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water, he calmed again. Richard was infuriating sometimes, but so
damn hot. He let his soap-slick hands glide down his chest and
over his abs to cup himself. Relief would only be a few strokes
away, but it wasn t what he wanted.
He left off playing with himself, determined to save the hard
edge of his lust for later. For Richard and his hard body, his long,
skilled hands, his incredible, luscious mouth, his gorgeous eyes&
Josh stopped in mid-thought and turned off the shower. Those eyes
had truly been worried for him; the worry had been sluicing off
Richard in waves. As annoyed as he d been about the whole
mother-hen thing, it struck him that Richard cared about him.
Guess maybe I m not just a fuck toy, after all, he murmured.
Being a comfort, someone to soothe Richard s broken heart, he
could have dealt with that. Even the bizarre empathic connection
between him didn t freak him out too much. But what if it was
more? Could he deal if Richard suddenly broke out the L-word?
Was that where this was going?
He shook himself impatiently. Dammit, Kempski, you ve got
shit to do. There s no time for all this squishy stuff now.
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A DIFFERENT BREED
After a decent breakfast of ham, grits and eggs, he drove back
to Glory s. Her cul-de-sac sat quiet now, devoid of all the
emergency vehicles and milling police officers. In the light of day,
everything looked so normal.
Police tape still stretched across the backdoor, which hung on
one hinge, swinging languidly in the breeze. Otherwise, the house
appeared undisturbed.
Josh took one slow turn around the perimeter, eyes half closed,
inner senses reaching. Richard s lingering presence smacked him
in the face, no question where his own vamp had been that night.
He was able to follow the path Richard took, from the kitchen, out
the backdoor, and then into the trees where Josh had found him
bleeding his life out.
A frown creased his forehead. Richard, yes, but no other
presence reached him. Not even the hint of another vamp scrabbled
at his brain. If these monsters had been vampires, even some kind
he d never seen before, he should have been able to feel
something. He crouched by the backdoor, hoping to spot a print, a
claw mark, anything unusual. The ground was soft from recent
rains, though, and a couple dozen pairs of booted feet had fouled
the battle site.
Damn stupid cops, Josh muttered. He cast out farther too
stubborn to give up just yet but found nothing except a few
unevenly spaced boot prints that marked Richard s stumbling,
desperate flight into the woods. Frustrating, getting to a scene after
the police. It wouldn t be the first time they d obliterated a trail for
him.
He wasn t out of options, though. With possibilities exhausted
at Glory s place, he drove to the hospital. A few polite questions at
the reception desk got him Glory s room number and that, yes, she
105
A DIFFERENT BREED
could have visitors.
Hospitals always made him nervous. The disinfectants were
only there to cover up the grief and fear. Maybe it wasn t that way
for everyone. Maybe the floor where the babies were born felt
different. But for him, death always seemed to be sitting in the
waiting room, just waiting for his next assignment.
He poked his head around the door to Glory s room and smiled
to see her awake.
Hey, handsome, she called softly.
Hi, gorgeous. He took the chair by her bed. How re you
doing?
Headache the size of Montana, but other than that, not so
bad. A dark bruise covered her right temple. She ran her fingers
over it, winced, and sighed. How s our brave Richard? Lynette
said some idiot shot him?
He wasn t doing so hot that night, but he s lots better today.
All overbearing and overprotective again.
More himself, then. Glory chuckled. Do they know who did
it?
Josh reached out and took her hand gently. Richard said
something about men with nets and guns. He wasn t sure about
much else. I was kinda hoping you could tell me what you
remember. Anything at all.
Her brow furrowed. I don t remember more than bits and
pieces. The doctors say that s not unusual with a head injury.
It s okay. Any little bits and pieces might help. He leaned
forward, urging her on. You thought you had a bear visiting your
garbage. You called Richard.
Yes. She nodded, lips pursed in a frown. Richard searched
around the house. He came back in. He was standing in my kitchen
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A DIFFERENT BREED
telling me he couldn t pick up any bear scent. There was
a& scrabbling. Like a cat clawing at the bottom of the door. He
waved me back&
Josh waited, but she remained silent. And then?
And then& I m not sure. I think I remember Richard
bellowing something. I had& a knife in my hand& She shook her
head, clearly frustrated. That s all I have, Josh. I m sorry.
He smiled for her, tamping down on his frustration. It s okay,
beautiful. You got smacked on the head pretty hard. It happens.
Lemme know if you remember anything else?
I will.
What did you tell the cops?
I told them a bear was outside the house and it must have
forced its way in.
Did they ask about Richard?
Her frown deepened. No. And that s strange. I thought it must
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