I halt and wait for him to pull alongside me.
Diego rolls down his window, and his arm dangles out. “Where are ya off to?” he asks easily.
Where am I going? Why start to walk to the cemetery now? It’s not night. I don’t know if vamps can walk around during the day or not or if the sun affects them at all. They’re a major worry, a terrifying threat. Still, I’m not about to wait around all day in a cemetery for the moon to shine when I can be living life.
I need an escape, a release, a means to be as human as possible. I’ll channel that into my drive and not hesitate a second when the time comes.
But first, I need to get rid of my guards.
“You don’t have to follow me like a puppy trying to find his master anymore,” I tease.
“You make me wag—”
Embarrassed, I hold up a hand, not wanting to hear it. “Thank you for everything.”
My serious tone has him straightening, stiff as a statue. “What’s going on?” he asks, confused and concerned.
“Nothing. Can’t I be appreciative?”
“Coffee makes for good appreciation gestures,” Felix pipes up from behind the wheel.
My smile’s forced. “Yeah, sure.”
I dig out my wallet and toss a crumpled twenty to Diego. It lands on his lap. He stares at it as if it’s a snake. Hardly touching a corner, he flicks it to Felix and exits the car before I realize that’s his intention.
“I’m glad you’re finally thankful for what we did for you. You sure made it hard on us, giving us the slip as many times as you did. Although…” He grins and leans in close. “You didn’t slip us as much as you think. At night, I would take another car out back, so I tailed ya several times.”
“Right,” I say dryly, pursing my lips and crossing my arms. What a crock. “And that’s why you never stepped in and helped me out any.”
“I—”
“I just wanted to thank you. So, thanks and goodbye.”
He grabs my arm before I can walk away. “What is…” Diego’s eyes narrow and then widen to the size of bowling balls. “You aren’t planning anything stupid, are you?”
“I never do anything—”
His grip tightens almost to the point of hurting me. “Trying to duck us so many times definitely was stupid. Clarissa—”
I peel his fingers off one by one. Agitation seeps through, making me hop from foot to foot. I’m like an anxious boxer going up against a heavyweight she can’t possibly beat. “Just relax.” I pat his chest and impulsively kiss his cheek. “Would it make you feel better if I promise not to do anything stupid?”
“I don’t know if you’ll keep your promise,” he rumbles.
My laugh is carefree, but I swallow hard. The glint in his eyes… He’s suspicious. How can he read me when Travis hadn’t a clue? Granted, I’m talking to Diego face to face. It’s almost impossible to read a person over the line, but still. Am I that transparent?
Or maybe he really does care about me, and that’s helping him.
“You think I’ll lie to you?”
“Yes,” he says bluntly.
My lips curl into a genuine smile. “Okay… relationships are based on trust, right? We’re friends, right?”
“Friends for now.” A hand rests on his hip. Man, he could pose for a magazine cover. “But friends are truthful. You’re planning—”
“To take the day off,” I say smoothly. “Lieutenant’s orders. I was planning on hitting the gym and then maybe a movie, gotta get some popcorn, and maybe some shopping. I haven’t shopped in a while. Could go to the mall and grab a Cinnabon. It’s been ages since I had one. And then—”
“Yeah, yeah. Talk is cheap.” He returns my kiss, and it just misses my lips, on the edge of them. Do I feel a spark? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it’s just the fright for what I have planned. And I’m not lying. Fine, I’ll make sure that everything I just said happens.
“I heard you’re a cheap date,” I josh.
He smiles recklessly, and his wink makes my stomach do a little flip. “Why don’t you go out on a date with me and find out if that’s the case?”
“Not tonight.”
“You gonna see that new superhero flick?” he asks easily, but he’s watching me closely, still suspicious and trying to trap me.
“Of course.”
When I don’t say anything else, he frowns. That’s when I realize he’d hoped for an invite.
It’s too late for me to offer him the chance to tag along because he retreats a step. Still grinning, though, still a Casanova. “I suggest you see something else.”
“Why? Is it bad?”
“I could be your hero.”
I groan. “That the best you can come up with?”
“Hey.” He holds out his hands and shrugs. “You want my best lines? You gotta date me.”
“If you think I’m that desperate to hear your best lines and that’ll convince me to date you—”
“Just one date. I’m not asking you to go steady.”
“So, we’re back in high school?” I mutter, raising my eyebrows. He’s too much. Handsome and charming and not awkward at all, even when delivering super cheesy lines. It’s so great to see someone comfortable in his skin.
“Not juvenile. Confident. One date with this and you’ll be hooked.”
I laugh, relieved he’s taking my mind off of my decision. “Modest much?”
“Not at all.” He winks again. “How’s that for honesty?”
We both laugh at that, and I pat his shoulder as he walks back to the car. I wave as Felix drives them away, and my heart remains full as my cell rings. It’s Samantha.
“Are you busy now?” I ask.
“Nah. One of my clients flaked on me, and today’s my light day, so I’m free. What’s up?”
“No hot date with Ryan?” I’m not sure if I should want them to break up or not. If he genuinely makes her happy, then she should go for it. I just can’t really put my finger on why I don’t like him.
I glance over my shoulder. Felix has driven off. I’ve never felt more isolated. If Samantha can’t hang out, then maybe I’ll reconsider and invite Diego out after all. Strictly as a friend, of course, and just until the moon’s out. Then I’ll be able to put my plan into action.
I’m not terrified of what awaits me. I’m not powerless. I refuse to be a victim. Ever since I first stumbled on a vamp killing someone, I’ve been fueled by anger. The amount of rage welling within me has blossomed into a seed of darkness, provoking me toward offense, into battle.
“I… Ryan asked for a break,” Samantha says quietly.
“Wanna talk about it?” I ask, disgusted with myself for not being there for her more.
Ashamed, eager to be a better friend, I turn around and head toward her place in case she’s home. Even if she’s not, hers is also along the way to mine.
“Not really.” She pauses and then adds, “Yes. Not on the phone, though.”
“You at home?”
“Yeah.”
“Great. I’ll be there in ten. And I’ve got our whole day planned.”
Chapter 26
As it turns out, it’s possible Ryan may have found someone else on the side. She tells me this while I lift weights. It’s strange for her to be in the gym and not be working out alongside me. She’s pacing enough to walk miles as she talks, depressed and hurt.
“The thing is…” Samantha halts, her back to me. “Remember how I told you about…”
My biceps are killing me. I lower my twenty-fivers and glance around. Nope, he’s not here.
“Cover model hotness?” I tease.
She faces me, her cheeks as red as mine, but her blush isn’t from physical activity. Her skin is fair, almost as fair as a redhead’s.
“Yeah, him. He asked me out. Don’t look at me like that! I turned him down. He’s convinced I said no because I’m his trainer, so he fired me and then asked me out again. I said no again, but I wanted to say yes.”
I remain quiet, pick up the weights again, and do more bicep curls, careful not to swing them. I’m not in a position to judge her. All I want is for her to not be lonely and to find someone who deserves her.
“Ryan’s been super busy with work lately,” she continues. “Long hours, always on the computer at his place, too, postponing dates. After Leo asked me out—”
“Leo? Is that a stage name?” I can’t help asking, suppressing a grin.
“Not a stage name,” she says hotly, but her blush grows, covering her entire face. “I went to Ryan’s work to see him, to surprise him with sandwiches for lunch. I figured we could talk a little, enough to reforge our connection. I didn’t want to be the one to break things off.”
“Even though things had cooled down, you still wanted to give him a chance?” I ask, confused.
“We’ve been together for almost two years, and we did have a lot of fun together. He’s mellow. He’s laid back. He balances out my crazy, amped up energy, so, yeah. I wanted to try to make things work out between us despite us growing apart.” She nervously tugs at her ponytail, let her hair free, and then ties it again.
I put down the weights having done eight kinda crappy curls. My arms positively hate me on the third set. After a few heaving breaths, I gulp down water. “What happened when you showed up?”
“He was having a ‘meeting’ with a pretty, little, petite thing.” Her scowl is dark and more furious than frustrated or depressed. “He was sitting on the front of his desk, and she was standing directly in front of him. There wasn’t much space between them, and they weren’t kissing, but there was just something in their body language.”
“So, what did you do?”
Samantha’s grin returns, sharp and vindictive, a spark lighting her brown eyes.
Oh, God, she let him have it.
“So I waltzed in there, acting like Ryan and I were alone. I walked right up to him, around her. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him real close. Like I was going to kiss him. Which I didn’t, of course. I told him that if he wanted to be with someone else, he should have the balls to say it to my face. That he shouldn’t use work as an excuse. But I made sure she didn’t overhear while making it look like we were being intimate.”
“You’re unreal.” I laugh as I grab another weight, sit down on a bench, and bring it up above my head and then down behind. My triceps were screaming by the sixth rep, and I couldn’t do a seventh.
“Yeah, well, he started to sputter. His face became as red as the ketchup he drowns everything in, and then she stormed out.”
“No.” I crack up, feeling lighter than air. Then again, this forty-pound dumbbell I’m holding is definitely weighing me down.
“Yes. I slapped him. I don’t know why I didn’t punch him. Did I tell you that I started to take boxing lessons once a week? It’s so much fun. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll never stop cage fitness, but it’s so freeing to punch the crap out of something.”
“A bag,” I remind her. “A bag, not an ass of an ex-boyfriend.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not certain if they did cross a line or not. I’m sure they would’ve eventually if I hadn’t found out about it. Why can’t guys just be honest and truthful about their intentions?”
“Has Leo? I could tell from the start he wanted you.”
“Yeah, well, he might’ve made it clear immediately.” Her blush returns, but her eyes turn softer. “He wasn’t surprised to hear that I was with someone. When he found out that I wasn’t married yet, he kept at it without being obnoxious. Just a smile here or a kind word. Almost courting me already. It was kinda sweet.”
“Maybe. Or maybe not.” I shrug, not wanting to rain on her parade or be overly judgmental but wanting to make sure her eyes are wide open. “There’s nothing wrong with being persistent, but there is a line there, too.”
“Yeah, but he never crossed it. In fact, I agreed to go out with him tomorrow night.”
I bobble the weight.
She sighs, looking more vulnerable than I’ve ever seen her before. “Bring the weight down lower and slow down. You’re going too fast,” she instructs disapprovingly.
I groan, embarrassed. “I can’t! My arms are gonna fall off.”
“Then use a lighter dumbbell,” she criticizes. “Tempo is… Sorry. Habit.”
“Besides, you’re distracting me,” I complain.
My only pet peeve with Samantha? When she forgets that I’m her friend and not a client. Yes, she has a point, though. My form has to be spot on if I want maximum results.
I grab twenty-fives, hesitate, and exchange them for the twenties. She’ll purse her lips. A line on her forehead will form if I don’t lift the weights all the way up for my hammer curls.
“You’re just using me as your punching bag now,” I tease.
She watches me carefully, and it’s not because of my technique. “I wish you’d relax and give a guy a chance,” she murmurs. “Not every guy is a bad one. I know you’re a cop, and see a lot of bad stuff, but trust me on that. What about Marlon? You haven’t talked about him recently. Why is that?”
“If he wants to ask me out, he can. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t.”
“Why can’t you ask him out?”
“I’m not sure he’ll say yes.”
“Maybe he’s not sure you’ll say yes.”
I put down the weights and guzzle more water. My form is pretty spot on, but I can’t feel pleased about my efforts here. “If he can’t see that my teasing is flirting then—”
“Maybe he thinks it’s just you being friendly. Or that it’s your way to cope with the tension of the job. My point is why don’t you just talk to him and clear the air?”
My stomach tightens painfully as I ready for my next set. I complete ten solid hammer curls before replying, “Fine. Maybe I’ll call him.”
But I hadn’t thought to call him before my big plan for tonight. I already called Travis and spoke to Diego, but I didn’t call Marlon. Or Doctor Dean.
I finish up my workout after three more sets of three biceps or triceps moves and hit the showers. Some of the anxious apprehension I felt in the gym melts away. I can do this.
I don’t have a choice.
Samantha and I walk around the Lehigh Valley mall afterward. It’s packed. I overhear a few whispers about the killings. People seem slightly more on edge. They glance around suspiciously at everyone who comes near them. For the most part, though, the crowds seem at ease.
For them. That’s why I must go through with my plan.
I get a Cinnabon and tempt Samantha with a bite. She fidgets and hedges but finally accepts a small piece. It’s so gooey and warm, and the icing is the perfect complement to the cinnamon. Delicious.
Neither of us ends up buying anything, and she finally drops me off at my place several hours later.
She grins. “Thanks. I’m glad we had a chance to reconnect.”
“Me, too.”
“I just…” Samantha rubs her neck. “Do you want to talk about anything? Involving…”
“You know I can’t talk about cases.”
“Yeah, I get that. It’s just…”
Crap. I did ask her about her opinions on vamps.
“All right. I won’t press. Just be careful, okay? And don’t hesitate to call me if you need me. I know you have your partner and everything. Hey, who are you working with since Travis got hitched?”
“He finally spread the news, huh?”
“Yeah. The two of them tying the knot is what pushed me to give Leo a chance. I don’t want him to be a rebound, but… I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Things feel different with him.” She waves her hand and then wags a finger at me. “You know what you are? Too good at changing the subject.”
My laugh is easy and light. “And you’re gonna make a great mom one day.”
Her eyes widened. “Kids? I’ve never… There you go again!”
“Have a good night, Samantha.” Grinning, I shut the door behind me.<
br />
I root through the attic and basement and try to find anything silver. Nothing is pure, though, so next, I find anything of value that might be worth a trade. There’s only a half hour until the pawn shop closes, so I have to hurry.
There are several shops like this in Bethlehem, but I go to the one on East Fourth Street. I don’t think I’ve ever stepped inside this one before.
The man behind the counter stops wiping it and grins at me. He’s fortyish, with two gray hairs made all the more noticeable by how black the rest of his strands are. He moves with a fluid grace that fits his runner’s build. “How can I help you this fine evening?”
Considering it’s sharply cold and a potentially unnatural fog is rolling in, I’m not sure I agree with his sentiment.
“How much for this?” I put down some of my mom’s old jewelry. The broken ones, pieces she hardly wore, items that didn’t remind me of her as much as the ones still safe at home.
He examines each piece carefully. “Do you want money or—”
“A trade. Pure silver.”
To his credit, he doesn’t react to my proclamation.
“Silver jewelry?”
“A silver bullet would be best,” I deadpan.
Now he blinks before chuckling. “I can’t help with that, but I do have just the thing.”
The man scoops up my items, now his, and disappears into the back. The sounds of rummaging filters to me. When five minutes pass and he still hasn’t returned, I walk around the shop, eyeing the odd collection. Jewelry, watches, statues, and more.
“Here you go!” he says triumphantly.
I turn around, and my eyes widen. It’s a necklace, with twenty thin rectangles of various lengths in an artistic array dangling from the chain. If each could be filed to a point…
“It’s perfect,” I breathe, but then I shake my head, confusion flooding me. “That has to be worth more than what I gave you.”
“Maybe, but…” He gives me the once-over.
He’s not flirting with me. I’m wearing jeans and a heavy sweater, but he’s eyeing my badge.
When Vamps Bite: A Mayhem of Magic World Story (Bedlam in Bethlehem Book 1) Page 19
