Blood Secrets - By Jeannie Holmes Page 0,40
remnants of sleep, she glanced around, disoriented. Shapes slowly came into focus along with her memory. Salvage yard. Body dump.
The sun was dipping behind the tree line and she knew she had to have been asleep for at least an hour. She stood, brushed the dirt from the seat of her Tyvek jumpsuit, and made certain the flask of bourbon stashed in her pocket wasn’t visible. As she rounded the side of the panel van, she popped a stick of peppermint gum in her mouth. If anyone detected alcohol on her breath at a crime scene, her ass would be toast.
She saw Tony striding her way and waved. “What’s up?”
“Enforcer Baudelaire’s awake.”
“And Alex?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
Tasha could see Varik sitting on the ground looking perplexed. Damian knelt beside him and Morgan stood nearby, fists on her hips. The vampires paid her no attention as she joined them while Tony veered off to oversee the transfer of the abandoned car onto the flatbed tow truck that had finally arrived.
“Something attacked Enforcer Sabian and then you,” Damian said. “What happened after it hit you?”
Varik swiped the paper hair cap from his head. “Everything went black and I woke up in a forest. At first I didn’t see Alex or the thing that jumped us. I looked for Alex and eventually found her. That’s when she confirmed my suspicion that we were in the Shadowlands.”
“The what?” Tasha asked, drawing their attention.
“Shadowlands,” Varik repeated as Damian helped him stand. “It’s what vampires call the buffer zone between the physical and spiritual planes.”
“Are you saying you had a near-death experience?”
“No, I’m saying that whatever attacked Alex and me has the ability to drag another’s consciousness into a different plane of existence and leave it there.”
Tasha’s head was spinning. She was a cop. She dealt with the real world and real dangers, and all this metaphysical vampire bullshit was out of her league. “Alex said you were possessed. So this was some kind of demonic force?”
“Not every possession is demonic,” Damian said as Varik stripped out of his Tyvek coveralls. “There are other forms but only exceptionally strong Talents are able to perform them.”
“Who or what are Talents?”
“That isn’t any of your concern, Lieutenant,” Morgan said, stepping forward. “In fact, Chief Alberez and Enforcer Baudelaire have said too much already so I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“Excuse me?” Tasha nearly fell on her ass when she turned to face the vamp and her foot slipped on a patch of weeds. “I’m the liaison officer, and if I’m going to effectively do my job I need to know what the fuck is going on here.”
“This is an internal FBPI matter, Lieutenant, and therefore beyond your scope as a liaison officer.”
“But I’m a member of this investigation. If it affects the case or if either Varik or Alex is at risk, I need to know.”
“I disagree.”
“Since we can’t generate enough psychic energy to sustain ourselves, we have to look to outside sources,” Varik said.
“Enforcer Baudelaire.” Morgan said his name like a warning.
He glared at Morgan but continued. “As a side effect of our blood-hunger, most vampires are considered Nils, essentially possessing no or very little psychic talent. However, a very small portion of our population has above-average psychic abilities. We call them Talents.” He walked past Tasha, shoving his wadded-up Tyvek coveralls into Morgan’s hands. “There, she knows. Now quit being such a fucking bitch.”
Morgan threw the coveralls to the ground. “Enforcer Baudelaire!”
Varik ignored her and moved to Alex’s side. He dropped to his knees and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. “I need you to listen to me, baby. You have to come home now.”
Tasha was surprised by how quickly Morgan covered the ground between where they stood and Varik.
Morgan grabbed Varik’s arm and pulled him to his feet, shoving him away from Alex. “Your behavior is inappropriate, Enforcer Baudelaire.”
“As is yours.”
“I should report you for insubordination.”
“Why? Because I’m not fawning all over you? And it’s Director Baudelaire.”
“You’re out of line.”
“You’re interfering with my investigation.”
Morgan replied in French, as did Varik, and Tasha looked to Damian. “I’m assuming they know each other well.”
Damian snorted. “What tipped you off?”
“What do we do about Alex?”
“We wait.”
She watched as he stepped forward to break up the argument between Varik and Morgan. The three vamps continued to banter while Alex lay crumpled on the ground at their feet.
Tasha glanced around the scene, noting the tow truck readying to leave with the abandoned car.