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Luther answered. I hadn’t seen him come back. “On the main drag in the Tenderloin, corner of Twentieth and Grand. But I wouldn’t go down there alone, Anita.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, but you don’t look like you can. You don’t want to have to shoot some dumb shmuck just because he copped a feel, or worse. Take someone who looks mean, save yourself the aggravation.”

Irving shrugged. “I wouldn’t go down there alone.”

I hated to admit it, but they were right. I may be heap big vampire slayer but it doesn’t show much on the outside. “Okay, I’ll get Charles. He looks tough enough to take on the Green Bay Packers, but his heart is oh so gentle.”

Luther laughed, puffing smoke. “Don’t let ol’ Charlie see too much. He might faint.”

Faint once in public and people never let you forget.

“I’ll keep Charles safe.” I put more money down on the bar than was needed. Luther hadn’t really given me much information this time, but usually he did. Good information. I never paid full price for it. I got a discount because I was connected with the police. Dead Dave had been a cop before they kicked him off the force for being undead. Short-sighted of them. He was still pissed about that, but he liked to help. So he fed me information, and I fed the police selected bits of it.

Dead Dave came out of the door behind the bar. I glanced at the dark glass windows. It looked the same, but if Dave was up, it was full dark. Shit. It was a walk back to my car surrounded by vampires. At least I had my gun. Comforting that.

Dave is tall, wide, short brown hair that had been balding when he died. He lost no more hair but it didn’t grow back either. He smiled at me wide enough to flash fangs. An excited wiggle ran through the crowd, as if the same nerve had been touched in all of them. The whispers spread like rings in a pool. Vampire. The show was on.

Dave and I shook hands. His hand was warm, firm, and dry. Have you fed tonight, Dave? He looked like he had, all rosy and cheerful. What did you feed on, Dave? And was it willing? Probably. Dave was a good guy for a dead man.

“Luther keeps telling me you stopped by but it’s always in daylight. Nice to see you’re slumming after dark.”

“Truthfully, I planned to be out of the District before full dark.”

He frowned. “You packing?”

I gave him a discreet glimpse of my gun.

Irving’s eyes widened. “You’re carrying a gun.” It only sounded like he shouted it.

The noise level had died down to a waiting murmur. Quiet enough for people to overhear. But then, that’s why they had come, to listen to the vampire. To tell their troubles to the dead. I lowered my voice and said, “Announce it to the world, Irving.”

He shrugged. “Sorry.”

“How do you know newsboy over here?” Dave asked.

“He helps me sometimes with research.”

“Research, well la-de-da.” He smiled without showing any fang. A trick you learn after a few years. “Luther give you the message?”

“Yeah.”

“You going to be smart or dumb?”

Dave is sorta blunt, but I like him anyway. “Dumb probably,” I said.

“Just because you got a special relationship with the new Master, don’t let it fool you. He’s still a master vampire. They are freaking bad news. Don’t fuck with him.”

“I’m trying to avoid it.”

Dave smiled broad enough to show fang. “Shit, you mean . . . Naw, he wants you for more than good tail.”

It was nice to know he thought I’d be good tail. I guess. “Yeah,” I said.

Irving was practically bouncing in his seat. “What the hell is going on, Anita?”

Very good question. “My business, not yours.”

“Anita . . .”

“Stop pestering me, Irving. I mean it.”

“Pestering? I haven’t heard that word since my grandmother.”

I looked him straight in the eyes and said, carefully, “Leave me the fuck alone. That better?”

He put his hands out in an I-give-up gesture. “Heh, just trying to do my job.”

“Well, do it somewhere else.”

I slid off the bar stool.

“The word’s out to find you, Anita,” Dave said. “Some of the other vampires might get overzealous.”

“You mean try to take me?”

He nodded.

“I’m