you and me.” I let her go. “But we have to get through this first.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Yeah.”
The defiant spark that made her my Cass ignited in her expression, and she regained her swagger. It wasn’t real, but it was a good fake. Only someone who knew her as well as I did could see beneath the mask.
“We’ll hit the Lovers first.” Her tone came out cool and confident. “I doubt he’s staging things yet, but he must have scoped out the area. I might pick up his scent if he’s been there already tonight.”
“Good plan.” I stepped aside and let her lead. “Listen to your gut, and we’ll catch him.”
Until we had a better plan, we had to move forward based on the assumption Delacorte was the killer.
“This time,” she said, her voice regaining its strength, “I’m going to watch the light go out of his eyes.”
“I’ll film it if you want, so you can watch the instant replay every night before bed and sleep secure in the knowledge you’re free, and he’s dead.”
“You’re too good to me.” She flashed a fangy smile over her shoulder. “We’re almost there.”
“How do you know your way around this park so well?”
“You’d be amazed how many guys think this place is romantic.” She shrugged. “If this lake could talk…”
The return to normal was a comfort while we were in the field, but after? I would hold her while she cried, screamed, whatever it took to get her to purge the hurt, the guilt, the loneliness of keeping such painful history to herself.
Eighteen
“I like her.”
“Good.” Boaz angled his head toward Honey. “I do too.”
“I got that about the time she announced you proposed to her.”
The reality wasn’t as romantic as Honey wanted it to be, but there was a spark between him and Addie, and Boaz understood enough to know he had to protect it at all costs and nurture it if he wanted it to grow.
He had never tried to make a woman fall in love with him. It just happened. No matter how he warned his lovers against it. This time with Honey had given him a refresher course on all his favorite tricks, and he was determined not to use them with Addie.
“You hear that?” Boaz lowered his voice and slowed his steps. “We’ve got movement up ahead.”
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” she began then fell silent. “Oh. Yeah. I do hear it.”
They locked down the chatter and stuck close to each other, moving through the brush to keep out of sight from anyone walking the paths. Together they swept the area, closing in on the sound, and they came to a stop in front of the gazebo.
No one was there.
A cheap burner phone sat on the railing, playing a haunting song, the refrain one that chilled his blood.
You’ll get what’s coming, coming, coming to you.
Honey jerked her chin toward the phone, but his gut was twisting with a warning.
The noise had lured them out into the open. They were exposed. Anyone could see them now.
“No.” He caught her arm. “It’s a—”
Impact drove Boaz to the dirt, and his skull cracked against the edge of the lowest gazebo step. Blood ran down into his eye, and he blinked it away to find a female leaning over Honey. He could tell by the tingle dancing over his skin that she was a vampire.
“Freeze.” He drew his gun. “UV bullets won’t kill you, but they’ll hurt like a mother.”
The vampire hissed then sprinted into the woods.
“Honey?” He shoved to his feet and crossed to her. “You okay?”
“My…head…”
Eyes on the forest, alert for movement, Boaz gently slid his fingers behind her neck and worked his way up until he reached the back of her skull. His fingers came away wet and slick. Head wounds bled like crazy, but vampire strength could make even a shove lethal. He felt beneath her head, thankful for the improved night vision that made it easier to see.
“You hit a rock.” Boaz gathered her hands in one of his to keep her from reaching up to touch the wound in a daze. “I’m going to call this in and get you some help.”
The flash of blue and red emergency lights would scare off the killer, but Honey needed treatment now.
“That won’t be necessary,” a crisp voice informed him. “I’m Demaryius Willis.” He snapped his fingers. “This is Jack and Arlo. Arlo is healer. He can patch up your friend. Jack will