Outrun Page 7

Callan crooked a finger. “This way,” he said ominously.

  We followed him down a narrow hallway to the master bedroom at the back of the house. A dead body was sprawled across the bed.

  “Human?” Nick asked.

  “This one is,” Mona said. “Kendall is upstairs with the other one.”

  “Other human?” I asked.

  “Other body,” Mona replied. “This house was owned by this guy, Bill Chutney. He lived here with his partner, Sergei.”

  I wasn't following. Why were we here to discuss the death of a human in Terrene?

  “Sergei was a vampire,” Callan said, as though reading my mind.

  Nick stiffened. “Sergei Matlov?”

  “How did you know?” I queried.

  Nick closed his eyes for a brief moment. “Sergei was at Nonesuch. He's on the list.” He looked at Mona. “When did he die?”

  “As far as we can tell, Sergei died first,” Mona said, “but before he did, he tried to bite Bill. There are signs of a struggle.”

  “Do you think Sergei killed his partner?” I asked.

  “Not on purpose,” Callan said. “They had a symbiotic relationship. The marks on the human’s body suggest that Sergei regularly fed on him. That it was consensual.”

  “The cause of death is the same for both,” Mona said. “Their bodies reflect the same symptoms.”

  “So whatever killed Sergei got passed to his human partner through the bloodstream,” Nick said.

  “This is bad news,” I murmured.

  Nick raked a hand through his hair. “You're telling me.”

  “We were told you might be able to tell us what killed Sergei,” Callan said. “I called Gray about Sergei and he said you folks are working on a case that might be connected.”

  Nick blew out a breath. “We’re waiting for the lab to give us more information. So far, they know that a toxin is responsible for killing the vampires, but they’re still working to identify it.”

  Mona pressed her fingertips against her temples. “We've got to contain this and fast.”

  “Herb compared it to a plague and I thought he was exaggerating,” Nick said. “But that might be exactly what we’re dealing with if we don't stop it.”

  “Any idea if this is Mother Nature at work or some lunatic in a lab?” Callan asked.

  “Not officially,” Nick said. “My money’s on lunatic in a lab, for what it’s worth.”

  “Don't take the scenic route on this one,” Mona said. “There isn't time.”

  Nick clenched his hands into fists. “You think I don't know that? My partner is dead. If anyone is invested in this, it's me.”

  Mona held up her hands. “Sorry, Nick. I didn't mean to suggest you weren't giving this your full attention.”

  Heavy footsteps on the stairs indicated the arrival of Kendall, the werebear. He lumbered into the room and lit up like fey lantern when he saw me.

  “Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. If it isn't my favorite air witch.”

  “You’re a bear, Kendall, not a monkey,” Callan said. “You’d need to lose about a hundred pounds to pass for a monkey.”

  Kendall folded his arms over his ample gut. “Are you fat shaming me?”

  “I’m educating you on your species, apparently,” Callan replied.

  “Hey, Kendall,” I said. “It’s nice to see you again.”

  His gaze swept the room. “Listen, I know we've got two dead bodies in here, but I'm sensing a lot of angst in this room.”

  Mona filled him in quickly. “And we’ll send Sergei’s remains back to the AMF once we’ve processed the body on our end.”

  “Thanks, Mona,” Nick said.

  Kendall perched on the edge of the bed, careful to avoid Bill’s legs. “We could have an epidemic on our hands,” he said. “We've got to make sure no other vampires crossed the border after the event.”

  “That's our next stop,” Nick said. “We’ll head back to the Order of the Edge on our way out anyway. We’ll let you know what we find out.”

  I thought of the sundial now sequestered in AMF headquarters and started to wonder whether it was a doomsday clock after all.

  Nick drove straight from Rittenhouse Square to the nearest Order of the Edge office at the border. He greeted a guard by name and the guard gave us a special badge to take us straight into the Order Chief’s office. I was beginning to see how helpful connections could be for an investigation, even one in the paranormal world. We sometimes grumbled and rolled our eyes over the strict procedures enforced by the Order, but, at a time like this, its importance really hit home. If we couldn’t stop the spread of this contagion or whatever it was, we could easily have another plague on our hands.

  The nondescript brick building looked more like a post office than the office of a major organization. Nick showed the badge to the shifters serving as an extra layer of security and we were swiftly escorted to another office on the main floor.

  A dwarf sat behind the desk on a raised chair. He didn't smile when he looked up from his paperwork and saw the badge. “I’ve been expecting someone from your office,” he said.

  Nick dropped into a chair and I took the seat next to his. “I guess you've heard,” Nick said.

  The dwarf set down his pen. “Not too many details. I'd like to know more. What can you tell me?”

  Nick reported what we’d learned at Bill Chutney’s house. “We need a list of every vampire who crossed over into Terrene in the past four days.”

  The dwarf frowned. “I can't just hand over sensitive information to you. You know it doesn't work like that.”

  A vein popped in Nick’s forehead. “It does when we’re on the verge of an epidemic. This thing can wipe out a huge portion of the vampire population, and let's not even think about what could happen to the humans.”

  The dwarf twiddled his thick thumbs. “Let's be honest, Nick. Would it really be so bad if we lost a good percentage of vampires? They are our biggest problem in terms of border control. They have the potential to cause the most damage if they get through undetected.”

  “Which is exactly why we need a list,” Nick said. “No matter how you feel about vampires, the humans are under your protection. The infected vampires have tried to bite anyone within reach and that can spread the toxin to humans.”

  “I’d like to remind you that there are vampires who serve the AMF,” I said. “One would be sitting here right now if not for this toxin.” I knew Nick was biting his tongue because he was afraid of losing his temper. The dwarf didn't seem to realize that he was preaching to the wrong congregation.

  “You’ve got to go through the proper channels just like any other warden,” the dwarf said, in a tone that suggested his word was final.

  Nick's fingers tightened around the sides of the chair. “We don't have time to play bureaucrat right now. We need to track down every single vampire that may have crossed over the border into Terrene. Chances are those vampires are dead, but if we don't figure out whether any humans were infected, we are going to be witnessing a cataclysmic event and it will be on your fat head.” Nick hopped to his feet, his anger mounting.

  “Nick,” I said softly. “We’ll figure this out. If this guy won't help us, we’ll find another way.” I had no doubt that Chancellor Tilkin had contacts in high-ranking places including at the Order of the Edge. If the AMF couldn’t get the cooperation they needed, then we would get it by some other means.

  “How can you not see the gravity of the situation?” Nick said. His face grew flushed.

  The dwarf seemed unperturbed. “I’m going to ask you one more time to leave and file the proper requests. If you don't comply, I'll be forced to have you detained until you calm down. We can't have shifters out of control at the border. That's no better than a rogue vampire.”

  I gaped at the impertinent dwarf. “You should really stop talking now,” I said. I didn’t care what he was the chief of, his remarks were completely inappropriate.

  The dwarf laughed at me. “
And what might you be? Some sort of nymph? We don't see many of those as wardens. They lack the base instincts of vamps and shifters.”

  Great Goddess of the Moon. This dwarf had a death wish.

  Nick must’ve had the same thought. Before I could intervene, he leaped over the dwarf’s desk, shifting as he went. I merely blinked and a black jaguar had the dwarf pinned to the floor still in his chair. Saliva dripped from the jaguars jaws and his sharp teeth hovered far too close to the dwarfs face. Fear pricked the back of my neck. As much as I supported Nick, I couldn't let him do this. His behavior only served to reinforce the dwarf's negative attitude.

  I drew my wand and aimed it at the jaguar. “Nick, listen to me. Let him go. He's doing his job just like we are.” He sucked at it, but he didn’t deserve to die as a result.

  The dwarf squirmed and shut his eyes. The cocky bureaucrat was reduced to a whimpering mess.

  “Don't make me use this,” I warned the jaguar.

  The black cat seemed to consider my threat. He growled menacingly at the dwarf before jumping off. The dwarf wasted no time scampering to his feet and hitting the button for security. Nick shifted back to his human form and I conjured a spell to clothe him before they took away my wand. A team of guards swarmed the room and escorted us to a holding cell.

  “We could’ve used you in the art gallery,” I said, trying to make light of the situation. “You could’ve taken on fake Aphrodite.”

  Nick cut me a glance. “You never did tell me the details. How did you fend off all that…artwork?”

  “Declan was a huge help.” I tried to keep the dreamy tone out of my voice when I said his name.

  Nick frowned. “Who’s Declan?”

  “He…” It suddenly occurred to me that Nick would have no idea. “I met him at Nonesuch.”

  Nick’s eyes rounded. “Is he alive?”

  “Yes, he’s not a vampire.”

  “You, me, Sela, this guy Declan. None of us vampires and all survived.” Nick shook his head. “If it really is a lunatic in a lab, he’s targeting vamps.” He leaned against the wall. “What is Declan if he’s not a vampire?”

  “He’s a wizard,” I said, at least that had been my assumption. I actually didn’t know for certain, but he was a good fighter and seemed able to get to the top of the turret without any trouble.

  But I never saw him use magic.

  “And why was he at Nonesuch?” he asked.

  I was beginning to feel as though I was under scrutiny. “He was tracking Sela…for a different reason. He doesn’t know anything about the toxin or the sundial.”

  Nick squinted at me. “How do you know for sure?”

  The truth was I didn’t, but I couldn’t bring myself to admit that to Nick. “He fought with me at the art gallery. He was the one who told me where to find Sela.”

  Nick balked. “He was your source? Did he say how he knew?”

  “His oracle,” I said. The moment the words left my mouth, I knew how ridiculous I sounded.

  “The guy shows up at a vampire event, knows the location of the buyer for the sundial, and conveniently isn’t a vampire.” Nick exhaled loudly. “Would’ve been nice to know about him before now.”

  My body burned from embarrassment. “I guess it doesn’t sound great when you say it like that.”

  Nick grunted. “Let me guess. He’s tall, dark, and handsome.”

  “He’s a blonde.”

  “Oh, well then. That changes everything. Forget I mentioned it.” I heard the sarcasm in his voice.

  “I’m sorry, Nick,” I said. “You’re absolutely right. I should’ve said something.” What a surprise. Mia screwed up again. The chancellor was wrong about me—I needed a lot more than confidence. A brain, for starters.

  We both fell silent. I could tell he was brooding and I didn't want to interrupt. He needed space right now and silence was the only way I could give it to him. He sat on the floor with his knees drawn to his chest, staring at nothing in particular. Two hours later, a familiar figure appeared in front of the silver bars.

  “Gray,” I said, hurrying to the front of the enclosure. “How did you know we were here?”

  He grinned. “The whole agency knows you're here.” He inclined his head toward Nick. “When a werejaguar lets loose in a government office, believe me, everybody knows. I'm here to escort the two of you back to headquarters before someone ends up dead, or worse—fired.”

  Nick jumped to his feet, revived from the two-hour rest. “We need the list and the Order won't give it to us.”

  Gray patted his pocket. “A little patience would have gotten it for you. I understand, Nick. Believe me. I've been where you are. But there is a right way to do things in the situation and turning on an Order Chief…” Gray shook his head. “That's not what we do. You know that.”

  “That dwarf is a racist piece of garbage,” Nick insisted, and spat on the floor. “Nobody with that attitude should be in a position of authority. He doesn't care if the entire vampire population is wiped out. He's not going to cooperate any faster than he absolutely has to.”

  A guard came and unlocked the cell. “You’re free to go,” he said. “But I suggest you hurry. You’re not the most popular guy around here at the moment.”

  “No problem,” Gray said. “We have what we need now.”

  “Good, then let’s go back to headquarters and discuss next steps,” Nick said. Although he sounded ready to take charge, the light had left his eyes. Something seemed to have broken inside the werejaguar today. My heart ached for him and for everyone affected by the insidious toxin. We had to find a way to stop it before things got any worse. A plague was the type of catastrophic event that wiped out whole civilizations. Soon, we wouldn’t be equipped to fight it and the failure would rest squarely on our shoulders. Passing exams and earning my spot as a Keeper of the North were inconsequential compared with protecting an entire species from annihilation.

  Failure was no longer an option.

  Chapter Nine

  Apparently, the next step for Nick involved a two-week suspension. Herb was furious with Nick and I was lucky to get off with a light reprimand. No one blamed me for Nick's outburst and no one expected me to subdue him either. When I explained how the dwarf had provoked Nick, Herb had only shrugged.

  “That's the way the world works sometimes,” he’d said. “It might not be fair, but we don't trade in fair. All we can do is try to redress the balance.”

  I’d asked for an update on the sundial.

  “Just a sundial, apparently. Worth a helluva lot of coin, but still nothing more than an artifact.” It was in the process of being returned to the museum.

  So now I was without Lucille and Nick, Brown Coat might be mixed up in the plot to kill vampires, and the sundial was basically a red herring. This assignment had become far more complex than anyone had anticipated. The wisest creatures in the world request help when they need it, the chancellor had said. It was time to exercise a little wisdom.

  My roommates and I were outside near the golden apple orchard, helping Cerys with an independent study project. She was using us for experiments with earth magic and recording her results. While buried up to the neck in a dirt mound, I’d taken the opportunity to update them on the potential plague situation.

  “Poor Nick,” Cerys said. “He’s going to need more than two weeks to recover from all that trauma.” She cocked her head, studying me. “How compact does the earth feel around you? Do you think you could break free?”

  “With magic?” I asked.

  “Or brute strength,” she replied. “Either one.”

  Bryn snorted. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say magic is your better option.” Bryn had managed to avoid the buried-in-dirt experiment and was munching on a golden apple.

  “Don’t use air magic,” Dani cautioned. “That dirt will get everywhere.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m buried up to my neck. What other magic can I do without my wand?”

  “
I need her to do whatever she’d do in a real world situation,” Cerys said. “Part of my data includes how much time it takes her to escape my spell.”

  “Fine,” Dani huffed. “But hold on.” She pulled out her wand and conjured a protective shield in front of my three roommates. “Okay. Tornado away, my friend.”

  I summoned my magic and focused on drawing the air to me. I decided a strong wind blowing in one direction was preferable to a cylindrical one. The dirt mound dissipated and I stretched my arms wide and tried to roll the kink out of my neck.

  “I’m so relieved Gray didn’t attend the Vampire Alliance shindig,” Bryn said. Her brow creased. “He has this super secret vampire enclave thing tonight after his meeting with the chancellor. Maybe I should tell him not to go.” She barked a short laugh. “As if I could tell Gray not to do something.”

  “Can you imagine if most of the vampires in the quadrant were killed by this?” Cerys asked. “It would alter life as we know it.”

  “What would be so bad about letting the vamps get wiped out?” Justin Holloway said, as he passed by our small gathering. “Seems like the gods would be doing us all a favor.”

  Dani spun around to confront him. “It’s bad enough to think it, but you really shouldn’t have said that out loud. Not to us.”

  Bryn pointed her wand at the wizard but then seemed to think better of it. She threw the wand on the ground and lunged at him instead, pummeling him with both fists. The wizard fought to retrieve his wand from his pocket, but Bryn’s fists blocked his every move.

  “Get. Off. Me.” He held his arms in front of his face.

  “Apologize,” Bryn insisted.

  “For what?” he spat. “Giving my opinion?”

  “Miss Morrow,” a stern voice said.

  Bryn didn’t hear Professor Langley. She appeared fixated on beating the wizard until he changed his opinion.

  “Bryn!” I yelled, wiping streaks of dirt from my face. Why did I bother? It didn’t matter how loud I was, mine was the last voice anyone would listen to. My arm shot toward Bryn and I sent a rush of wind to push her off the wizard. No matter how much of a jerk he was, I didn’t want Justin to be the reason Bryn was punished by the Board of Regents. They were always looking for a reason to give her a hard time—it was their revenge for not being able to expel her from the academy permanently.