Page 108 of How to Entice a Fiend

Finn throws up his hands. “‘Why not’ is because we’re the police!”

“Oh. Right…” Alexei thinks for a second before shrugging. “Yeah, seems fine to me.”

“We’re heading into the VRC. You two should stay here. Mads, are you close to anyone else on the council? Someone you could guarantee is on your side and not swayed by Abel?” Finn asks.

I hesitate, but honestly, the only one I ever interacted with was Vivian. And half the time I couldn’t tell whether she was working with me or using me. She wasn’t a bad woman, but it was clear she had her purpose and would do whatever it took to reach it.

“I don’t know that there is anyone I would trust, no… like… Leona is nice, but she’s obviously out to do what Callum wants. Callum is very self-centered, but that makes me think that he likely isn’t working with Abel. I really don’t know, though. I will reach out to them and see what comes of it.”

“What about Arrington? Have you interacted with him much?” Finn asks.

“Very little. He’s always kind of… there. My guess is out of anyone, he’d be the one feeding information to Abel.”

“He did try to make us feel like you and Vivian were up to something.”

“I mean… we were, but yeah, if he wanted to get you to look deeper into me in the hope of finding me, that makes sense.”

“Don’t agree to meet with any of them without us being there,” Finn says as Marcus’s phone begins to ring.

He answers it, but the way he stills tells me that something is wrong. “We’re heading there now.” Marcus turns to us. “There’s been an attack at the VRC. We have to go now.”

Though every person’s help matters, we leave Orin here with Rylee, feeling like that’s the safest place for her. If Abel took Rylee… he might get a hold of Ender, who adores her enough that I’m afraid he’d do something stupid to get her back. And without Ender, we might not win this fight.

Marcus drives as fast as he can to the VRC, having lost the call with DeGray, the person he’d been talking to. I can tell that everyone is tense, and I remind them again of what to do with the antidote if they have to use it. When we arrive, he drives right up to the front door and rushes out as we quickly follow him, but I’m wondering if whoever was here is already gone.

The moment I’m inside the door, I can smell blood and it makes me feel uneasy. I’ve done things I’m not quite proud of, but I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get used to death.

Finn hurries over to a human woman lying on the floor. She’s bleeding excessively from a gash on her side and looks visibly relieved when she sees us enter.

“They just attacked us. They just…” She grits her teeth and holds her side as a whimper escapes her. “They just fucking attacked us.”

“Are they still here?”

“I don’t know.”

The sirens are sounding from an ambulance, so Finn assures her they’ll be in to help her shortly before moving on with Marcus. I know she doesn’t want any of us to leave her, but we have to stop them if they’re still here.

We hurry into the main part of the department and see that it has been torn apart. There are two bodies near the door, desks overturned, and a vampire has been staked to the wall with what looks like part of a chair driven through his heart.

“Marcus!” DeGray yells from across the room.

“Where’s Brooks?” Marcus asks after looking around without finding him.

“He got shot. He’s… he’s not doing well,” DeGray says.

“Where is he?” I ask as I head toward DeGray.

“Are they gone?” Finn asks since I don’t see any vampires lingering.

“They just moved out. They haven’t been gone long.”

Without warning, Ender rushes for an open window and leaps right out as I realize he must have seen something.

“Ender! Fuck!” I hiss, well aware I can’t stop him if I’m going to be able to help Brooks in time.

Marcus turns to follow, but Finn’s hand halts him. “Marcus, you don’t know if it’s a trap, please don’t go,” he begs.

“The three of us will go after Ender. We’ll be fine,” Alexei assures him, but it’s plain Finn hates the idea as he watches them disappear. It does make me feel better that Ender isn’t going alone, though.

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