Free Tainted Blood by Martin Sharlow Page A

anyone.
     
    “Okay fine, I'll have some.” Brian waited impatient for her to pour him a glassful. Not because he really wanted it, but mostly because he wanted to hear what was so important. A deep part of him hoped it was news about Heather. Otherwise it was pretty much a waste of time and he needed to get back out there and try to find her.
     
    How he was going to do that, he had no idea. His one lead seemed to be a dead end if he were to believe the werewolf. At this point he couldn't see any reason to not believe him. What possible reason did he have to lie to Brian? After all, the werewolf thought he was about to kill him.
     
    Why not torment me by telling me all about what he was going to do to her afterward? He thought. No, he was pretty sure the wolf wasn’t behind the kidnapping. Brian took a sip of the cold blood; it was thick and coppery, yet at the same time surprisingly sweet.
     
    “I see you noticed its taste?” She asked.
     
    He nodded, “Yeah, what's in it?”
     
    “It's one of our special blends.” She put the decanter back into the little mini fridge.
     
    “Special blends?” Brian asked. “You mean you have private blends? Like private wine reserves?” The idea seemed absurd. Why would the government have their own blood reserves, especially flavored?
     
    “Well, of course, Brian.” She sighed in exasperation. “You're not the only vampire in this country. Now, let's get down to business. I assume you want to know where Heather is?” She paused and just stared at him, her hands resting on her crossed knee while she looked over her glasses at him waiting.
     
    “No...you didn't take her, did you?” Brian blurted out, and spit a little blood out in her direction as he did so.
     
    Could she have done such a thing? Why would she? Ideas ran through his head lighting fast, putting a complete scenario to the deed. If they were desperate enough for him to kill this other vampire, he supposed they could have done it to force him to cooperate. He quickly calculated his course of actions, including just killing the woman who had posed as his aunt, and who now quietly waited on him.
     
    No, killing her wouldn't solve anything, at least not yet.
     
    “Don't be absurd, Brian.” She spoke up as he tried desperately to come up with a course of action. “I don't work like that. If you had acted when I had told you to, none of this would have happened. In affect her disappearance is your fault.”
     
    “Mine? How do you figure?”
     
    She shook her head in disapproval as she leaned back in her seat, obviously annoyed with him. “Very well, we can play this out this way if you insist.” She began, still shaking her head. Brian was about to interrupt her when she sighed loudly and went on over his protestations. “The problem started when you didn't deal with Jason as we asked.”
     
    “I'm not your slave.” Brian snapped.
     
    “Nevertheless,” she continued. “ He doesn't know that. His information is good, just not always correct.”
     
    “You're saying this guy..”
     
    “Jason.”
     
    “Jason took Heather? Why would he do that?”
     
    “Because he knows we approached you.”
     
    Brian chewed on that for a few moments. This guy that he didn't want to kill or have anything to do with took Heather. Why ? He supposed for leverage. Bad guys did that all the time on TV. Why should real life be all that different?
     
    “Where is he? He asked.
     
    “That’s in your brief.” She said as she reached over and poured herself what looked like orange juice.
     
    “Just tell me now, Jenn.”
     
    She shook her head and took a drink of what she poured. Brian opened his mouth to say more, but before he could, she lifted a finger gesturing for him to wait as she continued to down the entire glass. By the time she was done, Brian was nearly bursting. He didn't have time to read some stupid brief that he wasn't sure he even kept. He supposed it was lying around somewhere in the