Bloodsucking fiends: a love story

happening. I know that after ten or twelve hours it seems like something, but it's not. You're losing your edge. The kid leaving, the kid strangling someone, that's something happening."
    Rivera was insulted by the admonition. He'd been a cop as long as Cavuto and he didn't have to take crap like that. "Eat shit, Nick. It's my turn to sleep anyway."
    Cavuto checked his watch. "Right."
    They watched the windows for a while, saying nothing. Shadows moved inside the loft. Too many shadows.
    "There's someone else up there," Rivera said.
    Cavuto squinted at the shadows and grabbed a pair of binoculars from the seat. "Looks like a girl." Someone passed by the window. "A redhead with a lot of hair."
    Tommy took a sip of his coffee and sighed. "I don't even know where to start. This is a big city and I don't know my way around that well."
    "Well, we could just wait here for him to come get us." Jody looked at his cup, watched the heat waves coming off the coffee. "God, I miss coffee."
    "Can't you just wander around until you feel something? Lestat can…"
    "Don't start with that!"
    "Sorry." He took another sip. "The Animals might help. They'll want revenge for Simon. Can I tell them?"
    "You might as well. Those guys do just enough drugs that they might believe you. Besides, I'm sure the story was in the paper this morning."
    "Yeah, I'm sure it was." He put his cup down and looked at her. "How did you know about Simon?"
    Jody looked away. "I was in the morgue when they brought him in."
    "You saw him?"
    "I heard the cops talking. I slipped out during the excitement when they found the dead pervert."
    "Oh," Tommy said, not quite sure of himself.
    She reached out and took his hand. "You'd better go. I'll call a cab."
    "They took all the money," Tommy said.
    "I have a little left." She handed him two hundred-dollar bills.
    He raised his eyebrows. "A little?"
    Jody grinned. "Be careful. Stay around people until it gets light. Don't get out of the cab unless there are a lot of people around. I'm sure he doesn't want any witnesses."
    "Okay."
    "And call me if anything happens. Try to be back here by sundown tomorrow, but if you can't, call and leave me a message where you are."
    "So you can protect me?"
    "So I can try to protect you."
    "Why don't you come with me?"
    "Because there's two cops in the alley across the street watching the loft. I saw them from the window. I don't think we want them to see me."
    "But it's dark in the alley."
    "Exactly."
    Tommy took her in his arms. "That is so cool. When I get back, will you read to me naked, hanging from the ceiling beam in the dark?"
    "Sure."
    "Dirty limericks?"
    "Anything."
    "That's so cool."
    Five minutes later Tommy stood at the bottom of the stairs with the fire door cracked just enough to see when his cab arrived. When the blue-and-white DeSoto cab pulled up, he opened the fire door and a furry black-and-white comet shot past him.
    "Bummer! Stop!" the Emperor shouted.
    The little dog skipped up the steps with a yap and a rattle every step of the way; his pie-pan helmet was hanging upside down by the chin strap, hitting the edge of each step. He stopped at the top of the stairs and commenced a leaping, barking, scratching attack on the door.
    Tommy leaned against the wall holding his chest. He thought, Good, a heart attack will sure mess up the vampire's murder plans.
    "Forgive him," the Emperor said. "He always seems to do this when we pass your domicile." Then, to Lazarus, "Would you be so kind as to retrieve our comrade-in-arms?"
    The golden retriever bounded up the stairs and snatched Bummer out of the air in mid-leap, then carried him down by the scruff of the neck as the rat dog struggled and snarled.
    The Emperor relieved Lazarus of his squirming charge and shoved the smaller soldier into the oversized pocket of his coat. He buttoned the flap and smiled at Tommy. "Dogged enthusiasm in a handy reclosable package."
    Tommy laughed, more nervous than amused. "Your Highness, what are you doing here?"
    "Why, I am looking for you, my son. The authorities have been asking after you in regard to the monster. The time to act is at hand." The Emperor waved his sword wildly as he spoke.
    Tommy stepped back. "You're going to put someone's eye out with that thing."
    The Emperor held his sword at port arms. "Oh, quite right. Safety first."
    Tommy signaled to the cabdriver over the Emperor's shoulder. "Your Highness, I agree, it's time to do something. I'm on my way to get some