“A dragon?”

“It was long believed to be a symbol for Dracula. ‘Dracul’ means dragon.” Ezra nodded at the dragon brand on the screen.

“Wait. You’re saying Dracula killed Jane?” I scoffed.

“Of course not.” Ezra shot me a look like I was a moron. “I’m saying that whoever did is marking his girls with the symbol of a vampire. They want people to know a vampire did this.”

“Is that how they died, then? By vampire bite, I mean?”

“No. They were all stabbed.” His brow furrowed.

“Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to kill them like a vampire if he wants people to know that is a vampire?” I asked.

“One would think so, at first. But it’s a clean death.” He looked back at me. “No blood. No nothing. If he wanted to make an impact, he needed a violent death.”

My mind flashed back to the crime scene photo I’d seen in the newspaper. All the blood staining the sidewalk from Jane’s body, and my stomach twisted.

“Why?” I stared down at the oriental rug on the floor and swallowed. “Why would he want to do that? Why would anybody want to do that?”

“I honestly have no idea.” Ezra watched me, and he put his hand gently on my leg. “Are you alright? I didn’t tell you this to upset you. Maybe I-”

“No, thank you.” I shook my head and smiled wanly at him. “I needed to know. I’ll be fine.”

“I shouldn’t have told you that. I looked into this a few days ago, but I’ve been debating telling you.” He chewed the inside of his cheek, his dark eyes going far away. The pressure from his hand on my leg intensified. “You can’t go after him alone, do you understand me?”

“Yeah, of course not,” I said. In the back of my mind I wondered if Ezra would count Bobby as back up.

“Search all you want, but if you get close, call me.” His dark eyes never left mine, and the severe expression on his face made me too nervous to do anything but nod. “You cannot take him on your own. He is a vampire without a conscience, and we have no idea what his motivations are. That makes him a very dangerous adversary.”

“I understand,” I nodded. When he looked away and his hand loosened on my leg, I let out a deep breath.

“I shouldn’t even have looked this up for you.” He leaned back in his chair, his head resting on the back, and he swiveled the chair slow from side to side.

“Why did you?” I asked. “I mean, thank you. I appreciate it. But I didn’t think you would.”

“I don’t know.” He fell silent for minute. “I wanted a reason to be away from here, and helping you on your goose chase seemed like a viable option.”

“Oh.” I realized I hadn’t talked to him that much lately, and not at all since Mae came back. “How are you holding up with everything?”

“I’ve been through worse.” He smirked, but it didn’t hide the pain in his eyes. He must’ve known that because he turned and faced the monitor.

“Have you talked to her since the first night she got here?” I asked, and Ezra shook his head. “Why not?”

“Alice, you know why not,” he sighed. To avoid the conversation, he began clicking things on the computer, zooming in and out on the dragon brand on the girl’s arm. “I didn’t have anything to say to her while she was gone, and I don’t have anything to say to her now.”

“She’s your wife, Ezra.”

“I am fully aware of who she is.” His words were clipped, and when the mouse didn’t move the way he wanted, he slammed it on the desk. “Damn thing is never working.”

“Don’t take it out on the computer because you’re mad at her,” I said.

“I’m not mad at her. Right now, I’m rather annoyed with this conversation.” He glanced over at me, but I wouldn’t be deterred.

“Why don’t you go with her?”

“And live in a sewer?” Ezra scoffed. “No. She and the child can live happily after like a sewer rat. They don’t need me.”

“Don’t get bitter.” I wanted to reach out and touch his shoulder, but I wasn’t sure how he’d react. “I get you’re angry and hurt and sad and you still love her, but… don’t get bitter over this.”

His shoulders slacked a bit, and his expression softened. Turning his head toward me, he didn’t lift his head or look at me.

“I wasn’t lying, Alice. I have been through worse, and I’ll make it through this. I appreciate your concern, though.”

“No problem.”

Ezra had gone back to staring at the computer screen, so the conversation seemed to be over. I thought of telling him about the vampire hunters we’d run into at the blood bank, but he didn’t need to worry about that now. The drawn look on his face let me know he already had too much on his mind.

I’d made it over to the door and opened it when he stopped me.

“Alice, remember what I said. Don’t go this alone.”

“I won’t.” I smiled, and even I wasn’t sure if I was lying.

18

Jack stood in front of the full-length mirror, holding his tee shirt bunched up in his hands. With his back to the mirror, he kept twisting and turning, trying to get a good view of his back. After watching him for a few seconds from the hallway, I went into our bedroom.