The place seems remarkably empty for all the bikes out front; there’s just a bartender in his 60’s watching a soccer game on a grainy TV. One man sits at the bar, far end, slouched into his drink. Dirty clothes. Baggy pants, jacket, hat. Staring at nothing like it’s a full-time job.
For once my excess amount of clothing seems appropriate and also a good way to hide. I stuff as much of my hair as I can into the back of my jacket and wipe a wisp of it out of my face. Pull the hoodie up.
The bartender doesn’t come up to me, so I wait for a minute. Finally, I ask. “Can I have a beer?”
He turns around, slowly. Examines me. “You want a what?”
“Corona.”
Another pause. I almost think he’s going to tell me to leave. “Yeah. Sure.” He shrugs. Pops a top and puts it down in front of me. “Eight fifty.”
Jesus, for one beer? But I pull a ten from my purse and slide it over the battered wood bar top, which is sticky in places and lacks varnish in others. “Thanks.”
He grunts.
I grab a stool and slouch down like the man at the end of the bar. If anyone comes in, I’ll look like just another worn-out drunk, losing myself in my own existence.
But nobody else comes. It’s quiet, except for the shouts from the TV. I’m pretty sure it’s got to be a re-run game.
I check my phone. I don’t like this place at all. It has a horrible vibe, and the neighborhood is sketchy at best. I’ll give it five more minutes–
And then a man comes in. He glances at me but doesn’t seem to see me. He’s walking fast and gives off a nervous energy.
My heart pounds with excitement because it’s him—the man from the picture! Wallace. The one who turned off the alarms at Gila Diagnostics.
I casually sink lower into myself and put my head onto my arms, nose to nose with my drink. Hopefully he won’t care that I don’t belong here.
I feel his gaze on my back, but he slides into the seat next to the drunk at the end of the bar. “Roy.”
The bartender slides him a shot glass without asking—Patrón. At least the liquor comes from a Patrón bottle. Who knows what’s really in there, or whether it’s been watered down; a place like this, I assume, wouldn’t be past that. At least I saw him open my beer bottle, so I figure that’s legit.
“Mac in today?” Wallace asks.
“Nope.” The bartender turns away. “Just the crowd in back.” He gestures to a closed door at the back of the room.
“He been in yesterday?”
“Nope.”
“Well, what the fuck.” Wallace makes a disgusted noise.
The bartender turns up the volume on the game. Wallace pulls out his phone and taps. “Mac. Give me a call back. We gotta get the stuff. Fuck, man. Call me when you get this.”
Wallace’s agitation seems to grow. He taps his foot against the floor, drums his fingers on the bar. He downs his drink, gestures for another. And a third.
Pulls out his phone to call the same person. “Mac, fuck it. Where are you? You know how serious this is. The LD’s are his big thing. Dude, call me back.”
He tosses the phone down. “Shit, man, he was supposed to meet me here.”
The bartender shrugs. “Last time I saw him was a few days ago.” He seems utterly unconcerned with Wallace’s situation.
But I couldn’t be more amped up. LD’s? I’ve heard that word before. Karl said it to me when he tried to take me. “You’ll be my best LD yet.”
What does it mean?
Wallace calls his friend again. “He’s coming tonight, and if we don’t have the special blood draw stuff for the LD’s he’ll be beyond pissed.” He sounds almost desperate. “You gotta fucking call me back, man. We don’t want to leave him hanging.”
He tosses some bills onto the counter. “Call me if he comes in.”
The bartender grunts.
Wallace grabs his phone and strides out. He stops for half a second to glance at me, but he keeps going.
I hear a car roar off and let out a deep sigh. I haven’t taken a single sip of my beer.
I slide off the stool and head out the door, eager to get back and share my news with Alain and the others.
Chapter 21
Alain
“You did what?”
Bri was gone when I woke up, and I panicked. Then five minutes later, she waltzed up, all wrapped up in a baggy sweatshirt and her tight jeans, and knocked on the fucking door like she was a pizza delivery guy. I could have had a heart attack, if I were capable of it.
Bri shrinks back a little bit. “I went to the bar. And I found him.” Her voice is defensive, and she sticks up her chin. Her defiance is adorable. If this weren’t so serious, I would have a lot of fun punishing her. “And guess what? He said he needs to get the stuff for the LD’s.”
“The LD’s?” I frown. I’m still cold inside, thinking about what would have happened to her if Wallace decided she was a risk. It makes me ill.
She nods. “He said they need to get stuff ready, or they’ll be in trouble. Probably from Karl. You were right. He’s definitely more into this than just shutting off a security camera.”
I want to kiss her and spank her. Maybe both. “Bri,” I say sternly. “You promised me you wouldn’t go anywhere.”
She flushes. “Well, you were sleeping, and it seemed like a decent plan. And nothing bad happened!” She steps forward and puts her hand on my arm. “Except I got you information.”
It’s hard to stay mad at her when she’s obviously so proud of herself. “Did he say what the LD’s were?”
She shakes her head. “It has something to do with blood. I’m sure of it.” Her voice is excited again. “He called his friend and left a message about needing to get blood draw stuff for the LD’s. Special blood draw stuff. It’s definitely for the missing women.”
It’s excellent information, but I can’t process it. I’m still hung up on what could’ve happened to her. “You could have been hurt.” It feels like something is ripping inside my chest. I haven’t felt this way about a human in a hundred years. I don’t understand my own emotions.
“I was careful. It was fine.”
“It wasn’t fine. You’re lucky nothing happened.” I pin her with a hard stare. “You’re mortal. Completely fragile, and you think you’re a warrior.” These humans! They have no idea.
Although…my little mortal’s not entirely weak. She deals with her XP and her complicated life. It’s just…physically, she’s like spun glass. She needs to be more careful. Fuck!
I already spend so much time worrying about Dr. A’s health that it’s driving me insane, and I don’t even lo—care about her the way I do about Bri. It’s going to tear me up inside to deal with this from Bri every day. Keeping her safe could easily become an obsession. And I certainly can’t do it if she plans on disobeying me and sneaking out whenever she pleases.
“Instead of lecturing me, why don’t you call your friends and get them started on the new information?” She looks away from me, acting like she doesn’t care. But I can hear her heart beat faster. Maybe she wants me to punish her.
“I’ve already sent messages to Martin and Slash. You’re lucky they’re on the way, or else I’d spank you so good and hard you’d be sore all day tomorrow.” Bringing sex into it makes it easier to handle.
Her pupils dilate. She definitely likes the idea. Too bad we don’t have the time.
“I heard you’ve been quite a busy young lady.” Martin gives Bri a side-eye glance as he walks in.
She doesn’t smile. “Wallace implied that he and his friend were supposed to meet Karl tonight. So if you follow Wallace, you can find Karl.”
“Did he say Karl’s name specifically?” I take her face in both hands and look into her eyes. “Think.”
She blinks. “No. But I’m sure he must have meant Karl. He talked about LD’s, like Karl did. Said they were supposed to get blood draw stuff tonight, or they’d be dead. What else could it be?”
“I have to say it, B
ri did a good job.” Slash smiles.
I let go of Bri and frown at him. “Do not encourage her. She endangered herself,” I emphasize. “To get some information that isn’t critical. We were going to follow him anyway eventually.”
“But not tonight,” Bri argues. “You weren’t going to do it tonight. Now you know it’s critical to do it right this moment. And the sooner you find Karl, the sooner you can find the women.”
Martin claps his hands together. “Let’s make a plan.”
But I can’t focus. I keep thinking about Bri. How awful this situation is, how much danger she’s in, and how it’s all my fault, putting her into a situation like this where she’s over her head. Where she could have been hurt.
As much as I care about Bri, it’s becoming clear that this relationship, whatever it is with her, may be impossible. If she gets hurt or worse because of me, I’ll never forgive myself. And she deserves better from life. I just need to figure out what to do about this.
Alain
We’re outside Wallace’s house, hidden as only vampires can do, Martin and I, nestled into an overgrown mesquite tree patch outside the adobe side wall, facing a window that shows a glimpse of Wallace’s messy living room. Slash is back with Bri. Every time I think about what she did, I get so upset that I can’t concentrate.
“Alain. Alain?” Martin pokes me. “You need to focus.”
“Sorry.” I shake my head.
“You were a little rough on her.” He sounds reproachful. I know he’s come to think of her as a friend, as does Slash. Maybe even part of our ragged, odd vampire family. But she’s not. She’s mortal.
“She needs to understand.” I clench one fist. “She has no idea how much danger she’s in. She thinks she’s helping, I get it. But she doesn’t have the skills.”
“She seems pretty resourceful for a human.” His voice is neutral. “She seems to have a way of getting information, right?”
“Yes, she does. It’s impressive. But you know what could have happened.” I bristle.
“Easy, friend.” He laughs. “I’m on your side. We’re all on the same side.” He pauses. “Although I agree she took risks. She should have cleared it with you first. But maybe if you took the time to—”
A car engine roars and headlights flash. “Shh. It’s Wallace.”
The man is high as a fucking satellite; we can see it as soon as he exits the vehicle. Smell it rolling off his body, along with the acrid odor of sweat and fear. It’s done nothing to calm his nerves. His hand shakes on his phone, and it takes him three tries to get his key in the door.
“Let’s go. Do your thing.”
We blur up to the front door, and I find him, ease into his mind. It’s a rattly cluster fuck of a mess, and his thoughts and memories whir like butterflies. He’s so frantic that I can’t latch onto anything in particular. Plus, I’m still rattled at Bri, which makes it hard to focus.
I take a breath. Let us in. You want to let us in.
I sense his surprise, then his suspicion. “Need my fucking gun,” he mutters. “Fucking prick.”
“He’s not amenable.” I shoot a glance at Martin.
“Can you see any of his memories?”
I shut my eyes. “You try, too.”
“I can’t do it like you can. Not unless it’s someone with whom I’m particularly close. Physically or emotionally.”
I take a deep breath. Get flashes of memories.
Karl’s red face. A meeting with Karl. Karl hissing instructions. Boxes of glass vials and gauze and IV bags. Cash. Trading things with Karl. Fear. He needs to provide larger blood collection vials. Specialty size. Not standard. Didn’t get them from Mac yet.
No sightings of the women. He knows about them, though.
“He’s deep into it.” I peer harder. “He knows about the women.”
LDs. It creeps him out. He wishes he’d never gotten into this, but it’s too late. He wishes he’d never met Karl. Who steals blood? And auctions off the last drops of it like it’s a special prize?
“I got it. Martin. LD stands for Last Drop. He’s going to kill the women and auction off their last drops of blood. Bri was right that it had to do with their blood.” I say it proudly. “She’s smart.”
Then I shake my head. Yeah, so she’s feisty and intelligent. She’s also going to get herself killed if I keep her in the inner circle like I have.
Then I’m horrified. The very idea of draining women and selling their last drops of blood is an unholy mess—it’s already hard enough for the vampire community in general to keep such desires tamped down well enough to prevent massive human bloodshed. If this scheme happens, it will only open the door to more and worse atrocities. And it certainly won’t help us stay under the radar as an extra-human species. I wish more than ever that I’d killed Karl ages ago. I’m going to right that the very second I can.
“God.” Martin seems stunned. “Does he already have buyers lined up?”
I try to get more memories from Wallace.
Suddenly, instead of Wallace’s mind, I find myself in Bri’s. I see a memory of the two of us fucking. It’s so vivid that my cock gets hard. What the hell? I see her care for me and her concern.
I force myself back. How did I connect with her from so far away and so powerfully? I frown. Now that I’m thinking of her, the worry about her wells up again.
I shake my head. “Yes. But Wallace doesn’t know who they are. Just that they exist.”
Wallace is on the phone again. “Mac, Jesus Christ, man.” He wipes sweat from his brow. “Where are you?”
“Sounds to me like his friend decided to disappear,” whispers Martin. “Can’t say as I blame him.”
Then the phone rings. Wallace grabs it and checks the number. His face gets white.
“H-hello?”
The other speaker—I can hear the voice—is Karl.
“Meet me at the spot at ten. Bring the supplies.” He hisses the words.
“Uh, I thought you weren’t doing the LD auction until later this week?” Wallace’s attempt to sound casual is pathetic. “Maybe tomorrow instead?”
“Do I need to help you remember who you work for?” Karl’s voice is cold. “Do I need to find another supplier, one why actually has the skills to provide what I ask?”
“Wait! I have information for you.” Wallace twitches and sweats. “Give me another chance.”
“What is it?”
“A girl. You said to watch for a girl. There was one in the bar.”
“What kind of girl?”
“I don’t know. She had a shit ton of clothes on. I seen red hair though, like you said.”
Bri! They’re talking about Bri. Fuck.
“What did she do?” Karl’s voice is eager. I try to latch onto the sound and follow it. For a second, I think I have a sense of trees, but then—like before—Bri’s memories pop into my mind. One of us arguing.
I shake my head and curse, and the signal is gone. “Damn it. I can’t trace him. It’s too difficult, just from a voice on the phone.”
I focus again on the conversation happening inside the dingy, ramshackle house.
“I don’t know! I left first, and she didn’t follow. So we’re safe.”
“Of course, we are.” Karl’s voice is smooth and unctuous now.
“And I just need one more day to get you the stuff. Just one day.” Wallace sounds desperately hopeful.
“Oh, don’t you worry about time. It’s all fine.” Karl’s voice is soothing.
“Okay, man. I swear, one more day, I’ll get it. I promise you.” Wallace babbles and swipes at the sweat on his brow.
“Just come to the spot, even without the equipment. I have a new assignment for you.”
“Okay, man, I’ll be right there.” Wallace sounds relieved. Almost happy. “And don’t worry about the girl.”
“Oh, I’m far from worried.” Karl chuckles. “I promise you that. She’ll be taken care of.”
I shake my head. I’m g
oing to have to really try to make Bri understand. Lock her down if needed. I absolutely cannot let Karl get to her --
Something is pushing at my mind.
It’s Bri again. But not like she’s trying to communicate with me—more like she’s panicky. Worried.
I try to focus on the emotion, but it fades. I turn back to Wallace. I’m the only one who can do this right now, but I need to be sure Bri is okay.
“Listen.” I grab Martin’s arm. “I keep getting this…feeling. Can you go back to my house and check on Slash and Bri?”
“Why not just call them?” Martin touches his phone.
I try, but there’s no answer.
“Fuck, I need eyes on them. Maybe I should go. You stay here.” I look around.
“No, you’re the better one to stay. Keep trying to get into his thoughts. I can’t do it like you do.” Martin peers out of the mess of mesquites. “I’ll go check on her.”
“Thank you. Hurry.”
Alone, I quiet my mind and try to get into Wallace’s memories again. Like before, they’re agitated and blurry, like a TV with too much static.
Suddenly Martin calls my phone. “Alain, Bri is gone.” His voice is rushed. “Slash said he opened the patio door to let her look at nature, and she went out for a few minutes. When he went out to check on her, she was gone.”
“Fuck!” I almost drop my phone. “Can’t he find her? Follow her?”
“He said she’s not in the area. He checked.”
In the house, Wallace is pacing, and then he suddenly decides to leave. Grabs his car keys and heads out the front door. It’s my chance to follow him. Have him lead me to Karl, so I can surprise my enemy and overpower him, make him tell me everything I need to know. Surprise him, then kill him.
But I hesitate. “I’m coming back. I need to help find her.”
“What about Wallace?”
“Fuck Wallace.” I’m already heading back to my house, as fast as I can. “We’ll check on him later.” It’s awful because following Wallace is our best chance to find Karl. But I can’t leave Bri alone out there, somewhere. I need to help her.
I get there in no time, but it’s still taking too long. “Where did she go?”
Her Vampire Temptation (Midnight Doms Book 8) Page 17