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“So you wil be appointing the Regents?”
“Ostensibly they wil be elected, but yes, in truth, the Regents wil be vampires from the Old World, who already possess the strength and authority to make policy.”
I snorted. “You’re rigging the elections.”
“If you like, yes. And Terrance’s death wil be a statement to al vampires living within the Northwest Vampire Dominion. They wil know that Blood Wyne and her children are taking control, regardless of whether this be the New World or Europe.” He laughed. “Even I knew that my mother would make her move one day. There is no question of her al owing power to be diluted too far from the throne. I may not like her, but she is the queen and I wil obey.”
It occurred to me that Roman and Wade had something in common there. Only, Belinda Stevens was pretty much relegated to queen bee of her family. “So, when wil you take Terrance down?”
Roman laughed again. “Soon. Would you like to be there?”
My fingers itched to see Terrance get his just due. “If possible, yes.”
“I’l remember that. Now, in terms of your vampire serial kil er, what did Ivana find out for you?”
“Nothing about him, but she helped with the ghosts.” I leaned over the railing, staring out into the city. “We have to find him. If he hasn’t kil ed again, he’s bound to soon. I don’t want to see another woman lose her life to him.”
At that moment, my cel phone rang. I pul ed it out and gave Roman an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I have to answer. Could be . . . Hel o?”
“Menol y, there’s been another murder. Get down to the Greenbelt Park District. A back al ey near the diner. Fol ow the lights of the patrol cars.” Chase’s voice was abrupt, and he sounded tired.
“Fuck! Damn it to hel . Another one.” I shoved my cel back in my pocket. “I have to get back to the bar. I need my Jag. What’s the quickest way back?”
“Can’t you fly?” Roman’s brow narrowed. He looked confused.
“Fly? Oh babe, sorry. And I’m no good at doing the bat thing, either. I am vampirical y chal enged.”
He snorted. “Very wel . Come here.”
Enfolding me in his arms, he pul ed me up to stand beside him on the walkway. Before I had the chance to say a word, he had tipped us sideways and we were plunging toward the ground. I was about to scream when we caught up short on the breeze and, like a rocket, blurring through the streets, we flew.
We passed through the blur of concrete and lights faster than I’d thought possible. Within a couple of minutes, we were standing beside the bar, and I was leaning against my Jag.
“You have to teach me that,” I said, a faint smile on my face. “You want to come with?”
Roman shook his head. “No, this is not my affair. But go and good hunting. Stop him. I wil be in touch.” And like a dark shadow, he was gone and within a moment, a dark limo pul ed away from the curb up ahead and sped into the night.
I took a moment to recoup and then climbed into my Jag and slammed the door. As I fastened my seat belt and started the car, I couldn’t help but wonder where everything was leading me. I’d kil ed Sassy and reclaimed a friendship I’d thought long gone. My daughter, Erin, was set to work with a group I approved of. Nerissa and I were in love and engaged. Roman had claimed me for his consort. And over everything, Shadow Wing stil loomed, dark and ominous.
And here, tonight, murder reigned. Bodies here, bodies there, corpses, bodies, everywhere, and not a kil er in sight to catch.
I parked near the first patrol car I found and headed toward the sounds emerging from the al eyway ahead. This time, the girl was stil warm. A fresh kil meant that our vampire was probably stil in the area. I was looking for Chase when I got a cal from Wade.
“Menol y, I think I’ve got something for you. I was trying to remember what seemed wrong about that one vampire I told you about. Tonight, I was watching TV and it hit me.”
“Talk to me, babe. We just found another victim and he might stil be in the area.” I caught sight of Chase, over by a prone body, and waved to him. Pressing my phone closer to my ear to block out the low buzz of voices coming from the cops, I said, “What have you got?”
“He was wearing a clerical col ar.”
“Say what?” I leaned against my car, wondering if I’d heard him right.
“I said, he was wearing a clerical col ar. That’s what struck me as so odd.”
“You think he may be a priest?”
“No—I’m thinking he may have been one. Or a minister. Or some other member of the clergy.”
He paused. “If so, being turned into a vampire could very wel have messed with his belief system and mind bad enough to make him kil . Remember, I was a psychologist before I was kil ed. This would be the classic setup for a serial kil er of the undead set.”
