Midnight Awakening (Midnight Breed 3)

He had been attempting to pick up an overnight package for the one he called Master. The Minion--Raines, she thought he'd said his name was--had been quite outraged to learn that the delivery had not arrived as expected. What could be so important to him? More to the point, what could be so important to the vampire who'd made the Minion?

Elise intended to find out.

She'd been itching to leave her apartment since the moment she recalled the intriguing detail, but a rather immense, rather arrogant Breed warrior stood in her way. As Tegan didn't think she had anything to contribute in the fight against the Rogues, Elise saw no reason to bother him with her information until she was certain what it might mean.

It took several minutes to reach the FedEx store near the train station. Elise loitered outside for a while, formulating a loose plan and waiting for the handful of customers inside to complete their transactions and leave. As the last one came toward the exit, Elise tugged her earbuds free and walked up to the counter. The clerk on duty was the same kid who had been working yesterday. He nodded a vague greeting at her as she approached, but thankfully he didn't seem to recognize her.

Can I help you?

Elise took a deep, calming breath, fighting hard to work through the cacophony that was building in her mind now that her crutch of blaring music was gone. She wouldn't have long before she was overwhelmed.

I need to pick up a package, please. It was due here yesterday but got delayed because of the storm.

Name?

Um, Raines, she replied, and attempted a smile.

The young man glanced up at her as he typed something on the computer. Yeah, it's in. Can I see some ID?

Excuse me?

Driver's license, credit card...gotta have signature and ID for the pickup.

I don't have any of those things. Not with me, I mean.

The clerk shook his head. Can't release without some form of ID. Sorry. It's policy and I can't afford to lose this job. No matter how bad it sucks.

Please, Elise said. This is very important. My...husband was here yesterday to pick it up, and he was very upset that it was delayed.

She weathered the clerk's answering rush of animosity toward the Minion. He was thinking of baseball bats, dark alleys, and broken bones. No offense, lady, but your husband is a dick.

Elise knew she looked anxious, but it would only serve her all the better at this moment. He's not going to be happy with me if I come home without that shipment today. Really, I must have it.

Not without ID. The kid looked at her for a long moment, then ran his palm over his chin and the little triangular growth of whiskers below his lower lip. Course if I happen to leave it on the counter and go back for a smoke break, there's a good chance that box might sprout legs and walk off while I'm gone. Shit does go missing from time to time...

Elise held the kid's cagey stare. You would do that?

Not for nothing, I won't. He glanced at the earbuds dangling from the collar of her sweatshirt. That the new model? The one with video?

Oh, this isn't...

Elise started to shake her head in refusal, ready to tell the clerk that the device belonged to her son and it wasn't hers to give away. Besides, she needed it, she thought desperately, even while reason told her she had the means to buy a hundred new ones. But this one was Camden's. Her only tangible link to him now, through the music he'd been listening to in the days--the hours, in fact-- before he left home for the very last time.

Hey, whatever, the clerk said, shrugging now and pulling the box back off the counter. I shouldn't be messing around anyway--

Okay, Elise blurted before she could change her mind. Yes, okay. It's yours. You can have it.

She pulled the wires out from under her sweatshirt, then wound them around the iPod and set the sleek black case down in front of the clerk. It took her a while to remove her hand from the top of the device. When she did, it was with a wince of deep regret.

And rigid resolve.

I'll take the package now.

Chapter Eight

Tegan came out of a brief, light doze, fully recharged, as footsteps approached the apartment door from outside. He knew the sound of Elise's soft but determined gait even before a key slid into the lock announcing her arrival.

She'd been gone almost two hours. Another two and the sun would finally be gone, and he'd be free to get the hell out of there, back to his business as usual.