My inability to be out in the sun was really putting a damper on my ability to properly stake out a place, and I was desperately curious what the Holy Grounds cafe was like during the day because a place open this late, playing music that thumped like this, and a bouncer that looked like that was not what came to mind when I thought ‘Cafe.’ I guessed I was just getting old. The place sounded like a club, and that was a young woman’s game. I checked for traffic and jaywalked towards the bouncer. He looked me up and down. I had spent enough years in the detective business to know when someone knew what they were looking for. I kept my head down and unconsciously ran my tongue over my fangs. I was ready to run. These hunters would, hopefully, be able to help me learn more about my condition but they were hunters of people like me. I had to be cautious. I felt something stir in my chest. A vampiric compulsion? The same internal sense that warned me away from sunlight. The internal sense that almost pushed me to feed on that person tied to the table. The internal sense that was now telling me to stay away from the danger posed by the crowded establishment. I ignored it.

“Sorry. Private party,” the bouncer told me.

“I’m on the guest list. I think?”

The bouncer raised an eyebrow, “you think?”

I shrugged, “stranger on a phone I got from a forum told me to show up here for a meet n greet.”

The bouncer stared. I bounced on the balls of my feet, ready to run. Did he know what I was? He flipped a page on his clipboard, “what’s your forum handle?”

“Oh. Uh, DectF.”

The bouncer stepped aside, “enjoy your night.”

“Thanks.”

Inside, the music thumped against my chest. It was almost like having a heartbeat again. I hoped these hunters had a big book of vampires, or something. No way to have a conversation on the subject here. Dance floor. Bar. A ring of couches around the perimeter. The stack of tables and chairs in the back corner gave an idea of the set up during the day. Most of the patrons had that punk vibe. Torn denim, leather vests, and piercings galore. I would’ve felt out of place had the bartender not been out of place as me. Her bright yellow daisy covered sundress was like a beacon amongst the denim and leather. I took a seat near the end of the bar so I could sit sideways and both keep my back to a wall and keep the crowd and bartender in my peripheral. 

“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked, walking over to me.

I shook my head, “no. Thank you, though. Just here to meet someone.” She must’ve worked a bar for a while. I could hear her clearly, despite the music. She knew how to project.

“Ah!” she exclaimed, “you must be the one Dawn was waiting for.”

“Seems like.”

“Didn’t expect someone like you to come here!”

I froze. Did she know? How? I discreetly checked the skin between my sleeve and glove. Flush. I looked alive, at least. I feigned ignorance, “how do you mean?”

She stared. For what seemed an eternity. She smiled, “you look like a detective from a dime store novel.” She gestured over the crowd, “our regular clientele is more of the punk variety.”

Relief. It wasn’t the vampire thing. She just thought I looked out of place. “Well,” I said, “I’ve been told my fashion sense is a bit out of date.”

“No worries! Looks good on you.” She gestured at a door on the back wall, “Dawn is waiting in the back room for you. It’ll be quieter back there. Just let yourself through!”

“Thanks.”

The door was thicker than your standard interior door. And probably sound proofed considering how much the volume dropped off when I closed the door. A pool table dominated the center of the room. A woman was leaning over the far side of it lining up a shot. The sides of her head were shaved. The rest of the hair was pulled back and tied into a thick, shoulder length braid.

“Dawn?” I asked. 

She didn't answer, and took her shot. Sunk two in a shot. 

“Nice shot.”

“Thanks.” She said, “Daisy sent you back? You must be our new hunter.”

“The bartender? And yeah. That's me. The new hunter.”

She walked over and held out a hand. I shook it without taking my gloves off. “I'm Dawn,” she told me, “and you are?”

“Jane.”

“What's with your forum handle? DectF?”

“Sounds kind of like detective.”

“Oh?”

She tossed me the rack. I caught it and began filling it with balls.  

“Day job.” I eyed up the stake strapped to her thigh, as I selected a cue from the wall.  

“You a cop?”

“No, private.”

“Vampires tend to lay low. They're discreet.” She paused, “we try to be discreet too. How'd you get in the know.”

“Well,” I hesitated a moment to consider. Wondering how much to tell her. I could probably get away with telling everything, as long as I left out that I got turned myself, “the one that broke into my apartment and killed my wife was less than discreet about it.” As though summoned Tess appeared draped over the empty chair, “she's pretty cute! And hasn't tried to stake you yet!”

“I—” I stopped myself. I couldn't respond to Tess in front of Dawn. Tess stuck out her tongue at me, knowing I was a captive audience. 

Dawn looked over her shoulder to see what I was looking at. Tess made kissy faces at her. Dawn saw nothing. Returning her attention to me, she continued, “as good a motivation as any. And all too common unfortunately. The fucking vampires don't care who they hurt.”

I nodded, “certainly wouldn't have minded staying blissfully ignorant of all this.”

“Wouldn't we all. But you're in the shit now. Can't unlearn what you know.”

“That's part of the problem. I've learned fuck all, aside from the existence of.”

Dawn nodded, “everyone was a rookie hunter at some time. There's a lot to learn, but we're here to teach. Have you made a stake yet?”

“I have not.”

“Damn. You're like, new new. How in the fuck you managed to avoid being drained by those vamps in the tunnel, I'll never know.”

I stripped off my coat and deposited it on a chair. I turned, showing the grip of my revolver. I leaned over the table to break.  

Dawn whistled, “heck of a piece. What are you compensating for?”

Tess let out a full throated laugh, “HA! Hahaha! I like her!”

“The fuck are you looking at?” Dawn asked me. 

“Just remembering. Tess, my wife, used to tease me all the time about that.”

I had had a good break. Didn't sink anything, but left Dawn with too many options. She circled the table like a predator, “Sounds like she had good sense.” 

“Definitely the brains of the relationship.”

“You get that a gun like that, big as it is, isn't much use against vampires?” A sharp crack filled the room as the cue ball struck the three and sank it in a straight shot.

I thought of the vampire in my apartment. How they kept coming after taking a round to the chest. I remembered their teeth sinking into my neck. “Learned that the hard way. But even so, it's not totally useless. Wasn't able to save Tess with it, but once I figured out how much of a beating vampires could take, well, it'll disintegrate a kneecap regardless of any vampiric resilience.”

She took another shot, having claimed solids for her own. It bounced between the walls above the pocket, but didn't fall in, “shit.”

I moved to line up my shot. There was an enticing angle on twelve. 

Dawn moved fast. Lightning quick. She drew her stake from its holster on her leg.

Tess yelled, “JANE!”

The beast inside roared, spurring me to action. It took every ounce of will to stay my reaction. The twelve bounced. Once. Twice. Sunk. I stood upright and turned to Dawn. Her stake held towards me, blunt side first. 

“Take mine. I'll make another.”

“Thanks,” I said, tucking the bit of wood into my back pocket. It was only then that I realized I probably should've found out if vampires were allergic to stake wood, or something. “is there something about stake wood that makes it work on vampires?” It was a bad angle, but I picked a shot that put me on the far side of the table from Dawn.

“Nah. Just wood. Any wood will do. Except, like, particle board. It has to be carved from a whole piece. Most of us here use ash, though. It's common enough in Illinois, and hard enough to keep a point for a few stakings.”

“I read that hot iron could work, too.” I sunk two before missing my shot. 

Dawn laughed, “heh. Nope. If that were the case big irons like yours would be a lot more useful. If an iron bullet counted as a stake, I think we'd have purged the earth by now.”

I winced at the word. Purged. I understood the want, need, for revenge. But there were connotations of zealotry there. I'd be a target if she ever found out what I was, amicable game of pool aside. Thankfully I was behind her peripheral while she lined up a shot, and she didn't see my involuntary movement. “I guess. Why wood, though?”

“Why not? It works, doesn't matter why.”

“That's kind of—incurious.”

She shrugged, “don't need to know why, just make em die.” 

“I guess.”

“Why do you care so much?”

“Day job can have a lot of research. I like to know the mechanisms behind how things work. Helps me understand the world. I don't like not knowing something, and I've been tossed feet first into the pool of ignorance.”

“Fine. No one knows for sure. There's theories. Fuck.” She stepped back from the table to give me room. 

“Theories?”

“Theories.”

“Such as?”

“Good God, I am going to regret recruiting you.” 

I smiled, I could practically hear the eye roll, “I'll carry my weight. Promise. Just indulge me.”

“Fine. No one really knows what caused vampires. Some say it's a demon possessing a dead body.”

“For what it's worth, I don't think you're a demon,” Tess cut in. I thought of the vampiric compulsion that almost made me rip out Dawn's throat just a few minutes ago. Maybe.

Dawn continued, “others think the spirit of the deceased is possessing their own body.”

“Vampirism is transmissible, though, right? How would a demon or possession be passed on?”

Dawn shrugged, “like I said. Theories. All we know is that if a vampire feeds on someone, then feeds them their blood they get turned. Maybe it's a demon pact?”

I remembered something warm and wet sliding down my throat. Blood, apparently. My knees felt weak. I sat on a nearby chair. 

Dawn walked over, look of concern spreading across her face, “you look like you've seen a ghost. You all right?”

Shit. Had I let my concentration slip on looking alive? No. Skin was still flush. Artificial pulse made my wrist dance. 

“You said one killed your wife. Did they turn her?”

No. They turned me. “No,” I said, “they didn't. Was a few weeks before we could bury her. No chance of vampirism, I think.”

“Oh, I hope not!” Tess said, “if my soul or spirit or whatever is tied to you, I'd hate to think what my soulless body is up to!”

I made a mental note to stop by her grave that night. 

“Anyway,” Dawn said, “back to the stake bit. Stake alone isn't enough to kill a vamp. But the theory is it pins the soul or demon or whatever in place. It's removing the head that finishes the job.”

“Right.”

“Which is what you neglected to do in the tunnels.”

“Did the people get out safe?”

“Yeah. Daisy was keeping an eye on the forum and let the hunting party know to book it when your post came up. Why didn't you free them yourself?”

The vision of extended fangs, and exposed neck flashed unbidden into my mind. I watched Dawn's rhythmic pulse as she lined up on the eight ball, “dunno. I was in shock I guess. First time fighting vampires where I knew what I was going up against. And I still got pretty banged up in the fight. Even if I did win.”

Dawn looked up from the cue. Into, through my eyes, “fair. Don't expect anyone to jump into hunting vampires and start kicking ass on their first try.” The eight ball roared ahead, bounced off the bumper, and flew at me. I caught it before it struck.

“Good reflexes,” she said. 

I stood to place the ball back on the foot spot, “saved by the innate desire to avoid getting hit in the face.” Dawn laughed. I supposed it was a pretty nice laugh. “Feels like cheating, taking the win this way,” I said, sinking the eight with an easy shot. 

Dawn shrugged, “it's fine. Just a game. And a good way to get to know someone during an interview.”

“This was an interview?”

“One you passed. I'm good at reading people, Jane. You're sharp. A planner. This game. You set me up for easy shots that would leave the cue ball where you wanted it when I missed the follow up. That's good. We need more planners on our side. Too many testosterone fueled dick heads leading the charge, and people die.”

“Quite the compliment. Thanks.”

“Doesn't hurt that we know you can hold your own, too. Coming out on top in a ten on one fight is beyond impressive for a human.”

I watched her. Her phrasing set me on edge. She didn't move. “Just lucky, I guess.”

“Luck, and a dash of skill, I think. Don't sell yourself short. Any more probing questions about the monsters we hunt?”

I returned my cue to the rack and sat. Before I could raise more questions the door cracked open, and Daisy poked her head in, “drinks?”

“Whiskey. Two cubes.” Dawn ordered. 

“Nothing for me, thanks,” I said, hoping it wouldn't be too suspicious. Vomiting up a glass of water would be a dead giveaway. Daisy nodded, and closed the door. 

“You don't drink?” Dawn asked me. 

Just blood, I thought. “Had a problem with over indulgence in the past. Got the habit kicked now, but I'd hate to fall back into that.”

She nodded, apparently accepting my reasoning. 

“How'd you wind up a hunter? And seems like you're in charge here?”

Dawn gave a mirthless laugh, “almost the same as you. Same as a lot of us. I was just a kid. A vampire killed my mom. Turned her.” Daisy returned just in time, because Dawn drained half the drink in one go. She continued after clearing her throat, “she was my dad's first kill. Staked her by accident trying to protect me. Dad started all this. The forum. The team. Organizing the hunters. Making sure the information is out there.” She finished the rest of her drink, “so no one else has to learn as hard as the way he did.”

“I'm sorry. Is your dad still around?”

“Yeah. He's getting old, though. Mostly retired. Runs the forum, mostly. Handles the tracking and research side of things now. What about you? Any other family?”

“None on speaking terms. I was the first queer in the family and no one took it well.”

“Shit. Sorry.”

I shrugged, “what better family than the one you pick for yourself? I have Tess. Between her and Jules, well, we saved a ton on our wedding by keeping it under a dozen people.”

A pained look crossed Dawn's face, and realized what tense I had used to refer to Tess. “Shit.” I said, “had Tess. That wound is still fresh.”

Tess made a show of lounging dramatically, and holding the back of her hand to her forehead feigning an emotional wound. 

“Never gets easier,” Dawn said, “sorry.”

“On lighter—different? topics. If I'm going to fight vampires, I should know what they can do. I have a few ideas. Swarm of bats?”

“No. Well, only the really old ones. The ones that have been drinking blood for centuries. But no swarm, just one big bat. I don't think they're limited to bats, though. But that's just a guess.”

“Drinking blood makes them more powerful?”

“Slowly. Outside your lifespan or mine.”

Well, I thought, yours at least. Though I did wonder how I'd fare with an all bagged diet. “You said the ones in the tunnel were healing by the time you got to them?”

“Yeah. Slowly. They were all new gen, and young at that. You really did fuck them up.”

“Guess I did.”

“Well, vamps heal faster than a human. But that gets turbo charged when they feed. A vampire is at their most dangerous when they're hurt. They go into some kind of frenzy. Seen one drain a hunter dry when we torched them. Fire works wonders, by the way. Anyway, torched the vamp. Rookie hunter went in for the kill, but hesitated. The fucking monster drained him dry in seconds. Watched the burns heal before my very eyes.”

“What happened to that vampire?”

“Got away. For a few days. We tracked them down and staked em. Left them in a parking lot until sun up.” A fire burned in her eyes, “I'm not the only dawn that's cleansing, you know!”

The heat in her made me nervous. Sure that was a vampire that hurt people, obviously, but damn. She was in it for the kill. I glanced at Tess. She was watching our conversation intently. Had getting her back tempered my desire for revenge? I was still set on finding the guy, but fuck. The way Dawn looked when she told that story— had I been that driven at the start? Before Tess came back? Maybe I was feeling empathy for that vampire. Knowing Dawn would stake me out in the sun just as quick. “Anything else I should know about our, uh, targets?”

“Blood magic.”

“Magic is real?”

“So are vampires.”

“Fair point.”

“Blood magic is nasty shit. Sacrifices. Rituals. Everyone carries bleach on them on a hunt. If you leave any blood behind a vampire can use it to fuck you up big time. Saw one hunter go down to the plague. The bubonic one. Blood magic. But that's the big time rituals. Tracking, bad luck curses, shit like that. Small time. More likely if you leave your blood pooling around a vampire with the talent. But no less deadly in the end.”

“Can anyone do blood magic?”

“The fuck you planning? Pulling a skinned rabbit from a hat? No. Has to be a vampire doing it. And they have to want to do it. Managed to capture a vamp a while back. For study. Tortured some blood magic out of them, but we couldn't get it to work. And they wouldn't help. Like I said, nasty shit. We burned the notes along with the vamp.”

“Tracking!” Tess piped up, “are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

I nodded imperceptibly. Soft enough that only someone living in my body would notice. 

“Listen,” Dawn said, “we've got a lead. We're gearing up for a hunt. Keep that phone on you and we'll call when we're moving out. See if you can survive a hunt against real vamps. Not new gen scrubs.”

I nodded, and stood. 

Dawn held out her hand. I shook it. 

“It's nice to meet you, Jane.”

“Likewise,” I said. Her hand was warm. I could feel it even through my glove.

Tess and I threaded our way through the crowd. She clung to my arm. She could tell how on edge I was. I reached the exit. Daisy was watching. I gave a polite wave as I slipped out the door.

“Goodnight you two!” She called as the door clicked shut.