A large crowd had gathered around one of the couches on the far side of the room. Pushing his way through the knot of people, Shido was able to catch a glimpse of a small, dark-haired woman. Next to her on the couch sat Minaka, who was patting her hand comfortingly.

“What happened?” Shido asked aloud.

“Upstairs.” Yayoi’s voice was at his ear. “She found a body in the ladies’ restroom.”

He looked again at the woman. She slouched, trembling, on the couch, her breath coming in heavy gasps that were almost sobs. Her dark eyes focused on some horror only she could see. Minaka was making soothing noises, her expression gentle and more sympathetic than Shido would have given her credit for.

“A body?” Riho slid up behind them. “Here?”

“Nightbreed?” Shido asked, voice low.

Yayoi shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

Shido turned to Riho. “Stay here and see what you can learn from the woman.”

She nodded, a determined expression sliding into place. “Got it.”

“Thanks. Come on, Yayoi.”

“Right.”

The ladies’ restroom was tastefully done in muted shades of beige and blue, but now a pool of viscous crimson marred the subtle decorating scheme.

The slain woman was blonde and model-beautiful; her pale eyes gazed sightlessly at the cream-colored ceiling. The murderer had left her lying on her back in the middle of the floor, and the circle created by her blood had soaked into the plush tan carpeting. It was still fresh.

Her dark blue dress had been pulled down to expose her breasts and pushed up to leave her lower half bared. With the cool detachment of the criminal investigator, Shido noted that her panties were still intact.

Yayoi knelt as close to the body as she dared, trying hard not to step in the blood or mar any evidence.

“What sort of injuries are they?” Shido asked. There was a great deal of blood seeping into the carpet, but relatively little on the woman herself. The wounds had to be pretty small…

Yayoi sucked in a startled breath. “Shido… You better come look at this.”

Shido crouched next to her. “What is it?”

Yayoi pointed to bloody marks on the woman’s throat, breast, wrist, and inner thigh. “It’s hard to tell through the blood, but don’t these look like puncture wounds?”

Shido’s eyes widened as he recognized what he was looking at. “These look like vampire bites, Yayoi.”

She nodded, lipsticked mouth drawn in a tight line.

“Cain,” Shido hissed. “Cain could have done this.”

“But why is there so much blood left?” Yayoi asked. “Why didn’t he drink it?”

The detective shook his head. “I don’t know. But look at the way she was left out in the open, like… like a…”

“Like a display,” Yayoi finished for him.

Shido nodded, clenching his fists. Damn you to Hell, Cain! Why did you do this? Is it a message for me?

Noise from the hall made them raise their heads. “Stand aside! This is the police!”

Yayoi looked at Shido. “You’d better get out of here, Shido. I’m with the NOS, but you’re technically a civilian, and besides, a vampire at a vampire kill…?”

He nodded. “You’re right. Let me know what you find out. Riho and I will be waiting at the car.” That said, he melted out of sight just as the police stomped into the bathroom.

“A vampire killed her?” Riho’s expression was horrified as they walked to the parking lot. “Was it Cain?”

“It looks that way.” Shido scowled at the pavement. “The body was practically laid out for viewing. All it needed was a neon sign flashing ‘look at this!’ to make it perfect.”

“How terrible!” She shook her head. “Why would he do something like that?”

Shido’s voice was grim. “It won’t be the first time he’s killed, Riho, you know that.”

“Yeah, but… Why like this? In a public place where anyone can see?”

“I told you it was a display. It could well have been a message for me.”

She bit her lip. “To get back at you for leaving him?”

“Maybe.” The detective stared at the pavement below his feet. “I don’t know yet.”