Levi leaned back in his seat. “I want to try and renegotiate with Hannah, as king.”
“That would be a stupid move. You could screw up the current deal.”
“I know, but if Ira is back, I need the extra manpower. The council can only do so much. Grayson can only protect Abby at PIB for so long, and we know that she will be the first Ira goes after.” He folded his hands on the desk. “There has to be something that woman wants.”
“She’s crazy. She wants her daughter to be human, her magic to settle down, and she has Drake playing with dolls again. There’s nothing she wants that we can give her. Unless you want to admit to being king.”
Levi shook his head. “No, that needs to stay hidden.” The council and the human government decided that was best because of the power vampires held. It needed to stay that way.
“Then we have nothing to negotiate with. Unless…” Mario paused, and Levi waited for him to continue.
“Unless, Mario?”
“You want to give her the information that Elizabeth and Tobias were working on.”
“No.” There was no hesitation in him, that information was dangerous and could go very bad if it got into the wrong hands.
“Then we have nothing.”
Levi sighed. “I’m sorry my friend.”
Mario snorted. “You’re not the one who fell in love with the bitch, I am.” He turned to walk out. “I’m going to go take care of other needs. I heard that Ivy has been asking about me.”
“She has, but be careful with her. She was just released from the hospital on an overdose.”
Mario grinned. “Promise I won’t hurt her.”
And Levi knew he wouldn’t. He watched the other vampire leave and then decided it was time for him to feed himself. There was no need to put it off now that Mario was feeling better and Abby was distracted for the night.
Ira watched the car pull away from the mansion. Thanks to the help of a witch, he was able to cloak himself from Levi’s senses. He smiled as the moonlight caught Abigail’s face. She looked just like Elizabeth.
What he didn’t expect was the werewolf tagging along with her. Either she had taken a lover, or Levi was already putting extra guards on her. Ira chuckled. Levi was always the cautious one.
Ira took himself back to his temporary home. It wasn’t much, a house in the woods where he’d worked once before. He closed his eyes as he sensed a presence there. If he had known better, he’d say there was a ghost or two there.
He sat on the dusty couch and thought. Abigail had yet to check out the park where the drug dealer was. Maybe he was wrong about Levi sending her. Maybe it was just time to up the stakes of the games a bit.
He thought about the bodies in the basement and the blood-starved vampires he had created. Not that long ago, Levi had been on board with the projects and creations. Elizabeth had been too because she was convinced there was a way to save her beloved father with it.
Science. Magic. It all came down to creating the perfect hybrid creature that could have the abilities and advantages of being a vampire or a were-creature, yet none of the drawbacks. No bloodlust, no being tied to the moon.
And they could fill the world with them, make everyone one of the monsters so no one would be human. Humans were simple, weak, cattle.
And his niece…was barely more than human. A powerful witch from what he’d seen and heard over the years. If he could find out how Elizabeth managed to make the child live, if he could just test the blood to see if she had the needed genes and duplicate it. He could take the spot as king, kill Levi, and his creatures could turn the world into a paradise.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Levi watched as people danced across the ballroom. Humans, vampires, werewolves, witches, creatures that stayed hidden. They all came to celebrate his territory with him. But as they danced, all he could think about were the balls his maker used to throw. Dancing over the floor with women who’d become their meals, maybe not live through the night or next day.
“You’re dwelling again,” Mario spoke from his side. “Go find someone to dance with and stop sitting here moping like a schoolboy.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “I hate dancing. All this.” He gestured to the crowd. “Is for their sake, not mine.”
Mario nodded. “It is, but it allows them to celebrate having a good territory leader. The wolves do things like this too.”
“Mm yes, but I hear they at least go hunting at the end of the night.”
Mario snorted. “Go find a woman and get laid then.”
“I have better things to do with my time.” He shook his head. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and for a moment he thought it might have been Abby, but she knew about the party tonight. He pulled it out to see a message from Detective Mason.
‘Abby’s missing.’
Levi shot from his chair. “Mario, cover for me.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to make a phone call.” He disappeared from his chair and took himself outside. He looked around to make sure no one was around. He dialed Mason.
“What do you mean Abigail is missing?”
Mason hesitated for a moment. “I was on the phone with her while she was at the morgue. We have a safe word in ncase we’re in danger —”
“Yes, I know.” It was protocol for PIB because their job could put them in questionable situations where communication for help was needed. “She gave you that and then what?”
“I sent men to the morgue, but only the medical examiner was there. Abby was gone, and the examiner is refusing to tell us what happened.”
Fury filled him. “We need to find her now.” The first thought that went through him was Ira.
“I’m working on it. I promise, but I thought you needed to know.”
“I can’t leave the mansion right now. You tell that ME that he works with you or he’ll be facing my wrath.” He hung the phone up and shoved it back into his pocket.
Mario came out. “What is wrong?” He asked again
“Abigail is missing.”
“Ira?” Mario whispered.
He shook his head. “No, I think this is case related. She was at the medical office.” So he hoped.
“Are you going after her?”
He shook his head. “If she’s not back by morning, then I’ll send the wolves out to track her. I can’t leave here without showing that there’s a weakness.”
“Good. Come back to the ball.”
Levi nodded and texted Mason. “Keep me updated via text.”
“Okay” was the only response he got back.
Nothing came through during the hours of dancing, and he texted Mason several times with no response.
“Stop looking at your phone,” Mario hissed.
Levi sighed. “She’s missing, Mario.”
“She’s a tough woman, Levi.”
Yes, she was. A vampire woman stepped up to him.
“Care to dance?”
Mario nudged him, and he nodded. “It’d be my honor.” He held his hand out and swept her to the dance floor. Despite hating to dance, he could waltz with the best of them. It had needed it as a facade through his years of hunting and killing. The rich tended to have better blood, better assets. Things that he didn’t worry about now.
He danced with the woman across the floor, moving around to the music. When the song was over, he bowed to her, and she pecked him on the cheek before disappearing into the crowd. He checked his phone and saw a text from Mason.
‘Confession: he drugged her and let someone take her.’
‘Did he give a description?’ He put the phone back in his pocket.
Mario handed his hand out. “Give me the phone.”
“I need to make sure she’s okay.”
“You’re distracted, and that’s not good. There are at least two strange vampires here. Have you noticed their arrival?”
He hadn’t noticed. “No, have you figured out who they are yet?”
Mario shoo
k his head. “No, but they came in with Ivy, she disappeared not long ago.”
“Most likely to feed someone. I’m not too worried about her.”
Mario nodded. “Go greet the new vampires, keep off your phone, and quit getting distracted. Abigail will be fine.”
Levi didn’t appreciate Mario scolding him like a child, but Mario was right. He needed to leave the distraction and weakness behind and focus. His eyes swept over the dance floor, looking for the vampires Mario was talking about. There, in the corner were the two younglings.
Mario was right. They were new to the territory and new to the change. Levi took himself over to them. “What do we have here? Party crashers?”
They turned to him, and their eyes flashed red. Not only were they new, but they also needed to feed. Baby vampires were almost like newborn humans; they needed to be fed often.
“Hello, your honor.” One of them snorted and gave a half bow. Levi lifted a brow at the almost drunk like behavior. “We’ve been told that this is the place to be. That the all-powerful territory leader was holding a party.”
“To which you were not invited. So, if you would. Leave.” He motioned to the door.
The other one nudged the first one. “Come on man, our job is done here.” The two of them disappeared before Levi could even ask.
He shook his head. Someone would have to find them eventually and explain to them how the territory worked. He spun around as something crashed behind him. Ivy was stumbling through and hitting tables and chairs as she tried to make her way to the dance floor.
She let out a shrill laugh before Levi appeared in front of her. He grabbed her arm and took her from the ballroom to his office. What the hell was going on tonight? He nearly threw her on the couch. “What is wrong with you?”
“Thrills.” She laughed as she collapsed against the cushions. “Beautiful colors and all the sounds.” She looked at him. “Levi, it’s wonderful. You have to try it.”
This was not going to go well.
Her body started thrashing, and he cursed. He couldn’t leave the party for long, and she needed to go back to the hospital for another overdose.
Mario appeared. “I heard about the commotion. Go back, let me take care of this.”
Levi nodded and appeared back in the ballroom. A few people gave him questioning looks. “Don’t worry. She just had a little too much to drink.” Though donors weren’t supposed to be drinking at the party, everyone there would trust him to take care of it and would expect not to see her back as a donor.
After her showing up twice on Thrills, her being a donor was now out of the question. He calmed himself and started to mingle with the others in the ballroom.
With the guests gone and the party over, Levi found peace with a few moments of quiet. People drained him. He would much rather hide in his office and not have to worry about pleasing every person he came in contact with. It wasn’t that he couldn’t deal with people, it was that he hated it.
He sat in his bedroom and closed his eyes as he felt the sun come up. He still had the energy to be awake, and he sent Mason another text asking about Abigail.
‘Still no news.’
He cursed and tossed his phone on the bed. He paced the room, going through the details of the night. Abigail gone, two strange vampires, Ivy’s overdose. The three might be related, or they might not be.
His phone buzzed, and he snatched it up, hoping it was Abby. Instead, Mario’s name flashed on the screen as it continued to ring.
“Where are you?” Levi asked in the way of greeting.
“About to head back to the mansion, but I wanted to tell you this because I will have to sleep the moment I get back.”
“Tell me what?”
“Ivy is in critical condition. Seems that she took more of the drug. Her heart was not healed from the last overdose and is having problems recovering from the rapid speed.”
He locked his jaw. “Did anyone use her as a donor tonight?”
“No, it looks like the only fresh marks are mine, and that was last night.”
He paced his room some more. “That’s good. It means that we won’t have any possibly drugged vampires…” His mind went back to the younglings. “We need to find those vampires that were there tonight.”
“You focus on that tomorrow night. I’ll find out what I can about the drug.” The phone disconnected, and Levi sat on his bed with his head held down.
What on earth was going on in his territory? Things had been so quiet for the last decade that he hadn’t been expecting any disruptions. Now it seemed that things were leaking into his territory.
Sleep. He needed to sleep to regain his energy and clear his mind. Though he could be awake during the day, it took much more energy. He stripped off his suit and threw the clothes in a hamper. A shower would help relax him and his mind.
He stepped into the shower and turned the water on. Even as a vampire he could feel the heat of the water against his skin, seeping into the coldness that was him. He closed his eyes and let the water wash over his face and down his body. Trying to push away all thoughts. There was a place in his mind that he could store all of them and it would allow him some peace.
Elizabeth’s face flashed in his mind, and he cursed. Some days he felt as if the woman was haunting him.
He got out of the shower and dried off. Throwing on a pair of sweats, he laid down on the bed. Vampires could dream as they were merely sleeping, and today he hoped that his dreams would take it easy on him.
He woke when his phone buzzed. Throwing himself out of bed, the small amount of panic mixed with hope that it was news about Abby, he snatched it up.
“Hello?”
“Have you heard from Abby?” Simon’s voice came across the line, and Levi had to keep himself from lashing out. He looked at the clock, just a little bit past noon.
“No, I haven’t. Where the hell were you when she was taken?” he snapped at the wolf. He was supposed to be protecting her.
“She dropped me off home to deal with some mission you gave her. Said she’d be back by sunrise. She’s not here.” He paused. “Wait, taken?”
“Keep up Simon. Apparently the ME drugged her, and then someone took her from there. That’s all the information that I have.”
The line went dead in his hand, and he wondered if the wolf accidentally hung up or if he was panicking. Levi rubbed his eyes. Well, now he was up for the day. Maybe he could get something done in the office. Mario would still be tucked in bed, but it’s not like Levi needed him during the day anyway.
He took himself to his office and looked over the paperwork on his desk. He shuffled through things, pretending to work, but not really paying attention to what was on the table. He could go back to bed and hope for more sleep, but thoughts of not knowing where Abby was filled his mind.
He reached for his phone to call Mason when the phone rang in his hand.
He answered it, and before he could even say ‘hello,’ Abby’s voice came over the line.
“Hey, I’m heading home.”
Relief swept through him. “Where the hell have you been?”
She snorted as if it was some joke. “For the record, you did tell me to stay away from the mansion while the event was going on.”
He closed his eyes and tried not to yell at her. He needed to keep his emotions reigned in. “Abigail, I want you here at the mansion. You’ve been attacked twice since starting this case.” The attacks were unusual for a case like this. He wanted her safe and within helping distance.
There was a moment where she seemed to be considering it. “I’ll be there in a couple hours. I’m in the city.”
“Thank you.” He was glad she chose not to argue and made sure to put the appreciation in his tone. “I will see you then, drive safe.”
He texted Simon that Abby was on her way to the mansion and left it at that.
When the doorbell rang, Levi was not expecting to find Simon standing on the stoop. “What do you want w
olf?”
“I want to hear Abigail’s explanation for what happened. I’m surprised I beat her here.”
Levi looked out the door and saw cat wander into the woods. He paused for a moment wondering what a domestic cat was doing up here.
“Levi?” Simon motioned to the door. “Can I come in?”
He nodded and stepped away. “Of course, sorry. Abigail should be here soon. I am also curious to hear what she has to say.” And if Simon were responsible for any of it, the wolf would be dead.
“Go ahead and wait for Abigail, if you’d excuse me for just a moment.” Levi took himself back to his office where he found Mario standing. “What do you want?”
“I’m heading in to check on Ivy since I know you don’t want me around when Abigail is here.”
“You make it sound like you’re a dark secret.”
Mario laughed. “Everything about you is a dark secret, Levi.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “Then be gone, she’s here.”
The front door opened and he heard Simon and Abby talking.
“So, I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but first I want some food.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, I had no plans on being kidnapped last night, and I know you were expecting me to be back before dawn.”
Simon laughed. “Yeah, I was, but maybe next time I should specify which dawn?”
“Next time, maybe. Let’s see what’s in the kitchen to eat, and I’ll explain to you what happened.” She sounded more relaxed at Simon’s small joke.
“I’d like to be there for that conversation too.” Levi stepped into the foyer and looked at her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Other than starving, I’m fine.” There was a small shake in her voice that told him otherwise. He looked her up and down trying to find any physical wounds. He didn’t sense any magic on her, and he didn’t smell any blood. So at least she was physically unharmed.
“To the kitchen then.”
She blew out a breath, and they all made their way to the kitchen.
Levi made sure to keep some easy meals there for those, now rare, occasions that Abigail stayed there.
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