Born Again (11 page)

It was a pleasant ache, a constant ache to remind her of the
most incredible sex she’d just had with her werewolf. She grabbed one of Beau’s
starched white dress shirts from the closet and buttoned it quickly. Then she
tiptoed to the top of the stairs so she could eavesdrop on Beau and see who was
at the door.

Uniforms.

Police. They were seated in the study which she could
overlook from the balcony, with both Aric and Beau.

The stark black of their polished boots, the crisp, dark
blue of the uniforms with the glittering gold of their badges and the squeaks
and squawks of all their equipment.

Panic struck Sara. In all that had occurred in the last
couple of days, she’d forgotten that Aric and Beau had killed Mike and disposed
of him.

And the last one to see him alive had been her. They must be
here to question her again.

“…he was extremely jealous of Sara,” Beau was saying. “I
began to date her and it seems,” Beau squirmed uncomfortably, “that Mike had
his sights set on me, no matter what my orientation.”

“…she admitted she saw him. We’ve spoken to her and she said
he dropped soup off and left. Now we find she’s quit her job and moved from her
apartment,” the older officer said.

Beau nodded. “She’s distraught with all that’s happened. I
moved her in here with me and I meant to let her old boss know, but it slipped
my mind with all that’s going on.”

The police were being extremely agreeable and Sara suddenly
realized why. Aric sat staring intently at them—had been since he’d brought
them.

Now he sat, his gaze locked on them as if he used a form of
mind control on the wooden officers.

“Any idea where he might be?”

“From what I understand,” Beau said slowly. “There was
another woman that lived in Sara’s building who was extremely jealous of Sara. She
was trying to use Mike as competition against Sara, which is why I moved Sara
out.”

“Competition how?”

“Sara performed psychic readings for the tenants of her
building. Mike claimed to be a psychic also, so Mattie was trying to steal her
business, claiming a percentage of Mike’s earnings.”

“What is the woman’s full name?” one officer asked, leaning
in with his notebook in hand.

“Mattie Webb.”

Sara wondered how Beau knew. She was also puzzled by the way
Aric leaned in, the same way as previously, total concentration on his face.

The officer looked robotic, oddly serene, a strange, wooden
expression on his obviously manipulated face. “We spoke to Mattie Webb. She
didn’t know Mike Johnson and claimed to not even know Sara Michaels, although
she’d seen her around the building from the picture we produced.”

“She’s lying,” Beau said simply. “Mike was actually bisexual
and in a relationship with Mattie.”

Now Sara knew Beau was manipulating the story. There was
nothing bisexual about Mike, he was all the way gay with the added benefit of
being an all-around woman-hater. Mattie was the strong-willed kind of woman he’d
detest, if he’d ever met her.

“Did she invite you into her apartment?” Beau asked.

“No, she came out into the hallway to speak with us.” The
younger officer seemed to stop and think about that.

The older officer stood. “Thanks for the new lead, Mr.
Pierson. We’ll investigate this again.” He turned toward Aric. “Need a ride
back home, Mr. Ishee?”

Beau spoke before Aric. “That’s fine. I can have a car take
Aric home later. We’re business associates and planned to meet later today
anyway.”

The younger officer said snidely, “Business associates
seeing the same woman?”

Instantly, his face resembled clay again, the features
morphing into smoothed relaxation. Aric had leaned forward with his gaze.

“Jealousy speaking. I’ve seen Ms. Michaels and even sick
with the flu she was a most beautiful woman, inside and out. Thank you for your
time.”

He stood and Beau walked both zombied officers to the door.

After closing the heavy door and locking it, he called out
to the top of the stairs.

“You can come out now.”

Sara walked down the stairway, slowly.

Aric’s face looked slightly stunned at the sight of her,
barefoot and lean-legged in Beau’s crisp, white starched shirt that hung to the
top of her thighs.

Step by step she glided, hair tousled and her lips swollen. There
was a slight whisker-burn strewn in various places across her neck and visible
through the open throat of the shirt. A woman well loved and his lips
tightened.

“Sweet,” he muttered.

Beau didn’t say a word when Aric stretched out a hand and
pulled her to him. He hugged her briefly and pressed a desperate kiss to the
top of her hair.

Beau couldn’t say a word, not when he thought of how he’d
react in Aric’s situation. Sara was luscious and languid, like a cat basking in
the sun after a meal of pure cream. A woman well loved just hours previously. That
was the only reason his jealous wolf was kept at bay. Finally, the beast was
satisfied with the wild, rough sex they’d shared.

And he knew, with Aric’s senses as sharp as his own, that she
smelled of wolf loving.

“Let’s sit,” Beau said abruptly.

He decided he couldn’t sit across from Sara, not with the
expanse of those smooth long legs before him. Instead, Beau sat on the sofa,
right next to her and Aric, and didn’t even flinch when Aric draped his arm
over her shoulders, coming dangerously close to touching his shoulder.

Instead, Beau took her other hand in his and brought it to
his lips.

“Were the officers asking those questions, or was Aric
manipulating their thoughts? ‘Cause that’s what it looked like from the top of
the stairs,” she asked. She was trembling and Beau knew it wasn’t from the
cold.

“Sara, what are you afraid of, love?” He regretted showing
her his violent, wolf side earlier. It was too soon, especially after the
problem with Mike. Knowing about his inner beast and seeing it were two
different things altogether.

“You two killed him, didn’t you?” she asked, her voice a
whisper.

“Of course not,” Beau said, shocked.

“Sweet, we have become just as civilized as you over the
centuries,” Aric said, amusement on his face. “We no longer go around like
cavemen, bashing skulls with rocks when someone offends us.”

“Offends? He tried to kill me. So he’s not dead?” Sara
asked, puzzled. “Then where is he?”

Beau answered. “I would have told you earlier if I’d
suspected you were thinking that. Aric mind-zapped him and your Mattie, who
actually was planning to steal your business just as Aric suggested to the
police. She didn’t know that Mike was planning to kill you that day in your
apartment, though.”

“The officers will obtain a search warrant, as I suggested
into their minds,” Aric said. “They will find Mike hiding out in her apartment,
alive and well, remembering a love relationship with Mattie that she will
verify, neither one aware of the implanted memories. Of course, people at your
work will be surprised, knowing his orientation, but they will all assume that
he and Mattie planned this from the beginning. He’ll be arrested for staging
his death in order to get you arrested so Mattie could reintroduce him as the
new psychic in town, stealing your business. She will be arrested as his
accomplice.”

“And no one’s dead,” Sara said slowly. “What else am I
missing out on?”

“What do you mean?” Beau asked.

“If I had remembered my past life, I wouldn’t have been
taken in by Mike. If I knew more about it, I would have been more wary of him
as a danger. I think I should probably delve into it.”

“I don’t think so,” Beau said, looking quickly at Aric. “Obviously,
it wasn’t pleasant or we wouldn’t be where we are now. Mike’s done, he won’t
harm you any longer.”

“But how do we know there’s no other dangers?” she asked.

“Sweet, Beau and I were there, remember? You’re in no other
danger. Forget the past and let’s go on from the present.”

“Are you sure? You don’t think anything else is important?”

“Nothing else is that important.” Beau smiled reassuringly.
“The most incredible thing is that we found you and we’re slowly managing to
work things out. One day at a time.” Beau kissed her temple as he spoke and she
thought she saw him catch Aric’s eye right before he leaned in. She passed it
off as the unusual feelings between the three of them right now.

But he was right. One day at a time was all she could hope
for at this moment.

“This is an extremely difficult situation, isn’t it?” Sara
asked, watching Aric’s face as Beau pressed more kisses to her skin.

“Maybe we’ll get used to it in time,” Aric said.

As a group, the three of them leaned back against the sofa, Beau’s
head tilted onto hers and Aric’s arm around her shoulders.

“What do you and Beau spend so much time discussing?” Sara
asked.

“How much information you should know about the past and how
much could be detrimental should you be told.”

“Shouldn’t I have a say in these discussions then? Since
they’re about me?”

Beau answered instead. Playfully, he nuzzled her throat. “If
we wanted you to have an opinion, we would have told you about our talks,” he
laughed, his tongue reaching out to taste her sweet skin.

“Knock it off,” Aric growled.

Talk about role reversal.

“Aric, are you hungry?” she asked, realizing that he was
upset with Beau’s face at her throat.

He acknowledged with the slightest inclination of his head.
“I have not fed today.”

“I don’t mind if you need to,” Beau said quietly.

“You’re sure?” Aric asked, seeking Beau’s eyes.

“Shouldn’t I be asked?” Sara said.

“Like you’d refuse me,” Aric answered, his lips curving
against her cheek. “Feel like trying something new?” The look in his eyes was
dark and sultry, as if he knew secrets that she didn’t.

“What is it?” she asked, breathless from his look.

“Let me watch you kiss Beau, Sara. Make it good. Give me a
show.”

Beau wasn’t protesting, so Sara gently pulled his handsome
face toward hers. His blue eyes slowly closed as he leaned in and their lips
met.

When his tongue reached to meet hers, Sara opened her mouth
and the intake of breath near her ear let her know that Aric watched intently.

Then, Aric reached around to unbutton a couple of the top
buttons on her shirt, enough so that he could pull it from her shoulder.

He strung kisses along the bared flesh, her smooth skin as
soft as the feel of his lips.

Sara twined her tongue with Beau’s and this time his kisses
were soft instead of hard, as they had been earlier.

Just as she was enjoying the kiss, Aric pierced her neck and
the need to feed him burned hotly through her veins.

The sensations were like nothing else on this earth.

She broke away from Beau long enough to mutter, “Oh my God.”

Beau plundered her mouth again. The sensations evoked from
the feeding were indescribable. Sharing life was the best way to describe it. Sara
had never given birth, but she imagined this was how a woman felt creating
life. Or delivering life. Knowing that another needed her so desperately that
survival depended upon the force flowing through her veins. It was even more
incredible to know that the person depending upon her was so deeply loved by
her.

Then the feeding changed. Aric’s emotions flooded through
her open veins. Unconditional love, affection and untempered lust. Centuries of
lust, quenched by no other, because no one else would ever do but her.

It was getting harder to breathe, but she gasped her need
for air, refusing to allow Beau to leave her. And he didn’t.

The kiss connected them as never before, cementing their relationship,
although it was already previously sealed.

She felt Aric’s intense feelings and knew his gentle sucks
were nearing an end. Sorrow filled her and then his assurance that this would
not be their only feeding swept through her.

But would it be their only session with Beau included? she
wondered. The answered drifted immediately from Beau.

I could never bring myself to deny your wishes
.

Aric removed the warmth of his mouth and began to slowly
lick at the sensitive pinpricks at her neck.

Beau finally lifted his mouth from hers and whispered, “Are
you okay?”

Her body was languid, her eyelids fluttering. “Mmm.”

His lips curved. “Relaxed, baby?”

“You have no idea.”

Aric still soothingly passed his tongue along her flesh.

“I do have an idea,” Beau said.

“You felt it?” she asked, her lazy eyes wide now with
amazement.

“Yeah,” he said, kissing her forehead gently. “Everything.”

Aric pulled away from her neck and Beau glanced up at him. “Thanks,”
he said.

Aric was silent and Sara couldn’t see behind her to watch
his expression. From Beau’s look, however, it was a sort of magical truce
between the two of them.

The silence continued and Beau faced her, his head resting
on the sofa. Aric held her from behind and they relaxed into the comfortable
space that needed no other speech.

Aric was the one to break the quiet.

“Enough time has passed that the officers should be well on
their way. I will return home. Tomorrow night, Sara.” He turned her and kissed
her possessively.

“Take my car,” Beau said. “When you send your limo for Sara,
I’ll come along and drive my own car to work from your place.” He tossed his
keys at Aric and Sara made her way back upstairs while they continued to talk.

* * * * *

Beau and Sara arrived at Aric’s before Beau had to leave for
work. Francesca was in the hall waiting for Sara.

“Where’s Raphael?” Sara asked.

“Downstairs packing. We leave tonight when the sun goes
down. We were waiting for you to return.”