Kade's Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans) (11 page)

Kade laughed, “Sydney love, you do have quite a bit to learn about us, and I would love to be the one to teach you.” He winked at her. She felt herself blush. Kade continued, “Vampires do need blood to survive, but we only need to feed a couple of times a week. We can eat food, and it tastes great, but it will not keep us alive, only blood does that. My favorite is Peking duck, but also I got Szechuan shrimp, dumplings, moo shu chicken, and garlic broccoli. I wasn’t sure what you liked.”

Sydney laughed out loud. “So, are we having company?”

Kade shook his head, no.

She was touched that he was so thoughtful to get a variety. “Well, it smells wonderful. I'm so hungry. And just so you know, I love everything you ordered...it's as if you knew what I’d like.”

“You are very welcome. And Sydney love, I do believe I know what you would like.” He was not talking about her food.

Looking down into her shrimp, she tried to hide her embarrassment. He knew she wanted him. Then it occurred to her that he might have known what she was doing in the shower.
Shit.
She was hoping that he wouldn’t hear or smell anything with the shower going and that delicious strawberry shampoo. Guess she was wrong.

Kade loved the way she blushed. He knew she could be a hard ass on the streets, but she had a sexy, soft side that he fully intended to explore when this mess was over. For now, he could not resist the urge to tease her. “So, you like it spicy? I must confess that I love it that way as well. I just can’t seem to get mine hot enough.”

Syd looked straight into his sexy blue eyes and smiled. She would have loved to have had some pithy, response but her mouth was full of duck and she enjoyed his play on words. Oh yeah, she loved it hot all right.

After they finished, he poured her a glass of brandy. He lit a fire, and they sat on twin leather recliners that faced the fireplace. She wanted to sit back and relax, but knew it was time to get down to business. The man had secrets, and she was going to find out what the hell was going on. “So Kade, what's the deal with the note? I know you're keeping something from me. We’re partners. It's time to talk.” She stared at the crackling fire hoping it would make it easier for him to tell her if she wasn’t looking at him.

Kade knew he needed to tell her. Things had gone too far with Simone appearing to Sydney. He sighed, this would not be easy. “You know Sydney; we live a very long time. There is a specific vampire I suspect is involved in these murders. Luca found her scent at the Jennings’s scene. I didn’t want to tell you. I wasn’t sure, but today; the note, the apparition you saw...it’s her.”

Sydney knew she wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say. But she wanted to make it easy for him. She reached over and touched his hand. “Whatever this is, Kade, whoever this is. You can tell me. Evil is evil. Supernatural or human...all races can be touched by it.”

Kade knew she was trying to make him feel better, but there was nothing that could make him feel better when it came to Simone and what she did to those girls. He stood, getting closer to the fireplace, with his back to Sydney. “Simone, Simone Barret. She was turned in the eighteen hundreds. I found her on the streets and took her in. I was lonely, we...we were lovers.”

Sydney cringed. Okay, so this is it. She pulled her knees up to her chest and kept still. What did she think? That he was a virgin? Of course not. The man had lovers. He was a hot, sexy vampire. Logic told her that he probably had hundreds of lovers over the years. So why did she feel jealous all of a sudden?

Kade turned around and gazed directly into Sydney’s eyes as if he could read her thoughts. “I have not had as many lovers as you would think, Sydney. Sure, I am a vampire, and it is no secret that we may have sex during feeding, but that is all it is, sex. Lovers have been few; a person to share my home and life with...but there has been no one I have ever been in love with. Simone, she was vulnerable and I...I was lonely. We helped each other.”

“She had been trained in magic...Voodoo, and she betrayed me. When I found out she had captured and tortured several young women, I banished her. I should have killed her on the spot, but times were different back then. I thought if I banished her that would be punishment enough, but it appears that I was wrong.”

Sydney could not believe what she was hearing. He had a lover, an evil lover, who killed and tortured girls and now was coming back to kill more girls? What the fuck? She wanted to get up and leave right then, but decided to hear him out. She knew all too often that things were not always how they seemed. She stood up and walked over to Kade. “So, what? Are you in love with her? Why is she here? To get you back? Why kill the girls? She’s in this city?” She heard her voice getting louder and louder, so much for staying calm.

“Sydney, I am over two hundred years old. You must understand that while I loved her, I am not nor was I ever
in love
with her; there is a difference. Why is she back? Ah, revenge I suspect. I banished her and maybe even broke her heart, if she had one. But if you could have seen what she did to those girls...I should have killed her.” Kade walked away from Sydney and faced the fireplace once again. “And why here? My guess is Tristan.”

Sydney was astonished. “Tristan?”

“Yes, love, Tristan’s sister, Katarina, was one of the tortured girls. He came to me seeking my help. He knew it was Simone who took the girls. He offered pack protection in exchange for finding his sister. It was how we met and later became friends. But Simone, she knew it was Tristan who told me. She may have come here seeking to stir up trouble in Tristan’s territory. She would have known I would come to his aid eventually. What she didn’t count on is that Tristan would be smart enough to recognize right away that a vampire was stirring up problems in his community even before the first death occurred. He contacted me right away.”

Sydney’s thoughts were spinning. Simone was here in Philadelphia? How did she know where they were? Why did she come as a ghost? “Okay, so lover girl has an ax to grind. She comes up here instead of New Orleans to get at Tristan? And to get back at you? Not buying that. I get that she's mad at Tristan for ratting her out to you. But she isn’t from this area. You said she left the country. And what the hell is with the ghost? Why not just show up in person?”

“My best guess is that she is not here physically. She may have a mage or witch helping her. Possibly vampire or human minions, maybe both. As vampires, we can turn humans into slaves should we wish...control their thoughts. Jennings belonged to her, there could be others.”

“Nice little vamp trick, huh?” Sydney sneered. There was a reason she didn’t get involved with the supernatural, and this was it: human slaves, witchcraft, Voodoo. Sydney felt she had heard enough for tonight. As much as she wanted to be with Kade, she felt an overwhelming need to get home.

Kade walked over to Sydney and grabbed her hands. She felt the electric desire running up her arms and throughout her body. “Sydney, I have given this some thought, and I believe Simone is somewhere in New Orleans. Somehow...maybe magic...she is projecting herself here. I need to go search for her there. I know you want to work this case, but things are going to get more dangerous. I need to keep you safe. I am going to talk with Tristan and leave tomorrow night.”

Sydney snatched her hands away from him. Who the hell was he to tell her that she had to get off the case? And he was leaving? “Listen, Kade, if you want to jump a plane back to the bayou, be my guest, but I'm not getting off this case just because you think there could be danger. Danger is part of my job; I’m a big girl. A girl who happens to own a lot of guns and knows how to use them. I even have a secret stash of stakes ready to go. There is no fucking way I am just giving up this case while you go off chasing an old girlfriend,
so
not happening.” She paused and looked around. “Listen, I appreciate you telling me everything. I need to think on this...get some sleep. Ada may have run more trace, and I want to get down to the station tomorrow to talk it through with her. Where are my clothes?”

Kade was growing tired of her stubbornness. Tomorrow, he would request that she be taken off the case. She’d be angry with him but at least she’d be safe. “Go check the upstairs bathroom. I asked Sara to put your clean clothes in the bathroom when she finished with them.”

“Thanks.” Sydney put down her glass and plodded upstairs to get dressed, still trying to make sense of what Kade told her. She could not believe this was as simple as a lover scorned. Why all the drama with the girls? The ritual? The tattoos? Something was not right. Simone probably did indeed want revenge, but there was something else. Sydney wasn’t sure what the missing puzzle piece was, but she certainly wasn’t going to let Kade push her off the case.

Kade heard her go up the stairs.
That went well...not.
He had to get back to New Orleans and find Simone. And he needed to talk with Ilsbeth to find out what Simone might be trying to accomplish with the oils and the girls. Simone was up to something, and he was going to find out was it was. This time she would not go unpunished. Vampire law was clear on this matter; she would be terminated.

Kade wanted desperately to go after Sydney. Knowing that she was so close to his bedroom made him crazy. He wanted to kiss her full lips and taste her...make her his...claim her. Although doing so at this point would only draw attention to her, and that was not something he would do. She was already in enough danger. He would call Tristan and ask him to keep an eye on her while he returned to New Orleans, even though he hated that Sydney may go to Tristan for more than friendship. It was killing him to know that Sydney and Tristan had been sexually involved, so asking Tristan was not something he wanted to do, but he needed to try to keep her safe and he could trust Tristan to do that.

They rode in silence on the way back to Sydney’s condo. She looked out the window, willing herself not to look at Kade. She felt aroused, and jealous, and pissed off at him for treating her like it was her first day out of the academy. Sure, these supernatural folks were a little tricky, but as long as they could be killed, she could handle it. As soon as she got home, she was pulling out her stakes and silver knives. She also had plenty of wooden bullets. Sydney straightened in her seat, resolving that she would find and kill whatever or whoever was killing these girls.

As the limo pulled up to her building, Sydney felt uneasy, not wanting to leave Kade. He sensed her hesitation and used the opportunity to move and sit next to her. Sydney reached for the door handle, and Kade took her other hand. “Sydney love, after I take care of Simone, I will be back for you. We have unfinished business.”

Sydney was about to reply that she was the one who was going to take care of the case, but before she got a chance to say anything, Kade pressed his lips to hers, wanting, taking. She shouldn’t want this, but she did. Sydney kissed him back slowly allowing him access. She felt his tongue enter her mouth, and she allowed her tongue to explore his as well. Kade reached around and held her by the nape of her neck. The kiss was passionate, yet tender. Sydney knew she had to go. She shouldn’t let herself get distracted by a man, but he tasted so good, and she wanted him here and now, inside her. She wanted more, but he was leaving. Coming to her senses, she reluctantly retreated from Kade not looking away from his eyes. “Um...yeah...goodnight, Kade.” She was flustered but still had enough wits about her to get up and out of the car on two feet.
Just keep on walking, girl.

Kade knew someday she would be his as he watched her enter her building. Maybe she did not know yet, but oh, she would be when he came back for her. He knew damn well that she did not want to give up control to him, but she would soon. Now, if he could only keep her safe while he went to dispose of Simone and whatever craziness she had cooked up. He had enough of her games, and he was going to end it here and now.

Sydney woke to the sounds of the city: beeping horns, trucks, yelling, and laughter. It didn’t bother her though; she was used to the constant buzz of urban, background noise. The cacophony meant Sydney was alive, and so was the city. Like the swashing hum of the ocean, it was soothing to her ears.

It was late afternoon when she heard her door buzzer go off. She doubted it would be Kade. While he had told her that he was old enough to go outside during the day, it weakened him. And besides, why would he come by her condo when he was returning to New Orleans? She wondered if he was packing and when he was leaving. She kept thinking of the kiss: hot, passionate, erotic. She wanted him to kiss her so badly, and he did all right. She wanted to melt into him and make love to him in the back of the limo. It took every bit of self-control to pull away and go home without him. She had to force herself to remember she was irritated with him because he wanted her off the case, and that he was about to go chasing after a psycho ex.

She felt frustrated that she could not just order him to stay, but then that was part of what attracted her to him. He was strong, authoritative, domineering. She laughed. What was wrong with her? She swore she would not pine over a guy, especially some bossy vamp. She had plenty of men on her dance card.
Whatever, Syd. Get over it. He’s leaving anyway.

Checking her security camera, she saw a man in a uniform with flowers. Clicking on the security panel, she answered the call, “Hello. Can I help you?"

“Yeah, I'm looking for Condo 225 B. Detective Willows.”

“Okay, come on up,” she said buzzing him in.

There was a knock at the door. Sydney peered through the safety hole in her door and all she could see was red. She heard another knock and a voice. “Flowers. Delivery for Detective Sydney Willows.”

She opened the door and gasped at the sight. There were more roses than she had ever seen in her life. “Oh my God, they’re beautiful! Here, put them on the dining room table,” she instructed. Sydney tipped the guy as he left, and then locked the door.