Exsanguination Read online

  “They are. They know that we’re a threat.”

  As the detective was about to give more orders, two of the lycans broke cover about fifty feet in front of Nikki, coming from separate forty-five-degree angles. She brushed her coat back and drew the two pistols. Holding the guns out, each at an angle to target one of the lycans, she opened fire as she stared straight ahead. Vanessa spun, hearing the third one thumping across the ground behind her. She shoved the detective out of the way and he landed about ten feet distant. The creature hit her full in the chest, sending her flying against a nearby tree. The lycan looked at the detective, who screamed in horror.

  Vanessa got to her feet and glared at the creature. “Bad doggie!” she yelled and it ran at her. As it reached her, she dropped and threw her legs across his, sending it face first in the turf. It quickly recovered and faced her. Her teeth had come out – the same ones that had threatened Nikki. She rushed him and, as he got a couple of painful swipes in, she dug claws into his chest, grabbing fistfuls of flesh. It brought forth a loud cry of pain. Picking him up by his chest, she hurled him through the air almost a hundred feet into a large oak. There were cracking sounds from both the tree and the lycan. He howled loudly as he limped back into the forested area.

  Vanessa’s teeth and nails retracted and she approached the detective who was getting to his feet. All of the police were in shock, staring at her.

  “Are you alright, detective?” she offered him her hand and helped him to his feet.

  Nikki was walking over, holstering her guns as some of the constables eyed her with suspicion. One of them, apparently familiar with the movie and her outfit, whispered to the man standing next to him. “She’s a death dealer.”

  “I don’t know,” the detective responded to Vanessa, brushing himself off without even thinking about it. He was stunned, shaking.

  “Well, if it’s worth anything to you, I don’t think that one will be back anytime soon but, if your men are done here, I think they should wrap it up and head back to the city,” she inclined her head toward the two dead lycans that were reverting to their human form. “You might want to load those two up in your vehicles.”

  He nodded and repeated his order to shut everything down and clear out.

  “I’ll drive the two of you home.”

  “No, you won’t. You’re in no condition to drive; you’re shaking like a leaf. Give me your keys.”

  They began the short drive, heading toward Smythe house.

  He calmed somewhat. “How did you . . .? That thing must have weighed three hundred pounds or more!”

  “Our kind are strong, detective, very strong.”

  “And those teeth? That was horrifying!”

  “If I’d had the opportunity, I would have ripped his throat out. Tonight you saw me as few humans ever have,” she glanced at him and grinned. “Like me more?”

  He stared ahead, not responding.

  Fifteen minutes later, Vanessa brought the shaken man into the drawing room and sat him in a chair. Everyone jumped to their feet.

  “Vanessa! What happened? Your clothes!” Phillip yelled.

  “Yes, they’re bit shredded. Darling, would you get me a robe please?” she responded as she poured the detective a double whiskey.

  “Here, detective, this should help.”

  He took it in a quivering hand and downed it in one shot. Vanessa was ready with the bottle and refilled his glass. He shook as he lit a cigarette.

  “What the hell happened?” Owen asked.

  “Werewolf, and the first person who says ‘therewolf’ will be slapped.”

  She pulled on the robe that Phillip brought down and sat down opposite the detective.

  “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Phillip expressed his worry.

  “I’m fine, darling,” she reassured him.

  Owen left and returned with a wet towel.

  “Not to worry, it’s not my blood.”

  The detective had begun to relax a bit. “I’ve never seen such things! Monstrous!” he looked up from his drink at Vanessa and took a deep breath. “You saved my life. Thank you.”

  “Can’t have my favourite detective eaten alive, now can I?” she chuckled and then turned to Nikki.

  “Nikki, would you go to the vault and bring up a couple more M4s, a few dozen magazines, and a box labelled five point five six silver?”

  The detective looked at her, wide-eyed.

  “I know. We’re not supposed to have guns but, considering our situation, aren’t you glad we do?”

  He nodded, breathlessly.

  Vanessa called out to Nikki as she was about to exit the room. “Oh, Nikki? And the box marked silver pineapples.”

  Nikki crooked her finger at Joe. “Lend a hand.”

  “So what’s going to happen? Are there more of them?”

  “Probably,” she responded to the detective, “although there’s no way to tell how many. Could be a handful or it could be a hundred or more. I just wish I knew why they decided, of a sudden, to come down to London,” she frowned. “They usually prefer a more sylvan environment.”

  “Good God! If they get into London . . .”

  Vanessa nodded. “It could be a hell of a mess.”

  “How in God’s name can I write a report on this?” he moaned plaintively.

  “Sorry, detective, I can’t help you with that,” she smiled, “although you have quite a number of witnesses and that should work to your advantage.”

  “I know this is a big favour but would you consider coming downtown tomorrow and help me with a briefing of my men on this situation?”

  “We’d be glad to, detective.”

  When the detective had gone, Vanessa spoke to both Phillip and Owen.

  “Under the current circumstances, the two of you need to remain here in the house. If we need to go out, Nikki and I, then Joe will remain behind to help ensure your safety. Got that?”

  The two men looked less than enthused but they agreed.

  XIX

  The following morning, Vanessa and Nikki met with DCI Fuller at the West End Central Police Station. They approached him as he stood on the steps outside. Vanessa was wearing a conservative business suit and Nikki was decked out in her usual PVC and corset outfit.

  “You’ll have to get us through security, detective. Nikki is armed.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Part of the demonstration and lecture. Don’t worry, there won’t be any gunfire.”

  He sighed and shook his head as they followed him up the steps and then around the security checkpoint. As they travelled to the briefing room, Vanessa spoke to the detective.

  “Do they have any information at all? Anything preliminary or are we walking in dry?”

  “A little. They know who you are but nothing of your friend.”

  “Nikki,” she said, giving him a bit of a dirty look, “my name is Nikki.”

  The three walked into the room and up to the front and the detective spoke.

  “Before this briefing starts, I want to tell you something. If not for these two women, the coroner would be dealing with twenty-three mangled bodies, including my own. Give them your full attention and respect,” he motioned Vanessa to take the helm.

  “I am the Lady Vanessa Cecily Leyland-Smythe, Countess of Ashburn,” she nodded. “While my name and title may sound stuffy, I can assure you that I am not. What I am is an expert in the area in which you will be working. Last night there was a murder on the outskirts of London. This act was committed by a lycan – a werewolf.”

  “Yeah, right,” a member of the force said scornfully with a sneer.

  Instantaneously, Vanessa stood in front of him. “Scepticism can get you killed in the current state of affairs.”

  He swallowed hard, looking frightened. “Sorry, ma’am.”

  She was back at the front of the room.

  The detective whispered to her. “I’ve yet to write my report – having a bit of trouble with it.

&nbs
p; She nodded and turned back to the group. “I know there’s a lot of disbelief among you and I completely understand that, but it’s true. They exist and are an existential threat to the people of this city.”

  The detective passed out photos of the dead man’s body. There were pained looks on the faces of many of the men.

  “This could be someone this evening or it could be a dozen people or it could be any of you if you take this situation too lightly. A human being can no more take on a lycan than a goat can bring down a lion,” Vanessa paused as someone raised a hand and then decided to finish her thought. “They aren’t interested in peace or friendship. In wolf form they are vicious, bloodthirsty, unthinking animals,” she nodded toward the man with the raised hand.

  “Why don’t we just shoot them?”

  “You could but it wouldn’t even slow down one of these creatures, at least not until the appropriate ammunition can be manufactured for you.”

  Nikki stepped up next to Vanessa and brushed back the sides of her long leather coat. Someone yelled ‘Gun!’ and there was a mad scramble. Chairs were knocked over and people yelled as they tried to run for the exit.

  “Oi!” the detective yelled at the top of his lungs and people stopped. He motioned with his hands to the effect that everyone should sit back down and be quiet.

  “Sorry to startle you,” Nikki said. Although she’d been practising with both hands, she drew the gun on her right upper thigh and held it up.

  “Beretta ninety-two FS with a suppressor. It takes nine-millimetre rounds and can be set to fully automatic,” she pressed the button on the side of the weapon and the magazine slid out into her left hand. “Thirty rounds which, in and of itself, is not exceptional, however,” she holstered the gun and slid a round out of the magazine, handing it to a man in the front, “the ammunition is special. Silver bullets. A few well-placed rounds and the lycan is down for the count. Any other ammunition will have virtually no effect. They heal almost instantly.”

  As it moved around the room, another hand went up. Vanessa acknowledged him.

  “How can this all be? Why all of a sudden do we have vampires and werewolves?”

  She nodded. “A good question. Vampires have always been with you as have lycans. Lycans, historically, have restricted themselves to the countryside where they’re less likely to be detected. Most of the sheep and livestock they kill, when discovered, have their deaths and mutilations ascribed to ordinary wolves or dogs. Vampires? Well, we look a lot like you, don’t we?” Vanessa smiled. “Combine that with the fact that we no longer take lives and we blend in with urban life without difficulty, you’ve just never noticed us before. That said, there has been a new development over the last hundred years or so. Lycans can now change from their human shape to their wolf shape pretty much at will. Previously they were subject to the moon being full,” she paused, waiting for complete attention.

  “Anyone in this room could be one or, for that matter, a vampire,” she continued.

  People looked from one to another.

  “But you’re not. If there was a lycan here,” she brought her finger up to the side of her nose, “we’d smell you.”

  “What about a vampire?”

  “You really can’t expect me to answer that, now can you? If there is a vampire among your number, just know that you’re a bit safer than you would otherwise be. ”

  Another hand went up.

  “So how do we track them down?”

  “You don’t. If you see something suspicious, you report it quickly and leave the area. DCI Fuller will pass it on to me. We, meaning the vampire community, do not want the police interfering with this action. To put it bluntly, you’ll get yourselves killed. A lycan could kill everyone in this room in a matter of minutes.”

  Someone else had a question.

  “Are all vampire ladies as good looking as you two?” the man asked with a grin.

  Vanessa took a deep breath. “We are all absolutely gorgeous. So much for the foolish questions. Anyone else?” she looked around the room.

  “Good. Now there’s no way of telling when or where an attack might occur. It could happen in the East End or Belgravia or anywhere in between. Daytime is usually safe but that can’t be totally relied upon. I will have teams covering possible areas that could be used as lairs – abandoned warehouses, derelict apartment buildings, as well as the tube.”

  A hand went up.

  “Is it true you killed one with your bare hands?”

  “No. I called him a bad doggie, threw him into a tree and he ran away. Anything else?”

  Nikki retrieved the bullet, slid it into the magazine and inserted it. She put the weapon back in its holster. As they walked out the door, one of the younger constables approached her.

  “Can I buy you a coffee?”

  She shook her head. “That wouldn’t be a good idea.”

  “Why not?”

  “I bite,” she smirked at him.

  He grinned in response and Nikki rolled her eyes and shook her head with a sigh.

  Outside, on the steps of the building, the detective spoke. “I want to thank you for coming down here and briefing my men. I only hope they took you seriously.”

  “As do I, detective. Now, all we have to do is ferret out the bastards.”

  He nodded and turned to Nikki. “Do me a favour and keep your hardware out of sight, please. This isn’t America and you would likely cause panic in the streets.”

  “You have my word, detective,” she nodded.

  He smiled and went back in the building.

  As they rode in the cab back to Smythe House, Vanessa called Antoine.

  “Antoine, gather as many of us as you can this evening for a meeting at my home. I don’t want the newly turned ones – the older the better. We have a serious lycan problem.”

  Pause.

  “I know that but it seems they’ve given up their country-dwelling ways and decided London would be a nice place to live and dine.”

  Pause.

  “Good. Make it about midnight, if possible,” she ended the call and turned to Nikki.

  “We’ll feed early tonight. Joe will have to head into the city since he doesn’t have a live in.”

  As they entered the drawing room, Phillip and Owen stood, side by side, arms folded, facing Nikki and Vanessa.

  Vanessa frowned. “What’s this? Revolution?”

  “We want to be turned. We know that you’ve kind of assumed the roles of ‘protectors’ when it comes to Owen and me but we’re not happy with that. Protecting one of us could get one of you killed. We’d be constant distractions and we can’t live with that.”

  Vanessa smiled softly. “I could see your point if you were hunting lycans side by side with us but you’re not and you won’t be. You’ll remain here where you’re safe.”

  Phillip shook his head. “We don’t want to be safe. We want in. We want to help.”

  Vanessa approached him, her face impassive. “If I do this, I won’t be able to feed on you. How long do you think you’ll be able to endure watching me feed on another man, Phillip? Do you think your love for me can long survive such a thing? We may not have been together very long but I do know you. It would, ultimately, destroy the feelings you have for me and I won’t allow that.”

  His shoulders slumped in despair. Phillip knew she was right. He wouldn’t be able to take it.

  “Why do you always have to be right?” he sighed.

  Her look softened. “It’s not a matter of being wrong or right. We love each other and I will not see that love come to ruin. Know that I can protect you and myself, both. I’m that damned good at what I do.”

  Owen looked at Nikki and slowly nodded. She moved to him and wrapped her arms around him without speaking.

  A few hours later there was a knock on the front door.

  “I’ll get it!” Joe said and walked to the foyer.

  “Antoine! Hi!”

  He looked momentarily confused as he walke
d into the drawing room. There was another knock. Joe finally decided to stay at the door as a virtual parade of vampires progressed through the foyer. Before long, as the flow stopped, there were just shy of fifty in the room.

  Wow, Phillip thought, they come in all shapes and sizes. This was a different bunch than the ones who observed the video in the morning room. There were even a few of the slicked back hair variety.

  Vanessa climbed up on a chair.

  “Hear me!”

  Conversation quieted down.

  “We have a lycan problem. It seems an unknown number of them have decided that the fare in London is an improvement over the sheep in the countryside.”

  There were growls and snarls from the group.

  “For good or ill, Nikki and I were asked to join a police detective at a scene where one of the lycans had killed. While there, we were attacked by three. Nikki killed two and I drove off the third.”

  Nikki saw several of the vampires give her appreciative looks. It felt good and drew her thoughts away from Owen wanting to be turned.

  “Some of you may feel irritated by the fact that I’ve interposed us between the lycans and the humans and that’s a fair criticism. But!” she held up a finger.

  “The rate at which lycans kill and feed is extreme and they often kill just for pleasure. They may be increasing their numbers but it’s impossible to tell right now. If they are left unchecked, they will ultimately reduce our food supply. This is an issue of survival.”

  There were confirming nods among the vampires.

  “The weapons and ammunition I have are limited but I’ve been in touch with my dealers and more are on the way. The rub is that my funds are not unlimited and I will need all of you to contribute to the cause.”

  “What about the police?”

  “I am working with the authorities and they are aware of the seriousness of the situation. They will not interfere,” she looked around the room.

  “Is there anyone who would choose flight over fight?”

  There was utter silence.

  “Excellent. You are the oldest of all of us in London and, thus, the strongest and best suited to fighting these creatures. We will divide ourselves into groups and look for them in the most likely places. Additionally, we need to warn the rest of the community of the threat.”