Page 50 of The Mermaid's Bubble Lounge
Sorry, darling.
“Ancient history,” Clive responded. “I’m a one-woman man now.”
Joao shivered in mock horror. “Save me from a fate that is worse than final death.”
Adaeze pointed at Pablo. “Will you release your hold on him?”
“Oh,” Clive said. “Of course.”
Pablo flew back from the table, eyes locked on Clive, fangs locked and loaded. “I will kill you,” he hissed.
“Sit down,” Cadmael growled. “You embarrass yourself.” He looked around the table. “We have positions to fill. I suggest we get to work.”
“Yes,” Ahmed agreed. “We have two Australian Counselors to choose, two Asian, and one European. Though I think we should first choose a Guild leader.” He paused, looking around the table. “Cadmael, I know this isn’t something you enjoy, but I think we could use you right now.”
Clive and Vlad nodded. Joao shrugged one shoulder, not seeming to care, though I felt his disgruntlement. He would have liked to have at least been asked if he wanted it.
Clive turned to Cadmael. “Will you take it?”
Cadmael, looking put out, finally nodded.
“Good,” Clive said. “That’s decided.” He turned to Thi. “Do you have recommendations for the Asian Counselors?”
What followed was a long discussion about people I didn’t know. It was endless. And then if certain people were chosen as Counselors, who would take over as nocturne Masters? I checked out and started listening in on the thoughts of the other Counselors.
Pablo was still fuming. He didn’t know anyone who was being discussed and was instead envisioning killing Clive. Joao knew them but didn’t care. He thought Thi should have the final decision. She was the one who was going to have to work with them. Ahmed and Adaeze wanted the strongest candidates, not only for the Asian nocturnes and Masters, but for the Guild.
When they got around to discussing a European Counselor, Bram was suggested, but Clive didn’t think he’d want to give up his nocturne. Clive said he’d call and talk to him about it, though. I’d met Bram when we were in the UK. I thought he’d make a wonderful Counselor, though he did seem well suited to his nocturne.
I was starting to nod off on my bench against the wall of Russell’s office when I heard Pablo say, “Even here, in your precious city, vampires are coming out and making themselves known, taking the blood they require, and leaving it to others to clean up. How can you go on about oversight and control when even the vampires in your former nocturne are part of the revolution?”
Pablo was pleased that everyone had stopped to listen to him. He’d spent most of the meeting being ignored and he was furious. It was time to make the English scum squirm.
Ahmed said, “We saw those reports as well. Can you tell us what you know?”
“Of course,” Clive responded. “I know the human press has labeled the killer a vampire, but he is not.”
That got people’s attention. They were expecting what they’d heard in previous investigations: vague beliefs and possible conclusions, not outright denial.
“What are you talking about?” Pablo sneered. “The humans were drained of blood and had bite marks on their necks.”
Clive nodded. “True, but it wasn’t a vampire.” He gestured to Cadmael and Vlad. “The three of us investigated after the first killing and the second. There was no vampire present. The bodies were killed in a way that made it look as though they were our victims, but they’re not.”
“There’s video of the second killing,” Vlad put in. “None of us could drain a body that fast.”
“Show us,” Pablo demanded.
The others were still irritated with him, that was obvious, but they too directed their laser-sharp focus on Clive. They all wanted to see the video.
Clive nodded. “Of course. First, though, we’d like to explain what we actually believe is going on.”
TWENTY-THREE
Emerging Patterns
Clive first told them what a pooka was, how it had posed as Clive in order to attack me, how it had been a cat outside our house before shifting to the likeness of our friend. Vlad cut in to explain that he’d conducted the investigation in Bucharest and had never found a vampire trail at any of those killings either.
Clive pulled his phone out of his pocket and pulled up the video. “Before we begin, remember that the killer, who I believe was the cat I saw on the roof, had seen all three of us investigating the first murder. Notice all the details he gets wrong with Vlad’s appearance.” Clive hit play.
