Dead Sexy

For a moment, he listened to the slow, heavy beat of the music spilling out into the night and then he went inside.

He stood inside the doorway for a moment, his gaze quickly perusing the room and its occupants, and then he grinned, amused by the sight of Michael Flynn dancing with Tatiana. It was obvious, even from a distance, that the cop was thoroughly smitten. But then, who could blame him? Tatiana was perhaps the most blatantly beautiful and sensual female Santiago had ever known. In days long past, they had relied on each other for companionship. They had hunted together and taken their rest together and occasionally, on a long and lonely night, they had found solace in each other's arms, but then Santiago had met Marishka, and Tatiana had decided to go off and see the world.

Moving to the end of the bar, Santiago ordered a glass of red wine. Looking into the mirror behind the bar, he continued to watch the vampire work her magic on the detective. Not surprisingly, every other man in the room was also watching her.

When the music stopped, Tatiana took Michael by the arm and led him toward the entrance.

Muttering an oath, Santiago followed them outside. Though he had no love for Flynn, he knew Regan was fond of the man.

Santiago kept his distance until Tatiana drew Flynn into the shadows behind a tall hedge.

"What are you doing?" Santiago heard Flynn ask.

"You'll like it," Tatiana purred. "Trust me."

"That's enough," Santiago said, rounding the hedge.

"Joaquin!" Tatiana exclaimed with mock enthusiasm. "What a nice surprise!"

Santiago grunted softly. Hunger radiated off of her in waves, like summer heat shimmering off blacktop. He didn't miss the faint glow in her eyes, or the way she held on to Flynn, her arms imprisoning him in the guise of affection. Santiago knew it would be affection only so long as Flynn didn't try to escape.

Michael Flynn glared at him over the top of Tatiana's head. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your neck," Santiago retorted. "And I mean that literally."

Flynn glanced at Tatiana, then back at Santiago. "What are you talking about?"

"She is a vampire."

Flynn stared at him. "A vampire?"

Santiago nodded.

Flynn looked at Tatiana as if he had never seen her before. "Is he telling the truth?"

She shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"Damn right!" Flynn said. He tried to get away from her, but there had never been a mortal who could equal the strength of a vampire. Fear surfaced in Flynn's eyes. "Get away from me!"

"Tatiana, let him go."

Her gaze locked with his, her eyes blood red with hunger.

"Let him go," Santiago repeated.

With a harsh laugh, she released her hold on Flynn. Moving toward Santiago, she raked her nails across his cheek, drawing blood. "All right, I'm going." Standing on her tiptoes, she licked the blood from his cheek. "But you owe me one," she said, and with a wave of her hand, she vanished from sight.

Flynn stared after her and then, ever so slowly, turned toward Santiago. "I'm grateful," he said brusquely, "but I'd still like to know what you're doing outside the park."

"Saving your ass," Santiago replied, his voice equally harsh.

"And why isn't she confined," Flynn went on as if Santiago hadn't spoken. "And I intend to find out the answers to both questions."

"I would advise you to mind your own business," Santiago said, "or I might not be there next time."

And then, he, too, disappeared from sight.

Muttering an oath, Flynn drove to Regan's, determined to get some answers once and for all.

Regan was sitting at her computer, scrolling through the help-wanted section, when the doorbell rang.

Hoping it was Santiago, she hurried to answer the door, but it was Michael. After their last parting, she had never expected to see him at her doorstep again.

"Mike!" she exclaimed. "What a surprise. Do you want to come in?"

"Thanks." He followed her into the living room and sat on the sofa, one arm draped across the back.

Regan sat on the other end of the sofa. "So, what brings you here?"

"I want you to tell me everything you know about Joaquin Santiago."

"What makes you think I know anything?"

"Come on, Reggie, don't play games with me. How does he get out of the park? Why doesn't the barrier affect him?"

"I don't know, Mike, honest. I asked him once, but he never told me. Are you all right?"

He rubbed his hand over his neck. "Sure, for a guy that was almost dinner."

She frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I was at the Blue Zodiac tonight. A woman asked me to dance, then she asked me to walk her home." He cleared his throat "Turned out she was a vampire."

"Good heavens, Mike, are you all right?"

"Yeah. Your buddy Santiago showed up and saved my butt. I need to find out why she's not registered in the park, and how he's crossing the barrier. People need to know they're not as safe as they think. If there's a glitch in the barrier, then the superintendent in charge of security needs to know, as well."

"The barrier works on most of the vampires, Mike. I think it doesn't work on Santiago because he's so old."

He nodded. "Makes sense, I guess, but it doesn't matter if it's one bloodsucker getting out or a hundred. I'm sworn to protect the people in the city and as long as even one of them can get out, we're not safe."

"Mike, don't you think you're overreacting?"

"Hell, no! If Santiago hadn't showed up tonight, I might have been the next victim. You're a hunter, Regan. We need to find the female and get her housed in the park before she turns the city into her own private buffet."

"Have you cleared this with the department?"

"No, but I will." He drummed his fingertips on the back of the sofa.

Regan nodded. Maybe Santiago could help her find the vampire in question. "Do you know where she lives? Her name?"

"She said her name was Tatiana."

Good grief, Regan thought. That was the name of Santiago's friend. "Does she have red hair and blue eyes?"

"Yeah, do you know her?" Even as he asked the question, Mike suddenly remembered where he had seen the vampire before. She had been at Charlie's one night, dancing with Santiago. "You making friends with the Undead now?"

"No. All I know is that she's Santiago's friend."

"I guess that means hunting her is out of the question, doesn't it?" Flynn asked, his voice laced with contempt.