Natural Consequences (51 page)

“Kevin!” she shouted.  Her thirtysomething uncle and his partner both paused, blinked and looked around. “Kevin! Tyrone! Hold up!”

“Oh, hey,” smiled Kevin Murray. His partner’s face brightened a bit, too, but only until Molly’s expression was easier to read. Both cops waited for her to close within conversational distance. “What’s up?” asked Kevin.

“That guy you arrested,” Molly huffed, “who was it?”

“Uh,” answered Kevin, glancing uneasily at his partner.

Molly shoved him on the arm. “Dammit, Kevin, it’s important!”

“Hey! Chill out! We’re good,” Kevin grumbled. “Why do you want to know?”

“You think you know him?” asked Tyrone.

“Yeah, and I think it’s probably some seriously dirty bullshit, so who was it?”

“Guy’s name was Carlisle,” Kevin finally answered. He saw Molly wince. “That would be exactly what you didn’t want to hear, huh?”

“Where are they taking him?” Molly asked. Again, the two cops exchanged glances. “Oh, come on, if he was just arrested like any other asshole you could tell me he’d be at the county lock-up or whatever, right?”

“We could,” Kevin frowned, scratching the back of his head, “if he was arrested on state or local orders…”

Molly processed the implication quickly
. “Oh, you are fucking kidding me.”

* * *

He would forgive her. Knowing Alex, he likely wouldn’t even be irritated. He would express a little frustration at having his mundane commitments interrupted, but any such protests would crumble under her touch. Long and regular indulgences from two lovers had her at the height of her powers.

Piano music from a small, portable speaker dock filled the bathroom. Lorelei exited the shower feeling every bit as aroused and energized as she had been with Rachel just a few hours before. She hummed along, resisting the urge to dance in favor of quickly readying herself to leave, find her lover and mercilessly ravish him.

There would have to be a talk, afterward, about his newly awakened—or re-awakened?—talent and his selection of composers. Lorelei appreciated Haydn, but he had never been a particular favorite. Still, a man who could play like that could play any number of other pieces.

She couldn’t stop smiling as she dressed in stockings and garters, knowing he would get an extra little thrill
when he felt them under her dress. There was more than just the musical talent on display in that message. There was a glint in his eye, a strong hint of confidence and seduction. He knew this would turn her on.

Now
half-dressed, Lorelei reached for the phone to replay the video. She knew she was about to fall in love with him all over again.

The phone
rang in her hand. She saw Molly’s name on the display. “Hello?”

“Lorelei, I’m at school. Alex just got hauled away by the Feds. They know about the
fight after the party.”

Her passion and excitement came to a dead halt. Lorelei’s eyes flared with anger and understanding.

* * *

She sat waiting on his
futon for him to get out of the shower. There was little to keep her company besides worry and guilt. The text message from Hauser five minutes earlier confirmed that she wouldn’t be able to put this off any longer.

Jason emerged dressed and ready to go. His good cheer only made her feel worse. “You wanna grab anything to eat on the way?” he asked.

“No. Jason, listen… we have to talk. Sit down?” she requested, gesturing to the futon.

His happy mood immediately diminished. He sat, leaving a little space between them and keeping himself turned toward her. “What’s up?”

“I wanted you to know… well, a lot of things. I wanted you to know that I’ve felt bad about the way I’ve been with you. I’ve been jerking you back and forth and it hasn’t been fair at all. This is two nights now that I’ve slept next to you but not
with
you and that’s… well, that’s kind of how it’s been all along, y’know?”

“Amber, I’m not in a rush,” he said. “I mean I know how I feel about you, but I don’t expect anything—“

“You should, by now,” Amber interrupted with a shake of her head. “With the way I’ve been acting, you totally should have expectations. Not ‘cause you bought me dinner and I owe you sex or anything stupid like that, but the way I’ve acted with you…” She paused. “I’ve wanted to, Jason. You’re an incredible guy. I’ve wanted to, and I can’t.”

His voice held steady, but gentle. “This sounds like a break-up talk.”

“I wish it were that simple,” she sighed. “I haven’t been straight with you.”

“Please, God, tell me y
ou’re not a werewolf,” he said.

“I’m not, Jason. I’m not a werewolf or a demon or anything like that.” She held the grin off, not wanting to sidetrack the moment with levity. She didn’t have the time. “I am older than I told you, though. I’m twenty-four.”

His expression held. He obviously knew to expect more from this, but so far he had no reason to flip out. “Okay? So that’s an age gap, but it’s still a single digit. I know people dealin’ with four figures. I know that means a lot between us right now, but in a year or two it’ll mean less…” he frowned. “Wait. I’ve seen your ID.”

“Fake.”

“Why would you need a fake ID when you’re twenty-four?”

“Jason… I’ve had other relationships I didn’t tell you about, too. The last guy was… he was Ivy League and rugby and handsome and everything you’d want on the boyfriend
resumé, and you blow him out of the water. You’re the smartest, sweetest guy I’ve ever met. You’re brave, you’re tough, you’re funny, you’re not afraid to be who you are… and I honestly think the age difference might not really be that big a deal in the end. You’re more mature than any guy I’ve ever dated, too, when it comes down to it.”

“…but you’re not interested? Is it the weirdness factor? All the crazy?”

“Not even that,” she shook her head. “And that’s the worst part. Even with the weirdness factor, I think: ‘Y’know? All he did was stick with his friends when they needed him. Who wouldn’t want that?’ But I can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked quietly.

Her hand went to the pocket of her jacket to fish out her wallet. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

The badge and the ID card marked “FBI” all but stopped his heart.

“You’ve been under investigation since before I met you. I have to take you in, Jason,” Amber told him. “There are two cops right outside your door. Please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

Completely stunned, Jason wanted to ask if this was a joke but the question died on his lips. He didn’t know where to begin or what he could say.

Amber stood. “I need you to hold out your hands, please.”

He closed his eyes, now knowing far too many things he could say but too smart to let any of them fly. “How do I know you’re not working for the bad guys?”

“I did everything I could to protect you the other night. That was real. I had no idea that would happen.” She waited. He stared at her. “Jason, this goes way beyond just you and me. Getting away from me won’t change anything. You’ll just be a fugitive.”

Holding on tight to his anger, Jason rose and held out his wrists. “This hurts.”

“I know,” Amber said as she pulled out the cuffs. She put one on his right wrist, then guided his arm around his back before putting on the other one.

“
No. You don’t.”

“Please don’t say that.” He heard her rustling something out of her jacket. “In fact, right now you might not want to say anything.” She paused. “It’s Amber. I have Jason cuffed. He’s coming peacefully.” Then, with the phone back in her pocket, she asked, “Where are your keys? Jacket pocket? We’ll lock up on our way out.”

“What, no search warrant? Or did you already do that while I was asleep?”

“We’ve got the warrant,” she answered with a mix of patience and guilt, “but the search comes later.”

“Great. Front left pants pocket.”

She patted him down, taking his phone, wallet and keys from his pockets. Then she gestured for him to walk toward the door. “Like I said,” Amber told him, “
it’s better if you don’t say anything for now.”

Amber had the door only half-open before the hand clamped around her throat. Her eyes went wide as Lorelei stepped in through the doorway, her face set in a controlled rage, and pushed her back with an iron grip. The other woman’s glare was terrifying; her strength doubly so.

Lorelei snatched the gun from Amber’s shoulder holster with her free hand. She ejected the clip, pressed the safety and then dropped it to the floor in a few quick and practiced moves. “Jason, are you all right?”

“Lorelei, no! Don’t hurt her! She’s a—oh, holy shit!” Jason blinked further as he looked outside his door. Slumped to the floor in the hallway were two uniformed police officers, both with their eyes closed and smiles on their faces. “What did you do to the cops?”

“They’ll live,” Lorelei declared in a grim tone, “provided I am not given cause to end them. Are we alone here? I saw no other police present.”

Amber gasped for breath and swung forceful blows at Lorelei’s elbow and shoulder, hoping to break her grip.
It worked, but Lorelei quickly reasserted control. She snatched up Amber’s wrist and bent it backward and around, swiftly bringing the younger woman into a hold that put her on her knees. Amber couldn’t believe Lorelei’s strength.

“Lorelei, it’s just us,” Jason answered quickly, “but you can’t hurt her! She’s not one of the bad guys!”

“That remains to be seen. We must bring the officers in here before someone sees them. Can you do this? No, you are restrained. Come here.” She maintained her hold on Amber with one hand, while fishing her key ring out of her jacket pocket with the other.

Despite the urgency of the moment, Jason spared a heartbeat to roll his eyes. Of
course
Lorelei carried around handcuff keys out of habit. He stood near her and turned around. The first of the cuffs came loose in just two seconds; she then gave him the keys to let him take care of the other himself. “Drag the policemen inside, please,” she instructed calmly after taking the cuffs from him.

“You’re making a huge mistake,” grunted Amber.

“That also remains to be seen. Whom do you serve, Amber? Or what else should we call you?” Lorelei immediately went to work putting Amber in her own handcuffs.

“Amber’s really my name,” she answered. She managed a look over her shoulder to see Jason drag the first of the cops into his apartment. “I’m an agent with the FBI. Jason’s under arrest.” She glared up at the other woman. “So are you.”

“Indeed. Will it shock you if I am not willing to take your legitimacy for granted? How am I to believe you are truly what you say rather than an errand girl for some animated corpse? Or worse?”

“They attacked me, too! I fought to get us all out
. Jason saw, Alex saw!”

“It would not be the first time the
corpses sacrificed some of their number to create a credible misperception,” Lorelei scowled. Though she had Amber cuffed, she maintained her hold on the other woman.

“Lorelei, she’s not going anywhere,” Jason said as he shut and locked the door. He stepped over the two unconscious cops. “You don’t have to hold her like that.”

“Did you resist arrest? No? And yet she put you in handcuffs. Were our positions reversed, Amber would not let me go unrestrained. Would you?”

“That’s not—that doesn’t fix anything,” Jason pressed. “Lorelei, I believe her.”

“They have arrested Alex,” Lorelei told him. “They took him from his classroom at school, in full view of the campus.”

“What?” Amber blinked.

“This surprises you?”

“That’s… doing it like that is crazy. You people are hunted. Why…?” She fell silent then, remembering not to think out loud in front of suspects.

“Yes. Why, unless someone is supposed to know that Alex was arrested?”

Amber swallowed hard. “It might’ve been done to
get the vampires off his back. They’ll know they won’t find him at home or with his friends.”

“You sound unsure.”

“It’s because I
am
.”

“
Are Drew and Wade also under investigation?” Lorelei asked.

“They’re—
“ Amber hesitated. She wasn’t sure whether or not it mattered now. She couldn’t help but notice, though, that rather than reinforcing her grip to inflict pain, Lorelei merely held her in place and waited. “They’re in custody. My team arrested them on the night of the Halloween party.”

“What?” burst
Jason. He wheeled around to look Amber in the eye. “But I’ve had text messages back and forth with…” a scowl fell across his face. “Oh, that’s just some dirty pool there.”

“It’s not strictly illegal,” Amber muttered, “depending on the circumstances.”

“Oh, what, circumstances like ours? Nice.”

“I hope for your sake they are unharmed,” Lorelei warned.