Page 24 of How to Stake a Vampire

The tension drained from the room like a deflated balloon.

My dog truly had a talent for cutting through supernatural drama.

Janet served the drinks and left. I could tell she was lurking outside.

Everyone now had a coffee except for a sulking Gavin, who was clutching a grape soda under Didi’s supervision.

“You said you interviewed Virgil?” Constantia said, holding her cup like a life preserver.

“Yes.” I could smell the concern in her scent despite her neutral tone.

“How is Virgil?” Gregory asked.

I narrowed my eyes a little at his supercilious expression.

Whereas Constantia seemed to want to know more about her estranged offspring, Gregory looked ready to condemn his son to burn at a fiery stake.

“He seems happy,” I said coolly.

“Really?” Gregory’s tone could have frozen Hell. “His career choice would suggest otherwise. Serving beverages to the masses sounds like my definition of purgatory.”

My wolf’s hackles rose. It was touch and go whether she was going to go for Gregory’s throat.

I sensed Samuel’s warning across our mate bond.

“Not everyone aspires to being a giant prick, Gregory,” I said silkily.

Constantia’s jaw sagged open. Samuel swallowed his coffee down the wrong pipe and began coughing violently. Didi and Gavin stared at me in wide-eyed admiration.

Or abject pity. It was hard to tell sometimes.

I knew I was taking my chances insulting a prominent member of the Amberford Alliance, but I’d had enough of the vampire’s high-and-mighty attitude.

“You are correct, Abigail,” Barney said coldly. He was back to his normal self, to the point where I almost believed I’d dreamed up his scary Lord of the Night performance. “There are indeed many pricks in the vampire world. Big pricks. Ugly pricks.” He shot a steady look at Gregory. “Small pricks.”

“Is that a ding-dong joke?” Bo intoned in a dramatic whisper that could probably be heard at the other end of the building. “Because I have a few of those.”

“How about you keep those to yourself,” Samuel said darkly, dabbing at his chin with a napkin. He looked around the room. “We should focus on the case.”

“You mentioned you had a couple of leads,” Gregory said frostily in the awkward silence. “What was the second one?”

“According to the ghouls at Eternal Reserves, the thief was humming Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony,” I replied more civilly.

Constantia paled. “Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony?”

Gregory looked like he’d swallowed something sour.

Samuel furrowed his brow, his gaze swinging between the power couple. “Is there something you’re not telling us?”

Constantia and Gregory traded a guarded look.

“Three prominent vampires were attacked last night,” Gregory admitted reluctantly. “That’s part of the reason for our visit. They’re all in Springhill General.”

Samuel’s shoulders knotted. Barney’s eyes flashed crimson.

“Attacked?” Gavin swallowed convulsively. “Attacked how?” he quavered.

“Someone drained them almost to the bone,” Gregory said flatly.