Page 48 of Brimstone Bound
Lukas had mentioned that the vampires had great PR to advertise to the world that they were nothing more than hedonistic fun-lovers. From my vantage point, it looked like a hell of a lot more than PR. The sight that greeted my eyes was like nothing I’d ever seen before. No wonder people were queuing to get in.
The place was vast, and everyone was having a good time. Servers dressed in blood-red clothing wove between tables and skirted the edge of the huge, packed dance floor. Most of them had their arms in the air and were swaying to the music which, while not earsplittingly loud, was definitely upbeat.
It felt like I’d wandered into an adults’ version of Disneyland. I noticed that my foot was tapping and frowned. I wasn’t here to have a good time; I had serious business to attend to. But there was an oddly joyous sensation zipping through my body, and I wondered whether the vamps pumped some sort of happy chemical into the air. It wouldn’t have surprised me.
I shook myself and focused. There was a roped-off area to the left and a raised mezzanine area. If Lord Horvath was here, that was where he’d be.
I plunged in, pushing my way through the crowds. A server approached me, her eyebrows raised questioningly. I didn’t want a drink, so I shook my head and continued moving. I’d work out the lay of the land then approach Horvath directly. This wasn’t the best place for an interrogation, but it would have to suffice. I could adapt.
I sidled past a crowd of blokes in their twenties who were gathered round one of their friends; from the look of the L-plates round his neck, he was here on his stag night. I tried not to stare at the female vampire, whose fangs were buried deep in his neck. From the glazed look of ecstasy in his eyes, he didn’t mind.
I licked my dry lips and pushed myself up onto my tiptoes to get a better glimpse of the VIP area. I took in the assembled vampires on the balcony. Some had their heads bowed in conversation and some were gazing outwards, thoughtful expressions on their face. I shivered as I wondered if they were looking for conquests.
On a raised dais in the centre of the area was a gilt throne. I could just make out the top of the head of the person sitting there: Horvath himself, no doubt. His face and body were obscured by the two scantily-clad women in front of him, one of whom was caressing his face with long, scarlet-painted talons. The other was dancing, her hands travelling up and down her body suggestively. I hopped to the right to get a better look, just as the dancing woman also moved.
I gasped aloud. That had to be Lord Horvath – his body language certainly exuded authority and power. He was leaning back, one leg draped loosely over the arm of the throne. Despite the attentions of the women, he looked mildly bored. But it wasn’t that which shocked me; it was the fact that Lord Horvath’s face belonged to Lukas.
I moved behind a pillar in case he glanced over the sea of bobbing heads and noticed me. I could have slapped myself for not working it out earlier. Suddenly everything was starting to make sense, from DSI Barnes’ odd deference, despite her obvious anti-vampire beliefs, to the way the werewolves had acted when we’d entered Fairfax’s club. When everyone stared it wasn’t because of Tallulah, it was because I was wandering the streets with the vampire Lord himself. No wonder the female vamp at the front of Tesco’s had suddenly decided to play nice with me. He must have put the word out – and his word was no doubt sacrosanct.
I clenched my teeth. His involvement in both my murder and Tony’s death was also making sense. He was the vampire leader, so any brutalities on his doorstep were ultimately his responsibility. I shook my head in dismay at my own stupidity. Had he been laughing at me all this time? So much for confronting him to gauge his reaction about Tony’s death; he knew as much as I did – if not more.
I ducked my head and moved away from the pillar. I had to get out of there. My shame at not working out what had been right in front of my face was too much to bear. Some detective I was.
Then anger began to seep in. This might all be a joke to him, but it was real life to me. And real death.
A figure stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I muttered an apology and moved to the side. He reached out and grabbed my arm. My head jerked up.
‘Emma, where have you been?’
I stared at Jeremy. His eyes were roving over me like he couldn’t quite believe I was real. He pulled me in close, wrapping his arms around me tightly. He smelled warm and familiar and I couldn’t stop myself from hugging him back.
‘What are you doing here?’ I asked, my words muffled into his chest.
‘Looking for you, of course! I get a cryptic message from you and you don’t come home. Nobody at the Met seems to know what’s going on and, when I went to Supe Squad, the building was empty.’
I leaned back my head and looked into his eyes. He gazed back at me. I had the strong sensation that there was something he desperately wanted to ask but he was afraid of the answer.
‘I’m sorry, Jeremy. I’m so sorry. Everything’s been crazy lately.’ I linked my fingers with his. ‘Can we get out of here and talk?’
He nodded. Gripping my hand tightly, as if he were scared to let go, he led me out.
Chapter Seventeen
Unsure of where else to go, and desperate for some peace and quiet, I took him to Supe Squad. He looked disapprovingly at Tallulah but he didn’t say anything, even when I had to move the crossbow so he could sit in the passenger seat.
‘This is my mentor’s car,’ I said, by way of feeble explanation.
‘Doesn’t your mentor need it?’
I couldn’t answer that, so I didn’t. Instead I focused on the road and not driving over the drunken pedestrians tripping out of the other vamp clubs and bars. Jeremy didn’t repeat his question, and for that I was grateful.
We didn’t speak again until I’d used my key to get us into the Supe Squad building. I led him into the main office and flicked on the kettle. I was going to need a damn sight more than caffeine to get through this conversation but, unless Fred had a secret stash of vodka underneath the sofa, tea was the best I could do.
‘Emma,’ Jeremy sighed. He ran a shaky hand through his hair. ‘What’s going on? What are you wearing? None of this is like you at all.’
I handed him a mug of tea with three sugars, just as he liked it, and sat down next to him. I knew I could still be in danger – and that meant he was also at risk. He might have forced my hand by appearing at Heart out of the blue, but I couldn’t change my current course.
I had to come up with something. Telling him that I’d been murdered and come back to life wasn’t likely to arouse his sympathy. Knowing Jeremy, it was more likely he’d run in the opposite direction while calling for the men in white coats to take me away. He didn’t even like it when I discussed my own parents’ death and they’d not been resurrected. My heart wrenched at that thought and I quickly shoved it away.
