by AE Jones
Will walked over, and Jean Luc stood to allow him to review the list.
“So do you still think they’re a contingent for a founding vampire?” Will asked.
“Most definitely.”
Talia jumped in. “Do you have an idea who the founding vampire is?”
“There are three possibilities. We will have to wait to find out. What about you, Will? Have you learned anything about Melanie Thomas?”
Will nodded and started entering information on the computer. “She wasn’t afraid to spend money. Had accounts at several of the high-end shops in town. I have a friend who is checking on her credit cards. Let’s see if he’s found anything yet.” He clicked a few more times. “Got an email from him.” Will read the message and smiled. “Apparently, Melanie liked to frequent The Cosmopolitan.”
Could it really be that easy? Jean Luc doubted it, but at least now they were armed with solid information. “Are you ready to question our suspects?”
Talia’s eyes flashed gold. He took that as a yes.
Chapter 5
Talia stepped into the hotel lobby. Cool air enveloped her as the sliding doors automatically closed behind them. In comparison to the Vegas afternoon sun, the lighting inside was muted to accommodate vampire eyes. The lobby decor was reminiscent of a Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers movie. Everything was black and white with shades of gray, except for little pops of red interspersed throughout the lobby. If Misha saw this, he would gush over it and then plan a vintage movie marathon.
Jean Luc’s phone beeped, and he looked at the screen and scowled.
“Ready?” she asked.
He nodded and put the phone back into his pocket.
Talia took the lead, and Jean Luc and Will trailed behind her to the concierge desk. A vampire wearing a very expensive black suit with a blood red, silk handkerchief in his lapel pocket stood behind the desk. His gaze moved over the three of them while they approached, quickly gauging what they were.
“How may I help you?” he asked Jean Luc.
Talia wasn’t surprised the concierge turned to him first. Will would be the lowest on this vamp’s list since he was a shifter. Jean Luc was the most powerful and oldest vampire, so he would defer to him. But it still rankled a bit.
“We are from the BSR. We need to speak with your manager,” Jean Luc replied after glancing at her.
The concierge nodded and pressed a button on his desk. Talia turned toward the reservation desk, expecting to see Roland, the daytime manager she’d dealt with on a previous occasion. The door behind the desk opened to reveal a female vampire who was definitely not the day manager. She wore a black suit, if a skin-tight skirt and jacket could be considered a suit. She moved like a dancer, and her blond hair was piled on top of her head like a Forties pinup model. Ruby red lipstick highlighted her lips.
Talia glanced at Will, who was ogling the vamp unashamedly. Talia didn’t dare look at Jean Luc’s expression.
The manager glided to a stop in front of them, her eyes locking on Jean Luc. “I am Veronique. How may I assist you?”
And of course she was French, because that was how Talia’s life worked.
“Jean Luc Delacroix. This is Talia Walker and Will Seaver. We are from the BSR. We need to speak with you in private.”
“Oui. Of course. Follow me, s’il vous plaît.”
Was it Talia’s imagination, or did the manager’s eyes take on a predatory gleam when she realized Jean Luc was French?
Veronique lead them to a small conference room and closed the door once they were all inside. Jean Luc’s phone beeped again. This time he didn’t even take it out of his pocket.
“Is there a problem?” she asked, her complete, undivided attention remaining on Jean Luc.
Talia glanced over at Will, who smirked at her.
“We would like to ask you about one of your customers—Melanie Thomas.”
Veronique frowned then bit her bottom lip. “Melanie is an…acquaintance of one of our guests.”
Talia spoke up. “Is this guest here now?”
“Oui.”
“What is his name?”
“Simon Jamison.”
Will typed the name into his cell phone, pulled up Simon’s picture from the BSR database, and showed it to both Talia and Jean Luc.
“We need to speak with him,” Talia pushed.
Veronique hesitated. “He is hosting an event for recent guests who have arrived from Europe. This particular group has requested privacy while they are here and have compensated the hotel for this service.”
“The BSR takes precedence over any arrangements you may have made with the group. We, of course, will be as discreet as possible, but we must speak with them,” Jean Luc replied.
Veronique pouted for a moment and Talia was barely able to resist laughing. It was like watching a slutty French cartoon.
“You will take us to them,” Jean Luc stated in his quiet, powerful way.
Veronique bent her head forward slightly as a sign of submission and sauntered toward the door. Was is Talia’s imagination, or was there less sway to her hips?
On the way up the elevator, Jean Luc’s phone beeped again.
Will smiled. “You’re getting more texts than a thirteen-year-old girl.”
Jean Luc didn’t respond; he simply turned his phone to silent and stuffed it back into his pocket.
The elevator doors opened to a floor obviously designed for more elite guests. The carpeting and wallpaper had a level of opulence missing from the lobby.
“They are in the room across the hall,” Veronique announced.
As soon as Talia, Jean Luc, and Will exited, Veronique pushed the elevator button and the doors shut, leaving them alone in the hall.
Will opened the door, and Talia stepped into a low-lit room and stared in disbelief. A dozen or so vampire males were scattered around the room. And draped on many of them were human females. Working in Vegas, Talia was faced with legalized prostitution every day. She didn’t have to like it, but she had to accept it. But this? This was different. The women were all dressed to kill and beautiful, but desperation clung to them like a second skin. Talia had seen that look before on the streets. It was the look of an addict.
“Damn,” Will muttered, beside her.
Talia turned to Jean Luc, who crossed his arms as he studied the room.
A few moments later, one of the vampires hurried toward them. He was dressed in a business suit and matched the picture Will had showed them.
“I’m sorry, but this is a closed event,” he said.
“Simon Jamison?”
He frowned. “Yes.”
“I’m Talia Walker from the BSR. We need to talk to you.”
“This is an inappropriate time.”
Talia smiled even though she wanted to smack the smug look off his face. “My intent is to avoid causing a scene, but I will if you don’t come with me now.”
Simon opened his mouth as if to argue until Jean Luc stepped up next to her.
“Please do not make this any more difficult than it needs to be.”
Simon huffed and walked down the hall and into an empty conference room. Talia, Jean Luc, and Will followed.
“What is so important that could not wait until later?” Simon asked.
“We understand that you’re acquainted with Melanie Thomas,” Talia responded.
He narrowed his eyes. “What about her?”
“Please explain your relationship.”
“Did she steal something again from one of the stores? I don’t know why she keeps doing that. I give her plenty of money.”
“And why, exactly, do you give her money?” Talia asked.
He looked away for a moment before continuing. “Melanie and I have an arrangement.”
“An arrangement that includes sex and blood?”
He still avoided Talia’s eyes. “There is nothing illegal about helping a friend financially.”
Talia’s stomach twisted. “And does your
relationship include sharing her with others?”
Simon cleared his throat. “She is willing to be adventurous.” He rushed on. “She is a consenting adult.”
“She was a consenting adult. Melanie is dead.”
His eyes widened. “How?”
“She was drained.”
He paled. “I did not kill her.”
“No one said you did,” Jean Luc replied.
He glanced frantically between her and Jean Luc. “I wasn’t the only one who spent time with her.”
Talia shook her head. “Glad to see you’re so broken up about her death.”
Simon’s fangs lengthened. “I don’t need to answer to you, fledgling.”
She took a step closer and got right into his face. “Since I work for the BSR, actually, you do.”
Simon tensed, but before he could make a move, he froze, his eyes widening slightly. A burst of power surged over her from the right, where Jean Luc was standing. She didn’t take her eyes off Simon, but she could imagine what Jean Luc’s face looked like. It took a lot to make Jean Luc angry, but once you did, watch out.
Simon backed up a step. “Melanie frequented the hotel regularly. She could have met anyone here.”
“Were you with Melanie last night?” Will jumped in.
“Yes.”
“Did you bite her?” Jean Luc asked.
Simon hesitated.
Talia shrugged, although she was feeling anything but nonchalant. “If you don’t tell us, we could make you give us a bite impression. Our Medical Examiner will analyze it.”
“Yes. I bit her.”
“Where?”
His eyes narrowed. “Where? She had more than one bite mark? I bit her on the thigh. That is the only place I ever bit her. She was too perfect to mar where people could see.”
Talia shook her head. “She wasn’t a doll. She was a person, and now she’s dead.”
“Well, I didn’t kill her. I’m innocent!”
“Innocent? She gritted her teeth to stop her fangs from extending. “You’re a blood pimp.”
His mouth fell open, and he sputtered. “I am not a pimp.”
“You gave Melanie money for her blood and sex, plus you shared her with others? What the hell else would you call it?”
“She got a lot out of the relationship. She was not some poor, picked-upon human.”
“No, she was an addict. You got her addicted to the pull, didn’t you? And what about the women in the other room? Do you support them financially as well?”
He straightened. “Those other women are not your business. Find out who killed Melanie. Are we done here?”
“For now. Do not leave Las Vegas,” Jean Luc demanded.
Will snarled at Simon as he walked past. “What a slimeball.”
Talia grimaced. “Let’s talk to some of the other women.”
“Simon isn’t going to be happy,” Will grinned.
“Tough.”
Thirty minutes later, Talia had learned two things. These women were leading desperate, blood-addicted lives, and none of them had liked Melanie Thomas. Apparently, Melanie hadn’t been friendly at all with the other women. She was a backstabber according to one, and that was the nicest word any of them had used to describe her.
What had turned Melanie into a backstabbing bitch? Was it the addiction? Or was it something more fundamental? Talia shook her head. She’d had enough. She nodded tightly to Will and left the room. It was time for a little heart-to-heart with Veronique.
Talia found her quarry in the lobby. She was standing next to the concierge desk with her hand on her hip, laughing at something the concierge said.
“Yo, Veronica.”
She jerked at Talia’s voice and spun toward her, eyes narrowing. “My name is Veronique.”
“Do you have any idea what is going on in your swanky hotel?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
But the female looked to the left when she answered. Which was a tell. And in Vegas, you quickly learned to look for tells. Veronique was lying. She knew exactly what was going on.
“If I learn you are continuing to have these types of private events here, I will shut down the hotel. Comprenez-vous?”
Veronique’s mouth fell open in shock, but only for a moment. Her face reddened, and then she responded in rapid-fire French. If Talia wasn’t mistaken, she was cursing. Jean Luc and Will both walked up then, and Veronique turned to Jean Luc and continued ranting in French. Jean Luc responded in French as well.
Talia turned away, leaving Jean Luc to deal with the French version of Jessica Rabbit. Will whistled softly as he followed her.
“I think you might have just channeled Kyle. Holy crap, T. You are downright sexy when you get all riled up like that.”
“Cut it out, Will.” She gripped her hands together to keep them from shaking.
Will grabbed her hands and turned her to face him. His usual grin was replaced by a set mouth and eyes narrowed in concern. “Talia, take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”
She didn’t argue. He took deep breaths along with her while she stared into his green eyes.
Her heart had finally started to calm down until she saw Jean Luc standing across the lobby watching the two of them. He looked down at their joined hands, and his eyes flashed red for a second. But just as quickly, his face lost all expression, to be replaced by a stone mask.
Chapter 6
Jean Luc had to escape his hotel room, even if it meant being surrounded by Vegas tourists. He couldn’t sleep. Misha had been texting him nonstop. Leave it to his demon partner to frustrate him through technology.
Plus, his mind kept replaying the scene with Will and Talia endlessly. He had sensed Talia’s anxiety across the lobby and had simply turned away from Veronique, who still had been sputtering her displeasure. But before he could reach Talia, Will comforted her. Will touched her. Not him.
Jean Luc walked along the strip, weaving through the crowd. He could sense various supernaturals as he traveled by a faint buzzing along his spinal column. After a few minutes, the buzzing became more pronounced and focused. He was being followed.
So much for clearing his head.
He headed down a side street away from the people and turned into a small alley.
“Jean Luc. Wait!”
He stopped and spun at the sound of the familiar voice. It could not be.
“Damn. It is you. I don’t believe it!”
“Leo?”
“Yes.” He stepped further into the alley, and the light from a pole illuminated the vampire who had saved Jean Luc’s life countless times.
The deep voice caused memories to rise up and swamp him. A time of blood and battles and not knowing if they would live to see another day. Even though Leo’s long hair and beard were now replaced by a buzz cut and bare face, Jean Luc would have recognized his friend anywhere.
Leo stepped forward, pulled Jean Luc into his arms, and crushed him against a hard chest, then held him back and gazed at him. “God, it has been too long, my friend.”
Jean Luc nodded, his throat closing as words failed him. “How…why…”
“It is a bit of a story. Instead of telling it in an alley, let’s find a more comfortable spot to converse.”
Ten minutes later, they sat in an empty bar at a corner table, pretending to nurse beers.
“Why are you here, Leo? I thought you were still in Europe.”
“I followed a group of vampires. There has been some issues in the past few months, and I was sent to make sure nothing happened here.”
Jean Luc’s eyebrow shot up. “You work for La Société?”
“Sí.”
“Why have I not heard your name in connection with them before?”
Leo hesitated. “I’m not your standard employee.”
Was he one of the elite vampires who worked in secret? “You are an enforcer now?”
He flashed a grin. “I didn’t say that, now did I?”
Jean Luc frowned.
“Hey, why the long face? It’s a job that isn’t boring, and I get to travel.”
“What sort of trouble are you investigating?”
“There have been some attacks on humans.”
Jean Luc let out a hard breath. “Well, now we have a dead human here in Vegas. The contingent of vampires staying at The Cosmopolitan work for Renato, correct?”
“Yes. So you haven’t seen him yet.”
“No, he was not in attendance at the event we visited tonight. And you are following him? We should have killed him when we had the chance centuries ago.”
“He is not all bad, Jean Luc. He was thrust into The Wars, just as we were. He did not turn us.”
“He was one of LeBlanc’s lieutenants. Standing by and doing nothing is not much better. He was not blameless back then. How do you know he is not the one killing humans?”
“More than likely, it is one of his contingent.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “We have all changed since those dark days.”
Jean Luc nodded grimly and thought back to the vampires with human women draped all over them. Maybe they had not changed enough.
“I have not forgotten, Leo.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed on him, and he shook his head. “Jean Luc—”
“I owe you my life.”
“You are so noble, dear friend. I told you at the time that you didn’t need to swear a blood oath to me.”
“I will not forget about it. And I will not rescind it.”
Leo inclined his head slightly. “I hope to never have use for it.” He leaned back in the booth. “Do you like working for the BSR?”
Jean Luc was grateful for the change of subject. “Oui.”
Leo ran his fingers along the glass rim in front of him. “I saw you leave the hotel with a female. She is on your team?”
“She is a member of the BSR.”
“Is she yours?”
Jean Luc frowned. “No one owns her.”
Leo held up his hands. “I meant no offense. From what I could see, she was quite striking.”
“Yes.”
Leo stared hard at him. “She may not be yours, but you want her all the same.”
