Vlad, elder of elders, stood five feet away with a pleasant smile on his face.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The vampire was so handsome that it went beyond lust inducing and straight into just plain annoying. A small smile curled his lips, and he held his hands behind his back.
I wasn’t fooled. He was older, even, than Darius, and could move so fast that his fist would hit my face before I’d registered his intent to fight. The gesture was meaningless.
“Why?” I asked, monitoring the middle-level vampires as they slowly rose to their feet. They made no move to capture me again. “And where were they trying to take me?”
“You impress me, Miss Somerset. May I call you Reagan?”
“Sure, but you didn’t answer my question.”
“Two middle-level vampires and you were completely undaunted. That takes great skill and prowess.”
“It wasn’t my first rodeo. Where were they trying to take me?”
Vlad half turned, and pointed at a cafe just downthe street. “I wanted to speak with you, but first, I wanted to test your reaction speed. I have heard great things, but seeing is believing, as they say.”
“You thought kidnapping me, then dumping me at a cafe, would be a good start to a pleasant dialogue, did you?”
His laugh was silky and delightful. Still annoying, though. That level of perfection so often was. “I confess, I thought I could mollify you merely with my presence. But my first impression, when I met you in our lair, holds true. You aren’t afraid of much.”
“I’m afraid of things, but no, you aren’t one of them.” It was a small lie.
“Please, will you do me the honor of having a coffee or tea?”
I blew out a breath and looked at my empty hands. I patted my pouch. “I’d really love to, but your clowns made me drop my phone somewhere along the way, and I need to find it.”
“I will have it collected.” Vlad barely nodded, and one of the vampires took off.
If Darius wouldn’t take no for an answer, how could I assume his creator would?
“Right, okay.” I glanced around, just making sure nothing else was liable to pop out at me. “It has to be quick, though. I have things to do.”
“Yes. You are trying to track down a mage who ismurdering people.”
“A couple of mages, yes. I think I’ve got two in my sights. Now I just need to introduce myself.”
“I won’t take much of your time. Please.” Vlad held out his arm to escort me.
I didn’t want to touch him. “I’m good, thanks. I don’t need help.”
He clasped his hands behind his back again and started walking. I fell in beside him.
“I think our interests are converging,” Vlad said, ever so pleasantly.
“Our interests? I suppose this has something to do with the really powerful demon that was in Northern California—and now here?” Pure guesswork based on the dimensional demons and his presence, but it fit. Horribly so.
“The very same. I’ve been tracking its movements, starting with a small town in—”
“Forgive my interruption.” The man kicked my politeness up a notch, what can I say? “But I heard about the demon’s origins in the Brink.”
“Of course. And you’ve no doubt heard of my confusion regarding its sudden appearance?”
“I did, yes, as well as your extracurricular activities in the underworld.”
“And here I thought I was keeping a low profile.” His voice was colored with humor, and he followed upthe statement with a chuckle. “At first, the demon seemed to be joyriding, in a way.” He opened the cafe door for me. “But murmurings in the Dark Kingdom hinted that it was sent up for a purpose. That it stood to gain an elevation in power if it found what it was seeking. What would you like?”
