The sticky heat of the October night clung to everything. It had been a week since the Harold and Nancy mess, and I’d done my best to put it behind me. Didn’t mean I’d forgotten, though. Some things you just don’t forget. But in this city, you either learn to let the darkness slide off you, or you drown in it. I wasn’t planning on drowning anytime soon.

Eddie and I were back at La Vieille, the old bar we’d called our second home for as long as I could remember. It wasn’t much to look at—cracked leather booths, dim lighting, the constant smell of cheap booze hanging in the air—but it had a way of comforting you. The regulars didn’t ask questions, and the bartender knew when to leave you alone. That’s all I needed tonight: a quiet drink and some time to shake off the tension that had been sticking to me like sweat on a humid day.

“Tell me again why we keep coming here?” Eddie asked, swirling the neon-blue concoction in his glass. “It’s a dump.”

I shrugged, nursing my whiskey. “Because it’s our dump.”

Eddie rolled his eyes and leaned back in the booth, adjusting his ridiculous purple jacket. As usual, he looked like he’d just walked out of a fashion magazine while I... well, I looked like a guy who hadn’t slept in three days. Because I hadn’t.

“Still brooding about Nancy?” he asked.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. We’d both been played by Leander, the head of one of the city’s more prominent vampire covens. I had known bringing Harold to that club was a bad idea, but Harold had been desperate, and when you’re desperate in New Orleans, you make mistakes. And that’s how Harold ended up dead, his wife completing her transformation into a vampire right in front of us. Yeah, I’d put it behind me. But I wasn’t done with Leander. Not by a long shot.

Eddie sighed. “One day you’re going to have to accept that we’re always going to be pawns in someone else’s game.”

“Maybe,” I muttered, taking another sip of whiskey. “But I’m done letting Leander use me as one.”

Before Eddie could reply, the door to the bar creaked open. I felt it before I saw him—a shift in the air, a faint, metallic scent that was unmistakable. Vampire.

I glanced over my shoulder. Sure enough, a pale figure in a dark suit stood silhouetted in the doorway, his eyes sweeping the room until they landed on me. He didn’t waste any time, walking over to our table with the kind of smooth grace only vampires have. Eddie raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

“Broussard,” the vampire said, his voice as slick as oil. “My master requests your presence.”

I sighed, setting down my glass. “Who’s your master?”

“Leander,” the vampire replied, his expression cold and unreadable.

Of course. Leander. The bastard didn’t have the guts to come himself, but he always knew how to send the right message. I glanced at Eddie, who gave me a look that said, Here we go again.

The vampire reached into his jacket and pulled out a black envelope sealed with red wax. He handed it to me without a word. I broke the seal and unfolded the letter inside. It was brief, formal, and to the point: a summons. Leander was invoking the Old Laws—guest rights. That meant I had no choice but to meet him, and he’d make damn sure the rules were followed. For now.

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“I’ll be there,” I said, slipping the letter into my coat.

The vampire nodded once, turned on his heel, and glided out of the bar without another word. Eddie watched him go, his expression somewhere between amused and irritated.

“Well, that’s our evening sorted, isn’t it?” he said. “Going to meet Mr. High-and-Mighty himself. Joy.”

I stood up, tossing a few bills on the table. “Let’s get this over with.”

Leander’s mansion was in the Garden District, where the old money vampires liked to roost. His place looked like it belonged on a postcard, all wrought iron balconies and ivy-covered walls. It might’ve been beautiful once, but there was something about it now that felt... wrong. Maybe it was just knowing what went on inside.

We were greeted at the door by a young vampire in a tuxedo—one of Leander’s lackeys, no doubt. He led us through the mansion without a word, the sound of our footsteps muffled by thick Persian rugs. The place was immaculate, of course. Opulent, in that way only vampires could pull off—old paintings, polished wood, chandeliers that probably cost more than my entire office.

Leander was waiting for us in his study, sitting behind an enormous mahogany desk. He looked as pristine as ever, his dark hair slicked back, his suit perfectly tailored. His skin had that eerie, porcelain quality all vampires had, and his eyes... well, his eyes were the part that always got to me. They were dead. No matter how much he smiled, no matter how charming he tried to be, those eyes never changed.

“Jake,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach those eyes. “I’m so pleased you could make it.”

“Wasn’t much of a choice,” I said, stepping into the room. Eddie stayed close to my side, his hands casually in his pockets, but I knew better. He was ready for trouble.

Leander waved a hand, as if brushing away my words. “I invoked the Old Laws to ensure you’d come, but believe me, I mean no harm.”

“Right,” I muttered. “What do you want?”

Leander’s smile widened just a fraction. “Always direct. I appreciate that about you, Jake. Very well. Several of my... associates have gone missing recently. I believe something, or someone, is targeting them. I want you to find out who, and why.”

I glanced at Eddie. He didn’t look surprised. Missing vampires? It wasn’t the first time something like that had happened in this city, and it wouldn’t be the last. But the fact that Leander was asking me for help meant it was serious.

“Why me?” I asked. “Don’t you have your own people for this sort of thing?”

Leander’s expression darkened for just a moment, a flicker of something that might’ve been irritation. “My people are... compromised. Whoever is behind these disappearances is very skilled at covering their tracks. I need someone with your particular talents.”

That didn’t sit right with me. Leander had plenty of resources, more than enough to deal with a few missing vampires. But he was coming to me, which meant this was bigger than he was letting on.

“And what’s in it for me?” I asked.

Leander’s smile returned, cool and calculated. “A substantial sum of money, of course. And... a favour.”

A favour from Leander. That could be worth more than money in this town. Or it could come back to bite me in the ass. Probably both.

I thought about it for a moment, weighing my options. I didn’t trust Leander as far as I could throw him, but something about this whole thing was setting off alarm bells in my head. If someone was making vampires disappear, it was only a matter of time before things got messy. And if I didn’t take the job, someone else would—and they might not be as careful about keeping the city’s delicate balance intact.

“Fine,” I said, crossing my arms. “I’ll take the case.”

Leander’s smile widened. “Excellent. I knew I could count on you, Jake.”

I didn’t respond. This wasn’t about trust. It was about survival, plain and simple. And in this city, you did what you had to in order to keep your head above water.

Leander slid a piece of paper across the desk, detailing the names of the missing vampires and the last places they were seen. I picked it up and skimmed it, then tucked it into my pocket.

“I’ll be in touch,” I said, turning to leave.

“One more thing, Jake,” Leander called after me. I paused, glancing back. “Whoever is behind this... they’re dangerous. Even for someone like you.”

I didn’t bother replying. I already knew that.

Outside, Eddie and I walked down the quiet streets of the Garden District, the thick air hanging heavy between us.

“Well, that was fun,” Eddie said, his tone light but his eyes sharp. “You really think this is just about a few missing vampires?”

“No,” I said, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. “But we’ll find out soon enough.”

Eddie sighed. “We always do, don’t we?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I kept walking, the city’s shadows stretching long and dark around us.