Dangerous Games

around a table. When Kade and Iktar and their desks were installed, it was going to be cozy. Not that I minded getting cozy with Kade. But Iktar—I repressed a shudder.

'Demons do exist,' Jack said, 'but it usually takes a mage extremely strong in the art of blood magic to conjure one. I've never heard of any mage being able to conjure two or more.'

'Blood magic?' I raised an eyebrow. 'You mean it's not something they made up in fiction?'

'No. Blood magic is an extremely old form of magic that uses the blood of the conjurer to boost the power of the spell. But I haven't heard of anyone doing it for years.' He swung around, his craggy face deep in thought. 'You know, if we do have a mage loose in the city, we need to find out why.'

'Particularly with Quinn involved—'

'Quinn is more than able to take care of himself,' Jack cut in. 'And whether or not there is a mage loose, it is not your problem. You two need to concentrate on catching the person behind the ritual murders.'

Being the multitalented person that I was, I pretty much figured I could do both. And I would, if only because I'd be damned if I'd let Quinn escape without explaining why he was obligated to go after the person raising the so-called demons. But I wisely kept quiet about my intentions—having Jack explode again wasn't something I was planning to see anytime soon.

'Why can't the two be connected? I mean, if a mage needs blood to raise these beasties, then wouldn't it make more sense to use sacrifices rather than their own blood?'

'It is more powerful for a mage to use his own blood rather than a sacrifice. It's a matter of risk ratio, from what I understand.'

'The more blood used, the greater the risk, and the greater the power gifted,' Rhoan commented. 'Makes sense.'

'It may make sense but that still doesn't mean the people being sliced open aren't some part of the mage's effort to raise demons.'

'No, it doesn't, but I doubt it,' Jack replied. 'I've seen ritual blood magic, and these murders just don't have the same feel.'

Meaning we had three kooks running loose in the city? Great. Just what Rhoan and I needed with the moon heat rising. Not that we were the Directorate's only guardians, but we were the only ones currently capable of moving around in daylight.

'Okay, so they're not connected. But are we any closer to the source behind the murders?'

Jack grimaced. 'Not really.'

I raised my eyebrows and said, teasingly, 'So sexual frustration isn't the only reason for the temper overload earlier?'

He had the grace to look uncomfortable. Which was why I liked him—he acted more like regular folk than a vampire. Mostly, anyway. 'Well, I'm sure it had a bit to do with it. And being nagged by my PA is never pleasant.'

'And now you appreciate my do-the-work-fast-gotta-get-out-of-here attitude, don't you?'

'Yeah. Though I have to say her scenery is better.'

I grinned. 'She's hot for you, boss. I have no idea why you're holding back if you're so attracted.'

'Mixing work with pleasure is never a good idea.'

'Then she's going to keep doing what she must to keep her voice and her body in your mind.'

'Meaning the tops will get more revealing?' Rhoan piped up. 'Cool.'

I picked up a pen and flicked it at him. 'You bat for the other side, remember?'

'Never stopped me from admiring a well-stacked frame.'

I looked back at Jack. 'So, besides Sal breaking your balls over me putting in an unapproved search request, what else went wrong?'

'Everything.' He blew out a breath and grabbed another coffee from the dispenser. 'We've had a report of another body. Rhoan, I want you to check it out.'

Jack grabbed two files from the top of the coffee dispenser and tossed one of them to Rhoan. 'This one has been found up near the Ford factory in Campbellfield.'

Rhoan frowned. 'Near? The rest of the bodies have been found in abandoned factories, not near fully functioning ones.'

'I know, but we have to check it out.'

'What about sending cops in?'

'If this is one of ours, I don't want them fouling the area. Peri Knowles will be waiting upstairs and will accompany you. Because this death is apparently very fresh, she might be able to sense some residual magic and give us more a clue as to the people behind these murders.'

Peri? I glanced at my brother and he shrugged. Obviously, it was a new name to him, too. Rhoan slapped the folder against his thigh as he rose. 'I'll report in as soon as I get there.'

He walked out. Jack handed me the second file.

'I want you to go chat with this man.'

The man's name was Bob Dunleavy, and a quick flick through the file's paperwork and photos revealed a petty criminal who'd scored numerous jail terms that had never curbed his thieving ways. 'He doesn't seem the sharpest knife in the drawer,' I commented. 'So why am I going to talk to him?'

'Because Dunleavy has, over the years, provided some good information in exchange for lighter sentences. He rang yesterday evening to say he desperately needed some help and that he'd trade some information he'd picked up from his girlfriend. Information about our current case.'

'So if he called yesterday, why are you only acting on it now?'

'Because I didn't have any free staff until now. And if that free staff doesn't get her butt off the desk and get it moving, I'll give it a good kick-start.'

'You're such a charmer when you're sexually frustrated,' I said dryly, then waved the folder in the air. 'To go chat to Dunleavy, I need a car.'

'You dented the last one.'

'Not my fault.'

'The owner of the other car is disagreeing with that assessment.'

Well, he would. The idiot didn't have insurance, so he'd have to pay for the mess his car was in himself if he couldn't shift the blame to me. 'It'll take me at least an hour on public transport to get to Springvale.'

'I know, which is why I've asked Salliane to allocate you another car. Just try not to dent it. Or write it off.'

I refrained from pointing out that I didn't actually write off the last one, and jumped off the desk. 'I'll report back in once I talk to Dunleavy.'

'Do that. Alex is working on the young vamp, so we might yet find out what Gautier is really up to.'

I frowned. 'The baby vamp is dead. How the hell can she work on someone who is dead?'

'He's a vampire. Unless you fry us with sunlight, basic brain functions—including the ability to regenerate— can survive for many hours. Some of the older, stronger ones can even survive having their neck broken. Which means there may be enough consciousness left to read.'

A thought that was entirely too creepy. But I didn't exactly break the young vamp's neck, I severed it. I would have thought that to be an entirely different prospect. 'I thought breaking a vamp's neck was the second surest way to kill them?'

'It is, except for the very old. If the old ones are in a safe enough position, they will eventually regenerate. The young and very young simply take longer to truly die.'

'So someone as old as Quinn could regenerate?'

'No. Director Hunter could. Quinn would probably be on the cusp of the required age, so surviving would be a fifty-fifty proposition.'

The longer I worked with vampires, the more I learned about them. And the more secretive the bastards seemed. 'So what other juicy little tidbits are you vamps hiding from the rest of us?'

'Not a whole lot, I assure you.'

'Yeah, believing the sincerity behind that statement.'

Jack glanced at his watch rather than replying. I took the hint and quickly headed out to collect the car keys