CHAPTER 5

Gathering Intelligence and Other Things

Eliot appreciated the looks of the woman in the booth and wondered what had brought her to this bar. With her leather pants, dark shirt, and dog collar she almost fit into the crowd, but her body language and makeup said that she wasn't one of the regulars. Her eyes flitted to him, and he smiled. Her brows wrinkled into a frown, and she looked away from him.

Maybe she just wasn't interested, or she didn't like that he was looking, either way Eliot went back to scanning the room in hopes of spotting an actual vampire that could lead him to the others. He'd checked out the old factory that used to be the local sanguinary, but it had been knocked down and he didn't see any hints of them moving to a nearby building. So now he'd see what he could find here.

The music was nearly as bad as he remembered, and he was working on his second beer when he spotted a girl that looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. The bleach blonde hair was new, but the slutty school uniform wasn't. He waited a beat until he got a good look at her face. It was Missy. She'd still been human the first time he'd met her, but he wasn't surprised that she was a vampire now. She'd had a direct connection to the vampires last time and had pretty much delivered him right to them. Now she was leaning over the bar talking to the server that had lied to him earlier, then she turned to look at him. He still didn't know if she'd known what she was doing back then but the look on her face now said she knew what was coming. She grabbed her bag off the bar stool and hurried for a back door.

Eliot rose and tossed a bill on the table to cover his drinks and hurried out the front door. He slipped quickly between the groupies standing around out front and hurried down the alley. When he was past the first dumpster, he moved at more than human speed. The alley made a sharp turn that led to the back of the bar and Eliot slowed to make the corner. As he came around the corner the back door of the bar suddenly opened. Eliot felt the blinding pain of his nose breaking on impact and he fell backwards onto the grimy pavement.

Blinking he sat up. He fully expected to see Missy somewhere in the alley, so he scooted around until his back was to the wall while he tried to spot the vampire, he was sure had just doored him. With a grunt he used his thumbs to straighten his nose and blinked rapidly to clear his vision as his eyes watered. Pushing himself to his feet he noticed that the door wasn't completely closed. He heard a moan and with a quick look he assured himself that no one was standing on the other side of the door. Looking down he saw the woman he'd noticed in the bar laying mostly inside the building. Her arm, which was extended over her head, was keeping the door from shutting. He took another look around before he crouched down to check on her.

She had the beginnings of a goose egg swelling above her ear and the makings of a black eye as well. Her breathing and heartbeat were steady and had they been anywhere else he would have moved her farther into the building and left her there, so that he could pursue the vampire, but leaving an unconscious human in a vampire club was a recipe for dinner. He scooped her up and cradled her against his chest as he turned to carry her back the way he had come.

He was halfway up the alley when he noticed two sets of red eyes in the crowd near the mouth of the alley.

"Fuck…" With a slight toss he resettled the woman's weight so that he could reach his earbud. He tapped it on and could hear Hardison typing on a keyboard. "Hardison, I need police at my location. Now!"

Keeping an eye on the two vamps he started to back up.

"What's going on?"

"Dammit Hardison! Police! Now!"

"Alright!"

Hardison had backdoored the New Orleans' police communication system years ago, so it only took him a couple of seconds to get two cruisers headed to the location that Eliot's earbud was pinging from. "Police are looking for muggers in your area. Try to look upstanding."

Eliot thought of his broken nose and the woman's bruised temple and black eye and decided that getting bailed out of jail would still be preferable to ending up like Will. "Thanks."

The vampires at the end of the alley finally started to make their way toward him. He took another step back and turned to see if he could make it down the other side of the alley. From this angle he couldn't see all the way down the other end of the alley, but he decided to take his chances. Clutching the woman tighter he sprinted for the other end. This time he took the corner wide to avoid the door, but no one came out of it. He could see the street ahead of him and could hear police sirens whoop back toward the front of the club. He started to slow just a little so that he wouldn't run into the street as he left the alley, but he heard the pffft of a tranq gun and sped back up. He heard the dart ricochet off the bricks to his left and a second later he heard the next shot and felt an impact near the top of his right shoulder. A second later there was a third shot and he saw the jaunty red tail of the dart sticking out of the woman's shoulder. He jerked the dart out even knowing it was too late, as he rounded the corner knocking over a couple of tourists.

He turned right and headed southwest on Royal St. "Hardison, send Tyrel to Royal St. Tell him to bring a medical kit."

"For you? What happened?"

"Not for me. I got a woman with me. She's been poisoned. Tell him it's hellebore." Eliot's breathing increased as he continued to jog down the street.

"Alright. Quinn wants to know if you need back-up? I can send him with Tyrel. And what happened to the van?"

"It's behind me. There are too many vampires that way. Tell Quinn to stay with you guys. I don't think anyone is following me but I'm going to keep moving for now." Eliot readjusted the woman's weight with a huff. "We'll go back for your van tomorrow."

. ͽϿ Ѻ Ͼͼ .

Eliot had jogged down Royal St and continued on when the name of the street changed. He kept going until he came to a parking lot on the corner of St. Charles Ave and Girod St. There was a six foot tall fence all the way around it and it looked as though you needed some kind of pass to get the gates to open. Taking a look up and down the street he didn't see anyone. Holding the woman tight to his chest he hopped the fence. There were a couple of SUVs in the lot and Eliot set the woman on the ground near one of the higher profile vehicles where they would both be out of sight.

"Hardison?" Eliot worked to get his breathing under better control. "You got my location?"

"Yep. Can you stay where you are? Doc can be there in a couple of minutes."

"Yah, we're good here."

"So, who's the damsel in distress?"

"I don't know." Eliot couldn't help the growly tone in his voice. "She was at the club. Figured she was a norm taking a walk on the wild side. She didn't quite fit in with the regulars there and she's definitely human."

"Someone try to turn her into snack food?"

"No. She hit me with a door, and I guess I knocked her into the wall. Anyway, I couldn't leave her there."

"You know that No means No, right?" Hardison chuckled. "Woman shouldn't haveta hit you with a door to make her point."

"Hardison…" Eliot growled.

"I know, I know, shut up. I got it."

Eliot heard the woman's heart rate slow. "Is Tyrel nearby yet? The woman is getting worse."

"Yah he's half a block out. He's in Ms. Teo's dark blue sedan."

Eliot stood up and took a look across the lot toward Church St. "I see 'im." Bending he scooped the woman back up and hurried across the lot and jumped the fence again.

Tyrel had the backdoor of the car open. "How'd she get poisoned?"

"Dart." Eliot pulled at the neck of her shirt to show the purpling mark where the dart had been. "I pulled it out but by then it was too late. I could smell the hellebore when the dart came out."

"When did she lose consciousness?"

Eliot growled a little and shook his head. "Before the dart."

Tyrel had bent a little to examine the woman's face with a pen light and saw the bruises. "How'd this happen?"

"I'm afraid that was me."

Tyrel turned his pen light on Eliot's face.

Eliot squinted into the light. "She hit me with a door." He sounded disgusted. "I was runnin' down an alleyway, and she opened the door just as I made the corner."

Tyrel tried to stifle a laugh but from the grumpy look on Eliot's face he knew he wasn't at all successful. "Broke your nose, didn't she?"

Eliot raised an eyebrow that clearly communicated that, that had been a dumb question. "I think when I hit the door it knocked her into the door jam. I couldn't leave her there unconscious where the vampires could get her, so I took her with me. The vampires were shooting at me with the dart gun, but she got hit."

"They didn't get you at least." Tyrel shook a small vial between his thumb and finger and pulled the cap off of a needle and syringe. "This will help neutralize the poison and give us a chance to flush it out of her system." He filled the syringe and gave her several small injections all the way around the darkening mark on her shoulder. "How's her heart rate?"

"Really slow."

"Okay." Tyrel dug for something in the bag in the back seat. "Set her down and turn her away from you. I'm going to give her something to get her heart beating like it should. But that means she will probably wake up and will very likely start vomiting."

Eliot's brows furrowed and his lip curled in disgust, but he followed Tyrel's directions. He wrapped an arm around her rib cage and pulled her hair back with his other hand. He'd had the unpleasant experience of getting puke in his own hair before.

Tyrel found the large vein in her left arm and quickly stepped back after he gave her the injection.

As predicted, she jolted awake but before she could start to struggle, she curled forward over Eliot's arm and vomited. Her arms curled around the arm that was holding her up and her fingers dug in like she was holding onto the lap-bar on a carnival ride.

"It's okay. You're okay." Eliot spoke soothingly to her.

When it appeared that the worst was over Tyrel leaned into the car and pulled a couple of tissues from the box his mama always kept in her car. He held them out and the woman grabbed them and wiped her mouth.

"Where am I? What's going on?" She started to struggle but when Eliot tried to let her stand her knees gave.

Eliot moved her so that she was sitting on the sidewalk leaning back against the fence. "How are you feeling?"

She touched gingerly at the bruise on her temple and held an arm across her middle. "Awful. Really awful." She squinted up at Eliot. "You're that guy from the bar!"

He could smell her starting to panic, so he put his hands up and stepped away.

Tyrel crouched down a little closer to her. "I'm Dr. Terry. Eliot called me because he knew you needed some help. Do you remember hitting your head?" His tone and manner were warm and professional after years of practice and he could see that she was starting to relax again. He clicked on his pen light. "Mind if I check your eyes? I need to know if you have a concussion."

She gave the slightest nod, and he started a basic exam. "What do you remember from tonight?"

"I was at a bar, and I saw that guy." She tilted her head at Eliot.

"You saw Eliot and then what?" Tyrel started to gently palpate the area around her blackening eye. "I know. That hurts. Almost done. So, after you saw Eliot then what?"

"A vamp… A woman came in and I …" She stopped and looked warily at Tyrel and Eliot.

"And you followed the vampire out the back." Eliot raised an eyebrow at her. He hadn't missed it when she'd nearly said vampire.

"You know?" She scooted up against the fence and tried to rise.

Tyrel put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. We know."

"She's panicking." Eliot said quietly

"Yes, I can see that." Tyrel's tone carried a touch of annoyance. "Ma'am it's okay. You are safe."

She looked back and forth at them.

"I went out the front and down the alley trying to catch the vampire you were following." Eliot crouched down resting on the balls of his feet trying to make himself look smaller and less threatening.

The woman nodded at Eliot but focused on Tyrel. "She made it out the door, but I was just behind her. I reached for the door…. But I don't remember anything after that." She started to frown but winced as the frown pulled at her bruise.

"That's actually pretty good." Tyrel smiled and patted her hand. "Just a couple more questions, okay? Do you know where we are?"

She shrugged

Tyrel smiled. "What city, I mean?"

"New Orleans."

"What day is it?"

"Wednesday night?"

"Very good. And what's your name?"

"Gemma."

"Alright Gemma. I need you to come with us. Okay?" Tyrel held his hand out.

Eliot heard her heart rate pick up and couldn't help the urge to comfort her. A gentle push of power and comfort rolled from him even though he knew it wouldn't have any effect. "It's okay. We aren't gonna hurt ya. But you need some more doctorin' and that can be done best at my friend's place."

She started to relax but she straightened up a little and gave both men another wary look.

The tension was broken with the ringing of Eliot's cellphone. He pulled the phone out and saw the picture of Ms. Teo. He answered the call on speakerphone. "Yes ma'am?"

"Eliot cher. Alec tells me you wit' my boy an' a young lady needin' help."

"Yes ma'am. But she's feelin' a little reluctant to go with us."

Tyrel looked at Eliot's bruised and menacing expression. "I don't blame her. She doesn't know either of us and she's had a pretty challenging night already."

"Well, you tell tha' baby I'll 'ave a warm cuppa tea waitin' on 'er when she get 'ere."

"Will do." Eliot smiled and started to tuck the phone back in his pocket but stopped and held it out to Gemma. "Here. The screen's not locked and you can use it to call 911 if you think you need to."

Gemma took the phone.

"My mama is, I'm sure, starting that tea right now. And when she's done with that she's going to start worrying if we aren't home soon." Tyrel held his hand out.

"Okay." She took his hand, but it became clear that she was going to need more help than that to stand. Eliot lifted her gently to her feet. Gemma nodded her thanks and looked at Tyrel. "Where's your mama's house?"

Eliot held his hand out. "Can I see the phone? I'll map it for you." Hardison's voice came over his ear bud. "You'll map it for her? Really?" The street map came up on the screen. "Better run your finger across the screen and tap it a couple of times so it at least 'looks' like you mapped it." Eliot did as suggested and held the phone back out to Gemma. "Here you go."

She took the phone and stepped into the back seat of Ms. Teo's car.

They'd gotten into the car and Tyrel took another look at Eliot's face under the dome light. "Here." He gestured Eliot to lean closer. "You did okay with the nose but it's still a little crooked."

Eliot did his best to hold still but couldn't help the flinch as Tyrel forced a thumb into one side of his nose.

"There. At least now it won't look crooked when it heals."

"What happened to you?" Gemma asked from the backseat.

"You happened." Eliot couldn't help the huff of amusement. "Opened the door as I came around the corner. I couldn't stop in time." He gave her face a pointed look and used a finger to gesture on his own face where her bruises were. "I'm afraid that's my fault. When I hit the door it must have knocked you into the door jam. Sorry."

The ride to Ms. Teo's was mostly silent and Eliot could smell Gemma's nervous fear the whole way. He was relieved to see Ms. Teo waiting at the gate when they pulled up. Eliot got out of the car and when he saw that Tyrel was taking care of Gemma's door he went to Ms. Teo and gave her a hug and a kiss to her temple before he headed into the house.

He stopped on the porch when he saw Quinn in the shadows near the porch swing. "Keeping an eye out?"

"Seemed like someone should."

"Thanks." Eliot turned to look at the quiet street. "Don't stay out here on your own. Once everyone is inside would you mind helping Ms. Teo and Tyrel. They might need help with the girl."

"Looks like she already did a number on you."

Eliot grunted and turned for the door. He noticed Quinn stiffen and he turned back. Quinn's face had gone pale. "Quinn, are you okay?"

"That's her! That's the Mistress of the vampires." Quinn tried to suppress a shudder and moved to block the others from coming up the stairs.

"Quinn!" Eliot put a little growl into his voice and stepped into Quinn's space moving him to the far side of the porch. "Get a grip. I don't know who she looks like or not but you can check her scent and hear her heart. She's human. Probably more human than you and I." Eliot push the dominance of his own wolf at Quinn and noticed Quinn settle.

"I still think something's wrong. I'm telling you she looks exactly like the Mistress."

"Fine. You can keep an eye on her but unless she actively attacks someone, leave her alone. She's been through enough tonight."

Quinn raised an eyebrow as he looked at Eliot's bruised face but didn't say anything else, as he watched Eliot head into the house.

Eliot had intended to head for the kitchen, but Parker was waiting for him in the living room with an icepack. "Thanks." He sank down on the couch and tilted his head back with the ice on the bridge of his nose. He'd let the leather jacket drop to the floor next to the couch.

Hardison scooped up the jacket. "I still can't believe you wanted to wear my jacket in this heat."

"Totally worth it." Eliot said from under the ice pack. "Stopped a dart that would have gotten me on the shoulder."

Hardison held the jacket up and found a small scratch in the leather. "You think it was the leather, or the spell Nati says is on it, that stopped the dart?"

Eliot shrugged.

Parker sat on one side of him, and he felt cushions give as Hardison sat on the other side. His wolf relaxed a little with his pack so close.

"Rough night?" Hardison prodded at the icepack.

"Dammit Hardison!"

Parker chuckled at Eliot.

"And you can just stop any time." He gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow.