“I don’t…” she stammered.
“Shhhh, it’s okay, JJ,” he crooned. “I want you to go back in time to the point where you first saw me. Do you remember that?”
She nodded slowly.
“Go back, JJ, go back to when you placed your hand on your gun as you felt my presence. Go back and wipe all that has happened since from your mind,” he commanded. “Do you understand?”
Once again, she nodded.
“When I count to three, you will return to that time,” he said. “One, two, three.”
Chapter Three
Her hand secreted on the handle of her service revolver, JJ whirled, ready to fight.
“Whoa there,” the man said, stepping back into the shadows protectively. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She glanced around quickly and then met his eyes. “Where did you come from?” she asked.
“Originally or recently?” he asked, the touch of irony in his deep voice annoying her.
“Recently,” she growled.
“Sorry,” he replied, keeping his distance. “I was picking up my keys; I dropped them under my car. Didn’t mean to surprise you.”
Lifting her hand from the handle of her gun, she nodded. “No, you’re okay,” she said, apologetically. “I’ve been a little on edge lately.”
“Hey, if I had your job, I’d be on edge all the time,” he replied with a friendly smile. “And speaking of your job, I need to talk to a police officer in there.”
He nodded his head in the direction of the precinct. “Perhaps you could tell me where to find her,” he continued. “Her name is JJ Victory.”
Studying him for a moment, she tried to decide if he was lying. But there was nothing in his demeanor that convinced her he wasn’t telling the truth. “I’m Officer Victory,” she said. “How can I help you?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Lucian Andruska,” he immediately replied, feigning awkwardness. “But you’re going off duty. I don’t want to keep you.”
Shaking her head, she smiled at him. “No, it’s okay, really,” she said. “Part of the job.”
“Well, at least let me buy you a cup of coffee,” he offered. “This might sound ridiculous, but I need to talk to you about social networking.”
She had nearly turned down his invitation, but after his comment, her heart thumped in her chest and she nodded. “Yes, thanks, that would be great,” she said and nearly suggested the restaurant across the street, but realized too many prying eyes from the precinct would be there. “Where would you suggest?”
She trusts me, dammit. That was a rare commodity in his life and he knew within the next few hours it would be ripped away. But, for at least the moment, he would enjoy it.
“How about the Dunkin Donuts on Montrose and Clark?” he asked. “Would that work?”
“Perfect,” she said, recalling the brightly lit strip mall on the corner of a busy intersection. “That would be great. I’ll meet you there.”
She got in her car and noticed that he waited until she drove off before he attempted to get into his own car. “That’s a little odd,” she thought, as she pulled onto Irving Park Road and headed east towards Clark Street. “Perhaps he’s old-fashioned and thought it polite to wait.”
She turned left on Clark and rode alongside Graceland Cemetery, one hundred and nineteen acres of unique monuments, gravesites, and family mausoleums that were the final resting places for most of the founding families of Chicago. Recently, there had been some trouble at other cemeteries in the Chicagoland area, but nothing like that happened at Graceland. And although she wasn’t sure why vandals, hooligans, and muggers had decided that cemetery was off limits, she was grateful. Once she completed the half-mile drive bordered the entire way by the huge cemetery, she crossed the intersection and pulled in front of the donut shop.
Exiting her car, she noted that Lucian was already waiting for her at the entrance to the shop. He was still standing in the shadows, so she had yet to see his face clearly.
He sent her a self-depreciating smile. “I know a shortcut,” he said, opening the door for her and letting her enter first.
Chapter Four
The familiar bright white and pink interior of the shop did a lot to calm JJ’s nerves. She stepped up to the counter and he stood behind her, insisting that she place her order and find them a quiet booth where they could speak. He would wait at the counter, he told her, pick up the tab, and bring their order to the table.
Why fight it? She decided and compliantly obeyed and, without even turning to thank him, walked over to a corner booth hidden away from any other patrons, and sat down. Pulling out a notepad and pen out of her purse, she flipped the pad open to a blank page. Busy jotting down basic information, she didn’t initially look up when she heard him slide into the booth across from her.
“Do you mind if I take notes?” she asked, glancing up and finally seeing him in bright light. He was the most beautiful man she had ever met. His hair, nearly raven black, was worn slightly longer than convention. His eyes were so blue they were mesmerizing. His lips were full and sensual, and they looked...familiar.
Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she looked at him and he wondered if she was somehow remembering their encounter in the parking lot. He could still feel the imprint of her body pressed against his, taste the sweetness of her lips, and recall the lushness of her curves under his hands. He shook his head to clear the haze. What the hell is wrong with me?
He looked over and saw her close her eyes briefly and she took a deep breath, letting the air out with a shudder. He was pleased that he wasn’t the only one bothered by their attraction.
“Officer Victory. JJ, are you all right?” he asked, placing his hand lightly on top of hers.
His mere touch sent a jolt of electricity through her core and her body tightened in response. “Who are you?” she demanded.
He lifted his hand from hers slowly, cautiously, and leaned back in the booth. Studying her for a moment, he nodded slowly. “What do you remember?” he asked.
“You,” she breathed harshly. “And me. Together.”
Amazed that she could recall the incident, even though he had hypnotized her, he shook his head. “You have an inner strength the likes of which I have never encountered before,” he replied admiringly, holding her gaze.
“Cut the crap,” she spat. “What the hell kind of date rape drug did you give me and how did you administer it?”
His lips curved in a half-smile. “Date rape drug?” he asked, one eyebrow lifting slightly. “I can assure you I have no need for such things.”
“No,” she argued. “Then how do you explain my reaction to you. How do you explain…”
She stopped and stared at him, her eyes widening. “In the parking lot,” she whispered. “You held me in the parking lot. You touched me. And then you told me to forget. What are you, some cheap hypnotist looking to cop a feel?”
“I can assure you, I am no cheap hypnotist,” he said, his face flushing with anger. “And my intentions were purely honorable.”
“Is that why you tried to make me forget them?” she asked, sliding towards the edge of the seat. “You’re nothing but a low grade pervert and if I see you around the station again, I will have the immense pleasure of kicking your ass into the holding cell and charging you with sexual harassment.”
Something was wrong. This wasn’t how she was supposed to act. She was supposed to be eager for his kisses, ripe for his arms, and solely, passionately in love with him. He had to do something or he would lose her. She moved to stand, but he grabbed her arm. “I know about the girls,” he whispered urgently, “The ones who sent you friend requests.”
She jumped forward, pulled her gun out of her holster, and pointed it at him. “You murderous son-of-a-bitch,” she yelled. “You killed them.”
This is not going the way I planned, Lucian thought desperately, as he faced down JJ’s gun. “Listen, Officer Victory, you have this all wrong,” he said softly, slowly
raising his hands up. “I want to help you.”
“Oh, sure, I just bet you do,” she responded. “What? You want to make a friend request out of me too?”
“No, I want to prevent someone else making a friend request out of you,” he answered. “But you’ve got to trust me.”
“This from the man who tried to seduce me in a parking lot and then tried to make me forget it?” she replied. “Sorry, buddy, that train has left the station.”
“I didn’t try to seduce you,” he said, his voice soft and seductive. “I did seduce you. And you would have let me do anything to you, if I had wanted to take advantage of the situation.”
“You do realize I have a gun pointed at you,” she snapped. “I would be real careful about what you say and how you say it.”
“I only want to help…” he began, but stopped when he saw JJ turn from him and stare out the windows towards the parking lot.
“That’s Friend Number Two,” she cried, stuffing her gun into its holster and dashing toward the back exit.
“Wait,” Lucian called, running after her. “You don’t understand.”
Chapter Five
Running out into the parking lot, JJ quickly scanned the area. She saw “Friend Number Two” heading towards the entrance of Graceland Cemetery. For the life of her, JJ couldn’t remember the girl’s name, but she would never forget her face. She jogged to the curb and looked both ways before she crossed the busy intersection. She was about a half mile from the girl when she decided to call out to her, “Stop, police!”
The girl looked quickly over her shoulder and JJ could swear she saw the beginnings of a smile on her face, and then the girl dashed forward. JJ started to sprint, but her arm was caught and she was spun around.
“What the hell?” she screamed, staring at Lucian. “What do you mean by interrupting a police pursuit?”
“She’s not what she seems,” he said. “It’s a trap.”
Adrenaline and anger were coursing through her veins now. She really wanted to punch someone. “Okay, tell me,” she shouted. “What the hell is she?”
“She’s a vampire,” he yelled back. “Just like me.”
She stepped away from him and nodded slowly. “Okay. Wow. Well that explains a lot,” she said in a placating voice. “Thank you for your help. So, now, you just go on back to your, um, coffin, and I’ll chase after the other vampire. But, don’t worry; I’ve got a stake strapped to my shin in case I need it.”
“I’m not crazy,” he said, insulted by her attitude.
“Of course not,” she said quickly. “But, really, I can handle this.”
With an oath, he dashed towards her with lightning speed, pulled her into his arms, and jumped into the air, landing them both on the other side of Graceland’s ten and a half foot wall in the midst of the gravestones, shadows, and shrubbery.
JJ jumped back out of his arms. “How the hell did you do that?” she asked.
“I just told you,” he replied evenly. “I’m a vampire. Now do you believe me?”
She shook her head. “No, I am so not buying that,” she said. “Are you on steroids or something?”
Lucian stepped closer and JJ fought the sexual pull. “Okay, let’s just compromise,” he said. “I’ll tell you my crazy vampire theory and if you don’t find an inkling of truth in my statements, I will help you find Friend Number Two and I’ll walk away.”
Folding her arms across her chest, JJ nodded and said, “Okay, Luc, give it your best shot.”
“That’s Lucian,” he insisted.
“Whatever.” She shrugged. “Go for it.”
“All of the girls whose photos you received had one thing in common,” he said. “Small puncture wounds at the base of their necks. You can confirm that by using your smart phone.”
JJ pulled out her phone and accessed the photos. She enlarged them and, sure enough, realized he was right. They all had the same mark in the same place.
“How did you know about these photos?” she asked. “How did you get access to my private page?”
“You left your computer on at the station tonight,” he said. “I knew you were distressed and I wanted to help.”
“You broke into a police station?” she asked. “Okay, now I know you’re nuts.”
“The reason you can’t find bodies is because there are no bodies,” he insisted, ignoring her last statement. “These girls haven’t been killed, they’ve been turned, and, for some reason, someone wants to make damn sure you know about it.”
“Turned? You mean like from human into vampire?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes, exactly so.”
“And is that what you were trying to do to me?” she asked. “In the parking lot. Were you trying to turn me?”
He stopped speaking for a moment, considering her question. Generally, when he was pursuing a human female, the climax of the encounter was made even sweeter with a sample of her blood. He hadn’t turned anyone in centuries and, even when he bit down in the midst of lovemaking, his companion was so under his spell, she never felt any discomfort. But, with JJ, he suddenly realized, there was no blood lust. There was only desire; mind-numbing, all-consuming desire.
Lifting his eyes to meet hers, he slowly shook his head. “No,” he said, surprise and a little fear in his voice. “No, there was no blood lust involved with you. I was just drawn to you. Drawn with an attraction that was beyond my control.”
“You’re lying,” she whispered, her eyes wide and anxious, her heart thrumming in response to her answer.
“I almost wish I were,” he replied softly, stepping closer and cupping her face in his hands. “It would certainly simplify things.”
“Lucian,” JJ sighed, as he kissed her jawbone. “We can’t do this now. We need…I need…”
“Tell me, darling,” he groaned as he continued to kiss her. “Tell me what you need.”
“You need to get a room,” said a female’s voice from behind them. “But not before we have a little fun with your new girlfriend.”
Chapter Six
Lucian’s ardor cooled immediately when he realized JJ was in danger. Turning, he pushed JJ protectively behind him. “What do you want, Isabon?” he spat at the goth-attired vampire standing on top of the monument near them.
Taking a few deep breaths, JJ gained enough composure to move from behind Lucian to confront the woman who interrupted them. “Getting your cheap thrills for the night, are you?” she asked, shaking her head at the woman. “Living vicariously through others must be so lonely.”
Isabon hissed at JJ, her long white canine teeth reflecting in the moonlight.
“Well, damn,” JJ whispered to Lucian. “Is she a real…”
“Yeah, she’s a vampire,” he replied. “A very angry vampire.”
Suddenly, six other female vampires came out from behind them and grabbed hold of Lucian. JJ recognized them all immediately; the women from the friend requests. They had been turned.
Lucian fought to break free, but they held him tight. “Run, JJ,” he yelled. “Get the hell out of here.”
Before JJ could move, Isabon jumped down from the twelve-foot-high monument and landed in front of the couple; her black patent leather stiletto boots leaving no marks on the ground. She was dressed in black leather leggings, a long black tunic, and a red-laced corset, pulled tight to reveal her voluptuous figure. Her breasts nearly spilled out of the top of the corset and on her left breast was a small tattoo that looked like an Egyptian hieroglyphic.
Isabon noticed JJ’s interest and smiled. “It’s Egyptian for awakening,” she said. “That is, of course, if it was my tattoo you were staring at. If not, I’m sure Lucian wouldn’t mind sharing you.”
JJ looked squarely into the eyes of the vampire. “Yeah, well, I just don’t swing that way,” she said. “And if I did, honey, you would not be my type.”
Isabon glared at her. “You don’t seem to grasp the danger you are in,” she said, walking up to JJ and grabbing her j
aw in her hand. “Graceland is my territory, my kingdom, and I am building my kingdom in order to eventually take over Chicago.”
JJ felt like her jaw was being crushed, but she knew the worst thing she could do was show fear. Isabon was no different from any other street punk or drug dealer that she had dealt with as a cop. She was a bully, and when you showed fear, you lost.
“That explains why we haven’t had the problems at Graceland with vagrants as the other cemeteries have,” she said. “You’ve been making Happy Meals out of the creeps. You know, you are what you eat.”
Incensed, Isabon lifted her hand and swung it across JJ’s face. JJ flew backwards, landing against the brick wall in a crumpled pile.
“You killed her,” Lucian shouted, trying to pull away from his captors. “You bitch, you killed her.”
Isabon shrugged. “Well, we don’t know if she’s dead yet,” she said, walking over to Lucian and stroking her fingernails down his cheek. “Besides, it’s all your fault anyway. You were supposed to be mine. We were supposed to rule together. I saw how obsessed you became with that mortal, stalking her like a rutting buck. So, I started sending her my recruitment posters. I knew she would investigate. And I knew you would bring her to me.”
She moved in even closer, her mouth inches from his. “She’s nothing but an appetizer, Lucian,” she coaxed, rubbing her hands slowly up and down his chest. “Come, let’s feast on her together and turn her into a pet. Then we can both play with her.”
Lucian stopped struggling and leaned forward, crushing Isabon’s mouth with his own. “Yes, my love,” he said, trailing open-mouthed kisses over her face. “Release me and we will see to the human.”
Isabon stepped back and looked into Lucian’s eyes. “You liar,” she screamed, slapping him with all her might. “You think to play me? You think I don’t know you still have feelings for her? Well your falsehood has just sealed her death.”
“No, Isabon,” he begged. “Release her and I will be your willing lover.”
Vampires Romance to Rippers an Anthology of Tasty Stories Page 20
