"Idon't know. I couldn't stop."
Hewas lying. I could feel it in his very bones. He knew damn well why he'd doneit, but somebody or something scared him more than I did. If I wanted answers,I needed to change that.
Holdingout my hand, I purposely called the black fire to my fingers, holding it infront of him. With my other hand, I lifted the broom, shook it, and tapped thebutt of the scythe on the tile before him, shattering the twelve-by-twelvepiece of ceramic with a crunch and a puff of dust. "I am going to ask youone more time, Franco. Why did you kill that poor girl?"
Hiseyes widened and the strands of fear floating from him coalesced into a cascadeof mindless panic. "Wha–what are you?"
"LadyDeath," one of the other vampires answered and knelt beside me. The othersfollowed suit.
Francostarted scrambling away from me, but the mountainous vampires held him stillbetween them as I edged closer.
"Tellme, Franco. Why."
"BecauseLord Abernathy told me to!"
"Wronganswer, Franco. He's dead."
"Notthat one! His brother!"
Therewas a collective gasp. Not just from the vampires, but from Yuki and me, too.Turning, I looked at Yuki. She knew I was worried about her cousin George. Thiswas his father we were talking about.
Francoscreamed in frustration and started frothing in panic-induced fear. Not onlywas he facing death, he had just outed the traitor. His life was forfeit evenif I let him go. I wasn't going to, not after what he had done, but either way,he was fucked.
Chiefmoved beside me and squatted down, giving me a sad look. "I'm the chief ofpolice, Dot."
"Iknow."
"WhileI want to say I can't let you kill him, my jail probably wouldn't hold him, andwe'd be screwed if anybody found out what he was."
"Ithink that was Abernathy's goal. To out the vampires in Cedar Falls."
"Why?"
"Ifthey get outed, the world's eyes fall on our little town. I'll probably beouted as their leader next. I fall, he gets everything back nice and neat."
"That'spretty slick. Harder on his kind going forward, but not a half-bad plan."
"Gladyou approve of his dastardliness."
Heshrugged and nodded to the girl. "We can't let anybody find her, either."
"I'msurprised you're being so pragmatic about this."
Henodded and rubbed his chin and jaw with his hand. "The way I look at it,this is kind of like coven business. I would never have sent either one of theConnors to prison for murdering witches. I'll leave this in your more than capablehands." He put his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. My boy scoutwas growing up. I was so proud.
Turningto the vampire shaking in his proverbial boots, I frowned. "Franco."I paused to sigh. "You are hereby condemned to death for your crimes and alesson to the other vampires of this clan. No human shall be hurt ever again byone of ours. Does everyone understand?"
Thevampires nodded while Franco screamed.
Standing,I eyed the scythe in my hand. "So shall it be." I lifted the butt ofthe handle off the floor and brought it back down, a little softer than before.A resounding clang resonated through the mall, butthe tile didn't shatter.
Iwasn't dumb enough to try to kill a vampire with a giant scythe while two innocentswere holding him between them. Plus, the punishment wouldn't have fit thecrime. Instead, I walked over to the zombie in the fountain. "Have yourrevenge, child. Feast upon the flesh of your killer. Tear him apart."
Therewas a flare of black fire in her eyes that made me shudder and step back as shescrambled out of the water and strode slowly toward the pleading, shakingvampire. Once she was upon him, the two guards let him go. All of us watchedthoughtfully as she did as she was told, ripping off limbs, tearing through thesoft flesh of his belly and neck, and finally tearing his still screaming headfrom the stump of his torso. As soon as it was free, he turned to ash.
Shestood and flashed the barest of smiles at me, and the light faded from hereyes. Whatever spark of intelligence that was her, was gone. She was just ananimated corpse once again.
"Rest,"I whispered and doused her in black flame.
Thetile floor beneath her rippled and popped as the concrete parted. The dirtbelow rose to swallow her into the earth. When she was gone, everything meldedback into place without so much as a broken tile to show for it.
"Thatwas fucking sick," one of the younger vamps whispered.
"Hetore out her throat, she tore him a new one," I answered by way ofexplanation.
"No,Lady Blackwell. I don't mean sick as in disgusting. I meant that was thecoolest thing I've ever seen."
"Praythat you never see it again," Damien whispered solemnly.
Chapter 8
It was another sleepless night.Finally, around five in the morning, I lightly dozed off. By six, I was awakeagain, Chief sleeping on his back beside me, snoring loudly. I reached behindme to smack him in the side, missed, and his impressive cock sprang back andforth like one of those doorstop thingies that go waga-waga-waga when you whack them.
Rollingover, I stared in rapt fascination as it stopped and throbbed. "Jeezus."
Chucklingsoftly to myself, I reached over and encircled it with my fist, letting myfingers slide up and down its silky smoothness.
Chief'ssnoring stopped as he opened his eyes and blinked before looking down at myhand slowly jerking him awake. His smile was heart, and other place, warming. "Morning."
"Wood."I grinned.
"Youseem to like the model. Would you care to take it for a test drive, Miss?"
"Doyou have the keys?"
"Ido believe the engine is running."
"Idon't know. Looks like it might be a little too big for me to handle."
"I'msure a pretty little thing like you can get the most out of it."
"Isit automatic?"
"Manual.Be careful shifting gears, it has a tendency to leak oil."
Istarted laughing.
"What?I thought I was on fleek with my innuendo."
"Justhad a tail pipe joke pop into my head. Don't mind me," I said between fitsof laughter.
"Oh,please. Stay away from my exhaust."
"Noworries there. The fumes are horrible. That a diesel?"
"Now,I'm going to make a Cummings joke." He smiled and rolled me over on top ofhim, trapping his throbbing rod between
