Sexy Men of Mystery 1

 

To Serve and Protect

When Detective Jacob Brown arrives at the scene of a massacre,
he sees a mysterious man escaping. One victim’s still alive. It’s

Vincent Brewster, Jacob’s ex-lover who dumped him months ago,
breaking his heart and then disappearing.

Later at the hospital, when Vincent sees the handsome detective,

he thinks it’s love at first sight. Although Vincent can’t remember
who he is, he’s sexually attracted to Jacob. While Vincent wants to

get closer to him, Jacob wants to run away.

But the killer’s still loose. Jacob must protect Vincent and help him

get his memory back. This means he has to remind him of their
past, including the bondage sex they enjoyed. He vows to do

whatever it takes to get Vincent to remember. When his and
Vincent’s feelings of love resurface, it’s hard to resist Vincent’s
seduction.

What they don’t know is Vincent and the serial killer now have a
connection—a supernatural one. And the killer’s coming for him.

Can Jacob protect Vincent and help him get his memory back
before the killer finds him?

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal,
Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 25,727 words

TO SERVE AND PROTECT

Sexy Men of Mystery 1

Jessica Frost

EVERLASTING CLASSIC

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

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TO SERVE AND PROTECT
Copyright © 2013 by Jessica Frost
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-355-2

First E-book Publication: February 2013

Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
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PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

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TO SERVE AND PROTECT

Sexy Men of Mystery 1

JESSICA FROST

Copyright © 2013

Prologue

The smell of urine sickened Jacob Brown as he made his way

through the dark alley. The dim lighting from the streetlight up ahead
barely made his surroundings visible. If he didn’t watch his footing
and walk at a snail’s pace, he could easily fall. Everywhere he looked
spelled trouble with a capital T and that didn’t sit too well with him.

“Man, sometimes I hate my job,” Troy Adams, Jacob’s partner of

three years, said as he walked ahead through the debris and darkness
in the narrow alley.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Jacob looked at him, noting

his friend pinched his nose in disgust when he turned to face him.

“But like it or not, we have to scout it out. Captain’s orders.” Troy

shrugged.

Jacob huffed, nodding. Troy was right. They had no choice.
The anonymous call the station received an hour ago led them to

this search. The robotic voice claimed a third body in The Cleansing
Killings would be found here. It was only the twelfth call of this sort
they had received this week. All the others had led Jacob and Troy,
the detectives assigned to the killings, on a wild-goose chase. Odds
were this one would turn out the same.

8 Jessica

Frost

Yet he couldn’t quite shrug off the funny feeling crawling up his

spine that danger lurked not that far off. The peculiar sensation that
someone was watching from the shadows in the corner behind them
kept haunting him. He twitched as a cold and then hot bolt of panic
possessed his body.

Damn it, relax, Jacob! Pull yourself together. He needed to calm

down. Big time! Five years on the police force and three years as
homicide detective had conditioned him to always be prepared, never
lose his cool. He knew if he did, he could put his life, or worse the life
of his partner or an innocent civilian’s, in jeopardy. But knowing this
didn’t help him at all. His fears and untamable imagination had
thrown him a curveball he couldn’t control.

He tried to direct his mind off his paranoia by taking several deep

breaths. Speeding in his gait, he opened his mouth to say he should
lead and Troy could follow him, when his partner stopped in his
tracks. Unprepared, Jacob almost plowed into him. Jumping to the
side to avoid the collision, he cursed. “Watch where you’re going.”

His friend and partner didn’t hear him. He was too busy taking out

his gun from his hidden holster and shouting, “You over there,
freeze!”

Jacob gazed in the direction Troy aimed his gun while reaching

for his own. About ten yards ahead of them two lifeless bodies lay on
the ground and someone was crouched over one of them. The giant
male held what looked like a machete over the torso.

When the mysterious person heard Troy’s warning, he stood up

and darted over the body, heading in the opposite direction.

Troy sprinted after him, shouting back to Jacob, “We got him. It’s

a dead end up ahead. He’s got nowhere to run.”

“You go after him and I’ll check on them.” Jacob motioned as he

ran to the two men lying on the ground.

The second he reached them, he knew it was too late. At least for

one of them. One of the men, who appeared older and shorter, lay on
his back, his chest split open and his heart cut out. This was The

To Serve and Protect

9

Cleansing Killings killer’s signature MO, no doubt. The two other
recovered bodies had had their hearts cut out of their chest cavities in
the same barbaric way. And later, after the coroner did an autopsy,
they were found to have had their blood drained from their bodies, as
well. What a sick bastard they had on their hands with this case.

In his line of work, Jacob should be used to seeing this type of

mutilation on dead bodies, but he still cringed and shuddered every
time he first laid eyes on the dead victims, the exposed flesh, and the
gore. Jacob’s stomach lurched and he tried to hold back the bile and
the tacos he ate for dinner that kept threatening to regurgitate back
into his esophagus.

It was too late for this man, but what about the other? The other

victim lay on his right side, his back facing Jacob. Jacob quickly knelt
and felt the man’s pulse. It was weak but steady. He sighed in relief.
As he let go of his wrist, the man moaned and turned onto his back.
The streetlight above them beamed on him then.

In utter shock, Jacob stared at the familiar face. He felt the blood

drain from his head, and his limbs went weak. Dizziness overcame
him and the taco dinner finally won the battle with his stomach, rising
up and escaping his mouth. Vomit spewed to the ground in front of
him, splashing his black leather shoes.

Once the flood ended, he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

His throat and tongue felt like they were on fire.

From his peripheral vision, he saw Troy quickly making his way

back to him alone, no apprehended suspect in tow. He said, cringing
as he stared at the mess at Jacob’s feet, “Oh, that is nasty.”

Quickly recovering, Jacob whisked his cell phone out and made

an emergency call to 911 on the police department’s direct line. “We
need an ambulance at Park and Beacon Street ASAP. A man is
wounded and another dead.”

He stared at the unconscious man while worry ran through his

mind. Please, let him be all right.

10 Jessica

Frost

Troy glanced at the dead body and said, “The killer got away. I

thought I had him. There was no way he could have escaped, but
somehow he did. One second he was there running, and the next it’s
like he disappeared into thin air.”

Jacob didn’t speak, didn’t move.
Troy asked, “Did you hear me?”
He only nodded, unable to break his gaze from the unconscious,

injured victim.

Troy snapped his fingers in front of Jacob’s face. “Earth calling

Jacob Brown. You in there?”

Jacob blinked several times before looking up at Troy. Yet, he

didn’t reply.

Worry overtook Troy’s features. “What the hell is going on with

you, Jacob? You all right? Are you dizzy or sick? Do I need to call an
ambulance for you, too?”

Jacob shook his head. “I’m all right.”
“Then why do you look like you just saw a ghost?”
His gaze returned to the injured man, and he said in a low voice,

barely a whisper, “I know the victim. We were lovers.”

To Serve and Protect

11

Chapter 1

Waves of fatigue flooded his body while sharp, stabbing pain

crept through his head. He tried to make out what the voices near him
said but couldn’t. Their words were jargon to his ears. He pouted,
forcing his lips to move. A weak moan escaped his mouth. Then he
heard a dulcet, deep baritone voice that made goose bumps spread on
his arms and neck. The voice said, “He’s waking up!”

A warm, strong hand grabbed his. “Vincent, you’re all right.”
He struggled to open his eyelids that weighed a ton, but eventually

he was able to open them. There, sitting on the edge of the bed,
holding his hand, was the handsomest man he ever laid eyes on. He
had blond, wavy hair that rested just at his shoulders, blue-gray eyes
that sparkled in the room’s artificial lighting, and a day’s stubble,
which gave him that rugged, debonair look. Prince Charming, indeed.
And he was smiling, too.

“Nice to see you’re awake.”
He tried to reciprocate the grin but failed in his attempt as more

pain got the better of him. Taking a swallow, his tongue felt like
sandpaper. He whispered, “Water.”

Prince Charming looked to the man on his right. “Can I give him

water, Doc?”

“Yes, by all means.” The doctor nodded.
The handsome charmer gently placed the cup of water to his

parched lips after lifting the head of the bed via an electronic button.

The godsent cold liquid slipped past his lips, coating and soothing

his mouth and throat. It was that good.

After several big gulps, he motioned he’d had enough.

12 Jessica

Frost

Slowly, he gazed at the doctor, an older man of about sixty with

silver-gray, slicked-back hair and a white moustache. His glasses
rested on the tip of his chubby nose. Then he returned his gaze to the
Prince Charming, whose voice sent waves of pleasure through him.

He asked in a calm voice, “Where am I?”
The doctor responded, “In St. John’s Hospital.”
He shook his head. “How did I get here? I don’t remember.”
Prince Charming stared at the doctor with concern in his eyes.

“He can’t remember.”

The doctor took out a small medical light and smiled, tapping his

patient’s shoulder, and then checked his pupils. “Don’t worry, Mr.
Brewster. With traumatic head injuries like these, temporary memory
loss is normal.”

“Mr. Brewster?” The name sounded weird, unfamiliar as it rolled

off his tongue. “Who’s that?”

Prince Charming’s worried eyes turned to panic. “Is it normal he

can’t even remember his own name, Doc?”

* * * *

Vincent Brewster’s amnesia didn’t seem to bother Doctor Evans

one bit. That certainly couldn’t be said for Jacob, though. His already-
frayed nerves just got more frazzled. From the moment he found
Vincent wounded and unconscious in the alley, he hadn’t left his side.
He even tagged along in the ambulance as they rushed him to the
hospital.

The only time he left him was when the doctors and nurses in the

ER shooed him out to take X-rays and examine their patient. He
decided to clean himself up then. He still had gross vomit stains on
the tip of his shoes.

While he cleaned up in the bathroom, his thoughts had wandered

to Vincent and their time together as lovers. It had been amazing. Not
only the sex but the way they connected on a cerebral, spiritual, and

To Serve and Protect

13

emotional level. The connection he had with Vincent, he’d never had
with anyone else. He honestly thought he had found his soul mate in
him.

But he’d been wrong. Dead wrong. Because what seemed so

fantastic and real and everlasting to Jacob was just a passing fancy for
Vincent.

With no warning, or tact, on a cold Monday morning, Vincent

called him, breaking the awful news that they were through. Vincent
gave the lamest of excuses, too. It wasn’t Jacob’s fault, it was his.
And that the relationship was stifling. He didn’t need that and wanted
to explore other things in life.

By “other things,” Jacob knew he meant “other men” and maybe

“other women,” too. He never did ask Vincent if he was bisexual or
gay. But somehow Jacob knew he wouldn’t get a clear or specific
answer on that. Vincent wasn’t exactly expressive in things like that
or about his past, or his family and friends, for that matter.

An aura of mystery and secrecy always hovered over Vincent like

a halo. It was what made him so alluring and irresistible, Jacob
guessed.

And so things ended as mysteriously as they started between

them, and they went their separate ways as if they had never even
known each other. That was almost six months ago and on the day
they broke up, Jacob vowed that he didn’t ever want to see Vincent
again. He thought he’d hate him for eternity.

But his hatred and hard feelings crumbled when he saw him so

helpless, injured, and unconscious. His heart broke and all he wanted
to do was protect Vincent, stay by his side, and make sure he would
be okay.

But Vincent wasn’t all right. He was injured and had amnesia.

Plus the killer who put him in this predicament had escaped. At this
very minute, he was loose out in the city. Maybe now planning his
next killing. Or worse, planning his next attack on Vincent, wanting
to finish the job Jacob and Troy interrupted a few hours ago.

14 Jessica

Frost

He had thought Vincent would wake up and be able to tell him

who his attacker was or at least give him a detailed description of
him. Even though Jacob and Troy had encountered the killer, they
never did get a clear look at his face thanks to the dim lighting. All
Jacob could make out was that the assailant was over six feet five
inches tall, with a muscular, heavyweight-type physique. Plus their
suspect was as agile and sly as a panther since he was able to
disappear in the night in what seemed like a nanosecond according to
Troy.

His and Troy’s case depended on Vincent waking up and

identifying his attacker. But now that seemed like it would not
happen.

He stared at Vincent while Doctor Evans checked his vision and

vitals. Vincent’s head was bandaged and his right eye bloodshot from
the impact it probably made from hitting the concrete pavement in the
alley.

His lacerated arm was bandaged and rested in a sling. He was

black and blue and all banged up, but he never looked more handsome
to Jacob. If anything he looked even sexier. He oozed sex appeal from
every pore of his godlike body. His sea-green eyes still made Jacob
lose his breath when he stared into them, bloodshot or not.

Just as Jacob fixated on Vincent’s eyes, the devilishly handsome

man turned his gaze to look at him while the doctor measured his
blood pressure. He smiled, winking at Jacob, making gooseflesh form
on Jacob’s arms and the back of his neck.

Apart from his physical injuries, Vincent Brewster hardly looked

like someone who just went through such a traumatic attack and now
had amnesia. Jacob’s detective senses began to tingle. Something
smelled fishy here.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Everyone turned their

attention to the head that peeked in.

To Serve and Protect

15

Troy stared at the patient, then at the doctor, and finally at Jacob.

“Sorry for interrupting, but I need to speak to my partner for a few
minutes.”

Jacob nodded. “Excuse me.”
He followed Troy outside where Troy handed him a cup of coffee.

“Thought you might want this.”

“Thanks.” Jacob smiled, taking the proffered cup, and swallowed

some of the delicious hot brew. “Mmm, that’s good.”

Troy simply nodded, then scouted the area out with his gaze. “We

need to talk in private. Come outside.”

“Sure.” Jacob followed him out the front entrance of the hospital

all the way to the parking lot to the side of the building where a police
cruiser was parked. With every step Jacob took, his curiosity grew.
The moment he sat in the passenger’s seat and Troy sat in the driver’s
seat, shutting the door, he asked, “So what’s the news?”

Troy stared at him. “I spoke to the captain before coming here.”
Jacob frowned. “What, Captain Forester is ticked off that I didn’t

come in to write the report?”

Troy shook his head. “No, not at all. Actually, the captain said

that he wants you to stay with the victim for a while.”

“For a while. For how long?”
Troy shrugged. “He didn’t say. All he said was that he wants you

here with Vincent.”

“What about our case? How can I work on it if I’m busy looking

after the victim?”

“I asked the same thing and he said that you’ll have access to all

the police files you need from your home. He’s sending someone
from the precinct to hook up a secure line for you there, so you can do
any research you need to do directly from there.”

“What? That is crazy! I can’t!”
Troy gave a helpless nod. “Not much you can do, Jacob. Captain’s

orders. And since Vincent is still in danger and you and I are the only

16 Jessica

Frost

ones at the station who know everything we have on The Cleansing
Killings so far, then you are the ideal candidate to play bodyguard.”

Jacob pointed an accusing finger. “No, you can do it, too.”
Troy lifted his hands and coughed. “Hey, hey, I didn’t have a

relationship with the victim, bro. You did.”

Jacob sighed. “I guess you added that in the report, didn’t you?

And of course the captain read it and came up with this ingenious
idea.”

“Had to, bro. Procedures, you know.” He tapped him on the

shoulder. “Anyway, we’ll still be working together. Only I’ll be also
acting as liaison between you, the precinct, and the captain.”

Jacob said as he got out, heading back to the hospital and

Vincent’s side, “Hmm, seems to me you got the better part of the
arrangement.”

To Serve and Protect

17

Chapter 2

Following his doctor’s order, Vincent closed his eyes and tried to

fall asleep, but that would be impossible. He was too distraught
because of this predicament he seemed to have been thrown into.
Amnesia. Freakin’ unbelievable!

So many questions and worries fluttered through his head. But the

most pressing of these was who the hell was he? How could he forget
his own existence like this? Could such a thing even be possible? He
remembered the English language, how to speak, how to drink. Why
hadn’t he forgotten these things, as well?

Things were so confusing and the situation quite overwhelming.

This probably was the darkest hour of his life. But then again, without
any memories whatsoever to compare with, he would never know.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to focus on the positive. Maybe that

would calm him down and he could get some sleep. The image of
godly perfection appeared in his mind’s eye and he couldn’t help but
smile. Ah, Prince Charming…Who was that hunky man he saw in his
room less than an hour ago and how did he know him?

Were they brothers, friends, or something else? The way Prince

Charming looked at him, Vincent didn’t think they were brothers or
friends but the “something else.” And he couldn’t wait to find out
what that was. The sexual tension between them when they looked at
each other was so thick, it could be cut with a knife. Vincent’s heart’s
pitter-patter speeded whenever Old Blue Eyes stared at him and he
doubted his speeding heart had anything to do with his medical
condition, rather it had to do with his sexual one.

18 Jessica

Frost

For some reason even though he was injured and amnesiac, his

libido was alive and kicking, and if it had a say on how he conducted
himself when Prince Charming came back in, then it would be
screaming for some hands-on French kissing.

And with the naughty thought, his prince returned. Speaking of the

devil…

He looked at Vincent with a forced smile. “The doc left?”
“Yes, told me I should get some sleep.”
Jacob stopped halfway to the bed. “Oh, then I’ll let you rest. I’ll

be just outside the door.”

Vincent’s brow raised. “Wouldn’t you want to go home to rest?

You look like you can use it, ah…”

He motioned for Jacob to finish his sentence, which he did,

chuckling. “It’s Jacob. And thanks for the compliment. But no, I have
to keep an eye on you.”

Vincent couldn’t help but smile. “Really! Hmm, and why must

you keep an eye on me, Jacob?”

“You need protection since the man who tried to kill you

escaped.”

Vincent couldn’t help but shake his head, which hurt, a lot.

“Excuse me? Someone tried to kill me?” His mind tried to make sense
of Jacob’s words, but his memory came up empty. Panic narrowed his
throat, and he laid his head back down to stop the vertigo effect from
making him pass out.

Jacob nodded and came to sit at the foot of his bed. “My partner

and I found you injured and unconscious in the alleyway. The killer
was just about to cut you when we stopped him.”

Vincent’s eyes widened. “Holy shit! Cut me? Cut me where?”
“We guess your chest, to remove your heart. He’s a serial killer,

you see, and you would have been his fourth victim. Victim number
three was lying beside you, by the way.”

“Boy, things keep getting better and better. My life is a real horror

story!”

To Serve and Protect

19

“Sorry. Maybe I should have waited and gotten the okay from the

doctor to lay all this on you.”

Vincent shook his head. “No way. If someone is trying to kill me,

I want to know!” He paused and then asked, “So you’re a cop?”

Jacob nodded. “Yup, detective.”
Disappointment got the better of Vincent. “Oh, for some reason I

got the impression we knew each other quite well.”

Jacob grinned. “Yeah, we do.” He hesitated but then added, “We

kind of had something going some months back.”

He chuckled. “Ah, I knew it!”

* * * *

Vincent’s reaction baffled Jacob. “What is that supposed to

mean?”

Vincent moved to the side of the bed and motioned for him to sit

closer, but Jacob hesitated, waiting for his response. “The way you
looked at me before tells me we had something between us. There’s
this strong physical and spiritual attraction, connection, I sense.”

Anger rose in Jacob with Vincent’s response. The day they broke

up and Vincent’s exact words came back to haunt Jacob. “You’re one
great guy, but you’re getting too intense for us right now. That may be
all right for you and you’re ready for it. But not me. I don’t want that.
Too complicated. I like the no-strings-attached kind of thing going on
and well, that isn’t you. So the time has come for us to go our
separate ways.”

“Nope, no spiritual connection, dude. All we had was physical and

it’s been over for quite some time,” Jacob said, standing up and
crossing his arms over his chest.

Vincent frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. I honestly felt like there

was this real and intense thing between us there.” He rubbed the
shoulder of his injured arm with his good hand. “Ah, would you know
if I have family? A love? Kids?”

20 Jessica

Frost

Jacob shook his head. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t know much. You

were pretty private on these things. But I do know you have no kids.
Your family lives far away. As for a loved one, we haven’t seen each
other in many months. Almost six months. If you are with someone
now, I wouldn’t know.”

The thought that Vincent was seeing someone seriously now cut

into Jacob’s heart. No matter how he tried to harden it, his feelings for
this man he thought he erased still had deep roots in his heart and
soul. Regardless of how much Vincent hurt him before, Jacob still
loved Vincent in some way. Which made this so damn complicated
and hard for him.

“How about friends?” Vincent asked with wide, hopeful eyes.
“Sorry, there again, you kept that to yourself.”
“Hmm, sounds like I’m a real ass, then.” Vincent looked to the

wall with a blank, numb expression. Jacob could see Vincent’s need
to piece his life together. To piece his identity, himself, together, and
what Jacob was feeding him didn’t sit too well.

Jacob gave him an encouraging smile. “No, not at all. Just a

private man.”

“How about a wallet? Did you find anything on me that may help

to tell me something about myself? Or am I grasping at straws here?”

“I’m afraid we found nothing on you. No wallet. No keys. No

money. Nothing. Not even Kleenex.”

Vincent didn’t respond, only bowed his head and sighed, deeply.
Jacob sat on the edge of his bed and rubbed the top of his good

hand. A spark of electricity shot through him on their contact, as it
always did when they touched. And it was more intense whenever
they made love. But that was another time, another world.

Pushing the feelings threatening to surface, he stated, trying to

cheer him, “The doctor said that apart from the amnesia, you suffered
no brain damage and that your arm will heal fairly quickly. He said
you’re fine and the amnesia is temporary. Your memories will all
come back to you in time. So he is releasing you in my custody

To Serve and Protect

21

tomorrow and wants to see you back in a few days. If you feel up to
it, how about we head to your apartment and see what we can find
that’ll help jog your memory. Plus, maybe we can find some clues to
help us in identifying our killer.”

Fear etched into Vincent’s features. “You think I know the

killer?”

“At this moment, we don’t know. His past two victims had

nothing in common, except the coroner did find they both had their
blood drained from their bodies and their hearts had been cut out.”

Vincent shook his head. “Freakin’ bizarre if you ask me. Sounds

like a vampire story.”

“If it were possible, yeah, it sounds like that.”
Vincent paused and then asked, “How about the last victim you

found in the alleyway with me?”

“Results haven’t come in yet for his body. But he also had no ID

on him or wallet, just like you. But we were able to identify him
through his fingerprints. His name was Whitman Ford. The other two
victims’ names were Sarah Jones and Mark Melden. Do any of the
names sound familiar?”

Vincent laughed. “Nope. I got amnesia, remember?”
Jacob smiled, but he swore he caught something in Vincent’s eyes

when he said the name Whitman Ford. Could it be Vincent knew the
last victim?

22 Jessica

Frost

Chapter 3

Vincent sat on eggshells that were about to crack with the slightest

of pressure. That was how he felt while he rested quietly in Jacob’s
car as they drove back to Vincent’s apartment. He had no idea what
he’d find there. Or whom for that matter.

Jacob had said that his partner, Troy, had tried to call his number

Jacob had given him but that it was out of service. Apparently, he had
cancelled his number a few months back and never got a new one. No
phone service. Not even a cell number. Who the hell would not have a
phone whatsoever?

The more he uncovered about himself, the more confused he got.

It was as if he was a secret agent or something, leading a double life,
because frankly the life he was starting to sketch out was cold,
heartless, and full of holes!

As he stared out the side window, he felt something come to rest

on his knee. “Relax, Vincent. Everything will be fine.”

Vincent turned to see Jacob’s hand on his knee and then gazed

into his eyes. “It shows that much, huh?” Then he put his hand over
Jacob’s and felt his strength and warmth and just absorbed it. Mmm,
it felt good to be in contact with him like this.

Their eyes fixed. And for a few seconds, Jacob was silent. Then

he turned back to focus on the road and laughed. “Yeah, you haven’t
stopped fidgeting since you got into my car.”

“Sorry, I can’t help it. I’m scared of what I’ll find when we get to

my apartment.”

Jacob looked at him again and this time tapped his shoulder.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be by your side all the while.”

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23

Vincent shook his head.
“What, why are you shaking your head like that?”
He smiled, admiring Jacob’s perfect face, his blue eyes, and blond

hair that kept slipping into his eyes even though he kept pushing it
back over his ears, and his lips, full and sensual. How did it feel
kissing them? Damn, he’d give anything to remember it.

“Uh, I was just wondering why we split up. You say it was only

physical between us, but why didn’t it grow into something more
amazing? Why did it end?”

Jacob’s eyes turned serious as he returned his focus on the road

ahead. “Actually, I thought we had something more. It had started to
become something more to me and I thought for you, too. You never
said it in so many words, but I saw it in your eyes and in how we
made love. I honestly thought we were both falling in love. But…”

Vincent cursed. “Let me guess, the prick that I was freaked out

and decided to end things before they even started.”

Jacob nodded. “Something like that.”
Vincent rubbed his temples right under the bandage on his head.

“The more I hear about Vincent Brewster, the more I don’t want to be
him.”

* * * *

Damn, Jacob was falling once more. And again there was no

safety net to catch him. The Vincent sitting beside him now, this
Vincent reminded him of the Vincent he first fell in love with. The
Vincent whose charm and charisma won him over instantly. But how
long before the old Vincent would resurface, the one who wanted
nothing further to do with him. He’d get his heart broken all over
again. No, no, he would never go down the same hurtful path once
more.

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Trying to change the subject, he asked, “Would you like to grab

something to eat? You didn’t eat much of the hospital food this
morning.”

Vincent shuddered, then smiled. “I’m getting nauseous thinking of

those runny scrambled eggs. I think they cook badly so patients get
sick and have to spend more time in there,” he joked.

Jacob laughed, relieved Vincent got the message that he didn’t

want to go down that lane he was suggesting. “So I take that as a
yes?”

“Yup.” Vincent nodded.
And with that, Jacob turned the corner, heading to a restaurant

where he knew the service was fast and good and where he could cool
off. Thanks to the previous topic, it was getting hot in there.

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25

Chapter 4

Rocky road ice cream. For some reason Vincent craved rocky

road ice cream right now.

When the blonde waitress walked over to their table and asked,

“What can I get you?” he looked at Jacob, waiting for his answer.

Jacob didn’t reply because he still scanned the menu, so Vincent

asked, “Do you have any ice cream?”

“Yeah, we have chocolate, vanilla, strawberry…”
Jacob interrupted, “Do you have any rocky road?”
Vincent’s jaw dropped. “I was just about to ask that.”
Jacob shrugged. “I figured. It’s your favorite.”
Well, even though his mind didn’t remember things, his palate

did.

The waitress nodded. “Yeah, we have some.”
“I’ll have that.”
Jacob asked, “You don’t want a burger or something before?”
He shook his head. “Nope, I’m only in the mood for dessert.”
Jacob laughed. “Okay. Mind if I have a full meal, though?”
Vincent smiled back as Jacob ordered a hamburger platter and

beer. He stared at Jacob’s muscular arms leaning on the table and at
his chest through his tight-fitting black T-shirt under his jacket. He
wondered if he had chest hair or not. If Jacob did, then it would be fun
to run his fingers through it as they tickled his skin. And if he was
hairless, well then Vincent’s mouth would have free rein, probing
every delectable inch of Jacob’s chest. He imagined how it was like to
kiss and touch his body and make love to him, and he got excited.

26 Jessica

Frost

Taking a deep breath to calm his sexual urges, he asked, “Do you

like rocky road ice cream, too?”

Jacob smiled as he stared at his paper napkin under his fork and

folded it on its side. His reflecting eyes sparkled. “Yeah, we often
made rocky road a treat.”

Vincent’s ears perked. “Really? What type of treat are we

talking?”

Just as he asked the question, an image appeared in his mind’s

eye. The image of Jacob naked and tied on the bed smiling, eating
something, formed in his head. Vincent also was naked kneeling
beside him on the bed. He had just placed a carton of rocky road ice
cream on the nightstand.

He bent down and kissed Jacob on his soft, full lips and felt his

own hunger, his anticipation. He slipped his tongue into his mouth
and tasted the remnants of ice cream he had just fed him.

The taste of the ice cream mixed with the taste of Jacob had him

in a frenzy. His tongue demanded and probed his mouth. Jacob kissed
him back with equal passion and their tongues moved in a mating
dance of love.

Vincent explored Jacob’s toned body, his fingers inching their

way down his chest and tight abs until he got to his cock. It was erect,
and excitedly waiting for him. When he wrapped his fingers around it,
he heard a moan escape his lover. And as he stroked it up and down,
feeling and measuring and exploring every delectable part of him
there, he slipped out of Jacob’s mouth and dipped in to whisper in his
ear, “You’re my slave and you’ll be begging for release soon.”

He began to nibble his ear as Jacob moaned, “Yes, yes.” His

pelvis thrust in sync with Vincent’s ministrations on his cock. Vincent
felt his climax coming and it excited him. His heartbeat quickened as
did his senses, his sense of hearing, sight, touch, taste, and smell.

Wanting to savor more of his touch, smell, and taste, he licked

Jacob’s ear, then neck. And that was when he smelled not only
Jacob’s body essence but his blood, too. The metallic scent of it drew

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27

his attention, and a hunger deep within him, savage and primitive,
pushed him to open his mouth and just before he bit Jacob’s neck, the
image disappeared.

The diner spun around him and Vincent felt like he would faint.
“Vincent, are you all right?” Jacob said in a worried voice.
Vincent closed his eyes and waited for the wave to disappear, but

with it came fatigue. His body suddenly felt heavy.

Jacob ushered the waitress over. “Can he have a glass of water,

please?”

The waitress stared at Vincent with wide, worried eyes, just like

Jacob did. Did he look that bad?

As the waitress moved away, Vincent stopped her and asked, “I

changed my mind. I’d like to have something more nourishing than
ice cream. I’ll have a steak with a side order of potatoes and salad.
And please make the steak extra rare.”

* * * *

Jacob was finally able to breathe a little easier when he saw the

color return to Vincent’s cheeks. He was just about to call Doctor
Evans the moment Vincent looked like he would pass out.

After Vincent finished drinking his water and placed it in front of

him on their table, Jacob asked, “Are you okay?”

Vincent shook his head. “Yeah, I’m just very tired.”
“Would you like us to leave? I’ll change our order to takeout and

drive you back to my house.”

“No, after I eat, I’ll be fine. And I want to go to my apartment

first. I need answers. Not knowing who I am is driving me bonkers.”

“I can imagine. I’d want to know, too.”
Vincent leaned forward. “So then tell me. Tell me about me, about

us. I think I just had a vision of us together, and I need to know if it
really was a memory coming back to me or just my wild imagination
taking its toll on me.”

28 Jessica

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“Your memory is coming back? That’s great!” Jacob smiled.
“I’m not sure. It felt real, like it did happen between us, but it was

pretty wild and crazy.”

Jacob couldn’t help blushing as he stared into his eyes,

remembering their passionate, sexual escapades. “Wild and crazy
pretty much describes some of it.”

Vincent’s eyes widened. “Some of it? Holy cow, how wild and

crazy did it get?”

Jacob laughed. “First tell me what you saw in your vision and then

I’ll tell you if it actually happened. Then we’ll take it from there.”

Vincent gave him a sideways glance. “Taking it from there is

what worries me. What dark secrets in my closet will you let loose?”

Jacob tapped his fork and his eyes became serious. “I can’t help

you with the dark secrets in your closet, Vincent. You were pretty
reserved on this. But as for what we shared, sure, I’ll tell you all about
it. But first, what did you see?”

“I saw us in bed. We were both naked. But you were tied to the

bedpost smiling at me. I had just fed you rocky road and we were
kissing and…stuff. After that I nibbled your ear then began to lick
your neck. From there this uncontrollable urge and hunger to bite into
your neck came over me.”

Jacob almost choked on the water he had just gulped. Then he

started to laugh uncontrollably, his laughter so loud that the waitress
looked at him peculiarly when she placed their orders on the table.

Even after she left, he still didn’t stop. Vincent looked like he was

starting to get a little pissed off. He said, “I’m happy my story amuses
you.” He crossed his arms. “So I take it from your reaction none of it
happened?”

Once his laughter calmed down, he stared at Vincent with sultry

eyes. His own memories getting him hot and bothered. “Oh no, it
happened. All of it, except for you biting my neck and sucking the
blood out of me.”

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29

The smirk on his face returned. “That part I think was your body

trying to tell you that you need to eat.”

Vincent tapped his fingers on the table, staring at his movements.

Jacob wondered what was going through his mind. When he began to
laugh, he looked into Jacob’s eyes. He leaned forward and returned
Jacob’s sultry stare back at him. “So we were into BDSM? Boy, I
never would have guessed you were that type.”

“Disappointed?” Jacob asked, purposely flirting.
“No, not at all. I like it.” Vincent’s brow lifted in a daring gesture.
Panic caught Jacob off guard, then, and he pushed away from the

table, breaking their intense eye contact. Picking up his fork, Jacob
stabbed two fries and then dipped them in the small mound of ketchup
he had spurted on the side of his plate. “Just to let you know, BDSM
was your preference. And you often wanted us to switch places.
Sometimes I was your slave and sometimes I was your master. You
opened up that world to me. I never dabbled into bondage and
submission before you.”

“Do you still dabble, or was it only with me? And what part do

you prefer, the slave or the master?” Vincent asked in a low, curious
voice.

Jacob didn’t need to look up to know the questions were

dangerous ones to answer. Once again his guard was slipping and he
felt Vincent was pulling the strings.

Taking a deep breath, he said, gazing into his eyes, “No, but what

I do or what I prefer now isn’t any of your business, nor will it help
you to remember who you are.”

Vincent’s smile quickly disappeared and he became quiet, taking

a bite of his rare steak. As he chewed, red juices slipped onto his chin
and instead of wiping it clean with a napkin, he licked and then
sucked his tongue as if the taste of it made him yearn for more.

Who exactly are you, Vincent? The thought kept Jacob

preoccupied for the rest of their meal.

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Chapter 5

Were the gods conspiring against him? Vincent thought as he

followed Jacob out of the elevator. They had just left his apartment,
and he was no closer now than when they started. He had hoped to
find clues to his identity, to who exactly Vincent Brewster was, who
his friends were, who his family was, anything that could help him
piece together this puzzle called his life.

But what he and Jacob found when they got to his apartment was

nothing. It lay completely empty. No furniture, no pictures, no letters,
no clothes either. Nothing at all. When they spoke to neighbors and
the building manager or concierge, who had given them a key to his
apartment, they got the same response. No one had seen Vincent in
months. And they didn’t know much about him as he always kept to
himself. A simple hi or bye was all they ever got from their elusive
neighbor or tenant the two years he lived there.

It seemed the only person who knew the most about Vincent was

Jacob, and even he didn’t know much, apart from his BDSM
obsession and how he was sexually in bed.

The more time passed, the more Vincent wished his memory

would never come back. Who wanted to be the man being described
to him? No one.

What he wanted was to start over. Yes, he had no memories, but

something told him that was a good thing. Maybe he could recreate
himself. Create a new Vincent Brewster who people respected and
trusted. A man he himself could respect and love. A man who
deserved a mate like Jacob Brown and who could win his heart over
completely. He wanted to be Jacob’s eternal mate, the need burning

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31

deep in his heart and soul. Somehow he knew Jacob was made for
him and him for Jacob.

As they turned the corner on the eighth floor of Jacob’s apartment

building, hope began to simmer and then boil in his soul. Maybe the
gods weren’t conspiring against him but instead saving him. Maybe
fate had weaved all this so that Vincent could become the man Jacob
deserved and needed in life.

By the time they got to Jacob’s door, Vincent’s plan had been set

in his mind. He would not screw up this second time around.

* * * *

Vincent had been quiet ever since they left his vacant apartment.

Jacob wondered what was going through his mind. He didn’t talk to
him because he saw the man needed time to absorb the news, or rather
absorb the lack of news, and process his thoughts and feelings. His
furrowed brows had told Jacob Vincent hadn’t yet come to terms with
what he learned today.

But when Jacob opened the door to his own apartment and they

stepped through, Vincent finally broke the silence. “So this is where
you live?”

Jacob did a once-over. The place wasn’t messy, but it wasn’t

exactly spic-and-span clean either, and that was how he liked it. As
long as he knew where everything was and no clutter stood in his
way, he was happy. Placing his keys on the table beside the door, he
got a glimpse of his own reflection in the hanging mirror. Holy cow,
he looked like the walking dead! His hair was a mess and his face
unshaven. His tweed jacket and wrinkled cotton T-shirt underneath it
had seen better days. Sleeping on the chaise longue at the hospital
overnight certainly didn’t improve his looks.

But a shower would fix all this up, and he wouldn’t look like he

just crawled out of a grave he had been resting in for the past couple
of years.

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He looked at Vincent. “Why don’t you make yourself at home

while I take a shower and change?”

He pointed to the end of the corridor. “The guest room is down

there. There are some extra clothes of mine in there you can use.
We’re about the same size. And the kitchen is to the right. If you want
to rest or get yourself a bite to eat, feel free to do as you please. Mi
casa is your casa for a little while, until my captain says otherwise.”

He headed for his room to get a change of clothes and then off to

the bathroom for a long, hot shower to refresh and at the same time
clear his thoughts. Being this close to Vincent distracted him. He
needed to concentrate on this case and not focus on the past he had
with Vincent or how gorgeous and sexy he looked now.

Many times, the urge to dip in and kiss him on the lips overtook

him, but Jacob resisted. He worried the urges would intensify now
that they would be spending so much time alone and temptation
would rear his beautiful head.

The hot water pounded on his shoulders and chest as he slipped

his upper body under the showerhead’s spray. He closed his eyes and
moved completely into the jet stream. Mmm, it felt good. He stayed
motionless for several minutes letting his muscles relax and unwind.

That was when a lurid memory came to him, one of him and

Vincent naked in the shower making love. Vincent stood behind him,
his cock deep inside Jacob. Vincent nibbled his ear and then
whispered that Jacob was made for him. The perfect match.

Jacob’s cock became erect as memories of how good it felt having

Vincent make love to him flooded his mind. Vincent’s sexy, muscular
body and his tight ass always made Jacob melt. But it was his sea-
green eyes that seduced him every time. Vincent just needed to look
at him passionately with those enchanting eyes and Jacob became
mush. Vincent had used those sultry, bewitching eyes to get Jacob to
try bondage sex. It wasn’t anything Jacob ever wanted to do, but
when Vincent asked him to try it once and if he didn’t like it they
would never try it again, Jacob said all right.

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33

And that had been the best sex they had ever had. Being tied to the

bedpost and blindfolded, not knowing what Vincent would do next
and then feeling his lips slide down his neck, chest, abdomen and slip
around his hard shaft. Oh, man, he was getting really hard just
imagining and remembering those times.

He decided he needed to relieve himself before Vincent would see

him in this state. He didn’t want him seeing just how much he still
affected Jacob emotionally and physically.

He’d be in here longer than he expected but figured Vincent

would probably be resting since this day had been long and tolling.

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Chapter 6

Vincent began to execute the first phase of his plan of seduction.

The saying “The way to win a man’s heart is through his stomach”
sounded like the best place to start. The second Jacob went into the
bathroom, Vincent hurried to his fridge to see what he had in there. It
definitely was a bachelor’s pad, because Jacob didn’t have much in
the fridge, a half-empty carton of milk, eggs, butter, an overripe plum
and orange, and ketchup, mustard, and relish.

Taking a peek in the cupboards, he found two cans of tomatoes,

pasta, olive oil, and several dried herbs and spices. “Where there is a
will, there’s a way,” he mumbled to himself as he set out to make
dinner. It wouldn’t be something a three-Michelin-star restaurant
would make, but he was pretty confident he could prepare a meal that
would have Jacob’s mouth watering.

By the time Jacob came out of the bathroom, almost an hour had

passed. Vincent had time to finish cooking the meal, set the table, and
open the only bottle of red wine he could find. It wasn’t a fine wine,
more like a cooking or table wine, but it would do.

Jacob walked in wearing another tight black T-shirt and faded

jeans that were torn at the upper thigh and knees. He rubbed his wet
blond curls with a towel as he said with surprised eyes, “I thought you
would be resting.”

Vincent shook his head. “Nope, too much going through my mind.

I’d go crazy just lying in bed feeling helpless. I decided instead to
make myself useful and cook us something nice to eat.”

Jacob chuckled. “You mean I had food in the fridge?”

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35

“In the cupboards, yeah.” He smiled. “From the sound and look of

things you don’t cook. Right?”

“I can make a sandwich and cook eggs when I have to but pretty

much eat out.”

“Well, I hope you’ll enjoy this.” Vincent gestured with his open

hand for him to sit at the table and dig in.

Jacob wasted no time sitting down and taking the fork in hand.

His wide, hungry eyes told Vincent the fettuccine with marinara sauce
looked very good. Vincent picked his fork up next but waited until
Jacob put a forkful of pasta in his mouth to do the same.

Jacob’s eyes closed and he mumbled, “Mmm.”
“I take it that means it tastes good?” Vincent lifted his brow in

curiosity.

Jacob opened his eyes and nodded. “Very good. The best you ever

made.”

Vincent’s hand froze in midair with his second mouthful just

inches away from his lips. “I used to cook for you?”

“Yes, all the time. You love to cook and are one hell of a cook.”

Jacob nodded.

Vincent sighed. “Son of a gun. Look at that. I didn’t forget that

trait, did I?” He placed his fork on the plate and added, “Then it
wasn’t just hot sex between us? We did share other things, no?”

“Share? As in candlelit dinners like this, you mean?” He squinted

at him as he inquired.

“Well, yes and more than that. Sitting down and having a meal

like this means we talked a lot. It wasn’t just sex with us.”

Jacob huffed. “Yes, and no. Yes, we talked. You are a very

worldly man. We would discuss so many things, historically,
culturally…Yes, we did have long conversations like that. But
nothing about your personal life. You would talk about history and
stuff like that, and I would listen.”

Vincent took the napkin he just wiped his lips on and threw it on

his plate suddenly, no longer feeling hungry. “Great, then I was self-

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centered, too, doing all the talking and never letting you get a word in
edgewise. What type of loser was I?”

Jacob frowned. “Don’t go jumping to conclusions, Vincent. I

never said that. No, it wasn’t like that at all. I asked you questions. I
wanted to hear what you had to say about the world, history,
everything. You taught me so much. I loved to spend hours just
talking to you about these things and hearing and seeing the world,
the new and the old, through your eyes.”

“You did?” Vincent’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yes, very much so.” Jacob laughed as his eyes seemed to be

staring at something far away. “I used to always joke that you were a
time traveler.”

“A time traveler? Why?”
“Because when you talked to me, told me about all that stuff that

happened elsewhere in the past, it felt like you actually had
experienced it yourself.”

Vincent was at a loss for words other than to say, “Really?”
“Yeah,” Jacob replied, looking like he was a million miles away,

as if he were remembering a specific incident that happened between
them like this one.

Coaxing him, Vincent said, “Then there was more to us than what

I thought?”

His words seemed to jolt Jacob out of his fond memories. He took

a deep breath and looked at his plate, twirling his fork in the
fettuccine strands. “That’s what I thought, but I was wrong.”

Vincent’s heart felt so heavy looking at the hurt in Jacob’s eyes.

All he wanted to do was hold him, kiss him, and try to erase all the
wrongs he did. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hold him, or kiss him, no
matter how much he longed to touch Jacob’s full, soft lips with his
own. But he could try to erase or, rather, fix all the wrongs he did to
this wonderful man.

Placing his hand over Jacob’s that rested on the table, he waited

until Jacob’s gaze met his to say, “I’m really sorry that I hurt you like

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37

this. I could see it in your eyes. I was a monster. You didn’t deserve
what I did to you. And I want to make it up to you now.”

Jacob took a deep breath and stared into his eyes, not speaking.

His gaze captivated Vincent, and he could feel the connection they
had, what he felt for this man. It was a mystery to him. Perhaps the
moment his hand touched Jacob’s had awakened something in him.
But the emotions now brewing in Vincent compelled him and
dominated his mind and body.

Then words started deep in Vincent’s heart and flowed upward to

his vocal cords. When he opened his mouth, his heart spoke for him,
“Jacob, I’m starting to feel something for you. I honestly don’t know
what it is. Is it part of something I don’t remember, or is it something
new that started since we met again? I can’t tell. All I know is that
from the moment I saw you in the hospital, I felt it. It draws me to
you like a moth to a light. And I want to get to know you again, get
closer to you. See what these new feelings mean.”

* * * *

Jacob couldn’t believe it. He was shocked, and baffled. This

couldn’t be Vincent. The Vincent who broke his heart, who was as
cold as ice.

As he stared deep into Vincent’s green eyes, he almost lost

himself in their depths. He could see Vincent’s approach, and he
knew what his rational self should do. Move away. Don’t let Vincent
touch him. But the same feelings Vincent just described he was
experiencing had begun to affect Jacob, as well. He wanted to get
closer to Vincent. To touch him. Jacob’s lips tingled and throbbed for
attention. They longed to feel Vincent’s lips on them.

As if sensing Jacob’s desires, Vincent slowly moved in to kiss

him. Jacob opened his mouth to welcome his lips, and him.

Vincent’s lips first just made contact, which caused Jacob to lose

his breath. After that his tongue slipped into Jacob’s mouth and

38 Jessica

Frost

probed gently then hungrily for more. And as he did this, Jacob’s
sexual hunger intensified. He leaned in farther and wrapped his hand
around Vincent’s neck. Slowly so as not to hurt his injured arm, he
pulled him in closer and slipped his tongue deeper inside. His hands
began to roam up and down Vincent’s back, feeling his muscular,
toned body through his dress shirt. Jacob’s body shook with passion,
and his cock twitched and stiffened in pleasurable arousal when
Vincent’s tongue slipped down and licked his neck.

Things were spiraling to lustful hell, and Jacob was its willing

participant. His body needed this, needed Vincent now. But as
Vincent’s recent proclamation came back to his thoughts when
Vincent began to nibble his ear, another voice slowly became louder
in the back of Jacob’s mind, as well.

It was Vincent’s voice on the phone from six months ago. The one

that said he didn’t love Jacob and that he wanted nothing from him,
only the sex, and that now that was done, too.

That voice soon silenced Vincent’s recent words and the sexual

passion boiling between them suddenly became ice cold to Jacob.

He pushed Vincent away as he finally got a grasp on reality once

again. He had broken Vincent’s spell. Getting up from the table, he
said, “No, this stops now. What was between us is long gone. We can
never go back.”

“Why?” Vincent said, panting, obviously trying to calm his raging

heart.

“Because you have amnesia, remember?” He purposely used

Vincent’s exact words he used earlier.

“What’s that got to do with what was just happening between us?”
“Everything!”
“Everything?”
“Yes! You’re letting what you feel physically muddle your mind.”
Vincent shook his head. “No, no. It isn’t just physical, Jacob! I

know it’s something more. I can’t explain it, but I feel it deep in my
heart.”

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39

Jacob wanted so badly to believe those words, to believe in

Vincent once again. He wanted Vincent to learn to love him as he
loved Vincent. The truth shocked Jacob, like a powerful slap on the
face. It took his emotions resurfacing now to realize he never stopped
loving Vincent.

But that revelation meant nothing. Because nothing had changed,

except Vincent had amnesia and now a serial killer was trying to kill
him.

Looking away and walking hurriedly to his room, Jacob said loud

so Vincent could hear, “I can’t deal with this, or you, right now.”

As he opened his door, he added, “If you need anything, I’ll be in

my room working on the case.”

He slipped into his room and didn’t chance looking at Vincent

before closing the door. He feared that if he looked once again into
Vincent’s green eyes, he’d lose his resolve and crumble to the ground,
becoming putty in Vincent’s hands once again.

40 Jessica

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Chapter 7

The scream came out of nowhere and woke Jacob with a start. He

lifted his head just as needle-sharp pain shot through his stiff neck.
What happened?

Wiping the drool off his face, he squinted as the light beaming off

his monitor screen hurt his eyes. He had dozed off, obviously, and
was dreaming he heard a scream.

As his eyes adjusted to the strong light, he soon was able to focus

on the time displayed in the right-hand corner of the screen. It was
2:43 in the morning. He had been sleeping for six hours on his desk.
No wonder his neck felt like it would break any second.

He closed the Interpol Intel page that listed murder victims whose

autopsy results showed similarities to the ones involved in The
Cleansing Killings happening here that included not only other cities
in the States but in Canada and Europe, too. Some articles he found
dated as far back as a decade ago. The thought that those killings and
these were related had crossed his mind last night, as it had since he
first started investigating the murders. But in those cases, a suspect
had been apprehended, faced a trial, and sentenced either to death or
life in prison, depending on the state’s or country’s criminal laws.

No, those cases and this one couldn’t possibly be related, except

that maybe their killer was a copycat. It was more likely than not that
the killer had seen an article or movie based on one of those cited
cases and decided to copy his serial killings on them. The reason why
he chose The Cleansing Killings as a name for his sick massacres was
yet to be revealed. Jacob guessed he was some lunatic who saw the
world as a haven for evil, Satan’s reign, and wanted to cleanse the

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41

world of this evil. Only the killer was sicker, more twisted, and evil
than anyone else in this world.

Just after Jacob closed his laptop, he stood up and walked over to

his bed. He undressed, leaving on only his boxer briefs, and quickly
slipped under the cool bedsheet. He sighed. This was much better than
the hard desk and uncomfortable chair. He placed his hands behind
his head and stared at the dark ceiling for a second before closing his
eyes, hoping to get back to sleep and some much-needed rest.

It didn’t take him long to feel the sandman’s dust flutter over his

eyes and his mind ebb him closer to dreamland. But just before he
fully slipped back to sleep, another scream, barely audible, cracked
the silent barrier of the night. It was faint but just enough to break the
sleep cycle completely.

Fully awake, he bolted to a sitting position and turned to his

nightstand’s drawer and the metal box that housed his gun. He always
took off his holster when he came home at night, placing his firearm
in its locked safety box.

A minute later, with his gun held in both hands in front of him, he

made his way to the door. He opened it slowly and stepped to the side
as he swung it open. If there was a perpetrator standing there, he
wouldn’t be able to shoot him at this angle. When he heard no
movement and saw no one in the corridor, he peeked out, looking to
the right. The corridor lay vacant. All he saw was the dim light
coming into the living room at the end of the hallway. The streetlight
outside was right in front of the living room window, and even though
he shut the blinds every night, the strong light still permeated through
the opaque blinds to lighten the room.

Jacob turned to look to his left. The door at the end of the corridor

where Vincent was sleeping was completely open. He could only see
Vincent’s foot on the edge of the bed thrashing from side to side. He
sprinted as fast as he could, holding his firearm high, ready to shoot
whoever was attacking Vincent. But a second later, when a naked
Vincent and the bed came fully into his view, he realized Vincent was

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alone, sleeping. A nightmare apparently caused his scream and erratic
movements right now.

Placing the gun on the corner of the nightstand, Jacob slowly

touched his hand. “Vincent…” he said softly.

It didn’t work. Raising his voice, he continued, “Vincent, wake

up. You’re having a nightmare.”

Vincent opened his eyes, stared blankly at Jacob. Then a few

seconds after that, without warning, Vincent sat up and grabbed Jacob
around his arms, crushing him against him as he rolled them both to
the floor. He tried to pin Jacob down with unbelievable strength. But
Jacob’s police training made him fast and alert. He quickly reacted to
the assault. He was able to easily twist out of Vincent’s grasp before
Vincent could restrain him. Flipping his leg over Vincent’s body,
Jacob straddled him, holding him down with the weight of his body.
He pinned Vincent’s arms down on the ground above his head.

So many questions swarmed in on him as he stared at Vincent’s

face, which he could now see a little clearer thanks to the light
coming from the other end of the hallway.

And the one question that obsessed him the most was when did

Vincent get so strong?

* * * *

What the hell? Vincent cursed as he stared into Jacob’s face.
A minute or so ago he was dreaming he was in an alley with dead

bodies lying around him. A caped monster chased him, screaming he
couldn’t escape, it would catch Vincent. Then the monster
disappeared from behind him and reappeared out of thin air the next
instant in front of him. It grabbed him in a tight bear hug, not
allowing him to breathe. The monster’s sharp fangs pierced its red
gums, pushing through until they protruded a good two inches. With
its gums now bleeding and its fangs ready to sink into his flesh, the
creature bent its head down to bite Vincent’s neck. Blood dripped

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43

onto Vincent’s neck, making him freeze in utter panic. He began to
fight back and that was when the pain came.

Now he lay on the floor next to a bed, with Jacob sitting on him,

holding him down.

Jacob was screaming, “What’s wrong with you, Vincent?”
Vincent closed his eyes, shook his head, and reopened them again

to make sure he was now awake, that in fact it had been a dream and
now it was over. Yet why did he feel so weird and what was Jacob
doing on him?

Slowly his senses started to clear, and he remembered he was in

Jacob’s apartment and had been sleeping in the guest bedroom.
Vincent looked over his head to see Jacob held his wrists pinned to
the floor. “What happened?” he asked him.

Jacob didn’t move but said, “That’s what I’d like to know. I heard

a scream and came to investigate. When I saw you were having a
nightmare and thrashing about, I decided I should wake you from it.
That’s when you attacked me!”

Vincent half laughed. “I attacked you?”
“Yes, you did.” Jacob’s eyes were serious.
Now understanding what happened, he couldn’t help but make

light of the funny and compromising situation. And besides that,
staring into Jacob’s eyes and having him sitting on Vincent’s pelvis
was giving him a hard-on. Jacob looked just too cute and too serious.

Giving him a sideways grin, Vincent said, “If I attacked you, then

why are you on me, instead of the other way around?”

Jacob let go of his wrists. “I’m sorry. I…” He began to move off

of him, when Vincent stopped him. He didn’t want him to get up. The
attraction pulling him to Jacob obsessed him.

Vincent grabbed his hand, desperately trying to stall Jacob’s

retreat, and asked, “Is this how we used to play before making love?”

Jacob didn’t speak, just stared into his eyes transfixed for a

second, and Vincent swore Jacob’s defensive wall had started to

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crumble when his stare became a hungry, sexual look. But a second
after that, Jacob broke the trance and got up.

He offered his hand to Vincent, who took it, pulling himself up.

But Vincent didn’t let go of it. “Why do you always pull away? Do I
scare you that much?” he asked.

Jacob frowned. He opened his mouth to say something but

stopped and stared with a look of bewilderment at Vincent’s hand
holding him. “How can you do that? Isn’t it hurting you?”

Vincent let go and lifted his arm. “What the…?” He blinked as he

moved it up and down and around. No pain, no tension where the
stitches had been. It felt as good as new.

He started to pull off the bandages, when Jacob stopped him.

“Don’t. You’ll open the wound and it’ll bleed again.”

But Vincent didn’t care. Curiosity compelled him to look, just like

it compelled bystanders or passersby to stare at the debris, the injured
victims, and the blood at the scene of accidents.

He peeled off the bandage, pulling his arm hair, too, but it barely

made him flinch.

And as he surmised, the cut had healed. No mark. No scar. Not

even the stitches remained.

The doctor had said he would remove the stitches in ten days.

Where did they go? Did they come off? Looking at the bandages he
removed, he saw no suture stuck to it. Were they dissolving sutures?

He rubbed the skin and Jacob stopped him. “What are you

doing?”

He obviously hadn’t seen the healed wound until now, when he

stared at his arm in awe.

“It healed so quickly?” he asked, his mouth falling open.
Not knowing what to answer, Vincent said, “So it appears.”
Jacob stared at his face and bandaged forehead. “Your eye isn’t

bloodshot anymore. What about your head? How does that feel?”

Vincent had completely forgotten about that. He touched it

through the gauze and felt nothing. “It doesn’t hurt.”

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45

Jacob touched it with hesitant hands. “Do you at least feel this?

Does it hurt?”

Jacob’s gentle touch made Vincent smile. “No, not at all. It feels

good actually.”

Jacob laughed and looked at Vincent’s chest. His intense gaze

soon traveled downward. Vincent and his cock reacted. “Like what
you see?” he asked, egging him on. The sexual tension between them
was on fire. Vincent was on fire, and he could sense the same desires
flamed in Jacob, too. Why couldn’t Jacob just give in to them, to
Vincent, and they could take it from there?

Jacob broke his fixed stare, and walked to the chair where Vincent

had folded his clothes. He came back with his underwear. “Will you
put these on?”

Vincent wagged his finger at him. “Only if you say please.”
Jacob smirked. “Please.”
Vincent’s brow lifted. “Well, since you put it nicely…” He began

to slip on his tight briefs but couldn’t help checking Jacob out.
Obviously, he wasn’t the only one finding his underwear really
constricting right now. The head of Jacob’s erect cock was playing
peek-a-boo with him.

Vincent was dying to play peek-a-boo with it, too. Twirling

around to face Jacob when he was done, he asked, “So do I now
please you?” He purposely used the flirty play on words hoping to
push Jacob over the edge. He’d try anything right about now if it
meant he could win the “hard to get” hunk standing before him.

He walked closer to him, and being of the same height as Jacob,

he stared straight into his eyes. Vincent played his charms to the hilt.
No holds barred where seducing Jacob was concerned. The window
of opportunity opened when Prince Charming came to his rescue
minutes ago. And he would not waste a second of it.

In a low, sensual tone, Vincent asked, “Would you mind removing

them to see how it looks?”

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Jacob grinned widely and, with a lifted brow, looked at Vincent’s

underwear, then at his head. “I don’t mind removing the bandages.”

Vincent couldn’t help laughing. “Now I know why I fell for you.”
Jacob squinted. “Like I told you before, you never fell for me.”
Not for one second did Vincent believe it was even possible. The

feeling bubbling deep inside of his heart could not be a lie or an
illusion. He did start to have feelings for Jacob. But how could he
convince Jacob of this?

Sighing, Vincent replied, “So you’ve told me.”
Jacob remained silent, staring into Vincent’s eyes, and Vincent

stared back. Maybe, just maybe if Jacob looked deep enough, he
would finally see the truth.

What seemed like a minute after that, Jacob started to remove the

bandages in a slow and hesitant motion. “Please tell me if I’m hurting
you.”

Vincent nodded, looking deep into Jacob’s eyes. The color had

darkened. The cerulean blue in them had Vincent thinking of a dark
blue sky the night of a full moon. The moon’s bright light
illuminating the sky and the stars for all to behold the world’s beauty
in awe. Jacob’s beautiful eyes had the same effect on Vincent. The
specks of golden moonlight floating in Jacob’s cerulean-sky-blue eyes
were one of God’s masterpieces, no doubt.

The adhesive on the surgical tape holding the dressing tugged at

Vincent’s skin as Jacob slowly pulled at it. “Sorry, I’m trying to do
this as gently as I can.”

“Don’t worry. Just pull it off in one shot. It doesn’t hurt at all.”
Jacob snorted. “I doubt that very much. The bump and wound

were nast—” He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, his eyes widened
and his mouth gaped open.

Vincent asked, “Is it that bad?”
Holding the now-removed bandages, Jacob pointed to the vanity

mirror on the bureau in the room. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

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47

Vincent turned around and quickly made his way to the mirror.

Now he understood Jacob’s expression of shock. “It’s completely
healed, too!”

Jacob came to stand behind him and asked, staring at Vincent’s

reflection, half laughing, “What exactly did the doc give you? I’d like
that miracle pill, too.”

“So would everyone else,” Vincent replied as he touched and

stretched the skin. All that remained of the injury now was a slight
pinkish blemish. “This is freakin’ amazing!”

Jacob frowned, thinking. “Yeah, too amazing for me.”
He crossed his arms and walked out of the room, heading down

the corridor.

Vincent chased after him. “Where are you going?”
“To make some calls.”
“Now! At this time!”
Jacob’s frown intensified as his brow furrowed when he picked up

the phone. “I need to get to the bottom of this now!”

If looks could kill, Vincent would have fallen down dead that very

moment. The hate and anger he saw in Jacob’s eyes had just stabbed a
big gash into his heart.

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Chapter 8

Jacob hung up the phone and raked his fingers through his hair.

“Damn.”

Vincent sat on the sofa, his fixed stare never wavering from him.

“Are you done?”

Jacob huffed. “For now.”
“So am I.” Vincent stood up and walked up to him, gave him a

sideways frown, and then walked past him, heading to the guest room.
Jacob cursed as he followed him. Once in there, Vincent picked up his
clothes resting on the chair and began to get dressed.

“What are you doing?” Jacob asked.
Vincent didn’t look at him while he continued to slip on his pants.

“What does it look like I am doing? I’m getting dressed and getting
the hell out of here.”

“Are you crazy?”
Vincent quickly turned around and put his hands out in front of

him. “No, I’m not crazy. I have amnesia.” He resumed buckling his
belt. “Anyway, I don’t stay where I’m not wanted. You made that
perfectly clear.”

Jacob opened his mouth to speak but didn’t know how to respond.

The fact was that what Vincent just said was the truth. Jacob had
spent the last half hour talking to the hospital, then his partner, Troy.

He got nowhere with any of the phone calls. Doctor Evans

couldn’t be reached on his private number he gave Jacob to explain
why Vincent’s wounds had just suddenly disappeared. And when
Jacob called the hospital to find out if Doctor Evans was on duty, the

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49

annoying nurse at the ER desk said yes, but she refused to page him
since Jacob’s news wasn’t an emergency.

The next phone call to Troy didn’t help either. Although Troy

found it fascinating the wounds had suddenly healed and agreed
something fishy was going on here, he was ticked off Jacob woke him
up in the middle of the night, or rather morning. He refused to come
over and take Vincent off Jacob’s hands. And he suggested that if
Jacob so desperately wanted to get rid of Vincent, then he should call
the captain and demand the change.

Although Jacob wanted to follow Troy’s advice, he decided it

could wait until after the captain woke up and got to work rather than
waking him from his soothing sleep and having his mood turn foul.

Now staring at Vincent, who had finished buttoning up his shirt,

he replied, “I’m not letting you leave here.”

Vincent’s brows furrowed deeply. “Why? You couldn’t wait to

get rid of me just five minutes ago. What changed?”

“Did you forget the serial killer is still out there? He can be

looking for you right this minute!”

“Don’t worry about the killer. I can take care of myself.”
“It’s my job to protect you. I’m not going to let you go out there

alone unguarded.”

Vincent shrugged. “Look, I’ll head over to the station directly

from here and tell them that I want to be under another police
officer’s protection. That way you’re off the hook and I’m still
protected from the killer.”

Jacob crossed his arms and shook his head. “No, that won’t do.”
“Why?”
“Because none of the other officers knows as much about the

serial killer as Troy and I do. Only Troy, the captain, or I can protect
you correctly. We know the killer’s complete MO, which hasn’t been
revealed to the public or the rest of the officers at the station. And so
we know what to look for if the killer is stalking you and will be
coming for you again.”

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Vincent’s eyes went wide. “You honestly think he will come after

me again?”

Jacob nodded reluctantly. He didn’t want to alarm Vincent, but if

it meant that Vincent would stay here under his protection until he
could talk to the captain, then he’d tell him his honest opinion. “Yes,
from what I see, the killer has always finished the job he’s set out to
do. We stopped him last night before he could complete what he set
out to do to you, but that only delayed him. He will come after you
again to finish it. I feel it in my gut, too.”

Vincent’s face paled as he remained quiet, staring at him. After a

moment of silence, he said, “Then why are we just standing here
waiting for him to come after me again? Why don’t we go after him?”

Jacob nodded. “That’s exactly what we are doing. Only right now,

we have no further leads to investigate. If your memory came back, or
part of it did, then perhaps we’d have an advantage and may be one
step closer to knowing who it is.”

“I wish I could remember. Anything. I’ve tried, but nothing from

last night or my past has come back to me. Except…”

A spark of hope ignited in Jacob. “Except what?”
“Except for you.”
“Me? You mean the vision you had about you and me in bed back

at the diner?”

Vincent shook his head, a serious look taking over his facial

features. “No, it’s not only the vision. I feel it deep inside me. Even
though I don’t remember what we had together, I do feel the
connection I have with you, and there are these feelings, too. They
couldn’t have just appeared now. They must have been there all
along.”

Jacob wanted so desperately to believe Vincent’s words, but his

past actions spoke louder than his present words did. Racking his
brain, he tried to make sense of all this. “Maybe you’re confusing the
physical attraction for something more.”

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51

Vincent stared deep into Jacob’s eyes and said, “No, I know it’s

more than the sexual.”

One thing was for sure, no one could stare into another person’s

eyes like this and lie without a speck of truth peeking through. No
doubt, Vincent did truly believe what he just confessed to Jacob.
Could that be? He needed to push this further.

Jacob sighed. “Then there is only one thing we can do now.”
Cupping Vincent’s face in his hands, he drew him closer to kiss

him hard on the lips.

* * * *

Sparks flew in all directions! Vincent had certainly not expected

this. What at first struck him with surprise now drowned him with
desire. Jacob’s full, hot lips on his had Vincent’s heart drumming
uncontrollably. Wrapping his arms around Jacob’s waist, he pulled
him closer. Jacob moaned in pleasure, enticing Vincent to go further,
He slipped his tongue into Jacob’s open mouth and slowly twirled his
tongue around Jacob’s.

Jacob released Vincent’s face and slid his hands to the back of his

head, one hand combing his hair in urgency while the other probed his
back, going up and down his spine and around his ass cheeks. He
pushed him closer to him and squeezed his pelvis against him.

Vincent let go of his lips and stared into Jacob’s eyes. There he

saw the same hunger that boiled in his own veins. A hunger of lust
and love. Both intertwined to create a euphoria easily at their grasp.
Would Jacob allow him to lead them straight to it? When he brought
his lips back to Jacob’s and Jacob sucked his lower lip, making his
already-aroused cock jump to full attention, he got his answer clearly.

Jacob began to push his foot backward while holding him close so

he wouldn’t fall. They made their way to the bed while Vincent tried
to unbutton his shirt. Why the hell were the buttons so big for the
holes? It seemed like an eternity before he got the first open.

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Heat rose in him like boiling water in a pot. He needed to let the

steam escape along with his desires. After having undone two buttons
on his shirt and he reached the bed, patience suddenly dissolved to
nonexistence and the wild animal in him took over. To hell with the
shirt. Jacob could lend him one of his afterward. Tearing the cursed
thing off of him, he threw it to the side.

Jacob didn’t stop his delectable attack on Vincent’s tongue with

his erratic actions. Instead, his tongue pushed deeper into his mouth
touching the palate at the back. His heavy panting and rock-hard cock
that Vincent could feel exposed over the elastic top of his tight boxer
briefs had pre-cum smearing Vincent’s hand as he touched him. The
hot cum spread chills of excited goose bumps over Vincent’s hand,
arm, and body as it cooled on his skin.

Jacob moaned on his contact and slipped his hands to Vincent’s

cock, too. Only Vincent’s damn pants blocked his advances. He began
to unbuckle his belt while Jacob undid the button and zipper of his
denim jeans. Vincent’s cock broke free when he slid his pants and
underwear downward, shimmying out of them.

He pushed down Jacob’s briefs, at the same time grabbing his ass

cheeks and squeezing them closer to him. Jacob moaned in pleasure.
Instead of throwing Vincent to the bed and having his way with him,
like Vincent anticipated and hoped for, Jacob bent to his knees and
brought his fiery lips to Vincent’s cock.

Mercy! But the man’s mouth and tongue could bring down the

mighty army of ancient Rome. Vincent closed his eyes and let Jacob
do his magic. With each thrust he made, Jacob let him deeper down
his throat. The friction of the movements and Jacob’s pumping hand
had Vincent’s ears drumming, thanks to his speeding heartbeat. A
light perspiration formed on Vincent’s skin as his body tried to cool
the raging passions building in him, and as it chilled, it caused more
pleasure.

Back and forth he moved, pushing Jacob’s head closer to him,

thus allowing his cock to slip deeper and deeper down Jacob’s throat.

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53

He opened his eyes to see Jacob stared at him with his blue eyes and a
sexual hunger for domination. Vincent knew that Jacob controlled his
pleasures, not him. Seeing that lust in his eyes and feeling the strong
emotions bubbling deep within him was all that was needed to send
Vincent over the edge of climax. His balls tightened, and the cum
traveled up and exploded in wave after wave of pleasure into Jacob’s
mouth.

Jacob swallowed the cum and stared at Vincent with the same

intense hunger as before, making the hunger in Vincent increase
rather than diminish.

Jacob said with his intense stare never wavering, “I want to fuck

you now.”

A shiver of icy excitement climbed Vincent’s spine as his heated

body cooled and his cock became harder still. Without a word, he
continued to gaze into Jacob’s eyes, feeling the connection they
shared, not only a sexual and physical one but something even
stronger and more bonding. It made them one in some way.

He turned, closed his eyes, and placed his hands on the bed for

leverage, waiting with bated breath for Jacob to fuck him. But instead
of feeling Jacob’s heated hands or cock, he felt a cold and hard object
surround his wrists. Opening his eyes in surprise, he saw Jacob was
handcuffing his hands together.

In a deep, sexy voice, Jacob said, “You asked me before if I

preferred to be the slave or the master. The answer is both, depending
on my mood. And you…”

Vincent’s voice trembled with anticipation. “What was my

preference?”

“You like to be the master, but there were times when you wanted

to be the slave instead.”

Vincent licked his lips, imagining sexual positions. “Mmm, like

now.”

“Yeah, like now. You also used to like to be cuffed when I fucked

you from the back.”

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Vincent’s cock jerked in response and he moaned, “I still like it.”
He looked over his right shoulder in order to gaze into Jacob’s

eyes once more but couldn’t see him from his position. He started to
turn to his right to see if he was on this side and that was when Jacob
placed something over his eyes. “You always wanted to be
blindfolded, too.”

Vincent bit his lower lip before smiling, imagining them making

love like this. Being Jacob’s submissive and experiencing every
pleasurable sensation with his other senses rather than his sight. Oh,
he almost came with the thought.

His heart jumped to his throat, and he practically fell onto the bed

in shock when the whipping came. “And this was your favorite,”
Jacob said, rubbing Vincent’s ass cheek he just whipped.

Something cold and wet spread on his ass. Vincent surmised it

was some sort of lubricant. Goose pimples formed as the coolness of
the liquid moved under Jacob’s ministrations. After that, something
slippery, hard, and long touched Vincent’s asshole, making him take a
deep breath and remain still. All he could hear was his own panting
and raging heart. Jacob slid the cool and wet object slowly into his
hole and slipped it out. Smack! came next and Vincent moaned in
pleasure.

Guessing from the feel of it, it was some sort of dildo Jacob used.

Vincent remained motionless, absorbing his every move and the feel
of the cool object. Each time he slid the dildo in, the whipping would
follow. And Vincent’s cock got bigger and harder until he felt he
would explode.

In a husky voice, Vincent said, “Please come in me.”
The leather strings tickled his skin, going back and forth and up

and down, caressing his ass and lower back.

“What did you say?” Jacob asked.
“I want you to cum in me.”
The whip came down hard on his right cheek. His skin stung and

throbbed. Vincent moaned, licking his lips, “Oh yes.”

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“Repeat that.”
“I want you to fuck me.”
The whip hit his cheeks again. “Are you ordering me?”
Vincent was about to peak. His body’s lustful demands clouded

his mind and made him slow to grasp things, but finally he understood
where Jacob was leading him. “No, Master. I am begging.”

The cool leather strings caressed his hot right ass cheek as Jacob’s

hot lips and mouth sucked his left cheek. Vincent moaned in pleasure,
taking deep breaths to calm his crazed body.

Jacob stopped what he was doing, making Vincent whimper in

disappointment. Jacob then said, “Beg louder.”

Vincent moaned and said in a deep, wanton voice, “Please,

Master, I want you to fuck me. Fuck me hard!”

Those were the magic words Jacob had obviously been waiting

for, because he then slipped his hard and long cock deep into
Vincent’s ass. With all the naughty foreplay Jacob spoiled him with,
and the lubricant, Vincent was wet and ready for him.

Jacob didn’t waste a minute longer as he pumped in and out of

Vincent, groaning and holding his hips close to his pelvis.

Vincent could barely hold himself up as his legs became weak

with need of release. He followed Jacob’s thrust with his own, and
soon they moved in sync to each other’s demands and desires.

A few moments later as Vincent felt his climax mounting, Jacob

slid a quick thrust deep into him and groaned in ecstasy. Vincent
came seconds later. And with the flowing pleasure something
completely unexpected formed in Vincent’s mind’s eye.

Behind his blindfold in the darkness of his mind, he saw the

monster of his earlier nightmare and a lifeless body in a dark alley.
Blood poured out of the body’s chest as the assailant stabbed the man
hard and deep with a serrated machete. The ominous figure turned to
gaze at him, and Vincent saw his ghostly face and then a sharp pain
shot through Vincent’s brain.

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He held his breath waiting for the pain to go away and that was

when the images began to scroll through his mind, like a movie reel
playing an old black-and-white film. From the moving pictures
Vincent saw, he could make out a story. A story of his life. He was
starting to remember!

He shouted, gulping, “I think I know who tried to kill me!”

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Chapter 9

“Here you go. Freshly brewed just for you.” Jacob smiled, hoping

to break the tension.

“Thanks.” Vincent took the proffered cup and held it before his

lips but didn’t take a sip.

The scrambled eggs Jacob made Vincent moments ago remained

untouched. He pointed to the plate. “You need to eat. Keep your
strength up.”

Vincent gazed at the plate, placed the cup of coffee on the side,

and took a forkful of eggs. After munching and swallowing, he said,
“They’re very good.” But once he ate the second forkful, he pushed
the plate aside. “Sorry, I’m just not hungry.”

Jacob sat facing him at the table and stared at him over the rim of

his cup for a few moments. It seemed to Jacob the fear and worry
etched on Vincent’s face had gotten worse in the last fifteen minutes.

In the past, after their lovemaking, they would lie in bed in each

other’s arms and talk, but they didn’t do that this time. The sex had
been amazing, better than ever, and they connected in a way they
never did before. Jacob thought they would keep connecting and
growing closer, but that connection instantly broke the moment
Vincent said he thought he knew who the killer was.

Since then, Vincent had retreated into his own cocoon, being quiet

as a mouse.

Vincent glanced up at Jacob now. “What’s that look mean?”
“I can help, you know,” Jacob said, huffing.
Vincent smiled. “You are helping me, Jacob. You made this

breakfast and coffee and…”

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“No, I can help you get through whatever you’re feeling.”
Vincent frowned. “What I’m feeling. How can you if you can’t

understand it?”

“If you explain things, I can, and then I can help you,” Jacob said

with sympathetic eyes.

Vincent smiled. “Thank you, but right now what I need is to

identify the killer. Then I can deal with the rest.”

“The rest? Did you remember more? More things about your

life?” Jacob frowned.

Vincent opened his mouth to speak, and then froze, as if he were

deep in thought. Then he said, “Let’s take this one step at a time,
okay? Right now, let’s deal with this killer issue and then we’ll
discuss the rest as it becomes clearer to me.”

Jacob pushed to the edge of his chair. “So you did begin to

remember more things.”

Vincent nodded. “Yes, but everything is still foggy.”
“Well, tell me what you remembered and maybe I can help you

piece things together.”

Vincent shook his head. “You yourself said I kept my private life

to myself. You didn’t know much about me. How can you piece
together what I’m remembering?”

Vincent had a point, but Jacob hated being unable to do

something. The stress Vincent was under came through loud and clear
in his behavior and expression. He wanted to do something to help
Vincent. “But there’s a chance I could help.”

“No, I doubt it.” Vincent shook his head, shuddering. “Anyway,

the memories weren’t good.”

Jacob squinted. “Not good in what sense?”
Vincent laughed and cocked his brow. “Like in against the law.”
Jacob’s mouth opened in shock. “What?” Vincent’s smile never

broke. “You’re kidding, right?”

Before Vincent could answer, the doorbell rang. Jacob jumped to

his feet. “Finally, that’s Troy.”

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59

Vincent followed on Jacob’s heel as they headed to the front door,

Vincent still being quiet as a mouse. Jacob couldn’t help but wonder
if Vincent was pulling his leg before when he said he did things
against the law, or was he saying the truth? If it was the truth, then
that would explain why he was so secretive about his private life all
the time they had been together. He didn’t want Jacob finding out
about his seedy secret life.

Jacob rubbed his stiff neck as he twisted the doorknob, wondering

if when Vincent remembered everything and they caught the serial
killer would he also be arresting Vincent for his past crimes.

As the door swung open, Troy turned to face Jacob with a smile.

“Are you glad to see me?”

Jacob rolled his eyes. “I would have been gladder to see you an

hour ago. But better late than never.”

Troy frowned as he walked in. “And here I thought I would get a

thank-you for doing you this favor.” He stared at Vincent and
extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Troy Adams.”

Vincent smiled back, shaking his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I

guess you know who I am.”

Troy smiled. “Yup, Vincent Brewster. It’s nice to meet you, too.

Unfortunately, it isn’t under the best of circumstances.”

Jacob closed the door. “No, not the best of circumstances at all.”
Troy asked, looking at Jacob then at Vincent, “Since Jacob’s call,

have you remembered more of the night of the attack?”

“No…”
Jacob added, “But he has remembered other things about his life,

his past. His memory seems to be coming back.”

He motioned with his hand to the living room couch. “Let’s all

have a seat and we can talk about this some more.”

Vincent argued, “I thought we were going to go through mug

shots? Didn’t you say that’s what you asked Troy to bring over here
today?”

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“It’s an FBI facial recognition database.” Jacob turned to Troy.

“Did the captain give you the file and access code?”

“Yeah, got it right here in this laptop.” Troy swung a briefcase

back and forth.

Jacob got up. “Great. I’ll get some paper and we can start

searching.”

Troy lifted his finger. “Ah, wait a second. There’s been a change

of plans.”

Jacob crossed his arms and frowned. “Change of plans? What

change of plans?”

“The captain wants you to do some paperwork at the station,”

Troy said as he placed the laptop on the cherrywood coffee table.

Jacob shook his head. “Paperwork at the station. What? Didn’t he

want me to stay here and protect Vincent?”

Troy gave him a sideways glance as if he was delusional. “Uh,

hello. Didn’t you tell me earlier today—at two something in the
freakin’ morning—that you wanted me to take over?”

Jacob nodded. “Yeah, but then you said that I’d have to talk to the

captain if I still wanted the change made. Which I didn’t.”

Troy lifted his hands up in the air. “Well, that’s not my problem,

bro. I’m not Houdini and I can’t read minds. I went with what you
told me early this morning. So when I went to the precinct and spoke
to the captain, I told him what you requested.”

“And what did he say?”
“That we switch places. I stay here and protect the witness and

you go on over to the station and finish some paperwork and reports
he wants you to complete.”

Jacob huffed. “Great. That’s just great.”
Vincent was silent during the whole time. Jacob observed him as

he sat on the armchair facing him, the faraway expression in his eyes
and his paleness a telltale sign he hadn’t paid attention to their
conversation. Something was happening in Vincent’s head and it

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61

stressed him. Was he remembering more details about the killer,
about his life?

“Vincent,” Jacob said in a low voice so as not to frighten him

further. Vincent didn’t seem to hear him, so he said his name louder.
“Vincent.”

This time Vincent shook his head left to right, as if breaking the

trance he fell under. “Sorry, what?”

“I have to go to the station for now. Troy will stay here with you

and you can go through the FBI file together.” Jacob tried to use a
calm tone even though he raged inside. The last thing he wanted to do
was leave Vincent when he looked so vulnerable. But he had no one
else to blame but himself. If he hadn’t been so gung ho of getting as
far away from Vincent as he could when he saw the wounds had
miraculously and completely healed, then none of this would have
happened. He had started to panic when strong emotions threatened to
surface again. He feared he wouldn’t be able to contain them. This
unbelievably puissant attraction he and Vincent shared, plus those
feelings just overwhelmed him. He couldn’t handle all of it
bombarding him like it did. But instead of calming down and taking
the time to listen to Vincent and believe him when he said he had no
idea why he healed so quickly, Jacob pushed away. He pushed those
feelings away and he pushed Vincent away.

But pushing away the attraction, the connection, was futile.

Because it won out in the end and with it came the emotions flooding
him. His love for Vincent was not only present and strong, it was
stronger than before. It ran deeper and wider than ever.

Now all he wanted to do was hold Vincent close and protect him.

And help him through this trying time as best he could. A pretty
impossible feat considering he’d be miles away in a little while.
Damn, he needed to fix the wrong he did.

“But I’ll be back soon,” he said to reassure Vincent, and himself.
“You’re going to go against the captain’s orders?” Troy’s brows

furrowed.

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“No, I’m just going to ask him if we can switch places again. You

work at the station on the case and I work from here and protect
Vincent. I can do the work here and complete the reports, too.”

Troy waved his hand in the air. “It’s your funeral, bro. You know

the captain hates complications. He likes things to run smoothly with
the least hassles as possible. He doesn’t like headaches and he likes
the person giving him the headaches even less.”

Jacob shook his head. “No, he’ll understand. I’ll make him

understand.”

“Well, you’ll have to wait awhile before you can talk to him.”
“Why?” Jacob asked, baffled.
“Because he left right before I did. He said he had a big meeting

with the police commissioner. He might even be gone the rest of the
day. Maybe he’ll be back only tomorrow morning.”

From the corner of his eye, Jacob saw Vincent fidget upon hearing

Troy’s words.

To reassure him, he responded, “Well, then I’ll finish the

paperwork and reports the captain wants completed as fast as I can
and come back here.”

He got up and walked to his room to get his keys and wallet. The

sooner he got to the station, the sooner he’d return here. When he
came back out, he had his jacket on.

Smiling, he said as he opened the door to leave, “It’ll take you

some time to go through the FBI files. I’ll probably be back before
you’re done. In the meanwhile, you’re in good hands, Vincent. Troy
is one of the best cops I know.” He glanced at Troy and added, “Other
than myself of course.”

Troy rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, your highness. Tick-tock. Tick-

tock,” he said, tapping his wristwatch. “You ain’t getting anything
done just standing there yapping.”

He nodded. “Okay, okay. I’m outta here.”

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63

He closed the door behind him but couldn’t help noticing right

before the door shut completely that Vincent looked like a deer
staring into a car’s incoming headlights.

64 Jessica

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Chapter 10

Vincent needed to get the hell out of there before something bad

happened, to him or to Troy. Just minutes ago when Jacob and Troy
were talking, Vincent barely registered what they discussed. Even
when Jacob spoke directly to him, he heard only bits and pieces of it.
The ringing in his ears made it almost impossible to make any sense
of his words. His eardrums seemed like they’d explode. But worse
than that, he feared he might spontaneously self-combust. Fire spread
over his skin like a wildfire raging in a dense forest in the smoldering
heat and sun.

Because the pain was so intense, when Jacob or Troy weren’t

looking, he checked twice, making sure no boils had formed on his
arms where the sunshine peeking through the living room window
beamed on him. His skin appeared normal, but he hardly felt normal.
A pressure formed inside him, getting more consuming and agonizing
by the minute.

Thank God Jacob left when he did. Vincent couldn’t understand

why, but he had a funny feeling that whatever was happening to him
was just the tip of the iceberg and would only get worse as time
passed. He needed to be alone to deal with it as it progressed.

As the door closed behind Jacob, Vincent said, “Excuse me for a

second. I need to use the washroom.”

He darted into the bathroom, not waiting for Troy’s response,

which he heard come a few seconds after that right before he closed
the bathroom door. “Not a problem. Take your time. I’ll set up the
software so we can start using the FBI file once you’re ready.”

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65

He leaned on the door and slid downward onto the green tiled

floor. “What is happening to me?” He raked his fingers through his
damp hair and closed his eyes. Fireworks exploded behind his closed
eyelids, making his anxiety mount. Not a second went by that he
didn’t think it was his end. If this wasn’t how one felt before dying,
he didn’t know what it was.

Could it be he encroached on death’s door? He certainly didn’t

feel invited, nor did he want to visit.

Slowly getting to his feet, he leaned on the counter’s sink and

stared into the mirror. Flabbergasted, he stared at his reflection.
Normal. Other than his sweaty skin and damp hair, he looked normal,
like he was experiencing nothing life threatening. Could it be
psychosomatic, all in his head?

He took a deep breath and turned on the cold water faucet.

Splashing the ice-cold water on his face, he sighed. The
insurmountable heat stopped instantly and his skin and body began to
cool. A few minutes later, his heartbeat slowed to normal and his
panting ended.

With welcomed relief, he undressed. A super long cold shower

would be the final stage to recovery.

Whatever he experienced, real or imagined, had scared the crap

out of him. He prayed it would never come back. He didn’t know if
he’d be lucky enough to survive it again.

* * * *

Almost half an hour passed when Vincent finally came out of the

bathroom. He shivered as his body temperature began to rise and he
slowly became accustomed to the warmer apartment. Thanks to his
ice-cold, long shower, the bathroom had turned almost into a veritable
igloo.

As Jacob walked into the living room, he expected to see Troy

sitting on the desk table going through mug shots on the laptop he

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brought with him. But to his surprise, the living room lay vacant. He
journeyed to the kitchen and then Jacob’s room and finally the guest
room, but the apartment was completely empty.

“Where the hell did he go?” He walked back into the living room

and slumped onto the sofa. He laid his head back, spread his arms out
on the top of the soft chocolate-brown suede sofa, and closed his eyes,
relaxing. It felt good to be back to normal again.

Just then he heard a low humming and realized it was someone

talking. But where? Lifting his head and turning his head to the right
and then the left side, he deciphered the sound came from the hallway
outside. He quietly and slowly got up and snuck to the door, making
sure his footsteps could not be heard outside. He placed his ear to the
door and closed his eyes to listen. He recognized the voice. It was
Troy and from what Vincent could surmise, he spoke to someone on
his cell phone.

“Yeah, Jacob left half an hour ago. He’ll be gone all day. And I

just made sure the area is clear. It’s safe now, but I can’t promise you
for how long.”

A moment of silence, then he heard, “Good, I’ll be waiting.”
Footsteps approached the door and Vincent panicked. He ran to

the bathroom and closed the door behind him. The floorboards under
his feet as he scurried away made creaks and cracking sounds. To
him, they sounded as loud as a police siren, but he prayed they
couldn’t be heard from outside.

When the door opened, soft footsteps sounded and he guessed

Troy walked into the living room and sat down. Then silence came
again. Taking a deep sigh, he let his nerves and raging heartbeat calm
down. Obviously none the wiser, Troy hadn’t registered Vincent’s
crazed, frantic run.

Who had Troy been talking to? Could it have been the captain

calling in to make sure Vincent was fine and that Jacob had gone into
the station? Somehow, from the bits and pieces he had heard of Jacob
and Troy’s conversation earlier, he doubted it. But then who could he

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67

have been talking to? Was there another detective assigned to these
serial murders? If yes, then why did he place the call outside the
apartment and not inside?

Somehow and someway, an alarm of peril sounded off in

Vincent’s head. Why? He didn’t know. But things didn’t quite add up
where Troy’s mysterious phone call was concerned. Now the
questions that rolled over in Vincent’s mind involved getting to the
bottom of this enigma without drawing attention to his approach.

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Chapter 11

Jacob cursed and rubbed his sore neck as he stared at the pile of

paperwork he needed to go through. Damn! So much for his plans on
finishing up quickly and getting back to his apartment and Vincent.
By the time he finished here, the year would have ended.

After a little more than an hour, he had only made a small dent in

the list. And it got harder by the minute to go faster as his mind kept
trailing off to Vincent. Was he okay? Did he feel at ease and safe with
Troy?

Jacob tried to reassure him before he left, but the worry and panic

in Vincent’s eyes when he closed the door told Jacob his words fell on
deaf ears.

As Jacob signed the report from last week Troy had left on his

desk, he wondered what his and Vincent’s sexual experience now
meant for their relationship. Was it a one-night stand sort of thing
where once this serial killer was found and Vincent’s memory
returned fully, he’d disappear in the thick of night like he did months
ago? Or did it mean that Vincent had changed and that the sex and
loving they shared in the wee hours of this morning were as real and
founding for Vincent as they had been for Jacob? They could wipe the
slate clean and start anew, making this a lasting and fabulous
relationship. Deep in his bones, his heart, his soul, Jacob knew and
felt that Vincent was his soul mate. Circumstances and timing had led
them astray before, but fate brought them back together for a reason.
They belonged together, forever.

Casting his daydreaming and wondering aside, he needed to focus

on his work. There was a ton of it, but if he worked hard enough, he

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69

could get the most important stuff done by around four o’clock and
maybe he could leave early then.

The captain couldn’t possibly expect him to pull an all-nighter to

get everything done today. Could he? God he hoped not.

When he checked another report, right before signing it, he

realized that Troy had forgotten to complete one of the sections. To
complete it now, Jacob needed to know exactly at what time they got
the anonymous phone call that led them to the alley and to the dead
body and to an unconscious and wounded Vincent. Normally, Troy
would log on to the secure server to check the phone call log and
complete the reports, but he wasn’t here and obviously forgot to do so
on this report. Which meant Jacob had to do it. Another thing to add
to his already-abundant list of stuff to do.

When he logged in, it took him a while to find the call log. He had

gotten rusty, it seemed. But after a few minutes, he finally found it
and scrolled down to the day and time he estimated the call came in. It
was the thirty-third line on the screen. He clicked it and found that the
phone call number had an RD3 code placed next to it. That code
meant that it was a three-time redirected number. That meant the
phone call had originated someplace else, but the caller had used a
redirecting application twice to camouflage its origins. That made no
sense. According to Troy, the phone call had been local as had the
other two phone calls they had before this, letting the police know a
killing was about to happen. Clicking on the column of the RD3 code,
Jacob realized the phone call had been made nowhere near Boston,
Massachusetts, but rather Orlando, Florida. From his estimates, that
meant the call was made about one thousand three hundred miles
away!

His detective’s sixth sense had him scrambling to make sense of

this. Why would an anonymous call come in from a completely
different state and from so far away at that? Jumping to his feet, he
made his way to Troy’s filing cabinet to check out the other two
reports he wrote up on the past serial killings. Jacob hated filling out

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reports. Troy always handled them, to Jacob’s relief. But now he
cursed himself for taking his partner’s work at face value and not
going through his reports with a fine-tooth comb.

That was sloppy work Troy just did. If Jacob hadn’t picked it up,

this important piece of info would have gone unnoticed. Who knows
what other important details Troy had overlooked to detail in the other
reports? And more importantly exactly where had the other two
anonymous phone calls that led to finding the serial killing bodies
truly originate from? Something told Jacob that they, too, had been
redirected calls.

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Chapter 12

Vincent needed a break desperately. Several hours had passed

since he came out of the bathroom and sat beside Troy. During that
time, they looked through the gargantuan FBI file in the laptop Troy
brought with him. Vincent recognized none of the photos so far. They
hadn’t spoken more than a couple of sentences throughout the
database search, but Troy had checked his watch a gazillion times
already. What was he waiting for?

Stretching, Vincent said, “Oh, I need a coffee break.” He got up

and walked to the kitchen. He asked aloud, “Care to have some, too?”

“Sure, I could use a cup,” Troy shouted so he could hear him.
While Vincent prepared the coffees, he wondered what he should

ask Troy. He wanted to know more about Jacob and his relationship.
How long had they known each other? More importantly, he wanted
to know why Troy seemed so nervous and who had he been talking to
in secrecy out in the corridor outside.

When he came back into the living room holding a tray filled with

coffee and cookies, he smiled. “Jacob certainly has a sweet tooth. His
cupboards were full of so many different types of cookies. I brought a
few because I didn’t know which you’d like.”

He placed the tray on the coffee table and sat on the La-Z-Boy

facing Troy so he could look straight into his eyes when he asked him
some questions. He needed to acutely observe his expressions and
reactions and try to figure things out.

Troy shook his head as he stared at the fattening selection. “No,

I’m not into sweets, thanks.”

“But Jacob is, right?”

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“I guess.” He shrugged.
“How long have you known Jacob, by the way?” Vincent took a

sip of coffee and gazed at Troy over the rim of his mug.

“About five years now. But we’ve been partners for three.”
“So you’re close, then?”
Troy tilted his head to the right and left, alternating. “So-so, I

guess. He’s a great detective. That’s for sure.” He checked his damn
watch another time.

“Really? I’m not surprised. He cares about people so much. He

has a big heart. I wish I could say as much for me.”

Troy’s eyes widened and he stared intensely at Vincent. “From

what you’re saying, it sounds to me like you’re remembering more of
your past.”

Vincent needed to probe further. He found Troy’s reaction

intriguing. But he’d need to continue to pull him along to get him
where he wanted to take him.

“Yeah, I’m remembering more…about my past.”
Troy pushed to the edge of his seat and leaned farther in as if so

he could hear Vincent’s confession more closely. “What exactly are
you remembering?”

Vincent thought about all the horrible images that had come back

to him earlier on when he and Jacob had just finished making love.
Some of them were too horrifying to believe. They were like
something you’d see happening in a supernatural horror movie. But
he wasn’t on the interrogation table, Troy was. And he resented
Troy’s attempt at getting the upper hand for control of the
conversation.

Half laughing to make light of his nightmarish memories, he said,

“Believe me, you don’t want to know.”

“But I do—” Troy’s words were interrupted by a phone call.
Checking the cell, he said, “Excuse me, I gotta take this. It’s work

related and confidential.” He got up, walked to the front door, and
stepped out into the corridor, closing the door behind him.

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73

Vincent gazed at the closed door. He wondered if he should sneak

up to eavesdrop on Troy’s phone conversation, but then he might get
caught. The minute Troy ended his call, he’d come right in. Vincent
had no time to get back to the La-Z-Boy before he opened that door.

Cursing and wishing to be a fly on the wall outside that door, he

waited for what seemed like an agonizing century. When Troy finally
came back in, he made a deep sighing sound and headed to the coffee
table.

“There’s been a change of plans. You’ll have to leave now.”
Flabbergasted, Vincent stuttered, “B–But why? It’s too dangerous.

The killer…”

Troy packed the laptop in its case and nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll

be guarding you.”

“B–But what about Jacob? He’ll be coming back soon.”
“No, he won’t. Actually, it was Jacob on the phone. There’s been

a huge crack in the case and he wants us to meet him at the station,
ASAP.”

Things were happening way too quickly for Vincent’s liking. “I

don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t explain. Jacob will tell you everything when we

get there. In the meantime, get ready. We’re leaving in a couple of
minutes.”

Vincent stood up and headed for the guest room. He quickly

gathered all his things and followed Troy out the door. His knotted
stomach gave him aches, and worry had a thousand questions
whirling in his mind.

Why did Jacob want Troy to bring Vincent down to the station?

Had he found the killer and wanted him to come down and ID him?

In utter anticipation, he got into the car and let Troy lead him to

Jacob. His questions would be answered soon enough.

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Chapter 13

The second Jacob saw the captain enter his office, he jumped to

his feet. Apparently, the captain’s meeting with the police
commissioner ended sooner than he had anticipated. Good. Finally,
Jacob’s luck had turned around. After what he just uncovered a few
minutes ago, he must take action and fast. And to do so, he needed the
captain’s permission, authority, and contacts in other precincts and the
FBI to get things rolling. Vincent’s life was in greater danger than he
thought, and they needed to act now before the risk got worse.

The past hour’s search on the calling log and then the FBI’s

search of serial killings in other states this past decade had him
theorizing that all the serial killings were related. Not with a copycat
scenario as he originally thought but rather some sort of nationwide
cult. If his theory was correct, then they were dealing with some sort
of cult that took it upon itself to supposedly cleanse the world of what
they found evil or bad. They used the name The Cleansing Killings in
Boston. In the other states, in the past, they had used The Day of
Judgment and The Purifiers and so many other words that meant the
killings were to better the world of the impure. These people in this
cult were sick, demented, and super dangerous. And now they were
after Vincent. Why?

What had Vincent done that they felt he should die for his

supposed sins? Their reasoning didn’t matter. What mattered was that
he needed Vincent here at the precinct with him so he could protect
him and work with the captain and an army of officers and the FBI to
crack this case as soon as possible.

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Knocking on Captain Forester’s open door, he noticed the

captain’s irked expression.

“Brown, this is not a good time. I have to get something done that

can’t wait.”

Jacob took a big gulp and said, “Ah, Captain, sorry to bother you,

but this can’t wait.”

Sighing deeply, the captain said as he leaned against the backrest

of his black swivel chair, “Fine, but make it quick.”

Jacob sat down and spread out all the data he had collected and

uncovered on his own in the past hour.

Captain Forester looked at the reports, frowning. “I have no time

for this. Let’s cut to the chase and give it to me short and sweet. Is
this about The Cleansing Killings case?”

“Yes, sir. I found something out when I did a back trace on the

anonymous calls. They weren’t local but forwarded more than once
from other states across the country.”

“I didn’t read that on your reports before this.”
“I know, sir. That’s ’cause I only just figured it out today.”
The captain’s voice rose as his frown deepened. “Brown, yours

and Adams’s reports said the calls were local and direct.”

“Sorry, sir, but Troy wrote that on the reports and it’s wrong.”
The red pigmentation in the captain’s neck started to spread to his

face. From past experience, Jacob knew that his blood pressure began
to rise. The shouting came next.

“Are you telling me Adams goofed on the police reports?”
“Yes, sir. And there’s more that I need to show you. I just found

this info out now.”

The captain’s eyes widened as he looked at what Jacob pointed to

on other reports on past serial killings.

He quickly picked up his phone and began to dial. Looking at

Jacob, he said, “While I place this call to the FBI, I need you to call
Adams and tell him to get his sorry ass down here ASAP to explain

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himself. And tell him to bring Brewster, too. Tell him it’s a matter of
life and death.”

* * * *

What was wrong with Troy? Since he got Jacob’s phone call, he

hadn’t stopped fidgeting. Was the situation that serious to get Vincent
to the precinct as soon as possible that he ran through two yellow
lights already? If he kept speeding and driving recklessly like this,
then they’d get into more serious problems, like an accident, or worse,
killed.

“Ah, do you mind slowing down, Troy? You’re getting me a little

nervous.” Vincent stared at Troy as he drove. He just cut off another
car that wanted to turn.

Troy shook his head. “Relax. I know what I’m doing.”
“Five minutes more or less doesn’t change anything. I’m sure

Jacob wouldn’t want you driving so dangerously.”

Troy glanced at him frowning, then refocused on the road. “What

Jacob wants doesn’t matter. I have to get you there fast.”

“Why? What did Jacob tell you on the phone that’s so serious?”
Troy huffed. “I can’t say.” He cursed. “Geez, just be quiet so I can

concentrate on driving, will ya?”

Vincent took a deep breath and tried to calm down. His nerves

mounted. He wanted to punch Troy in the face and get him to stop,
but he couldn’t do much right now but just pray they didn’t get into a
car crash.

When they passed the road to the station, Vincent pointed behind

his shoulder. “You just passed it.”

Troy didn’t look at him but rather in his rearview mirror. “Hmm,

what?”

“You just passed the station, Troy.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yeah, you did.” Vincent’s voice rose.

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Troy laughed. “You’ve got amnesia. How can you remember

where the station is anyway?”

Vincent argued, “I do remember where it is. And it’s that way!”
Troy cursed loudly and slipped his hand into his jacket, taking out

his gun. “Just shut your damn mouth and let me drive!”

Vincent’s heart jumped to his throat in his surprise. Fear spread a

cold chill down his spine and weakened his legs. Biting his lip, he
remained completely quiet and stared at Troy, waiting to see what
he’d do next.

While Troy still aimed the gun at Vincent’s chest, he drove the car

into the vacant back alley of an isolated building in the east end of the
city. He got out and quickly made his way over to the passenger’s
side. In a low tone, he said, “Get the hell out.”

“Where is this place?”
Troy slammed his fist into the hood of the car. “Will you just stop

asking questions and shut up? Get out of the car now!”

Vincent did as he had ordered and then said, “Now what?”
“We wait.”
“Wait for who…Jacob?”
Troy didn’t reply. He just continued to look around.
They waited for more than ten minutes until Vincent had enough

and asked his questions again. “Why did you bring me here? Why are
we standing around like this?”

“Because he told me to bring you here.”
“Who did, Jacob? The captain? Who?”
Troy gestured with his head for Vincent to look behind him. “He

did.”

Vincent turned in the direction Troy pointed. The shadow of a

super-tall man approached them from yards away. Fear swarmed
Vincent’s senses and his blood turned to ice while he followed the
stranger’s every move. When he got into close range, the streetlight
above shone over his head. Vincent could see the stranger’s glowing
eyes and realized he was the man in his nightmare.

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“You!” Vincent said with a shaky voice. Terror had him by the

throat. He couldn’t move or run, only remain frozen gawking in
disbelief as all his memories flooded his brain.

Now he knew without a doubt who exactly Vincent Brewster was.

His fears back at the apartment about what and who he actually might
be were founded. He was a horrible and evil monster, just like this
vile man before him.

The man didn’t respond to Vincent, but he did speak to Troy.

“You got him here just like we asked.”

“Where’s Jamie?” Troy demanded.
The giant man frowned at him. “She’s not here.”
“They promised you’d tell me where she is if I did everything

they asked,” Troy shouted.

“Go to the church. You’ll find her there,” the man said, waving

his hand in the air to rid himself of Troy.

Troy rushed to get into his car and cursed out loud. “She’d better

be there and in one piece, or else!”

Vincent stared at the man as Troy drove away. When the sound of

peeling tires faded, he said through clenched teeth, trying to tame the
monster threatening to break free deep inside him, “You play a
dangerous game, Sal. Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you now!”

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Chapter 14

Jacob’s cell phone vibrated and he almost jumped out of his skin.

Answering it, he asked, “Troy?”

“No, it’s John Firmere from Station 23.”
Jacob’s heart sunk in panic when he realized who it was. He knew

the reason for John’s phone call. It had to do with the APB the captain
issued minutes after they found out Troy was no longer at Jacob’s
apartment and that he and Vincent were missing.

Taking a deep breath, he feared the news John had to tell him

would be bad. “Yeah, John, do you have anything for us?”

“Yeah, we do. We found Troy’s car.”
Jacob bolted out of his chair. “Where is it?”
“In front of The Church of the Sacred not far from your station.”
Grabbing his keys and heading for the door, he replied, “I know

where it is. I’m on my way.”

He didn’t head for his car. Instead he set out on foot running down

the block. He’d get there faster on foot than by car as it was just
around the corner. His heart pounded furiously in his chest, not
because he was out of breath but because of terror. Terror of what
he’d find when he got there.

It took him a couple of minutes to make it to Troy’s car. John and

Harold Kolt, John’s partner, were there waiting for him. He nodded to
them both and asked, “So what do you have so far?”

Harold said, “The car was empty when we found it ten minutes

ago. The hood was still hot, so he just got here.”

“Then where is he?” Jacob asked.

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John pointed to the church’s front doors. “We believe he’s in

there. It’s the only place he could go.”

Jacob’s heart skipped a beat wondering what he’d find when he

got inside.

“I’m going in.” He quickly made his way to the door, taking his

gun out of its holster. “Cover me.”

John and Harold followed his orders as Jacob made his way into

the church. It was empty, except for a hunched-over figure at the altar.
As Jacob approached, he could see it was Troy. He hunched over a
body on the floor.

Panic rising, he screamed, “Vincent’s been injured!”
Troy lifted his head to look at Jacob, his eyes filled with tears, his

nose running. Through sobs, he replied, “No, they killed her. They
killed my Jamie!”

Jacob knelt down to get a better look at the mutilated face and

body of the victim. Even though the face and body had suffered
hundreds of lacerations with a sharp knife, he recognized the face. It
was Jamie, Troy’s ex-wife. They divorced five years ago and she
supposedly ran away with another man.

Jacob put his hand on Troy’s shoulder for support. “I’m sorry,

man. I know you still loved her.”

Troy continued to cry and sniffle. “They promised me that they’d

free her if I helped them.”

Jacob’s eyes widened. “Who, Troy? The ones responsible for the

killings? Where’s Vincent?”

He said between sobs, “I’m so sorry, bro. I had to bring Vincent to

them. They threatened they’d kill Jamie if I didn’t continue to
cooperate. But they did it just the same. The bastards!”

There was no time for Troy’s confession. Jacob needed to know

where Vincent was. “Where is he, Troy?”

Wiping his nose and drying his eyes, Troy composed himself and

said, “I’ll take you. It’s at the abandoned Robin’s Bakery building
over at the east end.”

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Jacob pointed to John. “Call this in and have backup meet us at

the Robin’s Bakery building stat.”

Both Jacob and Troy ran to Troy’s car, desperately trying to get to

Vincent before it was too late.

As Troy started the car, he turned to Jacob and said, “Before we

get there, you need to know something first.”

“What?”
“We’re dealing with something supernatural here.”
Jacob shook his head. “What? No, we’re dealing with a sick cult.

That’s what we’re dealing with.”

Troy drove off, and while he stared outside, he added, “No, bro.

They aren’t a cult. They’re vampire slayers. They’ve been around for
centuries and are everywhere, even in Canada and Europe. And, man,
they got power in high places. Even in the Vatican and the
government, bro. The shit and blood runs deep.”

Jacob pulled at his hair, trying to assimilate Troy’s fairy tale.

“What crazy crap are you saying, Troy?”

Troy stared him straight in the eye and confessed, “No, it’s the

God honest truth, Jacob. And Vincent is a vampire.”

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Chapter 15

They had been staring at each other for almost ten minutes, not

speaking. Each circling the other. Both calculating and measuring the
enemy.

Sal grinned and finally broke the silence. “I see your memory

came back.”

“So has my strength and my vengeance. You’ll pay for killing my

brother,” Vincent growled.

“Good, so has mine, thanks to your brother.” Sal sneered as he

glared at him.

“Damn you! I swore over a century ago not to kill another human

ever again, but considering I don’t see you and your kind as being
human but God’s abomination, then I’ll take joy in ending your life
here and now.”

Sal laughed. “Don’t you think it’s the other way around? You and

your kind are God’s abomination.”

“No, both of us are. We are freaks of nature that should have

never been created.”

“You are right on only one count, not two, Vincent. Your kind

should never have been created. But we will soon change that.
Now…allow me the pleasure of wiping one more vampire from this
world.” The knife he had hidden inside the sleeve of his jacket slipped
out into his hand in a split second and he thrust it toward Vincent’s
chest.

Vincent had time to block the attack, but just barely. The sharp

edge of the blade cut into his palm. Vincent moaned as he grabbed

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Sal’s hands and tore the knife from his grip. It flew to the ground
about six yards away.

Sal punched him in the face and Vincent slammed his fist into his

gut. Sal’s strength had increased considerably since the last time they
fought, the night Sal killed his brother. But this time around, Vincent
wasn’t weak and half-starved for animal blood like the night Sal
attacked him and his brother. His chances were far greater than a few
days ago. And if he had fed on human blood, then he could have
beaten Sal, though he wouldn’t have been able to kill him so easily.

Sal was a vampire slayer and an immortal just like him. The only

difference was slayers got stronger and lived longer drinking the
blood of vampires and eating their hearts. Vampires could live forever
drinking the blood of humans or animals.

Both in Vincent’s eyes were monsters, and he cursed the day he

was ever born a vampire. It had been more than a century since he fed
on human blood. He drank animal blood and stayed away from the
vampire and slayer world he grew up in. But unfortunately, when his
brother came to him for help earlier this year, he was pulled back into
this hell.

He was trapped in it for eternity, it seemed, or until Sal killed him.

And as they continued to fight and the minutes passed and passed, and
Vincent’s strength started to fade while Sal’s kept growing, Vincent
wondered if it would be tonight.

Just after Sal slammed his fist into his jaw, Vincent fell to his

knees. He heard a speeding car turn into the alley and screech to a halt
near them just as his face slammed to the pavement. He would have
turned to see who it was, but Sal now had his hand on his face,
crushing it onto the cement.

When a familiar voice shouted, “Freeze!” he realized Jacob had

arrived.

* * * *

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Jacob flipped. Seeing Vincent on the ground and the serial killer–

vampire slayer over him crushing his skull into the ground had him
wanting to shoot the monster dead. But when he got his gun out and
was in range to shoot, the eye of opportunity escaped. He couldn’t get
a clear shot without risking shooting Vincent instead.

He asked, “What do we do now, Troy?”
“How the hell should I know?” Troy cursed as he, too, took out

his gun and tried to aim it at the slayer.

Vincent shouted, “Get out of here, Jacob! I can handle this!”
The slayer laughed as he got Vincent in a headlock. “I don’t think

so. Haven’t you realized I’ve been toying with you? You’ve been
trying to kill me for more than half an hour and have gotten nowhere,
except more tired and weaker.” The killer looked toward Jacob and
then at Troy and snickered. “Did you find Jamie, Troy?”

Troy’s face turned to anger and he shouted back, “You bastard.

I’m going to kill you for what you did to her. You and the rest of your
sick group.”

Without looking at Troy, the killer said, “You can try, but it’ll be

useless.” He grabbed Vincent from behind and twisted his arms until
Vincent screamed in pain.

Jacob’s stomach wrenched when he heard Vincent’s cries. He

couldn’t take seeing this slayer hurt Vincent anymore. Gesturing to
Troy, he whispered, “Follow my lead.”

Placing the gun on the floor, he lifted his hands in the air. Troy

did the same, then Jacob said, “Look. We put our guns down and we
surrender. Now please stop hurting him.”

The killer smiled and lifted Vincent to his feet, holding his hands

behind his back. He grabbed a cord from his pocket and began to tie
his wrists together. “See, the cop’s smart. He knows when to give up.
Why don’t you?”

He then looked at Jacob and Troy. “I’d love to help you out, Mac,

but didn’t Troy tell you who I am and what I do? Letting this vampire

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loose is like asking me to kill one of my own. It’s against my
religion.”

As he pulled Vincent by the cord a couple of yards to the left of

them, he stuck out his shoe to reach for the knife lying on the ground
just a few feet away. He slid it closer and bent down to get a hold of it
while still holding the rope he had just tied Vincent’s hands with. He
brought the knife to Vincent’s neck and stared at Jacob and Troy. “Do
you, gentlemen, care to see a vampire execution up close?”

Jacob trembled and his legs felt weak. He wanted to jump at the

killer but couldn’t. “Please, don’t hurt him.”

Vincent looked at Jacob and said, “It’s all right, Jacob. I’m not

afraid to die. I’ve lived long enough. Longer than most.”

Tears threatened to spill, but Jacob held them back. He needed to

be strong for Vincent and himself. “No, I don’t want you to die. I love
you too much to let you go like this.”

Vincent replied, “I love you, too. But I don’t want you to get hurt.

Go on, get the hell out of here.”

“Now isn’t that touching? Lovers, are you? Well, then this will be

all the more pleasurable for me. Seeing your lover’s eyes and reaction
when I slit your throat and eat your heart and drink your blood will be
quite thrilling.”

“Please don’t. I’ll do anything.” Jacob looked at Troy, trying to

stall until the backup he ordered John to send would get there. “We’ll
do anything, as long as you don’t hurt him.”

“Hmm, interesting offer. Tell me, what would you do?”
Being Jacob’s partner, Troy had obviously learned to read Jacob’s

signs and hints pretty well. He, too, joined in the ploy. “We’ll help
you get other vampires. We got connections at the station and with
other stations, too.”

The killer laughed. “Do you think me so stupid? Do you think I

would believe anything you said now? You’re playing me to stall for
time. Why, so the rest of the force comes here?”

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He paused and continued, “Yeah, that’s it. You called for backup

and they’ll be here any minute.” He twisted Vincent’s face so he
stared at him and said, “Enough with these games. It’s time you die,
vampire.”

“No, it’s time you die,” Vincent said, and before Jacob realized it,

Vincent bit into the slayer’s neck with elongated canine teeth that
suddenly protruded from his gums and that Jacob never knew he had.
The killer struggled but seemed to be unable to move, as if Vincent’s
bite had numbed him before he began to suck his blood. The blood
feast lasted for minutes, which seemed like centuries for Jacob and
Troy, who stared in shock.

When Vincent let go, the killer collapsed to the ground

motionless, his glazed, dead eyes staring at nothing in a frozen
expression of shock and fear.

Jacob ran to Vincent, who almost fell to ground, too. He caught

him and held him in his arms. “Are you all right?”

“No, I’m not. I’m dying.”
Jacob looked at Troy for help, who said, “Go on, take him out of

here. Give him blood. That’s what he needs. The slayer’s blood to
him is like poison. Only if he gets human blood can he clean his
system.”

“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll stay and make up a story for the other cops when they get

here.” Sirens were heard approaching. Troy shooed him. “Go on, take
the car and hurry!”

Jacob picked up Vincent in his arms and brought him to the car.

He placed him in the backseat and said, “Hang on, Vincent. I’m going
to make everything right.”

But by now, Vincent had lost consciousness. And he was

twitching. His vampire body was going into shock as the slayer’s
blood poisoned him.

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Pushing his foot on the gas pedal to the floor, he peeled out of

there as fast as he could. He needed to get to another isolated area
where he could park and Vincent could feed.

Vincent wasn’t going to die. He’d move Heaven and Earth to save

him. Even if he himself had to die doing it.

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Chapter 16

A thousand needles swam in Vincent’s blood. That was how

excruciating it felt as the poison progressed through his system and
slowly killed his vampire blood cells one by one. He needed to feed to
survive, but unfortunately, he couldn’t open his eyes.

“Come on, Vincent, drink,” Jacob said.
His voice sounded so far off, but Vincent knew he was right next

to him, holding his head up. Warm liquid trickled at first onto his lips,
then made its way into his mouth. Blood. Sweet, salty, metallic.
Mmm, it was human. He hadn’t tasted this vintage of blood in over a
century. He had forgotten how good it could be, or addictive.

“That’s it, Vincent. Drink my blood.” Vincent tried to close his

mouth when he realized Jacob fed him his own blood, but Jacob
forced his mouth to stay open. “No, please drink.” In reflex, Vincent
swallowed the liquid when it filled his mouth. If not, he’d choke.

No, he didn’t want this. Why couldn’t Jacob understand that?

Why didn’t he just let him die?

As the pain gradually diminished and his strength began to return,

his mind cleared completely and he understood why. If the tables
were turned and he would have to give his own blood so that Jacob
would live, he would do it without a moment’s hesitation. He loved
Jacob mind, heart, and soul, and Jacob loved him in exactly the same
way. He knew that now without a doubt.

Opening his eyes, he swallowed the last of the blood he needed.

His body had fully recovered. He placed his hand on Jacob’s wrist
and said, “Thank you. I’m done now.”

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Jacob nodded, putting a shredded piece of cloth over the narrow

cut on his own wrist. He tied it to stop the bleeding. “How are you
feeling?”

He smiled. “As good as a new vampire would. And it’s because of

you.”

Jacob caressed his face. “I was so scared I lost you, right when I

just got you back in my life and heart. I couldn’t take that.”

Vincent sighed. “I’m so sorry for what I put you through. But I

did it for your safety. I was a vampire and the less you knew about my
dark world and me, the better and safer you were.”

He took a deep breath and continued to explain himself. “I was

born a vampire over two centuries ago. But I never wanted to be one.
I hated the world I grew up in. Bit by bit, I started to change. I gave
up feeding on human blood and only fed on animal blood. Then I
changed my name, my identity, and moved from city to city and
country to country, trying to escape the vampire world I came from. I
wanted to live an almost normal life. And I was successful for quite a
long while. But then my past caught up with me.

“My brother found me and asked for my help. He needed my

protection from a rogue group of vampire slayers. He had drawn
attention to himself doing something stupid like trying to kill one of
their kin and was put on their hit list.

“He had no one else who he could go to for help. I was his only

hope. So I agreed to help save him from them. He was my brother and
no matter what, I loved him and would do anything to save him.”

A single tear trickled down Vincent’s face as he thought of his

dead brother. Taking another deep breath, he continued, “So I knew
the only way to help him was for me to leave the new world I had
created for myself and all the people I cared for and go underground
with him.

“I not only needed to save Whitman, but I needed to save you,

too. That’s why I said those lies to you and disappeared. It was to
protect you.”

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“They were all lies?”
Vincent nodded. “Yeah, especially the one that I felt nothing for

you. I’ve loved you all these months, and I never stopped thinking or
wondering about you while my brother and I tried to hide from the
slayers.”

Jacob put his finger on his lips. “Shh. Sleep now. You’ll tell me

the rest once you rest and wake up.” He bent down and kissed him on
the lips.

Vincent’s heart skipped several beats in giddiness. As Jacob

moved away, he asked, “Where will you be?”

Jacob sat on the seat next to him in the car. “Right beside you. I’ll

always be right by your side from now on.”

Smiling, Vincent closed his eyes and let his dreams take him

away. He hoped they’d be filled with Jacob and the new life they’d
have together.

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Epilogue

A week had gone by, but with all that happened, it seemed more

like a decade. Vincent was staying at Jacob’s apartment, staring out
the window. He wondered when Jacob would be arriving. He had a
nice surprise planned for him and news of his own, as well.

He had heard through the grapevine that the rogue slayers would

be moving out. Too much attention had been brought on them thanks
to Sal’s murder. It was time they moved to another state and
continued their vampire serial killings there. There were still a few
vampire slayers in the area, but they weren’t rogues with a cult
religious purpose. They fed on vampires’ blood and hearts only when
needed and on the ones that deserved to die for taking human lives. In
Vincent’s eyes, that was how it should be. That was the proper order
of things that would keep the humans safe and a balance between
slayers and vampires.

But that still didn’t solve the problem of the rogue slayers out

there. Before, he purposely kept a blind eye on this corruption,
thinking what he didn’t see or know was better for him. He felt he
could hide from his sins and damnation this way. But he lied to
himself. The death of his brother showed him this. The only way he
could make peace with himself and God was if he followed his heart
and conscience. He needed to go after the rogue slayers and vampires
who murdered innocent vampires and humans and stop them.

Checking his watch, he realized Jacob would be arriving in a few

minutes. He needed to get things ready. Hopefully, what he planned
tonight would make up for the news he’d deliver after that.

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* * * *

Jacob could finally take a breath of relief as he made his way

home. He had signed the report on the case an hour ago and sent it to
the captain’s e-mail. He and Troy had covered theirs and Vincent’s
tracks well. News of slayers and vampires loose in the city would
cause pandemonium if the public ever knew. The story they drew up
was much more believable and less panic-invoking.

Sal Brooke was the serial killer, and someone who found out who

he was decided to kill him. The lack of blood in his body was
something they couldn’t explain. But it would go unanswered as
many other cases like this had gone unanswered over the years. The
police would continue to search, but they covered their tracks, so
Vincent’s true vampire identity would never be uncovered. And he
could never be accused of Sal’s murder.

Troy handed in his badge after confessing he helped Sal and

covered up evidence. The fact he was doing it to save his ex-wife
played in his favor and he wasn’t prosecuted for his actions. But he
could no longer be a cop. Jacob would miss working with him. They
made a hell of a great team.

Now that that part of his life passed, Jacob needed to focus on the

present and the future. He wanted to do that tonight with Vincent.
When he opened the door, his eyes almost popped out of his head. On
the floor in the corridor lay a long line of Hershey’s KISSES wrapped
in silver and gold foil, his favorite chocolate. The trail led to his
bedroom. Eager to see what lay at the end of it, he picked each
chocolate and headed to his room, eating one delicious KISS on the
way.

* * * *

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“Like your surprise?” Vincent said, lying on the bed wearing

nothing but two ribbons of silver and gold, the same colors as the
KISSES wrappings.

“Hell, yes!” Jacob’s eyes widened as his admiring gaze followed

Vincent’s silhouette from head to foot. Vincent got excited at the
hunger and desire he witnessed in his lover’s eyes.

Kicking off his shoes, Jacob began to quickly undress. Vincent

wagged his finger back and forth. “Ah-ah, that isn’t your job but
mine.” He got up and stood before his mate. Cupping his cheeks in his
hands, he brought his lips to Jacob’s and kissed him passionately.
Lips on lips, tongues intertwined, each seduced and excited the other.

While his lips and tongue occupied themselves with Jacob’s

wanton, delicious mouth, Vincent started to undress his lover. First he
removed his jacket and shirt, rubbing his muscular chest and toned
abs. Then he addressed his jeans, unbuttoning them and sliding the
zipper downward.

Jacob’s cock sprang out free and ready for some action,

obviously, for it was fully erect and pre-cum coated the tip. Jacob
moaned when Vincent caressed him there.

Taking the two ribbons off his own body, he wrapped the gold one

on Jacob’s right wrist and the silver on his left. Releasing Jacob’s lips
and gazing at him with sultry eyes, he motioned with a finger for
Jacob to follow him to the bed.

Without a word, Jacob did as he asked and lay on the bed, just

staring at Vincent with desire and biting his lip. Vincent tied his
wrists to the bedposts, making sure they weren’t tied too tight to hurt
him or cut blood circulation.

Then he traced Jacob’s godlike body, starting from his face down

to his neck, shoulders, and chest. Goose pimples of pleasure formed
under his touch. Jacob moaned, “Suck me.”

Vincent laughed, asking, “Suck you how, lover?”
Jacob smiled, giving Vincent a seductive stare of his own. “My

blood first, then my cock.”

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Ever since that first time Jacob fed him his blood to save his life,

Vincent craved more of it. It had become an aphrodisiac he drank as a
cocktail before they made love. He drank only a few drops, but it was
enough to excite both Jacob and him and bond them in their
lovemaking and life.

Vincent kissed his lips and whispered in his ear, “As you wish,

Slave.” He brought his lips to his neck, licking and sucking his skin,
teasing him that he would bite him there. But he didn’t. Instead he
teased him further, kissing his arms, the other side of his neck, his
chest, his stomach, and his cock.

He stopped and lifted his head to stare at Jacob who had his eyes

closed, waiting. He opened his eyes when he realized Vincent wasn’t
moving and gave him a puppy dog–eyed look begging for him to
continue. Vincent couldn’t help but laugh, and then he kissed Jacob
on the chest, slipping his fangs gently into his skin.

The warm, sweet blood coated his lips and mouth, and when he

swallowed it, his cock and his body flew into a craze. He needed
more. Not of Jacob’s blood, but of Jacob. He removed his fangs from
the tiny puncture wounds. They slid back into his gums a few seconds
after that. Then he brought his mouth over Jacob’s cock. He slipped
his lips around his thick, hard shaft and made his way up and down
and around it with his lips and tongue, sucking it and tasting his salty
pre-cum. The pre-cum mixed with Jacob’s blood was perfect. Jacob
was perfect…for him. He was all he ever needed and wanted in life.
His dream of happiness and love come true.

While he continued to savor and lick his love and Jacob moaned

and thrust into his mouth, sinking deeper down his throat, Vincent
could sense Jacob’s climax mounting. So was his. He may not be
fucking Jacob, but that didn’t mean the pleasurable sensations weren’t
there for him, too. For Vincent, sucking Jacob’s cock and drinking his
blood were the same as being fucked. He began to pump his own cock
with his right hand.

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The moment Jacob exploded in Vincent’s mouth and he

swallowed all of it, Vincent released his own climax. He came,
moaning Jacob’s name.

But as his peak settled, he realized it wasn’t enough because his

sexual hunger for more pleasure rekindled. He gazed at his love and
saw the same yearning in his eyes.

“I want to fuck you now.” Jacob’s deep, sexy baritone voice made

goose pimples spread through Vincent’s body.

Without a word, he undid the ribbons around Jacob’s wrists and

stared deep into his eyes as Jacob sat up to kiss him on the lips,
passionately biting and sucking his lower lip and then twirling and
teasing Vincent’s tongue with his own demanding one.

Moaning, Vincent wrapped his arms around him and followed his

moves as his desires continued to augment.

When Jacob broke their kiss, he stared into Vincent’s eyes. “Turn

over,” he commanded.

Vincent wasted no time in getting into position, his ass stuck up

high. His legs trembled with his anticipation as his cock became once
again fully erect.

Cool liquid spread over his asshole. He guessed it was lubricant,

and he sighed as shivers of pleasure shot through his limbs and cock.
Jacob kissed his ass cheeks, first his right and then his left, and then
he pulled Vincent’s ass closer to him. He got behind him in position
and slid his cock up and down and around his hole.

Vincent closed his eyes and savored each movement. His asshole

constricted and widened when Jacob slipped a finger in him, then two.
Vincent bit his lip and thrust backward, allowing Jacob’s fingers to go
deeper.

Then he groaned. “Fuck me now, Jacob. Fuck me like you want to.”
Jacob quickly slipped his hard and big cock into his asshole but

stopped midway, obviously fearing he’d hurt his love if he went
farther so quickly. But Vincent was wet and wild with passion. He
needed Jacob’s cock as deep in him as it could be, so he pushed back.

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Jacob groaned. “Oh, you feel so good.”
Vincent smiled, his eyes still closed. “And so do you. We’re made

for each other.”

“Mmm, yes, we are.” Jacob used a husky voice, and Vincent

almost lost it when Jacob’s movements became faster and more
daring. He grabbed hold of Vincent’s pelvis and pushed it closer to
him, allowing his cock to slide deeper and deeper into his ass, and
when he came out, Vincent’s asshole throbbed pleasurably.

Vincent moaned, “Mmm, faster, lover, faster.”
Jacob did exactly that. His thrusts intensified while he extended

his movements, and Vincent groaned, “Harder. Harder.”

Jacob began to thrust deep and hard in a quickened pace. His

breaths were shallow, as were Vincent’s. A cool sheen of sweat
formed on Vincent’s skin, and as it dried, more goose bumps of
pleasure spread evenly over his body.

His heart drummed crazily in his chest, making it difficult to take

big breaths. And his cock got harder and bigger still. His balls felt
tighter than ever. He knew he was close to coming, but he focused
and held it back for as long as he could. He needed to come
simultaneously with his love. But each second became a tougher
milestone to pass until he thought his head would explode if he didn’t
climax. And when he couldn’t take it anymore and began to peak, so
did Jacob in his asshole, moaning his pleasure and satisfaction. They
continued to climax in loving harmony, uniting not only in mind and
body, but in soul, too.

Once they both had completely ejaculated and were sated, Vincent

lay on the bed while Jacob came to rest next to him. Their rapid
breathing began to settle as Jacob opened his arms for Vincent to
snuggle up against him.

They shared another intense kiss, after which Jacob said, licking

his lips and smiling, “I still need to get used to tasting my cum and
my blood mixed together on your lips.”

To Serve and Protect

97

Vincent laughed, surprised. “You can still taste them after this

long?”

Jacob’s brow lifted and he smiled naughtily. “Oh, yeah. The

mixed taste lasts for a long time afterward.”

Vincent chuckled. “I guess it’s an acquired taste that takes time

getting used to, like me.”

Jacob said, “That’s true, but now I’m addicted. I can never give

you up.”

Upon hearing those words, Vincent’s smile disappeared.
“What’s wrong?” Jacob asked, tilting his head farther away as if

to get a clearer look at Vincent’s face.

“You may have to curb your addiction.”
Jacob slipped his arm out from underneath Vincent’s head, turned

to lie on his right side, and stared at Vincent in this position. “What?
You’re leaving me again? You promised me you’d never hurt me
again. Why are you going back on your promise?”

“No, I’m not leaving you forever. Just for a little time. I need to

do something and will come back right after that.”

“What, what is it?”
Vincent sighed, readying himself for his confession. “I can’t live

with myself knowing what’s happening out there. It isn’t right and I
need to fix it.”

Jacob seemed to understand his words and said, “About the rogue

slayers?”

Vincent nodded. “And the rogue vampires who kill humans.”
Jacob turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “Yeah, I

know. It’s been bothering me, too.”

“It has?” Vincent asked, wide eyed.
Jacob shrugged, still staring above. “Of course. You think I like

having to lie day after day at the station about what went down with
this case? I’ve been so nervous and edgy ever since. Plus now that
Troy no longer is my partner, I’ve been thinking…”

“Thinking of what?”

98 Jessica

Frost

“That it’s time for a change.”
“What type of change?”
Vincent tilted his head to look at him, grinning, “Now that I

uncovered this whole new corrupt supernatural world that was hidden
from my eyes for so long, I realized that as a cop, a detective, I can do
only so much. My hands are pretty much tied where this new world is
concerned. But working outside the law’s influence, well, I think I
could clean up this city better and make the world a safer place for
everyone.”

With hope sparking his words, Vincent asked, “Does that mean

you’ll come with me and help me fight these corrupt rogue groups?”

He nodded and kissed Vincent on the lips. “Yeah, that sounds like

fun,” he joked and then added, “I think that Troy would gladly join us
in our crusade. He needs to avenge his ex-wife’s death, too.”

Vincent kissed him back and smiled, just staring at him. Jacob

squinted. “What? Why are you staring?”

“Because I never thought I’d find someone who could be my

perfect mate. For almost two centuries I was cursed, but now that all
changed when you came into my world. That curse turned into a
blessing. God blessed me and made my one wish come true. Jacob
Brown, you are my soul mate and my paradise.”

“And you are mine,” Jacob said as they kissed and held each other

until they fell asleep. They dreamed of a perfect world, the one they
had started to build together.

THE END

WWW.AUTHORJESSICAFROST.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Frost has always had a passion for fiction and the written

word. Add to that her wild, vivid imagination and her pure romantic
tendencies and she soon realized she had the traits needed to become
a romance author. She decided to take the very big first step not that
long ago and wrote her first erotic romance story. And she hasn’t
looked back since.

Being a romance writer is a dream come true for her. Having the

opportunity to create fantasy worlds where anything and everything
can happen is an amazing feeling. She hopes these worlds and the
delightful characters she creates will bring hours of enjoyment to her
readers as they have done for her.

For all titles by Jessica Frost, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/jessica-frost

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com