Dracul's Revenge 01: Dracul's Blood (6 page)

Forty minutes later, he pulled up in front of Nik’s townhouse. He whistled at the expensive neighbourhood. Evidently professors’ made a heck of a lot more than he thought.

Before he could even get out of the car, the professor jogged down the front steps and went in front of the vehicle to get to the passenger door. When Nik was seated and buckled in, Bobby pulled away from the kerb.

“Can’t wait to get your hands on my cask, huh?” he joked.

Nik ducked his head and blushed. The fall of dark curls blocked Bobby’s view of Nik’s face. He reached out and patted the man’s knee.

“I’m just kidding, though I know you’re excited about seeing the cask.”

“It’s a unique specimen. I’ve never seen one like it before.” Nik’s face lit up and he glanced at Bobby. “I hope we can figure out who might have commissioned it.”

“Can you do that from looking at it?” He merged into traffic.

Nik shrugged, his slender shoulders moving under a wrinkled, dark red dress shirt.

“It’s possible, or it’ll give me hints on where to look.”

DRACUL’S BLOOD

Carol Lynne and T.A. Chase

36

Bobby’s stomach rumbled, reminding him he’d missed breakfast. “You want to grab some lunch before we head back to the precinct?”

* * * *

Nik emptied another packet of sugar into his iced tea and picked up his spoon. As he started to stir his drink, he noticed Bobby staring at him. “Is something wrong?”

Bobby gestured to Nik’s glass. “Ya like a little tea with your sugar, do you?”

Nik grinned and sipped at his drink. “I have a bit of a sweet tooth.”

“I can see that.”

Nik felt his face flush. “My parents didn’t allow sweets or television in the house.

They thought…”

Nik shut up before he made a fool of himself. He barely knew Bobby, no sense telling him his faults upfront.

“They thought what?” Bobby rested his arms on the table and leant forward like he really was interested in hearing what Nik had to say.

Nik shrugged. “I have a tendency to be a bit…scatterbrained. My parents thought it was the sugar in my diet and too much outside stimuli. So, no candy, no TV.”

He glanced up to see a big grin on Bobby’s face. “I bet you’re making up for lost time.”

Nik grinned back. “With the candy, but I still don’t own a television.”

Bobby shook his head. “I thought everyone owned at least one.”

Nik started to reach for another packet of sugar. He knew his tea didn’t need anymore, but for some reason the detective made him antsy. On the car ride over, he’d managed to steal several glances at Bobby’s powerful body. Nik wouldn’t say the guy resembled a bodybuilder, but the detective sure did have his share of muscles. He reminded Nik of the men who used to work with his father on the docks.

The waitress delivered their food and Nik’s jaw dropped. “They sure do give you big portions. I won’t need to buy another meal the rest of the weekend.”

Bobby narrowed his eyes. “Two slices of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans is enough to last you a weekend?” He shook his head. “No wonder you’re so tiny.”

For some reason, the remark cut Nik deep. How many times, growing up, had he run home to get away from bullies who tried to pick on him for his small stature?

DRACUL’S BLOOD

Carol Lynne and T.A. Chase

37

“Hey, I’m sorry. I was just teasin’.”

Nik glanced up and saw the concern in Bobby’s big hazel eyes. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.”

Bobby started to reach across the table but pulled his hand back before it reached Nik’s. “Being small isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Think of all the things you can do that I can’t.”

Nik snorted. “Yeah? Like what?”

Bobby appeared to be searching for examples. “Well, you can rescue kittens from drainpipes.”

Nik laughed. “Yes, because there’s a real need for kitten rescuers.”

Bobby shrugged. “You could easily be swept off your feet and carried to bed. Can you see someone trying to do that to me?”

Nik tried to think of the last time he’d even had a lover, let alone one who’d tried to sweep him off his feet. “I had a boyfriend in college who pushed me onto the bed several times. Does that count?”

Bobby’s nostrils flared briefly before he took a bite of his chicken fried steak. “No. You deserved to be carried, not pushed.”

“It wasn’t a mean push.” Nik couldn’t believe he’d just defended his ex. On second thoughts, maybe it had been a mean push. James liked to exert his power over Nik. It was what had ended up breaking them apart.

At only five-six, Nik may be small, but he was no weakling, and he’d hated when James tried to treat him like one. So why did the thought of Bobby carrying him to bed cause his cock to stir?
Strange.

Nik moaned as he took the first bite of meatloaf. “Oh my god, this has become my new favourite place to eat.” He licked his fork before he was aware Bobby was staring at him once again. “What? Do I have ketchup on my face?”

Bobby shook his head. “Nope. Guess I’ve just never heard someone enjoy meatloaf so much.”

Nik rolled his eyes at himself. Could he possibly be any more socially awkward?

“Sorry.”

Bobby went back to his dinner, and Nik tried to keep his noises under control. He’d become so used to eating frozen dinners, he’d forgotten what real food tasted like. “What’s DRACUL’S BLOOD

Carol Lynne and T.A. Chase

38

the address of this place?”

“Why?”

“I want to find out if it’s at all on my bus route,” Nik admitted. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Bobby it was his new favourite restaurant.

“Bus route? You don’t have a car?” Bobby looked shocked.

“I’m a New Yorker. I don’t even know how to drive, what would I do with a car?

Besides, parking costs a fortune in the city.”

Bobby finished his lunch and pushed his plate to the centre of the table. Nik missed his mouth with a forkful of food when the big man began to rub his own stomach.

Not only did the fork hurt like hell, but Bobby had witnessed the whole thing.
Yep. I’m
socially awkward.
Deciding to quit while he was ahead, he signalled the waitress.

“All done?” the woman asked.

“Can I get a to-go box, please?” He’d managed to eat about a third of his lunch before embarrassing himself too badly. Better to take the rest home than risk further humiliation.

“You sure you’ve had enough?”

Nik nodded, thanking his lucky stars Bobby had stopped with the belly petting routine. “I’m fine. If I eat too much at a sitting I get an upset stomach.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that. We’ve got a bott…er, cask to study.”

Nik pulled his battered backpack closer and unzipped the side pocket to get to his wallet. He waited while Bobby studied the bill before reaching out to tally up his share.

“I got it.” Bobby laid cash on the table along with the cheque.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I can pay my half.” He started to reach for the bill, but Bobby’s hand landed on top of Nik’s before he could grab the cheque.

“I got it,” Bobby said again. “You can get the next one.”

The wink Bobby bestowed shocked Nik to his core. Was he being flirted with? He released the slip of paper, but noticed Bobby appeared to be reluctant to remove his hand.

The waitress broke the moment by appearing with a take-out container. Bobby lifted his hand and slung his arm over the back of the booth, but he continued to maintain eye contact with Nik, until Nik finally looked away.

“Thanks.” Nik took the container and filled it with his leftovers. By the time he had his meal safely tucked away, Bobby stood beside the table.

“Ready?”

DRACUL’S BLOOD

Carol Lynne and T.A. Chase

39

Nik nodded and slid out of the booth. He felt the warmth of Bobby’s hand against the small of his back as he made his way to the door. Nik wasn’t even sure Bobby was aware he was doing it.

Once in the car, Nik tried to get his mind off the touch and back on the opportunity he had waiting for him at the police lab. “So they’re going to let me remove the seal, right?”

“As long as you can assure me you know what you’re doing, then yes.”

There was something about the way Bobby said it that reminded him of his mother.

Although he’d loved her until the day she died, Sorina Radin had never believed in him.

“Would it help if I ran down a list of my credentials? Because believe me, I’ve got them. You may think because I stick my cheek with a fork or moan when I eat really good food that I’m a simpleton, but I’m not! I’ve worked damn hard to get where I am today, and I won’t let you or anyone else call my expertise into question.”

Nik hadn’t even realised Bobby had stopped the car until he was finished ranting. His head began to pound as he closed his eyes and rested it against the back of the seat.

“Look, I don’t know what your issues are, but my ass is on the line. I’d question anyone before I gave them access to such a vital piece of evidence. Now just calm the fuck down.”

Nik was too humiliated to say anything. An apology was on the tip of his tongue, but before he could say it, Bobby spoke once more.

“By the way, the moans and the fork in the cheek? Made me hard. I don’t think you’re a simpleton, I think you’re probably a brilliant man who’s spent too damn much time in the fucking library instead of out in the real world.”

“You’re right.” Nik opened his eyes and gazed at Bobby. No way could he deny Bobby’s observations, they were spot on. So much so it was actually kind of creepy. He’d yet to process the ‘hard’ comment, which he decided to file away for future exploration.

Bobby reached out and squeezed Nik’s shoulder. “Are you ready to hold a five hundred and something year old cask?”

Nik nodded. He was grateful Bobby didn’t seem to be the kind of guy to hold a grudge. If he were honest with himself he knew it was because he liked the guy that his words had hurt so much. Hopefully his foot-in-mouth disease wouldn’t run Bobby off.

DRACUL’S BLOOD

Carol Lynne and T.A. Chase

40

Once inside the lab, Bobby showed Nik to a small room. “Wait here.”

Nik nodded, taking a seat at the long conference table. Most of what he’d need was already there. He pulled a pair of nitrile gloves out of the provided box and adjusted the blacklight lamps before turning off the overhead fluorescent lights.

Bobby returned and held the door open for a technician. The tech set the cloth-covered cask carefully onto a wooden stand. Nik was pleased the guy took such care in transporting the fragile discovery.

“Do you mind if I stay?” The technician asked Nik.

“Not at all…”

“Peter Allenbrand,” the tech provided.

Nik nodded and carefully removed the piece of cloth. A crest imbedded at the top of the wax caught his attention. “Oh, I didn’t see this in the photograph.”

“What?” Bobby leant over Nik’s shoulder, getting a closer look at the seal.

“This crest. They were used in place of signatures.” The more he examined the aging wax, the more worried he became. Nik glanced up at Bobby. “I don’t think there’s any way to get this off without breaking it.”

“Shit.” Bobby ran a hand over his short, dark blond hair. “What now?”

Nik turned to Peter. “Can you take some very detailed photographs of this for me?”

Peter looked to Bobby for permission. After Bobby nodded, the man wrapped the cask back up and carried it from the room.

Once they were alone, Bobby took a seat beside Nik. “So, what’re your thoughts?”

“Well, the crest is definitely something I can research by using a photograph. I’d still like to know what’s under the wax though.” Nik thrummed his fingers against the table. He knew even if he got to the label it would most likely be stained to the point of being illegible.

There had to be a way to get the cask to a restoration expert. It was a thing of beauty and deserved to be in a museum. A thought hit him. “I’m wondering if a call to the Mayor from an old professor of mine who now works at the Smithsonian would help.”

DRACUL’S BLOOD

Carol Lynne and T.A. Chase

41

“Help how? You’ve lost me.”

“I know you can’t go into details about the case you’re working on, but this cask is one hell of a historic find. I’d be very interested to know how relevant it is to your case.”

Bobby’s hazel eyes narrowed to mere slits. “Why does that matter?”

“Because if I call my old professor, I’ve no doubt he could have the cask in his hands within twenty-four hours. I guess what I’m asking is will this cause you a problem with your investigation?”

Bobby sighed. “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but frankly, I don’t know how to answer your question. The cask was found in the study of Morgan Thompson on the night he was killed.”

Nik swallowed. He’d read the details of the murderous rampage in the Times. He knew Thompson had murdered the servants in his household before venturing out onto the street, but that was about it. “Can I ask what made you think the cask was in any way connected?”

Bobby seemed uneasy. Nik knew it was difficult for the detective to discuss an open case.

“Please. It’s important that I know, before I make my phone call.”

“Evidence shows he’d been drinking from it on the night of the murders.” Bobby’s shoulders seemed to slump. “God, I’m so going to get fired for telling you that.”

Nik shook his head. “It won’t go any further, I promise.”

“So do you have any ideas?”

“Well, I’m surprised as hell that anything was still in the cask in the first place. Since it appears there was, it surprises me further that someone actually drank it. It couldn’t have been palatable.”

Nik buried his face in his hands, something he often did when he was deep in thought. “It just doesn’t make sense. A cask as unique as this one, still full of wine, or whatever, would be almost priceless, so why would someone intentionally devalue such an investment by drinking its contents?”

“That’s why I figured it was a substantial clue. The lab is trying to analyse the contents.”