Naked Came the Vampire (Hypernaturals 1)

Ski Condo

The ski condo is pure Santa Fe regional: white stucco with dark exposed wooden beams popping out of the side on the floor and roofline. If one gave directions around here you could never say 'Turn left at the two-story white stucco' because that would be meaningless. The only thing that would differentiate it is that it is not a one-story or a three-story white stucco. I am not being critical. Stucco is a design that works well here, in this climate. Hell: I have an Adobe. There is also that if you want to blend in, hiding in the nearly identical buildings makes another kind of sense.

We pulled into the two car garage after the automatic door rolled up and the light came on. There was a slightly jacked up, off-road ready Jeep Wrangler already parked in there. It seems Jessica comes equipped with more than just spare names.

I slept most of the way again, and when I woke up, we were here. I am utterly useless as a co-driver, but I doubt I could use the pedals easily anyway. On the other hand now that I rested some more, I felt a little better.

I suddenly had a worry. "I really need to call Danny at some point. Let him know I need him to keep taking care of my cats."

Jessica paused from putting stuff in a purse. "You know his number?"

I gave a less painful than I would have thought possible shrug. "It's in the address book of my phone, wherever the hell that is. Does anyone know actual phone numbers anymore?"

Jessica reached into the center console of the Honda and pulled out my phone. She waved it at me. "You can't use this to make the call. You have to turn off all the radios and GPS. Arnold can use that to track us. This is just an expensive address book now."

I nodded my understanding while pondering the fact she took my phone. She handed me another small, cheap looking cell phone.

"Use this burner. Disposable phone I mean. One time only. Next time you need to make a call, we'll use a different phone number."

My pondering took a quick turn away from 'She took my phone' to 'Fuck: She is thinking two or three steps ahead'. I tried not to stare. She is easy to stare at in any case, and that's before this prepared thinking became known to me.

I suddenly felt safer, and more stupid, all at once. "Burner. Right." I finally managed. The mystery that is Jessica keeps getting deeper. It did not make her any less intriguing.

I powered up my phone, put it quickly into flight mode, turned off the GPS, and then looked up Danny's number. Sad thing these days: I rarely actually know a phone number. My phone keeps all my trivia in it. I committed his number to short-term memory, and then dialed the 'burner'. Danny answered a little unsurely, the number he could see not popping up in his address book.

"Hello?". Danny's voice was very noncommittal.

"Danny, It's me... Adrian."

Danny went from cautious to excited. "Dude! Are you OK? You didn't check in. I couldn't reach you."

It was good to hear his voice. "I'm fine, Danny. Everything is fine. Just had a problem with my phone. Borrowed this one." I glanced at Jessica.

It sounded like he had been near panic. "I am so glad to hear from you man! I was worried!"

I gave him my best reassuring tones. "Thanks. Sorry: this really is the first chance I have had to call. Sorry about the worry."

"I'm just glad you're OK." Danny said, extremely relieved. If he only knew how close that came to not being true. I flashed on the cop with the knife coming at me as I hung there.

As I talked on the phone to Danny I followed Jessica duckling-like in the back door and found myself standing in a small kitchen. "Danny, I don't have a lot of time right now. Listen... I found her."