by Brenda Trim
*****
Elsie peered through her peep hole and saw three huge, good looking men standing on her small stoop. Detective Trovatelli with his white-blonde hair sticking out in every direction, reminding her of Guy Fieri, stood there holding up his police badge. She opened the door, but left the chain in place. Not, she told herself, that it would stop these men. Their bulging muscles rippled under their button-down shirts, and their aura screamed don’t-fuck-with-me, which should have frightened her, but she felt no fear. Actually, she felt safe with them, like they would always protect her. She wasn’t sure where the sense of security came from given that she didn’t really know them and one of them she’d never even met. She was not naïve enough to think a badge made them harmless.
“Hello detectives, how may I help you?” she asked.
“Mrs. Hayes, Detective Reyes,” Trovatelli motioned to a familiar man with warm brown eyes and a shaved head, “and I wanted to go over the case with you again. And this is our colleague, Zander Tarakesh. He has certain skills that will be beneficial in Dalton’s case.”
Her heart stopped when she looked over at Zander. The detectives were good looking, but…Zander was something else altogether, with his sharp, masculine features and silky, shoulder-length, black hair. His broad, muscled shoulders seemed to take up all the space outside and power poured off him. To say he was gorgeous was an understatement. She was thrust out of her body the moment she met his captivating, sapphire-blue eyes. Something about his intense gaze was familiar. It took several embarrassing moments of ogling the guy before she realized she had seen those eyes a couple nights ago when she and her sister had picked up burritos for dinner. Shockingly, her reaction to him had been the same.
Arousal, hot and insistent, coursed through her to pool in her core. She hid her torso behind her front door to hide how her nipples had hardened. It was unsettling how rapidly she lost control of her body as she began aching for this man. It was a stab to the gut that she was so drawn to this stranger. Her black hole throbbed painfully, making her sick to her stomach. Guilt and shame warred for dominance over the desire in her mind. The conflicting emotions lashed her.
Her sister and friends had told her that it had been over a year and she needed to move on. That was impossible to do when, for her, Dalton was hardly cold in his grave. She made a promise to avenge Dalton if it was the last thing she ever did, and nothing would stand in her way. There was no room for anything or anyone else. She pushed aside her physical symptoms and held her vows to Dalton close to her heart. She loved him, and was going to stay loyal to him the rest of her life.
CHAPTER THREE
Zander was shaking. He was standing on the cracked, concrete step outside Elsie’s apartment. Elsie…her name was delicate like her appearance which was at odds with how she had been scrutinizing him. He wondered what was running through her mind and before he knew what he was doing, had tuned into her thoughts and almost staggered from the grief and loss that hit him.
Humans with their short life spans loved more fiercely and tended to hold on with all they had. This female was no different. Zander, on the other hand, knew nothing about intimate relationships. He had sex with females, but there was nothing deeper than meeting his body’s physical demands. That made him a crass bastard, but his Fated Mate’s soul had never allowed anything else. He wasn’t able to turn his back on that sacred presence.
Sweet honeysuckle brought his attention back to the female before him. Oddly, he wanted to erase the pain from this female. She had suffered horribly and he found he loathed her sadness. This was a first for him, well, another first. It was bad enough that he desired the human but now he wanted to give her affection and comfort.
Suddenly, Orlando turned around and placed both hands on his shoulders. “Relax, Liege. You’re all over the place. We can’t minimize the risk she poses without you,” Orlando whispered, too low for her to hear. Zander was shocked by the statement. He hadn’t been aware that his emotions were so unstable. He needed to remind himself that the empath picked up everything he was feeling and he needed to keep better control.
Zander nodded his appreciation. He heaved a heavy sigh that carried the weight of his agony. His cock ached for a taste of this female, his heart wanted to reach out to her all the while his head was arguing with his heart. He feared her human status, but still wanted her. Not one part of his body was in agreement with another.
“Is everything ok?” Her sultry voice struck the match of his desire, heating him further. He glanced back over Orlando’s shoulder as the warrior turned back around.
She stood in baggy jeans and a soft, pink sweater that hid her bare skin from his gaze. She smiled at whatever Orlando had said back to her and his world rotated on its axis. Her sweet honeysuckle scent rushed his senses. It wracked his body with need for her body and her blood. But, something clicked into place and for a moment it didn’t matter that she was human or that she had belonged to someone else. He was going to have her. He couldn’t keep her but, by the Goddess he had to be inside her before she died. He ignored the twinge the thought of her death caused too consumed by the intensity of his desire for a frail human, when he had never had an inkling of attraction to any human before this.
He was unnerved by his body’s uncontrollable reactions. At that moment, his cock was hard as granite and only getting harder as he slowly perused her lean runners build, full, kissable lips, and perfect, pert breasts that were pressing enticingly against her pink top. He marveled at the lust coursing through his veins, and his inability to control any aspect of it. Not that he wanted to control any part of it. He wanted the out-of-control passion to consume them both. Normally, he was in complete control and had never experienced such sensations. He gazed at the luminescence of her pale, peaches-and-cream skin and nearly came in his trews. Ravishing.
“Everything is fine, just tired from working long hours,” Orlando replied smoothly. “Can we come in?”
“Sure.” The door closed and he heard the female disengaging locks. He followed Orlando and Santiago into the small dwelling. As he passed her small frame, he noticed her pupils dilate and heard her heart racing as if she was being pursued by a rabid wolf. Her arousal was unmistakable. It was more than a bit disconcerting that he was jealous that it may be directed towards one of the other males.
Unable to resist, he reached out for her hand. The moment their skin touched he was transported to another plane. Electrical tingles hurtled through his system and his seed rushed into his shaft. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. It was counter-productive. Her intoxicating honeysuckle scent was thick with her arousal. He was close to losing control, but his worry about her fragile system being able to handle the sensations running through her body kept him in check.
“Elsie,” he murmured as he bent his head and brought her hand to his mouth for a kiss. The kiss was gentle and too brief for his liking. He was a ravening beast who wanted nothing more than to devour her. “’Tis a pleasure to officially meet you. Orlando and Santiago told me aboot your case. Between the three of us, we will find who did this and make sure they pay.” He heard her sharp intake of breath and caught her confused and wild thoughts. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her but there was so much turmoil. He forced his fingers to relax and let her go.
She met his gaze again, a pretty blush staining her cheeks, and finally replied, “It’s good to meet you, too. We, uh, my sister and I saw you and another guy in that restaurant last night, didn’t we?”
“Aye, you did. I remember it vividly.” The way her nipples strained against her top was forever seared into his mind. The recall was enough to have his shaft thickening further. Much more and he may lose his control. Good thing he liked living on the edge, he thought closing the door.
She flushed, making her look even prettier. “Please have a seat and make yourselves comfortable. This is my sister Cailyn,” she pointed to the bright green futon and the female standing in the threshold between the small kit
chen and living room. He noted the crowded apartment and the meager furnishings. While it was clear Elsie didn’t have much money and lived simply, he saw that she was proud of what she had and kept her space neat and clean.
He turned his attention back to her sister. They shared some features, but Elsie was by far the better looking sister. He extended a hand. “’Tis a pleasure, Cailyn.” He shook her hand and gestured to Santiago. “We brought dinner with us. I hope you like Thai.”
*****
Elsie silently watched as they set out food and chatted with her sister. Dinner? These weren’t typical police officers. She had barely been given acknowledgement before and now they show up acting as though they were long lost friends. Her spine stiffened, she had learned enough in the past eighteen months to know she couldn’t trust anything.
A warm palm landed on her shoulder. She looked back at Zander and met his sapphire blue eyes. That one simple touch was an electric shock, followed by a searing sensation as desire scorched her. She thought her body had been long dead, but he brought it back to life.
By no means was she a virgin, but the only man she had ever been with was Dalton. And, while satisfying, they hadn’t had a very adventurous sex life. With Zander she wanted to do wicked things. Her innersex-fiend wanted to lick every inch of his body and ride him into exhaustion. She stepped away from him instead, needing space. His touch was too distracting.
“You are no’ eating, lass. Sit and I will get you some food.” His Scottish brogue was absolutely delicious. There was just something about a guy with an accent.
“No, thanks. Are you always this bossy?”
“Aye, I am,” Zander replied with a smile that lifted one corner of his mouth. Elsie couldn’t help but smile back and stare at his lips, starving for a taste.
She was consumed with desire for this man, despite the fact that he looked to be capable of snapping her neck with two fingers. He was tall, about six and a half feet and built like a heavy-weight champion. If she had to guess, she’d say he was black-ops or something similar with his fierce demeanor. There was an intensity about him that would bring grown men to their knees, yet she was inevitably drawn to him. What happened to all the training Mack and the others had given her?
Thoughts of Mack brought reality and guilt to the forefront. She would never be with this sexy, enigmatic man no matter how badly she wanted to. She was a widow and her heart still belonged to another. She could not, would not, open herself up to anyone ever again. To allow herself to become vulnerable to the pain of loss again was unthinkable. Besides, her heart was in pieces and they all belonged to Dalton.
Detective Trovatelli broke the tense moment by laughing. “I know what you’re thinking. We know this is unprofessional, but we also know that you have been through so much in the past year and a half and we are trying to make up for your bad experience with our department. And, after meeting you earlier and reading through Dalton’s file, we feel as if we know you. Believe it or not, you matter to us. It’s not just about the investigation. So, basically, you’ve inherited new friends,” he winked at her. “Some of us are better than others. You’ll learn that I’m full of awesomeness. I like action movies, but am not opposed to chick flicks and I make one mean margarita. No need to thank me for blessing you with my friendship, your stunned silence is thanks enough.”
She let out a shaky laugh. The guy may be good-looking, but he was awfully presumptive. Yet, her instinct had told her when she eyed them on her stoop that these were people she could trust. Still, it was difficult to embrace them with such open arms. Before she could respond, Santiago snapped back, “You’re such a jackass. More like he’s full of shit. I’m the awesome one.” Their banter put her more at ease. She appreciated a smart-ass.
“Ignore him, he’s jealous,” Orlando retorted.
“Both of you are delusional. They are children at best most days, but they mean well,” Zander teased them and winked at her, too. His wink did things to her she refused to think about.
None of these men were like any she had ever encountered. “You guys aren’t right, are y—”
A loud screeching meow cut her off, followed by Detective Trovatelli muttering, “Fucking Rhys.” Her smile widened as he pulled his phone from the front pocket of his black slacks. Not a ring tone she would have pegged for a big, tough guy like that.
“You must have a thing for cats,” she smirked.
Zander and Detective Reyes laughed heartily, causing Detective Trovatelli to look up from his phone. He ruefully shook his head. “A colleague of mine enjoys messing with us by changing our ring tones. He’s rather annoying, but I do have a soft spot for cats.” Goes to show you couldn’t judge a book by its cover. His Cheshire-cat grin held its own private joke and she wondered if she would ever know what that was all about. She shook her head. For now, she would give them her trust. After all, she was skilled with a blade and could protect herself.
“What are the next steps detectives?” she asked, wanting to make sure they had a plan and weren’t blowing smoke up her ass.
“First, call me Orlando, and this bonehead is Santiago,” Orlando gestured to his partner. “And second, we have questions for you, but later. Let’s eat then we can talk about the case.”
She had no idea what to think about these guys. Not only was she inexplicably drawn to one of them, but she felt an innate kinship to them all and it was disturbing. She wasn’t one to believe in fate or instant anything, but those beliefs were definitely challenged by the easy camaraderie with these fierce men.
CHAPTER FOUR
Elsie dumped her uneaten food in the trash. It had been more months than she cared to admit since she had last eaten a full meal, and tonight had been no different. The anxiety of the upcoming conversation was killing her. She had to tread carefully. These men may seem invincible, but they had no idea of the monsters out there. They wouldn’t stand a chance against the vampires that had killed Dalton and preyed on the innocent. “What did you want to talk about?”
“We know this has been difficult for you and are truly sorry for your loss,” Orlando said as his emerald green eyes held her gaze, somehow grounding her. The sincerity in his voice told her that this man knew of gut-wrenching pain. That comforted her in a way she needed, and the tension in her body eased.
“We are following the leads involving the children from the group home. What can you tell us about them?” Santiago asked. With those words, she felt far more compassion and caring from them than she had from anyone involved in the case. It was the genuine concern of a friend, only she didn’t know them very well. She had to pick her words carefully. There was so much she wasn’t able to share with them. They’d think her crazy if she told them about the existence of vampires. Finding and eliminating them would have to stay with her and other SOVA members.
“I can’t tell you much except that they were all troubled, but looking into them is a waste of time. Obviously, I want the thing responsible for Dalton’s death to pay for what it did, but I don’t believe there is anything you can actually do,” she told them honestly.
“We will do everything we can to help you, but understand that at after so much time has passed, leads are lost and it becomes much more difficult. Now, that does not mean we won’t put all of our effort into finding out who did this. I can promise you that no stone will be left unturned,” Santiago promised as he walked over to crouch near her chair. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. His smile was genuine and comforting.
“Of course, you are already giving me excuses. No surprise there. And here I thought you guys were going to be different.” She crossed her arms over her chest. She had been foolish to think their approach would be any different. In reality there was nothing they could do to either find the vampire responsible, or deal with it.
“Hey now,” Orlando chided. “We aren’t giving you excuses. We will find the answers—”
Zander cut Orlando off. “Elsie,” her name leaving his lips was a sensua
l caress, “I give you my word that I will put every resource at my disposal, of which there are many, and find the culprit. Your husband will be avenged.” She shivered at the promise in his voice and it was impossible not to believe what he said.
Her sister joined the conversation. “El, don’t be so hard on them. Hear them out before you jump to conclusions,” Cailyn urged, as she played hostess to the men taking up space in her house. She loved her sister and was grateful she was taking care of her as usual.
“You’re right, Cai. This is your chance, detectives, don’t blow it. You won’t get another one.”
Zander sat across from her, watching her intently. His presence was so unnerving that she got up and poured a glass of wine. She both hated and relished the effect he had on her. She didn’t want to want him, but it was there, nonetheless. Maybe it was because she had never been the focus of someone’s attention so fully.
“Thanks for not putting pressure on us,” Orlando teased. “We’ll start with questions that you have already been asked in the hopes that fresh ears can gleam new information. We noticed from phone records that Dalton called you shortly before he was killed. What did he say?”
It was easier to hold back the tears when she focused on the orange blanket hanging on the wall as she revisited that night. “I didn’t actually speak to him. He left me a brief voicemail message saying,” she swallowed the emotion that choked her, “that he didn’t have long and he loved me.”
“Is there anything else you can remember about the message?” Santiago chimed in.
“Just that he was tired and sounded out of breath. His tone was sad…he was saying goodbye to me. I know that now,” she choked back the tears brimming her lashes. Talking about this still brought her to her knees, it always would. Her life had been stolen from her.
Orlando reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing it in comfort. Shocked, she looked up at him. Understanding and acceptance met her gaze. “Did anyone have a reason to want him dead?”
