“I’m not sure what I believe,” I hissed, trying not to be loud. “Think about it. Eddie disappears with me—”
“You’re telling me Eddie is a vampire.”
“Have you ever seen him out during the day?”
“Yes,” Tamara said. “I remember the day.”
My heart fell a bit.
“Still. The rules must be different or something. You know, there’s a guy that runs the Cathedral. Pretty sure he was Count Dracula or something. I mean, he wasn’t even being subtle about it. He brought up stakes and thieves and Magyars and Romanis, you should have seen him, he was dressed exactly like a Priest. I don’t think crucifixes or the sign of the cross means anything to them. There’s a huge crucifix on the ceiling.”
“Firstly. Stop drinking iced coffee. You sound like you’re buzzed.”
“I am brainstorming and naturally excited,” I said, covering the mouthpiece as I took another sip.
“Secondly. You can’t just say that about them. I mean. What if you’re wrong? What if they’re just a bunch of weirdos?”
“You saw the menu,” I said.
“I heard what you said you saw,” Tamara said.
“Oh my God, come on. The bird, Tamara.”
“I told you not to bring that damn bird up. Look, let’s say I believe you believe. Okay? What are your next steps?”
“I have to get evidence.”
“And what’s your plan for that?”
“I’m going to go gatecrash their midnight meeting at Hartshome Cathedral.”
“But what if they are what you say they are?”
“They’re. Okay. I don’t know about everybody, but Brother Aleister, you know, the obvious one. He was talking about St. Hermetus. Herbertus. Yeah, Herbertus. The Patron Saint of Ethical Hunting. Ethical Hunting, Tamara. They might not eat me.”
“So they’re sober vamps,” Tamara said. “Girl, only you could come up with this. Maybe you should have gone into fiction.”
“Tamara, I swear to God. On God, on the bird, Tamara. This is what I’m investigating. I just need someone to know where I went.”
“You’re not taking anyone with you?”
“Are you offering to come?”
There was a silence.
“No. I am about eighty percent sure this is some iced coffee new job jitters, and you’re going to call me with a reasonable explanation in the morning.”
“Tamara!”
“Look. Either way this is a situation I’m out of. You’re either in your head with some white nonsense and seeing an actual foreign culture as monsters or you are correct, in which case, I am not going to go anywhere NEAR Night Market, even if they’re all vegetarians.”
“Okay. Just. Call the cops or something in the morning, if you don’t hear from me.”
“I’ll do that. That’s something I can do. Just. Do me a favor. I don’t want to live in a world where my best friend isn’t around any longer. Stay safe. Stay hidden. In and out.”
“I’ll be as quiet as a church mouse. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
