I am Jade Read online

  I am Jade

  By Victoria Danes

  Copyright © Victoria Danes July 2017. All Rights Reserved ®

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, rewritten, or distributed in any printed or electronic format without the permission and/or consent from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is purely and oddly coincidental.

  Acknowledgements

  This book would not have been possible without the loving support of my family.

  To my big brother Mike: Your giving personality and faith in me allowed me to follow this dream.

  To my little brother Alex: You always believed in me no matter what.

  To my mom: I am so grateful for you and your enthusiasm.

  To my husband: Thank you for loving and supporting me.

  To my children, Rachel, Tristan, and Adrian: Thank you for being my driving force.

  To my beta readers: Kristen, Mindy and Rachelle, Thank you so much for reading this story and providing me your feedback. Rachelle you are one of the most amazing people I have ever met!

  To my editor Kathy: Thank you for holding my hand through this process. You are absolutely wonderful!

  Lastly, to my readers: Thank you for purchasing this book. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  Cheers

  The monsters no longer lurk in the shadows but rather walk amongst us like they are not the ones responsible for the chaos that plagues us.

  Chapter One

  Cat and mouse

  I could practically smell the immaturity in the room even though I probably wasn’t much older than some of the girls dancing the crease out of those boys’ jeans.

  I’ve always been an old soul though.

  After ordering a beer, I casually hung by the bar until a pair of familiar eyes caught my attention.

  Shit.

  I saw him before he saw me. I would recognize that long face and those big, blue eyes anywhere.

  His energy bounced off me like the unpleasant sting of a rogue rubber band.

  My skin reacted with ripples of raised flesh all over, and I shivered.

  I felt his urgency to find me.

  He moved.

  I moved.

  A sly smile curved his sculpted mouth.

  Cat and mouse was a game he and I both knew well.

  He zeroed in on me.

  I turned into the crowd fast, slamming into a man trying to squeeze past me, his fruity, red drink spilled onto my shoulder.

  All my life I’ve been like a bloodhound. I could smell things miles away without much effort…or explanation.

  The scent of the tainted drink slithered into my system like a poisonous serpent.

  As a “touch” clairvoyant, I have felt the vile effects of a date-rape drug more times than I care to remember.

  “Excuse me,” I said pulling him down to my level.

  “What the fuck?” He barked in annoyance.

  “Let me buy you another.” I offered.

  He shook his head, as his dark eyes proceeded to undress me.

  “No. Forget it, but I could think of something you could do to make it up to me.”

  I smiled as I dug my stiletto nails into his arm.

  One great thing about my gift was having the ability to project my feelings onto others.

  He squirmed in my grip, but I held on to him and let that power inside of me spill into him.

  His eyes widened in horror.

  I knew he was feeling it.

  The loss of control.

  The spinning of the room.

  The darkness that threatened your peace and stole your trust in humanity.

  “Unless you want to know what it feels like to be fucked against your will, I suggest you get the hell out of here and think twice before poisoning another girl with that shit.”

  His breath became heavy near my ear as he tried to pull himself from my grasp.

  I let him go, and he stumbled.

  “What did you do to me?” He squealed.

  A petite blonde joined us and touched his arm. He flinched like a frightened animal.

  “Liam?” She looked at him puzzled.

  “I have to go,” he said, quickly.

  The blonde looked at me and then back at him. “Why?” She was lustful. I could taste it on my tongue like sweet nectar.

  “I’m his girlfriend,” I said loud enough for her to hear me.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said drifting back to her friends.

  He still stood there, drugged and confused.

  “Bye, Liam.” I waved.

  He staggered away.

  I could only hope that my brief intrusion into his mind had permanently crippled his pathetic tactics.

  I wanted to head back to the bar, but when I turned around, I came head to chest with him.

  He pleasantly smiled down at me. “Sinclair,”

  “Faust.” I acknowledged.

  “You look good.”

  I rolled my eyes. “What do you want?”

  His smile faded around the edges. “Come on, now. We are friends aren’t we?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t call it friendship.”

  “What do you call it?” He chortled.

  “A nuisance, maybe?”

  He laughed.

  “What do you want, Faust?”

  “Can we talk?” His tone was much more serious now, and his eyes lost their playfulness.

  The worry I felt from him earlier was clawing its way back toward the surface.

  I sighed.

  “Please?” He requested.

  “Two minutes,” I said and began walking toward the door.

  “Celeste?” I spoke into my hidden headset to call into my assistant.

  She and I were working on an infidelity case tonight.

  As a private investigator, I took on a lot of cases.

  Throughout the years, I’ve covered everything from missing people to cheating lovers to cold cases.

  My unique ability was coveted by the local police department. Not only because I can project what I feel, but because I can make a crime scene play out like a movie in the room, like a human projector. I have worked with the police on and off since I was fifteen years old.

  All I needed to do was walk into it and place my hands on a solid object. This didn’t only apply to crimes. I’ve used it for other purposes before too.

  Imagine the shock and surprise in a courtroom when I walked in to testify during a human trial or a monster one.

  Needless to say, I have received an abundant amount of death threats for putting so many people behind bars and creatures to death. Trust me, the monsters don’t take lightly to losing their mates.

  “Yeah?” she answered.

  “Keep your post. Don’t lose sight of loverboy.”

  “Sure thing,” she said.

  I turned off my headset and headed outside with Faust on my tail.

  The cutting, spring wind was unapologetic as we stepped outside and began walking. I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm as I was wearing nothing but black skinny jeans, a blue top, and tan knee-high boots.

  Faust took off his dark coat and draped it over my shoulders.

  “Two minutes, Faust,” I said.

  Patience is not a trait of mine.

  “Fine,” he said and ran a hand through his short, chestnut hair. “I need your help.”

  “The fact that you are here tonight proves that.” I bit my lip and started shaking my head.

  “You didn’t even let me get started.”

  “I don’t do that anymore
, Faust. You know that.”

  “I do and I respect that, but just one more time. Please, Jade. For me…for Ellie,” he said, hesitantly.

  “No,” I answered through my clenched teeth. “And don’t you dare use Ellie as a bartering mechanism.”

  He nodded and took a deep breath. “Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry. But…” He fished into his shirt pocket for something and pulled out a few wallet-sized photos. “How ‘bout for these missing girls?” he asked, putting the pictures in my face.

  I didn’t want to look, but I could feel the innocence of the girls before even touching the photographs.

  I glanced at the pictures and looked into their youthful eyes.

  They were young. High school students, maybe.

  Dammit.

  “Alexia Tate, Olivia Coleman, and Jenna Matthias. Three innocent girls. Three, Jade. Please.” Faust pleaded. “How many more do you think will vanish if we don’t do something?”

  Missing people hold a spot in my heart because my father’s face is on one of those posters too. My search continues to this day, but despite my abilities, I always come across the same empty room when I tap into his energy.

  “Their families are devastated.”

  I sighed and nodded. “What do you need from me?”

  He put the pictures back in his pocket, and we started walking back toward the club.

  “Carlisle Cross.” He mentioned as we walked. “He was seen with each of the girls at one point or another before they vanished. Local bad boy with a reputation. I’ve questioned him, but I can’t hold him. I have nothing but circumstantial evidence. The son of a bitch is a smooth-talker and he has alibis.”

  “Which are?”

  “He was on a cruise to the Bahamas.”

  “Each time?” I asked, my curiosity piquing.

  Faust stopped walking and looked at me. “The girls all went missing the same week, Jade.”

  “What? How did I not hear about this?”

  “We are trying to keep it out of the media, but we won’t be successful for much longer. They’re hungry for a story and three missing teens in our little town will feed them.”

  “How did he manage to take them all in one week?”

  He nodded. “Good question, isn’t it? It’s puzzling. All well-behaved and respected girls too. Makes you wonder what they would see in a scumbag like him.”

  “We all fantasize about bad boys, Faust.”

  “I’ll never understand women. We need to find them, Jade.”

  For the first time, I noticed the bags under his pale blue eyes and the growing stubble on his chin.

  “So where can I find this Carlisle Cross?” I asked as we headed back inside and stopped at the security podium first.

  The brawny bouncer dressed in all black and wearing dark sunglasses uncrossed his arms and lowered his head to hear me over the music.

  “I need my property, Hank.” I told him.

  He looked at me with knitted brows. “Jade…” He hesitated.

  “Shall I call your boss and tell him you’re being difficult?” I asked with a wry smile.

  His boss, Stephan Brooks, would never deny me. We have been on a best friend status since the sixth grade.

  Hank knew that.

  Good boy.

  He scoffed, reached under the podium and handed me my silver 9mm Smith &Wesson.

  “Thank you.” I sarcastically offered my gratitude.

  “Jade, don’t break anything.” Hank implored.

  I concealed my gun in my waistband.

  “The only thing I break are hearts, baby.” I assured him with a wink.

  He shook his head and went back to scanning the crowd.

  “Where is Cross?” I asked Faust.

  Faust grinned and then tipped his chin toward the bar. “Big guy, blond hair, leather jacket, and sunglasses.”

  I caught sight of him immediately. He was holding a beer in one hand and his other hand was wrapped around a woman’s waist. The boy may as well have had trouble tattooed on his forehead.

  “I need you to get into his head, Jade.”

  “And do you want to be there when I do?” I questioned.

  He shrugged. “If it’s possible, yes. But I don’t have to be.”

  I nodded and turned on my headset. “Celeste?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Johnny Bravo by the bar.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I need him alone,” I said.

  “What about our target?” Her velvet voice quizzed.

  “Some things take precedence over a failing marriage.”

  “Copy,” she answered.

  “Let’s go to work.” I told her.

  “You got it, boss,” she answered.

  I watched her leave her post and make her way over to him.

  “Thank you, Jade,” Faust said.

  I shook my head. “Don’t thank me yet. I’ll have Celeste call you once we get him,” I said and merged back into the crowd.

  Chapter Two

  Not my night

  Watching Celeste work was instant gratification. Sometimes I almost felt bad for the victims that fell helpless at her feet.

  She was a siren with the ability to seduce anyone she wanted with just one glance. Not like she needed any help though.

  At five feet seven with endless curves, violet eyes, and mocha skin, Celeste Waters has yet to feel the sting of rejection.

  Her hips swayed this way and that until she reached Carlisle Cross. His senses immediately sparked when he caught sight of her. He was hooked. He was hers.

  She smiled sweetly and touched his chest while whispering something into his ear.

  He immediately dropped the girl at his side and followed Celeste toward the back restrooms.

  I crept along, but my cell vibrated in my pocket the moment I stepped into the narrow hallway behind them. Dammit.

  I looked at the caller ID. Seth Prescott. Seth was my boyfriend.

  He was my first kiss, my first crush, and my first real boyfriend. But we have yet to cross the point of no return. Due to the nature of what I do, I have some serious reservations about sex.

  For the last two weeks, he had been in the Carpathian Mountains filming a documentary on myths and legends. I missed him, but he lied to me about where he was going and how long he was staying and as a result we’ve been fighting over it since he first called me from Romania.

  “Yeah?” I answered bitterly.

  “Well, hello to you too,” he said, sweetly.

  “Seth, I’m working.”

  He chuckled lightly. I missed that sound. I missed his oval face, his hazel eyes, and the taste of his mouth. I even missed the prickle of his beard on my hand and the scent of his Burberry cologne.

  “That’s your way of saying you haven’t forgiven me yet,” he said, knowingly.

  I didn’t answer.

  He was right.

  “Jade.” He sighed. “I’m sorry. I will be home soon. I miss you too, you know?”

  “Uh-huh.” The truth was I missed him so much I physically hurt, and I was afraid that if I admitted that out loud, I would crumble.

  “Jade, please don’t be angry with me. I can’t stand it.”

  “Seth…”

  “Jade. Be calm, my Jade. Please stop being angry with me. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  “Well, you’ve heard it.” I snapped.

  Anger was always easier for me to process.

  From the corner of my eye, I spotted Faust at the edge of the hallway tapping his wristwatch.

  “I have to go, Seth,” I said.

  “Tell me you forgive me, Jade.” He pleaded, and I melted at the sound of his velvet rasp. “Tell me you love me.”

  “I love you,” I whispered.

  I heard him exhale.

  “Jade…my Jade…”

  “I really do have to go now.” My voice was less hostile.

  “Okay, but listen, one more thing. I can’t video chat tonight.”

>   My heart fell into my stomach and anger escalated to the surface.

  “I know you’re disappointed, baby, but it’s the only chance I have to go to the castle and interview the girl believed to be a descendant of Vlad The Impaler.”

  “Okay.”

  “Jade, I’m sorry—”

  “That’s all I hear from you lately, Seth. I’m tired. Tired of excuses. Tired of…everything.” I enlightened.

  “Jade—”

  “Don’t!” I spat.

  “Jade, please…”

  “Bye, Seth.”

  I hung up.

  Fuck it!

  I entered the men’s bathroom and locked the door behind me.

  As I walked in, Celeste had Cross hypnotized against the bathroom wall. He looked to be enjoying himself until he locked eyes with me.

  “Hello, handsome,” I said walking toward him.

  “Who the fuck are you?” he asked through bared teeth.

  Celeste swiftly knocked out his feet from under him, dropping him to the floor, and I quickly straddled him so he couldn’t move. His dark eyes widened with surprise. My strength had a way of catching people off guard.

  “Oh, I’ve been called lots of things,” I answered with a smile as I pulled out my gun. “But tonight, my tits will be the last pair you see if you don’t talk to me. Now…let’s play a little game.” I suggested.

  The crease between his brows deepened. “You got the wrong guy, lady. If you want to get laid you’re going about it all wrong.”

  “Tsk. Tsk.” I clicked my tongue. “Wrong response, lover.”

  His fear caused my skin to tingle. It was a strange yet enjoyable feeling. I wasn’t a sadist, but tonight I felt all kinds of wrong.

  “Boss, you got this?” Celeste asked from the corner of the room. She never liked this part of my work.

  “I’m good,” I said. “You can go and tell them to give me ten minutes.”

  She nodded and headed out of the restroom.

  Once she was gone, and I was alone with Cross, I leaned down just above his mouth. “Let’s play.” I proposed.

  “Look, I don’t know who you are, but I’m telling you, you got the wrong guy.” He squirmed.

  “I don’t think so but nice try.”

  “Get the fuck off me, lady!”