see as more than a blur, he fetched another chair from the other side of the room and straddled it with his arms resting along the back.
“What are you doing here?” Jason blurted. “How did you even get here in daylight?”
“There are ways,” Blair told him. “You guys need to start using your undead brains. What did Smith do to you?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Ella bit you and killed you and turned you into a vampire,” Blair reminded him. “When you woke, Arthur took you from your parents’ house to explain your new situation and sent you to work before dawn. And here at work, Nicholas Smith came to see you.”
“I couldn’t remember anything,” Jason recalled. Although not particularly handsome, he had the kind of open, self-confident face than inspired trust in humans. But abruptly, his dignity crumbled, leaving a very unsure if still very well-dressed young man. “I was terrified. Nicholas helped me get my memory back.”
“How’d he do that?”
“Just talking to me. Things began to come back.”
“How come? You’d never met him before.”
Jason frowned. “Yes, I had. I remembered him.”
Blair searched his eyes and as much of his leaking thoughts as he could stomach. There wasn’t much more on that subject. It was all a blur to Jason. “And he made you keep on working.”
Jason frowned. “I chose to keep working.”
“Why? You’re dead.”
“Undead. What do you want with me?”
Blair shrugged. “I’m trying to get the hang of this scam your boss wants me to join. Vampires working in banks is a new one on me.”
“We have the power to alter monetary wealth and society.”
“Spoken like a true thrall. How d’you do it, then?”
“Do the mechanics matter to you?”
“Not really. I’m more interested in whether or not you can pull it off. You can’t have vampires in all the banks.”
“All the major Scottish banks and headquarters. Several investment companies and insurance companies. We’ve already begun.”
Blair rested his chin on his hands. “What if you get caught? You bite the police?”
“It won’t come to the police.”
Jason’s absolute confidence on this point was interesting. Why would it not come to the police? Because if irregularities were discovered, a fall guy was sacrificed?
Blair stood up. “You’ve been very helpful, Jason,” he said civilly. “Thanks. Say hello to old Nick for me.” And he walked out the door, nodded to the PA as he picked up his helmet, and left the building.
****
Sera pushed the enormous old book a few inches away from her and sat back, rubbing her eyes. Leaving the others minding the shop, she and Melanie had retreated to the flat and spread a big bunch of books out on the table. Mel had discovered a few promising lines of inquiry, which Sera was doing her best to pursue, but despite the importance of the research, personal stuff kept getting in the way.
“Smith said she dumped him,” Sera blurted.
Mel glanced up, letting her reading spectacles droop halfway down her nose. She looked like a slightly mad but sexy professor. “Rebecca? Your mother? Yes, she dumped him.”
“I suppose I don’t need to ask why.”
Mel shrugged. “He was egotistical, selfish, and vain, and fortunately, she discovered her mistake in time.”
“Not quite.”
Mel took the specs off, staring at her. “Oh no, you weren’t the mistake, Sera. Never think that. Even unborn, you were the light of her world. She forgave Nick because of you. But she didn’t want him in her life or in yours. And at least in that, they were in agreement. Nick wanted nothing to do with children.”
“Did he know when I was born?” She kept her voice carefully neutral. Tears were very close to the surface, tears for the mother she’d never known. And bitter anger toward the father who’d let her go into care.
“He must have,” Mel said gently. “We moved in a pretty small circle. But he was young, male, and selfish, blah blah blah.”
Sera stared determinedly at the gothic print of the book in front of her.
“Look, Sera. I never liked Nick, but it was definitely the wrong time for him to have kids. Your mother wanted a child and picked the wrong man to have her with. She kicked him out before she even knew she was pregnant. He might have thought—or talked himself into thinking—that you weren’t his.”
“Then why’s he so keen to own me now?”
“Because people change and grow up. It doesn’t sound like he’s any less selfish, but he may have different priorities.” She seemed to hesitate. “Or you may have something