by Lesley Davis
Framing Ashley’s face between her hands, Rafe pressed tender kisses all over her skin. She started at her forehead and traced every feature on Ashley’s beautiful face reverently with her lips. When she reached Ashley’s mouth, she was ravenous, seeking comfort, wanting more than just kisses. She pulled Ashley to her; her hands slipped under clothing to rest on Ashley’s waist. Rafe began restlessly tugging up Ashley’s shirt, seeking further.
“Stop.” Ashley gasped the word against Rafe’s lips, kissing her sweetly before reluctantly drawing back.
“Why?” Rafe’s body was primed for more.
“We have to be at work soon, and besides, not in front of the children,” Ashley murmured, cocking her head to one side.
Trinity sat up on a kitchen chair, looking like some serene Sphinx. Her eyes were half-closed as if their antics were boring her, but she couldn’t be bothered to look away.
With shaking hands, Rafe reached for the cereal box. “Sorry I can’t offer you more,” she said, trying to calm her pulse and steel herself from reaching for Ashley to taste her lips again.
Deliberately letting her fingers brush over Rafe’s, Ashley retrieved the box. “Oh, believe me, Detective, what you have to offer isn’t anywhere on this table.” She ran the tip of her tongue across her upper lip as she teased Rafe. “At least, not yet you aren’t.”
Rafe stifled the moan in her chest and grumbled. “You’re going to drive me insane.”
“Probably, but you said it yourself, with all you’ve seen you’re already halfway there.”
Trying to act normal and not give in to the urge to pull Ashley back into her arms, Rafe changed the conversation. “What’s on your agenda today?”
“Other than finishing off your frosted flakes?” Ashley tipped out a generous bowl full and handed the box to Rafe. “I’m going to check in on Eli to see if he’s heard anything more. What about you?”
“I should be getting results back from the crime lab from the second killing. I rushed them through to get it done in a week.”
“It’s always processed quicker on TV crime shows.”
“They can piece everything together in forty-five minutes too. I could only wish for that kind of solve rate.”
“Are you busy tonight? I thought maybe I could show you the bright lights.”
Rafe answered around a mouthful of flakes. “You forget. I’ve already seen your bright lights.”
Ashley laughed at her. “Aren’t you witty in the morning? I’ll have to remember that. I thought you might like to take a walk on my side of the city, Detective.”
“You’re taking me demon hunting?” Rafe blurted, rubbing at her forehead distractedly. “The last time I did that I failed abysmally.”
“You’ll be merely looking, not tracking. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”
“You’re doing an excellent job so far,” Rafe said. “It’s like having a guardian angel or something.” She looked suspiciously at Ashley but got a firm shake of a head in return.
“That would be Eli’s role, not mine. I’ll just stick to trying to keep you out of trouble.”
“Some would say you’ve got your work cut out for you.”
“I can handle both it and you, Detective, never fear.”
Chapter Fourteen
Dean rose from his chair the second Rafe entered the office. “Boss, we might have a break.” He waved her over to his desk and handed her a folder. “Cops last night brought in a guy for attacking a woman. He’s being brought over here for us to interview.”
Rafe perched on the table edge reading the report. “He was caught in the act?”
“He was seen strangling the woman in an alley, right under the nose of a guy in the apartment across the way.”
Rafe flipped through the rest of the report. “Was he carrying a knife at all?”
“Yes. Looks like he was caught before he had a chance to use it. Forensics has it.”
“But our guy’s M.O. is a murder and mutilation, not manual strangulation.”
Dean held up a hand, forestalling the rest of Rafe’s arguments. “The kicker is this guy is one of the butchers at the Epican Meat Factory. Come on. That has to mean something.”
“It means we have a suspect here who isn’t sticking to the pattern we’ve gotten established for our serial killer. We’ll investigate him, certainly. Maybe he’s devolving, trying something new.” She didn’t believe that for a second. The man they were after had a specific undertaking in his kills. He was searching for something. He wasn’t going to switch back to something as basic as strangling, not when he was able to rip open flesh to find what he was looking for.
“You don’t think this is our spine killer, do you?”
Rafe shook her head. “No, but I’m open to the possibility he might be. All are guilty until proven innocent, right?”
Dean leaned back in his chair. “I was hoping this might bring an end to the case. I don’t like the fact we’re getting no evidence and all we can do is wait for him to kill again.”
“I know, but I learned the hard way that suspecting someone because you think he might fit the mold isn’t going to get you any closer to finding the true killer.” She turned her attention to Alona, who was hard at work at her desk. “Anything new on the shift schedules from the local factories?”
“I’ve narrowed it down to a few names that came up on the nights in question. But one pinch-hits for anyone who wants him to do their shift and the other is a sixty-year-old woman.”
“Can we really rule her out?” Dean asked.
Alona nodded. “I’m afraid so. She doesn’t fit any of the profile except for her vocation, and then there’s the little matter of her being only four foot six.”
“I’d say we can safely rule her out.” Rafe handed Dean his report back. “Keep looking. I’ve got another set of officers going around tonight to the meat factories. I figure if no one has anything to say on the day shift, maybe the cover of darkness might loosen a few tongues.” She wandered over to the window and looked down at the bench Ashley had sat on. She was startled by the sigh that rose into her chest.
“Where’s the PI today?” asked Dean.
“Running her own checks.”
“I’ve never known you to bring in an outside source that dealt with…” Dean stopped and seemed to think his words over carefully. “…magic.”
“The occult isn’t magic tricks, Dean. It encompasses science, religion, spirituality.”
“And Ashley believes our killer uses his twisted belief in the occult to go out and kill these women?”
“She’s trying to rule it out for us so we can do our side of the investigation without the ritualistic side of it clouding our judgment.” Rafe knew she should have just introduced Ashley as a PI and left it at that while warning Dean not to question it, but she couldn’t do that. She hoped twisting the truth a little wouldn’t come back to bite her in the ass. Rafe was already apprehensive about getting involved with someone she was working with. Added to that was the fact that Ashley wasn’t entirely human. Rafe remembered their shared kisses that morning and her body made no pretense that, human or otherwise, Rafe wanted her. It figures that the first woman I’m drawn to in ages has supernatural magical powers. I can never do anything by half. She tried to refocus on what Dean was saying to her.
Dean cocked his head toward the photo on the screen where the body of the second victim, Erica Lane, was spread out and captured from above. “This isn’t a natural killer leaving these women like this, boss. If Scott can find something out in what she does, then I’m all for it.”
Rafe stared at the photo for a long time. “We can use all the help we can get. I really don’t want to have to stand over the body of victim number four because we didn’t explore every avenue open to us.”
*
“If I had known you wouldn’t be using this apartment to sleep in, I wouldn’t have paid the deposit,” Eli said as soon as Ashley wandered in through the front door.
&n
bsp; “Good morning to you too. If it’s any of your business, I stayed over at Rafe’s.”
“Ah, the fine detective.”
“The oh so fine detective,” Ashley said with a grin. “But my plans of seducing her got lost somewhere between her painkillers and one too many beers.”
“Oh dear.”
“You got that right. She doesn’t do convalescing well at all. She’d try the patience of a saint.” Ashley cocked her head at him. “Know of any?”
Eli ignored her. “I’d say she never usually has to worry about recovering. She seems a very capable woman.”
“Going up against a demon kind of threw her off her game,” Ashley said. “We’re getting nowhere, Eli. This killer is going to be back in business soon. Have you heard anything at all?”
“Nothing. This killer is remarkable for not drawing attention to himself.” He rubbed at his chin. “Which is strange because demons are such showy fellows and usually end up drawing attention to themselves whether they desire it or not.”
“Any new ideas on why he’s cutting them open from the back? No demon would eat human flesh, so it’s not like they’re after a meatier part.”
Eli made a disgusted face. “The taste is like chicken, or so I’m told. Most unpalatable for a demon’s digestion.”
“There’s nothing mystical about the spine, and he’s leaving the organs in place. What are we missing here?” Ashley tugged at her hair in frustration. “Why did you get re-mixed up in this world, Eli? It’s nothing but endless death and cruelty. It wears on my soul.”
“You can see both sides of this world; you alone have that unique perspective.”
“I’m not the only child of mixed blood. I’m not the chosen one. I’m just the one you chose to recruit.”
“And very good at your job you are too.”
“I want to catch this guy. I want Rafe to be able to put him away.”
“You know that can’t happen. We can’t let a demon be incarcerated. He has to be banished.”
“Then I at least want her to have the satisfaction of knowing he’s caught and is going to be punished.” Ashley turned to Eli. “If I asked you something personal, would you answer me truthfully?”
“Have I ever lied to you?” Eli looked affronted.
“You’re not averse to masking the truth, Eli. I want a straight answer to a simple question.”
“Then I will do my best.”
“Were you in the alley the night Rafe was nearly killed?” Ashley caught his immediate hesitation. “I need to know if it was you or someone like you.”
“I was there.”
“Why didn’t you stop the demon from hurting her?”
“That wasn’t my job. I just had to keep her from dying.”
“Yet the scratch she sustained was poisoning her. She was going to die anyway.”
“But you healed her.”
“Was I sent to her just to heal her?” Eli hesitated again and Ashley fumed. “I’m going to keep asking until you tell me the truth. All of it. I know we’re meant to investigate these killings together; I can see that much myself. But why her? Was it just because of the demon?”
Eli let out a sigh and looked heavenward, seemingly for an answer. “It’s because there is a distinct possibility that she’s your One.”
Ashley flushed with a heady pleasure and then experienced a chill as the weight of those words descended on her shoulders. “Oh my God, I knew it! That explains the instant connection we felt. Well, that I felt anyway. She’s probably going to take a little longer to acknowledge it.” Ashley hugged herself and danced a little on the spot. “She’s my soul mate. It’s really true. Not just something from myth and legend. Two souls uniting.” She reached for Eli. “You saved her for me.”
“She’s your One. I’m your guardian angel. You needed guidance to find her. You’ve found her, so now your path together is up to you both to figure out.”
“My soul mate,” Ashley said softly. “Why did it take so long for you to guide me to her?”
“You’re not exactly ready for retirement, Ashley,” Eli said dryly. “I have no concept of time. It’s infinite and endless. You humans put too much reliance on it. You’re together now, so don’t waste any more of it.”
“I thought you said time was infinite?”
“For me, yes. For you mortals, though, time is precious. Each moment is to be treasured.” He paused. “I envy you that.”
“You’re envious we die?” Ashley was stunned.
“I regret that time holds no meaning for me. It just is and always will be.”
Ashley looked at him with new eyes. Who knew being an angel came with its own set of baggage?
“Wait, you said there’s a distinct possibility she’s my One. Why only a possibility? Why aren’t you certain?”
“You still have free will in this choice, Ashley. If you didn’t consider her hot, as I remember you describing her, then you could reject her and your souls would not be joined.”
“So I could continue on without her in my life?” Ashley didn’t like the sound of that at all. She was already feeling the necessity to be near Rafe every moment she could spare.
“Yes, you could. That would be your choice as a child born of free will.”
Ashley thought this over. Would Rafe be willing to be soul mates with one of her lineage? Racial differences, sexual preference, none of it really mattered when your girlfriend was blessed with strangely supernatural powers.
“Are you seeing your detective tonight?”
Ashley nodded. “I have work to do first, though.” She opened her laptop and hoped her mind wouldn’t keep drifting to thoughts of Rafe naked and the mantra of not wasting any more time. Rafe had already had two brushes with death. Ashley was determined nothing was going to hurt her again. Rafe was her soul mate, her One. Her guardian angel had told her so.
“Rafe told her colleagues I deal in the occult,” she said, smothering a smile as Eli blustered loudly beside her.
“Sacrilege!” His voice rose uncharacteristically loudly.
“I thought you’d be impressed. But you can’t smite her for it; she is my One, after all.”
“I could make an exception,” Eli said, making Ashley just laugh even more.
*
Rafe stared through the one-way mirrored glass of the interrogation room at the disheveled man handcuffed to the table. She scrutinized him, mentally processing his appearance, his demeanor, the way he kept tugging at the handcuffs as if one more pull could set him free. He looked incredibly irate for someone who had just been arrested for the attempted murder of his girlfriend. His features were nondescript. He had dark hair, was average height; nothing stood out about him. However, his face was getting redder by the second as he pulled against his restraints.
Dean appeared beside her and handed her a fresh cup of coffee along with a file with the man’s details. “So, what do you think? Is this our man? He tried to take out three policemen when they arrested him.”
Rafe didn’t answer. She was trying to see if there was anything unusual about the suspect that blatantly stood out. She couldn’t tell Dean she was looking for signs of horns or a glittering only she could detect. That damn woman has me searching for demons everywhere. She took a long drink from her coffee. This stops here. Real police work doesn’t involve the supernatural. The killer has to be human. What I saw had to be a one-of-a-kind occurrence. An aberration. One big demon-sized figment of my overactive imagination.
“You are going to interrogate him, right?” Dean asked, looking at her cautiously.
Rafe squinted one last time to see if anything remotely sparkled in that room. Sorry, Ashley Scott, but this one is all mine. A scumbag of the human variety. She nodded at Dean and walked into the room, closing the door behind her.
“Mr. Epcot, or can I call you Ben?” Rafe settled herself in the chair opposite him. She set her coffee down and opened her file. “It says here you were apprehended trying to strangle your
girlfriend tonight.”
He wrenched on the cuffs. “I don’t like being restrained.”
Rafe took a sip from her cup. “I’m guessing Ms. Downs didn’t like your hands wrapped around her throat either. The cuffs stay on.”
“The bitch had it coming to her. She’s a cheating whore.”
“So you thought the best way to deal with that was to take her down an alley and strangle her?” Rafe took out a photograph taken at the scene of the bruises on the victim’s throat. “These look pretty damaging, Ben.”
“She’s lucky I only got that far before the cops got me off her.”
“Did you have other intentions tonight for her, Ben?”
“I’d have gutted her once I’d gotten my knife out. I’d sharpened it real smooth for just that purpose.”
Rafe resisted the urge to look over her shoulder where she knew Dean was probably crowing over that admission. Our killer doesn’t gut, Rafe thought. “What’s your job, Ben?”
“I’m a butcher at the Epican factory, surely that’s in your file there?” He tugged again at his bound wrists, making the handcuffs jangle. “This is a little over-the-top isn’t it? After all, I was stopped from strangling the bitch.” He looked at her slyly. “Or are you worried I’ll go for you next?”
“You said she cheated on you?” Rafe saw his face darken and she couldn’t help herself, she stared into his eyes to watch for the fires to start burning. There wasn’t even a flicker of a flame. Rafe wasn’t entirely sure if she was disappointed or not.
“She had it coming. Caught the bitch myself last night,” he said.
“But you didn’t attack her last night. You waited a whole day before going after her.” Epcot looked uncomfortable with that fact, so Rafe dug a little harder. “Why? Was the man she was with bigger than you and would have put up a better fight than she did?”
His head dipped. He mumbled his answer into his chest. “I just wanted to deal with her; she was the cheat.”
“What? Do you have no argument with the other guy? He a friend of yours or something?”
“It wasn’t a guy,” he muttered finally.