Free The Vampire's Consort (Undead in Brown County) by S.J. Wright Page A

only ones left besides Jackson who could claim the title of Warden. As Wardens, they had the power to keep the rogues trapped within the half-mile perimeter in the Arizona camp or the now vacant farm in Indiana. The Warden in Arizona was not in any danger himself unless he crossed over the circle line, indicated by a series of dusty black rocks that were placed about four feet apart in one of the driest places on earth. They imagined that was how Jackson’s father had died. The details about his death were still unknown.
    With eight hours of driving done, Victoria asked Jones to take over. She needed a bag of blood from the cooler in the trunk and felt it would be a good time to give their passenger a drink of water. She pulled into the entrance of an abandoned roadside gas station about five minutes off the highway.
    Jones got o ut and met her behind the car.
    “So what’s your plan once we get to the camp?”
    “I’m waiting on instructions from Michael.”
    She was trying to get the trunk of the car open and having some trouble with the key fob.
    “There’s only one way this is going to end, love.”
    “What are you saying?”
    His bright blue eyes rolled upward.
    “Come now, Vic. We’ve got a blood-crazy rogue who doesn’t speak English, three rogue American vampires who will probably never be released back into the public and one bloody junkie who likes to kill vampires.”
    “It’s not very promising, is it?” she said.
    “No. But, I agree that Michael has to make the call on this one. The rogues will all have to die and he knows that.”
    Victoria finally got the trunk open and took two bags of blood and a bottle of water out of the cooler. She handed one of the chilled blood bags to Jones and shut the trunk.
    “He’ll make the right call.”
    She kissed his cheek before heading to the passenger side of the car. When she touched the handle to open the rear passenger side door, her mind went blank and she felt the familiar sensation of chills racing up and down her neck. It was the prelude to hearing another’s thoughts.
    Victoria’s greatest talent was reading minds, but sometimes the voices came with no invitation, like now. She preferred to have a choice in such matters. When they came uninvited, as they were doing there at the abandoned gas station, it tended to feel like an invasion.
    “Just a little bump…” she heard. It was Jackson.
    “Just one. That’s all. Just enough to get me through this trip… Has to be some H around somewhere…”
    Victoria sighed, pushing his internal voice away as she opened the door.
    Jackson stared at her as she twisted open the bottle of water and pulled the tape off his mouth. His hands were tied behind him. She held the bottle of water out for him and he drank deeply. When he’d had his fill, he turned and wiped his mouth on his shoulder.
    “How are you feeling?”
    “How the fuck do you think I’m feeling?”
    Victoria put the cap back on the bottle.
    “Probably desperate. Definitely sick. Undoubtedly bitter. Am I close?”
    He took a shallow breath and leaned his forehead against the seat in front of him. He was sweating and the unpleasant aroma of perspiration wafted from the backseat. Ignoring the stench, Victoria slid into the backseat beside him.
    “You’re taking me to that place in Arizona ,” he said. “Why?”
    She observed him without malice.
    “We need your help.”
    “What makes you think I have any interest in helping anyone? All I want is to be left alone and forget that vampires even exist.”
    She heard the hopelessness in his voice and could feel the negative energy radiating from him.
    “What if I were to tell you that Sarah and Michael broke up?”
    His red-rimmed hungry eyes searched her smooth face for any evidence that she might be lying. When he found nothing but honest inquiry in her gaze, he sighed and fell back against the seat.
    “What does that have to do with me?”
    “Nothing right now. Not as long as you’re