How do I smell this? The blood drops have already dried and they’re so small.
What in the hell was happening? “Aidan?”
But he’d just brushed past her. “It was good of the bastard to leave us a trail.”
“Aidan, what’s happening to me?”
His shoulders tensed. “I think he jumped over the wall to get out of here, same as I did.” He came back to her, scooped her into his arms and said, “Hold on tight.”
He was keeping something from her. “Aidan. Stop.”
He tensed.
“How did I heal? Why can I smell his blood?” Why do I feel so good?
Aidan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “I told you…that I gave you my blood.”
Jane nodded. “You did that before.” When Garrison had been a trigger happy dumbass and shot her. Not that she held a grudge. Well, not anymore. She and Garrison had worked past that unfortunate first encounter.
“There seem to be a few…side effects this time.”
Side effects? That sounded so not good. “How long will they last?”
His arms tightened around her. “I have no fucking clue.” Then he was running toward the wall. She held onto him as tightly as she could and then—
They were over the wall. He touched down without even having his knees buckle. Carefully, he put her onto her feet then swept his gaze around the area.
A little late to see if anyone saw that move.
But…no one was there.
Aidan threaded his fingers with hers. “Come on.” And he was moving fast, but not so fast that she couldn’t keep up. They hurried across the street and he crouched next to a boarded-up building.
The scent of blood was strong again. And sunlight glinted off the silver bullet on the ground. A blood-stained bullet.
“He dug them out,” Jane said. There were two more bullets nearby. “He’s strong, Aidan.”
Aidan had turned to stare down the street. His expression thoughtful, he said, “Yes, yes, he fucking is.”
Her nostrils twitched. “Where did he go after he left?” Because she couldn’t tell. Her side effects weren’t that good.
“They cleaned the streets,” Aidan said, disgust thick in his voice. “This is the only scent I’m getting…right here. If there was more blood, it was washed away when the streets were cleaned this morning.”
Dammit.
“Sorry, Jane.”
“No, don’t be sorry.” Carefully she pocketed the bullets. “We learned more. The guy is stronger than I expected. Hell, you’re the only one I’ve seen dig out silver bullets. I didn’t realize that was something most werewolves could do.”
He was silent.
“I need to go see Dr. Bob,” Jane continued, adjusting her plans as she considered things. “But I think first I’ll check in at the station with Vivian. She’s probably freaking the hell out right now, and if I stop to see her, it will give Bob a little longer to finish his report.”
Aidan’s head jerked to the right. A low growl built in his throat.
Oh, jeez. What now? “Aidan?”
“He’s coming.”
She yanked out her weapon. “The killer?”
“Worse.” The one word came out as a snarl. “The vampire.”
And then he was there. Just strolling down the street toward them. Jane blinked. Had the guy been in the road a moment before? She didn’t think so, but now he was just boldly striding toward them.
The vampire took his time approaching them, and when Aidan wanted to lunge forward, Jane wrapped her hand around his arm. “I want to see what he has to say.”
“The bastard is in my town, without an invitation. He’s asking for trouble.”
She knew that was true. Vamps and werewolves weren’t made to get along. And Aidan never let vamps stay in New Orleans long.
“Jane.” Vincent’s gaze swept over her. “You’re…still human?” He seemed surprised.
Jane had to admit—when she’d woken up in Aidan’s bed—she’d been surprised, too. Only now she fully realized that it hadn’t been Dr. Bob’s medicine or Annette’s voodoo magic that had saved her…
It had been Aidan.
“When I got here last night…and saw Aidan rushing away with you held so tightly in his arms…” Vincent lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I thought you were dying.”
“And you jumped in to help save me?” Anger vibrated in her voice. “How nice of you—oh, wait. You didn’t help. What did you do? Watch from the shadows and count down as you hoped my life ticked away?”
He took a step back.
Aidan’s claws had come out, she could see them. She still touched his arm and Aidan’s muscles were rock hard beneath her hand. But Aidan wasn’t attacking.
He’s holding back for me.
“You can’t change fate,” Vincent said.
“I think we make our own fate. People aren’t born with their whole lives mapped out in some little book.”
Vincent’s expression hardened. “You aren’t like most people.”
“Were you watching the whole time?” Jane asked him. “When that werewolf brought Travis Maller to the cemetery? Were you here when the poor guy was being murdered?”
“No,” Vincent rasped. “I didn’t arrive until after.”
Aidan gave another low growl. “Would you have helped if you had been there sooner? Would you have stepped in to save the human?”
Vincent seemed surprised by the question. “I didn’t know him.”
Jane’s jaw dropped. “He was a person! Didn’t matter if you knew him or not—the guy was in pain and he needed help—so you should have wanted to save him.”
“Vamps aren’t like that, Jane,” Aidan said gruffly. “They don’t care. They’ll tear apart their whole families if that gives them the blood they need.”
Sadness flashed across Vincent’s face. “I have…seen that happen.”
“Yes, so the fuck have I,” Aidan fired back. “Too many times. I know what your kind can do. I know how all they can live for is the bloodlust—it controls them. It maddens them. It—”
“My kind isn’t doing the killing this time.” Vincent had straightened his shoulders. “Yours is.”
She let Aidan go. The vamp was just asking for trouble.
But Vincent held up his hands. “I’m sorry. I’m not here to provoke you.”
“No?” Aidan obviously doubted that statement. “Could’ve fooled the hell out of me.” He lifted his claws. “So this is how things will work. I’ve played the good guy with you long enough. The beast in me wants nothing more than to cut off your head—”
“Aren’t you the blunt one,” Vincent muttered.
“But I’ve held back, fucking barely. Mostly because you haven’t killed anyone yet. Jane doesn’t like it if I kill without reason.” He shrugged. “One of her little rules.”
Vincent’s eyelids flickered. “Of course, you can only do what Jane likes.”
Jane glanced between the two of them. Similar in size, and she had no doubt that Vincent was a powerful vampire. In a battle, who would win?
Sure, the vamp had his parlor trick of disappearing into thin air but…
My money is on Aidan.
“Get your ass out of my town,” Aidan told him darkly. “Be gone by the time the sun sets tonight. If you aren’t, I will come for you, and I won’t hold my beast back.”
The vamp lifted his chin. “Jane, I am here to help—”
Her laughter was bitter. “Tell that to the woman you attacked and left in a dirty alley.”
“I didn’t kill her—”
“No, you just took her blood. Nearly killed her.”
Vincent shook his head. “I held onto my restraint. She was never in any danger. What was I supposed to do? You’d shot me and your boyfriend there did his best to rip out my throat. You know how blood loss is for our kind.”
She made sure her weapon was aimed right at his heart. “There is no ‘our’ here, buddy.”
/> His gaze darted down to her weapon. “Wooden bullets?”
“You better believe it.” Total lie. But the silver bullets in her gun would still cause him plenty of blood loss. “Think you can pull that vanishing act before I shoot? Or before Aidan decides to use his claws to rip off your head?”
Vincent stumbled back a step.
“See, I don’t like it when vamps feed on humans. And I really don’t like the way you seem to be skulking around every time I blink. Aidan showed you courtesy,” the werewolf version, at least, “now it’s past time for you to get out of here.”
“You’re going to regret this,” Vincent warned her.
“I highly doubt it.” She cast a quick, nervous glance Aidan’s way. He hadn’t said much, probably because it took all of his self-control and strength not to attack the vampire. And he’s holding back for me. “The only thing I regret is that we ever met.”
“That so?” Vincent turned away from them, presenting his back as far too tempting of a target. “My mistake. I thought you wanted to know about your father. But, hey, guess I was wrong.”
Before she could speak, Aidan curled his arm around her shoulder. “He’s baiting you, Jane.” His voice was rough, ragged. Definitely using all of his self-control not to attack.
She knew Aidan’s words were true. Jane gave a rough nod in agreement. Then she made sure her voice was nice and strong as she said, “The only father I had was killed by a vampire when I was eleven years old. He was staring straight at me when he drew his last breath.”
Vincent stilled. She saw his shoulders stiffen. “I’m sorry…I-I didn’t realize…”
“The same vamp spent hours torturing me. I’ve still got the scars to prove it.”
Now he did whirl toward her. “That shouldn’t have happened.” Vincent seemed genuinely horrified. “You were the beginning of something new—”
“Bullshit. I’m the end.” She’d grown accustomed to that burn mark on her body. “Got the permanent reminder to prove it.”
Aidan’s fingers tightened on her shoulder.
“Keep moving,” Jane said to Vincent, her hand steady on her gun. “Because you are done here.”
Vincent’s eyes gleamed with his fury. “I am sorry. I will find the vampire who attacked you. I will make him pay—”
“Already done,” Aidan interrupted. “He’s dust in the wind. See, he was the last asshole vamp who didn’t listen when I said this town belonged to the wolves.”
A furrow had appeared on Vincent’s brows. “You avenged her?”
“I killed for her, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Never doubt that.”
Vincent raked his hand over his face. “Jane, your father—your real father—he was troubled, I knew that. But I can’t believe he would let something like this happen—”
“Yeah, well, word on my biological dad is that he died a long time ago, too,” Jane said. “The vamp who killed my family? Thane Durant? He told me that werewolves had killed my father.”
Surprise flashed on Vincent’s face. “That’s not what happened to Michael, not at all. You were told a lie.”
Her lips parted. What in the hell am I supposed to believe? And why did it just hurt me to hear my father’s name? Michael…
“Thane Durant,” Vincent continued darkly, “was a twisted, sadistic, lying bastard. You can’t believe any shit he told you.” His laughter was bitter. “Actually, Thane was the one to kill your father.”
What? Jane gave a quick, hard shake of her head but… “I guess vamps turn on each other all the time, huh?”
“No, we don’t.” Vincent inclined his head toward her. “You know then, how you came…to be?”
“I don’t need a talk on the birds and bees from you, jerk.” She could feel the rage pouring off Aidan and Jane wasn’t sure how much longer his control would last. Having a vamp this close to him, well, it had to be like waving a red flag in front of a bull. A very, very big and dangerous bull.
Stampede time is coming.
“Michael was a good man, once. A good father. But he didn’t handle the change well. He needed a guide.” Vincent sighed. “I let him down, so that’s on me.”
He actually sounds sincere. Was the vamp bullshitting? Or had he known her father?
“If you want to learn more, I guess you’d better come find me before sunset,” Vincent added. “Because I will be gone then.” His gaze slid to Aidan. “Alpha, I don’t want a war. That’s not why I was in town. Believe it or not, I thought I was helping.” He rolled back his shoulders. “I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Damn right, you won’t,” Aidan snarled.
Vincent turned away once more. He started walking and then…
Freaking parlor trick. He vanished.
Aidan turned Jane to face him. “He’s trying to manipulate you.” She could see his worry. “Jane, he probably knows dick about your real father. He just wants you to seek him out. He wants to get power over you.”
“I don’t care.” Saying those words made a weight rise from her chest.
Aidan blinked. “Come again?” He threw a quick glance over her shoulder, and a predatory gleam appeared in his eyes as he swept the street.
Probably trying to make sure Vincent hadn’t reappeared.
“I don’t care what he knows about the vampire who used to be known as Michael.” That had been the name her mother had whispered on a few pain-filled nights. Monsters aren’t real. Monsters…Michael wasn’t a monster. Had her mother been trying to convince herself of that fact? “He doesn’t matter to me. The past is over, and all I want to do is focus on the future.” Her future with Aidan. “The past isn’t going to dictate my life. I won’t let it. I’m more than some vamp’s kid.”
His hand rose and slid tenderly over her cheek. “Yes, Jane, you are. You are…everything.”
Only Aidan could say those words and make them sound utterly true. She wasn’t, of course. She was just a cop, doing her job as best she could. But Aidan made her feel special. Aidan made her feel like she didn’t need to be ashamed of her past.
Her Aidan.
Her head turned and she pressed a kiss to his palm.
***
The werewolf was a fucking problem.
Vincent watched as Aidan touched Jane so tenderly. The alpha knew what she was—he knew what she would become. With Aidan Locke’s own twisted past, the guy should be running the hell away from Mary Jane Hart.
Not holding her so gently.
Damn him. He is screwing this up for me.
Jane should have died the night before. Everything would be different this day if she had. But no, she still breathed. She still packed her gun with its wooden bullets.
She was still fighting what would be.
Jane and her werewolf turned away and headed down the street. Probably off hunting for more clues. She was so worried about getting justice for the humans. He didn’t get that. She needed to be worried about herself. Surely she could see that?
She’d flinched, just the smallest bit, when he’d said her father’s name. Michael. The name mattered to her. The man mattered. Poor Jane. She’d probably gone her whole life, wondering about the monster that was her father. Would she like to hear that he hadn’t always been so bad? That he’d tried to protect his family? Protect her?
Vincent thought Michael might just be the key to winning over Mary Jane. He’d thrown out the bait, now he just had to wait and see if she took it.
And if she didn’t…
And sunset came…
Then I have to work out a new plan. Because he truly hadn’t intended to go to war with the alpha. But sometimes, battles couldn’t be avoided. Sometimes, bloodshed came.
Death came.
No matter how hard you fought to avoid it.
Chapter Twelve
“What in the hell happened last night?” Police Captain Vivian Harris demanded as she paced beside her desk.
Jane blew out a long breath. Aidan had gone back to Hell??
?s Gate after dropping her off at the police station. She’d immediately gone in to have a closed-door talk with her captain and now—
“Jane, how close did you come to dying?”
“I think as close as one can get.”
Vivian stopped pacing. Her eyes squeezed closed. “Dear God.”
Jane jumped to her feet. “I’m okay now. Better than okay.”
Vivian shook her head. “Maybe I shouldn’t have put you on this beat. Going up against paranormals when you’re human…what was I thinking?” Her eyes opened. “I’m sorry.”
Jane’s spine was ramrod straight. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I want this beat.” Even as Jane said the words, she realized they were true. She’d thought that the paranormal beat was a pain, that dealing with the monsters and their drama was her job because she was unlucky but…
That’s not true. “I know the score. I understand the monsters.”
Vivian’s sigh was sad. “But that doesn’t mean you have to be the one to clean up their messes.”
“I want to be the one.” And, again, it was true. Jane shook her head, struggling to fully understand the situation herself. “I know it’s dangerous and it’s crazy but…someone has to be in the middle.”
Vivian crossed her arms over her chest. As usual, she wore a finely cut suit. Her hair was twisted behind her head. No-nonsense Vivian Harris. The captain who could make everyone jump.
The secret werewolf.
And Jane’s…friend. Though she would never make the mistake of saying those words to Vivian’s face.
“I bridge the worlds, human and paranormal. I understand them both.” Because of Aidan, because of her own bloody past, Jane did. “I know what the victims feel like. The ones who survive…” She thought of the woman who’d been bitten by the vampire. And she thought of Alan Thatcher and his friend Travis Maller. “And the ones who don’t. I know what their families go through.” Because she’d gone through the same thing. “I can help them. I want to help them.”
And monsters…they weren’t all bad. Vivian certainly wasn’t. And even Garrison—she could understand him, too. The guy kept making big ass mistakes with his life, but Garrison wasn’t evil, not by a long shot. His family had also been killed by vampires, and that attack had scarred him on the inside. He was trying to do his best to make the city safer.