Page 163 of The Married Alpha And His Arrow: Vol 1

She yawned, “Vampire hours.” I smiled, “Are you still enjoying him?” Susanna nodded, “I really like him. He’s….” I waited for her to finished. She admitted, “He’s my string, Lex.” I yelled, “WHAT?” Susanna nodded, “I’m scared to tell Heath about it. I’m still getting us the information he wants, but Robert is just giving it to me.”

I walked over and gave her a hug, “That’s so great, Susanna. I’m so happy for you.” She had always wanted her string. Her family never really treated her like family. She was never taken on vacations or given as many presents as her siblings on any holiday. They even forget her birthday a few times. Heath had talked to them, but they always shrugged him off.

She smiled, “He’s such a crazy man. He’s so worried about me all the time. Can you believe he even makes me carry a vial of his blood in my purse just in case something happens to me?” I chuckled, “Believe it or not, I can. Do you plan to be turned?” Susanna shrugged, “If it’s an emergency. I’d rather be a vampire than dead. I don’t want to leave him. I do want the option to be open for us to have a child or two that I carry instead of a surrogate.”

I assured her, “You have time to decide. It’s not like we age like humans.” Susanna smiled, “I know.” I said, “You know I met someone recently who was Hood, and her vampire was a string. She was turned. I could put you two in contact. She probably has a lot of tips and advice.” Susanna hugged me, “That would be great!” I told her, “And Heath will be happy for you no matter what you decide.” She nodded. I gave her Sharon’s contact information and left her to get cooking.

I went out to the main area. Ted had arrived with his guards. I smiled and waved at Mark and Joanie. They waved back. I bumped Ted with my hip, “So, how did it go last night?” Ted squealed, “Girl, it was Aaammmmaazing! He was so turned on when he got home. He wanted to watch me on my own for a while. He couldn’t stand it after only a few minutes, and he attacked me. How did it go for you?”

I laughed, “Chase definitely did NOT try to watch. He was on me the second he walked in the door.” Ted smiled, “That’s great. Haley fucking Conners, man. Teaching us how to work up our men. God, I’m so damn proud of that girl.” I agreed.

We got to work. Our clients showed up just as we’d finished set up. Everyone was seated when I looked around and frowned. Susanna hadn't set out the food yet. Suddenly, I got a bad feeling. I excused myself and went back to the kitchen.

I walked in and slipped the second I took a step in the door. I looked down and froze. Not again! I’d slipped in blood. I screamed. Susanna whispered, “It’s not my blood…. Lex… it’s pigs... blood… help me… please…”

Susanna had a knife sticking out of her back. Had they paralyzed her? I got towels and screamed, “SOMEONE HELP ME!” I told her, “Hang on, Susanna. Just hang on!” Two cops burst into the room. One grabbed me, “Ma’am you're under arrest.” I yelled, “Excuse me! We need to help her!”

I looked at the man and quickly realized he was a supernatural. Kincade, Kevin, Mark, Joanie, and Ted burst into the room. Ted immediately went to Susanna. I yelled, “We need an ambulance!” One cop said, “What? You don’t want this to be upgraded to murder? Just attempted murder is as far as you’re willing to go?”

I snapped at him, “I didn’t stab her!” The cop replied, “You’re covered in blood.” I explained, “I came in here and slipped! I’ve been out on the floor setting up this event! There are several witnesses to that fact.” Ted spoke up, “She has. She walked in here maybe thirty seconds before us. She didn’t have time to do this.” Kevin, Kincade, Joanie, Mark, and our clients back me up.

Kincade and Kevin were exchanging looks. Kincade stepped out. Ted was trying to stop the bleeding. I demanded, “Look, you NEED to call an ambulance! Arrest me or whatever but get her help!” Ted said, “They do need to call an ambulance. Get on your damn radio! My phone has no service. No one is taking you out of here, Lexi.” Ted gave me a pointed look.

Oh shit. I looked back at the cops who were grinning at me. They’d messed with the phones. I looked at the werewolves. Kincade had left because they couldn’t link. That meant these cops might not be real cops, or they at least weren’t good ones.

One leaned in close, “If you don’t want your friend to die, you will come with us. Quietly. I bet you look delectable in cuffs.” I looked at Susanna. She was blinking rapidly at me. I looked away. Then it hit me. Morse code. Susanna was blinking words to me. I thought about her blinks.

It hit me. Her purse! Her string’s blood was in her damn purse! Kevin said, “You won’t be going anywhere with her, and any questions can be directed to her lawyer.” Before they could respond to that statement, the kitchen doors burst open.

Haley stepped through with Kincade on her heels. I shot Ted a look. If Haley was here, then somehow Heath knew. Haley demanded answers, “What the FUCK is going on here? OH GOOD! Fucking Warlocks. Who the FUCK gave you two a damn badge?”

They both tensed. One hissed, “Lower your voice or the humans will hear you!” Haley snarked, “What fucking humans? This is a supernatural event. Which I would expect someone in your profession to notice.” I got Ted's attention and tapped out Susanna’s purse on my thigh. He nodded and motioned to Joanie. She grabbed Susanna’s purse off the counter and slid it to him.

Meanwhile Haley yelled at the warlocks. She yelled, “I repeat, what is going on here? What the FUCK is wrong with you two idiots?!” One said, “Ma’am watch your language, or you will be arrested along with your friend.” I bit back a laugh. They’d be dead if they so much as attempted to arrest her before she was mated. Titus would destroy them. But to arrest her in her mate’s territory? They either had brass ones or were none too bright.

I saw Ted hold up the blood for Susanna to drink. Relief hit me so hard I had to reach out a hand to steady myself. Haley shrieked, “DID YOU JUST MA’AM ME? LEXI SCOTT! HE JUST MA’AM’ d me! Oh, that’s fucking it. Arrest me for cursing? Are you two serious?! That’s not a fucking arrestable offense. MORONS! NO MORE! Haley is DONE being nice! I’m so fucking tired of being nice!”

I stared at her, a little worried. What was going on with her? I’d been so focused on me; I hadn’t asked about her lately. I was stunned when Haley threw both of them into the wall. My eyes widened. I whispered, “Haley….” One warlock stood and pointed at her, “That’s assault. You just assaulted two officers of the law.”

Haley taunted him, “Oh did I? Who would believe that I threw you into a wall? Not a human judge, that’s who. You’d be the ones getting locked up from what I understand about this realm.” Everyone looked at each other with a ‘she’s right’ look on our faces. Haley shrugged, “Oh well, I might as well go all fucking out then.” She popped and punched both of them in the face. Shit.

Susanna stood up, “Lex, is this not the event where we were doing a murder mystery lunch? This is all getting a little too real if it is.” Both cops whirled around to face her. One stated, “You were stabbed.” Susanna lied, “Fake blood, fake stabbing. Murder Mystery lunch.” Ted teasingly told her, “That’s next weekend, Susanna. You just took ten years off my life, silly woman.”

Susanna groaned, “I ruined a fabulous top for no reason.” I offered, “I’ll reimburse you for the confusion.” Our client breathed a sigh of relief, “Well, that’s…. you girls certainly know how to put on a show. I’ll remember this murder mystery option for next month.” She left the kitchen to return to her guests.

Eric walked into the kitchen as our client walked out. The warlocks advanced on Haley. She raised an eyebrow and dared them, “Fucking try it.” They kept coming. Joanie had moved to put Ted and Susanna behind her. Eric growled, “I’ll rip you to fucking pieces.” Both startled and stopped.

Haley used the distraction to slam one’s face into the counter and grabbed the other by the pressure point on his neck. She asked, “Who the hell are you? You’re not a fucking real cop. A cop would’ve called for an ambulance. Even a defective warlock cop.”

I flashed over and grabbed the first warlock by the neck. The one I grabbed said, “We are cops, and you’ll go to jail for this!” Haley scoffed, “Did you hear that, Lexi? I’m shaking in fear over the warlock’s threats.” Eric knew she was being sarcastic but growled menacingly anyway.

Haley added, “Gosh, if only I was a super powerful royal fairy who could erase their memories of me kicking their ass.” They gulped. She smiled, “Oh, wait. I am.” I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. I was seriously thinking that ritual combined with everything going on in her life was messing with her more than she showed. Haley Conners always proved she was such a strong person, and this was beginning to make me think she was stronger than even I knew. I was thinking if she was anyone else, she’d be on a killing rampage or in a severe depression.

She looked into the eyes of the man she held. She asked him, “Who are you? And why are you here?” The warlock answered, “I’m Decan and I’m here to abduct Lexi Scott. I don’t know who the girl is that got stabbed. That’s not the girl from the picture. They said she was the caterer, but that’s not her.”

The other man shouted, “WHAT THE HELL, DUDE?!” Haley rolled her eyes. I pushed the first warlock against the back on the counter. I asked him, “Did you stab Susanna?” The guy answered, “No.” I looked at Haley. She nodded and conjured me a knife.

I stabbed the warlock in the back where Susanna had been stabbed. Then I stabbed him in the chest. I hissed, “No one hurts one of my people.” Susanna came over and snapped his neck. She spat out, “Asshole.”

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