At First Sight (Persephonii Waters Book 1)

by Melanie Brown

  “You have some serious concerns. I’ve seen the lab and the office, you’ve shown us the suspicious log-ins. And while I can’t say who your intruder is at this point. I can say that it is very likely they were looking for something in Dr. Edwards' lab. And with a good deal of certainty, I can say that the lab is not haunted.” Carver looked relieved to hear the news, though disconcerted about who the possible intruder might be, especially to so thoroughly outsmart the lab's security.

  Persephonii assured her that the area was not actually haunted, though there were ‘lingering energies’ in the lab and office. Dr. Carver seemed interested in her brief explanations about auras and the concepts of presence and energies people left in the world. Giving Carver an air scrubber, which was basically an air-wick like device with a special mixture that would clean the area of lingering energies, as she seemed to be more sensitive to the fluctuations in the energies around her than your average 'Norm'. Persephonii and Chase assured her that they would let the officers working Dr. Edwards' case know of anything they found and that they would keep her, and the lab updated.

  Making their goodbyes as they had to get going, Chase and Persephonii headed back to their office, revising everything they had learned. One thing was very clear, they had quite a bit of work still ahead of them.

  “So you look like you found something, other than the obvious.” Chase’s tone made it more a question than a statement.

  “Dr. Carver has been visited by something, but like I stated, I don’t think it’s a ghost.” She pulled out the tin from her pocket.

  “What kind of key is that?” He briefly glanced at the evidence tin in her hand, scarcely illuminated by the glow from the car's dashboard.

  “Dr. Edwards may or may not be dead but he didn’t die in that lab accident, in fact the lab was remarkably death free.” Holding up the key, she examined it through the clear lid of the tin.

  “The late doctor had a secret compartment in his office, behind which was a folder of rather mundane papers and this key. Which begs the question... Why hide the papers at all? How out of place would a file full of papers on vampyre virology be amongst the belongings of a vampyre hematology researcher?” There was little either of them could say about the papers until she got a better look at them, so Chase changed the subject.

  “What about Dr. Carver?” He sounded concerned for her, which wasn't unusual. Chase had a well-known soft spot, especially for pretty women.

  “Though it appears that something more than work might have been going on between the doctors, she is genuinely saddened by his loss. I doubt she had anything to do with the incident.” Chase nodded, seeming to have picked up on the ‘more than mere co-workers’ relationship.

  “But her concerns are very real. All these little 'incidents,' point to someone using the labs... looking for something or someone? I’m not sure what. I am sure that Dr. Edwards’ accident was not so accidental. That lab was cleaned up a bit but very little was changed. Someone higher up seems equally suspicious, given our clearance into the lab.”

  “Despite the chemicals and equipment, there was nothing in there that would have caused the level of heat needed to maim a body beyond identification. Concentrated or not.” Placing the key back in her pocket, she looked over at Chase.

  “What did you get from Dr. Carver?” The question wasn't necessarily about specifics, but also about his own keen intuition in regards to interrogating people.

  “Other than her phone number?” His saccharine smile said he could have been kidding, but was likely not.

  “Offering to console a grieving woman? How very noble of you, Mr. Argent.” Though a somewhat pithy rejoinder, Persephonii couldn't help but give him a scornful stare. She had asked him along on this trip for his charm and suave moves, so it wasn't too intense.

  “Well, she was a little hesitant to start. But once I showed real interest in the work she opened up. Apparently your 'super cell' is a kind of...isolated super protein that is introduced into the blood samples and helps with a whole bunch of blood production and healing stuff.” He shrugged here, not sure what was good information and what had simply gone over his head.

  “Edwards was apparently the first to discover that... stem-cell like...cell. Basically, playing around with the vamp-virus, eventually combining it with this 'super' protein that signals the body to go into 'super' healing mode. It seems that it ramps up everything; from production of white blood cells to enzymes, everything needed to heal the body. All due to this new cell that works better, faster, stronger than the patients cells.”

  “That’s a lot of ‘supers’. Was it used on any test patients? Have they started using this new 'super' blood in human trials?” Chase's blasé recount of their conversation, was unexpectedly accurate, mirroring the information she had collected during her initial research. The very same information that had prompted their trip to Corbin-Strauss.

  “She wasn’t so clear about that, but it looked like the late doctor had been told to hold off on giving it to people. Something about the need to do more testing... a month or two before the accident.” They both thought that that sounded like too much of a coincidence.

  She could imagine that he hadn't taken the orders well. From what she had gathered from scuttlebutt of Dr. Edwards' reputation, he was demanding and sounded like a bit of a closet megalomaniac. “Did Dr. Carver say how Edwards took that?”

  “From her tone discussing it, he didn’t take it too well. Something about seeing it as a possible start to curing everything from the common cold to cancer. They both clearly thought they were on to something huge.” His emphasis on 'huge,' was a bit of an understatement.

  Persephonii tried to process this new information and its connections to the Rouge Maker and his Killer Chyldren Cases. It could be nothing, or it could be something big. Persephonii had a gut feeling it was the later. The list of questions was already long and now she could add on a few more. Like; How was Dr. Edwards involved with this? Was someone using his research to move in a more pseudo-science direction, or was he still alive? If so, why did he fake his death...and whose body burned in the lab fire?

  Persephonii felt like she was definitely going to be up all night. Before Chase left the office later, she asked him to decline all incoming job offers as this case was getting bigger and more complicated by the minute. He agreed, asking her to keep him in the loop and left for home.

  Chapter 11: Vampyre:

  The term used to refer to those infected with the Human Vampyre Virus. or H.V.V. (Also see Vamp.)

  The Warehouse, Lakewood, WA. 8:25pm PST.

  Once Chase and Aaren, their assistant, had left for the night, the research session had quickly moved from the office to her study. They had arrived back in enough time for her to enjoy a late dinner made by her guests. She was pleasantly surprised to find Harker an excellent cook. While dinner talk had circled around Ms. Kunhe and the growing unrest, she caught up with the happenings of their day and spoke a little about her own. It was a nice change to come home to a warm, light flooded house with people happy to see her.

  After dinner, she had been shooed away from doing dishes, and headed into her study to read Dr. Edwards' mysterious papers and try to discover the secret of the key that was bugging her so much. Her musings, however, were cut short by a phone call from Lena, who had finally gotten back to her. According to Lena, there was a hush order on everything having to do with anyone or anything seemingly involved with the murder cases. Nevertheless, those in charge had just lifted the ban... for her. She didn't know whether to feel lucky or suspicious. Though she was definitely leaning toward suspicious.

  It was understandable that the House and local Kiss would want to keep things 'In-House' so to speak, but the time for holding their cards was over. Persephonii tried to stress the point that other forces were converging on the territory and it was past time to start working together. Lena heartily agreed, and then dropped the bomb that the higher ups wanted to meet with her... tonight
.

  At least the meeting place wasn’t some seedy bar in the more questionable parts of town. It propagated a bad cliché and she excepted a higher level of class from the House representatives. The large brick Mansion set out into the woods belonged to the House of Thane. It housed no more than a handful of Vampyres the majority of the year. Apparently, the Seattle to Olympia circuit was a rather posh Vampyre hangout, what with it being cloudy most of the year, providing enough cover for the older Vampyres to venture out longer, and the younger ones to stay up later.

  The main Kiss was out of town, something to do with a yearly excursion to the House Council Seat. The House of Thane was a larger, more 'Nobel,' House, and would venture out to... 'rub elbows' and what not with their fellows. Rumor had it that Thane, himself was gunning for a Seat on the Council. Though she knew that the Mansion would still be used as an 'Official' meeting place, from what Lena had hinted at, the Investigator that the Council had sent wasn't exactly welcome by the absentee Thane. Which left her wondering, in turn, how that would affect the proceedings.

  Sebastian had been waiting to meet the 'little Investigator,' since she had piqued his interest over a week ago. His Kiss had spent the majority of their time interviewing the locals, be they Para or Human. But the Rogue Maker had kept his identity, connections and plans well hidden. With the majority of the local House gone for another week, at least, he had to deal with what little Human personnel was on staff, resulting in communication and information delays. Not many of the Houses embraced technology, but he had been a merchant and business man in his Life, embracing invention to surpass his competition. What the House Council thought of as a predilection for passing fads, had allowed him to adapt to the changing time. Along with the ever expanding resources to gain what he wanted most; to reclaim his Title and create a House of his own. He and his Kiss would no longer be Nomad's wandering the world, the lackeys of the House Council. But those plans were a ways off and he had yet another Rogue to find, another life to end.

  As much as he enjoyed the Hunt, investigating and taking down those who defied the Law, it was a hard life. It had been many decades since he had called any place home. Traveling to other's territories, they often received little help, and an even colder welcome. The mansion that Thane had lent him for this meeting should have been their temporary abode, but the House had not granted them permission to stay. Even with it nearly empty, it should have been a safe haven for them while Hunting. Instead, they had been turned away, forced to find their own shelter. Sebastian had long ago stopped taking such things personally, but his memory was long, and he did not forgive easily.

  Persephonii was loath to ask Charlie to drive her out to a well known Vampyre Lair. Though he took the Paranormal in stride, late night drives to large dark mansions and secret meetings were not his 'thing'. So she called a twenty-four hour cab company, one that did not bat an eye at such requests, after all, even Vampyres occasionally needed a ride. She arrived fifteen minutes early. It almost felt like she was going to a job interview.

  Taking in that the House Council's representatives where likely not anyone she would have previously met, and were probably a higher caliber than the Vampyres she normally met with, she had decided to 'dress up' for the occasion. Which meant crisp black slacks, a white long sleeved collared shirt under her vest with a black and white overly large, tribal patterned knit sweater over top. Autumn who had caught her trying to decide on an outfit, added a belt synching it at the waist and revealing curves that where usually hidden. In addition, high heeled shoes were uncovered from the far dark reaches of her closet. She occasionally wore them when in court to give her added height and because she would be sitting the majority of the time. Finally, her satchel, and grey coat, lent a familiarity and sense of security to the attire, like regularly donned armor; she felt prepared to head into the meeting.

  Walking up to the large front doors, she slowly navigated the stairs, to be met by the door opening before she could raise a hand to knock. The vestibule was large and open, the hallway sconces the only light in a dark house, leading to what she assumed was a formal parlor of sorts. The other rooms, though their doors were open, where unlit. Apparently the Representatives really were getting the cold shoulder.

  Making her way, quite gracefully through the hall and down the small set of stairs leading to a sunken seating area, she was in the middle of congratulating herself on her smooth performance. When she tripped on the thresh hold of the rug, her high heels suddenly unsteady beneath her. Finding herself falling, she tried to right herself, just as a pair of strong arms latched around her waist, picking her up as if she weighed no more than a feather and stood her on her feet. Briefly thinking that her weight was nothing to someone who could easily bench press a truck, she awkwardly waited for the hands around her waist to leave, but they were leisurely withdrawn. As she had yet to take off her coat, she had felt somewhat protected, but the firm grip and lingering scent of sandalwood had her wondering, just what exactly had she gotten herself into?

  "Thank you," came out more of a question than an actual statement, much to her dismay.

  "You are most welcome, Ms. Waters." The reply came with a velvety deep voice, that had a slight intonation, though she couldn't quite place it. If she were to hazard a guess, it was eastern European, but she could tell that the owner had spent time traveling the world, as it didn't reflect one accent above another, but a smooth amalgamation of the more romantic languages.

  Shifting her gaze from his suit, something expensive and casually elegant, Armani perhaps, she was captured by a pair of dark nearly coal black eyes. As he turned his head to catch the light, she could see that she was mistaken. They were a deep cobalt blue, but equally dark in their intensity.

  "May I take your coat?" Smooth and cultured, Persephonii had a fleeting thought that she could listen to his voice all day.

  Almost reluctant to relinquish it, Persephonii wondered at this sudden shyness. Perhaps it was the warmth coming off of him? Though the older the Vampyre, the colder their aura's seemed to her, some of the elder Vampyres could produce their own body heat. It was interesting, given the fact that the 'cold' resulted from the body no longer having to maintain a constant internal temperature in order to survive. From the brush against him, her savior was one of the oldest Vampyres she had ever met. Squaring her shoulders at her own flights of fancy, she reminded herself that they had asked her here. Taking her jacket in hand, she followed broad, sturdy shoulders as they lead the way to a small cozy seating area. Off to the side of the larger parlor, where a fire sat blazing away, it gave warmth to the otherwise dark and disserted mansion.

  "Please have a seat... Is there anything we can offer you?" At the 'we', Persephonii shifted her senses further out, scanning the shadows out of the edge of her glasses. Someone was loitering over in the far corner, away from the light emanating from small seating area near and fire place.

  "You seem to already know my name...Mr..." her words were left to fade in the air between them, her voice trailing off in question.

  "Sebastian Ardeal, Investigator Waters. Inquisitor for the House Council," he paused watching her nod in understanding. Not quite the reaction he had expected, from the majority of individuals who recognized his name. He used an older term, 'inquisitor' rather than investigator, both were correct, but one lent to a more serious implication.

  "I'm familiar with a bit of your work, Mr. Ardeal. It is a pleasure to meet you." Turning to shake his hand in official greeting, Persephonii could see she had surprised him. But quickly found her hand enveloped in a strong, firm grip with just enough pressure to reassure but nothing that spoke of the Vampyre's superior strength. Yes, Mr. Ardeal had been dealing with humans for quite a while. Sitting in the elegant winged back chair closest to the fire, she paused trying to echo his cool demeanor.

  Mr. Sebastian Ardeal was far from the 'regular' Vampyre representatives that the Family and herself were used to. Most Vampyres, even those that hunted other
Vampyres, like the Wyr, tended to monitor and police their own. The P.P.D and government liked to think that there was a constant stream of shady, clandestine proceedings in the shadows of the night. The truth tended to lean towards a few examples made for the public, but the majority of incidents where merely slaps on the wrist. Resources and funding would be reduced or in some cases cut off, for those housing trouble makers. It was rare that the Vampyre House Council interfered in a House's workings. But they did take threat assessment very seriously. Taking down any outside threats to themselves or from within, with a terrifying swiftness. Silently eliminating their targets with tactical precession, without anyone the wiser, was their modus operandi. It was fool hardy to cross any House but it was deadly to cross the Council.

  The Council Investigator was another beast entirely. And she would use 'investigator' rather than inquisitor. The later was from a time when torture was a standard part of the investigator's tool belt. He and his 'team' had full disclosure rights among the government institutions. He could 'step in,' on any vampyre case at any time. With a simple flash of his credentials, the case, resources and all parties would be his to direct. There were two other investigators the Council sanctioned; one a male who went by the name of Delos, and a woman who had not been heard from in the last century, but was simply referred to as M'Lady. Mr. Ardeal had been the primary Investigator for some time, and had the kinder, more interesting 'résumé' of the three.

  "If you would excuse the late request and any rudeness, I would like to get to the heart of the matter." He nearly smiled as he heard the deep sigh of relief the little investigator released upon hearing his words.