The Slayers Ch. 06

"No I don't," the captain replied tersely. He had been caught.

"How is it that you work alone?" Nash asked changing the subject. "In all my years on the force I've never had someone with your clout."

"Let's just say that I don't play well with others," Nash said. "Was there anything else?"

"How is your investigation going? Do we know who killed that poor woman?"

"No we don't and it's too soon to share information," Jack replied.

"But you released the body already so you must have found something," the captain persisted.

"I found nothing that I care to or am ready to share," Jake said firmly. "I released the body because there was no point in keeping it. I have all of the information that I need and that family needs to say their goodbyes."

"Do you have a working theory?" Nash asked. "I say that the boyfriend is good for it."

"No he isn't," Jack said, "and I'll tell you why. By all accounts he loved her. Even the victim's sister vouches for him. I'm well aware that people snap, but in this case that didn't happen. They both had good jobs and money in the bank. There have been no major withdrawals or transfers. He was going to propose to her so it doesn't track. Let's look at the physical evidence. The victim was sexually assaulted but had been sexually active before her murder. The boyfriend told us that. The internal lacerations show very rough sex. She was a small woman, the male dwarfed her but whoever did this to her was very strong. But let's continue.

The victim's sister found her. The victim was on the blood covered bed- but the suspect didn't have a drop on him. He could have showered, but we both know that he didn't. Forensics would have showed something. If he bit her, why was there no blood or skin between his teeth or under his fingernails? Mr. Master's did not murder this woman."

"Why did he run then?" Nash asked. "He attacked a nurse."

"He may have thought that whoever murdered his fiancée would come back for him. He saw who did it. As to the nurse, he was in and out of consciousness. Maybe he just panicked."

"So you're saying that he's innocent but you have no other suspects." Nash said dryly.

"I never said that I didn't have another suspect," Jack replied.

Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Nash dismissed Jack. As soon as he was alone, he made a call to Xavier. He wasn't going to be happy, but he had done what he could.

*****

Winona stayed for dinner and left shortly afterwards. She had picked up on the nonverbal cues from Jian and made an excuse to leave.

"You did well today," Jian said to Brittney as they washed the dinner dishes.

"Yeah but I lost it," Brittney replied. "I can't afford to do that again."

"But it is out of your system," Jian replied. "It was better done here than in the field. Now we can focus on what needs to be done. Brittney, you are aware that this is now your home are you not?"

"I know," Brittney replied. "That was one of the things that I thought about last night. I actually need to go back to my apartment tonight. This is my last set of clean clothes."

"Does this mean that you have accepted your place at my side?" Jian asked sitting the dish he was washing in the sink.

"I guess it does," Brittney replied.

"I am sorry," Jian replied. "It is a yes or no question. There is no room for ambiguity."

"Yes," Brittney said after a few seconds. "And it's not just because I want to kill that thing. It's because you were right about me. I tend to hide the things that I don't want to see. I had feelings for you but I didn't want to deal with it so I put you in the friendship slot and kept you there until I had no choice but to accept it. I can't say that what I feel is love- I don't know, but you say that it only takes one of us to love so if you're okay with that..."

"I am more than fine with that," Jian replied. "There will come a time when that love will come. We will lie to rest one evening and while you are resting it will sneak in. When you wake it will be there and there will be no need to tell me. I will already know."

"You guys have really strange ways of doing things," Brittney commented. "By the way, I don't want a wedding of any kind. It wouldn't feel right without Amanda." Her voice caught when she said it. "She used to tease me about you. She called you the mysterious Jian. The last time we were together... she... she... this isn't fair! She was a good person!"

"Yes, she was a good person," Jian agreed as he hugged her. He felt her sorrow but none of the rage that she had shown earlier in the day. He pushed her away from him, lifted her tear streaked face up by a finger and for the first time since he knew her; kissed her moaning at the softness of her lips.

Brittney put her hands on his waist to keep her balance. The room felt as if it was spinning as Jian deepened the kiss. She put her arms around him and returned the kiss shivering when he moaned into her mouth and touched her tongue with his. He broke the kiss first but kept his arms around her.

"We need to go get more of my things," Brittney murmured against Jian's neck. She inhaled taking in his scent. His scent reminded her of how the park smelled after a spring rain. He was refreshing, invigorating and calming at the same time.

Reluctantly, Jian released her. It had taken over four years for them to reach this point and he was in no hurry to end the moment, but she was right, they needed to go. They quickly finished up the dishes and drove to Brittney's apartment.

"Hey Britt," the older man who lived below her said when he saw her. "Some funny looking white lady was here asking about you."

"Excuse me," Jian said politely, "did you know this woman?"

The man gave Jian a suspicious glance even though he knew who he was.

"Mr. Joe, it's alright- you can tell him," Brittney said.

"Like I said, she was white, but a funny color white- pasty. She didn't look none to healthy."

"Brittney, let's go inside and talk," Jian said looking around. "Mr. Joe, may we come to your apartment?"

"Come on," the man grumbled as he pulled his head back into his window.

"Tell me about this woman," Jian said after they were sitting. He would have pulled Brittney into his lap but he thought that it was much too soon for such public displays of affection.

"She was tall and skinny," Joe said, "and dressed like one of those fashion models from France. I don't know how she walks in those heels..."

"Umm Mr. Joe..." Brittney said softly as she reached for Jian's hand.

"Oh-yeah as I was saying, she was dressed up like a model. She was wearing sunglasses even though it was dark."

"Did she talk to you?" Jian asked.

"Yeah and to a couple of others too. She said that she was a friend of you and your sister and that she was trying to find you so she could get details about the service. I don't know how I know, but that skinny assed wench was lying. Then she tried to get me to let her into your place. You didn't tell me to let anyone in, so I didn't. She was pretty mad about it too. So when do you think you'll be back?"

"I-I..." Brittney stammered. She hadn't thought about what she was going to say to people about her and Jian.

"Brittney will be moving to my home," Jian replied giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Our relationship has moved beyond friendship."

Mr. Joe looked at Brittney and then back at Jian. "In my day..." he started.

"Mr. Joe I have some things that I can't use in my cabinets and fridge. Take what you want," Brittney said interrupting him.

"Why thank you! I appreciate that!" Joe replied happily forgetting his speech on the decline of morals in young people.

"Good, let us get going and then you can go take whatever you want," Brittney said as she stood up.

"Who was looking for me?" She asked when they were in her apartment.

"An investigator," Jian replied. "She is also looking for Paul and what you call the monster."

"Who is she working for?" Brittney asked as she threw clothes into a large suitcase.

"There are four major clans in the city," Jian said. "It's one of the four. There are other groups in the city, but they are insignificant and the death of a connected human wouldn't faze them. The biggest clan belongs to Xavier Dubois. He is ruthless and at times impulsive. Troy Cross is next. He is just as ruthless but he is methodical. The last two groups are always under constant threat of takeover by the bigger two, but they have always managed to hold their own sometimes even banding together to fight off a common foe."

"So you think that it's one of the two biggest groups that hired her?"

"Yes and my guess would be Dubois," Jian replied. "According to what my father found out, he has made frequent but unsuccessful attempts on the Cross's clan. If he can obtain it, the others will fall into place with little resistance."

"But what could he want with us?" Brittney asked.

"The mate of a slayer is worth his or her weight in gold," Jian replied. "Paul is valuable because he saw the lower rogue that killed Amanda. That means one of two things, the lower rogue is Dubois's in which case he will have it killed or he is trying to find out to whom it belongs. An uncontrolled lower rogue is a threat to all of them. Come beloved, the hour grows late. We can talk more at home."

On their way out, Brittney saw the juicer sitting on the counter. Mr. Joe must have brought it in she thought. She stifled a sob still believing that if she had only called..."

"It would not have mattered," Jian said softly.

"I know but..."

She left the juicer on the counter. She didn't care what happened to it.

Jian made her wait in the house while he unpacked the car. It took him less than ten minutes to have the car unloaded and the house locked up. He helped Brittney unpack her books and put her clothes away. By the time they were done, Brittney was exhausted both mentally and physically.

Jian undressed in front of her wanting her to see what belonged to her. Brittney stared at him surprised, but pleased. His small body was compact but powerfully built. With his clothes on it was hard to see just how muscular he was. His cock proudly jutted out in anticipation of being held within the body of his mate.

Very slowly, Brittney began to undress. No man had seen her naked in four years and she was nervous. She trembled as if cold when she was finally nude in front of Jian.

"You are very beautiful," Jian said from where he stood.

"So are you," Brittney replied softly.

"Come here," Jian commanded. His voice was gentle, but the command was clear. Brittney walked over to him and stood before him. The nipples of her small breast were erect and she was breathing too fast. "Match your breath to mine," Jian said taking her hand and placing it on his chest. "Breathe with me."

A few breaths later, she was calm as Jian took her by the hand and led her to the cot.

"We will lie together," he said as he sat down and pulled her down with him. "When it is time; we will know." He lay down and took Brittney into his arms. Once again she thought of the woods when she took in his scent. She lost track of time as they lay on the cot not speaking. She gasped when Jian cupped a breast into his hand and kissed her.

His cock seemed to have gotten hotter and was pulsing against her stomach. Jian pushed her onto her back, lay on top of her but didn't move. He wanted her to get used to the feel of his weight on top of her in case he had to protect her with his body. Slowly he slid down her body kissing and tasting her skin. Brittney let out a soft moan and ran her hands through his shoulder length hair as he took a turgid peak into his mouth and sucked with obvious delight.

She arched her back and cried out when he sucked even harder and then flicked the tip of his tongue across the now swollen and sensitive nipple. Brittney tried to remember if it had felt this way with the last man she had been with and decided that it hadn't. She would have remembered. Jian switched breasts paying the same amount of attention to that breast as he did the other.

Finally he left her breasts and made his way to her stomach where he stopped, kissed it and said something in Chinese. He laid his head on her stomach and stayed there for several minutes. Brittney was beginning to think that he had fallen asleep. He kissed her flat belly again and moved further down until his face was less than an inch away from her mound. He took a deep breath taking in her scent and then slowly blew it out. He would now be able to find her anywhere just as she would be able to find him unless he blocked it.

Brittney instinctively opened her legs wider in invitation. All of her nervousness was gone as she gave herself over to Jian to do with her as he pleased. Sensing her acceptance of him, Jian spread her vaginal lips and looked at her. Ever so slowly and gently, he touched her with the tip of his tongue.

"Jian," Brittney whispered wondering why she had refused to see what was in front of her. She felt a slight burning under her right breast but ignored it as Jian took her nub between his lips and sucked on it. She clamped her hands over her mouth to stifle the scream that had almost escaped.

"Remove your hands," Jian commanded after he released her from his mouth. "One of my greatest pleasures will be to hear you scream as you climax. Do not ever try to contain that scream."

"Men," Brittney thought as she removed her hands from her mouth. When he took her back into his mouth, she fought the urge to cover her mouth. She let out a low pitch scream that she hoped no one could hear.

"Do not hold back," Jian said as he pulled away from her again. Before she could say anything, her clit was back in his mouth and she was screaming the top of her lungs. The burning sensation under her right breast increased to the point where it was painful. Jian toyed with her button until she screamed a second time forgetting about the pain under her breast.

As the orgasm waned, so did the burning under her breast. Jian was experiencing the same discomfort but without the intensity. But that was about to change. He slid up and placed his narrow hips between her legs. The head of his cock rested at her entrance. He pushed the head in and then waited to give her a chance to adjust. With each push the pain under the right side of his chest increased but he ignored it choosing to focus on the pleasure instead. Instead of holding his moans of passion in, he let them out getting louder as the pain under his chest increased.

Brittney lay still following her instincts not to move. Finally, Jian was buried deep inside of her and began thrusting going faster as the burning under his chest reached an excruciating peak. Suddenly, Brittney was moving with him. Holding him tight against her as he screamed his release into the air. By the time he was silent, the pain was gone.

Jian lay on top of Brittney for a long time before rolling to his side still holding her in his arms.

"Was that it?" Brittney asked.

"Yes beloved, that was it now rest."

She wiggled around until she was comfortable and closed her eyes. Jian stayed awake trying to put the puzzle together. His gut was telling him that there was one more player. The question was who.

****

Carmen Eloise Dubois paced the room like a caged animal. Xavier had been gone for just over a half hour and hadn't said when he would be back. She felt ill and it had nothing to do with the monsters that were guarding her. It had everything to do with the monster blood that was now flowing through her veins. She glanced around to see where the guards were in relationship to the window. She began to edge her way toward it but was stopped.

"Don't even try it," the guard said blocking her way. He had been one of the ones to scrap with her when she tried to escape the first time. He had no desire to tangle with her again. Xavier would kill anyone who left even the faintest mark on her so physical restraint was not an option.

"Move!" Carmen demanded as she reached toward the guard and pushed against his chest. She had pushed as hard as she could and he hadn't moved. "I'll tell you what," she said looking up at him. She was five- seven and he still towered over her. "Let me go and if I see you again, I'll let you live."

The guards looked at each other and burst out laughing. They weren't afraid of her- it was Xavier they were afraid of. Word of what he had done at the warehouse had spread like wildfire. As quick as a whip, Carmen pulled out a fork that she had hidden from dinner and stabbed the guard. Reacting from instinct, he backhanded her making her fly across the room.

The room was silent as all of the guards looked at the heap that lay unmoving on the floor.

"Oh fuck me," someone murmured verbalizing the sentiment of all of them.

"Fuck is right," someone else whispered.