“I’m sorry about your sister,” Detective Parker said, suddenly behind me. I’d been so caught up in my thoughts I hadn’t heard her approach. She placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “I know, now, you’re not the monster I thought you were and…” She paused, releasing my shoulder before turning away from me.
She’d only managed to get two steps away when I spun, closed the distance between us with one step, and caught her wrist. She turned to face me, her brown eyes searching mine, and in that moment, I knew I couldn’t let her go. Not yet. Not with so many emotions flooding my system, threatening to swallow me whole. In that moment, I needed her more than I needed to take my next breath and I’d be damned if I let her walk away.
Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT: TORRENCE
Walk away, Parker.
Walk away, Parker.
Walk.
Away.
The mantra in my head may have been on repeat, but I knew it didn't matter how many times I heard it because there was no way it was actually going to happen. Because the moment Ripley LaCroix grabbed my wrist and my heart jumped in my chest, I knew I was done.
Okay, maybe I was done the moment I decided to let him go, but either way, I knew what was going to go down in that room, and I had no intentions of stopping it.
Ripley's grasp remained firm on my wrist, and as I looked up at him, my skin grew hot. My heart kicked up in my chest and my legs felt like jelly.
"You said I was free to go, Ripley. If you keep me here any longer, I may change my mind and take you in," I warned him, even though we both knew that I wasn't telling the truth.
Ripley raised a brow at me as he leaned closer, his body heat engulfing mine. “Is that true, Detective Parker?" he drew out. He lowered his head until his nose brushed against the side of my neck. There was no way to hide my reaction as a shiver ran down my spine and my heart began to jackhammer in my chest.
Ripley's nose continued to drag along my skin until it touched the side of my face, and I felt the brush of his soft lips against my skin. "Because from what I can feel and smell, the only thing you want to do right now is fuck me."
My body stilled, the accusation ringing true. But I couldn't. Letting Ripley go was one thing, but sleeping with him... "Let me go, Ripley."
"Croix," he corrected me as he continued to drag his lips along my flesh.
"Ripley LaCroix, get off of me." A buzz lit my skin as he continued to torment me.
A low chuckle left his lips, his warm breath fanning along my face. "Make me."
My body completely froze for a second as Ripley's grip on me tightened. His mocking words hung in the air, seeming to float on it.
I inhaled a sharp breath before finally turning my head. Any protest died on my lips the second that Ripley's captured mine in a kiss so rough and hot that I thought my legs were going to completely give out underneath me.
His tongue traced along mine as he forced my body backwards until my shoulder blades collided with the wall. I gasped out a breath, wrapping my hand in his dark hair, even as I told myself to stop.
Ripley's hands danced along my skin, moving down to my waist and clutching it tightly as he forced our bodies into each other.
His lips continued to dominate mine in a passionate kiss, and I found myself just trying to keep up. Ripley pulled away abruptly, his hand wrapping in my hair and pulling my head back until I was forced to look up into his eyes.
His brown eyes were twinkling with a mix of amusement and heat. I stared up at him, trying to keep my gaze hard even though my resolve was completely blown. He tugged my hair harder, letting out a small tsk as the pressure at my scalp grew until it was borderline painful. "So stubborn," he muttered before completely relaxing his grip on my hair, the pressure easing. A moment later, I felt my curls fall out of their ponytail. "I watched you for weeks," he confessed, much to my surprise. "And you wore your hair so many ways; this was always my favorite because it made me imagine you spread out on my bed. Free and thoroughly fucked."
His lips slammed back on mine before I could even fully process his words. His hands found their way back into my hair as I wrapped a hand around his neck.
He hoisted my body up, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist. I was remotely aware of us leaving the kitchen. A door creaked before I was being tossed onto the bed I'd been held captive on only an hour before.
I stared up at Ripley as he hovered over me. He pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side and revealing a body that could have been sculpted by the gods. His hands moved to my shirt, grabbing the collar of the shirt before a ripping noise moved through the room.
Cool air brushed along my skin, but the chill was quickly pushed away as Ripley's body covered mine. His lips started at the top of my breasts and my head rolled back in pleasure. His warm hands pulled down the cups of my bra, exposing my breasts for the barest moment before his tongue covered them.
A moan slid past my lips, and I pulled my thighs together, looking for any friction I could get as my core throbbed. Ripley shoved a hand down the front of my joggers as he continued to manipulate my breasts. His fingers danced along the edge of my panties, teasing but not moving any further.
I reached down, my hand covering his as I tried to guide him right where I needed him to be.
He let out a dark chuckle, the gesture causing vibrations along my skin. "No, I'm in charge, Detective Parker."
I let out a groan of frustration before wrapping a hand in his hair and tugging, forcing his eyes to meet mine. "You're playing with me, Ripley."
"Croix." A wicked smile crossed his lips before my back was slammed into the bed. My pants were ripped off too quickly for me to keep up with. My panties were gone just as quickly before Ripley's face was burying into my pussy.
I hadn't been ready for the pleasure of his tongue sliding along my folds. My hips pushed up from the bed, but Ripley quickly pushed them back down, the strength of his hand allowing no room for me to move.
His tongue continued to drag along my folds before moving up to my clit. He sucked the nub into his mouth, and pleasure exploded down my spine as I thrashed. Ripley's teeth locked down on my clit, just hard enough for the pain and pleasure to mix and cause my orgasm to rush over me without warning.
Euphoria shot down my spine, my limbs feeling weightless. My eyes fluttered closed as my heart raced in my chest.
Ripley's body left mine for a moment, and when my eyes reopened, he was standing over me. His pants were gone, and I didn’t know how he managed to get out of them so quickly. But his cock was already in his hand, hard and leaking precum.
His eyes met mine as he reached a hand out to dip his fingers in my wetness. My body jerked when his finger dragged along my clit, the sensation almost too much with my body already being so sensitive. He pulled the wet digits away, dragging them along his cock and lubricating it even more, his intense gaze never leaving mine. "One of these days, I'm going to take my time with you, Torrence Parker. I'm going to lick every inch of your body while I listen to you moan and watch you writhe, begging for my cock. But I won't give it to you until I've marked every inch of your cunt with my tongue and fingers. And even then, I'll make you continue to wait until you cum just from my bite alone."
A shiver rushed down my spine, and my core throbbed in anticipation. My breath came out faster. "This won't happen again."
Ripley only smiled as he moved forward, brushing his cock along my entrance. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, Detective." His hips slammed right into mine as he entered me in a single thrust. My back arched off of the bed as a moan left my lips.
Ripley started a relentless pace, his body hammering into mine so quickly that I could already feel a second climax building.
I moved my hips, matching his pace. He leaned forward, his body smothering mine as my hands wrapped around his back. His pace continued to build, far too quickly for me to keep up with as my nails scraped down his back.
"Oh god," I moaned, my toes curling in pleasure.
"You mean, oh Croix," Ripley muttered as his fingers slid down to find my clit. They circled the nub, pushing my orgasm closer to the edge.
Undistinguishable words left my lips as Ripley's mouth touched my neck, his tongue flickering out to lick my skin. His teeth replaced his tongue, grazing my skin for a moment. His fingers worked my clit faster before pinching down at the same moment that his teeth nipped my skin.
Ecstasy ripped through my body and a whimper left my lips as I lost control of my limbs. Ripley's hips slammed against mine one last time before he stilled. Warmth flooded my core, but as my body sunk into the mattress, I couldn't be bothered to care.
And as Ripley's body collapsed onto mine, I knew what we did was wrong, but I didn't care.
Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE: CROIX
Torrence Parker was going to be a problem, but I didn't care.
Her scent had driven me crazy before I'd even tasted her. But now that I had my feel of it all, her skin against mine, my lips on hers, the sounds of her whimpers assaulting my ears... I wanted more.
I may as well have started putting the nails in my own coffin, because getting involved with a law enforcement officer would be nothing more than a slow death. There was Slade, who would absolutely flip his shit, maybe even finally put me out of my misery if he found out about Torrence. Not only had I captured the detective and let her go with a confession, but I'd also fucked her without a single regret.
And I wanted more, no, I was going to take more.
I knew it the moment she'd rolled out of my bed. Her dark curls had fallen to her shoulders, slightly untamed and yet so sexy that I wanted to wrap my hands in the locks and pull her back against me. Her brown skin seemed to glow under the lights in a way that I knew had to be nothing more than my imagination. And when she'd turned to me with fire in her eyes and a hard slant to her mouth, I'd felt more alive than I ever had since being changed into a vampire.
Her hard eyes continued to watch me for a moment longer before her shoulders straightened. "Not a word of this to anyone or I'll make a jail sentence seem like a reprieve, Ripley."
My lips twitched into a reluctant smile. The detective insisted on calling me by the name I hated so much. And since I'd made it clear I didn't want to be called that, I knew she wasn’t going to stop.
The stubbornness in her wouldn't allow anything different.
I pushed to my feet, ignoring the slight chill in the room as it brushed along my skin. Torrence's eyes trailed over my bare flesh, staring at my chest and moving further down before her gaze snapped back up.
"I don't have anyone to tell, detective," I told her as I sauntered closer.
She took a step back, holding a finger out in front of her to keep a distance between us. "Don't touch me again." Her words may have been strong, but I could hear the way her heart kicked up in her chest. It'd revealed more to me than anything else could have.
I wasn't the only one that felt the brutal attraction that danced between us even after the hot, hard sex we'd just had.
I held my hands out to the side, taking a step back.
Her eyes narrowed further before moving over the room. "You ripped my clothes," she muttered. She took a step forward, squatting down and grabbing my discarded shirt. She pulled the tee over her head, and even though it fell to her knees, far too big for her, she didn't show any signs of caring. She picked up her joggers, taking in the rough state of them. Fortunately, I'd managed to keep the fabric intact somehow while pulling them off her, and she didn't waste any time stuffing her legs into them.
"My shoes." She held her hand out, palm up, raising a brow.
"Outside the door," I told her, hooking a thumb in the general direction of the door.
She didn't bother to give me a response, keeping her head high and her back straight as she made her way to the door. She pulled the door open.
"You'll find your gun sitting beside them," I informed her, keeping my gaze on her.
Her back tensed, but again, she didn't offer any reply. As she moved out into the hall, I followed behind her. I leaned against the doorframe, watching as she pulled the well-worn tennis shoes onto her feet and stuffed her gun into the waist of her pants.
I folded my arms over my chest. "I suppose you can find your way out."
Maybe it was stupid to allow the woman to roam around my property, knowing she could come back at any time with more officials in tow. But something in my gut told me she wasn't going to. No, Torrence had chosen to turn a blind eye to my crimes, something that must have been hard for her. And I had no doubt she wouldn’t go back on her word.
"I'll manage," she bit out, finally turning to look at me. Her eyes roamed over my face for a moment before her lips pulled tight. "I may have let you go this time, but make no mistake, Ripley LaCroix, we are not friends. If you appear on my radar again, not even God himself will be able to save you." Her body was coiled tightly as she glared at me.
A smile played on my lips. The woman was stubborn as hell, and fuck if that didn’t make me hard as rock. It was taking everything I had in me not to toss her back on the bed and rip the clothes from her once more. My palms itched to touch her again, but I shoved those feelings aside. Instead, I told her, "I'll see you around, Detective Parker." I took a step backwards into the bedroom, pulling the door shut.
I took a deep inhale, letting the thick aroma of the detective dance in my nostrils. I could hear her footsteps outside of the door as she found her way out.
And I committed the sound to memory, even though I'd be hearing them again soon, because my words were true. I was going to be seeing Detective Parker around, whether she liked it or not.
I was going to love watching her.
Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN: TORRENCE
"Parker, I'm glad to see that you're still in one piece." Sion Cross approached me the second I stepped foot into the precinct.
I pushed my hands into the pockets of my coat, offering him a smile. "Of course, Cross; you know me, I may find trouble, but it never keeps me down."
His eyes roamed over my face, as if searching for something, before he gave me a nod. "Glad to hear it. So, are you going to tell me now what you were up to last night?" He raised a brow.
My pulse thumped wildly as thoughts of Ripley's body on mine flooded my mind. It continued to kick up another notch as I remembered that I could lose so much if anyone in this office were to find out. I'd lose their respect for sure, and my job... possibly. I was never supposed to be going after Ripley, after all. And then I proceeded to get an undocumented confession from him, which I totally tossed to the side, because I couldn't fault him for what he did.
Yeah, there's no way in hell anyone in this office is ever going to find out about that.
"A woman has to have her secrets, Cross." I gave him a smirk. "But I'll walk with you to your office." I gestured a hand in the direction of his office before walking in that direction. He fell in line beside me, and I could feel his stare boring into the side of my head.
"I feel like you're up to something, Parker." The suspicion in his voice was heavy, laced with a hint of worry. But I didn't dare turn to look at him. I refused to give the man a peek into the emotions going on in my head, and I knew if he looked at me in that moment, he'd definitely see something.
So, I composed my facial expression as we made our way to his office. I walked inside, lingering for a moment. "What's been going on with you?" I switched the topic. "You seemed to be onto something yesterday."
Sion moved behind his desk, and I drifted closer as he took a seat. He propped his elbow up on the arm of the chair. His fingers rested below his chin and his eyes narrowed for a moment as if debating on what to say.
Not liking the silence, I allowed myself to move even closer, taking a look at the things on his desk. I recognized a map of the town, certain locations circled and X’d out. A few more pages rested on the desk before my g
aze stopped on an image. It was an inconspicuous picture, capturing a woman walking downtown. Her back was to the camera, but her rainbow hair was so loud and vibrant that I knew I'd be able to pick her out from a line up based on it alone. Something sat on her shoulder, and as I looked at it closer, I could see a coiled brown tail , but not much else.
"Who is that?" I pointed at the image, trying to get a better look.
Sion's body tensed up before he slid another paper over the photo.
My lips twitched, and I leaned back. " I see I'm not the only one with secrets."
He let out a small laugh, though I could hear the strain of it. He relaxed further into his chair, picking up a pen off of his desk and twirling it. "You could say that."
"Well, I'm going to leave you to it, Cross, but you know if you need anything, let me know."
He nodded. "The same goes for you, Parker."
I left his office, making the short trek to my own office as my phone began to vibrate in my pocket. Frowning, I reached into my pocket, taking one glance at my screen and letting out a curse. I sped up my pace as I made my way to my office.
I swiftly closed the door before answering. "What have you done, Diorra?" I asked, knowing if my cousin was calling, trouble was definitely on her trail.
Holidays Bite: A Limited Edition Collection of Holiday Vampire Tales Page 35