Part 30 (1/2)
”We've got an extermination crew on its way. We'll burn the vampires in the crypt. Why did he leave them behind?”
”I think he's insane. Vampires go crazy just like living people. Think of him as serial killer who's devolved into a spree killer.”
”So he'll just kill everything he sees.”
”Probably,” I said.
”How do we find him?”
”Follow the trail of bodies. If he hides, then use dogs. He's a decayed corpse, Finnegan. Right now that's what he is; get some dogs and track the son of a b.i.t.c.h.”
”Cadaver dogs?” He made it a question.
”Yeah.”
”That's the best idea I've heard from anyone. I'll get them.”
”Bullets won't hurt him until after dark. Only fire, so every team of dogs needs a flamer with them.”
”We don't have that many cadaver dogs, or that many flamethrower teams.”
”No city does. Like Morgan said, this type of vampire is very rare in the U.S.”
”I'll call for the dogs. Send me the video, Blake.”
”Will do. I could be on the ground in a couple of hours.”
”In a couple of hours it'll be over.”
”Finnegan,” I said.
”No, the dogs are a great idea. You couldn't do anything but follow the dogs and the flamethrower crew around like the rest of us.” He hung up.
I thought, Actually I might be able to track the vampire Actually I might be able to track the vampire. I was a necromancer, but the other marshals weren't always comfortable with my psychic abilities, so I let it lie. Besides, it was a trap. If I went to Atlanta the vampire would either try to kill me or try to open me for the Mother of All Darkness. Without my people to touch and get all metaphysical with, I wouldn't be as safe against Mommie Darkest. I knew it was too dangerous to go, even if there hadn't been a.s.sa.s.sins out to get us.
”You know it's a trap,” Nicky said.
”I know.”
”Would you really go if they asked you?”
”I don't know.” I handed him my phone. ”Send the video to Marshal Finnegan.”
Jake asked, ”What is it?”
I told him, because there was no way to keep this out of the media. Too much death, too much sensationalism, and they had to warn everyone. It probably wouldn't do anything but make the entire city panic, but if the police didn't warn the general populace and people died, they'd get sued, because everyone would believe that if they'd known they would have been able to keep themselves safe. I knew better, but sometimes the illusion of safety is all people have. I didn't even have that, and hadn't had it for years.
CHAPTER 34
”TONIGHT MORTE D'AMOUR hit Atlanta. Tomorrow night he'll hit another city,” Jake said.
”How many other Masters of the City are descended from his bloodline?” I asked.
”A few.”
”Either share your information, Jake, or get out of my face.”
”We can save the other descendants of Morte d'Amour in this country, Anita.”
”How?” I asked.
”Pick one of my kittens,” he said.
”You know, you calling them kittens doesn't help.”
He smiled. ”Sorry. Does it help to know that they're all older than Cynric from Vegas?”
”He's legal,” I said, deciding that a frontal a.s.sault was the best defense.
”I heard through the grapevine that you were bothered doing anyone under eighteen. If I heard wrong, I'm sorry.”
I sighed. ”No, you're right. It's not just the age. It's the level of innocence. My life isn't about innocence. I prefer someone who knows his way around.”
”A sadder-but-wiser girl for you, huh?” Nicky said.
We both looked at him. ”Are you quoting The Music Man The Music Man at me?” at me?”
If it had been anyone else I'd have said he looked embarra.s.sed. He gave that shallow shrug around all that muscle again. ”What, I can't like musicals?”
I blinked at him. ”I sort of had you pegged for death metal, or club mixes.”
He grinned. ”I like club mixes, but you can't dance to most death metal. Silas was into that.”
”You've been with us a year. I didn't know you liked to dance.”
”You don't like to dance. You will dance for Nathaniel, Micah, and Jean-Claude, even Jason or Asher, but you don't enjoy it. My primary emotions seem to be about pleasing you. It makes me anxious if I feel like you're unhappy with me. Asking you to dance would make you uncomfortable, which would make me anxious. It's so not worth it.”
I didn't know what to say to that. I looked at Jake. ”Do you know much about this whole Bride phenomenon?”
”I've seen it. It's really rare. It only shows up in bloodlines descended from the Father of the Day, like Belle Morte or the Dragon.”
”So it's a power that Mommie Dark doesn't have?” I asked.