Harlequin's Deception (The Naked Truth Series Book 1)

by Candi Fox

  After he was gone, Meyers escorted Harley to the murder scene. Each of the family members had been killed in a different room.

  Blood splatters on the wall. The father had been torn into large pieces. The mother had her heart taken out and the girl had her throat slashed. She had nearly been decapitated.

  Each body had bite marks on it. They were like the ones found on the college kids. She followed the paranormal medical examiner around while he measured the bite marks on all the different bodies.

  “Five different marks in all. Is that conclusive to the other murders?”

  “Yes. There were five of them. Let me know as soon as the reports are back. Looks like we might have a paranormal killing spree on our hands.”

  Harley took a potion out of her kit and began to pour its contents around the rooms. She was careful not to contaminate any evidence, yet she got as close as she could to the victims.

  Walking around them using an incantation the potion started to turn a deep blood red in color. The color confirmed that it had been vampires in the attack.

  The bite marks would have been enough evidence. Harley wanted to make sure. She wished she would have used the same potion out at the gargoyle scene.

  She would have been able to tell if it was the same group of vampires. Though she was certain it was. Paranormal proof would save the police from investigating other groups.

  As it was she hoped they would find clues that would lead them to the group of killers.

  “Harley, didn’t you say that the last killings were done on vampire property?”

  “Yes. The kids had crossed onto private property owned by a vampire.”

  “Have we questioned the vampire yet?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “No time like the present. Let’s go. You can drive.”

  They made small talk on the way. He wouldn’t talk more about the case until they had more evidence. Meyers was all about the evidence. Speculation only came into play if all other avenues had been exhausted.

  Harley secretly hoped that Zoe would be asleep, or perhaps on vacation at the North Pole. She didn’t bother to call ahead or to text Aiden and let him know what was going on.

  They needed information before someone else got killed and tipping off the possible bad guys was not the way to get useful information.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Harley had to use the GPS to find the driveway to the house. Last time she was here she did not arrive or leave by the drive.

  The driveway was long and paved. It looked like it was in pristine condition. The Gothic Victorian house looked much larger than she originally thought.

  Meyers knocked on the door. He stood between her and the door in a protective manner. No wonder she thought this man was so sexy.

  A liveried butler opened the door. Harley mentally named him Jeeves. He wasn’t here last time, at least not that she saw.

  “May I help you?” He said in an aristocratic voice.

  “Yes. We are looking for the vampire that lives here.” Meyers said.

  “Can you be more specific sir? We have several vampires that reside in this home.”

  “I want to talk to whoever’s in charge.”

  “Right this way sir. I will go and see if Master Luciano is available.”

  Meyers flashed his badge. “Make sure he’s available. This is police business.”

  The butler gave a curt bow and motioned them to follow him. He led them into a drawing room. The room was done in shades of red. It was Gothic Victorian like the rest of the house.

  A few minutes later Luc swept into the room. His presence was breathtaking, to say the least. His long blonde hair was bound in a single ponytail that went down his back.

  He was wearing black leather pants that fit him like a glove, soft black leather boots that came to his knees. The shirt was a deep blue with flowing sleeves.

  He smiled as he saw her. “Ahh, Harley it’s good to see you again.” He glided across the room taking her hand and lifting it to his lips before brushing a kiss against her knuckles.

  “Hello, Luc. This is Lieutenant Meyers with the supernatural investigation team. He has some questions he would like to ask you.”

  There was no sense in pretending she didn’t know Luc. She should have told Meyers on the drive. She really didn’t want to go into the details of that evening.

  If Meyers was surprised, he didn’t let it show. He had a good cop face. Harley had never been able to read him.

  “Lieutenant Meyers, this is Luciano. Luciano this is Lieutenant Meyers.”

  They shook hands. Luc offered them some refreshments. Meyers declined and Harley requested ice water with lemon.

  They sat on an ornate red and black tufted couch. The black woodwork had a large raven carved in it and the legs looked like carved wings.

  Meyers looked at Luc. “Do you have a last name?”

  “I was born with one Lt. Meyers, but it fell out of use long ago.”

  “Do you know anything about the murders that took place on your property?”

  “Only that my wards were crossed. It seems the gargoyle on patrol acted out of turn and killed them.”

  “The murders were not committed by the gargoyle. They were committed by vampires.”

  A look of surprise crossed Luc’s face before he quickly returned to his usual neutral look.

  “I had no idea.”

  “How many vampires live here?”

  The questions were beginning to get interesting. Harley really didn’t like the idea of being here with no backup. She was certain that Meyers carried a gun. She didn’t carry one. Nor did she have anything for vampires.

  She made a mental note to start carrying anti-vampire spells in her kit.

  “Depends on the day. I have twenty-five vampires in my brood. They do not all live here at the same time.”

  “Okay. Let me rephrase the question. How many vampires are here right now?”

  “Six right now. Do you need to question them?”

  “Wouldn’t hurt to see if they know anything about the murders. Perhaps they saw something the night the college kids wandered onto your property.”

  Harley thought that Luc was being very cooperative. Perhaps too cooperative. Luc sent the butler away to get the other vampires. It didn’t take them long to file into the room.

  Harley was on pins and needles knowing Zoe would be in the same room soon. She wondered if Zoe would try to kill her in front of a policeman.

  Six men of assorted sizes and shades entered the room. Harley kept looking, but Zoe never came in. She looked at Luc and he shook his head. She would ask him later where Zoe was.

  Meyers questioned the vampires one at a time. None of them knew anything about the college student’s murders. That’s if they were telling the truth. They did find out that Luc and his brood were not the only vampires in the area.

  There were several other broods in Oklahoma and Texas. Not to mention the ones in the surrounding states. Luc did agree to consider it and see if there were any scuttlebutt on the vampire network.

  She and Meyers drove away and the silence stretched between them. Harley decided to break the silence.

  “I met him the night of the murders. I was injured and he helped me out.”

  It was more an omission than a lie. He did help her out in his own way. She had also been injured. The sex in the dream had healed her of the injuries. She knew that it had been more real than a dream, but not quite fully real.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I was a little embarrassed about being injured enough to have to have a stranger help me. In truth, I’m a little attracted to him, so my thoughts might be biased. I figured it was better for you to meet him and use your own judgment.”

  “I understand. Next time, though, I expect you to tell me.”

  “Alright.”

  The rest of the ride was relatively quiet. She dropped Meyers off at the farmhouse before she headed home. Dallas would have
been closer and she could have gotten a hotel, however, she really wanted to sleep in her own bed tonight.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Aiden was waiting for her on the front porch swing. She was tired, hungry, and not sure she wanted company.

  “How was your day?”

  “Busy. Yours?”

  “Worked the ranch with Hector and the boys.”

  “Careful now. You might become a cowboy if you’re not.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t think there is any worry about that. Are you hungry?”

  “Starving.”

  “Come on. I will make you something to eat.”

  He got up and offered her his hand. She took it and he led her into the kitchen.

  “Do you like omelets?”

  “Love them.”

  “Sit down and let me make you one. Would you like some coffee while you wait?”

  “I’d say yes, but then I’d be up all night. How about tea?”

  “Done.”

  He put the kettle on the stove first, turning the back burner on high. Rifling around the refrigerator he pulled out several items. Placing a large skillet on the front burner he added a generous amount of butter.

  He added sliced mushrooms, diced red peppers, and scallion to the pan. While that was sautéing, he chopped up cooked bacon, ham, and sausage.

  Harley was impressed to see that he cracked the eggs with one hand. Whisking them with a little water to make them fluffy before pouring the mixture on top of the cooked items.

  By the time, he was done she had a huge omelet in front of her. The first forkful revealed a plethora of melted cheese inside the fluffy omelet.

  Taking the first bite was a bit of heaven. The omelet was perfect. One of the best she’d ever had.

  “Mmm. This is really good, Aiden.”

  “Thank you. My mom taught me to cook.”

  “She did a wonderful job. This is one of the best omelet’s I have ever tasted.” She grinned. “I’ve tasted a lot.”

  He laughed at the face she made. “Tried that many, have you?”

  “Oh yes. I’m the premiere omelet expert in North America.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Absolutely. Would I kid you? I mean, you could Google me and find out.”

  Aiden shook his head. “Sometimes I just don’t know when to take you seriously.”

  “Rarely. Rarely, if ever, take me seriously. You will know when.”

  “Good to know. Did you find out anything about the new murders?”

  “Yes. It looks like it was done by the same beings that killed the college students.”

  “Why did they call you in? I mean aren’t you usually called in to stop something paranormal?”

  “I get called in for all kinds of reasons. I am not an expert on paranormal crimes like the Lieutenant is, however, I do bring my own expertise to the field.”

  “Can magic identify the culprits?”

  “In some cases, yes. I can usually narrow down the field if nothing else.”

  “You can tell what type of paranormal being did a crime?”

  “Yes, I can. It’s not the only form of identification we use. If there is a question of a few beings that might be close, I can narrow it down.”

  “That’s pretty cool. Have you ever had to deal with jesters before?”

  “Not really. I have only read about them in paranormal journals.”

  “Interesting. I guess now you can learn firsthand.”

  “Yes, I guess I can. Thank you again for the food. I really need to turn in. We can talk more tomorrow.”

  Harley gave him a quick one arm hug and headed to bed. She was beyond exhausted and needed to rest.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Aiden found Harley early the next morning and told her that Luc would like them to drive down to his house in the afternoon.

  Harley hung at home until it was time to go. She was excited about seeing Luc again. She would still have to talk business, but Meyers wouldn’t be with her this time.

  Aiden would be, though. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She was drawn to Aiden. It wasn’t the same draw she felt for Luc.

  Aiden offered to drive and she let him. She did enough driving. It was nice to let someone else do it for once. Harley wouldn’t say she led a lonely life. She was around too many people for that to happen.

  Her love life, however, could use a little sprucing up. She hadn’t been in a serious relationship since David died. She just didn’t have it in her. Even though David had treated her like dirt the last few years of their marriage, she still loved him.

  He had been her first big love. The one that she was serious enough about to want to spend a lifetime with. Her first “grown up” love. David had been her everything.

  She still had a hole in her heart, where he used to be. He really didn’t deserve it. Though he had been downright cruel after the shift, he hadn’t been a nice guy before that. He had been condescending, haughty, and even put her down at times.

  She shook her head as if it would make the memories disappear. Perhaps if her mind were like an etch-a-sketch it would.

  She felt Aiden’s hand on her knee.

  “Are you ok?”

  “Yes. Just a few memories sneaking up on me.”

  “They don’t look like good memories.”

  “Not all of them are good.”

  “Are you looking forward to seeing Luc?”

  “I am, actually. I have so many questions to ask him. Zoe wasn’t there yesterday. Is she away somewhere?”

  “I don’t know. Ask Luc when you see him.”

  “I will.”

  Although Harley wasn’t sure how much she could trust him. Him or Aiden. She barely knew either of them. She was still a little shocked Aiden was staying with her. She knew he was supposed to be protecting her from Zoe. She wondered if Zoe wasn’t around if he would leave.

  Aiden parked out front. They walked in the front door without knocking. It made sense he lived there and worked for the head of the brood.

  Harley didn’t know enough about vampire politics to know what the leadership structure was like. There was lots of speculation. Vampires were a closed community.

  Aiden led them past the drawing-room, where she had sat yesterday with Meyers. He led them past the room with the fireplace. She had been there the first night.

  He led them to a set of double wide doors. Beyond the doors was a dream. The room was bigger than the ballroom she had been in the first night. It was lined from floor to ceiling with books. Some of them were ancient. She could feel the energy coming from them.

  Luc sat behind a large ornately carved desk. He looked like a king. It wasn’t his surroundings. It was the way he held himself. It was his poise, his confidence, his commanding personality. He took her breath away every time she saw him.

  Today he was wearing modern clothes. She was shocked. He could have passed for any normal human on the street. His skin was not as pale as some vampires.

  He rose to his feet when he saw them, walking around the desk to Harley. He took her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles.

  “Good to see you, mi Belleza.”

  Harley blushed. He had called her my beauty. She certainly did not think of herself as beautiful.

  “The pinkness of your cheeks only adds to your beauty. Please come sit by the fire and have a drink with me.”

  For the first-time Harley noticed a black marble fireplace in the library. He led her to one of the chairs sitting around the fire and helped her into her seat.

  “Can I get you a brandy to help warm your day? It is a bit nippy outside.”

  The wind was blowing a frigid chill today. Oklahoma was windy. It was once known as the dustbowl and she understood why.

  “I’d love some brandy, thank you.”

  “Aiden?”

  “Not my cup of tea, but thanks, Luc.”

  Luc smiled graciously at Aiden and went to a small bar that sat opposite the firepla
ce. The wood looked like it could have been ancient, yet it was well kept. Highly polished mahogany with crystal bottles of liquid sitting upon it. He poured them a healthy glass of brandy.

  He handed her the glass before sitting down in the chair next to her. Aiden had produced a soda out of nowhere and was slouched in the chair across from her.

  “Luc, do you know anything about the vampires that attacked the college students? Perhaps something you didn’t want Lieutenant Meyers to know about, officially.”

  “I have been doing some checking up. I believe the vampires belong to Nikolas Perovsky’s brood.”

  “Do you know where I can find him?”

  “He lives in Dallas. Don’t go alone to see him. He is a very dangerous man.”

  “Aren’t all vampires very dangerous?”

  “Yes, we are. Some of us are a bit more willing to be civilized.”

  “I’ll take your word for it. I don’t know that many vampires.”

  “How many have you met?”

  “Not including you and your brood, two.”

  “Neither meeting was pleasant.”

  “Looks like you survived.”

  “Sometimes, I get lucky.”

  “Somehow, I think you are being modest, Harley. You’re a fairly well-known witch.”

  Before Harley could answer she found herself flung backward, chair and all. She was looking up at the ceiling trying to figure out what was going on. She rolled out of the chair and flipped to her feet to find Luc and Zoe wrestling.

  Zoe was screaming at the top of her lungs, “I’m going to kill her. Let me go.”

  “Zoe! Cease now, or I will consider this a personal challenge.”

  Zoe stopped struggling. Luc got up off the floor. His movements were fluid and it almost looked like invisible hands had pulled him up. He had his hand on Zoe the entire time.

  “Why are you back?” Luc ground out.

  “I knew she was coming. Why is she here?”

  Luc was livid. She could see his eyes bleed into a solid blue. They were nearly neon. The power from his rage swept across the room spilling onto Harley’s skin. She shivered from it. Quickly glancing around, she spotted Aiden standing by the fireplace looking on. The two vampires that had been with Zoe the first night stood in the room several feet away looking on.