Derek sipped his lukewarm coffee as he kept an eye on Ever. She was hunched over the case files, scouring for information. After a brief introduction to the rest of the team, she had gotten sucked into things right off the bat and hadn’t looked up even when Melanie set a cup of something warm down on her desk.
He tore his gaze away from her and went back to concentrating on his own work. His lust to spill the killer’s blood sharpened when he looked at the crime scene photos of Carly Saunders. Matted hair, her dirtied and bruised body, and those cold, dead eyes staring back at him. Derek’s fist clenched and he fought the urge not to slam it down on the desk. Turning over the photo, he read through the findings of the scene in frustration. The murderer had left no trace of himself. No fingerprints, no hair, nothing.
The room suddenly went silent, and he raised his head from his report. The entire station was watching him intently, Melanie with a tinge of fear laced in her scent.
Caitlyn waved off the others and came to stand by the edge of Derek’s desk, resting her hip on the edge. She let her lips tug up on the edges before saying, “Mon ami, my friend, this moon cycle has you on the very edge. If you need to sit this one out, we can handle this.”
Derek reached out and patted her arm. “I’m fine, Cait. The wolf is just a little tetchy right now. I can’t let this one go; I have to see it through.”
As she twirled a decadent black curl between her fingers, the vampire let her eyes wander and seemed pleased that everyone had gone back to work. “Then I’d suggest a break. Growling your frustrations in our workplace doesn’t do much for staff morale.”
“I was growling?”
“Like an angry wolf.”
Derek smacked a hand to his forehead. In his time on this earth, he had never felt so on edge with his wolf. Sure, he could satisfy it by changing before the full moon, but this close and this angry could lead to the wolf taking over for the next four days. He couldn’t chance it.
“Thanks, Cait. I’ll try to rein him in.”
The vampire nodded and rose, moving with the grace of a predator until she stood next to the male who rarely left her side. Donnie shot him a glance, and they locked eyes. If anyone knew how hard it was to rein in the monster behind the mask, it was Donnie. But that wasn’t Derek’s story to tell.
The phone on his desk rang, and Derek answered on the third ring. “Doyle.”
“Derek, its Anna.” The medical examiner’s voice was grim.
“What you got for me, sweetheart?”
Derek listened as Anna explained that after vigorous testing, she could only conclude all three victims were of supernatural descent but had not come into their powers yet. Marrow had been taken from their bones, as well as patches of skin. Enough blood had been drained from each body that the victim would have lost consciousness shortly after. Anna didn’t have to say it, but he knew the teens had suffered.
“Was there any indication of…?” his voice trailed off because he really couldn’t say the words. The teens had been murdered in a horrific manner, knowing that they had been violated as well would be too much.
“No. The animal at least left them that bit of innocence. Derek, there was something I noticed on the last body. There is bruising on her arms that could provide fingerprints or tell us what kind of monster we are looking for. I sent my findings to the lab.”
“You’re a star, Anna. Let me know if you find anything else.”
“Will do. Greg Saunders has rung a number of times asking when his daughter’s body can be released. I told him to contact P.I.T., as it’s an open investigation. I suspect you or Tom will receive a call from him soon.”
“Appreciate the heads-up. Talk to you soon.”
The M.E. hung up without another word, and he rested the receiver in its cradle. Sarge motioned him over, and Derek stretched out his tense muscles when he stood. Ever and Melanie were deep in conversation. As he scratched the stubble on his chin and made to give Sarge the information he’d received, the door crashed open to reveal a red-faced Ricky storming in.
Oh, the warlock was angry. So angry that the pulse of his magic swept around the room and lashed against Derek’s skin. He saw a flash of red in Donnie’s eyes before Caitlyn laid a hand on his elbow. Derek’s own wolf snarled at the power play and wanted to show his friend who was boss. The only person who seemed unaffected was Ever, who calmly got up from her chair and walked right up to Ricky.
“Hi, I’m Ever. Nice to meet you.”
Ricky stared at her, blinked, and all at once, the power he was lashing out rescinded and the charming Casanova was back.
“Ricky Moore, darling. Ever—such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, Ricky turned it over and pressed his lips to her skin.
Ever laughed, a sound so pure and joyful that it made Derek’s chest ache.
“Well, you certainly are a charmer. Let me guess—Mr. Broody over there is your partner? Nice yin-and-yang thing you have going on there, Tom.”
“I try.” A gruff response from the bear.
Ricky glanced over at Derek. Something in Derek’s expression must have made him release Ever’s hand, but the smug grin on his face refused to budge. Derek became even more intrigued by Ever. Not only could the girl quieten the wolf in him, but she had also somehow tamed the storm that brewed inside Ricky. Derek would ask him about it later, but he suspected Fionn hadn’t kept his mouth shut and had laced into Ricky for mistreating his sister. And of course, Ricky kept the real story quiet.
“So, sweet Ever, have you gotten caught up on the case? Because I can stay late and run through things with you if you need me.”
Ever smiled. “Nah, I’m good. Besides, I don’t think your charms will work on me, Ricky.”
“You wound me. My charms work on everyone.”
“My mother would disagree.”
Ricky blinked in surprise. “Your mother?”
“Perhaps you’ve heard of her. Samhain Chace?”
Ricky backpedaled and shook his head. “Damn girl, you know how to burst a man’s bubble. No way am I going to upset Samhain’s baby girl. I like my balls where they are!”
Derek had heard the name Samhain Chace before. She was the overall leader of all the covens in Ireland and one of the most powerful witches of her time. It was hard to believe that the golden-haired beauty was the child of two of the most influential supes in the world. Samhain gave off an aura of power and confidence when she entered a room. Was it any wonder that her daughter did the same?
Ever simply waved him off. “It’ll be our little secret.” She strode back over to Sarge’s desk and sat back down, waiting for Derek to speak. Derek moved forward, elbowing his buddy hard in the ribs as he did. As he came to stand at the front of the room, everyone fell silent, all waiting for his report.
“Anna rang through to say she can confirm that all three victims were indeed supernatural. Bone marrow and skin samples were taken from the victims, and a large portion of blood was drained from them throughout their torture. Ricky and Fionn were able to confirm that Sandy Goldsmith was a mermaid who had not come into her powers, and we know the perp messed up by killing the daughter of a high-profile banshee. I would say it is safe to assume that Philip McRae was also a supe.”
“What does he get from kidnapping and torturing young, not yet matured, supes?” Donnie asked.
“Life.”
They all looked in Ever’s direction. “He gets to take their life from them. These children are on the cusp of adulthood. He takes away their chance at a full life. Takes away what they’ve waited their whole lives for. The chance to finally be a supernatural creature.”
Derek considered Ever’s words. He couldn’t understand the anticipation of finally being who you were meant to be, but he appreciated that these teens had spent their entire lives knowing what they could become and now never would. The perp was literally stealing their life from them. But why?
“So it’s safe
to assume the children in the supernatural community are in trouble. Do we have anything else that could narrow down the search?” Derek queried, needing to get a head start on this so his team could work while he was out of commission.
Ricky came to stand by the evidence board. “Sandy Goldsmith’s father wasn’t supernatural. He was human, and…” He broke off, leafing through some papers before he seemed to find what he was looking for. “Gotcha! And guess what? Maria Saunders was latent. Her banshee powers never manifested. Greg Saunders may lead the banshees, but he doesn’t have the ability to sense death—that’s the female’s job.”
“Neither the Goldsmiths nor the Saunders had typical supernatural parentage. How does that help us find the killer?” Sarge asked.
A sense of foreboding cascaded down on the team. It seemed no matter how many steps they took forward, they tended to take a hundred back. Derek strode over to the window and peered out toward the bridge. The gaggle of reporters still hung around waiting for scraps. Not even the darkening sky could lure them away from their pursuit of the ultimate story. He closed his eyes, breathed in, and then exhaled. Letting his thoughts fade away, he just was. He had learned meditation many years ago as a young wolf, and if he’d ever needed a clear head, this was the time.
“If one of Philip McRae’s parents turns out to be human, then it’s safe to say that the killer is after half-breeds or latents,” Derek mumbled.
“That’s it!” Ever exclaimed and went to the board. She positioned the victims’ pictures on the board and grabbed a dry-erase pen. “The first victim—Sandy Goldsmith. How old was she?”
“Fifteen,” Derek replied, the details imprinted on his brain.
Ever wrote the age on the board before turning back to him. “Philip McRae?”
“Fifteen also.”
“And how old was Carly Saunders?”
“Seventeen.”
That bugged Derek about the MO. Most killers stuck to a certain victim type, but this killer crossed both gender and age brackets. The only thing that seemed to be consistent now was the fact that he took supernatural teens who had yet to mature.
“How close to their next birthdays did they die?”
Caitlyn reached out and grabbed a folder from the desk. Scanning her eyes over the pages, she looked up. “The first victim died two months before her sixteenth birthday. The second was two weeks from turning sixteen, and the most recent was a month away from turning eighteen.”
“Latent or half-breed supernatural beings mature or come into their powers at different rates. Unless they are born full-fledged supernatural—or, if you like, purebred— they come into their powers at different times. Banshees tend to hear the first call of death on their eighteenth birthday. I read somewhere that a halfling mermaid grows her first fins on her sixteenth birthday. Could this be how he’s choosing his prey?”
“Damn it, Ever… you could be right. It’s the closest we have come to finding a pattern,” Sarge barked.
“I can only predict that he has selected his next victim already. The time frame between kills has shortened each time. Can we see if we can narrow down how he chooses his targets? Can we try to find a link between all three kids to see if there are any people who overlap with all three victims?” Derek rubbed his temples, suddenly tired.
“I set up an algorithm that will alert me to any similarities in their Internet activity and social media. It may take a little bit of time for something to ping, but I’ve created an app on my phone that connects me to my work PC. I can call one of you when it does,” Melanie piped up in her quiet manner.
“Good work, Lanie,” Ricky said in praise, causing the tech’s cheeks to blaze a vibrant red.
Sarge checked his watch and cleared his throat. “Okay, folks. It’s a little after five. Let’s call it a day for now. We can meet again at 0700 and focus on trying to narrow down a suspect pool. Go get some food and rest. None of us can work on fresh air and little else.”
The vamps were the first out the door. They didn’t need sleep, but they did need to feed, so Derek assumed they would be hitting up one of the vamp bars in town for nourishment.
Melanie gathered up her laptop and bag. With a quick goodbye to Ever and Sarge, she made to leave unnoticed. Ricky held out a hand and offered to drive her home. Even though they were friends, Derek shot him a look that clearly stated his opinion. Ricky rolled his eyes, took Melanie’s bag, looped it over his head, and held out an arm. Melanie bravely linked her arm through his, and they strode out.
Sarge embraced Ever, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek. He stayed back as they chatted for a few minutes and made promises of a catch-up soon with their respective families. Ever gathered up her own stuff and looked up to see Derek watching her.
“Can I drop you home on my way, Ever?” Sarge asked, his gaze wandering between Derek and Ever.
“I can do it,” Derek said before Ever could answer.
“You sure?”
“Of course, Sarge. I’ll make sure she’s home safe.”
Ever’s phone rang, and she spoke calmly into it. Derek tried not to listen in, but it was hard not to. He heard her ask whoever was on the other end to sub in for her classes for the rest of the week, as she would be continuing to consult with P.I.T. His wolf approved of the fact she was seeing this through to the end, as did the man.
“Take care of her, Derek. She’s family.”
Sarge stared him in the eye, and Derek knew he was getting the protective, hurt-her-and-I’ll-kill-you look. He nodded and replied, “I’ll protect her with my life, Sarge.”
“Good. I would hate to have to train another replacement before I retire. Took me long enough to train you.”
The bear clasped Derek on the shoulder and waved his goodbye to Ever, who was still on the phone. Derek leaned on his desk and waited for her to finish up her call. He watched her with the ferocity only a wolf could. The curves of her body fit snugly into the clothing she wore. She wasn’t small, but with his height, she would fit comfortably against his chest. Derek moved his gaze to her face. Those cobalt eyes of hers were the first thing that pierced him when he looked at her.
Her heart-shaped face was framed by her golden-blonde hair to perfection. There was a slight kink to the sides where she had tucked her hair behind her ears. She seemed almost faeish in appearance, but he could scent no hint of fae from her—only a cocktail of summer and sun. She shivered then and turned in his direction, as if she sensed him watching.
Derek was used to being alone and had spent most of his adult-wolf life by himself. And while he had dated a few times, he had never felt this pull, this yank, toward a woman. Never had he had such a primal need to strip a woman naked and claim her for himself.
The woman in question finished her call and advanced to meet him. “Sorry about that,” she said, a yawn halting her. “I had to get someone to cover my classes for the next few days so I could concentrate on this. I want to help as much as I can.”
“Believe me, you’ve helped more than you know.”
She grinned at him. “Shall we go?”
He nodded and held the door open for her. She walked past him into the corridor, where they fell into a comfortable silence. Derek wasn’t one for small talk, and he waited for Ever to make the first step. The gorgeous professor stifled another yawn, and her eyes looked heavy with tiredness.
“I don’t know whether I’m tired, hungry, frustrated, or all of the above.”
“I’d go for all of the above,” he said, a lazy smile playing on his lips.
“Should we get some food on the way back to my place? If I weren’t so tired, I’d offer to cook. I make a mean steak.”
“Sure; sounds like a plan.”
His wolf yipped in agreement, but Derek wasn’t sure if it was because it was getting fed or spending more time in Ever’s company. They left the station and made the short journey to his car. Again, he opened the door for her, and she slid in with an easy smile. He rounded the car and s
lipped into the driver’s side. Derek started the engine and reversed, edging the car out of the parking spot before he snuck a peek at Ever.
Her eyes were closed, and the faint sound of her breathing was all he heard as Ever fell asleep beside him. He had no idea where she lived, and he was loathe to wake her.
Home, take home, the wolf spoke to him, projecting his thoughts into Derek’s human mind.
With little option left, he drove the car to his house close to the airport and parked. Getting out of the car, he went around, opened the passenger door, and very carefully hoisted Ever up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. His wolf howled its approval as the soft heat of her breath danced on his neck.
He shuddered under the intense feeling of pleasure that rippled through him, instantly feeling guilty because of the horrors the poor teens had been subjected to. But as Ever’s breathing deepened and dusk began to settle on the city, Derek strode into his house, startled by a stunning realization. This woman in his arms called to him on a most primal level and captivated both man and wolf.
Goddamn it—he wanted to keep her.