Page 83 of The Tracker's Secret

Jake blew air through his nose. “You and Eric Cross have more to do with rhabo than you’re willing to admit. I know you do.”

Damien gave Jake a dirty look but didn’t deny the assertion. Instead, he said, “We’re not dealers. Of that, you can be sure. Blake Foster, on the other hand, he’s the main provider. I know he isn’t dead. I just don’t know where to find him, so where is he?”

“Blake Foster is dealing rhabo?” Jake asked incredulously. “How do you know that?”

“I got the truth out of one of his lieutenants.” He waved a hand in the air. “But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I need to stop him before this situation gets worse. Tell me where he is.”

Everyone turned to me expectantly, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust Damien with the information. What if he was in it with Blake and things had gone sour between them somehow? What if Damien wanted to kill him because Blake could serve as a witness against him?

“I... I’m not really sure,” I lied, grabbing my head as if I had a headache. “Last night, I tried to track Blake, but I couldn’t come up with a location. Then when I... passed out just now, I thought I remembered something, but now...” I trailed off, shaking my head.

“So youdon’tknow where he is?” Damien demanded.

“I—I don’t. It’s all so fuzzy.”

Oh God, I was terrible at lying. Were they buying any of it?I glanced sideways at Rosalina from under my hand as I squeezed my temples. She was frowning, her lips pursed, clearly doubting my performance.

Damien, however, stood and started pacing the room. “I need to find that blasted werewolf. There are rumors that they are about to flood the system with enough rhabo to kill the entire vampire population in the city. Someone has to stop him, but he always seems to be a step ahead.”

“That sounds awful,” Rosalina said.

“Since when do you care about vampires, Copper Mage?” Jake asked, his tone full of skepticism.

Damien glowered at Jake but, like before, avoided answering the question. He was hiding something, but what?

Stomping his foot on the floor, Damien turned and headed toward the stairs, his cloak fluttering behind him. “I’m wasting my time here.” He halted at the top of the steps and glanced at Rosalina. “It’s unfortunate what you did. I really liked you,” he said, then, like a freaking diva, he descended the steps, a holier-than-thou expression on his face.

“Bastard,” I called out, loud enough for him to hear me.

We sat in silence until we heard the door chime. After a few beats, I pushed to the edge of the bed and whispered, “I think I know where Blake is and where they’re keeping that new shipment of rhabo.”

Chapter 29

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“IKNEW YOU WERE LYING,” Rosalina said.