Movement at the back of the club caught Campbell’s attention. His gaze landed on a familiar face just before the guy darted into the crowd. Campbell smiled.
“I think we’re about to get some answers. That little weasel Charlie Benson doesn’t look as if he wants to talk to me.” Charlie was the type of vampire who would do anything for a buck, or a pint. He had expensive tastes, ones that a legal job wasn’t likely to fund. If bad crap was going down in the vampire community, chances were Charlie had at least heard about it.
Campbell ignored the yelps and objections as he pushed his way through the crowd. Charlie glanced back over his shoulder, saw Campbell and Colin in pursuit and made a run for it.
They caught him a few steps into the alley that separated the line of clubs from the row of buildings behind them. He stood staring up at where Billy was aiming a gun modified to shoot stakes.
“Good thing you stopped when you did,” Billy said with a crooked grin. “I’m pretty good with this.” He waved the barrel of the gun. “Lots of hours of video games as a kid.”
“Stopped in your tracks by a puppy,” Colin said to Charlie as he shook his head. “The shame of it all.”
Campbell slammed the pimped-out vampire against the wall of the opposing building.
“Where you going in such a hurry, Charlie? Aren’t you glad to see me?”
“No one’s ever glad to see you guys.”
“Now, that’s just rude,” Colin said from where he lounged against the club’s wall, one booted foot propped against it.
“I can’t be seen with you,” Charlie said.
“Why not? Are we hazardous to your health?” Campbell asked. “Like Rico, perhaps.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Campbell stepped closer to Charlie and spoke so close to his face that Charlie would have felt his breath if he’d had any. “Now, see, Charlie, I just don’t believe you. You wear lies like you do that slick suit. You’re going to tell me everything you know, and you’re going to tell me now.”
“I’d listen to him, dude,” Colin said.
“I don’t know what you think I’m supposed to tell you. I’m not a mind reader.”
“How about you start with who killed Rico and why.”
“How the hell am I supposed to know?”
Campbell growled low in his throat. “Don’t mess with me. I am not in the mood. I doubt there’s anything going on around here that you don’t know about. You like to keep your fingers in a lot of lucrative pies.”
Charlie tried to squirm loose with no luck. When he couldn’t break free, his attitude changed from innocent and clueless to defiant.
“I’m not telling you anything,” the slimy bastard spit back at Campbell. “They’ll kill me.”
Campbell knew who “they” were—the Nefari, kings of the black market in blood slaves and every other nasty business in Manhattan.
“I will kill you if you don’t.”
The guy’s mouth stretched in a taunting smile. “You can’t do that, break your own laws.”
Campbell leaned in even closer to the guy’s face and tightened his fingers around his throat. “Then I’ll make you wish you could die.”
The harder he squeezed, the purpler the scumbag’s face grew, the wider his eyes. He’d fed recently to have any color. And though he didn’t have to breathe, having his throat crushed wasn’t pleasant. Instincts held over from his human existence told him that throat crushing meant death.
“Okay, okay,” he managed to squeak out through his constricted windpipe.
Campbell slammed him against the wall again just for good measure, causing mortar between the bricks to break loose and hit the pavement at their feet.
“What did Rico know?”
“I knew that guy was a rat.”
Campbell reached for the guy’s throat again, and Charlie held up his hands, palms out. “Wait. Give me a minute.”
“You’ve got five seconds.”
“And that’s generous,” Colin added.
Charlie looked up and down the alley, nervousness making him twitchy. “I might have heard that he had stumbled upon some information that the Nefari didn’t want shared.”
“What kind of information?”
“About some new project.”
Questioning Charlie was like pulling fangs. He decided to get more specific.
“Is it true the Nefari is employing humans to do their dirty work during the day?”
Charlie winced that he was stuck with telling the truth if he wanted to get out of this alley in one piece. “Yes.”
“Who are these humans?”
“I don’t know.”
“Charlie, I’m at the end of my very limited patience.”
“I swear! All I know is they are all O-positives, so it won’t matter as much if they get killed.”
Damn it, the guy appeared to be telling the truth. “What are they doing? Looking for?”
“I think you know that already.” The guy swallowed and rubbed his neck. “Blood slaves, sex slaves.”
Anger surged through Campbell. “Sex slaves? They’re pimping the humans out?”
“Yes. Certain vampires have a thing about wanting to keep a warm body around, always at the ready.”
Campbell’s stomach knotted. He understood wanting a warm body, Olivia’s, to be exact, but he couldn’t imagine keeping a human slave for his amusement and satisfaction. He’d never force Olivia or keep her against her will.
Unless he let the bloodlust take over again.
“Do you know how many people they’re targeting?” He needed to know if there were other lists of names, if he needed to call in more V Force teams for protection detail.
“I don’t know,” Charlie said.
Campbell’s eyes narrowed. “You’re holding out, weasel. Be very careful that the next words that come out of your mouth are the truth and useful to me.” Campbell’s fangs descended to emphasize his threat. In that moment, he was more vampire than man.
Charlie swallowed hard. “I might have heard they wanted to get back at that chick who messed up things for them earlier today.”
Olivia. Dread settled in Campbell’s stomach.
“When? What’s their plan?”
“That I don’t know. But they were talking about it inside the club only an hour ago.”
Cold washed over Campbell, and it had nothing to do with the brutal November wind whipping through New York’s concrete canyons. He backed away, and if he had a heartbeat, it would’ve been going crazy. He started to turn down the alley, but Colin clamped down on his arm.
“We don’t have time.” He nodded to the east, at the approaching sunrise.
“I have to make sure she’s safe.” He jerked away from Colin and left him behind, engaging his top speed. He didn’t know if God answered or even heard the prayers of vampires, but he prayed nonetheless that Olivia was safe.
If anyone tried to hurt Olivia, he’d kill him. And he wouldn’t feel even an ounce of remorse. He’d take them out for good then face the punishment. He might cease to exist, but Olivia would be safe. That was all that was important.
* * *
Mindy had been right. Olivia had lost her mind. Desiring a vampire was the height of insanity. Especially when he refused to admit he wanted her just as much. She’d suspected it after the kiss. But his anger and concern over her appearance on the news confirmed it. Despite that knowledge, she wasn’t about to beg him to come back. The next move was his. And if he didn’t make one, well, she’d find a way to get over him.
Unable to get anything resembling restful sleep, she got up before sunrise. Maybe today she’d figure out how to get on with her life without thinking of him nearly every moment. As she descended the stairs from her apartment to the restaurant, her mind went back over the dreams she’d had when she had managed to sleep last night. They alternated between Campbell ripping her neck open with a frightening savagery and his making love to her with a strength and skill that had her panting and crying out his name.