He hung up, and we got the paperwork from Dr. Mohahan before we left. Danny waited until we were in the car to ask me about hunting.
“Should I ask what hunting involves?” he said.
“As nearly as I can tell, a lot of sitting around doing nothing waiting for something to happen.”
“Huh, I didn’t realize hunting werewolf had so much in common with hunting deer.”
I laughed. “I’ve never hunted deer, is there a lot of sitting around involved?”
“Tons.”
****
Back at the station, I had a message from Phoebe asking me if I wanted to do lunch and one from Anna offering to make me dinner. I called Anna first, she promised to meet me at the station around five. Then I checked with Danny about lunch. Since the only thing waiting on me was reports, I was fine to go out for sushi. Haroku’s was only a few blocks away, but the walk was hot and sticky. My clothes stuck to my skin with sweat in minutes. Every newspaper box I passed shouted headlines that did nothing but upset me. Artman made the city think SIU worked against the supernatural community. I couldn’t imagine how we were going to climb out of that hole.
Inside Phoebe had already ordered for both of us. It was one of the differences between men and women. Men might know what their friends enjoyed in a vague sort of way, while women knew and ordered it for them when time was an issue.
Today, as I looked down at California, Philadelphia, and Godzilla rolls I was glad to be on the female side of things. I watched Phoebe make a production of mixing wasabi and soy sauce with a hint of pickled ginger while I waited for her to mention Mark. It didn’t take long.
“Did you talk to him? I know I sound like a fifth grader, but it’s so weird, even if turns out to be something about me I want to know, you know?” she said. I did know. As a strong spirit witch, Phoebe prided herself on her intuition and her ability to empathize. Not knowing what was going on with him bugged her.
“I talked to him. It’s not you, it’s him. You know how Christians say people can experience a second virginity?”
“We’re talking about a four hundred year old vampire Mallory. Don’t even tell me he’s a virgin. I won’t believe it.”
“Well, not a virgin exactly, but if you haven’t had sex in this century, shouldn’t it count for something?”
She stopped with her chopsticks posed halfway to her mouth. “This century?”
“Or the other two before it.”
She closed her mouth but completely forgot the piece of sushi she was about to eat.
“Mark hasn’t been with anyone since he changed.”
She raised her eyebrows at me. “You mean, with anyone?”
I nodded, but she didn’t seem convinced.
“I thought maybe he’d only been with men or something, but…not with anyone?”
“Nope.” I popped a California roll into my mouth.
“Not even,” she dropped her voice down to a whisper, “himself?”
“I didn’t ask. I’m not nearly as liberated as you are.”
“Okay, but we know he wasn’t a virgin before that, right?” She made a circular gesture with her chopsticks.
“Right, Jakob says he was quite famous for his depraved nature before he was attacked. Oh, actually that’s point number two, he used to be famously handsome, now he considers himself disfigured. When he thinks about you seeing him naked, it freaks him out.”
“If no one had seen me naked in centuries, I’d be freaked out, too.” She pressed her lips together, resolved. “I promise to go very gentle, and maybe even let him stay mostly dressed the first time.”
“Would that really be any fun?” I asked. We both stifled a laugh.
“Sure, a zipper here, clothes pushed out of place there. Besides it’s not like the first time is going to take all that long.”
This time our laughter wouldn’t be contained. We kept laughing for most of lunch. Unfortunately, that wasn’t too much longer. Phoebe dropped me back at the station, and I dug into reports.
At one, we got a phone call from a reporter, looking for a quote for the evening news. What should have been simple telephone conversation turned into an ordeal. We had to go into a conference room with the lieutenant and a public affairs officer. The reporter would ask a question, we’d put the phone on mute, give our answer to the p.a. officer, get permission to give our answer, and then give it. The reporter assured me his sound techs could work wonders, but I didn’t think there was any way it was going to sound natural over the evening news. When we got out of the phone call, Danny had a message waiting on his desk. Nora was sick, and Katie couldn’t pick her up.
“Go get her. The full moon is completely over tonight, and the reports will be here on Monday. Take care of what matters most,” I urged him.
“You’re going to make a great mom someday, Mal.”
I didn’t bother to correct him as he sauntered out the door. I had no desire to inflict my neuroses on a child. Let the people who knew what they were doing raise children.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
When my phone rang a few hours later, I felt surprised by how much I’d accomplished. Looking at the stacks around me put a smile on my face.
“This is Detective Mors.”
“This is Sandra from Fox Five News. We’re doing some on-the-scene pieces here near the WPL. I’ve spoken with your public affairs officer, he said you’d be willing to come down and go on camera.”
I told her I’d call her back before I spent some time mentally cursing the man who so easily committed my time. Of course, when I called him to confirm, he’d already left for the day. His coworker knew he’d talked to Sandra, though, which meant I didn’t have an easy way out. I didn’t like being on camera, but if the department wanted me there I would go. I got some directions and left a note for Danny, letting him know in case he came back from picking Nora up.
I suspected I’d crumple the same note off his desk Monday morning, but I followed procedure and left it. Besides, there was always the small chance that he could take over the interview. I took the train down and stopped at Fantasía Del Chocolate to get something to fortify me for the interview. I promised Indigo I’d be back when it was over to pick up a to-go package. He told me he’d have something special waiting.
At the interview, Sandra turned out to be a heavily made up blond. She didn’t seem to have a camera crew. I suspected they were inside the WPL offices.
“Shall we go inside then or stay out here?” I asked.
“Actually I’d like to get some shots in the park over there. I think it has the right atmosphere for the piece.” She pointed to the park where I’d seen a jogger turned into wolf food. I wasn’t about to go back there again without some kind of protection.
“I’d prefer not to. The park isn’t the safest area.”
She gave me a disappointed look, but I stood my ground. “I’m sure your viewers are more interested in the WPL offices anyway.” I pulled open the door and walked inside the building. I wasn’t in the mood to do her any favors.
“Of course, toward the back then, in Tom’s office,” she said.
“You two are on a first name basis?” I asked. The building was dark and empty, like it had been on the first day of the full moon. Indigo might fight the change, but apparently the werewolves embraced it. She didn’t answer me until I stepped into the office.
“Ever since the night he changed me.”
I turned around to ask what she meant and saw that her eyes were golden yellow. She was shifting into a werewolf in front of me. I reached for the necklace Anna had given me and the Blue inside it, but Sandra had already changed. She leapt at me, and I crawled under the desk. The necklace popped open, and I dry swallowed three capsules. I didn’t know how long it would take them to hit me, but I didn’t have much time. I heard the wolf shuffling behind me and crawled out from underneath the front of the desk.
I was barely standing up when I saw two others. One was the black wolf from th
e park; the other was still human enough for me to recognize him. Remi LaLaurie looked at me with lust in his eyes. I had a minute to look at him before the shewolf grabbed me from behind.
“No, no, Sandra. Detective Mors has to last a little bit longer. Of course that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.”
He walked closer to me, and I knew he’d been the one who’d raped the college girl to death. Her death suddenly sparkled clearly in my mind. I realized it was the Blue taking effect.
“Don’t pass out now, huh, Detective. It’s no fun when you pass out. I’d have to stop and wait for you to wake up again.” He put his face close to mine and licked the side of my cheek. I was revolted. “Now why didn’t I notice you have blue eyes?”
“Because I don’t.” I spat the words at him and looked at the wolves holding me. “Die,” I commanded. My mind went to that place of white-hot fury as power flowed through my skin. I was a conduit for one of the strongest forces in our world, and it felt damn good.
Both wolves dropped to the floor like puppets whose strings had been cut. I wondered what it would take to kill Remi, but he had already backed away in fear. I wasn’t sure the magic would work when I wasn’t touching him.
“Get up and protect me.” I brought the wolves back, making them my own. The female stood in front of me while the black wolf advanced slowly on Remi.
I wondered if my command had been too general, if protecting me didn’t mean killing Remi. Before I could issue a new command, three more wolves entered the room. Remi dropped back behind them, a bully, and a coward, happy to wait for the end of the fight. The three that walked in hesitated, confused by their newly dead comrades attacking them.
There was a mess of fur and teeth as the black wolf ripped through two of his fellows, his claws parted their skin as if it was water. The blood splattered, turning the office into a slaughterhouse.
With a thought, I sent the female after the third, waiting for Remi to move. The power sang through my veins. It controlled my zombie wolves like they were an extension of my own body. I didn’t need to speak a command, just to think a thing, and it would happen. I could feel it pulsing through me. As the new wolves died, I felt them go. I thought to raise them up but nothing happened. The room started to spin, and I grabbed on to the edge of the desk. The zombie wolves stopped moving.
Remi’s laughter reached my ears even as the room started to go black.
“That’s the only problem with Blue, pretty, it burns through you awful quick. Don’t worry. I’ll get you enough sugar so we can play later.”
I saw my protectors crumple to the ground before I blacked out completely.
Chapter Thirty
I came to some place dark and dank, handcuffed to a pipe. A bare bulb flicked overhead. It looked like a sewer and smelled worse. A woman with full dark lips and long honey colored hair leaned over me. Her face came close enough to mine that I thought she would kiss me. Instead, she pulled back and adjusted the IV stuck in my arm. With more violence than needed, she yanked the tubing out. Tears came to my eyes at the pain. They clouded my view of her bending over and licking the wound.
“They say witch is a delicacy, but you taste like any other human to me,” Lisa decided.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” I muttered back.
“Oh I’m not the one you have to worry about.” She gave me a sadistic grin and stepped back. Tom Canidae was standing at the end of the room. She glided over to him, intent on seduction. Her dress hugged her too close, showing off a perfect body without an extra ounce of fat or a stray hair. Lisa was beautiful, but I could tell she wasn’t sane. She made it to Tom and kissed him hungrily, her hands caressing his body through his shirt, reaching down to his pants. She pressed herself close against him until he moaned then backed away.
“I’ll let you two play.” She stalked out of the room, taking her angry sexual energy with her.
I closed my eyes for a second while Tom righted his clothes. When I opened them, he was standing next to me. I could see his nostrils flare as he picked up the scent of my blood.
“You two close?” I asked. I was trying to distract him from the blood, trying to keep the human part of him in control. The sugar in the IV had brought me around, but I doubted they would give me enough to protect myself. Besides, the room was clear of anything dead, anything I could use. My power would only be helpful if I could summon enough energy to kill someone. That didn’t seem likely.
“Lisa,” he sighed her name. “She’s a little insane. Her husband left her when she changed. Took her kids and everything she owned. She ended up on the streets, selling herself. It affected her.”
“Why not get her some help?”
“Help? Like what kind of help? A therapist to tell her it’s all okay or a lawyer to fight for custody? She’s a werewolf, detective, there’s no help for her. We can hunt down her husband and take back her children, but no court in the world will award them to her legally.” He was ranting, angry. “It’s never going to be okay for her. She’s never going to go back to being a homeroom mom who bakes cupcakes. It’s better that she finds a new identity in the pack, makes a new life with us.
“I really thought you of all people would understand us. You know what it’s like to be a freak. You can’t adopt kids or teach school, just like us.” He started pacing the length of the room. “All we want is to live a normal life with our kind, the American dream of a house and job, a white picket fence, the whole thing. We can’t have that in your society, so we need to separate. This neighborhood is perfect for us: close to jobs, houses in good shape, businesses already established. We just need to move in.”
“Except people already live here.”
“I’m sorry about that. I really am, but we’re trying to build a hometown, to scratch out a place to live. We tried to buy the homes, do it all legally, but it didn’t work. No one wants to sell to a werewolf.”
“So you threatened them?”
“We persuaded them. Madame Marie was happy to help us with the properly placed prayer and maybe a zombie or two. We tried to win over the doubtful.”
“Except for the ones you killed or turned,” I stated.
“Some people wouldn’t be swayed, they insisted on turning down our generous offers. And, yes, we gave a few people our gift. We needed them for our community. Lawyers, doctors, mechanics… A town needs many people, detective. You can’t imagine how hard it is to find a werewolf who’s a plumber, so I made one.”
He looked at me expectantly. He was a believer, he expected me to be converted, to praise his logic. I couldn’t, and there was no way I could keep my emotions from my face.
“I’m sorry you don’t understand. I can’t come down here again to talk to you about it either. I’m going to leave you with Remi and Lisa. Goodbye, detective.”
“Wait!” I screamed, and I kept screaming, long after he had turned around and calmly left me with a psychotic killer and an insane woman. Eventually my voice gave out, leaving me with nothing to do but wait in the dark.
Chapter Thirty-One
The afternoon meeting time had made me feel safe. I didn’t even question the phone call. I cursed myself for a fool and wondered how long I’d been missing. Anna was supposed to meet me for dinner, and Jakob would worry if I wasn’t home when he called at sunset. Still, neither of them would have the resources that Danny would.
If I could hope for anything it was that he would get back to the office, see the note on his desk, and start looking. It was a thin hope. I might as well hope that Mark happened to stumble on to me while he was hunting tonight.
Tom had turned out the light on his way out, but eventually my eyes got used to the darkness. Night vision is a wonderful thing when you’re panicked. The walls came into view first, concrete blocks set together, the cement between them pressed in the shape of someone’s thumb. The pipe that held me in place was smooth gray metal pierced with the nail Lisa had used to hang the IV bag.
Soon I could make ou
t fading light coming from a grating in the corner of the room. Eventually I could hear life above me. Salvation was tantalizingly close yet still too far away. I could pick out the door to the room in front of me, and a box of technical controls. I was definitely in the maintenance building we had watched a few nights back.
****
Time passed. I wasn’t sure how much, the sun might have set, but I couldn’t tell. I felt disorientated but clear. Clear enough to know I wanted to get the hell out of here though. When my throat recovered, I tried screaming for help. My shouts stopped when the metal door started to squeal open. A second later the light bulb popped on above me.
“I’ll help ya.” Remi’s white button down shirt was open, making him look like a businessman getting dressed for work, except I knew better. He was getting undressed to do his work.
“I’d rather do without thanks.” With Tom I had a chance to reason, with Remi I didn’t think so. It wasn’t that I’d tried to kill him using witchcraft, it was who he was: a hardened killer who enjoyed hurting people. My plan was to distract him long enough that someone could save me. Kind kisses wouldn’t work, so witty conversation was my only hope. Yeah, I was pretty screwed.
“You wouldn’t leave before we had a chance to enjoy each other, would you?” He walked closer to me.
“I think we’ve had enough fun for one day. I’d like to go home now.” Blunt and calm, effective and to the point, it had a shot at working.
“You know what I really like, pretty?” He pulled out a long straight razor. So much for it working. “I like the way ya’ll smell when you’re scared. It’s like fresh coffee or lemonade on a hot day, like the thing you wanted most in the world. There’s only one problem, you know what that is?”
“That you’re going to keep going on like this forever?” I answered. My bravado was false. I couldn’t keep my eyes away from that flashing blade and slow death it promised.
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