Read Online There'll be Hell to Pay (Hellcat Series Book 6) by Sharon Hannaford - Free Book Online Page B

thirty of her Clan members as well.” It had been
their second case and it had been the hardest case they’d worked
on, not only because of the arrest, trial and execution of so many
Vampires but because of the utter depravity of the things Isabella
had done to humans. “Those that were left have been taken in by
Princep Thibault until they decide where to settle.” She chewed on
her lip while she considered the idea. “Yes, I think they would be
too bemused and disorganised to instigate something like this. What
about Charles?” She glanced sidelong at Julius in
question.
    “ I think if Charles’s House wanted revenge, they’d be taking it
out on Carmen’s Clan before us,” Julius said, his words measured.
“So far most of our cases begin with information fed to us by other
Vampires,” he explained for Kyle’s benefit. “The law not only
incorporates Clan and house members who try to create Dhampirs but
those with knowledge of the crimes. Any Vampire who knew or
suspected what was going on and who hasn’t spoken up will join the
rest of the guilty Vampires on trial. This decree is being taken
very seriously by most Vampires, making our job a little easier.
But in general the Vampires sending us information ask for
anonymity. In Carmen’s case it was happening in a town not far from
her city, and Charles was the leader of a House not a Master, so
she didn’t feel the need to remain unidentified.
    “ Instead of simply joining with Carmen’s Clan, the remaining
members of Charles’s House have gone Solas Nomas, spurning Carmen’s
offer of protection. We’ve warned her that they may be planning
some kind of revenge, and she is keeping vigilant, but it’s highly
unlikely they’ll focus on us when she is much nearer and more
prominently in their sights.”
    “ So what about this Sergei?” Kyle asked. “You think his Clan
might come after you or Gabi?”
    “ They were one of the strongest Clans in the Russian
territory,” Julius told him. “He was a strong Master, but demanded
unquestioned loyalty and obedience; he ruled through fear and
aggression. I think he felt neglected by the Princeps and possibly
was trying to overcome some inner self-doubt. He had no especially
strong Vampire powers, just several average abilities, but enough
of those to achieve Master level. His Clan has been taken over by
his second, and though the man was cleared of any involvement in
the Dhampir-creation attempts, he was adoring of his Master. While
I still think it’s a long shot, it is possible that he would try to
find a way to get even or possibly finish what his Master
started.”
    “ Even the last one sounds unlikely,” Kyle muttered after a
moment’s consideration. “Who else makes the short list?”
    “ Any Vampire with dreams of creating Dhampirs.” Alexander
snorted in disgust. “If they can pull it off quickly enough, they
could set up their own army before we figure out what’s going on. I
doubt any of them realise it’s years before a Dhampir reaches
maturity, but, for all we know, the Dhampir effect could be present
in an infant’s blood. In many respects we know as little as the
next person.”
    Everyone in the
room understood how much a Dhampir’s blood supercharged the
abilities of a Vampire, none more so than Julius and Alexander, who
were the first to benefit in hundreds of years, though Fergus too
had had a tiny taste when Gabi had once needed to rouse him from
daysleep.
    “ If the kidnappers know anything about Gabi,” Kyle said, “and
they’d have to know plenty to pull off abducting her mother—they’ll
know that she, the Clan and the Werewolves will pursue them
relentlessly. They’ll be fully aware that they’re playing with
fire.”
    Tension
shivered through Gabi’s body. While they’d been discussing the
cases, it had been easier to shift the dread to the back of her
mind, focusing on the facts of the cases, pretending this one
wasn’t personal. But it was, and nothing would