Charles grabbed his arm. “You can’t go in there. It’s a crime scene.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He flipped on the lights in the closet. “You see? It’s a doll.”
“A doll?” Abigail moved closer. “In a red bikini?”
Charles held up a hand to stop her. “Stand back. I’ll investigate the matter.” He eased inside the closet.
“Oh come on,” Gregori growled. “It’s just a stupid doll.”
Charles leaned over to inspect VANNA. “It looks like a sex toy.” He shot another disgusted look at Gregori. “The ribbon around its neck could be used to simulate strangulation.”
Abigail stiffened. A horrified look flitted over her face, then she ran from the room.
“Abby!” Gregori followed her. “It’s not what you think.”
She turned to face him. “What should I think? That you’ve been strangling a life-sized sex toy in your closet?”
“No! VANNA is a Vampire Artificial Nutritional Needs Appliance. Laszlo and I invented her. He put in some tubes to simulate veins and a battery-operated pump to make synthetic blood flow through her. But it didn’t work. Her skin is too rubbery for biting.”
“You bit her?”
“No! Not me. It was Roman.”
“Talking about me?” Roman sauntered down the hall toward them.
Gregori winced. Now he’d made his boss sound like a perv. “They found VANNA in the closet.”
Roman chuckled. “Don’t let VANNA upset you, Miss Tucker. She was a failed experiment from a few years ago.”
“Oh.” She gave Gregori a wry look. “And yet, she’s still in your closet.”
“I was going to give her to Connor for his five-hundredth birthday. As a gag gift. That’s why there’s a bow around her neck. But Connor just got married, and . . . I don’t think his new wife will appreciate it.”
Roman laughed. “No, definitely not.”
Charles stepped into the hall, carrying VANNA. “It’s harmless. Sorry for causing you alarm, Miss Tucker.”
Gregori grabbed the doll and bent her over his arm. “See the opening we cut in her back to insert a circulatory system?” He peeled back the rubber skin to show her.
“Interesting,” she murmured.
“We thought VANNA might be useful for Vamps who were still addicted to biting,” Roman explained. “I know it must seem a bit odd, but our ultimate goal is to protect mortals and keep them from being attacked.”
“I see.” She nodded. “She’s a substitute victim.”
“Exactly.” Gregori straightened the doll. When Abigail frowned, he realized his hand was planted on VANNA’s breast. He quickly lowered it to her waist.
“Would you like to see how we manufacture synthetic blood?” Roman asked Abigail. “I’d be happy to take you on a tour and answer any questions.”
“That would be wonderful.” She smiled. “Thank you.”
Roman patted Gregori on the back. “You look like you could use a break.”
“I’m okay.” Just one near disaster after another. Laszlo reappearing, then VANNA. And the way Abigail had seen right through him, opening his eyes. He’d marketed himself to make everyone in the Vamp world like him. The truth was there was no way to please everyone. He should just be himself and only worry about the people he truly cared about.
Like Abigail.
“Maybe you can use this?” She pulled a stress ball from her pocket. “I’m not sure how I got it, but your mother said it belongs to you.”
He swallowed hard. “I slipped it into your pocket when you weren’t looking. You can keep it. I have a bunch more.”
“Okay.” She stuffed it back into her pocket, apparently accepting his explanation.
“You can leave the plant in my office if you like,” Gregori offered, and she handed the plastic container to him.
“We’ll see you in about twenty minutes,” Roman told him as he walked off with Abigail, Charles trailing behind.
Gregori went back into his office, set the plant on his desk, then tossed VANNA in the closet and shut the door. Unable to relax, he grabbed a stress ball and paced. When that didn’t work, he retrieved a bottle of synthetic blood from his mini-fridge and gulped down half of it.
He strode to the security office to hear what plans Angus had come up with. Emma was gone, having teleported his mother back to the school. He sat across the desk from Angus, and the two were deep in discussion when the phone rang.
“Aye, he’s here,” Angus spoke on the phone. “I’ll send him yer way.” He hung up. “Roman finished the tour. He and the lass are looking for you.”