"See you." It wasn't until Derek eased the phone from her hand that she realized she still held it to her ear.
He folded his arms around her and she melted into his embrace. "I got you," he kept saying. "It's all right. I got you."
Chapter Twenty-Four
Derek met Tremayne's gaze over Sloane's shoulder. The vampire didn't look pleased, but really what did the vamp expect? Sloane had a family and just because her life went south, they couldn't expect her to just forget they existed.
Sloane inhaled deeply and pulled away, her hand flying to her lips, but Derek caught a glimpse of her fangs before she could conceal them.
"You need to feed," Tremayne said already realizing what had happened.
Wade rolled his eyes in disgust and swore under his breath. While they were training his brother seemed to have forgotten that Sloane was no longer human.
Sloane kept her hand over her mouth while she spoke. "I'm sorry." Her cheeks flamed red.
"You don't have to be sorry or embarrassed," he told her. His hand gently touched hers, lowering it away from her face. "You've worked that cute little behind off tonight. You need to keep up your strength and feeding is a part of it."
Her gaze shifted to his neck and for a moment, the gesture inflamed his own desires. Definitely, all sorts of messed up.
Tremayne cleared his throat, shutting down the idea. "Let's go inside," he suggested to Sloane. "Alone," he said to him.
As much as he hated Tremayne's domineering interest where Sloane was concerned, he couldn't deny it was what she needed right now.
He stared at their retreating backs as they strode toward the house. "How do you do it?" He glanced at Cassandra who had come to stand beside him. "How are you not jealous?"
His sister's brows shot up. "For starters, I may not entirely love this situation, but I trust Tremayne. He sired Sloane, for lack of a better term. She's more like a daughter to him."
Wade hadn't ventured far and had heard the last of Cassandra's words. "Tremayne may be a vampire, but he's one hundred percent male, too. I doubt he's looking at Sloane as if she's his daughter. If anything, Sloane has more of a connection with Tremayne Graystone than you do, sis."
"When did you become such a cynical bastard?" Cassandra shot back. "Just because you sleep with anything that resembles a female, it doesn't mean everyone follows your creed."
Wade's eyes narrowed. "At least I don't fool myself into thinking I can have a relationship with non-humans. BFF is what I say. Babes, Fun and—"
"That's enough," Derek interrupted, putting himself between the two before blows were exchanged. It never ended well with these two.
"For your information," Cassandra yelled over his shoulder and jabbed her finger in Wade's direction. "BFF is Best Friends Forever, not your sick rendition." She turned and stormed away, but Wade couldn't resist one more dig.
"Well, I came up with the acronym first."
Cassandra raised her hand in the air and without slowing her stride or turning around, she gave Wade the bird.
"Just like old times." Derek shook his head.
"Yeah, well she started it," Wade spat.
Derek couldn't help but laugh and a second later Wade did too.
"We sound like we're a bunch of kids, don't we?" Wade asked between chuckles.
"Don't drag me into this. You and Cassandra do have a way with each other."
"Yeah, well she's so pigheaded."
He lifted a brow and Wade snorted just like Cassandra would have done if he confronted her.
"Fine, we're both pigheaded," Wade said grudgingly.
They fell silent and Wade glanced toward the house. "As much as Cassandra is a pain in my patootie, I couldn't imagine not being able to speak to her—even if it's just snarky banter." He shook his head. "Sloane has it tough. I feel for her, but it doesn't mean I've changed my mind about vampires."
"Of course not."
Wade threw him a disgruntled look. "It was so much easier when I believed stake and dust was all I needed to know about vamps."
"Hey guys," Cassandra shouted to them from the backdoor. "You better come inside. The police scanner is buzzing with another homicide. Sounds like Tim's M.O."
They didn't waste any time and jogged toward the house, sliding to a stop in front of the scanner situated on the TV stand in the corner of the kitchen. The static sounds emitted from the scanner didn't mar the voices of the dispatcher.
"Who is he talking to?" Wade gestured toward Tremayne, who was on the phone.
"Someone from his sept that works at the precinct. He's getting the skinny on what went down," Cassandra said.
Derek's gaze shifted to where Sloane sat on the couch with her hands folded on her lap. Despite the fact that Sloane had just fed, her face was drained of color. Her eyes flickered warily to his. "He's killed again," she spoke the obvious with no need to clarify who he was.
"Where did he strike?" Wade asked.
"A convenience store," Cassandra told them.
"Three victims. An excessive amount," Tremayne spoke with a quiet intensity that brought all eyes around to meet his. He had ended his call and slipped the phone into his pocket. The knowing arch of his brow creased in thought before he addressed them. "He always kills two or more at one time and he has no need to drink from so many."
"He's out of control," Wade said. "He doesn't care how many he takes out at a time. He's a vampire for God's sake." He stopped short when his gaze shifted to Tremayne. "You know what I mean."
"Aye, he's out of control," Tremayne agreed, but more as an afterthought, not at all concerned by Wade's lack of diplomacy.
Kudos to the Oiche Sith, Derek thought.
"We have a few hours before dawn," Tremayne said. "Cassandra and I will check out the crime scene. See if Tim left any evidence behind that might lead us to where he's hiding out."
"I'm going, too," Wade spoke up.
Tremayne pursed his lips. Derek had the distinct feeling he wasn't confronted often with demands. He was used to giving orders and having them obeyed. Vampires were usually solitary creatures. They didn't hang out in big crowds, but he knew for a fact, Tremayne owned a pub. He was around crowds most nights, but then it dawned on him why he didn't want Wade to tag along.
"Wade." His brother turned his heated gaze on Derek.
"What?" Wade snapped with annoyance.
"He wants you to babysit me and Sloane."
"Why in the hell would I—" Then the reason must have dawned on him and he rolled his eyes. "I so can't wait until this gig is over." He plopped down in the nearest chair.
"We won't be long," Tremayne said.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Sloane glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. The monstrosity resembled clocks found in schoolrooms. Not only was it unattractive, it proved to annoy her with its ability to make time stand still. Of course this wasn't really true. It only seemed like time had not progressed since Tremayne and Cassandra left to investigate the crime scene. She tried to read, but after re-reading the first paragraph of the mystery novel Derek loaned her, she tossed the book down on the coffee table.
She stood and Wade did, too.
"I'm just stretching," she told him and he sat back down. She caught Derek staring at her from the archway leading into the kitchen. She strode over to him, but Wade clicked his tongue at her.
"Separate rooms, remember?" Wade said.
Really, how could she forget with the prison warden personally guarding them?
"Give it a rest," Derek snapped.
"If I'm going to be left behind to babysit, then I'm going to do a damn good job of it. There's not going to be any nibbling on necks on my watch."
Sloane pursed her lips, which proved a big mistake when her fangs pricked the inside of her lip. She grimaced and swallowed the blood that pooled in her mouth.
"'Eff off," Derek grabbed Sloane's hand and dragged her behind him as he headed for the back door.
"Come back here," Wade yel
led after them.
"Maybe we should—" Sloane began only to have Derek stop short and pull her into his arms and planting a kiss that swallowed her words beneath his lips. She didn't even struggle. How could she, when she wanted this as much as he did?
"Jesus Christ," Wade said, not as a curse but as if he expected help from above. When none came, he followed his prayer with a more colorful curse. "Fine, be a dumbass. I'm sitting this one out. If you don't care if she sucks you dry than I say you get what you deserve."
When they came up for air, they were alone in the kitchen. "You know he's right," she said. "I could lose control." Her gaze shifted to his neck and she could hear his heart beating there.
"Are you in control now?"
"What?" His voice drew her attention and she concentrated on his ruggedly handsome face.
"Are you in control now?" he repeated.
"I think so."
"That's good enough for me." Before she could comment further, his hands plunged into her hair, pulling her head closer for his kiss. His scent, his aura, his masculine persona seemed to erase her worries as his lips exploited her mouth for all it was worth. For the moment, it didn't matter what kind of future was in store for them. She was enjoying what he offered and blocking out the horrors that still awaited them. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, she was wildly attracted to him, and it had nothing with wanting to drink his blood. There was something about Derek Hayes that drew her. Even when they were teens, he did something to her, made her feel things she never felt with anyone else. She always thought of herself as a forever kind of woman, not someone to have a fling with, but she knew now dreams of forever were different for her. She wanted Derek, but she also cared enough about him to know she couldn't just take what she wanted.
She pushed him away and for several seconds they stared at each other. Now what was she going to do—stay away from him now that he fired up every nerve in her body? Yes, she answered the question. She had to because they had no future.
"Don't," he said as if he could read her mind. "Don't push me away."
"We have to stop. You know this." She backed away then flitted into the living room.
Wade bolted out of his chair. "Sheee..it!" His dagger glinted with intent. "Is he…"
She rolled her eyes. "Derek isn't dead." She could attest to that. He was very much alive and it made her wish she were, too—alive in the sense that she was still human.
"Don't take offense."
At first she didn't know what Wade meant by his comment until he called out to his brother.
Derek?" Wade shouted, while still keeping his eyes on her.
Derek strode into the living room and took in the scene of her standing still as a statue and Wade looking like he'd like to carve a new version of her.
"What are you doing?" His hands fisted and his brows drew together dangerously as he peered at his brother.
Wade relaxed his stance, but the dagger remained visible. "She did her vamp magic and I wasn't sure if you were laying drained on the kitchen floor."
"Don't be an eegit."
"An eegit?" Wade's voice boomed with annoyance. "I'm not the one sucking face with a vampire."
She couldn't take anymore. The tension between the brothers was because of her. She was tearing them apart and it wasn't right. "Stop it! Just stop it!"
Both brothers' gazes riveted to her, but Derek took a step toward her. She held up her hand as if that alone could stop his advances. "Stay right where you are," she pleaded and he halted his steps. "Your brother is right. You are an eegit."
Wade snickered, but she turned her gaze on him. "You're not perfect either. You sit back and judge and it's not fair. Human, vamp, life, death… you think you have it all figured out, but you haven't a clue. YOU DAMN WELL DO NOT HAVE A CLUE!" she repeated and grounded out each word. Her little outburst sure silenced the room. Neither brother moved or spoke. She pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to stay off crying. She wouldn't cry.
The hum of a vehicle approaching the house caught her attention and she quickly took a deep breath to compose herself. "Tremayne and Cassandra are back."
Derek and Wade exchanged glances, but they realized she spoke the truth when a minute later the two in question strode in through the front door.
Tremayne glanced at Wade and Derek then to her. She shrugged and thought it best not to say anything. She plopped down on the couch and waited for the horrifying details of Tim's last blood run.
Cassandra was the one to give it. "Sloane, Tim left you a card." She took out her phone and strode toward her. "We couldn't take the letter with us since it's evidence, but I was able to snap a picture of it." She handed Sloane the phone.
She stared at the image of a Valentine's card splattered with blood. The words scrawled beneath the romantic Hallmark quote were: See you at dinner on Thursday. You know the place we talked about and you know the time. Xs and Os followed and, Love, T was his signature.
"Do you know what he's talking about?" Cassandra asked. There was little doubt that Cassandra hoped she did.
They had planned to go out for Valentine's, but Valentine's Day had come and gone. "We had reservations at Mario's before this all went down." She handed Cassandra her phone. "It's my guess that's where he means."
Chapter Twenty-Six
The sun had set hours ago and the moon glowed bright in the sky with stars surrounding it as accents. At Mario's, Sloane sat at one of the outside tables where she would have the best view of who entered the establishment.
Her palms were sweaty and she wiped them on her skirt. She dressed in one of the new outfits Cassandra had bought for her. Black lacey blouse, black skirt, and she wore the boots adorned with the silver buckles. She left her hair down, letting her strands cascade in waves over her shoulders.
Derek told her she looked nice. Nice didn't sound like much, but the way his eyes wavered over her, nice took on a new meaning—erotic and fan-worthy hot!
Derek set up surveillance across the street and would do his best to keep her safe, but she also knew Wade was part of this sting operation. He would sooner put a dagger through her heart than save her from Tim's clutches.
A few days ago, she would never believe she would fear Tim, but when he changed, the kindhearted person she'd known had ceased to exist. Would it also happen to her, too? Her emotions were all over the place. It was like she'd taken some kind of adrenalin drug to amp her emotions tenfold. If she didn't have Derek backing her… If she didn't have Tremayne encouraging her… Would she have ended up like Tim?
She knew the answer and she didn't like it. The hunger for blood was like a live entity inside of her, wanting to break free and devour all things with a beating heart. Even now, though she'd fed before she left the house, the pulsing need to take more taunted her.
Tim must have felt the same thing happening to him. He tried to resist it at first. He had bitten her but he hadn't killed her, but now she realized he wouldn't have been able to stay the hunger. He didn't have a chance. He'd been alone with no one to guide him.
The hair on the back of her neck prickled. "Tim," she murmured and her gaze riveted to the front door. He sauntered in wearing a dress shirt, tie, pressed slacks and trench coat. His hair was slicked back and he sported dark sunglasses. Dressed in such a fashion reminded her of the secret service, a far cry from his usual layback attire of T-shirts and jeans.
She hated to admit it, but the dashing new makeover, looked good on him. His head turned in her direction. He must have spotted her because in the next second he flitted toward her, the quick movements only vampires could master. She had tried it a few times at Tremayne's encouragement. It was an odd feeling at first, making her stomach somersault, but she soon caught on to the new trick.
Tim stood in front of her table, peering at her with a slight tilt of his head. She sat relaxed in her seat with one arm draped over the back of the chair, then she purposely crossed one leg over the other, giving him a good look of her bar
e thighs and snazzy new boots.
Tim removed his sunglasses. She flinched, taken aback at how they glowed red, not brown, not human. The gleam in Tim's eyes told her he appreciated her attire as much as Derek had, but his bold stare made her uneasy.
"You showed," he said with a note of surprise. So, he doubted she would see his message, or rather hear about it. If Cassandra hadn't taken a picture of it, she would have heard it directly from the officer first on the scene. Tim had compelled the officer to blab away about the Valentine's card left beside the flowers, a box of candy, and the gore. Fortunately, Tremayne had put a stop to it.
"Interesting way to send me a message."
"I thought you'd like the romantic flair." His right brow rose as his gaze swept over her, inch by inch with a slow appraisal. "You look lovely."
She had to urge to cross her arms over her chest and pull down her skirt to cover her knees, but she resisted the impulse. "Thank you."
"Let's get out of here," he suggested and offered his hand to her.
"I thought we were going to order dinner."
He chuckled. "I don't eat food. I believe you know that already and soon you won't have to either."
"I like food," she pouted in defense. She would miss eating, having a latte and a scone for breakfast... She wondered if blood tasted good in coffee. It didn't taste bad mixed with wine. She would have to ask Tremayne.
Tim flitted to her side. Before she could react or defend herself, he yanked her to her feet and pulled her flush against him. His fangs lengthened.
"Don't—" Her words silenced into a hiss as his fangs struck her, sinking into her neck—deep and without mercy. She clawed at his arms but it was of no use. He was too strong, but then he thrust her away. She stumbled back into the chair and she blinked at him in confusion. Her skin tingled where he had bitten her. She touched the wound expecting a gaping hole, but her skin was smooth to the touch.
Tim's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "You're a vampire."
Flowers and Fangs (Stake and Dust series, Book II) Page 14