Knights of the Wizard (of Knights and Wizards Book 2) (28 page)

SEVEN

UPS HAD DELIVERED A PARCEL to Dracula in his penthouse which turned out to be an Android tablet and after viewing the video within, originating from the alley where the fellow was cut in two, he of course knew that detective Palmer had sent it, trying to get the head vampire caught up in the case. Palmer had a gut feeling that the case was supernatural; a vampire killer with a sword if only he had evidence to go with his gut, but who else could deliver such a powerful blow?

New York City had a task force to deal with vampires, other vampires that were called Red Sheriffs, trained by Dracula himself who would hunt down and dish out their own justice to maintain law and order. But this case didn’t yet qualify. Palmer knew that if the investigation led him to a vampire he would most likely not survive.

It turned out that the alley had a security camera but for the inferior video it captured it may as well not have had one. Grainy was an understatement. Moon Diamond repeatedly watched the video, showing only a shadow moving across the wall. It didn’t even appear that the camera was installed in the proper position but the lens had been hit by a rock months ago altering its position, making it ineffective.

As Dracula stared at his Kindle he occasionally glanced at the Siamese staring at the tablet. He felt sorry for Zacharia but there was nothing he could do. He didn’t know how anyone could adapt to being a cat. “Zacharia, have you found something?”

Moon diamond meowed.
Not a damn thing. This surveillance video is completely useless, may as well be a video of the Loch Ness Monster. In fact I think it is.

“You do know that the Loch Ness Monster is a genuine beast.” Dracula was waiting for Zacharia’s reaction.

Moon Diamond scratched the back of his head.
Really?

“I spoke in jest.”

The cat shook his head and rolled his eyes.
Why the shit did Palmer send you this useless video? There’s no information to be had on this.

“A lot of people believe that vampires can accomplish just about anything. I guess he was hoping that I would be able to see something that he couldn’t. Wow.”

The Siamese stared at the Master. “What is it?”

“I just had a heartbeat, quite a rush.”

The cat nodded. “It took me a while to tune out the cat’s pounding heart but I’m used to it now, background noise.” Moon Diamond kicked the tablet with his back leg and sent it flying across the room, destroying it as it hit the wall, instantly realizing that it might not have been the smartest thing to do, especially if he had missed something.

“Hopefully the detective didn’t want his tablet returned.”

Dracula, what do you suppose is the motive for these killings? There’s always a motive although if the perpetrator is insane his motive might be completely irrational.

The Master closed his eyes briefly.
“We don’t have enough information to even guess at much of anything at this point though I suppose the perpetrator will not stop until he is caught. But in all honesty it really doesn’t interest me. If Jenny was here I imagine she’d be on it. She’d have come up with some sort of spell to track the killer.”

And then all three of them heard it, sounded like a cat meowing but it wasn’t the Siamese. Dracula turned his head toward the door and smiled at what he sensed; he blurred and opened the door and in walked Trixie; it was the American Bobtail that Moon Diamond had mated with.

How the hell is that possible? How did that cat get up here?

Dracula picked up the cat and petted it. “This cat is going to have your kids, make those kittens. A Bobtail and a Siamese might produce some strange looking felines.” He placed the cat down on the sofa.

The Siamese’s mouth hung open.

“The coupling was a success. You’re going to be a father.”

Oh shut up.
And then he realized who he was talking to.
You have to get that cat out of here.

Trixie appeared to be disinterested as she curled up on the sofa and went to sleep, finally being cured of the restlessness to seek out Moon Diamond. Dracula raised his eyebrows at Moon Diamond who then stared at Trixie. The Siamese went over and smelled the Bobtail and received a slap on top of the head for his effort.

“Zacharia I will do no such thing. I have to see what these cats are going to look like, besides they’re not going to be ordinary cats. Little can hold my attention after all these years and I must admit that I find this interesting.”

Moon Diamond brought up his right paw and hit himself in the forehead with it.
What is that supposed to mean?

Dracula raised his eyebrows.
“These kittens are the product of a cat and a vampire. I can already read the kittens minds; they must have guided their mother here to you. Isn’t that fascinating?”

Moon Diamond shook his head.
This is a sick jest? It is isn’t it?

“Afraid not kemosabe. Five kittens in the oven.”

That’s where I’d like to put them.
Moon Diamond jumped up on the recliner chair and growled for a time before he drifted off, giving in to the Siamese for a nap.

EIGHT

MOON DIAMOND WAS OUT WALKING and found himself tucked in-between skyscrapers in Battery Park City, in a place called Teardrop Park. He liked to wander but his prospective was always a reminder of his condition; even a little person now looked like a giant. He ran past the 27-foot-high rock wall to the park that was surrounded by the high-rise buildings, and he supposed that it was shaped a bit like a teardrop, if one stretched one’s imagination.

The Siamese jumped up on a bench and thought about those kittens, he couldn’t get them out of his head; life was becoming too damn weird, as if his soul being stuck inside the cat wasn’t strange enough. God must definitely be laughing it up, what else did he have planned for the ancient vampire, best not to think about it. He thought of his lady friend that he liked to get together with at least once a week and he didn’t even have the courage to tell her of his fate; he was no good to her as a cat. What would be the point? He couldn’t understand what the hell was going on and he was living it.

He continued to dream about Addison’s beautiful face and her exquisite body.

Zacharia had considered jumping off one of those skyscrapers and going splat but decided to let it play out. Some days were okay and he supposed he might get used to it. Dracula’s daughter was a sorcerer and she had agreed to try and help him, which gave him a glimmer of hope for the future but so far nothing. Perhaps one day he could end up inside a human’s body although he didn’t know how the hell that would work and besides it wouldn’t be fair to the person that he might end up in. The best possible solution would be to take over the body of a vampire, but what if the other fellow ended up in control?

The Siamese’s DNA would be more prominent in the kittens than his would be, although there were many unknown variables that were more than a little disturbing. Would they be vampire cats? And if so would it be in their nature to kill and drink blood. He supposed that the Master could kill them if it was absolutely necessary. No one should have to think about such weird shit. The situation was unprecedented, nothing to compare it to; it was absurd is what it was. His life, for all intense purposes was destroyed.

“Oh look at the beautiful Siamese cat.”

A young couple approached the cat and sat beside it; they were both blond and very attractive, the guy naturally muscular. Owen was almost a foot taller than his girlfriend Elizabeth. Moon Diamond was staring up at her beautiful breasts, or rather Zacharia was which looked like mountains from his point of view and if he wasn’t a cat it would be fun to climb those peaks. In fact she was quite fetching, a classic beauty.

Elizabeth stroked the Siamese. “Do you suppose it’s a stray? Maybe we should take it home?”

Moon Diamond shook his head.
That is not gonna happen.
But unlike Dracula they were unable to read his mind. He wouldn’t hurt either of them but he wasn’t going to be anyone’s pet.

“He could belong to any one of these apartments,” said Owen. “You wouldn’t want someone to steal your cat if you had one.”

Elizabeth nodded, knowing that he was right. “I suppose not. We should buy a Siamese kitten? They are so cute.”

Owen thought that it wouldn’t be such a bad idea. “If we must.” Maybe it would distract her from wanting a baby; at least it was worth a shot.

A maniac came out of the bushes wielding a $2800 Damascus sword which he had stolen from a senior that had purchased it from Beautiful Blades in New York. He looked like a vagabond that was either unstable or high or both. He headed straight for the young couple with the sword, they tried to run but when the girl tripped the fiend caught up to her but just before he could strike Moon Diamond climbed up his leg, tearing pieces out and making him scream. It sounded like a primal shriek with no equal, those claws digging chunks out of his skin that now ran with blood. When the Siamese dug into the back of his head and neck the fellow dropped the sword, fell on the grass and tried his best to remove the cat; he had never felt such pain.

“Get it off me!”

Zacharia jumped off and the attacker grabbed the back of his neck and like a child started to rock.

Owen grabbed the sword and watched him while Elizabeth called the police.

Less than an hour in the interrogation room detective Palmer had determined that he wasn’t the serial killer they were looking for and Moon Diamond concurred.

NINE

DETECTIVE PALMER SAT IN HIS BLACK INFINITI Q50 watching several Japanese men exit from their black Escalade walking confidently into their dojo, the martial art studio Way of the Japanese Sword, offering samurai training to a select few. After some research the detective had determined that this place had some of the most talented swordsmen in the state. In a world of guns he had never given swords much thought. No blade could stand up to a bullet unless it was wielded by a vampire.

Palmer entered the studio where he saw two Japanese men wearing expensive Kiton suits and bowing to one another. One gestured with his head to indicate that they had company. Jiro, the taller of the two men approached and bowed to Palmer and he returned the bow.

“What can I do for you detective?” said Jiro.

Palmer stared directly into his eyes, giving him a look, knowing that occasionally he could get a feel for someone trying to conceal something. It had been said that he had spooky eyes. “Do I know you?”

“I recognize you from the newspaper detective Palmer. You do good work.”

Palmer glanced at the other Japanese fellow who was waiting patiently for their conversation to end. The detective was trying to determine whether he looked uneasy or not. “I see. Are you aware of the serial killer that’s running around decapitating people with a sword?”

Jiro nodded slightly. “I am indeed. Has information led you here? Do you believe that someone here is responsible?”

He liked that Jiro was being direct. “I cannot respond to questions about the case you understand. Do you know everyone that comes here personally?” Palmer glanced at the other Japanese fellow that was now leaving the room.

“I do.”

“Do you think that someone here is capable of such an atrocity? I know it’s a bit of a strange question to ask but sometimes we are aware of aberrant personalities without giving them much thought.”

Jiro looked pensive and took his time before he spoke. “I suppose that someone here could have evil intentions just as anyone could. Being proficient with a sword takes a strong and a lifetime of dedication but humans are unpredictable. I doubt that there are any killers amongst us but I cannot say for certain. Anyone that shows emotional problems like a death in the family is obligated to speak to a professional. As strange as it may sound we cannot have aggressive behavior, the mind must be clear of external distractions for the martial artist to remain at his peak. We compete in Japan against the best.”

“Any vampires here?”

“A single vampire would be able to kill all of us, an advantage that wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Supernatural is not allowed. We will have an open discussion on the matter of this serial killer and behavioral responses will be judged.”

Palmer nodded. “I’ll leave you my card.”

Jiro accepted the card and then bowed. “I wish you much luck in your endeavour.”

Outside as Palmer was getting into his vehicle when Moon Diamond blurred into the passenger’s seat and the detective noticed that the cat had a cell phone in his two front paws. “You have got to be kidding me. You better not tear my seats.”

The Siamese tapped out a message on the QWERTY cell phone keys and Palmer watched as the cat gestured with his head for him to read it. He picked up the LG phone and commenced to read. “Did you discover anything useful? I didn’t but why the hell am I telling you?”

Moon Diamond typed another message. “There human blood in that black Escalade.”

Palmer’s eyebrows tightened. “What? How can you know that?”

Tap, tap, tap. “I can smell it. It’s very faint so probably only a drop or two.”

The detective considered the information. “The way these martial artists play with swords a drop of blood shouldn’t raise any red flags but I’ll take a peek nonetheless.”

The detective was surprised to see the Siamese walking beside him as he hadn’t noticed the cat leaving his vehicle. He circled the vehicle looking through the tinted windows with a small light but couldn’t see much of anything. “There’s nothing untoward that I can see cat. Besides the bodies are not being moved from where they are being decapitated or cut in two.”

A pair of Japanese eyes went unnoticed as they stared down at Palmer circling the vehicle.

Moon Diamond blurred off as Palmer headed back to his Q50. “Stupid cat left his cell behind. Never thought I’d be saying that.”