“Right, and that’s another thing. What about my cold cases?” I picked up the last file I had looked at, the missing infant case, and shook it at Conner. “You know what they mean to me. Solving those cases is what brought me out of the bottle and back into world of the living. They give my life meaning and if it weren’t for those cases, Gordon’s agency wouldn’t be as successful.”
“That’s true and if it weren’t for those cases, the HCA probably would not have looked twice at some former farm-boy bounty detective.” Conner paused and grabbed the file out of my hand. He scanned the top page before returning his amused gaze to me. “You’re looking to solve the Moreau case? That is a lofty goal, my friend.”
I snatched the file back and placed it in front of me. This particular file was one I had read many times since that night I had stolen it. Every page was etched into my memory. Every lead sought out in its entirety. All were dead ends. I knew that I could probably find more information within the Koenig family, but I wasn’t quite willing to sell another piece of my soul for a maybe. Many times I had thought about it, but the memories of that one job always stopped me from seeking out more information.
My fingers toyed with the edge of a picture clipped to the outside of the file. It was a wrinkled photograph of Adrian Koenig; his golden skin made him look like a living trophy. As a scientist for GenCorp and the son of Miles Koenig, I often wondered why he would spill secrets to another family. Which family was he contacting? There were three known Caelian women to die in childbirth the same year Adrian was murdered. My gut always thought it was the Moreau girl and that somehow he was connected to the missing infant, but I couldn’t prove a thing.
So much for my famous investigative skills.
Conner coughed in an obvious ‘I want to get your attention’ way.
“That case is probably unsolvable, but it intrigues me.”
“As it has for many others, but if anyone can solve it—you can.”
“Thanks for your faith in me.” I paused, remembering what he had said earlier. “Do you believe in fate?”
“If you would have asked me when I was your age, I would have said no. There have been too many unexplained phenomena that I have witnessed for me to believe that they were only a coincidence. Is it fate? Or God? Or some predetermined destiny for each of us? I don’t know, but I do believe in something greater than us. Why?”
“You said earlier that the HCA wouldn’t have looked at me if I hadn’t solved those cold cases. It seems that each moment in my life has led me to this one as if it were meant to be.”
“Maybe it is. What are you going to do about it?”
The party was in full swing when I arrived. Hundreds of bodies were pressed together in the bottom floor of an old home that had been converted into a fraternity house. Norms and Caelians alike mingled in small groups, while in some rooms that I had passed they did more than share in a little conversation. As I walked from room to room, I caught the attention of a few of the girls. Some threw me seductive glances while others were brave enough to brush up against me, but I ignored them. There was no interest for me in an easy target.
The rhythmic thumping of the bass drew me into what looked like a living room, but had since been converted into a dance floor. I leaned against the wall, watching the mass of bodies writhing to the music.
The scene was fascinating. Other than my brief job working with the Alpha Alpha Gamma sorority, I had never stepped foot in a University before and therefore had no reason to go to one of their parties. My life consisted of work on the farm and then work for Gordon with the occasional trip to Frank’s. I scanned the dancers again. They looked to be about the same age as me, give or take a year, but unlike me, they looked carefree. That was a luxury I had never had the chance to experience before life happened.
My gaze caught Michael sitting on the other side of the dance floor next to two people I didn’t recognize and one whose familiarity grabbed my attention. Those must be the council members and the recruiter. The one I recognized was the suit-guy I had spotted a few times at Frank’s. He was in a navy designer suit and had the slicked back hair of a slimy politician. From across the room, I could see how he followed what the others were saying, taking notes and making remarks, giving off a semblance of authority. He acted like Karen, my administrative assistant. I wonder which higher up he works for. It was obvious it wasn’t for someone at the party. My lips curled into a sneer. He gave off the vibes of someone who worked in politics. The others were talking amongst themselves, but Michael was staring at someone on the dance floor. I tried to track his gaze to spot who he was smiling at, but I couldn’t see through the mass of gyrating bodies.
He must have felt the weight of my gaze because his eyes snapped toward mine and his smile melted into a scowl. Without breaking eye contact he leaned to the person next to him and gestured toward me. The others turned my way.
I guess observation time is over.
Pushing away from the wall, I scanned the room for an opening, but it was wall to wall people. Seeing as there was no reason for politeness, I rolled my shoulders, preparing to muscle my way through the dancers. Once I got into the crowd, their bodies seemed to roll and move around mine as I walked across the makeshift dance floor, captivating me.
That is until one of the bodies slammed into me.
Chapter 10
The collision happened so fast, but my body felt the lingering vibrations on every inch of skin that she touched. Time slowed for a moment and all I saw was a mess of white hair reflecting the colors of the flashing lights falling away from me. My Talent surged and using my secondary, I grabbed her wrists before she hit the ground and pulled her against my chest.
Her body molded against mine. Every one of her soft curves was pressed intimately against the hard planes of my body. I had never felt anything as perfect as she did in my arms and when her hands began to caress my chest, it felt like I would explode right there on the dance floor. Waves of what felt like electrical current flowed throughout my body and through my skin to hers.
She felt like home.
I felt her push back in order to look up at me. Her soft, golden skin glowed under the fluorescent lights and her cobalt blue eyes were widened in fascination as they roamed my face. She was beautiful. It was then that something in my brain rebooted and I slowly began to come back to myself.
What the hell am I thinking?
She was still pressed against me, causing all rational thought to misfire. I needed to think and she needed to stop touching me. Warring with myself, I pushed her away. We stood there, looking at each other. There was something about her that seemed familiar. Her eyes wandered over every inch of me and my body responded to her perusal. I wanted to reach for her again and I almost did until she winked at someone behind me, giving them a smile that lit up her face and spoke of love.
Unearned jealousy surged as I turned to see who she was looking at. Michael. I felt my gaze narrow as I stared at him. Was she his girlfriend or just a friend? Michael returned my gaze in an unspoken challenge.
“Excuse me,” the girl whispered as she pushed past me toward Michael. I wasn’t ready for her to leave yet. The familiarity I had felt earlier was still nagging at my subconscious and the investigator in me needed to figure the mystery out.
She was getting away. I reached out and wrapped my hand around her wrist. “Wait. Do I know you?”
“No. I don’t go to school here and I rarely leave the orphanage,” she replied. Her eyes darted around the room as she began to edge further away from me before shaking off my hand. I watched as she took another step toward Michael, but he and his friends were gone. She looked caged. Her eyes widened with fear as she frantically took off toward the direction of the kitchen.
I followed her to the edge of the dance floor and watched her walk toward the kitchen area before she stopped in the middle of the room. That feeling that I knew her from somewhere pulled at me and it bothered me. The girl was unforgettabl
e. Unique. For a Caelian to have white hair instead of any coloring would stand out and wouldn’t be something I forgot. Also, pigmented skin was unusual—specifically golden skin.
Golden skin.
Adrian Koenig.
Hell no. There was no way the stars would align in such a way that I would run into Adrian’s supposed long lost child. My eyes searched the room for the girl and she was standing in the same spot clutching her chest. Each of her breaths became closer together. Her eyes were glazed over as she stared at another couple making out in the corner.
What the hell?
Panic attacks were something I knew plenty about and the way her breaths began heaving, she was graduating to a full blown attack right in the middle of this HCA party. By the time I reached her, she was far gone enough that she didn’t notice that I took her by the arm and led her to an empty outdoor patio.
I waited as she took in deep breaths of the humid air. Her panic was waning, but she still hadn’t noticed I was standing right next to her. I cleared my throat in hopes of getting her attention.
She squealed “Oh God!” and jumped away from me. Her hands covered her mouth as her eyes widened in recognition.
I struggled with how to approach her. If my hunch was correct, she was a long-lost Koenig, but I needed proof. I needed to get her to talk to me so I could find out more information.
“I’m sure I know you from somewhere,” I stated.
She looked me over. Really studying me this time. “I’ve never seen you before.”
“You live at the orphanage?”
“Yes.”
More questions for every answer. “How long?”
“Since the day I was born.” I could tell she was getting uncomfortable and that suited me just fine.
In my experience, the more uncomfortable someone is—the more information they accidently divulge. Either that or they clam up and I was willing to bet she’d do the former. I leaned forward at the hip, a move I used when trying to intimidate. “Were your parents norms or Caelians?”
Her expression morphed from uncomfortable to pissed off. She mirrored my movements and replied, “Who cares? It really doesn’t matter.”
This girl was all over the place. If I hadn’t already been attracted to her, her taking my intimidation move and throwing back at me would have ignited my interest. She was a force that was pulling me in and instead of fighting it, I was reveling in the mystery.
I wasn’t sure about her being related to Adrian Koenig, but my hunches were not often wrong. This girl might be the missing link in an almost two decades-long crime. My excitement ramped up and I told myself it was because of the case, not the fact that she was beautiful, mysterious, and the only girl who made my Talent shiver throughout my body.
Her beautiful face was twisted into a scowl and I stepped closer, enough to where I could feel the delicious heat from her body. My hands itched to reach out to her, but I saw the flash of fear behind her eyes when I got closer. She was wary of me and although I knew she had every right to be, a part of me seethed at the idea that she was scared of me.
Our banter continued. She avoided any more personal questions about herself with the skill of someone who often deflected anything personal. When my questions were not yielding the results I wanted, I tried flirting. As our conversation continued, she intrigued me more and more.
She was attracted to me as well. When I stepped closer to her, her pupils would dilate with desire and when I placed my hand on her waist, her whole body shook. For a moment, I thought she would lean in to me and all I wanted was to kiss her plump lips, but then she threatened to break my fingers.
I knew right then that I wasn’t in it just to solve the case. I wanted to get to know her and for her to know me. I wanted to share my thoughts on her parentage and have her solve the mystery with me, by my side. A partner. And if she was related to Miles Koenig, I wanted to be there to protect her from him. At least until she understood what she was up against and could defend herself.
After the third time I asked for her name, I noticed a commotion through the window leading to the kitchen. Her friend she had texted earlier would be here soon, perhaps with Michael in tow. Through our conversation I had gathered that she was the girl he had spoken of so fondly in my office. If I didn’t hurry, I would lose my chance. I stepped closer to her. If she had chosen to, she could have leaned back and pressed against me.
“Please,” I whispered in her ear, begging again for her to tell me her name.
“No.” Her voice was breathy. I watched her profile as desire and anger warred within her eyes. In my peripheral vision, I saw Michael and a female who looked as if she could be his sister come storming out.
“Well, if you’re not going to tell me, I’m sure your friend will.” As she turned toward the commotion, her nose skimmed across my cheek and lightning jolted to my groin. My eyes closed as I enjoyed the closeness because I knew it wouldn’t last long.
Sure enough, a hand grabbed my shirt and pulled me away. “What the? Get your hands off her!” Michael screamed. I allowed him to pull me further away as his look-alike rushed toward the girl. When he was satisfied that there was enough space between us, he turned to the girl.
“Are you okay, Sadie?”
Sadie. I rolled her name around in my head as the others kept talking. It was a beautiful name and suited her. I felt my lips curl into a smile as I kept my gaze on Sadie. As if she felt my gaze, she turned toward me. Realization dawned and her eyes grew another size, making her face seem younger—more innocent.
Now that I knew her name and where she lived, I could look deeper into her past and with a bit of luck uncover something that would break the cold case wide open. With ease, I broke from Michael’s grip, stunning everyone on the patio. It seemed that they expected Michael to be better trained. Interesting.
I stepped away from Michael and turned to Sadie. Her lips had curled into an appreciative smile that lit a fire in my soul and made me want to beat my chest with pride. I dipped my head, acknowledging her the way a good southern gentleman would. Granny Nell would have been proud.
“Until we meet again, Sadie.” I turned to leave, only looking back once to shoot Sadie another smile before leaving the property.
Whether it was fate, God, or the stars above—I was meant to have come here. Everything I had gone through, good or bad, had led me to this night to meet this girl. I now knew that my future was somehow intertwined with hers. I pulled out my phone to call Conner. The excitement of a new investigation and the idea of spending time with Sadie filled me with restless anticipation.
“Hey boss.”
“Hey Conner. Tell Emma to cover any elite clients that come in while you take care of the corporate side of the business. I’ve got a damn good lead on a cold case and I won’t be in for a long time.”
Chapter 1
The dead haunt me.
It has been two weeks since the Caelian Council decided to send me to live with my great aunt at the Moreau family headquarters in Atlanta. Every night away from my friends and Kian has been full of nightmares. My dreaming mind bursts with images of my dead friends.
Liam’s eyes glazing over as I frantically press against the gaping bullet hole in his chest. Screaming until my throat is raw for someone, anyone, to help while his warm blood oozes between my fingers.
Michael on his knees, swollen and bruised. Closing his eyes in resignation before Link pulls the trigger. The spray of blood and brain matter splashing against the wall behind him, always in slow motion, along with the physical ache of my heart breaking.
John’s broken body as he protects Madison from the explosion. The week spent watching him deteriorate before we have to take him off of life support. Witnessing the life-force drain from his body with my secondary Talent. Throughout it all, struggling to hold myself and my friends together.
Others make their appearances. Little Bobby’s mangled form. The man who attacks me at Saint Vincent’s, who I accidently
throw out a window. Link and the rage I feel as I purposely drain every bit of his Talent.
My parents.
Every night the memories overwhelm me. The pain goes beyond the emotional. I awake screaming until my throat is raw and clawing at my skin until I bleed.
Last night was no different. I sat in the middle of my new bed, large enough for an entire family to sleep comfortably, watching the sun rise over the pine trees through the massive bay windows across the room. When the brightness became too much, I shifted my gaze to the rest of the room.
I had never seen such opulence in my entire life. The room assigned to me was decorated in lace and pink roses. The white furniture had that fake distressed look, which should have clashed with the delicate, lacy decorations, but didn’t. The dusty rose walls looked okay, but the color seemed a little out of place in the antebellum home. When I had first arrived, a distinct chemical smell spread throughout the home and every common room, plus my personal bath and bedroom had a fresh coat of non-white paint.
At least my captors accommodated my PTSD.
A soft knock echoed throughout the room. Seven o’clock exactly, just like every morning since I arrived.
“Miss Moreau?” Francis, the house manager stepped into my room. Out of all the staff at Moreau family headquarters, I liked her the most. She reminded me of Mrs. LaMotte. It was the little things. Francis was petite and had the same taste in clothing as my old teacher. She always wore her dark orange hair pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck, and she hid her fuchsia eyes behind a pair of thick-rimmed glasses.
“Please, Francis, call me Sadie. I haven’t joined the Moreau family.”
The Caelian Cycle Boxed Set Page 40
