Dead World 1, page 12
After another minute of reflection, she said reluctantly, “I’m sorry if I got carried away in there.” Red paused, knowing that she had to tell the whole truth. “Nancy is the first person I’ve ever managed to interrogate.”
Morgan blinked at the news, then his features softened. “That explains a lot. It’s easy to confuse interrogation with routine questioning. They may seem similar, but they’re not the same. From here on out, do me a favor.”
“What?”
His lips canted. “Follow my lead.”
The rest of the day was much like their first visit to the Dupray home. People skittered away from the topic of wild animals and missing livestock. Red wasn’t sure why she’d expected anything different, even with the sheriff along for the ride.
On a couple of occasions, she’d actually thought Morgan had cued the townsfolk with a slight nod or shake of his head, but since his reactions had been so subtle, Red couldn’t be sure. Nor could she come up with a viable reason why he’d do such a thing, since they weren’t there in an official capacity.
Red and Morgan drove back to Nuria in silence. She appreciated the fact that he hadn’t said “told you so” after the last inquiry. Red wasn’t sure she’d have been gracious with her response.
Night settled onto the town, blanketing it in darkness. If it weren’t for a few scattered solar-powered streetlights and some indoor lighting, the place would be invisible.
She was no closer to discovering any answers—or at least the answers she wanted to hear—than Red had been the day she’d found Lisa Solomon’s body. If today was any indication of how things would go in Nuria, then she didn’t hold out a lot of hope of that changing.
14
Red’s three-day break came and went in a blink without so much as a single straight response from the Nurians. As soon as they saw her coming, people suddenly remembered appointments or work that couldn’t wait.
The ones who didn’t manage to escape gave the same pat replies that their neighbors had. It was as if they’d comlinked each other to get their stories straight.
They were all perfectly polite, never rude, but totally unhelpful. If anything, Red knew less now than she had when she arrived at Nuria.
Worst of all, she’d had to contact her grandfather and extend her leave for a couple more days. He’d been decidedly disappointed in her decision, but begrudgingly granted her request.
Rejecting his pleas to return was one of the hardest things Red had ever done. She rarely stood up to her grandfather. Most of the time there was no need, but she couldn’t deny that doing so this time had been strangely exhilarating.
For the first time in her life, she was carving her own path, making her own decisions without the fear that her actions would somehow end up on her permanent record. And it felt good. Freeing.
Yet the small personal victory came at a cost. And that cost was frustration. It ate at her as she climbed out of the all-terrain vehicle once more and dusted off her clothes.
If she didn’t get a lead tomorrow, Red knew she’d have to let the case go. Lisa Solomon’s death would remain unsolved in her mind, no matter what the official report said.
The thought angered her. Red wasn’t accustomed to giving up. She didn’t want to give up, but she was doing all that she could. Without a break in the case, she’d have no choice.
The truth was out there somewhere, hiding in the shadows of ambivalence. Though she couldn’t entirely discount fear as the motivating factor behind the wall of silence. All Red knew for sure was that she needed more time and there was none left.
If she were being truly honest with herself, Red would have to admit that the investigation wasn’t the only thing keeping her in Nuria. The other thing was sitting beside her, radiating with intensity.
“What now?” Morgan asked.
She purposely misunderstood the question. “We call it a night and start again tomorrow.”
His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
Red climbed out of the vehicle and headed toward the share space. She could feel the heat of Morgan’s gaze scorching her skin. She was convinced that the warmth from his amber eyes alone could sear the clothes off her body, if he concentrated hard enough.
He’d been hiding his interest less and less as the days passed. To make sure she wasn’t imagining their budding attraction, Red had offered to go on the excursions alone or with one of his deputies, so Morgan could return to his regular duties.
He’d flat out refused her offer, snapping at her like a kicked dog for even making the suggestion. His reaction had confirmed her suspicions.
Even if he’d failed the “test,” the growing awareness had reached the point that it could no longer be ignored. Not that she intended to anyway.
Red had always had a healthy sex drive, but rarely got the chance to exercise it. She wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity if it presented itself, but she wouldn’t make the first move. She had her position in IPTT to think about.
In the past, sex had always been a way to alleviate job stress. Red had never used it to connect emotionally with a man. Not that she had a deep emotional connection to Morgan, but she did like him.
If they’d met under different circumstances, she might even call Morgan a friend. That fact alone made the prospect of sex with the sheriff extremely dangerous. She couldn’t afford to be distracted by him or anyone else at this stage in her career. But she knew that need often trumped logic.
Despite the growing awareness between them, Morgan had remained a consummate professional while driving them around town and into the outback areas.
He hadn’t scowled much when she’d told him that she was extending her stay and he’d kept the conversation light to pass the time during the long drives. In fact, Morgan hadn’t said or done anything to make her believe things between them had changed...but they had.
And they both knew it.
Morgan watched Gina’s sashaying ass as she sauntered toward the share space. He didn’t think his body could get any harder, but he’d been wrong. One touch, and he’d crumble to rubble at her feet.
He shook his head. He was losing it. There was no doubt in his mind.
Her warm musky scent grew stronger with each passing day. It had gotten so lush that Morgan had barely been able to keep his hands to himself.
The longer he escorted her around town, the less control he had over his urges. It was as if a veritable army of fire ants had taken up permanent residence under his skin, biting and attempting to dig their way out.
Morgan scowled at her retreating form.
Gina seemed oblivious to his condition. Sitting in the cab of the vehicle, bouncing over rocks and the uneven terrain had been downright painful. If Morgan didn’t get some relief soon, his foul mood would only get worse. He needed a woman. Bad. But he didn’t want just any woman.
He wanted her.
Damn Gina’s tactical team hide for getting under his skin!
It didn’t help matters that the whole town was watching their mating dance, waiting for him to make his move. How much longer would they be patient? How much longer would he? Morgan didn’t know.
The full moon would rear its pale head in two days’ time. What would he do then? He was barely hanging on as it was. Throw the moon into the mix and he’d never be able to fight the urge to touch her, lick her—mount her.
Morgan’s shaft grew harder at the mere notion of parting her thighs and partaking of her warmth. His vision blurred as the wolf tried to slip past him and take control. It took several gulps of air and a firm grip on the steering wheel for Morgan to calm down enough to wrench back control.
He should’ve assigned one of his deputies to accompany Gina. It was the easy thing to do, the smart thing. But the thought of another male staring at her lush body, relishing her musky scent, or tasting her moist lips, made Morgan slip from sane to murderous in seconds.
He was alpha, damn it. And that meant something, even if Gina didn’t know it.
The shadows shifted, morphing and swirling menacingly. Suddenly, Raphael Vega appeared next to Gina, his translucent skin glowing in the pale moonlight.
Her hand moved to her concealed weapon. Raphael looked deeply into her eyes and introduced himself. Gina’s hand fell away from her pistol and her body swayed. A smile flitted over her lips as Raphael murmured something unintelligible.
Morgan watched in astonishment as Gina reached for a strand of her hair and began to twirl it around her finger. It was a move completely out of character for her, which meant that Raphael was using his psychic powers to influence her behavior.
Fury filled Morgan.
Raphael brought Gina’s hand up to his lips. His mouth lingered over her knuckles, no doubt to smell her blood. He flipped her hand over and kissed the center of her palm. Gina giggled. The sound tore at Morgan’s insides.
He growled.
Raphael turned his head to look in his direction.
The exchange between he and Gina lasted no more than five minutes, but to Morgan it felt like an eternity. He’d kill him. It didn’t matter that Raphael had taken a bullet for him years ago. As far as Morgan was concerned, that debt had been paid and then some.
The lab vamp glided down the sidewalk toward the Jeep, his gaze on Gina’s retreating form. Morgan waited until he was close, then jumped out his vehicle and slammed Raphael against the hood, driving his forearm into the vamp’s throat.
“Sheriff,” he said in way of greeting. “A handshake would’ve been sufficient.”
“What did you do to her?” Morgan snarled, as his wolf tried to break free.
Raphael ignored his question. “I’ve heard a lot about your new friend. I wanted to meet her. Red’s an undeniably charming creature. Is it true she’s unclaimed?”
Morgan pushed into his throat. “You know better than to listen to gossip.”
“So it’s not true.” Raphael tried to cock his head, but couldn’t move. A ghost of a smile crossed his face. “Seems to me you’re going to a lot of effort over a woman who’s already been claimed.”
Morgan glared at him. “I’m only going to tell you this once. Leave Gina alone.”
Raphael laughed. The twinkling sound filled the air, but he never lost his predatory gaze. “You make that sound like a challenge.”
“You don’t want to challenge me on this one,” Morgan whispered, knowing in his heart that he’d kill him if he touched her. “I warned you what I’d do if I ever found you using your ‘gifts’ on an unsuspecting woman.”
“I only took her fear away so she wouldn’t shoot me,” he said. “I wouldn’t need any help to get her into bed.”
Morgan slammed him again, throwing his body weight behind it. The Jeep’s hood dented.
Raphael’s doll-like black eyes widened and he arched a brow in surprise. “Interesting. Very interesting. Your eyes are glowing red.”
Morgan looked away and took a deep breath. He could deny his attraction to Gina all he wanted, but the change in eye color would always give him away.
Before he could speak, Raphael shifted the subject. “Her perfume is divine, don’t you think?”
Morgan scowled and released him. “You know as well as I do that she’s not wearing any.”
“My mistake,” Raphael said smoothly, straightening his clothes.
If the vamp found Gina’s blood half as alluring as Morgan found her scent, then he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her. There was little Morgan could do to stop Raphael, unless he formally claimed Gina. Without his mark, she was considered available.
His fingers curled into fists. It took every fiber of Morgan’s being not to pound Raphael’s face in. He decided to take a different tack. “She’s a member of the tactical team,” he said.
Raphael hissed and took a step back.
“Something wrong?” Morgan grinned at the vampire. “I thought you loved a challenge.”
“Why would you bring one of ‘them’ here?” he asked.
“I didn’t bring her,” Morgan said. “She arrived on her own.”
“Can’t you get rid of her?” Raphael asked.
Morgan shoved his hands into his pockets. “I could, but I’m not ready to yet.” He’d thought about contacting IPTT directly and filing a formal complaint, but that would hurt Gina’s career. Morgan didn’t want to do that, if he could avoid it.
Raphael regained his composure. He swept his long black hair back, then looked at Morgan. “Sheriff,” he said, amusement infusing the word. “I had no idea you liked to play with fire.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Raphael.”
He arched a dark brow. “Indeed. Good thing I have all the time in the world to find out.” The vampire faded into the night as if he’d never been there.
“Don’t bet on it,” Morgan muttered. If Raphael tried to seduce Gina, he’d tie him to a post and leave him for the dawn.
Morgan remembered the first time he’d witnessed a full-fledged laboratory vampire meeting the sun. They didn’t burst into flames like the old legends suggested.
Instead, they hardened and began to expand until they exploded into thousands of pieces of living shrapnel. You needed to stand back, or they’d take you with them into the next world.
They were the perfect weapon, dead or alive.
Many enemy soldiers, and the vampire hunters who’d followed, learned that lesson the hard way. Too bad Raphael wasn’t a typical vamp.
Morgan wouldn’t mind seeing him explode. But that wasn’t an option, since sunlight didn’t affect Raphael that way.
The stubborn vamp had better take his warning seriously. He wasn’t about to lose another woman to that fang-toothed Romeo. If he had his way, Morgan wouldn’t lose Gina period.
His gaze strayed back to the share space. He was grateful that she’d gone inside. He didn’t want Gina to witness him losing control. Morgan climbed into his vehicle and started the engine. Before he pulled away, he glanced at the door she’d retreated into moments ago. “You’re mine. You just don’t know it yet.”
The share space was dark, when Red entered the water trading area. Her head seemed oddly fuzzy and she couldn’t seem to recall the conversation she’d just had with Morgan’s friend, Raphael.
She was obviously more tired than she realized. Red pressed her palm to the wall next to the door to lock it behind her.
She was in desperate need of a shower, so she headed straight for the stairs. Her foot was on the bottom rung, when Red heard mumbles coming from the water exchange area. She paused to listen.
“Thought she’d be done with her questions about the murder by now,” Jesse croaked, her voice gruff despite her hushed tones.
There was a pause.
“What do you think happened to the half-eaten woman she found in the dead forest? Perfect place for a murder, you know?” Jesse said. “Can’t hear screams in there.”
Red listened hard for a reply, but caught nothing. Who was she talking to?
Jesse spoke again. “My thoughts exactly. We both know what she’s looking for. How long has it been since we’ve seen trouble like this? Twenty years? Fifty? My mind’s not what it used to be.”
Unintelligible whispers followed.
“The sheriff knows what needs to be done. About time he stops thinking with his dick and starts thinking with his head. I’ve never seen the man so wound up over a piece of tail. Red’s a good girl. I like her. Would be perfect for him, if she wasn’t with IPTT.
There was a pause.
“You’re right,” Jesse said. “It might be time for a change in leadership. We need someone whose priority is the town. We can’t have an outsider nosing around in our business. She might find out, then where would we be?”
Find out what?
Red ignored the remark about Morgan and willed them to continue. It was obvious they were hiding something. Something important that might have a bearing on her case.
She stepped off the bottom rung and edged closer. Red could just make out Jesse’s profile in the shadows. Unfortunately, the person she was speaking to stood behind a pillar blocked from view. She moved closer. A floor panel under Red’s foot squeaked.
The conversation stopped. Jesse swung around, her one-eyed gaze piercing the darkness. Red sank into the shadows, pressing her body flat against the wall until her black clothing blended into her surroundings.
“It’s not safe to talk here,” Jesse said. “The walls have ears.” She led whomever she spoke with out a back door.
Red glimpsed the broad shoulders of a man, but couldn’t make out who it was. She needed to know. He might hold the answers. She replayed the conversation in her mind.
She’d been unable to hear his voice, which was odd, considering her acute sense of hearing. The urge to follow was overwhelming, but she’d already blown the perfect opportunity to learn something new.
No matter. She’d heard enough.
Red continued up the stairs to her room, hope blooming inside of her for the first time since her arrival. Something strange was going on in Nuria. The whole town was keeping a secret and she wasn’t about to leave until she found out what it was and why.
15
Moonlight spills into the room through the window blinds, highlighting the woman’s hair. The coppery tresses glisten like pennies at the bottom of a fountain as she coos and fusses over the old woman, lying in the bed. They have the same color eyes. Green. Green like ice-covered emeralds.
My search is over. I promised Roark another warm body, and I believe I’ve found her.
She whispers endearments while reaching for an extra blanket to cover the old woman. The movement causes her breasts jiggle beneath her sweater. The sound of the material scraping over sensitive flesh whispers in the air.
I close my eyes and imagine my tongue curling around her ripe nipples, teasing her until they engorge with blood. The delicate rosy points stab my mouth, begging to be licked, touched...bitten.
Perhaps there is a better use for her than being a sacrifice for Roark’s career.
