Page 21 of Vanessa’s Bravery

“Very funny.”

Sebastian cleared his throat. “Where are you?”

“Only a block north of HQ. Can you please see if you can get it to start again? Can you meet me in the lobby, and I’ll hand you the keys? I’ve got to see Thomas and Eddie.”

“Sure, I’ll see you there in a sec.”

Vanessa shoved her cell phone back into her handbag and exited the car. She locked it and crossed the street. By the time she entered the lobby, Sebastian was already waiting for her.

The twenty-six-year-old half-Asian vampire hybrid was one of her favorites among the Scanguards family. Sebastian was a practical guy, who always had a way of getting impossible things done. He also loved to tinker and invent and redesign everything that could be useful to anyone of his kind. A year earlier, he’d started producing Blood Splatter, carbonated bottled human blood for consumption by vampires and vampire hybrids. The beverage was now served at the V Lounge, the bar within the Scanguards headquarters building where vampires and hybrids could relax after work or in between their shifts.

“Hey, Nessie.”

“Hey, Sebastian, thanks for doing this.” Vanessa handed him her car keys.

“I might have to tow it to the garage, so don’t count on getting it back tonight,” he advised. “I’m supposed to be patrolling shortly.”

“No problem. Just let me know if it’s salvageable.” She headed toward the elevators. “Thanks, see you later.”

Vanessa rode the elevator to the executive floor on the top floor of the building, where Thomas and Eddie’s office was located. The blood-bonded gay couple jointly ran the IT department at Scanguards, and Vanessa couldn’t really say which one of the two was more talented. As a team, they were unbeatable.

At the door to their office, Vanessa knocked before entering. It appeared the two lovebirds hadn’t heard her. Eddie was standing behind Thomas, who was sitting in front of his computer, his arms around Thomas. Eddie’s face was buried in the crook of Thomas’s neck, though what exactly he was doing was hidden from her.

“Sorry,” she said quickly and turned her back to them. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

A chuckle came from Thomas. “Come in, Nessie.”

Vanessa turned around and closed the door, before she stopped in front of Thomas. Involuntarily, her gaze drifted to his neck.

“I didn’t bite him,” Eddie said, grinning, “if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Thomas smirked and winked at her, before he addressed Eddie, “But you were about to.”

“As if you didn’t want it…”

The loving looks the two men exchanged warmed her heart. They’d been together since before her birth, and she couldn’t imagine them not being together.

“So, I heard you’ve got something for us,” Thomas finally said, looking up at her.

Vanessa dug into her handbag. “The wallet, cell phone, and a set of keys from the rogue I killed earlier. I already looked at the photo on the driver’s license. Name’s Robert Nealy. He was only twenty-four according to his ID, though I don’t know if it’s a fake.”

“We can figure that out,” Eddie assured her and reached for the wallet. He glanced at Thomas. “I’ll do the background. You wanna crack the cell phone?”

Thomas nodded. “That’s hardly a challenge.”

Eddie rolled his eyes and looked back at Vanessa. “We’ll send everything we find down to the command center so Benjamin can centralize all information we’re getting on the rogues.”

“Thanks, guys, appreciate it.”

Vanessa entered the command center a few minutes later. Besides Benjamin who was in charge again tonight, Patrick and Ethan were present.

“Hey, guys.”

“Hey.”

Benjamin looked over his shoulder. “Hey, Nessie. Are Thomas and Eddie working on IDing the vampire you killed?”

She nodded. “I just gave them the guy’s wallet, cell, and keys. If his ID is genuine than he was only 24 years old.”