Jade by Rose Montague Read Free Book Online

others about, although most vamp masters had at least human day security in place.
    Rolfe quickly made introductions and Luca shook hands all around, stumbling slightly when he shook my hand and recognized my vamp nature.
    “Well, this is really getting interesting,” he said. “Please come in.”
    Luca introduced us to his human servant, Bruce, who offered us coffee or tea, of which Sarah and I both accepted on the coffee part. It was a really fine blend, full and dark, I even asked for the name brand to add to my collection. Typical southern niceties done, James asked Luca for his opinion on the present situation.
    “This series of human murders and disappearances has the entire vamp community in the Capitol on edge,” Luca said. “I have spoken with the other two masters of the city and they are at a loss to explain it. As I told your Captain when he called to see if I wanted to claim the vamps in your custody as mine, I just don’t see the logic. Think about it, this almost seems designed to get the vamps cast out or hunted down, why would we want that? No, I suspect it is a fae plot to rid the city of vamps so they can expand what little they were left with after the fae wars.”
    Sarah said, “Yes that would make sense, except signs of vamps are found with almost every disappearance and five of them were involved with kidnapping and murder at yesterday’s crime scene.”
    “It is a mystery but let me say this,” Luca responded. “I happen to personally know two of the vamps involved, and they are newly turned and very easily glamoured by a powerful fae. The third one, the short and rather plump one by the Captain’s description is one I don’t know and he may be the key to your case.”
    Luca had made another good point. It was true that newly-turned vamps were easily swayed by a powerful glamour.
    Chris added, “We can offer those two a deal if you think they were used, Luca. Our team is in charge of the interrogation of those three and I believe we can get our boss to work something out with the DA.”
    “I am just about as certain of those two as I can be without admitting they are a part of my group,” Luca said. “Please let me know if such a deal is made with these two, it may be that I find their names on my roster after all.” He turned to me. “Young lady,” he said. “It would please me greatly if you allow me to come calling. I feel a real connection, something within you we can explore together.”
    Wow, I thought. Master of city asks me for a date on day two. Got to love it. Rolfe was pretty tense all of a sudden. Pretty darn hilarious.
    “Why, Luca,” I said. “I am really flattered by your attentions. My plate is rather full at the moment, but perhaps if I take your number?”
    “With pleasure,” he said.

Chapter Nine
    Sarah said, “You’re not really going out with that vamp are you, Smith?”
    I let my fangs out and smiled at her. Sarah issued a small squeak and tried to move back through the booth we were seated in. A waitress approaching a table near ours dropped the entire load of food she was carrying on the floor. I retracted my fangs.
    Rolfe put his head on the table. “God, Smith, you are such a screw up sometimes.”
    Witches were mostly human and, like most humans, had an instinctive fear of vamps. I hadn’t thought about that. We had stopped at a Breakfast Served, a chain that served breakfast all day and all night long. We had just sat down and I had already gulped down a cup of coffee from the pot that same waitress had set down on the table when we were seated. The manager came over and asked us to leave. I offered to pay for the food but the manager just ignored me and showed us to the door.
    As we got back in the car I told Sarah I was sorry.
    “Jesus, Smith,” she said. “What the hell are you? If we are going to work together, I need to know these things.”
    “I little bit of this and that,” I responded, embarrassed over my stupidity. I guess I had