Page 83 of Visions in Blood
“I’m not sure anyone could have predicted that, let alone believe a dreamwalker actually existed.”Lucas scratched his chin and rose to make espressos.Devon sometimes thought he received visits from his guards for the coffee more than a need to check-in with him.“But you didn’t bring Cressa onboard because you thought she was a dreamwalker.”
He grimaced.“You’re right.I brought a thief into the house.I’m not sure that was any better.”
“Yet, she’s retrieved two critical items necessary to appeal the censure on your Council seat.And now she’s given us a new lead with Philipe Renaud.”
He took the cup from Lucas and immediately drank half.He wasn’t sure he needed anymore caffeine, but he had a long day ahead of him.“There seems to be more mysteries and not near enough answers.We need to pursue the lead Willa gave us.If nothing more than to understand why Lorenzo is so interested in the necklace.It might have nothing to do with our mission, but if it’s important to him, I can’t help but think it’s important to us.”
“The possible source is in New Orleans, right?”
He picked up the crystal and rubbed its rough edges.“I know the timing is bad, but I’ll need to go down there myself, assuming I can get Renaud’s permission to enter.”
“Is it worth spending the time tracking down Philipe and the book with everything else going on?”Lucas’s tone came across as disinterest, just a good guard considering the best path forward, but Devon saw past that.Lucas wanted to track down the book.The minute the Renaud Libraries were mentioned, Lucas had jumped at building a file on it.He believed in the Keepers of Knowledge as Devon did, and the importance of keeping their origins, their history, and culture alive.
He gave Lucas a tired smile.“In the scope of our mission and all this business with dreamwalkers, Magic Poppy, and a shifter massacre, taking time to find some ancient text seems like lunacy.”He turned to gaze out at the soft morning light, only an hour since sunrise.One of the most beautiful times of day.
When he turned back to Lucas, his resolve had never been more certain.“I can’t explain it.Call it a hunch or some voice in my head, perhaps some long ago dream, but that book could hold the key that unlocks everything.”
Lucas never dropped his gaze from his, the only hint of emotion set in the deep lines marring his forehead.“Or it could hold nothing at all.”His voice was filled with the haunting promise of loss and disappointment.
“Or nothing at all.”He set the crystal on his desk, and his fangs inched down.“But if that turns out to be the end result, we won’t be the only ones disappointed.”
Lucas nodded.“The other vampires who appear to be searching for the book.Which reminds me, where’s Sergi?Wasn’t he trying to determine who the vampires were from last night?”
“He messaged that something had come up, and he’d be late.”Devon checked his watch.“But he should have returned by now.”He checked his tablet but no new messages.“I need to see the guard schedule for the next two weeks and which family members are being assigned to the cases we have going.You’re the lead for finding that book.Sergi and Decker will continue their investigation into the dead shifters and the Magic Poppy outbreak.I still believe those two incidents are related."
He’d finally updated his cadre about the Magic Poppy during their three-day meeting at Oasis.They’d been unhappy but understood his reluctance to bring them in too soon.And he’d decided then and there—no more secrets.
He continued with his agenda, “Simone has her hands full with Oasis.Bella will be responsible for guarding Cressa and Ginger until your mission is complete.”
Lucas took notes in his own tablet.He didn’t need to.Vampires remembered everything, but mistakes happened, and Devon preferred a trail, so his entire guard was up to speed on all active assignments.
“And you?”Lucas glanced up from his notes.
“I’ll be tracking down the dreamwalker connection until something else requires my attention.We also have one last missing artifact to complete our plans for Lorenzo.Something tells me, any one of these other issues could alter our course, or with any luck, maybe do part of our work for us…” Before he could continue his thought, the emergency ring from his phone caught them both by surprise.
Devon grabbed his phone, noted Sergi’s handle, and answered with the speakerphone.“What?”
“Underwood’s been murdered.”
The sedan racedthrough the streets in the early morning hours of a sleepy Santiga Bay, but I imagine any town would be quite this early on a Sunday, except for early church risers.I sipped the coffee Cook had been kind enough to hand me on my race out the door.
Christopher dead.Murdered.
What had the fool expected working with a vamp?I gave Devon a side glance, feeling somewhat silly since I also worked for one.But Christopher had been working with Lorenzo, who wasn’t nearly the vamp Devon was.
Although, I had to admit I didn’t know much about Lorenzo other than what Devon or his cadre shared.I’d only met the vamp on a few short occasions, but those encounters had told me all I needed to know.And knowing Christopher as I did, with his shady dealings and even shadier friends, the man’s eventual link to Lorenzo hadn’t been that surprising once I had time to think it through.
What would my mother and April think?What would they do?In the end, they’d be wealthy and relieved to not have to deal with the asshole.When Devon had barged into my room, tossing me from bed with the news, I’d wanted to call my mother until he rightly pointed out she probably hadn’t been told yet.
The police had discovered his body less than two hours earlier and were still working the crime scene.Sergi had heard the call over a police scanner and arrived before forensics.Either through some arrangement with the local cops or with mesmerizing, Sergi got the okay for Devon and me to enter the crime scene.
I glanced out the window.A jolt hit me, and I almost dropped my mug.The neighborhood Bella drove us through was where Ginger and I had been clubbing.Where I’d worked the job with Harlow.Where we’d run from the unknown vamps.
My gaze shifted to Bella, but she kept her focus on the road, only occasionally checking the rearview mirror.I sucked down the coffee, still hot in its insulated cup, but I barely registered the heat as she slowed, turning into a back alley no more than a block from the main strip of clubs.
My blood turned to ice as I peered through the front window to see the line of squad cars, unmarked vehicles, and the crime scene van.I couldn’t look at Devon, though I felt his warm gaze on me.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have brought you.”He slid closer and touched my shoulder.“Are you all right?”
