J Duncan - Deadworld

“Laurel?” She laughed, and the words just kept bubbling up out of her, unbidden. “No. I love her to death but, well, no. She was in love with me, and it makes me sad I have been so oblivious to it, like she is this whole different person I didn’t even realize. Guys, on the other hand.” She waved a finger at Nick. “I’ll tell you some horror stories there. Can’t trust them for shit. They all secretly hate women, you know? Think they are dumber, less than human. They killed her, just beat her down until she gave in, and felt like she didn’t even deserve to live anymore.”

“Ah, I see. Your mother?”

Jackie sniffed and took a breath. “Yes, my mother. Fucking stepdad tortured her. Sucked the life out of her until there was nothing but an empty shell, too useless to do anything except crawl into the tub and die.” She wiped at the tear that spilled down her cheek. “I didn’t do a fucking thing. He just walked away and never looked back.”

“I’m not like that though, Jackie. I’m one of the good guys. I have a great deal of respect for you. I’d never hurt you.”

The tears kept falling. The aware part of her psyche, buried under that pulsing blue light, finally threw up her hands in disgust. “I know. You are a good man, but you’d never want a stone-cold bitch like me. God, I’m crying. I’m sorry.”

Nick reached out and took her hands in his. “No, crying is just fine. You probably need to shed a few tears.” Jackie nodded at him and blinked at the faucet that had turned on inside her head somewhere. “Maybe after lunch we can go back to my place. I’m sure I could think of ways to make you feel better about yourself.”

She nodded. Yeah, that sounded like a wonderful plan. That lean, swimmer’s body curled up around her, hands roaming over her in a long, sweet caress. Heat began to swim through her body. “I’d like that, Nick, but you’re a suspect still. Really, we should wait.”

“For what, Jackie? Do you really think I’m a suspect? Can’t you tell I’m one of the good ones? I’d like the chance to show you.”

She nodded. “Okay. I’d like to be with you, Nick. I need it.”

“Jackie, look out the doors there, onto the deck.”

“Huh?”

“Look out into the sunshine. Look now.”

Jackie turned and stared out beyond the French doors, staring blissfully at nothing. Then a cool breeze came wafting in, blowing right through her like she was nothing more than a gauzy, billowing curtain. Nick’s presence pulled out, leaving a painful, hollow emptiness inside. She looked back to find Nick putting the contacts back into his eyes, and the reality of what had just happened hit her like a brick to the head.

“You… you…” she spluttered, fighting against the anger constricting her throat, at the utter, mortifying embarrassment that flushed into her face. “What the fuck did you do?”

Nick let out a deep breath. “If I had been Drake, you would’ve come back to my place, and you’d be dead.” He leaned forward, hands splayed out on the tablecloth, his voice a sharp whisper. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to be quite so forthcoming, but do you see now, Jackie? How easy it is to have your will just swept away? And Drake is far more powerful than I. He’s been feeding and has the power of the dead on his side.”

She heard his words, but Jackie still floundered around in her head over what had come out of her mouth. How could she have said all that? To a complete stranger! She turned and looked out the window, unable to face Nick. “You had no right to do that. It was…”

“A violation? Emotional rape?” Nick answered, and Jackie could only nod in agreement. “I apologize. Truly. I did not really expect anything so personal, but I had little choice left other than showing you what you are up against. I need you to believe just how dangerous this is. He is not your typical gun-wielding psychopath.”

“You’ve made your point,” she said in a shaky voice, wiping away the tears that stained her cheeks. Yet it changed nothing. It couldn’t. “But I’m still on this case, and now I’ve got even more incentive to get him. Nobody should be allowed to do this kind of.. . thing.” His hand lightly touched her arm, and Jackie found herself pulling reflexively away.

“I’m sorry, Jackie. Honestly.”

She waved him off, more angry at herself for being so easily drawn in, so utterly defenseless against whatever it was he had done to her. “No. Yes, that’s fine. No, actually,” she said, slapping her hands down on the table, “it’s not fine. You didn’t have to go crawling around in there to make your point. You could have stopped.”

Nick leaned back against the seat. “That’s the thing though, Jackie. I didn’t do any crawling. I merely prompted. I didn’t make you say any of that. You needed to see what Drake is capable of. If I had stopped, I don’t think you would have really understood how defenseless you are against him.”

Defenseless. The word squirmed in her gut like a ravenous worm. “That’s… that’s not for you…” Jackie stopped and took a drink of water. It took tremendous force of will to keep her hand from shaking. “You had no business digging… around in there.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and then leaned forward again, elbows on the table, hands folded together. “There was no digging, Jackie. This power, it just drops all the barriers. I wouldn’t… I’m not like that.”

“Like what? Not like all the other goddamn vampires out there?”

He winced. “No. I don’t use this curse to take advantage of anyone. It’s not a power meant for the living.”

Laurel’s words echoed in her head. They felt like they were dead. How did you stop someone who could just turn your brain to mush with a single look? Nick could just as easily have asked for her gun, and Jackie knew without a doubt she would have handed it to him without thinking twice. For the first time, some serious doubt began to creep into her head.

“Is there any way to avoid being affected by it?”

“Don’t look him in the eye.”

Jackie rolled hers, shaking her head. “Yeah, no shit, but I mean-”

“Other than Shelby and I, no. Not that I’ve ever seen.”

Figured. “You need to promise me to never, ever do that again.” She had no way of knowing how much he had seen, what sort of crazy bitch he must have thought she was. Part of her wanted to ask, but Jackie didn’t really want to know the answers either.

He nodded. “You have my word. For the record though, I didn’t see-”

“No.” She held up a hand to him. “Don’t. I told you to show me, and I believe you now, but it doesn’t change anything. There’s still a killer out there, and it’s my job to stop him.”

The smile he gave had a measure of sadness. “I expected as much. You know more about us than any cop before. I hope it helps.”

Her cell phone rang, and Jackie flinched at the sudden noise. And you know more about me than anyone has a right to. “Rutledge.”

“We got an interesting call a few minutes ago about your vampire.”

“A break, I hope?” My vampire. This case is going to mark me for the rest of my life.

“Maybe. County General just called. Apparently, they have a victim in their emergency room who claims a woman attacked him and drank his blood.”

“Shit. Thanks. We’ll check it out.” Jackie clicked off and dialed Laurel’s number. A goddamn woman. That could mean only one person. Shelby Fontaine. Laurel’s phone went to voice mail, and Jackie reached for her jacket just as Mia brought out two steaming plates full of seafood pasta. “Come on. You’re coming with me, Nick.”

“Where are we going?”

“Hospital. Apparently, a woman attacked someone and drank his blood, and Laurel is out with Shelby somewhere not answering her phone.” Laurel’s angry voice echoed in her head. Let someone else stop him. He’s going to kill you! The jaws of panic began to gnaw on her gut.