Dead Vampires Don't Date (9 page)

The chair creaked alarmingly as Petey leaned back. "Xavier is trouble. He makes enemies faster than any other Sub that I've seen." He shook his head in disgust. "Plus he tops from below."

I hadn't a clue as to what that meant, but given Petey's expression it was not a good thing in a submissive. I nodded, stopped on the down-tilt and tried a frown instead. I began to see the value in researching a role first.

"I know of at least five Subs that refuse to have anything to do with him and most of the Doms here won't either. He's petty, cruel and likes to cause trouble." His chair clattered as he rocked forward to lean his elbows on the table. "Plus, I think he uses."

"Drugs?" If so, it could explain his crazy plan that led to his true death.

Petey nodded. "I think he used them on the other Subs. And even a few of the Doms. That's why they can't stand him. Most of them don't remember the time they spent with him."

13. My List Of Suspects.

"
I hate him. If I found him alone in a dark alley, I'd gut him. I'd love to put a giant hole in his chest."

Tommy went straight to the top of my list. Unfortunately, he was not alone there. Almost every other Dom or Sub that I had questioned said basically the same thing.

Basically.

Intentional or not, substitute a tree branch for a knife and Tommy had described the Prince's murder scene. Tommy certainly had the build to be able to shove a branch through a vamp's chest. It wouldn't have mattered that he hadn't known Xavier had been a vampire. A hole in the chest will kill a human as well.

Morgan had been correct in that Tommy wouldn't be much help in providing information on Xavier. Tommy didn't remember anything at all from his three encounters with the Prince. That appeared to be the problem.

"Every time I was in a scene with him, I wouldn't remember anything." He pouted. "Not a thing. What's the point if you can't remember?"

"Mmmhmm." Non-committal was the best I could do.

"Then Xavier would lord it over me. He'd describe the scene and how much he'd enjoyed it and," his voice dropped, "How awful I was."

Tommy took a large sip of water.

"Every time I see him, he brings it up."

As far as I could tell, Prince Xavier had been applying mind control on most of the members at
The Whipping Post
, using them as unwilling beverage dispensers and then torturing them afterwards simply because he could.

It amazed me someone hadn't done him in sooner.

"I hate him."

I was beginning to hate him myself. I hadn't liked the Prince from the start and my current predicament did not lend fond feelings towards him either, but I also hadn't known that much about the Prince.

The more I learned, the more I began to think he got what he deserved.

I'm not a bad person. I think I'm a pretty good witch, actually. On the other hand I know exactly what it's like to be bullied, to have your peers jeer and taunt you for things that you can't control. I know how that can nibble away at your self-esteem.

"Thanks Tommy, you can go now." Morgan reached up to pat him on his shoulder.

"Yes, Mistress." Tommy bowed before he walked away.

I swiveled to face Morgan on my barstool. Her narrowed green eyes reminded me of a cat as it watched a mouse escape.

"Ah, sorry about Tommy." I didn't have any proof yet, although we both knew he had just moved ahead of everyone else. He'd referred to the Prince in the present tense, but that could be a really clever ploy on his behalf.

Morgan laughed. "I'm not. I like blood-thirsty."

Good point.

Besides, I still had to find actual solid evidence first. I made a mental note to check my Spell Book for clue spells. I'd never heard of any, but it could have been a subject they'd covered in junior year at the Witch Academy. Witches have branched out into all sorts of fields during the last hundred years. Not much call for love spells and hexes these days.

The small sexy taunt of skin at my back began to itch.

I set my drink down on the counter, braced myself and turned around. Ash stood several feet behind me, just outside a grouping of tables and chairs. He wore another sleeveless black leather vest with matching black leather pants that outlined his heavily muscled thighs and ended in thick biker boots.

I dragged my gaze up and over that impressive chest, determined to face him this time.

His amber eyes flared the instant they met mine, as if he'd been waiting for just this moment. My stomach knotted. My skin began to tingle as if waking up for the first time. My heart thudded heavily.

Pure giddy excitement mingled with spine-tingling danger and I knew just how a small, vulnerable bunny felt the moment it spied the predatory gaze peering through the woods.

No doubt about it, Ash was stalking me.

I didn't get a creepy, psycho, murderous vibe from him. No, the look in his eyes was pure male heat and interest.

Morgan turned around beside me and I waited to watch his eyes wander over to her. His gaze remained fixed on me. I honestly didn't think he even noticed Morgan.

My heart made a hard flip-flop.

Thick, dark hair curled around his neck, peeking out from under the leather scarf he had tied over his head. Rough and tough trouble, he looked like he belonged in this bar.

The sturdy bandana cut across his forehead, just above his dark eyebrows. It served to emphasize the scars around the left side of his face. They branched out around his eye, over his upper cheekbone and down the edge of his face along his neck. A few of them were thick and raised.

Ash had suffered greatly at one time.

The thicker the scar, the deeper the wound and considering how distinct and noticeable his were, I figured he had not received medical attention right away.

I had that crazy urge to grab my wand again.

Stupid really. The scars were old, that fight had taken place a very long time ago and he didn't appear discomforted by them. I'd easily bet Ash had exacted his revenge as well.

And still my fingers twitched.

The rest of his skin had that rugged, slightly weathered look that people get when they are exposed to the outdoors on a lengthy basis. His skin was a dark shade of olive. He hadn't spent a lot of time outside the demon realm.

That just made me more suspicious of why he was here now.

High cheekbones, a strong nose and firm lips made up the rest of his face. Taken one by one, he had strong features. Put them all together and he was all sexy male demon.

He stalked towards me, determination heavy in each step. Every one of my wicked dreams rose to the surface, the leather and atmosphere didn't help.

"Hello Kate."

I tilted my head back to maintain eye contact.

"Ash." I quirked an eyebrow at him. "What a surprise to see you here." My words came out in a controlled tone. None of my disco dancing hormones boogied their way into my voice. I hadn't planned on this added benefit from my supplemental herbs. Considering the way my life was going these days, maybe I should just add the herbs in the morning along with my daily vitamin.

I leaned back slightly to ease the angle of my neck, Ash's gaze zeroed in on my chest. Something hot and possessive went through his dark amber eyes.

"That's a different look for you."

My back went up at the note of censure. He had no rights over me.

I thrust my chest out, gave a toss of my head. "Yes, it is." I'd fooled the Doms tonight. I could handle one demon.

Ash stepped into my space, not just by a little bit either. His thigh slid right between mine, forcing my legs to part. Before I knew what he was about, Ash stood at the edge of my stool, my legs spread wide, our thighs pressed together, with one of his hands at the base of my spine and the other hot against the vee at the back of my bustier. His fingers found their way underneath that opening.

"I didn't say I didn't like it." His deep voice shivered its way down my spine. His fingers massaged my back and I knew he felt the tremble that went through me.

"You seem to have a way of finding Kate." Morgan's words came over my shoulder. "Did you plant a bug?"

I tensed. Crap, I was supposed to be impersonating a dominatrix tonight. Plus, it didn't look good for a Witch Detective to be literally wrapped around a Suspicious Demon.

I planned to wiggle my way loose. Ash had other plans, and might tends to win. He tightened his grip the moment I shifted, tugging just enough so we wound up pressed even closer together. The large, hard bulge at the front of his pants met the spot between my thighs.

I must admit I didn't try very hard to get away.

"Her scent is unique."

I like my brown sugar lotion too, but I don't think it's unique. For twelve dollars anyone could get it at Bath and Body. A little less with a coupon.

"You saying she stinks Demon?"

Whoa. I needed to let my legs drop and come back to reality. He packed a major punch, but something more was going on. Morgan didn't usually attack first.

I squirmed on the stool, which rubbed us together. I swallowed a moan. Bad move. Ash responded by cupping my ass and letting me know his body fully appreciated my wiggling.

"No. I'm saying I can track her anywhere."

That sounded suspiciously like a threat.

I placed my hands on his leather vest and shoved. Even through the thick material I could feel the heat of his skin and the heaviness of his muscles.

"Excuse me, center of conversation here." I tilted my head to include both of them in my jibe.

Fat lot of good it did me.

Possibly tired of my constant moving, Ash thrust his hand under my butt, lifted me up off the stool and sat down. He lowered me so I ended up sitting in nearly the same position, except my legs were now wrapped around his waist, and instead of the cushy bar stool, I had a steel-like, very large lump under my ass.

I was too shocked to be embarrassed.

"And you just can't resist tracking her anywhere she goes, is that it?"

Ash lifted the hand he'd used to maneuver me up to my hair. He gathered a large fistful of my curls.

"No, I can't." He inhaled deeply, his muscles tensed under my hand. "Sweet and soft." He murmured. His lips hovered over my ear.

Apparently I was superfluous to their conversation.

While most of me didn't mind being the center of Ash's heated attention in the least bit, I did mind being the topic of their discussion.

"Did you happen to track her two nights ago?" Morgan slapped her hand on the counter.

Ash and I both stiffened up. I hadn't considered his appearance on the same night the Prince died and Ash more than likely didn't like Morgan's accusatory tone.

Some great Witch Detective I was turning out to be. My inability to follow the logical trails in front of me could get me killed in a heartbeat and my unruly hormones might just do the same.

"No. What happened two nights ago?" Ash demanded. He ran his hand up and down my back as if to reassure himself that I was all right.

I was sitting on his lap. I don't know how he missed it.

I shoved at him again. This was ridiculous.

"Oh, no. You don't get into the party that easy." Morgan snapped her fangs. "I want to know what you want with Kate."

"That's between Kate and me." Sweet Glinda, he grouped us together like we were already a couple. My heart pitter-pattered. At this rate I'd be back to banging my head against walls and in desperate need of some Ibuprofen.

"I'm her best friend; that makes it my business too." Morgan snarled.

Spirits love her, I certainly did. I'd put Morgan through a lot lately with the whole body-dumping-betraying-her-own-kind-murder-investigation thing. I've never had a lot of friends and her defense meant the world to me.

"I think it's my business too." I chimed in.

Neither one of them acknowledged me. Seriously. I was sitting on a demon's lap, wrapped around him in a manner that could in no way be considered appropriate for polite society – although possibly quite correct for
The Whipping Post
- and the two of them continued to argue right over my head.

Enough already.

I opened my mouth, but Morgan growled first. "Ash, such an unusual name. Even for a demon. It wouldn't happen to be short for something, would it?"

By the abrupt tension in his body, I knew Morgan had made a direct bulls-eye. I just had no idea what target she'd hit or why it mattered.

I did know that I was done. Events had been playing themselves out the last few days that affected my entire life and yet I had little to no say in those same events.

Time to take control.

I moved my upper torso to one side, angled my hips and pushed with them at the same time. My added weight comes in handy at times, this proved to be one of them. Well, that plus the months I'd spent on the Broomstick Gymnastics team at the Wiccan Academy.

I swung my leg with the momentum, knocked the guy off the stool next to me and wound up standing in between Morgan and Ash.

"Sorry." I waved over at the guy on the floor before turning to Morgan. "I'll be right back." I swiveled back to Ash. "Dance with me."

I didn't wait for a response. He'd made his intentions obvious, so I knew he would follow. A heartbeat later, a large hand settled on the small of my back.

The band struck up a slow song just as we hit the dance floor. Sultry and smooth, the music washed over us as Ash pulled me tight against him.

"You want to tell me what that was all about?" I asked. I set my hand on his left shoulder where he had a large sprawling tattoo that encompassed his arm from under the edge of his vest to midway down his forearm.

I didn't recognize the design, but it looked Celtic in origin. Comprised of both bold and delicate lines, it was mostly black with a few reddish flames.