Slayer (Slayer #1)

The vampire bares her teeth at us. “No one sent me. I was here to pick up Cosmina.”

“Someone sent you to get the body?” I ask, horrified.

“I didn’t know she was a body. We’ve been working together to eliminate the zompire problem in the city.” She shakes her head. “I can’t believe she’s dead.”

I know she has no soul, but apparently she somehow managed to care about Cosmina. There were cases—rare—of vampires who worked around their demonic natures. Most of them dated Buffy, actually.

The vampire’s face goes back to normal. It’s a plain face. Unremarkable. Wistful, even, as she stares at Cosmina’s body. “We had one nest left to clear, and then we were done. We would have cleaned up all of Dublin.” She looks devastated.

I don’t really know how to comfort a vampire. I had never considered a scenario in which a vampire would need comforting.

“Were you two close?” I try tentatively.

She gives me a withering glare. “Are you touched? She was my reward. She didn’t know, of course, but when we were done with this nest, I was going to drain her. I’ve been looking forward to it for months! Someone beat me—and they didn’t even take her blood, which makes it all the worse. All cold and clotted now. Sticks in the teeth. What a waste.” She pauses, tilting her head to the side for a few moments. She takes a deep breath, then her eyes light up and she smiles sweetly. “Hey, since you’re here, maybe you could help me?”

Leo steps between us. Artemis holds up a cross and forces the vampire against the wall. I’m left standing in the middle of the room. They don’t need to protect me, but they can’t help themselves.

The vamp snarls at Artemis. “You’re a little girl with some toys and a few desperate tricks.”

Artemis punches her, hard.

“Stop it!” I shout. We already have all the weapons and the upper hand. Something about adding extra violence on top makes my stomach turn.

Artemis looks at me with as much derision as the vampire had. “She was going to kill Cosmina. She’d have already killed you if we weren’t here. And she’s going to tell me what she knows before I stake her.”

That’s not fair. I wouldn’t have been dead if Artemis wasn’t here. It’s like she wants me to be weak, to prove to both of us that I still need her to protect me. Or that she’s still better than me.

The vampire laughs. “Darling, you’re not going to kill me. I know where the last zompire nest in Dublin is. If I don’t clear them out, they’ll spread.”

Artemis hits her again, then backs up. “Fine. Do you have any idea who did this?”

The vampire adjusts her shirt, smoothing back her hair. “Word on the street is a couple big demons—real powerful nasties—turned up dead. No marks on them.”

“Did they have enemies?” Leo asks.

“They were demons, darling. They have enemies just by existing.”

“Any suspects?” Leo seems troubled by the demon deaths. I can’t see the connection. But maybe he suspects something I don’t.

She laughs. “Why, yes, Officer! We’ve got the tip lines ringing off the hook! Everyone is real cut up about the deaths.”

“Did they die in bed?” I ask.

“How do you imagine demons sleeping? All tucked up in their four-poster queen? I don’t know how they died. Just that they were alive, and then they weren’t. No struggle, no marks. Could be the same thing, could be unrelated. It’s a bloody world out there.” Her stomach rumbles and she winks. “Not bloody enough, lately. Anyway, Cosmina also ran into trouble with some vampire heavies for an underworld type. Not sewer underworld. Human underworld. Sean something or other.”

Sean. Doug’s Sean. Which confirms that the same man who kept Doug captive was also running the demon-dogfighting rings. The one that almost got Cosmina and me killed. If we hadn’t been trying to keep our activities secret, we could have acted like real Watchers and investigated them. Maybe Cosmina would still be alive if we had. Instead, we ran back to the castle and pretended like nothing happened. Gods, Honora is right. We really have been hiding.

The vampire shrugs. “That’s all I know. We were zompire-cleanup partners. She didn’t exactly confide in me. Now, do any of you see her phone?”

Leo looks around the floor. “Do you think she had info on there that might help us?”

“No, I think she had at least a month more paid on her account, which means free phone for me until they shut it off.” She grins at me, tapping her nose. “I can smell it on you too. This is a preview of coming attractions for you, little Slayer. Ain’t it great to be Chose—?”

Artemis slams a stake into the vampire’s chest.

“What did you do that for?” I shout, shocked, as the vampire disappears into dust.

If a look could kill, I’d be as dead as the vampire. “You’re a Slayer, Nina. Try to remember.”