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“Yes,” Felix said. “According to Eleazar, he always stops at the same place for a late lunch.”
Rayne didn’t say anything. He could sense the worry and tension seeping from Felix, but he wasn’t sure what to say. And truth be told, he didn’t like this plan. Eleazar was a vampire, and as such, the bloodsucker could be setting Rayne up.
Especially since the servant belonged to Fayez.
Rayne felt Felix’s hand on his arm, and he glanced at him. “I’m all right,” Felix said, though his voice was a bit shaky. “I’m trying to be brave, but inside I feel like a cowering poodle.”
“Don’t let him see that,” Rayne said. “You need to seem strong for this to work.”
Felix nodded, and a few minutes after that, a black Mercedes-Benz pulled up along the curb. A man around forty years of age got out and walked toward them. He was tall and lean, with dark hair and olive-toned skin. He was also strikingly handsome, and he had beauty and grace in his every movement. Felix stiffened beside him, and Rayne placed a hand on his back. He could scent Felix’s fear.
This had to be Milton.
“Hi,” Felix blurted out, taking a step forward and extending his hand.
Milton looked at the extended hand but didn’t shake it.
“Rude,” Felix muttered.
“Shall we get this over with?” Rayne had spent the morning looking through the files of the victims, thanks to a contact down at the police station. From what he could tell, the humans hadn’t been involved in anything that would warrant a vampire attack. Not a single one of the victims had a connection to the supernatural world. They were all completely normal humans.
But at every scene where the human disappeared, their cell phone was left behind. That was what linked their cases together.
“I only agreed to this meeting as a favor to Eleazar. If you think I’m going to spy on Fayez, you’re gravely mistaken.”
“Look. All we want is your help,” Felix said.
Milton laughed, the sound bitter and cold. “Ha! You think you’re going to coerce me into helping you? I don’t make friends with hunters.”
The way he’d said hunters put Rayne on edge. God, he wanted to punch the bastard in his smarmy face. That was the thing about vampires and their human servants. They all thought everyone else was beneath them.
Except Felix. He hadn’t been what Rayne had expected of a servant. Quite the opposite, in fact.
“No, that was just a thought,” Felix said, letting out a nervous laugh. “Humans are dying. You’re human. Tell me you don’t want to stop that.”
“That’s not my problem,” Milton said. “I have no desire to be caught on the wrong side of Fayez again. Eleazar wants me to spy on Fayez and report back anything suspicious I find. I’m not going to do it, even if Eleazar is the most powerful and ancient vampire in the city.”
“I can’t make you, but you might want to,” Rayne said without a moment’s hesitation. “If Fayez is innocent, you could be saving his life.”
“You just don’t get it,” Milton said. “I know for a fact that Fayez isn’t in on the killings. Why would he do that? There’s no motive for him. If he needs blood, he has more than one person willing to open a vein.”
Rayne saw now that they weren’t going to get anywhere with this guy, but he had to give it one last shot. “If you see Fayez with any humans or shifters that look out of place, bring it to my attention. There’s been talk going around the supernatural community that Fayez is up to something. Maybe you’ll see something that will give us a clue to what he’s up to.”
“Up to something? How dare you!” Milton growled like a pissed-off animal.
Rayne saw Felix’s eyes darted to his. It was as if he were asking if they were in danger. Hardly. Milton was a pompous jerk, but he was human, and Rayne would put the son of a bitch on his ass if he even thought of raising a hand to either of them.
“Calm down,” Rayne said, his voice stern. “We’re not asking you to betray Fayez. We just want your help.”
“The only thing you’re good for is to be my entertainment,” Milton said. “You have no idea what you’re up against.”
Rayne let out a small sigh and glanced at Felix. He could tell that Felix wanted to lash out at Milton, but he remained perfectly still, his face as blank as stone.
The situation left Rayne fuming. If this was how a servant of a powerful vampire behaved, what did it mean for the humans living in the city? He supposed that not all servants were like this. Humans were naturally submissive creatures. Shifters, on the other hand, weren’t the type to meekly accept things. They would fight back, whether it was with their muscles, their minds, or their claws.
Or even a weapon.
“Whatever,” Rayne said at last. “We’re done here.”
