The Smokiest Grave (The Unnatural Series Book 1)

by Tosha Y. Miller

  He put his hands up to defend himself with tenacity, and said, “Just wanted to see if you needed any help.”

  His lip twitched when she responded. “No, not unless you want to chop the onions and spinach. I like them with my scrambled eggs.”

  “I'd be delighted.” He walked to her chopping board, “I see you live in luxury?” He left the question open for her to explain. He liked how she looked surprised.

  “Oh, the microwave?” She waved a careless hand towards him, “Don’t be silly. Most of my real work ends up in favors or gifts. But, that was my grandma’s microwave.”

  “She was able to keep it hidden from the science keepers?” He asked with wide eyes. The science keepers were a small group in the human government that attacked everybody’s homes, stealing big devices to gain power over the masses. They figured if they could control something the people wanted, they could dominate the public.

  “Yeah, my family had a lot of secrets. So, they were pros by the time the war came their way. Do you remember it?” Cat glanced his way, her eyes shining with curiosity.

  “Aye, I lived through it and before it.”

  “How old are you? If you don’t mind me asking,” Cat said, prying into his secrets.

  “Well, over a hundred,” he retorted, lifting an eyebrow as he waited for her response.

  “Wow. That’s why you seem so Natural. You must be pretty powerful.” Vampires become more human-like the more power they obtain. They can eat and drink things, breathe more, and hide their energy level. So, it wasn’t abnormal to ask a question like that.

  The rest of the morning was a blissful dream. Cat made a delicious meal that Hendrick scarfed down as if the food would go to waste if he didn’t eat the yummy goodness right away. Those were his words, not Cat’s. They even got to listen to half a scary story on the radio. Hendrick mocked the whole thing, but he made the story that more enjoyable.

  Cat knew, because of the Goddess’s warning, that he was going to find out about his brother soon, so she was going to enjoy the peace as much as she could. And watching Hendrick smile like a school boy wasn’t half bad. He looked like a normal person sitting on her loveseat with his feet up. Those deep lines on his face when he was serious were nonexistent.

  As if the Goddess wanted to smack her in the face to remind her that she was not allowed joyous afternoons without saving the world first, Hendrick’s phone rang, extinguishing their good moods. He excused himself from their conversation about tasty foods and walked into the kitchen, “Yvonne, what is it?” He whispered into the phone.

  Cat could hear a female voice reply to him, “Oh, Hendrick it's horrible! They took him,” she was crying, so Cat could barely understand her.

  “Yvonne, now stop that and take a deep breath. What's going on, and where is Chris?” Cat stepped into the kitchen,6 deciding to stop pretending she wasn’t listening. As she walked in she noticed a vein on Hendrick’s arm which was clenched around the head of her sink.

  "That’s what I'm trying to tell you. He was taken! Both of us were on our way home together, and boom, this big white van pulls in front of us. There were at least seven guys, Hendrick. I was going to help him, but one of the men punched me in the face. I tried Hendrick." Yvonne’s words were frantic and fast like saying them again would hurt Chris even more.

  "Yvonne this isn't your fault,” Hendrick moved his hand to the edge of the kitchen counter to make sure he didn’t break the sink, but he ended up breaking the counter. Bugger.

  “Chris said he was worried that Hunters were following him. Ethan was supposed to be there to help.” Hendrick was cleaning up his mess by aggressively throwing the chunks of plaster dust in the wide sink. “Now, you need to tell me everything you remember about the people that grabbed him. Don't leave out any details."

  She sobbed a few more times before answering, “Okay.”

  “Was there anything, in particular you remember about them?” Hendrick asked, using his most alluring, deep voice to calm her. He knew the effect his voice had on women. It was a gift he picked up from his dad.

  As planned, she perked up, “The only thing I remember is the python tattoo on their left forearm. They smelled like a campfire and one of them was named Lance.”

  Cat didn’t say anything, but the name struck a chord with her. That name haunted her darkest nightmares. She didn’t think it was the same guy, but she still recoiled from the word just the same.

  She kept listening though, if anything, the name made her want to help even more. She’d be happy to kick the ass of any unknown men that were unfortunate enough to be named Lance. Even more happy if she knew where the bastard Lance was, so she could kick his.

  After ten minutes, Hendrick said goodbye, telling her to get in contact with his team. He and his people did not get to spend much time together for pleasure, but they were always there for each other in times of crisis.

  His soul cracked as he thought about his little brother in the hands of murderers. He was going to get him back even if it was the last thing he did.

  Eleven

  Hendrick opened and closed his fist as he stormed out of the room. How could he have let this happen? He was supposed to be there today. The plan had been to meet with a man for his bounty money and go to Yvonne’s. He chose to go to Cat’s house instead.

  Chris was afraid someone was following him, but that’s what he always thought. The one time he decided not to rush over there was the time Chris was right.

  His flight was in two hours, he needed to leave soon. Hendrick’s mind raced, planning how to get his brother back.

  ***

  “Hendrick, I’m going with you,” Cat said following him into her bedroom.

  “Nay.”

  “You’re going to need me. I’m really good at finding people.”

  She tried not to sound desperate, but she was sure that’s the way her words were coming out. If he didn’t let her go the world was going to end. How was she not supposed to be desperate?

  ***

  “Nay. Ye have done enough, lass,” Hendrick scooped up his ripped dirty shirt off the floor. “Mac na galla.” Hendrick’s body stiffened, his eyes got wide, and his mouth fell open enough to let a fly in if he kept it open. His subconscious mind must trust her.

  He had never let himself speak his father’s language in front of a stranger. It just spilled out as if he was in the company of his people. Hendrick made a point to sound like a Natural and, around here, Naturals only use English.

  Cat’s head went back in surprise, “What?” He saw more than surprise in her eyes. Her pupils dilated, and a sweet nectar aroma scented the room.

  He tried to ignore her reaction and moved on, “Nothing, I was cursing out my shirt for looking so hideous.” His smile was long and straight like she caught him with his hand in the forbidden cookie jar.

  “What language was that?” her cheeks heated.

  “Why, lass? Does it tickle yer fancy?” He asked in a full Scottish accent with a provocative stare at her. If he wasn’t careful, his vampire side could come out. His fangs extending might make her defensive, “Gaelic.”

  ***

  She should have recognized a Scottish saying since her best friend while growing up was Scottish.

  Cat made a half scoff, half motorboat noise. “No, it just sounded cool.” As she spoke, her left shoulder drifted towards her chin.

  If that was not a sign of her lying, her voice also went an octave higher and her forehead scrunched. She looked away from his accusing glare to walk to the closet, wanting with all her might to change the subject.

  “Here, I think this might fit.”

  She handed him a large, black, men’s t-shirt. Hendrick looked at the shirt like the black cotton was diseased. He made no attempt to reach for it.

  “Is this what it has come to? Wearing the old boyfriend’s clothes?” He shook his head as his hand reached for the hanger.

  “This is actually my shirt. I like sleeping in large men’s
clothes.”

  His eyebrows went up, “Tis,” he cleared his throat, “Thanks. Shall I remove my breeks and be done with it?” He laughed. Toying with her made him happy.

  The room was perfumed with her arousal which had his sparking to life. Hendrick remembered how the women used to do the same thing before the war. Now, if he so much as said, “Ye,” they would accuse him of being a demon.

  Could I use it to my advantage?

  His wicked mind raced to find a feasible way to play this out. The main one he couldn’t do, throwing her on the bed and having his way with her might make things worse. So, he went with his second choice, push her away.

  He hoped if he could keep her distracted and uncomfortable, she wouldn’t want to come with him. What he was doing was too dangerous. Most people don’t survive teaming up with Dragonvires.

  ***

  “I don’t have trousers to fit a doaber such as yours,” she watched him freeze in mid-shirt change. Her mouth fell open and her eyes got large. Why the heck did she say that to him?

  Cat turned away from him again. Her face burned with embarrassment. Damn!

  Hendrick burst into laughter and almost fell over. The rich chuckle decorated the room. The sound made her turn back around with an annoyed look on her face.

  “I’ve never met someone with as much wit as you. I like it,” he squeezed into the shirt. “So, who was the Scottish man in your life? I just asked you should I take off my pants and you responded,” he said the last word slowly and paused afterwards watching her face go beet red, “in the same way. It’s something only a man could teach you.”

  Cat was grateful he didn’t say what ‘it’ was out loud. Her best friend Duke used to make the same joke. She would respond, ‘I don’t have trousers to fit a doaber such as yours.’ Which was the equivalent of, your penis is too big to fit in my pants. They would laugh so hard they’d end up on the floor holding their stomach.

  When she said that to Hendrick, though, the meaning was different. Doaber was all sexual. The only one laughing was him. She was mortified.

  ***

  “One of my best friends. He was gay, though, and he actually wanted to wear my pants.” She smiled, but the creases didn’t quite reach her eyes. Hendrick could tell that fake smile was covering up sadness.

  As much as Hendrick did not want to be rude, he saw his opportunity. He knew this was a sensitive subject for her. If he pushed hard enough she would crumble.

  That would be stepping over so many lines… Ye have to ye sobbing pixy. Stop acting like a fragile pixy and put yer foot down. She can’t go with us. His dragon beast popped in his mind.

  His beasts were a part of him, but they were also like inner voices telling him what to do sometimes. Especially his dragon, he thought he knew everything. Whereas his vampire just wanted to bite and hump everything. He mentally sighed, he had to do it, so she would stay home and be safe.

  What are you doing Hendrick, you could use the help. Izzy said she was bad ass at fighting, his vampire beast chimed in. He smacked both back down. He didn’t need their input; his mind was made up. There was no way she was going, he didn’t need another person’s blood on his hands.

  “How long was it until you two shagged? I bet the lad was kind and perfect in every way. Scottish men usually are,” The fresh scent of lavender stung his nose from the shirt like it was trying to hurt him for being rude to its owner.

  Cat looked at him dumbfounded, “How do you,” her voice trailed off as she shook her head at his question and wagged her finger from side to side in his face, “That’s none of your business, prick.”

  ***

  “Well lass, that’s only something a man says to someone he wants to shag, so I’m assuming he wasn’t gay and that he just wanted to get in those knickers. By the look on yer face, he succeeded.” Hendrick’s bitter voice hit home.

  Cat’s insides burned, making a sour and salty taste of hatred boiled over. She wished she had a sharp object in her hands. Throwing one of her daggers at him sounded good right now.

  “Whatever, go to hell asshole,” Cat walked towards the bathroom before she found something sharp to use on him.

  Cat slammed her palm onto the counter. How dare he bring up my past like that? Who does he think he is?

  She had been an investigator for a while now, so she could tell when someone was trying to evade her. Yet, she played right into his trick, which made her even angrier.

  Damn him.

  The tears kept falling despite her anger. She thought about Duke and the way they had laughed together. The whispers of laughs in her mind filled her with joy, but a stronger, bitter feeling of betrayal overwhelmed the joyous feeling.

  What pissed her off most was that Hendrick was right. Duke was a lowlife jerk at the end. He took her virginity and left without so much as a goodbye.

  Remembering how she had trusted him made a bitter, unpleasant taste rise in her mouth and she clenched her stomach. Even now, the thought was like a massive kick to the gut. She hated this feeling.

  Click.

  The sound of the door as it shut was like an alarm going off in her head. Asshole, left me crying in the bathroom, son of a bastard. A piece of her fused back together again at the realization. Her eyes narrowed as her head slowly rose from her hands.

  A bitter rumble coming from her throat shocked even her. Not going to happen. She took on this mission, she was seeing it through.

  In a frantic hair flying dash, Cat rushed around her apartment filling a small go bag covered in elephants. She expected to be gone maybe a few days, so she didn’t need much.

  She was grateful that stuffing a toothbrush, undies, and two sets of clothes only took a few minutes before she was ready to leave. Grabbing the spare cell phone her work gave her in the hallway.

  She searched her blue backup bag. It was full of sleeper amulets, daggers and an extra cell phone.

  The black small phone looked like heaven to her. You beautiful thing. She dialed David’s number and tapped her toe as she waited for him to pick up.

  Cat and David were partners in the CIU. Well, they were supposed to be partners, but she liked to do things on her own most of the time. Eventually, David was okay with that because he still got to put his name next to hers when she tagged a new Unnatural.

  Their relationship worked out perfectly, she got to stick to her loaner roots, and he still always had her back when she needed him.

  As she waited, she caught sight of her thick, yet muscular reflection in the mirror, Goodness, I need to stop eating tacos. She sucked in her stomach.

  She had never been a small, skinny person and the way she ate she was glad her job kept her active. Snickering at herself, she waved a hand at the as if to push it away.

  “What's up, small fry? Did you kick some Unnatural ass and need a cleanup man?” he sounded angry. She must have pissed him off somehow. “Or were you just calling to say sorry for standing me up last night. Then you treat me like a nobody secretary.” She could imagine his big, dark arms crossing.

  “Oh dammit, I’m sorry Dee. A lot of stuff happened last night, I forgot.” She was supposed to meet him for a beer after her date with Bruce. Last night was their year partnership anniversary, considering most people never got past a few months, the year mark was a big deal.

  She paused, waiting for his outrage. She tried to be patient, not wanting to get even more chewed out. Her anxiousness took over and her leg bounced up and down.

  She walked to the car.

  When he stayed silent she continued, “I need your help though.” Cat’s long oops smile had her neighbors giving her wrinkled foreheads outside of her apartment.

  “I should drop you on your ass and leave you there,” he said. He must be really distraught with her this time, Oh well, what’s new.

  “But you won’t.” Her smile grew to an expected one, and he could hear the change over the phone. She was pushing him. Hopefully, he took the bait. She could hear his hand brushing thro
ugh his beard. The sound reminded her of running through the dried yellow grass. As Cat’s partner, he was the cleanup her mess person, and he wasn’t a fan of the job.

  “Damn straight. You are going to owe me a good birthday present.” She pictured him scratching his chin as he thought about something evil or costly, “I'm picturing a wonderful birthday suit waking me up with breakfast in bed.”

  “Only in your dreams, douche,” she said, only partly irritated with him. The man flirted with any woman within ten feet. He was attractive, so she didn’t blame him. David used what he had to make others feel good. With his warm dark skin, hazel eyes and a body built like a rock; most women loved the attention and men wanted to be his friend.

  “Black people can’t be douches, Cat. Because when we go up in that, we get stuck.” He laughed at his own joke, “I know that made you weak at the knees.”

  Cat rolled her eyes, “Don’t make me shoot you,” she paused before continuing. David was a good partner, and a faithful one too, but he was also a stickler for the rules which meant he might not help her.

  “Anyway, I need your help tracking someone named Hendrick. He’s a bounty hunter. But it’s just between you and me, Dee.” She waited for him to respond as she pushed the clicker on her car. She heard the woman on the phone ask Hendrick if he caught his bounty, so Cat hoped she was right.

  She did a little dance right before stepping into her car as the ti, ti, ti sounded telling her he was tapping his fingers. Cat had found out a few months ago that David was half Unnatural, so he had a unique ability to find Unnaturals. Nobody knew, or if they did, they were in denial.

  “I have four bounty hunters in town.” His voice was rough, like he had to force himself to say the words.

  Her shoulders relaxed, “Any of them leaving town?”

  “Only one, he has a flight an hour minutes from now at the local airport.”

  Why did it have to be an airplane? Her heart beat with wild anticipation. She knew she could catch up with him, but now she didn’t know if she wanted to. “Okay, that’s him. What flight?” He wants to get out of town as fast as he can, and he probably has some type of connections that can get him a quick flight.