Page 49 of Bloodhunter

“First of all,” Miriam said, “we have a tiny update on thefoam situation. Let’s talk about that, then we’ll concentrate on ourbloodhunter.” She smiled at me.

I couldn’t look at her the same way. Sure, she was nice tome—protective,even—but she was a monster to Clayton. Who could raise someone up from the deadand enslave them? There were no laws to protect him. As long as she pulled themystical strings that bound him, he was her property.

The fact that I now felt protective of the man hadn’tescaped my notice. I was protective of all the supernaturals—but the othersweren’t being subjugated by a cruel mistress.

“Trinity?”

I focused on the little knot of supernats gathered at atable in Stark’s Pizza. I was waiting for Shane Copas to arrive, and they’ddecided to wait with me—just in case there were bad guys hiding under thetables, I suppose. Speaking of protective. Or overprotective, actually. “Yes?”

“You weren’t listening,” Miriam said. “Do you need to liedown?”

“No,I don’t need to lie down.” I frowned at her.“Obviously I’m stronger than I look, so stop with the delicate flower shit.”

They all laughed, though I wasn’t trying to be funny.

After Rhys had driven me home, I’d taken a long, hot shower,carried my covers into the closet, and then drifted immediately and into a deep,dreamless sleep. I slept until early the next morning when three of Angus’schildren came screaming into the bedroom, converged upon the closet, and forcedme to rise.

I was fine.

“Clayton.” Miriam’s voice became the crisp, cold,emotionless tone it always changed to when she addressed him. “Speak.”

“I spoke to a contact,” he said. “She told me there’ve beenattacks with the Foam of Aphrodite in other cities, as well. Probably more thanwe know, because the foam dissipates relatively quickly and the victims wouldhave been unable to tell their stories.”

I frowned. “Why couldn’t they tell their stories? Because hewiped their memories?”

“Because he killed them,” he replied.

“Oh,” I murmured. “I don’t see—”

Miriam gave me a stern look. “Trinity, we need to get onwith this. Please let him talk before Shane arrives to take you out.”

I snorted. “You make it sound like we’re dating.”

Her bright smile broke through the sternness. “You neverknow.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I do know,” I replied. “Shane Copasdoesn’t love me like you guys do.” I grinned. “And believe me, the feeling ismutual.”

“Give it time,” she said. “He won’t be able to resist yourrather odd siren song for long.”

I had no idea what she was talking about, but before I couldask, Angus huffed. “You said something about getting on with it?”

Miriam gave him an amused look, which he avoided. “Clayton,”she ordered.

Clayton placed his slice of pizza back into his plate andbegan speaking once more. “We think the attacker is making more foam from eachof his victims, and using it to attack the next person.”

“And his victims?” Angus asked. “I assume they’re all humansince the foam doesn’t affect us.”

“His victims are all humans,” Clayton said. He glanced atme, then slid his gaze away, as though he didn’t want me to see what lay in hiseyes. “And when he can find them, he’s killing hunters.”

Miriam reached across the table to take my hand. “We thinkhe’s attracted to hunters, and when he entered our city, he immediatelygravitated toward you.”

I pulled my hand away and took a sip of my Coke to wet mysuddenly dry throat. “Someone should tell Shane.” Then I frowned. “But why thefoam?”

“To get you to hold still for it,” Angus said. “Our cowardlyattacker is a weak little ass pimple of a bitch.”

“Probably sick,” Rhys agreed. “And he’s not going to beinterested in Copas.”

I shook my head at Angus and looked at Rhys. “What makes youthink he’s sick? He was very fast, and not even Clayton throwing him into awall seemed to rattle him much.”