THREE

Nyte studied the woman across from her carefully. When she made the appointment for the private investigator, she was expecting a Sam Spade type – but not the near-sighted woman sitting on the other side of the desk.

Vicki sighed and took off her classes, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Lately, she noticed her vision was getting worst. More and more things were turning to shadows. She looked at the tiny woman across from her and her translator slash lawyer. At first, she wondered why the woman, Ms. Chevalier, would bring her lawyer with her but as Mrs. Danvers soon explained Ms. Chevalier was some reclusive, if a bit eccentric photographer who only spoke French. Well eccentric, that explained the fur cloak. "This Mr. Prince did he have any enemies? Anyone that would wish him harm?"

Nyte chuckled softly. Lauren Danvers gave her a look before speaking. "Mr. Prince is a trouble maker, but he was careful. Ms. Chevalier is not the one to do things on a whim. She is here because she honestly believes Mr. Prince has met harm." Nyte interrupted her, speaking briefly to Lauren in French. "And she is prepared to pay a thousand dollars per day plus expenses." Lauren continued.

Vicki blinked as Coreen squealed in delight from the other room. A full grand. That was double her usual pay and it was offered. Why was this woman so insistent Damion Prince be found? Vicki was going to find out before she took the case.

There was not an easy way around this. Vicki took the most direct route. "Why are you so insistent that he be found? What is your relationship to him?"

Lauren looked ill for a moment. What was she going to say? Yea he's older then dirt, hasn't aged in centuries and my client wants him around because he's useful to her? Not to mention was her husband….in the 30's! That would go over real well. Lauren wondered why he was useful to Nyte but she learned long ago that the yearly salary of three hundred thousand included keeping one's mouth shut and not asking questions.

It was the form of Nyte that was her salvation. "He…am…my husbin. Ah...ex." Nyte spoke in broken English, heavily accented by French. Nyte spoke perfect unaccented English but she had the Marie Chevalier persona that needed to be maintained.

Vicki's brain translated what the woman said. With English that heavily accented and badly broken; no wonder she spoke through a translator. "Ah ex-husband. Gotcha. Well any photos, phone numbers of friends, list of places he would have visited would be useful."

Lauren dropped a heavy, overly stuffed file on the desk. "His New York rap sheet…" She put another stuffed file on top of that. "His California one." She proceeded to place several more files on top of those, "Georgia, Wyoming, Canada, France, Ireland, Russia…" She paused at one, showing it to Nyte.

"Germany," Nyte spoke with a twist of humor in her voice.

"Germany." Lauren added, placing the last one on the massive pile. She opened another folder and showed the contents to Vicki. "Last known address. The home is owned by my client. List of friends, numbers, the works."

Vicki picked her jaw up from the floor and gaped at the files. He was one bad boy if his rap sheet…no sheets were this long and in half a dozen countries. This was why the grand. "Is he violent?" If Vicki was getting into this, she needed to know the risk to her and Henry.

"Violent…no. Casanova….flirt. Oui." Nyte replied.

"Annoying, hell yes." Lauren replied dryly.

From the doorway, Henry let out something like a growl. His eyes were jet black as he focused on the back of Nyte's head. Vicki looked up, took in Henry's look and her eyes widen just a bit. Great not now. Not when a client was around. Henry shook his head and calmed himself as Nyte glanced over her shoulder, pining Henry with a look promising violence if he blew her cover.

Vicki broke the tense silence, "Ah. My partner, Henry Fitzroy. Mrs. Lauren Danvers, esquire and…"

Henry turned on the charm, "Ms. Marie Chevalier. I'm a fan of your work." He took her hand and kissed it, his eyes locked on Nyte's.

Nyte returned the gaze and for a moment, they were locked in a battle of wills. "Monsieur Fitzroy, enchanté."

"Ms. Chevalier has hired me... us... for a missing person's case. A one mister Damion Prince."

Henry nodded before addressing both Nyte and Lauren, "Well if he's in Toronto, we'll find him."

Vicki let out a long breath. "Well I'll poke around and call you when I have something." She stood and extended her hand. First Lauren took it but Nyte hesitated. Finally, when she did, her hand was ice cold and Vicki was struck with a very uneasy feeling.

Nyte and the mortal had just gotten into a car when Henry exploded. "You're working for a vampire?! Victoria do you have any idea what kind of danger you've placed yourself in." Henry never raised his voice above his usual tone, but what was not said spoke volumes. He was upset and Vicki was struck with a sudden realization.

"The vampire hunting in the city. That's her." She said quietly.

"No. That's the vampire hunting in the city," Henry pointed to the picture of Damion Prince. "And Ms. Chevalier is his partner in crime."

"No wonder she offered you double….some vampire love triangle revenge thing…." Coreen said from the doorway. "Way cool."

"She's not taking the case," Henry cut Coreen off.

"I'm taking the case," Vicki added. "And you're helping me. So I'm hired by a vampire, looking for a vampire…what better way to solve it, by having a vampire work it." She ignored Henry's look of annoyance.

Nyte smiled at the phone rang. She was waiting for this call. She had opened the blinds to look out over the city lights, ordered some wine from room service and had settled down in bed waiting for the one call that would make her night better.

"Hello sweetie…" Nyte purred into the phone.

"Heya Darlin'. Thing's go alright?" Axel asked. Nyte did not sound upset, which was a good thing.

"Been better. Could have been better. Was going great till the city's resident vampire walked in and almost blew it to bits." Nyte vented just a little bit. She was tired from traveling but she needed to hear her husband's voice before bed.

"Aww Darlin' Do you want me there?"

"Where are you anyways? Connection's horrible. Dresden?" Nyte pulled the blanket around her a bit more.

"Ceret. Oh by the way, you're gonna be an aunt again. Hey listen, storms commin' through. I have a few more places to look then I'll meet ya there. Try to stay out of trouble Marie...I mean it." Axel had to put that bit of warning in there. He had pulled her out of the frying pan a few times since they met and he knew Nyte had a much longer history of stirring up trouble wherever she went.

"Nose is clean. Promise. J'adore Toby." They said their goodbyes and Nyte hung up. So her sister was pregnant again. Nyte smiled to herself. She and Axel would vacation there once the baby was born. She closed the drapes and soon drifted off to a peaceful sleep. Tomorrow night, she hoped, would bring more answers to this damn mystery.

The crowd was cheering. Nyte leaned against the fence watching the cowboy hatted crowed cheered her husband on. Nyte thought he was crazy but she was no less proud of him. "Hat looks good on ya squirt," a voice said from her right. Nyte looked over to see Axel's brother standing there. She self-consciously smoothed her unruly curls from under her cowboy hat.

She nodded towards the bull in the chute. "Tornado favors the left and Toby's shoulder has been giving him some grief. I offered superglue but he frowned at me." She watched as her husband pulled himself up on the angry bull's back. The crowd was clapping and hollering as the chute was opened and the bull bucked to his right, trying to dislodge the rider on its back. The cheering continued a constant clapping with a very distinct timing.

Nyte growled as she realized it was not a cheering crowd but someone knocking….no pounding on the door. "Alright, let's get this damn thing over with shall we?" She threw on her robe and padded silently over to the door. As expected, Henry Fitzroy was there and he was far from happy. The moment Nyte opened the door a crack, he had her slammed against the wall, feet dangling, pinned there by a firm hand on her throat.