Vampire: A Dark Protectors/Rebels Novella by Rebecca Zanetti (love letters to the dead .txt) 📕

How could she get out of this? Had he arrested her? If so, for what?

“You’re in danger, and I want to help you. It’s my job, and I’m tired of everyone fighting me on it.”

She winced. The guy sucked at his job, and he was right that nobody cooperated.

He stared at her through the rearview mirror. “When you received those three dozen white roses, I knew I could help you. That I could protect you. Why won’t you let me?”

She opened her mouth to appease him and then paused. “Three dozen? I didn’t tell you there were three dozen. I just told you that I’d received white roses.” Most people would assume it was a dozen, right? Her brain reeled. Wait a minute.

He parked beneath a tree in a vacant parking lot next to an abandoned fast food joint. “I really wish you wouldn’t have figured that out.”

Her chin dropped. “You sent me the roses?” How was that possible?

“I care for you. A lot. I know I’m married, but you’re special. You and I could have something really great together, if you’d just give me a chance.” He partially turned to face her, and the divider between the seats was open.

She tried to filter facts into place. “Did you send me flowers in Dallas?”

“No,” he burst out. “Of course not. However, when I first saw you, I did a background check and discovered your case in Dallas. So I sent you flowers here—”

“Thinking I’d turn to you for protection?” she asked.

He nodded, his nostrils flaring. “But you turned to that Maxwell asshole instead.”

Raine. Oh, God. The sheriff had called him earlier that morning. “Where is Raine?”

“He’s at the station answering questions with a couple of deputies.” The sheriff waved away the question. “I just needed time to talk to you.”

Wait a minute. She had a stalker in Dallas, was followed by Raine, kidnapped by Kurjans, and now taken by the sheriff? She barked out a hysterical laugh. This was crazy. “I must have some seriously whacked out pheromones,” she muttered.

“What?” the sheriff asked.

She eyed the side doors. They were locked, and there was no way out. Well, there was one way. She bunched her legs and burst through the opening in the divider between the front and rear seats, landing on her knees and hitting her chin on the dash. She moved to the right and kicked back with one leg, smashing Baker’s nose.

He howled and reached for his gun. She pivoted to grab it.

His door was jerked open, and he flew out to land on his ass.

Raine leaned in. “You okay?”

She gulped and nodded.

Raine turned and punched Sheriff Baker in the jaw. The sheriff fell back into the mud, arms splayed, out cold. “Damn it,” Raine muttered.

Mariana scrambled out of the vehicle. “You only got to hit him once.”

Raine turned on her. “This is what happens when you don’t stay where I tell you to stay.”

“Wasn’t my fault,” she said quietly. “How are you here?”

He pulled her close and kissed her. Hard and then soft. “I figured out it was a scam after the first question, and I headed right for you. Caught your scent.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Literally?”

“Yeah.” He kissed her again and held her close. “I love you, Mariana Lopez.”

She snuggled into his hard body. “I love you, too. Forever.”

He chuckled. “It’s going to be an adventure.”

“I hope so.” Then she laughed along with him.

Epilogue

The boisterous crowd had bundled up against the early snow, their happiness obvious as they enjoyed the outdoor festivities following Evan O’Connell being made sheriff. He’d won easily, and Sheriff Baker had conceded…from a jail cell. The guy would face some time for kidnapping Mariana and blowing up the truck. Raine was glad about that.

Kind of. He would’ve liked to have gotten in a couple more punches.

Mariana hustled up with apple ciders in both mitten-covered hands. With a white knit hat on her hair, she looked adorable. A snowflake landed on her nose. “Here. It’s delicious.”

“Thanks.” He’d watched her the entire time she’d worked the crowd with Tabi and was comfortable that she was safe. The drink was good. Nice and warm.

Her phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket to glance at the face. “It’s Laura.” She quickly pressed a button. “Hi. You’re on speaker with Raine. He can’t wait to meet you when you visit next month.”

Raine smiled even as he scanned the gathering for any threats. “Hi.”’

“Hi. Can’t wait to meet you, too.” Laura sounded distracted. “You’re not going to believe this, but we’ve found your stalker. Do you remember a computer tech named Kenny Jilloby?”

She swallowed. “Kind of? I think he worked on our system a couple of times.”

“Yes, he did. We just caught him sending roses to another woman from the same building, and he admitted to sending you flowers and notes. Didn’t once try to follow you. The guy has issues, though.”

Raine made a mental note to have Cade find out everything there was about good ole Kenny.

Mariana smiled. “Great job finding him.”

“Thanks. The other news is that he has no clue where you went, so he switched to another great love, as he called her. Leaving was a good move. He’s in custody now, so that’s over.” Laura shuffled papers. “Oh. Gotta go. See you two soon.” The line went dead.

Mariana tucked the phone away,. “You’re going to love her.”

Sure. If Mariana loved her, he’d protect her as well. “I’m sure.”

Tabi bounced up with Evan behind her. “I’m so glad this happened. A new sheriff.” She motioned Abby and Noah over. The lovebirds had been back a week and had definitely pitched in to help. “I have awesome news. We have the corrupt sheriff out of office, and Abby is going to run for mayor next year. I’m running her campaign.”

Abby stumbled. “Mayor? I’m not running for mayor.”

Her mate, vampire Noah Siosal, sighed. “I have a feeling you are. Right, demoness?”

Tabi grinned. “Yep. You turned in all the necessary documents weeks ago.