they will consider that the man in custody
isn't the real killer or wasn't acting alone, but we have our own
reasons to look into it. Detective Notchey is helping us avoid a
potentially dangerous public situation."
"He told me," Madison said, looking at Samuel and fighting
the pull he had on her. "You think the people doing this are suffering from vampire envy."
A few of the vampires seated around the table chuckled. Colin
eyed Madison with barely disguised scorn.
Samuel flashed Madison a quick white smile. "That's a colorful way of putting it, but yes." The smile vanished as he contin ued. "We think the person or people responsible for these unfortunate deaths know about the bloodlines and are killing women
who have them. At least so far, no men that we know of have
been murdered. We're not sure why this is happening, but one
theory is that whoever is doing this is trying to become a vampire by using the blood or flesh of the bloodline carriers."
"One theory?" Madison looked straight at Samuel when she
spoke, as if he were the only other person in the room. "What are
some of the others?"
"There's really only one other, Madison," Samuel replied.
"And that's that the murderers are trying to destroy all potential
vampires, or at least the women."
"That maybe," Doug interjected, "they are trying to make sure
no new vampires are created."
Madison thought about that. "Then why just women?"
"Because they make easier targets, why else?" said Colin.
"Not always," Stacie shot back.
Colin was about to fire off a retort when Samuel gently rapped
his knuckles on the table, bringing the meeting back to order.
"Maybe," Madison said, frowning in concentration, "they
think the bloodline is passed along through the female. Kill the
future mothers and you eliminate future vampires."
Samuel smiled at her. "Good thinking, Madison, but bloodlines aren't genetic. We're not sure why certain people have
them and others do not, but it seems random. Most people with
bloodlines don't even realize they have them or even necessarily
believe in the existence of vampires."
Madison's mind kneaded the puzzle like bread dough. "But
the killer may not know that. Whoever it is could be shooting in
the dark, hoping to stumble on the right combination" Madison paused. She had another question but wasn't sure if asking it
would be the smart thing to do.
"What is it, Madison?" asked Samuel. "I sense there's something else on your mind."
Madison took a deep breath and avoided eye contact with
the vampires. "There is a third possibility. Are you sure it's not
a vampire doing this? I mean, maybe one of your own is trying
to slow down the vampire population growth. Or maybe they're
just doing it for sport."
All at once, the vampires were voicing protests, except Samuel. And for once, Colin seemed in agreement with Stacie.
"It is possible," Samuel said with a slow, steady voice. "But
unlikely. Vampires usually know when a kill has been done by
another vampire. We have examined the bodies and found no
evidence of that."
"Doing your own vampire DNA swabs?" Madison didn't
know why all of a sudden she had dropped her fear and had
returned to her usual smart-mouthed self. Half of her begged her
to stop. The other half was tired of running scared.
Colin leaned toward Madison and flashed his fangs. "Remember who you're talking to, beater"
Mike, sitting between Madison and Colin, wedged his upper
body between the girl and the vampire. "Back it up, Reddy."
Samuel jumped to his feet. "Enough!"
Everyone went still.
Samuel looked at his watch, then at Madison. "Would you
excuse us a bit, Madison? We need to discuss some details."
TWELVE
o you're the reason for all the fuss."
C
Madison came out of her thoughts and looked at the small,
dark man on the sofa. She'd forgotten he was there. He
smiled at her and picked up a large teapot that rested on the coffee table next to a couple of mugs and a plate of
isn't the real killer or wasn't acting alone, but we have our own
reasons to look into it. Detective Notchey is helping us avoid a
potentially dangerous public situation."
"He told me," Madison said, looking at Samuel and fighting
the pull he had on her. "You think the people doing this are suffering from vampire envy."
A few of the vampires seated around the table chuckled. Colin
eyed Madison with barely disguised scorn.
Samuel flashed Madison a quick white smile. "That's a colorful way of putting it, but yes." The smile vanished as he contin ued. "We think the person or people responsible for these unfortunate deaths know about the bloodlines and are killing women
who have them. At least so far, no men that we know of have
been murdered. We're not sure why this is happening, but one
theory is that whoever is doing this is trying to become a vampire by using the blood or flesh of the bloodline carriers."
"One theory?" Madison looked straight at Samuel when she
spoke, as if he were the only other person in the room. "What are
some of the others?"
"There's really only one other, Madison," Samuel replied.
"And that's that the murderers are trying to destroy all potential
vampires, or at least the women."
"That maybe," Doug interjected, "they are trying to make sure
no new vampires are created."
Madison thought about that. "Then why just women?"
"Because they make easier targets, why else?" said Colin.
"Not always," Stacie shot back.
Colin was about to fire off a retort when Samuel gently rapped
his knuckles on the table, bringing the meeting back to order.
"Maybe," Madison said, frowning in concentration, "they
think the bloodline is passed along through the female. Kill the
future mothers and you eliminate future vampires."
Samuel smiled at her. "Good thinking, Madison, but bloodlines aren't genetic. We're not sure why certain people have
them and others do not, but it seems random. Most people with
bloodlines don't even realize they have them or even necessarily
believe in the existence of vampires."
Madison's mind kneaded the puzzle like bread dough. "But
the killer may not know that. Whoever it is could be shooting in
the dark, hoping to stumble on the right combination" Madison paused. She had another question but wasn't sure if asking it
would be the smart thing to do.
"What is it, Madison?" asked Samuel. "I sense there's something else on your mind."
Madison took a deep breath and avoided eye contact with
the vampires. "There is a third possibility. Are you sure it's not
a vampire doing this? I mean, maybe one of your own is trying
to slow down the vampire population growth. Or maybe they're
just doing it for sport."
All at once, the vampires were voicing protests, except Samuel. And for once, Colin seemed in agreement with Stacie.
"It is possible," Samuel said with a slow, steady voice. "But
unlikely. Vampires usually know when a kill has been done by
another vampire. We have examined the bodies and found no
evidence of that."
"Doing your own vampire DNA swabs?" Madison didn't
know why all of a sudden she had dropped her fear and had
returned to her usual smart-mouthed self. Half of her begged her
to stop. The other half was tired of running scared.
Colin leaned toward Madison and flashed his fangs. "Remember who you're talking to, beater"
Mike, sitting between Madison and Colin, wedged his upper
body between the girl and the vampire. "Back it up, Reddy."
Samuel jumped to his feet. "Enough!"
Everyone went still.
Samuel looked at his watch, then at Madison. "Would you
excuse us a bit, Madison? We need to discuss some details."
TWELVE
o you're the reason for all the fuss."
C
Madison came out of her thoughts and looked at the small,
dark man on the sofa. She'd forgotten he was there. He
smiled at her and picked up a large teapot that rested on the coffee table next to a couple of mugs and a plate of
Similar Books
