I actually considered it, half wanting to see what he’d say when I told him I sniffed them out. But I had figured something out when he mentioned digital surveillance and a system sophisticated enough to send out notification when there were problems. I said, “No deal.”
This was Leo’s city, Leo’s people. He treated them like a feudal lord would serfs, so I wasn’t surprised he spied on them. And cameras in all the houses and lairs meant a huge system, one he checked only when there was a problem, trend, or power play. Probably not many vamps discovered the surveillance, unless they hired outside people—young outside people, independent security experts, not hundred-year-old human blood-servants—to look into safety measures. I had expected vamps to be mostly like Katie, lost in changing technology, but Leo seemed okay with modern devices, relying on them, which I figured was odd for an elder.
Then something hit me and left me feeling really stupid. “If Leo has video footage of Ming and Katie being attacked, then he knows who the rogue is. I want to see the footage.”
Bruiser shook his head. “Not in Ming’s lair. He didn’t know where she slept. That’s why it wasn’t discovered until evening, when her human servant went to check on her.” He sipped his tea, his eyes considering me over the rim. He set the mug on the table, turned it slightly in the fingers of both hands, as if making sure the handle was pointed just so. “Of the five vampires attacked, all were taken in their lairs. No footage. Katie was the only one taken in her place of business, and the rogue disabled her system before we got any footage.”
Five vamps attacked? Crap. They didn’t tell me that. “No video or pictures of him at all?” Bruiser shook his head, his eyes on me. “I saw him . . . when he attacked Katie.”
Bruiser went still, much like a vamp did. Must be the long association.
“He’s five-eleven in shoes. Long, straight black hair. Dark skin for a vamp.” I could see Bruiser cataloguing the vamps he knew, his eyes moving from one of my eyes to the other, back and forth, as I spoke. “Hawkish nose. No facial hair. Coppery skin makes him South Asian or American Indian. I’m betting AmIn. When he’s feeding, he has upper and lower fangs.” Bruiser’s eyes widened at the dual fang comment. “How many local vamps fit the description?” I asked. “And how many local vamps have disappeared in the last year or so? Beginning, say, a month before the first human victims turned up dead or disappeared?”
“Four vampires fit the description. Five if you count Ma-rio Esposito. He’s Italian, and shorter, but he’s dark skinned. None of them went missing that I know of, no vampires except the five, and of the five known dead, two were fair-haired, one was Negro, and the others were of European background, with brown hair. But I’ll ask around.”
“I’d like the security dossiers on them all.”
Bruiser smiled into his mug, a that’ll-never-happen expression. He sipped once more, put the mug down, and stood, moving with grace suited to the dance floor or a du eling ring. I edged his age up from the fifty or sixty I had given him. “Thanks for the tea. It wasn’t bad.”
“You’re welcome. The security dossiers?”
“I’ll see what I can do.” His tone said he wouldn’t put much energy into it.
“Where’d you get the key? More of Leo’s security precautions?”
“Yeah.” He stuck his hands in his pockets, pursed his lips, and looked around, as if about to say something. Instead he moved to the front door. “Lock me out.” And he was gone.
“That accomplished jack,” I said to the empty house.
I swept up the dried mud, showered, and hit the sack. I was exhausted.
A ringing phone woke me. I fumbled until I found Beast’s travel pack and unzipped it. The cell’s battery was low, emitting a warning beep even as I answered. “Yeah?”
“They’re sending Katie to ground tonight. You need to be in the cemetery before midnight.”
“I need to what?” I stretched my lids, sleep-sand cracking at the corners. It was still daylight, and I heard laughter outside, tourists chatting. “Troll?” I said to the cell.
“Katie survived the attack,” he said, his voice weary. “But Leo says she needs to go to ground. It’s a healing ceremony. I don’t know much about it. But all the Mithrans congregate at the cemetery and they . . .” His words trailed off. “They bury her.”
“And getting buried heals her?” I said, striving for sarcasm, and having to settle for disgust. Vamps creep me out. “And I have to be there why . . . ?”
“They’ve been summoned to a gathering. The older vampires will be there, all in one place.” I heard him lick his lips. Softer, he said, “Humans aren’t allowed to attend, so you have to get there early and find a place to hide.”
So I can do surveillance. Right. I checked the time on the cell and rolled to my feet. “My cell’s dying. Send one of the girls with directions.”