Misty Read online

  At last, he knew he had all the information that was left in the brain of this boy’s miserable memory. He lifted his head and licked the two little bleeding points to seal the damage. He released the boy, wiping his mind of the whole incident. He left him leaning against the damaged vehicle.

  He had to leave the boy immediately because he wanted to do a great deal of damage to something, anything. Fuck, she was so brilliant. He stopped and smiled. He was a hunter. This was turning into the best hunt in all his long years. Not only that, there was going to be a very special reward at the end of this hunt, Council or no Council.

  Chapter Ten

  She woke smelling the chickens all around her and realized the truck had stopped. She climbed up the crates and got to the top to discover it was daylight. She flattened out on top of the crates and crawled to the edge to look around. They were in an industrial area with a lot of other trucks sitting around, loading and unloading. There were a lot of workers and a lot of people loafing around. She went ahead and dropped down off the truck. Misty walked around like she knew where she was going.

  She saw a group of people that looked down and out gathered around a corner, so she just went over to stand around with them for a while. With the smell from the restaurant and the chicken shit, she fit right in. She listened as the day drifted to evening. The people came and went in the little group.

  Finally a church group came by to hand out sandwiches, offered free condoms and clean needles. One of the nuns looked over at her. “Don’t be bashful, be safe, please.” She held out a basket with condoms and needles all wrapped individually. She was going to say no but she had an idea. She took a couple of both and ducked her head down. She walked away and watched until she saw a couple of kids take needles. She hung back and followed them. They wandered down alleys, going into an abandoned building. She took her time following them, waiting to see if in the dark there was any Vamp tingle. All she got was a bad smell of urine and old building, unwashed bodies topped with vomit.

  She heard faint voices and went down a hallway that led to a room that was lit by flickering lights. When she got close she took her time to look in. She had seen such scenes on TV or movies, but it was different in real life. The first thing was the smell. All of the bodies in the room were dirty. Some of them had not been near water for weeks. There was the smell of rotten flesh and some smells Misty could not identify. Mixed among the resting bodies were an amazing few who were clean and dressed well. These few were totally out of it, due to the drugs.

  She watched as the two she had followed took rubber and tied up to insert needles. One did the arm and the other looked like he was going to do his leg or foot. She went down the hall to a darker spot. She pulled out a rubber tie she used for her hair pulling everything up on one arm she double looped the band on her arm and waited for a vein to show in her inside elbow. She inserted a needle, missing the first try that brought a tear to her eye, but hit the vein, then drew the needle full of her blood. She filled the second needle. Misty finally straightened herself up and took the two needles back to the room.

  She hesitated, then walked in, but no one paid any attention to her. She looked around trying to decide which one she needed to inject. She needed someone who was healthy enough to move around for a few days, but she also knew she was risking that person’s life if a Vampire smelled her blood on them.

  She sat and listened to the little talk that was going on and it did not take long to find the first asshole. She was trying to impress a couple of guys who were so out of it on whatever they had shot up with, that whatever she said they just laughed. But Misty saw her reach over and go through the pockets of a guy who was passed out next to her. She found a few bucks and some pills that she put in her pocket but kept on talking the entire time.

  She saw Misty looking at her. “What you starin’ at, bitch? I’m not sharin’ so if you don’t have enough, tough shit.” She kicked one of the guys near her and he turned around and laughed at Misty.

  Misty smiled, trying to look like she was totally spaced. “I am on some new stuff and it is great. I am feeling so good I want to share.” She held up the needles. The guy close to her grabbed the needles, but the woman slammed him with her foot. He handed them over with a hungry look. Misty started a crazy laugh, turned weaving, and went out the door. She leaned in the dark against the opposite wall, watching as the woman shot the entire needle of blood. The young woman smiled and looked between the two men. She then threw the full needle into the air. The two guys scrambled for it but Misty decided not to stay around to see what happened. She got out fast and decided it was now time to find a place to clean up and change clothes.

  She knew that only one Vampire would be looking for her by her blood and smell. She was not sure if the diluted blood in the two addicts would attract him, but if it did it would delay him and send him in a different direction.

  She wanted to find a safe place to sleep so she went back to where the trucks were loading. She put her backpack on and walked up to a trucker who was cussing as he was loading a small box truck. It was evident that he could not get help loading the small shrink-wrapped bundles into his closed truck, as the few helpers were loading the bigger rigs.

  She walked up and started pulling bundles, stacking them for the man. He gave her a look but did not question as he ran his hand dolly up under her stack, turning quickly to rush it to his truck tail that had a power lift. He unloaded the pile and came back to pick up the next pile she had stacked. After the third load, he used the power lift to pull the stacks into the truck. She continued to work with the bundles until they were gone, making only four more stacks.

  He let the power lift down and she followed him onto the lift as he moved the first stack over the metal drop tail. She boosted herself up into the truck where she began pushing the other stacks farther back into the truck to make room for the new loads. He continued to bring the other three stacks and with no room for himself he pushed the button and the lift brought the stacks up to her level. The last load still was on the hand dolly so she just twisted it around, pulling that load into the truck. By that time he had scrambled onto the tail, took over pushing the load off the dolly and going back after the other loads. She did what she could to push everything together to make a neater tighter load.

  Finally, with the last load he looked over to her as he pushed the dolly against the wall and tied it into place. “I got no money.”

  Misty leaned against the boxes. “I need a ride.”

  He stopped and looked at her for a long moment. “How do you know where I am going?”

  She smiled. “Okay, where are you going?”

  He finally relaxed and returned her smile. “West into New Mexico.”

  “Great, I need a ride west into New Mexico.” She patted the box she was leaning against.

  He smiled broader. “Get in the truck.” He waited for her to get down before he closed up the back doors, jumped down and pushed the button that put the lift up flat against the back doors. They were on the road for about fifteen minutes before he spoke. “Thanks for the help back there. You’re a pretty lady to be taking on heavy work like that.”

  She looked over at him. He was watching traffic and did not seem to be hitting on her. The thanks seemed to be genuine, so she relaxed. She had put her backpack between her feet, now she pushed it further forward and settled back to rest. “I am not afraid of hard work. The smell from me is from my last job. Wish I could get rid of it.”

  He nodded. “I’ve had those type of jobs. I need gas and we can stop at a truck stop. They have the private showers for five bucks. If you can make it a fast one you should have time and still get back for the rest of my trip.”

  She nodded, watching the road. As they got close to the truck stop she got out the dollar bills he told her she would need for the shower. She pulled out clean clothes so that she could change quickly. She jumped from the truck while it was still rolling, found the stalls and was surprised how
clean they were. There was soap and shampoo, Dial but it worked. She made it quick, first with all her clothes on, then stripped down and rinsed without drying. Misty changed, grabbed the wet clothes, and ran out to the truck.

  He was still filling up so she worked her wet clothes through slats and tied them so that they would not blow away but would dry. She got up in the cab put on dry socks, then shoes. She was starting to work on her hair when she saw the driver come out of the store with a bag.

  He got in, dropped the bag between them and started out on the road again. She worked on her hair. Without conditioner it was hard to get the tangles out but finally she had it all combed. She divided it and put it into two braids. She knew that as her hair dried in the braids she would have lots of waves, but that was okay.

  “Open one of those sandwiches for me, there’s a couple. Have one for yourself.” She reached in found several of the usual plastic wrapped sandwiches also a couple bottles of water. She opened one and since they were cut in half, she pulled half out, then handed it to him. There were loose napkins inside the bag so she took one and opened it and laid it next to his leg. She started eating the other half. When he finished his half in three bites she opened another one, handed him another half. When he finished that one she handed him another half that he finished. She opened a water to hand him. He took a long drink without taking his eyes off the road and set the bottle in a cup holder.

  “Another sandwich?” She asked him.

  “No, thanks.” He turned the CD player on and the reasonable country western music played softly on the speakers. Yep, she could handle that. She finished the half sandwich and opened her water. After a long drink she found a cup holder and settled down to rest. She woke up a couple of hours later.

  “Weigh Station. Usually we don’t have to stop, but they are checking all trucks right now. Some scare. We have everything in order so this won’t take long.” He pulled in line and the truck slowly moved forward. They were directed into a separate line from the big rigs, not having to go across the large scale. Finally they reached a point where a uniformed inspector came up to the driver’s window, requesting the log, his CDL and some other paperwork.

  It was obvious that the inspector was overworked, so he just did a quick look, passed everything back up and waved them on through. They had to pull around a couple of other trucks before they were back on the highway and settled down to a steady routine. They both took long drinks of water but there was no conversation, and that suited her just fine. They drove through the setting sun and through the night until almost three in the morning. They pulled into an alley and stopped behind a large building that had back doors with a loading dock.

  “If you help me unload, I can get you a good breakfast and a safe place to sleep.” His voice sounded tired.

  “Seems like a good deal.” She nodded, opened her door and got out and stretched.

  He went over to the back door and knocked loudly. It took a long time before anyone answered. A very sleepy lady of around sixty opened the door. She was really glad to see the driver and he went in. The next she knew, he was opening the dock doors from the inside. She untied her clothes and pushed them, now dry, into her bag. She threw the bag on the dock, went up the dock steps to wait while for the driver. Misty realized she had never gotten a name but watched as he lowered the truck ramp and opened the back doors.

  Since the ramp was on the same level as the dock it was easier to get the boxes off the truck and into the building. This turned out to be a safe house for junkies in recovery, run by nuns. She introduced herself, using her real name. After the truck was unloaded she did get a great breakfast. They showed her a bunk that she collapsed on fully dressed, too tired to even kick her shoes. Misty slept the clock around. The truck and driver were gone, but there was plenty of work and no pay. She stayed around for two weeks when another truck came in.

  She helped unload it and asked him for a ride. He agreed, so she thanked the sisters and exchanged all of her clothes for some they had in their giveaway closet. She had now been away from any Vampires for almost two months. This was longer than she thought possible. Perhaps it was possible to stay under the radar when it came to the Council, but she wondered about their special enforcer.

  Was his ego hurt, was he determined? How long would he try to find her? Maybe he would just chalk it up to a bad experience, maybe he had more important projects to work on. Maybe he would go on to other projects. She could only pray and continue to work on staying hidden in a most unusual way.

  Chapter Eleven

  Rad was in a corner of a bar, drinking a whiskey, talking to Marco on his cell. He was getting an update on business and any word from the Council. He asked to talk to Alex.

  “How are you doing Rad?” Alex tried to hide his concern, but even on the phone Rad could read his friend.

  Rad took a long sip of whiskey. Vampires did not get drunk. But right now he wished he could. He looked around the dark bar taking in the details and watching the one person he was going to talk to later. “You don’t want to know.”

  “You got some messages from the Council. Seems they were a bit upset when you left in such a hurry and didn’t help wipe some of Bath’s powers away.” Alex’s voice had a trace of amusement in it.

  Rad smiled his crooked smile. “Hey, so they had to do a little work. Time they got off their lazy butts. Some of them have been on that Council too long.”

  “How goes the hunt?”

  There was a long silence.

  “It is the most frustrating and the most interesting hunt I think I have ever been on. This woman is amazing. The bad part is she is making me more aware of her in ways that I should be able to stay away from. There is the Council Directive, which I am probably going to break. Yet, I want her to agree. Strange, the more I am away from her, the more I hunt her, the more…” He did not finish that sentence.

  Again there was a long silence.

  Finally Alex spoke. “Perhaps you should let someone else find her.”

  “Alex, you will enjoy this. I have to find her. I have no choice. But it still comes down to the fact that I am the best hunter. I don’t think anyone else will be able to find her. She is too smart. She bought clothes at a Good Will and changed. I don’t know where she got rid of the old ones but it changed her smell for a time. I am actually running at night to pick up her scent. I get traces of it everywhere but none of it pans out. She knows I can trace the smell of her and she is doing things to throw me off the trail. She is the best I have ever hunted.”

  “Rad, she is more than just special blood. She is avoiding all Vampires on the road and leading you on a merry chase. Wonder what she really is?”

  “When I catch her I will let you know. But I think that we will not be turning her over to the Council. I have gotten a thread of a memory from a guy who worked in a kitchen. Looks like I have a long run south. Get me a car.” He hit the button on the Blackberry and got up and went out into the night outside the bar to wait.

  The man came out with two friends, all of them pretty much wasted. He took his time. Once he had the man alone, he search the man’s memory to find her. It had been weeks ago that the man had seen her. There was no indication of where she had gone, but he had memories of her, very strong since he was attracted to her but didn’t find any way to get close to her. She had disappeared.

  In anger Rad took his blood and left him in an alley, weak and drunk and unconscious. He went to an agreed upon place and found a servant with a black Mercedes with dark tinted windows. The servant offered him blood by tilting his head, but Rad thanked him and declined, then traveled swiftly south.

  * * * *

  She was in a little town on the border of Texas and New Mexico. It was off any of the main routes and had never been very large, only one main street. Now with the economy so bad, about half of the stores were boarded up. The ones that were open were dark and the windows unwashed, covered with the dust from the unplanted, surrounding fields. />
  The only working industry was a small iron foundry that was on the edge of town, still putting some people to work, as iron was one of the items in demand in the U.S. Two of the stores on the main street were owned by the family that owned the foundry. One of them was doing so bad it was only open three days a week. It was a women’s dress shop, as advertised through crusty windows. The other was the hardware and general store, also with windows you couldn’t see through. That store had one man and two kids to handle the inventory along with any customers.

  It had taken her three weeks of travel to end up in this nowhere part of the world, but she decided to stay for a while. She tried for a job at the dress shop but got referred out to the foundry. The foundry was a shock and a learning experience. Loud, unbelievably hot in the southern sun, and a black cloud of dust everywhere. Mostly the sidewalls were non-existent. The main working foundry had grown over the years in a confusing, makeshift way, with roofs going in different directions and some internal walls. Mostly there was no floor, just dirt covered by the black dust from the manufacturing of iron. In some areas cement flooring was required, but it was so covered by debris that it was rough and uneven.

  You got into the area of the giant furnaces and you found out what heat really was. They talked about the insulation, but you could feel the heat rolling off the furnaces, yards away from them. The heavy caldrons that took the red liquid to pour into the sand molds drug the heat across the buildings and made it flow into the molds. The molds turned into heat that blistered and roasted the air. All of this before the noise added to this hell. Because as the red hot liquid hit the molds it began to solidify immediately, the sand molds were sent down long shaker tables. The fifteen-to-fifty-pound red-hot pieces of metal being pushed down a rolling, jolting, shaking table that broke the sand mold away created a noise level higher than standing next to a jet engine and put out more heat. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but it was as close to a description as she could come up with.