Last Blood by Painter Kristen

Author:Painter, Kristen [Painter, Kristen]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction, Paranormal, Contemporary, Romance, Fantasy, Supernaturals, UF
ISBN: 0316200182
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2013-07-30T07:00:00+00:00

The sound of beating wings preceded Annika’s arrival. She dropped into step beside Creek as he walked patrol through the neighborhood around City Hall. “We’ve got another death.”

“Another human?” Creek shook his head. “This is getting serious.”

“No, this time it’s a vampire.” She tucked her wings into her jacket. “An employee at Seven. Pretty high up. A woman named Katsumi Tanaka.”

“Who’d she kill?”

“She was the victim.”

His brows lifted. “Really? Someone must have had a serious issue to take her out. She’s Dominic’s right hand from what I know about her. Noble, too. He resired her a short time ago. Navitas or whatever they call it.”

“Yes, navitas. She was the wife of a Yakuza boss when she was human and since coming to work for Dominic, she’s made a name for herself running fighters through the Pits and now heading his comarré operations. There are a lot of people who might want her dead.”

“But not that many who could take on a noble vampire.”

Annika nodded. “So let’s narrow it down.”

“The mayor’s a possibility.” And he knew the KM were looking for a reason to remove her from office. “She’s noble now, so she has the strength and ability and being Paole means she has the advantage of stealth. Katsumi being involved in the comarré operation could mean the mayor might want to take her out as revenge for the death of her daughter, Julia.”

“Good. Who else?”

“This new vampire, Luciano. He’s Dominic’s nephew. He might see Katsumi as a threat to his succession at Seven. Plus, he’s a loose cannon. We don’t know much about him.”

Annika scanned the streets as they walked. “Any others?”

He thought for a moment, wondering how much leeway she’d give him. He had his suspicions, but the KM was a tight group. They tended to protect their own pretty strongly. He shrugged. “I’m sure there are.”

“You’re thinking of a name. Who is it?”

“One I shouldn’t say.”

“Why?”

“Because you won’t like it.”

She paused, making him stop too. “Who?”

Nothing about her expression said she was going to let this go. “Octavian.”

She didn’t react. “Why would he kill Katsumi? It hasn’t been ordered.”

“Katsumi was part of the crew that went into Corvinestri to bring the vampire baby back. If he was at Seven, she could have recognized him, could have threatened to blow his cover.”

“But why? What would she have to gain?”

He lifted one shoulder. “She’s known for her ambition. If she could make it work for her, she would.”

Annika started walking again. “He wouldn’t kill her without an order to do so, and she’s done nothing out of line to cause that to happen.”

“Then it wouldn’t hurt to ask him a few questions. I’m sure he’s got nothing to hide.” Actually, Creek thought Octavian had a lot to hide. Getting Annika’s okay to dig might help him prove that.

“It’s not your place to question a superior.” She let out a gruff sigh. “Keep it casual, understood?”

If casual meant no excessive force, he could do that. In theory. He nodded. “Understood.”

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