Sure enough, the wound was already starting to close, pushing the bullet out of the man’s skull. Bobbie quickly patted down the man until he found the silver case with the cards inside.
Belladonna. There was only a phone number. No email or nothing.
Per his boss’s instructions to identify the man, Bobbie took the card as well as the guy’s license. As soon as he left, he’d call his boss and tell him what he’d discovered. He’d report that this male was a vampire, something Officer Southcott had failed to notice. The boss would be pleased and Bobbie hoped he’d finally be rewarded.
Although it was difficult for him, he didn’t take the wad of cash in the guy’s wallet—the boss might not approve. He was about to stand up when it occurred to him to take the guy’s cell phone, too. Maybe there’d be useful information on the SIM card that his boss could use. He was searching for it when he caught sight of the gold medallion around the man’s neck. He couldn’t help himself—he picked it up.
Shit, it was heavy. Was it real gold? And what did the three triangles symbolize? ’Cause they looked a little like fangs. A genuine vampire artifact. He started to lift it, but felt the buzz of a mosquito at his temple. Frowning, he swatted it away.
Don’t take the necklace.
Forget you ever saw it.
Leave the necklace alone.
Take nothing else from me. Go.
The words echoed inside Bobbie’s brain, but surely he was imagining them.
He slapped at the mosquito again.
Then abruptly he released the chain and stood, slightly woozy.
He wasn’t going to take the necklace. Was going to forget about the necklace. Would leave the necklace alone. He would take nothing else from the man. He would leave.
He turned, swayed a little on his feet, and headed out.
He had a phone call to make.
As the man dropped the necklace, Ty’s tense muscles relaxed. He’d been preparing to fight if the man had actually tried to take it, but frankly, Ty hadn’t been sure he’d be able to lift his arms, let alone overpower anyone. He struggled not to scream with pain. Fuck, it was bad. He felt like his skull was going to blow off but he forced himself to remain silent. To not give himself away.
Distantly, he listened to the man who’d searched him walk away.
The man’s scent carried on the wind long after his footsteps faded. Ty recognized it. A kick of adrenaline numbed his pain and had him feeling faintly satisfied.
The young guy who’d been in Ana’s café with his girlfriend. Ana had called him Bobbie. Bobbie Hernandez.
He’d obviously followed him. Did Bobbie have anything to do with the cops who’d shown up and shot Ty? He was betting that was the case. Unfortunately, that was all he could do. Although he’d tried to read the kid’s mind, a lot of blood and ugly visions had gotten in the way. Bobbie was a wannabe vampire. His brain was crowded with violent fantasies.
Besides that, Ty had picked up two images. One of Ana. And one of two men talking about turning humans into vampires. One of those men had been Miguel Salvador, the very man they were hoping she could influence in order to get them inside Salvation’s Crossing. The same man who knew exactly where Ana’s sister was—right by his side.
What he’d read of Bobbie’s thoughts was just further confirmation Belladonna was on the right track. That Salvation’s Crossing was indeed more than it appeared to be and that by getting inside, they’d be able to eliminate the Rogues.
Ty caught a whisper in the air and listened carefully. It was a distant echo of Bobbie’s excited brain, he realized with no small amount of amazement. Leftover mental energy oozing with Bobbie’s desire to be a vampire.
Shit, if it didn’t already have one, the FBI should print a recruitment brochure:
Join us! Openings at all levels! Human? Become immortal. Who cares if you need to drink blood for the rest of your life? Natural vampire? Turn humans for fun and profit. Opportunities for advancement at major government agency.
Ty snorted.
It was frustrating as hell, the fact that he could sometimes read minds, sometimes couldn’t. And now he’d discovered his psychic ability worked on lingering mental thoughts. And the fact that Bobbie hadn’t taken the medallion around Ty’s neck, when he’d clearly coveted it? Ty couldn’t help wondering if Bobbie had obeyed Ty’s silent commands to leave it alone. Had Ty somehow been able to use mind control on the other man?
The questions were stacking up quickly, and would likely continue that way.
About twenty minutes later, when Ty didn’t feel like vomiting from the pain, he opened his eyes and forced himself to a seated position. Bobbie’s scent had faded, so Ty knew he was long gone. Standing, he thought once again of the homeless man whose blood he’d feasted on.
The vampire named Niles had implied he’d cleaned up Ty’s mess to prevent humans from learning about vampires. How? Had he closed the man’s puncture wounds by licking them, as Ty should have done? Had he somehow erased the man’s memory? Or worse, had he killed the man? That would make sense if the point was to ensure vampires remained a secret.
Renewed guilt washed over him. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, and God knew he was. He wondered about the man’s family, if he had one. Maybe a wife or kids who’d long ago stopped wondering where he was. Whether that was the case or not, he deserved better than what had happened to him tonight.
He took out his cell phone. “I’ve run into some trouble,” he said when Carly answered. “Real trouble. I was attacked by two vampires. One read my mind. And according to them, their queen suspected what the Bureau was doing. And I’ve just confirmed those suspicions for her.”
For a few seconds, Carly didn’t respond. Then she merely sighed. “I’ll contact Mahone. Anything else?”
“I need you to look into an Officer Southcott with the Seattle PD. And send agents to the area of Wilcox and Booth. Advise them to be on the lookout for a body.”
“Whose?” she said coolly.
That was Carly. Someone was dead but she didn’t waste time with unnecessary words or emotions. “A homeless man who probably has my DNA all over him.”
That made her pause for a second, but just barely. “You drank from him? Damn it, Ty, I thought you had yourself under control!”
“I did. I just—I just waited too long to drink.” It won’t happen again. He tried to say it, but of course he couldn’t. Because he didn’t know if it was true.
Her voice softened, but only slightly. “Are you hurt?”
It didn’t escape him that her question seemed more practical than caring. After all, his lapse tonight notwithstanding, she was already short-staffed. And as a turned vampire he did have a special skill set. “I should be dead, but I’m fine. At least, I will be. But someone tailed me tonight. Someone with a connection to Ana and Salvation’s Crossing.”
“And?”
“He’s identified me.” Of course, he’d done it using Ty’s Belladonna-issued fake ID, which would merely confirm Ty Nunes was a wealthy philanthropist with a yen to give money away. But the identity check hadn’t really been about him. If Bobbie was indeed working for Miguel Salvador and Salvation’s Crossing, then the man had been keeping tabs on Ana.
And he hadn’t been happy that Ty had contacted her.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
Ana was tired. Truth be told, she’d been tired for a long time. Unfortunately, Ana hadn’t gotten a full night’s sleep since …