Delilah walked up with her coat and purse in hand then touched her shoulder. “Are you okay? You look upset.”
Remembering too late, Gillian put on a huge, fake smile. “Yeah, of course. Why? What’s up?”
“Well, a certain someone is waiting for you in the essential oil section. A very cute, certain someone.”
“Garrett’s here?” A rush of excitement sparked low in her belly. Part of her hoped he had a lead on Brooke, but another part was just excited to see him again. She glanced at her watch. He wasn’t due to arrive for another thirty minutes.
“Go see for yourself.” Delilah tugged on a short, black leather jacket, and pulled her long, blonde hair out from the collar. “I’m going to head out. Don’t forget about the Halloween Festival. Make sure to wear a costume.”
“I will. Thanks, Dee. See you tomorrow.” Gillian tried to smooth the loose hairs back into her ponytail, and then walked across the store, surprised to find Lucas sniffing some black pepper oil. She smiled. “How’s life as a rock star? What are you here for today?”
Lucas turned, and his face lit up when he saw her. After he screwed the top of the oil back on, he set the bottle on the shelf. “I stopped by to thank you. The spell you did for me must’ve worked. My band’s doing a gig at a private party. Who knows, it could be the start of something big.”
“Way to go, Lucas. I’m happy for you.” Gillian gave him a quick hug.
“I want to see what this will mean for my career. Do you have time for a quick reading?” Lucas gave her a flirty smile that did absolutely nothing for her.
“We were just about to close.” She’d been a bundle of nervous energy all day. She couldn’t wait to get out of there. Gillian stole a glance at Natalya, who stood nearby. The detective gave her a nod.
“Why not?” Gillian motioned for him to take a seat at a table in the reading section and walked behind the counter to get her decks. It wouldn’t hurt to help a friend in need.
Chapter 22
Garrett parked his Jeep at the W hotel lot and cut across the pier. By the time he’d put a call into his captain to inform him of this unofficial solo op, he insisted Garrett go with backup after he finished screaming in his ear of course. He was about to infringe on the underbelly of vampire society, which, in his opinion, would only arouse suspicion and detract from the task at hand. His goal was to get in without any questions, and the only way to do that was to go it alone.
The entrance to Sybil’s Cave sat at the base of Castle Place and Frank Sinatra Boulevard. Working in Raven’s Hollow meant he’d passed by the caves many times before. If all went according to plan, today would be his first time inside.
Gothic stone arches rose above a black wrought iron gate surrounded by bramble. Dark, dreary energy emanated from the place even with the sun shining overhead.
Getting inside would be no easy task. Being a vampire gave him no special privileges for entry. Flashing a badge would probably only incite an attack, which was why he purposely left it, along with his Glock, in the car. The vampires in these caves had been left alone for years. To stroll in now in an official capacity could ruin his chances of getting the water and saving Brooke. He took a step closer and pressed a call button on the side of the gate.
Two hulking vampire guards appeared, one on either side of the arches with wooden stakes holstered across their massive shoulders. Dressed in long, black cloaks, dark sunglasses covered their eyes, and both wore earpieces. He needed to use his only trump card, his connection to his sire. “I’m the son of Malcom Von Scrivner.”
The one closest to him pulled out a small needle and a collection tube from his pocket. "Prove it.”
Before Garrett could stop him, he plunged the tip into the side of his neck, and he let out a hiss.
Once a few drops of blood splashed in, the guard secured the top with a stopper. “This should do,” he muttered and walked to a built-in slab of stone with a lid next to the call button. He lifted the lid and placed the tube inside.
After several tense minutes, the guard nodded his head. “Go down the staircase and keep going. Someone will meet you in the clearing.”
The gate opened and Garrett descended the stone staircase into darkness. He guessed the next step wouldn’t be quite as easy. Once inside the caves, he passed stalagmites and large jagged rock formations. The scents of must and fresh earth flared in his nostrils. The constant drip of water echoed through the cavernous space, vibrating through his veins. Shadows danced across the walls, glistening in the darkness like ghosts. Vampire bats flew overhead. “How apropos,” he muttered and kept on walking.
A loud growling made him reach for his Glock, and then he remembered he’d left it in the Jeep. When he got to the end of the cave, he found himself facing a pack of hellhounds with red eyes, pale skeletal bodies, and long fangs dripping with blood. Before they attempted to turn him into a snack, he gazed at them hard, using his best vampire glare, willing them to heel. Their slavering jaws snapped and sent blood droplets flying, but they didn’t come any closer. One wined, then another. After a few minutes, they finally tucked their tails and dipped their heads in submission.
“Good dogs.” Jesus, talk about security. Garrett walked past the hounds and came to a sanctuary filled with a deep, blue stream. More armed guards surrounded the perimeter. Flame torches lit his path to a clearing where a group of vampires stood beside a built-in wall filled with glass test tubes marked Sybilfina.
“Come forward.” The vampire on the far right called to him. He was decked out in the same black cloak and dark glasses as all the others. “I don’t believe we’ve met. But I certainly know your sire. We have multiple connections, sons and daughters of his all over the world.” He got to his feet and lifted the tube of Garrett’s blood to his nose. A satisfied smile spread across his face. “Your blood has quite a distinctive aroma with notes of an insatiable craving. How interesting. It almost makes me hungry.”
Hell, what was he supposed to say except the truth? “I do crave a woman, night and day.” He cleared his throat, wanting to get this over with. “I need water for someone close to her. You can think of it as a favor to Malcom.” That statement would either get him a vial of water…or get him killed.
“Your honesty is refreshing. I will grant your request, but only on one condition.”
He’d been prepared for this. Garrett pulled out a wad of cash from the front pocket of his pants. “I’m willing to pay whatever you ask.”
The vampire laughed, but it came out more like a growl. “I don’t want your money.” He sniffed the air again and his fangs elongated from his lips. “I’ll take payment one way—in blood.”
* * *
