Naked Came the Vampire (Hypernaturals 1)

Council of War, Civilian Version

Our little council of war convened in Jessica, Helen, and my room. Veggies, chips, dips, and drinks in hand, we sat facing each other. Lori and Danny sat on the couch. Jessica and Helen sat on the bed. I sat on the floor and leaned against Jessica's legs. She caressed my hair occasionally, and I tried not to purr.

Danny opened it up. "So, what happened?". He then popped a baby carrot in his mouth figuring correctly he would not need to be talking for a while.

Before Danny and Lori came over the Vampire population consulted. Helen and Jessica fabricated an outline and would improvise the details. I planned to watch the masters at work. That and lean against Jessica's legs and enjoy her scent, her presence, and her light caresses of my head. I am a simple man with few requirements in life. Ralph and I share common goals.

Helen half raised her hand in answer to Danny. "It is my mistake. I became so used to following these people around and I mistakenly thought not being noticed. I came to think of them as stupid. They are not. Apparently, they observed me at some point around one or perhaps more of their deliveries. I suppose you don't make it in the drug business without being quite paranoid. I was not even following them! I was watching Arnold's coming and going, but I suppose they were working in the area: Arnold would be near them making sure the coast is clear. Why they pay him. They must have seen me watching him."

Helen was not happy with herself for getting caught. It is not a thing an experienced Vampire should let happen. A Council member no less! I know her anger at herself and so I did not tease her about it. If I could distract her from it, I will.

Helen continued depressedly. "Whatever the reason and whenever they observed me before, they obviously saw me today and put two and two together. I waited in the parking lot for Adrian after our little break-in to Arnold's computer. They must have followed me there from wherever they had seen me and bided their time. I was not looking out for anyone. Instead, I read a book as I waited. I was not being careful... or correctly paranoid. I am not an expert on following people, this is clear. I stupidly felt up to that point I had been doing well. I became overconfident."

I think it is more than that. I am pretty sure her prejudices kicked in. She got cocky because they are just men. Human men. She is a female Vampire. Human men are snacks and dalliances to Helen, at least subconsciously. I am guessing all of this based off the way I have seen her act, and the way I was treated by the Council. I do not think I am far wrong.

I saw an opening to pull her chain, and it didn't even involve breast jokes. "Helen, you are hardly expected to be an expert on every skill we need for this problem. Who could be at your age? Not like they teach tailing drug lords at Cambridge."

"Oxford. No, they don't." Her look at me undecipherable.

Lori leaned forward. "So you are sitting there waiting. What happened? How did you get away?"

"They used two vehicles, came at me from two directions. My automobile suddenly blocked in by theirs and others. It's still there. Hearing their binders and tires making a hideous noise as they pulled up, quite literally screeching to a halt, I looked up, recognized them. I exited the vehicle and ran."

Helen looked at me. "I am fairly fast. In a crowded parking lot, I possessed an advantage. They were required to go around. I could go through. They resumed their cars to chase me down. As luck would have it, Adrian happened to be pulling up for our meeting, saw me running. He was closer to me than they, fortunately, so he intercepted me, using his automobile horn like a mad man so I would look and see him.. I jumped in and he sped off, driving like an utter lunatic. Honestly, I had no idea those little cars such as he has could be driven in such a way."