“Definitely a vampire that did this, though, right?” Harris asked, gesturing to the man’s neck.
There were two puncture wounds on the side of his throat, right over the carotid artery. They were crusted with dried blood—but not nearly as much as there should have been. Most of the blood in this man’s body had likely been gone before he hit the ground.
I rocked back onto my heels. My unease deepened, though I wasn’t sure why.
“It was a vampire. Yes.”
Harris studied my face and frowned. “Any idea why the vamp would have picked this guy?”
“Nothing that will help you,” I said, pushing myself to my feet. “It could be that the vampire’s particular about their victims and only kills men who wear leather jackets. Or maybe it was opportunistic—the guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time and found himself face to face with a hungry vampire. Or it could be anything else.”
“Okay. And how do I fight a vampire, Cole?”
I shot him a dark look, one brow arched. “You’re really asking me that?”
He sighed. “I’m not planning on harming you. But if there’s some other fanged fuck out there killing innocent people, I ought to know how to defend myself if it comes down to it.”
“You don’t,” I said.
Harris glared. “I don’t what?”
I considered him. He was an attractive man—barely thirty, tall and solidly built, dark-skinned, with broad features and full lips. Deliciously masculine. He would have been a himbo, truly, except for the intelligence in his dark eyes, which burnedwith determination. I could almost see his need to make this right somehow. I’d met very few men like him through the years. Truly, he was a rare sort—someone who’d seen the worst humanity had to offer and still believed in justice. Who still believed in goodness, deep down.
He wasn’t the least bit like me.
Nothing could happen to him. I wouldn’t permit it.
But if he kept on this case, something very bad indeed might happen to him. Not all of my kind were as particular in their choice of victim. There was every chance the vampire in question had simply seen this man, felt hungry, and murdered him for blood. They’d easily do the same to Harris if he crossed paths with them.
“You don’t fight, Harris. You call me.”
The frown on his face deepened. “Are you okay, Cole?”
“It’s been a long night, Detective.”
“It’s morning.” His brows furrowed. “Wait—why aren’t you bursting into flames?”
“Don’t believe everything you read, Detective. Direct sunlight is unpleasant, not lethal.” I smiled, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Concerned about me, are you?”
He shrugged, though his gaze stayed steady. “Call me crazy, but I think the feeling might be mutual.”
* * *
Later that morning, I bought a house.
Earlier, when I’d been watching Eli from across the street, I’d noticed theFor Salesign next door. I hadn’t planned to act on it—until now. But after knocking on the door and speaking with the elderly couple who were planning to retire to Florida—no accounting for taste—I secured the sale.
I paid in cash, far over the asking price, on the condition that the current owners leave immediately. Money talks, and within hours, the couple were on their way to Florida with a king’s ransom in their account, and I was Eli’s new next-door neighbor. Technically, no one can purchase a house the same day, no matter how much supernatural influence is involved. There were still legalities to resolve. But with a hefty dose of hypnotism, the previous owners had graciously allowed me to occupy the property until the paperwork was finalized.
By sunset, the movers had come and gone. The cleaning service had scrubbed the place top to bottom—it still smelled faintly of bleach. The new furniture I’d ordered had been delivered, assembled, and arranged, the boxes hauled away.
My new home was modest but livable.
The entire time, I told myself this was practical—that being nearby would help with my seduction, with getting to know Eli. Understanding who he was and how he knew me. Mitigating any risk he might pose.
But that wasn’t it, and I knew it.
There was a murderous vampire in town. Someone who didn’t care about covering their tracks. And they’d dropped a body only a few miles from my home—practically on my doorstep. I couldn’t be sure it was a message for me, but I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t, either. And I wasn’t letting the young doctor out of my sight.
