Naked Came the Vampire (Hypernaturals 1)

Breaking and Entering

Helen called early the next morning on the current disposable phone. It is a pain in the ass to keep track of which number is currently the one we are supposed to use, but obviously nothing like the pain of being hung and thrashed like a side of Venison. Her voice low and terse. "I'm at his house, getting all the listening devices collected. I'll track him down in an hour or so. He should be in one of his usual morning spots. Are you ready on your end?"

It was not an insultingly phrased question. Even though I sat at my house alone, if you don't count cats, I needlessly answered in the same low tone of voice. "Yes: If I get into the computer, I can get the good stuff given time, and be out without him knowing I was there."

"Good. If he follows his routine it will probably be about four PM when he heads out to the boat and Maria. Keep the phone on and charged."

Right. Like I would forget to charge the phone on a day like today. It is not worth getting into her with it though.

"Got it. Good luck." I said instead.

"When you are done, meet me in the parking lot of the Walmart, over by the big donations box, so we can talk about what you found."

"Ok. See you there about 5:30 or 6 then."

Helen is being all business. I guess Holly has to work tonight. Or went back to men. I laughed to myself at that idea. Not likely: I am pretty sure that any human that has sex with a five-hundred-year-old Vampire like Helen would probably have a difficult time going back to a lesser being so quickly. Holly may have wanted me first because of my lingering aroma, but she had not been settling with Helen, and that is before she found out what Helen is like in bed.

Whatever that is.

Surely five hundred years teaches you something. I can think of no good way to ask about that without sounding as if I want to take Helen to bed. I would just wait for it to come up someday. I have time. I hope.

Jessica, by natural inclination, is more interested in men. I am glad for more than having her in my life. I will take every advantage I can get. Competing with Helen on an even basis would be a losing proposition. Not that I would ever tell her that.

I spent the day writing computer code, but most of it is crap. Too keyed up thinking about what I am about to do. I spent a ton of time working on making lunch as a distraction. My shower long and slow. I even dallied over my clothes trying to be sure what I picked is utterly mundane. No logos. No t-shirts with superheroes or clever sayings. I have surprisingly few such items. I found a plain baseball cap to tuck my hair up into. It's not that long, but it's longer than the average and therefore memorable. If nothing else, it made the color less easy to determine from across the street. Cheap aviator sunglasses and dark tennis shoes finished off the house-breaking ensemble.

When the time to leave for Arnold's arrived, I was ready in every way except emotionally. I am not going to let fear stop me from doing this thing. It is not bravery. Partly necessity and partly cowardice. On the one hand, Helen would give me shit on and on if I bailed. Bad as that would be it is not why I am doing breaking and entering. Jessica needs me to do this, and that means no matter what, I am going to.

I drove slowly. Watching my mirrors. Paranoid as all hell, as if people I drove past would look over and ask themselves: 'Huh: I wonder which cops computer he is going to violate today?'.

I parked at around 3:50 PM and waited. A Fiat 500 in Austin is nothing unique. I read that Austin is the number one market in the USA for them. Like having a pickup truck in Houston or a BMW in Dallas or a Subaru in Colorado. Being in a common car is good. It would be even better if it was a Prius. You can't throw a rock around this town without breaking out a Prius windshield. I would have gotten one, but they don't come in convertibles. I probably should have rented one. There were two other Priusii in plain sight on this street alone. The ultimate Austin stealth machine.