Tamara’s spine went rigid and her expression set in defiance. She opened her mouth to refuse, but Darius turned into a blur that ended in her dangling from the air by her neck. She flailed. Her husband started, his eyes widening.

“Don’t make her ask again,” Darius said softly. The small hairs rose on my body.

“Hey!” Rodney shouted, struggling to get up. Margaret clutched her throat, a defensive reaction that wasn’t helping anyone.

“Don’t—” Tamara wheezed out of a constricted throat. Clearly he wasn’t cutting off all her air, somehow. “Don’t tell them.”

Rodney hesitated.

They must’ve known someone would come calling for the book, and they were prepared for that someone to use violence to drag the information out.

I sighed, because that would just make all this take longer.

Darius must’ve recognized it, too, because he changed tactics. “Thank you for this lovely meal.” He lowered her to the ground and opened his mouth, revealing his fangs.

“Don’t tell them!” Tamara said through clenched teeth.

They must’ve thought the book was only safe within their coven. Given the spell they’d tried, probably one of the few they could actually do with their power level, that book was a good find. Which made the one I’d taken a great find.

Why would they assume that a bunch of lower-powered witches could keep a book like that safe?

Like a flash of lightning, it hit me. “He was one of you, wasn’t he?” I snapped, walking toward the window to think. “He was at your power level, but he got hooked up with the more powerful mages, and they gave him a way to increase his power. Once he reached a certain level, he was allotted some learning material. I bet that book has sacrifices and possessions and…” I trailed off as confusion rolled across two faces. The third had a sort of dreamy look and a firm grip on Darius’s flexed biceps. He hadn’t even bitten her; he was just whispering into her ear while slowly stroking the skin over her vein with his thumb. The guy was good.

“So then, just higher-level spells, I gather?” I saw affirmation in their expressions. “You want to keep the book to prevent other people from gaining a bunch of power and turning into a whack job, like your former friend and neighbor did. I see.”

Darius pulled his head away from Tamara’s in order to glance at me. There was no hunger or arousal in his eyes; he was playing a strange sort of bad cop. Or a good cop on ecstasy. That worked, too.

“Trust me, it is way safer in my hands than it could ever be in yours,” I said. “I already have that much power. I won’t go crazy, trust me.”

“Don’t give in,” Tamara said, her hands now rubbing up and down Darius’s arms. He might’ve been applying a bit too much charm.

“I want that book.” I leaned against the wall. “He’ll bite her to get it.”

“Don’t give in,” Tamara said again, licking her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed as Darius ran his lips against her skin. Rodney shifted from side to side. His hands flexed and un-flexed. He did not like what was going on, but had no idea what to do.

“You guys didn’t prepare for this kind of torture, I’d bet,” I said, waiting patiently. This was way easier than busting heads and striking fear into their hearts. “Take notes, Rodney. All he’s using right now are words. Clearly you need to up your game in the bedroom. She’s probably bored out of her mind…”

Insulting his prowess did it. Rodney cracked. “He did go crazy,” he said in a thick voice, watching as his wife traced the hard chest of a vampire. “He got hooked up with that crew, forgot we even existed, and the next thing we knew, he was plaguing the neighborhood with heinous spells. He called them practice spells. He had to be taken out.”

“I get that. I took him out for you. You’re welcome. But Randy, I need that book.”

“It’s Rodney,” Darius said. He traced a fang down the vein in Tamara’s neck. She moaned and slid her hands over his shoulders, trying to pull him in.

Right! Rodney.

“This is getting awkward, Rodney. You should probably do something.” I waited, but he wasn’t breaking. “Might I remind you, Rodney, that Mr.…” Damn it! I couldn’t remember Darius’s last name. The name thing was a huge problem in my line of work. “That Mr. Darius is a vampire. If he bites her, he’ll change her into a vampire. She’ll die. And become a vampire. And then the shifters will kill you all.”

I could barely see Darius shaking his head. I tried to hold back the silent laughter.

Rodney licked his lips. He bounced from foot to foot, not sure what to do.

“Bite her, Darius,” I ordered.

Chapter Sixteen

The whole room paused. I’d been certain the threat would be enough to spur Rodney into action, but no one said a word.

“What the hell is up with you people?” I stepped forward and grabbed Rodney by the throat. His eyes widened in surprise. “You’ll let your wife take a beating, but will you?” I threw him against the wall. “Keeping that book is just asking for someone to come and take it, moron. You are doing the magical world a disservice by not giving it to someone who has the power to keep it safe.”

I advanced on him, grabbed him by the shirt front, and lifted him into the air. His mouth gaped.

“Yeah, I’m strong.” I shook him for effect. “Can you imagine what a punch feels like?”

“It’s in my house. In someplace safe,” Rodney blubbered. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“What do I look like, your slave? Go and get it.” I tossed Rodney toward the archway. He crumpled to the floor like a doll and sobbed. “Good grief, man, it wasn’t that bad. You’re not hurt. Go get the book.” He dragged himself up like a wounded puppy and dramatically limped out of sight.

“This is not at all how I saw this meeting playing out…” I said with a sigh.

“Will he come back?” Darius asked, releasing Tamara.

“Hmm. Go ahead and bite. I’ve always wondered what it feels like.” Tamara reached for Darius.

“And the crazy keeps rolling.” I scratched my nose, willing my frustration to simmer down. “Can you put her outside or something? She’s making me uncomfortable.”

He took a card out of his wallet and handed it to her. “If you would really like to know, call that number. One of my people will get in contact with you.”

“Tamara, we’ve talked about that,” Margaret said disapprovingly. “It’s a dangerous road.”

“It is quite safe, I assure you,” Darius said, directing Tamara out of the room. “Beneficial to all parties.”

“Will you be there?” I heard her ask.

“Decidedly not.” The door closed and he appeared in the room again, looking calm as usual.

“Definitely not how I saw all this going,” I repeated. “One minute, serious questions, talk of torture, and a run-of-mill scare tactics. Next minute, crazy vampire lust from a middle-aged married person looking to get bitten by a walking corpse.”

“That is offensive.” Darius poured himself some more tea.

“Margaret,” I said, drawing her attention my way. “You need to break up this neighborhood. It’s gotten weird, sweetie. The witch next door was clearly insane before he elevated to mage, your neighbor is looking for thrills while her husband stands by, you’re dabbling in spells way above your pay grade…” I touched her arm. “The first step is admitting you have a problem.”

She blinked at me for a moment, her face white. “Please don’t bite me. Or hurt me.”

“Good. A normal response. Thank you.” I went to the window and pulled back the curtain. Rodney was on the sidewalk, and he and Tamara looked to be in an argument. He had something tucked under his arm.

Another light-bulb moment. “Darius, go get that book.” He was out the door in a moment. “Margaret, you need to watch Tamara. I bet she’s looking for a way to power up too. She’ll follow in your neighbor’s footsteps when she realizes getting bitten by vampires doesn’t help.”