Free Bloody Acquisitions (Fred Book 3) by Drew Hayes Page A

types, and they play by the belief that if you aren’t with them, you’re against them. The rumor mill worked its magic, and now lots of people know there’s another vampire in Winslow, Colorado, one who has pulled off a whole lot of impressive stuff. That’s the sort of situation where the new vamps either have to make you join, or get you out of the picture.”
    “Wait, you think they’ll kill me just for living in my own town?” My voice may have leapt up a few degrees on that one. I’d gotten used to the idea that the parahuman world was a less restrained one than what humans dealt with, but offing someone just because they lived in a town you were moving to seemed a bit extreme.
    “Most likely, they’d compel you to join, but you’re a smart guy. You can probably beat them at the strategy game. So then, they’ll wait for an opportunity to use a loophole in the treaties, one that lets them take offense with you. After that, they can challenge you for honor, and if you happen to die in the process, then so be it.” Krystal held her phone tightly, the edges of her fingers beginning to turn white from force. “I’ve seen it happen before. And if they do it, Freddy, then I can’t protect you. I’m an agent, and that means I have to work within the laws and treaties. I’ll have to stand there and just . . . watch.”
    Moving slowly, I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a small kiss on the top of her head. Tough as Krystal was, powerful as the monster inside made her, I knew she’d said early goodbyes to too many loved ones in her life.
    “That’s a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes,’” I told her. “While I’m not exactly thrilled about new vampires moving to town, we don’t know that I’ll be a target. What the vampire people are gossiping about might be something, but I’m just an accountant. There’s a good chance they won’t even care about me.”
    “Not as good as you think.” Krystal turned on her phone, the glow lighting her face from below, and made a few swipes before finding what she was looking for. Stepping back from my embrace, she handed me the phone, which I picked up slowly. “That request was put in the night you met Lillian. Came less than an hour after we’d picked you up.”
    Before me was an e-mail, from an address that was unrecognizable, alerting Agent Jenkins that her romantic partner, Fredrick Fletcher, had been named in a formal information request between the House of Turva and Richard Alderson. It mentioned a lot of things I didn’t understand, negotiation dates and reference numbers, but those details were irrelevant. What mattered was my name, and the people who wanted to know more about me.
    “You’re on their radar,” Krystal said, likely reading the comprehension on my face. “And sooner or later, that’s a thing that will require dealing with. Richard’s a friend, and he’s not going to tell them anything you wouldn’t want known, but you run a public business, Freddy. It won’t take much to learn who you are and where you live. Maybe it’s idle curiosity, maybe they want some taxes done, but not everyone is as kind-hearted as you. I’ve seen these things turn before, and if they’re handled carefully enough, then we agents don’t have any recourse.”
    I sat down on the bed, my own body suddenly feeling very heavy. “I can’t just leave town, though. What about our friends?”
    “Albert and Neil can come with us.” Krystal sat down next to me, gently taking her phone out of my hands. “This is where Arch wanted to bring them in the first place. Plenty of space and time to train, plus a fellow weapon-wielder to spar with. Bubba and Amy would stay in Winslow—he’s been climbing the ladder with Richard, and she’s too deeply rooted to just up and leave—but they’d still be able to visit us. Amy’s wares alone could sell enough to justify the trip.”
    “Us?” I stopped staring at my empty hand and faced Krystal, who was only a few