Smolder (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #29)(23)

“Vampires are legal citizens; isn’t researching how to harm them illegal somehow?”

McKinnon snorted. “You don’t even want to know what our government is funding. It’s not just magic to use against supernatural citizens, Blake.”

“Are you admitting that the committee is researching how to use magic against all of us?” I asked.

McKinnon looked less than happy for a second, before he found a smile from somewhere to try and fake his way through. “Would our government do that?”

“Pete,” Dolph said, just that, but it was enough between them.

“I’m sorry, Dolph, I’ve said more than I should already.”

“Fine,” I said, “let’s go back to the spell that you used against me.”

“Against vampires.”

“Oh, against my fiancé and the man that I love, that makes it so much better.”

He had the grace to look embarrassed. “When you say it like that, it sounds pretty rotten.”

“There is no good way to say this,” I said.

“Tell her what else the spell is supposed to do, Pete.”

“I told you, protection against vampire gaze, being taken over and forced to fight on their side, any emotions that the vampire has the ability to raise in humans.”

“Nope, that’s not how the witches presented it. They didn’t go into a room of government men with backgrounds in firefighting, cops, military, et cetera . . . and say it’ll stop emotions.”

Pete smiled. “You’re right, they said the spell, or charm, would stop secondary vampire abilities, whatever they might be.”

“That’s pretty damn broad,” I said.

“That’s why they’ve given the prototype to a few people to test in the field under nonthreatening conditions.”

“Like today with me and Jean-Claude.”

“Yes.”

“If you’d have told me ahead of time I’d have been glad to help you test the damn thing, but don’t ever spring shit like this on me again.”

“Of course,” he said.

“Your word,” Dolph said.

“My word,” McKinnon said.

“I have to tell our security that they need to up our alert level, and I’m not risking metaphysics while you’re wearing the charm.”

“I can leave the room.”

“What’s the range on the spell?”

He looked embarrassed again. “We’re not certain.”

“Do you know what effects it has on normal psychics?” I asked.

“There was no impact on normal human psychics.”

“It just impacts vampires?” I asked.

“We had one voodoo practitioner that had issues with it, but since he can raise the dead like you do, we discounted it.”

I stared at him. Dolph asked for me like he’d read my mind. “Why discount that?”

“I’m not at liberty to share that information.”

“Jesus, McKinnon, is this a charm aimed at people who deal with death magic?”

“We were looking for something that would work against all undead,” he said, as if that was as much as he was allowed to share.

“I used to think you were smart, McKinnon,” I said.





“She’s a necromancer, Pete.”

“I realize that now, I mean I knew that before, but I don’t think of Blake like that. She’s one of us, not one of . . .” He just stopped talking as Dolph and I stared at him. Whatever he saw in our faces made him look at the floor again like he’d been called on the carpet.

“Not one of them? Was that what you were going to say?” I asked, voice quiet because I couldn’t decide if I was angry or just massively disappointed.

“I’m sorry, Blake, I came here to help, not hurt.”

“I’m going to call my people now, but when I’m done I want to see this charm.”

“I don’t think you touching it is a good idea after what just happened,” McKinnon said.

“I agree, that’s why I said see it, not touch it.” I started to make the call, then debated on if I wanted to do it in front of McKinnon or Dolph, but especially McKinnon. If he was telling the truth and I thought he was, he’d have tapes or whatever with the conversation on it later, but that would just

be voices. If he watched me make the call he’d have body language, facial expressions, and just personal observation to put with the words.

“Let’s give the room back to the rest of the crime scene crew. I’ll call from down the hallway.”

They agreed that giving the room back to everyone was a good idea, so Dolph opened the door and everyone who had been cooling their heels in the hallway came back inside and I went out.

Though as I exited, I said, “I want to finish our talk before you leave here, McKinnon.”

“I’ll be here when you’re ready,” he said.

I wanted to say You better be, but out loud I just said, “Good.” McKinnon had helped us with his warning; he was on our side sort of, I didn’t need to threaten him. I just really wanted to because I was pissed at him about the charm. I had some ideas about what the magic in it was, but it was more important to let everyone know the security risk than to play tough guy with McKinnon. Besides, my ego was secure, so I didn’t have to play.