Nathan’s eyes sparkled with intrigue. “You have such things?”
“I do. And as I mentioned, I have already employed them to great success, eliminating three masters in as many years. Furthermore, I know where another is hiding. I have tracked him before, but he has eluded me. I thought perhaps…”
She trailed off, looking meaningfully at him, and Nathan finished for her, “You thought perhaps you would have a better chance at eliminating him if you had a partner.”
“If I had you as my partner,” she said.
“Why me? There are other hunters who have also killed masters. Kiefer, for example.”
“Those hunters are not also vampires. You are stronger and faster than any human. Even stronger and faster than myself, I would reckon. Also…Kiefer mentioned that you, too, might be interested in seeking a certain master. Perhaps, after you help me, I can aid you in return-?”
Nathan sat forward, rubbing his hands together thoughtfully for a second. He looked up at Chloe and asked, “Is there some way I can contact you?”
◆◆◆
Jessica pushed open the door to her apartment and almost tripped over Wilhelmina, who was crouching just on the other side, grooming her paw.
“Oh, sorry, Wil,” she chuckled. “What’re you doing right by the door, though, you crazy girl?”
The cat froze and stared up at Jessica with astounded eyes. She yowled desperately and tried to zoom past her into the hallway. Jessica only narowly blocked the cat’s escape and shooed her back into the living room. “Wilhelmina Louise Ramos, what has gotten into you?” The cat never behaved this way. Usually, she seemed completely uninterested in the outside world.
The answer to the mystery became clear enough as soon as Jessica ushered Nathan over the threshold and closed the door behind him. Wilhelmina zipped toward him and started winding around his legs, crying pitifully until he picked her up.
“Wow, I guess she’s missed you,” Jessica laughed, amazed.
“Well, it is mutual,” he said, scratching under the cat’s chin. “Hello, Wilhelmina. How have you been, my beautiful girl?”
Jessica rolled her eyes as she dropped her purse onto the sofa. “Watch it, she’s already got a big head.”
Nathan made an aggrieved sound. “Her head is perfect,” he countered, and kissed the cat between the ears.
“Alright, that’s enough. I’m starting to get jealous over here.”
He settled Wilhelmina on the rug and stepped closer to Jessica. “There is no reason for jealousy. Your head is also perfect.”
Jessica shook with another soft laugh. “Ya know, I can honestly say no one’s ever said that to me before.”
He grinned, and the sight both warmed and shocked her. What had him in such a good mood, she wondered? But then it hit her. “Oh,” she said. “So, I guess you’re going to call that Chloe chick, aren’t you?” The nosferim had given Nathan her number before leaving the bookstore, and reiterated how very much she’d like to work with him. Jessica didn’t doubt she would.
Nathan, still smiling, said, “Yes, I believe I am.”
Jessica’s heart dove, but she kept her expression neutral. Nodding, she leaned her hip against the back of the couch. “She was pretty hot,” she conceded. “And she’s like you. A vampire, I mean. At least partially. Enough that she can defend herself, and you wouldn’t have to worry about her if Marta ever came after you.”
Nathan inclined his head, knitting his brow as he studied her. “Jessica, what are you…?” It took a moment for him to piece things together, but then his eyes cleared in understanding. “You think I want to call her for romantic reasons?”
“Well, don’t you?”
He shook his head.
She glanced at him sidelong, questioning.
“No.” He rested his hand on the back of the couch and gave her a quick smile. “No. Jessica, if this girl really has killed three masters, and if she can help me find Marta…well, it could be an answer to all my prayers, could it not?”
“You actually want to look for Marta?” Jessica straightened up. “But I thought you said you’ve always been too scared to do that. What about your family?”
In response, he slipped his phone out of his pocket. He tapped at the screen and scrolled, moving closer to show her something. It was a website, Jessica realized. Someone’s personal blog. “Laura Carnes?” she asked, reading the name off the flowery website banner.
“She is my niece.” He flipped to the ‘About Me’ page where, along with a bio, there were several photos posted of a cheerful-looking couple done up in outdoors-y outfits, posing among trees and boulders. “She was married in recent years. This is her husband.”
“She’s beautiful.” Jessica gazed at the woman’s sparkling blue eyes and dark hair, so similar to Nathan’s. “They both are. They’re a cute couple.”
“Laura is with child,” Nathan said. “She is due soon.”
“Oh, congratulations!”
A smile flickered over his lips. “So long as my family line continues,” he said, “there will always be someone about whom I feel I should worry. For decades, I have told myself I would be more useful to my relations in my vampire form, so that I could protect them if need be. But now I question this line of thinking. As things stand, I cannot involve myself in their day-to-day affairs, cannot be there for them in any meaningful way. I wonder if I have not used my family as an excuse to hide from Marta, to shirk the responsibility I feel is mine to hunt her down and destroy her.” He paused, examining Laura’s photo and then touching it softly with his thumb. When he looked back up, he said, gravely, “I want to find Marta, Jessica. I want to rid the world of her iniquity. I have always longed to have my humanity back, but now…well, let us simply say I have an ever-more compelling reason to desire its recovery as soon as possible.”
“Your family,” Jessica said. “You want to be a part of their lives again.”
He tucked the phone away and touched her chin, tilting up her face so he could look into her
