“I’m very sorry,” Pierce said. “We can take care of him once we get to our destination. I’ll get you whatever you need.”
The others looked to Campbell. After a moment of consideration, he nodded. Pierce turned and led them into the darkened tunnel.
* * *
Despite Chloe’s assertion that she shouldn’t come, Olivia hadn’t listened. Now she wished she’d stayed away. It felt as though a gaping hole was opening up inside her to match the one in the ground she couldn’t stop staring at.
Smoke rose in the air from something still burning below street level. The air reeked with the scents of unnamed objects smoldering. She prayed that Campbell and his team were not amid the burning rubble.
Chloe still had her arm around Olivia’s shoulders. Olivia suspected that if Chloe released her, she’d crumple to the ground. Movement among the crowd of officials beyond the yellow crime-scene tape caught her attention. When a man who looked as if he might be a detective stepped away, she spotted Herbie.
“Miss DaCosta?”
Olivia looked to her left and noticed another familiar face. “Officer Cortez.”
“What are you doing here?” There it was again, the look that said he knew more was going on.
Trying to think on her feet while her heart was breaking took all her concentration. “I heard about the explosion and wanted to check on a friend.” She pointed to Herbie. “But he looks to be okay.”
Cortez glanced at Herbie before returning his attention to her. He didn’t say anything, and though she knew it was a tactic to get her to reveal more, she spoke anyway. “I deliver meals to the homeless. I’ve known Herbie and some of the others who spend their days here for several years.”
Finally, he nodded. “I’ll send him over when he’s finished.”
“Thank you.”
Officer Cortez walked away.
“That man feels like a human lie detector,” Chloe said.
“Notice I didn’t lie.”
After a few more minutes, Officer Cortez led Herbie to the tape and held it up so he could pass back to the outside of the barrier it made. He pointed toward Olivia.
She broke free of her friend and headed for the older man. “Herbie?”
“Olivia? What are you doing here?” He glanced at the position of the sun. “It’s early for your meal delivery.”
“Why were the police talking to you?”
“Because I saw someone toss a package into the bank deposit chute. Only that bank’s been closed since halfway through the virus outbreak.”
“What did he look like?”
“I don’t know. He was wearing one of those hoodie things. And he ran away as soon as he dropped the package. Had to be a human, though, because it was already daylight.”
“What were you doing out here so early? You’re not staying out here at night, are you?”
“Lord, no, honey. I got a one-day gig cleaning up after a show at Radio City Music Hall. They paid me a little and let me spend the night there.”
Olivia stared at Herbie, wishing that he knew more. That he could positively identify the bomber. Could assure her that Campbell had somehow escaped.
“Are you okay?” Herbie asked her. “You look as if all the blood has drained from your face.”
“She hasn’t been feeling well,” Chloe said as she put her arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “I think I’ll get her home.”
Olivia didn’t fight her. She had no energy left to do so. As Chloe turned her back toward where she’d parked her SUV, neither of them said anything. What could they possibly say to alleviate the yawning ache growing in Olivia’s heart? Tears trickled out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks.
This was her fault, for caring again. Though she’d not known Campbell that long, the pain his loss left behind felt too much like what had swamped her after Jeremy had died.
How could Campbell be gone? He was immortal. Why would fate allow such a good man to die not once but twice?
Chloe got her into the car without her realizing it. She leaned her forehead against the window and watched the streets of New York streak by as Chloe drove. Some part of her knew that they were going back to the diner, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to keep driving, far away from New York and all the bad memories of loss.
But that wasn’t realistic, was it? Nowhere was safe from death. Not even immortality.
Chapter 19
Campbell and the rest of the team followed Pierce as they left the subway tunnels and passed through a thick metal door into what looked like a private corridor. When they reached a set of stairs and Pierce started climbing, Campbell stopped and stared after him.
Pierce looked back. “Don’t worry that we’re going above ground. I’m a vampire, too, remember?”
After a bit more hesitation, Campbell and the rest of the team followed. They exited the stairway into an expansive library. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined a long wall, and several polished wood tables with comfortable-looking chairs filled the middle of the room. Opposite the bookcases was a line of tall windows now covered with thick metal shutters.
“This is amazing,” Sophia said as she walked forward and trailed her fingers over the top of one of the tables, its surface smooth.
“It is the least we can do for those among us who try to keep peace. Who fight against the tide of the Soulless.”
A tide, that was exactly what it felt like sometimes.
Len, carrying Billy’s body in his arms, was the last one up the stairs.
Pierce pointed at a door on the opposite side of the room. “The bedrooms are down the hallway to the right. If you want, you can place your friend in the first one until you can make arrangements.”
Len’s eyes looked bright with unshed tears as he carried Billy from the room. Quiet settled in the wake of his leaving. Finally, Pierce shifted to face them.
“The baroness asked that I convey that whatever you all need, the Imperium will provide. And if they don’t, she and I will,” he said.
Campbell extended his hand. “We can’t thank you enough, Mr. Pierce.”
Pierce took Campbell’s hand between both of his. “Call me Ray. And truly, no thanks are necessary. I’m honored to have you here.” He gestured at their surroundings. “One of the benefits of being wealthy is that I can help. Feel free to look around and use the house as you see fit. I don’t live here, so consider this entire place yours.”
Campbell suspected that calling this a house was like calling the Titanic a dinghy.
After Pierce left them alone, Campbell met the eyes of his team. Before they did anything, they had to say goodbye to Billy.
* * *
Olivia sat in the middle of her empty diner and watched the sun move closer to the horizon. She was dimly aware that Chloe was on the phone with her brother. Chloe had wanted to call Mindy, but Olivia wouldn’t let her. She didn’t think she could handle facing Mindy when she knew her friend wouldn’t mourn the loss of any vampire, not even Campbell.
Surrounded as she was by empty tables and chairs, Olivia couldn’t believe how fast her life had changed from being on the upswing to hitting rock bottom.
She became aware of the fact that Chloe was no longer on the phone.
“Would you like something to eat?” Chloe asked.
“I’m not hungry.”
“I know, sweetie, but you have to eat.”
“Why?”
Chloe slid into the chair next to Olivia. “Because Campbell cared about you, and he’d want you to take care of yourself.”
Realizing Chloe wouldn’t give up until Olivia ate something, she said, “Maybe a grilled cheese.”
The sandwich ended up tasting like old cardboard, not through any fault of Chloe’s cooking but rather through Olivia’s utter disinterest in eating it. Her friend must have realized it, because she quietly slipped the half-eaten sandwich off the table and took it to the trash in the kitchen.