Kade's Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans) (8 page)

As they walked down the winding stairway, the pounding music reminded her she was in a club not someone’s house. Halfway down, she felt him and looked across the crowded dance floor.
Again? Really?
She could not get away from that damn vampire. Sydney looked over to Tristan and saw him wave at Kade. She glanced over to Kade and found him glaring at her.
He knew.

Sydney didn’t get how these two were friends. Right now, she didn’t care. She just wanted to get out of the bar, go home and sleep. But seeing Kade ignited the flame of desire in her that had only slightly dimmed during her little tryst with Tristan. She knew it would be temporary but she was hoping to at least get through five minutes without thinking about Kade.
Damn.

She turned and kissed Tristan on the cheek and descended the rest of the stairs. She had no intention of feeling bad about fooling around with him. She had no ties to anyone, least of all Kade. She held her chin up refusing to look away from Kade as she pushed through the dance floor. She wasn’t hiding.

Kade spotted her on the stairs with Tristan. He fought the instinct to run up the stairs and rip into his friend. What the fuck was he thinking? He held no claims to Sydney yet and could not challenge his friend here in his territory. In fact, a few hours ago he left Sydney’s house refusing her invitation. He damn well knew she wanted more than coffee the instant she offered. But he had to meet Luca to figure out who had been at the crime scene.

After Luca picked him up, Kade’s deepest suspicion was confirmed. Luca had found a Voodoo bracelet with a vampire’s scent on it. A vampire who Kade knew well. There was no denying her scent; this vampire had come for him, and was somehow using the humans to assist her, perhaps a mage. He did not intend to tell Sydney about Luca’s findings tonight. She was mortal and too vulnerable. Kade planned to get Sydney off the case, keeping her safe and off the radar.

Yet, he felt so connected to Sydney. He could not deny the intense feelings that were growing inside of him. When he saw her there with Tristan, he almost lost it. As she approached, he could smell Tristan on her. He rushed over to stop her from leaving. He wanted to let her know in no uncertain terms to whom she would belong someday. She was his. He wasn’t sure how or when, but she would belong to him.

Sydney sucked a breath sensing that Kade would not let her pass. She didn’t want him to think that he intimidated her even if she was nervous. She’d play it cool, as if nothing had happened, all business. She stopped a foot in front of him, put a hand on her hip, and asked, “What are you doing here, Kade? Thought you were busy, no time for coffee and all. She was having a hard time concealing her anger. “Never mind, did Luca get anything off the scene?”

In an instant, Kade slipped behind her. He softly placed his hands on her shoulders frowning at the now deep black and blue marks on her upper back. She shouldn’t be out here. “And what do you think you are doing out here? Your bruises...you must be in pain.”

Sydney knew he felt responsible for her getting hurt even though this was her job. She was the one who insisted she go in alone. “Kade, I am a grown woman, a cop. I’ve been through worse.” She spun around and faced him. “What did Luca say?”

He wasn’t giving in to her without getting something in return. He slid a hand around her waist and drew her into him. “A dance, love? Indulge me.” He leaned in and sniffed her neck. “I can see you have been busy.”

Shit.
He knew she was with Tristan. Yet, at his demand, Sydney found she couldn’t help herself. She slowly reached up and put her hands around his neck, leaning her face against his chest. They slowly danced. “Okay, one dance. Just tell me....Luca?” She was too tired and attracted to him to fight.

“Luca found a bracelet. It is a Voodoo bracelet, possibly charmed. I have contacts in New Orleans I will consult.”

Sydney was losing herself in the dance. Why didn’t he come up into her condo with her tonight? Why did he refuse? She stiffened a little in his arms. She wanted to convince him, or herself, that this was all business. “Ada called me. She's running the hair. By tomorrow, we should have something else to go on. I'll meet you at the station tomorrow night around six.”

Kade held her closer, refusing to let her go just yet as they continued to slow dance. “Sydney, you must know that I can sense great danger. I know you are a seasoned cop, but this danger...you cannot fight it. You must trust me when I say that there are evil, supernatural forces that await us...you will need me to keep you safe.” He leaned in and kissed the top her head, unable to resist.

“Evil is a reality of this city, Kade. This is what I do, and I'm quite capable of keeping myself safe...just ask Jennings.”

Kade stopped dancing. He reached over and cupped her face gently with both his hands. They locked eyes. “We will do this together, love, but know that it will be done my way. I will keep you safe, and after this evil is extinguished, you will be mine and no one else’s.”

Sydney felt the blood rush to her face. She wasn’t sure whether to yell at him or fuck him right there in the middle of the dance floor. Somehow she knew his words were true...she would be his. Determined to not let him see that he had just gotten to her, she pulled away, turned and looked back at him over her shoulder and smiled, “Kade love, you should know here and now that I belong to no one but myself.” With that, she walked out the door. She knew it wasn’t true. Something about him drew her in and threatened to change her entire life. He made her want to belong to him. She wanted to love someone and have him love her back...she wanted Kade.

After sleeping a good ten hours, Sydney got dressed and sped off to grab a latte at Starbucks. She ought to be a shareholder with all the money she spent on lattes, but damn, she loved the flavor of steamed milk with espresso. A few lattes a day really added up over the course of the month, but besides loving shoes, coffee was worth the price in her book.

Sydney stopped by the sporting goods and craft stores to pick up a few things for the kids at the children’s center where she volunteered. She loved seeing their faces as she brought in her weekly presents. New markers meant more pictures, more happy faces, and more creativity. Sydney knew how great it felt to create: inspiring, fulfilling, accomplished. These kids felt it too. Their creations were evidence they had a future, not one on the streets, but a future perhaps in art school or college. These kids had a dream to get out from under the poverty and the violence of the streets, and Sydney was determined to help them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even though Sydney had a busy life, mostly filled with work, the truth was that she had only a few trusted friends and no family to speak of. Her mother was tragically killed by a drunk driver several years ago, the grief from her death bringing Sydney to her knees. Sydney just wasn’t the same after losing her Mom and neither was her Dad. Sydney’s father fell into a deep depression, moved to Arizona and died a few years later.

Death was a merciless teacher. It taught Sydney to steel her emotions, build a wall big enough, so she would not have to feel the grief. Having her mom die only confirmed her decision that she would not get married, because she couldn’t stand the heartbreak of losing someone. She had several boyfriends over the years, even a few she that thought she loved, but she never really could commit to any of them because of her job. In addition, she had watched the men she worked with get married and then divorce more times than she cared to. The hours and the stress of the job did not make a marriage easy. In her mind, it didn’t make you available enough to be a good parent either. Long ago, she accepted that marriage was not in the cards for her. It was easier deciding to be happy with the life she did have: a good job, a few good friends, a boyfriend here or there who was willing to just be a boyfriend and nothing more.

Although Sydney loved kids, she convinced herself that she would never have any of her own. So, she devoted much of her spare time and money to a local, after school center. Every week she would spend a few hours at the center, talking with the kids, playing games, and doing crafts. She wasn’t the only one who was alone...these kids needed her. The fact was that many of the city’s kids were raising themselves. Their parents never made it to the PTO meetings or teacher conferences. Whether they were too busy working or missing entirely, it didn’t matter. The result was the same: kids alone on the street after school. The center gave them something constructive to do...they played, they learned, they cared.

Sydney cared about them too. She knew she was lucky to have been raised by loving parents in a middle class home where chocolate chip cookies and encouragement were plentiful. Sydney may not ever have kids of her own, but she had the know how to help other kids. She knew how to teach a group of girls to bake a cake, do their algebra homework, learn about science, sing a song, or paint a picture. Her mom was an artist so creativity was valued in her house. Sydney wanted these kids to have every experience she was allowed to have, even if at the end of the day the cold streets awaited them. These kids deserved to know about the wonderful activities that could fill their young lives instead of gang banging, prostitution, and drugs.

Sydney wanted girls and boys to grow up educated, strong, and empowered. Also, her mother always taught her that giving back fills the soul; volunteering was the greatest gift you can give to yourself and others. Sydney knew she wasn’t a saint, but she still gave as much of herself as she could. At the end of the day, the kids filled her soul with hope and love; two things that she very much needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After spending a few hours at the center, Sydney knew she needed to get back to the station....to Kade. It was still light outside. She wondered where he was sleeping. Did he even sleep? Did he go out during the day? She knew much more about werewolves, both the good and the bad, than she knew about vampires. She got the fact they drank blood, but other than that, she tried not to hang out with vampires to find out the details of their habits. She did have a sense of self-preservation.

As she buckled up, her cell phone buzzed with a text from the station.
Fuck
. Another dead girl had been found. She hated the evil that lurked within humans and paranormals. Why did they kill? Power, hate, passion, mental illness? There were many reasons, none of them good. Sydney didn’t even care anymore. She was growing tired of the death. Sure, she would try to understand motive to the extent that it would help her find the perpetrator and lock them away forever, but aside from self-defense, there was never a justified murder.

The girl was found in Elfreth’s Alley in Olde City. Benjamin Franklin had once walked these streets. America’s founding fathers had come together in this very place, creating documents that would give birth to American democracy. History was everywhere: cobblestone streets, Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House.

Elfreth’s Alley was a historic site named after an eighteenth century blacksmith. Its cobblestone alley was lined with renovated row homes that proudly displayed the preserved eighteenth century, working class homes that remained. The country’s past, and sadly now the present, lay across the stones marring the historic site.
What the fuck is wrong with people?

The site had already been contained. Sydney ducked under the tape and approached the body. She knew she should have called Kade, but she figured someone on his team would let him know. After last night, she was afraid of her body’s response to his voice even over a phone. Eventually she would have to see him, hear his voice, and breathe in his delicious masculine scent. He would be pissed that she didn’t wait for him. But Sydney figured she’d take action and apologize later.

Sydney leaned in to get a better look at the body, another “Death Doll.” The girl was a brunette this time, but had the same almost pure white, porcelain skin. She was not damaged by water like the other victim. Instead, it looked if she had been gently laid on the street only hours ago. She appeared as if she were simply sleeping. She was as young as the other girl, in her twenties, but she was dressed differently this time in a long, evergreen, velvet dress, sans shoes. Again, her eyelids had been sewn shut with thread. Someone had taken care to put makeup on her face. She looked like a collectible doll you would buy on home-shopping television. The scoop neckline dress was fitted tightly around the front of her body. Sydney snapped on a latex glove and reached over to lift the neckline slightly, another tattoo.

The tattoo was small enough that it adorned the top of the girl’s breast. It looked almost like a cross, but with a round, large protuberance on the head. Sydney stood up straight and spoke aloud to herself, “Jennings is dead, so either he did this before he died or there's someone new doing the tattoos, and what is this? It isn’t exactly a cross. I know I’ve seen this somewhere.” She shook her head at the needless loss of life.

“It’s an Ankh. Ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal life.” Sydney spun around startled by the velvet caress of Kade’s voice. But his tone was not warm. No, he was angry with her, presumably for not calling him.
Great, here we go.
“Forget something, Sydney? You know, I am not above punishing you for your blatant disregard of my orders.” Kade was pissed. What the hell did she not understand about their conversation? They were supposed to be working this case together. Did she not get that there was danger out here that could get her killed in the blink of an eye? Kade knew the danger was very real, and now he had a name...Simone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Sydney left the club last night, Kade talked to Tristan about what Luca had found: a ribbon with
her
scent on it.
She
was back,
Simone
. Kade first met Simone in New Orleans in 1822. He found her beaten and starving in an alley. Newly turned, she was a lost fledgling. Not wanting to watch her kill or be killed, he took her under his wing and taught her how to feed on humans without killing them. Along with several other young vampires, including Luca, Simone lived with him in his safe compound that he created within the city. Despite the apparent abuse she had suffered over the years, she came to trust Kade.