Try Me

by Parker Blue

  Micah nodded slowly. “A good point. But again, how would they know the books were there?"

  Josh shrugged. “Cell phone. One of the other vamps called them and told them after the announcement."

  "That's possible,” I conceded. “Anyone at the party could have called someone else . . . vampire, demon, or human."

  Crap. That also widened my pool of suspects exponentially. Well, if I was going to spend all my time tracking down the thief, maybe some of them could help with the rest of it. “Okay, let's assume a bad vamp somehow found out about the books and took them.” Especially since I could tell they really liked that idea. “I'll check that out, but we have another problem. The Movement blames us for their people going bonkers."

  Micah held up his hands to halt the protests and counter-accusations. “We really need to keep on their good side."

  "Why?” Josh demanded as Mood shook her head.

  "Because we want to convince them not to come out and reveal themselves to the world. We can't do that if we're enemies. Besides, we're not responsible and I, for one, don't want to take the rap for it."

  THEY'RE BUYING IT, Fang said with a grin.

  Because it was true. I opened my mouth to explain about the blood, but Fang pushed against my leg. LET SHADE DO IT. I glanced questioningly down at the hellhound and he gave a doggie shrug. IT'LL SOUND BETTER COMING FROM HIM. THEY ALREADY ACCEPT HIM AS A PART OF THE GROUP. YOU'RE STILL . . . ON PROBATION.

  Okay, that was fair.

  "If we help them find the cause of the madness, they'll owe us,” Shade said. He went on to explain that we assumed it was the blood they drank that caused the problem.

  Theories flew about the room, but basically it came down to the same two potential causes we came up with—silver or holy water.

  "Val is going to get some of the blood to test,” Micah explained. “Then we'll see if we can find out who's causing this."

  "But you're gonna still check out the vamps who aren't in the Movement, right?” Mood asked me. “They have to be guilty."

  "Sure, I'll check them out,” I said, “but I hope you're wrong."

  "Why?"

  "Because if the bad vamps have the books and they list the weaknesses of the demons as well, we could be in deep doo-doo."

  * * * *

  I took a long nap that afternoon, knowing I was probably going to be busy all night. It was kind of nice to wake up in my newly decorated bedroom with Fang snuggled up next to me. Here, I could pretend for awhile that nothing was wrong and all was right with the world.

  I scratched his ears. “Hey, you stayed with me,” I said softly. “Princess losing her charms?"

  He snuggled closer. NAW. BUT SOMETIMES SHE'S A BIT TOO HIGH MAINTENANCE. BESIDES, YOU NEED ME TONIGHT AND I NEEDED A LITTLE SHUT-EYE, TOO.

  Good. The best way to learn where the bad vamps were hanging out was to attend the SCU briefing, and I didn't want to do it alone. I opened my bedroom door to let Fang out to use the doggie door and came face to face with Shade.

  All he said was, “Hi,” but to me, it sounded like a whole lot more. Like, I'm soooo glad to see you. Like, you are the hottest thing on two legs. Like, let's get naked together.

  I gulped, and was really glad I couldn't see his expression right now. It would probably make me feel more self-conscious and dorky than I already did. As it was, I felt my face turn hot and Lola stirred, wanting to reach out and take some of that yummy goodness.

  I pulled her back with an effort. “Hi,” I responded, feeling oh-so cool and sophisticated. Not.

  He reached out to take my hand but I pretended not to see it as I took a step back and closed the door partway. “I need to get ready for work."

  "Oh. Sorry. I thought you might need to, uh, take the edge off first."

  Cuddle up to Shade's hot bod, lie there with his arms around me, let our wanting and need flow back and forth between us? Sounded like heaven, but sheesh, I hadn't even brushed my teeth yet. And for some reason, the thought of using him again made me a little uneasy. “No, I'm good."

  He nodded and left as Fang came trotting back in through the door. I closed it and the terrier jumped up on the bed. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?

  "Nothing. Shade just wanted to . . . you know."

  SO WHY DIDN'T YOU ‘YOU KNOW'? ‘YOU KNOW’ CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU.

  I shrugged, not really wanting to discuss it with anyone of the male persuasion. But, knowing Fang would bug me until I relented, I said, “Because . . . he wants it too much."

  WELL, HE IS A GUY.

  "Yeah, but . . . is it me he wants, or Lola?” There, I'd said it, exposed my insecurities to ridicule.

  AH, THE AGE-OLD QUESTION, Fang said, amusement in his voice. DOES HE WANT YOU FOR YOU, OR FOR YOUR BODY?

  "Well, yeah."

  DOES IT MATTER? Fang asked. YOU LIKE IT, HE LIKES IT. SO WHY NOT DO IT? HUMANS HAVE TO COMPLICATE EVERYTHING.

  I glanced down at the terrier. “Because it is more complicated for humans, Fang.” It wasn't just about whether I wanted to feel all hot and sexy with him again, because I did, but was Lola something he could become addicted to? How did I even feel about Shade? Was I ready to lose my virginity with him? ‘Cause that was sure the way it was heading. If Lola made me want every guy who came along, how could I trust any of my feelings? And until I figured it out, I didn't want to commit myself to anything. Not even asking him to Thanksgiving dinner.

  Not wanting to prolong this conversation either, I said, “I'm going to shower."

  COWARD, Fang called after me.

  "Whatever."

  I got ready for work—jeans, long-sleeved T-shirt with a vest over it to hide the stakes in my back waistband—and headed out on the Valkyrie in the cool night air. Fang rode behind me in his goggles. We got to the station a little early and I didn't feel like facing the other scuzzies right away, so I took the time to call Alejandro.

  After Luis made me wait for awhile, Alejandro came on the line. “Yes, Ms. Shapiro, how may I help you?"

  No sense in beating around the bush. “The demons feel bad about what's happening with your people. They know you suspect them, so to prove they're innocent, they'd like to help."

  "Help how?"

  "By trying to find out what's causing your guys to go wacko. Unless you know already?"

  "We haven't yet found the cause, no.” He paused for a moment. “Help would not come amiss. What do you have in mind?"

  "Well, since we all figure it's in the blood they drank at the blood bank, we wondered if we could get a sample of it. Maybe we can help you test it, find out what's causing it."

  "We are doing that ourselves."

  "So? It couldn't hurt to have two sets of eyes looking at it. Maybe we'd think of something you wouldn't."

  Alejandro sighed. “Very well. We don't know which batches are contaminated and which are free of poison, but I shall send someone to drop off a representative sample. Where shall I send it?"

  I thought for a moment. “Send it to Micah at Club Purgatory. He'll know what to do."

  "I shall. The sooner we learn how the blood was poisoned, the better off we'll all be."

  "You got that right."

  He hung up and I breathed a heavy sigh. Time to face the scuzzies. “Ready for this?"

  Fang had managed to get his goggles off by himself and bristled with action. “YEAH. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MESS WITH YOU WILL HAVE TO COME THROUGH ME FIRST.

  I laughed. “I can always count on you.” We were a few minutes late, so I was able to slip in the back with only a few wary glances. Lt. Ramirez was leading the session and he nodded at me but didn't greet me by name, thank goodness. I took notes on the latest vampiric activity then darted out as soon as it was over so I wouldn't have to face any of them. Yes, I know. I'm a coward, I told Fang.

  NAW. I CALL IT SMART.

  For that, I picked Fang up and kissed him on his cute fuzzy nose.

  HEY, WATCH IT, he protested. SOMEONE COULD SEE. But since he licked my nose a
s he said it, I didn't take him too seriously. I set him back down and we headed back to the Valkyrie.

  My phone beeped—a text message from Micah. There's a problem at the club. Can you come right away?

  Crap. What now? On my way, I texted back. Fang and I jumped on the bike, not even stopping to put on his goggles.

  ANY IDEA WHAT'S UP? Fang asked as I took off.

  "No. But it can't be good."

  It seemed to take forever to get there, though it couldn't have been more than fifteen or twenty minutes. Everything out front at Club Purgatory seemed normal so I decided to go in the back through the loading dock. Ludwig was standing guard outside, his arms folded. “Micah called me,” I said, before he could ask.

  He nodded and opened the door. Just inside where all the deliveries were made, Micah and Kyle were holding a low, tense conversation. “What's going on?” I asked.

  Micah turned to me, looking worried. “Shawndra was attacked and dumped off here on the loading dock."

  "Oh, crap. Is she okay?"

  "She'll be fine,” Kyle assured me, though Micah looked totally pissed.

  "Do you think this has something to do with the encyclopedia?” I asked.

  Micah scowled. “I'm sure of it. They left a page of it in her pocket, with a message for you."

  "Huh?"

  Micah showed it to me. Scrawled in blood-red letters across the page was a warning: Slayer, back off. Or else.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Fourteen

  I grabbed the encyclopedia page from Micah and scanned the text behind the handwriting. “This talks about an eco-demon. You think that means something?"

  "Oh, I'm sure of it,” Micah bit out. “Shawndra is an eco-demon."

  "Plants and stuff? What's demonic about that?"

  Fang butted in. SHE CAN EITHER MAKE PLANTS GROW . . . OR WITHER AND DIE.

  Oh. “So how was she injured? Did this tell how?"

  "Yes. The page tells us if it can injure plants, it can injure Shawndra. The creep dumped something toxic on her—probably weed killer—and dumped her off here, where she went into convulsions."

  "Where is she now?"

  "In the shower in my office,” Micah said. “Tessa is helping her. She seemed to get better as soon as we got the worst of the chemicals off her. Thankfully, he only got her arm. Tessa thinks she'll be all right."

  Ludwig stuck his head in the door. “Hey, there are two others who want to see you. And a delivery.” He opened the door wider to show Dan and Luis standing there. Oh great. Neither one was exactly part of the Val Shapiro fan club.

  "Let them in,” Micah said. “Kyle, if you'd take the delivery?"

  Dan and Luis came in, keeping their distance from each other. “Did Lt. Ramirez send you?” Micah asked Dan. Dan nodded, and Micah turned to me. “I sent him a message at the same time I did you, Val, before I knew how serious this incident was."

  Micah turned to Luis, who was holding a cooler in one hand as if it would give him an STD or something. “How may I help you?"

  Luis set the cooler on the ground and straightened his jacket, brushing invisible lint from his sleeve. “This is the package you requested from Alejandro,” he said, managing to sound offended by being reduced to a lowly messenger.

  "Ah, yes. Thank you. We'll see if we can help you learn anything."

  Luis raised one eyebrow in disbelief, then turned to go. Kyle passed him on his way in with a small box in his hands, asking, “Where do you want the silver nitrate, boss?"

  Luis spun, quick as a snake and pinned Kyle up against the wall, the vamp's arm across the demon's throat and his fangs bared. “What need have you of silver nitrate in a bar, demon boy?"

  I whipped out a stake and shoved the pointed end against Luis's back, just enough to let him know it was poised against his heart but not enough to penetrate—yet. Though the poor dream demon had managed to keep his grip on the package, he looked terrified, unable to croak out an answer. That made me even more pissed at Luis. “Let him go, or your ass is ash, buster."

  "Wait, wait,” Micah said, his hands outspread in a calming motion. “The silver nitrate will be used to test the blood you gave us, to see if that's what's causing the madness. That's all.” When Luis did nothing but glare at Micah, he added, “We can't test for it if we don't know what it looks like in the blood . . . and you obviously can't handle the stuff to test it yourself, can you?"

  "We're on your side, asshole,” I muttered. “Let go."

  Somehow, my harsh words seemed to do more to convince Luis than Micah's appeasing ones. Luis let go of Kyle and backed off, his hands raised and his fangs retracted. He turned toward Micah, but stopped abruptly when he saw Dan watching him with narrowed eyes and a loaded crossbow. And Fang, of course, was snarling at him, eyes purple with demonic anger.

  "Gimme a reason, bloodsucker,” Dan muttered.

  YEAH, JUST A LITTLE ONE, Fang begged.

  Luis quirked his lips in something that was either a snarl or a contemptuous smile. “Call off your dogs."

  Fang snorted with disgust, whether at Luis's lousy joke or at the cease and desist order, I wasn't sure.

  "Please,” Micah said to Dan and me.

  I put the stake away as Dan lowered the crossbow, pale with some indefinable emotion. Kyle practically quivered with fear, but still managed to spit out, “You ever try to sink your fangs into my neck, bloodsucker, and you'll regret it."

  "Faugh,” Luis said with a look of disgust. “Demon blood. Wouldn't touch it."

  "Enough, gentlemen,” Micah said. “It was simply a misunderstanding. Kyle, if you wouldn't mind giving me the box . . . ?"

  Kyle pretended to a bravery he didn't have to bring Micah the small package. “Thank you,” Micah said. “Why don't you go see how Shawndra is doing?"

  Nodding, Kyle beat feet out of there.

  Micah's expression hardened. “Now, if you are done jumping to conclusions and scaring the hell out of my employees . . . ?"

  Luis sneered. “If I find that you are lying about the silver nitrate, not even Alejandro's will shall keep you safe."

  THEN BULLY FOR US. WE'RE TELLING THE TRUTH, Fang answered for all of us.

  Luis gave Micah a curt nod and clicked his heels in what could have been a bow, if an abbreviated one, then left. The tension left with him, thank goodness.

  When he was gone, Dan said, “What the hell was that all about? That wasn't why you texted Lt. Ramirez, was it?"

  "No,” Micah said with a sigh. “That was unfortunate timing. The reason I called for help is because one of my people was injured."

  Dan disarmed the crossbow. “Vamp?"

  Micah shrugged. “I'm not sure.” He glanced at me, mimed opening a book, and cocked an eyebrow at Dan.

  Evidently he wanted to know if Dan knew about the encyclopedia. I shook my head. Not that I knew of.

  Dan caught the byplay. “What's going on here? What are you keeping from me?"

  "None of your business,” I said, still annoyed with him. “It's Micah's concern, not yours."

  Micah made calming motions with his hands. “And I'll be happy to tell you what's going on. But not here. Let's go to my office and I'll explain."

  There, Tessa and Kyle were hovering over a sleeping Shawndra wrapped in a robe, with wet green hair. I'd thought it was dyed, but now that I knew she was an eco-demon, I wondered if it was natural.

  "How's she doing?” Micah asked softly.

  "Better,” Tessa said. “Once we washed the chemicals off her, she stopped convulsing. Kyle put her in dreamland, but I don't know if she needs additional medical treatment. Her skin looks burned. We can't go to a hospital . . ."

  Yeah, and we couldn't call Shade. He was supposed to be recovering. “Right.” I pulled out my cell phone, looking for my roomie's cell number. “Call Gwen. She probably hasn't left for work yet.” I handed Tessa my phone with Gwen's number on it.

  Dan snatched my phone before Tessa could dial. “First, tell m
e what the hell is going on. You demons have dragged my sister into enough of your messes, don't you think?

  AND YOU HAD THE HOTS FOR THIS MENTAL CASE? Fang asked me in disbelief. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

  Well, when he wasn't all pissed and suspicious, he was pretty cute. And a great partner, besides. But right now, I could do without all the macho crap. Taking a deep calming breath, I said, “All Tessa is going to do is ask your sister how to treat Shawndra.” It seemed to appease him, so I took my phone back and handed it to Tessa.

  Dan's eyes narrowed. “What's wrong with her?"

  "That's not important. What is important is that someone tried to harm her, deliberately. They knew what would hurt her the most, poisoned her, then dropped her here as a message."

  Dan raised his eyebrow in a familiar questioning gesture.

  I shrugged. “The message told me to back off. I think I'm getting too close to finding something that someone doesn't want found out."

  "You going to?” he asked.

  I glanced at Micah. “I don't see how I can.” I had to find out who was doing this and stop them before more people were hurt.

  Dan nodded as if he expected nothing less. “And what are you close to finding out?"

  Heck, why not tell him? It seemed everyone else knew anyway. So, we told him about the theft of the books.

  As Dan mulled it over, Tessa reported that Gwen recommended an antihistamine in case the problem was an allergic reaction and a lotion she could get at the drugstore.

  After Tessa left, Dan said, “And Luis just happened to be on the scene right after the demon girl was dropped off?” He raised an eyebrow. “Convenient."

  I shrugged. “A coincidence. I already cleared him."

  Kyle gave Dan an odd look. “You were on the scene right after she was dropped off, too,” he said, shifting his body between Dan's and the sleeping girl's.

  Dan glared at the dream demon. “What are you saying? You think I'm responsible for this?"

  Kyle didn't seem as afraid of the human as he'd been of the vampire. “I'm saying we haven't cleared you. How do we know you didn't take the encyclopedia?"