The Vampire’s Kiss

by Vivi Anna

  He walked to the door, intending to pull it open and give her a piece of his mind, but didn’t. Instead he pressed his hand against the wood jamb and sighed. He’d behaved foolishly. In a jealous fit. He didn’t realize how out of control she made him until now. He was acting and reacting before thinking.

  That wasn’t something he normally did, but being around Olena pushed him to his limits. Obviously, pushed him beyond them.

  He swung away from the bathroom door and went back into the living room. He collapsed onto the sofa and ran his hands over his face and head. He had to pull himself together if he was going to be of any further use on this case. Interpol was counting on him; his boss was counting on him. And if he was right in his assumption about terrorist activities, maybe this whole city was counting on him.

  Sex with Olena had been incredible. Instead of sating him, though, it just made him want more.

  Hell, he still wanted her, even now.

  Sitting back on the sofa, he closed his eyes and sighed. The scent of her skin and of her desire floated to his nose. He inhaled it deep and knew that putting Olena out of his mind was going to be damn near impossible.

  Twenty minutes later, Cale was once again sitting on the sofa. Olena was in the armchair, waiting for him to glean something from the silver bracelet Ivy had dropped at the safe house.

  He held it tight in his right fist. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and started to rub his thumb over the metal. It warmed to his touch. Soon it became so warm that he knew there’d be a red patch on his skin when he was through.

  Images flashed through his mind at record speed. He could barely discern anything concrete.

  An apple.

  Olena’s face.

  Darkness, then white, like a strobe light.

  Tick’s pale face.

  An old woman missing two front teeth.

  A broken-down room with wooden boards across the destroyed windows. Between two slats are the words Midnight Blue.

  A dark street. Flickering streetlights.

  Bright-colored lights. People in various levels of undress dancing. Moving up against each other.

  A small room. A desk.

  And Valentino. Angry. Yelling. Threatening.

  Lifting his hand as if to strike.

  Ice. A cube of cool ice.

  Cale opened his eyes and let the bracelet drop from his fingers and onto the coffee table. He looked down into his palm. He’d been right about the heat. His skin was scorched bright pink. He flexed his fingers, the pain now just starting to shoot up his arm.

  “What did you see?”

  “Valentino. He’s been threatening her. I think he’s involved with whatever is going on.”

  “Anything about what was in the safety-deposit box?”

  He shook his head, unclear on exactly what he’d seen and what he could understand. “I don’t know. There was something about ice.”

  “Ice? As in frozen water?”

  “I don’t know. The word ice was in Ivy’s mind while Valentino was yelling at her. I had a sense it was something important to her.”

  “Maybe it’s a code word for something.”

  “Could be.”

  “Anything else?”

  He frowned, trying to piece the images together. “A run-down building. A room with boarded-up windows. And through the slats something about midnight blue.”

  Olena worried her bottom lip as she was thinking. After a few moments her eyes lit up. “There’s an old movie theater downtown called the Midnight Blue. There are several run-down buildings near there.”

  “Maybe she’s living in one.”

  Olena nodded. “It’s worth a look.”

  Nodding, Cale stood, still flexing his fingers.

  “But first I need to wrap my hand.” He went into the bathroom, where he kept his first aid kit.

  He was unzipping the bag when Olena came in.

  She took it from him and found the roll of gauze.

  Then she took his hand in hers and slowly wrapped him up. When she was done, she brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed it.

  “Better?”

  “Much.” He smiled and nodded. “Olena, I—”

  She set her fingers over his lips to stop his words.

  “Don’t ruin a perfectly good bonding moment.”

  He laughed. “Okay, I won’t.”

  “Good. I’m getting exhausted trying to keep this relationship on an even keel. Quit trying to complicate things.”

  He nodded in agreement. But he got the feeling that she didn’t quite believe her own words. Things between them were complicated. And Olena was fooling herself if she thought differently.

  She could play the cool customer, the one indifferent to their growing relationship, but he felt the power of her emotions when she looked at him.

  Some things a person couldn’t hide. But if she chose to hide them from herself, he wouldn’t stop her. At least not right now.

  When the case was over, they’d have some major things to work out between them.

  “Did you call Gabriel?” he asked, getting back to work. “Were they able to pick Valentino up?”

  She shook her head. “He wasn’t home.”

  “We need to get a warrant for his club. I bet that’s where he’s hiding out.”

  “Most likely.”

  They went back into the living room. Cale slid on his holster and suit jacket. “We can call Gabriel on the way back downtown. See if we can get a crew together to find him.”

  Fifteen minutes later, they had parked the car near the old Midnight Blue theater and were walking across the street toward the dilapidated building on the corner. When Cale looked up, he saw that several windows facing the theater were boarded up. This definitely seemed like the place from his vision.

  The front door wasn’t broken or locked. It was still surprisingly intact. Olena peered through the dirty window. “Looks okay.”

  She pulled open the door and walked in. Cale followed behind. Inside was a lobby, or what used to be one, for the apartments above. Now it was dirty, smelly and a big old playroom for bugs. Several cockroaches were racing across the cracked linoleum.

  In the far corner, in the deep shadows, was an easy chair that at one time had been a luxury item. Now it was faded, frayed and patched up with duct tape. But it was who was sitting in the chair that drew Cale’s attention.

  Cale grabbed Olena’s arm and motioned toward the corner.

  Ivy stood up, her hair in complete disarray. She looked worse than she had when they’d seen her last. With her head downcast, she shuffled toward them. They met her halfway.

  “I’m sorry I bailed on you.”

  Up close, Cale could see the dark circles around her eyes. Her face looked even more gaunt, if that was possible. She looked like a skeleton of who she was.

  “Do you want to talk to us now?” Olena asked.

  The girl nodded. “I’m ready to tell you everything.”

  Chapter 22

  They managed to settle Ivy into an interview room. Not one of those sterile rooms where they usually put suspects or people of interest. Ivy was neither, but she was definitely a key person in this case.

  Gabriel had gotten her a sandwich, some coffee and a chocolate bar from one of the vending machines. He set them on the table for her and then retreated to the corner of the room. She barely glanced at him as she tore at the sandwich package.

  Olena and Cale sat in chairs on the opposite side of the table. A court-appointed child advocate, who had to be brought in because of Ivy’s age, sat beside her.

  The advocate had warned them to go slow with the questions, but Olena felt they were long past that. They had to get some real answers for this case. Dancing around the subject wasn’t going to find Luc Dubois’s killer, or the people who blew up the bank. It wasn’t going to help Ivy, either. The sooner they could figure this out, the sooner she could inherit her uncle’s wealth and move on to a healthier life.

  “
Do you know who killed your uncle?”

  The advocate sneered. “Ms. Petrovich, I warned you about this.”

  Ivy ignored her remarks. “No. But I know why he was killed.”

  “Why?” Cale prompted.

  “Because of something I did.” She unwrapped the candy bar and started to nibble on the end.

  “What was that, Ivy?”

  “I made something for Uncle Luc. Something that the others wanted badly. They were going to pay him a lot of money for it.”

  Olena glanced at Cale. She wondered if his theory was right. That Ivy harnessed her magical energy into a makeshift bomb.

  “What did you make?”

  The advocate put her hand on top of Ivy’s. “You don’t have to answer, Ivy. You can ask for a lawyer.”

  “No, it’s okay. I realize now I have to tell the truth. I have to for my uncle.”

  Olena nodded to her to go ahead.

  “I’m really good with computers. Uncle Luc said I had computer magic. I can operate and hack into any system, anywhere, anytime. It isn’t hard for me at all. I can see all the codes in my head and my fingers just type them in.”

  Olena thought that now Otto’s comment about overhearing Luc talk on the phone about computers made sense.

  “He asked me to create a virus for him. A really nasty virus that could wipe out all the systems in the world.”

  “And did you?” Cale asked. Olena could tell he was excited. This was what he’d been looking for all along.

  She nodded then licked her lips. “I did it. It didn’t take me long. Like a day or so. I called it ICE, because it can freeze any computer system anywhere and give control back to the creator.”

  Olena shared another look with Cale. She hadn’t expected this revelation from the girl. A computer virus. All of this was over a way to control the Internet. But she supposed it made sense in today’s society, where everything was digital—from retail to banking to the country’s defense systems. She shuddered. One touch and some terrorist organization could have control over the world.

  “But Uncle Luc never gave them the disc.”

  Olena turned back to Ivy. “What?”

  “I gave it to him, but he decided not to go through with the sale. After I found out what he was planning on doing with it I begged him not to. He finally listened to me.” She gave them a small sad smile.

  “To whom did he plan to give the disc?” Cale asked her.

  She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  “Where is the disc now?” he continued.

  “In a safe place.”

  Cale leaned forward on the table, but Olena grabbed his arm and squeezed lightly before he could demand that Ivy give them the disc. He glanced at her and she shook her head. He sat back but crossed his arms over his chest.

  Olena asked the next question. “Did Valentino know about the disc?”

  She nodded.

  “Did he tell you to give it to him after Luc was killed?”

  “He said he’d tell the cops what I’d done if I didn’t give it to him. He said I’d go to jail for the rest of my life.” She looked so small as she spoke, Olena wanted to reach across the table and hold her hand.

  “Am I going to jail?”

  “No. You’re not going to go to jail, Ivy. I won’t let that happen.” And she meant it. She’d do whatever she had to so this girl didn’t spend one night in any kind of institution.

  “Did Valentino threaten to harm you?” Cale asked.

  She shook her head. “No. Not in any real sense.

  He couldn’t, anyway. I’m a better witch than he is.

  That pisses him off quite a bit.” She smiled.

  Olena smiled in return. The girl had spirit, that was for sure.

  “Do you think he killed your uncle?” Cale asked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t want to think that he did.

  I thought they were best friends.” Tears started to well in her eyes.

  Olena couldn’t stand it anymore. This time she did reach across the table and grab Ivy’s hand. The girl smiled up at her. “Thank you for being brave, Ivy.”

  “Did I help? Will you find whoever killed Uncle Luc?”

  “You helped us immensely.”

  She nodded, and the tears fell.

  Ten minutes later, Olena and Cale met with Gabriel in his office. The advocate had taken Ivy to another of their safe houses. Now that Olena had been cleansed of the tracking spell Valentino had put on her, there was no way he or anyone else was going to find the girl. They’d asked Ivy several more times to tell them where the disc was, but she’d refused.

  She’d told them she didn’t think anyone should have it. Olena understood the girl’s motives, but when the time came she’d insist that Ivy give them the virus.

  “I’d say we have enough to get a warrant for Valentino,” Olena said.

  “We have to be careful. Valentino has a few political friends,” Gabriel said.

  Olena swore. “I hate politics. I hated it during the French Revolution and I despise it now.”

  Cale coughed into his hand, but Olena could tell he was stifling a laugh.

  Gabriel didn’t hide his grin. “I know, but we want to get this guy and not have him get off on a technicality. If he’s involved with the bank heist and the Dubois murder, we’ll get him.”

  “I’m sure there’s a judge who hates politics, too. You must know someone.”

  “Judge Randall Terry likes to shake it up once in a while.”

  “Then call him.”

  Gabriel picked up his phone. “Give me a minute.” He swiveled around in his chair to make the call.

  Cale leaned over to Olena. “What do you think?”

  “I think that poor girl has been through a lot.”

  “Yeah, poor kid. But damn, to have that kind of power at your fingertips.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t even imagine it.”

  “It’s not her fault that she’s gifted.”

  “I didn’t say it was. But I’m sure that once this gets out there will be others interested in what she can do.”

  She swiveled in her chair. “What are you saying?

  That Interpol will want to use her?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, but she’d be extremely useful in our computer crimes division.”

  “Is that all we Otherworlders are to you humans?

  Useful?” She knew she was being unfair to him, but she couldn’t help the surge of anger she felt. Ivy had been through hell.

  Cale flinched away from her. “Whoa. Where did that come from? Is this about you and me?”

  “No, this isn’t about you and me. Why would it be?”

  “I don’t know. I just thought, you know, from earlier…”

  “Why, is that how you feel about me? That I’m just useful? I’m only good for—” She eyed Gabriel.

  His back was still to them, but she knew he’d heard every word they were saying, even the unspoken ones. “Forget it,” she finished. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair and rubbed her head. A headache was starting to build. “I’m tired and I’m hungry.”

  Gabriel swiveled back around and hung up the phone. “We’ll get our warrant, but it’ll be a couple of hours.” He looked from Olena to Cale and back to Olena. “You both look like you need a break. From each other, maybe?”

  Cale stood. “I need to make a few phone calls.”

  As he passed behind her chair, she could feel his eyes on her. She could sense that he wanted to say something to her, but Gabriel’s presence stopped him. She didn’t relax until she knew he’d left the room.

  She sagged back into the chair and looked at Gabriel.

  He was shaking his head at her.

  “What?” she demanded.

  “You know what. I thought you had more discretion than that, Olena.”

  She waved her hand at him. “Oh, bull. You know I don’t have any.”

  He smiled at that, and she returned the gesture.


  “Are you…in trouble?” he asked gently. She knew what he meant. What the real question was. Are you in love with this man?

  “I might be, Gabriel.”

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  She shook her head, feeling lost and alone. “I don’t know. Forget about it right now, I guess. Until this case is solved.”

  “Then what?”

  “Then we’ll see, won’t we?”

  He didn’t say anything, just gave her one of his sympathetic looks.

  She stood. “I’m going to go finish up some paperwork. Come find me when we get the warrant.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Olena left Gabriel’s office and walked down the hall to her own little piece of solitude. She had a desk in a small room that she shared with Sophie and Kellen. Thankfully, both of them were absent. She really needed some time alone to think and to decompress.

  She sat in her chair and rubbed her head again. The pain was getting worse, her temples now throbbed. She pushed past it and tried to focus on the case, which, thankfully, was finally rolling ahead.

  So was her and Cale’s relationship. Something had changed between them, and she wasn’t sure she liked it much.

  She was a woman used to having control and wielding power, but she didn’t feel either of these things right now. In fact, she felt vulnerable and weak. Two emotions she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

  She liked Cale, but she wasn’t sure she was willing to open herself that wide for him. She knew he wasn’t the type of man who would settle for half or even three-quarters of her heart. He’d demand the whole thing.

  Sighing, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She was hungry. She needed some nutrients. With any luck, the vending machine would be stocked with her favorite type.

  “I thought you might need this.”

  Olena swiveled in her chair to see Cale leaning in the doorway, a bottle of blood dangling from his fingers.

  “I thought you had phone calls to make.”

  “I made them.” He came into the room and set the bottle onto her desk. It was AB positive, her favorite.

  She picked up the bottle, unscrewed the cap and took a big swallow. She smiled. “How did you know what I preferred?”

  “I’m observant.”