around his eyes when he caught sight of Sebastian.
“Mr. Colin,” he said. “And who’s your friend?”
“He’s visiting,” said Colin tersely. In anyone else, the lack of enthusiastic introduction might have been suspicious, but with Colin, it was just everyday cranky. “He’s also hungry.” Colin graced Bob with his glowery regard. “We need the good stuff. Three pints.”
Bob was silent a moment. I held very still, trying not to let any reaction show on my face. Three pints was a lot of blood. Then again, Sebastian was really hungry. I decided not to dwell on the implications.
“I’m not bringing it out front,” Bob finally said, his voice low, “and it’ll cost you.”
“You know I’m good for the money.” Colin somehow managed to convey cooperation, trustworthiness and an impressive intensity of menace all at the same time.
Bob nodded. “All right.” His gaze slid to me. I could almost feel it on my skin, like gum stuck to the bottom of a chair. “No humans.”
“She’s copacetic,” Colin said levelly. “She comes with.”
Bob hesitated, chewing the inside of his cheek. “Fine. You’re accountable?”
“Yep.”
What the hell? But I could tell this wasn’t a good time to ask about their vampire code or whatever it was. He wanted me with him, and I didn’t much like the idea of being alone with Bob, so I kept my mouth shut for the moment.
After another pause for consideration, Bob gave a sharp jerk of the head, indicating we should follow him. He led the way to a door at the far end of the counter, opened it and preceded us in.
Though I knew Bob was aware of my presence, I still felt the need to remain as small as possible, keeping myself hidden behind Colin’s bulk. Which was why I didn’t immediately see what caused Colin to grind to a halt. Mostly I just slammed into his back, and for a second, I thought maybe I’d broken my nose on his shoulder blade.
“Shit!” I said, then stopped, pinching my nose against the pain and staring. Because just then I did see the reason Colin had stopped in his tracks.
It was Therese Wilkins.
Turned down by the Blood Bank? Fangs Plus takes all blood, all the time, and we pay the most per pint of any blood collection facility in the Metro Denver area. Stop by one of our downtown locations. No appointment necessary. —Flyer on the door of Red Cross Headquarters, Denver, Colorado.
Chapter Five
I recognized her from the pictures I’d seen on TV, but in truth she barely resembled them. The woman in the photos and video clips that had made the news had been bright and sparkling. This woman was pale and lifeless even sitting at the table with her hands folded in front of her, watching us come into the small, poorly lit back room. Even considering she’d just been turned into a vampire, she looked like shit.
Colin gained his composure first. “What the fuck, Bob?” he said, his voice a dark growl.
Bob seemed unconcerned. “Russian Asshole gave me a wad of cash to be sure you got back here.” He pushed the door shut. “And another big wad of cash to be sure you never came back out.”
“Well.” Colin sounded resigned. “I told you he wouldn’t turn you in to the police.”
“And where is Russian Asshole now?” Sebastian’s careful, accented voice held a hint of menace.
“Return it.” This was Therese. Her voice sounded as dead as the rest of her appeared. There was no intelligence in her eyes, no discernible awareness. I didn’t think that was how the vampirization process was supposed to work. You were generally supposed to come through with your brain intact. This poor woman didn’t seem to have any awareness at all. When she spoke, it was as if someone else moved her. She reminded me of the animatronic displays at Disney World, but a hell of a lot creepier.
“Return it,” she said again, “or choose your fate.” Oddly, her voice held a vague, sibilant Russian accent. Bad thoughts began to occur to me.
Colin seemed
“Mr. Colin,” he said. “And who’s your friend?”
“He’s visiting,” said Colin tersely. In anyone else, the lack of enthusiastic introduction might have been suspicious, but with Colin, it was just everyday cranky. “He’s also hungry.” Colin graced Bob with his glowery regard. “We need the good stuff. Three pints.”
Bob was silent a moment. I held very still, trying not to let any reaction show on my face. Three pints was a lot of blood. Then again, Sebastian was really hungry. I decided not to dwell on the implications.
“I’m not bringing it out front,” Bob finally said, his voice low, “and it’ll cost you.”
“You know I’m good for the money.” Colin somehow managed to convey cooperation, trustworthiness and an impressive intensity of menace all at the same time.
Bob nodded. “All right.” His gaze slid to me. I could almost feel it on my skin, like gum stuck to the bottom of a chair. “No humans.”
“She’s copacetic,” Colin said levelly. “She comes with.”
Bob hesitated, chewing the inside of his cheek. “Fine. You’re accountable?”
“Yep.”
What the hell? But I could tell this wasn’t a good time to ask about their vampire code or whatever it was. He wanted me with him, and I didn’t much like the idea of being alone with Bob, so I kept my mouth shut for the moment.
After another pause for consideration, Bob gave a sharp jerk of the head, indicating we should follow him. He led the way to a door at the far end of the counter, opened it and preceded us in.
Though I knew Bob was aware of my presence, I still felt the need to remain as small as possible, keeping myself hidden behind Colin’s bulk. Which was why I didn’t immediately see what caused Colin to grind to a halt. Mostly I just slammed into his back, and for a second, I thought maybe I’d broken my nose on his shoulder blade.
“Shit!” I said, then stopped, pinching my nose against the pain and staring. Because just then I did see the reason Colin had stopped in his tracks.
It was Therese Wilkins.
Turned down by the Blood Bank? Fangs Plus takes all blood, all the time, and we pay the most per pint of any blood collection facility in the Metro Denver area. Stop by one of our downtown locations. No appointment necessary. —Flyer on the door of Red Cross Headquarters, Denver, Colorado.
Chapter Five
I recognized her from the pictures I’d seen on TV, but in truth she barely resembled them. The woman in the photos and video clips that had made the news had been bright and sparkling. This woman was pale and lifeless even sitting at the table with her hands folded in front of her, watching us come into the small, poorly lit back room. Even considering she’d just been turned into a vampire, she looked like shit.
Colin gained his composure first. “What the fuck, Bob?” he said, his voice a dark growl.
Bob seemed unconcerned. “Russian Asshole gave me a wad of cash to be sure you got back here.” He pushed the door shut. “And another big wad of cash to be sure you never came back out.”
“Well.” Colin sounded resigned. “I told you he wouldn’t turn you in to the police.”
“And where is Russian Asshole now?” Sebastian’s careful, accented voice held a hint of menace.
“Return it.” This was Therese. Her voice sounded as dead as the rest of her appeared. There was no intelligence in her eyes, no discernible awareness. I didn’t think that was how the vampirization process was supposed to work. You were generally supposed to come through with your brain intact. This poor woman didn’t seem to have any awareness at all. When she spoke, it was as if someone else moved her. She reminded me of the animatronic displays at Disney World, but a hell of a lot creepier.
“Return it,” she said again, “or choose your fate.” Oddly, her voice held a vague, sibilant Russian accent. Bad thoughts began to occur to me.
Colin seemed
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