Reality Bites by Nicola Rhodes

would love this . ’   This thought sobered him up. Tamar! It occurred to him that the new powers he had acquired were going to his head; he was getting giddy; this was a problem. 
    ‘It’s not the powers that are important,’ he told himself sternly, ‘it’s what you can do with them; they are only important as a means to an end – get a grip on yourself.’
     He blinked and looked around, where the hell, he wondered, were all the people? He looked at his watch, one forty-five.  And why was it so dark?
     

~ Chapter Thirteen ~
     
    ‘O kay, ready? Jump.’  They were poised on the windowsill; smoke was curling under the door.
    ‘Pretty much a rock and a hard place,’thought Stiles ruefully. He hesitated.
    ‘It’ll be okay,’ Kitty said.  ‘Hold my hand; I’ll break your fall. I’m pretty strong.’
    Stiles nodded; this was true. ‘Okay , on three?’
    She caught his hand, scowled, and jumped dragging him with her.  They landed in a snowdrift and rolled to a halt against a tree, unhurt.
    There were people milling around, coughing and crying.  A dishevelled woman came running out of the blazing Inn; flames were shooting out of the windows
    She was screaming. ‘My baby – my baby! She’s inside. Help me.’
    Stiles did not miss a beat; he ran back into the building before Kitty could stop him.  ‘Jack – no!’
    He reappeared after a few minutes coughing and covered in soot and ash, carrying a small bundle – which was wailing with immense vigour.
    Kitty clasped her hands together proudly. ‘Oh Jack!’ she said under her breath. She seemed to have developed a proprietary feeling about him ever since she had saved his life.
    Stiles handed the baby to the distraught woman, who gave him a look of pure hero worship.
    Stiles was in charge now.  He organised the bystanders into a bucket chain, using the nearby river, which had almost burst its banks due to all the melting snow.  After they had put the fire out, he herded them into a nearby barn.
    By the time they were all settled, he had picked up a few more admirers.  Several of the women were making “sheep’s eyes” at him.  Kitty was amused.  ‘I could have him,’ she thought, ‘like that!’She snapped her fingers.
    She sat on a rock outside; Stiles came out to look for her. ‘Aren’t you coming in?’ he asked.
    ‘No, I’m waiting out here for them.’  She looked at him.  ‘I’ve had enough of this; I want to find out what the hell is going on.’  She waved a hand at the charred building. ‘Why would they go so far?’ she asked the air. 
    ‘You think the vampires set the fire?’  Stiles was stunned.
    ‘I know they did.  So much malice, it defies understanding.’
    ‘How do you expect to find anything out?’
    ‘I’m going to take a leaf out of your book,’ she told him.  ‘We keep one of them alive and question him – do you carry handcuffs? It doesn’t matter I think I’ve got some manacles.’
    Stiles did not even ask.
     
    The vampire, who was currently tied to a tree, grinned nervously.  ‘’Ere, what’s going on? Just stake me already.’
    ‘Not yet,’ said Stiles.  He turned to Kitty.  ‘What are you doing?’
    She was rummaging again.  ‘Aha!’  She emerged with a small knife, a bottle and an evil smile.  The vampire gaped.  ‘’Ere, I know you.’
    ‘Shut up,’ she said.
     Stiles was alert.
    ‘You’re her!’ said the vampire, ‘aren’t you? You’re Tamar Black.’
    Stiles shot her a glance; she looked sheepish.  ‘Okay,’ she sighed, ‘I suppose it doesn’t really matter now.’  She turned to the vampire. ‘Now,’ she said.  ‘We’d like you to answer a few questions.’
    ‘And then you’ll let me go?’
    ‘Maybe.’
    ‘Maybe’s not good enough.  I want a guarantee.’
    ‘Okay, you tell us what we want to know, and I guarantee I won’t do this again,’ she said, slicing off his little finger in an unconcerned manner.
    The vampire howled.  Stiles