Okay so most likely an ancient, or a Vampire who lived in a part of the world Dorothy hadn’t encountered. The audacity certainly screamed old age. Those Vampires liked what they liked, and they’d liked it long enough to not want it any other way. If they saw a human or a witch they wanted as a blood servant, they’d certainly believe they were entitled to take whoever they pleased.

  The picture she was beginning to see clearly was not a pleasant one.

  “Thank you. Please, go on,” Rowan urged, and Star nudged her side gently. Just a hey I’m here.

  “Then she came. Another witch. She said time was up. Jay and I were about to be bonded into Vampiric households and it was an honor. That if we just cooperated, we’d grow to like it and once we’d earned our Vampire’s trust, we’d have more freedom. It paid more than our current jobs. We’d have nice things and live in a mansion. We asked over and over where Kerry had gone but no one would say. I stopped cooperating. I tried to run but they caught me, and the Vampires came back.”

  Fear sweated from her pores as her voice went a little breathless.

  Clive’s rage churned through his bond with Rowan. Most Vampires, big assholes or not, wouldn’t do such things. But some did. Rowan could kill thousands of Vampires true dead but there’d still be of this sort of thing unless the Nation dropped on them like a house every time one poked a head out.

  “It was the same two as from the other place. Jay, they did something to him. He was leaning toward accepting this new plan. But it made me mad instead. They couldn’t just take me where I didn’t want to go! The feedings began again and this time, they left their bites open to make me compliant. That’s when Jay started to change his mind. Maybe it was the shock of seeing what had been done? I don’t know. I just wanted revenge, so I knew I had to hold on for the right opportunity and Jay was back on my side. It was stupid luck, but one of the witches who always scurried off when the Vampires came left her stuff behind. Her keycard had been tucked between the pages of her book. Then we had to wait until midday when the witches ate their lunch, before the shift change when the one whose keycard I took came back and would discover her card gone.

  “We waited until the right moment and Jay and I ran. Well, he ran. I stumbled, but he helped me. The house they were keeping us was only a few miles from our place. It felt like years getting there. We didn’t want to call the police because the one witch who came to tell us about the Vampires said they had connections with the cops, and no one would help us. We wanted to get home. An old teacher of mine knows someone in leadership at the Conclave. We just had to get her number from the house so she could help us.”

  She told them about how once they’d neared their neighborhood, a car full of witches had begun to cruise through, trying to find them, which slowed them down further, so they took refuge in the backyard of a neighbor’s house. How Jay had left her there to jump into their own yard and get into the house through the back door.

  And then how she’d crawled to the street, trying to escape as Jay had led them away, yelling as he did. He’d created a diversion to keep her safe. She made it as far as the bags of trash and passed out. That’s where they’d found her less than two hours later.

  Rowan said, “Can you describe the witch from the dinner cruise? The one who harassed your friend?”

  As she did, Genevieve scrolled through her phone and then turned a photo around for the other woman to see.

  “Yes! That’s him.”

  “His name is Hugo Procella. And he’s got a history of stalking women. He’s in custody and he won’t be hurting anyone again,” Genevieve said. “He stalked me too. Your friend was right about her instincts.”

  Dorothy described the Vampires and Rowan took notes, dread creeping into her gut as she began to see all the connections.

  “Can we show you some photographs?” Genevieve asked. “Once we identify these witches, we’ll be able to find them quicker.”

  “And Vampires, if it’s not too much.”

  “Will you stop them from hurting anyone else?” Dorothy asked Rowan.

  “When I find the Vampires who did this to you, they won’t be able to harm anyone again.”

  Rowan was entirely unsurprised to find David waiting with the file box of photos they’d taken from Elmer’s house. “I took the liberty of selecting the ones I thought you might want to show Dorothy.”

  As she sifted through the various photos, setting aside shots including Vampires Rowan was fairly sure were involved, Konrad told her, “The Vampires, your local Hunters, and my teams have been fed all the identifying information we received from your interview so far.”

  “Alice is coordinating a team of Vampires on scent trails leading from the house on Holly. They’re reporting back with the others in real time,” Clive said.

  “Excellent.” She took the file David handed her and opened it. “There are a lot of creeps in these. I’m fairly certain one of the Vampires she described was Stephen Baker.” Rowan paused as she slid the contents of a manila envelope onto the table. “Well, what do you know? Here’s one of Stephen from the sixties. That’s Aron.” She pointed to the Vampire on his left. She put that one on her stack and added one of Elmer in a crowd shot.

  Konrad made a sound that had Rowan’s attention landing on him. “What is it?”

  He shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just remembered back in the day, Fiona did variety.” He took a photo from Genevieve’s folder and pointed.

  Nineteen twenty-two, according to the writing on the back. A black-and-white crowd shot taken on a stage with striped curtains at their back. At one side of the group was an older gentleman with what looked to be a dog act with a collie and a poodle. There were a few dudes in suits, a man playing the mother role, still in his wig and dress. Some musicians, a child, and smack dab in the middle was a sultry-eyed Fiona Clare in a dark-toned gown.

  “I bet that face sold a hell of a lot of tickets,” Rowan said. “What was her act? Dancing? Magician’s assistant? Nah, she’s no one’s assistant.”

  Konrad chuckled. “You’re very good at reading people. I saw her perform a time or two. She’s got a beautiful voice. They called her the Sparrow.”

  “Well, now.” Rowan blew out a breath and plopped her butt back into a chair. She didn’t want to give away all her secrets, but the prophecy dreams were known by the people in that room, so she quickly explained to Konrad about the holly leading them to the house in Long Beach and the sparrow in her most recent experience.

  “From the moment Fiona entered the room when Genevieve and I were at their home, I had a visceral response to her. Don’t mistake me, she’s deadly and intelligent. I respect what a badass she is. On the surface. But I had a deep distrust of everything she said. I obviously knew she and her husband were involved somehow, but while he’s certainly a participant, she’s in charge. The symbolism in my dream just underlined it. I want to go speak to her again after we’re done with Dorothy.”

  “I have a strong feeling we’ll have a lot more of an idea of what’s going on by the time we’re done here,” Genevieve told her. “Are you ready to see what else we’re about to find out?”

  Over the next few minutes, Dorothy had identified Rose as one of the witches she saw on the dinner cruise and also at the second location they’d been taken. Sergio had come to the first location. Dorothy recognized Antonia from the dinner cruise, along with Gerard Clare.

  Rowan knew Antonia had been way more involved than she’d claimed.

  Rowan showed a picture of Baker and Dorothy backed up, alarmed. “That’s the one who bit me. The one whose household I was supposed to be bonded into.”

  Rowan drew out the next, the crowd shot of Elmer and his pervo friends, and turned it to Dorothy. “Him.” Elmer. “Him.” Another Vampire not well known to Rowan, but Clive would know. Then, “What’s she doing there?”

  That sound...a sound of discovery and certainty, drew Rowan’s attention. “Which?” she asked, using her control to not rush Dorothy.

  Dorothy pointed to a redhead off to the side, standing not with the Vampires posing, but with a smaller group. “That’s the witch who showed up to tell us we were going to be sent to Vampire households. She’s the one who ordered me punished.”

  Genevieve took the photo. “I don’t know her. But that’s easily remedied. Just outside the door are several people, including my father, who know just about everyone. Failing that, we have the ability to do an image search. We’re going to find these people and make sure they can never hurt anyone else.”

  A few minutes later, they let the doctor—also a witch—take over and put Dorothy into a healing sleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Clive knew she was taking things hard. Like he knew she’d never allow him to bring it up in mixed company. He didn’t want to weaken her further, so he and David, after a look, had teamed up and had food delivered, along with plenty of tea in to-go containers.

  Not that she’d have an appetite after hearing that poor girl tell her story. But she’d need the calories and something to do other than rage and grieve. Though she’d do both.

  “Vampire update. Patience has been in contact with Seth back at Die Mitte. We’ve already got Baker and Elmer in custody. You know we located his nest and those Vampires and some humans he’d been feeding on long term are either in a cell or they’re in a locked medical facility being evaluated. I’ll go meet Alice in the field while you and Genevieve go to the Clares’.”

  Her surprise edged through their bond. She’d expected him to horn in on her trip and normally he would without hesitation. But there were multiple situations going on at once and with dawn on the way, he was focused on giving her what she needed while also taking care of the mess Vampires had busily been making.

  “Depending on what happens, I may join you or I might go home for daytime rest.”

  “I’ll speak to them all when we get back to Las Vegas. Hunter Corp. needs to be satisfied they’re being treated appropriately. And by that I mean if one or more needs killing, it had best be handled. I’m not concerned you’re going to hurt any innocents.” She waved a lazy hand.

  Was it any wonder he was mad for her?

  “I’m pleased to hear it.”

  “Do you know who this woman is?” Genevieve asked Konrad as she handed over one of the photos Dorothy had seen.

  Clive leaned in to take a look as well. “I recognize many of the Vampires here.” Jacques, the former Scion, Elmer, Baker, and... “Rowan, this Vampire here bears a striking resemblance to Mardoc.”

  She froze and then cursed. “Mardoc? The one who was part of this Vampire lord thing? You’re shitting me.”

  Everyone moved to peer at the group shot.

  “This photo, along with a few others, had been tucked into a manila envelope. It was at the bottom of a file cabinet drawer. Not hidden as much as forgotten,” David said. “There’s no date on it. Ignoring the Vampires who never stick to current trends, this witch is wearing Chanel. Early nineties. She’s got great taste. The others,” he paused a moment, looking closely, “I’d say no earlier than ’90 and no later than ’95 or ’96.”

  “So handy with your fashion info,” Rowan said. “So who’s the redhead?”

  “Samaya, can you run this through an image search in the Conclave archive? I want to say I know who she is, but we’ll need more information than I have to verify. I believe this is a witch in the Clare line somewhere. Not in a powerful position. Or so I thought. I can’t recall her name.”

  Samaya and David bent their heads over a screen as they got to work.

  “Her name is Teresa,” Samaya called out. “She’s been married a few times and changed her name each time.”

  “Current isn’t Davis by any chance?” Rowan asked, using the name of Sergio’s mistress.

  Genevieve looked to them, eyes wide a moment.

  Samaya nodded. “Yep, that’s her.”

  “At a party with a bunch of Vampires. The absolute worst Vampires,” Rowan said.

  “Vampires also connected to the Procellas and the Sansburys,” Clive added.

  “The link with the Salazars will be there too. And,” Rowan stabbed a fingertip in the direction of the single named Vampire lord, “now this creep who is handily in a torture dungeon with the most deadly skilled inquisitor and hunter of all Vampirekind. People don’t actually forget about Andros, they just want to pretend him away because if he comes for you, it’s over. I’ll send his office a text about this, along with a copy of the photograph. What about the other lords in custody? I didn’t really recognize any of their names and I did run them all through the Hunter Corp. database but nothing overly alarming came up. Which could easily mean they’re good at being horrible by staying under the radar.”

  “I hadn’t considered them any part of this situation, which was only barely developing when they inserted themselves into the process the way they did.” Clive couldn’t even be angry at himself on that one. This twist came entirely out of the blue. “But I’ll get my people on it to figure out what their connection might be to this situation.”

  David came back into the room and handled that on Rowan’s behalf, but Clive could see his wife chafing at giving him even more work instead of doing it herself. As if she hadn’t nearly died less than a week before. As if he’d ever forget that.

  He flicked his gaze to her cane and sent her a raised brow. Mainly to needle her because he needed to keep her on her toes, and she liked being agitated. But also, to remind her he wasn’t going to let her guilt herself sick over giving David work instead of trying to do the job of eight people at once herself.

  “Sunrise is on the way,” she said.

  “I’ve got ninety-three minutes. Tell me before I head out, what are you thinking at this point?”

  She huffed a breath, and he suppressed a smirk.

  “Assuming all the basic disclaimers about how we don’t know everything yet. I think the Vampires and witches are working together to locate, woo, and, if necessary, traffic potential blood servants into Vampiric households. I bet part of it is even aboveboard and consensual. There are plenty of humans and witches alike who choose to work for Vampires in one form or another. Every part of this conspiracy isn’t going to be as nefarious as what they did to Dorothy and her friends. Maybe it even started out as purely aboveboard. But it happened once, and then again. Each time it got easier. They can tell themselves it’s really a good deal for the blood servants or whatever, since Vamps pay handsomely in many cases. But they know what it is. They only ask for permission until someone says no. Then they take what they want just like they’d planned all along.”

  Clive knew her chill demeanor was a lie. She was on a Hunt, and it was clear to him that she was correct in her suspicions regarding the witches and Vampires.

  “I think there’s a lot more we don’t know. But the pieces are all here. We just need to take it step by step to put it all together,” Rowan said. “To think I believed the Blood Front were the biggest bad we’d faced and here comes this Sanguis bullshittery. There’s no way I believe they’re not part of this mess. Elmer, Baker, and your little guard Eduard were in these photos. Eddie might not be the same kind of pervert Elmer and Baker are, but he’s definitely involved.” She rubbed her hands together. “Can’t wait to chat with him. I’ll wait to see what Andros gets out of Mardoc and then use that to bury him alive.”

  “Won’t that be fun?” Clive sent a smirk only she could see as his back was to everyone else.

  “It will be if I do it right. Now. I have some witches to go harass and you’re going to be Scion and hunt scumbags. I’ll see you after sunset if we don’t connect first.”

  Genevieve and the others left the room, getting ready to head out in different directions.

  “I should go with you,” she said. “What if there are still Vampires or witches there?”

  “Alice will protect me,” he said, deadpan.

  That made her laugh as she stood and leaned into his embrace for a few moments. “If you can’t make it before sunrise, just text me or I’ll worry.”

  “I’ll text you if we find anything, or if I have to take my rest away from home. I will be careful and so will you. I love you.” He kissed her forehead quickly, before she could duck away, and led her from the room.

  Darius waited at the front doors leading to the parking lot. He tipped his chin in their direction. “We’ve located the second location Dorothy and her friends were held in and my Trick nearly has the first location locked down.”

  * * *

  Rowan put aside her thoughts of Fiona Clare as they changed plans and headed over to a four-bedroom single-story house on Twentieth, less than two miles from the house on Holly. The neighborhood was a mix of apartment buildings and single-family homes with an elementary school nearby. Quiet enough but with plenty of people coming and going.

  On the way over, she texted Andros to inform him of the possible connection with Mardoc. She left all the Vampire Nation stuff to Clive, but suggested to Andros there might also be ties to the others in the dungeon. Whether or not a Scion knew or was involved? Well, that was going to be something she had to stay out of for the time being.

  If Tahar or Takahiro were part of this, Rowan was perfectly fine letting the Nation handle all the necessary executions. And it would be execution because there was no way Theo was going to let it slide that they did all this so publicly, using his process to mess with Rowan on top of it.

  It would save her a lot of time and effort to let them do it, and the responsibility would stay where it belonged. Delegation. Everyone was always telling her to delegate and this time, she planned to listen.

  As long as she agreed with whatever their discipline was.