilliant smile, her soft golden curls cascading over her shoulders.
“No. I think we deserve some quiet time.”
He nodded. Words weren’t always necessary when you were with someone you loved. He and Lisa needed to talk about their future. After the past few weeks, he knew he wanted to be with Lisa. He was beginning to trust her again. A broken heart was something he didn’t want to experience a second time.
He continued to drive south on I35. After the past two years, he had been under an extreme amount of stress. It had probably skewed his thinking about a relationship with Lisa. Because there were so many times that he had almost died, he held back. Did he want to leave a wife and child if he died? He didn’t know the answer to that question.
After a couple of hours of being on the road, Lisa yawned and stretched her arms. “How about a coffee break?”
Shortly after spotting the sign indicating that the Missouri line was only a few miles away, he pulled into a convenience store to refuel.
“Do you want anything?” she asked.
“Yeah, just a bottle of water. Thanks.”
He leaned against the car. With a deep breath, he inhaled the fresh country smell. The crisp north breeze ruffled his hair. He zipped his jacket. Snow was in the air. He could feel it.
A bald eagle flew over the store. He raised his gaze, watching the graceful bird float effortlessly across the sky. A feeling of peace permeated his soul. This was what he needed: a change of pace—a vacation. But where would he go? England? No, he’d wait until Dragos and Candy were settled. His eyes drifted shut. He let his mind drift in order to imagine. He’d always wanted to go to North Africa. Maybe see the pyramids. What a sight that would be.
Someone nudged his shoulder. He didn’t have to open his eyes to know who it was. He peeked open one eye and burst out laughing. Michael was lounging against the car with his hat tilted down, obscuring most of his face.
“What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” the ghost asked.
Brett laughed, feeling lighter than he had in days. “Pondering.”
Michael pushed back his hat with the palm of his hand. His brow wrinkled. “Pondering what?”
He shrugged. “You know. Everything. I’ve decided I need a vacation. Can you go?”
“Afraid not. I’m being called back for a while. It seems I stepped on some toes. But you definitely deserve one. Where you thinking of going?”
“Maybe Europe or the Middle East—I’m not sure.”
“Well, you need to go. Since I’ll be gone for a while, be careful. I can’t come save your ass, you know.”
He patted Michael’s shoulder. “Here comes Lisa. Do you want to ride back home with us?”
“No, I’ll pass,” Michael mumbled. “I need to report in today. Better get it over with.”
“Okay, see you soon. I’ll leave a note at the house when I take off so you’ll know where I am and when I’m due home.”
Michael tipped his hat and bowed before fading away.
Brett greeted Lisa with a kiss and turned the car back toward home.
“How about moving in together,” he blurted.
Lisa’s head swung toward him. “Really?” Her grin grew wider.
He nodded. “Yep. I think it’s time that we went all in. I love you, Lisa.”
Her eyes misted over. “I love you too.” She reached out, running her fingers over his lower lip.
He took her hand, kissing it lightly. “I know you want more. So do I.”
Lisa leaned over to press a kiss on his cheek. “This is a great first step. I’ll never be bored with you around, O’Shea.”
His eyes grew heavy. “Honey, I’m going to make sure you’re never bored.”
Lisa licked her full lips and pursed her mouth into a pout. “Too bad we’re two hours from our bedroom.”
“Damn, woman! Tighten that seat belt. I’ll have us home in an hour.”
Brett smiled to himself. All the fears and worries he’d had for the past several months fell away and disappeared. He felt lighter than he had in years. He couldn’t wait to let his mom know about Lisa. She would be as excited as Lisa. He was beginning a new chapter of his life.
They drove in silence, enjoying each other’s company. He’d come up with a surprise for Lisa. He hoped she was game for an adventure, because he would be calling the travel agent in the morning. It was time for a fun adventure with no hocus-pocus stuff. He figured that after two crazy cases, there couldn’t be any more of this unusual paranormal activity in Des Moines. He had seen it all and survived. Now it was time for him to have a normal life.
Jan Walters, Red Sunset Drive
