Page 6 of A Vampire in a Pear Tree
While there weren’t any footprints visible, the sanguine was there, leading away from the house.
“Dammit!I had three different types of wards on that window.Can you find him?”Jerry asked, shivering and rubbing her arms against the freezing air that swirled around us.
“I think so.At the very least, I’ll give it my best shot,” I answered, taking one last look at the trail before I closed the window.“It looks like there’s a gate at the back of your garden, so he most likely left via it.The markers head that way, so I’ll pop out back and make sure that’s what happened, then hit the road and see what signs of him are there.”
She murmured her agreement with that plan, and I quickly found myself out in a frosty, overgrown garden, grateful I hadn’t yet needed to pawn my big woolen coat.I shoved my frozen fingers deep into the pockets and followed the trail across the lumpy lawn, my gaze on the little glimmers of red sanguine as they glittered in the weak winter sun, and wondered about the handsome man with gray eyes and hip-hop hair (I still had no idea what that was).
What had he taken from Jerry?Where was he going?And most worrying of all, why did I have the feeling he’d escaped from a bad situation?
“Keep your head down, and do your job,” I told myself, parroting Savian’s advice as I emerged from the garden to a street.Relief filled me at the sight of sanguine drifting across the road as cars passed, stirring it up.“Don’t get involved in the clients’ lives more than you have to.And certainly do not dwell on thoughts of just how handsome this man evidently is.You don’t need a man complicating your life.”
I hurried down the street, following the trail of markers, wondering what was the hip-hop hairstyle that Jerry had mentioned, and whether her son was as attractive as she claimed.
THREE
TATIANA
“Welcome to ‘AxegateWalk: The Next Generation.’The shops are all located to the left, on the boardwalk, while on the right you’ll find Dante Castle.A guided tour is included for those of you possessing a comprehensive day pass, including a visit to the grounds, and a cream tea in the new tearoom to the rear of the castle.This brochure includes a map of the Seventh Hour and has all the points of interest marked clearly, as well as their admittance times.Please note that rooms at the inns are all booked, so if you don’t have a reservation, I’m afraid you can’t spend the night here.Enjoy your visit, and mind the oxcarts.”
I paused as I hustled by Jareth, the town crier.Though just three feet tall, she was a force to behold.In fact, her people-wrangling skills were so great, we’d immediately put her in charge of tourism, a job she recently told me she loved much more than announcing new arrivals to the Hour.
“Everything OK?”I asked, glancing around nervously.I felt like I had a target on me.
“Absolutely,” she reassured me, handing out the glossy pamphlet I’d spent months making, highlighting all that the Hour had to offer.“The first bus of tourists finished unloading, and the second is due to roll in soon.What’s wrong with you?You’re as twitchy as a slug in a samba contest.”
“It’s the marching band,” I told her, checking behind me again.
“What about them?”Jareth asked, tucking away her pamphlets in a courier bag when the last of the arrivals wandered off to see the shops and sights.The former town square—now a replica of Axegate Walk, the boardwalk from my hometown of Ravenfall—was bustling with not just tourists but also residents who were wheeling carts full of merchandise, snacks, medieval clothing, and various other offerings sure to tempt tourist hearts.“I haven’t seen them since this morning at our run-through.”
“Count yourself lucky.They’ve been following me around all day, insisting it’ll be more entertaining for visitors if I have a personal soundtrack,” I answered with another look over my shoulder.“They followed me around playing ‘Tequila’ aggressively at me all morning.I finally got rid of them by pretending to have explosive diarrhea.”
She pursed her lips and eyed me.
“I’m fine,” I told her.“No digestive issues at all.”
“That’s good, because the last thing we need is explosive anything happening in front of the tourists.Ah.That’s the second bus.They’re about five minutes out,” she said after her phone pinged at her.“Do you want to greet them, or should I continue?”
