Nightwalker

by Rhonda L. Print

  I glared back at him, rolled my eyes and gave up. His movements were all fluid and grace and I couldn’t help but admire the way his body looked and felt as it slid against mine. The DJ kept the crowd moving for the next few songs. The crowded dance floor thinned a little as a soft, sultry song played. Ian pressed his body to mine to move slowly with the beat of the music. He lowered his head and nuzzled my neck, every nerve ending in my body pulsating with need. I leaned into him and slid my hands up the back of his shoulders until our bodies melded together, gently swaying as we kissed. The song ended and Ian turned and walked us back through the crowd and down the hallway to his office. Once we were inside his office he turned so that my back was pressed against the wall as his mouth closed over mine. “You’re a hell of a dancer,” I breathed against him.

  “You seem to bring out the best in me.”

  A light knock on the door interrupted us. “Not now.” Ian groaned against my lips.

  “Sorry sir,” Bear interrupted, “there is a situation that needs your attention.”

  Ian sucked on my bottom lip as he slowly released me.

  He left me in the office with a promise to return shortly. I sat on the sofa, leaned back and closed my eyes. Moments later the door opened. “Miss me already?” I teased.

  “I haven’t even met you yet.” A soft, provocative voice filled the room.

  My eyes flew open to see a tall, willowy woman before me. She wore a short red dress like a second skin. Her waist-length auburn hair fell down her back like a veil. “My name is Carolyn.” She motioned toward a younger woman standing behind her holding a drink tray. “This is Shia.”

  “Hi!” Shia beamed. “Ian thought you might want this.” She handed me a tall fruity drink with pineapples and cherries set in a small red skewer.

  “Thanks.” I took the glass and drank deeply. “This is really good.”

  “It’s a house specialty.” Shia bounced excitedly.

  Carolyn flashed her a glance that took the smile off her face and silenced her, then she let her eyes trail me from head to foot, assessing me. “So,” she crooned, “Ian has decided to play with a mortal for a while.” The jealousy flowing off her was so thick her aura was green.

  I set my glass on the table and stood. I gave her the same measuring look that she gave me. “I’d say it’s more we’re playing with each other.”

  Shia stifled a chuckle.

  “I can see why he would find you,” she pursed her lips, “amusing.”

  “Oh yeah, I’m funny as hell,” I countered. “Exactly who the fuck are you?”

  “I,” she smoothed her hands down her dress, “am Ian’s associate. His right hand, so to speak.”

  “Good for you.”

  “You are an insolent little thing aren’t you?”

  “I’ve been called worse.” I smiled widely. “I’m sure you have, too.”

  She clenched her fists so tight her hands were shaking and glared at me.

  I glared right back at her.

  “Uh, Carolyn, er, I don’t think Ian would be very happy if you…”

  Carolyn turned all that controlled fury on Shia. “When I want you to speak, I’ll tell you. Until then…”

  Ian walked in the door, surveyed the room and spoke quietly. I could see the tension working in his jaw. “Carolyn, a word please.”

  Carolyn’s head jerked up and she obediently followed Ian out of the office.

  Shia let out a breath so large her whole body deflated. She smoothed her hair back then smiled. “Don’t mind Carolyn, she’s been trying to get her claws into Ian for decades. She doesn’t take rejection well.” She laughed nervously.

  “Why does he keep her around if she’s such a pain in the ass?”

  “Something about a pact, neither one of them speak of it often.” She tilted her head. “I like you. You make Ian happy. I’ve never seen him dance before. Hell, I rarely see him smile at all. Well, gotta go.” With that she turned on her heel and headed out as Ian and Carolyn came back in.

  Ian walked behind me and wrapped me in a possessive hug. He leaned his head down and whispered “sorry” into my ear. “That is not how I would have had you two meet, I’m sure Carolyn regrets that she may have upset you.”

  “She didn’t upset me at all, Ian. We were just getting to know each other.”

  He laughed. Carolyn glared. My phone rang.

  “Excuse me.” I flipped open my cell. “Wolfe here.”

  “Wolfe, its Ramírez. How fast can you get to the old gold mine in Creek Canyon?”

  “Twenty minutes, what’s up?”

  Ramírez’s breath seemed to be coming in short gasps. “There’s another one, it’s bad.”

  I cringed. If Ramírez was shaken up then I didn’t want to think about how “bad” it really was.

  “On my way.” I hung up and turned to Ian. “Sorry, I’ve got to go.”

  “I understand, my love, duty calls.”

  I leaned up to kiss him, more intensely than I normally would have with an audience, but hey, she’d pissed me off. I turned to leave, flashed Carolyn a nod and a smile; then strode past her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Another victim; another sleepless night. I arrived at the scene and was greeted by Joaquín. His long black hair hung loose and the wind played with the wisps of it as it blew across his permanently tanned skin and dark eyes. His masculine and undeniably male features were cautious as he watched me approach. He was wearing black jeans that covered his long, muscular legs, and despite the chilly night air, a thin grey T-shirt that fit snugly over the expanse of his chest and arms. Not long ago I would have stepped into those arms for a long embrace before greeting death once again. Today, I strode past him, intent on not looking too closely at the man I once loved.

  “Hey, Leah,” he called after me, keeping pace with my steps. “No hello, no kiss my ass, anything?”

  I stopped to face him. “Fine, kiss my ass, Joaquín.” I raised one eyebrow. “Better?”

  I turned on my heel and continued toward Wilson. He wore the same clothes I’d seen him in earlier, dark circles rimmed his eyes and I knew this string of murders was taking its toll on him.

  “The victim is just inside the mine. A couple of hikers stumbled across it.”

  I started toward the mine, well lit by the spotlights the uniforms had brought in, when Wilson grabbed my arm. “It’s … bad, Leah. Be prepared.”

  I’d heard that a hundred times before and still didn’t quite know how you should prepare yourself to see violent death up close and personal. I took one step into the mine and had to turn away. I swallowed convulsively to keep the bile from coming up my throat. I flipped on my voice recorder, pulled on a pair of gloves, and turned back into the cave. “Victim lying across a boulder, arms and legs restrained.” I turned to Wilson. “Hell, is it male or female?”

  He shook his head with a haunted look tormenting his face. “We don’t know.”

  I took a deep breath, not a good idea when you’re standing over a dead body. Blood and all kinds of other bodily fluids were pungent in the small damp cavern. I swallowed again and willed my stomach to unclench. I spoke into my voice recorder; “Victim wounded beyond recognition, sex unknown. Multiple tissue damage.” I stooped down closer to the body. “Internal organs missing.” I glanced around the cave. It still held the remnants of giant wood beams that framed the entrance to the mine. It smelled dry and dusty like it had been untouched for decades.

  “I called you in as soon as I saw the markings.” Wilson motioned toward the runes painted on the walls.

  I moved around the boulder, careful not to step in what remained of the victim. “Hey Wilson,” I called, “was anything removed from here?”

  “Nothing, we were waiting for you to remove the body.”

  “Where are the clothes?”

  He lifted his head up. His eyes did a slow surveillance of the abandoned mine. “The body was found like this. Ramírez,” he called. “Was anything taken out of
here?”

  “No sir, I instructed the uniforms to cordon off the area and leave everything untouched.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Wilson muttered. “Another shapeshifter?”

  I nodded.

  “We’ll need the autopsy results ASAP,” Wilson called to Ramírez.

  I walked around the cave searching for its soul while Wilson and Ramírez finished their reports. It wasn’t there. Strange.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Two days later I attended Sebastian’s funeral in the pouring rain, Alli and Wilson at my side.

  A priest conducted mass at the head of the casket. We were the only four people who stood while the ashes of Sebastian McAllister were lowered into the ground. I had known him for years and could not have told you his last name. The morgue must have dug up some records on him. Perhaps he had a police record, I didn’t know.

  I’d received a call from the priest the day before informing me that an anonymous donor had paid for the funeral arrangements for Sebastian. If he knew who it was, he wouldn’t tell me. I was, however, grateful. It seemed wrong to just die and not leave a mark on the world. No holy ground to lie eternally in, no headstone to mark your name. Someone had seen fit to give Sebastian a proper burial. Who knows, maybe he helped out a gang leader at some point and he felt compelled to return the favor. A gang banger with a conscience, go figure.

  I didn’t have much of an appetite after the funeral so I left Alli and Wilson at a local diner and headed home. A small barrel cactus in a beautiful cobalt blue ceramic pot sat on my front porch. I opened the card taped to the pot advertising Southwest Floral Deliveries. Jess had sent it. She had wanted to come to the funeral but I’d insisted she stay home with Oscar, out of the rain. She sent a cactus instead. The card read that she knew I’d never keep a plant requiring attention alive so she went with the cactus. She knew me too well.

  I opened the door, carefully lifted the pot, and carried it into the living room. I set it on the coffee table and locked the door behind me. I’d taken two steps away from the door when the doorbell rang. I jumped, my hand automatically reaching for my gun. I checked the peephole and laughed to myself at the huge spray of flowers being held by a teenage delivery boy. I holstered the gun and unlocked the door. I took the bouquet and tipped the delivery boy generously. The crystal vase was overflowing with yellow roses intermingled with baby’s breath. The card had only “My Love” written on the outside and “Ian” on the inside. I buried my face in the delicate rose petals and inhaled deeply. I’m sure there was the stupid grin on my face that all women get when surprised with flowers. The phone rang.

  “Hello?” God, even my voice sounded sickeningly happy.

  “If I have timed my call correctly, you have already received my delivery.” Ian’s voice flowed over me.

  “You have impeccable timing.” I hoisted myself to sit on the kitchen counter. “The flowers are gorgeous, thank you.”

  “It is good to hear the smile in your voice again. Did the roses put it there?”

  “They did brighten my day.”

  “Then I must send them more often. You sounded so despondent when I spoke to you last.”

  “No, I’m just confused. Someone paid for Sebastian’s funeral. Whoever it was didn’t go to the funeral, though. It was only Wilson, Alli and myself.”

  “That’s a good thing, right? It is not right to leave life without some marker of your presence in it.” He sounded sad, distant.

  “No, it’s not. Something is bothering you. What is it?”

  “Nothing. I am only concerned for you.”

  I turned away from the burst of sun that flashed in my eyes from the kitchen window. I realized it was daytime and jumped down off the counter to check the time. “Holy shit, Ian, it’s barely four o’clock in the afternoon, aren’t you supposed to be—I don’t know…” I thought furiously. I mean, Dracula never came out in the day. “The sun, how…?”

  “I assure you that I am far hidden from the sun. Are you worried about my safety?”

  I thought about that for a minute. “I guess I am,” I said softly.

  “You are the mortal one, my love. It is I who must worry about you.”

  “Your pretty damn presumptuous with the ‘my love’ stuff.”

  “I have no desire to hide my feelings from you.”

  I rolled my eyes. He couldn’t see it but it made me feel better. “I have so many questions, Ian. I don’t know where to begin.”

  “Come to my home once the sun has set. We will talk and I will try to answer your questions.

  “I will send Bear and Mouse to drive you here.”

  “No … no, I will drive myself. I prefer not to put myself in a position where I don’t have my own car.”

  “I know you have had trouble, I will come for you myself.”

  “I can take care of myself. I’ll see you tonight.” I hung up before he could protest.

  I changed into my jogging pants, a T-shirt and running shoes. I had neglected my workout the past couple of days. October was cool enough to run during the day. Much of the year I jogged in the evening, after the sun set and the heat of the day dissipated. I set my pace and jogged my usual route down the gravel road. An occasional lizard ran out of my path as I made my way the two miles to the end of the path. Once there, I turned and headed back. Running cleared the cobwebs from my head. I could feel the endorphins coursing through me.

  I was damn sure going to learn more about the immortal world tonight with Ian and, admittedly, I was anxious to see him again. I downed a bottle of water, showered and dressed in a lavender silk blouse and dark blue jeans. The cut of the blouse exposed a long line down to my breasts, the jeans fit snugly over the curves of my ass, thighs and legs where the hem landed at the top of my black, suede shoes. I was back in my truck as the sun began to set behind the mountains.

  The huge orange orb nestled itself between the mountain peaks, leaving the sky a clear deep blue with streaks of red and orange coloring the wisps of clouds above them. I never, ever, got tired of looking at the majesty of the mountains and they really did turn purple in the twilight of evening.

  The entrance to Ian’s house was gated. A rustic wire fence stretched out into the desert. Gargoyle statues stood as sentries flanking either side of the gate that opened as I arrived. The statues were carved with the heads of large dogs, only more ferocious than any dogs I’d ever seen. They had the bodies of humans. It kind of freaked me out.

  The driveway rose up the mountainside and curved and I was sure that in the light of day each curve revealed another stunning view. The house was illuminated only by the moon rising behind it. It had been built into the side of the mountain on a plateau edged by the remaining peaks. I parked my truck to the side of the drive. Call me cautious, but I didn’t want my car to be blocked in. Ian reached my door before I could open it. I hadn’t seen, heard or felt him.

  Not good.

  He opened the door and offered me his hand. I stepped out of the truck and offered him my left hand, keeping my gun hand free, and gave a low whistle as I looked around me. I hadn’t paid any attention to the area the first time I’d been here.

  “Spectacular,” I breathed, for it was truly breathtaking.

  A mountain rose above me in each direction and we were nestled in the valley created by the surrounding peaks. The house itself was framed by the summit behind it, the tallest of the peaks. Moonlight made the house appear to glow. I didn’t even try to hide the awed expression on my face.

  Ian stood with my hand in his, his dimples peeking out as the corners of his mouth twitched into a grin.

  “Come, I’ll give you the tour.” He led me into the courtyard. A giant saguaro graced one corner. A small statue of a gargoyle lay under it. The mixture of the cactus, statue and lighting cast eerie shadows on the wall. This gargoyle was in the design of a standing bear, claws and teeth bared. It was creepier than the two gargoyles at the front gate. I looked at Ian, my eyebrows raised in question.r />
  “Gargoyles have been used for centuries to ward off evil spirits. I have an affinity for the creatures.”

  Oh. Okay. I nodded and let my gaze wander around the courtyard. A small seating area was on the opposite side with a center walkway to the doors. Towering carved-wood doors opened before us. The foyer welcomed us into a large space surrounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling windows framing the evening desert landscape. The moon rose above the mountains casting brilliant light onto the desert below. Cacti glittered in the light shining from the moon. It was a breathtaking view.

  A seating area with two overstuffed tan sofas facing each other and separated by a square dark-wood table accented the moon shining brightly in the windows before them. Soft, brightly colored pillows covered a settee on one side. A heavy mahogany bar with bronze accents settled in one corner of the room. It held several bottles of wine and crystal stemware in various designs. Intricate carvings on the bar gave it a hand-made Spanish appeal. Native American art adorned the walls.

  I realized that Ian still held my left hand. Not so good to let myself be distracted. I let my hand drop to my side. “You have a lovely home. The view is magnificent. I wasn’t expecting such large windows. They must let in a lot of light. How, exactly do you manage?”

  “Always straight-forward, I do find that quality in you attractive.”

  “Not many do.” I motioned toward the windows. “So the sun thing, is that just a myth?”

  One side of his face lifted into a smile just crooked enough to show one dimple in the side of his pale cheek. “No, the sun’s danger to us is very real. I have other accommodations for the daytime.”

  A picture of coffins and damp dungeons formed in my mind. I chased them away. I needed to get answers, not just for the case, but for my own knowledge. “Where?”

  “Can I get you a drink before I satisfy your curiosities?”

  “Sure, wine would be great.” I settled myself on the sofa and admired the view of Ian as he uncorked a bottle of wine with ease. While my heart may have decided it had had enough abuse for one lifetime, my hormones wanted satisfaction. Ian definitely looked like a man who could provide that.