Midnight Marked (Chicagoland Vampires 12)

“I’m not going to grab those right out of your hands,” I promised, although she looked dubious about the promise.

“I’m not sure I believe you.” And to prove it, she walked around the table, put the bags down on the other side. The other guards hopped up, began distributing the grub until the only thing left was a single, floppy fry abandoned in the bottom of a greasy bag.

Beggars couldn’t be choosers.

I popped the fry and enjoyed the hell out of it.

• • •

I didn’t need dogs or fries. Not really. I was a vampire. And after a night of fighting Leona, Warrior Princess, and Ethan, Master of Vampires, I needed blood.

I went to the cafeteria at the back of the House, passing Ethan’s closed office door along the way.

Dawn wasn’t far off, and the cafeteria was dark but for the glow of a glass-doored refrigerator that held Blood4You products. The enterprising company had been expanding its menu lately, offering more types of flavored and carbonated blood. From the variety in the case, it looked like I’d missed a few recent announcements. “Taco Fiesta,” “Cajun Heat,” and “Farmer’s Market” were now on the shelves.

“Oh, hey, Mer.”

I glanced back, found Margot in the doorway. She was beautiful and curvy, with a gleaming bowl of dark hair and bangs that fell to a perfect point in the middle of her forehead. She wore a black dress over black leggings and sandals, a white Cadogan House apron over the dress. She cradled half a dozen bottles of blood against her chest.

“You look like you’re in deep thought,” she said, walking toward me. “Keep that door open, will you?”

“Sure.” I held the door, took an armful of the bottles so she’d have a free hand to load Cajun Heat and Beach Bum.

“These flavors are crazy,” she said, “but the House seems to be enjoying them.” When that was done, she wiped her hands on her apron and glanced at me. “You all right? You look a little peaked.”

“Long night,” I said, and took a bottle of Classic from the fridge.

“Anything I want to know about? Or more drama that would give me the heebie-jeebies?”

“Heebie-jeebies,” I said. Margot reached in, grabbed a bottle of Beach Bum for herself.

“Mind if I join you? I taught a merengue class tonight, and I am beat.”

“Please do. Although I may not be very good company.”

She grinned. “As long as you aren’t going to spatter me with steaming egg whites, you’re good. I could use some peace and quiet.”

We took a seat at the nearest table, drank our blood contemplatively. The effect was nearly instantaneous, as if I’d been drinking pure energy.

“The House seems nervous,” she said after a few minutes, picking at the label on her bottle.

I nodded. “Reed puts everyone on edge.”

“Asshole,” she said, and took another drink. “There’s always one, ruining it for everyone. Ego validation, projection, whatever. I was a therapist in a past life,” she explained with a downcast smile. “Realized offering therapy just made me need more of it, and needed my own outlet.”

o;We don’t know who killed Caleb Franklin,” I said. “We know it was one of Reed’s vampires.” I slid the key from the envelope, placed it on the table. “We need to figure out, if we can, which bank this came from.”

“And that would normally be a job for Jeff,” Luc said, tracing a finger around the key’s square teeth. “Checking bank records for deposit box rentals in Caleb’s name.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Bad enough that it’s hacking, much less that our bosses are on the outs. But that can’t be helped. He’s the best guy for the job. Maybe go through Catcher?”

Luc nodded. “I can try that. You give him the details about what went on tonight?”

“Not all of them,” I said. “Just what went on in Hellriver. Ethan sent my grandfather a message. You want to fill him in?”

“I can do that.”

“What about Reed?” Juliet asked. “Any sense of what his plan might be?”