“But they're after me.” Nicole knew she was fighting a losing battle, but dammit she had to try. This was her job, her life.
For a minute it looked like Catherine's eyes filled with sympathy, but then the boss-zilla side overcame and the scowl quickly replaced it. “What happened at the charity game was because of you Nicole. We cannot take the chance of another employee getting in the line of fire or one of the children in your care.”
Nicole hadn't thought of that or maybe she had and was just too selfish to see it that way. Confusion and a sense of loss hit her, feelings of defeat came at her in waves. “I don't want that to happen. I guess you're right.” God those words tasted bitter.
“Listen, as soon as this blows over and they catch whoever this is, your job will be waiting for you.” Catherine stood picking up her briefcase. “I'm sorry it has come to this Nicole, but it's not worth the risk.”
“I understand.” Nicole nodded, waiting for her to leave.
Boss-zilla had a few words with Mitch before Mitch closed the door to his office and sat heavily at his desk looking haggard. “Dammit!” He hissed, not looking at her.
“She's right Mitch.” Nicole looked up smiling sadly. “In all my standing up for my job I really didn't think what the consequences could be for others. I could never live with myself if something happened to someone here at work or God forbid, one of the kids. Just so much is happening so quickly I haven't thought it through. I'll just get my stuff and leave.”
Mitch stood with her. “Keep yourself safe until this bastard is caught. I need you here. The kids need you here.”
Nodding, Nicole stopped before walking out the door. “Who's taking my cases?”
Mitch stared at her for a long moment. “I am, so don't worry about anything and I will keep you informed on all of them.”
Turning quickly, she gave him a tight hug then without meeting his gaze she hurried out of his office before she could breakdown. “Thanks Mitch.” She called out. “And don't mess up my filing system.” She added the teasing remark although tears filled her eyes.
Once in her office Nicole stuffed as much as she could in a backpack she had in her office then left making her way to where Jared was. She better let someone know where she was going. She made enough mistakes by taking off and didn't want to cause more of a stir than she already had. Walking into the office where Jared sat at a table with files laying all around him, she cleared her throat. “Find anything yet?”
Jared glanced up rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Maybe.” he sighed. “Have you noticed that a lot of Chad's cases were older boys?”
Sitting down across from him she dropped her backpack. “No, not really.” Nicole frowned. “Why would that make a difference? I mean most of the cases we get are predetermined by someone else. Most of the time Mitch.”
“I understand that, but most of them have an addendum stating that he requested the older boys ages 13 to 17.”
“What difference does that make?” Nicole's troubles forgotten.
“Because the blood of a vampire becomes more potent the older the vampire gets.” Jared leaned back in his chair. “Have you ever tried Crimson Rush before?”
Nicole looked horrified. “God no!”
Jared chuckled. “I bet you'd drink Damon's.”
“And you'd lose that bet.” She snorted.
“He hasn't taken yours either?” He squinted at her.
“No.” Embarrassed she glanced away. Being with a vampire that didn't yearn for your blood was pretty much a confidence killer. God, how screwed up was she to want someone to want her blood. Ugh...she was truly losing it.
“Do you know that if you were to mate with a vampire it's for life and you would need their blood?” Jared watched her closely, a secret smile playing across his lips.
“I heard something like that, but that's just with vampires.” Nicole replied. She wanted to ask more, but didn't want to look too pathetic by wanting to know more about human and vampire relationships. “I mean a vampire and human can't be mated.”
“Nope.” Jared tried not to chuckle. He loved messing with this woman.
“Nope what?” Nicole frowned. “Nope I'm right they can't or nope I'm wrong they can?”
“I can see right through you Nicole.” Jared laughed shaking his head. “Nope you're wrong. We can mate with humans. It totally depends on our responses. Some call it magic if you believe in that sort of thing.”
“Well, I didn't believe in you guys, so magic doesn't seem so far fetched now does it.” Nicole grinned.
“I don't know what it is really and I have lived this life for hundreds of years. I do know when you find your mate it is like nothing you've ever felt. If we mate with a human our blood is their substance to keep them young and alive. If a human's vampire mate dies the human dies, unless she takes to another vampire.”
“Why not just turn the human?” Nicole wondered aloud.
“Not all humans live through the change so most vampires don't chance losing their mates.” Jared leaned back to the table shuffling through files.
“Have you ever found a mate?” Nicole asked curious.
Jared stopped in mid shuffle his eyes flashing straight to hers. “No, I haven't.” Jared replied. “Hopefully, before my time ends, I will have found that perfect someone. I've seen it with others and it is intense once they're mated. It's a love that nothing or no one can ever come between.”
Nicole sat in thought wondering what that would feel like to be loved like that by another person, vampire or human. She had never felt love in any fashion or form, but she knew her feelings were strong for a certain vampire and that scared the crap out of her. What if Damon found his mate? How would she cope with that? Feeling her stomach clench at the thought Nicole stood up wanting to change the subject. “Do you think you could take a break and take me home?” Nicole hated being a burden in any sense.
“What, you playin' hooky the rest of the day?” Jared joked, but seeing her face he turned serious.
“What is it Nicole?” Jared stood, walking toward her.
“I've been placed on a mandatory leave of absence. It seems I'm too dangerous to have around.” Nicole shrugged her shoulder hating the fact she was starting to feel sorry for herself and damn, didn't that rub her the wrong way.
“Ahhh...I'm sorry.” Jared placed a large hand on her shoulder. “Things just aren't going your way are they?”
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “As Mitch would say, my life has turned into a real shit storm.” Nicole grabbed her bag.
Damon pulled up on his bike as they were heading to Jared's car. “What's wrong?” Damon demanded watching Nicole closely. “I told you I would be back for you.”
“I've been put on mandatory leave of absence.” Nicole frowned, hating repeating the news over again.
Nodding, Damon didn't question it, which she fell a little more in love with him for. She really didn't want to talk about it. “Come on.” Damon replied making room on the bike. She swung her backpack on her back and climbed on.
Jared smiled with a wink at Nicole. Grabbing the helmet tied to the back of Damon's bike Jared placed it on her head, buckled it under her chin then tapped the top of it. “Cargo is ready to go.” Jared chuckled at Nicole's scowl.
Nicole wrapped her arms around Damon's waist pressing her face against his strong back. God, she loved the bike. She felt so free every time they rode it, like flying. Every time she ask him to go faster he would refuse saying he wouldn't risk getting her hurt which was sweet, but aggravating. Taking the old road next to the river Nicole watched the passing scenery trying to forget the last forty-eight hours of her messed up life. Wrapping her arms tighter around Damon's waist she decided to ask one more time. “Please go faster Damon.” She called out over the roar of the wind.
This time Damon shifted and they were flying down the road, the scenery passing so fast she couldn't make it out anymore. Smiling, she let everything go at that moment except for the feeling
of the bike under her and the vampire in front of her.
Chapter 13
Damon opened the door to her apartment and did the 'all clear' thing as usual making her wait just inside the door. She dropped her backpack on the floor and waited to get that homey feeling she always got when coming home to her tiny apartment, but it didn't come and she was afraid it never would. Damon flashed back to her side in a second after checking every corner of her place.
“It's safe.” Damon glanced down at her intently.
Nicole nodded, walking further into her apartment glancing to the table, which had been empty since the break-in, out of habit. This time something was sitting on it. Curious Nicole took a few steps and stopped, her hand flying to her mouth. Walking quickly to the large bowl she looked down seeing two turtles lazily laying on rocks sunning under the lamp Damon had placed over them. Tears filled her eyes blurring the small turtles.
“I know it's not Ren and Stimpy, but....”
Nicole threw herself at him not letting him finish practically crawling up his body holding on tight, her face buried in his neck breathing in his scent.
He chuckled. “Ah...you're welcome?” He held her just as tight before gripping her hair gently in his fist pulling her head back to look into her intense watery eyes.
“No one has ever done anything like that for me before.” Her voice was raspy with emotion, cracking at the end. “Thank you so much.” Since her legs were wrapped around his waist, his arm tucked around her holding her to him, she took both hands cupping his face lightly kissing his full lips.
Damon would get her a fucking zoo full of animals if this was how she thanked him, but his protective instincts hit full force and he eased away from her kiss and damn, wasn't that the hardest thing he'd ever done. Once with her was no way enough, but it was too dangerous right now to lose himself in the sweet body so temptingly wrapped around his. Slowly he eased her down his body. “What are you going to name them?”
Embarrassed heat colored her cheeks as he sat her away from him. “Sorry, I didn't mean to jump you.” She turned away. “Just wanted to thank you.”
Damon grabbed her before she could move away. “Honey, you can thank me any time.” He leaned down kissing her lightly on the lips. “But my main concern right now is keeping you alive and having you wrapped around me like that....well, let's just say protecting isn't what I want to be doing to you.” He flashed her some fang with the sexy grin he tossed her way.
Nodding with a smile Nicole glanced again at the turtles and knew without a doubt she had fallen in love with his man. “You hungry?”
His eyes roamed down her body slowly then back up his eyes darker than before. “Starved.”
Her hand rubbed her stomach while it did that funny floppy feeling it always did around Damon. “We have locks on the door you know.” Nicole walked over sliding the dead bolt with a loud click. “And didn't Sid put a sensor thingy around the windows and stuff?”
Damon's lips curved as he nodded slowly watching her under lowered lashes.
“I've had a really hard day with having to leave my job and I really need a friend right now. Don't you have special senses like Spider-man's spidey senses to know if the bad guys are coming?” Nicole was having fun watching Damon's eyes turn dark and hot as he watched her. God, to have a little power over a man like this was mind blowing. “That's kind of a turn-on you know. He could probably do all kinds of things to Mary Jane and still know if the bad guys were coming so he could protect her.”
“Spider-man's a pussy.” Damon growled, pinning her to the wall. His body caging her in, his head bowed next to her ear. “You're playing with fire human.”
“I like fire vamp.” Nicole's husky reply brushed across his chest.
Tipping her face up with his finger under her chin he smiled down at her. “As much as I would love to take you against this wall I'm not going to.” His smile grew and he chuckled at her moan. “Listen and listen good little human. It's too dangerous and not worth the risk. I am here to protect you.”
“Are you serious?” Nicole frowned. “Here I am offering myself and you're turning me down. What was all that 'I'm starved' and looking at me like I was your favorite dessert?”
“I'm not turning anything down...just taking a rain check.” He leaned down to kiss her, but his lips landed on her ear when she turned her head.
“I don't give rain checks.” Her pride huffed as she tried to walk away. “And I don't like to be teased.” Especially when she wanted him so damn bad.
He grabbed her arm pulling her back against the wall. “I wasn't teasing you.” His eyes roamed down her body. “I love looking at you.”
Nicole rolled her eyes with a snort, then decided she could tease a little herself. “I guess I'll go take a nice long hot bath.” Heat flared in his eyes and her belly tickled. He let her go, stepping back. “Help yourself to anything in the fridge since you're starved.” She tossed over her shoulder.
Walking slowly into her room she smiled. Ha.....suck on that vamp. Grabbing her shortest shorts and a cut off tank she headed to the bathroom. Running the hot water she stripped out of her clothes making sure the door was cracked open just a tiny bit. Yeah, she was evil and proud of it. The way he was looking at her earlier had made her want him so badly and then he turned all big and bad protector on her. Yeah, well, two could play the tease game so she made sure she walked back and forth in front of the cracked door as many times as she could...naked.
“Hey, could you put me a beer glass in the freezer to frost it up.” she called out and grinned when he grunted his answer. Stepping into the hot bubbly water, Nicole gripped both sides slowly easing into it making sure she moaned her pleasure loudly as the water crept over her body. “Ahhhhh God.....this feels sooo good.” Her husky voice echoed in the small bathroom flowing out into the rest of the apartment. At the sound of a glass hitting the kitchen floor Nicole slapped her hand across her mouth giggling. She had never been one to play games or act the 'hoe' as Pam would call it, but this was certainly entertaining. Never had she considered herself a desirable woman. Men certainly hadn't been knocking down her door. The way Damon looked at her sometimes made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world and it was a very nice feeling. “You okay?” She called out hoping she sounded concerned. A loud bang followed by footsteps heading toward the bathroom sent her sitting straight up.
The bathroom door banged open with Damon's massive frame filling the doorway glaring at her, his eyes dark as they roamed over her sudsy body. Grabbing the bottom of his shirt he pulled it over his head showing his sculptured body rippling as he threw his shirt behind him. Pulling first one gun out of the waistline of his jeans and then one out of the holster strapped to his ankle above his shitkickers, he placed one on the bathroom sink and the other on the toilet seat next to the tub never once taking his eyes off her. Kicking of his boots he unsnapped his jeans and jerked them off showing that he was commando which was sexy as hell. He growled as Nicole's eyes focused on his arousal, something she didn't get to focus on the first time they were together. Her tongue snaked out licking her bottom lip wondering what he would taste like.
“I have never wanted anything the way I want you.” He growled as he stalked closer. “If we die tonight it will be all on your head human.”
Nicole pulled herself up to kneel, making room for him. “Yeah, but what a way to go.” She sighed as he stepped into the warm water with her. As he sat he gripped her waist lifting her to straddle him. “What was that loud bang?”
Taking his eyes off her breast he grinned up at her. “I put your bookcase in front of the door so I could have time to get my pants on if someone decided to plow through it.”
Nicole's eyes widened before she giggled. “How sweet.” She wiggled, getting more comfortable, feeling more female than she ever had in her life when he groaned his head falling back against the tub. Taking full advantage, she leaned into him kissing his jaw working her way to his neck. “I love th
e way you taste.” She murmured against his skin as she licked her way down his neck to his chest taking a quick lick of his nipple. When he moaned, she went back and teased it with small bites before sucking it fully between her lips rubbing the pointy tip with her tongue.
Damon (The Protectors Series) Book #1 Page 15