Page 18 of Midlife Vampire Unexpected

“I don’t have to have you every time,” I said.

A dark light flashed in his eyes, and he started tying up the bandage on his wrist again.

“That’s right you don’t,” he said, “but until you learn how to kill something, you’re going to be awfully hungry, so you let me know when you change your mind.”

I chewed on my lower lip. I didn’t mind killing something, a rat or a small animal. Without another vampire to show me how to do it, though, it’d be harder. I didn’t know how to latch on to such a small animal and not kill it.

I pulled into the dirt parking lot of the hot springs and stared at the painted plywood sign that announced Cooper Creek Hot Springs were open for the season.

I stepped out of my car and drew my gun as we walked toward the entrance, I only slowed when I noticed Antonio’s gaze and the slight smirk on his face.

“The gun’s not going to do anything to a demon,” he said. “In fact, it’ll do the opposite. His body, even his corporeal body, will absorb it and spit it back out at you. Before you know what’s going on you’ll be dead.”

“I am dead.” I hesitated, staring at him with the cocked gun in my hand, pointed at the sky. There was no reason for Antonio to lie to me.

“Dead dead.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re a vampire. Use your natural weapons of destruction.”

“No time like the present to face your demon,” I said. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 12

I had a black belt in karate. It had been a requirement I made for myself. Even before I knew I wanted to be a police officer, I’d started training in martial arts when I was a kid. I’d been tired of being the small one who everybody picked on, so I’d gotten a black belt in mixed martial arts, and nobody messed with me or my friends again.

As I tucked my gun back into its holster, I shook my shoulders out a bit and flexed my muscles. I’d gone after Antonio with a gun. I hadn’t really tested out my vampire skills. I had the sense that was all about to change right now.

There was a feeling in the air I couldn’t quite understand, but it made my senses tingle. It was almost as if there was a sonar energy hitting my face.

“What is that?” I asked.

Antonio grimaced at me. “What’s what?”.

“The vibration, the pulse. The energy thing. It’s pounding in my ears.”

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned his full body to face me. “Do you have the pulse?”

“The pulse?” I asked, having no idea what he was talking about.

“It’s a thing known among supernaturals, but it’s extremely rare. I haven’t met anybody with it. I’ve heard rumors of people saying they had it. What’s it like?” he asked.

“It’s like a sonar is hitting me in the face,” I said. “It’s really not pleasant.”

“You’ve got to get a different take on it,” he said. “What you’re feeling is the energy pulse of a magical creature. Every magical creature has a signature energy, and some people have different ways of seeing them. I heard Trina can see auras and supernatural sparkles in individuals who have powers, but people who can feel it on a sensory level can be used as a weapon to find magic creatures. You’d make a hell of a bounty hunter,” he said. “Probably the best.”

“How do you know so much about Cougar Creek Coven?” I asked.

“I’m a bounty hunter.” He ran a hand over his mouth. “I do my research. Especially when I’m entering new territory.”

I burst out laughing, thinking of the burly tatted guys with the mohawks and the mullets who would walk around the courthouse offering outrageous deals to the poor bastards who were getting locked up for crimes they pretended they hadn’t committed. “You think I’d make a bounty hunter?”

“Yeah, yeah I do,” he said.

“Why can I feel the pulse now and I couldn’t feel it before?” I asked.

“Because you have the intention of finding this guy,” he said. “You could do it for anybody, but you have to send out the sonar and then as you get closer, it comes back.”

“Is that why I thought he was at the hot springs?” I asked

“Probably combination of that and common sense,” Antonio said. “Come on, let’s get our guy.”

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