by K. M. Shea
“Yes.” Killian’s smirk was almost radiant. “If difficult, physical feats don’t break your seal, perhaps it requires a gentle touch.”
I froze in his arms, my eyes bulging.
Killian gently pressed his forehead against mine, invading all of my senses. “I think we ought to experiment.”
I stammered for a moment, trying to find a sufficiently sassy reply, before I decided that to keep my pride, a sacrifice was necessary.
“Hard pass, thanks!”
Using his chest like a springboard, I jumped from his grasp, plopping into the deep end of the pool, effectively dunking myself. I surfaced with a sputter to the sound of dry chuckles. It took a few moments of dog paddling toward the side of the pool before I realized the vampires on guard duty were laughing.
Some were only grinning, a few were laughing, their stances greatly relaxed as they slightly shook their heads. The biggest of them all was actually crouched on the ground, his back facing me as his shoulders shook with silent laughter.
It seemed that I had achieved my goal in lightening the atmosphere. Satisfied, I boosted myself onto the pool edge—gleeful that I was able to do so with relative smoothness, all thanks to weightlifting!
“You’re leaving?” Killian called. “Don’t you want to come back for a heated embrace?”
“No!” I firmly said, a blush warming my cheeks.
Killian leaned his back against the side of the pool, resting his arms on the edge. “Embarrassed is a good look for you,” he called out to me.
I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around me. “Go drink a blood juice box!”
“Now you’re concerned for my health—how absolutely touching! Behold—the honor of a virtuous idiot.”
“I hope you get sunburned!”
The relief in the tense atmosphere at Drake Hall was temporary. By the following day everyone was grim-faced again—though Celestina and Josh were around a little more.
Four days after the pool incident, Celestina took my training back. She worked me hard, but I was pleasantly surprised when she suggested we finish with a snack in the kitchen.
She pulled out a bag of chips, a package of Oreos, and some fresh strawberries—all mostly for me. She ate a strawberry but just sipped at a mug of heated blood while I pigged out on the Oreos.
She let out a huge sigh after she drained the last of her mug, and leaned back in her chair.
“Tired?” I asked.
“Not physically, but I suppose I am mentally fatigued.” She offered me a half smile and traced the rim of her mug.
“Any updates on the murderer—or any leads?”
Celestina shook her head. “We’re following up on a few more crime scene leads, but the facts simply don’t add up. It seems the murderer occasionally uses fae magic at the site of the murder, but we haven’t been able to detect a pattern to the use, and we haven’t been able to prove that it’s even a fae perpetrator.”
“That’s rough.” I made myself drink my glass of water before I could ask her if she had considered any vampire suspects.
“There you are,” Killian said.
I jumped in my chair, dribbling water down my chin, when Killian abruptly appeared at my side, having soundlessly crossed the kitchen.
He looked at me the way a dog owner looks when their dog has been rolling in the mud. “I ought to get you a collar or a bell.”
“Microchipping is an option,” Josh said from just beyond Killian’s shoulder.
“They don’t do that to humans!” I snarled.
“Not even to wizards?”
“No!”
“Pity.” Killian turned his attention to Celestina. “Are preparations complete for the meeting?”
Celestina bowed her head. “Yes, Your Eminence.”
“And you are ready to leave?”
“Whenever you are, Your Eminence.”
Josh circled around the table during this discussion and picked up my unopened bag of chips, inspecting the label.
“What meeting?” I picked the green top off a strawberry.
“Tonight the Midwest vampires are holding another meeting in the Curia Cloisters to discuss the murders.” Killian slightly exhaled—which was about the equivalent of a child throwing a temper tantrum for him. “It is with the hope of discussing new security measures that could be taken to stop the murderer, but given the disappointing level of intelligence found in some of the vampire Families, I don’t expect a positive outcome.”
“It will give you an opportunity to remind them the Regional Magic Committee has finally ratified the new law limiting the Unclaimed allowed in an area,” Celestina said.
I blinked. “Wait, Unclaimed are vampires that don’t belong to Families, right? Why would you do that to your own people?”
Josh set the bag of chips down and unsheathed his broadsword, much to my confusion—though neither Celestina nor Killian showed signs of concern.
“It’s precisely because they are my people that I want to limit the Unclaimed,” Killian said. “The Midwest can have as many Lone Wolves running around as the werewolf Pre-Dominant wants. I will not allow vampires to gamble with their own lives and live without a Family, risking their necks, when they could provide support and strengthen our numbers when we already have difficulty turning new vampires.”
Judging by the way Killian narrowed his eyes, this was an issue he’d been fighting for a while.
I ate my strawberry as I digested his argument. It was valid—a vampire running around without a Family backing it was an easy target, especially given the feuds between races these days. And vampires, werewolves, and shifters in general were having a harder and harder time repopulating these days. But it seemed pretty high handed and tyrannical since it sounded like Killian was trying to cut off their options and force Unclaimed to join a Family despite their wishes.
“Between the new law and the discussion about the murderer, the meeting is likely to go late, so there will be no training for you tomorrow,” Celestina said.
“Okay.” I eyed Josh as he inspected his bare blade.
“Most of the Drake Family vampires will attend the meeting, but a skeleton crew will remain behind to ensure the safety of the Hall,” Killian said.
Josh picked up the bag of chips and artfully sliced through the top with his sword before sliding it back in its scabbard.
“Did you seriously just use your sword to open a bag of chips?”
Josh ate a chip. “What use is there in a sword if not to cut things?”
“Isn’t that, like, dishonorable to the blade or something?” I asked.
“Nonsense,” Josh said. “It is my homage to the blacksmith—they have created such a stunning weapon it must be used.”
I gaped at Celestina and Killian, but neither of them looked surprised, so I guess this was not a one-time behavior of Josh’s.
“There was a fresh delivery of blood today, if you would like to partake in some before we leave, Your Eminence.” Celestina stood up and tossed her blood pouch in the trash.
“Oh.” Josh set the chip bag down and shuffled off to the walk-in cooler. “Shall I fetch you one, Your Eminence?”
“It’s fine,” Killian called after his Second Knight. He raised an eyebrow at me as he watched me consume another strawberry, but he asked Celestina, “You made arrangements for a fresh blood delivery at the Curia Cloisters, I presume?”
Celestina checked her wrist watch. “Yes—it should arrive around the time we do. I wanted the freshest delivery to keep any of the other Families who usually use blood donors from complaining.”
“Well done,” Killian said.
Josh reappeared from the cooler, carrying three blood pouches.
Killian stared at him for several moments then took one.
Josh set the second down on the table and poked the straw taped to the pouch through it. “Are you sure you don’t need another one, Your Eminence?”
“I said it was fine.” Killian didn’t open his blood
pouch, but stared down at it for a moment before swiveling his gaze over to me. His eyebrow twitched, and he flicked me in the forehead.
“Ow,” I said automatically, even though it didn’t hurt.
Killian left before I raised my hand to rub at the spot.
“Stay safe, Hazel,” Celestina called over her shoulder as she followed him out.
Josh merely nodded to me and left, tossing his emptied blood pouch in the trash on his way out—leaving behind the unopened second pouch.
“Good luck!” I called.
By the time I finished my snack of strawberries, Oreos, and chips, a few of the blood donors had drifted into the kitchen, searching for dinner. I chatted with them as the sun sank beyond the horizon, leaving the sky enveloped in velvet black.
It wasn’t until we finished and were tidying up the kitchen that I remembered the extra blood pouch.
“Oh, I can put that away, Hazel,” Amanda—the chatty blood donor I’d met the day I arrived at Drake Hall—offered.
“It’s fine! I know where everything goes—I used to organize the blood after every delivery.” I trotted over to the walk-in cooler and set the blood pouch on the frosted shelves. I made a face when I noticed that no one bothered to arrange the blood by expiration date, so there were some expired packs pushed to the side.
But I couldn’t blame anyone—I knew personally the kitchen staff were busy. And it’s not like we could expect the vampire that made the deliveries to do it. Wait.
I paused just outside the cooler and mentally reviewed my thoughts. “A vampire makes the blood deliveries,” I said.
Only Amanda was left in the kitchen. “Hmm? Oh, yes. She’s been the delivery person for months.”
There was something about this—I felt as if I was on the edge of making a huge discovery if I could just puzzle it out correctly. “It’s the same delivery person every time?” I asked.
“As far as I know.” She tapped her lower lip. “I haven’t seen anyone else. You’ve met her, haven’t you? A female vampire—I think she’s Unclaimed…”
I briefly closed my eyes as I tried to organize my wild thoughts. “I have to go.” I grabbed my katana from the chair I’d balanced it on and tore out of the kitchen, pounding down the hallways.
I needed to find a vampire—there was something I had to confirm. Because if I was right, there was a vampire who was allowed through all the layers of security at Drake Hall without suspicion and didn’t belong to the Drake Family: the vampire with the blood delivery company.
Chapter Nineteen
Hazel
“Celestina? Josh?” I shouted, cursing under my breath when I remembered they had left well over an hour ago for their meeting.
I didn’t know who else was here, and I still didn’t have a cellphone, so it wasn’t like I could phone Celestina up.
Desperate, I flung open the front door, nearly colliding with Rupert, who was coming up the front stairs, having parked his car in the turn around.
“Rupert! I need your help.” I grabbed the front of his suit with my free hand, ignoring the possibility that he might maim me for it—this was too important to let him go, even if he was a jerk.
Rupert reared his head back and went to cover his nose for a moment—from the stench of my blood probably. “What?” he snapped, his hair more of a gold color than red in the yellow cast by the driveway lights. “Can’t you do anything without Celestina or Josh around to protect you?”
“I’m serious!” I yanked hard on his jacket. “Tell me—do all of the local vampire Families use the same blood delivery company?”
Rupert tried to extricate his jacket from my grasp without actually touching me. “Of course. There’s only one major company that services the Midwest. There are a few smaller local brands, but here in Magiford blood distribution is a contract awarded by Killian.”
“Then it’s possible.” I let Rupert go and slapped my hands on my head as if I could forcibly keep my whirling thoughts under control. “Depending on her route, she could have access to everyone…including—the meeting!” Reacting entirely on instinct I jumped down the stairs, sprinting for Rupert’s car.
“Call Celestina!” I shouted over my shoulder. “Tell her the murderer is there!”
Rupert strolled after me. I couldn’t see his face in the darkness of night, but I was pretty sure he was scowling. “Where do you think you’re going?”
I opened his car and slid in the driver’s seat, tossing my katana into the passenger’s seat. “To the meeting!”
“What?!”
I slammed the door shut and, thankfully, the keys were already in the ignition. I turned the car on and slammed from park to drive, already rolling forward as I hurriedly buckled my seatbelt.
“Stop—you stupid rat-blood!” Rupert howled.
I ignored him and drove the car down the driveway. When I glanced in the rearview mirror it looked like Rupert hadn’t bothered to follow me—hopefully he at least thought to phone Celestina.
I reached the gate that divided off Drake lands and peered up and down the fence-line, but I didn’t see any vampires on duty. I rolled a window down and shouted into the shadows of the night, “Hello?”
There was no response.
This made a string of expletives drop from my lips as I’d been planning on snagging one of them and driving to the meeting as they contacted the other Drake vampires.
I bit my lip and impatiently tapped my fingers on the steering wheel.
It was a very real possibility the murderer was going to the meeting. Celestina said she’d made arrangements for a fresh blood delivery. If the delivery vampire had a new target…
I set my jaw and floored it, making the sharp turn and speeding down the abandoned country roads, driving for the city like a bat out of hell.
I hadn’t been this frightened since the night Mason threatened Felix—not when I was thrown off the roof, not even when the fae monster nearly killed me. My palms were clammy and itched as I tried to recall the exact way to the city.
“Why didn’t you give me a cellphone!” I shouted at Killian—who obviously couldn’t hear me. “You’re dripping with cash! But nooo, can’t give the wizard a phone—even though we’ll happily give her a freaking sword!!” I glanced over at my chisa katana. “Sorry—I mean, I love you a lot, but I could really use some backup right now!”
The tires squealed when I took a turn too quickly, but I could see signs of civilization in the distance.
It took too long to reach the Curia Cloisters. I circled around to the back to the staff parking lot, my heartbeat doubling when the car’s headlights lit up a familiarly colored blood delivery van.
I abandoned Rupert’s car in the middle of a parking row and ran inside, clutching my chisa katana to my side.
“Excuse me, no weapons,” a secretary shouted from the information desk.
I ignored her and sprinted through the building, my shoes squeaking as I flew across the tile floor.
I made it all the way to the assembly hall, where I was pretty sure the meeting had to be held again. This time, however, there were armed vampires outside the doors. (So much for no weapons!) One wore armor that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a knight, the other wore a flowing robe—definitely not from the Drake Family.
“Quickly—you’ve got to get Celestina—or Josh—or Gavino!” My lungs ached, and I took such large gulps of air it hurt my throat. “They’re from the Drake Family!”
The vampire in the robes narrowed his eyes. “Non-vampires are not allowed through these doors.”
“That’s fine,” I wheezed. “Just go get one of them!”
The armored vampire shook his head.
“I’m Killian Drake’s pet wizard!” I shouted—hoping they might hear me inside. “Go get any Drake vampire! Celestina—Josh!” I waited, having finally recovered my breath, but the doors didn’t open.
The robed vampire peeled back his upper lip so his fangs showed. “Why do you have a sword?”
“That doesn’t matter—just open the doors! This is taking too long—” I froze when I felt a floral sensation brushing my senses, filling my mouth with the familiar rose-water jello block taste. “She’s getting started,” I said blankly. “She’s using fae magic!”
I stared at the doors in horror, when my memory kicked in, and I recalled the room had three floors—two for observation purposes. I turned on my heel and ran back the way I’d come, weaving around the walled-in room as I searched for the closest staircase.
I found it and went up it as fast as I could, taking two stairs at a time. The flowery feeling grew stronger the higher I went up, so I raced past the second floor and up to the third.
Sure enough, there weren’t any vampire guards on the third floor to stop me, so I sprinted down the hallway, rounded the corner, and slammed into the double doors. I hoped I was being paranoid and I was way off base on this.
I wanted to be wrong.
But every muscle in me tensed when I saw the blond, female vampire crouched a car’s length from the banister. A wood staff topped with a black crystal sat on the ground at her side, and a dagger with a metal dragon sculpted around the hilt was stabbed into the ground—the dragon’s glowing eyes seemed to be the source of fae magic that I felt.
I was right. The delivery vamp was the murderer—and she was here for her next mark.
“Killian!” I screamed. “Get down!” I tore across the landing, weaving around chairs as the female vampire rolled to her feet to face me.
I was vaguely aware that a shrill scream pierced the air from the lower floor before there was lots of shouting. Hopefully Celestina and Josh would stash Killian and then come back me up.
The delivery vampire smirked, and as I jumped a table I could see the blue shimmering cloud that marked out the large area around her—a magical barrier.
But I didn’t slow. I unsheathed my katana and pulled my little flicker of magic through my blood. I blew through the fae barrier—which closed up behind me. That took the smirk off her lips.