Darkened

by S. L. Gavyn

  Gods he was just as good looking when I was sober as he was when I was drunk. He wasn’t wearing any liner tonight and his hair wasn’t as spiked up. It actually fell partly in his eyes. He, also, wasn’t wearing solid black. He instead had jeans and a t-shirt on, and Gods did they look good on him.

  I could tell by Luke’s response that the symbol was Jared’s name so I looked back at Luke.

  “Thank you for your time, Luke.” I pulled out one of my personal cards and laid it on the couch between us then picked up the picture of Amber he had laid down. “If you can think of anything else, give me a call.”

  I held out my hand to shake his, but he didn’t take it so I shrugged, got up and walked over to Jared.

  “Jared, I would like to ask you some questions regarding an investigation I’m currently working on for the Human’s Rights task force.” I showed him my badged.

  He just looked at me for a moment before saying, “Sure Avery, come back to my office.” Then he motioned for me to go first out of the room.

  Once in the hall, I let him guide me to a door further down the corridor. He opened the door, and I walked in and had a seat in front of the desk while he sat behind it.

  “Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

  “No, thank you. Would you prefer me to call you Jared or,” I looked at my notes then back at him. “Mr. Damascus during this interview?”

  “Oh, I think we know each other well enough to be on a first name basis. Don’t you?”

  I ignored his innuendo.

  “Alright.” I pulled out the picture of Amber and showed it to him. “Do you recognize this woman?”

  He looked at the picture for a moment before answering.

  “She doesn’t look familiar.”

  “Are you sure? Maybe a groupie or a one night stand?”

  He looked me in the eyes. “I don’t do one night stands.”

  I raised a brow. “Surely, you don’t expect me to believe that.”

  “It is the truth.”

  “You’re saying that if I wouldn’t have stopped things the other night, you would not have had a one night stand with me?”

  I didn’t really want to bring the other night into this, but he was blatantly lying to me.

  “Oh, it would have lasted longer than a single night,” he said as he looked me up and down.

  “Okay, maybe she was a two or three night stand?”

  I was purposely not picturing him hot and sweaty for three nights straight.

  “I remember every woman I have been with, Avery, and I’m telling you that I was not with her.”

  “Very well,” I showed him Stephen’s photo. “Do you recognize him?”

  So help me Gods if he tells me no, I’m going to punch him.

  “That’s our sound board guy, Stephen. Did something happen to him?”

  “He’s dead. As is the woman. Both were last seen here at Halo. Why did Stephen’s friend cover for him last weekend?”

  “He went on vacation. His friend lives in Tennessee, and he was supposed to leave to go see him almost two weeks ago. He brought Kyle in to sub for him until he got back. When was he killed?”

  “The same night he was last seen here. Why is it that his boss at Leon’s Coffee knew nothing about this vacation?”

  “I had gotten him a job as DJ before and after the show on the nights we performed. He said he was going to quit the coffee shop since he wouldn’t need the money anymore.”

  I nodded. “Were you romantically involved with Stephen?”

  It made sense. Stephen was gay and had a thing for Jared. Jared turns around and arranges for him to get a better paying job.

  “You sure are concerned about my love life. Perhaps there is an ulterior motive,” he said with small grin.

  “I notice you didn’t answer the question.”

  “No, Avery. I am not romantically attracted to men. I knew Stephen was interested, but he knew I was not.”

  I nodded and looked at my notes.

  “Do you know why anyone would want to kill him?”

  “No clue. He was a good guy.”

  I pulled up the picture of his symbol on my phone and showed it to him.

  “Do you recognize this symbol?”

  He looked at it then back at me. “Why do you have my name on your phone?”

  “It was written in Amber Lambert’s blood on the wall of her crime scene.”

  “Was anything else written?”

  “That is classified information. Do you know why anyone would kill a woman who was last seen at a club you work at and then write your name in blood on the wall next to her?”

  “I have no idea, but I would very much like to know.”

  “So would I. Is there any other information you can think of regarding these murders?”

  “No, I don’t know anything else.”

  “Are there many people who are familiar with your Angelic symbol?

  “Yes. In the Kingdom I was very well known, and we place our symbol on almost everything we own.”

  He reached inside the neck of his shirt and pulled out a necklace with a pendant of the same symbol. The necklace looked similar to one my mother had left me. I kept mine in a jewelry box at home though. Maybe my mom knew an Angel once upon a time.

  “Other than the members of your band, are there anymore Fallen in the area that you know of?”

  “Not that I have heard. Perhaps the person who killed these people was just trying to blame it on a Fallen.”

  “Or perhaps another Fallen has a problem with you, is killing people and trying to place the blame on you.”

  “I assume you have already checked my magic sample and verified that I am not the killer.”

  “As well as the other four band members.”

  He nodded.

  “Alright.” I pulled out one of the generic cards that has the number to the station on it. “If you think of anything else, call this number.”

  “And you can call me if you need to talk to me. I must say that I have wondered why you haven’t called me already.”

  Okay, I need to nip this in the bud.

  “I am sorry, Jared. You seem like a nice enough person, but I am not interested in you in an intimate way.”

  “You seemed to be pretty interested in me Saturday night.”

  “I also seemed to be pretty drunk Saturday night, and now that I’m not, I am also not interested.”

  “I see.”

  “I do thank you for the flowers though they were lovely.”

  I got up to leave. I would find one of the other band members and interview them.

  “What flowers?” he asked.

  Was he kidding? I turned back to look at him.

  “The flowers you sent me.”

  Does he send flowers to so many girls he can’t remember who he sent them to?

  “I didn’t send you flowers. Maybe it was one of your other admirers.”

  I gave him a look like he was mental.

  “You didn’t send me flowers that had a card that said ‘Can’t wait to see you again. J’? That seems like quite a coincident since you are the only man I’ve made out with recently whose name starts with J.”

  “I assure you I did not send you these flowers. Although I will send you flowers if it would make you interested,” he said with his brows raised.

  “Ha ha. I suppose the delivery guy gave them to the wrong girl. Although, he did ask for me by name.”

  Jared was looking at the picture of Amber on his desk then he looked at me.

  “When did you say this girl went missing?”

  “Sunday. But, she wasn’t killed until last night. Do you remember her?”

  He shook his head. “When did you get flowers?”

  I sighed. Like he didn’t know. “Sunday.”

  “Is it a usual occurrence for a delivery guy to show up at your door?”

  “It isn’t a usual occurrence that I get a delivery. But no, all deliveries are supposed to be
checked in at the main desk and a security personnel delivers them to the tenant.”

  “What did this delivery guy look like?”

  “I don’t know. Dark hair and eyes. He had a scar running down the left side of his face and a piece missing out of his right ear. When he left, he walked with a limp. I didn’t catch his name or anything. Why?”

  I know that sounds like a lot but part of my job is to be observant so I never forget a face or any other pertinent information.

  Jared seemed lost in thought.

  “Earth to Jared. Why did you want to know about the delivery guy?”

  “I was just wondering how you could get flowers from me when I didn’t send them. Perhaps one of my friends was trying to help me out with you and sent them for me.”

  I raised a brow. That sounded like total BS.

  “Anyway, I’ll let you get on with your investigation. I believe Zach is here. I’ll give him a call and have him meet you in the same room you talked with Luke.”

  He grabbed his phone and dialed a number then told the person who answered to meet me in the game room. He hung up and walked around the desk toward the door. I took the photos I had handed him earlier then followed him, but he didn’t open it. Instead, he looked at me for a moment.

  “The reason you’re not interested doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that I’m Fallen, does it?” he asked.

  “No Jared. I washed your phone number off my hand the morning after we met. I didn’t know you were Fallen until today.”

  That was the truth, just not the whole truth.

  “I see. Well, good luck with your investigation, Avery.”

  He held out his hand and I put mine in it to shake. Instead, he pulled my hand to his mouth and kissed it. I quickly pulled it back, and all but ran out the door.

  ************

  Jared didn’t want Avery to leave but he needed to get her out of the room so he could think. He hadn’t had a chance to introduce her to Zach on Saturday, and he hoped the promiscuous Fallen kept his hands to himself.

  Someone killed Stephen then apparently kidnapped a woman who just happened to look a lot like Avery and killed her too. He would bet it was the same guy who delivered the flowers to her. Who had he pissed off enough to start killing people he knew? It was obvious they were sending him a message. He needed to know what else was written on the wall and then he needed to make arrangements to protect Avery. He went back to his desk and picked up the phone. He had a call to make.

  Ten

  I got back to HQ about an hour later. My interview with Zach Taylor was a total waste. He didn’t have any more information than Luke did, and trying to get him to answer the questions instead of him trying to get me naked was like pulling teeth. He had barely glanced at Amber’s picture when he responded with, “You’re prettier. Do you want to try out this couch?” then he waggled his brows.

  Of course my response was to tell him that I would gut him like a fish if he tried anything. My threat didn’t faze him. He just continued to hit on me nonstop until I finally gave up and left. I didn’t even bother giving him a generic business card. Knowing my luck, he would start calling me at work just to flirt. Given how he was, he could have slept with Amber Lambert and not remember it in the long line of one night stands. Neither of the other two band members were at the club tonight so I left word with Luke to have them call me to setup an interview. I also showed her pic to the bouncers as I was leaving but neither of them remembered her.

  I walked into Cop’s office to give him an update on the case.

  “Shut the door,” he said.

  I shut it behind me.

  “Here’s the info I’ve gathered on Amber Lambert and Stephen Wilkins. I still haven’t found anyone who actually saw Amber Sunday night, but I know that Stephen stopped by the club the night he died to introduce his replacement, Kyle Wallace, to Jared and show Kyle the equipment he’d be using. That was the last time anyone saw him. I called Kyle a few minutes ago. He said that he stayed at the club to get familiar with everything before the show and Stephen left, presumably to depart on his trip. He wasn’t seen alive again.”

  He nodded and looked over my notes. “Just talked to the mayor. He heard the killer might be after you next and has ordered you be guarded until he’s caught. One of your guards are on the way over now.”

  Huh?

  “What? How did the mayor even hear about this case let alone hear that I was in danger of becoming the next victim?”

  “He thinks the killer is after this lead singer and, through him, you. You’re dating this guy?”

  “Hell no. I don’t even know him.”

  “You didn’t go out with him Saturday night?

  “No. I went to the club with some friends, saw him there and talked with him. He gave us a ride home since we were going to have to call a cab. That’s it. I don’t see why anyone would be after me in an attempt to get to him.”

  Cop shrugged. “That’s what the mayor heard. He said something about the killer bringing you flowers. You know anything about that?”

  My eyes got wide. The killer brought me flowers? How would the mayor know that? I didn’t even know it.

  “I got flowers Sunday. I thought they were from someone I know,” I said as vaguely as possible.

  “From the singer?”

  “Yes. The note was from him.”

  “Mayor said it wasn’t.”

  How would he know the flowers weren’t from Jared? Unless he...

  “There’s your guard now,” Cop said.

  I turned and looked through the window that overlooked the rest of the precinct. Jared had just walked in. I turned back to Cop.

  “You have to be fucking kidding me. There is no way I am letting a Fallen act as my protection.”

  “It’s that or you take a vacation until this is over.”

  This isn’t happening. There is no freaking way.

  “There has to be some other way. Let me partner with someone temporarily. I can take care of myself. I don’t need some Fallen babysitting me.”

  “Killer knows where you live, Tywella. He’s already made contact once. Mayor gave the order. It’s either protection or suspension. Your call.”

  This is completely fucked up. It’s all Jared’s fault. Somehow he convinced the Mayor to allow him on board in this investigation. Fallen became Fallen because they got kicked out of the Kingdom. Almost always, the reason for banishment is because they killed a Human. The last thing I want was a known Human killer to protect me. Hello! Half Human here. I looked at Cop and knew there was no way I was going to be able to talk my way out of this one.

  “Fuck. I guess I’ll let the Fallen play guard. But, if he kills me, I’m going to haunt you.”

  “I would never allow anything to happen to you, Avery,” Jared said beside me.

  How the fuck did he manage to open the door and walk in here without me even hearing him. I know Fallen are supposed to be able to move around quickly and quietly, but that was crazy.

  “This was an A to B conversation, Jared.” I said his name like it was a curse word. Childish? Yes, it was.

  Cop looked at me and raised his brows before saying, “Play nice.”

  He can shove his nice. I really don’t like being pushed around. Usually I push back. Harder.

  I walked out of Cop’s office and went back to my own without saying another word to Jared. I grabbed my purse and keys then went back out to the lobby area. Jared was waiting for me.

  “You won’t need your car. We’ll ride in mine,” he said.

  “I’ll follow you.”

  “I am to guard you at all times until the Fallen who’s killing these people is caught. I can’t do that when you are driving one vehicle while I drive another. Plus, the killer has already been to your home he could have spelled your car.”

  I just raised my brow. This is going a little extreme.

  “If I leave my car here, I will be stranded without a vehicle in the event the kill
er comes after me.”

  “You won’t have to worry because I will be there to protect you.”

  “And you alone are supposed to protect me. What about when you are performing?”

  “I have a trained security guard who will protect you while you watch the show.”

  “Oh joy. I can hardly wait.” Sarcasm is my fall back every time.

  I walked past him toward the front entrance. My car is parked out back in the employee parking lot but I’m sure Jared parked in the visitors parking.

  I can’t help wondering why he would go to so much trouble. I stopped and turned on him once we were on the sidewalk.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Why what?”

  “Why are you doing this? I just can’t understand. I know you have no problem getting laid so why would you create such an elaborate scheme just to get me to bed you?”

  “Why do you think this is an elaborate scheme to bed you?”

  “Oh come on. The whole ‘I didn’t send you flowers. It must have been the killer’. Pa-lease. It’s obvious that you sent the flowers and are lying so that you can come in and play rescuer. The only question is, why?”

  “I assure you, Avery, I am not lying about sending the flowers. Your description of the delivery man had me curious so I went to your apartment and spoke to the guard on duty, and of course, he doesn’t remember any delivery for you Sunday night. I checked to see if his brain had been manipulated recently, and what do you know, it had. To my knowledge, there are only two races that reside on this plane that can manipulate a Human’s brain without a spell or potion. One is Vamp. Can you guess the other?”

  So that’s how he managed to park in the garage the night he brought me home. He manipulated the guard into letting him in. Does it work on me?

  “Did you manipulate me into kissing you the other night? Is that what happened?”

  “What!? No! I can’t use manipulation on you, and even if I could, I would never do that.”

  Sure he wouldn’t. Just like he wasn’t manipulating the whole situation right now.