by Tamsin Baker
“Yes,” I practically yelled, pointing at him. “This is a total cover up. Which means the vampires who killed him were important!”
That would make sense, a little.
He nodded. “Or at least the vampires who hired the killer are important. Otherwise, why would they bother to go to great lengths to cover it up?”
I placed both of my palms down on the desk, leaned over the wood, and stared at my dragon. “I don’t know who did this, Fridge, but I’m going to find out.”
Chapter 19.
Lunch was delicious, once I finally got down to eating it. I’d have to find out where they ordered from, so I could make it a regular lunch for myself.
Fridge and I talked strategies while we ate, mostly about the best way to kill vampires, then he went back to work.
It turned out, a stake to the heart was still the only sure way to destroy a blood sucker. Silver slowed them down, but even a silver bullet to the heart wouldn’t kill them. But a wooden stake did. No idea why.
No-one did. But it was with that in mind that I spent the afternoon researching wooden bullets and the best way to carry a stake on your person.
Happily, when I asked Fridge about the possibility of getting some vampire weaponry later on in the day, he said my father had a stash in the armory.
I gaped at him, sitting on the desk while I gazed at my big dragon. It was sometimes hard to focus on a conversation when he was in my view. He was too yummy. “The armory?”
“Yeah. You haven’t seen it?”
I shook my head.
He grinned. “Then you are in for a treat!”
He led me out of the office and down the stairs. We turned to the right, going around the large staircase, almost doing a full one-eighty.
Fridge pointed towards a plain looking door beneath the stairs.
“Is that it?” I asked, surprised he was so chuffed at such a small thing.
He nodded. “Yep.”
“Wow.” I’d walked past that door a million times thinking it was a cleaning supplies closet.
Apparently not.
“How...” My gaze slid from one side of the enclosed room beneath the stairs to the other.
The room had obviously been built into the warehouse, obviously; it was boxed in and looked quite unobtrusive on first glance. Though now that I saw it, I wondered how on earth I hadn’t seen it earlier.
I shivered. That room would have no windows inside and I wasn’t sure I’d like that. I wouldn’t say I was claustrophobic, but I liked to see a window. At the very least.
I tilted my head and looked up. A security camera was aimed at the doorway.
Fridge opened the plain, wooden door, revealing a metal door, with a fingerprint scanner as a lock.
“Woah,” I said, glancing at Fridge.
That was unexpected.
He grinned. “Yeah.”
“Who has access?” I asked. The scanner looked like some pretty high-tech stuff.
I could imagine that what lay within was expensive.
“Your dad of course, me, Rogan, and Terry.”
“Terry?”
Have I met him yet?
Fridge nodded. “Yeah, he’s one of the older guys. Doesn’t come in much anymore, but he’s been working here practically since the inception of this place.”
“Terry... oh, you mean Uncle T!” I said, grinning. He was my dad’s oldest, and most loyal friend.
He was a wolf shifter as well and had been super fit in his day. He had a well-rounded pot belly now but was as loveable as ever.
A thought struck me. If my father put Rogan and Fridge in the same level of trust category that he did Uncle T, then Fate had blessed me with two remarkable mates.
“I really need to call Uncle T,” I said. “Do you know if he knows about Dad?”
Fridge shrugged. “I don’t, sorry. I can find out for you though.”
He turned towards the door and pressed his thumb to the panel.
The metal door clicked, then popped open.
Very cool.
Fridge opened the heavy door fully and flicked on a light switch inside the room. “Welcome to bounty hunter heaven.”
He revealed the contents with a flourish of his hand.
My mouth fell open. “Now that is some serious hardware.”
If they’d told me the police or the army had outfitted the room, I wouldn’t have been surprised. It was stocked!
Fridge tilted his head towards the door. “Go on in. I’ll shut the door behind you for security reasons, and you just open it back up when you’ve got what you need.”
I nodded, trusting Fridge and whatever process he thought was best. This was way above my pay grade.
I walked forward, into the brightly lit room. Fluorescent globes bounced light off the bright white walls and multitude of silver weapons.
The door shut behind me and I jumped. It was like being locked in a jail, with no sunlight and limited air.
I took a deep breath to steady myself. This was intense!
I ambled along the first aisle, staring in amazement at the amount of weapons my father had accumulated over time.
The walls were lined with every gun I could imagine. Shot guns, semi-automatics. Rifles.
Then there were the knives.
A smile curled my lips and my pulse began to pound a little bit faster as I examined the handles and blades.
I’d definitely inherited my father’s love of sharp knives.
I strolled around the room, about the size on a large bedroom, inspecting everything.
There were so many nice knives I’d love to take home and play with, but what I really needed was something to harm, maim, or kill a vampire.
I lifted my hand and ran my fingers along the handles of some very impressive swords and long knives, then came across a section that looked like it was designed just for vampire hunting.
“Here we go.” I squatted down to rifle though a large chest of wooden stakes, finding one that was perfect for me. It had a long, thin shaft, with a handle that was easier to hold. And just to make it more perfect, it was stored inside a sheath with a strap for my ankle or wrist. Or if I got an extension, I could probably wear it around my waist.
I picked it up and tied it around my wrist, the wood warm against my forearm.
I admired my new addition with a happy chuckle and a grin. “What else have you got, Dad?”
I found a handgun that fit my palm perfectly, a box of silver bullets, and a box of wooden ones.
I wasn’t sure if a wooden bullet would kill a vamp—but I’d ask one of the guys outside, and find out.
I did a few more rounds of the armory, tempted to grab a few more toys, but in the end, I didn’t. I could always come back later. After all, the place was mine now.
What a strange thought.
I headed back to the door and opened it up.
Fridge was still there, arms crossed, standing guard.
“You’re waiting for me?” I asked.
He grinned. “Yes, but to be honest, I’d have to supervise anyone that went in there. Every item that is taken is always catalogued, logged, and returned, or there was hell to pay from Jimmy.”
“How come?” I asked, running my hands over the new shiny silver gun I held.
“Everything in there equates to about a million dollars in assets,” he said.
I glanced back at the room, and then tugged the door shut. “Woah.”
“Yes.”
Rogan walked up with a towel around his neck, his face covered in sweat, and a grin on his lips. “What are you two up to? Oh... got some new toys, Sadie?”
I laughed and nodded. I was glad he felt the same way I did about these weapons. “Yeah. I’ve been researching some vampire killing techniques and wanted something I could carry on me. You know, just in case. How long have we got before we knock off?”
Rogan glanced at the watch on his wrist. “About an hour, a bit more.”
“Cool. I’ll se
e you guys then. Thanks, Fridge.”
I knew everyone was watching us, and although I was showing Fridge and Rogan extra amounts of attention, I didn’t think it was too obvious how much I wanted them both.
Not yet anyway.
We wouldn’t be able to keep our relationship a secret for too much longer.
I headed back up the stairs and got on my dad’s computer once again. This time, I did some fun research—on dragon shifters, mostly to try and understand more about Fridge and his motivation to ignore our bond.
From what I gathered, dragon shifters were notoriously hard to bond with, in any way.
They loved to create families, but rarely stuck around. The men especially, but even the females, tended to expect their babies to fly early and not rely on parental care at all.
“No wonder the species is dying out.”
Any other shifter in our community—wolves, bears, even the foxes—valued commitment to their offspring. And anyone with human genetics mixed into their blood line, which was practically one hundred per cent of the population of our city, wanted a father to stick around for his kids.
I continued reading.
Vampires love their blood...
“Yeah, Fridge mentioned that...”
And the research went on.
Super strong.
Super fast.
Hard to tame.
Damn it.
I pushed the computer keyboard away with a disgusted grunt, talking to myself. “Yeah, so he’s a catch and a half, if I want a strong baby the vampires want to bite, but with major commitment issues. I get it.”
I leaned back in my chair and pulled my hair out of the elastic containing it.
Why would Fate have sent me someone who wouldn’t accept our bond? It made no sense at all.
The simple answer was, they wouldn’t have. So how did I overcome Fridge’s issues?
Time, probably.
I caught up on some emails and soon enough, Rogan was knocking on my door telling me that most the guys had gone home and that it was our turn.
I smiled at him as I started to shut down all the tabs on my screen. “Great. Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you both downstairs.”
I took my time turning off Dad’s computer and packing everything to go home. I still had my new stake strapped to my wrist and my new gun packed nicely away into my shoulder bag.
But now it was time to deal with my mates.
And damn had it been hard to keep my hands off them today.
Rogan was always smiling, and so strong and capable. Perfect for loving, kissing, and living with.
Fridge was so possessive and huge. When I thought about mating with him, I imagined him taking me standing, or up against a wall. Sex with the dragon would not be slow, and it would not be loving.
But damn was it going to be satisfying. I could tell already.
So much so that just thinking about it made me ache.
I locked everything up, did a quick sweep of the building, and then marched to the front door.
When I walked out the front, I pulled the door shut, a sigh leaving me I hadn’t realized I was carrying.
My two mates were waiting for me, as I’d asked, outside.
“You okay?” Rogan asked as he walked forward and took my hand. He walked me over to Dad’s car.
“Yeah. I’m okay,” I said as I hopped in the passenger side front seat.
Fridge got in the driver’s seat and Rogan jumped in the back.
We took off, into peak hour traffic.
Rogan’s hand slid over my shoulder, squeezing it for a moment. “You don’t sound okay. I know it’s been a big day, what with Shadow and then that cop Fridge told me about, but...”
I patted his hand so he could let go of my shoulder and sighed again. “It’s not that, I suppose. It has been a big day—huge when you look at it with that list. Finding my cousin, the stuff he told me about our city and the vamps. Then that cop and what they’re doing to cover up my dad’s murder...”
I growled. Obviously, my dad was onto something big, or the people responsible for his murder had more money than God. How much did it take to bribe a city coroner?
“Well, if it’s not all that shit, what’s wrong?” Fridge asked.
“I... don’t know exactly. I suppose, I can’t believe I’ve managed to get through two days of my life without my dad.” As I said the words, my throat stuck, and I had to grab a bottle of water from one of the cup holders in the car and swallow some down.
The boys didn’t interrupt, so I kept talking.
“I mean, he used to joke about me working with him. About all the skills he taught me, and how they were a waste in a corporate setting.”
Rogan chuckled from the back seat. “Yeah, I can’t imagine you’d have too many chances to practice your knife fighting skills with your lawyer clients.”
I laughed. “Exactly. But now, working with you guys... I like it. I like being at the workshop. The smell, the noise. I know I haven’t gotten into the nitty gritty yet—payroll and bounties and all that crap—but I suppose I’m just regretting not doing more with Dad... before he died...”
And that was at the heart of my feelings.
I regretted so many things.
The time I’d wasted with friends, instead of him.
Choosing law when I could have done business management, helped Dad out.
“If I’d known...” I stopped, and had to swallow down the pain, trying not to cry again, in front of these men.
If I’d known I was going to lose him so early, I would never have left his side.
Fridge cleared his throat, loudly, and slid a hand onto my denim covered thigh, squeezing lightly. “You didn’t know, and even if you did, your dad wouldn’t have changed anything.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
He laughed. “Because he did nothing but brag about you. How smart you are. How successful. He left out the bits about how beautiful you are... but I can understand why.”
I laughed and relaxed back into my seat. “Thanks.”
We passed by my apartment building and kept driving, all the way to Fridge and Rogan’s apartment block.
I hoped they were right that Dad went to his grave with no regrets, because although it was true that I could not have loved my dad more in this lifetime, I did wish I’d made a few different choices.
But, hopefully, it wasn’t too late to right some wrongs.
Chapter 20.
Dinner was thrown together by Rogan, pasta and meatballs and a salad I managed to scrounge up from the few vegetables they kept in their fridge.
“I may need to do a bit of a shop if I’m gonna stay here for a few days,” I said, chopping up a few tomatoes that were past their used by date.
Rogan stirred the pasta sauce and began to get bowls out of the cabinet for us. I glanced over and almost laughed. The bowls were the size of a serving dish.
“A few days?” Rogan repeated, his tone incredulous. “It’s gonna take longer than that to solve this case. So, if you need anything, just let us know. We can buy anything you need, or... you know, whatever suits you.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll get a few things tomorrow though.”
Yoghurt, juice, fruit, and vegetables.
These guys seemed to live on carbs and protein. And very little else.
Not that I had a problem with steak and pasta. But a girl needed a salad on occasion, or I’d blow up like a balloon.
We ate dinner with the TV on and chatted while sitting on the couch. It was casual, and fun, and so different to anything I’d ever experienced with any previous boyfriends.
The fact that I didn’t have to worry about ever losing Rogan was already a great help in making me feel secure.
If not yet loved, I was needed. Wanted. Desired. I was pretty sure.
Only one way to find out.
I lifted my hand to cover my mouth, yawning loudly.
The sun had gone down, but it was
still early.
I was exhausted, but not too exhausted for a night cap. “Do you guys mind if I have a quick shower before bed?”
“Go for it,” Rogan said with a grin.
“I’ll get you a towel.” Fridge got up and came with me, showing me where the linen press was and pulling out an oversized bath sheet.
I took it and held it to my chest. “Thanks. Are we... all sleeping in your bed again tonight?”
His mouth hardened and that muscle in his jaw ticked. He looked angry, but as I could only imagine the type of frustration he would be feeling, I didn’t take offence.
Finally, he nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s best.”
“Okay. Thanks. Won’t be long.” I jumped into the bathroom and shut the door before he heard my excited squeal.
I stepped into the shower and scrubbed myself from head to toe.
I loved hot, long showers, but when I had two shifters waiting to take me to bed, well... I wasn’t going to dilly dally.
I wrapped myself in the massive bath sheet that almost went to the floor and picked up my dirty clothes. I’d make a few more days with what I had in my bag but would definitely need to go back to my apartment for another change of clothes, or ten, if I was staying here semi-permanently.
Both men were in the kitchen cleaning up when I walked past.
They looked up and saw me wrapped in only a towel, my face flushed from the heat of the shower and my hair wet.
“Should I... ah, get dressed for a movie or something?” I asked. “Or are we going to bed soon?”
“Maybe...” Rogan glanced at Fridge. “Maybe put on what you were wearing to sleep last night, just so we can talk for a sec, before bed.”
My stomach dropped. That sounded ominous.
“Okay. No problem.” I hurried to the bedroom to grab my black tank and black cotton undies. Exactly what Rogan had asked for.
I considered pulling on some joggers to cover myself up, but as I checked myself in the mirror I figured I exposed much more at the beach, and besides, they wouldn’t give me super bad news while I was so exposed. Would they?
I lifted my chin high and walked back into the lounge, my breasts bouncing a lot more than normal due to the lack of a bra. And I swung my hips for fun.
