Page 4 of Visions in Blood
Devon smiled, and the tip of his fangs showed.“No.There will be no more second chances.”
Sergi also grinned but kept his fangs in check as his gaze moved back to Sorrento.
“Who’s the tall brunette?”Devon finished the scotch and pushed the glass away.
“Patrice.His second, and the only magical creature on his payroll.”
“Why would a vampire work for such a man?”
Sergi shrugged.“There isn’t much information on her, but the rumor is that she was falsely created by a young blood from House Gresham.”
“Ah.So, she was turned out along with her maker.”
“The two of them joined together, mostly for survival I would think.But it’s been a couple of years since anyone has seen her maker.”
Devon nodded with understanding.The most likely scenario was that the child had killed her master.That was why young bloods weren’t allowed to turn anyone; they were too immature to understand what being vampire meant and never made wise decisions.They couldn’t even begin to fathom their immortality.Knowing Gresham as he did, Devon was surprised the two vampires were turned out rather than eliminated.There had to be more to the story, but it wouldn’t matter after tonight.
“Are the other two his bodyguards?”
“Sorrento shifts his personnel around, except for Patrice.I think he likes having the muscle to add to his reputation.Patrice is the only one to worry about.She prefers drugs or poisons to fighting.”
Devon snarled.“That probably explains how her maker disappeared.”And would also explain how Cressa ended up in a box.The thought of her waking up in one made his beast struggle at its own confinement.
“Most likely.”
After the server dropped new drinks at their table, Devon leaned back as Sorrento chatted with two men at the bar before turning to a table with four men.They’d been there when Devon had first strolled in.The men glared at Sorrento’s men, who stood over them, clearly wanting the men to vacate the table.The men at the table glared back until Sorrento approached, and the four men almost knocked over their chairs, drinks in hand, as they pushed past people to move to the back of the bar.
Devon waited twenty minutes as various customers wandered by Sorrento, offering homage or whatever it was Sorrento demanded of what he must consider his flock of low-life criminals.He nodded to Sergi and stood, leaving his second drink untouched.
He strolled up to Sorrento’s table and kicked the chair of one of the bodyguards.The man scowled and began to rise until he looked up.Devon let the tips of his fangs show, and the man backed down.He glanced at Sorrento, who nodded toward the bar.The two men stood, rolled their shoulders in some demonstrative posture as if they weren’t scared shitless, then scurried to the bar, the last of their courage spent.
Sorrento stared at him before he quickly relented and waved his arm toward the vacated chairs.A man of few words.
Devon took a seat, and Sergi settled beside him, neither of them giving Patrice a single glance.He sensed the vampire’s rage at being ignored.Did she know who he was or even how old?He doubted it.
“Now, what can I do to help a couple of vamps?”Sorrento thought he had the high ground here.Interesting.How many vampires did the man work with, and was Lorenzo one of them?If so, Sorrento should have more respect for vampires he didn’t know.If he’d expected Patrice to understand the nuances of what it meant to be vampire in her adolescence, that would explain the man’s reckless behavior.Not that it mattered.
“I’ve heard a rumor about a certain thief.”He’d considered his options on the drive over and decided to test the waters.It would be foolish to make a scene in the bar, and he was curious how much information the man was leaking.
“I have lots of thieves on my payroll.”Sorrento scratched his chest with a lazy motion and gave Devon a wide smile.“You’ll have to narrow it down for me.”
“This one’s specialty is personal residences with high-value targets.”
Sorrento kept his smile when he leaned closer and softened his tone as if sharing a confidence.“You’re looking for Pandora.”When Devon didn’t respond, he shook his head and sat back.“She’s off the market for now.But if you can wait another week or two, I can arrange something.”
So, the man planned on picking her up again after she finished her mission with him.But if Sorrento was thinking a week or two, did he even care if she’d paid off her debt to him?The man either had balls the size of coconuts or he was an idiot.
“I hear she’s working with a vampire House now.I believe those rumors came from you.”
Sorrento shrugged, still undaunted.“It raises her value if her prospective clients know what jobs she’s working—” He gave him a slow perusal “And the type of creatures she’s willing to work for—albeit temporary.”
“So, you determine who she’s sold to?”Devon kept his tone even, but the beast rattled its cage, unhappy with how Cressa was being set up.He doubted she had a clue to this man’s plans.
“I have the ability to ensure she’ll do as she’s told.”He gave Patrice a side glance, and she actually preened at the attention.She couldn’t be more than a decade made.
Devon waited, wanting to hear the man say the words that would guarantee his fate.
Sorrento scooted his chair closer and leaned in for a second time.He was close enough for Devon to make out the fine lines of the inked cobra.“She’s working for the Trelane House.Now, I know that doesn’t seem like much with the vamp ostracized from his kind, but he’s a tough cookie from what I hear.”He held up his hands.“I have no doubt Pandora will hold her own against the vamp.”He winked.“Although, I imagine this Trelane fellow will probably get a good taste before he sends her packing.If you know what I mean.”
