2 Vampires, Warlocks, And Exes (16 page)

I pulled her into an embrace. “Oh
, honey, it will get better. I know it hurts now, but it won’t feel so bad down the road.”

She pulled away from me, sobbing even harder. “You don’t understand
, Karli. There’s more. I’m late.”

“Late for dinner?” I asked, my confusion clearly coming out in my tone.

She shook her head. “No, Karli…
late
, late. As in, for my period. I think I’m pregnant.”

Oh shit. “How late?”

She hung her head. “Five days.”

“Have you taken a test?” I asked.

She looked up. “No, I couldn’t do it. I don’t think I can handle the answer either way. Part of me wants to write Jake off forever, but another part of me wants a piece of him forever.” She smacked the heel of her hand into her forehead. “God, I’m such a moron!”

I moved her hand away. “No, sweetie
, you’re not. Look, we can go to CVS first thing in the morning and get a test. I’ll be there with you the whole time.”

She sniffed. “Okay, that’d be great
, Kar.”

Movement out the window caught my attention. I looked over and saw Chad being wheeled out on a stretcher. I ran out of the
car to the gurney. “Hey, Kar,” he said sleepily.

“Oh thank God, you’re awake!” I exclaimed as I grabbed his hand. “Do you remember what happened
, Chad?”

He cleared his throat. “Yeah, a little. Maria invited me over. She
said she had talked you into…” He looked away. “Nevermind.”

“Talked me into what, Chad?”

“Uh…a threesome. Guess I should’ve known something was up, huh?” He attempted a laugh, but wound up coughing.

“A what?!?” I shouted. “
Omigod, Chad, you’re such a pig! I swear one day your dick is going to get you killed!” Okay, I knew it was a bitchy thing to say and the look on his face confirmed it.

“Gee,
Kar…tell me how you really feel,” he snapped.

I blushed. “Look
, Chad, I’m sorry. I really wouldn’t---”

“Excuse me
, ma’am,” the paramedic interrupted. “He really needs to get to the hospital.”

I stepped aside. “Oh, of course. Sorry.”

Erica joined me as they loaded him into the ambulance. “Where are you going to stay?” she asked. “You can’t stay here. You should come back with me to Vance’s.”

I shook my head vehemently.
“No, Eri. I can’t. I can’t even look at him without getting nauseous. I think I’m just going to go back to Leo’s.”

Erica looked
sad. “Well, I guess you couldn’t be in a safer location considering nobody knows where the hell he lives. Vance placed wards around his house though if you ever change your mind. No uninvited guests would even make it up the driveway.”

“Thanks for the offer. I’ll just meet you in the morning
, okay?”

“When and where?” s
he asked.

“At Leo’s club. In his office. I’ll be there by nine. We have a lot to talk about.”

Vance and Leo returned from inside just then. Vance turned to Erica and said, “Erica, I’m sorry but I’m going to be tied up for quite a while. Tara should be here any minute. We’re going to stay with Forensics and then head back to the station.” He looked at Leo. “I don’t suppose you’d mind taking her back to my place?”

Leo took Erica’s hand and kissed
the top. “Of course not.”

Erica blushed and said
, “Wow, K, you weren’t kidding. His touch does make you shiver in a good way.” She realized her faux pas and looked at Vance. “Oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to blurt that out.”

Vance’s jaw
tensed as he glared at Leo, who looked amused. Vance walked up to Erica and framed her face with his hands. “You be careful, okay?” he said to her as he pulled her in for a bear hug.

“Okay
,” she replied with a little twinkle in her eye.

Huh? Okay, seriously what wa
s going on between those two?

                                                                     
Twenty-two

The investigators had sealed my apartment up as a crime scene so Leo and I went straight back to his place.

“Are you hungry?” h
e asked when we finally got downstairs.

“Not really
,” I replied. “I suppose I should try eating something though since I haven’t had anything all day.” I looked down the long corridor. “This place is a maze.”

Leo chuckled and grabbed my hand. “Follow me, my love.”

He led me down the long polished stone hallway into the grand hall where he’d confessed all of his sins about Maria. I didn’t think this room would ever fail to amaze me. It was just so large, like nothing I’d ever seen in someone’s home before. It reminded me of something out of a book. Speaking of books, I needed to get my ass back in Leo’s library ASAP.

He took me to the far right and through a large, stone archway. All of a sudden, we were stand
ing in probably the most luxurious kitchen I’ve ever seen.The pine cabinets stretched throughout the entire width of the room in a giant U-shape, with a large island in the middle. They were topped in golden marble with matching tiles covering the floor. On the back wall was a ceiling height hearth, with a commercial grade stainless stove/oven combo beneath it. The backsplash consisted of a beautiful tiled depiction of a small village overlooking the sea, lined with white buildings, some with bright blue domed roofs. I knew without a doubt this was Leo’s childhood home in Greece. This room was simply breathtaking. Even the most discerning chef would be honored to cook in here. “Why in the hell would someone who rarely eats food and never has guests even bother building something like this?”

He shrugged. “Because I enjoy cooking and as you know, I will not settle for mediocre.”

Huh? Who’d ever heard of a vampire who cooks? “I’m sorry; I don’t think I heard you correctly. Did you just say you enjoyed
cooking
?”

He nodded. “Yes, my love. I did. I learned to perfect my craft many years ago while I was waiting for countless sunsets. Just because I don’t eat very often, doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the process involved in creating a masterpiece. I make food for the staff upstairs.”

Wow, who would’ve thought Leo would be so domesticated? “This is weird. Are you ever going to stop surprising me?” I asked.

He led me to a stool and sat me
down. “I certainly hope not,” he said with a smile.

I sat drinking
a delicious Chardonnay as I watched Leo work. He was preparing butternut squash ravioli with a white cream sauce. From
scratch
. Pasta included. I was awestruck by how comfortable he was in the kitchen. He seemed more content than I’d ever seen him. He seemed so
normal
. Well, let’s face it; Leo will never be anything less than extraordinary, but seeing him so at ease with domesticity made me see a different side of him. Dare I say someone with whom I could build a life? This man in front of me was not the playboy that I’d become accustomed to: an owner of several establishments who’d participated in acts of questionable morality. This was a man who would give up that lifestyle in a heartbeat for his chance at love, and family. He would give anything to provide an honorable life for them—a life that his father, of whom he spoke so lovingly, would approve of. Wow...who’d have thought?

He smiled as he placed the dish in front of me. “
Bon appetite
, my love.”

I took a bite and was
instantly in culinary heaven. “Oh man, Leo. I didn’t think it was possible, but this tastes even better than it looks!”

“I’m glad you approve.”
He winked.

I continued eating until my plate was completely clean. You’d think I’d be
self-conscious with Leo watching me the whole time but I wasn’t. We just sat there in comfortable silence. Unfortunately, the peace did not last long. My phone started ringing. I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Vance so I let it go to voicemail. Instead of leaving a message, he decided to dial Leo instead.

“
Don’t answer it,” I pleaded.

“My dear, I must. He could have important information.”

“Fine,” I huffed.

“Yes, Detective?” Leo answered on speaker phone so I could listen.

“Leo, I need to talk to Karli.”

“I’m sorry
, Vance, but Karli is…indisposed. I’d be more than happy to relay a message if you’d like.”

Vance sighed. “That’s bullshit
, Leo. I know she’s there.”

Leo looked to me for guidance. I shook my head. “Again, Detective, she’s indisposed. If you have something important to say, I assure you I will pass the message along.”

“Fine,” Vance snapped. “Tell her that Forensics is done with her apartment, but she’ll need to stay at a safe house for a day or two while I get a security team in place. Where are you? I’ll come by to pick her up.”

“Vance, she’s at my home and I assure you she will be safe with me. If need be, I will worry about procuring additional security.”

“Dammit, Leo, this is a police matter! Quit pulling your alpha male bullshit!”

“First of all,” Leo chided. “Have you looked in a mirror lately, Detective? Secondly,
Karli has every right to hire personal security. She’ll need someone with superhuman strength to be any match for Maria. I have a few vamps who can watch her at night, and some weres during the day. She’ll have ample protection without your assistance.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Vance shouted. “She should not be around anymore vampires. Did you forget about the effect that her blood has on your kind? I have plenty of
weres and warlocks on staff to protect her.”

“I most certainly have not forgotten how enticing her blood is. I will
never
forget. But seeing as she is not yet immortal, another vampire would not be able to detect her heritage. Besides, the three days of the full moon start tomorrow so your weres wouldn’t be able to protect her at night. They’ll be too busy chasing rabbits or whatever they do when they shift.”

“What if she gets hurt? What if she bleeds?” Vance asked. “I don’t trust any of you bloodsucking bastards to be near her.”

“Karli would never get hurt on my watch,” Leo countered. “Can you say the same, Detective?”
Ooh, ouch.
I didn’t think Vance was going to like the reminder of Roxy’s attack while his guards had been watching me—the attack that cost one of them his life.

Fed up
with their pissing match, I finally piped in. “Oh, stop it, you two!” I screamed while grabbing Leo’s phone. “Vance, I am perfectly safe with Leo and if I decide to go out, it’s my right! And I can choose whether or not I want another vampire to accompany me. I don’t know why you’re even concerned.”

“
Dammit, Karli, I knew you were there!” Vance shouted. “And me not being concerned is a load of crap! I love you. How could I not do everything in my power to protect you?”

“I think you need
to look that word up in a dictionary, Vance.”

“
Karli, that’s bullshit, and you know it.”

I sighed. “Thanks for everything
, Vance, but no thanks. Just let me know when I can go back home, okay?”

“
Karli, wait---” Click.

“I hung up
,” I said by way of explanation.

Leo flashed me a sympathetic look as he took the phone from me. “I can have a security team in place by morning.”

“Leo, I don’t want anyone, vampire or otherwise, to be my bodyguard. You never know if they could be working for Maria too. Look at what happened with Jake. She’s been planning this for months.”

“If that is what you wish, my dear
, I will gladly stick by your side. But you would need to stay indoors during the daytime.”

I let out a deep breath. “Thank you
, Leo, but I don’t want to hide out. I want to resume living my life. I need to meet Erica in the morning, and I want to go back to work tomorrow night.”

“My sweet, I do not
think that is the best idea.”

“Don’t you get it
, Leo? If I stay hidden, she wins. I can’t let that happen. I’m better than that.”

He grabbed my hands. “
Karli, I was not implying any weakness on your part. I simply want you safe.”

“Leo, I’ll be fine. I swear. I’m not entirely defenseless
, you know. I’m getting pretty good at combat magic. The only reason they were able to get me before was because I was caught off guard. That won’t happen again. Trust me.”

He kissed my hand. “Your wish is my command, my dearest.”

             
                                                        Twenty-three

Erica showed up at Voyeur-Gasm the next morning. I unlocked the back door to meet her, only to find Vance standing right beside her. I glared at him. “What is he doing here?” I asked her.