Page 32 of The Tracker's Secret

“Not yet.” I put my hand out to shake. “I’m Toni Sunder.”

She dropped her chin to her chest as if her head were too heavy and stared down at my hand, but made no attempt to shake. I shrugged it off and pulled my hand back.

“So... what’s araybow?” I asked.

She gave a goofy laugh, throwing her head back. “It’s the best thing to ever happen. That’s what.”

I watched with interest as the bartender returned with a shot glass filled with a green shimmering liquid. Oh, so it was some sort of magical drink with colors like in a rainbow. Skew mixologists were always coming up with new interesting combinations that sort of worked, though I had never seen anything affect a vampire like this. She was really high.

The vamp went for the glass, missing it on her first attempt, then clutching it tightly and lifting it to her mouth slowly as if afraid to spill even one drop. When it reached her lips, she downed it in one gulp, throwing her head back in ecstasy and letting out a moan like someone reaching a climax.

“Wow, that’s hot,” I said, without thinking.

The bartender huffed. “No, it ain’t. It’s disgusting.”

Surprised at her comment, I turned to look at her but she disappeared again, thewhooshof her rapid retreat rustling my hair.

A moment later the stoned vamp staggered away from the bar, her high heels twisting inwardly with her every ungraceful step. I frowned, my curiosity mounting. A drink that could truly intoxicate vampires, and a bartender who didn’t approve of it.

I stared down at my drink, realizing that it had never kicked in. Not one bit. Damn!

“Well, that’s no fun,” I mumbled, then downed what was left in the glass. The raybow was definitely starting to sound like an option right about now. I raised my hand to get the bartender’s attention.

She came back and offered me a smile. “Another whiskey sour?”

“It’s not doing the trick tonight. How about one of those raybows?”

Her smile dropped immediately. “No can do. They’re only for vamps.”

“Huh?” That was stupid. “How come?”

“Because if you drink one, it will kill you.”

I blinked and stared at her wide-eyed. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope.” She sped away and a moment later, she was back with another whiskey sour, which she smacked down on the counter. “Raybow’s poison. If you have any vamp friends, tell them not to touch it,” she warned, then sped away once more.

Questions multiplied exponentially inside my head. The party scene was certainly changing. I’d been so busy working that I’d missed it. I had to find out what this was all about. I wondered if Damien knew.

I turned to face the crowd again, my eyes scanning for the white-haired mage, but instead, I spotted the last person I thought I would see here.

Jake Knight.