by Carly Fall
“Yeah, it is, Sami, if that’s even your real name. It’s tough because you lied to me about how many times you’ve been in the club, about meeting your friends here, and even about your looks. You look much better with dark hair, by the way.”
She rubbed her face and sighed, obviously irritated with him. Placing her hands on her hips, she glanced to the back of the truck, and then to him.
“If you leave with me now, I promise to tell you everything.”
He studied her for a beat, then nodded in agreement. Overpowering her wouldn’t be hard if she tried any of her kung-fu shit on him, and if she told the truth, he really wanted to be let in on what she knew about the vampire species. He felt he knew the basics, but also that he had only cracked the surface. Sami seemed to be much more educated on this particular subject.
“Do you have a car here?” she asked.
“No, but I have my motorcycle.”
She grimaced and looked down at her bare feet. “Is it far?”
“No.”
Another groan and some conversation met their ears. They stood in the shadows of the building, but it wouldn’t be long before those in the truck noticed them.
“Let’s go,” she whispered.
They’d gone about ten feet when he realized they’d be moving a lot faster if he carried her. She couldn’t run without shoes.
He stopped her and crouched in front of her. “Get on my back. We’ll get to the bike a lot faster than having you tip-toeing through the alley.”
After a moment of hesitation, she wrapped her arms and legs around him. As he came to full upright position, he realized that the current jog reminded him of his combat training when he had to run with his loaded pack for miles and miles. The backpack had been lighter, but as he jogged toward the main street, the same feelings tore through him—he’d get to the end of this race without any holes in him.
9
They reached the motorcycle parked across the street in a lot from the club, and he set her down on the pavement, taking care to make sure she wouldn’t end up on a piece of glass or some body fluids.
She glanced around for a moment, then nodded, seeming satisfied with her surroundings. “The guys who took off before the truck could come back at any time once they realize it didn’t follow them. We need to get out of here.”
As he straddled the Harley, he felt her climbing on back. Before leaving his apartment, he’d debated whether he should remove the extra helmet from the bike, but a little voice inside him had told him to keep it, so he had. Now, as he glanced over his shoulder as she strapped it on, he felt grateful that he’d listened.
She gripped tightly onto his waist, and he started the bike. They carefully maneuvered through the busy city streets of stop-and-go traffic and changing lights without exchanging a word.
As he drove, he waited for instructions on where they should go, but she offered none. He decided to take the decision-making into his own hands and took her to his apartment.
When they pulled into the parking lot and he shut off the bike, she let go of him.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“It’s where I live.” He got off the bike, and she handed him her helmet. “I’ll take you home after we’ve had chance to talk.”
She stared at him a long moment, as if she weighed the truthfulness of his words, then she got off the bike.
Reaching for her hand, he was surprised when she took it. He’d only meant to guide her through the parking lot so that she didn’t cut her feet, but he found himself enjoying the contact. Her warm palm sat in his, her skin as smooth as silk. He swore a jolt of energy passed between them, but he quickly dismissed the butterflies in his stomach that her touch elicited. It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman, and he’d almost forgotten how soft and delicate the fairer sex could be. He missed it, and he certainly found Sami attractive, but he could throw her farther than he trusted her.
One thing he had to remember was that Sami was anything but delicate. Pretty beyond words, the woman could fight the best of them and could hold her own. He liked a woman who could take care of herself.
They ascended the stairs, and he unlocked the door and held it open for her. She hesitated only a moment before stepping inside. He followed, giving her a wide berth. He didn’t want her to think he would hurt her in any way.
“Want something to drink?” he asked, heading into the kitchen. “I’ve got beer and Sprite.”
“Sprite, please.”
He pulled out a can, then grabbed a beer for himself. He handed her the soda as she took a stool at the small breakfast bar. He leaned against the counter and took a long pull from the bottle.
They stared at each other a beat, then she spoke. “So, are you going to tell me why you think you saw vampires tonight?”
As he assessed the situation, he knew that he would have to give information in order to get it, but he debated on saying how much he knew, or thought he knew. A lot of what he believed had never been proven as fact but more of his observations on the species.
“Well, first, there were the fangs.”
“Those could have been faked,” she shot back.
“Yeah, they could have, but I saw those vampires sucking blood out of a couple of women in the club. I also noticed that you seemed to know exactly what they were doing and pulled away or excused yourself every time they tried to take yours.”
She stared at him evenly, not showing any emotion.
“Then, there was the fact that you lied to me to cut in line, and I think it was so that you could get in at the same time as the vampires. Not to mention the wig, the glasses, and that whole get up.”
He glanced down at her dirty tank top and realized he should have offered her the opportunity to clean up. City streets tended to be full of fun things like piss, spit, vomit, car oil, gas, and God only knew what else.
“All that’s really interesting, Connor, but you say you know they were vampires. Knowing something requires some level of fact. What facts do you have to support your claim?”
He wasn’t ready to reveal that he could see a glow around them. It sounded too weird to say out loud, even though it has been his reality for the past year.
“Those people in the truck were in a trance-like state. In my research, vampires can do that to humans, and I almost fell under one in the alley.”
When he thought about that moment, a chill ran down his spine. It had been so easy to acquiesce to the bloodsucker, and he wondered what would have happened if he’d totally succumbed. Most likely, nothing good. They would have probably loaded him up in the truck.
Sami waved her hand in front of her face as if she dismissed his word as complete crap. “That can be explained by saying those people were under a state of hypnosis or took too many drugs.”
He rolled his eyes. “Why are you doing that? Why are you making excuses and trying to explain away everything? Why can’t you just accept the fact that we both came face-to-face with vampires?”
A flash of doubt crossed her face, and she lowered her gaze to her can. “I just don’t believe they’re real.”
She sounded defeated, as if she’d run out of energy to argue with him any longer.
He pushed off from the counter and leaned his elbows on the bar while cradling his beer in both hands. “I know they’re real, Sami, and I think you do, too. I just don’t get why you’re fighting the truth.”
With a sigh, she put her head in her hands and closed her eyes. Her tawny skin looked so soft, even with the smudges of city street and makeup marring it, not to mention the scratches and bruises that had begun to show themselves. Being this close to her, he could smell the slight scent of urine. It probably came from her tank top.
He waited for an answer, but she remained silent.
Standing, he took another long pull of the beer. “Look, your clothes are pretty dirty, and you’ve got stuff on your face. If you want to clean up, the bathroom is down the hall. I can get a T-shirt
for you to wear so that you don’t have to smell like piss.”
She slowly raised her head and met his stare. “That would be great. Thank you.”
He nodded and headed through the small living room and down the hall to his bedroom. After opening a drawer, he pulled out a black shirt. Returning to the hallway, he stopped at the closet and retrieved a towel, then brought everything back into the living room.
Sami stood at the window with her back to him, looking out into the night. Her reflection showed the worry on her face, and he wished she’d open up and tell him what she knew.
“Here’s a towel and shirt. When you’re done, I’ll take you home, or we can talk more.”
She nodded and turned toward him. As she took the items, she met his gaze, her dark eyes twinkling under the light.
“You’re very kind, Connor. Thank you.”
Stepping aside, he moved back into the kitchen to fetch another beer. He heard the water running as he walked back into the living room and sat down on the sofa with a sigh.
He hoped she wouldn’t want to go home because he really wanted her to share her knowledge.
But, at the same time, he wasn’t about to hold her hostage.
However, he vowed he’d get the truth.
10
Sami emerged from the bathroom about twenty minutes later wearing his shirt and her jeans. Her wet hair hung down her back. She’d obviously showered, and he didn’t blame her. He’d take the chance in a stranger’s apartment to get the smell of urine off him, as well.
She sat down on the other end of the couch and tucked her feet under her. With a sigh, she met his gaze.
“I know that you’re not going to stop hounding me until I tell you the truth,” she said. “And frankly, I don’t see any way around it.”
About damn time.
“I could leave here, but I know you’d follow. If you drive me home, you’ll know where I live. I could call the police, but that would seem strange telling them that you are hassling me about my knowledge of vampires, and it makes both of us look crazy.”
He furrowed his brow. “You said you were in law enforcement … or was that a lie, as well?”
She rubbed her face. “Let’s start at the beginning, okay?”
“Sounds good to me. Is your name really Sami?”
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “I told you I didn’t lie about that. Sami Karim.”
Her name proved he’d been right about her Middle Eastern origin. “Good.”
“I’m telling you what I know because I need you to be truthful with me. I need to know why and how you can see vampires, and I need to know where you got that knife that looked like it burned his skin right off his face.”
So, she had just admitted they exist. He couldn’t help the small grin that turned his lips.
However, he wouldn’t be sharing where he got the knife—he’d been told that wouldn’t fly, and based on what he’d seen Dedou do, he imagined she could send her spirits after him to rip his heart out and shove it up his ass.
She stared at him as if she expected him to agree to her terms, which he wouldn’t do. After a moment, she sighed. “I’m not going to be the only giver here. I expect something in return.”
He leaned forward and set the bottle on the table, then sat back and crossed his arms. “I’ll tell you what I can.”
For a moment, he thought she would get up and walk out. Their gazes met, and he once again noticed how pretty she was. He’d always been a sucker for big, brown doe eyes.
It seemed they both had the same goal—she wanted to find out what the vampires were up to. They could help each other get the answers it seemed both of them needed. Honestly, they would most likely be good together if they could just trust each other, and they were having a hard time getting past that hurdle.
“Screw this,” she mumbled and stood.
As she walked toward the door, he jumped up and ran after her. Grabbing her arm, he stopped her. “Where are you going?”
She pulled her forearm out of his grasp. “I’m leaving because I really feel like I’m not going to get the truth from you, or I’m going to get some stupid half-truths.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Look,” she said, placing her hands on her hips as her eyes danced with fury. “I need to know what you know, and you seem to think it’s really important for me to share my knowledge with you. The problem is that I don’t trust you.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. She actually had the audacity to question his honesty when she’d spun so many lies in one night? “You trusted me enough to get naked in my bathroom and help yourself to a shower.”
Damn. He really shouldn’t be thinking of her naked in the shower, rivulets of water running down that pretty skin. His gaze flitted to her perk nipples showing through her shirt, and he couldn’t help but imagine what they’d look like covered in soap bubbles.
No, he really needed to stay on task here.
“That’s different. I can protect myself against you physically, and I figured you didn’t want the smell of vomit and urine infiltrating your apartment. I was doing us both a favor. But, I can’t trust you with my knowledge and my secrets. Words are more powerful than fists most of the time, Connor.”
She was right, because he felt the same way. He’d rather go hand-to-hand with her before taking a leap of faith and telling her his own secrets.
“I don’t exactly trust you, either, sugar.”
“This isn’t going to work,” she murmured as she shook her head.
She once again headed for the door, and he’d let her go if she wasn’t barefoot.
“At least let me drive you home.”
Opening the door, she looked over her shoulder and snickered. “It’s nice to see chivalry isn’t totally dead, but no, thanks. I don’t want anything from you. As far as I’m concerned, this night never happened, and you don’t exist.”
With that, she was gone.
He stared at the door for a long time, willing her to come back and debating whether to follow her. Finally, he cursed, shut off the lights, and stripped off his clothes in the middle of the living room, letting them lie where they dropped.
He went to bed, feeling as though he’d just blown it with the one person who seemed to hold the keys to all his questions about vampires, as well as maybe the answer to his case.
As he lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling, he thought about his assignment: were vampires responsible for the disappearance of people in Los Angeles?
After what he’d witnessed tonight, he’d have to say yes.
If that was the correct answer, then the next question would be, where did he go from here?
11
A God-awful shrill sound entered his dreams. It came from a vampire hovering above him while he lay on the dark city street, its pale face elongated into something out of a horror movie while its eyes burned diamond white. The thing wore all black, its arms extended outward as it held the hem of a cape, making it appear like a bat that had taken flight. Its mouth opened, as if it would attack at any second, crimson dripping from its fangs. Each droplet seemed to find Connor’s eyes, burning them so he couldn’t keep them open to see the oncoming attack. He kept reaching out, trying to make contact onto the beast with his fist, but it proved to be futile. The vampire was too quick, too agile. It darted and dived, and then let out a high-pitched scream that made his eardrums feel as though they may explode …
* * *
Connor sat up in bed, covered in sweat with his heart thundering. The covers were strewn all over the floor around the bed. His nightmare had apparently bled into reality, and he’d been fighting the vampire, just as he’d had in his dreams. Sitting in the silence, he tried to catch his breath.
The sound, however, seemed to be real as it started up again, startling him. He jumped from the bed and cursed as he tripped over some clothes he’d left on the floor. Whatever had woken him definitely sounded electronic. He stumbled down t
he hall trying to locate the device.
It ceased again, and he looked around the living room for his own phone. If that Harper chick had called him at this hour in the morning when he’d specifically told her he worked nights, he’d have to remember to turn off the damn phone. Or, he’d have a little chat with Dedou and tell her to let Harper know he was off-limits until at least one in the afternoon.
He tried to rub the sleep from his eyes, which proved futile. Exhaustion still rolled through him, and he made his way back to the bedroom. Shutting the door, he lay down and pulled the sheet over his torso. He took the extra pillow on the bed and placed it over his head, hoping it would drown out that sound for at least another couple hours.
* * *
This time, a loud thumping woke him. This sound he recognized as someone about to take down his front door.
He rolled from the bed on another curse, grabbed his gun from the nightstand, and stalked down the hall. Disbelief and shock completely woke him as he looked through the security hole and found Sami.
Santa could have been waving at him from where she stood, and he wouldn’t have been this surprised. He stared at her just for a moment trying to decide if he was happy to see her, or not.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, as if she were nervous or irritated. Her hair hung in soft waves to her shoulders, her face clean and clear of any makeup. She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, and as she pounded on the door again, she definitely looked irritated.
“Hang on,” he yelled and went to his bedroom. He slipped on a pair of Superman boxers and some sweats, then ran back to the door, unlatched the locks, and opened the panel.
“What’s up?” he asked.
Her gaze raked over his chest, and her hands fidgeted before she met his eyes.
“I left my phone here.”
He furrowed his brow, trying to recall seeing it, but couldn’t. Then he remembered that annoying sound he couldn’t place this morning.
