Kade's Dark Embrace

Chapter Seven

After sleeping a good ten hours, Sydney got dressed and sped off to grab a latte at Starbucks. She ought to be a shareholder with all the money she spent on lattes, but damn, she loved the flavor of steamed milk with espresso. A few lattes a day really added up over the course of the month, but besides loving shoes, coffee was worth the price in her book.

Sydney stopped by the sporting goods and craft stores to pick up a few things for the kids at the children’s center where she volunteered. She loved seeing their faces as she brought in her weekly presents. New markers meant more pictures, more happy faces, and more creativity. Sydney knew how great it felt to create: inspiring, fulfilling, accomplished. These kids felt it too. Their creations were evidence they had a future, not one on the streets, but a future perhaps in art school or college. These kids had a dream to get out from under the poverty and the violence of the streets, and Sydney was determined to help them.

Even though Sydney had a busy life, mostly filled with work, the truth was that she had only a few trusted friends and no family to speak of. Her mother was tragically killed by a drunk driver several years ago, the grief from her death bringing Sydney to her knees. Sydney just wasn’t the same after losing her Mom and neither was her Dad. Sydney’s father fell into a deep depression, moved to Arizona and died a few years later.

Death was a merciless teacher. It taught Sydney to steel her emotions, build a wall big enough, so she would not have to feel the grief. Having her mom die only confirmed her decision that she would not get married, because she couldn’t stand the heartbreak of losing someone. She had several boyfriends over the years, even a few she that thought she loved, but she never really could commit to any of them because of her job. In addition, she had watched the men she worked with get married and then divorce more times than she cared to. The hours and the stress of the job did not make a marriage easy. In her mind, it didn’t make you available enough to be a good parent either. Long ago, she accepted that marriage was not in the cards for her. It was easier deciding to be happy with the life she did have: a good job, a few good friends, a boyfriend here or there who was willing to just be a boyfriend and nothing more.

Although Sydney loved kids, she convinced herself that she would never have any of her own. So, she devoted much of her spare time and money to a local, after school center. Every week she would spend a few hours at the center, talking with the kids, playing games, and doing crafts. She wasn’t the only one who was alone...these kids needed her. The fact was that many of the city’s kids were raising themselves. Their parents never made it to the PTO meetings or teacher conferences. Whether they were too busy working or missing entirely, it didn’t matter. The result was the same: kids alone on the street after school. The center gave them something constructive to do...they played, they learned, they cared.

Sydney cared about them too. She knew she was lucky to have been raised by loving parents in a middle class home where chocolate chip cookies and encouragement were plentiful. Sydney may not ever have kids of her own, but she had the know how to help other kids. She knew how to teach a group of girls to bake a cake, do their algebra homework, learn about science, sing a song, or paint a picture. Her mom was an artist so creativity was valued in her house. Sydney wanted these kids to have every experience she was allowed to have, even if at the end of the day the cold streets awaited them. These kids deserved to know about the wonderful activities that could fill their young lives instead of gang banging, prostitution, and drugs.

Sydney wanted girls and boys to grow up educated, strong, and empowered. Also, her mother always taught her that giving back fills the soul; volunteering was the greatest gift you can give to yourself and others. Sydney knew she wasn’t a saint, but she still gave as much of herself as she could. At the end of the day, the kids filled her soul with hope and love; two things that she very much needed.

After spending a few hours at the center, Sydney knew she needed to get back to the station....to Kade. It was still light outside. She wondered where he was sleeping. Did he even sleep? Did he go out during the day? She knew much more about werewolves, both the good and the bad, than she knew about vampires. She got the fact they drank blood, but other than that, she tried not to hang out with vampires to find out the details of their habits. She did have a sense of self-preservation.

As she buckled up, her cell phone buzzed with a text from the station. Fuck. Another dead girl had been found. She hated the evil that lurked within humans and paranormals. Why did they kill? Power, hate, passion, mental illness? There were many reasons, none of them good. Sydney didn’t even care anymore. She was growing tired of the death. Sure, she would try to understand motive to the extent that it would help her find the perpetrator and lock them away forever, but aside from self-defense, there was never a justified murder.

The girl was found in Elfreth’s Alley in Olde City. Benjamin Franklin had once walked these streets. America’s founding fathers had come together in this very place, creating documents that would give birth to American democracy. History was everywhere: cobblestone streets, Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House.

Elfreth’s Alley was a historic site named after an eighteenth century blacksmith. Its cobblestone alley was lined with renovated row homes that proudly displayed the preserved eighteenth century, working class homes that remained. The country’s past, and sadly now the present, lay across the stones marring the historic site. What the fuck is wrong with people?

The site had already been contained. Sydney ducked under the tape and approached the body. She knew she should have called Kade, but she figured someone on his team would let him know. After last night, she was afraid of her body’s response to his voice even over a phone. Eventually she would have to see him, hear his voice, and breathe in his delicious masculine scent. He would be pissed that she didn’t wait for him. But Sydney figured she’d take action and apologize later.

Sydney leaned in to get a better look at the body, another “Death Doll.” The girl was a brunette this time, but had the same almost pure white, porcelain skin. She was not damaged by water like the other victim. Instead, it looked if she had been gently laid on the street only hours ago. She appeared as if she were simply sleeping. She was as young as the other girl, in her twenties, but she was dressed differently this time in a long, evergreen, velvet dress, sans shoes. Again, her eyelids had been sewn shut with thread. Someone had taken care to put makeup on her face. She looked like a collectible doll you would buy on home-shopping television. The scoop neckline dress was fitted tightly around the front of her body. Sydney snapped on a latex glove and reached over to lift the neckline slightly, another tattoo.

The tattoo was small enough that it adorned the top of the girl’s breast. It looked almost like a cross, but with a round, large protuberance on the head. Sydney stood up straight and spoke aloud to herself, “Jennings is dead, so either he did this before he died or there's someone new doing the tattoos, and what is this? It isn’t exactly a cross. I know I’ve seen this somewhere.” She shook her head at the needless loss of life.

“It’s an Ankh. Ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal life.” Sydney spun around startled by the velvet caress of Kade’s voice. But his tone was not warm. No, he was angry with her, presumably for not calling him. Great, here we go. “Forget something, Sydney? You know, I am not above punishing you for your blatant disregard of my orders.” Kade was pissed. What the hell did she not understand about their conversation? They were supposed to be working this case together. Did she not get that there was danger out here that could get her killed in the blink of an eye? Kade knew the danger was very real, and now he had a name...Simone.

After Sydney left the club last night, Kade talked to Tristan about what Luca had found: a ribbon with her scent on it. She was back, Simone. Kade first met Simone in New Orleans in 1822. He found her beaten and starving in an alley. Newly turned, she was a lost fledgling. Not wanting to watch her kill or be killed, he took her under his wing and taught her how to feed on humans without killing them. Along with several other young vampires, including Luca, Simone lived with him in his safe compound that he created within the city. Despite the apparent abuse she had suffered over the years, she came to trust Kade.

Simone told him that a man named John Palmer had sent for her from England and brought her to Jamaica. She was given as a gift to his new wife, Annie Palmer. She worked as an indentured servant, a handmaiden. It was in Jamaica where she learned Voodoo from Annie who was a dangerous and abusive mistress known as the White Witch. Annie regularly tortured Simone and the other workers and slaves on the plantation. Simone had been beaten or whipped nearly every day she’d been at the plantation. Nothing ever made the mistress happy except when she practiced her dark arts. During these sessions, Simone was expected to assist the mistress, but Simone was not happy to merely assist. She kept her eyes lowered but secretly copied Annie’s notes and memorized whatever spells Annie cast.

One night during one of the many extravagant parties they held on the plantation, a guest expressed interest in Simone. Annie offered her handmaiden as a gift to him to use as he wished. Simone reluctantly took the stranger’s hand out of fear of a whipping. The stranger led her out into the fields where he raped and turned her. She was not aware that she had left Jamaica until she awoke in a dirty hotel room in New Orleans. Her new master sat on a chair next to her and explained she’d been turned into a vampire; she’d be his new slave. While she shook in bed trying to come to terms with what he was saying, the door burst open, and a man shot a wooden arrow into his chest. The vampire disintegrated on the spot. Assuming Simone was an innocent human, the killer said nothing as he turned and left the building. Simone scrambled out onto the street, but realized she was weak. She stumbled into the muck and lay helpless until Kade found her.

During the next few years, Simone seemed to adjust to life in New Orleans and transformed into a beautiful woman. Her white, pale skin highlighted her lush, ebony hair. It wasn’t long before Kade and Simone became lovers. He wasn’t in love with her, but he was lonely and she was available. He could not risk being involved with a human during those times, so another vampire offered him the companionship he needed. What Kade didn’t realize was that Simone never gave up practicing Voodoo and had started secretly practicing the dark arts when he was out of town. She knew Annie’s secrets and wanted the power she knew could be hers. It wasn’t until a werewolf, named Tristan, approached him and told him about his missing sister, that Kade found out Simone had evil intentions. Tristan had come for Kade’s help, and an agreement. Tristan would offer peace with the local wolves. In exchange, Kade would get his sister back from Simone.

Kade was horrified to find Simone in the barn that day. She had captured at least ten girls, including Tristan’s sister, and was holding them hostage. The girls were barely alive, cuffed with silver, beaten and naked, hanging on the walls. Infuriated, he commanded Simone to him and shoved her to her knees. While he initially wanted to kill Simone for her crimes, she begged for her life. Granting her mercy, Kade banished her forever from the United States. Forced to leave, Simone left with only a ticket for passage overseas and the clothes on her back. He destroyed her ritualistic objects, her spell books, and all that remained was a burned field where the barn used to stand.

He had nearly forgotten about Simone until Luca told him he scented her at the Jennings’s scene. If Simone was involved, he knew she would kill Sydney without a second thought. If she was able to capture and torture strong werewolves, like Tristan’s sister, she could easily kill a human. He didn’t know what he could do to convince Sydney of the danger that she faced. He knew he couldn’t stop her from continuing the investigation, but damn if she was going to go out on the streets without him. He had to be serious with her and make her understand that she would obey his orders in order to work with him. He needed to tell her about Simone.

Sydney had never seen him this angry. Who the hell did he think he was? “Newsflash, vampire, I'm not your daughter, nor are you my boss. So, let me make myself clear. I do not take orders from you. We may be partners for now, but this is my city. I do apologize for not calling you, but I figured you’d be...I don’t know...sleeping or whatever it is that vampires do during the day. I knew your office would call you, and I'm not your secretary. You’re here now, so let’s get to work.” She knew she was wrong, but that was the best apology she could cough up at the moment. She was not going to let some guy tell her what to do. She was a competent detective who kicked ass and took names later. So what? There was a murderer killing women on the street. They’d catch the guy and then, next year, it would be a different perp out killing people; that was life in the big city. She was here to catch bad guys, and was not a little girl playing cops and robbers.

Kade stared down at her and moved closer. God, he was sexy, but dangerous. Sydney could see his muscles bulging out of his tight, black t-shirt. For a minute, she thought about what it would feel like to slip her hands under his shirt and skim her fingertips along the hard ridges of his stomach.

Kade could not believe this woman. She did not get it. He should take her over his knee and spank that lovely ass until it was a nice shade of pink. How he would love to feel that ass in his hands. Shit. He needed to get her to understand the seriousness of the situation before this night was through. If Simone had an opportunity to kill these girls and lay them out in a busy, historic district in the middle of the afternoon, she could easily snatch Sydney.

He needed to try another tactic with his prickly but lovely detective. “Sydney love, I know you know these streets like the back of your hand, but we need to learn to trust each other. There are things you don’t know about. I promise I will tell you everything when we get time, but right now, I need you to give me a little trust. Do not go on calls by yourself. It isn’t good practice anyway, and you know it. Even though we are technically sharing this case, I could easily get you pulled off it if you don’t listen to me. There is a vampire involved in these killings, and possibly another creature with supernatural abilities. I don’t want to push you off the case, but I will if you don’t start cooperating, and that means that I lead the investigation, not you. Most importantly, you go nowhere alone, am I clear?”

If he weren’t a vampire, Sydney would have hauled off and punched him, but she knew he was right. It would not be hard for him to pull her off the case, and then she’d be done. She shot him a dirty look and snarled, “Crystal.”

Sydney decided to focus on the body. Arguing with Kade was not going to solve the case. What other similarities were there to the first girl? She pulled another glove on and reached for the girl’s wrist. The dress had long sleeves that fell past her fingers. Sydney gently pulled up the material to see if the girl had marks on her. Sure enough, the girl had bruises on her wrists indicating that she’d been bound and then perhaps cut loose after she died. Sydney looked around the site for evidence of cuffs or ropes that may have been discarded in the rush to dump the body. “Kade, check out her wrists. Like the other vic, she was bound too. We need to scour every inch of this alley to see if anything else was dumped with the body. Killers are careful, but these guys always make mistakes. We just need to find them.”

As she turned around, Sydney saw the coroner’s van pull up. She waved to Adalee who was walking over toward her with kit in tow. “Hey Syd, another vic I see?”

“Yeah, I can’t be sure but it looks like she has been drained. The site looks clean, no blood or urine around the body.”

Ada blew out a breath while she stared down at the dead girl. She looked over to Kade who was coming over to see her, and then looked back again at Sydney. “So listen, trace came in on the wrist fibers from girl one. Get this, looks like the hair was human, also hemp mixed in. So, whatever rope or binding this is, it’s got human hair in it.” Ada bent down and started working on the body, but kept talking. “And there was something else. We found residue on the body, some kind of oil. Trace came back showing mostly lemongrass. A few other small things, but it definitely was some kind of lemon oil. This case keeps getting weirder and weirder.”

Sydney watched Ada work. “Lemongrass? Maybe it was just some kind of skin cream or lotion? We don’t know it has anything to do with the perp.”

Ada looked up at her as she pulled out the body thermometer. “Well, all I can tell you is that it was only on her forehead, nowhere else on the body. The only time I’ve seen that kind of thing is in the church. You know, like Catholics do with the healing masses.”

Sydney looked over at Kade. He said nothing about the lemongrass. It was as if he knew. “What is it Kade? You're awfully quiet over there.”

He knelt down to look closely at the girl’s face. “I told you, Sydney. There are forces here that you are not used to fighting.” With a gloved hand, he reached over and carefully pushed a stray hair off the dead girl’s face. He sighed. “Lemongrass oil, Voodoo, Hoodoo. These are all practices, which use oil and herbs. Sometimes practitioners create a hybrid of Voodoo, Hoodoo, witchcraft, and black magic. Not all are pure of heart. Some seek power, or money, even love.”

Sydney shook her head. “Seems like a sick way to find love. Honestly, Kade, this just sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me, but I've seen people kill for all kinds of reasons...even killing for a pair of damn sneakers.”

Kade stood up, his face tightened. “In Hoodoo, there is a substance called Van Van oil. Lemongrass is used to make the Van Van oil. I will need to contact my sources to find out the purposes of the oil, but I assure you the folks who use these tools are serious in their desires. The perp may be anointing the victims with a purpose.”

Sydney was starting to see the seriousness of what he was saying. “Even if they aren’t purposefully placing the oil there, there could have been some kind of cross contamination. I agree that we need more information on why someone uses the oil in the first place, could help with motive. What about the hemp and human hair? Why the hell go through all the trouble of making a rope with human hair when you can just go to Home Depot and get a synthetic rope?”

Kade wasn’t entirely sure but attempted an educated guess. “Human hair and hemp have uses in witchcraft. My guess is some kind of cord magic, possibly intended to make death more painful. My understanding is that cord magic is not usually used as an actual rope to tie someone. I have heard of it being placed under a victim’s bed, or such. But if you needed a rope and you had this handy...why go to Home Depot when you already have what you need? The witch or mage could have used it as part of a ritual while they were binding the girl.”

Witches? Mages? Vampires? Sydney suddenly felt a like a fish out of water. This was exactly why she hated to deal with the supernatural. She was not part of that world. But, a killer was a killer no matter how they did it or who they were. She learned long ago that evil was not a supernatural phenomenon. No, evil lurked in human hearts as well. Sydney contemplated turning the entire case over to Kade. She’d be done and could resume fighting normal, everyday human crime. But, already the faces of these poor girls were ingrained in her mind, and she felt a duty to find their killers so they could be at peace. Besides, Sydney was too far into this case to simply turn it over to Kade. What she wouldn’t admit is that she was too far into Kade to let him go.

She glanced at the girl’s face. “Ada, Kade, I don’t see any tattoos on this girl’s face. The other vic had them on her face. You think maybe Jennings didn’t get a chance to finish his work on her?”

Kade agreed, “Maybe Jennings did the tattoo on her breast? And did the other tattoos post mortem? My take is that Jennings was a human slave to whomever is killing these girls, but he wasn’t the mage, and there definitely is magic here, Sydney. I can feel it...there are remnants of it all around. But even though there are signs of magic, I am certain a vampire is behind these killings.” Kade was certain Simone was somehow involved. He wasn’t sure where she was or how she was using magic. But he wasn’t ready to tell Sydney about Simone. He needed more evidence before he disclosed his knowledge.

“Kade, Sydney...what is hell this?” Both Kade and Sydney snapped their heads to see what Ada was talking about. They both knelt down and watched Ada cradle the girl’s chin in her left hand, and with her right hand, she held a long pair of tweezers. “There is something in here. Syd, flashlight please.”

Sydney grabbed her flashlight, flipped it on and shined the light down the girl’s throat. Kade reached around to lift the girl’s head and helped to keep the mouth open so Ada could work. Slowly Ada reached in and pulled the tweezers back out. “It looks like maybe a small scroll or a piece of paper?” Ada had seen a lot of shit over the past five years as a medical examiner, but nothing like this. Kade held out his gloved hand and took it from Ada. The object was a red paper, folded into a five-sided star, a pentagram. He started to carefully unfold it.

Sydney joked, “Looks like someone has been practicing witchy origami. Kade, there’s writing on it. Let me see.” She leaned in close to Kade to get a better look at the paper. Her shoulder was flush against Kade’s chest. He held his arms out far enough so she could see the paper. She wished she wasn’t on a crime scene, but in a bedroom. The heat of his body enveloped her and she could feel her nipples tighten in response. She needed to get this case finished soon before she lost her mind from lust. Hello? Crime scene. Dead body. Sydney pulled her thoughts back into focus and read the note.

Written in black ink, there were only four words. 'You will be mine.' As she leaned toward the note, she smelled the faintest hint of cinnamon. She turned her head to look up to Kade. “You will be mine? What kind of note is that? Kade, do you smell that?” She knew he had super vamp senses. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination.

Kade tried to keep a poker face as Sydney read the words. Simone. He had banished her from the country and from his bed. He would never be hers no matter whom she killed. “Cinnamon? Yes, I smell it. It’s a common ingredient in witchcraft, probably infused into the ink.” Kade was fighting to keep from screaming in anger. He wanted to take Sydney right then and there and lock her up to protect her from this evil woman. Simone was back. He had to tell Sydney. He needed to find a way to share with her what was happening so he could get her off the case without completely pissing her off. If he could get her to understand, maybe she’d let go of the case.

He needed to get her alone so he could tell her everything. “Sydney, I have to consult with a few people about what we found. I have a witch on retainer back home. Let’s get the scene cleaned and then we can go back to my place and make some calls, together.”

Sydney looked up at him somehow knowing it was important for her to trust him on this. She could sense he knew more than he was telling her. Yet, she felt she should hold off on asking questions. Maybe they did need a witch to consult on this? She sure as shit didn’t know the answers to all this Voodoo crap. “Okay Kade, let’s get the scene wrapped up. The faster we get this done, the sooner we can call the witch.”

Kade felt an enormous relief. She was finally starting to trust him, and they were starting to work as a team. He also was acutely aware of the intense, sexual connection growing between them. One that he wanted to explore as soon as he knew she was safe from Simone. But more importantly, he was feeling emotionally connected to this incredibly smart, tough-talking detective. Sydney was turning him inside out, and he suspected she was destined to be his, and not just for a night. Kade wanted to make love to her until she screamed his name in ecstasy. He wanted her to know that with every cell of her being, she was his.

For now, he needed to keep his feelings to himself. It was hard enough keeping his hands off of her every time he saw her, let alone torturing himself with thoughts of what would happen in the future. If Simone was indeed after him, she would see Sydney as competition to be eliminated. He would not let Sydney be harmed even if that meant taking her off the case, better she hate him than end up dead.

It was several hours later when everyone had finally left the scene. Sydney was still looking around the edge of the row homes hoping she’d find something the killer left. She looked over to Kade and saw him talking on his cell phone. He said he would call Luca to come pick them up. She agreed to let an officer take her car back to the station so she could meet with Kade and Luca. As much as she loved her convertible, it was a two-seater and not very practical at times, and if she was honest with herself, she knew she would not mind letting someone drive her around in a nice limo. They’d been on the street for hours now. She was sore, hungry, and tired. At this point, she could use a few Advil considering her back was still very much bruised.

All of a sudden, Sydney felt a cold breeze sweep across her neck; it was the middle of August. What the hell? She looked around at Kade, and he seemed unfazed, as if he didn’t feel it. She looked up for lightning. She didn’t think they were expecting rain tonight, but it was common to get thunderstorms in the summer. Suddenly, she heard laughing, a conversation? No, maybe it was just a woman’s voice. She waved over to Kade getting his attention and pointed down the small covered tunnel that ran between two of the row homes. He was still on the phone as she turned into the small alleyway.

Sydney could smell the trickling, stagnant water in the darkness. The odor was overpowering: urine, rotted food, feces. It could have been left by animals or humans; either way, it was gross. That’s the city for you. She could barely see where she was walking, so she dug in her vest to find her flashlight. Before she reached it, a woman’s laughter cackled in the distance. It was getting closer. Almost frozen, Sydney watched in awe as a small orb of light appeared about twenty feet away from her; it floated in the air like a tuft of feathers. It flashed and in its place was an apparition of a woman floating where the orb had been.

A ghostly woman with a beautiful face and long, flowing, black hair hovered in the cramped, dank alley. Sydney could hardly believe what she was seeing. While the woman seemed to have the outline of a body, there were no feet, only a long, red dress that stopped a foot off the ground. The woman began to laugh maniacally and stared at Sydney. The laugh turned into deadly silence as the woman’s lips straightened into a tight line.

Sydney had dealt with enough women to know that this one was aggressive; there was no mistaking a bitch on wheels. She had no intention of letting any woman frighten her off the street...ghost or no ghost. Sydney quickly reached for her gun. She had no idea what killed ghosts but she wasn’t going down without a fight. She decided this might be a good time for backup and called out to Kade, “Kade love! Could use a little help down here!” Sydney wasn’t sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but she thought she saw the woman’s eyes flash red.

As soon as she called for Kade, ghost woman let out a shriek, “He! Is! Mine!!!!!!” In a flash, the spectral woman flew toward Sydney. Sydney fired off a round just before she fell onto her side dodging the apparition. She landed on the gritty, wet alleyway and everything went black. As Sydney fumbled for her broken flashlight, she felt Kade pick her up off the ground. She put her arms around his neck allowing him to carry her out of the tunnel.

As they came back into the light, Sydney realized that she was enjoying him picking her up a little too much. “Kade, I’m good. Really, you can put me down. I just fell, that’s all. She’s gone.”

Reluctantly, Kade gently let go of her legs, placed her upright and then pulled out of the embrace. He had to let her go. Things were getting out of control but fast.

“Sydney, are you sure you are okay? I heard you scream for me. And then I heard a shot. What happened down there? I sensed no one. No humans. No supernaturals. Wait, who do you mean, she?”

Really? A floating ghost woman and my vampire sees nothing? “Yeah, I’m fine. But Kade, I have to tell you…it's going to sound crazy. I heard voices, laughter, a woman’s. And when I got in the tunnel, there was just this small light and then it turned into this ghost woman. She was beautiful with long, black hair and then she seemed like she wanted to attack me. That’s when I called for you...and well, Kade. I know it sounds crazy, but it was like she knew I was calling for you. She screamed, ‘He is mine,’ and rushed me, and that's when I got off a shot. Do bullets even kill ghosts? All I know is that I dodged right, but she missed me and then I fell down. And shit!” Sydney looked down at her clothes. She was covered in slimy, malodorous water. “Look at me! Ewwww. This is so gross...I gotta get home and take a shower. What the hell was that thing back there, anyway?”

“Wait, Sydney. Let me see you and make sure you are okay,” Kade said, checking her over for injuries. There was no blood and she appeared uninjured as she claimed.

“I’m fine. Really, I just fell when that…that ‘woman’ flew at me. I'm telling you Kade, I didn’t really believe in ghosts before tonight. But that was no person. I don’t know what the hell it was.” Sydney shook her head in frustration.

Kade could tell that Sydney was pretty much freaked out by her spectral experience, not to mention that she was covered in a mystery liquid that smelled of urine and who knows what else. Truth be told, Kade was shocked at her description. It was Simone, but how did she transport herself as an apparition? Magic? Someone or something was helping her. He had to get Sydney home and away from this place.

Within minutes, Kade’s limo arrived. On the way over to the brownstone, Kade and Sydney told Luca what happened in the alley. While Kade did not mention Simone, Luca could tell from Sydney’s description exactly who had visited them in the alley.

“Luca, I want to you to locate Ilsbeth,” Kade commanded. “I tried calling her shop but there was no answer. If you can’t reach her at home, then try her coven. Do not tell her the details of what happened. I want to speak to her myself.” Ilsbeth was a local witch from the French Quarter. She was cagey at times and not always easy to deal with, but Kade and Ilsbeth had been allies for several years. He could not claim they were close friends, but she could be trusted.

Luca was eager to make progress in the case so he could go home to New Orleans. “Right away. I will call her on my way over to Eden. I was planning to go there to feed and see Tristan. Do you want me to update him on today’s events?”

“Thank you, Luca, yes. Please let him know what happened, but do tell him up in his private office. We cannot afford to be overheard. Tell Tristan that Sydney and I will be at the brownstone for the rest of the night.”

Sydney shot him a look of surprise, but didn’t voice her concern. She was going to be there all night? Working the case? Or working Kade? She wasn’t sure she was going to be staying all night with Kade, but they did need to go over the details and work through the facts of the case. Maybe they were missing something. She could tell Kade wasn’t being completely honest with her. Sydney wasn’t ready to press him back at the crime scene, but she would damn sure find out after she got a shower and some food. She could tolerate a lot, but not lying.

When they arrived at the brownstone, the garage door opened to let the limo in under the house. Kade and Sydney exited the car and went into the house through the garage door. As they entered the living room, Sydney couldn’t hide her thoughts, “Nice place. I love the woodwork. A little dark, but beautiful.” Dark mahogany wood lined every hallway and room: rich, masculine.

“Thanks. It’s a rental that belongs to Tristan. As much as I like visiting, I have no intention of living here. As soon as the case is over, I need to get back to New Orleans.”

Ouch. Sydney knew he wasn’t going to stay here forever, but she thought that maybe he’d stay a while on vacation. Maybe he’d stay if he found something, or someone important enough. She wasn’t sure why she felt sick hearing him say that he was going to leave. She knew this wasn’t his home. She needed to build up that emotional wall. She didn’t want to have feelings for him. She was convinced she would get hurt. She needed to get back to business...talk about the case, but first, she needed to get clean. “Kade, can you show me to your washroom? I’ve got to clean up.”

Kade would love to show her to his shower...with her naked and him thrusting into her against the tiled walls. “Yes, sorry. Here, this way, love.” Silently they walked up the stairway and down a long hallway. Kade opened a door and gestured for her to enter. “Here you go. I can have your clothes laundered while we work. Just put them in the laundry chute. I will call for the maid to take care of the clothes. There are towels inside the closet, and there is a black robe hanging on the back of the door that you can wear until your clothes are finished being cleaned. Just come down when you are done. I will have some Chinese food delivered while you’re bathing.”

Sydney was aware of the sexual tension between them. It was just the two of them in the quiet hallway...alone in the house. She wanted him. She knew he’d be leaving. She knew she shouldn’t want him, a vampire, but the attraction was too much to resist. She grabbed his hand and excitement tingled throughout her body. She wanted to kiss him, taste him, feel him. Sydney held his hand and then looked down at her dirty clothes. “Kade, I just want you to know that I was glad you were there today. Um...I mean...I know I wasn’t hurt, but it felt good to have someone at my back. I don’t know what the hell that thing was tonight in the alley, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t shake me up a little. So anyway, thanks.” She let his hand drop, entered the bathroom and quickly shut the door.

She leaned against the back of the bathroom door and sighed. She almost had kissed him. What was she doing? Get your head out of your ass Sydney. He just said he's not staying. He's leaving and going back to New Orleans. She reached over and turned on the hot water, stripped out of her rank clothes and tossed them down the chute. A maid was going to launder her clothes? Must be nice. She stepped underneath the hot spray of the water and let the tension run down the drain.

She washed her hair with shampoo that smelled like strawberries. A vampire with strawberry shampoo? She smiled thinking of Kade. As she washed her body with soap, she let her hands run over her breasts. What would it feel like to have Kade’s strong hands massage her breasts? Suck her nipples? Sydney closed her eyes and moaned letting her hand wander down over her bare, waxed mound. She slipped a finger into her folds finding her core. She gently circled her most sensitive area thinking of Kade and how it would feel if he was touching her, tasting her. She groaned again as the tingle built in her womb, finally shaking as she came. Sydney let her forehead rest against the dark blue tile not ready to leave and face him.

Kade nearly died when he heard Sydney moan and smelled her arousal. He wanted to charge up the stairs, break down the door and fuck her senseless. Didn’t she know that vampires had enhanced senses? Or maybe she knew exactly what she was doing? As he listened to her pleasuring herself upstairs, he couldn’t hold back. He sat back in the large, leather chair and unzipped his pants pulling out his rock hard cock. She was touching herself. Thinking of him? He stroked himself, harder and harder. He could not believe he was doing this in the den, but shit, she made a man lose his mind. Another moan from upstairs. He could sense she was close. He stroked faster, up and down his length. She was coming. He was coming. His seed went flying onto his pants. “Ah...fuck. What a fucking mess. What are you doing?” What was he doing? Great, now he was talking aloud to himself, just fucking great. He was going to need to see a therapist after this little incident. He grabbed a wad of tissues, jumped up, and stomped up the stairs to his bedroom. He needed to get changed before she saw him.

Kade jumped in the shower, washed, and quickly dressed in a worn pair of jeans and a white cotton t-shirt. He could sense she was still in the shower. If he hurried, he could get downstairs first. He was just about down the flight of stairs when the doorbell rang, the Chinese food. He quickly paid the driver and set off to get things ready in the kitchen.

Sydney padded into the kitchen wearing just his robe, and sat at the granite counter bar. Relaxed from her shower, Sydney smiled at Kade. “So, Kade, not to be rude or anything, but vampires and Chinese food? What gives? Thought you guys only had blood on the menu. Unless you got that delivered too?”

Kade laughed, “Sydney love, you do have quite a bit to learn about us, and I would love to be the one to teach you.” He winked at her. She felt herself blush. Kade continued, “Vampires do need blood to survive, but we only need to feed a couple of times a week. We can eat food, and it tastes great, but it will not keep us alive, only blood does that. My favorite is Peking duck, but also I got Szechuan shrimp, dumplings, moo shu chicken, and garlic broccoli. I wasn’t sure what you liked.”

Sydney laughed out loud. “So, are we having company?”

Kade shook his head, no.

She was touched that he was so thoughtful to get a variety. “Well, it smells wonderful. I'm so hungry. And just so you know, I love everything you ordered...it's as if you knew what I’d like.”

“You are very welcome. And Sydney love, I do believe I know what you would like.” He was not talking about her food.

Looking down into her shrimp, she tried to hide her embarrassment. He knew she wanted him. Then it occurred to her that he might have known what she was doing in the shower. Shit. She was hoping that he wouldn’t hear or smell anything with the shower going and that delicious strawberry shampoo. Guess she was wrong.

Kade loved the way she blushed. He knew she could be a hard ass on the streets, but she had a sexy, soft side that he fully intended to explore when this mess was over. For now, he could not resist the urge to tease her. “So, you like it spicy? I must confess that I love it that way as well. I just can’t seem to get mine hot enough.”

Syd looked straight into his sexy blue eyes and smiled. She would have loved to have had some pithy, response but her mouth was full of duck and she enjoyed his play on words. Oh yeah, she loved it hot all right.

After they finished, he poured her a glass of brandy. He lit a fire, and they sat on twin leather recliners that faced the fireplace. She wanted to sit back and relax, but knew it was time to get down to business. The man had secrets, and she was going to find out what the hell was going on. “So Kade, what's the deal with the note? I know you're keeping something from me. We’re partners. It's time to talk.” She stared at the crackling fire hoping it would make it easier for him to tell her if she wasn’t looking at him.

Kade knew he needed to tell her. Things had gone too far with Simone appearing to Sydney. He sighed, this would not be easy. “You know Sydney; we live a very long time. There is a specific vampire I suspect is involved in these murders. Luca found her scent at the Jennings’s scene. I didn’t want to tell you. I wasn’t sure, but today; the note, the apparition you saw...it’s her.”

Sydney knew she wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say. But she wanted to make it easy for him. She reached over and touched his hand. “Whatever this is, Kade, whoever this is. You can tell me. Evil is evil. Supernatural or human...all races can be touched by it.”

Kade knew she was trying to make him feel better, but there was nothing that could make him feel better when it came to Simone and what she did to those girls. He stood, getting closer to the fireplace, with his back to Sydney. “Simone, Simone Barret. She was turned in the eighteen hundreds. I found her on the streets and took her in. I was lonely, we...we were lovers.”

Sydney cringed. Okay, so this is it. She pulled her knees up to her chest and kept still. What did she think? That he was a virgin? Of course not. The man had lovers. He was a hot, sexy vampire. Logic told her that he probably had hundreds of lovers over the years. So why did she feel jealous all of a sudden?

Kade turned around and gazed directly into Sydney’s eyes as if he could read her thoughts. “I have not had as many lovers as you would think, Sydney. Sure, I am a vampire, and it is no secret that we may have sex during feeding, but that is all it is, sex. Lovers have been few; a person to share my home and life with...but there has been no one I have ever been in love with. Simone, she was vulnerable and I...I was lonely. We helped each other.”

“She had been trained in magic...Voodoo, and she betrayed me. When I found out she had captured and tortured several young women, I banished her. I should have killed her on the spot, but times were different back then. I thought if I banished her that would be punishment enough, but it appears that I was wrong.”

Sydney could not believe what she was hearing. He had a lover, an evil lover, who killed and tortured girls and now was coming back to kill more girls? What the fuck? She wanted to get up and leave right then, but decided to hear him out. She knew all too often that things were not always how they seemed. She stood up and walked over to Kade. “So, what? Are you in love with her? Why is she here? To get you back? Why kill the girls? She’s in this city?” She heard her voice getting louder and louder, so much for staying calm.

“Sydney, I am over two hundred years old. You must understand that while I loved her, I am not nor was I ever in love with her; there is a difference. Why is she back? Ah, revenge I suspect. I banished her and maybe even broke her heart, if she had one. But if you could have seen what she did to those girls...I should have killed her.” Kade walked away from Sydney and faced the fireplace once again. “And why here? My guess is Tristan.”

Sydney was astonished. “Tristan?”

“Yes, love, Tristan’s sister, Katarina, was one of the tortured girls. He came to me seeking my help. He knew it was Simone who took the girls. He offered pack protection in exchange for finding his sister. It was how we met and later became friends. But Simone, she knew it was Tristan who told me. She may have come here seeking to stir up trouble in Tristan’s territory. She would have known I would come to his aid eventually. What she didn’t count on is that Tristan would be smart enough to recognize right away that a vampire was stirring up problems in his community even before the first death occurred. He contacted me right away.”

Sydney’s thoughts were spinning. Simone was here in Philadelphia? How did she know where they were? Why did she come as a ghost? “Okay, so lover girl has an ax to grind. She comes up here instead of New Orleans to get at Tristan? And to get back at you? Not buying that. I get that she's mad at Tristan for ratting her out to you. But she isn’t from this area. You said she left the country. And what the hell is with the ghost? Why not just show up in person?”

“My best guess is that she is not here physically. She may have a mage or witch helping her. Possibly vampire or human minions, maybe both. As vampires, we can turn humans into slaves should we wish...control their thoughts. Jennings belonged to her, there could be others.”

“Nice little vamp trick, huh?” Sydney sneered. There was a reason she didn’t get involved with the supernatural, and this was it: human slaves, witchcraft, Voodoo. Sydney felt she had heard enough for tonight. As much as she wanted to be with Kade, she felt an overwhelming need to get home.

Kade walked over to Sydney and grabbed her hands. She felt the electric desire running up her arms and throughout her body. “Sydney, I have given this some thought, and I believe Simone is somewhere in New Orleans. Somehow...maybe magic...she is projecting herself here. I need to go search for her there. I know you want to work this case, but things are going to get more dangerous. I need to keep you safe. I am going to talk with Tristan and leave tomorrow night.”

Sydney snatched her hands away from him. Who the hell was he to tell her that she had to get off the case? And he was leaving? “Listen, Kade, if you want to jump a plane back to the bayou, be my guest, but I'm not getting off this case just because you think there could be danger. Danger is part of my job; I’m a big girl. A girl who happens to own a lot of guns and knows how to use them. I even have a secret stash of stakes ready to go. There is no fucking way I am just giving up this case while you go off chasing an old girlfriend, so not happening.” She paused and looked around. “Listen, I appreciate you telling me everything. I need to think on this...get some sleep. Ada may have run more trace, and I want to get down to the station tomorrow to talk it through with her. Where are my clothes?”

Kade was growing tired of her stubbornness. Tomorrow, he would request that she be taken off the case. She’d be angry with him but at least she’d be safe. “Go check the upstairs bathroom. I asked Sara to put your clean clothes in the bathroom when she finished with them.”

“Thanks.” Sydney put down her glass and plodded upstairs to get dressed, still trying to make sense of what Kade told her. She could not believe this was as simple as a lover scorned. Why all the drama with the girls? The ritual? The tattoos? Something was not right. Simone probably did indeed want revenge, but there was something else. Sydney wasn’t sure what the missing puzzle piece was, but she certainly wasn’t going to let Kade push her off the case.

Kade heard her go up the stairs. That went well...not. He had to get back to New Orleans and find Simone. And he needed to talk with Ilsbeth to find out what Simone might be trying to accomplish with the oils and the girls. Simone was up to something, and he was going to find out was it was. This time she would not go unpunished. Vampire law was clear on this matter; she would be terminated.

Kade wanted desperately to go after Sydney. Knowing that she was so close to his bedroom made him crazy. He wanted to kiss her full lips and taste her...make her his...claim her. Although doing so at this point would only draw attention to her, and that was not something he would do. She was already in enough danger. He would call Tristan and ask him to keep an eye on her while he returned to New Orleans, even though he hated that Sydney may go to Tristan for more than friendship. It was killing him to know that Sydney and Tristan had been sexually involved, so asking Tristan was not something he wanted to do, but he needed to try to keep her safe and he could trust Tristan to do that.

They rode in silence on the way back to Sydney’s condo. She looked out the window, willing herself not to look at Kade. She felt aroused, and jealous, and pissed off at him for treating her like it was her first day out of the academy. Sure, these supernatural folks were a little tricky, but as long as they could be killed, she could handle it. As soon as she got home, she was pulling out her stakes and silver knives. She also had plenty of wooden bullets. Sydney straightened in her seat, resolving that she would find and kill whatever or whoever was killing these girls.

As the limo pulled up to her building, Sydney felt uneasy, not wanting to leave Kade. He sensed her hesitation and used the opportunity to move and sit next to her. Sydney reached for the door handle, and Kade took her other hand. “Sydney love, after I take care of Simone, I will be back for you. We have unfinished business.”

Sydney was about to reply that she was the one who was going to take care of the case, but before she got a chance to say anything, Kade pressed his lips to hers, wanting, taking. She shouldn’t want this, but she did. Sydney kissed him back slowly allowing him access. She felt his tongue enter her mouth, and she allowed her tongue to explore his as well. Kade reached around and held her by the nape of her neck. The kiss was passionate, yet tender. Sydney knew she had to go. She shouldn’t let herself get distracted by a man, but he tasted so good, and she wanted him here and now, inside her. She wanted more, but he was leaving. Coming to her senses, she reluctantly retreated from Kade not looking away from his eyes. “Um...yeah...goodnight, Kade.” She was flustered but still had enough wits about her to get up and out of the car on two feet. Just keep on walking, girl.

Kade knew someday she would be his as he watched her enter her building. Maybe she did not know yet, but oh, she would be when he came back for her. He knew damn well that she did not want to give up control to him, but she would soon. Now, if he could only keep her safe while he went to dispose of Simone and whatever craziness she had cooked up. He had enough of her games, and he was going to end it here and now.