How had Lupe heard him when she’d been all the way over in a far corner? The place had been pretty crowded, not to mention the Christmas music playing over the intercom.
Della wiped down the counter. “I told him not to bother, that it was on the house. But why do you say that? Do you know him?”
The older woman shook her head. “I just know his type. The world would be better off without them.”
The vehemence in her friend’s voice shocked her. Lupe rarely had anything bad to say about anyone. Who did she mean by “them”? Tall men? Ones who wore dusters?
She tossed her washcloth back in the sink. “Look, all I can say is that I was glad to have him here. I still can’t believe those boys tried to rob me after I gave them pie and coffee. And right before Christmas, too!”
Her friend frowned. “I keep telling you that you’re a soft touch for every hard luck story in this town. You need to be more careful, especially when it comes to a man like him.”
Lupe gave the empty table another pointed look. “Trust me on this, Della. A lot more careful.”
Then she was gone. Della started to lock the door but realized the diner wasn’t completely empty yet. Old Harry had evidently dozed off. She went over to shake his shoulder.
“Harry, it’s time for you to go now.”
He sat up and blinked at her. “Sorry, Della. Didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“That’s all right, Harry. Let me fix you something hot to drink on your walk home.”
“If it’s no trouble.” He stood up and shuffled off to the restroom.
While she waited for the milk to heat, there was a knock on the front door. Good, it was Daniel. He pushed back the hood of his sweatshirt and flashed her a guilty smile as he pointed at the lock on the door. She hurried to let him in.
“Sorry I didn’t get a chance to call, Della.” He shifted from one foot to the other in that high-energy way he had. “Hope it wasn’t too busy.”
“We did fine, Daniel. Don’t worry about it. Did your mom have to work?”
His eyes shifted to focus somewhere over her right shoulder. “Uh, yeah. It was a last-minute thing.”
Although he’d never openly lied to her before, she was pretty sure he just had. Maybe he was embarrassed for having blown off his shift to hang with his buddies. At least he’d taken the time to come let her know he was all right. She opened the cooler to retrieve the care package she’d prepared for him.
“You’d better get back home so your mom doesn’t worry, Daniel. I put this together for you. Tonight’s special was meat loaf, and I made too much.”
It was one of Daniel’s favorites. Besides, he’d long ago learned not to argue with her about it. Even if he didn’t want to accept charity for himself, he’d never deny his siblings a hot meal.
“The Christmas cookies are for your brothers and sister, but the piece of pie is for you. I made blueberry today.”
For the first time since he’d come in out of the cold, Daniel’s smile was genuine. “That won’t make it all the way home with me.”
She grinned back at him. “I figured that, so I stuck in a plastic fork.”
When she opened the door to let him out, she spotted someone standing in the shadows across the street. She started to grab Daniel’s arm and drag him back inside. Even in Seattle, predators roamed the streets looking for vulnerable prey. But as if sensing her concern, the man stepped into the light of the streetlamp long enough for her to recognize him. Eagan.
She released Daniel’s arm. “Go straight home. Promise?”
The teenager shrugged his shoulders. “I will, Della. See you tomorrow.”
She latched the door again, still staring at the shadows across the street. What was Eagan doing out there at this time of night?
“Is my drink ready?”
Della jumped. Darn it, she’d forgotten all about Harry. “It will be in just a second.”
On impulse, she filled two cups and added extra whipped cream. “Harry, do me a favor. This one is for you. The other is for my friend Eagan standing across the street. Will you take it to him?”
“Sure thing, Della.”
As soon as he walked out the door, she turned off the lights and scurried upstairs to her small apartment over the diner. She headed straight for her bedroom and the only window that overlooked the street below.
Harry looked dwarfed standing next to Eagan as he offered him the extra cup of hot chocolate. She really hoped Eagan didn’t refuse the drink. It would only confuse Harry—and maybe hurt her feelings.
But no, he accepted the cup and even patted Harry on the shoulder before the older man shuffled on down the sidewalk toward home. Meanwhile, Eagan took a long sip from the cup, the whole time staring straight up at her window.
Did he know she was watching him? It wasn’t as if he knew where she lived, and she hadn’t turned on any lights in the apartment. He shouldn’t be able to see her at all, but she suspected he saw her all too clearly.
When she raised her hand in a tentative wave, he held the cup up as if toasting her before fading back into the shadows. Turning away from the window, she felt as if she’d just brushed up against something powerful and potentially dangerous.
She shivered. Maybe she’d soak in the tub before curling up under the covers in her flannel gown and wool socks. Not a very sexy image, but then it had been a long, long time since she’d last had someone to warm her bed.
For sure Eagan was a far cry from her usual choice in men, but there was just something about the guy that made her want to learn more about him. As she slipped into her old claw-foot tub filled with hot water and lavender bath salts, she pictured him in her mind.
He had a rough look about him, as if life had left him a bit battered but definitely not broken. A woman could get lost in those intense ice-blue eyes. Did he ever smile? She’d like to see that. Her fingers flexed, imagining the sleek muscle under that T-shirt and those faded jeans. What had he done to his leg that left it aching? So many questions with no answers.
There was also a kind of strength in him that was impossible to miss. Even though he wore his solitude as comfortably as he did that scuffed leather duster, he hadn’t hesitated to come to her aid and he’d been kind to old Harry out there. Yes, Eagan was quite the puzzle, one she had no business wanting to solve.
CHAPTER THREE
EAGAN SAVORED THE hot drink as he walked down the street. Damn that woman anyway. He didn’t want to feel grateful for the small bit of warmth, but he did. It didn’t help that the rich scent had him thinking of Della’s dark chocolate eyes staring down at him from above the diner.
She hadn’t thought he’d notice her, but with his night vision she might as well have been standing in a spotlight. Had she been worried that he’d refuse her gift or that he’d abuse her friend Harry?
The old man had actually warned Eagan that it was impossible to derail Della once she got it in her head to do something nice for a person. Also, if it bothered him, he could always work off the debt doing odd jobs for her. Harry himself broke up boxes for her when she’d let him.
Yeah, Eagan had been right about Della being a chronic do-gooder. He supposed the world needed people like her.
He sure as hell didn’t.
Of course, since he hadn’t been able to pay for his coffee, she now had him pegged as another person who needed a helping hand. Yeah, well, he had better uses for her hands than making him a cup of hot chocolate. He smiled, revealing his fangs at the thought of explaining what that would entail. Her fair skin might blush all rosy, but he was willing to bet there’d be a healthy dose of desire mixed with curiosity in those expressive eyes.
Not happening, though.
He’d been born vampire, but it was possible to share his longevity and strength with a human mate through periodic blood exchanges. The V gene was dominant, so any offspring would be vampire like him. Night dwellers. Blood drinkers destined to dwell in the shadows in a life filled with secrets. They could
consume human food, but it was human blood they needed to thrive.
As he walked, he entertained himself by toying with the image of Della in his bed. It was all too easy to picture her there with that sweet face surrounded by a halo of dark curls, the taste of those lush lips, and the hot spice of her blood on his tongue.
He drank the last of the hot chocolate and tossed the cup in a handy trash can. Time to move on. The streets remained quiet with no sign of those three youngsters he was looking for. The sun would start peeking over the Cascades to the east in a couple of hours. He’d stop at the special ops office in the local precinct to see if there’d been any new reports of missing teenagers.
Then home to bed, alone as usual.
“Hey, McHale, haul your ass in here.”
Eagan winced. He’d hoped to sneak in to check on a few things, and then escape without being seen. Obviously that wasn’t going to happen. He tossed his coat on the back of his chair and headed for Lt. Hughes’s office.
“Close the door.”
That was the boss’s token effort at offering privacy, not that it worked when the man only had two volumes—loud and even louder. Couple that with the fact that everyone who worked for him was a supernatural of one sort or another, and the door did little to muffle the particulars of any conversation.
Even so, Eagan appreciated the gesture. He sat down and waited for the ass-chewing to begin.
“So, did you spot anything out there tonight?” Hughes peered at him over his reading glasses. “And don’t bother lying. I know you went out patrolling on your own.”
Eagan shrugged. “I saw two supers walking with a young human but lost their trail. They had to have gone to ground somewhere in that same eight-block area where other kids have been reported missing.”
His boss looked incredulous. “They outran you even with a human slowing them down?”
“Not exactly, but there was no indication the human was under any duress.” He mentally crossed his fingers the lieutenant wouldn’t ask any more questions.
Hughes leaned back in his chair. “You were supposed to be taking it easy for a few more days until that fractured leg heals. However, I’m not your nursemaid. If you’re going to patrol anyway, I’ll put you back on active duty, but take it easy.”
Okay, Hughes was being a little too nice.
Eagan stretched his legs out, trying to ease the bone-deep ache in the right one. “What’s happened now?”
“Another parent called in saying that some vampire wannabes were hassling her son, offering him money for blood. She thinks they’re involved in some kind of cult or street gang.” He shoved a file across the desk. “Here are the details.”
Eagan skimmed the report. “I take it that you’re not buying the whole wannabe part. You think these are the real thing out looking for trouble.”
His boss frowned. “Seriously, I don’t know, but that would explain what happened to the other victims. Either way, we need to find out. I’ve marked all the complaints on this map.”
Hughes held out the paper. “You can keep this copy.”
Eagan leaned forward to take it. One glance had him wanting to swear. “Damn it, they’re all in the same area where I saw those kids tonight. I’ll check it out again.”
His boss pinched his nose as if fighting a headache. “Do that. My only concern is that if you hang around too much without a good reason for being there, they’ll move their operation somewhere else in the city. Then we’ll be back at square one. Any suggestions?”
The image of the diner flashed in Eagan’s mind. If Della thought he was really down on his luck, maybe she’d let him work off a few free meals. Inwardly, he cringed over the idea. He’d hate to abuse Della’s hospitality by lying to her even for a good cause, but he would. The safety of those kids had to come first.
“Yeah, there’s a diner right smack in the middle of that area. Maybe I can do some odd jobs for the owner. That would give me an in with the locals and give me an excuse to be in the area for hours at a time.”
For the first time his boss’s expression lightened up. “What about the owner? Any chance he’s involved?”
Eagan’s job had taught him to expect the worst of most people, but his gut was telling him that Della was on the level. He shook his head.
“It’s run by a woman, and I’m betting she’s one of the good guys.”
Hughes’s eyes immediately narrowed in suspicion. “Tell me she’s old and ugly.”
Eagan grinned. “I would, boss, but I try not to lie to you any more than I absolutely have to. She’s pretty enough, but she’s also human. I steer clear of that kind of complication, especially on the job.”
At least up until now.
Hughes stared at the report for a few seconds but finally nodded. “Okay, let’s do it. Let me know how the diner thing works out. If you need a break, I can always send in one of the other guys to keep watch for a night.”
Yeah, like Eagan was going to let that bunch of horn dogs anywhere near Della. “I’ll be fine.”
“Good. Now go get some rest. Keep me posted.”
Eagan was up and heading for the door, happy to escape before Hughes remembered Eagan had disobeyed his orders to stay off the street in the first place. As soon as his hand landed on the doorknob, his boss called his name.
“One more thing, Eagan.”
He braced himself. “Yes, sir?”
“Next time I tell you to take some time off, do it or we’ll have issues.”
There were very few people strong enough to strike fear in a vampire with even just a hint of a threat, but Hughes had that ability in spades. No one was quite sure what category of supernatural he fell in. But whatever he was, the man carried some serious firepower.
“Yes, sir. It’s just that—”
Hughes cut him off. “Yeah, I know. It’s because it involves kids. I get that. I have the same problem. Now get out. One of us has work to do.”
Eagan walked out. The sun was rising in the east, meaning he needed to haul ass home and get horizontal before the day sleep claimed him right out in the middle of the squad room. The last vampire that had happened to hadn’t fared well at the hands of their jokester coworkers. Eagan smiled at the memory but hurried his steps all the same.
“IS SOMETHING WRONG?”
The question was accompanied by a tug on Della’s sleeve. She dragged her eyes back from staring at the door to look around the diner. From the exasperation underlying Lupe’s question and the concerned looks on several other faces, it was clear Della’s mind had wandered afar long enough to worry her friends.
“No, nothing’s wrong. I was just considering where I want to put the rest of the Christmas decorations.”
To give some truth to her claim, she looked up toward the ceiling. “Even with the ladder, I’m not tall enough to hang the lights up around there.”
“I’m taller. Maybe I could do it.”
That offer came from Harry, but she was already shaking her head. He might have another whole inch over her in height, but there was no way she was going to let him up on a ladder. Not at his age. Before she could come up with a better solution, the sleigh bells over the doorway chimed.
She drew a breath, ready to greet her new customer, but then let it all out on a sigh when she recognized the new arrival. Eagan was back.
She’d been distracted all day, hoping he’d show up.
Somehow she’d suspected that if Eagan did return, he’d do so after dark. He’d looked too at home in the shadows across the street for it to be anything other than second nature for him.
He frowned and looked around the diner, making her aware that she wasn’t the only one staring. “Hi, take a seat and I’ll bring you a menu.”
At least he didn’t argue. He immediately parked himself at the same table as he’d chosen last night. Considering there were half a dozen others available, it confirmed her earlier impression that it was a deliberate choice on his part. Why? Because it was familiar
since he’d sat there the previous night or because of the view it offered of the diner as well as the street outside?
Ignoring Lupe’s disapproving glare, she grabbed the coffeepot and a menu before heading over to Eagan’s table. She normally had a steady hand when carrying hot liquids, but right now her pulse was racing hard enough to send ripples sloshing through the carafe. What a stupid reaction. It wasn’t as if she didn’t get handsome men in the diner on a regular basis, especially during the lunch crowd when men from the local high-rise office buildings came in.
There was just something different about Eagan.
“Coffee?”
He nodded and pushed the empty cup closer to the edge of the table. “Thanks.”
At least he didn’t wave off the menu this time, even if he did just toss it down on the table. “I’ll check back with you in a few minutes.”
Della took her time, making her rounds with the coffee and stopping to talk to a few friends before finally making her way back to Eagan. The menu was still right where he’d left it on the table. While she wasn’t surprised, the real question was why.
Maybe the best way to find out was to come at the problem from a different angle. She dropped her voice, hoping to keep the conversation private.
“Eagan, would you mind if I asked a favor?”
He looked up from his coffee, his eyebrows riding low over his eyes in clear suspicion.
“You can ask.”
Which translated that he wouldn’t necessarily agree to it. Fine, she got that.
“I made the mistake of mentioning I wanted to string Christmas lights all around the room along the ceiling. It’s been done before, so the hooks are all up there. The problem is that I can’t reach the hooks myself, and Harry wants to put them up for me.”
Eagan glanced in Harry’s direction. “And?”
“I was thinking if you did it for me in exchange for dinner and dessert, Harry wouldn’t get his feelings hurt.”
“Or his hip broken from falling off the ladder?”
She smiled big-time. “Exactly. So do we have a deal?”
He nodded. “I already ate, but some of your pie would taste good. Let’s do the lights first.”
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