Death's Rival

looking for my records. He’s good. Arguably one of the top ten hackers in the country, not that they call it hacking anymore. But he made a rookie mistake, probably because he’s worried.”

I raised my brows. Eli went on. “Alex says I’m different since it happened. He doesn’t like it.”

“So different you can’t do the job?”

“So different I wanted out. I was a career soldier. Then I wasn’t.”

Cub, Beast thought at me. It seemed like a good guess. I went with it. “Your parents are deceased.” Eli’s eyes dilated a bit in surprise. Bingo. “You nearly died, and Alex would have been alone. You quit for him, and if he knew that he’d be ticked off.” Surprise and irritation leaked from Eli’s skin. He’d not be happy to know he was giving away the good parts of his personal story by his olfactory tells, but I wasn’t sharing that. Let him think I was just that smart, or that Derek had told me all. “So, with your injury, whatever the service gives you to retire early, good contacts, and a pocketful of medals, you hope to start a business—one where you can keep an eye on your brother—with your hard-won skills and your brother’s genius IQ and computer flair.” I nodded slowly at what I was reading in the tension of his jaw. Yeah. I was betting I had it all straight. “But you have to stay in Louisiana until his probation is over, and I’m the fastest job possibility you have. I have a big house at my disposal and you think you can bunk in here for a month or two, make good cash, and look around for better things. Anything I get wrong? Anything I need to know different?”

“No. And?”

“I’ll think about it.” I took the simmering kettle off the fire. Emptied the pot and set the strainer inside. Poured the steaming water over the leaves and set the top on with a little clink. I swathed the teapot in a towel and left it to steep. I walked into my bedroom and right back out with the sheaf of papers and the Apple I had taken from Seattle. “Small test to see if you are what you say you are. Get your brother to see what’s on this computer. I want a list and summary of all files. I want the e-mail address book. I want to read every e-mail sent in the last month. I’m looking—”

Eli held up a hand, pulled out a cell, and hit a button. We both heard it ring. Right outside. “I told you to stay put. Get your sorry ass in here.” He closed the cell. I laughed. Eli shook his head and sighed. “Crazy kid. He was supposed to stay in the truck.”

A knock sounded at the front door. Eli got up and stood to the side of the door, checking out the window before opening it. A kid came in, looking much younger than eighteen, gangly, gawky, and carrying a slim electronic device about the size of two hands, and at least three electronic devices under one arm—an e-reader, a tablet, whatever. Eli pointed to a chair at the table. The kid seemed to melt into it, the electronics in his lap. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.

Thief, Beast whispered to me.

What did he take of mine? He didn’t have time to steal. I turned my back on the pair. Not a dominance action this time, but a chance to think. I got out two mugs and spoons and poured tea. Added sugar to both and stirred, putting two and two together.

I walked around the table and put one cup in front of the kid. Beast-fast, I yanked the electronic tablets off his lap and put the table between us again. I set the fancy electronics on the table just out of his reach. Eli started to react and stopped himself with a jerk, only his eyes showing a reaction to my speed and my thievery. “Are my financials okay, kid? My background check out? Did Reach burn your little butt for going deep into my life?”

The kid looked up at that. He was going to be a lot prettier than his brother, if he ever got over the sullen glint in his eyes and the stubborn grinding of his teeth. Then his mouth dropped slowly open. “That was Reach? The Reach? Like Reacher Reach?” He looked at the small e- tablet and cussed softly.

His brother slapped the back of his head. “Lady here.”

Alex rubbed his head, looking at me under too-long bangs. “Bugger’s not a bad word, and she’s no lady. She’s a rogue-vampire killer. She’s got more kills under her belt than any other licensed hunter in the business. She’s also the Enforcer for Leo Pellissier, and no one knows how she got the position. Half of the fanghead hunters think she’s his blood-servant. The other half think she’s got a legal writ on him and is getting into position to take him out. She’s got more money than Midas.”

Eli rumpled his brow, and I knew he was thinking about the muffler company rather than the mythical king. I laughed, half wondering how I could read the man so well. It had to be more than his musky undertone. He was like a pheromone factory, every emotion immediately available to my nose, but even that shouldn’t make him so transparent. “And Reach burned a hole in your system for looking?”

“Fried my ass. Fried my Teckton.”

I didn’t know what a Teckton was, but it sounded expensive. After checking to make sure his devices were all off, I pulled my cell and hit Reach’s speed dial. “Evening, Money Honey,” he said.

I snorted. “The kid you just burned getting into my records. Is he dangerous? And can he be trusted as an employee?”

“Yes and yes. Him and his Ranger brother. And for that and for taking care of you when you weren’t looking, I just earned a crisp five hundred of your money.”

I didn’t bother to reply. I ended the call. Looked between Eli and Alex, and left my gaze on the kid. “I’m thinking about hiring your bother. I understand you come as part of the package deal. So, a test. You have one hour to get everything off that laptop.” I pointed to the Seattle Apple. “I want a list and summary of all files. I want the e-mail address book. I want to read every nonpersonal, business-type e-mail sent in the last month. I’m looking for a challenge from one vamp to another. Travel discussions. Anything about doctors and research, about vamps getting sick.” I tossed the Blood-Call business card on the desk too. “It’s probably nothing, but that was at a . . .” I hesitated, trying to decide how to describe the Seattle Clan Home. “A crime scene. I want everything you can find on it. One hour.”

“Are you nuts? One hour?” I raised my brows at his tone and he said, “I haven’t had any sleep. I’ll need coffee.”

“You’ll drink tea and like it. Your brother can cook you some dinner. If I like your work and his cooking, you’re hired.”

“You’re hiring us on his work? Not what I can do?” Eli asked.

“You’re the brawn. You can supplement my own skills and maybe teach me a thing or two. The kid, if he’s any good, can take me and my business all kids of places. He’s valuable.” I looked Eli over, smelling his shock, and I grinned, knowing I had just verbally socked him in the gut. Men are so easy. After a moment I tossed him a bone. “I need a secure room in this house, one with egress in case of fire. I was nearly burned out not that long ago. Updated windows and doors. My vampire landlady and employer”—I pointed out the back of the house—“needs a safe room too. I started one. Got as far as installing a sprinkler system and dedicated communication devices. You can take that over too. Assuming your brother is as good as he thinks he is.” The kid snorted and said something my house mother in the children’s home would have washed out my mouth for saying.

“Alex?” He looked up from the screen to me. “You ever say that in my house again, or any other curse or swearword or phrase, in English or any other language, and I’ll wash out your mouth with soap, something antibacterial, with a real slimy degreaser.” His eyes sparked sullen again. “My house, my rules. Are we clear?” He looked at his bother and nodded, lank hair falling forward. “And if you get the job, you’ll shower every day, and you’ll do your own laundry and pick up after yourself. Your brother cooks, so you’ll wash dishes and keep the entire house swept. I am not your mother. And if I was, I’d be twice as hard on you for showing disrespect to me and to your brother. Nod if you understand and agree.” A long moment later, the kid nodded, but I could see the anger and a blue screen, both reflected in his eyes.

My cell rang and I opened it without taking my eyes off my current guests and potential employees. “Yeah.”

Derek said, “We got a route for Leo. According to the crispy vamp, he was drained in what sounds like a gang-feeding, and then whisked away by two vamps and two blood-servants. Angel hacked the GPS of the car they were in and Chi-Chi, Lime Rickey, and Hi-Fi are heading to observe and gather intel. I assume you want to be there, so I’ve sent the coordinates to your cell.”

I inhaled slowly, letting the shock settle. I could think later about what the gang-feeding analogy might mean to Leo, and moved to my bedroom to weapon up as I checked Derek’s GPS info, merging it into a map and then