Chapter Nine
"Vampires?" Tucker repeated. "This should be interesting."
"Vampires are sick," Hadley replied. "They're driven by hunger. If you have one now, there'll be more to come later."
"How do we find them?" Danny asked.
"They'll be hiding out in their burial sights," Hadley said. "They don't like the sun. The older they are, the stronger they are, but they will be more susceptible to the sun. Judging by the intricate planning of the disposal, they're old enough to enjoy themselves rather than just feeding."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"Vampires usually go through a stage after they rise that they still feel emotion. Guilt over their kills. Most don't go past this, and kill themselves one way or another. The few that do survive become predators. They're sick as fuck. The fear of their prey drives them," Hadley informed. "There were only three victims, so there will be, at most, three vampires."
"Why?" Danny asked.
"Vampires are territorial. They don't share food," Hadley replied.
"You mean like Tucker?" Sam interjected.
"Har har," he retorted. "You would share if you ate real food."
"Don't start this shit," Hadley snapped. "We need to make a plan."
"What should we do? Tell Masters?" Danny asked.
"Get him to reassign the curfew," Hadley said. "No one goes out after sundown."
"Weapons?" Danny asked, his protective instincts in full swing.
"Wood," Hadley replied. "Wood itself is toxic to Vampires. Fire always works. Chopping off the head is a personal favorite." She added the last part with a small smile, as if recalling a fond memory.
"That would kill just about anything," Tucker said.
"How do we know when we see one?" Sam asked.
"It's completely obvious," Hadley answered. "Vampires aren't the enchanting supermodel-casted creatures you see in your teen-fetish TV shows. They aren't beautiful. They're creepy as fuck. They're walking corpses."
"So how do they have the capacity to have guilt?" Danny asked.
"Vampires are said to be created when a demon possesses a corpse," Hadley answered. "They go for the least-decomposed possible, and usually the corpse's spirit hasn't left yet. The demon and the spirit are fighting over the corpse."
"There's about fifty goths at the bookstore I go to whose black hearts would soar at hearing this information," Sam's voice came through the speaker.
"I'll never understand you people," Hadley replied.
…
"You think it's a what?" Vlad was beyond irritated. Hadley was supposed to have taken care of the attacks. Now she says it's a vampire that's out plaguing the town?
"Nosferatu, Dracula, whatever clicks in your fruit-loop brain," Hadley replied. "You've got at least one. And if they're popping up now, you're only going to get more. To be honest, I'm surprised this is your first case of them."
"Why?" Vlad asked.
"All the ghosts," Hadley responded. "That's how it starts, anyways."
"What do you expect me to do? Arm everyone in town with wooden stakes and crosses?" Vlad remarked sarcastically.
"That would be best," she replied. "Otherwise you'll have a large pile of bodies filling up the ground. Which, in turn, means more vampires."
"And I'm supposed to believe that this attack isn't a convenient little plot for you to stay in Amity Park on my dime?" Vlad tucked his hands behind his back and scowled at her.
Hadley crossed her arms over her chest and maintained her glare, "You're the one who came to find me. If you want the job done discretely, then I expect payment. Otherwise, I have no shame in setting the evil bastard on fire in the center of the town square."
Danny looked over to her. He didn't doubt for a second that she was telling the truth. Shame wasn't really present in Hadley. He found that out during their nights together…all of them.
"It's up to you, Masters. I'm here out of a personal obligation. Nothing in my own code says that an audience matters," Hadley's chin was low, and she looked at the fuming mayor through lowered brows, challenging him.
Vlad gritted his teeth, "What do you require?"
Hadley smirked, "Just the cost of living. I don't have time for luxuries."
"Fine," Vlad snapped.
"Glad you've come to see things my way," she reached out her hand arrogantly.
Vlad shook it briefly, still scowling when his hand retracted to behind his back.
"Don't forget to lock your doors, Mr. Mayor," Hadley drawled maliciously. "Vampires love an easy prey for an appetizer."
Danny shared her smirk as they walked down the hall. Few people could handle Vlad that way. Even he couldn't make the Mayor cave. Hadley knew more about this creature than Vlad, and Vlad hated that.
The cool night air tingled against Danny's skin, causing gooseflesh to rise beneath the sleeves of his favorite white t-shirt. Hadley had goosebumps as well, but she didn't appeared disturbed by it. Danny threw an arm over her shoulder.
"What do we do first?" he asked amiably.
Hadley's brows lowered at his affection. "We go to the crime scene."
"You think whoever did it will be back?" Danny asked.
"No, but maybe I'll be able to track it back to its resting place," Hadley replied, leaving Danny to walk around to the driver's side of her Blazer.
"How?" Danny hopped in when she unlocked the door.
"The smell of a rotting corpse is easy to pick out," Hadley answered, cranking the engine.
The park was still blocked off by police tape when they arrived. Any footprints the Vampire would've left were long since disturbed by the police who 'gathered evidence' when the bodies were found. Tucker had sent the pictures taken by the police to Danny's phone. Hadley checked the spots where the bodies sat first, hoping to catch something.
The scent of perfume masked the Vampire's trail fairly well. Hadley did a perimeter sweep, looking for the escape route once the bodies were dumped.
"I've got something," Danny said.
"What is it?" Hadley asked.
"The report says one of the bodies had skin under her fingernails," Danny read. "They tested it and it belonged to one of the victims of the werewolf attack."
"Makes sense," Hadley replied. "They were the last ones to die, therefore, there would only be a little decomposition."
"But this one wasn't buried yet. He was in the coroner's office, waiting on paperwork to be transported to the funeral home. He's set to be buried tomorrow," Danny scrolled on the screen.
"Perfect," Hadley replied. "All we have to do is stake the corpse before they bury it."
"If we go to the morgue, do you think we might catch him?" Danny asked. "The sun's only been down for a few hours."
"No, he'd be long gone by now," Hadley said. "But we need more information about when and where he is supposed to be buried."
"We could sneak in," Danny replied.
"We'd have to be dead to get into the morgue," Hadley said. "There's always a graveyard shift there."
Danny smirked devilishly, eyes illuminating green through the oceanic blue. "Or a ghost."
Hadley caught his meaning and shared his malicious grin, "I'm starting to rub off on you."
…
Danny phased them into the record room of the Morgue. The employee on the night shift was wearing headphones two doors away, and Hadley pointed out that invisibility would be all that was needed to hide the two of them if said employee needed to stretch his legs.
Hadley looked through the filing cabinets. Danny kept watch at the door.
She found the file and set it on the little desk, turning on the lamp.
"Find it?" Danny asked, turning from the cracked door.
"It says he'll be buried in Amity Cemetery," she read. "Does nobody cremate anymore?"
"Why would it matter?" Danny asked. "They're dead."
"Spirits hang around when there's something left of them. If their DNA is gone, the have no attachment to this dimension. They're forced to cross over," Hadley answered.
"What about the Ghost Zone?" Danny asked.
"It's linked to this dimension, therefore DNA had to survive for those ghosts to be able to travel back and forth," Hadley clarified. "Like I said before, it's a play pen."
Danny looked back to the hall.
"Did you find what you needed?" he asked.
"Yes," Hadley answered, putting the file back together.
"Good, 'cause we've got company," Danny replied.
Hadley pulled the drawer open and thumbed through the tags to put the file back in the right place. She shoved the drawer closed and whacked the off button on the lamp.
Danny wrapped his arms around Hadley, turning them both invisible, and pulling her out of the way just as the door opened.
The employee still had in headphones, and was drumming on things as he entered.
Hadley and Danny held their breath as they huddled behind the door. Danny was painfully aware of her proximity, a heat creeping up onto his unseen face. Hadley's fingers grabbed at Danny's sides nervously as they watched the employee through the window of the door.
He continued drumming on the filing cabinet as he put things away. When he finally walked out, he pulled the door shut, and Danny released the breath he held.
They both dropped the invisibility, but Danny didn't let go as he peered out the window to make sure the employee had really left.
Hadley tried to pull away, but was held firm by Danny's grip. She pushed on his chest.
"Ahem," she said.
Danny looked down at her, then released, "Sorry."
"Let's get out of here," she whispered. "You have to get home, and I have to plan out our attack."
Danny nodded reluctantly. He knew he would pay for it if he stayed up later again. He could barely keep his eyes open in class when they went hunting for the werewolf, but he was beginning to enjoy Hadley's company more than pretending to have a social life.
Danny dropped Hadley off where she parked a few minutes later.
"Thanks," she said. "You know, I'm starting to see why some hunters have partners."
Something fluttered in Danny's chest. He knew that was a huge compliment coming from Hadley.
"You've never had one?" he asked.
She shook her head, "Never was able to stand anyone much longer than it took to complete a job."
"So what you're trying to say is that you like me," Danny wore a mischievous smile as he teased her.
She put her hands up, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't read too far into it. You were a good lay and you're not completely obnoxious. It's not a love confession."
"I'll still take it," he laughed, pulling her into a tight hug and feeling her annoyance roll off her in waves.
"Get off me," Hadley's voice was muffled against Danny's shoulder.
"Tell me you like me," Danny teased.
"Go fuck yourself," she mumbled back.
"Come on, Hadley. Admit it!" Danny squeezed harder and swung back and forth.
"So help me, Danny, I will end you," she hissed into his suit.
Danny pressed his cheek to her hair, "Come on, Hads. You know you love me."
Hadley grumbled. "I fucking hate you right now."
"Say it."
"Let go."
"Say it!"
"Fine!" She growled. "You're tolerable."
Danny laughed but didn't let go, "I can't quite hear you, Hads."
"You're good company, okay?" she growled louder. "Are you happy now, you toolbag?"
Danny released her and she pushed away, straightening her t-shirt.
"Very," Danny replied, grinning in satisfaction.
Hadley looked at him, brows low. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"
Danny laughed and took off into the sky. "Night, Hads."
She frowned after him. But as she hopped up into her Blazer, she fought back a smile.
"Fucking tool," she chuckled to herself.
