Tribulation Road: A Red Hot Treats Story (2 page)

“I
set up the area between the nursing home and the woods with ultraviolet lights.
That’s why I ran out. Small towns don’t really have things like that in stock.”

After
years of this, they quickly assembled the trap and headed back to the hotel.
The sun went down and they brought out the flamethrower kits. It was
terrifyingly easy to make when you knew what to do. Two oxygen tanks full of
gasoline, two Co2 tanks, and two miniature propane tanks hooked to hoses; fifteen
minutes later—they were ready to rock. They drove back to the woods and waited
in the car with the equipment they’d set up.

Throaty
growls came over the speakers about ten-thirty.

“I
think they just realized dinner is cut off,” Richard mused.

“Well,
lucky for them we made them something extra special.” She opened the door to
the truck and soaked up the crisp fall air. The full moon lit their path and
the headlamps equipped with UV lights allowed them to keep their hands free.

“I’m
taking point,” Richard said, heading off at a brisk jog.

She
followed behind him, careful to navigate the roots that stood out. They moved
stealthily and swiftly, careful not to make too much noise. Beads of sweat
dotted her forehead. Her stomach rolled. Every time, the fear was the same. You
never stopped being scared. This expected reaction kept her smart, sharp, and
alert. She simply learned to manage it.

The
sounds of snarls, grunts, and moans rang out.

They
must’ve found out dinner was a decoy.

A
group of about twelve gathered around the center of the graveyard with bits and
pieces of plastic stuffing and mechanical parts in their hands.

The
hunting pair stopped by the entrance of a small plot that looked like something
time had forgotten. A rickety black fence surrounded the sunken land with
crumbling tombstones.

Richard
nodded and they kneeled, side by side, lighting the path of gasoline they’d
laid earlier that day. They then stood. “Hey, uglies!” Richard yelled. She
clicked her headlamp on and he followed.

The
ghouls cried out and began to run. The fire moved to surround them. Four
huddled in the center, too terrified to move, three caught fire trying to
escape and went up like a primed torch. The other five traversed the flames and
ran in different directions.

“I’ll
take the right.” Richard ran off.

Brigh
followed suit and headed in the opposite direction, clutching her hose tight. The
beam of light bounced over the surfaces as she ran. She followed the sound of
feet dragging over the grass. While their movements weren’t completely zombie-like,
they were stilted. She caught one in the far corner of the graveyard.

He
bared his teeth at her and crouched down. His worn gray suit and lapel hung
from him and his mostly skeletal face did its best impression of an expression.

She
sprayed him with a blast of fire. He lurched forward and she back peddled. His
muffled wails sent chills down her spine as the flames grew and he stilled. She
gave the fiery mass her back and scanned the area. The light caught something
to her left. An impact and the foul stench of rotting flesh engulfed her as she
hit the ground, hard. She got her feet underneath her and pushed at its body.
Fleshy wet bits plopped onto her chest. Off balance with the heavy canister of
gas on her back, she reached into the sheath on her belt for her hidden weapon.
Her machete came free with a reassuring swing. She gripped the razor sharp
blade and swung as hard as she could. The blade bit into the deteriorated flesh
like butter. It caught on the bone and she removed it then took another swift
whack.

A
reassuring crack rent the air just before the knife came through the other
side. Its body fell, useless and heavy. The stench suffocated her. She held her
breath and she kicked free. Rocking back and forth, she rolled onto her stomach
like a turtle. She struggled to her feet and lifted her nozzle with shaking
hands. She pulled the trigger and watched the body go up. Every close call, she
wondered if it would be her last. She wiped the blade on the grass and shoved
it back into its home.

Breathing
hard, she scanned the area slowly. The flicker of light from the opposite side
of the enclosed space caught her attention. She jogged toward Richard, ready to
provide backup. The smoldering piles of ash told her he’d done just fine on his
own. “I got two,” she said between gulps of air.

“I
got three. That’s all of them,” he replied.

“We
should get out of here. With the recent rain, it won’t burn down, but someone
is going to see the smoke.”

“Agreed.”

They
took off back the way they came and climbed into his truck. The ride was
silent. They showered silently and began the task of cleaning their weapons and
getting rid of any evidence that would link them to the scene.

She
wiped the blade of her machete with the dark cloth, polishing it until it
shined. The rotten egg smell clung to the back of her throat. It was a scent that
crept inside your mouth and refused to leave, despite the scrubbing and tooth
brushing. Research had always been more her forte, but they were running short
on able hunters. This wasn’t the life for some people and with the children of
her generation leaving more and more, their days of protecting others from
things that went bump in the night were numbered.

Her
mind went back to Jaegar—like it always did. She thought they’d be doing this
together. Raised by the founding families of the Noble, they were brought up to
live in the darkness, pruning the twisted roots that needed to be cut down. In
the end, when their training ended at twenty-one, he’d chosen to go his own
way. Eight years later, the rejection still stung. The engagement ring he’d
given her remained around her neck, a constant reminder that the only person
you could rely on was yourself.

~*  
*   *   *~

Jaegar
eyed the pale-skinned man at the end of the bar with artfully gelled black hair.
He’d been coming in more frequently and the regulars he’d been leaving with
hadn’t come back.
This is no longer a part of my job description.
He
poured a fresh batch of ice into the cooler and forced his gaze down. It went
against everything he was taught to ignore the creatures that roamed around
masquerading as humans. The man moved with a grace unknown to even royalty. He
was careful to hide it, but for someone who knew what to look for, it might as
well have been a flashing red button that said, “don’t push me.”

It’s
not my business anymore.
Jaegar repeated the chant as he continued restocking
the bar for the evening rush. The mystery customer came in around seven, just
after dusk.
Imagine that.

A
young blonde with wide blue eyes and a flowery sundress sat down on the
opposite end of the bar.

 “Hi,
what can I get you today?” Jaegar said with a smile. He knew how to appear
harmless and set people at ease. It’d been his bread and butter once.

“Can
I start with a cola? I’m waiting on some friends and I don’t want to start too
early.” She flashed him a smile.

“Coming
right up.” He gave her a wink, quickly served her a drink, and struck up a
conversation. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in Riley’s before.”

“No,
this is my first time. I’m meeting up with co-workers,” she said.

“Ahh,
then you’ve chosen well. We have half price drinks, appetizers, and in a bit,
we’ll start trivia.”

They
made small talk until more people began to filter in.

“I
need a refill.” The masculine voice made the hairs on the back of his neck
stand on end. He almost ignored him and let his co-worker Becky serve him. But
he couldn’t live with the guilt if she never came back.
Just play it cool.
He
grabbed a bottle, walked over, and poured a finger of bourbon.

“Thanks,
Jim
,” the suck face said.

The
mockery in his voice set Jaegar on edge.
He knows who I am.
“No problem,”
Jaegar replied. He took a step away.

“You
know. You look familiar,” Suck-face drawled.

The
statement stopped him in his tracks. He turned back, careful not to look the
creature in the eyes. “I get that a lot. I have one of those faces,” Jaegar
said with a flippant shrug of his shoulders. “I think it comes along with the
gig. It’s easier to spill your guts to someone you feel like you know.”

The
vamp laughed. “I wouldn’t have believed if it I didn’t see it myself. The pride
and joy has left the fold and turned his back on his birthright. The Noble
prince falls.”

“I
don’t know what you’re talking about, sir,” Jaegar said, curling his hands into
fists to keep from responding.

“Oh,
cut the shit,
Jaegar
. You had me made weeks ago. I thought for sure
you’d come after me after I started taking your girls, but you just sat back.
It’s a shame, too. You were a formidable opponent, always keeping us on our
toes and getting rid of the careless idiots dragging down my race.”

“I
hope you don’t think I’m going to spend my time shooting the breeze with you. I
know what you are. You know who I am. Let’s leave it at that and walk away
before someone gets hurt.”

The
vamp chuckled. “Oh, I do believe you’d try. But I came here for a reason. I
wanted to watch the light go out in your eyes knowing the empire is about to
topple and you won’t even be there to attempt to save the Noble princess.” The
vamp threw back the bourbon, set the glass down on the counter hard, and tossed
a pile of bills down. “Keep the change.”

Jaegar’s
feet stuck to the spot like the floor had become flypaper as the vamp strolled
out of the bar whistling a jaunty tune. His mind ran through the scenarios. It
could be a trap, a ploy to get him to run so they could ambush him, but the
sick satisfaction in the son-of-a-bitch’s eyes told him differently. A sense of
urgency filled him.
Brigh.
She was the obvious link to break. Without
new blood in the order, they’d die out. She was the lone female of their
generation and it was kind of a big deal.

The
thought of her married and making kids with one of the other Keepers made him
sick. From the minute he’d been old enough to like a girl, Brigh had been all
he could see.
I owe her this.
He bowed his head. After two years, he was
going to pick his weapons back up and join the battle.
It was far longer than
anyone thought I’d last.
He turned to Becky. “I have a family emergency. I
need to leave now and head out of town.”

“What?
It’s the start of your shift and Thursdays are always busy.” Her thin pink lips
formed a line and she wrinkled her freckled nose.

“I
know, and I’m sorry, but this is a matter of life or death. Have you ever seen
me take off for anything?”

Becky
paused. “No, but I didn’t know you had a family either.”

“We’re
estranged. But there are things that make all of that unimportant. I’ll call
around on my way out of town and get one of the guys to come in. I have some
favors built up.”

She
threw her hands up in the air. “Okay, I guess. I mean, what choice do I really
have?”

“None.”
His nice guy persona gave way. He might have opted out of their world, but that
didn’t change the blood that ran through his veins or the training beaten into
his muscles. Even out of commission, he’d continued the intense workout routine
and training. Just because he’d turned his back on monsters didn’t mean they’d
forgotten about him. Evil never forgot a face or a debt, and you couldn’t win
every battle.

He
turned on his heels and walked into the back. He grabbed his jacket, pulled it
on, and released the button on the hidden pocket. His hand brushed the tip of
the silver knife dipped in holy water. Lowering his hands, he left out the back.
While scanning the parking lot, he used his sixth sense. It felt clear, but
that didn’t mean shit. He shoved his hand into his pocket and clasped the
sanitizer mixed with holy water.

He
made it to his black Chevy Nova, climbed inside, and locked the door. He turned
on the engine, pulled out of the parking lot, and fired up his Bluetooth.

“Hey,
Jim, something going on at the bar?” Keith asked.

“I
have a family emergency and I had to leave. Right now, Becky is all alone. I’ve
bailed your ass enough times I figure I can call in a favor.”

“Shit,
man. Yeah. I’ll be there in like ten.”

“Thanks.
I’ll settle up with Ricky later.”

Keith
snickered. “Like he’s going to give you shit. You practically run the place and
never ask for a thing.”

“Let’s
hope he remembers that when I call him next.” Jaegar disconnected and rang his
boss.

“Something
happen at the bar. A fight?”

“No,
Rick, everything’s fine with the bar. I had to leave. A family emergency came
up and I need to take some time off.”

“How
much?” Rick asked.

“I’m
not sure. I need to get there and assess the situation.”