by S. L. Gavyn
“Is that how you got placed as my bodyguard? You mind whammied the Mayor into appointing you guard?”
“The Mayor is a Werelynx so I couldn’t manipulate his brain if I wanted to.”
“Then how did you manage to convince him that I was in danger, and you needed to guard me?”
“You are in danger. I just told you that the same Fallen that abducted a woman Sunday night and killed her less than twenty-four hours ago had come to your apartment Sunday and gave you flowers.”
“It sounds more like he wants to be my boyfriend than kill me.”
He just looked at me like I was mental. “My car is right here.”
He walked over to the passenger door and opened it. I really didn’t want to get in, but I climbed in anyway. What choice did I have? Jared apparently had friends in high places so if I didn’t cooperate, I would be kicked off the case, and I really want to find this guy.
Once I was seated, Jared closed the door then walked around to the driver’s side while I looked around the inside of his car. It was a Porsche Carrera. Of course he drove a Porsche. What arrogant, rock star Angel didn’t? Maybe he was trying to compensate for something else. The thought made me laugh.
“Care to share,” Jared asked.
“You wouldn’t want me to.”
“Try me.”
“I was thinking about how elaborate your car is.” I paused for a beat. “And, how you were probably trying to compensate for something else being less than proportionate.”
I started laughing again.
“I can prove to you that I’m not,” he said with a half-smile.
“You can prove it to someone else. I’m not interested.”
“So you keep saying. Me thinks the lady doth protest too much.”
“Luckily, I don’t care what you think,” I said with a smile.
He started the car. “We will stop by your apartment so that you can pack a bag.”
He started pulling out.
“Wait. No one said anything about me staying at your place. I assumed you would be protecting me at my apartment.”
“Well, you know what they say happens when people assume. I will be able to better protect you at my home. There are wards in place, and my roommates will be there to protect you as well.”
“Tough. I am not staying at bachelor central with a bunch of Fallen.”
“I thought you said you didn’t have a problem with Fallen.”
“No, I said the reason I was uninterested in you was not because you were Fallen.”
“So you do have a problem with Fallen. Do you think you are better than us?”
“I have a problem with people who kill Humans, and over ninety percent of all Fallen were banished because they killed a Human. So, yeah, I have a problem with Fallen.”
“You had to have known I was Fallen the other night yet you still made out with me.”
“I already told you that I didn’t know you were Fallen until today.”
“So you thought I was just a visiting Angel? You had not heard of our band before?”
“I didn’t know you were Angel at all. I knew you were some kind of Other but you didn’t feel like anything I had felt before so I wasn’t sure what kind you were.”
“What do you mean you had never felt anything like me before?”
“I’ve never met an Angel before so I wasn’t familiar with your magic.”
“But...” he looked over at me for a moment confused.
“Look, just take me to my apartment. If you don’t want to stay there, that’s fine with me. But, I’m not staying at your place.”
He didn’t say anything more as he drove to my apartment building. This time he didn’t even bother pretending to talk the guard into letting him in. He just stopped the car and as the guard approached he stopped mid-stride and returned to the guard shack. A moment later the gate lifted.
“I would appreciate it if you would not do that in my presence.”
“Do what?”
“Mess with people’s brains.”
“It’s not like I hurt him. It will be easier for me to protect you in the garage than it would be if I parked on the street.”
“I don’t care. It’s their brain, and you have no right to mess with it.”
“If that will make you happy, I will gladly avoid manipulating anyone while we are together.”
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’ll be happy, but I probably won’t kill you at least.”
He didn’t say anything as he got out and started to walk to my side of the car. I went to get out myself instead of waiting for him when he was opening the door. Damn, he was fast.
We rode the elevator then walked to my apartment. I unlocked the door, and walked in without waiting for Jared. I went to my bedroom and shut the door. If I couldn’t get rid of him, I would just pretend he isn’t here. I grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower, making sure to lock the door behind me.
When I came out half an hour later, Jared was lying across my bed.
“Get your crazy ass out of my bed,” I told him.
“It’s a little small, but I’m sure we’ll fit if we get close enough.”
I just looked at him like he had lost his mind. “What makes you think we will be sharing the bed?”
“I don’t see another one. Since I will be staying here with you, I will need a comfortable place to sleep. I’m sure I will be comfortable enough spooning with you.”
“You’re too funny. You will be sleeping on the couch.”
“Sorry, can’t do. Bad back and all that.”
“Sure. Well then, I suppose I could make you a pallet on the floor.”
“That is supposed to be better on my back?”
“I’m sure you will sleep a lot better in your own bed at your house. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Come on Avery. You know I can’t do that. The choices are: we sleep here in your bed together, which I am totally fine with, we go back to my house where there is a perfectly good guest room for you, or I can call Mayor Goodwyn and tell him how uncooperative you are being and that you need to be removed from the case for your own protection. I will still protect you though regardless of which choice you make. If I have to sleep outside your door, then I will.”
He rose from the bed and faced me.
“I’m sure that will feel great on your back,” I said.
“Look, I don’t want you off this case. I actually would like to help you in any way I can, but I won’t jeopardize your safety.”
“This might have escaped your attention, but I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. I’m a trained police officer not to mention an Other. I don’t need you.”
“I understand you are trained, but this is a full blooded Angel we are talking about. Not some half breed. You would not stand a chance against him.”
“You know nothing about my heritage or my power level so you have no way of knowing how much of a chance I would stand against an Angel.”
It took less than a second, and I was laying on the bed with Jared on top of me. He raised a brow at me.
“I knew I would like having you in the bed with me,” he said with a smirk.
“Get off of me now.”
He waited a beat then slowly started to get up. I’m really starting to hate this guy. Before he could get off of me completely, I kneed him in the groin and threw him off the bed. He hit the wall then fell to the floor.
“If you ever attack me again, I will kill you,” I said as he was holding himself on the floor.
It doesn’t matter what species you are. If you’re male, getting kneed in the nuts hurts. I started packing my bag. I really didn’t want to be trapped at his house but if he had a guest room then I could get away from him. Plus, I don’t doubt he will tell on me to the Mayor if I don’t do what he wants, especially now that I hurt his manhood.
By the time I had my bag packed and some tennies on, he had picked himself up from the floo
r.
“Ready?” I asked him sweetly.
“That was a cheap shot.”
“A, you shouldn’t have forced me onto the bed. That alone earned you the nut shot. B, you should always expect a woman to fight dirty. I know I always do.”
I blinked innocently several times.
“I’ll make sure to keep that in mind the next time I’m in bed with you,” he said.
“There will be no next time. I will agree to stay at your place if you will promise to stop hitting on me and respect my privacy.”
“I will promise to respect your privacy if possible, but I will not promise to stop hitting on you. I like it too much, and I think deep down you do too.”
“Well, you can think again. Let’s go. I’m tired, and I need to get up and get started early in the morning.”
I’m sure with his schedule he normally sleeps in, but if he’s going to play guard, he’ll adhere to my schedule.
“Then let us be gone from this place. Are you sure you have everything?”
I chose to ignore him again, and started out of the apartment. I locked the door behind me before riding the elevator back to the garage. Then we got in his car and started for his bachelor pad. I really hope I’m not making a mistake.
Eleven
The next morning I took my time getting out of bed when my alarm went off. I went into the attached bathroom, did my business, and brushed my hair and teeth. I left the bedroom and found Jared in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
“Hungry, Caru?” he asked.
“It’s Avery in case you forgot.”
He gave me a flat look. “I know your name.”
Guess he’s not too happy with me. Last night, when he showed me the guest room, I promptly shut the door in his face and locked it.
“What are you cooking?” I asked him.
It smelled amazing.
“Blueberry pancakes. Would you like some?”
“Absolutely.”
He handed me a plate then slid two pancakes out of the pan onto it. There was syrup on the bar across from the stove. I slid into a barstool and a cup appeared in front of me with coffee. He really could move fast.
“Would you like creamer or milk?”
“Creamer.”
He sat it in front of me.
“Thanks.”
I prepared my coffee and took a sip. It was good coffee. After covering my pancakes in syrup, I dug in.
“These are good,” I said after swallowing my second mouthful.
“What’s that? A compliment? Be still my heart.”
“Sarcasm is so unbecoming.”
“Ha! Says the woman whose very essence screams sarcasm.”
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s part of my very essence.”
“No, not your very essence but close.”
“If you say so.”
“So, what’s on our agenda today?”
That reminded me. I jumped off the bar stool, and went back into the room I was staying in. A moment later I returned with a sketch pad.
“You recognize him?”
I showed him the sketch I had drawn of the delivery guy. Jared looked at it for a couple of moments.
“You are a very good artist. This picture looks just like him. His name is Jael, and he isn’t a Fallen.”
“He’s not? So you’re saying he’s probably back in the Kingdom by now? Doesn’t the First Lord know when one of his kills a Human?”
“He is not in the Kingdom, and hasn’t been for a very long time. He left by choice.”
“Why would he want to do that? I thought all of you Angels thought the Kingdom was paradise compared to the Human realm.”
“All of us Angels do. It is paradise compared to here. Jael left because I killed his only son.”
“What?! Why did you kill his son?”
“He was killing Humans. He had been banished to the Human realm, and still he continued to brutally murder the Humans. I was sent to extinguish him. His father didn’t take his death very well. Instead of blaming the son for his actions, he blamed the First Lord and, more directly, me.”
“That explains why he’s killing people you know. Stephen anyway. Are you sure you didn’t know Amber Lambert?”
“We’ve been over this, Caru. I did not sleep with that woman. He must have killed her for her resemblance to you.”
“She didn’t really look like me, though. Other than the same hair and eye color and being around the same size there weren’t any other similarities.”
“He shows up at your door with flowers then turns around and abducts a woman a few hours later that happens to resemble you. You think that’s a coincidence?”
“We are just going to have to agree to disagree on this. I don’t know why he brought me flowers, but I don’t see why he would be after me in order to get to you.”
He just looked at me like I was dense then changed the subject.
“Would you like more pancakes, Caru?”
“The name’s Avery. Yes, please.”
I was just finishing my breakfast when Zach walked in wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.
“Lovely to see you again, Avery,” he said with a leer.
Jared cleared his throat.
“Zach,” I said as a reply.
“I apologize for coming on to you yesterday. I have seen the error of my ways, and will keep our relationship completely platonic. Unless you wish otherwise, of course,” Zach said the first while glancing at Jared and the last while looking at me from head to toe.
“She won’t so you have nothing to worry about,” Jared said.
“Just thought I would offer,” Zach told him.
“She doesn’t like Fallen. Apparently, we’re all psychotic murderers,” Jared said.
“I didn’t say you were psychotic,” I said defensively.
“I’m sorry. Just murderers,” Jared replied.
I shrugged. Hey, if the shoe fit. To my surprise, Zach shrugged too. I guess he doesn’t really care what I think.
Luke came down the stairs and headed for the fridge.
“Hey, Luke. How’s it going?” I asked him.
I think out of the three I like him the best.
“Good Avery. How are you? Did you sleep well?”
“I did thanks. Are you guys usually up this early?”
“Yeah, we don’t sleep very long,” he said with a shrug.
“Too busy playing video games?”
“Hey, don’t jank on the gaming.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. What’re you playing today?”
“COD Ghosts. It’s righteous.”
“Cool. I liked playing Nazi zombies in the old one but I’m more of a Mario fan.”
He shook his head. “You’re such a girl.”
“Guilty.”
He laughed. “Well, I’m back to the game. If you feel like playing later, I’ll dig out the old one, and we can play zombies. I’m not even going to think about Mario though.”
“Fair enough.”
He walked back up the stairs.
“Guess I’ll go back to my room too. All alone,” Zach said while eyeballing me.
Jared narrowed his eyes at him. He didn’t need to worry about me freaking out because Zach was coming on to me. I think that’s just the way he is. Some people are natural born flirts.
“I’m going to get ready. I’ve got to go to the office and see if Al found out anything else,” I told Jared.
“Just remember, I’ve got a show tonight.”
“I’d like to show Amber’s picture around and see if anybody remembers seeing her Sunday.”
“We can make copies and post them around the club, but you’re going to be in VIP while I’m performing.”
“Why do I need to be stuck in VIP? It’s not like I’m going to go outside to ask people. I’ll stay where your security guard can babysit me.”
“You will remain in VIP. The Humans in the club can be controlled by Jael. If he wants to, he could
control several Humans at once. Would you kill them if they were trying to abduct you?”
“Not if I could help it. I’m sure I could just knock them out without permanently damaging them.”
“You won’t have to worry about that because you will be in the VIP section, guarded.”
“You’re an ass. You know that?”
He shrugged. “I will do what I must, Caru.”
“Would you stop calling me that? I don’t even know what it means.”
“It just means love. Kind of like how the British call everyone ‘love’.”
He doesn’t sound British.
“I would still prefer my name. I’m sure it’s hard to remember with so many other women’s floating around but try.”
I didn’t wait for his response. I just walked back into my room and closed the door.
Twelve
I walked into HQ an hour later, went straight to Cop’s office, and shut the door. Then locked it just to make sure Jared didn’t make a guest appearance.
“You’ve got to help me out Cop. This guy does nothing but hit on me nonstop. He is unprofessional, at best. A complete loser, at worst. Please Cop. I can’t take it anymore.”
The fact that I found Jared extremely attractive only worked to make me madder.
“Jared Damascus is a respected person in this city and he would not jeopardize his reputation by bringing unwanted attentions to an officer of the law.”
WTF?? In all the time I’ve known Cop I have never heard him use that many words in a single sentence.
“Are you alright? I don’t see what kind of reputation Jared has to jeopardize. He’s a local rock star. Aren’t they known for being players?”
“Not this rock star.”
“He’s delusional. He thinks this killer is after me just because I know him. If that is the case, then he should be after the other million and a half women Jared’s bedded.”
“I think you have grossly overestimated the amount of his bed partners.”
Something was wrong with the way Cop was talking. It didn’t sound like him at all. He would have just told me tough shit and to get out of his office. He would never defend someone he didn’t actually know like that. Wait a minute. Cop is Human. He has some abilities though I’m not sure exactly what they are, but he’s still Human. Wasn’t Jared just telling me earlier how easy it was for Angels to manipulate Humans’ brains? That bastard is fucking with my boss. I’m going to kick his...hold on. This could be fun. He’s messing with me. It’s time to mess back.