Drown Under Earth - Shadows of the Night 3

Chapter 2

Hi!

Hope you liked the beginning of Drown Under Earth! I'm wiped out and it looks like my inspiration went out the window - at least for today ;-) So I'll just post this one and leave it at that... Let me know what you're thinking!

Lara

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Chapter 2

"Anna, I need to have a word with you."

I turned around. Brown was staring at me. I didn't know what I expected, but something in the light blue of his eyes made me feel uneasy.

I stepped to the side, making space for the other force members to leave. The shuffling of feet and low murmuring of my co-workers were fading by the time I let myself flop into the office chair facing him. The meeting was over; it was only me, Brown, and his majestic office desk.

I still couldn't believe what he did. I'd kept my mouth shut in front of the other force members, but now that they were gone, I didn't have it in me to keep pretending I was ok with it.

"You really appointed the two vampires as regular sub unit members for this one. Look, I know it's not my call, but why Zack? Why Sarah? Why this case?" I said. "You know that they're biased."

I didn't flinch under Brown's gaze, kept staring right back. Yes, I knew better. It was his decision. He was my boss. I knew better than to doubt his orders. So why couldn't I stop myself from practically throwing it into his face?

"What about Warrens?" He said slowly. "Simply because she was a witch doesn't mean I can't let you investigate, does it? You know as well as I do that Zack and Sarah are as much members of this team as you are. Their skills and knowledge are essential for the TF3." At seeing my stony look of indifference, he sighed. "An interracial crime with vampiric perpetrators, Anna. Who else would you have me appoint as unit members? This is exactly what this task force was created for. No one in this team has more inside knowledge about the vampire community, no one is more capable of uncovering behavior patterns and spotting details we would miss."

It was best to let it go at that. Either Brown chose to neglect the fact that Zack and Sarah were completely in thrall to Alexander the Great, or he simply didn't care.

"I read your report about what you saw in Magenta Warrens' attic," he said. "Can you describe it to me again?"

Apparently we were back on safe ground. I related all that I sensed and saw, including the duality of remnants of dark and red particles.

"You mentioned that a great amount of magic had been used in the attic," he said.

I blinked at him. Why was he interested in that?

"Anna, this is important. Can you tell if it was used recently?"

Brown leaned forward, his light gray suit spotless and unwrinkled. The tie he was wearing was a darker gray and must have been made of silk. It occurred to me that his hair was definitely in the process of turning gray. Usually I didn't notice such things. There was something in his expression and in those light blue eyes that was so alive and energetic, there was no way of calling Brown anything coming close to old. What was more, I had always seen him as someone who had the kind of strength to survive no matter what happened.

"I'm not sure," I finally said. "You know that I have never done this before. Trying to see auratic leftovers, I mean." I frowned. "There was so much of the witch's magic, it's hard to believe she could have released it within a short period of time. ... I don't know."