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Apart from Serena and Kally, I couldnt reach one. His eyes went to his black book as if it were possessed. None of them.
So you think theyre dead? I questioned, not seeing the reason for the jump of thought.
Davids eyes were haunted. Ive been having really weird dreams about them, he said. My girlfriends, I mean. Im waking up in my own bed clean and rested, not mud-caked and naked in the park, so I never gave them much thought, but now
Kisten chuckled, and I started wishing Id left him in the car. Theyre avoiding you, wolfman, the vampire said, and David pulled himself straight, ire giving him strength.
Theyre gone, he muttered.
I watched warily, knowing that Kisten was too savvy to push him too far, but David was erratic right now.
Either they dont answer their phone or their roommates dont know where they are. His eyes slipped to mine, haunted. Those are the ones that Im worried about. The ones I couldnt reach.
Six women, Kisten said, now standing at the window wall that looked out on a small patio. Thats not bad. Half of them probably moved.
In a month and a half? David said caustically. Then, as if galvanized by the admission, he went to the kitchen, his pace fast with nervous energy.
My eyebrows rose. David dated six women in as many weeks? Weres werent any more randy than the rest of the population, but remembering his reluctance to settle down and start a pack, I decided it probably wasnt that he couldnt keep a girlfriend but rather that he was content playing the field. Playing the pro field. Jeez, David.
Theyre missing, he said, standing in his kitchen as if having forgotten why he went in there. I thinkI think Im blanking out and killing them.
My gut clenched at the lost sound of his voice. He really believed he was killing these women.
Well, there you go, Kisten said. Someone found out youre a player and called the rest. Youve been stung, Mr. Peabody. He chuckled. Time to start a new black book.
David looked insulted, and I thought Kisten was being unusually insensitive. Maybe he was jealous. You know what? I said, spinning to Kisten. You need to shut up.
Hey, Im just saying
David jerked as if remembering why he had gone into the kitchen, popping open a tin of cat food and shaking it onto a plate before setting it on the floor. Rachel, would you refuse to talk to a man youd slept with, even if you were mad at him?
My eyebrows rose. He hadnt just dated six women in six weeks, hed slept with them, too? UhI stammered. No. Id want to give him a piece of my mind at the very least.
Head lowered, David nodded. Theyre missing, he said. Im killing them. I know it.
David, I protested, seeing a hint of concern on Kistens face, Weres dont black out and kill people. If they did, they wouldve been hunted into extinction hundreds of years ago by the rest of Inderland. Theres got to be another reason they arent talking to you.
Because I killed them, David whispered, hunched over the counter.
My gaze drifted to the ticking wall clock. Two-fifteen. Id missed my class. It doesnt add up, I said, coming to sit at a barstool. Do you want me to have Ivy track them down? Shes good at finding people.
Looking relieved, he nodded. Ivy could find anyone, given time. She had been retrieving abducted vamps and humans from illegal blood houses and jealous exes since leaving the I. S. It made my familiar rescues look vapid, but we each had our own talents.
My motions shifting the stiff barstool back and forth slowed. Since I was here, I ought to see about taking the focus home with me. Anyone who cared to look it up would know that I belonged to Davids pack. Being a loner and trained to react to violence, David was a hard target. Anyone he worked with, though
Oh, shit, I said, then put a hand to my mouth, realizing Id said it aloud. Both Kisten and David stared at me. Uh, David, did you tell your dates about the focus?
His confusion turned to a soft anger. No, he said forcefully.
Kisten glowered at the smaller man. You mean to tell me you nipped six women in six weeks, and you never showed them the focus to impress them?
Davids jaw clenched. I dont need to lure women to my bed. I ask them, and if theyre willing, they come. Showing them wouldnt have impressed them anyway. Theyre human.
I pulled my elbows off the counter, my face warming in indignation. You date humans? You wont date a witch because you dont believe in mixed-species pairings, but youll sleep around with humans? You big fat hypocrite!
David pleaded with me with his eyes. If I dated a Were woman, shed want to be a part of my pack. Weve been over this before. And since Weres originally came from humans
My eyes narrowed. Yeah, I got it, I said, not liking it. Weres came from humans same as vamps, but unlike becoming a vamp, the only way to become a Were was to be born one.
Usually.
My thoughts zinged back to yesterday morning and being woken by a demon tearing my church apart looking for the focus. Oh-h-h-h, shit, I thought, remembering to keep my mouth shut this time. Missing girlfriends. Three unidentified bodies in the morgue: athletic, professional, and all with a similar look. They were brought in as Weres, but if what I thought happened had happened, they wouldnt be in the Were database but the human. Suicides from last months full moon.
David, Im so sorry, I whispered, and Kisten and David stared at me.
What? David said, wary, not distraught.
I looked helplessly at him. It wasnt your fault. It was mine. I shouldnt have given it to you. I didnt know all you had to do was have it in your possession. I never would have given it to you if I did. He looked blank at me, and, feeling nauseous, I added, I think I know where your girlfriends are. Its my fault, not yours.
David shook his head. Give me what?
The focus, I said, my face wrinkled in pity. I thinkit turned your girlfriends.
His face went ashen, and he put a hand to the counter. Where are they? he breathed.
I swallowed hard. The city morgue.
Two trips to the morgue in as many days, I thought, hoping I wasnt starting a pattern. My gardening sneakers were silent on the cement; Davids steps beside and a little behind me were heavy with a deep depression. Kisten was behind him, and the vampires obvious unease would have been funny if we werent trooping down here to identify three Jane Wolfs.
The focus was in my bag now, silent and quiescent this far from the full moon. It still held the chill from Davids freezer and made a cold spot against me. Experience said that next Monday it would have shifted from a bone statue of a womans face to a silver-sheened wolfs muzzle, dripping saliva and making a high-pitched squeal only pixies could hear. I have to get rid of this thing. Maybe I could use it to pay off one of my demon marks. But if Newt or Al sold it in turn to someone else and it started an Inderland power struggle, Id feel responsible.
We reached the end of the stairway, and with the two men trailing behind me I turned smartly to the right and followed the arrows to the double doors. Hi, Iceman, I said, smacking the left side of the swinging door open and striding in as if I owned the place.
The young man sat up, pulling his feet from his desk. Ms. Morgan, he said. Holy cow, you gave me a start.
Kisten slunk in after me, eyes darting everywhere. Come here often? he asked when the kid behind the desk put down his handheld game and stood.
All the time, I quipped, extending my hand to meet Icemans grip. Dont you?
No.
Icemans attention flicked from me to Kisten, finally lingering on David, standing with his hands at his sides. His enthusiasm to see me dimmed as he realized we were here to identify someone. Oh, uh, hey, he said, his hand slipping from mine, Its great to see you, but I cant let you in there unless you have someone from the I.S. or the F.I.B. with you. He winced. Sorry.
Detective Glenn is on his way, I said, feeling bouncy for some reason. Sure, I was here to identify a corpse or three, but I knew someone Kisten didnt, and that didnt happen often.
Relief turned him back into a young kid who should be serving smoothies at the mall, not morgue minding. Good, he said. Youre welcome to sit on a gurney while you wait.
I glanced at the empty gurney against the wall. Ah, I think Ill stand, I said. This is Kisten Felps, I added, then turned to David. And David Hue.
David pulled himself together and, finding a professional air, came forward with his hand extended. Pleasure to meet you, he said, rocking back as soon as their handshake ended. Howhow many Jane Wolfs do you get on average a month?
His voice carried a hint of panic, and Iceman went closed, sitting back behind his desk. Im sorry, Mr. Hue. I really shouldnt
David held up a hand and turned away, head bowed in worry. My good mood vanished. A sharp cadence of hard-soled shoes in the outer hallway brought our attentions up, and I puffed in relief when Glenns powerfully built frame came through the door, his thick hand holding the heavy metal easy and his dark skin and pink fingernails standing out against the stark whiteness of the chipped paint. He was in his usual coat and tie, the butt of a pistol showing past his jacket. Angling himself, he slipped in almost sideways so he wouldnt have to open the door entirely.
Rachel, he said as the door swung shut. His gaze lit on David and Kisten, eyebrows settling into a closed cast of F.I.B. officialness. Davids confidence had degraded into depression, and Kisten was nervous. I was getting the distinct impression he didnt like it down here.
Hi, Glenn, I said, conscious of my less-than-professional appearance in sneakers, faded green T-shirt, and dirt-marked jeans. Thanks for letting me get you out from behind your desk.
You said it was about the Jane Wolfs. How could I refuse?
Davids jaw tightened. The reaction wasnt missed by Glenn, and his gaze softened, now that he understood why David was here. I could feel Kisten behind me, and I turned to him. Glenn, this is Kisten Felps, I said, but Kisten had already pushed forward, smiling with his lips closed.
Weve met, Kisten said, grasping Glenns hand and giving it a firm shake. Well, in a manner of speaking. You were the one that downed the waitstaff at Piscarys last year.
Using Rachels splat gun, Glenn said, suddenly nervous. I didnt
Kisten released his hand and stepped away. No, you didnt tag me. But I saw you during the wrap-up. Good shooting. Accuracy is hard to find when your life is on the line.
Glenn smiled to show his flat, even teeth. He was the only F.I.B. guy I knew besides his dad who could talk to a vamp without fear and knew to bring breakfast when knocking on a witchs door at noon. No hard feelings? Glenn asked.
Shrugging, Kisten turned to the double doors leading to the hallway. We all do what we have to do. Its only on our days off we get to be ourselves.
You arent kidding, I thought, wondering what kind of a mess Kisten was going to find himself in if Piscary got out. I wasnt the only one the master vampire had unfinished business with. And while Piscary could hurt Kisten while he was still in prison, I had a feeling that the undead vampire enjoyed drawing out the fear of the unknown. He might forgive Kisten for giving me Egyptian embalming fluid to incapacitate him, seeing the betrayal as the act of an unruly, rebellious child. Maybe. Me, he was just ticked at.
His shoes scuffing, David came forward. David. David Hue, he said, eyes pinched. Can we please get this over with?
Glenn shook his hand, his expressive face turning to a professional detachment I knew he used so he could sleep at night. Of course, Mr. Hue, he said. The F.I.B. detective glanced at Iceman, and the college kid tossed him the Bite-Me-Betty doll with the key. Catching it, the rims of the upright, meticulous F.I.B. officers ears darkened in embarrassment.
Rachel? Kisten murmured as we all headed that way. Ah, if you can get a ride home with David, I need to fly on out of here.
I stopped. Glenn turned from holding the door open for me. Through it I could see the comfortable seating arrangement and Icemans work partner puttering around with a clipboard, peering over his glasses at us. Kisten is afraid of the dead?
KistenI coaxed, not believing it. I had wanted to stop at The Big Cherry on the way home to pick up Glenns tomato fix, at a charm shop for the lilac wine, and just about anywhere for a box of birthday candles for me in the hopes that a cake might be in my future. But Kisten backed up a step.
Really, he said. I have to go. Theres some rare cheese coming in today, and if Im not there to sign for it, Ill have to go to the post office and pick it up.
Rare cheese, my ass. And I hate not having my own car. Hip cocked, I took a breath to complain, but David interrupted with an easy, Ill get you home, Rachel.
Kistens eyes were pleading. Giving up, I muttered, Go on. Ill call you later.
He jiggled on his feet, his usual poise gone to make him look charmingly vulnerable. Leaning in, he gave me a quick kiss on my neck. Thanks, love, he whispered. His hand on my shoulder tightened, and with a quick hint of teeth he sent a spike of desire to my core.
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