Bound to Shadows

"I swear, Riley, one of these days you'll push me too fucking far."

I raised my eyebrows at the curt tension in his voice. "What's happened?"

"If you'd keep up with local news, you'd fucking know."

"Boss, I did work late—"

"And turned off your phone and comlink in the process. How many times do I have to tell you about that?"

The water finally got hot. I flicked the phone to speaker, shoved it on the basin, and stepped into the shower. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

He snorted. Obviously he believed it about as much as he believed in Santa Claus and the Easter Bu

"I'll be out the door in five minutes." I hesitated, wondering if it was wise to poke the bear, but decided I needed an answer. "Something other than this new death has gotten up your nose, hasn't it?"

"Some damn fool reporter has gotten wind of the vampire beheadings, and now it's all over the news. The headlines reads 'vigilante gang hunts down vampires.'"

"Which it may well be."

"Yeah, but we don't need the vampires thinking that, and we certainly don't need the humans thinking they need to arm themselves against retaliatory attacks. Trust me, there's already been some talk about that."

"I gather Director Hunter is keeping the vampire council well informed on the situation?" And surely the council would be able to keep a lid on the reactions of the general vampire population? At least for a little bit longer.

"Of course, but with the tension already in the ranks over our handling of the blood whore situation, this is going to add more fuel to the fire."

"And won't that make the streets a fun place to be."

"Yeah. Be careful out there, Riley."

If Jack was adding a warning like that, then he was really worried. Which meant me and my gun were going to become very close companions. I might never have wanted to use the damn things once, but I'd learned the hard way that sometimes strength and speed just weren't enough.

"I've got a possible lead one the beheading case," I said, and quickly updated him about Luke Johnson and the information I'd gathered from the security tape—although I didn't tell him the other man seen talking to our so-called witness was Kye. He wasn't likely to ever trace the image back to Kye, and the fewer people who knew he was back in town, the better for my sanity. "I'll send through the pictures now so someone can chase up some information on them."

"I'll get Benson on to it the minute he gets here."

Benson was one of the newer liaisons, and while he was every bit as efficient as Sal, he was far less fun to goad.

"Thanks, Jack," I said, and hung up.

I quickly finished my shower then ran into the bedroom to get dressed. Qui

I raised my eyebrows. "You overheard my conversation with Jack?"

He shook his head. "I'm an advisor to the council, much the same as Jack is."

"Two facts I wasn't aware of until now." I studied him for a moment, wondering if I'd ever uncover all there was to know about him. "I can understand Jack being an advisor, given he's in charge of the guardian division and his sister is on the council, but why are you?"

"I was once a cazador, and I'm one of the few who survived the experience." He shrugged. "I'm the one they call for advice when things go bad."

Cazadors were basically vampire hitmen. From the little Qui

"So they haven't called you for advice yet?"

"No." His expression sobered. "And pray that they don't, because that would probably mean we are on the verge of war. "

"Do you think things will get that bad?"

He hesitated. "If the Directorate can quash the speculation in the press and catch whoever is behind these beheadings quickly enough, then the council will be able to control the situation, vampire wise."

"But what about the unrest over the Directorate's handling of blood whores?"

"The council is about to issue an edict regarding that, and it will basically back the law as it currently stands." He shrugged. "They have no other choice, really, though the decision was not unanimous."

If he knew how the voting was going on council decisions, then he was something more than a mere advisor. "So you agreed with the vote?"

He smiled and tapped a finger against my nose. "I didn't vote, if that's what you want to know. As an advisor, I can't."

"But you were there to witness it."

"Yes, but simply because I'm also fairly far up in the hierarchy. It is my right—and often my duty—to witness all council decisions."

"So how come you're not on the council itself? I gather you could be?"

"Yes, I could. I just have no wish to be."

"Why not?"

"Didn't Jack tell you to hurry to some murder scene?"

So much for him not listening to my conversation. "Yes, but if I leave now, I may never get an answer to my questions."

"The problem with you and questions is the fact that you never seem to run out of them."

I gri

He rolled his eyes. "Okay."

"How did you attend council meetings when you were living full time in Sydney? I was under the impression that the council met every day."

"Every state has it own council, and they handle the day-to-day governing of the vampire population. The highest ranking members from each of these make up the greater council, which presides in Melbourne. These are the meetings I attend, and they're generally once a month, unless problems arise."

"Is there some sort of worldwide ubercouncil?"

He smiled. "I can't say."

Meaning he wouldn't say, but that there was. "So the greater council would handle things like the discontent over the Directorate's handling of the blood whore killers and the beheadings."

"Yes. The man I went out with last night came to town specifically to attend the greater council meeting. We went for drinks afterward."

"Will I ever get to meet this friend?"

"That is a second question."

"You are such a pain in the ass, vampire." I leaned forward and kissed him. Lightly. Sweetly. "I have no idea what time I'm going to be home."

He smiled. "Nor do I. Julien has expressed a desire to visit some wolf clubs to see just what it that has me so engrossed with the culture."

Something inside me twinged. Jealously? God, I hoped not. And yet…

I couldn't deny that some small part of me didn't want him going to the clubs without me.

Which was totally stupid, given the odds of my date with Kye not ending in sex weren't great.

Still…

"But you hate the culture."

"True. So perhaps he hopes to capture his own luscious redhead." He leaned forward and kissed me again. "I don't have the heart to tell him my redhead is a rare and precious jewel that I'm never going to give up."

His words made my heart do a giddy little dance. I chuckled softly. "Just for that, I might let you bite me again tonight."

"I'll bite you now if you don't get your pretty ass in gear." He slapped said rear lightly. "Go, before Jack starts calling again."

I sighed dramatically, but spun around and walked out the door.

The new murder scene was in Craigieburn, which was on the northern outskirts of Melbourne. I was going against the main flow of traffic, so it didn't take me long to get there via the ring road and the freeway.