Page 66 of My Mr. Vampire

“I’m coming with you.”

“You don’t have to?—”

“Don’t even try it.” She cut me off with a look that said don’t argue with me this nice sunny morning. “There’s no way I’m letting you go down there alone. Those detectives are a fucking joke. At this point, none of this shit got anything to do with you. They lost old boy, so there is no trial for you to even testify at. They need to keep it pushing, cause what the fuck already.”

Morgan’s abrasive words gave me strength. Mostly because she was right. I knew Lonzo was dead, so I didn’t have anything else to add to whatever new development they had.

“Give me fifteen minutes to get ready.” Morgan was already heading back toward the guest room when I went to take another sip of my coffee that definitely needed cream and sugar.

While Morgan dressed, I called Josh. My driver answered on the second ring.

“Hello.” His voice was alert despite the early hour. I knew he was a vampire, so now I was wondering when he slept.

“It’s me, Chanel.”

“Do you need me to drive you somewhere?”

How did he know? “Yeah, I need a ride to 26thand California. To the police station.”

There was a brief pause. “Everything alright, Ms. Taylor?”

“Yes. I just need to talk to those detectives from Minnesota.”

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Josh.,”

“No problem, ma’am.”

True to his word, exactly fifteen minutes later, the intercom buzzed. From the window, I could see the sleek black Rezvani SUV idling down at the curb. The dark tinted windows reflectedoff the morning sun. The vehicle really looked like something from a spy movie, bulletproof and menacing.

I scrawled a quick note for Zand and leave it in the bedroom as I tiptoe out.

Morgan emerged from the guest room in black jeans and a fitted gray sweater. Her makeup was flawless despite the rushed timeline. She squeezed my arm as we entered the elevator to go down to the ground level.

Josh was standing beside the rear passenger door, opening it as we approached. He greeted both of us and opened the back door so that we could climb in. After closing the door for us, his eyes scanned the street in a careful way. He was always on high alert. When Josh was around, I felt like I had my own personal Julius. He could be my bodyguard because he was, but he never let me ride shotgun.

As we pulled away from the curb, I stared out the truck window. Morning commuters were on the sidewalks with coffee cups in hand. The city seemed so normal, so unaware of things like vampires.

“What do you think they want?” Morgan asked, bringing me back into the moment.

I shook my head. “I wish I knew.”

The traffic thickened as we approached central downtown. My phone weighed heavy in my pocket. I thought about texting Zand. I didn’t. I could tell him what happened later.

As the police station came into view, the bland stone facade made my heart feel like it was under attack. I was so tired of this feeling.

Josh pulled the SUV to the curb in front of the police station.

“I’m going in alone. I will call if I need like a lawyer or something.”

“We’ll be waiting in the lot,” Josh said with his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. “Call when you’re done. I will pick you up at this spot.”

I sighed heavily. “Okay.”

Morgan reached across the seat and squeezed my hand. “Don’t let them dummies intimidate you.”

I finally stepped out of the truck. I made it up the stairs and the automatic doors part. The lobby smells like industrial cleaner. CPD officers move about with purposeful strides. These cops looked like they have seen it all. It dawns on me that they haven’t seen vampires, and I get an inner chuckle.

---