“I have been approached by Carmine Doukas to find Carol Doukas’s killer. I know the crime occurred ten years ago, but I trusted that you would still have knowledge about the case.”
“I’ll have to pull up the file.” Hammond sounded definitely shaken. “I can give you a call back later and let you know, but I’m fairly sure that that case was closed. The killer was found, and I imagine he’s either serving time in jail or being released, but I can find out if it’s important.”
“It is to me, thank you.”
“Look, Doctor Channon, I admit my motives are likely selfish, but I need to ask. Are you absolutely certain that there’s no way that you would be able to continue your work for us or for the police without your vampire hovering over you every five minutes?”
“Absolutely not, and I’m shocked that you, well-trained in legal matters, would even ask. Frankly, Mr. Hammond, I’m getting tired of people who seem to think that somehow, I’ve allowed my values, morals, judgment, and extensive skills to be diminished in some way, simply because I now have a fated mate.
“If that’s the attitude that you and the head of the police department share, then I might have to ask the Paranormal Council to investigate – to find out whether or not there are other incidences of discrimination against paranormal beings evident in either office.”
“There’s no need for that, Doctor Channon. I can assure you, this is not discrimination at all. Simply a concern for your personal well-being.”
Bullshit!Viktor hoped Ant got the gist of his unspoken curse.
“My well-being would be better enhanced if you could send the information you have about the Carol Doukas’s murder to Bridget at my office. In the meantime, until you reform your attitude on how paranormals with fated mates should be treated, I don’t believe we have anything further to discuss.
“I truly believed better of you, Mr. Hammond. I’ve worked very hard for you in the past, you and Captain Bains. Captain Bains let it be known that he was under pressure to separate me from my mate. It sounds like part of that pressure might have been coming from you, or possibly you’ve received the same directives from parties unknown.
“Whether I’m right or wrong about that, I will tell you the same thing I told Captain Bains. I will find out who feels so threatened by the idea of Viktor and me being together that they seek to cause others to try and separate us. When I find out who they are, and why they feel that way, I will take care of the situation myself. In case you’ve forgotten, Mr. Hammond, I didn’t reachlevel twelve mage status by lighting matchsticks with a mere thought. Good day.”
Ant disconnected the call, tossing his phone to one side as if disgusted with it. “I absolutely hate people sometimes,” Ant said, and Viktor noticed he didn’t try and hide the emotion in his voice this time. “I don’t understand what’s going on. I don’t understand why people are doing this now. I don’t understand why they won’t accept you with me – not even that. Why won’t they accept my judgment anymore?
“I’ve worked so hard. I have proven myself time and time again. And yet it seems the moment I start having sex on a regular basis and I get a chance to eat out with someone other than Able, people seem to think that I’ve lost complete use of my faculties. I’ve never had to cope with anything like this before, Viktor. I don’t know how to handle this. I don’t know what to do.”
Viktor knew there was only one way to fix the mistakes he’d made since Carmine Doukas came into their lives – the only way he could prove to Ant that his lack of previous support was just a lapse of judgment he would not repeat.
“I think we should go out to the Carol Doukas’s murder scene so you can see if you get a vision from it,” he said, making sure to meet Ant’s eyes, noticing Ant’s eyes widening. “Carmine will likely think it would take you time before you could do something like that. He’s probably one of those people who think a scene reading can only be done at night.
“From what Bridget told me, the area where Carol’s body was found was off the beaten track, making it less likely that other people will be around. You can see what you need to see, and then we can work on what might be a more pressing problem – namely, how invested was Carmine in removing you from your position as a police consultant.”
“You think he might be responsible? Again, why?”
“One step at a time,” Viktor suggested. “If you’re being distracted by an already solved murder, then let’s put that to rest first, before looking at why Carmine made such a clumsy attempt to get your attention.”
“He did want my attention, didn’t he?” Ant nodded. “Thank you. Let’s head out to the park and see what we can find.”
Standing up in one fluid movement, Viktor held out his hand. “Are you and I all right?”
“I wouldn’t touch you if we weren’t.” Ant took his hand and stood up, dislodging Able off his boot. “Now would be a good time to give me a hug,” he added. “Just to make sure.”
Viktor was more than happy to do that. Indicating for Able to move aside, he folded Ant into his arms, wrapping them behind Ant’s back. “I’m sorry if you feel I’m a bit pushy at times,” he murmured into Ant’s hair. “I’m automatically suspicious of everyone who isn’t you or Bridget, a habit that’s taken eight hundred years to make. It might take me a while to break it.”
“I don’t care if you hate every person in existence,” Ant said. “That’s on you. I’m not comfortable when I feel you’re not even prepared to hear me out or consider my ideas and instincts have merit. That pains me in ways that are difficult for me to process.”
“All the more proof you’re not under a trance.” Viktor kissed Ant’s head lightly. “Don’t ever hide how you feel if I have inadvertently upset you. I’ll learn faster if I know exactly where I’ve fucked up.”
“I’m the same.” Ant nodded, his hand warm through Viktor’s shirt. “I’d like to pop into the Mage Academy library on our way back from the park, if that’s possible, too. Something you said earlier made me think about the different ways Carmine mightbe attempting to shield himself from my abilities or manipulate them in some way.”
“His rather loud emotions, you mean?” Viktor felt quietly pleased that Ant had been listening to him, and knew his mate could sense his pleasure as they were touching.
“Yes. I’ve been battered by others’ emotions before, but in light of everything else that has happened, I will need to take extra precautions if this is something he’s doing deliberately.”
“Ant.” Viktor cradled his mate’s face, tilting it up. “Can you get overloaded by negative emotions? Could what Carmine’s doing hurt you?”
“I already said, he gave me a headache. That would imply there is a direct physical response in my body to what he’s doing, yes. How bad it might be is something I’d have to research.”
Ooh, Viktor’s vampire side did not like that. The only person who should be seeking physical responses from their mate was them.
