Shock flashed across the colonel’s face, quickly smoothed away. “No wonder you’re pale. You shouldn’t have seen that.” He studied her for a moment. “Or maybe given the circumstances perhaps you needed to see it.”
“The circumstances?” she asked.
“We’re investigating a creature we believe to be a vampire. Who bites and drains his victims.”
She considered his words, turned them over in her mind, and gritted her teeth. “Are you seriously suggesting that Christian Roth murdered my mother?”
“Why are you so reluctant to see what is in front of you, child?”
Faith was furiously angry. “I’m not a fucking child.”
Taking a deep breath, she fought for control. Finally, she forced a smile. “Sorry, it’s been a long day. Let me go over what I’ve learned,” she said. “Right now, I’m tired and not seeing straight. I’ll be better tomorrow.”
“Okay, go now. Let us know if you hear anything more from Roth or his people.”
“Have you made contact with him about his wife yet?”
The colonel gave a small, tight smile. “Don’t worry about that; we have it under control.”
Why didn’t that make her feel any better? Guilt gnawed at her insides. Always before she’d known she was on the right side, working for the good guys to lock away the bad guys. Everything had been so straightforward.
Now she looked at these two bland, smiling faces and had no clue what was right or wrong, good or evil.
Rising to her feet, she wiped her hands down the side of her pants and nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, good night, Faith.”
…
Adams was on duty at his usual place when she left the building. He scrutinized her closely, his gaze resting on her shoulder where she’d taken his bullet.
“Hey, no hard feelings.”
“None,” she lied.
She almost sagged with relief as she walked through the door into the bright sunshine of the late afternoon. She glanced back and saw Adams had stepped outside and was still watching her.
Bastard.
He clearly didn’t trust her, or maybe he didn’t understand how he’d shot her through the shoulder yesterday and today, she seemed fine. She was a little hazy on that one herself.
Carl had told her that someone would be waiting. She searched the area for a possible subject as a black SUV drew up beside her. As she peered inside, she recognized the driver and her heart rate picked up.
Chapter Twelve
Warmth stole through her. Faith couldn’t believe how much she had needed to see Ash. His presence made her feel safer as though somehow she might get through this whole mess.
“Hi,” she said as she climbed in.
He pulled straight out into the traffic and turned to study her. She couldn’t see his eyes as he wore dark glasses, but lines of tension bracketed his mouth and his hands gripped the wheel so tight his knuckles showed white.
He looked almost as bad as she felt.
“How are you?” he asked. “You look…”
“Tired,” she supplied for him.
“Yeah, tired. I didn’t realize you meant to go into work this morning. You should have stayed home.”
“It would have driven me crazy doing nothing. And I felt fine. I still feel fine, just a little run-down. What about you? What have you been up to?”
“I’ve been out trying to get some word on Tara. I spent the night working with Christian, and then I’ve been chasing up people all day. But so far nothing. It’s like she’s vanished.”
“How is Christian?”
“Not good. I always thought Piers was the unstable one out of the two of them, but I think if we don’t get Tara back soon, Christian is going to lose it. And you don’t want to be around if that happens.”
“Where is he now?”
“Getting some sleep. But I’m meeting up with him later and we’ll carry on.”
“And what about you? Don’t you need to sleep?”
He didn’t look tired. Tense and on edge maybe, but not tired.
He glanced from the road and a small smile curved his lips. “No. I don’t need much sleep. I picked up some food. I thought I’d take you home and we could eat. Try and forget for an hour.”
He was back in his badass gear. Maybe it was more likely to impress the sort of people he was talking to. Black leather pants and a black T-shirt that hugged his figure and showed the edges of the intricate tattoo twined around his upper arm. She wanted to reach out and trace the lines with her fingertip.
“Is Piers Lamont helping?” she asked.
“No, he’s taken Roz away.”
“Why? Do you think she’s in danger as well?”
“We think Tara was taken by mistake. We know there’s someone hunting for Roz, but it’s possible they don’t know much about her and Tara was taken instead.”
“Why would someone want Roz?”
“It’s complicated. I told you she has certain…powers. Well, there are some people who don’t like that and want to get rid of her.”
“Rid, as in kill?”