How to Elude a Vampire (VRC Vampire Related Crimes #2) - Alice Winters Page 0,41
in the smell of his blood. While vampire blood could sustain us, the taste is rancid, but it still smells like blood. And right now, the smell surrounds him. “Answer my chief’s questions then, if you’d be so kind.”
Brooks leans forward as I step back to give him space, but I don’t sit down. I don’t want to waste energy when it’s extremely likely that he’ll refuse to do as I’ve asked, and I’ll need to remind him why answering me is the better option. “Why did you target that bus?”
“Why? Because Detective Finnigan Hayes was on it, of course.” I nearly punch him again just because he spoke Finn’s name. I want to destroy him until he explains clearly why he’d try touching Finn.
“Why were you targeting Detective Hayes?” Brooks asks.
“Because he works for the VRC.”
“So if that was me getting on that bus…?”
“Then that would have been you we were trying to kill. Your whole fucking unit is going to go down.”
“Why would you want to take down the VRC?”
“Because you pricks think you’re like gods. You guys think you’re better than the rest of us and can just condemn whoever you please. It’s time to put an end to it.”
“Why?” Brooks asks.
“It’s corrupt!”
How are we corrupt? Overall, I’d say that we strive to be very just. Occasionally, I might pull out my superiority card like I’m doing at this moment. But just because we’re vampires doesn’t mean we don’t use the same protocols when making an arrest. And they still go to court like the humans. Did we arrest someone they know? Someone who is now behind bars, so they’re trying to get revenge on the outside? It’s highly possible. I would assume that Finn had been working the arrest with us if that’s the case, which will make it easier to pin down which case it’s from. He hasn’t been with the unit as long as the rest of us, since he’s the newest detective. But I suppose they could have targeted him just because of who he is.
“Who’s asked you to do this?” Brooks asks.
He shakes his head. “No one’s asked us for shit. We just know what we need to make this city livable.”
“It’s gonna be real livable inside the prison,” I assure him.
We “talk” to the rest, but I don’t get anything more than I got out of the first man. Two of them refused to talk and Brooks had to force me to stop trying to get them to speak.
When I get back to the house with the dogs and a new phone, I notice Aria’s here. While she’s half-vampire, I don’t believe she knows how to fight and wouldn’t be much protection for Finn. But she still has superior strength and could help if needed. Most of all, though, she cares about her brother who practically raised her until he was ten and she was five.
I smile at her when I walk in and find Finn and Orin across from her.
“Hey, babe,” Finn says.
“Hey.”
“I was talking to the dog,” he teases. “Come, my sweeties!”
Hela and Artemus scramble on the floor as they run to him like they haven’t seen him all day. He just looks at them and they fawn all over him like he’s the light of their lives. Seeing as he’s the light of my life as well, I don’t mind.
God, if anyone could hear my thoughts they’d realize that I’ve lost my mind—and over a human!
“How’d it go?” Finn asks as he cradles Hela with one hand and pets Artemus with the other.
So I take some time to tell them what Brooks and I were able to get out of the attackers. I don’t bother telling them how I got the information since I don’t want Orin thinking I’m not fit for his son. Or too rash or something. Violent, maybe. Why the fuck do I care? I really am ill.
I can’t seem to just sit down and relax, so I step up to where Finn is sitting and pull him to me until his back is resting against me. Then I lean down and kiss the top of his head. He tips his head back and smiles up at me. It’s such a genuine smile; a smile that takes over his whole face.
How can he always be so happy after everything he’s gone through?
I promise to myself that I’ll make sure that smile stays on his face, but I’ll protect him at any cost to make sure