ACADEMY OF THE UNDEAD; BOOK TWO Stand Together ... Or Fall Together
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

The Vampire Hunter

Taylee Crezenski fluttered her eyes open, and with a lazy roll of her head, she gazed at her clock radio; 7.23pm. As usual, she had slept well, although instead of sliding out of bed, she swivelled onto her back, tucked her hands behind her head, then stared at the ceiling. Thinking, remembering, mourning.

For a vampire, a new night often meant a new experience or a new adventure, although Taylee knew that she was still trapped in a claustrophobic bubble of grief. And some nights just hit harder, especially when she’d been dreaming about the boys again. Taylee didn’t want to become a vampire who lay on her back and stared at the ceiling all night, so she pushed out of bed, strolled over to the window, then pulled open the drapes and gazed out into the early evening. Living on the outskirts of the city, there was always plenty of activity at that this time of night, as weary workers drove away from the city and headed for home, and excited revellers drove into the city, looking for action. Taylee was a city girl at heart, because she loved the hustle and bustle of busy streets, enjoyed crowds and noise, or maybe, she used to enjoy crowds and noise. With her apartment on the outskirts of Abita Springs, real crowds and noise were just over an hour away, as she could head south and hit the city of New Orleans, or head west and land in Baton Rogue. She loved both districts, because during the night the districts both came alive, as lively crowds descended with a sole intention; to party. She could get lost in the crowds, a vampire partying with the humans. Right at the moment, Taylee needed to party, because she still hadn’t come to grips with the loss of two of her own; Sebastian and Seamus. Livinia had rung her recently and told her about the Samhain celebration at the witches mansion, and with an excited skip in her tone, Livinia had told her that Apollonia had contacted the spirits of Athena and Melanie. Knowing that vampires were immortal, and when they ceased to be, they would spend eternity in Mephistopheles Kingdom was a reassuring thing to know, although she still missed the departed, especially Sebastian and Seamus. Seamus was her wing-man, her party-guy, and getting fucked up with the crazy Irishman had been one of her favourite activities. When they didn’t have a mission, Taylee and Seamus drank, danced and then picked up at least a couple of times a week, and the other Hammers would ask, ‘What have you two lunatics been getting up to?’ No need to ask that question now, because Seamus wasn’t here, he was in the Kingdom.

Sebastian wasn’t really a party guy, he was a friend, and lover. He had his own socks and undies draw in her bedroom drawer, and she had her own socks and undies draw in the bedroom drawer of his penthouse. Not that there were any undies in her draw, only socks and a couple of vibrators. While Seamus had been wild and untamed, Sebastian had been passionate and sexual. She got her party thrills with Seamus, and her sexual thrills with Sebastian. Like herself, Sebastian was uninhibited and experimental, always on the search for a new thrill, and many was the night Taylee had cooed, ‘Okay Upper-Class Toff, whose turn is it to get their ass whipped?’

Taylee rested her hands on the windowsill and bowed her face, grieving for those who had been lost. All of the Hammers had already marked down the following Samhain in their calendars, for they would join the Pistols at the witch’s mansion and hopefully reconnect with their loyal departed. In a melancholy mood, Taylee decided that companionship was more important than partying, so she cruised back over and lay on the bed, picked up her phone, then rang her special lover.

The call was answered, and Taylee asked brightly, “Whatchya doing Blondie, you wanta come over and get wasted?”

“I would if I could Wild One, but I have a prior commitment.”

“A commitment?”

“Yes, a commitment.”

“Dick or vag?” Taylee asked cheekily.

“Male.”

“Human or vampire?”

“This is my human friend.”

“Ohhh, the cop?”

“Yes, the cop.”

“Lucky bastard.”

“How about tomorrow night?” Scarlett asked.

“Slot me in Blondie, love to catch up,” Taylee replied, and still captured in the bubble of grief, she said quietly, “I’d love to see you, I mean I need to see you.”

“You okay?”

Taylee gazed at the ceiling and said reflectively, “Hmmm, you know, I’m missing the boys, and some nights it just flattens me.”

“Yes, I know what you’re saying,” Scarlett replied, “But knowing that they still exist is a positive development.”

“Yeah true, but next weekend they’ve got the big festival in Baton Rogue, and me and Irish had been going there every year for the last decade.”

Hearing the obvious pain in her bonded sister’s voice, Scarlett offered compassionately, “If you like, I’ll go with you.”

“No offence Gorgeous, but you ain’t a party-gal, you’re my get-naked-and-lay-on-the-bed-gal.”

Scarlett was pleased that Taylee’s voice now had a mischievous skip to it, so she replied wryly, “I’m glad you refused my offer, because yes, I would much rather lay on a bed than be crowded in a noisy bar with everybody hitting on me.”

“Haa, yeah, and anyway, I’ll ring up Aleisha and see if she wants to tag along.”

“Ohhh, in that case I might join you!”

“Interesting, the prim and proper Immaculate One is exposing her slutty side!”

“Indeed I am,” Scarlett replied, “And if Aleisha does go, everybody will hit on her and not me.”

“Anyway, I’m really looking forward to seeing you, so come over tomorrow night.”

Scarlett knew that her sister needed company, so she said quietly, “Sure Tay, tomorrow night it is.”

“And Blondie …”

“What?”

“We’ll have a couple of drinks, and then …”

Scarlett waited a moment, then asked, “And then what?”

“You’re my lay-on-the-bed-gal, so I’ll fuck the shit outta you.”

Scarlett laughed. Her sister was still grieving, but no matter what happened in her journey, Taylee was always going to be Taylee. Smiling, Scarlett said mockingly, “Wow, how can I refuse such a romantic invitation?”

“Catchya Blondie, so piss off and suck some cop-dick.”

*

As the early morning hours ticked by, Scarlett lay back with her hands behind her head, at peace with the world.

Jack tickled the fingers of his right hand over her breasts, then skimmed them up the inside of her right arm. “You are so gorgeous Scarlett.”

“Why thank-you sir.”

“I have tomorrow off, so I was hoping that you might be tempted to stay.”

Scarlett glanced at clock, 2.33am, then she sighed and said, “We’ve been over this before. I can stay a few more hours, but then I have to go.”

“But Baby, I just want to have the experience of waking up next to you. I’m sure that if your face was the first thing I saw when I woke up, it would be the best feeling ever.”

“Jack, you can look at my face right now.”

“Yeah, but falling asleep with you, dozing off with my arms around you, I just want to have that experience.”

Scarlett didn’t like lying, although to get the chance to lay with a human, lying wasn’t optional, it was necessary. “Okay, let’s go to my place and we can fall asleep next to my husband, and in the morning we can all look at each other’s faces.”

Jack frowned, then asked, “Are you happy, I mean in the marriage?”

“We have discussed this before, and yes, I am very comfortable in the marriage.”

“Yeah well Scarlett, I don’t mean to hassle you, but I’m obsessed with you and I’d love to see more of you.”

“Jack right at the start, I said it would be once a month and if you weren’t happy about the arrangement, you could finish it whenever you wanted.”

“Well, from my point of view, I hope we never finish.”

“If you keep going on about it, we may finish sooner than you expect.” Scarlett replied. “Take it for what it is, or what it started out to be; an uncomplicated affair where we catch up once a month.”

“Before we close the subject, I just need to ask you again.”

“Goodness me.” Scarlett sighed.

“Scarlett, gorgeous, will you marry me?”

Scarlett gazed at him, then replied sarcastically, “I’ll ask my husband and get back to you.”

*

Vernon O’Brien answered his cell. “What?”

“All by herself in the apartment.” the man replied quietly.

“No-one else there?”

“I’ve been watching the place for more than six hours, I mean we’ve been here since midnight, and she’s definitely by herself.”

“So you’re ready to go?”

“All set to move.”

“How many of you?”

“Four.”

“Okay, don’t move until daylight, maybe make it about nine o’clock and she should be in a deep sleep, then obey all the instructions or else.”

“Or else what?”

“Or else my friend, her apartment is going to be your final resting place.”

“Listen boss, I have kidnapped vampires before, and I know the drill. Handcuff wrists and ankles, and then muzzle the bitch.”

“Good, but my friend, she is no ordinary vampire and if you make one wrong move, you’ll be turning this into a suicide mission.”

“All precautions will be taken, I can assure you.”

“You have a body bag?”

“Of course.”

“Good, that is essential, because I don’t want her damaged by exposure to sunlight.”

“I know the drill; disable her, handcuff and muzzle her, bag her, then shove her into the van.”

“What about security cameras?”

“I have an expert waiting, and he will disable the entire security system at my command.”

“Good, because I don’t want this coming back to haunt me.”

“It won’t, and boss …”

“What?”

“The money?”

“I will get the money, and if the mission is successful, I will meet you at the agreed destination by early evening.”

“Yeah, I wanted to ask you about the drop-off point; I mean why there? That industrial area is miles away, and by evening, it’s deserted.”

O’Brien shook his head in annoyance, then said tersely, “You just answered your own question.”

“What?”

“By evening, the area is deserted.”

“Okay, whatever happens, I’ll send you a message when the goods are captured.”

“I’ll be sleeping, but send the message anyway.”

“Will do.”

*

It would be nine hours before O’Brien awoke and looked at the message on his cell. With his heart thumping and his brow pounding, O’Brien didn’t feel like a lottery winner, didn’t feel like he’d just become an overnight multi-millionaire, although he soon would be, because the message on his cell seemed to be shining in neon lights;

Mission successful.

Waiting for his excited breathing to regulate, O’Brien called up a number and engaged. After half a dozen rings, the phone was answered. “Hello.”

“Good evening sir, I am just about to pick up the goods.”

“Excellent, I’ll meet you there.”

“And you’ll have the rest of the payment?” O’Brien asked.

“Yes I will.”

“Great, and Mr Stanley, while I have you …”

“What?”

“What are your intentions?”

After a few seconds of silence the man said blandly, “My intentions aren’t really any of your business.”

“I understand that, but just a word of warning …”

“Go ahead.”

“She’s dangerous, she’s a killing machine, so my advice would be to do what you need to do quickly, and then get rid of her. Puncture her heart, cut her head off and then burn the remains.”

“My friend, I will deal with her in my own way.”

“Sure, but don’t stuff around, because she’s the most dangerous creature that you’re ever likely to come in contact with.”

“I am aware of her reputation. I’ve been focussed on capturing her for almost two decades, so all the necessary precautions will be taken.” Stanley replied. “What time should I meet you there?”

“Let’s say eight o’clock.”

*

Livinia dined with the Pistols, and she enjoyed the meal, because her young charges were all excited and boisterous. The decadent night at the witch’s estate had helped them rediscover their zest and vitality, and Livinia loved seeing the smiles, loved hearing the laughter, and after the meal was complete, she wandered outside and headed for the cemetery. Knowing that the clan’s departed still existed in the Kingdom was the best news she had ever heard, although as her cell phone rang, little did she realise that her ebullient mood was just about to be flattened in the harshest manner imaginable. Livinia saw the name on the screen, so she answered the call brightly, “Hello Scarlett, how are you?”

And for the next two minutes, Livinia was speechless.

She sprinted back to the main building, hurried into the hallway, and she saw Elizabeth and Giddy. “Girls, round up everybody and bring them to my office.”

Elizabeth saw her worried expression and she asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Get the girls, and hurry.”

After all the Pistols had been rounded up, Livinia faced them and said, “Taylee, Taylee may have been kidnapped.”

Vicky gasped as she put her hand over her mouth, “Taylee, no!”

Piper shook her head, then asked, “May have been kidnapped? You don’t know for sure?”

“Scarlett had arranged to see her tonight, so she went around, and when she walked into the apartment, it looked as if there had been some kind of struggle, so yes, we must assume the worst.”

“Who would want to kidnap her?” Elizabeth asked.

“Taylee can be a loose cannon, and her list of enemies may be quite long, so no, at this stage we don’t have any clues.”

“So what do we do?” Isabelle asked.

“The Hammers are on their way here, and when they get here, we will discuss our options.”

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