Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy(63)
Lana shook her head again. “Dan also checked her home address. Nothing. She apparently moved on.”
“Is Dan here now?”
“Yes.”
Tristan got back to business, his vampire coldness in place once more. “The library has been warded with as many protection spells as protect the hotel. Brandilynn should be safe there from Erica and her friends.”
He turned his attention to the big werepanther. “Any luck on that front?”
Gerald’s triangular nose wrinkled and his fangs appeared in a show of frustration. “The witch hasn’t been found. The weres all have their noses to the ground but we haven’t located her. No doubt she’s spelling her scent to keep hidden. Also, her last known address has been abandoned for months.”
Tristan’s hands tightened into fists momentarily before his control re-asserted itself. “Lovely. Coming up empty on all fronts.”
The Judge’s gorgeous baritone eased through the dejected group. “I may have something, Tristan. There are reports of an unknown vampire around the Okefenokee Park in Waycross. With your permission, I’d like to spend a few days investigating this lead.”
Dan and I exchanged an excited look. The Okefenokee Swamp was located one county over. The protected wetland sat close enough for the killer to find Fulton Falls a convenient hunting ground. And its vast, wild expanse would be a great hiding place. Finding the Ripper in the huge park would be difficult in the extreme for human law enforcement. But a vampire of the Judge’s age and wisdom might have a chance.
Tristan finally had a reason to look pleased. “Excellent, Judge. Good work. Use whatever resources you need.” He considered a moment before adding, “Catching the Ripper is of paramount importance, but I would like you in town for the coming press conference if possible. A united front on that issue is essential.”
The Judge bowed. “I will make all efforts to be available.” A rare smile quirked his death’s head features. “I have great interest in how it goes.”
“Friday then. And again, my deepest appreciation for your hard work.”
The Judge gave him another slight bow and swept out, his cape flapping behind him like a crow’s wings.
The moment he left the room, Patricia visibly relaxed. “Good. I’m safe to be female again.”
Tristan snorted a quick laugh. “His personality leaves much to be desired, doesn’t it dear? But he gets things done and he does them well. He hasn’t allowed his dislike of the vile race of women to impede his investigations.”
Patricia wasn’t amused in the least. “That’s the only reason I put up with him. Otherwise I would have staked him to the ground and left him for the sun years ago.”
Her glamour disappeared, leaving her red-eyed, fanged, and completely bestial. Even during his feed, Tristan hadn’t looked so inhuman. I couldn’t help but gasp at the display.
Dan turned to me. “Ready to go, Brandilynn?”
“You’d better believe it.” I couldn’t take my eyes off Patricia as she stalked back to her desk, Gerald in her wake. She’d recovered her semblance of civilization, but I knew I wouldn’t be fooled by that face again. I’d seen the manipulator hidden behind the curtain, and Oz would never be the same.
I took Dan’s hand and let him do the driving.
Chapter Thirteen
We arrived at the library, and I immediately flopped in a most unladylike fashion onto the sofa with a weary sigh. I wasn’t physically exhausted; after all I wasn’t physical anymore. But in my mind and heart, I was a battered soul.
A witch wanted to catch me and hand me over to the monster who had killed me. My safety lay in the hands of bloodsucking fiends. I’d disappointed Augustus. Two men I really liked played a barely polite version of one-upsmanship. And one of those men spent half his time chewing on young, nubile maidens.
Dan sat next to me and proceeded to make my mood worse. “So you watched Tristan feed. Did it bother you?”
I shot him a look. Well duh, Sherlock. When he didn’t react but remained by my side waiting patiently for a response, I finally growled, “Watching other people have vampire sex is not my idea of a fun evening.”
“You’re kind of prudish for a woman who likes BDSM, sold sexual favors while you were alive, and refuses to have a monogamous relationship.” Dan’s mouth twitched.
If he started laughing, I would hurt him. “Why can’t I be a good person and still have kinky sex?”
He sobered, perhaps finally recognizing I was in a foul temper. After a moment, he put his arm on the back of the sofa behind me. At least he was smart enough to not touch me this second. “I never said you weren’t a good person, Brandilynn. You are very confusing however.”