Shadow, p.15
Shadow, page 15
Nora watched in fascination as I played the clip. Once it was done, she clamped her lips together and raised her head in a haughty display. “No, that’s not me.”
Turning the phone back to me, I replayed it. Laughing, I said, “Clearly, it is you.” I put the phone down and folded my hands together over the tabletop. “It would be easier on everyone if you just confessed that it was you.”
“Where did you get that, anyway?” she asked in deflection.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m trying to help you here. I can’t sit here and let you keep killing vampires. Just tell me the truth.”
“It’s... it’s not me. I was in bed all night, bingeing shows,” she stammered before looking away.
Clearly more flustered than I had ever seen her, I chuckled. “No, you weren’t. Just fess up, Nora.”
She looked angry, her face flashing red. “Okay... look. Listen to me, those two were misogynistic assholes. Making comments about women all night, their asses, and breasts, and trying to guess which ones were more ‘freaky in bed.’ I couldn’t take it anymore, so I led them outside and tried to get them to apologize for hating women and were being perverts. I bet they had raped women in the past, too. I could tell... I just knew it. They blew me off, laughing at me, then tried to leave. I told them they weren’t going anywhere, and that’s when I ended them. That’s it, plain and simple.”
Reining in my shock and horror, I cleared my throat. “No, it’s not that plain and simple. You killed two men based on opinions and assumptions.”
“They weren’t men!” she snapped. “They were vampires. Filthy, bloodsucking creatures.”
“They were also males. It’s not right, but some do talk like that about women. Especially if they’re a lot older, like most vampires are. It doesn’t make them rapists, Nora. You just wanted an excuse to kill more vampires. Why did you kill the other three?”
She hesitated as if she was scrambling for an answer. “They were following me.”
I pursed my lips and sighed. “Are you sure? I think maybe you were following them.”
Nora shook her head. “They were following me, so I ducked into Zombies.”
“And?” I prompted.
“They had drinks and were feeding on a few women, so I lured them outside. Same as the other two.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Nora, you’re not the law. You can’t kill vampires for feeding. No, they’re not supposed to be feeding in public like that, but that’s not your call to make. You report it to the council, and we notify the vampires so they can do what they will with the information.”
She stared at me obstinately and said nothing.
“Why do you hate them?”
“I just do. Are we done? Or are you gonna drag me to Iliana and make me confess? Because I won’t.” She folded her arms over her chest again.
“How are you doing it, anyway? Burning them?” I asked, knowing she wasn’t.
She hesitated again and said, “I used a spell to explode the heart without touching them. Then they just turn to ash. Less messy that way.” She actually looked a little ashamed but then I saw a smile begin to form.
I shook my head and got up to leave. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let this go. You have twenty-four hours to turn yourself in to Iliana and the council before the vampires come and find you. They won’t be as diplomatic about punishment as the council will be.”
I left the kitchen and heard her yell, “Fuck you, Bloome, you nosy bitch!”
Shaking my head, I went into my room and dialed Shadow.
Chapter 24
Scorching Attraction
Shadow
I grinned when I saw who was calling and answered, “Hello, gorgeous.”
“Hi, Craig,” she replied, but I didn’t hear the usual smile in her voice whenever I paid her a compliment.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” I asked, concerned. I left the noisy club and went into the walkway between the clubhouse and Cobalt. It was the quietest area we had aside from my apartment.
“You busy? Can we meet? I have information.”
“Of course. I’ll swing by your place now,” I said, patting my pants for my keys and wallet.
“No, I’ll meet you,” she said quickly.
I chuckled. “I promise I’ll be a gentleman, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
She laughed softly. “No, that’s definitely not something I’m worried about. I just can’t have you seen at the house right now. I’ll explain. Meet me at that same café from last night.”
“You got it. See ya in ten.”
I ended the call and materialized outside near my bike. I started up the Harley with a rumble and headed downtown.
This time, she had arrived first. She was drinking a soda and looking at her phone.
“Hi,” I said, sliding into the booth across from her.
“Hi,” she replied. She looked stressed.
“Are you all right?” I asked, grabbing her hand.
“Coffee, hun?” the same server from last night asked.
“Yes, thank you.”
Once she was out of earshot, Bloome said, “I know who killed the vamps, but I can’t tell you just yet. I gave her twenty-four hours to turn herself in to the council. If she doesn’t, she’s all yours.”
This excited me, but I could tell it pained Bloome. “This woman, she a friend of yours? You don’t seem happy to have solved the mystery.”
The server brought Bloome a basket of something, a bowl of salad, and held a coffeepot. I turned my mug over and she poured the coffee in. “Thanks.”
Bloome waited for the server to walk off, then answered, “You’re correct. The woman isn’t exactly a friend, but I do know her and hate that she’s doing this. And now I’m in the middle of it. I know I offered, but I thought I’d just be doing a simple locator or identifier spell or something—and I never dreamed it would be someone sort of close to me. I just feel... stuck.”
I got up and told her to move over so I could sit next to her. The table seemed like it was a mile wide, and I needed to touch her, comfort her. She scooted in and took her food with her. I reached over and grabbed my coffee.
Linking my hand with hers on the table, I said, “I’m sorry. Anything I can do to help?”
“If we do have to turn her into you guys, just make it quick, okay?” She looked pained.
I used my finger to tilt her face to look at me. “We probably aren’t going to kill her, but we need to know how and why she killed those vampires. So we can protect ourselves.”
Bloome nodded then picked up some white dressing and poured it all over her salad. Then she mixed it around before poking some onto her fork. “She just hates vampires. She had lame excuses as to why she killed them, but at the end of the day, it boils down to just hatred and a weird sort of racism against the vampire race. I guess that’s the best way to describe it.”
“How did she do it?” I asked.
I’d seen witches and other supes hate us just because. It was usually because they feared us, as we were the strongest and fastest of all the supernaturals and that made them afraid. So her answer didn’t surprise me.
“She said she used a spell to explode their hearts inside their bodies, which of course killed them, then they turned to ash.”
“Wow,” I said, “fuckin’ savage. But this is going to be a problem if we get our hands on her. She’ll just use that spell on us, won’t she?”
She finished chewing and swallowed before replying, “Yes, but if I bring her in myself, I’ll use magical cuffs on her. It tamps down magic in witches. My parents have a set nobody knows about. They don’t even think I know where they are, but I do.”
“Handy,” I said with a grin, lifting the steaming mug to my lips.
“They are.”
“So where is this witch now?” I asked, hoping for a clue. Not that I planned to do anything behind Bloome’s back and break her trust, but I would like to know where she was. Keeping your enemies closer and all that.
“She’s at home, I believe.”
“You don’t think she’ll go on the run?” I asked, concerned.
She nodded. “She might but I already put a locator spell on her earlier.”
“Smart and beautiful. I knew there was something about you I liked,” I teased.
She grinned before biting into one of the fried things. She’d dipped it in what smelled like spaghetti sauce, and when she pulled the thing away from her mouth, a long string of white cheese wouldn’t let go. She bit down into that and looked chagrinned.
I used my finger to clean up the excess cheese and red sauce on her lip. “Still had some there.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled through a full mouth.
She was so damn cute I couldn’t stand it. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple as I stroked my fingers along her bare shoulder.
She pointed to my tattoo on my left shoulder. “That’s a cool tat. What kind of bird is it?”
“Nighthawk.” I grinned.
Her eyes got big. “Oh! Your club’s official tattoo? It’s beautiful.” She lifted up my short sleeve so she could get a better look at it. Then, she took in my other arm, which was sleeved from wrist to shoulder. “Those are beautiful as well. Explain.”
Most of the tattoos were green with a few bits of color. “I got the snake scales to honor my friend Viper for taking me into this Nighthawks family. American flag because I’m a proud American, a Boston Red Sox one for my favorite baseball team, and the initials SW for my late wife.” They were blended together on a green background of leaves and other nature-type stuff.
“Your wife died?” she asked, looking at me with shock and pity.
I nodded. “Yes, before I was turned. It was a very long time ago.”
“Well, the tattoos are gorgeous. I want to get a few myself when I save up enough money.” She paused and then said, “I’m sorry about your wife.”
“It’s all right. I’ve mourned her and moved on. I’m shopping for a new one now.”
She gasped and I laughed. “I’m joking. But I would very much like for us to see where this is going. You can’t deny this lightning-hot attraction between us.”
She set her cheese thing down and wiped her mouth. “No, I can’t deny it, Craig. You got that right.”
“Would you like to come stay with me tonight? We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Just spend time together?” I felt like such a square.
“I would love it, but I think it’s best if I keep an eye on our little friend. Locator spell or not, I need to make sure she doesn’t try to run. It’s easier that way.”
“Smart. Would you like some company doing that?” I asked. God, I sounded so desperate.
She shook her head. “I wish, but if she sees me with a vampire, she’s gonna lose her shit. Plus, I don’t have the magical cuffs yet, and I’m afraid she’d hurt you.”
“I can disappear pretty quickly, though,” I said with a wink.
Her eyes got big. “That’s right. How the hell do you do that?”
I shrugged. “Not sure, just came with the package, I guess,” I replied pointing to my body. It was the truth. I had no idea how I could do it, I just could.
“Can you do it with other people, or just by yourself?”
That was a common question I got. “No, I can’t do it with other people. I’ve tried to. They just stay and I leave. It was extra awkward when I tried it while holding someone cradle style. I disappeared, they fell to the floor pretty hard. I felt bad.”
“Well, you obviously didn’t know,” she said with a smile.
“I also can’t do it while talking on a cell phone. It drops the call immediately.”
“Still a cool trick. Bet you never have to pay for plane tickets,” she said, grinning.
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t anyway, too unpredictable when trying to fly at night. Can’t fly during the day, obviously. I don’t travel much regardless. I have no one to travel with, so I just stay here.”
“It is a pretty cool city.” She smiled.
Nodding in agreement, I replied, “It is. With some seriously beautiful women.”
She paused the salad bite at her mouth. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve noticed them all.”
“Only one’s been able to keep my attention and make all the others fade into the background, though,” I said honestly, brushing a stray red curl from her face.
She stared into my eyes and put her hand on my cheek. “You have beautiful eyes. Such a unique color. Were you born with them?”
“No,” I whispered. “They used to be brown. Started turning grayish-silver about a year after I was turned.”
“Weird. But cool.”
“Just like you,” I said, biting back a smile.
She smacked me on the chest. “Hey! But... you’re not wrong.” She leaned up and kissed me softly on the lips. I could taste what she’d been eating, and it was strange.
“That was nice, thank you,” I said quietly.
She looked at my eyebrow and ran her thumb along it. “How did you get this scar?”
“Werewolf scratch,” I answered quickly.
“That was very close to your eye.” She cringed.
I nodded. “Yes, it was. Doc said the hair wouldn’t grow back, and he was right. It doesn’t bother me, though.”
Bloome pointed to the food. “You sure you don’t want a mozzarella stick? They’re so good.”
“I can, but then you’ll have to watch me projectile vomit and I don’t think I’d like to do that on our second date. Maybe like our fourth or fifth?”
“Uh, no, I’m good,” she said, laughing.
We had such an easygoing conversation now compared to when we first met. We definitely had a scorching attraction, and I wasn’t sure how long I could hold out before I put her over my shoulder and locked her in my room so I could have my way with her beautiful body for hours. I could tell the feeling was mutual but told myself we had time later. After this witch problem was resolved.
I paid the bill and walked her out to her car again. This time, I pushed her up against it and kissed her wild and warm. Our tongues mingled sensually, and I loved the feel of her arms wrapped around me. I picked her up under her ass and she wrapped her legs around me. I could feel heat from between her legs, my hard cock pressed against the area through our clothes. I raked kisses up her neck and really, really wanted to bite her, but I wasn’t sure she’d be cool with it. I was about to ask, but it seemed she’d read my mind.
“Are you going to bite me?” she asked between kisses and breathy moans.
“Do you want me to?” I replied.
She nodded slowly. “I don’t know. Does it hurt?”
“Only a small initial pinch, then it will feel very, very good.”
“Okay, do it,” she said.
Without wasting a second, I inserted one fang into her throbbing carotid. She hissed quickly, then let out a long moan, her legs and arms tightening around me as she ground her core against me.
“I feel like I’m going to come if you keep it up,” she said between groans.
Oh, my God, I was about to come in my pants like a thirteen-year-old. I swallowed a few gulps of her delicious blood and licked the wound so it would close.
Gently setting her down, I boxed her against her car with my arms and said, “I’m gonna let you get home, otherwise, I’m going to rip your pants off and fuck you right here.”
“Shit,” she replied, out of breath. “Raincheck?”
I laughed and kissed her nose. “Oh, most definitely. It’ll be worth the wait.” I grabbed my hard dick to adjust it behind my jeans
She looked down at the action, licking her lips. “I can’t wait.”
“Bye, Bloome,” I said, kissing her once more before opening her door and making sure she got in safely. I closed it and got on my bike, hoping my boner would go down before I reached the clubhouse or I’d have to take a very long shower.
Chapter 25
Closure
Bay City, Michigan – 1955
I couldn’t catch up with the three. I was running as fast as I could but wasn’t sure how I’d used ‘vampire speed’ earlier to get to the bartender outside of Al’s.
Maybe I just have to visualize where I want to be and that’s how it works? I thought to myself.
As I ran, surprisingly not running out of breath or fatiguing at all, I closed my eyes briefly and visualized the cabin. Suddenly, my body erupted in sharp tingles and I stopped running. When I opened my eyes, I was standing on the porch of the cabin, the tingles slowly dissipating. I had to hold on to a beam to steady myself, as I had just been running and my legs were still moving pretty fast.
David, Jim, and Bobby appeared in front of the cottage in a blur and stopped short like a bunch of stooges when they saw me, shock on their faces.
“How the heck did you get here before us?” David asked.
“I don’t know. I couldn’t figure out how to use vampire speed so I figured if I just kind of thought about where I wanted to be, it would help me achieve it. Guess it worked.” I shrugged, even though I knew that couldn’t be right. I hadn’t remembered running at all. It was like one second I was on the street outside Al’s, the next I was on the porch.
“No, you didn’t beat us here by running, we would have seen you run past us. You didn’t,” Jim replied.
“Then I don’t know how I did it.”
David ushered us into the house and said, “Sit.”
Then he retrieved three bowls from the ice box and set them on the counter. He lifted the lids and poured them into cups, which the three of them drank.
“Cold, gah,” Jim complained.
“I’m sorry I attacked the bartender and you didn’t get to eat,” I said genuinely.
“It’s all right, we’ll try again later. This will do for now.” David lifted up the cup.
I stared at the trio, not knowing what to say. “Well, I guess I’ll go get my camping gear from the woods so I have my sleeping bag and pillow for tonight. You good with me storing the tent and stuff here somewhere? It won’t take up much space.”
