She needed to steer the conversation back to the investigation. “I know you own Berserker, but are there any other businesses you own?”
“Quite a few, but I don’t see how this all ties in to this investigation.”
Christine finished jotting down her notes. “Maybe nothing or maybe everything. I don’t know. The only thing I do know is that this case will be solved come hell or high water. Now, where were you prior to the discovery?”
Drake’s steel gray eyes smoldered and smoked with lust, that much she knew. Under different circumstances, she might have given into that hunger but not now.
“I danced with you, Detective McCall. Before that, I was in my office going over some things with one of my minor partners.”
“So you normally don’t socialize with the crowd?”
Drake shook his blond head and sighed. “Not usually. I work best at night, so I normally stay in my office.”
“What prompted you to come out?”
Drake shrugged his broad shoulders. Christine couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles flexed beneath his white shirt. Instantly, the pang to reach out and touch the sleekly smooth muscled planes of his body overwhelmed her. She took a deep breath. “I don’t know. Stretch my legs, I guess, and see what was going on in the club. Something like that.”
“Who are your minor partners?” She didn’t want to get that far into his business, but she didn’t have a choice at this point. David’s murder had to be solved, and she’d do everything necessary to come to that end.
“I’d rather not say.”
“Indulge me.”
“I don’t want to drag them into this because they’ve got nothing to do with it. They own a very minor interest in my club. I am the majority owner.”
She scowled. “Are you refusing to tell us?”
“Yes.”
“Lay off, Christine,” Lou ordered. “He’s not under suspicion and was kind enough to come down and answer a few questions for us.”
She whirled about and glared at Lou. “I’m asking the questions, and I’ll ask the ones I deem appropriate.”
“Don’t ask anymore. You’re finished.” Lou rose and looked to Drake. “Mr. Haaken, you can go now. Thank you so much for coming down and speaking with us.”
Drake stood and shook Lou’s hand. “It was my pleasure.” He turned to Christine and gave her smile that would weaken even the strongest nun’s resolve. “I do hope to see more of you.”
“If I have any more questions, I’ll contact you. Do you have a number I can reach you?”
Drake reached into his jeans pocket and extracted a business card. “Here’s all my information.” He reached over and plucked a pen from Lou’s pen holder. He scribbled some numbers on the back. “This is my personal home number and my cell number. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t give that info out because I’ve had trouble in the past with stalkers.”
“Of course.”
He picked up her hand and kissed it once more. “Jeg vil være venter til deres ringe , meg skjønnheten.”
With his strange words hanging in the air, Drake spun on his heel and left the office with a soft whistle on his lips.
Lou turned and looked at her. “What did he say?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll find out.”
* * * *
The computer screen, flicked on with an iridescent light and glowed, bathing the room in a ghostly glow as she plowed the Internet for the meaning of Drake’s words. She didn’t like them and their potential meaning. She tried every online translator possible, but nothing came up. What in the hell did he mean?
She stood and stretched. Walking over to the window of her apartment, she stared at the night world outside. Rain drizzled, making the pavement appear wet and slippery. People moved about with slow regularity as though they had nowhere to go.
Idly, she thought of Drake. Since she couldn’t find the meaning of his words online, why not just call and ask him? She glanced at her watch. Almost eleven on a Friday night. More than likely, he’d be at his club working.
Back and forth, she debated in her mind about whether or not to call him. She didn’t want him to think that she wanted him despite the fact part of her wanted to touch him and to see if he felt as soft as he looked. The only thing she found disturbing about him was the fact his skin felt so cold all the time. Even when he kissed her hand in Lou’s office, his digits were chilly as well.
Maybe he has a thyroid condition. She knew some people from the past with those sorts of problems who were always cold.
Christine walked over and picked her cell phone up from the desk. She vacillated about whether she should call him until her fingers made the decision for her. Picking up his card, she punched in his home number. She let it ring three times and hung up. She dialed his cell. It rang once, and she nearly hung up when an ultra sexy voice said, “Hello, Christine.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “How did you know it was me?”
“Intuition, plus I have caller ID on my phone.”
“Oh,” she said quickly. “Well, I do have a few questions for you.”
“Good. Meet me at the club in an hour.”
“I didn’t mean tonight.”
“Yes, you did. I’ll see you an hour.”
A distinct click indicated that he’d hung up, disabling her ability to protest. Damn the arrogant man! She stalked to her bedroom and rummaged through her closet to find something to wear. Deciding on a conservative outfit of jeans and a sweater, Christine pulled her hair back into a clip and applied a little makeup. She threw on a pair of old boots to complete her outfit. If she was lucky, they wouldn’t let her in and she wouldn’t have to face that sexy, blond hunk of a man.
She left her apartment and sped down to Berserker. Just as she exited her car, a young man appeared at her side. “Mr. Haaken sent me out here to park your car for you.”
“I didn’t know he offered valet service.”
“He doesn’t except for his special guests.” He extracted the keys from her hand. “Go up to the bouncer and tell him your name. Mr. Haaken doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
She frowned and whipped her badge out of her purse. “I’m a cop, and if you try to steal my car, I’ll have in jail so long you’ll be old and gray before you get out. “
The man grinned. “I work for Mr. Haaken, and I don’t steal, lady. I’m doing what I’m told and nothing more. Now go in because as I said before, Mr. Haaken doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
The man jumped behind the wheel of her Mustang and roared off. Her fists clenched, but there was nothing she could about it now. She was at Drake’s mercy for the moment.
Christine marched up to the bouncer, past the long line of people waiting into get inside of the club. “Get in line,” the heavyset black bouncer barked and directed toward the end of the line. “You won’t get in, lady.”
“I’m Christine McCall. Mr. Haaken is waiting for me.”
The dark man squinted then smiled, showing the whitest teeth she’d ever seen on anyone. He rummaged through the clipboard in his hand, checking sheaves of paper. “Oh, yeah, here you are. He’s waitin’ for ya. Go on in.”
She walked in, ignoring the calls and jeers from the restrained revelers outside. The club pulsated with the same strange beats of techno music like the night she’d been here when David had been attacked. Beams of strobe light danced, reflecting on the bodies lolling on the couches in various states of undress. Anxious, she looked around. Where was Drake?
“He’s waiting for you in his office,” a soft feminine voice said strangely over the music.
She turned to see a diminutive redhead standing next to her. The girl toted a tray and the strangest-looking outfit consisting of a rubber bra and skirt complemented by garters and fishnet stockings. The girl tottering in the six-inch platform heels couldn’t have been more than eighteen. “Follow me.”
Christine walked behind the waitress to a hallway. Dim light lit t
he floor and guided her way there. A lonely door hovered at the end. “Go inside. He’s waiting.”
She placed her hand on the chilly knob and hesitated. Why was she here? To investigate David’s death or some other reason? She pushed open the door.
Low lamps glowed and lightly illuminated the dark walls covered with strange shields and swords. An empty hand-carved cherry-wood desk stood in the corner, large and imposing. She blinked hard. Where was he?
“I’m right here,” Drake said from the shadows. “I’ve been waiting.”
She wanted to melt at the mere sound of his hypnotic voice, but she remained firm. “Thank you for seeing me.”
He stepped out of the darkness and into the light. Pale hair framed his face, giving him an angelic look. Black silk covered his magnificent upper body while black leather pants clung to his lower half like a second skin. He still wore his black boots except these had silver tips. “Of course. Anything to accommodate a beautiful woman. Do sit down.”
With nowhere else left to go, Christine slid onto the black leather couch near the window. Her heart hammered and caused the blood to beat in her temples. “Thank you, Mr. Haaken.”
He scowled. “I’m not going to speak to you if don’t call me by my first name. You seem to have forgotten your first lesson.”
His words carried a dominant tone, arousing her curiosity as well as her body. “I’m so sorry. I just keep forgetting.”
Drake’s hard mask fell. “No need to be formal around me.” He sank down onto the couch next to her and casually laid his arm across the back so his fingers were within touching distance of her. “What questions do you have for me?”
Christine drew a blank. She’d thought of so many questions on the way down here, she wasn’t sure if she’d have time to ask them all. Now she couldn’t think of one. “Umm, well, what you said to me this morning in Lou’s office. What language was it?”
He laughed softly. “It’s my native Norwegian.”
“Oh, I wasn’t sure where you were from. Your accent is barely detectable.”
“That’s because I’ve spent so much time here in the U.S. and very little in Norway for the last few years.” He moved closer. “Any other questions?”
“What exactly did you say to me?”
He lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips gently, his tongue lapping at her soft pads. She uttered a slight gasp.
“I told you that I’d be waiting for your call, my beauty.”
Her nipples burned beneath her sweater, aching for his touch. They tingled from root to tip, the edges of her areola puckering. “Um, yeah, okay, well, we need to get down to business.”
Drake edged closer. “Of course we should.” His gaze switched to her hair. “This doesn’t suit you at all.”
He reached back and undid the clip holding her hair. Soft curls tumbled down her back in a wild free fall. Reaching out, he ran his fingers through the loose strands.
“That’s better. Hair that’s always upswept or short doesn’t do a woman justice.”
His cologne overwhelmed her, and she closed her eyes against the assault on her senses. Why did he have to be so sexy?
Chapter Three
“Open your eyes, Christine,” Drake commanded in a soft yet stern tone, inviting her to obey. “You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. I can see the terror in your eyes.”
She looked away and turned her attention to the coffee table in front of the couch. Magazines of different natures covered it. “I didn’t know you had a varied interest.”
Drake cupped her chin and brought her back to face the storminess of his eyes. “Don’t change the subject. Tell me why you’re afraid of me.”
“As I’ve stated before, I’m not afraid of anyone. I’m a cop, tough as nails. I’ve brought down guys bigger than you.”
He touched the side of her face and offered his observation. “But I think there’s a scared little girl inside of you that longs to find a man to take care of her and protect her.”
She leaped to her feet. His keen insight into her thoughts made her feel extremely creepy. “I think this has gone far enough. I want to ask you a few questions then leave.”
“Sit down.”
Those two words drove her body down on the couch again, well beyond her control. What hold did he have over her?”
“No more questions,” he murmured and leaned in close so that his lips were inches from hers. “Just relax and enjoy.”
Drake’s mouth brushed against hers in a soft, feathery kiss. She was taken aback at the wonderful feel of his face being this close to hers. Tenderly, he traced the outside line of her lips with his tongue and then swept to the middle, where he silently begged for entry. Christine allowed him in to explore her mouth. Dear God, this feels like the dream from the other night.
“Lean back,” he murmured against her mouth, and she obeyed his command again, unable to resist his words.
Drake placed his body on hers, solid and well muscled, taking great pains not to strain her with his weight. His mouth moved in ways she’d never dreamed of. Back and forth, their tongues dueled for favor, dancing to a tune only they could hear.
Drake slipped his tongue from her mouth to the curve of her neck just below her ear, then nibbled and teased the flesh there. She gasped as newfound feelings of wanton desire surged through her veins. Even with Jason, she’d never been this turned on before.
He pulled her sweater up and caressed her belly in small circles. Her skin broke out in gooseflesh, and her stomach tensed at the feel of the coldness of his hands. She trembled against him.
His hands moved a bit more and slid underneath her lacy bra. Her nipples turned to marble as he took the ripening buds between his forefinger and thumb and applied the right amount of pressure. He tugged a bit, adding a bit of pain to the pleasure he was eliciting.
She gasped at the feel only to have his mouth come down on hers again, taking her for another wild ride of a kiss.
He broke their kiss for a moment and gave her a sexy smile. He looked down to the mounds of breasts in his hand. Licking his lips, he dove for the right peak. He rolled the nipple around his mouth and nibbled, flicked, and sucked.
Christine arched and, grasping the back of his head, shoved more of her breast into his mouth. Oh, she wanted more, so much more. She was ready to fuck him at this point, despite her reservations.
Drake switched his attention to the neglected left breast, making sure his free hand took care of the right.
His blond hair fell around her chest like a pale curtain, hiding his ministrations.
She groaned a bit more and pushed further against him. His hard cock dug into her leg and tempted her far beyond what she should be.
“Hey, Drake—whoops, I’ll come back later. I see you’re busy,” a man in the doorway offered, which was followed by the quick slam of the door.
She jumped. The sound had broken her veil of desire, and she quickly pushed away and drew her sweater and bra down.
Drake drew back with a confused look on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, except someone just walked in on us.”
“That was just Nicholas. It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before.”
She leaped to her feet. Shock and outrage, not directed at him but at herself for allowing him to do this, tripled inside. She could barely breathe. “I’m not another one of your conquests, Mr. Haaken, and I never will be. I’m a cop first and foremost.”
“Drake.”
“I’m not going to call you by your first name anymore because we’re going to keep this on a professional level.”
He stood in a slow fashion to his full height and towered over her. His gray eyes glinted like the steel of her .357 Magnum. “Make no mistake, woman. I’ll have you. When and where will be up for debate, but it will happen.”
“You really are full of yourself, aren’t you?”
Drake gripped her s
houlders and drew her close, bending down so he was eye to eye with her. “You’ll be full of me before it’s over, Christine. Until then, if you should ever need any help from me for any reason, including this investigation you’re determined to conduct, let me know.”
Christine straightened her clothes, which made her feel like a naughty schoolgirl who’d just had her first kiss-and-grope session on her parents’ couch. “I will be in touch,” she said brusquely and left the office, hurrying down the hallway to the exit. The faster she got out of here the better.
* * * *
Drake sank down on the couch and leaned back. Damn Nicholas for ruining a perfectly beautiful moment.
The door opened a crack. “Is it safe to come in?”
“Sure, Nicholas. Come in.”
Nicholas stepped in, followed by their chosen leader, Raphael Chamberlin.
“When did you get in, Raph?”
“A few days ago. Liz got tired of traipsing around the pyramids in Giza, so we decided to come home early.” He flopped onto the couch. “I’m tired. She had me digging during the day and making love all night. I swear she can be a nympho sometimes. I can barely keep up.”
Drake laughed. “After about five hundred years, you’ve learned to pace yourself. Liz is still a young vampire and hasn’t learned that yet.”
“True.” Raphael leaned his head back. “Speaking of nymphos, Nicholas said we interrupted your little session here. Sorry about that.”
“No big deal,” Drake said, lying. It was a huge deal, but he wasn’t about to let the others know. Thankfully, he’d been able to lax his cock before they returned. The less anyone knew about his emotions, the better. “What’s going on?”
“Just a few business deals, plus there’s been a few rumblings coming from Zakara’s camp.”
Drake lifted an eyebrow. “Such as the killings lately. One of her rogue vampire or vampires is going about making messes for her to clean up and when she does, she makes new followers, including the woman’s partner.”
He leaned his head back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. “I thought we would hold her with the last containment spell.”
Ranson, Tracy L. - Prince of Darkness [Bloodborn 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 4
