Damon (The Protectors Series) Book #1 (7 page)

the office. I ran, but couldn't get the door open fast enough.”

Nicole laid her hand on the boy's foot. “I'm so sorry, Steve.” Nicole wanted to scream at the injustice

of it all.

“God it was awful. Neither one of them was moving. My dad was lying over my mom like he was

trying to protect her. My dad wasn't breathing and I tried pulling him off her to see if she was still

alive. I slipped in the blood and fell. I got him off of her, but she was dead.” Tears of blood ran down

his face. “Even though we had issues, I would never hurt them. They were trying, but I'm just not use

to rules and they had so many. I heard them talking last night. My mom was saying they had made a

mistake and I thought they were talking about me, but now I don't think they were. God, why did this

happen?”

Nicole crawled across the bed and took him into her arms, holding him tight. “I don't know Steve, but

we will find who did this.”

He pulled away staring at her in surprise. “You....believe me?”

“Yeah, I do.” Nicole nodded. “And I am going to have you stay here while I go talk to the police.

Okay? We will get this worked out, but you are going to have to tell them everything that you told us

and hopefully something else will come to you before then.”

“Why are you doing this?” Steve wondered aloud, then smirked. “Oh, yeah, I forgot....it's your job,

just like that Chad asshole.”

Nicole had gotten off the bed and grabbed her bag. “It is my job, but I'm better at my job than Chad, so

please don't compare me to him, cause I really like you.” She smiled when he laughed.

“Yeah...okay.” He took the card she handed him.

“Don't hesitate to call me okay.” Nicole turned serious. “I answer my calls and return them always, no

matter how big or small the issue. You said you kept calling Chad, but he wouldn't return your calls?

Can I ask why you were trying to call him?”

Steve sighed. “At first things were real hard. I mean we just didn't hit it off. They weren't bad or

anything, but I just didn't think it was going to work. Then one day me and them went to the zoo and

had a blast. After that things started to change for the better. When Chad did his visits he never talked

to me, just my parents, and then after the last one I found my mom crying after he left. She wouldn't

tell me what happened, but said not to worry about it, things were fine.” Steve shrugged his shoulders.

“I don't know. I just didn't like him much.”

Nicole smiled. “Can't blame ya there.”

“I can't go back into the system again.” Steve wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand. “I am going

to outlive every parent, if they're human, and I can't do this again.”

“Let's work one thing out at a time.” Nicole replied. “Okay? Now stay here and let me go get things

straightened out.”

Steve nodded, then grinned. “Do you really like AC/DC?”

Grabbing she hiked her bag up on her shoulder. “Sure do.” she winked. “I'll take you to see them next

time they're in town.”

“Seriously?” The first real smile flashed across the kids face. “Cool.”

“Seriously.” Nicole walked past Damon and touched his arm. “I'll be right back.”

Nicole walked out into the hall and saw only the police and Mitch. Everyone else had been evacuated.

“What happened?” The chief walked to her. “Where is he?”

“Damon is with him.” Nicole turned to Mitch. “He said that he didn't kill them, that someone else was

in the house and I believe him.” She continued to explain everything that Steve had told her and

Damon.

“We still have to bring him in, Mitch. He did hold a nurse hostage and if she wants to press charges

there is nothing I can do about that.” The chief stated, but raised his hand before Nicole could blast

him. “But he will be well taken care of.”

“Damn straight he will.” Nicole replied hotly. “I want him transferred under me, Mitch.”

“Now wait a damn minute.” Chad piped in pushing his way toward them. “I am not going to release

this case over.”

“He is not a case.” Nicole growled, sounding like Damon. “He is a boy who could not get hold of you

when he needed to.”

“Now you listen here you little.....” Chad got in her face grabbing her shirt in his fist before Mitch

could stop him.

“Didn't I warn you about this?” Damon stepped between her and Chad knocking his hand away from

Nicole. “Steve is no longer anyone's. He is a part of the VC Warriors.”

“What?” Nicole sucked in a strangling breath choking herself. Seeing Steve's beaming smile, she saw

that he was happy at the new development. “Serious?”

He turned to the chief. “One of my partners is going to be coming by the station. You may ask Steve

any questions you have to ask and do your process, but as soon as you are finished we will take him

back to our headquarters.”

The chief nodded his head then looked at Mitch. “Can he do that?”

“Looks like he just did.” Mitch patted Damon on the back. “This is a good thing you're doing my

friend.”

Damon looked uncomfortable at Mitch's praise. Turning to the boy he put his hand on his shoulder.

“You are under our protection now, son. You go with the chief and answer anything they ask. You

have nothing to hide. Duncan will be there soon. You'll know him. He's a big, ugly son of a bitch. You

can tell him I said that.” Damon grinned down at the boy.

“This is total bullshit.” Chad ranted. “How can you let this happen Mitch?” I'm really getting sick and

tired of that bitch interfering in my cases.” He pointed in Nicole's face.

“I have given you fair warning human.” Damon advanced toward Chad his fist clinched. “If you ever

touch her again you will regret it.”

Mitch somehow stopped Damon from reaching Chad. “You are on report, Chad.” Mitch felt his feet

sliding as the huge vampire continued his advancement toward Chad. “You better get the hell out of

here before I let him loose on you. I want you in my office first thing in the morning.”

“You can kiss my ass, Mitch. I quit. I don't need your shit anymore.” Chad leaned toward Nicole. “You

better watch that sweet ass of yours Callahan. You have no clue what you've done.”

They all watched Chad stomp out the door throwing his ID badge on the floor.

“You know, I can't say I'm sorry to see him go.” Mitch turned his attention back to Damon. “You okay

my man?”

“No.” Damon answered his eyes wicked black. “I want to kill the son of a bitch.”

“He isn't worth it.” Nicole looked at her watch. This had been the longest night of her life. It seemed

like weeks had passed since she had gotten tackled on the dance floor at Sub Zero.

As if reading her mind Damon turned back toward Mitch. “Can you take care of the kid until Duncan

gets there? Nicole had a rough night before this even started and I would like to get her home.”

“What the hell happened before this?” Mitch looked Nicole over with a frown.

“Nothing really, just got tackled by Damon and some other dude on the dance floor at Sub Zero.”

Nicole waved her hand around as if it wasn't a big deal.

“Yeah...riiight.” Mitch replied rolling his eyes. “Yeah, I got him. Take her home.”

Nicole waved to Steve, who was listening to one of the officers, but his eyes were fixed on the door

Chad had walked out of. Seeing Nicole waving, his smile filled with gratitude as he waved back.

Yawning for the hundredth time since leaving the hospital, Nicole covered her mouth. “Man, I am

getting too old for this staying up late stuff.” Walking up to her apartment, she fit her key into the

door, hoping that her nosy neighbor was snug in her bed, fast asleep. With a sigh of relief, she walked

in to see Pam sleeping on the couch, lightly snoring. She had sent a text to Pam on the way to the

hospital to tell her what was going on, but Pam had still wanted to come and said she would just wait.

Dropping her bag by the door, she turned to Damon.

“Make sure you lock up when I leave.” His golden gaze searched hers. “You were great tonight. I have

never seen a human so determined to save one of ours.”

Nicole nodded, looking away embarrassed because she didn't feel like she did anything special. She

did what was right. “Thanks.” She walked up to him. “You did pretty good yourself. What you're

doing for Steve is wonderful and so much more than I could have ever done for him.”

“Goodnight Nicole.”

Before he could leave she walked up to him, reaching up on tiptoe she grabbed the front of his shirt

pulling him closer to her and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “For a badass dude you really are a

sweet guy.”

His eyes dropped to her lips and he lowered his head slowly. “And for a badass chick you're pretty

sweet yourself. I won't tell if you don't.”

She chuckled softly her eyes glued to his lips. “Deal.”

“Deal.” He whispered back then dropped his head lower and caught her lips with his as his tongue

licked its way inside, meeting hers. With one hand on her lower back, he pulled her up his body and

deepened the kiss. Before her hands could make it up his broad shoulders to his hair, he set her down

and walked out the door closing it firmly behind him. “Lock it.” he demanded behind the closed door,

his voice sounding much deeper.

Nicole jumped and did as he said, staring at the door, her hands at her lips. “Whoa.” She whispered,

touching her still tingling lips.

“Whoa is right.” Pam chuckled from the couch, making Nicole jump and squeal. “That was damn hot.

Girlfriend, I thought he was going to take you right there.”

Nicole's face turned ten shades of red. “Shut up, Pam.” Walking to the bathroom, she slammed the

door on Pam's loud laughter, a huge grin spreading across her flushed face.

Damon slammed his way into headquarters, pissed at himself. What the hell was he doing kissing

Nicole like that? This was not good. Well, the kiss had been more than good. It had been soul

shattering good. Hell, he had to sit in the parking lot of headquarters to get himself under control

before walking in with his cock waving hidey-ho to everyone. That would have gone over real swell

with the guys. God, her scent and sweet taste was enough to....he broke that thought off. No need to go

down that road again or he'd be back in his car waiting out another hard-on. Nothing could come of it

and he knew it. She was human and he wasn't, that was the bottom line. Thoughts of changing her

scattered through his mind, but he closed that off. No way was that happening and she wasn't a woman

who would be happy with a wham bam thank you ma'am moment.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Jared stomped down the steps from the upstairs living area. All the

warriors had places of their own, but headquarters also housed each of them for late nights and

emergency situations.

“Nothing!” Damon snapped. “Where's the kid?”

Jared tossed a nod up the steps. “Checking out his new room.” Jared headed toward the kitchen area.

“Good kid.”

“Yeah.” Damon grabbed a beer out of the fridge. They drank and ate just like anyone else, but the need

for blood set them apart among a few other things, like living forever. Warriors could actually go

weeks before needing to feed and they had females who were hired for that purpose. “So what did you

find out from Jamison?”

Jared placed a whole baked chicken in front of him, along with his beer. “Nothing yet. Phillip is

working on him now.”

Damon shook his head when Jared offered him some chicken. Damn, the vamp could eat. “Think I'll

go down and help.” He needed something to take his mind off the beautiful human who was turning

his world inside out.

“Need to get blondie out of your system?” Jared chuckled when Damon flipped him off as he walked

out the door. “Stay out of my head, Jared.”

“Don't have to read your mind bro.” Jared called out after him. “It's written all over your face.”

Stepping into the room with a two-way mirror, he stopped next to Duncan. “Any luck finding out who

the slime was after?” Damon watched Phillip walk up behind Jamison who was tied to a chair with

silver chains.

“Not yet.” Duncan sighed. “He's a tough one to crack. Those damn silver chains have got to be killing

the son of a bitch.”

Damon nodded, staring at Jamison's wrist. Silver wouldn't kill them unless it was shot into their

bodies, but it burned like a bitch and kept them immobile. “Care if I take a turn?”

“Hell, you might as well. So far none of us have had any luck.” Duncan buzzed the door.

“Well...well. Look who we have here, boys and girls.” Jamison shot Phillip a smug look when he said

girls. “The one and only Damon DeMasters, the warrior of all warriors.”

Phillip growled, but turned and walked out leaving Damon and Jamison alone.

Damon's smile was cold. “Jealous much?”

Jamison snorted. “So what do you want to know, warrior?” Jamison's eyes gleamed under the

fluorescent lights. “What I have been doing since we last met, maybe, or how about, oh I don't know,

how I plan on fucking that cute little human you were so worried about at the club?”

Damon felt his body tense as anger tried to override his common sense. His cold smile stayed in place.