A fine layer of sweat began to grace my skin, making me shiver despite the room not being cold. If my heart needed to beat, it would be motoring. I licked my lips and returned my attention to the diary. For at least a few more hours I could delay my decision on teaming up with Samson.
I slowly turned the pages of the diary, focusing now on Alison's personal dates instead of the her business ones. They were still plentiful. She was a popular girl. Some names were repeated. Friends maybe? Meeting on a semi regular basis. The odd name only once. Blind dates? First dates that didn't progress? But a couple were repeated several times. I pulled a pen out and marked those that needed investigation. The ones most recently were placed at the top of my list, working back in order of importance the further back in the diary I went.
Then I found one name that stood out like a neon sign. Jethro. No surname. Nothing else to indicate personal or business, but because Vive La Vodka wasn't mentioned, I was going with personal. Six dates altogether. The last of which was exactly three days prior to Alison's death. They even had a date scheduled for the night after she was found murdered.
Aside from those names I had put down to being regular friends, this was the only one who didn't have a surname. And considering she started seeing him only three weeks prior to her death, a red flag went up in my mind.
A new friend, turning up on the scene within weeks of her demise, meeting multiple times. Either Jethro was a new boyfriend or - as my gut was telling me - he had something to do with all of this.
But that wasn't what had made my mouth go dry and my heart make a pathetic attempt to leap out of my chest. Jethro was not a common name and was often abbreviated to Jett. How many Jett's lived in Auckland City? How many Jett's were frantic to solve this crime?
Master of the City, just what have you gotten yourself into?
There was nothing else for it, I'd have to confront Jett - not something I was feeling overly happy about doing - or I could find some more evidence elsewhere, to have a better idea of what the hell was going on. If Jett was involved, why hadn't he told me? And if he had chosen not to, what did that mean? Confronting him was not going to be a good idea, not until I had more definitive information to work with.
But, a small, sneaky part of me conceded, maybe this was exactly what I needed. Hadn't I said I'd have to find something to hold over Jett's head? Maybe this was it. Maybe this was going to be my get-out-of-jail-free card. And didn't that make me determined to see what I could find at Alison's home.
Suddenly working with Samson to achieve that goal didn't seem so daunting at all.
I waited until I knew the sun was about to set and then slipped out of my chamber, using the shadows to hide my progress up the stairs. I had no intention of bringing attention to myself, nor did I wish to bump into Marcus. I checked out the house on the main floor, but no one was about, so made my way quietly up to the bedrooms upstairs. His bedroom door was unlocked and I didn't knock.
I slipped in to the darkened room, keeping the shadows about me and softly closed the door at my back. My eyes adjusted quickly, but I didn't need to see to know he was there. He was in the shower, in the ensuite attached to the bedroom. I could hear him softly humming as the water fell. He had always hummed in the shower, it brought an unwanted smile to my lips. I banished it with a curse. It hadn't been loud, barely a whisper, but the shower turned off and Samson asked, "Who's there?"
I rolled my eyes at my stupidity and braced for his attack. He walked into the main room, a white fluffy towel all that kept his modesty intact. I willed myself not to look at his chest, his defined muscles, the perfect cream of his skin. The small smattering of blond curls, barely visible, as they tracked in a line down to the towel and disappeared. He hadn't fully dried off, so the blond was darker than usual, tightly curled, standing out against his pale skin.
I realised too late that I had been staring. My eyes flicked up to meet the chocolate and taupe in his, a small quirk of his lips the only indication he had caught me blatantly ogling his gorgeous physique.
That and his next words anyway.
"Like what you see, babe?"
I huffed and looked away. Anger bubbling up to the surface, replacing the lust I was refusing to acknowledge. Why did he make me act like a love-struck fool? I hated my reaction to him, but I couldn't seem to stop it.
God help me.
"I need your help," I said instead, the choice of words deliberate. Samson would jump at the chance to help me, but would never have expected me to ask.
His reaction was exactly what I was hoping for, he switched from flirtatious ex-boyfriend to master vampire protecting his charge. Not really what I wanted our relationship to be. Hell, I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted our relationship to be, but I was sure it didn't involve that.
"How may I help?" he asked, grabbing another towel and quickly drying off his chest and arms, then draping the towel around his neck. I refused to look away, just waited for him to finish his task and turn his attention to me. If he could act professional, so could I.
"I'm on a job for Jett and it requires a little B & E. I'm not sure what alarms will be at the place I need to get into, but I have absolutely no idea how to combat them. I need your expertise to help me get in and out undetected."
Even though I hadn't confirmed there would be an alarm at Alison's home, I was sure there would be. The CEO of a major company such as SubZero would not be unprotected in her home. And she hadn't been murdered there, so chances are her security was even better than that at her work. Although not killed inside the office building, the place where security was weakest, the carpark, had been used instead. I was guessing there was no weakness at her home and as time was of the essence - I couldn't stand the thought of Stu sitting in a cell much longer and then of course, there was Jett - I wasn't going to waste time doing a reconnaissance trip. We'd go in cold and get this done tonight.
To do that I needed Samson.
He stared at me now, a mask of blankness on his face. I hadn't seen that mask until I knew he was a vampire. When I thought him still human, before I was turned, he had always maintained a human façade. How he looked now was not human. Still handsome, still Samson, but this lack of emotional response could never be considered natural. Human. Only the preternatural shut down their reactions like this.
"What has Jett got you involved in, Gigi?" he asked evenly, after what felt like an eternity of neutral silence.
"I'm investigating a murder. Alison Danvers' murder in fact." There was no harm him knowing what I was doing, he'd figure it out anyway, I was sure.
"Why you? You are not of his line?" Good question and this was where my plan started to unravel. Just how much did I tell Samson?
"Kara's cousin is being charged with it. He works for SubZero." I held his still blank look, starting to feel a little uncomfortable under that neutral stare. "He didn't do it," I added, just wanting to get some sort of reaction from him. Anything at this point would work for me. Just not that stare.
"How do you know he didn't do it?"
And this was where I had to divert Samson's attention. For him to know I could scent the murderer at both the murder scenes and know that they were either vampire or fairy, was too much. I couldn't let him in that far. I couldn't trust him not to hurt me again. And keeping my talents secret were part of my protection from now on. Jett knew. Aliath knew. Both situations now out of my hands. But I would do everything in my power to keep the number of beings who knew what I could do to a minimum. So, no. Samson was not going to hear the entire truth. And I didn't feel guilty in the slightest about that.
"I know him. I grew up with him. He wouldn't do this." Lame human assumptions. I waited for Samson to call me out.
He continued to stare at me, the only indication he was something other than a statue was the small flare of his nostrils. I wondered what he could smell, because as usual I was a blank in that department when around him. Or at least, I couldn't smell anything other than his signa
ture scent, which engulfed the entire room. His emotions were untouchable by me.
"OK," he said slowly. "I'll just get dressed." He turned and started rummaging through a set of drawers and before I realised what he was about to do, let the towel at his waist fall to the floor. I was treated to an uninterrupted view of his incredible naked arse.
I gulped, shut my eyes and in a slightly cracked voice said, "I'll wait for you outside the door," and spun on my heel. I could hear his soft laughter from the other side of the door as I stood breathing heavily out on the landing.
It was a testament to how much of an effect Samson has on me that I didn't realise I had company until it was too late.
If only I had used my shadows.
Chapter 13
Antagonised
"I knew I'd find you eventually."
I turned in slow motion, my hand already inside my jacket pocket resting on my stake. Marcus bared his fangs in an obvious show of aggression. I knew instantly he wanted me to attack. He was picking a fight. Why?
Sure it was obvious he had some sort of pet hate about me, but this was too confrontational even for him. Snide remarks and piercing glares were more his style. He wanted me to make the first move. He wanted me caught in the act of attack.
I wasn't born yesterday. Turned, maybe, but not born. I've lived alone in the central city for several years now. I know how to avoid the bullies when I need to. Marcus was a bully. I hated him and one day he would meet his match. But I'd choose the location well. Out of sight of Lucinda. On his own.
"Marcus, what a surprise." I forced my hand to release my stake and lowered it empty to my side. "What do you want?"
"You dead. But that's nothing new." I shook my head. What the hell had I done to this guy? Why me?
I shifted so I was leaning against the wall to the side of Samson's room, crossed my arms over my chest and went for casual and at ease. I was sure I was perfecting it too, even if my fangs were throbbing to come down and my eyes were prickling to bleed red. He would not win.
"Well, you'll have to get in line. There's a rather long queue," I said with a shrug of my shoulder.
"I'm not surprised with that attitude," he snarled and took a step closer. I forced myself not to react, just held his stare and cocked my head, waiting.
His hands were fisted at his sides, his fangs were getting longer and his eyes were flashing an interesting combination of cyan and turquoise. Why couldn't my eyes do that? Why did I have to go all horror movie purple? I let a little of that purple in now, called my Dark Shadow to the fore, and smiled showing my own fangs. OK, so I may not have wanted to attack, but I sure as hell would give a little attitude back.
I took a deep breath in through my nose and sifted his scents. He was reeking a disgusting combination of odours. The mix throwing me for a six for a moment, until I managed to separate them. Stringent ammonia - not unexpected - oregano and sage, with a surprising hint of indulgent chocolate mud cake. He was angry and frustrated. Heh. Wouldn't have expected anything less. But the desire, that was puzzler. I was sure it wasn't a desire for me in any sexual way, I was guessing it was more a desire to see me dead.
Marcus was clearly an emotional vampire. I wondered if I could play with that.
I took a deliberate look down his body, making sure he noticed me taking him all in, then slowly raised my eyes back up to his. My face still faux-pleasant, my stance still overtly relaxed. Then I laughed, a small huff of a laugh. His growl reverberated off the walls in the hall. This was too easy.
"What's so funny, newbie?" Oh, he thought calling me names would work. Silly boy.
"You," I answered, giving another swift look over his body and then purposely turning slightly away as if to dismiss. I was careful not to put my back to him and my feet were firmly placed shoulder width apart. If he attacked, I'd be able to take the brunt of his anger without too much injury. But he'd make a hell of a noise taking me down. A small table stood to my side, on it a Murano bowl full of glass fruit. The clatter they made as they hit the floor would be awesome. And by the time he had me pinned we would no longer be alone.
Come on, silly boy. Take the bait. I dare you.
As if in slow motion I watched him tense for attack, his lips peeled back in a grimace, his fangs glinting in the light of the hallway. The growl escalating until it was all I could hear. The desire to pull my stake was astounding and I almost lost sight of my goal. Pulling it and staking Marcus would be fun, but I was trying to turn the tables on him here. He wanted to entice a fight, he was the one now about to make the first move.
He pounced, I hissed. The door at my back swung open and Samson stepped out, but not before a low, commanding voice reached all of us, the Sanguis Vitam accompanying it setting the hairs on my arms alight and pinpricks of power to dance over my skin.
"Marcus! Behave!"
Michel appeared over Marcus's shoulder. Impeccably dressed in his signature Armani suit, his dark hair tied neatly back exposing high cheek bones and a handsome face. His eyes fully magenta. As soon as I looked at them, nothing else mattered. I did not want those eyes on me.
"She is baiting you." Michel flicked his eyes to mine and I saw something shift beneath the magenta. I did not want to know what it was. He returned his attention - thankfully - to his vampire. "I expect more from one of mine, than to be tempted into a show of useless aggression by one so young." Hmm. Young. Nice going, Michel. Is it any wonder I don't visit your wife too often?
I frowned at the twitch of his lips. I was certain he couldn't read my mind, so I was giving myself away in some other fashion. I took a small breath in through my nose and was instantly met by sticky toffee. Yeah, Michel was amused with me. I shook my head. Stuff this. I didn't have to stick around to watch the master and his vampire have it out. I wasn't part of his line, I didn't have to jump when his magenta clad eyes fell on me.
I turned to Samson. "You ready?" He nodded, his eyes flicking back up to Michel and Marcus over my shoulder. I ignored his obvious attempt to direct me back to the problem at hand. "Good. Let's go then."
I started heading towards the stairs, Samson, after a brief pause, followed behind.
"It's been fun, Marcus!" I shouted, not turning around to see the vampires still standing on the landing. "We should do this again sometime. Next time though, make sure daddy's not about to stop you."
I made it to the front door, confirming the shutters were up from a quick glance into the lounge, when Michel appeared out of thin air before me. I yelped, embarrassingly, Samson pulled me behind him in a flash and Michel just smiled. An amused, beguiling smile. He held my gaze for a second and then slowly opened the door at his back. Holding it open for us as we both walked out past him. His Sanguis Vitam brushed against me as I slipped by, wrapping around me and for a split fraction of a second holding me still.
It was over so quickly you could be forgiven thinking nothing had happened at all. But it was just long enough for me to know how powerful Michel was. A reminder that I was only a level four master vampire and he was something entirely more powerful than that. My beef hadn't been with Michel, but I was guessing he didn't like being called dad.
I flicked him a smile just as I crossed the threshold. I couldn't help it, I was the one now amused. His answering smile was barely contained. If I had to guess, Michel wanted to laugh, but was keeping up pretences for the sake of his vampire guard.
I had always wondered what Lucinda saw in him. He could be frightening, so powerful, so omnipresent. You knew exactly what he was capable of, and even then you'd have to double it to come even close to what he could do. But, right in that second, he let me see him. A small peek at the man behind the potent vampire. The man who held Lucinda's heart. For once I could believe there was more to Michel Durand than what he let the world see. For once I could believe Lucinda had access to someone altogether quite different than the rest of us.
All power to her. I just wanted to get as far from the place as possible and as fast as I c
ould possibly do it too.
Samson unlocked a Land Rover sitting out on the drive with a loud bleep from his key ring and before he had a chance to open the door I jumped into the front passenger seat. He didn't say anything as he settled himself in the driver's side and did up his seatbelt, it wasn't until we were several hundred metres down Tamaki Drive that he bothered to talk at all.
"Do you have a suicide wish, to antagonise Michel in such a way?" he asked, not shifting his attention from the traffic in front of him.
"It wasn't Michel I was antagonising and he knew it." Michel understood what had been going on, even if Samson didn't.
I fished out my cellphone and thumbed through my notes. I'd transferred some of the police file's most pertinent information to my phone so I wouldn't have to lug the manila folder about with me all the time. I quickly found Alison's address. An apartment in Parnell. I gave the directions to Samson and then settled in for the ride. I was quite prepared to travel in silence, but obviously Samson hadn't received my memo to that effect.
"Are you going to tell me what's really going on, Georgia?" I could have ignored the question, but he'd gone and used my full name. I really hated my full name. I let Jett use it, because, well, he wasn't a friend. Likewise, Aliath. Plus, I figured you couldn't get the fairy prince to loosen up a little if you tried. But Samson knew better. He was baiting me, trying to get me to reply, even knowing I wouldn't want to go there.
I rolled my head on my shoulders and gave him a simpering smile, but didn't bother to answer the question. He sighed unnecessarily and continued driving in silence for a while longer. Once past Mission Bay he decided to give it another try.
"You turning up last night was not simply because of Jett discovering what you are, was it? You know you can talk to me, Gigs." Great, gone from full name to the nick-name of my nick-name in under five minutes. Well done. "I will always hold your secrets true. You can trust me."
Mixed Blessing (Mixed Blessing Mystery, Book 1) Page 15