A Little Street Magic (27 page)

I patted his hand. “I wouldn’t let any of you guys rot in prison.”

Stannett grunted. “No. I think it’s best to pass the buck.”

He held up his hand when we began protesting. “They’re supes. Who better to catch supes than other supes?”

“My master?” Stone asked, and received a grim smile in response.

“If you decided to tell him, and he chooses to do something, well...” Stannett shrugged. “My hands are tied, and my people are out of it.”

“Does that include us?” I asked.

“You’re civilians. I’m not your boss.” He leaned forward. “Try not to get caught. I don’t give a damn who gets the credit. I just want these bastards stopped. Hear me?”

I nodded. “Loud and clear.”

I
sat in the front seat of a patrol car, with Officer Fuentes in the driver’s seat.

“All you have to do is relax, think only about the suspects, and let me touch your hand.”

Fuentes, a handsome Hispanic with a quick smile, nodded. “I can do that. What if the Feds find out though?”

“That’s why we’re doing it here, away from the station. Don’t talk; they’ll never know. I’m going to say I had a vision.”

“You’re going to lie to the FBI to keep me clear.” He studied me, his tawny eyes narrowing. “You could end up in a lot of trouble.”

“Maybe.” I hoped not, but stopping the killers was my top priority.

“You’re all right, Jones. Okay.” Fuentes took a cleansing breath and closed his eyes. He held up his hand. “Ready.”

I pressed my palm to his and opened a link. The memories were sharp and clear. “Thanks.”

He lowered his hand. “You’re done? I didn’t feel anything.”

“All done. Matthew Briar and Renee O’Neal.”

He nodded. “That’s them.”

“Gotta go. Thanks again.” I left the car, strolling back to Logan’s. Stone didn’t look comfy in the backseat. Once in, I twisted around. “Is Derrick awake?”

“Yes, and I called. He’s waiting.” The dhamphyr touched his forehead. “He’s making arrangements as we speak. Our people will be out in force tonight.”

“Good.” I held out my hand, and Stone took hold. “Here.”

I could feel Derrick in his son’s mind, an icy shadow that collected the transferred memories. Master vamps were connected to those they’d turned. Derrick would see that all of them received the memories. More than that, he’d share them with the other council members. Apparently, the council working together could broadcast a mental APB.

Every vamp citizen in the Barrows would be on the lookout. Smiling, I turned and sighed in satisfaction. “We’re going to get them.”

N
ight fell. We were cruising the streets, waiting for news from the vampires combing the city, or from the station, via messages by parrot. Kate had loaned Percy to Damian.

“They’ll strike tonight. They have every night.” We’d been told they’d hit places Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. The body count was rising. I hoped someone would be in a position to keep them from killing again. Our combined efforts would result in zilch without luck playing a part. Someone still needed to be at the right place, at the right time, to spot the suspects.

The Feds were combing through the traffic and security cam footage. Our “cams” were mobile, fast vampires, so we had something of an advantage.

“Open your window. Percy’s behind us.” Logan dipped his chin at the rearview mirror. I rolled down the window.

Percy landed in my lap, his wings half-folded. He bobbed his head in greeting. “Feds find hideout. Going there.”

“Where?”

“Is place in Palisades. Motel.” Percy hummed when I stroked his chest with the backs of my fingers. “On 900 block. Weston.”

Stone was already calling Derrick. I scratched Percy’s neck. “Good job.”

“Cordi give treat?”

I gave him a couple of fries left over from our on-the-go dinner. The parrot gulped them down. “I go back.”

“Be careful, and thanks.” I helped him to the window. With a squawk, Percy bailed out, the wind catching his wings.

“My master is sending people to the motel,” Stone reported.

“Do we go?” Logan asked. About to say yes, I hesitated when the dhampyr’s phone rang.

“Yes? Where?” Stone listened to the answer. So did my sharp-eared boyfriend.

“Someone’s spotted the woman and two unknown men,” Logan said. “They’re in a car.”

“Let’s go there. Where ever ‘there’ is.”

He nodded, and changed lanes before Stone was off the phone. “They’re under surveillance.”

“We’re at four now, and have no idea which of them have which abilities.” I remembered the giggle I’d heard, after running into the invisible barrier on Thorandryll’s grounds. “Oh, crap.”

“What?”

“She was there. O’Neal was still at Thorandryll’s. She has aerokinesis, and apparently, the same ability to make herself invisible that Merriven did.” I slapped the dash. “Damn it. We could’ve...”

The dhampyr cut me off. “If she was alone, it would appear she has teleportation as well.”

“I guess. There were elves all over the place. The gates were locked down.” I huffed, frowning. “Or she wasn’t alone, and had a teleporting buddy with her.”

“My master is contacting Detective Herde. Spotting a fugitive isn’t the same as ignoring the orders of federal agents.” Stone chuckled. “Fortunately, it was a strong telepath who spotted them. She will say she picked up a passing thought.”

Let’s hear it for the vampire doing her duty as a good citizen. “Great. She’s not going to confront them, is she?”

“Not alone, unless necessary. Others are on the move to join her.”

I
t was over before we arrived. Their target was another bank, but they hadn’t gotten any farther than the lobby.

Vampires can move terrifyingly fast. One had gone and swept the security guard out before the pyro killed him. O’Neal and the teleporter got away. The pyro didn’t.

“Meet Liam.” Damian was bursting with satisfaction. “Not a nice guy. Few aliases, few dead ex-girlfriends, and now this.”

Liam was a short, shaven-head man with a teardrop tattoo under one eye. I knew that kind of tatt signified he’d been in prison. His neck was bloody. So was his mouth. A small, thin blonde stood beside him, carefully re-applying lipstick.

“You missed a bit.” I touched my face to show her where the tiny smear of blood was on hers.

“Oh, thank you.” She pulled a clean tissue from her purse.

“You did well, Eisha,” Stone said. “Our master will be pleased.”

The blonde dimpled at him. “Should I stay?”

“Detective Herde?” The dhampyr looked to my friend for an answer.

“We’ll need a statement, and is he safe without her around?”

Stone smiled. “He’s under control. I think you’ll find him quite helpful.”

“Oh, yes,” Eisha purred. “Liam’s going to tell you all he can. Aren’t you, my pet?”

“Yes.” Liam’s reply was monotone.

“And he won’t be using his pyro ability.” Eisha smiled, displaying delicate fangs. “He has no desire to ever hurt anyone again.”

She’d neutered the dude. I was impressed, and rather frightened. Yet another display of the power of blood.

“Detective!” Damian hurried off, leaving us alone with the captured man.

I studied his slack face. “Um, it’d be better if he acted normal.”

Eisha nodded. “Of course. Liam.”

“Yes, mistress?”

“You will assist the police as ordered, and you will refrain from ever again using your ability to create fire. You will confess to all of the murders you’ve committed.”

“Yes, mistress.”

Her dimples reappeared. “And you will do so as yourself.”

A scowl broke out on Liam’s face. “Yes, you rotten, blood-sucking bitch.”

“Charming, isn’t he?” Eisha fluttered her eyelashes. “You will never tell anyone that you are under my control.”

Rage boiled out from him, but he agreed, calling her the one four-lettered word I never used, which rhymed with runt. Eisha merely laughed. I liked her.

Damian returned. “The Feds’ plan went sideways. They have men down, and Briar took Agent Pacelli hostage.”

The night wasn’t over. Lucky us.

T
he Old Frontier was in need of a good razing. The motel sat on a corner lot, its hot pink and turquoise paint peeling in wide strips. A modest two stories, it had forty rooms, a tiny lobby, and an apartment behind the front counter.

“Top floor, possibly the hallway. We’re not sure who else is in there.” Agent Talbot held an icepack to the huge goose egg on his forehead. He’d been slammed into a door frame. “Bottom floor was cleared before we went up. They knew we were coming.”

“Of course they did. At least one of them’s a telepath.” That was the closest I could get to saying “I told you so.” Three agents were dead, two unaccounted for. Agent Pacelli was definitely captured, because they’d seen him at a window, his hands up and a shadowy figure at his back.

“O’Neal and her accomplice are probably up there.” Stannett had arrived at the same time we did, along with a SWAT team. “Damian’s questioning Liam.”

“Who?” Agent Talbot winced.

“One of their gang.” Stannett half-smiled. “A citizen alerted us to a possible bank robbery. It was O’Neal and two men. Liam didn’t get away.”

Everyone jumped, except Stone, when Derrick landed next to his son. I recovered. “You can fly? So not fair that you have transvection.”

The vampire lord grinned, sweeping his hair back. “It’s a useful talent. What’s the situation?”

“Wait a damn minute.” Agent Talbot began to stand. The paramedic poked him with her finger, and he plopped back down.

“Do not stand,” she told him. “You can run your mouth sitting just as easily.”

“You had your chance,” Stannett said. “Most of your people are out of the game. I’m back in charge, Agent.”

“Look here...” Talbot’s second attempt to stand was again thwarted by the paramedic.

“Don’t make me strap you down.”

Stannett walked away. We traded looks and followed, ignoring the agent’s demands for us to stay put. Over by the SWAT van, Stannett halted. “If I send my people in there, they’re toast. Herde’s the only supe on the force.”

“There are nine people in the upper story,” Derrick said. “And two bodies. Seven are in the hallway, the bodies are at the end, near the stairs. The other pair is in the northwest corner room. Mm, a prostitute with a customer.”