He answered on the first shrill ring. “Inspector Bellmonte.”
“Why is there a human from Interpol demanding to be on my crime scene?”
“He got there fast.”
“I take it you know about this.”
“Yes, but just barely. The call came in from the superintendent about five minutes ago. I was about to call you and give you a heads-up.”
She turned away from Cale’s gaze, not wanting him to see the anger and disappointment on her face. She wasn’t a woman who liked to be read easily. Her emotions were her own, and she didn’t like anyone having an insight into them.
“I’m sorry, Olena. I know how much you wanted to lead this one. But I have strict orders from the superintendent to grant the agent anything he needs on this case. Interpol is running the show on this one.”
“Fine. I’ll try to be nice to Agent Braxton.”
Cale cleared this throat at that, and she swung around to look at him. His lips twitched, and she could tell he was fighting a smile.
“Olena.” She could hear the warning in Gabriel’s voice. “Your nice and other people’s nice are two entirely different things.”
She smiled at that. Gabriel knew her too well.
“Be gentle with him. He’s only human, after all. We don’t want to send a broken agent back to Interpol. That’s one kind of trouble this community doesn’t need.”
“I’ll try, but I can’t promise you anything.” As she flipped her phone closed, she ran the tip of her tongue over her fangs. Cale watched the motion with interest. She smiled at his reaction.
No, she couldn’t promise Gabriel anything. She wasn’t very good at playing nice, especially with men who thought they were superior. Agent Braxton needed to be knocked down a few notches, and she was just the vampiress for the job.
Chapter 2
Cale tried to keep his face stoic as he watched the vampiress run the tip of her tongue over her distended fangs. It proved difficult. She was unearthly beautiful and sexy. An exotic-looking goddess with a full, sensuous mouth and rich sable-colored hair—which she likely used to her advantage. Especially in situations like this one. But he wasn’t going to let her play him.
He’d been played before by the same type of bewitching creature and lost a hell of a lot more than just the game. He wasn’t about to let that happen again. No matter how tempted he was.
“The crime scene is where?” he asked again, surveying the main bank foyer.
Olena looked at him for a long moment with her luminous green eyes, then without a word turned on her heel and marched back toward the hallway from which she’d originally appeared. He followed her down the long corridor. He was loath to admit it, but he watched every sway of her derriere as she walked in front of him. She was wearing simple gray trousers, but even their plainness couldn’t disguise the fact that the vampiress had amazing curves.
She glanced over her shoulder and caught him looking at her. The smile that came to her lips was one of triumph. He was going to have to be extra careful around her and guard his thoughts like Fort Knox. The woman was potent, and she obviously knew it.
Stopping at the end of the hallway, she gestured to the room with the bars. “We’re in here.”
With a polite nod in her direction, Cale passed by her, careful not to catch a whiff of her perfume.
He’d always been attracted to a woman’s smell. It was something that remained with him long after meeting the woman.
Unfortunately, he picked up her tantalizing scent.
And it made the hairs on the back of his neck stir to attention. Damn, the woman was going to kill him, and he’d only just met her. If he had to work with her, it was going to be torture on his libido.
There was another CSI in the room when he entered. A redhead with a fierce gaze. And she pinned him with it the second he stepped onto the tiled floor.
“Qui est ceci?” the redhead asked of Olena.
“Interpol,” she said as she walked into the room and stood beside the other investigator. “He’s come to take over our crime scene.”
He looked at the both of them giving him twin looks of distrust. A united front against his intrusion. But he had a job to do, and he’d do it whether they chose to cooperate or not.
“Look, Ms. Petrovich, I’m sorry if you think I’m stepping on your toes, but there is more at stake here than your ego.”