Death Takes a Holiday

by Jennifer Harlow

  Nancy moves over to my bed, excitement brimming from her body. “Okay. I only know some of this stuff secondhand, but apparently Will heard you were missing and, like, lost his shit. He ordered the pilot to totally turn the plane around mid-air under the threat of violence. So, like, an hour later, they landed and drove right over to that club you guys were at the other night. But the dude wasn’t there! One of his flunkies was and tried to calm Will down, but Will, like, went ballistic! It took like five vamps, including Oliver, to bring him down. He was Hercules or something.

  “So then Connor shows up and swears up, down, and center he totally had nothing to do with you being missing. And according to Wolfe he’s like totally convincing. Something about how you’re not worth a war, and what good would you be to him there against your will, and he doesn’t break the law, and blah blah blah. Not that Will is all into reason at this point. He pulls out this huge knife and almost kills Connor, but Oliver stops him. Then Connor, like, threatens to have Will arrested, but I guess Oliver convinced him it was a bad idea or something, at least until we found you. And just to prove he had nothing to do with it, Connor offered his help.”

  “Did he help?”

  “Oh yeah. I think he had, like, all these vamps out looking for you and called all sorts of contacts. But we didn’t find anything.”

  “Is the whole team here?”

  “Yeah. Mobile command’s at the airport and everything. But it was like aliens abducted you or something. Everyone was going nuts. Will and Oliver actually got into a fist fight!”

  “What?” I ask.

  “It was bonkers,” Nancy says. “They’ve totally gotten in each other’s faces and stuff, but it never got physical like this. I was in the kitchenette making coffee when Will came in. You’d been missing, like, a day, and he was personally chasing down like every lead himself, so he was, like, exhausted and emotional and totally snippy. I think he asked Chandler for a status and I don’t know what Chandler said, but Will just went off on him, calling him incompetent and all sorts of nasty stuff. Oliver was there too and sort of stepped in. He’d been, like, Über-calm and quiet since you vanished, and he told Will to go outside and cool off. I couldn’t hear what Will said, and Chandler couldn’t either, but the next thing we know, Oliver grabs Will and super-speeds him outside. I watched the whole thing from the window.

  “Oliver threw the first punch, and it totally knocked Will right on his butt. But he got up and it was on! Like Ultimate Fighting on steroids! They just kept punching each other, and pinning each other, until I swear, like, every bone in their faces and torso were broken. There was blood everywhere! Finally Will’s had enough, he’s, like, on the ground crawling away, but Oliver flips him over and pounds him in the face. A lot. And the entire time Oliver’s saying something, but I don’t know what. Then he raised his fist again, but Will said something back. Oliver just looked down at him, said a few words, and totally let Will go. Oliver flopped down on the pavement next to Will, and they just, like, talked for a couple of minutes. Then they walked back in as if nothing had happened. Ever since they’ve been totally cool. They even ran down some leads together. It’s so weird.” She shakes her head. “I just hope Connor doesn’t have him arrested.”

  I’m stunned into silence. It happened. They actually did it. They’re getting along. All it took was my probable death and a barroom brawl. Men are so strange.

  My doctor walks in. “Hello, all.”

  “Hi,” I say.

  “Is my granddaughter going to be okay?” Nana asks.

  “Your arm was fractured in two places and will most likely require surgery. I also got your toxicology report back and we found Thorazine and trace amounts of LSD in your system.”

  “LSD?” I ask.

  “Yes. We want to keep you overnight for observation and raise your core temperature.”

  “You’re the boss. Thank you,” I say to the doctor as she leaves.

  “They gave you acid?” Nancy asks. “What was it like?”

  I think of the nightmares. “Horrible.”

  Nana’s cell rings. “Oh. I forgot to turn it off.” She looks at it. “It’s your brother. Can I tell him? He’s been so worried.”

  “Really?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. Damn, even that hurts.

  “Of course. Should I let it go to voicemail?”

  “No. You can tell him. But only him. This can’t get back to the police.”

  Nana nods, stands, and opens the phone. “Brian?” She walks out. “Yes, there’s news.”

  “Can I tell Javi and the kids?”

  “No. Not yet.”

  “I am going to murder that cocksucker,” April says. “I will fucking shoot his balls off! Never in a million years would I have thought … ” She shakes her head.

  “Neither did I. He—”

  “Where is she?” a man’s voice booms outside.

  A second later he’s there, his terror becoming relief and joy when we lock eyes. And love. No doubt about that. Nancy smartly steps out of the way as he rushes over to me, scooping me into his arms, pressing me against his racing heart. “Oh my God,” he whispers. “Thank you. Thank you.”

  I clutch onto him as hard as I can with my one arm, each of us digging our nails into the other as if we’re holding onto the edge of a cliff. He kisses my neck, quick chaste pecks moving from my neck up my jaw to my cheeks, forehead, and finally my mouth. Hypothermia is no longer a concern—the second our lips find each other, my body is on fire. Chaste quickly becomes deep. Consuming. Soft lips and savage tongue moving against mine with frenzy. Our first kiss. More than worth the wait. If I wasn’t in bed, I’d swoon. It’s that good. The kiss of a lifetime. Will breaks away first, resting his forehead on mine and breathing heavily. God, I love this man.

  “Um,” April whispers. I forgot she was here. Heck, I forgot my name. Will and I release each other. “We’re just going to … ” She points to the door.

  Nancy nods and walks with April toward the door but turns back. “Bea? I’m glad you’re okay. And I’m sorry for—”

  “You’re forgiven.”

  Nancy smiles to herself and closes the door. Alone at last. Will turns back to me, touching my cheek and rubbing his thumb along it. “You’re really here,” he whispers.

  “Can’t get rid of me that easily.”

  He hugs me again, softer this time. “I was so scared,” he says softly. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

  “I should have been there. With you.”

  I pull away. “I don’t think it would have mattered.”

  “Who did this to you? Connor? Did he—”

  “No. It wasn’t him.”

  His face goes scary, almost as if the wolf was trying to get out. “Who was it?”

  I tell him. He takes it well.

  “I am going to pull his spine out of his ass,” he says and means it. “All of them. I’m going to—”

  “Calm down,” I say, touching his hand. “We need to go into this with a plan.”

  “Oh, I have a plan. It involves a shotgun to his fucking head!”

  “Please calm down. Please.” I entwine my fingers with his.

  “You have no idea what I went through,” he says, squeezing my hand. “I thought you were … and our last words … ”

  “I forgive you, and you’ll have plenty of time to make it up to me.” I lift up his hand and kiss it. “But now we have business to attend to. We need to mobilize the team. The group’s going to be at the cabin tonight, it’s the best time to get them all. If I had to guess, I’d say there’s seven of them, but they’re all cops juiced up on troll blood, so it might not be easy to arrest them. And we need to keep them thinking I’m dead. Maybe you should call Steven and see if he’s heard anything. I know the basic layout of the cabin, but if they’re already at the mine, it’ll be harder to find them. We should try to get them before they reach the troll. I don’t know how—”

&nb
sp; “We are not doing anything,” Will insists. “You are staying in this hospital with an armed guard outside that door even if I have to tie you to this bed.”

  “You need me. You’ll never find that mine without me.”

  He rises from my side. “End of discussion. We’ll make due. You’ve done enough. Let us do our jobs. You quit, remember?”

  “Fat lot of good it did me,” I point out. “Me being kidnapped had nothing to do with the job. It had to do with my crappy taste in men.”

  The words visibly sting him, but he recovers. “You’re staying here.”

  “But—”

  “No!” he almost shouts. “No. You stay here, got me? Please? Let me take care of this. Of you. I’ll come by and check on you when it’s over.” He walks toward the door, and I fall back into the bed defeated. I don’t want to fight with him. Not now that I just got him back.

  I sigh. “Will?”

  He turns around. “What?”

  “If you can avoid it … don’t kill Steven.”

  “What?”

  “Try to take him alive.”

  “Why?”

  Good question. In spite of all this, we have history. He was the first guy to actually want me and see something in me worth loving. “He thinks he’s doing this for a good cause,” I settle on. “Helping people with his power. He’s sacrificing undesirables for the greater good.”

  “And that’s why he kidnapped and tortured you? For the greater good?”

  “No. He did that because I broke his heart. I can sympathize.”

  Will looks away, knowing I’m talking about him. “I’ll do my best.” And he walks out.

  I’m gonna need a black dress for the funeral.

  Since I’ve been unconscious for three days, I can’t fall asleep. And the TV only has five channels. Ugh. Despite this, I sent Nana and April out for dinner. Horrible as it is, I don’t really want to be around people right now, with their pitiful looks and constant questions. So I just lay here trying not to think about what’s playing out right now.

  Steven. My Steven. A serial killer. This must be how the BTK killer’s wife felt when she found out. Stunned. Hurt. Disgusted. There were no signs. None. Sure he liked guns and scary movies, but loads of people do and they don’t serve up people tartare to a troll. What is it about me that attracts monsters? I’d blame the telekinesis but he didn’t know about it. Or maybe it was me. Maybe I just infect normal people with evil. Maybe April drowns kittens in her free time, I don’t know. What if no matter what I do, if I stay with the job or leave, crap like this will keep happening to me? At least with the F.R.E.A.K.S. I’m prepared for it. Fudge. Post-traumatic depression is a bitch.

  The door opens, but instead of April and Nana coming through the door with candy, some eye candy walks in himself. Connor carries a vase of pink roses, looking very spiffy in designer jeans, maroon V-neck shirt, black suit jacket, and various platinum necklaces. Rock star chic and he pulls it off well. “Are you feeling well enough for a visitor?” he asks with that gooey accent. Yes, even love and kidnapping cannot keep my hormones from raging.

  “Depends. Can what I say be used against me in a court of law?”

  He sets the flowers on the dresser and sits in the chair to my left. “I hereby grant you immunity.”

  “How kind of you, Danny Boy.” With some effort, I push myself into the sitting position. He moves to help me, but I hold out my hand to stop him. “I got it.” I yank the covers up and sigh. That was harder than it should have been. “How did you get past the guard?”

  “Flattery,” he says with a mischievous smile.

  “You didn’t make him think he was a chicken or something, did you?”

  “I shall if it would amuse you,” he says.

  “Give me half an hour. I’m going nuts here. I’ve traded one place I can’t leave for another,” I say. “And how’d you know I was here?”

  “Oliver. He was at my office when we received the news. You gave us quite a fright.”

  “Well, I’m a frightening person.”

  “I see you made it through with your sense of humor intact.”

  “If you can’t cry, laugh.”

  “Sensible,” he says with a nod. He eyes me up and down and not in the good way. “So, in his haste to leave, Oliver was not forthcoming with details. What happened?”

  “Kidnapping. LSD. Psycho ex-boyfriend sacrificing me to a troll so he can play Batman.”

  “You certainly lead an interesting life.”

  “Yeah,” I say quietly. I push the bad feelings away. “So, I hear you and your minions helped search for me.”

  “Oh yes,” he says with pride.

  “And why would you do that?”

  “I was protecting a valuable asset.”

  “And that’s it? I’d think you have ulterior motives to your ulterior motives.”

  He grins, showing off those fangs. “We have only been acquainted a short time, and you already know me so well. My ulterior motive in this instance was the belief that your compatriots would think that if I was assisting in the search then I could not possibly be the culprit.”

  “Well, it worked for Steven.”

  “It did. Nary a person, the exception being yours truly, suspected him. I always had my doubts.”

  “Why?”

  “I recalled his fury the night at the club. He was capable of cold-blooded murder, without a doubt. Though no one would listen to me. He played his part to perfection. And had an alibi.”

  “Which was one of his fellow crazies, I’m sure,” I say. “Well, thank you. I guess I forgive you for trying to force me into marriage.”

  “I did have to take my chance,” he says. “You have no idea how valuable you are.”

  “Yeah, next time just ask me to a movie or something. Make a mix tape.”

  “Agent Alexander, I am taking my life in my own hands simply visiting you,” he chuckles. “Your wolf would rip my tongue out just for speaking with you. He has attempted that very thing twice already.”

  I frown. “Yeah. I heard about that. Sorry. He’s just very … overprotective. You’re not going to have him arrested or anything, are you?”

  “I have been considering it. I am well within my rights. He nearly killed two of my men and myself.”

  “I’ll owe you one,” I say, knowing full well this is exactly what he wants.

  He raises an eyebrow. “Anything?”

  “Within reason.”

  Connor nods. “Then all is forgiven. I only hope that forgiveness goes both ways.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Upon reflection, I have come to realize I have behaved abysmally toward you. When one has to rule with an iron fist, one forgets that honey draws more flies than napalm. I can only hope as we continue to associate, you do not judge me too harshly by my past trans-

  gressions.”

  “So you’re apologizing for threatening to kill me if I didn’t sleep with you?”

  “In essence, yes,” he says with a smile, those beautiful eyes crinkling. “From now on, I vow to be your ally, not your enemy. And perhaps later … ” His smile turns mischievous, “something more.”

  I lean in, once again so close we can kiss. “Prove it, Danny Boy,” I say cocking an eyebrow.

  As if reading my mind, his smile grows.

  “If I do shoot, it’ll have to be one handed. I need something with a little less kickback. Damn, I wish I had my machete.”

  I must still be high. I’ve checked myself out of the hospital against doctor’s orders, left with a man who less than a week ago threatened my family, and am now on my way to confront a cult and their pet troll. At least I’m traveling in style. Nothing like riding shotgun in a Ferrari with one of the most powerful vamps around.

  “Jim, did you hear her?” Connor asks his minion over the phone.

  “Yes, sir,” Jim says over the speaker. “I have a .38 that should suit.”

  “Bring what you have and meet us at the rendezvous. Ne
il?”

  “Yes, sir?” Neil asks over the speaker. Yes, we’re having a conference call in a Ferrari.

  “What is your ETA?”

  “Fifteen.”

  “How many are you?” I ask.

  “Four.”

  “Should be enough,” I tell Connor.

  “Excellent. See you all at the rendezvous.” He presses a button to hang up. “I just hope we do not miss all the fun.”

  Yeah, this is going to be a blast. Okay, why am I doing this again? A pound of flesh? In part. I want to see those bastards’ faces when I come back from the dead with my vampire buddies. But it’s not all blood lust. I’m worried. Worried my team will underestimate the bad guys. They’re cops. They’ll never give up without a fight. And I’ll just be there as backup.

  But mostly it’s the revenge thing.

  “I’ll see what they’re up to.” I punch in Will’s number on the console.

  It rings twice. “Special Agent William Price.”

  “Will, it’s Bea.”

  “Where the hell are you?” he asks frantically. “Your grandmother just called! She said you left a note and checked out. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I’m with Connor.”

  “Felicitations, Agent Price,” Connor says.

  “What? Connor? Why? Bea, what the hell—”

  “We’re on our way to meet you guys. I’m bringing six vamps with me.”

  “What? No. No! Absolutely not! You’ve been shot. You have a broken arm. You need to go back—”

  “I’m fine. I have six bodyguards with very sharp teeth to protect me.”

  “This!” he shouts. “This is exactly what I’m talking about! You do … I … ” He’s so angry he can’t talk.

  “Give me the phone,” I hear Oliver say over the speaker. “Trixie?”

  I close my eyes to savor this moment. “Hi, Oliver.”

  “Trixie,” he says it as if he never thought he’d say it again. “You have … no idea … ” But he doesn’t finish. Then he’s quiet for a moment. “Are you well?”

  “Yeah,” I say, emotion quaking in my voice. “You?”

  “Infinitely better now,” he says. He clears his throat. “So, you are with Connor?”

  “Yeah. We’re about ten minutes from the cabin. Some of his vamps are meeting us there.”