by Carly Fall
Instead, she opened the duffel bag and dumped everything on the bed. She didn’t know how long they’d be staying here, but she might as well get unpacked.
She found a fake driver’s license, as well as a credit card, both in the name of Sami Karman, just a slight version of her real name, Karim. It made her a little nervous to have a different last name, and she practiced saying it in case she was ever asked. She pulled out something that looked like a black wallet, but instead, she found police credentials in her name. She had to hand it to Dedou, the woman seemed to think of everything.
Her brow furrowed as she remembered Connor telling her his knife was blessed with voodoo. Would Dedou have given her one, as well? She searched her bag again, but didn’t find one, and she didn’t know whether to be offended or relieved. Her father had never taught her anything about knife combat, so if she ever found herself in a situation like that, she’d basically be punching at the air and hoping to hit something. With Connor’s military background, she had no doubt he must have been schooled with a blade. One thing her father did teach her was that handling any weapon without the proper training could be dangerous to everyone involved, including the person holding it. Yes, she could go fist-to-fist with anyone, but with her luck, she’d probably end up decapitating herself if she were to ever try to fight with a knife.
Fairly confident she could adjust to the slight difference in her name, she set the identification and credit card on her nightstand, making a mental note to take them whenever she left the apartment.
After putting away her clothing, her toiletries were the only things remaining on the bed. She took them to the bathroom and washed her face, getting ready to turn in. Placing her hair in a braid, she hoped that the humidity died down tomorrow.
Slipping between the sheets, she realized she lay on silk. The pillowcase felt cool and soft beneath her cheek, and she sighed with contentment.
Yes, she could get used to living like this.
With the complete silence the room offer, sleep came quickly.
* * *
Waking with a terrible thirst, Sami found her way to the kitchen, thankful Connor had left on the light above the stove.
On her third try, she finally found the cabinet with the glasses, and she turned on the tap, waiting for it to run cold.
When she’d filled her glass, she drank it down quickly, the fresh, cool liquid sliding down her throat as though it came straight from a spring well on an isolated island far, far away.
When she finished her cup, she concentrated as she thought she heard voices. Following the sound, she realized it came from Connor’s room. Although she knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop, she pressed her ear up to the panel.
Did he watch television into the late night hours, or did he talk on the phone?
“No, Harper,” he said. “It was wet.”
She furrowed her brow. It seemed awfully late to be talking to Harper. What could they be discussing at such an hour?
“Really slick.”
Wet and slick?
He groaned. “Oh, yeah. No, it was amazing. I wish I was in there right now.”
She gasped and stepped away from the door. Wet? Slick? It felt amazing, and he wished he were in there right now?
Were they having phone sex?
Visions of Connor lying on his bed stroking his cock while holding the phone up to his ear played before her eyes.
She’d thought him and Harper were more than just friends, and this only proved it.
You’re only hearing half of a conversation. You’re overreacting.
No, she didn’t believe so. As she walked back to her room, she tried to think of something else that was wet, slick, and felt amazing, and she came up with nothing.
Anger and jealousy roiled her stomach as she lay back in bed. She never should have let her own fears ruin what she and Connor had shared.
She considered devising some devious, horrible plan to break up him and Harper so that she could get him back, but in the end, she didn’t have it in her to backstab. Her mind didn’t work that way.
No, instead, she simply reminded herself that Connor wasn’t hers to have.
11
The next morning, Sami woke before Connor, which didn’t surprise her. Who knew how late he’d been up having phone sex with Harper?
When she walked into the living room, she gasped at the view. Connor had been right—they were right on the shore of the lake. Unfortunately, grey clouds hung heavily in the sky, making the water also appear grey. The lights she’d seen previously turned out to be houseboats floating in the water and buildings lining the shore. She tried to imagine seeing all of it with a blue sky and lake, and decided it would be amazing. With all the drabness, right now, it just seemed depressing.
After making a pot of coffee, she poured herself a cup and just stared out the window, feeling tranquil and pushing all negative thoughts away. At the moment, she just wanted to be, to enjoy the beauty and not give her feelings about Connor, or her parents, another consideration.
She spent a few moments enjoying the silence and the view as she quickly finished her mug of ambition, then she went to dress.
Once presentable, she grabbed her new ID and credit card and decided to take a walk while there was a break in the rain and pick up a few items that they’d need to start their assignment.
Pulling on her coat, she headed out the door.
In the lobby, she saw a few people who must also live in the building, and she smiled and nodded at them. Even though she and Connor wouldn’t be staying for long, she figured she might as well not be known as the cranky neighbor.
Outside, the cool air sat heavy with humidity, but it felt fresh on her face. As she walked along the path hugging the lake, she smiled and nodded to those she saw, and also admired the beauty.
If she had to describe Seattle in one word, she supposed it would be green, hence the nickname of the Emerald City. Foliage, flowers, and trees seemed to be squeezed in everywhere, giving the city a feeling like it had been settled in the middle of a forest, which, if she remembered her history correctly, it had been. She had always thought Los Angeles had done well keeping the area beautiful with nature, but they had nothing on Seattle.
She’d probably gone a mile when she found a little office supply store. As she perused the aisles, she picked up what she needed, and even found a large map of the city, which made her smile. She thought for sure she’d have to walk farther and find a Visitors Center in order to find one, especially since everyone did almost everything digitally now. For their needs, she and Connor needed old-fashioned paper and pen.
They bagged her purchases, and she headed back to the apartment complex at a leisurely pace. Just as she arrived, it began to rain, and she jogged inside, thankful that it had abated long enough for her to run her errand.
She tried to calm her hair as she rode the elevator, but even though she’d braided it, a lot of it seemed to have a mind of its own and fought loose from the confines to frizz.
As she opened the door to the apartment, she tried to be quiet as possible in case Connor still slept.
Her heart skipped a beat when she found him standing in the middle of the living room wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants, a gun in his hand, his jaw clenched tight. She glanced around the apartment looking for some type of danger, fear creeping into her chest. What was wrong?
“Jesus, Sami,” he said as he rubbed his face. “I was just about to call 911 and tear this city apart brick by brick.”
She walked in and set her bags down on the kitchen counter. “What’s going on?”
He shook his head and placed his gun next to the bags, standing so close, she could reach out and touch his bare chest.
“You didn’t fucking leave a note! I woke up and you weren’t here! I didn’t know if someone had come in and got you, or if you went out for a coffee, or what the hell! You can’t do that!”
A small smile tilted her lips. Connor had been worried
, and she had to admit, she appreciated it.
“I’m sorry that I upset you,” she said, trying to hide her grin. “I didn’t mean to do that. It never even occurred to me to write a note. I actually thought I’d be home before you even got up.”
He sighed and glanced down at his feet, then back up at her. “You had me scared. Please don’t do that again, especially when we’re on assignment.”
She nodded, feeling contrite, but she couldn’t help the little shiver of elation that went through her at Connor’s concern. He did care about her well-being.
“I’m going to shower, and then let’s get down to business,” he said.
Her cheeks warmed at the unintended sexual innuendo. Just because he cared about whether she breathed or not didn’t mean he wanted her in any other way.
“What did you get at the store?” he asked, pointing to the bags.
“I found a city map and some markers. I thought we could index where the people were when they took the drug, and then create a chart on whether they lived or died. Maybe we can talk to a few of them, get their stories.”
“That’s a good idea. The police reports have the interviews, but it would be a good idea for us to hear what the victims have to say for ourselves. Besides that, I’m sure the police didn’t even consider that the dealers could be vampires. Maybe something that was said didn’t ring important to them but will to us.”
“Exactly.”
He gently flicked the tip of her nose. “Good thinking, Sami. Let’s get to it after my shower.”
She nodded, pushing thoughts of showers and Connor away. Instead, she’d concentrate on the task at hand.
After unfolding the map on the dining room table, she sat down, then lined up the markers and highlighters.
She pulled out a pad of paper and drew a line down the middle, titling one side dead, and the other alive.
She glanced around the apartment trying to find the files, but realized Connor must have them in his room. She’d wait.
As she stared out the window, the rain continued, making the sky even greyer, and therefore, the water. Growing up in California, she couldn’t imagine living in a place like this where she guessed everyday was so bland and gloomy. She’d be depressed in no time.
Which was another reason why she wanted to solve this case quickly—to get out of Seattle. Her disposition and her hair would appreciate it.
But first and foremost, she wanted to prove to Connor that she had absolutely nothing to do with it, despite her giving him the book about Ambrogio and Selene. She had meant every word when she’d told him that she wanted him to understand her better. There hadn’t been another motive.
For some reason, the need to earn back his trust had become incredibly important to her. They may never be together again, but she wanted to show him that she wasn’t the person she’d been when they’d worked together before. She needed him to know that she was honest, intelligent, and a good person.
She startled when he sat down next to her, since she hadn’t heard his bare feet on the marble floor.
“You scared me,” she said, closing her eyes, trying to calm her thundering heart.
“You looked like you were deep in thought.”
She nodded. “I was thinking how depressing this place is to me. I’m used to sunny days, not different shades of grey.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said as he placed the files on the table between them. “Let’s get this done, then we’ll head back to New Orleans.”
So you can see Harper.
The words sat on the tip of her tongue, but she bit them back. Instead, she grabbed a file and opened it.
It read similar to the others, but this woman, Candy Rease, had lived.
Sami wrote her name and address in the alive column on the pad of paper.
She handed the file to Connor. “Why don’t you place a dot at the address of where she had her drug reaction, and then also mark the hospital she went to?”
Connor furrowed his brow. “Why do we care about the hospitals?”
“I was just thinking that some of these people lived, while others died. Maybe the ones that lived went to the same hospital. Maybe the staff there is doing something different than the others to help these people pull through.”
He nodded. “I get it. Yeah, that’s smart.”
They worked through the afternoon, and stopped around four when Connor declared he may starve to death. She realized neither of them had eaten at all, and her stomach also began to howl.
“I’ll make us something,” he said as he rummaged through the refrigerator.
“An omelet?” she asked, hopeful. She didn’t know what his secret was, but he made the best Denver omelets she’d ever tasted.
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Sounds good, Princess. I’ll get right on it.”
12
As they left the building into the cool night air, Connor grumbled about not having transportation of their own and having to rely on the city’s intricate travel system.
They walked down the street for a bit, and Sami couldn’t help but notice all the cars with a large U in the window.
“Connor, this town obviously runs on Uber. It’s not going to be a big deal.”
He wasn’t impressed, but when she retrieved her phone, pulled up the app, and a car appeared in front of them five minutes later, she glanced over at him and he grinned.
“Okay, maybe it won’t be so bad, but I’d still rather have a Harley,” he grumbled while downloading the app on his own phone.
As she slid into the car, she couldn’t help but agree. Riding behind Connor as he’d buzzed through the city streets, her arms wrapped so tightly around his waist, had been both thrilling and scary all at once. She’d always been afraid to get on a motorcycle because her father would come home every now and then and tell them about someone the police department had scraped up off the highway. But desperate times had called for desperate measures, and she’d had no choice but to ride with Connor.
She stared out the Uber window and watched the city go by and considered her day. She and Connor had gotten along well, except he’d called Harper at least three times. It irked her, especially when she heard Harper’s chipper voice on the speaker, and she always answered with some sort of cute little line.
Goddess of the Darknet. How may I shine my light on you?
Paula’s Porno Palace. What’s your pleasure?
Granted, the calls hadn’t been social in nature. Connor had asked Harper to get addresses to where people involved in the case lived to make sure they matched the files they had in their possession, and had asked who owned a couple of bars in town. The calls had been professional, but Sami cringed with jealousy every time Connor dialed.
Presently, the Friday night streets were busy, and it took a while to get to their first destination, a club simply called Train. She had no idea what to expect while she exited the car in front of the bar because cell phones and cameras were strictly forbidden. There weren’t any pictures online.
“This is the place where Eugene Bennett was the night he died,” Sami said as they approached the line to enter.
Connor nodded and gazed around.
“Do you see any?” she asked, her voice just above a whisper.
He shook his head. “A few, but their auras are a really light red.”
“They may be hungry.”
“Maybe.”
Or, they could just be weak vampires, like her. Hell, she was so weak, she didn’t even have an aura.
They didn’t speak as they waited for their turn to enter. She found it amusing that a lot of skin could be found in a line in Los Angeles, but here, there was nothing but coats and boots. Maybe once they got in, the partygoers would shed their coverings.
They only had to wait about fifteen minutes until they were allowed in. Connor paid the door fee, and as they stepped inside, she found herself surprised by the atmosphere of the club. It was like nothing she’d ever seen.
&nbs
p; A woman dressed in a black and red bellhop uniform, complete with the little hat, greeted them and pointed them toward an actual coat check, where another woman dressed the same smiled and asked if she could store their coats and any electronics they carried. She promised they would be safe in her possession, and after trading glances, Connor and Sami relinquished both their jackets and phones.
Then, they were sent through a metal detector. From there, a bouncer led them down a corridor and asked them to wait in a small room for ‘inspection.’ Sami noted that other people were being shuffled into the other rooms in the tight hallway, as well.
As the door closed, Sami looked around and saw nothing but grey walls and a door on the other side of the room. She gazed up at Connor. “What’s this?”
He shrugged. “Hell if I know.”
She stepped toward him and placed her hand on his arm, then stood on her tip-toes so her lips were right next to his ear. He didn’t flinch as he had in the past, and she considered it a good thing.
“Do you have the knife on you?”
He simply nodded, then glanced up at the ceiling. She followed his gaze and saw that a camera pointed directly at them.
How in the world had the knife gotten through the metal detector? She could only think of one answer: Dedou. Now that she considered it, Connor had also passed through the airport without issue. Dedou was obviously incredibly powerful.
She didn’t want to seem as if she’d whispered anything to Connor, because she still wasn’t sure what the inspection entailed. Obviously, whoever was in charge of this place watched them, so she placed her hand on Connor’s arm and stood on her tippy toes again, this time placing a small kiss on his cheek.
He didn’t jerk back in surprise, but gave her a confused look out of the corner of his eye. Then, he moved around the room as if he studied the walls, but Sami knew it was to put space between them.
A few moments later, just as she was starting to get nervous and wonder if somehow, someway, someone knew why they were there, the door opened. A man wearing a conductor uniform entered, his cherubic face smiling from ear to ear.
