Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter - By Nikki Jefford Page 0,59

Agent Melcher said. "Usually we don't gather informants and agents in the same room. Withholding identities within the organization is vital and not doing so could cost someone their life, but we're making an exception because Valerie identified you, Aurora."

I looked quickly at Valerie and then back at Melcher.

"Valerie's one of our top informants and an uncannily perceptive one at that," Melcher said, proudly.

Perceptive, my ass.

Valerie's eyes narrowed. "Actually, I thought you were a vampire."

My jaw dropped. "So you tried to call in a hit on my life?"

Melcher chuckled. "Valerie does enjoy a prompt assassination - makes her feel like part of the team."

Valerie lifted her nose. "Who can blame me? Look how pale she is. Even in Alaska, that's pushing it. Then there was her accident on the road. One moment the kids at school are whispering about how Aurora Sky was in a fatal car crash, the next she's in class without a dent on her."

I glared at Valerie. This had nothing to do with the paleness of my skin and everything to do with a certain vampire. Of course, I couldn't mention any of this, and she knew it. If she wanted to tell the agents about Fane, she would have done so already.

And if I truly had been a vampire, she would have happily seen me staked through the heart.

I could already see she was over whatever initial disappointment she must have felt when Agent Melcher explained I was one of their own. She still had me at her mercy. What was the punishment for dating a vampire? Death? Mine was questionable. Fane's was certain.

I wanted to rip Valerie's throat out, but I needed her to talk to me first.

"Let's get to the first order of business." Melcher said. "Valerie, Noel, we have reports of the infected prowling the halls at West High. I want one of you to transfer and identify every last one of them."

Valerie lifted her nose in the air. "I'm not leaving Denali."

Noel's voice quivered. "But all my friends are there."

"You can make new friends," Valerie said.

Melcher spoke up. "That's enough. Noel, you're transferring to West first thing Monday."

Noel's face dropped. "Yes, sir."

"Once you track down the predators, I'll meet with you and Sky to talk strategy."

Guess Noel and I would be partying together after all.

"Now that everything's cleared up, you two can leave." Melcher looked from Noel to Valerie. "I need to have a word with my assassins."

Noel hurried out of the room. Valerie pushed away from the wall, locking eyes with me as she left. Crist stood up and closed the door behind them. Melcher folded his hands over his desk.

I'd been holding my breath without releasing it. I pulled in air slowly.

"I've got bad news," Melcher said. "This is serious, gang."

Dante folded his arms and leaned forward. "Psycho vampire on the loose?" He thought a moment and snapped his fingers. "Renegade vampire army?"

"Janine's dead."

After the initial shock wore off I looked at Dante. His face was a blank mask.

"How?" he asked.

"She was found dead in her dorm room, both arms broken, trauma to the head, blood drained."

Janine bludgeoned to death. Great time for my imagination to go graphic.

I sank into a chair.

Dante's jaw was tight. "Who did this?"

"We don't know," Crist said.

"Obviously we know what did it," Melcher said. "What we don't know is if Janine told it anything."

Dante propelled himself off the desk. "Shit!"

Crist frowned and glanced at the cross on the wall.

"I want a name," Dante said. "I'm going to personally send this creature back to his grave."

"We're working on it," Melcher said. "But in the meantime, both you and Sky need to be on high alert."

My pulse slowed. You'd think it would quicken right about now, rather than retreat into hiding. I felt faint. "Does this vampire know who we are?"

"We don't know, but it's a possibility we can't rule out."

I nodded slowly. "I think I need some air."

"Go on, Sky," Dante said. "I'll meet you in the parking lot in a moment."

I hurried down the hallway, in a rush to get out of the compound as quickly as possible. Just being there reminded me of the white room and the vampire lunatic. Now I was sick with the thought of what happened to Janine. It overshadowed my own fear of being targeted. And I thought I had problems before. Not only had I been made aware of Fane's condition, but now Valerie was onto us.

She was waiting for me in the parking lot, a Capri