Page 16 of Nightshades

Beloved.

Mate.

Mine.

Three words are shouted in my mind from my beasts. I have no idea what the words mean, but what I do know is this woman belongs to me.

She’s my Little Dream.

Regardless of how succulent she is, her dreams aren’t safe from me either. I can’t wait to taste what she fears when she falls asleep tonight.

I’m going to follow her home, and I’m going to give her a taste of what’s to come.

The law can’t save her now.

Her nightmares aremine.

The one other oddity I have learned about this town is how much it rains.

This morning the weather was beautiful. The sun was warm and shining on my face, then out of nowhere, dark grey storm clouds filled the sky. Thunder booms and lightning bolts sound every few minutes. The violent rush of rain pelts against the ground and wind gusts push sheets of water to the right.

I stand on the police department’s front stoop under the narrow overhang to keep myself as dry as possible. The wet cold manages to seep through my purple trenchcoat, sending a chill over the surface of my skin.

Staring out into the onyx night, the sensation of someone watching me sends shivers down my spine. I survey the street my car is parked on, searching for any movement in the violence of the storm.

If there is one thing I know about myself, it’s that my instincts are never wrong. They have gotten me this far in life. I know when I’m being watched. I know when eyes are on me, and that’s the dark thrill I love so much.

I love the pit that grows in my stomach. The unknown of what could happen to me at any given moment has an inkling of fear rattling my bones.

I’m addicted to fear.

I think that is what drives me to be a good cop. Not only do I push past the fear, but I crave more of it. The action of facing a dangerous person always leaves me unfulfilled after. I want the adrenaline to last.

The racing of my heart? The slight sweat of my palms? The way I hold my breath when I’m holding my gun in my hand while doing a perimeter sweep? Chasing a suspect until my legs burn?

Those moments don’t even scratch the surface of what I crave, and I don’t think there is anything in this world that will be able to give me the fear I want.

Lightning cracks across the sky, the electricity so bright, its glow allows me to see the entire street. In the split second of light, movement in the alley catches my attention.

The files I have tucked under my arm fall to the wet ground as I pull my weapon free from the holster. I step into the rain, aiming towards the alleyway where I thought I saw someone.

I would say it is nothing in a town this small, but after meeting Creed, I know there is more than what meets the eye when it comes to this place.

The rush of raindrops hinders my vision. My hair becomes drenched, and my clothes become heavy with water as I walk down the steps.

Keeping my gun pointed ahead, I look left and right to check for traffic and cross the street. I try to be as quiet as possible, my steps light in the puddles forming in the road.

The street itself is quiet. No people are outside. No cars have driven by. Street lamps flicker in the heavy rain, strobing the atmosphere with an eerie warning.

Pressing my back against the brick building adjacent to the alleyway, I push my wet hair out of my face. My heart is pounding in my chest. My own breath is hard to regulate as adrenaline rushes through my bloodstream.

A throb forms between my legs, the search for danger igniting the lust that dangerous situations create. Nothing eases the desire until I’m home, my fingers knuckle deep inside my pussy.

Taking a deep breath, I turn and place myself in the middle of the entryway to the alley, aiming my weapon into the darkness. To the left are a row of dumpsters and recycle bins, and to the right are broken-down cardboard boxes that are now soggy from the rain.

“I’m Detective Lula Sanchez from the police department.” I pull out my gold badge from my pocket, hoping whoever is in the alley can see it so they aren’t afraid of me. “If you need help, please show yourself. I’ll put my gun away to show you I’m not a threat.” I tuck the weapon into my holster, raising my hands to show I’m here with pure intentions.

I wait for someone to reply, to show themselves, but it’s only me standing here alone with the plummeting splashes of rain against the pavement.