“I was hoping you would let me taste it.” His eyes shined with need and his lips parted as if he was getting ready to drink.
“I never knew you had a thing for coffee.” I rolled the trace of bitterness on my tongue, enjoying a sip.
LaRue’s hand was resting on Jo’s back, above the covers, all very innocent. I trusted him enough to put my own hand over his, letting him have the taste of coffee, enjoying the magic that took it from me to him.
The look on his face was pure rapture.
“Even the poor could afford wine but the exotic smoothness of coffee was reserved for the wealthy and the traveler.”
“Which were you?” I asked between sips.
“Do I make such a weak impression you’ve forgotten already?” He shook his head at me, eyes sparkling. “I was a sailor. I drank coffee in Arabic ports before it was fashionable in Paris.”
“And he brought it home to me, decades later.” Jo smiled up at him.
“Coffee, spices, teas, they were all indulgences then. Presents to impress women.”
“Well, I’m impressed,” I yielded. “I didn’t realize we had anything in common.”
“But there is more than the coffee, dear Elisabeth.” His hand twisted to hold mine and I got it. This was another seduction. LaRue had me in bed with Josephine, touching him, perfectly relaxed. I hadn’t even realized while it had happened.
I pulled back and he laughed, bringing his face down to kiss Jo on the neck softly. “So you won’t stay and join us then?”
I gulped, looking at him kissing her and the way she stretched her neck out to him. The vibe they were giving off was more than pleasant and I did want to stay. Who wouldn’t?
“Just the coffee, thanks.” I struggled to keep my voice level. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me off balance as I tried to get out of the bed gracefully. “But I’ll be back to talk to Samuel.”
If there was a chance I needed to talk to him, maybe LaRue wouldn’t kill him. Why that mattered to me, I couldn’t say, but it did.
“As you wish.” LaRue’s hand wasn’t on top of the covers now, and Jo’s eyes were shut. He kissed her neck, her throat, by her ear.
Words died on my tongue. Some interesting quip, some stinging remark I ought to make…but they wouldn’t hear me. Hell, if someone was kissing me like that, I might not remember to breathe, let alone remember some piece of witty repartee. I left the coffee cup in the kitchen sink and tried to stop listening in with my magic. As long as I was in the house, it was a losing battle.
Driving down the highway, I struggled to recall the things to do I’d listed earlier. What were they? LaRue kissing Jo, her body against his, the way his eyes smoldered were all quite clear in my mind, but what I needed to do? Yeah, couldn’t remember any of that.
Even as I turned to get off the interstate, the taste of coffee still in my mouth, my mind stayed blank. Then my eyes fell on the passenger seat, the stack of OPS paperwork triggering thoughts of the man I loved. I gave in to my base desires and dialed the number I had once only thought of as Gina’s work, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. Someone who wasn’t my sister or Crystal answered and told me Ted had an open appointment in ten minutes but was booked solid for the rest of the day. I didn’t hesitate before taking the appointment.
Gina stuck out her tongue at me when I walked in and I smacked her arm. Sisters could get away with that sort of thing once in a while. In a lot of ways I felt good—the case I was being paid for was all but done. For better or for worse, I’d gotten Samuel back home. After a massage that had almost nothing to do with what Ted learned in massage school, I planned on taking a good long swim. After that I’d intercede on Samuel’s behalf.
Things were calming down in my life, wrapping up. Satisfaction over how it was all coming together carried me into the locker room. I was pulling off my jeans when Gina joined me.
“Hey,” she called by way of hello.
“Hey back.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve been bitchy about the Jeremy thing.” It was a rare act of contrition for my sister and I wondered what had spurred it on.
“I just worry about you.” I climbed into one of the spa’s fluffy white robes.
“I know. And I don’t mind. I mean I mind, but I don’t hate it, you know?” She looked a little worried, hesitating. “Are you busy tonight?”
“Not really, I—”
“Wait, not tonight. How about tomorrow night? Can I come by and talk to you?”
“Sure, but aren’t we talking now?”
“Well, duh, yes we’re talking now, but I meant talk talk. Something came up last night with Jeremy and I want to talk it over with you. But I’m not sure yet. I want to be sure before you get your panties in a bunch about it.”
“Gina, if something’s wrong…”
“Stop. That’s you getting your panties in a bunch. Nothing is wrong. He asked me something, something a little strange. I want to see if he was serious or what before I talk to you about it.”
I looked at her, then reached a hand out, trying to look like I was offering a comforting hug when really I was trying to read her.
“No way, Lizzie, I know all about your tricks remember? Jeremy is a good guy. If he was serious then I want to talk to you about it. If it was just bullshit, just him talking, then it’s nothing. But I’m not about to let you pick it out of my head.”
“I can’t do that you know, not really,” I admitted.
“What you can’t get word for word, just the idea? That’s close enough big sister. Now go enjoy your massage.” She held the door open for me with a smile.
“Right, and I’ll see you tomorrow night.” I smiled back at her. Whatever it was Jeremy had said, it hadn’t killed her whole mood, just made her think. The idea of Gina stopping to think put a smile on my face as I walked down the hall to the massage room.
Ted came in the door of the massage room without looking up, giving more attention to the towels than to me.
“So what are we working on today?” he started cheerfully.
“I’ve got this knot, near the groin? Or you know, maybe lower down.” I flipped over on the table, completely naked when I shouldn’t be and his eyes grew.
“I thought we worked that knot out this morning?” he said, one hand reaching back to lock the door and the other reaching for me.
“It came up again,” I teased, deliberately emphasizing the word “up”. The room wasn’t that big and I was wrapped around him, a full naked bear hug. I’d never realized how stiff the polos embroidered with Serenity Day Spa on the chest could be.
“Those shirts are not the softest thing in the world.”
“Let me help with that.” He quickly stripped it off and when he stepped back I caught something, even in the dim light of the room.
“Are you okay?” There were dark circles under his eyes, the kind you get from not sleeping. Had I seen them this morning? I kicked myself for being distracted enough that I didn’t know how long they’d been there.
“Honestly, if you’re here why I think you’re here it doesn’t matter much anymore.” He smiled while he folded his shirt neatly on the counter.
“No, it does. What’s up?”
“William caught a car watching the house,” he admitted.
I smacked my forehead with the heel of my hand. “I know.”
“He talked to you?” My poor boyfriend had gone from confused to randy, and now back to confused.
“I ran into the same car a while ago. I even got the plate checked out but with everything that’s been going on I haven’t followed up on it. I should have told you about it.”
“Which you just did.” He shook his head. “I can take care of myself, remember? It just doesn’t do wonders for my night’s sleep.”
“Nightmares?”
His nod was more of a shrug and I got the message—he didn’t want to talk about it. “In a way, I’m glad you weren’t around. I don’t think I’d want you to
see these. All this old work stuff has me remembering too much.”
“So you need distracting?” I spread my legs open wide and trailed a hand down my chest.
“I’m distracted,” he said, clearly barely thinking. “But I don’t keep condoms at work.”
“Probably just as well.” I sighed heavily at the lost chance, but there was no way I was going to risk someone catching us, potentially ruining his business, and outing our relationship when his head wasn’t even in the right place.
“Still want that massage?”
“Always,” I promised, then sank down under the sheet to let him get started.
He pressed down lightly on my shoulders and gave a low whistle. “Lots of tension here.”
“I stopped by to see Jo and LaRue—”
“Say no more.” He shook his head. “LaRue was LaRue. Honestly, if I was a jealous man I’d be in trouble.”
“You know better, right?” I worried at the thought.
“I do. You wouldn’t sleep with any vampire, no matter how pretty he is or how good at it he might be.”
Ted was right. I might be forever entranced by LaRue’s skill and experience, but I could never forget what he was. More importantly, I would always remember I didn’t love him. I loved Ted, and I told him that more than a few times before my hour was up.
19
In the lobby of the spa, we went through the charade of him taking my credit card, then handing it back without running it. I teased Gina as if everything was perfectly normal and said goodbye to Ted just like every other customer. For the first time hiding stung. Remembering what I should and shouldn’t say was too much right now. But most of the confusion and chaos was temporary. Whatever was keeping Ted up at night, leaving those circles under his eyes, would come and go soon enough. I’d find out what Jeremy was hiding and protect Gina no matter what. Eventually all of this would be sorted out. I just had to keep my head on straight until it was.
Back at home, I took a shower. On my drive, I’d picked up fast food—a greasy burger and salty fries providing all the calories a girl needed. Physically, I was fine. It was mentally that needed to get in line, and fast. I had to defend Samuel, somehow in all this twisted mess he’d become my responsibility. When that was over, I would go to Ted and make sure I wasn’t failing him in some way.
The image of Jen’s body came back to me. I didn’t want Ted to end up that way, or even be hurt at all. Hours ago, I’d promised myself I would track down the license plates, but I hadn’t. Other things had come up, scattering my attention. I needed focus.
I’d picked up several skills at Walter Reed Army Medical Center that I still practiced. How to manipulate tools with the new tissue in my arm, swimming so my new arm and new leg would coordinate smoothly with the old tissue, and the one that I expected to serve me now: meditation.
It took a while to quiet my monkey mind, which jumped from topic to topic. Eventually my breathing steadied and my focus fell on the people I loved who were in trouble. The undefined threats to Gina, Ted, and even Jo grated on me. I trusted Ted to take care of himself, and Jo had LaRue. Had I done enough to keep Gina safe? There was no way to know until I talked to Samuel. I steadied my breathing and waited for Douglas to call.
My cell phone chirped at me, and I picked it up with a lazy, “Hicks.”
On the other end of the call Douglas sounded tired. “I hear you’re the only reason Samuel is still breathing.”
“Was he breathing in the first place?” I asked, genuinely curious. Vampires didn’t need to breathe. I’d heard they only did it to feel human.
“Don’t be a smart ass, Hicks. He’s still like he was. LaRue sent me to get enough blood to bring Samuel back, but he told me not to waste too much effort on someone who won’t see another night. What the hell is going on?”
I shook my head, then realized he couldn’t see me. “It looks like LaRue doesn’t really give a shit about you guys. When someone screws up, he kills them. I mean, maybe he wouldn’t if he needed Samuel, but he has you to replace him so…”
“So, Samuel bites it because he got nailed?”
“Pretty much. I told him I wanted to talk to Samuel, trying to buy some time.”
“Yeah, but how much time? You can talk for what, an hour? Two? And then—”
“I’m working on that,” I cut him off, phone wedged between my ear and my shoulder, hunting around for jeans. “Look, I’m getting dressed now—”
“I didn’t need to know that.”
“So I can head over there. How long will your errand take?” I tried not to think about how Douglas was going to get that blood.
“Not that long. There’s a butcher who caters to, uh, this sort of thing. He’ll hook me up, then it’s back to the house.”
I made Douglas promise to drive slowly, then broke all kinds of traffic laws trying to get to LaRue before he did something that couldn’t be taken back. My car fishtailed into the driveway, kicking up dirt. Slamming the car door, I raced inside to find LaRue lounging in the drawing room, perfectly calm, reading a book.
“What’s going on?”
“I was reading.” He tipped the book forward enough for me to see it was old and written in French.
“Uh, what are you reading?” I tried to guess if Jo was home. He was draped over the chaise lounge in tight black leather pants. His open white linen shirt looked just as pale as his skin. Only his green eyes gave color to the outfit. In the candlelight, they nearly glowed as he watched me.
“If she were here, would I be separated from her?”
I frowned, caught. I hated that I was searching for her, hated it even more that he’d guessed. “So where is Jo?”
“Singing, safe from the unpleasant business before us.”
“You sent her away?”
“It is her habit to be out.” There was a pause and a look, one I couldn’t interpret. “Dumas.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked, completely confused.
“The book, Elisabeth, is Dumas.” Somehow he was up from the lounge and behind me, holding the book in front of me, encircling me with his arms. I didn’t know any French but I recognized the title, The Three Musketeers. LaRue didn’t ask about the book though. “Did Douglas call you? No doubt he is desperate for help.”
“Yes.” I swallowed hard. LaRue was close enough for me to feel his chest against my back. For once, his skin wasn’t cold. “That’s why the fire is lit,” I thought out loud before I could stop myself.
He didn’t ask what I meant, instead he said, “Douglas must have told you I was alone.”
“He didn’t.”
His fingers touched my cheek, the book somehow gone. “You mean, when I imagine you rushed here to bargain with me, alone, for a man’s life, I am wrong?”
“Well, no. I mean, yes, that’s what I was doing but I didn’t know you’d be alone, and I…” I what? What was the next word in that sentence, because his blond hair and those amazing green eyes were awfully close to my face. He trailed his hand down my cheek, fingertips making their way to my neck, my shoulders. His touch was seductive but still scary. Jo was Jo. LaRue was a vampire, always dangerous.
“What would you give me for Samuel’s life?” he asked, clueless about my inner struggle.
“I would, I mean, that’s…” Damn, but it was impossible to think with him that close to me. I stepped back, leaving his hand in the air, then back again, hitting the chair I hadn’t realized was behind me. I sat, more out of reflex than anything else. A second later, he was back on the lounge, stretched out, looking at me. The candelabrum on the table held five long tapers, their flames tall and steady, making the folds of his pants oily, turning his body into a painting titled Seduction. I sighed, turned my head from those long lean legs and that flat stomach, and looked into the candles. “What are you asking for?”
He laughed for a long time. Somehow even the sound seemed masculine. “I thought you were better at this game.”
“I don’t play games wit
h someone’s life.”
“Never? But those games are the most intriguing, dear Elisabeth.” He was enjoying this. A tiny bit of anger flared inside me and I nursed it, hoping for the clarity it could bring.
“I’m your wife’s friend. I’m her only good friend. Why are so you intent on sleeping with me?” I demanded.
“Because you say no,” he whispered. “Do you have any idea how long it has been since a woman said no to me?”
“No,” I repeated the word. This was his game—seduction, not rape. LaRue wouldn’t take me until I wanted him to. As long as I stood my ground, he wouldn’t go any further. The power of that was dizzying. I shifted my gaze from the candle to his eyes and found myself caught.
“Decades, Elisabeth. Ages. Longer than your country has been alive. Point to Josephine if you will, use her as a shield, but you know in your heart you hesitate for an entirely different reason. What do you think of when you see me?”
“Cobra,” I blurted out.
He laughed loudly, his whole body shaking. “Cobra?”
“There was this snake, an albino cobra, and I wanted to touch it, to see it, but I knew if I did it would kill me. That’s you.”
He laughed harder, leaving me furious.
“It’s true isn’t it? Seduce all you want but after they say yes, you leave them. You leave all of them.”
Rage bubbled up inside me at how casually he seduced and discarded people. I stormed up from the chair, taking heavy angry steps, but when I got in front of the lounge, he stopped me. His hand gently took mine, and his laughter ended.
“Not all of them. There was one, once, that I could have loved the way I love Josephine.” His voice hushed, barely a whisper. Through the touch of his hand, I could see her—the same dark haired woman Jo had shown me the other night, the one she’d killed in a fit of jealous rage. I fought to keep the two memories, LaRue’s gentle caring, and Jo’s angry triumphant, separate. He caught something, guessed something in my eyes, because he dropped my hand and sat up. “You have this conversation to save Samuel, so I’ll offer you this—his life for a favor.”
Hollywood Dead: Elisabeth Hicks, Witch Detective Page 19