Chapter 29: Discovery of the True One

The four of us slipped quietly out of the dingy bar through the side exit and surveyed the surrounding area. Dumpsters lined the wall against the building and a dinky parking lot was littered with several banged up vehicles. The overhead lights were apparently just there for show and only faint light escaping from the clouds lit the area. The six vamps were ambling to a dark-colored SUV that glinted under moonlight.

"Faith?" I questioned. I tend to take on leadership qualities when hunting but she obviously outranked me.

"Let's get their attention before they scamper off." Faith gave Haldir a sidelong look. "Haldir, want to try out your new toy?"

Grinning like it was what he was planning all along he pulled the crossbow out of the weapons bag and fitted three arrows into it. Haldir raised his weapon and eyed the vamps for a moment. Just as the first vamp was opening the door a crossbow dart whistled through the air and hit its intended target. The vamp dusted and the others searched the parking lot for us, startled.

One down, five to go.

My body was pumping adrenaline and I had an overwhelming need to sink a fist into some undead flesh. Glancing over at Faith I could see the same thoughts running through her mind and we smiled at each other. Some college girls might join sororities, but not me. I already was a member of the greatest sisterhood ever known.

One vamp with long dreads tied back into a low ponytail growled in our direction. "Who's there?" his voice rumbled.

Faith sauntered out of the shadows and into the parking lot. She raised her arms to rest them upon her head and swayed her bare stomach seductively. "Just 'lil 'ol me. How are you fellas doing?" Her back was to me but I knew she was giving a smile that dripped with sexuality.

Dreads' eyes narrowed at her. "It's a Slayer! Capture her for the Master!"

I blinked in surprise at his last word. The Master? Could it be…? "Don't kill dreadlocks! We need him!"

Everyone gave a small nod and then there was nothing but the chaos of battle. Faith had quickly dusted another vampire and we were now one on one. I took Dreads because I wanted to make sure he stayed alive. However, fighting a vamp without being able to go for the kill is difficult because they are definitely going for the kill themselves. Around me I saw that my three friends had finished with their opponents and I flipped Dreads against his car. Faith and Haldir each grabbed one arm and held him tight in place.

"Hey-ho there, Mr. Dreadlocks, we've got a couple of questions for you."

Dreads snapped his teeth angrily at me. "Hey, *ho*, how about no?"

I was just about to slap him for that cute remark when Haldir grabbed his wrist and snapped it. "Just because you have been captured by us does not mean that you can act un-gentlemanly towards the lady," Haldir advised.

Grinning at Haldir, I thanked him with a slight nod. "Well, looks like you're a little poet. But here's the deal. Don't get cute with us because we don't have a lot of time. Who's your Master?"

The vamp glared at me ominously. "I will never tell you, bitch."

"Wrong answer, asshole." Faith broke his other wrist and he hissed in pain.

"Ready to reconsider that?" I asked in a chilling voice. Dreads just kept glaring at me in defiance and gave me a fang-showing smile. My anger was incensed by his insolence and my hand struck out at his mouth like a viper. I hit the top of his right fang and yanked it out. He howled like a rabid dog and a trail of blood streamed out of his mouth. Faith nodded in approval of my actions but Haldir looked slightly squeamish.

I held the canine tooth up for Dreads to view and said in a sugary voice, "Baby, you know it hurts me just as much as it hurts you to see ya like this." I paused and gave a bright, malicious smile. "Well, ok. Not really. Actually, I don't have a problem with hurting you. Right now I'm thinking of how much fun it would be to have my own necklace of vampire teeth. Sounds quite charming, doesn't it?"

Dreads' eyes widened in alarm. My voice lowered and I stepped closer to you. "Here's the deal. You can continue being coy and saying nothing and I will yank each of your teeth out. Then I will continue removing body parts until eventually all you have left is a heart and a head. And I'll leave you like that. Unless you tell us what we want to know."

"But you'll just kill me."

I shook my head with a smile. "If you're a nice boy, we'll let you out for good behavior."

The dreadlocked vamp pondered on that for a moment. "Fine, but only if you give me money to get the hell out of here. I've heard you Slayers got mad cash."

"Don't know if it's mad, but it works," came Robin's deep voice. "Tell us what you want and you got a deal."

"Fine."

Faith started. "Who is your Master?"

Dreads sighed and looked at the ground. "His name is James and he's old. Me and the guys," he looked around at the dust covered lot, "been working for him for 'bout five years. We do odd jobs and such. A couple days ago he told us to head to Cleveland and find a Slayer."

"Why?"

"I dunno, man! We don't ask questions! James pays good money but he's scary as hell. One nasty looking guy; I know I don't want to be so old I look more like a bat."

Faith and I exchanged looks. She proceeded. "Looks like a bat? How old is he?"

"Damned if I know. It's not like we kick it over a warm body or something." Faith twisted his broken wrist. "Fuck! Alright, alright. He's boasted to me before but I ain't never believed him. Crazy muthafucker said he's 1,000 years and he's the last of the True Ones."

A knot of tension formed in my stomach. "What is a True One?"

Dreads shrugged. "Fuck if I believe him, but he says he can trace himself back to the very first vampire. James thinks he's fucking royalty but I don't believe it."

This time Robin took up the questioning. "Why does he want a Slayer?"

"I dun-OW! Fuck, bitch! Stop twisting my arm!" Dreads snapped his teeth at Faith.

"Oops, must've slipped. Keep feeding us bullshit and I might slip some more."

He started grumbling but restarted his statement. "He told us there were a bunch of Slayers in Cleveland and we had to capture one of them and bring her back. Under no circumstances were we allowed to drink from her or kill her."

"Where were you supposed to take her?"

"I dunno, James told me to call him when we got the bitch… I mean nice, young lady," he eagerly amended

I paused for a moment and made eye contact with Faith. We both thought that was all there was to know. "All right. You're free to leave."

"But-But Sofia," Haldir sputtered. "You cannot let this soulless beast leave."

"Let him go, Haldir."

Dreads stumbled forward and glanced at all of us in surprise. Then he started running out of the parking lot. I bent down, grabbed the crossbow, and fired off a bolt. Dreads exploded into dust and I started walking back to Faith's car.

Strange how I thought patrol would help me feel better. Well, I suppose I felt better about some of my baggage issues and my mom. But realizing there really is a 1,000 year old Master Vampire who can trace himself back to the beginning and is likely already working with Mavlar since he is hunting for a Slayer… Fuck.