The Pursuit (7 page)

“A tribunal is called when our head vampire’s rule is challenged. Only founding vampires can challenge our ruler.”

“Does this happen a lot?”

“There has not been a challenge in over three hundred years.”

“So they’re going to New York, then?” Marty asked. “Doesn’t your leader live in New York City?”

“Tobias lives in New York, but they won’t challenge him on his home territory. They will use last year’s fiasco with Sebastian and his murder spree as their excuse to challenge him. They will argue that a good leader would have not allowed the murders to occur. Therefore, they will want to interrogate everyone involved. Which means it will take place in Cleveland.”

Misha sighed. “I’ll contact the pilot to see when we can head back. Is there still time for Will to take me to get all-you-can-eat crab legs?”

Talia frowned. “We’re not going anywhere. Renato and his followers are still here, and we have a murderer to catch.”

She stalked out of the room.

Silence reigned until Will spoke. “Damn. She’s pissed about something. Maybe I should go talk to her.”

Jean Luc stepped in front of him. “No. Let me try.” He walked out of the lab and found Talia standing outside, gazing up at the moon.

“Talia, what is wrong?

“Nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m fine, Jean Luc. Just pissed at our species for believing we have the right to destroy someone weaker.”

“I know this must bring back bad memories of your turning.”

She spun around to glower at him. “Why would you say that?”

“Because I am not sure whether you were talking about you or Melanie. Luckily, you survived.”

“Maybe she was the lucky one.”

His fangs elongated, and a growl erupted from his chest. “Never say that again.”

She stumbled back from him. “I need some time by myself, Jean Luc.”

“That is not a good idea.”

“Tough. Now back off.”

He opened his mouth to protest.

“Please, Jean Luc. Just give me some time. You’re right; this case is getting to me.”

He nodded, and she flashed away. He waited a few seconds, and then flashed after her. He would give her some space, but he needed to watch over her. Something was not right.

And it scared him.

* * *

Talia opened her mind, searching for Chris. He was her sire by blood, if nothing else, so she should be able to locate him. She ended up standing in the alley next to The Cosmo hotel. Chris had been there recently, but the tingling sensation was light. It made sense that he would be staying close to the contingent. She would wait for him.

She needed a plan. If she attacked him when Jean Luc was not around, he would never need to know she was the one who had killed Chris. And he would be unable to invoke the oath. But she couldn’t kill him on the strip. Someone else could be hurt in the crossfire. She needed time to think and plan.

Three hours of lurking in an alley, and Talia had reached her limit. She stalked into the hotel toward the door behind the reservation counter. Veronique stood there, a scowl souring her face.

“Have the vamps from Europe checked out?” Talia asked.

“They left hours ago.”

“Going where?”

“I don’t know.”

Talia took a step toward her. “They didn’t have you arrange transport?”

Veronique huffed. “They went to the airport.”

“And did you happen to hear where they were going?”

“I don’t make a point of listening in on private conversations.”

Talia glared at her.

“Fine! They were going to
Cleveland
, of all places.”

Veronique actually shuddered after saying the word. Talia gripped her hands behind her back to keep from slapping the French Barbie doll and turned on her heel. She dialed her phone while she hustled out the hotel doors.

“Hope you got your fill of crab legs, Misha. It’s time to fire up the jet.”

Chapter 11

Jean Luc glanced toward the back of the plane, where Talia sat alone. Her eyes were closed, and she wore earbuds hooked to her phone. Her music blared loud enough for him to hear it, even this far away.

When he had followed her, she had simply gone to The Cosmopolitan and stood outside for hours. If she wanted to shut him out for now, he would cooperate, but he would find out what was bothering her soon.

“Oh, boy.” Will mumbled. “She’s listening to rap. That’s not a good sign.”

“Why?” Jean Luc asked.

“T is normally pretty laid back. But when she does get upset, she listens to music. I can gauge how upset she is by the type of music. Slightly irritated, and she listens to alternative. Mad, and she gravitates to reggae. Majorly pissed, she listens to rap, and if that happens, I make myself scarce.”

Misha chuckled. “You know her well.”

Will shrugged. “She’s my partner. We have each other’s back.”

Jean Luc clenched his fists. “So you are close.”

Will stared at him for a moment before answering. “She’s not just my partner, she’s my friend.”

“Are you sleeping with her?” Misha blurted.

Mon Dieu!
Jean Luc just barely stopped himself from groaning.

“Are you sleeping with Jean Luc?” Will countered.

Misha chuckled. “No. He is not my type. Too moody.”

Will smiled then looked straight at Jean Luc before answering. “I am not sleeping with her. We’re friends. Not that she isn’t drop-dead gorgeous, but nothing has ever happened or will happen between us.”

“And why is that?” Jean Luc asked before he could stop himself.

“Because she’s in love with someone else and is too stubborn to admit it. Get the picture?”

“
Oui.
”

“That reminds me of someone else I know,” Misha quipped.

Jean Luc narrowed his eyes at him.

Misha’s responding chuckle erupted into a belly laugh.

* * *

Jean Luc pulled the van out of long-term parking, tires screeching as he turned in the direction of the airport exit.

“Holy crap! Is driving like a maniac part of the vampire handbook?” Will asked.

“Most definitely,” Misha answered.

“T drives the same way.”

Jean Luc looked in the rearview mirror at Talia. He wanted her to chime in to the conversation and put both males in their places. Instead, she sat quietly looking out the window. “Misha, have we heard from Dolly?”

Misha checked his phone. “She emailed me. Renato’s contingent is staying at the Renaissance. Why do you think your friend Leo hasn’t contacted you yet?”

“Good question,” Talia interjected.

Jean Luc pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Misha. “Maybe he did while we were on the plane.”

Misha nodded. “Yep there’s a text here.”

“What does it say?” Talia asked.

“Says he followed group to Cleveland. He’ll contact Jean Luc with more details.”

“So where to first?” Will asked.

“Now that we can trace the oil to Renato, we need to question him and the contingent again,” Jean Luc said.

Misha’s phone rang, and he hit the speaker button. “Hello, little one.”

“You guys back in town yet?” Kyle’s voice was easy to hear.

“Yes, we are in the van heading to the Renaissance to interrogate some vampires.”

“Were you going to call me?”

“I didn’t want to interrupt anything between you and Griffin. You both need some alone time.”

“Griffin’s having to deal with some pack business. I’m free and ready to help. I’ll meet you at the hotel. How’s Jean Luc doing? Has he gotten anywhere with Talia yet?”

Misha punched the speaker button off and put the phone to his ear. “You were on speaker just now.”

The expletive that exploded through the phone was loud enough that even Will in the far back seat laughed.

“We’ll see you in a few minutes, Kyle.”

* * *

“What are we waiting for?” Talia asked, looking around the lobby.

Jean Luc answered, “Kyle should be here any minute. We can then start interviewing contingent members. Dolly emailed Misha the members’ room numbers.

“I have already emailed them to your phones,” Misha added.

They were wasting time. The sooner they figured out who the killer was, the sooner she could deal with Chris. “Besides Renato, we have ten others to interview. We should split up and start questioning the group.”

Jean Luc nodded. “I agree. Misha and Will, you work together and—”

“I’ll take Kyle,” Talia interrupted.

“You’ll take me where?” Kyle asked as she sauntered up to the group.

Will smiled. “Hey, Kyle.”

Talia turned to her. “We’re splitting up to interrogate people. You’re with me. We’ll take the first four names on the list Dolly sent.” She headed for the elevator.

“All righty, then,” Kyle replied and jogged up next to her. “Good to see you again, too.”

Talia hit the elevator button and the doors slid open. “We’re questioning vampires who are suspects in a murder. Let me do the talking.”

Kyle smiled. “You sound like Jean Luc.”

“But unlike Jean Luc, I mean it when I say let me do the talking.”

Kyle’s smile dimmed. “Yes, your Vampiredness, whatever you say. If you’re that worried I’m going to screw things up, then why did you ask to be paired with me?”

Talia didn’t answer. Instead, she focused on the floor numbers clicking past.
Two.

After a few seconds, Kyle chuckled. “You didn’t want to be alone with Jean Luc, right? It’s like junior high all over again but with fangs.”

Talia ignored her.
Three.

“Sometimes I wish that, instead of changing memories, my power could change attitudes. Now that would be a cool gift to have. People acting pissy around you, and you just zap them and they’re happy. Yep, that would be a cool power.”

Four.

This was the second longest damn elevator ride of her life.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, they were no closer to finding the killer. She and Kyle had interviewed four vamps who, unless they were very good actors, had no clue what was going on, and they all had an alibi for the night Melanie was attacked.

Talia marched toward the elevator with Kyle on her heels. At the last minute, she veered through the door leading to the stairs. Something was drawing her that way. A tingling so slight it could have been her imagination. Or maybe she simply didn’t want a repeat of the elevator ride up with Kyle.

“Well, that was a bust. Hopefully the guys are having better luck.”

Talia stopped on the stairs. “Quiet.”

Kyle stopped next to her, hands on her hips. “I’ve had it. What the hell is your problem?”

“No, listen.”

A soft moan echoed up the stairwell. Talia looked over the handrail and saw a woman lying on the landing two floors down. The faint scent of blood reached her. Talia flashed down the stairs and stopped next to the woman. She was young, maybe college age, with long blond hair flopped over to cover her face. Her arms and legs were held close to her body in the fetal position.

Talia squatted, and the girl flinched at her closeness, throwing an arm up over her face. Her forearm had several fang marks running along it.

“I won’t hurt you. I’m here to help.”

Kyle ran down the stairs, and when the girl flinched again, Talia held up her hand to stop Kyle from coming any closer. Talia’s heart ached.
Who would do this?

“You’re safe now. Let me help you.”

The girl lifted her head, and her hair fell back from her face. She opened her eyes and stared at Talia for a moment. Her expression was blank. Shock. They needed to get her out of here.

“I’m Talia. Can you tell me your name?”

The girl blinked at her, and her eyes lost some of their haziness. “Annie.”

“Okay, Annie. Will you allow me to check you over?”

She nodded, and Talia quickly examined her. She had bites on both arms and her neck.

“Do you think you can stand?”

Annie nodded again, and Talia held out her hand to offer her help up.

The girl grabbed Talia’s hand, and her eyes flashed red.
Shit!
Annie yanked Talia toward her, Talia lost her balance, and Annie bit her hard in the neck, ripping at her throat. Talia pushed against her chest, but the girl was surprisingly strong.

Kyle yelled and ran to the door leading out of the stairwell.
Where the hell was she going?

After a few more harsh pulls, Talia’s vision went fuzzy. The other vamp must have hit her jugular. “Let go, Annie!”

Kyle ran back with something metallic in her hands.

“Let her go!”

White foam sprayed them, and Annie jerked away from Talia’s neck. When Annie lunged for her neck again, Kyle swung the cylinder at the girl. A metallic
thunk
echoed through the stairwell. Then another
thunk
.

Talia’s eyelids fluttered and then closed.

Chapter 12

Jean Luc rubbed the back of his neck while he waited in the lobby for the others to arrive. He was no closer to figuring out who the killer was. Renato and his guards were not in the building. According to Renato’s secretary, he was at an appointment he had set up himself, which meant she did not have any details. And based on her irritation, Jean Luc was convinced it was not a common occurrence. Maybe Renato was meeting with the other founding vampires to prepare for the tribunal.

Misha and Will walked up to him.

“No luck, my friend?” Misha asked.

“No. You?”

“No.” Misha slapped Will on the shoulder. “This reminds me of an episode from
Law and Order
. The cops couldn’t narrow down the killer because there were so many suspects.”

Jean Luc’s spine tingled. Something wasn’t right. He looked around the lobby to try and pinpoint where the sensation came from.

Misha stopped rambling about his television show and gave Jean Luc a hard look. “What is it, my friend?”

“I do not know. I—”

Pain!
He jerked.
Mon Dieu, Talia.

Misha grabbed his arm. “Jean Luc!”