Page 20 of Unhallowed Murder (A Paranormal Halloween #2)
Chapter Seventeen
This time, Josef’s Bellula came out of the shower in jeans, a thin sweater, and a sexy female version of modern-day army combat boots.
Vampires have total control of every part of their body — even whether their heart beats or not — and yet his dick began to fill without him aiming extra blood flow to the area.
He diverted the flow away with a tiny shake of his head.
This woman spoke to him as no female had in centuries. No , farther back. Much farther back.
She was a strong warrior woman who wasn’t afraid of being a woman. The warrior men she commanded respected her for it, as they might not have respected a woman trying to act like a man. He’d need to think on this, but not now .
Josef wore black fatigues and a black microfiber performance t-shirt.
Abbott’s second-in-command eschewed all modern fabrics, but Josef saw their purpose and appreciated them as a tool.
Wars had been won and lost based on who had the most functional attire for the weather and terrain, and he would always think like a general.
He pulled his little tiger into his arms, and she curled contentedly into them as if they’d done it a thousand times. So comfortable, for such a new relationship.
“Thank you, for showing me. For letting me in. I know it wasn’t easy.” It occurred to him he hadn’t let her know he was glad she’d shared it with him, and not dismayed.
She shook her head, her cheek scraping against his chest. “It’s my past, not my present. Nathan warned me you wouldn’t let me stay in control. I knew what I was getting into, but you had it right — I’m not a coward. I like you, and turning away because I was afraid wasn’t an option.”
He leaned back, touched under her chin, caressed the bruised cheek. “You’ve never had an orgasm?”
“I’ve had plenty of them, but I gave them to myself with either a toy or a man’s cock. No one’s ever given me an orgasm. It was hard, and it might be hard for a few more times, but it’ll get easier.” Her gaze met his, unwavering, resolute. Brave. She telepathed, You touched me in places no one has.
Josef felt a little like that ridiculous Christmas show, where the monster’s heart grows three sizes larger. He pulled her to him and closed his eyes while raw emotion scraped him in places he’d forgotten could be vulnerable, deep, deep inside.
“Right back atcha, Lieutenant. I’m raw inside, and you’ve done it. My heart is yours, please don’t break it.”
She chuckled. “I’m raw inside, too. Damn , you can go forever.”
“I know you can change and heal, but I quite like knowing you feel me inside, even now.”
* * * *
Josef chose the Maserati Quattroporte, not to impress her, but to be assured of her comfort.
Their conversation was casual as he drove.
He asked of her favorite food, and what she didn’t like.
She answered all his questions, and he wondered if she knew how long it’d been since he’d needed to ask these things.
After some thought, it felt important to tell her.
“I haven’t had to ask someone what they like to eat in so long, I can’t remember when I last did so.
I find I’m enjoying getting to know you this way.
Anytime you want to give me more, I’m open to it, but I’m not complaining about learning of you by what you tell me.
It’s a little like slowly unwrapping a present. ”
“Maybe it’s time for me to ask some questions? What do you like to eat? Do you prefer male or female? Wolf, human? Something else? Does the food they eat flavor their blood? ”
“I consider the coterie’s wolves mine, since they’re part of our security team and I’m in charge of them, but really, everything belongs to Abbott.
” He shrugged. “The point is, I feed from my wolves so frequently, a change to a different shapeshifter is nice. I rarely feed from humans these days — shapeshifters give so much more of their life force. Abbott’s flock is fed a specific menu, so their blood always tastes exceptionally good.
My wolves have a list of forbidden foods, but they’re allowed to eat as they wish on a rotating cycle.
We have enough, they aren’t always on the menu. ”
“Which foods?”
He shook his head. He wasn’t going to make her feel as if she shouldn’t eat garlic or asparagus. Not many people liked cooked cabbage or Brussels sprouts these days, so those items weren’t usually a problem.
“Fine. Don’t tell me about the food, but you didn’t answer the male or female question.”
Spoken like a skilled interrogator. He was rapidly falling for this woman.
No, he’d already fallen for her.
“It depends upon my mood. I enjoy both, for different reasons.” He sighed. He didn’t have to dig into her mind to know where her questions were leading. “Ask what you really want to know, please.”
“It’s none of my business.”
She didn’t know it yet, but her life was now his business, and his life was going to be hers. He answered even though she hadn’t asked .
“I can feed without the fucking part, but I don’t often do so. Sometimes, Abbott sends a ‘feed only’ treat, and I don’t push for more. A few of the coterie wolves don’t like being fucked by me, so when they come up on the schedule, I only feed from them because I’m not a monster.”
Unless there was an attitude problem and it was necessary, but that was a different conversation. He glanced at her and looked back to the road. “I wish I knew what you’re thinking, but I won’t go back on my word, so I’m not looking.”
“Tigers aren’t especially monogamous, but I find I’m envious of whoever you’ll screw tomorrow when you awaken.” A sigh. “I’m not asking you not to have sex with them, but you’re nice enough not to look, so it seemed I should tell you.”
He sensed a sudden question — something she’d just thought of — a microsecond before she asked, “You screw the men and women? No, don’t answer that, of course you do. I remember someone telling me the long-lived are almost all bisexual.”
“I believe the modern term is pan, and yes, I am. Is that a problem?”
“No, not at all, it was just a surprise, until I considered it.”
“I won’t fuck anyone else for the near future, at least until we figure out whatever is happening between us.”
“I didn’t ask that of you.”
“I know, but it feels important. We need to figure us out. The spark got us started, but now we have to…” He ca ressed her cheek. “Like someone weaving a tapestry, we must weave the details of our lives into a single image. How it looks is entirely up to us.”
Her sent went off the charts into alarm and she exclaimed, “ Fuck , I work with a bunch of human detectives. I can’t date a vampire!”
Right, because eventually, they’d realize they only saw him at night, and would try to create reasons for him to show up during the day. Detectives have to pick at the unknown. It’s who they are.
“Not a problem,” he assured her. “Abbott and Kendra are better at long term adjustments. I can ask them to make sure no one who works with you will wonder why they never see me during the day, and will never do a deep background check. It’s solid, and will hold up to scrutiny, but your men might smell something just because they’re so good at their jobs. ”
“I want to forbid you from screwing with their heads, but I know that isn’t realistic. Nothing yet, though. Okay?”
* * * *
Ronnie’s cop instincts went on alert at the two unknown men on the balcony when Josef pulled into the back parking lot of The Billiard Club at close to one in the morning.
She opened her door and stood to get a better look, her hand close to her weapon because strange men in an alley might mean problems. Her gaze met that of a gorgeous vampire.
His companion was a werewolf, and just as beautiful.
She breathed out and relaxed. They belonged here.
Josef exited the car slower than her. “I’m more than capable of protecting you, should it be necessary, though it isn’t this evening.” He walked her up the steps and introduced everyone. “Lieutenant Veronica Woods, meet The Abbott and Spencer. Abbott, Spence, this is Ronnie.”
“It’s nice to finally make your acquaintance,” said Abbott.
“We’ve been most curious about you.” He eyed Josef.
“This is a woman who will never wait for someone to rescue her. She might call for a pickup after she’s slaughtered those who mean her harm, or perhaps arrested them if they’re human, but I don’t think the protective knight thing is going to work with her. ”
“What he means to say,” Spencer said, “is that Josef never falls head over heels, and we’ve been dying to meet you. Have you eaten? The kitchen’s about to close — want to help me eat whatever was cooked and not ordered? There are always appetizers at the end of the night.”
“No, thank you. Josef is quite good at keeping me fed.”
“And I have a task to complete for her,” Josef told them, “so I’m going to have to disappoint you by squirreling her away with me in a sleeping room a few hours.”
After about ten seconds, Abbott looked at Ronnie with a new understanding. They’d been telepathing, apparently. “Ah. I see. Well, I look forward to getting to know you better another time. ”
Ronnie looked up to Josef, who seemed uncomfortable, and then to Abbott.
“Nathan visited Josef yesterday,” she told the Master Vampire.
“It seems both our respective hierarchies feel the need to meddle. I’m glad Josef has people who care for him.
I don’t know what kind of gathering we can plan for the two of you as well as Nathan and possibly Martin, but I’ll try to make something happen in the next two weeks. ”
“I look forward to getting to know you,” Spence said. “Let me know what I can do to help, please. Drinks with hors d'oeuvres would be appropriate. I can help with the menu.”
Spence was so beautiful, he nearly took her breath away, but she didn’t want him. She only wanted Josef. “That would be nice. Thank you.”
Once they were inside, Josef telepathed. It’s best we keep Nathan and Abbott out of the same room.
Crap, how could she have forgotten? The two had negotiated a truce of sorts, but a friendly visit was asking too much.
I somehow forgot he was that Abbott. I mean, I knew, but it didn’t all come together in my head. Okay then, Martin and Abbott at one gathering, and then just Nathan for another.
I don’t know. If we manage it with care, we might bring the two of them back to a working relationship. Let me think on it.