by A. C. Arthur
“This is a recent kill. Blood smells fresh.”
“Why’s she hanging over the counter this way? Did he try to drag her before ripping her throat out?” She was asking the question out loud, but that was fine since they were standing pretty close to each other. The only other person near them was snapping pictures of the body and he’d just moved around to the other side of the counter.
Aiken knelt down and Mel followed his lead. “How’d you know it was her throat that was bleeding?”
“It’s a lot of blood. Splatter range screams jugular.” She was good, experienced in taking in details of her surroundings, even if she wasn’t using any magick to do so. He already knew all of this and tried to relax and let their partnership flow the way it had so easily years ago.
“So the bite was meant to kill, not change her.”
She shook her head. “He doesn’t need more normal vampires. They want the ancients.”
He disagreed. “They want the vampires to rule, no matter what, which means the more the merrier.” Long straight black hair hung down from the body but didn’t touch the floor. Natalia had been wearing a deep purple dress, silver rings were on each of her fingers, and her nails were painted a vivid pink.
Mel leaned in a little, looking around the back of Natalia’s neck to where a gold chain was still hooked. “What did Bleu say about all this when you called him? Did he mention anything else about the others that’ve been found?”
The call he’d received seconds after she’d asked a question that was undoubtedly designed to start another uncomfortable conversation between them had come from Isla, the techie Drakon who lived at the Drakon office headquarters in downtown Burgess, called the Tower. He hadn’t lied to the enforcer; they had tripped the alarm upon entering the store. Isla monitored all systems they installed and she also knew the location was owned by a witch. “Not to me. Bleu was going to call Isla to get the details from her since she was the one who thought to search for any other preternatural deaths. All I know is the other two are also in this area and were gruesome kills, lots of blood. Vampire signature.” Just like the number of others that had been popping up in the past month.
“I don’t understand, is Isla a psychic? How’d she know there would be others?”
“No. Isla’s Drakon power is mimicry, which is kind of similar to yours but she can only take on human forms. Ziva’s the clairvoyant.” He shook his head so as not to get off track. “But Isla designs systems that constantly monitor preternatural activity and since we just visited the witches two days ago, she did a search and found the other two dead bodies.” Still speaking in hushed tones, he followed her gaze, and was about to use his power to move the chain from Natalia’s neck into his hands so they could examine it later in the truck, but approaching footsteps stopped him.
“Care to share what you’re down there whispering about? And who sent you here?”
Locking gazes with Mel and silently telling her to go along with whatever he said, he began to rise slowly. She followed, clearing her throat when they were both standing and staring at the man dressed in a navy blue suit, white shirt and blue tie. He was Aiken’s height, olive skin tone and discerning sea green eyes. This was the detective.
“Aiken French from Legion Security. We installed and monitored the security system in this store. Natalia was one of our best clients.”
“Considering the circumstances, that’s not speaking too highly of your product, Mr. French.” So he was taking the arrogant authoritative route. As far as enforcers went he was probably smarter than average, which was why he had the title. Still, Aiken was not impressed.
“The alarm wasn’t triggered until twenty-seven minutes ago. Heat signatures that showed up on our monitoring devices identified five entering the premises.” He nodded across the room. “You and your team equal five. That means whoever was in here and did this was let in and undoubtedly left before your arrival.” He wasn’t here to share information or to help this guy do his job. Collecting information that might lead them to Duncan sooner was the priority. It was obviously too late to save Natalia.
A few seconds of stilted silence followed before the detective turned to Mel. “You his sidekick?”
“No, Detective Posner, I’m his partner. And you’re not wearing those cute little booties you have such a large supply of over there. Tracking bloody footprints throughout the crime scene is bound to be problematic.”
Aiken didn’t bother to look down. He hadn’t picked up on that detail but chuckled inwardly at the quick flash of irritation in Posner’s eyes as he was caught off guard.
Ignoring his embarrassment, the detective narrowed his gaze at Mel. “How do you know my name?”
She stepped closer to him and flicked the narrow silver name tag clipped to his lapel. “You wanted me to know.”
With a look of confusion Posner watched Mel walk past him, heading deeper into the store.
“Well, I don’t care who you are or how you came to be here, this is an official crime scene and you’re not a part of law enforcement.”
He’d figured this statement was coming. What he hadn’t banked on was how Posner’s gaze stayed transfixed to the sway of Mel’s ass as she walked in front of both of them now.
Rolling his shoulders, Aiken adjusted to the beast’s irritation and continued. “If you don’t mind, we’ll just look around to make sure nothing’s been stolen.” He retrieved his phone from the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled up a screen that looked like an inventory list. “We can be finished shortly, but we have to gather this information for the insurance company.”
Mel was no more than ten feet away from them at this point, standing in front of a set of shelves that held clay pots. She knelt down, the hipster leather jacket Ravyn had loaned her rising up a bit in the back so that the rich hue of her bare skin revealed a line of stars beginning at the base of her back and marching all the way around her waist. Aiken stilled, his beast taking over, pressing against him with a deep guttural moan.
Posner no doubt heard the sound, but was mesmerized by the sight, as well, and took a few seconds before turning to look at Aiken.
“What are you really looking for?” It was too late to curse the momentary loss of control, now he had to deal with the detective that was no doubt suspicious.
Placing a hand over his stomach, he shook his head. “You ever eat at the Diner on Grand Road? Man, their food’s good going down, but after that, I don’t know.”
The detective didn’t look fooled, but Aiken didn’t care. Mel was standing beside them again.
“I don’t think anything was stolen. Which means she not only let her killer into the store, but she probably knew him personally. This definitely wasn’t a robbery. Nothing’s out of place.” She was talking and looking around as if she still needed to make sure what she was saying was accurate. Aiken knew she’d seen all she needed to see, including whatever it was that had been on that floor that she’d knelt down to pick up.
“We don’t have any suspects at the moment. Did your client mention anything to you about owing somebody money?” The question may have been asked of both of them, but Posner’s gaze was stuck on Mel. And dammit, the smile slowly spreading over her face said she was enjoying the attention.
“What makes you think she owed somebody money? Is Burgess known for gangsters who kill when they can’t collect?” she asked the detective.
“We’re known for a lot of things,” Posner replied.
“Really? Like what? Murder?” She’d stepped close to the detective again, looking up at him as if she were game for whatever the guy may have been thinking about her.
From where Aiken was standing, and the quick punch of lust that look on her face delivered to him, he could just imagine what Posner was thinking. He was gonna strangle her the moment they got back in that truck.
Posner shocked them both when h
e reached out a hand to touch Mel’s hair. It was an odd move, one that had Mel narrowing her eyes at the guy, mouth turning from the smile to a frown, which said she was probably about to cuss him out.
“Some say Natalia Gionni was a witch,” Posner said, his gaze locked on Mel. “Do you believe in witches? Um, I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”
“I didn’t give it to you,” she whispered and took a step back. “Witches, huh? No, I don’t think I heard anything about that.”
He stepped in now. “Do you believe in magick, Detective Posner?”
Posner returned his gaze, the corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. “Doesn’t matter what I believe. All you need to know is that I’m going to find out who did this and why. So if you know anything, now’s the time to talk.”
Aiken held up his hands as if in defeat. “Nah. We only know security systems. Murder and magick are your thing, Detective.” His sarcasm was met with a full-on scowl and Posner nodded to someone behind Aiken.
“These two are just leaving,” Posner told the other enforcer, who came at his beckoning.
Legal or not, Aiken wasn’t going to be rushed. “When I’m done—”
“We’re done,” Mel interrupted. “Come on.” She’d walked past him, heading to the desk, before he could say or do anything else.
The minute they were in the truck he glanced over at her. “When did you get inked?”
“What?” she asked when she was situated in the passenger seat and reaching for her seat belt.
He didn’t bother answering, but instead reached across the console until his hand was moving along the back of her waist. “This. When did you get it?” His throat was tight with the words because he could still see that wicked line of stars moving along her skin and had to bite down on the urge to ask to see more.
“Oh.” She jumped with the word, and he moved his hand. “Years ago.”
Years ago, like when they weren’t together. Had she gotten it for someone else? Did it matter? Hell yes, it did.
“What made you get it? Does it mean something specific?” If she confirmed it was because of another guy he was going to lose his shit right here in the parking lot across from the store where there was a dead witch.
“It means I wanted a tattoo and I like stars. Are you gonna drive or do you want me to?”
With a jerk of his arm, he found his seat belt and fastened it before starting the truck and pulling off.
“We need to get to the meeting with Montoy.” She broke the silence when he remained quiet after driving a few blocks. Attempting to get his mind right after the tag team of lust and jealousy was more difficult than he’d anticipated.
“That’s where I’m going.”
“No. I mean, we need to get there because I want to ask him why this was in the apothecary shop.” Out of the corner of his eye he could see her pulling something from inside her jacket and when she dropped it on the console, he cursed.
It was the purple and white Royal Blood flag.
Fifteen minutes later Aiken pulled into the same parking spot as he had two nights ago. He switched off the ignition and unclasped his seat belt.
“Montoy won’t be alone. His closest guards are called centuries. We used to just call them guards, but Enes corrected us. They’re fast, strong and lethal. I’ve heard that some of them can even manipulate thoughts. Montoy definitely has this power, along with the ability to shift into a giant bat on command, but he reserves all his powers, allowing his centuries to do the dirty work.”
“So keep my eyes open and don’t piss him off.” She unsnapped her seat belt and grabbed the flag, stuffing it back inside her jacket.
“Keep your eyes on him at all times. The centuries do nothing without his command. This is your first time seeing him, so I want you to take in everything about him. His scent, his stance, the number of hairs on his head. You need to know him the way you know any other target.”
“I know how to assess a situation, Aiken.” Her tone seemed off, like she might be exasperated. With him, personally, or this job, he wasn’t sure, but she’d been like this the night they’d visited Riya as well. “But you know, Montoy’s not the target, Duncan is,” she continued.
“Duncan needs him and he needs Duncan. We need to know why specifically and knowing everything about Montoy might help. So pay very close attention to everything and let me do the talking.” That’s the point he was really trying to make. Having watched Theo deal with Montoy the one and only time the vampire had stepped foot in the Tower to meet with them, Aiken knew how conniving the bastard could be. Montoy liked to hear himself talk and inevitably said something out of order. Aiken was ready for that and he had permission to use his best judgment in dealing with the vampire.
“Got it.” Two simple words mumbled seconds before she opened the door and stepped out into the early evening air. Impatience rolled off her in waves. He got out of the truck and circled around until he was standing next to her.
Without a second’s thought he grabbed her hands, holding them in his as he stared directly into her eyes. “I know seeing Natalia’s body bothered you.” She hadn’t said anything in the apothecary, had actually kept her composure very well, but he’d noticed the slight tremble of her mouth as she’d knelt beside him near the pool of blood. He’d heard the tiny hitch in her voice when she’d directed him to leave after Posner’s smug-ass remarks. “We’re gonna get them, but we have to take the right steps. There’s too much at stake to get this wrong.”
Her nostrils flared slightly as she inhaled and slowly released the breath. “I can do this. I’ve been hunting for a very long time. You don’t have to worry about me.”
But she hadn’t pulled her hands from his and her bottom lip quivered just slightly when she finished speaking. He’d missed seeing her telltale sign of worry. Rubbing his thumbs over the back of her hands he nodded. “I know you can.”
“You do your part and I’ll do mine.”
“Let the beast do its part, Mel. It’ll help you if you just let it.”
Her head was shaking before he got the last word out. “I don’t need any help. I’ve been doing just fine on my own.”
Like a knife to his chest, her words cut to the quick and he tried not to falter. She hadn’t needed her beast, or him, so it seemed. “But that’s just it, you’re not on your own. It’s a part of you, all you have to do is let it out.”
“Can you just stop? For the rest of the night at least, can you just stop trying to craft me into what you want and just let me do what I’m good at? Damn!” She yanked her hands from his, stepped away and walked around him.
In that moment, the man heard something in her voice, something he’d probably missed that day she walked away from him eighty years ago. Courage. Not that he’d ever thought Mel wasn’t courageous and strong, but that had been in the field. Had he ever taken the time to really see that trait in her as a woman? He was still reeling from the cold punch of her words and the startling clarity it brought him when his beast expressed its discontent with the situation via a quick punch to his gut.
Looking over her shoulder as if to remind him they had a job to do, she called to him, “Let’s get this over with.”
Making sure the doors to the truck were locked, he started behind her, thinking he wanted to get this over with as well. They’d worked together before, been partners as well as lovers for two years, but today, now, the last two days felt different. Mel was different in ways he hadn’t anticipated, not that he’d ever expected to see her again. How was he supposed to react to that? To her? He’d sworn he’d never let another woman get his mind, heart and soul twisted again and here he was, about to go into a dangerous meeting with his beast chasing after her and his mind telling him to back off.
Gritting his teeth as they walked up to the front gates that led to the Royal Blood house, he warned his beast to get it together.
Now was not the time to go bonkers over a female like he was a sixteen-year-old virgin.
Two men dressed in black tuxedoes came to the gate, watching them with solemn faces as the gates opened. These weren’t vampires, they couldn’t be. It was just a little before five on a January afternoon and while the sun was known to set earlier during the season in Burgess, it wasn’t totally dark yet. They were outside without any problem.
With one last glance at Mel and her nod of agreement, they walked through the open gates and kept going even after hearing the gates close and lock in place behind them. His beast was present in every step he took, the surge in adrenaline buzzing through his veins was proof. It wanted her, of that there was no doubt, but she’d just told Aiken in very clear terms to cut it out with the dragon talk, so he kept his lips shut tightly. As they came up to the stairs that would lead to the double-wide wood doors, the beast surged forward in a way that had Aiken stumbling.
It began with a sensation like something was growing, from his ankles up his calves and into his thighs, it moved and stretched until his fingers wiggled. Beside him, Mel stopped and looked over at him.
“What are you doing?”
He heard her question but couldn’t reply. His beast was giving her the answer as it continued to reach out to hers.
“Stop it,” she said through clenched teeth but he couldn’t. The beast had never dominated him like this before and he struggled to pull it back, to end what he could tell from the grimace on her face was uncomfortable to her as her beast responded to his.
When she stomped up the steps ahead of him, Aiken jerked back with the force of what felt like a door being slammed in his face. The beast shirked in the background, thoroughly chastised and rightfully so.
“Jerk,” she murmured when he finally came up the steps to stand beside her.
He could’ve apologized. Could’ve tried to explain that in those moments he hadn’t been in control, that he planned to honor her wishes and stop pushing her, but that would’ve been talking about dragon stuff again. Besides, he needed her to stay focused on the matter at hand. With quick steps he warned his beast and tried to get his head back into the plan.