Asking for Help II

Henry leaned Vicki against the car and held her steady saying, "Take it easy love."

Vicki felt a pain in her head like nothing she had ever felt before. She could feel each heart beat trying to blow off the top of her head. Each sound make her head feel like it would explode, every smell made her stomach roil, and light stabbed into her brain. If she could, she would rip her head off just to stop the agony. She whispered, "Please make it stop."

Henry's eyes darkened as he spoke softly to Vicki, "Surrender yourself to me. I'll keep you safe." She opened her eyes long enough for Henry to use the full force of his power to make her sleep. She sighed in relief, as she collapsed like a lifeless body into his arms.

Mike saw Vicki's collapse and heard Crowley's words at the same time. He turned and finally snarled at the Captain that had been making his job living hell for the last three years, "Go to hell! Assign the case to any flunky you want." He took his badge and gun,shoved them at her and she took them without conscious thought as he continued, "I quit. I'll file the paperwork by the end of the week." He pivoted on his heel and headed toward Henry's car.

Crowley took a deep breath and shouted, "Celluci, get back here! You've cases to complete. I'm not going to be responsible for your actions!"

Mike shouted over his shoulder, "You already are."

Henry was tightening the seat belt as Mike closed in asking, "How is she?"

Henry turned and mumbled without looking at Mike, "I'm not sure. Meet us at home after you've finished with Crowley."

Mike started laughing, "I'm more than finished with Crowley. I quit. I'll be damned if I know what I'll do from now on, but I don't care." He turned away to find his car.

Henry got into his car to drive Vicki home. When they arrived, he carried her up the steps and laid her down on the couch then lifted the demand to sleep.

When she finally opened her eyes, Henry was sitting on the floor holding her hand and said, "Hi."

Vicki gave a weak smile and said, "Hi yourself. What happened?"

Henry, relieved to hear curiosity in her voice, said, "My best guess is you reacted to the scent of pure evil and multiple dead bodies."

She tried to sit up and Henry helped her as she said, "You smelled the same thing and didn't react."

He sat next to her and confessed, "I wanted to run away, but you needed me."

Vicki gave an involuntary shudder and asked, "What's in there?"

Henry had not told her much of vampire history, only his part in it, and now he knew she needed to hear more. He looked away for a moment to work out how he was going to tell her about the truly evil vampires of the world. Before her could start speaking he heard Mike's foot falls on the steps and said, "Mike's coming. He may as well hear what I have to say so I don't have to repeat myself." He stroked her hand until he heard the tap on the door. He stood, opened the door and allowed Mike to enter.

Mike went to Vicki side and bent over her asking, "Are you all right? What happened?" He turned to Henry and asked, "I thought nothing bothered a vampire?" then he sat on the couch next to Vicki

Vicki looked at Mike, "It was like the worst headache I've ever had in my life but I'm okay now. I'm feeling the after effects but they're fading fast. Henry was about to tell me what happened when you came."

Henry sat on the other side of Vicki and both men wrapped an arm around her pulling in as close as they could. Vicki sat in the middle with her arms folded tight against her chest. Henry started speaking softly building up volume as he spoke, "There are evil vampires in the world. Dark, cruel, and vicious. They have no regard for human life."

Mike turned to Vicki and said, "See, I told you so!"

Vicki's head gave a twinge and she said, "Let him finish without interrupting."

Henry resumed talking, "Their pleasure is found in creating pain, and fear. They were made by evil and perpetuated by evil . The parent seeks out those of like mind and turns them. Vampires that feel the way I do about humans live a different kind of life. We turn very few and the reasons for the turning are love and friendship. We are careful to turn only those that were good people in the first place." He fell silent and thought about the vampires he knew to be his friends even though they rarely communicated, "The good vampire lives in its territory and does everything possible to keep their existence secret without harming anyone. That's they way I have lived since the Spanish Inquisition. I've known about the other kind of vampires but have stayed as far away from them as I could. The few times I've been forced to eliminate a nest of evil, I've called on the help of other good vampires and used white magic."

Vicki sprung to her feet with a grin, ready for a fight, "Let's go. We'll kill them."

Both men pulled Vicki back to her seat and said together, "Not so fast, we need a plan."

As the words faded Vicki turned from one man to the other as they started laughing and said "What?"

Henry gestured for Mike to speak, "You haven't changed a bit. Ready to jump into a fight without knowing the details. It's a wonder you've lived this long." Then Mike nodded for Henry to speak.

"For once I'm in total agreement with Mike, and besides it's almost dawn. Here's the first part of the plan." He looked at Mike, "Get as many sharpened stakes as you can, also some Holy Water and a few blessed crosses." Mike started to speak but Henry held up a hand, "Before you ask, yes they work. That stuff wouldn't work on Christina because she's not truly evil, just a pain in the ass. These vampires we are about to fight are the definition of evil." He took a breath then added, "Mike you need to check out the area during the brightest part of the day. Vampires don't function in daylight. We need to know how many there are and daylight is your greatest defense. Take a nap in the afternoon and be here at sunset and let yourself in. We'll join you as soon as we can."

Mike nodded in agreement to Henry's words and asked, "What about Vicki?"

Vicki snarled, "I can take you down now."

Henry put a restraining hand on her and said to Mike, "She'll be ready for action by sunset. I almost pity the first vampire she comes up against. It's going to pay big time for her discomfort."

Vicki's eyes silvered as she stared at Henry, "That headache was more than mere discomfort."

Henry smiled, "See, our girl's back. Go home Mike. It's late and I need time with Vicki."

Mike stood to leave and then asked, "How can I tell a good vampire from a bad vampire?"

Henry and Vicki looked at each other and said, "By the company they keep." Henry continued, "Evil vampires smell, look, taste, and feel wrong. Everything about them is wrong. You'll see what I mean if you come across one today. More than likely you won't see it, but smell it. If you're lucky enough to find one, STAKE it."

Mike stood and walked to the door mumbling, "I hate vampires."

Henry said, "What did you say?"

As the door was closing behind him Mike answered, "I hate evil vampires."

Vicki stood and swayed a little with her hand to her head. Henry quickly placed his arm around her and said, "Let's go lie down. I've had enough for tonight." Together they undressed and snuggled under the covers. He offered his wrist and said, "A little blood will take away the remaining headache. If you're not hurting, I won't hurt either."

She asked quietly, "You feel my pain?"

He looked at her with pure love in his eyes, "I feel everything you feel."

She took the offered wrist, bit down and let the taste of him wash away the last of the pain. They both let out a grateful sigh as the pounding finally stopped. She held her tongue on the wound as he said, "In a minute I'm going to call up help from an unusual source."

He closed his eyes, focused his thoughts on his younger self and remembered a boyhood teacher. His father the king would have had the teacher beheaded if he had known what the man taught. Henry had not used the teaching in years but remembered well enough the words of white magic and he spoke them now.

There was a low hum, then a pop was heard and a gleeful voice was heard, "You called. You want me. You need me." A pinpoint of light zoomed around the room.

Henry called back laughing, "Slow down and meet my true love."

The light stopped, "True love?"

Henry smiled at the light and gestured toward the beautiful woman at his side, "Victoria Nelson Fitzroy meet my Elemental."

Vicki's mouth hung open and she gasped, "What, you know Tinkerbell?"

Henry held out his hand and the light settled in the palm as a voice came from the light, "Elemental not Tinkerbell."

Henry said, "It's not a fairy. It just is. I first touched it as a boy. It can communicate with the powers of good. I've not summoned it since boyhood. We used other magics when we fought Astaroth and we don't need magic to fight vampire evil. Skill, luck and some more information is what we need. Elemental can get that information."

Vicki accepted what Henry said but asked, "Why send Mike back to the warehouse?"

Henry shook his hand and Elemental started traveling up and down the length of Vicki. Henry said, "Mike needs to feel useful and prove his value. Crowley's beaten a good man down. The stakes, crosses, and Holy Water will be of benefit. Plus he's a good detective. He'll find more bodies today and more of the warren will be exposed. He'll call it in and much of the 'stench' will be let out of the areas we need to search. Depending on what Mike and Elemental learn today while we rest, we'll decide on whether or not we three can handle it or call in more of the "good" vampires."

Henry gave the details to Elemental and sent it out to gather as much information as it could.

Vicki stroked his cheek and said, "I'll be ready for the fight."

Henry held her hand against his lips, "I know you will. Dawn's coming, and there's just enough time left for a bit of loving."

To be continued