Blood Sisters_ Vampire Stories by Women - Paula Guran Page 0,95

through the work, don’t it just figure that she was a runaway nun? I wouldn’t a thought it would matter, but I guess when you take them vows, you can’t give them back. Sorta like a tattoo.

Well, that’s what that madwoman believed, anyway, and I believe it, too, because I like believing that picture happened, and the vamp I’m sitting on, it don’t mean shit if he believes or not, because I got him and he don’t understand how I could even get close to him. So while I go get my bag (giving a good flash to the kid, who goes into shock), I explain about pure fibers found in nature like the linen they say they wrapped that man on the cross in (I think that’s horseshit myself, but it’s all in it being natural and not watchamacallit, synthetic, so that don’t matter), and how it keeps the power from getting out till I need it to.

And then it’s showtime.

I have a little fun with the silver for a while, just laying it against his skin here and there, and it crosses my mind not for the first time how a doctor could do some interesting research on burns, before I start getting serious. Like a hot knife through butter, you can put it that way and be dead on. Or undead on, ha, ha.

You know what they got for insides? Me neither, but it’s as bad for them as anyone. And I wouldn’t call that a heart, but if you drive a pure wood stake through it, it’s lights out.

It lasts forever for him, but not half long enough for me. Come dawn, it’s pretty much over. Them watchamacallits, UV rays, they’re all over the place. Skin cancer on fast-forward, you can put it that way. I leave myself half an hour for the kid, who is not really a kid because if he was, he’d be the first kid I ever killed, and I ain’t no fucking kid killer, because I seen what they get in prison and I said, whoa, not my ass.

I stake both hearts at the same time, a stake in each hand, sending them to hell together. Call me sentimental. Set their two heads to burning in the cellar and hang in just long enough to make sure we got a good fire going before I’m outa there. House all closed up the way it is, it’ll be awhile before it’s time to call the fire department.

I’m halfway to the airport when I realize my ribs ain’t bothered me for a long time. Healed up, just like that.

Hallelujah, gimme that old-time religion.

“As usual,” Steener says, snotty as all get-out, “the bulk of the fee has been divided up among your victims’ families, with a percentage to the mission downtown. Your share this time is three hundred.” Nasty grin.

“The check’s in the mail.”

“Yeah,” I say, “you’re from the government and you’re here to help me. Well, don’t worry, Steener, I won’t come in your mouth.”

He actually cocks a fist and Villanueva steps in front of him. The woman with them gives Steener a really sharp look, like she’s gonna come to my defense, which don’t make sense. Villanueva starts to rag my ass about pushing Steener’s hot button but I’m feeling important enough to wave a hand at him.

“Fuck that,” I say, “it’s time to tell me who she is.”

Villanueva looks to the woman like he’s asking her permission, but she steps forward and lets go of her coat, and I see the marks on her neck are all gone. “I’m the mother. And the wife. They tried to—” she bites her lips together and makes a stiff little motion at her throat. “I got away. I tried to go to church, but I was … tainted.” She takes a breath. “The priest told me about—” she dips her head at Villanueva and Steener, who still wants a piece of me. “You really … put them away?”

The way she says it, it’s like she’s talking about a couple of rabid dogs. “Yeah,” I tell her, smiling. “They’re all gone.”

“I want to see the picture,” she says, and for a moment, I can’t figure out what she’s talking about. And then I get it.

“Sure,” I say, and start to raise my undershirt.

Villanueva starts up. “I don’t think you really want—”

“Yeah, she does,” I say. “It’s the only way she can tell she’s all right now.”

“The marks disappeared,” Villanueva snaps. “She’s fine. You’re fine,” he