by E A Price
The Council members started grumbling, and Wyatt used his cop voice on them. “Alright, I need everyone to remain calm. Celine Petit, please will you step this way slowly.”
A number of the Council members glanced at her curiously, whilst others edged away from her. Celine graciously rose and walked towards the cagey looking cops.
Celine flashed a blinding smile. “What seems to be the problem, Detective?”
Wyatt opened his mouth to speak, but Viktor got there first. “You know what, you bitch! You framed Julian for murder and killed those two innocent girls!”
The Council members had been staring at Viktor, who was disheveled and covered in blood, but after that their focus was diverted to Celine.
The female vampire didn’t even bat an eye. She gave a practiced shrug of her narrow shoulders and flipped her pale, blonde hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Julian’s behavior has been reprehensible, but I really don’t see how I can be blamed for that.”
She gave everyone a sweet smile, and much to Viktor’s chagrin, he noticed a few of the cops soften. If they only knew her true nature…
“You liar!” roared Viktor. “You tried to kill Adrian Harlot-Jenkins, and you’ve been blackmailing half of the Council! And worst of all, you tried to murder my mate!”
The Council members shouted in outrage, whilst eyeing each other suspiciously, trying to determine if any of them had been blackmailed. It wasn’t too hard to tell; a few of them started sweating profusely.
Celine gave him a smug smile before diverting her attention to Wyatt. “Viktor here seems to be a little delusional; he still hasn’t forgiven me for ending our relationship. He seems to think I’m out to get him, and his witch whore.”
Viktor snarled and rushed at her; the last vestige of control she had over him was shattered the moment he saw Alma dying on the floor. He could never be loyal to a vampire who would allow that to happen. Celine easily rebuffed him, sending him flying into a group of cops.
Wyatt gave her a half-smile. “Yes, I’d be inclined to believe you… if it wasn’t for this.”
He looked up to the audio/lighting room at the back of the hall and signaled the other cops. Celine frowned before her eyes widened in horror. The unmistakable sound of Celine’s silky voice floated throughout the Hall.
“…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…”
*
“Wait, how did you know about the evidence?” Alma asked him, curiously.
Viktor shrugged modestly. “It was just a guess, when Eric was blathering on about how ruthless and smart he was, his eyes flickered to the desk in the corner of the room. Instinct told me that he had something hidden in there, something he could use against Celine, and I was right. He’d been recording all their conversations since the moment they met.”
“Hmmm, you’re not just a pretty face. So what did the psycho-bitch do next?”
*
Celine screeched and looked at Viktor.
He sneered. “You can thank your new pet for this, or at least you could if he were still alive.”
Celine let out a blood-curdling roar and tore out of the room, batting away cops and Council members as she went.
“Stop her!” bellowed the lion shifter.
They pelted after her and found her outside surrounded by numerous Council security guards and Enforcers. Celine snapped her fangs at them all.
“She framed Julian Holgersson and tried to murder Adrian Harlot-Jenkins, don’t let her get away!” barked Wyatt.
A trio of witch Enforcers stepped forward. Celine made a lunge at them and was repelled by blasts of energy. The witches chanted and kept Celine pinned to the spot as she thrashed about, trying to get away.
Celine howled in frustration and collapsed to the floor, exhausted. “I’ll get you Viktor if it’s the last thing I…mmmf!”
One of the witches hit her with a silencing spell. For which Viktor was incredibly grateful, he’d had about as much as he could stand.
Other Enforcers rapidly chained Celine and got her to her feet. Viktor was surprised to note that the witches were the same ones who had captured him for Eric all those years ago. They each raised an eyebrow at him and smiled before leading Celine away.
He watched her leave, with only one thought on his mind. Rot in hell.
Wyatt rubbed the back of his neck. “Wow, this is… this is going to take some explaining.”
Viktor’s jaw ticked. “You have the recordings, what more do you need?”
“I take it you’re not going to stick around then?”
Viktor ignored the question and looked at the shifter accusingly. “You’re not going to waste your time arresting either me or Alma, for anything we’ve done over the past few days, are you?”
Wyatt stared at the unkempt vampire for a few beats. “No, I guess not. I’m grateful for your assistance in this matter, but please don’t make a habit of it.”
The lion shifter held out his hand to the vampire, and reluctantly Viktor shook it. Alright, maybe he wasn’t quite over his jealousy just yet, maybe in a hundred years time…
He watched as Wyatt tried to calm the Council members and shook his head. Rather him than me Viktor thought. He slipped out of the Hall and eagerly made his way back to his mate.
*
“I’m sorry I missed all that.” Alma let out a long breath. It was strange; she could still breathe, but there was a hollowness to it.
“I’m not, you were safer with Ruby.” Sort of, Ruby was just a little too fond of Alma in his opinion.
“What will happen to Celine now?”
“I’m not sure…” Viktor was hoping for a death sentence; she’d lived far too long in his opinion.
“Hmmm, let’s forget about her and think about us instead. I like this nightie.” Alma fingered the wispy, black garment.
Viktor huffed. “I wish I could take the credit, but Ruby washed you and dressed you in this. I think she enjoyed herself a little too much. She says to give her a call if you ever get tired of me, by the way.”
“I’ll never get tired of you.”
Viktor swung her round onto the bed and climbed over her; she gasped at feeling his obvious arousal digging into her flesh. “I’m glad to hear it because you’re never getting rid of me.” He buried his head in her neck and nipped at her skin.
“Ooooh!” All her senses seemed to be ten times stronger, but touch was the sharpest. Her skin felt hyper-sensitive under his ministrations.
He pulled back and gave her a searching look, his eyes were already jet black. “Will you bond with me?”
Alma could have danced with joy. It was the words she’d been waiting to hear since the moment they met. “Yes, yes, definitely. Are you sure? It’s not too sudden?”
Viktor kneeled back on the bed, taking in every inch of her. “Nothing about this is sudden, my darling.”
He flicked his claws out and sliced through the fabric of the nightie, growling as her naked body was revealed to him.
Alma pouted playfully. “Shame, I really liked that.”
Viktor did the same to his underwear, exposing his engorged member. “I’ll buy you a hundred more,” he drawled.
He slithered down the bed and eased her legs apart. Hungrily, he bent his head and licked her slit, tasting her sweet honey.
She cried out in exquisite surprise and grasped at the sheets. He sucked her clit into his mouth and teased it with his tongue. The heightened sensations were incredible; she almost came on the spot from the intensity.
Alma clutched at his head, desperately trying to pull him up her body. “No more teasing, I want you now, I need you.”
Viktor fla
shed her a maddening grin before slowly climbing up her body and nestling into her inviting curves. His sex nudged against her drenched entrance, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, refusing to let him go.
He looked down on her flawless face, her cheeks slightly pink from her recent feeding, and his heart swelled. “I love you,” he murmured.
Her eyes hooded. “I love you too… vampy.”
“Look who’s talking, Mrs. Vampy.”
Alma started but giggle, but soon dissolved into impassioned moans. Her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head; she felt every inch, every vein of his impossibly long length as he inexorably pushed inside her.
Viktor rested inside her as her body rippled around him, adjusting to his size. Alma gasped as instinctively her fangs dropped. Viktor took her mouth in a kiss, running his tongue over her sharp teeth, and she did the same to him.
Slowly he began thrusting in and out, taking her with long, deliberate strokes. She tightened her inner muscles around him, giving him a sensual massage. He twisted his hips, crushing her tender nub with every thrust.
“Oh my… what…” Alma felt a moment of panic as claws flexed out of her fingers and pierced Viktor’s skin. “I’m sorry!” she whimpered.
He groaned as he began forcing inside her with more urgency. “Don’t be, you won’t break me, my darling.”
Each drive inside her was more powerful than the last, as he was caught in a glorious climb towards release. She rocked her hips against his as her own pleasure burned inside her.
Alma blinked as her eyes clouded for a second before her vision shifted; the world darkened, but every movement pulsed in bright colors. Vampire vision! It was astounding, she felt like a powerful predator.
Viktor growled ecstatically; seeing her eyes flicker to black, seeing the obvious desire on her face, sent his arousal soaring.
She started trembling. “So good… I’m almost there…”
“Bite… bond…” he growled.
Viktor smoothed his tongue over her neck, preparing her, and she did the same. The delicious pressure within them reached a crescendo and finally exploded. He roared and plunged his fangs into her neck as he burst inside her. He greedily lapped at her blood, sighing as she did the same to him.
Alma suckled at her mate, drinking down his intoxicating blood, reveling in the rich, enchanting taste whilst desperately clinging to him, trying to still her shivering body.
Their joint feelings of love and desire fluttered through their newly formed bond. Alma drew back from him, marveling at the bite mark she had left. Reluctantly he did the same, although it was with a sense of deep satisfaction. Finally, she would wear his mark; finally, the world would know she belonged to him.
Viktor chuckled as he saw beads of his own blood smeared on her lips.
“What?” she cooed as his laughter sent vibrations through her own body.
He licked at her lips. “I had no idea you were such a messy eater.”
Alma’s lips twitched, and she clenched her muscles around him, eliciting a lusty moan from her mate.
“Wicked woman…”
“Please, you love it.”
He took her mouth in a searing kiss, basking in the blissful feelings emanating from his mate. She was right; he did.
Epilogue
After Celine’s arrest, things died down a little. James Marlowe was also picked up and arrested for blackmail. It wasn’t easy; he managed to convince the first cops sent to pick him up that he wasn’t the vampire they were looking for… He was eventually caught trying to hop a plane to Switzerland, and was currently awaiting trial. The Blau Bail Bond Agency would not be picking up that bond.
Julian was found. As it turns out, he wasn’t actually on the run. Feeling a little low about his situation, he decided to visit one of his regular girlfriends. They spent nearly the whole time in bed, barely leaving her apartment; it came as a surprise and a delight to the vampire when they did, and he found out what exactly had been happening.
Julian was welcomed back to the Council. The blackmail information amassed on the other Council members was laid bare. They were embarrassed for a little while, but then they all decided to get over it and move on.
Adrian, the badger shifter, survived his injuries but decided to step down from the Council, and spend more time with his family. Being so close to death forced him to make a decision. At the hospital, he introduced Scarlet to Cyrus. She was shocked at first, but even she couldn’t deny the attraction she felt to the snake shifter. They were taking it slowly, but tentatively, they were trying out a tri-mate relationship.
The Bail Bond Agency, in particular Marcus, was sad to see Alma leave, but it was necessary. For one thing she couldn’t actually make it into the office during working hours, for another, she might snap and start biting people’s necks at any given moment. It was going to take a little time for her to adjust.
In her absence Carly suggested her friend Ling, a red panda shifter, come and work for them. Recently Ling had lost her job after some… unpleasantness, and she needed something new.
Viktor decided to take Alma away from Playa Lunar, somewhere a little less sunny, where she could grow accustomed to her new life. Alma made a list of all the places she wanted to see, and visit. He chuckled when he saw it, and told her it was lucky they had forever together.
She had to agree with that. She was one lucky vampire. Mine.
The end
Short Story: Foxy On The Hunt
Carly Columbo bounced up and down in the passenger seat of the truck. She was taking down her first solo skip, and it was gonna be awesome! Her fox bobbed up and down excitedly.
Carly was a fox shifter, and it had been her lifelong dream to be a bounty hunter, ever since she found out what a bounty hunter actually was, three months ago when one came after her. At the time, it had been downright annoying, but he did turn out to be a devilishly handsome wolf shifter, who went on to become her mate.
Said bounty hunter was Jackson Carr.
Jackson had deliberately chosen an easy skip for her. It was to catch someone who had been charged with repeatedly conducting business without a vendor’s license. Jackson told her the guy had strong ties to the community and was unlikely to cause any difficulties. Given that he was a 67-year-old ice-cream man and all.
Jackson didn’t want Carly to be a bounty hunter, he said it was unnecessarily dangerous, but she had nagged and nagged until finally Jackson relented and allowed her to take on one bounty, and under supervision. The owner of the bounty hunter agency, Marcus Blau, could care less who actually brought in the bounties, as long as they did it quickly and didn’t die in the process. That caused too much paperwork.
Jackson gave her the file for her skip, one Herbert Monk, the previous evening and she had studied it religiously. Well she’d read it all. Okay, so she’d skimmed it. Fine! She glanced at it while she was on the phone with her best friend Ling Ma; it wasn’t her fault though! Ling had just had her heart broken and needed consoling, what was Carly supposed to do?
Besides, she figured the point of reading the file was so that you could actually find the person you’re looking for, and she already had. Some would say it was dumb luck, but she would say it was dumb skill. It was a hot day; they just trawled the parks until they found him.
They were parked, and unobtrusively watching Herbert as he handed out fudge popsicles to a group of Japanese tourists.
Jackson leaned toward her. “What you have to remember is…”
She nodded her head rhythmically as he spoke to her earnestly, but in all honesty she wasn’t listening, she was too excited.
Carly Columbo, Bounty Hunter Extraordinaire. Maybe she should get some business cards with that printed on; they could have a little picture of handcuffs in the corner. Ooh, and maybe she should get a mug too, and pens. She could have that printed on pens, and give them out to every person she caught! No, maybe not, that would be stupid, right?
“Okay?
You ready?”
Huh? She noticed Jackson appeared to have stopped talking and was giving her one of his intense wolf shifter stares. She found them absolutely mesmerizing.
“Yes, of course,” she answered dreamily as her fox almost purred, losing herself in his amber tinged eyes.
“Alright, I’ll wait here. Good luck, foxy.”
She blinked a few times, before she realized he now expected her to get out and catch her skip. Wait, shouldn’t he have given her a few more instructions before sending her off on her own? Guiltily, she understood he must have been doing that for the last ten minutes, while her mind wandered to everything from business cards to nail polish, and where exactly she would like to go on honeymoon. If he ever got round to proposing, that is!
Alright, yeah! Now she was now fired up and angry! Time to take down that 67-year-old ice-cream vendor!
She put her game face on, which was really just a scowl that she’d been practicing in front of a mirror. She was imitating Jackson’s scowl. She pushed open the door and was about to go get her man when…
Jackson tugged on her t-shirt. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Carly frowned, before she realized. Silly, needy wolf.
“Oh, alright.” She turned back to him and pulled him in for a toe-curling kiss; he moaned into her mouth as his wolf growled appreciatively. His desire skyrocketed, and his manhood hardened. She drew back and moved to get out. “I love you, wolfy.”
Jackson licked his lips, savoring her exquisite taste. “Not that I didn’t enjoy that, but I actually meant these.”
He lifted his hand up, dangling a pair of handcuffs.
Carly reddened and reached for them. Jackson pulled them away and swooped in for another kiss, this time taking charge and running a hand up her curvy thigh. Her fox yipped in pleasure.
He rested his forehead against hers. “Maybe we could…”
“After I’ve caught my first skip,” said Carly decisively. She grabbed the handcuffs and slithered out the door before Jackson could react. He scowled at her and pushed a palm against his swelling erection as she scurried away, giggling. He almost panted watching the sway of her generous hips; it was hypnotic. Oh, he’d get her later.