The Fledgling (5 page)

Misha grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “Did I interrupt something?”

“Of course not. We were practicing a new defensive move.”

“Is that what you young kids are calling it these days?”

Jean Luc gritted his teeth. He should be awarded a medal for being so patient with his demon partner. “What did you learn today?”

Misha dropped the bag on the floor and walked over to the chalkboard. “Quite a bit, actually.” He listed names on the board. “So far, I have identified ten supernatural customers at the gym. Five shifters, three demons, and two vamps.” He stepped back and reviewed the names. “Two of the shifters just joined this week, so I am going to cross them off the list for now.”

Talia walked closer to the board. “What is your gut telling you?”

“It’s reminding me it has been too long since I ate.”

She laughed softly, and the sound went straight to Jean Luc’s chest, tightening it. He had been spending far too much time with her. “Who do you think is the most likely suspect?”

“I’m going to run all of them through the supernatural and police databases. The three shifters who have been around for a while are pretty laid back and seem to get along with the humans. One of the demons is low-level and wouldn’t be able to cause the damage we saw on the last dead body.” Misha circled the remaining names. “Which leaves two demons and two vamps on the short list.”

Jean Luc nodded. “We can split the list once you have done your research.”

She smiled. “Good job.”

Misha winked at her, and Jean Luc struggled against the urge to punch his partner. He had to get away from Talia for a while to clear his head. “Can you gather the information by tomorrow morning?”

“Yes.”

“Let us reconvene then. In the meantime, I apologize, but I must leave.” He ignored the look of hurt in Talia’s eyes and hurried out the door. “Good night.”

As soon as he stepped outside, he flashed away, not stopping until his lungs were bursting and moist night air clung to his clothes.

What was wrong with him? His entire life was built on control. Whether it be his emotions, his mind, or his body. And he had not lost control of his body in centuries. Talia was a fledgling who needed knowledge, and he was her teacher. But she was a temptation he fought hard to extinguish. And when she had leaned back against him, his cock hardened. If not for Misha’s interruption, she would have felt his betrayal. She had been taken advantage of enough by the vampire who had turned her. He would not do the same.

* * *

Talia stared at the closed door in disbelief. What had just happened?

Misha plopped down in his recliner and chuckled. The rumble grew into a full belly laugh.

She scowled at him. “What’s so damn funny?”

He wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m sorry, Talia. I cannot help it. I’ve never seen Jean Luc run from anyone. He has faced down every type of supernatural crisis with unflappable grace. I often feel like an oaf beside him. But with you…” He chuckled some more. “Our fearless vampire has finally met his match.”

“What do I do?”

Misha stared hard at her for a moment, the levity leaving his face. “You want him, yes?”

“I…” Talia choked on her words. Could she trust Jean Luc?

“I see. You’re still not sure. When you come to the inevitable conclusion that you two are meant for each other, I will help you. We can work together to wear him down. He has spent many years on his own. He believes it’s safer to be alone. And he is stubborn, but Russians eat stubborn for breakfast.”

Talia smiled. “You eat everything for breakfast.”

“So I do. Now let’s strategize before he comes back home. Where are you staying?”

“Why do you want to know?” Talia asked, tensing.

“Because having you in close proximity might help in this case.”

Talia had been moving from one dive hotel to another, hoping to avoid whoever had searched her room. So far, her things hadn’t been touched again, but she wasn’t sleeping at all. Older vamps might be able to go for long periods without sleep, but she didn’t have that luxury yet. “What do you have in mind?”

Chapter 7

Forty minutes later, Talia watched the headlights in her rearview mirror as the sedan behind her crowded her bumper. She slowed down to let him pass. Why was everyone in such a damn hurry? She had agreed to Misha’s crazy scheme to move in and had gone to the hotel, collected her things, and checked out. Now, she was on her way back to the BSR’s office, but first she had to deal with the idiot driver behind her who was not taking the hint. She rolled down her window and motioned for the car to pass.

The driver finally pulled to the left and sped up. The car drove alongside her, but instead of passing, it stayed next to her. Talia glanced over but saw nothing through the vehicle’s tinted windows. Alarms sounded in the back of her brain and she slowed down. Finally, the car picked up speed and rushed past, zooming into the lane in front of her.

She unclenched her hands from the steering wheel and blew out a hard breath. The driver in front of her slammed on his brakes.
Shit!
Talia jerked the wheel to the left—into oncoming traffic. A semi barreled toward her, blaring its horn.

* * *

Two hours after his cowardly retreat, Jean Luc re-entered the house. Talia was gone, but her residual energy remained, and it bubbled under his skin, heating it. He ignored the sensation and searched for Misha, who was in the living room, pushed back in his recliner, eating pork rinds and watching a show with an orange car being chased by the police.

Misha glanced up from the TV and the right side of his mouth turned up slightly. “Did you get your errand done?”

“Yes. When did Talia leave?”

“About an hour ago, but she should be back here shortly.”

Jean Luc frowned. “Why?”

“I invited her to stay. She was going to sleep in her car tonight.”

“Why?”

Misha chuckled. “For a male who can speak seven languages, you’d think you could come up with another word. She gave up her hotel room because of the expense.”

“But Nicholas agreed to pay her.”

“Not as much as the bounty is worth, my friend.”

“She cannot take the killer in to collect any bounty.”

“I agree. So, since she is helping us, I thought the least we could do was offer her a roof over her head.”

Jean Luc gritted his teeth to keep his fangs from lengthening. “Where is she going to sleep?”

“The blue room at the top of the stairs.”

The one next to his bedroom. He glared at Misha, who ignored him, having turned back to his television show and pork rinds. The orange car jumped a ravine while the two police cars behind it crashed into each other. Misha chuckled again and reached for his soda. Jean Luc sighed and marched into the hallway. Why did he feel like he was careening off his carefully developed, safe course? He would control himself. He had to.

But when the door opened and Talia walked into the house, his careful control cracked. She dragged a duffle behind her. Her scent swamped him, but it was tinged with a sharpness he recognized as fear.

“Talia. What happened?”

“Nothing.” She dropped the bag and her hands shook. She jammed them into her pockets.

He stepped toward her. “What is wrong?”

She hesitated before speaking. “Someone tried to run me off the road.”

Blood surged through his veins, and he had to concentrate to prevent his eyes from turning red. “Are you okay?” The television silenced behind him and Jean Luc sensed Misha stepping into the hallway before he walked up next to him.

“I’m fine,” Talia answered.

“Did you get a look at him?” Jean Luc asked.

Before she could answer, Misha asked, “What about the car or license plate?”

She held up her hands as if to halt the interrogation. “I didn’t see him and the license was covered with mud. He was driving a Buick sedan.”

“Why would someone run you off the road?”

“I don’t know.”

Jean Luc reached for her. “Talia—”

She backed away from him. “Guys, I know you’re concerned, but I’m okay. Just tired. Where can I crash?”

Misha answered, “The first bedroom at the top of the stairs.”

She snatched her bag off the floor and maneuvered around Jean Luc. She took the stairs two at a time and had the door upstairs closed before Jean Luc could sort out his thoughts. She was not telling the truth. And he couldn’t protect her if she was hiding things from them, from him.

He glanced at Misha, who nodded. “Go get her, tiger. But remember, she might bite back.”

Jean Luc ran up the stairs and knocked on her door. After a few long moments of silence, Talia finally opened it.

He stepped in and got right to the point. “Why would someone run you off the road?”

She shut the door. “You’re like a dog with a bone. Or a vamp with a bag of blood.”

“Talia, please, let me help you.”

She sat down on the bed and stared up at him. “I think it might be the killer, or someone who works with him. The night I had the confrontation with the humans, one of them told me they’d been paid to hassle me. And someone broke into my hotel room and went through my things.”

“Why have you kept this a secret?”

“It wasn’t a secret. I just didn’t see the point in telling you.”

“Someone tried to kill you tonight, and you do not think it is important enough to mention?”

Her eyes sparked with defiance. “Kill might be an exaggeration. Most vampires survive car crashes.”

“Whoever is doing this might not know you are a vampire. You hide your energy very well when you are out in public. Or maybe he wanted to incapacitate you so he could behead you.”

She shuddered slightly. “Well, I told you about what happened, didn’t I?”

He was not getting through to her. “You are part of a team now. We back each other up and protect each other.”

She shook her head. “I don’t need your
protection
.”

He glared at her. “You have no say in this.”

She stood and strode to the door, jerking it open. “Just because you’ve been teaching me does not mean you can order me around.”

His stomach churned at her words. “I am confused. Misha and I only wish to help. Why will you not allow us to do that?”

“Help me? Or control me? I will never let anyone control me again. Is that clear enough for you?”

Chapter 8

What a difference a good night’s sleep made. Well, maybe not good, since she’d tossed and turned until three a.m. before falling into an exhausted stupor. But even a couple hours of sleep seemed to help her outlook. Once again, she had lost it with Jean Luc. Why she could not control her emotions around him was a mystery. But she didn’t have time to obsess about it.

Misha walked into the living room, and Talia laughed at his ridiculous outfit. He was dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt that read “Demons Rule.” Where on earth had he found it? She pointed to it, eyebrows lifted.

He thumped his hand against his very broad chest. “There is a local high school whose mascot is a Demon. I snagged this at one of their football games.”

He handed her a slip of paper. “Here’s what I learned about the vamps. We actually got lucky. They live together. They have no priors, and they haven’t been acting any weirder than vamps normally act, so I don’t think they’re the ones.”

“We still should investigate them,” Jean Luc spoke from behind her. He walked into her line of sight and nodded slightly in her direction but without meeting her eyes.

“Agreed. You and Talia can follow that lead. I’m going to jazzercise this morning. Cassandra, the female demon, usually attends the class, and I’ll track her when she leaves. I couldn’t locate a current address for her.”

Misha walked around his desk and jerked to a stop. He stared, slack-jawed at the Rubik’s cube with its colors lined up perfectly. “Who…?”

Talia smiled. “I finished it for you, big guy.”

His eyes widened. “I have been working on it for a week.”

“Ten days, actually,” Jean Luc volunteered. “I do not understand why you could not figure it out. You do have a photographic memory.”

Misha scowled. “I had someone else mix up the cube so I did not see how it was changed. It would have been cheating, otherwise.” He winked at Talia. “You are definitely full of surprises, my dear.”

She shrugged. “What can I say? I have hidden talents.” She glanced over at Jean Luc. If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn his eyes flashed red as he stared at her. But just as quickly, he looked away.

“We should go interview the suspects.”

While Jean Luc drove them to the townhouse the vampires’ shared, a list of questions ran through Talia’s head. Who was trying to kill her? Did they realize she was a vampire? Did she owe Jean Luc an apology? And why had he run off last night to begin with? Misha thought it was to escape her, but she wasn’t convinced. But at the moment, as Talia clutched the handle above the door, a more immediate problem jumped to mind.