by Elle Adams
Vincent stood overlooking the other vampires from a distance, wearing an expression of abject boredom. I didn’t quite have the courage to walk over and start questioning him, not with everyone on edge. So much for my promise to the boss to stay away from the elders.
“Is there no other way around it other than asking his relatives?” I asked Madame Grey. “What type of ward is it?”
“This is a shielding spell.” She examined the gate. “No exceptions.”
“That’s not fair,” said one of the vampires. “We knew him for hundreds of years. He didn’t even have any human friends.”
“This ward is set to react to his blood, specifically,” observed Madame Grey. “It’s likely a distant relation will be enough.”
“Is that why it cut us?” asked one of the vampires.
“I imagine so,” she said. “This is not a matter for the covens, however. You’re to make arrangements for meeting his family as you see fit.”
Nobody dared argue with her. Instead, they went for the nearest witch—me. “Why do the wizards get first pick? That’s not fair.”
“Hey, I didn’t know the guy,” I said. “I’m no relation at all. I don’t know his family, either.”
Nathan stepped in front of me. “That’s enough. We’re leaving.”
“Yes, we are,” I said, as though his protective tone hadn’t warmed me all over. Oh, boy.
Grumbling followed us as we turned and left. So many defences, and nobody could breach them. Was it a simple security issue, or was there something in there that Lord Goddard didn’t want anyone to find?
“He thought he’d live forever,” I muttered to Nathan. “Seems like he got cocky. Unless he pulled a Mr Falconer and faked his death.”
“No, he’s dead, all right,” Nathan said darkly. “I asked for the reports from the hospital. If this is likely to be a recurring issue, the hospital is going to have to take steps, too.”
“You think there’s someone out there trying to bump off vampires?” I asked, dropping my voice. “Unless every single one of them has the same level of paranoia, it looks like he was targeted on purpose.”
“Perhaps, but the way they went about it seems fairly inefficient. How would the killer know he would go into the blood donations room at that particular moment in time?”
“I guess it seems unlikely,” I admitted. “They don’t have a ton of security around the room, though. Vampires just walk in and out all the time.”
“Precisely,” he said. “They’ve had to schedule staff to cover that corridor, but I might be called in there later.”
“I don’t know how they expect you to search the forest as well. You’re only one person. They really need to hire more security.” At this rate, we’d get another date in about a year.
“We both have full schedules,” he said, as though he’d read my mind. “Are you free on Friday night? I’m not scheduled to go to the forest until late evening, so I have time to see you for a bit.”
“Yes,” I said, probably too enthusiastically. But it was worth it when he beamed at me. “I’m free that evening.”
“Good. I can walk you to the end of your road, but I need to go and report to the police station again.”
“Sure.” It wasn’t dark yet, nor was it raining again, but the idea of him going into the forest alone sent nervous flutters through my chest, almost as much as the idea of another date. Maybe this time I’d actually get to kiss him. He’d been positively gentlemanly the whole time we’d been together, not overstepping any boundaries, yet I couldn’t help wondering if he expected me to make the first move.
Building up my hopes for our next date might end in another monster attack, so I attempted to set my excitement levels to ‘realistic’, and walked the rest of the way home alone.
“What’s up?” asked Alissa, looking up as I walked into the living room. “Did you and Nathan have fun?”
“We had a blast,” I said. “Nothing like watching vampires walk into the wards around Lord Goddard’s house like dogs trying to walk through a glass door. They kept getting hit by the wards until Madame Grey told them to cut it out. Someone really didn’t want anyone getting hold of his treasure.”
Alissa lifted her head. “Treasure? Like actual buried treasure, or…”
“A solid gold coffin, apparently.” The cats had taken over the rest of the sofa, so I sat in the armchair. “I think that’s probably nonsense, though. They’re working themselves into a frenzy over nothing.”
“Does Nathan have any more ideas?” asked Alissa.
“He thinks Lord Goddard was targeted at random,” I said. “And that the killer was aiming for a vampire—any vampire. The method they used wasn’t efficient enough for them to guarantee they’d get the right target.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s why the hospital upped security, right? They think it might happen again.”
“Possibly,” I said. “I don’t know if I agree with him or not. Lord Goddard did seem to think someone was out to get him, if the state of his house is anything to go by.”
“If he knew he was going to die, wouldn’t he have left instructions on how to get his inheritance somewhere?” she asked.
“I don’t think he did know,” I said, “but it doesn’t mean he didn’t have enemies. I heard about vampire rivalries, and then there’s the pack… not that I think they did it,” I added hastily. “But when you add in those weird animal attacks in the forest, I can’t help feeling that there’s something here in Fairy Falls that shouldn’t be.”
And that it might be linked, however tentatively, to whoever had left me the note.
6
The rest of the week passed without any more vampire-related trouble, and no news came of either the murderer or the beast in the forest.
I was still banned from practical magic lessons until I got my wand under control, so I spent my sessions doing theory work, keeping my head down and staying out of trouble. At least until Friday, when Alissa rang me when I was leaving work.
I pulled out my phone. “Hey, Alissa.”
“Hey, Blair,” she said, her voice muffled. “They’ve called me in for questioning at the hospital again.”
“Again? Why?”
“Everyone who was on shift when the murder happened has been ordered to come for another grilling from Steve and his band of stony friends.”
“Are you on your way there now?”
“Yes, but Blair, I don’t want you getting into trouble as well. You know Steve’s a nasty piece of work.”
“He’s a bully.” I picked up speed, readjusting my shoulder bag. “I’m not on the suspect list this time so he can’t argue with me for coming to show you moral support. And I won’t let him lock you in jail.”
“I’m not going to win this one, am I?” said Alissa.
“Nope. If he wants to accuse my friends, he gets to put up with me being a nuisance,” I said. “Also, a vampire literally read your mind and knew you weren’t guilty. Steve has to expect a backlash if he goes around accusing the same people all over again.”
“It’s possible the vampires missed something,” she said, though she sounded as doubtful as I felt. “Mind-reading isn’t always a hundred percent accurate. They can’t read every thought in every person’s head.”
“Vincent said he gets flashes of what I’m thinking when I’m… emotional,” I admitted, turning into the high street. “Agitated, he said. If the killer was calm, he might have gone by unnoticed. Also, can vampires block one another from reading each other’s minds?”
“Haven’t a clue,” said Alissa. “That’s why it’s absurd that they’re accusing me at all. I’m not an expert on vampires, either. When I was at school, vamps weren’t really covered in our education beyond the basics. They probably didn’t want to give a bunch of teenage witches and wizards any ideas.”
“I’ve never seen a teenage vampire,” I said. “Guess it’s down to the rules about not biting people. Also, they don’t age, so it’s p
robably for the best that if they’re going to turn, they do so as adults.”
“Yeah, there’s complicated rules. If you want to turn, you have to go and appeal to their leader. Vincent, in this case.”
I grimaced. “Yeah, no thanks. It doesn’t strike me as something anyone signs up for voluntarily.”
Certainly not Keith, anyway.
“No. I’m in the waiting room now. They’re going to call me in soon.”
“I’ll be there in a minute.” I ended the call and hurried the rest of the way down the road to the hospital.
What was Steve playing at? The murder had been long enough ago that the killer might be halfway across the country by now. Several gargoyles had gathered outside the hospital, and glowered at me when I reached them.
“Where are you going?” asked the stocky female gargoyle I’d spoken to a couple of times before. She wasn’t quite as tetchy as Steve, but that wasn’t saying much.
“To meet my friend,” I said. “Come on, you know I’m not the killer.”
“You’re a menace,” she said.
As several people exited the hospital, I seized my chance and darted past the gargoyles into the reception area. Grumbles followed me, but they didn’t kick up a fuss and haul me out.
Alissa was nowhere in sight, and nor was Steve, which must mean she was being questioned in one of the offices. Pairs of gargoyles blocked all the exits from the waiting room.
Not your best plan, Blair. Had they decided to repeat the questionings because they thought the killer would target someone else? It seemed the logical solution, given that the murderer wouldn’t have known for certain that Lord Goddard would be the one to drink the poisoned blood, but there was nothing remotely logical about re-questioning people who’d already been proven a hundred percent innocent. It was probably Steve flexing his muscles and trying to prove that he was actually getting somewhere in the investigation.
“I don’t believe you’re one of the suspects,” said Vincent’s voice from beside my shoulder.
Someday, I’d learn not to jump when he appeared behind me. “I’m here to support a friend.”
“Madame Grey’s granddaughter,” he said. “Yes, she spent some time with our newest recruit.”
I twisted around to face him, so I wouldn’t have to listen to him creepily speaking into my ear. “You’re working on inducting him into vampire society?”
“I suppose you might say that. He’s learning. Your friend, however, needs to learn that her path will only end in heartbreak.”
“Er, you should probably be telling her that, not me.”
“Are you quite certain?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. Was he warning me about Nathan? He’s not the type of person you need to ask for advice on romance from, Blair. Then again, since he’d lived long enough to have doubtless experienced heartbreak at least once, maybe he was.
“I have no intention of invading your privacy, Blair. I rarely feel the need to pick specific thoughts from people’s minds.”
“You can do that?” I seized the chance to ask what I’d been wondering earlier. “So you can control it? The mind-reading?”
“To some extent, but vampires are hard-wired to see everyone as an enemy. I usually cast a brief net over everyone present when I enter a room in case anyone has nefarious intentions.”
That sounded exhausting, to be honest. Not to mention he was the one who looked like he had nefarious intentions. “So it’s unusual that someone managed to kill Lord Goddard. Did he have enemies?”
“We all do.”
“Have you questioned the other vampires?”
“No,” he said. “It would be seen as a challenge. Vampires cannot enter one another’s property without an invitation. The same rule extends to anybody’s home, in fact.”
I blinked. “What? Really?” I vaguely remembered something similar from when I’d studied Dracula at school, but I’d thought modern vampires were different.
“It’s considered a courtesy.”
“Is that why none of the vampires can get into his house? Aside from the wards?”
He tilted his head. “He must have set them up before he was turned, I imagine. Quite the dilemma.”
“I was under the impression everyone was off to hassle his wizard family instead, since they’re probably the ones who get the inheritance.”
He sniffed. “I have no interest in the matter of the inheritance. I care only for bringing down whoever has decided to target my fellow vampires.” The merest hint of danger entered his voice, giving me the pressing need to back away.
“You think they’ll attack again?” I asked warily.
“There is something here that shouldn’t be.” His voice was soft, quiet, yet somehow terrifying.
I cast a brief gaze around the waiting room, from the gargoyles in the corridor to the nurses gathered in a huddle, giving the gargoyles the occasional glare. “What, in here?”
“No,” he said. “In the town. I smell it in the air.”
Since he had enhanced vampire senses, I was inclined to believe him. “Er… can you be a little more specific? What’s in town that shouldn’t be? Have you told the other residents?”
“I cannot say I know what it is, only that it shouldn’t be here.”
That wasn’t cryptic at all. Vampires. Shaking my head, I looked up to see the door to one of the rooms open, and Alissa walked out.
The vampire was gone in an instant, a breeze stirring my hair in the wake of his sudden departure. “Hey,” I said to Alissa. “Did it go okay?”
“Yeah. He’s still being all touchy, but he’s like that with everyone. I’m not too worried. Were you talking to Vincent again?”
“Yep. He thinks there’s something in town that shouldn’t be.”
Her brows rose. “Like what?”
“Haven’t a clue. Vampires are pretty tuned into things, though, considering they can sniff out an enemy a mile off.” Not that the vampires seemed keen to throw themselves into harm’s way—with the exception of the ever-persistent vampires trying to break through Lord Goddard’s magical wards.
“Did he tell you anything else?” she asked.
“Only that he can turn the mind-reading on and off on command, but if anything, that makes it even more creepy.”
I decided not to tell her what he’d said about her relationship with Keith being doomed to lead to heartbreak. It wasn’t my place, and heaven knew I was making enough potentially disastrous errors in my own relationship.
On cue, a text from Nathan showed up. Date cancelled, courtesy of Steve the Spoilsport insisting that he take over from one of the gargoyles guarding the forest. At this rate, we’d get another date after I passed my wand exam, which looked about as likely as Vincent taking up tap dancing.
The doorbell rang early the following morning. Since it was a Saturday, I assumed someone else had an early visitor. Then a knocking came at the flat door. Alissa groaned, while I scrambled around looking for some clothes, highly regretting that last witch cocktail. Alissa and I had gone out for drinks last night, and after consuming enough cocktails, it turned out their hangover-repellent wore off. Swilling a glass of water, I winced as the doorbell rang again. Alissa didn’t stir, so it was on me to see who wanted to speak to us at this hour in the morning.
“Miaow.” Sky wove through the living room and wrapped himself around my legs.
“You’re clingy today.” I stroked him one-handedly, and detached him from my ankle to go and answer the door. Sky’s indignant yowling followed me across the room.
I expected a delivery or a new vampire-related surprise. Instead, Nathan stood on the doorstep, his dark hair curling into eyes shadowed with sleeplessness.
“Nathan?” I said, wishing I’d had a proper shower. “What’re you doing here? I thought you were on guard duty.”
“Actually,” said Nathan, “I’ve been called in to talk to a vampire on behalf of the police. He asked to speak to you.”
My heart jumped into my throat. “Me? Why?”
“He says you know Vincent.” His voice held a questioning undercurrent.
“I wouldn’t say we know one another particularly well,” I said. “He’s friends with my cat. I did speak to him at the hospital yesterday while I was waiting for Alissa to get out of Steve’s latest interrogation. Has he been telling the people I’m the vampire whisperer?”
“Vincent told this vampire, Lord Anderson, that you were the person to speak to,” he said. “Understandably, some paranormals are reluctant to speak to a hunter alone, even a retired one.”
An uneasy feeling stirred. Sure, I know what Nathan had had to do as a hunter. I could read between the lines even if a werewolf hadn’t yelled it in my face a few weeks ago, but it wasn’t something I wanted to think about while fighting a hangover and up to my neck in murders.
The real question: did I feel safer with him or a vampire? No contest there.
“Okay, I’ll come.” I was kind of curious as to what this vampire wanted to share with me instead of meeting with the police. Vincent hadn’t told anyone about my lie-sensing abilities, right?
“Good,” said Nathan. “I didn’t want to impose on you, but he’s being quite insistent about it.”
“Weird. I’ve never spoken to a vampire aside from Vincent, and I wouldn’t say we were close.” He’d read my thoughts—maybe the intimate ones—but honestly, the same was true of any vampire who stepped near me, and he’d likely done the same to half the town. No, it was my little fluffball of a familiar who was, once again, responsible for dragging me into vampire drama. “I’m going to feed my cat, then we’ll go.”
I found the cat in question sulking on the sofa, and he didn’t even look up when I tipped some food into his bowl.
“Sorry I shut you in.” I walked to the sofa to give Sky a stroke. “Why are you trying to push me into befriending the vampires?”
“Miaow.” Sky huffed and turned his head away.
“I’ll see you later. Maybe let me know in advance if you want me to play vampire whisperer next time?”
“Can you not communicate with him yet?” Nathan asked, as I re-joined him at the door.