A pretty blonde, with tanned skin and long false eyelashes, staggered into me. ‘Sorry.’
I smiled at her. ‘That’s fine.’ I hooked my arm into hers.
She frowned, obviously trying to place me, then she shrugged and giggled. ‘I’ve had way too much to drink,’ she confided.
I laughed lightly. ‘That makes two of us.’ I leaned my head in towards hers. ‘But I heard that the vamps like it when we’re drunk. It makes our blood taste better and gives them more of a rush.’
‘Have you been bitten before?’ she asked in a loud whisper.
I winked. ‘I’m a vampire virgin.’
The woman beamed. ‘Me too!’
‘I want tonight to be my first time.’
‘Me too!’
‘But I want it to be a good vampire.’
‘Me too!’
I was beginning to think I’d chosen the wrong person to attach myself to. I’d need more than agreement to get the information I needed. ‘You know,’ I said, ‘I want to find the sort of vampire who’s quite high up. One with a lot of power. Someone,’ I lowered my voice, ‘who’s in the inner circle.’
‘Me too!’
Damn it. ‘Where are we heading to now?’ I persisted. ‘Is it somewhere with the right kind of vamp?’
‘We’re going to Heart, silly.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Didn’t you know?’
I was about to mumble a reply, but she continued speaking. ‘All the best vamps hang out there.’ Her eyes widened. ‘And that often includes Lord Horvath.’
I exhaled. Praise be.
One of the other women turned round. She jigged up and down, although I wasn’t sure whether it was from excitement or the cold. ‘Word’s come down that Horvath has just shown up. He’s inside Heart right now.’
‘Do you think he’ll bite one of us?’ my companion asked eagerly.
I grinned at her. ‘Why wouldn’t he? We’re a tasty bunch.’
‘We have to get into Heart first. They don’t let just anyone through the door.’
All the more reason to stick close to these ladies and slide in with them.
‘Piece of cake,’ I told her, exuding all the confidence I could muster. If there was one thing I’d already learned, the vampires’ quarter wasn’t for the shy and retiring.
We rounded the corner. High above the street was a flashing, heart-shaped neon sign. Not a love heart: this was an anatomically-correct heart. I swallowed and looked at the long queue snaking outside. Maybe sneaking in was a mistake. Perhaps I should mimic what had worked at the Fairfax’s place, march to the front and demand admittance. The last thing I wanted was to wait around for hours and then be turned away.
I needn’t have worried. My group of women were glitzy enough and loud enough to attract the attention of one of the bouncers. He was more slender than a wolf, but he had even more of a dangerous edge as he sauntered over and looked us up and down.
The blonde next to me pressed the palms of her hands together in mock prayer while one of her friends offered him a saucy wink.
‘Go on, then,’ he said. ‘You guys can get in.’
There were several squeals from the group – and several groans from the other people waiting. I exhaled with relief and made sure that I kept close as we tripped past the queue and headed inside.
‘All phones and cameras have to be checked in,’ intoned a second vamp. He pointed to a desk, behind which lay a mind-boggling number of stacked lockers. It was just as well I’d not brought my crossbow; if they were this pernickety about phones, they certainly wouldn’t look kindly on lethal weapons.
I indicated to the vamp that I had nothing on me. He looked at me suspiciously, as if he were sure I was lying. Unwilling to lose ground now that I’d come this far, I gestured towards my body with what I hoped was a sexy smirk. ‘You can search me if you want.’
He grunted. ‘I’m on the job. Maybe another night.’
Trying not to look relieved, I winked at him. Then I ducked past my new women friends and pushed open the swing doors leading to the club’s interior.
Lukas had mentioned that the vampires had great PR to advertise to the world that they were nothing more than hedonistic fun-lovers. From my vantage point, it looked like a hell of a lot more than PR. The sight that greeted my eyes was like nothing I’d ever seen before. No wonder people were queuing to get in.
The place was vast, and everyone was having a good time. Servers dressed in blood-red clothing wove between tables and skirted the edge of the huge, packed dance floor. Most of them had their arms in the air and were swaying to the music which, while not earsplittingly loud, was definitely upbeat.
It felt like I’d wandered into an adults’ version of Disneyland. I noticed that my foot was tapping and frowned. I wasn’t here to have a good time; I had serious business to attend to. But there was an oddly joyous sensation zipping through my body, and I wondered whether the vamps pumped some sort of happy chemical into the air. It wouldn’t have surprised me.
I shook myself and focused. There was a roped-off area to the left and a raised mezzanine area. If Lord Horvath was here, that was where he’d be.
I plunged in, pushing my way through the crowds. A server approached me, her eyebrows raised questioningly. I didn’t want a drink, so I shook my head and continued moving. I’d work out the lay of the land then approach Horvath directly. This wasn’t the best place for an interrogation, but it would have to suffice. I could adapt.
I sidled past a crowd of blokes in their twenties who were gathered round one of their friends; from the look of the L-plates round his neck, he was here on his stag night. I tried not to stare at the female vampire, whose fangs were buried deep in his neck. From the glazed look of ecstasy in his eyes, he didn’t mind.
I licked my dry lips and pushed myself up onto my tiptoes to get a better glimpse of the VIP area. I took in the assembled vampires on the balcony. Some had their heads bowed in conversation and some were gazing outwards, thoughtful expressions on their face. I shivered as I wondered if they were looking for conquests.
On a raised dais in the centre of the area was a gilt throne. I could just make out the top of the head of the person sitting there: Horvath himself, no doubt. His face and body were obscured by the two scantily-clad women in front of him, one of whom was caressing his face with long, scarlet-painted talons. The other was dancing, her hands travelling up and down her body suggestively. I hopped to the right to get a better look, just as the dancing woman also moved.
I gasped aloud. That had to be Lord Horvath – his body language certainly exuded authority and power. He was leaning back, one leg draped loosely over the arm of the throne. Despite the attentions of the women, he looked mildly bored. But it wasn’t that which shocked me; it was the fact that Lord Horvath’s face belonged to Lukas.
I moved behind a pillar in case he glanced over the sea of bobbing heads and noticed me. I could have slapped myself for not working it out earlier. Suddenly everything was starting to make sense, from DSI Barnes’ odd deference, despite her obvious anti-vampire beliefs, to the way the werewolves had acted when we’d entered Fairfax’s club. When everyone stared it wasn’t because of Tallulah, it was because I was wandering the streets with the vampire Lord himself. No wonder the female vamp at the front of Tesco’s had suddenly decided to play nice with me. He must have put the word out – and his word was no doubt sacrosanct.
I clenched my teeth. His involvement in both my murder and Tony’s death was also making sense. He was the vampire leader, so any brutalities on his doorstep were ultimately his responsibility. I shook my head in dismay at my own stupidity. Had he been laughing at me all this time? So much for confronting him to gauge his reaction about Tony’s death; he knew as much as I did – if not more.
I ducked my head and moved away from the pillar. I had to get out of there. My shame at not working out what had been right in front of my face was too much to bear. Some detective I was.
Then anger began to seep in. This might all be a joke to him, but it was real life to me. And real death.
A figure stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I muttered an apology and moved to the side. He reached out and grabbed my arm. My head jerked up.
‘Emma, where have you been?’
I stared at Jeremy. His eyes were roving over me like he couldn’t quite believe I was real. He pulled me in close, wrapping his arms around me tightly. He smelled warm and familiar and I couldn’t stop myself from hugging him back.
‘What are you doing here?’ I asked, my words muffled into his chest.
‘Looking for you, of course! I get a cryptic message from you and you don’t come home. Nobody at the Met seems to know what’s going on and, when I went to Supe Squad, the building was empty.’
I leaned back my head and looked into his eyes. He gazed back at me. I had the strong sensation that there was something he desperately wanted to ask but he was afraid of the answer.
‘I’m sorry, Jeremy. I’m so sorry. Everything’s been crazy lately.’ I linked my fingers with his. ‘Can we get out of here and talk?’
He nodded. Gripping my hand tightly, as if he were scared to let go, he led me out.
Chapter Seventeen
Unsure of where else to go, and desperate for some peace and quiet, I took him to Supe Squad. He looked disapprovingly at Tallulah but he didn’t say anything, even when I had to move the crossbow so he could sit in the passenger seat.
‘This is my mentor’s car,’ I said, by way of feeble explanation.
‘Doesn’t your mentor need it?’
I couldn’t answer that, so I didn’t. Instead I focused on the road and not driving over the drunken pedestrians tripping out of the other vamp clubs and bars. Jeremy didn’t repeat his question, and for that I was grateful.
We didn’t speak again until I’d used my key to get us into the Supe Squad building. I led him into the main office and flicked on the kettle. I was going to need a damn sight more than caffeine to get through this conversation but, unless Fred had a secret stash of vodka underneath the sofa, tea was the best I could do.