type who usually got the prom queenâs virginity, or promised you the moon at the dance club with a few drinks, and meant none of it. I might be prejudiced; Ricky and I had had a serious misunderstanding the first time we met. He was still digging his way off my shit list, and I was still not his favorite boss. Fine with me; I wasnât here to win popularity contests. I was here to make sure everyone stayed safe and as happy as I could manage. Safe was easier than happy most nights.
The other guard was new, too, and I couldnât place his name. We had too many new people lately doing security; I should know the names of everyone that I might have to depend on for backing me in an emergency.
âWhatâs your name?â I asked the other guard, who was standing there with no visible weapon and looking worriedly from me to Ricky and the vampires. God, he looked young, big and tough looking, but young.
âRoger, Roger Parks.â Most shapeshifters didnât give their last namein introductions, which meant he was very new, maybe even to being a wereanimal. Great.
âWell, Roger, Roger Parks, whatâs the first thing you saw when you opened the door?â
He did that nervous glance around at all of us again, then said, âLight, white light.â
âIs that all?â I asked.
âThere were a red glow and a green-and-blue glow, which could have been either of the vampires.â
âWhat alerted you that there was trouble?â
âEcho alerted us,â Roger said.
I looked at Ricky. âDo I need to ask you the next question, or can you just answer it?â
He took in a lot of air and let it out slowly, licked his lips, and said, âWe were told there was an issue in the managerâs office, and that you and Damian were both in the room, and to be kept safe.â
âWhat about me?â Cardinale asked; her voice was very careful as she asked, as if she didnât want to even raise her voice. She was being very careful now, which was good; sheâd need to be very careful for a long time around me after this.
Ricky glanced at me, and I knew he was asking for guidance; he could be taught. I said, âYou were endangering two of the principals that our security force is charged with keeping safe, Cardinale. That makes you a liability, not an asset.â
âWhat does that even mean?â she asked, her voice holding more of that British Isles accent than her normal middle-of-nowhere one. It was like most of our British vamps had been given voice lessons to sound like all the announcers on the major news sources so that they blended in everywhere and nowhere.
Ricky looked at me again, and this time I just nodded.
âHow blunt do you want me to be, boss lady?â Ricky asked.
âTell her what you were told about your job,â I said.
âEcho is head of security at Danse Macabre now, Anita.â
âIâm aware of that.â
âShe uses pretty cold logic.â
âThatâs fine. Just say it, Ricky. Maybe itâll help keep Cardinale alive.â
He nodded, then looked back at Cardinale. âThe job of security is to protect assets. Danse Macabre running smoothly and making money is an asset. Anita is one of the principal assets that we are all charged with keeping safe, and Damian is another asset both as the manager of the club and as Anitaâs servant. You are an employee here at Danse Macabre, but you are not one of the major dancers, or a headliner of any kind, nor do you have a direct metaphysical tie to any of our principal assets.â
âWhat does all that mean?â she asked, her voice trying for neutral but holding the first hint of anger.
âIt means you arenât a principal, so we donât have to protect you like you are one. You arenât an important financial asset either, so we have to put even less energy into protecting you, which means none of us has to put our body between