Page 76 of Blood and Bonbons

“We can’t go,” I said. “We have to be at Blur early to talk to Shepard.”

She started texting without talking to me.

“What are you saying?” I tried to swat the phone away from her before she made the situation worse.

“I said seven wouldn’t work. I suggested we meet this afternoon at one. Plenty of time to find out what they have and get to work. And we’ll have our friendly neighborhood vampire with us, so we’ll be perfectly safe.”

“He’s not our bodyguard, Vena. I thought you didn’t want to involve him in this.”

“I didn’t. But circumstances have changed.”

“Yeah. I know what circumstances have changed. The treasure-hunting gleam in your eye is blatantly apparent.”

“We’re helping him; he’s helping us. It’s a working relationship,” she said with a shrug.

I didn’t like using anyone for any reason, but I stayed silent for now. It was no use trying to persuade Vena while she had money on her mind.

By the time we reached our house, Vena’s nose was back in the book.

“This is why towns die,” she said, following me inside. “Get this. Twelve girls between the ages of twelve and twenty went missing within the span of a year in this one town. Stolberg. This story was recorded in the eleven hundreds. Do you know why they didn’t just get up and leave? It was a mining town. Precious metals. Maybe even some gems by the looks of it. I mean, what are a few girls for riches, right?”

She flipped the pages. “I wonder if that’s why there’s this random drawing at the back with four stones. Maybe these are stories leading up to finding riches?”

“Doubt it. Read that warning at the front again.”

She turned to the first page and read it out loud.

“Herein rest the original accountings of the first encounters. Lest the reader believe this fiction and fallacy, be assured it is not. The truth is a danger to all who read. Proceed cautiously lest the shadows devour you as well.”

She huffed a sigh. “If the danger is that other creatures exist, this is an outdated warning. We already know they exist.”

She closed the book and drummed her fingers on the cover.

“Miles was looking for this book, went missing, and got a text from the same people asking about the ring. Coincidence? Doubtful,” she said, thinking aloud.

“The notes on those stones say one was red. Maybe the stone was used for Cross’ ring? Maybe it’s an antiquities collector who needs the book to authenticate his ring’s origin and value.”

“Yeah, because collectors usually meet at strip clubs,” I said sarcastically.

She continued tapping.

“Shady ones might. But there’s still the scrotum. Miles tends to work on one lead at a time.” She was silent for a moment. “I bet it’s soft enough that I can open it today.”

I didn’t understand how her mind jumped from the book to that nasty thing so quickly.

“I’m starving, Vena. Can you please look at itafterI’ve eaten?”

“We’re on a tight schedule. How about if I open it up on the coffee table?” She pulled the baggy out of her purse and started massaging the skin.

“Protect the table. I don’t want oily skin residue everywhere.”

“Got it. I’ll take care of this while you make us something to eat.”

Making a beeline for the refrigerator, I pulled out everything for lemon ricotta pancakes. She reached around me to confiscate my roll of parchment paper and headed to the living room.

While I was not happy about having to buy more paper, I was glad she was working on her “project” somewhere other than my kitchen.

“It’s opening!” she called.

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