Blood of the Innocent Page 5

  Veronica plopped two full cups onto the coffee table. “That was rather insulting.”

  Joe looked at the gorgeous woman standing in front of him, fists on her hips, eyes flashing in anger. “Well, stop listening to my thoughts and you won’t be insulted.”

  “I didn’t—” She closed her eyes for a moment, then dropped onto the couch beside him. “This isn’t possible.”

  “Don’t like this connecting with a human thing?”

  “It shouldn’t be happening—and not just because you’re human.”

  He picked up his coffee and took a sip, and she cringed.

  “I’m sorry. I was coming out here to ask what you take in your coffee.”

  “I prefer black.” He couldn’t resist reaching out to touch the silky blonde hair that flowed down her back all the way to her perfectly shaped ass. He could get lost just looking at her. What would it be like to hold her close, to kiss her until she melted in his arms? To touch her, taste her, feel her beneath him?

  She shot to her feet and backed away from him. “What are you thinking?”

  He shrugged. “I’m thinking about the beautiful woman beside me.”

  Her hand was trembling as she put it over her heart. “But I’m vampire and you’re—”

  “A man.” He rose to his feet and went to her. Her gorgeous sea green eyes widened, but she stood waiting for him.

  He slid one hand under her hair, the other around her waist, then nudged her toward him. Sure she’d resist, he was shocked when she leaned against him.

  His lips touched her warm, firm, perfect mouth, and he heard himself groan. Then her arms wrapped around his neck, and a soft sigh shot heat straight to his loins.

  She leaned into him, and her soft curves fit against him in all the right places. His body hardened, while his thinking processes blurred. He had to have this woman. he had to be inside her. He needed her as much as he needed his next breath.

  All at once an image of Justin lying cold and dead on the rocky shoreline rushed into his mind. He shoved Veronica away.

  “Joe?”

  “Sorry,” he muttered as he all but ran for the door and down the stairs. He didn’t stop until he couldn’t breathe anymore and was forced to lean against a tree and allow oxygen back into his lungs. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

  A passer-by gave him a wary look, turned, and dashed across the street.

  He ignored the guy and went back to berating himself. His brother was in the morgue and he was getting it on with some kind of creature that looked, felt, and tasted like a human woman, but wasn’t. Hell, she might have orchestrated that whole seduction scene to keep him from doing what he’d intended to do—try to get info from her.

  He had no idea just what these vampire beings were capable of, and he’d be smart to be wary of all of them. If he could figure out who was what.

  Sighing, he realized he needed some distance and time to think. As soon as he got back to Justin’s apartment building, he got in his rental car and headed out of town.

  ****

  Veronica smiled at the name that popped up on her cell phone. “Hello, Ethan. Thanks for returning my call.”

  “No problem. So what’s up?”

  Anxiety twisted her belly. What was she doing? Admitting anything about these strange feelings could cause her serious headaches.

  “Veronica, are you all right?”

  She was being silly. This was Ethan, an old friend and an anthropologist. If anybody would accept what she said without judging, it was him. So she swallowed back her fear.

  “I’m fine, but I would like to discuss something with you if you have a few minutes.”

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “I um…you work with humans, are fascinated with their cultures. So I thought you might have some insight for me.”

  “Insight into what?”

  “Have you ever…ever heard…?”

  A low chuckle came through the cell phone. “Spit it out, Teal.”

  She sighed. “Fine. Have you ever been attracted to a human?”

  “As in sexually attracted?”

  “Yes.” This was a mistake. What was she thinking?

  “Actually, yes. I have.”

  She actually felt her jaw drop. “Could you be more specific?”

  “Just what you said, there have been times when I was sexually attracted to a human woman.”

  She bit her lip, then took hold of her fear and continued. “Have you ever, well, acted on your attraction?”

  “As in sex with a human?”

  “No!” She swallowed. “Just maybe…kissing the human.”

  His laugh had her face going hot. “Yes, I have. A fellow professor, actually, who was very nice. We talked a lot. One day we found ourselves face to face and we kissed. That was all that happened. She took a job in Wyoming soon after that. We still email from time to time.”

  “So, kissing’s not so terrible.”

  “Want to tell me about this human you’re attracted to?”

  She considered not saying anything, but she knew Ethan wouldn’t stop until he got the information out of her. “A human was killed, the coroner called me. The brother of the victim saw me at the scene, heard me use my FBI cover, and he’s been following me. He seems to think I can help him figure out who killed his brother.”

  “Can you?”

  “I don’t know, but it wouldn’t matter if I did. It was one of us.”

  “I figured you would say that. So what did you tell him?”

  “That I couldn’t help him. But he won’t give up.”

  “So, he’s following you around like a puppy, and you have the hots for him, as my students say?”

  “No, he’s serious about getting answers and I can’t blame him. He was outside my apartment building this morning, and I invited him up. Seemed preferable to frying in the sun.”

  “You invited him into your apartment?”

  She swallowed. “He knows what we are, Ethan.”

  “How did he find out?”

  “No idea, but figured out I’m vampire. And we can hear each other’s thoughts. And he kissed me.” She closed her eyes and waited for his reaction.

  “Wait a minute, he can read your mind?”

  “No, not exactly. We were hearing each other’s thoughts. Like talking, but mental. Freaked both of us out.”

  “You freaked him out, so he kissed you?” Ethan’s chuckle made her want to go to Tennessee just so she could smack his head.

  “No. We talked for a while. The kiss just happened. Then he went tearing out of my apartment. Apparently kissing a vampire didn’t appeal to him.”

  “Maybe you were just too much for the poor guy.”

  She closed her eyes and groaned. “Ethan.”

  He chuckled. Again. “Relax. So you and a human are attracted to each other. You’re a grown woman. A gorgeous woman. Any straight man in his right mind—vampire or human—would be attracted to you.”

  She smiled in spite of herself. “You aren’t, are you?”

  He laughed. “Nobody ever said I was in my right mind. After all, I teach humans about human culture. Not to mention going on digs and sitting in the sun for long hours. Ask Spencer, he’ll tell you the sun fried my brain a long time ago.”

  She licked her lips. “So you don’t think that kiss was a big deal.”

  “Veronica, you know how I feel. I believe humans and vampires are not that different. Attraction is perfectly understandable.”

  “As long as nobody finds out.”

  A long sigh came through the phone. “I wouldn’t presume to tell you what to do, but I do think it’s prudent to be cautious. Vampires by nature are slightly paranoid and unyielding in their beliefs.”

  “Duly noted. Thanks for taking time to listen to my babbling, Dr. Drake.”

  “Veronica, be careful, okay?”

  “I will, Ethan.”

  They said their goodbyes, and she sat back to contemplate the complexity of nav
igating the human world. Especially when one of those humans ignited heat in ways she hadn’t imagined possible.

  ****

  Kevin stared at the man getting into a car with a rental sticker on the back bumper. The man cranked the engine and drove away like the devil himself was after him. Either the guy in that car was the reporter Vincent said was dead, or he had a double. Like a doppelganger in one of the horror novels he didn’t admit to reading. No sense asking to be teased.

  He watched the car head away from town, and wondered what the truth really was. It didn’t make sense. Not only had Vincent said the nosy reporter guy was dead, the murder had been reported on the local news.

  Kevin’s first instinct was to go find Vincent and tell him what he’d seen. Then it occurred to him that he probably wouldn’t be believed. The whole bunch of guys who hung with Vince thought Kevin was a worthless kid as it was. If he showed up telling a crazy story, they’d probably just laugh.

  Then again, if he played his cards right, the situation might offer an opportunity to prove his worth and loyalty to the organization. He might be young, but he was smart and strong. He’d come to Lobster Cove because that was where the action was, and he was tired of being a nothing. He wanted a chance to prove himself, to take his rightful place as a true, full member of the Alliance of True Humanity.

  He might have just found that opportunity.

  ****

  Velvet darkness was broken only by the light from the windows of houses covered the southwest corner of Lobster Cove as Veronica walked toward her job. To get to the lab, she had to go down Pine Avenue and turn right onto Second Street. Well, actually, she could go through the woods and save herself a lot of walk, but distance didn’t bother her, and she liked seeing the tree lined streets of Lobster Cove. The people were nice too. The thought of humans sent her mind flipping right to the one who was stressing her out.

  What the hell had happened that morning? A human male had thrown himself at her like he was starving and she was a…what…steak maybe? Worse, she’d thrown herself right back at him.

  Forcing her thoughts to the present, she smiled at passers-by. It was quite chilly, so she was surprised so many humans were out. Then she caught a glimpse of a Lionel Lobster poster in a store window. The Harvest of the Sea Festival was coming up soon. Smiling, she headed out of the actual town area and into the fringe of forest. Here she was less likely to be observed, and could walk at a beyond-human-ability speed.

  Less than two minutes later, she emerged from the foliage near the restored mansion where her lab was located. She had only taken a couple of steps toward the back entrance, which led directly into the basement, when she sensed a strong psychic pull. Damn! Not again.

  Turning, she met Joe’s gaze through the shadowy darkness. “What do you want?”

  He stepped toward her. “What I wanted this morning, but somehow never got around to asking. I want to ask for your help finding the person who killed my brother.”

  She put every bit of strength she had into holding her mental barriers closed to this human. “What makes you think I could, even if I wanted to?”

  He took a half step closer, then stopped, as if he were as worried as she was about the odd link between them. “You’re FBI.”

  She opened her mouth, only to be interrupted before she could say anything.

  “Yeah, I know. You’re only a consultant. Whatever the hell that means.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared her way. “Still, you must have connections. You can get answers. If you choose to.”

  She held his gaze. “And why would I want to help you?”

  He lifted his chin and took two bold steps toward her. “Because you believe in justice.”

  “What makes you think…?” Obviously because he’d seen it in her mind. Damn.

  “I’m not too happy with the situation either,” he said. “Especially since you’re the expert at this psychic thing. How do I know you aren’t manipulating my thoughts?”

  Veronica almost rolled her eyes like a frustrated middle-school girl. Instead, she sighed and gave him a narrow-eyed glare. “Yeah, I’d definitely manipulate you into…um, wanting me to help you solve your brother’s murder.”

  The smug smile on his face had her clenching her teeth.

  “So you didn’t want me to kiss you this morning?”

  “I want you to leave me alone.”

  “No you don’t.” He moved closer. “You enjoyed what we did.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t.”

  He touched her arm, sending warm tingles through her entire body. “Help me find out what happened to Justin. Please.”

  His eyes were dark brown velvet, and they seemed to see right into her. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus on the situation and not the man. “Let the police handle it, Joe.”

  “Why don’t you believe they’ll catch the guy?”

  Damn it all to hell! She increased her psychic boundaries, knowing full well it was a waste of energy. “Joe, it’s crazy for an untrained person to go up against a murderer. Your brother is dead. I don’t want you to be next.”

  “Then help me.”

  “I can’t.”

  He stepped back, and his anger washed over her. “Can’t or won’t?”

  “Joe…”

  He turned and walked away. She watched him go until he disappeared into the shadows. When she again went toward the door to the lab, she went with a heavy feeling in the area of her heart. She understood, but there really wasn’t anything she could do. Even if she could help him, getting involved in this case would anger the Guardians, and that was not something she had any intention of doing. Her career, her very life, could be ruined in a heartbeat.

  A vision of Charlene lying cold and lifeless on that rocky beach flashed through her mind. As much as she wanted to strangle her sister sometimes, she loved her too. If this had happened to her, she would do everything in her power to see that the killer was brought to justice.

  Then again, if it were a vampire that had been murdered, the Guardians would be looking for the killer.

  Were humans so different, so less worthy, that they didn’t deserve justice?

  ****

  A restless night did nothing to calm his mind. The next afternoon Joe was still so angry and frustrated that he didn’t pay attention to where he drove the country roads around Lobster Cove. The scenery was beautiful, but he barely noticed. When he finally went back into town and got his bearings, he was outside a bar called Murphy’s.

  Oh hell, why not?

  He pushed open the heavy door and walked in.

  The place was rustic, weathered boards for walls, plain dark wooden tables, basic wooden stools at the bar. The jukebox was playing a country-western tune, and on either side of the bar were several signs advertising brands of beer.

  Joe walked over to the bar and ordered one of the advertised beer brands. The bartender, whose nametag read “David Hu” set the glass in front of him. “Woman trouble?”

  “How did you guess?” Joe gave the man a rueful smile.

  “You had the look of a man who just tangled with a female.”

  “Tangled is about the size of it.”

  The bartender chuckled as he turned to another customer.

  As Joe drank his beer, he studied the crowd around him. Lobstermen, a few tourists, and one teenager who watched him.

  Joe turned back to the bar, ignoring the kid, while actually keeping an eye on him. He taught introductory biology, including lab, so he’d learned how to keep his attention on more than one thing at a time. On sharp objects or chemicals, for instance, as well as the students using those tools.

  This boy was in his late teens or very early twenties. Dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt with a white zombie face on the front, he looked like the typical young person. His stance, though, and the way he looked around told Joe he thought he was badass.

  He got those in his classes occasionally. Usually the parents were either cluel
ess, or determined to get the kid on a straighter path. Either way, somebody insisted on college. Why, Joe could never figure out. He’d never seen one of those kids do well in class. Usually they were just a hazard in the lab, creating problems he had to monitor closely instead of helping the students who really wanted to learn.

  Across the room, the kid gave him frequent, quick glances out of the corner of his eye.

  “Can I get you anything else?” Dave asked.

  Joe leaned a little closer. “Any chance you know that kid over by the door?”

  Dave wiped the bar for a moment, then his mouth tightened. “I don’t know his name, but I’ve pitched that chowderhead out of here a couple of times. He thinks he’s a big man, but for me he’s underage trouble.”

  “Kinda what I thought.”

  “Well, hell, he’s leaving. I won’t have to throw him out.”

  Joe watched the kid out of the corner of his eye, and the last thing the boy did was shoot a final glance straight at him. Then he was gone.

  “He seems to be overly interested in you,” Dave said.

  “I think I’ll find out why.”

  Joe threw down a tip for the bartender and headed toward the door.

  The boy turned the corner and Joe hurried after him, making sure to stay well back while not losing the kid. It turned out to be easy. The boy wasn’t any better at not being seen than he was at watching somebody without being caught.

  When the kid ducked into Justin’s apartment building, Joe’s jaw clenched. Not that he hadn’t figured that’s where the little jerk was going, but it angered him anyway.

  He reached the third floor just as the boy was squatting in front of Justin’s door, sticking some kind of flat piece of metal in the deadbolt keyhole.

  “It’d be easier to use this.” Joe held up the key.

  For a second, the boy’s eyes had a look that was more like a man who’d seen too much than a young person. Then he shot to his feet. “You’re dead!”

  He stared at Joe for a moment before he spun and rushed for the exit.

  Joe had no desire to chase anybody down two flights of stairs, so he turned to the door. There might be a few more scratches on the keyhole, but other than that, he saw no indications of any attempt to break in. He considered calling the cops, but decided against it. There was no proof the kid was anything but a snot-nosed wannabe looking for something to steal. In fact, that could be exactly what he was.