Page 73 of Starved Until Sunset

“I know. I can wish, can’t I?”

They fell silent, and Cody finished patrolling his and Demmy’s neighborhood. He caught a glimpse of a pudgy shadow trundling up someone’s driveway and sent a gentle good evening to Trevor, hoping he stayed safe.

The high school was dark and quiet as he made a circuit through the parking lot, and then he turned into the Hollow Hills subdivision just down the road. A builder had bought up the empty fields between the high school and the western edge of town heading out toward Harriettville and had spent the last few years putting up big houses based off of three sets of blueprints.

Eileen scoffed as they rolled slowly down a street. “Soulless McMansions.”

“They are very similar, aren’t they?” Amelia said.

“The more established neighborhoods are all made up of three styles, too. Cape Cod bungalows, colonials, and Craftsmen.” Cody said.

“Yeah, but those have character,” Eileen said. “Look at all the empty space inside these monstrosities.”

Cody had to give her that.

“All I see is a lot of impossible to reach corners where cobwebs could gather,” Amelia said.

“You two should have your own show on HGTV.”

“We’d put those others out of business,” Eileen said. “Think we should cruise over to the hospital and pay a visit to the good vampire doctor? See if he’s had any leads?”

“Yeah, sure. And I’ll check in with Lucia once we get there.”

“Vampire medical examiner,” Amelia said with a shake of her head. “Never thought I’d say that.”

“That’s a show I’d watch, though,” Eileen said, and she and Amelia shared a laugh.

Cody couldn’t help throwing cold water on their humor. “You say that now, but when an evil vampire crawls out of a body bag and takes someone you care about hostage, you’ll change your tunes.”

Amelia patted his arm. “I’m sorry, dear. We know it’s a serious situation, and we’re both worried about Zenona, too. We just needed a little humor to break the tension.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Eileen said, then she leaned forward again. “But you have to admit, that does sound like a great show.”

Cody shook his head but couldn’t hide his smile. “Yeah, all right.”

A few minutes later, Cody pulled Geraldine into the main parking lot of Memorial Hospital. He parked under an LED light that threw out a wide apron of cool white light, then chided himself for it. It wasn’t like vampires were afraid of LED lighting. He considered moving to a new spot, but Eileen had shoved the door open and was already swinging her legs out. Well, that settled it.

“Eileen, dammit, wait a minute. We need to check the area,” he said.

But she was already getting slowly to her feet. Cody cursed quietly, then shoved the heavy driver’s door open and got out. He felt ridiculous holding the plastic and brightly colored squirt gun across his chest as if it was an actual weapon, but he pushed those thoughts aside. Rounding the back of the car, he tried to look everywhere at once, his senses on high alert. Was it his imagination, or did the night feel too quiet?

Amelia slid out the driver’s door and closed it. Cody stood beside Eileen, right hand holding the gun down along his leg, holy water dripping slowly from the nozzle, and his left supporting her by the elbow. With slow movements, he helped Eileen move clear of the door so he could close it.

“What’s that?” Eileen pointed toward the hospital. “Isn’t that someone we know?”

Cody saw Clarabell and Demmy threading their way between cars, headed for the entrance. A surge of love and relief went through him, but it was followed quickly by a cold fist of dread. Two figures were moving through the shadows between cars toward them from either side.

“Oh, it’s Demetrius,” Amelia said. “Let’s catch up to them.”

“Wait, stay here,” Cody said. “They’re in trouble.”

“What?” Amelia practically shouted.

Cody ran, holding the squirt gun across his chest. His heart pounded and a loud buzzing had kicked off inside his skull. Having to dodge and weave between the parked cars and trucks cost Cody time, and panic flooded his chest with ice. He wasn’t going to make it. Visions of Demmy on the cold, hard asphalt with his throat torn open slammed into Cody’s brain, and tears blurred his vision.

“Demmy!” Cody shouted, but it was weak as he gasped for breath. Dammit, they should have kept that membership at the fitness center. He drew in a breath and tried again, louder this time. “Demmy!”

Demmy and Clarabell both stopped and looked back. Cody was glad Demmy smiled at the sight of him. Maybe they could save the heavy conversation for later and just be glad to see each other.