Dead Man Running: Book Two - Supernatural Bounty Hunter Romance Novellas (9 page)

She had been less than thrilled at the idea of running around investigating this whole sordid mess, but had agreed to it to spend time with her gorgeous mate.  Her heart almost broke every time he had to leave her. 
She never wanted them to be apart.

In truth, she wasn’t actually convinced of Julian’s innocence.  She had met the older vampire once; Viktor wangled an invitation for her to a party Julian was throwing.  She had taken a date for appearance’s sake, a cousin of hers who was there for the sumptuous buffet.  She had found Julian to be cold and arrogant, a world away from her sexy vampire.  Not that she saw much of Julian that night, she spent most of the night in the laundry room, getting frisky on the washing machine.

Alma smiled remembering that night.  Up until then, she had no idea major appliances could be so much fun.  But anyway, the point was that she had no problem envisioning Julian coldly killing two innocent girls.  But Viktor was adamant he hadn’t… 

So, for the sake of her mate, she was going to give this little endeavor her all.  Even if he didn’t like the answers they found.  Although, she did actually have a few doubts
now. 
Perhaps the ruthless, son-of-a-bitch was innocent!

She felt a twinge at seeing her mate looking dejected. 
Here he was, a centuries-old killing machine, and he looked like a lost, little puppy!

Alma went to him and slipped her arms round his waist.  The soft warmth of her glorious body soothed him immediately. 

Viktor rubbed her back as he tried to clear his mind.  He had been hoping this would be a lot easier, although he could now see he had unrealistic expectations.  He leaned down and buried his head in Alma’s shoulder.

A memory started to niggle him.  It was something that Julian said after he had been released from jail.  At the time, Viktor thought it was a little odd but didn’t say anything. 
Now, what was it?

He tensed as he heard the elevator rumbling their way.  Swiftly he grabbed Alma and ran for the bedroom, pulling the door almost closed as two young hotel staff came out of the elevator.

Alma craned her neck around him trying to get a look.  Her heart was beating thunderously
.  If they were caught, they would be arrested for trespassing!
  She almost barked out a laugh when the young couple stopped walking and started kissing passionately. 

She calmed a little; it was doubtful that the couple was supposed to be up there making out.  If she and Viktor were caught, at least they would have a bargaining chip.

Judging by the young couple’s uniforms she was a maid, and he was a bellboy.  They started giggling and telling each other to shush as they made their way to the bedroom.

Viktor pulled Alma to the ground, and they rolled under the bed, ducking out of sight just as the door was pushed open.

The sounds of sloppy kissing and clothes being unzipped filled the room.  Alma and Viktor watched as the couple stumbled toward the bed, and dipped as the girl jumped up on it.  The scuffed shoes of the bellboy peeked under the bed.

“You want this, baby?” asked the bellboy in a husky voice.

Alma rolled her eyes imagining what he was offering the maid. 

“
Oooh, yes please,” cooed the maid.

Alma glanced at Viktor; he was trying not to laugh at the young couple. 

“Here I come, baby!”

Alma almost groaned out loud as the bed dipped, and the bellboy climbed aboard.  She and Viktor sunk even further to the floor as the mattress sagged under the couple’s weight.

After a few seconds of the bed slightly swaying, the bellboy let out a satisfied moan.  “Fuck, you feel good baby.”

“
Mmm, you too, you’re so big,” replied the young woman.

Alma winked at Viktor; she knew a fake compliment when she heard one. 
Heaven knows she’d lied and said that to enough men over the years!

The bed began rocking; the mattress bounced up and down for a minute before the bellboy grunted and shouted out ‘fuck, yeah,’ and apparently collapsed.

“You’re amazing, baby,” sighed the man, happily.

“Yes, you too,” murmured the maid, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

After a few minutes of shuffling around the couple stood up from the bed, the sound of a lip-smacking kiss resounded through the room, and they retreated out the door.  Viktor peered out from under the bed and smiled when he saw they were leaving holding hands. 
Ahh, young love
.

The vampire listened carefully until the elevator arrived, and the door clicked shut.  He rolled out from under the bed and helped Alma out.

Alma smoothed her clothes down.  “Well, that was… I really don’t have the words for what just happened.”

Viktor’s shoulders shook in silent laughter.  “At least he was fast.”

She raised an eyebrow.  “I don’t think the maid shares your appreciation of that fact.”

“They’ll be fine.  Men get better with age; I mean, just look at me.”

“Yes, yes, if there was a sex Olympics you’d bag the gold.”  Alma leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on his soft lips.  “So, Joe Friday, what now?”

Viktor slid his hands round her body and rested them on her peach-like ass.  “They actually gave me an idea.”

“I am not having sex in that bed…”

He chuckled.  “No, not that.  Although if you really wanted, we could just have sex against…”  He trailed off when he saw the irritated look on her face.  He cleared his throat.  “I remembered what had been bothering me.  It was about the girls Julian had sex with, and…”

“Allegedly murdered,” supplied Alma.

“Yes, Julian said they just turned up at his room.  It was the way he said it, it suggested that he didn’t hire them.  So if he didn’t, who did?”

She mulled that over for a few moments.  “That’s a good point.”

“You don’t have to look so surprised.”  He gave her a reproachful look.

Alma snickered at the needy vampire.  “I’m not surprised, just impressed.  You impress the hell out of me.”

“Damn right I do.”

Chapter Thirteen

An hour later they were sat on Alma’s couch.  She was happily digging into a taco supreme special from
Hola Sunshine, whilst he supped at a bottle of blood.

Getting out of the hotel had been easy enough; Viktor left the keycard on the coffee table, and they went out the window to climb down the fire escape. 
Or at least Viktor did
.  Alma clambered onto his back and shut her eyes. 
She hated heights
.  It had never come up before, but then she’d never been on the top of the fire escape of a thirty-floor building before.  Not that Viktor was complaining; the feel of her thighs wrapped around his torso, her breasts crushed against him, and her soft breath on her neck was invigorating. 
He could have carried her for miles and wouldn’t tire of it
.

Driving home, they swung by the
Hola Sunshine drive through and then a vampire shop to grab a bottle of blood.  When Viktor said he was hungry, he had looked to his mate, hopefully, but she had begged off.  In the last few days, she had been donating more than usual and was starting to feel a teeny weeny bit wiped out.

Viktor was disappointed; no one tasted as divine as his mate, but he certainly didn’t want to hurt her. 
The thought of losing control again made him shudder.

Briefly he wondered about Julian again.  The older vampire still hadn’t been in contact.  Viktor called his cell phone as well as his own home phone, in the hope that Julian might have returned. 
But so far, nothing.
  He just hoped Julian hadn’t run too far; it would look bad if he were found in Mexico.

After almost inhaling her food, Alma dug out her copy of the newspaper and found the names of the two murdered girls.  They went by Daffodil and Tulip, but their real names were Martha Jenkins and Susannah Crowley.  They were both only 19 years old.

She read the article through a couple of times.  “Hmmm, it doesn’t say who they actually worked for.”

Viktor tapped his chin thoughtfully.  “The names sound familiar…”

Alma’s eyes narrowed.  “Why do the names sound familiar?”

“Can I borrow your laptop?” 

Viktor leapt of the couch and grabbed it before she could object.  He switched it on and started typing names into a search engine.  He alighted on a website for escorts called Tender Blossoms and proudly showed it to Alma.

She gave him a withering glare. 

Viktor impatiently jabbed his finger at the screen.  “Look at all these girls.”

“You trying to tell me something?” she asked sourly.

Viktor grunted.  “They’re all about 19 and they’re all named after flowers, looks there’s a Magnolia, Petunia, Zinnia, Rose and hey look they have a Daffodil and a Tulip, and it says here they’re new to the agency.”

Alma took the laptop from him and peered at the screen, bringing it close to her eyes. 
She really needed reading glasses, but was far too vain to get an eye test. 

“Huh.”  She pursed her lips, “H
ow did you find this place so quickly?”

Viktor cleared his throat and started mumbling.  “I may have used them a couple of time before I met you; I sort of know the owner.”

Alma stared at him blankly,
if he could blush, he would.

“In my defense the girls had
no problem with me biting them, just as long as I made sure their necks healed after.”  He fidgeted under her scrutinizing look.  “It was a long time ago, okay?”

She shrugged.  “I didn’t say a word.”

“You don’t have to,” he grumbled.  “A look says a thousand words where you’re concerned.”

“Fine, we’ll go talk to Tender Blossoms tomorrow night.”

Viktor’s eyes shifted.  “You don’t have to come with me…”

Alma gave him a chilly smile.  “Oh, yes I do.  I insist.”

*

The following evening Viktor parked and reluctantly walked toward the entrance of the Tender Blossoms office.  Alma followed closely behind.

In over three hundred years he’d never been so nervous.  He told himself over and over he had nothing to be ashamed of; he’d had sex before he met Alma, she knew that.  Just like he knew she was no blushing virgin before she realized she was his true mate.

He wasn’t exactly proud of the fact, but during his downtime he’d tracked down every single man Alma had ever dated.  He hadn’t found the men to hurt them; it just gave him a perverse pleasure to see the sorry excuses for men she had been with before him.  It made him feel happier and more secure in making her wait for him. 
He’d had a lot of free time over the last four years.

He was delighted that not a single one of them could measure up to him
. 
Yeah, okay, he was an arrogant, pervy asshole, and he didn’t care!

He had come to terms with her sexual past, his on the other hand… it wasn’t something they ever discussed.  Alma asked him about his past now and again, but he generally demurred and dodged the questions.  His spiky little witch had a bit of a jealous streak,
not to mention a fiery temper
, which made for some very passionate sex, but otherwise was best to be avoided.

Yet, here she was, about to come face to face with the last woman he was with before he met her. 
He just hoped she could hold onto any rage she might feel.

Viktor made a last-ditch attempt to stop what was about to happen.  “Isn’t anyone missing you at the bail bond agency?  Shouldn’t you maybe check in with them whilst I deal with this?”

“Nope, everything’s fine.  Mia has everything under control.” 
She hoped.

Technically, Alma had called in sick for the last couple of days.  She didn’t really want Marcus to know what she was up to.  If he knew, he might be tempted to send one of the bounty hunters to help out, and then Viktor w
ould leave her behind.  No way was she allowing that to happen;
he’s never leaving her behind again.

She was a little surprised at the Tender Blossoms office.  It wasn’t glamorous, or inviting, it was in a low-rent office building, that looked like a big cube of concrete.  It looked like an undistinguished building; from the outside, no one would guess at the seedy agency it housed, but, she reflected that was probably the point.

Viktor stopped at the door; his hand lingered on the handle.  He considered warning her, but couldn’t find the words.  In the end, he just forced a smile and told her he loved her.

She looked at him curiously but wordlessly entered the building as Viktor held the door open for her.

A young woman with bright pink hair sat the reception desk; she immediately looked up and gave Viktor an appreciative glance.  Alma was about to get annoyed when the woman gave her an equally approving glance. 
Apparently they were both her type
.

“Hi, there!  I’m Lilac, how can I help you?”

Viktor gave her a devastatingly handsome smile.  In spite of reason, Alma couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. 
Those smiles should only be for her
.

“Hello, is Lavender here?” drawled Viktor, smoothly.

“I’m sorry; Lavender doesn’t come in anymore.  Ever since she got married, she works from home.”

The bubbly girl pointed at a photo on the wall.  Alma squinted; it was clearly a tropical beach, there was a tall, curvy, blonde woman in a skimpy white bikini and a veil being clutched, adoringly by a young man.  Alma marveled at the woman; she had the biggest breasts Alma had ever seen.  The man must have been in his early twenties, but Lavender was easily in her forties.

“Lucky Lavender,” murmured Alma. 
If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear Viktor breathed a sigh of relief.

“Perhaps you can help me, Lilac,” he purred in a silken voice.

Lilac simpered, and he heard his mate mutter ‘oh, brother.’

“I would like to book a couple of girls.”

Lilac beamed.  “Of course, sir.  We charge an excellent group rate, perhaps you would like to take a look and let me know if any of the girls take your fancy.”  She winked and placed a large book on the reception desk.

He leafed through the pages until he alighted on Daffodil. 
Or at least, the new Daffodil
.  “She seems…nice.”

Alma huffed as Lilac nodded her head vigorously.  “She’s just started with us; I’m sure she’d be thrilled to meet you.  Vampire, right?”

Viktor inclined his head, indicating yes.

“All the girls love vampires.” 

Lilac’s eyes wouldn’t meet his.  Viktor imagined that was true before what happened to two of their ranks.  Now, he envisaged they were all a little wary.

“And will your lady friend be joining in?”  Lilac looked to Alma, who balked at the young woman.

Viktor quickly answered.  “No, actually the booking wouldn’t be for us, but for a friend of mine.  That won’t be a problem will it?”

Lilac giggled.  “Of course not, a lot of people like to book our girls as birthday presents.”

Alma scowled; she didn’t approve of giving a young woman as a gift.

Viktor idly flipped through the pages of the book.  “You know, I was looking at your website last week, and I could swear that Daffodil looks different.”

Lilac’s smile twitched.  “Yes, unfortunately, the old Daffodil no longer works for us.”

“Oh my, that is a shame.  She was such a lovely looking girl, what happened?”

Lilac tried to blink back tears, but a stray one made it down her cheek, blurring her mascara.  “I’m sorry…”  Her voice cracked.

Alma immediately leaned forward and took one of Lilac’s hands.  “Hey, it’s okay.  Oh my god!  Was Daffodil one of the girls in the paper?  One of the girls the vampire killed?”  Alma gave her a look of horror.

The young pink-haired woman nodded sadly.  “I can’t believe she’s gone…”  She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

Alma dropped her hand and swiftly ran
around the desk to sweep Lilac into a hug.  “You poor thing!  How awful it must be to have lost your friends.”

Lilac nodded as she nestled against Alma’s body, clinging onto the witch tightly.  “I just can’t believe it!  One minute she and Tulip and there and the next, poof!  They’re dead!”

Viktor growled lowly.  He wasn’t sure he liked just how hard Lilac was clutching his mate.  The young woman was upset, but his keen senses detected the kindling of arousal.

Alma ignored him and rubbed the young woman’s back soothingly.  “Do you know what happened?”

Lilac hiccupped and looked at Viktor accusingly.  “Only that the vampire killed them.”

He was about to object when a warning look from Alma stopped him.  The witch started stroking the young woman’s bubblegum colored hair.  Lilac pressed herself against Alma’s chest a lot more closely than necessary in Viktor’s opinion.

Alma affected a clueless manner.  “So, did that vampire hire the girls himself?  It seems mad to hire them and then do that to them.”

Lilac sighed.  “No, he didn’t.  He’d booked girls from us before, but this time it wasn’t him.”

“Oh?” said Alma, trying to restrain her curiosity.  “Who did then?”

Lilac pulled herself out of the embrace.  She blinked a few times before her eyes glazed ever so slightly.  “I… I don’t remember.”  She screwed up her face trying to think, before relaxing back into a glassy stare.  “I remember nothing.”

Viktor stilled.  He’d know that look anywhere.  “We need to leave,” he said gruffly.

Alma looked at him in surprise but didn’t say anything.

Lilac shook her head as the fog of confusion lifted.  “Don’t you want to hire some of the girls?”

Alma rubbed her arm.  “We’ll come back another day when you’re feeling better.”

The young woman nodded; a small smile shining through her tear-streaked, snot laden, pretty face.

Lilac pressed a card into Alma’s hand.  “Hey, if you ever want to get a drink or something, call me.”

With that, the young woman turned and retreated to the restroom, dabbing at her face as she went.

When she was out of sight, Viktor grabbed hold of Alma and speedily ran out to his car.  When safely locked inside he let out a vicious snarl.

Alma blinked for a few seconds before placing one hand on Viktor’s leg and looking out the window.  Viktor trembled with the effort of controlling his jealous rage.  Logically he knew Lilac was no threat to him, but all he could focus on was the fact that she had made a pass at his mate, and he wanted to tear her limb from limb.

The soothing touch of his mate calmed him slightly, and he was able to relax and ignore the red-hot fury bubbling inside.

“So, how do you know Lavender?”  Alma’s voice cut through his anger like a knife.

She already suspected how he knew the woman, and had already felt the tingles of her own jealousy on that matter.  But she needed to take his mind off what had just happened. 
A rampaging vampire was not a pretty sight.
  God knows she liked to tease him, for some reason Detective Leeman was a particularly sore point with him, but she couldn’t bear it if he really were hurt.