Page 15 of Top Secret Vampire

He latched onto me and swooped me up in his arms, spinning me around until I was laughing and tears were streaming from my eyes. When he finally stopped, he stared down at me with such stark longing on his face that I couldn’t drag a breath down my tight throat.

“I apologize for manhandling you.” He placed me gently on the ground.

“It was fun. Don’t feel bad for that.”

“You didn’t mind that I held you?”

I leaned into his chest and batted my eyelashes up at him. “Not one bit. You might want to do it again.” With that parting shot, I spun away from him and started across the lot, aiming for my car I’d parked near the opposite edge.

“Wait, wait,” he called out, mistifying only long enough to reappear ahead of me.

I nearly ran into him. “That’s a cool trick, Wolfie.”

“Wolf, if you please,” he ground out, though his eyes sparkled. “If you keep calling me Wolfie, I’ll have to seek revenge.”

“What kind of revenge?” I snorted. “Hit me with your best shot. I dare ya.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Some might suggest you are asking me to discipline you in some way or another for your impertinence.”

“I’m not into BDSM. Let’s get that straight right away. I don’t scorn anyone for enjoying their own kink, but if you believe spanking me will endear me to you, think again.”

“Duly noted. As for Professor Prospect, if you don’t want to give him an endorsement, then you shouldn’t. I’ll stand behind any decision you make, and I’ll gladly inform your old professor that you’ve changed your mind. If you wish.”

“Don’t worry about it.” My lips thinned, and I watched as Flint drove his vehicle out of the parking lot. “I can handle him.”

My eyes were caught by someone standing on the sidewalk on the other side of Main Street. Was that Charmaine? Back in our last year of college, my best friend and I had argued. I hadn’t seen her since graduation, but I’d missed her. We’d shared everything, and our parting had left a gap I still hadn’t filled.

Excited, I waved, but it must not be her, because she turned and strode down the sidewalk without responding.

I lowered my arm to my side and looked Wolf’s way. “I can write something up quick and send it to Flint later. I did enjoy his first book, and I don’t mind sharing that.”

“Very well.”

“As for you taking me to my house, I can get us there just as quickly in my—” I gaped at my shiny red SUV sitting in the lot not far away, both tires on this side flat. “What . . .” Racing forward, I stooped down beside one of the tires and sent Wolf a stunned look. “Cut. Someone cut my tires.”

Chapter 6

Wolfram

Reese rose and jogged around the SUV. “All four tires are slashed. Who’d do something like this?”

I pulled my phone out and called Detective Carter, the local law enforcement officer. Since he was close by, he said he’d be here within minutes.

“I’m terribly sorry.” I joined her beside her vehicle.

A siren rang out and the detective’s car pulled into the lot, stopping nearby. Detective Carter got out and came over, frowning as he studied the tires.

“Any idea when this happened?” he asked Reese.

“Sometime between me arriving at Monsters, PI about half an hour ago and now.”

He scanned the lot, but no one appeared to be paying any attention to us. “I’ll fill out a report. Could’ve been kids.”

I mentioned Tracy who’d recently quit and had appeared quite angry with Reese, and he noted that on his phone.

“I’ll talk to her,” he said. “Any others who might want to inconvenience you?” he asked Reese.

“This feels like more than an inconvenience.” She reminded him about the seagull, the blender incident, plus the written threats, but the detective didn’t appear concerned about them.

---