Deadly Vows (Lizzie Grace 6)
Thanks, Belle.
Her thoughts left mine, and I became aware of the warmth creeping back into my fingers. It damn well hurt. Belle’s fear had certainly been justified—if the chill had crept any further up my arm—if it had reached my chest and my heart—I would have died.
I sucked in several deep breaths and then met Aiden’s gaze. His expression was grim, and his fear swam around me, a thick scent that filled my nostrils. “Damn it, Liz, you frightened the hell out of me. I could literally see death creeping up on you.”
“Belle said the same thing.” I kept my voice light, even though I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and hold on tight. Against the cold that still had its hooks in me. Against the deeper danger that loomed on the not-so-distant horizon. “But I’m fine. Really, I am.”
He didn’t look convinced, and that wasn’t entirely surprising, given I still felt like shit warmed up and no doubt looked like it.
“Can I get you anything? Coffee? Whiskey? Woolen gloves?”
I laughed, as he’d no doubt intended. “If you have the latter two in that kit of yours, I’ll love you forever.”
Something flared in his eyes. Something so heated, deep, and real that it made my heart sing. No matter what this man said, there was at least some part of him that wished we could be so much more than temporary lovers.
“Unfortunately, I don’t,” he said. “But I can get Jaz to grab them if it’ll make you feel better.”
I smiled and kissed him. It was light but tender and made me want a whole lot more. But now was neither the time nor the place. “Thanks, but I’ll be just fine after I rest. In the meantime, I did see something, though I’m not entirely sure it makes sense.” I quickly updated him and then added, “Either the memory was a false one—maybe they’d been watching a horror movie before they went to bed—or we’re dealing with some sort of ghoul.”
He frowned. “Can a ghoul even interact with the real world?”
“Ghouls fall more on the demonic side of things, rather than ghostly, and tend to have a love for human flesh.”
“This one is only taking the blood and the heart, though.”
“Which doesn’t discount the possibility—demons have their food preferences just as we do.” I shrugged. “Do you want me to attempt another—”
“No,” he cut in bluntly. “I do not. I want you to rest right there until I can get someone to take you home.”
“There are cabs in this town,” I said, voice wry. “I’m quite able to grab one.”
“Yes, but I’d rather ensure—”
“Aiden, honestly, I’ll be fine. But I really need to get out of here—the man’s emotions linger, and shielding against them is pulling at my strength.”
His gaze swept me for a moment, then he nodded and rose. “Fine. But please go home and rest.”
I raised my eyebrows. “What makes you think I won’t?”
“Because you’ve the look of someone who has the scent of prey in her nose, and that generally means trouble.”
“I only wish that were true—it’d make tracking down this thing a whole lot easier.” I paused and glanced across to the French doors. “Didn’t you say they were open when Lacy got here?”
He nodded. “Why?”
“Given the weather, it’s doubtful our couple would have left them open, even if they had been using the hot tub. So if our murderer was responsible, she might have left either a fingerprint or some other sort of residue on the handle. Help me up.”
He did so; the room spun briefly, and the thick taste of bile hit my throat. I swallowed heavily, then forced my feet to move. Aiden kept a steadying grip on my arm—obviously, I wasn’t hiding the weakness as well as I thought.
I raised a hand and ran it just above the door handle. My fingers tingled briefly over the left one but not the right, but it wasn’t enough to garner any sort of impression. Nothing other than hate, at any rate.
Why would a ghoul hate?
They’re ghouls, came Belle’s comment. I’d have thought hate comes with the territory.
“Anything?” Aiden asked.
“She touched the handles, but I’m not getting much more than that.” To Belle, I added, Why are you following my thoughts? Shouldn’t you be with Kash, enjoying the party?