Page 53 of Starved Until Sunset

“People?” Cody said.

“No!” Michael looked exasperated. “No. I do not hunt people. Anything that may have happened in the recent past of that nature has been because of Aldrik and those he’s turned. I’ve been hunting wildlife.”

A sudden click of understanding went off inside Demetrius’s brain as he put things together. “The roadkill.”

Cody frowned, then his expression smoothed out. “You’re the one who’s been taking down deer.”

“Yes. For the most part.”

“And leaving them for us to clean up from the side of the road,” Cody said. Then with a bit of stink eye, added, “Thanks for that.”

“I am sorry for that,” Michael said. “I tried to keep them from the road, but sometimes it just didn’t work out that way.”

“Not important right now,” Lucia said, shooting Cody a look.

“He’s probably super strong,” Cody said in a low voice that still carried through the morgue. “Could have tossed them off into the woods, not leave them for us to clean up.”

Lucia gave him a hard look, and Cody went silent.

“Now what?” Deputy Walsh asked. “How do we find Zenona?”

“Like sheriff’s deputies,” Lucia said. She approached Michael, but still left some space between them. “If everything you’ve told us is true, you’re our best hope to get her back.”

“I will do everything in my power to find her,” Michael said. “I promise you.”

“And if you come up with any leads on where he took her, you let us know,” Lucia continued. “Is that clear? No more lone hero cowboy bullshit.”

“Yes, Deputy, I understand.”

“Good.” She headed for the exit. “I’m going to tell the hospital Zenona wasn’t feeling well and went home.”

“What should we do?” Demetrius asked as she crossed before him.

Lucia paused with one hand flat on one of the swinging doors. “Keep your eyes and ears open. And research the hell out of vampires.” She looked at Clarabell. “Both of you.” She turned her attention to Deputy Walsh and tipped her head. “Let’s get to work.”

Walsh followed Lucia out into the hallway. The doors swung shut behind them, and Demetrius suddenly felt very nervous standing there in a morgue, of all places, with a vampire.

“So,” Clarabell said. “Care to tell us more about who created you?”

Michael cleared his throat. “Not right now. I think the important thing to focus on is getting Zenona out of Aldrik’s hands.”

“Do you think he’ll hurt her?” Cody asked. “Or was that more of a power move against you?”

“I really don’t know. I want to believe she’s not in any immediate danger, but Aldrik has always been unpredictable.” A phone across the room let out an electronic booping ring, and Demetrius jumped. Michael gestured. “I need to answer that.”

“Yeah, we should go anyway,” Cody said.

“Yeah. Okay. You coming, Clarabell?”

She shook her head. “I want to find out a few things, first.”

“Do you want us to stay?” Demetrius asked, throwing a look at Michael where he stood across the room, talking quietly on the phone.

“No, I’ll be okay.” She pulled a cross on a silver chain from inside her oversized polo shirt and smiled as she held it up. “You guys go on. I’ll be in touch.”

“Text me later, okay?” Demetrius said.

“Yeah, let us know you’re home safe.”