Free Blood and Stone by C. E. Martin

turned gray, like stone. Blood on the arm was being absorbed back into the gray skin. The bite marks were filling in, swelling up from within. In a second, the wound had closed up, with no sign it had been there save the gray splotch. Then that too faded and the area where she had bitten turned back to flesh color again.
    “Are you done?” Kenslir asked, annoyed. He was still holding on to the Bowie knife sticking through the blonde vampire’s head with his left hand. His grip on the blade was all that kept the vampire on his feet.
    Laura crept back, fear in her eyes.
    Kenslir drew his other Bowie knife with his right hand and in one swift motion he cut the blonde vampire’s head off. He allowed the body to fall to the floor. Then he calmly set the head, still transfixed by the Bowie knife, on the counter.
    “I’m real sorry this happened,” Kenslir said. “I got hit by a car running across the street when I was chasing this hippy. It slowed me down. If I’d have gotten here sooner, he never would have made it inside.”
    Laura craved the blood she could smell in the soldier’s veins. Craved it more than anything she had ever wanted in her life. But she was smart—whatever the large soldier was, a food source he was not.
    Kenslir took another step forward and raised his Bowie knife, ready to slash at the girl and remove her head. “May the Lord have mercy on your soul.”
    “Please!” Laura said and raised her hands defensively, closing her eyes.
    The slash of the blade never fell.
    She opened one eye slowly, peeking over her arms at the soldier.
    Kenslir was clearly perplexed as he stood over her. But he had sheathed his Bowie knife.
    “I’ve killed a lot of vampires,” he said. “They all go out fighting like the monsters they are. But not you. That’s very interesting.”
    The words sank in. Vampires. Laura was now a vampire. Her dreams of saving lives were over. All her hard work had been for nothing. Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
    Mark Kenslir extended a hand to the girl. “My name’s Major Mark Kenslir, United States Army. Have you ever considered serving your country?”
    ***
     
    Laura was sure Tezcahtlip had departed the island. She’d watched him fly away in his monstrous dragon form.
    “So what the hell was that thing?” she asked Colonel Kenslir.
    She, Kenslir and Victor were outside now, waiting for the fleet of Army helicopters that were coming to clean up the mess.
    “Antediluvian shapeshifter,” Kenslir said. “He eats hearts to steal memories and powers.”
    “I hope he chokes on mine,” Laura said angrily.
    “What do we do now, Colonel?” Victor asked.
    “We’re going to have to return to base,” Kenslir said grimly. “All we can do is wait until he shows up again.”
    “Good—I was ready to get off this damned rock twenty years ago,” Laura said.
    “You’ve been here twenty years?” Victor was amazed. The vampire didn’t look much older than him.
    “Kid, I’ve been here since 1972.”
    “I don’t think you leaving is such a great idea, Laura.” Kenslir was giving her his stern look again.
    “I promise not to eat anyone,” Laura said, raising her hand and making a boy scout sign. “Besides, it’s not like I have anything left to do around here. He killed all my patients.”
    “Are you really a doctor?” Victor asked.
    “Why yes, I am,” Laura said. “I specialize in blood.”
    “She was keeping the more powerful, more violent paracriminals in line.”
    Victor was shocked. Letting a vampire feed on inmates seemed barbaric.
    “Oh, don’t say it like that, Marc,” Laura said softly. She looped an arm in his and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. “We had an arrangement—I get to eat, and he gets intelligence on any vampires that pop up around the world.”
    Victor made a surprised face. “That happens a lot?”
    Kenslir freed himself from Laura’s grip. “You’d be surprised.”
    “And I can track them,” Laura said.