Page 22 of Death is Familiar

“Sure.”

“Before we start comparing anything else…” I shook my head. We’d gotten so far off track. “You meet a vampire, then you can tell me you aren’t creeped out.”

“Oh, we don’t need to compare, we know⁠—"

The three of us bickered the rest of the way to Huntington.

And more than a part of me enjoyed it. Thoroughly. Arguing over non-sense was familiar and warm, especially since all three of us had developed a knack for pushing each other’s buttons.

We’d come a long way since we first met. Even if the circumstances were similar.

A new case, a road trip, adjoining motel rooms—just like when I first got out of prison.

Though the theme of the motel in Huntington appeared to be depression. Everything was a different shade of beige or brown. The lights flickered. We had been at the motel all of five minutes and I was already itching to make progress. I wanted—no needed—to hit the ground running.

At the very least I needed to get the hell out of the room.

It was early evening. Most nine-to-five work places would have been closing up shop. Fortunately, vampires thought themselves creatures of the night, so if I was lucky, they’d still be at the office. But if there was a party, or whatever it was the vampires called their get togethers, tonight, they might be out resting before the evening’s festivities. Which would mean I was out of luck. I’d need to wait.

And I didn’t feel like waiting.

“Can you toss me the keys?” I held my hand out to Jack, ready to catch.

He looked at me like I had two heads. “What, you’re going to make contact now?”

“Sooner the better, it is Thursday. If there is a party tonight that would be the best place to ask around.”

“Let’s at least get comms set up before you go running off.”

“I’m eager to get this over with. It’ll be fast, just a quick pop in, pop out, I promise.” I emphasized that my hands were still ready to catch. “Keys, please.”

Todd appeared behind Jack and scooped the keys off the table before he had a chance to object. “We’ll go. Together.”

“Not sure that is the best idea.” Jack was trying to put on the brakes. “I’d prefer we set up comms. Go in with more of a plan. Ideally tomorrow.”

“Better if I go myself.” Todd and I were speaking only to each other, all but ignoring Jack.

“Together today, or with a plan tomorrow.”

“Are either of you listening? Tomorrow is better.”

I looked at Todd. “Fine, you can come, but I’m driving.”

“Fine,” Todd tossed me the keys, “but I’ll be backseat driving.”

“You’re both killing me.” Jack squeezed the space between his brows. “Routine questions only. Todd?”

“Routine questions,” Todd confirmed as we left.

But I made no such promises.

6

Unlike other cult intake locations, the vampires stayed still. They were exclusive. They were luxury. And technically, they didn’t do anything illegal. They acted more like an ultra-exclusive club than a cult. As far as I was aware, when people spent money with the vamps, they actually received something tangible in return. Which was at odds with how most ‘pay-to-play’ cults worked.

‘Pay-to-play’ cults usually took money, lots of it, from current and aspiring members. The money paid brought someone to a higher level, which in most cases took the form of a title change. From novice to guardian. Or sage to knowledge keeper, or some other similarly branded title. People thought they were buying access to a higher plane of existence, to wisdom, or moral superiority. All of which was extremely difficult to quantify. Or prove.

With the vamps, at least, it was real.