The Psychic and the Vampire

Chapter Eighteen

Ant woke up a few short seconds before Able started to growl. He quickly checked his surroundings. He was in his bed, in his room, which meant he was in his house, and yes Ant needed to be that specific. Also, he was awake, not dreaming. There was a naked vampire snoring beside him, hogging most of the blankets Ant noticed, but that wasn’t what woke him or why Able was growling.

Someone was trying to get into his house.

As he rolled out of bed, Ant glanced at the windows. It was definitely nighttime, and his phone screen that lit up as he picked it up showed it was just after three in the morning. Not the sort of time Bridget would come visiting, and she wouldn’t be scratching at the glass on his back door. She had a key to his front door.

Determined to take care of the issue before Viktor woke up, Ant frowned as Able stood, blocking his way. “What?” He mouthed, raising his hands. But as he did, Ant noticed his arms were naked, and so was the rest of him. Not a common situation for him.

“Good boy.” He patted Able’s head between his ears and then went over to the door, taking down his robe that was hanging on the back of it. Slipping it on and wrapping the cord firmly around his waist, Ant nodded at his dog. “Now let’s go and see who wants our attention so badly, shall we?” He kept his voice low, but as Viktor was still snoring, he doubted the vampire had heard him.

Ant knew every inch of his house, so he didn’t bother with lights as he made his way downstairs, Able racing ahead of him with his tail wagging – he did love a chance to do his job.

The prospective intruders were at the back of the house. Ant could see that would make sense from a criminal perspective – it was the farthest point of his house from the road.

But Ant was still confused. If the intruders had spent anything more than five minutes checking his place they would have seen the cameras the police installed around his property after his first attack due to one of his earlier cases, and if they had any sensation in their skin at all, they would feel his wards.

Pausing by his utility room door, Ant tilted his head and then winced as someone let out a muffled yell. “Ouch. Damn it.”

All right. His wards were working. Ant listened some more. If the people left his door alone, then he’d just go back to bed and file a report at a more respectable hour. But no. Able was crouched by his feet ready to spring, and he was still growling.

“Guess we’d better ask them what they want before they hurt themselves.” Ant sighed. He wasn’t a fan of confrontation – he didn’t understand what made people act the way they did at the best of times. But, conscious of Viktor still asleep upstairs, Ant flicked on the light in the utility room and went and stood a couple of feet from the door.

He was staring at statues through the glass. Two men hunched over, one with a screwdriver in his hand and one with a crowbar, both startled by the sudden light. Their faces were tilted toward the glass, their eyes wide and one of them had his mouth open.

“Did you want something?” Ant knew the respectful way to speak to someone was to ask them if he could help them, but Ant didn’t want to help the two men. He wanted them to leave.

One of the men recovered faster than the other one, standing up straight, the hand with the screwdriver hanging loosely by his side as if that would hide it. “You’re the psychic fella?”

“I am a psychic, yes.” Ant nodded. “But this is way outside of my business hours, and I never see anyone at home. My office address and business hours are on my website.”

“You need to come with us.” The other man had dropped his crowbar and pulled out a gun from somewhere, pointing at Ant through the glass. “Open the door and step out now.”

Ant thought for a moment. The man’s request was very specific, but that didn’t mean it made sense. “Why would I come with you in the middle of the night?”

“Because I said so.” The man waved his gun for emphasis. “I’m the one holding the gun.”

“I can see the gun,” Ant said. “There’s nothing wrong with my eyesight. I still don’t see that as a reason to go anywhere. Where did you intend on taking me?”

“Where did we…? Are you hearing this guy, Nigel? Where does it matter where we’re taking you. I’m holding the gun. That means you shut up and do as you’re told.”

Ant yawned and quickly covered his mouth with his hand. “I’m tired,” he said once the yawn had passed. “My sister will be here for breakfast in a few hours. If you can’t be bothered to tell me where I’m going, then I’m not going with you. Come back and see me when it’s daylight, if you have to, but I’m going back to bed.”

“Look, magic puff.” The man with the screwdriver leaned closer to the glass, his mouth pulled into a sneer. “If you don’t open this door and step out right now, then we’re coming in and you don’t want that.”

“Yeah. Tony Manzano has put a price on your head and that of the vampire and we’re collecting that money.”

“Ah, all right. At least I see why you’re here now.” Ant nodded and then yawned again. “Thank you for that. Money is definitely a strong motivator for criminal behavior. But why are you pointing the gun at me? Why didn’t you go after the vampire?”

“Well, duh. That blood sucker would tear our heads off, and he’s faster than a bullet.” The gunman shook his head. “We’ll take you. The payout is just the same.”

“That’s very astute of you.” Ant approved – he liked it when people showed initiative. “Unfortunately, you won’t be using me for your payout either. I’m not going anywhere. I need more sleep. It’s been a busy day. Criminals don’t catch themselves, you know, unless they’re silly ones.”

“I’ll shoot the glass out,” the gunman warned. “Don’t think that I won’t. I will still get paid if your legs are bleeding.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you.” Ant was equally firm. “You couldn’t even get your screwdriver to work against the door handle. Using a bullet would…”

He never got to finish the sentence. The man with the gun jerked the trigger. The bullet hit the glass and rebounded, but just as both men cried out in fear, likely because the bullet zinged between them, Viktor appeared out of nowhere, slamming the men’s heads together before grabbing the gun out of a limp hand.

“You,” he yelled at a stunned Ant as he crumpled the gun in his hand. “I can’t believe you. Have you got no concern for your personal safety at all? You just stood there with a gun pointed at you. What were you thinking?”

“I guess I’d better put the coffee on,” Ant said to Able, who was happily wagging his tail. “It doesn’t look like I’m getting anymore sleep tonight. Go on, then boy.” He opened the door to let Able out now the gun was in safe hands. “Have fun.”

Tugging his robe around him more firmly, Ant wandered back into the kitchen and flicked on the light in there. As he got the coffee machine going, he thought about calling the police. But then he remembered the look on Viktor’s face and thought he’d wait and ask his mate what he thought first. From the tone Viktor used, Ant did think he might have committed another mating mistake.

I’ll ask him, Ant decided, pulling out a couple of mugs. That’s probably what a mate would do. Although in my defense, when I asked Viktor what a mate did, he didn’t answer me with any specifics so if I got it wrong, then I’m not to blame.