Out of the Dark (Forbidden Love) (16 page)

     Keelie gave another sharp yap and jerked her nose up.  Brea took that as a yes.  Brea was suddenly fascinated with her friend.  She had known Keelie was a werewolf, but had never seen it for herself.  She stroked her friend’s fur, enjoying the way course hair covered the softer, silkier hair underneath.  “I always wanted a dog,” Brea smiled.  Keelie growled and snuffed her nose.

    Angel and the detective watched the interaction silently.  Brea showed no outward fear of the wolf, although Angel could tell the detective did not feel the same.  Anxiety poured off the man in waves.  It was no secret that wolves were exceptionally strong and could be very dangerous.  But this was Keelie.

     Ricco sauntered over and petted Keelie.  She nudged him with her muzzled and he knelt down to her level.  She dropped her head on his shoulder.

     “As nice as this is, could someone tell me if she found anything?” Samuel said sharply.

     Keelie backed away from everyone and changed.  Where the wolf once stood, a woman replaced.  She rose from all fours onto her feet with all the grace of a flower opening.  Realizing she was as naked as the day she was born, Ricco shrugged off his jacket quickly and wrapped it around his date.

     “I followed his trail to an apartment building on Ocean Blvd.  I didn’t go up to the door, but I can tell you which one,” Keelie finally said.

     “Take her home,” Samuel said to Angel.  “I will get Keelie’s statement and see that she gets home safely.”

     “I will stay with her,” Ricco added.

     Angel nodded in agreement, and walked Brea to the car.  “Not exactly the way I wanted our date to go,” he said.

     “At least it was interesting,” Brea replied.  She was trying to make a joke, but nothing in her face was happy.  She was staring out the window with a blank expression on her face.

     “If the two of you don’t mind, I’m going to get my dress back on,” Keelie called over her shoulder as she sauntered back into the alley where she had left her clothes.

     Samuel and Ricco watched her retreat.  “That’s one lovely wolf,” Samuel mused aloud.

     “Yes, she is,” Ricco agreed.  “Don’t even think it.”

     “What?”

     “That’s my wolf,” Ricco smiled.

     “I didn’t realize,” Samuel sighed.

     “So, you really think this is directed at Angel?” Ricco asked.

     “I do,” Samuel replied.  “Are you one of his crew?”

     “I am the head of his human security team.  I see to everything that needs taken care of during
the daylight hours.  I am responsible for guarding the estate while he and his family sleep, also for all the daytime employees.”

     “So, what’s it like?  Working for vampires?”

     “It’s just like working for anyone else, I guess.  I wouldn’t really know, I’ve been with the band since I was eighteen.  The only other job I’ve had was slinging hamburgers.  I went to a show one night, got me a backstage pass, and met the guys.  I asked if they needed help on their road crew, and they were impressed with my sensibility, and my size.  The rest, is history.”

     “Ok, let’s go,” Keelie chimed in, now dressed but still wearing Ricco’s jacket.  He smiled to himself and put his arm around her.

     The trio piled into Samuel’s Buick as the coroner loaded the body into an ambulance and drove to Ocean Boulevard.  “Do you work for Angel as well?” Samuel asked Keelie.

      “No, I’m a waitress at Rhino’s, just like Brea.”

     “Ever thought about a career in law enforcement?  We could use a nose like yours on the force,” he replied.

     “No, I hadn’t ever thought of it.  Don’t you have to go to school for that?”

     “Yeah, but we got this program where the force will pay your tuition in return for x-many years of service.  You should think about it.”

     “
Humph,” Ricco said.

     “What?”

     “I didn’t say anything.”

     “You don’t like the idea?” Keelie asked.

     “Sounds dangerous, is all.”

     “I’m a wolf!!  Do you know how easily I could kick your ass right now?  Never mind that I have three years of martial arts training, but I am biologically stronger and faster than you, human.”

     “Easy,” Ricco said, putting his hands up in a show of submission, “I was just saying it might be is all.”

     “There it is,” Keelie said, temporarily dropping the subject.  “He went into that apartment, number twenty three.”

     “Let’s just sit here and watch for a minute,” Samuel suggested.

     They didn’t have to wait long before a woman stumbled out of the apartment.  She was about the same age as the previous victims, but with dark hair.  She wore a blank expression on her face, and Ricco knew.

     “Definitely dealing with a vampire,” he said.

     “What makes you say that?”

     “Look at her eyes.  She’s had her memory wiped.  Most likely, he fed on her and who knows what else, wiped her memory of the event, and sent her on her way.”

     “But why didn’t he kill her like the others?” Keelie asked.

     “She might not fit the profile, who knows.  This guy is sick.”

     “Well, let’s go talk to him,” Samuel said, getting out of the car.

     “Wait, I’ll go with you,” Ricco said.  “Remember what Angel said, he might be more cooperative if I am with you.”

     “I’m going,” Keelie said.

     “No you’re not.”

     “You men may need some muscle to protect you.”

     “Not going.” Ricco rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

      “Yeah, just try to stop me,” Keelie said, getting out of the car herself.

     Samuel knocked on the door.  “Open up, police!” he bellowed.

     After a moment, a man answered.  He was tall and lithe, dark hair and almost black eyes.  “Can I help you?” he said.

     “I am detective Corbin and this is Ricco and Keelie.”  The detective stared at the vampire in front of him.  “We would like to ask you some questions.”

     “And what might those questions be?” the man asked in a perfectly polite tone.

     “What is your name?  And where have you been tonight?”

     The next thing the three of them knew
, they were seated in the car, driving back to Angel’s home.  Ricco shook his head, trying to remember how they got in the car.  He looked at Samuel in the driver’s seat and immediately noticed the blank stare in his eyes.  Ricco whipped his head to the back seat only to find that Keelie wore the same expression.  “Mother fucker!” he shouted.  “Wake up man,” he shouted, shaking Samuel’s shoulder.  “Keelie, wake up!”

     “Huh?” Samuel said, coming to.  “What happened?”

     “How did we get back in the car?” Keelie asked from the back seat.

     “The son of a bitch
got in our minds!  He sent us away from him!  Damn it!” Ricco barked.  He chided himself for it; he knew better than not to protect his mind. 

     “They can really do that?” Samuel said.

     “Yes, some can.  I know better.  The guys spent hours and hours training me to protect my mind, and I blew it.  Some can only hear your thoughts, some can control them if you allow it.  He must be pretty damned strong to control all three of us.”

     “Give us the crash course, how do we stop him from doing it again?” Samuel asked.

     “Well, try to think of anything unrelated, like a song.  What I do is try to imagine a brick wall surrounding my brain.  Anything like that usually works fairly well,” Ricco told them, running his hand through his blonde hair.

     “Well, I am going back to that apartment.  He probably isn’t there now, but I want to have a look around.  I’ll call in for a warrant.  You guys can come or I’ll take you home.”

     “I am soo going with you,” Keelie said. It was plain to see how irritated she was with the whole situation.
rt of the package.e bulky roll of fabric.  it ed making the distinction."it. 

     “Me too,” Ricco agreed.

     Just as expected, the vampire was long gone by the time Detective Corbin arrived back at the apartment.  He had called the Judge from his car, and his warrant had been granted.  Samuel didn’t bother to knock, he just kicked in the door.

     “Nice,” Keelie remarked.

     “There’s a bit of fire in this old man yet,” Samuel smiled back at her.  “Come on, let’s hurry up before the forensics team gets here and ruins a possible crime scene.”

     “After you,” Ricco said, waving his hand out in front of himself, motioning for Keelie to go ahead of him.

      Keelie stepped inside the apartment.  Other than the barest of couches and a TV, the front room was devoid of any decorations or furnishings.  She sniffed the air carefully.  This was definitely where the vamp she followed had come.  The air was stale, though. 

     The men stayed behind her, allowing Keelie to take in all the scents in the apartment.  The bathroom was empty, and smelled heavily of mildew.  The one bedroom was the only place that held any personal belongings at all.  There was a chest of drawers that held men’s clothing, a
closet full of blankets and a full size bed.  Keelie’s nostrils flared and she turned to look at Detective Corbin.

     “What is it?” he asked.

     “Blood,” she replied.  “A lot of it, too.  I also smell bleach.  Someone tried to clean it up, but there is still some here.  I think you may have your crime scene. 

    
At his home, Angel helped Brea upstairs and into her room.  She flopped down on her bed and started mumbling.  The stress finally hit her, and it hit hard.  “I never, I mean, I never saw anything like that before, God!  It was awful!” she cried, sobbing.

     “
Mon amour
,
Je suis vraiment de sole
, I never want you to have to see that again,” he cooed , cradling her in his arms.  “I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am.” 

     Brea began to sob uncontrollably.  She knew she was staining his shirt, but Angel didn’t
seen to notice or care.  She cried for the dead girl, she cried for the sight, she cried for reasons she didn’t understand. 

     When finally the tears ebbed, Angel pulled her to the bathroom.  “Come, a hot bath will help.”  He drew her bath and helped her out of her dress.  Still in shock, Brea gave little notice to the fact that he undressed her.  She barely noticed that he rubbed the soft wash cloth over her skin.  It was about the time that he tipped her head back and began pouring hot water over her head did she really notice that he was bathing her.

     “I can do this, Angel.  You don’t have to.”

     “I want to,” he said
in  a hoarse voice.  He gently massaged the shampoo into her hair and rinsed it clean.  When he was satisfied, he lifted her out of the tub and into a bathrobe.   He wrapped her hair in a towel and scooped her into his arms.

     He sat them both on the bed, she in his lap, and
released her hair.  He rubbed the towel on it, removing any extra water, then began pulling a brush through it.  Brea wanted to tell him to stop, but it felt too good.  No one had so lovingly brushed her hair since her mother had been alive.

    
“Great way to spend your birthday, huh?” Brea asked, twisting her body to face him.

     “How did you know?” he said, a little more than surprised.

     “A little bird told me.  What? Do you think you are the only one who can get information?”

     “No, you are full of surprises.  And no, it isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

     “What did you have in mind?”

     “Nothing that matters now,” he said.

     Brea had already decided how to celebrate, and since she felt much better, she wasn’t about to give in.  “I looked and looked, but I just couldn’t find the right present in any store I went to,” she said.  “I wanted to give you something to show my gratitude for all you have done for me, and because I think I kind of like you,” she teased.

     “Gifts are not necessary,” he replied, stroking her face with the back of his fingers.  “In fact, I prefer the event go unnoticed.”

     “Oh, so do you not want what I planned to give you?” she asked.

     “You said you didn’t get anything,” he reminded her.

     “I said I couldn’t find anything in the store.  I did not say I didn’t want to give you something.”

    
Angel raised an eyebrow, his interest thoroughly peaked.  “Well?” Brea asked, bringing herself to a standing position in front of him.  She was waiting for a spoken answer.  Something about the way she looked at him made Angel’s heart leap to life and beat erratically. He had no idea what she could have wanted to give him that didn’t come from the store, but he had hopes.  But who knew what she was thinking?  Usually, when Angel thought he knew what went on in her head, he was wrong.  “Um, sure.” He managed the words on a quick breath.