Blood Mother. A Vampire Tale

Ch. 15 Tessa

Tessa stood scowling over the open case files in the conference room. It was obvious Hoyt had come to work last night after dropping her off.  She wished she had. Spending her night tossing and turning was unproductive and she felt as beaten as the pillow she kept punching through those black hours.

If it weren't for seeing Luka. Having his hands on her. She would have been fine. But knowing those hands were responsible for taking her happiness and leaving her feeling nothing aside from vengeance was too much to bare. Dimitri was her life. Her happiness, her soulmate. And that was all over. At the hands of Luka.

Hoyt could say what he wanted about Luka being a stand up community member and a good Vamp leader. Tessa knew the truth. Beneath that Armani suit and chiseled face lay a black soul. One that Tessa was going to see turn to ash.

She closed her eyes and remembered Dimitri's last moments. His cold hand in hers. His pale skin glistening from her river of tears. She remembered Luka dragging her off him. Robbing her of his last few moments. Chasing her off like a dog. Telling her she was overreacting. Help was on the way. Saying she had to think of her career.

He spewed information that Dimitri was in trouble. Injured crossing lines in turf wars. But Tessa knew if Dimitri had done something illegal it was at Luka's bidding. In her shocked state she struggled to grasp any of it. Luka was his boss. He conveyed orders and didn't panic. And Tessa couldn't think of anything at that moment except listening to him. Believing the only thing to save Dimitri was to leave quickly and stay out of the crossfire.

Dimitri had always been enamored with Luka and his band of brothers. It was the only thing they disagreed on. And in the end, Tessa hadn't even been able to say goodbye. Luka had covered the whole event, Dimitri's existence erased as if he had never been at all.

Tessa knew if she had just allowed herself to tell Dimitri what she knew Luka was, she could have saved him. Surely Dimitri wouldn't have been fascinated and starstruck with the undead. But Tessa had held it. Keeping her knowledge and training to herself as she had sworn to her father she would. Cursing them all. She had paid the price every day for the past three years. Biding her time. Training. Waiting for this time. When Luka and his kind would know what suffering was.

"You're early. And from the looks of it you didn't have a restful sleep. You could have taken today off Tessa."

"Hoyt, you startled me. I was just going over the files. I see you burned the midnight oil yourself. How did the meeting go?"

"Well the only thing flying were curses and spit, so I'd say it went better than expected."

Hoyt sat in the chair next to her. She could smell soap and a hint of peppermint. He stared at her profile, as if studying her. She could feel her face and ears heat under the glare. She didn't budge. Today she wouldn't let him get to her. This case was the priority and then she would convince Hoyt to help her cleanse the streets of Luka and his kind. If nothing else, this case was proof they were evil. It was exactly the nail in the coffin she needed.

"I think I found something we've overlooked. The boy."

Hoyt handed her the crime scene photo of the young boy. The one the squad had named Boy Blue. Adopted by the boys in blue after no one came forward to claim him.

"The boy is dead Hoyt. We didn't overlook him. In fact, if I remember correctly forensics and the medical examiner had a second go at both the boy and the scene hoping for the proverbial needle in the haystack. No history, no id, no one even coming forward to lay claim to him."

"Exactly Tessa. No one claimed him. Why?"

"Vagrant, outlaws?  Foster kid?  Shit parents who haven't noticed him missing yet. Take your pick. Where are you going with this?"

"His photo wasn't released to save city panic right?  But what if his parents couldn't identify him. What if she wasn't as good as we think she is. What if they got there too early or slept too light and interrupted the abduction?  What if they're dead and no one has noticed yet?"

Tessa twirled her finger around her springy curl and wrinkled her brow. Her bottom lip turned in and for a moment she chewed on it while processing Hoyt's thought pattern.

He paced the room with the boys picture in his hand. Energy vibrating from him. Tessa had seen the same behavior in her father. The eureka moment that always won out. The 'kiss of the spirit' her father used to say.

"Ok. Let's assume your senses are right up there with the psychics. And your right. How on earth do we find a set of people in the city that no one--including people who see them every day has noticed are missing?"

Hoyt slammed the photo on the table. The dull open eyes of the boy stared at Tessa. She wanted to turn her head away, but refused.

"With him. Boy Blue can be sketched. The news can run it as a found but injured child. The Chief says using a cover like a traffic accident is fine. It avoids child serial killer panic, but gets this face out there. Somebody knows this kid. Somebody lives next door, yells about his bike on the lawn, goes to the same school."

"Ok Hoyt. Let's roll the dice. It's as good a lead as anything."

Hoyt beamed like a child getting a gold star. He placed his arm around her in a victory hug. Happy that something is in motion. He finds a curl, the one she has been twirling waving in front of his chin and tucks it behind her ear without thinking. She freezes and looks him in the eye. For a moment everything is suspended. His heart races and he forgets she is his partner, younger, and off limits. He leans in and sees her close her eyes gently. Turning her chin upward. His lips rest on hers for an instant before the door opens.

Both heads swivel to the entrance. Tessa jumps back nearly knocking over a chair. Hoyt grabs the photo off the table and thrusts it forward.

"Tony, thank you for this. We owe you. Here's the photo. We need it almost exact, but the eyes need a lift. Sorry about the age, I know you hate sketching kids. But this kid needs to be living.  And quick."

Tessa heads sideways out the door and into the bathroom. Splashing cold water on her face she questions the tired looking girl in the mirror.

"What the hell are you doing?"  She can't help noticing a lopsided grin as she retucks her unruly curl.

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I really hate authors notes in my books. But I love the opportunity to say thank you so much for reading this story. Feel free to comment. Any input is useful and if anything is unclear or dragging, feel free to shout it. I appreciate you giving your time to this story and to me.