“Plenty of skeptics—some angry, some only swore at me and told me to stop wasting their time. Par for the course I suppose.”
“I would have been one of those skeptics not so long ago and I probably would have sworn at you to boot. What’s it like, being a vampire?”
Casually, Dante strolled into the office and eased himself into the chair across from Nathan’s desk. “It takes some getting used to, especially the sun, but I’ve learned hats and gloves are a vampire’s best friend.”
“You don’t burn up in the sun?”
“Nah, just get fried nice and toasty.”
So much for what he’d seen on TV.
“How long’ve you been a vampire?” Nathan inquired while grabbing a refill of coffee. His had gone cold some time ago.
“Five months, give or take.”
“Did a vamp jump you and turn you?” Nathan took his fresh coffee to his desk.
“Nope. My brother turned me.” When Nathan’s eyes widened, Dante grinned. “He did it to save my life. I’d been attacked and was bleeding out. He turned me to keep me alive.”
“Nothing like brotherly love.” Nathan was pretty sure he wouldn’t be too happy if one of his sisters did it to him.
“There’s a history that goes with it, but trust me, what he did for me was the greatest show of love he’d displayed since our teens. So what’s your story, Nate? Do you mind if I call you Nate?”
Nathan shrugged while swallowing his sip of coffee. “I’ve been a cop for fifteen years, detective for five. Lived in Boston all my life. Been hunting the Heartless Killer for nearly a year now—”
“The what?”
“The Heartless Killer. It’s the name he was tagged with. You know the media.”
Dante shrugged in response, sipping his coffee.
“He killed my partner a few weeks ago. “
“Sorry to hear about that. Must be rough.”
Nathan set his cup down, nodding. “I found him. My partner. I’d set it up so the killer would meet me in an out-of-the-way location. I knew he couldn’t resist meeting given he’d been toying with me for weeks. My mistake was letting my guard down. I know now he had it planned and took Leo out to prove to me he always has the upper hand.”
“Losing a friend is hard enough but witnessing it is worse.”
Nathan nodded. “He wants to play with me and he thinks he’ll win.”
“Hence the reason he’s been calling you. The lieutenant filled me in. She seems very persistent and thorough. I don’t think she’ll rest until he’s caught.”
“I want this guy caught more than anyone.”
“Yeah, I can understand why. Glad to have you on board helping. We can use it right now.”
“I’ve been trying to help but the lieutenant’s a stubborn woman.”
“That she definitely seems to be.” Dante lifted his cup and drank.
“I’m just glad she’s letting me work with you all on this now. Makes things easier.”
“All around. So what was your reaction the first time you saw a vamp?”
Laughing, Nathan rubbed his bearded chin. “I thought it was a new thing for druggies. The yellow eyes, but then I saw yours, and this chick at a diner I had breakfast at and I started to wonder. Then the lieutenant took me to a club and holy shit! This guy changed into the lieutenant right before my eyes. It was the damndest thing.”
“Ah…you met Adams from The Demon’s Lair. He’s a shape shifter. We have a few of those in the city now. They’re a cagey bunch to catch.”
“I can see why. I never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. So…do you like drink from humans?” He felt like a tool asking but it had to be asked.
“Nah, mostly from the blood bank or from Basil’s stock. He’s the chief of police.”
“No shit?”
“I shit you not. Plus, I occasionally drink from my sweetie, Gypsy, but that’s more of an erotic thing than a necessity.”
“You lost me.” How could clamping your teeth onto a woman and sucking the blood out of her be erotic?
Dante shifted his legs, resting one foot on the knee of his other leg. “Vampires get off on drinking blood from their mate while having sex. Trust me when I say getting off as a vamp is a hundred times better than as a human. I’ve had both.”
Sienna cleared her throat, drawing the attention of both men as she stood in the doorway to Nathan’s office. “Oh, excuse me. I didn’t mean to interrupt your chit chat. I’ll just go back to my job of trying to catch this killer and leave the two of you to your boy time.” With a narrowed look, she turned around and left.
“I think we’ve just been chastised.”
Nathan cocked his head to the side. “You think?”
***
Obviously, she was the only one who wanted to catch this killer. Sienna stormed into her office, slamming the door behind her as she walked to her desk. She had been sure Nathan would be more studious in trying to capture this guy, but apparently she was wrong. Grabbing her car keys, ID, and cell phone, Sienna stomped back to her door. Throwing it open, she came face to face with both Nathan and Dante. She said nothing but simply glared at them.
“What did you want to talk to us about?”
Her response to Nathan was short and stern.
“It’s all right, Detective. I’ve got the case from here.” Moving around him, Sienna stormed off.
“Just hold on a second,” Nathan called out to her but she kept walking.
“Maybe we should let her cool down.”
“Good idea, Detective Vega,” she remarked, having heard him clearly even though she was several feet away. Another one of the benefits of her abilities.
Rushing up beside her, Nathan matched her stride. “What the hell is your problem?”
She stopped short, jabbing a finger at him. “I let you in because I felt sorry for you and this is how you repay me? By sitting around drinking coffee and gabbing about sex.”
Nathan’s eyes went wide, his dark lashes lifting all the way up to his dark eyebrows. “You felt sorry for me?”
“Yes, because your partner’s heart was eaten by this madman. I thought—”
“I don’t need your pity,” Nathan said through gritted teeth.
“Maybe I should have worded that differently.” Damn, he looked sexy when he was mad.
“I think you worded it just fine. Let’s get something straight, Lieutenant.” He got right in her face. “I do not need your pity. I’m a damn good cop and I have skills and knowledge you could use in this case. I’m an asset, not someone to be pitied. Got it?”
Oh, she really had put her foot in her mouth this time. “Look, I’m on edge. I haven’t been sleeping much. I just moved here and the first day I’m here I catch this case. I haven’t even had time to unpack my belongings.”
He blew out a long breath before he spoke. “I noticed.”
Her eyes darted around her to make sure no one heard that comment. To be sure, she pulled him aside and into one of the vacant offices. “About last night.”
“What about it?” he asked in a much calmer tone now.
He was just as sexy when he was calm. Which wasn’t helping her with what she was about to say. “It was a one-time deal. No more.”
One dark eyebrow lifted as he inched his way toward her. “Really?”
“Yes.” She backed up, needing to keep space between them because she knew if he got any closer she would give in to her desire and kiss him.
“Why are you breathing so heavy, Lieutenant?” he persisted, inching ever so slowly toward her.
“I’m angry,” she lied.
He smiled and made her heart speed up. “Bullshit.”
“Look, it was just sex. We both enjoyed ourselves but now you
go your way and I go mine.” Shifting, she moved to his left, ready to leave but when he grabbed her arm, stopping her, it made her pulse soar.
He turned her and she saw what was coming and once again, did nothing to stop it. What was wrong with her? Why was she so spineless when it came to men?
He yanked her against his chest, wrapped his arms around her, and covered those thick warm lips over hers. The prickle of his mustache and beard tickled her senses, making her heart thud even more. His tongue grazed her teeth as he took the kiss deeper. She was lost to him and melted into the kiss.
Sienna gripped the ends of his hair and pulled him closer. She could taste the coffee he’d had only moments earlier mixed with the intoxicating flavor that was all his own. She wanted him in the worst way, conscience be damned.
When he released her, she stood there with ravaged, swollen lips, feeling as if she had floated to the moon.
“That was not a kiss from a woman who doesn’t want more.”
Blinking rapidly, Sienna told herself to get a grip. “Just because you’re a skilled kisser doesn’t mean I’m going to ask for more.” Oh God was she a stupid woman.
His smile was slow and devious. “Actions say more than words, Lieutenant.”
She stiffened her back and got a hold of herself. “You’re an arrogant ass.”
“And you want to jump me here and now.” He laughed at her shocked expression, then folded his arms across his broad chest as he spoke. “What did you want to see me about earlier, Lieutenant?”
Arrogant was too mild a term for him. And damn him for getting her all hot and bothered. “I found a shop our boy bought his shoes in and they recognized his picture when I faxed it.”
His eyes brightened. “Yeah? Where?”
“Boston.”
“No shit? What shoe store?”
“Bennington’s. Um…there’s something else.” She debated telling him now but figured in the end he was better off knowing.
“What?”
She took a deep breath before plugging on. “He used your partner’s credit card to purchase the shoes.”
Nathan’s eyes slanted until they were dark slits of black. “That bastard,” he growled in a low dark tone.
“I was going to ask you and Detective Vega to do a search on the other victims’ credit cards to see if he’s done anything similar. I’ll take care of it.” She walked to the door, her legs a little wobbly from their kiss.
“Give me the names of the victims and I’ll do a search.”
She stopped and, turning to him, saw the hurt in his eyes. It nearly melted her heart. “I’ll take care of it,” she repeated.
“Give me the names.”
With a nod, she headed back to her office.
Chapter Sixteen
The fresh air had done a world of good for his burning eyes. Nathan volunteered to grab some food simply because his eyes had been crossing from reading data. He hated paperwork but knew it was a necessary evil in his business. Still…four hours of paperwork and computer readouts were enough to make anyone’s eyes cross.
Since the sun had gone down some time in the last four hours, Nathan kept his eyes open for any weird activity as he made his way down the block from the sub shop to the cop shop. He’d thought it was foolish to take his car when it was only a block away, but now with the darkness settling in, he was a little uneasy.
Okay, he was more than a little uneasy. He was downright freaked.
What the hell was wrong with him? He’d faced down more than one angry gunman in his day, not to mention wrestling with a few drugged-up lunatics wielding knives. He was damn sure he could manage just fine if he happened to come face to face with a vampire or some other weird creature of the night.
Looking over his shoulder, Nathan approached the front door to the cop shop and as he turned back to it, ready to pull it open, he jumped. Sienna stood on the other side, one brow lifted. Obviously she’d seen him jump.
Damn it.
“I got the food.” He held the take-out bag in the air, giving it a shake, trying to disguise his embarrassment.
“Something spook you out there?”
“No.” Laughing it off, he headed down the corridor to their offices. Like he would admit he was freaked out to her.
“You sure?” She followed right beside him.
“I’m positive.” Why couldn’t she just let it go?
“I can read your mind, you know, Nathan, and I know you were afraid there might be a vamp hanging about ready to take a chomp out of you.”
He stopped short, turned to her with a shocked expression. “You can read minds?” When she only stared at him, he blew out a long breath as he spoke. “Oh give me a break. Okay, so I was a little jittery out there. It’s not like I grew up with vamps and demons and shit. Of course they freak me out, but that gives you no right to read my mind.”
She smiled and Nathan thought how very striking she was when she relaxed. “I can’t read minds, Detective. I was pulling your leg.”
“You…” A rumbling noise came from deep within his throat. “That was not nice.”
With a sly smirk, Sienna grabbed the take-out bag and walked off.
She wasn’t going to get away with it that easily. Grabbing her arm, he swung her around and before she could utter a single syllable he closed his mouth over hers. He felt her resist and her body stiffened but it only encouraged him more. Pulling her tightly against him, he wrapped his arms around her body and took the kiss deeper. When she softened and melted into the kiss, he felt very victorious.
They were interrupted by the clearing of a throat.
Sienna broke the embrace, her eyes wide as she saw Detective Vega standing behind them with a huge smile on his face.
“Just thought I’d check to see what was taking so long with the food, but I can see what the hold-up is. Carry on.” He waved a hand at them, still smiling as he turned and headed back to their office.
Sienna rounded on him with a heated glare. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“Kiss you?”
“While on duty.” She jabbed a finger at him then smartly stomped off.
Feeling very smug, Nathan slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans and sauntered off. Yep, victory definitely was sweet.
By the time he entered the office, Sienna had taken her spot behind her desk and unwrapped her sub, Dante doing the same from his chair by her desk, still grinning.
“You two make any progress while I was gone?” Taking his sub, Nathan sat in his chair and opened his sandwich. It amused him to see the lieutenant had yet to look up at him.
“Two of the victims’ cards were used after their deaths,” Dante supplied after swallowing. “One was used to buy food and clothes. The other was used at a hotel. We sent a description of the killer to the hotel but haven’t heard back yet.”
“Probably won’t until morning,” Sienna added, wiping meatball sauce from her mouth. “We should all probably go home and get some sleep while we can.”
“Lucky for me I don’t need much sleep.” Dante grinned then bit into his chicken salad sub.
“We need to do drinks, man, I have so much I want to ask you.” Like for one, Vampires ate real food apparently and did not just drink blood. He was learning so much about vampires and none of it was what was told on TV or in books.
“The first free night we have.” Taking his sub, Dante got to his feet and headed to the door. “Catch you both later.”
“You should go home too, Detective.”
Setting the remaining half of his sub on the chair Dante had just vacated, Nathan wiped his mouth, stood and walked around her desk. “I could do that, or I could do this instead.”
She stopped him with a raised hand planted firmly on his chest. “Not a good idea.”
<
br /> “Were you reading my mind again, Lieutenant?” Nathan teased, taking her hand in his and pulling her to her feet.
“You forget I can see things before they happen. I knew you were going to do this.”
“Then you know what my next move is.”
She planted her hand on his mouth and gave his face a shove. “Yep.”
It really wasn’t fair that she could see what he was about to do, but he had ways of working around that. He was a persistent man after all. Taking her hand in his, he pulled it from his mouth and, turning it over, kissed the inside of her wrist. He felt her pulse speed up and smiled inwardly at that small victory. Then in a swift move that he hoped caught her off guard, he pulled her into his arms, dipped her back, and nibbled on her neck. “Your pulse is racing.” And she tasted glorious.
She pulled herself up and took a step back. “Stop it.”
“I don’t think you really mean that.” He pounced, pinning her to the wall and looking into her eyes, he captured her mouth. She didn’t protest, which only encouraged him to pursue it further. Grabbing her left thigh with his right hand, he skimmed his palm up and over her hip. God, leather was sexy. Slowly, he moved his palm up along her body, lightly caressing her breast before slipping his fingers into her hair.
Her tongue slipped out to tease his as he took the kiss deeper.
He ground his pelvis into her groin and her legs parted. She wanted him and there was no denying it. Their previous encounter had obviously left them both wanting more. Nathan certainly didn’t mind indulging himself and apparently neither did she.
Releasing his grip on her hair, he ran his hand along her arm, then over to her waist. Tugging her shirt free of the waistband, he slid his hand beneath the fabric to feel her quivering skin.
Her palms planted firmly on his chest right before she gave him a good shove back. He caught his breath, staring at her with bafflement. “What gives?”
“Not here.”
“Fine. My place or yours?” It could be the car for all that mattered just as long as he could get his hands on her.
Her cell phone rang and Nathan was so not happy at the interruption.
She snatched it out of her pants pocket, answering, “Lieutenant Storm. Okay, tag Detective Vega. I’m on my way.”
Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 07] Page 11
