Chapter 2

“There’s something about this case I don’t like,” Gideon muttered.

“Just one thing?”

“I don’t think people are being straight with us.”

Jesse shrugged. That was the way of things. People obscured details, hid facts, and forgot particulars all the time. It wasn’t necessarily malicious, though Gideon had the tendency to take it personally. It was their job to compensate for that and find the answers they were looking for anyway.

“Who’s not being straight with us?” Jesse asked.

It was Gideon’s turn to shrug. That didn’t mean he didn’t know; it meant he wasn’t ready to talk to Jesse about it. It was a simple, familiar gesture. It was always the simple, familiar gestures that made him feel warm with appreciation, made his heart feel a little funny.

Jesse never thought he’d fall in love with a vampire. More than that, he never thought he’d fall in love with a man like Gideon. But apparently, that was the way of things, too.

When they reached the warehouse, the surrounding block was still crawling with people. Gideon growled with frustration. Jesse might have reminded him they were going to a very populated, busy industrial area before they left, but it wouldn’t have done any good. Gideon wanted to be out, and nothing would have kept him indoors after the sun went down

“We could do a bit of old-fashioned detective work,” Jesse suggested.

“Meaning?”

“Ask some of these fine people if they saw anybody matching Toby’s description in this area.”

Gideon nodded. “That might not be a bad idea.”

“If you had thought of it, you would have called it a great idea.”

Gideon only grinned.

* * * *

Four hours later, Jesse prowled through an alley alone. He wasn’t sure how they’d gotten separated. It seemed one second he’d been trailing Gideon through the long alley, alternately passing through shadows and green neon lights, and the next, he’d been utterly alone. Gideon had most likely heard a demon, or sensed another vampire, or was distracted by some damsel in need of rescuing, but that didn’t ease Jesse’s nerves.

Jesse lifted his head, scanning the high roofs for any sign of the vampire, but there was nothing. Just more blackness. He wiped the sweat from his eyes, wishing he had a large bottle of iced water. Brown clouds hung low in the sky, almost close enough to touch.

A soft thud behind him caught his attention, and he whirled around, eyes wide, axe raised overhead. Gideon stood feet away, his lips pulling into a smirk.

“Oh, Gideon.” Jesse lowered the axe. “You startled me.”

“Which is why I’m over here and you’re over there with the big, pointy weapon,” came the amused response. With long, sinuous strides, Gideon returned to his side and reached out to take the axe, his cool fingers brushing along Jesse’s. “Don’t worry. You’ll get it back when there’s a real threat.”

Jesse nervously pushed his glasses up his nose, doing his best not to notice that Gideon was standing too close, invading his personal space. “A real threat? Is the area clear of…of demons?”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?”

Jesse chuckled. “Well, of course, I meant demons that are a…a threat.” Gideon’s eyes were inscrutable in the darkness, but he still looked vaguely amused. Jess took a half-step back, seeking some breathing room.

“Now I think I’m a little insulted here.” Gideon handled the axe with a nonchalant ease that gave no indication how heavy the weapon really was. It swung slightly from his fingers as he edged forward, forcing Jesse to retreat until he felt the cold wall of the building at his back. “You don’t find me even a little bit threatening, Jess? And be honest now.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “Because I’ll know if you’re lying.”

Jesse’s stomach dropped. He remembered how frightened he had been of Gideon in the beginning, but he had let that fear go—mostly. Oddly, it wasn’t the fact that Gideon was a vampire that left his palms clammy and his heart thudding. He was more aware of Gideon’s basic masculinity than anything else. “A little.”

The smirk returned. “A little is good.” Gideon lifted a hand and rested it, palm flat, against the wall by Jesse’s ear. “A little keeps you on your toes. Unless it’s not your toes you’re interested in being on.”

Jesse was so distracted by the fact he was thoroughly trapped that it took a few seconds for the meaning of Gideon’s words to sink in. Swallowing audibly, he murmured, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“See, now, I think you do. Smart guy like you, you don’t really need it all spelled out for you, do you?”

And there it was. The definite press of Gideon’s hips against his. The hard outline of a thick cock beneath thin trousers. The heat of the alley didn’t seem nearly as bad as the heat that suddenly shot through Jesse’s groin.