Bad Cop (Entangled Covet) (15 page)

Chapter Twenty

Ian was at Alice’s side before she hit the floor. Cradling her gently, he pressed a trembling hand over her throat where the precious blood gushed out. He was screaming inside—
screaming
. Anguish carved a cavernous path in his chest while his breath squeezed from his lungs. She was dying, and he couldn’t do anything but helplessly watch it happen in front of him.

She struggled to move, to talk. Shaking violently, she clutched his hands at her throat. Blood bubbled from her lips. Her face was a mask of pain, but the sheer terror in her pale eyes ripped him to shreds.

“Shhhh.” His voice broke as he fought for composure, to keep her calm as he could and slow the rapid flow of blood between his fingers. “Easy, now. Don’t talk. You’ll be all right. You have to ‘cause you haven’t made me cookies yet.”

Tears welled in her eyes. So much fucking emotion in them.
She loves me
. The revelation rocked him nearly flat on his ass. God, he would do anything to keep her.

A pitiful moan escaped him. “Alice—”

Dec’s hands on his shoulders made him flinch, and when he glanced up, Ander and Kenji had arrived. He pinned Kenji with the stoniest glare he could muster.

“You have to turn her.”

Kenji crossed his arms and pouted.
Pouted
. He’d never seen anything like it.
Fucking waster!
Ian turned to Ander. He had one shot to make a case. Ander was the only one who could make Kenji save Alice. But nothing close to elegance ever came from Ian’s mouth, and he didn’t give a rat’s ass. He was desperate.

“You did this. You’re responsible.” His voice went low and ragged. “I will dog you until you die or you go off your nut. I’ll hunt down and destroy everything you love. And yes, I know about your loony sister.”

Ander appeared unmoved until Dec added his own vow. “I’ll help him do it. We all will.” The implication was obvious that the Trackers would jump in to target Ander. Ian knew they would do it. So did Ander. The
Dominus
grunted and signaled Kenji to comply. The adjuvant didn’t question, but knelt in prayer. He would have choked the fucker out for wasting time, but Alice’s soft whimpers and gurgling breaths pulled his focus back to her.

He kissed her forehead and then held her gaze with his. “I know you want to live. I know it. This is the only way. Okay?”

Her breath hitched, and she gave a jerky nod.

“I love you.” He stroked her cheek, ignoring the blood left behind on her ivory skin. “You hear me? I love you, turtle.”

Her hand tightened on his wrist, and her tears overflowed. A sharp cry came from her, and then her eyes closed and her body went slack.

“Fucking hell, Kenji, get your ass over here.”

Kenji scowled but knelt next to Alice. “This illegal transformation is on you, Tracker.”

“Fine. Do it. Because I would die for her.”

A smirk appeared on Kenji’s face. “I’d love to grant that little wish.”

Kenji waited for Ian to move his hand, and at last, he bit deep into Alice’s artery. Ian couldn’t watch. He sat his ass on the floor facing away, hating the sounds coming from the transformation behind him. Every slurp and groan and growl urged him to rip the adjuvant off her. He nearly lost his mind when Alice’s weak cries joined in, but Dec kept a bracing hand on his shoulder and began talking. Ian couldn’t thank him enough for taking the lead because his head was completely out of the game.

“So Ander, my man, can you explain why you’re harboring a wanted Legion in your home?”

Ander’s eyes didn’t flicker or react in any way. “I had nothing to do with him being here.”

“We have an informant who claims you’ve been sheltering him during the daylight hours.”

Ander brushed a hand over his dark, close-cropped hair. “Your informant was misinformed.” Funny thing about Ander was you could never gauge the
Dominus
. He was always composed. Even a sword in his gut wouldn’t make him break a sweat. At the moment, he seemed outright apathetic, regardless of the traumatic events taking place in his foyer. Maybe a sign of his age.

“Then you won’t mind if I check out your surveillance video, will you?”

Ander said nothing, but headed toward a door off the side of the foyer. Dec started to follow, but glanced at him. Ian waved him on. It wouldn’t be long until daybreak, and Ian could manage alone. He hoped. The sounds behind him died down, but then Alice screamed. Kenji’s part was over. He jumped up and rushed to Alice. She’d curled up in a ball on the floor.

Kenji rose with a disgusted grimace. “He wanted her turned, but he said nothing about aftercare. I won’t do it.”

“And I don’t want you to touch her.” Ian snarled. “Ever again.”

“Ungrateful little bastard.” Kenji started to leave.

“Send someone to feed her,” Ian called after him.

“I don’t want anything to do with it.”

“You won’t. Just send someone. She’s mine to care for.”

Kenji barely acknowledged before heading up the stairs, leaving Ian and Alice alone. She writhed and cried with pain, and he vaguely remembered how bad it was during the transformation, the agony and the hunger. Oh, hell, the hunger.

Ian scooped her into his lap and held her close. Her barely extended fangs bit into his wrist, but he didn’t pull away.

“My blood won’t do anything for you, turtle. I’m sorry. I wish it could, but we’re not mated.”

He let her take from his wrist anyway. It wouldn’t hurt him much, and it could at least dull the edge of hunger, though she’d get no nourishment from him. His arms squeezed tighter around her and a broken sob escaped him. Goddamn. If an adjuvant hadn’t been around, she would have died. He buried his face in her thick, soft hair, breathing in her beautiful scent with that hint of warm cookies.

She had a long way to go before she’d stabilize, but at least she was here in his arms, living, breathing, whole, and healed. He lifted his wrist so when her chin followed, he examined her throat. A long, pink slash marred the skin. She had a new twin in Ezra, matching scars and all. The color and thickness would fade by next nightfall as long as she fed well.

She withdrew from his wrist with a soft hiss. He tilted her face up. Her eyes had been so light, she was already gaining the red tint in them. He’d miss that silvery color, but he wouldn’t trade her well-being for anything.

“I know. Didn’t help much, did it? Just hang tight, Alice. I’ll take care of you.”

Too far into the shock of transformation to speak, she wrapped herself around him, nearly clawing at his shoulders to hold on. Seeking comfort. The change was a terrifying thing, especially to someone as unprepared as Alice had been. He cuddled her against him, pouring his heart out in low murmurs at her ear, touching her from her nape to the base of her spine and along her shapely legs draped across his lap.

He should have known the moment she’d turned him away at her office, by the way his heart had withered and crumbled like an old, yellowed newspaper. He’d felt love before. It was no stranger to him. Should have known she’d stolen his heart. Perhaps he hadn’t wanted to admit it. Accepting his feelings would have, and quite thoroughly did, open him to pain and misery. He couldn’t take another loss like when he’d lost Sean.

But he had her back, and she would be his. He didn’t care what he had to do to make that happen. He’d beg, borrow, cheat, lie, and steal. She had to be his.

Dec jogged into the foyer and slid to a stop, his eyes glued to Alice. “What the hell?”

Ian frowned. “What’s going on, Dec?” He took a closer look at his partner. The man had paled a shade or two. “What happened? Why are you looking at her like that?”

“You’re not going to fucking believe this.” Dec pointed toward Alice. “She’s an adjuvant.”

That couldn’t have surprised him more if Dec had struck him with a two-by-four. “How do you know that?”

Dec crouched next to him. “Get this. I’m in the security room zipping through video and next thing I know, there’s Alice. She’s just standing there confused, and then she tells me she’s starving.”

“Uh, are you sure you didn’t get knocked in the head at some point this evening?”

“Positive, and I’m positive she dissipated into a trail of mist. She’s a spectral. No doubt in my mind. I’ve only seen one, but he left an impression.”

“She’s been here in my arms the whole time.”

Dec shrugged. “She would be because I didn’t see
her
. I saw her astral projection. Like an advanced form of telepathy.”

Ian eased Alice off of his shoulders. “Turtle?” Her eyes seemed a little hazy, but she focused on him after a moment. “Do you remember telling Dec you were hungry?”

Her face scrunched up in concentration. She shook her head at first and then began to nod as her expression cleared.

“Can you try to tell him again?”

She closed her eyes, but nothing happened. Then Dec flinched and turned to his right. “She’s here. Right here.”

“I don’t see anything.”

“You wouldn’t. She’s projecting to me.” He talked to the empty space in front of him. “Okay, Alice. You can go back. We’re getting you someone—I mean, we’re getting you some nourishment.”

Alice slumped in his arms. “Shit,” he said, catching her before she slid off his lap. “What’s it doing to her?”

“It’s exhaustion,” Kenji said, appearing as unexpectedly as a viper. “Our abilities are draining when we’re infants. Such a useful ability goes well beyond the bounds of telepathy. It pushes even
Immortalis
barriers and projects long distances. Hers is a rare one.” A sheen of bitter envy swept over his expression, and Ian tightened his hold on Alice. He didn’t want that trash anywhere near her. If he didn’t get his damned eyeballs off her…

“What’s taking so long for the feeding? Don’t you have bleeders here or did you call a service?” He felt a momentary pang of regret for using the derogatory term for donors, but his patience had hit a limit. He was irritated, dammit.

“Any minute now.”

“And I’m taking her to a room. I won’t keep her out here on the floor like a stray dog.”

“Not demanding at all, are we, Tracker?” Kenji left, presumably to accommodate. It made no difference. He was putting her in a room for the day, whether he had to seek one out himself or not. He could picture her at his ranch so easily, but she wasn’t ready for that. She needed to be close to a blood source.

“Any luck with the video?” Ian glanced up when Dec didn’t answer.

“I’m so sorry, Ian.” His friend appeared a little rough around the edges. “I shouldn’t have left. I should’ve watched your back, especially with Revenant on the loose.”

“It’s all right, Dec. I gave the okay, and it’s what we were supposed to do. She’ll be fine now.”

“Yeah, she will, but will you? You know it was illegal.”

“You going to turn me in?” he asked. Dec didn’t laugh, not even a smile. That was standard for Dec, but Ian didn’t sense even a snicker in his friend’s demeanor. “I know. I’ll throw myself on Izel’s mercy.”

Dec’s eyebrows lifted. “Izel? Mercy? You’re kidding, right? That’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one.”

“I’m a Tracker, and I have friends in high places.” Some terrible feeling burned low in his gut, and when he gazed down at Alice in his arms, he knew what it was. He was doing it again, using his position to twist the rules into the shape he desired. He couldn’t go back and change his choices in the past, but he could face the music now. Would she hate him if he didn’t take responsibility for this? Maybe taking his punishment at Izel’s hand would finally prove to her that he wasn’t a bad cop after all. Maybe he could prove it to himself.

“Come on. Let’s find some rooms. The sun’s coming up, and I want to make sure there’s a good blockade between us and it.”

They’d made it to the top of the stairs when another sour-faced subjugate appeared. The man didn’t speak, but led them to adjacent rooms. Dec gave a semi salute before ducking into his room. He heard the
snick
of the lock and laughed to himself. If he knew Dec, his partner wouldn’t leave it at the lock. He’d have the room booby-trapped like a minefield within ten minutes flat.

Ian carried Alice into the large guest room, and the subjugate followed them in. Good. Time to get this part over with. Ian had never provided aftercare on his own before, but he knew the requirements. Alice would be ravenous, nearly out of control, and he’d have to restrain her to prevent an accidental blooding of the human donor.

The subjugate began to unbutton his shirt from the top, but Ian stopped him.

“No. From the arm. Jacket off and sleeves up.”

The man said nothing, but complied with his instructions. Were these humans beaten when they spoke inside the household? He wouldn’t put it past Ander to teach the humans such lowly behavior. They must all be destined for the
Immortalis Legio
.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, he settled Alice against his chest. Her clothing was already soiled so he didn’t bother removing it. A slight nudge gently roused her from her slumber. She sucked in a harsh breath as she came awake.

“You’re all right, Alice. I’m right here.” He caressed her blood-smeared cheek. “Hungry?”

She tried to speak, but nodded instead when the words wouldn’t come.

“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. Your mind will revolt over your instincts because you’re conditioned to eat human food. But, turtle, you need to drink. You’ll be much better after the first one, and then it’ll get easier. You’re doing quite well already. Most newly turned would be a raving mess by now, but you’re hanging in there.”

She rubbed his wrist, the one she’d fed from earlier.

“Ah, did it help?”

She nodded, and he experienced a ridiculous rush of pleasure. He’d been able to provide for her, to ease her, and he knew once they were mated, that pleasure would grow a hundredfold.

Ian motioned for the subjugate to approach, and Alice’s expression went straight to one of terror. Her eyes widened as she stared at the man’s proffered wrist. He kept his hands firmly on her hips to keep her from lunging, which was likely once she caught the scent of blood. She had the nose-crinkling revulsion going as if she’d been offered month-old trash. He chuckled and she shot him a glare. Okay, not funny. Message received.