Page 16 of The Psychic and the Vampire

But there was no stopping it.

It was a warm night. Most of the grass area was lit up thanks to the security lights from the academy, but in the trees the shadows offered privacy for two young men. They were inebriated, stumbling over roots and twigs on the ground, laughing loudly as they clung to each other in an effort to stay upright.

“It’s no good. I can’t go on.” The blond of the pair threw his large coat to the ground and fell to his knees on it, flinging his arm across his brow in a dramatic fashion. “Leave me. Save yourself, my love. I will hold them off for as long as I can.”

“You damn fool.” The auburn haired man’s tone was fond as he dropped down beside his friend. “I don’t know how many times we’ve discussed this. There are no such things as zombies. Youmight dream of playing the hero and saving me from having my brain consumed, but I’m more worried about my exam scores. I don’t think I did well at all. Dad’s going to kill me if I don’t get a good result.”

“Hey, Ray, it’s going to be all right.” The blond cuddled his friend close. “Your parents adore you, and if you don’t do well with the magic, you know your dad’s gonna just insist you study law instead. He was gutted when you tested with any magical ability at all. We can go to the same college, take some similar classes…”

“I really wanted to do something meaningful with my life, you know?” Ray was smiling though. “Break the mold. Go in a radical direction that didn’t involve an office and a desk.”

“It’s not too late for us to run away. I’ve got money saved. We could buy a bus. Go somewhere sunny and become beach bums. We’d get amazing tans and workout with all the muscle guys every day.”

“You have the gift of making me laugh, Toby.” Ray was laughing. He was still laughing when two quick zings came from the left of them, causing both men to slump to the ground, a dart sticking out of each of their backs.

Ant watched as one man came into view – another new heavy coat, the same beanie and scarf. He could do nothing as he watched the man retrieve his darts, putting them into his pocket before he dragged the young men away through the trees - one by one - leaving Toby’s coat behind. The man did not look back.

“Ant. Ant? Damn it. Is this another one of those reading things?” Viktor’s voice intruded, barely heard over Able’s growling. “I’m not touching him, you noisy dog, I just want to know he’s all right.”

“Able hush.” Ant slid his hand down to Able’s fur, the sensation of the fur on his palm grounding him back into the present the way it always did. He looked up at his mate. Viktor’s hair was mussed, and there was a scratch on his face. “Viktor, I can’t touch you right now or I’ll end up reading you, too. You’ve been hurt. It would be automatic for me. I have to… Details. I have to record the details and preserve this coat.”

“Use your phone.” Viktor crouched down, keeping his distance but at least they were eye level. “I can see whatever you saw upset you, so record the details on your phone and then let me carry you out of here. You’re wiped out.”

“Sometimes I get so tired of seeing only the bad things.” Ant’s eyes filled with tears, and he tried to blink them away as he slumped against Able’s shoulder. “Or maybe I’m just exhausted.”

Viktor pulled out his own phone and pressed a few buttons before holding it up. “Speak, Ant. Get the details down while they’re still fresh and then we’ll work on making things right for you.”

“I can do that. I’m sure I can do that much at least.” Ant could barely keep his eyes open. “It was nighttime…”

Chapter Twelve

Viktor never got scared. But watching Ant sway on his knees as he recounted the things he saw in some kind of vision, Viktor was… concerned. He was concerned for his mate. But unfortunately that wasn’t his only issue, something he was fairly sure Ant was going to realize the moment they touched.

“I think that’s it.” Ant was half slumped against his dog. “We’ll have to get that file to…to…probably Mike is the best bet at the police station. He can farm out the information to whoever is investigating the case.”

“Are you sure there will be a case lodged with the police?” Viktor made sure the file was saved and then slid his phone into his jacket. “At the moment all you’ve got is a discarded coat and seeing two young men drugged with darts before they were dragged away. Someone would have to miss them for a case to be reported.”

Ant yawned and nodded. “One of the boys, Ray, apparently has loving parents although I didn’t hear anything about the other boy’s, Toby’s, life. But Ray’s parents would’ve raised the alarm when he didn’t go home that night.” He looked down at the coat. “Unfortunately, I’ve got no idea of how long it’s been since they’ve been missing. This coat’s not rotted, but the dirt and debris covering it…gods, who am I kidding. I have no idea. The boys could’ve been missing for months.”

“I’m going to pick you up,” Viktor warned, as he moved closer. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t read me or whatever it is you do until you’ve had a chance to get food and some rest. Yes, we have things to discuss, but right now, I need to move you out of the way, and I assume call the police?” Then he double checked himself.Who am I to be calling the police?“Perhaps you should make that call first.”

“You need to step out of the shadow of your gang boss. Tony’s not doing you any favors.” Ant was almost slurring his words, and Viktor wasn’t sure his mate even knew what he’d said, but the reference to Tony was enough to keep Viktor alert during the half hour it took for the police to arrive, the audio file to be transferred from Viktor’s phone to Mike’s, and for them to screen off the scene including the coat.

Eventually, Viktor got so annoyed as Mike and two other officers asked numerous questions of his mate who was wilting more with every passing second, he swept in, picked Ant up and said, “You’ve got his number. Give him a call sometime tomorrow. After lunch. Able, come.” He strode off, surprised when the German shepherd trotted along beside him. Although he was astute enough to realize that was probably because he was carrying the dog’s food source. Clearly he did the right thing, because by the time he got Ant to his car, the psychic was fast asleep.

That caused an issue for all of two minutes. Viktor needed to retrieve his keys, first off, and then he had to decide where Ant would be the safest in the vehicle so he could sleep and yet still stretch out. Eventually he laid his mate out on the back seat, after moving the armrests one handed, and then pointed at the dog who was watching him expectantly. “You can sit in the passenger seat in the front, but keep your fur to yourself. I do not want it all over the upholstery.”

Yes, Viktor was certain that wide open mouth with his tongue hanging out was Able laughing at him.It could also be because he needs water,but as Viktor was not about to go rummaging through Ant’s satchel, he simply opened the passenger door, making sure Able’s tail was properly inside before closing the doors on the dog and the psychic.

Going around to the driver’s side of the car, he climbed in, pointing at the dog. “I’ll get you some water when we get back to mine,” he muttered at the dog who looked perfectly happy peering out the windscreen. “Do you need a window open?”

Able sniffed at him and then leaned over and licked up the side of his face. “That’s an improvement on biting me, I suppose.” Viktor wrinkled his nose, and swiped up his face with his hand. “Keep your tongue to yourself and we’ll get along fine.”

In the twenty minutes it took for Viktor to drive from the Mage Academy to his own place – he wasn’t about to break and enter into Ant’s house even if he did know where it was – Viktor pondered his bad luck at being seen with Ant at the academy.

Although was that bad luck or has Tony been having me followed?

Viktor quickly discounted the idea of Tony sending anyone to follow him. One of Tony’s ultimate flaws was that he believed totally in the loyalty of the people around them, even though he encouraged an environment of unrest and uncertainty among the family members - to keep them on their toes, so he said.

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