by HELEN HARDT
“It’s early yet.”
“I know. But we were both up all night. And you have court first thing in the morning. Have you called your sister?”
“Crap.” Dante rose. “I’ll be right back.”
I turned my arm and regarded the white skin of my inner wrist. I brought it to my nose and inhaled.
The basil overpowered the calendula, giving my skin a fresh, minty scent. I wouldn’t have cared if it smelled like garbage as long as it kept those rogue vampires away, but I was glad the scent was pleasant.
My brother’s image popped into my mind. I had to get to him and somehow convince him to start wearing this mixture on his skin.
How was I supposed to do that?
Dante returned. “Emilia’s meeting us at the courthouse in the morning. She’ll come straight from work. Good thing we’re first on the docket.”
“Yeah, definitely. In her condition, she needs her rest.” I twisted my lips. “Dante?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“The potion seems to be working.”
“Yeah. Thank God.”
“But I want to make it as strong as we can. I hate to ask you this, but—”
“It’s okay.” He grabbed his father’s urn that was sitting on the coffee table. “Let’s add some.”
I took the tiniest pinch of the urn’s contents and added it to the brown glass bottle. I repeated with each of the five bottles the priestess had given me. “We need to tell Jay. Or at least get him to start wearing this potion like I am.”
“I know, baby.”
“But how?”
He shook his head. “I wish I knew.”
“He’s home now. Probably in bed. He’s safe there, right?”
Dante nodded. “I wouldn’t have left you alone here as often as I have if I didn’t believe you were safe. Those vamps don’t normally come out during the day.”
“Why were they out today, then?”
“I don’t know. But we’ll find out. Neither of them will be bothering your brother or anyone else for the rest of the day, though. I saw to that.”
“That was only two of them. What about the others? There were four in my dream.”
“The one called Decker is their leader. They won’t move without him.”
“How do you know?”
“Because of how the other, Giles, acted. Decker’s definitely the alpha of that crew. And he’s the one we need to focus on. He knows me now, and he knows I mean business.” Dante looked away for a moment, as if he were thinking.
“What is it?” I asked.
“He knows me,” Dante said again. “Almost as if he recognized me. In fact, the other one, Giles, said I was the one she talked about. But how? I never saw anyone except… At least I don’t think I did.”
“Except what, Dante? What are you trying to say?”
“God, this is so hard, Erin. I don’t want to be weak. I don’t want to…”
“Baby.” I caressed his back. “It’s okay. Tell me.”
“I only saw three people the whole time I was in captivity. The female vampire who took me and her two human goons.”
“Are you sure they were human?”
“Oh, yeah. They had the scent. They smelled like rotten fish.”
“Yuck.” I scrunched up my nose.
“Not at first. They had normal human smells. I think my brain played tricks on me. I grew to hate them so much that they began to smell completely repulsive.”
“What did they look like?”
“I couldn’t tell you. They were always masked.”
“Could you recognize them by smell?”
“Normally, yes. Probably. But I can’t smell anyone but you, baby. Not since I first encountered you in the blood bank.”
“Right.” I shrugged. “We have to get to Jay. Right away. This can’t wait. I won’t take the chance that the other two aren’t out looking for him.”
Dante nodded. “You’re right. Let’s go.”
Chapter Twelve
Dante
We stopped off to get River before we headed to Jay’s place. He lived in an apartment not too far from River’s pad. Erin called him to make sure he was up.
“What did you tell him?” I asked.
“Just said we needed to talk, and that it was really important.”
“Great. You probably freaked him out.”
“No. I said we’re all okay. Mom and Dad are okay. You know.”
“The good thing is that the potion Bea suggested seems to work,” River said. “I can’t smell you at all.”
A very slight growl emerged from my throat. A happy growl. River could no longer smell Erin.
“We added some of my dad’s ashes to intensify it, though it seemed to work before then, with the two thugs.”
“I’m not sure my brother is going to want to go around smelling minty fresh.” Erin smiled.
We got out of the car, and Erin led us to Jay’s apartment. She let out a whoosh of a breath before knocking on the door three times.
Jay opened the door wearing nothing but lounge pants. His dark hair was mussed, and he was rubbing one eye. “Yeah, hey, Erin, River. Come on in. You want some coffee or something?”
“No thanks,” Erin said. “Let’s sit. We need to talk.”
“Sure. Whatever. I’m exhausted, though. Work has been a pain since you took that leave of absence, Riv. What’s going on, anyway?”
I resolved to stay quiet and let Erin and River explain everything. They both knew Jay better than I did, even though I’d be uncle to his child.
Of course, he didn’t know about that yet, and neither did Erin.
Not telling Erin anything made my stomach queasy. I’d talk to my sister tomorrow, after court. She had to tell Jay. This had gone on long enough.
Erin fingered the small brown bottle of elixir made with basil and calendula oils and herbs. And the ashes of my father.
“What’s that?” Jay asked.
“It’s…fragrance. I got it in the Quarter.”
“Oh?” He inhaled. “I smell mint.”
“You smell basil,” she said. “It’s a main ingredient in the fragrance. I’m wearing it.”
“Smells nice.”
“Good,” she continued, “because I want you to wear it. Apply it once a day to four pulse points.”
“Huh? No offense, Sis, but I think minty fresh is more of a girl thing.”
“But it’s important that you—”
“Fuck!” Jay jerked backward against the couch where he sat.
River had bared his fangs.
“What the fu—”
“Jay, it’s okay.” Erin turned to River. “What the hell? You couldn’t have been a tad more subtle?”
“We don’t have time, Erin,” River said. “I’m sorry, man, but this is who I am. I know it’s hard to believe, but—”
“What makes you think I wouldn’t believe it?” Jay asked. “I’m a cop in New Orleans. I’ve heard it all. But shit, man, did you have to go all fangs on me like that?”
Erin turned to her brother, her eyes wide. “You knew?”
“I’ve known for a while. I didn’t know you were one, though.” Jay shook his head. “Makes a lot of sense.”
“How?” River asked. “I’m very discreet.”
“Yeah, you are, but you see things before I do. I mean literally.”
“Our sight is better, especially at night.”
“Do you do that hypnotizing thing?”
“It’s called glamouring,” River said. “I never do it on the job unless it’s absolutely necessary for our work. And before you ask, no, I’ve never glamoured you. At least not until recently, and that was only because I needed this leave of absence.”
Jay’s eyes shot wide open. “You fucking hypnotized me? You’re my partner, River. We’re supposed to trust each other.”
“I know, man, and if it’s any consolation, I feel terrible about it.”
“Not terrible enough.” Jay stood. “Ge
t the hell out of my house.”
“Jay,” Erin began, “I know how you feel.”
“You know how I feel?” He regarded me, anger pulsing off him in waves. “If he’s one, that means you are as well, right?”
I nodded.
“And you knew all this?” He turned back to Erin.
“I know. And believe me, it was hard to deal with at first, but right now we have a big problem, Jay. That’s why we’re here.”
“Christ. I need a drink.” He walked into his small kitchen, pulled a bottle out of a high cupboard, uncorked it, and took a long swig.
“Jay…” Erin began.
“Shh,” I said. “It’s a lot for him to take.”
“He’s more upset about the glamouring than about the existence of vampires,” Erin said. “On what planet does that make sense?”
“Not anywhere on this planet,” I said. “Except for New Orleans. He’s a cop, like he said. He’s sees all kinds of shit, just like you do in the ER. Didn’t you ever wonder?”
“No. Not really. I heard all kinds of stories, but I figured it was all a bunch of garbage, honestly. Until Abe Lincoln.”
Jay took another long drink from the bottle and then returned to the living room and sat down. “Don’t glamour me again, River.”
“I won’t have to, now that you know about me.”
“Why’d you need the leave of absence anyway? Why couldn’t you just be honest with me?”
“I had no idea you’d be so accepting,” River said. “Plus, Erin is involved.”
“All the more reason you should have been honest with me. She’s my sister, for God’s sake.”
“I know. And her safety means everything to me. As much as it means to Dante. And your safety means everything to me too. That’s why we’re here.”
“My safety? I’m not in any danger.”
Erin cleared her throat. “But you are. That’s why you need this.” She handed him the amber bottle. “Apparently you and I have a scent that vampires find irresistible.”
River quickly explained how humans all have unique scents that come from their blood. Some were better than others, depending on their ancestry. Erin flinched at the word ancestry. Was River going to tell Jay that his grandmother was most likely a vampire?
“Most of us don’t feed on humans. We’re taught that it’s immoral, but there’s a gang of rogue vampires that hang out under Claiborne Bridge—”
“Fuck. You’re talking about the drug runners, aren’t you?” Jay said.
“Yeah. They’re thugs, and they don’t give a shit about morals. They smelled Erin once and have been after her since.”
“Shit.”
“It’s okay,” Erin said. “A Wiccan priestess helped me. She made this potion out of basil and calendula oils. It keeps them away.”
River nodded. “It works. I can’t smell her. But I sure as hell can smell you. You need to use this shit, man. It’s the only way to keep them away. Our sources say that if they can’t have Erin, they’re coming after you.”
He took the bottle from Erin. “What do I do?”
“I told you,” she said. “Put a little bit on your wrists and neck, all four pulse points. Do it every twenty-four hours.”
“And…?”
“And they won’t be able to find you. Even if they find you, they won’t be able to smell you, and they’d rather have someone they can smell. That’s how our noses work,” River said.
“Unbelievable.” But he opened the brown bottle and applied the stuff. “Good enough?”
“Yeah. Just do it every twenty-four hours, and you’ll be good,” Erin said. “Let me know when you’re going to run out. I have a lady in the Quarter who’s making it for me.”
“How much does this shit cost?” he asked.
“Not too much. About ten dollars an ounce.”
“Whatever.” Jay shook his head. “Level with me, River. Why the leave of absence?”
“Dante and I are working on something.”
Erin cleared her throat. “And I am too.”
“What?”
“The disappearances from the hospital. We’re all taking leave until we figure it out.”
“Then work your hypnotic magic for me and get me a leave too. If my little sister is involved, you can count me in.”
“Jay…” Erin began.
I touched her shoulder. “Let him. We could use the help. As long as he uses the potion, he won’t be in any more danger than you are.”
“But why would you want him involved?”
I couldn’t tell her one of the reasons, which was so he could get to know River and me and our family. That way, when he found out he was going to be a father to Em’s baby, maybe it wouldn’t be much of a shock. But there was another damned good reason as well—an even more important one. “He’s a cop, baby. We need him.”
“And if you think you’re taking my baby sister into this without me, think again.”
“Easy, Jay,” Erin said. “He’s in favor of it. You don’t have to fight him.”
“He’s a vampire. And you’re…with him. You’re… Christ.”
“I love her, man,” I said. “I’ll protect her with my life if I have to.”
“You damned well better.” He turned to his sister. “I’m just as glad you’re out of that hospital for now, with all those women disappearing.”
She nodded. “Yeah. Me too. I’m really worried about Lucy, though.”
“We’ll find her, baby,” I said. “I promise. We’ll find all of them.”
“I know, Dante. But I’d prefer to find them alive.”
I borrowed a suit from River for court the next morning. Emilia showed up looking a little green.
Make that really green.
“Morning sickness?” I asked.
She nodded. “All nine months for a vampire woman. So not fair.”
Still, I didn’t remember my mother looking nearly so bad. Em’s skin truly did have an emerald tinge to it. “Have you talked to the doc?”
“Yeah. Jack says it’s normal.”
“Has he seen you?”
“Not for about a week. My next appointment is in a few days.”
“Call him today. This is ridiculous.”
“Hey, guys.” River walked into the courtroom and sat down next to us. “Here to ‘work my magic,’ as Jay says.”
“Jay?” Emilia reddened. Or browned, when the blush hit her greenish skin. “What about Jay?”
River and I exchanged a glance. “Jay knows what we are,” I said. “You have no reason to keep this from him any longer.”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t know I’m your sister. Or anything else.”
“You don’t look too good,” River said.
“Thanks,” Em shot back with sarcasm. “Is Dad going to be here?”
“He didn’t say,” I said.
“All rise!” the bailiff said.
We stood. In a few hours, I’d be a rich man.
The judge entered and sat down at his bench.
“First case on the docket is the estate of Julian Guillaume Gabriel.” Then the judge looked straight at Emilia and me. “I’m afraid we have a problem with this case.”
Chapter Thirteen
Erin
I lay on my couch. Dante and River were in court. I’d decided not to go along because I’d just be in the way. Dante had fed, and I was relaxed. I yawned, stretching my arms above my head and closing my eyes.
Until my doorbell rang.
So much for a little time for relaxation. I stretched again and rose, making my way to the door. Thank goodness I’d showered.
I gasped when I opened the door.
There, in all her glory, stood Dr. Zabrina Bonneville. Her long blond hair was twisted on top of her head into a severe bun, and her fair skin was still fair. No tan at all. Wasn’t she supposed to be vacationing in the tropics?
“Doctor,” I said. “I thought you were in Barbados.”
“Doctor? Who ar
e you talking to, dearie?”
I blinked.
Not Dr. Bonneville, but Bea stood in my doorway. Her dark-brown dreads were pulled up into a messy mass on top of her head, and her skin was the usual mocha color. She wore her red gypsy skirt that was tattered, and on her fingers were the cymbals she’d worn the day she’d found Dante and me at the café in the Quarter. Had she been playing them? I hadn’t heard anything.
I shook my head to clear it. How had I mistaken Bea for Dr. Bonneville? Bonneville was, of course, on vacation as she said she was.
And what in the world was Bea doing here? At my home, no less?
“How did you find me?”
“A little bird,” she said, cackling.
“Seriously. How did you get this address?”
“Bea sees all.”
Of course. I wasn’t going to get an answer. But I was sure as hell going to change all my privacy profiles and passwords as soon as I got rid of her.
“What do you want, Bea?”
“I need to give you some information.”
“About the most important work of all?” I asked, hoping. The Vampyre Texts still sat on my coffee table. “Come in, please.”
“Not about that.”
“Please, sit down.” I led her to the couch I’d just vacated—the couch adjacent to the coffee table where the Vampyre Texts were on full display. I’d see for sure if she knew that book. “Can I get you something? A glass of water?”
“Fruit juice, if you have it, with a shot of vodka.”
“It’s nine in the morning,” I said.
She cackled. “It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
Bea had never struck me as a drunk. What the hell? I poured a glass of orange juice, added a tiny amount of vodka—when had I bought vodka?—and handed it to her. “Here you go.”
“Obliged.” She took a sip. “Delicious.”
“What can I do for you, Bea?”
“It’s not what you can do for me. It’s what I can do for you. Or what I’ve done for you.”
Of course. She’d somehow heard that her advice had worked, and she wanted payment. I reached for my purse on the coffee table, nudging the book as I did. I pulled out a twenty. “I appreciate your advice. Thank you.”
