Sanibel Seduction - Vampire Werewolf Menage (Fanged Romance Series Book Four) (7 page)

When Gage opened his mouth, he got a whiff of an old friend.

“Vampire misted in,” Jude snapped.

“You’ve no wardin’ up against the leeches?” Heath asked, flashing his incredible beast – dark and volatile.

“Not against friends,” Gage said easily, just as Kash poked his head around, knocking on the wrong side of the door.

“Trying to catch me in skin again?” Kash had spotted Gage in precarious positions all over Captiva.

The vampire shook his head, rustling his long, coppery spikes around before they effortlessly fell back in place. “Not a social call,” he said grimly, nodding behind him. “I had to trance her.”

“Stacy?” Gage didn’t like anyone else messing with her head. She was under his protection. “Why?”

“Yeah, well, she saw me mist in.”

“Great,” he groaned, rubbing his temple. “Where is she now?”

“I made her think she was supposed to make coffee.”

“For future reference, I make my own coffee.” He shook his head. “Get in here, Warrior.” Gage gestured for the Vampyr Vojak, welcoming him to step inside. Though encircled by three werewolves, Kash didn’t look worried in the least. His strength was pure, radiating from the original bloodline of his species. “What’s my warning this time, officer?”

“Nothing about this is official, either. But I’ll be damned if I spend another second with Bane without going for his throat.” Black leather boots hit the tile in long measured steps, stopping as he reached out to grasp Gage’s hand. “There are rogue vamps in your area. Only a few that I know of, but highly dangerous.”
He dropped Kash’s hand, wondering if they were the ones who brought him down yesterday. “Could these particular rogues hide their scent?”

Kash shifted, eyeing the Fadens up and down. His leather duster billowed out behind him, and Gage knew exactly what lied beneath that long coat. Blades made from ores, which were not found in this world, and an arsenal that could tumble the building if the vampire were so inclined. But he wouldn’t, even if Maestru told him to. Gage trusted two vampires, and one of them was Kash. But his friend didn’t trust the other Beasts in the room.

“I vouch for them wholly,” he gave a rare oath, placing his torn palm over his heart and hoping he wouldn’t live to regret it.

“It’s all good,” Kash said reluctantly, staring out at the spectacular view. “I honestly don’t like discussing what our vampires can and cannot do. Just as werewolves find it unwise to discuss your little quirks. So I’ll put it this way: I don’t know if they have the miasma to hide their scent.” He took a deep breath as if he didn’t want to say the next words. “But I
do
know that one of them can wield immortal fire.”

“Talk about makin’ things interestin’,” Heath breathed, loosening the tie on his long, black hair and shaking it out. “We recently lost many over immortal fire, though I canna say I’ve heard of those who produce it.”

“That’s just it,” Kash continued. “I was there when Ciaran’s castle went up in flames. We assumed it was due to the Habalines. God knows they can pull just about anything out of their asses,” he stopped, rubbing the backs of his knuckles across his chin. “Now we’re more certain than ever that Ciaran’s home was burned down by one of these vampire rogues. One who has an unknown agenda.”

“If this vampire can wield immortal fire,” Gage said thoughtfully, “something I’ve never heard of in all my years on this earth – than hiding his scent, as well as his comrades’, should be nothing to him, an easily attainable feat.” By Kash’s drawn out silence, he understood his answer to be a ‘hell yes’.

“This is all I can give you.” Kash reached inside his duster and pulled out a thick, brown envelope, tossing it on Gage’s desk.

“If I come up with anything interesting, I’ll let you know.” Gage immediately picked up the envelope, studying its contents.

“I want to feed before I head back to Captiva.”

“Stacy is under my protection and is off limits,” he said to Kash without raising his eyes from the papers.

“For blood or everything else?”

“Ah, my deviant vampire, everything
you
can think of.” Gage laughed as Kash misted away with a scowl.

They’d finally ended their long workday, and instead of him showering and changing, Azure watched while Nick stalked his apartment as if he were a caged tiger. He walked to the balcony, checking the locks before prowling the small interior another three times. Strangely, he’d searched the laundry hamper twice.

“Listen, let’s just eat out and skip the club.” He’d planned on making her favorite stir-fry in order to fill their stomachs before they binged on alcohol, but she could sense he needed to bail. “Or…you can drop me off at the house, and we’ll call it a night.” If only they hadn’t carpooled today.

He stopped in front of her, anchoring both hands on his hips. “Sayer never came home last night.”

Azure stared at him curiously, hitching her heavy bag on her shoulder, “Are you sure?” She hadn’t wanted to come here at all; facing Sayer so soon after he’d intimately handled her made for an uncomfortable situation - at least for her.

Nick made his way to the kitchen, dropping a half-empty jar of spaghetti sauce in the trash before he dampened a sponge and scrubbed the dirty skillet left on the stove. Azure eyeballed its cooked on crustiness, placed her bag on a nearby barstool, and started filling the sink. After introducing ten times the amount of dish soap necessary to complete the job, she grabbed the skillet and gave it a good dunk. All actions preformed in uncharacteristic silence, so she broke it, “What are you thinking?”

“What happened last night, baby?” He demanded softly. “Start from the beginning.” He reached for a bottle of Riesling he’d stashed in the fridge and poured two hefty glasses.

“First, tell me what’s got you worried.” She studied her glass a second before taking a gulp, no dainty sips for her. At least, not while her leg remained this painful.

“I’m in charge of laundry and Sayer is on kitchen detail.”

“That’s it? He forgot to clean up, and you think something’s wrong?”

“He always puts his soiled clothes in the hamper at night.”

The fragrance of sandalwood and musk drifted through her nose – Sayer’s scent.
How would I
remember someone’s scent?
Better yet, how could any man’s scent linger if he’d been away all night? How could any man’s scent wake up her work-exhausted and sleep deprived body as if she’d swallowed twenty cups of espresso at once? How could he drench her panties when he wasn’t even here? Then again, after last night’s encounter played through her mind, how could she forget? She pursed her lips and met Nick’s full-on stare, forcing her body to snap out of it. “I know you’re not one who overreacts. But still.”

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “His bed wasn’t slept in, either.”

“How could you tell?” If she remembered about Sayer’s domestic skills, they were below average.

“He was reading one of my books, and it’s still there, frozen where he left it on his pillow. Besides, we have a sophisticated alarm system. His code was last entered before you two left on your date.”

“Our outing,” she corrected lamely, “for a charity gala.”

“You looked beautiful in Marco’s gown,” he added with a satisfied smile.

“A gown I now
owe
him for,” she said, worrying her bottom lip. “I have no idea what happened to it.”

“A little stain will come out,” he said distractedly. “We’ll take it to my cleaners.”

“Not possible since it’s totally gone,” she admitted with utter embarrassment, wishing she’d taken her few evening gowns from Will’s apartment before she’d moved out. The few he’d bought her. But she was so determined to leave the flashy life behind that she’d left the flashy gowns behind, as well.

“I’ll talk to Marco and see if he wants compensation. He’s a good friend, Azure. Don’t worry about the dress. Sounds like you shouldn’t get so drunk, though.”

She didn’t remember being drunk at all. “I guess…a lesson for next time, right?”

He downed his wine in two gulps, surprising her since he was a sipper, too. “Try Sayer from your cell. Maybe he’ll pick up if he sees your number.”

“He wouldn’t recognize my number,” she countered mildly. “You’re his friend. I’m the friend of a friend.”

“He’d recognize your name, though.”

“And he
might
pick up if he wanted to talk to me.” At his exasperated look, she caved, “Okay, okay, why not?” Azure rose to get her bag, but he stopped her.

“Rest your leg.” Nick stepped over her, kissing her head on the way. “I’ll dig for it.” She heard a weighty thump and her keys hit the tile along with the rest of her bag’s contents. “Don’t even think of getting up,” he ordered without turning around. “I’m putting everything back. No worries. Oh” – she heard more rustling – “I see you’ve bought the studded condoms. Enjoyable, effective, but a little pricey on your shoestring budget, you should always make the man pay.”

“Shut up, I don’t have…Are they really studded?” She’d bought them before her trip and hadn’t used a single one, even last night.

“Uh-huh,” he mumbled while pressing his ear to her phone.

She huffed, “That’s why the guy at the checkout gave me the wandering eye.”

“Bullshit,” he said while ending the call, “you were getting the eye because you’re gorgeous. Still no answer.” He eased her phone back into her bag. “It just goes to voice mail.”

“I know Sayer is young, but why are you so worried about what we did last night?”

“He just started his new job two weeks ago.”

“And?” She put her drink down. Already, its effects were too much for her.

Nick stood and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring out the slider into the setting sun. “He now works for Jordan Marketing.”

“He told me last night,” she said, truly mystified with his behavior, “but the company is so vast, there’s no -”

“He’s the new lead manager for Miami’s tight end: Ben Scalon,” he grumbled.

“How would he land that kind of position when he just started for Jordan?
How old is he? Maybe t
wenty-one?”

“Just turned,” Nick answered and went on warily, “I don’t know whether you’ve kept up with Will’s extracurricular activities since your breakup -”

She cut him off, “I haven’t.” It was too painful.

“Well, supposedly, Ben’s his new bestie.”

“Maybe it’s the wine or lack of sleep, but I’m not following.”
“Was he there last night at the Everglades gala?”

“I never saw Will, but I’ll admit to keeping my head down.” She heard his scoffing tone, but continued as parts of the previous night unfolded, “Come to think of it, I did meet a guy named Ben, an exceptionally large man who could easily be a tight-end. He was dodging the paparazzi left and right. It was annoying standing next to him, to say the least. We ducked into a tent while he and Sayer chatted it up. It was a brief encounter. I doubt he recognized me as Will’s old girlfriend.”

She followed Nick’s gaze through the sliders. Shades of turquoise shimmered in the horizon, dotted with countless boats; their shapes and sizes determined by their owners’ wealth. The sun was setting low – nearly hidden, readying Miami for another busy night, where the sea would wash any serenity away while swirling with midnight blue and dark hedonism.

“Maybe I’m overthinking it, then.” Nick still didn’t sound convinced. “I just find it odd that he recently took a job that inevitably crosses paths with your old flame, and you two were seen last night together. Next day, he’s gone.”

“We can call the police,” she offered. “But as you said, more times than not, he’s a womanizer. It’s possible that he hooked up with someone after he brought me home.” She couldn’t recall him bringing her home at all. And the thought of him being with another made her stomach twist painfully.

“The police won’t investigate until twenty-four hours have passed.” He reminded her, and studied Azure in a way that made her feel raw. “How could a woman who looks like you - and that’s not even considering your intelligence and personality – have such a battered self-image?”

“Some things make us brittle right down to our bones.”
He decided to intrude. “You said your mother remained single all of your life?”

“She did.” Right up until she’d succumbed to breast cancer. Azure had moved into her small house after her break-up with Will. A constant reminder of her mother’s death that she’d just as soon avoid. Unfortunately, not a single buyer was willing to pay anything above peanuts in this downturned economy, so many times she’d nearly ripped the for sale sign off the front patch of grass and called things off with her realtor. But she kept her faith and slept in a tiny bed inside the Florida room, keeping her mother’s old bedroom closed.

He gathered her bag and picked his keys up off the snack bar. “You’ve never told me about your father.”

“How can I tell you about someone I don’t know?” She dutifully followed him out, looking away as he set the alarm and locked the door. A blacked-out SUV was perched around the corner, but in this neighborhood, it wasn’t that unusual. Sayer’s place was small, but beachfront property came with a mint price, and the wealthy always needed extra security. She pulled her gaze away from the vehicle and let Nick help her to the elevator since she couldn’t shake that annoying limp and its accompanying pain.

“Hmmm.”

“What? Don’t tell me that you subscribe to the whole ‘Daddy Issues’ theory.” She chewed her plump lips, fighting a giggle. “You are one empathetic psychiatrist.” Nick was still in his residency, working the private detox facility to get his hours in while pulling random shifts at the hospital. She didn’t know how he did it, or what she would have done if he hadn’t gotten her a job at the facility. After all, she was supposed to have a Master’s
degree
to work there, so he’d undoubtedly pulled some serious strings to put her in a position others were better qualified for.

He opened the passenger door for her, practically lifting her in and then adjusting her leg. After putting her purse in her lap, he replied, “I didn’t subscribe to that particular theory before I met you, Azure baby. Empathy is my calling. One of many. But I’m only inquiring as a friend.”