Hunting Evil (3 page)

“Excuse me?” Vince looked shocked that she’d asked the question.

“Sorry, I seem to be putting my foot in my mouth at every turn. It’s just that I served with vampires in the Marines, and I’ve worked with them since I got out, but none of them seem to have a conscience, and they never express guilt. You seem different.”

Turning away, Vince once again trained his eyes on the group surrounding the gazebo. “I don’t know,” he mumbled. “I pretty much keep to myself, so I don’t know how others of my kind act.”

“No friends?”

“No. Why would I open myself up to heartache? Knowing you’ll outlive the people you care about is a heavy burden.”

She could see it now, the loneliness that emanated from him in waves. Lauren gave his hand a slight squeeze. “I cut myself off for years after…” She blinked away the threatening tears. “I’ve found it’s not worth it. Being alone is a horrible existence. I still keep my emotions to myself, but being touched reminds me that I’m alive.” She leaned in to whisper in Vince’s ear. “You should try it.”

Vince turned his head. Their faces were so close she felt his breath as he exhaled. Lauren was tempted to sample those perfectly proportioned lips.

“Why do you care?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’m not sure. I just do.”

Lauren closed the distance and brushed her lips against his, testing the water.

With a groan, Vince buried his fingers in her hair and took the kiss deeper, fucking her mouth with his tongue. He released her and hauled her onto his lap without breaking the kiss and pressed a hand between her legs.

Lauren knew she should stop him—hell, she barely knew the vamp—but her body craved his touch. When the heel of his hand rubbed against her clit, she began to rock against him. “Fuck me,” she whispered.

Vince used his free hand to grab a handful of her long hair. He tilted her chin back and took her mouth once again. He was mastering her, and she was letting him.

When a loud laugh caught Lauren’s attention, she broke the kiss and looked toward the gazebo. There was a girl with long, dark brown hair. She stood on one of the tables, laughing and dancing along with her friends. Lauren’s skin broke out in gooseflesh, seeing herself years earlier in the girl’s body language.

“She’s the one.” Lauren shot out of the bushes toward the crowd of teens.

Vince was momentarily stunned by their interlude. He’d never been anything less than professional on the job, and he’d definitely never felt so passionate about someone, especially a human. Before he knew it, Lauren was up and running toward the group of partiers.

Vince swore under his breath at the woman’s reckless behavior. If he ran after her, he’d risk exposing himself to Armand. A thought suddenly occurred to him. He knew if Armand was watching, he’d recognize Lauren. Was that her objective?

Tracking her every move, Vince dialed his captain.

“Bently,” the deep voice answered.

“Hey, it’s Vince. I think we have a problem.” Vince went on to tell the captain what he’d learned about Lauren’s past and her connection to Armand. He left out the part about the kiss.

“Sounds like you’ve got an eye on the next victim. I’d suggest you stick to her like glue.”

Damn, he was afraid of that. How in the world could he keep a professional distance with someone whose lips were as soft as Lauren’s? She awoke feelings in him that had long lain dormant.

Bently’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “You still there?”

“Yeah, just trying to figure out how to accomplish that. She seems pretty headstrong.”

Vince watched an animated Lauren talking to the girl. Evidently, she accomplished what she’d set out to do, because the girl nodded and called to her friends.

“The group we’re watching is disbanding. I’ll call you after I get things settled with Lauren.” Vince hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.

He studied Lauren as she walked back toward him. Yeah, she definitely knew what she was doing. The question was why hadn’t she let him in on it?

“Sorry about taking off on you like that,” she said, standing over him.

Vince rose to tower over her. “Would you like to tell me why you just voluntarily exposed yourself to Armand?”

Lauren’s T-shirt had ridden up in the action, exposing several inches of her stomach, including a small, diamond, belly-button stud. The sight captured the attention of Vince’s cock. He wondered if she had any other piercings. They were a common adornment in the vampire species, but humans had stopped piercing their bodies after that fact had become known.

Lauren made a disgusted noise and made a show of pulling down her shirt. Unfortunately for Vince’s cock, the action only drew his attention to those tits he couldn’t wait to suckle.

“Eyes up here,” she said, pointing to her face.

“Sorry,” Vince apologized. He shook his head, hoping to clear his lust-fogged brain and tried to remember what he’d been so upset about earlier. Oh, shit, yeah. “What the hell were you thinking pulling a stunt like that?”

“I knew he’d set his sights on that girl. She didn’t deserve it. If anyone does, it’s me. I’m the one he wants, not them.”

Vince knew there was a lot more to the story, but he didn’t like being out in the open while he questioned her further. “My orders are to keep you in my sight until Armand is caught. So, I guess the question is this. Your place or mine?”

“No,” Lauren said and started to walk back to Vince’s car.

Catching up, Vince grabbed her upper arm and spun her around. “Yes. My job’s to catch that psycho, and right now, you’ve made yourself his next target.”

“Believe me. I can take care of myself.”

When he continued to restrain her, a noise like none he’d heard before came out of her mouth.

“You’re a shifter,” he said. He was stunned that it had taken him so long to realize the difference in her smell. “Armand? Is that why I haven’t been able to catch him?”

Lauren looked around before nodding. “Not many people know. It’s one of the reasons I try to stay out of cities. Too many people with keen senses of smell.”

“Does the BVA know?”

“Yes.”

“The Commissioner?”

“No.” Lauren stared down at Vince’s hand.

Vince released her. Things had just gotten a lot more complicated. “The scars. How?”

“Not here.” She tilted her head slightly as if listening to something. “I feel him. He’s watching us.” Lauren grabbed her pack and slung it over her shoulder. “Let’s go to your place.”

“Why are you so agreeable all of a sudden?” Vince asked.

Lauren’s amber eyes stared back at him. She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him, sliding her tongue deftly into his mouth before withdrawing. “Because he’s seen you now, and you’re in danger. We’ll need a plan.”

Chapter Three

Vince parked outside Lauren’s hotel and accompanied her inside. “First floor? I bet the view is better the higher you go.”

Lauren inserted her key card and opened the door to her room. “It’s also harder to get away.”

Vince followed Lauren in and stopped just inside. His gaze landed on a thick notebook on the desk. “Your research?”

“Yeah.” Lauren stuffed the binder into an already-packed suitcase. “Ready.”

After his father’s death, Vince had lived out of a suitcase for almost a decade, so he knew firsthand how lonely it was to never have a place to belong. The fact that Lauren was living such a nomadic existence bothered him. After all she’d been through, Lauren deserved a home where she could feel loved and protected.

With a shake of his head, Vince opened the door. “That it?”

Lauren nodded. “Doesn’t take me long to get out of a place.”

“I see that.”

* * * *

Pulling up to a ranch-style house in the suburbs, Lauren looked over at Vince. “I pictured you more as a high-rise apartment guy.”

Flashing a toothy grin, Vince reached over and ran his knuckles down her cheek. “Too many neighbors. Disappointed?”

“Not yet,” she answered with a wink. She knew she was throwing out signals loud and clear, but she was sure he’d already scented her arousal, so why try to hide it.

For the past nine years, she’d lived on the adrenaline sex provided. She had no real home and no family despite what her DNA claimed. She was expendable, and she knew it. So why bring her heart into sex?

After shutting the garage door, Vince grabbed her bag out of the backseat and showed her inside. The door opened onto the kitchen. Lauren could tell Vince had lived there a long time. What would it be like to settle down? She shook the thought away and ventured further into the house.

Why had she pictured a sleek, modern apartment with uncomfortable furniture? This place was cozy and warm, with a deep, well-worn brown couch and chair. The fireplace was dormant, but from the faint smell, she could tell he used it in the winter months.

“Nice,” she commented.

“Thanks,” he said, setting her bag down. “Can I get you something to drink?”

Tilting her head, she studied him. “I don’t suppose vampires drink Scotch? I’d do anything for a glass.”

“Only on rare occasions, which means I have a very old bottle around here somewhere.” Vince started looking in cabinets before finally bringing out a bottle. He looked at the label and grinned. “How about a forty-eight-year-old single malt? What will that get me?”

“Anything you ask for,” she said, licking her lips.

A single black brow rose. “Anything?”

“Within reason,” Lauren answered and held out her hand for her drink. It was too late to form a plan and execute it before the sun rose anyway.

Before Lauren had the glass to her lips, Vince’s hands found their way to her breasts.

With a smirk, she savored the Scotch as he continued to knead and play with her tits. Once finished, she held out her empty glass for more. “Please?” she asked.

Vince took the glass out of her hand and nodded toward the hall. “You can have more in there. We’ll consider it a nightcap.”

More than ready to let off a little steam, Lauren led the way toward the bedrooms. “Which one?”

“Second door on the left,” he answered, following close.

After setting the bottle of whiskey and glass on the bedside table, Vince turned on a small lamp.

“No,” Lauren said, turning to face him. “No light.”

Vince shook his head. “I want to see you, all of you.”

“I thought vampires could see in the dark?”

“We can, but in order to do so, I’d have to change, and I doubt you feel like fucking a guy with red eyes, sharp fangs and a protruding jaw. Besides, I’ve already seen your scars, remember?” He walked slowly toward her, unbuttoning his shirt as he did.

Lauren almost told him that she regularly fucked red-eyed vamps but decided to ease him into that fact.

“In a dark car. Believe me, they look much worse in the light.” Lauren’s breath caught at the sight of his bare torso. She could tell he was in shape, but wow. Any bodybuilder would envy Vince’s muscle definition. His pierced nipples were the icing on the cake. A brief thought of seeing Vince being fucked by York came to mind. She wondered if Vince had ever tasted another man’s cock?

He tossed his shirt to the floor as he reached her. Taking hold of the bottom of her T-shirt, he grinned. “Now you.”

Nerves started to get the better of her, and she stiffened. Before meeting her three lovers, Lauren had always had sex in the dark, afraid of disgusting her partners with her scarred body. It had taken her several romps before she’d exposed herself to York, Drone and Benson.

“Relax,” Vince whispered as the material was pulled over her head.

Instead of turning away in disgust, Vince sat on the bed and pulled her between his legs. Taking his time, he ran his hands over her lace-covered breasts before unfastening the clasp. Her bra fell away, and he moaned.

“Beautiful,” he said as he molded his hand to her breasts. Vince leaned in and ran his tongue around one hardened nipple.

Lauren’s head fell back as she opened herself to the pleasures Vince’s touches evoked. He seemed to be as caught up as she was, because he began to growl. She grinned, hoping to draw out his darker half.

Vince leaned back and looked up into her eyes. “I’m fighting the demon to remain in control of myself.” He looked at her scantily clad body. “You’re not making it easy.”

“I don’t want you to be in control.” She bent down and bit his bottom lip. “I want you to make love to me.”

Never in her life had she asked a man to make love to her. Usually sex was sex and nothing more. So what made this time so different?

She watched as his eyes momentarily flashed red. Finesse forgotten, Vince ripped the jeans off her body and threw Lauren on the king-size bed. His own jeans were disposed of in no time then he stood over her in all his naked glory.

She spread her legs, opening herself further to his gaze. Being touched reminded her that she was still among the living, at least for a little while longer. Lauren reached down and ran her fingers through her wet pussy before giving the small gold loop that ran through her clit a gentle tug.

Nostrils flared, Vince knelt on the side of the bed and seemed to peruse every inch of her now naked body. “Condom?”

Lauren knew neither of their species carried sexually transmitted diseases. “I know for a fact you can’t get me pregnant, so why use them?”

“How do you know I can’t get you pregnant?” Vince asked.

Lauren continued to play with herself as she tried to find a way out of her current predicament. Would Vince run away screaming if he knew what a slut she’d been? “I have three regular lovers, all vampires, and I’ve never been knocked up.”

“Three?”

Lauren nodded. “Don’t get jealous. There haven’t been many people in my life that I’ve felt I could trust. The Rogue Hunters have saved my life on several occasions. If I trust them with my life, how can I not trust them with my body? Emotions don’t come into play in our relationship, but sex strengthens the bond between us.” She removed her fingers from her pussy and painted the crown of Vince’s cock with her juices, circling the Prince Albert piercing. “Have you ever been with another man?”