‘Detective. Do they not teach you manners on the police force?’
‘No, but they teach us honesty, which you seem to lack, Mr Green,’ Nick said, fixing the man with a cold stare, ‘Why didn’t you tell me the woman who took blood from Simon was here?’
The manager blanched and went to protest, then thought better of it.
‘We take vows, Detective, to protect each other and not reveal our secrets. As leader of this group, I am especially bound to such pledges. Simon was a young man who had placed his trust in me.’
‘Simon is dead, Mr Green. The only harm you can do him now is to not tell me anything you might know.’
Azriel wrung his hands.
‘Of course, of course. Forgive me, Detective.’
‘Where is the woman? The ‘sanguinarian’ that fed from Simon?’
Azriel winced. ‘I dislike the word ‘fed’ Detective.’
‘I dislike murder, Mr Green.’
‘Call me Azriel, please,’ the man almost pleaded, ‘this way. The Contessa will be upstairs in the kissing booths.’
Kissing booths? Nice euphemism, Nick thought. It also occurred to him that no-one here seemed very concerned or upset about Simon.
He was also disappointed that the woman who had so enticed him earlier was clearly as deluded as Azriel. ‘The Contessa’ indeed.
Chapter Two
Ruby – or ‘the Contessa’ as the regulars at Crimson Shade knew her – sat back in the booth and took a sip of her drink, crossing her legs elegantly. She was alone, having retreated upstairs to get some peace from the overpowering atmosphere of the bar, and also to escape from the intense eyes of the man she had seen go into the office. When their eyes had met earlier she had been unable to stop the immediate response of her body. His commanding presence, muscular physique, and heart-stopping good looks were enough to turn any woman’s eye, but that didn’t explain the jolt of electricity that had shot through her on meeting his gaze. She hadn’t reacted to a man like that for a very long time.
Centuries, in fact.
Ruby looked over the balcony at the room below and saw the man crossing the bar with Azriel. Even from there the sheer masculinity of him made her catch her breath. He was powerfully built, looking as if every inch of him was sculpted to perfection; from the broad shoulders and bulging biceps to the perky curves of his butt. It was impossible not to imagine those arms around her, or those strong butt cheeks tightening as he plunged into her … Ruby shook her head, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. Clearly it had been so long since she had taken a lover that the mere sight of a red blooded male was enough to reduce her to a quivering mess. She felt almost human again.
The guy had to be a cop, investigating what had befallen Simon. Ruby thought of the unfortunate blood donor and sighed, her lustful thoughts pushed to one side. She had tried to help Simon, to deter him from the path he had chosen, but she obviously hadn’t tried hard enough. And whatever afterlife he had gone to, it wasn’t the one he had wanted for himself.
As Ruby saw Azriel and the detective begin to climb the stairs to the balcony she frowned, but then reasoned that of course he would want to question her; Simon had, as far as anyone here knew, been her regular donor. She would have to be careful what she said to this human. No doubt the NYPD were looking for some crazy vamp wannabe who had taken his fantasy too far. Better that they go on a wild goose chase for a deranged but very mortal murderer than find out the truth.
The two men were approaching, so Ruby smoothed her hair and put on a polite smile. She tried not to watch the detective as he walked towards her; not to be aware of the heat flaring up inside her at the sight of him. Perhaps she had gone too long without feeding this time and was confusing her blood thirst with something far more primal.
Yet when he flashed his badge and slid into the booth opposite her, Azriel at his side seeming unusually twitchy, Ruby saw that his cynical cop smile was hiding his own arousal. With her finely tuned vamp senses Ruby could see the dilation of his pupils and sense the rise in blood pressure. He wanted her too, and she hadn’t even tried to bespell him. This was more than a man noticing an attractive woman, she could feel it. Taking a big gulp of her wine Ruby looked at the man over the rim of her glass, struggling to keep her composure. He was staring at her almost in wonder.
‘I need to ask you a few questions ma’am,’ he said, clearing his throat and dropping his eyes, ‘about your relationship with Simon Canterbury-White.’
He glared at Azriel, who seemed to wilt under his gaze, but didn’t get the message. Ruby smiled kindly at him.
‘I think I might like to talk to the detective alone?’ she said lightly. Azriel looked panicked for a minute, before nodding and rising reluctantly. The cop watched him go, his mouth curling in distaste as he watched Azriel flounce down the stairs and click his fingers at the barman who jumped to attention and began to pour him a drink.
‘You don’t approve of us, Detective Carter?’ she asked, putting a seductive energy into her voice that should have had him too busy swooning over her to concentrate on her questions, especially with his obvious desire for her, but he merely frowned at her and sat back in his seat.
‘Hardly, Miss …?’
‘Ruby.’
‘Ruby. You can call me Nick. It may well be this lifestyle choice that got Simon killed. What exactly was your relationship with him?’
Ruby smiled and turned up her powers a notch, willing the detective to believe anything she said.
‘We were friends Detective…Nick.’
But his eyes remained cynical and probing. Ruby had to stop herself scowling. If she had hit anyone else with that much of her persuasive power she could have told them the moon was made of green cheese and they would have taken her word as gospel. The Detective however was looking more suspicious by the minute.
‘Is that all? He wasn’t your donor then? Because you were seen to make frequent private trips to this part of the club with him.’
Ruby sighed. If her vampire wiles had apparently short circuited, she would just have to fall back on her good old fashioned womanly ones. Leaning forward with her arms on the table in front of her so that her cleavage was enhanced and her hair tumbling around her shoulders, she looked up at him from under her long lashes. He blinked, his gaze falling to her breasts, then lingering on her mouth, before reluctantly coming back to her eyes. Still, they were like flint. This man was no pushover, that was for sure.
She shrugged.
‘Simon saw me as his mentor, if you like. But I didn’t kill him. That’s what you really want to know, isn’t it Nick?’
The man glared at her. He seemed to be having some kind of internal struggle with himself, and with more than simply his desire for her. Ruby sent her power to him again, soothing waves of energy that should have relaxed him instantly, but again it didn’t work. If anything, he seemed even more on edge.
‘Any ideas who did?’ he ground out. He was virtually gritting his teeth now.
‘Are you alright?’ she asked, and her concern was genuine. Perhaps he was ill, even mentally so; that may affect her ability to influence him, but even so her powers should have some effect. Some vampires were blessed with preternatural strength or speed, but her gift was her strong influence. Never had she met anyone, no matter how strong minded, who didn’t react in some way. Until now. Who was this man? He was certainly intriguing, as well as drop dead gorgeous.
Dangerous. But her instincts weren’t telling her to run. Quite the opposite, in fact. She wanted to throw herself in his arms and lose herself in his body, his smell, with a lust that had nothing to do with blood, only flesh. Ruby realised she was biting her lip, and that he was staring at her doing so. He blinked, seeming to mentally shake himself, and swallowed as he answered her question.
‘I’m fine. The atmosphere here is not quite what I’m used to. Tell me,’ he said, sounding genuinely interested, ‘why would a beautiful woman such as yourself be interested in all this?�
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She smiled.
‘Why do you think, Detective? Attention seeking perhaps, or a desire to hide my true self? They are often one of the same after all. Perhaps I genuinely believe myself to need the exchange of blood to keep myself in full health?’ If he only knew how true that was.
‘Were you and Simon lovers?’ he changed his line of questioning so abruptly it made Ruby blink.
‘No.’
He glared at her again, as if he were trying to see inside her head and was angry that he couldn’t. The fierce look on his face made him appear both dangerous and impossibly sexy. Since she had been turned Ruby had never met a mortal man that she couldn’t control with her mind, and the effect of that coupled with his alpha male looks and personality had an unnerving but exciting effect. I bet he would be good in bed she couldn’t help thinking.
‘Were you with Simon Thursday night?’
She regarded him coolly, though she was fighting not to blush under his penetrating gaze. He really did have the most intense eyes … get a grip Ruby, she told herself in annoyance.
‘Briefly, yes. I met him here, we came upstairs for a while and talked. I left about ten and went home. He remained here. I’m sure there are witnesses here who will corroborate that.’
‘Did you take blood from him that night?’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
Ruby didn’t answer. She could hardly tell the detective that she had stopped taking blood from Simon because she was trying to help him, or that she was investigating his death herself. Instead, she asked a question of her own.
‘Is it true? About how they are saying he was killed?’
Nick narrowed his eyes at her and in turn answered her question with another. In spite of the seriousness of the situation Ruby was at some level enjoying their banter. He had a quick mind, this cop, as well as a firm body.
‘What are they saying?’
Before she could answer he asked suddenly, as if he hadn’t meant to voice the question,
‘What do you know about vampires?’
Ruby sat back, shocked but trying to keep her face impassive. Of course he could be using the term ‘vampire’ in the way that the lifestylers used it, but instinct told her otherwise. She needed to leave before he discovered just how intimate her knowledge of vampires was. She stood up, picking up her purse and exiting the booth.
‘I have to go, Detective. If you want to ask me any further questions, I suggest you get a warrant.’
Nick stood and faced her, was about to say something when Ruby became acutely aware of the sudden nearness of him, her vamp senses catching fire. The musky smell of him enveloped her and she became aware that she was staring at his mouth again. Whatever he had been about to say was lost as his head came down towards hers and in a wild, unthinking moment they crushed their lips together hungrily. Ruby moaned as his hands went to her hair and tipped her head backwards as his mouth claimed hers, desire coiling tight at her core. Her arms wrapped around him and as she pushed her body into his she could feel the unmistakable hardness in his groin that told he wanted her.
Then he pushed her away roughly, and his face was full of such anger she actually flinched.
‘That’s why I can’t read you,’ he ground out, stepping towards her so that she was between his powerful physique and the table, ‘you’re the vampire.’
Ruby gasped and went to step around him, but he grabbed her wrist, his grip firm enough that she couldn’t get away. With her mental powers useless against him, she was defenceless. For the first time in more than a hundred years Ruby was the prey, not the hunter.
‘You’re under arrest,’ he growled. Ruby forced a soft laugh.
‘For being a vampire? Is that even a crime Detective, seeing as we don’t officially exist?’
‘You killed Simon. And now you’re trying to use your powers to seduce me.’
Understanding his anger, Ruby took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. Even though he had scared her and was still gripping her wrist she was still aware of his nearness and the throb of her lips from their kiss. The mixture of fear and desire made her tremble, but she fought to control it and looked him squarely in the eyes.
‘The answer to both those accusations, Nick,’ deliberately using his name, ‘is no. I did not kill Simon, and whereas I would certainly have used my powers on you if I could have, if only to dull your interest in me, you seem to be completely immune to them.’
He frowned at her, thinking hard for a moment, then ignored her last statement.
‘If you didn’t kill Simon, who did? You lot don’t tend to hang around in packs. You rarely find more than one vamp in a state, never mind a city.’
‘Us lot, as you so nicely put it, are indeed solitary. But I didn’t kill him. And you’re hurting me.’
Ruby glanced pointedly at where his hand still gripped her wrist and he followed her gaze, looking apologetic as he realised he was clutching her arm so hard her skin squeezed between his fingers. He loosened his grip, but didn’t let go.
‘I have to take you in for questioning,’ he said, and Ruby felt a surge of fear. She had heard the rumours that a secret division existed within the police force for preternatural crimes, but had never foreseen that she would have any dealings with them. Now though, she felt panic.
‘And then what? Even if I prove I’m innocent, they’ll never let me go. I’ll be locked up, experimented on …’ Ruby’s voice stopped on a gulp of fear. If this was anyone else, convincing them to let her go would be as simple as planting the suggestion in their mind, and the realisation that without her ability she was as defenceless as any human woman made her feel uncharacteristically vulnerable.
Nick shook his head sharply.
‘That won’t happen.’
‘How can you be sure?’ Ruby’s eyes were pleading. She couldn’t risk her freedom. She had an idea, however. They both wanted to find out what had happened to Simon, albeit for very different reasons, and now that he knew she was a vampire there was no reason for her to pretend she knew nothing.
‘If you are innocent, I give you my word you’ll be safe,’ Nick said, oblivious to her thoughts. Ruby shook her head.
‘You may be honourable but can you say the same for your superiors? Look, I can help you. I want to find Simon’s killer as much as you do – a killer vampire in the news risks exposure for us all, and I have a nice, quiet life, Detective and I want it kept that way. Let me help you.’
‘And in return for your help?’
‘You don’t expose me. I’ve committed no crime. I never take blood from an unwilling human, or use my mental abilities for harm. I pose no threat to you or anyone else.’
‘I’ll be the judge of that,’ he snapped, but he seemed to be considering her offer. Finally, he nodded.
‘Okay. We’ll go somewhere more private, and you can tell me what you know. But you attempt to flee and I’ll call the whole preternatural team out to hunt your ass. Understand?’
Ruby nodded, and followed him downstairs. As they walked out of the club he slipped her arm through his as if they were merely going for a stroll, but of course all eyes followed them with undisguised interest, wondering what the cop wanted with the Contessa.
Neither of them mentioned the kiss.
Chapter Three
Nick didn’t speak as he guided her outside and into his very un-cop like red sports car.
‘Nice,’ Ruby murmured, ‘it matches my hair and dress.’ She flashed a flirtatious smile at him as she slid her legs slowly into the car, but although his eyes lingered on her exposed thighs as he shut the door on her his face remained impassive. Ruby sighed. Even without her mental powers, she was used to men being putty in her hands. This man’s desire for her was evident, yet so was his refusal to be swayed by it. Ruby had never felt less in control of a situation, and she knew her own powerful attraction to him wasn’t helping one bit. She risked a glance at him as he got into the car and started the engine, but his g
aze remained resolutely fixed ahead. He had an impressive profile, she thought, with that chiselled jaw and straight nose, offset by long lashes and those full, kissable lips. A perfect mixture of manliness and sensuality. His strong shoulders and the bulges of his muscles were evident under his shirt, and Ruby shifted in her seat, heat travelling through her body as she remembered the feel of those strong arms around her just moments before.
‘Where are you taking me?’
‘To my apartment.’
‘Is that wise? Aren’t you scared that I might be lying about my ability to bespell you, and that I might try and drink your blood as soon as we’re alone?’ she teased, although she was partly serious. His complete lack of fear of her was both unnerving and strangely stimulating.
‘Hardly,’ he retorted, never taking his eyes from the road, ‘if that’s your intention, then now that you know I’ve discovered you, you can do it regardless of where I take you. If you could bespell me, you would have done it already. Everyone saw us leave, and there are security cameras around my apartment that will see you enter. You’ll be caught. The way I see it, you’re the prime suspect for Simon’s murder. If you want to prove your innocence, I’m the only help you have.’
Ruby nodded, impressed by his logic. ‘You believe me then, that I didn’t do it?’ she asked. Nick didn’t answer, but admitted to himself that yes, he was pretty sure she hadn’t done it. Instinct told him she was being truthful, and like any good cop his instincts were sharp as a tack. Even so, he knew he was taking a risk; by rights he should be turning her in, even though he knew she was right, the authorities would never let her go. What did it matter to him what happened to some damn vampire?
Not that he had any problem with vamps per se, just cold blooded killers who ruined lives. The one vamp serial killer case Nick had been involved in had been enough to show him that evil bastards were evil bastards, human or otherwise, but that being immortal and often super-strong with a taste for blood made any murderous inclinations a lot easier to fulfil. Whatever his instincts, he had to be careful of this woman. She knew something, as did ‘Lord Azriel’ and Nick was determined to get to the bottom of it before anyone else got hurt.
The Lady is a Vamp (The Paranormal Investigations Series Book 1) Page 2