A/N: Beta love to my wonderful Beta 'txone', Tammy. I couldn't do this without her. And more love to Tradermare, who second Beta'd for me. Plus, hugs to Scattered21 and Mairemor who cheered me on.
A/N: A big heartfelt thank you to Ms Jeaniene Frost for her creations Cat & Bones. I'm only taking them on a trip. Leif is mine in Phoenix, like a snowbird, for only half the time. The other half belongs to Lena and Scattered21.
A Summer in Hell
Part 1
September 2, 2009
Cat's POV
The air over the desert shimmered with heat. It was about an hour before sunset, but I wanted to see the burial site in the daylight. There was no way to inspect it from the SUV. Reluctantly, I would have to join my companions in the 110 degree heat. I took a deep breath of cold air before opening the door of the truck. It was like pulling down an oven door. The heat blasted you in the face. I wondered if my skin and lungs were seared, a good broiled meal for a ghoul.
There wasn't much sand left covering the bodies. The killers must not have buried them deep, and the summer winds laid bare the rest. Scavengers had been here too. There were about twelve bodies. Some were down to skeletons or loose bones, others were still intact, in jeans and cowboy shirts, or embroidered blouses and loose skirts. Remaining skin, pulled tight over bones, looked as dark as a mummy's. When we were through examining them, we buried the bodies once more, erasing our presence. The wind would uncover them again and blow away our tracks. We hoped there would be no more added. They'd be safe until we could send someone to bring them to the coroner's office to attempt identification. If they were locals, it was possible, but if they were illegals, their families might never find out what happened to them.
The strong winds of the monsoon season in Arizona had blown away any leftover scent. For the past ten years, there had been no rain in this desert. The monsoon had brought only dry lighting and dust storms that blinded anyone in their path. There was nothing else at the scene that would help us. We'd have to stakeout bars and listen for any slipped words whispered between drinks.
The drive back to Phoenix was cooler. The sun went down, and the a/c was turned up. I was the only one who was suffering. Bones and Juan were vampires, and Dave was a ghoul. I was half vampire and half human, an anomaly. They didn't really care what the temperature was, but now that the sun was down, we all felt more comfortable and awake. I just wanted to get back to our rented house, take a shower and have a long, cool gin and tonic.
Walking from the car, to the door within the garage that led to the house, was not only hot, but stuffy, and made me feel even worse. As soon as I got to the master bedroom, I started stripping off my clothes, and was naked by the time I reached the shower. Bones followed me and looked at my naked body with appreciation. Not even turning, I growled, "Nothing until I've cooled off!" He smiled, and removed his clothing too, as he waited for me to cool down.
Ten minutes later, I opened the shower's sliding door to see him leaning against the vanity, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were half closed as he waited for me. Every time I looked at him, I counted my blessings. He was 6'2" of naked, chiseled, muscled, silken, gifted male. I called softly to him, "Bones, what are you waiting for? We'll run out of hot water."
He appeared instantly in front of the shower door, his eyes now open and tinged with green, "Kitten, why are you worrying about hot water in the desert? I thought you needed to cool down."
I shivered as he stepped into the shower, "I've cooled down enough, now I want to get warmer," I smiled.
"Never satisfied, are you Kitten? I can help you with that," and he closed the door.
---------
Later that evening we met with our contact in Phoenix. We drove to a cavernous steakhouse, where Leif had reserved a table in the back against a wall. He was being cautious. I didn't know if Leif was stronger than Bones, since Bones had his energy transfer from Mencheres. But Leif was definitely a master Vampire, with power radiating from him as he stood to greet us. He was also beautiful. His long blond hair reached past his shoulders and his eyes were cerulean blue that held the depths of the cosmos. He was taller than Bones, and more muscular. If Bones was a sleek racehorse, Leif was a powerful destrier. They faced each other like two stallions.
Now, as they stared at each other without any emotion showing on their handsome faces, I wondered what signals Bones was picking up from the big warrior. Suddenly, the tension broke, they grabbed each other's hand and went in for a man hug. I should have known that these beautiful vampires would have known each other. Together, they probably swept through the women of four continents. I stood there with Dave and Juan, waiting for our turn. Bones made the introductions, while Leif eye-fucked me until he heard the magic words.
Bones let go of Leif and put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer.
"Leif, this is my wife, Cat," he nodded towards my friends, "Dave and Juan, both of my line."
Leif had a momentary look of surprise, but covered it quickly. Another look followed fleetingly across his face, as he raised my hand to his lips, and kissed it, "Congratulations to you both. Is that why I haven't heard of your doings lately?"
"Partly," Bones answered, "Plus, I've done nothing that would have made its way to you."
"It's pretty isolated here. That's why I like it," Leif acknowledged.
"How long have you been here in Arizona?" I asked, joining the conversation.
"About two and a half years now. I am King of the state, but it is so sparsely populated with vampires, that I don't need any sheriffs. It hardly even needs a king," Leif said drily. "But now it needs an investigator who isn't known to the locals."
"Yes, we visited the body site this afternoon. You have a bit of a problem on your hands..." Bones stopped speaking, inviting Leif to continue.
"It seems to have started about 12 to 16 weeks ago. We didn't hear about it in the beginning. When our contact in the State Police told me about it, at first I wasn't concerned, because people get lost crossing the desert every day, and "dehydrated" resembles "drained" to some extent. But then locals, legal immigrants, started going missing and we saw the connection. If it were only illegals, it might never have been noticed. But legals have families here who aren't afraid to report them missing. We searched the desert by air, and found the burial site. As you saw, they've all been drained. We're afraid that if it continues we'll be outed. A few deaths by draining can be covered up, but a dozen, with perhaps more to come, will be hard to hide," Leif looked very serious, "I don't want my people blamed for deaths that a few rogues have committed."
I asked the question of the king, that no one else wanted to, "Why are you so sure it wasn't any of "your" vampires?"
"I did my own investigation before I called Bones. They're all clear. We get a lot of tourists here. Vampire tourists, too, who stay for a few weeks then leave. They're supposed to report when they arrive, but because it's short term, many of them don't."
"If it's been going on for three to four months, and there are so few vampires here, why has no one heard anything? What would be the point of draining people, if they were stuck hiding the rest of the time, and not out enjoying their vacation? Bloody hell, they should be out partying, and talking" Bones riposted.
"Maybe we can eavesdrop on them," I added.
Bones smiled at me, his eyes crinkling at the edges, "Perhaps you're right, Kitten. Let's hit the clubs and bars, and have some fun of our own."
After we made plans, Leif left silently through the back, and we ordered steaks and Scotch. I ate mine, and Dave ate the other three. Juan went to the bar while we were eating to find some dinner for himself, while Bones kept me and Dave company with his drink. Juan returned in twenty minutes, and we talked about our night. We were going out for the evening in Central Phoenix, to see who we could attract.
Part 2
We were all used to this masquerade. I go into a bar, attract a vampire, and the others are my backups. This time, however, we would all role play at being on vacation. Juan and Dave played rowdy undead tourists, something that came naturally to them, while Bones and I sat at opposite ends of the bar, and listened for anything we could use. I didn't dress down to my usually slutty uniform, since I didn't want to be picked up tonight. I was a vacationer out for a drink and a dance, not a fuck. I didn't put out vampire vibes, so no one would be wary of me.
Leif owned a nightclub called "Vamps". To emphasize the other meaning of the word, the neon sign was of a voluptuous woman with her hair waved over her eye, like Jessica Rabbit. It was a better name than "Fangtasia," the name of a bar that belonged to a friend. The bar was long, and I walked down the length of it, to grab a stool near the far end. Dave and Juan were already there, drinking and laughing and Bones would arrive soon. Leif was sitting in a corner booth where he could observe what was happening in both the bar and on the dance floor. When Bones came in, he went straight to Leif's table to report in, as any well-behaved vamp would do. It took less than three minutes, then he sauntered over to the bar to order a drink.
I know at least three different species of vampires. They sleep, walk, eat, drink, and can be killed in different ways. They never recognize that there are kinds other than themselves. Besides blood, usually human, my vampire drinks top shelf Scotch. Leif drinks human blood, and those Forks guys, drink mostly animal blood.
We hung out at the bar until closing without hearing anything useful. I danced with my three guys at various times, along with other vampire, and human, tourists. At closing time, I left alone in my rental, then stopped on a side street about a mile away. Five minutes later, Bones landed in front of the car and I jumped out to hug him. Except for the short time we were dancing, we could only stare at each other all night. At home, we're usually touching, and trying to stay out of bed. He opened his arms to me, bent his head down, and his mouth caught mine in a toe-curling kiss. We could have stood there all night except for the hardness I felt against me.
"C'mon, luv, let's go home and try out the hot tub," he suggested. Sounded like a good idea to me, and we turned towards the passenger side, where he opened the door for me, before heading to the driver's seat. Yes, I let him drive. He never gets lost, and can green-eye any cop who stops us for speeding. Besides, while he's driving, I'm playing.
My hair is brown this trip. Its true color is red, which led to my nickname "Red Reaper". But for this job, I wanted to be a school teacher on vacation, blending into the night life. We went to a different bar every night for a week, without hearing anything. Then we did it for a second week. We weren't looking forward to starting our third week of sitting around, waiting and listening, so Leif was coming to our house for a meeting. Leif intrigued me. He was so good-looking and sure of himself, but I had seen flashes of something else, and I wanted to know more about him.
Bones and I were cuddling in bed after our usual wake-up activities. If we didn't have private time on arising, we were both very grumpy. Our co-workers knew better than to disturb us. Whoever did would have the shittiest detail of whatever job we were on. Besides, we both did our best thinking afterwards.
"Tell me about Leif," I said, "there's something about him..."
Bones raised an eyebrow, and looked down at me, "Are you interested in him, Kitten?"
"Not like that, you idiot. But what's his story? I know most vampires practice self-restraint, but he looks as if he'll break at any moment," I mused.
"He's carrying a torch for his Queen."
"Elizabeth?"
"No, Kitten. Queen Sookie of Louisiana. They fought together, bedded each other, and supported each other. But when Sookie became Queen, they decided that they should just remain friends. That was fine until Sookie fell in love with a human and married him. The strange thing is, Leif and Eric look enough alike to be brothers."
"Why didn't he fight for her?" I couldn't imagine Bones letting me go without a fight.
"Eric and Sookie are reincarnated lovers who had searched for each other for 600 years. Once that became clear, Leif had no choice but to bow out."
"That's sad for Leif, but very romantic for Sookie and Eric."
"Do you miss romance, Kitten? We have little of it in our lives," Bones asked me.
"No, what we have is exactly what I want. We chose each other, and were married by blood, I don't need anything else," I looked into his eyes and saw the same feelings reflected back to me.
"We could have a human wedding, luv, if you wish," he offered.
"Nah. We tried that once and wound up in a war. Best to stay under the radar," I smiled. A lot had changed. I had changed. I just wanted to be with Bones, and didn't care about legalities.
Leif arrived at 10PM, carrying the local Free Press. We had to decide what clubs to visit next week, and thought we might as well hear some decent music while we were out. We discussed the different clientele and music at each club. I was getting bored, so started to browse through the paper. On the last page of the Village Voice, there were always 'interesting personals', so I thought I'd see if there were any laughable ads in the Press. Instead, I think I found what we were looking for:
"Desert Hunts: Sonoran Desert night hunting trips. Native prey. 555-1212."
Part 3
Bones called the number and left a message. We had a supply of prepaid phones that we were using. They were a criminal's best friend. We decided to keep going out as planned, if anyone noticed us, it would look like we were here just for a good time. Leif left with the ad. He'd try to find out who paid for it.
The club we were heading towards tonight wasn't in Phoenix, but in Scottsdale. We thought that the hunting parties might draw more affluent vampires, and Scottsdale, a richer suburb with fancier clubs, would have more of them. If you weren't thin, rich, botoxed and artificially enhanced, you couldn't get in to the local clubs, unless you were with a vampire, or knew the owner. 'Tramps' was also owned by King Leif. The neon sign was the same. Jessica Rabbit's twin with her hair falling over her eye. There would be other vampires there, and maybe we'd pick up something. We went in two cars, in case Bones got the call.
This time Bones and I stayed together. Two weeks of playing strangers was making us cranky. We had the phone, so enjoyed ourselves while waiting for the callback. So we danced, drank and listened all night. A futile night, but treated as a date, it wasn't bad.
Of course, once Bones walked in, he was targeted by the size 2's with their DD silicone tits. They gathered around, and he'd ignore them, then more would come, and he'd growl at them to go away. Finally, I'd get pissed, and we'd make them scatter by grinding against each other, and kissing until we both couldn't stand up on the dance floor. Then we'd have to take it outside for a bit, against the wall. After the third time we did that, we left instead of going back in. It was after 1 AM, and we wanted to get home and into the hot tub again before we turned in.
Being busy, we didn't hear Dave and Juan come back. Despite warnings, they hammered on the door when they returned.
"We brought you your phone, it's ringing..." Dave sounded happy to have a legitimate reason for interrupting us.
"I heard it. I'm busy. Go away or I'll tear your bloody head off!" Bones picked up his head to yell.
"But it might be them!" He insisted.
"Might not! Don't give a shit!" He put his head and mouth back to what he was doing.
"Bones! It's why we're here," I gasped, trying to talk while Bones used his mouth on me.
"Don't you start now, luv. I have another job to do here, and if you can still talk, I'm not doing it properly," Bones growled, not lifting his head.
"Priorities, Bones," I gritted my teeth and forced out the words. "We catch the bastards doing this...then we can have...an uninterrupted vacation... without Juan and Dave." I pulled his head up for a kiss, and he let me.
"All right, Kitten, I'll take the call," he didn't sound happy. He jumped off the bed, opened the door, and grabbed the phone from Dave, putting it on speakerphone, so we could all hear the conversation. I wrapped the bed sheet like a sari, Bones just stood there naked, tantalizing me.
"Yes. Who is it?" he finally said, without his sexy accent.
It was one of those high girlish voices that grated on my nerves, "Hi! This is Tiffany with Desert Hunts. You left a message. What can we do for you?"
"Tiffany. I'm interesting in going hunting one night, can you tell me what you offer," the silken baritone replied.
"We offer specialized night hunting only..." she tee-heed, and sounded dumb.
"Yes, Tiffany, I know."
"How many in your party?" Tiffany was back to reading from her script.
"Just one, Tiffany."
"Do you have any preference for prey?"
"A fast one."
"They usually don't last long in the desert," she said bluntly.
"Who is your boss, and how do I check him out? How will he check me out?" Bones hoped for some info.
"You'll meet the boss when you show up for the hunt, and he'll know who you are."
"How will he know, Tiffany? You don't have my name," still trying to get something out of her. "How do I know I can trust you, and her?"
"Of course you can. Our business is based on trust. He's very smart. He knows everyone," Tiffany hero-worshiped her boss.
"And the cost?" Bones was getting frustrated with the lack of information.
"Ten thousand dollars. Cash in hand, when you meet for the hunt."
"That's quite a lot, for one target."
"Hunting is rare and out of season."
"Understood. When can I go?"
"Well, today is Tuesday. How about Friday? So you have time to collect the cash."
"When and where?"
"We'll text you at 9 PM on Friday. We'll tell you where to meet us, and at what time."
"Right. Thank you for your help, lovely Tiffany," Bones poured out the charm.
"You're very welcome. I hope you have a successful hunt," she giggled again, and hung up.
Part 4
As soon as he hung up, Bones used another phone to call Leif. He had very little to report, but at least contact had been made. He didn't want to meet Leif in public again.
Leif agreed to come to the house to talk the next night. He also agreed to bring the $10,000, in large bills, so it wouldn't be too bulky. Right before he hung up, he added, that he would be bringing a friend as cover.
Bones told Juan and Dave the plan to meet with Leif the next night, then he added, "There's nothing for us to plan on our own, so I don't expect to see the two of you until 9 PM tomorrow. Is that clear?"
The two supes assured their sire that we wouldn't be bothered by them, in any way, until the 9 PM meeting. They turned to leave, relieved that they still had all their parts attached. They closed the door behind them, then Bones turned back to me, "Where were we, Kitten, when we were so rudely interrupted?"
I unwrapped myself, and pulled Bones back over to me, laughing, "If you can't remember, maybe you should start from the top, and work your way down."
"Not necessary, luv, I remember precisely where I was," as he bent down to my body again.
You would think that the more Bones and I were together, the more we could take being apart. In fact, it was the opposite. After spending the rest of the night, and the early part of the day, making love, when evening came, we were still snuggling on the couch when Leif rang the doorbell. Dave and Juan were waiting with us, and Juan went to answer it.
Leif had his arm around one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. She was about 5'4", slender with straight, coal black hair flowing down to her waist. It shone midnight blue under the light. Her face was an amalgam of races, perfectly combined. A slightly hooked nose, high cheekbones, brows like wings, and a mouth so beautiful, that I wanted to kiss it. Asian, Native American, I didn't know, but I felt lumpy and awkward compared to her.
Bones and I stood to be introduced, and to welcome them to our temporary home.
"Bones, Cat, I'd like to you to meet my girlfriend, Lena Talon. Lena, this is my old friend, Bones, and his wife, Cat. They're helping with the problem," Leif's face changed when he looked at Lena. I imagined it was the way Bones' face changed when he looked at me, and I hoped Leif had found someone to soothe his heart. Plus, it would be nice to have another vamp/human couple as friends.
"Lena, it's a pleasure to meet you, Can I get you a drink?" I asked politely, for once, "Leif would you like something?"
"Thank you Cat. I'll just have some bottled water, if you have it," Lena looked at Leif, "Do you have any blood for Leif?"
"Yes, we do. Let me get that for you," I went into the kitchen and took a bottle of water and the container of blood from the fridge, and poured the blood into a glass. We always kept some for emergencies. Bones and the boys would have their Scotch, and I would drink my Gin and Tonic, already on the table.
Lena looked curiously at what the men were drinking. Leif was a different species of vampire than Bones, and could ingest only blood. I bet he'd enjoy a taste of whiskey on occasion.
"Lena, are you sure you wouldn't like a gin and tonic?" I was willing to share.
"No thanks, Cat. Lots of us can't process alcohol correctly, it's better if we don't even start," she replied.
"Who's us?" Someone had to ask and I was curious.
"Native Americans and Japanese," she grinned. "I am hungry though. Do you have anything to eat?"
"A girl after my own heart. Let's see," we got up and walked back into the kitchen together. Let the guys make their plans for Friday. I didn't think I'd have any significant part in it. I would just be a distraction for Bones, and I didn't want that. I could join the battle if there was one, but I didn't need to plan in order to fight.
We decided on sandwiches, and sat down at the kitchen island to eat. The words came out of our mouths at the same time, "What are you?"
We both laughed and gulped our drinks. I hadn't had such a quick rapport with someone since I'd met Denise.
"I'm half-human and half-vampire," I answered first. "What are you?"
"I'm a were-falcon," Lena said.
My eyes widened, "How beautiful, and how wonderful that you can fly? Can Leif fly?"
"Oh, yes. We've gone up together. I can fly rings around him, literally. I think it annoys him," she laughed, "It's also nice when he carries me. He prefers that."
"I bet. I've flown with Bones. Once he saved my life, by flying me out of a restaurant on the roof of a building, through the bullet holes in the glass."
"Wow! That proved useful! We just go flying through the mountains."
"It was not pleasant, and I'd rather not have my life threatened ever again." I added, "Did you grow up around here?"
"No, I'm Navajo, from North of here, past the Grand Canyon. The Japanese part came from a farmer. Before the war, he married my grandmother, and later hid out on the res, so he wouldn't be taken away. Did you know there was an internment camp here for Japanese citizens?"
"No. I grew up in a small-sized, and small-minded community in Ohio. I only knew what I was taught in school, and sometimes I think they didn't do a very good job. But Bones has been teaching me what I missed, about a lot of things," I smiled. "How old is Leif? Bones is almost 300."
"Leif is over 900 years old. Think of what they've seen! It's living history."
"Yeah, Bones is a legend, alright! We could take history classes and cheat!" I laughed, "If it's cheating that your husband was remanded to Australia..."
"Or your boyfriend was a Viking!" Lena joined me in laughter.
Our two vampires showed up shortly after. They must have heard us laughing and worried that we were plotting something evil. They were positive and negative copies of each other, Bones with his dark hair and eyes, as usual dressed in black. While blond haired and blue eyed Leif, was in jeans and a light blue chambray shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. They kissed our cheeks simultaneously. That only made us laugh longer.
"What are you two up to?" Bones asked me.
"Nothing. We're just getting to know each other. Have you made plans for Friday?" I asked them both.
"Yes. Kitten, you'll be with the fighters, waiting to come in when I call," he looked at Lena, "Lena, Leif said that you are willing to help..."
"Yes, of course," she answered decisively.
"Then you'll keep track of me, where I meet them, and bring the cavalry to my location. You will have to be fast, or I'll have to kill whoever I'm hunting," he said seriously. "Assuming that everyone involved is either a vampire or ghoul, you'll have to aim to kill, not maim." He turned and looked directly at me, "Happy?"
Yes, I was happy. I had a hard time NOT killing vampires. It took a lot of skill to get a knife into a vampire's heart, but not have it twist and kill him. I can do it, but in the heat of battle, it takes too much time. Plus, I would have to stay with my victim, taking me out of play, and standing still makes me an easier target
"Aren't you interested in finding out if there's an organization?" I asked.
Bones and Leif consulted each other with a look, Leif answered, "I don't think there is, and I don't want anyone left alive to start up again. We can monitor the phone number."
Bones added, "I also think it's a rogue, Kitten. We take the boss down and it will all be over. Then we can have a holiday," His look burned me as his eyes swirled green, and his voice rose, "And you two can sod off!" I heard sniggers from the living room.
We sat around and chatted for another hour. Before Lena left with Leif, she and I exchanged phone numbers and made plans to meet for lunch on Saturday.
Part 5
It was 4 AM Friday morning. Dawn would break at 5:32. Bones and I still had some time to spend together before we went to sleep. We didn't always spend the day sleeping, but we both needed to be well rested for tonight. I was tired from the past few hours' activities, and I was determined to spend every moment I could with him. I couldn't think of anything except the upcoming fight. I always worry more than Bones. There might be only a couple of vampires there and no action involved, past ripping off a head or two. Bones could take care of that himself.
I held on to him as if we were in a wild sea and he was my anchor. I didn't like him going without me, but with a human scent, I'd only endanger him. My job was to cover his back and my skills were killer from a distance. He knew what I was thinking, because on normal days, I didn't cling. Usually, I hogged the blanket and slept on the edge of the bed. It led to Bones needing a second blanket for himself.
"Kitten, you know I'll be alright. It's really not a big assignment. I doubt if there will be more than six to ten vampires there. I could handle them myself, if you'd let me. I haven't had a good fight in a while," he smirked at me. "I could use the practice."
"I'll spar with you, and I bet Leif would too, for practice. He's a big guy and can fly too, you'd be pretty evenly matched," I waited for his rebuff, but it didn't come.
"You're right, he'd be a hell of an opponent. I'm lucky he's on my side," he said thoughtfully. "What do you think of Lena?"
"I like her. She laughs at the same things I do, and seems to be genuinely fond him. Did he say anything to you?"
"No. You know men don't talk about that stuff."
"That's not true! You and Spade do! Even Ian does sometimes."
"But they're my best mates. I wouldn't with Dave or Juan, nor with Leif."
"Well, I hope he's over that Queen. He deserves to be happy after 900 years."
"Yes, luv, it's a long time to feel alone," he said softly, kissing my hair.
I leaned my head back and looked at him, he was beautiful, but that wasn't what made me love him. I never wanted to spend a single night without him.
"Bones, you know the vacation we'll take after tomorrow?" I asked.
"What about it? Do you want to go someplace else?"
"No... it's time," I whispered.
His hands moved to my face, and he held me, unmoving, his eyes searching mine, "Why now? Are you sure?"
"Yes! Call it an epiphany. I'll be harder to kill, and I don't want you to have to mourn me if something should happen. I can't envision my life without you. I just want to be with you forever!" And faster than I could move, his mouth slanted over mine for another award worthy kiss.
No biting, no venom, no tricks. Just pure love. That's what our lovemaking was. More than the feelings when we became husband and wife, our next bond would make "forever" into truth, and he showed me with every touch, it was what he wanted.
By the time the sun rose, we both fell asleep with smiles on our faces, for once entwined together, sharing the same blanket. But when I awoke as the sun was setting, Bones had already left the bed. I took a quick shower, got dressed in black workout gear and went to the kitchen to eat.
In the dining room, a map of Arizona was laid out on the table. Bones, Dave and Juan were looking at it, wondering in which direction they would be sent, when the call came. There were many empty spaces in the state where hunting could occur without interference. From as close as one hour away, to all four borders, about three to four hours away, there were refuges, parks, monuments, wilderness', and forests, where there were few to no people living. Plus, there were vast spaces on the many reservations that were sparsely populated.
We thought that the hunt would be in the south because that's where the illegals came from. However, that's also where the majority of border patrols were active, not to mention the vigilante groups, hell-bent on keeping the illegals out of the USA. Being contacted at 9 PM meant that there were eight hours to drive somewhere, hunt, and return before daylight. The hunt could take place anywhere but the most remote places in the state.
At precisely 9 PM, Bones' phone squealed. It was a detailed text message:
"US60E to X197:N to AZ88, E 3m to Lost Dutchman SP, R into SP, L at fork to end. Midnight."
We all bent over the map following the blue and red lines into the Tonto National Forest.
"There are good overlooks on Superstition Mountain."
"Bet ya the bad guys have look-outs there."
"What's that thing?"
"That's Weaver's Needle. It's too far to keep track from."
"Lena could see from it."
"Hawks normally sit on the highest point around. She can keep close watch from a saguaro cactus, she doesn't have to be hidden."
"Leif is bringing his flying squad too."
"How many?"
"Depends who can get here, four or five."
"With us that's enough for anything, barring a nuclear explosion."
"I'll call Leif now, and set things up. I'll try to find a place that you can hang out at, without being suspicious. The fliers probably know their way around," Bones added, "It's less than hour away."
After the call, he looked thoughtful, "Damn bumfuck Arizona! Everything closes up early! There's a parking lot at a closed restaurant about a mile west of the park entrance. Locals use it for parking their trailers and RVs, and cars for sale. Leif thinks that you won't be noticed there. The hunters might not think of it since it's a local spot. The restaurant is only open during the winter season. Now it just looks deserted. Behind the buildings is a dry wash with a few trees, that's your meeting point with Leif and his vamps.
"Lena will fly back and tell them where the hunt is and how many vamps are there. Then you'll be taken by 'Vamp Air' to a point where you can launch a surprise attack, before I have to kill an citizen."
Bones decided to drive out early so he could reconnoiter. Even if he was seen, it would be a normal precaution for a smart vampire. First, we took a side trip to the bedroom, "Kitten, you know I'll be fine. Don't worry, just watch your back when you're in the fight."
"I'll look for you before we attack, and I'll throw to kill," I promised.
One sweet kiss and he was gone. I'd have to depend on others this evening, and I didn't like that.
We arrived at the meeting point at around 11:30. Leif was there already with his troops, and he was standing with his arm around Lena, who was wrapped in a blanket, whispering in her ear. When they heard us approach, they both turned to see who it was, then relaxed as they caught our scents. I walked up to them, and Lena hugged me the best she could, without dropping her covering
"Cat, it's good to see you. Bones is ready. He checked out the surrounding area, and is now resting with his back against a rock, so he can't be snuck up on" she said softly. "I've been watching him. He's smart."
"I know. It makes me feel better that you're with us," I replied.
"I'm going back out again. I haven't seen any one approach. I don't think they've arrived yet, so I'll keep watch. I'll come back when I know how many we face, and where they're headed," she said, and Leif took the ends of the blanket and held it up while she changed. Seconds later, an American Kestrel flew up from the ground, and circled before she flew off. She was so beautiful! I could hardly see her cream and brown bars below. The stripes under her eyes, like a tattoo, were barely visible before she ascended. Bones' life would depend on her intelligence and speed.
We were all on edge, adrenalin pumped through my veins. I don't know what pumps through vamp veins besides blood. They go into bloodlust when battle comes upon them. Just waiting was the hardest thing, I tried to get into Bones' head but he was either blocking me or was in downtime. Suddenly, there was a blip, and it was coming from him. I went to stand by Leif. It was the closest I'd been to him since we arrived. He felt formidable, but I knew he was a friend. We waited for Lena's return together as I continued to get feelings from Bones.
"Leif, Bones is feeling unsettled. I don't know what could cause that," I was anxious myself, but he was always calm before a fight.
Leif searched the night sky for Lena, his eyes sharper than mine in the desert blackness. With a flutter of wings, Lena landed on Leif's shoulder, nipping at his ear. With a little laugh, he held out the blanket, so she could hop down to change. In a moment, Lena's head appeared above the blanket, and Leif wrapped her in it, and his arms. It looked like he was bending in half to kiss her, and didn't want to stop. But she let go of his neck and pushed him away a little, and whispered in his ear. I was close enough to hear her murmur, "Later, my warrior, first we must attend to business."
I was glad that she had her priorities straight.
"Bones is not far from the road end where he started. He is surrounded by eight vampires and they are holding two humans captive. They want him to kill one in front of them, before allowing him to hunt. I think they mean to record him, for insurance. They will feed the other human, vampire blood, so he can move faster, and the hunt will become more interesting," she reported.
"So Bones is refusing to kill the human?" I was proud and worried.
"No. But he is arguing with them about which human to kill," she smiled.
I understood. One is a rapist or murderer who Bones feels deserves to die. He doesn't mind killing those, the other must be an innocent, or at least, less guilty.
"Is the boss there?"I asked Lena, who nodded her head, 'yes'.
I chuckled, "When should we attack?"
They looked at me bewildered. No hysterics to save the humans? I shrugged my shoulders, "Bones has decided that only one of the humans is worth saving. Is one a woman?"
"Yes," answered Lena. "The other is a man. That's who they want Bones to hunt."
"OK. Then we try to avoid killing the woman. Everybody else is expendable. Leif, what is the plan?"
"There are three of you who do not fly. So three of my men will fly you to the scene. Then we fight. Lena will stay here. She cannot fight against vampires as a human or a falcon," his eyes were shining in anticipation of battle, but his look at Lena was serious. I saw his lips form the word, 'please', as he looked into her eyes. She acquiesced, and we were ready to go.
Leif carried me towards the site and first landed with me on a little hill, "Do you fight, Cat?"
I just laughed, and pointed to where I wanted to be taken, while palming my knives.
The moment we set down, with our vampires following, the vamps on the ground alerted. We surrounded them, but they surrounded Bones, so the first move was to get Bones out from the center. To accomplish this, I yelled and threw a small knife at the closest vamp. As the others swung around to see what happened, Bones took off, straight up, into the night. He landed next to me, gave me a little kiss and said, "Thanks," then we both continued the fight.
It could be said that in numbers, both sides were evenly matched. But with Bones and Leif on one side, the rest of us were hardly needed. I thought about sitting it out and just watching, but then a short, skinny vamp saw me and decided I must be a weak link. He came running towards me at vamp speed. Did he really think I would stand still so he could grab me? As he was about to reach me, I stepped to the right, then swiveled on my left foot, and drove a knife just inside his shoulder blade, as he breezed past. He used his hands against a rock to stop his dash, and tried to reach the blade sticking out from his back. But I was there before he could grab on, and I twisted it into his heart.
I saw the human female on the ground, and decided she was as safe as could be, so I looked for another vamp I could play with, but there was none left. After more than three weeks of waiting, our battle was over in minutes.
Bones flew the few yards to me and took me in his arms. He turned to Leif to say that he'd see him tomorrow night, and to Dave and Juan, ordering them to drive the truck back. Then he took off into the night, carrying me to wherever he had planned.
It was only back to the house, but we were there alone. The thoughtful man waited until he saw the bed before ripping off my clothes. We worked the bloodlust out of us, then after a quick shower, we eased into the hot tub to relax.
"I could almost say that was fun," he smirked.
"It certainly didn't seem like much of a challenge, given all the trouble they were causing," I replied.
"No. The "boss" was a young vampire with a warped imagination. He wasn't even twenty yet. He must have been with a gang before he was turned," Bones said thoughtfully, "Who else would think of illegals as animals to be hunted?"
"Sarah Palin? Joe Arpaio?" I smirked, "She could hunt them from a helicopter. He could dress them in pink stripes and send them home to Mexico. Which doesn't seem as bad."
"A problem without a solution," he looked at me, "but we have a solution to our problem."
"I wasn't aware that we had a problem, honey," I grinned.
"'Honey', not bad, Kitten. Better than some of the things you have called me in the past," how he could talk while doing those things with his mouth was beyond me. Maybe it was a vampire thing.
"Would you prefer that I call you 'Crispin'?" I asked suddenly. I had met him using the name Bones, but Crispin was his given name.
"No, kitten. You've called me Bones since we met. And you've called out "Bones" in every way since we've come together," another smirk lifted those lovely lips. Then except for one thing, we were of like minds. Wait! We were agreed on that too.
"What are our plans for tomorrow then?" I asked, as I rubbed my hands on his body.
"Besides more of this?" he thought a minute, "Tomorrow night, Dave and Juan will leave, and we'll go out with Leif and Lena."
"I'm going to see her in the afternoon," I added, "Why don't I tell her to meet Leif here. We can go out then come back for some hot tubbing. We'll have empty rooms, they could stay over if they wanted."
"Are you sure you're not having other ideas, kitten?" he looked surprised.
"No. I told you when Annette offered, it's exclusively the two of us!"
He relaxed and smiled, "Good. I'm glad to hear that. I don't know if I could kill Leif."
I laughed, "Can we go naked into the hot tub with them? You'll get all the benefits of my Viking porno addiction."
"Kitten, you may just wind up killing me," he roared with laughter, and kissed me again.
Fin