Her Vampire Suspect (Midnight Doms Book 11)

by Brenda Trim

  “Was she dumped here?” Bria adds as she walks closer to the body, which is near some trees. The area is a popular park, with a zoo on the other side.

  “It appears that way. There’s no sign of a struggle here, and we’ve discovered no blood splatter,” the detective informs us. “Let us know how we can help. We’ve taken pictures, and are gathering trace as we speak.”

  I stop a few feet from the victim and scan the ground around us. The small patches of dirt don’t seem to be disturbed, but I notice a shoe impression that hasn’t been marked by the officers. I scan the shoes of as many officers as possible, along with the coroner’s. “None of your guys are wearing loafers. Can you get this print photographed?”

  “Yes, ma’am. The coroner established time of death as being around five or six hours ago,” Anderson tells us as he taps a pen he’s holding against a pad in his other hand.

  A gasp leaves me when I get a look at the woman’s face. Her head is turned my way, and her green eyes are open in obvious death. I didn’t recognize her outfit at first. The red top is covered in dust, and the black skirt is rucked up around her hips. Her shoes are missing entirely. It’s her blonde hair and familiar face that I recognize. This woman was with the vampire I followed last night before Corbyn kidnapped me.

  “What?” Bria asks as she glances over at me with furrowed brows.

  “I thought I recognized her.” I step closer. “If it’s the same woman, she hasn’t been dead more than six hours.”

  “You know her?” Bria and the detective ask at the same time.

  “I saw her at a club last night.” I bend down to examine her face. It’s definitely the same woman from the night before.

  The way her head is tilted clearly shows the gaping wound on her neck. It’s obvious her throat was sliced open. I search the injury for anything that might suggest a vampire did this. There might be a round spot along the edge of the cut, but I can’t be sure I’m not seeing what I want to see. I grab my phone and take a picture of her face, then more of the wound on her neck.

  Bria crouches next to me and snaps on a pair of gloves. “I hope you saw something that might hint to who did this.” She turns the victim’s head and I get a glimpse of two faint pink marks on the opposite side of her neck.

  That was the side I saw the vampire bite the night before. The image of him plunging his fangs into her flesh will haunt me forever. I snap a picture of that side as well. Malik fucking killed this woman, and I consider how I can go about arresting him. He’s a vampire. There are other factors to consider here.

  I don’t give a shit about keeping their existence secret. One of their kind is killing innocent women, and it’s my job to stop it. Corbyn’s smile pops into my head, and I pause my racing thoughts.

  Outing the existence of vampires will put him at risk and frighten people, which will only lead to more killing. History has proven that. I need more information, and I need to go to the vampire king about this. Corbyn said he doesn’t tolerate killing in his territory.

  “Nothing unusual. She was… talking to a guy when I left. But you can bet I’m going to be going over last night again in my head.” I turn to the detective. “This woman’s death definitely fits the description of the other murders. Can you forward the evidence that’s gathered to our office?”

  Anderson nods his head and gestures to another cop. “No problem. We will finish here and get it to you right away.”

  “Bria, call Diggs and let him know.” She nods and steps away while I direct the photographer to snap more pictures as I assess the scene.

  I have no doubt the woman was dumped here. Like the other victims, there is next to nothing for us to go on. I will be visiting the spot where I watched the couple the night before. I picked my car up a few hours ago, and didn’t notice anything.

  I want to kick my own ass for not paying more attention. I was too caught up in the sex with Corbyn to take in as much as I normally do. Pulling out my phone, I hit Corbyn’s contact and pray he answers.

  My mind is back to conjuring all sorts of crap. Is he in on the killing? Perhaps all the vampires are, and he was tasked with distracting me from discovering more. The more elaborate the coverup becomes in my mind, the more I realize I’m making shit up.

  I’m pissed I didn’t fight Corbyn more and insist on remaining at the scene. If I had, this woman would be alive now. I could have caught the asshole and stopped him. Despite the doubt that creeps in, I am still sure Corbyn isn’t involved. But I won’t ignore any evidence that might point to him.

  After leaving him a message, I hang up and continue gathering what little evidence is left behind. There is always something to go on if you look hard enough. It might come from the initial scene. Police gathered tire tracks, shoe prints, and a hair sample from the other scenes. Or we might find something tying a suspect to a particular location.

  One of the first things I learned at the Academy is that it’s impossible to walk away from something without some link. We all either leave something behind everywhere we go, or we take something with us from our surroundings. I’m going to find this asshole, if it’s the last thing I do.

  Corbyn

  My phone rings and, for a second, I wonder if I’m dreaming. I haven’t dreamt in centuries, so I dismiss the idea. As an older vampire, I am more aware during the day, but still not able to answer whoever is calling me.

  What if it’s Ava canceling our date for later? I roll over in my soft bed. Some vampires sleep in coffins, but I prefer the comfort of a mattress. My lair is secure enough and completely light proof, ensuring I don’t need additional protection. No one will be able to find the entrance to my private quarters. I’m not a prime target for attack, but I’m not an idiot either.

  Like all vampires, I refuse to leave myself vulnerable during the day, and I’ve taken steps to ensure the entrance to my lair is hidden very well inside my house. The weight on my body lifts by degrees as the sun comes closer to setting.

  I doze off again and, the next time I wake up, I’m able to move and grab my cell phone. I have a notification that the call came from Ava, and I hit the button to listen to her voicemail. Her sultry voice hardens my cock, and my fangs tingle.

  “Corbyn. It’s Ava. I’m at the scene of another murder. This time, it’s the woman I was watching with the uh… vamp last night.” Her voice drops when she says the word vamp, and my heart stalls in my chest. As a vampire I can control my heartbeat, that is until I get around Ava. It had been racing from desire for the sexy FBI agent, but now it stops entirely as what she said registers. I barely hear the rest of her message as my mind reels. “I need to know where to find him so I can ask questions. It doesn’t look good. She’s been drained of blood like the others. Anyway. Call me back. I’m proceeding with my investigation, regardless of where it takes me.”

  What the actual fuck? There’s no way Malik killed that woman. I don’t know him, but I can’t imagine he is responsible. I will make the asshole pay if he did do this. Lucius will enjoy making an example of him.

  I turn on the television, hoping the evening news will tell me where the woman was found. I have to click through several channels before I see Ava’s gorgeous face as she talks to someone in what looks like a park. I jump to my feet and head into my closet after I get the location.

  Having preternatural speed is helpful at times when you need to move fast. I’m dressed and up my stairs in less than a minute. I hope Ava is still on the scene when I get there.

  I race through my house and jump into my Hummer before I speed across town. It seems as if everyone and their grandmother is out on the street tonight, taking a leisurely drive. Impatience beats at me the entire way. Rather than enter the parking lot and draw attention to myself, I park on a side street and text Ava that I’ve just arrived.

  I notice several shady characters watching me as I exit my car and shut the door. Normally, I drown my predatory nature, but right now I let it show and pour a little more menace into it. Hu
mans in general react to the pheromones vampires give off. Right now, I have no doubt no one will approach me or my car while I see to this scene.

  A crowd has gathered, making it easy for me to blend in. Ava looks up from her phone and scans the area. It’s a punch to the gut when her eyes land on me. After the evening we shared, I expected her to smile at me. My instincts urge me to go to her and pick her up, then take her home to teach her how to greet me properly.

  But she isn’t a submissive woman and doing that will only piss her off more, so I nod at her and continue my assessment. Because I have better vision than humans, I can see the dead woman behind Ava and her partner.

  There’s no blood around the scene or on the victim’s clothing, telling me Ava is right: this woman has been drained. And yes, she is the woman who was with Malik last night—but he didn’t bite the left side of her throat. He was feeding from the right. Yet, there are slight indentations in her flesh on each side of the wound, and that suggests it was done to hide a vampire bite.

  Vampire saliva has healing properties, making it unnecessary to take such precautions. Unless the vampire killed the woman while he was feeding. The bite will not heal under those circumstances.

  I see something in her left arm and wonder what it is. From where I’m standing, it appears to be a spine from a cactus. I sniff the air and try to catch the scents on the wind but I’m in the midst of too many humans to get anything useful.

  Slinking to the side where there are no cops, I catch the scent of dirt and sagebrush. Someone who was here in the past day has also been in the desert. Given the cactus spine, I’d say it was the victim.

  My phone dings with a message, drawing the attention of a nearby cop. He looks over and heads my way. I look down at the device in my hand and see the message is from Ava.

  Wait for me. We need to talk about the vampire she was with. I’ve left messages for the owner of Club Toxic. I’m meeting him in an hour.

  My head jerks up and I look at Ava. She’s pointing to something close to the parking lot. What the hell is she thinking? I tell her to stay away from Lucius, and she goes and demands a meeting with him?

  She will be lucky if I don’t bend her over my knee before this night is through. She’s taking unacceptable risks with her life. The king will not hesitate to wipe her mind to make his problem go away. Or do worse.

  I want to believe he won’t kill her because she’s an FBI agent and that would bring too much attention, but I can’t be certain. Lucius can simply kill her and erase any connection to Club Toxic in the FBI system and with her colleagues. He’s one of the most powerful vampires in existence, capable of that and so much more.

  The cop gets closer to me and I see him falter when he senses my aggressive vibes. “What’s your name?” he says.

  “I’m waiting for Agent DeLeon. You don’t need to worry about me.” I push some manipulation into my words. It works like a charm, and he turns and walks away.

  I text Ava back that I will be waiting to go with her, then let her know what I’ve seen and smelled. Two men are getting ready to lift the body and put it in a large black bag when Ava stops them.

  She points to the victim’s left arm. Bria snaps some photos before one of the guys pulls something out of it with tweezers. Ava holds out a plastic bag, and he drops it inside.

  She meticulously finishes with the scene before she crosses to me. Some of the pieces of her personality fall into place. I finally understand that she craves submission but isn’t really able to do so fully. She will be magnificent when I earn her trust and she gives me complete control. For scenes, anyway. I can’t see her bowing to me under any other conditions.

  “What the fuck are you doing here? I’m working a homicide committed by one of your friends. We have a lot to talk about,” she says. Her sultry scent tickles my nose. My mouth waters and my cock jerks in my pants. I need this woman, but she’s put distance between us.

  “I’m here to help. Meet me at my house,” I say, and lean in to place a kiss on her cheek.

  She sighs as I pull away. “I’m going to Club Toxic.” She’s walking away from me before I can reply.

  Bria is watching us with a scowl. Ava is more trouble than anyone I’ve ever encountered. For the first time, I question whether pursuing her further is worth my time. She’s right. Coming here was a mistake. Not to mention impulsive. I always think through my actions. I have no desire to become the subject of scrutiny in the FBI investigation. Plus, the last thing I need is for Lucius to get pissed at me and add me to his list of problems he needs to eliminate. The smartest thing for me to do is walk away after Ava’s meeting with the vampire king.

  7

  Corbyn

  “This isn’t a good idea,” I hiss at Ava as I follow her from her car to the club. I tried calling her the entire drive over here, but she refused to answer. “He’s a dangerous vampire and you’re in over your head, Agent.”

  Ava stops and whirls on me. Her eyes glare daggers, and I wince. There is no choice but to raise my voice. She is embarking on a mission that could cost her life. As an FBI agent, she is powerful, and likely used to being listened to, but she isn’t dealing with humans anymore. Barging in there, determined to rip Lucius a new asshole, is going to backfire on her.

  “I know he’s dangerous. That dead woman is proof enough of that. I refuse to look away while your kind murders innocent people. It’s my job to keep them safe. If you can’t get on board with me then get out of my way.” Her angry words stun me long enough for her to stomp across the pavement and down the sidewalk to the entrance.

  Shaking my head, I catch up with her and wave to Maximus, who is standing under the awning out front. The well-dressed vampire is a staple at Club Toxic. This is a big fucking mistake—one I refuse to allow her to make on her own.

  Glancing around, I search for any sign of Malik. It’s a testament to how angry Ava is that she followed Maximus through the place without really looking around. That isn’t like her at all. From the first time I laid eyes on her, she has always done a thorough inventory of the room within seconds of entering.

  I don’t want to draw more attention to us than is necessary, so I continue on past the bar. Familiar waitresses are milling about, taking orders, including the dark-haired one who dresses in corsets and rarely takes her eyes off Armando at the entrance to the dungeon. The scent of arousal mingles with sweat, perfume and alcohol. It all adds to the air of desperation that clings to the upstairs.

  Silently cursing myself for becoming entangled with Ava, I follow them into a back hallway. I’ve never been in this area before. Thankfully, there’s never been a reason to before now. I don’t have to continue. I could turn around and return to my simple life in the lab.

  Maximus pauses next to a door, where he punches in a code. A beep echoes through the space before he tugs the door open to reveal a stairwell leading up. A faint but pleasant scent reaches me. I inhale, trying to figure out precisely what it is. All I manage is that it reminds me of Selene and Lucius before Ava is climbing the stairs and the door is closing.

  This is my chance. My hand moves and stops the panel from sliding shut. I’m on the bottom step before I blink. I can’t walk away from her. Movement catches my eye, and then I’m staring at Ava’s ass as she climbs. Her smooth glide is mesmerizing, and the walk down a hallway passes all too quickly. My fangs are tingling to sink into Ava’s succulent flesh.

  Maximus raps on a door at the end of the hall then pauses. I stop close to Ava and lean into her space. I feel her stiffen in front of me, and chuckle under my breath at her annoyance. Last night, it was an entirely different story. This woman couldn’t get enough of me then. I pray that our time together hasn’t already come to an end.

  I know I shouldn’t ask for more. She’s human and I’m a vampire. We don’t exactly mix. It’s possible for me to turn her into a vampire so we can spend eternity together, but I would never do that.

  “Come in.” Lucius’s deep voice is mor
e of a command than an offer.

  Maximus pushes the panel open and steps aside.

  “Corbyn.” The vampire king stands from his chair behind the mammoth desk. I’m not at all surprised he has something so extravagant. It is clear when you meet Lucius that he prefers to live lavishly. There’s nothing cheap about the man. And the ornately carved mahogany piece of furniture with its high sheen fits him perfectly. I’d bet it’s hundreds of years old as well. Not much is made like this anymore.

  “I didn’t know you were coming with the lovely FBI agent. That wasn’t part of the demand she left for this meeting,” Lucius says.

  I close the distance to Ava and stand next to her when Lucius narrows his eyes, and I catch the razor edge of his power when he greets me.

  Ava shifts from foot to foot, her heels clicking against the Mexican tile. Her stance stiffens and from the corner of my eye, I notice her clenched fists. Humans sense the danger Lucius poses, especially when he releases his power like this. Add to that the way Selene leans against the ornate wood paneling of the walls. Her position belies her ferocity. It’s tempting to enter Ava’s mind and see how hard she is battling her fight or flight instincts.

  “That’s because she had no idea that I was going to join her when she called you.” I swallow every protective instinct urging me to ensure Ava’s safety.

  “He’s not part of my investigation,” Ava interrupts before either of us can say anything else. I cringe at the venom in Selene’s gaze, and step back. Ava, however, doesn’t move a muscle. “As my message indicated, I am investigating the deaths of several women, and a dozen more who are missing. I know what you are, and I think one of your vampires killed my victim last night.”

  A growl echoes around the room, and I’m not sure who it came from. A glance over my shoulder reveals Maximus is still standing by the exit. Lucius waves his hand and Maximus leaves. Being closed inside the office with three powerful supernaturals should give Ava pause. As I am coming to realize, the woman has no sense of her own mortality. More likely, she doesn’t understand the danger she’s in.