“It was synthesized with the A and B’s in mind. It mimics blood, but you won’t gain any nutrients. I make sure I have some every day in case I ever meet your blood types. That was what I was doing in the bathroom earlier!”
No wonder she didn’t care if he sucked her blood! “Let me guess. Maryl Rosser?”
“Yes, and she has stuff coming down the pipeline that will make you want to consider turning human!”
Clayton looked at Andree’s smug face. Her arrogance infuriated him. With a swift motion, he took his finger and sliced her throat from side to side. He made sure he did not cut too deep to prolong her death.
After Andree fell to the floor, he took off her stained lab coat and pulled up her left sleeve. Yup, just like he thought. She was part of the fellowship of the fangs. He wondered how many of the other fellowship humans had the same type of Saccharum sanguine; he thought as he took note that Andree had three red blood droplets on one side and none on the other. Still, she wasn’t high in rank, but she wasn’t the lowest minion.
Clayton noticed her watch now but hadn’t seen one earlier. Damn!
He ran to his scientists. “We have to leave now! Unfortunately, we were discovered. Maryl is on her way, and I have no idea when she’ll arrive. Pack your stuff, now! And don’t take what you don’t need. I’d like to leave without having to make eight trips.” He grabbed the tote bag. “And leave the lights on, that old trick never fails.”
They rushed to the vans and left without looking back in four trips.
Thirty minutes later, Desiree pulled up to the university and pointed upward. “The lights are on. Hopefully, they are still there.”
“I see they have a parking garage around the corner. Let’s go in there and get as close as we can,” Maryl said while she pointed.
They drove slowly. The gravel and the rain made their progression slow.
Maryl aimed her finger at the ground. “Tire tracks.”
The car screeched to a halt on the first floor in the parking garage.
“I don’t see an entrance to the building on this floor,” Maryl stated.
“There are stairs we can climb,” Desiree suggested.
“No, I don’t smell them. Go another level up.”
They drove to the second floor. “Same stairs are leading up.”
“Drive to the next level,” Maryl commanded.
On the third level, they saw the elevator. They got out and sniffed the air.
“They are either here, or recently left,” Desiree yelled.
“Go! Take the elevator, Desiree! Seek your revenge!”
Desiree’s eyes grew darker, and when she smiled, fangs were protruding out. “Gladly!”
She and other vampires rushed to the elevator. They banged on the door impatiently, waiting for their floor so the door would open.
Maryl spoke to several vampires hanging out outside their cars. “Go and take the stairs from the floors! See if they are hiding there!”
Most of them left at once. Some stayed behind to protect Maryl. She still had close to two dozen O negative vampires at her disposal in case they came through an exit she wasn’t expecting.
Several minutes later, Desiree came out of the elevator with the other vampires.
“They are gone.”
“Let me talk to Andree. She was supposed to keep them here!” Maryl said in utter disappointment.
“I’m afraid she is dead, Maryl. Her neck was sliced from side to side, and her left wrist was exposed. They also drained the blood from one of their own scientists.”
“What’s gotten into Clayton?”
“He’s desperate, which makes him dangerous, Maryl.” Desiree said evenly.
“Why is he so hellbent on destroying our types? He can consume any human he wants, while we can’t!”
“He’s delusional. If he didn’t know about the stupid serum, we wouldn’t be in this predicament,” Desiree said in agitation.
Maryl rushed to Desiree and grabbed her by the neck. “Are you saying that somehow this is all my fault? Who was the one that didn’t tell me about Stephen visiting and giving the serum to Clayton?”
Desiree gasped for breath. She was losing consciousness. “I’m… sorry, I wanted to see how it played out,” she said as Maryl released her sturdy grip. Desiree fell to the wet ground.
“Get up! I have work to do!” Maryl admonished.
Desiree grabbed the door handle for support as she slowly raised to a standing position.
“I favored you, Desiree, but don’t think that off-handed remark won’t go unpunished! Do we understand each other?” Maryl tilted her head. A few of the vampires sped to her. “Watch her. She is no longer trustworthy!”
Desiree held her throat and traced Maryl’s fingertips along the neck. Her breath felt constricted as she sucked in air. She coughed so that she could expel air.
The vampires returned from the stairs. “No one was hiding, Maryl. We would have smelled them and heard them.”
Maryl looked up to the rainy night and yelled, “Where are you, Clayton Cole?”
Chapter Thirteen
Indiana, Along Interstate 70
Present Day, July 15th
“We have been traveling for two days, Clayton! We need to find a research facility soon, or I’m going to go nuts,” Jack lamented.
Clayton looked at the multitude of coolers. “Do we have enough ice?”
“For now, yes. Ice on blood will only last seven hours. We’ll need some by tonight.”
“Once we find a facility with large coolers, how long does blood last?” Clayton asked curiously.
Jack was driving and reading the phone map. “Thirty-five days from the time the blood was taken,” Jack said as he looked up. “I’ve done an exhaustive search. We probably have to head eastward toward the east coast to find a facility that meets our needs.”
“I’d prefer somewhere in the Midwest. I have more choices for safehouses here.”
Jack turned right at the next exit. He slowed his speed at the exit ramp. “Right or left?”
“I always turn right,” Clayton said.
Jack found a large shopping plaza with hardly any cars.
Clayton glanced around. Just outside the periphery of the stores lurked a myriad of trees that gave it a secluded look. “Forget something, Jack?”
Jack parked near
