Out of the Dark (Forbidden Love) (11 page)

     “So, why are you telling me?  I am human,” Samuel said.

     “Because I have information that may help you.  And in return, I would like you to share what you already know with me.  Together, we can stop any more women from becoming targets.”

     “I’m listening.”

     “There was another body found last night, was there not?”

     “Yes, but how did you know
?  We haven’t released that information yet.”

     “A constituent of mine came to see me,
said he saw someone dumping the body.”

     “Why didn’t he call the police?”

     “I am his police,” Angel answered.  Samuel understood.  The informant was a vampire.

     “What did he see?”

     “A vampire dumping the body of a woman in the park.  She was left out in the open, blonde hair, maybe twenty years old.  Her throat had been ripped out.”

     Samuel nodded.  “At first, we thought the killer was a wolf.  Who else would tear out the throat?  And would be strong enough to carry the body away from the crime scene?  We knew the women weren’t killed in the park because of the lack of blood evidence.
  But then we weren’t so sure.  The cuts on the throats were made after the victim was already dead.  And they were made by a knife, not teeth.  So then we figured, hell, this is a human trying to make it look like a wolf.”

     “How many victims have there been?”  Angel asked.

     “Four.”

     “And have they been drained of blood?”

     “Yes.  Do you think a vampire is trying to make it look like a wolf?” 

     “At this point, anything is possible.  I truly believe you are dealing with a vampire that is new to this area.”

     “I should’ve known when there wasn’t any blood.”

    
“It is impossible for a vampire to drink enough to kill a person.  It isn’t physically possible.  However, if one does not seal the wound, the victim will bleed out.  Was there anything else?”

     “All of the women were raped before they were killed
,” Samuel answered, his tone obviously disgusted.

     Angel’s own stomach churned.  He had no patience for rapists.  “So you will be looking for a crime scene that is private.  He would not do these things in the open.  I speculate that
your criminal, no, our criminal, is choosing his victims carefully.  They are people he can get close to, get somewhere private with them.  If it is a vampire, he will not risk himself while he takes her.  We let our guard down when we feed or have sex.  If he is allowing the women to bleed out, there will be evidence.”

     “I will have my officers check the women’s homes again,” Samuel said.

     “I would also like your cooperation with my team, as well.”

     “Fine, whatever it takes to catch this piece of shit.  Send your men to my office, and I will see that they get whatever information they need.”

     “Detective,” Angel urged, “Go ahead and run the story about a wolf or a human trying to make it look like a wolf.  Do not shed any light on the possibility that we are dealing with a sick vampire.  If he thinks he has fooled us all, he will grow lax and make a mistake.”

     “Good thinking,” Samuel mused.  “Let me give you my personal cell number, just in case.”

     Angel saw the detective to the door, only to be greeted by the sound of female laughter floating up the steps to the front door.  Laughter like wind chimes.  The sun had just barely set, and the sky was a lovely shade of violet, the exact color of Brea’s eyes.

     Approaching in a sphere of bubbling laughter was his mate. 
Potential
mate, he corrected himself.  Her hair was streaming down her back like curling red ribbon, her violet eyes were shining.  Alongside Brea was a beautiful young wolf woman.  Angel knew immediately that this was Keelie.  The two were carrying armfuls of shopping bags and paper sacks that smelled of fast food.

     “Welcome, Brea.”  He stopped himself just in time.  He had almost told her
Welcome home
.  But this was not her home.  “This must be Keelie,” he said in his rich baritone.  Keelie smiled and shifted her packages to extend her hand.  She intended for him to shake it as he would any man, but Angel was not any man.  He lifted her hand to his lips briefly and then returned it to her.  He smiled as the pink coloring took form in her cheeks.  “You are most welcome at my home,” Angel said.

     “Um, thank you,” she managed before giggling like a school girl.  Angel took the packages from the girls and offered to place them in Brea’s room.  He heard the whispers and hushed chuckles behind him as he easily carried the bags to her room.

     After setting each bag down, Angel turned to Brea and said, “I have some business to attend to with the others tonight.  We must visit a local club to look for someone new to the area.  Is there any chance you ladies want to accompany us?”

     “Where is it?”

     “It is downtown.  It is called The Black Horse.”

     “The vampire bar?” Keelie squeaked.
  No one was allowed in unless accompanied by a vampire, but rumors about the place had circulated none the less.  Any and everything happened there.  Anything from fetishes, to willing blood donors, to drugs, to a combination of all three.

    
“The same.  I will understand if you do not want to go, but I assure you both, no harm will come to you in my presence.”

     “Are you
kidding!  Hell yes I want to go.  Can we Brea?”

     “How can I refuse?” Brea resigned.  She had heard what kind of things went on in vampire clubs.  Things she was sure she didn’t want any part of.

     “Good.  Get ready, and I will let Ricco know.  I am sure he will want to attend as well.  We leave in two hours.”  And with that, Angel turned and left the women alone to ready themselves.

     “Do you think I’ll get a hot date?” Keelie asked, straightening her skirt.  There wasn’t much too it in the first place and the tank top that she borrowed from Brea was cut high above the belly button.  Keelie had donned extra makeup and curled her dark hair.

     “Are you looking for good company or a midnight romp in the hay?” Brea asked sarcastically.

     “Either,” she answered
with a slight cock of her head.

     “Then I don’t think you’ll have any problems.”

     A light knock on the door interrupted the girls conversation.  Brea opened it and her breath caught in her throat.  Angel stood outside her door, looking every bit the rock star he was famous for being.  His black hair was loose around his shoulders, laying neatly over a black silk shirt that was open at the collar.  He was wearing a gold chain around his neck that was only long enough to brush the hollow in his throat.  His ears were adorned with small gold hoop earrings.  The shirt tapered down into a pair of snug fitting leather pants that showed every line of his powerful legs.  “Are you ladies ready to go?” he asked in his sultry voice.

     “Um, yeah, let’s go Keelie
,” Brea stammered.

     Downstairs, the whole band waited as the women descended the stairs.  Angel had one on each arm, smiling smugly.  Brea looked radiant.  Her short sleeved shirt hugged her curves just right, cut low enough to show a tantalizing bit of cleavage.  Instead of a skirt like her friend, Brea had donned a tight pair of blue jeans that left little to the imagination.

     “Holy mother of God,” Keelie breathed in a whisper.  “would you look at all that.”

     And there was plenty to look at.  Leather pants and muscle
awaited at the bottom of the stairs.  Ricco had even dressed for the occasion.  He was wearing leather pants and a black t-shirt.  His hair was neat, and he looked at Keelie with a fierce hunger in his eyes.  Angel couldn’t help but smile.

     They took two vehicles to the club, which was hidden in plain sight downtown.  If one didn’t know what they were looking for, they would never find it.  There was no sign, and no visible door.  It was only because the guys knew how to get in did the gang ever
enter.

     Inside, it looked much like any other club.  There were plenty of tables, covered in red cloth, flashing lights and a DJ in the corner.  Loud music blared over the sound system, reverberating
deep in Brea’s chest.  Without hardly a glance, Angel led the group to a large table off to the left of the dance floor.

     “Drinks?” a woman
dressed in hardly a piece of lace shouted over the music.  Angel inclined his head and ordered for everyone.  Soon, the scantily clad waitress returned with beer and margaritas.  The latter was for Brea and Keelie.  Brea sipped her drink slowly while watching the people on the dance floor.

     Gage and Rebel had left the table almost immediately to ‘mingle.’  Angel leaned in to speak into Brea’s ear, explaining that they wanted to have some fun, and find a willing donor.  Angel excused
himself, with little explanation as to why, other than to see the rest of the establishment.  Brea knew he was looking for something, or someone.  Perhaps he was looking for a donor as well.  The thought curled into a ball of anger inside Brea’s stomach.   But she squashed it, she had no right to be upset with him for his nature.  But it wasn’t really his nature she was upset about, it was that she was inexplicably jealous.

     “Let’s dance!” Keelie shouted, grabbing Brea and Antonio by the hand.  “Come on!  You guys too,” she hollered at Jacque and Ricco.  The men followed the women to the polished wooden floor.  The music was loud, but it had a good beat, and soon Brea found herself smiling and swaying to the music.

     A pair of hands gripped Brea’s waist and a wall of muscle pressed to her back.  She spun around, half expecting Angel to be the culprit.  But it was not.  It was Ricco.  “Hey,” she mouthed.

    Ricco leaned down and asked permission to dance with her.  Brea smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.  The pair danced for two songs,
then another man cut in.  Brea didn’t mind, so long as he kept his hands where they belonged.  But this man, a vampire, had other ideas.  When his hand reached back and cupped Brea by the buttocks, she tried to push him away.  He only pulled her closer in response.  He was gyrating his hips against her leg, making his attraction obvious.  Brea reached back and let her arm snap forward.  She had only intended to slap the insolent jerk, but somewhere on the way her fist closed and she connected with his nose.  Hard.  He jerked back, his hands flying to cover his now bloody nose.  Rage shot from his eyes and he came at Brea once more.

     Four pairs of hands appeared out of nowhere, restraining the injured vampire.  “I wouldn’t do
it, man, she belongs to Angel.” Gage told him.

     “She’s not marked,” the vamp snapped back.  Brea was furious.

     “Marked or not, you have no right to put your hands on me.  No means no, asshole!” Brea huffed as she stalked by the man.  “Belongs to Angel, humph.  I don’t belong to anyone.” She said it more to herself than anyone else.

     “I know that,” Antonio said, appearing beside her.  “But he didn’t know that.  It was the quickest way to end the situation.  Nice
right hook, by the way.”

     “Thanks,” Brea muttered.

     “You could be, ya know, if you wanted.”

     “What?”

     “Angel’s.  He really cares for you.  Much more than you know.”

     “How the hell would you know that?” she snapped, sitting back down at the table to nurse her new drink.

     “I see a change in him since he met you,” Antonio answered.  “He has a light in his eyes that I haven’t seen in more than two centuries.  It is like he feels alive again.”

     “He barely knows me,” Brea said around her straw.

     “The soul knows its mate,  even if the mind does not.”

     “I can’t deal with this now.  I’m going to dance again.  Wanna come with?”

     “Sure.  But only if you promise not to hit me,” he feigned horror.

     “Keep your hands where they belong and I won’t.”

     On the floor, Brea started to relax.  It could have been the dancing, or it could have been the margaritas in her system.  She enjoyed dancing with Antonio.  He was a perfect gentleman.  But something was bothering her.  She didn’t want to ask, but she had to know.  “If Angel likes me so much, why did he bring me here then disappear to find himself a willing donor?”

     Antonio bellowed a laugh.  “He is not finding a donor.  He is searching the premises for a new vampire.  One he believes may be a killer.  Believe
me, he won’t drink from just any woman.  And since you have been at the house, he doesn’t want anyone but you.”

     Brea was going to ask more, but something she saw caught her attention.  A woman was dancing with a man, her lips firmly sealed on his neck.  He looked like he was in the
throes of ecstasy, and his open mouth left no room for speculation on whether he was human or vampire.  Definitely vampire.  A trail of crimson was rolling down his neck.  “Is that woman a human?” Brea asked.

     “Yes.  Why?”