Voltan gave a short bark of laughter.
When Daemon and Voltan reached the greatroom, Atreides was pacing. “Apparently when you put out the ruling no one would turn Tezra, Lichorus assumed you were claiming Tezra for your own. Anyway, she just informed me she’d tell the SCU, and she’s not one to issue idle threats.”
“Who is Lichorus?” Tezra asked, her voice highly agitated.
“A vampiress who’s stirred up enough trouble to warrant my action.” To Atreides, Daemon said privately, “Relay to Maison he’s to take Lichorus into custody.”
Atreides bowed his head to Daemon, then stalked toward the den.
“I have to visit my sister at Redding Hospital,” Tezra said. “I see her every day without fail—except since I’ve been in your protective custody. Someone have a car I can use?”
Instantly suspicious, Daemon suspected she had other motives. Afraid the SCU would be too much for him to handle? Not a problem. Concerned he wouldn’t give her enough freedom? If so, she had that right.
“Car? We generally prefer vampire transportation. No traffic jams, no red lights, no tailgaters and no high gas prices,” Daemon said.
She folded her arms. “I like driving from place to place; gives me time to think about the cases I’m working on. Why don’t you leave me off at my apartment, I’ll pick up my car, see my sister and return here afterwards.”
“Voltan, you come with us.”
“I want my weapons back,” Tezra said, her voice deepening. “And my cell phone.”
Atreides rejoined them. “Maison’s bringing Lichorus in as soon as he locates her.”
“My cell phone?” Tezra asked Atreides.
He slipped it off his belt. “Okay with you, Daemon?”
Tezra grabbed for the phone, but Atreides moved it beyond her reach.
Her face reddened.
“Let her have it.”
“And my weapons?”
“Later.” Daemon pulled her against him, and his body reacted to her with rabid attraction. She only made him feel this way because he hadn’t had a partner in so long—it was nothing more than lust, pure and simple. He refused to be drawn into another deadly relationship. Besides, she needed so much more from a male companion. Determined not to get sucked into traitorous thoughts of another mating, he whisked her away to Redding Hospital.
***
The hospital looked like it was washed in a coating of fresh milk—everything was white, the walls, floors, even the garments the staff wore. Someone had the notion that colors would upset the patients, which Tezra thought was the most inane idea anyone ever had. Even flowers left by family and friends had to be regulation white.
A little wobbly from the sifting, she stood with Daemon and Voltan outside her sister’s door while she gathered her composure. Her sister seemed to enjoy her visits, though bringing two vampires along put Tezra on edge. She reached for the door and Daemon said to Voltan, “Stay here and let no one in.”
Releasing the door handle, she frowned at Daemon. “You shouldn’t go in either.”
“You can’t go anywhere without me or one of my men.”
“You can’t enter.”
Daemon quirked a brow. “The killer could be in the room this very moment, waiting for you. You’re not going anywhere without one of us. That’s my final word.”
Whirling about, she grabbed the door handle, her stomach tightening into knots. Since the killings, Katie had been locked away in the hospital and never saw another vampire. In fact, no one but Tezra visited Katie. As far as everyone else was concerned, Katie didn’t exist, didn’t share their world, didn’t need their words of comfort.
Tezra entered the sitting room and smiled at Katie, curled up on an overstuffed chair, wearing a pair of white sweats, her red hair braided. Her eyes lighted, then rapidly shifted to Daemon. She seemed curious, not afraid, and Tezra assumed she thought because Daemon was with her, so he wasn’t anyone to worry about, thank God.
He bowed his head slightly, and Tezra wanted to slug him for greeting Katie in the vampire way.
Katie’s eyes widened, and she gasped. Tezra crossed the floor, knelt beside her and held her hands. Now twenty-two, Katie was a beautiful woman. If Tezra could only draw her out of her shell. Stifling tears that always pricked her eyes when she visited Katie, she knew if she lived to be a hundred, she’d always feel the same sorrow for what she’d done, wishing she could do anything to save Katie from a life of nothingness. But now she had a hope of bringing her out of the abyss.
Tezra knew she had to do it.
But first, as soon as they finished their visit with her, Tezra would see Chief O’Malley. If he could prove Krustalus was the murderer…
She feared revealing the killer to Katie wouldn’t bring her out of her silent world. Tezra felt she had no choice but to try the option Daemon had suggested.
“This is Daemon, a…friend of mine,” Tezra said.
Katie looked at him again.
Tezra settled down with her and shared entertaining pieces she’d found on the Internet, leaving out any mention of the gruesome world she surrounded herself with. She didn’t party, date, eat out or have fun. Her sole relentless focus was investigating vampire crimes and helping Katie to the best of her ability—though it was never good enough. Nothing but making Katie whole would ever be good enough.
Her phone vibrated against her waist, and she pulled it out. Out-of-area call. Just like six other missed messages she’d had. Telemarketer, no doubt. She poked the on button, prepared to tell the rude caller she wasn’t interested in whatever he was selling when Chief O’Malley’s deep voice penetrated her defenses. “Come see me. Cafferty’s Tavern now, and come alone.”
Before she could respond, the phone clicked dead. Chill bumps erupted on her arms. The chief’s message eerily mirrored Officer Stevens’s call to her.
“You can’t go,” Daemon said. “Alone, I mean.”
Katie’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but when Tezra saw her reaction, Katie averted her eyes and clamped her mouth shut.
“Katie, did you want to say something?”
For a glimmer of a second, Tezra thought there might be a breakthrough. Though she’d seen Katie react mildly to situations before, she’d never seen her respond in such a pronounced way. Yet as before, Katie stared at her lap and withdrew into her private world, her emotions shut down.
“Katie, I’ve got to take care of some business, and I’ll return later.”
Katie’s gaze shifted back to her.
Keeping her eye on her sister’s reaction, Tezra said to Daemon, “I have to see him alone. I’m sure it has to do with the case.”
“No. You put your life at risk the last time, and I won’t—”
Tezra glanced sharply at him, but again turned to see how Katie was taking it. She’d switched her attention to Daemon, waiting for him to finish what he was saying.
“We go together or not at all, Tezra.”
“All right. You watch my back, for now. But if he doesn’t show because you’re with me…” Tezra gave him a warning look, then leaned down and hugged Katie. “I’ll return as soon as I can.”
Katie wouldn’t let go of her hand, and Tezra’s heart sank. She was sure Katie possessed some sense of time, and they hadn’t visited long enough.
“Honey,” Tezra said, her voice choking, “I’ll be back.”
Daemon touched Tezra’s arm, and Katie looked alarmed.
“She seems upset. I thought she never showed any emotions.”
“She doesn’t, normally. Though on occasion she’s shown a hint of them. The psychiatrists say it’s natural, like mimicking behavior and doesn’t really mean anything.”
Tezra gave her another hug. “We’ll be back. Soon.”
When she couldn’t break free of Katie, Daemon took Tezra’s arm. Immediately, Katie let go. Daemon led Tezra out of the room and shut the door.
Her heart in her throat, Tezra stared at the door. “I can?
??t stand seeing her like this one more day. I have to speak to the chief. If we learn he has no proof…”
In her worst nightmares—and she’d had enough to fill several lifetimes—she didn’t want to be a vampire, but she was resigned to it anyway. “I just think he’s involved somehow,” Tezra said.
“Did you find anything else besides what you told me before?”
“Krustalus wears Green Irish Tweed, the same cologne my father wore—it’s one of his macabre games. The night Officer Stevens was murdered, Krustalus wore the same scent. Stevens wasn’t wearing any—he was allergic to most fragrances according to his wife. Yet, I distinctly smelled sandalwood near Stevens’s body. The killer’s scent, not Krustalus’s. So there must be two of them.”
The thought of Tezra in the warehouse district with two murdering vampires chilled Daemon’s blood. If he’d been responsible for her, he would never have allowed her to meet Stevens there. He would have taken care of the matter.
Daemon let out his breath in exasperation and wrapped his arm around her to take her to Cafferty’s Tavern. How fragile she seemed where her sister was concerned.
Hell, she was his responsibility. Once Krustalus came to his house and made his connection with Tezra known, it became Daemon’s business. He released her. “You stay and visit with your sister. I’ll speak with him, alone.”
He intended to get the answers he wanted without an SCU investigator breathing down his neck. If she got pissed off at him—well, more so than she already was half of the time—she could turn him in for human rights violations in the event he had to resort to forcing the truth from the chief. But Tezra’s safety was more of a concern, and he smelled Krustalus’s hand in this.
She gave Daemon a look that could change a man into a toad.
But then she slipped her arm around his waist with a lot more strength than he gave her credit for. “If you think I’m staying behind, think again. I’m going with you. And that’s my final word.”
Chapter Nine
Daemon wouldn’t be dictated to, not by any vampire or even one sexy special crimes investigator. Before he could say so, Tezra said, “Chief O’Malley wanted me on the case. He’ll speak with me. You’re a vampire. Why should he talk to you?”
Because Daemon could force him to? “Why does he want you on the case so badly?”
“Krustalus killed my parents! The chief wants me to stop the murdering bastard, and I’m the only one who believes he’s involved. That’s why.”
Reaching down, Daemon touched her silky hair. “I want to help you and Katie.” He pressed his head against her chest and listened to her rapid heartbeat. Then he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, which were filled with condemnation. “Against my better judgment, I’ll take you with me. But know this, Tezra, I will use whatever means necessary to force the chief to tell me the truth.”
“Fine, no problem. Let’s go.”
He gave her a hard look. “As an investigator for the SCU, you’re supposed to frown on actions like that.”
She hmpfed. “I’ll frown deeply while you question him if it makes you feel any better.”
She tightened her grip around his waist. The treacherous notion of hauling her off to his bed sprang to mind.
***
Mist coated the entire warehouse district in a leaden, wet blanket and everything was deathly silent. When Tezra, Daemon and Voltan approached Cafferty’s Tavern, a couple of blocks from the police killings, the icy air sent a shiver through her. Daemon reached for her hand and she was certain he regretted taking her.
“I’m cold, not afraid,” she said.
An obscure smile curved his lips while he and Voltan scanned the area.
“When we return, I want my weapons back,” she snapped, hating that he thought she was afraid, though she did feel more vulnerable without her sword, despite having vampire bodyguards. But she wasn’t scared!
Daemon opened the metal door to the bar, the rusted hinges sending a creak echoing across the narrow street where several pickups parked curbside. Despite the sleaziness of the place, business appeared brisk.
When they walked inside the dimly lit building, all conversation faded and everyone looked them over. A scantily dressed woman, the only other female in the room, set a tray of beers on a marred table with a clunk.
Tezra brushed past Daemon and the murmurs began. He seized her wrist and she frowned up at him. He didn’t lighten his grip. Possessiveness or protectiveness? She should have been annoyed, but instead she felt as though he genuinely cared for her. Nobody had acted that way toward her in a very long time, and she hated how much she craved it.
Voltan’s heavy step followed close behind.
“He plays cards back there.” Tezra motioned past a bar stretching across the room to a door in the back. She recognized some of the men as off-duty cops, others probably closer to the criminal element they arrested during duty hours, though maybe some were undercover.
“You’ve been here before?” Daemon asked, his voice surprised.
She shrugged. “Not to drink, but yeah, when I investigated the first of the most recent police murders.”
A burly cop stood and moved into their path. His neck was about as thick as his waistline, and the image of a gruff bulldog came to mind. He gave Daemon a sinister look and smiled at Tezra. “Investigator Campbell, the chief’s busy.”
“We have an appointment.”
“Chief’s busy,” the officer repeated.
“Step aside,” Daemon said, as if the guy was just one of his minions.
Voltan moved closer. Though the policeman attempted to stand his ground, everyone watched the situation with wariness, but no one else came to the man’s aid. Voltan towered over the guy until he finally lifted a massive shoulder and sat.
Daemon opened the door to the backroom, and four men looked up from a game of cards. Chief O’Malley sat at the far side of the table, facing him. More gray seemed to stripe his fiery red hair than the last time Tezra had seen him a few days ago. He glowered at Daemon and Voltan, then he shifted his attention to Tezra.
He motioned to the other men. “Can you give us some privacy for a while?”
“Sure, Chief.”
“Yeah, we’ll get a drink.”
Though several half finished and empty bottles of beer sat on the table already, the men moved past the vampires, giving them a wide berth, and the last man winked at Tezra. “Campbell.”
Daemon turned his head so quickly, he looked like he intended to bite the guy.
She squeezed Daemon’s hand, which brought his attention back to her, then the cop shut the door with a jolt.
“Tezra, gentlemen,” Chief O’Malley said. “What can I do for you?”
He acted like he’d never called the meeting, and now Tezra wondered if he had.
“Stand outside the room, Voltan,” Daemon said.
Voltan bowed and did as he was told.
“Could you please tell us how you knew Krustalus murdered my parents?” Tezra said, her voice sugar sweet in an attempt to get him to reveal the truth.
The chief’s bushy brows rose. “How would I have known that?”
Wrong answer.
Daemon moved so swiftly Tezra only heard O’Malley’s chair crash on its back. In the next instant, Daemon pinned the chief against the wall, his hand around the chief’s throat. “Tell…me…the truth.”
“H-he told me to say he was the one.”
“Why?” Daemon growled.
“H-he said it was a long-running game he had with Ms. Campbell. I had to tell her.”
A game—the bastard. Tezra’s heart sank. “So you have no evidence. Nothing to prove he was the one. Did he appear before you?”
“Yes, he came to me,” the chief choked out, his eyes bulging.
“And Stevens, how come he knew?” she asked.
“Krustalus told him to tell you. I didn’t know he was going to kill Stevens.”
Daemon released the pressure on the chief
’s throat, though he didn’t let go.
“So then Krustalus returned and ordered you to tell me the same thing?” Tezra asked.
“No. I mean, he told Stevens in front of me. After you called and said Stevens was dead, I wanted you to catch and…terminate the bastard.”
Wary that this was another of Krustalus’s games, she didn’t trust the chief in the least bit now. “I’m not a huntress.”
“Mandy says you were trained as one before the SCU switched your job. I figured you’d have reason enough to want him dead.”
She sure as hell did, but no one would use her to bring Krustalus down for their own dark purposes.
“What was the connection between your police officers and the killer?” Daemon asked, his voice as smooth as black velvet but as deadly as the honed edge of a steel blade.
“No…no connection.”
“There had to be a connection,” Tezra insisted. She wanted to mention how Mandy had overheard the police officers talking, then all of them ended up dead, but she thought better of it in case the chief was involved.
“Nothing I could discover,” the chief sputtered.
Not getting the answers she wanted, she focused to read his mind when Voltan relayed, “Everyone’s clearing out. Looks like we’re in for some trouble.”
“Krustalus,” Daemon said, and Tezra sensed him nearby too.
She barely breathed when the number of vampires with him increased by several. “Did you want to meet me here because Krustalus made you call me?”
“No,” the chief said.
Daemon squeezed the chief’s throat tighter.
O’Malley grappled with Daemon’s fingers. “Yes,” he croaked. “He said it was part of the game.”
Daemon released him, then joined Tezra. “We return now.”
“But if Krustalus is here, we could kill him. Well, I could help if you’d given my swords back.”
“I wouldn’t risk it. There are too many with him.” Daemon telepathically communicated, “Voltan, we return home.”
But Voltan was already in a fight to the death and Daemon cursed under his breath. “Atreides, Maison, send men to Cafferty’s Tavern. Now!”