Free Vampire's Companion by Jory Strong Page A

like to be the man who made her lose all that precious control? To experience her vulnerability knowing just what it took for her to trust?
    Donna joined them, passing the detective’s card to Cia.
    “Does Kadence have a job?” Cia asked.
    “No. I want her to concentrate on school.”
    “So she gets an allowance?”
    “Forty dollars a week. Sometimes more if I’ve got it.”
    “She has a lot of nice clothes,” Cia said.
    Donna crossed her arms over her chest. “Chloe gave them to her. Or at least that’s what Kadence told me. But now I don’t know what to believe.”
    “Boyfriends?”
    “Not that I know about.”
    Israel’s gaze swept the desk. “Does she have a laptop?”
    “Yes.”
    “A Facebook page?”
    “Yes. I checked it first thing. She doesn’t post very often on it. What’s there is almost all school related.” She rubbed her arms. “Do you think you can find her?”
    “We’ll do our best,” Cia said at the same time he answered, “Yes.”
    It gained him a thin-lipped glance. He expected a follow-up tongue lashing, but when they returned to the car he was treated to silence instead. That was a challenge he couldn’t resist.
    “Finding the girl is a given once Terach’s in Ventura. He’s not Angelini, but he does possess useful talents beyond the strictly carnal.”

Chapter Five
    Heat engulfed Cia, not that she needed the drop of Israel’s voice when he mentioned carnal skills to readily call back what she’d witnessed and experienced in Terach’s bed. It was like she had some kind of giant hot button where Terach was concerned.
    She slapped the detective’s card down in the console tray between the seats and pulled out her phone, punching in Tessa’s number.
    “Just about to board the plane. You find her already?”
    “No. Detective Lawson caught the case. I’m just about to contact him. Have you dealt with him?”
    “Matt. He’s a straight-shooter, not territorial at all. Go for it.”
    She called Lawson’s direct line.
    He answered. She presented her credentials, discovering they had her captain in common, which smoothed the way into the reason for her involvement and the call.
    “Dead-end so far,” he said. “Scrolled through Facebook pages, and other than feeling sorry for a bunch of parents who’re probably clueless about what their kids are up to, didn’t exit with anything relevant to Kadence. Hit the school. Nada . Teachers and principal didn’t have anything to offer. Neither did the students.”
    “Popular kid?”
    “No. But not unpopular. A follower. Side-kick material. That’s my take.”
    “What about her phone?”
    He gave a heartfelt sigh. “Too much information out there for kids and criminals alike. She’s kept it off, or gotten rid of it, so we can’t use it to track her down.”
    “Phone records?”
    “Calls and texts to her mother and friends in the area. Nothing that leads anywhere.”
    About what Cia had expected.
    She hung up and programmed the GPS for Chloe Meyer’s house.
    It was far more upscale than Kadence’s. Two stories instead of one, monstrous in comparison to the lot it sat on, though the same size as its neighbors.
    “Not impossible to believe the clothes are Chloe’s cast-offs,” Israel said, and she had to agree.
    A Botoxed blonde opened the door. “Let me guess, you’re a cop.”
    The scent of alcohol blasted into Cia’s face. The woman’s attention shifted to Israel and remained there. A slinky change in body position thrust her breasts out. Her voice dipped into a purr. “And you’re not a cop.”
    Israel’s slow, seductive smile had Cia’s jaw clamping. She caught herself glancing downward, but not quickly enough to stop from checking out the front of his jeans.
    His smile widened and she knew it was for her. Heat crept into her cheeks, but at least the blonde hadn’t given him a raging hard-on.
    “Invite us in?” he asked, the vampire-ish phrasing enough to send irritation crawling through her