Conclave (Hypernaturals 3)

The Rhythm Method Doesn't Work?

We drove along the twisted roads, and I could not help but feel vulnerable. With hills around us, and the inability to go faster than Vampire running speed through many of the curves, it is the perfect place for an ambush. The smell of the blood in the car underlining the consequences of an ambush.

Jessica seemed as affected by it as I. She asked me "I have been teaching you hand to hand. Knives. Old school. Never occurred to me to ask: How good are you with a gun? Ever shot one?"

Hello? Born and raised in Texas? Jessica is serious, so I answered after I schooled the levity out of my voice. "I have been shooting. I know my way around most handguns, rifles, and shotguns. I have hand-loaded ammunition and field stripped a Ruger Security Six, not that there is much to them. I can't say I was ever that good a shot. Not sniper good anyway. My parents made me learn because they wanted me to not be afraid of guns, and to know how to use them. I assume with my new senses and a bit of time to adapt them to guns, I could be pretty good."

Jessica looked very happy to hear that. "My respect for your parents, already stratospheric, went up a notch. Guns should only be used by people that know how to use them and are not afraid of them."

I mentioned something that has been bothering me. "I thought about throwing a knife in the fight in the lobby but decided that would be giving him another weapon. Something he did not need. More weapons."

"You did the right thing. A throwing knife is of limited use in a case like this. You saw how little being shot affected him. Your switching to the slashing attacks was perfect. He was after me, and you kept him from reaching me by being more than a little annoying. Every time he tried to get around you, you made him regret it. I am glad you had those with you." She sounded very affectionate at that last sentence, probably because the knives are a gift from her.

I deflected because I felt I was not effective enough. "Morgans shot was amazing. Right under the action, and into the meat of a leg from across the room. With a handgun for god's sake!"

"Yes. She practices. Too bad it was not larger caliber. You will too, starting tomorrow morning. Your point about needing to stay at a distance from William is a good one. So is your point about technology. We know what tasers do to us. William loses his advantages when we are not close in. Close combat suits him. He has the upper hand there. Strength. Speed. Chemical warfare. You name it."

"An almost fanatical devotion to the pope..." I went to Monty Python to break up the seriousness.

Jessica smiled. "That too."

I knew this is a silly question "I assume you have a gun for me to use? I have a small .40 semi-auto from Star, but it would be a toy against William I think."

Jessica did not laugh "Several. Some .45 and 10 mm. We'll try them out, see which one you get along with the best."

I started to show off my gun acumen. I have not shot a gun in years, but I recall a lot of it. "I'm thinking big clips with hollow points. Extended clips. Like you can get at gun shows. Shoot fast, shoot a lot, do a lot of damage with every hit."

Jessica reached over, held up my hand, placed palm and fingertips together to measure. As if she does not intimately know my hands. I guess this is the first time she thought about them in quite this way. "Your hands are big enough to hold a fairly fat pistol grip I think. I don't think anything I have will be a problem for you. You could even do the 1911 Gold-Cup. Lots of stopping power. Accurate, for a 1911. Still... maybe the Glock or the Ruger P85. We'll go one better than hollow points. Hydra-Shok's. Bullets designed to cause a hydrostatic pressure wave in the body. It is not that they do damage where they hit: They do damage all over the place from the shock. The effect is less on a Vampire because of our density but hit him enough times, and it will slow him down. Plus, if you need to fire close in, the Hydra-Shok is far less likely to pop out the other side and hurt someone behind him."