Viper (6 page)

"You've been with Hawk?"

She nodded. “Once.”

"He's VP."

"Yeah, but he's not you."

"He's my twin. What makes me so different?"

"You aren't exactly approachable, Viper. And frankly, sometimes you scare the hell out of me and some of the other girls here at the club. It’s no secret that you’re standoffish and moody."

"And Hawk isn't?"

She tilted her chin to meet his gaze as he approached the sofa.

“I don’t want to talk about Hawk. He’s history and not worth my time.”

Her admission had him wondering what exactly Hawk had done to piss off the petite brunette. But then again, what Hawk did with his personal life was none of his damn business.

The pulse at the base of her throat called to him. He could hear the soft patter of her heart from a couple of feet away. Hell, this hungry, he would have heard it from across the room. His fangs lengthened in anticipation. Her slight intake of air told him she had noted his change. His eyes warmed as they changed to their black glassy appearance. Kane could smell her sexual desire as her interest in him heightened.

He'd oblige his thirst. But he had no intention on partaking in any sexual favors she might offer as well. Not being able to help himself, he asked, “What did Hawk do to earn your scorn?”

Suzi rolled her eyes and sighed, crossing her arms across her chest, clearly not wanting to talk about his brother. Kane’s interest peaked even more.

"He’s not exactly a gentleman and we are clearly not suited for one another. Hawk is straight-forward, I’ll give him that. He lets you know from the get-go what he's after, whether or not you want to hear it.” She paused, studied him, then said, “You? I'm not so sure. Even now I don't know if you want to feed from me or fuck me. You hang at the Rave; you don't socialize. You talk to no one other than your MC members and Draven."

"I have no need to."

"See, that's exactly what I mean. Hawk and the boys come here to party. They like to have fun. I'm never quite sure why you're here."

It was his turn to shrug. "I need to feed. The Rave provides that. Besides, I like Draven."

"Do you?"

"Why would you ask?"

"Because you give off a vibe, Viper … one that says you don't like anyone."

"Good."

She chuckled. "And that's exactly why you make me nervous."

"You have no need to fear I would harm you or take your life."

"You would if you had to."

He narrowed his gaze. "Yes. But there is only one reason to eliminate a donor and that's if we fear our secret is no longer safe with you. You knew when you became one that the punishment for revealing our secret is death."

"You wouldn't be the one to do it if I did."

"No, that's handled by your own kind. We don’t need your deaths on our hands. So again, why fear me?"

"You're dangerous."

"So is Hawk … or any one of my brothers."

"Not here. They let their guard down, relax. They make us feel at ease. You're different: always on guard, always serious. Even now, I think you would rather take what you came for and then get the hell out of here. Am I correct?"

"I’d rather not be having this conversation with you, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

She smiled as if she knew exactly how he would answer.

“Make no mistake, Suzi, if I the need to take you out, I wouldn't hesitate. None of the Sons would. We aren’t to be crossed or toyed with."

The smell of her desire increased. Apparently her fear was also a turn on. "You’re not only dangerous, but truthful … like Hawk,” she added as if in afterthought. “It’s always good to know where one stands. But not one of the Sons has ever said they wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if the need arose."

"Any one of my brothers is as lethal."

"My point is I've never had one of them threaten me."

"That's because they're trying to get in your pants, Suzi. It's bad form to scare the hell out of something you want to fuck."

"And you aren't?"

"No."

Suzi rose from the sofa and sauntered toward him. Stopping just inches from him, he could feel the heat of her blood. She grabbed his flaccid cock. Her face registered her disappointment in not getting a rise out of him.

She slid her palm over his jean-clad dick. "I can't change your mind?"

He removed her hand. "No."

Her ruby lips turned down in a well-practiced pout. He couldn't help but wonder how many men fell for that look. "Even if it's what I want?"

"Your desires are of no concern of mine, Suzi. You can take them up with one of my more willing brothers."

"Then why bring me up here if not to get me out of my pants? I've heard the talk amongst the women in the club. They say you're insatiable."

"Because I'm hungry, Suzi, and I am tiring of this conversation. I don't want to fuck you. I think I've made myself pretty clear. If you don’t want to nourish me, then get the fuck out so I can find someone more willing."

She came within mere inches and grabbed his crotch again. "Oh, I'm willing. I just want to feed all of your hungers. I know you aren't exclusive when it comes to sex. So why not take what I offer?"

Kane’s reputation no doubt preceded him at the club. He wasn't one to turn down a willing female, not when it came to getting laid. He was only exclusive when it came to feeding. And Suzi wasn’t his normal donor type either, but tonight he was too fucking hungry to care.

"Don't take it personal, Suzi. I'm not looking to fuck. I just need to feed."

And he needed to in a bad way. It was as if he could feel his veins drying up just standing here talking. Kane needed nourishment. Being hungry hadn’t helped his demeanor either. He was in no mood to stand here bullshitting about why he didn’t want to take the piece of ass she offered.

"Sex has always come hand in hand with feeding your kind. What makes you so different?"

Kane had had enough. "Why is it so fucking important that I don't want to have sex?"

"Because I've always wanted to know what sex with you would be like.” Her voice cracked and Kane feared in the next moment she might just break into tears. “I think it's the least you could do if I offer my blood."

"I'm not going to fuck you, Suzi, so get over it." He gripped her shoulders, tipped her chin, giving him access to her neck. "Now shut the hell up before I find another donor."

He bit down on her carotid artery and began to feed. The slight sucking noise and her intake of breath became the only sounds in the room, other than the ticking of the mantle clock. Blood rushed to his cock as it always did when he fed. Vampires were very sexual creatures. Suzi had been correct, normally sex and feeding went hand in hand. But not tonight, not while he had Cara Brahnam on his mind, and it was her tight body he wanted to be sliding into. His desire burned brightly just at the thought of getting the detective horizontal. Or vertical, or bent over the table … any fucking way he could get her.

Suzi moaned as he continued to draw the warm tangy blood from her neck. Her hands skimmed down his chest as the scent of her desire wafted to his heightened senses. She smelled like a bitch in heat. Being fed from not only affected the vampires sexually but donors as well. Suzi was doing nothing more than acting on the sexual tension derived from his feeding.

When she grasped his cock for the third time, Kane released her, licked her neck wounds to aid in their healing and set her away from him before he did something like slaking his own urge. Her small breasts heaved, drawing his heated gaze. Lord, he really did want to taste them, draw them between his teeth and bury his cock to the hilt.

Christ, his emotions ran taut.

Kane turned his back, looked to the ceiling and waited for his libido to subside. Her warm hand flattened against his back, causing him to jump. He was so damn close to shoving her against the far wall and pounding his hardened cock into her until she screamed his name in climax.

"I can take care of that for you, Viper." Then she added in a whisper, "And you wouldn't be obligated."

Kane growled menacingly. He wanted to scare her, get her to back off before he stupidly gave in to the ache gripping his balls. Luckily, she complied. When he turned around, she had turned to retrieve her handbag from the sofa.

"Come on”—he felt like such a shit when he spotted the lone tear running down her cheek—“I'll walk you to your car." He grasped her hand and pulled her closer to him. Brushing a stray hair from her face with his free hand, he said, "Don't take it personally, Suzi. I have a lot of demons I'm dealing with right now and sex isn't going to fix it."

"Maybe I could help you forget."

He chuckled. "I’m sure you could, but it would only be a temporary fix. To be fair, I don't want to be thinking about another woman while I'm having sex with you. Understand?"

She nodded as another tear slipped down her cheek. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Let's get you out of here. You don't need to drink alcohol while dizzy from the lack of blood. You going to be okay driving home?"

She sniffed, swiping a hand beneath her nose. "I feel stupid for throwing myself at you."

Kane brought her flush against his chest and smoothed a hand down her spine. Being a nice guy was foreign for him. "Don't apologize. Any other day, I might have taken you up on your offer. Come on, let's get you to your car."

Chapter 5

The cool night breeze caressed Cara's face as she left Murphy's Tavern. Tipping her face upward, she breathed in, detecting the scent of the ocean and the recent rain in the fresh air. The full moon found a break in the storm clouds and lit the parking lot as well, as the soft glow from the street lamps. It appeared she might make it home before the clouds decided to let loose again.

In spite of hoping for a good night’s sleep, she was glad Joe insisted on her coming out for a beer. Her raucous fellow officers could be downright fun, taking her mind off the job. They all needed the distraction. Being an officer had its drawbacks. Too many times red tape got in the way of the conviction. Frustration from watching the guilty walk free burrowed beneath her skin. There were times she had thought about leaving the job behind for something less stressful. But in the end, Cara couldn't imagine devoting her life to any other profession. She loved her job, despite the grievances.

Had it not been for Joe's invite, it might have been just another long, boring night at home with nothing to do but pour over what little they had on the open cases so far or read the novel sitting on her bedside table like she’d intended.

Spending time alone had begun to lose its appeal. Normally, she cherished her serenity but it came at a cost. She had no one to share life's joys or sorrows with, except for her weekly trips to see her grandfather. Grandpa was always willing and eager to hear anything she had to say, no matter how mundane the topic. Thinking of her elder brought a smile to her face. He had been the rock in her life, the one that grounded her.

The door opened behind her, startling her from her thoughts. Loud music and the din of conversation spilled into the night as a patron she didn’t know exited the bar. Her fellow officers hadn’t seemed ready to follow her out the door. Most of them, though, didn't have to work the morning shift with her either. The two beers she had consumed would hopefully help lull her to sleep and keep her thoughts of Kane at bay. More likely, he'd be the center of her dreams. Which, of course, was the last thing she wanted … or at least she tried to convince herself. Thinking of Kane in any other way than a prime suspect would only spell disaster for her.

The damp, brisk night air picked up and caused Cara to shiver since she had not bothered with a coat. She pulled her sweater a little snugger about her shoulders as she rounded the corner, not paying attention to where she was headed and ran smack dab into the middle of a very solid chest. Her forehead bounced off his pectorals and snapped her neck. Cara grasped her nape as she was about to apologize for not being more considerate. But when she glanced up, her eyes locked with the black gaze of Kane Tepes. She sucked in air, swearing for a brief second his eyes shined like black glass before she shook off the notion as nothing more than the glow of the bar’s neon lights reflecting in them.

"I'm sorry. If you'll excuse me," she said, trying to quickly pass by, saving herself from further embarrassment. That's when she realized he wasn't alone. To her mortification, Cara's best friend from years past, Suzi, had her arm linked through Kane's, with a smug look on her face. Which, at the moment, Cara felt like slapping off.

But what did she care?

After all, Cara didn't want Kane … or shouldn’t for that matter. Not only was he her lead suspect, he was an outlaw biker. As a cop, she had no right being jealous of the man Suzi had wrapped herself around at the moment. So why, then, did she feel like beating her chest caveman style and staking her claim on the biker, vampire, nightmare, or whatever the hell he was?

"Cara Brahnam," Suzi said, her perky smile condescending. "I haven't seen you in years. Not since you drove out of town without so much as a good-bye. How's your family, sweetie?"

"My father passed away years ago. But then you already know that. My mother left town and I haven't heard from her in years. Not that I care," Cara mumbled, then she tried to sidestep the both of them.

Cara wasn't in the mood to entertain two of her least favorite people. They could humor each other, for all she cared. Suzi hadn't bothered to call Cara after she had left town. Although that wasn’t exactly being fair, since Cara was the one who had her number changed and hadn’t passed it along. When Cara left behind Pleasant, she left behind everyone in it as well. She could hardly blame Suzi for her own actions. And Kane … well, who the hell knew what the biker was up to? Although her job as lead detective was to find out and nail his well-formed ass to the wall.

Kane grasped her shoulders, stopping her from fleeing as she intended. The heat from his touch seared through her sweater and into her flesh as if he had caressed her bare skin. The man couldn’t be accused of being stone cold, which meant he was indeed flesh and blood, ruling out the ridiculous vampire notion. She stiffened her spine and looked back up at him, hoping her gaze told him to leave her the hell alone. But apparently he wasn’t getting the message.

"Where's the fire, Detective?" Kane asked, a smirk turning up a very sensual set of lips. Lord, she could imagine how soft they would feel against her own. Her heart picked up a beat and her breath stuck in her throat.

Cara willed her libido back into its dormant stage. "It's my bedtime," she said, filling her tone with sarcasm.

His smile widened as though humored, before it dawned on Cara where his thoughts likely had led him.
Great, Brahnam, why not just invite him into that bed of yours?

Cara gritted her teeth and shook off his hold. "It's late."

"I beg to differ,” Kane said as he allowed her to step back. “The night is young. Care to join us, Detective?"

"No. You and Suzi can have fun entertaining one another." She tried a second time to brush past him, only to have her efforts stymied again. Settling one hand on her hip, she glared up at him. "Is there something you want, Mister Tepes?"

His smile deepened. "It depends on what you're offering, Detective."

Suzi grunted, obviously annoyed by his taunts of Cara. Not that Cara cared one iota what Suzi thought, but she’d be damned if she allowed Kane any farther under her skin. "Go to hell."

This time, Cara managed to stomp by him and headed for her car in the parking lot. She had forgotten that Murphy's Tavern and Blood 'n' Rave shared the same mall parking lot. Unlucky for her, she had quit Murphy's the exact time Kane and his date had left the seedier bar. Kane had some nerve hitting on her while in the company of Suzi. She might have felt sorry for the girl had Suzi not been glaring at her.

Cara reached her car, clicked her remote to unlock the Charger, then crawled behind her seat, taking one final look back to see Kane had thankfully let her go without following. Good. Maybe he had finally gotten the message she wasn’t interested.

Now, Cara needed to convince herself.

* * *

Cara grabbed her purse from the passenger seat and stepped out of the car, locking the doors. The night was heavy with humidity, curling the escaping tendrils of her hair. She blew a couple from her face as she dug for the house keys from the bottom of her purse, making her way through the dim security lighting to the back of the house. Glass crunched beneath the soft soles of her shoes as she stepped onto the stoop. Her gaze followed the sound. Clear shards scattered the cement, twinkling from the porch light. Her heart raced and her mouth dropped as she spotted the large hole in the window of the door. Reaching for her purse again, Cara withdrew her Glock and held it at the ready.

Her blood pounded in her ears.

Slowly, she pushed open the back door, holding her breath as the small creak echoed through the still house. More glass crunched beneath her feet as she stepped over the threshold, indicating the window had been broken from the outside inward. Cara stopped, trying to detect any sound over the pounding of her heart. Hearing nothing but the blood rushing through her ears, she stepped over the remaining glass strewn across her hardwood-floored laundry. Thankful for the soft soles of her shoes, Cara made her way quietly through the back room, past the washer and dryer to the kitchen. She flattened against the wall next to the door before slowly peering around the frame.

Her house yawned silently before her.

Whoever had broken in seemed to be long gone. Not yet ready to sheathe her gun, she crept into the next room, glad for the open floor plan. The only two rooms she couldn't see from her standpoint was her master bedroom and bathroom up the stairs to the left.

Her office door stood open. Beams of moonlight slid across the rich cherry flooring. No one would be able to hide in that room without being seen from her viewpoint, and the closets were far too stuffed to be able to hide inside. Cara was positive she stood alone on the main floor. Whoever took the time to break in, she hoped they’d taken what they were after and fled. Using her forefinger, she flipped up the light switch, illuminating the kitchen and living area. Cara blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to adjust to the sudden glare and willed her heartbeat to slow and her anxiety to subside.

She needed to call the station, report the break in and have her house checked for prints, but first she'd need to see if anything was missing. Cara laid her phone on the small rounded kitchen table as she tucked her Glock into the back waistband of her jeans. Running a shaken hand across her nape, she let out an unsteady breath.

Who the hell would want to break into her house?

Flipping on lights as she went, Cara headed for the stairway on unsteady knees, holding the railing as she ascended. At the top her breath caught in her throat again. Clothes were strewn about, drawers upended, and her closet emptied. Makeup smeared the mirror of her bathroom, lipstick drawn in awkward patterns. Approaching the smaller room, she realized the waxy pink color actually formed a message.

"Open your eyes … and believe. Your turn to die."

Cara covered her open mouth. What the hell? She needed to call Joe. Surely he'd leave the bar and come—

Just as she pivoted on her heel to return to the kitchen and grab the cell, she bounced off the wall of a very hard chest for the second time in one night. Cara screamed, but before she had time to reach for her Glock, the man easily immobilized her and pulled her flush against him. Cara couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted. The sense of being trapped washed over her and panic set in as she envisioned the sightless eyes of the last three victims. But instead of hurting her, one large hand smoothed down her back, attempting to soothe, not frighten her. When the man spoke softly, quietly hushing her, she knew the voice to belong to Kane. His hold loosened and she glanced up to see his gaze traveling her ransacked room.

Jesus! Was he responsible?

"What the hell happened?" his deep voice reverberated from his gut, telling of his fury. Kane had to feel her heart beating heavy against her ribs.

Trying not to further embarrass herself, Cara pushed from his embrace. And thankfully he allowed it as she didn't think she had the energy left to fight him on the issue.

But what the hell was Kane doing here?

"The better question is, what the hell are you doing here?" Her eyes widened as the possibility of him being the intruder dawned on her. "Did you do this?"

His dark gaze immediately dropped to hers and his brows came together. "Why the hell would I break into your house?"

"You tell me?"

A lazy grin curved his lip. "Frightening you is not what I have in mind to do to you, Mia Bella. Trust me."

"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

He ignored the question and instead canvassed the room. "Anything missing?"

"How the hell would I know? I just got here and found it like this!"

Kane's nostrils flared as though detecting a scent. Cara followed suit and sniffed the air but didn't detect anything out of the ordinary. His gaze narrowed and he emitted a low growl.

"What?" she asked as she bent to retrieve some of the strewn clothing.

"Son of a bitch." Kane grumbled. "This isn't good."

Cara stood, shirts, undergarments, and shorts clutched to her chest, and looked at Kane. "What is it?"

He shook his head, and tried to mask his expression. But he wasn’t fooling her. Something bothered Kane. "It's nothing."

"You can't just open a can of worms then clam up about it. What is it that has you so bugged?"

His gaze studied her for a long moment and Cara was sure he wasn't about to open up to her when he said, "One on my kind has been here."

Kane was talking complete nonsense. "One of your kind? What the hell are you talking about? Who was here?"

His eyes darkened to deep fathomless slits. Lord, she needed to get her vision checked. Certainly, it was due to the low lighting in the room. "I’m different than you, Cara … and you know it. That message on the mirror is telling you that something exists beyond what you deem as humanity. You need to believe, because this intruder, he will kill you. You need to take this threat seriously."

She scoffed at the idea something else might exist, but the word
vampire
began to surface in her thoughts again. "You're talking nonsense."