Black Heart: Coeur de Sade (Black Heart Series) (23 page)

            Dane it was, then.

            "He is so not going to like me showing up," I said as I gunned the road rocket between my legs.  I loved that bike, with its 1352cc of raw power.  That was mucho get up and go, baby.  I took off like a slingshot.  "Oh well."

            To my shock, Dane was one block from the address Kale gave me for his house.  So I swung by the house, just to look it over from the street.  A very nice house, too.  Too much for a divorcé.  I made a mental note to ask him about it.  I didn't like surprises.

            Was it wrong of me to do a drive-by of Kale's house?

            Dane's complex was gated.  So I waited a few minutes, and slipped in behind a resident.  He shouted something at me, but I zipped away with a wave of thanks.  I didn't find Dane's battle-damaged SUV, but I did find a silver BMW SUV.  Heidi's SUV.  I could smell her all over it.  Yeah, my sense of smell was that good.  Like a bloodhound.

            Finding the apartment was even easier.  It was on the third floor, so Dane wouldn't be jumping off the balcony there, like the last time I entered his apartment.

            "I hope he doesn't shoot me," I said, and knocked.  I stepped to the side, so he couldn't see me through the peephole.  I didn't think he'd open the door if he knew it was me.  But the door opened promptly and Dane half stepped out to see who it was, pistol in hand and only wearing boxers.  "Hello, lover!"

            The pistol swung around towards my belly with blinding speed.  I was faster.  My left hand grabbed the pistol, while my right palm slammed into the middle of his chest at the same time.  A second later Dane was staggering back inside and I had the Glock 31 in hand.  I quickly disassembled it and tossed the pieces around the room.  I'd be long gone before he found and reassembled all the parts.

            "Sable!  What the hell are you doing?  You scared the shit out of me," Dane said, marching up to face me.

            "I need your help," I said.

            "You have a great way of asking," he said, eyes blazing.

            "What is she doing here?" Heidi said from the bedroom door, looking all tousled sexy.

            She only wore a pair of red stiletto pumps, with a silk robe clutched before her.  One breast was exposed and I could still see her bikini waxed pubic mound.  She went with the line of hair instead of the triangle.  I was a little surprised to find she was a natural blonde.  The hair color on her head wasn't natural any more than those boobs were real.

            "I'm trying to find out," Dane said.  He was becoming agitated.  I hoped it wasn't me.  Now, I've always found Heidi very annoying.  He turned back to me, looking more exasperated than angry.  I was pleased.  "So?"

            "I was attacked and robbed," I said.  "By another vampire and her witch sister."

            "You were robbed?  A vampire?" Heidi said.

            "Yeah, go figure," I said, feeling embarrassed.  "They took everything.  All my money.  My jewelry.  And my weapons."

            "All of your money?"

            "Yeah, they cleaned out my accounts."

            "You had millions, right?"

            "A million seven, and some change," I said.  "All gone.  And they stole my Mustang and crashed it."

            "Did you fly over as a bat?" Heidi said.  I think she was trying to remind Dane I was a vampire.  Dane didn't need reminding.  I was thinking of a word, rhymes with rich.  "Or turn into a wolf?"

            "If I did, I'd be naked now," I said.  I raised my left brow.  "I can still get naked, if that is what you want?"

            Fear blossomed from Heidi.  She took a step back, her big blue eyes round.  She looked so vulnerable, so damned beautiful.  In that instant I knew what Dane saw in her, what all men saw in that rich slut.  I couldn't believe Dane picked me over her, since she was after him even before he met me.

            "She's not going to hurt you," Dane said.  "Are you?"

            There was steel in his voice.  Momma liked.  Liked a lot.  The stench of sex was already firing me up, but now I really had to fight the urges.  Damn vampiric curse.

            "Stop with the vampire pheromones," Dane said, starting to get angry.

            "I can't help it," I said, just as angry.  "Tell her to stop it.  Her emotions are all fired up.  Fear makes her horny, and her needs are calling to me."

            We both looked at Heidi, who just stood there with hooded eyes.  She was reveling in my pheromones, hornier than a horny toad.  Heidi proved highly susceptible to vampiric pheromones.  Some people were.

            "Do not let her become a hunter, Dane.  She's too vulnerable," I said through clenched teeth.  "Please get her away from me."

            "Please, no," Heidi said in the sexiest little girl voice.

            Heidi pulled the robe away from her boobs and gave me a come hither look to curl my toes.  My pheromones exploded out as I groaned, closing my eyes tight to fight my own dark needs.

            "Oh!" Heidi gasped, her head rolling back.  She clutched at her groin and fell to her knees.  I felt her orgasm, and it rattled my crumbling resolve.  "Ooooh, yes."

            Dane also gasped, climaxing.  I got them both.  I knew they'd both jump into bed with me eagerly.  They were helpless, willing to do anything I asked.  Neither was truly mesmerized, but vamp pheromones were almost as insidious.

            I wanted Dane so bad it hurt, but not like that.  Never like that.

            "Dane, please, get her away from me," I said again, putting more steel in it.  "Unless you really want to have a
ménage à trois
."

            Dane came to his sense, somewhat, and hurried to Heidi.  He pulled her to her feet and closed the bedroom door.  I heard him take her to the bathroom, and start the shower.  From Heidi's reaction it was a cold shower.  Ouch.  Dane joined her for a moment.

            When Dane returned he was soaking wet and covered in gooseflesh.  I guess the A/C was on high.  Vampires can barely tell when it is hot or cold.  Temperatures have no effect on us.

            "How did you find me?"

            I had it all worked out.  Since he lived close to Kale, I was going to pretend I knew Kale longer and say I spotted Heidi driving by and followed her.  Then I looked into that face, into those eyes.  I saw trust.  I couldn't lie anymore.

            "I have a link to you," I said.

            "Dammit, I knew it!" he cried.  He was furious.  His aura drew my attention, sort of strobing with his anger.  I frowned at the slight taint to his.  Why his aura and no one else's?  Gabe was a very unsavory man, and his was bright white.  "Why did you lie to me about this?"

            Of course, Dane was a dhampir.  His mother was captured and Changed just before giving birth, so he was sort of a half-vampire.  A dhampir.  Stronger, faster than normal men, but without the fangs or aversion to sunlight.  He was still very much alive.

            "I was afraid you would stake me," I said.

            That stopped his fury cold.  He gawked at me a moment, then looked abashed.

            "I...I could never stake you," he said, looking anywhere but at me.

            "Glad to hear that," I said.  "I'd miss you terribly."

            "Get her out of my house!" Heidi screamed through the closed door.  "Now!"

            "Uh, you have to go," Dane said.

            "Gun?  Please," I said.  "I've been disarmed.  I have no money to buy anything."

            "What about Gabe?  He cut you off?"

            "I always think of you first.  Gabe is home, licking his wounds," I said.  "I'm not sure he has any guns or staking supplies at his house."

            "Gabe?  He has more weapons than Fort Hood," Dane said.  He frowned at me, looking so confused and unsure.  I wasn't used to seeing him like that.  "I have something for you."

            He went to the hall closet and brought out a cardboard box.  He pulled a Glock 31 box out of that first box.  Then he pulled out a Glock 33 box.  Those were the pistols Dane carried.  The Glock 31 fired a .357 round, with a ten round magazine.  Dane loved it.  The Glock 33 was smaller, easier to conceal and his preferred backup weapon.

            "Is she still here?" Heidi called from the bedroom.

            "She's leaving," he said.

            Dane quickly filled up magazines for both pistols with sanctified silver bullets.  He handed them to me.  I put the Glock 31 in the hidden holster sewn into the book bag, and then put the Glock 33 in my purse, which was still inside the book bag.  Then he filled four more magazines, for each pistol, with silver bullets.

            "Thank you," I said.  "You're the best, Dane."

            I shouldered the small black backpack, smiling at the added weight.  Dane's eyes did a once over of my leather and latex clad body, and then shook his head.

            "You've changed," he said.

            "I know," I said.  "I was there while it happened."

            "Do you have to dress so...?"

            "Slutty?"

            "I was going to say vampirish."

            "Is that a word?" I said, grinning.

            "Shut up," he said, grinning back.

            "You're stupid," I said.

            "No, I'm just crazy," he said.

            Heidi screamed, and threw something against the door. 

            "We're going to kill you, bitch!" she said.  "When Dane finds that talisman, your ass is
mine
!"

            Dane was taken aback, then blushed deeply.  Was she telling the truth?  Were they looking for the talisman for themselves?

            "Dane?" I said.  "Do I need to know anything?"

            "Ignore her," he said, but he didn't feel right.  He was lying.  Or feared telling the whole truth.  "She's just distraught."

            "Who's team are you playing for?" I said.

            Heidi threw something else at the door.  I think she broke it.  Didn't sound good, at any rate.

            "You have to leave.  Please don't come back."

            "Does she throw many hissy fits?"

            "No, this is the first," he said.  "Do you blame her?"

            "No," I said.  I studied him warily.  The fact he wasn't looking me in the eyes anymore didn't help.  "I'd be trying to kill me, if I were her."  I shrugged apologetically.  "Thanks again."

            I stepped close quickly, and kissed him on the corner of the mouth.  He didn't flinch or anything.  But he didn't turn into the kiss either.  And a second later I was out the door.

            Just for the hell of it, I didn't take the stairs down.  I did a little hop over the railing, and fell feet first three stories.  I hit the ground hard, but it was bare earth.  Grassy.  Soft.  My heels were nailed into the ground, and I plopped down on my butt.  It wasn't dignified, but kinda fun.

            I sat there a moment, wiping the dirt off my stiletto heels and looking back up at Dane's apartment.  Dane and Heidi, living together.  There was nothing to show he was only visiting.  They were a couple, so I had been replaced.

            "That was fast," I said.  "I thought it would take longer to get over me."

            I shook my head woefully.  If Dane was going after the Coeur de Sade with his own agenda, there would be hell to pay.  The council would not like that one bit.  There would be repercussions.  The thought of it sent a chill down my spine.

CHAPTER 14

            I passed a bank as I cruised down the street.  The sign out front said it was five after nine and sixty degrees.  It was partly cloudy, with moonrise still a two hours away.  It only took a few minutes to get to the Tom Thumb.

            My Mustang was gone.  I didn't really expect it to be there.  The cops were pretty good about cleaning stuff like that up.  There was no way for me to get it out of impound.  Beside, it was smashed up.  I didn't know if it still ran.

            Another reason to stake Lolita and her sister.

            Glancing down at my gauges, I realized money was going to be a bigger problem than first anticipated.  I was down to a quarter tank of gas and no money to fill up.  No gas money meant the Ninja was grounded.  I was grounded.

            “Sheeze, I have to get a job,” I grumbled.

            I had no idea what kind of job I qualified for.  Checkout girl at an all night grocery came to mind first.  I did know how to use a cash register, since I worked as a checkout girl during summer vacations in high school.  For that matter, I could work in a convenience store or gas station.  I wondered if they made more than church secretaries.

            “I’ll call Jeff and Tara later,” I said, watching the checkout girls inside the Tom Thumb.  That store wasn’t far from Kale’s house.  Maybe I could move in with him and get a job there.  “The council will just have to give me some money if they expect me to look for this killer full time.”

            I parked the Ninja.  No reason to putt around the parking lot wasting gas I couldn’t afford to replace.  Nothing outside struck me as unusual or important, so I went inside the store.  Strangely enough, people stopped and stared at me.

            Finding a stocker, I asked to speak to a manager.  He hurried off, and returned with a middle-aged man with a friendly face.  I smiled brightly at him, and his face lit up too.  Girls do that to guys.  It’s a gift.

            “Hi, I’m Sable,” I said.  I gave him an “I like what I’m seeing look” and he actually sucked in his gut.  I refrained from giggling.  “Can you help me?”

            “Yes, ma’am, I’ll certainly do my best,” he said, extending his hand.  I think he only wanted to touch me, even if it was just my hand.  So I shook his hand, and he continued.  “I’m Cesar, the assistant manager.  What can I do for you tonight?”

            “Do you have security cameras in the parking lot?”