Her Vampire Suspect (Midnight Doms Book 11)

by Brenda Trim

  Liam glances at his partner and then looks at us. “Night before last? Yeah, Malik left with a woman then returned with her an hour or so later. She headed to the parking lot while he went inside.” Maximus nods in agreement while Liam is speaking.

  My eyes narrow. “You’re sure?” This can’t be right. A vampire definitely killed the woman.

  Liam lifts one eyebrow. “Positive. I remember how he wiped her memory before she tottered off on her high heels. I briefly wondered if she was unsteady from too much alcohol or because she was low on blood.”

  I clench my fists. “This woman was drained of her remaining blood shortly after that in the desert, then dumped somewhere else. It’s why Ava came here demanding to talk to Lucius. The FBI is on the case, and won’t stop until they find the vampire who killed her.”

  Liam blows out a breath. “Fuck. Anyone could have taken her from the parking lot. Speaking of which, I wonder if her car is still here, or if it was moved.”

  I turn my torso and look over my shoulder. I can’t see the lot from here. “I doubt it’s here. Ava would have had it towed away and processed for evidence if it had been.”

  Maximus pins me with a stare. “You sure you still have control over her?”

  I flash my fangs at him. “Yes. I’m one step ahead of her, which is why she hasn’t been back here. I’ve got this.” I turn and head back into the club.

  Ava is right. The asshole is using the club as his hunting ground. I have no idea what I’m looking for, but figure the best place to start will be the dungeon. There are far more vampires down there. The key to finding our culprit has to be here.

  The security guards inside barely spare a glance in my direction before I’ve keyed in the code and am going back down the stairs. The sights and sounds of the dungeon greet me, and I head to the bar and order a drink.

  Turning back to the room, I notice Desmond and wave him over. “How’s it going?” I ask, accepting my drink and taking a sip.

  Desmond orders a drink of his own and turns to keep his eyes on the room. “Good. Just looking for a sweetblood snack. How’s your woman? I didn’t expect to see you down here for a while. She seemed like she would keep you fed for at least a few weeks.”

  There’s a slight smile on my face as I shake my head. “Does everyone know about Ava?” How has word gotten out so fast? Vampires tend to keep to themselves.

  Desmond chuckles and thanks the bartender. “There’s talk. Is it true she has a lead on a vampire who’s killing a woman?”

  I shake my head. “No. She has suspicions, but nothing concrete. That’s actually why I’m here. Why? Have you heard something?”

  “Only that she has her sights on a vamp for the murders. She’s wrong, though. Those women had their throats slit before they were dumped and staged. I bet they were raped.”

  I narrow my eyes at him. That is more information than he should have. “What?”

  He waves a hand and takes a sip of his drink. “That’s what I heard, is all. You tell me: is it true?”

  “I’m not privy to the details of the case. I’m only involved to keep her from talking about our existence.”

  Desmond shrugs and sets his drink down. “Let me know if I can help. But not right now. I have to go find a woman who needs me.”

  “Will do.” Trying not to come to the wrong conclusion, I think back over what Ava told Lucius and the others about the case. I don’t recall her giving so many details. Perhaps the news shared the information. It has been the leading story every time I turn the TV on.

  Desmond crosses the room and approaches a woman. Something about the way he reacted doesn’t sit well with me. Finishing my drink, I continue searching for anything suspicious. When nothing jumps out at me, I decide it’s time to leave.

  The woman went straight to her car after leaving here. Perhaps that’s where the killer finds his victims. It makes far more sense than him hunting right under Lucius’s nose. I consider ordering a glass of blood, but don’t bother. I don’t need it. The taste of Ava’s blood lingers on my tongue. It’s torture. I should wash out the last of her that lingers in my mouth. Instead, I decide to savor it for as long as it lasts.

  Once outside, I head to the parking lot and go straight to the shadows in the corner. Over the next half hour, I pace as vampires and humans arrive or depart. This stakeout wouldn’t be so boring if Ava was with me.

  I pull my phone from my pocket. I’m tempted to text Ava and let her know Malik isn’t the culprit. She’ll want to know that he left the victim alive. I stare at the screen without opening the app. She hasn’t called or texted. It’s a clear message that she wants nothing more to do with me.

  I curse under my breath. “Dammit.” I kick a rock and send it sailing through the air. The sound of glass breaking in the distance tells me I broke a window somewhere. My rising irritation keeps me from feeling bad about the damage.

  I pace some more while scanning the area. When I reach the side of the lot, my fist flies out and smashes through a brick wall. My knuckles crack and start bleeding, but I don’t stop. Dust covers my hair and shirt.

  This is getting me nowhere.

  Voices catch my attention as I’m crossing to my car. I pause long enough to recognize Desmond’s voice. Ducking behind a truck, I peer around the tire and watch as two sets of feet head in my direction. One is wearing high heels, while the other is wearing black loafers.

  The woman says something about going back to his place, but it’s Desmond’s reply that makes my fists clench and my vision go red. The thinly veiled threat is clear when he says, “I’m taking you to my special place. You’re going to love the view. After all, it’ll be your last.”

  Flying out from behind the car, I confront my long-time friend. “What the fuck are you doing?” I shout at him. The woman screams, and before I can enter her mind to quiet her protests, she jerks and falls to the ground. Desmond’s eyes are malicious as he glances down at her. I have no doubt he barreled his way inside her mind. Mind manipulation takes precision and at least a touch of care. The way she reacted tells me Desmond went in with a laser and started blasting away.

  “Pity. I was looking forward to having fun with that one. Watch yourself, Corbyn. You know it’s not proper to interrupt a vampire’s dinner.” Desmond’s easy tone belies the fact that he just tore into the woman’s mind.

  I clench my fists at my sides. I want to punch his fucking face in. “Are you fucking crazy? You’re preying on humans in Lucius’s club? He will rip you limb from limb when he finds out.”

  A sneer lifts one corner of Desmond’s mouth. His fist slams into my face before I register his movement. “Lucius will never find out!”

  “I promise you that he will.” I crouch to take off into the air. A pinch in my side makes me flinch then fall to my knees. What the fuck just happened? I try to lift my head, but it won’t move. Nothing should stop me. I’m a vampire.

  Desmond tsks. “No. He will never hear anything from you. You couldn’t keep your nose out of my business, could you? You’re a brilliant scientist. I hate to end someone with so much potential, but no one will get in my way.”

  I collapse when I try to climb to my feet. My head bounces off the pavement. “What did you do to me?”

  “Dosed you with a special concoction of nightshade. Vampire hunters use it to incapacitate us. How else do you think they ever manage to kill one of us? They’re not better than we are.”

  I’ve heard of the substance hunters use to weaken our kind. “How…”

  Desmond sneers at me. “How’d I get my hands on the potion? I killed a hunter and stole her stash. I’ve nearly reverse engineered the liquid so I can create more. I know there’s hemlock, nightshade, and wolfsbane in it. The other ingredients remain a mystery, but I will figure it out soon.”

  This asshole will not get the better of me. It takes three tries, but I finally manage to get to my feet and hold myself up out of sheer force of will. I have never been this weak and vulnerable. My
mind is foggy, and my body refuses to follow my instructions.

  Numbness steals over my limbs and I start to shake. I will not be able to stay in control for much longer. Paralysis is quickly taking hold. Why isn’t he trying to subdue me? I need to take off before I can’t move at all anymore.

  Desmond blurs right as I start to fall. Move it. Ava will be in danger unless you get away from him. No matter how much I try, I can’t move a muscle. He catches me seconds before I crash to the ground. “Ah, good. It’s taken full effect.”

  Helplessness washes over me as my body refuses to obey me. I’m going to rip his throat out… as soon as I can move again. Desmond carries me to his car and tosses me in the back of his SUV.

  “I really wish you hadn’t tried to stop me. We’re predators and not meant to curb those proclivities. Humans mean nothing. They’re food. And you will die knowing I plan on draining Ava. Perhaps I’ll make you watch me kill her.”

  Never! I will gut you. The words never leave my mouth. The last thing I see before he slams the door is the woman jerking on the pavement. This substance can’t keep me down forever, and when it fades, I will be the one stopping Desmond.

  Failure isn’t an option. Ava’s life is on the line, along with those of countless other innocent women. I will do whatever it takes to protect her from his wrath. Failure isn’t an option. I will enjoy beating Desmond at his own game.

  14

  Ava

  I hadn’t planned on coming to the club tonight, but I don’t know where else to go. The blood we discovered in the desert matched my victims and indicated several others we weren’t aware of. We gathered a plethora of evidence proving we are looking at a serial killer, but nothing points to where we can find that person.

  The second I see his car in the parking lot, my heart races and I immediately start thinking of excuses to start a conversation with Corbyn. It’s as if I’m back in high school, obsessing over Matt in my physics class. I can’t stop thinking about him, and wondering if he hates me for taking off on him. I would be pissed if a guy did that to me.

  A second later, my heart skips a beat. Corbyn is a vampire who needs blood. He’s likely with another woman… drinking her blood. Touching her back, and breasts. Maybe even kissing her.

  That’s what his kind do in the club: find their dinners. Chills flash over my body, making me sick to my stomach. The thought of him with anyone else pisses me off. We have something special. I’ve never experienced anything like it. It can’t be that special. You tossed it away like day old bread.

  My mind churns as I climb out of my car. There’s a woman sitting on the ground next to Corbyn’s Ferrari. She is dressed for a night out, and her hair and makeup were likely perfect at one point tonight, but right now her eyes are glassy, and she has mascara running down her cheeks. Her skin is sallow, and her clothes are wrinkled.

  Her hair frizzes around her head but she doesn’t lift her face when I bend down next to her. It looks like she’s high on some kind of drug.

  “Ma’am. Are you hurt? Do you need help?”

  The woman doesn’t react at all. Instead, she shakes her head slowly while talking so low, I can’t tell what she’s saying. Her chest rises and falls in a slow rhythm. Waving my hand in front of her face, I try to get her attention. I grab hold of her shoulders and shake her gently.

  Her head flops from side to side. “Unh.”

  I lean back and scan her from head to toe. Her short skirt is rucked high enough that I can see more of her legs than I care to. There are no signs of injuries or blood anywhere. It makes me wonder if Corbyn or another vampire fed from her, leaving her weakened.

  “I’m with the FBI, ma’am. Can you tell me what happened?” I try again.

  Her eyes focus on me for a second and she blurts out, “He hurt.”

  My heart slams against my ribcage. “Who hurt? Did someone do something to you?”

  She shakes her head. “Nother guy. Wanna bite… blue. Ugh.” The woman clutches her head and lets out a pained groan. I have no idea what she is saying, and decide to see if the bouncers saw anything.

  I jump to my feet. “Stay right here. I’m going to get you help.” I take off toward the club. Relief hits me. The same two bouncers are there.

  Liam, the tattooed bad boy, lunges toward me. “Are you okay?”

  I place my hands on my knees and try to catch my breath. “I’m fine. There’s a woman in the parking lot who is barely able to talk. Did you see anything?” Sweat dots my forehead, and my heart refuses to settle down.

  My gut is telling me something happened to Corbyn. It seems ridiculous, given that he is a powerful vampire, but when a woman said a guy was taken, it hit me like I was kicked in the lady balls.

  Liam turns to the other bouncer, Maximus. “I’ll go check it out.” I follow as Liam heads toward the parking lot.

  “The last thing I saw was when Desmond left with a woman about five or ten minutes ago,” Liam says. “Corbyn left a bit before that. Why? What happened?”

  My head snaps in his direction. “Corbyn’s car is still here. Was he with someone?” Is that a hint of jealousy I detect in my voice? Not right now. There are more important things to worry about at the moment.

  Liam tilts his head in my direction. “Corbyn was alone.” He vanishes from my side a second later and I look to the sky, thinking he flew away. I have no idea if he just ran really fast, or flew. All I know is a second later, the woman screams, and I kick my ass into gear.

  By the time I reach Corbyn’s car, the woman is staring up at Liam, who is looking her over. “This is the woman who left with Desmond. A vampire battered his way into her mind and caused significant damage. She saw an argument between Corbyn and Desmond, but I don’t know who tried to wipe her mind. The other vampire was standing next to her, out of her line of sight. The next thing she saw was a license plate. It’s one of those custom ones, W-N-N-A-B-T-E.” Liam recites the letters individually, and I realize what the woman was telling me a few minutes ago.

  Several puzzle pieces click into place. Desmond was taking this woman somewhere when Corbyn interrupted. I can’t see Corbyn violating her mind like this. It had to have been Desmond. And, given the damage he caused, it’s clear he didn’t care if he hurt her.

  Desmond is the vampire I’ve been looking for. I have no doubt in my mind he has been killing women across the country. There’s no other reason why he would take Corbyn with him. That’s one more thing to make him pay for.

  I might have rejected my vampire, but no one is allowed to attack him. From the moment I met Corbyn, my safety was his top priority. He even stood up for me with the Vampire King. I’ve been a complete and utter idiot! The connection I sensed was real. Corbyn cares about me.

  Does it really matter that he’s a vampire? No, I decide. Corbyn has done more for me than almost anyone else in my life. He has done everything in his power to ensure I am able to conduct my investigation. He’s even flown me around the desert so I can find the location where the women were killed. It didn’t matter to him that the vampires handle their own shit. He kept others out of the situation so I could solve the case.

  “Dammit,” I curse. “I’m going to call an ambulance for her then look for Corbyn.”

  Liam stands up and folds his arms over his chest. His leather jacket creaks as he moves. “Call help for the human, but forget about Corbyn. He doesn’t need your help. You do realize he’s a vampire, right?”

  I roll my eyes and snort out a laugh. Men are all the same. They think they know everything. “Even big, bad vampires need help sometimes.” I’m walking away without waiting for his reply. My vehicle is still running when I jump in it.

  Accessing my phone, I ask my car to call Bria. It barely rings twice before she answers. “I’m surprised you don’t have a hot date tonight.” she tells me when she answers.

  “No. There’s been a development in the case. I need you to look up a license plate and call me back with an address. The car is blue with a v
anity plate, W-N-N-A-B-T-E.”

  Bria sucks in a breath. “Is this the perp? How did you find him?”

  I shake my head as I pull up to a stoplight. Where the fuck am I heading? “I stopped a guy from taking a woman from the club. I got his plate as he took off.”

  “Jesus, you need to wait for backup.”

  I turn left to get on the highway. “I will. Just find me the address and call me back.” I hang up and call for an ambulance. Within minutes, Bria calls me back and gives me an address in the Catalina Foothills, with the demand not to do anything before she and a team arrive.

  I promise I won’t make a move until they get there. What I don’t say is that I won’t sit there if it means Corbyn losing his life. My gut twists in knots, and I can barely breathe by the time I turn onto the street.

  I stop a couple hundred yards away and pull over to the side of the road. Grabbing my gun, I get out and leave everything else in the car. The rocky sand surrounding me is uneven, and my steps seem to echo throughout the quiet night. My movements will betray my approach long before I get close to the house. Unsure what else I can do, I move as quietly as possible through the desert landscape.

  I crouch behind some plants close to the street. The blue car is parked in the large U-shaped driveway in front. I can’t see what make of vehicle it is from my spot. I’m too distracted by the outline of a man passing in front of the large picture window to the left of the door. There’s nothing but grass and gravel between me and the perp. If I try to approach from the front of the house, I will be out in the open. I don’t like that position, so I creep around the side and head to the back.

  There is no fence surrounding the property, but I see a patio with an outdoor dining area and built-in pool. There aren’t any more obstacles to hide behind. Crossing to the building is a risk, but the guy was in a front room. Besides, the concrete will mask my approach far better than the gravel that crunches under my footsteps.

  My heart is pounding so hard, I’m convinced the vampire inside will hear it. I try to recall the night I met Corbyn. I think Desmond hit on me. I could have been one of his victims if Corbyn hadn’t captured my attention.