Slade. However, I do have a few minor conditions attached."I shifted uneasily on my feet. "Conditions?""You may be wondering why I'm at your school.""Because you're a creeper?"He smiled. "No, because of your old friend, Maximus."My face warmed at the mention of that vampiric douchebag. "What does he have to do with my school?""Miss Borathen is at the school for the same reason, whether she knows it or not."It was Elyssa's turn to narrow her eyes and cast a doubting glare at the assassin. "How would you know about my assignment?"He shrugged. "The same way I know about all sorts of things." He leaned forward on the table. "You were assigned to keep an eye out for vampires masquerading as students. What you didn't know was why they were doing such a thing.""Maybe because fifty-year-old vampires who look like teens want to hook up with underage students." Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Creepy pedophiles."My nose wrinkled too. "Nasty! I'll bet fifty is a low estimate. Imagine dating some dude who's a hundred years older than you are."Underborn folded his arms and leaned back. "Some vampires were, in fact, doing that very thing. But that's not the real reason they were there.""Spit it out already," Elyssa said, eyes growing harder by the second."Maximus put them there. In fact, he has agents in several metro high schools, not just here, but all over the country."Elyssa's mouth dropped open and her eyes grew distant. "He's recruiting from the student population?""Indeed.""Maximus is a poser. A loser." I snorted. "He can't even turn people into vampires.""The average nom has no idea of vampire capabilities, blood potency, or other items on the checklist required for a successful transformation," Underborn said with a shrug. "Surely, you see the scope of his crimes. Recruiting is expressly forbidden by the Red Syndicate and the Conclave. It is even rumored that his activities aren't limited to the United States. The scope of his operation reaches far beyond that which someone of his humble standing in the Red Syndicate should be able to achieve. It points to another hand. A higher hand, moving him, utilizing him as a chess piece."I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes. "And what does this have to do with me?""You are to return to school and root out the identity of his moles.""Who do I look like, Encyclopedia Brown?""No. You look like Justin Slade, the young man Maximus hates with a passion because you stole your father back from him. He believes spawn blood is the answer to his impotency."I creased my forehead. "What, he can't get it up?"Underborn chuckled. "I refer to his inability to turn humans into vampires. Your father was his golden ticket. If anything will draw out his minions, it'll be his desire to capture you.""Why don't you do it?""My goal is to stop Maximus for good. But first, I need to discover who is turning his recruits into vampires, because it certainly isn't him. Once I discover who it is, we can eradicate his support and bring Maximus's fledgling revolt to a stop before it further weakens the Red Syndicate.""Again, I ask, why do I have to do it?""I believe my cover is compromised. Even worse, so is my organization. I may be dead in short order unless I root out the traitor. And you, Mr.
