Page 30 of Seduction in Blood
I dropped my head to my knees. Why the hell was my stepfather looking for me? And what the hell was April up to?
ChapterFifteen
Devon shoved his tablet aside,pushing thoughts of Cressa away with it, resigned to stare out his office window. There hadn't been a window before he moved in, but if he was going to have to live and work in this stodgy old place, he'd damn well have a window. It was odd for a vampire, but that was what blinds were for. The sun had set two hours earlier, and nothing but his own reflection glared back at him. Was he doing the right thing? Now that he'd set the wheels in motion, he asked the question often, but the answer was still elusive. He'd thought himself a better man than the one he was two hundred years ago, yet the anger burned deep. If he hadn't been handed the key to his revenge, he might forget one day.
But circumstances as they were, he would never be allowed to forget. So, until he came to a final decision whether to move forward, there was no harm in preparing. They were far from the point of no return, and he could right a few wrongs in the process.
When a light tap came from behind him, he glanced at the spot behind his reflection to watch Sergi enter.
He studied his friend, looking for a sign, but the man had learned to hide his emotions centuries ago. Though Devon found it interesting when Sergi strode to the bar and poured himself a vodka. He must have uncovered something. Devon moved to the couch in front of the fireplace, and Sergi handed him a glass of scotch before taking a seat.
They were lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated the fire and sipped their drinks. After years of service, Devon knew better than to rush Sergi when he had something to report. The man had his own way of easing into a topic. And they had time before Cressa would be ready.
"Everyone but Bella and Jacques have arrived at Oasis. They should be in place by tomorrow."
Devon raised his brows. He hadn't expected everyone to be so close. "Excellent. Arrange a dinner sometime after my next training session with Cressa."
Sergi nodded. "I found some general background, but not nearly enough."
Devon frowned. It wasn't really a surprise with only a first name and her street persona to go on. He finished his drink and stood, intending to refill his glass. Instead, he grabbed the scotch and vodka bottles and returned to the couch, topping off Sergi's drink. They could drink all night and never get drunk. That's not what messed up vampires. But that was another chapter he'd buried for good.
"What do you have?" Devon asked after he'd kicked off his shoes and settled his feet on the coffee table. His left foot ached where Cressa had slammed her heel on his instep. For being barefoot, she didn't hold back, and his lips twitched at the memory.
"Her birth name is Cressa Langtry, but she was adopted by her stepfather fifteen years ago. There's no father listed on her birth certificate."
A chill ran through him, but he didn't respond, positive Sergi had more.
"Her mother, Willa Langtry, married Christopher Underwood twenty years ago. They have one daughter—April." Sergi stopped and sipped his drink.
When he didn't continue, Devon understood he'd missed something significant. He sat up, pulling his feet from the table. "Christopher Underwood. The same man who owns Plexor Industries? The one who kept outbidding me for that stretch of land along Crescent City?"
Sergi nodded.
That didn't make sense. Cressa had grown up in a very wealthy environment. Why was she stealing? "Did you find where she's living?"
"On Baker Street with a young woman by the name of Ginger Morrison."
"That area is close to the Hollows. A rough neighborhood."
"They live in a rundown apartment building. A gang protects the area."
"Why would she be living there, stealing from the rich?" It could be signs of a troubled youth. Kids with affluent parents didn't always get the attention they deserved. It was a problem in vampire society as well. Maybe it was her way of payback for something. Did her family know how she was making her living? Did they care? He snorted before taking a drink. Cressa could be a handful.
He suddenly had the urge to rip the stepfather's head off without any reasonable explanation, other than disgust that while he lived in a mansion, Cressa survived in squalor among the city's most dangerous criminals. Another thought made him inwardly scowl. Maybe her strange dreams had created a problem. Or did her dreams only confuse her and make her rebel? Devon understood that possibility all too well.
He was left with too many unanswered questions. "Anything else?"
Sergi shook his head. "I'll have more in another day or so."
"I'd like daily reports on her phone calls and texts. And GPS if she leaves the property for any reason."
"Is she allowed to?"
Devon considered it and shrugged. "I don't want her to be a prisoner. She's smart and knows there isn't anywhere she can run. Don't suggest it, but if she asks or leaves on her own, don't stop her." He wanted to know whether she'd return on her own. "Focus on the fathers. Reopen the files on the Crescent City business venture. Let's dig deeper on Underwood. I want to know everything he's into—legal or otherwise." He paused. "Especially otherwise. Regarding her biological father, I have to know who he was. I don't care how you do it, except for harming Cressa or her roommate."
Sergi polished off his drink, stood, and returned his glass to the bar.
Devon set down his unfinished drink and laid his head back, closing his eyes. He had so many balls in the air; did he have time to sort out the mystery of Cressa? But if he was going to use her for the mission, he had to know what complications she brought. More importantly, he had to understand more about her dreams. He sighed as he remembered the party. As if on cue, a tap sounded at the door.
