He stood very still below a fire escape as he stared upward.
Curious, she stepped in next to him and raised her gaze. “What are we looking at?”
As a reply, he grunted, shrugged his shoulders and wandered out to the street. Victor halted as though he were searching for something.
Baffled, by this new bizarre behavior, she walked over to stand next to him again. “What is it, Payne?”
“Just cop's intuition.”
“About...?”
“Just a gut feeling, Sweet Valentine.” He moved to the car.
She glared at him as she marched over to the car. “You have to stop with the cutesy nickname!”
Unlocking the car door, he reached in to pop the lock to hers. “I will, as soon as I get a real name from you.”
“A real name?”
“Yeah, you know a first name or a real nickname?” He shrugged his shoulders. “But until then...?”
“What is it with this name game?” She opened her door and got in. “And it’s Detective Valentine, Lieutenant Payne!”
The amused Lieutenant started the Mustang and tore out into the road, whipping the car up to a stoplight as it jerked with a huge lurch.
“What the hell is your God Damn hurry?” The dismayed female detective gripped the dashboard for all it was worth.
Victor ignored her and kept driving while he ripped through side streets and up alleys, the car spinning sideways and back. He grinned and kept his gaze on the street. “I'm hungry and I tend to turn into a beast if I don’t satisfy a craving.” He swerved the car up through another street and came to screeching halt. “Yep, she stops on the dime!” His booming voice rose with pride.
Valentine pried her white knuckles from the dashboard and puffed at a stray strand of hair that had fallen over her flushed face.
He rolled the window down and reached into his jacket pocket. He lifted a small cigar, snapped his gold Zippo open, and lit it.
“What are we doing here?” She looked around to see he’d parked in a back alley.
“I told you already.” He puffed on his cigar.
Valentine spotted an odd-looking man walking up to the driver's side. “We’ve got company.” She drew her hand to her inside holster.
“It's just Tookey,” Payne scoffed. “So, just keep your itchy fire power in your sweet pants, okay?”
Gasping at the rude insult, she opened her mouth to tell him just where he could stick his vulgarity as the Asian man stepped closer to the car, lifted a brown sack and grinned. Valentine shut her mouth and watched him.
Payne reached into his pocket and took out a twenty.
Tookey grimaced. “No Yen, Vic.” He bowed toward the car door. “After you save my girl?” The old man shook his grey head at him.
“How is Yoo?” Victor grabbed the brown sack.
“She well and cranky like always.” The old man gave him a huge toothless smile.
Payne nodded at him and patted his hand.
Tookey backed away with aplomb, bowed formally, and made his way back down the alley.
Valentine observed the entire odd exchange in a mystified silence. “A fan of yours, I presume?”
Setting the bag on the seat, he started the car, tearing his way out of the alley. “Sure, I’m a local hero, didn’t you know?” Victor sped the car along another side street, the muscle car's tail end lurching as he drove around a pile of unknown garbage. Finally slowing the powerful beast of a car, he traveled over a hill and the vehicle dipped along a dirt road, which seemed to appear out of nowhere.
A dirt road in LA? Valentine looked all around.
Victor halted the car in front of a small house.
Dust wafted in through the window and hit her in the nostrils she drew her head back and sneezed loudly.
“Yeah, good old-fashioned dirt.” He grabbed the bag from the seat and shut the door.
She sniffled and sneezed again, remaining in the seat while she reached down into her jacket for a tissue.
Appearing at her window, he leaned in. “Here you go.” He handed her a tissue.
She jumped, as she never heard him approach.
“You really need to start paying attention!” He climbed the steps to the house. “Coming?” he called back.
Valentine knew she currently suffered from extreme aggravation and it grew more intense by the moment. This new partner could possibly make her blow her cool completely. With his dangerously fast driving, along with the stupid one-liners, thinking he was a swaggering TV cop or something! And the disrespect of using cutesy female nicknames? She opened the car door and shut it, gazing up at the house. I’m getting more than fed up. She halted and studied the house, struck by its outdated character. It looked—quaint, odd? She shook her head. Like an old granny’s house?
“Get your sweet little Valentine ass in here!” he bellowed from the open doorway.
Valentine experienced true rage, while she stormed her way up the steps. Things are gonna change in this little partnership. I’m not going to take this shit! She halted at the unexpected sight and her jaw dropped.
The front room overflowed with antiques. An old grandfather clock stood by the front entry and oil paintings adorned every mauve painted wall. An oversized red leather couch sat in front of a vintage looking fireplace.
Valentine blinked her stunned eyes as she stared. Persian rugs, old Tiffany lamps and little figurines lined many knick-knack shelves.
“Are you done?” he quipped from the doorway of the kitchen.
“How on earth?”
“I’m a collector.” He folded his arms over his wide chest.
“And I’m amazed.” Her startled attention focused on a Monet painting. “Is...?”
“Yep, authentic as all of the rest here. You just never know about someone, I guess.” His dark brow arched with his quiet statement and he went into the kitchen.
She followed, and then stopped in her tracks while hit by another startling revelation.
The kitchen gleamed at her with a striking image, all black appliances and brass fixtures within red brick walls. An impressive bar ran through the middle of the room and comfy high-back leather stools lined the unique wood hewn counter, its length adorned with a brass bar. A bright, vast bay window let in the Californian sunlight as it overflowed with herb plants and flowers.
Victor sat at the long elegant bar. “Pull up a stool and get ready for a slice of oriental heaven.” He took various items from the brown bag “
Hesitant, she carefully sat and gawked around at the marvelously inventive kitchen. “Chinese food?”
“Not just any Chinese food.” He dished out noodles and various sides.
The aroma from it was magnificent, and she did feel hungry.
“Eat up!” He handed her the chopsticks.
Taking the sticks from him, she shook her head a slight smile on her lips.
With a smooth skill, he used the chops and began to eat.
She dipped the sticks and twirled the noodles into her mouth. “Mmm,” she moaned at the flavor.
“See?” He nodded as he took another bite.
They ate in a comfortable contented silence for several minutes.
“Wine?” he offered.
She nodded while she tasted the best chicken she’d ever known.
He poured some dark liquid into a long stemmed crystal glass.
Valentine took a sip. “Nice flavor.” She swallowed with appreciation and sat the glass on the counter.
“Yeah, people can surprise you.” He drank his wine down.
“Mmm?” She chewed her food and swallowed. “What?”
“You never thought a brute like me would have some taste and a little class.”
Valentine broke out into a wide grin. Yeah, you got that right, Mister Brute! She remained mute though while she set her sticks down and took another sip of wine.
“And I never thought a prissy clean cop like you would be a liar, a thief and a God Dammed fraud.” His eyes na
rrowed at her.
She spluttered and spit out her wine. “What?”
Victor dotted her chin with a napkin. “And a messy slob, as well.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” She pushed his hand away.
“Come on and just tell me.”
She shook her head at him with puzzlement.
He leaned in close. “I can personally guarantee you won't like my interrogation methods.”
Valentine gasped. “Are you are threatening me, Lieutenant?”
“Threatening, Detective?” He tilted his head at her. “Now, that’s a strong accusation.” He reached out, grasped her shirtfront with one hand, and lifted her entirely away from the stool. “It can’t really be simply threatening, if I make good on it.” He raised her up high with one hand.
“What the fuck?” She gaped down at him.
Victor winked up at her. “Yes, you just never know.” He laughed and it echoed around the kitchen like a thousand hissing snakes. His eyes glowed at her with a gold sheen while his skin marbled and gleamed under the low light. He rose in stature and grew before her bewildered gaze, his glowing angry gaze now meeting with hers. “Get ready for Payne, 101!”
CHAPTER TWO
Valentine drew in a stunned breath while she hung in the air. “What the fuck are you?”
“I've wondered the same about you,” he growled at her.
In defense, she reached for her holster and found her gun missing.
Victor raised the weapon while crushing it like a wad of paper in his hand. “It wouldn’t have helped anyway.” He dropped the twisted forty-five to the floor.
Flinching when she heard it hit the floor, she tried to loosen his steel-like grip.
“I want for us to do this nice.” He yanked her to his chest. “So, you need to just tell me.”
Valentine jerked her fist back and slammed him in the stomach. She met with iron-ridged abs and winced with an agonizing gasp. She shook her hand as it throbbed with a smarting.
“Now that wasn’t very nice.” His echoing voice hummed through her.
Squirming wildly in his grip, she attempted to swing her body back to get a good swift kick in as he raised them entirely away from the floor. Valentine froze and gaped down while the floor receded.
“Just answer,” he urged.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her alarmed gaze remained riveted to the floor below.
“In your pocket!” He grasped her hand. “Bring it out.”
Valentine dug into her pocket for the balled up napkin. She raised it and the earring fell out.
Victor opened his palm, caught it and closed his fist. “Do you just have a weak spot for jewelry or what?” He looked into her eyes. “Funny...you don’t wear any though.”
Valentine turned her head away, a determined pout on her lips.
“I can see nice isn’t going to cut it,” he whispered to her ear and her whole body trembled in his grasp
Victor stilled and seemed to breathe in her scent. He swung her away and gazed into her deep blue eyes. “If only you were...” He floated them down to the floor.
She lowered her face. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that line before.”
Her gaze rose to his.
He appeared normal again.
“So, you’re a super hero or something?”
“Something, might be a better description.” He laughed with a scoffing. “A Superhero!”
“Well, you’re obviously not human.”
“If I were completely beast, you would be...” He stood closer and leaned in, his lips next to hers. “Fucked.”
Valentine shivered, but held still.
Victor grabbed her again. “And, I mean thoroughly fucked.” His warm lips touched hers and he kissed her.
A tremor of heat bolted through her. She immediately loved the taste of his lips, drawn to the exhilarating warmth from those steel-like arms embracing her. He could really kiss! Valentine surprised herself as she looped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
Abruptly, he let go and stepped away.
Stunned, she stumbled back, her fingers rising to her tender lips.
“But thankfully, I’m human enough to resist the temptation.” He turned to the bar.
Valentine experienced relief and disappointment at the same time as she touched her lips and still experienced the heat from his body. She aimlessly drifted in a haze of something she couldn’t identify.
“So, we seem to have a small dilemma here.” He stared at her.
“Uh?” Valentine shook her head to clear away the odd fogged effect. She turned away to hide the startling fact that her hands literally shook as she sat on the leather stool. “I don't know where to start.”
Victor watched her closely as he calmly sat next to her, reached for the wine bottle and poured it into her glass. “Oh, I don't know?” He filled his glass. “The truth would be my first choice.”
A flash of sudden anger grazed her as she realized she looked extremely guilty of suspicious activities, and her brazen behavior when he kissed her nudged at her like stinging needle pricks. “Oh, yeah?” She took a bitter sip of her wine. “So, how come you live a complete lie then?”
“What?”
“You heard me. All those collars and the legend?” She downed her wine in an effort to bolster her courage. “All in a regular cop's world?” She batted her lashes at him. “With an unfair advantage of having super powers or something.”
His eyes blazed at her. “Oh, I see. That’s certainly a pointed accusation, isn’t it? Lying and possibly cheating my fellow officers by having an advantage over the common, lowly criminal?” Victor clicked his tongue with depreciation. “Coming from a supposed cop who takes evidence, hides information about the killer and isn’t who she says she is?” He batted his eyelashes back at her and downed his own drink.
Valentine stood from the stool. “I’m going home now.”
He grabbed her wrist. “Nope.”
“You let go, you...” Her eyes met his.
“Go ahead and finish the description.” His eyes glowed at her.
She swallowed. “Just let go of me.”
Victor leaned in close. “You and I are now real buddies.”
“What does that mean?”
“We’ll be living together for a few days, at least.” He let go of her.
“What?”
“Do you honestly think I’ll just turn my back while you’re fucking with this entire case?” He shook his head.
“I am not!”
Victor casually poured more wine. “Tampering with evidence, threatening a witness, assuming a false identity?” He let out a cold laugh. “You probably aren’t even a real cop.”
“Not a...” The accusations astounded her. “Well, I’m sure the Los Angeles police force would be mighty interested in a freak cop!”
“So, go and tell them!”
She swallowed her retort.
“Yeah, that's what I fucking thought. You would go straight to Psyche!” He stepped off the stool. “Ooh, my partner is a gargoyle, everybody!” He pitched his voice high while he dramatically waved his hands around like a scared girl.
Valentine gaped at him. “A gargoyle?”
“Yeah, what the hell did you think I was?” He sat back down.
“I don't know...I never—”
“So, back to the old dilemma.”
Her gaze remained blank.
Victor snapped his fingers in her face. “Hello?”
Bewildered, Valentine didn’t know what to think or do. The man is a gargoyle?
“So you know the truth about me and now?” he prompted.
“I really can't explain it.”
“Well, you’d better give it a try. Take a seat.” He raised the glass. “And start talking.”
“I just reacted when I saw it.”
He patted the stool.
Valentine released a resigned breath
and got up onto the stool.
Grinning, he handed her a shot glass.
Still slow to thought and actions, she peered down at it.
“Whisky.”
Tipping it back, she downed the scalding tangy liquid.
“The old truth modulator!” He tapped another shot into her glass.
“The truth is, I don't know why. The earring seemed so familiar, and the club?” She recklessly downed the whiskey again and slammed the glass on the bar.
“Just gut responses?”
“Yes, and that’s the truth. “She met his gaze.
“Oh no, missy, we’re not even close.” He dispensed yet another shot for her.
Valentine tilted the tumbler up with a lopsided smile. “At least I feel better now.” She knocked it back and shivered as the hot drink went down.
“So, what about this Tiffany stripper?” He looked intense again.
“Never saw her before.”
“She knew you,” he challenged.
“I know.”
Payne lifted the nearly empty bottle and streamed an additional shot of the dark, heady truth serum into her glass.
“It‘s happened before,” she whispered.
He poured the last shot for himself and tipped it back.
“There seems to be someone out there who looks exactly like me.”
Victor swallowed the whiskey with a grimace. “A doppelganger?”
“A what?”
“A person unknown, who’s your perfect double,” he explained with a shrug.
“I think I’m gonna need counseling after this case is done. Gargoyles, dopple-thingys and what's next?” Her anxious gaze swung around the room. “You don’t happen to have any leprechauns hidden in the closet, do you?”
“You'd be surprised.” He winked at her and gave her a friendly nudge with his shoulder. “So, do you think the earring is hers?”
She wrinkled her brow. “Hers?”
“You know the double?”
“Nope, I have the exact same pair,” she answered.
“You do?”
“And, I have both earrings at my apartment.” She nodded.
He sat silent for a long moment.
“I can prove it to you!” She hiccupped.
His gaze swung over at the hiccup sound.
Valentine gave him a brilliant smile and raised her fingers to his face. “You know you’re a really nice guy underneath the big jerk face, pig act.” Her giggle rippled in the room.
Voracious Vixens, 13 Novels of Sexy Horror and Hot Paranormal Romance Page 195
