Skin and Bones

by Susan Harris

  For the second time that night, Derek screeched to a halt just outside the hospital emergency room. The car park was packed with squad cars as well as uniformed police officers. His boots were on solid ground even as he yanked the keys out of the ignition. Sarge’s car pulled in behind him, but loathe as he was to leave Ever, Ricky and Melanie had to be his main priority. He had no idea why he had reacted so intensely to Arthur’s proximity to Ever, the wolf riding him like never before to protect what was his. That was it; she felt like she was his—his to protect, his to care for. And while Ever’s presence calmed his wolf, it also made him more on edge when others were around.

  But that was something he would deal with once Melanie was back with them. Hearing the raised voice of his partner as Ricky barked orders, Derek knew the uniforms would be doing their best to help him, but this was a supernatural issue and needed a supernatural to fix it.

  The uniforms stepped aside as he came near. Whether it was in fear after seeing him as a wolf or because they knew he was the only one who could calm down the worried and angry warlock, Derek didn’t know. He quickened his pace as he saw Ricky grab a uniform by the scruff of the neck and lift the poor rookie up so that his toes scraped the asphalt.

  When Derek placed a reassuring hand on his partner’s shoulder, Ricky’s head darted round to look at him. Worry illuminated the warlock’s eyes; they flashed a translucent lime-green before he recognized Derek and set the rookie back on his feet.

  “He took her, D. That monster has her, and it’s all my fault.” His voice cracked as he spoke, full of loss and grief.

  Derek gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t. We will find her. We’ll get her back, I promise you with every fiber of my being. Never leave a man behind.”

  “Never leave a man behind.”

  Sensing the now-familiar presence of Ever, Derek released Ricky as the warlock shook himself, gathering his composure. Ever came to stand beside him but didn’t speak. With a quick glance at her, Derek could see the firm line of her mouth, her eyes determined, and her posture tense.

  Sarge assessed the scene. “Tell me what you know.”

  Ricky cleared his throat. “‘Bout three-thirty this morning, Melanie left the hospital. I followed her about ten minutes later, and her car wasn’t in the car park. So, I went to her place and waited, but she never showed. I assumed she was really pissed at me. I came back here to… I dunno… something told me to come back here. Something felt off.”

  Swallowing hard, he paused before continuing. “I went back to where her car shoulda been, and that’s when I saw it—her backpack. Lanie would never leave her laptop behind, not by choice. It was dark, so it was hard to see. I ain’t got no wolf eyes or vampy scent, but when I pressed my fingers to the ground, there was blood. Is it her blood?”

  He looked up at Derek, but while Derek could scent the blood, he couldn’t tell whose it was. Maybe Cait or Donnie could. Turning, he focused on the two vampires who appeared silently beside them. The look on both their faces told Derek their visit to Chester’s had been just as much hell as he thought it would be.

  “The blood carries her scent. It’s faint, but it’s there. Also, Ricky, there’s not enough blood on the ground to have caused death.”

  Caitlyn’s words registered in Ricky’s mind as his shoulders sagged and his chest heaved with relief. Then, as if remembering what the monster had done to the children, his body trembled, a blue streak of profanity leaving his lips—low enough for the supes to hear but not the humans.

  Anger and helplessness filled the silence as they contemplated what to do next. They all wanted blood, even more than before. This monster had come into their house and taken a member of their family. As agents of P.I.T., they had some leeway to go outside the scope of the law as many supernatural creatures fell outside the parameters of normal law. The monster would not live to hurt anyone else. They all knew it. They all had to have it.

  “It’s personal,” Ever said quietly. “Now that he has taken Melanie, he knows it will be personal for us all. Ricky especially. He wants us distracted so he can go after another of his victims. He doesn’t want Melanie—she’s not his victim type. He’ll strike again once he figures we’re preoccupied.”

  “Ever’s right,” Derek replied, running his palm over his face. Damn, he was tired, and the nearing moon was a plague on him. He had twenty-four hours before he would be no good to them for twelve hours. “He never meant to take Melanie. It was a spur of the moment decision, a mistake, but we need to figure out why her and not one of us? He wants power, and we have it.”

  Donnie tapped a foot against the ground. “Chester gave us a name, but it’s an alias. Like some vampires, our perp sought to become a vampire to start a whole new life, name included. Chester’s muscle, Timothy, says the guy referred to himself as Stefan Darke. They looked into him when he petitioned to be made but could find no evidence of him. It’s not much, but it’s a start.”

  “Did this Timothy manage to get a description?” Sarge asked.

  Donnie shook his head. “He said the name and his actions stood out, but as for appearance, everything about him seemed normal—an average Joe, apparently. Nothing distinctive. I’m sorry it’s not more.”

  Ricky shuffled his feet. “So, what do we do now? We can’t follow the blood trail; it’s gone because he drove away. We have no fucking leads apart from a stupid-ass name for someone who has vampire envy. Son-of-a-bitch!” The last word came out in a strangled scream, and he swung out with his hand, lightning sparking, crumbling a nearby wall.

  “Feel better?” Derek asked.

  “No… helpless. I feel helpless.”

  “Join the club, buddy.”

  Caitlyn cleared her throat, bringing them out of their self-pity. “If we can find out who is behind Stefan Darke, then we can find Melanie. I’m not well versed in criminal psychology, so correct me if I am wrong, Ever; but if he already had a persona for his new life, isn’t it possible he will have purchased items in his new name? Credit card, housing… he may even have changed his name by deed poll.”

  With a slight incline of her head, Ever acknowledged Caitlyn. “Caitlyn is right. He’s fully confident that this would solve his problem, that he would have eternal life soon. He would’ve prepared for it. The person who committed the murders is who he really is. Stefan Darke is who he wants to be, who he needs to be to disassociate himself from the crimes he commits.”

  “I think we’re ready to give the profile.”

  Sarge whistled, and the uniforms gathered round, a sea of navy hell-bent on reclaiming one of their own and willing to listen to anyone who could aid them—regardless if they were bigoted or not. A strike against one of them was a strike against all.

  “Listen up! We have some information in relation to the child murders and the disappearance of Melanie Newton. Derek?”

  Derek nodded and addressed the crowd. “Melanie Newton went missing this morning between three-thirty and three-forty. We believe the man responsible for the murders of three teens and attempted kidnapping of a fourth is the culprit.”

  A hushed whisper rippled through the uniforms, and Sarge raised a hand to hush them.

  Loudly, Derek continued, unwilling to waste any time. “We believe the man is terminally ill and had petitioned to be made vampire a number of times before resorting to murder. He may be known in the supernatural forums or grey areas as Stefan Darke. Shake your C.I.’s for info and see if there have been any rumors circling. He is meticulous in his planning, and his preparation is down to a fine art. But, he made a mistake taking Melanie. If you find out any information about him, then contact any member of P.I.T. directly. We’re in charge of this investigation, so run everything by us. Any questions?”

  Silence greeted him, so he dismissed them with a nod. Ricky had gone to stand by the crumbling wall of his own doing. Derek’s wolf was edgy, restless. He slid past Ever, his arm brushing hers as he passed, calming his wolf slightly. Nearing his partner, he l
eaned back against the wall and waited for Ricky to speak.

  “I messed up, D. More than I ever did before. I made Lanie think she was less important because she was human. What if I don’t get the chance to prove that I didn’t mean it like it sounded?”

  “You will, Ricky. Melanie’s going to come home, and she will need you to be strong for her. But don’t muck around. If you wanna be with her, be with her. Life is too short for all this crap.”

  Ricky glanced sideways at him. “Shouldn’t you be taking your own advice, mate? You look at Ever like you’d conquer the world in a wave of blood and death for her. What’s going on?”

  With no other way to explain it, he simply told Ricky the truth. “That’s something I need to figure out later, once we get your girl back. I’ve never felt such an intense pull before.”

  They remained in silence for a few moments after that. The sky was beginning to lighten, the first hint of morning breaking through the clouds. The sun wouldn’t harm the vampires, but it would make them uncomfortable.

  Caitlyn spoke into her cell phone and closed it. “I just spoke to a contact of mine who says no one has come in to change their name legally. He said he’d look into deeds; see if any new properties have been registered under the name Stefan Darke.”

  Derek smiled. “Cheers, Caitlyn. You and Donnie head back to the station and work from there. Sleep there if you must. With me out of action tonight, I need you and Donnie on point.”

  Caitlyn returned his smile with a hint of fang. She patted Ricky on the back and made to walk away when Derek called her name.

  “How did it go at Chester’s?”

  The stunning vampire turned monstrous in a single heartbeat. “One day, I will rip out his throat and gorge on his blood. Parasite.”

  Derek heard Donnie chuckle as Caitlyn rounded him up, and the two vampires headed back to the station. Sarge also indicated he was heading out, so Derek nudged Ricky, and they walked over to where Ever waited for them. Ricky spoke to one of the C.S.I.’s before returning with Melanie’s backpack. He looked at Ever, sadness in his eyes.

  “She’d kill me if I left her stuff here with the humanoid cops. I’ll keep it safe for her until she’s back to claim it.”

  “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it, Ricky.”

  The uniforms started to disperse, and the three of them quickly followed suit with Ricky clinging to Melanie’s backpack. Once in the car, they rode in silence. Ever studied him out of the corner of her eye as greyish clouds darkened the sky and rain began to drizzle down.

  “Are you feeling okay?” she asked Derek as he impatiently drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove.

  “If anything, I’m embarrassed.”

  “Why embarrassed?”

  Derek shrugged. “I behaved like a jealous pup when Arthur got next to you. I had no right to behave like that. God, I’m over a hundred years old and have control over my wolf… except when I’m near you. Are you sure you’re not supernatural? Because I’ve no other way to explain it.”

  Ever gave a small laugh, low and quiet, being sensitive to the turmoil Ricky must be going through. “Nope, I am one hundred percent human as far as I know. I feel it, too, you know. Whatever this is… we’ll figure it out.”

  They shared a smile, and Ever leaned back into her seat and gazed out the window, watching the houses blur by. Her bones ached, and she desperately wanted to soak in a warm bath and sleep. Something gnawed at her senses, and she knew if she slept then she would dream. Confusion over Derek and everything with the case stopped her from thinking on her dreams. They had felt so real, as if she were remembering a forgotten memory.

  Shaking the icy sensation that flooded her veins, Ever turned her attention back to Derek. Watching him from the corner of her eye, she drank in the sinfully good-looking profile of him. His hair seemed longer now, curling up behind his ear. Perhaps because of the change? If the change could heal wounds, then why not grow hair? The sharp edge of his jaw was kissed by the start of a beard, halfway between stubble and full-on scruff. His lips were pursed, and a muscle ticked in his cheek.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  His words startled her. “Like what?”

  “Like a science experiment that you want to crack.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You are.” He growled, but it was a soft sound with no malice in it.

  “Sorry. I’m just fascinated by you… I mean, your control. I’ve never been around a were this close to the moon. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

  “It’s alright. Did I frighten you when I was a wolf?” he asked, a little hesitant with his words.

  She shook her head. “Not at all. For some reason, I knew you would never hurt me. I knew that your wolf would never cause me harm. Don’t ask me how I did, but yeah, I knew I was safe.”

  “That’s good. I’d never hurt you. I’d rather tear my own arm off.”

  Silence filled the space again, and Ever pulled her eyes from Derek and looked back out the window. As they neared the station, the car was halted by a backlog of traffic. Ricky had remained silent for the whole journey, and Ever hoped that no matter what the outcome, he could come back from the dark hole he was embedding himself in.

  “Have you ever wanted to find your biological parents?” Derek asked.

  “Is it strange to say not really?” Ever sighed. “I was left on the church steps for a reason, but I ended up having an amazing childhood. I laughed, I cried, I loved, and I believe things would have been different if I hadn’t been abandoned. I’m grateful to be loved by my parents. Some kids don’t have my luck.”

  It was something that struck Ever as strange for the longest of times, that she felt no urge to find the person who had given her up—not because it would hurt her mom or dad, but there was no deep-seated need to belong. Apart from the longing not to be so normal, Ever felt nothing for the mother who had given birth to her or the father who had donated his seed.

  A soft snore sounded from the backseat, and Ever turned round to see Ricky in a fitful sleep, cuddling Melanie’s backpack. He seemed young that way, and vulnerable, and Ever guessed that the hard-man routine he put on for everyone else was just that, a routine. They seemed so different, Ricky and Derek. Derek was the former military man, the strong and silent type, whereas Ricky was the charmer, hiding who he was behind jokes and sarcasm.

  “How long have you and Ricky worked together?” Ever asked.

  “Forever.” Derek chuckled with obvious affection in his voice. “Well, that’s what it feels like. I joined up when Sarge came and told me the powers-that-be were gonna be revealing themselves to the world. He said he was heading a task force to deal with supernatural offenders. Be the poster boys and girls for policing the creatures. That was about ten years ago.”

  He smiled, as if the memories were fond, before continuing. “Ricky joined up two years after me, and for some reason, we clicked. I was beginning to feel more like myself, doing something useful, something I was good at, but I was very much a lone wolf. Ricky helped me be more social. Actually, he helped Caitlyn and Donnie assimilate into our little family.”

  Derek rubbed a hand down his thigh, and Ever found herself reaching out and resting her hand over his. “He seems like a good man. Despite what I said before, my mother speaks highly of him. He helped when a local witch went missing, helped track her down. Did you work that case?”

  With a gentle shake of his head, he replied, “No, I was away with family that weekend, but Ricky told me all about it. It was him and one of our old team members, Conrad, who tracked her down and made sure she was safe.”

  “Has Conrad moved on? Where does he work now? You only have a few members now.”

  Cracking his neck, Derek shifted uncomfortably. “Conrad died. He was killed by a rogue shifter. We’ve lost a few good men and women in my tenure in P.I.T.”

  “I’m sorry.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m beginning to understa
nd why you feel being a werewolf is a curse. So much death, so much loss.”

  “You get used to it.”

  “You shouldn’t have to.”

  Derek sighed. “Over time, in this job, you get accustomed to death—loss, not so much. No matter how many years I’m on this earth, loss still surprises me. But we have to feel pain in order to know that we can feel anything else. When you stop hurting, when loss doesn’t affect you, then you might as well be one of the monsters we hunt.”

  “That’s a very profound way of looking at it.”

  “I’m not just all good looks and wolf, you know.”

  Ever laughed as a voice grumbled behind them.

  “Can you go back to talking about how awesome I am? Like, for real, D; you should be romancing the girl, not being all morbid and shit.”

  Derek reached back, pretending to slap him, but Ricky simply laughed. Watching him in the mirror, Derek saw Ricky’s face crumble as he remembered what they were doing.

  He cast his gaze out the window. “We at the station yet?”