Read Cora's Secret: A Vampire Ménage Urban Fantasy Romance Online

Authors: Tracy Cooper-Posey

Tags: #mmf series, #elven romance, #urban fantasy romance, #paranormal menage, #vampire romance, #menage a trois romance m f m m

Cora's Secret: A Vampire Ménage Urban Fantasy Romance (3 page)

BOOK: Cora's Secret: A Vampire Ménage Urban Fantasy Romance
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Rhys recalled that it had been months since he’d hit the gym. He looked down at the remains of the bacon, hash browns and eggs he’d had for his early dinner and grimaced. He was a long way away from the sort of health that would make him glow.

He looked up from the plate as the man came inside, sized the room up in one sweep, then moved over to the counter and settled on one of the row of empty stools there. Most people took booths and Rhys was usually the only one eating at the counter. But he was usually the only one eating alone.

The blond man glanced at him and gave him a short nod. His eyes were blue, like Rhys’, but deeper. Then he picked up the menu that laid in front of him and studied it.

Rhys thought the guy was possibly taller than him. His shoulders were solid, matching his overall health and proving that he exercised. There was a serious amount of muscle there and none of it was steroid-induced excess. He worked his muscles hard and built them the honest way.

All in all, the guy looked harmless. He was probably passing through town like most strangers pulling into the diner were. But Rhys found himself studying him even more closely. There was something about him that was interesting. He didn’t know what it was yet. It wasn’t like his cop’s instincts were jumping. The man gave off no negative signals at all. But Rhys couldn’t look away.

The man looked up from the menu and around, almost like he could feel Rhys staring at him. Their gazes met and the man’s eyes narrowed. Not in anger or suspicion, but puzzlement.

Rhys got to his feet and moved down the counter to where the man was sitting. He leaned against the counter. “It’s a knock-out day, isn’t it? Good for travelling.”

“It is,” the man agreed coolly.

Up this close, he really did seem to glow. It came from his skin, like the luster inside oyster shells.

“You heading through?” Rhys asked.

The man put down the menu and turned to face him directly. Rhys had a feeling that he was about to tell him to fuck off and mind his own business. Then his gaze flickered over the badge on Rhys’ belt and he relaxed and gave him a friendly smile. “I’m not sure, Sheriff. I’m done driving for the day, that’s for sure. I saw the lake in the distance and thought I’d find a place for the night here. The water looks wonderful.”

“You like water sports, then?” That might explain the glow. A touch of sun. It was late summer, after all.

“I do.” The man’s gaze was pulled away by Betsy as she sauntered over to them with her hand on her hip.

“D’ya for?” she asked. Her gaze flickered toward Rhys. “You need more coffee, Sheriff?”

“I would like another one, yes.”

“Could I get the Cobb salad, please,” the blond man told her.

Yeah, the healthy type. Rhys mentally sighed.

“Sure thing.” Betsy took the menu from him and wandered away. She never seemed to hurry but tables got waited upon with invisible efficiency, anyway. It was another reason Rhys liked coming here.

“I’ll let you get on with your supper.” Rhys turned away, intending to go back to his stool.

“Stay and talk.”

Rhys turned back to him. “Excuse me?”

The man frowned. “I’m sorry…?”

“You said something.”

He shook his head slowly. “Nope.”

Rhys pressed his hand against the counter. “My mistake.”

The man turned on the stool to face him. “Do you check out every stranger that shows up in Erie, Sheriff?”

Rhys got the impression it wasn’t an idle question. “I like to stay on top of newbies.”

“New people are a problem?”

Rhys grimaced. “I’m a county sheriff. That means I’ve got charge of a lot more than just Erie itself. The county is fifteen hundred square miles and there are three hundred thousand people living in it. I have seven deputies and I can call in the local police as I need to. But the Interstate runs right past the city, there’s the resort and the casino out on the island and the Canadian border is halfway across the lake. Yeah, strangers are an issue. Especially lately.”

Betsy put a fresh mug of coffee in front of Rhys. “Awww, Sheriff, everyone knows why you like to hang out at the casino. The southern one, right?” She laughed like it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard, then held the pot over the mug in front of the blond man.

He shook his head. “Do you have green tea?”

Betsy tilted her head. “We’ve got normal teabags in the back, if you want.”

“Just water, thanks.” He smiled at her without resentment and looked back at Rhys. “Why are strangers suddenly a problem, Sheriff?”

Rhys sank onto the stool and picked up his coffee. “I’m Rhys. Rhys Wisherd.”

“Luke Alvey.” He held his hand out and Rhys shook it, feeling the expected strength there, but Luke Alvey didn’t try to crush his fingers, either.

“Alvey. That’s a rare one.”

“It’s English. I looked it up, once. It means ‘elf-battle’.” Luke grinned. He nodded his thanks as Betsy put a big glass of iced water in front of him. “You were saying?”

“I was?” Rhys asked.

“About strangers and recent troubles.”

Rhys looked around the diner, suddenly aware of the people who might be listening in. But the diner was almost empty. There was a couple in the far corner booth, their heads together. Even Betsy had disappeared into the kitchen.

Luke was watching him, his expression patient.

“I don’t know why the fuck I’m suddenly spilling my guts to you.”

“I’m interested. I’m from Manhattan. There, the problems are self-evident, everywhere you look. This little city looks angelic in comparison. It’s difficult to wrap my head around the idea that you have troubles more serious than drunk high school kids and hunters going over their limit.”

Rhys scratched at the steel countertop with his thumb nail. “I meet with the Erie police chief every Thursday night. He plays a rotten game of cards, especially after his third beer, but he likes to talk.” He shifted on the stool, uneasiness curling through him. A part of his mind was screaming at him.
Shut up! Shut up!

Luke rested his elbow on the counter and his head on his hand, exactly like someone who had been driving all day and was feeling the effects. “The police are worried, too? What’s happening?”

“Missing persons. The number of missing person reports has quadrupled in the last six months.”

“Did you have many before that?”

“A few. Little Alison Howey might take exception to her husband banging the girl in his office and take off for Pittsburgh and not tell him. Some kids run away because the home life isn’t all great. But that’s usual. That’s expected and most of ’em, even if we never found them, we could figure out why they’d run. But lately….” He shook his head.

“Everything is normal, then abruptly, they’re gone.”

“Exactly.” Rhys knocked back a big mouthful of the coffee. From the sour taste he knew he’d reached his limit for the day. He would pay for it tonight if he kept drinking it.

“What else?” Luke asked.

“The park wardens pick up a lot of poachers during the off-season and there’s some funny stories coming from the hunters they catch. Claims that there’s more than bears in the woods these days. One or two of them I’d pass off as poachers trying to shift attention away from their transgressions. But you know what?”

“Poaching has dropped down to next to nothing,” Luke said softly.

Rhys nodded. “Something is scaring these macho idiots right out of the forests.”

“Missing people. Hunting regulations. That’s not your usual beat, is it, Sheriff?”

Rhys shrugged. “I grew up in this town. I know everyone. I get to hear stuff. There’s always been a floating population and a drug problem because of the border crossing the lake here. But now it’s even weirder shit. Animal mutilations. Household pets and wild game, their carcasses ripped to shreds. A veterinary friend of mine who got to see one of them said it was hard to tell because of how torn up the body was, but he thought something had been chewing on it and whatever it was, it wasn’t a bear.”

Luke nodded, his expression grave. This was the first time Rhys had ever spoken about the uptick in crimes and problems. Even though it sounded like paranoia run amok to him, Luke didn’t seem to have any problems believing him. Perhaps that was why he was offloading his concerns onto a total stranger.

Rhys lurched to his feet. “Listen to me run off at the mouth. I’m sorry.”

“I get the feeling there’s not too many other people around here you can talk to. Don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks for understanding.”

“No problems. But while you’re here, can I ask you for a recommendation for somewhere to stay for the night? Perhaps a bed and breakfast on the lakeshore, where I can see the water?”

“There’s dozens of them,” Rhys told him. “Lots of Victorian gingerbread houses all painted up. Azure Arms is a good one. Ginny Jacobs runs it and has for years and years. Tell her I sent you.”

“Thanks, I will.” Luke turned back to face the counter as Betsy put a loaded plate in front of him. “You be careful, Sheriff. You’ve got problems you have no idea you’re dealing with.”

Rhys studied him. Now Luke was turned back to face the counter, Rhys was at too sharp an angle to really see his face properly. But for a moment, he thought that Luke hadn’t moved his mouth when he spoke.

Ventriloquism? But even if he
could
throw his voice, why would he?

Rhys dismissed the stupid notion. He simply hadn’t been able to see Luke speak, that was all.

But it was a very odd thing to say.

The flesh over his spine shifted uneasily. A dozen questions prodded for attention. Rhys stared at Luke’s shoulders as the man started to eat. He was pleasant, gave off absolutely zero signals that he was likely to be any sort of trouble, plus he was passing through. He’d be gone by tomorrow. Making him answer more nosy questions would be bordering on harassment.

So Rhys hitched his belt so it settled properly on his hips and cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you to your supper. Enjoy your stay.”

Luke looked over his shoulder. One very blue eye looked at him. “I will. Thank you.”

Rhys went out to his cruiser and climbed in. He glanced at the time readout on the dashboard and tried to shrug off the uneasy feeling still scratching between his shoulder blades. There was enough time for him to drive out to the casino and spend a few minutes catching up with Jimmy Eschlen, the manager. It had been a few days since he’d been out there and it was a trouble hot spot. Jimmy would clock on around now.

He started the car and pulled out into Highway 79. It would eventually get him to Peninsula Drive, the causeway that gave access to the island. As he drove, he tried to ignore the voice in his mind that was laughing at the idea that it was Jimmy he was really going to see.

Chapter Three
 

Cora swept up the cards with a practiced motion. She was on the last three hours of her shift and was already looking forward to going home. She tapped them into a pack and slid the pack into the back of the shoe, face-up.

“Coralee,” the middle-aged man on the far left of the table said, reading off her name tag. “That’s a pretty name.”

“Why, thank you,” Cora told him, making her cheek dimple. “It’s so sweet of you to say so.” She injected more of the South into her accent. The accent was genuine, but she had been away from Texas long enough that it had faded. But the accent, the smile and the dimple got her big tips. So did the cleavage she let show beneath the croupier’s vest.

She glanced around the table once more, sizing it up. Her table was already full and it was only six. That was a sure sign the night was going to be a busy one. Busy meant more tips, so she smiled at everyone and rolled into the next deal.

Her hands moved automatically, finding the deal squares almost on their own, so she had the chance to glance up as she dealt, checking the other tables and the general flow of gamblers around the floor. Sometimes, she could coax the big rollers to come over to her table and park, if she could catch their eye and look at them steadily for a heartbeat, before dropping her gaze away like she was flustered. She had a full table right now, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t size up possibilities. This was a hundred dollar minimum bet table, which the big gamblers preferred.

They always put her on the high stakes tables. She was one of the casino’s best dealers, pulling in good tips and bringing gamblers back night after night.

Rhys Wisherd was standing at the top of the three broad steps that led down into the casino, looking around. He was wearing jeans and a shirt that looked like the pin-striped button-through she liked. It was soft from too many washings which made it more casual than a button-through generally was. His black casual jacket hid the Browning he kept under his arm and the badge on his belt.

Even from here, Cora could see the vivid blue of his eyes. His hair was dark and unruly, the waves longer than she’d expect a lawman to wear them. There were wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and his mouth was pushed into a thoughtful pout.

The edge of the card she was dealing scraped across the green baize with a rough sound and she dragged her gaze back to the cloth and the deal.

BOOK: Cora's Secret: A Vampire Ménage Urban Fantasy Romance
9.81Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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