Tall, Dark, and Vampire

“Augustus is a dick and a power hungry liar.”

“Maybe,” Vincent said evenly. “However, he is still the czar of this district, and as a former sentry, you know better than anyone that there is a chain of command that needs to be followed.”

“Really?” Olivia’s voice rose. “I guess he only bends the rules when it suits him or his progeny. His son, Brutus, let a youngling vampire out on the world with no training or guidance, and if you’ll recall, he was only sent into hibernation. Brutus was supposed to be put down with that poor creature he created, but Augustus seemed perfectly fine with adjusting the punishment for his son.”

“Be that as it may,” Vincent said with an air of boredom, “he wants Maya put down. He’s under the impression that while Maya may not have killed the boy, she’s still responsible.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Olivia scoffed. “How?”

“Augustus believes that Maya is the one who turned the rogue vampire, and therefore is indirectly to blame.”

“What?” Olivia seethed, and her body shook with rage and frustration. “No fucking way. She didn’t do that, Vincent.”

“I was quite sure that’s what you would say.” Vincent held both hands up to silence her. “I volunteered to come and speak to you myself, and since I am your maker, Augustus is allowing some leeway.”

“Why would you do that, or why would he even allow it?” She could not understand why he would dirty his hands with this business. Vincent hated messes, as he said, and he was volunteering to insert himself in the middle of this one. He made no mention of the dead girl, which led her to believe the czar didn’t know about that yet. “What gives?”

“He’s allowing it because he and I have been friends for longer than you’ve been alive,” he bit out. He brushed his long, tapered fingers along the lapel of his topcoat in a calming gesture. “You are many things, Olivia. You are defiant, strong-willed, and unpredictable. However, you are not, nor have you ever been, sloppy.”

Olivia’s jaw set, and she bowed her head in deference. She was all of the things he just said, but as far as she was concerned, they were strengths, not the weaknesses that he implied.

“I assured Augustus that we would clean up this mess and leave the city.” He opened his gold pocket watch and glanced at it quickly. “You will gather your coven and come back to England with me tonight. You and your coven will be absorbed under my household.”

Olivia’s hands balled into fists as she gaped at Vincent, and every shred of restraint shattered in an instant. There it was. Vincent had been itching to get her back under his control, and he was under the misguided impression that now was his chance. Not likely.

After leaving her position as a sentry, she vowed that no one would run her life or control her again. Which was why she ran her coven more like a family than a military state, but all of that would change if she allowed her coven to be taken over by Vincent.

“Who the fuck do you think you are? I will do no such thing,” she hissed. Olivia stalked slowly toward him, but he remained seated as calm as ever. “Maya didn’t kill that guy, and there’s no way she’s creating unregistered vampires. She’s a spoiled brat and cares more about getting her nails done than learning how to fight, but she wouldn’t put her coven—her family—in danger. We will hunt down the rogue tonight and kill it.”

“There is no need to go hunting, Olivia. You will simply leave the country with me tonight, and Augustus will forget this happened.”

“You may be my maker, Vincent, but you’re not my father, my husband, or my lover, and you have no say in my life. Your power over me ended after my first century as a vampire, and you know it. You have no right to come into my home and tell me what to do.”

Vincent rose slowly from the chair but kept his dark, humorless eyes on hers.

“I don’t like being defied, Olivia.” His glanced at the ammo belt on her waist, and his eyes narrowed. He may have been older than she was, but she was the one sporting an armory under her coat. “However, what I like even less would be to see my progeny slaughtered by the Presidium. If you come back to England with me now, then Augustus would be willing to overlook this indiscretion.” His voice dropped low. “But if you insist upon staying here, then there is nothing I can do to protect you. You will be entirely on your own.”

“You did your due diligence, Vincent. However, I respectfully refuse. There’s a simple way to solve this. I’ll find the rogue and put it down. Then I’ll bring Maya before the czar, and he can read her blood memories to see that she didn’t do it. Plan made and problem solved.” Olivia stepped aside and motioned to the door. “I wouldn’t want to hold you up and ruin your holiday any further.”

Vincent placed his hat on his head at precisely the right angle and moved slowly past her to the door. He paused and turned to face her with his hand resting on the brass knob. “I do wish you’d reconsider. Augustus expects someone to pay for this, and by all accounts, it’s going to be your little blond progeny. I’d be surprised if he would deign to read her blood memories.”

“Someone will pay,” Olivia said quietly. “You can bet on it.”

“I hope it’s not you and your entire coven.” Vincent bowed deeply before stepping out the door and whisking up the stairs in a flourish.

Van whined as Olivia went to the empty doorway, but he stayed by her heels, offering comfort.

“My sentiments exactly,” she whispered.

She left soon after Vincent, much to Van’s dismay. Olivia passed the entrance to her office, turned the corner where stone steps changed to wood, and flew up the old stairs to the exit in the roof. She popped the panel open and stepped onto the angled roof of the old church. Olivia pressed the slate panel closed and surveyed the New York City night warily. If the rogue was killing her customers, then odds were it was still lingering here in Greenwich Village.

She glanced at the digital watch on her wrist. Six more hours until sunrise. Six hours to find the rogue vampire and glamour Doug. Her lips tilted. Maybe.

Hey, boss lady. Pete’s voice cut into her mind. Meet me at Washington Square Park.

Olivia leaped from the roof and flew toward the park, swiftly and silently. Not even the birds knew what it was that blew past them in the cool spring night. Minutes later she landed without a sound behind the construction site where Pete and Shane were waiting.

As his maker, she could detect his presence in the air almost the way a bat reads sonar waves. Too bad she couldn’t detect just any vampire as easily. It would have made finding the rogue a hell of a lot easier. Leaning against the brick building hidden by shadows, he was almost invisible to the naked eye, but Olivia spotted him easily.

“You look good,” Pete said with a nod of approval. “How long has it been since you put that on?”

“Not long enough,” she said wearily. “Where’s Quesada?” Hands on her hips, she scanned the area, sensing the other vampire in the vicinity. “I know you’re here, Shane.”

“I am here,” said a baritone voice behind her.

Olivia didn’t turn around but waved him forward, and a moment later, he was standing next to Pete with an emotionless expression. She looked him up and down as she nodded her approval.

“Good to have you on the hunt.” Her eyes met his. “How much has Pete told you?”

“There is a rogue on the loose, and from what I have heard, you feel that your progeny is being unfairly blamed for creating it.” He grinned, his white fangs flashing in the darkness. “I’m here to help you find it and kill it. Rogues are dangerous, messy, and savage. They have no honor or respect for the order of our society and do not deserve the gift of immortality. It will be my pleasure to assist you in destroying it.”

“I see.” Olivia held his stony gaze. “What about the czar? Aren’t you breaking the rules by helping us before reporting to Augustus?” She wanted to see how much he knew and what he was willing to share. “From what I hear, you are all about the rules.”

“As a former sentry you know that putting down rogues takes priority over all else.” Shane’s voice dropped low. “Augustus knows all about your progeny’s role in this mess. I am here to not only help hunt and destroy the rogue, but also to ensure that you and your little troublemaker come before the Presidium tomorrow evening. You