with it.”
Alex frowned. “Doesn’t the ritual involve killing somebody?”
“Not necessarily. There are a few different ways to garner the power.”
A moment of silence.
“You do need to find a woman willing to participate … or one you’re willing to kill in the process.”
“Let’s say I find a willing one. What will she have to do?”
“Have sex with you.”
It took Alex a second to get over the surprise before he could answer.
“Have sex with me.”
“Yeah. It’s a bit more complicated than that, and she has to be born on one of the Sabbaths. But basically, yes.”
Alex’s thoughts drifted to chestnut hair and tight jeans.
A knock on the door cut his thoughts short.
“I think that’s Sonya to let me know my dinner date is here,” he told Anton. “Let me think about this, and I’ll get back to you.”
“Sure. And Alex … you don’t have a lot of time.”
He knew.
“Soon. I’ll get back to you soon. Multumesc .”
Laurie Cole was waiting in the lobby, sitting comfortably in one of the armchairs. He studied her for a few seconds while she was looking the other way. There was something about her that intrigued him, something beyond the obvious. She was wearing a long-sleeved top that hugged every curve, and Alex wondered what she’d be like withher clothes off, under his hands.
He swallowed a groan at the thought.
“Miss Cole.”
Her body jerked slightly, and he knew he’d taken her by surprise. She blushed and smiled. “Thanks for the invitation, Mr. Volman.”
He returned the smile, gesturing towards the study. “Call me Alex, please. It seems a more appropriate choice for an intimate drink.”
He saw her hesitate and wondered how much he could push before she objected.
“You can call me Laurie as long as you don’t forget I’m still a cop … or something like that, anyway,” she smiled.
“That’s a deal.”
The lights were dimmed in the study, and candles flickered softly all around the room. He knew he was testing her limits by making things so personal, but he needed to know how close he could get. If he was going to find out what had caused the connection between them the day before, he was going to have to gain her trust. And he didn’t have time to do it slowly.
“Wine?”
“Sure, thanks.”
While Laurie chose a place to sit, he filled a wine glass and handed it to her, then poured some for himself. He debated for a second where to sit, deciding not to be too close just yet. He settled on the armchair across from her. The candles provided just enough light for him to study her without being too obvious.
There had been a lot of beautiful women in his life. More than he could care to count or remember. So it wasn’t just Laurie’s all-in-the-right-places curves or deep olive eyes that were intriguing him. There was a sort of energy between them, and he had a suspicion that she was feeling it too. She seemed just a little too aware of his proximity, almost restless.
She raised her eyes from the glass and caught him staring at her. She blushed and then smiled slightly.
“So I’m guessing you’re on a break from your show,” she said.
“A three-week break, yes. We’re trying to revamp some things. You know, keep the public surprised.”
She flashed a smile. “I see. So I guess you’re not going to share your trade secrets with me, are you?”
He wasn’t sure if she was testing him or trying to get him to relax. Either way, it wasn’t working. His whole body was on edge, though he wasn’t sure if it was because of the investigation or just her presence.
“Are you close to your family, Laurie?”
He could tell he’d asked the right question by the changes in her face. Her smile faded, then came back as a forced grin. The kind you use when you’re trying to pretend everything’s okay.
“No. My
Alex frowned. “Doesn’t the ritual involve killing somebody?”
“Not necessarily. There are a few different ways to garner the power.”
A moment of silence.
“You do need to find a woman willing to participate … or one you’re willing to kill in the process.”
“Let’s say I find a willing one. What will she have to do?”
“Have sex with you.”
It took Alex a second to get over the surprise before he could answer.
“Have sex with me.”
“Yeah. It’s a bit more complicated than that, and she has to be born on one of the Sabbaths. But basically, yes.”
Alex’s thoughts drifted to chestnut hair and tight jeans.
A knock on the door cut his thoughts short.
“I think that’s Sonya to let me know my dinner date is here,” he told Anton. “Let me think about this, and I’ll get back to you.”
“Sure. And Alex … you don’t have a lot of time.”
He knew.
“Soon. I’ll get back to you soon. Multumesc .”
Laurie Cole was waiting in the lobby, sitting comfortably in one of the armchairs. He studied her for a few seconds while she was looking the other way. There was something about her that intrigued him, something beyond the obvious. She was wearing a long-sleeved top that hugged every curve, and Alex wondered what she’d be like withher clothes off, under his hands.
He swallowed a groan at the thought.
“Miss Cole.”
Her body jerked slightly, and he knew he’d taken her by surprise. She blushed and smiled. “Thanks for the invitation, Mr. Volman.”
He returned the smile, gesturing towards the study. “Call me Alex, please. It seems a more appropriate choice for an intimate drink.”
He saw her hesitate and wondered how much he could push before she objected.
“You can call me Laurie as long as you don’t forget I’m still a cop … or something like that, anyway,” she smiled.
“That’s a deal.”
The lights were dimmed in the study, and candles flickered softly all around the room. He knew he was testing her limits by making things so personal, but he needed to know how close he could get. If he was going to find out what had caused the connection between them the day before, he was going to have to gain her trust. And he didn’t have time to do it slowly.
“Wine?”
“Sure, thanks.”
While Laurie chose a place to sit, he filled a wine glass and handed it to her, then poured some for himself. He debated for a second where to sit, deciding not to be too close just yet. He settled on the armchair across from her. The candles provided just enough light for him to study her without being too obvious.
There had been a lot of beautiful women in his life. More than he could care to count or remember. So it wasn’t just Laurie’s all-in-the-right-places curves or deep olive eyes that were intriguing him. There was a sort of energy between them, and he had a suspicion that she was feeling it too. She seemed just a little too aware of his proximity, almost restless.
She raised her eyes from the glass and caught him staring at her. She blushed and then smiled slightly.
“So I’m guessing you’re on a break from your show,” she said.
“A three-week break, yes. We’re trying to revamp some things. You know, keep the public surprised.”
She flashed a smile. “I see. So I guess you’re not going to share your trade secrets with me, are you?”
He wasn’t sure if she was testing him or trying to get him to relax. Either way, it wasn’t working. His whole body was on edge, though he wasn’t sure if it was because of the investigation or just her presence.
“Are you close to your family, Laurie?”
He could tell he’d asked the right question by the changes in her face. Her smile faded, then came back as a forced grin. The kind you use when you’re trying to pretend everything’s okay.
“No. My
Similar Books
Troll Mill
Katherine Langrish
Dangerously Big
Cleo Peitsche
Nemonymous Night
D. F. Lewis
Doctor Who: Galaxy Four
William Emms
Breaking Hearts
Melissa Shirley
Broken Like Glass
EJ McCay
Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle
Ann B. Ross
Smash Cut
Sandra Brown
Down to Business (Business Series)
J.C. Alexander
Coming Home
Amy Robyn