Vampire - Kiss Of Darkness Part 23

The woman stretched out her hand, looking as if she'd crossed an inner Rubicon. "Myra Peterson. My son, Jacob."

"Perhaps I could speak with Jacob alone for a minute," Bryan said.

Myra Peterson looked uncertain for a minute. "I...well, I..."

"I think I might be able to help," he said.

She nodded. "You're a friend of Jessica's? Have you worked with her? But you're a teacher, not a psychologist."

He stared at her. "I can help," he repeated.

"I...." she murmured, staring back at him. "Yes, of course. Thank you."

He nodded, a grim smile on his face. "Jacob?"

The boy looked a little surprised, a little intrigued-and suddenly frightened, but he walked ahead of Bryan into the inner office, looking over his shoulder.

Bryan shut the door behind him.

"What the h.e.l.l were you doing in the cemetery, Jacob?" he asked.

"What?" Startled by the tone of Bryan's voice, the boy spun and looked at him.

"You heard me. What the f.u.c.k were you doing in the cemetery?"

The kid's jaw dropped. "You can't talk to me like that. I'll tell my mom."

"Go right ahead. But first, you'll tell me what you were doing in the cemetery."

"Some people I know, they're talking about something cool coming here, to New Orleans. A leader, like a master vampire or something. And we'll find everything our hearts desire."

"So a vampire is going to be hanging out in a cemetery?" Jacob reddened and flushed. "Yeah. I guess skeletons don't offer much blood, but the thing was...there were other people there."

"People who think they're vampires?"

Jacob stared back at him, then nodded.

"You're being taken, kid," Bryan said flatly.

"Hey, I just-"

"You want a place where you can belong? Fine. Everyone wants that. But this ain't it, believe me. Think about it. What would a real vampire want? Blood-and slaves. You need to stay the h.e.l.l away from these people."

The kid's eyes flickered away from his. "But...what if...I mean...it sounds cool to be a vampire."

"Kid, vampires just want to suck you dry. Yeah, you may come back. In agony. Then you go after every-one you love. Then a bigger, stronger, tougher, older vampire uses you, letting someone catch you instead of him, and you're toast."

Jacob was staring at him eyes wide and full of fear.

"What?" Bryan said harshly. "Did you think some vicious creature out there wanted a few more pals?"

"You...you're acting as if...as if they're real."

Bryan shrugged. "One way or the other, getting involved with anything to do with vampires can only lead to disaster. So what did you find out in the cemetery?"

"Nothing."

"You're a s.h.i.+tty liar, kid."

Jacob moistened his lips, unable to meet Bryan's eyes.

"Where were you told to go?" Bryan persisted.

The kid kept silent, shuffling uneasily.

Bryan strode to him, taking him by the shoulders, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look up. "The girl in the hospital is dead, Jacob. Dead. Was she killed by a vampire? You'll never see that written in the papers. Will she come back as a bloodsucker?

Hey, who knows? If so, will she have her heart staked and her throat slashed? You bet. Don't go to any party, kid. Save yourself.

Where the h.e.l.l is it going to be?"

"I don't know. Honest! There were whispers about going to the graveyard. Not the St. Louie. The nice one."

"Lambs to the slaughter," Bryan murmured.

12.

L eaving Maggie, Jessica moved as quickly as possible. Darkness was coming far too quickly.

Despite Maggie's a.s.surances, she felt she had to personally check on the situation at the hospital. She went to David's room and saw that there was indeed a cop on duty.Yeah, well, there had been a cop on duty with Mary, too. Discreetly, pretending she was looking for another room, she tried to get a good look at the officer. She should have faith in Sean, of course, but...

The officer was huge, a big, handsome man of mixed heritage. She saw the chain around his neck. It held a crucifix, she was certain.

She tarried until she heard the officer speaking to a nurse leaving the room. "How's he doing?"

"Good, good. He's talking. Doesn't remember a thing, though." She lowered her voice to a near whisper. "Spooky, if you ask me. I tell you, we never lost a patient here before. I mean a dead patient. You know. We've never lost a corpse from the morgue."

"College kids. Pranks," the cop said, his voice rea.s.suring.

"I don't know. I just get the w.i.l.l.i.e.s around here these days." she said, and then she smiled, gave a little wave and started down the hall.

Jessica left the hospital and went on to her office, hoping to find Jeremy and Nancy there. No luck.

Looking around, she had a strange feeling, as if someone had been there, as if they'd just left. She told herself that she'd let the kids use the office, and that was all it was.

Still, a sense of unease plagued her. Something unnerving had happened here. She paused, looking around, then closing her eyes.

Had the Master been here?

No. It was a different sense of...violation that plagued her. But she didn't have time to dwell on it.

She started out, then nearly screamed aloud when she ran straight into Big Jim.

He immediately looked sheepish. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"My fault. But what the heck are you doing here? I can't imagine you've come for my services."

He shook his head. "I read the newspaper," he said softly. "And I'm worried."

"I'm okay."

"You've got to be careful. I can feel it in my old bones when things are going wrong. You know me. And you know I can feel it when the, er, otherworldly is going down. Comes from all the voodoo in my life, I suppose."

"Your bones aren't all that old, Jim."

"I don't like this. I don't like this one bit. And too many good folks are still out of town."

"I know. I think Maggie is going to make some calls."

"I saw the sky turn red. This evil is after you."

Jessica looked around quickly. "You're alone, right?"

"Yeah, I'm alone. Barry Larson is a good old boy, but don't worry, we never do anything but tease about my old voodoo-queen granny."

"Big Jim, you need to be careful. The whole city needs to be careful. If I had my way, I'd ask Sean to impose a curfew." "And he'd be locked up in an insane asylum."

"I know. That's all that stops me."

"You call me when you need me."

"You be careful. You could be in danger, too."

He gave her a huge smile. "Not me. I know what I'm up against."

"No. No one really understands what they're up against."

"When you need me, I'm here."

"I know." She gave him a fierce hug. "Thank you."

He stepped back, studying her. "You know what I think? I think there's got to be someone close to you who isn't what he seems."

She froze, frowning, and asked sharply, "What do you mean?"

"If he's here, he's got help."

"You mean...the Master?"

"Honey, think about it. He must have someone working for him, right here."

She exhaled softly, staring at him. He was right. Even so, she shook her head in denial. "The only people who were in Romania were the kids and Bryan MacAllistair. But it can't be him. He's hunting the Master himself. He wants to destroy him."

"Yeah? How do you know that? Only because he says so, right? And think about it. Where is he staying? Your place."

"No. I can't believe..."

"Watch your back. He doesn't need an invitation to come in."

"Look, it could be anyone. The Master didn't need any help in Transylvania." She didn't allow her voice to falter.

Big Jim wouldn't be swayed. "There's someone, and it's someone close to you," he warned.

"I've get to get moving," she said, putting an end to the uncomfortable topic. "You listen to what people are saying in the bar, okay?"

"You know it," he promised.

Her cell started to ring. She answered it, still meeting his grave stare. "h.e.l.lo?"

"Jessica, its Maggie. Get over here. Now."

"But I haven't found-"

"I think you should come. Seriously. There's still time before dark."

Jessica nodded and hung up. "Big Jim, if you see those kids, tell them to go to my place. To Montresse House. Okay?"

Maggie was at the door when she parked in the drive. Jessica frowned. "What's going on?"

"Ancient texts," Maggie told her.

"You got ancient texts off the computer?" Jessica asked incredulously.

"With patience, you can find anything you want on the computer," Maggie a.s.sured her. "Come in. Sit down."

They returned to the kitchen. There were papers from Maggie's printer spread out all over the breakfast table.

"Here, this one is Babylonian. The translation is, 'He rises when the time is right, when the succubi ride rampant over the land.

Neither G.o.d nor man nor beast, he rises to wage war against the miasma that reigns.'"

"Ancient Babylonian?" Jessica murmured doubtfully.