Page 36 of Blood and Bonbons

“Of course I do. He’s the boss. Now, tell me what you found.”

“I found out that Buzz has a romantic streak. He likes flirting but is waiting for Mrs. Right. He’s also a big softy who can’t stand the sound of a rumbling tummy. Those lamb skewers were so good.”

“Vena, focus,” I said as I navigated toward the freeway out of town.

“I am. I peppered him with personal questions until he scurried to the other end of the bar so I could research the strip club without my soon-to-be coworker drawing awkward conclusions.

“Unfortunately, all my research efforts regarding the club were dead ends. I found pictures of the nicely decorated interior, empty of people, but not much more. However, I’ve seen the club’s ‘NC’ logo somewhere before. I can’t remember where, though. With that whole special ID thing, I’m betting it’s linked with supernaturals somehow. Once we get to my parents’ place, I can go through some of Mom’s books to look for it.

“I also searched Miles’ email, phone history, and contacts and found a few things. Mostly clients he had worked with in the past. A couple of inquiries for private research. None of it raised red flags.”

“So, nothing?”

“Not quite nothing. There’s a picture I need to double-check. I found it on Miles’ phone while scrolling through his recent pictures. I didn’t go too far back, focusing on stuff from when he started compiling information on the fairy hoard.”

“You mean the dangerous information that Spawn warned us to stay away from if we didn’t want more family to go missing?”

“Exactly,” she said, purposely ignoring my sarcasm. “Miles had screenshot a photo of a book cover. The book looked so old the lettering faded from the cover. I looked at the date of that file and combed back through his text messages. Sure enough. He received it from an unnamed contact. No message. Only the picture and a hefty price tag for information on the book.”

“How hefty? Like kidnap someone for it hefty?”

Vena shrugged. “It all depends on how hard up a person is for cash. Five grand is nothing to sneeze at, but I wouldn't want to take on my brother for that amount. I think Miles was going to try to find it.”

“You’re going to try to do the same thing,” I guessed.

If Miles needed a book, the first place he would have gone is his parents’ house to look. But he wasn’t the type to leave his research lying around–the situation at his apartment notwithstanding–so I highly doubted we’d find anything there.

“If the book doesn’t have a name, how are you going to find it?” I asked.

“You know my parents have an extensive library and a research database we can access. There’s also the research forum. I’m sure we’ll turn up something.”

I briefly wondered if Vena was grasping for leads where there were none, but I didn’t say anything. She was worried about Miles and not the type to sit around doing nothing.

Passing the city boundaries, I drove to the Hunters’ sprawling estate. Without streetlights, only the moon and my headlights lit the way beyond the trees to a house overlooking the meandering river.

Vena’s family home reminded me of a proper English manor, complete with quarters for butlers and servants. Those little rooms and nooks had been turned into areas of study and research. Hiding places galore for Vena and me when we used to play hide-and-seek.

The shadows played in the trees that surrounded the house, making my hands clench the steering wheel. This isolated spot was beautiful in the day but creepy as hell at night, especially with a vampire on the loose.

Fingering the protection charm tucked into my shirt, I parked in front of the garage. We both raced to the front door with our bags but for different reasons. I wanted safety and sleep. Vena probably wanted to start searching. She crammed the key into the lock and flung the door open.

“Let’s check the pantry,” she said, already moving that way in the dark house.

So, I was wrong. Her speed had been all about her stomach, which I found odd.

“I thought you ate at Blur,” I said as I followed.

While she foraged, I set my bag on the floor inside the room.

“No chips,” she said. She stepped over to the garbage and frowned when she peered into the empty can. “Damn. I thought maybe Miles ate them.”

Was she hungry or trying to track Miles through his eating habits?

“I don’t want to be the downer here, but we don’t have a lot to go on, Vena. We need to think about what to do if the book, the sheep scrotum, and the strip club turn out to be nothing. Is there anyone we can go to for help? I know you don’t want to worry your parents, but they have contacts that we don’t. It’s wrong to keep them in the dark.”

Vena stopped her search to face me.

“In the past, Miles told me not to freak out if he goes missing for a few days. That it probably has something to do with his research and not to bother our parents, but he wouldn’t leave his phone and charm behind. I’m freaking out, Everly. I’m trying not to, but I am.”

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