Page 4 of Blood Magic

Chapter Two

Lucy was still holding the nearly empty plate when I returned, laughing at something Joe had said—something that was probably not even remotely funny.

“He’s exactly my type,” she’d told me after meeting him.

“And by ‘your type’ you mean he has a penis?”

She held up a hand for me to high-five. “Sex makes me happy the way my bakes make you happy—although occasionally it wouldn’t hurt for me to have a cupcake and you to get some sex.”

Joe hadn’t yet responded to her not-so-subtle flirting, but she wasn’t close to giving up.

“Seriously,” I said, grabbing the plate. “Two cookies left. You guys are pigs.” I shook my head and with Ash trailing behind me, I headed back to my office.

Max came in a few seconds later, dusting cookie residue off his shirt. “So,” he said, in his low but somewhat breathy voice, “our first real client.” He planted a hip on the edge of my desk, watching me feed bits of cookie to Ash. “He believes vampires stole his wife?”

His eyes were wide behind his glasses and I couldn’t tell if he believed Ferguson was insane or if the thought of vampires scared him. “Yes,” I said.

He made a twirly motion with his hand. “And?”

I shrugged. “And I’m going to look into it.”

“Well,” he said, standing, “as your assistant, bought and paid for by our truly wonderful mayor, I believe we are going to look into it.”

I sighed. “Look, Max. I’m sure you’re—”

He made a sharp sound and pinched his fingers at me.

I lifted my eyebrows, only slightly intrigued. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means “shut it,” Kaitlyn. I’ve been hired to do a job, and I am going to do it to the best of my ability.” He sauntered to the door. “The mayor is my boss. Where you go, I go.”

I shook my head. “Fine,” I said. “When I start asking questions, you’re welcome to come along.” I smiled.

He narrowed his eyes, beginning to look a little nervous. “Why are you smiling?”

“Oh, I just think it’s going to be amusing when you get up close and personal with my world. Max, do you believe vampires exist?”

“Pffft,” he said. “Of course not. But his wife is somewhere, isn’t she? Maybe you do see ghosts, Kaitlyn, I’m not saying you don’t. But you’re a PI, when it comes down to it. You’ll find his wife, and I’ll be happy to help.” And with an airy wave, he walked from the room.

“This,” I told Ash, “is going to be so much fun.”

I had no idea where to find the county master or even what his name was—I’d been without a pack for a long time but even had I been part of the community, I likely wouldn’t have known anything about the master. But I’d have to find him now if I was going to look deeper into Brenda Ferguson’s disappearance.

He wasn’t likely to tell me anything, but I had to start somewhere. I tapped my finger on my desk for a few seconds, then finally picked up my phone and called the one person who would know exactly where I could find the vampire master.

“Jared,” I said, when he answered. I hadn’t seen much of him in the last couple of weeks, and the sound of his voice made my inner wolf want to roll over and give him her belly, her neck, and everything in between.

He was now my alpha, after all, even though I hadn’t moved into Shadowfield with the rest of the pack. I didn’t plan on it, either, though I wasn’t sure he knew that. He wanted me where he could protect me.

But I could protect myself just fine, and I belonged in the city.

He said nothing after his greeting, just waited for me to tell him what I wanted. After I took a few seconds to gather myself, I spoke, and there was only a little breathlessness in my voice. “I have a new case, and it involves the vampires. I need the name and location of the master.”

He was silent for so long I started to prompt him, but finally, he answered. Sort of. “You, a baby wolf, want to face the vampire county master.”

I swallowed hard at the silky anger in his voice but maintained my calm. “Yes.” The need to explain myself rose up to choke me, but I’d explained enough. I was a grown woman, and I could handle my own affairs. Make my own choices. Just because he was my alpha did not mean he got to tell me what to do.

Even though my wolf wanted him to.