"Tomas, wake up...breakfast!"
Tom awoke with a start and grabbed the sheets closer to him. Looking over at the door, he saw Maria standing there with a sardonic look on her face. When she saw his reaction, her lips curled upward into a sarcastic half-smile.
"Don't be afraid, little chicken. I will not eat you," she said with her Spanish accent. "Hurry up and get dressed. Sergi is waiting for you in the dining room. Don't forget to make your bed."
"Make my bed?" asked Tom in confusion. "Yesterday you said...ah...er..."
"Yesterday you were a guest," replied Maria, throwing back her raven black hair before leaving.
Tom climbed out of bed, dressed, and quickly made the bed. He had to borrow clothes from James. The pants had to be rolled up at the cuffs and the shirt was too snug around the chest. Today was Monday and Tom felt both a little guilty and a little happy that he did not have to be back at work until Wednesday. He headed downstairs and met James near the front foyer.
"Howdy, partner," greeted James when he caught sight of Thomas. "It looks like my duds don't quite fit. We'll have to run you over to your place later. The doc is in the dining room."
"Thanks, James."
Tom turned and walked into the dining room. Sergi and Anya were sitting at the table. At Tom's entrance, Anya looked up and gave him an appraising glance up and down. With her eyes lingering on his too tight shirt, she pursed her lips together and gave out a loud wolf whistle.
"Anya!" admonished Sergi.
Tom almost blushed, but then remembered what Anya had said to him yesterday.
"You want to see the rest of it?" he asked her, reaching for his shirt buttons.
Tom was surprised to see Anya's eyes widen in surprise. She then blushed bright red and looked away. Sergi laughed that someone had finally given her as good as she gave out. Tom started to smile himself when a voice interrupted him from behind.
"I would like to see more."
Tom spun around and found himself staring down into Gretta's big brown eyes. She was dressed back into her French maid's outfit and Tom found his eyes moving downward to the very impressive cleavage she was showing. With a start, Tom realized where he was looking. His head snapped upward and he blushed just as much as Anya just had. Tom quickly sat down and stared at the tablecloth to keep from looking at Gretta.
Gretta looked at Sergi and shrugged her shoulders. She set Tom's plate in front of him and left the room without saying another word. Tom just sat there staring at the omelet and bacon strips in front of him. Sergi sighed and shook his head.
"Eat, Thomas, before it gets cold," said Sergi. "What do you think of our encounter yesterday?"
Scary, but not all that dangerous," replied Tom as he took a bite of his omelet. "I'm surprised that it is all real and we don't hear more of it."
Sergi and Anya both broke out laughing.
"You do hear about it all the time," chuckled Anya. "They're ghost stories."
"Humans want a physical world where they have control," said Sergi. "Ghosts, spirits, and supernatural creatures frighten us because they are outside the normal realm of human understanding. They are also not that common. Most require some trigger to appear, like the Gray Man who walks along the State of North Carolina beaches just prior to a hurricane."
"So, it was probably Haskin's death that made Vinetta appear," said Tom. "What was so special about Haskin's death?"
"We may never know," said Anya. "It may have been that Sandra Haskin was in danger while her second husband was alive and an appearance of Vinetta's ghost may have proven fatal to her."
"And remember, Thomas, that not many people will talk to other people about what they have seen," added Sergi. "Father Roberts would be fired and probably defrocked if he told his congregation about the incident. Mrs. Vinetta, who has dropped her Haskin's name, does not want to be seen as...slightly touched in the head, shall we say? What proof could either one offer?"
"Desiree is not like Vinetta's ghost," stated Tom strongly. "She kills."
"Of course she is not," said Sergi. "She is a vampire, not a ghost. Ghosts are tied to a particular event or place. If she is as old as I think she is, she has killed hundreds. Finish your breakfast. We are meeting in the living room to discuss the problem of Covington."
Tom finished off the rest of his omelet and bacon. He then followed Sergi and Anya into the mansion's living room. The large room had sofas and chairs placed strategically around the large fireplace. Tom was not surprised to see James and Gretta there, but had not expected Maria, Hannah, and a distinguished looking, bald-headed man.
"Good morning, sir," said the man in a cultured English accent. We have not met yet. I'm Dobbs, the butler."
"God morning, sir," said Tom, holding out his hand.
"It's not 'sir'...just Dobbs," corrected Dobbs, indicating a seat for Tom.
"Our group takes a little getting used to," said Anya. "We're all equals, but for some reason, some of us wanted the additional work...or,...," She glanced poignantly at Gretta. "...to play dress-up."
"I trained to be a butler and have been one most of my life, as you well know, Miss Anya," stated Dobbs patiently. "I would be uncomfortable if I was without a position."
"And, besides, if we don't do them, we'd have to hire them out," said James. "That maybe means getting some unreliable folk poking into stuff they shouldn't be in or talking about things they shouldn't say."
"We are here to discuss an encounter Thomas had," said Sergi. "Most of us are familiar with it, but I would like Anya to give us a summary."
Anya quickly summarized Tom's encounter with Desiree Covington. Tom turned bright red when she coolly described Desiree sucking off Mr. Silverman. She told everyone of the police involvement. She then read the ancient Roman text they had found and finished up with a description of the type of entity her grandfather thought Covington was.
"A vampire," gasped Hannah in wonder and fear.
"A sex vampire," corrected Sergi. "A female vampire that hates all males. Do not let that fool you, though. She will kill women just as easily."
"What do we do, doc?" asked James. "This ain't like a ghost that has a set purpose which needs to be fulfilled before it moves on."
"No, James, she is not," replied Sergi. "She will be the most dangerous foe we have ever faced. Remember, she not only has great power, but also great limitations. Sunlight will kill her as well as a stake through her heart. Vampires do not sleep, but they must rest, usually during the day, either in their coffins or on the cursed ground they were buried in. They can not cross through running water, like a stream or river, but they can travel over it."
"She took control of my mind," said Tom. "How can we fight that?"
"Her will is formidable," agreed Sergi. She can dominate the weak-willed or unwary easily. Covington surprised you in the office. I do not think anyone here would call you weak-willed. Now that we know who and what she is, we will be able to resist her domination. The main thing is not to become trapped with her. Over time, she will break through anyone's will."
"The plan, sir," reminded Dobbs quietly.
"Quite right, Dobbs," said Sergi. "We must first track down her lairs. She will have several and have plans made for escapes from those places. Thomas, I hesitate to ask this, but we need to know everything about Covington. Is it possible for you to get her financial records from your firm?"
"Those files are confidential," responded Tom, taken aback by the request. To hand over the files went against everything he had been taught. "I know she is worth millions."
"Tom, it is not what you think," said Anya quietly. "Her money is blood money...probably taken from her victims. We want no part of it. Her wealth fives her leverage and grants her freedom of movement. Where she has spent the money can point to where she has set up her places of refuge."
"Thomas, I am wealthy in my own right," said Sergi. "It is up to you to decide whether to obtain the information or not, and whether to trust us with that information. Think on it. James will drive you home so you can change clothes. Please be back here before noon."
"Why/" asked Tom. "What happens at noon?"
"Lunch," replied Sergi, standing up and heading out of the living room. "The police detectives will also be here to interview you."
"Do you mind if I tag along with you?" asked Anya of Tom.
Before Tom could answer, someone stamped a foot behind him. He turned around to see Gretta standing there with a petulant look on her face. With a loud harrumph, she turned and flounced out of the room.
"Uh, it's alright with me if it's okay with James," said Tom, slightly flustered by Gretta's obvious irritation.
"Whoa there, partner!" exclaimed James, holding up his hands. "Don't get me in the middle of this! It's just a quick out and back, Anya."
"Beats sitting around here," said Anya.
"Okey-dokey," said James, not hearing any disagreement from Tom. "Let's go, you two."
Tom was half-expecting James to pull out the Rolls. He was just as happy to see James slide behind the wheel of a Cadillac Deville in the four-car garage. The other two vehicles in the garage were a Ford Mustang convertible and a Land Rover geared up for the outdoors. Anya followed his gaze.
"Grandfather loves the Rolls Royce, but it is not the most inconspicuous car around. The Mustang is mine. It's a 1967, which I restored."
"Sweet ride," admired Tom, taking in the cherry-red finish and the white interior.
