"The key is the blood houses. With all these new vamps running around, the houses are bound to be crowded and someone might be dipping on the sly. I want you to split into teams of two, civilian dress. There are four blood houses in the greater Buffalo region. I already stopped at the Corfu house and there's been . . . a change of management.” Emelie gave him a sharp look. “I didn't get a chance to ask too many questions first, so I'll still want a team out there, and at each of the other houses on a rotating basis. With all the new vamps, it shouldn't be a problem for you to blend in, but let's not push.
"Em and I will be at large; you have our cell phone numbers. You find anything weird, you call us. Unless your lives are threatened, and then you do whatever it takes. Questions?"
"You want us on the bag, or can we feed?” Abel asked.
Raj thought about it for a minute and said, “Go ahead and feed at the blood houses; you'll stand out otherwise. But don't overdo it. I need you alert and ready to move."
Abel nodded his understanding and Raj looked around. “Anyone else?"
There were no other questions, so Raj turned to his lieutenant. “Em,” he said, indicating she should walk with him to the door.
Once outside, he verified that Sarah was where he'd left her. He was surprised when she gave him a cheery little wave, but then glanced over his shoulder and scowled to find Em waving back.
"Christ,” he swore again. “Stop that.” He positioned himself between Em and the car, effectively blocking any view of Sarah. “Look, Em,” he said quietly. “This might be really bad. Some of what I'm hearing makes me think . . . Ah shit, I don't even like to bring this up.” He looked away, shaking his head, then looked back at her. “I think someone's selling vamp blood for research."
Em's eyes widened in a shock that mirrored his own feelings. “Not one of ours!"
"Hell, no. Someone local. One of the missing women was a researcher at the university. Her husband claims she was meeting someone who said he could guarantee access to vampire blood samples."
"Krystof?” Em asked in disbelief.
Raj shook his head. “It seems out of character. I've never seen him risk so much as a paper cut. And for something like this? The Council would crucify him at midnight and leave him for the sun, and he knows it."
"A lot of money in something like that, though."
"Yeah, but he doesn't need money. I thought maybe it was about finding a fix for whatever's wrong with him, but then why bring me here to dig into it?” He shook his head. “I don't think this is Krystof. I'm not ruling it out yet, but it doesn't feel right.” He glanced quickly over his shoulder and saw Sarah watching them closely, even though she couldn't possibly hear what they were saying.
He turned back to Em, lowering his voice even further. “I'm going to talk to the husband of the missing researcher tomorrow. The cops don't want to let me in, but I don't need their permission, and if this involves vamps, it's none of their business anyway. I'll be in touch with you afterward. In the meantime, take care of what's mine. Make sure no one goes out alone and that includes you, Em. You go out with one of the teams or with me. I don't want to lose anyone over this."
"I love you too, boss. I'd kiss you, but your new girlfriend over there wouldn't like it."
"Em.” He shook his head in disgust. “I'm leaving now, but I'll be in touch."
Sarah watched Raj as he turned away from Emelie and strode back to the car, moving with that lethal grace of his, every muscle coiled and ready. He glanced up at her and she could see his eyes had gone that strange icy-blue again. She smiled and caught his look of surprise, followed quickly by a scowl. It made her wonder why he was trying so hard not to like her.
He yanked the driver's door open and settled into the car, barely waiting until his door was closed before spinning them out of the dingy parking lot with a tire-squealing turn. He didn't say anything as they headed back toward the city, but Sarah didn't mind. She'd learned a lot about Raj tonight, probably a lot more than he'd intended her to know. You could learn things from watching people relate to one another, even without hearing what they were saying. In fact, sometimes it was better not to hear the words because words didn't always tell the truth, but the body usually did. For example, she knew for certain that Raj had told her the truth about Emelie. There was nothing sexual between them and never had been. They were friends, very old, close friends who were totally at ease with one another. But that was it. Not a hint of sexual tension between them. No flirting, no posing for effect, even unconsciously.
On the other hand, there was Emelie's reaction to Sarah, and Raj's reaction to Emelie's reaction. Sarah smiled very privately. Yes, she'd learned some things about Raj tonight and it was all beginning to make sense to her.
"You still hungry?"
She interrupted her private thoughts to look over at him. “Pardon?"
"Dinner,” he said patiently. “Are you still hungry?"
"Oh, sure. Yes. Um, do you go to restaurants?"
He laughed. “Not usually. Well, not to eat food anyway."
She blushed at this unsubtle reminder. “I'm not starving. I mean it's okay if—"
"I know a place,” he said. “And we still need to talk."
"About what?” she asked nervously.
He glanced over at her. “About those lies you keep telling me."
Boy, did he know a place, Sarah thought to herself. She forked up a final bite of the most succulent salmon she'd ever tasted. They were in a small restaurant, one she'd passed almost every day on her way to campus without ever realizing what a treasure it was. In one of those frustratingly rapid-fire mood changes she was beginning to associate with Raj, he'd become almost cheerful once they sat down. He seemed to be old friends with the Polish proprietor—at least that was the incomprehensible language the two of them were speaking. Only Polish had that many variations of the letter S.