Black Heart: Wild On (33 page)

            I was so focused on that bat, I didn't notice the other one loop around behind me. He flew into my face at that second, biting my nose and clawing at my eyes.

            "Aaiiee," I cried, slapping at him.

            Jeff morphed back to human, seized the wrist with the sword and head butted me. Ben slammed into us from below, and also morphed to human. We started slowly falling, though I was vainly trying to stay up by flapping furiously.

            "You made a fatal mistake, Sable," Jeff said. Ben sank his fangs into the wrist holding the sword, right into a nerve and my hand spasmed. The sword fell out of my grasp. "You shouldn't have followed us."

            He grabbed my chin and head, about to snap my neck. Broken neck meant temporarily paralyzed, but I was sure Jeff would ensure it was a more permanent situation. Like dead-dead.

            I kneed Jeff in the cójones. He froze, eyes bugging out. He would recover in a matter of seconds, but even vampires suffered intense pain when struck down there. I only needed seconds.

            Twisting the pistol around, I started pumping silver bullets deep into his chest. At the same time, I drove the long stiletto heel on my right foot into Ben, just above his collar bone. He wailed and released me to start falling away. My then free right hand yanked the pistol out of the right holster, and started pumping bullets into his chest.

            Ben fell all the way to the street below. With all that blessed silver inside his body he couldn't morph. And it burned. Like white-hot-pokers-in-the-chest hot.

            "Good boy," I said, seeing that Gabe had followed on the ground. He was running towards Ben, a stake and hammer in hand.

            I jabbed the end of the Glock's barrel into Jeff's left wrist, the one holding my chin. I pulled the trigger and his wrist was shattered. He cried out, broken out of his silver-in-the-chest-induced daze. With his grip on my head broken, I kicked away from him.

            Jeff fell just inside a fenced back yard, only fifteen feet from where Ben landed. Gabe was straddling Ben, and I watched with supreme satisfaction as he frantically pounded that stake through Benjamin Rothschild's heart.

            One less stinking bloodsucker to worry about.

            "Gabe, watch out!" I cried, seeing Jeff leap over the six-foot privacy fence.

            I folded my wings back and power dived. Jeff surprised me and ran in the opposite direction that I expected. I swooped down and back up, turning around just in time to see him reach my car.

            Jeff jumped into the idling Mustang, and burned rubber as he headed south down Preston. Yeah, it irritated the Hell out of me to see him driving my car.

            Neither Dane nor Heidi was anywhere to be seen. Both were very much alive, and not feeling particularly threatened. I could also tell they were still trying to catch Valerie. Apparently being hit by a car wasn't enough to keep that new vamp down. Since they didn't get her right away, there was little chance they would succeed. Dane, at least, should know better than pursue a vampire like that.

            "Heidi! Come back! Bring Dane!" I didn't have the most powerful voice, but it carried well at night. And Heidi at least should hear me. "Jeff took the car. Help Gabe cut out Ben's heart!"

            "Okay," Heidi said. "Will do."

            I dropped down long enough to pick up my sword and put it back in the scabbard strapped to my back. With both pistols holstered and strapped down, I leaped high and took off straight down Preston.

            "Be careful, Gabe," I called, and started after Jeff.

            As a rule flying straight towards downtown from any point in Dallas was faster than driving. But Preston was pretty much a straight shot. There was almost no traffic, and Jeff wasn't even slowing down for red lights. He was quickly leaving me behind.

            I flew higher, and from that vantage point I could see further. Keeping my eye on the rear lights of my Mustang, I flew with all I had. To my surprise, Jeff pulled off into a high rise apartment building in Uptown. A very expensive, very exclusive residence.

            When Jeff pulled off Preston I lost eye contact. It took me another few minutes to catch up. My Mustang was out front, engine still running, doorman looking inside and acting miffed. I dropped down beside him, totally freaking out the uniformed doorman. He cried out, stumbled backwards, and tripped over the curb.

            "Watch it there, fella," I said. I caught his eyes, and mesmerized him in an eye-blink. "Does Jeff Howell live here?"

            I reached inside and turned off the engine. Stuffing the keychain in my left bra cup, I turned back to the doorman.

            "I've never heard of him," he said.

            One of his fang whores might live there. Or, like Boney, he bought residences through other people.

            "Did you see the man driving this car?"

            "Yes."

            "Do you know him?"

            "Yes."

            I waited a second or two. He did not elaborate. That happens sometimes. Some people will spill their guts when you asked a question. Others gave the simplest answers possible.

            "What is his name?"

            "William Davies," he said.

            "Does he have an apartment here?"

            "He owns the penthouse."

            I looked up. Jeff was doing pretty good if he could afford a penthouse in that building.

            "What number? Which one?" I said.

            "There's only one," he said, and I expected him to sniff and put on airs. But he didn't. He was under my control. "The top floor"

            "The entire top floor?"

            "Yes."

            I thought about that. The entire top floor was a pretty good place for anyone to live, especially a vampire. Talk about easy access. He could fly in and out with ease.

            "I can take the elevator up?"

            "No. There is only one elevator, and Mr. Davies took it up and locked it down," he said. "Like always."

            "Can you unlock it from down here?"

            "Yes, I have the key," he said.

            "Do it. Bring the elevator down," I reached inside my car, pulled out a pen and paper. I scribbled my note and handed it to the doorman. "Place this on the floor in the middle of the elevator, and then send it back up."

            "Yes, ma'am," he said, and headed inside.

            I grinned roguishly, then took off running. Within ten steps I took off flying. I circled the building as I rose higher and higher. It was late Friday night, and most of the lights were out. I noticed two cocktail parties still going, and a middle-aged couple on their balcony...um, coupling.

            Spiraling up, I continued past the top of the building. When I passed the top floor I didn't see Jeff inside, even though I briefly looked in all the windows. Only a few dim lights were even on in there, and I spotted the elevator door through a pair of open double doors. But I heard his heart beat. It was fast. I smiled.

            "Nice," I said, surveying the setup on top. He had ornamental trees in large pots, several different areas for different purposes. There was a small swimming pool and a very large hot tub. "Jeffy is doing well for himself. Shame he spoiled it all by attacking my family."

            I felt Jeff's heart rate spike. Then he hurried towards the middle of the penthouse. Over by the elevator.

            "Waiting for me?" I said, and began my attack.

            I made a big loop through the cold night air. Heading straight for the window through which I spotted the elevator. Before reaching that window I heard the elevator ding, then a burst of gunfire. Sounded like an Uzi. Then the doors actually opened.

            Jeff cursed.

            Seconds before smashing through the window, I heard Jeff read my note aloud. "Turn around?"

            And I hit the glass at full speed. Glass exploded into the penthouse all around me. I sucked in my wings, hit the ground running with two pistols in my hand.

           
Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam!

            I was pulling both triggers so fast it sounded like a machinegun. Jeff whirled around, then started jerking as he stumbled backwards. My bullets were ripping into him, my aim pretty good. Dane would be proud of my shot pattern. I bet eight out of ten hit their mark, and that was the head and chest.

            Jeff started shooting, and grazed my right cheek and punched a hole in my liver. Oh, it hurt. Stick-in-the-eye kinda hurt. Jeff was shooting sanctified silver, just like me.

            The shot knocked me off balance and I fell, but rolled right back to my feet. Jeff was gone. The elevator was still there, open with flickering lights. I dropped to one knee, both pistols pointed out and ready. Then I listened.

            Naked and barefooted, Jeff's tread was whispery quite, but I heard the faint creak of hardwood floors as he moved as well as his racing heart. Jeff moved quickly. He knew the layout. It occurred to me that it would be prudent to leave at that time.

            I wasn't feeling prudent.

            "Hey, Jeff! Nice place you have here. Nice place for you to
die
," I said. I ejected both clips and slammed two more back into the Glocks. "Have you made your final arrangements? You want me to ram your ashes down Valerie's throat with a broom handle?"

            What can I say? I really liked that visual.

            "You're not funny, Black Heart!"

            "I wasn't joking."

            "I'm going to kill you, and then Valerie and I will make love in your ashes," he said.

            His voice came from just beyond the wall to my right. I aimed both pistols at the point I heard his heart beating. A heart full of silver was what the doctor ordered.

            "Ew," I said. "Not very romantic, are you?"

            I started pulling the trigger. Jeff grunted, then started shooting too. Three bullets hit me: left calf, left forearm and below my right boob. A second later he crashed through the wall and charged me with a wild scream of pure rage.

            Diving to the side, I tried to keep shooting him. Jeff was too fast even for my lightning reflexes. He threw his pistol into my face. I fell back and he was on me before I opened my eyes.

            "I'm going to rip you to pieces," he cried, snatching me up by the hair and hurling me against the stone fireplace. Somewhere along the way I lost both pistols. He picked up the poker and smashed it upside my head, then kicked me in the chin so hard I flipped completely over.

            "You'll have to do better than that," I whispered hoarsely. I barely knew up from down, left from right, but false bravado always seemed like a good idea. "You kick like a girl."

            "Don't worry, I have worse," Jeff said, chuckling.

            "So do I," I said, grabbing the fireplace shovel and leaping to my feet. I ducked under the poker he swung at my head, and slapped the shovel into his right ear. "Ouch, that had to hurt."

            I kicked him in the nuts, with extreme prejudice. Then I hit him with the shovel. I thought I had him, but Jeff jabbed the poker so hard into my belly it went clean through me. Then he ripped it back out. That left an even bigger hole.

            "Aaaaiiiiiiiieeeeeeee!" I cried, falling away.

            I ran. Jeff found my lost pistols. Both of them. I know because he started shooting them at me. Got hit twice more. Right and left butt cheeks. I know. Embarrassing.

            Jeff was following. I could barely run with my butt shot up. Panic started to set in. Nothing was going as I had expected. I've always done so well against Jeff. Not doing so well then.

            "Heidi! Get your ass in here! Now!" I cried. "I'm in trouble!"

            Jeff hesitated. That allowed me to put some distance between us. I found myself in the kitchen, kneeling behind the large island. Did I mention it was a gourmet kitchen? Very impressive.

            "Ben is dead and staked," I called. "They probably have his heart in a jar by now."

            "I don't care," Jeff said. "He was Valerie's friend. He was an idiot, and I planned to dispose of him after I dealt with you."

            "With friends like you...," I said.

            "Yep. One might think I was evil or something," Jeff said, stalking carefully through the penthouse.

            Can't lie. His caution pleased me. Too often my threat wasn't taken seriously by other, older vampires.

            "That's why you are going to die," I said. "I warned you about messing with me and mine. You went after my parents. Bad move, Jeff. Now I have to kill you."

            I collected an assortment of butcher knives and meat cleavers. The katana was still strapped to my back, but I always felt better with more weapons. I made a lot of noise getting my collection together. I wanted Jeff to think about being sliced and diced. Get the boy nervous, you know.

            "Your overconfidence will be your undoing," Jeff said.

            He was just outside of the kitchen. I was trapped. There was only one way in and out. I picked up a meat cleaver and prepared to hurl it at him.

            "Probably," I said. "Not tonight."

            "I beg to differ," he said.

            "Beg all you want, sissy boy," I said.

            Oh, that pissed him off. I heard his heart rate ramp up. He growled and came around the corner shooting. I threw the cleaver. Jeff sidestepped the cleaver, but both of my pistols ran out of ammo and the sliders locked back.

            I threw a really big butcher knife. And continue to throw one blade after another as Jeff zigzagged towards me. Needless to say I missed on every throw.

            Jeff leapt over the kitchen island, and I ducked under him. He hit the cabinet behind me as I turned to run. The old vampire was in more control of his body than I thought, and reached out and grabbed my left ankle. He jerked me off my feet even as he hit the floor.