“Cripes. I had the cops called. I’m not the one you’re after,” Doc explained.

Both hands back on the gun, the cop ignored him. “Sir, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…”

“When are we going to meet her?” Lola paced the hangar. Being in Romania felt no different than being in New Florida. Not yet anyway.

Octavian scowled. “I told you, as soon as the sun sets and the car service can take us into the city. Your impatience won’t make that happen any faster.”

“I can’t take this waiting. I want to go get her now. She could be in trouble, she could be hurt, she could be—” Lola stopped. “Do you think she senses I’m here?”

“Shut up,” Octavian snarled. “Your incessant talking is driving me mad.”

“How dare you speak to me that way? I’m still your employer, you—”

Eyes silver, he backhanded her, cracking her lip and knocking her back a few steps. “I told you to be quiet and if you haven’t figured out that you’re not the one in charge by now, then you’re dumber than you look.”

She put a hand to her face, but the pain there was nothing compared to the anger building in her heart. The coppery flavor of her own blood coated her tongue. “I should—”

“You should do nothing if you want your grandchild back.”

She nodded, fuming inside and planning his demise. Once she had Mariela.

His eyes gleamed with a determination she hadn’t seen before. “You will be quiet and do as you’re told. Understand?”

She nodded again. She understood that when she had Mariela safe in her arms and they were back in Paradise City, she would turn him over to Luciano. If she didn’t kill him herself. Octavian had to be the one who’d killed Katsumi. Clearly, he was capable of it. And now, here she was, trapped with him in this strange place. Only the thought of rescuing Mariela kept her from attacking him.

When the car arrived after sunset, she got in when Octavian told her to, sat where he said to, and kept her mouth shut. She hadn’t become mayor by being stupid but if that’s what he wanted to think, let him. Throughout her political career, many men had underestimated her: opponents who had fallen short as the tallied votes came out in her favor, as her initiatives were passed and her ordinances put into action.

She watched Octavian, waiting for the first sign of weakness. Maybe she wouldn’t wait until they were back in Paradise City. Maybe all she’d turn over to Luciano was ashes.

Chapter Thirty-two

A report on Creek’s scanner app had led him to this section of town, but the soft whuffs of an animal in pain stopped him. He crept down the alley, almost to the end before he saw the creature. Behind a stack of trash cans and recycling bins lay an enormous spotted cat. It sprawled on its side, panting hard. Creek turned on his flashlight and scanned the animal’s body. Four narrow parallel gashes marked its back. The report about a burglary in progress lost its appeal.

The creature growled at him. Creek lifted the hand not holding the flashlight and backed up a step. “Easy there, not an enemy. You need help?”

The growling stopped, replaced with another whuff.

“I have no idea what that means. You want me to call an ambulance? Or a vet? I don’t know what you varcolai do in cases like this.” He flicked the light over the gashes again. They looked smaller.

He nodded. “I get it. You’re healing. You just want to be left alone, right?” He started to back out of the alley. “No worries. I was looking for someone else anyway.”

He cut out of there, but found a spot across the street to park himself. The blood scent was bound to draw fringe; the least he could do was keep them off the shifter. Over the next few hours, a few drifted into the alley, but they retreated to the sounds of menacing snarls. The shifter obviously didn’t need his help. Creek was about to head out when a man limped out of the alley. Creek didn’t recognize him, but snapped a few pics on his phone anyway. In this town, sometimes things were exactly what they seemed, and sometimes they weren’t. He hung a while longer, hoping the lingering blood scent might even lure Octavian, but no such luck.

He resumed his patrol route. Might be time to pay Dominic a visit, let him know what had happened with Octavian. Creek had no desire to step foot into Seven, but Dominic wasn’t the kind of man to take a death like Katsumi’s easily. He probably already had his own people working on it. Damn it. That might mean Luciano.

Creek turned back toward his apartment and broke into a run. He needed his bike. He had to get to Seven fast. Better Dominic found out about Octavian from him than discover it on his own and take matters into his own hands.

A vampire set on revenge was a very dangerous thing.

“I’m here for a very good reason, Nadira.” Chrysabelle addressed the Aurelian like an old friend, something she definitely wasn’t, but Chrysabelle had learned from Mal that throwing people off guard was a great way to keep them guessing. Plus, it helped mask her fear. The Aurelian might not be able to kill her again, but that wouldn’t stop Nadira from trying. “The Castus have raised a monster that sets even the nobles on edge. I want the comarré alerted so this new threat can be dealt with swiftly. The moment for them to rise up has come.”

Nadira relaxed, but only slightly. “What monster is this? I’ve heard nothing.”

“The vampire baby. They fed her their blood and grew her into some kind of super vampire.”