Lola frowned and looked over at Rafe. He could practically read her thoughts without her saying a word.
“Are there normally so many clans in town?”
“No, Hartford is fucking crawling with vampires right now. On top of the clans, you’ve got all the clanless running around too. You can’t hunt without tripping over a bloodsucker. Moon and Novik seem to be staying on the outskirts of town. Leaving the city center to the Variks and MacPhersons.”
Rafe almost corrected him, adding that the Arsenaults were also inside the city, but he swallowed back the words. If Edgar didn’t mention the Arsenaults, he might not know where they were settled.
“Why the hell is everyone in Hartford?” Rafe looked over at Lola, and she even seemed as lost as Rafe. “It wasn’t this bad when we spent that time in Chicago.”
Edgar snorted. “Seriously?”
Rafe nearly growled when he glared down at Edgar. “Yes, seriously.”
“Everyone is following the Variks!” Edgar could barely hide the laugh from his voice. “You slaughtered the Black Wolf clan! The Black Wolf clan. They were the most dangerous, ruthless clan out there. The Variks crushed the leader and sent the surviving members packing. Tails between their fucking legs. Everyone is saying that the Variks are the ones behind the Ministry murders. We’re all watching to see what you do next.” Edgar frowned, losing some of his enthusiasm. “Or you’re a MacPherson.”
“And the MacPhersons are feeling threatened by the Variks,” Lola grumbled.
“Not that a single damn one of them would admit that,” Edgar added.
Lola grunted. “Got anything else?”
Edgar shook his head. “I’d say Novik and Moon are going to keep to themselves. And unless you’re striking some deal or holding something over them, I’d wager the Arsenaults are going to sneak away at the first opportunity. The only ones worth worrying about are the MacPhersons.”
Rafe stared at the vampire for a moment. The latest gossip definitely gave him something to think about. But right now, it wasn’t helping his current dilemma with the missing Piper Arsenault.
“Have you heard anything about a vampire disappearing from her clan?”
Edgar seemed to be taken back by the question. Lines formed between his thin eyebrows as they drew together over his long nose. “Murdered?”
“I’m thinking more along the lines of a runaway.”
Edgar chewed on his bottom lip for a moment and slowly shook his head. “No, nothing. I wouldn’t be surprised with the MacPhersons, but they’d be hunting that poor fucker down like a dog. There’s no getting out of that clan.”
Rafe nodded. Philippe had been confident Piper didn’t run away, but he felt compelled to at least check. It was best if they eliminated all options. “This has been useful, but I may need more information.”
“I figured as much,” Edgar muttered.
“Keep your ears open for my little runaway.”
“Which clan?”
Rafe smiled slowly. “Any of them. It could be useful.”
“Got it.”
“Get your great-granddaughter’s info to Lola. I’ll keep my end of our bargain. She won’t pay a cent for college.”
Edgar swallowed hard and nodded several times. He lowered his head, but not before he caught the glint of unshed tears in his eyes. Clenching his teeth, Rafe turned and left the ragged apartment. The clomp of Lola’s heels followed him, his avenging shadow back in place.
He didn’t draw in a cleansing breath until he was outside of the apartment building and on the street. The air wasn’t as refreshing as he would have liked, but it was away from Edgar’s despair and desperation. The cost of the information was more than he would have liked, but definitely not as much of a potential danger to his clan as it could have been. And it didn’t hurt that Edgar would continue to feel grateful for quite a while and would be a diligent source of information over the next several years.
“I don’t like it,” Lola snarled when they were alone.
“What? That the Variks have become some cheap reality TV show for vampires?” Rafe placed his fingers against his lips and lifted his voice to a painfully high falsetto. “Dear God, what will those crazy Variks do next?”
Lola’s clomp was turning more into an angry stomp as they walked down the sidewalk toward Rafe’s car. “The MacPhersons are just the type of clan to see it as a challenge. A threat to their power.”
Rafe dropped his hand to his side and gave a shrug of one shoulder. “We’re not picking any fights with the MacPhersons.”
“You didn’t exactly pick a fight with the Black Wolf clan, either.”
Lola had some very good points, but he couldn’t worry about clan infighting and political power struggles. That was the business of Marcus and, to some extent, Winter. He’d pass the info along to his brothers. For now, his main concern was Piper Arsenault.
His relief was sharp as they drew close to the BMW and found it untouched. The exquisite vehicle shone in the dim streetlights, a beacon beckoning him back to Blush. A world he knew.