Dying Forever (Waking Forever Book 3) (37 page)

“I agree, but I can’t find Annabel anywhere in the systems, and the other two - Christine and Victoria - no better.” Ash shook her head. “Short of knowing where Annabel works...” She glanced at Alison. “All addresses are either post office boxes or street addresses that don’t exist.”

“I can help with that.” Alison nearly raised her hand as if
asking to be called upon in class. “I have a friend in the university payroll department. Annabel isn’t working for free, and the group just underwent an extensive audit and passed; so whatever they have on file for her for tax purposes has to be accurate.”

Sara chuckled. “It’s how they got to Capone.” Multiple eyes turned toward the attorney. “
Tax records. Uncle Sam always gets his, even if you are a three hundred year old witch.”

“Well, that was entirely too easy.” Ash sat next to Alison in her Jeep outside a non-descript apartment complex on the north side of the city. It was nearly ten at night, and the dimly lit parking lot adjacent to the apartment buildings was full.

“It helps that I’m nonthreatening.” Alison said casually.

“Still, she gave you Annabel’s address, phone, and I think if you had been so inclined, you would have got her social and mother’s maiden name.”

Alison smiled. “I had a very plausible explanation for requesting the information. I’ve been out sick, Annabel sent me flowers, and I wanted to mail her a thank you card. Plus, I’m friendly.”

“Kill’em with kindness.” Ash shook her head. “So to speak.”

“There.” Alison pointed toward the apartments. “That’s not Annabel - it’s Victoria.”

“It makes sense they would live near each other. Maybe even together.” Ash grabbed her phone, and dialed.

“Do you have her?” Coleen’s voice filled the car via the Jeep’s Bluetooth.

“No. We see Victoria though.” Ash responded. “She’s walking to her car.”

“Hey.” Bryce appeared next to Alison’s window.

“Holy shit!” Alison jumped, and then hit the power window button. “You scared the crap out of me.”

Bryce cringed. “Sorry.” She looked across the car at Ash. “I circled around the back of the building to the unit. There was only one heartbeat, and it -” She scanned the parking lot to see
a short, heavy set woman with a pageboy hair cut getting in a late model, black Mazda 6 sedan. “Well, there
it
is.”

“
Coleen, we’ll follow her. Maybe she’ll lead us to Annabel.” Ash suggested before disconnecting the call.

Bryce opened the back door of the Jeep and climbing in, leaned over the front seat to Alison. “You okay
?”

Smiling
, she took the woman’s hand. “Yeah, just don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“Force of habit.” Bryce said, then frowning, shook her head. “I mean, not that I sneak up on people, but I was trying to be, you know quiet, and when I’m quiet - it’s
really
quiet - so -”

Alison gently laid her hand across the vampire’s mouth. “I get it
.”

“Thank god, bec
ause much more of that rambling, and you were going to walk home.” Ash started the car, and keeping a respectable distance, followed Victoria out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

The embarrassed vampire sat back. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Follow her, see if she leads us to Annabel, or even Christine for that matter.” Ash intentionally let another car merge between them and Victoria.

The Mazda took a left turn into a neighborhood development that was still being leveled and the streets paved. “Where the hell is she going?” Ash muttered.

Coming to a cul-de-sac, the sedan stopped. “What’s that smell?” Bryce asked.

“Get out!” Ash yelled.

Before Alison could find the door handle, Bryce had ripped the passenger door off its hinges, grabbed her by the waist, and cleared the Jeep just as a massive wall of heat slammed into the back of Alison. Her ears were ringing as she turned her head to find Bryce hunched over her.

Thirty feet behind them was what was left of Ash’s Jeep. The vehicle was engulfed in flames, and a thick plume of black smoke billowed from it.

Alison was pulled to her feet, followed by a swirling sensation as Bryce swiftly moved her behind a small construction shed. “Stay here.” Bryce’s voice was low, verging on a growl.

The vampire turned as the witch spun her car around,
with the squealing of tires and the roar of the taxed engine filling the night air. Scanning the carnage, Bryce saw Ash lying unconscious, but clear of the Jeep, and seemingly unharmed as her heartbeat and breathing were strong.

Pushing up and off the ground, Bryce propelled herself toward the Mazda. Landing squarely on the hood of the vehicle, the weight and force of
her impact cracked the car’s front axle, and the nose of the vehicle dug into the pavement.

Victoria
had been flung back into the seat by the force of the air bag inflating, and now slowly leaned forward, pushing the rapidly deflating bag down and clutching the steering wheel of the car. Her face, illuminated by the light of the burning Jeep, was distorted into a demonic sneer as she glared at Bryce.

An
intense heat began building in Bryce’s chest, quickly running through her arms and out the tips of her fingers. The sensation was unfamiliar, but not painful as the vampire examined her hands to find the tips of her fingers resembled smoldering coals.

Teeth bared, Bryce lunged at the woman
. Her fist easily shattered the windshield and she grabbed Victoria out by her hair. The vampire drug the plump woman across the hood of the car and onto the ground, then deposited her on her backside with a loud thud.

Feeling like weights had been added to her feet, Bryce looked down to see the rubber soles of her Skechers melting into the dirt. “Stop!” Bryce snarled at the woman. “You can’t kill me like this and you know it.”

Victoria didn’t speak, her eyes fixed on Bryce
. The vampire blinked as a flash of light temporarily blinded her. Then the cotton v-neck t-shirt Bryce was wearing crackled as the fabric burned in a flash of intense heat.

Bryce stood in a black bra and jeans. Kicking her shoes off,
she pleaded with the woman. “I don’t want to kill you. Please, stop.”

The woman’s expression softened and she blinked several times. “Stay away from me!” She began to crawl backward, away from Bryce.

“I just need to know where Annabel is. This feud has to end.” Bryce struggled to keep her voice low and calm.

Victoria managed to stand, her round cheeks streaked with dirt
. The billowy, floral pattern dress she wore was torn and tattered from where Bryce had pulled her from the car. “Leave me alone!” The woman walked to the left, her hands out in front of her, her eyes darting back and forth between Bryce and a point over the vampire’s left shoulder.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Bryce tried to reassure the witch, who reminded her of a cornered, feral animal. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

The witch’s posture shifted, her back straightened and her shoulders stiffened. “You stupid bitch. I’m not afraid of
you
.” Looking past Bryce, the woman’s stare locked on the Mazda. The sound of metal being bent reached Bryce’s ears a split second before a wave of heat, speckled with shards of metal hit the vampire.

A cloud of smoke wrapped around Bryce as she
slowly dusted debris from her shoulders and hair. Walking toward Victoria, Bryce twisted her neck to the right, causing a faint popping sound. A single, quick step later, and her cool hand was wrapped around Victoria’s throat, her incisors fully extended as her eyes glowed a vivid green in the darkness.

“Annabel. Where is she?” Bryce’s patience were wearing thin. “If you can’t - or
won’t
- be helpful, then I have no use for you.” She tightened her grip on Victoria’s throat.

Victoria smiled, tears streaming down her face. Closing her eyes, her body went limp, and a moment later
she was engulfed in flames. Bryce dropped the woman to the ground, and began to roll her back and forth, trying, in vain, to smother the flames.

Alison appeared, fire extinguisher in hand, but even that proved useless as the witch was burning herself from the inside out.
Within a minute, Victoria’s charred remains laid lifeless at Alison and Bryce’s feet.

Stunned, Bryce looked at Alison. “Where did you get that?”

Looking at the emptied extinguisher in her hand, Alison had to stop and think for a second before answering. “The - the construction shed. It was attached to the side.” She dropped the extinguisher. “Why would she do that?”

“Loyalty.” It was the simplest explanation.

A low moan came from behind the women. “Ash!” Alison began running toward her friend, who was staggering toward them.

“What happened?” Ash rubbed her temple.

Alison wrapped her arm around the detective’s shoulders. “Victoria killed herself.” She gently touched the woman’s cheek, a deep gash streaking across her otherwise flawless face. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, Ash stood up straight, the spinning
inside her head fading. “Yeah.”

Alison watched in amazement as the gash, and several minor cuts began to disappear. “How - what?”

Ash shrugged. “Another perk of being a shifter.”

“Amazing.” Alison managed as Ash gave her
a quick hug, and then looked at Bryce.

“Did she say anything?”

“No, and she never would have.” Bryce frowned.

“We need to get out of her
e. This isn’t a particularly remote location, and it’s just a matter of time before the cops arrive.” The detective insisted. She looked at what was left of her Jeep. “Man, I loved that car.” She pulled her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans. “I’ll report the car stolen, and let the chips fall as they may.”

Alison looked at the two women. “
What about the - remains?” She didn’t want to look at Victoria’s charred skeleton, so she looked intently at Bryce.

“I’ll bury her. It won’t take long.” Bryce jogged toward the body. “Ash, you go. I’ll get Alison out of here.”

Ash nodded, and took Alison’s hand. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt?”

“I’m rattled, but otherwise okay.” She smiled, hoping to reassure her friend.

“I’ll see you back at Coleen’s.” The detective began undressing. “Can I trouble you to tote my clothes for me?” She turned to Alison, who was even more confused than a moment ago, though she hadn’t imagined that possible.

“Sure, but what are you doing?” Ash now stood in front of her naked
. Her gun, jeans, undergarments, blouse and shoes stacked neatly on the ground at her feet. Her body was even more incredibly lean and muscular than Alison remembered, and she struggled not to stare.

“A woman sprinting through the streets of the city at breakneck speed might raise suspicions.” Ash winked at the blonde. “But a Labrador - not so much.”

Ash’s olive tone skin took on an intense red hue, and the scent of wet earth and burning leaves filled the air just as the nearly six foot tall woman disappeared and a large, yellow dog stood in her place.

Alison gasped and instinctively took a step back. She had seen a hint of her friend’s skills at Blue Box, but to witness a full on shift was
incredible. Squatting in front of the dog, Alison hesitantly reached for the animal’s head. “Can I touch you?”

I
n response, the Labrador nudged Alison’s outstretched hand with her nose. The animal’s fur was thick and coarse, and Alison couldn’t believe how real it felt. Standing up, she shook her head in amazement.

The sound of approaching sirens pulled Alison out of her reverie.
“Get going. We’ll see you soon.”

The dog barked, turned
and broke into a sprint. Alison was in awe of how fast Ash was, and within seconds, the dog had disappeared into the darkness.

The s
irens grew louder, and turning around, Alison saw Bryce returning from across the road, dirt caked under her nails as she dusted off her pants. “Ready?”

“For what
, exactly?” Alison looked suspiciously at the woman as she gathered Ash’s clothes.

“A piggy back ride
.” Bryce grinned.

“A -
” Alison frowned. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. And soon
. The cops are around the corner.” Bryce reached for Alison’s hand and then turned her back to the stunned blonde, crouched down, and looked back. “Hop up.”

Taking a tentative step forward, Alison was struck by the ludicrousness of the situation.
She was standing in the middle of what resembled a war torn, third world country with burnt out cars and the stench of scorched flesh lingering in the air. To add to the strangeness, her half naked vampire girlfriend was about to gallop the two of them through the city at breakneck speed.

Wrapping her legs around Bryce’s waist, and her arms around the woman’s cool shoulders, Alison took a deep breath. “A warning.”