Survivor Reborn (Kieran Grey Psionic Hunter) Read online

  I know, it was a smart-ass thing to say. That’s just how I felt.

  “I am a woman of my word. Ask your questions.”

  I looked over at Vicki. She was talking to a small group a short way away. When she caught me looking, she smiled and waved to me.

  I love that smile.

  “Do you know who the wolves are that are helping Jacob?” I asked looking back at Ash.

  “No,” she answered. Short, sweet, to the point.

  “How many wolves are helping him?”

  “Nine.”

  “But you don’t know who they are?”

  “No.”

  I felt like I was interrogating a bookie with a limited vocabulary. “Okay then. We’ve had a rumor that a white werewolf with tribal markings in its fur has been sited at a few of the crime scenes. Do you know a wolf like that?”

  “No.”

  I was getting tired of this already. “New topic. How do you tell the differences between shifters?”

  “Everyone looks different. You just don’t know how to look for the differences. I’ve heard of Jacob controlling nine werewolves. Each one would look different.”

  Wow! An answer with more than one word, sentences even.

  “Alright, how would a shifter get tribal markings in the fur?”

  “Tattoos”

  “Tattoos?”

  “Yes.”

  Ugh! Back to single word answers.

  “Could you please explain how a shifter could have markings in their fur by tattoos?”

  Ash sighed and turned to give me her full attention. Her face was void of expression. “Once infected with the lycanthrope virus the body mutates. During the first few shifts, you can get a tattoo done. That tattoo will show through the fur, or scales, or whatever. It can’t be anything overly complex in order to recognize it. Something like tribal markings would show in the fur almost exactly as they are on the body.”

  “So, if you find the person with the same tattoos you could’ve found the wolf?”

  “Only as long as the tattoos were done during the first few shifts. Any tattoos done after that, or even before then, won’t show up in the fur. Get a copy of the design you’re looking for, then take it to the guy that did Vicki’s tattoo. He knows every tattoo artist in the city and their styles. He might know who did the work if it was a local.”

  Vicki has a tattoo? Where is it? I didn’t see it. . . . Well at least we have a bigger lead now.

  “Thank you. That is a big help. One more thing though, why did you answer my questions now? I thought the deal was you would answer them after the party.”

  “You won. I didn’t want you hanging around Vicki all night just for your answers. Either you want to be with her or you don’t. I’d rather have you walk out on her now than later.”

  I started to argue with her, but Vicki interrupted. Champaign bottle open in one hand with the other rubbing my shoulders.

  “You’re being a stick in the mud. Here drink,” she shoved the Champaign into my hand.

  “I thought you didn’t drink?”

  “I only drink at these parties. I’m safe here. If I lose control, then Ash and the others’ll take care of me. Now drink up!” I think she was already a little wasted.

  I took a swig out of the bottle. It tasted good. On my second drink, Vicki tipped the bottle up almost drowning me. She laughed then pulled me to the dance floor.

  “Vicki, I don’t dance,” I complained once we reached the dance floor. “You know that guy that goes to the school dances, stands in the corner by himself all night afraid to even talk to the girls. That was me. I don’t know how to dance.”

  The look on her face changed. It was a cross between, evil, sadistic, and seductive. I couldn’t decide if I should be afraid or lusting after her.

  “Let me teach you then,” she leaned in whispering in my ear. “Dance virgin!”

  It was a great party. The food was better than most of the restaurants I’d ate at. People drank, people danced, people had sex in the open, with and without clothes on, and of course people turned into animals, literally. The party would’ve made any fraternity jealous.

  Also, I watched my first shape shifting. The entire process almost cost me my lunch, but, Ash was there pointing out the complicated tattoo on the left shoulder of the man losing control. After he was done changing, a golden werewolf stood in his place. Golden fur with a black patch on the left shoulder, right where the tattoo had been. I had to thank her again for her help. Especially since it was the best lead we had.

  Chapter 16

  Vicki had decided that it was time to leave, even though the party was still in full swing. We went back before the Panther Queen and thanked her for her hospitality. The excuse given for our leaving was that we were going to go have sex. The queen wanted us to give her a show. I declined. Telling her that, I was not into public sex, which I wasn’t sure if I was or not. I hadn’t ever thought about it before, but the demonstration at the door was enough for the night. We said our goodbyes and waddled drunkenly back to the car.

  “Wait Vicki, neither of ussh issh in condition to drive. Jussht give me a sshec.” Slurring my words because of all the alcohol she had poured down my throat, I stood at the trunk of the car. I had no idea if my psionic shower would sober me up. But, it was either that, or call a cab. I focused on my shields, forcing the alcohol out of my system. When the shields expanded out, a clear liquid was pushed away from my skin. As the toxic liquid fell to the ground in a ring around my feet, my head instantly cleared.

  Drunk, then instantly sober with no hangover in seconds. How lucky can you get?

  “I’d forgottensh about that trick of your’ssh. Now it’ssh my turn.”

  She stood there with her hands out and her head back. Closing her eyes, a trembling ran through her. It reminded me of an animal shaking off water. When she stopped shivering she opened her eyes at me. The pupil was a vertical slit, and the whites were gone. Blue-green cat eyes stared back at me. Then she blinked, but not her eyelids. A nictating membrane slid over her eyes from her nose out. It was like the third eyelid cats have, their haw. It was disturbingly fascinating.

  “That’s better,” she said heading for the driver’s door. “I can do a partial change and heal myself. It’s like when I use my psionic healing on others, but this works on me. It also sobers me up. I could even pass a breathalyzer test now without a hitch.”

  We climbed in the car. Once on the road she looked over at me.

  “I need to stop and feed my roommate’s cats. It is on the way back to your place, and I promised her I would feed them. Is that okay with you?”

  A slight nagging crept up the back of my neck. Surely they can’t be like the tigers guarding the Archives.

  “They’re just normal cats, right?” I tried to hide the suspicion in my voice.

  She shot me a questioning glance. “Normal as far as I know.”

  “Then sure, no problem,” I shrugged.

  Vicki shook her head and smiled. “Good. So, did Ash help you find your white werewolf?”

  “She pointed me in a better direction. Can you tell me who did your tattoo? Ash said that he might recognize the markings on the werewolf if we could get a description of them.”

  “Get your description, then I’ll take you to Dave.”

  “Say, just how long are your eyes going to stay like that? Not that it bothers me, I’m just curious.”

  “They’ll fade in a hour or two,” she admitted.

  Suddenly a thought donned on me. “Wait! Did you leave me with Ash on purpose?”

  “Of course. She knows more about the shifter community than anyone else that would’ve talked to you. I’m glad she could help, but why a tattoo?”

  “She said that a tattoo done during the first few shifts will show up through the fur, or scales, or whatever.”

  “Really! She never told me that. I wonder if mine’s in my fur?”

  “Where’s your tattoo?”

  She
glanced at me again with those cat eyes glowing in the darkness. “Wouldn’t you like to find out?” she purred.

  * * *

  We arrived at Vicki’s apartment complex around two in the morning. The walk through the snow to her door from the car was a short one even without using my shields to warm us. Inside the two-bedroom apartment were four calico cats. They had food and water out on the floor of the kitchen.

  They have food, why do we have to feed them? Did she just lure me here for something else?

  My mind raced away from me. The visuals brought a slight blush to my cheeks.

  “Kieran,” Vicki called from one of the bedrooms. “Come meet the kitties.”

  Huh? They had more than the four cats?

  I went into the bedroom she’d called from. On the floor next to the bed was a pillow with a mother cat lounging on it. Half-a-dozen tiny kittens were nursing. The kittens were so cute I almost let a girlish noise pass my lips.

  “They’re only a little over a month old. We’re going to give them to good homes when they get a little bigger, if we can find good homes that is. Otherwise we’ll just keep them. I promised my roommate that I would check on them, since she won’t be back until tomorrow.”

  “They’re adorable,” I said.

  I always liked cats. The kittens were too cute. My heart melted with each tiny mew.

  I wonder if I could have one at my apartment? I’ll have to ask.

  We played with the kittens for a while. Then Vicki silently stood up. She held out her hand. I took it and stood beside her. Without a word she led me to the other bedroom, closing the door as we entered. She led me to the foot of the bed and spun me around to face her and lifting my chin.

  She kissed me lightly. Her lips soft against my shields. I let my shields fall. The lips pressed against mine now. She kicked off her shoes making us both the same height again. Neither of us spoke. Vicki reached behind her, unhooking the pearl necklace that was the only thing holding up the dress. She held it up for a second before dropping it to the floor. The dress became a pile of crimson silk and pearls at her feet. Her toned body was displayed before me. She should’ve been a model. I felt her hand on my chin, closing my gaping mouth. The smile was back on her face. It was that smile that I would crawl naked through broken glass for. She turned around so I could see the rest of her. Just above the pink lacy-thong was a small tribal tattoo, black lines around a heart forming no particular design. Her hands came up to the top of the thong. The fabric was pulled down and off in one swift movement. Vicki turned to stand before me totally nude.

  RING! RING!

  We both jumped at the sound of the phone. I looked at the puzzlement on her face.

  “Who’d be calling here at this hour?” She dove past me, landing stretched out on the bed to reach the phone on the night stand. “Hello? Ren? Yes, we’re both here. All night? I’ll bring her to you. Bye.”

  I hate being on just one side of a conversation.

  “That was Ren,” Vicki explained. “She says that she’s been trying to call you all night. Oh no, look, there are fourteen messages on the machine!”

  “I left my glasses in my purse. Why’s she calling?”

  Vicki rolled off the bed. She pulled on a pair of sweats while she talked. “She wants you to come look at the tape. And also there was another victim found. Ren wants you to meet her at her office right away, then she wants to take you to the morgue to look at the new body with her. Come on, I’ll drop you off. We’ll have to finish this later,” she said with a sly wink.

  * * *

  We stepped out of the apartment as soon as she was dressed. Both of us froze, not because of the weather either. There were four hoodlums sitting on her car. My shields would protect me, and Vicki was a shifter. We were probably the two safest women ever in that situation. Still, I’d have preferred to have my gun. But, we had to get in the car to get it.

  I can’t believe I didn’t take it with me! Twice in the same day I’ve been caught without my gun when I needed it. Not good. Some great officer I am, being caught unarmed. I’ve got to quit doing that.

  I whispered as we walked, “Vicki, when I say now, cover your ears and close your eyes.”

  She nodded to me. We walked towards the car through the snow. The hoodlums all stood in front of us. They held knives and chains. One of them flashed fangs at us. Vampire.

  Good.

  “It was easy to follow you from the party,” one of them said.

  “We weren’t really trying to be hard to follow.” I stepped up closer. Vicki stayed back.

  “Our master wants you to quit looking for him. He sent us to . . . persuade you, the permanent way,” the vampire talked, licking his fangs.

  I raised my hands to rest on my head trying to be nonchalant. I reached back slowly for the hair clip, trying to hide my movements. The light grenade popped out of the clip with just the right amount of pressure.

  Alright, I’ve got one in my hand now. All I have to do is push down and twist my thumb to arm it. Then three seconds later. . . .

  “I’ll give you this one chance to surrender. The Vampire Council has given their support to me in order to stop Jacob. Anyone who stands in my way forfeits their life. Give up now and I might consider a thought about sparing you.”

  They all laughed at me. “You have your hands up, and you tell us to surrender, stupid bitch!”

  I rolled my eyes.

  Okay, now that was uncalled for!

  I pressed and turned. One-one-thousand. Two-one-thousand. . . .

  “NOW!!!” I threw the grenade in the air above their heads. Vicki ducked and covered, I followed. The hoodlums–like good little dumb lackeys–all watched the silver marble rise in the dim glow of the distant street lights.

  Three.

  The grenade exploded.

  The light was bright enough to show through my closed eyes, even with my face buried in the crook of my arm. My eyelids turned the light a pink-orange. Heat came from the light, like the desert sun beating down with no shade. Sound disappeared for a short few seconds after the deafening explosion. Then the light slowly faded. I opened my eyes, blinking away the spots. Vicki was on her hands and knees cursing behind me.

  The snow around us had melted away and dried under the blinding light. Three skeletal corpses smoldered in front of me. Movement caught my attention. The fourth hoodlum wasn’t a vampire. He was screaming. Clawing his way around. The light had blinded him. A deep growl came from the survivor.

  Then he began to shift.

  Bones popped and moved, muscles tore and regrew, the skin began to grow fur at an alarming rate. Whatever he was turning into, it was going to be big.

  “Vicki, open the car!” I yelled back at her.

  She had her hand still covering her eyes. It looked like she was in pain. Her other hand lifted the keys. The car BEEPED when she pressed the unlock button. I scrambled for the driver’s door since it was the closest. Throwing it open, I dove over the driver’s seat for my purse. It took me three tries to open the zipper. I pulled out the gun and the light stick.

  The werewolf had finished changing. He lifted his head to howl at the nearly full moon in the darkness.

  I dove back out of the car, leaving it between myself and the werewolf. It was then that I saw lights being turned on. Between the explosion flash and the howling werewolf we had woken the neighbors. Shadows appeared in windows with phones in their hands.

  Calling the police no doubt. At least I hope so.

  The beast turned to glare at me. I guessed he wasn’t blind anymore. He looked really pissed, even for a werewolf. I left the door open, inching my way around the car to put myself in-between him and Vicki. She was blinking with both hands out in front of her.

  “Vicki, get in the car!” I yelled behind me.

  I broke the core of the light stick, holding up the glowing bright blue-violet light to get the attention of the werewolf. My gun was pointed at the center of the large werewolf. It didn’t act l
ike it cared, snapping and growling at me like I was some animal invading its territory. I wanted to get some answers, but I didn’t know how to stop him from shredding me to pieces without killing him. I decided for the cheap shot. I dropped my aim down. When the targeting laser was on the right kneecap, I fired. The monster’s leg exploded off. It dropped, clawing at the remains of the thigh.

  I took a second to look for Vicki. She sat behind the wheel of the car. She had the engine started, ready to run at a second’s notice. I moved towards the werewolf, staying out of arms reach of course.

  “Who sent you? Who else knows you are here? How many of you are there? Where is Jacob?” Each question I asked was answered with a growl and nothing more.

  What do you do with a dying werewolf in the parking lot of an apartment complex that won’t answer your questions? I have no idea.

  The beast made up my mind for me. It hurled itself at me.

  Vicki screamed. I just pulled the trigger, blasting another head clear off a werewolf.

  That was the second one today. I sure as hell hope this is not becoming a habit.

  “Kieran! Behind you!” Vicki screamed at me.

  I spun around. Another thug we hadn’t seen before was running at me with a large knife in his hand. I held up the light stick to give myself more light to see with. The thug hissed at me, bearing his fangs. The vampire then cowered back from the ultraviolet light of the chemical flare. The flesh on his arm and head smoked and melted away in flames under the light. He hissed again then took off in a blur. He was gone before I could raise my gun at him.

  This damn thing worked!? Who’d’ve guessed?

  After checking on Vicki, I grabbed my glasses and badge from my purse. I put the glasses on. Looking at the command circle I thought, Julie.

  She appeared instantly, dressed the same and smiling as always, like a good little computer program. “Good morning Miss Grey. I have messages for you.”

  “Julie, I need to talk to Detective Michaels.”

  “Of course.” Julie bowed her head. Her picture went dark.

  A full minute later Ren’s voice rang in my ears, “Detective Michaels here.”