A Wolf's Heart (Harlequin Nocturne)

by Vivi Anna

  “Superintendent.” Gabriel nodded at the vampire, then toward the witch. “Mayor.”

  “We have concerns about the Elise Leroy case,” Jakob announced.

  Of course. Gabriel mentally sighed. He opened his office door and beckoned the men in. “Let’s talk inside.”

  It shouldn’t have surprised him. Elise had many influential friends. She’d probably called the mayor the second he’d left, telling him about Gabriel’s lack of fawning over her.

  Gabriel sat behind his desk and gestured to the two visitor chairs. The superintendent sat but the mayor chose to remain standing. Hands clasped behind his back, he wandered through Gabriel’s office glancing at the framed commendations on the wall. Gabriel puffed out his chest with the knowledge that there were a hell of a lot of them to look at. Although the mayor and he had several differences of opinions, the witch couldn’t deny the number of times Gabriel had saved the lives of citizens of Nouveau Monde.

  “This case needs to be handled delicately,” Benoit said, his back to Gabriel.

  “It’s being handled like any other case we get in this office—efficiently and effectively.”

  Benoit turned to face him. “Well, we both know, Bellmonte, this isn’t like any other case.” He began walking again. “Elise Leroy is a beloved member of this community, well respected here and in the human community. She’s an ambassador of sorts. We would all be greatly upset if any harm came to her.”

  “Nothing’s going to happen to her,” Gabriel said. “Trust me, Elise can take care of herself.”

  “Trust you.” Benoit smiled. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

  “My people are working hard on this just like they always do. Sure we’re a little short staffed, but it’s nothing we can’t handle as usual.”

  Benoit put up his hand as if to swat away Gabriel’s protestations. “We’re going to give this one some extra attention.”

  “It doesn’t warrant any extra attention, Mayor.”

  “I understand that your two families have a long history together.”

  Gabriel’s hackles rose, just as if he was being threatened. “I don’t see what—”

  “It’s my job to know everything there is to know about the people who work for me.”

  “I don’t work for you. I work for the city.”

  Again Benoit waved his hand as if trying to get rid of some foul odor.

  “What the mayor is saying, Gabriel, is that because you know Ms. Leroy well, we thought it would be prudent for you to maintain a close connection to her until we get to the bottom of this,” Jakob interceded.

  “Elise and I aren’t exactly friendly, if that’s what you think. We haven’t been in a long time.”

  “Regardless, she knows you and we think you’d be best serving the city and this case if you reconnected with her.”

  “What exactly do you want me to do?”

  “Be her shadow,” Benoit said. “Just until we catch this creep stalking her.”

  Agitated, Gabriel leaned on his desk. “There is no evidence suggesting the letter writer is a stalker. Could be an overzealous fan.”

  “And that’s why we want someone with Ms. Leroy at all times—so it doesn’t turn into a stalker case.”

  Gabriel sighed. “Fine, if you want to assign a bodyguard to her, go ahead, but it’s not going to be me. I have more important things to do than be some starlet’s babysitter.”

  “The decision’s already been made,” Benoit said. “Your other cases have been reassigned to Maria Serrano—she’s more than capable of handling them.”

  “I don’t disagree that Maria is a skilled investigator and good administrator. That isn’t the point.”

  “What is?” Benoit asked.

  “Doing my job. I’m an investigator and a damn good one. I’ve run this office for several years and my team has solved more cases than my predecessor. That’s a testament to how I run the office and I’m not going to forgo that so I can ‘look after’ one victim on her whim.” He was breathing hard by the time he finished his tirade. Usually cool and calm, Gabriel found his blood pumping through his veins and his heart hammering.

  He could feel the beast beating on his insides to come out and play. It had been too long since he’d shifted into his wolf form. Benoit had picked a terrible time to push him. The mayor didn’t want to meet his beast, especially since it was amped up by his vampiric genetics. Sometimes being a sangloup was more a curse than a blessing.

  Jakob stood, almost as if trying to place himself between Gabriel and Benoit. The superintendent had worked with Gabriel long enough to read the signs. “No one is disputing your amazing work, Gabriel. You are an asset to this office and to the city.”

  “But?” Gabriel all but growled.

  “We think it prudent that you be charged with Ms. Leroy’s safety. It is in the interests of everyone involved that she remains protected and happy.”

  “Sounds like I don’t have a choice.”

  Benoit smiled, but it didn’t make Gabriel feel happy. “We all have choices.” He lifted one eyebrow toward Jakob then turned on his heel to leave. “I’ll inform Ms. Leroy’s agent that everything is in order.”

  The moment the mayor left, Jakob sighed. He ran a hand over his weathered and sunk-in face. One of his investigators once told Gabriel that he thought the superintendent looked like Bela Lugosi. He had to admit there was a resemblance.

  “I’m sorry, Gabriel.”

  He was surprised at the apology. The superintendent usually didn’t acknowledge any weakness. His apology told Gabriel that he had no power in this situation, which would’ve been a first in the many years they’ve worked together.

  He went on before Gabriel could comment. “Think of it as some well-needed time off. You haven’t taken a vacation in a long time. Actually, I can’t even remember you ever taking a holiday.”

  “This will be far from relaxing, Superintendent, I assure you.”

  “Well, you’ll find something to enjoy about spending your time with the world-famous Elise Leroy. She’s a charming woman, and I’m sure you’ll be waited on by her people for the entire time. It’ll be like being at a luxury spa.”

  I highly doubt it. He didn’t say it out loud, as he didn’t want the superintendent to know just how much this assignment bothered him on both a professional level and a personal one. Being around Elise for an extended period of time was going to be one of the hardest things he’d ever have to do.

  “Keep me informed about the situation.” With a final nod, Jakob exited Gabriel’s office, leaving him to seethe.

  And seethe he did.

  Bolting up from his chair, he paced the office like a caged animal. An angry, frustrated animal that needed release. His blood was boiling so hot that he could barely think. He needed to get out and do something about it now, before he did something foolish.

  He marched out of his office, slammed the door behind him and stalked down the corridor to the front doors. As he passed various people on his way, they pressed themselves against the walls, obviously sensing Gabriel’s foul mood. By the wide-eyed expressions on most faces, they were probably shocked to see him this way. He was known to be a very cool cucumber.

  Sophie approached him. She was about the only person that his mood didn’t affect. She had a beast of her own that often needed to be coddled.

  “You looked pissed. What’s up?”

  “I’m going out to run,” he managed to grunt between clenched teeth.

  “Want some company?”

  He shook his head and pressed on, pushing through the doors separating the lab from the precinct, crossing the lobby and out the main doors. Thankfully, the Nouveau Monde Police Department had been situated near a park with lots of running room. They had quite a few lycans working for them and they needed a place where they could stretch their wolf legs.

  Gabriel found a secluded place behind some trees, shed his clothes, folded them neatly on the ground and dropped to all fours. He
took in a deep breath and started to shift.

  It was a painful process, but he needed it, welcomed it. Maybe if he could concentrate on the agony of growing and transforming his bones and muscles, he’d forget about having to spend the next however many days with Elise. To him the pain of the shift was the lesser of the two evils. This pain, this ripping, tearing agony, he could handle. The other, he wasn’t sure he would survive.

  Chapter 4

  “Maybe you should pull out of the movie.”

  Elise shot her agent an aggravated look over the top of her wineglass. “I’ll do no such thing, Rory. Not over one little letter. Besides, weren’t you the one begging me to do this film, saying it would be the best thing for my career?”

  “First off—” he pointed out on his fingers “—I didn’t beg you. I don’t beg. I don’t need to. You eventually saw that I was right about working with Reginald. And secondly, this letter— It had bloodstains on it, Elise.”

  “I’m not going to be scared out of doing a film. I have never in my whole career pulled out of a movie. I don’t make promises that I don’t plan on keeping.” She took another sip of wine and turned her head to gaze out over the expanse of her backyard. That was the reason she had bought the house…for its two acres of land. She inhaled the scent of azalea and tried to remain calm. Sometimes her agent aggravated her, especially now that he’d gone behind her back and tried to strong-arm the police on her behalf. “Besides, we don’t know for sure that it’s human blood. It could be animal.”

  Rory snorted. “Do you think that really matters? Blood is blood, and the last place it should be is on a supposed fan letter.”

  Rory was right, of course, but Elise didn’t want to admit it. Ultimately, she didn’t want to face the fact that the delivery of the letter had freaked her out. Her hands hadn’t stopped shaking for hours after receiving it. Lily had had to shake her to stop her teeth from chattering. And the wine she was holding was her fifth drink of the day and she still didn’t feel completely calm.

  But she wouldn’t tell this to Rory. He was a great agent and had been with her for almost ten years, pretty much since the beginning of her rise to fame. But she didn’t share things with him. She didn’t share much with anyone, for that matter. Lily was the closest she had to a confidante, and even then she kept most of her feelings to herself. She’d firmly shut and locked the door to her inner self, tossing the key into the darkest, deepest part of her.

  Unfortunately, seeing Gabriel again brought that key up just a little bit closer. Almost too near to the surface. It was too tempting to grasp it and unlock her heart, again.

  “Elise, are you listening to me?”

  She swung her gaze back to Rory. “Probably not. What were you saying?”

  “That I’m going to talk to the studio about extra security on the set.”

  She frowned. “Please, Rory, that is completely unnecessary. I don’t want anyone making a big fuss about this. It’s in the hands of the police now. I’m sure they will take care of it.”

  “We’re handling it as best as we can.”

  Elise nearly jumped out of her chair at the sound of the voice. Startled, she set her hand to her chest. Her heart thumped underneath her palm, mostly from fear, but also with pleasure she couldn’t deny.

  “Inspector Bellmonte. I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.”

  Carrying a metal case, Gabriel crossed the patio toward where she was sitting, Lily behind him wringing her hands. “I’m so sorry, Elise, but he insisted that he be let in unannounced.”

  “It’s fine, Lily.” She set down her glass on the table, aware that her hand trembled a little as he neared. She was surprised at the reaction. She thought she’d gotten past it, past him. “Rory, this is Inspector Gabriel Bellmonte of the NMPD.” She gestured to her agent. “Inspector, this is my agent, Rory Langford.”

  Rory stood and approached him. The two men shook hands, although from the look on Gabriel’s face, he would’ve sooner torn Rory’s throat out than take his hand.

  “It’s good to know that the police are taking the matter seriously,” Rory said after their brief handshake.

  “We always take these types of matters seriously, Mr. Langford. Ms. Leroy’s case is no different.”

  He looked right at her when he spoke, as if the last few words were just for her benefit.

  Rory smiled, as if oblivious to the angry emotional waves coming from Gabriel. “Well, after this, maybe we can hook you up with a few autographed pictures for your wall. I bet the boys at the station would love that.”

  “That won’t be necessary.”

  He’d moved closer to where she still sat, at the edge of the patio near the flower garden that she loved so much, but not any closer. She didn’t think Gabriel was one for nervousness, but she sensed that was how he was feeling. “Would you care to sit, Inspector?”

  He shook his head. “I need to ask you a few more questions, and I need those other letters.”

  “Of course.” She stood, setting the blanket she’d had on her lap onto the chair.

  “What other letters?” Rory looked from Gabriel to her. “I wasn’t aware of any other letters.”

  “I didn’t want to worry you, Rory.” She walked past him and Gabriel to go back into the house. Rory followed close behind her, Gabriel trailing them both. Lily marched beside her, ever the protector.

  “Well, I’m worried, Elise.”

  When she reached the closed door to her office, she turned to face Rory. “Don’t be. I have it all under control.”

  He eyed her, something different in his gaze. “Somehow I don’t believe that.”

  “When have I ever not been able to handle something? In all the years you’ve known me, when have I ever asked for help or whined about some problem?”

  “Never.”

  “Then why would this situation be any different?”

  “Because it is, Elise. This isn’t some hard-to-handle actor trying to cause problems on the set, or bad press, or the paparazzi chasing you down the street when you’re having a bad hair day. This is…”

  She put her hand on his shoulder to soothe him. “It’s nothing, Rory. Nothing but an annoyance that I have every confidence the police will solve.” He reached up and laid his hand on top of hers. It surprised her a little and she pulled her hand loose, patted him twice and then dropped her hand. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

  Rory glanced to the side at Gabriel, who was leaning against the wall, then back to her. “I think I should stay.”

  “That won’t be necessary. Really. Go home. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  With a final glance at Gabriel, Rory said his goodbyes and left.

  Elise opened the office door, gesturing for Gabriel to enter. He did, albeit reluctantly. Lily fluttered in, as well.

  “Lily, could you get us some coffee? Both black.” She glanced at Gabriel. “You take it black still, right?”

  He nodded.

  “Sure.” The witch left the office in a cloud of her usual swirling energy.