Page 60 of Vanessa’s Bravery

Patrick shook his head. “That will barely hurt him.” From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Harris crane his neck to get a better look at the items on the table. “I’d go with the syringe. Very effective.”

Ethan smirked. “Bro, you’re one sick son of a bitch.” He took the prefilled syringe from the table and stepped closer.

Patrick watched how Harris shrank back in his chair.

“What is that?”

Patrick took a few steps closer to him and jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “You mean that? A syringe.”

“You think I’m afraid of a needle?” Harris growled, his eyes shining red.

Patrick looked at Ethan. “Not the brightest bulb in the shed.”

“You want me to explain to him what silver nitrate injected into his veins will do to him?” Ethan asked, his voice sounding calm and friendly.

Patrick made a dismissive hand movement. “Nah, I doubt he understands chemistry. Just inject him, and he’ll get it pretty quickly. I really don’t wanna be here all night.”

“All right then,” Ethan agreed and made a step toward the rogue.

Harris yanked at the handcuffs at his back, the rattling sound echoing in the nearly empty room. “Stay away from me!”

“I can’t,” Ethan said with a nod in Patrick’s direction. “I do what the boss tells me to do.”

Harris’s eyes shot to Patrick. “Don’t let him inject me.”

“But don’t you wanna know what silver nitrate in your blood will do to you?” Patrick asked innocently.

“No! I can guess.”

“Oh, so you’re aren’t that stupid after all,” Patrick said and leaned over him. “I guess that means you’d rather answer my questions.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll answer.” He tipped his chin in Ethan’s direction. “Just keep that guy away from me.”

Patrick suppressed his smirk. This was way too easy. “Let’s get down to business. When were you turned into a vampire?”

“About two weeks ago.”

“Voluntarily?

“Yeah, so?” Defiance colored the rogue’s voice.

Patrick ignored the last word. “About the body you left in the kitchen of your house… When did you kill her?”

“I didn’t!”

Patrick laid his hand around the jerk’s neck. The silver chain, which had been around Harris’s neck earlier had left the skin raw and the flesh below exposed, eliciting a wince of pain from his captive.

“Don’t lie to me, or my friend will inject you with what’s in the needle. Now, again: when did you kill your mother?”

Harris’s throat worked, and Patrick loosened his grip a fraction so he could speak. “Three nights ago.”

“Why?”

“The bitch deserved it. Always nagging me. Always complaining.”

Patrick let go of his neck and took a step back. The guy disgusted him. Had he admitted to losing control due to his insatiable hunger for blood that as a newly-turned vampire he had trouble controlling, he would have had a pinch of compassion for Harris, but this guy was a psychopath.

“Yeah, like you’re the model son,” Patrick hissed. “Who’s the vampire who turned you?”