The Vampire Always Bites Twice | Wattys 2022 Grand Prize Winner

10

Isla, ̶S̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶T̶h̶i̶r̶s̶t̶y̶ ̶ Tipsy

The vamp took up residence in the bar across the street. He was watching me. That bloodsucker. I closed the curtain and flicked off my neon. Shop was closed. Vamp totally ruined my vibe to do business tonight. Seriously. How could I be expected to entertain customers after experiencing such a fright.

I opened a bottle of bottom shelf prosecco, poured a generous portion in a Netherworld's Okayest Sister mug and peeked outside my window again. Grumpkin sat with me on the bed, purring in my lap. I lavished him with ear scratches for being such a good little monster.

Grumpkin's furry sack, that was close, wasn't it? I mean, that vamp could have melted my brain, picked at my skull fragments for the info he wanted, slit me open and drank his fill and there's nothing I could have done to stop him. Every nerve in my body tingled. He'd been so close. So close to tearing out my throat and he just... let me kick him out?

And left his card. Gregorio Vasilescu. Private Investigator.

I checked out the window again. Yep. Still there, not drinking his beer, doodling in his little notebook. Damn it, he was doodling about me wasn't he? I said too much when I was under. I know that. Should've kept that damn finger a secret.

I tapped Grumpkin's nose. "You could have lent a paw, you know."

He swatted at me.

I needed to know what that vamp was writing about me. And why he was looking for Lily.

Son of witch's left tit. Lily. How did I not recognize her? All this time I could have just gone downstairs and asked about her... but now she's missing... and vampires are looking for her. Was she a bloodbag? Shit. Vamps hate it when you mess with their food. Crap. That ragged wound in her side, was that a bite? Was that vamp style? Bite to the abdomen? Screw it, who cares, she's missing. She's alive (you're welcome) but she's missing—

Oh, goatsuckers. What if she's missing because she isn't supposed to be alive? What if the vamps looking for her want her dead?

My heart hammered in my throat. My throat which came so very close to being slit open tonight.

Okay. Fine. Shit. Shit. This was fine.

I could fix this. I needed to find her before the vamps looking for her filed an actual Missing Property Report with the Magistrate and got me arrested. Again.

And simply, shrug, undo that teensy weensy resurrection spell. Just, you know, not in my apartment this time. S'not like that be killing her. She was basically already dead when she got here.

Grumpkin's whiskers twitched.

"Don't give me that look."

I checked the window. Oh. He was gone. I scanned the street and was surprised to actually find him heading west up South. That's it? He was really just leaving? Was that good?

Well, it gave me a chance to do a little digging of my own, at least. Vamp said Lily's coworker had spilled the beans on me.

He was only out of sight for like, twenty minutes by the time I shoved my fat ass back through the doors of the Bean & Brew.

Mason gawked at the robe hanging off my shoulder.

"Mason!" I roared. "What the cat piss did you tell the—" I ground my teeth to stop from yelling vamp. Mason was, after all, only human. I'd sure hate to add another charge of Revealing Otherworldly Secrets to my rap sheet. "That, guy. The skinny guy. Pale one. With the leather jacket. What did he want to know?"