Hunting Evil (5 page)

“I told you, I don’t know how.” Vince ran his fingers through his thick hair before moving to spread out atop her once again. His erection was still intact, and he began to move his hips back and forth, obviously seeking a warm place to call home.

Before she could get distracted by the delicious feel of his body, Lauren needed answers. “What about this Fane guy? Couldn’t he instruct you?”

Vince stilled his grinding hips. “Fane was murdered when word first got out about vampires living among humans.”

Lauren pulled down his head and kissed him. She felt his loss as if it were her own. “I’m sorry,” she whispered against his lips.

Vince shook off her concern in the typical tough-guy way. “It was a long time ago.”

“You could call York. He could walk you through it. He’d know whether or not I could be changed. He sired Benson and Drone.”

“It’s not just whether or not you can be changed. Vampire DNA is much different, and not every vampire’s blood is pure enough to complete the transition.”

“Fane was obviously pure enough to sire you, so why do you think you’d be any different?” Lauren asked.

“I’m finished with this conversation.”

“I bet York would be able to tell,” Lauren offered.

“If York knows so much, why didn’t you just ask him?” Vince grumbled. She felt his length against her as he stared into her eyes.

“I want
you
to do it,” she moaned.

In one smooth move, Vince impaled her ass once more. God, she could learn to live with an eternity of this.

Chapter Four

The ringing phone woke them the next afternoon. Vince reached over and fumbled for it. “Hello?”

“Looks like we might have another one,” Bently said.

“What?” Vince sat up, feeling Lauren’s hand on his back. She’d been so sure Armand had chosen the girl they’d warned in the park. “That can’t be.”

“A girl was found raped and cut-up in the park. Whose handiwork does that sound like to you?”

Vince swore. “I can’t go outside for another five hours at least.”

The bed shifted, and he looked over his shoulder. “Where’re you going?” he asked Lauren.

“What? I’m going to the crime scene,” the captain answered.

“Sorry, I was talking to Lauren. I’ll call you back.” Vince hung up the phone and stalked toward his woman. “You can’t go out there alone.”

“Was it another girl?” she asked, pulling a clean shirt out of her overnight bag.

“Yes.” He picked up his jeans from the floor and began getting dressed.

“Where?”

“In the park,” Vince replied. If she was going, he’d go with her.

“What are you doing?” Lauren pulled on the shirt without bothering to put on a bra.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight. I’ve told you that. If you insist on risking your life, then I’ll risk mine.” Pushing down his need to fuck her once again, Vince went to the closet and chose his heaviest long-sleeved shirt.

“Don’t be stupid,” Lauren said, shoving her feet into her shoes. “You’ll burn to a crisp before you hit the park.”

Vince shrugged. “I’m not letting you go alone.”

Shaking her head, she disappeared into the bathroom. Vince finished getting dressed and dug in the guestroom closet for his long black duster. He found a ski mask and stuck it in the pocket. He’d either die of sunburn or heatstroke, he thought.

“Here,” Lauren said from behind him. “If you’re going to be my protector, at least put this on.” She started smearing thick zinc oxide all over his face.

“Are you kidding me? I’ll look like a clown.”

“Better a clown than a French fry. Now, stand still.”

* * * *

Lauren had to keep the grin off her face as she watched Vince from the corner of her eye. Slumped down in the seat, covered from head to toe, he looked a lot like the Invisible Man.

It was only when she remembered why he was risking his life by venturing out into the sunshine that she sobered. Was she being selfish? Maybe she should have waited until nightfall to investigate. “Maybe, this isn’t a good idea.”

“I’ll be fine. I might have a nice rosy glow to my skin before all is said and done, but I’m covered enough to survive.”

She found the crime scene easily. Lauren parked and turned to face Vince. “Do you want to wait in the car while I check things out?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know if they’ll even let you in without me. Besides, how can I watch your back from the car?”

“God, I want to kiss you right now.” She looked at the thick layer of white ointment on his lips. “What the heck,” she said just before leaning in to give him a kiss. “Thank you.”

Vince smiled. “Now, you look like a sixties go-go dancer.” He handed her a tissue and pointed toward her white lips.

“It was worth it.” She wiped her mouth and dug the tube of ointment out of her pack. “Unfortunately, I seem to have left you pretty much bare.” She applied another thick coat to his sensual lips as he grimaced behind the ski mask. “Baby,” she teased as she got out of the car.

Trying their best to stay in the shade, they walked toward the group of policemen. When one of them tried to stop them from ducking under the crime scene tape, Vince held up his badge for inspection.

“Milano?” the officer questioned. “What’re you doing out in the day?”

“It’s my case,” he said, pulling Lauren through the throng of men in blue.

When they reached the scene, the technicians were loading the bagged body into their van.

“Wait,” Vince called out. He jogged to the men before they could shut the door. He once again held up his badge. “I need to inspect the body to make sure we’re dealing with another of Armand’s victims.”

The morgue technician looked toward Bently, who gave a nod. Standing back, the tech gestured toward the body. “She’s all yours, or at least, what’s left of her.”

Stepping up inside the van, they crouched beside the gurney. Lauren was glad they’d already loaded it. The more Vince was sheltered, the better off he’d be. With a shaking hand, she unzipped the black vinyl bag. The first thing that struck her was the lifeless eyes that stared back at her.
So young
, she thought as she continued to reveal the body. “It’s not the same girl.”

Looking at the condition of the girl’s body, Lauren shook her head. “These cuts are different.”

“I see that,” Vince agreed. “Do you think it could be a copycat?”

“No. It was Armand. These wounds look like mine did, before he became detached enough to use more finesse. He attacked this girl in a frenzied state. I’d say he’s pissed. She doesn’t even look like me, which is also different from his normal pattern.”

Lauren looked through the open doors of the van, searching the edges of the park.
Are you here? Are you watching me?

“He picked this girl randomly. Probably to show me that more would suffer if I didn’t find him.”
And I will find you.

“It’s not your fault.” Vince touched her shoulder with his gloved hand.

“Finished?” she asked, pointing to the girl’s body.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” Vince said.

They jumped out of the van, and Vince gestured toward his captain. “I’ll be just a minute. Stay put.”

“Okay,” she said already distracted.

As she watched the crime scene investigators comb through the grass around where the body was found, she heard a high-pitched wail. Turning toward the sound, she looked up at the rocky outcropping at the edge of the park.

“Gotcha,” she whispered. Lauren knew it was Armand’s way of letting her know where to find him.

Lauren wanted to take off right then but wasn’t completely stupid. She dug in her pack and pulled out her cell phone. “Hi, York, it’s Lauren. I need your help.”

* * * *

After getting Vince safely home, Lauren left him to sleep. Although he received only minor burns, the sunlight had drained his strength tremendously. She paced the living room trying to come up with a plan.

York was scheduled to arrive at any time, and she dreaded telling Vince. How was she going to convince him that they needed York?

“Lauren?”

She spun around to find Vince leaning against the doorframe. “What’re you doing up?” She went to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

Although Vince let her lead him, he put up a token protest. “I have work to do.”

“Which won’t get done while you’re as weak as a kitten.” She grinned at his growl.

Helping him into bed, she sat beside him. “How’re you feeling?” she asked, running her palm down the side of his face.

“Fine,” he grunted.

Gathering her courage, Lauren decided to lay everything out on the table. “I know where Armand’s been living. As soon as I’m changed, I’m going after him.”

Vince shook his head and tried to sit up. Lauren pushed him back down. “York is on his way. You have a choice to make. He can either walk you through transforming me, or he’ll do it himself.”

“He already agreed to turn you? Then why do you need me?” he asked, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest.

Biting her bottom lip, she sighed. “How close were you to your sire after he turned you?”

“What do you mean? He was a close friend of the family.”

“But would you say you had a special connection to him afterward that wasn’t there before?”
Please let him believe me
. She really didn’t want to wait for York to explain this. York’s temper was much shorter than hers, and the last thing she needed was a scuffle between the two of them.

“Spit it out, Lauren. What are you trying to say?”

Lying down beside Vince, she placed her head on his now-healed chest. “According to York, a special bond is formed between a vampire and his or her sire. I want that bond with you, but the fact is, I don’t want to die either.”

God, she hated this, but she needed to make a decision. “If you don’t care enough about me to do this, I’ll ask York.”

Vince was so still under her head that Lauren thought he might have fallen asleep. Finally, he blew out a frustrated-sounding breath. “So I either do this or lose you to York. Is that what you’re telling me?”

She hated the way it made her sound. “I’m sorry.”

“You seem to say that a lot.” Vince gently moved her off him and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He rose and began pacing the bedroom, his fingers worrying his hair.

Turning toward her, he put his hands on his hips. “It’s not that I don’t want that bond with you, but I’d be breaking a promise.”

Lauren cocked her head. “Who did you promise?”

“Fane, my sire. He agreed to transform me if I promised to never do it to another.”

Lauren nodded. She thought she understood him better now. Vince had been alone for decades because he’d refused to break his word. Now, here she stood, asking him to do just that.

“Forget I asked,” she said, taking a deep breath. Lauren knew she wouldn’t ask York to change her. It wouldn’t be right with anyone but Vince.

Vince narrowed his eyes. “So what now? You run off with your friend, York, when this is over?”

“No,” Lauren whispered. “I go after Armand with the strength I was born with and hope for the best.”

Vince was beside her in the blink of an eye. “Not alone. I’ll always be by your side.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. “I’m falling hard and fast for you.”

The kiss between them was explosive, igniting a lifetime of dormant passion. Pushing Lauren back on the bed, Vince covered her body with his.

Pounding on the front door broke them apart.

“Your friend has horrible timing,” Vince quipped.

“I’ll be sure and tell him that,” Lauren laughed as she righted her clothes.

Chapter Five

Lauren opened the door and was scooped up by her large, tattooed friend. “Hey, York,” she said, nipping his earlobe.

York gave her a hug then set her back on her feet. “Where is he?” he asked, scanning the room.

“Getting dressed. He was out in the sun this afternoon, and he’s not a hundred percent yet, so be nice,” she said, pointing her finger in York’s face.

“A vamp with a death wish, huh?” York gathered his long black hair and tied it at the nape of his neck, something he always did before a battle.

“No. Vince refused to let me go to the newest crime scene alone. He risked his life to watch my back.”

York gave a low whistle. “Sounds like a stand-up guy.”

Lauren felt Vince’s presence in the room. She turned and held out her hand. “Vince, I’d like you to meet one of my oldest—and I mean that literally—friends, York.”

Vince stepped forward and stood nose to nose with York. After sizing up each other, they shook hands, grunted and gave each other a nod of acceptance.

Lauren rolled her eyes.
Men.
“Are you two finished?”

Turning back toward Lauren, Vince wrapped his arm around her waist in a territorial hold.

York looked at Lauren with a huge grin on his face. “Ain’t that sweet,” he mocked.

“Shut up,” Lauren chuckled. “Someday, the bug will bite you, and then I’ll be the one to laugh.”

“Not hardly.” York turned away quickly and walked over to sit on the sofa. “So, when do you want lover-boy to turn you?”

Lauren braced herself for her friend’s fury. “He’s not. I’m going in without it.”

“What!” York bounded off the couch and towered over Lauren. “You can’t be serious?”

The dangerous-looking vampire eyed Vince before glancing back at Lauren. “Is it the bonding issue? He doesn’t want the responsibility?”

Lauren shook her head and put her hand on York’s arm to calm him. “It’s between the two of us. It’s not that Vince doesn’t want to be bonded to me.”

Vince cleared his throat. “I made a promise to my sire to never turn another. I’ve lived over ninety-three years with that promise.” he hugged Lauren tighter against his side. “I’m falling in love, and I don’t know how to keep my word and still protect what’s mine.”

York walked off in disgust. He stalked around the living room, muttering to himself for several minutes before turning back to Lauren. “I’ll do it.”