Sucker Bet (Vegas Vampires #4)(52)
Author: Erin McCarthy

"Thanks." Nate led Donatelli to the brawny Russian still lying on a chaise where the killer had left him. It was starting to really infuriate Nate that the deaths were piling up so quickly, and there was no time even to get physical evidence analyzed before the next victim turned up. The killer was arrogant and clearly very driven to commit his crimes.

If Gwenna was right, and his intent was to rile up the faux slayers, then three deaths immediately ought to do it. Which might lead to more murders. Though Nate found it hard to believe a Russian mobster was on a vampire slayers’ loop. They hadn’t uncovered his name at present, and they had two-thirds of the members identified.

"Here he is." Nate took a deep breath. He still wasn’t feeling all that great, and the overwhelming stench of death that wafted up from the victim was making his stomach churn again. While Nate wouldn’t say he was used to the odor of death, he’d been exposed to his fair share of it, many victims in far worse shape than the guy in front of him. Yet for some reason tonight it seemed thick and noxious, crawling up his nostrils, tightening his gut, and making his gums itch.

"That’s Chechikov." Donatelli raised an eyebrow. "He’s looked better, but it’s definitely him. Wonder who he pissed off this time."

Clearly Donatelli and Chechikov hadn’t been great pals. The guy didn’t look broken up in the least. "So you’re saying he had a lot of enemies?"

"Oh, yeah. A lot that go back centuries."

"Centuries? Like a family feud?" Nate grabbed the back of a pool chair, struggling to keep from getting sick or going down and kissing the concrete.

"If you need to feed, why don’t you go inside and ask Carrick for some blood?"

Nate felt saliva puddle in his mouth and his stomach burned, as he watched Donatelli in confusion. "What?"

They stared at each other, Donatelli’s brow furrowed, Nate getting dizzy.

"She didn’t tell you, did she?" Donatelli asked.

"Who tell me what?"

"Gwenna. That she turned you into a vampire."

The words took a second to process their way through Nate’s foggy brain. "A vampire… you’re insane."

"No. But I am a vampire. As is Gwenna. And now are you. I ordered you killed, and you took a bullet in the garage at the Ava from one of my men. You died. Gwenna turned you, something I hadn’t intended to happen. And now it seems she’s lied to you."

Nate just stood there, feeling a full sentence behind Donatelli’s convoluted explanation. Vampires were not real. Yet there seemed to be a whole lot of people who thought they were. "You know what, it’s time for you to leave." He didn’t have time to listen to that crap. Even if Donatelli had somehow managed to describe Nate’s dream. That was just a freaky coincidence.

And he needed to get home and to bed before he passed out on the pavement.

"I’m leaving. But before I go, turn around with me and look in the pool. Neither one of us has a reflection."

If he had been himself, Nate would have reached the point where he just grabbed Donatelli by the collar and bodily removed him. But he was sick as a dog and brain dead, so he turned automatically, his skin clammy and everything sharp and focused, a slight buzzing in his ears.

Huh. He didn’t have a reflection. That was f**king weird. Especially considering the evidence bag in his hand did. As did the chair behind him.

"This is vampire business," Donatelli said, gesturing to Chechikov. "The police will never solve the crime." He then held the cup he’d been carrying around toward Nate. "Have a drink before you drop, then I suggest you go find Gwenna and ask her why she would turn you and yet leave you without the knowledge to survive."

The cup Donatelli had handed him smelled fantastic. Sweet. Necessary. He shouldn’t touch it since it had been handed to him by a crazy man, but he was beyond thirsty and he couldn’t control himself. Nate tipped it back and drank it all in one swallow. It was the same taste and consistency of what Gwenna had given him, and it had the same effect. He felt immediately better.

"What is this?" Prying the lid off, he glanced inside. It was red, staining the sides, and it smelled like…

"Blood."

It was. And Nate felt panic rise in his throat.

He needed to find Gwenna.

Chapter Sixteen

Gwenna had ringing ears and a DVD on sexual positions in her possession when she went back to the casino, hoping Nate hadn’t left yet. The only thing she had concluded from her meeting with Kelsey was that Ringo wasn’t lacking for sexual satisfaction or creativity, both of which she could have done without knowing. For eternity, really. Kelsey was in no way afraid of her husband, despite Gwenna’s attempts at hinting he was a loaded cannon. Nor did she seem to have any interest in leaving him. The only thing Gwenna could feel the least bit reassured about was that Ringo killed for money, not malice. If he was responsible for murdering the men on the slayers’ loop, there was someone who had paid him to do it. That’s who Gwenna wanted to uncover.

She was walking through the lobby, pulling her phone out so she could call Nate, when someone touched her arm.

"Excuse me."

"Yes?" Turning, she recognized the guy behind her. It was one of The Impalers. David Foster. The one she had sort of done a body grind behind when she’d been plastered on martinis before she’d been hauled offstage by a bouncer. An incident she’d just love to forget actually, though the follow-up sex with Nate had been lovely.

"Don’t I know you from somewhere?" He had a friendly face, with a nice straight smile.

Gwenna gave a noncommittal shrug, embarrassed as hell. "I don’t think so."

"Are you sure? I could have sworn…" Then he stuck out his hand. "Anyway, I’m David Foster."

"Gwenna Carrick. It’s a pleasure."

His face lit up and he snapped his fingers. "That’s where I know you from. You’re Carrick’s sister. Not that I’ve met him or anything, but he seems cool."

"Thanks, I like him well enough." Worried about Nate, Gwenna removed her hand from his and gave him a smile. "Well, I hate to dash off, but my boyfriend’s not feeling well and I want to check on him."

"Sure, that’s cool. I hope he feels better. Nice meeting you." David gave her a wave and took a step back. "And do yourself a favor, Gwenna, and stay away from Slash."

Gwenna stared at his back, heart pounding as she processed his words. "What?" she asked, but he was already gone, walking with vampire speed, brushing past mortals so quickly they would only notice a breeze and briefly wonder where it came from.