Page 72 of How to Stake a Vampire
“It was shaped like a bone,” Bo said defensively.
“It was a femur.”
“Exactly. Bone-shaped.”
“Wow,” Detective Johnson muttered.
Samuel pinched the bridge of his nose. “Nigel, you copying?”
“Loud and clear. The Husky is a liability.”
“Not that.” Samuel sighed. “Tell Mindy to stay alert. And keep monitoring things closely from your end.”
“Oh. Gotcha.”
Samuel, Barney, and I left the vehicle and circled around to the back. We were halfway there when Nigel’s voice crackled in our earpieces.
“Mindy’s reporting a problem.”
Samuel’s shoulders knotted. “What kind of problem?”
“She accidentally triggered the fire suppression system,” Nigel said apologetically. “The customers are evacuating.”
“Any sign of our target?” I asked while Samuel cursed softly.
Didi’s mildly disgusted voice came through the comm before Nigel could reply.
“People are leaving en masse. Wait, Gavin, watch where you’re?—!”
A loud crash echoed through the earpiece. It was following by an intense sizzling sound.
“I hope you guys have stakeout insurance,” Detective Johnson said flatly.
“Why?” Samuel groaned.
“Because the dragon newt just slipped on the floor, crashed into the ice sculpture, and melted it in his panic.”
“The bat one?” I said warily.
“Yup. It’s more of a puddle now.”
“This is going well,” Barney remarked with a pinched expression.
“FYI, the Husky says this wouldn’t have happened if they’d taken him as a service dog,” Detective Johnson added.
I narrowed my eyes.
“Uh-oh.” Nigel’s tone had grown urgent. “Mindy’s just lost contact with the security system. Something’s fighting her for control.”
My pulse spiked.
“Fighting her how?” Tension knotted Samuel’s shoulders.
“She says it feels like another presence in the system. Something old and angry.”
“We should get in there,” I told Samuel and Barney urgently.
They nodded. We moved toward the rear exit.
