A Perfect Blood (The Hollows #10)(107)
Author: Kim Harrison

"He told me that, too," I said, glad now that I had his charms with me.

"I simply matched up city-owned buildings with abandoned medical sites. It wasn’t until I threw in military posts developed during the Turn that I found the lower levels to the library."

Jenks strutted across the headrest, walking right off it with his wings going full tilt. "You don’t think Glenn would get us out here unless he checked it out first, do you?"

The knot of worry in me eased, and I leaned back into the seat. "I didn’t know anything like that even existed."

Glenn nodded, reaching out when the van took a corner tight. "You don’t build a library that spans two blocks for no reason. It was set to hide a military base, right in downtown Cincinnati." His attention going to Nina, he added, "I’m surprised you don’t know of it. It was built under your nose. It’s perfect for HAPA’s needs."

HAPA’s needs, I thought, frowning. Their need to hold people against their will. A place with electricity and solitude, one with quick access to people and escape.

"The bunker is too deep for magic to easily penetrate," Glenn was saying, "but your amulet will light up as soon as we get deep enough. We sent a team in this morning. Someone from HAPA is down there. I guarantee it."

My eyes narrowed, and my gaze shot past Glenn and out through the front window as the van’s brakes squeaked. "Approaching the drop-off zone, sir," the driver said, and my shot of adrenaline made Ivy’s and Nina’s pupils dilate. Crap, I had to get out from between these two before someone got bitten. Like me.

I tugged my bag onto my lap to check that my splat gun was in there, hesitating when I saw Trent’s charms in a haphazard pile. Nerves were starting to hit me hard. This was the best part except for the takedown. Jenks was feeling it, too, wiping his wings and checking for tears. I reached to turn off my own cell phone, accidentally hitting Wayde. "Sorry," I said, but he was fidgeting, trying to find a way to tell Glenn he was coming with me. Good luck there, Wayde.

Oblivious to Wayde’s distress, Glenn had slid closer to the door, his entire mien shifting to hard-assed FIB officer. "Get out, cross the road, get into the library," he said tersely. "There’s an FIB officer behind the main desk in the back. Jenks is going to loop the cameras, but no sense in pushing our luck. They belong to the library, but Jenks assures me that someone has tapped into them for their own use."

Own use? I looked at Jenks, surprised. "When did you have time to scope out the library?" I said, and his dust shifted an embarrassed red.

"Give me a break, Rache," he muttered, landing on the headrest. "Ivy and I knew about the library this morning. We didn’t know if we were going to let you come or lock you in the bathroom until an hour before Glenn called."

My eyes narrowed and my grip on my bag tightened. Lock me in the bathroom?

"There are FIB and I.S. people on-site," Glenn was saying, and I turned my glare to Ivy, "so if you spot them, ignore them. We’ve been bringing them in all afternoon, undercover. Rachel, if you’re sure you want to risk yourself again?" Glenn prompted as the van rocked to a halt.

I scowled, not liking having been so far out of the loop. "Ask me again, you won’t have to think about your family planning. Ever."

"I was hoping you’d say that," Glenn said; then his smile faltered. "That you’re ready, not the family-planning part."

"What about you?" I asked Wayde as Glenn pushed the rolling door open and the smells and sights of the city streets flowed in. "You’re staying, right?"

Glenn got out and stood on the sidewalk, his stance loose and easy. "He’s staying," he said as he helped Ivy out. "Wayde, do I have to cuff you to the van, or will you be good?"

His disappointment obvious, Wayde settled back. "I’m good. Just keep her alive, Detective Glenn, or you’ll find out what a pissed Were who doesn’t care if he goes to jail is like."

"Thank you, boys, for that overwhelming boost of confidence," I said, impatient, as Nina still hadn’t gotten out, and getting nervous. Damn it, if they shut the door and drove off with me still inside, I was going to be ticked. "Will you get your vamp ass out of this van!" I shouted, and someone on the sidewalk turned to look.

Nina stepped gracefully from the van, and I followed, quick on her heels. My grip on Glenn’s hand extended to help me was more than a little too heavy, and he eyed me until I let go, my feet securely on the sidewalk. Reaching behind me, Nina shut the door, and the van drove off. Before us was the library, traffic moving slowly between it and us.

Arms swinging, I crossed in the middle of the street, sure they’d follow. Jenks zipped over my head to go fix the cameras. Head down, I paced quickly, Ivy meeting me stride for stride. "I can’t believe you didn’t tell me," I muttered. "What were you planning on doing? Saying you were going out for ice cream and not coming back?"

Ivy glanced askance at me. "You were always going," she said. "The question was, and still is, just how close to the action you’re going to get."

"I don’t need a babysitter," I grumbled.

"No, but I’m not going to let you mess up Glenn’s run because you’re too much of a carrot for HAPA." She glanced behind us to Nina and Glenn. "Nina is going to be enough of a loose cannon. We don’t need another one."

I frowned as she opened the library door, and I proceeded her in. She was right, but I didn’t have to like it. My gaze went up, and I felt myself relax despite the reason we were here. I like libraries, and I breathed in the smell of the books, the quiet, and the reverent feel to the air. My gaze dropped to the tiled floor, and I smiled, remembering having fallen here, swearing loudly enough to make the head librarian frown at me from across the large room.

My smile vanished, and I started for the front desk, everyone following at their own pace, trying not to look like an invasion. The lady behind the desk didn’t look like your average librarian – not with that bulge under her sweater that said pistol. "Back and to the left," she said, glancing once at the camera on the ceiling as she lifted the counter gate and invited us in.

I glanced up at the camera, seeing Jenks’s tiny slip of silver dust sifting from it. Satisfied that HAPA wouldn’t know we were here that way, I headed for the back offices.

I’d been here before, and the desks with their stacks of books and light-starved plants were familiar, but I stopped short when I saw Dr. Cordova bent over a cluttered table, giving directions to two FIB officers. Behind her, another officer manned a portable radio switchboard. The woman looked up as Nina cleared her throat. A flash of irritation crossed her face, then vanished.