The Guilty Innocent by D N Simmons Page B

down, Natasha. Why don't you go see Darian, go ahead, I need to speak with Darian and I want to do so before visiting hours are over.” Xavier led me towards the door.
    I didn't protest, I came to the precinct to see Darian, not to argue, so I walked towards the guard and he led me to Darian's cell. Darian was sprawled on the white linen covered mattress. He looked up at me and smiled as I approached his cell. I looked around the cell, and noticed that the ceiling was equipped with ultraviolet lighting and a sprinkler system. There were no windows in his cell and the bars appeared to be made from silver. I wondered how much this setup was costing the poor taxpayers?
    Darian rose from his bed and walked closer to the bars, his hands gripping the bars as he smiled at me. Seeing him behind bars was really difficult for me, Darian looked as out of place in jail as anyone could be. This was not his style.
    “Hello Natasha, how are you holding up?” Darian asked me with a hint of sympathy in his charming Greek-accented voice.
    “I'm doing fine, considering everything that has happened. Look Darian, I know you did not kill Annette but do you have any idea who could have done it? Do you have any enemies that would want you killed?” I asked. Darian smiled at me as if I was asking if Santa Clause really existed. I suppose to Darian, my question may have seemed naive, but I needed to get a grasp on the situation someway... somehow.
    “I have many enemies, my darling. Some even so bold as to attack me head on. This situation however, is something new to me, I have never been framed before.” He said smoothly, as if he wasn't the slightest bit concern about his predicament, only curious
    “Are you not worried? Are you starving yourself?” I asked. “I heard you refused to drink the synthetic blood”.
    Darian chuckled. “Worried? No. However, it seems that I am expected to drink this cursed synthetic travesty.” He said as he grimaced at a bottle of Synblood.
    “Well drink it, I don't want you to suffer if you don't have to. Xavier told me what happens to vampires if they don't feed.” I said concerned. Darian looked at me, a smile spreading across his lips. His boyish dimples lighting up his already gorgeous features. He walked to the table and picked up the bottle of synthetic blood, he twisted off the cap and took one sip from the bottle. After swallowing, you would have thought he had swallowed a mouthful of super-strength antiseptic by the expression on his face.
    “Horrible!” Darian declared with a shiver.
    I giggled. “You're carrying on badly!” I teased.
    Darian rolled his eyes playfully then began to drink the entire content of the bottle. After he had finished he tossed the bottle in the trash near the table and walked closer to me. He leaned against the bars and I slid my hand between them to caress the side of his face. My fingers ran down the cool smoothness of his jaw line. He had been clean shaven at the moment he became a vampire and remained that way. His face had not one wrinkle, his lips full and luscious, and I was eternally lost in the forest green of his eyes. His long jet black lashes and thick, arched eyebrows accented those already gorgeous eyes, making his gaze both dramatic and sensual. My eyes roamed over his body, I wondered what he did for a living before he was turned, because he appeared to be very muscular, I've always pictured him as a gladiator. But I suppose he didn't have enough scars to be a gladiator from what I could see. But then again, I had no idea how old he was and I've never seen him naked before. He watched me closely as I drifted off in my thoughts, when my eyes locked onto his, I came back to reality. Darian was incarcerated, Annette was gone and the real murderers are still out there.
    “Darian, do you have any idea why this has happened?” I asked.
    “I wish I knew, but I don't...I'm sorry,” he said, then he caressed my cheek, his fingers brushing my skin lightly.