Destroyer (Page 28)

"Kieran Ormonde?" Ashe blinked at Gavin as he flipped through three pages of printed information.

"May be responsible for murdering six people in the San Francisco area. Considered quite dangerous. He was last heard from when he reached Oakland, where we lost touch. You see his financial status, before and after the crisis." Gavin barely nodded.

"I see it. He has more money now than he did before the meltdown, with not much in between."

"Precisely. All the victims have made recent large transactions, transferring funds into specific investments. We believe Ormonde has placed compulsion on a human, who is in charge of these investments. Most of that money has disappeared, leaving the human in the hands of local authorities. He has been charged with fraud and running a Ponzi scheme."

"Doesn’t sound good for old Kieran, does it?" Ashe shook his head.

"No, it does not."

"I’d say you’re right. Except Kieran isn’t the only one involved. Got any other folders containing the names Brinkley Addison and Ellis Kline?"

"Those are only suspects at this point, with recently reported locations in Ireland," Tony said. "Are they involved?"

"I’d say so. You know for sure that they haven’t been to the U.S. in the past four months?" Ashe’s eyes were filled with stars.

"Not completely." Gavin only blinked once at Ashe. "Private jets leave the country all the time."

"Yeah." Ashe’s eyes were back to their normal blue.

"Are we traveling to two locations tonight?" Gavin asked, taking the folder from Ashe’s outstretched hand.

"Yes. San Francisco and Dublin."

"I haven’t been to Dublin in a while. Kid, dress warm. For both places," Tony said. "Maybe we should hit Dublin, first. It’s ten p.m. here. We have less than two hours before sunrise in the U.K.," Tony consulted his watch.

"I’ll go change," Ashe hunched his shoulders. He was destined to see more vampires die.

* * *

"Hi, Thomas," Wynter said brightly when Thomas Williams called her cell. "I heard you had some trouble in Amarillo. Are you okay?"

"I’m good. The vamps did most of the work. Weldon and I only got two and that’s because Dalroy and Rhett were too polite to interfere," Thomas chuckled. "How about you?"

"School starts again in a week. But I’m almost done."

"Good for you. What I called about, well, I’ll be looking for a ring. Is there anything special that you like?"

"I love chocolate diamonds surrounding a diamond," Wynter squeaked. Thomas was buying her a ring!

"I’ll see what I can do, then."

"Did Daddy give you a hard time?"

"Not much of one. I told him I’d take good care of you. Twice. And he said you can fly out one weekend a month, as long as you’re supervised by my sister."

"Daddy has to stick his nose in everything. It’s not like I’m an adult or anything."

"Sweetheart, we have to get to know each other. I want you to be sure when I put that ring on your finger."

"I’ll be sure."

* * *

"We know where he is, but he’s guarded most of the time," Parlethis informed the four who stood before him. "By werewolves and vampires. We have devised a plan to draw him away from that place so your attack will be easier. You are the fastest we have at relocating, and you must take him by surprise. I have these." Parlethis handed capped darts to each Bright Elemaiya soldier. "These darts contain lion snake poison and will kill almost anything quickly."

"We know about lion snake poison," one of Parlethis’ chosen assassins handled the dart carefully, examining the cap and how solidly it was positioned over the point.

"Good. You go in two days. Here is the map and photographs we received from one of our contacts." Parlethis handed out paper copies of what he’d been given. He’d also sent two darts to the contact in question by return mail. It was the first time he’d mailed anything, and found it quite simple to accomplish. He’d lied, too, telling the clerk the box contained photographs.

* * *

"You’ll do it because I tell you to do it," Zeke snarled at Josiah’s contact over the phone. "Wildrif is here, and he was happy to give me your information. You’ll hit the target I told you to hit. You get two darts, in case somebody else is there."

Zeke listened for a moment while the contact argued on the other end. "Look, either you do this or my trackers come hunting you. If they don’t get you, I can always send information anonymously to the Grand Master. I’d say that one of us will have you. You don’t stand a chance." Zeke listened again while the contact called Wildrif many names. Most of them had profanity involved and none of them were nice.

"You gonna do this?" Zeke’s mouth turned up in a smile when he received a sulky "Yes."

* * *

Kid, I don’t know how you do this. I’m not arguing, though. Tony waved a hand to keep Ashe from defending himself. He, Ashe and Gavin stood across the street from a house in Dublin, a narrow, cobbled lane lying in between. Inside the house, dim lights shone from behind heavy curtains. You’re sure they’re here?

Yeah. With humans. Women, Ashe added, swallowing nervously.

"I think they’re engaged in sex," Tony breathed softly to Gavin, who nodded and gripped Ashe’s arm.

"Young one, stay outside unless you are needed," Gavin whispered next to Ashe’s ear.

No problem, Ashe agreed mentally. Gavin nodded. Ashe watched as Gavin and Tony approached the house. Surprisingly, Tony drew a lock-picking kit from a pocket and went to work on the door. The faintest of ticks sounded and Ashe nodded respectfully when Tony had the door open in seconds. Gavin led the way inside the house, Tony close behind.

* * *

"I can meet with you tomorrow night. You can choose the place," Peyton spoke into his cell. He’d been more than surprised that William Winkler called him back. It didn’t matter that he might be walking into a trap—Peyton had spent the last twenty-four hours evading Zeke Tanner’s trackers. Not for the first time did he wonder why the trackers didn’t go after Winkler, but shoved that thought aside. Winkler was on the phone, asking for a meeting.

"Come to the house. I’m sure you know where it is anyway," Winkler said.

"I’m being followed," Peyton admitted.

"No surprise. Know where those followers might be?"

"They’re here in Corpus Christi," Peyton said. "I managed to lose them last night, but they’re here. I figure they’ll catch up with me soon enough."