The Bloody Mary Diet: The Detective Adele Series Book 1 (14 page)

When Trevor got
home today after the Demetri thing he was in a complete panic. He and Michaels both felt my distress from clear across town. He thought I would be dead before he could get here and that would have killed him, maybe even literally. This is something we are going to have to just work out together. I am always going to be more vulnerable than him and I will never fit in his pocket so he can’t just keep me with him. We are going to have to find a level of risk that we can both live with and allows us both to function.

Being Queen will probably
not help because it will put a permanent target on me that just being a cop would not. I hope that we can put together an agreement that will give enough of his people a vested interest in maintaining the status quo and by that I mean keep me alive. The only way out of this job is in a box. He is even less pleased then me by my new royal status but what can you do?

Trevor and Michael will act as my champions if I
am challenged. This is an option given to all rulers but no vampire would accept it because all vampires are male and they don’t want to look weak. I don’t want to look dead and weak is actually a look that has always worked for me. I am fine with it.

Michael
s, is more than fine, he is thrilled that he and Trevor will act as my champions if I am challenged. Like I said, Michaels adores violence and if given a half decent reason he will fuck you up proper with a smile on his face. I am really glad he likes me. I like him, too.

That just leaves me working things out with Trevor or as I have started calling him, T. I
t was that or Sugar Bunny, I let him pick. We are married and I wanted pet names. I didn’t get a dress or a party or a honeymoon and I don’t think that pet names are unreasonable. T says he will still just call me Cate. We will work on that as well.

Which brings me back to my current situation. I am in my closet looking for something to wear to bed when I see the black lace thing that Auntie Charlie sent me for my wedding. My normal crappy black t-shirt is covered with smelly black goo so maybe this could serve as both a substitute and an incentive. I am willing to try. The teddy is all lace with some small push up support under my boobs and the robe is just a piece of imagination. As in I am pretty sure it is not really there at all. I put on a pair of black high
heels and some blood red lip stick. I am bending over combing out my hair when I hear the bedroom door close behind me. I had not heard it open. When I toss my hair back T is standing there. I don’t think we are going to have to talk after all.

Chapter
14: Changes

Later that week we have more than worked things out. Any concerns I had about T not liking me anymore have been totally erased. The only regret I have is not giving him a chance sooner. He is a
mazing. I don’t want to go overboard but he is beyond a doubt almost good enough for me and there is not another man on this earth I would say that about. I don’t have anything to compare it too but I know I could not live without him. I don’t think I have slept more the three hours a night since we made up or whatever you want to call it.

I talked Auntie Charles and asked what he did
to that black teddy and he said he had just bought it. No majik involved. I climb up on the head board and pull my teddy down from the light fixture. Holding it close I feel for any traces of majik. Charles was right. It is just a lace teddy. T is still at work. I run and grab my credit card and go on an on- line shopping spree. Apparently my ratty old t-shirt is going to have to be set aside for sick days only. I also order a tiara. I totally deserve one.

When T comes home tonight I am going to jump him.

I have started putting on make-up for bed. My life is awesome.

Next week I will be going back to work with T and we will have our meeting with the
vampire community leaders tomorrow. We will work out the details but Roman, my new vampire friend, says it is in everyone’s best interest to keep me in power. I don’t want or need anything from them and I have a vested interest in keeping them safe. For one thing my husband and his bestie are two to them. I guess that is two things.

Everything is great
when all of a sudden I have a crushing sensation in my chest. I can’t breathe and the pain is excruciating. I feel like I am having a heart attack but then the pain starts to spread. It fills me from my head to the tips of my toes. I have no idea what is happening but I know I am going to pass out. My vision is starting to fill with white light and I am getting sick. I lean against the wall and lower myself to the floor.

That is the last thing I remember before T is shaking me and saying my name over and over. I get the feeling he has been here a while and several hours have definitely passed. The last time I looked at the clock it was three and now it is almost eight. Something very strange has happened. T is staring at me as he helps me up and we go to the bed room. Instead of the bed he pulls me to the dresser. I look in the mirror and I almost don’t recognize me. My hair is longer and shinier. My eyes are bigger and more blue and my skin is paler and flawless and my lips are fuller. I look like I have been photo shopped but it’s me, just me.

I turn to Trevor, “What is happening, what is going on?”

He stares at me for a minute then pulls out his cell to call Michaels. He holds up a finger to me and takes a picture first. He sends it to Michael and I want to punch him. I don’t. Domestic violence is wrong even if he is being an insensitive asshat. Plus last time I hit him I hurt my hand.

I hear Michael answer. Trevor says, “I need you here, I think Cate is changing.
Did you get the picture?”

“Yeah, who is the hottie and what are you going to say when Cate sees her?”

Trevor, “That is Cate, you know it and she is your queen. She is changing.”

Michael, “Into less of a bitch?”

“No, into a vampire or something. The bitch thing would be nice too but I don’t see how that could be happening.”

Michael, “She could totally be less of a bitch.”

Trevor, “I’m sorry, I misspoke, I meant the vampire thing.”

Michael, “I am in my car in transit
, be there in twenty.” Hangs up. It’s nice to know my friends stand up for me but that really was the first time I have ever heard T joke. Maybe my sense of humor is rubbing off on him. I hope so for his sake because at this rate my sense of humor is the only thing that is going to be rubbing on him and I am looking hot. Really hot, as in I might ask myself out.

While we are waiting for Michael I am staring in the mirror at me. Trevor is also staring in the mirror at me but while I look really sexy he is just looking
really confused. I look at my teeth and nothing there has changed. I grab my sliver embroidery scissors and stab my finger and it bleeds but it doesn’t burn or smoke. All good signs.

Trevor suggests that I try using my sensory powers and see if anything else has changed. I touch my
brother’s bracelet and reach out to him. I get a very strong hit right away. Clearer than anything I have ever gotten from anything before. I am getting stronger. I know exactly where he is. Vampires can find people through blood bonds and David is my half-brother. I look at his surroundings and I see a sign that says “Venom”. I tell Trevor and he immediately calls Michael back.

“Don’t
come here, go to Venom. We found Cate’s brother. She is definitely changing but we can’t do anything about it here and we may as well get her brother while we can.”

Michael says, “Copy that.  I
will be there first. I have the picture of him and I know what to look for. I will just do surveillance until you arrive.” They both hang up.

Tr
evor is still in his charcoal gray suit and tie that just scream cop. I am in a yellow baby doll nightie with matching bunny slippers, panties and blood red lip stick. We look perfect if we were trying to break into a mental institution but this is go time. I am not stopping to change. We race to T’s car and go lights and sirens towards the warehouse district, the club is located in the ware house district. That is why I saw the warehouses every time David was outside. Turning on your siren alerts dispatch so Trevor’s radio pops on. The operator asks where he is going and if he will require back up.

Trevor thinks for a minute and says yes, send a couple of va
mpire plain clothes to club Venom. Tell them to locate Officer Michaels and stand by. The operator signs off and we speed up. We will be there in five minutes at this rate. Trevor is still wearing his shoulder holster from work. I wish I had a gun and I never wish I had a gun. Venom is a very famous and very rough vampire blood house and we are about to walk in blind without a warrant or any real backup. Trevor really, really loves me.

We get to the club and the parking lot is packed. It’s Tuesday. Trevor parks next door in case things go sideways and we have to get out fast. The operator comes back on and says the plain cloth
s have located Detective Michaels and are standing by. So that makes five of us against who knows what. Even outlaw biker clubs avoid this place.

We by
pass the line and the bouncer lets us in. I am suddenly grateful for my matching panties because I am pretty sure he never looked at my face. I can actually feel Michaels nearby. I have never been able to do that before. I look up and he is standing by two other vampires on the cat walks. I turn to my right and Marcus is there. He says Michael called him. I look up and Michael give me the thumbs up. He points to the corner. I see a young man, about six foot two with light brown curly hair and blue eyes. It’s David. How can I see that far? It’s really dark. It is not possible.

I start walking toward him and I notice there is a small crowd around him. He is dealing right out in the open. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised but
he is only seventeen and he shouldn’t even be here. I am getting pissed but I don’t know who to be pissed at. Then I hear a voice off to my left. It is Viktor, my cabbie from last week and he is pointing at me and yelling, “Hey.”

I walk over to the table he is sitting at with several
other men. I put my hands on the edge and brace my feet. They all laugh until I push. As hard as I can. The table had been bolted to the cement floor. It’s not anymore. I did not know I could do that. Apparently neither did they.

And then all
hell breaks loose. One of the guys must have showed a badge or something.

Someone yells, “Cops” and it st
arts raining pills and coke from the cat walks and the upper dance floor. I look over just in time to see David drop his stash and start running. I follow, he is not heading toward the front door. I hope he knows where he is going because I am not going to be much help, they took my badge and my gun when I went on leave.

David is fast. I am faster.
These new abilities are really amazing. I hope they last.

We hit the back hall and I follow him out a se
rvice entrance that’s not marked. Fire code violation, I make a mental note to call Rainy, my favorite fire marshal loves this kind of shit. Viktor and his friends are behind me and I have lost T and the other boys.

David hears me behind him and turns around. He checks me out head to toe before he notices that the assholes are following me. Teenage boys do have their priorities and while he was checking me out he went to his left instead of right and we are now between a dead end and three mean looking vampires. We start walking backwards as they advance on us looking like they are ready for lunch.

Viktor speaks up first. Why is it always the stupid ones who have the most to say? “I remember you, you’re the bitch that wreck my car.”

“I “wrecked” your car, not wr
eck it and I thought it was Demetri’s car. You should sue your body shop. That was a really terrible restoration job. Very tacky, I hope you didn’t pay for it.” I am stalling, I can hear sirens.

Viktor
looks confused. I probably should just stick to the subject at hand. He is a one thing at a time kind of guy. Not real big on the thinking.

“It doesn’t matter. I am a police officer, as you well know and this young man is under age. He is coming with me and you
assholes are going to move the fuck out of our way.” I talk way braver then I feel but it’s all I have.

“That little shit
owes me money and so do you. I think you are both going to stay and figure out a way to pay me back.” Viktor is so obviously not thinking this through.

“So you want a cop and a seven
teen year old boy to stay at this club and pay you back? For what? Did we not pay our cab fares? Why don’t you stop by the station tomorrow and I will have my husband, the vampire squad chief, drop you a couple of twenties. And then book you for capital murder, grand theft auto, possession with intent to distribute, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and generally poor taste. There are a lot of charges.”

“Your husband does not make the rules, Demetri does. And Demetri says you need to keep your mouth shut.”

It takes me a second to absorb what he just said. Can he possibly not know that Demetri and Ivan are dead? That I killed them. I think he mistakes my silence for acceptance and starts to step forward. I put up my hands and picture them flying backwards. And they do!!!  I am getting way better at this witch stuff. Way better.