Page 97 of Starved Until Sunset

“Oh.”

Cody finally got Lucia’s hands loose enough for her to pull free. He tried to stand, but his legs wouldn’t obey and he went down hard on his ass. The impact sent a rattle up his spine and into his sore neck, unleashing an explosion of pain that nearly made him black out.

“Bower?”

He pried open one eye to see Lucia crouching before him. Giving her a faint smile, he said, “I’m good. Just need a minute. Get them loose.”

It took more than a minute, but eventually his brain seemed to settle back into its rightful place. Although he hated doing it, he accepted assistance from all three women to get to his feet.

“God you’re heavy,” Lucia said.

“And you stink,” Tracey added.

“Love you all, too,” Cody said, gesturing toward the stairs. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

“Do you have a key?” Zenona asked.

Cody shook his head as they started for the stairs. “Don’t need one. Daddy Vampire forgot to lock the door behind him.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

It took longer than expected, but Demetrius was finally able to locate Shrieky Pete’s MP4 player in a saddlebag of his motorcycle. He’d had to reach past a few bandanas that were stiff with old sweat or snot—and a couple that were still disturbingly damp—and he couldn’t help making a face. Now he just hoped the player’s battery had enough charge remaining.

Demetrius squatted beside the motorcycle as he fiddled with the unfamiliar device, trying to stay out of sight of the DPW garage. It was taking a lot of effort for him not to rush inside and try to break down the basement door. His initial idea had been slightly refined as they’d slowly driven through the crowded streets of downtown, and it was ridiculous, at best. Doomed to fail at worst.

Just like every other monster case they’d been involved in.

And, come to think of it, pretty much every Critter Catchers job they’d been on.

He stopped tinkering when he saw movement out on the asphalt of the fenced in parking lot. He held the lighted screen against his chest and ducked his head a bit more as he peered over the seat of the motorcycle. He definitely was not thinking about Shrieky Pete planting his sweaty ass on its surface at the end of a long day of physical work. Nope, not at all.

A pair of vampires zipped across the parking lot and let themselves into the garage. Well, that pretty much proved Demetrius’s theory about John the Bastard being Xavier’s Renfield. What a fucker.

He returned his attention to the MP4 player. The battery was at thirty percent, which would be fine for what he intended. Hopefully the boombox had some juice as well. As he searched for the power button on the boombox, secured with bungee cords to the handlebars, Demetrius was grateful the fenced in lot of the DPW buildings had kept kids from stealing it. And the patrolling vampires probably helped deter theft as well. Maybe that could be a side hustle for Michael if the medical examiner role didn’t work out.

The boombox buttons lit up, and Demetrius checked the settings in the MP4 player. The two devices had paired automatically, and he tapped on the music player app, then selected Playlists. The very first one was exactly what he needed to not only lure whatever vampires were still inside, but also give Cody a heads up that help had arrived.

If Cody was still alive.

No, he would not allow himself to think that way. Cody was still alive. He had to be.

Demetrius held down the plus button for the volume on the boombox, smiling with grim satisfaction as the lights flashed steadily. On the MP4 player, he opened the playlist Shrieky Pete had named Best Praise, then tapped the first song. A loud rush of music burst from the speaker, making him jump. He dropped the music player into the saddlebag and, keeping low, hurried to the back corner of the garage.

The other members of the group were waiting for him. They all stood with their backs against the cinderblock wall, armed with squirt guns freshly replenished with holy water, wooden stakes, and crosses. Eileen wore a string of garlic around her neck and had passed a few bulbs out to everyone else to keep in their pockets.

“That’ll bring them running,” Jugs whispered.

“Yep,” Demetrius said. “And let Cody know we’re out here.”

The sound of movement from the parking lot, audible even over the singer shrieking about being saved, got Demetrius to poke his head around the corner. Xavier and a few other vampires had gathered around the motorcycle, glaring at it and pressing buttons on the boombox. It would have been comical if Xavier wasn’t so terrifying, and so many lives hung in the balance.

With an impatient shriek that matched the singer’s in intensity, Xavier plucked the boombox off the motorcycle. The bungee cords yanked it back in place a couple of times, which nearly made Demetrius laugh out loud. Xavier finally got the boombox loose and crushed it in one big hand. The music died immediately.

“Find them,” Xavier said to the other vampires. “They’re not far.”

Demetrius ducked back behind the corner and looked along their group lined up against the wall. He loved all of these people so much it scared him, and here they were, once again putting their lives on the line to stop a monstrous plot. He sent a silent plea to God or the Universe or whatever entity might be paying attention to save them all from Xavier crushing their skulls as easily as he had the boombox.

The first vampire came around the corner, and Demetrius blasted him with holy water. The vampire shrieked and ran off.