Fangs for Freaks (Book 2: Half-blood vampire series)

Chapter Eleven

I ignored him and continued talking. “Yeah, work can be such a strain. Especially when you don’t have a car and need to head to the Tribunal offices to, you know, work.”

He continued to ignore me until I pinched his neck. “Ouch!”

“Sorry, don’t know my own strength.” I went back to the soothing massage and he went back to ignoring me. After a moment I pinched him again.

“Dammit, get your purse. We’ll go right now.” I smiled in satisfaction.

We arrived at the Tribunal offices, Carl grumbling about the cost of gas the entire way.

“I suppose you’ll want me to wait for you as well?”

I batted my eyelashes at him in reply. He turned off the engine, reached into the backseat for his briefcase and followed me inside. Please, it’s not like he didn’t know that in advance. Why else would he have brought his briefcase?

We rode the elevator up to the top and exited to the plush gray and black offices of the Tribunal. Mrs. Durham sat behind the imposing reception desk, typing away.

“Hiya, Margaret,” I greeted her as Carl hid a smile. She took one look at me and declared, “He’s busy.”

I nodded enthusiastically, both of my hands on top of the reception desk, which was made of glass. I slid my fingers toward the edges, creating smeared fingerprints on its pristine surface. “Don’t I know it? Me, too. Busy, busy, busy. But, when you’re the only half-blood Protector, what’s a girl to do?” I shrugged in her direction. Carl settled down in the reception area and pulled some documents out of his case to review. We watched him in silence for a moment. I knew Mrs. Durham was fighting for control so I waited until she gained her composure. I’m not all bad, you know.

“So.” I emphasized my point by tapping the glass desk, making more fingerprints. “I’m gonna need to see Mr. Holloway.”

She glared at me, looking from the dirty desktop back up to me, and insisted, “I told you he is very busy.”

I blew out my breath and leaned forward. “You know, Margaret, I’m really sorry I missed the shopping excursion. Heard it was memorable. Is that a new outfit you’re wearing?” I pretended surprise and delight. “Fabulous color on you. Really, gray is your color.”

I smiled sweetly, holding her gaze until she finally broke eye contact and grabbed the phone. Her knuckles were white as she announced my presence into the receiver.

I winked at her when I heard Mr. Holloway request she send me back straightaway. Her lips were compressed so tightly, a white ring had formed around them. “He will see you now.”

“Great!” I exclaimed. “That’s super.” I walked toward the side door and heard the buzz indicating she’d unlocked it. I pulled on the handle.

I knew where I was going and walked straight to Mr. Holloway’s office. I knocked twice and opened the door. He was seated behind an impressive walnut desk, leaning back in his chair, expecting me.

“Colby,” he greeted me. “Must be important if you came all the way down here.”

I thought he was scolding me, but chose to ignore the implication that I was wasting his time. Instead I got right to the point and gave him the printed paper with the vampire lore on it.

“What’s this?” he asked. Then read the lines. Except for the brief flaring of his nostrils, his face remained impassive.

“At first I thought some vampire clan who hated half-bloods had a spy in the Tribunal and that’s how they knew to attack us right after we arrived. But when Tina turned up dead, I started to think it was one of the girls. Sage told me she thought it was Tina’s ex- boyfriend.” I walked about his office, picking up things, looking them over and then putting them back down.