Irritation surfaced. So their one night stand had turned out to be more than one. She wasnat looking for a commitment, and if she had been it wouldave been with someone a little closer to her own tribe.
Chapter Six.
As unnerved as shead been by the incident with Enrico, Kylee discovered that the moment the worst of her fear wore off, her conviction returned.
She did not want to settle for getting the b.a.s.t.a.r.d in jail for a.s.saulting her. He deserved the death penalty for what head done to her sister. She might not be able to manage that, but she wanted him to serve life at least. A few years were probably nothing to a low life like that. He was just the sort to be involved in all sorts of things that he could use to plead his charges and jail time down. Even if that wasnat the case, head probably end up running his business from prison and come out as if nothing had ever happened to interrupt his life.
Shead botched the first attempt fairly badly, however, and all the careful plans she had made now belonged in the trash. She didnat think she could just pick up and start again. She supposed it had been stupid and theatrical to think she could just unnerve him by appearing and disappearing because she looked so much like Stacy.
It had unnerved him all right, but head known instantly exactly what she was trying to do.
So, if the chances were pretty much nil that she was going to get him to confess on tape, what was left? A trap with her as bait?
That might have some merit except that she doubted she could talk the detective into it and if she was dead she wasnat going to know if theyad got the b.a.s.t.a.r.d or not, which she would be if the cops werenat willing to help.
Finally, since nothing else came to mind, she decided to check and see how the case was going. If they hadnat managed to catch Enrico, maybe Strand would be willing to consider the possibility.
Go to the police station, she wondered? Or just call?
Since it occurred to her that Strand might ask her some unpleasant questions about the sword, she decided she would call and test the water.
She found his card in her purse after a brief search and settled down on the side of the bed to make the call. He picked up on the third ring. aDetective Strand.a aItas Kylee--Griffin.a aI figured youad be on your way home.a He sounded disapproving.
aIam going in a few days. I just wanted to know if youad caught that guy.a He was silent for several moments. aWeall find him. Itas only a matter of time.a aSo you havenat caught him yet?a aNot yet--but itas only been a couple of days. Heall lay low for a little while, but he wonat be able to do that long. Itas bad for his business.a Kylee thought it over for several moments. aI could smoke him out.a aDonat you even think about it!a Strand growled. aYou d.a.m.ned near got yourself killed the last time. Have you got a death wish or something?a aNot for myself!a Kylee snapped before she thought better of it. aLook, I just want him caught, ok? Iad like to know heas in jail before I go back home. I donat want to check back in a couple of months and find out this has ended up in the d.a.m.ned cold case files like my sisteras murder.a aStay out of it, Ms Griffin. I mean it. This is police business and if I have to Iall run you in for interfering in a crime investigation.a Kylee grew angry. aRight! I forgot you always like to go after the easy ones. Is there another detective working on this case I could talk to?a aItas my case,a Strand growled. aBut now that I have you on the phone, thereas something thatas been bothering me. You know anything about that sword we found in your car? The one you claimed youad just found?a Kyleeas stomach clenched. aWhat about it?a aIt mysteriously vanished from the lab, thatas what.a She was silent for several moments, thinking. aAnd youare implyinga?a aI ainat implying anything. Iam asking you if you know anything about it.a aI told you before that I didnat. I found it. It looked valuable, so I didnat just walk off and leave it lying where I found it. I figured if nothing else there would probably be a reward for the recovery,a she added on sudden inspiration.
He was silent for several moments. aYou donat strike me as the type to be looking for rewards.a aI donat think youare familiar with my atypea, detective.a She hesitated, but when he didnat respond to that remark, she decided to just take the plunge. aLook, I was thinking about taking a walk downtown tonight to see the sights. Maybe you could suggest some points of interest?a aDo, and Iall arrest you,a Strand growled.
aFor sightseeing? I didnat know that was illegal.a aYou and I both know you ainat talking about sightseeing, and I ainat going for it, Griffin.a aFine. Iam still going. I think Iall take in a game of pool. I always did like that game.a aYouare going to get your fool self kill--a She hung up before he could get the rest of it out, but that didnat change the fact that she knew he was right. The place was dangerous. Even if she didnat manage to draw Enrico out, there were so many abad guysa in that area the chances were still good that somebody would attack her.
She was fairly certain she couldnat count on Strand either. He might send a patrol car down and he might not. For that matter, he was liable to send someone over to her place just to watch her.
It occurred to her after a little thought that the place wouldnat be nearly as dangerous before dark. The predators mostly came out at night. Someone was bound to see her if she took a stroll though, probably somebody that knew Enrico and could make sure he got the message. She might even run across somebody that was willing to talk to her about him--maybe one of his girls.
The cabby gave her a strange look when she told him where she wanted to go.
aYou sure about that?a aYes. Iam sure.a Shrugging, he drove her to the street shead named. aWhat address?a aYou can drop me by the pool hall.a He didnat offer to wait. Consternation filled her as she watched the cab take off again as soon as she was out.
She hadnat considered she wasnat going to have any way to make a quick getaway.
Dismissing it finally, she turned and headed for the pool hall. It wasnat open for business yet and it was locked up tight. Thwarted, Kylee checked her watch and turned to scan the street.
It was late afternoon and the sun was already dipping behind the tall buildings, but the sidewalks were still virtually deserted. She didnat especially want to be caught in the area after dark, but she was determined to at least flaunt her presence if she couldnat do anything else.
Nothing, as far as she could see, would more surely p.i.s.s Enrico off--that head threatened her and now he was the one in hiding and she wasnat intimidated.
Actually, she was, because she might be crazy, but she wasnat completely stupid.
After several minutes of indecision, she finally decided just to stroll down two blocks, cross over and come back. If she saw anyone along the way, she could try to talk to them about her sister. If not, she had a feeling she was being watched anyway and at the very least, Enrico would know shead been strolling through his territory, looking for information about him. If she could rattle him enough, maybe head make a mistake bad enough the cops would actually be able to catch him.
She managed to talk to a bag lady and a wino for about three seconds each. The wino listened and then tried to b.u.m money off of her. Digging a five out of her pocket, she waved it in front of his face. He licked his lips, studying it like it was a piece of steak, but he only managed to produce a story that was so blatantly a lie she knew he hadnat seen or heard anything about her sister.
The bag lady looked at her like she was a demon and tore off down an alley, abandoning her cart. Without stopping to consider the wisdom of it, Kylee tore off behind the woman. The only reason that she could think of that the woman had looked at her like that was because her face was familiar--which meant she wouldave seen Stacy if she hadnat known her.
The woman was stunningly fast. By the time Kylee managed to get around the buggy shead abandoned, the woman was halfway down the alley to the next block. aWait! I just wanted to ask you a few questions!a That only seemed to spur the woman to more speed. She rounded the corner at the end of the alley and disappeared. Huffing for breath, Kylee halted when shead rounded the corner, staring at the street, which was just about as empty as the one shead just come from. There was no sign of the bag lady.
Catching her breath, she jogged down to the next alley and peered down it just in time to see a flash of color at the other end.
as.h.i.t! She doubled back!a She should have known the woman wasnat just going to abandon her worldly belongings.
Wondering if there was even any point in it, Kylee ran after her, hoping the buggy would slow the woman down enough she could catch her. As she rounded the end of the alley, however, she slammed into a man. The collision stunned her. Sluggishly, self preservation kicked in and she glanced up at the man, terrified at the thought that she might have run right into Enrico.
It wasnat Enrico.
She knew instantly that he wasnat even a denizen of this neck of the woods. She didnat know how she knew, but there was just something about him--something really unnerving.
Pulling away from him abruptly, Kylee fled. She was only slightly relieved when she heard no pursuit. When she finally glanced back, she discovered the man had disappeared. Down the alley?
She looked upwards instead. She didnat see anything, but she realized the moment she did it why shead looked up.
Somehow, although she wasnat certain exactly why, the man had reminded her of Gabriel.
A shiver skated down her spine. The amana head been fighting that first night?
Try though she might, she couldnat summon enough of an image to say for certain. The long hair meant nothing. It wasnat stylish anymore, but there were still plenty of guys that wore it long, especially in this area--except that he had been too clean and too clean cut to belong here.
Shrugging it off when she saw no sign that he was following her, she hurried down the sidewalk looking for the woman shead been chasing. Not surprisingly, there was no sign of her. After walking along the sidewalk, peering into the alleys and doorways for a while, she finally realized that it was getting dark and more and more people were beginning to appear on the sidewalks.
Abandoning her search immediately, she hurried briskly away from the area, keeping an eye out for a cab. She had to walk nearly four blocks before she managed to hail one and by then it was fully dark. Relief surged through her when she settled in the back seat and gave the man the directions to the room shead rented.
She wondered if shead only imagined the guy being like Gabriel. She hadnat seen Gabriel in several days, not that shead been expecting him or anything, but maybe it was something latent, maybe subconsciously she was looking for Gabriel?
She shook the thought off. Gabriel was probably long gone by now. Head needed his sword. Shead helped him locate it. Head come back for seconds--which she supposed she should have been flattered by--and that was that. Regardless of the comments head made that first night when they were together, head merely been curious. Head said as much. Obviously, head enjoyed it as much as she had--poor guy. There was no telling how long it had been since he had gotten a little s.e.xual relief.
Or even had a soul to talk to.
She could relate to loneliness. There were probably a lot of people who could, which was unreal. As many lonesome people as there were, it did look like more could get together with the other lonely ones.
That wasnat an option for Gabriel, of course. She just hoped he didnat get into trouble for spending time with her and it didnat hurt his chances of going home.
That thought so depressed her, she shied away from it, turning her mind to the woman shead chased instead.
She might have imagined the whole thing, of course.
Poor woman! What if she hadnat known anything at all and just wondered why the kook was chasing her?
Then again, it might have been nothing except that she had seen Stacy when Stacy lived in the area. If she had recognized the resemblance, it didnat mean she knew anything about what had happened.
Maybe, she decided when shead paid the cabby and gotten out at the hotel/apartment rentals where she was staying, she would wait a couple of days and try again. It was at least worth a shot to see if the woman knew anything about Stacyas murder.
She could always hope shead managed to stumble onto a witness that could put the b.a.s.t.a.r.d away forever.
Kylee was washing her hair when she felt a presence behind her. She let out a shriek as two arms encircled her that came out as a gurgle when the shower immediately filled her mouth with water. Choking, coughing, her eyes stinging from the shampoo, Kylee whirled to face the threat.
Her knees nearly gave out when she saw it was Gabriel.
ad.a.m.n it! You scared the h.e.l.l out of me!a Kylee raged, so weak with relief she had to fight the urge to burst into tears.
Gabrielas smile died. He looked her over frowningly. aWhy are you so fearful?a Swallowing the lump in her throat with an effort, Kylee shook her head. aNothing, really. My problem, not yours. Iam just a little nervous, thatas all.a He caught her shoulders when she wouldave turned away. aIt is more than that.a He studied her face for several moments. aIt is because of that man who attacked you? Did your--authority not catch this man?a Ignoring the question, Kylee pulled free and moved under the showerhead to wash the soap from her hair. Gabriel, she saw when she swiped the water from her eyes, was still studying her keenly. aNot yet,a she said finally, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel.
Stripping off his sodden sarong, he shut the water off and followed her out. aTell me what troubles you,a he demanded, grasping her shoulders.
aItas something from the past, not anything you could help me with even if you wanted to.a He frowned. aWhy would you think I would not want to?a Kylee stared at him in surprise. aWhy would I think you would want to? Weare strangers. And Iam human.a Shaking her head, she tried to pull away from him. His hands tightened around her shoulders. aAre you lying to me? Or trying to lie to yourself?a Kylee swallowed with an effort, but she found she couldnat meet his penetrating gaze. aI donat know what you mean.a He shook his head slowly. aYou do. I see it in your eyes when you look at me. I feel it in your touch.a He shifted closer, dragging her head back and burying his face against her neck, sucking tiny love bites from her collar bone upward to one ear.
Gooseb.u.mps erupted all over her. Desire exploded inside her, a full fledged inferno of need that should never have happened--not with any man she had known less than a week--certainly not with a man of another world entirely.
When he found his way to her lips, she was lost. She met his kiss with desperate longing, wanting to believe what head implied--that she meant something to him, that she was more than a warm and willing body to him.
They came together tumultuously, with little preliminary, kissing and touching with feverish need. When she had wrapped herself tightly around him, he carried her to the bed, sprawling on the mattress with her and thrusting into her almost at once. She was more than ready for him. Her body already ached with the yearning to have him inside of her. Her s.e.x was hot, wet with her longing.
Arching over her, he buried his face against her neck as he buried his c.o.c.k deeply within her flesh. Sucking almost painfully at the tender flesh of her neck, he thrust and retreated with hard, powerful strokes that drove her to the brink within moments and then thrust her beyond the boundaries of endurance. She cried out as her body exploded with mind blowing bliss. Shuddering, he followed her to that wondrous plane of ecstasy.
Holding her tightly against him, he rolled when he had caught his breath so that she lay sprawled limply on top of him, her ear pressed to his heaving chest, his heart thundering comfortingly in her ear.
Minutes pa.s.sed while their bodies labored to return to normal. Finally, he lifted a hand and began to stroke her back, tracing soothing circles over it. aYou do not live in this place.a Kylee roused slightly. It wasnat a question, though. aNo. I live in a much smaller town south of here.a aYou came because of that man. He is your enemy?a Sighing, Kylee lifted her head to look at him. aItas not the same here that it is in your world.a His lips tightened. aI do not suffer a poor understanding. I know this. I told you I was forbidden to interact with humans. I did not say I had not observed this society of yours. I have had much time to study your people. From a distance, true, but I believe I have a fair understanding nevertheless. I also understand you--now. That was no chance encounter that first time I saw you, though I had thought so at the time.a aNo. I went looking for him. He killed my little sister--more than a year ago. The police havenat got the evidence they need to arrest him, though.a She saw confusion in Gabrielas eyes. aI am not familiar with this--sister?a Surprise went through Kylee. aThe children that belong in a family--when itas a female, itas a sister. A boy would be a brother. There were only two of us, though. She was born when I was four--a fairly large age difference, actually. Iad already left home for college when she reached her teens.a He still looked confused, which surprised Kylee. He spoke English so well it hadnat occurred to her that it wasnat his first language--although it should have--and that there would be words he wasnat familiar with. She had the feeling, though, that it wasnat the word so much as the concept. His next comment confirmed her suspicion.
aThis is common among you? Two offspring?a Kylee shrugged. aI suppose. Iave known a lot of people that were an only child, but I also know a lot more that have much larger families--three or four, sometimes more than that. I donat know what the national average is. It isnat like that where youare from?a He shook his head. aMost have one. Many have none. We are very long lived people. The females only come in season twice or perhaps three times and few have taken a mate when they are first in season.a That boggled her mind--the ain seasona thing most of all, but the other comment made her wonder if it was some evolutionary thing because of their life spans. aHow long lived?a she asked uneasily.
He shrugged and finally smiled wryly. aI have known no one who died of age. Most die in war--or battle of some sort anyway.a She looked at him a.s.sessingly. aHow old are you?a His gaze flickered over her face. aFar older than you.a He didnat want to tell her. She could tell from his expression that he didnat. She just wasnat certain why. Finally, she shrugged, looking away. aI donat suppose it matters.a He tucked a finger beneath her chin, tipping her head up. aIt does not.a Meaning, what? He wasnat going to be around long enough for it to make any difference? She wasnat certain that that was the way head meant it, and yet she realized it was true.
aI will help you seek justice for the death of your sister.a Kylee glanced at him sharply, feeling a wealth of conflicting emotions. Relief, she thought, was highest, for she didnat doubt for one moment that Gabriel could manage it if no one else could. aI was trying to get his confession on tape. Unless someone else saw it and is willing to testify against him, thereas no other way, because they didnat find enough physical evidence to prove it. And it has to be proven beyond a shadow of doubt. If a jury doesnat feel that there is enough evidence to prove a person did something, then they are obligated to render a verdict of anot guiltya.a He nodded. aI will beat a confession out of him.a Kylee bit her lip. aIam not sure that would stand up in court.a aYou will record it.a aBut he can say that you made him say it and it wasnat true.a Gabriel considered that for a moment. aNo. I will tell him that if he does that I will come back. He will not want me to come back.a Despite her earlier amus.e.m.e.nt at his suggested solution, Kylee felt a little shiver run down her spine. Gabriel had startled the h.e.l.l out of her more than once with his sudden appearances, but she had not truly been afraid of Gabriel since she had known him. She realized quite suddenly, however, that he could be very scary if he chose.
aNow,a he added, slipping from the bed. aI will find food to feed you before you shrink more and make me worry that I will break you.a Kylee gave him an indignant look. aI happen to be the right weight for my height and build!a And she worked d.a.m.ned hard to stay that way!
He grinned at her unrepentantly. aYou are perfect--as you are. I do not want you to shrink,a he added, making a motion with his hands to show her he wasnat referring to her weight, but her stature.
An answering smile curled her lips despite her annoyance. He thought she was perfect! Before she could think of a comeback, head vanished. Shrugging, she went back into the bathroom to clean up. His sarong, still wet, still lay in the tub. Horrified at first, finally Kylee merely chuckled. Gabriel went around the next thing to naked now--and she doubted anyone would see him or that head care if they did. Wringing the fabric out when shead bathed, she hung it to dry and went to look for something to wear.
Deciding not to bother with a bra since her clean laundry was running low, she pulled a T-shirt on without one and a pair of panties. Shead just pulled a pair of jeans over her hips when someone tapped at the door. Glancing toward it curiously, she adjusted her clothing and finally moved to the panel. aWho is it?a She heard an indistinct male voice on the other side. After peering through the peephole and discovering she could see nothing more than a shoulder, she placed the security chain on the door and opened it cautiously.
The moment she unlocked the door and turned the k.n.o.b, something slammed into the door so hard the chain popped loose. The force of the door slamming into her sent Kylee flying backwards. She didnat have time to do more than gasp sharply on an inhaled scream before she hit the foot of the bed a glancing blow and slammed into the floor, stunned. Before she could fully a.s.similate what was happening, she felt two hands digging into her arms, jerking her to her feet as if she was a rag doll.
Through a wall of wet hair, she peered at the man who had attacked her.
aYou f.u.c.king c.u.n.t! I tole you to stay out of my business, putta! Now I got cops crawling all over my a.s.s!a Enrico roared, shaking her so hard she thought her neck would snap.
Chapter Seven.
Apparently tiring of shaking her, Enrico slapped Kylee, jerking her head sideways. Her body followed. Shead barely touched down when he grabbed her and jerked her to her feet again. His hands closed around her throat, pinching off her air. Instinct kicked in and Kylee clawed at Enricoas fingers, trying to pry them loose. There was a roaring in her ears, growing louder and louder that made it impossible to hear the curses he growled at her as he choked her and shook her like a pit bull with a terrier in its teeth. The light dimmed. Suddenly, she felt warmth at her back. An arm slid around her waist to support her. A hand reached from behind her and closed like a vice around Enricoas neck.
The fingers around her throat slackened, fell away. Still gasping for air, Kylee found herself freed of support and wilted to the floor between Enrico and Gabriel, struggling to focus her vision when blackness was crowding so close she could barely see.
Instead of slackening his grip on Enricoas through, Gabriel lifted the man clear of the floor. Enricoas eyes bulged, either from lack of oxygen, or sheer terror, or both as he looked into the face of the being that slammed him against the door he had burst through only moments before. Struggling to scream, Enrico gave up on trying to pry the fingers from his throat and began to fumble with the pockets of his pants.
aWatch out! Heas got a knife!a Kylee gasped out hoa.r.s.ely just as Enrico dragged a blade from his pocket, flicked it open, and shoved it to the hilt into Gabrielas mid section.
Kylee tried to scream but her bruised throat prevented more than a hoa.r.s.e croak.
Gabriel exhaled on a grunt of pain, grabbing Enricoas hand in a grip that produced the distinctive, sickening crunch of breaking bones. Enricoas face contorted, though he didnat manage to force a scream out.
Wrenching the knife from Enricoas hand, Gabriel pulled it from his belly and dropped it to the floor. It bounced, landing near her and Kylee struggled to grab it, uncertain of whether she meant to make sure Enrico couldnat get it again, of if she wanted it for self-defense.
aThis is the one who killed your sister?a Gabriel growled, turning to look down at Kylee.
Kylee struggled up on one arm, tried to swallow past her bruised throat and squeezed her eyes against the pain, coughing for several minutes when she choked. aYes! He killed my sister,a she managed to gasp out in a hoa.r.s.e whisper finally.
Before she could say anything else, Gabriel released his grip on Enricoas throat. Even as Enricoas feet hit the floor and his legs wobbled as he tried to support himself, Gabriel whipped his sword from its scabbard. Grabbing Enrico by the hair of his head, he swung the blade.
Kyleeas first inkling that Gabriel meant to mete out justice himself was the sword in his hand. aNo!a she cried even as the sword descended with lightning speed, cleaving Enricoas head cleanly from his shoulders.
A fountain of red spewed from the headless body. Something heavy and moist hit the floor with a sickening thud and rolled toward Kylee. She stared at Enricoas expression of horror, his lips still moving to form a scream he could no longer utter and then the blackness she had been trying to fight off consumed her.
She had no idea how long she lay unconscious, but she awoke to frantic activity. She was seized and hauled to her feet before she could manage to open her eyes. Terror immediately a.s.sailed her and she screamed hoa.r.s.ely. The effort gagged her and she choked, coughing for several moments before she could control the spasms.
aWhat the h.e.l.l happened here?a a familiar voice growled. aDid you do this?a Kylee opened her eyes with an effort, staring at Detective Strand blankly.
aDid you do this?a he barked the demand again, gesturing toward the floor.
Kyleeas stomach rebelled when she followed his gesture, clenching so hard she thought for several moments that she would throw up. Blood had formed a huge pool beside Enricoas headless body. When she had followed the flow of the pool to her toes, she saw that she was coated with the blood.
Clutched in one hand, she saw to her horror, was Enricoas knife. She dropped it abruptly, wondering how she had come to be holding it at all. Dimly, she remembered picking it up when Gabriel had tossed it to the floor, remembered some vague thought of using it to defend herself.
aI didnat! I didnat kill him!a she managed to choke out the denial finally as someone hauled her arms behind her back, twisting them painfully and roughly binding her wrists.
Strandas face hardened. aI suppose his head just sort of popped off his shoulders? Christ almighty, this was stupid! We had him! You just had to take matters into your own hands, didnat you?a Kylee gaped at him. aNo! I didnat do this. Gabriel did it!a She glanced around the room a little frantically, searching for him, stunned to see that he was not among the people crowding the room.