History Repeats Itself

Chapter 8 - 'Who was the first one?'

She watched him walk out the door. She wasn't sure how he was getting back to the club, but she couldn't think of that now. Jade had overheard the first part of that call, and like her, he was being told about another death by ice. That made two, which wasn't good. One was odd, two became questionable.

She reached for her jacket, flung it on, and then grabbed her car keys, heading out. The location for this scene was about forty minutes away from her. She figured she would beat Xander there, especially if he still had to go pick up his car. She did have every intention of taking him back, but after all of that, the thought of being in such a tight space with him wasn't good.

Although, at the moment, she was alone with her thoughts, which wasn't good either. She so badly wanted to push Xander and make him happy with the thought of being a bite slave, but he wouldn't go for it. And if she was honest with herself, she wouldn't either. She hadn't done one in over fifty years; she wasn't going to pick the habit back up now. Even though his blood was some of the best she ever had. And what she felt through his pants only made her want him more.

With a shake of her head, she cleared her mind. She refused to go down that rabbit hole. It was dangerous and she couldn't afford that. Danger, like that, could easily lead to a vampire's demise, and though she didn't relish being a vampire all the time, she wasn't set on ending her life if she could avoid it. Her eyes glanced over at the GPS, seeing the time to her destination.

She picked up a cigarette and lit it. Sure, the tobacco wasn't something she needed, it didn't help, nor hurt her, but it tasted good. Jade could still picture the tobacco plantations she would oversee at times. Slavery wasn't something she liked, so she avoided the owners who didn't pay for their help. But, then again, it wasn't like she could do a lot of that, there wasn't much call for a nighttime manager, so she would travel onward. But she always loved the smell and soon, the taste. Since that time, it was a habit she hadn't kicked.

She blew out the smoke as her car cruised down the street, nearing the destination. As she did, she glanced around, noticing the quality of the buildings. This, unlike the first one, was the slums of the area. Why would a vampire be killed out here? Even better, how the hell did you get ice out here? Jade checked the directions, making sure she was in the right area, but it was. She saw the flashing lights and pulled off to the side of the road, not seeing Xander's car.

Stepping out of her vehicle, she put the smoke out and slowly walked to the scene, picking up on the chatter the crew was saying. Seemed like a few of the workers there had the heebie geebies about what could be out here. They weren't wrong. She had overheard the talk at the last scene, questioning the fang bit. Jade had no doubt she'd hear it too. Leaning against the wall, Jade kept the people in her eyesight, only moving her eyes away when Xander finally pulled up in his car. She checked the time, surprised to see how fast he got there.

Only when he had talked to the last of the people and they had left, leaving him alone, did she walk over. He glanced up but she could see there was no shock in his eyes. Not like the first time anyway.

"Another vampire," was all he said, as if she would be called out to see something that wasn't vampire-related. "There's nothing out here."

"I thought about that on the way in. This is the slums, why kill someone out here?" Xander tilted his head as he looked over the scene before him. There was a spike of ice straight through this man's chest. Again, he was impaled on it, not just staked with it.

"Dumb sentiment, but doesn't this remind you of someone?" Jade lifted a brow at that. Who the hell would she know that did this? "Vlad," he told her.