by Lynn Hagen
With that promise, Roy exited the bathroom with a huge smile on his face but not before cleaning up the mess that he’d made.
Chapter Ten
Roy couldn’t believe how happy he was when they finished their food. He wanted to shout to the town that Calhoun loved him. He felt like giggling as they got up from their booth and headed toward the counter.
He placed his hand on Calhoun’s strong back. “I’m gonna drop by the station real quick to talk to Sheriff Copache.”
“Just wait and I’ll join you.” Calhoun pulled his wallet out.
“It’s daylight,” Roy whispered. “And the station is only a few doors down. I’ll be fine. Just meet me there when you’re done.”
Before Calhoun could answer him, Roy headed out the door, feeling the need to whistle but was unable to because of the huge smile on his face.
When he reached the station, he noticed Heather and Fred arguing in the parking lot. Those two were a hot mess. How could siblings who lived together hate each other so much? At least that was how it looked.
Instead of going inside, Roy approached them. He wasn’t technically on duty, but he was still an officer of the law. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“It’s none of your damn business,” Heather snapped. “Everyone is always trying to stick their noses in where they don’t belong.”
“You made it my business when you two decided to have an argument in a police parking lot,” Roy argued back as Fred opened the trunk of his car.
Too late Roy realized this was a setup. Heather attacked, shoving Roy toward Fred. He grabbed Roy as Roy fought to get free, but they ganged up on him, shoved him into the trunk, and slammed the lid closed. Roy shouted and banged on the trunk, but the car started moving.
Panicked, Roy tried to figure out why the siblings had taken him. There was no logical explanation. It wasn’t as though he’d arrested them for anything. The most he’d ever done was warn them to stop bickering so loudly in public.
A thought struck Roy as he bounced around. From the way he was thrown back and forth, whoever was driving was doing so at a fast pace.
He grabbed his phone from his back pocket—thank fuck the two were amateurs and hadn’t thought to confiscate it from him—and called Calhoun.
“I’m on my way to the station now,” Calhoun said.
Roy’s stomach tightened at the sound of his mate’s deep voice. “I’ve just been kidnapped!” he said in a loud whisper.
The line went silent, and then Calhoun’s voice boomed over the phone. “By who and where are you?”
“Heather and Fred Pierce,” Roy said. “Sheriff Copache will know who they are. They stuffed me into their trunk, but I have no idea why or where they’re taking me.”
“I’m coming for you,” Calhoun snarled. “I’ll find you, Roy. I promise.”
Tears stung Roy’s eyes. “I believe you.” He swallowed roughly, wondering why he was taken in the first place. “I love you.”
Just saying those words brought him comfort but not for long.
The car jerked to a stop. The trunk opened, and the blaring sunshine made Roy squint. Fred snatched the phone from him and threw it before he slammed the trunk closed.
At least Roy had gotten out a call for help before Fred had grown a brain cell. Unfortunately, the sheriff wouldn’t be able to use Roy’s phone to triangulate his whereabouts.
He had complete faith that Calhoun would search for him. But would his mate find him? Even with Calhoun’s tracking skills as a tiger, Roy was in a car, so following his scent was out of the question.
Roy wasn’t sure how long he was in there before the car began to slow. They went over bumpiness, knocking Roy around before the car finally stopped.
Unsure why he was taken, Roy pushed himself as far back as he could, although that wouldn’t help him. The interior was small, and Fred would be able to reach him with no problem. Roy would fight. He would fight like hell to get away.
When the trunk opened, Roy was ready. But it wasn’t Fred who stared down at him.
It was the guy with the scar on his jaw.
Merk.
The vampire.
The guy who wanted Calhoun dead.
An evil smile curved the side of his mouth. “Fight and I’ll kill you instantly,” Merk said. “Climb out and be a good little deputy, or I’ll drain every ounce of blood from your body.”
With a threat like that, Roy slid out and looked around. They were in some kind of barn. There were dark plastic trash bags all over the wooden walls, as if someone had prepped this place for a vampire.
Heather and Fred were in one corner, a stall, arguing quietly with each other. If it was the last thing Roy did, he’d arrest them for what they’d done and make them pay.
Then he spotted Jude Pearson tied to a chair on the other end of the barn, a gag in his mouth. What on earth was Jude doing there?
Roy tried not to shake as Merk walked around him, as though he were inspecting him. “Calhoun Reckless ruined a very lucrative business of mine. I swore I would kill him for his hand in my downfall. But I want him to suffer for what he’s done.”
Roy wasn’t a fool. He knew what Merk meant. The vampire would hurt Roy to make Calhoun suffer. He didn’t want to die or become a blood snack for Merk, but hadn’t Calhoun told him that nonhumans were ten times stronger than humans?
A one-on-one fight was out of the question. The only way Roy would win was to get those black trash bags off the walls. The only thing wrong with that plan was that the sunlight would hurt Jude.
Roy’s heart thundered as he looked around, desperate for a plan that would keep him alive and enable him to escape.
Too bad nothing came to mind.
Heather stormed forward with a scowl on her face. “Okay, we did as you asked. Just pay us and we’ll be out of here.”
Fred had stayed back, curling his fingers around the top of the stall as he watched his sister’s brazenness.
She was too cocky for her own good. Although Roy hated them both, he would never wish them dead. Merk moved so fast that Roy barely saw what happened. Heather had been standing there one second, and the next, she was on the ground, grabbing at her throat.
Fred screamed and shot forward, dropping to his knees as he tried to stem the flow of blood gurgling from her throat.
Merk had ripped out the flesh.
The sick bastard licked the blood from his hand as he smiled. “Do you want payment as well?” he asked Fred.
Fred glared up at Merk as his tears flowed. “You didn’t have to kill her!”
Roy’s chest constricted, and his throat grew tight as he watched the life leak out of her eyes. There was no saving Heather. Merk had ended her with such violence, with an emotional detachment, that Roy wanted to throw up.
As Merk taunted Fred, Roy eased backward. Maybe if he freed Jude, they could fight to take Merk down. Roy would’ve tried to run for the access door, but he didn’t want to leave Jude behind.
He was almost to Jude’s chair when Merk turned and glared at him. “Not another step.”
Roy halted.
When Merk came toward him, Fred screamed and attacked, plowing into Merk’s back. The vampire stumbled but caught his footing and spun, backhanding Fred so hard the guy flew backward.
Roy raced for the chair and untied Jude just as Merk spun and bared his fangs. The sight was enough to make Roy want to wet himself.
Merk charged after him, and all Roy could do was brace himself against the attack and pray he survived it.
* * * *
Calhoun couldn’t breathe. He was dizzy and the world spun as Deputy Christopher and Deputy Burrows barked out orders to the people who had gathered to help search for Roy.
The men were shifters who lived in Maple Grove. Grayson, the sheriff, had called them to the station. Calhoun only half listened as Grayson introduced them.
Calhoun didn’t care what their names were. He just wanted to find his sweet little deputy before Merk
ended his life. And that was the only explanation Calhoun could think of as to why Heather and Fred had taken Roy.
Merk had human servants do his bidding. Why hadn’t Calhoun thought of that possibility? He’d been so foolish to think his mate had been safe during the day. He’d dropped the ball, and now Roy might pay the price.
“If you feel you have to shift, do so out of sight,” Malik Burrows said. “Roy was taken by car, so his scent will be hard to follow. Ben and Milo, take the west side of town. Cyril and Moose, take the east side. Russell and Derek, the south side. Darren and I will search places along the backroads. Grayson and Calhoun will be searching for Heather’s car.”
Calhoun tuned out the rest as he fought back a panic attack. He’d never had them before he mated. All Calhoun saw was the dead fae in those cages, their lifeless bodies drained of all their blood. Would that be Roy’s fate?
“Hey, we’ll find him,” Grayson said.
Calhoun blinked back tears. “What if he isn’t even in Maple Grove?”
“Then we’ll deal with that bridge when we come to it.”
Grayson headed toward his truck, and Calhoun followed. Before he got in, he shook out the fear and helplessness he felt. He took in a deep breath and allowed the beast inside him to flow. He’d been an enforcer, a once-feared man.
He pulled that persona into place, vowing to destroy Merk as soon as he got his hands on the guy.
And if the humans who took his mate were still alive, he’d end them, too.
* * * *
Roy dropped to the floor and rolled just as Merk reached for him. The vampire was fast, nearly on him when Jude crashed into the evil bastard and sent Merk flying.
“Get out of here!” Jude pulled Roy from the floor and shoved him toward the access door.
“I’m not leaving you,” Roy said with conviction. “We fight together.”
“You’re no match for him,” Jude said just before Merk used his inhuman speed and grabbed Jude around the throat, lifting him off his feet.
Roy looked around for a weapon, actively avoiding looking at Heather. But his eyes strayed there anyway, and he saw the pool of blood around her head. Her eyes were blank, and Fred was lying in a crumpled mess by the far wall.
The guy wasn’t moving, but Roy couldn’t worry about him. He had his own survival to think about. Fred had brought this on himself when he’d gotten into bed with the devil.
Roy picked up a large, weird-looking metal tool. They were in a barn full of machinery, but he had no idea what any of this stuff was. For now, they were all weapons at his disposal.
As the two vampires fought—Merk having the upper hand—Roy raced toward them and swung the makeshift weapon at Merk. The metal tool smacked against Merk’s head with a sickening thud.
Merk swayed and stumbled but once again gained his footing. He turned red eyes on Roy. That kind of blow should’ve killed Merk. Instead, it had simply pissed the vampire off.
Roy tried to swing his weapon again, but Merk caught it, yanked the piece from Roy’s grip, and tossed it halfway across the barn. The metal thingy hit the concrete ground with a loud clang.
“I’m going to enjoy sucking the marrow from your bones,” Merk snarled as he advanced toward Roy. “I’m going to leave your empty husk for your mate to find. And when Calhoun has had time to suffer, I’ll end him, too.”
Merk’s threats were terrifying, and Roy wasn’t looking forward to him making good on his promise, but when the evil bastard threatened Calhoun, something snapped inside him.
“Nobody threatens my mate!” Roy raced toward the tool Merk had thrown aside and dived for it. He spun to his back and held it up just as the vampire descended on him.
With the pointy end, Roy used all his might and drove the metal into Merk’s chest. Jude raced over and shoved Merk all the way down until Merk’s face was inches from Roy’s. Then Jude pulled Merk away, slammed his hand into the vampire’s chest, and extracted his heart.
Roy rolled over and vomited then heard Jude upchucking, too.
Still wiping his mouth, Jude dropped to one knee and placed his hand on Roy’s back. “Are you all right?”
“Define all right.” Roy fell onto his ass and stared at Merk’s dead body. He looked at Jude. “Have you ever killed anyone before?”
Jude appeared green as he shook his head and frantically wiped his bloody hand on his pant leg. “I knew him from...so when I saw him in town, I knew Merk was up to no good. I tried to stop him, but he kidnapped me and tied me to that chair. I think that was a week ago, but I’m not sure.” Jude gripped his stomach. “He was starving me, and I’m so damn hungry right now.”
Roy scooted back, staring wide-eyed at the vampire. His eyes were glowing red, then he closed them, sucking in deep drafts of air.
“Go,” Jude said to him. “Get out of here. I don’t know how long I can hold off from attacking you.” He shook his head. “The thirst.”
Roy knew when to fight, but he also knew when to run. He scrambled to his feet and raced out the door but not before he saw Jude descending on Fred.
Fred didn’t move. He didn’t fight. Either he’d been knocked out or Merk had killed him. Either way, Jude got his meal, and Roy would never forget the scene in front of him as he hurried out the door.
He dropped to his ass as the sun warmed his skin. Roy turned when he heard a vehicle approaching.
Calhoun jumped out before the truck stopped and raced toward him. Roy burst into tears as his mate scooped him from the ground and held him in a tight hug.
“Are you hurt?” Calhoun pulled back enough to look Roy over.
“Don’t go in there.” Roy buried his face in Calhoun’s neck and inhaled a lungful of his mate’s scent. “Jude’s in there, and he’s feeding.”
“What was that?” Sheriff Grayson asked when he approached.
Roy explained about Jude being held captive and how Merk had starved him. He also told them exactly what happened. “I know Heather is dead. I’m not sure about Fred.”
“And Merk?” Calhoun asked.
Roy burst out laughing. It had to be hysterics because nothing about the situation was funny. “I immobilized him, and then Jude ripped out his heart.”
Then Roy started crying again. Calhoun held him tightly in his strong arms, shushing Roy as he took him to the truck. Grayson joined them. “I’ll let Burrows and Christopher handle the mess,” he said. “And we’ll get Jude out of there.”
Roy didn’t give a damn about the cleanup. As long as Jude was taken home where he would be safe, they could burn the barn down for all he cared.
The nightmare was over. The threats to Calhoun were gone. Roy felt as if he’d grown over the past two weeks, and into a better man. His eyes were now open to the preternatural world, and now he could do his job a lot better since he was aware of the nonhumans who walked the earth.
But he didn’t fear them anymore. And that was in part because of Calhoun. The love his mate showered him with, the lengths he went to in order to keep Roy safe, and how he held Roy as though he never wanted to let him go went a long way in helping him adjust.
“I think I need a vacation from my vacation,” Roy muttered as Calhoun set him on the passenger seat.
Calhoun chuckled. “I thought you swore off adventures.”
“I’m talking about going home and not leaving the house for the next week.” Even after everything Roy had been through, he blushed. “But we’ll be naked the entire time.”
A purr rumbled in Calhoun’s chest. It was a sound Roy had grown to love as he stared into his mate’s baby blues. “I think we might need four weeks instead of the one we have left.” He nuzzled Roy’s neck. “I love you, my brave little deputy.”
“Love you, too.” Roy was looking forward to spending the rest of his life with his tiger. They would work on Calhoun’s nightmares, and Roy’s need to prove himself. They were a work in progress, but Roy wouldn’t have Calhoun any other way.
* * * *
Through the darkened shadows, Panahasi walked into Sparks’s bedroom. The human was asleep in his bed, which was perfect. He pressed the palm of his hand against the guy’s head to make him forget everything involving Calhoun and Roy. He’d already taken care of the warrants against the two men. Everything about them had been wiped from the system, and he’d returned Calhoun’s truck to his driveway.
What Calhoun had gone through was a price Panahasi hadn’t anticipated the tiger shifter would pay. He was grateful for the man’s help, indebted to him. If he hadn’t been dealing with urgent matters, Panahasi would’ve been there sooner to help.
Sparks woke, and he stared wide-eyed at Panahasi.
He leaned in, his face close to the human’s. Panahasi let his fangs lengthen as he curled his lip. “If you ever step out of line again, take any kind of bribe, or continue to be a dirty cop, I’ll skull fuck you so hard you’ll beg for death long before I give it to you. Do you understand me, human?”
The scent of urine filled the air. “I understand.”
Panahasi backed away, vanishing into the shadows of the room, but let his eyes blaze with fire before he completely disappeared. A little theatrics never hurt, and Panahasi wasn’t above having a bit of fun. But he meant what he said. If Sparks stepped a toe out of line, Panahasi would end him and anyone else who threatened Calhoun’s happiness.
THE END
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