Dead Man Running: Book Two - Supernatural Bounty Hunter Romance Novellas

by E A Price

  “Stop telling me to calm down! Just get ready to floor it, okay? They suspect anything we’ll flee to Mexico, I’m pretty sure I have a second cousin who would let us sleep on his floor.”

  Alma tensed as one of the cops picked up the radio. He spoke to the driver for a few seconds, before the siren blared, and they sped away. Oh, thank heavens!

  Viktor started driving as Alma cast an accusing eye at the light. “Oh! Now you change? Where were you five minutes ago?”

  She slumped back into her seat. “Seriously, what are we doing? Where are we going?”

  “Back to my house, we’ll keep him in the garage; he won’t know where he is.”

  Alma scrubbed her hands down her face. “God, a week ago I was just an office worker, now I’m a felon!”

  “Trust me; everything is going to be okay. You do trust me, don’t you?”

  Viktor trained his searching gaze on her. She couldn’t have lied in the face of that look, even if she wanted to.

  However reluctantly, she did have to admit that yes, she trusted him. In spite of mounting evidence that maybe she shouldn’t, she did.

  “Yes…” she replied, hesitantly.

  He almost groaned in relief. “Then trust that I will handle this.”

  *

  When they arrived at Viktor’s house, he pulled into the garage and gave Alma a reassuring kiss before disappearing into the house, leaving her hovering around the car trunk, trying to ignore the disgruntled shouts of its occupant.

  Moments later, Viktor reappeared with a set of handcuffs. “They’re laced with silver; he won’t be able to get out of them.”

  Alma raised her eyebrows. “You own handcuffs?”

  Viktor pursed his lips disapprovingly. “Yes, I do. It may seem like a long time ago now, but before all this mess, I did used to be a bounty hunter.”

  Alma furrowed her brow. “You’re right; time flies when you’re having fun,” she observed wryly.

  Viktor softened as he looked at his mate. From the moment he knew she belonged to him, he knew she was in for some tough times. But even he had to admit that he hadn’t expected to involve her in this.

  He placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed a thumb gently over her skin. “You don’t have to be here; you can leave now, and I will sort this out.”

  Alma shook her head vehemently. “Nuh-uh, we’re in this together, we’re a team.”

  A small smirk played on his lips. “Like Starsky and Hutch?”

  “I was going to say Cagney and Lacey, but sure.”

  Viktor tenderly kissed her temple. “Are you ready?”

  “Sure… but ready for what, exactly?” Alma hopped from foot to foot.

  “To get him out of the car and ask him a few questions.”

  Alma let out a low laugh of relief. “Oh, yes, yes that’s… Yes I can do that.”

  “What did you think I was going to say?”

  “Nothing, I don’t know, nothing.” She had visions of them killing Adrian, the badger, and burying him in Viktor’s yard. Not that she actually wanted to do that, no way, no how! It was just the first thought that entered her mind.

  He pressed the cuffs into her slightly trembling hands. “I’ll pull him out and hold him; you cuff him.”

  “No problemo.”

  Viktor swung the trunk door open and easily hurled the agitated shifter out. The powerful vampire held him tightly as Alma, after a few attempts, managed to slap the cuffs on him. Viktor dropped him to the floor and stepped a few paces away, pulling Alma with him.

  The shifter flailed around on the floor for a while; he reminded Alma of a fish flopping about in the open air. She almost let out a hysterical giggle.

  When he finally pulled himself into a kneeling position he glared at Alma and Viktor. “You fuckers! I will have you put in jail forever for this!”

  Viktor folded his arms nonchalantly. “I don’t think so.”

  “You see if I won’t!” spat Adrian.

  Viktor sauntered over to his car like he had all the time in the world; he pulled out copies of the pictures they had found the previous night. He carelessly dropped them on the floor near the badger.

  “Unless you want those photos turning up at the trial as evidence, you won’t do a thing.”

  The shifter’s face crumpled. “Why can’t you people just leave me alone? What I do in my private life is just that – private! I don’t deserve this!” He started openly bawling. “Look, I’ll give them anything you want, just please keep the pictures a secret,” he choked out.

  Alma started to feel her fear slip away as it was overtaken by indignant anger. She marched over to the burbling shifter and gave him a firm slap to the face. He soon quieted and stared at the witch in surprise.

  She stood over him, hands on her hips. “Look, your sexual proclivities are hardly a big deal, lots of people like a bit of kink. But if you were so worried about your position on the Council, you should have thought of that before you cheated on your wife!”

  Adrian sniffled pathetically. “I could care less about the Council; I only bother with it because it makes Scarlet happy.” A dreamy expression filled his features. “I’d do anything for her.”

  “Apart from stay faithful apparently…” muttered Alma.

  She rolled her eyes as he wiped some snot on his shirt sleeve.

  “I only care about those pictures because if my wife found out she would leave me, and take my kids away. I love her; I couldn’t bear to lose her or the kids. I couldn’t live without them.”

  He was a picture of misery, but Alma was unmoved. “If you love her so much, why cheat on her?”

  “You two wouldn’t understand,” he replied, sullenly.

  “Try us!” barked Viktor, so harshly even Alma jumped.

  He looked between the hard stares of the witch and the vampire uncertainly, before sighing in defeat. “Not all shifters are supposed to be in a monogamous relationship… there are some that need to be with more than one partner…”

  It was true that there were some shifters whose natures pushed them to mate with two or sometimes three others. Usually there was one female to two or three males, it harked back to days when females were scarce, and males had to share. Sometimes the males were intimate with one another too, but not always. Viktor reflected that he already had more knowledge than he wanted about these kinds of relationships, having been in one before.

  The badger shook his head sadly. “Scarlet is my mate… but I also think that Cyrus is too.”

  Alma’s expression softened. “Can’t you just talk to your wife?”

  “She wouldn’t go for that, she’s quite conservative. Sneaking around with Cyrus is the only way we can be together, but I don’t know how much longer we can do it.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Viktor listened in surprise. When the hell had this kidnapping turned into a therapy session?

  The badger hiccupped. “Cyrus wants to meet Scarlet; he wants to be with Scarlet too, so that we can all be mated together.”

  Alma nodded in understanding. “Well, if Cyrus feels a pull toward Scarlet, then surely she’ll feel it too, right?”

  “I guess… it’s just so hard to know how to… how to broach the matter with her… This whole blackmailing mess has thrown me for a loop, I’ve just been worried sick about protecting Scarlet and keeping those pictures a secret, I haven’t had time to think about it.”

  Viktor sneered. “So that’s worth killing two prostitutes over is it? So you can have dirty sex with a snake shifter? Two women are dead because you can’t keep it in your pants.”

  Alma gave him an exasperated look, but Viktor ignored her. They were trying to clear Julian’s name, not dole out marriage counseling.

  The shifter paled before taking offense. “I have never killed anyone, and I would never have been involved with planning anyone’s death either. I don’t want those pictures to be revealed, but I wouldn’t help kill anyone to do it, I’m not a monster!”

&nbs
p; Viktor snarled at the shifter, making the small man cringe. “I am running out of patience,” he growled. “What the fuck did they want in return for keeping the photos a secret? And don’t you dare start crying again, or I will punch you in your sniveling mouth!”

  “Viktor!” admonished Alma.

  The badger tried to pull himself together. “They just wanted my vote.”

  “What vote?” hissed the vampire.

  “The vote for who will represent the vampire faction on the Council of Shifters, now that Julian is gone.”

  Alma creased her brow. “So who did you vote for?”

  “A vampire who calls herself Celine Petit.”

  Chapter Twenty

  “Bloody fucking hell!” roared Viktor. He picked up a box of tools and threw it across the garage.

  His eyes blackened as his claws sprung forth, and he banged his fists against the stone walls, making them shake.

  He calmed as he heard the furious tattoo of his mate’s heartbeat, and the small gasps she emitted. He was scaring his mate, and he needed to control himself.

  Viktor stopped and leaned against the wall. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

  Alma went to him and put a hand on his back; he felt instantly soothed.

  “Who is she?” asked Alma, fearing the answer. She knew it wasn’t going to be good.

  Viktor closed his eyes, concentrating on the warming hum her touch alighted. “She’s my sire.”

  “Oh my god… wait, I don’t know why that’s a bad thing.”

  He grimaced; he hadn’t exactly disclosed how crazy his sire was to his mate. “It’s bad, trust me, it’s bad. Whatever reason she has for wanting to be on the Council, it can’t be good. Did the vote go through?”

  “Yes, it was almost unanimous,” answered Adrian.

  Alma jumped, for a second she’d actually forgotten that they had a kidnapped Council member handcuffed in Viktor’s garage. “So now…”

  She was cut off as Viktor spun round and grabbed her. His eyes were wild, and for a second Alma thought she noted terror.

  Before she could open her mouth he picked her up, and ran through the door to the house, just as the first bullet ripped into the garage. She screamed as Viktor shuddered and groaned as bullets tore into his body. He didn’t hesitate or falter; he just kept running until he reached the bathroom.

  Carefully, Viktor deposited his mate in the bathtub. He ordered her to stay there and sprinted away. He ran back to the garage to find Adrian writhing on the ground; he’d been hit by at least two bullets.

  Viktor hoisted him up and ran back into the house, taking him to a spare bedroom. By the time they got there, the shifter had passed out. He didn’t have time to worry about him. Either the shifter was about to die, and it was too late to get him to the hospital anyway. Or he was just unconscious from the pain, and when he woke up, he could call his own ambulance. Viktor made sure he had his cell phone.

  Viktor didn’t really have time to think about why this was happening, but all he could hope was that whoever was doing this was after him, and him alone, and would leave Alma out of it.

  He heard footsteps clicking over the floor. He growled and heedlessly ran towards whoever it was, only to be met with a barrage of bullets from two black-clad figures. He roared as they pelted into his body. When he could take no more, he slumped to the floor.

  He was vaguely aware of some figures walking towards him, but he was too far gone to make out their faces.

  As he lost consciousness, all he could think was that he wished he had told his mate to run when he had the chance. Please let her be okay.

  *

  Viktor woke to find himself chained to a wingback chair. A cold feeling of familiarity swept through him.

  He was hit with both relief and fear when he saw Alma, similarly chained to another chair about ten feet away from him. He had hoped she had managed to avoid being captured, but at least she was alive.

  He struggled against the chain, but naturally they were entwined with magic. This was far too familiar.

  The room was airy and opulent. Just like the last time he was kidnapped and chained to a chair.

  He was glad to note that the sun was setting, unlike last time, when he escaped he wouldn’t have to make a daytime break. His body certainly couldn’t take that; he was already burning something fierce from his bullet wounds.

  Alma whimpered as she stirred. His cold heart almost beat again at the soft, whines she made. God, her being in pain was unbearable.

  “Alma…” His voice almost broke.

  “I’m alright, just a little woozy.” She looked at him and gave him a pained smile. “Look, no matter what happens, these last four years have been wonderful…”

  “Don’t!”

  She blinked her tear-filled eyes at him in shock. “I just wanted to tell you I…”

  “Don’t! You can tell me whatever you want later, when this is all over, but don’t you dare start thinking that we won’t make it out of here, because we will. You promised to spend the rest of my life with me, and I am going to hold you to that.”

  Alma gulped at his fierce expression. A few stray tears ran down her cheeks. “And people say I’m bossy…” She hiccupped in laughter.

  “You are,” he told her, softly. “And I love it.”

  He looked into her big, brown eyes and wished more than anything that they were bonded, so that he could share with her his feelings of love and devotion. Not for the first time that day, he regretted not turning her, and bonding when he had the chance.

  Her lips trembled as she started to speak, but she was stopped by a cool, crisp voice.

  “Isn’t this touching?”

  Viktor quivered at hearing his sire. It had been over a hundred years since they had last been together, and she still had the ability to scare the hell out of him. He felt the ripples of power emanating from her.

  Celine, in all her angelic beauty, strode toward Viktor and pressed her cold lips against his unwilling mouth. Ugh, he almost gagged. He couldn’t believe he’d ever found this creature attractive or arousing, it was like being molested by a haddock! She paled in every way next to his vibrant, sexy witch.

  “Get away from him, you bitch!” screeched Alma.

  Celine pulled away and let out a tinkling laugh as she trained a malicious look on the witch. Alma jutted her chin in defiance.

  Celine raised a thin eyebrow. “Is she your new pet, Viktor? I had no idea how low you had fallen, but I suppose she is pretty in a common sort of way.”

  “Don’t talk about her that way!” Viktor was almost spitting.

  Celine flashed a surprised look at him. “My, my, we are feeling brave, aren’t we? I would guess that she is more than just a chew toy, your mate, perhaps?”

  He flinched ever so slightly; no one but Celine would have caught that. The female vampire almost licked her lips in satisfaction. “Yes, she is, isn’t she? Pity.”

  Viktor had endured more than enough of Celine’s bullshit over the years, now he wanted answers. “What do you want with us Celine? What the fuck is going on?”

  Celine let out a theatrical sigh. “I always did give you too much credit; you never were quick on the uptake.” She ran a hand over his chest. “Still, at least you are talented in other areas.”

  “Keep your hands off him you psycho-bitch!” Alma grunted, as she struggled against her chains and spat out a few magical words.

  Celine rolled her eyes. “Don’t bother. Your paltry magic won’t do anything against the spells binding them. Only I, and my new pet can undo them now.”

  “Come on then, Celine!” shouted Viktor, determined to drag the vampire’s attention away from his mate. “Why don’t you tell me what this is all about? Go ahead and gloat. Explain how you’re so much smarter than everyone else, how everyone should bow before your superior intellect.”

  She chuckled. “You know me so well, but then again, we were lovers for over two hundred years. Something your little enchilada o
ver there probably can’t appreciate.”

  Just when Alma didn’t think she could hate her more…

  Celine smirked at the witch. “But I digress, it’s simple really, I wanted a place on the Council, so I did what I had to do, to get it.”

  Viktor eyed her with disgust. “So you framed Julian for murder?”

  Celine rolled her shoulders unconcernedly. “Yes, it would be too suspicious if I tried to kill him, and there was always the risk that he might be more powerful and kill me instead. So, this was the easiest way. I had James order the girls, I gave them a magical drug to slip Julian in order to knock him out, and then I turned up at the room with my new pet, and he killed the girls. I’m sure you already know we used wolfsbane to cover our scents, and used a witch to knock out the security cameras of the hotel at a convenient time. I had no idea that covering up murder was so easy – probably because I’ve never felt the need to do so before!”

  Celine’s eyes gleamed black. “After that, all I had to do was convince…

  “You mean blackmail!” muttered Alma.

  Celine’s eyebrow twitched. “Convince a few of the other Council members to vote for me, and they did – it was so easy, but then mortal beings really are pathetically malleable.” She sneered in Alma’s direction.

  Viktor stared at her in exasperation. “But why? What’s the point? You’ve ruined countless lives, and killed innocent people, so you can argue about whether vampires should be granted boat loans!”

  “You’ve always been weak Viktor, always too soft on the mortals. But the fact is vampires shouldn’t be striving for equality, we are gods compared to every other race on this planet, and yet we are the ones who are forced to hide in the dark, to obey mortal laws, and be treated like animals!”

  Viktor let out a groan. “Heaven’s gate! Celine, we are not gods; we are just another race of being, no better or worse than any other race on the planet. Actually no, I’ve changed my mind, we are worse, much worse.”

  Celine ran a claw down his cheek and gave him a beatific smile. “You are wrong, my love, very wrong. Now that I am on the Council, it won’t be long until I’m running the whole thing, I already have so many little Council members in my pocket, undoubtedly there will soon be a vote to put me in charge, and when I am, there will be a few changes. No more of this equality for vampires garbage – no, soon enough vampires will be in charge. Soon, we will be able to feed on and change whoever we want, whenever we want. Eventually, we will be in control, and the rest of the races will just be there as food.”