Deadly Sin (Cassandra Farbanks) (3 page)

He ran his fingers up and down my forearm, making me shiver. Yes, I was attracted to DJ in some purely primitive, physical way, but he didn’t get that it wasn’t enough for me. Wolf mating mentality, I assumed. I lifted my arm, bringing his hand up with it, and quickly and decisively bit the side of it. He snatched it back and I turned to see the beginnings of anger in his eyes. If he wouldn’t listen to my words, then maybe he would understand wolf behavior. Female wolves bit males they wanted to ward off from being potential mates. Simian stepped between us.

“Now, now,” he said all smiles so it wouldn’t look like he was stopping a fight. “Let’s just enjoy the wedding shall we.” DJ cradled his hand and backed down. I didn’t draw blood so he’d be fine in a couple of minutes. I headed toward the open terrace doors and stepped out into the cool air to catch my breath. When I was mad I felt much better when I was out in open air. I thought that it was caged bird syndrome – something deeply embedded in my psyche as a phoenix.

The sun dipped just behind the horizen, painting the sky magnificent hues of orange, pink, and deep purple, encroaching darkness. Night creatures had more hours to roam the earth this time of year. I walked onto the lawn, across the grass to the wooden fence. It was one of those timber fences that had three beams across two posts. I climbed up the first rung and stuck my arms out, letting the breeze blow over me. I closed my eyes.

Hands on my waist were the first sign that someone was behind me. I knew they had to be more than human to sneak up on me like that.

“King of the world,” said a male voice. I turned my head slowly and looked down at Clark. I smiled at him.

“I hated that movie.”

“Yeah? Me too. She should have gone whole hog and stole his wallet before pushing him off the door and letting him drown. An opportunity missed, silly bitch.” I laughed. His swearing held no bite because he was trying to be funny. He stepped back so that I could turn around and sit on the top rung.

“Nice service wasn’t it?” He asked, needing reassurance. I nodded. I liked Clark. Compared to his sister, he had a sense of humor. He got why his name was funny.

“I needed a breather though.”

“Understandable. Me too.” He leaned against the fence next to me, silent for a few minutes. There were people I was comfortable with, and Clark was one of those.

“Brie seems really happy,” he said smiling off into the mid distance.

“Yeah. Some people are just made to be a bride.” He looked up at me as I rested my elbows on my knees and my chin on my hands.

“You sound like you don’t fancy it?” I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it. Technically, I was already a bride, to a vampire. I declared the right of Novia to save Aram over a year ago. As far as vampire society was concerned, we were a couple. A vampire bride was supposed to one day become a vampire herself, but because I can live as long as Aram as I am now, there was no point in it.

“I’m not at that point in my life yet. I’m only twenty-two. I’m still finding myself.”

“Yup, I get that. I’m thirty and I’m not sure I’ve found all of myself, yet, either.”

“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure that’s because as your sister said, you couldn’t find your ass with both hands.” Clark smiled at me friendly, no under currents of anything else.

“It’s possible.” We stared at the building, watching as night washed over it like a wave. Candy appeared at the top of the steps. She glared at me, and then pointed at Clark and the spot next to her.

“Why doesn’t she just call ‘here kitty, kitty’?” He smirked as he pushed away from the fence.

“You get used to her. She had to hold her own as the only non shifter in the house.”

“Doesn’t mean she gets to be a bitch.” He helped me down from the fence, which confused me a little. I hadn’t decided to get down.

“You laughed at her name; that’s on you. Come inside. I don’t think she was just pointing at me.” I grumbled following at his side.

“C’mon, her name is Candy Barr. If you don’t find that funny you might as well be dead.” He smurked again and we followed her back inside. Mister and Mrs LeBron were ready to take their first dance as a married couple. I found a patch of wall to hold up and watch. It just happened to be next to Rourke. She darted sideways glances at me and I crossed my arms over my chest.

“What are you doing here Rourke?” I asked quietly. She looked at me and back at the dancing couple.

“I was invited.”

“I get that,” I said, keeping my tone low, “doesn’t explain why you came.” She considered her answer for a minute.

“He’s one of my best officers. He asked me to be here and I’m here.”

“Even if you don’t approve of the bride.” Her body tensed slightly and she clenched and unclenched her fists.

“Even so. It’s his choice to associate with these people,” she replied. Her voice wasn’t entirely neutral when she said ‘people’, as if that wasn’t her first choice. I knew in that instant LeBron hadn’t told her he had lycanthropy. I had only a second to hide the shock on my face before she stole another glance at me. I didn’t know what LeBron was thinking. He’d never pass his next physical and Rourke would be pissed he’d kept it from her. She watched me go very still and quiet and didn’t know why.

“And Ben?” I asked. She looked at him. He sat at a stool at the bar.

“He just wanted to see if you’d really wear that dress.” I blinked at her. It was news to me Benjamin had seen the bridemaid dress before today. I looked down at the offending frock.

“Wasn’t my choice.”

“Why’d you agree?”

“As you said, he’s one of the good ones. He asked me so I did.” It was her turn to blink at me, trying to pull me into better focus and adjust her image of me. Whatever she saw didn’t please her anymore than normal, so she turned her eyes back to the dance floor. Other couples began to join the newly weds. LeBron’s best man, a rather round fellow named Georgie, came over and offered his hand to me. Candy and Clark were already on the floor, and I danced with Georgie, my designated groomsman. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Georgie as I took his extremely clammy hand. I just wasn’t much of a dancer. Aram gave me a few lessons, but I still stood on toes. I stomped on Georgie’s feet in the rehearsals.

“I apologize in advance.” He smiled at me, a very personable guy.

“I wore extra thick socks, just in case.” I smiled weakly and let him take me out on the dance floor. He put his hands on my waist and I rested mine on his shoulders, keeping our bodies six inches apart. The coordinator deemed this appropriate. Unfortunately for Georgie, he wasn’t a very tall man. His eyes were level with my clavicle with me wearing heels. His face flushed red. As he tired leading me, I stumbled and stomped on his foot. He yipped.

“Sorry, sorry.” We decided it was best we just sway from side to side on the spot. I was thankful when the song ended and I politely backed away with an awkward smile. I couldn’t escape, though. Clark tapped me on my shoulder and informed me I had to dance with him too. He was shifter quick so I didn’t get his foot as much and we used the floor more. My next dance partner was my favorite. I squat down to twirl Zoe around the floor. She looked especially cute with her blonde hair tied back with ribbons. She wore a white dress with a bright crimson sash around the middle, a full netted skirt, and little white socks with red shoes. Because she had been up for a long time, her eyes were a little tired, but her smile was bright. When the hem of the other yellow dress came into view, I looked up and realized Candy was holding my gold clutch. I was puzzled, ready to be pissed.

“Your phone is ringing,” she said, handing it to me.

“Oh,” I said, pulling out the phone and looking at the caller identification. It was my office phone calling. “Thanks. Can you watch Zoe?”

She nodded while I rose and answered it.

“Hold on Trink. Let me find somewhere quiet.” I held the phone to my chest and worked my way through the crowd to the terrace. It was dark and quiet out here. I put the phone back to my ear. “Okay Trinket. What’s up?”

“Detective Hamilton called,” she said getting straight to the point. “I told him you were at a social function.”

“What’s he want?”

“You to give him a call. He gave me his cell phone number.”

“I have it. I’ll call him back now. Thanks.”

“No problem boss.” I smiled at the phone. A tiny part of me liked when she called me that. It was way better than being called Miss Cassandra all the time.

“I’ll see you later.” I hung up, scrolled through my contacts and hit another number. Hamilton answered on the second ring.

“It’s me. What’s up?”

“Ah Cassandra, so good of you to call back so quickly,” his voice all charm and politeness.

“Yeah, I’m prompt. What do you want?”

“Straight to the point?” He questioned.

“That’s the way I like it.”

“I’ve got a dead guy that I want you to come take a look at.” I groaned loudly. Why didn’t people ever want me to come look at a box of fluffy puppies? Fluffy puppies I’d go see, no questions asked.

“Where?” He gave me an address that I scrawled on the back of a business card with an eyeliner pencil. “I don’t know that area well and I’m out of town. It might take me a half hour to get to you. I need to call a cab.”

“I could send someone to get you. Where are you?” I looked back inside at the lights and the warm scene, then turned my eyes back to the dark.

“LeBron’s wedding. Rourke and Ben are here. I don’t want them to see a squad car. They’ll get suspicious. I’ll get a cab.”

“I’ll take you,” came a voice from behind me. I turned and saw DJ standing against the wall in the darker shadows, next to the building.

“Who was that?”

“Never you mind,” I told Hamilton. “I’ll be there soon.” I hung up. DJ walked towards me a little menacingly, snatched the card from my hand and read the address.

“I know where this is. We’ll take my car.” I didn’t argue because I didn’t have enough cash for a cab anyway.

“Alright, let me just tell LeBron goodbye.”

Chapter Two

The house I was called to couldn’t be seen from the road. We were stopped at the mouth of a winding drive by two uniformed officers who were more than a little cold. I leaned out my window to show them my identification and waited while they radioed up to the house. These days you can’t always just trust a badge. People can make them in their basements with just a computer and a laminator. Also, some city police had problems with paranormal or private investigators snooping around their crime scenes. I prided myself on the fact that, nine times out of ten, I was invited to join the party.

DJ sat behing the wheel, one hand on it and the other tapping the gear stick as the jeep idled. The radio buzzed and we were waved through. DJ pulled forward, taking the drive up to the house at a Dukes of Hazzard speed, expecting to skid in when we reached the end. The frontage was lit up by a bright porch light and the silent flashing beams of squad car lights. Someone should tell them that leaving the lights on drains the battery.

The house was a grandiose victorian, red brick with high arched windows and a large, white porch with corithian columns. He pulled up level with the porch, spraying gravel.

“Thank you for dropping me off.”

“I’ll wait for you,” he said putting on the hand brake and turning the engine off. I placed my hand over.

“I don’t know how long this will take. Go back to the wedding.” He looked at me levelly. The look men give when they think a woman is silly. I get this look a lot and recognized it.

“And how will you get home?” I opened my mouth, then closed it. He turned his hand under mine and the engine cut out. He looked at my hand still over his. I started pulling it away, but he grabbed it and held it with both of his.

“Don’t pull away. That’s the longest you’ve touched me since I declared my intentions.” I had the strength to pull my hand back and forced him to either let me go or hurt me to keep hold of me. He didn’t fight me.

“We were friends before this.” He looked wounded and I was abruptly tired with his attitude. I didn’t want to date him. I had the right not to, but it made it really hard to be friends with him when his intentions made me uncomfortable.

“I don’t fuck my friends,” I said a little angrily as I reached for the door handle.

“Who do you then? Because its not your enemies!” I pushed the door open and got out of the car.

“I am not having this conversation again. Go back to the wedding or go home. Just go!” I slammed the car door on his reponse and headed towards the house. I didn’t hear the car start up. By the time I was in the door with it shut behind me, I just didn’t care. I leaned against the door, taking deep breaths and letting myself calm down. I was so quick to anger these days, especially with DJ.

“Aren’t you a tad over dressed?”

I looked across the hallway to see Ro standing in a doorway, in her little silver suit. Doctor Ororo Soltaire was the night shift forensic scientist that I most often met at crime scenes. She was a woman who favored alternative clothing, kept her black hair pixie short and her skin lightly tanned. I liked her.

“I wasn’t planning on a crime scene tonight, just a wedding.”