The Vampire Stalker (16 page)

I gave a nod, acknowledging that I’d heard what she said. But I was not going to make any promises to stay out of this. “You need to know that he’s extremely fast and strong,” I said. “Shooting him will slow him down, but it won’t stop him.”

“Sounds like the Terminator,” Detective Hogg said uneasily.

“Yes. He’s a lot stronger than the average man, but if a few of you wrestle him to the ground, you could pin him. Just watch out for his teeth.”

“We’re having wooden stakes made,” Moody said.

“Good. A stake through the heart is the only way you’ll kill him. If I were you, I wouldn’t risk bringing him in to the station. If you can get him to the ground, stake him.”

They didn’t respond, but I could tell they were both thinking about what I’d said.

Killing suspects wasn’t protocol. And it couldn’t be their official plan.

But if they had the chance, they’d do it.

Alexander called me just as the last traces of sun drained from the sky. I knew he was checking up on me, so I didn’t answer. I had my mission tonight, and I didn’t need him to help me carry it out. It was freeing and frightening at the same time.

Around nine, I said good night to Mom and Chrissy, who were in the living room watching TV. I knew that I’d never get Mom’s permission to go out in search of Vigo, so I had to do it without her knowing.

In case I decided to go into a club, I put on a lot of makeup and a black dress with spaghetti straps. I even blew my hair out to make myself look older. I figured that Vigo wouldn’t go somewhere with a doorman checking ID, though. He looked young enough to get stopped. Vigo would want a low-key place he could quietly slip into.

I opened my window and climbed onto the fire escape. It was old and squeaky, but I managed to climb down without any trouble.

By the time I got off the bus downtown, my watch read 9:32. The line at Barrymore’s dance hall for ‘90s night stretched half a block.

The night was cool, and the breeze whipped my hair in front of my face. I stood under an awning outside a deli, watching the crowd. They were well-dressed twentysomethings and obviously die-hard partiers — they had to be if they were going clubbing despite police warnings about a real vampire prowling the streets. I wasn’t sure if they were brave or stupid. Either way, they seemed restless in the line, constantly looking over their shoulders.

The police hadn’t instituted a curfew yet, but everyone knew it was coming if the vampire wasn’t caught soon. In Otherworld, the curfew for humans was nightfall. People arranged their whole lives so that they were home by then. When medical emergencies happened in the night, most people were afraid to visit the hospital, and many died as a result.

Only a few souls in Otherworld circulated after dark. They were the rebels, the vampire stalkers … people like Alexander.

I saw two cop cars parked on the side of the road opposite the bar. The cops knew that Vigo could easily show up here tonight, and not just because of my advice. It was obvious that if he wanted to find a crowd, it would be here. I bet they had plainclothes officers around as well.

Since the police had this area covered, it was time to move on. I headed down Michigan Avenue. Although there were a few people walking on the other side of the street, I was still nervous.
I could feel my heartbeat getting louder as I got farther away from the crowds and the police.

My hand closed around the Mace in my coat pocket. I’d bought it this afternoon because I figured it was my best defense if I encountered Vigo. It could blind him for a second or two, giving me the edge I needed to get away. I had Detectives Moody’s and Hogg’s numbers programmed into my cell.

Suddenly I noticed two people crossing the street toward me. A guy and a girl, deep in conversation. I froze.

The guy was blond, but he had bold, striking features, nothing like Vigo’s smooth, innocent face. Broad-shouldered and tall, he had a unique style with his long coat and leather boots.

I felt a prickle of recognition.

The girl beside him had porcelain skin and a halo of blond hair. She wore a simple brown coat tied at the waist, with a white dress extending to her knees.

Before I could process it, I found myself hurrying up to the couple.

“James? Hannah?”

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN

 

T
HEY STOPPED
in their tracks and stared at me.

“What did you say, girl?” she asked.

“You’re James and Hannah, right?”

They looked at each other. “And who might you be?” James inquired.

“I’m Amy, a friend of Alexander’s.”

James’s eyes went big, and then he smiled. Hannah smiled, too, but she kept her mouth closed. I saw the slight bulges of fangs beneath her cheeks.

“Good God, do you know where my cousin is?” James asked, his handsome features etched with worry.

“I have his phone number. I can call him right now.”

They both looked shocked when I pulled a cell phone out of my pocket. I got Alexander’s voice mail. “Hi, Alexander. Your cousin is here and he wants to talk to you. Call me back.”

“Any notion of where he could be?” Hannah asked.

I looked from one to the other, knowing that I could trust them. Even more so than Alexander,
these
were the good guys of Otherworld.

“He’s probably underground hunting Vigo.”

“Good,” Hannah said. Her statement surprised me. Hannah had a complicated relationship with her brother. The books made it clear that she still cared for him despite his incredible cruelty toward humans. They had been through a lot together since that night three hundred years ago when they had been attacked and changed into vampires.

“You found the portal,” I said, stating the obvious.

“Not on purpose,” Hannah told me. “We spent day after day looking for Alexander or his …” She didn’t finish the sentence. “Then today we found ourselves in an unfamiliar Chicago.”

James nodded. “We deduced that Alexander must have gone through the portal, too. We did not know until we happened upon today’s newspaper that Vigo was also here.”

“Alexander chased Vigo through the portal,” I explained. “You’re in a different dimension. It’s basically how your Chicago would have been if the vampires hadn’t come.”

“An evolved Chicago!” James turned to Hannah. “This proves how different our world would be if there were peace between humans and vampires.”

I wasn’t sure if I should tell them about the Otherworld books or if it would just confuse things. Maybe grasping the dimension concept was enough for now.

“Alexander knows where the portal is,” I said, “but he won’t go back to your world without dealing with Vigo first.”

“That’s our Alex.” James was the only one who called him Alex. “From what I’ve read, Vigo is terrorizing this city. People here are not accustomed to vampires, are they?”

“We’ve never had a real vampire before. Most people don’t even believe they exist.”

“Which makes it a ripe hunting ground for Vigo,” James said grimly. “We must find a way to send him back through the portal or, better yet, stake him.” When he said the last part, he put a hand on Hannah’s shoulder. She slipped a hand over his.

My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I opened it. Before I could say anything, Alexander shouted, “Where are you?”

“Downtown, with James and Hannah.”

“Do not joke with me. Tell me exactly where you are.”

“Hang on.”

James took the phone. “Cousin! You have no notion how worried we were about you. I am glad you are keeping well.”

Alexander’s response contained some choice curses. James put his hand over the receiver and looked at me. “Forgive him. He’s overexcitable.”

Soon after, the blue Civic pulled up to the curb. Alexander got out and strode up to James, crossing his arms. “So, James. Are you in such dire need of adventure that you followed me here?”

Then he hugged him.

James gave a shout of laughter. “Never disappear to another dimension without telling me first.”

When they let go, Hannah stepped forward. “I’m so happy that you are well, Alexander.” She reached out to take his hands.

He didn’t touch her. “Your brother is on a rampage.”

Hurt rippled across her face, but she recovered quickly. “We know the situation. It must be stopped.”

“It’s good to hear you finally referring to your brother as
‘it.’
”

She bared her fangs and hissed. He didn’t flinch.

“Stop it, both of you,” James snapped. “We all have the same purpose here. We must discuss what to do.”

I realized the scene in front of me was practically a mirror image of the cover of
The Mists.
I wondered if I’d ever get used to the fact that I was interacting with characters I had followed breathlessly on the page.

“Let’s walk,” Alexander said.

Walk we did, close enough to one another that we could have a discussion without having to speak too loud. Alexander scanned the streets. The rest of us did, too.

We passed a group of teens hanging around outside a fast food place. “I cannot believe humans behave this way.” Hannah was awed. “They think nothing of being on the streets at night.”

“There’d be a lot more people out if it weren’t for the killings,” I said.

“Fascinating. Humans have so much freedom here.”

“And someone from our world comes and terrorizes them.” James shook his head sadly. “It’s deplorable. Hannah, you should convince your brother to return through the portal. Surely once he hears what Leander has done he’ll want to return.”

“What has Leander done?” Alexander demanded.

“He is claiming leadership of the coven,” Hannah replied. “He has told the vampires that you killed Vigo. At first the vampires were not willing to believe it, since there was no body. But the longer Vigo is missing, the more they are inclined to believe Leander.”

“Vigo will be livid,” James said. “I doubt he will risk losing everything he has built for centuries to stay here.”

I had no doubt that Vigo would want to stop Leander from taking his place. Leander had done the unthinkable — declared him dead, and at the hands of Alexander Banks. For that, he would pay with his life.

“There is no telling how much longer the portal will be open,” Alexander said, “or how long it will remain in that location. Vigo would have to agree to go right away. And we cannot trust him to go back on his own.” He looked at Hannah. “You will need to cross with him.”

Hannah looked thoughtful. “The only way Vigo would agree is if I assure him that you will not be lying in wait to attack him. Can you give me that assurance, Alexander?”

“Must I?”

“Yes. Vigo knows when I lie. He always has. I need your word.”

“You have it, then. You have my word.”

I knew it must have been tearing Alexander up inside to give that promise, but he had to do it.

“It’s not enough,” James said. “Vigo will not trust Alexander to be truthful with you, Hannah.”

“What do you propose, then?” she asked.

“I will cross over with you. That way Vigo can be assured that Alexander will not strike at him. Because if Alexander does, Vigo could then strike at me.”

“No, James,” Alexander protested. “It’s out of the question. I don’t want you near that
thing.”

James stood in front of his cousin. “It is the only way and you know it.”

“We cannot trust him not to kill you, anyway,” Alexander insisted.

“We
can
trust him,” Hannah said with resolve. “I can assure you that my brother would not attack James unless provoked.”

Alexander narrowed his gaze. “What are you saying, Hannah? That you have some sort of understanding with your brother?
Kill anyone you want, but stay away from darling James?
“

Hannah stiffened, but she didn’t deny it.

James spun on Hannah. “What do you mean? You never told me this.”

“Vigo knows that if he killed you, I would despise him forever. You may find this hard to believe, but despite everything, he still sees me as his little sister.”

James took a deep breath. “Then we have our plan. Hannah, you will tell Vigo that should Alexander attack him as we cross over — on either side of the portal — he can kill me with your permission.”

“Blast it!” Alexander balled his fists. “James, you know this is madness.”

James turned his cool blue gaze on Alexander. “Not unless you had planned to break your word not to strike at Vigo.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened. “I will not break my word. But tell Vigo that I will cross over come the dawn. And then he is fair game. Understood?”

“Understood.”

I wasn’t included in the conversation and didn’t expect to be. Vigo was a problem from their world, to be resolved by people from their world.

I was relieved that they had a plan to get Vigo back to Otherworld. I wanted him as far away from my family and friends as possible. But my relief came with an overwhelming sadness. If Alexander returned, I would never see him again, and I would know that he was in danger. Vigo would send his entire coven after Alexander, making him as much the hunted as the hunter.

I looked up to find Alexander watching me as if he knew what I was thinking.

“Now we must find a way for me to speak with Vigo,” Hannah said.

“Easier said than done,” James replied. “If we don’t know where he is, how can we give him the message that you want to talk to him? Shall we post signs all over the city?”

“We could,” I said, finding my voice. “If we post flyers at all of the downtown subway stations, he’s bound to see them.”

James gave a nod. “Good, then. Let’s hope that we can make the arrangement and cross over before he kills anyone else.”

I told them about an all-night print shop on the U. of C. campus where they could have flyers made. I offered to help them put the flyers up, but Alexander flatly refused and insisted on driving me home.

In the car, I handed my cell phone to Hannah. “Keep this, it’s my telephone. When Vigo sees the flyers, he can call you at this number. You might get some prank calls from people who have seen the signs, but keep answering the phone. Vigo could call anytime.”

She shook the phone and held it up to her ear. “Hello?”

I took it back and opened it for her. “It opens up like this.”

“Incredible. Isn’t it, James?”

“I will show you how to use it,” Alexander said. “It is not complicated.”

Alexander parked the car in front of my building, then stepped out and looked over the area. When he was satisfied that it was safe, he opened my door and walked me inside.

“Good luck putting the flyers up,” I said.

“They will be all over the city by morning.”

I felt a lump in my throat. I wanted to plead with him not to go back to his world. To tell him that I needed him here with me.

He looked like he wanted to say something, too, but instead he dropped his eyes. “Good night.”

“Good night.” I walked toward the elevator and pressed the button.

“Amy?”

I turned around. “Yes?”

“With any luck, your world won’t be troubled for much longer.” And with that, he disappeared into the night.