Unseen Read online

  The phone rang, dragging her out of her thoughts. She leaned over the counter and grabbed it off the wall. It was the old kind, with a cord attaching the headset to the cradle on the wall. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Trina, it’s Tomas. How are you tonight?”

  “Great.” As if she wouldn’t recognize his voice. She peered at the clock. It was past midnight. “Do you know what time it is?” She gazed at her MP3 player—with the wrecked earphones still wound around it—sitting discarded on the kitchen bench. She’d taken it from one of the vamps she’d polished off a while ago, but she’d never used it.

  After the customer who’d bought the pink earphones had popped into the store, she’d been thinking that it might be time to get a new set herself so she could hear what music tastes the random vamp had had before she staked him. He’d been old enough that the music might actually be something she’d enjoy.

  “Trina?”

  “Yeah, Tomas, what do you want at this time of night?”

  “I was pretty sure you’d be awake.”

  “Well, you’re lucky I am, because I’m a cranky sleeper.” She wasn’t really, but harassing Tomas happened to be one of her favorite pastimes. “How’s Father Constantine?”

  “He’s good, though he misses you . . .”

  The way he let his voice trail off made something inside her stir, something she didn’t want to analyze or name. She pushed the feeling away. “Tomas, it’s only been three weeks since the last time I dropped by, and there’s not much to report.” She hated to waste time just chatting like this, so she pulled the cord with her as she grabbed the only pot she owned from the cupboard.

  “So you haven’t killed any lately?” Was that relief or apprehension in his voice?

  She poured some milk into the pot and put it on the stovetop. Unlike most people, she didn’t own a microwave, so she had to warm milk the longer, more ancient kind of way.

  “I didn’t say that. I’ve killed a few.” She really hadn’t been paying much attention to vamps lately. The few times she had sensed any, she’d tried to turn the other way before they could be drawn to her. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded, though. She might be trying to avoid them, but if they were right there in front of her, she had no other option than to destroy them. And, unfortunately, she’d been forced to do that several times during the last few weeks.

  As much as Father Constantine and Tomas liked to remind her about her “duty” to save humans from vampires, she didn’t really agree with them. She wasn’t doing the community a service; she was helping herself. Killing vamps was the only way she could survive in this world. It hadn’t always been that way, but the choice hadn’t been hers, either.

  The urn seemed to call out to her, as if it were agreeing. She kept her back to it.

  “Not enough, by the sounds of it,” Tomas said. “Do you know there are more than a few of them out there every night?”

  She knew what he was getting at. “Yeah, whatever. Some of us actually have to work for a living. How else am I going to pay the rent?”

  “Trina, you know you don’t need to pay rent. There’s always a place here for—”

  She cut him off, not wanting to get into this again. “I don’t think so. I need to live my own life. I need some space.”

  “Fine, enjoy your space. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit or keep us posted.”

  Trina sighed and held her palm over the pot. It heated her skin, so she turned down the temperature. “I’ll keep you posted. When there’s something to tell, you’ll be the first to know. By the way, was there a reason you called, or did you just want to hassle me?”

  He breathed into the phone, and she imagined his dramatic sigh while shaking his head, sending his crazy curly dark hair into a frenzy. Tomas was definitely cute, but in a very annoying kind of way. Besides, he might not be an actual priest, but Trina wasn’t sure if deacons were even allowed to date anyone.

  “Trina, we’re not sure what’s going on, but we suspect that there’s a rogue vampire attacking people in town.”

  “Isn’t that always the case?” Vampires loved to bite and run, leaving behind a body count for the church to deal with. Luckily, the church had eyes everywhere, and somehow managed to stay on top of things before the police got involved. That was most of the time, but not always. Was that what he meant?

  “I suppose it is, but this doesn’t sound good. There have been new vampires turning up all over the place—young ones who don’t know what they’re doing and mostly attack, move on, and repeat.” He sounded concerned. Of course, Tomas was in a constant state of concern, so maybe he was just freaking out about nothing. Then again . . .

  Trina bit her bottom lip. She couldn’t help thinking about the jerk who’d attacked Brenna. He was newly made. Maybe she should tell Tomas about her confrontation at work. Or maybe not.

  Before she could decide, Tomas continued, “The strange thing is that they show up, wreak a little havoc and then seem to disappear. And I don’t think it’s all because of you, either.”

  “Are you sure? Because I’ve polished off my fair share of newbies lately.” Actually, she was getting tired of the weak selection around town. “If it’s not me, what do you think is going on?”

  “We’re not sure, but it could be a vigilante. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve come across one.”

  “No, it wouldn’t.” Trina had faced a human-turned-vampire hunter only a few years ago. Sure, he’d killed quite a few of the bloodsuckers, and while Trina had trailed him, he’d provided some free ash along the way, but he’d been stupid. In the end, he got attacked and turned into the very monster he was hunting. Trina took care of him, but she’d resisted the compulsion to take his ash. Instead, she had dropped it onto someone’s rose bush.

  “Can you take a closer look?”

  “Sure, tomorrow’s my night off . . . or today now, but after that I’m working until the end of the week.”

  “Are you sure you should be taking on a job that requires so many of your nights?”

  “I can handle it.” Working four days would provide her with enough income to hopefully build a small nest egg. She switched off the stove top and removed the pot, placing it on a cold burner. “Just leave it with me.”

  “Don’t forget to call or drop in. Keep us posted.”

  “I will.” She released a breath. “I’m curious. Who’s been telling you about the vamp situation? Isn’t that my job?”

  “We have eyes everywhere,” he said in an ominous tone.

  She knew better than to push when he spoke like that. She might get an answer she didn’t want to hear. “Okay. Bye Tomas.”

  Trina hung up and spooned a heaping tablespoonful of chocolate powder into a mug. She poured the steamy milk inside, filled it to the rim and inhaled the sweet aroma.

  With her hot chocolate in hand, she was ready to spend some nice, warm time in front of the TV. She switched off the kitchen light, headed for the couch and sat down. She covered her legs with the blanket she’d knitted many years ago and switched on the TV with the remote.

  As she flipped through the channels, she tried not to think about anything or anyone. Not until she had to. Now was her time to catch up with shows on cable . . . even if she suddenly found it really hard to keep the guy who bought the pink earphones out of her head.

  Now, this is the kind of life I can get used to.

  Sometimes, killing and stealing got dull. Besides, she could use some pointers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

  Chapter Four

  The curtains were drawn, keeping most of whatever was happening on the other side of the sliding door concealed. Doug could hear the constant murmur of voices and wondered if Trina had company.

  After stepping this way and that around the balcony, he finally managed to find a spot where the curtain didn’t quite reach the wall, and he could see inside.

  Following Trina home had been much easier than he’d expected because she hadn’t noticed him. He s
upposed she’d been distracted. And she’d pretty much raced home, too. He wasn’t sure if that was her usual pace, but it hadn’t taken her long to get to her apartment building, a walk that would have taken others over an hour.

  She’s not exactly like others, is she? This woman was stealthy, strong, and a challenge for any vampire. She also seemed pretty cocky and headstrong, which was probably why she hadn’t yet noticed that the few vampires she’d taken out during the last few weeks had all been strategically placed in front of her.

  “So this is what a vampire slayer, working a human job, does when she gets home, huh?” He leaned in a little closer so he could peer better into the room. The light of the TV reflected against the opposite wall, illuminating Trina’s sleeping form. She was laid out on the couch, with a cup on the floor beside her, a blanket half-falling off her body, and an arm draping over the side. Her fingertips skimmed the floor, and he couldn’t help wondering if she was comfortable. He doubted it. Still, she’d fallen asleep, and didn’t look as if she’d wake up any time soon. He hated to admit it, but she looked kind of sweet.

  The last thing he’d expect to think about a woman who’d supposedly attracted and killed so many vampires was that she would look sweet, almost innocent.

  She had an ageless quality about her, and regardless of how she made him feel, he was kidding himself if he thought manipulating Trina was going to be easy. But he had to try. He needed her help in ridding this suburb, as well as its surroundings, and even Sydney, of a vampire who had lost his mind.

  Being a vampire was a contradiction for him, both a gift and a curse that Doug had learned to shape into something positive. Unlike so many of his kind.

  The bastard Doug wanted Trina to destroy was the type of vampire he detested the most. To be a vampire didn’t have to be all ruthless slaughter and taking advantage of others at your whim. And it certainly didn’t mean that you turned every person you bit into a vampire.

  Cell had been a test she’d passed easily. Like so many newly-made by the rogue Doug was trying to get his hands on, he’d befriended Cell before Trina had ended his miserable existence. Doug usually polished them off himself, doing the community a service before the vampiric situation worsened, but this time Doug purposely sent Cell into the stationery store to see if the petite brunette sleeping on the couch was in fact a vampire’s worse enemy.

  Soon, Trina would be doing the world another big favor when she killed the old one responsible for so many new vamps without direction.

  Doug stepped away from the door, knelt, and placed the unopened pack of pink earphones on the tiles. She’d mentioned she needed a new pair herself, but that wasn’t why he’d left them here. He had an ulterior motive that would require a little more work than he’d first planned. But once an idea was in his head, he’d follow it through to the end. As far as plans went, this was a good one. A win-win situation all round.

  The next time Trina stepped out onto her balcony she would know exactly who had left these here and why.

  He was counting on it.

  For now, he pounced onto the balcony railing. Using it to propel his body into the air, he left the sleeping vampire killer to her rest.

  Chapter Five

  Trina wandered up and down the cold streets, her every instinct and sense honed to her surroundings. She felt the buzz of the random traffic, heard the mumbling of people talking to each other as they made their way home, and the different sounds of footsteps, each a little quicker than the others. It seemed as if everyone was going out of their way to rush indoors tonight.

  Everyone’s anxious to get home. Wish that’s what I was doing, too. But she’d promised Tomas that she would take a look around, to see if she could find any evidence of a vigilante taking out vampires before she got to them.

  So far, she hadn’t found a thing out of the ordinary. There were no young or old vamps anywhere, just humans trying to get out of the cold night.

  Stepping out of the exhaust-fumed street, she turned into a back alley, and then later another, and another, until she felt like she was stuck inside an endless maze of alleys. She continued to search for several hours, but she still didn’t spot any sign of trouble. She hadn’t even run into a new, feral vamp that might be putting his or her existence in jeopardy by killing in public. Yet, she couldn’t help thinking that this is how things usually went. If you were out actively looking for something, you never found it. It was when you least expected it that they pretty much hit you on the head. She knew that from experience, maybe a little better than most.

  Then again, the one thing most new vamps had in common was being brazen. They seemed to enjoy showcasing what they’d become and took stupid chances—like following a person onto a loading dock while there were other staff and customers nearby. Of course, he couldn’t have known she was there, and even if he had, he probably would have done the same thing. Most vampires didn’t consider anyone, even a vampire slayer, a threat. That attitude wound up being their final, fatal error.

  A white cat crossed in front of her. It stopped long enough to look her in the eye with its freaky, shiny eyes before scampering away and squeezing past a broken fence.

  She released a breath and decided that the best way to tackle this errand was to get back out onto the main streets. The only creatures she was going to find in alleys tonight were stray cats and the rats they were chasing.

  As exasperating as this could be, most of her hunting for vamps was done this way. She walked around, hoping to run into trouble. Having the Allure allowed her to sense and smell a vamp before they appeared in front of her, but if there were none around, then she didn’t have anything to do.

  Like what’s happening right now.

  Trina paused in front of St. Peter’s Church and stared at the façade of gray stone and spires. She knew both Father Constantine and Tomas were inside. If she waltzed down the path and knocked on the side door, they would let her in to chat about what she’d been up to and to inform her of any developments they felt she should know about. They’d also offer her something warm to drink.

  But she wasn’t in the mood for strategic or casual conversation right now. Instead, she glanced at the three stone gargoyles adorning the top, shoved her hands in her jacket pockets and moved away.

  Just as she turned her back on the church she could’ve sworn she heard a swooshing sound, like a giant bird ruffling its feathers. She also couldn’t shake the sense of being watched, which sent a prickling sensation down her back and made her shiver. But when she peered over her shoulder, she found she was alone on the street. All the stores across the road were closed, there wasn’t a car in sight, and the gargoyles were still statues sitting on the roof like silent watchers.

  Trina turned on her heel and headed back the way she’d come. When she’d cleared most of the street and came to an intersection, she rushed up the side alley only so she could reach Riverbank’s main street that ran perpendicular to this one, quicker.

  It was definitely busier here. Cars zoomed by with their headlights bright on one side of the road, and the constant red of their brake lights flashing on and off on the other. There were a total of four traffic lights just on this stretch of street alone, and even at this time of night the traffic was constant.

  Riverbank wasn’t known for its nightlife, especially during the colder months. Every store was closed by six, unlike Newtown. That place was even busier at night than during the day.

  She wrapped her arms around her chest, hugging the denim jacket a little tighter. She wasn’t really cold, but it always paid to appear as normal and vulnerable to both weather and danger as any ordinary human. That way no one suspected her of being strong enough to take care of herself until it was too late.

  Stepping onto the tiled sidewalk, she peered up and down the street, then across the road. The 7-Eleven and pub were the only places still open. Other than that, a handful of stores had left a few lights on inside for security reasons, or their external signs glowed. The
remainder of the stores squatted in darkness, or were hidden behind metal shutters to keep out vandals.

  She noticed a few laughing couples heading into the pub. A lone man walked past one of the darkened stores with a hood pulled over his head and both hands stuffed into his pants pockets. Two women ran towards a waiting taxi by the curb, and a dark-haired man stood in front of a real estate office staring directly at her.

  What the hell? She narrowed her eyes, focusing on him.

  This week, her eyes were playing tricks on her. She could go a long time with perfect eyesight, provided she kept a constant ash drop going into the urn, and if it was a younger vampire she was pouring in, she needed to sprinkle it with a good dose of stronger, older vamps to get the full effect. With the number of newbies she’d been taking out lately, it was no wonder she couldn’t see properly. And if this kept up, she’d have to dust off her glasses and wear them again, which happened to be another throwback from the 1980s.

  Trina peered past the traffic racing up and down the street, ignoring the blast of cold air each car swept up in its wake.

  Yep, that guy’s definitely looking at you. And why did he look so familiar?

  She pushed a strand of hair away from her face and, without thinking, jogged across the road, deftly avoiding the oncoming traffic. No one beeped their horn or had to slam on their brakes because she made it across so quickly.

  But when she reached the real estate office, the man was gone.