Page 9 of Slay All Day

“Is there something bugging you about the girl?” I asked, shifting in my seat so I could see her in my peripheral vision.

“Yeah, her reaction was off when I mentioned that she seemed as though she could use the coffee more than us. I assumed it was just because early mornings are normal for people who work in bakeries, but when I made a joke about maybe avoiding partying too much at night, I got the impression that her vague answer was more about not remembering what she was up to last night than not wanting to overshare with a stranger,” Denica explained, her plump lips curving down at the edges.

I leaned forward, stretching my arm out on the table to rest my hand over hers. Anyone looking at us would only see part of the true picture—a couple enjoying their morning together. They’d never guess the real reason we were in the bakery. “Do you think it’s because someone messed with her memories?”

She squeezed her eyes shut when flames started to swirl in the green orbs. “Yes, the pallor of her skin and bruises under her eyes aren’t because she’s not a morning person.”

“You’re that certain?” I asked, pitching my voice low.

“Absolutely.” A muscle jumped in her jaw as she pushed her empty plate to the edge of the table. “Any doubts I might’ve had were just wiped away when she tugged down the collar of her polo shirt. There are two distinct puncture wounds on her neck.”

I shifted in my seat, surreptitiously glancing toward the cashier. Denica kicked my shin under the table, and my head jerked back in her direction. I shrugged and flashed her a sheepish grin. “I guess there’s a reason they say that curiosity killed the cat.”

“Not on my watch.” She flipped her hand over and gave mine a squeeze. “So how about we get out of here and explore Pine Ridge some more.”

Nodding, I wolfed down my pastry in a few bites and followed her out the door. We wandered into several more stores—and discovering another young woman who had been glamoured by the vampire—before crossing the street. Stopping in front of three elderly gentlemen sitting on a bench in front of the diner, Denica asked, “What do you recommend for lunch?”

One of them tilted his hat at her and answered, “Stick with something fried, and you won’t be disappointed, miss.”

“Not that you’ll find anything fresh on the menu,” the guy in the middle chortled.

The third man wagged his finger and threatened, “I’m going to tell Mable you were warning visitors about her cooking.”

“I didn’t say it was bad,” his friend grumbled.

“Your secret is safe with us,” I assured him with a grin.

“Thanks, guys. We better get some more walking in before we stop for lunch.” Denica waved goodbye at them, and we walked past the diner. We made it another block down the street, and then I felt as though someone was glaring a hole through my back. Looking over my shoulder, I spotted a guy across the street with the worst comb-over in the history of the world. He had a beer belly that was straining the buttons of his khaki button-up shirt to the edge of their limits and a star pinned to his chest.

He marched over to me and stabbed his finger in my chest. “Who the hell do you think you are, coming into my town and questioning my citizens?”

I’d never met the sheriff of Pine Ridge, but this man could only be him. “You’re going to want to back the fuck up, and fast.”

“The only thing I want is for you to get your nosy ass out of Pine Ridge. This ismytown, and I don’t take too kindly to strangers coming in here, asking about things that aremybusiness,” he bellowed.

I recognized Jake and Connor’s steps as they came up behind Denica and me. Connor stopped at my side, but Jake circled in front of us and explained, “He’s my chief.”

“How was I supposed to know?” the sheriff sputtered, his face turning an alarming shade of red. “You’re not wearing a uniform, and I’ve had a good dozen people complain to me today about being questioned by a bunch of out-of-towners who wanted to know if they were involved in the recent animal attacks.”

The citizens of Pine Ridge should seriously reconsider how they voted in the next election. Their sheriff seemed more concerned about us having casual conversations with people—where the recent killings only came up when someone warned us to stick to crowded places so we didn’t run into the rampaging bear—than the number of dead bodies dropping like flies in the town he was supposed to protect. He was an ass, but it would be easier to find the vampire with him on our side than if we were forced to work against him. Gritting my teeth, I bit back what I wanted to say in favor of being diplomatic. “Sorry, I don’t have to worry about a dress code in Tigerville because everyone in town knows my team.”

His beady eyes darted back and forth between Jake and me. “You got more officers on your force?”

“Why doesn’t he just whip it out so we can confirm what we already know. Your dick is a fuck of a lot bigger than his.” Denica’s voice was just loud enough for shifter ears to catch what she’d said, and I figured Connor and Jake were having as difficult of a time as I was not laughing my ass off.

Although the sheriff hadn’t caught what she’d said, his attention shifted her way after I nodded. “Are you one of ’em?”

“Yup, I’m with the chief,” she replied.

I chuckled at her clever response since it was the truth, but not how the sheriff would assume she meant. Denica was absolutely with me in every way that mattered, but she didn’t have an official role in my streak yet other than as my mate. With her responsibilities as a slayer and mine as a head enforcer, we were bound to run into some complications in figuring out how to mesh our lives together, but I had no doubt that we would rise to the challenge after we took care of the vampire. We were meant to be together, so there wasn’t any other option.

“Huh. Tigerville isn’t much bigger than Pine Ridge, but all I have are a couple of volunteers.” He eyed her up and down again and almost earned himself a broken nose from me. “None of ’em are women, though. Not too sure it’s a good idea.”

“I guess we’re more progressive in Tigerville than I realized,” Connor muttered.

The sheriff’s eyes narrowed, and his chest puffed out. “Who’re you?”

“Connor Tigre, mayor of Tigerville.”

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