“I only confirmed that because there are hunters in my town, probably killing them.”
“I know.” He didn’t look happy, but I wasn’t sure if it was because I was mad about hunters being in town, or he was mad about Sven’s death.
“So your agency wants to contact vampires?” Jean asked.
“We’re an outreach. Very few people believe in the supernatural, and some that do are pretty unreliable. But the DoPP has been making human-supernatural relationships stronger for over a hundred years.”
“Why have we never heard of you?” Myra asked.
“Why should you have?”
It was a loaded question. It was an opportunity for us to tell him more about our extraordinary town, more about us and our extraordinary citizens. I glanced over at my sisters and could tell they were thinking about it. Pondering if we should tip our hand and let him know what we were.
“It’s not like the DoPP is going away, isn’t that right?” I asked Ryder. “Now that I’ve confirmed there are vampires in town, you’re not going to send your boss a report saying everything is ordinary in Ordinary, are you?”
“I haven’t submitted my report yet.”
“Why?” Myra asked.
“Because I don’t want to put someone I loh-v...care about in danger. I care about all three of you Reeds. If you tell me to, I’ll lie to my boss. I’ll tell him Sven was a one-and-done, and that there are no other vampires in town.”
Yes, I’d caught that Ryder had almost said “love” when he was offering to keep our secrets secret. I shoved that way, way back in my brain so I could think about it later. But I could already tell my heart was drawing little swirls and flowers and smoochy faces around that faltering admission.
“What kind of trouble would you get into for that?” Jean asked. “For lying?”
He pursed his lips. “Dunno. Haven’t had to do it yet.”
“Do they kill freelancers who don’t toe the company line?” Crow asked.
Ryder’s gaze went steely even though his voice was light. “Maybe they’ll let me off easy.”
He didn’t trust the agency. Not really. No wonder he was worried about hurting me. Hurting us.
“You don’t know anything about the consequences to breaking the rules?” Myra asked.
“Well, they have a list of options. Not sure if I would fall under three-strikes-you’re-out, or shiny-light-wipes-the-memories.”
We were all silent a minute. I was trying to work out if he was joking or not.
“They don’t really have a Men In Black light, do they?” Jean asked.
Ryder smiled. “I wouldn’t know if they did or not, would I?”
“Okay,” I said. “I can talk to the vampires in town. Find out if they want to meet with you. Find out if they want to negotiate with your department. Would that work for you?”
He nodded. “It would. We’re offering our help in keeping them safe. I’d like you to tell them that. Tell them we were not a part of Sven’s death and we’ll do everything we can to bring his killer to justice.”
Myra and Jean both nodded, so I took that as our agreement. I would contact Rossi, let him know he could talk to Ryder—while I was also in the room—and Rossi could decide if he wanted any contact with Ryder’s agency. Easy.
“But first I want to know who is the head of the vampires.”
“We’re not going to tell you that,” Myra said.
“Is it Crow?”
“Yep,” Crow said. “I vhant to dreenk your blahd.”
“Nope.” Jean smacked Crow on the arm. Crow chuckled.
“It’s not you, is it, Delaney?” Ryder said this with such a flat expression and neutral voice I knew he was working hard not to let any emotion seep through.
“We slept together,” I said. “You know I breathe. You know my heart beats.”
The blank look on his face lifted, and it was clearly relief that was left behind. “That’s what I remembered, but I know vampires can alter memories if they want. Make a person think they saw something they didn’t.”
“Wait,” Jean said. “Is that why you broke up with her? You thought she was a vampire? Talk about intolerance.”
“Racist,” Crow muttered.
“I’m not racist.” Ryder picked up his coffee mug, realized there was nothing in it, and put it back down again. “I just didn’t want to mix business with personal life.”
“You’re a cop,” Myra said. “She’s a cop. You dated her when you were both working for the same department.”
“I’m a reserve officer. I figured I could quit that if things got too complicated in our relationship.”
“Who’s your boss? Is it really some guy named Frank?” I finally asked. This was the question I kept coming back around to. It felt important.
He smiled, just a faint curve of his lips. He liked this part of it, when I tried to get the information out of him. Liked to make me work for it.
Jerk.
“Who’s the head vampire in town?”
“I am.”
I startled and was on my feet, hands reaching for a gun that was not on my hip.
Old Rossi stood in my living room, just inside the door, a killing look in his eyes.
Chapter 13
Vampires are silent when they want to be. I had no idea how long he’d been in my house. He could have been there all night which was frankly a little pervy.
I wasn’t the only one who had jumped at his voice. Ryder was on his feet, his hands very carefully away from his sides as if proving he was not trying to go for a gun.
Myra, Jean, and Crow were all still seated. Myra quirked an eyebrow at me. “Lock. The. Door. Seriously, Delaney, when are you going to act like an adult and take your own security seriously?”
“You couldn’t knock?” I asked Rossi.
“Every once in a while I prefer a dramatic entrance.” He strolled into my living room, which now felt like a shoe box. My house was small. Hosting six adults in one room was where it really started feeling like it.
“Rossi,” Ryder said. “I can’t say I didn’t suspect it might be you.”
“Oh?” Rossi peered down his nose at Ryder, his expression flickering between amused and angry. “Why are you in my town, Agent?”
That vampire tone could be used to influence people, to hypnotize, or to alter memories. I’d seen it make people say more than they wanted, and force the truth out of them.
It didn’t really work on me or my sisters. Our Reed blood was pretty immune to most of the creature and deity tricks in town.
Still, I could feel it, like knuckles pressing at my temples.
I knew Ryder must feel it too, since it was directed at him. But he smiled and looked completely relaxed. “Because I live here.”
I laughed. Balls. The man had balls.
“Can I get you something to drink, Rossi?” I asked. “I have some Pepsi in the fridge, tea, coffee?”
“Tea would be fine.”
He wasn’t smiling, but he didn’t look quite as angry as he had just a minute before. Maybe he looked curious, like Ryder wasn’t something he had expected to find.