A few drunk voices started down the alley. Jack turned to her. “Take care of them.”

Brigid pulled her hood up, kept her head down, and headed toward the mouth of the alley. As she approached, she could hear the drunks jostling each other while one took a piss against the wall and the other peered down the alley where Jack and the dealer were talking.

“Oy, what’s this?” he called out with a grin. “Someone to keep us company tonight?”

She scanned them quickly. Not a threat. Both men were in their late twenties, but she guessed they were boys from the country and not looking for any trouble out of the ordinary sort.

“Hello, lads.” She gave them a tight smile as she approached. “Out a bit late, aren’t you?”

“Just looking for some fun. Do you have something?”

Brigid shook her head. “No, and you should leave, both of you.”

The one pissing on the wall pulled up his pants and swaggered toward her. “Oh? And why’s that?”

“Bad sort down this way.” She gripped the gun in her pocket and flicked the safety off. “Not a good idea.”

The first man looked slightly less scuttered than his friend. His eyes flicked over Brigid’s shoulder, squinting into the shadows where the sound of Jack scuffling with the dealer drifted out. Brigid rolled her eyes. Jack just couldn’t pass up an easy meal. Particularly an intoxicated one. He said the drugs gave the blood a nice bite.

‘How about the hepatitis?’

‘Shut up, Brigid.’

The less-drunk one looked back at her cautiously. “Hey, Donal, let’s scatter, eh?”

“What are you talking about? She looks fun.” The man’s breath almost knocked her out as he stumbled toward her.

She was seconds away from drawing her weapon when the first man pulled his friend back. His wary eyes darted from her calm expression, down to the hand in her pocket, then back to the smile she let turn up the corner of her mouth.

“Let’s go.”

He pulled the drunk from the alley only seconds before she heard Jack speed to her side. The dealer was not with him, and Brigid decided not to ask. Jack’s cheeks were flushed, and he was eyeing her with bright eyes and a lusty grin.

“Need any help?”

She rolled her eyes and tugged on his collar, dragging it over to wipe a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. “Need a napkin?”

“Mmm, messy as always.” He chuckled, and Brigid saw his fangs still hanging low in his mouth. It no longer gave her the shivers as it had the first few months they’d worked together.

Typical Jack. She shook her head. “He taken care of?”

Jack patted his flat stomach and grinned. He was a lusty one. He liked his blood, and he liked his women. Luckily, the canny water vampire knew the only workout he’d be getting from Brigid was at the gym.

“Can you check that locker at Connolly tomorrow?”

“Just write down the number for me. I’ll go by the station tomorrow, see if anyone’s watching it.”

“It’s not likely that all of the business would be out of one locker.”

No, really? “Still worth checking out. I’ll have to quit around three, though. I have plans tomorrow night, and I’ll need some sleep.”

“What’s this?” Jack tried throwing a companionable arm over her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. He continued, undeterred. “Does our fair Brigid have a lad?”

“Just a party with friends. Some of your sort, as a fact.”

“Who?” He frowned for a moment. “Still the Swedish fellow with Em?”

Brigid snorted. “He’s Norwegian.”

“They all look the same to me. And why is a fine specimen of Irish womanhood like Emily still wasting time with a foreigner?”

She’d been right. Jack did like Emily. In fact, since the night months before when Jack had seen Brigid and her friend having dinner at the small café in Murphy’s building, he’d hardly let a night pass without asking if Emily was available for tasting yet.

“You’re such a slag, Jack.”

“Now, now. I promise she’d enjoy herself. In fact, that’s all I promise.” He grinned as they walked back toward the river. “What’s her boy at? Forty years immortal? Fifty? A mere babe when it comes to the finer points of pleasing a woman.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re vile!”

“Oh.” Brigid could feel him pulling his energy back. “My blood’s just running. I think I’ll stop at Murphy’s and see if anyone’s looking for some fun. Come with me?”

She had no desire to go to the after-hours pub Murphy ran for the vampires of Dublin and select humans they invited. “No, thanks. I’ll head home.”

“Be careful. Use your mobile—”

Brigid cocked her head. “Really, Jack?”

“Fine, my young apprentice. I have trained you well, so I’ll be away. Leave me a report on the locker tomorrow. I’ll look for it on my desk at first dark.”

“It’ll be there.”

Brigid waved good-bye and cut back to O’Connell, then crossed the bridge to the south side of the river, briskly walking east as she made her way home. Her eyes drooped. While normally she’d enjoy the walk back to her building and the empty streets, she was unusually exhausted.