Chapter 11
Finding Jorge
He was an aberration among vampires and he would die. Julio promised himself plus he had promised his mate that it would be so. Now was the time to use all that excess alphaness that Janel complained about him using on her to something even she would agree was a good use for it.
Herk had set their best trackers, six of them, on the job but Julio needed to do more. “Don’t go off alone. That would be madness. This male is powerful and his madness just lends him more strength.”
“I know you’re right. What if I gather a squad of males to join the hunt? I’ll stay in touch with the trackers, but I can investigate other clues they aren’t tracking themselves. He’s crazy like a fox and using abilities honed over centuries to evade them.”
“That would be acceptable if all of you stay within line of sight. I’m nervous enough that the trackers chose to work in two teams of three. It’s also probable they are not staying together as I asked them to.”
He suspected Herk was right. As the best trackers from the North American continent, they were over confident. It was almost certain they had brushed off warnings, failed to read the folder they’d been given, and were acting as if this was a usual hunt. It was not.
Julio hurried to the dining room where all the males he wanted would probably be. Jespers sat waiting for him. “I’ll need you after the meal.”
He saw Conoly, Daven, Hapten, and Fred all gathered together. “I need you guys and Heral if he shows up right after the meal.” They nodded and he got his plate filling it full. Hunting evil took a lot of strength.
Heral walked in going right to his group. He knew they would inform him. The six males which included his brother Jespers was a squad he worked with a lot for small jobs. Heral and Fred were Pegasus which were much like Unicorns with a few differences. Hapten was something altogether different. The herd had taken him in as a youngling, but even though they could feel his power he had never shifted.
Some thought he was a witch while others thought him a dragon. Julio didn’t care as long as he was on their side. He’d seen him do incredible things on missions and his ability to do what was needed was all he cared about. That and the fact that they all liked him. Hapten was a great guy and he could drink anyone under the table.
Jespers and he sat and ate with a hearty appetite. He knew he was doing all he could so he refused to worry about the outcome. Jorge would be dealt with harshly. Julio would see to it personally. His plate empty, he cleared his spot taking things where they belonged. Some of his males were still finishing up but the others came to him. When they were all there, they looked at him expectantly.
“The trackers are hunting Jorge DeVega. He is our enemy and a sick bastard. The male is old, probably a vampire and is strong as well as cunning. While we hunt, keep each other in view. We will also keep in touch with the trackers.”
“If they hunt him, why are we?” Hapten asked.
“He has been hunted many times in his long life yet he still lives. Jorge is cold, ruthless and will use anyone and anything to escape. He eats the babies he cuts from young mother’s wombs so they watch him do it as they die.”
“We will do our best to catch him.” Hapten assured.
“I have addresses where he has lived, has family, or has been seen. We’ll go to the places the trackers chose not to.” Julio explained. He showed them the address and flashed.
The place was an old hunter’s cabin that was falling down. The forest was in the process of reclaiming it. They slowly approached it and sniffed for any scents that would alert them to an enemy. There was nothing.
They entered it and looked around but there was nothing particularly helpful. Old letters and books were so badly rotted they couldn’t be read. “If he was here, it was in another lifetime.” Jespers observed.
“It wouldn’t take that long for a poorly built hut to fall apart in these conditions. But it won’t help us as far as being a lead to his current location.” Julio admitted. Let’s move on.”
“Wait.” Heral demanded. He stepped forward holding a metal box that looked like it had been buried.
Julio busted the lock off and opened it looking inside. “Goddess!”
“Is that what I think it is?” Fred asked.
“Yes, it is an embryo. Either human or supernatural and dried like a mummy. A letter was in the box and he pulled it out reading it quickly. “It says they gave his lover something to make her have a miscarriage. Her father then married her to another.”
“And so we witness the birth of a monster.” Conoly declared.
“But the ones he punishes aren’t those that did this to him. He tortures those completely innocent.” Julio noted.
“That’s what crazies do.” Daven included. “They no longer can tell the good from the bad.”
“This box looks like it’s been here a long time, but the event would have happened mid eighteen hundreds.” Julio explained.
“And he’s carried it around in his mind ever since.” Colony agreed. “Maybe we should move on?”
“Let’s put the box back where it was. It’s kind of like a grave.” Julio declared.
“It is a grave.” Jespers said.
The box was closed and buried back in the ground where it had been found. It seemed Jorge’s brush with evil had contaminated him. Or maybe he’d had a touch of it already. “Here’s the next address. It’s lowlife bar. Be careful it’ll be full of crazies.”
They all looked at the address and flashed. The ability to move that way was truly incredible and highly adaptive. How it found addresses was impossible to explain. It also set the traveler down avoiding walls, deep falls, and fires or other dangerous things. There was no doubt that magic had a heavy hand in it.
Popping out near the bar in an alley, they all gathered before they walked out of it and found the door to the bar. The bar itself was a sleazy looking place with its own particular odor. Julio coughed as the smell hit him in the face when he opened the door. A collection of ruffians were gathered at the bar where an angry looking bartender about six foot five with huge shoulders stood.
His head was shaved and tattooed with a scorpion. The tail was right between his eyes. With no room at the bar, they looked around finding one small table but grabbing two extra chairs so it would work. Julio put his chair against the wall but not too far from the table. His gaze slowly went over those gathered there while Jespers ordered six bottles of beer.
The barmaid was a pretty thing and looked too young to be working in this place. The fact that even the drunks weren’t bothering her made it clear she had someone’s protection. Perhaps the mean looking bartender. She brought back the beer and smiled at Jespers. His brother was a pretty boy most of the females loved. Had they been anywhere else, Jespers might have flirted a bit. Here that wouldn’t pay. The barmaid hurried away disappointed.
“See him?” Jespers asked softly. I shook my head. The less we talked in here the better.
Ten minutes later a male walked in that resembled him but was not him. Had he been mistaken for Jorge on the report? Maybe or maybe they were family who hung out together sometimes.
“He resembles him. Family, maybe?” Julio wondered.
“Think he’ll show?” Jespers asked.
“More likely with him here.” Julio guessed.
Ten minutes later Jorge walked in surrounded by muscled up bad guys. He made a straight line to the table where the guy that looked like family sat. Carefully, Julio pulled out a blowgun putting a dart in it. Wham! It flew out and hit Jorge and he looked around surprised. The other guy called out to him so he ignored it probably thinking it was a bug. Big mistake.
Julio put his blowgun which was disguised as a pipe back in his pocket. “Did it work?” Jespers asked.
“We’ll see when the time comes.” Julio said. It was amazing if such a small amount of drug could prevent him from flashing.
It was bound to happen. Jorge sat down across from his relative facing in their direction. His gaze drifted over them and then hurried back. That’s when Julio knew he recognized them. All Jorge’s males flashed away but poor Jorge was left behind. He lifted his gun to shoot them but Julio nailed him first. Everyone in the bar dropped to the ground with some even crawling out the door.
Now with less between them and Jorge, his guys and he kept shooting him. It was obvious he’d been hit multiple times but the rub was vampires didn’t die easily. They had to be burned to ashes or decapitated. Nothing else would work. Julio pulled his sword and as his males fired he worked his way closer to Jorge. One of Jorge’s buddies came back and was hit by bullets but braved it anyway.
Julio saw what he intended and rushed forward to stop it but was just seconds too late. The bastard got away again by being flashed by his buddy. He’d gotten a good look at Jorge’s family and friends. They had to be hunted too now. Separating him from those that would help him was essential. There was no way they could allow that abomination to live.
It was unlikely after what had just happened that they would find him today. Now the crazy scary dude would be even more deranged. They flashed back to base before the bartender came after them. He was already walking their way.
“That was a complete bust.” Julio said once they were back at base.
“Not so. We know the no flash shit works.” Jespers said.
“We also know more about Jorge. Like why he’s nuts and that he has a support group and family.” Hapten observed.
“That may not even help us.” Julio said.
“But it might. Everything we know is a piece to the puzzle.” Hapten concluded.
Julio hated optimists. Now he would go and report to Herk. He’d get his ass chewed because he’d not checked in with the trackers. Of course they hadn’t checked in with him either. Assuming Herk was either in the dining room or his office he headed to his office first.
“Hey Herk.” He greeted when he found him there. His friend looked upset. “What’s wrong?”
“The trackers found Jorge and two of them are in medical. At least it’s nonlife threatening. How did things go with you?” Herk asked.
“Good news bad news. The no flash drug works but he had help escaping. He was with a squad and one looked like a relative.” Julio described.
“He’ll be pissed now.” Herk warned.
“He was already crazy. There’s no sanity in him.” Julio went on to explain what they had found.
“Some monsters are made while others are born.”
“So it would seem.”
“There’s more news. It seems our mates contacted Pru’s mother about the possibility of Jorge being a vampire. They are sending someone and her mom is sending Gertie.”
“Pru’s sister? Who is the vamp?”
“Yes, Pru’s sister. The vamp is Darby.”
“Wait a minute. Isn’t he Gertie’s…”
“Yes, he is her fated mate. A match they have both fought against.”
“Goddess, it just gets better all the time.” Julio observed. “When will they arrive?”
“Definite plans aren’t yet given, but within a week whether we catch Jorge or not.”
“Why would they come once he’s dead?”
“My guess is they hope he’s not a vampire. Gertie probably hopes he is.”
“This is all we need with the war already all around us. Now it’ll be among us as well.” Julio declared.
“We’ve been given no choice. Pru and Janel are looking forward to Gertie coming. I’m sure Darby has friends among us as well.”
“They can piece him together after Gertie’s through.”
“She does have a tough reputation.”
“And he’s a lover not a fighter.”
“Maybe it will be entertaining to watch?” Herk suggested.
“More than likely painful to see Darby unmanned.”
“So what now? I’m two trackers down and Jorge knows about our new trick.”
“It might still work.”
“He might be crazy but he isn’t stupid. Jorge will find a way to prevent getting hit again.”
“Then we need a new trick. Maybe a spell to say he is immobilized?”
“Their spells are hard for non-witches to use.”
“If that’s true, why do they have so many people buying love spells and such?” Julio asked.
“I never really thought of that. Of course those are minor spells. You won’t die if they don’t work.”
“True, but we need a solution hopefully before Darby and Gertie get here and turn this place into a circus.”
“More like a no holds barred wrestling match.”
“Either way it won’t be good for us.”
“Who came up with no flash drug?” Herk asked.
“Our resident doctor. She should get some kudos for it. She invented it to help parents with kids that flashed. Sometimes certain illnesses require staying still. Kids don’t always have the ability to control that.”
“Find out what else she has. If she wants to copyright her product, tell her we won’t tell anyone about it. Muzzle your guys.” Herk directed.
Julio saluted Herk and walked out. He flashed to where his guys were already telling the story of their run in with Jorge. “I need all of you guys to meet me in the tea room. Especially you, Daven. Now!” He said so Daven wouldn’t continue the story.
They all followed him to the thankfully empty room. “What crawled up your ass?” Daven asked.
“Herk said no talk about the no flash drug. It’s top secret.”
“Hell, how do I finish that story?”
“And Jorge tried to flash but was too drunk?” Hapten suggested.
“Not bad. It could be funny with him falling on his guy and getting flashed with him when the guy tried to escape.” Daven, the story teller of the group smiled.
“Laughter is the best medicine.” Julio agreed. He waited until all his guys made it out before closing the door and stealing a drink of Herk’s whiskey.
When he walked out the door passed the dining room, the guys were rolling around with laughter. It was a better ending that the real one. In this story he escaped by accident and under embarrassing circumstances. In truth loyalty had kept him from Julio’s grasp.
“Hey Julio! Is that story Daven told true? Did Jorge really hump one of his males because he was so drunk he mistook him for the barmaid?” A soldier asked.
“Something like that. It hurt when the male flashed him away.” Julio admitted.
“I don’t know how he keeps followers.” The soldier said.
“I don’t know how either. I wish I did.” Julio walked away and the soldier went back for more stories. Daven had a real talent.
It was time to go back upstairs and see what his mate was up to. Maybe a short break in their day would make things seem better. She wasn’t upstairs so he went back downstairs where he found her and Pru sipping herbal tea and laughing at Daven’s latest tale. It was worth a lot to see them both laughing. His radio buzzed.
“Hello?”
“Have you seen Pru anywhere?” Herk asked.
“She and Janel are in the dining room listening to Daven tell funny stories.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Five minutes later he was and Julio was grinning like an idiot. “The male can tell a story that would make a crab laugh.”
Herk sat next to me his eyes going to his mate. “He’s worth keeping around just to make them smile. Without asking he knew Herk meant their mates. It was the way he’d felt as well.
A few minutes’ later Herk chuckles. “Did that truly happen?”
“Sort of.” He was telling the story where an enemy got his cock caught in the chain link fence. “He was on guard duty and taking a piss. It fit fine then he got hard for no obvious reason. Later we discovered Conoly had been out front and bent over to tie his boots. The guard thought he was a female.”
“That’s hilarious. I’d kill one of my males if they told a story like that on me.”
“Why? It was funny and made our job easier.”
“I’m talking about if I was Conoly.”
“He never says which male it is who was mistaken for a female.”
“I should hope not. He doesn’t resemble any female I ever saw anyway.”
“Hubolla doesn’t pick the sharpest knives in the drawer.”
“That’s lucky for us. We can defeat them easier.”
“True, but it does make for some unbelievable tales. I think I’ll go spirit my mate up to our room.” Julio said.
“That sounds like a plan to me.”
They approached their mates and held out their hands. Once their mate took it, they pulled them up into their arms. “Let’s go to our room.” Julio whispered to his lovely Janel. She nodded and they slowly made their way there.
Once in the room, he was ready for his mate. Turning to her he began to undress her as fast as he could before something could interrupt. “Goddess, you are gorgeous.”
“You’re not too bad yourself.” She said as she stood in front of him naked.
“Not bad, huh?” He asked as he began to undress and dance like a stripper.
“Where did you learn to do that?” She asked her eyes narrowing.
“I’m just trying it out for you, Sweetheart.” While she looked unconvinced, his cock popped free as he pulled down his pants and caught her attention. He stroked it as he looked at her with hunger on his face.
Janel climbed on the bed on her hands and knees. “Come to me.” She demanded as she looked over her shoulder at him. Damn his mate was hot.
Unable to hold back a second more, he stepped up to the bed. He ran his hands over her perfect ass stroking softly. Then he smacked her lightly and rubbed the cheek he’d smacked. One finger moved to her entrance sliding into the hot slick spot his cock was about to claim. Another finger joined the one helping to stretch and prepare. The third and last finger was added because he had no wish to hurt his mate. When she stretched to accommodate it, he pulled his finger out and pressed his cock at her entrance.
“Oh, yes. Give it to me.” Janel moaned.
Julio always wanted to please his mate. Slowly he slid in until he was balls deep. Nothing felt this good. When he was inside her it was like they were one. Love rushed over him then need hit him hard. He began to move with the passion he had inside for only his mate. As he plunged in and out, a tingle ran down his spine letting him know his release was near.
His hand moved to her clit and began to toy with it. Her muscles squeezed him pushing his climax closer. He pulled on her clit. “Come now, Janel.” He commanded.
A second later she exploded her muscles fisting his cock pushing him into an orgasm of his own. He screamed her name loud and long as she collapsed on the bed. Rolling to the side, he pulled her up against him. There was nothing in the world that meant more to him than his small family.
As they drifted off to sleep, he thought briefly of what had happened today and what tomorrow might bring. He pushed it to the back of his mind thinking surely there was no way Darby or Gertie would be here that quickly and Jorge would need time to heal before he could cause them more trouble.
Waking in the morning was a lovely thing when your mate was in your arms. He kissed her softly hoping she’d wake on her own so he wouldn’t have to wake her. She moved restlessly around but her eyes didn’t open. She might not be awake yet, but she had to be close. Julio stroked her stomach softly and the baby kicked.
Janel’s eyes opened and she blinked like an owl. “Wassup?” She asked.
“You’re awake. Want to get lucky?”
“Huh?” He ignored her confusion, kissed her, and cupped her breast running a thumb over her nipple which immediately grew hard.
Janel might not be fully awake but her body was. He rolled over on top of her taking control of their lovemaking. As he kissed her and leaned on one arm his other hand tested her readiness for him. Julio smiled, his mate was always ready even first thing in the morning. Lining up his staff with her channel, he sank in slowly enjoying every second as he pushed deeper until he completely impaled her.
“Goddess you feel amazing.”
“Move, damn it!” She snapped at him. An obedient mate, he moved.
Pleasure and love mixed making him feel deeply as he pounded into his mate. Even though she was expecting she loved it when he was a bit rougher during sex. Still he held back a little not giving her the invigorating pounding he had when they first got together. He feared it would be too much.
Hitting the speed and pressure he wanted, he continued to pound into her. “Harder.” She yelled but he refused. Julio stayed steady going hard enough. His speed was fast and he went as deep as ever.
“More damn you!” She yelled again arching against him to push him to go harder.
A tingle worked down his back. He worked a hand to her clit pulling and rubbing it. “Come for me.”
She exploded as she always did and he followed her. His breathing was heavy and his heart pounded. This was the perfect start to his day. Kissing his mate, he rolled off the bed, then ran to the shower. With Jorge still missing, it would be a long day. Herk sat in his office sipping his big mug of coffee when he entered.
Julio had gotten his own mug of coffee after he’d eaten breakfast. Considering everything he was in a fair mood and ready to get to work. “Good morning, Herk.”
“Morning to you too. Check on the guards yet?”
“I checked with the night guards when they got off duty. They had no issues last night.”
“That’s good but I don’t want them to relax their vigilance.”
“They are aware we’ve had issues of concern and they won’t relax.”
“Gertie contacted me. She said I’d better be taking better care of her sister than letting her get captured.” Julio grinned. “She also expressed concern about her cousin.”
“You made that up.”
“I didn’t. We’re both about to go through hell. She said she hopes to get here tomorrow.”
“Heaven help us.”
“Exactly. As if we don’t have enough trouble. We need someone to be in charge of her and Darby. A combination guide and valet.”
“Jespers?”
“My thoughts exactly. If anyone can keep them happy, he can. If we have to split them up, we’ll find someone else for Darby.”
“Do you know much about him?”
“Not really. Rumor is that he’s a spoiled rich kid and a bit of a man whore.”
“Spoiled yes, but he has received the training that being his father’s heir requires. He also runs a large part of the family business. The male is smart, and he works and plays hard.”
“You know him?”
“One of my cousins hangs with him. He says the spoiled rich kid act is just that, an act.”
“I wonder why?”
“It makes it easy to take advantage of others who underestimate him. People also talk freely around him.”
“Thank you. I will be careful.”
“It’s prudent to be.”
“Pru doesn’t know anything about him. I don’t think Gertie does either.”
“This may be a time of enlightenment for many. I believe he’s about to take his place in politics.”
“Why now?” Herk asked curiously.
“Perhaps the war brought out the need or mayhap his father feels he’s ready. I am also suspicious of them sending those two together. I believe it is a matchmaking scheme.’
“And we’re the ones stuck in the middle of it when we’ve a war to fight.”
“A war that is on hold while we search for a crazy evil vampire. Their arrival won’t help at all. None of the leaders are worried about us while they play their political games.” Julio admitted.
“At least our mates will enjoy their time with family.”
“If Darby is a good fighter, maybe he’ll be an asset.”
“Ever the optimist. I see no good coming from this except the load of good whiskey Darby’s father sent us.”
“You forgot to mention that.”
“It is an old custom when a lord sends a member of his household elsewhere as a guest. It seems the Vampire Lord is old school.”
“As he should be since he is ancient.”
“Pru would say older than dirt.”
“Janel uses that term as well. They speak using some colorful descriptions.”
“They grew up around humans. That race has its interesting traits. Many of the males have been mixing with their females.”
“Will you stop them?”
“Right now I see no need to. We have mates, they have no female companionship. I will keep a close eye on it and if trouble develops I may have to step in.”
“I’m glad I’m not the one that may have to deny the males access to sex.”
“Thanks a lot, Julio.”
“It’s the price of being in charge.” Julio said as he chuckled. Today was a good day to be second in command.