Creatus Series Boxed Set

by Carmen DeSousa

“What’s the matter, dear?”

  “I’m just confused. I don’t understand why I loved Derrick, but never fell for him, and I also love Michael, and I even tried with Jonas, and now…” she lowered her words to a whisper, “I’m having feelings for a human.” She paused only a second, and then continued, “It just doesn’t make sense that I won’t know which man I’m supposed to spend my life with until I’ve fallen.”

  “Understood, dear. You know…I don’t believe it really is different for a human, but nowadays, I hear you young folks thinking that you’ll only fall after you’ve had sex.” Sabrina took a breath and continued, “Yes, that’s typically when the major fall happens, but that’s not how it starts. You do know beforehand. You know that this is the person you want to be with forever, that you will love for all eternity…that you can’t live without, and then…you’ll fall. Too often, young creatus—and humans—try to reverse the order.”

  “But I loved Derrick…”

  “I know, sweetheart, but you tried to force it. Derrick tried to force it…” She paused again, letting her words sink in. “Did you ever feel that he was really the One?”

  “No…” Vic admitted. “It never felt…real. It always felt as though I were barely hanging on, as though he’d disappear. As if I had to latch onto him to keep him.”

  “Exactly!” Sabrina exclaimed. “That’s a perfect way to describe it.”

  “So, how will I know?”

  “Just relax, Victoria. Have fun or be serious…do what feels natural. And trust me, you’ll know. Just remember, you can’t force it. You’ll feel it in your head and heart before you feel it anywhere else. And then…when you meet the right man, you’ll feel it everywhere, through every nerve ending in your body, and then, you will fall.”

  Vic headed back into the house after finishing her conversation with Sabrina. Sabrina was right, of course; she had been trying to force it. Ever since she knew it would never happen with Derrick, she’d been trying to make herself fall for someone else, knowing that it wasn’t possible, but trying so she could forget.

  Right now, she needed to focus on her current situation. Of course, Derrick still wanted her to fall for Reece, but that wasn’t what was important. What she needed to do was use Reece the way he’d been using her: to get information. If she could get solid information of which government agency he worked for, Michael could track them down and delete whatever files they had on them as he’d done in the past.

  And Jonas, she needed to find out if Jonas really was responsible for the murders.

  She unlocked the door to the cellar and carried down the wine. Maybe she could get him drunk, so he’d talk.

  CHAPTER NINE

  As Frank Cooper sipped a cup of coffee at the pricey café in Derrick Ashton’s high-rise condo, he sifted through the files he’d printed.

  The building used to have a Dunkin’ Donuts on the first floor; now he was stuck paying an outrageous price for something he could’ve brewed at home for pennies. And it would taste better too. At least his office picked up the tab.

  Scanning the café and the adjacent lobby, he took in the building. Supposedly the tallest building in Boston. Who cared? Just more metal and steel. The old buildings in Back Bay used to have character; now it was going the way of other large cities. Instead of brick and ornate trim, all he could see were mirrored-glass high-rises that were so tall they blocked out the sun, making the street appear dark and dreary.

  He returned his attention to the reports. There wasn’t much. For some reason, Reece Buckley had stopped his daily submissions, even before he’d disappeared. The last correspondence was about Murphy O’Brian, the homicide detective who was first on the scene of an attack on Kristina Heskin and her mother when Kristina was eight years old. Of course, Murphy had been a beat cop back then. Heskin’s mother had been murdered in front of her, but according to O’Brian’s records, the young girl had said a ‘Dark Angel’ saved her.

  The next file on O’Brian revealed that he’d been the responding officer to a suicide off the Tobin Bridge. His notes had indicated that a blogger doing a piece on the bridge had seen something supernatural, which of course prompted his office to investigate.

  Reece Buckley had also sent a file on Derrick Ashton, whom Reece had seen getting out of his Navigator in front of Kristina’s tenement. Buckley had written that Derrick looked like the man who’d jumped off the Tobin Bridge and had Kristina up on the shore within seconds.

  Frank scanned the foyer outside the café again, knowing Derrick probably wouldn’t leave this evening, but he’d be ready if he did. The man had pulled a fast one on him today, he was certain.

  When he’d stopped by the small hospital this afternoon, he wasn’t sure that the Chief Resident had anything to do with Reece’s disappearance; he just wanted answers. But after speaking with Dr. Ashton and his wife, Kristina, he was sure they knew something. After all, he didn’t believe in coincidences.

  He couldn’t care less what had happened to Reece Buckley, of course; he hardly even knew the agent. He’d hired Buckley only six months ago, straight from Miami PD, where he’d had a superb record of solving cases and running down criminals—literally.

  It seemed that not one of his suspects could outrun or outfight him. His superiors said he was fearless to the point of being eerie. Some of his partners had said that it was as if he had a guardian angel protecting him.

  What Frank did care about, however, was finding his missing link. He didn’t believe in the supernatural, but someone above him did, and it was his job to track down leads. And he’d be damned if he’d let one of his agents disappear with information.

  Whether someone had forced his disappearance, or whether he’d disappeared on his own accord, was irrelevant. His life and files—all of them—belonged to the US Government, and Frank Cooper’s job was to get them back. He didn’t allow his agents to go rogue.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Vic stared at the blond and bronzed specimen sitting across from her.

  Similar to upstairs, the farm-style table just consisted of long solid planks of pine that would seat up to ten people. They’d kept the rest of the space basic, empty of any extra pieces of furniture, so it fit well in the eating area of the basement apartment. The kitchen and living area of the cellar were smaller than upstairs to leave room for the six bedrooms that would sleep up to six persons each.

  Reece had downed the rest of the bottle of merlot and had started working on the second, and not one slur escaped those full lips.

  She’d nursed hers, refusing to let him top off her glass when he tried. Most creatus handled alcohol well, but she couldn’t take a chance of diminishing her cognitive abilities by drinking too much.

  Once again, this mere human was proving that he was different from the rest of his kind. Of course, he was a big guy. Six-four, as she’d suspected, and somewhere in the conversation, she’d learned that he hated when he fell below two hundred and twenty pounds, so even as a human, he could handle more alcohol than most.

  Reece suddenly stopped talking; he’d been going on about his father in South Carolina, and her mind had wandered off as she stared at his hands again.

  He lowered his head, gazing into her eyes. “What are you thinking about?”

  Vic shook her head. “What?”

  “That’s what I thought. I’m sitting here blabbing, and you just zoned out.” He pouted. “I guess I’m not interesting.”

  She shrugged. “Nothing really. You weren’t talking about yourself, though; you were talking about your father. Maybe I wouldn’t have nodded off if you were talking about yourself.”

  “Hang on a sec,” he waved his hands in front of him, “you didn’t nod off. I’m not that boring, I hope. You were just staring, as though your thoughts were elsewhere. I just want to know where that was or what you were thinking.”

  “Just wondering why you’re here.”

  Reece laughed. “Umm…because your friend attacked me in the street, and then
you saved me, but then kidnapped me. Did I miss anything?”

  She shook her head. “Michael attacked you because you had something he wanted. He wouldn’t have attacked an innocent man. You’ve been following us; I just want to know why.”

  “Yeah… I heard him say, ‘Get the briefcase.’ Of course, you didn’t find anything in the briefcase, did you?”

  “No, we didn’t. But Derrick and Michael are smart. If they say you’re a Fed, I believe them, and you haven’t offered me a better answer.”

  Reece leaned back in the chair. “Maybe I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  Vic slid her chair back and stood. “Fine.”

  “Wait.” Reece jumped up beside her. “Don’t go.”

  She stuffed her hand in the front pocket of her jeans, wrapping her fingers around the syringe. She wouldn’t allow him to get the advantage again. “We obviously have nothing to talk about. Dinner’s finished. You can go back to watching your sitcom.”

  “Victoria—sorry…I mean…Vic.” He raised his hands up in front of him. Perhaps he was trying to show her he didn’t have any weapons. “Maybe I was watching you because I’m curious.”

  She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Curious about what?”

  Reece swallowed, as if he wanted to talk, but couldn’t. “Your strength. The fact that you look almost half your age…” He took a step forward and slowly lifted his hand again, this time to the side of her face. “The fact that you are without a doubt the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen...”

  Vic tightened her grip on the syringe and stepped away from his reach. She couldn’t do anything stupid. She couldn’t let him get too close.

  Reece took another step, but kept his hands at his side.

  A rush of heat rushed through her body. God…she wanted him to close the distance between them. The door was only two feet away; she should leave. But the heat radiating off his body was enticing. He wasn’t human…he couldn’t be. She’d never been attracted to a human in her life. Well, not full humans. She did, for some reason, seem to be attracted to half-humans though.

  He took another step, and she knew she was out of space.

  “Reece, please don’t…”

  He leaned forward, his lips inches from hers. “You could tie me up…”

  A burst of laughter shot out of her mouth, breaking her from his spell. She shook her head. “Honestly, I’m not into any of that. I’d never—”

  In a flash, he pressed his body against hers, moving her up against the door so quickly that she didn’t have time to react. She’d done it again; she’d allowed him to sidetrack her. She had nowhere to retreat, no way to get away…but he wasn’t hurting her. His deadly hands weren’t around her neck. He hadn’t thrown her to the wood floor. He had immobilized her, though. She could probably escape if she tried, but she didn’t want to hurt him.

  He curled his hands around her biceps. “I know you’re not. I know you’re strong. But I also know you’re gentle. I see it in your eyes. I know a killer when I see one.”

  “What do you want from us, Reece?”

  He smiled and then ran his fingers up the side of her face. “I might get thrown across the room again if I tell you what I want.”

  Vic moved her body from under his, pushing him back a few feet, her hand on the door. “That’s not possible!”

  Reece walked away from her then, heading toward the long leather sofa that separated the kitchen from the living area.

  He patted the cushion beside him. “Ahh…see…where is your mind? Maybe I was talking about information. You women…always assuming a man wants to rip off your clothes.” He grinned widely and leaned back against the arm of the sofa. “It just so happens that I’m a respectable country boy from South Carolina. I wouldn’t dream of coming on to you on our first date.”

  Vic walked toward him, but ignored the cushion he’d patted and sat down on the opposite end of the ten-foot-wide aniline Italian leather sofa. “This isn’t a date, Reece. Just because I’m being civil to you doesn’t mean you’re not my prisoner.”

  “Right. I know you couldn’t have any interest in a mere human, a man who couldn’t protect you if the need arose.”

  Unable to stop her reaction, Vic’s mouth dropped open, but she quickly snapped it closed and stood to her feet. “Let me know when you’re ready to stop playing games and talk.” She marched out of the apartment and locked the door behind her.

  No way could Reece have heard what she’d told Derrick. And so what if he was part creatus? If he knew what he was, he would have admitted it. If he didn’t know and cared, he would have asked.

  Instead, he continued to play mind games. He still worked for some government agency that he refused to divulge, which meant that he was loyal to them, which meant that he would turn them over the first chance he got.

  No, it didn’t matter what he did to her insides every time he said her name, every time he got near her. Michael was right; she was being stupid.

  Just like Jonas’ father, a human couldn’t be trusted. She couldn’t believe that Jonas’ biological father had attempted to turn him and his brother and mother over to the military as aliens. His own flesh and blood.

  No, she couldn’t fall for Reece Buckley. Humans obviously couldn’t be trusted.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  He watched Victoria through the front windows as she bopped down the stairs, two bottles of red wine and two wineglasses in her slender hands.

  Quietly, he skirted the house, looking for the best spot to hear their conversation. They obviously weren’t concerned with a peeping Tom or an eavesdropper in the middle of the country, but she should’ve known he’d be watching, waiting for her. Should’ve cared about his feelings. She knew how he felt. How he’d always felt about her. That should have been enough.

  He listened as Reece yammered on about martial arts and working out, how he worked to keep fit, why he didn’t eat processed foods, blah, blah, blah. How could she stand listening to him?

  When she’d refused to let Reece refill her glass, he felt fractionally contented, but then she’d still stayed with him, listening to him talk about his father.

  He bolted to his feet, ready to burrow through the wall when he heard her get up to leave and Reece had obviously chased her. Victoria’s heart had started beating double time, but her words came out sensual, not fearful, and it took every ounce of strength he possessed not to put his fist through the brick mortar.

  Finally, she’d left, slamming the door behind her.

  He’d waited thirty minutes, confirming that Reece didn’t try to escape, or that she didn’t return, but she’d gone upstairs to the master suite and hadn’t come back down.

  He could kill him now. But it didn’t sound as if Reece Buckley would be an easy kill, and then Victoria would hear. He couldn’t chance her getting hurt trying to protect him.

  Right now, though, he needed a release. He charged off toward the tree line, making his way back to Boston. It wouldn’t be hard to find a fight in Boston.

  What he needed tonight was to find a potential rapist. He’d pretend that he was protecting Victoria. That’d fuel his anger. He’d enjoy the substitute beating.

  He was moving fast now, probably the fastest he’d ever run. He’d clocked himself at seventy once, but the adrenaline rushing through his veins tonight fueled his muscles, inflamed his tendons and ligaments to work harder, faster. Blood surged from his heart to his legs, propelling him forward. Wind and limbs buffeted his hooded face as he charged through the woods, but he wasn’t slowing until he got to Boston, until he could release this fury inside of him.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “How is it possible you didn’t see anything?” Frank Cooper said a little too loudly, but the girl had frustrated him no end.

  “Special Agent Cooper, Sir,” the voice of the Boston PD policewoman bellowed through his earpiece. “We agreed to let you question Pammy, but remember, she’s the victim.”

 
; He nodded over his shoulder at the mirrored window, to the butch policewoman who’d refused to let him speak to the girl at first. Yeah…the girl had been a victim, but looking at the way she was dressed, he could understand why the man had tried to rape her.

  “Let’s try this again, Miss,” Frank said softer.

  The girl…Pammy...whimpered. “I told you. He seemed okay…but then…halfway to my house… He dragged me down an alley. Literally.” She closed her eyes. “I told him ‘no’ over and over when he tried… But then…I didn’t fight him. I thought that if I just let him...” Another moan escaped. “But then…it wasn’t enough. I told him I wouldn’t tell anyone—”

  “You said there was someone else in the alley?” he asked, cutting her off. Frank couldn’t care less what had happened to the girl. He only wanted to know how she got away.

  “I don’t know what I saw… I was struggling against his weight. I thought that he would let me go, but then he put a knife to my throat and smiled.” She pressed her fingers to the scratch. “He said it was his favorite part…watching whores die,” she choked out.

  Frank blew out a breath. “But you said someone saved you?”

  “I didn’t see anyone. Just a shadow…like the air was distorted, fuzzy, or something, and then, Will, that’s what the guy said his name was, just… I don’t know…flew or jumped… He just shot up in the air.” She dabbed a crumpled tissue at her eyes. “Will was there one second, and then he was gone, so I gathered my clothes and got out of there as quickly as I could.”

  “But you didn’t see anyone?” Frank asked again.

  “No, sir.”

  “How’s that possible—”

  The door opened and policewoman butchy stepped inside. “Thank you, Special Agent Cooper. I’ll take it from here.” The big woman smiled at the young girl. “Come with me, Pammy. We have all we need.”