Nightmare City

“Have you managed to get in touch with David yet?” I asked as I came down the stairs and into the living room.

Gabriel was sitting the couch, game controller in hand. “If I had, I would tell you.” His expression was sour; he wasn’t doing well in the game.

I paused on my way to the kitchen. “You would?” Gabriel paid very little attention to me on a normal day. Even though we were forced to live together, and we’d been through quite a lot, we still didn’t get along very much.

“Katrina was your great aunt, wasn’t she? Wouldn’t you like to know where her corpse is?” He mashed a few buttons on his controller, eyes narrowing.

“I am curious about that. She probably made a lot of enemies when she was alive, perhaps David felt she shouldn’t be buried somewhere out in the open.” David Lucien was Gabriel’s son, as well as Great Aunt Katrina’s lawyer. While Gabriel kept his appearance fairly youthful, David preferred to look perpetually in his early forties. Vampires were strange like that.

Changing my direction, I put my hands on the back of the couch, checking out what was so vexing on the TV. “Didn’t you already beat this level? Why do you keep crashing into the wall like that?”

Gabriel’s grip on the controller made the plastic squeak. The TV went black and the GAME OVER screen came on. He tossed the controller aside. “Damned thing must be defective.”

He pulled out his cell phone, probably to call David again. I decided it was best to head into the kitchen now, the disappearance of Katrina’s body was irking him more than he would admit.

The kitchen table was crowded with cardboard boxes of various sizes. My heart sank a little when I saw it. “Do you really have to leave?” I said softly.

“I’m sorry!” Callie called up from the basement, the stairs to which were hidden behind a false wall in the broom closet. She climbed up into the kitchen, another box in her hands. “It’s time for me to stop leeching and get my own place.”

Something had happened while Gabriel and I were in Paris, something that had changed Callie. She and Chris wouldn’t talk about it though. Vampires weren’t clingy by nature, in fact as a general rule they were antisocial. Callie had been a refreshing exception.

“You weren’t leeching.” I pouted. “You just weren’t paying any rent.”

Callie gave me a sympathetic look and set the box down on the table with the others. She walked over to me and wrapped both arms around my shoulders. “Are you going to miss me?”

“Of course!” I exclaimed. “You’ve become one of my best friends. Besides, it’s nice to have someone around that doesn’t despise me.”

“Gabriel doesn’t despise you,” she assured me. “He’s just a very unpleasant person.”

I sighed heavily. “Can’t you stay a little longer? I won’t yell at you when you sleep in my bed any more, I promise.” Since I had been back, she hadn’t once snuck into my room. That should have been the first tip off that she was distancing herself from me.

Callie’s smile was gentle. “Thanks to you, I was able to heal. Both physically and mentally. I’ve put Callisto to rest, I can go on now without her. Besides, it’s getting too crowded around here.”

“We’re still going to hang out, right?” I asked hopefully. “Movie nights, I’ll even let you drag me shopping.”

She drew her arms back, cupping my cheeks with her hands. “Angie, why do you have to look so cute?” Her eyes drifted closed and she kissed my lips gently.

She had meant it to be brief, but I reached up and gripped her wrists with my hands. I wasn’t attracted to her the way she was to me, I couldn’t fall in love with her. But, Callie was my friend, she was there for me when I needed her. If she wanted a goodbye kiss, that’s the least I could do for her.

She pulled away from me, smiling. “I only did that to see the expression on Chris’ face.” she said mischievously.

I turned and saw my brother at the door to the laundry room, plastic hamper in his hands, eyes narrowed. He set the hamper down on the floor and pointed to the front door. “I don’t care if you’re a girl. Outside. Fisticuffs. Now.” he said.

Callie laughed and I sighed in exasperation. “Chris...”

“No, as your older brother it’s my duty to defend your honor. Even from psychic lesbian vampires.” he said stubbornly. I rolled my eyes and walked away.

“Can you load up the car for me?” Callie batted her eyelashes at him. “I wanna leave as soon as the sun goes down. Thanks, bye!” She hurried back down to the basement.

“That’s right, retreat now before I wipe the floor with you.”

I wandered back into the living room, but that was a mistake. Gabriel was back at the game and looked grouchier than ever. “You’ll kiss anyone, won’t you?” he said without taking his eyes off the TV.

“You’re just jealous of my popularity.” I struck a haughty pose. “You’re still pining for the woman who locked you in a box for fifty years.”

The plastic controller in his hands squeaked again from the pressure of his grip. “I’m not pining. And I’m definitely not jealous of you.”

I leaned over and braced one hand on the arm of the couch. “Oh yeah?” I asked. “When was the last time you kissed a pretty blonde? Or anyone for that matter?” I pressed the tip of my pointer finger to his temple and pushed lightly.

The next thing I knew, the controller was on the floor, and his hand was wrapped tightly around my wrist. Our positions were reversed, with my back pressed into the couch and he standing over me. His head blocked the ceiling light, turning his form into a dark silhouette. “Unlike some, I happen to be choosy about who I kiss.”

“You’re paying the hospital bill when you break my wrist.” I said firmly. I wasn’t going to let his cranky moodiness intimidate me.

He leaned closer, his eyes glowing red. “Don’t tempt me, I will max out my gold card.” his voice lowered to a hiss. I opened my mouth to retort, but was interrupted by a beeping sound under me. “What’s that noise?”

“The house phone, I think I’m sitting on it.” I shifted, using my free hand to feel between the couch cushions.

“Is it Lucien?” he asked urgently, completely forgetting his death grip on my wrist. He sat on the couch next to me, listening intently while I answered the phone.

“Is this the Riley residence?” a male voice asked on the phone.

“Technically, yes.” I answered. “Who’s calling?”

Chris walked into the living room then, took one look at Gabriel and I and threw his hands up in the air. “I can’t turn my back for one minute in this house!”

Gabriel dropped my wrist and glared at him. “Trust me, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Both of you shut up! I’m trying to listen.” He turned back to me. “It’s not David, now go away.” I shooed him with a wave of my hand

He tsked and stood up. “I’m going to go take a shower.” he said dismissively.

“I’m sorry, can you please repeat that?” I said into the phone, plugging my other ear with my finger.

“I said ‘can I please speak to Katrina Riley?’”

“I’m afraid she passed away last year.” I answered. I knew I was going to get a call like this eventually. I had expected Katrina’s friends and acquaintances to start calling after her months ago, but this was the first. “Were you a friend of hers?”

At the bottom of the stairs Gabriel paused. He didn’t turn back to me, but I could tell he was listening in.

“No, I’m a legal representative of the ‘Better Care’ fertility clinic. I have pressing information about the materials she was storing there.”

“Great Aunt Katrina was using a fertility clinic?” My brows scrunched together in confusion.

“The best way to do this isn’t over the phone. I’m on my way to the house now but I got turned around. I know that it’s late, but can you give me directions?”

“Yeah sure, what road are you on now?”

********

A black town car pulled up the white gravel driveway just as the sun was going down. I stood on the porch, waiting. The man that stepped from the car was young for a lawyer, perhaps in his early thirties. He moved with confidence, but it wasn’t the oily superiority I felt from David. Perhaps it would come with experience.

“You are Miss Statton?” he asked, climbing the steps, briefcase in hand.

“I am, and you would be Mr. Miller.”

He held his hand out to me. “You may call me Charles.”

I shook his hand. “Likewise, Angie.”

“May we step inside?” He pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and patted his forehead. “The air conditioning in my car stopped working this morning.”

“Of course.” I led the way into the house and held the door open for him. “Summertime can be brutal.”

“Indeed.” He stopped in the kitchen, giving the place a quick once over. He placed his briefcase on the now empty table. “You inherited the entire estate?” he asked.

I nodded. “I have the paperwork with me. The deed’s in my name.” I walked over to the counter, picking up a thick manila envelope. “I guess I also have control over the rest of Katrina’s assets as well. Even the ones I don’t know about.” I turned back to the lawyer. “Please have a seat.”

He sat down at the kitchen table gratefully and popped open his briefcase. “It is unfortunate that I have to be the one to bear this news, but the materials that Katrina Riley was storing at ‘Better Care’ have been stolen.”

I sat across from him. “What happened?”

“Last night, ‘Better Care’s’ security was compromised. While several client’s materials were damaged or destroyed, Katrina Riley’s was the only one confirmed missing. The clinic is taking full responsibility for the incident and has instructed me to compensate for all damages.” He pulled out a thick stack of papers, sliding them and a silver pen across the table to me. “Once you sign these waivers, then I am authorized to give you a full refund of every payment Katrina Riley had ever made to ‘Better Care’.”

I flipped through the paperwork, impressed by it’s sheer size. “Which means, I take the refund if I agree to not sue.”

Charles’ expression turned pained. “That would be the general idea.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not interested in a lengthy legal battle.” I assured him. “My lawyer’s gone missing, anyway. I am extremely curious about what Great Aunt Katrina was storing at the clinic, though.”

“I don’t know the details personally, but there is a full report included.” He gestured at the paperwork. “There is a separate copy for your files.”

I pulled out the attached copy, which was about three pages thick. “And this all went down just last night?”

He nodded. “Much of the equipment was destroyed, I’ve heard. It will be difficult for ‘Better Care’ to remain open after this.”

“Well, I won’t cause any further trouble.” I picked up the pen and scrawled my name in four different places and slid the papers and pen back. Charles Miller spirited them away into his briefcase and then handed me a five figure check. We shook hands again and both stood up.

“I’m sure you have more people to visit, I won’t keep you.”

“I hope they all go as easily as this.” He said as I showed him to the door.

When the lawyer was gone I walked into the living room, looking over the check in my hands. Gabriel was standing on the stairs, his back against the wall dividing the kitchen and living room. His arms were folded.

We were alone in the house, Chris was driving Callie to her new place as his jeep was big enough for all of her stuff.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I asked.

“That the robbery at the fertility clinic might have something to do with Katrina not being in her grave?”

“I was going to say ‘let’s get a bigger TV’ but, yeah, that too.” I lowered the check and looked over at him. “The robbery was last night, I bet the police still have the area cordoned off.”

He glanced over at me, his eyes reflecting red. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

I reached in my pocket and pulled out the car keys. “I’ll drive.”

“I want to get there before sunrise.” he said, walking over to me. He took the keys out of my hand. “I’ll drive.”

I held up the papers and check in my hand. “I guess I’ll take care of this, then. Should provide some interesting reading for the trip.”

“Hopefully it has the address.” Gabriel said as we headed for the door. He grabbed his long coat, hat, and scarf from the closet. With the nights at their shortest, it was a good idea to bring along some protection from the sun. Who knew how long we might be out.

“Got the address right here.” I said.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go break into a fertility clinic.” I unlocked the front door and we both stepped out into the early night. “By the way, what is a fertility clinic?”

I laughed. “I’m not sure you want to know, but I think I’ll tell you anyway.”