Ripper (Hunter #1)(74)

“I think you’ll find she was a doe,” I told Nicole.

Nicole bagged the necklace in an evidence bag. “I’ll start there then. The latest victim shows evidence of being tied up. Her wrists are burned pretty badly, so it was probably silver.”

Gray grabbed my hand. “We have go, Kelsey. Nicole, can you handle the rest?”

“Of course,” the efficient tech said. “I’ll have my report on your desk Monday morning.”

“Good,” Gray said and started to haul me out of the cemetery.

“Where are we going?”

“That was Vorenus.” Gray guided me along, his long legs eating up the distance. I ran to keep up. “He’s on his way to Helen Taylor’s. She got a package this morning.”

“Oh, no,” I breathed, picking up the pace. “Tell me she didn’t get those pictures.”

“She did, sweetheart,” Gray affirmed. “The entire doe community is in an uproar. We have some damage control to do.”

We hopped into the truck and as we pulled away, something about the necklace played around in the back of my mind.





When we turned down the narrow road to Joanne Taylor’s home, I knew we were in trouble. The street was lined with cars. We had to park a block away and walk. Gray held my hand, but I disentangled us as we approached the house.

“I’d like to look somewhat professional, please,” I said at the annoyed look he gave me.

We were moving up the sidewalk toward the Taylor’s small two-bedroom home when a limo stopped and Marcus Vorenus stepped out. He said something to the driver and then the limo slid down the road. His dark eyes turned to us but if he had an emotion in his body it didn’t show. He was polite and a little cool. “I’ve been waiting for you, Lieutenant. I thought it proper that we enter together. We must show that the Council and law enforcement are working together. Good afternoon, Ms. Atwood.”

I knew Vorenus was an academic and that meant he could walk in the daylight. That particular class of vampire wasn’t the strongest. They didn’t begin to compare to warriors, but academics had their own abilities. They were the smarty-pants of the vampire world. Their powers were almost entirely mental. Persuasion. Instinct. Intelligence. I’d heard they tended to get obsessed with subjects and became super experts.

Even though I know all the facts, I supposed I still thought it would be odd to see any vampire walking in the daylight, but Vorenus practically shimmered in light. As Daniel had been at home in the velvety darkness of night, Marcus belonged in the sun.

It clung to him, lighting his skin and nearly giving the man a halo.

“Hello, Councilman.” It was awkward because it came out a little breathy, a little flirty. I hadn’t meant it to, but the minute I was close to him, I felt more at ease than I’d been before.

Gray was all business. “When did Helen call the Council?”

“I received her call about an hour ago,” the vampire explained with his calm authority. “She told me what had happened and I promised I would come. I also promised to inform the king this evening. I was lucky she called me at all. She’s been told that vampires killed her daughter.”

“Well, that’s only to be expected,” Gray said, not a trace of compassion in his voice.

“Some of the killings took place during the day,” Marcus pointed out.

“So, he had an accomplice or he has special talents.” Gray wasn’t willing to let up.

Marcus sighed as though weary of all the games. “Are you playing devil’s advocate, Lieutenant? Or are you accusing me of something?”

Gray stared at the vampire with cold blue eyes. “All of the girls went into that club. None of them came out alive. The way I figure, a vampire has to be involved.”

“Why would a vampire waste the blood?” I hated the tension between the two of them.

“Who knows why a vampire does anything, darlin’.” Gray emphasized the endearment. “They enjoy games.”

“Ah, but Lieutenant, vampires are not the only ones who enjoy games, are they?” Marcus posed his question with the hint of a questioning smile. The vampire looked dapper in a perfectly tailored pinstriped suit and a snowy dress shirt. His red silk tie was a splash of elegant color. “The rumors are that you very much enjoy games. This killer likes bondage and I believe has a problem with vampires. Perhaps I don’t have to look far to find a suspect of my own.”

I put myself in between the two men who seemed like they were ready to throw down. “If the two of you are finished acting like two bulls about to lock horns, you might remember that Marcus was in London with the king when one of the murders took place and Gray was with me last night. There are security cameras in the parking garage. They can verify his whereabouts until we left. I can verify them the rest of the night. The only person he managed to tie up last night was me.”

“Kelsey!” Gray radiated disapproval. I guess demons weren’t big on sharing.

“Well, apparently everyone knows your kinks, babe,” I said with a shrug. “Stop beating the crap out of each other. I’m going in. If you two want to take potshots, stay out here.”

Marcus nodded my way. “Of course. I apologize.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll behave,” Gray promised.