Chapter 11 #2
Jamison leaned forward. “It seems like the last person to go permanently missing in A-Springs was a teenage boy, and the teenage girl with him was involuntarily turned into a Vampire. Quite the coincidence that the teenage girl was Carly’s sister.”
Dessa’s spine snapped straight, and she glared at him.
Rhett bared his fangs in a poorly concealed snarl. “Alana Jowett was changed by a venom injection that could’ve been administered by anyone, and both of the local Vampire clans made a joint statement condemning the attacker’s actions.”
“But you didn’t find him,” Jamison prodded, even as Rhett looked ready to leap out of his seat and kill him. Magic quaked through Jamison in a warning tremor. “Convenient, isn’t it?”
“Are you insinuating something again?” Rhett rose from his seat with a growl, and Jamison could’ve sworn his muscles bulged. “I only give humans one warning.”
“Enough.” Dessa shot from her seat and placed a hand on Rhett’s chest. “Relax, Rhett. He’s just trying to get a rise out of you. It’s what he does. It annoys me too.”
Rhett relaxed under her touch, the snarl folding into a milder frown. “I could eliminate him for you if you want. I’d happily pay the fee.”
“But then we’d have to find a new intern, and we’re already so short-handed.” Dessa mock pouted, and Rhett’s lips twitched into an almost-smile.
Jamison opened his mouth to say something else snarky, when Noah unhelpfully strolled back up to the front.
“A Vampire, huh? I’m not going to lie, I’m still not used to seeing these things.
” He leaned closer as if to peer into Rhett’s mouth, and Dessa physically stepped between them.
Noah leaned around her. “Like how many people have you eaten? If you’re thirsty, do you just bite into someone’s neck? ”
This time, Rhett reared back as if Noah was a rabid animal. “Please don’t tell me this is another intern?”
“Hardly.” Noah barked out a condescending laugh, flicking out a business card from who knew where. “I’m Noah Kane. If you’re ever interested in making a few good investments and securing a foothold in the business world, you can give me a call.”
Rhett’s lips curled up to fully reveal his fangs this time. “I’m starting to question the company AzRIO keeps.”
“Well, if it makes you feel better, I’m related to him, and I don’t like him either.” Jamison stepped forward to usher Noah out the door. “Luckily he was just leaving.”
“Geez, you’re so pushy, Jase. I just wanted to see what you’d abandoned us for.” Noah grinned, but the expression held a wicked edge. “After all, we can’t have you spilling the family secrets to some paranormal mall cops.”
Dessa’s gaze narrowed, and Jamison took in a deep breath through his nose before letting it out slowly. He would not punch his cousin here. Later definitely. But not here. “Get out before I let the Vampire eat you.”
“And your ID card will be mailed to you in five to seven business days,” Melba called from her desk, waving a purple gummy worm. With that, Jamison opened the door and bodily shoved Noah out onto the sidewalk, turning the lock behind him.
Noah only tried the handle for a second before blowing Jamison a sardonic kiss and stalking away.
Leaning his back against the door, Jamison turned to Dessa, whose expression was fit to freeze her coffee. “Let’s keep it locked for an hour just in case,” he said. “And if you ever see him coming again, be sure to latch it before he gets inside.”
Rhett’s sharp gaze followed Noah until he disappeared around the corner before addressing Jamison.
“I can see the Kane family resemblance now. I don’t know how I missed it before.
” He turned to Dessa, and something akin to concern flicked through his flat stare.
“Kanes, like Vampires, can be scary people.”
Jamison’s stomach dropped, the truth of Rhett’s words punching the air from his lungs. Did the Vampire know about the curse?
“I’m touched by the concern, but I’m not afraid of those two.” She gestured between Jamison and Noah’s general direction.
“There are rumors that say you should be, what with the triple homicide and all.” Rhett appraised Jamison with a cock of his head.
The tension fled Jamison’s body, leaving his bones jelly with…strangely, disappointment. If the Vampire knew, why wouldn’t he say something? Or maybe he didn’t know anything at all and just thought the Kanes had killed the women the old-fashioned Nescient way.
Rhett slumped back into the chair and plucked up a magazine. “Either way, even incompetence can be fatal. I’d keep an eye on them.”
Now that was a jab Jamison had heard before, but was the guy really going to stay here all day? Annoyance tightened his chest. Unlike Noah, though, Jamison couldn’t just shove him out.
“You’re warning Blue about me, but you said Vampires are dangerous too,” Jamison said.
“Oh yes.” Rhett cut him a lethal grin. “What better protection to give than a Vampire’s? Should she need a permanent solution, I am here to provide.”
“Oh, for the love of—” Dessa rolled her eyes.
“You two are killing me. In case you haven’t noticed, pretty much everyone in this neighborhood is dangerous, and I certainly don’t need your protection.
” She extended the pointed, wooden end of a pop-stake, and Rhett physically flinched, his eyes rounding.
Jamison had to stifle a snort. “Lucky for you”—she pointed the stake at him—“I’m all about improving office relationships.
So I will treat you to a red cappuccino, and then you will go back to your office. ”
Rhett perked up as Jamison sat back in his chair, not sure what to think. First of all, while he didn’t know what a red cappuccino was, he could stretch a guess. “Wait, are you offering to—”
“No.” Dessa pointed the stick at Jamison now as she rounded her desk. “Quinley sells them next door, and they’re made from pig’s blood, so you can chill out. Geez, I need a mocha anyway.”
Rhett rose with a widening grin. “I suppose I can escort you to the café if that’s what you require.”
“What I require is you getting out of our office.” Dessa closed the telescoping stake with a snap. “And also, I want to hear exactly what rumors have been flying around about the Were-girl’s attempted abduction.”
Rhett opened the door, his placid expression unruffled by this blunt onslaught. “Of course, of course.”
Dessa gave Jamison one last look over her shoulder. “Don’t burn the place down while I’m gone.”
“Right.” Jamison nodded, still trying to figure out how Dessa had managed to throw the Vampire out without offending him.
Though Rhett didn’t seem ready to spill all his secrets to her quite yet, Jamison had to admit, he looked softer than he had when he’d first walked in.
Opening his umbrella with one hand, Rhett offered his arm with the other, and Jamison couldn’t help but frown as Dessa rested her hand on his elbow.
“She’s still got it.” Melba grinned from his side, stuffing another sour gummy worm into her mouth as she watched them stroll down the street.
“Got what?” Jamison asked.
“Dessa’s always had a way with navigating people of all affinities.
With all personalities. She can defuse a situation in an instant, and I swear to you I don’t think there’s one person in this town she can’t coax a smile from.
” Melba’s grin faded with a bittersweet shadow as she chewed her candy.
“I just hope that we can put a real smile on her face again.”
Jamison glanced sideways at Melba. “I’m guessing you were here when Zach went missing.”
Melba’s brows rose. “I’m surprised she told you about that.
” A low sigh seeped out of her. “But yes, yes I was. Usually our work around here is pretty mundane, but every so often something horrible happens. It’s like magic just can’t help itself.
Most of the time it’s good, and then every so often it erupts with darkness. ”
Melba turned to him, her mouth still quirked somewhere between remembrance and her usual good cheer. “Though Dessa is very gifted, she has a knack for attracting trouble. I expect that’s why Brad brought you on too.” She waved a pink gummy worm at him. “Try to keep her safe, will you?”
A knot swelled in Jamison’s throat, his skin heating. Because of course, he was more liable to put Dessa in danger than he was to help her. With his curse, the Vampire was probably a safer bet. “I don’t know,” he finally managed. “Sometimes I think I’m a magnet for trouble too.”
Melba chuckled and patted his arm. “Well of course you are. I’m just saying it’s better to be in trouble with someone else than be in trouble by yourself.”
Jamison barked out a surprised laugh, thinking of their wallowing party last night, but before he could say anything, the pink-haired Vampire—Julia—from earlier in the week pounded on the door.
Jamison flinched back, but to her credit, Melba’s lips only quirked with amusement. “Come in,” she called in a sing-song voice.
Julia burst into the office. “Is Rhett here? What about the McKinney girl?”
Melba beamed, and Jamison got the distinct impression that she fed off drama. “They’re next door at The Witch’s Brew. What’s the rush?”
“We have a situation that needs a liaison.” With that, she ran back out of the office, and Jamison raced after her. Because whether he was the danger or he was running into the danger, there was no way he was being left behind.