Blood Judgment (Judgment Series) by Nickie Asher

better than nothing. Barely.”
    Sanders gave Sid a shrewd look. “This is illegal.”
    “Yeah. So what? They’re a good source of income and we take them off the streets here in the Restricted Zone where they aren’t supposed to be in the first place. They creep in here and hide among humans.”
    “I know. One of the fuckers tricked me. Bastard was my roommate.”
    “No shit?”
    “No. No shit.”
    “A cross-breed?”
    “Yes. But you couldn’t tell.”
    “There are signs. If you know what to look for.” Sid walked to the van and leaned against it.
    Sanders followed.
    “So, are you interested in working with us?”
    “I play with the symphony. I can’t give that up.”
    “Don’t have to. Meet us after you’re done there and work the rest of the night. It’ll be well worth your time. The symphony can’t pay that good.”
    Sanders snorted. “I can’t even afford my apartment now that fucking Julian’s gone.”
    “Work with us and you’ll have plenty of money. Tax free. And maybe one day you’ll run across your roommate. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?”
    A dark gleam lit Sander’s eyes. “It certainly would. I’m in.”

 
     
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    JULIAN WALKED between Saranna and Vali, accompanying them and her brother on a get-acquainted-tour of Pioneer Square and the surrounding areas.
    Forty-eight hours after moving into Saranna’s apartment, his wounds were starting to heal and the antibiotics were fighting the infection that had raged through his body. No longer feverish or racked with chills, he felt like getting to know his new home.
    They passed few people and fewer vampires. Maybe because the air was heavy with impending rain.
    Outside of the historic section, many of the buildings were shoddy and run down, vastly different from what he was accustomed to. Yet, this wasn’t one of the bad neighborhoods. Those were in the Open Zones, set aside for vampires—at least the ones the government was able to bribe or threaten into living there. Everything else was restricted territory.
    The inhabitants of Saranna’s neighborhood were mostly lower class humans and vampires like her and her family—ones who dared live in the Restricted Zone. He wasn’t complaining though. He had potential friends and a place to stay, at least for a while.
    Slade shot Julian a hostile glance.
    Her brother had arrived on the pretext of coming to see if they needed anything instead of being honest and saying he’d come to check on Julian.
    He didn’t blame the guy. After all, he’d moved into her place and none of them knew anything about him.
    He wanted to put Slade at ease, but elected to keep his mouth shut. Making an issue of it might worsen the situation. Slade had already made it obvious he wanted to intimidate Julian.
    The bigger male had shown up dressed in leather pants and a tight black tee that accentuated a heavily muscled form.
    Julian didn’t doubt for one minute that Slade worked hard to keep himself in such good shape and was probably capable of doing serious damage to anyone he tangled with. In addition to the fleur-de-lis, he sported a large dragon inked in blues, greens, and gold that appeared to move its wings when he flexed his bulging right bicep.
    Want to be or not, Julian was duly impressed.
    As if reading his mind, Slade asked, “How much do you know about vampires?”
    Julian kept his voice and manner easy. “Other than what I’ve learned the hard way, very little.”
    “Figures.” Slade’s tone was sarcastic.
    Julian knew enough to understand ignorance was death in the vampire world. “I know older vampires are stronger and can do things young ones can’t.”
    Slade laughed mirthlessly. “Very good, Sherlock. By the time you’re two hundred, assuming you live that long, you’ll be one bad-ass motherfucker. Right now, not so much.”
    “Two hundred? Shit.”
    “Yeah, shit sums it up. We’re strong as a horse and we can run twice as fast as any stinking human, but that’s