“Why should I?”
“What did you say a few minutes ago when I said very clearly and loudly, ‘my answer is no’?”
He stared her down some more.
“You said, ‘my answer is yes,’ because you thought you were the strongest person in this room. But you’re not, are you?”
He wasn’t going to respond, but she didn’t need him to because she didn’t care.
“I’m the strongest person in this room, Max. So now based on your ethical code, it’s myyesthat counts, and I’m saying yes to your licking this seal.”
His entire six-foot frame shook, a normal human response to being overcome and restrained by a vampire. It could be adrenaline or fear, but from Max, it wasn’t. This was fury. He wasn’t stammering or even sneering. He simply continued to stare at her, his eyes flat. He wanted to hurt her right now. He really, really wanted it.
“Lick the seal,” Claire said. “Or I’ll bite you, and then I’ll drain you.”
“No, you won’t. It’s againstyourethical code.”
She put her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Based on our interactions so far, does that seem relevant to me?”
He didn’t blink. His expression didn’t change. He might guess she was bluffing, but he was too smart to chance that she wasn’t. He ran his tongue over the envelope seal, and Claire pressed down the flap.
“Good boy,” she said.
She turned her back, because she could. He couldn’t move a finger without her hearing it, and she wanted him to know he’d finally met a woman who could take him down without even trying.
Unlike most of her captures, Max didn’t call her obscene names. Max didn’t try to bribe her into letting him go. He didn’t try to convince her he’d never done anything like this before and would never try it again. He simply lay on his stomach, head raised at an angle that had to be straining his neck, and watched her set aside the manila envelope on the TV stand. He didn’t fight when she lifted him by his bound wrists and, one-handed, carried him to the bathroom. She dropped him to the floor, and without a way to catch himself, he landed on one hip and one shoulder on the cold white tile. He didn’t make a sound.
He was still watching her when she locked the door from the inside. She stepped out and shut it, wishing it opened into the room so she could shove the desk chair under the knob. Just in case. It wasn’t something she usually worried about, but…
This one was worse. Her gut knew, and her gut was never wrong. She crossed the room and fetched her phone from her purse.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”
“I’d like to report an attempted assault.”
“Against yourself or someone else?”
“Me,” she said. “But I’m fine. He didn’t get very far.”
“Okay, can you tell me where you are and what happened?”
“The hotel across the street from Fang Nightclub. He thought I was intoxicated, and I played along until he got me to room 107. That’s where he is now. I’ve got him zip-tied, hands and feet. He’ll be locked in the bathroom when your officer gets here.”
“I’m sorry, you said you played along?”
“He knew exactly what he was doing,” she said. “Obviously planned this out. I’m leaving a manila envelope for you on the TV stand. I was wearing a body cam, and the footage is on the memory card. I made him lick the seal, so they can get DNA off that if they can’t get a warrant for it otherwise. I think this guy is a repeat offender.”
The dispatcher was silent. Then quietly she said, “Would you happen to be…?”
“A vampire? Yeah, it’s me.”
“Oh. And can I ask your name?”
Claire laughed. Couldn’t blame them for trying. “You can ask. Now I’m out of here. Thanks for all you do.”
“Ma’am, please wait for the officers to show up so you can give them a statement.”
“This call is my statement. Have a great night.”
