SEDUCTIVE SUPERNATURALS: 12 Tales of Shapeshifters, Vampires & Sexy Spirits (173 page)

He knocked on the door to Clark’s suite and the door drifted open, as though Clark hadn’t bothered to shut it. “Sir?” Jesse called.

“Come in.”

Jesse entered Clark’s living room. There was a fire burning in the hearth, though it wasn’t cold enough that he should need one. The scent of Clark’s spicy cigar smoke overlaid something dark and musty, like even though the hospital had been shut down for decades, the stagnant air was still filled with the stench of decaying minds.

Clark sat on a red velvet sofa that looked as old as the building itself, and a recently lit cigar burned in the ashtray beside him. “Sit,” he said.

Jesse sat on the chair across from him and tugged at the collar of his black shirt. He was a little too close to the fire.

Clark rubbed the stubble along his jaw and simply stared at Jesse for a long while. His pristine, white-collared shirt and neatly pressed navy slacks gave Clark an air of elegance that was misleading. He was a dangerous man if Jesse had ever seen one. And what Jesse always found creepy about the man was that Tanner Clark looked fairly young, but he had the mannerisms of someone much older.

“You tasered Dr. Vale?” the steward asked.

“Yes, sir. She was taken by something malignant, and I didn’t have a supernatural specialist on hand to help.”

Clark paused for a long time, and Jesse wasn’t sure if he was thinking or simply staring into space, not thinking about anything at all. “Try not to do it again,” Clark said finally. “I don’t want a lawsuit on my hands if her heart gives out.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“I’ve assigned Sasha to this case as well. She will be your specialist. You won’t have to worry about splitting your commission four ways. Lauren agreed to work on this first case pro-bono to prove she can complete the assignment, and if all goes well, we’ll set up a fund that goes to her family for future bounties.”

Shit. Just hearing Lauren’s name was like a punch to the gut. How was he going to keep it together working with her again? “Can I talk to Lauren tonight? I need to brief her before she meets Evelyn in the morning.”

Clark picked up his cigar and took a long puff. “Sasha is finishing up another assignment. It would be best to wait until tomorrow morning when I assemble the team. Sasha’s already spoken with Lauren on my behalf, so I don’t anticipate problems between you two. Am I correct?”

“There won’t be any from my end.”

“Good. I hope you realize how important this case is, Commander. I can’t have body traffickers setting up shop in
my
county. You have less than one month to bring them down. Do it, and your commission will be big enough to blow the top off your retirement account. Fail, and you’ll be nabbing shoplifters at Parkfield Pavilion until you’re old enough to need a walker.”

Jesse’s jaw clenched. That fucking bastard. After everything Jesse had done, he would really boil Jesse’s career down to this one assignment? “And Dr. Vale?”

“I’ve already explained that. It’s not as if we can keep her. With her joules levels, she’s a menace. This case must be closed before her probation ends, then I’ll find a reason to get rid of her. It shouldn’t be hard.”

“Seems to me that it might be better to keep someone like her close. One of these days, the wrong spirit is going to get a hold of her, and with her joules, it could do some real damage.”

Clark nodded and blew a ring of smoke. “I’ve already thought of that. When I said we weren’t keeping her, I meant as an employee. I didn’t say she’d be free to go.”

Jesse stood. “What the fuck does that mean?” What did Clark have planned for Evelyn after they were finished?

Clark rose and something hardened behind his eyes. “It means that if I deem it’s safer for the public to have Dr. Vale put into cryo-freeze, it’s not your concern. She’s not really your partner, Hayes—she’s a tool. Get a fucking grip.”

Jesse’s hands balled into fists. He had to get out of here. “Are we finished, sir?”

“Go. And Commander,” he said, after Jesse had already turned for the door. “I hand selected you for this mission because I like to think we see eye to eye on what’s really important. Don’t disappoint me.”

Immortal Possession: Chapter Five

No one came to get Evelyn that morning, almost like they’d forgotten all about her. Despite the lumpy mattress, she’d actually slept pretty well. But then the sun had come up. She’d showered and freshened up in that poor excuse for a bathroom down the hall. And she’d waited. But nothing. Where was Hayes?

She went in search of her partner and got lost after a few wrong turns down the hall. How out of it had she been last night to barely remember how she’d gotten to this barracks? Finally, she found a corridor that led her back to civilization. Employees bustled about, but no one seemed to notice Evelyn standing there, looking like a child lost in a grocery store. That was probably a good thing.

When she finally saw a familiar face getting ready to step into another room, Evelyn called out to her and waved…probably with a tad too much desperation. “Darlene! Hi!”

The nurse held the door and smiled. “Hi, you! How was your first day? Did you get everything squared away last night?”

Evelyn forced a smile and approached the woman. “Uh-huh. It was great.”

“Way to go, Evelyn.” Her newest friend offered up a high five, and feeling foolish, Evelyn slapped her palm against Darlene’s. “You’re going to love it here! And, oh, are we still on for lunch today if you aren’t called away on something top secret?”

Evelyn didn’t have to force the smile so much now. “That would be great,” she answered, because “that would be a relief” would be just a little too pathetic, even for a newbie. “Hey, have you seen Jesse…Commander Hayes?”

Darlene got that gossipy gleam in her eye. “How did it go with him? Think you’ll be able to survive being paired with that man? Isn’t he horrible?”

Actually, she was finding there was more to like about Jesse Hayes than to dislike. Sure, he was cocky, but with that body…who could blame him? “We’ll be fine. I can handle him.”

“Okay. If you say so.” Darlene smiled. “Well, anyhow, he should be in the workout room. The Sentinels are usually training right about now.”

“Where’s that?”

Darlene gave detailed directions as Evelyn tried to mentally keep up. “Just walk right in and ask for him,” Darlene told her. “Don’t let those guys intimidate you, you hear me? Don’t let them smell your fear, or they’ll never accept you as one of their own.”

Evelyn laughed. “Sounds more like you’re talking about a pack of wolves.”

“There’s a difference?” Darlene winked.

Evelyn thanked her and trotted off down the hall, thinking she was going to need a map of this stinking place if she was ever going to find her way around. Finally, she descended the stairs and stepped into the basement. The smell of hot male sweat and the tingle of dark, violent energy hit her. She adjusted the sleeves of her cardigan around her wrists and straightened her now off-black skirt, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the fluorescent lights hanging overhead.

“Excuse me… Is Jesse down here?” she called to the men and one pair of women sparring on the mats. No one stopped their exercises to answer her. She’d hoped they would have, but she didn’t expect it. She was the new gal on the block, and she was quickly discovering that Immortal Bounty Central wasn’t too big on making newbies feel at home.

“Jesse who?” a man shouted, taking a moment to look her up and down.

Of course, there was probably only one Jesse in the Sentinel unit, so the guy was just being an ass. “Jesse Hayes. Blue Unit Commander, I believe?”

The man poked his thumb in the direction of a side room and then shot forward, catching his partner in the jaw with a roundhouse kick. Their mingled sweat was slick and wet on the mat, and the dampness in the air was thick enough to choke on. “Ok, thanks,” she mumbled.

No one else wore their company badge, and Evelyn was suddenly feeling self-conscious about her skirt and the way she’d twisted her hair into a bun. The other female Marks she’d seen were just as likely to walk the halls in sweats or workout gear as business attire.

Head held high and with her determined expression in place, Evelyn pushed the door open that the man had gestured to. “Jesse—” Her mouth had only begun to form the words to ask for him when her eyes popped wide at the vision before her. Naked men. Some with white towels around their waists. Some with no towel in sight. All specimens honed to lethal perfection. “—Hayes…”

A few of the naked men turned their backs on her, others adjusted the towels at their waists, but one man in particular turned his torso in her direction. He was naked from the top of his glorious head to the tips of his sturdy feet. It was the rest of him that had Evelyn’s attention though. Her partner was…glorious. She’d thought perhaps his clothes had made him look bigger, broader at the shoulders, but no. That bulk was all him. Pure Greater-American muscle.

“Yes, Dr. Vale? Can I help you?” Jesse picked up a towel and cupped it over his groin. His legs were slightly splayed, his thighs too densely muscled to press completely together.

“Uh…” Was this where she ran out screaming, blurting apologies, or was she supposed to seem unaffected by the locker-room scene, like just one of the guys. Darlene had warned her not to show fear. Did that apply to naked men?

“I’m, uh—” she swallowed, losing focus at the sight of Jesse’s abs and the golden brown trail of hair disappearing into the terrycloth under his hand. Damn it, what was she here for again? “—ready! Yeah, I’m ready for training. If you are.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Okay. Do you want to wait outside and give me a minute to get dressed, or should I just drop this towel so you can continue your inspection?”

Evelyn gasped and her cheeks burst into flame. “Wh-what inspection? They told me to look for you in here. It wasn’t my fault. At the college, you know, female employees are
not
invited into the men’s locker room.”

“They’re not invited into the men’s locker room here, either.”

When he picked up a pair of blue plaid boxers, turned his back to her, and dropped his towel, Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut. It was almost impossible to do, since she’d never wanted to peek more. But oh, the brief glimpse she’d gotten of that man’s rump. Could it be any rounder or tighter? She doubted it was humanly possible.

Boxers in place, Jesse turned back to her. “Now would you mind moving your sweet, miniature ass outta here? I’ll meet you at Coot’s Café in ten minutes.”

She wanted to slap him—partly for the miniature comment but mostly to test his dense muscle under her palm. “Sure, I’ll see you in ten minutes at Coot’s.” Wherever that was.

She turned and strode out of the locker room with a sharp clack of her heels. She walked by the mat near the entrance and saw the man who’d given her directions. He was trying to restrain a chuckle. She sneered in his direction, hoping it looked fierce. He was either an asshole, or he deserved a tip for treating Evelyn to the greatest show of her life.

* * *

The guys from Blue Unit did a little better job at controlling their guffaws, but Red Unit was done for. They answered to Jack and didn’t see the need to stifle their laughter on Jesse’s account.

Jesse adjusted himself in his boxers. His cock wasn’t fully hard, but it wasn’t exactly in hibernation anymore, either. His face and neck burned. Holy shit. Why had Vale looked at him that way? Hadn’t she ever seen a man naked before?

He couldn’t erase the image of her from his mind, her thorough gaze over his body, as though she’d been captivated by the sight of him. Did a man need a better invitation than a woman who saw what he had to offer and wanted it? He ducked his head and ran his hands through his hair.
Fuck.

“Please don’t tell me she’s your new partner,” Collin said. When Jesse didn’t answer him, Collin threw his damp towel at Jesse’s head.

“Watch it,” Jesse grunted. He didn’t give a shit that Collin was Jack’s second in command. If that motherfucker wasn’t careful, they could go another round on the mat right now, and Jesse would put in boot in his ass so hard, Collin would be shitting booties for the next year.

Jack stepped out of the shower stall. “What did I miss?”

Collin pulled his cargo pants up and buttoned them. “You missed Hayes’s new partner giving him an eye-fuck. Man, she’s something. That little woman needs to be rode hard and put down—”

Jesse had Collin up against the locker, his hand wrapped around the other man’s throat, before Jesse even knew he was moving. “Shut your fucking mouth. You hear me? Nobody talks about my partner that way.”

She didn’t deserve their crude jokes. A month from now, Immortal Bounty would discard Evelyn Vale like every other being who’d ever used her. And that was if she was lucky and Tanner Clark didn’t have something even worse planned for her.

“Saw it yourself,” Collin choked out. “Said she was ’specting you.”

“
I
can say it—she’s my partner.
You
can watch your mouth.” He dropped Collin and turned to the others. “Anyone else have something to say?”

Some cursed under their breath but most just turned away. At least nobody was laughing anymore. Collin pulled a black shirt over his head and left, looking pissed. The guys usually got along pretty well, but there were bound to be scuffles when you put that many alpha dogs in one pit. A Sentinel learned to pick his battles. And Evelyn’s reputation was something Jesse was willing to fight for.

Jack came closer, towel-drying his hair, then tucking the towel around his waist. He waited until the last man cleared out and they were alone. “What’s up, buddy?”

“Nothing.”

“What’s going on with your Doc?”

Jesse shrugged. “It’s classified.”

“Is this about Lauren? I heard they’re calling her back for a case. Is that why you’re acting like somebody put a charge up your ass?”

“It’s
not
about Lauren.” Well, it was. But not exactly in the way Jack thought.

“You like this new partner?”

Jesse pulled on his black fatigues and strapped one of his guns to his hip holster. “She’s fine.”