doubt that the guy had an alarm rigged to his refrigerators.
It would be silent, of course, but the amount of blood in those things was worth at least half a million. Maybe more. Jayce wasn’t sure what the current street price for the shit was. If more had flooded the market recently—and it seemed as if it had—then the price might have dropped a fraction.
Pressing his body against the side of the bus and making sure one of the wheels blocked any view of his legs, he was silent as he heard a curse from the direction of the trailer, then the trailer door opening. Jayce tugged down the zipper on his jacket, but didn’t draw either of his blades—or either of the two guns he had on his person. He waited only thirty seconds before revealing himself.
As he stepped out from behind the bus, he found Ned with his hand on the back door of it, his eyes wide with surprise. “Hey . . . man. Jayce, what the fuck are you doing here?”
“What the fuck are you doing selling vamp blood?”
The fear that rolled off Ned was pungent. Some of the stench was probably because the guy hadn’t showered in a few days.
At six feet tall, with thickly muscled and tattooed arms, slicked-back hair, and a full beard and mustache, Ned didn’t look like a man easily intimidated. To any other observer he would even have looked calm and collected. But the human couldn’t hide the smell of his terror from Jayce.
“What are you talking about?” There was a waver in Ned’s voice, so slight that Jayce might not have heard it if not for his extremely sensitive hearing.
“I’ve been in your bus.” His voice was monotone.
Now anger punched off the human. Anger and that roll of fear again. Ned swallowed hard. “Why the hell do you care? You’re not a vamp.”
“Thanks for stating the obvious.” Jayce kept his gaze on Ned steady as he allowed his wolf to show in his eyes. He knew he could look like a scary bastard when he wanted to.
To Ned’s credit, he didn’t step away. Probably because he was frozen to the spot. Finally the human shrugged. “It’s none of your fucking business what I do. There’s money in vamp blood, and I’m not hurting anyone.”
“Who’s your dealer?”
Okay, now that fear turned to something acidic and . . . dark. Interesting. “None of your business.”
“How many clients are you selling to a week?”
Ned held up a hand and reached into his jacket pocket slowly. “Just grabbing a cig.” As he lit up, he said, “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to move in on my territory.”
Jayce snorted; that thought was ludicrous for a multitude of reasons. “Who. Is. Your. Dealer.” He injected his animal side into his voice.
Ned shook his head, the acidic stench back. “I tell you, I’m dead,” he whispered.
“I’ll kill you if you don’t tell me.” Jayce wouldn’t, but he wanted to see Ned’s reaction.
Ned shook his head as he took a drag from his cigarette. “What he’ll do to me is worse.” He spoke so low Jayce almost didn’t hear him. It was as if Ned was afraid someone could actually overhear them.
There were no other humans nearby. Jayce couldn’t scent or hear anyone, but something told him Ned wouldn’t believe him if he told him. “Damn it, Ned. I don’t want to hurt you but I will.” Jayce quickly removed one of his blades, hoping the show of force would loosen the human’s lips. It’s not that he had any particular feelings for this guy, but he wasn’t eager to cause him pain either.
Moving lightning fast—fast enough to let Jayce know the human was taking his own product—Ned pulled something round from his pocket and tossed it into one of the bus windows.
A click and a soft hissing sound moved Jayce into action. Using all the strength in his legs he launched himself away from the bus. Out of his peripheral vision he watched as Ned sprinted in the opposite direction.
Before he had time to think of a plan of action, a loud explosion
It would be silent, of course, but the amount of blood in those things was worth at least half a million. Maybe more. Jayce wasn’t sure what the current street price for the shit was. If more had flooded the market recently—and it seemed as if it had—then the price might have dropped a fraction.
Pressing his body against the side of the bus and making sure one of the wheels blocked any view of his legs, he was silent as he heard a curse from the direction of the trailer, then the trailer door opening. Jayce tugged down the zipper on his jacket, but didn’t draw either of his blades—or either of the two guns he had on his person. He waited only thirty seconds before revealing himself.
As he stepped out from behind the bus, he found Ned with his hand on the back door of it, his eyes wide with surprise. “Hey . . . man. Jayce, what the fuck are you doing here?”
“What the fuck are you doing selling vamp blood?”
The fear that rolled off Ned was pungent. Some of the stench was probably because the guy hadn’t showered in a few days.
At six feet tall, with thickly muscled and tattooed arms, slicked-back hair, and a full beard and mustache, Ned didn’t look like a man easily intimidated. To any other observer he would even have looked calm and collected. But the human couldn’t hide the smell of his terror from Jayce.
“What are you talking about?” There was a waver in Ned’s voice, so slight that Jayce might not have heard it if not for his extremely sensitive hearing.
“I’ve been in your bus.” His voice was monotone.
Now anger punched off the human. Anger and that roll of fear again. Ned swallowed hard. “Why the hell do you care? You’re not a vamp.”
“Thanks for stating the obvious.” Jayce kept his gaze on Ned steady as he allowed his wolf to show in his eyes. He knew he could look like a scary bastard when he wanted to.
To Ned’s credit, he didn’t step away. Probably because he was frozen to the spot. Finally the human shrugged. “It’s none of your fucking business what I do. There’s money in vamp blood, and I’m not hurting anyone.”
“Who’s your dealer?”
Okay, now that fear turned to something acidic and . . . dark. Interesting. “None of your business.”
“How many clients are you selling to a week?”
Ned held up a hand and reached into his jacket pocket slowly. “Just grabbing a cig.” As he lit up, he said, “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to move in on my territory.”
Jayce snorted; that thought was ludicrous for a multitude of reasons. “Who. Is. Your. Dealer.” He injected his animal side into his voice.
Ned shook his head, the acidic stench back. “I tell you, I’m dead,” he whispered.
“I’ll kill you if you don’t tell me.” Jayce wouldn’t, but he wanted to see Ned’s reaction.
Ned shook his head as he took a drag from his cigarette. “What he’ll do to me is worse.” He spoke so low Jayce almost didn’t hear him. It was as if Ned was afraid someone could actually overhear them.
There were no other humans nearby. Jayce couldn’t scent or hear anyone, but something told him Ned wouldn’t believe him if he told him. “Damn it, Ned. I don’t want to hurt you but I will.” Jayce quickly removed one of his blades, hoping the show of force would loosen the human’s lips. It’s not that he had any particular feelings for this guy, but he wasn’t eager to cause him pain either.
Moving lightning fast—fast enough to let Jayce know the human was taking his own product—Ned pulled something round from his pocket and tossed it into one of the bus windows.
A click and a soft hissing sound moved Jayce into action. Using all the strength in his legs he launched himself away from the bus. Out of his peripheral vision he watched as Ned sprinted in the opposite direction.
Before he had time to think of a plan of action, a loud explosion
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