Is she having an orgasm? Gabby wondered.
“Look, just try to sit still.”
“Oh, Gabriella. I need you.”
Gabby shook her head and tried once more to focus. She separated the two powers in her mind and lightly touched upon the magical vamp blood coursing through Valentine’s veins. One wrong move and she would not only nullify the vamp blood, but Valentine’s power as well.
Valentine cried out in pain and thrashed on the bed, threatening to break Gabby’s concentration.
Gabby focused her attention on the magic of the vamp blood and unleashed her power slowly. Valentine’s back arched and she cried out in ecstasy before passing out.
“Valentine?” Gabby slapped her cheek lightly.
When she didn’t answer, Gabby reached out with her senses. At first she felt nothing and panicked, thinking that she had taken Valentine’s ability from her, but then she felt the telltale energy of the succubus. It was weak, but it was there, and there was no sign of the vamp magic.
“Valentine, it’s all over,” said Gabby, leaning over and lightly shaking her shoulders.
Valentine suddenly awoke and pulled Gabby in for a long kiss.
“Gabby?” Michael’s voice came from behind her suddenly, and she pulled back from the kiss, realizing that she had been returning it.
“It worked,” she said, not liking the guilty shakiness of her own voice.
Michael’s furled brow told her that he had seen the kiss. He clenched his jaw, and Gabby thought she saw a hint of jealousy, or was it apprehension? He moved to the side of the bed and looked down upon Valentine with a look of relief, one that told Gabby that Michael had a personal stake in this “job.”
“Mmm,” Valentine hummed, rubbing her exposed breasts. “Come to join us have you, Michael my dear?” She extended a hand and curled an alluring finger before passing out.
Gabby covered her up with a blanket and followed Michael out of the room.
Chapter 10
“Thank you,” said Michael when they were outside the room. “You did good work in there. Your control over your power is growing.”
There was so much that Gabby wanted to say, but she could feel the old barrier between them, one that had been destroyed in a fit of passion the night before. She had hoped that it was gone for good, but Michael’s demeanor and tone was too businesslike. Once again he was holding her at a distance.
“Tell that to my father,” she said.
“He knows how strong you are becoming, but strength is not everything.”
“Give me a break. I took out three vamps last night and two vanilla goons, I survived two car chases, and even had time to nullify an infected succubus. When exactly will I be ready?”
“All right, all right,” said Michael with a laugh. “We’ll bring you in on the next big mission.”
“You’re awesome,” said Gabby, suddenly hugging him.
He returned the hug, although Gabby could feel some hesitance—there was no sign of the passion of the night before.
Gabby released him, feeling awkward.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked, moving to the not-so-mini bar across the living room.
“Can you make a mimosa?”
“Coming right up.”
“How do you know her?” Gabby asked, joining him at the bar and sitting at one of the stools.
That gave him pause, and he seemed to be considering how to answer. “Valentine is an old associate of mine. She is interested in buying the club you were in last night.”
Gabby averted her eyes from Michael’s knowing gaze. Then a thought occurred to her.
“Do you think the vampires attacked her because of me?”
“I believe so.”
“But that would mean they…they saw us together.”
“Yes,” said Michael, looking disturbed by the idea of vamps in his nightclub. “They must have somehow infiltrated the club. It is being looked into. My men are studying the security videos to see what they can find.”
“You have cameras…inside the club?” said Gabby, mortified.
Michael nodded as he put her drink in front of her. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that sensitive footage is destroyed when the investigation is through.”
Gabby felt her face flush and her ears began to burn with embarrassment. She took a long drink of her mimosa, watching Michael’s eyes from over the glass. “Look,” she said, putting it down. “Michael, about last night.”
He waved her off and offered her a small smile. “You needn’t explain yourself to me. Valentine has a powerful allure. Few can resist her.”
“I wasn’t talking about her and me.”
Michael sipped his beer, eyes locked on hers. Again he seemed to be searching for his words. “Gabby,” he said, and she knew by the friendly tone what he would say. “What happened to you last night was my fault. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you in your…state.”
State? Gabby was infuriated that he would cheapen their moment of passion with such a misogynistic allusion.
“I wasn’t in a ‘state,’” said Gabby haughtily.
“Of course you were. You had just gone through something very traumatic. You weren’t yourself.”
“You don’t know me that well, do you?”
“Gabby, I…” Michael looked tormented. “I think that we should keep our relationship professional.”
What are you afraid of? she wanted to ask, but she already knew the answer. Michael had been in love with Maggy, and he hadn’t been able to save her.
“Fine,” she said, wanting to change the subject before she got teary-eyed.
Michael made her another drink in silence, and she took a moment to dab her eyes with a napkin.
“What are we going to do?” said Gabby after pulling herself together. “They’re not going to stop. We’ve got to hit back.”
“I know. We’re working on locating the vamps behind this.”
“Do you think it’s Victor’s maker?”
“Most likely,” said Michael. “But so far we’ve had no luck locating him.”
“Then we need to get him to come to us. We can lure him out.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” said Michael with a disapproving scowl. “But we’re not using you as bait.”
“Why not? I’m already bait, and so is everyone around me. We’ve got to put a stop to this once and for all.”
“Alright, alright,” said Michael. “I’ll call the group together once your father returns with Mickey from their current mission. He’ll want to have a say in this.”
“My father? Really? I’m a grown woman, I don’t need a frigging permission slip.”
“Be patient, Gabby. This will have to be a joint operation. Until we figure out what to do, you should lie low.”
Gabby sighed. She was tired of being treated like a newbie. “How is Quip? Can I see him yet?”
“Yes, of course. Follow me.”
Michael led her to the infirmary and asked her to wait in the waiting room. A few minutes later he returned with Quip, who wore his arm in a sling.
“Hey girl,” said Quip as he approached.
Gabby gave him a big hug. “I was worried about you. I’m so sorry I got you into—”
“You didn’t get me into nothing, child. That was just another day in the Otherworld. You saved my ass last night, Gabs. I owe you one.”
“Until we’ve decided what to do, my men will be watching your back,” said Michael. “Don’t lose them this time.”
Gabby nodded.
Michael studied her for a moment. Gabby thought, or hoped, that she saw regret in his eyes. “Alright then,” he said, averting Gabby’s eyes and looking to Quip. “I’ve had both your cars replaced until they’re out of the shop. Your new rides are down in the garage. I’ll see you both soon. Try and stay out of trouble.”
As Michael walked away, Quip turned to Gabby with an arched brow. “What’s up with you two? The tension between you is thi
ck as Georgian humidity.”
“We kind of almost had sex in an elevator last night after they brought you in.”
Quip laughed. “Glad to hear you were so worried about me.”
“You know I was,” said Gabby, not appreciating his teasing.
They made their way to the parking garage, and Gabby filled him in on what had happened after he passed out from blood loss, including this morning’s nullification of Valentine.
“Shit, the vamps infiltrated the nightclub? That ain’t good,” said Quip.
“No, it isn’t. I told Michael we’ve got to hit back. We’ve got to draw out the vamps.”
They entered the parking garage and found Bob and a team of weres waiting for them. Two armored cars were parked by the elevator as well, presumably their new rides.
“I’m assuming that we won’t have any problem keeping up with you,” said Bob with a raised brow.
“Oh, she’ll be a good girl,” said Quip. “Promise.”
“Keys are inside,” said Bob, eyeing Quip with subtle disdain.
“Fucking weres, think they’re so badass,” Quip mumbled when Bob walked to his car.
“You heading back to your place?” Gabby asked.
“Yeah, I gotta take care of some things, but I’ll be over later today. You need all the backup you can get right now.”
“Thanks, Quip. See you then.”
Gabby drove out of the parking garage and rolled down the window, wanting to feel the fresh air on her face. She came to the street entrance and looked left and right, and was about to turn when something caught her eye.
Shit!
Detective Riggs was sitting in his sedan across the street, looking right at her. She slumped in her seat, rolled up the window, and hurriedly pulled out.
“Ms. Cross,” came a voice through the speakers that made her jump. It was Bob. “The windows are bulletproof and tinted for a reason. Use them.”
“Uh, sorry,” said Gabby loudly, not knowing if there was a camera and a mic inside.
She made her way home without incident, followed all the while by two armored SUVs.
Chapter 11
As soon as Gabby got home she changed into her workout clothes and hit the treadmill. Maggy had converted one of her bedrooms into a little gym years ago. It had a treadmill, a stair-climber, a weight bench with over three hundred pounds of cast iron weights, and a mounted TV for workout videos.
She worked herself hard for nearly two hours, wanting to sweat out not only the alcohol, but any lingering vampire blood still in her system. The exercise did good to calm her racing mind and her frayed nerves, and by the time she was done she was covered with sweat and panting.
After a cold shower to further clear her mind, she made herself a smoothie of kale, blueberries, and vanilla yogurt, and then sat down at the counter.
No sooner had she taken her first drink than the doorbell rang, causing her to jump. She cursed under her breath and hurriedly walked to the door.
Before she reached the door, her phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Cross, this is Bob. There is a man outside who says that he is your husband’s lawyer. Do you know this man?”
Son of a bitch.
“Hold on,” she said and peered out the peephole in the door. A man in a suit stood nervously before three weres who had not let him pass onto the walkway.
“Yeah, I recognize him. Let him by.”
“I suggest you nullify him, just in case.”
“Yeah, thanks,” said Gabby, rolling her eyes and ending the call.
She had met Derek’s lawyer before. Unfortunately, Derek was trying to sue her for half of her inheritance. She opened the door before he could knock.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Baxter?”
“Hello, Miss Cross,” said the pudgy lawyer, glancing over his shoulder sheepishly at the men standing behind him with arms crossed. “I’ve come to serve you papers.”
“Fine,” said Gabby, reaching out her hand.
“Your husband—”
“Ex-husband,” said Gabby.
“My apologies. Your ex-husband is suing you for alimony, as you know. I have attempted to reach you numerous times.”
“You can tell Derek to go fuck himself. I’m not giving him anything.”
“I suggest that you get a lawyer, Miss Cross.” Baxter handed her a manila envelope. “Everything is detailed within.”
“Great,” said Gabby. She took the envelope and bade him a good day before turning and slamming the door.
Furious, she flung the envelope across the kitchen and dialed Derek’s number. He answered on the second ring.
“Gabby?” came his eager voice. “Hi, how are you? I’ve been—”
“You are such an asshole. Why don’t you just leave me alone? Trying to take half of the money my sister left me? Are you fucking kidding?”
“As your ex-husband, I’m entitled to—”
“You’re not entitled to anything.”
“Gabby, you’re getting all worked up again. Maybe you should calm down and we can talk about this like adults.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down, you rapist asshole.”
Derek sighed. “Look, Gabby, we don’t have to do this. I don’t like it any more than you do. The truth is…the truth is I’m still in love with you. Why can’t you just give me another chance? We had something real. You know we did. I’m sure we can find it again. We’re soul mates, Gabs.”
“Soulmate? Are you out of your mind?”
“I know that you still have feelings for me.”
“You’re right, Derek, I do. And those feelings are hate, loathing, disdain, and disgust. You’re not getting a penny of Maggy’s money. I’ll drag you through the courts from now until eternity.”
“Gabs…”
“Don’t call me that! You don’t get to call me that.”
“Gabs, babe. Let me come over and see you. I’ll drop all this legal shit if you just give me another chance. I don’t want your sister’s money. I just want you.”
“You come anywhere near me and I’ll kick your ass…again. You understand? Stay. The. Fuck. Away. From. Me!”
Gabby hung up the phone, wishing it was the old-school type you could slam down on the hook.
A knock came at the door, and Gabby stormed over to it and yanked it open furiously. “What!”
“Is that any way to answer the door?” her father asked.
“Dad!” said Gabby, throwing herself against him in a big hug. “I’m so glad to see you.”
Chapter 12
Dad showed up, we’re going to have dinner. Mind a raincheck?
Gabby sent the text to Quip quick before getting her father the promised shot of forty-year-old whiskey. He sat at the kitchen table and groaned like a man suffering from arthritis, but unlike those fortunate folks, General Cross was suffering the lingering effects of a fight with a ghoul, one that had been terrorizing a small town in rural South Carolina.
“Man, it was good to be on the road again with Mickey. Just like old days,” said her father.
Gabby put the glass in front of him and tapped it with her own. “To the good old days.”
He laughed that familiar, merry laugh. “To good old days.”
Her father, like Riggs, took much longer to bring the glass to his lips. He smelled the whiskey, swirled it in the glass, and then slowly let it pour over his tongue like the delicacy that it was. “Ah,” he said once he had swallowed it. “That was just what I needed.” He smiled at Gabby and tapped the glass for another.
“So, spill the beans. What happened?”
“We had a hell of a time with that son of a bitch. But it was unlike any I’ve ever encountered. It was smart for one, and devilishly fast. I don’t know how it crossed over, but there’s some weird shit going on in South Carolina, I’ll tell you.”
He paused to take another drink and light up a smoke. Gabby took one as well and settled in for a good tale.
&nbs
p; “So the local cops down there in South Carolina chalked it up to a string of bear attacks and that was that. Well, the bear seemed to have gotten a taste for human flesh, dead human flesh. A cemetery was vandalized, and they found a grave that had been dug up, and not with a shovel. This one still had fresh claw marks in it, and hair samples found by Mickey’s buddy, Tom Felcher. He’s the one who asked Mickey and me for help down there. He’s not what he used to be, poor bastard. Lost an arm to a Sasquatch in ‘03, hasn’t been the same since. Anyway, where was I?”
“Graves dug up by claws,” said Gabby between sips of whiskey.
“Right. So Tom hears about this and gets his hands on the hair sample. He’s got all kinds of old, mostly homemade equipment for lab work, even uses some spells once in a while in his work. Well, sure enough, the hair matched that of a ghoul. He first reported his findings to the FBSI, even though he hates the crooked sons of bitches, but like I said, he ain’t what he used to be and wasn’t about to go after the ghoul himself.”
“Wait a minute,” said Gabby. “What is the FBSI?”
“Federal Bureau of Supernatural Investigation.”
“Why haven’t I heard of it before?”
“Because they aren’t hardly worth mentioning. Get the feds involved in anything and sure as shit they’re going to screw it up. Same goes for the Otherworld. They’re just as corrupt as all the others down in Washington.”
“So, what, they investigate, like, X-files?”
“I guess you could call it that. They call themselves guardians, but they only guard their own self-interest. Anyway, we started first scoping out the woods around the cemetery, and it didn’t take long to find the trail. Mickey’s got an uncanny sense of finding these things. You’d swear he was a magic user. Well, we followed the son of a bitch to an old abandoned schoolhouse. Seems the thing had taken up refuge in the boiler room. We were both armed, me with my Winchester and him with the big sawed-off. We were packing iron rounds infused with holy water, which might not kill the bastards every time, but it sure gives them a hell of a rash and gets them running. That’s the important part. It’s easier to flush ‘em out and trap ‘em sometimes than it is to fight ‘em. And you’d be surprised how cowardly half of ‘em are. If they get a chance they’ll run. We had to blast him pretty good to get him to come out, and let me tell you, he was pissed. Had claws like meat hooks and teeth like nine-inch nails. The beast slashed Mickey on the arm good and blew by him. I was there waiting with the Winchester, but with Mickey behind the thing I didn’t dare, so instead I clocked the ghoul a good one when he charged me. Hit him square in the chin I did, but you think it would matter? Hell no. It kept on like nothing happened, slamming into me and knocking me on my ass before tearing up the stairs to the main level.”
Cross the Line: A Gabriella Cross Paranormal Romance Book 2 Page 6