Stake and Dust (Stake and Dust series, Book I) by Karen Michelle Nutt

the guy's shirt
and bringing the vampire up close and personal.
    "We can see that you limy bastard. Where is
she?"
    Gunthorn pursed his lips and Tremayne
backhanded him again and let him fall hard against the wall.
    "All right already." He spat out blood to the
side. I have no intentions of letting you beat the information out
of me."
    So much for loyalty to Lorelei ,
Cassandra thought, but she wouldn't argue if Gunthorn wanted to
spill his guts. Made their job a whole lot easier.
    "She's with a pretty boy I picked up for
her." He eyed Tremayne. "Be forewarned, Lorelei don't like you,
man." He chuckled then, slow and with meaning. "No, not one bit.
Wants to make sure you're the one the Guards of Judgment look at
when they come calling."
    Cassandra frowned. The GOJ didn't interfere
with hunter business. Even if Tremayne had somehow been involved
with the kidnappings and murder, the hunters took care of their
own. Tremayne was one of them. Then again the vamp didn't strike
her as being very smart. He gave them information without even
trying to make a bargain with them first.
    The vamp laughed even harder. "Where do you
get off, Tremayne? Cavorting with hunters and acting as if you're
one of them."
    "I'm one for order," Tremayne said. "Hunter,
vamp… we all have to follow rules to survive."
    Gunthorn peered at Cassandra. "She don't
strike me as one to compromise. Stake and dust most likely."
    She glanced at the vamp before she leveled
her sights on Tremayne. "What exactly is he getting at?"
    "She don't know, does she?" The vamp
snickered. "Oh, how rich. She don't know you're not so upstanding
as you appear." He looked at Cassandra then. "He's just like me
when it comes to justice."
    Tremayne lifted Gunthorn by his lapels.
"Let's get one thing straight here. I am nothing like you.
Nothing!" He shoved him away. The vamp remained quiet but the smirk
seemed to be a permanent expression.
    Cassandra would like to question Tremayne
about Gunthorn's accusations, but she'd deal with that later. "I'd
be a little less concerned about Tremayne and more concerned with
your well being," she said and was glad her statement had wiped the
smile off Gunthorn's face. "Now," she continued, "where does
Lorelei take her victims?"
    Gunthorn pursed his lips as if he were
finished talking now.
    "Answer her," Tremayne barked.
    "You two are–" Gunthorn didn't finish his
response since Tremayne's fist prevented it. "Crap, man," Gunthorn
screeched. "Whatcha do that for?"
    "I could do this all night," Tremayne said
with a shrug.
    "Give it a go then," Gunthorn egged on, but
soon learned Tremayne wasn't bluffing. With the vamp's wrists bound
with iron, his healing had slowed considerably. He had to be
feeling everything Tremayne gave him.
    "Stop…" Gunthorn finally said. His breathing
was labored, and he cringed as he clumsily shifted his weight away
from Tremayne.
    "What's that?" Tremayne asked cupping his
ear. "Are you ready to talk now? Or should I keep going?" He lifted
his fist again.
    "Stop, I say," Gunthorn said. "I'll tell
you." It took him a second longer, and it looked like Tremayne
would have to convince him further to cooperate, but then he
blurted out a word, "Sutter's."
    "What's Sutter's?" Tremayne asked.
    "Inn. Sutter's Inn...room 306," Gunthorn
managed to spit out the directions.
    "It's not too far from the marina," Tremayne
said as he glanced at Cassandra. "An older hotel, where some of the
college-aged kids rent the rooms for the summer and holidays."
    "Yeah, that's the one," Gunthorn added. "But
Lorelei will be heading out. It's almost sunrise. And before you
ask, she stashes her vics elsewhere while she rejuvenates. So don't
think you can swoop in and save the day."
    Tremayne and Cassandra exchanged a look and
Gunthorn groaned.
    "I don't know where she stores them. She
doesn't tell me everything. All I know is she uses the hotel room
during the day to inspire their craft. She said the room is all a
part of her plan. Now take these off,"