"Damn, isn't that a little harsh?"
"Considering the fact that most vampires don't have the power to bring someone over without making them crazy, blood-thirsty monsters? I don't think so."
"Good point. Now we just need to figure out why this guy ended up dead. Was he just high from getting fed from and that made him an easy target, or was he specifically targeted?" Tanner glanced at me. "Anyone see you feed from this guy?"
I started to say no, but paused. Someone did see me feed from him, but& No, that didn't make sense. I shook my head. "No."
"Hmm." Tanner flipped through his notepad. "Anything like this ever happened before?"
"Oh, sure. Rogues coming through town feed and get carried away, but we've always got teams out roaming the streets to make sure nothing gets found and left behind."
"The coven has a clean-up team?"
I nodded. "One of the best."
"Too bad they didn't get to this guy before we did." Tanner sighed, putting his notepad in his pocket, and handed me a business card. "I'd better get back to the station and start spinning this. If you get any leads, give me a call?"
"Will do," I said. "And you'll be back soon?"
"Don't worry; I'm not a loner. I'll be back."
* * *
"Peter!"
I turned around after I walked out of the treatment room to see Sabaan and Nikolas headed my way. They both looked like they'd had some really good drugs . or some really good fucking. I would bet my life on the latter, and I couldn't hide my smile.
"What have you two been smoking?"
"Each other." Nikolas raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Need a drag?"
Sabaan elbowed him in the gut. "Pervert."
"Hey, I haven't heard either of you complain." Nikolas slid his hand around my throat and I instinctively leaned into his touch. "We were about to get something to eat. Want to join us?"
"I think I should just go back to the study."
"I don't think so," Sabaan said. "If you hang out in the study any more, I'm afraid you're going to become a permanent fixture. You need to get out of there and just have some fun for a change."
Fun.
Right.
"I'm not really in the mood for fun."
Nikolas pulled me in for a kiss. "You sure?"
I nodded.
He sighed and turned to Sabaan. "Steak?"
Sabaan nodded and smiled up at me. "We'll be in the kitchen if you change your mind."
I watched them walk away and slowly made my way back to the study. After I closed the door, though, I had no idea what I wanted to do in there. Part of me wanted to get to work on something, but the other part wanted to just curl up on the couch and pout like a lovesick fool.
I tried lounging on the couch first, but after flopping around this way and that I finally got up and went to the desk. Donald's file lay on the desk when I sat down. I knew that I'd locked that thing up the last time I'd looked at it. There were only two of us who knew where the key was kept . me and Lucien.
It wasn't so odd that he'd want to review the file. After all, he was Master and it did affect the coven as a whole. I picked up the folder and went to put it in the drawer, and a slip of paper fell to the floor. I bent to pick it up, and my heart caught in my throat.
Peter,
I am not done.
We are not done.
Lucien.
I dropped the file in the drawer and locked it, then sat clutching the note as I read the words over and over again. I was still reading it when the door opened a short time later. Lucien walked in and closed the door behind him before leaning back against it. I smiled at him and put the note aside.
"Thank you."
"I had second thoughts about leaving it."
"I see." I swallowed hard. "Well, then&I'm glad you showed up to clarify that."
"Only second thoughts about the note," he said, slowly making his way across the room, "not the words I wrote on it."
"Oh."
Stupid me. Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut? He sat down on the couch and sighed heavily. "Will you come to me?"
I wanted to ask if there was something suddenly wrong with him that he couldn't walk the twenty feet to the desk. But I didn't. I didn't want to turn this into another big fight when it clearly hadn't been headed that way. And besides, whether I wanted to admit it or not, I loved it when he asked for me.
I went to him and stood there for a moment, contemplating whether I should sit beside him on the couch or pull the coffee table behind me closer. He looked so miserable, though, that I found myself kneeling in front of him instead.