Page 12 of Cuddling Sucks in Coffins
“Wrong again. I work only for myself. I just happened to visit the Senate for some information.”
Senate. Was that what they called themselves? Some kind of slayer-chooser government types?
“And I’m sure they gave that information to you freely.” Fat chance since they’d barely told me squat, and what they had told me was written in a letter. “Where was it that you visited?”
He returned his black sword to the scabbard hanging from his hip and then settled both hands on the hilt while he observed me. “A small town near here off the beaten path, far enough away to be safe from your battles. They have all sorts of information on every slayer and some on a few high-profile vampires I almost found what I was looking for there, but not quite. So I came to you for help.”
My curiosity was certainly piqued. The thought of perusing that info while simultaneously grilling these Senate people buzzed through my skin.
“Help,” I said. “By slicing my hand and nearly getting me killed. I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t tell you shit.”
His mouth twisted behind all that dark scruff in what I supposed was meant to be a smile. “Yes, but if you do, then I’ll give you the exact location of the Senate.”
Damn him. He’d likely read that was exactly what I wanted all over my face. “Pretty sure they wouldn’t like me stopping by even if I did know where they lived.”
“On the contrary. They seem to think pretty highly of you. Every slayer has their own life story written about them in a hand-sewn book. Yours is decorated in lovely, painstaking detail compared to everyone else’s, though its pages are blank. I only suppose that’s because your story isn’t yet finished.”
Interesting. Also highly suspect. I didn’t trust anything about this vampire.
“Everyslayer has a book.” He dipped his chin as if to see if I were still conscious and paying attention. “That includes how they died, as well as all of their near deaths. That could help you figure out what hasn’t worked so can you focus on what could work with your...” He waved his hand. “Little dark unknown problem.”
“Little. Right.” I heaved a sigh. Well, that info would be pretty damn useful to have.
His ochre gaze roamed over the graveyard. “That thing’s presence was a heavy burden last night, almost like dragging chains. Powerful. Revolting. But...I don’t feel it tonight.”
I shook my head. “He started his stroll.”
“What?”
“Never mind. So I give you information, and you tell me where these Senate people are who know so much about everything.”
He nodded.
I shrugged. “So, what do you want to know?”
“I’m looking for the vampire who killed my brother. I would like for you to tell me where that vampire is.”
I lifted an eyebrow at the fading blood spot on the grass. “You sure it wasn’t this one?”
“Not that one. Older. And capable of killing a slayer.”
The air froze in my lungs. It just so happened that I knew two vampires who fit that description. Sawyer had been trained to kill slayers through the Necron Brotherhood, even though he never had, and Jacek had killed his slayer captor when he’d escaped. Both were capable.
I cemented my face and body into a blank slate so he wouldn’t be able to tell I’d stopped breathing. “You said this vampire killed your brother. Was he a slayer?”
He nodded. “Not a very good one, it turns out. There was another slayer in my family long ago who was much better. Anyway, my brother made a lot of mistakes, all of which I read about in the Senate’s tome about him. Tortured vampires. Became a vampire himself. Not the usual job description for a slayer, I’m sure.”
A slayer. A murdered slayer who tortured vampires. Which meant he could very well be looking for Jacek. My stomach tightened, and a cold sweat leaked down the back of my neck. But maybe not. I needed to chill.
“He was also my brother, though. Family.Blood.” His eyes sparked red. “I didn’t take his murder lightly.”
“I can see that,” I said. “I don’t typically interview the vamps before I stake them, so I’m afraid I can’t help you.” I made to skirt around him, but he blocked my path.
“I guess you’ll start, though, won’t you?” His scruffy jaw tightened, and I suddenly wanted to grab a razor to scrape his whole face off. “Otherwise I won’t tell you shit.”
I hated being backed into a corner. I hated being backed into a corner by a controlling, punchable, shavable vampire even worse. “How do I know you’ll deliver on your end of the bargain? How did you find this Senate place anyway? I doubt they invited you in, you being a vampire and all.”
“No, they didn’t invite me.” He unsheathed his sword, and my muscles coiled, preparing to duke it out with my wooden stake against sharp metal. What could go wrong?
