book (3 page)

“
You said I was beautiful.”

Jess breathed, touching his cheek with a gentle hand. “Well look who’s talking.”

Hathen offered no verbal reply, only surged forward to draw her into a soft, loving embrace. She did not resist as he pulled her close and covered his mouth with hers.

His lips felt soft and comforting as they soothed and nurtured her own; Rubbing and wooing as his tongue flowed inward to seal their kiss.

Swallowing her startled gasp, Hathen tightened his hold around Green’s waist as their tongues entangled. With a certain passion she returned his affections, merging her mouth with his.

For a moment she lost herself in all things Hathen, basking in the divine softness of his lips and the firm command of his touch. A divine combination that made her forget her very public surroundings...

…
almost.

“
O-kay, somebody has to say it. I’ll have what she’s having.”

Jess now recognized a second familiar voice, this one belonging to Gail Towne, her best friend of the past decade.

Jess felt her cheeks flush as she turned to face the petite blonde, dressed that evening in a light blue mini dress that accentuated her long legs and pure bronzed skin.

“
Hey Gail.” She grinned, attempting a casual tone.“It’s funny meeting you here like this.” She shrugged. “When I eat at this restaurant, it’s usually with you.”

“
True.” Gail puckered her ruby red lips, waggling her eyebrows. “I usually don’t get that type of greeting from you, though.”

Jess smirked.

“
And considering the fact that we’re both strict heterosexual chickstas, I’d say that’s a bloody good thing.” She cringed at the awkwardness of her own sentiment, before quickly recovering: “Allow me to introduce you to Hathen Noble.”

She stepped back to reveal her stunning blonde date, who favored her friend with a sharp nod and a polite smile.

“
Good evening Miss. I hope you’re well tonight.”

He greeted her in a formal tone before returning his attentions to Jess.

Well that’s odd
, thought Jess with a widening smile.
Generally once they lay eyes on Gail, I’m dismissed as Meat Loaf With A Badge in the eyes of most men. They cease to regard my existence once they get a load of her.

Hathen, apparently, was something special. He again proved this as he pulled out her chair from under their dinner table.

“
I guess I’d better go,” she said over her shoulder to Gail.

“
Suit you” Gail agreed, smirking playfully as she turned away.

Alone once again, Jess and Hathen shared a steak dinner by candlelight. A dinner filled with long intense stares, playful banter, and a lot of laughter.

“
I really can’t believe that you’re so totally cool about my, um…” Hathen briefly paused to find the right words, “different type of lifestyle.”

Jess chuckled.

“
Hey, back in college I dated the lead guitarist in a grunge rock band.” She reassured him. “I’m more than accustomed to long hair, an insatiable sexual appetite, long black coats, and lots of night gigs.”

Hathen laughed outright.

“
You make me laugh,” he squeezed her hand across the table. “Even so, you have to admit that it’s all rather unbelievably odd for a mortal to be so accepting of the undead.”

Jess took a long sip of her rich red wine, watching him above the tip of her glass with warm, if speculative eyes.

“
Well growing up in Clearview, I didn’t have much of a choice...” She continued: “I’ve long heard rumors of vampiric activity in these parts. And I’ve always had my suspicions about most of the dudes in my brother’s Cosplay group.” She trembled outright at the very thought.

“
Still” Hathen chuckled.“Weren’t you afraid to meet a vampire, face to face?”

Jess shook her head.

“
Honey, after a few years as a cop, the typical vamp seems no more scarey then Betty White to me. I've encountered drug dealers, wife beaters and murders” she boasted, adding more seriously, “Not to mention the fact that I’ve always been a fan of the vampire legend.”

“
Really now?”

Hathen leaned forward, obviously interested.

Jess nodded, smiling at the memory.
“
I cut my teeth, bad pun intended, on movies like The Lost Boys and Brahm Stoker’s Dracula. And in college I read every vampire novel I could get my hands on.” She bit her lips. “The erotic ones in particular somehow seemed more interesting than the police procedural manuals I had to study for criminal justice 101.”

“
Ah I see,” Hathen leaned forward, his voice lowering to a hot whisper. “So I guess it’s safe to say that vampires turn you on.”

“
Yeah I guess you could say that,” Jess cleared her throat, shifting in her seat. “More than that, though, I understood them. Much like the vampires I read about in my favorite books, I always felt different. A bit out of place.” She folded her hands on the table. “While my friends danced on the cheer-leading squad, I played basketball on the court. While they were at the spa, I was at the shooting range.”

“
You were something special,” Hathen nodded with a smile.

“
Oh I was just weird,” Jess snorted, adding more seriously, “but in a good way, like the vampire.”

Reaching her hands across the table, Jess cupped Hathen’s carved cheeks and stared deep into his azure eyes.

“
Somehow I always knew you were real,” she whispered, staring in sheer wonder at this flawless spectacle of pure masculine beauty. “Or at least I hoped you were.” Her cheeks flushed.

“
Only I was never comfortable with the concept of the violent, bloodsucking vampire who killed for food and pleasure. I was far more intrigued by the concept of the incubi.”

She took in her breath as Hathen turned his head in her hands, laying a long, sensual lick across the breadth of her palm.

“
You mean you like the concept of a man who lives for and thrives on the sexual energies of women?” He purred. “Someone who lives for a woman’s pleasure? Could you warm up to that idea, baby?”

“
Easily,” Jess released on a sigh, her heart pounding in her ears.

“
Then do allow me to warm you up even more.”

Surging across the table, Hathen seized her lips in a breathtaking kiss; his mouth massaging hers as his tongue stole forward to lave and tease the inside.

Again she lost herself, sighing contented as he kissed her senseless.

As Hathen wooed her with his lips, her mind was filled with old forbidden images of naked vampires, their bodies pressed together and their sweaty limbs entwined in the moonlight.

“
You’re doing that on purpose,” she whispered against his lips, tearing herself away from him with a frustrated sigh.

“
And what if I am?” Hathen replied lifting his head. “It’s time to stop fantasizing, Jess, and time to start living your dreams.”

Once again he grasped her hands between his, this time stroking her fingers.

“
Let me make your deepest, darkest fantasies come true bella,” he hissed, seducing her with his eyes. “I’ll do anything you want, and you won’t even have to ask. I can read your mind.”

She thought about it for a moment, the sweet temptation making her palms sweat and her heart pound. For a few instants she couldn’t speak, only stare at him as she fought the feelings that threatened to consume her. Letting loose with a deep sigh, Jess leaned back in her chair and folded her hands behind her head in a police type manner.

“
You may be reading certain body parts of mine, but my head ain’t one of them right now.” She smiled slightly. “Don’t get me wrong Hathen, I think you’re a great guy. And to say that you’re attractive would be like calling Michelangelo’s Statue Of David passably cute.” With this she leaned forward, grin dissolving. “For the duration of this case, though, we have to stay professional. You almost lost one of your followers last night...”

“
My den members are not my followers, they’re my family,” Hathen interrupted. “I am deeply ashamed of myself for allowing Scarlet to break our ranks” he cringed in spite of himself, “She hurt Clotilde and threatened us all.”

“
I know babe.” Jess patted his arm. “And why do you think you made that mistake?”

“
I wasn’t thinking with my head” Hathen answered, in a low and thoughtful voice.

“
Well at least not with your upstairs head.” Jess winked, adding in a lowered tone, “Now do you see why we have to be careful, to approach this case with a clear head?”

Hathen thought a moment, then nodded.

“
It is indeed time that I put my family first,” he admitted. “So how do we start?”

Showing her approval at his change in attitude, Jess rose from the table and grabbed the check that had lay between them.

“
First, I’m picking this up.” she announced firmly. “Then we’re going to go home, to our separate homes may I add, and get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we'll launch an investigation into any other blood suckers that may harm our way of life.”

Hathen also rose. “I know of a good place to start. And we won’t have to wait until tomorrow to go.”. He advanced forward to plant a sweet kiss on Jess’s flushed cheek. “Come to the park and meet my loved ones. Come and meet the people you’ll be protecting.”

“
I would love to, Hathen.” Jess kissed his cheek in kind return. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s head to the park.”

In her many years as a Clearview resident, Jess Green had seen Nightingale Park a number of times.

Despite this, she’d never before seen the park through Hathen’s eyes. It was beautiful.

For the first time she took a moment to smell the roses, and really appreciate it's scent. A nearby Hathen picked a bouquet brimming with ruby red roses, pearl pink carnations and ivory lilies.

“
For you.” He dazzled her with a white-toothed smile, bowing as he handed her the fresh bouquet.

“
Thank you,” Jess closed her eyes a moment to inhale the fragrance of this radiant nature made gift. “You know, I never realized what a lovely place this park is. Probably because I’m usually casing it for crime.”

Hathen nodded.

“
And I’m sure you’ve noticed that the Clearview crime rate has gone down since we took over here.” He went on. “I’ve chased away more than my share of would be rapists, muggers and purse snatchers.”