Page 22 of Huntress Unleashed

“Okay, we sure appreciate it. And if you need any help, just let us know.”

“I sure will,” Anne said. Then they ended the call.

“I did some research into Heskel to learn where he might go,” Trey said.

“Trey is our private investigator when we’re trying to learn all we can about a rogue vampire that we are after. What did you learn?” Dane asked.

Trey finished his slice of crunchy bacon and wiped his fingers off on his paper napkin. “The house we went to last night is owned by one of his blood bonds, a chef at a restaurant in Plano. He obviously wasn’t home at the time. Heskel might have told him to stay away. Heskel has five other blood bonds and I have a list of their residences. I’m also investigating the whereabouts of his three close vampire friends. None of them are on any termination lists, so hopefully they’ll stay out of it if Heskel goes to one of their places and his friends are there when we turn up.”

“Okay, that sounds like a good start.” Matt drank some more of his coffee.

“Call Stacey back and tell her we’ll go with her tonight,” Jacqueline said to Dane.

He smiled at her. “You know, I think you need to get in touch with her.”

Jacqueline chuckled. “I will.” She pulled out her phone and said, “Hey, Stacey, it’s me, Jacqueline, from the meeting. Dane told us you want some back up on taking someone down. We’re ready to help. Can you tell us more about the rogue?” She put the phone on speaker.

“Uh, yeah, and thanks. It’s a woman, Italia, an ancient vampire. She has an ancient vampire boyfriend who strays quite often and every time he does, Italia tracks down his new human lover and then kills her. The police have pinned ten crimes on her finally and I ended up with the case to take her down.”

“What about her boyfriend? Is he on a terminal list too?” Jacqueline asked.

“No. Franklin hasn’t done anything wrong but gotten his side interests killed because of his jealous want-to-be mate. They’ve been together for centuries, but he won’t agree to being her exclusive mate.”

“I’m surprised that she doesn’t kill him, instead of the women,” Jacqueline said.

“She still wants him. According to witnesses, she always has,” Stacey said. “I’m sorry about the situation you have with Heskel. I hope Dane told you that I want to help you get rid of him.”

“Yes, thanks so much for offering.”

“You should have mentioned it at the meeting. The rest of us had someone help to take out the rogues who turned us. We are a team.”

Jacqueline swallowed hard and smiled. “Thank you. Where and when do you want to meet to take down Italia?”

“Seven tonight. Franklin goes to a vampire bar—the Blue Moon—every Tuesday night and Italia does also, but they go in separate cars. Then he leaves the club, goes to a human club, picks up a woman, and drives to her place. Somehow Italia learns where he has gone, possibly tracking him to the human club and lying in wait, then follows him to the victim’s home,” Stacey said. “We can meet at the grocery store half a block from the Blue Moon. The police suspect she has killed more women, but they couldn’t prove it. They have proven she murdered the others.”

“Okay, we’ll meet up with you at the grocery store,” Jacqueline said.

“Then we have to go after your vampire once we take down Italia,” Stacey said.

“We’re trying to find any location he might be at and then sure, that would be great.”

Then they ended the call and Dane sighed. “I’m glad you called her.”

“Do you think she’s after you?” Jacqueline asked.

“Yeah.”

Trey laughed. “Here we were so upset that Dane’s fiancée ditched him and he already has a couple of huntresses interested in him.”

Dane gave his brother a look to cool it. He didn’t want to lose whatever headway he had hoped he was making with Jacqueline.

“Oh?” Jacqueline said.

Trey’s face reddened.

Dane suspected his brother thought that Jacqueline and he were already an item. He wished, but he had to take this slowly. He suspected all the changes to her life were making her hesitant to really get involved with another hunter who had been turned like her. He didn’t blame her for feeling that way. Also the business of both of them being recently separated from the ones they were engaged to would make a difference.

Matt laughed. “It seems you stuck your foot in your mouth again, Trey.”