Page 18 of You’re So Vein

This is worse than I feared.

“We all need this meeting to go well, Augie,” Gideon says gently. “Stop pacing, man. You’re making me dizzy. Pull up a chair. Have some more blood.”

“Just not that chair.” Alaric’s fingers curl around his sword as I reach for a tufted footstool. “That belongs to Mirabelle.”

Don’t start a fight with the stabby vampire lord when Hannah’s in his house. Remember what’s at stake.

The cat leaps onto the footstool, circles her lithe body twice, then flops down and starts licking her stomach. I see no other chair in the room, so I lean against the hearth, the heat doing nothing to cool the ice around my heart at the idea of seeing Dante di Sangro again.

If I were Komal, what would I do?

The thought comes unbidden. Komal, of course, has nothing to do with our plan. But I can’t help recalling her secretive little smirk whenever I present a zoning bill or public transport initiative she dislikes, as she immediately begins plotting creative ways to thwart me.

If I were Komal, I’d enthusiastically present another plan, and even if it was a complete dog’s breakfast (such as hosting an absurd variety show to plug the hole in the newspaper budget, to give a random example), she’d make it sound so fun and exciting that everyone would get swept up in her enthusiasm and ignore all sensible protests (usually coming from me).

The only thing is, I don’t think of brilliant ideas on the spur of the moment. I can’t even pull out a mediocre idea without careful consideration and several colour-coded charts.

I wish Komal were here.

Wait, why would I wish that?

My stomach gurgles in response.

Maybe I truly am sick.

“Don’t panic, Augie. We can find a way to turn your relationship with di Sangro to our advantage,” Gideon rubs his chin. “Perhaps this is where Komal Ahuja comes in. That feisty little devil running against you could be just what we need. She can present the human side of the argument and convince di Sangro to vote for reform.”

No. No. Oh, no. I didn’t mean that kind of impulsive idea.

“This could work.” Alaric picks up his brush and dabs pastel pink paint on his canvas. “Komal is a human who knows we exist, and she’s not trying to marry any of us. She could show all three representatives that we can work with humans, instead of always hiding ourselves from them.”

“We can’t use Ms Ahuja like that.”

The anger sizzling hot in my veins startles me. I step away from the fire, but the heat doesn’t flee.

“We may have no choice,” Alaric says grimly, wiping his brush. “You weren’t able to dissuade her from the mayoral race, which means we should use her and the Nevermore Coven to our advantage. Provided, of course, they don’t go off on their own and start digging around into what doesn’t concern them. A secret like yours in the hands of those women could doom us all.”

Email from Jo Southcombe to the Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven

Subject: VAMPIRE AUTOPSY (two words I thought I’d never need to say together)

Hello my curious book sleuths,

I’ve been doing more research on the husked bodies – specifically, on the drug used on Alyra and the marks around the wounds on all three victims.

Unfortunately, because Alyra’s body had been out in the sun for a full day before she was found, there was significant cell degeneration. The toxin has almost completely disappeared from her system. I’m working with a microscopic sample I found on her sleeve, likely where her assailant spilled a drop.

The toxin is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s some kind of fungus spore that’s been mixed with Alyra’s own blood, probably to ensure absorption into the vampire’s system. From what little I know about vampire physiology, vampire bodies will expel anything poisonous during their healing process, so the killer mixed their poison with a quantity of Alyra’s blood so that her body wouldn’t reject it. How they got their hands on Alyra’s blood is a question you’ll need to answer.

My theory is that this toxin is the result of vampire magic, so you are probably looking at a Dusk Court vampire. I know they’re highly secretive, but that’s where I’d start.

I’ve also taken a closer look at the uniformity of the marks around the bites, as well as the fang holes themselves. I think the marks are made by a machine. I don’t know why that would be. I’ve seen Alaric and Gideon quaffing those bottles of vintage blood. How is that blood extracted to be bottled? Is there a machine that’s used? If I could inspect such a device, I might be able to compare the markings.

I found no other trace evidence – no fingerprints, blood spatter, or hairs.

I hope this helps your investigation. If you don’t mind, I’m going back to normal human corpses now. I prefer it when cuts don’t close over, and organs are where I expect them to be.

Jo