Kiss of the Vampire(76)

“You look beautiful.” He cupped her face between his palms and pressed his lips to hers for a long, lingering kiss. “Let’s go.”





Chapter Fourteen





As soon as they exited the building, MacMillan hopped out of his truck and sauntered over to them. “You weren’t in there as long as I thought you’d be,” he said with a glance at his watch. He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the sun.

“I’ve been kicked off the case,” Nix said.

“Join the club.” One edge of MacMillan’s mouth kicked up in a wry grin. “Captain told me to take the day off and dig back into my other cases tomorrow.” He peered more closely at Nix. “Have you been crying?” He shot a dark look at Tobias. “You been giving her a hard time?” His expression hardened. He looked like he was ready to take Tobias on.

“No.” While he appreciated the other man’s protective instincts toward Nix, Tobias didn’t want to go into details about their personal troubles. As much as he liked the detective, what happened between Tobias and Nix was none of the other man’s business. He pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket and slipped them on. “Let’s get going.”

“Ah, I just told you I’m no longer on the case.” Spreading his feet apart, MacMillan hooked his thumbs over his belt.

“And I’ll tell you what I told Nix.” Tobias gestured toward his SUV. “I need you on this case.” At the detective’s look of surprise, Tobias said, “You’re a seasoned investigator, MacMillan. You’re familiar with the case to date. I’m not too proud to say I need help. I’d like your input.”

“Well, okay then, chief. My captain told me to take the day off; he didn’t tell me what I should do.” As they walked toward the vehicle, MacMillan put an arm around Nix’s waist. “Are you okay? I’ve never seen you cry before.”

Tobias fought the urge to rip the other man away from her and toss him into a nearby cactus. He should be glad the detective was solicitous of her feelings, but seeing MacMillan with his arm around her brought out all the possessive instincts Tobias had.

“I’m fine, Dante.” Nix apparently caught the glare Tobias sent their way, because she scowled at him but then eased away from MacMillan. “I’m just upset at being kicked off the case.”

“Uh-huh.” MacMillan studied her. “Not buyin’ it, sweetheart. What’s going on?” He looked at Tobias.

“Nothing.” Tobias hit the remote, opened the door, and climbed behind the wheel.

“Right.” From his hardening tone, MacMillan wasn’t going to let it go. “Somebody tell me what’s going on, right now.”

“Oh, God, men can be so dense sometimes.” Nix’s tone was exasperated and a little embarrassed. She opened the front passenger door and paused. “It’s personal between Tobias and me, okay?”

MacMillan opened the back door and hopped in as Nix climbed up into her seat. They both swung their doors closed at the same time. As he fussed with his seat belt, MacMillan said, “Well, you must’ve gotten something resolved, since you’re wanting to sit up front with him.”

“Shut up.” Nix said it without any real heat, but her cheeks were pink.

“I just want to say, if you hurt her again, you’ll answer to me.” MacMillan met Tobias’s gaze in the rearview mirror, his face set, eyes blazing with determined chivalry.

Tobias turned in his seat to look at the detective. “You and whose army?” he couldn’t resist asking. He could take the detective down with the flick of a wrist, and the other man knew it.

“Just me.” MacMillan’s tone softened. “But only when you’re knocked out, tied up, or otherwise helpless.”

Nix rolled her eyes with a muffled “Men.” She snapped her seat belt together and said, “Dante, I appreciate the sentiment, but I can look after myself. Now, if you two are done, can we get going?”

Tobias twisted the ignition. The SUV purred to a start and he engaged the drive. “Let me fill you in on what we know,” he said to MacMillan. By the time they’d merged on to the expressway the detective knew what they did, including the rift device and the interdimensional communications.

MacMillan wore an expression of shock. “So, do you think your friend Amarinda was involved in this mess?”

Nix twisted in her seat to look at him. “You mean…involved?”

“Well, I don’t necessarily mean she sat there with one finger pressed to the on switch, but yeah. Involved. Was she in the middle of what was going on?”