“A nice catchy tune would be good. How about something appropriate to a funeral, since most vamps are dead and all—present company excluded,” said Cody.
Wheeler laughed. “’Taps’?”
“Totally.” Cody hid his grin, pleased his joke had helped Wheeler gather additional control. That had been the intent. He took a deep breath in and caught the scent of the water, not far from where they sat. “I like knowing there is a big body of water close by, should I need it. And that if push came to shove, I could get from it to the ocean quickly. Colorado seriously was starting to make me twitchy.”
“I bet,” said Wheeler. “I’m shocked the twins didn’t offer to find you a saltwater pool to take a relaxing shift in. Nothing like a great white in the pool while they throw some shrimp on the barbie.”
“Funny,” Cody said sarcastically at Wheeler’s jab about Cody being from Australia. “They offered it up as a suggestion for how they were going to deal with me if I sharked out on them.”
“Ah. This sharking-out. Did it have something to do with the crazed hippie guy and his cult or did this run more on the lines of Helmuth?” asked Wheeler.
Cody exhaled long and loud. “I take it when Armand called you, he got into being worried about me?”
“He did,” said Wheeler. “He’s right to be worried about you. Helmuth already found a way to capture you and hold you against your will once in your life. Want to give him another shot?”
“No,” said Cody softly, staring out at the park. “I want to kill him. I want to feel my hands around his throat a second before I snap his neck.”
Wheeler nodded, saying very little on the matter for what felt like forever. When he did speak, it wasn’t what Cody wanted to hear. “From what I’m told, snapping his neck won’t kill him. Didn’t two pretty fucking powerful ops already try to stand against him, and he came back from that with what looks like relative ease?”
“Yes. But this will be different.” Cody leaned back on the bench, extending his long legs, putting one ankle over the other. He and Wheeler both stood well over six foot, and the bench they were on wasn’t exactly made for men their size.
Still, they made it work.
“Because you’re going to let blind rage lead the charge?” asked Wheeler.
“You’re something of a buzzkill, dude,” said Cody with a grunt. “Want to start in on the kid from all those years ago once more, since you’re on a roll and all?”
Wheeler snorted. “Just keeping it real. And trying to keep you alive and not locked away in a containment tank or cage again. I’d think you’d want that too.”
Cody did want that. “You okay?”
“I’m not planning to drain anyone dry right this second,” said Wheeler, grinning, though it wasn’t full, and Cody suspected that meant the man was still struggling with his vampire side. If he was, fangs would show when he smiled all the way. And fangs weren’t something Wheeler was a fan of flashing.
Cody didn’t much care if the man vamped out or not so long as no one was hurt in the process, but he knew it bothered his friend. It had taken Cody some time to become comfortable in his own skin after his supernatural awakening. It was taking Wheeler far longer.
But his change came with a bloodlust Cody knew he couldn’t relate to. Not at the level Wheeler suffered.
His cell buzzed, and he withdrew it from his pocket to find he had a text from Armand. Since Armand wasn’t exactly a huge fan of texting, Cody had to wonder what had prompted the action. When he saw it was regarding Bill and Gus, he got a better understanding.
He shook his head when he read it and realized Wheeler was reading over his shoulder.
“Uh, who are Bill and Gus, and why did Armand just refer to himself as Count Dick-u-la?” asked Wheeler.
Cody had forgotten that Wheeler hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting Bill or Gus just yet. “The two humans who started out with Casey Black.”
Wheeler scratched his scruffy chin. “Didn’t I hear about them stealing Duke Marlow’s sports car and wrapping it around a tree or something? I think it was Westin who was complaining about them in a group text. They were staying with him and his mate in Tennessee, last I heard. Or do I have the wrong human pets in mind?”
Cody grinned. “Those would be the ones. They’re steadily making the rounds. Pray they don’t show up for you. When they do, insanity follows, chaos occurs, and someone walks out of there pregnant.”
Wheeler laughed long and hard. “I can’t wait to meet them.”
“Might get your chance,” said Cody. “They insisted on flying back with me. The twins and Armand are currently human-sitting. Not sure but Armand may drain Bill dry sooner rather than later.”
“Takes a lot to get under Armand’s skin,” said Wheeler. “He tends to ignore most people.”
“There is no ignoring the force known as Bill.”
“Now I really can’t wait to meet him,” added Wheeler.
Cody glanced at his friend. “Um, Gus, he, erm, seems to think I needed to be here tonight, with you, because some woman he thinks is a mermaid is in danger.”
Wheeler stiffened and then patted himself all over in a dramatic fashion.
“What are you doing?” asked Cody.
“Making sure I didn’t bring your mermaid in my pocket or anything.”
Cody groaned. “You know, you have a really shit sense of humor.”
“I try,” added Wheeler before wiping the smile from his face. “So he thinks a woman who’s a mermaid is in danger, meaning, he thinks mermaids are real?”
“Yes.”
“So, he’s crazy?”
Cody wasn’t so sure anymore. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
“What do you think?” asked Wheeler. “Is he right about some mermaid chick being in danger?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what to think. He’s been right about a lot of things.”
“And Gus said you needed to be here? With me, tonight?” asked Wheeler.
“Yes.”
Wheeler glanced around in a wild manner.
“What in the hell are you doing?” asked Cody.
“Looking for mermaids, dipshit,” answered Wheeler. “Drinks are on you if I find one first. Oh, do you think she’ll be wearing a shell bra or starfish over her nipples? I’m totally fine with either.”
“Asshole.”
Wheeler nudged Cody’s shoulder as a hot blonde woman sashayed toward them, wearing a pair of shorts that left little to the imagination. Her tank top was dressy with sequins on it that caught the glow of the streetlamps just right. “How about that one? She it? She your mermaid? Maybe she made a deal with a sea witch to get some legs for the night. I hope there is a singing crab.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Cody, his gaze following the blonde as she approached. “You hope you get crabs that sing?”
“Uh, no. I might have a soft spot for children’s movies,” confessed Wheeler. “We’re not going to talk any more about that though. Hey, even if she’s not the mermaid we’re supposed to find, she might be the one to pull you out of your funk. What do you think?”
The blonde’s tank top tugged at her ample breasts, and Cody glanced down at his jean-covered lap, willing his cock to respond. She was precisely the type of woman he used to go for—back before he broke.
Nothing happened.
His body seemed no different than before, and he didn’t feel any pull to the woman.
“Anything?” asked Wheeler, clearly knowing Cody far better than he should.
With a sigh, Cody shook his head. He’d pretty much given up the idea of having a sex life again.
“You know, there was a point in my life that this conversation would have been weird,” added Wheeler.
“You’re saying talking about my inability to get a rise for anything is weird?” asked Cody with a smirk.
“Nah. The mermaid part is the weirdest part of the night,” replied Wheeler, his attention back on the blonde.
“Mor
e than you offering to pee on me every chance you get or you confessing to liking children’s movies?” asked Cody. He got a mental image of Wheeler sitting home alone watching children’s animated cartoons and movies. It was hard to keep from laughing.
“Mermaid still wins.”
The blonde woman paused in her step, looking them over slowly. Cody quickly felt as if he were cattle, being sized up at market. Oddly, it didn’t bother him in the least.
Wheeler leaned in toward Cody. “Is it me or is she undressing us with her mind?”
“I’m not the one who can read minds,” said Cody in a hushed tone. One humans couldn’t hear. “You tell me. Is she?”
Wheeler’s gaze narrowed on the woman, and he burst into a loud fit of laughter, startling the woman out of her state of fixation.
Her cheeks pinked and she hurried off, her breasts bouncing more as she did.
Still, Cody’s cock didn’t take note.
Wheeler faced him. “She was vividly picturing us undressed and in bed.”
“Cool,” said Cody, totally fine with being objectified. “At least someone is getting a rise out of the evening.”
Wheeler laughed more.
“What’s so funny?” asked Cody.
“She was picturing us in bed naked, together. You and me. Not with her. She assumed we were a couple,” said Wheeler.
Cody snorted. “Of course. Offer to pee on me in front of her. That would totally sell it.”
Wheeler’s tastes didn’t run toward the same sex. Neither did Cody’s. Then again, it seemed as if Cody’s interest hadn’t run, walked, or crawled in any direction for years. For a short period, he thought he might be able to kick-start his sex drive once more. He’d met a woman who appealed to him on a certain level, holding his interest. But that hadn’t worked out for him or them. Mainly because they’d realized quickly that a romantic thread simply wasn’t there. But a strong friendship one was.
It had been for the best that his cock and his heart hadn’t gotten on board with dating her. Especially since Nicolette, the woman in question, was newly mated to a man Cody knew well. The ancient Viking she’d ended up with was a good guy until the thought of anyone else boning his mate came into the picture. Then he was downright deadly.
“How long did Gus say we had to sit here until the mermaid showed?” asked Wheeler. “Did he say if she’d come by way of a shark tornado or a hurricane full of alligators?”
“He didn’t,” said Cody, staring at his friend as if seeing him for the first time. Wheeler was a very strange man. “He just said I had to go about my normal routine with you tonight for events to line up.”
Wheeler checked his watch. “So, you’re saying we’re going to be drinking very soon then.”
“Oh yeah. For sure. Good news, if we do manage to get drunk enough, we might very well see a mermaid. Of course, we’ll be hallucinating it but whatever. Win.”
“That her?” Wheeler motioned to another woman. This one had short red hair.
Cody shook his head. “I don’t think so. Then again, I wouldn’t know, since they aren’t real and all.”
Wheeler grunted. “It would be nice if she showed up with a sign or something, announcing herself. Daryl Hannah kind of hot with a fish tail would work.”
“There are times I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Cody with a nervous laugh. He then wiped his palms on his jeans. “This is totally a ploy to get me away from PSI for the night so the guys can hunt Helmuth, isn’t it? They think I’m a liability because of my control issues when it comes to him, don’t they?”
“Maybe, but Armand would have mentioned that to me,” said Wheeler, his candor appreciated. “In case you’re wondering, he didn’t. How about we go park our asses on some barstools and drink until we trip over our own two feet?”
Cody thought of the inebriated college boys from before and snorted. “We might be too old for that.”
Wheeler laughed. “We’re too old for everything.”
True.
They were.
“Hey, was the lady at the crosswalk the mermaid?” asked Wheeler, a shit-assed grin on his face. “The one with the little dog? Did Gus give you an age range on her? Did he mention if she was a dog lover?”
Groaning, Cody put his head down and covered his face with his hands. “You’re a huge help.”
“I am,” said Wheeler before bumping Cody’s leg with his. “What about one of those women over there?”
“I’m not looking because I’m almost afraid of who you’ll suggest could have a fish tail next,” returned Cody.
“Fine. They’re probably being told we’re a couple anyways, since the blonde apparently knows them.”
Curious, Cody followed the direction Wheeler was looking in. He spotted the blonde from before standing near two women. They were all beautiful. There was no denying that much—but only one called to him, making him take note.
Cody sat up fast, his gaze locked firmly on a woman who seemed to be in her mid-twenties. Her long dark hair was pulled up in a haphazard bun with tendrils falling over her shoulders. Her large brown gaze was centered on the blonde as she laughed at something that had been said.
For a split second, Cody was reminded of the little girl from long ago. The one from Costa Rica. She’d had hair as dark as the woman’s, and her eyes had been wide and brown as well. Knowing he had the child on his brain from having only just talked about her, Cody dismissed the similarities.
In the next breath, random flashes of the woman he was sure he’d been dreaming of came to him. As they did, he couldn’t help but notice that the woman near the park bore a striking resemblance to the one he saw in his dreams.
His shark struck at him from within, seeming to want to communicate something important, but it was as stunned by the woman near the park entrance as he was.
As her full lips curved upward, Cody’s cock came to life as if someone had shocked it with electricity. He jerked and grabbed himself through his jeans, his attention never leaving the woman who was just outside the park entrance, near the street. She was around five foot six or so. Her friends were a touch taller, making her appear short. As his gaze moved over her, his cock throbbed with need and his body heated to the point he was sure he’d burst into flames.
His shark was basically stunned into submission, also captivated by the female.
The second he caught the scent of the open ocean in its purest form, he knew it was her. That she was the source.
And she was divine.
Wheeler leaned in close to Cody’s ear. “I’d like it noted that I’m not as shit at helping as you think. Pretty sure I just pointed out a woman who can help you out of your no-sex funk. That or the idea of me pissing on you is really a turn-on for you because, um, you’ve pitched a tent there, buddy.”
Cody glanced down at his lap and noticed his jeans were bulged as his hard-on did its best to gain the room it needed and wanted. In a state of shock, Cody turned his head slowly, searching Wheeler’s face for any sign of what to do next. “Is it her?”
Wheeler’s expression softened. “If we’re going by little shark’s vote down there, I’m going to say yes. She’ll more than work to help bring you out of your super-long dry spell. Now, if you’re asking if she’s the mermaid, I can’t answer that. But I can offer to spritz her with water to see if her legs turn into a fish tail. I like to think of myself as a helper. A true friend. But if she calls the authorities, I don’t know you.”
“You think I should talk to her?” Cody asked, his voice squeaking as he did. It was embarrassing but Cody didn’t care.
Wheeler was motionless for a few tense seconds before the man burst into laughter. He whipped out his phone and snapped a picture of Cody.
“What in the hell are you doing?” demanded Cody.
Wheeler offered an amused smile. “So I can show everyone later how pale you got when you were finally about to get laid again.”
Cody lowered his head. “You’re
a dick.”
“Yep. A dick who thinks this is kind of hilarious,” said Wheeler, taking yet another photo.
“I’m gonna shove that phone up your ass,” warned Cody.
“Nah, you’d have to stop clutching the bench seat for dear life first. You’re pussing out on talking to a hot chick and possibly getting some action. Who are you? The Cody I know used to be able to blink twice and girls would toss their panties at him. Where did he go?”
Cody was about to argue that he wasn’t clutching the bench when he realized that’s exactly what he was doing. He didn’t remember grabbing it. All he remembered was seeing the woman from across the way and feeling as if he’d been sucker-punched in the gut.
And then horny.
Really fucking horny.
The tent in his jeans showed no signs of going down anytime soon.
Cody exhaled a shaky breath. “Wheeler, I need you to be a friend here. Tell me what to do. Please. I’m kind of freaking out.”
“Kind of?” echoed Wheeler.
Cody glanced at him, desperation showing in his gaze. “Something isn’t right.”
“I call your little shark now working again right in my book,” said Wheeler. “But I’m kind of all about getting laid, so take my thoughts on the matter with a grain of salt.”
Cody sighed. “That isn’t what I mean. Well, it is, but it’s not.”
“That totally cleared it up.”
Cody’s shark felt as if it was swimming in circles deep in the pit of his gut, with the threat of breaching any second. It was as wound up as he was over the woman.
Wheeler wiped the amused grin from his face. “Seriously, go say hello. I’ll go with you. I’ll be your wingman.”
A pained look came over Cody. “I really have to talk to her?”
Wheeler rubbed his temple, shaking his head as he did. “When this evening started, I had a best friend who was not a total pussy. What happened to him?”
“He got an erection and all the blood went from his head to his dick,” said Cody quickly. It was the truth.
Wheeler snorted. “Okay, get up.”
“I don’t think I can stand,” said Cody, nodding to his groin.
Wheeler blinked several times. “I’m not offering to fix that problem for you, so figure it out. Want me to talk about pissing on you again? Will that kill your hard-on?”
Wrecked Intel (Immortal Outcasts®): An Immortal Ops® World Novel Page 16