Free The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth Page B

analyst, Cade was a vegan.
    The second man, Candle, fit the stereotype of an information junkie much better. Unlike Book, his hair was longer and messy, and he wore five-day stubble. He had the greasy self-assurance Cade noticed in most of the politicians and their employees in Washington, utterly sure they had all the answers.
    The last in line was a young woman. Bell. She wore no makeup. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a bun. Her face was open, honest and quite lovely.
    Zach finally noticed her. He dropped his sulk. He straightened up, standing taller.
    “Then again, it might not be so bad, having some backup for a change,” he muttered to Cade.
    Cade could almost smell the hormones rising in Zach’s blood.
    He said a small curse, only to himself. This was going to complicate things. He just knew it.
     
     
    FOR A MOMENT, no one spoke. Then Candle, shifting uncomfortably in the silence, smirked. “Hey, check out my tie,” he told Zach.
    Zach looked down. Candle grabbed the sides with his fingers and stretched it—and then the geometric pattern resolved itself into words.
    EAT ME, it read.
    Candle laughed like Carlin had returned from the dead. Book sniggered nastily with him.
    Zach and Cade stared back. “You get that from the novelty section of Brooks Brothers?” Zach asked.
    “Lighten up,” Candle said. “It was just a joke.”
    “Right,” Zach said. “Like your beard, then.”
    Bell might have sneezed, or it could have been a laugh. Candle’s face turned red and he glared at Zach.
    Book shifted forward. “Oh. A smart-ass, huh?”
    “Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve operated on your level. Is this where you take my lunch money?”
    Book reached for Zach’s lapel, as if he was going to grab it, or maybe poke Zach in the chest.
    A blur, like a snake striking. Book’s face was ash-white and his wrist was locked in Cade’s grip.
    “Never touch him,” Cade said quietly.
    Book tried to pull away. His eyes widened when he realized he couldn’t.
    Nobody else moved.
    “It takes approximately forty-two pounds of pressure to break the average human bone,” Cade said to Book. “Some are more brittle. Some are more durable. Unless you want to find out the breaking point for each and every one of yours, you will never touch him. Understand?”
    Graves let out a weary sigh. “That’s enough, children,” he said. “Book. You’re out of line. You too, Candle. I expect you to treat Mr. Barrows with courtesy, and not just because Mr. Cade could turn you both into a stain on the carpet. Are we clear?”
    Book nodded. Cade looked at Candle, who nodded also.
    Only then did Cade release Book’s wrist. He blinked away tears. “I apologize,” he said, in a tone that sounded like knives being sharpened.
    “Good. You’re all friends now,” Graves said. “Try to play nice while the grown-ups are out.”
    Graves turned his back on them and walked up the stairs into the plane. Cade pulled Zach a few steps away.
    “Goodbye kiss, I guess . . .” Candle stage-whispered. Book muttered something, still massaging his wrist.
    Cade ignored them. “Do not trust them,” he said to Zach.
    “You think you need to tell me that?”
    Cade touched Zach’s arm. He never did that. But he wanted to make sure Zach was listening.
    “Listen to me. Don’t trust them. Any of them.”
    Zach nodded, but his eyes darted over to Bell.
    Cade felt some irritation. He’d warned him. He couldn’t do any more.
    He turned to go, but Zach opened his case. He removed a false bottom and revealed two plastic bags, nestled in a self-contained cooler system.
    Blood.
    “Your in-flight meal,” he said. “I have a feeling you might need it before this is over.”
    He closed the lid on the case and handed it over.
    Cade was almost touched. “I didn’t realize you carried this.”
    Zach shrugged. “Hey. Who’s got your back?”
    Cade took the case with him and got on the plane.
    The pilots were used to secrecy; the cockpit door