Chapter Two
“Fucking vampires,” Moira mumbled as they walked down the street toward the Starbucks across from police headquarters. Less than a month ago she was here gathering information about the Demon Lust; now she was back in L.A. and it had nothing to do with the Seven Deadly Sins. She wanted to scream. All sources were dry; no one had any clue where the demons were operating or why there were no signs of increased demonic activity. It was like Hell was on vacation. Like that was possible.
“They’re just people,” Rafe said. “There’s been no one who’s successfully performed the ritual for vampiric immortality.”
“That we know about.”
“We’d know.”
“They’ve tried.”
“They’ve been stopped.”
Moira stood outside the Starbucks entrance. “Rafe, what I felt—it was bad. But it isn’t the Seven. We shouldn’t be here.” Moira almost wished she’d lied about the residual magic she’d sensed on Amy’s clothing. Staying to help Grant meant more time away from their primary mission: hunting the Seven Deadly Sins. “It’s not our job.”
“Last time I looked, there was no formal designation for demon hunter.”
Rafe had a heart bigger than the Pacific Ocean. He wanted to help everyone, even those who had dug their own graves. Moira, on the other hand, had to focus on what needed to be done—capture the remaining five Sins before they devoured more souls. If she tried to help every idiot who dabbled in the dark arts, she wouldn’t have time to save the world.
“I just don’t see how we can help. These vampires aren’t demons, they’re people.”
“They’re practicing black magic.”
And that was the crux of the problem. Any portal to the underworld was a potentially dangerous hotspot, and they were responsible for monitoring those. “And therefore, it’s my problem. Got it.”
Moira closed her eyes. Her ability to sense magic was part gift, part curse. The constant exposure was both making her stronger and wearing her down—she was like an addict. One slip and she’d fall hard off the wagon. There had been moments when she wanted to lash out with a magical curse, but she couldn’t afford to use even the smallest spell lest she put everyone she loved in jeopardy. She was a former witch; if she went back to practicing magic, she’d be calling on the same forces she was trying to stop. There was no going back.
Rafe reached out and touched her cheek, his thumb lightly caressing her skin. “I love you.”
She wanted to run away with him to an uninhabited island where neither of them had to risk their lives to help people she didn’t even like.
He kissed her lightly. Her soul burned for Rafe, a passion so intense, so vibrant that the colors around her sharpened. How could she love so deeply? Last time she’d loved like this, it had ended in a brutal death.
Love like this? Rafe wasn’t Peter. She had never been this honest, this certain that she was where she was supposed to be, that she was with the man she was supposed to be with.
Rafe took her hand. “Ready?”
She had no flip response that usually rolled off her tongue without thought. She simply nodded, and they entered the coffeehouse.
Detective Nelson was sitting in the corner with another man, this one who also sat like a cop, but was rougher around the edges than the detective—dark hair, sloppy dress, tall and skinny. He looked about as happy to be there as Moira.
They sat at the table. Moira turned her chair so she could see the room better, knowing the cops wouldn’t give up their ideal vantage point. “What’s the scoop?” she asked.
“Rafe Cooper and Moira O’Donnell,” Grant said by way of introduction. “This is Detective Carter Woods with the Narcotics Task Force. He has some information about an underground club that might be exactly what we’re looking for. But first I have some disturbing news.” He slid over a file. “When I was looking into Amy Carney’s files, I came across another missing girl that normally wouldn’t have caught my attention. She’s from San Luis Obispo, which is several hours up the coast from Carney. They have different backgrounds, different religions, Amy’s white, Beth is half-Japanese. Beth is still missing, Amy was found within twenty-four hours of her murder.”
“So what do they have in common?” Moira asked.
“The both attended the same camp last summer. I followed up with both sets of parents, and the girls were at the camp the same week. None of the parents remember either girl talking about the other. I’m having Jeff follow-up with the local PDs involved, see if they have the girl’s social media pages, emails, and access to the computers.”
“And she’s still missing?”
Grant nodded. “I asked the SLO police department to re-prioritize her file and send her photo to all law enforcement and morgues in Southern California.”
“What’s this summer camp?” Rafe asked.
“His World Nature Camp.”
“Doesn’t sound like a coincidence,” Carter said.
Moira agreed, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t know how much Grant had told the detective about her and Rafe. She asked Carter, “And this club you know about has something to do with the two girls?”
He shrugged. “When Nelson mentioned the killer taking the girl’s blood and biting the neck of his victim, I immediately thought of Defiance.”
“Her victim,” Grant corrected. “The bite mark was made by a woman.”
“There was more than one person who killed Amy,” Rafe said.
“We can assume that, but we only have proof of one killer.”
Carter said, “Defiance opened last summer, just outside of Westwood in a mixed-use area. It’s an after hours club, sunset to four a.m. Not technically legal, but there’s a loophole in the zoning code that because they’re in a grandfathered area of the county that wasn’t included in the county ordinances—I won’t bore you with the specifics, but there’re only a handful of these places operating.”
“Why Defiance?” Rafe asked.
“Because a bunch of freaks hang out there,” Carter said.
Moira smiled. She decided she liked Carter Woods. “Freaky how?”
“I’ve got nothing against Goth and Emo or whatever these people are into—to each his own, right? But these people are freaks. Wearing fangs so they look like Dracula. And they drink real blood.” He leaned forward and said in a low voice, “One of my informants said there are people who actually let them drink their blood. Voluntarily. Who does that shit?”
“Freaks,” Moira repeated with a half-smirk.
“Dangerous freaks,” Grant said. “Someone killed Amy Carney and drained half her blood. This club, Defiance, is our best lead at this point.”
“What do you know about the victim? Was she a voluntary donor?” Carter asked.
“No,” Rafe said.
Moira’s head snapped toward Rafe. How did he know Amy hadn’t voluntarily given the freaks her blood? But before she could ask him, Grant said, “Doubtful. There were no other signs of trauma, no other bite marks or needle marks. Other than bite on her neck and the large bore needle in her side. An employee at the Encino Reservoir found her the morning after she died.”
“How long between when she went missing and when she died?” Carter asked.
“Approximately twenty-four hours. She was killed on September twenty-third—”
Moira shot her head up. “The Autumn Equinox? Are you kidding me?”
Grant stared at her gravely. “Is there a significance to that date?”
“The four solstices are used in many Pagan rituals,” Rafe said. “Mostly harmless—”
Moira grunted.
“But in some black magic sects,” Rafe continued, “the day has added significance. Mostly as a symbol, and because magic has a lot to do with faith—”
Moira interrupted. “What is this, the politically correct version?” The three men stared at her. Her face heated but she stood her ground. She’d been ridiculed enough in her life she could take it. “This particular solstice there was also a full moon, and the Autumn Equinox is when the demon Baphomet is honored by Satanists. She’s also known as the Mother of Blood.”
Carter cleared his throat. “Well, I don’t know anything about Satanic activity or solstices or this woman—”
“Demon,” Moira corrected.
Both Grant and Carter looked uncomfortable, but Moira stood her ground. Grant of all people should understand what they faced. “It’s not so important what we call it,” Grant said, trying to smooth over the difficult conversation, “but if these people are worshipping some dark lord or just killing teenage girls for kicks, we need to stop them.”
“When did Beth go missing?” Rafe asked.
“December twenty-first. Is there a significance to that date as well?”
“Winter Solstice,” Rafe and Moira said simultaneously. “And,” Moira added, “there was a full moon then, too.”
“Why does that matter?” Grant asked.
“It only matters in that the practitioners believe they have more power. It’s more about theatrics and presentation. They risk far more because they think they have a stronger protection from whatever entity they worship.” Moira frowned. “The Spring equinox is in two days.”
“You think another girl is going to go missing?”
“If you mean, do I think another girl is going to be drained of her blood?” Moira said. “Yes. If this club Defiance is involved, I’ll know. Let’s go.”
“Hold it,” Carter said. “It’s invitation only, and the doors don’t open until sunset.”
“How do I get one?”
Carter frowned.
“You know someone?” Grant asked.
“Me.”
Moira eyed the cop suspiciously. “You hang out at a club for wannabe vampires?”
“I’ve been in a couple times. Comes with the territory—I need to know who goes where, where I might be able to recruit a CI, if they’re heavy hitters. If there’re drugs going in and out of Defiance, it’s way under the table. But I have a CI who can get us invites.”
Grant warned, “This might get weird—and dangerous.”
Carter laughed. “Dangerous? You haven’t done undercover work in awhile, Nelson. Shit, I can handle a bunch of fake-fanged freaks.”
“All I ask,” Moira said, “is keep an open mind.”
“Open mind. Check.” He wasn’t taking her seriously, but Moira couldn’t be responsible for Carter.
Except that she was. If they brought him in, she’d have to find a way to protect him.
The weight on her shoulders grew heavier.
“And listen to us,” Rafe said. “If things go south, you have to do what we say.”
Carter bristled and lost his good humor. “I’ve been a cop for twelve years, the last seven in narcotics. I know how to do a job.”
Grant intervened. “I’m the only back-up you’ll have. I can’t get a warrant for a fishing expedition. I need something solid to take to the D.A.”
“I don’t care about warrants,” Moira said, “I want to stop another sacrifice. If you’re right and there have been two already, they’re not going to stop.”
“Now you sound like a cop,” Grant said.
“Oh, joy, just what I always wanted to be when I grew up.”
Carter assessed Rafe and Moira critically. “You know you can’t go in like that,” he said. They were wearing jeans and T-shirts. “Do you have anything else?”
“I know how to dress,” Moira said. “Where should we meet?”
Grant said, “I’ll pick you up at your hotel at ten. We’ll put together a plan driving over there. Where are you staying?”
Rafe said, “Same place as last time.”