by Lauren Dane
He frowned and she shrugged. “I can go right now with this. I don’t need to be here sharing with you. I am because I agreed to, but I can’t in good conscience get this Vampire punished for not wanting to come over here.”
“I’m supposed to look away when my own people are allowing this vermin to break our laws so flagrantly?”
“Don’t be so dramatic. I’ll give you details once you promise and we can move along. Sun’s a comin’ so let’s go.” She made a circular motion with her hand, indicating he hurry up.
He may have growled in frustration, which was a cheerful thing.
“Fine, my hands are apparently tied. So tell me what Marv told you.”
She should have known he’d anticipate her actions, or even had her watched. She’d have done so in his place.
“Your Vampire is older than we thought. Probably close to six hundred. Hanging around the Vampyre Theatre and he comes to the party with oodles of crystal. I’ve got a decent description of him from Marv and one of the humans who works for him.” She tossed a sheet of paper across the desk before leaning back.
He looked it over before picking his phone up. “China, I’ve got a description on our killer. Yes, I’m in my office. You can meet the Hunter while you’re here.”
“Bet she’s all aquiver with that one,” Rowan mumbled.
He ignored that. “Go on.”
“I’ve got my people working on the description too. If he’s that old, there may not be much to find. But if you got a ping on the tooth you’d at least be able to correlate or eliminate him as a suspect.” The older Vampires weren’t much for complying with Vampire Nation rules about having identification but they still had their own version of DNA so if he was in the database they’d find him.
However, she knew the Nation had resources they didn’t share so widely. Her best shot at a positive identification on this killer was through them. If she had to kill him, which hello, she totally did, it needed to be all aboveboard.
“Latest victim is a girl who also worked at the Corsican in the Vampyre Theatre. I mean a girl, she’s only twenty-two, for Goddess’ sake! She’s been gone two days. Roommate says Ellie’s, that’s the girl who’s missing, problems with bitch have gotten worse in a big old hurry. This Vampire, who calls himself Petyr, emphasis on the Y apparently, has been giving Ellie wagons of the stuff. Not that his real name will be Petyr, unless he’s an idiot.
“Also, he has a type. Long, dark hair. No bangs. Brown eyes. Big knockers, a perennial favorite of the penis I’ve come to notice. My people are running some cross checks for missing persons with those descriptions. I’m going to take a guess and say this Vampire has to have killed others and we haven’t found the bodies.”
“I see you’re going to blame more on us.”
China, Rowan presumed, walked into the room looking very much like an extra from a Blade movie. Rowan would totally underestimate this chick as a poser if she didn’t already know her history. She’d been taking care of Clive’s security problems for a hundred years.
But it seemed that China was underestimating her, which was so very silly. Sloppy even, given her record of service to the Nation. But everyone, she supposed, was capable of letting personal feelings blind them to the truth they’d see otherwise. Only in this case, well, she had a feeling Clive was not going to react favorably to such human behavior.
“Yes, indeed. It’s my fondest wish to spend every waking moment finding dead bodies dumped in the middle of nowhere with organs missing and blood drained from every part of their bodies and blame it on Vampires. You’re all such sweet innocents I’m sure no one would believe me anyway. Right there in all the mythology books under Vampire it’s all entry after entry about you guys walking old ladies across the street and working at soup kitchens every Thanksgiving.”
Clive heaved a sigh. “China, this is Rowan Summerwaite, the Hunter. She is also the Liaison, officially sanctioned by The First. So shall we move past your sloppy behavior in displaying such rudeness and do our work? Perhaps you need a reminder of whose name is on the door?”
And he said it with so much beautiful threat wrapped around each word. The power of it rolled through the room, nearly stealing Rowan’s breath.
China immediately went to one knee and bowed her head.
Clive didn’t acknowledge her show of supplication. Instead he looked to the notes on his desk. “She’s been kind enough to share a description of the Vampire killing these human women. I’m sure you can get past your annoyance to do something about getting us a name and location.”
“I’ll be going. It’s hard work, framing you all and I haven’t had my daily rest.” Rowan stood and Clive joined her, walking around China, who still knelt on one knee, head bowed.
“I’ll walk you out. China, I expect this work to be completed by the time I awake at sundown.”
Once they’d rounded the corner he paused. “Come up, won’t you? You look like you need to eat something. Let me feed you.”
He flustered her. It was a completely foreign and not altogether unpleasant sort of feeling. But it nettled her this man caused it, even as she couldn’t help but like him. Respected him even.
He leaned close, the thrill of his nearness adding spice to the fear of discovery. “You should know that look of wary curiosity tinged with your natural-born hostility only makes you more alluring.”
“I need to go. I’m meeting with some of my staff to go over the description we got. Daylight’s a good time to do some searching.” She should have stepped away, but she didn’t for long moments more as he looked at her like he saw down to her bones.
“Don’t go hunting without backup, Rowan. This Vampire isn’t to be trifled with.”
“I’m the Hunter, Clive, it’s sort of in the job description.”
“This isn’t a run-of-the-mill Vampire. He’s not soft and out of shape like Jacques was.”
Softened, despite her better judgment, she smiled. Just a very brief upturn of her lips. “Most of my kills have been older Vampires. You have to know this. I know you have a file on me with all that info in it.”
“Crystal meth changes that. You can’t deny it. Supercharged from age and drug-addled too? Insane and rotting from the inside out. This Vampire is not like any threat you’ve ever faced. Just—” he paused to issue a long-suffering sigh, “—if you do go hunting, don’t let your guard down for a moment.”
She searched for a snarky retort but found herself tongue-tied. Instead, she stepped back, raised her hand and got into the down elevator. “I am many things. Not all of them good. But I am always careful. Good morning, Scion. Have a good rest.”
The doors closed, but she knew there’d still be cameras. She held her head high and marched out to meet the day.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rowan wished she could talk to Thena, but she and her dashing professor were off on a two-month long trip through Central and South America. Much needed, but it left Rowan with one less friend. One less sounding board. Jack wasn’t speaking to her and Susan was busy. And, truth be told, she missed Thena very much. This thing with Clive sent her reeling. Reeling wasn’t something she did. Add to it a crazy, cranked-up, serial-killing, six-centuries-old Vampire and what she really wanted to do was eat too much ice cream while taking shots of icy vodka and sleeping it off in Thena’s guest room.
She sighed. No use wallowing. She didn’t have time for it.
Instead she grabbed some coffee, left a message for David with her whereabouts and headed to her office.
She expected it to be deserted, but clearly Carey had been working most of the night because there was a file folder on her desk with two possible matches.
“Hey, Ro.” He sauntered in and sat, tossing his Chucks up on her desk and earning a frown he chose to ignore. “I think we’ve got it narrowed.”
“I think it’s this guy.” She tapped her fingertip on the piece of paper on the right. “Phineas Bolger. God, doesn’t that sound like a charact
er straight out of Hogwarts?”
“Six and some change. You’d have to be fucked up to be alive that long. All those old ones are just creepy and totally random.”
“They sort of live in another mental space.” She thought of Theo. “Not so much crazy, but they just see things differently. Did you know that their vision improves over the years instead of getting worse like ours does? The old ones, if they make it to five hundred they’re considered old.” She snorted, making a mental note to poke Clive about that. He was more connected to events and kept contact with people daily, this would help him stave off the worst of the effects until after he hit that six-hundred-year mark. But eventually, he’d be like Theo. The thought made her uncomfortable and slightly sad, mainly because she wouldn’t be alive when he still was, wouldn’t be there to help keep him anchored. “Anyway, they see colors and textures far more accurately. Amazing, I’ve always thought.”
“Or, you know, random and creepy.”
Rowan laughed. “Sometimes, yeah. But this one we’re looking for, Phineas here, he’s worse. He’s been alive for six centuries and he’s got to be bored. He’s done it all and seen it all so when they finally break the barrier and can get off on meth, what an experience it must be for him. Altogether new and yet, scarily addictive and personality changing.”
But he was dying. She’d wager it was slower for the old ones, but it didn’t make sense that only those Vampires under a certain age would die and not others. She’d wager it was only that the older the Vampire, the longer it would take for them to finally succumb to the real death.
He shuddered before going back to the file. “What makes you think it’s Phineas? Why not Vasily over there? He’s four hundred and sixty, that’s old, right?”
“Of course. I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am. Vasily has a job. He owns a business and has a family. Even though he’s got a heavy hand with the ladies, the pig, I don’t peg him as our perp.
“Phineas here, well he’s got a lot of money and not much else. He hasn’t been in Vegas for very long. Six months. Interesting that it was right around the time they broke the barrier and then shortly afterward the first woman from the list of missing women you compiled goes missing. He’s got nothing but time and resources. No family. He doesn’t nest with anyone. Keeps to himself and many of the ones his age do. Who’s going to suspect?” She tapped the paper. “No, it’s him. Now, we have to find his bed where I can kill the fuck out of him.”
“I so endorse this plan. I’ll get some more feelers out on Phineas and his location.”
“Great. I’m going to swing by Vasily’s place. Better to rule him out totally than get surprised.”
“Good idea. But since you’re looking like you’re going to drop, I suggest you sleep for a few hours and then hunt.”
“You’re the second person in the last few hours to tell me that. Fine. I’m going to catch a nap and then go back out there. If Jack Elroy calls, give him the list of missing women. I’ll handle Phineas myself. Jack is in no shape to take a human out, much less a Vampire.”
Instead of heading home, she shooed Carey out of her office and pulled the blinds closed. She had a very comfortable couch along with a nice pillow and blanket she kept around for such occasions.
“Rowan?”
Someone shook her awake. Cindy, the receptionist. “Wake up.”
Rowan sat and glanced at the clock. At least she’d gotten a solid four hours’ sleep. Still, she felt a little woozy and slightly sweaty. Great, getting the flu was not on her to do list.
“What’s going on? Any news?” Her head spun and it was then she noted the syringe in the other woman’s hand.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Cindy cocked her head. “He pays better than you.”
“You’re working with that Hogwarts asshole? Really? This is about meth? I should have seen the state of your roots before now.” At least that’s what she thought she said, her tongue was thick as the sedative took hold in her system.
Except what Cindy didn’t know and what her master didn’t know either apparently, was that the Goddess wouldn’t allow the sedative to remain very long. Rowan kept her features slack as the burst of heat clawed through her insides. Ouch.
“Why are you doing this?” Rowan allowed Cindy to pull her to her feet, not a bit sorry to make the girl take all her weight.
“He asked me to. He takes care of me. God you’re heavy. Don’t look it, but you are.” Cindy poked her side. “Need to work out more. Then again it won’t matter when he’s done with you.”
Rowan was so going to kill this bitch dead.
“Takes care of you, like how?” Rowan took advantage of the situation to realize her blade was out of reach. But she did have a knife strapped to her ankle and her wrist cuffs had silver wire. She’d take that Vampire’s head off with it if she could get close. Not having her blade would suck, but she’d get this Vampire good and killed either way.
“Can’t believe everyone thinks you’re so scary,” Cindy muttered as she tried to maneuver Rowan out of the room. Rowan had no plans to make it any easier to get kidnapped. But she also had no plans to stop it. This dumb bitch was taking her right to Phineas’s nest.
She looked around and caught sight of Carey on the floor where Cindy most likely left him after rendering him unconscious.
At the rate this bitch was knocking out points on Rowan’s list, Rowan might have to kill her twice.
“Sit here.” She tossed Rowan’s body onto the couch in the lobby and scurried around, turning the phones off and switching them to voice mail. Why the dumb hooker didn’t take care of this shit before she drugged Rowan and brought her out here was a mystery. But Cindy had never been very smart and apparently she was aiding her acceleration to stupid with crystal and hanging with Vampires.
Rowan managed to shove her phone into her underpants. It was on, which meant the GPS would work. That is if Carey wasn’t dead and was thinking when and if he came to.
Deep in her belly, Brigid bided her time.
Rowan went with it, keeping boneless and pretending to be unconscious when Cindy returned and had to drag her, those little, nearly useless hands under Rowan’s arms, struggling out of the office and to the elevators straight down to the parking lot.
And though she hated it, Rowan allowed the other woman to maneuver her into the trunk. At first Cindy had tried to take Rowan’s car, which challenged Rowan’s limp state. But even dumb Cindy figured out there wasn’t enough space for an overnight bag, much less a six-foot-tall woman in there.
It was a wonder no one saw them, but it was one in the afternoon and in the little lot to the side of the building against a wall. Luck was with Cindy. Or perhaps not—Rowan was going to kill her after all. But the luck could be Rowan’s and that’s how she chose to look at it.
The dark, cramped space made her memories stir uneasily. This was not a happy-reunion memory. But one of fear and loneliness. Theo had done it enough that she not only managed to survive it, but had been able to execute her escape each time, even at five.
But the fear had always lurked there. The fear that she’d fail and end up locked in a dark hole forever. That he’d change her and she’d be one of them, lost to her own humanity.
In the dark, as the road bumped beneath them, Brigid burned bright within, chasing away the metallic fear she’d been choking on. Filling her with calm. She wriggled a hand down her pants to grab her phone. It took some doing and time to get it out, but she managed to dial only to find out there was no service. Really? She sighed.
Not really being of the glass-half-full mindset, she had to force herself to focus on what she could do. She was strong enough to deal with the situation. Goddess knew people hunted before cell phones and GPS. She had the tools, had the skill and had a triple Goddess currently taking residence in her belly. This would be hard, no lie about that, but she was capable of taking this fucker and his minions down.
She hoped.
So she managed to
tap out some text messages to David, Susan at the Motherhouse and Clive, detailing the name of this idiot and also that Carey was injured at the office, and hit Send. Maybe if they did actually hit a spot with service it would go out. Being pretty near full day, the Vampires at Die Mitte would be resting, not that she expected help from that direction. It did disappoint her slightly that Theo wouldn’t be around to take this fucker out himself. That would have been awesome to see.
Rowan wasn’t sure why they chose now to take her other than the obvious advantage to no one expecting Vampire trouble at this time of day. But Cindy was a dunce and it made Rowan suspicious that she’d missed something. Either that or Phineas Bolger was simply too far gone to realize that someone like this little bag of stupid fake-blond bones was not the girl for the job.
Her muscles were cramped, her head hurt from the drug Cindy had used and the longer she was shut up there in the dark, the angrier and more determined she got.
Theo didn’t need much sleep. Didn’t need much of anything, really. So he sat watching a show on the Discovery Channel about dinosaurs. Peacefully alone as his people rested.
Another several hours before the sun would wane in the wintry Vegas sky and the state of the silly treaty would keep him in the hotel. He needed to think about getting home to Germany.
Maybe.
He liked Las Vegas. So much beautifully exposed human skin everywhere. So many humans who seemed to drink too much, spend too much money and have a good time anyway. The very air was intoxicating. It was easy to understand just why Clive Stewart chose this place rather than any other city he could have held on behalf of the Nation.
Rowan. Pride warmed him when there were days, weeks even where he was sure he’d never feel anything again. She’d made a place for herself in the world. More than that, she owned that place with confidence.
And if he wasn’t mistaken there was a blooming relationship between her and his Scion. He chuckled a moment. She’d give Clive something to work for. A Vampire like Clive had it easy for centuries. Power, money, influence and looks had been part of what made Stewart who he was within the Vampire Nation. But Rowan Summerwaite wasn’t something to be quantified or prepared for.