Chapter 14 - At work
Mike drank down his second coffee of the day in quick succession, willing away the fogginess of last night. He glanced down at the crime reports from the night before. Nothing of note was showing up. Thank God, not even the shooting out of Henry's car tires. Grateful, for once, just to coast along for the day, taking care of the mundane. Mike was not happy when the papers ruffled on his desk, causing him to groan at the interruption.
"She's okay Henry, and I'm sorry", said Mike feeling guilty about the morning.
"I know", said Henry. Vicki and I have sorted that out. That's not why I'm here detective. It's about the missing girls, I killed one last night" said Henry standing in front of Mike.
That definitely got Mikes attention, causing him to get up out of his chair, and grab the front of Henry's jacket, only to have his hands just as quickly knocked away by one very angry vampire.
"Today is not the day to piss me off, Mike", hissed Henry inches away from Mikes face. "Lets just say I had a really bad night last night".
"I don't care what kind of night you had Henry, since when was it okay to murder girls, oh wait, that's right when your a vampire you set your own rules huh!"
"I'm not going to dignify any of that with an answer" replied Henry not backing off. "Have you had any unusual reports this morning, anything along the line of finding a dead wolf found with a broken neck outside of a nightclub maybe?"
Mike sat down abruptly. "God Henry why didn't you just say 'I was attacked by a werewolf last night and killed it instead of killing the girl'" asked Mike.
"Because what I did was essentially one and the same thing" replied Henry shutting the door and sitting down.
"Christ, I guess your right, but now I don't have a body for the parents, just a missing girl who will never be found, I thought I was through with those kind of cases" said Mike swearing in Italian under his breath.
"So did I and your Italian is quite good, Henry said trying to lighten the tension.
"Your speak Italian?" asked Mike
"Of course, along with French, Greek, German, Norwegian, old English and Latin" said Henry wanting some reason to feel good about himself today.
Just then there was a knock at the door causing Henry to visibily startle but left him with no time to hide before the door swung open and one Agent Bruce Foster came into the office.
"Hi Henry, hi Mike" he rasped out clutching a thick scarf around his neck and looking very pale and worn.
"Bruce are you ok, you look like hell" asked Mike coming around his desk to lead Bruce to the chair besides Henry, not noticing his discomfort at the sight of Bruce again so soon.
"Fine, I think I've caught the flu of all things, my throat feels like hell and I'm so tired" Bruce leaned back into his chair closing his eyes to save his energy before continuing.
"Unfortunately I've been called back to headquarters in Washington DC this afternoon for a very high level case which I can't discuss so I'm going to have to leave you two boys to work this mystery out between you. I just wanted to say goodbye". Bruce opened his eyes and forced himself to reach over the desk and give Mike a farewell handshake before turning to Henry.
"You'll never guess what I found out last night?" Bruce purred to Henry causing him to shut down all expression and become very still in the way only a vampire can.
"Nobody has oorganized Vicki's baby shower. Tsk tsk Henry Fitzroy, as the house husband its your duty to organize for the bread winner of the family. You'd better get it right or you'll be hearing from me again." Bruce then leaned towards Henry giving him a brief kiss on the cheek before pushing himself out of the chair and shuffling off all the while clutching the scarf around his neck.
"Henry, tell me you didn't bite him" asked Mike shaking his head.
"What about I tell you it's best if you don't know" replied Henry
"That'll do. Now fill me in on what happened last night minus anything that has to do with Bruce"
... Henry & Vicki...
Henry had just finished coming up with a plan of attack when a familiar scent and double heartbeat came to his attention, Mike looked up and saw Vicki standing in the doorway and left his office quitely shutting the door behind him leaving the two of them alone.
Henry stood up and came around the chair slowly, his eyes burning with a passion that only Vicki could bring, his body reacting to her like a drug he desperately needed.
"Do you have a change of cloths" he managed to croak out.
"Not only that, there is a shower down stairs" replied Vicki smiling.
In less than a heartbeat Henry reached towards Vicki taking her face gently between his hands kissing her tenderly, as if she might break. Brushing lips, scenting her breath before deepening the kiss, branding her as his forever and closing the space between their bodies.
Later drawing back from his precious Victoria Henry gently placed her head against his chest and whispered "Stay will Mike till this is over but don't forget what we discussed this morning" said Henry nipping her lips to prove a point.
"Of course" she replied letting his gentle hands sooth her tensions and anxieties of the past 24 hours away.