Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

“Shit,” she said in a hiss to herself.

Feeling frustration, she broke into a fast jog up to where the car had picked up Gussy. The car was no longer in sight.

“Can't track you in a car,” she said with exasperation. “Uri, where are you?"

Her phone still had no service.

She found herself walking in the direction the car had gone.

"What are you doing? You can’t sniff him in a car. He got away.”

However, she just couldn't let it go that he was gone so easily. She couldn't stop herself. He was like a slippery eel. Or too damn lucky.

She stopped dead, looking down.

In the road, was a dead cat. It was rotting and smelling rather rancid in the heat. There was a tire track over the cat.

“Did you run over the cat?”

She stepped around the cat and jogged to the end of the block. The car either went straight or turned right or left. She figured it probably didn't go left. That road was a dead end.

She crossed the street and knelt down, sniffing

“Pretending to be a bloodhound. This is useless.”

However, she thought she could detect the rancid smell. She went to the right and did the same. She didn’t smell the rancid smell. The trail was clear.

“You went straight,” she said, breaking into a fast jog.

She didn't know if this was a futile attempt on her part or not.

At the end of the next block, she had to make another decision.

Her phone dinged.

She hastily brought it out expecting a response from Uri, but it was only her own phone telling her it now had service and it had sent her text.

But did Uri get it?

Tracking Gussy. He's in car.

Instead of texting him the street names, she just took a picture of the signs.

“He's bound to see these eventually,” she said when she stopped in the street.

Again, based on what she thought she could smell, she decided the car had gone straight.

She was able to go two blocks without having to stop. The side streets were ones that didn’t go any where. However, the next intersection had lights and more traffic.

Natalia bend down as if she'd dropped something, so she could take a sniff. She spied two people coming out of a store. They eyed her with caution and hurried to their car. Their door locks sounded as soon as the car doors closed.

She rose, not surprised based on what happened last night. People were being extra cautious with strangers. She continued to go straight, wondering if she was doing the right thing.

“Shit,” she said. “I don't even know if I'm following the right car. How do I know he didn’t get dropped off? It's going to take me hours to do this.”

Her sense of frustration was high, but she found she couldn't stop. After an hour, she could no longer jog. She was tired.

She paused to take in where she was at and what direction she was heading.

“If 1 didn't know better, we're skirting around the city,” she said. “I bet he’s heading to Hell.”

She had looked at enough maps of the city streets, almost feeling she had them memorized.

“I know a short cut,” she said. “I can cut off a few miles.”

She took the turn. While she walked, she checked her phone. There was nothing yet from anyone. Heading to Hell.

She sent the text with hopes she would get a response. After ten minutes of fast walking, she still hadn't received anything from Uri. He was either not checking his phone or he still didn’t have service. She broke into a jog to expend her frustration.

“Stupid me.”

She slowed to a walk and brought out her phone again. With an exaggerated tap, she hit the button that would connect her to Bonnie.

The phone rang eight times then ended.

“What?”

She had never had this happen before. Normally, she got Bonnie immediately. She tried calling Mag, then Mirren. Each time, the phone rang eight times and then the call ended.

She dialed emergency service.

The phone rang eight times and the call ended.

“Phone service is down,” she said with disbelief, even though her phone showed it had service. “Damn. Someone did something last night. Or even something today.”

She couldn't remember the last time her phone did work.

She eyed cars, but knew she couldn't hotwire them like Char.

“Hell, I don't even have money for the bus.”

She wondered if she could hitchhike.

"How do I tell someone I need to go to Hell?"

It didn’t matter, there wasn't a single car around.

The weather was hot and she suspected everyone was staying inside where it was cooler. She was already sweating.

“I could use something to drink.”

She jerked her head up.

A car pulled onto the street, coming toward her, but then it pulled into a laneway. The garage door opened.

Natalia quickened her pace. Maybe she could ask for a ride.

The car pulled into the garage and the door closed as soon as the car was clear as if the person was afraid.

"Damn."

She kept on walking, ruling out going up to any house because of the frightened behavior she had already witnessed. Neighborhoods that she thought should have children playing were deserted. She felt like she was in a ghost town.

The walking was getting monotonous. She was hardly paying attention, when she caught the smell. It was the rancid smell. She paused to look around and check the streets.

"Yes, this would be where I meet up with them again.”

She was elated that she was still on the right track. Her elation ended when she came to an intersection and determined that the car had turned.

"You were supposed to have gone straight if you were going to Hell.”

She made the turn.

A short way down, there was a strip of businesses. When she approached them, she caught a whiff of the cologne. It was much stronger now. Almost as if he had put more on.

There was one bar. When she passed it, the smell of cologne was gone.

He was in the bar?

Natalia also realized the rancid smell was gone. She spun around. A few cars down from the bar, she caught the rancid smell. She stooped by the curb, realizing the car she had been following was parked right there. The back tire with the scent was right in front of her. She stood. No one was in the car.

She backtracked to the bar to catch the cologne. It was so strong. She figured he had cleaned up in the bar. The vision of him spiffing himself up by splashing on more cologne was clear to her. Then he had left the bar. She crossed the street, following the scent down an alley and back onto the street where the car should have gone if it had continued on to Hell.

“You're on foot now, Gussy. Lose your ride?”

She could see no one ahead of her, but the cologne still wafted in the hot air.

Her phone showed it had service, but when she tried making phone calls again, she ended with the same result.

“No one to help me. Gussy, it's you and me,” she said, breaking into a jog.

Her focus was back. There was no more leaning over to catch the scent. The cologne was like a beacon that directed her. Where he was going, was quite clear, now, with or without the cologne. She knew he was heading back to Hell.

“The only safe place for you,” she said. “Or so you think.”

Her stomach growled, reminder her she hadn't eaten since the cookies.

“Not now. You'll get fed later.”

She was feeling the weariness when the main gate of Hell appeared. The scent told her that was the path Gussy took, but she decided she should enter a different way. She Swerved down the wall that surround Hell until she found where the cement blocks offered hand holds. With care, she climbed to the top, peering over with caution. There was no one in sight. She spied a camera positioned on a nearby rooftop. It caused her to pause until she saw that the camera was smashed. She hoisted herself on top of the wall, keeping a low profile and listening hard.

Curiosity made her crawl back toward the main gate. She confirmed her suspicion when she looked down. The gate for people was boobytrapped with a string. Gussy wanted to know if anyone was coming in.

This works both way, Gussy, she thought. Let's see if you'll reveal yourself.

She doubled back to jump over onto a roof. There was plenty of debris. She wouldn't be surprised if some of it was from the cement truck that was blown up. An iron bar caught her attention.

Perfect, she thought, picking it up.

She crept to the edge of the roof, then tossed the bar toward Gussy’s trap. It looked rather simple, but she could see the string that led off somewhere. As soon as her bar hit the trap, the string snapped.

A cacophony of sound erupted down the street as tin cans, glass jars, and more crashed to the street. The sounds echoed. Natalia lay flat on the rooftop waiting. The echoes faded away, leaving total silence. Even the background sounds of the city seemed to be muted

Natalia flinched.

“Welcome to Hell."

A loud speaker blared with Gussy's voice.

“I've been expecting you.’

And just who were you expecting, Gussy, she thought? Someone Viperian, obviously, since that's what you're speaking.

Did he know she was on his trail?

She remained still so she didn't reveal her location, letting her ears focus on any sound.

“Come out. Come out. Come out to play."

Through the sounds and echos, she triangulated his position on the next street. She rose and crossed over the roof to the other side. The next building was close enough, and she jumped. She thought she landed rather hard, but there were no comments from Gussy. There was another camera facing the street, but it too was smashed. She wondered if all the cameras had been smashed. And who did it?

Gussy was just visible in the street. He had a megaphone and was strutting about as if he had not a care in the world. She thought he was being an idiot.

She edged over the building and down. There was an alley. She figured she could go down that and circle around to cut him off. Natalia ran fast and as quiet as she could until she reached the end of the alley. She peered out. There was Gussy, waving the megaphone in one hand. In his other hand, she caught sight of the gun. That caused her some concern and she adjusted her plan.

He turned his back to her, and she threw. The knife bounced off him, causing her to hold her breath. When he twirled around, she ducked back, racing down the alley as fast as she could.

How could she miss? She hadn't missed. What happened?

“Naughty, naughty,” Gussy’s voice blared over the area.

He laughed and it echoed around her as if he was right behind her, but when she looked, there was no one in sight.

“What is this, Uri? You missed?’

Uri? Gussy thought she was Uri? Of course. The knife.

She could now hear him walking down the street. He wasn't taking any precautions or making any attempt at being quiet.

“I know you're there,’ Gussy said.

Natalia climbed back up on a roof, creeping to the edge. She watched him closely, taking in every detail.

Gussy was still wearing dress pants and dress shoes. He had a jacket over is his white silk shirt which made him less obvious. However, to her, the jacket was unusual. It was hot out. Why was he wearing a jacket?

“Come talk to me, Uri," he said.

He swung down the megaphone, before holding it with the hand that held the gun. His other hand went up to his collar where he seemed to be adjusting his shirt collar.

A little warm, Gussy, she thought? Why are you wearing a jacket?

Her mind was spinning. The only thing she could come up with was that the jacket was protecting him. That's why her knife bounced off. This was making sense to her. He was protecting his main body which is where she had thrown her knife. That was where Uri usually threw his as well.

Natalia smiled.

I got you, Gussy.

Natalia scooted back. She jumped over to the next roof, then climbed down at the back. With caution, she edged around toward the front.

Gussy had turned the corner. She knew he was heading toward the main street. She walked out and broke into a jog. At the corner, she edged around with caution, but he had his back to her, then he made the turn onto the main street.

“Uri. Uri. Did you blow up my trailer? My stage?"

Natalia could hear his voice before it went through the megaphone. It was eerily in stereo and annoying. She reached the turn and slid around the building. There was a lot of debris. She had no choice. She stepped out in full view.

Gussy turned to face her.

He had a big smile on his face, but it faded once he saw her.

“Who are you?” he said, switching languages.

She knew he thought she was an Undent.

“Nattie,” she said.

“There's no party today, little girl. Go home.”

Natalia took a few steps toward him. She could see he saw her as no threat.

“I'm not here for the party,” she said.

“I've got no drugs for you, either little girl.”

“I'm the Specter,’ she said, speaking Viperian.

He laughed, then his face change.

"What did you say?”

“I'm the Specter. White and cold.’

She took two more steps. He was in range if she was aiming for his torso, but she had to aim for his neck, which was a harder target. The megaphone, at the moment, was in the way.

“Specter?’

He looked uncomfortable.

"You heard right,’ she said. "You remember the stories.’

His arm shifted and the megaphone dropped a little. She almost had her target.

She could see he was having a hard time with her looking like an Undent, but speaking Viperian.

“I thought you knew me, but now I see you don't,’ she said.

His head shook reflexively and his arm dropped further.

“I'm Uri's wife. Victoria's mother. You tried to kill my daughter.’

She smiled and threw. The moment she released the knife, she recoiled back to get a second knife. Just in case. But she didn't have to. She had put just a slight tilt to the knife. It didn't hit him straight. It hit him slightly sideways, almost slicing all the way through his neck.

Blood poured out, ruining what little was visible of his white shirt.

He gurgled, raising the megaphone, only realizing it was the wrong hand. It was the gun he had meant to raise. He took a step back, only to step off the edge of the crater created when the cement truck blew up. His body crumbled into the depression.

She stepped to the edge and looked down. He was still gasping, staring up at her.

“Never mess with a new mother,’ she said.

He gurgled one last time and went limp.

Natalia felt exhausted. She walked over to some steps and sat down.

“I could really use some super tea right now. Or a nice warm raw steak.”

No one answered her.

She pulled out her phone and tried to call again. The phone wasn't even trying to make the call. It ended instantaneously.

“Useless.”

She wasn't looking forward to the walk home.

“I don't even think I have the energy to get my knife back.”

There was the faint sound of metal in the distance. It took her a few moments to realize there was the sound of a car. She didn't know if she should hide or not. It didn’t matter. She was too exhausted to move. Her ears tracked the vehicle until it appeared at a the corner. It turned her way. She stood.

“I'm not hallucinating am 1?”

There was the limo.

It pulled up and Uri stepped out.

"Are you for real?” she said, heading over to him.

“I hope 50."

She felt like she fell into his arms. He held her tight.

"You okay?” he said.

"Yeah. Just really tired.”

Harold stepped out of the limo.

“Is Gussy here?” he said. “Oh, wait.”

His nose led him to the crater.

“Nice hit,” he said.

Uri pulled her along while he stepped over to look.

"Why the throat?”

“He's wearing a protective jacket. The first knife bounced off.”

Harold hopped down. He pulled out a handkerchief and used that to pick up the knife and wipe off the blood.

“Don’t want to lose this,” he said.

“We'll have to back track to pick up the other one,” she said. “Can I ride, though?”

"Of course,” Uri said.

She felt relieved when she slid into the limo.

“Back up. Take the left and then the right. At the end of the block,” she said to Bonnie.

When they reached that point, Harold hopped out. He was back in seconds with her knife.

“Thanks, Harold.”

“No, thank you,” he said.

All their phones suddenly dinged. Uri's phone dinged numerous times. Her phone dinged twice. They finally had service.

"How did you know I was here?” she said, too tired to look at her phone.

"We found you were gone from the tower,” he said.

“I tracked you until we came across Gussy's scent. He was easier to follow than you,” Harold said. “But he drove off in a car.”

“I figured out you were following the scent of the dead cat,” Harold said. “You did pretty damn good.”

He looked impressed.

"We went back to Viperia to get Bonnie, then home to get the limo, then resumed our tracking,” Uri said while he fingered through his phone. “I just got all your texts.”

"A little late,” she said. “However, you're just in time for the ride home.”

She felt like curling up and sleeping, but she didn't. Instead, she leaned into Uri. The trip home seemed very fast to her. Perhaps because she was no long going her jogging pace.

“I'll take Harold back to Viperia,’ Bonnie said from the front.

“Thanks, Bonnie,’ Harold said.

“Good night, Harold. Take care,” she said.

“You, too.”

Uri helped her out.

Mag was standing at the front door with Victoria.

“She's quiet,” Natalia said.

Mag smiled and nodded.

"When she started to fuss, Mirren told her you were away and she had to be good. After that, she took the bottle and was as good as could be.”

“I'm so glad. I need a meal, a shower, and the breast pump, and not necessarily in that order.”

"Go shower,” Mag said. “I'll get dinner ready.”

“You need to get rested,” Uri said, taking Victoria.