Paranormal After Dark

by Rebecca Hamilton

  Eve had felt it from the moment she woke, a connection to this man, a desire. She assumed her attraction was her hormones, and her need for safety, but somehow she knew this feeling was more than that. And she didn’t think it was only she who felt their connection. Eve stared down at the bear. It wasn’t his blood this time, but if it came to it, would he bleed for her?

  Adley was like no man she’d met before. He was hard, cautious to the point of being rude. But when he looked at her, when he searched her eyes for answers to unspoken questions, he answered one in kind. Would he bleed for me? Yes… yes he would.

  Chapter 18

  Adley

  WHITE LINES BLURRED before Adley, both on the road and in his heart. He’d more than once swerved to the wrong side as they tracked Edric Hasting to the next town and the next murder. Eve sat beside him as the odometer spun, never once complaining, even in her condition.

  Her presence, at first, was grating. Her quiet demeanor was not what he expected of a woman her age. He could tell she was nervous around him. But the more he tip-toed around her, the more uncomfortable she became. So, he stopped trying and for once in his life, he let his guard down. They talked, really talked. Not surface stuff or watered-down versions of events. He kept from going into detail about some things, like Nathan and the force. And the reason he pushed himself so hard, stuff he didn’t think she’d understand. But everything else poured from his mouth like a leaking tap. Eve listened to everything and her grating, quiet demeanor became soothing, cathartic in a way. For once in his miserable life, Adley talked until there was nothing left and when he finished, they sat in silence.

  There was a strength about her. A quiet resolve he’d grown to like and now wanted more of—a lot more. The way she described her attack was incredible, one small pregnant woman against two blood-crazed monsters. Somehow, he knew if it’d been anyone else they would’ve been slaughtered. But not Eve. She was a fighter.

  He had no plan about where this was headed, neither the hunt nor their relationship. The pregnancy should’ve been an issue for him, a deal-breaker on any account. God knew, he didn’t really know how to handle any of this. But if he was honest, he didn’t see her like that. He saw her and her baby. They were a package deal. And damn if he didn’t think about it more than once, her and him, together….

  He didn’t ask about the father. He figured she’d tell him when she was ready—a drunken one night stand or a childhood sweetheart who wanted one last try. That unknown man didn’t matter to him. As fate would have it, she wasn’t with those guys. She was here, with him. When they neared the state border, Eve asked if she could look at his files. At first he’d been hesitant. Then he found himself nodding, allowing her to pull the photos and reports onto her lap. Reading the gruesome case files couldn't have been easy for her, staring at the bodies, the pregnant women murdered. Even for the seasoned detective like him it was hard.

  Little broken bodies lay in a macabre display on the glossy prints. More than once, he watched her clutch her stomach, her breath stilled for a moment. He knew exactly how she felt. The morgue photos still affected him the same way. Adley drove and she read, thumbing through page after page.

  Her small sob drowned him in a river of pain and anger, as it had so many times before. Detachment was something he’d learned to live with. Something he could hold onto, while the world carried on.

  “Do you want to tell me about him?”

  He pretended to focus on the road, while inside he panicked like hell. The rusted locks on his secrets were breaking free, one after another, and he guessed it was time to release his ghosts. He’d been waiting, secretly hoping he could share the story closest to his heart with her.

  “Matthew was my sister’s boy. He was all she had… hell, he was all I had.”

  There was silence for a while. Long enough for him to think she hadn’t heard him.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  She placed her hand on his arm. He couldn’t remember how many times he’d heard those words... I’m sorry. “I’m sorry” meant secretly they were glad it was you and not them. But when she said those words, he didn’t feel cruel sympathy. Her compassion radiated like a winter’s sun. Her genuine warmth filled him, until his darkness withdrew.

  He swallowed Eve’s soft nature and sweet sorrow as though he was a starving man. And, God help him, he wanted more. In between the talking, the service stations and the case files she read two things happened.

  One, Eve mumbled that something had changed for Edric Hasting. Her hands were a blur as she flicked through the pages. Adley stared at the road, but his concentration was on Eve. In the last months, Edric had seemed erratic, more than once leaving items behind at the crime scene. He’d become more dangerous. He’d become deranged. Seeing the case through Eve's eyes made Adley realize what Edric’s motivation was now. Edric’s motivation now was—her.

  From the contacts he’d made as a detective, he’d gained a lot of respect from outside departments, one of them the Australian Federal Police. His contact with AFP had allowed him access to their files on Edric Hasting's latest victim. He’d compiled them in a separate folder. The new files quickly became thicker than the twelve cases he’d bought with him. The last three victims shared a similar quality, which until now had escaped him.

  “He’s targeting not only pregnant women, but now blonde, pregnant women.” She may have been mumbling to herself, but he was intrigued. “His prior victims have always been different nationalities, hair color, and eye color. There’s been no other pattern in these new murders except for their pregnancy.”

  Eve held the photo of his latest victim. The bloody scrawl left on the wall had police baffled. I'm coming for you blonde bitch. Adley slowed the car and pulled over.

  Eve stared at him, holding out the photo. “This is about me, I know it is.”

  Adley took the photo from her shaking hand. “Those words could mean anyone, Eve. It doesn't mean it's you.”

  “I'm the only one who’s escaped and it’s exactly what he said to me. He's targeting these women, because he wants them to be me.”

  She looked so small then, like a frightened little bird. His mouth went dry and his heart thumped wildly. I won't allow that to happen.

  Adley cleared his throat and moved back onto his side of the car. “Let's find somewhere to stay tonight and we'll start off fresh in the morning, okay?”

  She nodded and turned to look out the window. He wanted to reach out to her. To pull her into his arms and hold on to her tight. She was scared as hell and barely holding it together. He needed more than to hold it together… he needed her.

  He spun the wheel and moved back onto the highway, accelerating past the speed limit. They were about four hundred kilometers south of the last murder, and at this very moment he’d rather have been four thousand.

  He drove in silence, wondering what she was feeling. Wracking his brain as to what he could do about it, he drove into Barky. The town looked deserted. Panicked faces peered from behind closed curtains and doors. There was a killer on the loose, heading this way.

  Adley had the desire to keep on driving until this world and their problems only haunted his rear vision mirror. But no matter how many kilometers he drove, or how many motels they stayed in, he knew Edric Hasting wouldn’t stop until Eve was dead.

  He waited, sitting in silence, trying his best to provide something, anything, even just his presence.

  “I’ll go and book us in.”

  She nodded, her face still hidden from him.

  “It’s going to be okay.” His throat tightened. “Eve, look at me.”

  She turned to face him, her face bright and shining with fresh tears she brushed away. He wished he could do the same for her pain, brush it away with his touch.

  He moved in slow motion and pulled her into his arms, lowering his mouth to hers. Her lips were salty and soft under his. Her mouth tasted so sweet, he could barely restrain himself. Eve moaned. The sound vibrated in hi
s mouth, filling his body with her warm breath. He pulled away slightly and kissed the corners of her sad smile. He moved back to slide his lips across hers, until he could stand it no more and pushed deeper.

  The seconds slowed. Every movement her body made was catalogued inside his racing mind. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he knew the line had been crossed, and there was no going back.

  She pulled away and he let her go. He moved back onto his side of the car. She stared, open-mouthed, at him and he panicked. “I’m sorry.”

  I’ve ruined everything. How could I be so stupid? He reached for the handle and almost fell out of the car before he turned and strode toward the office. What have I done? I’m a fucking idiot.

  Adley hit the glass door harder than he realized, making the tiny bell jump and clang above him. An older woman behind the counter jerked her gaze up toward the bell and then settled on him with a scowl.

  “I’ll get this one, Marie.” A man about the same age appeared from behind a half-closed door. He wiped his hand on a rag and nodded in greeting. “What can I do for you?”

  “I’m after a room for the night for me and a friend.”

  “Aha.” He mumbled and made his way toward the window and looked out at the car. “Where abouts you from?”

  “We’ve come a long way. We’re on our way to visit her mother.”

  The stranger walked to the grubby glass and peered out. In that moment Eve turned toward them.

  “Seems kinda young, ain’t she?”

  Adley didn’t care about what others thought of him. But to see this stranger raise his brows and pass judgment on Eve pissed him off.

  “She’s pregnant,” Adley growled, but held himself in check. “I’m just trying to keep the girl safe. All I’m asking for is two rooms. We’ll be gone first thing in the morning. You won’t even know we were here.”

  The motel owner nodded. They were scared. The police warnings only increased their panic. One of this country’s worst killers could be in their town, under their very nose. He couldn’t blame them. He’d be just as protective. The man walked back behind the counter and grabbed two sets of keys from the board.

  “Now, these rooms are on the house, if what you say about your friend is true. I won’t have a pregnant woman out on her own when a crazed killer is on the loose. So let’s go out and see this friend of yours and make sure she’s okay.”

  Adley sighed and made his way out to the car with the motel owner in tow. Getting angry would get him nowhere. The motel owner obviously didn’t care about money, the place looked deserted. But underneath he was still a good guy. Like Adley he still cared. He cared about Eve. Adley didn’t think Eve could handle another night on the road. She moved slower now. He could tell being cooped up in the car made her ache, although she hadn’t said a word. He had no option other than to show this old man what he wanted so Eve could at least sleep on a real bed with clean sheets.

  Adley walked around to her side and opened the door. “Eve, the kind gentleman here wants to make sure you’re okay. Can you step out of the car?”

  Her brow pinched and she looked from Adley to the stranger and back again, “It’s okay,” he urged, his voice softening.

  She opened the door and heaved her body out, her face reddening with the strain. He hadn’t realized how big she was now. Her body seemed dwarfed by her stomach. Her clothes were stretched, pulling at the seams.

  “You okay, Miss?” The man asked. Eve nodded, lifting her head to look him in the eye. She had more guts and determination than someone her size and in her condition should have.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, but Adley’s taking good care of me.”

  She held her ground beneath the motel owner’s scrutiny. The old guy nodded and handed Adley the keys. “The kitchen’s closed after dark. I won’t have my wife out here after sundown. Like I said, rooms are on the house. You be sure to lock up safe. And there’s a connectin’ door if you need it.”

  He turned to go and then stopped and added. “Honey, you look like you're ready to give birth any minute, now. How much longer do you have to go?”

  Eve glanced to Adley and looked away. “I’m not sure.”

  His laugher crackled through the air. “What you mean you’re not sure?”

  She shrugged. “I guess he'll come when he's ready. I'm overdue by about a week.”

  Adley felt like he’d taken a punch to the gut. He bent over. Everything grayed... everything except for her. He could feel his face burn while he counted the weeks they’d been on the run. Has it really been that long? Oh God, two months. Shouldn’t she have seen a doctor by now? A midwife… someone?

  “I'm fine, Adley, really. If there was a problem, I would’ve said something.”

  His words came in a fevered rush. “I'm so sorry, Eve. I didn't think.”

  “Well, you're gonna have to at some point, I’d expect, son.” The old man gave Adley a glare before he stomped off. Adley’s head pounded so hard, he expected it to split. How could he have not thought of the obvious? Of course, at some point she was going to have her baby. What the hell will I do then? How can I chase a monster with a baby on board and where will that leave me and Eve? As though on cue, Eve walked around to the back of the car and pulled the lighter bags from the boot, waiting for him to grab the heavier ones. They’d fallen into a rhythm, moving from town to town, showering at truck stops, eating at roadhouses. They were almost seamless.

  Eve must have felt his hesitation. She stopped unpacking but didn’t turn around. “It doesn’t matter, Adley. I never expected anything from you. All I wanted was for you to keep me and my baby safe and that’s what you’ve done.”

  But it does matter… because you matter. Adley handed Eve the key to her room and reached to take the bag from her shoulder. She stopped his hand with her own. “I don't need your pity. I can do this on my own.”

  She grabbed her things and walked away, her body swaying in a painful-looking gait. Just let her go. Jesus, he wanted to, and if this feeling had been only physical, he could’ve walked away. He’d done it before. But this was different with Eve. Adley grabbed his bag and laptop from the car and followed her, stopping at the room next to the one she disappeared into. He’d never felt so fucking useless. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to hurt something. Those were the things he could do for her. He didn’t know how to be there for her emotionally. He just wasn’t programmed that way. You’d better figure it out or she’ll leave you, just like everyone else.

  Adley threw his bag on the bed and went to work setting up the laptop. He’d been spending every moment he could searching the internet for information, no matter how ridiculous. The victim’s wounds intrigued him the most. They were always in the same place. And that familiar punch to his gut told him that similarity was the key. He pulled out the coroner’s reports of the injuries. The wounds punctured the skin and pierced the jugular vein, like two needles—two needles that were the exact same width apart in each murder. Like a bite. As ridiculous as the notion sounded, one thing came to mind. Vampire.

  He’d been a police officer for most of his adult life, assigned to some of the roughest neighborhoods. He knew the immortal species existed only in the minds of teenagers and bored housewives. There had to be another reason for the marks. No matter how hard he tried to find another reason, he couldn’t. He sat back, remembering the day he was almost killed, the way the woman in white had moved. The way she’d lifted his partner off the ground and tore her head from her body with her bare hands. There was no such thing as vampires….

  A knock on the door snapped him back to reality. He moved the blinds aside, catching sight of Eve at the door. He cursed and reached for the handle. How long had she been standing there? Anyone could’ve seen her.

  Adley jerked open the door. “You okay?”

  “Sure,” she snapped. She was angry and he didn’t blame her. He’d acted like a jerk kissing her. Jesus…what kind of man can’t even control himself? T
hey stood there in silence, Eve looking at the ground while he looked at her. “I’m going to get something to eat. I wanted to let you know.”

  “Sure. I'll grab my things.” He moved around the room, picking up his wallet and reaching for his phone.

  “No. I need some time alone. I'm just letting you know I'm going out.”

  He couldn't deny the sting he felt. “Why? Where are you going?”

  “Out. Is that okay with you?”

  He wanted to say No, it's not okay, but he’d overstepped the line. The kiss was bad enough, but when he pulled away, he’d just made his mistake worse. On top of his pathetic advances, she was scared and pregnant and she needed him to help her. The urge to protect her was overwhelming. All he could do was nod and mutter. “Please, don't go too far, or be away for too long.”

  He didn't know if she heard him, or if she even cared. She turned and walked out, leaving him standing there with his phone in one hand and his heart in the other.

  What am I doing? He was supposed to be finding a killer, not falling in love. But, he had fallen in love. Adley sank onto the bed, staring at the open door where she’d been only moments ago.

  He, Adley Scott, wasn't head over heels in love. The feeling wasn't anything so nice and neat. This love was like an undertow. He’d been sucked beneath and washed away. And now he was stranded on this unfamiliar island and far from home.

  Chapter 19

  Grimm

  EXCITEMENT MORE THAN instinct pulled Grimm from his seat. His heart thundered like a fucking locomotive on a downhill run. He moved fast, riding high on the scent of the female lycan—until he was jerked back.

  His head smashed into the back of the seat. His canines carved their way through the tender flesh of his bottom lip, filling his mouth with the taste of his own blood. A hiss filled his ear. “What. The. Fuck. Are. You. Doing?”