the longer you stay out there. Your reaction time will slow. Your senses will play tricks on you. You can easily lose your way when moving from the light of the buildings. Keep the map with you at all times, and refer to it often.
“Above all, stay safe. The goal is not to add to the body count. We will find Ivan. It just may be a long hunt and you’ll need to watch your strength reserves. Come back often to feed. We’ll have donors here on hand. Of course,” I add with a big toothy grin, ever the salesman, “free of charge.”
There they stand, the Magnificent Seven. Bundled to the gills in winter gear. Armed to the teeth with dull, sparring-quality blades and knives.
Christ. What the hell are we doing?
Before I have a chance to even formulate a non-snarky answer to my own question, my cell phone vibrates at my waist. Caller ID tells me it’s coming from one of the employee apartments up on the northern end of the property.
“Yeah?” My voice comes out smooth and calm. No need to arouse more fear in them than necessary.
“It’s Jerry. We got an issue up here. Are all the guests with you right now?”
“Yes.” I glance around the room to confirm. “Why?”
“I just winged a man about a hundred yards out from one the buildings,” Jerry replies.
“What?” Does he mean what I think he means? “Are you trying to tell me you shot someone?”
The whole room instantly quiets. All vampires, including their servants and mates, are straining to hear both sides of the conversation over my cell phone. Damn, it’s hard to have a private conversation around all these bloodsuckers.
“Yes, you heard me right,” Jerry answers. “After you said there was a fugitive on the property running loose, I decided to take some action.”
My fingers come up to pinch the bridge of my nose. I’m not sure if I’d rather scream in frustration at the danger he’s put himself in or applaud him in his efforts.
“I came up to the apartments with my rifle. Just in case,” he says.
The rifle is not going to be able to do much damage to this fugitive, but I don’t have the heart to break it to him. I know why he’s really there. Dr. Margery Cook lives in one of the cabins near the apartments and she moved to the larger building during the emergency. He’s always had a crush on the no-nonsense, auburn-haired doctor.
“Okay, Jerry, thanks. Keep an eye on the others,” a smile comes through in my voice now, “and Dr. Cook. But, you need to be more careful. This guy isn’t what you think he is.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure I know exactly what he is, missy.” His gruff voice takes on a strength I haven’t heard from him in a few years. “I came loaded with silver.”
I turn my back to the crowd in the room, hoping to hide my surprise. “Excuse me? Did you say you have silver bullets?”
His deep, masculine laugh holds a confidence that reminds one at once of his sharp intelligence. This is no longer the young man I hired back in the late seventies, still fresh from Vietnam. How could I have forgotten his valuable background in this dire time?
“Yeah,” he replies. “Silver bullets. Vivian, aren’t you aware that most of the employees hunt during the resort’s off-season? Most all of us have guns.”
My blood chills at the thought of over one hundred employees possibly armed with silver. Perhaps I have been foolish in not binding them to me in blood. I value their free will above all else. Could it be a mistake that could cost me my life down the line?
“Jerry, where did you get the silver bullets?”
“I cast them myself.” A hint of pride comes through. “Takes time and hard work but it can be done.”
“Who else has them?” My voice remains carefully neutral.
“I see where you’re going with this. It’s just me.” Jerry takes on a more serious tone. “I was never in fear of you, you’ve got to believe me. It was a precaution against the guests. In life, it pays to be prepared.”
I let out a sigh. “I can’t fault your logic there. It obviously came in handy.” Best to get all of it out in the open. “What are you using?”
“I’ve got a Remington 700 CDL 7mm magnum, with a Nightforce NXS scope.” Asa lets out a low whistle across the room, clearly impressed with the engineer’s choice.