PREPERATIONS

By: Maggie Denton
Read and Illustrated By: Carlos Dunn

Preparations – A Vampire Abduction Anthology Story

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Another Fine Vampires2.com Audio Production

Chapter 1

Jennifer didn't want to go back to that awful place. She had almost been murdered there. But she knew she had to go back. If another innocent girl was going to be executed there again tonight she had to be there. She had to try and help her new friends stop it from happening.

Her new friends - she mused. A few days ago she would never have believed it was possible that her kind and their kind could ever co-exist. But Senior Paponi and his friends had changed all that. They were one big happy loving family, fiercely protective of each other and they had welcomed her to be a part of it.

She glanced at Pedro who was driving and then Vanessa almost sitting in his lap riffling his hair. God what love birds they were. Him human and Vanessa – well Vanessa was like her. She was envious. She had longed for a special someone to come into her life for so very-very long.

Pedro parked the jeep on the side of the road. Then she, Senior Paponi and the love birds as she'd began to think of them, got out and all headed for the outcropping of rock where many her kind had been killed by special Priests dispatched by the Vatican.

There was a screaming inside her head. "DAMNIT! NOT AGAIN! HELP ME. THE CANTINA. . . ATTACK. . ." Eyes open, she saw that Vanessa had heard it too.

"We have to go back!" Jennifer announced to the others.

"Something's happened to Rhianne." Said Vanessa.

"Yes… Oh my God. Jennifer we have to hurry."

They ran back to the jeep and piled in and Pedro hit the accelerator throwing desert sand into the air as they took off.

"I only got a glimpse through her eyes as they shot her. Then I lost contact. Hurry Pedro. I told you we were not safe from them."

Chapter 2

The Jeep screeched to a halt and they all ran into what was left of Senior Paponi's Cantina, and then stared in disbelief.

Overturned tables and chairs, shards of broken bottles littered the floor. Four or five bodies lay on the floor, all male. Amazingly there was no blood. Then they saw the tranquilizer darts and knew why.

Senor Paponi clenched his fists so tightly, his nails dug bloody little half moons into his palms. All the girls were gone, his girls, girls like Claudette whom he'd rescued from a drug addict pimp and now thought of as his own daughter. Others like Rhianne who were vamps but also his good friends, they were all gone, more than twenty of them.

"Those BASTARDS!"

Jennifer, knowing all to well what that meant, lowered her head and wept.

Pedro felt someone squeeze his hand and turned. It was Vanessa. She was crying. His arms flew around her as he cradled her to him. No doubt thankful she had not been among those in the Cantina when this happened.

"Those tranquilizer darts." Said Jennifer tears streaming down her cheeks. "That stuff knocks out a vamp for a few hours. It would kill a mortal. If they didn't cut the dose on the dancers, they are all dead."

"God no, that just cannot be!" Pedro thought he saw a glint of moisture in Senior Paponi's eyes. "This is the second time all that has been dear to me has been taken from me. The first time was the Los Lobos and their poisonous drug Cello. This time...I will not send someone else to do my dirty work for me. As I stand here before you - my friends, I will destroy these Vampire Hunting Priests and make them suffer for all they have done."

Pedro and Vanessa spoke almost in unison. "And I will..." a look passed between them. Vanessa reached for Pedro's hand and squeezed. "Rhianne saved my life, I owe her. We'll get them back together and we will make those bastards pay."

"I'm going too Senor Paponi." Said Jennifer.

Chapter 3

Jennifer and Vanessa went to change into outdoor clothing.

Senior Paponi went behind the bar and pored himself and Pedro a shot of Tequila. He came around and sat on the bar next to his friend. "We need a plan."

"I think you are going to need more than a plan to bring down these Vampire Hunting Priests, you're going to need my help."

Pedro and Senior Paponi looked up into the broken mirror behind the bar but saw only their own reflections.

They turned in unison to see a beautiful woman standing behind them.

"Oh, I'm not planning just bring them down." Said Senior Paponi, "I'm going to kill them all."

"Oh, then you are definitely going to need my help."

The woman was tall. She had jet black hair falling like raven's wings around her shoulders and a pair of piercing green eyes. She wore a bejeweled, high-collared gown. She stuck out her hand.

"I am the Countess Constatina."

"Are you a vamp"? Senor Paponi asked.

She shrugged, graceful, sexy. "Did you see me in the mirror?"

She nodded toward a slender blond. "This is my niece Shandell. And this is Drew-Dane, my son. He's mortal but skilled in many forms of combat."

His resemblance to the countess was startling.

He did not have an air of superiority about him the way the countess did, but there was undeniable stateliness in his simple moves. There was also a sadness about him.

That was when, Jennifer and Vanessa came in, dressed in simple but rugged clothing with their long hair tied back.

Jennifer's tomboyish appearance did little to conceal her beauty though and Drew-Dane did a double take when she turned to face him. Jennifer felt her cheeks redden and a feeling of shyness that was totally out of place washed over her.

Still she stared into his eyes and he stared back. The air between them actually seemed to snap and spark. But only for a moment. Then he turned away and the spell was broken. What had just happened she thought? But she knew. In her heart she know. He was the one she had been waiting for. Had he felt it too?

Chapter 4

Pedro and Vanessa up-righted one of the few unbroken tables. They'd found chairs for the women and beer cartons for the men.

"A year ago, my daughter was captured by these vampire hunting priests. She suffered unspeakable abuse. We tried to rescue her but before we could find her they executed her by driving a stake through the heart. I have been hunting these sadistic so called priests ever since." She wiped absently at the tears sliding down her cheeks. "To succeed in this quest, I have come to realize that I must have the assistance from those who can walk the daylight. I have heard of you father Paponi, and I think if we combine our forces, we can prevail."

"Countess, you just called me father Paponi. I am not a priest."

"More like the Hue Heffner of Mexico." Pedro joked.

This earned him a scowl from both Senior Paponi and the Countess.

"Senor Paponi, I know of your past. All of it. I know that you have rescued more than 50 young girls from pimps and drug dealers and abusive fathers."

She was about to say something else when one of the bodies groaned. From the corner of his eye Pedro caught movement and was on his feet instantly.

"Ohhhhhh Shittttt, my head hurts!" The body turned out to be that of a cowboy with a Stetson, an American. As he sat up, He pulled something out of his arm. It was one of the tranquilizer darts. He stared at it for a moment and then threw it in disgust.

The stranger got to his feet, staggered a little then grasped Senor Paponi's hand, "You gotta be Senior Paponi and you must be Pedro." Then he turned to the Countess, stared at her for a moment, and then removed his hat. "Ma'am" he greeted her with a nod, and then did the same to Shandell, Vanessa and Jennifer, quickly glancing back to the countess before turning back to the men. "Ah understand you've discovered the hideout of this nest a varmin. And you also have some company."

"Who are you?" Senor Paponi asked.

The stranger ignored the question. Instead he turned back to the countess. "Sorry to hear bout your daughter ma'am, We'll make them bastards pay big time for what they've done." Only then did he turn back to Senor Paponi. "Name's John Holthrop. Chuck and I go back a long way, in fact we go back all the way back to Operation Desert Storm. He heard these cabrones were holding some girl named Morven. So he took out after them. I'm guessing he's already in. He sent me to help you guys in this varmint-hunt. I brought lots of guns and ammo, plus a few other goodies, just to make it interesting. When do we leave?"

"We were just about to work that out." said Senor Paponi. "Jennifer, I think you and Pedro ought-a stay here. We don't know for sure that all the girl's were captured. Some of them might get he chance or might escape. If they do, they'll come back here. They may need medical attention or other help. You yourself are not yet fully recouperated from your injuries. You should stay, and Pedro will too. He will take care of you if needed.

"Senor Paponi, I am very grateful for the help you, Pedro, and the girls and everything everybodys done for me, but I cannot just sit here doing nothing and not take part in this fight. I implore you to let me come."

Before Senor Paponi could respond, the countess spoke up. "Let her come. Her rage will carry her far and fuel her with a courage that only someone who has only lived through what she has will understand. I know if my daughter was here, she would not be willing to sit on the sidelines while others were out there to combat these monsters. I will leave Shandell here to take Jennifer's place with your brave Pedro. She has special healing abilities, just as I do, and will attend to any injured who may show up."

"Fair enough" responded Senor Paponi. Then he turned to Pedro. "Then it's settled. Pedro, take Shandell and show her around. Be sure she has everything she needs."

"Absolutely not! I almost lost Vanessa once. I am not letting her out of my site. There is no way Vanessa is going without me."

"Then ah reckon it's settled." John Holthrop Laughed. "We should hit the road folks, ah'm a itchin' to hunt me down some murdering priests."

With that, the countess rose from her chair and moved away from the table, fully revealing the jewel-encrusted gown she was wearing.

John came up behind her. "Lil' Lady, Ah reckon you're gonna need to wear something' other than that fancy bathrobe."

The countess turned. Angry. She really had been a countess as a mortal, and no one had ever dared to call her "lil lady" or had even addressed her as anything other than the "Countess" in over a thousand years.

John just winked at her, put his Stetson on, and nodded. "Ma'am" and then turned and walked out the cantina's bat doors.

Chapter 5

Senior Paponi convinced the countess that her current attire was probably not the best choice for the dirty work they'd be doing. She went with Jennifer to change into something more practical, while John and Drew-Dane carried supplies out to the Humvee.

"What's this?" Drew-Dane asked John, gesturing to a padlocked crate.

"Oh those are just the goodies ah mentioned. Ah got a few surprises up my sleeve for those pesky lil' vermin we're gonna be hunting down."

Then everyone exited the Cantina and got into the Humvee. Drew-Dane smiled at Jennifer.. This time she smiled back.

John held the door open for the Countess and made an exaggerated, sweeping gesture toward the seat. He touched the brim of his hat. "Ma'am".

She pointedly ignored him and settled herself in the seat.

When they were all in the Humvee, Senor Paponi shook his head at what a Motley crew they were: Pedro and Vanessa, a drawling Texan who was deceptively laid back, but could be one bad ass dude when he needed to be, an abused vampire girl, who was perhaps, due to her vulnerability, the bravest of them all, a mysterious and elegant countess and her mortal son. And then there was himself, with his own hidden secrets.

John opened the door and swung into the driver's seat. He look back at the mixed company of passengers. "Ya'll ready to go kick some Vampire Hunting Priests butts?"

"Yes, my new friend. Lets go do this, and may God be with us." Senor Paponi had spoken for all of them.

He turned the key and the engine roared to life. But before he pulled out, he looked once more at the countess. They held each others gaze for a moment then he nodded and turned onto the road that led to Camala and the Cathedral called "San Miguel del ArcAngel."

To Be Continued.

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PREPERATIONS

By: Maggie Denton
It is another fine Vampires2.com Audio Production.
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