because their legs were longer and muscular legs like theirs exuded power.
The second I rounded the corner and entered the Council’s foyer, Haven squeaked, “Oh goodie. We get to go out together again.”
“I know, I’m so excited, too.” I met up with her and bounced up and down in her arms.
“Are you two done?” Kyden asked, waiting at the door.
I turned back to him, noticed Talon was gone. “Where’d he go? Doesn’t he have to tell us the location?”
“If you weren’t sprinting here, you would have heard,” Kyden responded.
“Oh, okay,” I said, impatiently. “Where to then?”
“Wichita, Kansas—74 Spruce Street.”
I glanced at Haven. “Ever been?”
“Nope,” she replied, grasping onto my hand. “First time for everything.” Kyden grasped my other hand, opened the door to the portal then stepped through. The light hit, the pressure against my body strangled my breath. Only seconds later, it stopped.
When my eyes opened, we were standing on Spruce Street. A little wartime red brick bungalow straight ahead, completely surrounded by large maple trees.
Old neighborhoods were always my favorite—big trees lining the streets just made houses look more like homes. A chain-link fence wrapped around the grounds and an untended garden made up most of the front lawn.
“Someone doesn’t take much pride in their home,” Haven said in disgust.
Couldn’t have agreed with her more—whoever’s home this was, didn’t understand the meaning of a lawn mower.
Before I could tell her as much, a deep voice said, “No. They don’t.”
I glanced toward the voice. A vampire stepped out of the house and opened the steel gate. The Council had infiltrated all Police Departments and Governments. This tall and mysteriously handsome guy must be one badass super cop.
“I am Detective Broden,” he said to Kyden. “You are Kyden, I assume?”
“I am.” He nodded toward us. “Nexi and Haven.”
We both gave him a little wave.
“The body is this way.” He held open the gate for us. “Appears to be a typical vampire killing—the body is of a young woman.” He glanced back to Haven and I. “She is not in an appropriate state.”
I laughed and waved his concern away with my hand. “Couple of boobs we can handle.”
Broden inclined his head, but said nothing further.
Kyden stepped in into the house first, which was his usual way. Always protective. I once suggested I should go in first, but he just laughed. That was the end of it. Can’t always win in our little battles and it was small enough that I really didn’t care. I liked to save my energy to fight against him for the ones that truly mattered. One thing he did—one thing I could always be counted on for—is putting up a hell of a fight.
As I entered the house, it was apparent the woman was a college student. None of her furniture matched, all looked like old hand-me-down specials. Wine bottles, movies—not PG-rated ones—were spread out along the coffee table.
I picked one up and laughed. “Lord of the G-Strings.”
Kyden arched a brow. “You have an interest in those, do you?”
“Keep dreaming, lover boy.”
Kyden grinned devilishly and headed for the bedroom. I threw the movie down and followed in behind him with Haven right on my heels.
As I cleared the doorway, a woman was sprawled out on her bed not nearly as drained as I’d expect her to be. Normally vampires in bloodlust leave nothing behind. This woman’s double-Ds were still plump. She was undeniably in the throes of passion when she passed on—judging by the ludicrous position she was in.
I took a quick glance around the room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The furniture in the room only consisted of a small end table on the left side of her double bed and a TV stand in front.
“No other evidence within the house except for the two
Susan Isaacs
Charlotte Grimshaw
Elle Casey
Julie Hyzy
Elizabeth Richards
Jim Butcher
Demelza Hart
Julia Williams
Allie Ritch
Alexander Campion