Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Cody paced between the tall slab of polished black marble and its accompanying moon dial.
The slab was inscribed with a dedication as well as the seventeen names of those lost during Nicolae’s attempted werewolf takeover.
He didn’t pause to read the names inscribed on the slab or the date of the attacks.
He knew the date and names by heart, especially HAROLD (HAP) BLANCHARD.
His muscles thrummed. He opened and closed his fists as his heart pounded. All this talking about next steps, trying to plan a response to Bastian’s attack felt like wasted time. They needed to be moving, to find and rescue Zenona before she ended up like Hap. Or Rufus. Or Andy.
A flare of guilt pushed through the feel-good hum of the Fang. He’d punched Andy, caused him to bleed and practically sealed his fate with Leo.
“Cody?”
Demmy’s voice brought him to a stop. On the other side of the moon dial, Demmy stood watching him, his back to the rest of their group, which now included the sheriff and the fire chief.
The other townspeople who’d been downtown when the fire started, the ones who’d started chanting their business name for God’s sake, stood on the outer ring of the conversation.
“Yeah?” Cody heard the impatient gruffness in his voice.
“Can you come over here?” Demmy said. “I need your expertise.”
Cody walked around the moon dial and stood beside him.
“We were talking about logistics,” Demmy explained, “around the spreading fire and protection for the fire crews and the deputies.”
“Three of my men are missing,” said the fire chief, Wilson Armstrong. His wide face was red and his blond hair a sweaty tangle. “Just a quick shout, and then they were gone. They’d abandoned their hoses and their stations with no radio contact. That’s not like them.”
“One of my deputies, too.” Sheriff Dale Grubbs added.
He had been an athlete back in the 90s when he’d attended Parson’s Hollow High, but the years and the pitchers of beer down at the Hollow Leg, had stolen his body and his vigor.
He shifted his glare between the two of them and Lucia.
“What the devil are we dealing with this time?”
“Vampires,” Lucia stated in a flat voice as she returned the sheriff’s glare. “And if you’d have allowed me to train the other deputies on these types of threats, we’d have been better prepared.”
“Vampires?” Chief Henderson looked at the monument over Cody’s shoulder.
“We’re going to need another Memorial Park,” someone in the crowd said.
“All right,” Sheriff Grubbs snapped, turning to the crowd. “I need everyone here to disperse. Return to your homes and lock your doors and windows.”
“How’s that going to stop a vampire?” someone asked.
“Don’t invite anyone inside,” Clarabell said, raising her voice. “Including people you know but haven’t seen in a while.”
The sheriff frowned at her. “That’s not helping the situation.”
“It’ll hopefully save some lives,” Tracey shot back. “You need to understand the history of this town and all potential threats against your citizens.”
He took a step closer, pointing at her. “You’re liable to see your library funding reduced at the next town meeting if you don’t watch your tone.”
Tracey laughed and shook her head. “Why are you so reluctant to understand the reality happening here? Not just tonight, either. You’ve mishandled so many other situations over the years. For God’s sake, our mayor got possessed by a demon in April.”
The crowd hadn’t cleared out like the sheriff had ordered, and now Cody heard murmurs running back and forth.
If they sensed some good drama developing, no one would be going home anytime soon.
He felt more focused now, more attuned to everyone else.
Running a hand up and down Demmy’s back, he said quietly, “Wish me luck,” then took a step forward.
“Hey, everyone—” he started.
“Cody, I love you!” a woman called from the back of the crowd, and everyone laughed.
Cody blushed and held up his left hand, pointing to his wedding band. “Thank you, but I’ve been taken off the market.”
More laughter, and a few whispers, including, “I could turn him,” from somewhere in the middle.
“Look, we’ve all seen this kind of thing before. Years ago when some of us were turned into werewolves and that alpha asshole tried to take over.”
“Fucking florist,” a man said. “I knew something about him was off.”
“He was hot though,” a woman said.
“Besides the point.” Cody raised both hands to get their attention back. “Last October, another vampire tried to take us all out, to turn us.”
“That vampire turned my grandma,” a young woman said. “She tried to bite my baby daughter.”
Cody’s stomach turned, and he had a flash of the cold DPW basement and Aldrik’s fangs in his neck. He closed his eyes and clenched his hands tight, feeling his nails dig into his palms. After a breath, he opened his eyes again and looked at the woman in the crowd. “That was a scary time.”
“They never found my grandma,” the woman added, swiping a hand across her cheek. “Is she out there tonight?”
More mumbling and fidgeting within the crowd.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know the answer to that. But, look, it was dangerous as fuck back in October when it all started to happen, and it’s dangerous as fuck out here again tonight. Please, do the smart thing and go to your homes. Lock your doors and stay inside until sunrise.”
“Will it be over then?” someone asked. “Will we be able to go out at night tomorrow? I’ve got movie tickets for over in Glenmont.”
Lucia stepped up beside Cody. Her voice was cold and brokered no bargaining as she said, “This is a very fluid situation. You know the danger we’re facing, we’ve explained it to you. At some point during the day tomorrow we’ll provide an update, but for now go to your homes and stay there.”
“How will you update us?”
“We’ll post an update on the city’s website,” Lucia said.
“That hasn’t been authorized,” Sheriff Grubbs hissed. “You can’t say that.”
Cody turned, wide-eyed. “Dude. Read the room. Shut the fuck up and let her work.”
Grubbs blinked and pulled his head back in surprise, but kept quiet.
“Come on, now,” Demmy said to the crowd, coming up on Cody’s other side. “Please, for your own safety, go home.”
“What about our cars? I parked in the lot.”
“Those who have cars available can drive others to their homes,” Dave suggested. When people started grumbling about it, he added, “It’s a terrible night, and we need to come together as a community. Please support each other.”
In a show of perfect timing, something down the street exploded, sending flames high into the night sky.
Everyone ducked and turned terrified faces toward the fire.
When they’d all recovered, the crowd started to thin.
People offered rides to others, heading for nearby lots and side streets.
Others clumped together in groups and hurried off on foot.
“Now what?” Ollie said, taking Dave’s hand and standing close to his side. “How do we find Zenona? Where would Bastian have taken her?”
“That’s the priority,” Lucia said. “Others are missing as well, along with the firefighters and our deputy.”
Cody took in their group: he and Demmy, Dave and Ollie, Jugs and Agatha, Clarabell, Robin, Tracey, Lucia, and however many deputies might be left.
Amelia and Otis were still there, as were Eileen and Dieter.
Margie hovered nearby, wringing her hands.
Bastian had had it right, damn him. They were a ragtag group, but they’d been through a lot of monster shit already and survived.
Hell, Amelia and a group of seniors had saved Demmy and him from zombies last year, so no one should be counted out, no matter their age or ability.
But they needed a small strike team. A group nimble and quick, comfortable with this kind of fight.
He resumed pacing. If he were a vampire with a huge ego and a plan to turn the whole town into vampires, starting with the one woman who’d been a do-gooder pain in his ass for a while now, where would he want to make a final stand?
Where would he go to bring his entire vision full circle?
A place to really prove a point and drive his takeover of their town home, drive a stake through the heart of Parson’s Hollow?
Cody stopped in his tracks. Even at this distance, he could read every name on the memorial monument.
Down the street, he heard the snap and pop of the fire, the spray and hiss of the water from the hoses, and the static and garbled sounds from police radios.
And embedded in all of that, a brief cry of pain and fear, followed by the quiet tinkle of a bell.
He turned and looked at Demmy. “I know where he is.”
Everyone stopped talking and looked at him, the sheriff and fire chief included.
“You getting telepathic messages or something?” Sheriff Grubbs said with a deep chortle.
Cody ignored him. “I’ve got a hankering for meatloaf, don’t you?”
Demmy frowned, then his expression cleared, and he nodded. “I could eat.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Grubbs looked between them. “We’re not just up and leaving Main Street to burn.”
“You’re right, we’re not leaving Main Street.” Cody threw him a glance. “You all focus on the fire. We’ll handle the rest.” He met Lucia’s eyes. “Right?”
Lucia’s mouth pressed into a thin line as she nodded. “Right.” She triggered her mic and said, “Deputy Walsh, I need you here at Memorial Park.”
Gayle responded she was on her way, and Lucia crossed her arms. “Okay, what’s the plan?”
“Plan?” Cody said with a smile and a shrug. “Save the world. Like any other Tuesday night.”