Page 70 of Damian’s Conquest

Damian ran a hand through his hair. “According to Gabriel, she saw her granddaughter make out with Mick. And she lied about it. She didn’t want her to be with Mick. That’s her motive for stirring up trouble for the club.”

“That’s not all.” Naomi pointed to the man in the photo. “This guy is her son, Tracy’s uncle. And my editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, Wei Guo.”

“You’re shitting me!”

“No, it’s him. He was the one who told me to check out the story. He set it all up. It’s all fabricated. He and his mother probably concocted the story so they could pin something on Mick, and when the police didn’t listen to Mrs. Zhang’s allegations, they figured they’d use the newspaper to bring down Mick and the Mezzanine. And somehow it must have gotten out of hand.” Naomi felt her heart beat out of control. “Maybe Wei Guo kidnapped or killed Mick. And all this is a cover-up. And who knows where Tracy is. Perhaps they locked her up somewhere until they can break her.”

Naomi shuddered at the thought.

“It’s possible. When it comes to family, people are capable of doing just about anything. And you’re right, we have to assume that Wei Guo somehow got to Mick and managed to capture or kill him, though I can’t imagine how.” Damian gestured to the photo. “He doesn’t look that strong. And Mick is a vampire. He could easily overpower a human even if he’s as big as Dwayne Johnson or Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

“What if he tricked Mick and lured him somewhere? Didn’t Eddie tell you that the last person calling Mick was Tracy? What if Wei Guo forced Tracy to make that phone call to lead Mick into a trap? And then he planted the broken bottle and the vial and told his mother to tell me so that I’d find it?”

“That’s a distinct possibility.” Damian took a deep breath. “We already know that Mrs. Zhang didn’t plant the evidence, otherwise Gabriel would have seen it in her memories.”

“Exactly. So it was probably Wei Guo. Do you think Mick is dead?”

“I’m not sure. But one thing gives me hope that he’s still alive: the stolen bottles of blood. And the fact that the thief was about Wei Guo’s size. Because why would he steal an entire crate of blood other than to keep Mick alive?”

“Let’s hope you’re right.”

“Get dressed. We’re going to Scanguards. I’ll need to discuss this with my father and Samson, before we decide how to approach your editor. He can’t know that we suspect him.”

“You think he might hurt Tracy if he realizes that we’re on his tail?”

“Or Mick.”

Naomi went into her bedroom, and quickly dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and a cardigan. Ten minutes later, Damian drove into the parking garage underneath Scanguards’ headquarters, and parked his Porsche.

Before he opened the car door, he put his hand on Naomi’s forearm. “One rule, once we’re inside.”

She raised her eyebrows.

“This time of night, the place will be crawling with vampires. So please stay by my side at all times. I’m breaking about a hundred rules by taking you in there.”

“Trust me, I have no intention of wandering off.” At the thought of entering a building where a bunch of vampires worked, she shivered, even though she knew that Damian would protect her.

They got out of the car, and Damian led her to an elevator, pressed his thumb onto a scanner inside, then pressed the button for the top floor. As they rode up, Naomi slipped her hand into Damian’s.

He smiled at her, and lifted their joined hands to his lips, then pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

When the elevator stopped, they exited. Naomi didn’t know what she’d expected, but the top floor of the building looked just like the interior of any other office building. Nothing indicated that Scanguards was run by vampires.

At one of the doors, Damian knocked, before opening the door. “Dad?”

But the office was empty.

From the corridor, a man looked at them. “He’s with Samson.”

Damian turned around. “Thanks, Quinn.”

Quinn cast her a curious look, then looked back at Damian. “I really don’t know why we still have this stupid rule of no humans on the executive floor when everybody breaks it anyway.”

“Beats me,” Damian said with a shrug.

With a shake of his head, Quinn disappeared into an office.

“How did he know that I’m human?” Naomi asked with a lowered voice.