“No shit,” Caroline agreed.
I rubbed my face, exhausted. “Can you sniff around and see what you can find out?”
Alches thumped the ground with his tail.
“You realize I’m not a blood hound, right?” Caroline asked, assuming I was talking to her.
“Is that a no?”
Caroline reached for the bottom of her shirt. “Of course not. You know I’d do anything for you.”
“Except, apparently, flee to safety.”
“We all have our faults.” Caroline stripped out of her clothes and folded them on the table next to Jenna before straightening. She stood with her palms by her sides, eyes closed like she was meditating.
Alches leaned harder into my side as we watched with interest.
In my other sight, streams of umber tinged with black coalesced around her. Fur sprouted along her body. Her bones cracked as they realigned themselves.
Caroline dropped to all fours. A beautiful wolf replaced my friend, her head containing a regal cant as she observed the room with amber eyes for a moment before padding toward the man’s body. The wolf’s claws clicked against the wood floor as she snuffled the area, trying to pick up scents.
While she was busy, I called Liam. The phone rang several times before his voicemail picked up.
I frowned, hanging up and then calling again. “Pick up, Liam.”
My second and third attempt proved as unsuccessful as the first. Each time resulting in me being sent to voice mail.
Caroline circled the bar before heading outside while I remained next to Jenna. With no other choice, I hung up on Liam for the last time before navigating to my contact lists and the entry titled “Pain in my ass”.
“The things I’m required to do,” I muttered to myself as I hit call.
Thomas answered almost immediately. “Aileen, it’s not like you to call me.”
And if the situation wasn’t what it was, I wouldn’t have needed to.
“Is something wrong?” Thomas asked with that cool calm that sometimes drove me crazy.
“You could say that,” I answered with a sigh. “Look, Thomas—something happened and I can’t get ahold of Liam.”
There was a silence that left me a little fidgety.
“Go ahead,” Thomas said, sounding like he was giving me his full attention.
“A vampire and human were murdered tonight at the Blue Pepper. Both spontaneously combusted before anyone could examine the bodies.” I fell silent, really wishing I didn’t have to confess this next part. “The person responsible is an ancient vampire we caught stalking me last night.”
That brought the reaction I was expecting. Thomas’s anger reached down the line as a low growl filtered through the phone’s speaker. “And you neglected to inform me of this matter?”
I stuck a hand in my pocket as I waited for him to finish.
“Expect to address this with me later,” Thomas snapped. “I’m your sire, Aileen. These are the kinds of things I need to know to ensure your safety. Now, is Connor with you?”
“About that—” I trailed off, feeling awkward. How did I tell Thomas that I had lost his son? “He’s not here.”
I sensed Thomas’s frown. “Then where is he?”
“He took off after the vampire.” And boy were we going to have a talk about that. “Right after calling him grand sire.”
“I’m coming to you.”
