Free Darkest Heart by Nancy A. Collins

him?"
    "No."
    "Is that your final answer?"
    With its penchant for corpse-pale make-up, heavy eyeliner, black clothing, and eccentrically morbid behavior, the Goth scene is perfect camouflage for vampires and an excellent recruiting ground for minions. And as much as he loathed minions, Estes had to admit they had their uses.
    When the pallid little man with the elaborate dreadlocks had first sidled up to him and whispered, "I know

    Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer ( http://www.novapdf.com ) what you need," Estes had assumed he was being solicited for either sex or drugs. When he'd attempted to brush his un wanted companion off, the slighter man had smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming like those of a fox in the brush, and pointed at a youngish man with a shaved head and a tinted monocle who was cruising the dance floor.
    "That one is hundred and seventy-six years old. He claims to have been a viscount in the Austro-Hungarian court. He lies. I have it on good authority he was a Polish swineherd."
    The minion's name was Jen and he claimed to have once served a powerful vampire lord, but had become embittered toward vampire society by his treatment after his patron's demise. Apparently vampires have little interest in taking into their service minions who were not "loyal" enough to follow their masters to the grave. From that evening on Estes had paid to use Jen's considerable knowledge to his own advantage.
    Despite their mutually beneficial agreement, there was still something deeply repulsive about Jen, although Estes couldn't exactly put his finger on just what it was. The man was simply intrinsically wrong somehow, and he managed to stir an instinctual dislike within Estes. It was the same disquiet humans felt when in the presence of a spider or a snake.
    Estes scanned the crowded bar and caught sight of his contact standing at the farthest end of the rail, his appearance as outlandish as usual.
    "Jen," he said flatly, nodding his head in polite acknowledgement.
    Jen looked up from his drink, his eyes flashing the same feral fire Estes had glimpsed at their first meeting. "What is you want from me, Jack?" he asked, his words slurred by alcohol.
    "Information."
    "What kind of information?" The minion smiled wryly, using an overlong fingernail to stir the ice cubes in his drink.
    Estes glanced about, making sure they weren't being watched, and leaned in close. "Have you ever heard of the Blue Woman?"
    Jen regarded him in silence for a long moment, and then chuckled humorlessly. "I take it you're not talking about Picasso."
    "What has that to do with anything?" Estes snapped. "I'm in no mood for your being clever tonight.
    Answer the question: yes or no?"
    Jen sighed and nodded his head, causing the beads woven into his braids to click like dice in a cup. "Yes, I've heard of her."
    "Do you know how I can get in touch?"
    Jen eyed him for a long moment, as if deciding whether or not to answer. "Are you sure that's what you want? Beware of what you ask for, Jack. You might just get it."
    Estes regarded the smaller man carefully. "Are you telling me you can arrange a meeting with her?"
    "If that's what you really want, yes."
    "You still haven't answered my question. Can you arrange a rendezvous?"
    "Of course I can," Jen replied as he sipped his drink. "The Blue Woman and me, we're like this." He held up his left hand. He had somehow managed to wrap his pinkie over his ring finger. "We're family."
    "Is that so?" Estes replied, still dubious.
    "Would I lie to you?"
    "Probably. How come you've never mentioned to me that you know her?"
    "You never asked before now."
    Estes shrugged. He couldn't argue with him there. "Is she a genuine vampire slayer?"
    "As real as it gets, my friend. She hates vampires more than you do."
    "I seriously doubt that," Estes sniffed. "What are you laughing at?"
    "You'll find out," Jen said, trying hard to suppress another snicker.

Chapter 3
    Denny's might seem like an unlikely