a huge smile. “I’m happy to hear that this is of use to you guys!”
While we wait to hear if the DNA matches, we set to work on finding out where Barnett lives, works, and why he’s here in America. Though we find out that he’s staying in a rental house near the university, everything else isn’t public knowledge. He doesn’t have family here and didn’t appear to come over for work purposes. It seems as if asking might be the only option we’re left with.
Chapter Eight
FINN
The report comes in after lunch, telling us that we have a perfect match between the DNA found under Perez’s nails to the DNA Barnett had to hand over when they signed him up to the blood bank in Europe.
Now we just have to find him and arrest him.
We decide to go as a unit with Marcus, DeGray, Briar, Karsyn, and me involved in order to make sure we don’t lose him. We’ll surround the house in case he decides to run, which would honestly be quite a mistake.
Instead of taking a car, we take our transport vehicle that allows us to be geared up without sitting on each other’s laps and spilling out like it’s a clown car when we get to our destination. So the rest of us can be on the scene, Miller drives us. Since his partner’s life was taken by the vampire we’re targeting, he’d been removed from the case even though he was very against it. Because Marcus said he understood the pain of wanting to help put the man who killed your partner behind bars, he asked him to drive us.
“Everyone ready?” Marcus asks as we near the house.
“I am.”
Marcus turns and scrutinizes me as his eyes run up and down me. He thinks that I’ll be safest by stuffing me in a full-body suit that will protect me from bullets, bites, and knives. I think it’s impossible to move when I’m basically wrapped in chainmail. So we did a happy compromise. Happy for me. Not as happy for him. But my torso is protected and I can move.
“We’re good,” DeGray says before looking over at Karsyn. “Did you forget how to button?” He takes the top button of Karsyn’s shirt and realigns it as Karsyn dies and goes to heaven. At least that’s what I assume he does by the stoic look on his face. Although, I’ve noticed the two of them haven’t been talking as much. It almost seems like Karsyn has now latched on to me and picks me to do things with.
Since DeGray’s attention is now on Briar, I wink at Karsyn who snubs his nose at me. I lean into Marcus.
“Karsyn loves me,” I whisper.
“He’s not good enough for you.”
I snicker as Karsyn snips something in Russian at Marcus.
“Oh my god! He just said you’re his favorite,” I say. “I’ve been learning Russian in my spare time.” While I have tried looking up some of the words Karsyn is saying, I still have no idea what any of it means ninety-nine percent of the time. And it annoys Karsyn more when I make up things, so of course, that’s the option I go with.
“Wow, that’s amazing,” Marcus says. “Karsyn, you’re not exactly my favorite but you’re an adequate associate.”
Karsyn jabs a finger at me. “I’m going to start teaching you Russian so you can understand what I’m saying when I curse you two out.”
“Marcus, Karsyn likes me enough he’s going to spend extra time with me and teach me Russian!”
“Wow! How wonderful. If you even look at Finn funny, I’ll crush you,” Marcus growls.
“You two are so cute together!” I exclaim.
“Crush.” Marcus demonstrates crushing by squeezing his hand tightly.
Even though they act like they want nothing to do with each other, I can tell they’re getting closer and I know it’s all my doing. I definitely like Karsyn more than the rest because we get along the best, even if it’s mostly picking at each other.
When we reach the house and the vehicle stops, Marcus slides open the door. We all file out as I stay with Marcus and the rest fan out around the house.
We’re quiet, careful to not engage if Barnett is prepared to come quietly, which is really just wishful thinking. Once everyone is in position, Marcus knocks on the door.
Marcus glances up, looking like he’s listening to something. “I think he’s realized we’re here. He was moving around, but now he’s extremely quiet. He’s somewhere on the second