been the perpetrators. Not the victims.
. . . if I dont pay the car payment, Illhave enough money for the mortgage . . .
. . . told that bastard I wouldnt put up with him being out allnight again . . .
. . . so proud of her, shellgraduate with her class . . .
I rubbed my head once more as the voices got louder. This time, Bones saw it.
Again?
Im fine, I said, attempting a casualtone.
His stare turned pointed. Bollocks.
Ive got it under control, its nothing to worry about, I amended. That was true. Dead bodies took priority over the mentalmutterings going off in
my head.
From his expression, Bones wasnt buying my blasй act, but the clock was ticking on this crime scene. We had bodies to remove, evidence to
erase, and killers to find.
Bones raised his voice. Ed, get up here.
The skinny vampires face pinched when he came inside and saw the bodies. Aw, fuck, he groaned.
Are these Shayne and Harris? Bones asked, in a gentler tone than before.
Ed bent down, sniffing at each body. Vampires might never look a day older than whatever age they were when they were changed, but allthat
ended upon death. After death, a vampires body rapidly composed to their true age, meaning that most of the time, there was nothing left but
mummified remains inside of whatever clothes they died in. These two bodies were no exception.
Ed sat back on his haunches next to the denim-clad body. Thats them, he said in a thicker voice. Then he snarled, Fucking ghouls.
Why dont you go back outside now? I said, giving Eds arm a pat. There was nothing more he could do, but Bones and I stillhad things to take
care of.
Ed gave another long look at Harriss and Shaynes corpses before he got up and walked out. I sighed. This was bad for so many reasons, and
Eds grief was only part of it.
Why do you think they left the bodies? I asked Bones quietly. Ed and Scratch hadnt heard of bodies being found from the other
disappearances. Think the killers got interrupted?
Boness gaze swept around the room. It didnt take long; the area only consisted of a tiny kitchen and a family room big enough for just one full-
sized couch.
No, luv, he said at last. I think whoever did this had the time to take the bodies, but chose not to.
I swallowed. That could be the result of the same sort of arrogance Id seen in the past from killers who left bodies behind because they thought
they were too smart to get caught. But unfortunately, I didnt think that was the case. Instead, this looked like confirmation of a much bigger problem
killers who wanted us to know who they were. Only an idiot wouldnt labelthose ghouls as prime suspects after theyd beaten on Harris just the
evening before he and Shayne were murdered. Those ghouls knew that by leaving the bodies here, they were practically signing their names on
them.
Only one reason I could think ofwhoever was behind this felt strong enough to come out from behind the curtain. This might as wellbe a public
service announcement that the ghouls would start stepping up their attacks, and I didnt think it was a coincidence that theyd chosen to start
displaying vampire bodies in the same area I grew up in. No, I took this as a statement of You cant stop us, Reaper, and damned if Id let that
stand. Vampires might be disappearing in other areas, too, but here was where the perpetrators were calling us out by leaving the bodies. If we
didnt draw a line in the sand here, then wed be almost inviting things to get worse elsewhere.
But theres not much anyone else is going to do about it, is there? I asked in a sudden rush of frustration. My old team wont get involved
because they only step in when the undead attack humans. The vampire community willjust shrug because Shayne and Harris were Masterless. Ed
and Scratch cant take on a bunch of ghouls by themselves, and if we go after the killers and their leader is who I think he is . . . wellbe playing
right into that bastards hands.
Bones stared at me without blinking. You know youre right about your old team, the vampire community, and how we cant openly go after those
ghouls if Apollyon is involved.
Apollyon. An image of the centuries-old ghoulwith his squat body and almost laughable comb-over flashed across my mind. Appearance-wise,
Apollyon might look to be on the ass end of average, but in the past year, hed managed to incite a hellof a lot of trouble. Bones almost died after
ghouls attacked us in Paris severalmonths ago, plus ghouls provided support to another Master vampire in his attempts to force me to return to
him. Allcourtesy of Apollyons inflamed rhetoric. Even though I hoped I was wrong, I just knew he was the one behind these attacks, too.
Of course, that meant allthese terrible things were happening because of me.
We cant let him or the others get away with this, I growled.
Boness mouth curled into a predatory smile. Kitten . . . I said we cant openly go after them.
3
A large shadow passed across the doorway, blocking out the sun as Tiny entered the apartment. The vampires nickname was ironic, because
he was massive in a way that would make even the mythicalConan feelinsecure.
Cops are coming, he said.
Id heard the wailof sirens growing ever closer over the past couple minutes. Guess one of the neighbors had gotten jittery at the sight of severasinister-
looking people milling around the driveway. They obviously hadnt heard the death struggle taking place severalhours before or we wouldnt
have been first on the scene.
You keep nosing around here, Illhandle them, I said to Bones. If we were lucky, Bones might recognize the scent from one of the murderers. In
his two hundred and twenty-plus years as a vampire, hed come across a lot of undead people, and scent was as unique as a fingerprint.
Still, I didnt hold out much hope that wed solve these murders that easily. Bones might know a lot of undead people, but vampires and ghouls
made up roughly five percent of the worlds population. Even with Boness extensive history, there were too many for Bones to know each pulseless
one personally.
Bones glanced at Tiny, who followed me outside. I didnt reach for my cellphone, but that had been my first instinct. Using my government
connections to chase cops away from crime scenes was habit to me after the years at my old job. This next part, however, was stillrelatively new.
Hey, I called down when the police officers arrived and got out of their squad car. Glad youre here, I was just about to call.
Do you live here, maam? We received a report about suspicious persons loitering in the area, the blond cop said, eyeing Tiny in a wary
manner. His partners hand moved to his gun.
Skin that piece again and Illforget Im not hungry, Tiny muttered, so low the cops couldnt hear him.
I stifled a laugh and addressed the police officers again. I dont live here, but my friends place was broken into. Can you check it out?
The cops gave me a once-over as they came up the stairs to the second floor. I smiled in a harmless way and made sure my empty hands were
wellwithin eyesight. Of course, a thorough cop would wonder why I was wearing a long jacket during the warm summer afternoon.
When they were within a dozen feet of me, my gray eyes turned glowing green. I lasered that stare at them, letting the entrapping nosferatu power
cloud their minds.
Theres nothing going on here, I said in a firm, pleasant voice. Turn around and leave, the callwas a false alarm.
Nothing going on, the blond officer intoned.
False alarm, his buddy repeated, his hand leaving his gun.
Thats right. Go on. Serve and protect somewhere else.
They both turned around and got back into their car without another word, driving off. Before I became a vampire, it wouldve taken twenty
minutes and two phone calls to get the same result, unless Bones green-eyed the localcops into leaving. Vampire mind controlsure made it easy
to cut through the bureaucratic red tape when it came to crime scenes.
Bones appeared in the apartment doorway holding two slender, sheet-draped bundles. To any nosy neighbors, he might have been carrying
wrapped horizontalblinds instead of what I knew they werethe remains of Shayne and Harris.
Tiny, put these in your boot, Bones said.
Tiny glanced down at his feet in confusion. I snorted. He means your trunk. British English can be so confusing at times.
Thats only because you Yanks keep renaming things, Bones replied with an arch look, handing off the corpses to Tiny. Then he leapt over the
balcony, landing in the parking lot without a hitch in his stride as he walked over to Ed and Scratch. Both vampires regarded Bones gloomily.
Whatre you doing with their bodies? Ed asked.
Burying them elsewhere, Bones replied.
Scratch ran a hand through his gray-streaked hair. Suppose youllbe off now that youve learned what you wanted to know.>
Scratch sounded resigned. I caught Boness slight smile as I came down to the parking lot the normalway by taking the stairs5
Get in the car, lads. We have some things to discuss.>
I got behind the wheelwith Bones riding shotgun as Ed and Scratch warily climbed into our backseat. From my rearview mirror I saw Tiny stufD
the remains of the two vampires into his trunk, then he and Band-Aid were ready to go.
Back to the mall? I asked, pulling out of the driveway.
Thats fine, Kitten, he replied. His arm rested across the back of his seat as he settled himself in a lounging way while staring at Ed and
Scratch.
Would you try to bring your mates killers to justice if you had assistance? Bones asked them.
A scoff came from Ed. Of course. Shayne didnt deserve to go out like that. Didnt know Harris very well, but he probably didnt, either.
Damn straight, Scratch muttered.
I cast a sideways glance at Bones, wondering where he was going with this and stillunable to plug into his emotions to get a hint. He tapped his
chin thoughtfully.
Would be dangerous, even with help.
Another scoff, this time from Scratch. Living is dangerous when youre Masterless, unless youre one of the lucky strong ones, but I dont expect
youd know much about that.
A smile ghosted across Boness lips. I know a thing or two about dangerous living, in fact, but as you seem not to fancy being Masterless, what
say you to joining my line?
My gaze flew to Bones before flicking to the rearview mirror. Both Ed and Scratch looked stunned. So was I. What Bones was offering was akin
to adopting them.
Think before you answer, Bones went on. Once sworn, you cant change your mind and get your freedom back unless you formally ask for it
and I decide to grant that request.
Ed let out a soft whistle. Youre serious, arent you?
As death, Bones lightly replied.
I heard youre a mean bastard, Scratch said after a long pause. But Ive also heard youre a fair one. I can dealwith mean and fair. Beats being
on my own trying to fight off every asshole who thinks killing Masterless vampires is an easy way to make a name for himself.
My brows went up at this blunt analysis, but Bones didnt look the least bit offended. What about you, Ed?
Why are you offering this? Ed wondered, looking at Bones with narrowed eyes. You know from our power levels that wellnever be Masters.
You cant be hard up for our measly ten percent tithe, either, so whats in it for you?
Bones matched Eds stare. For starters, I want to catch these ghouls, and youd help me with that. You also must have heard that recent wars
killed severalmembers of my line. You were loyalto your mates even after your Master died and you had no obligation to them. Then you were
smart enough not to walk into a potentialtrap without backup. I could use more smart blokes whose loyalty to me, my wife, and my co-ruler would be
without exception.
Ed met my gaze briefly in the rearview mirror before looking back at Bones. Allright, he said, each word measured. Im in.
Bones pulled out a silver knife. I snapped my attention back to the road before I caused a wreck with my frequent glances around the car.
Besides, I knew Bones wasnt about to start stabbing Ed and Scratch. He was just making this official.
By my blood, Bones said, scoring a line in his palm, I declare you, Ed, and you, Scratch, to be members of my line. If I betray this oath, let my
blood be my penalty.
Then Bones passed the knife to Ed, his cut healing before the first drops of blood splashed against his dark pants. I didnt need to look back to
know that Ed made a slice into his palm; the tantalizing new scent of blood told me that.
By my blood, I acknowledge you, Bones, as my Master, Ed rasped. If I betray this oath, let my blood be my penalty.
Scratch repeated the words to the accompaniment of another mouthwatering scent filling the car. Aside from my discomfort with the whole
master aspect that came with vampire lineage, I now had the tightening in my stomach to think about. I hadnt fed since last night and my next meamight
be tricky to get since I had to find someone aside from Bones to drink from. Normalvampires had plenty of options when it came to feeding.
The power in their gaze meant they could snack off humans without their donors remembering it had happened, or vampires exchanged room and
board with specially selected humans in return for blood.
I didnt have those conveniences. Mind controldidnt work on other vampires, and no undead households I knew of had a stable of vampires
available to feed from. Plus, we were stilltrying to keep my strange dietand its side effectsfrom becoming common knowledge. So I couldnt