When they reached the parking lot, Mia spotted Kevin, her best friend’s fiancé and freshly turned vampire. Cole watched the tension in her face fade as she rushed to him. Her smile brought out her eyes and intensified her beauty, a look he wished she wore more. He cursed himself for not seeing she needed the connection with her friends. They’d worked so hard lately, with little time for anything else. He’d make sure John gave her a break from this mess so she could return Cynthia’s calls, later. He continued to watch her from a distance as others worked around them. Since they’d met, impossible tasks kept piling on top of Mia, and he wondered when she’d break. Killing her brother may push her too far, and he would protect her from that. The tension that had faded earlier eased back into her features. She placed a hand on Kevin’s bicep, and her brows knitted. Mia glanced at him with concern swimming in her eyes. Her unspoken need had his feet moving toward her.
“I was just about to make some phone calls, do you need something?” Cole asked when he reached her.
“No. We’re fine,” Kevin answered.
“No, we are not fine,” Mia stated, her tone flat. “Talk to him, Kev.”
“Shit.” Kevin rocked back on his heels. Lowering his gaze, he studied his work boots. His dreadlocks fell around his face, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “This… heart beating thing.” His dark gaze snapped up to meet Cole’s. “What if it doesn’t happen?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…” His gaze shifted between the two of them. “Mia told Cynthia that you knew Mia was yours before you fed on her. You felt it.”
“Yeah.” Cole eyed him with unease. Kevin was a new vampire with little knowledge. His question was concerning.
“Well I’m not fuckin’ feeling it,” he blurted. Threading his fingers, he placed his hand on top of his head and smoothed down his dreadlocks.
“What are you saying?”
“What if I feed from Cynthia, and my heart doesn’t beat?”
With a wrinkled forehead, Cole whistled and then made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Yeah, that’s a tough one.”
“What do you mean it’s a tough one?” Mia asked.
“I mean, if his heart doesn’t beat, then his bride is still out there,” Cole stated flatly.
“Fuck. I knew it,” Kevin declared with a painful expression.
“Just feed from her and get it over with, then you’ll know.” Mia rubbed his arm with comforting strokes.
“I already know, Mia, that’s the problem.” His tone was firm and his gaze resolute.
“How is that possible?”
“Because everything is intensified as a vampire. Everything—every emotion—scent, taste, pain, sex is incredible… and love, Mia. What I felt in my human form is dulled, numb. I mean, I love her. We’ve been together for a long time, and she’s carrying my child.”
“Just—” Mia halted when he held his hand up.
“No. I’m not even going to taste her. As much as I crave blood, I can’t do it. She knows about the heart beating. It’s not going to beat.”
Cole’s phone interrupted, and he looked at the screen. “I’m sorry, I have to take this.” He turned the screen toward Mia, and she nodded at the sight of John’s name. “Hey, John, I know you were in a meeting, but this is important. We need an APB put out on Mia’s nieces.” Cole made a swirl with his finger between Mia and Kevin and walked to the side to finish filling John in on the details. As he ended the call, Mia was back at his side.
“I’m going to call my mom,” she said, reaching into her pocket.
“We’ll call. I already have her number up.” He pressed speaker and dialed.
“Cole? I knew something was wrong.” Mia’s mom answered on the first ring.
“No, mom, nothing’s wrong—yet,” Mia responded.
“Are you sure, because the girls usually call before dinner, and I haven’t heard from them.”
“Mrs. Starr—” Cole started.
“It’s Sharon, don’t make me feel old, Detective Barnett.”
“Sorry, Sharon, can you text me all the contact information you have for your grandchildren and any daily activity that you’re aware of?”
“Something is wrong.” Sharon’s tone was determined, and her voice steady. He could hear anger edge into her tone, and it reminded him of Mia.
“We’re not sure yet, Mrs... Sharon.”
“I can feel it.”
Mia stared at the blank silhouette on Cole’s phone as her mother spoke. Should she tell her about Drew, too? Without her mom’s image staring back at her, it would be easier to break the news, but it shouldn’t be done over the phone. She sucked at secrets, and Mia was about to crack. The vibration of her phone in her pocket was a welcome distraction. While Cole was attempting to end the call with her mom, she answered her cell. Cole would need a couple minutes because once her mother’s spider senses started to tingle, she wouldn’t let it go, no matter how many times Cole said he’d call her back when they had more information.
“Agent Starr.” Mia stumbled over her new title.
“You need to stay away from what’s mine.”
“Velvet?”
“Of course. Is there anyone else claiming Cole I should know about?”
“There’s a line inside the club, looks like you’re last.”
“If I didn’t need you, I’d be drinking you out of a martini glass.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “What do you want, Velvet?” Mia locked eyes with Cole. He stepped closer to her as he placed his phone in his pocket.
“See there, that look you’re giving him. Stop.”
Mia covered the phone’s speaker with her hand and whispered, “She’s here.” But Cole’s gaze was already searching the crowd. He rolled his finger in the air as if twirling a piece of string around his index finger. She nodded. Keeping Velvet on the phone wasn’t going to be easy though. “Now I can’t look at him, Velvet?”
“You sound a little too sure of yourself. I don’t like that.” Her tone was cocky with a hidden threat.
“You don’t like much.”
“That’s not true. It’s just… you have what I like—for now.”
“Sounds to me more like you need him and not really so much as want him. Am I right?” Mia looked around for Cole. He wasn’t far, but she could tell there was no sign of Velvet.
“You know, it just occurred to me that you’ve mistaken me for one of those soft, law enforcement vampires you hang around. Touch Cole again, Miakoda, and I’ll have to show you how real vampires play. Maybe I’ll visit your mother.”
When the signal went dead, she felt the blood drain from her face and reaching out to steady herself, her hand landed on Cole’s chest. Would Velvet hurt her mother? She twisted her hand in his shirt. Her wide-eyed gaze smacked into his then trailed back down where her hand had wrapped around his shirt. She released it as if it burned and stepped away from him.
Cole closed the distance, grabbing her shoulders he stared at her. “What did she say, my love?”
“To stay away from you.” She shimmied out of his grasp. “Not to touch you.”
“Or?” Cole’s expression tightened, and his jaw ticked.
“She’d show me how real vampires play, and she mentioned visiting my mother.”
His police radio was at his lips before her next breath. His actions solidified Velvet’s threat—she would hurt her mother. Mia’s vision tunneled, and the surrounding sounds became muted. She heard the rumble of Cole’s voice beside her, and then his hand gripped her arm and tugged her through the crowd. Mia attempted to pull out of his grip. What if Velvet was still watching? Technically, he was touching her.
“Mia.”
She heard Cole call her name, but she was still deep in her mind. If given a couple more minutes, she’d find the dark corners she used to hide in as a child and recess further into herself. He called her again, and she felt the cold metal of the car as he leaned her back. His palms rested on her shoulders and slightly rocked her. Mia trailed her gaze up from his chest, to the depths of his brown stare. “You have to stop touching me, Cole.”
“I don’t negotiate with batshit crazy vampires, and neither should you.”
“Great. Maybe you should work with the United Nations.”
“They’re too tolerant for my taste.” His warm smile was meant to relax her, and she was grateful for the attempt.
“Cole, what if—”
“Mia, if Velvet was watching, you’ve shown her with your actions the threat on your mother worked.”
“Why wouldn’t it work? It’s my mother!”
Cole shrugged, “You’d be surprised at how many people would love to get rid of their mother.”
“What should I do then, ignore her? That’s just going to piss her off and push her to act.”
“If she’s marked your mother, she’s dead if I’m touching you or not.”
“You’re right.”
“Hey…” Cole smoothed his hands over her arms and hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her head back. “We have units on the way to your mom. They’re going to move her into a safe house until this blows over, okay?”
Her smile was weak. She knew there wasn’t much they could do. Cole was right. Velvet would kill anyone she wanted, without thinking twice about it. “I need to focus on work. What’s next? Distract me.”
“We need to get you out of that dress.”
“Seriously?” She tilted her head and stared at him.
“Dead serious. If one more person eye-fucks you, I’m going to lose my calm.”
“You’re delirious. No one is eye-fucking me.”
“And you underestimate how sexy you are, my love. I can feel them, and their hunger is driving me nuts.” He stepped closer, breathing in her scent.
“Are you hungry? You know, for food.”
“Among other things, but it can wait.”
“I could satisfy one need, now.” She gazed at him through her lashes.
“One will definitely lead to the other.”
“Oh…”
“Yes. It’s been a trying night.” He opened her door, “Let’s head back to Sector 13 before that happens—here—against the car.” His hand reached for her, but she pulled back.
“Cole, I’m serious, please don’t touch me right now.”
He dropped his hand. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“No. I’m not. I’m cautious.” She turned to enter the car, and his hands wrapped around her arms. “Cole!” Her gaze darted frantically around the crowd. As he leaned in toward her, she moved her head back. No way was he kissing her. Fear ticked up her spine and dampened her palms. No touchy! her mind screamed, and a weird, untapped feeling swirled inside her. Her arms felt heavy, and the sensation of wiggly creatures crawled underneath her flesh.
“Ow!” Cole removed his hands, shaking them. “What the hell was that?”
“What?” Oh shit. She eyed him cautiously. “I felt weird. What did you feel?”
“I don’t know.” His brows dipped as he stared at his hands.
“Liar.”
“It must have been in my mind or I was picking something up from you.” He pushed the door until it opened wide. “Let’s go.”
“Cole…”
“I felt a burn. Happy?” He pointed to the passenger seat, “Now get in.”