Page 110 of Throwing Shade
“Of course,” Zev said. “Informed consent, Ms. Feldman.”
“First of all, there’s no way it was informed. There is nothing in the human experience to compare it to, and second, even if he consented, well, drug addicts consent to their next hit. It doesn’t mean their families are happy about it.”
Everything went deathly still, the world sharpened to a tipping point. I braced myself for a violent outburst, but Zev’s expression remained eerily dispassionate. His fingers tightened on his glass, crushing it into tiny shards that fell to the bar top like diamonds. The vampire paid no attention to the blood dotting his skin, the cuts already healing.
“A member of Kirk’s family kidnapped Jude to make a golem? What did they hope to divine?” he said, in an exceedingly polite voice that made me want to put a continent between us. He wiped himself off with a napkin.
“A perfect golem may divine, the rest stick with a task until it’s done,” I said. “They were going to send it after you for turning Kirk. Mei Lin was a red herring to throw you off the real culprit.”
Zev’s eyes darkened. “Yoshi.”
“On it. I’ll find him.” The vampire slid his phone into his pocket and left.
I wouldn’t have to kill Kirk now, but his blood was on my hands all the same.
“You will tell me who abducted Judith,” Zev said.
“You aren’t going to touch this person.” But was it mercy damning Diane to a lifetime of suffering knowing she’d cost her son his life?
Zev’s fangs descended and the air chilled.
Goosebumps dotted my skin but I refused to wrap my arms around myself. I toyed with the zipper of my purse, but even if I could get the lighter out, I couldn’t pin the vampire in place to set him on fire. However, I wasn’t backing down. I wouldn’t send Kirk’s mother to the slaughter.
“Mei Lin went over the line and took out her entire crew,” I said. “You prevented Laurent from dealing with her months ago and now the Lonestars have a hell of a mess on their hands. How much goodwill do you have left with them? They won’t interfere with Kirk, but his mother, a Sapien farm-owner with roots in her local community?” I sipped some sake for show, because it tasted like sour fear. “You think the Sapien press and police won’t get involved if she disappears, or worse? Jude didn’t betray you. Let this go.”
Zev ran his thumbnail over his lip, then he slid off his stool. “It appears our business is concluded. You get to walk away from me for a second time. Not many can say that.”
“And my other people whom you’ve threatened? Including the golem.”
“I’ll restrict my attentions to my vampire. But Ms. Feldman?” His smile coated my glass in a thin layer of ice. “Do stay out of Blood Alley. Third time is not always the charm.”
I nodded, not moving until he’d slipped soundlessly away.
The faintest traces of dawn smudged the sky when I left the bar. Tourists and vampires alike had retired for the night and the lane was empty. I ran out of Blood Alley and back into Gastown, my breath coming out in white puffs.
“Happy now?”
I screamed, pressing a hand to my beating heart. “Wear a bell. I’ll get you one to match Boo.”
“I’m not a cat,” Laurent said, falling into step with me.
No, he was a wolf. That had been made clear when he’d pressed up against me in the parking lot, his feral gaze honed in on mine, and yet it was even more evident now in his loose-limbed walk. Tangentially. Right.
I crossed my arms so he didn’t see my hard nipples poking through my shirt. “How did you find me?”
“The bloodsucker threatened your daughter. You wouldn’t have waited to confront him.” Laurent stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You didn’t want me to come.”
He didn’t sound like he cared, but you didn’t drop a statement like that if you were indifferent.
“It was more expedient this way,” I said. “You’re compellable. I’m not. I also took care of our problem with Kirk. How’s Jude?”
“She attacked me again when I was chaining her up, but no cars were harmed.”
We reached my car. “I’m sorry I left you at the farm.”
He shrugged. “I had to shift to heal and I had a phone to call Nav.”
I sat on the hood, typing a quick text to Officer Terence to tell him that Jude was safe and she’d had a family emergency. I sent the same text to Eli. He’d let Sadie know.
