suitable
outfit.
Maybe in the back of the closet with the
stuff she didn’t wear anymore? She dug deep, tossing things aside
as she went until she came upon the item she remembered. It had
been Elena’s but Erica had borrowed it years ago. She laughed at
the memory. A Halloween party at work was rare, but one year her
manager had decided to get everyone in the spirit. Erica had
dressed in an eclectic mix of beachwear and black rags, a long
black wig, a broom and a bottle of suntan lotion and called herself
the “Sand-Witch.” The getup won a prize and garnered her a few
months of teasing from her co-workers. She thought of them now and
wondered if any of them would believe how she’d spent her weekend
so far. She wasn’t sure she believed it herself.
She found the black top she’d worn as part of
the costume and pulled it out of the closet. The sleeves were laced
up the sides and the front sported rips and tears held together
with silver safety pins and jump rings. It would have to do.
She mussed her hair, slathered on her darkest
lipstick and ringed her eyes with black liner. The look reminded
her of the girl who hadn’t gotten into After Dark. If she adopted
the same attitude, they’d probably welcome her at The
Underside.
She left her apartment at ten and drove
herself across town to the address listed on the Web site. This
time she didn’t care who saw her.
* * * *
“Carlisle’s not there tonight?” Max adjusted
the volume on his cell phone headset as he turned into the parking
lot of Elena Talbot’s building. His partner’s voice reached him
over the patchy connection. With deliberate patience, Lucas Vitale
repeated what he’d just said.
“I don’t see him anywhere. I know he spends
most evenings here, but maybe he got tired of the place.”
Max worked with Lucas regularly and the other
vampire investigator was the closest thing Max had to a friend. He
tried to keep the frustration out of his voice when he
answered.
“I don’t like that Erica is alone. I’ve got
to finish this now, but maybe you can swing by her apartment, just
to see if she’s all right.”
“You want me to go in, or just lurk around?”
Lucas’ deep voice held amusement. He was a bit of a rebel and he
liked his job, perhaps too much.
“Lurk. It’s what you’re best at. Call me if
you see anything suspicious.”
“All right. I’ve got to take Kyra home
first.”
Halfway out of his car, Max paused. “Kyra is
with you?”
“Of course. I needed to bring a feeder with
me. You know she can handle anything.”
Max shook his head. He should have expected
that. Kyra knew them all and she fed them all. It was her job. And
her pleasure from what Max understood. A few days ago, he might
have felt a pang of jealousy, but now, just annoyance that she
couldn’t get home by herself. “Do me a favor and don’t waste any
time at Kyra’s, all right? I want to know that Erica is safe.”
Lucas’ voice took on a curious tone. “Why so
worried about a feeder?”
“She’s not a feeder. She’s just.…” Just what?
he asked himself as he rounded Building A and headed for the fire
stairs at the back that would lead him to Apartment 5.
“Just what? Just a human? Just a good
lay?”
“Shut up, Luke.”
“Ooh. Did I strike a live nerve there? I
didn’t know you had any left.”
“Just do what I ask, Lucas ... and keep Kyra
out of it. I don’t want her to know about Erica.”
“Why not? Do you think she’ll be jealous that
her favorite biter has a new toy?”
Max hung up. Lucas was a prick sometimes, but
he’d never let Max down yet. He jammed the cell phone into his
pocket and cased the building. Getting in wouldn’t be a problem.
The fire stairs at the back of the building gave access to all the
bedroom windows. Elena Talbot’s was bare, no curtains, not even a
shade. He wondered as he began to climb, if the landlord had
already cleaned the place out.
Max pried the screen off the window and set
it
outfit.
Maybe in the back of the closet with the
stuff she didn’t wear anymore? She dug deep, tossing things aside
as she went until she came upon the item she remembered. It had
been Elena’s but Erica had borrowed it years ago. She laughed at
the memory. A Halloween party at work was rare, but one year her
manager had decided to get everyone in the spirit. Erica had
dressed in an eclectic mix of beachwear and black rags, a long
black wig, a broom and a bottle of suntan lotion and called herself
the “Sand-Witch.” The getup won a prize and garnered her a few
months of teasing from her co-workers. She thought of them now and
wondered if any of them would believe how she’d spent her weekend
so far. She wasn’t sure she believed it herself.
She found the black top she’d worn as part of
the costume and pulled it out of the closet. The sleeves were laced
up the sides and the front sported rips and tears held together
with silver safety pins and jump rings. It would have to do.
She mussed her hair, slathered on her darkest
lipstick and ringed her eyes with black liner. The look reminded
her of the girl who hadn’t gotten into After Dark. If she adopted
the same attitude, they’d probably welcome her at The
Underside.
She left her apartment at ten and drove
herself across town to the address listed on the Web site. This
time she didn’t care who saw her.
* * * *
“Carlisle’s not there tonight?” Max adjusted
the volume on his cell phone headset as he turned into the parking
lot of Elena Talbot’s building. His partner’s voice reached him
over the patchy connection. With deliberate patience, Lucas Vitale
repeated what he’d just said.
“I don’t see him anywhere. I know he spends
most evenings here, but maybe he got tired of the place.”
Max worked with Lucas regularly and the other
vampire investigator was the closest thing Max had to a friend. He
tried to keep the frustration out of his voice when he
answered.
“I don’t like that Erica is alone. I’ve got
to finish this now, but maybe you can swing by her apartment, just
to see if she’s all right.”
“You want me to go in, or just lurk around?”
Lucas’ deep voice held amusement. He was a bit of a rebel and he
liked his job, perhaps too much.
“Lurk. It’s what you’re best at. Call me if
you see anything suspicious.”
“All right. I’ve got to take Kyra home
first.”
Halfway out of his car, Max paused. “Kyra is
with you?”
“Of course. I needed to bring a feeder with
me. You know she can handle anything.”
Max shook his head. He should have expected
that. Kyra knew them all and she fed them all. It was her job. And
her pleasure from what Max understood. A few days ago, he might
have felt a pang of jealousy, but now, just annoyance that she
couldn’t get home by herself. “Do me a favor and don’t waste any
time at Kyra’s, all right? I want to know that Erica is safe.”
Lucas’ voice took on a curious tone. “Why so
worried about a feeder?”
“She’s not a feeder. She’s just.…” Just what?
he asked himself as he rounded Building A and headed for the fire
stairs at the back that would lead him to Apartment 5.
“Just what? Just a human? Just a good
lay?”
“Shut up, Luke.”
“Ooh. Did I strike a live nerve there? I
didn’t know you had any left.”
“Just do what I ask, Lucas ... and keep Kyra
out of it. I don’t want her to know about Erica.”
“Why not? Do you think she’ll be jealous that
her favorite biter has a new toy?”
Max hung up. Lucas was a prick sometimes, but
he’d never let Max down yet. He jammed the cell phone into his
pocket and cased the building. Getting in wouldn’t be a problem.
The fire stairs at the back of the building gave access to all the
bedroom windows. Elena Talbot’s was bare, no curtains, not even a
shade. He wondered as he began to climb, if the landlord had
already cleaned the place out.
Max pried the screen off the window and set
it
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