I nodded. “Sure. I do what I can. He . . . uh . . . called about a week ago. Didn’t I mention that? And I .
. . let him know where Haven is.”
Thierry nodded. “You are a good friend to him.”
“I try to be a good friend to everyone.” I glanced over at the bar. “Anyhoo, George is flagging me down over there. Got to go.”
Thierry’s fingers dug into my side. Not enough to hurt, but enough to keep me in place. I was still floored that he was touching me in public. Should I feel special, or annoyed? Not quite sure but I was leaning toward “annoyed.”
I didn’t remember him and Quinn being quite so unfriendly before, though they were definitely not best buddies. In fact, while Quinn was briefly seeing Veronique they’d considered joining Thierry and myself down inMexico for a couple of days.
That never happened.
It was probably for the best.
Thierry regarded Quinn again. “It was nice of you to stop by tonight.”
He crossed his arms and glanced around the club. “Well, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me. I’m moving to the area permanently. Do what I can to help the other vampires out. Saving the ones who’ve gotten themselves into scrapes with the hunters. It’s going to be my thing now. Redeem myself a bit for being on the wrong side for such a long time.”
“Is that so?”
Quinn shrugged. “In fact, I’ve been following a lead on a vampire serial killer that led me back here.
He’s taking out hunters and humans alike. Even ripping the throats out of other vampires. Some young ones have been found still intact. Doesn’t seem to have any preference for species. This is the kind of killer that has given vamps the stigma that they’re all monsters. He has to be stopped. I wanted to ask you about it, Thierry, since you’re the go-to man with answers around here. Know anything about this?”
Wow. Talk about an exaggeration. There must have been a memo or something that went out to everyone today about my new rep. Now I was supposedly killing humans and other vampires, too?
Wonderful.
I opened my mouth to clear the matter up, but Thierry spoke first.
“I’ve heard of this, though I haven’t seen any proof. What does it have to do with you?”
Quinn shrugged. “I just want to help. I want to keep innocents safe, be they human or vampire. When I find out who this vamp is, I’ll put a stop to it.”
“A noble endeavor.”
“I try.”
“Though it does nothing to erase the crimes of your past. All of the innocents that you, yourself,
slaughtered with your hunter friends for fun and games.”
Quinn’s eyes narrowed. “It was never fun and games to me.”
Thierry waved his hand dismissively. “No matter, it is ancient history.”
“That’s right.”
“You know, that killer vampire might be just a rumor,” I said. “Nothing to worry about.”
Quinn smiled at me. “Maybe. But I’m going to check it out anyhow. Listen, I’m going to take off. I found a motel room nearby that they’re willing to rent to me on a weekly basis until I find something a little more permanent. I want to grab some shut-eye. It’s been a long day.”
“Good seeing you again,” I told him, trying to ignore the tightening of Thierry’s hand at my waist.
He nodded, shot a last extremely unfriendly look at Thierry, and headed back to the door past Angel the bouncer.
Thierry finally released me. And said nothing.
I looked at him. “I take it you don’t want him to know I’m the Slayer of Slayers.”
His lips thinned. “You could have mentioned you spoke with him on the telephone.”
“So . . . ” I cleared my throat, feeling my face flush. “We’re still on for our date tomorrow night?”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “I am looking forward to it.”
“Super.”
Three long and tiring hours later, I was home at my apartment, doors double-locked, trying my damnedest to get to sleep. Even considering that I was exhausted, it seemed to be an impossibility to clear my mind.
George gave me a ride home from the club as opposed to my taking another expensive cab. He said he’d stay on my couch, but I told him I was okay. I regretted it as soon as he left.
I wasn’t even sure if Thierry knew I’d left the club, he was so busy talking on the phone with his office door closed up tight.
My mind raced. From my new reputation, to Nicolai’s offer . . . to . . . well, I didn’t really want to think about Quinn. Although maybe I should. The reaction the ex-hunter had elicited from Thierry had been very interesting. Did Quinn make him jealous? Or did he just not like the guy?
I heard the padding sound of footsteps outside my bedroom. The door, which was already open a crack, creaked open even farther. The footsteps grew nearer. I couldn’t see anybody in the inky darkness, but I wasn’t scared it was a hunter. I knew what it was.
I felt a wet tongue lick up my bare arm, which was hanging off the side of my bed.
“Gross.” I turned to look at the floor. “How many times have I told you not to do that? Bad dog.”
Barkley wagged his tail innocently.
“Don’t give me that. I know you can understand me.”
Barkley scratched the side of the bed and whined.
I sighed. “It’s the middle of the night. You have to go outnow ?”
I was currently dog-sitting Barkley, since his regular keeper was spending some much-needed time relaxing in a special hospital near Niagara Falls . Some might call it an insane asylum, but I preferred to look at it as a “special hospital.” He’d been charged with the murder of Roger Quinn, who just happened to be Quinn’s zealous, vampire-hunting father. When the police arrived, apparently Dr. Kalisan (former fake-o cure-for-vampirism doctor, but actually a pretty nice guy) went on and on about vampires, which made the court decide a little time in the hospital would be a good thing.
Anyhow, Dr. Kalisan needed somebody to look after his werewolf while he was away. This is a phrase he used in front of the other doctors, which did nothing to make him look non-insane.
The fact that Barkley actuallywas a werewolf really didn’t make any difference in the situation. I’d never seen him in human form. Apparently he was stuck this way: as a big, shaggy, scary-looking, but friendly,