Page 27 of The Psychic and the Vampire: A Bad Case of Vampire Curiosity

“No, Ant. I need you to listen this time.” Viktor sat up, leaning in Ant’s direction.

“Babe, you’ve fallen into Carmine’s web – he’s stirring you up, making you feel things you’re not used to dealing with.

He’s isolating you from people you respected and making you wonder if anything you’ve ever known as a certainty is even real. It’s what Carmine does.”

“But…”

“I asked you to listen to me, babe. Hear me out. Carmine has had at least two decades, from what I’ve heard, to set up a hugely complex and intricate network.

Think of it like a giant spider web made up of countless other smaller spider webs all within the whole.

Different people, different organizations, different situations, but Carmine has a hand in it all.

That hand isn’t seen every time, or all the time, but it’s always there.

“His specialty is people’s weaknesses – particularly people in power or in positions where they might be beneficial to him in the future.

” Viktor pointed a finger at him. “You said yourself when we left the police station that there was a Carmine connection. You were referring to those two officers who were pounding on the captain’s door, because you’d temporarily suppressed the bugs in his office. Wasn’t that right?”

Ant had almost forgotten that after his dealings with Hammond.

“Yes,” he said. “I touched them and saw similar scenes from both of them. They’d been paid off, envelopes of cash.

That’s why they were at the captain’s door.

I couldn’t see much, but Carmine was definitely present when that happened in both cases.

“But when I thought about it after, I reminded myself I didn’t know the true context of those moments in time.

Maybe the cash was exchanged for goods sold – something Carmine wanted at the time.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence that they both arrived at the captain’s office door while we were there.

It’s not an admission of criminal activity. ”

“Oh, Ant.” Viktor was smiling at him, but Ant got a flutter in his belly, as if he’d just missed something important.

“Technically, you’re right. Perhaps Carmine was buying a car from them, or a batch of cookies.

I can see why you’d say that. But to me, a person from the shadows, what you saw is another example of Carmine pulling strings.

“The thing is, you probably think that money exchange was a recent thing, and it might be. But those two officers wouldn’t have taken money from Carmine as part of his plot to recruit you.

Neither of those officers was young. They’ve probably been working as officers for five to ten years, give or take. ”

“What would that have to do with Carmine?”

“Remember what I said about Carmine finding people’s weaknesses?

Those two officers will most likely be the people who became disillusioned with their job, who were sick and tired of seeing the bad guys that they catch being set free every five minutes, because sometimes the court systems just don’t work properly.

And face it, Carmine is one of those people behind the scenes making sure that the court system doesn’t work the way it’s meant to.

“A man who had no relation or connection to Carol Doukas at all ended up dying in jail after being sentenced for her murder. Can’t you see?

It’s all part of Carmine’s web of lies. Everywhere he goes, every person he touches.

Carmine can be the type of man who’ll buy you a five-course dinner one minute because you mention you’re hungry, and then three years later turn around and tell you that you owe him a favor.

And because of his reputation, and because of the type of person he is, people believe him. ”

Ant believed every word Viktor was saying, but if that was the case, then…

“Feeling anger toward Bains and Hammond is a waste of time, because they are just more pawns in Carmine’s game.

He’s got you focused on the murder of his poor sister.

But by focusing on that, you’re not seeing the bigger picture.

Think of that giant spider web. Can you see it?

Can you admit at least that everything in Carol’s case so far could be a means of confusing the hell out of you, so you’ll end up under his control without even realizing it? ”

Ant’s magic responded to the passion in Viktor’s voice.

He could see it – the way Viktor was angry and worried on his behalf.

As Ant focused on the imagery Viktor suggested, his magic gave it form – a giant spider web over the whole town.

Barely seen, not noticed by most people, but Ant knew that a spider’s web was far stronger than its thin strands suggested.

“I’m being manipulated,” Ant said as his stomach churned, and his magic sparked. “I’m being manipulated, just in a different way than Bains and Hammond.”

“That’s because you’re a good person who wouldn’t chase a flouncy skirt.”

Ant barely noticed what a person wore, let alone the body underneath. “It’s still manipulation. You were right all along. Carmine used his sister’s death to pull me into his web.”

“Actually, there’s a good chance you were on Carmine’s radar well before he gatecrashed our lunch,” Viktor said. “Were you working for the police as a consultant when Carmine was dating Bridget?”

“I’d just started with them, I think.”

“That’s the connection. You’re a powerful person, in an important position not only at the Mage Academy, but with the justice department as well. Carmine has likely known about you all this time and was probably thinking of how he could control you through your sister back then.”

Ant quickly shook his head. “That doesn’t sound right. Bridget broke off with him that same night I met him. She was disgusted to hear how much he’d lied to her.”

“He might have backed off then, but you weren’t forgotten. When you had Tony Manzano arrested, you suddenly became a person of interest to him again. He just needed another way to hook you in.”

Ant’s breath started to quicken as random pieces all fell into place.

“I don’t know how to go after Carmine. I was taught from when I was a kid that a person is presumed innocent until they’re proven guilty.

To my knowledge, Carmine has done nothing criminally wrong.

I can’t...it feels wrong to go after him without proof.

Can you see that? I can’t do something like that. ”

“There’s a good chance Carmine knows that, too.” Viktor didn’t seem surprised by his outburst. “Would that make you feel any better if we could get proof?”

“I’m not sure.” Ant had to think about it.

Finding proof of Carmine’s criminal activity was still a hypothesis that assumed Carmine had done something wrong.

“I think so. Yes.” A sharp nod – Ant was still breathing far too fast. “If I knew for certain that he was responsible for something, something criminal…”

“You know he was responsible for Carol’s death,” Viktor interrupted.

But Ant shook his head. “No, V, I don’t know that.

We’ve been told he was responsible by that Duncan that we went to see.

Suggestions and rumors, supposition and conjecture - none of that is proof.

I did the scene reading myself. Carmine was not there.

I know that for a fact. So, I can’t blame him for Carol’s death, even if every other piece of circumstantial evidence points to him being responsible.

“I need proof of him doing something wrong – something criminal. Remember when you told me about Tony?” Ant looked up at his mate, who was watching him closely.

“You told me there was no proof. You told me that you couldn’t ring the authorities and turn Tony in, even though he bragged to you when he murdered Mr. Fallows.

He told you, but you couldn’t bring him in because you had no proof.

Why is it any different if I am saying the same thing now? ”

“True. True. That’s a valid point. And as soon as I knew there had been a witness to the murder, even if it was your sexy self, I went and did something about it.

” Viktor nodded and seemed to have come to some conclusion about something, but Ant couldn’t pick up what it was through their bond because suddenly Viktor was thinking about something else.

An intimate something that had Ant’s cheeks heating.

“Hey, babe, you fancy going to bed?” The change of tone and the heat in Viktor’s eyes matched the thoughts Viktor was projecting.

“I know you always make me feel good, and I love that about you. But with everything going on in my head, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get in the mood,” Ant admitted, even as he reached for his mate, suddenly needing that physical connection, even if he wasn’t horny.

“Just focus on me for now. Touch me, let me send you soothing thoughts so you can relax. Whether it’s sleep you need, a release, or just a soothing massage, you know I can calm your erratic thoughts for a while.

” Ant knew how good Viktor was at keeping his promises.

“It’ll help you sleep better,” he added.

Ant wasn’t sure about that. It was too early in the day, wasn’t it? They hadn’t even had dinner yet. But the opportunity to just stop thinking for five minutes…or more…was a temptation Ant couldn’t resist. He tilted his face up for a kiss – Viktor met him halfway.