Damon (The Protectors Series) Book #1 (8 page)

He would not...could not... give Jamison any hint of weakness on his part. It could be deadly for

Nicole. “What makes you think I want to know about your disgusting love life Jamison?”

“Oh, okay we gonna play that way, huh?” Jamison grinned like he knew a secret. “Okay, I'll play.”

Damon walked around the table and leaned against it, arms crossed. “Who was your target?”

“Well, you see, I just told you.” Jamison watched him closely, his keen killer eyes not missing a beat.

“What do you want with the woman?” Damon was fucking A proud of himself, his voice didn't even

deepen with the rage he felt.

Jamison chuckled. “Damn warrior, you're good. Some might think you didn't care for the little

human.” He laughed more, sounding like a deranged little girl. “But we both know different don't we,

DeMaster’s? God, this is just too much.”

“Cut the shit and answer the question.” Damon turned cold eyes on him.

“I told you that too.” Jamison rolled his eyes. “I want to fuck her and then do what I do best, kill the

little bitch and collect my money. Seems she is a little too good at her job and people are taking

notice.”

“Who hired you?” Damon should get an Academy Award for this performance. He wanted nothing

more than to lean back and beat the living hell out of the bastard.

“Ah, now that I can't tell you. You know, assassin and client confidentiality, and all that shit. Gotta

follow the rules or I don't get paid. Have you ever had a human, warrior?”

Damon ignored him. “You know you won't be getting shit since you'll be locked up here, so you might

as well come clean.”

Jamison followed suit and ignored Damon, something he would probably later regret. “Have you ever

had a human, warrior? Ahhh... let me tell you, it is sweet. Their smells and softness is something that

draws you in.” He sniffed the air. “And I can tell you nothing smells as sweet as your Nicole.”

Damon lost all control at the sound of her name on the bastard’s lips. Jamming his hand around his

throat, he snarled. “Who put the hit out?”

Jamison struggled against the hold, but Damon's hand and the chains kept him in place. “Fuck you,

warrior.” He wheezed. “Go ahead and kill me. It won't stop until she's dead. Someone will replace me.

Better me screwing her than someone else. I would at least make sure she enjoyed it before I kill her.”

Damon didn't hesitate. He snapped the bastards head off with his bare hands. “Wrong answer.”

Duncan, Phillip and Jared burst into the room. “Holy shit, Damon.” Jared skid to a stop as Jamison's

bald head bounced past his shitkickers.

“What the hell did you do that for?” Duncan demanded.

“It's the best way to kill a vampire.” Damon answered with a dead calm he didn't feel. “And he had to

die.”

All three turned and watched Damon stroll out the door not looking back. “Remind me of this the next

time I piss him off.” Jared glanced back at the headless vamp. “Have you ever seen anyone snap

someone's head off like that?”

“No.” Both Duncan and Phillip answered in unison, eyeing the head under Jared's foot.

One of Jamison's hands twitched. “Okay, now that is creepy.” Jared shivered then kicked Jamison's

head under the chair his body still occupied. “And I have seen some creepy shit.”

Nicole was nervous as she headed inside the warehouse. She hoped her sleepless night didn't show on

her face. This would be the first time she had seen Damon since their kiss and she really didn't know

what to think. Confidence, where men were concerned, was not a strong point for her. Buddies she

could do, but once it crossed the buddy line she was doomed. Yep, this was not going to be fun. Her

stomach fluttered so bad she thought she was going to throw up. Wow, she was such a wuss. She

needed to grow a pair and stop freaking out. It was just a kiss...get a grip. Slapping her hand against

the door, she pushed her way in.

“Hey.” Pam smiled, seeing Nicole walk in the door.

“Why didn't you wake me before you left this morning?” Nicole set her bag down and followed Pam

out onto the mat. “I would have made us some of my famous chocolate chip pancakes.”

“You were sleeping so good I didn't want to wake you.” She rubbed her flat stomach. “And I'm getting

a little pudgy.”

“Ha! There isn't an ounce of fat on you.” Nicole snorted. “Witch.”

Pam laughed, then nudged her. “I haven't seen Romeo, so stop straining them eyeballs.”

“What? I was just seeing if Mitch was here yet.” She lied. They sat on the mat, facing each other,

stretching and talking. “Did you buy your dress yet for the charity dance?”

“No. I figured we could go together sometime this week?” Pam was lounging more than stretching.

“Bet my dress from last year still fits.” Nicole bent one knee and stretched over the other leg.

“Ohhh no you don't!” Pam shook her head. “Over my dead body will you wear a repeat dress,

especially accepting an award.”

“Ugh, I forgot about that.” Wrinkling her nose she frowned. “I don't need an award. This is my job. If

I didn't have to pay bills, I would do it for free.”

“Yeah, well speak for yourself, Mother Teresa.” Pam chuckled. She never knew anyone so devoted to

their job.

Nicole laughed. Getting up, she turned and the laughter stuck in her throat. Walking out of the back

was Damon with the most beautiful woman she had ever seen fixing his shirt collar. It was like staring

at a car wreck, she couldn't look away. His eyes lifted from the woman and looked straight at her.

Nicole knew then and there she was in deep trouble. The fluttering in her stomach fell quiet, replaced

with a hard knot.

“I'm so sorry, Nicole.” Pam whispered.

Nicole looked away from Damon with a shrug, turning to Pam with a smile, trying to keep it together.

“It was just a kiss. No big deal.” She didn't know who she was trying to convince, herself or Pam.

“Come on; let's go beat the crap out of Jared.” Pam grabbed her arm, throwing a dark look over her

shoulder at Damon, who was still staring at Nicole.

The workout was pretty laid back. They worked mostly on cardio and a few easy self-defense

techniques. Damon stayed away from Nicole and helped everyone but her and Pam. Nicole had

watched the woman leave and knew she fell short. Way short. The woman was a ten and a half, while

Nicole put herself around a five on the hotness scale, if that. The sad part was if she had to pick a

woman Damon would be with, it was that woman, not someone like her. Wow, what a total self-

confidence killer. Seeing Damon walking off the mat where Mitch was waving her over, she sighed

and headed that way.

“We need to talk to you.” Mitch frowned, not looking happy at all, which wasn't much of a stretch.

For a second Nicole thought, what the hell, it was just a kiss, but then realized Damon wouldn't have

blabbed about that. Obviously it was not as memorable to him as it was her. God, get over it

already....it was just a freakin kiss. So what if it about set her panties on fire.

“Nicole?” Mitch snapped his fingers in front of her face.

“Huh?” Nicole jerked her head toward Mitch, not wanting to even glance at Damon, who she knew

stood next to Mitch. “What?”

“Didn't you hear what I just said?” Mitch sighed, giving her the “getting ready to bitch you out”

eyeball.

“Mitch, just spit it out.” Nicole felt her face flame. Damn, she had to get her head on straight.

“Well I did, but you had your head up your ass.”

“I'm tired Mitch. I've had maybe four hours of sleep and I'm hungry. You of all people know what I'm

like with a lack of sleep and no food.” Nicole rubbed her eyebrow with the back of her hand. She just

wanted to get out of there, grab a heart attack in a sack at the closest fast food joint and then crawl into

bed and sleep until her alarm clock went off on Monday morning, signaling the start of another long

week. “And before you ask, no, I don't want you to throw me a pity party. So let's just get this over

with before I go PMS on you.”

Mitch cursed. He was use to her long speeches, but by the look on Damon, Jared and Duncan's face,

they were shocked if not a little amused. Jared was the first to burst out laughing. “Damn Mitch, we do

not want to go there.”

“Believe me, I know.” Mitch smirked. “Been there, done that, more than you even know.”

Nicole threw up her hands, walking away. “I'm going home. Text me.”

“Get your ass back here, Callahan.” Mitch sighed, looking as tired as she felt. “We have a problem.”

“Is Steve okay?” Nicole woke up fast.

Damon shook his head in amazement. Thinking of others first was one of things that had drawn him to

her.

“The man we took down at the club last night was after someone.” Jared began, glancing at Damon

then back to Nicole.

“Yeah, I know. Damon told me.” Nicole wasn't putting two and two together. “So, did he get away

from you?”

Jared choked a chuckle back. “Ah....no." His head did though, but he kept that to himself. “We know

who his target was.”

Still Nicole stared at them, even Damon. “And......”

“It was you.” Mitch added when Jared didn't.

“Me?” That took her mind off Damon real quick. “Why would he be after me? I have never seen that

man before in my life.”

“It seems someone thinks you are doing your job too well.” Jared again eyed Damon, who stood still

staring at Nicole.

“As of today you are on a leave of absence.” Mitch put on his boss hat.

“No.” Nicole shook her head. “First of all, this has to be a mistake. You got it wrong.” She looked at

the three vampires then back to Mitch. “I am not going on a leave of absence, Mitch.”

“Yes, you are and I am not budging on this, Nicole.” Okay, he was serious. He just used her first

name. He never, ever did that.

“Is there any family you could go stay with?” Duncan ask before Nicole could tear into Mitch.

Shaking her head. “No, there isn't.”

“I'll call my brother and see if you can stay with him and his wife in Michigan.” Mitch started dialing.

Nicole stood there speechless. Suddenly her life spiraled out of control, or at least out of her control,

and if Damon didn't stop staring at her, she was going to scream. Grabbing Mitch's phone, she snapped

it shut and tossed it back to him. “While I appreciate you doing that Mitch, it's a waste of time. I'm a

big girl who can make big girl decisions and have been for most of my life.” She turned to Duncan. “I

really don't see a problem if you got the guy. Right?”

There was some nervous shuffling of feet and looking away. “We had him” Duncan looked at Damon.

“So that's the problem? He got away?” Nicole did not like where this was heading and seeing three

nervous vampire warriors was not helping matters.

“No, I killed him.” Damon replied with ease as if discussing the weather. “And someone will take his

place.”

Nicole stepped back, stunned. He killed him.

“We need to get you somewhere safe until we can find out who put the hit on you.” Duncan looked at

Mitch. “Call your brother.”

“No, Mitch.” Nicole tore her gaze from Damon. “I am not going into hiding. I don't understand any of

this, but I know I am not going to run and leave my job. I'm not stupid. I'll be careful and lock my

doors, but right now, I need to get home and feed Ren and Stimpy.” Why the hell she said that she

didn't know. All she knew was she had to get away from them and the only thing that came to mind

was feeding her turtles. Grabbing her bag she raced out the door to her car.

“Who the fuck is Ren and Stimpy?” Jared turned to look at everyone, confused.

Damon ignored him as he let his shitkickers lead him out the door behind Nicole.

“Let it go Mitch.” Hearing heavy footsteps coming up behind her, Nicole didn't even turn around

figuring it was Mitch. “I'm not leaving and I will be at work Monday morning.” Opening the door she

threw her bag in the backseat, got in and slammed the door.

Damon put both hands on the hood of her car, leaning down so his face was in her window. “We need

to talk.” He opened her door.

“No, I don't think we do.” Nicole went to close her door, but he stopped it with his hand.

“You need to listen to Mitch and get out of town for a while.” Damon leaned down closer to her level.

Feeling more tired than she ever had in her life, she turned to look at him, laying her head on the

steering wheel. “I can't afford to take off work Damon. Who will pay my bills? Who will feed my

turtles?” She just stared at him, as if she could find the answers in his eyes. “I don't have anyone and

I'm not going to live with strangers.” That was all her life had consisted of growing up. No, she

wouldn't put herself in that position again.

Damon rubbed his eyes and sighed. “This is your life we're talking about.”

“You're right. It is my life and this isn't your problem, Damon.” Nicole started her car with a rattle and

puff of smoke. “Now please shut my door so I can go home and go to bed.” She wanted to add, so he

could go back to his girlfriend, but didn't. She wasn't in high school anymore. She really didn't know

what she felt for this man and she was afraid to find out. A broken heart was definitely something she