DeGraff’s source is extremely reliable.” He didn’t bother to identify himself or move in front of the camera. Everyone knew that gravelly voice. He tossed his pencil onto the tabletop and brought his steepled fingers to rest against his mouth, his tall-backed chair squeaking as he leaned back. He appeared relaxed and in control, but Lily knew he was pissed—she saw a glimpse of his fangs and his brown eyes were almost black. He had an unfailing confidence in her source. “We’re not here to question the validity of her intel, Gibson. If you have any issues with that, you take them up with me. Understood?”
Yeah, the guy could be a major dick sometimes, but right now she loved her CO. Knowing the camera still focused on her, she kept her face composed and tried not to let that smug smile play out on her lips as Santiago continued.
“Most likely the tests are being conducted down south, so Serrano is relocating to your area to head up the search teams. Don’t worry. Your region won’t be thin, ours will.”
Dom moved to the front of the room and Lily stepped aside. “Thanks, Lily, for that detailed analysis. In the Seattle field, although we don’t believe the facility to be located up here, we’re putting the known sweetbloods on our patrol swings in order to catch any Darkbloods who show up. You’ll all need to hack into your local Darkblood systems to get their lists of registered sweetbloods. Cordell faxed each field office with instructions. Lily, keep us up-to-date with what your contact tells you and let us know the moment you learn anything new. And when any of you discover any information about the location of their research facility, let us know ASAP. San Diego, I’ll be seeing all of you shortly.”
Lily cut the live feed and wondered how long ago he’d accepted the transfer.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
DOM PARKED THE black SUV at the Ocean View Convalescent Center and held the door open for Mackenzie. As she got out, he lifted his face, letting the ultraviolet rays warm his skin. Funny how you could see a contrasting image of the sun on the inside of your eyelids. He’d forgotten what that was like. The pull on his energy levels was much stronger today. This would be his last time to enjoy it, he thought.
“You didn’t have to come, you know.” Mackenzie tossed her blue scarf over one shoulder, the beaded fringe flashing in the sunlight. She wore jeans, a pair of well-worn black boots, and a T-shirt with long sleeves pulled down so that only her fingers were visible.
“Yeah, but I wanted to.”
He thought about how things could never work out long-term between them. Like a match that flares brightly at first, their relationship was intense but doomed. It couldn’t last forever. At some point, he’d have to tell her about San Diego and everything would end. It had to. But for now, he wanted to enjoy the time they did have.
“This means a lot to me.” She was quiet, almost melancholy.
Her tone of voice didn’t surprise him. He’d overheard her trying unsuccessfully to convince her brother to take their mother to see the cherry blossoms. The petals would be dropping soon and her car was still in the shop. If Corey couldn’t take their mother through the arboretum, she’d miss the trees blooming this year.
“Will she have any trouble getting into the passenger seat?” Dom asked. “It’s a high step. Perhaps I should’ve brought one of my company’s vans instead.”
“She’ll be okay, but thanks. It’s only her mind that’s going, not her body. I should warn you before we go in though. Sometimes my mom is totally with it—so much so that you can carry on a normal conversation with her and you’ll wonder why she’s here. But then, just like that, she’ll go back to her dark place where nothing she says will make sense and you just have to go along with it. Are you okay with that? I mean, if you want you can wait here and I’ll go see—”
“I’m fine. I can’t wait to meet her.”
After checking in at the front desk, they rode the elevator up to the Alzheimer’s wing. The place smelled of antiseptic and old things as they walked down the hallway and entered her mother’s room. A gray-haired woman stood at the wall next to a television. She held a roll of tape in one hand and a piece of paper—a torn page from