Sealed With a Hiss

by E A Price

  Jessie gaped at him. “Your wife has a boyfriend and you’re okay with that?”

  “I’d rather not be married to her but… it’s complicated.”

  Yes, it always was. She’d watched enough Lifetime movies to know it was always complicated, and the married man never left their wife for a fling. “Whatever, feel better.” She started to walk away.

  “I don’t regret that kiss,” he called, his voice hoarse and uncertain. “It was… more than I could have imagined.”

  She stopped with her back still to him.

  “From the moment you came running into my office, I didn’t… I couldn’t breathe. Just the sight of you drives me crazy. And when you scowl…”

  Jessie turned to him, annoyed.

  “That – that’s driving me wild,” he gave her a crooked, almost shy smile.

  “Please,” she muttered, although a certain little beast was jumping up and down in happiness. She was wrong; he did want her. Maybe they could…

  “I spent the last two weeks telling myself the kiss meant nothing, but I was wrong. My marriage…”

  That was like a cold bucket of water. “Thank you for the promotion, Director Sanders.”

  He looked at her aghast. “Ms. Duchamp… Jessica.”

  Jessie felt like her insides were being torn. She wanted to coddle him. She wanted to stroke every one of his wounds… and then something else. But no, in spite of what he said – in spite of those words she desperately wanted to hear and made her squirrel squeal with excitement, she wasn’t about to fool around with mated males.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow. I hope you feel better.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Is there a reason you tried to kill Barry?” asked Juliet as she glided into Gerry’s office uninvited. Only vampires could truly glide, and it took a heck of a lot of practice.

  “By all means, come in,” sniped Gerry. He was just looking for someone to unleash his bad mood on. It was a shame that the first person through his door happened to be his boss.

  He hadn’t slept all night. Even shifting into his python and spending a few hours in the swimming pool hadn’t helped.

  For a moment, he’d allowed himself a glimmer of hope. He’d set aside all of his concerns, and he’d thought there was a chance that he could be with Jessie while still married to Edith. It was probably all the pain he was in; it gave him fanciful thoughts. Of course, any hope was quickly dashed, as Jessie had, quite rightly, turned him down. His snake was livid and demanded he go to her and what? Yell at her to change his mind. But no, he couldn’t do that. He’d already caused her grief; he couldn’t be the cause of more. She deserved better.

  Juliet poured herself a glass of whiskey. Vampires could drink at any time of day – alcohol didn’t affect them. He wondered why Juliet bothered drinking it at all.

  Gerry let out a long breath. “The rhino was making off-color remarks about an employee.”

  Juliet giggled musically. “Off-color remarks?”

  “They were inappropriate,” he ground out.

  “Just because I’m old Gerry, don’t feel like you have to talk fancy. Who was he talking about this time? Last time it was the Christmas party, he told me that Hester – the cheetah shifter - had an ass that wouldn’t quit and then some other stuff that doesn’t bear repeating. I believe he was drunk and didn’t realize he was talking to me. I had the crazy feminist from human resources yell at him for an hour for that.”

  Talking about any female in the building in such a way was wrong. Talking about Jessie that way was suicidal. “It was a tech consultant.”

  “Oh, was it the young, female squirrel shifter you’ve seconded to your department?”

  Gerry fidgeted uneasily. “Yes, as it happens.”

  Juliet sipped the whiskey. “Yes, he mentioned that. He said you were stealing his employees for your own lascivious exploits. He seems to think you want to…” she paused and smirked. “He thinks you have designs on her.”

  “Barry’s a fucking pervert,” he snarled.

  “So we’ve finished with the fancy talk?”

  “This wouldn’t be an issue if Barry ran a decent department,” he said with only a touch of petulance. Well, it was true. The department virtually ran itself until Barry came along and fucked it up.

  Juliet looked at him with patient sufferance. “Yes, well, next time, how about you raise your concerns with me before wrapping your hands around his neck? As it is, I’m aware of the issues with the tech team, and we’re working on them. But I do agree with the idea of having a tech consultant for each team. You can keep the squirrel for now although technically she is still Barry’s. And you’re to attend an anger management class.” He frowned at her.

  “Don’t give me that look. At least you’ll have company. Your wolf shifter Cutter and your bear shifter Zane will be there – they really are a charming pair. One of the custodians caught the wolf getting into a fight with the snack machine again. Fifteen hundred dollars of damage because the machine ate his dollar – unbelievable! And the bear was making threats to that lawyer he’s been harassing – try talking to him about that, will you? If it goes on, the lawyer will bring legal charges and Hester doesn’t think he’ll have a leg to stand on. She also said that Zane ought to have his nuts hooked up to a car battery for his dumb behavior, but you needn’t mention that to him. And don’t worry, I’ll have Barry attend the class on sexual equality in the workplace again. I believe after the tenth time you get a free mug or something.”

  “It’s not funny,” grumbled Gerry. Disrespecting Jessie was not a laughing matter. No, growled his snake, it was a strangling matter.

  “No, it isn’t,” agreed Juliet. “Nothing about taking advantage of the females who work here is funny.” She sniffed. “I know how I would feel if it were me.”

  Gerry tried not to choke. She was by far the oldest vampire working at their branch. Physically there was no one faster or stronger in the whole building – probably the whole city. If any man dared try anything with her, he doubted the male would be in any fit state to even tie his shoelaces for the next six to eight years.

  “Just remember,” called Juliet as she walked out his office, “she is your employee. It’s one thing for the agents to go around sniffing and humping one another, but you have a duty of care, and she is just a young woman.”

  His snake rumbled. As if he would do anything to hurt her. Or at least, he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her intentionally. Unintentionally, he feared he already had.

  *

  Avery gave Gerry a mock salute as he entered the room. He rolled his eyes at the grinning lion shifter and then stilled at the familiar scent. He eyes sought Jessie; she was standing in the corner, finger poised over an iPad and her body was rigid. His python let out a mewl of longing that Gerry had never heard before, and probably never would again. Or at least until the next time he saw Jessie. His beast didn’t like to admit to having feelings, never mind tender ones.

  Her agitation at his presence was soon replaced with displeasure. Her face scrunched up, and he had the odd sensation of being a naughty schoolboy. “Should you be here?” she asked in a censorious voice.

  As nice as it was to know she was concerned for his health, he had to put a stop to that. Avery had already let out a snort; he didn’t want anyone to think that the little squirrel was mothering him. He made a non-committal sound and said, “How’s Gunner?”

  Avery beamed in a way that made half the males in the building swoon. “Trying to get out of the hospital. He’s pretty pissed that they're trying to keep him in. I expect he’ll make a break for it soon.”

  The lioness was a beautiful creature. Objectively, he added when his beast grumbled. He’d never been interested in her. And she really couldn’t hold a candle to Jessie, currently wearing a tyrannosaurus-rex t-shirt bemoaning how short his arms were. It was disturbingly sexy. Of course, it would probably look even sexier if that was all she was wearing in his bed. Actually, she could keep h
er glasses. They gave her a saucy schoolteacher look that, for someone who went to an all-boys school where even the faculty members were all males, was infinitely appealing.

  He turned so he didn’t have to see Jessie’s scowl. It was far too arousing for the workplace. “You wanted me to come down here because…”

  Avery grimaced and flicked on the monitors to the interrogation room. Zane was currently prowling around the room yelling at a young woman. She appeared to be angry, but the stubborn tilt of her chin told him she wasn’t about to crack.

  Gerry rubbed a hand down his face. “I thought we agreed that Zane wasn’t to talk to suspects.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Avery, weakly. “He brought her in and started on her before I got there.”

  “Who is she anyway?”

  “Miriam Quirk. Two months ago our wolf shifter victim, Dawson Howler, was arrested for raping her sister.”

  His beast growled. “What happened? I don’t recall that case.”

  Avery let out her own growl. “It never even got to us. The LLPD cop misfiled the evidence, and because the victim didn’t have a rape kit done, they said there was nothing they could do. The victim committed suicide a month later.”

  Gerry peered at the monitor, aware of Jessie’s eyes on him. “She looks human.”

  “She is.”

  “Yet, we think she is capable of subduing and cutting up a wolf shifter?”

  Avery shrugged. “She could have had help.”

  “Or she could have paid someone,” interjected Jessie. He turned, and their eyes met before she quickly looked away. “She’s been drawing money out of her account over the past month in small amounts. Nothing big enough to raise a suspicion, but altogether it comes to over fifteen thousand dollars.”

  “Good work,” he murmured.

  “Thank you.”

  “Wayne and Cutter are off trying to work out her movements for the past week,” said Avery, obliviously cutting through the tension. “Hopefully, we can either place her at the house on the night, or we have a witness to her meeting up with a hitman.”

  On the monitor, Zane threw a chair across the room. Avery bit her lip. “I’ve already been in there twice, but he won’t leave. Short of tackling him and dragging him out, he’s staying put.”

  Gerry nodded. “I’ll deal with it.” He dared a glance at Jessie and was thrilled to see that she looked impressed. Or maybe that was how he and his python hoped she looked. Well, it was a step up from disgusted, whatever it was.

  He strode into the interrogation room, and Zane stopped, stared at him a little off balance, and then glared, sulkily.

  “Forgive the interruption,” said Gerry, smoothly. “You’re needed outside.”

  Zane opened his mouth to argue but then snapped it shut as Gerry’s eyes flashed. He stomped out of the room and Gerry sat down opposite the leery looking woman.

  “Apologies, I’m Director Sanders. I take it you already know why you’re here.”

  Miriam’s eyes narrowed. “That asshole who raped my sister is dead and instead of trying to give whoever put him out of his misery a medal, you’re investigating it.”

  Gerry’s expression didn’t flicker. “I am sorry for your loss.”

  “It’s because of people like you that’s she’s dead.”

  “Shifters?”

  Miriam blinked, and seemed a little off balance by his assumption. “No, I actually meant cops. If you people hadn’t fucked up her case, she’d still be here.”

  “I’m sorry, I assumed that because Mr. Howler was a shifter…”

  “My boyfriend’s a shifter. I don’t hate all shifters just because one was a complete fucker,” she snapped.

  Just all cops, he added silently.

  “Over the past month, you’ve withdrawn a lot of money from your account. What was that for?”

  Miriam scowled. “Checking up on me?”

  “You’re not a fool, Ms. Quirk,” he said blandly. “You know why you’re here. I’d rather you answer my questions, but you know I can’t force you. You are not under arrest; you are free to go anytime you want.”

  She shrugged. “I gave some to my boyfriend. He’s starting a new business. Some I gave to charity, some to my mother and some is for a holiday. I’m going now.”

  Gerry didn’t make a move to stop her, and she hesitated. “He probably would have done it again, you know? After the cops dropped the case, he saw my sister out on the street, and he just blew her a kiss and laughed.” Tears streaked down her cheeks, and Gerry thought he saw guilt in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by anger. “He ruined her life, and he thought it was funny.”

  “Where were you, on the night in question?” he asked softly, as he passed her a handkerchief.

  Noisily, she blew her nose. “At a bar, getting drunk off my ass. I was there all night. It’s called, ah, Aloha, I think… I was pretty drunk.”

  “Thank you for your time, Ms. Quirk.”

  She looked surprised before trying to pass him the handkerchief back. He held up a hand and silently told her to keep it.

  Gerry watched the young woman as she walked hurriedly down the corridor, trying to get away from Avery, who was escorting her out the building.

  His body tingled as he felt her approach. “You did really well,” said Jessie. “But then I’m sure you already know that and don’t need me to tell you.”

  He turned and smiled, his python turning to mush at the pink flush spreading over her cheeks. “I don’t think that’s true.”

  Jessie shook her head. “She told you more in two minutes than Zane got in twenty minutes. He stomped off down tp his anger management class. Not before time,” she added in a mutter.

  Gerry looked at his watch. “Yes, I believe I should also be in attendance.”

  Her eyebrows almost shot off her head. “You? Anger management?”

  “Believe it or not, we all lose control now and again.”

  “Well, yeah, but I wouldn’t have put you in the same category as everyone else.”

  He wasn’t sure whether that was a compliment or not. Thankfully, she didn’t dwell on it.

  “Avery called Cutter and asked him to check out this Aloha bar. I’m not sure if we’re going to be able to account for all the money she withdrew.”

  “Given how confident she was of her alibi, I’m sure that people will remember her being there.” Although that still didn’t rule out her paying someone to kill the victim.

  “Do you think she’s guilty?” asked Jessie.

  “Yes, but without evidence, I don’t believe she’s going to confess. As far as she is concerned, she has done the world a favor.”

  Maybe she had, his python thought, viciously. Vaguely, he was reminded of the case they had before Christmas - another case with a revenge motive. They were similar but different.

  Jessie looked at him expectantly. Say something, his beast urged. Get her to change her mind. Show her we’re worth all the baggage. He was going to; he was psyching himself up for it when his phone rang.

  He answered; it was Edith informing him that the cops had picked up her brother. This time, he was fighting with his girlfriend’s husband. Gerry had never known a more tempestuous python shifter than his brother-in-law.

  He turned back to Jessie and saw her scurrying away. She must have heard Edith’s voice.

  His python roared. Great, just fucking great.

  Chapter Nine

  “Jessie!”

  Her heart almost leaped out of her chest, and her squirrel let out a tiny growl. She clutched at her chest as a smiling Director Sayles somehow managed to sidle into her office. It wasn’t easy to sidle when you were built like a tank.

  “Oh, Director Sayles, you frightened me.”

  “I apologize, and please, call me Barry.” The oily smile directed at her didn’t look in the least apologetic as he tried to perch on the edge of her desk. It creaked ominously, but it didn’t deter him. “So, Jessie, how are you getting on? I always like t
o check on my staff personally.”

  Jessie took a sip of tea to try and stop herself from scoffing. According to Robbie, he went out of his way to not talk to any of the staff in his own department. He sent his assistant to pass on his asinine orders. Cora told her she only recognized him from seeing him the break room trying to aggressively flirt with some of the field agents.

  “Great, I’m really enjoying working here.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She hadn’t said thanks, and he actually had nothing to do with her being hired – something else he delegated – but she let it slide.

  His smile oozed. “So, how are you getting along with Gerry?”

  His eyes narrowed as she breathed in. He knows something; she thought in a panic. There isn’t that much to know grumbled her beast. “Well, I’m not really working with him directly, but we seem to get along well. Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, of course. Congratulations on your sudden promotion. Director Sanders must like you.” He added a laugh at the end, but the leer on his florid face said it all.

  “Well, you’d have to ask him that,” she replied, coolly. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get on.”

  His smile slipped an inch, and she sensed the anger beneath. She tried not to shrink away, but the urge was there. Her squirrel didn’t like the idea of being in a rampaging rhino’s way at all.

  Barry mumbled a goodbye and lumbered away. Jessie felt her tiny claws flex. She didn’t know why she was surprised. Of course, people were going to think she was sleeping with the boss. People preferred to believe that kind of thing – it was much juicier than the truth. It didn’t mean she had to like it.

  “Ugh!” she grunted, and her animal seconded that as she threw a marker pen across the room.

  “Jeez, what’d it do to you?”

  Jessie managed a half-hearted smile for Robbie. “It called me a dirty name. I’ve lost all respect for it.”

  He grinned. “So listen, some of the guys downstairs are going to the old arcade across town, apparently they’re decommissioning the old Pac Man machine. We thought we’d get pizza after.”