Foxx tsked. “Seems like the only way we are going to actually get anything done.”
“Well, the Police Chief has stood back and waited patiently, with a clear offer of assistance. We might as well take him up on it. He has set up a makeshift desk where all the cameras in the city can be reviewed, which will come in handy as we try to track these vampires down.”
Glaring at both Iggy and Harlow, Foxx looped his arm with Oceana’s, and with a toss of his head, he said, “Let’s go talk to the chief then.”
She snickered and let him pull her towards the man standing under a tent, who was watching them with his arms folded behind his back.
Harlow staredat Foxx and Oceana as they talked to an officer a short distance away. His gaze flicked back to Iggy, who was standing there pouting. He hissed at the man before walking the fuck away.
Harlow slipped through the crowd of police officers to get to Foxx’s side, who was standing in front of them all, next to Oceana. Refusing to acknowledge Iggy at all, as he came to stand beside him, Harlow swept his gaze over the tables and the human talking.
Under the tent, they had formed a U-shape with three folding tables, their surfaces covered in tablets. Each screen showed what he assumed were four different live feeds from the city street cameras. The human standing at the center of it all was in full uniform, and the stars he was wearing told Harlow that he was likely the Chief of Police here in Lowville. Standing about his height, the man had short, tightly curled hair, deep brown skin, and looked to be maybe his age.
“We can coordinate your movements from here.” One by one, from the bag he was holding, the human pulled out four earpieces, each connected to their own police radio, which he set up in the empty spot on the table to his right. The next thing he pulled out looked to be trackers.
“Harlow, Iggy, this is Lowville’s Chief of police, Jerome Somner,” Foxx stated.
He nodded, while Iggy said hello and shook the man’s hand.
Chief Somner nodded to him. “As I was telling your partners, while the camera coverage isn’t perfect, it will give us a general idea of where they are, or aren’t. And once we catch sight of someone, it will help us send you in the right direction.
“I’d suggest bringing up a map of our city, or if you prefer, we do have paper maps. Either way, we will track your location, so we can direct the correct team using the radios, while also preventing you from overlapping. In some cases, we may direct both teams to the same location, or…even away from a location.
“I’m not sure what information you have received already, but the number of vampires running around out there is extensive. They are relentless in their attacks, and it can only be assumed that all of them are on the older side, as they are not easy to take down. If you can, I’d advise you to avoid approaching a group of these vampires alone.”
“Are they running in groups?” Oceana asked as she grabbed a radio and earpiece and put it on, clipping the radio to her pants.
Chief Somner grimaced. “The most we have noted so far is three. But who knows if that will change. While they seem to attack anyone they come across, they have yet to attack each other, and have in fact paired off when coming in contact with another…drugged out vampire.” The man said the last part hesitatingly.
Foxx sighed. “Well, we will make sure to be cautious of the numbers. As for the rest, it sounds like the best plan we have at the moment.”
“I guess it’s a good plan,” Iggy said reluctantly as he grabbed a radio as well. “Maybe not the best,” the man muttered under his breath.
“Then let’s get going,” Harlow grunted. “We’ve wasted enough time already.”
“Team one, lone male vampire spotted running down Hurst Street, that is two streets over from your current location.”
Foxx grabbed his radio and pressed the button. “We're on it.”
Instead of looking at his phone, he listened for movement, taking off in the direction of the sound of running feet. A sound that grew as whoever it was started heading their way. He supposed all they really needed to do was get in range of their hearing and these vampires would come right to them.
Foxx had just stepped out of an alleyway, onto a large street with shops and street parking, when the vampire in question appeared only two car lengths away. Muscular and at least six foot tall, the man was splattered with blood, the lower half of his face and his hands held the worst of it.
As they stared at each other, Foxx dropped into his bloodline powers, his eyes widening at the sight of the vampire’s threads.
Golden but faded, it looked as if each thread was coming unraveled, the strands that seemed completely detached were dark already.
“You’re sick,” Foxx said slowly. “You need to stop what you are doing and let us help you.”
The man’s head slowly tilted, his murky, solid brown eyes were full of hunger, but there was no spark of recognition or understanding.
“Can you understand me?” he tried again.
One minute the vampire was standing there, and the next he was on Foxx. The larger vampire’s full weight slamming into him, Foxx hit the pavement hard. With the wind knocked out of him, he just barely managed to grab hold of the man’s wrists, preventing him from gouging him.
Gasping for air, Foxx continued to hold the man back as he struggled and snapped his fangs. With the vampire coming at him like some rabid animal, Foxx got a front row seat to the man’s breath. The smell leaking from his attacker’s mouth was rancid, like he had eaten something rotten.
“You need to stop!” Foxx yelled once he’d caught his breath.
