My drive over to where Mrs. Longford lived was a short one. I could have walked over here if I had felt like it, but I felt like being lazy today and my curiosity was up as well. I passed Chrysler Hall on my way towards St. Paul blvd and sat there at the light waiting for it to change. I glance over towards the right of me and shake my head at the townhouses they had built next to the commerce building. High dollar townhouses in downtown Norfolk. Just isn’t something you would want to find in a historical city like this place is.

I know the reason for those buildings was to bring in high-dollar citizens, so the city can bring in a major NHL team or some other major sports team. Some of the citizens of Norfolk would love for a major team to be base here, but other citizens would rather see downtown Norfolk restore to its historical history. Another reason for all the high-dollar condos and townhouses was also to hide the city’s shame of the housing projects across the street from the commerce building. The city is planning on expanding its office buildings and services into the empty lot that used to have stores and other business there. They want to hide the fact that all the citizens of Norfolk aren’t making enough money to live on, but barely making enough to live and need help from the city to survive.

I turn my head back towards the light, just in time to see it turn green. I make a left-hand turn on to St. Paul blvd and head towards Brambleton ave, which crosses over St. Paul Blvd. While sitting at another light. I watch as the electronic sign that is on the left-hand corner of the street flash what shows and events were going to either be at the Chrysler or the Scope which you can see up on the plaza. It’s a big white old dome building where sporting events and where the circus normally come to perform. Sometimes the Boy Scouts or some other organization would host their events there as well. I watch as Admirals vs. Springfield Falcons flash across the screen. My husband Tom loves ice hockey and I know for a fact that he has seasonal tickets to all the games.

The light turns green and I drive until I come to Virginia Beach Blvd and make a right turn on to it. I follow it down to where the city bus stop is that Mrs. Longford said she catches the bus at. I manage to find a parking space several feet away from the bus stop. I rummage around inside my purse before I get out of the car for my camera, a little notebook, and my detective's license just in case Norfolk’s finest pulls over to ask me what I’m doing. I leave my purse locked up in the car, tucked up under the passenger seat.

As I am walking towards the spot where the bus stop is, I notice that the grave yard I asked Mrs. Longford about is direct across the street behind some church. Further down the block are another church and its parking lot with a huge praying white hand sculpture. I shake my head and go to the spot where Mrs. Longford said she catches the bus with her son. I see that there is a knee-high brick wall on which the ground behind it is slightly higher than the street and sidewalk. The brick apartments that the people here live in are built on a small hill and have steps leading up to a small concrete porch slab.

I stand there and look out at Virginia Beach Blvd and try to imagine the bus pulling up to the curb. I open the senses of my wolf to see if I can find some trace of his scent still cling to the brick work or around the area. As I am sniffing the area I pick up a familiar scent. I kneel to adjust my shoes and doing a little bit of sniffing at the brick work. I pick up his scent as well, several other kids. There’s also is an undead scent, there as well. I smell decay and fresh earth. I stand up and look around. I can still smell the scent of fresh earth leaving this area and heading deeper into the area where they live. I follow the scent deeper into the park and notice as it stops at another location. The scent of young girls fills my nostrils. I walk around the place noticing that whoever this person is. They are stalking the people who live in this community.

As I am standing there looking around, I feel that someone is watching me. I causally look around to see if I can spot them. I see people looking at me weirdly from the safety of their homes with the curtain pulled aside to watch me. I smile and continue to look around the neighborhood. Most of the area is nice and clean and it looks like the people living here take pride in how it is presented. I continue to walk through the neighborhood towards the school to see what paths William might take to go to school and how long it should take him. I glance down at my watch and notice it didn’t take very long to walk over to here. I stop by one of the buildings and smell stale beer and drugs that have been used in this area. As I am standing there thinking I notice the gym teacher bring out the students to exercise on the ball court. I shake my head as a smirk appears on my face.

I remember when I was in grade school and having to go outside for recess. I always went over and played on the swings and monkey bars. Some of my friends would join me on the swing or monkey bars and we would play tag on the bars. If you fell off the bars or were caught off the bars you were it automatically. I was caught only a few times off the bars. I couldn’t believe, Thomas the brown hair boy that lived four streets over from me would always be the hardest to catch on the monkey bars. He moved so swift and easily over them that you thought he was raised on them. I wonder what ever happen to him. As I start walking away from the school and back towards my car.

As I arrive where my car is. I stop and look over towards the church that is direct across from me. The graveyard wall runs directly behind the building. I watch as cars drive down Virginia Beach Blvd faster than the posted speed limit. I wait till there is a break in the traffic and walk across the street towards the church and then into the graveyard behind it.

“Well, this an old cemetery.” as I start walking around looking at some of the dates on the headstones dating from the 1970's down to the late 1700s. As I am standing there, I get an uneasy feeling of being watched by the spirits of those’s that had passed away before I was born. As I walk around the grave yard I read some of the names and dates of those that had passed away. Collins, Williams, Yates, Boush are just a few of the names that catch my attention. Their deaths appear to be around the same time.

I stop and kneel and look at the dates written on the tombstones. July 15, 1773. I glance over towards the Yates tombstone and notice that the date on that one is the next day after this one. I stand up and look around some more, but I don’t see any graves disturb. “Well, there’s nothing here.” as I start to head back out of this graveyard and walk across Princess Anne road to the other graveyard across the street.

As I walk into the grave yard I get the same feeling as before when I was in the other one. A slight chill to my skin as I feel the presence of the ghost still hanging around in this graveyard. I walk around and look at the different tombstones like I did before. Some of the mausoleums were built for the different people who have died. One of them catches my eye. I head over towards it and noticed that it has been open recently. I kneel and examine the lock that had secured it and notice someone or something had ripped the chain and lock. I open the doors and walk in and see that the vault where the coffin is kept is open and whoever was inside it is gone now. As I look around the place, I notice that the other vault that is in here hasn’t been disturb, but I do notice that there were cross’s laying on the floor of the mausoleum around the burial vault that had been open. I pick one up and look at it and notice it is one of the old ones that the colonists use to use when they first came over.

I look back up at the burial vault and notice that the vault had several places on it for the cross to be inserted into it to seal the lid onto the vault. I let out a slow whistle as I now realize I will have to request a meeting with Mistress Selena the head vampire of this area and find out from her why one of her people was being kept here? As I stand up, I slip the broken cross into my pants pocket and head out of the mausoleum and walk towards the back part of the grave yard that faces Church Street. The brick wall that separates the graveyard from the rest of the neighborhood stands at least 6 feet tall and doesn’t look to have been damage in any way. I step back a few feet and start running towards it and at the last moment jump straight up and vaulted over it landing on the other side.

I look around to make sure no one saw me clear the wall. Feeling relieves that no one saw me. I look out across the open field towards Church street and start walking towards the street. I see Graves funeral home towards my left and directly across the street is Huntersville Community Center located on Golf street. I head down Church Street towards the streets the murder victims were located and noticed that it wouldn’t take a vampire that long to cover this distance in no time. I stop and stand there and try to figure out who would go against Mistress Selena’s orders? Most of the vampires under her know it’s not a good idea to go against the elder of their kiss. That would mean you wish to challenge her and that’s never a good idea.

I continue to walk down the street towards Graves's funeral home and look around the property. As I arrive there I spot something poking out from under some bushes and head over to it. As I kneel to retrieve it I notice the color of the item is black. “I hope this isn’t his backpack.” as I reach forward and pull it out from under the bush. As I examine it, I am relieved that it isn’t the one that Ms. Longford had to describe to me. I hear movement behind me and smell men's cologne drifting past my nose.

“Excuse me Ms. Can I help you?” A male voice with an Arabic accent comes from behind me.

I stand up and turn to face him brushing my hands together to get rid of the dirt that had gotten on them. He stands there dress in your typical funeral home business wear. The dark suit he wears seems to make his dark eyes even darker. His dark tanned skin adds as a backdrop for it as well. He stands a little bit taller than me by at least 6 inches and appears to be a little older than me.

“Sorry!, I was looking for my son’s model rocket he lost over here the other day sir.” I give him my most pleasant smile.

He looks at me like he doesn’t believe me, but he gives me a smile of his own. “Do you recall what type of rocket your son had Ma?”

“You know, I’m not sure. Normally my husband goes with him when every they fire off his model rocket, but I let him fire it off yesterday out here in the field behind your building and he told me he lost it somewhere over here and since I work close to here. I thought I would see if I could find it for him. It’s one of his favorites. You don’t mind me looking around do you?” I give him the same smile as before.

He looks at me with a skeptical look on his face like he isn’t buying my story. “I don’t mind you looking about Ms. but you need to be careful. Sometimes this neighborhood can get a little rough.”

I get an uneasy feeling from him when he says those words. The wolf inside of me doesn’t trust him and I have learned to listen to her instincts.

“Thanks, I’ll remember that.” I watch as he turns to head back towards the funeral home.

I start walking back towards my car which is still parked over on Virginia Beach Blvd. As I am walking back my cell phone starts ringing. As I pull it out and answer it “Vicky Here.”

“Hi Vicky, it’s Emygdia. How’s your day going?”

I smile at the sound of her voice. You can tell Emygdia isn’t from here with her strong Spanish accent “I’m okay. It’s been kind of boring this morning.”

“Sounds like your out walking or something. I keep hearing the sound of cars coming over your cell phone.”

“Yeah, I’m down here on Virginia Beach Blvd working on a case.” I walk past the church that has the statue of the large hands praying.

“So what’s the case about?”

“You know I can’t tell you that.” I hear her sigh on the other end of the phone. Emygdia had worked with my father on a few of his cases when he was alive. She’s worked as a clerk down at the city Treasury office.

“Well if you're not too busy. Do you want to hook up for lunch? My treat.”

“Sure, when and where?” as I stop and wait for a few cars to pass before I attempt to cross the street.

“How does The Abbey sound and how about around noon time?”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll meet you there.” I start to cross the street.

“Okay, I’ll see you there then.” as the phone goes dead.

I close my cell phone and place it back in my pocket. As I start walking across the street and then towards my car.

Once I get to my car I check the time on my watch and see that I still have an hour before I need to join Emygdia for lunch. As I open my car door one of the residents stuck their head out and wave to me. I wave back and watch as he steps outside to get his newspaper. He stands there and watches me as I get into my car and start it up. I put it into gear and drive off as I watch him in my rear mirror go back into his place.
I drive up to Virginia Beach Blvd and then make a left-hand turn onto Church Street and follow it up till it merges with Granby street. As I merge onto Granby Street. I passed Forest Lawn cemetery on my right-hand side just before I get to the entrance of the Norfolk city zoo and the parking area. I passed them and head down towards the Seven-Eleven convention store near the city park. As I am parking my car I notice a group of wannabe’s gothic kids entering the store. I get out of my car and follow them inside. I head over towards the soft drink and energy drink cooler and get a can of Arizona Southern Style sweet tea. I look around for the group of teenagers that came in before me and see that they are picking up all sorts of junk food and such including several bottles of the synthetic blood that was produced for the vampires.

I heard that humans can drink the stuff to supplement the blood they lose when they volunteer to be used as blood donors and such. Why anyone would want to do that to themselves I’ll never figure that out. I head towards the counter where the wannabes are waiting in line and stand there watching them while waiting to be checked out.

“Do you think Mistress Maria is going to choose anyone tonight to be her permeant blood donor?” The shorter of the three girls in the gothic group looks at her companions.

“Who knows, I know Master Darling is getting sick of her only choosing women to serve her. He said that she should leave her options open and switch out ever so often.” as the oldest of them look towards the short dark-haired girl that had been talking at first.

“He’s just jealous cause he has been turned down every time he had asked her to be his for the last fifty years. If there was a werewolf that came by the club or even one of the other were’s that wouldn’t mind being her permeant blood donor and lover. I know that would be the one thing she wants the most. She has a crash on that female werewolf that is married to that Immortal elder. She told me last night that if she wasn’t already married to him, she would have claimed her by now.”

I arch an eye brow about that one. I don’t even know a Mistress Maria. Then again there’s a lot of vampires in this area I don’t know or don’t want to know.

One of the older guys in the group turns to face the young girl who had been talking in front of me and gives her a very dirty look.

“Mistress Maria should have never been turned into a vampire. The only reason she is still alive is that she is under Mistress Selena’s protection and the other vampires don’t want to act against her. Trust me things are going to be changing around here soon and the rest of the supernatural community around here are going to regret it.”

I stand there thinking about what I just heard and I wonder if this has anything to do with the fragments of the old colonial-style crosses I found? I watch as they leave, but mentally try to remember their scent and image just in case I need to track them down to question them some.

I head out of the store and back to my car. As I walk out the door I catch the scent of another was near me. I stop and look around trying to place the scent on one of the people standing around outside the store either talking with one another or getting gas. I follow the scent back to a large muscular bald biker guy.

He sees me watching him as we lock eyes. He gives me a predator grin. I return the smile, but more friendly than his. I start walking over towards him as he stands there next to his big Harley Davidson motorcycle. I see his eyes watching my every movement as I walk towards him.

He waits for me to get closer to him before speaking. “So what brings you to this neck of the woods little puppy?” as he examines the way I am dress.

‘Oh, nothing much. I’m just out enjoying the day and traveling around. the city.” I stand there and examine the way he is dressed. His faded black t-shirt covering his chest and the Marine theme logo on the front of it says “Kill’em all and let God sort them out.” The faded jeans he has on are ripped in several places and look like they should have been replaced a long time ago. I notice that he has on a pair of boots that the SWAT team of the local police normally wears.

“You like what you see?” he smiles at me.

“You wish.” I return the smile.

“You know if you weren’t the wife of an elder, I might have decided to court you myself?”

“Boy, don’t I feel privilege. Still, there is one thing you are forgetting.” as I look at the smug look on his face.

“Oh, what’s that?”

“Our pack leaders would never allow it. I’m a wolf and you’re a coyote. You know the rules about alpha’s of different species intermingling. It would never be allowed on either side and if we broke that rule, our pack leaders have the right to punish us any way they see fit.”

“Still it would be worth it. Just to see how you are in bed and under a full moon.” he gives me an evil smile.

“You forget Gereon, I don’t need the full moon to change. I can change any time I want to. I also can change any part of my body at will as well.” as I flash my wolf eye’s at him.

“Anyone can do that darling.” as his own eyes flash to that of the animal inside of him.

“True, but you can’t keep your eyes like that for long or they will remain like that.” I lean in towards him, “but I can leave mine like this for however long I want to and with no side effects.” as I let my eyes go back to normal. “which means I can change any part of me any time I want to and stay like that forever with no ill effects.”

I step back away from him as I watch his reaction.

He looks at me and tries to figure out how I can do what I just said I could. I could see from the blank look on his face that the wheels inside his head are turning and processing this information.

He looks at me and then shakes his head. “I’m not even going to ask how your ability to do that.” as he looks past me towards someone approaching from behind me. I hear the footsteps as well as they approach. I turn to see who it is and realize it’s one of my pack members.

I smile at the man approaching. “Well hello, Jack. What brings you to this neck of the woods?”

He gives me a friendly smile “I was on my way to a customer's house when I saw you two standing here talking.” as he glances over towards Gereon.

I can feel the energy being emitted from both of them as they size up each other to determine which of them is the stronger of the two. After a few minutes, the energy dies down, once they feel that both of them are of equal strength and are no threat to each other.

“You know, you two could have just shaken hands and determine that way, which of you two were the stronger. Cause you already know I’m married and there’s no reason to impress me.,”

Both men turn and look at me. “Who said we were trying to impress you?”

“Cause I’m the only female were around here and I know both of you are not gay. Also, I know that both of you wish that I was free so you could court me.”

Both men look at me and smile.

“Are we that transparent?” Jack gives me one of his famous good ole boy smiles.

“Yes!” I stare right back at him with a stern look on my face. “Look I would like to stand around here and spend time with you two, but I made a promise to meet a friend of mine for lunch. So if you two gentlemen will excuse me I have a lunch date to go to.” I start walking towards my car and watch as Jack and Gereon finish talking to one another.

I leave the parking lot of the seven-eleven and take Granby street towards downtown Norfolk and turn right on to Freemason street and then turn left into Abbey’s parking lot.