Goddess With a Blade

by Lauren Dane

  “I should tell you you needn’t worry about catching the virus.”

  She must have looked as confused as she felt because he pointed to her mouth. “I believe I nicked your lip. I apologize for that. And of course, Vampires can’t carry STDs so you don’t need to be concerned about blood exchange.”

  Her tongue found the spot he’d brushed with his incisors. A perverse need to poke at him built within her. A need to shake him and wipe that smug look from his face. “I know. You seem to forget I was raised by The First. I lost my virginity at sixteen to one of his lieutenants.” The man who’d told her the truth about what really happened to her parents not six months later when they’d broken things off. When her godfather found out, the lieutenant had been executed. Another six months later and she’d escaped the Keep and landed on the doorstep of the Motherhouse in Paris.

  He made a strangled sound, his fists clenching a little, before he sighed. “I do forget. Yes.” He looked at her for a moment and then down to the photos on the table. “What are you going to do about this?”

  “I’m going to hunt him down and slay him. You can help me. Or not. The outcome will be the same.”

  “You want me to help you kill a Vampire?” he demanded, incredulous.

  “Don’t pretend to be something you aren’t, okay? I know what you are. I know what you do. This breaks the treaty. Period. You can’t kill humans. You certainly can’t torture them, kill them and dump their bodies. More than the fact that you seem to show no outrage over murder, you should be concerned that the human police are involved. They’ve asked me to consult on the case, as a matter of fact.”

  “If you tell them about us, it’s you who’ve broken the treaty.”

  She shook her head and stood. Picking up the photos and tucking them in her bag, she looked at him for several long moments.

  “I have not broken the treaty. Let’s be clear here, you may wrap up what you are in a three-thousand-dollar suit and think you fool others about your true nature. But I don’t pretend to be what I’m not. I’m a Hunter and I’ll find this Vampire and kill him. I won’t feel remorse for it. I won’t tell the cops about you, but try not to underestimate humans for a change, okay? After a while, they’re going to start asking the right questions and they may just figure it out on their own.”

  She moved toward the elevator and hit the call button. “In any case, it’s up to you what you do. But never what I do. Remember that. I’m a Hunter. It’s my job. I serve the Goddess, that’s my calling. Justice will be meted out.”

  The doors closed behind her and he scrubbed his face with his hands, groaning at her scent. For a man who prided himself on never being out of control, he’d just had the most intense minutes of his life. In fact he’d never felt more alive than in the hours since she’d strode into his apartment the first time.

  God, he’d kissed the Hunter. Against the windows. The one woman he should not want, should not have touched and he did it in view of the entire Las Vegas Strip. Worse, he’d do it again in a heartbeat. He’d have done more if he hadn’t heard his phone ringing in the top drawer of his desk across the room.

  Straightening his clothing he went and washed his face and hands, slightly disturbed that he hesitated at getting rid of her scent.

  Pulling himself together, he gave a terse order to his personal assistant to set up a meeting with the others immediately.

  Chapter Six

  Needing to do something other than dwell on what had happened between her and Clive, Rowan drove out to the scene where the body had been abandoned. It was out past the Desert Rose Golf Course, east of the city center, on the way to the Geological Preserve. Enough away from town to not call too much attention but still close enough that Rowan felt very strongly it was one of the Vampires who lived in Las Vegas.

  The night air was still. Unnaturally so. She consulted the notes she’d taken and began to walk out into the open field.

  As she walked, she opened herself up to her power. Took the energy and information the earth freely gave. In the middle of the field, she felt it. The sharp absence of life left behind where a dead body had lain. But there were no red splashes in the energy of the place. The murder itself didn’t happen there. The body had been brought in from wherever she’d been killed.

  Still, the trauma of the event hung in the air. Rowan found many humans had some level of psychic ability but most ignored it. She understood why they did. The world was complicated. Filled with things that upon close examination could scare the shit out of you but you couldn’t do much to stop or prevent either. So most chose blissful ignorance.

  And there were times—such as right then in the middle of that abandoned field in the dark of night, the death itching over her skin—Rowan wished she were just a normal human woman who’d grown up in the suburbs with a lawn and a basketball hoop in the driveway. Wished for the bliss of ignorance and the cover of an everyday existence where she knew nothing of the world beneath the senses.

  Instead, she crouched, reaching out to touch the earth where the body had lain. The shock of it still resonated in the packed dirt. Rowan couldn’t get much. The woman had been dead for at least an hour before the murderer had brought the body there. Sometimes if the spot was where the murder took place, Rowan could pick up sense memories from the victim or even the perpetrator.

  Now she got nothing but the still and heavy cloak of death. So heavy it screamed unnatural causes. Of unnatural things—like Vampires. The earth was outraged in her own way. Rowan felt that. Felt also, that it received her and gave her strength.

  Standing, she brushed her palms off on her skirt as she looked into the night. The moon was bright and she could see civilization all around her.

  All that humanity within sight and yet no one saved the woman who’d been dumped out here like garbage. The senselessness of it offended Rowan deeply. Anger and frustration bubbled up from her gut.

  Why? This was so much more than a blooding gone too far. Vampires were another species. One that preyed on humans and at some points in their history yes, they hunted and killed. But that had not been for a very long time.

  And even at that, the depth of depravity of the kill stunned her. Vampires, even in the thrall of bloodlust tended to drain the human from one, maybe two points and that was it. She hadn’t seen the taking and draining of a heart and other internal organs in her lifetime, and she’d grown up in the capital of nightmare country. The only times she’d heard of it were references in books of the really bad old days before the Renaissance.

  Could it be a Vampire that old? That kind of power would be dangerous, definitely unstable. The older they got, the more tenuous their grasp on reality was. Even then they sort of went into hibernation, they didn’t turn into psycho killers for fuck’s sake.

  She shivered as she headed to her car. While she’d answered some questions, she now left with even more. Two things were certain to her as she started into town. She’d find the killer eventually. But it wouldn’t be before he killed again.

  Clive strode into the meeting room. He didn’t need to hide his emotions as he sat at the head of the large table. Frustration and outright rage over the situation had pushed away his titillation and anger at himself over the kiss.

  “I’ve had another visit from the Hunter.”

  The room erupted in grumbles and Clive silenced them all with a slight movement of his hand.

  “Be quiet. There’s been a murder and she believes it was one of us.” He gave a quick look to be sure they’d keep quiet until he finished. They did. “And from my examination of the photographs and other evidence she had from the police file, she is correct.”

  “She’s always looking out to get one of us killed. And who cares anyway? It’s just one human. They find dead humans all the time around Vegas. Why immediately rush to the conclusion that it’s a Vampire kill?” Wendela snarled and then was on the ground as Clive’s hand, lightning-quick, made contact with her jaw, knocking her from the chair.
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br />   “Stupid as well as undisciplined.” He used the linen napkin his assistant handed him to wipe his hand off. “I’ve been here six months and there’s still not a day that goes by when I don’t want to behead at least one of you. Perhaps I’ll have to go back to that a few times to make my point since you all seem unable to retain your lessons. The answer to your impertinent and asinine question is because I said it was a Vampire kill. People, listen to me!” He slammed his fist down on the table and enjoyed seeing them wince.

  “I’ve looked at her record. She’s made eight kills, all legal. I’ve looked at the official complaints lodged against her by our people here and each time she was cleared by the Joint Tribunal. As for whether or not she’s looking to get us killed?” He shrugged. “That may be true. It’s clear she hates us. But she has a job to do and she does it. And from my examination of the files, she does it lawfully.

  “Of course this is all beside the point. The point is that one of us has broken the treaty. And in an extremely public fashion and in such a way that marks it a Vampire kill. This makes me quite unhappy. Already the human police are involved and if they look too closely there’ll be trouble. As the Hunter reminded me. Let me emphasize how much it displeases me to have the Hunter remind me of anything.”

  “It’s got to be one of those damned idiots at the Vampyre Theatre.” Alice had been Clive’s assistant for thirty-five years. He trusted her judgment and insight.

  “Well, considering the messes I’ve had to clean up down there over the last few months, that does seem to be a logical train of thought.” Clive turned to his top lieutenant. “See to it. Get down there and talk to Marv. I want to stop this now, before it gets to the Keep.” Clive stood. “And may I remind you all, the goal is not to kill when you feed. But if you do kill a human for God’s sake, dispose of the body correctly. This Vampire is sloppy, that offends me.”

  Chapter Seven

  Rowan woke to the sound of a ringing phone. Rolling over, she looked at the clock. 10:00 a.m. Sighing, she picked up.

  “Rowan, darling, I’m returning your email. You know how I hate email. Please don’t make me use the computer. Tell me what’s up.”

  Pushing the hair out of her face, Rowan grinned as she sat up. “Hang on one sec.” Leaning over, she hit the intercom and buzzed David, asking him to bring her up some coffee and a bagel.

  Settling in bed, she tucked the covers around her legs and put the phone back to her ear. “Okay. Thanks for calling. By the time I got in and finished up my work, it was late there. Still, I wanted to fill you in before I crashed.”

  Susan Espy was Rowan’s boss. Well, more than that really. Susan had been the one to bring Rowan into the London Motherhouse.

  Rowan had arrived in Paris alone and emotionally exhausted. She’d heard of the Hunter Corporation and at that point, so soon after hearing of the real cause of her parents’ death, saw them as her ticket to revenge.

  And of course, they’d been overjoyed to have her there. She’d been trained by the Vampire Nation. By The First himself. And she was a Vessel for the Goddess. It made her a threat on many levels. But they just saw her as a tool and it left her empty.

  Until Susan had walked into Rowan’s room and sat on her bed. After looking at her for long moments, the older woman pulled the seventeen-year-old Rowan into her arms, letting her cry it all out. From that point Susan had been her mentor, her mother substitute, her friend and companion. Brought Rowan to her own home in London and treated her like family. It was Susan who’d argued for making the very young Rowan a full partner in the Corporation. Once Rowan had that sense of connectedness, her commitment to the Hunter Corporation’s cause had cemented.

  Rowan filled her in on the death and her investigation up until that point.

  “Well, puddin’, you certainly do have quite a murderous bunch of Vampires on your watch. Must be all that daytime sun. Makes them quite cross. Do you need assistance?”

  Rowan took a sip of her coffee. She’d considered it. “No. It’s a pretty violent killing and points to one seriously fucked-up Vamp, but it’s nothing I can’t handle on my own. The Scion may not have wanted to admit it, but he knows it’s one of his own. This one is different from Jacques. He’s not likely to tolerate the possible exposure. I may not even have to stake the culprit if Stewart finds him before I do.”

  “Language, Rowan,” Susan admonished with a smile in her voice. “All right then. We’re behind you. Use whatever capital you need to. By the way, I do miss you. Having you around for all those months again was fun.”

  She held back a laugh at Susan’s exception to the F word. “Sorry. I miss you too. But I’ll be in Ireland in February for Imbolc and my birthday.”

  “Indeed you will. I’m looking forward to this one. Your thirtieth. Big things for you, I’d wager. Now I must off. You know how Rex gets when I dawdle on our bridge nights. I do love you, puddin’. Be safe will you?”

  Rowan smiled at the thought of the vicious assassin having bridge night with her husband and their friends. “Of course. I’ll speak to you soon.”

  After taking a quick shower, she dressed and headed out. Her office was in a fairly nice building on Paradise Road. Away from the Strip but not too far. She worked at home when she could but with all the gear she had stored in her penthouse, it was necessary to keep the public away.

  Cindy, the harried and perpetually tardy receptionist, waved at Rowan as she strolled in. She’d considered firing Cindy, but in the end it would have been more work to find a replacement and the girl wasn’t all bad. She never complained about being sent out for lunches or late dinners. Answered the phone without cracking gum and didn’t ask questions about just exactly what it was they all did.

  Everyone had flaws.

  “Send Carey into my office, please?” Rowan asked, placing a mocha on the counter.

  “Thanks, boss. Will do.”

  Rowan paused. “Take your vitamins, Cindy, you’re looking pale.”

  “I think I’m coming down with something. I’m taking extra vitamin C.”

  “Go home if you don’t feel better.”

  Rowan went into her office, booted the computer and began to read through her mail.

  “Yo, bosslady, what up?” Carey Barker was her resident computer god, office manager and go-to-guy. He’d pretty much run the place while she was gone. He was also employed by the Hunter Corp and was her right hand on the investigation side.

  She tossed the folder to him and he looked through the pictures and her notes. “Holy shit, Ro.”

  “Indeed.” She’d ceased to be bothered by his calling her by pet names. “So what I want is for you to work your computer magic and find out who this girl was. I want to know everything I can about her.”

  He stood up and nodded. “Got it. Your cop called three times today.”

  She sighed.

  “Ro, he’s human and he cares about you. He has no way of knowing you’re like this super-human, Goddess-channeling Vessel of death and destruction worthy of one very cool Japanese anime series.”

  “Give me strength, dear Goddess.” Rowan waved him away. “Get me the information, please. And close the door on your way out.”

  He left, chuckling.

  She hit the button on her speed dial and called up her email while she waited.

  “Elroy.”

  “You called?”

  “Hey, Rowan, anything new?”

  “Nothing yet. I’ve got Carey finding out what we can about the vic. I didn’t see a lot about her in the file.”

  “Okay. Excellent. You know I’m going to warn you to be careful right?”

  “Look, dad, I’m fine,” she teased. “And you didn’t say much about Lisa. Speaking of trouble and all. How are things going?”

  Lisa, the psycho he slept with and hated depending on the day of the week, worked in the call center for the police department. She was batshit crazy and hated Rowan, always accusing Jack of cheating with her. There was something off about h
er, more than just crazy-girlfriend off. She had a toxic air about her at times and Rowan had begun to wonder, the last time Lisa had shown up to flip out over one thing or other, if she was sick or on something.

  “The usual. We’re sort of back together now. She relaxed a bit while you were gone. You need to give her a chance.”

  She put her hand up in defense but he couldn’t see it anyway. “I wasn’t saying anything bad. Oh well that trouble comment but that was really more about the general state of your relationship being on and off again. I was just asking.”

  “Sure. Anyway, you’d better call me. Hey, you free for dinner this week? I’ll make pesto.”

  “Yum. I haven’t had anything that tasty for months and months. Let me give you a call tomorrow to see what’s up. Okay?”

  They hung up and she looked at her screen. Lots of messages. Requests for research help, answers to questions, sharing of intel. The Hunter Corporation operated worldwide and had thousands of employees who did everything from weapons R&D and martial arts training to making up the army of attorneys at their beck and call. They had an extensive virtual library and several large physical libraries in the hub cities.

  In Rowan’s case, she was lucky Jack bent the rules and that the chief of police liked her. She had the kind of access that most Hunters had to gain through other means. Usually by theft, hacking or inside contacts at various police departments. She’d been hired to consult on certain cases, testified on several occasions. The time spent at the right hand of The First was far more informative than the training she’d received from her former boss, the FBI profiler. But there was no denying that those years and her degrees gave her the keys to work with the police on cases like this one. Still the cops wouldn’t tell her everything. After all, she was a civilian and even with the credentials she had, they didn’t trust outsiders. The attitude and the need to protect the integrity of the legal case created a necessity for her to bend and break the law when she had to to get information. That was a fact of her life and she didn’t feel one bit guilty about it.