Page 41

CELINE

P ouring myself a cup of coffee, I settle on the barstool with a sliced orange. The combo doesn’t make much sense, but in my slightly hungover state it sounds like exactly what I need.

I stifle a yawn and set my coffee aside while I eat most of the orange, leaving behind two slices.

Picking up my mug, I inhale the French vanilla scent.

Perfection.

I haven’t had a chance to take a sip yet when warmth envelops me from behind, arms wrapping around my torso to hold me hostage. A chin settles on top of my head a second later, a soft humming sound emanating from the man child behind me.

“Zav,” I groan. “You almost made me spill my coffee.”

“Shh,” he hushes. “I’m getting my morning cuddle time in.”

Ugh. It’s so hard to be annoyed with him when he’s so sweet. I relax into his hold and close my eyes. His lips brush the top of my head in a hint of a kiss before he finally lets me go and pulls out the stool beside me.

He snags my last two slices of uneaten orange and flashes me a fang-tipped smile.

My stomach rolls deliciously. I’m not sure what it says about me that I’m attracted to his fangs. I don’t dare tell him, because something tells me he would take too much pleasure in that fact.

My phone rings, interrupting our slow and quiet morning.

Captain Barnes’s name flashes on the screen so I quickly answer. “Hello?”

“Hey, Celine. I know you’re not due in until later, but I thought you might want to head to the precinct soon. We finally caught the intruder on CCTV downtown and he’s being brought in now for questioning.”

“Yes,” I cry, hopping off the stool and knocking the mug over in the process. Zav quickly rights the cup and grabs a rag to mop up the mess. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“All right. Don’t rush too much though. Now that we’ve got him he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Thanks, Captain.”

I hang up the phone and I don’t bother to fill Zav in because I know he heard the whole thing.

“I’m going to change and head in.”

He nods. “I’ll drive you.”

“You don’t?—”

“I’ll drive you,” he insists.

I throw up my hands in a cease fire. “All right.”

It doesn’t take me long to change and then I swear Zav drives a hundred miles an hour to get there. I’m not prone to motion sickness, but my stomach doesn’t feel great as I walk into the building.

“Brennan! Should I cuff you for speeding?” Captain eyes me as I walk in. “There’s no way you didn’t break laws to get here this fast.”

“Ooh, kinky. Celine arrest me.” Zav sticks his wrists out and I push them down with a hiss.

“Don’t listen to him.” I swat at him to get behind me.

Captain arches a curious brow. “He seems to be popping up at a lot of crime scenes lately even though he isn’t on the force. Why is he here now?”

“I’m her personal security detail,” Zav pipes up from behind me. “Don’t like it? Take it up with my lawyer.”

I swat at the annoying vampire behind me wishing I could duct tape his mouth.

“So, you caught him?” I attempt to change the subject.

“Yup. Like I said we spotted him on CCTV downtown by that coffee shop you love. His prints match the ones we took from your apartment.” The captain halts in front of the interrogation room with a hand on the silver handle.

“We haven’t questioned him yet in the hopes you could come in and be here to help do it yourself.

I know you’re worried the break-in was personal and hope that if you meet him, it will help assuage your concerns on that front. Ready?” He waits for me to respond.

“Let’s do it.” Besides my small exhale of breath, you’d never know that I’m nervous.

I feel Zav go to follow me into the room and I turn around and plant a hand on his chest.

“Celine,” he whines.

“I let you come, but you need to stay out here. If you happen to hear anything I can’t help that, but you won’t be in the room.”

I can tell he doesn’t appreciate being sidelined but he also recognizes that this is something I need to do on my own.

Entering the interrogation room, I pull out a chair and sit.

The man sitting across from me is unassuming.

He appears to be in his mid-twenties, if that.

Sandy blond hair, blue eyes, and a basic hoodie and jeans outfit.

I’d never pick him out as a criminal. I suppose there’s no right appearance for a criminal, though.

The quiet ones are honestly the ones you have to look out for, and he seems to fit that bill.

He fidgets nervously as we sit there in silence, and I stare him down.

Captain Barnes sits next to me to moderate. I’m sure it’s in case I slip and allow feelings to flood in. I’ve gotten very good at tucking those pesky things away though and refuse to let them out now. I drum my fingers on the metal table and the culprit’s eyes dart down to follow the motion.

Definitely a little twitchy.

“What’s your name?” I start off easy.

“Derek ... Fallows,” he stammers out.

“Do you know why you’re in here, Derek?”

“No. I really don’t,” Derek replies. “One minute I’m heading out for a late-night cup of coffee and the next thing I know I’m sacked by the police. I’d honestly love an explanation myself.” He begins to get defensive but his genuine confusion, in turn, confuses me.

Furrowing my brow, I glance at the captain but he’s still writing.

“Playing dumb isn’t going to get you anywhere. In fact, it could get you into more trouble, Derek.” I enunciate his name and lean forward to look in his eyes he tries to keep downcast.

“She’s telling the truth, son. Answer Detective Brennan, please,” Captain finally speaks up in his authoritative tone.

“I’m telling you the truth!” he shouts, the side of his fist slamming against the table.

“I have zero idea why I’m here and what you’re talking about.

Are you sure you’ve got the right guy? I’ve never committed a crime in my life!

” Derek shoots to his feet and I do the same.

I see Captain Barnes’s hand slide down his thigh for his taser just in case things get hostile.

“Hey. Okay, calm down.” It’s best to deescalate the situation and somehow this guy seems to believe he’s innocent, so I choose to play along. “You didn’t break into an apartment a few weeks ago?” I don’t want to give him all the details in case he decides to tell the truth.

Derek slowly sits back down in his chair, but I stay standing.

“What? No!” Once again, I’m baffled by the conviction in his statement. This doesn’t appear to be some guy just trying to fuck with us. He seems truly distraught over the whole thing.

A subtle knock on the door catches my attention and I remember Zavier in the hallway who must be listening to everything.

“One moment please.” Avoiding the Captain’s knowing look, I peek my head out of the interrogation room. Sure enough, Zavier is standing there looking like he’s going to explode if he doesn’t tell me something.

I slip out and shut the door softly, so as not to be overheard.

“He’s telling the truth,” Zavier looks perplexed.

“What? How do you know?” Him confirming what I suspect leaves me very confused.

“His heartbeat. When humans lie their heart races and has this little jump that is a telltale sign. He’s nervous and his heart is racing but I can tell the difference at this point in my life. He doesn’t know anything.” Zavier scratches his head and pushes his glasses up his nose.

“That doesn’t make any sense, though.”

“It doesn’t make sense to me either, but even though it’s him he either doesn’t remember or...” Zavier trails off and a spark lights in his eyes. “...he’s been compelled to forget.” He stares at me with horror on his face.

“Compelled?” He’s speaking another language now and I play with the ends of my ponytail for comfort.

“Vampires of a certain age can compel humans very easily into doing what they want. They become a mindless puppet for them to play with.” Zavier stares at the ground but I can tell he’s working through things in his head.

“You think he did break into my apartment, but he was compelled to do it and forget? How come we couldn’t find him for forever?” I muse.

“It could’ve been part of the trance he was put in.

They didn’t want him to be found until a certain point in time or he somehow broke the compulsion.

Wait a minute.” Zavier pulls a small notebook and pen out from his pocket and dramatically draws a line under what looks to be a pre-existing list and writes a new one.

“The constant rain, the break-in with this, and the fucking feral vampire outside of our apartment.” He taps at the new list and sticks his tongue out in an adorable thoughtful way while he pieces together a puzzle I’m not aware of.

“Vampires and maybe even other supernaturals are gathering in Chicago for some reason.”

I blink at him. “Say again?”

“There’s something supernatural at play here. I don’t understand why or how yet, but this has vampire shit written all over it,” he concludes and shuts his notebook but not before scribbling something on a small piece he rips off and sticks in his pocket.

“Why would vampires be targeting me?”

“I don’t know.” Zavier pulls me in for a short but comforting hug.

I allow myself to snuggle into his warmth for just a second.

“I’m going to get to the bottom of it though.

You might want to get back in there. I don’t think it’ll get you anywhere, though.

” He nods toward the interrogation room and with a last pat to my butt opens the door for me.

I send a stink eye his way, but somehow, he’s disappeared. I don’t want to know what Zavier loose in the police station looks like, but it probably ends with him in a jail cell. Hopefully he can behave himself for however long I’m still occupied.

“Everything okay, Detective?” Captain Barnes asks when I sit back down.

The culprit seems to have settled down some, but still looks wildly confused at being here.

“All good,” I reassure the captain. “Back to you, my friend,” I address Derek. “You truly have no recollection of breaking into the apartment? Or hiding out from the police?” I already know what his answer will be but want to ask a final time, because I find the whole situation hard to believe.

“I swear on all that I love.” He holds a hand up like he’s taking an oath.

“Captain Barnes showed me the footage on the CCTV, and it looks like my build and that’s my DNA.

I know it’s irrefutable, but I don’t have any memory of doing this.

I swear.” Derek works his jaw and sits back with a defeated sigh.

“I believe you,” I reply.

“You do?” Both Captain Barnes and Derek say at the same time.

“Detective, don’t make any rash conclusions. We have the proof it’s him. I can schedule a polygraph test, and we can hold him in a cell here.”

Captain looks like he’s having a hard time understanding and I get it.

“Trust me on this one.” I pat his shoulder. There’s no way to make him understand. It’s not like I can tell him about vampires and their freaky mind magic. I can sympathize with Derek and a supernatural flipping his life upside down.

“I don’t understand it but fine.” Turning to Derek he sighs. “You’re still going to be fined, and it seems based on Detective Brennan’s decision your lawyer can negotiate a deal that potentially doesn’t include prison time.”

“We’ll get your paperwork processed and have you out of here in a few, Derek.” I nod at him and the relief on his face is immediate. You would’ve thought I’d given him a key to the city.

“Brennan.” Captain tries one more time and I simply smile at him. “You’re not going to pursue this? He broke into your apartment.”

He enunciates the last few words like I’m crazy and I kind of am. I feel bad for the guy, though. He most likely had his mind invaded without his permission.

“Nope. I know you probably want to wring my neck right now but trust me.” With a shake of his head, he follows me out and heads down the hall to his office. He gives me one last bewildered glance and shuts his door behind him.

“Well, that’s the clearest what the fuck is wrong with you expression I’ve ever seen,” Zavier whistles out from behind me.

“Really?” I spin on my booted heel to look at him. “With how long you’ve lived and your personality I find that hard to believe.”

“True.” He gives me a wolfish grin and slings an arm over my shoulder. His nose buries itself in my hair and his chest rises with the deep breath he takes of my scent. “God, you smell delectable,” he murmurs, and I push him away before he gets me hot and bothered at my place of work.

After that, we have Derek fill out some paperwork for his release.

He’s in our system, but I don’t feel right punishing him, so he walks out of the building a free man.

Zavier sits none too patiently with a bouncing knee in a chair in the corner.

I can tell he’s antsy to get home and figure out what all is going on since we discovered it has supernatural ties.

“Ready?” I tap his shoulder, and he rises so quickly I almost pull a muscle in my neck from looking up at him.

“I thought you’d never ask.” Just then Zavier goes ramrod straight and his eyes go big as saucers. “Shit,” he curses and reaches for my hand, lifting me into his arms in a blink.

Zav runs out of the building with me in his arms before I can question him, and we go down the block and around the corner into an alley.

Sitting slumped against an alleyway wall is none other than Derek’s freshly murdered corpse.