The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

Sadie was grinding her teeth so hard she thought she might break something. She didn’t like high-end social events much, she hated socialized with politicians, and the presence of the “elite” of vampire society didn’t make things any easier for her. She had taken a field job just to avoid crap like this.

Mr. McDermott turned and winked at her. He said something to Lord Frost, then turned and walked over to the trailer. “You HAD to realize that they were going to play this game with you, didn’t you?” he asked, the mirth in his voice impossible to hide.

She didn’t want to grin, but he was making it hard. “Yeah. I’ll let him have this round.”

Terrence McDermott pulled out a business card and held it up. “Here’s the name and number of an excellent boutique, in case you’re looking for something dressy.” He handed her the card.

“Thanks, but I’m sure I’ll find a way of weaseling out of it.” Then she noticed that it wasn’t one card but two, the second reading, “Mr. Terrence McDermott” with his work number on the front and his cell phone number on the back. ‘Bastard’s been planning on giving me this since he got here!’

“I hope not,” he replied. “This ‘wine and cheese soirees are incredibly dull. Might be nice for someone to shake things up a bit.” Then McDermott turned and walked away.

‘I guess I could handle ONE night of pointless ego-stroking,’ she thought, staring at Terrence’s well formed ass as he walked away. She looked at the card for the boutique. ‘I HATE dresses!’

——— ——————-

Later, at work . . .

——— ——————-

“Captain!” Sadie whined loudly. “What did I ever do to you?”

The Captain looked slightly apologetic. “Sorry, but your bosses called and told me to make sure you got more involved in the community in a non-destructive capacity. I’m assuming you know what they’re talking about. And we really could use the money that was somewhat promised us if I made sure you went to fund-raiser.” He raised his hands as the vampire tried to object. “You can be quite charming when you choose to be, and we need friends in high places. Not a lot of people care what happens in the Gravestones.”

Sadie glowered. Grom was a good guy trying to do what was best for his precinct, but she didn’t have to like it. “Why can’t you go?”

“Because I am too old and too set in my ways. That and two of my kids have the flu and my wife is going out of town that weekend, so I get to babysit. If it makes you feel any better, I’m making Officer Koloff go as well.”

“Why would that make me feel any better? He’d look as out of place in a tux as I will in a dress!”

“For some reason, I think you’re a lot more suited to wearing dresses than you’ll admit.” Captain Grom glanced at the door. “And these kinds of events are the one thing that makes Vladimir’s wife stop bitching at him for an hour.”

Sadie pondered that for a moment. Grom was politically correct and generally proper. ‘How bad can this woman be that even HE is taking shots?’ She sighed. “Okay, okay.”

“Thanks Aribiter –”

“I’ll change my mind if you don’t start calling me ‘Sadie” instead of ‘Arbiter’ all the time.”

He smiled. “Okay Sadie. If you don’t have a dress, talk to Melissa and she’ll give you an expense voucher for a rental.”

“Save it. I’ve got money for a dress, and there’s no sense in the department coughing up money for something like this if we’re broke anyway.”

“I appreciate it. And there are two invitations, so I’m thinking you’re expected to bring a date. I don’t think that’ll be too hard for you. Just go outside in your work clothes and I’m sure you’ll get plenty of volunteers.”

She stuck her tongue out at him as she left the office. She would take one for the team. She noticed that Mel was back up at the front desk. The girl had been giving her the cold shoulder since Bart outed them.

‘She’ll come around,’ Sadie thought. ‘I hope she will.’ It was depressing, and she hated being depressed.

“Hey Arbiter –” Officer Devilin started to say, then caught himself. “Sadie, looks like you’re in my car today. I’m supposed to finish your tour of the Gravestones . . . anyplace you haven’t seen yet.”

She smiled at him. A bat could see that he had a crush on her a mile wide, but she figured it was harmless. “Good to hear. Go get one of the SUVs from the lot and I’ll meet you out front.”Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“Why not a patrol car?”

“Because SUVs make me look cooler. Now scat!” She watched him scurry off to get a larger vehicle. She actually found bigger vehicles to be a bit more intimidating, so the underbelly of society didn’t bother you as much. She started to hum the music for a song called “A Devil and an Angel” by some hot new vamp group called Lost in Texas. She was by the vending machine getting a pre-shift Mountain Dew when she heard footsteps in the hallway stop right behind her.

“Hey Mel,” she said before she even turned around.

The girl looked embarrassed. “Sorry,” she said.

Sadie smiled, grabbed the back of Mel’s head and pulled it into her shoulder, giving her a hug. “S’okay. We cool?”

“Yeah. I’m just not used to people paying that much attention to me. I don’t think it’s for me, but that isn’t your fault. I guess I should be happy it hasn’t been worse.”

“Guys giving you grief? Let me know and –”

“No, that would just draw more attention. Besides, I think what you said kind of defused things.”

Sadie nodded. “I had to make us seem like another boring couple.”

“And we’re not even really a couple. I’m not being snotty, just honest. I know what you said when we started, and I really appreciate you helping me figure stuff out.”

“So . . . you don’t want to play anymore?” Sadie felt weirded out by the concept. Normally, she was the one who did the leaving.

“No! I mean . . . uhm,” Mel stammered, wishing she hadn’t sounded quite so vehement. “I like what we do.”

“Phew! You were going to give me worry wrinkles. Anyway, wanna be my date for this fund raiser on Friday?”

One of Mel’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re kidding, right?”

“C’mon! Both the guys around here and the vamps know that you’re with me, they just don’t know how much. It saves me having to start rumors about me and ANOTHER person I work with, which is a lot of work.” She brought out the big bright eyes and quivering lip to accompany the next statement. “Puh-wease?!”

Mel didn’t want to smile, but she had to. “Okay, okay.”

Sadie hugged her and, making sure no one was watching her, gave her a friendly kiss. “Yer the best. Got a dress?”

Mel’s eyebrow went up again.

“Okay, I’m going shopping tomorrow afternoon before work. I’ll pick you up –” Sadie stopped, noticing that Mel had blushed a little and was trying to say something. “Unless,” Sadie crooned, “you’d rather I just roll over and nudge you.”

Both of Mel’s eyebrows wiggled as she turned and sauntered out of the vending area. A passerby seemed captivated by that sleek, sexy frame and that saucy walk.

‘I believe I’ve created a monster.’ In a much better mood, she skipped outside to the waiting Officer Devlin.

“Alright Dev, let’s kick this pig and go roamin’ the hood.” She actually jumped up to the open window of the SUV and slid in like Bo and Luke Duke.

Devlin’s eyes were slightly wide. “You really don’t act like I thought an Arbiter would,” he said, turning on the ignition.

“Cool. Normally people complain that I don’t act like they thought a vampire should.”

“That either.”

It only took five minutes before Sadie made Devlin pull over so that she could drive. He drove like a little old lady, and not the “I’ve been alive for so long that I don’t believe I can actually die” kind of old lady that cut across four lanes of traffic with a heat-seeking gaze locked on the Denny’s sign floating next to the off ramp. No, he drove the speed limit exactly, kept four seconds of separation between him and every other vehicle, basically needed an engraved invitation to pull onto a street if he could even see another car coming, and slowed down in front of traffic lights just to make sure they didn’t change at the last minute.

Five minutes after Sadie started driving, it looked like Devlin was going to have a heart attack. To the vampire, the rules of the road were more like . . . suggestions. And anyone who had known Arbiter Sadie Hewitt more than a few minutes would know that she didn’t pay much attention to suggestions. Poor Devlin was clinging to the “Oh Shit” handle and praying feverishly to one god or another to help him survive the next five minutes.

They cruised an area of the Gravestones down next to the river. Midian had a gift for making low-income housing look almost reasonable, but there was a sense to such places that no stucco or paint could cover up. Sadie could see mistrust and desperation on every door . . . every street corner. Much to Devlin’s chagrin, she found a hole-in-the-wall barbecue restaurant called “Roll the Bones” and pulled into the lot. He had jut planned on showing her the area, he hadn’t actually planned on stopping in it, much less getting out of the protection of the SUV.