Nikki brought us to a fire door, but
the building was so old, any connected alarm had long since been sabotaged by
squatters or the criminal element.
“Now you can dazzle me with your
lockpicking skills,” she gestured to the door.
I shook my head. “Not part of my
repertoire.”
“A pity, you really should expand
your horizons, Matthew.”
“Some of us don’t have hundreds of
years to learn new skills. Why don’t you show me.”
For answer, she grasped the handle
and gave it a firm tug, pulling the door open despite the protest of the
deadbolt and door frame, which tore apart like aluminum foil. “Sometimes the
direct approach is best.”
That was pretty hot, actually.
We ghosted inside, Nikki weaving her
way through, guided by instinct or supernatural senses. I didn’t like roaming
through the warehouse, it brought back memories of another warehouse, not too
far from this one, where a vampire named Jared had attacked me.
I felt a twinge in my right forearm
from where he had clamped a hand down on me. Likewise, I was conscious of my
left palm. The slice on my hand had healed without a scar, but I still
remembered. My heart beat faster as I remembered the panic
run to get out, to escape into the sunlight. I had to pull debris onto the path
as I ran while cradling my arm and wheezing through bruised ribs.
“Matthew,” Nikki stopped to whisper,
“your heart is beginning to race. It is distracting.”
“Sorry.”
Focus, Matt. Thinking about that
warehouse will surely get me killed in this one.
I took a deep breath, banishing the
memory.
Nikki
looked at me for a moment, then nodded. I was grateful she didn’t ask me what
happened.