Page 9 of Blood & Bones

“Menolly, welcome. Camille said you might be visiting. Won’t you have a seat?”

The parade of manners grated on my nerves.

“Look, you don’t have to be so friendly. I know I make you nervous, and you irritate me, but we work together because the results are worth it. So, did my sister also tell you why I’m paying you a visit?”

He shook his head. “She said it was best if you told me. What’s up?” He pointed to one of the chairs, and I sat down.

I decided not to stand on ceremony. “There’s a rogue vamp on the loose. One of our regulars came into the bar tonight, and he’d been turned. She—the vamp who turned him—turned him loose afterward. A good sire never does that. She didn’t tell him who she was; she didn’t have permission to turn him. That makes her a rogue.”

Chase paled. “Damn it. We’ve had two murders tonight, and the medics said it looked like they were drained of blood. Could that be her?”

“Could be. First, make sure they’re actually dead. Some turn fast, and some turn slowly. You don’t want the doctor to start an autopsy and have the victim wake up on the table. Vamps wake up so thirsty that the only thing they can think about is to find blood, and your medical examiner would be the prime target.”

“Uh…I hadn’t even thought of that,” Chase said. “Do you mind if I call the doc right now?”

“Go ahead,” I said. “After they verify the victim’s really dead for good, then I’d recommend you get an autopsy by a doctor who can recognize exsanguination. The fact that we have two other victims means that she’s on a rampage. Why she left Laddy alive, I don’t know. But we’re going to take care of him,” I said. “He’ll have help. Meanwhile, I’m going out after her. Let me give you his description, in case…well…in case you should need it.”

Chase made a phone call, then turned back to me. He leaned back in his chair. “They checked. The pair are truly dead and…they made sure.”

“Stake through the heart?” I asked.

He nodded, looking almost embarrassed. “Why do they do it?”

“They, who? And why what?”

“They…vamps. And why do they just go on sprees? It’s not like there aren’t plenty of bloodwhores out there willing to put up their body for a taste of the undead life. While I don’t understand it, at least it’s a choice,” he said.

Chase was right. There were plenty of people willing to play juice-box to a vampire’s needs. It had become an odd fetish throughout society. I didn’t like it, but at least it was controlled and consensual. I understood the drive to hunt—gods knew, I had it in spades. I seldom talked about how strong the drive was to go on the hunt, but I kept myself in check. The only time I had let go of my control was right after I’d been turned, and that was almost instinctual.

“You’re right,” I said. “The Underground is filled with joints jumping with bloodwhores. It’s not like they turn people away, unless they’re underage. She could easily have gone there to get a drink. Rogues are out for trouble, Chase. They’re like the serial killers of your world. They love causing chaos and don’t give a fuck about life.”

He met my gaze. “You said you’re going after her?”

Nodding, I said, “We can’t let her roam around, not in good conscience.” I paused, then added, “I’m not going into detail, but my sire was—is—one of the worst vampires that’s ever existed. I won’t stand by when I see someone vying for that title, whether it’s over there or over here.”

I stood, antsy to get out on the streets. “Anyway, I’ve given you her description, as best as I could. Warn your men not to approach her without proper weapons. Bullets won’t take a vampire down, not even if they strike the heart. It has to be a stake of some sort, or fire, or the sun. I suppose a sword would work if they managed to pierce the heart. But vampires aren’t easy to kill, and they are top-tier predators. So, tell your men to be careful.”

“I will,” he said, a solemn look crossing his face. “I’ll warn them. And…Menolly…”

“Yes?” I asked.

“Thank you. For warning us, for going out after her. I appreciate it,” he added.

I leaned on his desk, winked, and licked my fangs. “Not a problem, detective. Not a problem.”

“Get out of here,” he stuttered, blushing. I still made him nervous, but his thank-you seemed genuine.

Outside, the rain had soaked the city streets and then faded, leaving puddles to glisten on the asphalt under the dim light of the streetlamps. The sounds of traffic were muted, given we were approaching the midnight hour, but ever present in the background. Living in the city was like having a constant white noise, drowning out the silence. Early morning, Camille said she could hear the birdsong from the kitchen, even when the fans were blowing, but it had been a long time since I’d heard the birds at dawn, or the buzzing of bees, or any of those sounds that belonged to the daylight. I’d almost forgotten about them.

But I did hear the crickets and the sounds of animals prowling in the bushes at night. And—few people ever noticed—but there was this soft sound the natural world made as the moon slowly crawled across the sky. It was a sort of cooling off, the heat of the land escaping as the shadows grew. Maybe nobody else could hear it, but after listening to it for over a decade, I had come to recognize it.

I strode out of the station, heading over to my Jag. I wasn’t sure where to start, but I had already decided to trace Laddy’s steps. I didn’t expect to find her tonight, but you never knew. Once a vamp was on a roll, they could take out a houseful. Of course, there was a point where even a vampire was satiated, but how many necks they went after depended on the individual. Some vamps binge-fed, just like some people. Nobody was sure why, but then again, I really had my doubts whether anyone had studied vampire physiology in depth. It also crossed my mind that if someone had, it would be an interesting read. I made a mental note to check up on that—I could browse the stacks of the local library online.

I drove to the part of Seattle where Laddy said he had been attacked. It wasn’t a bad part of town, but—like most of Seattle—the sidewalk was on a steep grade, and there were a lot of alleys and side streets. Which meant people hiking up the street would likely be tired and slow, and the foot traffic wouldn’t be as heavy, so it would be easier for a vamp to hide in the shadows and grab someone passing by.

I saw the cross-street that Laddy had given me and pulled into an empty spot next to the curb. This time of night, most of Seattle, except for the downtown and Broadway areas, was fairly vacant. As I stepped out of my car, it occurred to me that leaving a Jag on the street unattended at this time of night might be asking for trouble, but I wasn’t planning on taking long.

The street was empty, but I was interested in the alleyways. As I headed for the nearest one, I focused on my inner radar. Vampires could often sense other vamps—it was like recognizing one of your own. Almost a territorial thing. I closed my eyes and reached out, seeing if I could sense other vamps nearby, but nothing rang a bell.