**NOTE FROM AUTHOR: Dear reader. The book, Blood Servant is currently going through some major changes. Feel free to read from the FIRST chapter, up to chapter FOUR, as it has already been updated. Do not read from chapter five and onward—as I have yet to rewrite them to fit the current changes made to the story. Trust me, if you do, you will be left confused! I will remove this note once the changes have been applied. Thank you for your patience. Best regards, Arden. NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR **

“I’m so disappointed in you, Olivia.”

I peered up from the Southern Living magazine, offering Mom a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry?”

“Sorry? Is that the best you’ve got?” Mom seethed. “I’m sorry?”

“I won’t do it again?”

“That’s what you said last time!” I cringed as Mom’s shouting reverberated through the police station’s waiting area. Every single person paused from whatever they were doing to stare at us.

If I had to admit, for such a tiny, secluded town, it was curiously packed in here.

“Why didn’t you just ask me if you needed money?” Mom chided. “But to steal from the mayor of the town, of all the earthly places—” She rubbed her temples as if she was mustering strength. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?”

“Yeah. I got community service,” I quipped. “It’s not that bad. I get to hang out at the park and recycle plastic. I’m doing the environment a favor.”

“Olivia. Tatum. Cole.” Mom bit out through clenched teeth. “That’s it. Get up. Walk out, straight to the car. I’ll deal with you when we get home.”

“Home?” I snorted, pushing up onto my feet. “You mean that dump your husband got for free in exchange to breed rats?”

Mom’s face reddened. “You do not talk about your stepfather that way. Do you understand me?”

“Fine. Fenner, then.”

“Olivia,” Mom hissed, lifting a hand and pointing to the exit. “Walk, girl. Now.”

Two police officers and a creepy-looking middle-aged man at the front desk glanced our way. One of them, officer Holt—the same guy who arrested me, motioned at us. “Miss Cole. Mrs Fisher, if I can have a moment with you, please.”

Mom’s lips drew tight and she straightened, marching toward the desk without so much as glancing back my way.

I sighed, trailing after her.

“Good evening, Mrs Fisher.” The second officer, with a silver mustache, stuck out his hand to Mom. “I’m officer Wilkinson. Part of the crime scene investigation unit.”

“Good evening.” Mom accepted his hand and shook it. “Is there a problem, officer?”

“Yes, unfortunately.” Officer Wilkinson turned his attention to me. “The mayor is dead.”

I could feel the blood drain from my face. “I have nothing to do with it,” I said quickly, regretting it a second later.

Officer Wilkinson gave me a questioning look, shaking his head. “I didn’t say that.”

My shoulders relaxed. “Okay, so?”

“You were in his house,” the officer continued.

“Yeah, but he wasn’t home.”

“Actually, Miss Cole. He was stuffed in a closet inside the room you tried to steal from,” officer Wilkinson informed me.

“I knew something smelled funny,” I pulled a face.

“Oh my g—Olivia!” Mom cursed. She threw me a dirty glare before offering the officers an apologetic look. “Officers, we lost someone close to us scarcely two months ago. Her twin sister, Robyn. Liv is having a hard time dealing with the loss.”

I huffed, turning my face from them, but I couldn’t stop the stab inside my heart.

“She’s currently seeing a psychiatrist to deal with her...problems,” Mom continued, her voice cracking.

“I’m sincerely sorry for your loss, Mrs Fisher,” officer Wilkinson emphasized. “I can’t even imagine what you,” he nodded to me, “And your daughter must be going through.”

“Makes a bit more sense now,” officer Holt murmured dryly, his annoyed gaze flicking my way.

I sneered at him, knowing fully he was red and sweaty from chasing me a few blocks on foot until he managed to catch me. I also went out of my way to annoy him the entire ride to the police station, aware that the worst he could do to me was community service.

I didn’t enjoy getting in trouble, but it was my only diversion from the pain I felt on the inside.

Tonight’s expedition wasn’t intended to land me in hot water, however, the distraction was still welcomed. It was better getting yelled at than lying in my bed, listening to rats chewing through the ceiling while my heart was on fire.

The suffocating impression left in my sister’s absence was what would eat me every time I gave it a chance.

I needed to stay busy, or I could end up being planted six feet beneath cold dirt alongside her.

The pain was just too much.

“The thing is Miss Cole,” officer Wilkinson twisted my way. “I need to ask you a few more questions. Anything you may have noticed that is out of the ordinary. Anything.”

“So I’m not a suspect?” My brows shot up.

Mom buried an elbow in my side and I had to work hard not to flinch.

Officer Holt clucked his tongue, while officer Wilkinson snorted. “No, Miss Cole. I know for a fact a teenage girl can’t drain blood from a body without making a mess of it within a span of a few minutes, while robbing the mayor.”

I paled. “Wait, what?”

Mom gasped, covering her hand over her mouth. “How…?”

“I wish I knew, Mrs Fisher,” officer Wilkinson breathed. “There’s been a dramatic climb in these cases. We think we have a serial killer on the loose. No idea what kind of method he’s using to drain the bodies...The point is, we need to find him. Or her. If your daughter has any information that could lead to their arrest, we will need it.”

“I didn’t see anyone,” I said truthfully. “I made sure I was alone before I climbed in the window.”

Officer Wilkinson sighed, pulling out a card and handing it to Mom. “If she remembers anything, you can reach me directly at this number.”

Mom took the card, nodding. “I will do that.”

“He faced me. “Look, you need to understand, if you remember anything out of the ordinary, from a person to a suspicious spot on the window, you let me know, all right? This can save plenty of lives.”

I nodded, “Sure.” I might be a bit hard to handle, but I wasn’t heartless. If there was someone out there killing people, I’d be happy to help. I tried recalling anything suspicious, but nothing came up.

Heck, maybe I could ask my dead friends some questions that could help. If officer Wilkinson would bite it.

I peered at the creepy man standing between Mom and officer Wilkinson as they continued to discuss the murder as if there was no one blocking their view from each other.

The man arched a dark brow, his lips turning down. “It was a vampire,” he said, his voice breathy and cold.

Mom visibly shivered, drawing her sweater shut and crossing her arms to her chest.

“And I’m Tinkerbelle,” I rolled my eyes, realizing too late I spoke out loud.

Everyone stopped talking, turning their full attention to me.

“I want a Tinkie,” I quickly improvised. “I’m hungry.”

Mom scowled, and I didn’t need to look at the officers to know they bore the same expression.

“You can eat when you get home,” Mom bit out, turning back to officer Wilkinson.

“He saw you,” the dead man resumed. “As he drained the blood from me. He said you’re next.”

A chill ran down my spine as the ghostly man regarded me. Then, he added, “Why did you try to steal that brooch? It’s old and uglier than sin.”

I shrugged, unable to answer the dead man, or as it turned out, the ghost of the mayor. Mom’s eyes kept flicking my way as if she was waiting for me to do something else that was stupid.

I reached my quota for the day, thank you.

“My dead Rita sent you, didn’t she?” he continued. “You’re helping us move on?”

“Nope. No. Not going to happen,” I said, turning around and heading for the exit. I was fully aware of everyone ogling me like I had a few too many screws loose, but I didn’t care.

The last thing I wanted was to give another ghost the assumption I liked helping them. I barely got rid of the last one—if I even did, since I didn’t successfully steal that brooch, she’s bound to show up again. His precious Rita? Yeah. She was the reason I got arrested.

Believe me, there was nothing worse than taking a shower and having a ghost appear right next to you.

“Forget it, buddy.”

Mom cleared her throat, offering the officers a stiff smile. “Olivia, why don’t you go wait in the car?”

“He’s watching you right now,” the dead mayor continued. “It won’t be long before he comes for you.”

I flipped him the bird. Unfortunately, as he stood right in front of officer Wilkinson, well, you can imagine how this was going to play out…

”Olivia!” Mom gasped. “In the car, now. You are in so much trouble young lady!”

I sighed, not bothering to plead my case as I twisted around and stalked out of the station.