Page 87 of Death and Donuts

Another woman added, “I heard the city officials are worried they won’t be able to keep this quiet for much longer. They should just say vampires are overrunning D.C. and to stay indoors or run the risk of joining the hundreds already missing.”

“The mass panic would just give the vampires more opportunity to take more people,” the first one said. “We need help. Who knows how many of those missing people have already turned?”

The others hummed in agreement, and my stomach twisted with worry.

“I think it’s worse than we know,” a third woman said. “I heard from Gunther that they went into some tunnels, looking for the black cat, and it was empty. No homeless people.”

“Maybe the city moved them,” another said.

We could all hear the doubt in her voice.

“Maybe,” the first woman said as the one who’d delivered food to Bear returned.

“Here.” She handed me two plates as she resumed her place. “You should take these to Shepard before he passes out, too.”

I nodded and accepted the plates, feeling guilty for not considering Shepard’s lack of sleep after reading the group text between him and Cross.

Back in the suite, I found Shepard in his kitchenette, hands braced on the counter and head hung low. At the sound of my entrance, he looked up. How had I not noticed the dark circles under his eyes?

“I brought sandwiches if you’re hungry,” I said.

“Thanks.” He took the plate from me and consumed a quarter of a sandwich in a single bite.

“Did the call with Curran not go well?” I asked.

“He’s pressuring me for details I don’t have and is angry, like I am, that the fae queen isn’t being more forthcoming with help of any kind. Information, manpower, whatever…we’d take it.”

He took another bite, visibly frustrated.

“Do you think she knows something and isn’t telling you?” I asked.

“Has Cross ever told you how his kind came to be?” Shepard asked.

I shook my head.

“The first vampire was a human who betrayed his fey lover. She cursed him to an existence of loneliness where he would hurt the people he loved and they would run in fear of him.

“Not all fey can cast that level of curse. It was done by a queen several generations ago.”

Considering a fey lifespan, I knew that meant a very, very long time ago.

“The queen then never imagined her curse would have such a devastating effect on humans. The man killed untold numbers, which was bad enough. But some of them didn’t die. They became like him, hungry for blood.

“To prevent the spread, that queen’s successor cast a new spell on her loyal human lover. He would protect humans from the vampire threat, and for his efforts, he would be rewarded with enhanced senses and another, stronger form.”

“Your kind,” I said in understanding.

He nodded.

“What the Hunters found was the story of our beginning, and they’re right in that Adriel’s so-called “gift” likely came from a powerful fae. It’s also unlikely that such a spell has escaped the queen’s notice. I just wish I knew who she was protecting.”

He sighed heavily and finished his sandwich. I could see his exhaustion tugging at him even as his phone buzzed with a message.

I leaned over to look at it.

Doc: The tunnel on the north side is empty too.

“Does Cross know it’s this bad?” I asked.

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