Guilty Pleasures   ::   Гамильтон Лорел

“You hired a man to slay the freak vampires,” I said.

“No,” he said, “I did not.”

It is always unnerving when a person looks so damn blase while I point a gun at them. “You did hire an assassin.”

He shrugged. Smiled. “You do not really expect me to do anything but deny that, do you?”

“Guess not.” What the heck, might as well ask. “Are you or your church connected in any way to the vampire murders?”

He almost laughed. I didn't blame him. No one in their right mind would just say yes, but sometimes you can learn things from the way a person denies something. The choice of lies can be almost as helpful as the truth.

“No, Miss Blake.”

“You did hire an assassin.” I made it a statement.

The smile drained from his face, goof. He stared at me, his presence crawling along my skin like insects. “Miss Blake, I believe it is time for you to leave.”

“A man tried to kill me today.”

“That is hardly my fault.”

“He had two vampire bites in his neck.”

Again that flicker in the eyes. Unease? Maybe.

“He was waiting for me outside your church. I was forced to kill him on your steps.” A small lie, but I didn't want Ronnie further involved.

He was frowning now, a thread of anger like heat oozing through the room. “I am unaware of this, Miss Blake. I will look into it.”

I lowered my gun but didn't put it away. You can only hold a person at gunpoint so long. If they aren't afraid, and they aren't going to hurt you, and you aren't going to shoot them, it gets rather silly. “Don't be too hard on Bruce. He doesn't do well around violence.”

Malcolm straightened, pulling at his suit jacket. A nervous gesture? Oh, boy. I'd hit a nerve.

“I will look into it, Miss Blake. If he was a member of our church, we owe you an extreme apology.”

I stared at him for a minute. What could I say to that? Thank you? It didn't seem appropriate. “I know you hired a hit man, Malcolm. Not exactly good press for your church. I think you are behind the vampire murders. Your hands may not have spilled the blood, but it was done with your approval.”

“Please, go now, Miss Blake.” He opened the door as he said it.

I walked through, gun still in my hand. “Sure, I'll go, but I won't go away.”

He stared down at me, eyes angry. “Do you know what it means to be marked by a master vampire?”

I thought a minute and wasn't sure how to answer it. Truth. “No.”

He smiled, and it was cold enough to freeze your heart.