The Death Thief

Motivations

"You mean Antonov just gives up his wives for all the other vampires? I can't believe someone like Natasha would do that."

"They have to," said Everett, nodding his head back down and looking me in the eye. "Once a human has been fed on, there's a blood link. It grants the vampire a few things, like a heightened awareness of a feeder's emotions and thoughts. Feeders are also physically incapable of harming the vampire and then the vampire also has the ability to compel a feeder into doing as they please. So if Dragan tells them to drain a pint for him, they have to."

"I guess I'm just surprised he'd share them."

"That blood link extends to vampires and their sires as well. In fact the link is stronger once a feeder is made a full vampire. So Dragan doesn't have a choice."

"So," I said, swallowing down a bite of one of the fluffiest waffles I had ever had, "who is his sire?"

"Well really it's a dam. Kyra created both Dragan and Bernadette."

"Wait," I said, dropping my fork, "she's the head vampire?"

"That she is, that's why she's one of the sheriffs. She has command over all the vampires here, even the ones she didn't create herself. And this is her territory so should any vampire that comes in from the outside that she has no relation to, they have to do a rather elaborate oath ceremony to create a new blood link with her or else...well it can get ugly. But, that's only if they want to stay. We have supernatural folk coming and going all the time that stay at Spencer's. So long as they're transitory and don't cause problems, they don't need to swear an oath to her."

"So if that's the reason she's a sheriff, are you someone important?" I didn't mean it to sound so dismissive of his stature in town, but fortunately, he didn't take it that way. Instead, he sighed and looked out over the diner.

"Yeah," he said, turning back to me. "I'm the alpha of the werewolves."

"You're a werewolf?" I asked, my words a stunned whisper.

"That's why we split shifts," he said with a shrug. "Kyra can't work days anyway and depending on the moon's cycle, I can be not of sound mind at night."

"There was a full moon or at least close to a full moon last night," I said, recalling how brightly the moon lit the hay field that I was so desperately trying to hide in. "Were you a wolf then?"

"What I was doing last night is of little importance, what I'd really like to hear is what you were doing last night. Why is it you told Calista that perhaps she was killed by someone who didn't want her to be a vampire?"

"I didn't think anyone really heard that."

"Kyra has very good ears," he said with a sigh that seemed to indicate that trait had gotten him in trouble a few times. "She didn't stick around to ask you about it since you were bleeding out and Calista needed to get a move on, but she passed the information on to me when we switched shifts."

"Well, it's just...things are strange in that house."

"That's to be expected." He dunked his donut in his coffee again as he gave me a shrug.

"Yes, well, I wouldn't know that. It's just...those kids attacked me because their mom didn't like me being there. She seemed to think I was trying to replace her. Which I don't understand because Antonov clearly was looking to replace Scarlett...and, well, Scarlett she said something that caught my ear. Something about how with Calista gone, she was safe for a little while longer." I stopped and thought about Scarlett's sad desperate eyes. "But, I just don't think she's a killer."

"Hmm," he said. He took a sip of his coffee and once again reclined back in his booth with his eyes to the ceiling. "Natasha is antsy because she's moving towards 40 faster than she'd like. She's only ever wanted to be a vampire. That isn't a secret. Except Antonov hasn't turned anyone since he got this baby fascination. Scarlett, however...well, I didn't know Antonov had settled on her being infertile. We all wondered, but when he showed interest in Calista, we began to suspect that was the truth. Though, I had always thought he was just going to take another wife. I guess he's more responsible with his money than I give him credit for."