Page 17 of Midlife Vampire Unexpected

“The hot springs,” we both said.

Chapter 11

The hot springs were part of the river making up Cougar Creek. At the lower end of the town the creek splayed out and joined hot springs that bubbled up from underground. The hot springs themselves were an oasis of large flat stones and bubbling warm whirlpools of water. The hot water mixed with the cold water, creating delightful eddies of hot and cold. The entire set up made it ideal for visitors to lie around and do natural mud masks while the waters provided nutrients to their skin.

The tourists made it seem really busy, but compared to Indianapolis, this place was a desert with no one around. On a Wednesday afternoon I didn’t expect to see anybody at the Hot Springs, so I wasn’t sure what a demon would be doing there.

“We’ll have to go back and get the car,” I said to Antonio.

“Did you forget how fast you can move?” Antonio said.

“Did you forget a large white wolf running through downtown in broad daylight is going to get a little bit of attention?” I asked, shaking my head at him and walking toward the police station.

“I’ve been a wolf a lot longer than you’ve been a vampire,” he retorted. “I’m pretty sure I know how to hide myself.”

“Look, I’ve had about all of the weirdness I can take for one day and I’m still chasing a demon,” I said. “If you don’t mind, we’re going to walk back to the police station, we’re going to get in the cop car and we’re going to drive out all nice and quiet to the Hot Springs, where we will see if the demon has visited. Based on what he did to the hotel room, we should be able to recognize if he’s been here.”

“Fine,” came Antonio’s terse reply.

“Why is he sticking around?” I asked. “Isn’t being corporeal the thing he wanted?”

“It means he’s corporeal,” Antonio explained, “but he’s burning with flames also, which makes it a bit of a problem.”

“Kind of like being a werewolf,” I said with a smile.

“A little more inconvenient if he spontaneously bursts into flames.” Antonio pointed out.

We got into the cop car and drove out to the Hot Springs. “Why would the spell not work completely on him?” I asked, still trying to understand the supernatural world I’d found myself in. At the same time I was feeling a little bit sick to my stomach, and I could tell it was going to be time to feed again. I had to find a better way to feed than constantly snacking on Antonio.

“Well, the witches were only trying to do one thing,” Antonio said. “They were trying to free Jane, the psychic in the Coven, from the demon that latched onto her. Sometimes when you do that, you sever it so hard you cut them free from everything. So now he’s a loose cannon, out of control without a stabilizing power. His fealty to his Lord is gone, but they didn’t ground his energy into anything except the fire.”

“They did a spell to banish him back to Undirheim.” I said. “It didn’t work. Instead, it gave him the ability to walk like a human on the earth.”

“There must have been a split-second distraction,” Antonio pondered. “That was the demon’s opportunity, and he broke free. He created a sever. It must be what’s letting the fire come through so strongly and uncontrolled from him.”

It suddenly made perfect sense why he’d be at the hot springs. “He’s trying to put out the fire.”

“No, he probably knows water doesn’t put out demon flames. Maybe there’s a Nereid there he’s trying to talk to. Sometimes the Nereids can help.” Antonio explained.

“What?” I asked.

He peered at me sideways. “Nereids. They’re water nymphs.”

“Is there anything I’ve heard of that isn’t real?” I asked.

“Just Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny,” Antonio grinned. “One thing, if we do meet a water nymph, don’t call them that. The name’s gotten such a bad reputation they refuse to use it and they only go by Nereids.”

“Right. Noted,” I said. “Next time I run into a Nereid I’ll make sure not to offend them.” I shook my head. There was no way I was going to make it in the supernatural world.

“You’re hungry again,” Antonio said.

“I’m fine.” My lips were dry and cracked already. It was obvious.

Antonio was already undoing the bandage on his wrists.

“I don’t like the way it feels,” I said.

He looked at me quietly for a moment, his eyes narrow and his lips pressed together. “You have to eat.”

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