“What does that mean?” I asked frustrated again. “I still don’t understand how I’m able to help him travel through time.”
Dragon chuckled. “As I said earlier, Rook told me how he left things between you. He’d have my head if I explained that to you now.”
I rolled my eyes. “Aren’t you the king? And isn’t he sworn to protect you?”
Dragon laughed some more then said, “Regardless of my position, I learned a long time ago not to interfere once the mating frenzy starts.”
Not knowing how to respond to that I just shook my head and let it go. We wrapped up the conversation and decided to let Tony believe Dragon had given us the typical non-answers a public relations expert would advise a casino owner to give in this situation.
I was thankful for Dragon’s honesty, but I kind of missed the days when everyone at Myths and Legends avoided my questions or told me outright lies. At least then I had hope. Now I knew without a doubt that the killer I was after would never be brought to justice - not human justice anyway.
Vampires could move with blurring speed that human eyes weren’t able to follow or disappear from sight altogether. Then there was the whole mind control thing. Tony stood in one place during the entire meeting with Dragon like a statue made out of human flesh. Add in the shapeshifters and everything else I had yet to discover and I couldn’t see how humans would survive if the supernatural races came after us. Dragon believed our numbers and technology would help us prevail, but I wasn’t sure I believed that after everything I’d seen so far.
As I pulled away from the resort with Tony cheerfully chattering away in the passenger seat about bringing his wife to Myths and Legends next weekend, I had to wonder if this was how Alice felt when she fell down that rabbit hole.
* * * * *
Chapter Five
“I know why you’re here Rook,” Camila murmured as she slowly circled me in the soft light of the candles spread around the room. Her fingertips lightly brushed my bare chest making me shiver in response. I was nude except for a towel wrapped around my hips.
“I saw that human detective a little while ago, the one you’ve loved in your dreams for so long. Do you want to dream of her again? Is that why you’ve come to me Rook?” She was behind me now and went up on her toes to whisper in my ear, “Why do you torture yourself like this? Wouldn’t it be so much more satisfying to track her down and show her what you really want to do to her?”
“No games today Camila, just give me what I need,” I replied tightly.
She laughed lightly, a sultry, seductive sound that had absolutely no effect on me. “Oh, I’ll give you what you came here for, but only that human can give you what you need. Now, lie down on my table and let me give you a taste of what she could do for you.”
I hopped up on her table and tried to relax as she began massaging my shoulders and neck.
Camila was attractive, tall with long black hair worn in a loose chignon and a hint of Asian ancestry in her almond shaped eyes. She was also an empathy demon, which made her the perfect masseuse for the spa here at the resort. She could enhance the emotions, thoughts and dreams she saw and felt through contact with bare flesh.
After I met Angela I couldn’t bring myself to be with another woman. It just felt wrong to even think of touching anyone but her intimately. Several months later I bumped into Camila on the way to the gym. I was wound so tight I thought I would explode if I didn’t get inside a female right that second. But I couldn’t have Angela and no one else would’ve been acceptable. Camila felt my emotions through my skin and talked me into coming to the spa with her.
She had me undress and lay down on her table. Then she told me to think about Angela and all the things I’d ever wanted to do to her. The images flickered through my mind and a heartbeat later I was in my bed with Angela beneath me screaming my name and begging me for more. It felt so real, all my senses came alive. I smelled her arousal, felt the wetness surrounding my cock as it moved in and out of her tight body. It was enough to make me come right there. The orgasm shot up my shaft violently and I was left panting while in my mind I was crushing Angela against my chest.
My visits to Camila were the only thing that kept me sane all these years. With the help of her magic I’ve touched and tasted every inch of Angela’s subtle curves in every position and setting imaginable. But now instead of fantasies I only see memories when I close my eyes, and no matter how strong Camila’s magic is, I know it will never be enough to satisfy me again.
As Camila continued working the tension out of my muscles I let my mind wander to the night of the bombing. I remembered Angela’s fear when I asked for her help, and the guilt I felt for having to push her further than she was ready to go. I knew she wanted to help me save Serafina’s life, but I also knew when she felt overwhelmed. Instead of backing off as I should have, my blood oaths to Dragon drove me to keep pushing her.
I wanted to slow down for her and to savor every second I had with her, but there wasn’t enough time. I had to keep her off balance or she never would have gone through with what needed to be done. So I teased and tempted, then devoured her with my kisses and the intimate caress of my fingers. When she finally gave herself to me it was the happiest moment of my life, even if deep down I knew it wouldn’t last.
Each time Camila helped me relive that night on Dragon’s terrace I felt every sensation, every quiver of Angela’s tight sheath as I plunged myself into her warm, wet body over and over again. I remembered every touch, every kiss, the sight of her in that tiny pink thong, the sweet scent of her arousal as it filled my senses and the sound she made when I hit just the right spot. Goddess, I wanted to hear that sound every night for the rest of my life.
And when I recalled the moment of final release, I gloried in the rush of energy that swept over me, so empowering, intoxicating, as I reached out and pulled it into my body and slid through time with an ease I hadn’t felt for centuries.
The memory finished playing out in my mind and Camila quietly left the room to allow me time to clean up and get dressed. With her help my physical needs had been met for the moment, but the guilt and the fear that Angela would never forgive me always overshadowed the memories of the pleasure I felt that night in her arms. Inside I felt hollow, empty without her.
When Angela scheduled the appointment with me I thought maybe she was finally ready to talk about us. Then she showed up with another detective and I knew she was still denying her feelings for me. Sitting through a meeting with her and that human male was the last thing I wanted to do, so I asked Dragon to cover for me and came straight here to see Camila.
Maybe that wasn’t the best way to handle the situation, but I was running out of patience when it came to Angela. I’d hoped that given enough time she would come to me on her own. Since that obviously wasn’t going to happen I needed a new strategy. The next time Angela came to the resort I would see her face to face. There would be no more having Dragon or anyone else run interference. From now on I was going to meet her like I would any other challenge; head-on with nothing held back.
Angela Ruby wasn’t going to know what hit her the next time I got my hands on her.
* * * * *
Chapter Six
When we returned to the station Lieutenant Lynette Taggert called Tony and I into her office to report our findings. She was not pleased to hear we hadn’t learned anything new. Then Tony started talking about how great Myths and Legends was, and how hospitable Mr. Drake and his staff were and the shit really hit the fan.
“What do they do over there, brainwash everyone who walks through the front doors?” Lieutenant Taggert snapped, then shoved her chair back and got up to pace in front of her window. She was a petite woman who always made me think of a drill sergeant with the tight bun holding her dark hair back, her stiffly pressed clothing and her brisk no nonsense personality.
“Every time we get a shred of evidence leading us to that resort it disappears into thin air then the w
itnesses suddenly forget what they saw or they simply go missing altogether.” She shook her head. “Those people are guilty of something and one day I’d like to nail them for it.”
“Unlike Tony I’ve been around long enough to know you’re right. There is definitely something strange going on at Myths and Legends,” I agreed while thinking, just not the kind of strange you’re thinking of. “But I don’t think they have anything to do with these murders. Having that many bodies dumped on their property in a two month time period has to be bad for business, especially when the killer is making the deaths look like vampire attacks. I think it’s more likely some lone psycho that wants to be a vampire or it’s one of those religious fanatics that would like to see the resort closed down for good.”
Tony and I sat in our chairs; backs ramrod straight and waited while she contemplated my opinion.
After a moment she shook her head and stopped pacing. “No, my gut tells me someone at that resort is involved.” She leveled her gaze on me. “We need to find a serious lead and fast. People are starting to panic as far as three counties away. We should be using every resource available to find the maniac that’s killing these young girls. Why haven’t you spoken to Mr. Delaney about this recently? He’s normally very forthcoming when you turn on the charm.”
Inside I groaned; I’d known it would only be a matter of time before this came up. “Mr. Delaney has made it very clear that he’s tired of asking me to go out with him only to be turned down. I’ve tried to speak to him about these murders, but for the last month he’s been conveniently unavailable whenever I go to the resort. We actually had an appointment to speak with him today, but he was supposedly called away on an emergency just before we arrived.”
She tapped her toe while she mulled that over, then she looked at me with an almost evil grin that gave me chills. “Then perhaps it’s time you went on a date with Mr. Delaney.”
It felt like my jaw hit the floor and I clamped my mouth shut hard. Lieutenant Taggert was looking at me expectantly. “You want me to date Devin Delaney?” This could not be happening.
“I don’t want you to date him for real, think of it as an undercover assignment. We’ll be watching your back the entire time.”
And it just kept getting better. “Let me get this straight. You want me to go out on a date with Devin Delaney to try and get him to talk about these murders while my fellow police officers watch our every move from a nearby vantage point.”
“Yes. Do you have a problem with that?” Her tone was getting sharper as her eyes narrowed on me.
I looked her in the eyes and hoped I appeared confident while inside I was screaming - Why me? “No Ma’am. I’m only concerned that he might notice if I bring backup on a date with him. He’s a very perceptive individual and security is his field of expertise.”
She relaxed a bit and sat back down in her chair. “Nonsense. Our people are good at what they do, and he’s too dangerous to send you out with him alone. Call Mr. Delaney and set this up as soon as possible. If there’s anything he can tell us that will help break this case then we needed to know it yesterday.”
The meeting ended on that note and I left to make my call to Rook. When I reached the front desk of the resort they tried to give me the runaround but I told them to tell Rook this was a personal call. Within moments he was suddenly available and on the other end of the line. He seemed genuinely surprised and pleased to hear from me making it that much harder to go through with the charade. Hearing his voice brought so many memories to the surface. He’d never been anything but honest with me unless he was protecting supernatural secrets and now I was going to betray his trust like he meant nothing at all.
Knowing the backup Lieutenant Taggert sent wouldn’t be able to hide in the resort I asked him to meet me somewhere away from the casino. He chose a place called Mike’s that was outside the immediate area but I was familiar with it. We agreed to meet at nine o’clock and hung up, then I gave the specifics to my backup crew. I didn’t want to go through with this, but refusing would raise too many suspicions. With no other choice I headed home to prepare for my first date with Rook. Too bad it would most likely be our last since I was sure there wasn’t a human alive who could evade his detection.
* * * * *
Chapter Seven
The call from Angela surprised me and I was curious to know why she wanted to meet somewhere outside the resort. I was leaning back with my elbows on the bar and a bottle of beer in my hand waiting for her to arrive. Not that she was late, I was just being impatient.
The bar was a little crowded but not too bad and the band on stage was playing all my favorite classic rock songs. I’d chosen this bar because it was frequented by locals and a lot of supernaturals from the area. It was a place I came to unwind when I needed a change of scenery. The resort had plenty of variety with three night clubs and various other amenities but sometimes I just needed to get away. Mike’s had a friendly atmosphere, good music, and the thirty minute ride of mostly scenic highway to get here didn’t hurt either.
Just when the guy on stage started singing that old Cheap Trick song, Angela came through the front doors. In the background I heard “I want you to want me. I need you to need me. I’d love you to love me...” but all I saw in front of me was her. It was like one of those slow motion movie moments that are so popular these days, only it was really happening to me. Everything had slowed down including Angela, and I realized I’d triggered my powers without meaning to.
I’d never been able to do anything like this before and the possibilities were incredible. The new powers were tied to Angela, and for now were only accessible when she was close by. They seemed to be instinctual, like I could just think of what I wanted to happen, consciously or subconsciously, and it happened. When I released my hold on time Angela shivered like something just crawled up her spine and I knew I was responsible. She was reacting to the power I’d let slip my control. I shook myself. I had to get a grip or this would only get worse the more time I spent around her.
Putting a tight leash on my powers I focused on the beautiful woman closing the distance between us. Since I’d only seen her off duty that one time at Dragon’s get together, I was a little stunned by her appearance now. Tonight her white blonde hair flowed around her shoulders and down her back. It was longer than I remembered and my hands ached to touch the silken strands, to feel my fingers combing through it or my hand fisting in it while I drove myself into her body.
I really had to get a grip....
Taking a deep breath I let my eyes skim over her face and the rest of her athletic body. Her makeup was a little darker than normal and it brought out the amazing pale blue color of her eyes. She had on a pair of snug-fitting, faded blue jeans and her bright, medium blue shirt was left open enough to showcase the cleavage between her pert breasts. They may be slightly on the small side but with that bra pushing them up like an irresistible offering, they looked absolutely perfect. She was five-foot-ten but tonight she’d chosen boots with heels so high she was a couple inches over six feet. I loved the fact that I didn’t have to bend in half just to kiss her.
All eyes were glued to her as she strolled through the bar with her hips swaying enticingly. I kind of wished she was walking away from me so I could see this from the other side. One man started to rise like he wanted to make a move on her but I stopped time for everyone but us long enough for her to pass him by. Tonight she was mine. If any other man even spoke to her, heads were going to roll - literally, and I didn’t think Angela would appreciate that.
When she stopped in front of me she let her gaze travel from my head to my toes then met my eyes. The heated look she gave me had my cock rising in interest.
“This is a new look for you,” she commented as she hopped up on the barstool beside me. “I’ve never seen you in anything but leather pants and those form fitting, long sleeved shirts you wear. I’m impressed, jeans look good on you, and your shirt actually has a collar and buttons.�
� She gave me a small smile. “But why did you braid your hair? I think I prefer it down.”
I took a swig of my beer wondering why I had alarms going off inside my head. Something was off, I could sense it, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. “We both look a little different off duty I suppose,” I said, letting my gaze linger on her breasts for a moment. I could just imagine sucking her nipples between my lips and flicking my tongue over the hard tips. How was I ever going to get through this date without ripping her clothes off right here in this bar?
When I looked back up her breath caught and I guessed my eyes had silver sparks in them again. Since the night of the bombing several people had told me they noticed it happening. Whenever my emotions went into overdrive or I felt the least bit of desire the silver sparks appeared. The hotter my emotions ran the more the silver sparks filled my eyes until the black disappeared altogether.
Forcing myself to focus on the conversation, I added, “And I always braid my hair when I ride my bike. Otherwise it gets so tangled I’d have to brush it for a week to get the knots out. Would you like something to drink?”
“Um. Sure, I’ll take a beer.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, a nervous action that intensified the bad feeling crawling up my spine. “What kind of bike do you ride?”
Shaking off the sense of foreboding I ordered her beer then flashed her a wicked grin. “It’s a Ducati Supersport. Fast and red, just like that vintage Mustang Fastback I’ve seen you driving a time or two.”
She smiled when I teased her and I enjoyed the way her cheeks turned red until her eyes darted to the corner of the room and her smile became a little forced. Casually I shifted so I had a better view of the dance floor and the tables surrounding it and found not one, but two human cops sticking out like sore thumbs amongst the mostly supernatural crowd. I hadn’t been sure why she’d asked me out, but this wasn’t what I’d expected.
Destined for Time Page 6