Page 11 of Silent Stalker
“If you even think about heading back to those kids or the medical team, I will stake you so hard your ash ends up in China,” I growled.
The vampire pressed his face to the ground and maintained his groveling position.
As the stakes kept my other vampire captives breathing but paralyzed, I left them lying on the ground. What the hell was I supposed to do with living vampires? I couldn’t drink them down, as we might need to question them.
The panther sat beside me and pointed at my pocket with his paw.
“Only if you ignore the nose thing.”
While he grunted and hissed, he bobbed his head in agreement.
I retrieved my phone, opened the contacts, and held it out so he could see. “Who do you want me to call?”
With a single claw, he pointed at Ben’s name.
Of course. “I should have guessed. Keep your new pet groveling so I don’t have to stake him. You need to thank my stakes later for being nice and doing what you wanted. Maybe you should be the one to clean and polish them tonight. With extra oil, while you coo sweet nothings to them.” Dialing Ben’s cell, I put the phone to my ear, questioning how I’d hold a conversation while my nose throbbed and I sounded like I’d consumed a bottle of liquor.
“What’s wrong, Pepper?”
“You mean beyond being hungry and thirsty?”
“Yes.”
“There is an angry giant cat intimidating a vampire. A group of three attacked two kids. The ambulance is here for the kids, and I dragged off the two I staked. The third one is being bullied by this angry giant cat following me around.” I sighed. “I broke my nose, but the cat agreed to ignore it if I called you.”
“He saw you get your nose broken, didn’t he?”
“I’m guessing so.”
“And the vampire is not in pieces?” Ben asked in a mild tone.
“The vampire started groveling, Ben. It seemed wrong to stake him when he started trying to eat dirt and making himself as non-threatening as possible.”
“Well, yes. Most vampires are aware death has come calling when the angry giant cat shows up.”
“There were three of them, and I had two kids to save. I would have done more than break my nose!”
“I am not angry at you, Pepper. Where are you?”
I described our location. “What do I do with these vampires?”
“Don’t let them escape. Ask the mobile one for his name.”
I eyed the groveling vampire. “Who are you?”
“Luca Henry-MacDognall,” he whispered.
I relayed his name.
Ben began cursing. “Ask when he last fed.”
“When did you last feed?”
“I don’t remember.”
“He doesn’t remember, Ben.”
“Give each one of them a few good swallows of your blood. It will let Emerick control them and lessen the bloodlust. He’s on a list of missing vampires, and he’s been missing long enough he is probably not thinking rationally. Emerick’s presence is likely helping him control the bloodlust.”
