"The venom wasn't what killed them," she replied, neatly skirting the issue of poisons and vampires. Which to me suggested there were poisons capable of doing just that. "The inhibitor prevented reaction, and the killer simply ate them."
While they were alive? Oh god, this was getting worse and worse. "If it scratched them, surely there was some DNA evidence left in the wounds?"
"None, other than the venom, which we have not been able to trace to any source so far."
I released a somewhat shaky breath. "This really does sound more like Directorate business than anything I could help with."
She gave me that face. The one that said I'd better do what she wanted or die. And yet I don't think her muscles even twitched—it was more an odd sort of darkness that crept into her eyes.
"We believe this creature—whatever it is—might have come through when the first gate was opened. The timing is suspicious."
I shoved away the useless surge of guilt. There was nothing I could do now except get to the other two keys and prevent them from being used. Because if they were, then it really would be hell on earth.
"So where are the bodies?"
"The first four victims have already undergone their final deaths via sunlight, as was their wish. The fifth, however, still lies in state at his home."
Meaning vampires made wills, like the rest of us did? That was something I hadn't realized, but I guess it did make sense. Even vampires didn't live forever—though I guess they could, if they were lucky enough. Or unlucky enough, as the case might be. "When was he murdered?"
"He was found an hour ago." She paused, studying me. "Why?"
"Because if the thing that killed him did come from hell, then it might have left behind some sort of resonance that we could use to track it down." According to Azriel, most demons and whatnot that broke through the hell portal left such a trail. I added, "But it would dissipate with time."
"Then you'll need to get there ASAP. But I would advise you to go to Dark Earth immediately and talk to the manager, Brett Marshall."
Which wasn't a very vampire-sounding name, but then, the newer vamps tended to have regular monikers. "Why so urgent?"
"Because he is a friend, and I wish you to talk to him first."