Chapter 2 2

The man smiled at Brienna as she sat down at the booth. Mindlessly she thought that he had highly desirable attributes, but they were deflected quickly. For the first time since he spoke, Brienna got a really good look at him. It was at that moment that she saw one little feature that she hadn't noticed earlier.

He had fangs.

She could barely see them, but they were there like little white neon lights. Tiny tips that looked sharp, ready to pierce through her skin and drain her blood away. Would he do that? Would this vampire stoop so low as to pretend to care enough to help her find a missing teenager, just to get an easy feed? Brienna didn't know what a vampire would do. She didn't know what this vampire would do.

Brienna's heart began to race as she looked at the archway. Could she make it through the gap in time, or would he take her down? She knew they were everywhere, but until now, Brienna had never actually managed to pick one out in the crowd. This guy looked human, aside from the deadly teeth.

"The photo?"

Brienna stared blankly at him. All she could see were those horrid things in his mouth.

The vampire frowned, wondering what was wrong with the woman in front of him. She seemed to be switched on at the bar, now he was faced with someone that looked like her brain had checked out a week ago.

Lifting his arm, the vampire snapped his finger in front of the human's face.

"Hey, you in there? I need a picture of your kid. While we wait for my associate to arrive, I can send her picture out and see if we get any hits."

Brienna focused and gulped hard, her hand shaking as she reached to the pocket where she'd stowed Eloise's photo.

"You're a vampire." she murmured.

"Notice, did you? It's not really cramping your style, is it?" Brienna frowned at the vampire.

"You want to know how you will find your daughter? It's by doing it within the vampire world. Your pathetic human detective won't get squat out of any vampire, regardless of what he offers to tempt them. He might be good at finding humans in your world, but that is only because he's fishing for information in his own circles."

The picture was pushed across the table, Brienna quickly slipped her hand back to her lap. She had nothing to protect herself, and the barman was correct. The crucifix did nothing because she was sitting in front of a vampire, and he didn't care.

It made her wonder if her parents had paid extra to do something like having it blessed. There were enough charlatans in this world, ready to take advantage of the vulnerable that made Brienna think that anything was possible. All they needed to do was buy the pendants and claim it had been blessed by a priest, soaked in holy water, whatever it took to fool the naïve.

He snapped a picture with his phone and then pushed it back over the table.

"Cato." he murmured, his gaze down at the phone.

The screen lit up his face. Brienna was still staring, still trying to assess how far she'd get if she ran to the door. Would the other patrons in this place help her or run to save their own life? Did the barman know that there was a vampire in his bar?

"Pardon?"

The vampire looked up; he offered a plain faced stare with his mouth slightly open. Brienna's stomach curled as she stared at the exposed fang.

"It's my name."

"Oh, okay."

His gaze lowered again, watching as the replies started to come in. So far, there was nothing.

"This would be where you'd say, it's lovely to meet you, Cato, my name is,"

"Brienna and forgive me if I don't think that meeting a vampire is lovely." "We are the only ones that can find your daughter Brienna, so it is lovely." She huffed, folding her arms. The emotions were mounting because, to Brienna, it felt that she was about to hit another wall. No matter how many people she asked, they had nothing to give her. No sightings, not even a whisper.

"Where's daddy dearest in all of this?"

Brienna wiped the tear that had crept out. The strength that she had was slipping away.

"I found out that he's been away for business for the past month. He's in China at the moment."

Cato smacked his hand on the table, frightening the life out of Brienna.

"I knew she was lying to you." he said eagerly. "No human walks down the vampire mile at witching hour unless they want to be found."

"You're wrong. Eloise wouldn't,"

Cato rolled his eyes.

"What?" she spat out.

"You're so blind that it's not surprising that you haven't found her."

Picking up the photo of her daughter, Brienna stood from the table. She wasn't prepared to stay here any longer, not with this fool.

"You're an idiot, and you're wasting my time."

Cato looked up, smiling with a nod. His gaze was not to Brienna but to the shadowy figure that towered over her. Brienna turned and titled her head back. Her eyes widened as the man stepped closer.

"I know you're rather inept in introducing yourself, so I'll help out. Brienna, this is Dori. Adds man, this is the lovely Brienna."

Dori stepped closer. Brienna inhaled sharply, falling back to the seat. She scrabbled backwards and watched in horror as the bulking creature sat down. Brienna was trapped between the vampire, and the man she knew was not a vampire and definitely not human. There was something vastly different about him, more than Cato.

"What are you?" she whispered.

Dori said nothing, taking the photo out of her shaking hand. The image of the girl was committed to his incredible memory. It would stay there until he decided that it was no longer needed. The picture was put on the table in front of Brienna. Dori turned his attention to the vampire that was grinning like a fool.

"Go on, man, tell her. She's like the rest of them, completely oblivious."

Dori grunted at the freak and then stood. He believed that staying in this squalid bar was not beneficial for his life in general and definitely not helpful for finding the kid. He couldn't figure out why the human was here, but then again, he couldn't figure out humans at all.

"Looks like we're on the move," Cato said eagerly.

Brienna frowned, watching the two men moving towards the arch. She quickly scrabbled over the seat and rushed to them.

"Where are you going? Are you going to help me?"

The two of them stopped, turning to look at her.

"I think that's already been established." Cato offered with a look of concern. "Jeez, you need to wake up or something. What is it that you humans drink? Coffee, that's right. Go and drink a couple of gallons." Dori huffed with amusement and then walked to the door.

"Yep, I agree with you, Adds. She'd be wired for a week."

Brienna sneered as she walked to the door.

"What have I signed up for?" she muttered.

The rain hadn't settled. Brienna looked out the door and pulled her jacket tighter. It did nothing to stop the rain. She shied to the wall, trying to use the eave as cover. Cato frowned at her.

"We don't have all night, you know."

"It's raining." Cato stopped and looked at his upturned hand.

"Goodness, is that what this is?"

He rolled his eyes and turned back to catch up to Dori. The lumbering oaf hadn't stopped, and water didn't bother him, so walking in the rain was nothing. Brienna huffed and chased after them.

"Where are we going?"

"Your place."

"What for? Eloise is not at home."

Cato pointed to Dori with a beaming smile.

"Got a great sniffer on him. Just need something that your daughter wears, and he's good to go."

"In this rain?"

"That's why he needs something that she wears. Trust me, we're good on this." Brienna wasn't so sure. She wondered if she was about to be robbed by a pair of conmen. Still, she showed them the way to her home, hoping that there was a little luck on her side. Maybe Eloise had returned, and she could send these two oddballs on their way again.

When she pushed through the gate and walked up the two steps to the door, she noted that the little piece of paper she'd pushed between the door and the jamb was still there. Eloise was not home. Pulling the note out, Brienna put it on the hallstand and turned on the lights.

"Her room is the first door on the right at the top of the stairs. Don't touch anything."

As she closed the door, Brienna leaned on it and watched as Dori lumbered his bulky body up the stairs.

"What is he?" she whispered.

Her gaze turned to the smiling vampire. His amusement was infuriating to Brienna.

"Werewolf."