Grave Creatures Read online

  I gulped and said, “Not good.”

  Chapter 15

  The sun was starting to come up and that meant things were likely to die down for the night. Poor choice of words, I know.

  Every now and then we’d get activity during the day, but it wasn’t common. Besides, where subdivisions had a “neighborhood watch,” we at the PPD had a “supernatural watch.” There were members of the supernatural community who were always looking out for odd things to report. This typically resulted in a lot of bogus calls, but Lydia had learned to weed things out over the years.

  The light on the cemetery showed that Portman and his crew had done an incredible job. A trained eye may have been able to spot if things were out of place, but I couldn’t see anything off. To be fair, though, I wasn’t hanging out in cemeteries all the time. Still, it was tight. There was no way Portman’s gang had managed this manicuring through shovel work. There was magic involved, which made sense seeing that he had quite a few mages and wizards on his crew.

  “All right everyone,” I called out as Portman’s line of white vans drove away, “it’s been a long night. We all need to get some rest because I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Fred.”

  There was no argument.

  Rachel decided to hitch a ride back with Felicia and Jasmine since they were heading her way. Chuck and Griff lived in the same place, but they took Warren and Serena with them.

  I cut down the strip and turned on to Jerry Lewis Way and into my condominium complex.

  The Martin was a nice high rise that sat within walking distance of the Bellagio and the Aria. It was a classy joint with the standard palm trees deal on the drop-off/pick-up area. When I was looking for a place to hang my hat, there were many options, but I’d always thought of Dean Martin as the King of Cool. I never delved into the depths of his personal life or anything, but his TV and movie presence was enough for me. That meant that living in a building named after him suited me.

  I threw my keys to the valet and pushed my way into the lobby, waved at the desk clerk, and jumped into the elevator.

  My condo was modern with sleek lines and marble flooring. I could see most of downtown via the various windows that ran from one side of the place to the other, and the terrace was huge. Five bedrooms and three baths was probably a bit much for a bachelor, but I sometimes entertained and I didn’t like using my sleeping room for playing around.

  I took two steps in when I realized that something was wrong.

  There was a vibration that I’d felt many times before. It wasn’t an unpleasant one, not to me anyway, but it also wasn’t expected.

  There she sat on my beige leather couch, holding a glass of wine. She had short black hair that was cut with straight lines to frame the high cheek bones on her perfect face. Her ruby red lips barely hinted at the sinister grin that her creased eyes gave away. She wore an outfit that was somehow darker than black, and her legs were crossed, revealing a tall swinging stiletto boot.

  She was a succubus.

  Not like Serena who just played the part in our past roleplaying fun. This was the genuine article.

  One of the magical bits I did have was the ability to scan my surroundings. It didn’t work in congested areas, but it was perfect for places like my condo. I heightened my senses and reached out to each room, the bathrooms, and the closets. Then I scanned the terrace.

  She was alone.

  That was good, at least. It was tough enough handling one succubus. Handling two or three would be…awesome.

  “Hello,” I said after gaining my bearings.

  She merely tilted her head in response.

  “Come here often?”

  A grin.

  I took out my phone and checked my schedule. There was nothing on my calendar regarding my having a date today, so this was something beyond that. I thumbed over my personal emails and saw nothing there either. Every now and then I’d meet someone who seemed normal enough but then turned out to be something more. If I had a nickel for every smokin’ hot chick I picked up at a bar who turned out to be a succubus, I’d have a jar full of nickels.

  So this was an authentic naughty haunting?

  Cool.

  The question, though, was who sent her? Somebody had to have. Either that or she arrived on her own volition. Maybe she’d heard of me through friends? That was certainly a possibility. I did have a reputation in the succubus community.

  She was playing it smooth, though. No words, just a batting of eyelashes and a seductively bouncing boot.

  Two could play at that game. Not the eyelashes and bouncing boots bit. I mean the part about playing it cool.

  “Right. Well, I have to take a quick shower as I have zombie juice all over me, but I’ll be out shortly.”

  She took another sip of her wine.

  Chapter 16

  I stepped from the shower to see that she was already waiting for me in my room, and she was slightly less clothed than before. In fact, the only thing she was still wearing were those boots. She also had a whip, of course. It was a succubus thing.

  My horny meter was at full, which was abundantly apparent as I caught a glance of myself in the mirror. I quickly snagged a robe and sought to get the upper hand, so to speak. Regardless of how crazy my libido was, my sense of survival was stronger and an unannounced succubus put me on edge. Hopefully it would turn out to be a happy coincidence, but I had to find out before I allowed myself to fall under her spell.

  “So, Gladys,” I said playfully, “what brings you to my room?”

  Her brow furrowed. “My name is not Gladys.”

  “Oh right, sorry. Shiela. I meant to say Shiela.” I shrugged. “It’s been a long night. Still trying to recover, you know.”

  “It’s not Shiela either.” She looked almost hurt.

  “Kay?

  “No.”

  “Beatrice?”

  “Uh uh.”

  “Hmmm.” I stroked my chin and frowned. I had to string her on a little longer. “Well, this is embarrassing. I’m not exactly getting off on the right foot here, am I?”

  “No.”

  I snapped my fingers and pointed at her. “Celia, right? Yeah, that’s it!”

  “That’s not it.” She had her arms crossed now and she was pouting. “That’s not it at all.”

  If there was any one weak point about a succubus (and an incubus, I’d imagine), it was their inability to handle anything that made their confidence wane. An unconfident succubus was not effective in the least. They preyed on the weak, after all.

  “Henrietta?”

  “Seriously?” she said with a look of shock. “Do I look like my name would be Henrietta?”

  “What’s wrong with Henrietta?”

  She didn’t reply. Instead, she began putting her clothes back on. She was murmuring to herself what sounded like curses. I even heard the name “Henrietta” mumbled a few times, along with a snort.

  I had her right where I wanted her.

  She was vulnerable.

  She was no longer in charge.

  “Stop what you’re doing,” I said seriously.

  She gave me an “excuse me” look, raised eyebrow and all.

  “You heard me. Stop.” I stepped over to her and stared into her eyes. It was a hard stare. The kind of stare that made you uncomfortable. “You came here for a reason, no?”

  “The moment is gone,” she said with a hint of uncertainty.

  “It doesn’t have to be.” I kept my face taut as I reached out and caressed her cheek, sending hints of energy into her. There was some magic that I was really good at. Her mouth opened slightly and her skin began to flush. “Tell me your name.”

  “Priscilla,” she replied breathily.

  I removed my hand and walked out to the living room, leaving her behind. There was little doubt that she was standing right where I left her, swimming in a pool of utter confusion. That thought made me smile.

  I poured myself a glass of wine and sat in the same spo
t she’d occupied when I’d first spotted her.

  The sun was up and full now so I clicked the remote to bring the shades down, dimming the area perfectly. Having money afforded me with a plethora of niceties, and I did my best to avail myself of most of them.

  Priscilla came out a few moments later looking seriously lost.

  “Sit here,” I commanded, patting the spot next to me.

  She complied without a word.

  I ran my finger down her exposed leg and her breath caught.

  Like I said, I’m good at this.

  Just when she was starting to really warm up to things, I pulled my hand away. It was the same game she would have played on me had I not stopped her. Tease and denial were the primary tools used by her kind.

  She looked at me with pleading eyes.

  “Who sent you?” I asked before casually taking a sip of my wine.

  “I don’t know,” Priscilla replied without delay. “He didn’t give his name.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “He was old and frail with reddish cheeks and sunken eyes.”

  I sat up. “Shitfaced Fred sent you?”

  The spell was broken at my outburst.

  “Huh?” Priscilla looked around as if trying to sort out where she was. “What’s going on?” She was blinking and frowning and starting to look more than a bit irritated. “How are you seducing me? I’m a succubus. You’re not supposed to be able to seduce me.”

  “Do you want to stop playing, then?” I asked genuinely. “No means no, you know?”

  “It does?” she said, looking confused. Considering that she was a succubus, it made sense that she wouldn’t grasp the concept of mutual consent. “Since when?”

  “Since forever. So are you leaving or do you wish to stick around and play by my rules?”

  “I’ll stay,” she said. “It’ll be interesting.” She then pulled back and gave me the once-over. “Wait a second here. Are you an incubus?”

  “No,” I said, leaning in close and brushing my lips against hers, inflicting her with my spell again. She swooned, which is a word I never thought I’d use. “I’m an amalgamite.”

  Chapter 17

  I strolled into the office as the sun was setting. It’d been a fun day and I had a spring in my step. At the same time, I was a bit concerned over the fact that our friendly necromancer had sent me a succubus. She swore she didn’t know the reason she’d been sent, and I gave her plenty of encouragement to tell me.

  “Lydia, could you please get everyone to the meeting room?” I said as I keyed up my computer and checked for messages. “Something odd has happened.”

  “You got it, lover.”

  I sauntered into the meeting room a couple of minutes later. Everyone was looking refreshed and ready for the next volley of zombie fun. I could only hope that Portman’s crew felt the same because they were likely to get another call within a few hours. I didn’t know that for certain, obviously, but seeing that we were in Vegas, I was playing the odds.

  “I know that look,” said Rachel, shaking her head.

  “Yep,” agreed Jasmine.

  Felicia merely rolled her eyes while Serena grinned evilly. Oh, how I missed her. My all-day playmate was a lot of fun, but Serena was better.

  “So a succubus was at my place when I got home this morning,” I announced with a serene smile. It faded quickly and I held up my hands. “Now, before you all start getting any dastardly thoughts about this, I had nothing to do with it.”

  Rachel looked taken aback. “You had nothing to do with it? You mean you didn’t screw her? I’m impressed!”

  “I never said that,” I replied as if slapped. “I’m not an idiot. I’m just saying that I wasn’t the one who called her over.” I took a breath. “She was there when I arrived.”

  “Sorry to say it, Chief,” Chuck piped up, “but this isn’t exactly surprising. You’re pretty well known for your horndoggishness, you know?”

  “Thank you,” I said, taking that as a compliment. “The thing is that I turned the tables on her and got her talking.” That got their attention. “She was sent by our pal, Shitfaced Fred.”

  “Oh,” Rachel said, leaning forward. “Why?”

  “I couldn’t get it out of her.”

  “Losing your touch, eh? Did you try all your moves?”

  I loved a challenge. “I could give you the full details, if you’d like, Rachel?”

  “No, no,” said Rachel, waving at me. “We don’t need the play-by-play here.”

  “I wouldn’t mind hearing about it,” Serena argued.

  Lydia chimed in an instant later. “I’m with Serena. Don’t spare the details, stallion.”

  “Unbelievable,” Rachel scoffed.

  Everyone in this room knew about my abilities, even the guys. The ladies had all experienced it firsthand, back in the day, and the guys had just heard the stories. I used to be embarrassed by my “horndog” title, but over the years I learned to accept who I was. I never treated anyone poorly during my player escapades, unless they were into that sort of thing. I was always a gentleman, even when spankings were involved.

  “The answer is obvious,” said Serena. “The succubus was sent as a test to see how easily manipulated you are.”

  “That makes sense,” Griff agreed with a nod toward Serena. “It would provide the necromancer with a means of understanding your level of self control. That will aid him in planning his next attack. It also poses an interesting puzzle.”

  I furrowed my brow. “What?”

  “Why only you?” Griff then scanned the room. “Was anyone else visited?” They all shook their heads in response. “Then there is either something specific about you, Ian, or our necromancer is planning to test us all at some point.”

  We sat in silence for a couple of minutes thinking things through. If Shitfaced Fred wanted to get after only me, that was fine, but I didn’t think my crew could manage what I’d just accomplished. Dealing with a succubus or an incubus was typically a losing proposition.

  “I think it’s just about Ian,” Felicia stated, breaking the silence. “The zombies never attacked until he showed up.”

  “That could be,” Jasmine said with a slow nod. “They probably keyed in on your signature. You are a one of a kind, after all.”

  “That’s what the ladies tell me.”

  “Before you go making your ego even bigger,” Rachel interjected, “let’s not forget that he also attacked Warren and then put a spell against Griff via a virus.”

  My bubble was sufficiently bursted.

  “Hey, Chief,” said Turbo as he rushed in with a cart zooming automatically behind him. It contained a bunch of goggles.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “They’re the zombie trackers you wanted me to work on,” he replied excitedly. “They should allow you to pick out the dead from the living with no problem.”

  I snapped up a pair that had my name on the side and put them over my head. They were a bit heavy and somewhat bulky, but we’d manage. I looked around the room, stopping specifically on Chuck and Serena since they were both vampires. Technically, they were undead, or interlife, as the case may be, but the goggles showed them as alive. Good.

  “How do they work?” asked Chuck as he studied the ones he was holding.

  Turbo clapped his hands together and took a deep breath.

  “There’s a piece of software loaded into the connectors in each of your brains. It works via bluetooth, if you can believe it. I thought that was rather ingenious because we usually take a more complicated path. You don’t have to worry about pairing them, though. I’ve already done that. Just make sure you take the set that has your name on it or they won’t work.” He paused and held up a finger. “Also, I just installed the software a few minutes ago, so if you notice anything weird, let me know.”

  “Weird?” I said worriedly. “Like what weird?”

  “I dunno,” he replied with a fast shrug. “If your leg starts kick
ing uncontrollably or something, I guess.”

  Chuck nearly choked. “You can do that?”

  He paused and glanced in Chuck’s direction. “I was joking. Anyway, the goggles only connect when you’re wearing them. I’ll be able to tweak and update the code realtime, too, in the event that you need changes.”

  “Ah.” Chuck slipped them on and looked around. “I don’t suppose you could just make them into sunglasses so they’re not so big?”

  “Ooooh,” replied Turbo while clapping. “Great idea! It’ll take about three weeks.”

  “These will do for now,” I commented, “but you did make these much more quickly than you’d originally anticipated.” It was time to challenge my pixie. “I guess you just don’t have the skill to make them lighter without spending a lot of time on it. It’s understandable.” I sighed. “Don’t worry about it, though. I’m sure you’ll improve.”

  Turbo’s face grew dark, which was saying something for a pixie. “I’ll have them done by first light!”

  Chapter 18

  I hadn’t even been at my desk for more than a minute when Lydia called out that we had skeletons pouring out of the graves at Davis Memorial. I groaned and pushed myself back up.

  No rest for the weary…or the dead, apparently.

  “Skeletons?” I asked as I padded down the steps with the rest of my crew.

  “You heard me right, puddin’,” Lydia said. “Not zombies this time.”

  “What’s the difference?” I asked, thinking that dead was dead regardless of skin-to-bone ratio.

  “No flesh, muscle, or tendons on skeletons, sweetums.”

  “Oookay.” The entire thing seemed like splitting hairs to me. “We’re on our way.”

  Rachel and I hopped into the car and headed out into the night. I was honestly starting to change my tune about wanting more action. Not that kind. I mean the type like fighting ubernaturals and zombies. There was something to be said about having a cushy job now and then.

  “Skeletons,” I said derisively. “So stupid. I mean, how are they even walking?”