I Kissed a Dog

chapter 22

Driving Zane’s Corvette gave me a feeling of power. It roared down 101 like a beast on wheels, devouring the road. I could tame this beast without getting my heart broken or my body parts munched on for dinner.

Back in human form, Zane examined the coin on the way to our next stop — Miles McCray’s trailer park — Plum Beach murder victim number two’s less than pristine property.

Miles, a high school dropout, had been working at the local ARCO station for the past ten years, content to stay close to his parents. One news clip stated his mother still referred to him as her “little champ.” Family members observed that Miles was what you might call simple or slow; a man still dependent on his mom. Friends called him an all-around nice guy.

After pouring over a blurry satellite photo, I’d dug up on the Internet, it was clear just how overcrowded the trailer park was. Zane determined with so many trailers jammed into such a crowded space we’d be safer waiting for nightfall before entering Miles’ singlewide. He’d also enlisted help from Alcuin, whose vampire talents would provide the edge we needed.

The vampire would manipulate the thoughts of nearby neighbors, while shielding us from any observant onlookers. Well known for its all-night parties and drug deals, it was doubtful neighbors went to bed before dawn.

Zane thought it was wise for us to drive through and examine the layout prior to our evening excursion.

“Slow down. There! The gravel road.” He motioned me right, clenching the coin.

“Thanks,” I grumped, still annoyed by his behavior at the Smart’s place. He’d somewhat redeemed himself using his little handless trick to clean up the potted tree, but I hadn’t completely forgiven his attitude.

“Can we call a truce? It’s hard enough visiting murder scenes without us fighting,” he suggested, sounding remorseful.

He was right, now wasn’t the time to nurse any left over grudges. I nodded and forced a smile. “You’re forgiven, for the moment.” I realized I didn’t so much doubt his skills as I hated not knowing what extra talents remained hidden. My tolerance for surprises, and secrets, had reached an all-time low.” Spotting the turnoff, I flipped the blinker.

“Pull over!” His eyes narrowed. “There are mutants here. I feel them.”

Obeying without question, I parked as close as I could to the entrance without drawing attention.

I sent out my own mental feelers and validated Zane’s suspicions. The mutants hadn’t bothered shielding their thoughts. They weren’t expecting company. Good news for us. Wanting to take advantage of our momentary luck, I probed the creature’s minds and prepared to transmit my findings into Zane’s. I was stunned to realize my special abilities had expanded again.

This time, I was able to hitch a ride in one of the mutant’s minds, similar to what I’d done with Zane during the Detective Davis Fiasco at his place. I could actually feel what the creature felt, see everything he saw, and hear what he heard. Talk about a triple threat.

It took me a minute to digest the multitude of unfamiliar sensations bombarding my senses and filter the information in a logical way that Zane could grasp.

I was viewing my surroundings from inside one of three mutants who crouched in the cramped trailer digging through drawers and a large box. I assumed the confined space belonged to murder victim number two: Miles McCray.

The terrible trio’s elongated snouts lifted in unison, twitching as they sought any foreign scents. I feared they’d pinpointed us.

Relieved to be wrong, I sighed when they resumed searching.

My newfound ability to listen from inside a mutant wasn’t the same as being the mutant. I had the capacity to view the entire scene and remain in total control of myself. Influencing the monster’s thoughts or actions wasn’t possible either. For that I was grateful. Managing that kind of power wasn’t something I wanted. Especially since I couldn’t begin to grasp what I was doing anymore.

Leaving my analysis for later, I honed in on my environment as experienced through my mutant host.

The largest of the three beasts stood with a guttural grunt. He towered in the cluttered trailer; his pointy ears brushing the ceiling. This massive and cruelly malformed man-wolf filled the limited space.

What should have been hands were a grotesque permutation of paws and claws; just a hint of humanness remained. The five twisted appendages, featuring an oversized thumb, scarcely mirrored a human hand riddled with arthritis. Filthy, spike-like-nails protruded from the furry tips — nails that would slit a throat like a hot knife slicing butter.

Had we been friends, I would have recommended, without delay, a manicure for all three.

“Stryder, are you certain this is the place?” the creature standing faced the mutant called Stryder, the one whose eyes I was hiding behind.

“That’s what she said,” Stryder snarled.

I could sense his frustration with the situation and the larger beast. I didn’t blame him. The biggest mutant was a menace; more so than his companions. I could feel the difference.

The third added, “We’ve looked everywhere. Maybe someone got to it first.” You stupid mongrel, he added telepathically. Like Stryder, his irritation was directed at the mutant looming over them.

It was evident that mutant number two and three did not like number one in charge. Making matters worse for us all, number one stank like rotting fish. Had I been able to manipulate Stryder, he would have recoiled at the stench. It seemed he was immune to the odor.

“Who could have gotten here first? And what about the protective wards?” Stinky Mutant asked.

Wards and spells, there’s always a loophole, Stryder thought. No ward is impenetrable. Someone with stronger magic can break through. As if you’d think of that! His eyes flashed red, leaving no doubt where his piercing stare and degrading thought was focused — on the revolting swine in charge of their failed search.

Are you getting all this? I mind-messaged Zane, ensuring he could see the mutants as well as hear them. There’s some serious trouble in paradise.

It makes no sense. Unless the coin we found is what they’re referring to. But what does it have to do with the murders?

“The Mistress will be furious by our lack of success,” Stryder growled. I can’t wait till that bitch gets bitten. She’s the one who deserves to die.

With Stryder’s last thought, the red-headed woman’s picture scrolled through his mind; proving that everything was in some way connected to her.

Maybe she was a real witch not just a bitch. I’d seen stranger this week. Why not add a witch into the mix? If I could find a Witches and Wards Book for Dummies I’d be set. In truth, I was lacking, in a major way, the knowledge to fight effectively against my supernatural opponents.

“Do you two have a problem with me?” the massive mutant challenged his subordinates, making me forget my concerns about witches. He glared down at Stryder who glowered back, undaunted.

Faster than I imagined in such a small space, Stryder was up snout to snout with his comrade. “I have a problem with the entire situation. The Mistress is making too many mistakes, and I don’t want to suffer the consequences for her inability to clean up her messes.”

“Questioning our Mistress is not in your best interest,” Stinky Mutant (that was my new name for him) cautioned. “I realize this is frustrating, but we must follow orders. We’re done here.”

“Go!” Zane shouted, dragging my mind back to the car. “We don’t want to be sitting here when they come out.”

Slamming the car in reverse, I spun around and headed back the way we’d come. I didn’t want them to see us drive past the entrance. Zane’s Corvette was more than memorable, and Jazmine was well aware of what vehicle he drove, making it all the more probable the mutants knew too.

Taking any unnecessary risks seemed reckless. I’d already resolved Jazmine was in cahoots with the evil redhead, making our situation all the more precarious. We had more enemies than we could handle, and likely others we hadn’t met.

Zane grinned, an unexpected gesture under the circumstances. “Good driving, Princess. Ever consider racing?”

“You’re kidding, right?” It was just like him to be yelling one second and praising me the next. Besides, escaping mutinous monsters was good motivation for becoming a driving daredevil.

“Seriously, you can drive. I’m impressed.” His grin widened. “Maybe you should consider a future with NASCAR.”

Ignoring the little twinge of pride his praise ignited was pretty much impossible. Zane didn’t make a habit of handing out compliments. I knew if he said my driving was impressive, he meant it.

At last I could thank good old Bob for something — teaching me to drive like a dangerous felon was hot on my tail. His lessons had paid off today.

Today?

Uh oh … Something was very wrong.

Mutants were captive to the full moon. They couldn’t shift at will like purebreds — unless something had changed — radically. Without the daylight advantage the playing field would be leveled.

“Did you notice anything different about our mutant friends?” I asked. Afraid to blurt out what I suspected.

I stayed quiet while he mulled over today’s events. It didn’t take him long.

“This is bad.” A scowl replaced his smile. “I have a feeling these coins might shed some light on what’s going on. I’m alalsoinclinedso inclined to believe there’s a coin hidden at every murder scene. We just have to locate them before the bad guys, which won’t be easy since we can no longer count daylight to our advantage.”

“Why the coins, or whatever they are?” I was baffled. The inscriptions on the coin had given me a prickly all-over feeling. And I could tell by the way Zane continued to examine it, he was equally mystified.

Storing my questions, I maneuvered around a deep pothole and continued toward our next stop … murder victim number-three’s townhouse.

We’d have to handle this visit delicately. Seth Johnson’s parents were apt to be home, and they wouldn’t be too keen on letting virtual strangers into their home, especially under the circumstances. I didn’t blame them.

Glancing at the dashboard’s digital clock, I realized the answer would reveal itself in about fifteen minutes.

Fifteen minutes too soon as far as I was concerned.

***