Page 27 of Blood and Bone

“It’s okay, Ari. I’ve had him in my sights since we got out of the car,” Eoghan said.

When Ari turned to look, he was shocked to see Eoghan pointing his own dart gun at Townsend.

“And I could have killed you too, Deputy Marshal Sapphire,” John said mildly. “Put your gun away now. I know you mean me no harm. We have things to discuss and I didn’t drag you all the way to Gilroy just to kill you and eat you.” He stepped back, holding his arms out at his sides as Eoghan lowered his weapon. He turned in a circle. “Look at me. I’m well fed and as I told you a couple of months ago, I don’t kill humans. I never take what isn’t freely given. I have always preferred live, compliant donors anyway.”

“Glad to hear it,” Ari said, breathing a little easier now that the vampire had backed off and sounded a lot more like he had at their last encounter.

“Please, come inside. I don’t have electricity, but I have a couple of camping lanterns. I’ve so been looking forward toyour visit.” He held out his hand, and Ari nodded, looking at Eoghan to see him nod.

“Sure, Your Highness,” Eoghan said. “We appreciate the hospitality.”

“And thanks for not eating us,” Ari said, following the two inside.

The vampire chuckled as he walked into the dark house. He picked up a lantern from a shelf just inside the room and lit the candle inside, before walking deeper into the room and setting it on a small table. The only other furniture was an old yellow, velvet covered sofa with three cushions and a folding camp chair. There didn’t appear to be a bed anywhere but then again, judging by the windows which had no curtains of any kind, he didn’t sleep in here during the day when most vamps slept.

“Please…have a seat. As you can tell, it’s a little…small in here. No kitchen…but then again, that suits a vampire like me, doesn’t it?” He gave a humorless laugh. “Please…please…sit. Take a load off. I know you’ve been driving all day. Chief Deputy Priest told me you were in Tahoe on another brave mission and I’m so glad you were close to this paradise.” He absently waved around the clapboard shack. “Believe it or not, I’ve come to treasure the shelter it provides, humble as it is.”

Ari followed Eoghan’s lead and sat down on the dusty, yellow sofa which was utterly threadbare in patches where other butts had clearly sat over the years of its very long existence. The king sat in the wobbly camp chair which made him look anything but royal. A twinge of sadness coursed through Ari, much like when he’d learned that the king’s mate and progeny—offspring—had been murdered by a drug trafficking, young vamp called Tillis Bradshaw who’d taken over his whole kingdom.

“Forgive me for asking, Highness—” Eoghan began.

“John. Remember? You must call me John.”

“Yes, sorry, sir. Forgive me for asking but where do you rest? Clearly, it’s not in here.”

The king chuckled but Ari noticed it sounded quite sad. He watched the king point to a square in the floor and he realized that it was an indentation of a trap door. “There’s a quite lovely cellar down below where garlic is dried and it is quite light tight, thank goodness. As for who’s feeding me which will be your next question, I’m happy to say there are two lovely farmhands who are quite strapping, young humans. They’ve made me feel quite at home here.”

Ari shot a glance at Eoghan who frowned back before they both turned to the king.

“Do you…um…do they…um—” Eoghan cleared his throat and Ari bit his lip so he didn’t laugh.

“They feed me willingly if that’s what you’re asking. As for the other—” The king chuckled. “I don’t kiss and tell, and they don’t remember anything the next morning, but the memories I leave them with. Let’s just say, those two young men will definitely be enamored with each other when I’m long gone out of their lives.”

Eoghan chuckled. “You’re quite the charmer, John.”

“Yes, I am, my lad.” He glanced around the room as he sobered. “I’m so sorry. I have nothing to offer you. They sometimes bring beer but they usually take their cooler with them when they leave, so I have nothing. I’m vastly embarrassed about that.”

“Oh, no, that’s not why we’re here, sir,” Ari said. “The chief said you wanted to talk with us about the case.”

“Yes, I need to be brought up to speed,” he said, leaning forward, clasping his hands, and resting his elbows on his knees as he peered at them in the near darkness. “Please tell me you’ve made progress with things. My people mustbe desperate. I need to get home to Flagstaff. What’s been happening on the rez?”

Eoghan and Ari exchanged wary glances. Ari knew how delicate they’d have to be when telling him they weren’t even the merest step closer to finding out who their mole was or how they were going to tackle the problem of the synthetic blood takeover by the murderous Tillis Bradshaw.

“I can tell you what I know about Bradshaw’s operation but that’s about all, I’m afraid. We still haven’t been able to locate the mole at the Agency on our end and the only contact we’ve had with Bradshaw has been short and unfortunately not sweet,” Eoghan said.

The king visibly sagged. “So, there’s no telling what’s happening with my clan? I guess my people are still dying.” He stood and ran his hands through his hair as he paced the small room. “I can’t believe I’m just sitting here while my people are dying, probably starving to death while I’m well-fed.” His eyes glowed red in the dark room, and it was terrifying.

When Eoghan replied, his tone was subdued but determined, “We know only what Bradshaw allows us to know.”

“And what is that, pray tell?” He stood with his hands on his hips and watched them closely.

“Not a whole lot, John. Every time our chief calls out there, she’s put onto the phone with a different spokesperson who lies about everything. One of them tells her that they’re diligently searching for whoever set you free and of course for you. Another one says they’ve given up. The only good news is that they’ve all said the king thinks you’re probably back on the reservation. She was told that they’re conducting searches of all the residents’ homes and collecting whatever evidence they find of loyalty to you. It sounds like the king is worried that someone might be sheltering you.”

“I told you that Bradshaw bastard is a dictator, didn’t I? Clearly confiscating private property and calling it evidence is absurd,” the king said bitterly. “That bastard is robbing my people!” He shook his finger at them. “Trust me, the only reason he has his jack-booted thugs going through people’s homes is to steal their precious things under the guise of searching for a way to locate me. I have no doubt that’s what he’s doing. If he hasn’t already started arresting these so called ‘loyalists,’ he will. He’s a monster who has to be stopped.”

“He will be.”

“How?” He threw up his hands and paced in a circle for a few seconds before coming to a stop in front of them. “You said your chief has been talking to his spokespeople. Clearly, that’s been of no use but what has the Agency done about the situation?”

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