When It Comes (Vampire Assassin League Book 31) by Jackie Ivie Page A

young man.”
    The man still didn’t turn around.
    “Can I offer you something to eat? Drink? Or...does the grim reaper even need those?”
    “I am not the grim reaper, Detective Hartnett. My name is Akron Profit. And I’m here because my second-in-command has a very soft heart, especially when dealing with a female associate. It’s his Achilles Heel, if you will. And it endears him to me greatly.”
    “Um. Okay,” Mitch agreed, as if that introduction made sense.
    “I should also inform you that I’m the leader of the Vampire Assassin League.”
    Oh, brother.
    More delusionary shit to deal with.
    Mitch didn’t say anything. He regarded the guy’s back without giving away his thought process.
    “If it helps your recall, I believe in your investigation, you are referring to my firm as a highly placed vigilante group.”
    Excitement sent a buzz through Mitch’s veins. It almost dented the pressure sensation about his chest, but it didn’t do much to alleviate the soreness that had overtaken his lower torso. Mitch’s eyes widened slightly. He moved away from the door and took a couple of tentative steps toward his visitor. The guy chuckled again.
    “Oh. I have your interest now, do I?”
    “This Vampire Assassin League. Describe it.”
    “We’re a covert group of assassins...who also happen to be vampires. We’ve existed for millennia, much longer than this forensic technology you, and your ilk, are so proud of nowadays. It won’t help you, although it is very entertaining to observe. We’re impossible to catch. Rarely even noticed.”
    “Every crime leaves a trace.”
    “Ah. I see we may have some philosophical discussions in our future.”
    “What?”
    “You’re correct, detective. Every action does leave a trace, but you forgot something. We are immortal beings. Any evidence gathered will be skewed, if it can be read at all. But first of all, you’ll need to define the word crime. That is a debatable concept.”
    “No, it’s not,” Mitch argued.
    “We don’t have time for this at the moment. Maybe later. If...”
    He left the sentence unfinished. Mitch toyed with ignoring it, but curiosity won out.
    “If...what?” he asked.
    “If you prove worthy, of course.”
    “Oh. Of course.”  Mitch barely kept the sarcasm from his voice. He stopped short of rolling his eyes, too, but it was a close call.
    “Perhaps you should consider my visit an employment interview, Mister Hartnett.”
    “I already have a job.”
    “Not anymore.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Your...”  The figure waved an arm, “domicile here...is about to be obliterated. I’m still trying to ascertain if you are going to be a victim of your own stupidity, or not.”
    “Now, wait just a minute.”
    The hooded figure raised his hand. “No. You wait. And listen. I’m going to ask you some questions. You answer truthfully. Can you do that much?”
    The words were almost verbatim to Mitch’s words to Addie. That was spooky. “Yeah,” he finally replied.
    “Do you love her?”
    Mitch swallowed. The knot in his throat shifted painfully. “Um. Who?”
    “We’re past that, Mitchell. You know I speak of Adelaide. Since meeting her, you’ve had all kinds of unbelievable things happen, haven’t you?”
    “How...do you know that?”
    “I’m a vampire, Detective Hartnett, and before you laugh, let me finish. I’ve existed for thousands of years. I can teleport. Telepathically communicate. Leverage all manner of control over the elements. But there is one thing I cannot control. A power that is beyond me. It’s beyond everything and everyone. Can you guess what it is?”
    Mitch shook his head. Akron acted like he saw it.
    “The supreme power in the universe is love.”
    “What?”
    “You heard me. I am a powerful being. I have abilities beyond your comprehension at present. I didn’t list some of my powers to impress, but to educate. Because love is even greater. It has the ability to transcend time. Place. Space. It can