Fire Within

by Ally Shields

  Ari cocked her head at Ryan and stood. What he really thought was she needed a break. He was right on that one. If she didn’t get her temper under control, the next one might not be a stunner.

  “I will wait with Bernard,” Andreas said. “It will give us an opportunity to chat.” The corners of his mouth twitched as he looked up at Ari.

  Poor Bernie. Ari hoped his ego was sliced and diced during their absence.

  When they were outside the room, Ryan turned to Ari with a cautious grin. “I’ve never seen you in action before. Feel better?”

  “Yeah, I think I do. Rather therapeutic.”

  Ten minutes later, they resumed the interview. Bernie was subdued. Whether it was Andreas’s chat or Ari’s witch fire, the badass vamp was ready to cooperate. The result was anti-climactic. If he was telling the truth, the gang members could alibi each other for the time of Patricia’s death. Other than a lot of bragging and self-serving rhetoric, Bernie had little more to add that was even remotely related to the investigation.

  When they’d run out of questions, Andreas shoved a paper and pen toward Bernie and demanded the name of every Pure Blood member. “When you leave here, collect your friends and stay available. You will be hearing from me.”

  The other two interviews failed to produce anything incriminating. Bario was especially offensive. Crude. Maybe it was for Ari’s benefit, since she was female and looked human, but his gutter talk about humanity was enough to make a longshoreman blush. By the time they were done, Ari wanted a cleansing shower. Ryan looked equally disgusted. Andreas was unreadable, but since Ari could barely feel his energy, she knew he was blocking. With a brusque, “good night,” he pushed to his feet, gathered the vampires, and hustled them out the door.

  Ryan watched them go. “What was the rush? What’s he going to do with them?”

  Ari lifted a casual shoulder. Vampire business. For once, she wasn’t sure she cared.

  * * *

  Ari was almost relieved when the weekend arrived. While she chafed at the lack of progress on the murder investigations, her dealings with Mrs. West and then the Pure Bloods had left her depressed, unsettled. She needed down time, a little perspective. On Saturday, she went shopping with Claris for the entire afternoon, while Brando watched the shop. They didn’t buy much: a pair of sandals for Claris, three t-shirts for Ari. That evening Ari reciprocated by working in the shop through closing time and spending time with Hernando the cat while Brando took Claris to the movies.

  Ari enjoyed Hernando’s company. Sometimes she wished she’d adopted the snow-colored Siamese when she’d had the chance. A year ago, when he’d been homeless, Ari’d thought it was impractical; she was home so seldom. Now she wasn’t sure. Cats didn’t seem to need a lot of social interaction, just quality. But since he was now well settled in Claris’s home and shop, it was too late to make the switch.

  Three times during the evening, Hernando strolled to the greenhouse windows and peered outside. Claris had joked that he was having girlfriend problems. The grey tabby with the black tips, who’d courted him for months while he remained aloof, had disappeared. Now, of course, Hernando was interested and missed her. In fact, his girlfriend had become a fixture around the shop, and Ari hoped the cat was all right.

  Most of Sunday was a low-key catch up day. Ari met Steffan for a brisk run through Goshen Park. Afterwards, he lounged around, beer in hand, providing witty and sometimes instructive critique as Ari trained with her silver dagger. Mostly she worked on her throwing stance and forward lunges for hand-to-hand combat. The dagger was her favorite hands-on weapon.

  After Steffan left her apartment, Ari brewed potions and restocked the smaller, handier jars she kept in the kitchen with ingredients from the large stone containers in the closet. Mixing and cooking potions was the only kitchen-type work she did. Unless you counted nuking hotdogs. She had wound down for the day, relaxed, rather sleepy after the earlier workout, and was thinking about one of those hotdogs, when her phone rang. Ryan’s ID popped into view.

  “Hey, Ryan, what’s up?”

  “Shots fire outside Club Dintero. Could be our shooter again. I’ll pick you up in two minutes.” He paused, and his voice went flat. “Dispatch said the victim was the club’s owner.”

  Her gut clenched. “What—”

  “That’s all I know. Honest.” He hung up.

  Chapter Eight

  Ari flew out her apartment door. It had to be a mistake. Not Andreas. He was a master level vampire. They lived forever. Besides, she would know—her magic would know. Where the hell was this magical link when she actually needed it? She paced back and forth at the curb, once, twice. Her thoughts jumbled, her imagination forming gruesome images. She didn’t stop to assess why she was reacting this way.

  When Ryan’s Ford screeched to a halt, Ari yanked open the door. “Go!” she said, jumping in. The portable siren wailed and lights flashed on the top of his off duty vehicle as they raced through traffic. Luckily, it was Sunday and traffic was light. “Can’t you go faster?” she demanded.

  Ryan didn’t bother to answer. He shot a glance in her direction. “I take it you guys made up? Back where you left off?”

  “No.” And that’s what made this so bad. While Ari wasn’t sure what Andreas meant to her, he meant something. She might occasionally feel like killing him, but she didn’t want anyone else to do it.

  They lapsed into a tense, brittle silence.

  A blue and white police car sat at an angle outside the elegant, white, two-story brick building that housed Club Dintero. The car’s lights were flashing yellow. A uniformed officer talked with two people Ari didn’t know. She jumped out as soon as the car rolled to a stop and flashed her ID. “The victim?” she demanded, looking around.

  “Inside.”

  Inside? Why had they moved the body so soon? Could he still be alive? And, where were the damned paramedics? Did vamps use paramedics? She yanked the front door open, charged inside, and slid to a stop.

  Andreas stood in the hallway. Unharmed, sexy as ever with that lock of black hair falling over his forehead, calmly talking with a uniformed officer. His friend Marcus, Club Dintero’s host, was listening and acting not the least bit alarmed.

  Relief acted like a bucket of cold water flung on the adrenaline roaring through Ari’s veins. She gasped before she could stifle the reaction, and Marcus reached a hand toward her. His action was all it took. Ari turned on him.

  “Marcus, what the hell happened? Where was security?” she demanded, her voice shrill. “Doesn’t anyone do their job around here?” She was vaguely aware of Marcus’s shocked face, but the words kept pouring from her mouth. “Where were you? Don’t stand there like…”

  “Stop it. Arianna, stop it right now.” As Andreas grabbed her shoulders, the sharpness of his voice got through to her. She gulped down the rest of her tirade. Andreas said something to the officer, then shoved her into his office. She walked away from him as she heard the office door close with a firm click. She shivered, wanting to kick something, and hugged her arms.

  “That was unwarranted,” he said, his calm voice belying the censure. “My protection is not Marcus’s responsibility, and everyone is fine.”

  Silence grew thick in the room. Ari didn’t trust herself to speak. Her pulse still beat double-time. The nearness of his magic made her skin quiver.

  “If I did not know better, I would think my welfare was of some interest to you,” he finally said.

  Damn, damn, damn! How had she gotten herself into this situation? Ari was appalled at how much she wanted to throw herself into his arms. She hugged herself tighter. “Of course, I’d be concerned,” she snapped. “We don’t need another vamp murder.” Her tone was too sharp. She swallowed and made an effort to fight the adrenaline still flooding her system. She felt exposed, realizing how much her actions must have revealed. “You’re our contact with the vampire court. We need your help,” she added, in a feeble attempt to divert him. The excuse hung heav
y in the air.

  “That did not seem to matter for the past eight months.”

  “The vampire murders hadn’t happened yet.”

  Andreas sighed. “I hope you are more honest with yourself than you are being with me.”

  “What’s that mean? What are you implying?” Defiant, challenging, even surly wouldn’t have been a bad description of her attitude. She should have known he wouldn’t let her off the hook. She didn’t want to examine why she was so rattled. So she’d retreated into anger.

  Andreas spoke from behind her. “The time has come for us to talk.”

  As usual, she hadn’t heard him move. But she sensed how very close he was, an awareness sliding across her neck, light as a feather. She felt his hand touch her hair.

  “A little truth would be helpful, Arianna. Admit you are attracted to me, as I am to you. Although sometimes I wonder what attracts me, when every time you come near you carry an invisible stake in your hand.” His breath blew softly over her ear. “These long months, I have missed you, little witch.”

  Ari hesitated, the words to deny him stuck in her throat. Her witch magic had begun to sing, liking his nearness, and what came out betrayed her. “Me, too.”

  His arms wrapped around and pulled her back against his firm chest. She relaxed, enjoying the feel of him, allowing the heady mixture that was Andreas to wash over her.

  “I thought you were dead,” she whispered.

  “Would it have mattered so much?” His warm breath caressed the nape of her neck.

  “Yes,” she said, as surprised by the thought as the fact she’d admitted it. “I’ve never denied the attraction. I’ve just tried not to do anything about it.”

  “Hmmm. Is this so bad?” His fingers pushed the last strands of hair aside, as his lips brushed her neck. A silken touch that sent a fire through her. Ari shivered in his arms. Andreas laughed softly. A totally masculine sound.

  “Not when I’m with you. I forget all my good intentions.”

  He stilled. “What are those intentions?”

  Ari wiggled to free herself, and he let go. She moved out of reach before turning to face him. “When I’m away from you, I always vow to stay away. I remember all the reasons why this won’t work. You’re a vampire, one of the undead. I can’t seem to handle that. I don’t understand you, or your powers. I don’t know what this strange bond is between us. And I’m afraid I’ll get lost somehow.” Growing more uncomfortable, she started to turn away.

  “No, don’t run now,” Andreas said, gliding forward, closing the distance between them. “Do you think this is any easier for me?” He placed a finger under her chin, tilting her face to look at him. “I do not understand the pull between us anymore than you do. Nor the magical power that woke me and allowed me to see into your mind. It is unique, but unsettling. Yet, somehow, I know it was meant to happen.”

  “That’s not all of it,” she said, looking at him with a frown. “There are issues that won’t go away. A ton of them. While you’ll be young…forever, I’ll eventually grow old and wrinkled. Have you thought about that?” Ari glared at him, resentful that the admissions made her feel exposed. So what if she was as vain as the next woman? Maybe she wasn’t beautiful, but her skin was still young and smooth. It wouldn’t always be that way. What would he think of her then?

  Andreas laughed. “I trust that will not happen soon.” He stepped back and crossed his arms. “All right, madam witch. Tell me the rest.”

  Harold Shale’s list of negatives came back to her, but there was only one that was really important. “Kids,” she blurted. “I always thought someday I’d have one or two little Calin witches or warlocks.” She blushed at having such a personal conversation before they’d even had a first date. “You could never give me children, and I have a duty to the next generation. My heritage is important, Andreas. You can’t expect me to throw it aside. We have no future.”

  “Are you done?”

  “I could go on, but the other things are minor in comparison, so, yes. For now.”

  He dropped his arms and came to her side, placing two fingers lightly against her lips. “You are thinking too much and too far ahead. Making this more complicated than it should be. We have today. There are never guarantees for tomorrow.”

  “Unless you’re immortal,” she shot back.

  “Now you are talking nonsense. I am not immortal. Hard to kill, maybe, but I can die like anyone else. You know that—or we would not have had the recent scene in the hallway. You are wasting time, avoiding the inevitable.”

  Ari stiffened. “Inevitable? Like I have no choice?”

  “No, like we are mutually attracted and that will eventually lead to something. I am suggesting we let that happen now,” he said, sliding his hands around her waist.

  She thought about it, distracted by his nearness and his hands touching her. She pulled away again, and this time he sighed and stepped back.

  “I know exactly where inclination will take us, Andreas. And it’s not where I want to go. Without a future, I don’t want any ties. Can’t we leave things the way they are?”

  “I am not sure I understand. You want us to be friends?” He looked skeptical.

  “Why not? Something wrong with that?”

  “I do not feel exactly friendly.”

  “Meaning?” Some evil genie wanted to hear him say it.

  Andreas was too clever for that. “It means I will have to learn patience, little witch,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Something I have not had to practice in a couple of hundred years.” He paused before adding, “Sometimes I forget how young you are. In time, you will change your mind.”

  Ari stared at him. “And do what? Throw myself at your feet?”

  “Are you trying to force me away with a wall of anger?” he asked gently. “All I meant was I believe we have a future. Some things are intended to be.” He gave that characteristic lift of the shoulders again. “In the meantime, we should get to know one another. That is what friends do, is it not? Can we agree on that at least?”

  Ari looked wary. “Agree on what?”

  His chuckle was genuine, unrestrained. “So suspicious. Agree to spend time together, learn each other’s likes and dislikes.”

  She still thought he was being cagey. She could see the glint in his eyes. “In what way? Be more specific.”

  “Banish such thoughts, madam witch. I do not intend to seduce an unwilling victim, if that is your concern.” He raised a provocative brow. “Where would be the challenge in that?”

  Ari felt the corners of her mouth lift in response. He was incorrigible. Unfortunately, she also found him nearly irresistible. Where had all her good intentions flown? Nothing had really changed. Andreas and his appeal to her magic were as dangerous as ever. Yet, somehow it didn't seem to matter. She was no longer afraid. She wanted time with him, even if it was only for a little while.

  “Am I going to be sorry about this?” she asked with a serious face.

  His lips parted in a slow smile. “Not about everything. I can guarantee that.” His voice spoke of dark, wicked promises.

  Damn, he was good at this. A sharp rap on the office door provided a welcome reprieve from decision making. Ari had had about all the truth telling she wanted for the moment.

  When the door opened, Ryan stuck his head in with a cautious look. “If I’m not interrupting, I need to get the details on what occurred this afternoon.”

  “Of course, Lt. Foster. Come in,” Andreas invited. “We were getting ready to talk about that.” He threw Ari a mischievous grin. She figured he knew how uncomfortable she was with Ryan catching them in such a personal conversation.

  Ryan gave Ari a quick look before taking a seat on the couch. She ignored them both, perched on the edge of the polished, cherry wood desk, and tried to pull her scattered thoughts together.

  “Not much to tell really. I was coming to work like every other afternoon,” Andreas explained. “Around 4:15. A passenger in a dark
blue or black Buick sedan fired two shots. Both missed. I heard the discharge and got out of the way.” He waved a hand, like it was just that easy.

  With his vampiric hearing and speed, maybe it was, Ari thought. She remained quiet and let Ryan continue.

  “License plate?”

  “Illinois. The car was disappearing around the corner by the time I looked. First number was a 5, but that’s all I got.”

  “Did you see the shooter or hear anything else?”

  “A light-skinned hand, rough, probably masculine, holding a pistol. I would like to give you greater detail, but I was rather preoccupied with avoiding the bullets. The car accelerated rapidly. I believe you will find tread marks.”

  “Can you describe the weapon?”

  Andreas shook his head. “I am afraid I have very little familiarity with firearms. It was a dark-grey metallic handgun.”

  “We’ll check for tire marks. Maybe we can trace the car.” Ryan had been writing in his notebook and looked up. “Any ideas about this? Recent trouble with anyone? Here at the club or otherwise?”

  “No. Nothing unusual. The occasional guest might drink too much, but no threats or any incidents that stand out.”

  “Could this be connected to the other shootings?” Ari asked the question that Ryan had avoided.

  Ryan nodded slowly. “There are similarities.”

  “With a couple of significant differences. I have no human lover, no consort hidden away.” Andreas winked at Ari. She dropped her gaze, remembering when she had once asked him that very question. “And I have no connection to Shale’s agency.”

  Ryan must have noticed the wink, for he turned his head to give Ari a pointed look. She pretended not to notice. She didn’t want to talk about her current relationship with the vampire. If she examined it too closely, it would sound as if she’d agreed to dating.

  “What about the Pure Bloods?” Ryan asked. “How hard did you come down on them? Could they be looking for pay back?”