Kiss of the Vampire(56)

For once when she arrived at the council building she was brought in right away. She made the customary greeting to Deoul, Caladh, and Braithwaite.

“Give us your report.” As always, Deoul was curt.

“Unknown victim, probably male vampire, was killed in a vacant lot off of Camelback. He was… Well, the only way to describe it is savaged. Not much of him was left in one piece.” Nix kept her gaze steady on the council members.

“That’s all you have?” Braithwaite leaned an elbow on the table and propped his chin on his fist. “What about sounds? Scents?”

Her heart pitter-pattered. “As with the other scenes, there was nothing out of the ordinary.” That demon scent could have been laid down up to forty-eight hours before the crime occurred. Without proof demons were involved, she didn’t feel any obligation to point fingers.

“I see.” Braithwaite stared at her. “You’re sure of that?”

She kept her face straight with an effort. What was he getting at? Did he know? And, if so, how? “I have nothing more to report about this latest killing.”

Caladh spritzed his face with the ever-present spray bottle. “What have you discovered on the other cases?”

This she could answer truthfully. “We’ve spoken to Pickett’s business partner. There’s nothing there,” she said. “But we’re sure one of Amarinda’s co-workers—her boss, actually—knows more than he’s saying. We’re planning on heading back down to Tucson tomorrow to talk to him.”

“Why not go today? What if this boss takes off?” Deoul swept his hair behind his ears and turned his glare on Nix.

“Tobias has someone keeping an eye on him. A private investigator.” Keeping in mind her body language, she fought the urge to cross her arms. She’d either come off as insecure or as trying to hold in anger. Either way it would shut down any slack the council members might otherwise afford her. “He won’t go anywhere without us knowing about it.”

“We’d like you to get down there as soon as possible,” Caladh said.

“We will.” Nix waited for more questions.

“That will be all for now,” Deoul said. “You may go.”

“As you wish,” she said slowly, and turned to leave the room. That had to have been the shortest report she’d ever made. Ever been allowed to make.

As she reached the double doors she glanced over her shoulder to see the three council members in a huddle. When Deoul saw her watching them, he motioned to the guard, who took her by the arm and ushered her out. “I’m going, I’m going,” she snarled, shaking him off her.

She went out to her car, knowing there was no way to put off seeing her mother any longer. Best to get it over with. She’d stop by one of Maldonado’s clubs on the way and pick up a bottle of wine. That always seemed to put her mother in a good mood. Well, as good a mood as she ever got.





Tobias stayed in his car and watched Nix drive away from the council building. He’d been instructed to wait until she left and though it didn’t sit well with him, orders were orders. He got out of the Jag and walked into the main chamber.

Deoul sat behind the table looking over some paperwork, but Caladh and Braithwaite stood at the far end of the table.

“Tobias!” Caladh walked over and clasped his hands. “Terrible business this is. Another murder.”

“Caladh, there are protocols,” Deoul called out.

“Protocols-shmotocols.” The selkie heaved a sigh and motioned Tobias forward. “No one but you wants our liaisons to do all that bowing and scraping, Deoul.” To Tobias he whispered, “I suppose to keep the old elf happy you should go through the motions. We wouldn’t want to make his foul mood any worse than it already is.” He winked and walked around the table to take his seat.

“Oh, forget it.” Deoul looked at Caladh and then Braithwaite, who quickly hid his grin behind his hand. Deoul put his gaze back on Tobias. “What’s your report?”

“This latest crime scene was pure carnage.” Tobias clasped his hands behind his back. “The victim was ripped into pieces. There was just enough of him left to let us know he was a vampire.”

“No ID on the body?” Braithwaite asked.

Tobias shook his head. “The killers have escalated their violence with each kill. But I don’t know if that’s why this third victim was savaged or if they wanted to obscure his identity.”

Braithwaite glanced at the other two members and then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the shiny surface of the mahogany table. “What’s your opinion at this point about the suspects? Are they human or pret?”