Demon's Doorway Read online

  The conversation was still fresh in her mind. Kristin called at nearly midnight the night before. Victoria was in bed, having finally reversed her sleeping habits.

  Something's wrong with my brother. He's just not…acting right. I know it's a lot to ask, but do you think you could come?

  Victoria didn't hesitate. She owed Kristin's brother a few favors, all of them very big. There were also selfish reasons Victoria packed a day of clothes and jumped in her Porsche. He was the last person alive Victoria wanted to hear wasn't acting right.

  A gas station was coming up on the right. Not a single pump was in use. She threw back the last of her bottle as her car was gassing, tossing the bottle in the trash. The attendant watching the station sat inside a mini-mart. With her keen hearing, she could hear the sounds of the basketball game on the radio he was listening to.

  She'd just screwed the gas cap on when a car pulled up a few pumps away. A man climbed out, certainly young and healthy enough, somewhere in his forties. Sandy blond hair, good, strong physique. He leaned against the pump while filling his car.

  His blood smelled wonderful. She tasted her own blood as her fangs pressed into her bottom lip.

  She hadn't drank live in a week, since Cindy's bachelorette party. Cindy and Alicia behaved, but Victoria couldn't say the same for herself. Nothing sexual, but she drank from three dancers that evening. She was an expert at being subtle, not that she necessarily had to be. The very nature of the twenty-first century was on her side. Gadgets, noises, flashing lights. Women dressing to distract men, men fighting for women's attention. Mortals, in general, had a very strong case of attention deficit disorder.

  Victoria continued to watch the man at his car. She could almost hear his heart beating in his chest. Did she need to drink warm blood? No. She'd just drank a bottle of the cold stuff, and that would sustain her fine. However, was warm blood like a rainbow and unicorns dancing through her body? Yes.

  There was no comparison, and she always found describing the sensation difficult to her mortal friends. It was like comparing cold and warm pizza, or sex without an orgasm.

  Willing her fangs away, she grabbed the first old map she found in the glove compartment. She didn't even bother to check her hair before crossing the gas station. She was always beautiful. That wasn't a thought stemming from arrogance or vanity. It was simply a fact. Vampires were generally attractive, especially when satiated with blood.

  "Excuse me, sir?" she called. She popped her hips slightly and tossed her hair behind her shoulder, holding the map in her hands. "Could you help me? I'm a little lost."

  The man straighted his posture and took notice, eying her up. "You're definitely not from around here. I'd recognize you."

  She smiled a flirty, fang-less smile. Flirting wasn't something she enjoyed now that she was involved with someone, but it was still the easiest way to loosen a mortal up. Lower their guard, make them expose their necks at just the right angle.

  The man accepted the map and opened it. Victoria stood at his side, shoulder to shoulder.

  "This is a map of Wyoming—"

  His sentence cut short as Victoria buried her fangs in his neck. She grabbed the map from his trembling hand and shoved it in her back pocket, all without missing a drop of blood. The liquid heaven poured down her throat, and strength flowed through her body.

  It was like being wrapped in a soft, cozy blanket. Despite the warmness, Victoria kept total control, never got lost in the moment. She was aware of everything. The stranger's fluttering heartbeat, his short breaths, even his rising sexual arousal. But he would be fine. She'd take what she needed, and gently place him back in his car, in a state of euphoria. He'd go home, not even sure if it was a dream or not. He wouldn't even have wounds, thanks to her saliva's ability to heal small cuts.

  She wouldn't kill him. She wasn't a monster.

  The nameless vampire who slaughtered her family in the middle of the night four hundred years ago, that was a monster. Ripping, tearing, clawing, there was nothing sensual in the way he fed from her. It was only sheer luck Victoria's blood could handle the change, and there was enough of her left.

  There were many evil things in their world. Victoria wasn't one of them.

  *****

  The largest mall in Walton was surprisingly crowded. Victoria assumed on a weeknight the place would be empty. The weather was slowly changing from warm to cool, and it reflected in the surrounding dress. There were a few stragglers in dresses and shorts, but mostly jeans and leggings, with the occasional coat.

  Gathering in a space with so many humans was always an experience, and her senses were extra sharp from her recent feeding. So many scents and sounds. She could smell blood, perfume, sweat, aftershave, alcohol, food, even semen. Constant reminders that humanity was the true master of the world.

  She wasn't blind to the attention she was receiving. People gave her a second look as she passed by, and she heard boyfriends and girlfriends both getting scolded about ogling the beautiful redhead.

  As she entered the food court she took a moment to appreciate the memory of the last time she was there. Private business mercenaries, gun play, magic, mortals running for their lives. Her life was nothing if not interesting.

  The restaurant Friday's wasn't packed, but had a good amount of people, eating dinner, drinking at the bar. Victoria approached the pretty hostess, who gave her a bright smile.

  "Hi. Table for one?"

  "No, thank you." She scanned the restaurant, puzzled she wasn't picking up the scent of a witch. "Is Kevin working tonight?"

  The hostess looked down, searching her brain for the name. "Uh, Kevin…Mishnar?"

  "That's him."

  "He doesn't work here anymore."

  She cursed to herself. It would have been nice for Kristin to inform her of that. "Okay. Thank you."

  The hostess went on, surprisingly helpful. "What's today? Tuesday? He's probably over at the cell phone cover stand, right outside Best Buy. If you see him, tell him to stop over sometime."

  "Thanks very much."

  Victoria crossed the mall, and finally picked up his scent as she neared Best Buy. Kevin was supernatural, and had his own unique scent. She spotted him, sitting at a desk in between two spinning cabinets, full of cell phone cases.

  She'd seen many sights over the centuries that demanded a second look. Watching Kevin at that moment certainly qualified.

  Kevin was a full-blooded witch, the most rare and powerful supernatural creature alive. He was the first one she'd encountered in a century. The last one she'd met raised a town of walking corpses. A mere half-witch was responsible for innumerable deaths during World War II. The Black Death, a witch's doing. It was generally expected to kill a witch on sight, until Victoria broke the rule. Witches, and magic, were simply too dangerous to be unchecked. The supernatural scale was different for them. They were mortal, would live a normal lifespan, but didn't have a lot of rules otherwise. They could even break the rules that didn't pertain to themselves.

  Such as granting a vampire immunity to sunlight. Curing a werewolf. Cursing a human.

  So, it was very strange to watch Kevin, knowing all that he could do, stroking his cat's fur while playing checkers with himself.

  *****

  Kevin Mishnar stifled a yawn as he stretched his free arm over his head. Taking a drink of water, he was almost tempted to pour the rest over his head to wake himself up. He glanced at the time on one of the front TV displays at Best Buy. Two more hours to go before it was time to go home. Then he'd eat a quick dinner, maybe work on a magic potion, go to sleep, and do it all over again. Life was exciting and fun.

  Potential customers stopped at the cabinet next to him, staring at Android phone cases. It was a cute Asian couple, holding hands and standing hip to hip. The woman gave her man a quick kiss on the lips before resting her head on his shoulder.

  "How are you guys doing tonight?"

  They said nothing.

  "If you see a cas
e you're interested in, just let me know."

  Silence. Kevin studied his water, wondering if he somehow drank an invisibility potion by accident.

  The couple left without a word, leaving him alone once again. Kevin simply laughed quietly to himself and scratched Oscar's head. His cat purred contentedly and curled into a ball in front of the checkers board.

  "They were nice people, weren't they, Oscar?"

  Oscar opened his eyes briefly, green, narrow slits, and mewed. The crowds of people making noise didn't bother him in the least.

  His attention was drawn once again to Best Buy, as a small crowd gathered in front of the TV display. Another update was on about the kidnapping at the Smithsonian. It was the only interesting thing Kevin had to listen to all day, although it was a horrible story. More details had finally gone public, and the story had already spread throughout the nation.

  It was officially a kidnapping. The child was Robbie Reigns, son of wealthy businessman Todd Reigns. Kevin's heart went out to the father as he stood behind a podium at a press conference, directly addressing the kidnappers.

  It had turned into a ransom case.

  "We've received your demands," he said. His eyes were red, his voice shaky. "Please, don't harm my son. We're working now to make sure everything you've asked for is met."

  The crowd watching broke apart as the news segment ended. They whispered and talked amongst themselves, pulling their own children a little closer.

  Kevin wondered if he could make a tracking potion or trinket of some kind. He'd read his spell-book, the history of his family and a few others, several times. Sometimes the reading inspired him, and new potions or upgrades to old ones popped in his mind. He didn't know how it worked, and stopped questioning it. If he read pieces of it once more, and kept Robbie Reigns in his thoughts, would something happen? Could he find the young boy?

  He honestly doubted it. It seemed the stronger potions usually involved some very strange ingredients. In the case of a theoretical tracking potion, he would probably need skin or something personal from the boy.

  A group of women stopped near the restroom across from Best Buy, pulling him from his thoughts. They were in their twenties, and Kevin had no problem admiring the view. They hadn't yet got the message that summer was over, and he appreciated their shorts and low-cut shirts.

  One woman slightly bent over, holding a hand to her head. Her friends tended to her from both sides.

  "My head is killing me."

  "Is it a migraine again?"

  "No, but I hope one's not coming on."

  Kevin grabbed a small bottle of water, hidden away in his long coat on the table. His coat held many different ingredients, but water was his introduction to the world of magic, and was key in many potions and trinkets.

  He covered the opening with his thumb and tucked the bottle under the table. The world around him didn't see the water turn blue for ten seconds.

  "Uh, hello?" he called.

  The women noticed him, and he gestured for them to come. They approached, curiosity in their eyes, their heels tapping the floor.

  "Are you okay?" he asked the woman in the middle. "Do you need a drink of water?"

  "Oh, yes. Thank you."

  She took a long drink, and her friends noticed Oscar sleeping on the table.

  "Aww! You have a black cat!"

  The four talked for several minutes, about Oscar. The ladies cooed him and ran their hands down his fur. They laughed together when he rolled on his back to show his belly. He didn't bring Oscar to work to get attractive women close to him. He just wanted Oscar's company. But he wouldn't chase the women away, either.

  Black cat or not, Oscar must have been good luck. They actually introduced themselves. Bree, Carly, and Rhonda. Carly was the one with the headache. Rhonda seemed like she might have been interested in him.

  "Well, we have to go," Bree said. "It was so nice meeting you. Carly? Are you feeling okay?"

  Carly was surprised at the answer to the question, and Kevin's lip curled slightly.

  "Wow. Yeah, I actually feel great."

  "All we needed was an adorable cat and a cute guy," Rhonda said.

  The three walked away. Rhonda turned her head to give one last look. They leaned close to each other and giggled quietly. Kevin wondered if he should have asked for her phone number.

  He sighed in defeat. What was the point?

  "Ah, Oscar," he said, reaching for his cat's tiny dish. "For that, you deserve some nice magical healing water. You earned it." He turned his attention back to his game of checkers. "Why can I never win if I'm red? It's so weird."

  There was a voice behind him.

  "Well, we've got the witch and cat. All we need is a cauldron and a broomstick, and we've got ourselves a party."

  He looked over his shoulder. "Victoria!"

  They both laughed as they shared a hug, drawing attention from the people nearby. She looked the same as always, deceptively beautiful. Long, red hair, pale skin, bright green eyes, supernaturally enhanced figure. Underneath all that beauty was a frightening creature with fangs and a thirst for blood. They'd started out as enemies, but became good friends. They talked every few weeks, and had a Skype video call a month ago.

  He gestured to the other chair at the table. She had a wrapped present with her.

  "Sit down, sit down. What are you doing here?"

  "Oh, just passing through the neighborhood."

  Oscar stood up and stretched, making a pass in front of Victoria. He cried for attention, and Victoria happily obliged, even though she was surprised. Most animals stayed away from her.

  "Yeah, right," Kevin said.

  "I should ask you what you're doing here." She waved around her. "What is this?"

  "It's what I do now. I don't work at Friday's anymore. There's a bunch of these little kiosks around the mall. I watch a few of them, a different one each day."

  "That sounds…boring."

  "Oh, no, it's exciting as hell. I get to watch people, all day long. Three people will walk up and buy something, and my life is complete. I was born for this. And my checker skills…never been better."

  Victoria simply shook her head and laughed, still absorbing the surroundings. Her gaze fell on the TV display at Best Buy, and Kevin's eyes lit up.

  "Hey, I know. Let's go find that missing boy. D.C., right? That's not too far away."

  She smiled. "I don't normally get involved in mortal affairs like that."

  "What if a goblin kidnapped him?"

  "Then I'd have heard about it by now."

  "You're no fun." He was quiet a moment, letting the subject drop. "So, what's happening on your end?"

  "Actually, my life right now is revolving around a wedding. You remember Alex?"

  "No. I forgot about the guy with glowing eyes that can fly."

  "He's getting married in two days."

  Kevin's brow furrowed. "To another demon?"

  She playfully smacked his shoulder. "What? No. To a woman. A wonderful woman."

  He said nothing, lost in his own thoughts. Victoria watched him, studying his body language and expression.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Yeah, yeah, fine. I'm happy for him. He's a cool dude."

  Victoria didn't push further, but would remember to revisit the matter later. She grabbed the neatly-wrapped box next to her and set it on the table. Oscar was immediately interested, pawing at the wrapping.

  "What's this?"

  "A present for you."

  "Seriously?"

  "Yeah. Open it."

  She kept her sadness in check as Kevin ripped at the box. His simple astonishment at receiving a gift reinforced the fact that he didn't receive many.

  Kevin laughed as he balled up the wrapping for Oscar to play with. He turned the box over in his hands, noticing the smile on Victoria's face.

  "We agreed I owed you a laptop," she said.

  "Yeah, my last one died. Most laptops die from a shot motherboard. Mine
was actually shot by a bullet. But it saved a lot of lives, right?"

  "You wouldn't believe how many."

  "Then it was worth it." He held the box up. "Thank you."

  "You're welcome. I'm not a tech girl. The salesman said that was a good one."

  "He was right."

  "Is that what you like to do? Computers? Maybe you should push for that, and not sit in a mall all day."

  He checked the time. "Actually, what I want to do is go home. Just an hour and a half to go."

  "Kevin—"

  He held up a hand, asking for quiet. She followed his stare to a man approaching them. Young, probably just out of high school, with a patchy beard. He looked around nervously as he approached the table.

  "Hey, Kevin," he said. "Can I talk to you? Alone?"

  "It's cool." Kevin gestured to Victoria. "Don't worry. She's a friend. Victoria, this is Josh."

  "Do you got it?"

  Kevin set his present down and reached under his coat, splayed out across the other end of the table. He felt through the unusual things he always carried with him. Salt, pepper, water, glasses, empty vials, markers, snake blood, baking soda. His fingers finally found the vial he was looking for, marked with a piece of tape.

  "Ah, here we go."

  Kevin handed Josh the vial, and Josh handed over a hundred dollar bill. Victoria's jaw dropped.

  "Okay, now, listen," Kevin said. "You still have to study. The night before all your tests, drink that, and read everything you can. You'll remember it all. It doesn't matter what it is. If you read War and Peace, you'll remember every word for the next forty-eight hours."

  "Thanks, man. You're a life-saver."

  Josh tucked the potion in his pocket and walked away. Kevin sat down next to Victoria once again, and finally noticed the stunned expression on her face. He looked at her curiously, wondering what it took to make a four-hundred-year-old vampire speechless.

  "What?"

  "Did you just…sell a potion to that young man?"

  Kevin smiled. "A memory potion. Five dollars and five minutes to make. And he gave me a hundred dollars. I guess it's worth it when he passes all his exams."