Maybe hedidhave bleeding on his brain. ‘Uh, a cat.’ Obviously.
When he launched a kick in her direction, something inside me snapped. Although my feisty cat easily avoided his foot, I wouldn’t put up with that sort of behaviour.
I couldn’t hurt the vampire, much as I might want to because William, the Bureaucratic Suite official, had made it clear that anything that harmed a vampire would not be tolerated. At best I’d be thrown out of the Understream and forbidden from returning. At worst … it was probably better not to find out.
I didn’t have to touch Anthony to put him in his place. As I’d learned many times from watching cats, attitude and the suggestion of violence could be far more effective than drawing blood. I didn’t care that he was a vampire and technically stronger and faster than me. He might look like the winner on paper – but life wasn’t lived in ink and books.
I started with my death stare, which had sent many anopponent scurrying for cover long before I’d raised a hand against them. I went full wattage: this bastard had tried to hurt one of my cats and he deserved appropriate treatment.
There was an art to it. My death stare didn’t just involve tightening my eyes, bringing my brows together a fraction, lowering my chin and hardening my gaze. No, it revealed my innermost soul and allowed my antagonist to understand that deep down I was a true killer. They might not recognise the fact consciously, but somehow they would register it. I didn’t have the most effective death stare ever known to man or woman – that particular honour went to an old EEL buddy of mine called Gavin – but I’d perfected it over the years and I knew it was good.
Unfortunately Anthony only laughed, and it wasn’t a nervous laugh to cover his own inadequacies. He obviously thought I was hilarious. Darn it: that was embarrassing.
‘You think that’s funny, Worm Boy?’ I spun on my heel and strode towards the nearest worm, a surprisingly slender creature whose exterior was more tan than dark brown. ‘Watch this.’
I lifted a hand. As expected, Anthony reacted instantly and shoved me away from the worm. He wasn’t laughing now; his eyes were wild and his hands were shaking. ‘Don’t touch them!’ he yelled. ‘Don’t go near them!’
‘You tried to hurt my cat.’
‘I didn’t hurt your fucking cat. I didn’t touch the mangy beast.’
She Without An Ear growled. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her lower her shoulders and begin to stalk forward. She meant business. I decided to let her continue.
‘And I’ve not touched your slimy worms,’ I told Anthony. ‘So you can back off.’
‘Slimy?’ he gasped. He opened his mouth, all but shoving his glistening fangs in my face. ‘I’ll show you slimy. I’ll…’
A cold voice interrupted us, the words slicing through the air with enough force to silence us both. ‘What on earth is going on?’
We both turned to the female vampire standing at the entrance with a very irritated look on her face.
‘You are trespassing, Penelope,’ Anthony snarled.
‘That is Lady Penelope to you.’ She glanced at me. ‘And it appears I am not the only trespasser.’
I took my cue. ‘I am investigating the disappearance of four worms. It’s kinda hard to do that if I can’t look around their home.’
Anthony glared at me. ‘Your presence is disturbing them.’
‘They don’t look disturbed to me.’
‘Enough!’ Lady Penelope’s voice was sharp. I smiled smugly. ‘Both of you!’
She Without An Ear miaowed. ‘And you!’ she snapped at the cat. She rolled her eyes. ‘I am constantly dealing with children. Honestly!’ She folded her arms. ‘Ms McCafferty, are you done here?’
‘I suppose so.’ I’d seen all there was to see, which wasn’t much.
‘Then come with me.’
Anthony stepped into my path. ‘First I want recourse. This fuzz-laden sun dweller should not have come here without permission. She has broken every rule of the stables. I will not stand for it!’
Lady Penelope regarded him coolly. ‘Then perhaps you should have been more polite yesterday and answered her questions. She is here to find out what has happened to our friends. Blocking her investigation is not helpful.’
I was even more surprised than Anthony at her support.
‘Come now, Ms McCafferty.’ She beckoned me. ‘I have lined up some potential witnesses for you.’
I jerked my head at She Without An Ear. She shook out her fur and sauntered past Anthony with her tail high and brushed against his knee with its tip. He scowled. I met his red eyes; there was something odd glistening in them. Softening my voice, I said quietly, ‘I do want to find Nicola, Solly, Fields and Tiger. I will do all that I can.’
