"They were going to shoot a man for trespassing."
"Was he trespassing?"
"Technically, yeah."
Jean-Claude just looked at me. "Does he not have the right to protect his own land?"
"No, not if it means killing people. A piece of land isn't worth killing over."
"Protecting our lands has been a valid excuse for slaughter since the beginning of time, ma petite. Did you suddenly change the rules?"
"I wasn't going to stand there and watch them kill a man for walking on a piece of ground. Besides, I think it was a setup."
"A setup? You mean a plot to kill the man."
"Yeah."
"Were you part of this plot?"
"I may have been bait. He could feel my power over the dead. It called to him."
"Now that is interesting. What is this man's name?"
"You give me the name of the mystery vampire first."
"Xavier," he said.
"Just like that. Why wouldn't you give me the name earlier?"
"I do not want the police to have it."
"Why not?"
"I explained all that. Now, the name of the man you saved tonight."
I stared at him, and didn't want to give it to him. I didn't like how interested he was in the name. But a deal was a deal. "Bouvier, Magnus Bouvier."
"I do not know the name."
"Should you?"
He just smiled at me. It meant nothing and everything.
"You are an irritating son of a bitch."
"Ah, ma petite, how can I resist you when you whisper such sweet endearments to me?"
I glared at him, which made him smile wider. There was just the faintest hint of fang peeking into view.
Someone knocked on the door. Probably the manager telling me to get out. I walked to the door. I didn't bother looking through the peephole, so I was caught off guard by who was outside. It was Lionel Bayard.
Had he come to throw us out in person?
I stood there for a second, looking at him. He spoke first, clearing his throat nervously. "Ms. Blake, may I speak with you for a moment?"
He was being awfully polite for someone who had come to kick us out. "I'm listening, Mr. Bayard."
"I really don't think the hallway is the place to discuss this."