Luther nodded. “Then where have you met him?”
“I don’t know that I have. What I felt wasn’t a simple recognition. It was more than that.” When she’d looked at Fabian, neared him, awareness had beset her in a panoply of impressions, both emotional and physical. “It’s a connection, a bond of some kind. I understand him, Luther. I feel him, know him.” Her head pounded, and she closed her eyes tight to admit, “I’m . . . drawn to him.”
He showed his dislike of that in the stiffening of his shoulders and the edge in his tone. “What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” Gaby pressed a fist under her breast as if she could remove the ache in her heart. “But I feel it, I know it’s real. And I have no idea what to do about it.”
Chapter 13
Luther pulled Gaby into his arms. When she would have pushed free, he hugged her tighter. “I need it,” he said near her ear, “whether you do or not.”
At that, she subsided and returned the embrace with enough force to make his ribs ache.
God, what now? How the hell did he handle this?
If he tried to keep Gaby from investigating further, she’d buck big-time. Gaby was not a woman to be ordered around or contained. But if she got close to Fabian, would he have an unnatural hold over her?
The crazy fuck drank the blood and ate the flesh of humans. How the hell could Luther let him get anywhere near Gaby?
Hoping to reason with her, Luther cupped her face. “Listen, honey, I know you’re tough as nails. I swear I do. But—”
Luther’s cell phone rang, halting him in mid-sentence and bringing on a low curse of vexation.
“Better check that,” Gaby suggested as she wormed out of his embrace to grab more coffee.
One glance at the number showed Ann calling. Without mentioning that to Gaby, Luther clicked the TALK button and said, “Yeah?”
“Surly, huh?” With her usual good humor absent, Ann said, “Well shake it off, partner. Something big has come up and I need you.”
Luther watched Gaby rest back on the counter and sip her coffee—with her gaze glued to his. No way in hell would she let him escape the room for a more private conversation.
Seeing no other option, Luther gave in to the inevitable. “What is it?”
“I got a call from Sergeant Sutton. He said a couple of his guys patrolling the streets found a half-dead woman late last night, or actually, real early this morning. She was mostly incoherent, in a bad way, covered in blood and naked.”
“Did she have any noticeable wounds to explain the blood?”
Gaby’s eyes narrowed. Very slowly, she lowered her mug of coffee back to the counter.
“Lots of wounds actually—most of them bite marks. They took her to the hospital, but she was already really weak, and, get this, Luther: she kept babbling incoherently about being the next meal.”
Going on high alert, Luther prayed for a break. “She’s a victim of our bloodsucker?”
“From what the hospital said, it sure sounds like it. The bad news is, they don’t know how long she’ll last. They said she’s fading fast, in and out of it. I’m already on my way, so get a move on.”
Ann told him which hospital to meet her at, then hung up.
Luther’s pulse pounded with the possibilities. Naked, Gaby waited for him to explain.
Instincts taking over, Luther went into full cop mode. “We might have a live victim of our guy at the hospital.” Tilting his cup up, he finished off his coffee in one long gulp. “Ann’s already on her way there. I’m going to meet her.”
Gaby didn’t argue, but she looked . . . odd. Distraught, distracted, sharply drawn.
Luther rubbed his mouth. There was no time to waste; he had to take her along. “Hustle up if you’re coming with me.”
She pushed away from the counter. “I’ll sit this one out.”
Fuck, he didn’t have time for this. He knew better than to let anyone or anything distract him from the job. “Gaby, I can’t be effective if you’re dividing my attention.”
“There’s no reason for you to be divided. I’m not going to see Fabian, I swear.”
“Then what?” He couldn’t imagine many scenarios where Gaby wouldn’t want to take center stage on this.
“I met a little girl the other day.” She drew in a shallow breath. “I need to go see her.”
Oh shit. Finally Luther recognized the glitter in her eyes, the clarity of her features, the definition in her muscles. “You’re having a . . . ” What the hell should he call it? An
“No, I’m not. At least, I don’t think so.” She clasped her hands behind her head and briefly closed her eyes. “I know I need to go to her, but not because she’s being hurt.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. Whatever this is, it’s different. I think . . . ” She dropped her arms and frowned at herself. “I think it might just be worry. But I can handle it. Go, talk to the woman, see if you can get her to confirm Fabian’s involvement.”
“Right.” Luther headed for the door with Gaby right on his heels.
“Have the hospital check her for blood thinners. Given their appetites, they probably gave her something to keep her blood flowing. And make them test for muscle relaxers, too. Or a sedative. He wouldn’t want a screaming, clawing captive.”
“Right. I’ll call ahead to get the hospital started on that.”
“And look for signs of restraint on her wrists and ankles.”
Humoring her, because he’d already thought of each of those instructions, Luther opened the door. “Got it.”
Naked, Gaby followed him into the doorway, and when Luther saw a neighbor in the next yard, he turned and backed her into the house and out of view.
“Honey, I’ve got it.” He blocked her from view of prying eyes.
“I know, but . . . when I think of how she’s probably suffered, I really want us to get this creep.”
Us. Finally Gaby saw them as a team.
Loving her more with every minute, Luther cupped her hip. “I can’t have you flashing the neighbors, honey. It isn’t done.”
She looked beyond him, and scowled. “Sorry.”
Damn, she pleased him. “Get dressed. And don’t forget your phone. I’ll call to update you as soon as I know something.”
“Okay.”
“And don’t forget to call me if you need anything.”
That irked her. “I wouldn’t need—”
Luther interrupted before her outrageous independence could ruin the moment. “And, for my sake, try not to pulverize anyone today, okay?” He kissed her hard and quick. “I care for you, Gaby. A lot. Please keep yourself safe.”
Seeing he’d surprised her, Luther hurried out the door and to his car. Ann would be waiting, and he had a job to do. He’d just have to trust that Gaby could get by without him monitoring her every move.
At least she’d promised to steer clear of Fabian. That was something. A lot.
For Gaby, any promise was a monumental concession.
No one tailed Fabian.
Giving up his careful watch out the rear window, he continued studying every shadow, alleyway, and doorframe as he drove down the street toward his work, as usual. Although wary of police scrutiny, he knew that
