The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

“And there you have it,” Sadie Hewitt said to the assembled officers. “Someone was using blood magic to burn the warehouse district down and who knows what else along with it.” She wanted to point out that none of the “higher” races or classes were in any danger, but she was biting her tongue. Cops could be funny if they thought something wrong was happening. Innocent people could get harassed or worse.

Vladimir stood up, looking as strong as ever. Sadie almost couldn’t stand to look at him, considering the spectacle she’d made of herself during the previous day’s escapade. She wanted his respect for reasons she couldn’t even fathom, and she had sucked his blood while trying to jump his bones when all he was doing was trying to look after her. If she’d lost much more blood, she would’ve frenzied and then someone might very well have died. And to make matters worse, she could still taste the faintest traces of his blood in her mouth, and she wanted more.

“Let’s keep an eye out,” he said. “Less than two weeks to Halloween and things are dicey out there, so take the time to get out of your cars or just get out in the streets and talk to people. Arbiter Hewitt has been doing just that, and the street folk have been responding.”

“But I don’t look that good in a thong,” Fitzpatrick said solemnly.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Sadie replied demurely, looking at him through half-open eyes. “You could borrow one of mine.”

Captain Grom shuddered. “Okay, I just got all sorts of mental images that I did NOT need.” The room laughed, and a few people made noises of disgust as their imaginations caught up to the conversation. “But Vladimir is right. Gravestones is a hotspot for discontent right now.”

The group broke up and Sadie headed to her desk. She hadn’t seen Devlin, and she wanted to apologize for shoving him around in her delusional state. Not seeing him, she went up to the front desk to talk to Mel.

“It’s his night off,” she said. “If you want, I can give you his home number –”

“Nah, I’d rather just talk to him in person.”

“Something’s up by the way,” Mel continued, noticing that Vladimir had joined them. “Mayor’s office just called to speak to the Captain about a ‘staffing issue.'”

“Hunh. Well, I’m sure the Captain will tell us what he wants us to here. Too bad we can’t listen in to the call,” Sadie said innocently.

“That would be a violation of policy,” Melissa said.

“Can’t have that,” Vladimir added with a grin. He wasn’t above bending a few rules.

Melissa glanced down at her terminal, and the two officers saw what looked like DVR controls floated on the desktop.

‘She’s rerouting the call through her PC,’ Vlad realized, ‘and she’s recording it.’

“I’ll talk to you later,” Mel said calmly, going back to her work, trying not to smirk.

“We’re patrolling together,” Vladimir said to Sadie. “Meet you out in the lot.” He then turned and walked out the door.

“Crap!” Sadie muttered.

“It’s okay,” Mel said. “He’s your friend and he’s a cop, so you’re going to have to deal with him. He’s probably freaked out by everything too. So just go out, patrol, and sit in the car with him in awkward silence. It’ll be fun.”

“I hate you,” the vamp growled, then kissed Mel on the cheek. The girl blushed.

“No PDAs!” she hissed as Sadie started to walk away. “I’m spoken for now!”

“I don’t think Mary would begrudge me a friendly kiss now and again.” She hit the outside just in time for a light drizzle to start. “Great.” She saw Vlad out front in a regular patrol car. “But –”

“No SUV. You seem to think you’re invincible when you’re in something that big.” He saw that she was going to object. “I was given specific instructions by Melissa on behalf of –”

“That damn wraith!” Sadie was tempted to take of the sling just for spite, but her shoulder really did hurt. “That’s the last time I ever make nice with an outcast.”

The look Vladimir gave her was slightly amused and thoughtful. “I doubt that. You can’t help it, can you?”

“Help what?” She reluctantly got into the passenger side of the car.

“Wanting to save everyone . . . even from themselves.” He pulled out onto the road and headed into the Gravestones.

A few minutes later, Sadie was already ancy. “You drive like Devlin,” she growled. “Gun it! Oh, we could’ve made that light!”

“I will let you out so you can walk,” he said, holding the steering wheel casually. Then she saw those strong arms tense. “I’m sorry for what happened,” he muttered. “Yesterday.”

Sadie nodded. “It wasn’t your fault. If I’d just let someone help me or hadn’t gone off on my own –”

“No one else would’ve survived,” he interrupted. “Except for me. And I was too busy avoiding dealing with you to be there for a partner . . . and a friend . . . when she needed me.”

Sadie looked at the droplets of water cascading horizontally on the window. “I never know when to stop pushing. I never know when just to mind my own business.”

“And I hope you never do.” Vladimir was smiling again, particularly when he saw the look of surprise on her face. “Sadie, things have been more interesting in the month that you’ve been here than in the last several years combined. The squad believes in you. The people on the streets love you. Melissa’s a whole new woman because of you, and it’s a good change for her. You almost got yourself killed for someone that most people wouldn’t have even noticed had died. You’ve put have young males of the Gravestones through puberty for crying out loud. My nephew hasn’t stopped talking about you for weeks apparently. Speaking of which, I thought we’d meet him for lunch.”

“Roll the Bones?” she asked hungrily.

“I thought you people just lived on blood.”

“Nah. We need blood, but food helps. And I love eating.” She paused. “I can’t promise I won’t push you again . . . about Teresa I mean. But I’ll try. I respect you, and . . . and I just wish she did too.”

He nodded. It was as much of a truce as they were going to reach, so he let it lie.

Just then, Sadie’s phone rang. She pulled it out, but didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

*Sadie?*

“Yeah. Terrence? That you? You get a new phone number?”

*Sort of. Throw away phone.*

Arbiter Hewitt got a strange feeling in her bones. “What’s up?”

*You alone?*Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“No, I’m in the car with Vladimir Koloff.”

*That works. Can you meet me in . . . oh say, the next fifteen minutes? Over at Rider Park . . . take the walking trail around to the creek.*

Sadie knew the sound of disguised urgency, and Terrence’s voice was practically dripping with it. “Sure. We’ll see you in a few.” Then she hung up.

“What’s up?”

“Terrence McDermott. He’s Lord Frost’s bodyguard. He REALLY wants to talk about something.”

“Any idea what?”

“No, but I’ve got the feeling it’s something I need to hear. Rider Park, and drive inconspicuously.”

They were only ten minutes away, so they found themselves pulling into the mostly empty parking lot. With the weather the way it was and Rider Park’s reputation for being a haven for junkies, not even the darkworlders went there on a night like this. Vladimir and Sadie weren’t exactly worried about getting mugged, unless the person was really, really out of their mind.

Finding Terrence wasn’t hard, as he was standing on a bridge tossing some breadcrumbs to a family of ducks that had found there way to the area.

“You shouldn’t encourage them,” Sadie said. “There are people in this park that would eat them if they got the chance.”

“Everyone’s gotta eat,” Terrence grinned. “And have you ever actually tried to catch a duck? They’re sneaky little bastards.”

Sadie noticed that Vladimir was actually eying the ducks more than he should, and his presence made the ducks nervous. He was a predator, and their instincts knew it. “Heel boy. If you eat duck, then it’ll spoil your appetite for Roll the Bones.”

“I wouldn’t know about that,” he replied with a grin. “I’ve got a big appetite.”

Sadie slowly turned away. ‘No sexual innuendos . . . bad Sadie! You’re just getting things straightened out . . . you’d like to get HIM straightened out.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘You are a vampire with a one-track mind.’ “So what’s so important that you drug us all the way out here?”

Terrence looked around. He was careful, and he knew how to do recon. “Dazza was involved in the arson attempt,” he said carefully.

“I know,” Sadie replied.

“What? You did?!” Vladimir was as angry as he was surprised.

“Calm down,” Sadie told him. “I was going to tell you tonight. I recognized his voice, but that wouldn’t be enough for a conviction, not even coming from me.”

“Frost knew . . . I think he was behind it.”

“I knew it!” she said, stomping her foot and scaring the ducks off completely.

“Why would Frost do this? I knew he was a psychopath, but this?” Vlad rubbed his eyes, trying to sort this out.