Free Death Times Two (The V V Inn, Book 3.5) by C.J. Ellisson, Boone Brux Page A

to make amends for my slip.
    She waves me off, seemingly ready to let go of my rudeness. “Too little, too late.” She smiles to lessen the sting. “That’s a freakin’ outrageous price, even by Alaskan high standards.” She wanders deeper into the room, her steps muffled on the thick Persian rug. “Just like those tunnels, this whole place would have cost a lot to build.”
    Recalling that very same thought occurred to me when I first met Vivian, I shrug. I finger the last gold coin in my pocket, all too aware we’re going to have to call my boss to see if she has more coins. I should have thought of that last night. Dammit!
    Well, if you hadn’t spent so much time trying to convince yourself not to hit on Lisa…
    I don’t want her to hate me like the others. And I’m not sure I could resist…
    Biting her or fucking her?
    Both.
    What a fine mess I’m in.
    “What I wouldn’t give…” She trails off and catches herself. “Wait, now that I know about vampires and werewolves… there’s a lot I wouldn’t give.”
    Her words mirror my earlier thoughts about wanting to spend the night with her. One night with a woman where I wouldn’t cause her pain. That’s all I want. Geez. If Pat and Eric heard me now they’d be ripping me apart with ribbing and insults.
    “Trust me, I understand.”
    Her breath catches in her throat. “Wait, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re a nice vampire. I don’t know if they’re all like you. I’d like to hope they are, but that’s probably me being naive. It’s just…” She shrugs. “I’ve got my kids to think about. I can’t go wishing on a star for an expensive vacation. There’s so much more I’d do with the money.” Warmth colors her checks. “Hockey equipment costs a lot…”
    She trails off and there’s anxiety on her face, like she’s afraid she’s hurt my feelings somehow.
    Impulsively I blurt, “You’ve got everything in life I wish for. I envy you.”
    Her face softens, and she smiles. “You envy me? I never would have imagined that.”
    I ache to step forward, to hug her and point out everything she should be grateful for in life. But I hold back. If anything, my limited experience has taught me you can’t make someone value what they have, they must value it on their own or they will never appreciate it.
    I shove down the remorse and watch Lisa’s rounded bottom sway across the room, toward the darkened windows, as she explores. My palms itch to cup her butt and haul her close.
    Damn, I’m a sad case. I seriously need to get laid.
    “So, you said Sanji was killed outside?”
    “Yes.”
    “Was it a violent death?”
    “Does that matter?”
    Puzzlement crosses her face. “I’m not sure. My partner normally handles the violent crimes, so I’m not really sure why I was ‘gifted’ this assignment.”
    “For what it’s worth, yes, Sanji died violently. There was a sword fight between her and Emiko. Sanji was a paid guest, here to hunt down a rogue vampire. If she’d caught Emiko she would have drained her and gained strength from her death.”
    Lisa pales. “Ugh. A little too Game of Thrones for my taste.”
    “You watch that show? I love it.”
    The reaper shakes her head. “Read the books. Plan to watch them next.” She reaches past the heavy drapes for an indoor shutter and cracks it open. Her back straightens and she leans for a closer look. “Hey, I thought you said there’s no guests on the property now, right?”
    I nod, realize she can’t see me with her attention focused outside, and say, “Yeah. After the big game hunt went horribly wrong we decided to close the resort for the summer. It’s an experiment anyway.”
    Lisa turns toward me. “‘Horribly wrong?’ Now that sounds like an interesting story you’ll have to tell me later.” She motions with her head toward the window. “Then there’s no chance an Indian woman would be walking around bundled up for the cold?”
    “That sounds like Sanji. She was