Frost Burn (The Fire and Ice Series, Book 1) (9 page)

Before he could grab the first one, a short man with a thick gray beard and shaggy gray hair standing out around his head like Einstein’s stepped into the doorway. The man braced his legs apart as he glared into the room. The leather belt at his waist appeared to be losing the battle against the belly hanging over top of his jeans. He lifted a gun into the air and fired a shot; the bullet slammed into the ceiling above him. Bits of wooden debris and dust rained down around the man. He didn’t move as he lowered the weapon and pointed it into the room.

“Everybody out, now!” he barked.

Julian stepped forward to try and stop the men from leaving the room. The man in the doorway leveled the revolver at his chest. The shot wouldn’t kill him, but it would hurt like hell, and he really didn’t have the time to explain why he wouldn’t require an ambulance afterward. “I’ll shoot you Billy Joel. I swear I will,” the older man told him in a voice made gravelly from years of cigarette smoke.

Julian shot Chris, Lou and Melissa a look when they began to laugh; Zach snickered beside him. “I’ve killed people for less,” he growled at the newcomer to their group from the corner of his mouth. Zach’s smile slipped away, he took an abrupt step away from Julian’s side.

The group of fighters scrambled to gather their unconscious friends and escape the poolroom. Julian took another step forward; a wave of the gun still aimed at his chest stopped him from going any further. He raised his hands in the air as he memorized the faces of every man scurrying past the guy with the gun. He wished Luther had decided to come out tonight instead of trying to do more research; he’d have been able to diffuse this situation far better than Julian could.

“Oh for crying out loud, Clint,” Quinn muttered as she stalked forward. “Put the gun down.”

“How do I know he didn’t start it; he looks like trouble,” Clint retorted.

“He didn’t start it,” Quinn told him. “And you’re thinking of Billy Idol. Not Billy Joel.”

“What’s the difference?”

“One is an eighties rocker that his look is definitely based on…”

“I told you this is all natural,” Julian retorted.

“The other sang Piano Man,” Quinn continued as if he’d never spoken.

“Oh.” Clint dropped his arms down and slid his gun into the holster at his side. “I like that song.”

“Most people do,” Quinn replied.

“Are you girls ok?” he demanded.

“We’re fine,” Quinn assured him.

His gaze went past her to Angie. “Fine,” she replied with a small smile.

“What happened here?” Clint inquired and pulled a piece of gum from his pocket. He shoved the gum into his mouth as his gaze traveled over Julian, Melissa, Chris, Lou, and Zach.

“Some townie kids trying to prove their might, pissed off some cowboys,” Quinn told him. “These guys were trying to help us break it up.”

Clint’s brown eyes searched over them before he gave a brisk nod. “Thanks for the help. You’ve earned yourselves a free drink. Can you clean this up, Quinn?”

“On it,” she assured him. She rested her hands on Clint’s small shoulders and turned him toward the main room. The people out there hastily became preoccupied with their alcohol and friends again when Clint’s eyes fell upon them. Julian stalked across the room as the last of the people involved in the fight scrambled out the door.

Pickup trucks, cars, and motorcycles were firing up as he pounded down the steps and into the dirt parking lot. His gaze ran over all the people jumping into their vehicles. Taking five giant strides forward, he grabbed the arm of a man trying to climb into a jacked up Jeep.

“Hey.” The kid’s voice was slurred due to his swollen jaw and missing front tooth, but Julian was already turning away from the flashes of beer helmets, girls and football the kid emitted.

He grabbed hold of a man with a cowboy hat next but swiftly turned away from the cubicle and computer that filled his mind. Dust kicked up around him as more vehicles fled the parking lot, he managed to grab hold of another kid, but all he saw were images of textbooks. He spun to try and find someone else only to discover he was now alone. The last pickup kicked up rocks and dust with a squeal of tires. One of the kids in the back of the truck swore at him before tossing a beer bottle his way. He jumped back as glass shattered around his feet and liquid splashed out over the bottom of his jeans.

There were times he really wished he were still a killer, he realized as he stepped away from the broken shards of glass.

Chris jogged up to his side. “What are you doing?”

Julian stared down the deserted road as the red taillights of the pickup faded into the distance. “One of the men involved in the fight is a killer.”

“So are you,” Zach said.

The look he gave the kid caused Zach to blanch. “They were nothing like me,” he said. “They have to be stopped.”

“Do you know everyone who was involved in the fight?”

Quinn barely paid Julian any attention as she kicked her shoes off and walked toward the kitchen. Her feet ached, her jaw was sore from a punch she’d taken. The only thing she wanted to do was lie down and sleep until sunset tomorrow. Instead, she had an extremely angry, large vampire hovering in her doorway. She grabbed a can of soda and the whole bag of peanut butter cups before slumping into one of her wobbly kitchen chairs.

She opened her soda, before peeling the wrappers from ten peanut butter cups and placing them on the table. She methodically began to eat each one as she tried to ignore Julian’s nearby presence. Maybe if she ignored him for enough time he would simply go away. She knew it would never happen, but she was going to enjoy her snack before she had to deal with him.

She popped the last candy into her mouth and lifted her right foot into her lap. She rubbed at her foot and braced herself. He’d left her alone for this long, she knew it wouldn’t continue, and she was right. He pulled out the chipped white chair across from her and plopped into it. Quinn bit on her bottom lip as she waited for the chair to break apart beneath him.

“So do you know everyone who was involved?”

“I know most of them,” she admitted. “I’m sure there were a few I missed or don’t know. Clint and Angie would probably know the ones I don’t. I can always ask them.”

“Good, we have to find the people involved.”

“Most of them will be back to the bar, eventually. Whenever there’s a fight some of the people involved go to Hawtie’s for a week or two to give Clint a chance to calm down. The rest either go to the bonfire usually held a couple of times a month, or they go to the Mitchum’s.”

“What are Hawtie’s and the Mitchum’s?”

“Hawtie’s is the strip club on the other side of town. Mitchum’s is an old movie theatre the couple bought and renovated.”

He folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. It groaned beneath him but still somehow held his weight. “What goes on there?”

Quinn dropped her foot down to lift her left one up. A groan escaped her as she rubbed at the sore extremity. “I don’t know. They have parties every weekend there. I always assumed it was normal party stuff, but I’ve never been.”

“Maybe it’s a key party?” he suggested with a wink.

She frowned at him. “What’s a key party?”

“It was something that was popular in the seventies with the swinger crowd.”

“Do I want to know what they did with those keys?”

He gave a small laugh. “The men put their keys into a bowl and the women picked them out later. Whoever’s key they picked was who they spent the night with.”

Quinn’s eyebrows rose. “Seriously?”

“Yep.”

“That sounds… awful, but I don’t think that’s what goes on over there. I hope,” she added in a mutter. “But way to date yourself with that reference.”

“Dewdrop, I was already old in the seventies.”

She shook her head at him and lifted her soda. She held his eyes over top of the can as she took a swallow and dropped her drink back down. “You do emit an ancient aroma.”

“And what is an ancient aroma exactly?”

“Kind of musty with a hint of mushrooms, and…” she paused to scent the air. “Vinegary.” It was a complete lie, he smelled delicious enough to eat or at the very least lick. The fresh scent of soap and the peppery scent of power emitted from every one of his pores.

He smiled at her as he dropped his arms and leaned toward her. “I may smell like an ancient vinegary mushroom, but I can assure you I don’t taste like one, if you ever decide you’d like to take a bite.”

Despite her best intentions, her mouth dropped and her body flushed at his words. “I… uh…
never
,” she sputtered in protest.

“Again your mouth is saying no, but your eyes are saying yes.”

She almost threw her can at him, but she thought he might enjoy that too much. “You’re an ass,” she muttered.

“I’m an ass who you’re tempted to kiss.”

Her hand fisted on the table. “Stop.”

“As you wish Dewdrop, but for future reference I’ve never turned down a kiss before.”

“Oh, I’m sure you haven’t,” she retorted. “I bet there have been thousands.”

“Not thousands, but I like that you have so much faith in my prowess with women.”

“Ugh! Seriously how are you still alive?” she demanded.

“Luck, plus I’ve got skills. You’ll take me to those places tonight.”

A friction of resentment slid over her skin, goose bumps broke out across her arms. Her teeth clamped together and she hissed the words at him. “I’ll do what?”

He must have realized what he’d sounded like as he shook his head. “Sorry,” he muttered and ran a hand through his hair. “I need you to take me to find those men, and if they’re not at any of those places, then you’ll have to let me know where to find them.”

“What do I look like the town yellow pages?” she retorted.

The smile slid away from his face, he stared at her for a minute before leaning toward her. “You look like a highly pissed off vampire right now. You have to understand, what I felt from that person wasn’t good, and they’re going to kill again.
Soon
. They’re hunting women and
children
.” Her stomach twisted sickly at the idea, her blood ran cold as she gawked at him. “Children are the
main
thing they’re hunting, and what they take the most pleasure in torturing and killing.”

All right, she had to admit that was far more important than the fact that he was an arrogant, exasperating ass. “I’ll help you find as many of them as I can.”

“Thank you.”

“We can’t really do anything now anyway.” She gestured toward the blinds covering her window and the rays of sun beginning to peek around them.

“No, but at sundown. You’ll have to call out.”

“I have the night off.” She rose to her feet, snatched up her wrappers and walked over to toss them in the trash. “I don’t suppose I’ll get lucky enough to get you to stay out of my hallway today?”

He grinned at her and shook his head. “Hate to disappoint. You’re stuck with me for the day again Dewdrop. Even if vampires can’t move about in the day, I’m not leaving you unprotected.”

Uneasiness slid through her, she glanced around her small apartment. She couldn’t have him spending another night in her hallway. The neighbors hadn’t complained last night, they would if he continued to sit out there though. They may call the cops, which could become ugly if one of them tried to drag Julian outside into the day. But if he came in here, he could learn everything about her.

He was already sitting in her chair, at her table, she reminded herself. Touching her things and yet he’d mentioned nothing of her past. There would be no keeping silent about it if he knew the truth, he would confront her on it, she was certain of that. Had he lied about his ability in an attempt to get her to spill her guts? Or was he keeping silent on the things he’d learned and just waiting for his chance to pounce on her? Or maybe touching her things didn’t give him detailed images and memories from her but only glimpses?

Either way, the damage had already been done. She’d make sure not to touch him again, but she didn’t see the harm in allowing him to crash on her couch. It was the far better option to having the cops storming her hallway or her neighbors calling the landlord to complain. She didn’t have much money, this was the only decent place in town she could afford, and she couldn’t lose it.

“You can stay on the couch,” she muttered.

He did an exaggerated double take and lifted his right hand to his ear to pull it toward her. “I’m not sure I heard you right.”

She made a disgusted noise and shook her head. “I’d prefer not to lose my place or see you dragged out by the cops. As much as I don’t like it, you’ve left me no choice.”

“Let’s get this straight Dewdrop, I’m going to make sure you stay safe, but you always have a choice.”

“My neighbors…”

“I’ll stay in the supply closet at the end of the hall.”

“With the plungers and whatever else the landlord keeps in there?”

“Tools, I’ve already snooped through. Believe me, I’ve slept with worse.”

“Oh I bet the plunger probably beats out a few of the things you’ve slept with,” she replied with a smile.

“You do have some claws; I like it.”

“I’m thrilled,” she deadpanned. “There’s an extra blanket and pillow in the closet.” Before he could say anything else, she turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen. It took everything she had not to look back at him as she hurried into her room.

***

“Hello Dewdrop.”

Quinn barely heard Julian’s words. Her attention was solely focused on the brand new, tan couch sitting in her living room. It hadn’t been there when she’d gone to the bar to grab the stub for her paycheck. She had automatic deposit; banker’s hours didn’t exactly work for her, but she’d decided to check with Clint and Angie and make sure she hadn’t missed anyone from the fight last night. They hadn’t mentioned anyone she hadn’t already known was there.

She hadn’t been gone an hour, but he’d been extremely busy. “What is that?” she demanded.

“It’s a couch.”

Her eyes shot toward him. “I
know
it’s a couch. What’s it doing in
my
living room?”

“I wasn’t spending one more night on that death trap you scavenged.” He rubbed at his neck to emphasize his point. “I texted Chris earlier to find me something comfy to sleep on. The delivery guys dropped it off while you were out.”

“How convenient. Did my couch break your neck?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t see the problem.”

“It was hideous and less comfortable than a board of nails. By the way you could have warned me that I was literally sleeping on a death trap.” He gestured to the three stakes sitting on top of the milk crate. She’d placed them strategically through the couch. One had been under a cushion, another on the floor beneath the couch, and the third in the springs under it. “One of them kept poking me.”

“Not hard enough,” she retorted.

He chuckled as he ran a hand through his tussled hair. “I think it left a bruise.”

“What are you, the freaking Princess and the Pea?”

“No, I’m definitely all man, but I do enjoy sleeping.”

Her teeth grated together, it took everything she had not to start swearing at him. “Who said you were going to stay here again tonight?”

He folded his arms over his broad chest, crossed his legs and leaned against her wall. “I just assumed you would continue to be an inviting ball of sunshine.”

There were angels who would have gladly jumped on him and beaten him to death. She most certainly wasn’t an angel. “Where is
my
couch?”

An irritated sound escaped him, but there was no way he was more aggravated than her. “I had Chris put it where it belongs.”

“If it’s in the dump…”

“It is.”

“Damn you!” she snapped. “I don’t care what you say, or what you think. I want you out of my life!”

His body uncoiled, he closed the distance between them in three lengthy strides. The thunderous look on his face almost made her retreat a few steps, but she refused to give him any more than he’d already taken from her. She tilted her head back to look up at him, and defiantly met his icy stare as he rested his hand on the wall beside her head and leaned closer. The inside of her body came alive, her ability itched to taste the waves of power he emanated and feast on him.
Stay under control
, she told herself, but the tempting vibrations of his body against hers were almost more than she could stand.

“You can curse me, damn me, do whatever you want to me, but I’m not leaving until there is no more threat to you. It could be a very long time before I walk out that door and out of your life, but we can fight about it later; we have something far more important to deal with first. Now, tell me you know for sure all the people who were involved last night.”

She folded her arms over her chest. “I do,” she reluctantly admitted.

His face eased. “Good.”

“I’m going to help you with this, but don’t get rid of my things or try to take control of my life like this again.”

“Whatever you say, Dewdrop.”

“Don’t patronize me!”

Her body relaxed when he dropped his hands down and stepped away from her. “I’m not patronizing you.” He ran a hand over his face, pulling at the dark stubble lining his cheeks.

A tired air surrounded him. For the first time she realized what he’d seen from the killer was wearing on him. “What you saw last night was really bad, wasn’t it?”

“It was,” he confirmed. “You should get ready to go.”

“Yeah,” she murmured. Despite her persistent urge to yell at him, a part of her would like nothing more than to console him in some way. Shaking her head at the ridiculous thought, she walked into her room and closed the door behind her.