Detective Spring Ch. 02

An hour later, everyone was on the scene, where they should be, doing what they should be doing. I was still leaning against my car when the captain and my old partner pulled up next to me. I had been without a partner for about two months now, I had scared them all off with what I was willing to do to catch a murderer and what they weren't. I didn't blame them really, they had but one life to live and I...I have already lived so many. But with this last one though I had walked right into a vampire den, with barely a thought. He thinks I'm nuts or have a death wish. I don't but it is nice to watch him squirm.

He refused to look at me, as he and the Captain walked up, he asked, "So whats the run down on this Spring?"

So I told him about Mark's mother coming to see me and what had brought me here and finally the body and who I speculated it was and who may have done it.

The Cap. was a middle aged, good looking man but the lines on his face had become more prominent over the years, this job really took its toll on humans, fortunately for me, I wasn't one. He rubbed his forehead as he looked down at his phone, seeming to be reading something important.

"Alright Spring, this case is your baby. But the supernatural agency thinks this was a sup so they are sending in one of their own to work the case." He said and I went to protest but he put up a hand indicating that he was not done, "Their not taking the case from you but it does mean you have to partner up with this...person their sending in."

I took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "Your kidding me right, you know I don't do partners. Just look at Frank here, I think I scared him off field work for life. This is going to be a nightmare you know that right chief." I remained calm but now suddenly needed a smoke and not being able to find one, I had quit a couple of months ago but usually kept a pack hidden in my car just in case, but today I just couldn't find them.

"I know but if anyone can handle this its you, you're the best detective I've got, just do what you do best and it will be over before you know it." He said handing me a smoke and lighter, I inhaled deeply as I lite it, savoring its taste, I took one more drag and then I handed it back to the captain, he still smoked and I really shouldn't but he knows when I need one on occasion and helps me out.

"Shoot I'll probably have his thing solved before their agent ever gets here." I smiled at him.

"As much as I would love for that to be true, I think that's him coming under the tape as we speak." He said solemnly as he nodded in the direction of the agent, but before I could turn to look a shiver stroked down my spine and a tingle glided over my skin. The shiver told me he was most likely a vampire, but the tingle was a completely new thing.

"You owe me a raise for this." I whispered and turned to meet the deep green eyes of my new, and I stress, temporary partner. He was at least six' four, built, broad shoulders with black hair that brushed his eye brows when not combed back and that rugged look that said he hadn't shaved in a couple of days. He was essentially sex on a stick and he walked up staring at me but the moment he reached us he turned his gaze on the captain.

"Captain Flint, I presume. I'm Detective Arden Haze, I believe you were informed that I was coming." He said his voice deep and smooth, it rolled over my skin like a cool summers breeze. Threatening to make me relax in ways I hadn't dreamt of in years. But I would have none of that, I needed to be sharp and ready for anything, like always. Its part of what made me so good and I wasn't going to show him otherwise.

"Ah yes, its nice to finally meet someone from your department. I was beginning to believe that the sup agency would never work with us, I guess I was wrong." He said smiling but it never met his eyes. He motioned to me, "This is Detective Alys Spring, you will be partnering with her for the duration of the case and no you may not ask for someone else, she is the best detective I've got and the best person for this case."

"No offence, captain but if I wanted someone else you wouldn't really have a say in the matter. Fortunately I actually like to find out what a person is worth before throwing out opinions about them." He said putting out his hand, I took it in mine as I studied him, either he was going to be a complete ass or he might actually have a sensible brain in his head, only time would tell. As I looked into his eyes, they told me many things, that he seemed trust worthy, he had been in at least one war and he had been alone for a very long time, were only a few. My eyes started to feel warm which usually meant that they were going to start changing to their vampire blues or their werewolf red, my eyes tended to switch colors at random but usually when my emotional state changed. I touched my eye as if I was correcting a lens and turned grabbing my sunglasses off of the dash.

"Seems that I must have lost a lens, good thing I have these." I said putting them on. "Its good to meet you, now why don't we go see what the forensics team found." I said and took a couple of steps toward the house.

"Oh, Spring don't forget we have that dinner with the mayor tonight at that fancy new restaurant downtown, the Sans at seven." He called to me as I waved and headed up to the house. "Detective Haze, we would be honored if you would join us."

"I would love to." He said and started following me inside. Great I've known the guy less than five minutes and I'm already having dinner with him. Funny, now I've got to call Marta and tell her I met a boy and we'll be having dinner together, I'll have to figure out whether hes nice somewhere between now and then. I slipped on a pair of gloves and headed toward the back bedroom, trying to block out the smell this time. I made my way over to the body and started examining it, she had obviously been dead for at least a week by the state of decomposition, she had pajamas on so I doubt she had been planning on going anywhere and the room was a mess. It looked like there had been a struggle, the girl had fought for her life, I looked down at her nails, there was something under two of them possibly skin from the perpetrator. Unfortunately she looked to have been drained of blood and there was not a spot of it to be seen and she had a large gash down her torso, from neck to hip. It was a horrible way to die, I knew from experience, looking down I saw something under the edge of the bed, I pivoted to find a pink phone sitting there.

"Hey Vini, did your guys get this?" I asked as Arden comes into the room.

"Yeah, have at it Spring." Vini called back, I picked up the phone and swiped it on, the last entry was her trying to call nine one one. But the one before that was to Mark, the calls were with in minutes of each other. Which told me that it was unlikely that Mark was the murderer here. But the other option was that he was most likely dead. I frowned deeply as I stood and Arden looked down at the phone.

"We should question this Mark person." He said idly as he moved around me to look at the body.

"Wish we could, he's missing." I said placing the phone in an evidence bag. "That's why I was here, this girl if I'm not mistaken is Kelly Sauer, Mark Dumont's girlfriend. They are both to have been reported missing for two weeks. Obviously no one had checked Ms. Sauer's home. But where is Mark, if she's here?" I asked myself, what had that boy gotten himself into.

"You sound like you know him? How did you come across this case?" Arden asked as he carefully looked through her nightstand.

"His mother came down to the station yesterday, claiming that he must have been murdered. Him and I used to date, so I thought I would look into it for old times sake. But don't worry I wont get all emotional on you if we find his body, it wasn't serious and I take my job extremely so." I say and turn back to Vini, "Call me when you get the forensics back and the autopsy results, though I think I already know how she died. Thanks Vini." I said removing my gloves and exiting the room as Vini mumbled to himself. Arden, unexpectedly, followed close behind.

"If thats the case then I suppose you have a hunch on where to go next, then?" He said sounding slightly defiant, though I don't know why. Its not like he some how got one over on me or something. I grinned as I turned back towards him slightly.

"Yeah I do." I said and stepped onto the sidewalk outside a warm breeze blowing through, making my way towards my car. "Do you have a car or do you need a ride?" I asked removing my jacket and tossing it onto the back seat.

"I was picked up at the airport and brought straight here. So I haven't had the chance to get a car yet, my partner was supposed to be here already, he flew in yesterday and we hadn't realized that you wouldn't have one. I guess he slept in." He said sounding just the slightest bit worried.

"I don't do partners, that being said, do you want to go check on him? What hotel are you staying at?" I asked sliding into the drivers seat as one of the other officers moved their car so I could get out and Arden got in on the passenger side.

"We've got rooms over at the Rio, you know it?" He said and looked down at his phone.

I smiled knowingly, Marta's brother owns it and I have given him a loan once or twice. I could own the place if I wanted to, he had offered but I rather a young man fulfill his dreams and besides I really couldn't have my name on that kind of paperwork. Plus he was the occassional booty call when I needed such relief.

"Yeah I know the place, let me make a call!" I said grinning still and dialed the hotels number on my phone..."Hey its Spring let me talk to Hank." I said to Kate the desk clerk, a moment later a male voice came over the line.

"Missing me already beautiful?" Hank asked suggestively, he had been the one I was out with last night when I got called in, but I wasn't going to tell Marta that her brother was my occassional piece on the side, Oh heavens no.

"You wish, no I'm calling about a detective that checked into your hotel last night." I called to him over the roar of traffic.

"Yeah Detective Michelson and his partner, two interior rooms, non smoking. One of them checked in last night but I didn't see him then or today for that matter." He paused as Kate said something in the back round, "Oh ok, Kate said he left this morning, said something about getting breakfast since is night stalker partner hadn't kept him up all night. He laughed as he left and she has not seen him since." He said starting to sound a bit ominous. "The vampires with you isn't he?"

"Not that its any of your business, but yes, why?" I asked curious, was he jealous or worried.

"Just don't trust him Alys, they can be tricky creatures trust me I know." He said actually sounding worried this time. I actually felt a little offended, I am half vampire does that make me a bit tricky as he called it, but of course he had no idea of that.

"Right, said the wolf to the sheep. I'll be fine just keep an eye out for Michelson. Remember I'm a big girl who can take care of herself, have been for a long time. Just call me or have Michelson call his partner if you see him. Bye, wolf boy." I said and hung up as I pulled up in front of my favorite coffee place. "Coffee?" I asked with a sigh as I looked up at him.

"Sure." He said seeming to study me as I looked down at my phone, I don't think he thought I saw him but he seemed very interested in me.

"Just let me make one more call and then we can figure out where to go from here." I said and went to dial.

"No worries why don't I run in and get the coffees, while you do that. What would you like?" He asked his voice lowering slightly and rolling over my skin deliciously, I vaguely wondered if he was trying to seduce me.

"Just tell them its for Spring, they know my order." I said smiling up at him as he closed the passenger door.

# Arden

I walked into the small but quaint coffee shop, the woman I left sitting in her car. Was making loops through my mind, she was beautiful and smart from what I could tell and if those guns were any indication, she was serious about her job and very skilled. And she had a smiled to die for, but what was really killing me was how fucking sexy she was and her eyes, oh god her beautiful silverish grey eyes that she had covered. I wanted to see those, unscreened, again more than anything.

What was wrong with me, I just met this woman and she didn't even seem interested, and what was with that comment, "She doesn't do partners." I questioned.

"They're all scared." A voice said from, behind me, 'oh shit did I say that out loud.'

"Who are?" I asked turning around to find a woman in uniform standing there.

"The men in her precinct, there all scared of her and what she is willing to do to bring an innocent justice." The woman said calmly.

"Ah, why do you say that?" I asked peering out the window at her.

"They think she's crazy or wants to die, but its not true. She just not willing to let someone get away with murder, even if she has to put her own life in danger. She thinks that its better that way, better her own than the life of an innocent. At least she can protect herself, most innocents cant or wont in some cases. I just wish she would find someone to care for her, she gives so much and deserves so much more than the lonely life she lives." The woman said and moved around me placing her coffee order.

I turned towards her, finally looking away from the window, "Why does she live a lonely life, she's certainly beautiful enough to have any one she would want?" I ask, curiosity getting the best of me as I placed my order as well.

"She has a dark past, secrets she cant share with anyone. She has rarely found anyone she can connect with from this time. She dated a four hundred year old wolf a couple of years ago but I could tell he wasn't hers to give her soul to. He was meant for another, as she is, her mate is just harder to find I guess." The woman said as she picked up her coffee and headed towards the door.

"Wait, how do you know so much about her?" I asked, it was strange that I would just happen to run into someone that knew so much about her.

"I'm her sister, we come here all the time." She smiled and went outside, I watched as she hugged Alys and they spoke for a moment before she got in her own police issue car and drove off. I grabbed the now prepared coffees and headed back outside.

# Alys

"I see you met my sister, I hope Cadence didn't over share." I cringed, I knew she would never share my secret because it was her secret as well but she had a tendency to over share about my personal life. Not that she had much of one either but she was more open to dating than I was, she was convinced that she could keep her secret and it didn't matter that she couldn't tell whom ever she was with. It mattered to me, if I was going to commit to a serious relationship I had to be able to be honest or it didn't work for me, hence why I wasn't in a relationship and hadn't been for a long time. Even with Mark we only went on a couple of dates, but that was it, he had never stayed at my home.

He smiled, god he had a sexy smile, "Where are we off to?" He asked as he passed me my coffee and leaned against the car next to me. Oh and avoided the question!

Shit she had shared too much, "We have two choices, I got an address for a warehouse space that Marcus the jealous ex owns or we could check out a club Mark goes to some times."

"Its nearly four, so anyone we would want to question shouldn't be at the club just yet." Arden stated as he looked back down at his phone once again, most likely hoping to find a missed call from his partner.

"The warehouse it is, lets get going." I said rounding the front of my dark blue camero and jumping into the driver seat, as Arden did the same. I threw it into gear and sped off toward the warehouse district.

Twenty minutes later we pulled up outside of the address I was given, the warehouse looked abandoned but I knew better than most that looks could be deceiving.

"You want the front or the back?" I asked securing my weapons into place and throwing my jacket back on as I got out of the car.

"I think we should go in together, look I'm stronger than you. And if there's a supernatural force in there I will be more equipped to handle it." He said trying to appeal to me without offending me. It was hard for me to think like that, in all reality I was older and much more powerful than he and perfectly capable of handling myself. This is the other reason I never had a partner, it was easier not having to explain myself.

"I know you think I'm just a weak little human but I've been in this line of work for a very long time. I know what I'm doing, I also know that if we go in on opposite sides and happen to be out matched or out numbered that we will have more of a chance to escape if you or I, are able to surprise them. Now, front or back Mister Arden?" I grinned slightly, not a bad speech for a human. Still I had learned long ago how to word things just the right way as to not actually lie, just mislead.

By the frown that creased his brow, I knew he hated this idea but I think he also knew he wouldn't be able to talk me out of it. "Fine, I'll take the back but if you get into trouble, you scream for me and run like hell."

"I promise if I can't handle it, I will most definitely scream for you and as you say, run like hell. Although I don't know what good it would do for a human to run from a vampire." I said and then moved towards the front of the building as he receded to the back but only after giving me a deep disapproving scowl.

I pulled out my beretta and held it at the ready as I pushed the front door open, a rush of stale air hitting me but also the scent of three vampires and two humans also the stench of their human blood. Telling me they were only there to be fed on. I could feel their hearts beating, leading me directly to them. I weaved my way through the stacks containing mostly old car parts until I reached the middle part of the building that was lit up by a single spot light. Shinning down on a single vampire tied to a chair, the two humans lie on blankets next to one of the stacks. They looked like they had been beaten, fucked and drained, but I could hear their hearts beating and hear their whimpering as they struggled to breath.

Death is what these two vampires deserved, now where the hell were they.