Shadows & Dust

Suddenly, uneasiness settled in the pit of her stomach. 

Why hadn’t Andre told her about this mission? He had confided in her about all the other unsanctioned missions in the past, no matter how top secret they were. So why…? 

She was so focused on the impending battle that she hadn’t truly paid attention to what roused concern in Cain’s thoughts during their last conversation. What the hell was going on in Japan? And were Cain’s suspicions right on target? Did the mission have anything to do with the rash disappearances of young women sweeping the world? 

She had a haunting feeling that it did.

“On one of those secret missions again?” Kira’s voice snapped her out of her private thoughts. “I get so nervous when he leaves.” Her doe blue eyes shifted around nervously as she fidgeted with her scarf. “Just want him to come back safely, ya’ know.”

Havoc grabbed her sawed off twelve-gauge shotgun and loaded UV capsules. “He always does,” she assured, more to ease her own uncertainties than Kira’s. “As long as he has his crew with him, he’ll be a’ight. They look out for each other.”

“Uh-huh, listen, uhm—I know this is the anniversary of Angie’s death and everything, but uhh, there’s nothing going on here. I mean, there’s stuff going on, but nothing for you to be loading guns for. You got my girls all nervous. I hate to say this, but the money gets short and bad shit happens when you come around.”

Havoc nodded toward the pair in the shadows. 

Straightening her dress, the prostitute stood and sauntered past them with her satisfied client on her heels. 

“Doesn’t look that way to me,” Havoc sung in a humorous undertone. “Besides, there are other things ya’ll should be concerned about. Like the johns with fangs for example.”

“Well, you—you’re making me nervous. There’s nothing here for you—” 

“Yeah, heard you the first time, Kira.” Irritated, Havoc cut a narrowed eye her way. “Know what I don’t get? Why would ya’ll wanna continue working the streets after what happened to Angie?”

“What are we supposed to do, Joan? They’re gonna be everywhere we go. We can’t close ourselves up in our houses and sit around twiddling our thumbs. A lot of my girls have mouths to feed and this is all we know.”

“Right. This is all you know, huh?” Stepping in closer, Havoc locked hooded eyes on Kira and studied her intensely. 

Kira shivered under her probing scrutiny, as if the chill in the air had finally gotten to her. 

“Dang, I must be slipping. I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on this sooner.”

“Pick up on what?” Kira’s voice wavered as her heels slid back on the concrete. “What are you talking about?”

Havoc sprung forward before Kira could scurry out of her reach and latched onto her scarf. “The smell of blood on the wind.”

“No, don’t—” Her movements sluggish, Kira skipped back and reached up to keep the scarf in its rightful place. 

But Havoc had already stripped it from her neck. “Aw, Kira…” 

Hideous bite marks surrounded by black and blue bruises marred the delicate skin over her jugular. Some were fresh, while most were old and clearly infected. White puss and dark blood leaked from the festering wounds. 

With shaky hands, Kira tried to cover them. 

The damned monster didn’t even have the decency to seal the puncture marks. One swipe of the tongue after feeding, that’s all it took to keep its blood supply healthy. Either it didn’t know, or it just didn’t give a fuck.

Kira snatched the scarf back. Tears streamed down her face. “Why’d you have to do that?”

“God Kira, your neck looks like rotting hamburger meat! Exactly how long have you been letting a vamp chew on your throat?” Failing to restrain her own tears, Havoc grabbed Kira’s chin and lifted her head. “You could die from these.”

Kira smacked her hand away. “What do you want me to do? I had no other choice.”

“There’s always a choice! For God’s sake, you could’ve called me. After the first attack, Cain and I could’ve taken care of this before it went this far!”

Dilated pupils. A human’s pupils remained expanded days after they were charmed by a vampire. It’s a telltale sign the person’s cerebral waves had been tampered with, and they had no control over their actions. 

So why weren’t Kira’s eyes dilated in the slightest? Only one logical answer. Her old friend had bared her throat of her own free will.