by Lauren Dane
“Why? Why does he need my blood to tell me the truth?” It was only because she’d calmed him and Clive’s exceptional thrall that Jack hadn’t run out of the room. It wasn’t fear in his eyes, but pain.
“Because I need a way to wipe your memory if you don’t react well to what you’re about to hear.” When Clive smiled, his incisors gleamed in that way they did.
“Jack, I’m asking for your trust. I won’t let any harm come to you. But if you want to know the rest, this is the only way. I had to get permission to tell you all this and the price was their ability to wipe your memory if you reacted badly.” She licked her lips, uncomfortable with what she’d done, but knowing she had no choice.
“Are you one of them? Is he a Vampire like on television? Are you one too? No. I’ve seen you in full daylight. Is that a lie too? Are you both just freaks?” He pulled his hand away. “Where did he bleed me? Am I going to be one now?”
At her back, she felt Clive tense up at the insult. This could get out of control so easily. Vampires were not easygoing and Jack danced on the edge of sanity.
“The wound is gone. He only took a very small amount. It won’t cause you any pain or harm. No, you won’t turn into a Vampire. No, I’m not one of them but I know many of them. Yes, he’s a Vampire but not like the ones you see on television. And most of what you see on television is a lie in any case.”
Clive had to admit she handled the human well. Considering her basic personality, she must have really cared for this human. He didn’t want to be jealous over it, it was clear they had nothing sexual or romantic there. But he was and it only annoyed Clive further. Perhaps he found being annoyed sexually alluring? Every time he was around her she annoyed him and he still got hard. Damn it all.
Clive wanted the whole thing to be over. Having this rogue out there so bent on exposing them made him look bad. On top of making him want to rip heads off. This human cop was in over his head and he was too macho to know it, or accept what Rowan was trying to tell him.
“Jack, sit down.” Rowan pushed him into a nearby chair and perched close. “I couldn’t tell you before because I’m bound by honor and blood not to. So here’s what I know so far. The three women we’ve found were all murdered by a Vampire. What they call a rogue. Someone who’s gone outside the internal system of laws that keep Vampires in check.”
“In check? You’re telling me there are Vampires and this one killed. No, not killed, killed is too mild a word for what he did to them.”
Clive resisted his urge to curl his lip. “Believe it or not, Mr. Elroy, we don’t kill humans for sport or for fun. We have far lower rates of violence among our citizenry than you humans do.”
“This is not helpful.” Rowan shot him a look. “Sit down, please, Clive.” She touched Elroy’s hand to snag his attention. Clive realized anew just how much magick she had in her own right. Elroy’s gaze snapped to her immediately.
“Yes, the Vampire is out of control. I’m on his trail. Clive’s people are on his trail. We’ll find him and take care of him. But I need you to understand that you have to let me do my job.”
“Tell that to Lisa. Yeah, fine job you’ve done so far.”
Clive saw the barb hit home as her spine stiffened. “Off sides, Mr. Elroy.”
“You can’t defeat this Vampire, Jack. No matter what you think of me, that won’t change. He’s not only a Vampire, which means he’s faster and stronger than even the fastest, strongest human, but he’s an old one. This makes him even faster and stronger. You can’t stand against him and win. The cops on this case can’t either. This is why I’m telling you.”
“But you can stand against this freak? You say you’re not a Vampire so how is it you can do it and I can’t?” Jack crossed his arms over his chest, defensive.
“Because I’m just that special. What I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am trained to kill Vampires. It’s what I do.”
“When you’re not fucking them?”
“You’re a vulgar, ugly man, Jack Elroy. What Rowan sees in you I cannot say. She’s trying to help you if you’d put your ego away for a moment and listen.” Clive wanted to punch the human for so deliberately harming Rowan when she’d gone so far out on a limb to help him.
“For all I know you and she are out there killing women for thrills and this is just a way to keep it all quiet.”
“Really? Is that what you think?” She shook her head.
Seeing her composure crumble even just a little bit only made Clive angrier at Jack Elroy.
“I don’t know what to think other than you know all these details and you have this whole time. You hang with these monsters. You found Lisa. How do I know you didn’t kill her yourself? You hated her.”
Rowan licked her lips. Hurt. Knowing he wasn’t in a right state of mind. Knowing he was in great pain and loving him as a friend, wanting to help him and yes, being cut to the bone by his behavior.
“If you really think I’m the one who did this to those three women—” she indicated the phone with a wave, “—go on and call it in. Report me for it.”
She waited and he burst up from his chair and began to pace. Staying away from the phone but clearly agitated. “You’re a fucking monster and you’re catting around with one too. Great. Just great. You brought this to Vegas, didn’t you?”
Rowan sent Clive a look warning him to keep his mouth shut. She couldn’t handle him being protective just then.
“My job is to protect humans. It’s why I’m here. You don’t have to like me, but you really need to think a bit on what your best chances are. Not only to find this killer, but to keep your ass alive. You won’t survive even half a minute with this Vampire. If you don’t keep your mouth shut about it, others can be harmed. I’m doing my level best to find this killer and put him down. If you believe nothing else, believe that. This Vampire is a monster and he will flick you off like a fly.”
“Damn you, Rowan. I can’t believe you kept all this shit to yourself. This thing…why? Why is he…it killing? Just for kicks? I can’t believe I thought it was the meth.”
Bracing herself, she took a deep breath before speaking. “It is the meth.” She looked to Clive, wondering how far she could go with the information about the blood barrier and drugs issue. From his response of narrowed eyes and the quick shake of his head, she guessed it was a big shut-up-now. Stupid. “Just because he’s a Vampire doesn’t change the rest of the fact pattern. Don’t let yourself get too distracted by the Vampire thing. I’ll handle that part. It’s the drugs. You have to know this, Jack.”
Jack spun, features hard. “No.”
She sighed. “Jack, each of the victims had drug problems. They went to rehab and in Lisa’s case jail or rehab were only a matter of time. That’s just basic police work. If we can keep our focus there, find some known associates and narrow, that would be something the cops could do and stay safe.”
“They were all three women. All three human. Why assume? Maybe he’s, well fuck, how do I know what the hell an abomination is or why it does what it does?”
“Jack, get hold of yourself, for fuck’s sake!” Rowan stood and went to him. “You’re too close to this if you can’t see the connections. You saw them yesterday. We talked about the drug stuff.”
“Lisa wouldn’t use drugs with a…a monster! If that happened, he forced it on her. She wouldn’t do that.”
“Really? What high ideals for a junkie.” She knew it hurt him to hear it, but it had to be said. He had to hear it and understand it. Rowan was not doing him any favors to pretend Lisa was perfect.
“How dare you!” He got in her face and the room arced with electricity as Clive moved so fast Rowan didn’t register it until Jack was pressed against the far wall, Clive’s hand at his throat.
“How dare you? You have no concept of what this woman has risked for you. And from what I can tell you’re not worth it.”
He flustered her just then. He wasn’t supposed to be defending her honor. He
was supposed to be insulting her and being a prick. When he was, well, nice to her, she didn’t know how to keep him away. Not that she did much of a good job on that front, but still.
“Let him go, Clive. He’s upset.”
“I should arrest you.” Jack glared at Clive like the idiot he was.
Rowan threw her hands up before stomping over, grabbing Jack by the shirt and tossing him into a chair. If she hadn’t separated them, it would have only escalated matters and she didn’t have the time or energy for it.
“Sit down and shut the fuck up. We’re done playing nice with you. If you can’t get yourself together then get out of the way. The fact is, whether you want to admit it or not, your girlfriend was using. In a bad way. It led her to make desperate choices. She stole from her employer. On more than one occasion. She was on the verge of losing her job. Her apartment is a clear indicator of how far she’d fallen. This pattern isn’t unique. How many files a year cross your desk with a story about a girl who never would have done this or that doing just this or that because she was jonesing for meth or something else?”
“You did this to her.” Jack shook as he said it, but she could tell he believed it. Or at the very least wanted to believe it enough to make it so.
“Whatever you think, I’m the best hope you have. If you can’t get yourself under control and give me your word to keep this secret, you won’t leave here with the memories intact. I’m sorry. But that’s reality and you had best deal with it.”
“Why should I trust you? You’re a…well you’re not human and you never told me and you fucked me for God’s sake!”
Now that was something she would not let him bully her over. She leaned down and got in his face, speaking very quietly. “I’m not a thing, asshole. I am a motherfucking killing machine who also shares her body with an actual, real-life Goddess. So you should be on your knees giving thanks that I fucked you. Now, grow a pair and deal with reality. Your mewling won’t solve this case and I’ve had enough. You took your shots. Back up before I’m forced to defend myself and fuck your shit up.”
She straightened and turned her back to him, giving space between them and deliberately not looking at Clive.
“You’re a what?”
“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m more than equipped to deal with this killer and I will. I need you to keep the cops off my case while I do it. If for no other reason than to keep them alive, I expect you to deliver. Can you do that, Jack? Can you get your head out of your ass long enough to help me find this killer and put him down? You can be disgusted by me and my otherness all you want, just keep it to yourself along with everything I’ve just told you.”
“Do I have any other choice?”
She turned, heavy with sadness at what she knew would happen, but hated anyway. “Sure. You can leave here and go fight crime against an enemy you can’t find or beat.” She shrugged. “Or you can be a man, suck it up and hold your nose while you choose the lesser of two evils like everyone else on the planet. Up to you. Believe it or not, Jack, I care about you and I want to help. I’m trying to help right now.”
He stood, wiping his palms down the front of his jeans. “I don’t see that I have any other choice. Keep me updated but otherwise I think it’s best if you stay away from me. I’m protecting your secret, but not for your sake.”
Clive cleared his throat as he smoothed down his tie. “Be sure you keep that oath, Mr. Elroy. You’re bound by your word.”
“What’s it to you?”
Rowan was sure she goggled at him for saying it. Jack was so angry he shook with it. But he wasn’t usually stupid. One look at Clive just then should have told anyone with half a brain to keep quiet and get away.
“The real question, Jack, is what it is to you. You gave your word. In my world, your word is your bond. And this is about my world, so don’t make any mistake thinking otherwise. If you break your word, I will come for you. If you’re lucky it’ll be me. There are others who’d be less…quick than I’d be in removing your life from your body. Others Rowan faced to help you. You should try some gratitude.”
“Like I should thank you monsters for bringing this shit into my town? For getting my girlfriend killed? Yeah, fuck off. I’ll keep your secret, but you won’t get any thanks from me.” He stalked from the room, slamming the door in his wake.
And she tried to pretend she didn’t feel so very alone. Tried to pretend it didn’t matter that this person she thought of as her family had just torn her to shreds and she deserved a lot of it.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Don’t,” she said as he moved nearer. He knew she struggled to keep her composure. Knew it and it felled him all the same.
“Are you afraid I might see your soft underbelly, Ms. Summerwaite?” He’d planned to sound more teasing, but to his hearing, it sounded as raw as he felt.
Slowly, as if she were afraid, she turned, tipping her chin to look at him better.
He drew a fingertip along the line of her jaw. Warm. Vibrant. She was fire and a riot of color. Sunset. Dark and seductive even as she was so very bright and bold.
Clive knew pity would be scorned. And what he felt just then wasn’t pity anyway.
This fierce woman was vulnerable. In the slow, sticky moment between them, he saw her to her foundations. Jack’s rejection of her had hurt her far deeper than he’d first imagined. And it only made him angrier at the man for doing it.
“He doesn’t understand what you’ve done for him. But that doesn’t mean what you did is meaningless. Or small.”
She leaned into his palm, just for a brief moment and he used it to get closer. What they had, their electric, snapping, hissing, unavoidably magnetic attraction rolled through him and then over him.
Her eyes widened as she gasped in a breath, her fingers twitching. So very attuned to her, he swayed closer, sliding against her and moaning as the sensual shuss of his suit jacket against her sweater filled him to nearly bursting.
“What you do to me, Rowan.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I find myself totally unable to stop thinking about you.” Another kiss just lower, against her ear.
Her spine loosened as arousal flooded her, the scent of it rising between them, catching his senses, snagging him. He wanted her until he ached with it.
Her hands pressed flat against his belly and into his suit jacket. Encircling his waist and drawing closer.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
His amusement was spiced by the way he seemed to go wild for her when she was extra prickly.
“You are a magnificent woman. Strong. Sexy. Powerful. I like you, even when you’re being a wretched bitch.”
She gasped a little laugh when he nipped her lip and kissed the corner of her mouth, drinking in the way it curved up so perfectly.
“I’m not a wretched bitch, Scion. I’m a fierce bitch. There’s a huge difference.”
Surprised, he laughed, swooping down to take her mouth in what he’d meant to be a teasing kiss. But her nails dug in, bringing him close, his cock pressing hard against her.
“My body, embarrassingly led by my penis, seems to come alive any time you’re near.” He licked over the hollow of her throat. “And, despite your habit of killing my people and leaving big messy paperwork piles for me to fill out, I like you.”
Her breath caught as he slid his hands up her sides and over to her breasts. “Yeah?”
“Even your grammar is atrocious. But I can overlook it, I suppose.” He struggled not to smile as she peered up into his face.
It would never be safe with her. Not in the way he was supposed to want. It would often be fractious, because while sexy and intelligent, she was also a pain in the ass. Unmanageable. A political nightmare. He’d certainly not be able to bring her to any professional events.
And yet, none of that seemed to matter to him.
“Ferocious,” he said out loud before taking her mouth again, tasting her capitulation. “It will rarely be ea
sy with us, you know.”
She tipped her head back and laughed as he steered her toward the couch. “Because we’re the odd couple of the paranormal universe perhaps?”
“Word will get out eventually.”
“I notice this isn’t stopping you from taking my shirt off.” The last part was muffled a bit when he pulled the sweater off and over her head. “Is this your way of declaring your intentions, sir?”
“I don’t know quite what it is we have, Rowan. But most assuredly we have something. Something I’d like to explore.”
Her fingers, nimble and clever, had already opened his pants and tiptoed their way up his cock.
“You know you don’t have to butter me up to get into my pants.” She said this as she shoved his suit coat off and began to work on the buttons of his shirt.
“I’ve not used butter in many decades. They’ve got so many better ways to make a woman slick. Frankly, I’d prefer to work for it.”
She stilled, cocked her head as she took him in and then laughed. “Even though you’re an uptight prick, I keep forgetting you’re nearly five hundred years old. Also, it amuses me when you get vulgar. I feel far more productive in my role as bad influence that way.”
He had a clever retort, but swallowed it when she shoved his pants down and wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding against him.
“I need you in me.”
He paused a moment to look at her breasts as her hair spilled across her nipples.
“Always a pleasure to obey such an order.”
Rowan plunged into the sensations Clive always seemed to provide. His hands on her skin, lips skating over sensitive flesh. She’d lost her initial suspicion that he’d lose control and bite her. After all, the man had control like she’d rarely seen. He wanted to, she knew that, but he wouldn’t.
There was something freeing in that. Knowing she didn’t have to hold back. Knowing he would push her limits and she’d love it. It made the sex even better.
And there, on her couch, his now nude body against hers as he divested her of her pants and underwear, she could admit in her head that it only made her crave him more.
