Encounters with Evil Pt. 03

"Can't you spare anyone?" he asked. "Please?"

Ed gave a snort of surprise. "I'll see what I can do. Something's up with you though. I want you in here first thing in the morning for Evaluation."

"Evaluation? Oh come on!" Guy cried in protest. He hated Evaluation.

"You're not acting normal, Salt, and I need to know why."

Guy knew it was pointless to argue with Ed. Instead he changed the subject. "How did you happen to lose me? I thought you guaranteed tracking."

He heard Ed sigh. "We have a new girl on dispatch right now. She got excited by all the police reports coming through and accidently cut off your signal. By the time she realized it and got it back, you were off the grid."

This was a first. "I guess you're not perfect either." Guy couldn't help rubbing it in. Ed always raked him over the coals for every little mistake he made.

Ed ignored his comment. "Salt, you need to watch your speed on city streets," he admonished. "What are your plans for tonight?"

"I'm going to go pick up the roommate and make sure he has someplace safe to stay."

"Not at your place," Ed said. "Bad enough that Melvin knows about it. We'll have to see how we can leverage him."

"No, absolutely not!" Guy's tone was obdurate. "Mel stays here and stays safe until I catch Valjevo."

"How about we use the roommate to lure—"

"No!" Guy shouted, and then added more quietly, "No family or friends involved. We do this my way, or I'll walk. I mean it, Ed." Guy could not imagine trying to explain to Melvin that the vampire had killed someone he loved because they'd used him as bait.

"We'll see you for Evaluation at oh eight hundred tomorrow," Ed said shortly, and the line went dead.

Guy huffed out a breath. Evaluation. He shuddered slightly. He hated Evaluation. He understood the need, though. The Company was extremely careful, as you had to be when dealing with supernaturals. In Ed's eyes he was acting strange. His boss had never seen him care about anything or anyone except revenge on the vampires. The Company needed to make sure he wasn't bewitched by some demon devilry. He did feel different, almost as if he were under a spell—a compulsion spell that drew him to Mel as a moth to a flame.

How did Mel manage to get into my heart so quickly? Chapter Ten

The bouncer looked up at Guy and his eyes widened. He opened his mouth and closed it again. Guy pushed past him, a smirk tugging at his lips. He knew he should have taken pity on the man and showed his ID, but if the guy was too intimidated to ask, he had no business being a bouncer.

He had never been in The Pony before. After midnight on a Tuesday night the club was relatively empty. A few couples swayed on the small dance floor while others cuddled at scattered tables.

He spotted Jon immediately—he was hard to miss. He was dancing on the counter at the end of the bar, wearing nothing but a very skimpy pair of black briefs. His hips gyrated suggestively to the slow rhythm, his hands were wrapped around a dance pole, and his head was thrown back, his silky black hair tumbling down his back. He was tiny but fit. Guy couldn't help but notice his perfectly sculpted butt as he turned and waggled it toward the club patrons.

Jon was exactly the type of morsel he loved to savor. Right now for some reason his body wasn't responding the way it usually did. He expected his heart rate to speed up and his cock to plump a little at least in the presence of such a delectable treat. But ... nothing.

His thoughts shifted to Mel without any conscious direction on his part. The vision of his angel's eyes when he had left him—concerned, needy, and maybe a little hopeful—took over his mind, momentarily causing his awareness of the club to fade around him. His heart rate quickened. Damn! What the hell? Mel has ruined me for all other men. Just a passing thought of him gets me going.

Guy sternly steered his mind back to the business at hand. He strode over to the bar and stood just a few feet away from Jon, glaring up at him.

Jon finished his turn and glanced down. His eyes widened and his mouth opened in a little "Oh!" He looked around the club, obviously searching for someone, then he yelled over the beat of the music, "Where's Tigger?"

"Safe," Guy replied.

Jon looked startled. "What—?"

"I need to talk to you," Guy said.

"Give me a few minutes," Jon glanced at the clock behind the bar. "My shift is over in fifteen."

Guy nodded and headed to a table in the corner where he could keep a wary eye on everything that happened in the small club. He was aware that almost every eye in the place was on him, most appreciating the view, but the tall bartender was openly hostile. Guy pretended to ignore the stares while he surveyed the room for possible threats to Jon. The vampire was not there; he would have smelled him. However, it was not unheard of for vampires to enlist humans to help them, usually by means of a charm spell. Guy was not taking any chances.

While he watched Jon finish up his set, his mind shifted to Mel. He couldn't help but feel uneasy when Mel was not with him, but he knew that if he wanted to take out Valjevo he could not have Mel tagging along, and he was as safe as he could be at his hidden house.

The walls of the club were covered in larger-than-life photos of nude gay men from the seventies. One gorgeous twink was wearing a sailor hat and a seductive smile. Guy noticed a film showing on one wall—it looked to be soft gay porn, also from the seventies. Nice.

A young redhead approached his table, looking nervous. Here we go, Guy thought; this was why he rarely went to clubs unless he was planning to pick someone up. In spite of his fierce demeanor, or maybe because of it, subs flocked to him. The young man stopped at his table and stared at him, his eyes perusing Guy's bulging muscles and narrow hips. He looked like he was about to start drooling.

Guy refrained from smiling at him. He didn't want to encourage him.

The young man's blue-gray eyes were wide and clear. He finally found his voice: "We'd like to buy you a drink." He nodded toward a group of twinks a few tables over. They were all watching him, whispering and giggling.

Guy allowed himself a small smile. "I'm sorry. I'm working right now, so I'll pass."

"Juice, water?" the young man tried. He was so earnest it was painful to watch.

"No, nothing. Thanks." Guy hated to disappoint a whole table full of lovely young men, but he had no interest in them. Besides it was prudent. He wasn't sure if the vampire had made him or not, but he didn't want to give anyone the opportunity to drug him. The bartender was still giving him the evil eye.

"Well, maybe next time," the redhead said, trying to hide his disappointment. He gave Guy's body one final long perusal before slinking back to his table. Guy avoided watching him.

When the music paused Jon jumped down from the bar and disappeared through a doorway behind it. He emerged a few moments later wearing skintight jeans and a pink and white stripped tank T that contrasted beautifully with his nut-brown skin. He took a seat across from Guy, looking at him with dark, concerned eyes. "What's up? What do you mean, 'Tigger's safe'? Safe from what? Where is he?" Jon's words tumbled over each other.

Guy kept his voice low. "There was an attempt on Mel's life earlier this evening. He—"

Jon's eyes widened. "What!?" he interrupted. "How—?"

"He's fine," Guy interrupted back. "Perfectly unharmed, just a little shaken up. We believe it was the same man who attacked him on the street last weekend. In any case, Mel is now in protective custody."

"Protective custody? Who has him? Where is he?" Jon's voice was high-pitched.

"I can't tell you." Guy was about to go into more detail when Jon pulled out his phone and punched a button. "He doesn't have a phone anymore, if you're trying to call him," Guy said dryly.

Jon's expression flipped from worried to angry as he snapped his phone shut. "You took his cell? What the hell!"

Just then the tall bartender who had been glaring at Guy since his arrival appeared at Jon's side. "Sir." He spat the word out as if he were saying "Asshole." "I'll ask the bouncer to remove you if you continue to cause trouble."

Guy glanced at the bouncer who was watching them from across the room, trepidation written across his pale face. Guy couldn't help but smirk. "Him?" He stopped himself from giving his opinion of the timid bouncer and addressed the bartender coldly, "I'm not causing trouble."

"You're upsetting one of our employees, and you're loitering. You haven't even ordered a drink." He turned to Jon. "Come on, Jon. Why don't you go into the back room until we get this...," he stole a quick look at Guy, swallowed what he'd been about to say and continued, "man to leave."

Guy pulled a five dollar bill out of his pocket and threw it on the table. "I need to talk to Jon. It's business."

Jon shrugged off the bartender's hand, which was on his arm attempting to get him to stand up. "It's okay, Brad. I think he's a cop or something. Tigger was attacked earlier tonight. They're keeping him somewhere and Guy is here to tell me how to get in touch with him." He met Guy's glare with one of his own that was no less determined.

"Give me your phone number and I'll make sure he gets it," Guy said. "There is no way to get in touch with him right now. You'll have to wait until he calls you."

"But...."

"And you can't go home," he continued. Might as well get all the bad news out at once. He wasn't sure how long it would be before the bartender decided to call the police, and he was carrying a concealed weapon in a bar, which he was pretty sure even Ed would frown upon. "He's watching the apartment."

"The guy that attacked him last weekend?" Jon asked, putting the pieces together. "How did he find him?"

"We think he tracked him down through his phone."

"His phone?" Jon echoed in surprise. His anger appeared to have slipped back into worry. "What kind of...?" His eyes widened with a sudden realization. "Is it The Slasher?"

Guy stifled a groan. News had broken earlier in the day that there was a serial killer loose who liked to cut. The public had quickly dubbed him, "The Slasher." Guy had caught the story on the five o-clock news. A family member of the latest victim had gone immediately to the press with details about the condition of the body. To make matters worse, someone inside the department had caved and confirmed that there had been four victims in two months. The whole city was now in an uproar.

"We don't know," Guy lied. "We don't want to take any chances. We don't think he's after you; he seems to have fixated on Mel. But we don't think it's safe for you to go back to your apartment. Is there someplace else you can stay?"

"Yes," Jon answered slowly. "She won't like it, but my sister will put me up." His pace picked up while he was talking so that the words were soon gushing out. "I'd have to move the burbs though—ugh! And she'll be pissed if I show up at her doorstep at two a.m. And I'll need a ride out there. I need to go home and get all my stuff. I—"

"Jon ... Jon!" Brad had been trying to get his attention for some little while and now he finally laid a hand on his arm and raised his voice. "You can stay with me. I live close and it won't be any trouble at all."

Jon looked at him and blinked.

"I can give you a ride to your sister's place," Guy said, setting a baleful eye on the bartender. "And I can get some of your stuff for you, but you can't go back by your place until we know it's safe."

Just then the overhead lights came on.

"I need to go take care of things," Brad said. "You are totally welcome to stay at my place." His voice deepened and he added in a seductive tone, "I'd love to have you." He winked at Jon. "In any case, don't go anywhere with this guy. Talk to me before you leave." He shot Guy a final glare before heading back behind the bar.

Jon turned to Guy, his eyes pleading. "I need to go by the apartment and get my stuff. I don't have anything with me. If I'm going to spend the night somewhere I need my products."

Guy quirked an eyebrow at him. "Products?"

Jon flipped his long hair and batted his lashes at Guy. "How else do you think I manage to look so gorgeous?"

"You would be gorgeous no matter what, which is good because you can't go back to the apartment until I've had a chance to check it out."

"You've got to be kidding!" Jon said, his eyebrows coming together in an uncharacteristic frown. "How soon can I get in?"

"After I've verified it's safe, I can escort you, but that will be tomorrow at the earliest. So, are you going to stay with your sister or with Brad?"

"I could stay with you," he said, laying a light hand on Guy's broad chest. "I bet you could protect me." He looked up at Guy coyly from under long dark lashes.

Guy ignored the hand on his chest. "No."

Jon stuck out his lower lip in a pout that Guy would have found absolutely adorable if his mind wasn't already drifting back to Mel and wishing it was his scent that was filling his nostrils instead of Jon's. "Fine, I'll stay with Brad, at least for tonight. You sure Tigger is okay?"

"Yes, I'll have him call you." Guy pulled out his phone. "What's your number?"

Jon rattled off his number and Guy punched it into his phone. When he was done he hit send and a rap tune started coming from Jon's back pocket. "You've got my number now. Call me if you need anything at all, but don't mention Mel over the phone. I'll let you know when you can get back into the unit to get your stuff."

"Oh, this is so annoying!" Jon said in an irritated-diva voice as he turned to go back to the bar.

*****

"It was disgusting," Guy spat out. A tremor racked his body. "I could smell him the moment I entered the complex; the stench in their unit was overwhelming." His stomach churned, reminding him that it hadn't completely settled yet. He swallowed.

"Go on," Ed urged, his disembodied voice seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere in the small sterile room. An orderly was busy tapping electrodes to Guy's nude body as he lay on the narrow padded table, a thin sheet discreetly covering his genitals. He tried to ignore what was being done to him and focus on giving his report.

"The entire apartment was trashed. It looks like he broke everything breakable in the place—the TV, all the dishes, the speakers ... he tore the towel racks off the walls in the bathroom—a tornado would have done less damage. He was obviously one pissed-off vampire. Mel's bedroom was the worst. I'm not sure there's anything salvageable in there."

"Interesting.... Vampires usually show a little more control."

"Oh, he was definitely having a temper tantrum. He dumped all of Mel's clothes onto the bed and had a wank on them, and when he was done he peed all over everything." Guy made noise of disgust. "What a revolting creature."

"The forensics guys are there now," Ed said. "Hopefully there'll be enough fluid for us to get some more good samples."

"Oh, there's plenty of fluids."

The orderly finished attaching electrodes and started strapping Guy to the table.

"Is that really necessary?" Guy asked.

"You know the procedures, Salt," Ed said dryly. Guy had the impression that he was watching the proceedings. He glanced around looking for cameras but didn't see anything obvious. He held up his hand with his fingers curled and his middle finger sticking out.

"Yeah, I can see you," Ed acknowledged.

Guy smirked and then gritted his teeth as Ed said, "Let's get started with the Evaluation, shall we?"

*****

Tigger rolled over, snuggled into the big fluffy pillow, and was instantly wide awake. The pillow was way too soft and the linens smelled like roses. This wasn't his apartment. He sat up on his elbows, orienting himself, and then sank back into the comfortable bed.

Guy's guest accommodations were better than a five-star hotel. He could be happy here, except.... A small flurry of activity erupted in his belly. I wonder if he's home yet? Tigger felt like a teenager with a bad crush. Excitement, or maybe it was adrenaline mixed with lust, coursed through his veins. The bedside clock showed that it was 6:45 a.m. It was early for him to be up, but he wasn't likely to fall asleep again.

He climbed out of bed and donned his clothes from the day before. They weren't too dirty yet. He wondered which clothes Guy would bring for him and whether he would grab whatever seemed practical or if he would purposefully choose clothes that he wanted to see Tigger wear. Tigger had such a hard time reading Guy. He was pretty sure the older man was attracted to him, but he was also pretty sure that if Guy wanted something he would go for it. He didn't seem like the shy type; he seemed like a man who was used to getting what he wanted. But other than that one wild incident when he'd ejaculated all over his face, Guy seemed standoffish.

He's got a girlfriend, he told himself. Consuela. He wondered when he would meet her and whether he would be able to control is emotions when he did. He was already much too head-over-heels for Guy.

His stomach growled and he headed toward the kitchen. The house was two stories, the entire abode dug into the cliff, with the bedrooms on the bottom floor and the living/dining room and kitchen on the upper floor. Guy's bedroom was huge and had windows all along one wall with a sliding door out to the full deck which mirrored the deck on the top floor. Neither of the two guest bedrooms had windows, being on the cliff side of the house, but they were both well-lit and luxuriously appointed, each with its own en suite bathroom. Tigger had chosen the one decorated in shades of blue. The other was burgundy and Guy's own bedroom was, surprisingly, black and turquoise.

The main room downstairs was probably meant to be a casual entertainment area: there was a bar in the corner that appeared to be stocked only with bottles of water. Currently the room was being used as a home gym; it was filled with state-of-the-art workout equipment. No wonder Guy is so buff. It too had a window wall that led to the long deck. As Tigger traversed the workout room on his way to the spiral staircase he couldn't help but pause and look out. A low mist hung over the water, giving the place a surreal feel, as if he'd been dropped onto a misty water world.

Tigger found the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee in the K-cup coffee maker. There was no sign of Guy. He sat at the small breakfast table and watched the mist dissipate slowly, his mind gently turning over the events from the day before. It was hard to believe he was living in Guy's house now. Corporate housing, he corrected himself. Looking around it was hard to believe. What kind of company does he work for? Who funds vampire hunters?

He shivered with the memory of those terrifying eyes. It was horrifying to think that the vampire had targeted him—was actively searching for him—but somehow he felt very safe in Guy's house. He would feel even safer if Guy were home.

He was fetching himself a second cup of coffee, still lost in thought, when a female voice spoke closely behind him, "Who are you?"

He jumped, his heart slamming against his ribs. He whirled around and the sight that met his eyes did nothing to settle his heart rate. Stepping back, he bumped into the counter behind him.

The woman was small of stature but no less formidable. She had brown skin and black hair that was liberally streaked with gray. Her face was etched with a million tiny age lines, but what stood out were long, angry scars that crisscrossed her cheeks, reddish purple against the nut brown. One of her eyelids hung half-closed due to more heavy scarring above it. The most striking thing about her were her piercing black eyes that bore into him with an intensity that laid him bare. His first impression was that she was a demon, but then he detected a very dark iris around her pupils. Not a vampire, then. That thought gave him little relief. The woman gave off an aura of macabre. She's a witch! he guessed. Judging from her appearance, it seemed likely.