Replica (The Blood Borne Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

you don’t cut the bullshit and get to the chase, I’m hanging up.”
    He released a smug laugh. “I have information that can help you.”
    “Like what?”
    “I know about the suicide pills.”
    Now he had my attention. My investigation of a series of serial killer crime scenes was what had landed me in this rabbit hole. All the victims had met with death by vampire. I hadn’t mentioned it in my report, but I’d found a vampire suicide pill outside one of the scenes. My on-air time had been limited, and other information had taken priority. What was the point of mentioning something like that when there were far bigger issues to discuss, like the bioterrorism weapon that turned humans into crazed monsters? Or the vampire blood that cured diseases but created others? Why would someone give a shit about vampire suicide pills if they didn’t even believe in vampires? “How do you know about them?”
    “Rachel, you’re a reporter,” he said in a mocking tone. “Why are you asking the wrong questions?”
    His voice set me on edge. He sounded like a patient serial killer, toying with his victim before he got to work. Yet I couldn’t hang up. “Okay,” I said, stalling to come up with a plan. I needed to play his game. Based on his egotistical tone, he wanted to make this about him. Time to suck it up. “You must be someone of importance if you know about the pills. From what I’ve gathered, only a few strategic people know about their existence.”
    “Very good, Rachel.” Pride infused his voice. “You’re catching on.”
    “Did you work in the Rikers Island facility? Before it was destroyed?”
    “I was assigned there at one time, but I’ve since moved on. I’m part of the Aglaea division. Do you know what that is?”
    “Sounds Greek to me,” slipped out of my mouth before I could help myself. It was probably a wrong move. It sounded like this guy got off on an obedient subject. Being flippant would either leave me out in the cold or possibly hunted and killed.
    To my surprise, he laughed. “Clever girl, aren’t you?”
    “I like to think so.”
    “Aglaea was the goddess of beauty and magnificence. Can you guess what I worked on?”
    “The vampires.” Which explained how he knew about the pills.
    I heard a grin in his voice. “You are a clever girl.” I also heard a hint of a British accent. He sounded like he was in his thirties, maybe early forties.
    “Do you still work in the Aglaea division?”
    “I want to help you, Rachel. Will you let me?”
    The sudden change of subject made me shudder. This guy was giving me a serious case of the creeps. “I can use all the help I can get…” My voice trailed off. “You know my name, but I don’t know yours. What should I call you?”
    He chuckled. “Call me Hades.”
    “Death?” When he didn’t respond, I added, “Now you’re the clever one. Hades controlled the underworld. Why do I think you’re someone of importance in the Aglaea division?”
    “Oh, Rachel, I knew you were the one…” His words trailed off, almost like he was getting off on the connection I’d made.
    Jesus. How badly did I need this guy? Unfortunately, I already knew the answer. “Why did you call me , Hades?” I felt ridiculous calling him that, but I’d call him the messiah if he helped me stop these people.
    “I want to share something with you.”
    “Does it pertain to the Aglaea division?”
    He laughed. “Yes. Meet me at midnight.”
    I looked around. “I’m free now. I’m at Rockefeller Center. How about I meet you for cheesecake at Junior’s? My treat.”
    “No. Not until later. Midnight, the Financial District. It’s quiet then.”
    Quiet in New York City was a relative term. But the Financial District would be a ghost town at midnight. The fact that he wanted as few people around as possible worried me. He knew I wasn’t working with any authorities, so he couldn’t be concerned about entrapment. And if someone followed me, a legitimate