Mitheral
"Growf!"
Kevin Brady awoke to find himself with one hand secured to a military bedpost. Sitting off to one side was Rick Travers.
The older man smiled grimly. “The lady demanded answers. Samantha decided to answer them. I guess this could be a case of Be Careful What You Wish For. Don’t worry. We’ve been watching after her for some time now. You too. You two keep digging into cases you shouldn’t. They were cases you could have done nothing about - except create a very big body count.
“Now then, if you think you can behave yourself I’ll toss you the keys. If you have questions, feel free to ask.” Rick looked as calm as he could be. :And if the answers aren’t too complicated, I’ll try to answer them.”
Kevin considered his options. “Are you a vampire?”
Rick shook his head. “You saw me walking around in the daylight. No. I am what is referred to as a ghoul. I protect Samantha. Now SHE is a vampire. Only they prefer to be called kindred or Cainites. Some vampires follow a religious practice that praises Caine. Yes, I do mean the biblical one.”
“Who killed the girl?”
Rick nodded. “One very evil SOB Hunter named Isaiah Thrush. He’s also the one who torched Annabelle Kramer’s night club. And the man’s grandfather burned the diner in that old 1950’s photo you have of Kramer. And in answer to your next question, No. Annabelle Kramer is not a vampire. The full explanation of that answer gets pretty complicated and isn’t for me to answer.”
You do realize you have kidnapped an officer of the law?” Kevin asked, still none too happy with the situation.
“Kid, if that become a problem either you will never remember it - or you won’t be alive to remember it. It isn’t a threat by me. It is just a fact of Cainite Law. Kindred won’t allow mortals like you and me to go around stirring up another Inquisition. Hell as I understand it, that is right at the heart of the problems of Los Angeles. Again, it gets pretty damned complicated.”
“Innocent Blood IS the Law. You can think of me as a very minor deputy … or K-9 unit. I’d be the dog.” He grinned at the analogy. “Although …” He barked out a harsh but humored laugh.
“Look kid, Samantha smelled explosives in the apartment. She couldn’t know if the Hunters were watching - not for certain - so she got you out of there as fast as she could. And she exposed her true nature to do so.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you kidnapped us.”
Rick frowned. “If you want answers, this is what you have to put up with. If you don’t, I can take you right back now. So, it isn’t exactly kidnapping. We just didn’t give you a chance to say no.”
The older man smiled grimly. “The lady demanded answers. Samantha decided to answer them. I guess this could be a case of Be Careful What You Wish For. Don’t worry. We’ve been watching after her for some time now. You too. You two keep digging into cases you shouldn’t. They were cases you could have done nothing about - except create a very big body count.
“Now then, if you think you can behave yourself I’ll toss you the keys. If you have questions, feel free to ask.” Rick looked as calm as he could be. :And if the answers aren’t too complicated, I’ll try to answer them.”
Kevin considered his options. “Are you a vampire?”
Rick shook his head. “You saw me walking around in the daylight. No. I am what is referred to as a ghoul. I protect Samantha. Now SHE is a vampire. Only they prefer to be called kindred or Cainites. Some vampires follow a religious practice that praises Caine. Yes, I do mean the biblical one.”
“Who killed the girl?”
Rick nodded. “One very evil SOB Hunter named Isaiah Thrush. He’s also the one who torched Annabelle Kramer’s night club. And the man’s grandfather burned the diner in that old 1950’s photo you have of Kramer. And in answer to your next question, No. Annabelle Kramer is not a vampire. The full explanation of that answer gets pretty complicated and isn’t for me to answer.”
You do realize you have kidnapped an officer of the law?” Kevin asked, still none too happy with the situation.
“Kid, if that become a problem either you will never remember it - or you won’t be alive to remember it. It isn’t a threat by me. It is just a fact of Cainite Law. Kindred won’t allow mortals like you and me to go around stirring up another Inquisition. Hell as I understand it, that is right at the heart of the problems of Los Angeles. Again, it gets pretty damned complicated.”
“Innocent Blood IS the Law. You can think of me as a very minor deputy … or K-9 unit. I’d be the dog.” He grinned at the analogy. “Although …” He barked out a harsh but humored laugh.
“Look kid, Samantha smelled explosives in the apartment. She couldn’t know if the Hunters were watching - not for certain - so she got you out of there as fast as she could. And she exposed her true nature to do so.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you kidnapped us.”
Rick frowned. “If you want answers, this is what you have to put up with. If you don’t, I can take you right back now. So, it isn’t exactly kidnapping. We just didn’t give you a chance to say no.”