“Bergeron was moved here after being bitten?” Killed was one thing, but he’d been fed on first then brought here to implicate Britt! If she could turn pale, she’d be doing so right now.”
“Sure looks that way,” Sampson said.
She pursed her lips and frowned. Bergeron wasn’t a protector but a slave to a vampire. And a means to an end.
“I sure wouldn’t want to be Mr. John Brittain,” Sampson said, shaking his bald head. “Does he have any idea what kind of danger he’s in?”
“He doesn’t even know they exist.”
“Poor bastard.” Sampson turned back to his work.
“I’m going to talk to Britt right away. See if I can find out anything. Let me know when you’re done with your analysis.”
“Will do, hon. One way or another, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Jess climbed the stairs to Britt’s apartment and knocked on the door. She could smell him, clean and fresh from the shower. She inhaled a deep whiff and lowered her head, grimacing. Don’t do this to yourself, Jess. You can’t have him. And he won’t have you.
Knock. Knock.
The door flew open faster than she’d expected.
“It’s you,” he said with little inflection, immediately backing out of the way for her to enter. “I wondered when you’d be back for that talk.”
Jess looked him over. He was dressed in well fitted jeans, and a chest hugging T-shirt. Now she could clearly see how muscular he was. She swallowed down the excitement that slammed into her. He was wearing the cross she’d given him. He’d actually listened to her. Did that mean he was open to the truth?
“How are things going downstairs?” he asked, breaking into her thoughts.
“Your neighbors are getting a little ticked at not having their laundry facilities today. I guess what happened to Bergeron isn’t quite as important as laundry backing up.” She threw her arms up in the air. “Especially that frizzy haired lady with the wild look in her eyes.”
Britt laughed, transforming his features in the process. When he smiled, he could almost make her heart palpate. And, that would be a real trick.
“Now, that little gal with the frizzy hair has a brand new set of twins. I imagine she’s got good reason to be panicky about not having a washer and dryer.”
“I suppose.” Very intuitive for a man. She gave him an internal congrats at being sensitive enough to realize what the woman was probably going through. But how could she convince him he was in danger without scaring the wits out of him?
No matter how she presented it, the truth was repulsive. Best to start out slow and gauge his reaction as she went.
“Good session at the warehouse last night,” she said. Stilted, but she wanted to at least make a little small talk before she got into the “you’re going to die if you don’t listen to me” bit.
“Not bad,” he said. “When do I get to try out those interesting weapons I saw some of the people using?”
“Boys and their toys.” She picked up a picture of him as a cop. “Why do you keep this?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I should throw it away.”
She moved from one object to the other, touching, smelling, paying close attention to his neat but meager belongings.
The scent coming off the parcel on his kitchen counter had her instantly on alert. “What’s this?”
“Don’t know. Some weirdo courier dropped it off this morning. My name’s on it, but I never get deliveries so it probably belongs to someone else.” He stopped beside her and ran his hand over the brown paper covering the parcel as if he could figure out what it was from touch.
“It might not be coincidence that someone murdered Bergeron and left him in your building,” she blurted, then let his silence hang between them.
“That’s crazy,” he finally said.
“Maybe, but I need to know if you’ve had any dealings with Bergeron before.”
Britt leaned his hip against the counter. He was so close to her she could feel his body heat. “None, I’ve never set eyes on him until you talked to him in the alley.”
“You’re sure?”
“Very sure. I may have been out of the loop for two years, but I’m not feebleminded.”
“This parcel is probably connected to Bergeron as well.”
“How the hell do you figure that?”
“Open it.” She inched back, wanting to deny that she’d stepped away from him because his proximity affected her equilibrium. Made her think of bodies against bodies in a sexual way rather than the teeth sinking into the neck way. Heated her skin in a way she’d thought impossible.
“And that’ll prove what?”
“Open it and you’ll see.”
“I’m supposed to believe you know what’s in this parcel?”
“Believe what you want, but I can tell you right now there’s a chunk of gravestone in that box.”
“Weird psychic premonition?” he scoffed.
“No. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to tell you more than I wanted to at this juncture.”
He took two steps across the tiny kitchen, pulled a chair out from his ratty dinette set and slid it in her direction. “Have a seat.”
He grabbed the parcel, slapped it down on the table and tore off the brown paper. As she’d predicted, inside was a chunk of tombstone. It looked old, with bits of moss embedded in the granite.
“Okay, you were right. So spill it. How’d you know what was in this parcel? Did you send it?”
“Of course not.” She glanced out his patio door and scanned the rooftops across the street.
“Then how in hell did you know what was inside this innocuous looking package? You didn’t even lift it.”
“It’s a warning from a very dangerous faction in the city. A group of people who kill merely for pleasure and for blood.”
“Jesus! What are you talking? Serial Killers? A cult?”
“No.” She took a deep breath, and leaned closer to him, close enough that he could kiss her if he wanted to. “I suppose in a way they are serial killers, but not in the way you think. These people have mutated genes called VNA.” She glanced at the shiny silver cross gleaming at his muscled throat and swallowed down the small shaft of pain that rippled through her.
“Never heard of it. What’s that got to do with gravestones, and blood?” He reached up and touched the cross she’d been staring at. Suddenly, his eyes got big and he shook his head. “Nah, no, no, no, no. You’re not really trying and tell me they’re friggin’ vampires!”
Feeling a little out of focus, Britt reached for something to steady himself. Jess’s eyes had changed somehow, and he felt as if his soul was being sucked into a gyrating void where he had little control. Through the strange haze, he saw her slow, languid smile aimed at him, baring eyeteeth that were now three-quarters of an inch long! His stomach twisted and he tore his gaze from hers. It had taken a lot of effort, but he’d broken the connection. Jesus!
“I wouldn’t hurt you, Britt.” She looked disconcerted.
Jumping out of his chair and taking a couple of steps backward, he put a hand on his chest. His heart pounded like a set of bongos.
With the haze gone, he saw her clearly now. Her eyes sparkled with a dangerous light. Was it his imagination or had her green irises turned dark, almost black? And her teeth! How the hell could teeth grow that fast? It had to be hypnosis or something. It couldn’t be real.
But then he looked at her, and it was real. She looked like…
“I am a vampire,” she said, finishing his sentence for him. “But I work for the police. I don’t drink blood from human hosts, and I don’t kill. Not humans, anyway. There is an insurgence of vampires in New York, and I’m afraid they’re not as … nice as I am.”
His fingers fumbled for the cross. He tried to say something but nothing came out. There couldn’t be vampires. There couldn’t be! But as he stared at her altered face, eyeteeth extended. Looking as vicious as a pa
nther’s. Those dark eyes staring at him, doing strange things, luring him, hypnotizing him, and threatening to suck out his soul. He knew there were vampires now. There was no other explanation for what she’d … become.
“Normal vampires only feed to keep to themselves alive. They don’t want to bring their kind to light. They are nocturnal predators whose sole reason to take blood is to live. I’m not trying to make them look like your next door neighbor, but for the most part, they aren’t a threat. The vampires in the city right now are vicious creatures killing people for pleasure and for profit. They’re taking victims at an alarming rate and have to be stopped. They want blood, and they can’t get enough of it. No one is safe as long as they’re at large.
Normal vampires! Now that was an oxymoron if he’d ever heard one. Speaking of blood, he still felt like his was pooled in his feet. It would help if she’d make herself look like a woman again. Maybe then he could think.
“Something’s going on. Maybe even inside the police force. That’s why we can’t let anyone know about the team.”
Britt turned away from her, then thought better of it and spun back around to face her.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Britt. I’m not the enemy. Those who are targeting you are.”
“Why would they be after me?”
“That’s what baffles me. They’ve been following you for some time. I have no idea why.”
“For how long?” He straightened and frowned.
“At least six months. That’s when I first found Bergeron on your tail.”
“He’s been following me for six months?”
“Sorry. I know this has got to be a shock.”
“I’m assuming if they wanted my blood they could’ve taken it any time they wanted to?”
She nodded. “For the record, I would have stopped them, but we needed to find out who the Master vampire is. Someone is leading them, helping them to increase their numbers. When I told Drake they were following you, he was concerned. He asked me to keep an eye on you.”
“So I’ve had two people tailing me for six months and I didn’t see either one of you?” He grimaced. “Man, that’s really hard on the ego.”
“Most humans aren’t aware of us. It’s almost like we’re operating on a different plane of existence. I don’t know if it’s because people just don’t believe there are real monsters in the night, or if it’s just that they don’t want to believe in that kind of evil.”
Britt thought about the times he’d felt as if he was being watched but had put it down to his imagination. He should’ve listened to the inner barometer that had once made him a good cop. It had kept him alive all those years. When he’d been stripped of his badge, had he let his instincts slip away with his job?
“If it’s any consolation, you seemed to be aware of me on a number of occasions. That surprised me,” she said.
“Not aware enough for my liking.” He looked at her for what she really was. A creature of the night.
Her expression hardened and her eyes glittered with determination when she smiled. “We try to do the best with what we’re dealt, Britt. You of all people should understand that.”
“What happened to me was at least natural.”
She let her guard drop for just a second, and he saw in her eyes how much that statement had hurt her. What the hell. She had feelings.
As if he could push the truth away, he raised his hands in front of him. “So, let me get this straight. All those vampire clubs in New York are the real deal?”
“No, mostly wannabes. A few humans do end up as evening meals though, and some become slaves. It’s not one bit as glamorous as they expect it to be.”
“No shit.” He blinked hard and tried to make sense of everything she’d said. His life would never be the same again. How could he have lived as a cop for so long and not known about this dark world right inside his own city?
Now he understood why the regular cops couldn’t know about the secret Ops Unit. They’d be in danger if they realized vampires existed. But why the hell were vampires following him.
She moved away from him and sat on his small sofa. He felt as if his eyes were glued to her when she crossed one shapely leg over the other. When his attention returned to her face, she had switched back to normal. Thank God.
“What are you going to do about what I’ve just told you?”
He stared at her. “That’s a good question”
“Vampires are usually solitary creatures. They have their own territory. Ideally, they don’t bother honest, hard-working humans. If they have to resort to taking blood from humans, there are enough criminals around who aren’t missed. Nor do all vampires resort to taking the blood of humans. Some of us have learned other ways to stay alive without harvesting from hosts.” She leaned forward, her gaze piercing him. “But, something’s changed. Word is, vampires are congregating, and they’re feeding and initiating more and more vampires who don’t care where their next meal comes from. No one is safe.”
“Isn’t initiating more of their kind the sole purpose of vampires?” Britt asked.
“Not at all.” It’s not like we need to create progeny to enhance our race. We can live a very long time.” She touched the side of her cheek and turned her head away from him. “Creating more vampires makes us vulnerable. More visible.
“How long has this been going on?”
“In New York City? A few years. Something big is in the air. I’ve seen more and more vampire protectors together, and I think it means their masters have joined ranks. There has to be a reason for a solitary predator to want to join a pack.” Jess stared at him, as if trying to gauge his thoughts.
“I take it they don’t usually let humans walk around if they know about vampires?”
She pursed her lips and shook her head. “Never.”
“Looks like I don’t have much choice then. I’ve just been recruited to your team whether I want to be or not.”
Jess watched Britt with sadness. She liked him. She’d have been completely happy for him if he could just walk away from the sick truth he now had to face.
Vampires existed.
She was a vampire.
The thing she hated most was seeing the light go out of a person’s eyes when they learned the truth. It sucked something out of their souls. Even worse, she’d hated to see the look of desire melt from Britt’s expression when he realized what she was. It surprised her that she actually cared about his reaction to her. Over the last half decade or so, she’d never allowed herself to become close to any man because she couldn’t love and be loved. Not when she was a creature of the night. One who drank blood and lived forever. Her brother might have saved her soul from total damnation, but she was still a monster.
“Unfortunately whatever is going on is somehow connected to you, Britt. Maybe between the two of us, we can figure out why vampires are interested in you.”
“Man, this is crazy. It’s got to be a bad dream. I’m going to wake up in the morning and feel really stupid about this nightmare.”
Against her better judgment, Jess rose and moved closer to him. It was almost as if he had the hypnotic ability over her. She couldn’t stop herself.
He closed his eyes for a second and she watched his pulse beating at this throat. She waited, wondering if he’d come to his senses and push her away. She yearned to be in his arms, to feel his body against hers. Since becoming a vampire, she’d never felt this way about a human. So why him?
When she put a hand out and touched his arm, his eyes flew open and widened. He backed away from her.
Why would she have expected anything else?
Even worse, his reaction made her seethe with pain and humiliation. Britt’s fear and rejection shouldn’t have surprised her. Shouldn’t have made her dark side long to taste his blood, to show him what it was like. If she made him like her, he’d understand her pain. They could be together. Her teeth elongated, and she willed him to stare into her eyes. A gasping s
igh exited his lungs, but he couldn’t deny her order. He leaned closer to her, bent his head to expose his lovely neck.
Chapter Six
As Jess watched the team work out for the last time, she couldn’t believe a month had passed. They were as ready for their first test as they’d ever be.
“Lieutenant Vandermire, may I speak with you?” Detective James, her second in command, asked.
“Sure.” Jess followed him to the far corner of the warehouse. Thanks to Regent, James had, like her, maintained enough of his humanity to make the transition to semi-life. “What is it James?”
“Brophy worries me. He’s tough. He can kill, and he’s not afraid, I’m just not sure he’s trustworthy. I think he might turn if they try to recruit him.”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing. If we cut him loose now, though, he might be recruited right away.”
“Yes, but there’s something else. It’s the way he’s been looking at me. Even though we haven’t told them what they’re going to be up against, I think he knows I’m a vampire.”
Jess’s mouth tightened. They’d done thorough research on every candidate. If Tat knew about vampires, their information on him might be lacking. And not being completely aware of Tat’s past life left the team vulnerable. If he had any prior involvement with vampires, he could be a spy. Or he could be sympathetic to their cause.
“Keep an eye on him, James. We can’t afford to lose him right now. Or rather, we can’t afford for the other side to gain someone with his abilities—now that we’ve spent all this time training him. Any screw up and he’s going back to death row.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She and James returned to the group. She could feel Britt’s penetrating gaze burning into her. She purposely avoided eye contact with him. He’d worked harder than any of the team members over the last weeks. His body had become more muscular with each passing day as he worked on developing his brute strength. He’d mastered every weapon and could spout every philosophy they’d been taught.
Grave Illusions Page 6
