Page 76 of Dark Obsession

“Did you know this house was a vampire roost?” Demetrius asked.

“Wait, what?” Gayle appeared genuinely surprised. “Those fucking things are back? How? When?”

“Who told you it was a roost?” Lucia’s voice was steady, unsurprised.

A weed brushed his leg as it bent in the breeze, and he looked down to swat it away. He caught sight of Lucia’s black work boots, then jerked his gaze back up to her. “Did you see anything during your shift on Saturday?”

“We ask the questions, how is that still not clear?”

“Lucia didn’t work Saturday, but I did,” Gayle said. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Demetrius saw his own satisfied expression in the reflection in Lucia’s sunglasses. “It was you. It’s been you, all along.”

“I don’t know what⁠—”

“Did you carve the fangs into the door while I was inside? Were they meant to be a warning?”

“Fangs?” Gayle said. “What fangs?”

“I could take you in right now,” Lucia growled.

“It’s her?” Cody said. “The vampire vigilante?”

Demetrius nodded, not taking his eyes off Lucia. “It’s her.”

“Lucy, what’s he talking about?” Gayle said, her voice soft and confused, edging on hurt. “What’s going on?”

“Goddammit.” Lucia turned in a circle, hands on the back of her head. When she faced them again, she shook her head as she looked between Demetrius and Cody. “You fucking Critter Catchers always think you’re so smart.” She pointed at Demetrius. “You shouldn’t have gone inside that house alone. And unarmed. What the fuck were you thinking?”

“It was the middle of the day,” Demetrius said, hearing his voice rising, feeling his heart beat faster. “Were you following me?”

“No, I had just finished inside there when you showed up.” She jabbed her finger at Cody. “And you shouldn’t have gone into The Rusty Screw alone.”

“How’d you know about that?” Cody said.

“I’m the law around here,” she said with a sneer. “I know about everything.”

“Do you know about Fang?” Demetrius asked.

Lucia removed her sunglasses, giving him the full force of her glare. “I told you, you shouldn’t have gone in there alone.” She gestured to the house behind him.

“No, not the fangs carved into the door. The drug Fang.”

She blinked. “Drug?” She looked between them. “What drug?”

“We need a group meeting,” Cody said.

“Someone tell me what the fuck is going on,” Gayle said. “Please?”

“When are you two done with your shift?” Demetrius asked.

“A couple of hours,” Gayle said. “What’s Fang? And who carved fangs into a door?”

“It’s a long story,” Lucia said, her voice gentler. “I’ll fill you in.”

“Fill me in?” Gayle scoffed. “I shouldn’t have to be filled in. I’m your partner, at work and at home. This all should have been shared with me from the start.”

“I know,” Lucia said. “We’ll talk after this.”