by Mary Abshire
She moved the pole around to the other side of the table he’d been laying on. Zale shook his head to clear his thoughts. What was he doing staring at her body when he should be helping her? He felt like a shmuck.
As she climbed on the gurney, he moved closer and hoped she wouldn’t notice his erection had stiffened. He grabbed the tweezers, held them over the bowl, and doused alcohol over them. He poured more of the clear fluid over several pads of gauze. After she finished pushing the needle into her vein, she leaned back.
He wiped her shoulder where one of the bullets had hit her.
“You don’t have to sterilize anything. I can’t get an infection,” she said.
“Oh, makes sense.” If he’d been thinking straight he would’ve known that. He dropped the pad beside her.
“If you’re not up to this, you can call for a nurse. Someone will hear you.”
He put his hand near her injury. Her icy skin soothed his hot palm.
“I can do this. I’ll take good care of you. Now, don’t move,” he said.
He squeezed the instrument before he inserted it into the slit. Blood seeped out. She closed her eyes.
“Am I hurting you?” he asked.
“No. The light is hurting my eyes and making my head hurt more.”
Once he found the bullet, he gripped it with the tweezers and then pulled it out. He dropped the shell in the bowl nearby.
“Have you been shot before?” he asked before he moved to the next hole. It was above one of her breasts.
“Many times. Stabbed too. Both recently, in fact.”
“Really?” The idea of her being hurt so severely troubled him. Sure, she was immortal, but she wasn’t indestructible. He would know since he’d destroyed bad vamps.
Staring at her chest, he debated how he wanted to touch her without seeming to intimate. Given the spot of the injury, he had no other choice other than to put his hand on her tit. So he did.
She opened her eyes. “Your hand is warm.”
Staying focused even though his erection had twitched, he inserted the tweezers. “Does my heat bother you?”
“Not at all. I love feeling heat from a man.” She closed her eyes.
She piqued his curiosity. He recalled she’d said she didn’t have a boyfriend. He understood the reasoning since he didn’t have a girlfriend either and stayed busy with his job. But he still wondered if she had someone special in her life.
He removed the bullet carefully and then tossed it in the bowl. “You mentioned earlier you didn’t have a boyfriend. What about a lover?”
“No, I don’t have one. I had a donor who was an occasional lover for me, but that’s it.”
He wiped an area under her breast so he could see the hole better. “So, you haven’t been dating anyone?”
“No. Too busy.”
“No one special to keep you warm at night?” He placed his hand on her ribs.
“Nope. Relationships get too complicated and emotional.”
He dug into her flesh. Blood oozed from the opening. Once he reached the bullet, he extracted it.
“You sound as if you’ve been in a relationship and it went terribly wrong,” he said as he dropped the casing in with the others.
She chuckled. “You could say that.”
He placed her hand on the other side of her ribs. “So what happened?”
“A little over a century ago, I was in love with a human. We spent many years together. He’d said he loved me and wanted to spend eternity with me. He was a good man. But I couldn’t give him what he wanted.”
“What, immortality?” he asked as he withdrew another bullet.
“Yeah. I came home one night and demons attacked me. He stood and watched until I knocked them out. A demon had possessed him too. He stabbed me and I beat him to a point where I could exorcise him. But when I tried…” She paused and swallowed. “I couldn’t get the demon out.”
Zale removed another bullet. “What does that mean when you can’t exorcise a demon?”
“It means he sold his soul and became a servant to Satan. When a person gives up his or her soul, it can jump into other bodies with the aid of a master as long as the host is alive. It’s a form of immortality, but it can only be done with help from a master. And the only way to destroy the servant is to kill the human. Exorcism won’t work.”
“Am I to understand your boyfriend sold his soul because you wouldn’t change him?”
“Since I refused him, he’d taken another route.”
Zale shook his head. “Unbelievable. Did you kill him?”
“No, I couldn’t. I still saw him as a man with a loving heart.”
“You let him go?”
“I knew he couldn’t get far. I’d broken several of his bones. On top of that, the DS would hunt him down.”
“I can see how a relationship like that might sway you to steer clear from others.”
“The heartache of what he did consumed me for a long time. I vowed to myself I would never fall in love again. My job is important to me, so I focus on it.”
Zale steadied his hand as he slid another slug from her body. “I realize the importance of our jobs. Believe me, I do. But it’s good to have someone to take the edge off sometimes. You’re a beautiful woman. There’s nothing wrong with sating your desires every now and then.”
She grinned. “Is that what helps you?”
He tossed the seventh casing into the bowl and straightened. “Sex is a great way to relieve stress. Now, if you’ll turn over, I’ll get the other two bullets.”
She stopped the drip from the blood bag before she removed the needle. Then she rolled over, making soft grunts in the process.
“Are you in pain?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine.” She rested her head sideways on her arms.
Zale’s heart jumped as he stared at her butt cheeks. He had a great excuse for touching her ass, except he wanted to do more than that.
“Do you have a lover you go to for relieving your stress?” she asked, bringing him back to reality.
“No. If I meet someone and she’s interested, we take it from there.”
He put his hand on her back to remove the slug above her waist first.
“Have you ever fallen in love?”
“No. Like you, I focus on work. Don’t move.”
“So you go out and pick up a woman at different times?”
“Yep.”
“What about the desire to produce offspring?”
“I honestly don’t think about it. I know most werewolves want to breed, but I’m happy with what I do. I’m not opposed to love. I just never met the right woman. And for werewolves, the right woman would be my mate.”
Zale wouldn’t mind spending his life with one special lady. In fact, he looked forward to loving and caring for the right gal. But she’d have to understand how important his job was to him. She’d have to be willing to share him with his work.
He tossed the slug into the bowl before he moved down to her rear. Swallowing, he put his hand on her butt cheek. He fought the desire to squeeze it. “By the way, you have an exquisite ass. Don’t move.”
Sweat trickled down the side of his face and his neck as he steadied his hands. He slipped the tweezers into the hole. As soon as he finished, he needed to get away from her. She tempted him too much, especially with his hand so close to the most private spot on her body. Bent over as he removed the bullet, he could smell her arousal. Not only did it strengthen his hard-on, it urged him to satisfy both their desires. He had a feeling she’d let him, but now was not the time or the place. She needed to heal.
“Your heart is beating faster,” she said.
He dropped the shell and tweezers in the red liquid. “Where’s the nearest bathroom?” He walked around the table to get his shoes and pants.
She turned over and then sat upright. “Are you okay?”
“I need to clean up.” He pulled
up his underwear and jeans with his back to her.
“Zale, maybe we should—“
“Clean up. Great idea. Tell me where to go.” He slid his feet into his shoes. His heart sped. All he could think about was claiming her right then and there. He wanted to hold her, press his mouth to hers, and sink into her moist depths.
“I think we should talk. You’re excited.”
As if he didn’t know. He could hear and feel his body’s response to her. Raking his hands through his hair, he twisted to face her. “Just tell me where I can go or I’ll find a place myself.”
“Outside the door, turn right. Go down the hall and ask one of the agents to take you to a bathroom.”
“Be back soon,” he said as he headed for the exit.
He hoped he hadn’t offended her in any way, but he had to get away to calm down. Too much was at stake and he didn’t want to ruin anything by acting on his desire. He needed a clear head so he could focus. But damn, she was everything in a woman he longed for and more. And he didn’t care about her being a vampire.
Their attraction to each other couldn’t be denied. Keeping their desires in check while they worked together would be a challenge. Somehow, he’d have to be strong and resist his yearnings. The boner in his pants disagreed.
He inhaled a deep breath as he reached the door. Although he’d love to screw Anna, he didn’t want to screw up their partnership. Could life be any more complicated?
Chapter Nine
Anna relaxed on the gurney with her eyes closed while the heating blanket warmed her legs. Intravenous lines extended from the veins in her arms to blood bags on each side of her. Although her thirst remained strong, she felt better. Her headache had lessened some, but a nagging worry kept it alive. She had a strong attraction to Zale and she didn’t want to jeopardize their partnership. Worse yet, she didn’t want her emotions to distract her from their jobs.
“Your wounds look better already,” Eddie said as he wiped a warm cloth over her abdomen. “He did a good job removing the bullets. The holes have already closed.”
She opened her eyes to find the thin nurse wringing the rag over a bowl at her side. “Thank you for cleaning me up again.”
The brown hair blue-eyed vamp grinned. “I recommend avoiding guns and knives for a while. They’re not your friends.”
“Duly noted. At least I didn’t lose as much blood.”
“Thank you,” Zale said, stealing her attention.
The shirtless werewolf entered the room. The slight grin on his face quickly turned into a frown upon seeing Eddie. Glaring at the nurse, Zale strode toward her.
“Everything okay?” she asked as he came to stand at her side. “You’ve been gone for over an hour.”
“Yeah, I needed to freshen up.” He surveyed her body. “Your injuries have sealed.”
Eddie placed the warm cloth on her shoulder. A low rumble formed in Zale’s throat. The sound grew as the nurse cleansed her skin. The nurse moved the rag lower to her breast. Zale snatched Eddie’s wrist as quick as an alligator catching its meal.
“Zale!” she snapped and he let go of Eddie.
The nurse backed away, dropping the wet cloth. His wide eyes reflected his fear.
Zale lowered his head and rubbed his eyes while he held his palm up, the same one he’d used to grab Eddie with. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know… Sorry.”
“Could you excuse us for a bit, Eddie?”
“Are you sure?” Eddie asked hesitantly.
“He’s with the UoJ. He’s not going to hurt me. In fact, he saved me from taking a bullet to the head.”
Zale brought his hand down over his face and beard as he lifted his head. “I’m so sorry, Eddie.”
The nurse met her gaze again. “If you can get him a shirt before you go, that would be great.”
Eddie left her sight, but she heard his steps behind her.
“I’m sorry,” Zale whispered as he shook his head.
She took hold of his hand and squeezed it. “Relax, it’s been a trying night.”
The fast beat of his heart seemed to calm as she held his hand. His quick move had surprised her, but she didn’t she believe for a second he intended to harm her. If anything, she suspected he wanted to protect her.
“Large okay?” Eddie asked as he handed the shirt to Zale from a safe distance.
“Thank you,” Zale said as he let go of her hand. He took the top from Eddie.
Eddie walked around the other side of her gurney. “I’ll be in the break room.”
Zale unfolded the shirt. He glanced over his shoulder at Eddie, walking toward the exit. “I’m not making a good impression tonight.”
“You scared him, but he’ll be fine.”
“I don’t know what came over me. I don’t respond like that.”
She slowly sat up. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Your boss came to talk to me while I was cleaning up. I told him what happened. That’s part of the reason why I was gone so long.”
Palms flat on the gurney, Anna stared at his solid six-pack abs while he slid his arms into the sleeves and then pulled the gray top down. It fit snug and highlighted the muscles in chest as well as his biceps.
“What did Aziel say?” she asked.
“He asked me to keep a close eye on you. I gave him my word I would.”
She snickered. “Sounds like him.”
“He said he’d call Gordon for me and give him the report. He also said he’d put in a rush request for the DNA results from the morgue.”
“That would be great if they would come through before midnight tomorrow. Usually it takes at least a full twenty-four hours.”
He studied the lines in her arms and followed the tubes to the nearly empty bags. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Much better.”
“How much do you need to recover?”
“It depends. I was stabbed multiple times and shot a few days ago. I lost a lot of blood so I had to replenish with a bag every two hours. I’d say another two bags before sunrise should get me back to one hundred percent before tonight.”
“You really need to be more careful. There could’ve been a hundred demons in that building. Did you even listen to any heartbeats before you ran inside?”
The tone of his voice sounded very much of one from an authoritative figure. While she appreciated his concern, she could take care of herself.
“You sound like an Alpha.”
“Please don’t call me that and answer the question.”
Sensing his frustration, she lowered her gaze and removed the needle from one of her arms. “I did listen and I heard multiple ones.”
“But you still went inside.”
“Yes, and now we have seven men to interrogate.” She licked the small drop of blood from her arm as the tiny cut sealed.
“Did you count?”
She shifted her gaze to her other arm and began removing the needle. “I admit I didn’t count, but if there had been a hundred heartbeats I would’ve known without counting.”
He shook his head. “You can’t run into a building like that anymore. It’s getting too dangerous. We’re a team. We do things together. From now on, we not only work together, we should stay together.”
She dabbed the red fluid on her tongue. He watched as she licked her finger. When his gaze lowered to her chest, she remembered she had nothing on but her bra and underwear. Staring at her breasts, his heart gained extra beats.
The werewolf’s assertiveness and desire to protect her warmed her heart as well as other parts of her body. His alluring green eyes and irresistible body had a tingling effect on her too. She couldn’t look away from him, which posed a problem. They had a job to do. There wasn’t time for intimacy.
“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll stay here in the office. We have spare rooms,” she said.
“I have a house. I’m sure it would be more comfortable than a
room here.”
While she entertained the thought of staying with him, instinct warned her they would end up in bed together. “Thank you, but I’ll be safe here.”
He stepped closer to her. “I promise you, you’ll be safe with me. I’ll protect you.”
“I know you will. You’ve proven that.”
“Then why don’t you want to stay with me?”
“I think we both know what will happen if I go home with you.” She wouldn’t deny her attraction to the werewolf.
He clenched his jaw and lowered his gaze. “I’ll stay in another room.”
She chuckled. “As if that would stop us.” She glanced at his jeans. The bulge revealed his desire and strengthened hers. “No, I have to stay here.”
“Is this because I left abruptly earlier?”
“No,” she said strongly. “You did the right thing.”
His prompt departure had been a blessing in disguise. When his warm hand had been on her ass, she’d fought hard not to turn around and claim his lips. Obvious to her, he struggled to control himself and had to get away. She respected and admired him more for his restraint. Now it was her turn to do the same.
“Anna, we can work through this,” he said.
“And we are.” She slid off the gurney. Her feet landed on the cold floor and she instantly longed to return to the heating blanket. “I’m staying here. It’s the best course of action for both of us. We have jobs to do and we’re not going back out after what happened. We both took bullets. We need to rest. There isn’t enough time to do much anyway. We will resume our search tonight.”
“Anna,” he said in a voice as smooth as silk. “Please come home with me. We can discuss our next steps.”
Her desire rose as he stepped closer to her. His heart thudded faster. If she had an active one too, it would’ve been racing. He was a temptation she hated to resist, but she had to for both their sakes.
She reached behind her neck and unclasped her necklace. “Zale, you’re a good man. But we need to stay focused on our tasks.” The chain loosened around her neck. She handed the necklace to him. “Take this with you.”
He stared at her as if he were frozen in time. When he didn’t move, she lifted his hand and twisted it palm side up. She placed the cross in his hand.
