Authors: Mary Abshire
“Because we agreed to exchange what we know with each other.”
The soft hum of the garage door indicated Jonas and Tabby had left the house.
Boss stepped closer. “Do you love him?”
“Who? Jackson?”
“Yes.”
A chuckle escaped me. “No, of course not. He’s an attractive man, and smart, but I’m not in love with him.”
He took another step closer. “What about Anubis?”
The beat of my heart increased. “I don’t know. I know I was in love with him once, but now…”
He brushed aside a strand of hair from my eyes. “I know we started out rocky, and I said some harsh words… But I have always had the upmost respect and appreciation for you.” His gaze lowered to my lips. “I want you to know that…I care about you. As long as you are with me, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
I swallowed and stayed completely still with my arms crossed and heart pounding. “I appreciate everything you’ve done to help me.”
“I know you do.”
Desire coiled within me–wishing he’d kiss me, touch me and do all the things we’d done the night before and more. But here was the time to share our true feelings with each other and leave nothing for question. Eyes lowered, I fought to ignore the carnal craving.
“Boss, you’re a very generous man with a kind heart under that thick vampire shell.”
He chuckled. “Uh-oh. Here it comes. But…”
“I care about you. But just so we’re clear, I’m not in love with you.”
He grinned. “I know that.”
Not knowing what to say, I simply stared at him.
“I’m not in love with you either, but you are special to me. Not to mention, we do share some similar qualities. I want to help you. And don’t worry, I’m not asking for anything in return. But if, on the occasion, you feel the need…well, let’s just say I understand the hunger for blood is not the only craving a vampire has.”
Pressing my lips together, I held back the laughter wanting to burst from me. My God, I thought the man was falling in love with me. Truth was he just wanted someone to bump uglies with. And honestly, the idea intrigued me. Six weeks without sex, without touching or kissing even, was enough to drive me insane. I don’t know how he survived.
“I’m glad we understand each other,” I said.
Having cleared up our relationship, I headed for the stairs.
“Are you the least bit curious about Anubis?”
I managed a few steps before I stopped. After a deep sigh, I said, “Of course I am.”
He stepped closer to me until we were inches apart. “If you had a choice of lovers, who would you choose?” He grazed his fingers over my cheek.
Now? He wanted me to decide whom I’d prefer to have sex with now? I barely knew either man. One was a flashback and the other I’d met six weeks ago. How could I possibly make a logical decision? “I can’t say.”
“Just think about it. If you give me a chance, I’m sure I can please you. I held back all these weeks because I wasn’t sure how you felt. After last night, I sensed your longing. It’s strong, as it is for any vampire. You shouldn’t be ashamed of it. I’m here for you.”
He took my face into his hands and glided his thumb over my lips, tickling them. Heat coiled within me, aroused by his touch. My body wanted more. “You are severely tempting me.”
His lips twitched while he slid his hand around my neck. “Am I?” He brought his lips near mine and hovered a hair away, teasing me. “Shall I stop?”
Damn him for rousing my desire. I leaned into his body and kissed him. He accepted my tongue and sucked on it tenderly. The kiss deepened, and I became wetter by the second as I longed for him to touch me between my legs. Clearly, we cared for each other, needed each other and vampires had a strong desire for sex. But was I ready to make a commitment to him? Be a girlfriend? Be a lover?
I placed my hands on his chest and pried my lips from his. “This is dangerous.”
He smacked me with another kiss. “Dangerous women excite me.”
Half grinning, I took a step back. “I have a job to do, and I plan to finish it.” My body screamed at me to stay, but the voice in my head reminded me I had priorities. If I stayed with the vampire and had sweaty sex for hours on end, I’d never see Galluzzi brought to justice.
Boss glided his hands down my arms and lightly gripped them. “I won’t stop you. I’ll help any way I can.”
“Thank you.”
He wrapped his arms around me, and as we embraced, he pressed his lips to my ear. “And if another vampire touches you or harms you, I’ll rip them to shreds.”
Fear spread like a toxic drug. I pushed myself away from him. “What are you saying?”
He lowered his arms and straightened. “I’m merely stating if you select me, I will do anything and everything to protect you.”
I presumed he was talking about if Anubis showed up and started trouble. “So if I selected you and Anubis tried to win me back, you’d fight him?”
“To keep you and protect you, yes.” He said it so emotionlessly that it gave me a chill.
“Anubis is an old one. You wouldn’t win.”
“Where’s your faith in me?”
“Faith? He’s a fucking god.” Irritation and fear deepened my voice.
“Everyone has a weakness.”
I stepped back, distancing myself from him. He’d fight a god so he could keep me to himself. How crazy was that? How could the need for sex from one woman drive a vampire to such great lengths? I glanced at his lips and saw the tips of his canines. The light bulb flashed in my head. It wasn’t just sex he wanted, and I was willing to bet the same was true for Anubis. My angel blood had to play a role in this. What an attractive vampire I was with the sex drive to match any other vampire and the most delicious blood on the planet. God help me.
“I think we should be careful,” I said, thinking mostly of myself. Although I didn’t want any harm to come to Boss, it ticked me off that he saw me as a fuck bunny and a meal.
“I won’t deny my bid for you when he arrives. He’ll sense our intimacy anyway.”
I noticed he said
when
not
if
he arrives. And
bid
? My temper spiked. “I’m not choosing anyone right now. I know neither of you well enough.”
Boss crossed his arms over his chest. “You have no memories of him, and we have spent the last six weeks together.”
“Maybe my memories will come back to me
when
he arrives. I don’t know. Right now, I have other priorities, so you can both take a seat and wait.”
Boss clenched his jaw, flexing the muscle over his temple. “Stubborn woman.”
I lifted my finger and pointed at him. “Dangerous and determined. Remember?”
“How can any man ever forget?”
Lips sealed, I headed down the hall. Boss had officially annoyed me, again, with his willfulness. Funny how he claimed I was stubborn. He needed to look in the mirror.
While I felt honored by his chivalry, the thought of him taking on the God of the Underworld terrified me. Boss couldn’t win. He’d said Anubis would sense our intimacy. Did that mean he was an instant threat now? Although I couldn’t decide which vampire I wanted to be with, I knew with certainty that I didn’t want to see Boss ripped from limb to limb. I did care about him and, aside from our little problems, he’d been nothing but helpful the last six weeks. He’d mentioned protecting me, yet now I felt the need to protect him, my friend, my ally. God help us all when Mr. Ancient showed up.
Chapter 9
Tabby stopped the car near the curb of the government center. At the end of the street, the capital glowed in the rays of the sun. The building looked historical and prestigious on the outside, a place one would be proud to work in. Inside, evil walked the halls plotting death and destruction.
I shifted my gaze from the Statehouse to Tabby as I slid the seatbelt off my shoulder. “Thanks for the ride.”
“This place is big.” Her gaze drifted from the twelve-story building on the side, to the capital in the front and the six-story building behind me. “I bet you could get lost in there.”
I chuckled. “You should see the tunnels and the subbasement.”
“Is it like a maze?”
“A little.” I pushed open my door. “I’ll see you when I get off work.”
“Shelley?”
I twisted to face her before putting my foot on the ground.
She lowered her hands from the wheel to her lap. “How did your conversation with Boss turn out?”
“We had a good talk,” I said, nodding. “Nothing to worry about.” In an effort to keep her anxiety at a normal level, I held back telling her he might end up in pieces if he took on Anubis.
“That’s good. I’m glad you two were able to work things out.”
I gripped the strap of my purse. “Have Jonas call me first if he decides to visit.” Turning, I pushed the door wide open and stepped out from the car.
“Be careful, Shelley.”
“Always,” I said, smiling.
After I shut the car door, I headed for the entrance, glancing down at my red skirt. The knee-length garment fit snug, but not too tight to show the curves of my rear and not too loose for the wind to catch it. With my black boots and black blouse, I felt completely comfortable and poised. Of course, having my dagger tucked inside my boot gave me an extra boost of confidence. I strode up to the entrance and opened one of the glass doors.
The same two security guards from the night before greeted me. I lifted my handy dandy State ID as I drew near them. They gave me the nod of approval as I passed by without stopping.
From the elevator, I strolled through the tunnel swinging my purse casually at my side. Similar to the previous night, fatigued employees carrying their bags passed by me. I wondered how long some of them had worked for the State. Zachary, the older gentleman who relieved me the night before, said he’d worked in the warehouse for thirty years. Amazing. Could I hold an office-type job for that long? I had serious doubts.
I rode on another elevator to get to the subbasement. As I waited for the slow moving box, I bent and rubbed the outside of my boot. The pendant from the charmed bracelet around my ankle had brushed my skin as I walked, making my flesh itch something fierce. More walking and moving equaled added irritation.
Following the weak
ding
announcing my arrival, the doors opened and I strolled out. My anxiety raised a notch as I walked down the halls, drawing near the room where some quack had cut me open. The memory of what happened to me behind those closed doors gave me an unsettling feeling. I didn’t want to go near them, but I had to. Walking faster with my boots clacking on the hard floor, I passed by and headed for the cage.
The stale odor of aged books seeped into my nose when I entered the warehouse. With a few twitches of my nose, I avoided sneezing. Lizzy sat behind the counter with her gaze directed at the computer screen. A middle-aged man dressed in jeans and polo shirt stood on the opposite side of the counter, facing her. His large frame and shapely muscles impressed me.
“Hi, Lizzy,” I said, stopping at the gate.
“Hi, Shelley,” Lizzy said, sounding cheerful.
A loud buzz sounded, signaling for me to pass. I pushed the half door aside and strolled inside, letting the door shut on its own behind me. The man at the counter gave me a smile. He had a round face and trimmed hair, dark with a bit of gray mixed in. I returned the kind gesture as I stopped next to Lizzy and snatched the key from the drawer underneath the counter.
“So you’re Shelley?” the stranger asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m Tom, a friend of Jackson’s.” He held out his hand to me. “I’m off work and came to do a little research.” He gave me a wink as I shook his plump hand, which was very warm.
“Nice to meet you,” I said. Two clues quickly made me suspect Tom was a werewolf. One, he had an overly stocky frame, typical for werewolves. Two, he mentioned knowing Jackson.
“Lizzy is trying to help me find a date in the system.” He leaned over the counter and tried to peek at the computer monitor.
Peering over Lizzy’s shoulder, I saw the words “Prosecutor Galluzzi” on the screen. If I guessed right, he was looking for records on the early days of Galluzzi’s career.
“Shelley.” Lizzy swiveled on the stool to face me. She gave me a quick once over. “Uh, did you forget to dress–”
“No, I decided to wear what I feel comfortable in and if I get dirty, I don’t mind. Clothes are washable.”
“Okay,” she said, sighing. “Will you show Tom where the records are for 1982?”
“Sure, I can show him,” I answered, nodding. I had a niggling feeling to ask him what he was looking for since it had to do with the Senator. I wondered if Jackson had given him direction to come here and search for information. The time alone with him would give me the perfect chance to ask him what exactly he hoped to find.
Lizzy hit the button under the counter, sounding the annoying buzz again. “Shelley will show you where to go, Tom.”
The burly man strode around the counter.
“When you’re done, come back here. We’ve been pretty busy today and need to refile all that paperwork.” She pointed to a heaping mound of papers in a basket under the counter.
“All that?” I asked, surprised.
She laughed. “That’s what keeps us busy, and helping people find documents. I think there are three people still back there researching.”
A touch of excitement boosted my attitude. Filing documents gave me a great opportunity to look in the records. I couldn’t wait to get to work and find information to convict Galluzzi.
“All right, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” I headed for Tom. “Ready?”
He extended his arm toward the hall. Smiling, he said, “After you.”
I led the way with a casual stride while I scanned the labels of the shelves and reached out with my enhanced hearing to find others in the cage. The hum of the copying machine and other electronic noises mixed with a steady heartbeat. Somewhere in the back, I heard the rustling of papers with two more heartbeats. Their soft voices sounded like whispers. One was feminine. All together, I counted three others in the warehouse.
“Let’s turn here,” I said, pointing toward the next aisle.