Secret Life of a Vampire(21)

Megan retreated until she collided with her bed and fell onto her rear. Lara sat across from her on the other twin bed. She retrieved pen and paper from her handbag while she wondered what exactly Jack would do to this girl.
He leaned casually against the door. "So, Megan, you and Vanessa are good friends?"
"Oh yes. Vanessa's like the coolest friend I've ever had. I-I hope she's okay." Megan's bottom lip trembled and tears filled her eyes. "I'm so afraid for her."
"I'm sure you are," Jack spoke softly. "And where did you and Vanessa go last night?"
The change that swept over Megan's face was alarming. Lara's skin prickled with gooseflesh as she watched the young woman go from near tears to a totally blank expression in a matter of seconds.
"We were in our room, studying," Megan said with a dull, robotic voice.
An icy blast of air swirled around the room. With a shiver, Lara turned her attention to Jack. What kind of human brain could change the temperature? He was frowning, completely focused on Megan. The gold flecks in his eyes gleamed.
Lara swallowed hard. What did she really know about him?
He stepped toward Megan. "Where were you last night?"
"We were …  in our room … " Megan swayed, her eyes closing.
A strange crackling static echoed in Lara's ears. Beneath the buzz, she thought she detected a low and masculine voice. It sounded like Jack, but she couldn't make out the words. Since his mouth wasn't moving, he must have been communicating telepathically.
"Yes," Megan whispered.
Yes, what? Yes, she would answer his questions truthfully, or yes, she would say whatever he mentally ordered her to say? Unease tickled the back of Lara's neck. Could LaToya be right? Was Jack programming Megan to lie for him?
He placed a hand on top of the girl's head and closed his eyes. "You will remember. Where did you go Saturday night?"
"We were in-" Megan grimaced. "We went to the Student Services building for a seminar. Vanessa wanted to go."
"Who was presenting the seminar?" Jack asked.
"He:-" Megan slumped back.
Jack grasped her head, covering her temples. "Who was he?"
"Apollo," she whispered.
Lara wrote the name down on her pad of paper.
"Describe him," Jack ordered.
"Tall, blond, really good-looking." Megan wrinkled her nose. "Really pale."
Lara paused in the middle of taking notes. She'd always thought Jack was a little pale, too.
"What did Apollo tell you?" Jack asked.
"He showed us a PowerPoint presentation with pictures of a fancy resort and spa. We filled out a survey about our favorite spa treatments, and one lucky person was chosen to receive a deluxe spa package. One week, all expenses paid. Vanessa was the lucky one."
Lara shook her head. That kind of luck could get you killed.
"Did he say where the spa is located?" Jack asked.
"I don't know." Megan frowned. "It looked pretty. Classical Greek architecture. White marble buildings. It was in the country somewhere."
"Thank you, Megan. You will go to sleep now, and when you wake in the morning, you will have no memory of us being here. You will not remember answering my questions." Jack released her.
She fell sideways on the bed, and Jack pulled her up to where her head rested on the pillow. The cold air in the room dissipated.
Lara rushed across the room to remove Megan's flip-flops. "Why did you erase her memory of us?"
Jack covered her with a blanket. "As long as she sticks to the story that Apollo programmed her with, she'll be safe. If he ever suspects she's been talking about him, her life could be in danger."
Lara nodded. "I understand." She headed for the door. "I doubt Apollo is his real name."
"I agree." Jack turned off the lights as he exited the room. "He probably thinks it goes well with the Greek architecture of this supposed resort."
"A free spa package would be hard for any woman to resist." Lara motioned down the hall. "Do you want to see the other friends?"
She led him to Carmen and Ramya's room. Ramya was at the library studying, so Jack did his spooky mind tap on Carmen. Like Megan, Carmen reported that Apollo was tall, blond, and handsome, and that he'd chosen Vanessa to win the free spa package. They left Carmen asleep and walked across campus to the Student Services building. There was no record of Apollo filling out any forms to rent a room, and the manager had no memory of him.
As they neared the exit, Lara spotted a vending machine. "I need a drink. Would you like something?" She fumbled in her handbag for her billfold.
"No thanks." Jack whipped out his wallet and inserted a dollar into the machine before she could unsnap her billfold.
He sure was fast. "Thanks." She punched the button for a Diet Coke. Once again, he was refraining from drinking with her.
"Shall I drive you home now?"
"Yes, thank you." She unscrewed the top from the cola bottle and took a sip while he opened the door.
She strolled across campus with him, mentally reviewing what they'd learned so far. Kidnapping college-aged girls was uncommon enough, but using mind manipulation to pull it off was definitely different. Apollo covered his tracks just as well as Jack had at the Plaza hotel. How many people possessed these powers? How many crimes were being committed on a daily basis that were so well covered up, no one knew they had even happened? It was the perfect crime, if the victim didn't realize he'd been victimized.
Lara suppressed a shudder. This whole train of thought was very disturbing. There could be a crime syndicate of secret mind manipulators who were abusing, raping, and killing the innocent. And if no one knew about it, how would they ever be stopped?
She gulped down some cola. "Jack, we have to find this guy. He could be a serial killer."
"I agree."
As they approached the parking lot, she realized Jack had also been quiet. He was frowning, apparently deep in thought. How much did he know that he wasn't telling?
"So what do you want to do next?" she asked.
"I'll find out more information." He glanced at her with a lopsided smile. "I'm an investigator, remember?"
"A secretive one," she muttered.
"That's the best kind." He punched his keypad to unlock the Lexus.
"If we're going to work together, you should tell me everything you know."
A pained look crossed his face as he opened the passenger door for her. "I'll do what I can."
Which translated as "not much," Lara figured as she slid into the passenger seat. He closed the door behind her and circled the car. Once again, she was struck by how old-fashioned he was. She buckled up and inserted her Coke bottle into a cup holder.
He climbed in and started the car. "I want to thank you, Lara, for telling me about this case."
"You're welcome." She fiddled with her handbag, gathering up her courage as he pulled out of the parking lot. "You know, when I introduced you to Megan and Carmen, I realized I wasn't sure about your last name. Is it really Venezia?"
"Venice is my home." He glanced at her with a smile. "Would you like to see it?"
She blinked. "Well, sure. Of course." She'd always thought it would be wonderfully romantic to float along in a gondola with a handsome Italian man. Who wouldn't? And the rascal was changing the subject on her. He was good at manipulation without using any psychic power. "About your last name-"
"I shall take you."
"Excuse me?"
He turned south onto Henry Hudson Parkway. "I'll take you to Venezia."
She gave him a dubious look. "If you insist, but you might want to top off your tank first. And I seem to recall an ocean somewhere along the way that could be a problem."
He chuckled. "I'm not prepared to go tonight."
"Duh. I don't have a plane ticket. And I can't really afford one, so even though I appreciate the offer, I'll have to pass."
"You won't need any money, bellissima. You can stay at my palazzo."
"Is that like a palace?"
"We'll ride in a gondola under the moonlight," he continued. "And I'll show you my favorite places."
"How can a guy who works as an investigator afford a palazzo?"
He shrugged. "It's not a very big palazzo. It's been in my family for years. And I work because I want to do more than merely exist. I want do something meaningful, like rid the world of bad guys. We have that in common, yes?"
"Yes, but I don't have superpowers like you."
"You have power, bellissima. You can bring a man to his knees."
She snorted.
A corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. "You might be surprised at what I can do on my knees."
Her cheeks grew warm. "So this palazzo of yours-do you have family living there?" she asked casually, hoping to get more personal information from him.
"No. I'm not there very often. I'm usually on assignment."
"Do you have any family at all?"
"I have a …  distant cousin who runs the family business. I'm a major investor."
"And what is the family business?"
"Shipping." He slanted an amused look at her. "I am somewhat aware of the oceans out there."
"Good. I feel so much safer now."
He snorted softly. "Cara mia, you are never entirely safe with me."
Her skin tingled. "Are you threatening me?"
He gave her a wry smile. "Nothing painful. If I pounced on you, it would only be to give you pleasure."