Crimson Dreams

We had been in Alex's home for over an hour and still we had found nothing. The house was a wreck with every bit of furniture broken or over turned. Blood was every where through out the house. So far the only thing we had found was my real driver’s license sitting on the kitchen counter with blood all over it. Hayden hadn't said much except to tell me that the reason Raphael went to my apartment was because in my picture I looked just like my father.

I looked at the picture and tried to imagine a man with deep hazel eyes and hair the color of red wine. I couldn't picture it so I tossed the license back on the counter. Looks like I was going to get my wish and get to meet my father. Though now it seemed I was going t be killing him instead of trying to earn his approval.

I was watching Hayden as he walked around the dining room. He had pulled his shirt off and given it to me when I slipped on the blood at the door. The expanse of his bare chest was eye catching. I kept looking to him even as I searched for some clue as to where they had taken Ethan. I finally gave up and sat down on the floor when there was a knock at the door. I shot back to my feet and started running for the door. Hayden caught me around the waist and turned me in the opposite direction before sitting me down. He shook his head to me before going to the door.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"I have a package here for an Alex Blane. I need to see proof of I.D. and I need a signature."

I pulled my license out and wiped the blood off of it on my pants as I walked to the door. I opened it just enough to for the man to see me but not see the wreckage of the house.

"I am Alex Blane."

"I need to see some I.D." He looked skeptical as he looked over my I.D. and me to assure we were the same and it wasn't forged. "Sign here please Ms. Blane." He passed me one of those new little electronic signature things and I signed my name as "Alex Blane" before passing it back to him. "You have a good day Ms. Blane." He passed the package and my I.D. back to me before heading back to his truck.

I flipped the package over as Hayden came to stand behind me. "Should I open it?"

"Raphael may have sent it to him telling him where to get Ethan."

I nodded and ripped into the package. There was a smaller box inside the shipping company’s box with a little note. The box was wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper.


We need to talk


I slowly started to un-wrap the second box and passed the paper to Hayden's waiting hand. I could smell blood coming from the box as I pulled the lid off. It took me a minute to figure out what it was. At first all I seen was a silver ring with a red lump on it and a red bar with a bigger lump on it. Finally my mind caught up to what my eyes were seeing and I passed the box to Hayden quickly as I doubled over and emptied my stomach. Someone had ripped out his tongue ring and there was still a chunk of his tongue on the bar. I didn't know where the other ring had come from. As far as I knew Ethan only had one thing pierced and that was his tongue.

"He's still alive."

"Did both piercings come from the same person?"

I heard some shuffling but I didn't turn around to look. I didn't want to know how he was going to find out. But not looking didn't keep my imagination from giving me images of Hayden licking the blood off each piercings. The images made me heave again but there was nothing left in my stomach but air. The dry heaves are way more painful.

"Yes. Why?"

"I didn't know Ethan had anything pierced except his tongue."

"You've never seen him with his shirt off?"

"No."

"Then that's why. It's a nipple piercing."

"Can we get out of here now?" I didn't wait for his answer. I just stood up and walked out the door.

"They told us where to meet them and when. Do you want to leave Alex a message in case he gets back here before we meet them?"

"Give me your cell." I held my hand out to him without turning to see him.

I dialed Alex's number. There was no answer so I called Polo. After him and Marco didn't answer I started to lose hope. I thought for a moment as I tried to remember another number. Sherri's number came back to me from years ago before I ever went to Nathan's. I dialed the numbers praying she had not changed her number. I never asked her for number after I got back from Nathan's. From within the house a song started playing. Hayden went into the house to find the phone and when I got the voicemail and he hadn't returned I hung up and called the number again.

Hayden came back to me holding the phone out. I took it and seen the blood on it. I felt that stinging in the back of my eyes as thoughts of Sherri crossed my mind. Closing my eyes, I hung my head while I tried to keep form crying.

"He's dead."

I looked up at Hayden. "What?"

"He's dead. I found it in his pocket. His throat was ripped out."

"Where?"

"What?"

"Where is he?"

"The basement."

I pushed past Hayden and started running back into the house. He caught me around the waist and I started kicking until he let me go. I felt him follow me down the stairs. At the bottom there were four bodies. I recognized two as human pets for Alex and another of his vampires but the third I did not know and he was human. I went to his body and turned him over.

"Is this who you found the phone on?" I looked up at Hayden just as he nodded.

I started laughing full out as I started feeling on the man. My hands traced his pockets to find them empty before running over his chest. I felt something solid and smooth under his shirt. Holding his body with one hand and gripping his shirt with the other I pulled until I ripped his shirt off. A folder was taped to his chest.

I looked up at Hayden to see him giving me that look that questioned my sanity. I was still laughing but I was crying now too. "It's not her. I was trying to call Sherri." I pulled the folder free and held it up to him. "Alex left me a case."

I sat back in the blood and opened the folder. Hayden came to stand behind me as I pulled out the first stapled pack. Alex's scripture handwriting made me smile as I read the note.


If you are reading this than you are alive.
Your first case is to stay with Hayden.
I have learned some things about him that I can not share here.
Show these pictures to him.
And keep Sherri's phone.

-Russell


I flipped through the pictures quickly. They were all of Hayden except the last one. It was a picture someone had taken at a party and it looked as if no one knew they were taking the picture. The two people in the far left hand corner made me gasp. It was Alex and Nathan playing chess.

Nathan's light hair was a lot longer than when I had seen him last. It had always been long but not past his knees as is was in this photo. He also had facial hair now and he dressed different. But the high cheek bones and soft jaw line couldn't be mistaken for anyone else. Even in the picture you could still see that laughter twinkle his emerald green eyes naturally held so he always looked like he was happy. His slender fingers were caught in the motion of playing with his full lips. He always caressed and tugged his bottom lip. It was like a nervous habit for him.

I looked at this picture of Nathan expecting to feel all my teenage emotions for him and I felt nothing. He was still beautiful and I still loved him on some level but it was only because no one ever forgets their first love.

"Where was this taken?" I asked Hayden.

"Elegant Fantasies in Atlanta. I took the picture."

"Why?"

"The first human women to disappear worked there."

"What is it?"

"A place where specially selected humans can spend the night with vampires and demons with out the risk of death."

"Like internet dating cafeterias?" I asked.

"I don't know what that it."

"It's a place where people who have met on the internet can meet in real life with out worrying that they are going to be kidnapped or raped and killed."

"Then yes. It is like that."

"Why is Alex there?" I avoided telling him that Alex was sitting with Nathan.

"He was apparently meeting a friend. After I met you and fund out Alex was protecting you. One of the demons I killed told me that Alex and Jonathan had nothing to do with it. They had just come to play chess and meet some human girls they wouldn't have to hide themselves from."

Jonathan? I had never considered that Nathan was a nickname for Jonathan. Alex had introduced me to him as Nathan and that's what I had always called him. "So he," I pointed to Nathan. "isn't in on this?"

"No. I cleared him."

"We're going to have talk with no more secrets between us when we get out of here."

His face hardened but he nodded his head in agreement so I turned back to the other stapled pack. Another note from Alex and more pictures.


They have Ethan and we may know where they are.
When we find anything out we will call Sherri.
Back out now and go to Nathan's.

-Russell


I flipped through the photos that were stapled to it. The first picture was the same one in the first stack except this one had some of the faces marked out. The rest were pictures of various men. Some had there faces marked out and others didn't. The last picture was of Polo carrying me and we were standing outside Alex's house. My arms were wrapped around his neck as he cradled me in his arms. Alex was to his right with Marco to his left. The vampire behind us standing on the porch was Jesse. A large 'X' marked through him with the letters 'AKOS' written to the side.

I folded the pictures up and shoved them into my pants waist as I stood up. 'X' marks the spot for 'Alex Kill On Sight'. Jesse must have betrayed us for Alex to want me to kill him. I knew where Jesse's favorite hang outs were as well as his homes. He had played body guard for me on countless occasions. I wonder what made him change sides.

"Ready?" I asked Hayden.

"When you are."

"I have a job to do. Either come with or go about on your own. Choose now."

"I will come with you."

"Let’s go."

I started climbing the stairs as that cold empty feeling filled me. I had known Jesse for over five years and had trusted my life with him. Now he was next on my target list and I had to prepare myself to kill him and not feel attached to him. If I stayed attached to him then I wouldn't be able to kill him. He was probably the reason Alex's home had been compromised and the reason I had parts of Ethan’s body sent to me. Hayden was right. They wanted to draw Alex to them so they could have their vampire political war with him. They were going to get Alex alright but I belonged to no ones line so the political crap wouldn't work for me. I finally understood why Alex refused to claim me as his line. Too much red tape.

I slid into the car and Hayden shut my door before getting into the drivers seat.

"Where too?"

"There's a club on Emry. Go there."

"Where is Emry?"

"I will tell you. It's a good drive from here so start talking." I pointed to the right as we reached the end of the street.

"What do you want to know?"

"Who are you really are and why are you here?"

"Vampires and demons call me Justice Hunter. I kill rogue vampires and demons."

"Why are you here? Take a left at the next signal."

"My last kill before I came here was in Watertown New York. The vampire told me about Raphael and Pyro. I called my sire and had arrangements made for me to join Raphael’s people so I could watch over him. That was about six months ago. Raphael was in Atlanta with me and he took me to Elegant Fantasies and vaguely told me what he was doing. I took those photos at Elegant Fantasies before I tried to kill Raphael. He got away and when I found out one of the vampires I had taken a picture of was a city master I figured he was helping Raphael. I came to kill them both and Pyro."

"How did you know Alex wasn't helping Raphael?"

"The first demon I killed in Macon told me that Raphael was trying to gain access to the city but the master wasn't letting him. I thought at first it was all a lie until you told me you were the infamous half-breed. Then everything made sense."

"Why did you tell me you were looking to be under Alex's line?"

"I don't want to be under his line. I want to join my own line with his."

"Why?"

"I was informed by my sire that this mission removed me from their line. The only way to be removed from a line is death, release by your sire, or for another vampire to fight for you. My sire is weaker than Alex and no fight would take place if he made an offer for me. After my sire releases me to Alex then I wanted Alex to release me of his line."

"You have chosen your words carefully. What aren't you telling me?" I turned in my seat to look at him as I pointed to the left.

He shifted uncomfortably as he made the left turn before answering me. "My sire is Rachel. She was my wife before she turned me. She had been willing to turn but I wasn't. She had forced me to stay with her. When she fought her master for freedom to start her own line she didn't see that I wouldn't go with her. So long as she was under him than I was under her. When she broke free of him then I was free to choose between them. I chose to stay with him. She is threatening to kill him to get me back. If she kills him then I am hers and she can force me to stay with her. I could kill her but she knows I will not do so because she brought forth my children."

"You're married." I asked in disgust. I just slept with a married man.

"Marriage before becoming an undead does not count. Besides, I had cast her out of my home before she changed me. She changed me out of guilt. I came in one night to find her in bed with another man while our baby slept in its bed in our room. I cast her out that night. A neighbor watched our children as I worked. One night I came home later than usual to find the neighbor asleep already. I didn't bother to wake her and instead I went home. Rachel was waiting for me. She said she loved me and wanted to come home to be with me and the kids. I told her to leave and that she would never find our kids. She attacked me and when I awoke next I was like this. The neighbor and her husband raised our kids."

"I'm sorry." In that moment I hated his sire as much as he did.

"You didn't know."

"This is the place."

He nodded and turned into the parking lot of the club. I seen Jesse's car and wrapped that cold feeling around me.

"Stay out here. I will be back." I started to get out the car but his hand caught my waist.

"Do you want me to leave you alone after all this?"

"No. I still want to be with you." Neither of us had been completely honest with each other and I wasn't going to hold it against him for with holding a story like that. "I'll be back with a friend."

I took two steps from the car before I came up with a better plan than busting in there and killing him with humans all around. That wouldn't do anything but get the cops called on me again. I turned around and walked to Hayden's window. He rolled the window down and raised an eye brow at me.

"Hit me."

"What?" His voice was full of the shock that showed on his face.

I opened his door and motioned for him get out and stand beside me. The night was still young so we only had a little bit of time to do this. "Hit me."

"I will not hit you."

"I run in there and fall into his arms telling him I was attacked and now I can't get a hold of anyone then he is going to try and take me to Raphael. I bring him out here and kill him. This keeps the humans out of it."

He pulled his hand back and I closed my eyes. Instead of the hit I expected he ripped his shirt off of me. I gasped and opened my eyes. "I don't hit a woman unless she is one of the bad guys. You are not a bad guy."

I looked down at my shirt. I hadn't thought about the fact that I was covered in blood from our fight at the apartment and Alex's house. "That works too." I started back towards the club while Hayden chuckled and disappeared into the woods. I didn't sense him but I knew he was out there and he wasn't going to let anything happen to me.

I put on a controlled hysterical face before opening the door to the club. A people turned to look at me before looking back to there drinks or whoever they were talking too. I scanned the bar until I seen Jesse. Leaving the door open I ran to him and threw my arms around him. I started babbling nonsense as I as I told him my story.

"I know where they are babe. Come on. Let’s get you to them." He grabbed his coat and threw some money on the bar before walking me out the door.

"I'm sorry Jesse." We had just reached his truck which was parked near the tree line where Hayden was.

"For what sweet heart?"

Hayden stepped out of the tree line just as I pulled away from him. I drew my gun and aimed for his head. "That you betrayed Alex. I actually liked you."

"You said you hadn't been able to get a hold of him. You didn't lie. If he," Jesse pointed to Hayden. "told you I betrayed Alex than he is the liar."

"I went to Alex's house and found a case folder for me. Imagine my surprise when I seen your picture with AKOS written beside it."

"Don't try to run Jesse. I will catch you and your death will be slower and more painful." Hayden warned him just as his body tensed like he was going to try to run.

"I just want to know why you did it." I still had the gun aimed for his head.

"You can't kill me with a bullet to the head."

"My weapons have all been designed by Alex himself to make sure I do kill. But don't take my word for it. Tell me why you did it and I will show you first hand."

"Better health care." That was all he said.

I pulled the trigger twice. One bullet hit between his eyes and the other hit his heart. He fell to his knees screaming as the smell of burning meat arose from his pores and any other opening in his body. He was right in a way. The bullets wouldn't kill him instantly but the holy water in the bullets would slowly and painfully eat its way through his body like acid. His heart would be gone soon and once the heart was gone so was the vampire. I hated sarcasm.

"What the fuck is in those bullets?" Hayden asked in astonishment.

"They are hollow silver but explode shortly after contact to release holy water."

"Holy shit. You weren't kidding when you said Alex made sure you could protect yourself."

"Leave it to a vampire to teach you how to kill one painfully." I said sarcastically.

Jesse's screams finally cut off in a gurgling sound as he died. I emptied his pockets before Hayden picked him up and tossed him lazily into the woods. I put his things in my pockets before unarming his truck. He was driving a 2010 red Toyota Tundra and the local chop shop was going to pay big for it. I leaned into Hayden and pressed my lips to his as his arms wrapped around me and pulled me against him firmly.

"Follow me." I said against his lips.

"We have to hurry. In three hours we are to meet Raphael's people."

"We got plenty of time."

I pulled away from him and climbed into the truck. It was nice. I ran my hands over the new interior and along the dash. I was going to have to add this to my Christmas list. I have a thing for Toyotas just like Alex does. The truck started and purred like a kitten. I thought of Vlad and Satan running circles around Alex's house and hoped they were still okay.