and arm. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Beth was good for Kristina, well, except for inviting her to that frat party when they were sixteen. But then again, how could she have known that her boyfriend’s suitemate would attempt to date rape a sixteen-year-old girl? She couldn’t, and for that, he couldn’t be upset with her. In fact, Beth was marrying her high school sweetheart, Jason. According to Kristina, he’d proposed to Beth her junior year of college.
After the ladies drove off in separate vehicles, Derrick headed over to Kristina’s apartment. He wouldn’t follow her to the bridal shop. No one, even a creatus, would attempt to attack her in a public location in the middle of the day. No, they’d go to her apartment and wait, and so would he. Blood rushed through his system at the thought. He didn’t want to kill anyone, but he would, without a thought, to protect Kristina.
Derrick parked his bike behind the decrepit apartment building and busied himself with his iPhone while he waited. Thankfully, he had vacation time saved up; otherwise, his father would start to get ticked. The medical center ran well with the staff they had, but they needed him for emergencies. Even though they treated humans and creatus, the employees were only creatus. That way any records that needed forged never came under the scrutiny of human eyes. Creatus weren’t declared born until their tenth year and were schooled at private institutions. Then, they’d spend the first ten years of their adult life after college, teaching in their private schools. When they finished and were ready to enter the earthly world between the ages of thirty and thirty-five, depending on their maturity, their age would indicate they were twenty-five, which gave them years to catch up. With their smooth olive-tone skin, most humans couldn’t tell their age anyway, so they always looked younger than they were.
After answering a few emails and texts, Derrick started to get antsy. It was past five, and he hadn’t heard his Navigator pull up. He paced the alleyway behind Kristina’s building, looking up at the red brick walls, contemplating whether he should just go up and meet her there.
He trailed his hand along the chain-link fence and walked back to the side, under her fire escape. He poked his head around the corner of the building. Not much had changed. A few more cars, but that made sense. Neighbors returning from work.
Deciding he’d go up to her floor the easy way, he strolled to the side of the building, surveying the area to make sure no witnesses were nearby. He’d be ready in the event anyone unexpected arrived.
Chapter Eighteen
Kris parked in front of her apartment building and glanced around before jumping out of the Navigator. Derrick had her frazzled with all his worrying, and that black car following her hadn’t helped. The entire time the seamstress fitted them in their dresses, Kris’ mind had wandered. Beth rambled about her bachelorette party, the wedding, the reception, the honeymoon. But most of her words just hung in the air, never seeping into her brain. Thankfully, enough tidbits registered so she could utter an appropriate “Mm-hm” or “Oh” when necessary.
She’d been right. A day with Beth cured her of ever wanting a big wedding. Beth had spent over a year and thirty thousand dollars for one night. Of course, the honeymoon sounded wonderful. A week in Bora Bora, in a hut, over crystal-blue water, with nothing to do but eat and make love all day and night. Where did she sign up? She’d have to make sure she reminded Derrick that she didn’t want the fairy-tale wedding, just the happily-ever-after honeymoon.
Trudging up the three flights of stairs, Kris sighed. Derrick had made this so much easier. She could use a lift about now. A quiver of longing fluttered in her stomach as she wondered if he missed her as much as she missed him. The day had been torturously slow. As much as she enjoyed her girl time with Beth, her relationship was too new with Derrick. She found herself never wanting to be away from him.
Finally making it to her door, she rustled in her purse for the keys. She’d forgotten to keep them in her hand as she’d promised Derrick. Kris scanned the hallway wondering where the police detective was. She’d expected him to be here, one of the reasons she hadn’t been concerned for her safety. She looked at her phone as she pushed the key into the deadbolt: five-fifteen. Maybe he’d left already, since she was fifteen minutes late. Oh well, she’d grab a few more things she needed and head back to Derrick’s.
As she pushed the door open, she remembered the pepper spray. She positioned her foot between the doorjamb and the door, propping it open. Kris fiddled inside her purse, untangling her earphones from around the metal ring at the top of the can. How the dang things ended up so twisted was beyond her. No matter how carefully she stored her headphones, she swore tiny gremlins tied them in knots.
Pepper spray finally in hand, she pushed open the door the rest of the way and stepped inside her frigid apartment. Somehow, it didn’t feel like coming home anymore.
Cold and dark eyes stared blankly up at her, causing a shriek to escape her throat.
Derrick bolted over the man’s body, lifted her off the floor, and carried her into her kitchenette. He set her down after darting his eyes around the tiny room and assessing there was no threat.
“What—” she tried, but he placed his fingers over her lips, hushing her. And in a flash, he was gone. Kris heard doors open and close throughout the apartment, and then he was in front of her again, eyes wild.
He grabbed her hand and drew her through the apartment to her bedroom. “Get whatever you need; you’re not coming back. I’ll have my family move the rest.”
“But… that guy… he’s dead?” she asked, stuttering.
Derrick nodded as he helped her shove clothes into a gym bag she’d had stored under the bed. “
She gasped in understanding, but then wondered again. Had Derrick—she shook the thoughts from her head. “Why are you here, Derrick?”
“I was here to make sure you were okay, and I’m glad I was. The rogue was probably waiting for you in the other room, but went out the bedroom window when he heard me.”
“But you were inside…” she trailed off, her voice nearly nonexistent.
“No,” he said in a calm tone. “I heard you scream and I came in through the open window.”
“But you were there… immediate. I didn’t leave a window open.”
Derrick stopped shoving clothes in the bag and glared at her. “What are you insinuating, Kristina? You think I snapped a man’s neck. You think I’m capable of that? Obviously the rogue came in through the window and left it open.”
Kris ran her hands through her hair, tears filling her eyes. “No, no, of course not. I’m just confused. Why would anyone kill him? He seemed so nice.” She sniffed back the tears. “When he’d arrived at my mother’s death, he was so kind to me. I remember him asking me what happened, but he never pressed me for details. He’d handed me a tissue and told me he had a daughter too, but she was grown.” The tears poured freely now as Derrick walked around the bed and wrapped his arms around her. “That was fourteen years ago, so he’s probably a grandfather,” she continued babbling. Unable to stop crying, she burrowed her face against his chest.
Derrick ran his hand through her hair. “We have to go, Kristina. We have to inform the police, but we have to get you out of here first. We’ll go in person.”
Kris lifted her head and stared at him. “Why do the people around me always have to die?”
He just shook his head. “I don’t know, love. Sometimes it just happens that way.” He picked up her bag and pulled her against his side. “Let’s get out of here. I’ll have everything packed up tonight.”
Unable to do anything but cry—for herself, for others, for all that had gone wrong in her life—Kris rested her head against Derrick’s chest, wondering again why anyone would kill the innocent detective. Had he known something he shouldn’t have?
Chapter Nineteen
Derrick directed Kristina to the passenger side of the Navigator, helping her up. Hearing the whine of fuel injectors as a key turned in an ignition to “alt” mode, he flashed a look without lifting his head in the direction of
