The next morning found the three of them in the GTO parked 200 yards from the barn where Dani knew the vampires were hanging out. They were just past a small tree line and hidden from view. It was a simple plan really. Nick and Vince would go in and take out the entire nest of bloodsuckers while Dani waited at the car. She was only supposed to head in if she heard Vince whistle or if it took longer than 30 minutes. It was only about 10 vamps, so it was nothing for Nick and Vince in the daylight, when they would all be weakened and probably sleeping.
"Alright, so you stay here no matter what. And, we'll take care of this. Please Dani, don't come in there unless you have to." Vince looked at her as he and Nick readied themselves at the trunk. They had duffle bags full of weapons to choose from, which they loaded and carefully hid in various places in case they needed them in a pinch.
"I know. I'll give you 30 minutes and then I'll come, but I hope you'll be done before then." Her eyes were still red-rimmed as she looked at the two men. She was definitely in no shape for a fight.
"We'll end this and we'll bring him out Dani." Vince stopped what he was doing and walked over holding her face in his hands and catching her eyes.
"Please finish him fast Vince so it doesn't hurt." She teared up as she spoke and Nick continued to get ready as Vince took her in his arms. Her hands wrapped around his back, holding on and he felt the need in her to have this over. He only hoped he could do as she asked, but wouldn't make a promise he wasn't sure he could keep, not to her.
"Just wait here, Nick and I have this." With that he turned back and slid the last two blades into the top of his boots.
"We'll take care of it Dani, don't worry." Nick smiled at her before he and Vince headed through the trees toward the barn.
They looked back when they reached the outer door and Vince could tell that Dani was fairly well hidden behind the tree cover. He nodded at Nick's signal and the taller man slid the door open enough for Vince to get inside. The barn was dark, so both men turned on their small red lights and split up making their way to either side. Just past the entryway, they started to see cots lined up on either side with sleeping figures perched atop.
Just like their field work in New Orleans, the two men fell into an easy rhythm of slicing throats before stabbing into the hearts of each creature. They would normally have checked each, but the risk was too high and with a concentration like this it would alert them for sure. After finishing off the main room, Nick flashed his light three times, signaling he was ready to move to the back area, now hidden by hay bales. After killing four to match the four Nick had, Vince knew there had to be more somewhere in there.
"Dani." A voice called out through the barn and it startled them both. It was Stan's voice. Vince pulled Nick to the side against the hay bales before they entered the next section.
"I think I should go back and take care of him if we missed him, can you handle the rest of the barn?" Vince whispered it out to his partner.
"I don't know. There could be two or three more, but there could be ten Vince."
"Dani." Stan's call was a little louder now, and it had Vince on high alert.
"Shit. I don't want her to come over here."
"Listen, she probably won't even hear him calling. Let's just finish this. It's the back and the hayloft and if we don't find him we'll double back together."
"If she hears him though..."
"Vince, get your head in the game. Before she hears him, every other creature in here is going to hear him. We have to finish this before any of them escape." Nick gave him a look that was clear in its intention and Vince couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"Dani." The voice grew even louder and Vince cursed under his breath as he nodded at Nick and they moved forward. The back of the barn turned out to be empty, and left them with just the hay loft. Vince ascended the rickety ladder first, with his gun trained at the opening. Nick didn't chance going up at the same time for fear the ladder wouldn't hold his weight.
No sooner had Vince reached the top then he was whisked away violently. Nick rushed up and was soon involved in the tussle. Four vampires had made their home in the hay loft and Vince and Nick were entwined with them as the men tried to finish this off.
Everything was a blur of fangs and blood as Vince tried to hold one creature at bay with a knife while he shot at another to no avail. In a burst of strength, he shoved the one gnashing his teeth at his arm with one heavy kick. Then, he turned slamming home his knife into the other creature's chest and twisting mercilessly until it collapsed on the floor.
He felt a crushing weight as he was slammed down on the wooden planks of the hay loft. Vince's face was sprayed with foul smelling spit as the monster pushed harder and harder against his arm trying to get in a bite. His legs were useless as it crouched atop him. With a loud crack, he could suddenly breathe again and saw Nick with his sawed off shot gun standing over the monster before plunging a large knife into its chest and with a twist. Thankfully, that last kill left them alone.
"Thanks man. Those fuckers get stronger the older I get." He smiled as he stood taking stock of his cuts and scrapes to make sure nothing was serious. Nick had a gash on his cheek, but otherwise just looked winded.
"None of those were Stan." Nick looked at him evenly and both men scrambled to search the loft hoping to find Stan and end this mess.
"Stan? Stan, why did you do it? I could have taken care of you. I would have." They heard Dani's teary voice and realized it was down below them causing both men to freeze before dashing towards the ladder.
"He must have been hiding somewhere. Be careful Vince we don't know if any others are still out there." Nick gave him a cautioned warning as Vince started down the ladder.
"STOP! STOP! PLEASE STAN STOP!!" Dani screeched at the top of her lungs before they heard the sounds of a struggle.
A gun cracked off at the other end of the barn, and Nick jumped the last few steps joining Vince in the back of the barn behind the hay bales. They exchanged a look and both ran out, guns at the ready.
Vince reached Dani first, and could only stand back a few steps as he took in what he was seeing. Dani was screaming and straddling Stan's body as she plunged her knife into his chest over and over. All signs of life and movement had left the fair haired man as he lay there. But, she still screamed and cried as she raised the blade again and again. He wasn't sure whether he was supposed to let her have her closure like this or stop her. He merely stood frozen in place as he watched blood fly through the air.
"Dani. Hey Dani. Stop, he's gone." Nick spoke first as he approached and put his gun back in its holster. His hands were raised as he approached.
"NOOOOOOO!!" She let out a blood-curdling scream and stared at him wide-eyed, her knife still raised. The shock was clear on Dani's face. There was something in the way she needed him that made Vince finally move.
"Dani. Dani, it's okay. Look at me." Vince said the words and she blinked out a few tears from her eyes staring at him. Her face was covered in blood, only washed away by the tracks of tear lines.
"Vince?" Dani's voice was soft and reminded him of a little girl somehow as she spoke. "OH GOD STAN!! STAN!!" She screamed again, and Vince swooped in, grabbing her by the waist before she could lose it even more. He pulled her backwards and out of the barn, taking her into the sunshine where she was at least relatively safe until they could sweep the barn. More importantly, she couldn't see Stan anymore.
"Calm down Dani, breathe for me." He pulled the knife from her hand as they both sank back to the ground. Dani let it go and then fully broke down, screaming and crying as Vince managed to pull her into his arms. She sobbed into him, and he just held her.
Nick walked out of the barn a few minutes later and mouthed silently to Vince that he cleared the place. That was it, they were done, and yet he couldn't move. The heartbreak that Dani felt made his own heart tear in two. The last thing he ever wanted was to see her in pain, and now here she was at her worst.
"I think we should call Oz for clean-up." Nick finally spoke up, and Vince nodded. Dani pulled back suddenly from him.
"Wait, no, no, Stan... You have to put Stan in the back with me and then if he comes back..."
"Dani...come on sweetheart. Just let me hold you while Nick takes care of him." Nick nodded at Vince's words and made his way back to the barn door dialing his phone. They were already in sync on what had to be done next and how it should be handled.
When the black vans pulled up to the property thirty minutes later, Vince had corralled Dani into their backseat and was still holding her. Nick waved at the incoming guys and jogged over saying a few words before jogging back. He climbed into the driver's seat of the GTO and took them back to Dani's house without another word.
From there, it was relative silence as Vince led her into the bathroom and helped Dani strip down and get in the shower. His first priority was getting what was left of Stan off of her, and then he would worry about what came next. Once she was inside the shower and safely out of ear shot, Vince slid out finding Nick in the kitchen.
"So, what did you tell Oz?" Nick sat with a cup of coffee at the table, looking as numb as Vince felt.
"I told him exactly what you would have. I explained that Dani was breaking down because they killed a nice woman she met here and Paul called us because she thought it was a huge nest. So, we went with her and Stan was killed in the fight."
"So, he'll get a proper agent funeral and..."
"And go down in the books as a hero, like he should. And, Dani will have to take her mandatory two months off before she gets evaluated for returning to the field with a possible new partner."
"Jesus, Nick. I've lost some guys in my day, even ones I was friends with, but the way she was with Stan. That was her brother."
"I know. I saw her and I couldn't help but think what if that happened to you man. I would flip out just the same. Fuck, I wouldn't have had the sense to put the barriers up like she did."
