Venom & Vampires: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection

by Casey Lane

  Scanning the room, I discovered much of the furniture had been moved and the paintings had been removed from the walls. The area rug in the center of the room had been tossed in a corner. My fists clenched at my side. I’d discovered the motive. Obviously, this was about money and I was reasonably confident the safe was still secure. Cautiously, I moved to the built-in bookcase my father had so cleverly designed. Then I reached up and tipped the decorative finial until it was horizontal, so I could separate the two sections. With little effort, they slid into the walls on either side, revealing a huge wall safe. I punched in the code my father had taught me, then the green light appeared and a click echoed through the empty house. I pulled back the door and took a quick peek. Nothing seemed to be missing. My shoulders heaved in relief. Reaching inside, I grabbed the go bag my father kept at the ready, which was a cross body satchel filled with our most important documents, like birth certificates, social security cards, loan and insurance information. Then I added the ledger and the checkbook before throwing the strap over my head and adjusting it. Confident I had everything I needed for the moment, I quickly shut the safe, repositioned the bookcases, and locked the finial in place as I heard footsteps nearing the room. The doors swung open and Dallas appeared.

  My eyes narrowed. “What are you doing in here?”

  He panted and pointed. “Two men. At least one is a shifter. Arguing.”

  With a sigh, I exited the study and ran to what remained of the front porch to survey the situation. The fireman had returned. He had an inspector with him, judging from the clipboard and business casual attire. A third man stood there all tall, dark, and brooding. My breath caught in my throat when he turned and caught me staring.

  “Savannah Silver?” He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

  Maybe I didn’t meet his expectations. Over the last twenty-four hours, this had become the norm. No one believed in me, despite my abilities. “Yes.” I huffed as I rushed over to the men.

  The fireman spoke first. “I found him checking out the property.” He jerked his head angrily at the man who’d spoken to me.

  I nodded. “Thank you.” Then I turned my attention to the man who hadn’t taken his eyes off me since he first noticed me. I struggled not to shrink under his scrutinizing gaze. Holding out my hand, I prepared for our introduction. “Please call me Savvy. Are you the architect?”

  He grasped my hand in his to shake, but I was only aware of his touch. My wolf whined. My stomach fluttered. My heart raced. I stared at our hands a moment before yanking mine back. When I glanced up at his face, I saw a smile playing at the corner of his lips, but there was some indecipherable look in his eyes.

  “Quinn Holderman.” Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “Rogue Designs.”

  “A man of few words, I see.” I pursed my lips, stuffed the card in my satchel, and then turned on my heel. “Follow me.” I started to walk toward the house when I heard him mumble under his breath.

  “Gladly.”

  I fought to hide my reaction. I was too far away. There was too much noise from pack members working around the homestead. I shouldn’t have heard him. Only…I did. A twitch began under my eye. When we reached what was left of my parents’ home, I paused and waited for him to catch up. “You don’t look like an architect,” I commented absently.

  Quinn laughed, then sobered. He tugged at his chin while assessing my attire. “You don’t look like you can afford me.”

  My brows peaked. “Oh, really? And why is that?”

  He gestured while he spoke. “Flip-flops, jean shorts, and a t-shirt you probably picked up at Goodwill.”

  I tilted my head. “Looks can be deceiving. Trust me. I can afford you.” I motioned for him to follow me, but he remained rooted to the ground.

  “Trust isn’t really my thing. Perhaps you could give me money instead?” Quinn stared down at me. He stood a good foot taller than me.

  Since I was barely more than five feet tall, I was used to craning my neck at people, but this time it bothered me. I shrugged. “Okay, how much would you like?”

  “You want me to design something to work on the existing foundation?” He raked a hand through his hair.

  “That would be nice.” I nodded.

  “Well, I’d advise against it.” He held out his hand, ready to tick off reasons on his fingers.

  “Of course, you would.” I muttered under my breath.

  Quinn paused and chuckled. Then he grew serious. “Really. It might not be safe. The foundation. The fire.”

  “I see where you’re going with this.” My shoulders sank. “So where would you suggest I rebuild?” I wrapped my arms around my body and struggled to control my emotions.

  “Miss Silver?” The inspector interrupted our discussion. “There’s a detective on the way. He wants to speak with you.”

  I turned to face him. “That’s fine. I’ll be here.” Then I glanced back and forth between Quinn and the inspector. Losing my parents hurt more than I cared to admit. I didn’t want to think about it. As long as I could keep moving, keep busy, I wouldn’t have a moment to grieve. I was the Alpha now. I couldn’t afford to appear weak or emotional. I couldn’t give them any reason to doubt my ability to lead. Inhaling deeply, I shook my head. I could feel a sob rising in my throat, but I choked it back. “I need…a moment.” Then I sprinted to the back of the house before anyone could stop me, before the first tear fell. I needed to let my wolf run free, but there was no way this would happen for hours. I looked about wildly, but there was nowhere to go, nowhere to be, nowhere to hide. Sitting hard on an Adirondack chair, I covered my face as I rocked back and forth.

  “Hold it together, Savvy,” I whispered. “You can do this. You have to do this.”

  Suddenly, someone squatted in front of me and laid his hands on the arms of the chair. I froze and inhaled deeply. No scent. Nothing human, nothing shifter. I frowned. Impossible. I uncovered my face and tucked my hands beneath my thighs. Blowing out a breath, I concentrated on masking my emotions while raising my gaze. “Quinn.” For some reason, his presence flooded me with relief. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “It’s just…” I gestured to the house behind me.

  “I know.” His eyes locked on mine. Slowly, he reached out and cupped my face. My lids lowered as I pressed my cheek against his palm. “The fire happened yesterday? You amaze me, Savvy.” Quinn stroked my cheek one time with his knuckles and then stood. He held his hands out to me and helped me stand, but even after, he didn’t let go. “Talk to the detective while I check out the land and take some measurements. Then we’re leaving.”

  I stiffened. “I can’t. I need to take care of things here.”

  “No, you don’t. There are so many people here to help you. What you need to do is come to my office so we can work on the design.” Quinn didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he spun me around and laid a hand on my lower back as he walked me to the front of the house.

  I didn’t hate it. I didn’t hate him. In all honesty, he intrigued me, and after dealing with Tanner and Dallas, it was nice to be around a guy who didn’t doubt me or hover about waiting for me to fail.

  Chapter Seven

  I recognized the detective. We’d spoken briefly the day before. He was there when my parents were found. His eyes were on me as I neared. Quinn removed his hand from my lower back, laying it on my shoulder, ever so briefly.

  “I’m taking measurements and making a rough drawing of the lot, then I’ll need you to come with me so we can get the design process started.” He stared, waiting for a response.

  Feeling completely numb, I nodded. “Okay. Thank you.” My words were barely louder than a whisper. I watched him move toward the tree line and finally turn back toward me. He had his phone out and seemed to be typing on it. Notes, no doubt.

  “Miss Silver?” The detective interrupted my thoughts.

  “Yes?” I wrapped my arms around my body. The mountain air was chillier in the morning. Normal
ly, it didn’t affect me. As a wolf shifter, my temperature ran hotter than humans. Today, everything bothered me.

  “I’m Detective Sands. You may remember me…”

  “Of course.” I sighed.

  His brow furrowed. “We’ve done our preliminary investigation. As you know, your father was shot.”

  My head tilted. The detective seemed to be holding back. “What is it?” I prodded.

  “Strange. And it could be nothing. Homemade bullet. Silver.” He shrugged. “Thought I’d mention it in case you knew anyone who might smelt metal.”

  “No, I can’t think of anyone offhand.” I followed his gaze as he studied the rest of the pack, working around the homestead. Their homes had survived the blaze with only minor damages, and those were due to the firemen’s efforts to save my family’s place. I frowned. “None of them would have harmed my father. They’re simple people. They have gardens. They craft. They aren’t violent in the least.” I stood with my shoulders back, but my eyes landed on the spot several feet away where Dallas and I had fought the day before. There were still blood droplets in the dirt I hoped Sands wouldn’t notice.

  “Can you think of any reason someone might want to hurt your father?” He rocked on his heels.

  My eyes narrowed as I considered his question. “I’ve been gone for the better part of four years. I’ve only been here when college was on break and even then I had internships which kept me away most of the days.” I swallowed hard and laid a hand on my chest. My wolf paced angrily, which made me anxious around strangers. “I was supposed to graduate in a few days.” I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. “You may want to speak to my sisters. They’re seniors…graduating next month.” I covered my face briefly with my hands. Even thinking about these experiences without my parents left an aching hole in my chest. I rubbed my forehead and looked at the detective again. “They might have overheard something. I wish I could help you, but as far as I know, life was great.”

  “Of course.” He scribbled something on a pad. “Can I speak with them at school? It will only take a few minutes.”

  “Sure. Anything to find the killer.” I nodded sadly. “I really need to work with the architect. Do you mind? I want my sisters to have a home. Plus, talking about the murder is seriously upsetting.” I licked my lips. “We were a close-knit family. My parents were crazy in love even after all these years.” I offered a watery smile. “I don’t know how I’m going to recover from this, how my sisters will either. I…” I had no idea what else to say. I could’ve babbled on for some time, but luckily Quinn suddenly appeared at my side.

  “Savvy, do you have a minute? I have an idea.” He glanced at the detective for approval. When Sands nodded, Quinn gestured for me to follow him.

  After rubbing my eyes, I waved at the detective and traipsed after Quinn. When he stopped near the corner of the porch I asked, “What’s your idea?”

  “The barn.” He pointed to one of the original structures on the homestead.

  “You want us to live in a barn.” I scrunched up my face.

  Quinn chuckled. “No. I see it’s unused. I want to salvage it and make you an amazing timber frame home.”

  “Right. A wood house.” I nodded. “We had that before. I was hoping for something more secure and flame retardant.”

  “Like what? A tank? A fortress?” He rolled his eyes.

  “Hey, a fortress doesn’t sound half bad right now. There’s a killer on the loose and I have siblings to protect.” I huffed. “Not that you’d understand.”

  Quinn forced my chin up. His brow was furrowed. “You’d be surprised what I understand.”

  I swear it felt like he was staring right into me and I withered under his gaze. Pushing his hand away, I sighed. “I’m sure.” Shaking my head at the old barn, I turned toward him again. “Okay, we definitely need to talk. Let me tell my…friends where I’m going. I’ll follow you.”

  As was customary, I sought out Dallas to share my plans. “I have to go to the architect’s office. I’m not sure how long it will take. I’ll call you.”

  He nodded but barely met my eyes. “Fine. I can take care of things,” Dallas mumbled.

  “I know. I have faith in you, otherwise I wouldn’t leave.” I studied him for a moment, hoping for some kind of response, but he simply moved away from me and started planting a new row of green beans.

  Though his response was disheartening, I refused to acknowledge his actions had impacted me in the least. Instead, I strode confidently to my vehicle and followed Quinn down the mountain, through town, and finally stopped at a stunning arts and craft style mansion constructed with wood and stone, perched on a cliff overlooking nothing but forest. As I stepped out of my vehicle, I couldn’t help but gasp.

  “Thoughts?” Quinn studied my reaction while I tried to take in all the incredible aspects of the house.

  “I’m awed.” I shook my head, unable to find all the words needed to adequately respond. Then I turned to him. “Also, I’m curious. Why did you bring me here?”

  He chuckled as he held out his keys. “This is my home and also my office.” He winked. “I like to keep my life simple.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I can tell.” There was nothing simple about the design of the place.

  “Come on. I think there are some features you might want to incorporate into your new home.” Quinn motioned for me to follow him up the steps onto the porch, and then through the oversized wood and glass door.

  Once inside, I admired the open floor plan, the way so many natural elements had been incorporated into his space. This attention to detail and his sense of style spoke to me. Who knew I could find the right architect so easily? I mentally patted myself on the back. “This is really nice.” I shrugged. “So, let’s copy it, add a moat, a drawbridge, and stick it on my property. Problem solved.” I laughed.

  With a grin, Quinn studied me. “Your heart isn’t in this right now.”

  His words had a sobering effect. I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “Not really, no.” I sighed.

  He took a step closer to me with his arms open. I had this urge to simply fall into them and press my face against his chest. I wanted to hear his heart beating and feel alive again. Right now, I was simply going through the motions. I gazed up at him expectantly, waiting for him to give me a sign he was amenable to the closeness. Instead, he suddenly stuffed his hands inside his pockets.

  “Let’s go talk in my office,” he suggested as he gestured toward the stairs. “It’s in the walk out basement.”

  I nodded and followed him. “Thank you for meeting me so quickly. I’m sure you have other projects requiring your attention. I’ll try not to take up too much of your time.”

  Quinn turned to face me at the bottom of the stairs. For the first time, I noticed his bright blue eyes and dark brown hair. My breath caught in my throat. I stumbled with three steps to go. Before I knew what was happening, I fell forward. My eye lids shut, unwilling to see the floor nearing. I fully expected to land in a crumpled and highly embarrassed ball at his feet. Only that didn’t happen. My face was smushed into his chest. I heard his heart and felt his muscles rippling under my cheek.

  I blinked and looked up at him. “You caught me.” There was no hiding the wonder in my voice.

  “I’ll always catch you, Savvy. If you let me.” His face had grown serious.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  He casually helped me find my footing, and I realized the entire basement had been converted to his office. I inhaled deeply and nodded my approval. Quinn had moved to the nearest bookshelf. His fingers dragged along the spines, finally stopping on one. “Here it is.” He grinned and I could actually feel his passion for design. As he opened the book, he truly came alive. “I’m hearing your need for security. I’d like to pair this with something natural looking. Lots of stone, wood, and glass.”

  “Where’s the security?” I frowned.

  “Install CPI,” he joked. Then he sobered. “
Really, it’s a special glass.”

  “Is it also a special wood?” I huffed. “The house did catch fire. Arson.”

  Quinn tapped his chin. “Have you considered getting a dog?”

  My lips twitched. We’d never had a dog. Hell, we’d never had pets. My father explained cats would be too jumpy around us because of our wolves. I suspected a dog might feel the same way. “No, I haven’t.” I tilted my head. “Is this your idea of security? A dog?”

  “They’re great for security and companionship. You never have to feel lonely.” He shrugged. “Just an idea.”

  “Or, it’s one more thing for me to take care of,” I grumbled and then rolled my eyes. “And crap. Now I’m channeling my mother.” Before I could say another word, my phone began to ring. I grabbed it from the satchel. I recognized it as being a call from App State. “I’m sorry. I need to get this.” I glanced around, wondering where to speak with some privacy, when Quinn helped herd me out the basement door. Standing there on the concrete pad, I mustered the nerve to answer. “Hello?”

  “Savannah Silver, please.”

  I quickly recognized the voice. “Dean Simms? This is Savannah.” As the Dean of Students, I should’ve been expecting his call.

  “Oh, Savvy.” He blew out a breath and it only served to make me more nervous. “I know about your parents. Were you planning on walking on Saturday?”

  My shoulders sank. “Not anymore. It wouldn’t be the same. It wouldn’t feel right…” I could spout out a million reasons I no longer wanted to participate in my college graduation. Thankfully, he stopped me after two.

  “Well, I don’t mean to bother you at a time like this, but we’re going to need your room emptied by then. Is there someone you can send?” I could hear him tapping his pen nervously.