Page 12

His hands fumbled for the bedsheet to cover his nakedness. His erection, so proudly engaged moments ago, withered under the reality of what he was witnessing. Sweat beads blanketed his forehead and his chest was heaving with panic.

“You, you’re that guy,” He stammered with one hand covering his genitals under the sheet. “I did what she told me to do.” He howled, speaking of Natasha.

“Be quiet and listen. You did exactly what you were supposed to do. We need to talk about what happens next.”

Juan’s eyes moved to Marisol’s body, then back to me. There’s fear there, but something else too. He was already thinking about how to navigate this situation, how to come out alive. The sheet trembled in his grip, but his gaze settled on me.

“Whatever you want.” He said as his voice evened out. “Just tell me what to do.”

I stepped fully into the bedroom, keeping the Cripo Glock visible in my palm. “First, we need to wrap her up. And then we’re going to have a conversation about your payment for services rendered.”

“Okay.”

“Get dressed.” I told Juan, tucking the Cripo Glock into my waistband. “Then help me wrap up her body.”

Juan nodded. His movements were jerky as he slipped from the bed. He pulled on a pair of jeans from the floor and struggled with the zipper.

“I didn’t know you were going to... while we were...” Juan gestured vaguely toward the bed, pulling a t-shirt over his head. “You could have waited until after.”

“I could’ve but I didn’t.” I replied, moving to the edge of the bed. I grabbed the corner of the fitted sheet beneath Marisol. “Help me get her wrapped in the sheet.”

Juan hesitated only for a second before joining me on the opposite side of the bed. His eyes focused on Marisol’s face. Her opened eyes were freaking him out.

“Should we close her eyes or something?” He asked.

“Nah, it doesn’t matter.” I began folding the sheet over her body, tucking it tightly around her shoulders. “She’s not coming back.”

Working together, we rolled Marisol’s body until she was completely enveloped in the fitted and the flat white cotton sheets.

Juan moved with surprising efficiency once he started.

His initial shock gave way to a keen focus that suggested he would be fine after the dust settled.

I could see why Natasha enlisted this young man for our plan.

“We need something to secure that she stays wrapped up.” I was talking out loud. The sheet-wrapped form on the bed looked like a cocoon or a mummy. “You got any rope, anything like that?” I asked.

“I have duct tape in the kitchen.” Juan offered, already moving toward the door.

While he was gone, I checked Marisol’s wrapping, making sure the sheet completely covered her. There was no blood. When I was wrapping her up, I only saw the two bruises from the shots. Natasha said the serum would dissolve inside the body in four to six hours. I had time, and I had more bullets.

Juan returned with a roll of silver duct tape.

His composure was more settled now that it was past the initial shock.

He tore off strips with his teeth, handing them to me as I secured the sheet around Marisol’s ankles, then her knees, her waist, shoulders, and finally her head. The process moved smoothly.

“When are you leaving town?” I asked as we finish securing the last piece of duct tape.

Juan wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Early tomorrow morning. My Amtrak train leaves Union Station at 7 AM to Orlando. One-way ticket.” He glanced at me. “Just like I discussed with Natasha.”

“Good.” I reached into my jacket inside pocket and pulled out a thick envelope, tossing it onto the mattress next to the wrapped body. “Twenty thousand. Don’t spend it all in one place.”

Juan picked up the envelope, thumbing through the bills with a slight smile. The amount was clearly more than he expected. “This is generous. Tell Natasha thank you for me.”

“I will.” I straightened my jacket. “You played your part well, amigo. Getting her here, alone, distracted. The door left unlocked. All according to plan.”

“She never suspected anything.” Juan said, a note of pride slipping into his voice. “She thought I was just some guy looking to get laid.”

“And instead, you were bait.” I allowed myself a small smile.

“I think I might take some acting classes.” Juan offered.

Not exactly what I thought the pretty boy was going to say.

“Whatever floats your boat. Just make sure you’re on that train tomorrow. You don’t want to be anywhere near Chicago.”

“I can help you get the body out of here.” Juan offered, tucking the envelope into his backpack on the night table.

“I got it.”

“Okay, I’m just happy I could help Natasha.”

Juan ran a hand through his hair. His gaze settled on the wrapped form of Marisol. “It’s crazy, you know? Vampires. I always thought it was bullshit.”

“The world is full of all kinds of monsters. Hey, I got a question.” I was just curious.

“Yeah.”

“How do you know Natasha? I asked.

“We met at The Castle about a year ago.”

“And?”

“She used to use me to get her hot girls. You know, some girls are only into girls when there’s a guy around.”

“Oh.”

Juan grabbed a sweatshirt from a hook on the back of his door. As he pulled it over his head.

“That thing Natasha mentioned before, about you know me maybe getting to be like you someday. Was that real? Or just part of getting me to help take down Marisol?”

I studied him for a moment. His eagerness was transparent. The lure of immortality, of power, of being something more than human. It was a desire I recognized.

“If you stay out of trouble.” I said carefully, “and if you live that long. Natasha will consider it.”

His eyes lit up. “Four years. I can do that. I’ll only be twenty-eight.” He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a set of keys. “Here’s the key to the bike. Natasha loaned it to me so I could get around, but I can’t take it with me.”

Natasha gave this pretty boy a motorcycle. How generous, when she was a bitch to me from the day I met her.

Juan tossed me the keys, and I pocketed them. I was already plotting the next steps. I could come back to get the motorcycle later and return it to Natasha.

I lifted Marisol’s body over my shoulder. “Have your ass on the train. Don’t fuck up.” I warned.

“I’m leaving as soon as I pack.”

“How are you getting to Union Station?”

“Uber, and I’m going to pretend that I’ve never met you or seen you before. My lips are sealed. I don’t want anything to mess up my chance of being one of you guys one day.”

I walked out of the apartment with a body over my shoulder. I was careful to avoid cameras and moving cars. There were no people out and about, which aided in my endeavors.

I threw Marisol in the car’s trunk. Doing the speed limit, I drove to the spot where I was told to take her body.

I thought about Juan Eduardo Vega. His conviction was almost touching.

This human was so eager to leave his humanity behind.

I wondered if he would feel the same in four years, or if the reality of what we were would have dimmed the fantasy he had in his head.

It didn’t matter. For now, he was useful. He aided us in our cause. And in this game of vampire chess, every pawn had its purpose.