Hard Days Night (The Firsts Book 8) Read online

  Squatting again, she started to reach out for him and let her hand pause just above his lips.

  “I’m sorry handsome. We’ll catch him. Or her. Was it a lover scorned? I could see that. She couldn’t let you go. She vowed that if she couldn’t have you, no one would. Or a jealous rival? No man could stand up to you. Not your real story? We’ll find it. If you were mine to work, I’d know you better than you knew yourself before I was done. Just listen, don’t make me fall in love with you, too. Don’t need the complication.”

  She started to get up when she thought she saw his lips part. Closing her eyes briefly, she shook her head before she opened them again, but he was as still as he should be for a dead man.

  Mal snorted a laugh. “One beer and I’m hallucinating?”

  Maybe she should cover his face back up and quit musing about him. Leaning over to do exactly that, she pulled the blanket back up and just as she was going to drop it back over the victim’s face, he drew a breath.

  She was so startled, she fell back on her ass, shocked, and scrambled to regain her footing.

  What the hell!

  No way. No fucking way!

  Standing again, she walked back over and squatted down to look more closely at him. He hadn’t moved, but he was breathing. Shallowly, unevenly, but he was breathing.

  “How the hell are you alive?” she whispered, and squatted once more to feel for his carotid pulse. But she never felt it, because as her fingers touched his skin, which was still very warm, he began to sit up.

  Whether a combination of caution or fear, Mal pushed herself away from him again. Nothing like this had ever happened.

  His eyes opened while she was considering what to do next, and he pushed the blanket away from his body.

  “Hot,” he whispered, and tried to stand. But he stumbled a little and Mal, on instinct, surged towards him and slid her arms around his waist.

  “I’ve got you, you’re okay. I don’t, uh, know how you’re okay, but you are.”

  The man, seeking stability and perhaps some human contact, had also slid his arms around Mal, his fingers resting too close to her breasts for comfort, but she didn’t try to move them. He had just survived a near-death experience, she would cut him some slack.

  “I need to get my phone and call for an ambulance.”

  He shook his head, and his eyes met Mal’s.

  “No, you don’t. Look at me, please.”

  Mal lifted her eyes to his and felt a white-hot heat in her temples.

  “You will not call anyone. Hand me your phone.”

  Mal watched her hand lift as she gave her cell phone to the naked man who had just come back from the dead. She tried to fight the act, tried to keep the phone in her own hand, but she couldn’t do it. Nothing about this was right. Shaking her head to try to clear the fuzziness, and finally succeeding, she looked up at the walking dead man. He smiled, and she remembered thinking that she would like to have seen that. Damn, it was brilliant, and still shocking, because it should have been impossible.

  How was a man with a bullet hole in his forehead, and no pulse, standing here with his arms around her. Also, what the hell had happened, that she just gave him her phone?

  “Thank you,” he said, and gently released her. “I’m sorry to do that to you, but I can’t have you calling the authorities. I don’t need medical care.”

  Mal pushed away from him. “You were dead moments ago. You need to be in the hospital right now.”

  “No, I do not. You can see I am fine.”

  “Except for a hole in your forehead, buddy. Look, I’m an L.A. detective, and I was sent here because you were dead. You were dead, you understand? How you’re standing here, I don’t know, but what I do know is that you were shot, almost point blank, in the forehead, and I need to call an ambulance to get you to a hospital immediately. Sir, your life depends on it.”

  “It doesn’t. Please, forget…”

  “I can’t believe I’m arguing with a dead man. Give me back my phone. Do you hear me? Damn, I hate to be yelling at a man with a fatal wound, but give me my fucking phone.”

  Ahmose watched the beautiful human woman with eyes the color of fresh, new moss demanding that he obey her. He found it amusing and charming, so much so, he couldn’t bring himself to compel her to stop.

  His situation, though, wasn’t amusing. Lamont had made an attempt on his life. Since it was obvious he knew where Ahmose was, he needed to get the hell out of here tonight. Only it was getting closer to daylight, and he preferred not to fly during those times. Of greater importance was the fact that he still had a lot of healing to do before he was well enough to use his skills effectively. His balance was unsteady, and his vision fluctuating, not unexpected with the severity of his wound. It could take some time to recover after dying.

  Too, he would like to try to find the men who shot him and return the favor. His best plan was to find a safe place to lie low and heal until he was back in full health. Blood would be required to facilitate the healing and he looked down at the upset woman in front of him. She’d do very nicely.

  She was still staring at him with her hand out, then she dropped it.

  “All right, if you won’t comply, I’m leaving. I’ll send the locals back and let them deal with you. I can’t handle a mystery right now anyway!”

  Mal turned and started towards Luka’s bike, glancing back several times. The man just stood there looking at her. She hesitated in front of the motorcycle.

  Fuck. She couldn’t just leave him. First, he really was a victim who needed help, even if the situation was unreal, and left her somewhat shaken. And second, God, he was amazing. Standing there naked, a body that looked like it was carved by Michelangelo, perfect in every way, he took her shaken breath away. His pitch dark hair hit the mid-part of his back, and she found her fingers flexing at her side because she wanted to bury them in it.

  Bullshit, she told herself, he’s a vic, that’s all. No, she wouldn’t leave him.

  “I’m sorry,” Mal said, as she walked back to him. “You’re seriously injured, and it’s my job to take care of you. It’s just, this situation is way off my usual radar.”

  “I understand. You’re quite surprised to see me alive. That is a perfectly normal reaction.”

  Mal laughed. “Yeah, I’ll say. But you need to listen to me. I don’t know how the bullet didn’t kill you, but you could arrest at any time. Please let me have my phone so I can call for help.”

  Suddenly he stepped forward and cupped Mal’s cheek with the palm of his right hand. “I do need help. But all I need is you.”

  That statement sounded odd, and Mal looked back up into his face. Was that…was the bullet hole in his forehead…did it look…smaller? Shallower? Like it was already healing?

  Her eyes met his, the questions apparent. She heard him say, “Sleep,” and felt the white-hot heat again, her vision fuzzed out and she lost consciousness.

  Ahmose caught the gorgeous police woman in his arms and used air displacement to move her back into the beach house within split seconds. Very carefully, he put her on the bed in an upstairs room, and sat down on the bed. The movement had exhausted him when under normal circumstances, he could have carried her several miles if necessary without breathing hard.

  His body needed time to heal from dying. Although a gunshot would not kill him, the act of dying shut down all the major body functions and they needed time to heal and reset. Ahmose looked at the sleeping beauty.

  He would need her and at least a day to be well enough to protect himself and get to safety.

  Standing, he rotated 360 degrees, then dropped back onto the bed. That would take care of protection. He had used his first blood magics to spell the house so that no one would know it was here. The talent was inherent in all first blood vampires, used rarely, except in the case where his village was hidden from the world using a form of the talent on a much more massive scale.

  Masked now, no matter who came looking for hi
m, unless it was a first blood vampire, they would not even know the house existed, and would automatically avoid the spelled area.

  Ahmose went back downstairs and poured himself a final glass of wine, upended the glass and swallowed it quickly, then returned to the upstairs room.

  Once again sitting on the bed, he rolled the woman over so that he could look at her face.

  “Outstandingly lovely,” he said as he ran a fingertip over her lips. They would be delicious, he knew that.

  “An officer of the law. A soldier for good. I am sorry to take you from your life for even a short time, but I have a great need and you are a fortunate surprise. Still, forgive me.” He lifted her into his arms and held her close as he said, “Waken.”

  Mal felt the heat again, but this time, it was nice, like sunshine on cool skin. She groaned and turned towards the heat.

  “Waken,” she heard, a voice near her ear, deep, sexy, and oddly familiar.

  “Weird dream,” she whispered as she opened her eyes and expected to see her cracked bedroom ceiling. Instead, she saw him, a man she had been dreaming about just before she woke.

  Was she still asleep?

  “Awaken fully and talk with me,” he said, and she felt the leaden sleepiness wane immediately. Memory returned as if a light switch had been thrown.

  “What the hell is…where am I?” she said rudely as she looked around a room of soft blue and white.

  A second later she realized that the naked dead Adonis had her in his arms, and shoved herself back away from him.

  “How did we get here?” she asked, worried some, but mostly pissed. “And we need to find you some clothes!”

  Scrambling off the opposite side of the bed, Mal put some distance between him. Had she really been lying on a bed with the naked dead man? Aw, Luka was going to have a field-day with this tale.

  Being forcibly sent on vacation by the Captain had already sent her out of her comfort zone. And this bizarre, weird-ass situation with a dead man who suddenly wasn’t dead, giving up her phone because he told her to, and now waking in a strange place with him, shot her alarm and anger into orbit. Mal was accustomed to controlling things in her world and this was just unacceptable.

  “Give me my cell phone. I’m not fucking around now. I need to contact the local police, call an ambulance, and let my partner know where I am. Now, do you understand me?”

  Compulsion was fluid. It could be used to simply control a behavior, like when he had her hand him her cell phone, or it could completely alter behavior, thoughts, memories, or ideas.

  Ahmose hated the use of compulsion in most cases. The idea that it was okay to control someone else was distasteful to him in every way, but he knew there were times it had to be done.

  This was one of those times. He would use his ability, but only at its weakest level. She needed to stay, he needed her, but he would not affect her mind, only her body. Besides, he very much enjoyed her sharp mind and tongue.

  Ahmose lifted off the bed and slowly walked around it to where she stood, breathing hard, demanding he comply to orders. If not frightened, she was on guard and ready to fight. He thought she was quite magnificent. He couldn’t help the thing, his cock began to swell again because everything about this little human female excited him. This could get quite interesting since the primary thing he needed from her was blood, and a blood draw was often highly erotic. Paired with the fact that he found her so stimulating, he knew, there was no question, he would have her.

  His body felt weak, and had never felt so before. Compulsion required little power, and that was fortunate, because little power was all he had right now.

  As he approached her, he smiled when she backed up, and began to glance around the room quickly. She was looking for a weapon or an exit because she didn’t trust him. Wise. She certainly had no reason to. He would secure her now and then take the first blood draw to begin the healing. Rest would be required next and he would take her with him to the enclosed room on the first floor that would shelter him safely when the daylight returned.

  He moved so elegantly for a man lying dead at her feet minutes ago. Mal couldn’t move her eyes off of him as he stood and came around the foot of the bed towards her. It seemed odd that a man so large, so heavily muscled, could move so easily, with such grace.

  She backed away, a cop’s reaction to a perceived threat, or one of an unknown nature. He was the biggest man she’d ever seen, and in this small room, he seemed larger than anyone ever should. Since she was trained to defend herself, she rarely worried about anyone, even men, but this one, this alpha male with an erection beginning, both terrified her and excited her.

  She perceived no threat from him, and yet she knew somehow that this was too far beyond her experience to control the way she needed to. The only thing she really knew at this point was one thing…she needed to get the hell out of here.

  Scanning the room, there was no easy outlet, and nothing she could use to defend herself if it became necessary. Here, now, with him moving toward her carefully, she would have to rely on her wit. Without her permission, her eyes dropped to this man’s cock, which, damn, speaking of extraordinary…everything about him was beautiful. In other circumstances, this would be a moment to give in to her needs and find out what this man could do with it. In other circumstances!

  “You need to stop, sir. I don’t want to hurt you, but you’re pushing me into a corner, and I will defend myself.”

  “I believe you. But that isn’t how this is going to go. I’m feeling a great deal of fatigue now and I need to feed, heal, and get some rest.”

  “Good. Good, see, we can make the right choices now. You need food, good medical care, and a nice firm bed. The hospital nearby is just the place, so if you will just give me back my phone…”

  “No.” Ahmose cut her off. Time was passing, he needed to begin the healing. He started towards her again.

  Mal backed until she hit the wall behind her. “You need to back off, buddy.”

  “Ahmose.”

  She frowned, her hands out in front of her in a ready to defend stance. “What?”

  “Ahmose. It is my name.”

  “Good. Nice to meet you Ahmose. Let me introduce myself, then. I’m Detective Get-the-fuck-out-of-my-way.”

  He couldn’t help it, Ahmose grinned. “Pleased to meet you as well. I am sorry, detective, but I am going to be decidedly in your way for at least another day.”

  With that statement, he could see the fight or flight instinct kick into high gear, but fortunately, that included the tendency to look the opponent in the eyes in confrontation, which was exactly what he needed.

  Using soft compulsion, he trapped her gaze.

  “You will accompany me to my chambers now with no questions.”

  Ahmose walked from the room, leaving Mal standing still, her back against the wall, as she tried desperately not to follow him, but her legs began to carry her forward.

  Oh, fuck this could not be real. It wasn’t possible unless he had drugged her. Had he? He’d had time, hadn’t he? But even if he had given her drugs, she was cognitively aware of what she was doing. Although she wanted to go out to the balcony and leave the house, she followed him like a lovesick puppy. She was past being frightened now and fully pissed.

  Ahmose waited outside the room as she tried to fight the compulsion. He knew she was strong-willed to have done it so far. Moments later, though, she appeared in the doorway.

  “What the fuck have you done to me?” she demanded, her eyes accusatory.

  “I have made you compliant because I need your help. Please, know that I will release you when this is over, and that I will not hurt you. You will remember nothing of this after I release you.” He paused, his eyes moving suggestively across her body. “And that is a shame.”

  “How are you doing this?” Mal commanded.

  Mal now knew that it wasn’t drugs or anything else that made sense to her. She knew her own mind and body and nothing in her expe
rience would be capable of forcing her movements like this. Paired with the fact that she knew that this man had been dead, and yet now he wasn’t, meant something was really fucked up here. Now, she was a little afraid.

  Ahmose put out a hand because he sensed her fear. “Take my hand.”

  Once again she tried to resist, but couldn’t and watched her hand slide into his. His fingers were warm and caressed her skin as he led her down the stairs. “I want you to understand I had no intention of taking you until I realized I had been killed and would need you to help me recover.”

  What? He admitted he had been dead?

  “Just let me go, please. This will all be okay, I promise.”

  He led her into a room that had no windows, and for a beach house that was odd. It featured the biggest bed she had ever seen and a wall lined with mirrors and something…what were those things? When she realized what they were, Mal began to pull away from him. He held her hand tightly.

  “No. Hell, no!” Mal yelled.

  Ahmose’s eyes went to the wall and he smiled. “Oh, no, detective, those are not mine. Don’t be worried.”

  Still pulling against him, Mal pointed at the generous display. “Who needs that many vibrators?”

  “That is my point. I never would. When a woman is with me, nothing else is required.”

  “Arrogant. I’m sure no woman ever left unsatisfied.”

  “That is very true. I would please you in ways you never believed possible.”

  Mal laughed, a coarse scoff that came from deep in her throat. “Sure.”

  But her eyes went to the enormous sex organ hanging between Ahmose’s legs and she could feel heat between hers.

  “I hope you will allow me to show you. For now, please get on the bed.”

  Mal already knew there was no way she could resist the request. Somehow, she would do exactly what he wanted when he commanded her. At this point, would that include rape?

  Ahmose passed in front of her as he walked to the bed, put one knee on it and crawled on top shiny satin sheets the color of dark sand. Lying full out, gloriously naked and incredibly sensual, Ahmose smiled at her. Mal stepped back away from the bed.