The Trouble with Evie

Chapter 47

"Look, at the moment, we're pooling our money to get this done. I'll build the house, and you'll pay the bills. When the house is back and everything is peachy again, we'll revisit this. The remaining money will be split sixty-forty so that you've got a decent amount in the bank. How's that?"

"It's okay, I guess."

"Good. I'm hungry."

"I would advise against going into the forest. Perhaps if you took the car and went into town it would be safer. Just avoid other vampires and come straight back."

"Can we go with him?"

"No." Anzide grumped.

Anzide looked between us, then let out a frustrated huff.

"I went out to search for Niko again and ended up going past the woman's house. She has a partner who had clearly reported her missing because Larry was there. They haven't found the body, but you can guarantee that Drakkus will know by now. All the vampires that he has control of will be on the lookout for a vampire, but they will already know who it is because of the proximity to this place."

"Will Larry turn up?"

Anzide shook his head.

"It is doubtful. Drakkus wants to show his power, and to let a human cop take down a member of the Corbin family would be a missed opportunity. That's why you need to be careful out there. Listen to your instincts, and pay attention to your surroundings. Get your feed done, and don't waste time with unimportant things. You managed to harness the skills quite well when you fed on that woman, and I would imagine that nothing has changed."

Brad nodded and got up from the table. Once the jacket was on and the car keys were in his pocket, he was gone.

"Should we be worried that something will happen?"

"Vampires are a remarkable creature, even if they are classed as a newborn. They adapt quickly, which you saw when Brad fed on that woman. He was reluctant when we were here at the table, but that soon passed. Once he knew that it was within him, Brad let the vampire take control. I suspect that all of his humanity has faded. As for the shapeshifter, it is hard to say. There could be something left within him, but it is unlikely."

"Do I need to sleep with one eye open?"

Anzide chuckled.

"Did you need to when Niko lived in the house with you?"

"No, but Brad's a newborn. He's clearly struggling."

"That was because the humanity was dying, and the shapeshifter was fighting with the vampire. It was also because he didn't understand and was hungry. He will learn control, and he will not be hungry provided that he finds a worthy meal."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then I will watch over him."

I distracted myself by tidying the van, putting things away into their temporary homes, and generally trying to avoid thinking about Brad being alone.

Anzide looked at the clock, giving me a grim smile. It had been an hour.

Brad wasn't here. We hadn't heard a peep out of him, and I was worried. There was a lot of danger out there and he was a prime target for Drakkus and his followers.

"I can go out and search for him, but I can't guarantee that I will find him. As much as this is a small town, there are a lot of places to hide."

"Yeah, but we're in a really bad situation. Brad's taken too long, and if one of the other vampires has found him, he could be in danger."