The moment Gwen spoke, Hawk moved.
Not because he couldn't wait—simply because he didn't want to give Gwen any chance to change her mind.
So—
With a thought, Hawk unleashed the telekinesis already wrapped around the entire building, a seamless 360-degree field with no blind spots.
In an instant—
The vampires on the dance floor, arms thrown up to the ceiling and howling in frenzy, froze as if on pause.
The scantily clad female vampire at the DJ table froze mid-motion.
The world seemed to still.
But—
The music kept thumping.
The lights kept strobing.
Only the vampires inside this building were stopped.
That included, in the private room, the bearded vampire with the camcorder—and the black-haired vamp whose red lips had just parted after tugging George's waistband down a notch.
Of course—
George wasn't frozen.
But he did go blank, because he saw Hawk.
Hawk walked over with a smile, one brow cocked, gaze dipping.
"Uh, George—maybe pull your fly back up first?"
"…"
George snapped out of it. With no time to parse what had happened, he glanced down at his loosened waistband, yanked it up in a hurry, and fixed his pants.
Next second—
Just as he looked at Hawk to ask a question, Hawk turned and called over his shoulder:
"Okay—eyes open."
"…"
George blinked—then went slack-jawed as Gwen, who hadn't been there a heartbeat ago, appeared at Hawk's side.
"This—"
"Dad!"
Gwen shot George a fierce glare. "Doing this—can you face Mom?"
George's brain stuttered.
Thankfully—
Hawk tossed him a lifeline. "For the record, Gwen—I can testify George's fly wasn't fully down."
George, still not sure when his daughter and future son-in-law had arrived, gave Hawk a grateful look.
Good kid. Has his back.
Then—
Gwen cut Hawk a glare too. "That's because I spoke up in time. If I'd been a minute late, this tramp would've really—"
She stopped halfway, picturing what might've happened if they hadn't come—then stared at the bearded vampire still holding the camcorder. Though his body was frozen, his eyes still darted in terror.
Next second—
Gwen strode forward and let fly the punch she'd been saving, cracking the bearded vampire across the face.
Thud!
His head couldn't turn under the stasis, but when Gwen drew back her fist, blood ran from both nostrils, plain as day.
One punch, breaking a vampire's guard—terrifying power.
Ordinary people couldn't do that.
Gwen was human—but not ordinary.
Because—
As Hawk's life tier climbed, Gwen—bathed daily in that aura—had been evolving without even noticing.
Smack!
Still not satisfied, Gwen raised her hand and slapped the bearded vampire, crisp and hard.
"Ptui!"
"Your mother is the one who's old and ugly."
"Hawk was right—things like you are pollution in this world."
"And another thing—"
"I have a mother."
Smack!
She followed with a second slap, then—like an enraged tigress—fisted the black-haired vamp's long hair, yanked her away from George, and dragged her aside.
"I don't want to see her, Hawk. Disgusting."
"Okay."
Hawk nodded.
George found his voice.
"Gwen—"
"Dad, don't tell me you feel sorry for her."
"…"
Hawk glanced at George, whose face tightened awkwardly at that line; then Hawk's eyes flared scarlet.
Voluptuous or not, sultry or not—
In Hawk's dictionary there's no male or female. Only kill—or don't.
So—
Boom—
The instant the black-haired vampire touched the Phoenix rays, they seized her—and she vaporized on the spot.
George's pupils blew wide. He stared at Hawk in disbelief.
"Holy—!"
"Not on me."
Hawk let the heat fade from his eyes and smiled. "Gwen said not to talk. Besides, you told me yourself—if I treat Gwen badly, you won't forgive me."
George, chastened, looked to Gwen.
Gwen ignored him and faced her price-gouging fiancé who'd just extorted two months of uniforms.
"The one who phoned my dad—who is he?"
"No idea."
Hawk lifted a hand; a thought plucked a vampire from elsewhere in the club—a man currently sprawled with two vamp women, watching this room's feed—and dropped him onto the carpet with a thump. "But I've hauled him in for you."
The vampire lurched up, blurred toward the door—
"What are you thinking, man?"
"If you bolt, I lose face in front of my fiancée."
Hawk sighed, and re-froze him mid-stride.
The vampire's eyes flickered wildly. Realizing his body was locked but he could still speak, he shouted:
"Enemy attack! Help!"
"You should be yelling for ghosts."
Hawk grinned. "Shout all you like. Scream yourself hoarse—they won't come."
He didn't have to explain. Through the window, the vampire could see the packed, writhing dance floor—every body frozen in grotesque mid-pose.
Gulp.
He swallowed and stared at Hawk, who stood hands-in-pockets, half-smiling.
"I was wrong."
"You're not sorry—you just realized you're dead."
Hawk's tone never changed—calm, clinical, as if stating a fact.
There was no anger.
After all—
He was just a mercenary today, hired by two months of "uniform temptation" to be the muscle.
So right now, Hawk had no feelings—only a longing for uniforms.
Gwen listened to the exchange, then looked at George, still stunned.
"Dad, is this the guy?"
"…"
George's gaze on his once-perfectly-obedient daughter was complicated. He nodded on reflex.
"Yeah."
"I don't want to see him."
"Wh—"
"No problem."
Hawk's eyes flashed; before George could react, the Phoenix rays took the vampire and turned him to steam—no ash left behind.
Take the client's money, do the client's job.
Simple.
Gwen had paid in uniforms; George hadn't paid a thing. And even if he wanted to, Hawk wouldn't dare take it.
Hawk flashed George a grin.
"Sorry—I take Gwen's orders."
"…"
George drew a long breath and looked at Gwen again.
It felt like a dream. In his memory, Gwen had always been a good girl—gentle, kind, beautiful, poised—his pride.
And Hawk—
He hadn't liked the boy at first—that wasn't entirely fair, but it was real. Orphans out of the foster system in New York… most end up in prison or dead in an alley. The ones who make it are miracles. As a precinct chief, he knew.
But later, George had come around. Maybe not to the point of treating Hawk like a son, but he'd pinched his nose and accepted the kid as a future son-in-law.
And now?
His "good girl" was more decisive than he was.
And Hawk?
What were those laser eyes?
A mutation?
George's thoughts spun—then he saw his good girl fix her stare again on the bearded vampire, whose cheeks were already swelling.
Hawk's eyes followed.
George jolted and blurted, "Wait. If you kill him, we can't trace the mastermind."
"No need, Dad."
"What?"
George froze again.
Gwen smiled slightly. "Hawk's right—secrets are pointless. They backfire."
They'd almost backfired just now.
She didn't want to imagine what her father might have sacrificed to save his partner if she and Hawk hadn't come—and what her mother would feel then.
She understood her father.
Her mother Helen would, too. But understanding isn't the same as accepting.
That would've planted a mine under their perfect family.
Gwen shivered inwardly.
So…
She was done playing.
If Hawk stayed in the shadows, detective games were fine.
But with Hawk exposed? Keeping the game going would waste the reveal.
Most importantly—
She glanced at Hawk. "You already know who's behind this, right?"
George looked to Hawk as well.
Hawk ignored George and, like a true professional, looked only at his paying client—and nodded.
"Yup."
"Who is it?"
George jumped in.
Hawk flicked him a glance, then returned his attention to Gwen.
Emotional value for the client—just as Gwen had given him earlier.
Feeling seen, Gwen pressed her lips together to stifle a smile.
"Who?"
"Deacon Frost."
Hawk shrugged. "Leader of the New York vampire 'Elder Council.' He's the real boss behind Blood Apocalypse."
Gwen frowned.
"Leader… compared to the original vampires—"
"Same difference."
Hawk cut in gently. "Tell me when you want him dead, and he dies. You pay; I deliver; I listen to you."
George blinked again.
"Pay—pay what?"
"It's fine."
Gwen shook her head, then switched topics. "Dad, shouldn't you check on Uncle Ben? He's still hanging up there."
"Shit!"
"Ben!"
George bolted for the door.
Hawk eyed the frozen bearded vampire.
"What about him—kill?"
"No."
Once George was gone, Gwen turned back—her bright green eyes gone ice-cold—as she fixed on the man who'd just watched two vampires vanish into vapor.
His pleading gaze died out.
Then—one last flare of survival.
He opened his mouth to say it wasn't his idea, that he was following orders—
Gwen didn't give him the chance.
"Can you hang him in the sky where no one can see him? Let him sunbathe. Good for the bones."
"Can do."
Hawk smiled. "You say it—I do it."
He snapped a thought.
The bearded vampire vanished—and reappeared outdoors in the air.
He saw two vampires below, smoking on break.
They weren't frozen.
He felt his body locked—but his voice still worked.
So he screamed.
And—
His throat burned raw, but the smokers didn't react at all.
He was overhead—yet it was as if they couldn't see him.
Tears stung his eyes as he realized what was coming.
Hawk and Gwen left the room.
George was already at center floor. He took in the frozen crowd of vampires with flicking eyes, hesitated, then sprang—snatching Ben Urich out of the air.
Whoosh!
George landed and didn't linger—he blurred away with Ben, cut him loose, and tore the tape from his mouth.
Ben stared dully at him, mind replaying the jump and that phantom speed.
"George, you—"
"Are you okay?"
George wasn't touching that topic; he fussed over his old partner instead.
Ben shook his head, then sighed.
"I should've told you the truth sooner."
"Now is fine."
After these days, George had made peace. God hadn't let him die—so it wasn't time yet.
If he lived, he'd do his duty.
As for watching Helen grow old while he stayed immortal?
Then he'd go when she went. At worst, suicide would keep him from heaven.
He helped Ben up. "Hospital?"
Ben's eyes drifted to the frozen vampires.
"What… is this—"
Shriek!
Before he finished, a clear phoenix cry split the air, and two searing beams lanced out—originating over their heads, sweeping a burning circle around the dance floor.
Wherever the Phoenix rays passed, vampires—every single one—vaporized at once. In the blink of an eye, the packed floor was empty.
Even the two smokers outside never had time to react before they, too, became steam.
In three breaths—
The building and its perimeter—
Vampires—
Gone without a trace.
(End of Chapter)
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