9781936653027BorntobeWildArsuaga (21 page)

“What’s up sir?” Johnson asked.

“Another apparent murder and take a guess where?”
Martin asked rhetorically.

“Oh shit!
Euphoria
?”
Palmer asked.

“Yeah.
The
vic
is another SGM female employee,” Martin said.

“I’m on it. Palmer let’s go,” Johnson said.

“Don’t think you’re going to leave me out.” Alex
interjected grabbing her bag. “I’m part of this team whether I’m officially on
it or not.”

Johnson turned to Chief Martin.
“Sir?”

Martin eyed Alex. She smiled broadly at him. His
resistance melted. “I could never resist your mother either. Fine, go but, stay
out of the way and don’t ask questions. You’re there unofficially. Got it?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, demurely.

Johnson and Palmer snickered, shaking their heads
at Martin.
“Used to getting your way, little one?”
Palmer asked, half-jokingly.

“Damn proud of it too.”

The smell of death had an unpleasant and
distinctive odor, unmistakable no matter how it occurred, indelibly imprinted
onto memory from the first time as a rookie hunter accompanying her brothers.
The moment Alex stepped through the club doors of
Euphoria
, a whiff of the sickly-sweet odor filled her nostrils.
Coughing, she threw her hand up over her mouth and nose. In the heat of
Southern Florida, it didn’t take long for a body to begin decomposition. Her
guess was the poor victim died in the middle of the night. With the
air-conditioning cut off at closing time, the warm humid Miami night air soon
warmed the club to outside temperature. She walked behind Johnson and Palmer,
determined to stay out of the way as Chief Martin asked. The unique equipment
and décor resembled the sex club in Virginia.
Damn a vamp sex club franchise business? I wonder if they take on new
investors Not!
She laughed inwardly.

The uniformed officer stationed near the front
entrance stood in a businesslike stance with legs braced and thumbs hooked
under his gun belt. No one would pass without his approval. The green cast to
his skin and beads of perspiration on his upper lip and across his brow
advertised his discomfort in the hot, damp space. Alex felt the same. Johnson
and Palmer flashed their IDs and walked by the uniform like he didn’t exist.
Alex stared at the poor man who was obviously uncomfortable with the
surroundings of his post. He glanced warily back at her, dilated pupils
darkening his eyes. Alex nodded to the man and quickly caught the rest of her
team.

After her eyes adjusted to the darkened room of
the club, Alex noticed the swarm of investigators performing their various
tasks. A faint hum of voices whispered into individual recording devices,
combining into an undifferentiated buzz both creepy and uncomfortably loud.
Alex elbowed her way in, her petite frame allowed her to squeeze between the
large men taking their notes, gathering evidence samples, or taking
photographs. Breaking into the clear, she immediately confronted a woman’s
naked body, a scene which recently became uncomfortably familiar.

The victim had been pretty, a young girl with a
firm body full of vitality. Now she lay spread-eagled on the floor, her face
frozen in pain or pleasure. It was hard to tell. Her head turned to the side. A
thin line of some kind of blue liquid trickled out her gaping mouth. There was
a wound—a two-hole prick mark on her neck. Blood made a trail from the puncture
points, dropping slowly onto the hardwood floor. Someone manacled her ankles to
a spreader bar and cuffed her wrists behind her back.

Stomach acid surged into Alex’s throat and
threatened to boil over like an unsavory concoction left and forgotten on the
stove. Wrenching her gaze from the ghastly scene, she turned and smacked into
the chest of Johnson. Grabbing her shoulders he asked, “Are you okay Aly?”

“It’s Haley. I covered for her last night so she
could come here.”

“You sure?”

Fighting back tears, she nodded yes.

“Breathe. Stay focused.”

Alex took in a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll be fine.
The initial shock, that’s all.”

After a moment, he moved around her, and said,
“Who is in charge here and what have we got?” Johnson asked.

“Chief Manny Rodriguez.”
A tall, ruddy complexioned man, in his early forties, with distinguished
features said. “You must be with the Vamp Squad.”

Johnson extended his hand. “Special Agent Scott
Johnson and this is my partner, Jared Palmer. We’re actually with the FBI
Special Vampire Enforcement Unit. Who was the first officer on the scene?”

“I was, sir,” a young uniform stepped forward,
still shaking from the experience.

“Your name young man?”

“Officer Douglas Anderson,” he said. He fumbled in
his pocket, pulling out a notepad, “I received a call at eight-thirty-six a.m.
that a body had been discovered in a local night club. My partner and I were
dispatched, and arrived about fifteen minutes later.” He waved his arm at his
partner, a short, skinny, dark-haired Latino, leaning against the far wall and
puking. The woman’s death and the scene freaked both men out. It must have been
the blue liquid oozing from her mouth.

“And this is what you found?” Johnson asked.

“Yes, sir.
The dead naked
woman and…”

“And…what?
What else did
you find?”

He hesitated, casting his eyes down to the floor
and up to his partner across the room. “This is the first murder scene for both
of us. Nothing prepares you for this.”

Palmer showed no sympathy for the officer’s
anguish. “Hmm. Okay, I’m sure the last thing you expected to find was a dead
body in a vamp sex club, right officer?”

“Yes sir,” the officer meekly muttered.

“This is the second homicide in a week at this location.
The last one was a foreign national. I don’t think this broad is,” the Chief
said to his quavering subordinates. Before they could answer he turned to the
FBI contingent, adding. “Just so we’re clear, we aren’t releasing jurisdiction
on this one. I only called out of courtesy.”

Ever the paragon of tact and diplomacy when it
came to handling sensitive situations between law enforcement agencies, Johnson
cleared his throat and said, “I appreciate you and your staff’s cooperation
thus far Chief, but the situation is bigger than your department. I’m not at
liberty to discuss the matter further. We will take over after your CSI teams
complete their work. You are welcome to call my Division Chief and speak with
him if you like.”

“I’ll do that,” Rodriguez said curtly.

Johnson and Palmer stayed out of the way,
observing the scene, and taking notes. They had the time. The body certainly
wasn’t going anywhere.

Johnson pulled out a notebook and twisted his arm
around to check the time. He wrote it, along with the crime scene location, his
name and rank. He studied the body of the young woman. He’d remembered seeing
her around SGM a couple times, in the break room, at the security checkpoints,
in the hallways on his walks with Alina, and most recently with Alex.
Fuck! How were these deaths related?
The Blue?

By noon, the majority of the local police
department CSI and ME departments gathered their evidence and departed, leaving
Johnson, Palmer, and Alex to examine any remaining evidence.

“You think this is all related to the virus don’t
you Alex?” Johnson asked.

“Yeah, I do. There is something bigger going on
here beyond Ecaterina spreading a virus thing. Haley knew something and so did
your contact. They both worked in the same lab. The same lab where Blue is.”

“There’s a link with the sex club. We need to be
here when it’s open.”

“I’m game for that.” Palmer spoke up. “You think
the Chief will sign the expense report authorization for some new clothes?”

“Oh, yeah, I can see the look on the accounting
clerk’s face now. Leather pants, whips, chains, and masks. Yeah, that will go
over real well.”

They laughed.

“C’mon. Let’s grab lunch and head back to the
office.”

“Johnson, it’s been decided. You’re going in
undercover with Alex tonight. These are your outfits.” To the expression of
dismay gathering on Johnson’s face, Chief Martin tersely added, “Deal with it.”

Johnson fingered the leather leash. It was stiff
and unyielding. The scent of leather piqued his nose, drowning the musty smell
of the office. At the end of the leash was a matching black collar for Alex’s
neck. The small chrome spikes caught the room lighting.

“Sir, I want to continue on this team, but asking
me to participate wearing this is inappropriate.”

“Alex. You wanted to work for us. Here’s your
chance. You won’t blend in with a pants suit. You want to nail these vamps then
this is the way. We need one more piece of the puzzle. Your task is to prove
the vamps distribute Blue, a licensed but controlled substance. The listening
electronics you carry are the best we have, although in your case Alex it was a
challenge to find a place to hide it.”

“You’re right. I’ll do it.” She turned to Johnson.
“C’mon, it won’t be so bad. I’ve been to a vamp club in Virginia. They
are…stimulating, but we will be there to do a job.”

“Surely there is another way, sir.” He looked at
his superior pleadingly from behind the files stacked on his desk.

“No, unfortunately Washington wants us to move
quickly. When Blue turned up, they gave me the green light. We have to act fast
before any of this crap gets out to the public. Washington fears panic, either
because the media gets wind or there’s an actual exposure.”

“That’s all fine and dandy, but, Jesus Christ,
have you seen the things sent over for us to wear? This is Alex’s.” He held up
the leash and collar before remembering the blinds on the window were opened
and jerked them out of sight. “He pointed toward the leather pants and mask,
still in their box. “Chief, this is embarrassing.”

Martin’s brow raised and his lips twitched ever so
slightly. The expression made Johnson grind his teeth with chagrin. After
working under his boss’s command for the last year, he recognized how this
appealed to a streak of perverse humor in an otherwise excellent supervisor.

“I can always take you off the case and put Palmer
in. Would you prefer that?”

Hell no!
“No sir. What time do we go?”

“Good. Meet at SGM after your shift is complete.
According to our source, nothing happens at this club until past midnight.
We’ll have back up in the area if you get into trouble. Palmer will be your
liaison on the outside listening every minute and coordinating with the local
law enforcement. Are there any other questions?”

“How do we get in? Isn’t this a private, member’s
only club?”

Martin handed a large envelope to Johnson.
“Everything you need to know is in here.”

“Thanks.”

“Good luck Johnson and take care of Alex.”

“I will sir.”

“I can take care of myself, but thank you for the
thought, sir.”

Chapter 19

Stefan nervously paced the
floor of his room. Tonight he desperately wanted to touch Alexandra’s mind, to
call out to her, a purely selfish need on his part. She worked at SGM. For
certain, the woman he caught a glimpse of a couple nights ago was her. If he
tried to contact her, another vamp in the vicinity could hear their thoughts.
No, he couldn’t risk her life. He’d find another way.

And then there was the secret meeting scheduled
for this evening. Gregori and several other vampires, from Masters to Knights
to Sergeants were due to arrive, including Sorin, Master and Commander of the
Eastern European Family, fifteen leaders and their accompanying entourages.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Stefan, put this on. We’re going out tonight,
baby,” Ecaterina cooed.

“You think you can dress me now? My mother has
been dead a long time.” He sized up the black leather pants and white silk
shirt. “Jesus, Cat, you know I hate wearing leather. What’s this about?”

“We’re going to a club. Emil, ah, I mean Dragos. I
still can’t get used to his real name. Dragos wants you to see another part of
his operation. Be ready in an hour.”

Tension built throughout his body. He threw the
clothes down on the couch beside him and held his head in his hands.
What the hell am I doing here? This has to
end tonight.

He showered and dressed. The tight fitting pants
cut his thighs and butt cheeks so sharply, he didn’t know if he’d be able to
move. Every ripple showed through the leather skin. He knew Ecaterina purposely
brought him a size smaller. The silk shirt glided smoothly over his bare
shoulders and clung to his body. He left it loose around his hips and unbuttoned
at the neck several inches.

The clothes he wore said it all. He felt trapped,
restless while the beast within wanted to rip something apart. Anything would
do. He walked toward the window. The outside world, dark except for a few
streetlights, reflected an amber glow from the pavement below. The night was
clear, the moon a sliver short of full. No one could see in the tinted windows.
He watched and wondered what the rest of the world did to pass the night
away—and what Alexandra did at this very moment.

His body clenched at the thought of her, his
prinţesa.
He closed his eyes as the
lust raced through his body like a tidal wave, surging with unbridled power. It
almost buckled him to the floor as it flowed straight to his cock aching
against the tight pants. His hand rubbed the bulge jutting from the leather and
he groaned softly as he tried to keep his passions under control. He wanted to
touch Alexandra, to taste her sweetness, to smell her essence, to see her fiery
green eyes as the burning desire rose within her, and hear her cry out in
ecstasy in his arms.
What the fuck is
going on with me? I’m a walking sex-on-a-stick for this woman.
Stefan never
had such feelings for a woman, a human woman at that.

The sound of the chamber door startled him and he
turned.

“Ooh baby, is that for me?” Ecaterina watched
Stefan move his hand from the erection and glided across the room toward him,
licking her lips. “You look hot as Hell in these pants, just like I knew you
would.” Her hands stroked across his thighs, brushing the length of the rock
hard cock pressing against the leather.

He grabbed her wrists, pulling them to the side.
“Enough Cat.
I’m not interested in playing with you tonight.
If Dragos is ready to go, I’m ready. Let’s get this over with.”

“Fine, he’s on his way downstairs and probably
waiting for us in the limo by now.”

*
* * *

All day, Alex fidgeted about the upcoming
assignment. The morning started out with seeing poor Haley, stripped naked,
murdered, the drug Blue dripping from her mouth, as blood oozed from vampire
puncture wounds on her neck. Thinking of the ordeal still nauseated her.

Before the shift started, she went on a brief
shopping expedition in search of an accessory for the masquerade at the sex
club, the final touch on the disguise for a party where not successfully
blending in could cost her life.
What the
hell am I doing? This has to end tonight.

The tight dark denim jeans cut her butt, showing
the attractive roundness. She purchased a pretty corset top, not dissimilar to
the one Stefan bought her in Virginia. The outfit surely would help her fill
the part of the submissive slave girl on Johnson’s leash tonight. Add some
extra makeup, do up her hair, and the outfit would be all set.

To her added surprises, her supervisor at the lab
assigned her to Haley’s position of handling the new experimental drug, XB1120.
Alex, of course, knew it as Blue. Were three women the lucky charm? Two women
who worked on the drug, died in the club
Euphoria
with the drug in their system. Would she be next?

Tempting as it was, she didn’t smuggle any Blue
out of the factory at the end of the work shift. She agreed to meet Johnson at
his apartment, change clothes, and leave for the club from there. The entire
time she hoped Chief Martin with Palmer had enough back-up agents. A bad
feeling about this assignment sat heavily in her gut. Why did Jordy have to go
back to Narcoosee?
Sure could use him
right about now.

After a torturously slow day at work, eleven
o’clock didn’t come soon enough. As the big hand touched twelve, marking the
eleventh hour, she jumped out of her seat, through the door, and past security.
Upon leaving the parking garage, the unmistakable color and profile of Johnson’s
Tahoe passed ahead through security.

Twenty minutes later, she knocked on the door to
Johnson’s apartment.

“Hey Aly, come on in. You can take the bedroom to
get changed. I’ll change out here.”

“Thanks.” She’d been to his apartment a few times
before while visiting for mind-block exercises. It was nice. A granite
countertop separated the kitchen from the living room. One brown sofa, a low,
square glass coffee table, and a flat screen television perched on a small
cabinet filled most of the great room. One shelving unit crammed with books
beside a small table holding a laptop and printer took up the rest of the
space. A door on the other side of the great room led to a small, but adequate
bedroom and bathroom. The compact space exactly fit her ideal, once she saved
up enough money to be out on her own. Maybe after this assignment, capturing
and bringing in Ecaterina, and collecting the bounty, she could afford to move
out of her parents’ house.

Wasting no time, she stripped out of her work
clothes, slipped into the new jeans, sucking in her stomach. The corset came
next, switching out her bra for the lacy tight-fitting contraption. It
accentuated her breasts nicely, pushing them up high, almost spilling out over
the fabric and nipped in her waist. She styled her hair and freshened up her
makeup.

Alex walked back into the bedroom, put her right
leg on the edge of the bed, and pulled up the leg of her jeans. She’d set her
ankle holster out and made quick work now of securing it. This piece of
equipment was her back up plan. Chief Martin had his and Carlton Bounty
Hunters, Inc. had theirs. The precisely carved wooden stake fit into the
holster easily. The weapon, about the size of a Scottish Dirk, wouldn’t alarm
on a metal detector, and in her hands, was deadly to a vamp. The holy water fit
snugly into a side pocket of her clutch.

Bringing her leg down she inspected it to ensure
no sign of the weapon could be seen. After slipping on the four-inch heels, she
made one last check in the mirror, and grabbed her bag. She took a deep breath
and let it out slowly. Alexandra Carlton was ready to go get the bad vampire.

Emerging from the bedroom, Johnson’s eyes locked
onto her and didn’t let go. She took notice of the bulge in his black leather
pants grow. “You look incredible,” he said.

“Thanks, but I feel…exposed and fat.”

“Oh no.
You look mighty fine
Aly. Sit. I have something for you.” He went to the kitchen and returned.

He sat next to her on the couch. He reached around
her neck and fastened a studded black leather collar around the back. He was
within inches of her cheek, his warm breath brushed close to her ear and sent
shivers down her spine. She closed her eyes.
Damn he smells good, like a walk in the woods after a spring rain.
Really heady.

“There. Now you’re my slave for the night.” Their
eyes met and for a moment they were lost in each other’s gaze.

“Okay,” she broke the spell. “I think we need to
go. It’s late.”

“Mmm, yeah.
You’re
right.”

*
* * *

Stefan’s gaze methodically surveyed the inside of
Euphoria
, probing with narrowed, hooded
eyes into the many shadowy niches, the deep padded booths covered in purple
velvet, past the flashing strobe lights meant to disguise the various dark
sexual desires which brought mortal men and women to the vampire dungeon. The
bar had a small area, lit with pendant lights over the black granite counter. A
small dance floor and a stage area took up the front, enhanced by dramatic
pleated, purple, velvet drapes. The remainder of the club slipped into darkness
around the perimeter.

“What do you think of the club Stefan?” Dragos
asked as they slid into one of the booths with an unobstructed view of the
stage.

“Not bad. Seen one, seen them all.”

Dragos laughed. “Yes, that is true, but I have
something new and different.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out
a vial filled with a blue liquid.

“Blue blood,” Stefan said.

“Hmm, I like that. Yes, Blue Blood, the Vampire
Blood of Royalty. I might use that in the ad campaign. Thank you.”

“They’ll be hooked and coming back for more. The
Feds won’t be able to stop it. The laws will be changed after the virus takes
care of the matter here shortly,” Ecaterina interjected.

“Yes, my dear. You’ve done a great job of
spreading the virus. Everything is in motion.”

“You haven’t told me what effect this Blue Blood
has on us when we feed on someone who has it in their system. Do we become
addicted?”

“Ah, good question, my son. Yes and no. It
enhances the adrenaline rush, prolonging it in our system. In essence, we could
become addicted I guess if you feed strictly for the rush, but I suspect you
don’t.”

Stefan nodded.

The waitress took their order, and returned within
a few minutes.

“I noticed you don’t make this a member’s only or
private invitation club.
Why not?”
Stefan asked.

Dragos grinned. “I want more patrons. We started
out exclusive, but membership was low. No one could afford us. We had the same
clientele returning. I grew bored with them. When I opened it up, this is what
we get now.” He waved his arm around.
“A wealth of succulent
meat to choose from any night of the week.
Don’t you agree my dear?” He
grabbed Ecaterina’s hand and kissed it.

Stefan leaned back against the booth and leisurely
scanned the dance floor. Loud sexy music pumped through the dimly lighted club.
Shadows passed back and forth, women giggled, as men chased the women, using
tired old pick-up lines. Some were biting and feeding openly, others less
conspicuously. Dance music, a mix of Latin sounds and hip-hop, blared from the
sound system.

So far, he found no one who looked appetizing
enough to feed upon or who deserved to have the honor of his company tonight.
There were a few perverts not worth his time and a few first-timers who
wouldn’t be into playing and too scared to do anything but whimper. Others too
drugged up to really enjoy the moment, and still others looking for a good fuck
but not willing to lose a pint of blood over it. He only fed and had sex on
those who truly did it for the pure pleasure. Mindless killing, fucking, and
bloodsucking were over-rated. He did enough of all three over the past five
centuries. He was numbed by it. The effects of the acts only lasted for a few
moments, and during those moments he felt alive. Each time it seemed shorter
and shorter.
Until Alexandra walked into his life.

“Nothing appears to suit you, I see.” Dragos ran a
large hand through his thick raven black shoulder length hair. He normally wore
it tied back, but tonight opted to wear it loose. His ethics for choosing who
he fed from were different from Stefan’s, a difference which was one reason for
their discord. Stefan may disagree with Dragos but who was he to say what was
right or wrong? Dragos fed on who he pleased. He was the Grand Master of the
Southeast Florida Family and had certain powers and privileges others didn’t.
Stefan noticed his sire had not changed since he last saw him.

He stretched out his long, leather-encased legs
underneath their table nestled in a darker part of the club. “Not a damn
thing.” Voracious hunger didn’t gnaw at him tonight as it normally did. Why, he
wasn’t sure. The thoughts of Alexandra he figured surely would have made it
more pronounced, but not so.

“Our dear Stefan isn’t in the mood for any fun, I
suppose,” Ecaterina said.

“There’s more to life than a good fuck, Cat.
Unlike you who is always in heat.”

“Ah, he has you there my dear,” Dragos said.

“Go to hell Stefan.”

Stefan scanned the room once again to see if
anyone else had entered worth satisfying his bloodlust. His senses returned
nothing. Everyone in the club was already engaged and no one new entered.

Damn.
Later tonight when he meets his friends, he’d hit the streets on his way to the
gathering.