Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 2

The look he shot at me oozed venom. "I didn't do it." He spoke through clenched teeth. "As of right now, I'm being released simply because they can't prove it was me. But, considering they can't verify my alibi, I'm still under scrutiny."

"Why can't they verify your alibi?" I had a few of my own sneaking suspicions why, but I wanted to hear it from him.

He glanced across the hall through the open door, cleared his throat and picked away at the edge of his coffee cup. "I was with Belle."

Well, that explained it, alright. Belle Listand was nothing but trouble. A mid-thirties werewolf with a fondness for sins of the flesh, she was on my list of least favorite people. Her elderly husband had been ailing for more than a year now. Since he had no living offspring and a whole lot of money in oil, she went to great lengths to keep him in the dark about her many affairs. The old guy had no clue, neither that she spent her nights with other men, rather than in her grand rooms on his sprawling estate, nor that she occasionally ran on four legs and howled at the moon.

If Raoul had no alibi because he'd been with Belle, then that meant she had refused to risk her husband finding out that she was a no good tramp. And, she most definitely was the type to allow someone else to sit in prison because she had a secret to hide.

"So, she left you in the lurch huh? That shouldn't come as a surprise."

"It doesn't." He got to his feet in one smooth motion, which brought Avery back with the sound of jingling keys.

"I've got some papers for you to sign. Then you'll be free to go." He handed a pen to Raoul.

He made eye contact with each of us in turn, and I had to admire his demeanor. Though he may not have consciously realized it, he was holding his body in a slightly defensive stance. Some humans sensed our unnatural vibe.

Though I didn't want to get into the close confines of a car with Raoul, the faster we left, the sooner I could drop him off and be rid of him. As I led the way to my car, Raoul made a point of keeping in step beside me rather than behind. I couldn't believe how pathetically fragile his ego was. I shook my head but said nothing.

"Thank you, Alexa." Taking a gamble, he laid a warm hand softly on my shoulder. I fought the urge to actively shrug it off. "I really appreciate your time. I mean it."

Now that he was touching me, I wished that I hadn't come. "So where am I taking you? Is your car at home?" I tried for nonchalance but failed miserably when the awkwardness never ceased. Uncomfortable and annoyed, I eased away from his touch.

"Yeah, home would be nice. I can take a cab to my car tomorrow. It's in the city, at the office."

So, they'd arrested him at work. Ouch. That one had to hurt. I didn't even have a scathing remark for that. Shame on me.

As we approached the Charger, I pressed the remote unlock. The lights flooded us in a sudden spotlight.

"When did you get the new car?" Raoul gave it an appraising once over but paused when he caught sight of my scowl. "It's not a new car?"

"You asked me that six months ago. I've had the d.a.m.n thing for more than a year. Do you ever pay attention to anyone or anything outside of your personal bubble?" It came out fast, before I'd realized it. "Forget it."

Almost anxiously, Raoul reached for the pa.s.senger door handle. I knew he wanted to say something, most likely a bulls.h.i.t apology, which I did not want to hear.

I started the engine and rushed to turn the volume down when the Hair Nation station on satellite radio blasted at us.

"Cinderella," Raoul commented as he did a quick survey of the roomy interior. "Good band in their time."

With the car in gear, I risked a glance in his direction. Our sudden close confines didn't sit well with me. A funny smile played along his perfectly shaped lips. I think it had something to do with the Cinderella song, a nostalgia of sorts.

"I didn't listen to them much myself." Driving was a good, valid excuse not to have to look directly at him. "I was always more of a Motley Crue kind of girl."

"Nice."

Silence fell, and with it, the tension grew thick enough to dance on. Just great. The ten minute drive to Raoul's house was going to feel like an eternity. I messed around with the air conditioner settings when we came to a red light. I'd take any excuse to focus my attention on something other than useless small talk.

The light turned green, and I pulled onto a nearly empty street. One lone car sped past going in the opposite direction.

"I didn't murder Julie." He spoke so fast that I almost didn't catch the words. His stiff posture looked uncomfortable, and I knew it couldn't possibly be because of my super comfy seats.

"Um, ok." Another glance at him revealed both fists clenched tightly on his lap. There was a desperation in his energy that picked at my senses.

"I think someone's trying to set me up. Probably that good for nothing husband of hers."

I didn't need to look to know that he was staring at me, gauging my reaction. Ever the careful driver, I focused on nothing but the road ahead.

"Well, no offense, Raoul, but perhaps you should make a habit of seeing single women." I shrugged a shoulder to emphasize the casual tone that I forced.

As we approached the train tracks, the red lights began to blink, and I hit the gas hard. I was not letting myself get trapped with him any longer than necessary. Railway tracks successfully bisect the town at three different points. If we got stuck on one side due to a slow moving train, there wasn't much I could do but wait. By the time I reached the crossing outside of town, I would have spent an extra ten minutes getting there.

The engine gave a mighty rev as we shot over the crossing well before the arms came down. Raoul's right hand gripped the door handle hard enough to turn his knuckles white. I was keenly aware of the sudden acceleration of his pulse.

He squirmed in his seat, clearly attempting to brush off the split second of fear. "Single women have too many hang ups. It's never just s.e.x with them."

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck bristled, and a small fantasy played out in my head in which I throttled him with my bare hands. "G.o.d, do you have to be so callous? What's wrong with wanting more than only to be another nameless number on a list?"

He cast me a look that clearly said I just didn't get it. My temper began to rise, but I reined it in. In just a few more minutes, he would be gone.

"Don't be so dramatic." His ebony locks moved as he chuckled. "You always were the emotional type."

That had been a direct hit. "Which explains why you were getting acquainted with the booking process rather than me."

Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to do this just one night before the three days of the moon began. The day before, the day of and the day after the full moon is a highly powerful time. Animal urges and instincts are at their strongest and many are unable to deny the call of the wolf. Of course, most of us learned to control it. The moon doesn't really have every shifter taking multiple partners or turning into a raging wolf in the grocery store checkout line.

Raoul watched me with eyes so dark they were nearly black. He was trying to unnerve me. A piece of shoulder length black hair fell across one eye, and he gave his head a toss. "Oh, here we go. I was wondering how long it would take for the gloves to come off."

A frustrated growl rumbled in my throat, and I had to look away before his smug smile made me to do something that I'd regret.

"You're a real piece of work, Raoul, you know that? In just a matter of seconds, you've got me wishing that I'd screened your call." With a quick shoulder check, I changed lanes and then signaled to take the next left after the golf course.

Instead of anger or irritation like I'd antic.i.p.ated, the conceited jerk threw his head back and laughed heartily. "If only, huh?"

"You're an a.s.shole." My fingers tightened on the wheel, and I forced myself to take a deep breath before I took out one of his eyes with a carefully directed claw.

"Well, I certainly didn't get rich by always being the nice guy."

Ain't that the truth? As I turned into The Fairways, the golf course neighborhood where Raoul lived, I turned the radio up a few notches. Maybe he would get the hint.

One of the old KISS songs from the 80s boomed out cheesy s.e.xual innuendos. Not wanting to encourage that mode of thought, I hit b.u.t.tons until I recognized Raine Maida's voice. Our Lady Peace was a nice non-s.e.xual band.

The houses got nicer as we went. As we continued from street to street, the structure size grew substantially. We were nearing the east end of town, the rich district. My own house was directly opposite us on the town's west facing edge. Just six more blocks to Raoul's.

"So, is everyone still doing the lunar run?" He asked suddenly, and I frowned in response. Was this another lame attempt at casual conversation?

"If you showed up once in a while you'd know."

"It's flattering to know that I'm missed. Maybe I'll see you Sat.u.r.day then. If anymore of my girlfriends end up dead, I'm going to need the alibi."

I laughed then. "Right. Just tell the cops you turned into a wolf with several others from the community and ran in the forest outside town. Then maybe they'll just lock you in a psychiatric hospital instead of in with the guys who just wait for pretty, well-kept men to arrive."

"That's not what I meant, Alexa. Somebody would back me, even if it isn't you." He practically snarled at me, and I glared my hardest.

"You know what, Raoul?" I swung the weighty car onto his street. The tires squealed, and I delighted in his sudden dirty look when a face peered out the neighbor's window. "You better watch it. Because if you go to jail, your secret is going to come out, eventually, and G.o.d forbid you wind up in a lab."

His eyes narrowed, but he obviously didn't consider the scenario a realistic outcome. "Spare me."

I let the car jerk to a rough halt in front of his giant three-level split. "That's fine. Disregard caution and common sense. But if you're such a big boy, then I trust you won't be wasting anymore of my time or my free evening phone minutes."

Raoul's door swung open silently. He fished a crumpled twenty from his pocket. "For gas."

I fumed so hard that, if steam didn't come out of my ears soon, the top of my head was going to blow. "You're offering me money? Why didn't you just call a cab then?"

His wide shoulders moved in a slight shrug, and he avoided meeting my eyes. He had only called me to see if I would come. My anger was nothing but a game to him.

I wanted to yell at him to get out of my car, but he did so before I could. When I wouldn't touch his money, he dropped it on the pa.s.senger seat.

"So, I'll see you Sat.u.r.day, then." He glanced at his feet and then at the neighboring houses before finally looking at me.

I thought of every woman of all ages, colors and creeds who had trusted their heart to a man like Raoul only to have it handed back to them used.

"Kiss my a.s.s, Raoul." My foot hit the gas and jerked the open door from his grasp.

I cut a U-turn in the middle of the street and closed the door with the momentum. A thrill shot through me when the tires squealed even louder upon my exit. In the rear view mirror, I could see Raoul hurrying up the walk, eager to get inside before the entire street was gawking out the window.

I switched to the local rock station and turned the volume way up. Finally, I pulled out of Raoul's sw.a.n.ky neighborhood.

The moment that I pulled into my driveway, I punched Shaz's number into my cell phone. I left a message for him to come by the house after work. Kylarai and I shared a two-level bungalow, a cute little white house with brown trim. It wasn't the fanciest of dwellings, but it's roomy enough without being too big or too small. The front walk was framed by one of those archway gates layered in flowers, courtesy of Kylarai. As always, I took a deep breath as I pa.s.sed beneath it. That fresh flower scent was heavenly.

A glow beyond the living room curtains indicated that Kylarai was still up. Because of her career as a successful divorce attorney, she had little time for decorative ventures. However, when the urge struck her, the things that she came up with were simply amazing. Since she altered her schedule two months ago, she'd been doing her paperwork at home and just going to the office to meet with clients. I thought she did it so she'd have more time to dress up the house. I found something new almost every time I came home.

I frowned down at the new mat in front of the door that virtually screamed, "Welcome". I'd told her that there was no need to be welcoming anybody here. I'd prefer an unwelcome mat, myself. The time that I had found one at a novelty store, it had lasted a matter of hours before disappearing, never to be seen again.

Shaz and I joked that Kylarai was the mother hen of our little group because of her gentle, protective nature. She went out of her way to take care of us. I still found it hard to believe she was a thirty-three year old widow who'd torn out her husband's throat, but, she was, and she had. He'd beaten her into submission for the last time. After working for more than five years to hide her wolf from him, she unleashed it in a matter of seconds. I wonder if old Johnny boy had known his wife watched from within that furry face as his blood sprayed.

Endearing and soft spoken, but she'd eat your face off. That was Kylarai.

"How did it go?" She called to me when I came into the foyer. "Did you get rid of Patrick Morgan?"

"Yeah, he was no problem." I kicked off my boots and breathed a sigh of relief after each one.

Joining her in the living room, I settled into the leather easy chair near the large picture window that looked on to the street. "But, I have totally unrelated, stupid news."

"What now?" She asked with a worried glint in her grey eyes.

I told her about the bulls.h.i.t call from Raoul. Her eyes widened as I spoke, but she didn't say anything until I'd finished.

"I wouldn't expect that from Raoul. He loves the ladies - there's no doubt about that - but slaughtering them? No way. There has to be another explanation."

I sucked in my breath and let it out slowly. Raoul and I were many things, but friends wasn't one of them. We rarely saw eye to eye, but due to status and power, we were the top two werewolves in town. Aside from that, we couldn't be more different.

"I don't know what to do, Ky. That son of a b.i.t.c.h had no reason to call me down there. What the h.e.l.l is that about?" I took in her comfortable appearance where she sat diagonal to me on the full length matching leather couch. Clad in silky soft pajama pants and her favorite fuzzy robe, she looked the epitome of what I wanted to feel right then.

"I know there's no love lost between the two of you," she replied with a toss of her trendy brunette, Posh Spice-style bob. "But, did you ever think he does this stuff to reach out to you?"

I stared at her as if she'd grown two heads, and she shrugged. "If this isn't some kind of misunderstanding, if he's killing people, then he'd have to be stopped."

Her expression grew wary. "What are you saying, Alexa?"

"I don't know. He's driving me crazy. He is crazy. And, if he goes on a killing spree, then he'll have to be stopped before he endangers the rest of us."

Though I never breathed a word of it to Kylarai, I suspected Raoul would rat us all out if he was discovered to be a Were and put in a lab. He'd try to take us down with him simply so he wasn't suffering alone.

For a minute, there was only the sound of the wall clock ticking and quiet laughter from the television in the far corner. Kylarai's eyes took on a haunted look, and I could see that she'd thought the same when she nodded in agreement. I couldn't very well let Raoul bring murder and mayhem to our quiet little town. He would ruin us all.

"You know I agree with you," she said at last. As quiet as she was, she certainly wasn't known for being weak. She'd take out anyone in her way if push came to shove. "But, don't be so quick to jump to conclusions. You have to be sure he's doing this. There has to be more evidence than that to land him a death sentence."

"Well, the cops let him go, what does that tell you?" I forced my limbs to move and sauntered down the hall, around the corner, to my room.

After changing into fuzzy sweatpants and a clean t-shirt, I gave my long hair a halfhearted shove away from my face. Kylarai's m.u.f.fled response sounded like, "He didn't do it." I made a face of disgust at my closet that n.o.body could see.

I re-entered the living room just as Shaz rang the doorbell. He was earlier than I'd expected. After savoring one of his perfect hugs, I retold to him what I had said to Kylarai.

"Why would someone want to kill Julie?" he asked. I found it odd, that was the first thought he had.

"Did you know her?"

"I met her once or twice when I dropped by Raoul's. But, that had to be almost a year ago, now." His eyes took on a haunted glow.

Being three years younger than me, Shaz is still finding out how much danger and death plays a part in our world. His remaining innocence along with his realistic acceptance is what I love about him.

"You don't think it was Raoul?" Was I the only one who thought that he probably did do it?

"Let's not go there," Kylarai interjected. "Not until we're at that point."

Shaz nodded, his lips pressed together tight. "If Raoul was to brutally kill someone, he'd have a d.a.m.n good reason. And much as I hate to say it, he doesn't place that much value on past lovers."

"Which is exactly why he could do it so easily and feel no remorse." The bitterness was thick in my tone, and I ignored the look they exchanged.

"You look cold." Shaz ran a warm hand down my arm. My wolf responded by leaping against my inner core as if trying to break free. Closing my eyes, I could feel the pull of the wild in my veins and smell the pine and spice of fur.

"Actually, I think I need to go for a run." I didn't want to sit there trying to convince them what depths of sc.u.m Raoul really was.

We all knew him differently. This conversation had happened many times before. They a.s.sumed my opinion of him was strictly personal. Maybe it was, but my reasons were good.

I rose from my chair and stretched languorously. "Want to come with?"

"Always." Shaz was on his feet in a heartbeat.