Chapter 7

The entire Underground shook, dust falling from the ceiling like powdered sugar on a beignet. Annabelle’s eyes widened in alarm, her eyes pulsing green for a moment, signaling Isabelle’s alarm.

“Relax,” I said with a chuckle, leaning casually against the damp stone wall. “That’s just Sebastian’s ride. Some kind of muscle car, a Chevelle, I think.”

“You’re kidding me.,” Annabelle cocked an eyebrow. “I thought this guy was a monster hunter. How can a hunter hope to sneak up on his prey if his car registers on the Richter scale?”

“Sebastian doesn’t worry about the element of surprise.” I pushed off the wall and started walking toward the elevator. “He’d rather strike fear into those he’s hunting. He doesn’t mind announcing his arrival. If they’re afraid, they’re careless. That’s his philosophy, anyway.”

“How good can this guy really be?” Annabelle asked, a crooked grin and raised eyebrow betraying her skepticism. “You said he has no powers?”

“None,” I confirmed, pressing the button for the elevator.

“Doesn’t use any magic?” she pressed further, clearly not convinced.

“Not really,” I said, stepping into the elevator as it arrived with a clank. “He has a few enchanted items, but mostly, it’s all about skill and determination. And trust me, he’s got plenty of both.”

“Skill and determination, huh?” Annabelle stepped into the elevator beside me. “Sounds like a load of bullshit.”

“Well, you’ll see soon enough.” I pressed the button that would take us topside. “And Pauli, try not to drool?”

“Don’t drool?” Pauli tilted his head. “Is he…”

I laughed. “You’ll see.”

The elevator doors parted, and I stepped out into the garage, Pauli and Annabelle following close behind.

And there it was on the curb just outside our garage: Sebastian’s 1970 cherry-red Chevelle with black racing stripes, purring like an apex predator waiting to strike.

Sebastian and Donnie stepped out of their car as soon as they saw us.

“Dayum!” Pauli fanned himself theatrically. “I think I’ve died and gone to hunk heaven!”

“Is that Jason Momoa?” Annabelle’s jaw was half-way to the floor.

“Eat your hearts out, you two. He’s not available. Been searching for his wife for the last decade. After she was abducted by some kind of monster he has yet to find.”

“Why doesn’t he move on?” Annabelle asked, crossing her arms. Her curiosity was piqued, but she tried to mask it with a veneer of indifference. “After a decade? What are the chances she’s still alive? Most monsters don’t abduct people so they can keep them around for small talk.”

“Because he’s in love,” I said with a sigh. I was happy with Juliet, now, but when I first met Sebastian, I felt the same way. If I were ever interested in a mortal, for anything other than a snack, he’d be the one. “Besides, why are you so interested? Aren’t you still with that voodoo demigod?”

“Ogoun, the Loa of War.” Annabelle flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Romance with a demigod isn’t everything a lot of paranormal authors out there would like you to think. Thrilling, for a time, but they aren’t exactly monogamous as a matter of habit.”

“Does it matter?” I asked.

“To me, sure it does. I might be the Voodoo Queen, but I’m still a Catholic girl. Just like Marie Laveau was before me. I have standards. We tried that whole open relationship thing for a while. He loved it, obviously. Wasn’t for me.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “What did you expect? Did you really think a demigod was going to settle down with you and start a family?”

Annabelle sighed. “I was young and naïve. I don’t know what I expected. You don’t always think things through when you’re blinded by what you think is love. He’s still a part of our world, of course. And we get along well enough. But we want different things.”

Finally, Sebastian and Donnie approached. A welcome intrusion on our conversation. The last thing I wanted to do was play the girlfriend role to Annabelle Mulledy. But I did understand how being a part of the supernatural world could complicate relationships. I’d say I empathized with her but… pssshhh… I’m Mercy Brown. I’d never admit to empathizing with anyone.

Sebastian and Donnie approached. They reminded me of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in Twins. An odd paring, to say the least. Sebastian Winter was a genuine lady-killer, but had no interest in anyone who wasn’t his long-lost bride. Donnie was probably a real-life forty-year-old virgin, but thought he was God’s gift to women. Which might have been true if he belonged to a community of hobbits.

Donnie puffed out his chest like a peacock in full display, trying to catch Annabelle’s eye. The problem? Donnie’s moobs weren’t exactly as impressive as a plume of multi-colored feathers. It took everything in me not to laugh; the guy had the physique of the Pillsbury Doughboy but when he looked in the mirror all he saw was Hulk Hogan in his prime.

“Sebastian.” I nodded.

“Mercy,” he acknowledged with a curt bob of his head in kind. He glanced at Annabelle and Pauli.

“These are my friends,” I introduced them. “Annabelle, Pauli, meet Sebastian and Donnie.”

Pauli’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he sized up Sebastian, while Annabelle couldn’t take her eyes off him. Neither of them gave Donnie so much as a glance—but he didn’t care. Annabelle was captivated by him.

Good Lord, I thought to myself. This was going to get annoying fast. We had ghosts to exorcise from my friends. The last thing I was in the mood to put up with was a middle-school crush betwixt my mortal friends.

“Pleasure to meet you both,” Sebastian said, extending a hand to shake.

“Likewise,” Annabelle replied, short of breath.

“Well, damn, Sebastian, I’m surprised you got here so quickly.” I said, trying to push past awkward introductions. “I figured you’d be half-way across the country tracking something nasty.”

“We were already in the area,” Sebastian said, shaking his head. “Given what’s going on out there, this is nasty central at the moment.”

“Speaking of which,” he said, scrutinizing me closely. “I was a little surprised you called. I figured you’d been taken like the rest. I don’t see any strange glow from your eyes. But how can I know for sure you’re still you, and not possessed like every other vampire we’ve come across?”

I rolled my eyes. “Kiss my dead ass, Sebas.”

“Yup, still the same Mercy,” he laughed.

“Damn straight.”

“Should have known that you of all vampires would avoid all this.” He shook his head again, this time with a hint of admiration.

I took a deep breath—not because I required oxygen, but out of exacerbation. “It’s a small miracle. But they got my entire team. Mel and Muggs, and my new girlfriend, Juliet.”

Sebastian’s left eyebrow rose slightly. He didn’t know about Juliet, but he said nothing. He didn’t strike me as the kind of person to care one way or another who fell for who. I couldn’t blame him for being surprised, though. Falling for Juliet had shocked me more than anyone. I didn’t historically swing that way, but when blood-bonds and magic are involved, passion can get its initial spark in ways you’d never expect.

And sometimes all it takes is a spark to ignite a flame.

“Come on in,” I said, turning on my heel, back toward the elevator. “We’ve got a lot to cover. Intelligence to share. And we need to arm up. There’s no telling how long it’ll be before this… condition spreads.”

“Until it spreads?” Sebastian’s voice was gruff behind me. “A little late for that.”

I stopped in my tracks. “Say what?”

“This is ground zero, Mercy. That’s why we’re in tow. But I’ve had reports of vampires suffering similar conditions half-way across the country over just a few hours.”

Annabelle gasped, her usual bravado faltering for a moment. “New Orleans, too?”

“Last we heard, yeah. Especially New Orleans.” Sebastian’s tone carried the weight of bad news he didn’t enjoy delivering.

“Shit,” Annabelle muttered under her breath. She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping just a bit.

I bit my lip. “Do you need to go back there? Check things out? There are more vampires in New Orleans than Rhode Island.”

Annabelle shook her head. “New Orleans isn’t just a hub for vampires. There are other supernaturals, allies, there who can rise to the occasion. I imagine Hailey’s managing to resist just as you did. Not to mention all of Vilokan. But the emperor, the leader of these ghost-possessed vamps, is here. Like Sebastian said, this is ground zero. If this is going to be stopped everywhere, we have to stop it here first.”

“Good,” I nodded, satisfied, and pressed my hand to the palm-reader that opened the elevator. “Then let’s get to work.”

The elevator doors opened with a soft ping, and we all shuffled inside. The metallic walls of the elevator gleamed under the fluorescent lights, reflecting our tense faces back at us.

Donnie sauntered in, trying to exude casual confidence as he propped himself against the wall. He gave Annabelle a sly side glance and flashed his best attempt at a charming smile. “You have Wi-Fi here?”

He wasn’t looking at me, but I was the best one to answer. “Yeah, but I don’t know the password. Why are you asking?”

Donnie’s eyes were fixed directly on Annabelle’s chest. “Because I’m feeling a strong connection.”

I snorted.

Annabelle didn’t even bother to look up from her phone, her fingers tapping out a rapid message. She was probably checking in with her contacts in New Orleans about the status of the vampire-ghost situation there. “Dream on, pal.” she replied without so much as raising her eyes from her screen.

Sebastian chuckled deeply, his laughter echoing in the confined space. “Nice try, Donnie. You might want to save those lines for the girls on Fortnite.”

“Tried that,” Donnie huffed. “Most of the girls on there are actually dudes. Learned that the hard way.”

I clasped my hand over my mouth to stifle a laugh.

Donnie continued. “Women these days just don’t appreciate the finer things. They’re all about burgers and fries. I’m a filet mignon.”

“More like a rump roast.” I couldn’t help but snort through the chortle that escaped my hand.

Pauli squeezed Donnie’s shoulder. “I know how you feel. I’m into the finest meats myself. How do you feel about kielbasa, honey?”

Donnie gasped as if Pauli’s comment sucked the air right out of his lungs. “I, uhh… not really my favorite…”

Pauli traced his finger around Donnie’s jaw-line. “I’ll butter your rolls any time. And you know what goes great with rolls, right? A great, big pen—”

The elevator dinged just in time. “Alright, everyone! Let’s stick to the mission at hand, shall we?”

“At hand?” Pauli tilted his head. “If that’s what Donnie-bear here wants… but I’m more a sucker than a stroker.”

Donnie screeched and took off running down the hall. Everyone else burst out laughing.

“Thanks for deflecting, Pauli.” Annabelle chuckled.

“You think I did that for you?” Pauli shook his head. “Alright, maybe I did. But I meant every word. I’m a man who appreciates variety. I can appreciate a little jiggle with my wiggle.”