by Cat Devon
“Or stupid,” she muttered.
“Or both brave and stupid.” Although Keira was actually enjoying talking to Bruce, she knew she had to come up with a plan of attack; she was done playing the helpless victim. She might not be a hunter, but damn these vampires were going to regret messing with her.
* * *
“Where have you been all afternoon?” Alex’s partner demanded when Alex returned to his desk in the police district. Craig Anderson was a fellow vampire and part of the Vamptown clan, as was Craig’s vampire wife, Bunny. Craig and Bunny had been married fifteen years before they were both turned.
Craig was short and stocky with light-brown hair and a ready smile. Bunny had short curly black hair and had held on to a lot of her humanity despite the fact that she was a vampire. One example was the fact that Bunny never consumed human blood, only synthetic.
“Clan business,” Alex said. “Did I miss anything here?”
Craig shook his head. “Just the usual murder and mayhem.”
“I can deal with murder and mayhem.”
“You can deal with anything,” Craig said.
Alex didn’t know about that. He was certainly having a hard time dealing with Keira. Why was that? Was it because of her connection to The Executioner? Or was this a sign of the premonition that his sire Mitch had warned him about? Was she really The One?
“Everything okay?” Craig asked. “I heard a woman came to see you earlier and that then the two of you took off.”
“Her name is Keira Turner. She knew what I am. And she’s The Executioner’s granddaughter.”
Craig’s mouth dropped open.
“She claims I was next on his hit list,” Alex added.
“So she came to do the job herself? I mean, The Executioner died a year ago. At least that’s what we’ve been led to believe. There haven’t been any killings attributable to him since that time.”
“She didn’t come to kill me. She came about the blood thefts. She said we weren’t doing enough about it.”
“Where is she now?”
“At the loft in Vamptown.” Seeing Craig’s surprised expression, Alex felt he had to explain. “She can’t be compelled to forget. Besides, her apartment was trashed and vamps were on the fire escape clamoring to get in.”
“Clamoring, huh?”
“Yeah. Anything new on the blood thefts?”
“Surveillance cameras are blank.”
“Ditto for the one at the Evergreen Funeral Home,” Alex said. “Neville is working on it but so far there’s nothing. Which is not a good sign, as that camera was designed by Neville and his crew for the special needs of the neighborhood.”
“Understood,” Craig said. “What’s our next move?”
“What about that biotech medical lab Bunny works in? Any word there? Anything from their management about concerns regarding the thefts?”
“Not that she’s aware of. She said they did send out a mass email this morning warning everyone to change their passwords daily, but they didn’t say it was because of the thefts.”
“They’re not going to admit they have trouble. It would affect their corporate stock price. No, they’d keep any breaches quiet. But I think it’s more than a coincidence that they’d send out an email like that. We should talk to their head of security. See what you can find out about him.”
Craig nodded before heading to his own desk. He returned a few moments later.
“That was fast, even for you,” Alex said.
“Thought you’d want to know, I just heard over the scanner that there’s a fire.”
“At Bunny’s biotech company?”
“No,” Craig said. “At Keira’s apartment. The fire department and EMTs are on the scene now.”
“Shit.” Alex zoomed out at vamp hyper speed. A second later he stood in front of Keira’s apartment building, speaking to the firefighter in charge. Alex flashed his badge at him. “What’s going on?” Alex said.
“A fire.”
“I got that. Any injuries?”
“No. The occupants all seem to have been at work. The lower two apartments have water damage but the fire started in the top apartment. It’s pretty much destroyed. Too soon to officially nail down a cause but I would definitely label it as suspicious. The place reeked of gasoline.”
Vampires hated flames. Fire was one of the few ways they could be destroyed. Staking them merely paralyzed them. Only burning and beheading caused death and obliteration.
So why would vampires start a fire in Keira’s apartment? They wouldn’t. But maybe they’d hired someone to do it. They could easily compel a human to do their dirty work.
Why destroy her apartment? Had they found what they were looking for when they’d trashed the place earlier? If so, why come back?
Whatever the details, this definitely upped the ante in the troubles going on between vampire clans.
“How stable is the building?” Alex asked.
“Stable enough. We caught and contained it fairly early. No structural damage to the walls. The roof will need some work but it won’t collapse. It’s not habitable, though.”
Looking the firefighter in the eye, Alex said, “Forget I asked you anything. Forget you met me.”
He could tell from the semi-glazed look that his compulsion had worked.
Moving away from the crowd, Alex called Bruce on his cell. “Are you still with Keira?”
“Yes. She’s not a very happy camper,” Bruce said.
“When did you leave her apartment?”
“About an hour and a half ago. Why? The place was trashed before I got there and those two vamps disintegrated so there shouldn’t be any trace of them.”
“What two vamps?”
“The ones I had to kill. It was self-defense.”
“Were they from the Gold Coast clan?”
“I didn’t recognize them. I’m not sure where they came from. They weren’t our clan, I know that for sure. Why? What’s going on?”
“Keira’s place went up in flames.”
“Oh my! Well, I certainly didn’t do that,” Bruce stated emphatically.
“Do what?” Alex heard Keira demanding in the background.
“Keep her calm. I’m on my way,” Alex said.
Before leaving, Alex checked out the surroundings for any trace of vampire presences. He picked up the scent of those vampires from the fire escape earlier but he thought it was weak enough to indicate they hadn’t returned. What he was smelling was probably from their earlier appearance. He didn’t sense Lynch’s unique scent, but that didn’t mean the Gold Coast clan leader wasn’t responsible for this mess.
“I didn’t tell her,” Bruce assured Alex the instant he entered the loft moments later.
“Tell me what?” she said.
“There was an incident at your apartment,” Alex said.
“I know. Vampires ransacked the place.”
“There’s more.”
“Bruce told me he had to … uhm, kill some hostile vampires. Although frankly you all seem hostile to me,” Keira added defiantly.
“I’m hurt you would think that way,” Bruce said, putting a hand to his heart.
“There’s more,” Alex said.
“You killed more vampires?” she said.
“No.”
Her eyes widened with horror. “You killed humans?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Why of course not? For all I know you could be killing people all over the place,” she shouted.
“Stop the dramatics.”
“Then tell me what happened,” she growled.
“There was a fire.”
“A fire?” she repeated blankly.
“In your apartment.”
Her expression reflected her shock and disbelief. She turned to Bruce. “Did you leave the stove on or something?” Not waiting for his reply, she returned her attention to Alex. “Was there a lot of damage?”
“The contents of your apartment are nothi
ng but ashes now,” he said bluntly.
Her face turned even paler than usual, if that was possible. Alex stepped forward, ready to catch her if she fainted again. He felt guilty for breaking the news to her so roughly.
Putting her hand out, she gave him a look that could have singed him with its fiery anger. “Did you burn it to keep me from going back?”
Her accusation angered him. “I am not an arsonist.”
“Which doesn’t answer my question.”
“No, I didn’t set your apartment on fire.”
“I need to see it. I need to see what happened.”
He held up his phone and showed her some video he’d taken at the scene.
She was not appeased. “You could have faked that. I need to see my apartment in person.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“Hostile vampires are after you,” he said.
“Hostile vampires are holding me captive.”
“I’m not the enemy here,” he said.
“You look like the enemy to me,” she retorted.
“I’m not the one who trashed your apartment.”
“No, you’re the one who burned it down.”
“I didn’t burn it down. The building is still standing.”
“Why are you doing this? Is it because of my grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“He thought you’d protect me,” she whispered. “That’s why I came to you. He sent me to you.”
“His mistake,” Alex said coldly. He couldn’t afford to let her get to him. It didn’t matter if she was The One for him. There was more at stake here. Like the prevention of an all-out war between his clan and the Gold Coast vampires. Like keeping Keira alive when dangerous enemies were after her. He couldn’t give in to these feelings washing over him. If being tough protected her, then that’s what he had to do.
Bruce defended him. “Alex is protecting you.”
“I don’t believe you. And I don’t believe that my apartment and everything I own is gone.” Her voice was raw.
“Including your grandfather’s journal?”
“I refuse to answer that question.” She lifted her chin with stubborn determination, but Alex saw the sheen of imminent tears in her eyes.
One tear started to fall down he cheek, and it took all of Alex’s willpower not to reach out to her. He was a vampire, and normally he was immune to human tears. But nothing about this situation was normal. Why was that? It had to be the damn connection between them.
Maybe if she saw the damage to her apartment she’d realize the seriousness of her situation and stop being so difficult. He liked that justification more than the idea that he was giving in to her because she was about to cry.
“I’ll take you, but there are some ground rules,” he said. “First, you stay close to me. No yelling for help. You do and you put others at risk. Understood?”
She nodded.
“Second, we leave when I say we leave. We won’t be staying long.”
“Are you going to do that freaky fast vamp transportation thing again?”
“It’s not a transpor … yes, I’m doing that again.” This wasn’t the time to go into semantics.
He wrapped a large navy-blue scarf around her head. “I don’t want anyone recognizing you.” He removed his shirt and handed it to her. “Put this on.”
She was about to argue when she caught the look he gave her and took the shirt. It covered most of her.
“Now she looks like a homeless person,” Bruce said. “I suggest she put on something from the clothes I brought her. Or better yet, just cloak her.”
Cloaking was a talent that Alex possessed. Not all vampires were able to hide from humans. Usually their fast speed meant they were barely a blur and undetectable. But that only applied when they were moving. The ability to hide from humans while standing still required cloaking, but that took energy that he needed to reserve at the moment. “Vamps would still be able to see her,” Alex pointed out.
“They’re able to see her in that dreadful outfit you have her in now for sure,” Bruce said.
“I’m a cop, not the fashion police,” Alex said impatiently.
Keira removed the scarf and then his shirt, returning it to him. Great, now it smelled like her. Fresh and lemony.
“Which is why he’s the best for the job of protecting you from other vampires,” Bruce pointed out. “I’ll just wait here for you two and get you settled in.”
Alex tossed his shirt on the leather couch and went to the chest in the corner to remove a black T-shirt to pull over his head. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by her scent on his shirt.
“Let’s go.” He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.
“Last time you picked me up,” she said.
“Last time I was in a hurry to escape attacking vampires.”
“This time I’m in a hurry to see my apartment,” she said.
“Great. You want to be picked up, then I’ll pick you up.” He lifted her in his arms.
“If I’m too heavy…,” she said.
“Shh,” he growled. “And hang on.”
The trip took a second, but it was enough for him to be aware of her breast brushing his chest and her hip pressed against his waist. Her head rested on his shoulder. His reaction was twice as intense as it had been the last time he’d traveled with her.
They arrived in the deserted alley a few doors down from her apartment building, near the Dumpster behind the Korean twenty-four-hour market. He focused his hearing on her apartment. There was lots of noise from the front of the building, but her place seemed quiet.
He took her as close as the fire escape outside her gutted apartment. The acrid smell of smoke stung his throat. His heightened senses also picked up on the smell of gasoline, charred wood, and melted plastic. “We aren’t going inside. There may still be hot spots,” he warned her.
She looked around and trembled. “It’s all gone.”
“But you’re still here. They’re just things,” he said.
“My things,” she said with despairing fury. “They were my things. My memories! My photographs!” She hit him with her clenched fist. He ducked so she whacked his shoulder instead of his face. “My mother is gone and now her things are gone, too.” She started sobbing.
“I told you this wasn’t a good idea,” he muttered even as he took her in his arms. “Seeing all this is just upsetting you. I shouldn’t have brought you here.”
She pulled away and scrubbed the tears from her face. “I’ll tell you what you shouldn’t have done. You shouldn’t have kidnapped me in the first place.”
“You wish I’d left you here for the vamps on this fire escape to take you?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he lifted her in his arms and once again took off.
Chapter Seven
When Keira opened her eyes, they were once again in the loft. And so were her things.
“My couch.” Keira ran her shaking hands over the microfiber upholstery. “My lamp.” She touched the stained glass with her fingertips. “How did you get it all here? Never mind. Why didn’t you tell me you saved some of my things? You must have arranged to get them out before the fire, right? The way you sent Bruce to get some of my clothes.” She choked back a sob. “The Swedish horse.” Her voice turned unsteady. “You saved the little wooden horse my mom got me. And the framed photo of my mom.” Tears ran down her cheeks.
Alex wiped them away with his thumb.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered back.
His hands cupped her face.
Maybe it was the emotional roller coaster she’d been on since meeting him. Maybe it was the way he made her feel safe and secure when he touched her. Or maybe it was the way her body responded to him, yearning for his caress.
Placing her hands on his chest, she felt the warmth of his body. She wanted to grab hold of him and kis
s him. She wanted to forget the danger swirling around them. She wanted to forget the sight of her home in ruins. She wanted to thank him for getting some of her belongings out in time.
He kissed her. Or maybe she kissed him. She only knew they were kissing and she was loving it. This moment had been a long time coming. The heat had been building beneath the surface from the moment she’d seen him. She’d tried to block her reaction but there was no hiding it now.
He curved his hand over her nape before sliding his fingertips into her hair and tugging her closer. She went willingly. When he licked the seam of her lips with his talented tongue she parted them to allow him entry.
Everything became hotter and faster. The shift of his hands to the small of her back and the curve of her derriere. She was pressed tightly against his hard body and felt his arousal. Her tattoo seemed to reflect the heat flickering through her.
This didn’t feel like a first kiss. This felt like a reunion of long-lost lovers who had once shared the most seductive intimacies. It wasn’t tender and exploratory. Maybe it had been for a split second before veering off into new rawly erotic territory.
Instead of being shocked, Keira responded with a wild abandon that she’d never felt before. Her tongue skirmished with his, all sexy swirls and tempting tangles. She slid her fingers though his dark hair, loving the feel of the silky strands.
Her knees were like Jell-O as she sank onto the couch. Her couch. He followed her, covering her, sliding his leg between hers. Now she could feel how much he wanted her even more than before. They were horizontal and she was on fire. He slid his hands beneath her floral top and brushed his thumbs over her satin-covered breasts. Her bra intensified his touch.
A tiny part of her brain realized things were going too fast. But the rest of her didn’t care. This felt too good. He felt too good. He tasted too good. He was too damn good, period.
Then it was over as fast as it had all begun. Swearing under his breath, Alex pushed off of her and left her spread out on the couch yearning for more.
* * *
Lynch sat at his ornate desk with his hands calmly folded before him as he faced Konrad Weissmutter, the new acting director of operations. “Explain to me again why you thought burning the target’s apartment was a brilliant idea.”
