Little Belle Gone (26 page)

Elizabeth’s heart ached for him as his skin went pale, all his color transferring to help deepen the red of rage growing on the Captain’s face. Matt looked to her and then back to Moreano, trying to find words for the situation, as if they were two teens found by their parents after curfew. “Captain, what a surprise. We didn’t expect to see you here. I was just having dinner with Elizabeth, to help ease her mind about what’s happened to her.” She smiled at him, nodding slightly to hint that his story lined up with hers, but it didn’t seem to matter.

“Is that so? Or, more likely, I have found my lead detective taking advantage of the wounded senses, and naive notions, of my protege and lying to me about it.” His eyes were flames and she could swear he was shaking with the restraint necessary to avoid striking out at Matthew. His voice was gravel and razor blades and several decibels louder than the ambient volume of the room. Everyone turned now, not just the few closest tables, openly staring at the scene on the verge of violence unfolding in front of the romantic corner table. As if Moreano realized just how public this confrontation was, he turned and stormed away, leaving Elizabeth and Matt flabbergasted in his wake.

Elizabeth suddenly realized the confrontation had left her shaking with fear. Moreano had shown so much rage that she was afraid of him, terrified, actually. Matt slid into his seat next to her and held her, whispering comfort into her hair. She needed his words, but his warmth did far more for her. She could feel his heart racing, just as hers was. After a few minutes she calmed enough to suggest that they finish their desserts and head home. Before she finished her slice of pie, her heart had settled and aside from apprehension about what tomorrow might bring, she was happy again. When Matt slid his hand back onto her thigh and asked huskily in her ear if she was ready to go home, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, her answer understood.

Elizabeth sighed lightly into the warm strength of Matt’s bare chest. She wasn’t sure what time it was, but she was sure from the deep darkness that surrounded them that it was still well in the wee hours of the morning. Her hand rubbed lazily over his chest hair. Even with her eyes closed, she could see the strong lines and taunt muscles of his flesh under her fingers. Blinking slowly, she allowed her eyes to adjust to the dark of his, no,
their
bedroom. The memory of his request made her blush and smile, turning her face into the wonderfully rich smelling slab of his flesh. She pressed her lips to his warmth and kissed his chest, purring, satisfied and content to her core. The firm arm wrapped about her shoulders pulled taunt and she felt the tendons in his shoulder stretch and bunch as his head curved over her, pressing his lips into her hair.

“Hey,” her voice was raspy and thick. Their fevered activities only a few short hours earlier had left her blissfully sore, but she still felt the wonderfully urgent flutter in her abdomen at the thought of him pulling her closer. He rumbled in his chest as his arms curled even tighter, shifting her body closer to his core. She lifted her thigh, allowing it to run over his, caressing his manhood lightly with the soft flesh just above her knee. His groan made her apex ache gently with the need of him. Last night he had carried her into their room and taken his time. Making love to her so slowly and passionately that she feared that she would lose her mind. Only after he shattered her for the third time did his stamina give way, and she had cried out with him when he filled her. They had fallen into a languid tangle, panting and exhausted, kissing and caressing each other. She had teased him, tickling his sides and coaxing him to play with her. His laugh, his smile, had become essential for her, and the act had aroused her need once more. When he took her again, he was playful and teasing, laughing and joking as he pleased her beyond measure.

Curling her onto her side, he had curved his body around her back, pulling her so close to him that she could feel his breath on her cheek. They laid, spooning, for nearly an hour discussing their plans for the future. As he spoke lazily against her hair, his warm thoughts mingled with the heat of his body and strength of his thighs to stir her again. Only this time her thoughts had run deep and dark. Her need for him had grown fierce, listening to his tender declarations of love. She pressed her hips against him and was gratified to feel the length of his manhood grow rigid. When he rocked against her in return, she thrust her hips aggressively and he had growled against her throat. His hand had squeezed her breast tightly and he rasped a most wicked question against her ear. The sheer thrill of it had brought an answer to her lips and he had taken her fiercely and fast, in the sinful way she so desperately wanted, flipping her over and plowing into her until they shattered together.

His hand rubbed over her neck, sending ripples through her. She stretched against him, long and lanky, searching for his mouth. She closed her eyes as she pressed her lips against his...but something was wrong. His mouth was wrong, rough. Fabric pressed against her. Fear wrenched her heart as she pulled back sharply. The body beside her wasn’t his, not anymore. The lean, firm muscles of his torso had been replaced with the burly, pale and hair covered flesh of a massive older man. Terror turned her stomach and she forced her eyes higher, dread causing her to shake desperately. Swallowing hard, she pinched her eyes tight and lifted her face to his. She took a deep, tremulous breath as she forced her eyes open. A scream choked in her throat as the shiny, black-masked face of the killer stood across from her own in the darkness. She wanted to flee, but he held her, pulling her closer. She couldn’t escape his grasp as he hauled her ever nearer. His smell, old cigars and dried blood, filled the room in hot waves, causing bile to rise up her throat as the blank, black mask drew to within inches of her terror filled face. She wanted to scream, wanted to strike him, but her body, her voice failed her. When only a hair’s breadth separated them, his dark, fierce, violent voice echoed in her ears.

“There you are my little Belle doll. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” She flung her arms and found her voice. Screaming frantically, she began to kick and thrash against him. His arms bracketed her, pinning her to the bed as his body pressed down on her.
NO!!!

Matt tried desperately to hold her still as she writhed and screamed next to him. She was still trapped in sleep, unable to free herself from what was obviously a terrible nightmare. He braced her to prevent her from hurting herself, or him, as he called her name. Not sure what else to do, he pulled her close to him and whispered love into her ears, caressing her hair and neck with his lips. Slowly she began to calm in his arms. A cold sweat broke out over her flesh and she started to shake violently. All he could do was hold her, kiss her cheek and wait for her to wake. He knew that the murderer had a hold on her, had scared her beyond measure, but she had never mentioned nightmares. He wanted to make it go away. Sooth her fears. Fix her past.

“Matt...” Her voice was weak and strained against his chest.

“Liz, are you okay? You were having a nightmare.” He kissed her temples as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, burrowing her face into his dusting of dark chest hair.

“Matt, it was terrible. I dreamed I woke up in your arms and you were holding me tight. I moved to kiss you and it wasn’t you anymore, it was
him
. His body next to me. His arms around me. His face covered in that mask, dragging me closer. I couldn’t get away, couldn’t scream. It was horrible.” His heart ached for her. He sighed deeply as he cradled her head in his fingers, massaging her temples, attempting to wipe the memories away. After a few seconds she moaned lightly and the tension in her body eased.

“Is that better?”He whispered in her ear. Her purring nuzzle answered him as her body began to move against his. In spite of her terrifying dream, she curled her lithe body around him and he caved to her need, indulging in his own overpowering desire. Rolling over to bracket her beneath him, he stopped to meet her eyes. “Mara, darling, are you sure...”She pulled his mouth to hers before he could finish his question. He kissed her fiercely, deeply, as he slid inside her waiting folds. She had become home, the only place he wanted to be, the only place he belonged. He tried to be gentle, thinking of her nightmare and her fear, but it was impossible when she pressed against him as she did, forcing him deeper that he thought possible. She was insatiable and it thrilled him to imagine a lifetime of feeling that craving, devious little body milking him the way she always did.

Elizabeth stood before the coffee maker in the kitchen, allowing the scoop of grinds to pour slowly into the filter. The light of morning was filling the living room, but she was in no hurry. It was their day off and she planned to enjoy every minute of it. Late in the night Matt had spoken of retrieving the last of her belongings from her apartment and maybe going by a few furniture stores to look at more comfortable couches. She reveled in the thought of their innocent, domestic plans, something she had never once imagined she would do. As she stood, clad only in his button down shirt from last night, listening to the coffee machine bubble and sputter, she heard the soft plod of his feet behind her. Seconds before he wrapped his impressive bare arms around her she had closed her eyes in anticipation, breathing in deep to catch the wonderful earthy scent of his flesh on the air between them.

“Good morning, Mara darling.” His sultry, deep voice curled against her neck and sent a ripple of pleasure through her. He was so close to her, pressed firmly against her that he couldn’t have missed it. “Mm-hm. Do I affect you that much?” She could feel that wicked, teasing smile in her hair.

“Do I have to answer such a ridiculous question? Or can I simply enjoy the moment?” She could tease him too, lest he forget. She swayed her hips lightly against his thighs and laughed softly as his breath hitched a little. No matter how many times he came to her, she still wanted more. “When do you want to get started?”

“Right now...” He gave a wicked little laugh as his hands slid under the loosely buttoned shirt and found her breasts, his tongue snaking out to flick at her neck.

Sighing, she leaned her head back into the touch and laughed lightly again. “Not that, the shopping and stuff we talked about last night, you animal.” But even as she chided his single minded seeking, she bent into his touch, causing it to deepen even further into passion. For a few moments she stood, pinned between the counter and his firm body, reveling in the feel of his seeking hands and questing mouth, perfectly content to be ravished right here in the kitchen, before Bucky’s small fervent bark snapped them back to reality. The small dog was running circles around their legs, desperately trying to gain their attention. His food bowl was empty and he was absolutely incapable of patience.

“Grrr, damn dog.” Matt muttered, even as he chuckled softly in his throat and reluctantly pulled back from her. Elizabeth leaned after him slightly, wishing he would stay, despite the utter soreness that had settled into her flesh. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.” He growled sensually into her neck before he kissed it gently and turned back toward the bedroom. “Come on, you.” Matt blurted the command at the dog as he moved and the dog trotted after him, victorious. Elizabeth leaned back against the counter, warmth and contentment spreading through her body, mixing with rich anticipation. Turning to lift her body onto the counter, readying herself for his return, she noticed the calendar pinned to his refrigerator. Matt had circled the dates of the murders in red on the sheet, and for a moment her eyes drifted lazily over the marks without seeing them. As she began to focus, she saw, with growing clarity, a pattern start to form. Jumping hurriedly down from the counter-top she rushed to the calendar and studied it more closely. When she heard the soft plod of Matt’s steps returning, she called to him.

“Matt, I need to call Mark and Aggie. Now.” Her voice had turned sharp and strict and his steps paused for a moment. When they resumed she could hear the determined cadence of his stride and knew he had become as serious as she.

“What is it? What’s happened?” Matt was now standing behind her, looking at the calendar, trying to find what she had been so eager to act upon.

“The murders, they are all exactly nine days apart. Each time the victims have been growing steadily more and more important to me. If I’m right, the next murder will happen Thursday, and I need to make sure that Mark and Aggie are not anywhere he can get to them.” Her voice was far calmer than she felt. Urgency making her turn and face him. “Do you know what I did with my phone last night? Everything after the moment we left the restaurant is a bit of a blur for me.”

Matt could see the solemn resolve in her eyes. Whatever she was thinking, it was enough to pull her out of the arousal she had been consumed by only seconds ago. Squaring his shoulders, he looked around his barren apartment, trying to remember where he had hastily tossed her accompaniments as he had carried her into the bedroom. Finding her shall lying on the edge of the couch, he moved to it and found her clutch underneath. Rustling inside it, he pulled her phone free and tossed it to her. He watched as she pressed the home button only to see her face twist in aggravation. “Here, use mine.” He moved closer and grabbed his from the counter, checking first to see that it wasn’t dead as well. “What makes you so sure that he will go after them next?” He asked as he watched her type in the number with unsteady fingers. As she put the phone to her ear, she met his gaze.

“Because that’s the tenth anniversary of my parent’s murder and he will want it to be special.” He gasped, at both her matter-of-fact tone and her impeccable logic. As he watched her pace the kitchen, waiting for the call to be answered, a sickening realization came to him. She had been meant to die with her parents, so this anniversary was not just for their death, but for hers. Terror and rage filled his heart and he found the inescapable truth before him a bitter pill to swallow. He would surely try to kill her again on that day as well. Resolving that he wouldn’t get the chance, Matt moved quickly into the bedroom in search of boxers and his apartment phone. He listened as she gave orders to her aunt and uncle, telling them to get out of town, and quickly, to call her as soon as they arrived at the villa, where ever that was, as he dialed the other phone.