Dead Heat (Taz Bell Book 1)

by Sharon Green

  Calling up a picture of them in my mind from last night wasn't hard, not after the length of time I'd had to study them. Each face was square and strongly handsome with clear bone structure, no one feature too prominent to mask the rest. When you looked at someone with a face like that you knew they weren't at all good at compromise, not when compromise would come up short on giving them what they wanted.

  Blue-gray eyes dominated their faces, changeable eyes that looked like they warmed only rarely but still matched their dark red hair. A lot of people still thought that a vampire's eyes were different, that their gazes could capture, but that wasn't true. It was a vampire's power that captured you, that made you unable to look away if the vampire didn't want you to. Looking into a vampire's eyes gave the power a leg up, so to speak, but the really old, powerful ones didn't need the help.

  But Grail didn't use his power when he looked at you, so his eyes were no different from Jaril's. They both had the tendency to look as if they were seeing deep inside you, and the shoulder-length manes of black-red hair added to the impression. The shoulders were wide, the arms and chests muscled, the hips lean, and the legs long enough to make up six feet two inches of height. Even their walk seemed to be the same, and that sameness was beginning to really annoy me.

  "Thank you," I heard one of them say, which brought me back to the realization that the waiter had put their orders in front of them. After checking to see if Freemont and I wanted anything else, the waiter left. Everyone at our table was taken care of, so the waiter was free to give his attention to someone else.

  "All right, Taz, I'll get straight to the reason why Grail and I are here," Jaril said. He sounded faintly annoyed, and that made me feel a little better. "We don't want you going after whatever is doing all the killing around here."

  "Why not?" Freemont asked, almost a blurted question. He'd been doing fairly well joining me in ignoring our visitors, but now he'd lost it. "I'm not picking up anything to say we need to back off."

  "There's something in this area that's really dangerous, something that's … off all our radar, if you want to put it like that," Jaril answered. "One of our people got the faintest of hints, but then she said it was like a door slamming in her face. The taste she got was completely gone and it never came back again. The incident happened about a week ago, so that's probably why you're not picking up anything."

  "Taz?" Freemont said, his voice and expression uncertain. "Maybe we ought to pass on this one."

  "Why would we want to pass, Freemont?" I said, giving him a smile. "Our bank account will get a boost from the ghouls we took down, but nothing like the boost the bounty on this beastie will bring. We'll be financially independent for long enough that we won't have to think about joining some lame group for a steady paycheck."

  "Some lame group?" Grail echoed, more than just a little annoyed. "You can't possibly be talking about our task force."

  I couldn't keep from smiling at Freemont again, but putting the last bite of steak in my mouth kept any words from joining the smile.

  "The task force is official, Taz, something you and your partners aren't," Jaril pointed out, the same hint of insult behind his words. "We also have a better record of taking down the rogues than you do, mostly because we have enough people to be in more than one place at a time. You and your partners belong with us, not working against us."

  "Isn't life funny, Freemont?" I said, pushing away my now-empty plate. "Having a badge makes some people feel that they're better than everybody else when all they're doing is lying to themselves. If those people with badges were as good as they think, they'd know what was doing the killing just as well as we do."

  Exclamations in stereo came at me while Freemont raised his brows before smiling as he understood what I meant. Jaril had said something about "whatever is doing the killing around here," proving that his wonderful task force still didn't know about the harpy. One of their people had gotten a "hint," and that had made them think that the killings were related to whatever was behind the hint.

  "All right, that's enough game-playing," Grail growled, and there was nothing of warmth left in his voice. "If you know what's doing these killings, I want to hear about it right now."

  "Telling us what we don't already know can only help your claim of superiority," Jaril pointed out with an edge of annoyance, but the annoyance didn't seem to be aimed at me. He must have noticed that my smile was gone, and I'd actually turned my head to stare at Grail. I don't take well to being given orders, something both men should have known if they had as much information on me as they claimed.

  "Listen to me, Janie, and understand what I'm saying," Grail stated, the growl still there in his voice as his light eyes started to gleam just a little. "You can't withhold information from federal officers without running into more trouble than you can handle. And even beyond that, I won't let you withhold information from me. This isn't a game, and if you try to treat it like one you won't like what happens to you."

  The vampire didn't move from where he sat in his chair, but I still felt the very edge of his power creeping toward me through the air. Chills ran down my back at the touch, the threat of being touched even more solidly perfectly clear. I didn't want to be touched by his power, not in any way at all, but I also don't let people threaten me.

  "I already don't like what's happening to me," I said, fighting to keep those chills out of my voice. "I didn't invite you here, and I've already said I have no interest in joining your task force. If I know something you don't, then shame on you. Try having me arrested and see what happens."

  "We're not going to have you arrested or do anything else to you," Jaril said with his own growl, and again I felt that he talked to his brother rather than to me. "If we wanted to see you harmed we wouldn't have sent Linda Sontaag to help you out in Masson."

  At the mention of Sontaag's name I suddenly remembered what George had said, and something of my feelings must have shown on my face.

  "What is it?" Grail asked with a frown as he stared at me even more closely. "Why did you suddenly look so disturbed? Being threatened with a gun isn't anything new for you, and nothing came of the threat."

  The vampire sounded so honest and innocent, but the power coming out of him had only pulled back a little. He was still more than ready to go through with whatever his threat consisted of, but I was supposed to see nothing but his concern. If he'd said "trust me" in words instead of just suggesting it, I would have sneered in his face.

  "I know what Sontaag did and I don't like it," I said instead of sneering. "Killing someone isn't the only way to stop them, especially if they're human. Wilson was human and he didn't have to die."

  At that point the two brothers looked at each other, but it wasn't possible to tell what the exchanged stares meant. Neither of them was showing an expression, and that didn't change when Jaril looked at me instead.

  "Sontaag was told to protect you, and that's exactly what she did," Jaril said, a sigh behind the words. "She isn't … allowed to deviate from her orders, and she told us that Wilson was going to try to kill you. She also isn't allowed to lie, so that has to be the truth. Wilson died because he decided to kill you."

  "But he could have been made to shoot himself in the leg instead of in the head," I countered. "That Sontaag snuffed him without hesitation tells me what kind of people you have working on your task force. They're the kind of people I won't associate with, not even in exchange for a bright, shiny badge."

  Neither of the two liked what I said, but this time it was Grail who answered.

  "Just because Wilson was human doesn't mean he deserved to live," the vampire stated, a coldness to his words and stare. "If he had lived he would have gotten free on bail, and chances are excellent he would then have come after you. You're worth ten of Wilson, and not just because the number of rogues is growing and we need you on the task force. You mean more to us than that, Jane, much more."

  I'd thought there would be some kind of warning
like there had been earlier, but I'd made the very bad mistake of letting the vampire come too close. His power suddenly flared so high that it obliterated the room we sat in, the room and everyone in it. Blackness covered everything like a shroud, and moving and speaking was no longer possible.

  But I wasn't panicked or even nervous. I just floated in the dark without a thought in my head, and then soft lighting began to push the total darkness away. The lighting became two wall lamps and a triple row of candles on a table, showing a room I'd never seen before. Dark, burnt-orange carpeting covered the floor, and dark wood furniture stood on the carpet. I knew there was a dresser and a chest of drawers without being able to see them, a match to the very large bed I could just see to the right. The bed linen was all golden, almost glowing against the dark headboard and footboard.

  "You try very hard to hide how attractive you are, girl, but the tactic doesn't work with everyone." The soft voice came out of the darkness, a voice tagged in my memory with the name Grail. "Those of us who look at you with more than just our eyes can see you clearly. Would you like to know how bright your shine really is?"

  I knew I was being asked a question, but the floating made it hard to think of an answer. Annoyance came like a ghost to send small ripples through the calm floating, and distantly I knew I hated the way I felt. A very tiny piece of my mind began to fight against the calm floating, but there was so much of the floating and it was so hard to fight against. Then two hands came to my arms from behind and I was turned gently to the left, away from the bed, to look into the wide mirror hung over the darkwood dresser.

  "See there?" the Grail voice said. "That's what you look like on the inside, so that's what you look like to me. Can you blame me for being attracted?"

  Not only could I hear faint amusement in his voice, I could also see a smile turning his lips. He stood behind me and slightly to the left, his skin looking lighter than it normally did, his bluish-gray eyes gleaming. It wasn't possible to doubt that he was a vampire, and that added a touch of fear to what I felt. I'd tangled with a rogue vampire while still on the force, a vampire who'd gotten tired of playing human. The sleek murderer had almost reached me with his power before we all blew him away, and the memory made my heart beat a little faster.

  "Sweetling, you're supposed to be looking at you, not at me," Grail said, and his amusement had increased. "I know you find me almost as attractive as I find you, but we'll take care of that later. Right now I want you to look at you."

  His hands left my shoulders to come to my head, and once my face was turned just a little I found myself staring at my own reflection in the mirror. It was me, I could see that clearly, but it also wasn't.

  My shoulder-length, light brown hair looked more like dark blond, and it wasn't simply brushed back. The hair had come forward the way it usually did once I began to move around, and it framed my face in a way that looked styled. My face looked even more unfamiliar, and for a minute I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized that very subtle makeup had been added, softening the angles of my face and bringing out the color of my eyes. Usually my eyes are either blue or green, depending on what I wear, true hazel eyes.

  Now, somehow, my eyes were both blue and green at the same time. That wasn't possible, and neither was the very faint smile that only just curved my lips. The lipstick I wore was a dark orange, a shade that went better with my coloring than red would have. The small hoop earrings were gold and had to be the clip-on kind. My ears had been pierced before the attack, but that had been healed just like all the rest and would heal again if I had the piercing redone.

  Then I noticed what I was wearing, and all thoughts of makeup and hair disappeared instantly. The mirror let me see myself down to the middle of my thighs, but whatever it was I wore didn't reach down that far. The thing was dark orange to match the lipstick, and all of it, including the two narrow shoulder straps, was some kind of lace. The top of it covered my breasts while showing a whole lot of cleavage, and the bottom of it ended no more than half an inch down my thighs. As if the length of it really mattered when the lace showed what it covered but didn't hide.

  "Any woman can be provocative if she tries, but you don't have to try, Sweetling," Grail murmured. He wasn't touching me any longer and he hadn't really moved closer, but I could feel his presence like a ripple in the air less than an inch away from my body. "All the joy has gone out of your life, but it doesn't have to stay gone. I can bring back some of the joy, and I very much want to. Tell me you want the same."

  He raised his hands and held them right next to my upper arms without actually touching me. He also lowered his face to a spot just above my left shoulder, half a breath away from completing a kiss - or something less tender. I fought against reacting to his nearness, tried to hang onto the distance I always maintained with those around me, but it wasn't working.

  It had been much too long since I'd last had sex, and that's what the vampire behind me was offering. He all but oozed sex, all but breathed it out, and somehow I knew that this was what he was really like. He maintained rigid control of himself and his power at all times, but every once in a while he had to let go.

  And now he was letting go. His power beat at me with whispered hints of the incredible pleasure he was able to give, making me shudder with need as the whispering pebbled my skin like a cold wind. He wanted me, I could feel that clearly and strongly, and his desire made mine flame up as it tried to escape my control.

  But it suddenly came to me that I was being forced to feel what I did. The small part of me that had started to fight against his power had grown stronger, and now anger flared out to counter the flame of desire. He was trying to force me into going along with him, just the way that rogue vampire had tried to force me under his control. Part of the memory made me want to hide trembling in a corner, but the rest of it turned anger into rage.

  "You lousy son of a bitch," I said, and my voice was low enough to qualify as a growl. "If you touch me I'll kill you."

  The power tried to soothe my growing agitation, tried to turn the anger into passion and desire. It's been so long for you, the power whispered, tingling across my skin without actually touching. He won't hurt you, only give you pleasure.

  The power tried to show me what kind of pleasure it meant, just a taste of what I was going to miss if I refused Grail. But I'd already refused, already started to push him away in my mind, fighting to get back control of my body. My image in the mirror didn't move at all, not an inch, but on the inside I was sweating as I kept pushing him away. The room around us wavered, like a clear pool after a pebble is thrown into it, wavered, wavered, and then the darkness came back. But the darkness began to develop holes like rotting cloth, and suddenly I was back to sitting in my chair at the table.

  "Grail, what are you doing?" Jaril demanded as I slumped back in my chair and tried to catch my breath. "You know better than to - "

  Jaril's words cut off because Grail had gotten to his feet and stalked off, leaving his Whippe only half eaten. The Whippe was beginning to melt into a small pool of blood, but for some reason the sight and smell of the blood didn't affect me at all.

  "Taz, are you all right?" Jaril asked, dark red eyebrows bent into a frown. "My brother doesn't usually act like that, and I don't know why he did it this time. You have my deepest apologies, of course, as well as my promise that this will never happen again."

  "If it ever does happen again I'll kill him," I said without looking directly at Jaril. My hands held tight to the wood of the chair arms to keep from showing how hard my heart was beating. "I told him that myself, but you'd better repeat it to make sure he believes. I won't say it a second time. Now get away from me."

  There was a small hesitation, as if Jaril wanted to say something else, but then he simply got up from his chair and left.

  "Taz, are you all right?" Freemont asked as soon as Jaril was gone. His beautiful face looked strained and worried, much more than usual. "You sat so still for a couple of minut
es, and I didn't know what to do. Did he hurt you?"

  "He claimed he didn't want to hurt me," I said, forcing my body to relax inch by inch. "He claimed he wanted to give me pleasure, but maybe no one ever explained to him that if you force pleasure down someone's throat it stops being fun. Did you want dessert, or can we get out of here?"

  "No, let's get out of here," Freemont said with a small shake of his head as he raised a hand to call the waiter. "For some reason what was left of my appetite has disappeared. We'd like our check, please."

  The waiter had come over as quickly as ever, but when he heard Freemont's request he looked confused.

  "I'm sorry, sir, but your check has already been paid, including the tip," the waiter said. "One of the gentlemen who joined you earlier…"

  He let his words trail off as if he was almost asking a question, asking if it was all right that he'd let someone else pay for our meal. I finished the last of the cream soda I'd been drinking with my meal and then stood up.

  "That's fine," I said, mostly to Freemont. "Since they get a regular paycheck they can afford it better than we can. And this way we can insist that they don't owe us any more favors."

  Freemont accepted the decision with a shake of his head as he also stood, but he wasn't really disagreeing. I could see that he wasn't sure it was smart to take anything at all from Jaril and his brother, but if I refused to let them pay for the meal then they'd try to "apologize" in a different way. I didn't want their apologies but even more I didn't want them anywhere near me. If they tried to come visiting again they'd need a different excuse, one I'd hopefully be able to toss back in their faces.