A Totally Bound Publication
Zheng’s Heart
ISBN # 978-1-78430-252-8
©Copyright Amber Kell 2014
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright October 2014
Edited by Stacey Birkel
Totally Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination
and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or
places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form,
whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of
the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound
Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil
proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs
and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator
of the artwork.
Published in 2014 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road,
Lincoln, LN6 3QN
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This
story has a heat rating of Totally Sizzling and a Sexometer of 1.
A Vampire’s Kiss
ZHENG’S HEART
Amber Kell
Book two in the A Vampire’s Kiss series
A second chance in life, a second chance for love.
Jonathan Zheng’s spirit had been hanging around Aaron’s neck for the past five months.
When he finally gets a body, he discovers a new life comes with new issues.
Between exploring a relationship with Banner, the hot bartender at Orion’s club, and learning
more about the man he’s become, Zheng discovers what he wants in life might not be what
he originally thought.
When a killer starts piling up the bodies, Zheng has to not only cope with the investigation
but also battle his new body’s insane cravings. Will he be able to work alongside Aaron and
discover who is murdering people, or will he sink into madness like he was warned about?
Dedication
For Paula H. who helped find me a title.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following
wordmark mentioned in this work of fiction:
Count Dracula: Bram Stoker
ZHENG’S HEART
6
Prologue
Aaron Bradshaw woke to the buzzing of his alarm. The memories of Zheng being
sucked into the amulet faded along with the nightmare. He rubbed the grit out of his eyes,
trying to banish the dream.
He flailed his hand about until his fingers brushed across the snooze button. He
slapped the top of the alarm to end the incessant sound. His eyes still closed, he snuggled
back against the strong body pressed behind him.
Comfy.
He hated to drag himself out of bed when he could stay wrapped in his lover’s arms. A
sigh escaped him as Orion’s warmth seeped into his skin. Naked flesh brushed together and
Aaron’s cock spread damp kisses across his belly. He lazily stroked his morning erection,
knowing the scent of his need would awaken Orion.
His lover’s morning wood pressed between Aaron’s butt cheeks.
Perfect.
If only Aaron could stay in bed all day.
“Go back to sleep,” Orion’s deep voice rumbled behind him.
Aaron groaned as desire twisted him into needy knots. “I can’t. It’s my first day in the
new department.”
Luckily, a spot had opened up in homicide and Aaron had been fortunate enough to get
it. His high profile cases last year had paid off.
Orion pulled Aaron tighter against his body. “Easy, babe—it’s not your fault you
haven’t freed him.”
Five months. He’d been unable to find Zheng a body in the past five months. How long
could Zheng’s spirit hang around his neck before he began to dissolve? Could his friend hear
what was going on?
Aaron allowed Orion to cuddle him for a bit. For a badass vampire, Orion had a
surprising intuitive streak.
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7
Tracing Aaron’s chest and stomach with a confident touch, Orion derailed Aaron’s
thoughts. He enjoyed his mate’s attention for a second before he collected his resolve and
pulled away from Orion’s reach. “As much as I would love to stay in bed all day, I have to
get to work.”
He’d taken a week’s vacation between jobs and now his idle morning hours were
forfeit.
Orion’s disgruntled growl made Aaron smile but didn’t dissuade him. He really had to
get to work. Today might be the day he found Zheng a body.
Although Aaron had done some good work for the DEA keeping dangerous chemicals
off the streets and out of the hands of children, he owed it to Zheng to free him from his
enchantment. Aaron’s previous captain and good friend had written him an amazing
recommendation. Of course, if Captain Warren had screwed Aaron over, Aaron wouldn’t
have hesitated to call his good friend’s wife and rat him out.
“One day I want you to quit this noble pursuit of justice crap and spend your days with
me in decadence.” Orion’s sulky tone had Aaron turning around to face his lover.
“I’ll be a grizzled old police officer by then and you’ll have moved on to a younger
man.” Even as he said the words his heart ached. He’d silently vowed to enjoy his time with
Orion and hold no grudges when the vampire moved on. Although he believed Orion loved
him, Aaron didn’t expect their relationship to stand the test of time, not when his lover
would still look the same in twenty, thirty…a thousand years.
Orion scowled. “I will never replace you, beloved.”
The second alarm broke into the solemnity of their discussion with an upbeat pop song.
This time Aaron turned the snooze all of the way to off.
Aaron wasn’t given to a lot of introspection, but it would be up to the vampire to toss
him out. He’d never leave Orion on his own. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Orion said. “Now, give me a good-morning kiss.” Orion scooted over
to reach Aaron. Before Aaron could escape, Orion pressed his soft mouth against Aaron’s
lips.
Aaron’s concerns melted beneath the lava heat of his lover’s kiss. When Orion finally
released him, Aaron struggled to regain his composure. He licked his lips while his cock
ZHENG’S HEART
8
leaked copious amounts of pre-cum down his shaft. His breath came in gasps as he tried to
keep from spurting his seed all over the bed.
“Cheating bastard,” he said when he could finally force himself to break free. “I’m
going to take a shower before I go, and I’m going to jack off without you.”
He slid completely off the bed and headed for the small attached bathroom.
Laughter greeted his complaint. “If you think I’m going to let you bathe alone, you’re
even more sleepy than I thought. When you get back home tonight, we’re going to talk about
our relationship.”
“Oh good. I love relationship talks,” Aaron drawled. The idea filled him with more
dread than facing a jacked-up gang member with a semi-automatic.
Orion climbed out of bed.
Distracted by the sight of his gorgeous lover, Aaron remained still as Orion
approached. Orion grinned, his eyes lit with a feral gleam. Before it occurred to Aaron to
move, Orion had him in a tight clench. The vampire’s warm breath tickled Aaron’s ear as he
spoke in a soft, impassioned tone. “You’re the most important person in my life. Don’t let
someone else’s murder lead to your death. If anything were to happen to you, I would tear
the city apart seeking revenge.”
A lump formed in Aaron’s throat. He swallowed it back and forced his voice steady.
“I’ll always come back to you. I’m already starting to get some of your abilities. My night
vision is much better than it was and I’m much faster when I move.”
He didn’t mention to Orion that he’d accidentally manipulated the barista the other day
to give him an extra shot of espresso. He still hoped that particular power would fade.
Orion grinned. “I knew you would. I didn’t think you’d start manifesting them so early
in our relationship. It only goes to show how bonded we’ve become.”
Like that didn’t scare the crap out of him. Aaron had always sucked at relationships.
Maybe it took a vampire to teach him how to do it properly. He’d already made Orion his
contact if he were killed in the line of duty. Everything Aaron had belonged to Orion.
Although he knew the vampire expected Aaron to come back alive, he couldn’t make that
promise. Things happened in the line of duty and Aaron had accepted that fact when he
agreed to carry a badge. The fact some of Orion’s abilities were rubbing off on Aaron only
made him safer.
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“You stay safe,” Orion said.
“I’ll do my best.”
Orion growled. “You’d better. Do I need to have a chat with your new captain?”
Aaron stepped back. “You do that and we’ll really be having that relationship talk.”
His lover appeared unconcerned over the threat if the quick kiss he placed on Aaron’s
nose was anything to go by. Orion spun Aaron around then pushed him toward the
bathroom. “We’d better get the shower started or there won’t be time to get you messy
before I scrub you clean.”
* * * *
Aaron entered the station with a relaxed body and a focused mind. Despite his words,
Orion had made certain Aaron was satisfied before he left. Nothing like hot against-the-tiles
shower sex to get his morning started right. His cock twitched at the memory of Orion on his
knees, water sliding down his sculpted back, and hunger glowing like a bonfire in his eyes.
However, after three orgasms, an erection was more hopeful optimism on the part of Aaron’s
body than a real option.
He was lucky Orion agreed with Aaron’s pursuit in finding Zheng a body. If Orion
truly wished, he could brainwash Aaron into staying home and being his love slave. Good
thing Aaron had made Orion swear to never use his mind control tricks on him. Having a
vampire for a lover involved a great deal of negotiation. What Orion considered acceptable
behavior, Aaron often considered morally wrong.
Orion’s recent attempts to have his daughter’s lover removed from the city kept Aaron
on his toes. The first two kidnappings had been amusing—the third time Banner had been
stabbed when Benjamin’s vamps tried to protect him. Furious, Aaron had sat them both
down and brokered a deal where Orion left Benjamin alone and Benjamin allowed Orion’s
daughter Terese to visit her father. Aaron didn’t know what to think of Terese. She seemed to
find the battle between her boyfriend and her father entertaining. Aaron never quite got a
vibe over how she felt about his relationship with her father. She always treated Aaron
politely, but she wasn’t exactly a warm person.
ZHENG’S HEART
10
For all their reputation as cool, unfeeling beasts, Aaron found vampires creatures of
high passion with a love for melodrama. He’d definitely gotten an education on vampire
interactions over the past few months.
Dressed in a new suit, a gift from his lover, Aaron headed for the captain’s office to start
his first day.
Captain Venson stood when Aaron entered. His large body overshadowed Aaron in
both height and width. Venson had the weathered skin of a sea captain and the eyes of a
shark. Aaron kept his gaze neutral as he handed over his paperwork. “Nice to meet you,
Detective Bradshaw.”
“Same here, sir.”
“Sit, sit.” Venson waved Aaron over to a chair. “I’m happy to meet you, Detective
Bradshaw. I’ve heard great things about you.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Venson spent several minutes going through the usual expectations. Aaron tried to pay
attention but Venson’s bushy gray eyebrows moved up and down as he talked and
distracted Aaron. He bet if Venson was a cartoon character, the thick gray bits of hair
would’ve taken off and flown away, so furiously did they flutter up and down.
“Are you listening, Detective?”
Crap.
“Absolutely, Captain.”
“Good,” Venson said, finally picking up his file. “I thought your captain over at the
DEA was going to cry on my shoulder at the bar last night.”
Humor from the intimidating man had Aaron relaxing a bit. “I’ve known Captain
Warren a long time and he only cries when his baseball team loses or he’s run out of beer.”
Venson smiled. “I would’ve thought so, too, but he told me you were one of his best
men. I’m happy to have an officer with your record on board. We tend to throw our new
hires right into the middle of things, but you’ll have an experienced detective at your side to
show you the ropes.”
“Thank you, Captain.” Aaron sucked in a shaky breath. He’d been comfortable at the
DEA, maybe too comfortable. Even if he hadn’t needed to find a body for Zheng, it was still
Amber Kell
11
time for him to move on. He’d been close to burning out at his old department. If he’d seen
another strung out teen—well his breakdown wouldn’t have been pretty.
Venson picked up the receiver to his desk phone then tapped a few buttons. Aaron
could hear the murmur of a deep voice answering the captain’s call. Venson didn’t wait for
the person on the other end to say much before he spoke. “I need you in my office right
now.”
Pause.
“No, I don’t care what you’re doing. Get your ass in here now!” Venson slammed the
receiver onto its cradle. “Temperamental bastard.”
Aaron opened his mouth but shut it again before he said anything. He had no doubt all
his questions would be answered soon enough.
“He’ll be here in just a bit. After you’re done here, I’ve got a list of websites for you to
go and fill out all your human resources crap at. There’s like a million forms.” A scowl
crossed Venson’s craggy features. “I know it’s around here somewhere.”
“It’s all right, I got an email. I have about half of them filled out.” He’d meant to do
more but Orion had distracted him. Aaron pushed away all the delightful memories of that
encounter. Getting a boner while talking to the captain wasn’t the best way to start his
employment.
“Oh good.” The relief on the Venson’s face that he didn’t need to find his sheet of
websites had Aaron holding back a grin.
Someone knocked on the door. “Come in!” Venson shouted.
“You called for me, Captain?” A slim, elegant man with sun-kissed skin and hard
brown eyes swept the room with his gaze as if he were waiting for a perp to spring out from
behind the dented file cabinet.
“Aaron, I’d like to introduce you to Detective Joseph Garlin. Garlin, this is Detective
Aaron Bradshaw. He came to us from the DEA. I’m assigning you to show Bradshaw the
ropes.”
Aaron stood and smiled at his new partner. He’d seen the man around the station a few
times but hadn’t known his name since he wasn’t in his department. Garlin was exactly the
type of guy his friend Jack would be drooling all over, and Orion would bitch about. “Nice to
meet you.”
ZHENG’S HEART
12
Garlin raised an eyebrow but held out his hand.
Aaron shook hands with him, relieved when Garlin didn’t try to show his strength with
an asshole guy grip. If his new partner bruised Aaron’s fingers no power in the world would
stop Orion from coming down to the station and ripping out Garlin’s throat.
“Play nice, Garlin. If you scare this one off I’m sending you to push papers until
retirement,” the Captain warned.
“Yes, Captain.” Garlin’s frown only deepened. His dark gaze slid up and down Aaron,
but he seemed to find little favor if his unchanged expression was anything to go by. “Come
with me and I’ll show you where you’ll be setting up shop.”
Aaron shook hands with Captain Venson again before leaving his office. Maybe he’d
transfer back out if he found Zheng a body soon. If he didn’t get along with his partner,
Orion would catch on soon and try to fix the situation—that never ended well.
Following the hard set of his new partner’s shoulders, Aaron held back a sigh. He
missed Claire. She’d quit the force to enjoy her husband’s new health. Aaron couldn’t blame
her, but none of his partners since had meshed with him as well as Claire. It had been one of
the reasons he had looked forward to the transfer.
“Sit. This will be your spot.” Garlin pointed to the chair pushed against an empty desk.
The only thing on the surface was a desktop computer and a phone. The space across from it
must be Garlin’s. The neat surface didn’t disguise the pile of paperwork in the basket or the
half-chewed pencils shoved into a chipped coffee cup. Someone had an oral fixation.
Aaron forcibly pushed that thought away. He didn’t want to think of his partner’s
mouth in any scenario. The last thing he needed was to trigger Orion’s jealousy. It had been
bad enough with Zheng around. He rubbed the pendant, hoping he was making the right
choices. Zheng depended on Aaron to save him.
Settling into his chair, Aaron hoped his new partnership wouldn’t completely consist of
Aaron being bossed around by Garlin. Although he’d take the senior detective’s lead on
investigations, he wasn’t anyone’s bitch.
“New blood,” a voice spoke behind Aaron.
“Go away, Welks,” Garlin growled.
“What? I wanted to warn your new buddy about you.” A blond man in an expensive
suit walked around Aaron’s desk to see him. He let out a low whistle. “Hello, gorgeous.”
Amber Kell
13
Aaron rolled his eyes. “I suggest you go back to wherever you came from, my
boyfriend doesn’t like other men drooling over me.”
Welks smirked. “I’m sure I can persuade you otherwise.”
“Not if you don’t want your throat ripped out. Orion gets very jealous.”
Welks paled and swallowed a few times before he spoke. “You’re that detective?”
“I see you’ve heard of me.” Aaron grinned. “I hope you don’t mind but I’ve got things
to discuss with my partner.” Aaron waved a hand toward Garlin.
“Sure, sure.” Welks walked off not bothering to say goodbye to Garlin.
“I think we’re going to get along just fine,” Garlin said, a smile curving his lips.
Aaron raised his eyebrows. “Why, because my bullshit tolerance is low?”
“No, because my last partner was a homophobic idiot, and the one before him kept
trying to hit on me and anyone else who crossed his path. You are definitely a step in the
right direction.”
“Ahh.” Garlin’s attitude toward a new partner was beginning to make sense. “I’m sure
things will work out. I just have to take you to meet Orion by the end of the week.”
“Why?”
Aaron laughed. “Because if I don’t, he’ll show up at the station to check you out
himself, and one encounter with Welks and I’ll have to arrest my own man for murder.”
Garlin snorted. “Good point. Why don’t you get all your papers in order to send to
human resources? I can take you around afterwards.”
“Sounds good.”
Aaron hated filling out forms but he hated reminder emails about not having filled
them out even more. Concentrating on his computer screen, Aaron spent the next few hours
plowing through his paperwork. He didn’t look up until Garlin’s voice broke his focus.
“I’m sorry—what did you say?”
“I said it’s lunchtime. I’m guessing you didn’t bring anything?”
“No.” A flush burned across his face as Aaron remembered why he’d run out of time to
make lunch. “I was going to pick something up at Nellie’s.”
The diner across the street mostly stayed in business by feeding the cops at the station.
“Sounds good. I’ll take you out as a welcome to homicide.”
Aaron smiled. “I got the impression you weren’t so happy to take on another partner.”
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Garlin shrugged. “I’ve had some bad partners. I guess you’ll do for now.”
“Your fawning is getting embarrassing,” Aaron stood and grabbed his suit jacket. After
he slipped it on, he double-checked he had his wallet. He’d shoved it into his suit pocket
when sitting on it had become too uncomfortable. “I miss my jeans.”
At the DEA, he’d often been called upon to go undercover so he’d rarely worn suits to
work.
“You’ll adapt. Isn’t that what you undercover agents do?”
Aaron snorted. “I used to.”
He didn’t mention that after hooking up with Orion his face was too recognizable.
Another reason he’d chosen to leave the DEA.
* * * *
Entering the diner, Aaron spotted several cops he knew from the station. Some of his
co-workers from the DEA stopped by and patted Aaron on the back, congratulating him on
his promotion. The move to homicide had resulted in a raise and most of his fellow cops
were happy for him. There were always a few who had sour grapes, but Aaron ignored the
hard stares that were flashed his way.
Garlin shook his head over the fuss.
“Sorry.” Aaron shrugged. “I worked with them for a while.”
“They like you.” Garlin continued to assess everyone passing their table as if he might
have to search them for drugs or weapons at any moment.
“You don’t have to make it sound so strange.”
Garlin shrugged. “I go through a lot of partners. Few of them have been liked—most
are barely tolerated by other cops. I tend to get the department rejects.”
“Why? The Captain said you were one of his top men.”
“He says that to all of them. He probably thought we’d be a good match, with you
having a vampire mate and all.”
He was going to ask why that made them good partners when Garlin pointed at
Aaron’s necklace. “What’s that?”
Aaron hadn’t realized he’d been fingering the pendant like a worry stone. “Nothing.”
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“Did your boyfriend give it to you?” Garlin didn’t appear willing to drop the topic.
“No. It was someone else.” Aaron didn’t know if he could trust Garlin. If he knew
Aaron was trolling for a dead body he might not be so willing to partner with him. “I don’t
really want to discuss it. Maybe when I know you better.”
Or never.
Telling his new partner about his fixation with dead bodies might not be the best way
to start their partnership. It took time for a relationship with a partner to develop. He didn’t
know Garlin well enough to reveal his past at this point.
Garlin nodded, relaxing against the bench seat. “Fine, keep your secrets. I’ll get them
out of you eventually. I’m not a detective for nothing.”
“I’ll consider myself warned.” Aaron smiled, and the tension between them eased.
The rest of lunch went smoothly. While chowing down on burgers and fries they
discussed past work experiences and Garlin gave Aaron the rundown on different people in
the department. Apparently Welks was always the ass he appeared.
“He slept with my last partner.” A long pause followed Garlin’s statement.
“Did he? What about you?” Aaron couldn’t help asking.
“No.” Garlin shook his head. “I don’t sleep with cops. That’s just asking for trouble.”
“Good. I don’t like drama.” He had enough of that in his regular life. “A bunch of exes
giving me the stink eye wouldn’t be any fun, especially if I need them to watch my back.”
“Have experience with that do you?” Garlin asked.
“Once, but it ended amicably. I didn’t figure I’d get lucky twice.” He hadn’t known
Zheng still loved him either.
Garlin’s mouth curled up on one end and his eyes sparkled. “That’s why I don’t date
my partners.”
After finishing their meal they left the diner and were heading across the street when a
large man in a gray hoodie and jeans intercepted them.
“Freeze, Detective Garlin.” The stranger’s unfocused blue eyes flitted from Aaron to
Garlin to whatever he thought he saw on the sidewalk in front of him.
“Jarrod, what are you doing here?”
The man laughed, a high-pitched noise at odds with his rough appearance. He
scratched his unshaven cheek and pulled a gun from his pocket. “Last time you were in
ZHENG’S HEART
16
charge. This time I’m calling all the shots.” He squealed with laughter again. “Shots. Get it?
You ruined my life! I’m going to ruin yours.”
Aaron didn’t know what kind of drugs the man had taken but they were apparently
strong enough to make Jarrod think he could take on two police officers.
Garlin stepped to the side, blocking Aaron with his body. What was it about other men
that made them so protective of Aaron? He wasn’t a woman for Christ’s sake.
“Okay,” Garlin said, his voice low and soothing. “Why don’t you put down the gun
and tell me what you want to talk about? We can work this out.”
“Talk!” Jarrod’s outrage screeched across the air between them. “Talk! I don’t want to
talk. What is there to talk about? My brother died in that prison. You are the one who put
him there.”
“He killed three people,” Garlin said.
Aaron didn’t think now was the time to argue, not if they planned to get out of this
situation alive. Before Aaron could formulate a plan, Jarrod fired his weapon. Garlin pulled
his gun and returned fire. Jarod shot again.
Garlin toppled to the ground.
Aaron aimed his weapon and shot at Jarrod. The man’s body absorbed the blow. Jarrod
pointed his gun at Aaron. The sound of multiple weapons firing filled the air.
Jarrod’s shocked expression lasted only a second before he too fell to the ground.
Surprised, Aaron spun around to find a handful of cops had exited the diner, no doubt at the
first sound of gunfire.
Aaron ignored the druggie to give Garlin his full attention. A bullet had pierced the
center of Garlin’s forehead.
“How the fuck did he shoot you there?”
With Jarrod’s lack of coordination it was a sick kind of miracle he’d hit Garlin at all.
Aaron crouched down beside his partner to check Garlin’s eyes. A bullet hole didn’t
necessarily mean death. It only took a second to realize that in this case it certainly had.
Aaron scanned the area but the cops were all checking on Jarrod.
One man started to head toward Aaron.
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“Call an ambulance,” Aaron shouted. He used a bit of Orion’s power to psychically
push the others away. Too bad he hadn’t been able to concentrate enough during the
shooting to stop the asshole from killing Garlin.
While the cop reached for his radio, Aaron yanked off his necklace. This was his chance
to give Zheng a proper body. What could be better than to put him in the body of a cop?
Zheng wouldn’t even have to learn a new career.
Benjamin had claimed no special skills were needed to transplant a spirit, just contact
with an empty vessel.
“I hope this works.” Aaron pressed the wire pendent to Garlin’s forehead.
A bright flare sparked, blinding Aaron with its intensity. He blinked repeatedly, trying
to clear his vision from the spots floating before his eyes.
The body on the ground moaned.
“Oh fuck, I did it,” Aaron gasped.
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Chapter One
Lights stabbed into Zheng’s eyes, piercing his skull like an ice pick. Did anyone use ice
picks anymore?
“Zheng?”
The warm, beloved voice pulled Zheng out of his floating world. He moved his head,
careful not to dislodge the dozens of jackhammers happily pounding away.
“Aaron? What happened?”
Someone’s warm hand brushed the hair back from his forehead. “What do you
remember?”
“Please stop touching him.” A less welcome voice interrupted Zheng’s appreciation of
Aaron’s touch.
He groaned. “Orion?”
“In the flesh, which oddly enough is the same I can say about you,” Orion replied
cryptically.
The sound of squeaky shoes on the tile alerted Zheng that someone else had entered the
room.
“Detective Garlin, I’m Blair, your nurse. How are you feeling?” a feminine voice asked.
“M-my head hurts.” Confusion clouded his brain. Why was he in a hospital and who
the fuck was Garlin?
“That will fade, you had a bad fall and suffered a minor concussion,” the nurse
explained as if now he’d understand why she’d changed his name.
Concussion. Maybe he had temporary amnesia, but why would he remember Aaron?
Zheng pried open his eyelids. Aaron’s handsome face swam into his vision.
How could he forget him? He loved Aaron. An ache that never seemed to go away
twisted in his chest. “Hey.”
Aaron’s relieved smile warmed him like the summer sun. “Hey, yourself. You gave me
a scare when you didn’t wake up. I thought I’d done something wrong.”
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“Never.” His ex might not want Zheng in his bed but Aaron had a loyal heart and
wouldn’t turn his back on a friend.
“I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake.” The nurse gently pushed him back down.
“Don’t try to sit up. Maybe your friend there can feed you some ice chips.”
“I’d be happy to,” Aaron said.
Orion growled.
Zheng waited until the nurse had left before he spoke. “What’s going on?”
Holes in his memory had him struggling to figure out how he’d ended up in the
hospital.
“What do you remember?”
Aaron’s unusual reticence had Zheng’s instincts screaming. He searched his mind.
Colors, smells and pain whipped through his memories, flaying his senses. One image
slammed into him and stuck in his head. “I was killed,” he whispered.
Zheng touched his neck. No scars or bandages met his fingertips.
“Yes.” Aaron took Zheng’s hand in his. “You were killed and you asked me to save
you, remember?”
An image of Aaron’s tearful face flashed into Zheng’s head. “I remember you being
upset.”
“You could say that.” Aaron’s eyes lit up with amusement. “Do you remember
Benjamin?”
“Drug-running asshole?”
Orion laughed. “And people wonder why I don’t want him dating my daughter.”
The vampire had convinced humans to deal drugs in Orion’s club to send a message.
Zheng recalled going with Aaron to the vampire’s mansion. “Wait, I was attacked. A
vampire attacked me.”
“Yeah, he’s dead,” Aaron said. “I blew his fucking brains out.”
Zheng squeezed Aaron’s hand. As flippant as Aaron seemed, Zheng knew his ex
would’ve taken the death very hard. For all his bluster, Aaron had the gentlest heart of
anyone Zheng had ever known.
“What happened then?”
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20
Aaron glanced at Orion before turning back to Zheng. “I let Benjamin put your soul into
a necklace until I could find a new body for you.”
Zheng released Aaron’s hand. “And did you?”
Pieces of the puzzle were falling into place with startling clarity. Zheng took a shaky
breath. “I want a mirror.”
“Um…” Aaron cast a frantic look at Orion.
“Now!” Zheng snapped.
“Hey.” Orion marched over to the bed and scowled down at Zheng. “Watch your tone.
Aaron has gone through a lot for you, don’t start treating him like shit or I’ll make sure this
body isn’t habitable either.”
The cold expression on Orion’s face convinced Zheng that the vampire would rip out
Zheng’s heart without hesitation.
“Sorry, Aaron.” Zheng would’ve apologized without the vampire towering over him,
but he’d be a liar if he didn’t say Orion gave him an added incentive.
“That’s okay, I understand.” Aaron handed over a hand mirror like the ones Zheng had
seen at his barbershop.
He raised an eyebrow at the size.
“You wanted a mirror, there’s a mirror. Now stop stalling.”
Sucking in a breath, Zheng lifted the mirror to his face. The shock of seeing a complete
stranger staring back at him held him motionless for a minute. Turning his face from side to
side he examined the golden skin, high cheekbones and dark eyes for a long time.
“You okay?” Aaron asked.
Zheng didn’t rush to answer, he thought over his response for a few minutes first. “Not
really, but I will be.” He set the mirror down in his lap and mustered a smile for his worried
ex. “At least you got me a good-looking body.”
Aaron laughed, the sound more relief than amusement. “I was searching for a big white
guy with a beer gut, but sadly there wasn’t one conveniently lying around.”
“That is a shame,” Zheng commiserated. Exhaustion beat at him.
“Here have an ice chip before you go back to sleep.”
Zheng gratefully accepted the frozen shard. Cool bliss coated his mouth until it melted
like a snowflake on his overheated tongue. “Thanks.”
Amber Kell
21
Aaron set the cup down on the side table. “Sure. I’ll leave them right here so you can
reach them if you need to.”
“Why don’t you get going? I’m going to rest.”
“Okay, I’ll be back in the morning.”
Orion wrapped an arm around Aaron to lead him out of the door.
“Hey, Aaron?”
Aaron spun around to face him. “Yeah?”
“Whose body did you give me anyway?”
“My partner’s.” Aaron smiled, the expression cutting through Zheng’s heart with its
beauty. Aaron had never understood how truly stunning he was.
Zheng nodded, careful of his painful head. “What do you know about him?”
“Not much. I’m going to do some research and get back to you. I’m sorry but since you
were renting, after the first month we put all your stuff into storage and let your lease go.”
“How long was I gone?”
“Five months.” Aaron winced as if the thought pained him.
Zheng held out his hand until Aaron walked back and took it. He squeezed Aaron’s
fingers. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
“Always.” Aaron returned Zheng’s grip silently pledging his support.
Aaron might not return Zheng’s love but there was no one Zheng trusted more. “What
does everyone think happened to me?”
“They think you fell and hit your head. Once you entered Garlin’s body it healed the
bullet wound in his forehead but you were still unconscious. I didn’t know what else to tell
them. Luckily the bullet passed through so I didn’t have to explain it.”
“You did good,” Zheng said.
“He sure as fuck did.” Orion grabbed Aaron’s wrist and pulled him away from Zheng
again.
“I look forward to being your partner, though you should’ve looked for an Asian
dude.” He had years of complaining to do on that subject.
“You’re lucky I didn’t put you in a woman’s body.” Aaron smirked. “Get some rest.”
“Will do.”
ZHENG’S HEART
22
Zheng closed his eyes. He hoped Garlin was a loner. If the man had people who loved
him, Zheng didn’t know how he was going to deal with them. He couldn’t exactly blurt out
that the real Garlin was gone and Zheng had taken his place. If word got around about a way
to take over another person’s body it would only be a matter of time before all the old, rich
white guys were harvesting dead people to stay immortal.
He’d have to talk to Aaron and formulate a plan to deal with the living.
Tomorrow.
Today he needed more sleep.
* * * *
The next day, Zheng was released from the hospital. Aaron brought him clothes, keys
to his storage locker, keys to Garlin’s place and most importantly, keys to his car.
He didn’t care how much Orion growled, Aaron deserved that kiss. The fact Zheng had
probably enjoyed it more than Aaron was immaterial.
To Zheng’s relief, Aaron had discovered Garlin didn’t have any family and his last
long-term relationship had ended a few years ago. Apparently Garlin had been just as alone
as Zheng.
A small brick house stood on the spot matching Zheng’s driver’s license address. His
confidence increased when the key he slid into the keyhole turned with ease. “Looks like I
have the right place.”
Maybe he could use Garlin’s as his new residence at least in the short term. “Great, now
I have a split personality.”
Sighing, Zheng pushed open the door. “Please don’t have an alarm.”
Surprisingly, no screeching bell or ominous beeping began. Relief swept through Zheng
as he stepped inside then pushed the door closed behind him. The stale air in the place took
him aback. According to Aaron he’d only been in the hospital a few days. Surely the
abandoned scent shouldn’t have already taken hold.
Curious, Zheng walked through the hall. Everything had a fine layer of dust. Weird.
“When was the last time you were home?” Zheng mused out loud.
Amber Kell
23
The mystery of the man’s body he now inhabited intrigued Zheng. Aaron hadn’t
known his partner for more than one day so although he’d found out about Garlin’s love
interests, he knew nothing about the man’s personality. Zheng had hoped walking among
the guy’s things would help him out.
Zheng tossed the keys onto a side table. A few years ago he probably would’ve been
able to check the answering machine and ferret out information. Now people used their cell
phones for everything and a lot of people didn’t even have a landline.
“Wait, phone.”
Grabbing the bag of personal belongings he’d received from the hospital, Zheng was
pleased to find Garlin’s phone had a fingerprint password. “Yes!”
He pressed his thumb on the sensor and smiled when his print unlocked the screen. A
quick review of contacts showed several names but no hints as to who they might be. The
name Benjamin triggered a flash of concern. Zheng brushed it away. There were a lot of
Benjamins—it didn’t have to be the vampire master.
Zheng clung to that belief until he opened the refrigerator door and found the shelves
filled with blood wine and packets of blood. A few token bits of sliced cheese and meats told
Zheng either a human also lived there or he’d taken over a vampire old enough to eat food.
“I can’t drink blood.”
The thought of biting into someone and sucking down their fluids had Zheng
swallowing back the bile rising in his throat. He’d never been a fan of vampires, Orion
included. Discovering he might be one was a special type of horror.
Zheng dialed the phone with shaking hands. Good thing he had Aaron’s number
memorized.
“Hello?”
The cautious tone in Aaron’s voice reminded Zheng that his ex wouldn’t have
recognized the number. It was a miracle he’d even answered the phone. “Aaron, it’s me. I
need to see you.”
“What’s wrong?” Aaron had wanted to go with Zheng to his new place but Zheng had
insisted he could handle things on his own. He was just now realizing how wrong he had
been.
“I think I’m a vampire.”
ZHENG’S HEART
24
He held the phone away from his ear as Aaron’s loud laughter burst across the speaker.
“It’s not funny!” He groused when Aaron had finally stopped giggling into the phone.
“Sorry. Why the fuck would you think that?” Aaron asked.
“Because I’m looking at a refrigerator full of blood.”
“Meet me at the club. We need to talk this through.”
“What’s wrong?” Zheng’s stress levels shot up at Aaron’s commanding voice. Aaron
never liked to break bad news over the phone.
“I want to talk to you in person. We need to have you checked out.”
As much as he wanted to battle it out over the phone he could tell Aaron wouldn’t say
anything else until they met face-to-face. He respected the hell out of his ex and if Aaron
wanted to see him then he’d go.
He hung up the phone after promising to be at the club soon.
Zheng rubbed his hands over his face. The unfamiliar bone structure and long shape
distracted him briefly. “Maybe I should’ve died,” he whispered.
Cheating fate never came without cost.
Amber Kell
25
Chapter Two
Music, loud and pulsing, poured from the door of the club whenever anyone entered.
Zheng had never enjoyed clubs but he needed to talk to Aaron—now!
His hands shook as he made his way to the entrance. What the fuck was happening to
him? Sound echoed in his ears, everything twice as loud as he expected. Zheng nodded to the
bouncer as he entered. The crowd swelled around him but the people smelled off as if they’d
all been dipped in the same swill.
Shouldn’t he be craving blood? Wouldn’t a true vampire be salivating with this many
potential donors milling about?
Zheng wrinkled his nose and headed for the bar. Aaron could find him there. He
desperately needed a drink or twenty. Maybe a happy haze of alcohol could dull his sharp
hunger.
The number of things Zheng knew about vampires could be counted on one hand with
three fingers left over. They sucked blood and could hypnotize their prey, yep, that was
pretty much all he knew. Luckily, his closest friend and ex-lover had one for his very own. If
anyone could help him figure things out, it would be Aaron.
Zheng approached the bar. Orion’s gorgeous red-headed bartender flipped and shook
his bottles, doing flair with impressive skill. Zheng had watched a few flair competitions and
this guy had all of them beat. His moves were smooth and practiced while still putting
enough question in the landing to make the crowd wonder if he would make the catch each
time.
After ending with the presentation of four drinks, the bartender accepted payment, then
bowed before heading over to where Zheng had found an empty stool.
“Hey there, handsome, what can I do you for?”
Zheng smiled at the bartender’s English accent, easing some of his anxiety. “I’d like a
whiskey neat.”
ZHENG’S HEART
26
He actually wanted the entire bottle but he’d leave his happy fog until after he talked to
Aaron. If he became drunk he’d probably give into the urge to kiss his ex, which would
result in Orion ripping off his head and tossing it across the bar.
He’d save that adventure for later.
“I’m Banner,” the bartender offered with a friendly grin. He poured Zheng’s whiskey as
he chatted.
Zheng nodded, not offering his own name. Right now he didn’t know what to call
himself. Should he go by Garlin or Zheng? Continue on as a cop, or try to straighten out his
life first? He’d probably best go by Garlin or people might be confused when he brought out
his badge.
Without any other job skills and no idea what he’d been turned into, Zheng decided to
stay the course. Aaron could help him if he needed anything. Now he just had to get used to
his new body. Garlin’s limbs were longer and lankier than Zheng was used to. Tripping over
his feet wouldn’t give him a good reputation.
Questions with no answers swirled around Zheng’s mind. He longed for the days when
the only thing he had to worry about was his unrequited love for his ex.
“I’m waiting for Aaron,” he offered in lieu of his name.
Banner frowned. “You might want to reconsider whatever you have planned for him.
Orion doesn’t take it well when men poach.”
Zheng snorted. “I know.”
He knew better than anyone how possessive Orion was over Aaron. On one hand he
was happy Aaron had someone, but on the other he kept hoping Orion would ruin it all and
Zheng could snatch Aaron back. Zheng shot back the booze and raised his glass to get
another.
Banner leaned down to pour another drink and his scent wafted over to Zheng.
Damn.
The fragrance rolling off the bartender had Zheng’s cock hardening in his pants, his
first erection since he’d woken up in the hospital.
Fuck I can’t do anything about it now.
Zheng groaned. Orion would no doubt be at his meeting with Aaron and he wouldn’t
like it if Zheng were sporting a boner. He inhaled deeply trying to calm his emotions only to
Amber Kell
27
scent Banner again. Hunger hit him sharp and quick like a viper bite, twisting Zheng’s
stomach in a giant aching knot of need.
“I’ll be right back.” Banner headed to the other side of the bar to take care of a few more
customers then wandered back as he worked the bar in Zheng’s direction. Banner raised his
eyebrows at Zheng’s empty glass. “Can I get you something else?”
“I can think of a lot of things you can get for me.” Zheng clenched his fingers into fists,
his nails carving half-moons into his flesh. Any tighter and he’d bleed.
Blood.
He needed Banner’s blood. Zheng’s mouth watered.
Standing, he reached across the bar and grabbed Banner by his shirtfront. Unable to
resist the silent call to get closer, Zheng kissed the bartender.
Banner relaxed beneath Zheng’s lips for a split second as if shock held him still then he
pushed back and slipped his tongue into Zheng’s mouth. The explosion of flavor, the
combination of his taste and Banner’s had Zheng hard and ready. He had to be inside him.
Now.
He tightened his grip and pulled, trying to get closer.
Banner wrenched away his lips. “I’m at work.”
“Not anymore. I need you.” Couldn’t he see how much Zheng had to have him right
now? He knew his behavior wasn’t polite, but he couldn’t stop. He wouldn’t stop until he
tasted Banner.
“Whoa,” Banner yelled, gripping the bar top to prevent Zheng from yanking him
forward.
Zheng growled. “Come with me.”
A prick at his bottom lip distracted him enough that Banner was able to escape his hold.
“Hey, take it easy,” Banner said, backing up.
“No.” He couldn’t relax. Hunger curled inside him like a greedy snake waiting to
pounce on its kill. He couldn’t release his prey and allow it to scurry off.
“I can’t leave my post,” Banner protested taking a step back but not truly running. A
long length of bar remained behind him. If he wished to, Banner could’ve put a lot of space
between them.
ZHENG’S HEART
28
“They can deal without you for a few minutes.” Zheng didn’t know where this brutal,
take charge attitude had come from or if it was a good thing or not, but a stronger, different
part of him had taken over and he couldn’t stop.
“O-okay.” Banner’s smooth manner deserted him. “Let me get someone to replace me.”
Zheng nodded. That was a fair enough request. He didn’t want Orion hunting Banner
down because no one was watching his bar. He could smell Banner’s desire even over the
stench of booze and too many bodies crammed into the club.
He saw Banner talk to a dark-haired guy Zheng hadn’t noticed on the far side of the
counter. After an intense conversation involving hand waving and many glances toward
him, Banner headed back his way.
“I’ve got a twenty-minute break.” Banner lifted a section of the bar allowing Zheng to
pass through. “We can talk back here.”
Yeah, talk. Zheng smiled. The only talking he planned to do would be extremely dirty.
They barely cleared the doorframe before Zheng slammed the door shut then pinned
Banner up against the hard surface. He ran his nose along the side of Banner’s neck. “You
smell so fucking good.”
Banner moaned. “Oh crap. I haven’t done this in a while.”
“Good.” The thought of anyone else touching his bartender made Zheng want to rip
apart any competition. “Mine.”
“We’ll see,” Banner said, his eyes bright with amusement.
Zheng held back a growl. “Mine.” He tore Banner’s shirt, the thin cotton shredded like
paper beneath his desperate touch.
“What am I going to wear now?”
The laughter in Banner’s voice fired Zheng’s need. He liked a man’s breathy moans but
humor did it for him every time. Banner’s heartbeat hammered beneath his skin. Zheng
could smell the blood sliding inside the bartender’s veins and the pre-cum dripping from his
cock. All his senses were in overdrive and Zheng couldn’t stop the soft moan escaping from
him as he rubbed his cheek against Banner’s face.
He lapped at Banner’s jugular, relishing the flavor of salty flesh and the steady thump
of his heartbeat. Unable to deny his craving, Zheng struck. His canines sliced through
Amber Kell
29
Banner’s neck with the ease of a well-honed knife. Blood spurted into Zheng’s mouth and he
drank.
So good.
“D-don’t take too much,” Banner warned. “You can get sick if you gorge.”
Zheng curled his fingers around Banner’s hips and pressed their groins together.
Pleased to discover Banner’s erection matched his own, Zheng rubbed against him while he
continued to suck. When Banner’s touch fell away a second before Zheng lifted his mouth.
Blood dripped from the puncture wound. Instinct had him licking the spot until it had
cleared of blood and only a mark remained behind.
Blood. He’d drunk blood.
His stomach churned and the room spun into a dizzy swirling motion like he was back
on the teacup ride he’d enjoyed as a child but hated as an adult.
“I’ve got you.” Banner’s warm, caramel voice soothed Zheng as the bartender helped
Zheng to the couch. “Easy.”
“What’s happening to me?”
Banner sat beside him, brushing Zheng’s hair back from his face. “I don’t know. Who
are you? I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before, and trust me I’d know.”
“Zheng.” He licked his lips. “I’m Zheng.”
Banner snatched his hands away. “Aaron’s Zheng?”
“Yeah.” Hearing his ex’s name snapped him back to reality. He needed to talk to Aaron.
“Can you get him? Something’s wrong with me.”
A lot was wrong but he knew Aaron would have the answers. His cop friend was quick
on his feet and with a vampire of his own surely he’d know what the fuck was going on.
“Sit here, babe. I’ll get him.” Banner kissed Zheng on the forehead. “Don’t go
anywhere, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Zheng closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the couch. Maybe the
room would stop swirling long enough for him to get up. As he waited he examined the
room—a small office with a big couch and a desk shoved against one wall. No doubt the staff
used it when they needed to rest or someone needed to lie down for a bit. His eyes slid
closed.
“There you are.”
ZHENG’S HEART
30
Aaron’s voice woke Zheng.
“Hey,” Zheng replied. “It’s been a hell of a night.”
Aaron’s serious expression had Zheng tensing. He knew that look. It never heralded
good news.
“Banner tells me you drank his blood.”
Zheng narrowed his eyes at Banner. “Tattle.”
Banner shrugged. “It’s not every day you get seduced by a newbie vampire.”
“That’s because there aren’t any newbie vampires,” Orion said, walking into Zheng’s
field of vision.
Before he’d thought Orion a sexy, if territorial, vampire. Now, with his new enhanced
senses, Zheng could feel the power rolling off the older vamp. He twitched with the need to
kneel before him.
Aaron sat beside Zheng, cutting the overwhelming pressure pouring from Orion. His ex
took Zheng’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know Garlin was a vampire.
We’d just met and when he was shot, I saw my chance.” Guilt flashed across Aaron’s face. “I
wouldn’t have used him if I’d known.”
“Hey.” Zheng cupped Aaron’s face between his hands. “It’s all right. I’ll deal with it. At
least we’re still partners.”
He tried for a smile and some of the tension eased from Aaron’s face.
Banner growled, “You’re going to be a partner without a hand if you don’t stop
touching him.”
Zheng released Aaron then twisted around to stare at the bartender. “What?”
“I don’t like you touching him.” The pout on Banner’s face made Zheng smile.
Adorable.
He scooted a few inches away from Aaron. Not too far in case he needed to protect him
against Banner but far enough that Banner stopped glaring at his friend.
“Baby could you leave us alone for a bit? I need to have a vampire to vampire talk with
Zheng,” Orion said.
Aaron glared at his lover. “Behave.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior, I promise.” Orion raised his hands as if he were innocent
of any sort of accusation.
Amber Kell
31
“Uh huh.” Aaron turned back to Zheng. “Are you comfortable talking to Orion on your
own?”
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.” Zheng squeezed Aaron’s shoulder, taking the opportunity to touch
him again. He ducked his head to hide his smile over screwing with Orion. He hadn’t quite
gotten the hang of this new body but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a bit of fun.
Aaron stood. He kissed Orion on the cheek before walking out of the door.
“Banner if you’ll excuse us?” Orion prompted.
“No.” Banner put his hands on his hips. “I’m not going anywhere. He bit me. I have the
right to know where this is going.”
Zheng had wanted to do more than bite him. He’d wanted to fuck him into the wall.
Didn’t vampires do one-bite stands?
Orion touched Banner’s neck, rubbing against the bite mark Zheng had left behind. “He
was going with his instincts. It didn’t mean anything.”
Banner’s mouth tightened into a straight line.
Anger roared through Zheng. Jumping to his feet he grabbed Orion, intent on throwing
him. The vampire didn’t budge.
“You’ll have to become much older before you can do anything to me. You’re a mere
fledgling, I’d be surprised if you’re over fifty,” Orion scoffed.
The fury faded as quickly as it had come. He released his hold on Orion. “Sorry. I didn’t
like you touching Banner.”
Orion nodded. “It’s common for vampires to become possessive of their first bite. You’ll
get over it once you take to regular donors or get used to bagged blood.”
Zheng snorted. “So far I haven’t felt the urge to bite anyone except Banner.”
Banner and Orion froze. A weird expression crossed Banner’s face.
“What?” Zheng asked, glancing from one vampire to the other.
They two vampires exchanged a look as if they knew something but didn’t want to say
it out loud.
“No one else in the entire club appealed to you?” Orion asked.
“No.” Zheng replayed his path through the crowd. “No one else smelled good.”
Banner wrapped his arms around Zheng and squeezed him tight. “I knew I was right.”
ZHENG’S HEART
32
“About what?” Zheng tried to pull himself from the excited vampire’s stranglehold but
like Orion, Banner’s strength far outstripped his own, which meant Banner had allowed
Zheng to manhandle him before.
“If no one else appealed to you then Banner is most likely your mate,” Orion dropped
the bomb as if he hadn’t just turned Zheng’s world inside out. From the smug smile he knew
it too.
“Mates? Not friends kind of mates?” Zheng checked Banner’s expression. The laughing
bartender wasn’t laughing so much anymore.
“It means it’s you and me for eternity,” Banner explained.
Still, Zheng didn’t see any happiness on his supposed mate’s face. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Considering you still think like a human and could go insane, I’m not doing back
flips,” Banner said.
“Insane? Why? I thought the transference went well.” Hadn’t he already taken his first
bite and drank blood?
“It did but human souls weren’t meant to inhabit vampires. Benjamin told Aaron if he
picked a vampire body the odds of you not breaking beneath the pressure were slim. That’s
why Aaron didn’t just put you into the body of the vampire who killed you,” Orion
explained.
“Oh.” Zheng took stock of his body. “I feel fine. Weird, but fine. Maybe he was wrong.”
Orion shrugged. “Maybe. I can’t recall this ever happening before so he can’t be talking
from experience.”
“See, he’s just wrong. I’ll be fine. Still, I can’t see why you wanted Aaron out of the
way?” Zheng braced himself.
Orion grinned. “This is where I threaten you. I know you still have feelings for Aaron
but he’s never going to leave me. He’s mine.”
Zheng waited for the pain to hit. For his heart to twist and cramp with the ache he’d
carried around for years. Nothing. He took a breath. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Orion tilted his head and examined Zheng for so long Zheng began to get
twitchy.
“Okay, Aaron is yours. He hasn’t been mine in a long time.”
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33
The words were almost cathartic to speak. Vague memories of soft lips and sweeter
smiles were all he had left of his past relationship with Aaron. He tied those up with a bow
and set them in the corner attic of his mind. Someday he’d pull them out and revisit them,
but not anytime soon.
“Well good.” Orion bit his lip and stared at Banner. “Okay then, I’ll leave you two
alone.”
Without another word Orion left the room.
“He’s kind of strange,” Zheng said after the door had shut behind the vampire leader.
Banner followed Orion to the door. Zheng grabbed his arm as he passed. “Where are
you going?”
“Back to work.” Banner’s mouth twisted into an unhappy frown. “I’ve got stuff to do,
mate.”
Mate.
Zheng knew Banner didn’t mean that as it sounded but the word sizzled down his
spine. He tightened his grip and pulled the bartender closer. Zheng’s mouth watered at the
memory of Banner’s blood.
“I want you.”
Banner’s gaze shifted down as if his shoes had turned into the most important objects in
the universe. “I think you’re a little overwhelmed right now. You need to sort out your
feelings before you get involved with anyone and I’m no one’s food.”
“Who said involved?” Zheng yanked Banner close and licked a long line up the
bartender’s throat before letting his canines scrape across Banner’s skin. The bartender
shuddered beneath Zheng’s mouth. “I just want to devour you.”
Banner tilted his head in invitation. “Just a small bite. I don’t want you to become too
addicted.”
“Why does it matter if we’re mates?”
“Because I might not be around to feed you and I don’t want you to starve to death
because you can’t ingest bagged blood.”
“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t think of that. I’m still getting used to this entire drinking blood
thing.” He’d just let go of his hold on Aaron—he couldn’t wrap himself around Banner so
soon.
ZHENG’S HEART
34
Banner must’ve read something in Zheng’s expression. He walked closer and slid his
arms around Zheng’s waist. “Listen, even if we’re mates there are still things to work out.
Being mates doesn’t mean instant perfection. We still need to get to know each other, okay?”
Zheng burrowed his nose against Banner’s shoulder. His teeth elongated, slipping
though his gums and to the edge of his bottom lip. Zhang scraped his canines along the ridge
of Banner’s skin.
“Why don’t I think you’re listening?”
“Because you’re smart.” Zheng snorted when his voice came out with a lisp. Maybe
later he’d practice his Count Dracula impression.
“This is important, Zheng. We have to be more than blood and bodies.”
“Why?” Zheng lifted his mouth. His teeth slid back beneath his gums, the alien
sensation distracted him.
“Why?” Banner stepped back. “Because I want a man who wants me, all of me and not
just what I have to give. I want us to fall in love and have our happy ever after.”
Zheng had no response to that. “I-I want that too. I just might need a little time.”
“Because of Aaron?” Banner’s brilliant gaze dimmed.
“No. Well sort of but only because I loved him for so long it’ll seem strange. I’m not
saying we’ll never fall in love, but I’m not in a hurry. Are you?” Why would vampires need
to rush into anything? They have centuries to cement their relationships.
Banner shrugged. “I’ve waited a long time to find my mate. I’d hoped to have him as
excited to be mine.”
“Fuck. I’m ruining this for you aren’t I?” Zheng grabbed Banner’s hips and pulled him
against his body. “Don’t think you aren’t important to me. Just give me a bit of time. I’ve had
a lot to adjust to lately.”
The bartender positioned his gaze somewhere over Zheng’s shoulder. “Sure, I
understand.”
“Why do ‘I understand’ and ‘you’re ripping out my heart’ have the same tone to
them?” Zheng rubbed his cheek against Banner’s hair before releasing him. Damn, Banner
smelled good.
“Sorry, man. I’ll try not to push. We can use this time to get to know each other.”
Amber Kell
35
Banner’s incandescent smile eased some of Zheng’s stress. He hadn’t been kidding, he
did need time to adjust. Becoming a vampire and rising from the dead were just the
beginning of his troubles and might not be the worst he had to deal with.
“I’d like that.”
Banner hadn’t replaced his shirt. Zheng allowed his appreciative gaze to slide across
Banner’s skin. “I can think of all kinds of ways to get acquainted.”
“Yeah?” Banner slid one finger down his chest. “See something you like?”
“It’s not nice to bait a predator,” Zheng growled.
“Aww, but you’re not that scary. You’re still a baby. My twenty-year-old niece is scarier
than you.”
“I’ll show you baby,” Zheng said. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside. Banner’s
low whistle of appreciation didn’t stop him. He reached for his zipper.
“Wait!”
“For what?” He glared at Banner. “We’re mates, we’re horny. We should get naked.”
Please don’t say no!
Zheng would beg if necessary, but he desperately craved the slide of Banner’s bare flesh
against his own. He could explode from pure longing.
Banner’s blue eyes darkened to an almost cobalt blue. “Let me lock the door. I don’t
want anyone walking in.”
“What about your job?”
The snort from Banner said it all. “If Orion wants to fire me for bonding with my mate,
let him.”
“You’d best hurry.” Zheng pulled off the rest of his clothes then settled onto the couch.
He slid a hand up and down his erection, giving Banner a show.
“Oh, hell yes.” Banner licked his lips.
Banner flicked the lock then walked over to the couch, his gaze following Zheng’s every
motion. Before he’d gotten in another stroke Banner was by his side.
“So fucking beautiful.”
Zheng’s motions stopped. Before, when a man praised his looks he would’ve accepted
the compliment and moved on, now that he’d taken over another man’s body he didn’t know
how to take comments about his appearance.
ZHENG’S HEART
36
“Hey.” Banner knelt in front of him. “Don’t overthink it.”
“Yeah, okay.” Zheng pushed the bad thoughts out of his head. He needed to accept he
would never be the man he’d been before. He had a new body and a new identity. “Does
vampire blood nourish?”
Banner shrugged. “A bit. You’ll need a supplement if you drink only vamp blood
because our body leeches out the vitamins.”
“A vampire multivitamin?” Zheng laughed over the thought. Then he forgot to think at
all because Banner slid his mouth over Zheng’s cock. Zheng closed his eyes, wallowing in the
sensation. “Yes.”
Banner worked Zheng’s cock as if he’d found his new occupation as Zheng’s love slave.
Unable to resist touching, Zheng slid his right hand into Banner’s hair and gripped the soft
strands tight.
“Just like that, babe. You know what you’re doing.”
He hated to think how much experience a vampire might have. Banner had
undoubtedly been around the track more times than a Formula One racer. Banishing his
jealousy, Zheng focused on the wet slide of Banner across his shaft. When Banner pulled
back and tongued Zheng’s slit, Zheng lost control. Banner barely had time to seal his mouth
over the tip and swallow down all of Zheng’s seed.
Zheng’s hands shook. He carefully removed his fingers from Banner’s hair, petting
down the rumbled strands. “Sorry.”
“Never be sorry about wanting me.” Banner grinned. He stood up and put his legs on
either side of Zheng. The rough denim of Banner’s pants brushed against Zheng’s bare skin.
“Off.” Zheng pulled at the fabric then placed his hand on Banner’s naked chest.
Banner’s gasp had Zheng smiling. “You feel amazing.”
“I’m going to feel even better inside you.” Banner’s voice had gone deeper than before.
“Think I’ll let you fuck me?” Zheng met Banner’s hot gaze with a steady one of his own.
“I know you will.” Banner kissed Zheng.
He generally didn’t like the taste of his own cum, but mixed with Banner’s flavor, he
was willing to overlook it this time.
“Need you.”
Amber Kell
37
“Do you have lube? Mate or not, I’m not letting you fuck me without lube.” Zheng
didn’t know if his body was used to penetration and even if Garlin had been a porn star on
the side, Zheng still needed something to ease the way.
“I’m on it.” Banner slid off Zheng to rush over to the desk.
“How do you want me?”
Banner froze mid-step. “Oh, I’ll take you however I can get you, love.”
Zheng rolled his eyes even as a blush burned on his cheeks. He turned over and put his
knees on the couch cushion. He watched Banner search through the desk. Suspicion slithered
through him, a serpent of distrust. “Do you have a lot of assignations here?”
“Hmm? No but Orion drags Aaron in here sometimes.”
Zheng expected a flare of jealousy to hit him but he felt nothing except a surge of lust
when Banner walked closer carrying a tube of something in his fist.
“Found it?”
“Yep.”
“Good. I need you.”
The pleased smile he received more than made up for his discomfort over displaying
himself for sex with a man he barely knew.
“I need you too. It’s part of being mates. We’ll hunger for each other.”
Hunger, not love. “Do mates fall in love?”
Banner shrugged. “I wouldn’t say all mates fall in love but there’s a good percentage.”
Zheng’s throat tightened. Maybe he wasn’t quite ready to give his heart away but if
Banner was going to be the last man he ever had sex with he wanted them to have a closer
connection. “Do mates cheat?”
Banner fisted Zheng’s hair, jerked back his head and whispered in Zheng’s ear, his
voice low and threatening, “You ever touch another man, mate, and I will kill him.”
“Got it. Thought I would ask.” Apparently the calm, cheerful bartender hid a darker
side.
Banner kissed his cheek. “It’s good to get things out in the open.”
“Yeah.” Zheng nodded as far as Banner let him.
“I’m gonna open you up, then claim you. Once we have sex you’ll be mine.”
ZHENG’S HEART
38
Zheng wondered what would happen if they didn’t have sex. He didn’t dare press his
luck by asking any more questions. Banner’s patience had apparently vanished.
The vampire pushed a lube-slicked finger inside Zheng without warning. Zheng sucked
in a breath but didn’t make any complaint. Banner waited until Zheng had adjusted before
he added a second.
“Easy, love, I don’t want to hurt you.” Banner used a soothing tone as if trying to calm a
frightened virgin.
“I have had sex before.”
“In this body?” Banner shoved in another finger.
Zheng arched into his touch. “N-no.”
“Good. Then you are all mine.”
He’d never suspected Banner would have a possessive streak. “All yours.”
Banner might’ve prepped Zheng carefully but he didn’t waste any time. Soon the wide
tip of his cock pressed against Zheng’s hole. Zheng relaxed to take him in.
“More,” Zheng said, his tone demanding.
“Pushy bottom.”
“Yep.” Zheng didn’t bottom all the time but when he did he found himself often calling
the shots.
“I like that.” Banner pressed a soft kiss to Zheng’s shoulder followed by a sharp nip of
his teeth. “I will mark you as mine.”
Zheng shivered. A tingle of sensation rolled up from his toes to the back of his neck.
“Do it.”
He’d left his old life behind with his body. Now he had a second chance for a better
one.
Banner didn’t draw out the suspense—he must’ve needed to fuck Zheng as much as
Zheng needed it. The hard slam of Banner’s large, spongy tip shoved against Zheng’s
prostate and had him screaming within minutes. Whatever experiences Banner had gone
through in his life, he’d learned his sex lessons well.
“Are you mine?” Banner growled.
“Y-yes.” Zheng could barely gather enough breath to answer. He clutched the back of
the couch in a desperate bid to brace himself for Banner’s invasion.
Amber Kell
39
“Can I mark you?” Banner asked.
“Anything, just let me come.” He didn’t care if he didn’t sound cool and collected.
There was no space for subterfuge between mates or at least he didn’t think so. He couldn’t
really concentrate enough to form a proper thought.
“Mine!”
Banner’s canines slashed through Zheng’s shoulder. Zheng bit his lip as he came,
spurting across the cushions as his orgasm ripped through him like a tornado of fire.
“Oh fuck yes, I’m yours,” Zheng whispered. Sweat poured down his spine as the
combined heat of their bodies overwhelmed him.
“I know you are.” Banner pulled Zheng’s head back, lapping at the blood dripping
from where Zheng had pierced his lip with his canines.
Zheng melted against Banner’s body. Home. After all those years and a body transfer
he had finally found someone to be his home.
ZHENG’S HEART
40
Chapter Three
“Aaron and I are going to go visit Benjamin and see if he’s my Master. I found his
number in my phone,” Zheng said.
After sex, his conversation with Banner had gone from getting used to having a mate to
Banner wanting them to cohabitate. Luckily, Aaron had knocked on the door and saved him
from the rest of that argument.
He ignored Banner’s glare from the bar. The vampire had been angry with Zheng since
he told him he wasn’t going to move in with him. They might be mates but Zheng liked his
own space. Shacking up with a total stranger didn’t sound like fun. He’d wanted them to
date a bit first. Luckily the bar was hopping and Banner was too busy to argue with Zheng
further.
Banner had objected that mates didn’t do that. Zheng decided they needed some space
and now would be a good time to solve some other mysteries about the body he’d inhabited.
He was only bringing Aaron along because Benjamin wouldn’t dare do anything with
Orion’s mate around.
Zheng was certain Orion would argue over Aaron going, but to his surprise the
vampire nodded. “Good idea. Aaron can get you directly to Benjamin. If you were a regular
vampire in his cluster he might not be willing to meet with you right away. Benjamin enjoys
his petty power plays but he will be anxious for any word from me.” A wealth of satisfaction
filled Orion’s eyes.
“Toying with the son-in-law are you?” Aaron asked, smiling at his mate.
“Absolutely. That insolent pup needs to be kept in his place. I can’t have him thinking
he can take over my territory.” Orion scowled. “I was lenient enough for not killing him
when his vampire tried to kill Aaron.”
The vampire had killed Zheng instead.
“Would your daughter let him take over your territory?” Orion’s family interactions
fascinated Zheng. The more he learned about vampires the stranger they got.
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41
Orion shrugged. “If she thought it would teach me a lesson. Vampires look at things
differently. Besides, she’s never completely forgiven me for letting her mother raise her. I’m
afraid I’ve never been much of a father figure.”
“You’re trying now, love.” Aaron wrapped his arms around Orion, giving him an
affectionate squeeze.
Zheng cleared his throat. “Benjamin told Aaron a human couldn’t handle sucking
blood. What do you think?” He might not like Orion but he knew the vampire wouldn’t lie to
him.
Orion rubbed the back of his neck, as he appeared to consider the issue. “I think it
depends on the person. Benjamin has had some poor experiences with humans so he tends to
underestimate them. How did you feel drinking Banner’s blood?”
Amazing. Fantastic. Best flavor in the universe.
“Fine.”
He didn’t waver beneath Orion’s steady stare. He’d dealt with lowlifes for years—one
grouchy vampire didn’t faze him. Not to mention Aaron wouldn’t forgive Orion if he
permanently injured Zheng.
“Your bond with your mate might keep you from madness,” Orion said.
“Good to know.” Another reason Banner would no doubt want him to move in. What
better reason than to keep an eye on your potentially insane mate.
“Ready to go?” Aaron asked, glancing from Orion to Zheng.
He straightened up from where he’d been leaning against a table. “Yeah, let’s get this
over with.”
Banner flipped some bottles around. His muscles flexed as he caught the liquor on the
downspin.
Yum.
Maybe he needed to rethink this mate thing.
“Come on.” Aaron tugged Zheng’s arm and pulled him through the crowd.
For once Aaron’s touch didn’t cause anything but annoyance in Zheng. “I was coming,”
he objected.
“That’s what I was worried about.”
ZHENG’S HEART
42
Zheng snorted. He couldn’t deny his thoughts weren’t all pure. He would’ve enjoyed
dragging Banner back to the small room and screwing his lights out. Zheng licked his lips.
Damn, he needed a taste of that.
* * * *
Benjamin’s place looked just like Zheng remembered. Pretentious and filled with bored
looking vampires. What was it with vampires? Did they live so long that everything became
passé?
“Aaron!”
Terese, Orion’s daughter, rushed over to Aaron with more enthusiasm than Zheng had
seen before.
Aaron froze in place. “What’s wrong?”
“How did you know I needed you? I was just about to call.” She stopped right before
she would’ve touched him.
Zheng wondered if it was her boyfriend or her father that had her holding back from
throwing herself into Aaron’s arms. Neither would appreciate her scent on Aaron.
Benjamin walked over to join them. His serious expression didn’t reassure Zheng at all.
“We have a situation we could use the police for. How fortunate you brought your new
vampire partner. Garlin.”
Zheng stood still beneath Benjamin’s scrutiny wondering if Benjamin could tell the
difference. Could he see that Zheng now occupied Garlin’s body? How well had he known
the vampire?
“Show me,” Aaron demanded, pulling Benjamin’s attention away from Zheng.
Zheng hid his smile as the vampires fell in line to obey the human’s orders. Benjamin
led them to a small door Zheng hadn’t noticed. Too bad he didn’t get the dead guy’s
memories along with his body. It would’ve made life so much easier.
He stopped smiling when he entered the room.
Blood splattered the walls, the floors, and a pile of three male bodies positioned in the
middle of the room.
“What happened?” Aaron asked.
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43
Zheng admired Aaron’s composure. If he were still human he’d probably lose his lunch
on the floor. As it was, his stomach swirled uneasily.
“We don’t know. This is my office. I found this mess when I came here to get some
work done.” Benjamin waved his hand toward the corpses.
“I’m sure drug running takes a lot of coordination.” Zheng surveyed the grim scene.
Benjamin narrowed his eyes. “Have I done something to you recently, Garlin? I thought
we had an understanding when I got you your job.”
“Whatever understanding you had with Garlin is over.” Zheng smiled. He should’ve
been more grateful toward Benjamin for helping Aaron save his life but he simply didn’t like
the vampire.
“Why? Are you no longer working for the police?” Benjamin raised an eyebrow at
Zheng as if unsure what to do with the fascinating new bug attracting his attention.
“Because I’m not Garlin—I’m Zheng.”
Benjamin’s gaze snapped to Aaron. “You put him inside a vampire?”
Aaron shrugged. “I didn’t know he was a vamp at the time.”
“How are you adjusting?” Benjamin asked Zheng.
“Fine.” He clenched his hands in his pockets. His body shook as the smell of blood
seeped through his senses. A sudden, violent urge to hunt down Banner had him biting his
lip. He refused to let the blood lust control of him. After a few minutes of breathing through
his mouth he regained a tenuous grip over his urges. He ignored Benjamin’s amusement to
ask a question. “Do you have any idea who might have done this?”
Right now he had to be a cop instead of a vampire. He had a job to do.
Benjamin stared at Zheng for so long Zheng wondered if the vampire master would
answer his question.
“I have many enemies. These were three loyal members of my clan.”
“They’re vampires?” Zheng turned back to give the bodies closer attention. He didn’t
dare touch, afraid of contaminating the crime scene.
“All of our members are vampires. Benjamin doesn’t let humans in.” Terese sent Aaron
an apologetic look.
“None of your vampires have human mates?” Aaron asked.
ZHENG’S HEART
44
“No. They might have relations with humans but they don’t bond with them—not like
you and Orion. I prefer to keep a pure coven.”
Aaron snorted.
Benjamin shrugged. “I’ve never had any humans worth anything. If we had one like
yourself, Aaron, I might change my mind.”
“Don’t change your bigotry on my account.” Aaron kept his eyes on the dead bodies.
“Who do you suspect would do this?” Zheng didn’t want to get into a human-vampire
spat. Aaron didn’t appear concerned about Benjamin’s policy but Zheng didn’t want them to
lose focus.
Benjamin shook his head. “I have many enemies. Another vampire clan would be my
first guess. I would’ve suspected Orion of sending me a message if he wasn’t mated to a cop.
He wouldn’t do anything Aaron wouldn’t approve of. Aaron keeps him on a short leash.”
“Probably not as short as he needs. Did you move anything?” Aaron asked.
“No,” Terese interjected. “Benjamin wanted you to look at it first.”
Aaron continued his investigation. “We’ll have to bring in a team to process the crime
scene. Will that be a problem?”
“I’ll clear them with the guards. Whatever you can find out will be appreciated,”
Benjamin said. “I don’t want a reputation for killing my members.”
Zheng examined the wounds from where he stood, not daring to get any closer. “Could
a vampire do this much damage?”
“Sure.” Benjamin nodded. “Besides, no one else could get in here without us noticing.”
“You think it was one of yours?” Zheng froze. The vampire master appeared
nonchalant for having a possible murderer in his midst.
Benjamin looked away and focused his attention on the ceiling. “The security cameras
were turned off. They knew what they were doing.”
The bite of betrayal cut through his voice. Maybe he wasn’t as unaffected by the
incident as he appeared.
“Did you question your people already?” Zheng knew few vampires could stand
against their Master if questioned.
“No, you arrived before we were able to start,” Benjamin answered.
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45
Aaron nodded. “I’ll call it in. You can give your statement to the homicide
investigator.”
“Wait, I thought you would be the investigator.” Benjamin frowned at them.
“No. I’m too close to this. I can’t officially get involved,” Aaron answered the vampire
while still examining the scene.
Zheng knew Aaron was right but neither of the vampires looked pleased with that
answer.
“We’ll do what we can but unless the captain approves it, we can’t be part of the
investigation,” Zheng backed up his partner.
“I’ll talk to the captain,” Benjamin said.
“You do that. I’m going to make a phone call.” Aaron patted Zheng on the back and
headed to the door while pulling out his phone.
Zheng watched him leave.
“You still love him,” Terese commented.
“I’ll always love him,” Zheng replied.
No matter who else came into his life, Aaron would always be the bittersweet memory
of the one who got away. However, Banner was the man he cared for now. They might not
be in love but he could see them heading in that direction.
Terese squeezed his arm, her grip tight enough to bruise. Zheng glanced down at her
hand. Her nails were painted gold with tiny diamonds in the middle. They were probably
real. “My father won’t ever give him up, you know. Aaron is his.”
“I know.” Zheng waited for the familiar ache. Nothing. “I think I’ll be okay with that.”
Images of Banner flashed through his head. Yeah, he knew where he wanted to go after
they were done here. He would hunt down his bartender and coax Banner back to his
apartment. It needed some life to it. Maybe if he fucked Banner across every surface it would
no longer smell dusty and unused.
Most people didn’t get the chance to start over. Zheng planned to make the most of it.
“I’ve never known a human who could accept a vampire’s hunger.” Benjamin stared at
Zheng as if inspecting his soul.
“And how many humans have you met who became vampires?” As far as Zheng knew
it wasn’t a regular occurrence.
ZHENG’S HEART
46
“One.” A haunted expression crossed Benjamin’s face.
“What happened to him?” Zheng was almost certain he didn’t want the answer.
“He went insane.” Benjamin’s tone dripped with despair.
“Shh, it’s all right.” Terese wrapped an arm around Benjamin’s waist.
Zheng knew there was a story behind that but refused to ask. Some things should
remain private and it wasn’t as if they were buddies.
Aaron returned clutching his phone. “The captain is on his way. He wants us to stay
put until the investigators get here.”
“Is he coming too?” Zheng hadn’t met the homicide captain but he’d have to pretend to
know the man.
“Yes, this kind of case could be high profile and he wants to get an idea of what’s going
on.”
“Good. I’ll tell him I want you two assigned to it.”
Was that all it took? Did the vampire have that much sway with the police?
Aaron rubbed his chin. “You might do better having a senior officer on board. I just
started and Zheng doesn’t have much more experience than me.”
“I have some experience. I worked homicide at my last station.” Zheng hadn’t worked
it for long but something about this case struck him as necessary. They needed to be in on the
investigation.
“Then why did you work for the DEA when you transferred?” Aaron asked.
Zheng thought about holding back the truth but blurted it out anyway. “Because you
were there.”
Aaron ran his fingers through his hair. “If the captain asks us to investigate, I’ll go
along with it.”
“I’ll make sure he does,” Benjamin said.
The gleeful expression in Terese’s face threw Zheng for a bit. Was she excited to see her
father’s mate doing his job or did she just like a good murder?
Amber Kell
47
Chapter Four
Zheng slid onto the barstool. Images of torn-apart bodies flashed through his head. He
hadn’t thought much of vampires before but no one deserved to be killed like that. It wasn’t
a murder investigation, it was a slaughter.
A glass of red liquid appeared before him. Zheng glanced up to find Banner smiling at
him.
“Rough day?”
“You have no idea.”
Banner leaned against the bar. “So your expression has nothing to do with the bodies
piling up over at Benjamin’s?”
“How did you find out?”
“I’m a bartender, love, I find out everything.”
Zheng gave a tired laugh. He picked up the glass and drained the contents. The blood
wine slid across his tongue but did little to sate his hunger. He needed more. He needed
Banner.
“What time do you get off?”
A sly smile crossed Banner’s face. “I don’t know. How quickly can you fuck me in the
back room?”
Zheng coughed.
“You okay?”
“I think I choked on my wine.”
Banner tilted his head as he examined Zheng. “You against quickies?”
Zheng licked his lips. “Not against them but I’d prefer to spend several hours enjoying
my partner.”
Banner white-knuckled the bar counter. “I’m done in thirty.”
“I’ll be here. Keep the blood wine coming.”
“O-okay,” Banner’s voice became more accented.
ZHENG’S HEART
48
Zheng smiled over the tell. After his horrible day he needed something to take his mind
off the bodies. He’d seen a lot of evil in the world but whatever had torn those vampires
apart had a level of viciousness he’d never encountered before.
Spinning on his stool, Zheng sat so he could watch the people around him. He didn’t
like his back to the door. His cop’s instinct didn’t appreciate people he couldn’t see
approaching him from behind. Hunger swirled through him, a constant ache he didn’t know
if he’d ever soothe. Maybe this was what it was like to be a vampire, to always be hungry. He
could see how that might drive a human insane. He’d only been a vampire for a short while
and already it gnawed at him.
He drank down another glass.
“Hey.”
Zheng turned his attention to the newcomer. His dark hair lay tousled sexily across his
forehead and his green eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Hello.”
“So, you want to bite me?”
Zheng narrowed his eyes at the man. “No.”
He turned his attention back to his drink. Despite his hunger the stranger didn’t appeal.
“Bog off, Brook,” Banner said. “He doesn’t need your sort about.”
“Shut up, Banner.” Brook sneered at him.
Anger whipped through Zheng, fast and fierce. He grabbed Brook by the throat and
yanked him forward. “Don’t ever talk to him like that.”
“Whoa.” Banner jumped over the bar and wrapped his arms around Zheng. “Release
him, love.”
“He disrespected you.”
“Let him go and I’ll let you take me home.”
Zheng shoved Brook away from him and watched with satisfaction as Brook ran off
through the crowd. He pulled Banner closer. “No one should talk to you like that! Damn, you
smell good.”
Unable to resist, Zheng slid his nose up Banner’s neck. No one else’s scent called to
Zheng. He lapped at Banner’s throat, tonguing the vein of blood he could hear pulsing just
below the surface.
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“Zheng?” Orion’s voice threatened to ruin his moment.
“Hmm.” Zheng ignored Orion’s sharp tone. He had important things to do.
Orion gripped Zheng’s shoulder. “You’ve become obsessed. I warned you about this.”
“Hungry.”
“Drink,” Banner urged.
He didn’t need any other incentive. Zheng sank his teeth into Banner’s neck. Blood
spurted into his mouth.
Divine!
He hummed over the flavor. He sipped until Banner’s heart stuttered a bit.
“Enough!” Orion demanded.
Zheng slid out his canines then lapped the wound closed. He’d wanted to argue and
continue to suck all that perfect blood but he had no wish to hurt Banner. “You all right?”
He cupped Banner’s cheek and tilted his head until their gaze met.
“I’m fine,” Banner reassured him.
“He can’t remain your only blood source, not unless he drinks enough for two,” Orion
said.
Zheng turned to face Orion. “What do you do?”
“Aaron is human so he produces more blood than a vampire.” Orion explained as if it
were obvious. “You can drain Banner if you aren’t careful.”
He examined Banner’s pallor. “Do you need blood?”
Banner nodded. “I’m feeling dry.”
“Here sit down.” Zheng helped Banner to a stool. “I didn’t mean to take too much.”
“You didn’t, mate, I just didn’t have a break this evening. Next time I’ll know to stock
up.”
Zheng kissed Banner on the forehead. “Thanks.”
“I can find you a proper donor if you’d like. How is the blood wine?” Orion asked
Zheng.
“It’s fine but I’m still hungry when I drink it. I had three glasses and I still didn’t feel
full.”
ZHENG’S HEART
50
Orion frowned. “You might have a blood metabolism problem. A rare number of
vamps can’t process cold blood—they need it warm to feed. If that’s the case with you I’ll call
around. There are still some old-school blood donors around.”
“No!” Banner shouted.
“Why not?” Orion leaned against the bar and stared Banner down as he waited for his
explanation.
Banner sighed. “I don’t want him drinking from anyone else.”
Zheng rubbed Banner’s back. The vampire’s agitation was making him twitchy. He
didn’t like to see the laid-back bartender upset.
Before he could say anything else, his phone rang. Aaron’s number popped up.
“Hello, partner.”
Orion stiffened beside him.
“We have a situation,” Aaron said.
“Where are you?”
“Your apartment.”
Zheng froze. The phone bit into his fingers as he tightened his grip. “Why are you
there?”
“Your neighbors called about some noise. The investigating detective called me when
more dead bodies turned up.”
“I’m on my way.” Zheng disconnected then shoved the phone in his pocket. “Sorry,
Banner, my apartment is now a crime scene.”
Banner wrapped a hand around Zheng’s arm. “What happened?”
“I don’t know yet.” He hesitated. As much as he needed to get going he didn’t want to
leave Banner.
“I’ll be fine.” Banner grabbed Zheng’s phone and pushed a bunch of numbers. “I put in
my number and my address. Call me or just show up. I’ll be home the rest of the night.”
Zheng accepted his phone back. He kissed Banner, unable to resist the handsome man.
“I’ll see you.”
“Tonight?” Banner asked.
“If it isn’t too late.” He didn’t want to wake Banner up.
“It’s never too late for vampires, love,” Banner said.
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Zheng nodded. “All right, I’ll see you later.”
Banner deserved a stronger mate. Zheng needed him too much. He hated to think he
was using the young man as a food source with little regard for his well-being. Worried over
both his mate and the dead bodies, Zheng headed out of the club.
The drive to his apartment only took ten minutes. Aaron waited on the sidewalk in
front of the building.
“There are two dead humans in your bed upstairs and someone left a note for you.”
“What kind of note?”
“Come and see.” Aaron led him upstairs.
The smell hit him first then he noticed the expressions on the faces of the cops leaving
his apartment. They appeared ill.
Aaron moved aside the crime tape. “Careful, they just finished processing the evidence.
I didn’t call you until they were done. That way no one can say you damaged the scene to
hide anything.”
“Thanks. I was going to bring Banner back here but I see that isn’t going to work now.”
“Orion said he thought you two were mates.”
“That’s what he says. I’m still trying to figure out this whole dating thing.” He didn’t
know why he felt defensive. Aaron would be the first one to congratulate him if he fell in
love with someone else.
Love.
No. Not yet but he did have some feelings other than hunger for Banner. He just needed
to get to know Banner better. He followed Aaron to the bedroom. Once inside he froze. It
wasn’t the two butchered humans on the bed that caught his attention but the words drawn
on the wall above them.
‘Stay out of it.’
“Oh fuck.”
“It must be someone who knows you were at a crime scene. They probably didn’t do it
to me because I’m staying with Orion and he has more security than the President.”
Zheng nodded. “Yeah. Maybe Benjamin will have some ideas.”
“I’ve called him. He’s expecting us to come question him later,” Aaron said. “I wanted
you to see this first.”
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“Crap, too bad these bodies didn’t come with identification. They didn’t, did they?”
Aaron touched Zheng’s arm. “No. I’m really sorry about this.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Well, it’s not yours either. Whoever is doing this is unbalanced. We need to find them
before they kill again.”
Zheng nodded. “Yeah, I don’t want any more deaths on my conscience.”
“These shouldn’t be there anyway,” Aaron insisted. “You can’t be responsible for what
a sicko is doing.”
Aaron’s firm statement eased Zheng’s distress. Aaron was right. Still, guilt didn’t
always brush away with logic. “That’s easier to say than do.”
“I bet. Let’s get to work.”
“Yeah, let’s.” After getting all the information from the scene they could without
marring the evidence, they returned to their car to drive back to the precinct.
“What do you think about Benjamin?” Aaron asked.
“Other than that he’s an arrogant prick?”
“Yeah, other than that?”
Zheng spun his impressions of the vampire around in his mind. “I don’t think he’d get
his hands dirty for this type of thing. Not to mention I never get a bloodthirsty vibe from
him. He’s the calm and collected type. I can’t imagine him losing it enough to leave this kind
of mess behind.”
“Hmm good point.” Aaron kept his attention on the road. “I just can’t shake the feeling
something is going on with him. That he’s hiding something.”
“He’s an old vampire, he’s probably hiding a lot of shit. I can’t imagine what it’d be like
to be that old.”
“Someday you will.” Aaron smirked. “Someday you’ll be that old shit sitting on a
throne thinking other vampires are idiots and should bow to your greatness.”
“Do old vampires die?” Zheng knew so little about the culture he’d been thrown into.
“I don’t know.” Aaron turned the wheel, taking the corner with a screech of tires. “I
guess I never gave it much thought.”
“How old is Orion?”
“Over four hundred.” Aaron laughed.
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“Fuck, that is old.”
“Yes it is.” Aaron fell quiet.
Silence drifted between them but not an uncomfortable one. They’d had some good
times together. “What do you think of Banner?”
“I think he’s a nice guy. He comes across really young.”
“Yeah.” Remembering Banner’s flavor he sighed. “He tastes really good, though.”
Aaron pulled up into police station parking garage. “I wouldn’t know. Orion does think
you need to sample a few other people to see if you’re bonding because Banner’s your first.”
Zheng shuddered. “I don’t think I’d like that.”
“Like what?”
“Tasting someone else.”
Aaron stared at him for a moment as if trying to crack Zheng’s shell and find out how
he worked underneath. “You think you’re a one vampire type of man?”
“Maybe. I don’t know how to explain it. When I bite Banner it calms me. I don’t like the
idea of sinking my teeth into anyone else.”
“Huh, I don’t know what to say to that.” Aaron shook his head then pulled his keys out
of the ignition. “Let’s concentrate on the case. We can worry about your blood life later.”
Zheng laughed. “Good idea.”
Aaron’s phone rang. “Hello. Sure, Captain, I’ll be right there. The captain wants me to
debrief him. Apparently with vampires involved it’s become a high profile case. You want to
take the autopsy?”
“Sure, hopefully I can pick up clues as to what’s going on.”
“That’s what I was thinking. Maybe you can use your vampy skills.” The dimple in
Aaron’s cheek told Zheng he was kidding.
Zheng pretended to think about it. “As a human you won’t be as much use to me as a
real partner, but I guess you’ll do.”
“Don’t make me shoot you,” Aaron warned. “I can lie and say it was bloodlust or
something.”
“It wouldn’t necessarily be a lie,” Zheng replied. “Except I only seem to be able to be
sated by Banner. A glass of blood wine takes the edge off my hunger but doesn’t make it
entirely go away.”
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54
“Huh, weird. Maybe it will change with time.”
Zheng shrugged. “Maybe. I guess we’ll see. I’ll catch up with you after the autopsy.”
“Sounds good.”
Zheng left Aaron to find out what he could about the sicko ripping people apart.
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Chapter Five
Zheng knew he had to tell Aaron. His blood froze as he considered how much it would
hurt his friend, but the fingernail found in the body of one of the victims had been
conclusive. Terese had been involved in the murder of those people. Why would she do
something so horrific? Had she somehow been brainwashed into helping Benjamin? Had she
let the bad boy lead her astray?
Dread pooled in his stomach. Zheng owed his life to Benjamin—without his soul
catcher Zheng wouldn’t be here. Images of the mutilated bodies slid through his mind. No. It
wasn’t up to him. The murdered deserved to have restitution.
He would have to talk to Orion about who was in charge of the vampires. They must
have some sort of council or something. If the vampire would talk to him after he discovered
his daughter was a crazed killer. His heart ached that Aaron would think he betrayed him.
Zheng should’ve gone to Aaron first to give his findings. However, Aaron was in this too
deep. He’d want to try to save Terese when she had to pay for her crimes.
“Where are you going?” Aaron ran to catch up with him.
Zheng stopped walking. “I’m going to have a date with Banner.” At least he didn’t have
to lie about that. He had made plans to meet with the bartender tonight.
“Did you find anything out during the autopsy?”
“Nothing conclusive.” Zheng pulled out a pack of gum from his pocket. “Want some?”
“Spill.” Aaron put his hands on his slim hips.
“Spill what?”
“It’s your tell, Zheng. Whenever you don’t want to discuss something you always chew
gum, or eat a piece of candy, anything to stop you from telling me what you don’t want me
to know.”
“Fuck!” He never could keep anything from Aaron. “I don’t know if I should tell you.”
“Terese is involved, isn’t she?” Aaron’s expression showed no surprise.
“Why do you think that? Why wouldn’t you suspect Benjamin instead?”
ZHENG’S HEART
56
Aaron shrugged. “You’d be happy to tattle if it were Benjamin and I know it isn’t Orion.
What did you find?”
“A fingernail. They’re running DNA analysis but I recognized it. She had those
diamond-tipped ones the other day. Want to go and see if she’s missing one now?”
“I doubt she’s going to still be wearing the same nails. She’s not stupid. But yeah, we
should go talk to her. Orion is going to be upset with me either way.”
“Why?”
“I can’t warn him his daughter is a psychopath. He’s going to think it’s because I don’t
trust him.”
“Do you?”
“He’s a father first, my lover second.” Aaron didn’t have any doubt in his voice.
“You really believe that?”
Aaron nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
“I think you’re wrong. Orion loves you. He won’t dump you over this.”
“I hope not.”
Zheng never thought he’d be in a position to encourage his ex to have faith in his
vampire lover. Like a bolt of lightning Zheng was struck with the realization it had finally
happened. He was completely over Aaron. Instead of the painful ache in his heart when he
saw Aaron, he only felt warm affection. “You’ll work it out.”
Aaron’s phone rang. “It’s Orion.”
“Answer it. Don’t tell him anything.”
Aaron flashed Zheng an irritated look before answering his phone. “Hey, babe.”
Zheng heard the hum of a female voice speaking.
Aaron froze in place. “Hello, Terese.”
Fuck. Zheng didn’t try to eavesdrop. He didn’t have to. There was only one reason she’d
be calling Aaron with Orion’s number.
“I’ll be there.” Aaron disconnected without saying goodbye.
“She has him?”
Aaron nodded. His eyes shone with worry and his jaw was set as he locked his
emotions down tight. “She says she wants me to meet her at the club.”
“What do you think?” Zheng had no idea what to do. “Want to call in backup?”
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“No. She might start killing people if she’s surrounded. It’s better if I go in alone.”
“Oh fuck that. I’m not letting you walk into a situation with a psycho vamp by yourself.
We’re partners. We stick together. Besides, there is a plus side to all of this.”
“What’s that?”
“We don’t have to hunt down evidence. I think this pretty much sums up she’s guilty.”
Aaron laughed. “You’re just hoping for less paperwork.”
“A man can dream.” Zheng tried to keep it light but he could hear the rapid pattering of
Aaron’s heartbeat and see his friend’s unusual pallor even in the dim garage lighting.
“Let’s get going.”
Zheng nodded. “Got your backup piece?”
“Yep. You?”
“Yeah. I’ll drive.”
* * * *
Ten minutes later, Zheng pulled up in front of Orion’s club. No other cars were parked
there. The usually busy club showed no sign of occupation. “I don’t like this.”
“Yeah, me either. She said to walk right in. Is Banner working tonight?”
Zheng shook his head. “It was supposed to be his night off. He told me he needed some
sleep. We were meeting up later.”
“I’m going in there.” Aaron put his hand on the truck handle.
“Fuck that! She’s going to kill you as soon as you walk in.”
“Maybe, but if I don’t she’ll kill Orion.”
“I take it she has a daddy grudge?”
“I don’t know. I’m sure there’s a bunch of history between them but that’s the problem
with vampires. They don’t talk things out.”
Zheng’s phone rang. Banner’s name showed.
“Answer it. Maybe he knows something,” Aaron said. “She’s not going to start
anything until I walk inside.”
He couldn’t argue with that logic so Zheng answered his phone. “Hi, Banner.”
“Zheng, Terese has Orion,” Banner blurted out.
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58
“Where are you, I thought you had the night off?” Fear chilled Zheng’s heart. Even in
the short time they’d been bonded he’d come to care for his bartender vamp.
“I came in to do inventory. I didn’t know psycho bitch would be coming to call,”
Banner said. “You need to get over here.”
“We’re out front. She called Aaron. Do you know what she’s up to?”
Zheng had to listen hard to hear Banner’s quiet response.
“No, she’s always been temperamental but I thought she’d settled down with Benjamin.
I think she’s finally snapped. She came in screaming at Orion. I can hear her but I can’t see
what she’s doing.”
“Where’s Benjamin?” Zheng asked. “I thought he kept her on a short leash.”
“I think she slipped it.”
“Where are you, Banner?”
“I’m hiding on the upper floor.”
Zheng’s heart stuttered. “Get out of there.”
“No. I’m not abandoning Orion. I owe him. I’m on the ledge above the main floor. I can
see her every now and then. She’s ranting about something but I can’t quite hear what.”
Zheng closed his eyes and tried not to panic. “Okay, stay put. Don’t do anything stupid.
We’re coming inside.”
“No!” Banner’s voice dropped to a fierce whisper. “She’ll kill you. Call all your cop
friends and gun this bitch down.”
“No. She’ll kill Orion if I do that.” Zheng ran his fingers through his hair. “Aaron is
going in as a distraction.”
“Orion will die if she kills Aaron. He won’t be able to take the loss,” Banner said, his
voice edging into panic. “I need to go down there. I hid so I could call you.”
“You stay put, I’ll protect Aaron.” After all his ex had done for him, Zheng wouldn’t let
anything happen to him.
“Be careful, she’s insane and armed,” Banner warned.
“I will. Stay safe.”
“You too.” Banner disconnected.
Zheng stared at the phone for a long moment before he shoved it into his pocket.
“Everything okay?”
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“Banner doesn’t know where Benjamin is.”
“Do you think he’s part of it all?” Aaron asked.
Zheng rolled the idea in his mind. “I don’t know. Maybe we’ll find out once we get
inside.”
“Maybe.”
Neither of them was truly convinced. They exited the car. The time for stalling was
over.
“I want you to go inside alone. I’m going to sneak in the back way.”
Aaron took a deep breath. “Okay. I don’t think she’ll kill me at first. If she’s trying to
hurt Orion she’ll want him to suffer and if she’s after me…the same thing.”
“I thought she liked you.” Zheng had never seen any sign that Terese disliked Aaron.
She’d appeared fond of him.
“Insanity doesn’t have to follow guidelines.”
Zheng had no response to that, Aaron was right. “Let’s not get killed tonight.”
“Good plan.”
They bumped fists and Aaron walked into the bar, possibly to his death.
Zheng forced back tears. He had to make sure Aaron survived. He couldn’t let his ex-
lover down. Turning, he headed for the back of the building.
The shadows hid nothing that Zheng could find. If she had backup they were hiding
well or they could be inside. Memories of torn-apart bodies and bloody fingerprints
cemented his resolve. This wasn’t a case of a spoiled girl trying to convince daddy to buy her
a new car. He’d met serial killers with more compassion. If she were truly responsible for
those atrocities she needed to be brought down. Zheng slipped into the alley and climbed up
onto the dumpster. A small window at the top of the wall was open, probably to let in some
of the cool night air. If Zheng remembered it was the small room behind the bar where
Banner went for his breaks.
Banner.
Zheng hoped his impetuous lover didn’t do anything stupid. “What am I saying? He’s
probably already in trouble.”
The window was small but big enough for Zheng to slide through. He landed lightly on
top of a file cabinet. His vampire vision cut through the darkness. The murmur of voices had
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60
Zheng on high alert. He walked with silent steps to the door and opened it a crack. Orion sat
on a barstool. His beautiful daughter held a gun to his head.
“Even a vampire can’t bounce back from a bullet in the brain,” Terese said in a calm,
casual tone.
“Why would you do that?” Aaron asked.
His cop training must be taking over. Zheng couldn’t detect any tremor in his friend’s
voice.
“He left me. He should’ve rescued me!” she shrieked.
“From what?” Aaron kept his voice patient, as if the man he loved didn’t have a gun to
his head.
Zheng evaluated the scene. He couldn’t rush in there and tackle her—she might kill
Orion before he cleared the doorway.
Someone grabbed him from behind.
Crap.
The familiar smell of his captor sucked the hope from Zheng. A human he could’ve
fought but Benjamin was a strong vampire. What had he been doing sitting in the dark?
Benjamin opened the door to the room and pushed Zheng ahead of him. “Look what I
found, my love.”
“Benji, what are you doing here?” Her surprise gave Zheng hope but he didn’t let it
show on his face.
“Looking for you. I thought maybe you were cheating on me,” Benjamin said.
“I would never do that,” Terese exclaimed as if that would’ve been the worst thing to
do instead of slaughtering people.
“That’s a relief to hear but if you wanted your father dead you know I would’ve done it
for you.” Benjamin’s calm, careful tone set the warning spikes along Zheng’s spine.
This was a vampire used to dealing with insane people.
“I know how much you like playing with daddy. I didn’t think you’d want him dead.
Besides”—she turned her attention back to Orion—“I wanted to do it. When he left me with
mother, she sold me.”
“I never knew.” Orion paled. “She said you went on vacation. You weren’t talking to
me then.”
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“Because you left me!” she shrieked. “You only became concerned when I came into
your town and started dating Benji. He’s the only one who never tried to take advantage of
me and you hated him!”
“He did traffic drugs through your dad’s club,” Aaron reminded her, unwisely.
“I don’t care. If I kill him the dreams will go away. I’ll stop dreaming my daddy will
come and save me.”
Zheng’s heart broke a bit. He didn’t know what she’d gone through but he doubted
killing her father would destroy her demons.
Men. All of her victims had been men. He’d noticed that but hadn’t made the
connection. Now it made sense. Men had victimized her and she was fighting back the only
way she could.
“Why didn’t you come to me?” Benjamin asked. “I could’ve helped you through this.”
Her laughter, sharp edged and desperate, whipped through the air like tiny darts
impaling everyone who heard it. “What could you do? You still think I’m a sweet girl. How
would you have reacted when you found out my mother sold me to a vampire brothel? She’s
dead, you know.” She smiled at Orion. “I killed her. Slowly.”
A whistle pierced the air. Before anyone could react, Terese dropped the gun and
grabbed her throat. Convulsing, her body fell to the floor.
Orion dropped to his knees beside her. “No!”
Banner walked out of the shadows, a long dart pipe in his hand. “I’m sorry, boss. The
vampire council ordered me to take her in.”
Zheng stared at his lover. “Vampire council?”
“Yeah, I do undercover work.” Banner shrugged as if that settled the matter.
Zheng would be having a long talk with his mate later about keeping things from him.
Grief poured out of Orion but he didn’t show any surprise his bartender had drugged
Terese. “You could’ve told me they ordered her capture.”
“I had to make sure she was guilty first.”
Orion brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “I knew she had issues but I thought
it was normal childhood things. She never talked to me.”
Terese’s eyes slid shut and her body grew still.
“Did you kill her?” Zheng asked.
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62
“No, she’s just sleeping. I’m going to take her into council headquarters,” Banner said.
Zheng couldn’t help but stare at the man he’d thought he knew. The laid-back
bartender had vanished. This new, dangerous man was someone he didn’t recognize, but
damn if he didn’t want to know him better.
“I guess I’ll see you then.” Zheng stepped away to check on Aaron.
Banner grabbed his arm. “Hey, I will see you.”
“Yeah, I know.” But he didn’t, not really. Banner’s cover was blown, word would get
around and he would no longer be an effective snitch for the council. Zheng had no doubt
they would send Banner out on another assignment.
Banner kissed Zheng on the lips, hard and fast before going with Benjamin to load
Terese into his car. Orion stood beside Aaron, scolding him for his reckless behavior.
Finally Zheng couldn’t stand it anymore.
“It wasn’t like he was going to let her kill you. You might think he’s fragile because he’s
human but he’s still a cop.”
“Thank you!” Aaron glared at his lover.
Orion shoved his hands into his pockets. “It’s bad enough I failed my daughter. I don’t
want to fail you,” he told Aaron.
Hell, even Zheng would’ve melted over that.
Aaron wasn’t the exception. He turned to Zheng. “I’m taking Orion home. I’ll catch up
with you tomorrow and we can figure out what to put in our report.”
Zheng nodded. “Yeah, good idea. We might want to find a way to contact the council
and find out what they want us to say. I doubt they want word of a psychotic vampire to get
out into the news.”
“No, probably not.” Aaron wrapped his arm around Orion’s waist and helped his lover
to his feet. “I’ll see you later.”
Zheng nodded. For once the sight of Aaron with Orion didn’t send any pangs of
longing through Zheng. Shaking his head he headed out of the club.
Benjamin stood in the parking lot, his gaze on the street.
“I take it she’s gone.”
“Yeah. I always thought her plan to tease her father was all in good fun. I had no idea
about her past.” Benjamin tilted his gaze to the sky.
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63
“Hey, you can’t help someone if they don’t want any help. She has deep problems.
Maybe the council will see she answers for the lives she’s taken.”
“I know.” Benjamin sighed. “I’ll miss her crazy ass though.”
Zheng laughed and patted Benjamin on the back.
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64
Chapter Six
Two months later
Life had gone back to normal or whatever normal was for a man-turned-vampire.
Zheng went to work then came home to his dusty, empty apartment. His blood craving had
gotten worse. He drank blood by the crate and was never sated.
He had transferred his coven status over to Orion. He and Benjamin were never going
to be friends and Zheng didn’t trust the man with his vampire identity. He needed to have
faith in the man in charge of his vampire life.
So far, no other rampaging killers had appeared in the city. Other than the usual gangs
with guns, murder had been low and the people at the station didn’t seem to think Garlin
had changed. Zheng kept most of his interactions at the station with Aaron until he was more
comfortable as this strange vamp. As Aaron had suspected, not many people knew Garlin
was a vampire.
He glanced around his apartment. Now it was beginning to take on some of Zheng’s
personality. At least he’d managed to get his art hung up.
After he’d tossed his keys into a new glass bowl by the door, he wandered into the
living room then plopped down onto his couch. The loss of Banner had carved a hole into his
heart bigger even than the one Aaron had left behind. Maybe he wasn’t meant to keep the
loves of his life.
“Maybe I should get a cat,” he mused. His attention on the ceiling, as he leaned back his
head. “They’re easier than men.”
“Hmm, and I was hoping you’d be happy to see me,” Banner replied. “Not shopping
for a furry replacement.”
Zheng jumped up off the couch. He spun to face his lover. Banner looked good in black
jeans and a form hugging red T-shirt.
“How did you get in here?”
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Banner raised on auburn eyebrow. “Really? After two months that’s your first
question.”
Zheng flushed. “I thought you’d forgotten me.”
His voice must’ve conveyed how much that had hurt because Banner immediately
rushed over and wrapped his arms around Zheng.
“Babe, you’re my other half. You just don’t abandon your soul mate.”
“You didn’t call.” Months without even a text message had cemented Zheng’s belief
that Banner had moved on.
“The council doesn’t believe in phones and they have jammers everywhere. My phone
didn’t work and they wouldn’t let me leave until everything was resolved to their
satisfaction.”
Zheng stepped back so he could see Banner’s face. “What did they still need resolved?
They sent a messenger with everything we should include in our report last month. Wasn’t it
over then?”
The messenger had taken one look at Benjamin and decided to hang around a little
longer. Zheng and Aaron laughed at the suave vampire’s inability to get rid of a tiny blond-
haired vampire who followed Benjamin around like a little fanged puppy.
“They wanted to send me out on another mission. I declined.” Banner’s wry expression
told Zheng the council hadn’t taken that well.
“What do you plan to do now? Orion has filled your spot at the bar.” That had been the
final signal to Zheng that Banner wouldn’t be coming back to him.
“I’m thinking of joining the police force. The council members have already forged
papers that say I’ve gone through training,” Banner said.
“Why forge them? Why not do training?”
Banner laughed. “I’ve already been trained far more than your academy could provide
and the council want more of their people in positions of law enforcement. We don’t know
how long Terese might have continued if you and Aaron hadn’t been on the case.”
“True.” Zheng kissed his lover. “I missed you.”
Banner tilted his head. “Bite me. I could feel your hunger every day. It was one of the
reasons the council let me go. They wanted to keep me as one of their own guards but when I
told them my mate needed me they had to release me.”
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66
Zheng sighed and rested his head on his mate’s shoulder. “I’m glad.”
“Good. Now bite me.”
Unable to resist a second demand, Zheng sank his teeth into Banner’s neck. Hot, life-
giving liquid poured into Zheng’s mouth. He swallowed down the blood, the sensation
warm and comforting as if he could absorb Banner’s love through his essence. When he
knew he’d taken enough, Zheng lifted off.
“Thank you.” Zheng licked his lips.
“You’re always welcome. You are my mate. What I have is yours.” Banner kissed
Zheng, swiping his tongue inside to combine their flavors.
When they finally broke apart, Zheng’s erection was pressing against Banner’s. “Let’s
take this to the bedroom.”
Banner laughed. “You are always trying to get me undressed.”
“And I always will,” Zheng promised.
“Good.” Banner grabbed Zheng’s hand and began dragging him down the hall.
“How do you know where my bedroom is?”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been here for hours. I’ve already rifled through your sex toy
drawer and we’re not getting a cat. Those things are creepy.” Banner shuddered.
Zheng squeezed his lover’s hand. “Whatever you say, love.”
“Exactly, keep that phrase in mind.”
Becoming a vampire had been the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Also available from Totally Bound Publishing:
A Wizard’s Touch: Elijah’s Ghost
Amber Kell
Excerpt
Chapter One
Elijah Trenton watched as the professor’s assistant held up cards that broke down
Professor Kalvin’s long-winded speeches into short, memorable paragraphs and timelines.
He didn’t know her name since the professor had never introduced her—one more strike
against the pompous ass in Eli’s opinion. Eli appreciated all her help because History of Spell
Casting definitely wasn’t one of his strengths.
His father would say that Eli didn’t have strengths of any kind.
Eli wrote down her shortcuts quickly, his hand flying across the paper. He could review
them later when he had more time, but from experience he knew her notes would make a
great deal more sense than the professor’s rambling lecture. Professor Kalvin took great
delight in testing students on the minutest details instead of the broader scope of important
history. Eli didn’t know a single student who enjoyed the class. Unfortunately it was a pre-
requisite to anything more interesting. He could’ve pushed it off a few more years, but Eli
was of the rip-the-bandage off train of thought. He’d rather finish it now than have to
anticipate it a few years down the road.
Besides, there was a perk to the class, in the form of Devin Stewartson. The sexy man
sat two rows ahead of Eli and to the right. Eli spent a great deal of time ignoring the
professor and staring at the gorgeous triplet. It just wasn’t fair that there were three of them.
He’d heard around campus that Dan had bonded with a fire wizard and Dean was straight—
that left Devin as his only option. Not that it mattered—he’d always been attracted to Devin
more than his brothers. Devin’s upbeat personality pulled at Eli. Maybe because Eli didn’t
have a bubbly personality, Devin’s charm called to him.
“If you stare at him any harder he’s going to get a hole in the back of his head,” Porter
whispered.
“Shut up.” Eli shoved his friend on the shoulder good-naturedly. The professor gave
them a strange look but carried on with his boring lecture.
Eli returned his attention to the assistant. She hadn’t moved on to the next card. Instead,
she froze as if listening to something no one else could hear. Her eyes widened and she
pinned Eli with a frightened look.
“Duck!” she shouted.
She’d never spoken before, but her terror transmitted to Eli as if she’d injected it
directly into his veins. Without hesitation, he dropped his pen and slid beneath his desk.
“What are you doing?” whispered Porter.
Porter peered at Eli hiding beneath his desk, his blond hair flopping across his curious
brown eyes. Porter was Eli’s best friend and generally tended to follow Eli’s lead even if he
didn’t know where he was going.
Eli grabbed Porter’s jacket, yanked him beneath the desk and shouted, “Everyone, get
down!”
“Shit!” Porter yelled as he tumbled to the floor. “You’re going to get into trouble.”
He tried to get up, but Eli kept a tight hold on his friend’s shirt, keeping him by Eli’s
side. “Stay.” He didn’t know what was going on, but something was coming, something bad.
He could feel it in his bones.
“Mr Trenton, is there a reason you’re underneath your desk?” the professor asked in his
slow, dry voice. The sound always brought to Eli’s mind the image of crispy fall leaves and
zombies. A strange combination, but he refused to claim responsibility for his bizarre
daydreams. Sometimes his brain went off on tangents.
Eli didn’t get out from beneath the desk to respond, even if it was completely unfair
that the teacher didn’t even ask about Porter. Porter got away with everything, while the
professor commented on Eli’s every action. He wondered if his father had talked to the
professor. Any teacher’s evil fixation on Eli was usually the result of his father’s interference.
Conrad Trenton had a way of bulldozing over people and not considering anyone’s concerns
but his own and sometimes those of Eli’s older brother.
The pressure in the air raised the hair on Eli’s arms in tingly bursts of electricity. “Don’t
you feel that? Everyone get under your desks!” he yelled. He kept his white-knuckled grip
on Porter’s shirt, refusing to let his friend even lift his head. Eli relaxed a bit when he saw
that Devin had taken his advice. He didn’t know what was coming, but he couldn’t stand it if
his crush became injured.
Eli gritted his teeth as wild magic flooded the room. Electricity snapped and crackled
through the air, slamming into desks and people with equal fervor. Screams pierced Eli’s ears
and a low hum vibrated down his spine.
Unable to stand to look, Eli squeezed his eyes shut. The combined stench of burning
flesh and ozone singed his nose and had his stomach threatening to revolt. Students
continued to scream as wicked pops of energy found new places to land. Not daring to peek,
Eli and Porter remained frozen on the floor until the only sounds were the moans of the
injured and the frantic whimpers of the other students.
When all electrical sounds had faded, Eli opened his eyes. The students in the row
ahead of him peered at him from beneath their desks.
“Stay down!” Eli raised his head to take a quick look around the room. Professor Kalvin
lay still on the floor and many students were crying brokenly as they cradled their injuries.
The blonde assistant motioned to Eli that it was safe to stand. He wondered how she’d
escaped injury. She hadn’t hidden at all, yet miraculously she didn’t have any damage. Many
others hadn’t been so lucky.
“Porter, you can get up now,” Eli said, releasing his hold.
Porter cautiously scooted out from under the desk. Eli’s gaze slid over to Devin, who
smiled at him and gave him two thumbs up. Eli’s heartbeat smoothed from a frantic
thundering to its usual steady rhythm. No one he cared about had been injured. Tension
eased along his spine as he walked to the front of the room to check out the professor.
The teacher lay on the floor, his face serene, but lightning had punched a hole through
his shirt and burned out a spot where Professor Kalvin’s heart used to be. He wouldn’t be
sharing his boring lectures ever again. Guilt swamped Eli. The poor professor hadn’t done
him any true harm and yet he wasn’t the least bit upset over his death. Eli vowed to be a
better person. He’d hate to be the one zapped with no one caring if he passed.
No one spoke again for a while until Devin’s voice broke through the heavy silence.
“What in the ten hells was that all about?”
Eli shrugged. “Someone’s magic probably got away from them.”
It happened sometimes if a young prodigy lost control. The wards were beginning to
fade on a lot of the older buildings. The headmaster had improved the protection on some
parts of campus but must not have gotten to this one yet, probably because there weren’t
supposed to be any active magic classes scheduled there.
“I thought there weren’t any practice classes here,” Devin said, echoing Eli’s thoughts.
Eli shrugged. He didn’t know all the classes that went on in the building, but something
had gotten loose. “I didn’t think so either, but someone’s magic got away from its caster.”
Walking over to the professor’s desk, Eli reached beneath the lip and pressed the
emergency button. Each class was equipped with one in case of the school being taken over
or a student becoming more than the teacher could handle. Eli knew pressing it would bring
help. Some students needed medical assistance and a few of them were obviously in shock,
not to mention that something had to be done with the professor’s body. Luckily it didn’t
appear as if any of the students had suffered fatal injuries.
Within seconds, a soft pop of air displacement preceded two men in red robes
teleporting into the room. They did a quick analysis then called for more backup. For the
next several minutes, medics and campus police continually flashed in and out of the room
as they gathered information and samples to determine the cause of the traumatic event.
The campus police requested all students to stay until they got everyone’s statement.
The last person to arrive was Headmaster Candine. After consulting with the medics, she
beckoned Eli and Porter out of the room.
Eli sighed. He longed for his bed, and to start the day over. If only there were a magical
rewind switch.
“What happened here?” the headmaster asked. She stared directly at Eli as if he had
had something to do with the electrical attack.
Eli pointed at the door. “Lightning came through there then shot around the room
before vanishing. Ask anyone. I don’t know why it happened, but it did.”
The others were watching him as if he were guilty in some manner. Used to being
blamed for pretty much everything, Eli refused to take responsibility for this one. He wasn’t
a killer.
He folded his arms across his chest. Eli had nothing to hide, but he wouldn’t be bullied
either. Headmaster Candine had a reputation for being fair—why was she staring at him as
though he’d done something wrong?
“The other students say you were the one who told them to duck.” She narrowed her
eyes as if trying to read his mind.
“Yes.” No point in denying it—there were a dozen other students who would point him
out.
“How did you know to do that? Are you clairvoyant?”
Any other school and he would’ve thought the headmaster was being sarcastic. At this
university it could be a genuine condition.
“No, ma’am,” Eli replied. “I only knew because the teaching assistant told me to get
down.”
Why didn’t she ask Porter these questions? Instead she kept her gaze on Eli as if he
were the only one there. Porter could’ve just as easily told her about the incident. Neither of
them knew much.
“What assistant?” Candine asked.
“I don’t know her name. She stands at the front for every lecture and breaks down the
lessons so we know what the hell the professor is talking about.”
Candine looked at him as though she’d never seen Eli before in his life. “Eli, Professor
Kalvin didn’t have an assistant.”
“Sure, she’s right there.” Eli pointed to where the assistant stood. She looked lost,
clutching her signs. Her eyes swept the room as if checking over the students, yet she hadn’t
stepped forward and talked to any of them directly. Strange.
“I don’t see anyone,” the headmaster argued.
A shimmering glow appeared beside the assistant and Eli watched as his dead
professor introduced himself to her. The two shook hands and exchanged words too quietly
for Eli to overhear.
Oh fuck.
Eli just figured out why no one else had seen his helpful lady.
“Never mind. I think she’s a ghost.” Eli’s entire perspective had changed. He could see
ghosts. When had that started happening?
Shocked at this new ability, he didn’t even glance at Devin when the triplet patted him
on the back on the way out of the door. His head spun with the consequences of his sight. He
had necromancer magic. The ability to see spirits was a rare ability. He knew no one else who
had the skill. Eli shivered as shock set in.
The headmaster’s mouth dropped open but she immediately snapped it shut. Her quick
recovery earned her some points in Eli’s esteem.
“I think we need to re-evaluate your training, young man.”
Eli’s stomach sank. Just as he was becoming used to his schedule, everything would
change. But how could he refuse? She was right. If he truly had necromancer powers, he
would need extra training. Different training.
Crap!
About the Author
Amber Kell has made a career out of daydreaming. It has been a lifelong habit she
practices diligently as shown by her complete lack of focus on anything not related to
her fantasy world building.
When she told her husband what she wanted to do with her life he told her to go have
fun.
During those seconds she isn’t writing she remembers she has children who humor
her with games of ‘what if’ and let her drag them to foreign lands to gather
inspiration. Her youngest confided in her that he wants to write because he longs for a
website and an author name—two things apparently necessary to be a proper writer.
Despite her husband’s insistence she doesn’t drink enough to be a true literary genius
she continues to spin stories of people falling happily in love and staying that way.
She is thwarted during the day by a traffic jam of cats on the stairway and a puppy
who insists on walks, but she bravely perseveres.
Amber loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and
author biography at
Also by Amber Kell
Supernatural Mates: From Pack to Pride
Supernatural Mates: A Prideful Mate
Supernatural Mates: A Prideless Man
Supernatural Mates: Nothing To Do With Pride
Supernatural Mates: Talan’s Treasure
Supernatural Mates: More Than Pride
Supernatural Mates: Protecting His Pride
Supernatural Mates: Overcoming His Pride
Cowboy Lovin’: Robert’s Rancher
Dangerous Lovers: Catching Mr Right
Yearning Love: Taking Care of Charlie
Yearning Love: Protecting Francis
Yearning Love: In Broussard’s Care
Planetary Submissives: Chalice
Planetary Submissives: Orlin’s Fall
Planetary Submissives: Zall’s Captain
The Under Wolves: A Gamma’s Choice
Mercenary Love: Testing Arthur
Mercenary Love: Teasing Jonathan
The Thresl Chronicles: Soldier Mine
The Thresl Chronicles: Prince Claimed
The Thresl Chronicles: Politician Won
The Thresl Chronicles: Bonded Broken
The Thresl Chronicles: Duke Betrayed
The Thresl Chronicles: Saint Returns
A Wizard’s Touch: Jaynell’s Wolf
A Wizard’s Touch: Kevin’s Alpha
A Wizard’s Touch: Farren’s Wizard
A Wizard’s Touch: Elijah’s Ghost
A Vampire’s Kiss: Kissing Orion
Heart Attack: My Subby Valentine
Scared Stiff: Protecting His Soul
Unconventional at Best: Convention Confusion
Unconventional in Atlanta: Blown Away
An Unconventional Chicago: Ganging Up on Love
With RJ Scott
End Street Detective Agency: The Case of the Cupid Curse
End Street Detective Agency: The Case of the Wicked Wolf
End Street Detective Agency: The Case of the Dragon’s Dilemma
End Street Detective Agency: The Case of the Sinful Santa
Totally Bound Publishing
Document Outline
- Email: amberkellwrites@gmail.com
- Hellbourne
- Back to Hell
- Matchmaker, Matchmaker
- Switching Payne
- Supernatural Mates: From Pack to Pride
- Supernatural Mates: A Prideful Mate
- Supernatural Mates: A Prideless Man
- Supernatural Mates: Nothing To Do With Pride
- Supernatural Mates: Talan’s Treasure
- Supernatural Mates: More Than Pride
- Supernatural Mates: Protecting His Pride
- Supernatural Mates: Overcoming His Pride
- Cowboy Lovin’: Tyler’s Cowboy
- Cowboy Lovin’: Robert’s Rancher
- Dangerous Lovers: Catching Mr Right
- Dangerous Lovers: Accounting for Luke
- Yearning Love: Taking Care of Charlie
- Yearning Love: Protecting Francis
- Yearning Love: In Broussard’s Care
- Planetary Submissives: Chalice
- Planetary Submissives: Orlin’s Fall
- Planetary Submissives: Zall’s Captain
- Magical Men: Keeping Dallas
- The Under Wolves: A Gamma’s Choice
- Mercenary Love: Tempting Sin
- Mercenary Love: Testing Arthur
- Mercenary Love: Teasing Jonathan
- The Thresl Chronicles: Soldier Mine
- The Thresl Chronicles: Prince Claimed
- The Thresl Chronicles: Politician Won
- The Thresl Chronicles: Bonded Broken
- The Thresl Chronicles: Duke Betrayed
- The Thresl Chronicles: Saint Returns
- Hidden Magic: William’s House
- Hidden Magic: Modelling Death
- Hidden Magic: Magically His
- A Wizard’s Touch: Jaynell’s Wolf
- A Wizard’s Touch: Kevin’s Alpha
- A Wizard’s Touch: Farren’s Wizard
- A Wizard’s Touch: Elijah’s Ghost
- A Vampire’s Kiss: Kissing Orion
- Heart Attack: My Subby Valentine
- Scared Stiff: Protecting His Soul
- Unconventional at Best: Convention Confusion
- Unconventional in Atlanta: Blown Away
- An Unconventional Chicago: Ganging Up on Love
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