'Because I've been asking around about Adrienne and the man she was supposedly seeing, and have hit an odd little wall.' I told him about the two Jim Dentons. 'It's rather odd to have two people with the same name, and yet no one seems to know or recognize the second man.' No one except Jared, that was.
'You done a mind search?'
'Yeah, but without much luck. I found possible evidence of memory tampering on the older Jim, but I'm not yet skilled enough to undo the fudging.'
'Memory tampering doesn't indicate foul play. It could just be a vampire not wanting her victim to remember their encounter.'
Because drinking from unknowing or unwilling hosts was illegal in most states of Australia. Apparently Tasmania was a little more free and easy, allowing vamps to drink from whomever they pleased as long as they took minimum amounts. Which probably explained why human tourism to Tassie had fallen, and vamp tourism had increased.
'I couldn't see any evidence of bite marks.'
'If it happened weeks ago, you wouldn't.'
'Trust me, the fudging didn't feel like the work of a vamp.'
'Then what did it feel like?'
'I don't know.'
'Fat lot of good that'll do the investigation.'
'This from the man lazing about in bed feeling sorry for himself.' I paused, 'Why isn't Liander there pampering you?'
'He had to go to work early. The apprentices are working on the goblin masks today, and he has to supervise.'
Because they'd screwed up the goblin masks previously, no doubt. Those two weren't the sharpest pencils in the drawer from what I'd seen of them.
'So what are you going to do next?' he continued.
'I don't know. There's really nothing much more I can do here. I'll need to talk to the parents of the other victims and see if there's some other connector. There's something odd about it all.'
'If you add, 'I feel it in my bones,' I'm going to come up there and hit you.'
I grinned. 'There's nothing wrong with that saying—aside from the fact you hate it.'
'Mom used to say it,' he said. 'Usually right before you and I got a beating for something or other.'
My smile faded. 'I can't remember that.'
'I suspect there's a lot you can't remember, Riley.'
He was probably right. That time of my life was not a place where I wanted to linger. 'I remember the bad stuff.'
'Which just goes to show how screwed our definitions of bad are. There weren't many good times, you know.'
'I know.' I scrubbed a hand across my eyes, and fought the myriad of images that battered at the blocks I'd placed in their path years ago.
'Which is why I can't understand you helping him.'
'I'm not. I'm helping Mother.'
'I doubt he'd actually—'
'I don't. I think he's capable of any sort of violence imaginable.' Especially if it meant getting what he wanted.
He sighed. 'So, are you coming home?'
'If you and Liander don't mind me leaving a few days early.'
'Mind? We were taking bets on it.' I could almost see his grin coming down the line. 'I win, by the way. I said the guilt of letting us down would keep you there until the last week.'
'So what did you win?'
'A one night free pass to go anywhere and do anyone.'
'You do that anyway.'
'Hey,' he said, sounding highly offended. 'I've been a very good wolf since we had our discussion four weeks ago. I've only had one lover, and that was work related.'
So why did he feel the need to break free now? If he was happy with Liander—and I knew he was—why fuck that up by dancing with other wolves? Especially since he'd agreed not to outside of work? 'Why did Liander even agree to this bet?'
'Because he was sure you'd miss Kellen so much you'd be following him home two days after he left.'
'Well,
'Maybe, but the telling point is, you haven't even contacted him.'
'Because he wasn't home. He's been off on some business trip again.'
'He has a cell phone, Riley.'
'Oh, just shut up and stop nagging me,' I said, more than a little crossly.
He chuckled. 'Want me to meet you at the airport?'
'Someone had better. I can't afford a taxi after all the chocolate I've eaten on this trip.'
'Text me the details and I'll be there.'
'Will do, bro.'
I hung up. The thought of going home had my hormones dancing, and I couldn't help the great big grin that plastered itself on my lips.
Still, before I packed, I headed down to reception and checked if Jim had left me a message. He had, and it was the answer I'd been expecting. No one remembered a man matching the description I'd given him.
Maybe it was just a scam. It wouldn't be the first time a. boy had lied about his name to get an easy lay. Although that didn't explain why Blake thought she'd bedded him, when no one up here could even remember seeing him. No one but Jared.
Once back at my villa, I got on with the serious business of packing. Jared appeared from nowhere, and helped carry my luggage to the little plane that would take me back to the mainland. I gave him a polite kiss good- bye, and used the moment to lower a shield and try to read his thoughts—only to hit what felt like a brick wall. Either he was mind-blind, or he had psychic shields as tough as any vampire.
Which raised the question, what might he be hiding? Anything? Or was I just being a suspicious bitch again? Probably, I thought wryly, as I boarded the plane.
Of course, getting a connecting flight back to Melbourne wasn't as easy, so it was a day later when I finally reached the Virgin terminal at Tullamarine airport. Thankfully, Blake's spirit or aura or whatever the hell that was didn't manage to find me during that time. Maybe being on a plane and on the move made me difficult to track.
I collected my bags and walked out of the terminal building, shivering as a blast of cold air hit my skin. I thought about dragging a sweater out of my bag, but honestly couldn't be bothered. I just wanted to get home. I stopped briefly and looked around for either Rhoan's or Liander's car, but found Kellen instead.
Pleasure shot through me, and I dropped my bags and ran into his arms. He laughed softly as he lifted me up and spun me around, then his lips found mine and he kissed me. Thoroughly and deeply, until my head was spinning and desire was pounding through my veins.
I sighed when he finished, then rested my forehead against his and stared into his bright, gold-flecked green eyes. 'Missed you.'
'And I you.' He let my feet touch the ground but didn't release me.
I pressed myself against him, and wished there wasn't clothes between us. 'So how come you're here?'
He smiled and kissed my nose. 'Because two weeks away from you is far too long. I've already informed your brother that you're coming home with me.'
A grin touched my lips. 'Oh yeah? And why would that be?'
'Because I intend to ravish you senseless.'
His words had my pulse skipping about dizzily. I restrained my excitement and tried to remain cool as I raised an eyebrow. 'What if I don't want to be ravished?'
He collected my bags, then hooked my arm through his and led the way over to the taxi rank and parking
