Crime of Passion (HBIA: Case Files Book 1)

by A. M. Halford

  “I didn’t ask you for a motive,” Dragos drawled. “Actually, I haven’t asked you anything since showing up.”

  Neculai laughed, the sound surprisingly gentle for such a large man. “Sorry, I do tend to ramble when I’m working. So, any questions, Detective?” Neculai turned and looked him directly in the eye.

  For some odd reason, Dragos felt himself blush under the man’s intense coral green gaze. It was almost like he could see deep into him, envisioning his utmost desires. A ridiculous notion, but one that surfaced none the less.

  “Yeah,” Dragos cleared his throat and looked away from him, “You said the murderer is most likely half-angel, can you narrow it down any further than that?”

  Neculai smiled. “No. I’m a forensic alchemist, not a profiler. All I can tell you is what the energies of the residual magic tell me. Beyond that, I’m afraid I haven’t a clue. If you do find a suspect I can compare magic signatures, each person’s signature is unique, like DNA.”

  “That’ll be handy,” Dragos nodded.

  “Where have I seen you before?” the abrupt question, and change of direction in the conversation caught Dragos off guard as he gawked at the man. His heart rate picked up as he watched Neculai lean his hip against the counter, his large arms crossing over his chest after he placed the bowl he’d been mixing things in aside. “Have we met outside of work?”

  “Is that some kind of pick up line?” Dragos tried to sound like he was joking, but the serious look in Neculai’s eyes had his pulse spiking and his cheeks heating up. Fuck, he hadn’t blushed in years, and now this guy had him doing it twice within minutes. What the hell was wrong with him?

  Neculai shook his head, his eyes dropping from Dragos’ gaze. “No, sorry. You just look familiar is all.”

  Dragos tried to not let the disappointment show as he handed Neculai back the files. “Yeah, well, you aren’t familiar to me in the least.”

  “I wasn’t trying to be--ʺ

  “Whatever,” Dragos cut him off as he left. Out of the lab, Dragos leaned against the door. Taking deep breaths, he tried to calm his racing heart. What had he been thinking getting so excited just because he thought someone was showing an interest in him? Was he really so fucking desperate that he’d accept the advances of a coworker? No, he was just misreading the situation. Neculai had said so himself. He meant nothing by it.

  Ignoring the ever familiar feeling of frustration, Dragos took the stairs down to the first floor. He might as well clock out for the night. He wasn’t going to get anything else done until Jamison managed to send those files over. He’d work on creating a profile for the killer tomorrow.

  * * * *

  Neculai could beat himself over the head with a bat for all his tact at handling that situation. Dragos was already upset about him working on this case, for some odd reason, and now he’d gone and alienated him further. Then again, it wasn’t like he meant to sound like he was coming onto the man. Neculai really did feel a sense of recognition around the guy. His profile was just so familiar. Unfortunately, he couldn’t place where he’d seen him. It wasn’t like him to forget a man like Dragos, either.

  With Detective Dragos Iliescu still on his mind, Neculai finished his work for the night and headed out. He had a date tonight and needed to get home in time to prepare. It wasn’t anything major, just drinks at one of his favorite bars, but it was a first date so it didn’t have to be anything special. If they clicked, then he’d think of something more unique for a second date.

  His house was cold and empty when he got home, as it always was. Several times Neculai had considered getting a pet but he worked long hours, often going weeks without a day off. He just didn’t have the time to take care of another living creature. Hell, the fact he was going on this date was almost a miracle.

  Going straight to the shower he turned the water on to a preset temperature and stripped out of his work clothes. He needed to get rid of the smell of chemicals, herbs, and death. His date was a half vampire, a damphire, and there was no doubt he would be able to smell his work on him.

  Washing didn’t take long and soon Neculai was walking into his bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and another around his shoulders, as he considered what to wear. His closet didn’t provide much in the way of clothes to wear out, but he did have a few select outfits he could always count on to impress the guys.

  Grabbing his black, straight leg jeans, he paired it with a black button up shirt and a white vest. Black and white shoes and a white belt helped tie it all together. Next he needed to do something about his hair.

  * * * *

  “Time for bed, girls,” Jerald said, having finished cleaning the grill and closing the lid.

  “But daddy!” Grace and Katie both whined in unison.

  “No buts,” Jerald frowned.

  “Girls,” Rozalia came out of the house, two beers in her hand. “Say goodnight to Uncle Dragos and then follow dad upstairs.”

  Grace and Katie were adorable as they crawled into Dragos’ lap one by one and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and said goodnight.

  “Night girls,” Dragos waved after them as they took their dad’s hands and went inside. He smiled until they were out of sight and then he sighed as Rozalia handed him one of the beers. “I’m tired.”

  “No. You, partner, need to get laid.” Dragos glared at Rozalia as she took a swig of her own beer. She’d been repeating that line since he’d broken up with his last boyfriend, if you could call Nathan that. They only met up to fuck and maybe have coffee in the morning before going to work. The fact of the situation was they just didn’t have the same schedule and found themselves drifting apart. “How about you go out and find yourself a hunk to help you remove the stick you have shoved up your ass? That way he can shove his cock up it.”

  Rozalia was certainly cut from a different cloth than most. At work she was professional and straight laced. Off duty the woman had the mouth of a sailor and acted like a thug. Dragos always assumed her personality had something to do with how she was raised. Werewolf packs tended to be hard living and made even harder people.

  “And where do you suggest I find a guy that’s willing to do that?” Dragos drawled, slamming back nearly a third of his beer in one go. It had been a miracle he’d found Nathan. They were both dragons, though Nathan was pureblood while Dragos was only half, so they fit well that way. Nathan had been larger than Dragos, a rarity in both worlds, and could easily dominate him. Something Dragos craved for reasons he still didn’t fully understand. How was he supposed to find that again? Most men looked at him and assumed he was a top and immediately became confused and closed off when he admitted to being a bottom.

  “Try this place,” Rozalia slid a card across the picnic table in her backyard. “I hear it specializes in the unique.”

  Dragos looked at the card and couldn’t help but wonder how his partner had come into possession of it. Sure, Rozalia was rough around the edges, but she wasn’t much of a partier. These barbeques were the closest to a party she got. The woman was a wife and mom through and through, minus her mouth.

  Now, Dragos, on the other hand, knew these types of bars well. He’d been to several while looking for a quick hook up. Though, Dragos did tend to frequent the more specialized clubs in the districts.

  “Just go,” Rozalia growled, obviously seeing the hesitation in Dragos. “What can it hurt? It’s not like you have to find a life time partner. You just need to snag a lay for the night.”

  “Fine,” Dragos stood from the table and grabbed his jacket. He really didn’t need it what with it being summer and all, but it never hurt to appear somewhat normal in the human dominated neighborhoods.

  Going to his car, Dragos looked at the card again. Requiem was scrolled in delicate cursive red ink across the deep green card. It was an odd choice, but oh well. Typing the address into his GPS Dragos noticed it was in a supernatural neighborhood located in District 5.

  Putting his car in gear, Dragos he
aded down the street toward Requiem.

  * * * *

  Neculai felt a headache coming on as his date continued to drone on and on about his family and their expectations for him. He could already tell there wasn’t going to be a second date, and entertaining Lester any longer wasn’t doing either of them any favors.

  In a gap created by Lester taking a drink, Neculai excused himself for a second and went over to the bar. He needed something a lot stronger than the daiquiri he’d ordered.

  “What can I get you, handsome?” the bartender asked. He was a cute little twink, but Neculai preferred his men bigger, with muscles. He loved bringing strong men to their knees. Nothing was quite as exciting as having an alpha male pinned beneath him as he fucked their ass.

  “A scotch, straight,” Neculai ordered.

  The small man was quick to get it for him and Neculai downed the glass without feeling much of anything. He ordered a second and turned to go back to his date. Lester wasn’t bad looking, he was tall, though trimmer than Neculai’s usual partners. The guy was just too chatty.

  Nearing his table, movement at the door caught Neculai’s attention and he turned to see Dragos entering. The man had let his shoulder length red hair down and was wearing some sexy ass silk shirt, but it was definitely the same detective. Neculai nearly swallowed his tongue when their eyes met and Dragos instantly cast his gaze downward. The submissive gesture was not what he’d been expecting from the strong male.

  “Neculai?” Lester called, reaching out to him and tugging on his shirt sleeve lightly. “Do you know him?”

  “Yeah,” Neculai smiled. “Sorry Lester, I don’t think this is going to work between us.”

  Lester sighed. “Yeah, I didn’t get that all-consuming rush from you either. Well, no reason to cry over failed dates. Good luck with your hot dragon over there.”

  “Thanks,” Neculai nodded. He was not about to let on how much he was going to need that luck. The thought of approaching Dragos scared the shit out of him, but now he at least knew where he’d seen him before. He’d spotted the same sexy profile several times in another club he frequented, one that dealt in BDSM.

  Chapter Three

  Why the fuck had he looked away? Dragos was wracking his brain for a reason he’d shown such submission upon seeing Neculai in the club. The man was with someone, so why the fuck should it matter to him if the demon half breed had noticed him entering?

  Going to the bar, Dragos ordered a shot of whiskey. He knew he couldn’t get drunk, but he really needed the alcohol right now. He could always order black silk, but that could really mess his night up. He wanted to get laid, not raped. Black silk worked far too well on half breeds. It was meant for purebloods who didn’t have a reaction to human drinks.

  He felt when Neculai stepped up behind him, his body pressing against Dragos’ in just the right way. His taller frame and muscular body shaped itself against Dragos’ back like a protective blanket and he had to resist whimpering as the geek leaned in and whispered, “Looking for your top?”

  Dragos closed his eyes and ordered his cock down. The fact Neculai had stated his question like that meant he knew Dragos was a bottom, and apparently that he dabbled in heavier kinks. Turning slowly, Dragos met Neculai’s coral green gaze. They were such a fascinating shade he couldn’t recall ever seeing another half-demon with eyes like that. They weren’t the vibrant color pureblooded demons usually had, but they weren’t the same mixed green humans typically sported. They were solid coral green with no variation from pupil to the edge of the cornea. It was like looking at two polished jewels.

  “I’m single,” Dragos found himself saying those two words before he could stop himself. “What about your date? Is he going to mind you being over here?” Why was he bringing up the damphire? He had Neculai’s attention—and Dragos was willing to admit he wanted it—so why was he mentioning another guy?

  Neculai smiled before he leaned in, his lips ghosting across Dragos’ causing him to tense slightly. “Cold waters, no chance of a catch. I much prefer you,” Neculai’s voice was rough, like the whiskey Dragos loved to drink. The way he looked directly at him as he answered had his ever disobedient cock jerking in his jeans.

  “We’re coworkers.” Again Dragos wanted to hit himself. Why was he creating roadblocks? Neculai wanted him, and he wanted Neculai. This didn’t have to be complicated. So what if they worked together—and he’d used the same argument against himself just hours ago. It was just for this case. Dragos could keep it separate.

  “Point?” Neculai asked, crowding Dragos against the bar.

  “I,” Dragos never finished his lame protest as Neculai claimed his lips, his tongue instantly invading his mouth. He felt his knees go weak and his heartrate spike as he fisted his hands in Neculai’s shirt and dragged him closer. Dragos could feel the hard press of Neculai’s cock against his hip and it made his ass quiver. The man was huge. This was going to be good.

  * * * *

  Shit. Shit. Shit!

  Neculai needed to slow this down before he ended up bending Dragos over the bar and fucking him right there for all to see. And Dragos wanted to be fucked if his reaction was anything to go off of. The man was submissive in his arms, responsive to his touch, and a wet dream come to life. Pulling back slightly, he nipped at Dragos’ bottom lip and pulled him away from the bar. “Come.” It was an order and Neculai felt his cock twitch in excitement when Dragos obeyed without question. This guy was too good to be true.

  They left the bar, Neculai leading Dragos down the street by the hand until they came to a cheap motel. Neculai made quick work of getting them a room, and all but threw Dragos inside when they reached it. Now, locked behind a closed door and away from prying eyes, Neculai pushed Dragos down and crawled on top of him. Retaking possession of the man’s mouth, Neculai tried not to think of how good he tasted.

  “Don’t tease,” Dragos moaned as he thrust his hips up. His golden eyes were glazed with want.

  The man was definitely horny.

  Neculai wanted to drag this out, to make them both wait until they couldn’t stand it any longer, but it was obvious Dragos wasn’t looking for that kind of fun right now. He wanted to get off, and fast.

  Flipping Dragos onto his stomach, Neculai stripped him of his pants and boxers, and pressed his finger against Dragos’ twitching hole. The moan that left those kiss bruised lips was a temptation unto itself. Neculai pulled his own jeans down after snatching the packet of lube he always carried with him. One never knew when a willing body would come his way, and as part demon Neculai had a rampant sexual appetite.

  Tearing the packet open, he drizzled half of the contents over Dragos’ hole and smeared the last half onto his shaft. “Now,” Neculai blanketed Dragos’ body with his own and nipped at his neck as he thrust two fingers into his ass, “how do you want this?”

  He already knew the answer to his question, but Neculai wanted to hear Dragos ask for it fast and hard. He wanted to hear this strong man ask to be fucked by his cock.

  “I want you to fuck me,” Dragos’ voice was surprisingly steady as he thrust his hips back onto Neculai’s fingers. “I want you to pin me down and fuck me until I scream and then keep going until I can’t stand.”

  Neculai growled, removed his fingers, and shoved his cock into Dragos’ ass with those words. Dragos whimpered and Neculai bit down on his shoulder in warning not to move away. “You asked for this, remember that.”

  Neculai didn’t give him a chance to protest as he re-latched onto his shoulder and started to thrust in and out of him with far more strength than he’d ever used on a previous bedpartner. There was just something about Dragos that flipped his switch and made him want to let go and show the man his darker side. Maybe it was the way Dragos responded to it?

  The half-dragon was moaning beneath him, his head thrashing from side to side, as he lowered his shoulders and raised his ass further into the air so Neculai could go deeper. He was liking it, and craving more. Drag
os’ reaction was only fanning Neculai’s desires higher, making him grip the man’s hips with a bruising strength as he rammed into him.

  “Oh, shit,” Dragos cried out, screaming as he came.

  Neculai didn’t let up, fucking Dragos through his orgasm and straight into the next round. If Dragos wanted to be fucked until he couldn’t stand, then Neculai was going to do just that.

  * * * *

  Dragos woke with a pain in his hips and ass that was both deliciously sore and filled with shame. He couldn’t believe he’d given himself over like that, and to a coworker! Not even Nathan had seen him so wanton before.

  Carefully, Dragos rose from the bed and found a note on the bedside table.

  Hi Dragos,

  Sorry I couldn’t stay but I got a call from work. Don’t worry, it wasn’t for your case. Take it easy, the room is paid for until the afternoon.

  Neculai

  P.S. I would love to see you again, outside of work

  Rereading the note Dragos felt himself blush. He wanted to meet up again? Was this just for sex? Or was Neculai interested in him?

  Reminding himself he couldn’t and shouldn’t get his hopes up, Dragos stood slowly and headed for the bathroom. Even if the room was paid for he still needed to get home and get ready for his shift in the morning. Having the best sex of your life with a coworker wasn’t exactly an excuse for missing work. Hell, if his captain found out about what Neculai and Dragos had done there’d probably be blood.

  Stepping under a hot spray, Dragos tried to think of how best to tell Neculai this had to stay a one-night stand. Neither of them could afford the issue this would grow into if they got further involved.