CHAPTER TWO (IT'S THE CAPE....)

Special Agent Haley Sunshine Meadows was doing her duty. She walked the small area afforded her, the stylish heels she sported hurting her feet, her body chilled slightly from the night wind as the clothes she wore were not exactly designed for warmth.

She glanced at the full moon overlooking the Fremont Section of town. It was beautiful in a spooky sort of way. Taking into account everything that was going down these days.

It was a perfect night..in a literary sense..for a murder.

Haley suppressed a shiver, determinedly focusing on the people on the street..few though they were. Not many were courageous enough to venture out. She resisted the urge to tug her skirt down as it continuously snugged to the shape of her ass cheeks.

Part of her job was to sell merchandise and that just happened to be her body in this instance so, she ignored the irritation thinking to herself that she would never wear another thong as long as she lived.

A silver Lexus pulled up to the curb alongside her 'spot'. She sighed loudly, stepping to the car as it stopped completely.

"Move along, hot shot..you couldn't afford my pric..." She had leaned slightly to make eye contact with the driver in case she had to identify him later on. She halted her intended rejection. "Ohh..it's you." She purred, her attitude changing for the better. She made herself comfortable on the rolled down edge of the window. "Well, hello, Mr. Cop Guy...and how are you this fine gothic night?."

"Do you take plastic?" Jim Brass could banter with the best of them if the occasion called for it.

"For you, cupcake?" She stated demurely.. "I would do a 'freebie." Her eyes swept his form contentedly.

"The pimps are out in force, I see." The man stirred the conversation to more acceptable topics. He had noted the men on his drive up the street.

"The 'ladies' are scared shitless." She glanced to his meaning. "For all the good it will do them. This guy is good." She returned her interest to Jim Brass. "Not as good as I imagine you to be, but..that is all speculation up to this point."

He remained pointedly silent for a beat to see just how far she would take it.

To his amusement..she waited him out with but one remark... "I get paid by the hour you know."

"Get in." He motioned to the front seat.

"How do I know you're not the vampire guy?"

"Oh, are we calling him a vampire now?" He wasn't getting his memos.

"I am." She countered.

"Well, I have been known to suck a few things but I only nibble..and I'm usually the one that gets drained."

"Yummmm!" She made an 'approving' face, opening the door, sliding close to him. "You just made me wet." Her finger tips traced the line of his cheek. "Five o'clock shadow..as well." She sighed happily. "..I think I'm in lust."

Brass was having a difficult time keeping his professional demeanor. He found her remarks refreshingly humorous.

He put the car in gear, glancing again at the large man who scowled darkly at him through the windshield. He pulled away from the curb into an almost empty street.

"Nice ride." She had noted the interior but quickly returned to her pastime of examining his form in minute detail.

"I'm sure you are, but..we can drop the act. No one can hear us." He reminded himself that she was wired to the tee with the statement.

"I was talking about the Lexus." She grinned for his wit.

"Who was your 'pimp' back there?" He asked. "He didn't seem to like me very much."

"Special Agent Randy Eves. I'm not supposed to get into cars that aren't filled with other Special Agents just like Randy...so." She nuzzled his neckline in open affection. "He's a little wary of you right now. You smell sooooo good!"

"So do you which is kinda stupid considering hookers are supposed to smell cheap not like they've stepped out of a Victoria Secret's catalog."

"How do you think I would look in that sweet little number on page forty-six?"

The man sighed lightly, concentrating on his driving for a spell.

"How do you know what hookers are supposed to smell like? You don't strike me as the type of man who pays for..his fun."

"You're wired." He snapped the fact. "Let's keep this professional, shall we?"

"You're angry with me." She sulked, moving from him, crossing her arms, preferring to watch the passing scenery outside the car windows. "That sucks."

Brass drew in an calming breath, thinking before he spoke. "Anything new to report? CSI says there is nothing on the bodies. They hypothesize that this guy actually bathes the vics after the deed. Grissom says the hair is washed and combed. Makeup removed. We got nothing to go on here..nothing!"

She remained pointedly silent.

"The Profiler tells us he is sexually attracted to the girls but there is no semen..no DNA. He leaves nothing behind."

"He leaves the bruises." She reminded softly. "Your Doctor Robbins picked that up, didn't he? He bops them..repeatedly. He keeps them around until he finds a replacement."

"That's what they think, yeah." He took heart she was speaking again. "The bruises suggest he holds them..holds the legs..the upper thighs."

"It's in the book." She nodded.

"What ...book?" It was the first Brass had heard of any..book.

"It's my own personal take. There is a best seller out ..the Moonlight series?" She glanced at him then right back to the passing scenery. "In the book, the vampire holds his females for a specific time..seducing them..making love to them..before he does the final bite thing."

Brass had no clue as to what she meant.

"That's how we knew to look in Seattle. The books are set there..well, the first one. The second is..here. In Vegas." She finished.

Jim pulled the car over to the side of the street, turning the engine off. "I'm listening."

"We had a call from the cops in a town outside Seattle..Burien. First victim. Then the guy moves into the city for the next six. Just like the book says." She shrugged. "I never would have caught the similarities but I was called off vacation. Moonlight Madness was my 'escape' novel..I was reading it at the time."

"So, Duvalier knew he would hit here next?"

"We didn't know anything for sure. The guy follows no patterns..different ages, sizes..race..tall, short, brunette, blondes..the only thing in common is..the vocation of the women."

"You could have asked us for assistance."

"Not my call." She shrugged again.

"None of that shit is in the reports I got from your boss."

"That's because he's embarrassed to put it in. But, I think it's a viable conclusion."

"I assume you have this book? I need to read it."

"It's a 'chick' book."

"I'm not reading it for it's esthetic value."

"...Oh." She went back to her sulking.

Brass found her attitude change bothersome. He didn't know why he did..he just did. "..turn the mike off."

She looked at him. Then..reached into her bra, holding her hand over the receiver. "What?" She snapped. "I stopped with the 'come on'..I'm being professional. Now, a lecture too?"

"First and foremost..people are dying out there right now. That alone calls for professionalism on our parts." He stated his point of view. "But no..no 'lecture'...just an explanation. I don't mind on the job 'fun'..never have, never will. It's just that..." He stopped, not sure he wanted to get into it.

"You're still involved with the Weena chick." She held up a hand with his look of astonishment. "I get that..not asking for a commitment..just a few hours of your precious time. Or...I was." She cast him a dark glance. "I have a 'back ground' too, you know. You didn't bother to check it, I see. Fine and dandy. But..next time..wait to be officially asked before you jump to conclusions. And I do my job..I do it damned well..I don't need you telling me women are dying. I liked Angel Faye. I know I let her down. I did everything I could to see that didn't happen..but, I screwed the hell up somewhere. Yeah, I KNOW.... I don't intend to let anyone else die. Just saying."

Brass felt like he was finally seeing the real Haley Meadows. He..relaxed.

She reached for the door handle which automatically locked when she closed the door. "Unlock this damned thing!"

"Why?" He questioned.

"Because I want the hell out..I'll walk back, thank you!"

"That is the most stupid thing I have ever heard..and from a grown woman at that." He shook his head. "Did you forget there is a vampire killer out there on the loose?"

"Yeah?" She glared at the man, the green eyes sparking the fire of battle. "Let the fucker try me right now..let's see who comes off the victor."

"Why are you so pissed? Because you think I wounded your feminine pride? I think you're hot as hell..never said I didn't."

She..calmed. "... .... ... What?" She demanded he explain.

She hastily grabbed the mike again. "What???"

"I ..can't get Weena out of my mind. I know it's over..I know she's gone." He told the truth, more comfortable with it now. "It's been..six months. But..I feel kinda like I'm...cheating or something still. That's it in a nut shell. She..meant something to me. Still does."

She..settled into the seat, clearly thinking things over. Out of the silence came a hesitant. "I..I get that..really." She assured him with her look. "I understand..that but." She searched for the words.

She cut him a sullen look then. "Had you bothered to check..you would have known.." The woman seemed to rethink whatever she had meant to entail. "I..I am not a....I've been with a man. Not by choice." She cast him a 'you better 'wait' look. "...I've not been exactly ..enamored of your specie because of the fact. I've..put my career first and..moved on with my life but..."

"You were..." Something in her manner stopped Brass from finishing the remark. "I'm..sorry."

"Don't need your sympathy." She grumbled her annoyance. "Not telling you for that. When..when I saw you..for the first time I..." She..softened. "I..didn't 'not like' men anymore. There was something ..." She scowled hard. "I...liked...you."

Brass digested the words. "...I am..deeply flattered." And he was.

"It's just sexual..don't get maudlin on me." She made a face waving the issue aside. "So..you see. You have nothing to feel guilty about. I just wanted to experience you then..maybe catch a movie..or not." She was flexible. "I don't...date. I've never..dated. Ewwww. But..the other? With..you?"

The woman looked at him closely for a long moment. "I am attracted to you physically..you are an Alpha but..you also have this..other side. Life has shit on you but..you didn't let it ..change you...did you."

"I don't know." He half-laughed. "Maybe I did."

"Well..just know." She nodded slightly. "I will..stop the crap. I'll..be professional from now on. I won't give you any lip..ok?"

"...That would be good." He stated.

She..nodded again. "Well..your time is up..better take me back to the old stomping grounds."

"You didn't even blow me."

Her head jerked up, and..she...laughed musically, the sound not unpleasant at all to Jim Brass' ears. "Yeah, well..you didn't pay me, did you."

"Oh, I never pay for it." He mused openly. "I'm above such things."

"If you want me to 'go down'..you'll 'rise above' the money thing...I'm cheap and I can be had..but..a blow is a blow. I have to report to Agent Eves, remember..he will want his cut."

"Again...do you take plastic?" He reissued the offer.

She grinned at him and shook her head. "There is hope for you yet, Captain Jim Brass. There is hope for you yet."