Page 36 of Hunting My Vampire

“I’ll fix it for you,” I said. “It should be done by the end of the day.”

“Thanks so much,” she gushed. “Madison said you were the best! I thought she was joking about there being a girl mechanic in town!”

“Nope, no joke,” I said.

We watched her sashaying out of the workshop, all smiles and giggles.

“Oh, you’re so pretty, are you really a mechanic?” teased Roberto, batting his eye lashes. I gave him a dirty look and Fuzz told him to get a move on with unloading some new car parts. He went to the front of the shop while I put Miss Prom Queen’s car on the lift and took a closer look at the exhaust system. I had barely started working, when I felt a shiver down my spine. I turned around, instinctively and noticed someone walking into the workshop.

I immediately realized that I was alone and that this was a bad thing. The man’s gait was slow and measured but there was something threatening about him. I felt it right away.

“Can I help you?” I asked, taking a rag to wipe my hands as I turned to meet him.

“I do believe you can,” he said, smiling at me. He was tall and thin, with icy blue eyes and an almost reptilian air about him. I had an urge to run as far as possible, as quickly as possible.

“I’ve heard so much about you and I’ve wanted to meet you for some time but my brother keeps hiding you away. I can see why, of course, you are absolutely gorgeous!” his smile widened and I couldn’t help but think of a snake, hissing at me, baring its fangs.

“You must be Simon, pleased to meet you,” I said, but I didn’t go any closer.

“The pleasure is all mine,” he said, his voice seductive. “Unfortunately, I have been called out of town on some business but when I get back we must do dinner or something. With Jack, of course,” he said after missing a beat.

I nodded, mumbling something about how that would be nice.

He nodded courteously at me, turned around and left.

I noticed that the sun was quite high and wondered how he was able to walk around without consequence. The malevolence that was coming off him was unmistakable. He meant me harm; I was convinced of it. Was this the reason why Jack always seemed to invite me over to the castle when his brother was out?

He had convinced me that his family was clean and the business was legal. I had no reason not to believe him. The family name was known in town and he was well-liked generally, but his brother was something else entirely.

My gut feeling was something I trusted instinctively and I knew I needed to watch my step. Simon’s dropping in was not a friendly visit, it had been a warning of sorts. I wanted to speak to Jack about it but I knew he was away on a business trip; it would have to wait.

In the meantime, I would get my weapons out of the bag in the back of the closet, where I had shoved it out of sight after quitting my job. I’d started this job, wanting a quiet life, trying to start over. I had a feeling that now that Simon knew where I worked, I would not be rid of him quickly. He did not look like the type who would let go easily. It was as if he had my scent in his nostrils now.

I finished up work as quickly as I could, knocking off early. I had been meaning to go to the supermarket to look for that woman who used to be in my mother’s tribe but I’d been too distracted with work and my new relationship with Jack. I was surprised by how well it was going; how easy it was to be together. I still didn’t know what to make of it but I was enjoying being with him. On nights when Princess was with me, he’d come over and help me tidy up the house, even helping her with homework. I watched them carefully but there was never anything to raise my suspicion. The girl appeared to be comfortable around him and he seemed to really like her. I felt more relaxed and couldn’t say if it was because of all the sex Iwas having or because of the experience in the desert but I was feeling less angry, that much was true.

When I reached the supermarket, I asked for Tamara and was told it was her day off. “She lives over there,” the girl behind the cash register offered, pointing across the road to an apartment above a clothing store.

I walked over, found the stairs and walked up to a door, knocking on it.

A heavyset woman in her fifties opened the door.

“Yes?”

“Are you Tamara?”

“Who wants to know?”

“I’m Kaya Lee, my mother was…” before I could continue, the woman opened the door wide and threw her arms around me.

“Monica!” she finished my sentence. “Your mother was Monica and your father was Tommy Lee! My God, you look just like her, come in! Come in!” The earlier hostility was gone and now she was falling over her feet to find me a place to sit. Her apartment was awry and could’ve used a good cleaning.

“I’m sorry about the mess,” she said with a shrug. “It’s my day off…” I saw the half-full bottle of whiskey and I could guess what she did all day. “How did you find me?”

I explained to her that I was trying to find out more about my family; that Tina had told me about her.

Tamara looked at me shrewdly. “I’m guessing there would be a reason for that. Tina is usually tight-lipped.”

I nodded and told her a brief overview of my history and the time I’d spent in the desert. How I was beginning to remember things and wished I knew more about my family.

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