A Victim Of Changes

Crazy On You…

I opened my eyes and was greeted with the view of a nordic god. Sven Hjelmstad was everything I enjoyed about men. He was tall, built like a brick house, and knew how to build weapons that could get a girl wet. His blonde hair, his ice-blue eyes, and, well, other things. The kinds of things that women would kill each other for. I only met him last night, and frankly, I regret nothing.

I’d stopped by his shop last night because I needed a few things. Only I had gotten none of them, and now I was naked in his apartment. Sven was a black belt flirter, and he worked his magic on me. It was a moment of weakness, or maybe the several classes of Jack we had, it was probably both. I’d met Sven about a month ago. I was directed his way by a mutual friend. I had been told he was the best weapons smith in North America. I can say that he was the best lover in L.A.. I had seen nothing from his trade yet. “Sven. I need that gun and those bullets.” Sven looked over at me and smiled. I told my libido to shut the fuck up. “Right this way, little warrior.” That made me blush.

Little warrior is what he called me the moment I walked through the door. I got up and put on my clothes. “You don’t need those. I have it right over here." It was my turn to smile. “Yeah. I think I do.” Sven shrugged and motioned me to follow him. We walked into his living room. He walked up to the far wall and pressed a button. The wall opened up and goodies of all kinds came out for me to see. Sven reached for a pistol and a box of ammo. “Lisa, these bullets are wooden, and soaked in holy water and have a solid silver core. It will take down any vamp.”

Ok that impressed me. Sven kept talking. “At least we think they will. We still aren’t sure about Draculs or the Queen. It will take out other royals though. I’ve done it myself.” Sven always talking sweet nothings to me. “Nice. Just what I was looking for.” Sven turned and handed me the gun and the ammo. “They don’t shoot the same as a regular gun. So we are going to the range. Give me a moment to get dressed and I’ll walk you down.” Sven was interesting. I waited for him to get dressed and finished doing so myself.

I took out one bullet and held it, giving it a good look over. The shape was the same as any other bullet. Only it was made of a hardwood. I was never good at biology.. well not this kind anyway. I could see the silver core. The scented holy water wasn’t bad either. Don’t think I’ve ever seen anything crafted with such care before. Sven loved his job, and it was very obvious that he didn’t do anything halfway. 

I looked up as he came back into the room. Clothes were wasted on him. Even fully dressed, I could see the muscle and see the power he held. It could make a girl swoon if I wasn’t careful. Sven was a man of few words. However, that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything going on up there. I had noted the certificate from Mensa. When I had first walked in last night. It stated that he was very smart. He had three digits and the first one was a two. So I wasn’t about to play Jeopardy with him anytime soon. We walked down several flights of stairs and as we reached the last flight of stairs. He flipped up a panel and punched in some numbers.

Sven was very security minded, it seemed. We walked through the door and walked into a full-sized shooting range. “What do you’re neighbor’s think of this?” Sven smiled. “You’re a funny little warrior. I don’t have neighbors. I own the whole building.” Sven was very, very security minded. “Oh.” It surprised me. That didn’t happen very often anymore. My sister would bring me little surprises all the time. Little nick knacks she found funny, or thought I would find funny. The surprise Starbucks was always a favorite of mine. I miss my sister. I just hoped she was ok. It had only been a month since she had been taken.

There wasn’t any ransom note. No one called us, and we feared the worse. That was, until a week ago. I got a phone call on my cell. It had been Jessica, and she was terrified. She wasn’t on the phone for long, but she told me a name, Mitch Tanner. The line went dead before I could ask her any questions. I took that lead and was sent to Sven. The mutual friend was sure Sven had what I needed. He was right, in more than one way. “Ok, Sven. What are we doing here?” Sven set up a target and sent it out about a hundred feet or so. “Hit the target.” Ok, I can do that. I loaded the mag and put it in the gun and pulled back.

I aimed, fired, and missed. “The fuck?” I checked the sight. It was dead on. “Sven? What the hell?” Sven never stopped smiling. “Little warrior. The bullet doesn’t fly the same way as a metal one. You’ll need to adjust.” OK. I adjusted. I missed again. “What am I doing wrong?” Sven walked up behind me and held my hands, and then aimed the gun. “The wooden bullet flies lower. The arch of travel is a bit different.” Sven moved the gun a little higher. “Now, pull the trigger.” I did. It hit. “Ok. I get it.” Sven smiled at me in a what that said he wanted more. “Not now, big boy.” I said as I put my new gun in my holster. “Thank you, for everything.” I said as I tapped him on his very hard chest. “This won’t be the last time you see me.” I told him as I turned to leave. “Lisa. You can’t leave.” That didn’t sound good. “You have to have the code.” I blinked. “Oh.” I motioned for him to put in the code. He walked over and put it in and grabbed my arm. “I look forward to seeing you again. Little warrior.” Oh Sven, me too. “Likewise.” I said as I walked out to my car.

As I sat in my car. I thought about that adjustment. I would have to make sure I could do that every time. I looked in my passenger seat and there was four more boxes of ammo. Sven must have put them there after I’d gone to sleep. I started my car and decided that I should make an appearance in the office. Stan was going to be pissed I hadn’t checked in yet this morning. Shit was getting real, and vampires were something new. I had been aware they were a thing.

I just hadn’t been bothered to pay that close of attention. That was until my sister had been taken by one. Now I was paying very close attention. My phone rang, and I didn’t know the number. I answered it anyway. “Little warrior. You have my number now.” Sven hung up and didn’t let me say anything. He really knew how to push my buttons. I’m not sure how, since we’d only known each other for less than a day. 

I didn’t have time for romance right now. I had to find my sister before I did anything else like that. I wasn’t even sure where I was going to go. As I started the car, my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown caller. Against my better judgement, I answered it. “Hello. This is Lisa Goodwin, Private Detective.” I waited for a reply and only got silence back. “Is this some kind of prank call?” … I heard some whispering in the background. “Someone better talk, or I’m hanging up.” Just as I was about to push the end button. I heard someone quietly say hello. “Are you the detective that hunts vampires?” I took a moment before I answered. “It’s a hobby of mine.” I could almost feel the hesitation in the caller’s voice. “I need someone to hunt down the vampire that killed our parents.” Well, that was a bit heavy. “Where can I meet you at?” I heard more whispering before I got an answer. “I’ll text you our address.” Sure enough, my phone chirped at me. “Ok, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” What the fuck did I just get pulled into?

Caught In The Middle … again

I pulled up to a dilapidated house. It had seen better days. There were five kids standing outside. They must have been who called me. As I got out of the car, I checked to make sure my gun was loaded. Betty rarely went without a fresh clip of vamp killers. Sven made sure of that.

“Are you the ones that called me?” They looked at each other as though they were unsure if they should answer me. The oldest looking one stepped forward. Quietly she said, “Yes. We called you.” I knew that look, because I saw the same one in the mirror every morning…ok… afternoon. These kids had seen things. “Ok. Tell me what happened.”

I spent the next hour listening to a horror story that would give Michael Myers nightmares. A vampire had taken over the neighborhood, as the undead loan shark. Their parents had taken out a loan that was more than they could afford. The Vamp then took their oldest daughter as payment. When they couldn’t pay back the loan. Then killed both the parents in front of the kids. Sounds like I need to hunt this vamp down.

“Ok, where does this vamp like to hang out?” I asked them. They looked at me in disbelief. “He hangs out at the vamp bar over on Boer ave.” Well, that sounds like fun. I was going to need backup. I had to wonder if Sven might like to join me. I pulled out my phone and texted Sven. I sent him the address and told me to meet be there in twenty minutes, and come armed with the good stuff. My phone beeped back at me, and Sven said he would be there.

I took a deep breath before I said anything. “Ok kids. A friend of mine will meet me at the bar, and we will see what happened to your sister. I can’t promise anymore then that.” They nodded. I stood up and walked back to the car. Looks like I would be in the middle of it again. At least Sven would be there.

(un) Holy Diver…. Bar?

I waited in my car for Sven to show up. It was dark, and it looked like it might rain soon. Only the Undead were out this late at night. Headlights turned onto the street. They went out as the truck pulled over. I watched Sven get out and walk over to my car. My libido needed to shut the fuck up. It wasn’t the right time for that! Sven really was sexy as fuck. He wore an all black body suit with all the things you would expect to see on a member of the SWAT team.

“Good evening, little warrior.” I blushed, and I think he knows the effect it has on me. I saw he was failing at holding back a grin. “Hey there, hot stuff. Did you bring me something special?” Sven held out several clips of vamp killers. “You really know how to make a girl smile.” I told him as I took the clips.

I looked at the outside of the bar. It was in a worn down building that should have been demolished at least twenty years ago. The bar was the only business left. As though to say that they would survive anything you could throw at it, including gentrification. I checked to make sure Betty was in her holster, and I put the clips in their place. I started to take a step when Sven grabbed my arm. “Sven, we don’t have any time for that.” He didn’t say a word, only pointed up at the windows. I looked and I could see the faces looking at me. “I am going to need a bigger gun.” Sven nodded in response.

I turned and opened the trunk of my car. I grabbed my shotgun. It carried silver rounds, that had been soaked in holy water. It had the additional benefit of having quite the kick when I fired it at bad guys. I was going to use a more subtle approach, but Sven showing me the creepy vamps in the windows changed my mind. It was going to be a Lisa Goodwin special tonight.

Sven held me back and motioned he should go first. I don’t have a problem with that. The look on his face changed from the relaxed and laid back man I knew into a war face. I never want to see that face pointed at me. I just noticed the pair of sunglasses on his head, that he pulled down over his ice-blue eyes. Sven stood up and kicked in the door to the bar. He grabbed a couple of flash bangs and tossed them inside. I heard the screams from inside after they went off. It was fairly satisfying. Sven smiled at me. I had to tell my libido that it was neither the time nor the place. It was like I was a teenager again.

I pointed my gun at the first thing that moved as I walked through the door. The vamp saw me and froze. I pulled the picture the kids had given me of their oldest sister. “Have you seen this girl?” The vamp looked and his eyes went wide. He nodded that he had. “Where is she?” The vamp point towards the back. I shot the vamp, and he dusted.

I turned towards the back room. Killing vamps as I went through the main area of the bar. I looked around for Sven and I found him up in the balcony area, clearing out the vamps there. I got to the swinging doors and headed into the back room. I tossed a flash bang first, timing it with the swing of the doors. It went off, and I heard some satisfying screams. I entered the back area. I saw the girl I was looking for laying on the ground. Her breathing was shallow, which wasn’t a good sign. I saw the bite mark on her neck. Also not a good sign.

I started to turn and look around the room. I don’t like to be surprised. I could see several piles of ash. I looked back at the surviving vamp. “I’m going to take the girl.” I could see the fear in the vamp’s eyes. I picked the girl up and fireman carried her out of the back room. “Sven, time to go!” I headed outside, not waiting for a reply.

I opened the back door to my car and carefully set the girl down on the back seat. I checked her pulse, and gave her a once over for any obvious injuries. Her pulse was strong, and it didn’t look like anything was broken. She had several bruises, but nothing too serious. I heard someone come out of the bar and I turned around to see who it was. Sven was standing there looking like the victorious Viking that he was descended from. I couldn’t wait to get that man alone and naked.

“How is she, little warrior?” damn it, I could feel my cheek warming up. “She is alive and nothing is broken. So that’s good. I’m going to take her home.” Sven nodded, and then bent over and kissed me on the forehead. I think my whole body just blushed. “Be careful. I don’t think we got the main vamp.” Sven had a point. “Follow me.” I said as I turned to get into the car before I jumped him right there. Fuck, that man is sexy.

Home Sweet Home?

I pulled up to the house, and I could see that something wasn’t right. The kids were huddled over by a shed, and it was obvious they feared something that was close by. I cautiously got out of the car, and drew Betty from her holster. I started walking towards the kids when a man stepped out from behind the shed. “Don’t take one step closer, Lisa Goodwin!” Oh well, the bad guy knew my name. I hoped that he also knew my reputation with vamps. I am a shoot first and worry later kind of girl.

“Who are you and why shouldn’t I just dust you right now?” To answer my question, he held up a dead man’s switch. “The kids are on a bomb. Anything happens to me, they die. You do anything I don’t like, they die.” I reached for my phone. I quickly hit my contact with the west coast vampire king. I put the phone on speaker.

“Lisa Goodwin, to what do I own the pleasure of your call?” I didn’t like him, but he was always so polite. “Your Majesty, I have a bit of a problem. One of your vamps is holding some children hostage.” I look over at the bad guy. "Hey bad guy, tell the vampire king what your name is.” I heard the king snicker. The loan shark took pause. “How do I know that is really my King?” I heard the intake of indignation from the king. “How dare you doubt your King, servant!” The loan shark’s eyes got very big. “My King, I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure if this human wasn’t just playing some game.” He then bowed and got on one knee. “Turn off your bomb and let the children go. Then I want you to come see me. We need to have a conversation.” The way the vamp king said conversation, even made me shiver.

I saw the loan shark vamp, turn off the bomb. He then handed me the switch, and walked away. “Lisa Goodwin, is there anything else?” I had to think for a moment. “No, there isn’t. Thank you.” Before I could say anything else. The phone beeped at me. He had hung up. How rude.

I walked over to the kids and moved them off of the bomb and then put it in my car. I’m sure there won’t be anything wrong happening with that choice. I checked out all the kids, nothing broken, just some bruises and scratches. I looked around to see if I could see Sven. He came walking out of the dark like the nordic god he resembled.

My phone beeped at me. It was a text from Stan. He never texted me. “Get to the office.” I replied that I was on my way there. “Sven, please take care of these kids. I have to get to the office.” Sven nodded and then started to round up the kids. Somehow, I knew they would be safe and taken care of. They wouldn’t be orphans for very long.

I got into the car and headed to the office. I wondered what could be so urgent.

A Bloody Blue Moon Rising

As I pulled up to the office. I could see Stan waiting for me at the front door. That was never a good sign. I put on my best smile and got out of the car. “Stan, I can see you want to talk about something.” I said as I got to the bottom of the stairs. Stan nodded back, before he started. “I got a lead last night, but I couldn’t reach you. So I went to check it out by myself. It seems your sister had met a guy at that new vamp dance club over on the sunset strip.” It was my turn to silently nod and motioned for him to keep going. “They let me look at the video from the floor that night. She and this, at the time unidentified male, were pretty cozy. They were at the club for several hours before they left together. It seems this guy is a regular there. I was able to get a name. Mitch Tanner, and he is ancient. Almost 300 years old, and part of the lower court of vampires.” I took in a deep breath. “That matches with what I have been able to dig up.”

Stan really knew how to ruin, what had been, a good day so far. This new information rocked me back a few steps. What Stan said next would make my entire world come crumbling down around me. “Lisa, they found her body. She was left in Alma Park at some point last night. All the cameras there stopped working at around two a.m.” The weather must have seen my mood change because it got cloudy and started to rain. Stan walked down the stairs towards me as the rain started to get heavier. “No.” I said to him. “No. Don’t. I don’t deserve the sympathy, or anything at all that looks like kindness.” I walked past Stan, pushing his arms away from me. I went into my office and slammed the door shut. I went to my desk and pulled out one of the several bottles of Jack Daniels I kept there.

I sat there looking at the bottle. Knowing I should go to the scene. I couldn’t pull myself up. My phone began to vibrate. I looked down at it, and saw it was Sven. My bright spot in a darkening world. I let it go to voicemail. I looked back up to the bottle of Jack, and reached for it. I turned to look outside, and it was very dark outside already.

I looked at my phone, and I could see that I had several voicemails waiting for me. How long had I been sitting here? I grabbed my phone and started checking my voicemails. The first one was Stan, as was the second and third one. Sven left me a message. I would have to call him back later. I called Stan and waited for him to answer the phone.

“Lisa, you need to get down here right now. The medical examiner wants to move your sister to the morgue.” Stan didn’t even let me say hello. “Ok, I will be there in fifteen minutes.” I replied and hung up. I stood and went to grab my jacket. I took another look at the bottle of Jack sitting on my desk. “Tempting. Maybe later.” I said to the empty room. I turned and walked out, knowing I was about to face one of my biggest challenges so far.