“Satan’s?”
Luke tsked. “He doesn’t like being called that.” Then, he paused a second. “Like I care. Screw it. Satan it is. And no, I’m not here on his business. But it’s official and important.” He showed his badge. “Where’s Amandine?”
“Eli? Is something wrong?”
He started to close the door in Luke’s face, but Luke caught the door and held it open. “It’s me, Amandine. I need a word with you.”
“Lucian?” She gently nudged Eli aside so that she could open the door wider. “Why are you here?”
“Can I come inside?”
“No!” Eli’s tone was emphatic.
“Of course.” Amandine opened the door wider. Tall and slender, there was a fey-like quality to the vampiress. She had long dark hair and was dressed in a flowing black skirt and top.
The girl gave Sorcha a once over that wasn’t exactly complimentary.
Eli’s face was so red, she was surprised he wasn’t screaming at them.
Until Amandine cupped his cheek in her hand and smiled up at him. “Breathe, love. I’m not going to run off with Luke. He’s not my type.”
Luke scoffed. “I’m everyone’s type.” He flashed a charming grin at Eli who finally calmed down.
“Why are you here?” Eli asked.
Amandine tsked. “Be more hospitable. Luke wouldn’t come without a good reason. Right, Luke?”
“Right.” He stepped back. “Want to take this one, Sorcha?”
All attention turned to her, which suddenly was very disconcerting. Shaking it off, she stepped forward. “Sure. Have you heard about the students who were murdered lately?”
Amandine winced. “It’s awful. I know they were drained of blood, but you can’t possibly think I had anything to do with it. Vampires don’t kill like that.”
“I know. But Luke noticed something the cops didn’t.” She turned her notebook on and showed Amandine the actual photos of the women they’d found.
Both Amandine and Eli gasped.
“They look like me?”
Sorcha nodded. “Luke thinks the killer is after you and that killing them was a mistake.” Not her finest moment of letting someone know they had a killer out to get them, but she had yet to find a more delicate way to convey that message.
Amandine turned even paler as she stepped back and sat down on her afghan-covered sofa. She held Sorcha’s notebook in both hands as she stared at their victims. “Who would want me dead?” She glanced to Luke, then to Eli. “Your father?”
“No. He might not be happy about our relationship, but he wouldn’t dare go after you. It’d be all kinds of suicide. The other Orders would have a fit if someone did that. Right?” he asked Luke.
Luke glanced to Sorcha. “I want to say yes, but…”
“My father didn’t do this!” Eli insisted.
“That I believe. However…” Luke trailed off with the thought.
“What?” Sorcha asked.
“I have a long history with the Hellfire Club. I could see one of them wanting to come after me.”
That confused her. “I thought Eli was part of the Phoenix Society?”
“Their modern name. Two hundred years ago, they were the Hellfire Club…a dig at my father. We have definite history between us. Most of which isn’t suitable for younger audiences.”
