Nikki Vargas, Vampire Hunter

I was covered in blood, but it wasn't mine so I was okay. If the night's worst casualties were four chicken and two goats, I could live with that. I'd raised six corpses in one night, and that was a record even for me. It was midnight when I reached my house. A star-filled sky and air cool enough to make me shiver. I could hear the phone ringing as I fumbled the key into the lock. No one ever called before dawn unless it's important and for me that usually meant the police, which meant murder scene. I hit the door with my shoulder then kicked it close and run for the phone in the kitchen. My voice died on the machine and a male voice came on.

"Nikki, its Edward. If you there pick up!"

I ran full out and skidded on my high heels, grabbing the receiver as I slid into the wall and almost dropped the phone. I juggled the phone then answered.

"Edward, Edward, I'm here!"

He was laughing softly.

"Happy that I could be amusing. What's up?" I asked.

"I'm calling for my favor."

Once upon a time Edward had come to my aid. He brought a friend, Harley, with him as more backup. I ended up killing Harley. Now, Harley tried to shoot me first and I just been quicker. Edward took the killing personally and gave me two options: he and I could either draw down on each other or I could owe him a favor. Of course I agree to the favor. I never wanted to come up against Edward, to do so would be my death. He had been offered a contract on my life but he refused. He said that if he took the contract he would only get to kill me, but if he protected me he thought he'd get to kill more people. Perfect Edward reasoning.

Edward was a hit man. He specialized in monsters. Vampires, shape shifters, anything and everything. He never discriminated, not for sex, race, or even species. If it was dangerous, Edward would hunt it and kill it. He's either a sociopath or so close it makes little difference.

"Nikki, you still there?" He said

"I'm here." I replied quietly

"You don't sound so happy to hear me."

"Put it this way, I'm cautious."

"No, you're not. You're suspicious."

"Yeah," I said. "So what's the favor?"

"I need back up."

"What could be so terrible that Death itself needs back up?"

"Come down to Santa Fe and find out."

"New Mexico, Santa Fe?"

"Yes."

"What time you need me there?"

"Daylight."

"Let me guess. Vampire?"

"Yes."

"Since I'm coming as Nikki Vargas, vampire executioner, I can flash my badge and bring my arsenal?"

"Bring what you want. I'll share my toys with you when you arrive."

"I just got home; will I have time to get some sleep?"

He stopped to think about it. "A few hours, but be here by noon." He hung up.

The only flight that wasn't booked was the one at 6 AM, which meant I had about five hours of sleep. I hate to fly. Did I mention that I was phobic? I hated to be in a plane being flown by someone I didn't know, who I hadn't personally drug tested. I just wasn't the trusting sort. Anyways, it may have been spring in St. Louis, but it was summer in Santa Fe. Edward came and picked me up from the airport. We walked out into the heat and it blasted against our skin. Edward led the way carrying two of my suitcases. I wanted his hands full of something besides guns. He seems relieved to see me when I arrived, which was nerve breaking. Paranoid? Who? Me? Never. We stopped in front of a car covered in red clay mud. The windshield was so dirty only two fans of clear space remained where the windshield wipers had wash away the mud.

"Gee, Edward," I said as he opened the back hatch, "what have you done to this poor whatever it is. I've never seen a car so dirty."

"This is a Hummer, and cost more than most people's houses." He started putting my bags inside. I offered him my carry-on.

"No comments then." I said as I climbed into the seat. "What are the gun laws like in New Mexico?"

He started the car and glanced at me. "Why?"

"I want to know if I can ditch the jacket and wear my gun naked or do I have to hide it the whole trip."

His lips twitched. "New Mexico lets you carry as long as it's not concealed. Concealed carry without a permit is illegal."

"Western state gun laws are always so interesting," I started sliding out of the jacket.

"But the police may still stop you if they see you walking around armed."

"Great."

He smiled. "I didn't ask you down here just to shoot things. I already have backup for that."

"Who?"

"You don't know them; you'll meet them when we get to the house."

"Them? Are you saying you have two people for backup already and you still called me?"

He didn't reply.

"Three people backing you on this. Geez, Edward, you must be desperate."

"I want this leech dead, Nikki." He looked grim saying it.

"Do those two backup owe you a favor?"

"One does."

"Are they assassins?"

"Sometimes."

"Bounty hunters?"

"Bernardo is."

At last, a name! "Bernardo is sometimes an assassin and a bounty hunter?"

"Sometimes he's a bodyguard."

"A man of many talents," I said, "what about the other guy?"

"Olaf."

"Olaf, okay. Sometimes an assassin, not bounty hunter, not a bodyguard, what else?"

"You'll meet them soon enough."

"Look, Edward, you're getting on my nerves, so cut the mysterious crap and the bull----."

"My, my, touchy aren't we today." The sarcasm thick in his voice.

"Keep up the non committal crap and you're going to truly piss me off."

"I didn't tell Olaf and Bernardo you're shacking up with a vampire and a werewolf." His voice was flat.

"Actually, I'm not with either of them, but that's not the point. I don't care of their sex life, I want to know why you called them in. what are their area of expertise?"

"You broke up with Jean-Claude and Richard?" One of his eyebrows rose with real curiosity in his voice.

"I'm not sure. It's more like we are not seeing each other."

"What are you thinking about doing to them?" And there was a note of eagerness now.

"I'm not planning on killing them."

"I can't say I'm disappointed," Edward said. "I think you should have killed Jean-Claude when you first met him."

"You're talking about killing someone that been my lover for over two years."

"Do you love him?"

The question took me by surprise. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Do you love Richard?"

"Yes." It seemed odd that he would ask that type of question.

"You said you think you love Jean-Claude and simply yes for Richard. Keep the mutt and kill the leech, Nikki. I'll help."

"Edward, you don't understand. I'm Jean-Claude's human servant and Richard is his animal to call. The three of us are bound by vampire marks into a nice ménage à trois. If one of us dies, we all die."

"Maybe, or maybe that's what the blood sucker tells you. It wouldn't be the first time he lied to you."

It was impossible to argue without looking like a fool, so I didn't try. "When I want your advice on my personal life, I'll ask. Until people start ice skating in hell, save your breath. Now tell me about the case."

"When we get home. I got the files waiting for you."

"Whatever." I sighed.

We drove a few miles, and then pulled into his driveway. The house was adobe and looked old. As we unloaded my luggage from the Hummer, the light over the front door switched on. We reached the door when it opened. The man was six foot, give or take an inch. It was hard to tell his exact height because his lower body was covered completely with a white sheet that he clutched in one hand at his waist. He was lean and muscular with a very nice set of abs. He was tanned a lovely even brown, though some of that was natural color. His hair was waist length falling over one shoulder and across the side of his face, heavy and solid black. His face was soft, full triangle, with a dimple in his chin and a full mouth.

"You can close your mouth now," Edward said in my ear.

I closed my mouth. "Sorry," I mumbled. How embarrassing. I don't usually notice men this much, at least men I didn't know.

"Sorry, I was asleep, or I'd have come out to help sooner."

"Bernardo Horse, Nikki Vargas."

He was holding the sheet with his right hand, and then started the process of switching everything to the other hand. The sheet slipped down in front, and I had to turn away. I kept my head turned because I was blushing and I wanted the darkness to hide it.

"We'll shake hands later when you got some clothes on." I waved my hand vaguely behind me.

Edward's voice. "You flashed her."

"I'm sorry," Bernardo said, "truly."

"We can get the luggage," I said. "Go get a robe."

"You're modest," He moved up behind me. "I expected a lot of things from Edward's description of you but not modesty."

I turned around slowly, and he was standing close, hell, he was invading my personal bubble. I glared at him. I was embarrassed and uncomfortable and that always made me angry. "What were you expecting? The Slut of Babylon?" The anger showed clearly in my voice.

"I didn't mean any offense." His hand came up as if to touch my cheek.

I stepped back out of reach. "What's with the touchy feely all of the sudden?"

"I saw the way you looked at me in the doorway." He said.

"If you want to come to the door looking like a Playgirl centerfold, don't blame me for staring. But don't make more of it. You're nice eye candy and mouth watery but the fact that you're coming on this strong isn't flattering to either of us. It's either you're a whore or you think I am. The first I'm willing to believe, the second I know isn't true. So back off."

He stepped back, put the sheet into as much of a cover as it could be, and bowed. It was an old-fashioned, courtly movement. It was a nice gesture with his hair spilling all around, but I'd seen better. He raised his face, solemn now. "There are only two kind of woman that hangs around people like Edward, like me, and know what we are. The first are whores and the seconds are strictly business." A smile played along his lips. "Forgive me if I'm disappointed that you're one of the guys. I've been here for three weeks and I'm getting lonely."

"Three weeks, poor baby." I pushed past him and grabbed my overnight case. I looked at Edward. "Next time tell me about everyone's foibles."

"Then let me start by telling you that Olaf has been in prison with rape charges."

"Seriously?"

"He brags about the rape & what he did to her."

"All right," I said, "you've made you're point. I have one more question. If I kill another one of your back ups, do I owe you another favor?"

"Not if he deserves it."

"S---, Edward, if you keep putting me with psychopaths, I'll be owing you favors until we're in our graves."

Bernardo said, "You're serious. You really killed his last backup."

I glanced at him. "Yeah. I want permission to off Olaf if he gets crazy without me owing you, Edward."

"Done." He said.

"Thank you. Now where's my room?"

"Oh, she's going to fit in fine," Bernardo said, and there was something in his voice that made me look at his face. I know one thing Olaf or Bernardo, either one, better not walk in their sleep.