Page 22 of Newly Undead in Dark River

“Mika McKellan was last seen by her friends in Vancouver over a week ago. McKellen, a college student at UWS, is believed to be hitchhiking her way across Alberta, up towards the Yukon. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the police hotline.”

My body went rigid, and Brody pulled me against his side.

“Just breathe.”

I let myself melt into his warm side and slowly breathed. I knew this was inevitable. It was better than going home and murdering my family. It was for the best. I repeated it over and over. It’s for the best, it's for the best.

Eventually, the news finished, and Gordon Ramsey'sHell's Kitchencame on. There's only so long you can listen to Gordon Ramsey berate someone before you smile. And then feel bad for finding it entertaining. Either way, it distracted me from my meltdown. I'd cried in Brody's arms enough for one lifetime.

“Tell me about being a shifter? I don't know much about this world.” Brody switched off the TV, and my ears were bruised by the amount of f-bombs Ramsey dropped.

“It's a freedom that can't be explained. What would you like to know?”

I wanted to know everything. “Can you shift into anything?”

“Only mammals.”

“So no flying? That has to be disappointing. Weirdest thing you've ever shifted into?”

I could feel his chuckle deep in his chest. “An elephant. I could do things with my trunk that you couldn't even dream of.”

I grimaced. “That's disgusting. Pervert.” I slapped him on the chest. It was hard and broad, and I tried to ignore the feel of it beneath my hand. I didn't need pity sex, and quite frankly, if we were going for a home run, I'd definitely want to see the goods.

Little by little, I got Brody's story. He'd grown up among his tribe, who still live reasonably traditionally, off the grid. He went away to college, because he wanted to, but came back when he realized he couldn't be himself amongst humans. His family had a long history of shapeshifting, passed down by his forebearers, with legends to match. He didn't go into detail about the legends, much to my disappointment, but I could understand the need to keep something to yourself in a world where information is disseminated and distorted almost instantly.

“Have you guys always known the town was here?” If I were a pack of Shifters, I'd be pretty pissed if a bunch of vampires set up shop in my neighborhood.

“Your Council introduced themselves and formally asked permission. I'm pretty sure it impressed the tribe elders, although we'd never had a very good relationship with the Deathdealers. At least until Walker became Sheriff. The guy is so damn personable that my own mother falls all over herself to feed him when he visits, and my sisters basically beg to have his babies.” There was good-natured disgust in his tone.

“Why do you call vampires 'death dealers'? I mean, I like the term, makes me want to dress in faux leather and buy some big swords, but it does sound rather ominous. Let's face it, the majority of this town look about as ominous as bunnies.”

“Every single person in this town is deadly, and it would be best not to forget that. Especially you. We call them Deathdealers because there was a black period in history where vampires overran the country, and the husks of whole families blew in the wind like tumbleweeds. It was a long time ago, and the Vampire Nation gave the supe world a semblance of control over the vamps, but it was a lesson hard learned. Just because you can train a tiger to be a house cat, doesn’t mean one day it isn't going to turn around and tear you limb from limb.”

I chewed my lower lip. I didn't want to think that I had the ability to kill a family; mothers and children, innocents and guilty alike, but deep down, there was a hunger for blood that never eased. Even when I drank bagged blood, it was still there, curled and waiting. If I gave into that urge, it would be easy to decimate a family, or a town, until I was satiated.

We fell into silence, as my mind turned over everything. I made a promise to myself to search more into vampire history, my history now, I guess. At least find out more about the Vampire Nation; even Walker talked about them like they were a cross between the Russian Mafia and the Boogie Man.

“So, what's going on with you and Mr. Smarmy?”

My head whipped around, even though he couldn't see my incredulous look. “You mean Judge? Nothing, really. We have a mutually satisfying arrangement.”

I cringed. Mika would have been horrified that I just referred to sex as a mutually satisfying arrangement. But I was determined that Raine was going to do what she wanted, regardless of what people thought. If I wanted to have sex with a good looking guy with a southern drawl that made my panties wet and kisses that set me on fire, then that's what I'd damn well do.

“Fair enough. But you could do better.” When he turned and kissed me, I was so surprised that I just sat there with my mouth open for a full ten seconds while my mind caught up with my body. Then I was kissing him back. His lips burned mine, and when he ran his tongue along my bottom lip, I stopped breathing. He gently nipped my lower lip and stood.

“I'm going to go take a shower. I'll take the couch tonight.”

I gaped until I heard the shower turn on. I stumbled to the bedroom, kicking my toe on the coffee table and the door jamb. I flopped down on my bed and willed my body back to a normal temperature.

Chapter Nine

The first thing I saw when Doc Alice took off my bandages was Walker's disgruntled face. He was pissed because he still had no leads. Nothing about my original murder, it was still weird calling it that, or anything on my attack the day before yesterday.

The second thing I saw was Brody's smiling face. “Hey there, Blue Eyes. It's good to see you.” He winked and laughed at his bad pun. I groaned and threw a throw pillow at him. It whacked him in the forehead. It was good to be able to see again. My day and a bit of forced blindness was grueling. I empathized with the blind; it had been a struggle just to get around my apartment. To have to navigate the scary world without my sight filled me with horror. I would be making a hefty donation to the Seeing Eye Dog Foundation. The whole ordeal had made me respect my old neighbor Tex, even more. He’d been blind since birth but was still the coolest guy I knew. I mean, known.

“Extra blood for the next couple of days, and avoid dawn and dusk for a few weeks.” Anger welled up in me. My attacker, my maker, had made me helpless. It wasn't something I ever wanted to feel again.

As if to reiterate her point, Doc Alice handed me a bag of blood. The woman was like a walking blood bank. She gave them out like suckers at the end of a doctor's appointment.

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