“I would never wish these cases to go unsolved.”
“No, but you wouldn’t want your case to be taken over by the DEA either.”
Barker laughed, the sound deep and gravelly. “I assure you, Special Agent Ferrari, I couldn’t care less what you do. Chief Jennings said to contact you and that’s what I’m doing.”
“I assure you that you have no need to worry about your case, Barker. I’ll check with my boss, Captain Melchor, but I’m sure he’ll want me to come by and take a look. If I find nothing connecting this case with the previous one, it will be all yours.”
“I appreciate that. When can we expect you?”
“Within the hour. Don’t let anyone else in the church until my team arrives.”
“I wouldn’t think of it.”
Janelle hung up the phone and leaned back in her chair. The detective was a wise ass. She almost dreaded heading to Eugene. This case though? It intrigued her. Which, of course, brought up the one man she had hoped to wipe from her radar, Vlad Tepes. Janelle wasn’t sure why these cases conjured up the man, or stirred her visions, which were premonitions of future events, but she intended to find out. He had shown up at her office inquiring about the Flores case. Could he possibly be interested in this one as well? If so, what was the man’s angle?
She had given Vlad her card when she stopped by the Sons of Sangue clubhouse months ago, and yet he had not called as asked, enlightening her on his interest in the case.
Ever since Vlad’s strange visit to her office and her following erotic dreams of him, not to mention the vision of a tall man slinking into the forest at the back of the cabin’s lot, her psychic visions had gone silent.
Maybe it had been her apparent obsession with the man that had quieted them. Something about him stirred her sexually in ways she hadn’t been accustomed to since becoming a special agent. Typically, her work fulfilled her. The fact she craved a dangerous man like Vlad alone should have her steering clear. Instead, he intrigued her, preoccupied her thoughts. Vlad was a distraction she couldn’t afford, regardless that he’d had her libido working overtime.
Chapter 2
The sun beat down on the back of Vlad’s neck. Thankfully, the whole vampires can’t go out in sunlight was more fiction than truth. Worse case, he’d sunburn quicker than most and his eyes were more sensitive to the bright light. Nothing a good pair of sunglasses and SPF 50 wouldn’t correct. He exited his newly purchased 2019 Aston Martin DB11 convertible in a sleek magnetic silver. Granted he had paid a pretty penny for the vehicle, but he couldn’t be seen driving any old sedan. Vlad had been a Romanian ruler and needed a vehicle worthy of one. In the past, he hadn’t used normal forms of transportation, hadn’t seen the need.
His feet had always gotten him where he desired, except for when the need arose to continent hop. Using planes had become a necessity to take him where his legs couldn’t. Unlike fictional vampires, he couldn’t simply turn into a bat and fly. A ridiculous notion at best. Besides, if he could shapeshift, he’d pick something majestic like a bald eagle, or cool like a sleek black panther.
Now that he was going to be spending more time than usual in the United States, Vlad needed to embrace traditional methods of traveling or draw unwanted attention.
His reasoning to remain in the States was due to Mircea’s latest antics and had nothing at all to do with the special agent plaguing his thoughts. Ludicrous. Not once had Vlad allowed a woman beneath his skin or into his musings, at least not in the last few centuries. Janelle Ferrari was merely a remarkable and intelligent young woman, one he had not been able to hypnotize, and thus had piqued his interest.
Several motorcycles lined the lot near the door of the Sons of Sangue clubhouse, which along with their vampire scent, told Vlad several of his grandsons’ friends were also in attendance. Even though it was cold enough to freeze a witch’s tits, these boys still traveled on two wheels when snow wasn’t piling up on the asphalt, no doubt making the contraptions downright treacherous.
Driving his Aston Martin, he’d at least stay warm.
Vlad headed for the entrance. Kane and Kaleb had been given a heads-up on his impending arrival. The Sons of Sangue met and carried out their business within the four walls of the small, white-sided building. He supposed there was no sense in advertising their clubhouse with a flashier exterior. Better to keep the riffraff and wannabes at bay. Vlad, though, preferred his laid-back beach lifestyle and much roomier Spanish-style home on a remote island just off of Belize to anything the States had to offer, that was until Mircea decided to fuck everything up and forced him to leave behind the island life yet again.
If not for his brother, then he would have never met Janelle.
Something else he had his brother to thank for, though he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Before he reached the door, it swung inward and stopped his musings cold. Good, he had wasted enough time and thought on the alluring special agent. He needed to focus on the matter at hand without distractions and she was definitely a distraction.
Kaleb stepped through the doorway, a large smile pasted upon his face. They may have had their differences in the past, but there was no denying the unbreakable bond of love they shared. He’d give up his own immortality before he allowed Mircea to harm a hair on his grandsons’ heads.
“Grandpa.” Kaleb’s eyes twinkled in merriment, the big male knowing full well Vlad only allowed the nickname when it came from his grandsons’ mates, Suzi and Cara. For being over five centuries old, Vlad looked nothing like an elderly grandfather, and preferred not to be referred to as such. “Good to see you.”
Vlad wasn’t one to chatter. “Vlad to you, dear boy. Where’s Kane?”
Kaleb chuckled and stepped back, allowing him to pass through into the small dwelling. Kaleb was large in his own right, but Vlad had a few inches on both his grandsons and had to duck beneath the doorframe.
A few of the Sons of Sangue members gathered about the living area. All the better. Kane and Kaleb’s brethren needed to be a party to Mircea’s insanity, since this might also affect them. If Vlad didn’t find and stop Mircea soon, it could be the downfall and end to all vampires’ existence. Racism ran rampant through society, despite humans’ best effort at maintaining peace. If humans found out about vampires, their fear of the unknown alone would dictate their desire to hunt down and eliminate them.
“Shall we gather in the meeting room?” Kane rose from one of the sitting area sofas, clapping Vlad on the shoulder. “I asked everyone who could make it to be here. I think we all need to be on the lookout for your crazy-ass brother. The bigger our numbers, the better odds we have of catching him before he does more damage.”
“Afraid he’s already struck again, Kane,” Vlad grumbled. “He’s murdered two innocents this time.”
“You have proof it was him?” Kaleb asked.
Vlad nodded. “Smug son of a bitch messaged me, told me where to find his latest crimes against humanity. He also alerted the authorities, maybe hoping they’d catch me red-handed instead, or that I wouldn’t have time to clean up his fucking mess.”
Kane offered Vlad a seat, which he declined. Vlad was too keyed up to sit. “He took out a priest and a nun.”
“Fuck me,” Ryder said from his position near the front picture window.
“He’s trying to fuck us all, apparently, but me in particular.” Vlad clenched his teeth hard enough that had he been human, they would have shattered.
“What do you need us to do?” Alexander stood and walked to the bar area where they all now gathered.
Grayson took down a couple of bottles of Gentleman Jack and several tumblers, pouring two fingers’ worth for everyone. “I think this is a call for whiskey.”
Alexander held out his hand. “None for me.”
“Still a pussy I see, Xander.” Grayson chuckled, handing Alexander a can of Sprite.
“Fuck you, Gypsy.”
“Sorry, Xander, I’d rather be fucking my mate. Tamera has y
ou beat in that department. Everyone else drinking?”
Several moments later they all stood around the bar, sipping the amber liquid. Vlad tipped back the last of his, the whiskey warming him from throat to gut. He normally preferred a glass of vino, but this certainly did in a pinch. At least it was a smooth whiskey with hints of vanilla and caramel. Very tasty.
“We need to hunt down Mircea and take him out.” Vlad set down his glass, which Grayson quickly refilled. “I don’t want any of you acting recklessly. Don’t get me wrong, he needs to be our top priority. All club business needs to be set aside until he’s dealt with. When you go looking, do so in pairs and take a primordial with you. All the blood Mircea’s consuming is going to make him stronger. Don’t take him lightly. He’s probably waiting for one of you to fuck up. Right now he’s taking out mortals, but don’t think for a moment, given a chance, he won’t take your head.”
“I’m assuming that’s what his intentions are anyway,” Kane said. “He’s trying to flush us out. So if any of you encounter him, don’t play the hero. Kaleb, Vlad, Ryder, or I must be along for the confrontation. Even with our primordial blood, he won’t be easy to take down. I don’t want to lose any more men. If you see Mircea, you need to call one of us. We may also call on Draven and Brea’s primordial strength if need be.”
“I’ll get the prospects scouring Eugene, asking questions, see what they can find out about the priest and nun, maybe see if there’s a reason Mircea chose them.” A muscle ticked in Kaleb’s jaw, evidence of his underlying rage. “This son of a bitch has used up eight of his nine lives. Time to take the ninth.”
Vlad growled. “This is my mess. I created the bastard, gave him his immortality. In all my years, I’ve never regretted anything more.”
“You aren’t in this alone, Grandpa. This became our mess when he came into our territory.”
“Vlad,” he corrected Kaleb again. The last thing he needed was this gang of bikers referring to him as an old man. He’d show them old, by God. He glanced around the room, looking at each member. “I appreciate you having my back, but I don’t want to be the reason he takes any of your heads. Be smart and follow Kane and Kaleb’s lead.”
Vlad rattled off his cell number. “Store it in your phones. If any of you come across Mircea, I better be the first number you dial.”
“No offense, Vlad,” Kane got his attention, “but if I find him first, I’m taking him out. You won’t stop me this time. The bastard won’t slip away a second time.”
“You have my blessing. Remember, though, you have my primordial DNA running through your veins, but he’s consuming large amounts of blood. He’ll be gaining in strength.”
“Are you saying we should all follow suit and bulk up on blood? I can find some degenerates.”
“I don’t want more dead humans on our hands, Kaleb. It’s not who we are, even if our choices are those who don’t deserve to breathe air. Keep up your strength by drinking daily, but don’t harm the blood donor. Mircea won’t stand a chance against our numbers if he’s traveling alone. I don’t care how much fucking blood he’s drinking.”
Kane narrowed his gaze, taking in the men sitting around the room. “We could use more numbers. I can call in the Washington chapter. I’m sure Gunner, Smoke, Axel and the boys will be willing to lend a hand.”
“That might be wise, Kane.” Vlad picked up his glass and downed the contents, the whiskey warming his gut much like the sweet essence of blood, though not nearly as tasty. “I’m betting Mircea is aware of your men to the north. We don’t need them unmindful of the situation. They’ll need to be filled in on what my brother’s been up to.”
“I’ll make the call,” Kane said. “I volunteer to head to Washington. They’ll need a primordial should trouble arise.”
“Cara needs you here, Viper. She’s got two buns in that oven, not far from her due date, and needs your protection. I’ll go.”
“Thanks, Hawk. I appreciate that, but I can handle—”
“Fuck that. I’ll head for Washington.” Ryder braced his hands on the bar. “I owe Gunner for taking a bullet for me. Gabby and Adriana can keep each other company while I’m gone.”
Kane rubbed the whiskers on his chin. “Ryder is right, he might be the best choice. Maybe you should think about making Gabby a mate before you leave. You don’t want to leave her vulnerable.”
He shook his head. “Not before she’s ready. Besides, there isn’t enough time for me to help her through the change, let alone teach her the ropes. I won’t force this on her because of Mircea. She’ll be fine with all of you here to watch over them. And I’ll be fine going on my own as I have all the confidence in Gunner and his men. I’ll be in good company.”
“I’ll have the women keep a close eye on Gabby and Adriana,” Anton said. “And maybe with India ready to pop, Xander should sit this one out too. Help keep an eye on the women.”
Alexander ran a hand through his hair. “India may be due any day, but fuck I don’t want to let you guys down. You need numbers.”
“I agree with Rogue,” Kane said. “Besides, I think you would do better keeping an eye out for Gabby and Adriana as well. As president, I make the decisions. I’m sure Ryder would appreciate your help watching Gabby.”
“Your mates–”
“Shouldn’t all be in one place at a time. This isn’t negotiable, Xander. You’ll take India and go over to Gabby and Ryder’s new place.” Kane chuckled. “Enjoy the peace while you’ve got it, bro. Once that baby comes, there won’t be much of that to be found. The rest of the mates I want here or at the Blood ‘n‘ Rave. They shouldn’t be going about town on their own either.”
Kaleb smiled. “Listen to you, Viper. You have twins on the way. I can’t wait to see how you handle that when Cara decides she’s going back to work. I don’t see her giving up the detective job any time soon.”
“With good reason, Hawk. We need someone in there who has our back, especially once Joe Hernandez takes over as sheriff. He’s running unopposed. Who better to keep an eye on him than his old partner?”
“You guys sound as if you have this handled, not to mention it’s wise to keep a close eye on your mates. No telling what Mircea might do.” Vlad had plenty of confidence in Kane’s men, the ensuing chatter proving as much. The room bustled with excitement for the impending hunt.
The idea Mircea might target the women had Vlad thinking of someone else. Should his brother discover his infatuation with Janelle Ferrari, Mircea might use her to get to him.
“Not to be rude, but there’s a special agent I think I need to pay a visit to.”
“You never are one to stay long.”
“There’s really no point in being idle, Kane. Not when I have business.”
“Like this special agent. She the same one from the last case, the murdered cartel members?” Kaleb whistled. “She certainly was a hot little number.”
“One and the same. I do suppose she’s easy on the eyes.” Vlad grimaced, downplaying his interest. Janelle was hot … sexy, arousing… “I need to see if the DEA will be looking into this recent case, if they think there’s a connection.”
Kane’s brows drew together. “Why would you think the DEA would be involved?”
“The victims were all drained from neck wounds. The latest case from the church wasn’t near as messy as the four dead drug runners, which had gained the DEA’s attention. I don’t want the special agent connecting the dots between their deaths of these two cases and helping the locals to do the same.”
“You handle the special agent and I’ll handle things here,” Kane said. “If you need me to get Cara involved on the law side—”
“I got this.” Vlad sure in the hell hoped he did. “But thank you for the offer. I’ll be in touch.”
Kane walked him to the door and opened it. “Sweet ride. When the hell did you start driving?”
“Thanks. I just got her.”
“She?”
“Anything smooth as butter
with sleek lines and sexy curves is a she.”
Kane chuckled. “I suppose you’re correct. When are you going to let me teach you how to ride a motorcycle? Two wheels are so much better than four.”
Vlad chuckled. “Maybe once the weather clears up.”
“I’ll remind you.”
“I have no doubt you will.” Vlad’s face sobered. “You guys take Mircea seriously. You boys are all I have now that Mircea’s gone certifiable.”
“We’ll watch our backs. Besides, I have a couple little Tepeses to bring into this world.”
“And I’ll be looking forward to meeting them.”
Vlad strode through the door and headed for his sleek new vehicle, definitely a she. Maybe he’d take the special agent for a ride. A smile slipped up his cheeks.
Pun intended.
Chapter 3
Janelle stuck the key into the hole and locked the door of her office. It had been a long day and her boss, Captain Robbie Melchor, was being a complete dick about the Flores case having no viable suspects. There wasn’t one shred of evidence connecting the recent murders of the priest and nun in Eugene to the Flores case, but she could feel it in her bones it was the same UNSUB, unknown subject. Captain Melchor wasn’t buying it and she had no grounds, other than her inkling, to prove otherwise.
What a time for her visions to go silent.
And all thanks to the man, Vlad Tepes, who bore the same name as an ancient ruler who impaled his enemies, erecting the stakes into the ground to serve as a warning. If she could figure out why her visions had suddenly dried up following his odd visit to her office a few months ago, she might be able to figure out how to restore them. Having had them all her life, it was as though a part of her had gone missing.
Not that they’d give her the name of the faceless person responsible for either crime, but they often steered her in the right direction. Janelle had witnessed a lot of bad in the world. Nothing should surprise her. But this latest case, killing two who had pledged their life to God? What the hell had they done to deserve their brutal deaths?
Vlad (Sons of Sangue Book 8) Page 2