Murder in Vein

by Sue Ann Jaffarian

  "Charismatic?" Madison asked, remembering what Notchey had said about whoever was calling the shots in the murders possibly being able to control people.

  "What makes you say that? Have you met Ethan?" Lilith looked at Madison with real interest for the first time. "He'd probably find you quite fetching."

  "No, I haven't, but he must have some sort of personal magnetism to rise as quickly as he did."

  Lilith took a final puff and stubbed out her cigarette. She looked at Colin. "Your lady's quite perceptive."

  Colin was about to say something when his cell phone rang. He looked at the display, then said, "I have to take this. I'll be right back." Before leaving the table, he gave Madison a look that ordered her to behave herself.

  "How did you and Colin meet?" Lilith asked as soon as the two women were alone.

  "Mutual friends introduced us."

  "He's never talked about himself, except to say he's originally from England and his mother was Indian." Lilith gave off another throaty chuckle. "Of course, when we were together, we didn't talk much."

  Madison ignored the innuendo. "Colin is a very private person. Another reason we get along so well."

  "Definitely an enigma." Lilith squinted in the dim light at Madison. "Did Colin give you that black eye-the one you're trying to hide under all that foundation?"

  Madison's hand shot up to gently touch the bruise just below her right eye. "No, he didn't." "

  "I knew he liked it rough." Lilith smiled a private smile. "But I thought he was more into biting than hitting."

  I assure you, Lilith, Colin did not give me this shiner."

  Lilith pulled another cigarette from the pack, but when she started for the matches to light it herself, Madison reached for them first. "Here, allow me," she told Lilith.

  Madison lit the match, holding it with her right hand. Putting down the matchbook, she leaned forward to light Lilith's cigarette, cupping it with her left palm. As Lilith put the cigarette end to the flame, Madison was sure she saw Lilith's eyes go wide when they caught on the bloodline.

  Lilith took a big drag off the cigarette, holding it in her lungs for several beats. When she finally expelled it, she aimed it directly at Madison.

  FIFTEEN

  hen they got to their next destination, Madison was surprised. "I thought after what we learned from Lilith, you'd want to head toward Hollywood and to Bloodlust. We're almost in downtown LA."

  Colin shook his head. "Too late tonight, at least for a Tuesday night. I want to save Bloodlust for tomorrow night and make it our only stop. Bernard told me after I took that call that a lot of Fang Me's members go there on Wednesday night. Apparently they offer some sort of special. We'll fit in better if we know people."

  "You mean if you know people."

  "Exactly."

  They were parked on a small, dingy side street where most of the businesses were boarded up. The others had metal grates protecting their storefronts. A few doors down, a yellow light showed off a sign for a place called Bat Beauty. A few people were gathered in front of the place, smoking.

  "At least here," Madison observed, "they follow the nosmoking law." She started off toward the light, but Colin stopped her.

  "By the way, that call was from Samuel. He's calling another meeting." When Madison groaned, Colin added, "It's for tomorrow night. Actually, that would be tonight, since it's already past midnight. Around eight at the Dedhams' again. We'll head out to Bloodlust right after the meeting."

  Madison was curious. "Why another meeting? He expecting a report already?"

  "He said Notchey might have found something, but he needs to check his sources before telling us. He should have the information confirmed by tonight."

  "Well, I have a by-the-way thing for you, too."

  Colin looked at her, waiting.

  "While you were taking the call," Madison told him, "I made sure Lilith saw my bloodline. When she did, her eyes nearly popped out of her head."

  Colin put a firm hand on each of Madison's upper arms. "You sure about that?"

  She nodded. "Pretty sure. I lit her next cigarette. Just about put my palm into her face. It definitely got a reaction."

  Colin didn't seem pleased by the news.

  Madison studied his face. "You had a thing with her."

  He looked away in thought. "Not a thing, no.

  "But you had sex with her, didn't you?"

  Colin looked directly back at Madison, his nostrils slightly flared. "Yes, Lilith and I had sex. Once." He paused. "Maybe twice."

  "And she has no idea that you're a real vampire?"

  No.

  "Are you sure? Because she mentioned something about you liking to bite while doing the deed."

  Colin didn't look happy at the information Lilith had disclosed, but he also didn't seem embarrassed. "A lot of coven members bite during intercourse," he explained. "It's quite common in vampirism. And I didn't use my fangs."

  ((Okay," Madison said, accepting his response. ((But here's another issue worth exploring. I've never seen a vampire naked, so I don't know this for sure, but I'm assuming you guys have all the same equipment as when you were alive."

  Colin's eyes bore into her. "Get to your point."

  ((Well, even if all the parts worked the same, wouldn't a live woman notice how cold your body is?" Madison put a hand on one leather-covered hip. ((I mean, you're like walking, talking blocks of ice. Or does your internal heat rise during passion?"

  "Maybe Lilith didn't notice because I had gotten her internal heat so high." He shot a cocky grin at Madison.

  ((Maybe," Madison conceded in a businesslike manner. ((But then there's the sweating. Vampires don't sweat, do they? Every living man sweats during sex. Even Eskimos sweat during sex."

  "And how many Eskimos have you slept with, Madison?"

  "I'm just saying, it's possible she has an inkling. Or maybe she thought you just had bad circulation."

  Without another word, Colin started for Bat Beauty.

  The inside of Bat Beauty was very much like the inside of Fang Me. The walls were painted black, the lighting subdued, the tables and chairs the same. But instead of being a long, narrow room, Bat Beauty was a square venue. The bar was at the far back, with the dance floor and DJ area situated halfway down the right side. Another difference was that this place was fairly busy-not full, but it hummed with moderate activity. A DJ played while a handful of people gyrated to the ear-splitting music. Most of the clientele were dressed in the goth style. The rest wore mostly jeans and dark tee shirts, with some of the women in short black skirts and fishnet stockings. Madison said a silent word of thanks that Colin hadn't provided her with fishnets.

  As Colin and Madison worked their way around the dance floor, several people nodded a welcome to Colin. Once they reached the bar, he asked the bartender, a tall, husky black woman with exploding cleavage, a question Madison couldn't hear over the music. The bartender nodded and, with a jerk of her head, directed Colin to the far side of the bar. Taking Madison's hand, Colin headed off in that direction.

  As they approached a thick curtain of black beads, a large man stopped them. Colin said a few words to him, and the man disappeared through a door behind the beads. A few seconds later, he returned and let them enter. They found themselves in a room a little better lit than the main room. Sofas and several chairs in the Victorian style, with red velvet upholstery, were grouped around the room in conversational settings. Sconces on the walls supported tall lit candles. Occasional tables and other furnishings were heavy and dark.

  A man approached them, holding out his arms in warm greeting to Colin. He was of slim build, with silver hair that hung to his shoulders. His face was handsome, his large, dark eyes lined in black. He moved with a dancer's grace. Colin dropped Madison's hand and entered the man's embrace.

  When they stepped back, the man noticed Madison. "And who is this charming creature?"

  "Wilhelm, I would like to present my friend Madison." Colin turned
to Madison. "This is Lord Wilhelm, Madison, high priest of the Bat Beauty coven."

  Wilhelm smiled and held out his right hand to Madison. With some hesitation, she placed her own right hand into his. After a courtly bow, Wilhelm raised her hand to his black painted lips and lightly kissed it. Madison reflected that she'd never had her hand kissed in her life, and today it had happened twice.

  "You are quite welcome here, Madison. Colin is a very special friend to the coven."

  "Thank you," she said softly. As she studied Wilhelm more closely, Madison saw that he had fangs. At first she thought he might be a vampire, but his hand had been warm.

  Wilhelm walked over to a sofa and indicated for them to follow. "Come, join us."

  Two young men rose from the sofa and gave their seats to Madison and Colin. As soon as Wilhelm sat down, one of the young men, attired in a loose buccaneer-type shirt and tight black pants, sat at his feet, a look of genuine adoration stamped upon his smooth face. The other went to join a group of men and women clustered and chatting in low voices in another area of the room. Colin motioned for Madison to sit between him and Wilhelm.

  As Madison sat down, her eye caught on a coffin positioned at an angle in a corner of the room. Its lid was up, the inside lined with what looked like quilted red satin. Next to it was a tall wrought-iron candle holder on which stood a lit red pillar candle. She wanted to look inside the coffin but took her place on the sofa instead.

  "It has been a long time, Colin," Wilhelm said, leaning against the back of the ornate sofa in a relaxed and regal manner.

  "I've been traveling a lot this year," Colin answered.

  Wilhelm caught the eye of a young woman dressed in a scooped-neck, long black gown. She was leaning against the wall staring at Colin with cow eyes. "Miriam, refreshments for our friends, perhaps a glass of wine." He looked at Colin, a memory crossing his pale face. "Oh, I'm sorry. As I recall, you don't drink spirits. That still correct?"

  "Excellent memory, Wilhelm. Madison does not drink them either."

  "A pair of teetotalers. Whatever are we to do with you?" He turned back to Miriam, who waited patiently for her orders, still eyeing Colin with expectation. "Miriam, bring them a pot of my special tea. Tea for the teetotalers." He laughed at his own joke. With a smile to Colin and a slight bow to Wilhelm, Miriam went off to fetch the tea.

  "Looks like business is good," Colin said, also relaxing on the sofa. Between them, Madison sat almost rigid, her hands resting in her lap, left palm upward.

  "Can't complain," Wilhelm responded. "Well, I could, but who'd listen? Right?" He laughed again. "Actually, it's been down a bit, but that's to be expected in this economy."

  "We just paid a visit to Fang Me," Colin told him. "It's dead over there. No more than six to eight people at the most. I've heard several of their coven members have left."

  "No big surprise there, the way Lilith runs things." Wilhelm waved a hand in disgust. "The only reason she can keep her doors open is because the boys and girls in the valley are too lazy to travel to other clubs on the weekends."

  "She said that new place, Bloodlust, has been attracting both customers and coven members."

  Wilhelm gave the comment some thought. "It probably has something to do with it, but a loyal coven stays loyal if they're treated correctly." He smiled at the young man at his feet.

  Colin leaned forward. "So you haven't lost anyone to Bloodlust?"

  Wilhelm dismissed the idea. "We've only lost one member that I know of to Bloodlust. We've lost some of our weekend business, too, but we're not concerned. Once the shininess wears off, they'll be back."

  "Lilith felt that way, too." Colin paused. "What about their leader, Ethan Young? What do you know about him?"

  A wide smile crossed Wilhelm's face just as the tea was served. Miriam poured tea for Madison and Colin, serving them in delicate china cups with matching saucers. When she presented Madison with her cup of tea, Madison held out her left hand, palm up, to take it. Glancing at Wilhelm to her left, she didn't notice any reaction, if he noticed her hand at all. What Madison did notice was how much lower Miriam's dress bodice had gotten. As she leaned over to present Colin with his tea, her breasts nearly spilled into his cup. To Madison's side, Wilhelm noticed and chuckled.

  "Ethan Young," Wilhelm began, as soon as Miriam was out of the way, "is quite delicious. He's in his prime and quite the stud." Wilhelm sighed. "Unfortunately, he's only into females." He grinned at Colin and flashed Madison a wink. "Like you."

  "Is he a good coven leader?" Madison asked.

  Wilhelm screwed up his face as he thought about it. "I suppose so. A bad leader can't keep a coven together. He's a bit too rah-rah for my taste, but he has certainly shot to the top quickly."

  Colin played with his tea, pretending to drink it. "That was also something Lilith said, that Ethan had pretty much come out of nowhere."

  Wilhelm picked up a glass of wine from the table beside him and swirled the red liquid in the glass. "It might have seemed that way, but I don't think he was new to the vampire culture. He knew too much about it, even a lot of the inner workingsthings even someone like you wouldn't know, no matter how close you are to us, because you don't belong." Wilhelm took a drink of wine. "He might have been new to the area, but he was not new to vampirism. Or he had a very good and informed mentor." He paused. "Personally, I think he came to LA with the intention of starting his own group. He did his networking with us, got to know the lay of the land, then started his own group. His coven is more modern. More flash than velvet. More black and silver than black and red."

  Wilhelm took another drink of his wine. "Ethan Young is more Twilight. We're more Bram Stoker."

  After Bat Beauty, Colin headed to a house in Mar Vista, a neighborhood not far from Culver City, where Madison lived and worked. It was an unassuming but large ranch-style home on a double lot at the top of a hill. The house and the neighborhood were quiet. The circular driveway held four or five cars.

  "This," he explained to Madison, "is the coven known as Dark Tidings."

  "There's a club here?"

  "Not all covens operate clubs," Colin whispered to her as they parked the bike and made their way up the driveway to the house. "Though many do. They raise money by catering to the goth music and dance scene. That's how the leaders support themselves. Others hold salons a few nights a week, where their members can gather and discuss poetry, literature, and things concerning their lifestyle. Dark Tidings is one of those. It is very serious in its pursuit of the intellectual side of vampirism."

  At the door, Colin rang the bell. The chimes were soft and heavy, like a gong muffled by pillows. A few moments later, the door was opened by a short, plump, middle-aged woman wearing a flowing velvet caftan in dark burgundy, with black velvet side panels. Her faded red hair was streaked with gray and worn in a braid that hung almost to her waist. Circling her head was a wreath made of black silk roses. When she saw Colin, her dour face remained immobile but her eyes crinkled noticeably around the edges.

  Although Madison had found Colin annoying and aloof, it wasn't lost on her that the people they'd met tonight each adored him in their own way. He'd made friends with these people, or at least had them thinking he was a friend.

  Colin smiled at the woman. "Greetings, m'lady. I've brought you a young friend to meet. This is Madison." He turned to Madison.

  The woman looked Madison up and down like a school teacher appraising a pupil. Upon reaching a verdict, she held out both hands to Madison and said warmly, "Welcome to Dark Tidings, Madison. I am Lady Harriet."

  As Madison took Lady Harriet's hands, she saw that the woman had a bloodline across her left palm.

  SIXTEEN

  t was almost four in the morning when Colin and Madison returned to the Dedham house. Doug and Dodie were waiting for them like anxious parents.

  "Did you learn anything?" Doug asked as soon as they came through the door.

  "A bit," Colin answered, settling on the sofa in the
den. "We visited three havens and talked to the leaders of each. Seems there's a new coven with a hot new club in Hollywood"

  "That would be Bloodlust," Doug said, taking a seat in the leather chair. Madison sat next to Colin. Dodie excused herself. "Mike told us about that place. He says it's growing like crazy."

  Colin nodded. "Seems it has pulled members from the three covens we visited, as well as clientele from the two with nightclubs."

  Before the conversation went any further, Madison asked a question that had been haunting her since Dark Tidings. "Are you," she asked Colin, "like an underground spy for the vampires? Everyone seemed to know you, but from what I saw, they had no idea that you're a real vampire." She paused. "Except maybe my theory about Lilith."

  "And what theory is that, dear?" asked Dodie, who'd returned with a tray of refreshments-tall glasses of blood for them and tea and cookies for Madison. "Here," she said, urging Colin to take a glass of blood. "You look positively peaked. This will help."

  "It's just her nonsense, Dodie," Colin said, taking the glass. He pressed his lips together, then his mouth contorted, bunching his bearded cheeks up on one side as he thought of what to tell Madison. "I keep an eye on things for the council," he finally explained to her. "I monitor these groups, making sure our way of life is safe and that these folks don't get too close to the truth."

  "Do they really believe that vampires exist?"

  "Some do," Colin answered after taking a big swig from his glass. "Others follow what they believe is a vampire lifestyle, like drinking blood, coming out only at night, sleeping in coffins. And still others believe that they are vampires themselves." He looked over at Dodie, raised his glass, and smiled, his perfect teeth gleaming white against his black beard. "First-rate, Dodie."

  "That's my Dodie," Doug said with pride. "The Julia Child of blood."

  Dodie beamed and hoisted her own glass.

  Madison looked up at Colin and tried to forget that the others were dining on blood. She took a quick sip of her hot tea to wash the imagined taste from her mouth. "Wilhelm had fangs," she said after swallowing. "Does he believe he is really a vampire?"