BloodBound (2 page)

A few minutes later, Mom slid open the patio door and stuck her head out. “Stephanie, honey, come inside.”

For the next half hour Stephanie occupied herself with setting the table and talking to Mom, Amanda and Brendan. She’d greeted her brothers, Kyle and Patrick, but tactfully avoided conversations with them. To them, she was the black sheep of the family, but not because she was their half-sibling. Although their interaction had never been outright hostile, an undercurrent of unease flowed between them. Her brothers’ profession as vampire bounty hunters was almost inevitable with three ancestral generations of vampire hunters. Unfortunately, the old hatred of the race had carried down to her brothers. Of course, the fact that their father had been killed by a vampire during one of his bounty missions fueled the hatred. Nonetheless, it was an unreasonable emotion given that most vampires were good citizens, having conformed their feeding habits to the federal laws enacted in the 1890s. Today, vampires drank manufactured blood available in supermarkets and butchers’ shops. Violent acts committed by the race were on a sharp decline due to the fact that vampires had the freedom to thrive alongside humans. Criminal laws were enforced by the VCI, which was a government agency that functioned like the police and the FBI, with the exception that vampires operated it.

She looked at her brothers as they took their usual seats at the long table in the dining room. They were strapping men of brute strength in their late twenties. Rowdy and quick-tempered. You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to be able to read between the lines of their accounts of their missions—they abused their authority whenever they could get away with it. This was most abhorrent to her, and she couldn’t help expressing her thoughts during those discussions, which turned into verbal feuds. Amanda supported her during those times, though cautiously, not wishing to inflame the situation, and Stephanie always retreated, reminding herself that her true nature had to remain a secret. Revealing it would tear her family apart—her brothers on one side, her sister on her side, and Mom helplessly stuck somewhere in the middle.

Only once did Mom intervene, demanding that they not engage in talk about bounty hunting as it reminded her of her late husband. From then on, her brothers rarely talked about their work at family gatherings and Stephanie was careful to hold her tongue.

The topics of conversation flowed from the weather, to current affairs, to work and to real estate. Amanda and Brendan were in the market for a home. She contributed her opinion when she felt it had some substance, otherwise she enjoyed her meal quietly.

Mom laughed at something Kyle said and slapped his shoulder. Then she tucked the single gray lock of her shoulder-length hair behind her ear and announced that she’d made two pies: cranberry and apple. Apart from the fine lines around her eyes, her youthful beauty lingered in her large blue eyes, her elegant, high cheekbones, and her slim frame.

In the kitchen, they helped themselves to pie, ice cream, and coffee. Slowly, Amanda, Brendan and Mom drifted toward the living room, leaving Stephanie alone with her brothers. Patrick was already cutting a second slice of pie while she poured milk into her coffee.

“So, Stephanie, you still working at that ad company?” he asked.

“It’s a package design company.” She’d said so half a dozen times before. “And I’ve been there four years now.”

Patrick raised an eyebrow as if it were the first time he’d heard this, and then dug into the pie.

Kyle’s mobile trilled. He put his plate down and pulled the device from the back pocket of his jeans. “Kyle here.” After a few seconds he snapped his fingers to get Patrick’s attention and gestured for him to jot down notes.

“K, hold on a sec.” He pulled the mobile away from his ear and said to Patrick, “2900 S. Lafayette. South of East Yale Avenue.” To the person on the phone he said, “We’re not home, so we have to get the dogs. It’ll take us about an hour to get there.”

After a pause, he added, “Oh yeah? That’s interesting.” He chuckled as he ended the call.

She’d planned on making a quick exit, but a feeling of apprehension stilled her.

“Jay tracked Eric Polasky to that address and the place got a large take out delivery, so he’s gonna be there a little while.”

Patrick acknowledged this with a pleased grunt and tucked the sticky note in his shirt pocket.

“What’s the offense?” Stephanie asked, still unsure why she was curious.

Kyle gave her a wary look and replied after a moment. “Jumping bail on a blood party charge.”

Blood parties were illegal. They involved vampires feeding directly from a willing human or a dhampir—a person who was part human, part vampire. Although participants generally exercised caution, there were cases where people had ended up in hospital or dead.

“Has he killed anyone?” she asked.

Her brother scowled. “No, he’s just bloodsucking vermin, like the rest of them.”

Stephanie ignored the racist slur because the case had grabbed her attention.

Kyle turned to Patrick. “Remember that little vampire punk, Kelso, who gave you lip when we questioned him about Simons?”

Her senses snapped into alertness at the mention of Kelso.

“Sure do,” Patrick replied.

“Well, he’s hanging with Polasky right now.”

Patrick grinned. “Payback time.”

A cold knot clenched her stomach. “Do you mean Jason Kelso, the dhampir?” she questioned automatically.

“Some dhampirs are just as bad as vampires,” Kyle retorted as his eyes narrowed. “What do
you
know about Kelso?”

The knot tightened painfully and she felt angry heat pool in her face. Now was not the time to get into it with Kyle, though. Her friend was in trouble. “I watch the news,” she returned curtly, and directed her question at Patrick. “What do you plan on doing to him?”

Patrick jabbed the air between them with a thick finger. “Teach that bloodsucker not to mess with law enforcement.”

Her composure snapped. A fireball of anger and dread blazed through her. “Why can’t you keep it clean? They have rights, too!” The sudden pressure at her fingertips made her ball her hands into fists. Her nails dug deep into her palms but she ignored the discomfort.

“Mind your own business, Stephanie,” Patrick snapped and stormed out of the kitchen.

She turned her glare on Kyle. “It’s unethical, damn it!”

He swallowed the last piece of his dessert before pushing the dish away. “I don’t get you, Stephanie…but maybe if you had a nice guy in your life like Amanda, you wouldn’t be so obsessed with these goddamn vampires and what we do with them.” With that, he left the room.

Stephanie turned away and forced down the primal sound that almost choked her.
How could she be related to such uncivilized jerks?
Tears pricked her eyes and threatened to flow but she blinked them back.

Jason Kelso was a vampire rights activist. He was ardent and vocal, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly. Three years ago, he’d been a complete stranger in a bar who’d listened to her inebriated description of her bizarre symptoms, and suggested she get a DNA test. He’d given her the address of a private clinic located in a nondescript building. The doctor had been discreet and when she returned to see him about the results, he’d explained everything in detail. The news was shocking at first, but it finally put her mind at rest. She wasn’t ill, wasn’t dying. Jason never asked her about it, though she suspected he knew.

He was a special friend and she owed him as far as she was concerned. Unfortunately, the man disliked modern technology so much he didn’t own a mobile. She shook her head.
How was she supposed to warn him?

Stephanie glanced down at her hands. The nails hadn’t retracted yet. No surprise, she was so outraged she could hardly see straight. She couldn’t stay any longer, not in her present state and certainly not with Jason in danger. Two months ago, Patrick had been investigated for shooting a vampire in the shoulder. He’d claimed self-defense and was released with no charges for lack of evidence. She’d read the short newspaper story about it. The young vampire hadn’t even been armed. A bounty hunter’s job was to arrest fugitives and bring them to the authorities
unharmed
, a fact her brothers ignored on a regular basis.

Locating her handbag, she used her mobile to pull up a Google map of the address Kyle had mentioned. She estimated it would take her about thirty minutes to get there. Stephanie forced a smile on her face and said her goodbyes to the rest of her family after feeding them one of her emergency escape excuses. Luckily, they didn’t seem to have noticed the raised voices. But she didn’t miss the shadow of concern in her mother’s eyes before she left.

In the car, Stephanie gripped the steering wheel and drew in a few long breaths before pulling into the street, yet anger still clawed at her. Her brothers were making a detour to get the dogs, so she’d be able to beat them to the address. She got onto route 36 and headed straight for 85 South, toward Denver. Her foot pressed down on the gas pedal and she moved into the left lane. The sunset had left a bright splash of copper in the sky. Traffic was moving well. At 9:15, she exited at Hampden Avenue and took a few side streets until she reached Lafayette. Her heart rate picked up as she neared the location. It was a lovely tree-lined street with large, charming houses and manicured lawns. It seemed odd that a fugitive would be hiding out in such a well-to-do neighborhood.

Recalling there was someone staking out the place, she eased into a parking spot several houses past the address. Good thing she had a knit hat in the back seat. She twisted her hair up, tucked it under the hat and got out of the car. She eyed the two-story, stucco construction as she approached it and couldn’t help wondering what Jason was doing with a wanted individual. Whatever the case, she was certain he had a good reason. She pressed the doorbell and worried her lip as she waited.

When the door swung open, the sound of dance music and multiple voices floated out from the depths of the house. Her brow furrowed as she looked up into the smooth face of a young man. His pretty-boy blond looks barely registered.
They were having a party?

“Hi. Um, this
is
2900 South Lafayette, right?”

He gave her a casual once-over and made a show of stepping outside and gesturing at the address plate above the door. His shoulder brushed against hers as he said with a grin, “Looks that way, miss.”

She didn’t have time for this. “It’s important that I talk to Jason Kelso right away.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Lucky guy. Is he expecting you?”

Stephanie pushed out a sigh. She couldn’t get caught here and needed this guy to take her seriously. “Look, I’m a friend of Jason’s and I believe he’s here, possibly helping out someone who jumped bail on a blood party charge.”

The young man’s face sobered and his eyes narrowed and scanned the street. “What’s going on?” he asked warily when he looked at her again.

She shook her head. “There’s no time. Bounty hunters are on the way. Warn Jason he
has
to leave.” She skipped down the few steps and heard the muttered “fuck” as the man rushed back inside. Stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jacket, she watched her breath mist and wondered if the other bounty hunter was watching her. Even if he put two and two together at some point, he didn’t know her. As she drove away, she prayed Jason got her message in time.

One shot, Stephanie told herself as she nodded at the massive bouncer who held the door open for her. It was early and there were only a handful of patrons. The DJ was playing warm-up electro jazz, which she liked. She walked along the length of the bar, a wall-to-wall piece with a glossy black counter and a distressed red motif along the base. She passed the first bar man and took a seat across from Michel.

The blue-eyed vampire flashed a smile. “It’s been a while, kitty. What sort of naughtiness have you been up to?”

“None.” She’d never told him her name. In fact, she never told him much.

His brow quirked. “So why the troubled face?”

She slanted a look his way and he raised his hands.

“Okay, no talking. What do you feel for?”

Her stomach longed for human blood, but that would make her even less human. “Cow shot.”

When he placed the small glass before her, she downed its contents quickly.
Heavenly.
She felt its absorption into her bloodstream within minutes, the pure nutrients coursing through every cell in her body, sharpening her senses, feeding the hungry spot in her center.

Michel was arranging things behind the counter, but his gaze had barely strayed from her. “Hit the spot?”

“Yeah, thanks.” She fished around in her bag for a ten and slid it across the counter. “Keep the change.”

He frowned at the bill and leaned closer, his mouth inches from her ear. “You know you could drink all night and not give me a dime.”

Stephanie smiled and purred her answer, “I know, but then you’d want something in return.”

He chuckled. “Just a teeny bite.”

It was tempting. She slid off the stool. “Take care, Michel.”

Chapter Three

Two days later, Alex DeSousa called him on his mobile with some data. In ten minutes, Dex had a detailed biography of Stephanie Dubois, which included her address, her current employment, a clear criminal record, unremarkable financial records, as well as pertinent information regarding her family members. Nothing indicated that she was dhampir, which didn’t surprise him. Many dhampir kept their nature a secret, fearing social and professional discrimination.

He took notes, including secondary information, like the fact that her two brothers were vampire bounty hunters.

“There’s more,” Alex continued. “An update came through the warrants database when I did my search. The brothers had a bail piece on a vampire named Eric Polasky a while back. A few days ago—April 23
rd
specifically—they raided a residence in the city for Polasky. The operation was unsuccessful. But,” he paused, “get this. I sneaked a peek at the forensics file, and I came across a couple of photos of a woman that looks a little like your Stephanie Dubois. Compared to her official pic, that is. Not the clearest of images, but she’s tagged as a person of interest.”