Well, damn.
Larkin obviously saw her disappointment—or heard it in her head and grabbed her by the waist. “Listen, Farrah, you can come with me, but you can’t touch anything. Just like at Alan’s.”
She held her palms up. “No touching, promise, and I’ll be so quiet you’ll never know I’m there.”
Larkin looked at her quizzically and then they both burst out laughing at how utterly absurd Spencer’s statement was.
Chapter 12
The Hole.
It seemed to hold the key to everything and nothing. Both Eddie and Brian had matchbooks from the Hole and Eddie’s matchbook even had a number scribbled on it which led to a big, fat disconnected phone number.
Spencer sighed long and loud as she and Larkin sat in his car at a local burger joint and he finished eating his burger. “I don’t get it. How can it be that we found nothing? If these guys were gay, they hid it as well as Alan did.”
Larkin chewed and swallowed a big bite of burger. “Yeah, they did, so I have to go back and hang out some more at the Hole. See what I can see.”
Spencer shuddered. “I hate that place, it’s loud and obnoxious and creepy.”
“And your boyfriend Joffrey loves it.”
Spencer threw a napkin at him. “He is not my boyfriend, smart-ass. I ditched him. He called and I told him he was no life mate of mine and if I could smell I’d rather rip my nostril hairs out with my teeth than partner for life with him.”
Larkin threw his head back and laughed, holding the napkin over his mouth. “What happened to courtesy of the clan?”
Spencer snorted. “I told my dad he could be as courteous as he liked, but no way was I ending up with Joffrey. Dad was okay with it because he didn’t like him either. What I’d like to know is what Joffrey thought he’d accomplish by claiming to be my life mate and why? He’d never met me until the night of Alan’s wake.”
Larkin nodded. “Yeah, but you said that your life mate can smell you. How would you know he couldn’t?”
She bristled. What did he want, Joffrey to have her on a silver platter? “Yes, yes, my sniffer is on the blink, but out of the blue like that? Isn’t there some kind of warning before some guy comes along and decides you’re his? I mean, I don’t know. I’m kind of out of the loop in the life mate department.”
Larkin turned to look at her and put his arm around her shoulder. “If you don’t know I sure as hell don’t either and I’d like to see you on a silver platter all right, but not at Joffrey’s end of the table.”
Well, that was better. She knew it shouldn’t be, but it was. Spencer tried to ignore the heated caress of his fingers and the warm fan of his breath not far from her face. “It doesn’t matter anyway. Joffrey is history as far as I’m concerned. We need to find out what’s going on before someone else gets hurt and people start to get suspicious. There haven’t been this many deaths in all the time we’ve been in Easton.”
“We need to take care of something else, too.”
Spencer frowned. Now what? For crap’s sake, she couldn’t keep up with everything that needed taking care of. “Now what?”
Larkin grabbed her hand and gave her a serious look. His eyes were dark and mysterious. “This,” he said as he brought her hand to the place between his legs.
Oh, my. Warmth pulsed beneath Spencer’s hand and pressed against it, insistent and quite obviously voracious. “Look, mister. If you think for one second you’re going to distract me from my mission in this hunk of junk in the parking lot of a burger joint—you’ve got another think coming.”
“Hey, this is my set of wheels, baby. You’re supposed to be kind to it. It’s not so bad. She needs work, I’ll admit. But not bad. I get around in it. Now let’s work on my problem.” Larkin grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.
“In the parking lot of a burger joint? Um, no. I have standards—class—good breeding.”
Larkin’s hand moved to her breast, caressing it with persistence through her thin sweater. “It could be very romantic. Besides, you missed your teenage years where having sex in a car was all the rage. You haven’t lived until you’ve had sex in a car,” he coaxed, low and rumbling.
Spencer found herself leaning into his hand, large and hot against her cool skin. “What is romantic about this hunk-of-junk, Detective?”
Larkin leaned forward and grazed her lips with his. “It has me in it.” He slid his tongue over her mouth, tracing the outline of her bottom lip.
She responded by chuckling. “Couldn’t we be cited for a public display of lewd lasciviousness?” Spencer touched his tongue back, an arrow of heat shooting to the place between her legs, wet now with the idea of making love to him right here out in the open.
Larkin chuckled. “Nah, I know people in high places.”
She popped the button on his jeans, the hiss of his zipper echoed in the small space of the car. “Oh, well in that case, what’s the hold up?” She freed his cock and slid her hand over its length. Larkin moaned, but then grabbed her hand to stop her.
“Shit. Look, it’s Joffrey.”
Spencer’s head popped up and she snatched her hand away. “What?”
“Joffrey, he’s going into the burger place.”
Spencer frowned. Joffrey just didn’t look like a Happy Meal kinda guy. “What the hell is he doing in a burger joint?”
Larkin leaned forward and squinted. “Picking up some guy.”
Spencer leaned forward with him and gasped. “That’s Ethan!”
Larkin’s eyes shot to Spencer’s. “Your brother Ethan?”
She nodded wordlessly as Joffrey and Ethan exited the burger place and went to the back of the building. “What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t know, baby, but we need to find out. Joffrey’s a skunk. Maybe he’s crying in his milkshake over losing you to Ethan and he needs an ally?”
Somehow, Spencer didn’t see Joffrey as the kind of guy who would cry over anything. Besides Ethan didn’t know about Joffrey…”Ethan doesn’t even know about Joffrey, Larkin.”
She reached for the door handle, but Larkin grabbed her firmly by the back of her sweater, yanking her back against him. “Oh, no, Spencer, you stay the frig away from Joffrey.”
Spencer struggled against him and said through her teeth, “But he’s with Ethan and I don’t want him filling Ethan’s head full of shit about me. How many people do you suppose he would try to convince in my family that I’m his life mate?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t want you anywhere near him, got that, Farrah?”
“Fine,” Spencer spit, even if her insides were all aglow over Larkin’s protective stance. “But I plan to find out how Ethan knows Joffrey and I plan to find out soon. So don’t try and stop me, Kreskin.”
Larkin chuckled. “Me? Try and stop the big, bad vamp that is you? Never, but I do want you to be careful. Joffrey is a skunk and I can’t say why I know that. I can’t prove it, but I know it.”
Spencer’s skin crawled. “Yeah, he’s a skunk and he’s messing with my brother, who isn’t exactly at his best after Alan. He’s vulnerable right now and I’m not going to let Joffrey try to worm his way into my family by way of Ethan.”
“Go get ’em, tiger, and until then, let’s go work off all of your anger.”
Spencer giggled. “I suppose working off my anger involves getting naked.”
Larkin turned the key in the ignition and said sheepishly, “Well, yeah.”
* * * *
Larkin went off to play detective and Spencer spent the early evening tying up loose ends at the parlor. No bodies, no embalming, and frankly, she was grateful. She didn’t know if she could stomach one more vamp bite. She hadn’t seen Ethan all day and his connection to Joffrey was worrying her more with each passing moment. Spencer headed to her office to do some paperwork and maybe relax a moment or two.
Nudging her way into her office, she rounded her desk and plopped down in her chair. Leaning forward, she cradled her head in the crook of her arm.
God, this was exhausting. If she and Larkin didn’t find out who was whacking people vampire style, more gay men were going to end up dead. Spencer lifted her head and propped it on her wrist.
Then there was this whole thing with Larkin and how hot she was for him. If she had a heart she’d probably have a warm fuzzy. How could she possibly continue a relationship with a man who was not only human, but definitely not a permanent member of Easton? Larkin McBride was going to go home and leave her crying in a bowl of blood pudding if she wasn’t careful.
Forget careful. She was already there. She was already worrying about the time when Larkin would leave Easton and she’d have to get the dustpan to clean up the broken pieces of her heart.
But she didn’t have one of those. A heart, that is.
Cool. No debris.
But she did have the emotion that went with having a heart, and she certainly was experiencing all of the agony generally associated with a heart. Her belly was in an uproar and the idea of Larkin left her stomach churning.
There was too much going on in her head right now. She was worried about Ethan. She was worried about why Ethan was hanging around with a limp dick like Joffrey. Spencer tried Ethan’s cell phone one more time and got his voice mail. Where was he?
Spencer glanced at the picture of her and Ethan on her desk and smiled. He had to fess up soon to their parents about what was going on with him. She’d offered to be there when he did, but Ethan seemed to think there was a right time to share something like that.
As if there were ever going to be a “right” time to tell them he’d been lying all these years. Not that she thought her parents were going to freak, but fair was fair. He’d lied by omission to them all his life.
Okay, no more of this. It was time to go home and soak in a hot tub or something. Gathering her purse she slipped down the now quiet hallways of Polanski Brothers and made her way to the parking lot.
The drive home usually brought Spencer peace as she passed the local small-town scenery, but tonight she only felt disquiet and discord. Something just wasn’t sitting right and she couldn’t put her finger on it.
As she pulled into her driveway the unease grew thick and heavy in her throat. Spencer pulled her keys from the ignition and tried to shrug off her case of nerves.
Pushing her way into her apartment, she spotted a note on her kitchen counter from across the room and moved with fast feet to get to it. Maybe it was from Larkin?
Her fingers snatched the note up and the cause of her worry was verified.
The spineless motherfucker! How could they not have known?
A frown creased her forehead as she reread the note. A note from Ethan, claiming Joffrey had something to do with Alan’s death. Ethan wanted Spencer to meet him at the Hole and he’d explain. Okay, so why wasn’t he answering his cell phone if he was at the Hole?
Her stomach lurched as she used all of her vampire speed to change into jeans and a T-shirt.
Motherfucker, motherfucker, she and Larkin should have known. How was it that Sherlock didn’t know? He was the damn detective.
This was beginning to read like a bad mystery novel. Joffrey was the obvious suspect. Um, duh. When she saw Larkin that was just what she was going to say too. Duh…
Her mind raced as she gathered her keys again and headed for the door to go find Ethan. Was Joffrey the person responsible for the vamp bites on Alan and the others? Why the hell was he killing men and for what purpose?
Spencer shivered. Wait. Was Joffrey gay? Then why was he sniffing around Spencer and calling her his life mate?
Reaching for the door with haste, she yanked hard to find you-know-who standing on the other side.
Spencer narrowed her eyes. “What do you want, Joffrey?”
Joffrey’s thin mouth slipped into a smile that sent spider legs skittering along her arms. “You, of course, Spencer.”
Spencer cocked her head to look up at Joffrey and licked her lips. Calm—she must stay calm or he would know she knew. Spencer wasn’t sure what exactly she knew, but it couldn’t be good. “Well, ya can’t have me today, Joffrey,” she said nonchalantly. “I have a date, so if you’ll move…”
“A date with the detective, Spencer?” he asked as he spread his arms across the doorframe, blocking Spencer’s exit.
Instantly, she was angry. This freaky nut-job was not going to keep her from finding Ethan and figuring out how Joffrey fit into this mess.
She was a GD vampire, too, and if she had to, she’d eat his face off to do it.
Clearing her throat, Spencer said in a firm, almost not so shaky tone, “That’s none of your business. Please move, Joffrey. I have to go.” She spread her fingers over his chest and gave a shove, alas to no avail. Joffrey, skinny, pasty-assed pansy that he was, didn’t budge.
As a matter of fact, he was like a brick wall.
Hoo doggie, she was fucked.
“You know, Spencer. I’ve been thinking that you and I should spend some more time together. So why don’t you make this easy on me and step back into your apartment.” Joffrey’s voice was cool as an ocean breeze, yet tight as a coil ready to spring.
This was bullshit. Spencer Polanski was a vampire and she didn’t have to take this kind of crap. She’d just whack him one. Yeah, she was tough, even if she didn’t exhibit that very often. She’d made Larkin whimper. She’d do the same with freak boy here.
Splaying her hand over Joffrey’s thin chest, covered in a purple silk shit, she latched onto his silver tie, tugging it hard and pulling his narrow face down to meet hers. “Get the fuck out of my way, Twilight, or I’m going to kick your pasty, white ass,” she threatened through clenched teeth, letting her fangs pop out for extra threatening power.
Somehow, Joffrey didn’t look too impressed. As a matter of fact, his serene façade remained as arrogant as ever. This was looking bad, Spencer thought, just before Joffrey landed his first blow to her chest, sending her sailing backward and leaving her heaving for breath on the floor.
“You—fucking—asshole!” she screamed with a rasp as she scrambled to sit up and get her footing.
Joffrey planted his toe on her breast bone and pushed her back down, towering over her, but she grabbed his foot and hauled him to the floor beside her with a hard punch to the back of his knee, moving with speed to straddle his chest.
Joffrey opened his eyes, staring up at her with that same cool gaze he always had when Spencer planted her arms alongside of his body. “Ya wanna fuck, Joffrey? Get out of my apartment and don’t ever come back. You got that?”
“Oh, yes, Spencer, I got that,” were the last words Spencer heard before she felt the hard blow of the palm of Joffrey’s hand against her ear and was vaguely aware of the blur his hand was as it clapped against her head.
A tidal wave of sound pounded in her brain and the last thing she thought was she really needed to take Tae Bo or something so she could open up a can of whoop ass on Joffrey next round. He was a strong vampire, probably centuries old and she was no match for him—especially seeing as she didn’t whoop much of anything up but embalming fluid.
Her body began to wilt and she didn’t even have the energy to let her arms catch her as she fell over Joffrey’s body, still beneath her own.
Spencer’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and then a black void of nothing took over where the pain of Joffrey’s blow left off.
Chapter 13
Larkin tore into Spencer’s driveway, giving his old, white clunker an affectionate pat as he flew out of the car door and took the steps to Spencer’s apartment two at a time.
He’d known all along Joffrey had something to do with the deaths of Alan and the others. He just couldn’t prove it, but now he had an eyewitness who’d seen Joffrey and Alan leave the Hole together the night of Alan’s death. If nothing else, it was a start.
He’d questioned a bartender today who’d been on vacation when Larkin had first started asking around about Alan and now all he had to do
was find the freak and—and—well, he didn’t know and what at this point. How was he going to explain a vampire to the local police? How was he going to take on a vampire?
Hell, Spencer had nearly broken his wrist in the Hole and she was a girl vampire.
Larkin straightened suddenly, pushing his shoulders back. He’d be fucked and feathered if he’d ever admit that again—even in his mind.
Speaking of girl vampires, where was his girl vampire? Spencer’s apartment door was wide open and the small chair she had by the door was knocked over.
Wait a second…his girl vampire?
All right, Larkin admitted, he wouldn’t try to avoid what was in his gut and that was Spencer.
Spencer, Spencer, Spencer.
Spencer the vampire.
He kinda dug Spencer the vampire like no other chick he’d ever dug before.
So where the hell was Spencer the vampire and why was her door open and why was he worrying about being in love with her when he could smell trouble with his cop nose?
His pulse raced as adrenaline kicked in and he paused to think about when he’d last picked up any kind of signal in his head from Spencer.
She was coming here to her apartment to take a bath…
Where the hell are you, Spencer? And what the hell is going on? Were his mind reading skills waning? Why couldn’t he pick her up in his head?
Larkin spied a piece of paper blowing around on the kitchen floor and scooped it up, skimming it then crumpling it in his hand with a tight fist.
Rage, heavy and thick, coursed through his veins as he fought to regain his impartiality, allowing the cop in him to take over. He had to think clearly and that note told him he’d better do it posthaste.
Someone had taken her out of here by force. The struggle was evident. She’d never leave her door wide open, especially with everything that had been going on as of late.
Joffrey. It had to be Twilight. His gut burned with it.
But where would he go with her? Where would he take Spencer was what worried Larkin as his feet flew back down the steps and he jumped into his car.
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