by E A Price
Viktor scrubbed a hand over his face and groaned testily. “Fine! You can come with me.”
Alma almost gave a victory dance. “Oh, this is going to be great! You’ll see; we’re going to have so much fun!”
“No, no we won’t. We’re hunting down a vampire who probably doesn’t want to be found, and then we’re going to have to drag him back, kicking and screaming. Nothing about this will be fun.”
She nodded solemnly, hiding her inner glee. Potentially murderous vampire aside; she was going to spend time with her mate, and prove to him just how capable and brave she could be.
“Absolutely, I promise not to have fun.”
“Stop smiling!” he snapped.
“I’m sorry; I'm just pleased to be spending time with my mate.” She sniffed delicately and pursed her pretty lips. “We get so little time together, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”
Oh crap, he was screwed! He softened and drew her into his arms, kissing the tip of her pretty nose. “You’re an evil manipulator, you know that right?”
Alma snaked her arms round his waist. “Hmmm, I’m told it’s one of my better qualities.”
Viktor felt his resolve totally float away. He kissed her neck and nipped her skin playfully. “I think you have some much better qualities, which I’d like to explore, but…”
Damnit, he had to find Julian.
“Mmmm, later baby. Now, let’s go catch us a dead man!”
Chapter Eleven
Viktor growled at the heavily tattooed, and obscenely muscled, gorilla shifter bartender. They were in Plasma, a bar that catered to vampires, and one of Julian’s many favorite haunts.
Alma was studying the drinks menu, emitting outraged sounds at the prices. The bartender was leering at her, with unadulterated lust. Viktor wanted to murder him.
He swallowed his fury and forced himself to act civilly. They’d been to five other bars already, all to no avail. No one had seen, or heard anything from Julian.
Viktor cleared his throat, and reluctantly the bartender dragged his eyes away from the luscious witch. Viktor slung an arm around Alma; the gorilla wasn’t taking his subtle hints.
Viktor opened his mouth to speak, only to be elbowed sharply in the stomach. He gave Alma a light growl before plastering a smile on his face.
They’d already tried numerous hotels, the high-end hotels that Julian would go to anyway, and after making no progress they moved onto places Julian frequented. After the third bar they visited, it soon became clear that men responded much more positively to Alma than they did to Viktor. After a terse argument, it was decided that Alma would do the talking.
Viktor was all for beating the hell out of them to get information, rather than have to endure them flirting with his mate, but Alma pointed out that they were trying to stealthy. Broken bones and bruised faces were not stealthy.
Alma giggled inanely whilst unobtrusively pushing her breasts together. Viktor scented the gorilla’s arousal and quivered trying to hold himself back.
Alma sensed his discomfort and slid a hand down his back, cupping his ass. Viktor bit his tongue and dug his claws into his palms, somewhat mollified with the suggestive touch of his mate.
Alma put on her squeakiest voice. “I heard the vampire who killed those two girls, drinks here.”
The gorilla smirked. “He sure does; he comes in here all the time.”
Viktor almost barked with laughter; the gorilla was actually trying to impress her with that tidbit of information.
Alma’s eyes lit up in mock excitement. “Is he here right now?” She whipped her head around the bar, searching.
The gorilla’s smile faltered a little. “Not right now… but he might be in later. You could wait here at the bar, with me.”
Viktor growled furiously. The gorilla could see Alma was with him, and yet he was almost propositioning her. It was downright disrespectful. He should teach this shifter some damn manners!
The gorilla sneered at Viktor and drew himself up to his full height. Viktor snorted; the shifter was delusional if he thought he was any match for a vampire.
Alma quickly diffused the situation. She said goodbye to the gorilla and told him she might come back later, whilst tugging Viktor out of there.
Finally ensconced in his car, Viktor roared in fury. The insolence of the shifter was unbelievable.
Alma ignored him and inspected her make-up in the flip-down mirror. She applied a fresh coat of lipstick and made a kissing motion. “If you’ve finished with your hissy fit, where to now?”
Viktor huffed. He had to keep reminding himself what they were actually trying to do. Alma was proving to be more of a distraction than he ever would have guessed.
If he wasn’t aroused by her nearness, and desperate to push her against a wall and take her, he was furious, and raged at any man who had the nerve to ogle her. He kept forgetting that their main objective was to find Julian.
“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “Can you try scrying for him again?”
“I could, but it didn’t work the last three times, so I doubt it will work this time either.”
Alma’s magic wasn’t strong enough to find the powerful vampire.
Alma slipped out of her seat and climbed over his lap. Viktor rested his hands on her hips.
She ran her hands up and down his chest. “So, what can we do?”
“Well, no one I can ask has seen him; he hasn’t been near his favorite places; he hasn’t checked into a hotel, and we can’t use magic to find him.”
Alma laid her head on his shoulder. “Sooooo?”
“So, I have no fucking clue.”
Alma snuggled into his chest. True, they had no idea where Julian actually was, but this was really nice. Spending time together outside of her apartment was pleasant, although time together in her apartment was awfully nice too.
“Maybe we could set a trap for him? We could make him come out of hiding.”
Viktor snickered. “I doubt a pine cone slathered in peanut butter is going to do it.”
Alma huffed. “And you call yourself a bounty hunter?”
“No, generally I call myself Viktor, although I would answer to love machine.”
“Spoken like someone who can remember the ‘70’s. No, we just need to think of something that would entice him out. I mean, we’re okay, at the moment. His court date hasn’t passed yet, so he’s not technically on the run, but when it does… it’s going to be bad. What does Julian want, more than anything in the world?”
Viktor pondered that. Julian was 1000 years plus in age; there wasn’t much he hadn’t done or seen. Julian enjoyed life’s pleasures, but he had become jaded in a way that Viktor prayed he never would. What on earth did Julian want?
Viktor’s eyes flashed, and he grinned. Of course, it was the same thing Viktor wanted.
Alma nibbled his earlobe. “That was a light-bulb moment if ever I saw one. What’s the plan, dead man?”
He picked at an imaginary piece of lint on Alma’s skirt. “Nothing much, we just need to get the charges dropped against Julian and…”
“What?!” Alma sat up so quickly she banged her head on the car’s low ceiling.
She scowled at Viktor as she rubbed her head, indicating she thought that was totally his fault. “You’re not serious?”
Viktor tried to inspect her bump, but his hand was irritably slapped away. “I’m very serious. If the charges were dropped, Julian could come back, and reclaim his position on the Council. I’m fairly sure that’s the only thing that would tempt him back.”
Alma frowned at him doubtfully. “I’m not sure…”
Viktor became animated on the topic. “I know Julian didn’t do this, and he knows he didn’t do this. If we can prove it, then I’m sure he’ll stop running.”
“We’re not exactly detectives…”
Viktor harrumphed. “If Detective Leeman can do it, anyone can.”
Alma groaned theatrically; Viktor sure could hol
d a grudge. “For heaven’s sake, Viktor! We went on one date, and it was before I even met you!”
“I could care less about that,” he lied, blatantly.
“Yeah, right.” She bopped him on the nose.
“What was that for?”
Her lips twitched. “Just making sure your nose isn’t growing too much.”
“Oh ha, ha, ha! Come on! I’m telling you; the only way to get Julian back is to clear his name.”
Viktor traced his finger in circles over her hip. “Unless you want Marcus to get stuck paying that million dollar bond?”
Alma looked at him sourly. No way did she want that. Both she and Marcus had spent years building up that business; a million dollar loss wouldn’t be easy to recover. She just wasn’t sure about running around trying to solve a murder. Chasing people was one thing; solving crime was a whole other ballpark.
“No,” she admitted reluctantly. “I don’t want that.”
“Then it’s settled!”
“Aren’t you concerned about people seeing us together?” she asked him, archly. “I am your dirty little secret after all.”
Viktor let his fangs drop, and he licked his tongue over the razor sharp points suggestively. “My darling, you can be very dirty with me, but in this instance we should be okay. Although maybe we shouldn’t touch each other in public.”
“Says the vamp who just openly groped me in every single bar and hotel we’ve visited.” Alma clambered off his lap into the passenger seat, he almost whined at the loss of her warm flesh against his. “It’ll be sunrise soon; we should get going.”
Viktor grumbled as they set off. Alma stared out of the tinted windows, arms folded. She blinked when they arrived at his house.
“Aren’t you taking me home?”
Viktor groaned. “I’m sorry; I wasn’t thinking. I can…”
Alma beamed at him. “No, no, no, let’s not be too hasty. I’ve never spent the night at your place before…”
“And tonight will be no exception,” snapped Viktor, rapidly pulling away and zooming toward Alma’s apartment.
Alma sulked and threw him disagreeable looks the whole journey. On arriving, she bounded out of the car and slammed the door shut, making the frame shake ferociously. She stomped up to her apartment without a backward glance.
Unlocking the door it was to find Viktor already hovering. Damn, speedy vampire. Alma swept past him haughtily.
Viktor squared his shoulders defiantly. “My darling, I’m not going to apologize for keeping you safe. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way I am.”
She groaned and muttered the word ‘idiot.’ She marched into the bedroom and slipped out of her dress.
Viktor followed, with a puppy dog look on his face. He almost panted as she uncovered her lithe, sumptuous body. He clenched his jaw as his hard manhood strained against his pants.
“It won’t be like this forever…”
“It just feels like it,” she groused.
Alma disappeared into the bathroom, wiping away her make-up and brushing her teeth. Viktor slumped on the edge of her bed, leaning his elbows on his knees.
“I don’t think I’ve ever said it, but thank you.”
Alma leaned on the door jam, wearing an oversized t-shirt. “For what?”
Viktor leapt toward her and kneeled in front of her. “For putting up with me, for being patient with me and for loving me. These last four years have been… hard, I won’t deny that, but they were nothing compared to the hundreds of years I spent before them, waiting to meet you. I love you Alma Beulah Flores, and I thank the stars every day that you came into my life.”
Alma rubbed her lips together and blinked back tears. She gave herself a mental slap, and told herself to stop being so soppy. “I really regret telling you my middle name.”
He chuckled and ran his hands up and down her smooth legs. “And thank you, for agreeing to help me with Julian. That was a good idea, about the trap I mean.”
She preened and wiggled her hips saucily. “Thanks, I got the idea from Detective Leeman. He really is such a clever young man.”
She sniggered as Viktor growled and swiftly lifted her up and threw her on the bed. Infuriating witch.
Alma licked her lips expectantly as Viktor stripped, exposing his hard, muscled body. “My darling, when I’m finished with you, you will barely even remember your own name, never mind the name of that mangy lion.”
“Promises, promises, vampy.”
Chapter Twelve
Alma and Viktor spent the next day in bed. Viktor was somewhat annoyed at losing a whole day, but Alma wouldn’t allow him to go out in the sunshine, and besides, she did manage to find something to distract him.
After sunset, and after much umming and ahhing, they headed to the hotel where the incident took place. Hotel Jinx was one of the higher end hotels in Playa Lunar, and also the hotel Julian always stayed at when he visited. He always stayed in the penthouse suite.
Viktor strode through the lobby, pulling Alma behind him.
“Okay Sherlock, what makes you think they’ll actually allow us to go up there?” she whispered furiously. “It’s still a crime scene.”
Alma inclined her head in the direction of the two podgy and bored looking patrol officers who were standing, ostensibly guarding the private elevator to the suite.
Viktor ducked behind a pillar, dragging Alma with him. Sure that no one could see them, he took the opportunity to kiss her and run his hands down her supple body. She moaned into his mouth as her soft curves trembled.
Alma leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “Mmm, maybe we should just get a room…”
Viktor growled lowly as he scented her burgeoning arousal. They’d spent all day making love and yet it still wasn’t enough. Forever wouldn’t be enough for him, he’d always want more.
“Later, my darling. First we need to get into that suite.”
He darted glances around the lobby. The patrolmen were the only cops there. Most likely they were just there as a precaution, the cops tended to be over-cautious when it came to vampire related crime. They had probably already processed the suite, and removed the evidence they needed.
Viktor eyed the two men carefully, his sharp eyes paid attention to the lines of their body. Bingo. The keycards for the hotel were pretty bulky, and if he wasn’t mistaken, there was one in the back pocket of the older, more grizzled of the two cops. It had to be the key for the suite. Either that, or the guy had the weirdest shaped ass Viktor had ever seen.
Both cops were human, which was a bonus. They wouldn’t be able to scent that Viktor was a vampire, which might have put them a little on edge.
He turned back to an impatient looking Alma, and was slightly disappointed that her arousal had dimmed, considerably.
She tapped her foot. “So what’s the plan, Kojak?”
“They’re never going to just let us in there, so we’re not going to bother asking permission.”
Alma chewed on her lip, pretending to ponder the matter. “Perhaps I could ask Detective Leeman if we could just…”
Viktor snarled angrily. “If you mention that damn lion one more time I will murder him!”
She smirked. “Settle down, fang boy.”
“You’re just trying to annoy me, aren’t you?”
Alma fluttered her eyelashes. “I don’t have to try.”
The vampire huffed and shook his head. Damn devil woman. “I think the portly cop has the keycard…”
“Portly? You know, sometimes I forget you’re old.”
He ignored her. “I just need to pick his pocket; do you think you can distract him?”
She arched an eyebrow, a look of disbelief spread over her face. “You’re joking, right? You honestly believe I can’t entertain a couple of middle-aged men for a few minutes?”
Viktor counted to ten. “Just don’t go overboard, okay? Try to restrain yourself.”
“Ah, gee, and here I was planning on flashing both my boobs at th
em, I tell you what, I’ll only flash one.”
He pursed his lips. “Yes, you getting arrested for indecent exposure, that’s just what we need.”
Alma sniggered. “Puh-lease, they are not going to arrest me, they’d be more likely to get down on their knees and ask me to marry them.”
Over the years, Alma had been proposed to eleven times, but obviously she’d always declined. Holding out for Mr Right, even if he did turn out to be Mr Downright Infuriating at times.
Viktor tutted mockingly. “So cocky… but you’re not wrong. Okay, you go over there and dazzle the cops…”
“The portly cops,” she interrupted.
He sighed. “Yes, the portly cops, let’s just name them Wingus and Dingus. You dazzle Wingus and Dingus with your womanly wiles, and I’ll pick Wingus’ pocket.”
“And then what? Even if we get the key, they’re still guarding the elevator.”
“Let me worry about that, are you ready?”
Alma nodded and started to go when Viktor grabbed her arms. He pushed her back against the pillar and crushed his lips to hers in a satisfyingly lusty kiss. As he pulled away, she moaned in satisfaction.
He pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear and let his thumb trail down over her cheek. She shivered at feeling the coolness of his touch against her hot flesh.
“Just remember, my darling, don’t be too dazzling. I would hate to have to rip those two humans to shreds; they may have families.”
Still dazed from his kiss, Viktor pushed her out from behind the pillar with a firm pat on her behind. She whipped around to scowl at him, only to find he’d already darted across the floor, and was nonchalantly reading a copy of the Daily Lunar. Slippery vampire.
Alma took a few moments to compose herself, before sauntering over to the cops; hips swinging. They were both playing with their smart phones.
“Excuse me? I’m sorry to bother you…”
Both cops looked up, on seeing Alma they straightened and sucked in her overhanging bellies.
“Not at all,” drawled the younger of the two, Dingus. He gave her his most winning smile. “How can we be of assistance?”
