respond so she carefully made her way closer. She was high overhead but almost directly above him. “Aiden. Three west, three up.”
Praying that he’d heard her and that the killer hadn’t, she headed west, pausing to watch as he broke away from the woman. The blonde woman tried to hold him there, a hand on his arm, but within moments, he was working his way in her direction.
The shadow man had vanished.
* * *
“ A nnie , are you all right?”
She was as far back in the shadows as possible, the black of her suit merging into the darkness. He hopped lightly to the ledge, and looked deeply into her eyes. She was frightened, but had overcome the panic that had compelled her to run like a panicked rabbit.
“It was watching. There was a man, an Asian man, I think. It was hard to see his face. I’m not sure if he’s it but the monster was there. I felt its…hunger. We need to go. If we stick together, we might be able to spot it.”
His fingers grazed her cheek. “Okay, we’ll do that. But first off, how’re you doing?”
She stood very still under his touch, letting it calm her racing heart. “I’m okay. My ribs are bruised, but other than that, I’m good.”
“How are you otherwise?”
She started to tell him that she was fine, no fear, no panic, but she couldn’t. Annie opted for the truth. “I’m terrified. I ran, got just down the street a ways and realized I’d left you behind. So stupid.” She stepped away from his hand, shaking her head in self-disgust. “I owe you an apology. I saw the eyes and just bolted. I abandoned you.”
“Oh, Annie.” He reached out and took both her hands, inspecting bruised, battered knuckles. “You were amped on adrenaline. Of course you bolted when the fear registered. It might be good, might confuse him.” He pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Bit by bit, she relaxed into his embrace.
Unable to resist, he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her, holding her tight. She pressed her cheek to his chest. She stood there listening to the steady beat of his heart, to the sound of his breathing. How long had it been since anyone had held her? Kept her safe? Annie rubbed her face against his chest, her tears soaked into the rough fabric of his jacket.
“God, Annie.” Aiden gathered her closer, cradling her head in the palm of his hand. He dropped a kiss to her forehead and then rested his chin on her hair, letting his eyes close.
“I’m sorry.” Her whisper was hoarse with tears. “I’m not usually like this.”
“No, you’re always the strong one, aren’t you? Just for now, let it go and let someone else be strong, even for a couple minutes.” She nodded against his chest. She smelled good. She always did, it was an odd mixture of herbs and incense and her own body. Even back when they’d been new detectives, he’d always loved her scent. Now, the exotic spices of his liniment blended into her usual fragrance. He inhaled, savoring the moment.
When she leaned away, trying to break free, he wouldn’t allow her, and the kiss that followed was the most natural thing in the world.
Their lips traced together like silk. Only the slightest pressure joined them. Aiden brought one hand up, supporting her head, controlling the kiss, controlling her breathing, her very heart rate. She allowed her lips to part just the slightest bit and he pressed his advantage, tasting, teasing, and finally taking her completely in a kiss that left them both shaking.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time.” He said.
She looked steadily up into his face, her slightly battered face soft and vulnerable. He’d been her friend and her partner, her enemy for a time. She’d never looked at him
like this before. “How long?” She asked.
“Too long, Annie.” The softness faded, leaving him slightly bereft.
She stepped back, out of his embrace, but still touching. “Don’t say that, Aiden.”
“Before Lisa died. I
Praying that he’d heard her and that the killer hadn’t, she headed west, pausing to watch as he broke away from the woman. The blonde woman tried to hold him there, a hand on his arm, but within moments, he was working his way in her direction.
The shadow man had vanished.
* * *
“ A nnie , are you all right?”
She was as far back in the shadows as possible, the black of her suit merging into the darkness. He hopped lightly to the ledge, and looked deeply into her eyes. She was frightened, but had overcome the panic that had compelled her to run like a panicked rabbit.
“It was watching. There was a man, an Asian man, I think. It was hard to see his face. I’m not sure if he’s it but the monster was there. I felt its…hunger. We need to go. If we stick together, we might be able to spot it.”
His fingers grazed her cheek. “Okay, we’ll do that. But first off, how’re you doing?”
She stood very still under his touch, letting it calm her racing heart. “I’m okay. My ribs are bruised, but other than that, I’m good.”
“How are you otherwise?”
She started to tell him that she was fine, no fear, no panic, but she couldn’t. Annie opted for the truth. “I’m terrified. I ran, got just down the street a ways and realized I’d left you behind. So stupid.” She stepped away from his hand, shaking her head in self-disgust. “I owe you an apology. I saw the eyes and just bolted. I abandoned you.”
“Oh, Annie.” He reached out and took both her hands, inspecting bruised, battered knuckles. “You were amped on adrenaline. Of course you bolted when the fear registered. It might be good, might confuse him.” He pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Bit by bit, she relaxed into his embrace.
Unable to resist, he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her, holding her tight. She pressed her cheek to his chest. She stood there listening to the steady beat of his heart, to the sound of his breathing. How long had it been since anyone had held her? Kept her safe? Annie rubbed her face against his chest, her tears soaked into the rough fabric of his jacket.
“God, Annie.” Aiden gathered her closer, cradling her head in the palm of his hand. He dropped a kiss to her forehead and then rested his chin on her hair, letting his eyes close.
“I’m sorry.” Her whisper was hoarse with tears. “I’m not usually like this.”
“No, you’re always the strong one, aren’t you? Just for now, let it go and let someone else be strong, even for a couple minutes.” She nodded against his chest. She smelled good. She always did, it was an odd mixture of herbs and incense and her own body. Even back when they’d been new detectives, he’d always loved her scent. Now, the exotic spices of his liniment blended into her usual fragrance. He inhaled, savoring the moment.
When she leaned away, trying to break free, he wouldn’t allow her, and the kiss that followed was the most natural thing in the world.
Their lips traced together like silk. Only the slightest pressure joined them. Aiden brought one hand up, supporting her head, controlling the kiss, controlling her breathing, her very heart rate. She allowed her lips to part just the slightest bit and he pressed his advantage, tasting, teasing, and finally taking her completely in a kiss that left them both shaking.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time.” He said.
She looked steadily up into his face, her slightly battered face soft and vulnerable. He’d been her friend and her partner, her enemy for a time. She’d never looked at him
like this before. “How long?” She asked.
“Too long, Annie.” The softness faded, leaving him slightly bereft.
She stepped back, out of his embrace, but still touching. “Don’t say that, Aiden.”
“Before Lisa died. I
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