by E A Price
He steeled himself with one last longing look at her beautiful body, before quietly leaving her apartment. He carefully strolled down the street alert to the sights and sounds around him. He was certain nobody was watching him.
With every step away from her, his heart grew leaden. A growl caught in his throat. He couldn’t go on like this. Something had to be done, and soon.
Chapter Six
Alma hummed happily as she moved around the bail bond office. She pointedly ignored the other occupants who were huddled around Mia’s desk. They were reading the lead story in Playa Lunar’s second most-popular newspaper, The Daily Lunar. The most popular was basically a gossip rag that contained less than twenty percent of facts. Whilst reading, Mia gasped now and then, Carly tut-tutted, Jackson snorted and Logan sighed.
Vampires came out to humans about fifty years ago, just a little while after shifters. Recently they had been making strides for vampires to have the same rights as all other species. As well as the same punishments for law breaking. There were a number of people who thought that, as vampires were dead, they shouldn’t be allowed to vote or own property. And there were a number of vampires who believed that, as they were dead, the laws didn’t apply to them. But, mostly due to the effort of the vampire member of the Council of Supernaturals, there would soon be total equality for the undead race. Or, at least until last night, there would have been…
The Council had assembled in Playa Lunar to discuss the law that would allow vampires to vote, and to even run for office. If it passed, there was a possibility that one day there could be a vampire congressman or even a senator!
However, last night the vampire Council member, Julian Holgersson, had been arrested for double murder. Reports say that he had been found late last night passed out in his hotel suite with the naked, ravaged bodies of two prostitutes.
Mia frowned. “What would he do with two prostitutes? He’s only one man.”
“I can think of a couple of things,” muttered Jackson, earning him a whack on his arm from his mate and a slap to the back of his head from Logan.
Alma’s buzz from last night was slowly starting to fade, and now she was just getting annoyed that the four of them were gossiping instead of working.
“Any chance of getting some work done around here?” she spat at the four shifters.
Mia quickly pushed the newspaper at Logan and started typing, whilst Carly retreated to the storage room. Logan sauntered over to the waiting area couch and dropped down to reread the article. Jackson folded his arms and glowered at the witch. Asshole.
Alma deliberately ignored him as she put together a list of skips and divvied up the work. Business, thankfully, was booming, so she wouldn’t have to look at Jackson’s irritating face for much longer.
She didn’t even look up as the door the agency opened, and two of their other hunters barreled in, smiling and laughing. Adam Varma was an ex-special forces white tiger shifter, born in India but raised in Playa Lunar. He took on skips now and again, but also did some security jobs. It was best not to ask for details. Zara Benoit, like Alma, was a witch, and currently their only female hunter - soon to be one of two, if Carly got her way. But unlike Alma, Zara’s magic had Voodoo leanings, and she originally hailed from New Orleans. Except for when she remembered, her accent was pretty much gone, though.
They were both pretty friendly and seemingly easy going. They all said hello before Adam sat on Mia’s desk and winked at the little rabbit. Logan told him to leave her alone, so Adam moved onto Jackson.
Adam sniffed exaggeratedly. “You’re not surrounded by your usual cloud of cigarette smoke, did you quit?”
“Yes,” hissed Jackson impatiently.
“And what the hell is that on your face? Zara did you see that?”
Jackson gave the tiger a quizzical look whilst patting his hand over his face. “What are you talking about?”
Zara pretended to study him. “Holy crap! It was a smile!”
Jackson huffed at them. Idiots.
Adam folded his arms. “So what’s brought on these minor improvements? Near death experience? Find god?”
Zara snapped her fingers. “Twenty bucks says he has a girlfriend.”
The tiger snorted. “You’re on.”
With that, Carly screeched and ran out of the storage closet.
Jackson rushed to her. “What?!”
“It was a spider,” she muttered, whilst her skin flushed red.
Jackson chuckled before wrapping an arm round her waist. “Carly, these two boneheads are Zara and Adam. Boneheads this is Carly, my mate.”
Adam quickly took her hand. “You brave, brave woman.”
Jackson snarled furiously and ripped Carly away from the tiger. “Mine!”
Adam almost bent over laughing.
“It’s nice to meet you, and well done, you. I can honestly say that Jackson is clearly at least four percent less irritable since he met you. He’s like a whole new person!” teased Zara, before turning to Adam. “Pay up kitten.”
With a labored expression, he slapped the bill in her waiting palm.
Carly blinked. “Ummm, it’s nice to meet you both… I think.”
Alma groaned and was about to snap at them and start handing out work, when the shifters in the room grimaced. “What’s wrong with you guys now?”
Jackson stroked Carly’s hair as she turned green. “Smells like burning.”
Mia held her hand over her mouth, and Logan went over to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
The door to the agency slammed open making everyone jump. Mia shrieked and leapt into Logan’s arms as a sizzling man walked into the office. Everyone in the office was horrified, except for Alma.
Her face took on a pinched expression as she marched to the windows and tightly shut the blinds. Stupid Viktor.
Viktor wasn’t a particularly old vampire; he could last outside in the sunshine for brief periods of time, but they were absolutely agonizing and turned him into a walking inferno. The last time he tried this, Alma made him promise not to go out in the sun again. But damnit, he had completely ignored her!
At least he had the good sense to wrap up. Viktor patted out the fires on his torso before taking off his hat and unwrapping the scarf tightly bound around his head. He shrugged out of the oversized coat and smiled at the assembled company.
“Is Marcus here?” he asked smoothly.
Alma scowled at him. “Marcus!” she shrieked.
The snake shifter flew out of his office. On sniffing the air, he cocked an eyebrow at the vampire. “You in such a rush you can’t wait until nightfall?”
“Yes,” said Viktor tersely, pushing past Marcus into the snake shifter’s office.
Marcus followed him and shut the door, but not before Alma slipped into the room. She jutted her chin, daring either of them to kick her out.
Viktor sighed; it really wasn’t worth the fight. He turned to Marcus. “A friend of mine has been arrested, he needs to be bailed out.”
Alma scoffed. “Is this the vampire who’s killed two prostitutes?”
Viktor rolled his eyes and glared at her. He loved his witch, but she was so judgmental! “No, it’s my friend who has been wrongfully arrested for killing two prostitutes.” Viktor swung his gaze back to Marcus. “Please do this for him.”
Marcus looked at him dispassionately. “How much is the bond?”
“A million.”
“Dollars?!” exclaimed Alma.
“No, my darling, puppies, yes of course dollars!” snapped Viktor.
Marcus tapped a pencil against the desk. “What are the chances he’d run?”
Viktor squared his shoulders confidently. “Julian is a member of the Shifter Council, he won’t run, he has too much integrity. He’ll fight to clear his name.”
Alma muttered something lowly that both vampire and shifter pretended not to hear.
Marcus nodded. “Okay.”
Viktor gave him a toothy grin and turned
to leave.
Alma stood in front of the door, arms folded and barring the way. “If you’re going to bail him out, which I think you’re crazy to do, by the way, can’t you at least wait until nightfall?”
“She’s right,” agreed Marcus. “At least wait here until the sun sets, we’ll go and get him together.”
“No, we need to go now. I don’t want my friend sitting in jail any longer than he has to be.”
Alma gave an exaggerated eye roll. “I’m sure he’ll be fine, he’s a vampire, he probably loves being put in chains.”
Viktor huffed. “Only in the bedroom, not like this.” Julian enjoyed nothing more than a bit of bondage, but it didn’t mean they should leave him there!
“Besides, it’s daytime. He shouldn’t be out in the day.”
The vampire shrugged. “Julian’s old, he can withstand the sun.”
“But you can’t!” cried Alma.
Viktor smiled indulgently at his mate. That was the crux. She could care less about which vampire Marcus bonded out of jail; her concern was him not burning to a crisp in the process. He loved her dearly for it, but she needed to relax. It would take a lot to kill him.
The vampire rubbed his hands up her arms, making circles with his thumbs; her cool flesh soothed him. He was just a tiny bit hot after his jaunt in the sun. He pressed a gentle kiss against her annoyed, pouting lips.
“I’ll be fine, my darling,” he whispered.
Alma felt her resolve melt. It always did for him. She softened and was about to smile, when Viktor swiftly lifted her up, spun round and deposited her on the floor.
He was through the office door, and wrapping himself up in his hat and scarf before she could even let out an irritated squeal.
The occupants of the office straightened up and acted nonchalant, pretending like they weren’t all trying to listen through the reinforced door.
Alma shrieked. “Ugh! You are the biggest, most-unbelievable asshole I have ever met!”
Viktor, now resembling the invisible man, blew her a kiss before stepping out into the sweltering hot sun. Marcus followed wordlessly.
Mia wisely put her head down and threw herself into her work; the others were not so quick. Five minutes later all the bounty hunters were scrambling to get out of the agency. They had all been dismissed with fresh skips to catch, and a blast of energy for not moving quickly enough.
Alma slumped back into her desk chair heavily. It irked her that her mate was adamant they couldn’t be together because it was too dangerous for her, and yet he was dumb enough to go frolicking out in the sunshine every chance he got!
Something needed to be done…
Chapter Seven
Viktor handed the older vampire a glass of scotch. Vampires drank alcohol; it was pleasant enough, but would never make them intoxicated, and could never compare to the sweet nectar of human blood.
Viktor almost groaned, remembering the deliciousness of his mate’s blood. Had it really been less than a day since he had fed from her? It was too long. He shook his head as Julian took the glass, downing the liquid in one gulp.
In spite of the hell he had been put through, Julian, as always, looked immaculate. Julian would never admit to his real age, but Viktor gleaned he must be over one thousand. The older vampire was about five foot eight, and very slender. His pale blonde hair and light blue eyes gave him an almost angelic quality. Quite the opposite to his true nature. His appearance belied his strength and the ruthless streak he possessed. Although he was a reformed vampire, and only fed on willing donors, there had been a time when he was almost feral…
Julian regarded him coolly. “Thank you for paying the bond. I will, of course, reimburse you.”
The Council of Shifters froze his bank accounts upon learning of his arrest. A knee-jerk reaction to reassure the vampire-phobic public that they don’t condone the killing of humans.
Viktor waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it.” Julian had saved Viktor’s life on more than one occasion; it was the least he could do.
They were at Viktor’s home; a modest sized condo overlooking the beach, equipped with effective blinds for the daytime. After Marcus sorted out the bond, Viktor insisted that Julian stay with him. It seemed unlikely his hotel would welcome him back, after all the unpleasantness…
Viktor fidgeted a little under Julian’s unflinching gaze.
Julian’s lips twitched as he tried not to smile. “Aren’t you going to ask me?”
“Ask you what?” Viktor tried to look innocent, but he was far too out of practice for that.
Julian let out a melodious chuckle. “About what happened, of course.”
“Well, if you want to tell me…”
Julian leaned forward, depositing his glass on the coffee table. “Truthfully, I don’t remember much. I arrived at the hotel and checked into my suite. A couple of hours later two… young ladies appeared. I enjoyed their company for a while and then… nothing.”
“Nothing?”
Julian closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “I awoke during the day, which was unusual for me, to find the two women dead, I was covered in their blood and a number of irate police officers surrounded me, and demanded I come with them quietly. In stereotypical fashion, they offered me an easy way and a hard way, and, after I had finished laughing at them, I opted for the easy way.”
“Those girls…”
“Shameful waste, they were quite lovely, very flexible too. I don’t even recall hiring them.”
“You didn’t…”
Julian opened his eyes and smiled coldly. “Kill them? No, of that I am certain. If I had, I certainly wouldn’t have wasted so much blood. That was something a shifter or a newborn would have done. I may not remember much of that night, but I know it was not me.”
Viktor rubbed his hands together. “What about scents?”
He frowned. “Sadly I was too disoriented to take in my surroundings when I awoke, I wish I had. It would have given me some clue as to who would want to frame me.”
“You’re sure someone is trying to frame you? It couldn’t have been an accident?”
Julian chuckled hollowly. “Scratching someone’s car door is an accident. The brutal murder of two young women is something else entirely.”
Viktor grunted; he dreaded to think of how many enemies Julian had amassed over the years. “What will happen with the Council summit?”
Julian’s eyes clouded. “I believe they are already looking for my replacement. Although, I can’t imagine this debacle has done any good for vampire and human relations.”
“Won’t they have to replace you with another vampire though?”
Julian inclined his head. “Yes… but not all vampires are as keen to be given equal rights as I am. There are those who believe we should remain outside the law.”
“What do we do now?”
Julian breathed in and out deeply. An old nervous habit, as he didn’t really need to breathe. “I believe I will start by having a bath. The other men in those jails seemed to have an aversion to soap, and I’m keen to get rid of their sweaty scents.”
“I meant about the case,” snapped Viktor. How could Julian be so damned calm?!
Julian curled his lips into a smile, although it didn’t reach his cold eyes. “I would suggest, for now we allow the police to do their jobs.”
Viktor huffed. “You’ve already been arrested, they already have you for the murder. They could care less about investigating any further.”
“The Detective in charge of my case, Detective Leeman, appears to be a fair man. I believe he will be thorough. In the meantime, as a formality, I will consider hiring a defense attorney.”
Grudgingly, Viktor did admit Wyatt Leeman was conscientious. The lion shifter was hardly the brightest spark, but he was fair and diligent. Viktor wasn’t particularly keen on the lion, given that he had previously asked Alma out on a date.
“Are you sure you can trust that he’ll clear you? I mean the evidence…
we need to look into this, and we need to find out who’s…”
Julian smoothly stood up; he stared at Viktor, exerting his dominance over the younger vampire, and easily silencing him.
“I have to believe the system will work,” Julian told him in a quiet, silky voice. “If I ever hope to retrieve my position with the Council, I can’t run around playing detective, undermining the police. I have to play this by the rules.”
“But…”
“But nothing!” snarled Julian, fangs dropping and eyes flashing black. “The matter is closed. For now, I am going to have a bath and relax. I am grateful for what you have done, and for allowing me to stay here, but you need not concern yourself any further.”
Julian swept out of the room, dismissing Viktor, and leaving him spluttering.
Need not concern himself?! How on earth could Julian be so blasé about this? He had been arrested for killing two humans. No, not just murdering – ravaging. If they found him guilty, he could face execution…
Viktor was anxious as hell about this mess. In spite of Julian’s objections, there was no way that Viktor could stay out of it. He was going to help, whether the older vampire liked it or not. He just had to figure out how…
Chapter Eight
Alma flipped through the TV channels irritably. She clucked her tongue and shouted at the TV as she landed on a horror movie. An idiot young girl was running away from a psycho vampire, and she was doing all the wrong things. Come on, grab the cell phone and call for help!
With a protracted huff, she threw the remote on the coffee table; the TV flicked to a talk show. The film just reminded her of her own errant vampire anyway.
Alma checked her phone again. Nothing. She didn’t know what she was expecting really. She knew what she wanted, an apology, but she didn’t imagine that would be forthcoming. Maybe she was just dreading a phone call telling her that her idiot mate had finally managed to burn himself to a freaking crisp.
It was just so typical of their relationship. He was always so obsessed with her safety, claiming they can’t be together because it’s not safe. Always keeping her at arm’s length, just in case she might get hurt. She’d put up with it for four long freaking years, and all she ever asked in return was that he not do something downright dangerous like walking outside in the sunshine. And then, as usual, he just completely ignored her. What does he want? To be the first vampire with a suntan?!
