"1700 people in this town and I manage to get two customers. Who don't pay." I slowly raised my head from my Mac book and smirked at my best friend walking back in from his office. He threw a dish cloth over his shoulder and walked behind the bar sighing out loud and hard. James Diamond was a tall, fit and incredibly smart 27 year old, bar owner who I've known for almost 25 years. I was also very proud and happy to call him my brother. We have been through hell and back, almost as many chances as we can get it. And I wouldn't change it for the entire world. "Seriously…don't you two have friends at the shitty job of yours?"
"I'm pretty sure our shitty job has saved your ass, and this bar's finances, several times." I turned my head to the left and watched another one of my closest friends, and also my partner at work, Carlos Garcia. He was a short, easily irritated, ill-tempered and ill-mannered buff smart ass who, more times than not, have gotten me in trouble, than out. But he's also saved my life a couple times, and in the 10 years that I've known him, I have never laughed as much as I have. "Where's Logan? He bet me a grand on that football game, and fucking lost. Can you imagine that? Logan lost to a bet." I saw James give Carlos a dirty look. James took two beers out from a cooler underneath the bar and popped off the tops. James slid one over to me and took the other, drinking it almost completely gone. When he lowered it I gave him a confused look and he shook his head leaning back against the bar back.
"Logan said something big is going on tonight. He was told we have a new resident in town and it doesn't look good." I frowned taking a quick swig of my beer and set it back down, closing my laptop on my unfinished work. "I asked him to take one of you two, but he said where he was going, would be too dangerous for you guys." I chuckled standing up slowly stretching my arms over my back letting a few vertebras crack.
"Trust him James. He trusts you." I stepped away from the bar and ignored James not so nice hand gesture, walking back towards the restroom.
I walked inside the dark, dingy bathroom and shut the door hard walking right to a urinal. I whipped myself out and put one hand on the wall while I did my business. I rolled my head back and forth a few times before turning it to look out the almost to large window. I also thought it was too large because this was a bathroom in a bar, on the second floor of a brick building. Although it had a nice view of the brightly lit city, and the beautiful snowy mountain tops, this bay window was out of place in this bathroom. I closed my eyes and yawned out a little bit. I shook myself a little bit and quickly put myself back in dark blue jeans. I zipped myself back up and walked to a sink turning it on putting my hand sunder the ice cold water. Just as I glanced down into the sink, I saw in the flickering lights in the backroom by the stalls, a shadow dart across the wall. I shut off the water and grabbed a brown paper towel. As I wiped my hands I let my eyes scan over the small space behind me. I slowly started to turn and reached for my gun in my holster on my right rib cage. When I was standing right in front of the sink, my back to the mirror and my eyes focused on the closed stall doors, I pulled my gun out and as quietly as I could, I cocked it. As soon as I did, I heard a snicker. I swallowed hard trying to remember all the training I've had in my life time. I started to stand myself up tall, and there was again, another snicker. I squared up my shoulders and took a deep breath taking one step forward, gun raised. As soon as I did, a small, cold rough hand gripped around my throat, making my arms drop and my gun fall out of my hand. "You've gotten very, very slow Kendall." I closed my eyes gasping for air, slightly. I went to reach for the hand but it left as soon as it grabbed me. I coughed out, bending quick and grabbed my piece. I turned the safety on and popped out the bullet in the chamber. I glanced up as I put my gun back in the holster and frowned at my attacker. Logan Mitchell, who I have known, literally since I was born, because he was adopted by my parents was standing in front of me, a greasy smile on his face. He was a short guy, pale, paler than normal, with short brown hair and in the right light, black eyes. Right now he was wearing a plain white shirt and black jeans with black leather boots. It was almost just barely 20* degrees outside, but he didn't seem fazed by the cold. I quickly sat back on the sink and gave him a dirty look as he ran a hand up through his hair, raising his head just a little. "Do I look okay? James is cooking me dinner tonight and I want to look okay."
"Where'd you go? James was pretty vague."
"None of your business. Everything is fine Kendall. You and this shitty city can sleep soundly tonight. Do you have any smokes on you?" I frowned at him and walked to him, turning him fast. I shoved him to the door and he pulled it open, almost gliding out. As soon as the two at the bar saw him, James stood up straight and tossed the bar rag on the bar walking towards him. "Hey handsome. I got you a present." Logan walked past James and effortlessly jumped up on the bar sitting next to Carlos who handed him up a beer. Logan gave him a dirty look and turned back to James who was standing in front of him. "It's actually a gift for all of you." James set his hands on Logan's thighs as I took my seat next to Carlos and Logan quickly shoved his hands off. For as long as Logan and James have been dating, Logan has never been the PDA type. "It is a picture of a man I want you all to get very familiar with." Logan rose up a little and pulled out an old worn out brown leather wallet. From inside I could see a wad of green paper and frowned picking my beer back up. "This man has moved to town…about a month ago. With him come a bad juju and a lot of bad doers." Logan raised the photo and showed the three of us, not getting any kind of reaction at all. I reached out for the picture and yanked it from his hand getting a closer look. The man was wearing black rimmed glasses, a little on the thick side, and from what I could see, he was wearing a white doctor's coat. To my eye, he looked like a nerd. Definitely not a threat. I chuckled sipping my beer and gave the photo to Carlos. "Don't be a dick head Kendall. Seriously remember his face. He doesn't like my kind, he doesn't like Carlos's kind and he doesn't like cops."
"So than I'm safe?" I glance to James who again tried to lean into Logan. Logan let him attach his lips to his neck as he locked eyes with me.
"No…because you own a bar that has the cliental of the worst type of people, you my sweet man are a target."
"I wouldn't categorize his cliental people but…" Carlos gave Logan the picture back and turned to him clearing his throat. "Speaking of money, you owe me some." Logan pushed James away sticking his tongue out at him and pulled out the green bills, handing them down to Carlos. Carlos then turned to James and gave him half the bills. Logan's mouth dropped open and I chuckled watching James pocket the money. "It's rent." Logan shook his head sliding off the bar and into the seat next to Carlos. "So…what's with you going off on your own? Kendall and I don't do that." Logan chuckled big and fake, throwing his head back and I shook my own watching James make a drink, a special drink for Logan, with his back to us. I was grateful for that.
"You could have told them babe…by the time they got themselves ready I would have been back."
"To almost get shot at in that gross bathroom?" I eyed Logan who smirked sitting back putting his hands in his lap.
"Well…there was a town meeting. Of everyone except the humans." Carlos sat up fast mouth open in anger. I pushed him back softly and urged Logan to continue. "Sorry…I guess I should specify. Only my type got the memo…anyway, we had a very terrifying talk about the possibility of some chemist coming into town with a serum that can cure all of us." All three of us, including James turned their undivided attention to Logan who smiled. "He's setting up a lab down on William's street. He has a huge crack pot team of scientist and we've been told they plan on picking people up one by one, shooting them in the neck with a huge needle and changing them back into not monsters." The bar went quiet and Logan pulled himself up on the bar. He swung his legs over and slid off on the other side by James taking a black cup from him. He downed all of it, letting a little bit of liquid run out form the side of his mouth. When he put the cup down he wiped at the corner of his mouth, but we still all saw the red. "Most everyone is pissed. But there were a few voices who chimed in…we should be able to decide for ourselves. Most of us aren't abusing our gifts to hurt anyone. I say if we want to be changed back, great. DO what the pharmaceutical companies do…charge out the asshole for it. But we shouldn't be forced to go back to a life some of us may not want. And if this man…" Logan leaned forward tapping the picture of the rather ordinary looking man and locked eyes with me. "If he goes through with what he wants there is going to be an uprising."
"A cure would save this town. And it would turn it around." Logan glanced over his shoulder at James who raised a hand and an eyebrow. "I know. I have no idea what you've gone through. Or Carlos. I'm not in your shoes. But you aren't in mine either. It kills me to see you like this Logan. And I know it kills Kendall. Maybe this guy genuinely cares about people and wants them to have normal lives." Logan spun fast and I saw the slight flash of fear go across James's eyes.
"I have a normal life and so does Carlos. Just because it isn't up to your standards doesn't mean it's wrong."
"Going out at 1 am to find your next meal is not normal. Having to stay inside all day on sunny days is not normal. And only drinking blood is not normal Logan." Before James even finished his sentence he was left standing alone. I took a sip of my beer and squeezed my eyes shut hard hearing a door slam from downstairs. I lowered my bottle fast and watched James go back to making Carlos another drink, one that Carlos requested by tapping at the bar menu.
"You know he hates that you do that." James frowned shoveling some ice into a plastic clear cup. "He already feels like a freak…you saying it out loud doesn't help."
"He's the idiot who said he wouldn't want a cure. I mean if this guy is legit, he could give me my Logan back. And you wouldn't have a freak show of a partner." Carlos flipped James off casually, sipping the last little bit of beer. I sighed out, ready to argue, and defend my brother, but Carlos caught my attention. His eyes were squeezed tight shut, and his fists were clenched down on his lap. "Los?" I saw James reach out for him, but I grabbed his forearm hard and shook my head, keeping my eyes on Carlos.
"He's reading something…what are you thinking about?"
"Logan…what else? There's no one here. Who could it be."
"Down…" I let go of James and frowned at Carlos who was now shaking slightly. "Stairs…afraid." I slid off my bar stool and turned to James.
"Stay here. Get Logan back here…tell him to hurry."
"Kendall…wait!" I slammed the bar front door and descended down the wooden stairs wishing Logan hadn't have left. As soon as I got off the last one I turned around the corner of the red bricked building and stopped quick. Down the length of the alley way I could see a few things scattered here, and there. There was a women's black flat, and a few inches from that were car keys. A little ahead of those, was a black purse and a black leather jacket. I swallowed hard pulling my gun out of holster and walked down the length of the building see three men gathered around, from what I could make of the cries, a women. It only pissed me off more knowing three men, rather boys, were terrorizing a women.
"You're too pretty to be by yourself. If you hadn't run, we could have taken you to our car for a good fucking." I raised my gun fast, stepped out into the middle of the alleyway, cocking my gun.
"Good evening gentlemen." All three turned to me and I smiled shaking my head. Not human. Great. "I know you all must be able to read. DO you see the words on my badge? Down here on my hip? It says get the hell away from her and get against the wall." I watched from between two of the guys the women, a dark haired, crying women, fall against the chain link fence, crying, holding around her body.
"Come on detective. Three on one…your odds are pretty shitty."
"Besides…" I turned my gun to the one on the left who started to walk forward. "We have a few more weapons to play with. It wouldn't be fair to you." I frowned and without thinking, I pulled the trigger. No noise came out, because my silencer was on, for these exact reasons and I hit the guy in the shoulder. He yelled out, falling to the floor on his back holding his wound. The other two came towards me, faster than I could react, about as fast as Logan was when he left not three minutes ago. My gun was pulled out of my hand and I was punched hard in the mouth. I heard the women yell as I hit the cold hard ground and tensed up waiting for my final breath to come. But when I didn't feel or hear anything, I raised my head holding my bloody mouth and smiled seeing Carlos and Logan standing before me. As I pushed myself up, two arms tucked under mine and lifted me. I recognized James's cologne and was grateful for his strength. I snatched my gun off the ground and pushed between Logan and Carlos who were radiating anger and raised my gun again. Except this time I lowered it fast. One of the guys was holding the women by her hair, while his other hand held a knife to her throat. The one who punched me was helping his buddy stand, and he smirked.
"Now what? You want to watch this slut's blood spill on the ground?" I spit out blood form my mouth on the ground and let Carlos get in front of me. "Wow…brought a dog to gun fight." Carlos let forward and in a matter of seconds, his clothes were ripped apart and in midair, his body was transformed into a big ball of dark brown fur. There was a loud growl that echoed through the alleyway making me tense up. And then there was the sound of bones crunching and a loud scream. Logan shoved past me and jumped in helping Carlos. It was a little hard to watch my two best friend rip this guy to shreds, while his hurt friend yelled in horror, but my focus was on the women, pale looking at the scene in front of her. The man holding her looking pained…he didn't know if he should help his friend, or keep holding the women. And lucky for her, when he saw Logan grab his already hurt friend, and drain the life out of him, he threw the women to the wall beside him and jumped in to help. Well try to help.
I walked quickly to the women who had been knocked out from the force of hitting the wall, and put my gun away. I scooped her up and held around the small gash on her forehead turning to James. He was watching the fighting, but when I started to walk to him he grabbed a handkerchief form his back pocket and pushed my hand away from her cut, setting it on it. He helped me walk up the stairs to the bar and as soon as he closed the door behind me, the horrible noises from down stairs were cut off and we were left in the quiet, dim bar. As I walked to a long table in the center of the bar all the lights came on from up above and I was able to see everything around me. Including the women in my arms.
She was pale, probably from blood loss and had blood trickling over and down her face from her cut. As I laid her on the table, I brushed her black hair out form her face, peeling it off her skin, since it had been glued there by the blood and swallowed hard. If she wasn't covered in blood and knocked out, this women might actually give me a run for my money. But in her face, I could see the fear and pain she felt. And when I saw James get on the other side of the table I straightened up and looked at him. He set a first aid kit next to her small, skinny arm and opened it, taking a seat. "We gotta clean her up, before Logan gets up here. He'll go nuts." I nodded turning quick to the bar and leaned over the counter grabbing a white dish cloth. I dunked it in the tub of ice that was half melted and raised it back up turning to James. He was taking her other arm off from around her stomach and stood up fast. "I think she was stabbed." I felt my anger start to rise as I stood next to her again and shook my head seeing a cut in her soft looking stomach. "Clean her head first. I think I'm going to need to stich it up. And let Carlos and Logan know to stay outside until we're done, and their clean." I nodded pulling my phone out and sent a quick text to Carlos while James took the cloth from me.
I sat and watched in amazement as James cleaned this girl up and stitched up her two wounds. It was a freaking miracle this girl still had a pulse, let alone was groaning. It meant she was still alive and wasn't going to slip into a coma, like James said she easily could. By the time he had her head and stomach stitched up, 7 stiches total he sat down and wiped his hands with an alcohol wet wipe. I glanced down her body, seeing her black skinny jeans ripped here and there as if she had put up a hell of a fight from these two guys. As I was looking down her legs, I noticed for the first time, that I was holding her hand. I let it go quickly seeing her turning her head and then turning it back to me. I glanced to James who stood up and walked towards his office. I looked back down at her face and saw her flutter her eyes open, just to close them back up. I stood up and sort of stood over her, to block the blinding light from her vision. "Where…where am I?"
"You're in a bar. You have some stiches in your head and stomach. DO you remember anything that happened?" She opened her eyes again, and this time she kept them open. And for the first time tonight, I was able to look in them. They were a bright, brilliant blue that sparkled from the slow tears starting to come out. "I'm a detective. My partner and I heard you scream and…"
"What are you guys?" I frowned just as James came out and took his original seat, holding what looked like one of his plain black shirts.
"Here. I had to cut our shirt to clean your wound. You can have one of mine. Also…I have some socks. One of your shoes is still downstairs, and you're shivering." James set the shirt next to her and put a pair of long, warm looking white tube socks. The women, who was still staring up at me slowly started to rise herself. She gasped out a little, at the pain of her bending her stomach over her wound and I set a hand under her shoulder. James did the same to the other and quietly talked to her. "Nice and slow…there is no rush. Keep taking deep breaths…" She finally sat herself up slowly and immediately her hand went to her head. James gently grabbed it and set it down on her leg. "Would you like some help taking off your shirt?" She looked to James, obviously disgusted and he chuckled standing. "I promise…I'm gay. And I'll make Kendall turn around." He shifted his eyes to me and I sighed out turning slowly. I put my back to them and glanced down at my dark grey shirt. It was covered in her blood. I frowned slowly raising my arms and headed to his office.
"I'm going to steal a shirt. Mine's soaked."
"You should also let me check out your mouth. You're bleeding pretty bad bro." I waved him off stepping in his cold, bright office and threw my dirty shirt to a corner. I sighed looking around his messy office and turned ever so slightly. In the corner of my eye I saw the women lying herself back down holding around her wound on her stomach. James was gently patting at it, but what got me, was she was only in a red laced bra. I swallowed hard watching her breathing hard, making her chest rise and fall hard. James said something I couldn't hear and she nodded sitting back up with his help. I turned quick and yanked a white shirt off the back of his door and slid it on fast. I ignored that it was little too big, but knew it was because James had muscles that required a double X size. "Okay. She's covered, and you can let Carlos and Logan come up." I walked out of the office fast and stared at the back of her head. She had her legs hanging off the table facing James who was sitting and helping her put socks on her pretty pedicured feet. "What's your name sweetie?" I walked around the table and stood behind James, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Becca…Rebecca. Who are you guys?" She looked up and I opened my mouth to speak just as the door slammed open. Walking in, laughing loudly were two very happy guys. Logan and Carlos were laughing, holding onto each other, as if they just won the world series. However, the thing that made me jump in front of them, to shield them from her, was the fact that Carlos was completely naked. They looked at me, and then looked around, and Carlos quickly covered his junk.
"Sorry…you got some clothes here James?"
"Yeah. There should be some sweats and a sweater of Logan's in the top drawer of the filing cabinet in my office. Help yourself." Carlos quickly darted to the room and shut the door quietly. Before I turned to the other two I saw Logan raise a black flat, a purse and a jacket as eh closed the door.
"I believe these belong to a Miss Rebecca…I put your keys and a very nice bottle of perfume in your purse. I didn't mean to snoop but before we threw the bodies in the river, I wanted to make sure they didn't have anything of yours. All your belongings seem to be in here." Logan stopped right in front of her and gently set her things next to her. Logan set a hand on James neck and ran some fingers through his hair. "I hope they took good care of you. James used to be a paramedic…and Kendall sees this kind of stuff every day." I stood on the other side of James and watched her go through her purse. When he found what she was looking for, or I assumed, she glanced up and tucked hair behind her ear. "The cuts were deep enough for stiches?"
"She was bleeding enough to feed a small army." Logan chuckled and leaned down kissing his head. "She's also asked who we are. I figured I'd let you do the talking."
"Why thank you." Logan smiled at James as he stood up and grabbed his first aid kit. Logan quickly took his seat and pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapping around them. "Are you new here Rebecca?" She nodded wiping at old tears and locked eyes with Logan. "Well then I guess you should know…this town and the people in it are not good people. A lot of us are just trying to get through the day without anything going wrong, like most towns, but this one is a little different. See…I'm not a normal human being. I have a very rare and unusual gift that has allowed me to save people, much like I just did for you." She swallowed hard still looking down at Logan and he sat back a little. "I'm a vampire Rebecca and Carlos…the one who just went to put some clothes on, is a werewolf. About 85% of this town is some sort of…monster. We don't have zombies and we don't have the creature from the black lagoon. But we have people in this town who want humans dead and we have people in this town who want to keep them alive. Like Carlos and I." She lowered her head and played with her hands in her lap. "The men who chased you from your car were also vampires and their sole purpose tonight was to take your life and drink your blood." I gently smacked Logan's shoulder and he glanced up shaking his head. When he looked back to her, I noticed James and Carlos standing behind her both looking at Logan. "But you already know all this don't you?" She raised her head fast and I frowned lowering my arms from my chest. "How come you came to our small town Rebecca?" She wiped her face again, as more tears fell and she looked over at the door leading out.
"I…" She paused and looked back to Logan before looking up at me. "Are you…"
"No." She looked away fast and swallowed hard looking down at Logan.
"I came here because my mom said this was the last place my dad was seen. I came to find my dad." I shoved my hands into my jeans and looked up and over at Carlos who had his back to us and was talking to James. James then gave a weird look to Logan who slowly stood himself up and sighed out.
"Well…you're in luck Rebecca. Because Kendall and Carlos are detectives. We can help. And I know you're hesitant to ask for our help, because you just met us but Carlos can read minds." She raised her head and turned it slowly griping onto the wood under her. Carlos smiled big and waved her, as she slipped herself off the table. I reached out quick seeing her wobble and held around back. She clutched onto my other arm and held herself up on me.
"Also…no Kendall isn't seeing anyone, and he things your eyes are breathtaking." I snapped my head to see the back of Carlos's head as he sat at the bar, James was already behind, pouring him a drink.
"Do you happen to have a picture of your dad? It will help us just a little bit." Logan got in front of her and she nodded reaching for her purse. She dug through it until she pulled out a small black journal. She opened it up just as a picture fell out. She grabbed it quick throwing the journal back in her bag and handed it to Logan. He nodded looking down at it and turned it to me. As soon as I saw it, I raised my hand and took it. My mouth went dry and my toes went numb.
"James?" I gently put the girl in Logan's arms and hurried to the bar, turning the picture so it was face out. As I got to the bar James glanced up and immediately, the glass he was holding, dropped from his hand and it shattered everywhere on the ground at his feet. "Please tell me that is not who I think it is." He took the picture from my hand with a shaky one and covered his mouth with his other hand.
"What?" I turned to look over at Logan who was slowly walking Rebecca over to us. "What's wrong babe?" James put the picture down on the bar and lowered both hands shaking his head still.
"That can't be…where did you get that picture?" Logan effortlessly lifted Rebecca up on a stool next to Carlos who looked beyond confused.
"My mom…I never knew my dad, but she said my dad could help me with somethings. She gave me that picture and gave em a map with a red line leading here. Why?" James glanced up and over at her and swallowed hard.
"Because…" he paused and looked to me. I nodded in encouragement and he sighed out hard. "Because that's my dad."