Dark Taste of Rapture (Alien Huntress #6)(88)
Author: Gena Showalter

“Anyway, we aren’t here to talk about me,” she went on blithely. “You went too far the other night.”

Understatement of the century, but okay. Like he’d really correct her. “Yes. I did.”

She arched a brow, the picture of curiosity and pique. “Is that something you’re going to do again?”

“No.”

“Good. If you ever feel yourself nearing the danger zone, come to me. Talk to me, and we’ll take measures to ensure you get back on track safely. And just so you know, everyone who was there that night thinks you were doused with a toxic chemical, and that’s why you were glowing. It’s a miracle you survived, yada yada. Only you, me, Dallas, and Tremain know the truth. Also, Tremain claimed the Arcadian started the fire. I only know the truth because Dallas filled me in.”

Just before passing out, he remembered telling Dallas to talk to Mia, to explain. He should have said something to Noelle, too. He despised the fact that she’d been put in a position to lie for him. He appreciated what she’d done, yeah, but he just wished she hadn’t been backed into that corner.

“Casewise, Dare was right. If the guy Noelle spoke to was indeed Dare.” Mia’s eyes glassed over, as if she were fighting a sudden bout of tears. A second later, the glassiness vanished and she continued, her tone brisk. “We found bones at the location he gave us. Another abandoned field. Gerard Hendrick. Buried there for a little over a year.”

“Can you prove Phillips was responsible?”

“No. And we can’t prove the Arcadian who attacked you was one of the ones with Phillips at the party, either.”

“He was. I made a positive ID.”

“But you can’t prove it. He’s been burned beyond recognition.”

Anger had his hands fisting. Calm. “So Phillips gets away with having an agent stabbed?” My agent.

No, not yours. Not anymore.

“No. We’ll get him. The problem is, humans, wealthy humans, surrounded him at the time of the stabbing. We’re asking around, hoping someone heard him order the hit, or saw the Arcadian leave, but so far no luck. And it doesn’t help that he acted so quickly against your threat, or that Arcadians can only teleport to places they’ve previously been. The one who stabbed Tremain couldn’t have followed you, or known you were going to her place—in theory.”

So the bastard had been to her place before.

“Dare told Tremain that Phillips had you guys looked into the moment you were assigned to the Marks case, that he was watching your progress.”

So Noelle was still in danger. Would be in constant danger until this was done. Until Phillips was dead.

“I quit,” he said. He’d thought about this since the moment he’d woken up, and had planned to quit after closing the case—if Mia hadn’t fired him first. Even though Mia seemed to accept him, seemed to think he could do a decent job from now on, he wasn’t taking a chance.

As soon as he took care of the Phillips problem, Hector was leaving New Chicago.

As long as he remained near Noelle, he was a hazard to her continued health. That’s where the true danger lay with her—the temptation of being with her. He’d known it, had fought against it, but now there was no denying it. His desires were his downfall. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anyone else.

He couldn’t control his passion, and he couldn’t control his fury. So he was disappearing.

Several minutes passed in stunned silence. “No,” Mia said, shaking her head to emphasize her denial. “Unacceptable.”

“I’m a menace.”

“We all are.”

“I quit, Mia.” He wasn’t working with the law on this one. He was going to kill the bastard in cold blood and end this. Today. Nothing and no one would convince him otherwise.

He stood.

“I’m giving you a few days to think this through,” Mia gritted out. She wasn’t used to flat-out refusal.

“Don’t need them. I quit, effective immediately.” Next up: Phillips.

Forty

NOELLE LEANED AGAINST THE side of Hector’s Jag, waiting for him. Since her arrival in the parking garage, several agents had checked in and several agents had checked out. Each had wanted to speak to her, but she’d waved them on their way, not willing to deal with any distractions.

Hector had bailed on her at the hospital, while she was too drugged to notice. Bastard! He should have considered the possibility that Ava would wake her up, they would hack into the AIR GPS, and drive to wherever he was.

Ava, who made one hell of a gorgeous vampiress. A little paler, but all the lovelier for it, with sharp, white fangs and adorable claw-tipped nails.

Upon seeing her, Noelle had groggily said, “You’re so cute, I want to stuff you in my pocket and carry you around forever.”

Ava had replied, “After the scare you just gave me, the only thing likely to be stuffed is your face—with my fist!” And miracle of miracles, she hadn’t had a lisp.

Then they’d hugged and if they’d been emotional pansies, they would have cried. Noelle had had something in her eye, that was all. They’d talked about Noelle’s decision not to turn into a vampire herself, and Ava had understood. That didn’t mean she’d been gracious, but she had understood. Noelle’s heart belonged to Hector. She had to remain human, no matter what happened between them.

Now Ava sat in Noelle’s car at the other end of the parking garage. Shadows enveloped her. The sun shone through the open pockets of concrete, lighting up the area behind and beside her, but even if a stray ray of light managed to sneak all the way to the car, the windows were completely tinted, as capable of blocking UVA as curtains. Which was necessary. As the books stated, vampires possessed very sensitive skin, and blistered easily.

After busting Noelle out of the hospital, Ava had refused to leave her side, keeping guard, ensuring Noelle remained conscious. So she’d lost a little blood. Big deal. She was on the mend and steady on her feet. For the most part. And the cut in her side? Whatever. Had worse.

Where are you, Hector?

The conversation she and Ava had had just before she’d exited played through her mind.

“Sure you want to do this?” Ava had asked. “Because if you want to break up with him, I’ve got a wicked cool speech, only six words, and he’ll leave you alone forever.”

Breaking up wasn’t on the menu, but she’d had to hear her friend’s guaranteed relationship ender. “Tell me.”