Over the next few days Gale drew several samples of Nina's blood. He studied it and the parasites. These were a much more virulent species than the ones he picked out of Gregori's mind. But he was determined to find a away to at least keep them at bay. Phoenix watched, but from a distances. Gale insisted because of how fast the parasites reproduced. She would have argued except the fact that Nina agreed with him. As it was Gale wore a funny looking rubber suit he procured in order to protect himself. All his work was done in the garage. Far away from anyone who could get hurt.
In the mean time tad and Daisuke searched for the master vampire during the day. So far they only had the boy who had delivered the clothes and the police officer. Since Pete was locked up they couldn't check if he had been affected by the monster. Tad and Daisuke agreed that while Gale might be okay going head to head with a cop, it was probably better and safer if they didn't. Which left the delivery boy. Then in the evening Nina took Phoenix, Snow, and Riptide out into the forest to practice using their powers. Phoenix had a lot more to learn, because now on top of her flames she also had all of the Carpathian abilities. Shape shifting was the most difficult because if she lost the image in her mind she would revert back to human instantly and a little painfully. Molecule form was the hardest. Nina promised it was the hardest. But she admitted the ability to make all the clothes she wanted was made up for it.
It was the third night and Rose was watching the lessons with a cup of coffee when her alarm system was triggered. Everyone stopped what they were doing and came inside. Better safe than posted all over the internet Rose had told them. The women followed Rose to her office as she pulled up the camera's. Sure enough there was a police cruiser heading up the winding road. Rose enlarged the still the camera had taken and growled when she saw who was in the driver. The vampire's servant.
Gale! We have trouble. Phoenix felt Gale move through her mind and look through her eyes. His anger washed over the link and she knew he was coming out to greet their unwelcomed guest. Phoenix walked out with Rose and Nina. Riptide took Snow to one of the other rooms. They wouldn't allow him anywhere near her.
The police car pulled up not long after they all gathered on the front porch. He got out after turning off his headlights.
"I'm surprised you are all up." He stopped a look of surprise on his face when he saw Nina. The young woman looked at him as if he were pond scum.
"I suppose some things never change." Nina snarled. He smirked at her.
"Well my master will certainly reward me for finding you again, Nina."
"Carter you've managed to become even nastier since the last time we met. Have your teeth started falling out yet?" The man grit his teeth. The barb must have hit home and since Carter seemed like the type of man where looks mattered the barb would really get under his skin. Gale flashed his own perfectly white teeth.
"I had a chat with your supervisor. You aren't allowed here. So why are you here?" Carter turned his gaze on Gale. Phoenix could clearly see the other man's thought processes. Gale was younger, but there was something about him that gave the officer pause. Maybe the vampire had even warned him about Gale's powers. But as Phoenix watched something shift in the man's eyes she suddenly thought that that wasn't quite right. He was sizing Gale up. But why? By law he couldn't do anything. Why approach them so openly? Didn't he know that they would securitize every move he made? That thought gave her pause. They were supposed to focus on him.
Gale! She warned just as a loud gunshot reverberated through the trees. Gale moved just in time. The bullet that had been meant to blow his head apart. Instead it ripped a ragged wound across his neck. Carter was drawing his gun, but Nina crossed the distance in a furry of motion. His shoot went wide burying the bullet that had been meant for Rose into the porch railing. A swift yank on Nina's part and Carter's wrist was broken. His gun clattered to the ground as he howled in pain.
Phoenix and Gale searched the trees for the shooter and saw instead Daisuke and Tad. A young man held between them struggling. Tad gripped the barrel of a big hunting rifle. Gale blew out a breath and Phoenix sighed in relief, they would have been sitting ducks out here if those two hadn't stopped him.
"Sorry, we didn't get to him until after he got off the first shot. Is anyone hurt?" Gale grunted and touched the wound on his neck. It was minor, but it was also bleeding a lot.
Want me to take care of that? she asked with a sly smile. Gale's laughter flowed into her mind.
Don't tempt me woman. There are too many witnesses for you to be teasing me like this.
I just wanna make sure you're taken care of. The smile on her lips was pure seduction. Gale groaned inwardly then answered Daisuke's question.
"Just a graze. I'll mend." Carter continued to wail and moan and Gale focused on his mind instantly silencing him. He blinked surprised at how easy it was.
Had the vampire been so foolish that he hadn't protected his servant's mind? He delved into the man's mind and found it completely without protection. Phoenix shrugged and stayed in Gale's mind as he probed deeper into the police officer's mind. The vampire must have thought I would kill him instantly for attempting to harm someone under my protection.
Can we find where he is in his memories? Phoenix asked. It would certainly make finding him a little easier. Gale grinned wolfishly at her.
I like the way you think.
"Rose call 911, and also call Morrison. Tell him we found Carter and inform him about what happened. I assume you have cameras set up?" Rose snorted and replied dryly.
"With this family why on earth would we need camera's." Gale chuckled then dove into the man's mind with Phoenix. Carter was twisted and had been long before he had joined forces with the vampire. He saw the abuse of women, substances, stealing, murder. Phoenix noticed he did his best to shield her from the more violent and depraved acts, but she got the general gist of it regardless.
Finally they found memories with the shadowy presence of the master vampire. He was giving Carter the plans for tonight. Phoenix shuddered. She knew that voice from her worst nightmares. The vampire who took Nina all those years ago. The vampire was leaving things in Carter's capable hands, promising eternal life and all the women he would want if he and the boy succeeded in killing Gale and getting the girl's before he got back. He made only one condition; he wanted the girls 'unspoiled'. Rage seethed through Gale and nearly knocked Phoenix out the officer's mind. She could feel Gale's desire to rip these men apart.
Gale. She didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. He let go of the memory for a moment and wrapped his mind in hers. Letting her soothe the monster inside of him. He took a deep calming breath before going back. Together they studied where Carter and the vampire were in the memory. It looked like and airport. Very briefly they caught sight of the plane in question along with the flight number. Sirens wailed in the distance. Time to go Gale.
There's something funny here.
Gale police are here, you can't stay here in his mind. Gale grunted and Phoenix sighed in relief when both of them were back in their own minds. She felt like she would have to scrub herself for hours to get the filth of him and his perverse mind off of her. Gale put an arm around her shoulder.
"His evil won't be allowed to touch you." he whispered. Phoenix shivered as his warm breath moved across her cheek.
"Now we just need to spend a few hours talking to police about why another police officer tried to shoot us." Phoenix was surprised that the officer didn't take too long questioning them. Apparently Carter had been put on forced leave after his last visit to the house, and it was clear to the department that he had become obsessed in a very unhealthy way for them. So in the end they were only there for about an hour and a half. More of the property was cordoned off with crime scene tape, but at least they could still go inside the house.
"You didn't happen to get anything from the creep cop's mind?" Rose asked. Phoenix nodded and gave her the flight number and Rose went to work on her computer. A few computer clicks later and she was staring at the computer screen.
"What is it?" Gale asked
"He's going home." she turned the monitor around and showed he was flying into the biggest airport in the Carpathian mountains.
Note from Author: Thanks for keeping up so far, I'm very sorry it's been taking so long to get chapters out. I kinda hit a road block in my brain where this story was concerned. I know the ending, but I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to get to it. I think I have it figured out, so thank you for your patience.
I received a review from a guest account that was simply 'thanks'. To you who wrote this I have to ask, why are you thanking me? Because I posted another chapter? Are you being sarcastic? I over think things so please explain...
Please review, your thoughts helpful when writing. I'm not perfect, I know I make mistakes, I can't get better at this without your help, and if you like what I've written I'd love to hear what you liked and why so I can keep writing good stuff. Thanks!