girls walked away, I said: “Tell them what you saw, Cinnamon.”
She stared at her Sprite. “A fucking wooden lid with somebody’s tattooed skin nailed to it.”
“Holy crap,” Revenance said. I didn’t think a vampire could get any paler, but somehow he managed it. “How did—”
“The Feds say there’s a serial killer skinning the tattooed,” I said. “I believe them.”
“Jesus,” Savannah said, crossing herself, making the other vampires flinch.
I had forgotten Savannah didn’t know, but I just plowed ahead. “After our little tussle I don’t think the Marquis will listen to me about anything but… now Cinnamon has seen it, too. I need you to make sure they don’t bust her chops for this. That they take her seriously.”
Calaphase nodded. “Yeah. I mean—yeah. I can do that.”
“If they give you any crap,” I said, “the Marquis can call Jinx for confirmation—she’s ‘seen’ it too, and I don’t think she’s on his shit list, so he’ll trust her. Besides, giving Cinnamon a message to take back may take some heat off her for her little walkabout.”
“That’s… that’s a really good idea,” Revenance said thoughtfully.
“Well, Lady Frost,” Calaphase said. “You’re just full of surprises.”
“It’s just Dakota,” I said. “And just… keep her safe.”
Cinnamon, still hunched over her Sprite, looked sidelong at me.
We closed up and I cornered the waitress: Annie was indeed checking out my tats, and promised to come by the Rogue Unicorn at the first opportunity. While we talked, I noticed Guinness-boy noticing us; cute, nice skin, but definitely suitor, not customer. His eyes caught mine again, and I smiled briefly, but then slipped out before he could nerve himself up.
When I strolled out of the massive, raftered dining area into the bar, I found the vampires had rejoined their companions. Calaphase was dismissing his evening companion with a chaste kiss, but Revenance was still working on his, trying to convince her to take a ride.
“See the short, redheaded biker chick?” Revenance was saying. “She’s the Queen of the Vampires in this district… and a Daywalker. She can guarantee you’ll be safe with me. If you ride off with me on my bike and disappear, she’ll blame me—then come open my coffin sometime right around noon.”
Savannah stared at him in shock. “Yeah… yeah, I would,” she said slowly. “And give you a big old garlic enema.”
“Ouch!” Calaphase said. “Stings just thinking about—”
“I—I don’t know,” the girl said nervously, excited and afraid at the same time, staring up at him with huge, enraptured eyes. “Maybe next time—”
“But how would I find you?” Revenance said, staring down at her, the slightest glow glimmering in his eyes. “Maybe I could get your numb—”
“Maybe we could all get together next week?” I suggested, and Revenance scowled at me. “Same time, next Saturday?”
“I’d like that,” Jinx said.
“Me too,” Savannah said.
“We will be in Africa,” Darkrose reminded her.
“Maybe the week after, then?” I said, unwilling to let it go.
“That would be better for me,” the girl said.
Savannah looked at Darkrose. “I—I suppose—”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Calaphase said, putting his hand heavily on Revenance’s shoulder. “Listen to the Lady, she knows stews taste best when they’ve had time to simmer.” Calaphase smiled at his own potential—victim? girlfriend? I didn’t know the rules anymore—evenly, without a hint of a leer; and she just smiled back at him.
“All right, all right, you win,” Revenance sighed, kissing his starry-eyed but relieved companion on the hand. “In two weeks, my sweet.”
“It’s settled, then,” Calaphase said. “Dakota, if the Bear King allows it, we’ll drop Cinnamon off a week from Friday at your place and pick her up here, same time.”
“Sure,” I said, forced-cheerful, trying not to let my voice crack as I put my hand on Cinnamon’s shoulder. I hadn’t bargained on that at all, but—”I’d be happy to watch over her again.”
“Don’t try to sound too excited,” Cinnamon said.
“Need a ride back to your place?” Savannah asked as we stepped outside. “It’s not so out of the way if we’re running Jinx back by Emory—”
“No,” I responded hastily. “My bike is a couple of blocks away in LFP, and it’s a nice night. I think I’ll walk it—”
“You have a bike?” Calaphase asked, staring at my long leather vest, which nearly trailed the floor. “How can you ride in that thing?”
“I tuck it,” I admitted. “Last thing I want is to get sucked into the wheel of a Vespa—”
“A Vespa!” Calaphase said. “I thought you said you had a bike—”