Page 40 of Born Wicked

We’ve analyzed the shit out of the coma patients’ blood. Every one of them. Which has helped us identify some unusual markers in their systems. It actually looks very similar to Legionnaires disease. The fever, the cough, the mental confusion.

But the seizures? I can’t piece that together.

I rest my elbows on the desk and press the heels of my hands into my eyes.

I wish I knew of more vampires who were doctors or scientists. We need more knowledge on this. I feel like I’m good at what I do, but I’ve been board certified for four months, for crying out loud. I’m not a hematologist. I’m not a lab analyst.

There’s a knock on my door, and my head snaps up. And there I find one of my favorite people in the world. But the look in Warren’s eyes makes my stomach drop to my knees.

“You need to come with me,” he says. His voice shakes. He’s always nervous, and a little shifty. But there’s something new in it that I’ve never heard before. “Now.”

I’m on my feet before I ask him anything else. I grab my coat from the hook by the door. “What’s wrong?”

Side by side, we walk swiftly down the hall toward the main doors. “Chicago PD served Roman a search warrant at the club twenty minutes ago,” he says, speaking fast, his words panicked. “They’re looking for evidence that Roman had something to do with Sebastian’s disappearance.”

“Shit,” I breathe, annoyance and frustration flaring in my chest. I double my pace, all but leaving Warren in the dust.

The club is four blocks from the hospital, and in my urgency, my panic, I cover the distance in less than five minutes. The second I make the last turn to bring ROMAN NIGHTS into view, my heart leaps into my throat.

There are three police cars parked at the curb in front of the club. The main door is wide open, and there is a line forming. Dozens of hopeful club attendees watch curiously, straining their necks to find out what’s going on.

I jog down the sidewalk, thinking every swear word I’ve ever learned in my lifetime.

Just as I get twenty feet from the door, Roman suddenly appears. His eyes lock onto mine instantly, and there’s something dark in them, something resigned.

And I understand just one second later.

A police officer walks directly behind Roman. Roman’s hands are behind his back. He’s handcuffed.

“Roman!” I call out, panic and confusion rushing through me like adrenaline. “What’s going on?”

“Find the cure, Juliet,” he says as he’s marched toward one of those police cars. “They’re all counting on you.”

“Seems we were looking in the wrong direction for a while.” My blood chills at the familiar voice. I turn to see Superintendent Day walking out of the club, followed by two detectives. “I did not expect it to be so easy finding evidence. I think I have a feeling whose DNA that is going to be.”

The detectives come out with evidence bags. Each of them has a cotton swab with bloody tips.

Shit.

I spin, my eyes locking on Roman’s. He stares back at me, and I can’t quite read the emotions in his eyes. I think he’s trying to communicate something. But he doesn’t seem surprised. He doesn’t seem panicked. He looks… resigned.

“Roman,” I breathe out.

But the officer just puts his hand on the back of Roman’s head, guiding him down into the back seat of the cruiser. I hold his gaze as the door is slammed shut between us.

“Roman De Luca is under arrest in the disappearance of Dr. Sebastian Vincent,” Day says, and the smug satisfaction in her voice makes me want to rip every one of her fingers and toes from her body, one by one, slowly.

I want to argue. I want to tell her she’s being so, so stupid.

But I know exactly how this looks.

And as I watch them all load into their vehicles and drive away, I realize Roman knew exactly what was going to happen.

“Why did he do that?” I say out loud as everyone drives away.

“What?” Warren asks. I forgot he was at my side, watching as his boss was walked out in handcuffs.

I blink three times rapidly and shake my head. “He… The police were convinced I did something to Sebastian. But the other day… Roman showed them the video of Sebastian trashing my apartment. And he made it a very clear point to make sure Superintendent Day knew I went to stay with Roman after Sebastian and I parted.”

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