Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Abi
“In conclusion, do you think the attacker is a vampire?” I asked, eyeing up my cell phone screen as I made sure my camera was zoomed out.
Beckett slouched against his house, his stone-cut face making the pose look like a magazine picture. “I think you’re once again working after regular business hours.”
“I’ll have you know I’m making up the early afternoon hours I lost getting toasted at the von Stiehl Winery,” I said.
“Besides, I have to take these pictures of the doorway for Jonas and Christopher since they’re going to install a video doorbell for the house.
” I checked the photo to make sure it was clear, then sent it to the cleaner and handyman.
“Since Christopher is no good with tech, Jonas is doing me a huge favor and running out and getting a video doorbell tonight so Christopher can take a look at the doorbell situation tomorrow morning. And since he insists on working at the butt crack of dawn, I need to have the details ready for him.”
It had struck me as odd that as a handyman Christopher hadn’t known what a video doorbell was, but when I’d tracked him down in the mansion so I could ask about it, he’d been reciting flowery poetry to a bemused but supportive Shannon. So, I guess it fit his image?
“And why is it so important that the house gets a video doorbell as soon as possible?” Beckett pushed off the house exterior and sauntered up to me. He moved just close enough to invade my personal space, looming over me so he could join me in peering down at my cellphone.
“Because I refuse to be your magical doorman.” I took another picture of the antique plated doorbell.
“I’ll accept packages, deliveries, and run off any pesky salesmen—you’ve had four different pest control representatives nearly run me down with electric scooters, I’ll have you know—but I draw the line at receiving supernatural guests for you. ”
“You’re not supposed to receive them,” Beckett said. “You’re supposed to tell them to get lost.”
“Yeah, no,” I flatly said. “Not happening. Hence, the video doorbell. I’ll install the app on your phone so you can take a gander at any visitors yourself, and decide to ignore them or let them in.”
Beckett sighed. “That’s not nearly as much fun.”
I peered up at my handsome employer. “If you want, between Christopher and Jonas I’m sure we could work out some kind of sprinkler system that could be remotely controlled by an app. If you so badly need entertainment, you could soak whatever supernatural you’re declining to see.”
“Now that would be poor conduct,” Beckett concluded.
“I do not get you,” I said confidently. “Anyway. Now that you know all the details of the second attack, what do you think is the likelihood that the perpetrator is a vampire?”
“Almost certainly,” Beckett said, finally moving away from me to stare out at his impressive front lawn.
“Particularly since the victims all faint as part of it—it’s probable the vampire is draining them of enough blood to cause the lightheaded spells.
Vampire bite marks are fairly subtle—particularly compared with the damage shifters typically cause. ”
“And they’re attacking at random because… they want a random snack?” I asked. “Or do vampires only get hungry every other week?”
Beckett adjusted his totally unnecessary glasses that he still wore, despite letting his merlot red eyes show.
“No. Vampires have to feed far more regularly than that. Most likely they’re still consuming blood packs like I am, and attack infrequently so their actions can go unnoticed by humans, and they are also probably hunting in other nearby cities. ”
“So if they move frequently and stick to less populated areas, they could theoretically get away with this?” I asked.
“As long as they didn’t wander into a vampire Family’s territory and avoid catching the attention of local werewolf Packs or shifters, yes. It’s likely a vampire unconnected to any Family.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Because if they were part of a Family, they’d stick to that Family’s territory and hunt there.”
“Wouldn’t that make it easier to get caught?”
“Not if they had a powerful Family backing them and covering their tracks.”
I sent the photos of the doorbell and doorway to Jonas in a text message, then studied Beckett’s back. “If it’s a vampire… will you have to deal with them?”
“No,” Beckett said.
I wandered closer to him, joining him in looking out at the lawn as the sun set. I already could hear the crickets chirping, and soon the lightning bugs would be out. “Because you’re in hiding, and not public?”
“Yes,” Beckett said. “Worst case scenario is a team from Magiford is sent up here to deal with the issue. I would be expected to provide them with information about the area from a vampire’s perspective, and may provide other help, but it would be nothing extensive given my hidden persona.”
“They’d help you keep your secret. That makes sense.” I nodded my head. “But why are you so against going public? Do you not trust humans, or you don’t want all that extra work?”
Beckett blinked twice, and I belatedly realized I perhaps should have tried to phrase the question more politely.
“I don’t enjoy politics,” Beckett finally said.
I furrowed my forehead. “What, if you go public will Magiford officials push you to become Algoma’s mayor or something in a coordinated effort for power?”
A bark of laughter escaped Beckett’s chest. “No, not at all. I was referring to supernatural politics. Supernatural society is still rather fragmented, and generally each supernatural race reports up the chain. For example, local fae report to local Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Local Courts report to the regional Courts—in the Midwest’s case that is the Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Day, and Night Courts.
Those regional Courts report to the fae emperor.
However, when you get several types of supernaturals in one area, things can get… tricky.”
“You mean in cases like this,” I said. “You keep telling Daphne that her Pack should report it, which would mean the werewolves look into it. But based on what she’s said, and what the gnomes said, they want you to handle it because you’re more powerful?”
“Precisely,” Beckett said. “While I am a vampire without a Family I have a reasonable amount of power—”
Which I took to mean he was excessively powerful but didn’t want to say because he, one, wasn’t arrogant and, two didn’t want to own up to it and the responsibilities such power would saddle him with.
“In theory, I should be able to handle almost any rogue vampire or nasty fae creature that would appear, whereas such opponents might be more difficult for others.”
“Like the Ahnapee River Pack and the gnomes,” I said. “So if you came forward, it would make sense for any local supernaturals to report to you and run it up their race’s chain of command, as it seems to me like that would not be a very quick process.”
“Yes,” he reluctantly said.
“And you don’t want that responsibility?”
Beckett frowned. “I don’t wish to lead. It’s why I never made my own Family.”
Oooh, that means he’s powerful enough that he could reasonably make his own Family! Even I know only older and more powerful vampires sire other vampires, so he must be even stronger than I thought.
“It’s also that if I were seen as a supernatural leader in the area—no matter how unofficial I may be—then other supernaturals would naturally attempt to use me for my power and influence, or try to influence me, or fight me to claim it.”
“Really? Supernaturals care about the Door Peninsula?”
“It’s not so much the land itself as much as the renown and the power that brings,” Beckett explained.
“Most likely some idiot, half-arsed vampire Family from Milwaukee would try to convince me to join their Family and react poorly when I refuse, or the Seelie and Unseelie fae in the Door County might attempt to intimidate me—things like that.”
“Sounds like regular human politics,” I said. “Lots of nit picking, infighting, and disagreeing that ends up doing nothing at all.”
“Yes,” Beckett said, his voice heated.
“But you seem powerful enough that none of that would actually harm you,” I said. “Even if they tried to pick a petty fight.”
“Yes,” Beckett said again, this time reluctantly. “But I don’t want to live my life dealing with that kind of hassle.” He turned away from the lawn, heading back to the doorway.
I’m pretty sure he meant to signal he didn’t want to continue this conversation, but that doesn’t bother me because I’m emotionally stupid.
“That seems like it would be a pretty lonely way to live,” I said.
Beckett sighed and slowly looked back over his shoulder at me. “Unproblematic and without petty issues? Yes, so lonely.”
“You say that, but because you’re trying to hide your identity, you can’t risk befriending the locals in case anyone would realize the new Kinge heir that keeps inheriting the mansion is the same guy. And you can’t really forge ties with other supernaturals or you’ll be admitting you have power.”
“Perhaps, but I’d rather live hassle free,” Beckett said.
“And lonely.”
“Okay.” Beckett turned on his heels so he could face me. “If you wish to poke your nose into my issues, perhaps we should discuss why your blood is still off.”
“Hey, I got supplements! But biology doesn’t change overnight. You have to give me time for my body to catch up.” I complained.
“Mmhmm.” He opened the mansion’s front door.
“Beckett?” I hurried after him. “So you’ll tell your Magiford contacts about the possible vampire attacks?”
Beckett’s shoulders relaxed. “Yes.”
“Thank you.” I followed him inside, tapping my cellphone as I thought. “Maybe you should say something in your Crusty Old Man Club, too.”
Beckett stopped so abruptly I ran into him and bounced off his muscular back.
“My what?” He said.