Elemental Assassin 01 - Spider's Bite

me to my feet and into a tight hug. His arms closed around me, and hot tears stung my eyes.
    “I thought I’d lost you too,” he whispered in my ear.
    I pulled back gave him a crooked smile. “You should know better than that.”
    Roslyn Phillips stood off to one side. The vampire looked mussed and tired. Her dark gaze focused on the blood leaking out of Stephenson’s back. Her fangs gleamed like pearls in the twilight.
    “Thirsty?” I asked.
    Roslyn snorted. “For that giant shit? I don’t think so. I’m just sorry I didn’t get to tear the bastard’s neck out myself.”
    I grinned at her. After a moment, she smiled back.
    Donovan Caine cleared his throat. I turned so I could see the detective.
    “You and Finn need to leave. Now,” he said. “Roslyn, you’re staying with me.”
    “Why?” I asked in a soft voice.
    Caine swept his hand over the bodies that littered the quarry floor. “Here’s what happened. I went off the grid to investigate the Gordon Giles case. Men came to my house to kill me, but I escaped from them. I’ve been hiding low the last few days tracking down leads, one of which was Roslyn. Thanks to her, I discovered Gordon’s files, but Alexis James found us. She brought us out here to kill us, but I managed to turn the tables on her instead.”
    “What about Stephenson?” Finn asked.
    Caine shrugged. “He was pretending to work for Alexis to bring her down. He came to the rescue, but was killed in the crossfire.”
    “You know Stephenson was working for Alexis, that he liked to abuse young girls. Why are you protecting him?” I asked.
    “Because he has a wife and a daughter who’ll need his pension. Because they shouldn’t suffer for what he did.” Caine’s eyes flashed with amber fire, daring me to contradict him.
    I didn’t. “And the mysterious woman at the opera house?”
    “Mistaken identity,” Caine said. “Alexis picked her out to frame her. A composite sketch of a person who never really existed. I’ll think of something.”
    “I’m sure you will,” I murmured.
    “Where do I come in?” Roslyn asked. “Why do you need me to stick around?”
    Caine looked at her. “Because people saw Stephenson drag you out of the country club. And I need somebody to back me up.”
    I stared at Roslyn. “Are you okay with being a star witness to all of this?”
    The vampire shrugged, but I saw something flicker in her eyes. Guilt. Hmm. Something to think about later.
    “Think you can sell it?” Donovan asked her.
    Roslyn laughed. The delicate, pealing sound reminded me of wind chimes. “Oh honey, selling myself was what I did for years. So yeah, I think I can manage it. You just tell me what you want me to say. By the time I’m done, the angels will be crying.”
    I believed her. Donovan did too, because he nodded his head.
    “Well, it’s nice and tidy all the way around,” I said. “You think your superiors will believe that bizarre fairy tale?”
    Caine shrugged. “Don’t know, don’t fucking care. That’s the story I’m sticking with. Plus, I have this.”
    He held up the flash drive. The detective must have picked it up off the quarry floor while I was having my reunion with Finn.
    “It’s all the proof I need,” Caine said. “I already used my cell phone to call it in. The first units will be here in ten minutes.”
    I grimaced. “Time for us to go, then.”
    “Time for you to go, then,” he agreed.
    Finn looked back and forth between the two of us. “I’ll get the car.”
    He trotted over to the vehicle. Roslyn followed him. I swayed back and forth for a moment before finding my balance once more. My eyes met Donovan Caine’s. Gray on gold.
    “I suppose this is good-bye, then,” I said.
    “It is. Don’t let me catch you again,” he said in a harsh tone. “I won’t be so generous next time.”
    There was that confidence again. One of many things I found so appealing about the detective. I tipped my head. “Don’t worry, detective. I’m the Spider. I know how to stay hidden in the shadows, remember?”
    Guilt and a touch of regret flashed in the detective’s eyes, although he kept his face hard and remote. I did the same, even though a knife of emotion twisted into my heart.
    Finn and Roslyn said their good-byes, and the vampire went to stand by the detective. Finn pulled the stolen car over to me. Somehow, I stumbled forward and picked up my various knives and the remains of my ruined vest. Then I yanked open the car door. I