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projects. They flew in their small Cessna plane, a Citation XII, making record
timing to New York. From the airport, they rented a car and drove into the city.
Komi called Jin to let them know they were in town and he told them where they
should go. Then Komi got in touch with an underground vampire network to find
out the word on the street. The best sources came from the Kantal Tribe, who was
similar to the Pinu. They knew very little about Fredon. The only story was that
someone had gotten the drop on him and burned the body. They only identified
him by his ring. But they also learned that vampires were hunting a human in the
same location that Jin had given. The rest was up to them.
Komi was a sensitive. Her skill was legendary, even for her tribe, the
Asanti. She had the ability to sense a vampire long after it had gone. Her eyes
were hyper-sharp; she could see sharply for three miles without any devices. Her
sense of smell was even more advanced than most vampires, letting her pick up a
scent of blood that was two weeks old. To top it all off, she was a skilled fighter
and killer. As a result, she had become an enforcer for hire. She worked primarily
for her tribe, but others had used her, too. Komi was an ebony hue that was
smooth as midnight. Her hair was cut close and her large brown eyes were bright.
For her prey, her broad smile was their last earthly vision.
Jode, her partner, was a natural tracker from the Jufu Tribe. His skin was
the color of sand, his hair coal-black. His eyes were darker than Komi s, a deep,
soulless black. Once he had a vampire s scent, he could track him for years. The
prey could only hope to outrun Jode. He spoke only when necessary. Also a
skilled fighter, he specialized in ammunition.
Komi and Jode had been partners for over eighty years. The Jufu and
Asanti tribes had always collaborated and traded with each other. They met as
children when their respective families came to a celebration of an Asanti Elder s
birthday. They started as fierce competitors but became partners when they
recognized how well they complemented each other. Soon, they would both be in
heat and everyone expected them to mate. They wouldn t believe anyone else was
fit for the purpose.
They were only obligated to each other until Jin came along. He was the
only one to ever disrupt their partnership. It caused a lot of tension, but it was
resolved when Jin decided to be their friends instead of lovers. Over time, the
three were nearly inseparable. Jin would tag along with them on many of the non-
killing adventures. He backed them up, protecting them. He claimed that he
would make them his personal bodyguards. Neither Jode nor Komi believed him.
They knew his parents would put the thought out of his mind, but the idea made
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them happy. Then one day it all ended. Jin had to go away, and the threesome was
back down to two.
Hearing from Jin again was a shock. They learned through the grapevine
that Jin s abrupt departure was his parents doing. Later, they found out that he
was in heat and about to ascend to his seat of power. They didn t expect to hear
from him again what would the High Prince need with two vampire mercenaries
from two inconsequential tribes? Yet, when they got his call, they knew they
would help. The High Prince enamored both and he was a good friend as well.
On the way to the human s location, both contemplated what was driving
Jin to seek her. It had to be more than just having been rescued by her, which
Komi found hard to believe. Jin had broken the law, and with good reason. His
current actions, however, made no sense. He should have just left her alone, but
he insisted that they check on her.
Now hearing about all the activity, they wondered what was really going
on with Jin and the human. How tangled was the web? Would they get caught in
an inescapable snare?
Are we close?
Jode nodded.
They arrived twenty minutes later at 198th Street. Jode parked the car off
of Broadway and 198th. They got out, both dressed like ordinary citizens of New
York. Jode wore dark jeans, a dark pullover shirt, and dark boots. Komi wore a
dark tank, mini skirt, a long trench coat tied at the waist, and combat boots. They
looked in both directions and went right. Five minutes later, Komi picked up the
scent. She stopped to take it in before glancing at Jode.
How many?
She frowned. I m not sure.
Jode looked at her with mild surprise. She had never made such a
statement.
Why?
Sniff. I know at least one came in this direction but there is a strange
scent too. It s not human, but it s not vampire. She thought about it, then
shrugged. Forget it. Let s move on.
They walked on, Jode following Komi, until they reached a building. She
nodded at the door. Jode went to try it, but found the lock was busted. He took out
a gun and Komi unbuckled her trench, resting her hand on her sword. Jode pushed
open the door and they walked in.
Once again, Komi sensed the vampires that had been there, plus the
strange smell of something not quite vampire. Then she spotted it. Blood, though
faint, blended with the worn carpet. She checked closely then stood up.
Someone lost their head here.
Jode frowned. Do you smell that?
Yes. I sensed it before, now I can smell it. What is that?
Jode shook his head. The same smell comes from the elevator.
Komi stood and pushed the button. The doors opened instantly and the
overpowering stench of death hit them. Both stepped back, expecting to see dead
vampires, but found nothing but a pristine elevator. Jode and Komi scanned the
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box before stepping in to inspect it more thoroughly. Komi looked at the buttons.
She leaned in and noticed a fleck of dry blood between two of them. She pushed
floors eight and nine.
At the eighth floor, they stuck their heads out. Sensing and smelling
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