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The trooper spoke in a voice that was strained low with pain and shock, “Bastards flew off with her. Flew up like fucking birds, straight up.”

Okay. “Alright, vampires. Who did they take?”

“One of the dancers,” the trooper said. “I was making a drive-through, like we’re supposed to. Saw her come out, and saw them just come out of the shadows, one on either side of her. She started screaming. I got out, pulled my gun. But there was another one, I didn’t see him. I don’t know why, but it was like he just appeared behind me. He put the knife to my throat, told me to watch. Then the others just flew away with the girl. They fucking flew away.” He closed his eyes and looked like he was struggling with the pain.

The EMTs were there, pushing us all back.

The trooper opened his eyes, and he looked at the sheriff. “He had the knife at my throat, why didn’t he kill me? He swtiched the blade, drove it into my shoulder. Why? Why didn’t he kill me?”

I answered, while the medics went to work on him. “He wanted you alive, so you could tell us what you saw.”

“Why?” he asked, and he looked at me.

“It’s a message.”

“What message?”

I shook my head. “They want us to come and save her. They want to force us to move tonight, while they’re strong, not wait until dawn when the advantage is ours.”

Sheriff Christopher stood up and reached out for me, but seemed to think better of it, and just motioned for me to follow him. I followed him. “Last I knew we didn’t know where these bastards are hiding. You sound like you know.”

I blinked up at him and thought, What can I tell him that won’t get us all in trouble? “I’ve got a date with Mobile Reserve for just after dawn, but if they’ve got a hostage, we can’t wait until dawn.” I dug my cell phone out of my jacket pocket and dialed Zerbrowski’s cell. “Give me Captain Parker’s number, Zerbrowski.”

“Why?”

“The vamps took a stripper, alive. They even made sure we had a wounded but living state trooper to tell us about it.”

“Jesus, Anita, it’s a trap.”

“Probably, but give me the number anyway.”

He gave me the number, and I punched it in. Captain Parker came on the line with Sheriff Christopher watching me. I gave Parker the rundown.

“Is it a trap?” he asked.

“Maybe, or maybe they know we’re coming, and they’re just trying to rush us, so we will come in at night when they’ve got the upper hand. But yeah, it’s probably a trap.”

“I don’t want to send my men in to die, Blake.”

“I’m not wild about it either, but she was alive when they took her, and if we wait for dawn, she won’t be. Of course, she may already be dead, I don’t know.”

“It’s a trap, and the woman is bait,” Parker said.

“I know,” I said.

“You still demanding to go in with us?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

He gave a small dry chuckle. “You argued your way into this operation, I hope you don’t regret that.”

“I regret it now, but if you’re really going in at night, then you’re going to need me more than ever.”

“Are you really that much better with vamps than we are?”

“Yes, Captain, yes I am.”

“I hope you’re as good as advertised, Marshal Blake.”

“Better,” I said.

“Then get over here, we’re going to hit the target in less than thirty minutes, if you’re late, we go without you.” He hung up.

I cursed as I folded the phone shut. I started walking for my Jeep. “Where the hell are you going?”

“To take the bait,” I said.

He frowned. “The stripper.”

I nodded, and was still walking with him dogging me.

“Mobile Reserve is really taking you in with them.”

“If you don’t believe me, call Captain Parker yourself.” I was at the door to the Jeep.

He caught the door edge before I could close it. “Isn’t this a conflict of interest for you, shooting up your boyfriend’s vampires?”

“These are bad guys, Sheriff, they don’t belong to anybody.” I shut the door, and he let me. I didn’t exactly peel out, but close. I knew Parker, and I knew how Mobile Reserve operated, if I didn’t make the time schedule, they would leave without me. The vampires wanted us to go in tonight. They knew we had the address. They knew we