Chapter 2

It had been three weeks now since he had lost the Alusian deep in the heart of that Venezuelan jungle and Jake Mosley still wasn’t over the fact as he sifted through the paper work on his desk. Something just didn’t sit well with him about the whole circumstances.
He had just returned from a short two week rest period at one of Mexico’s exclusive hot spots. He knew he had needed that bit of rest and relaxation and was now ready to get back to work. It seemed to have piled up on him in his absence as it always did.
Thinking back, he supposed he could have used some muscle to follow his prey, but that would have only alerted his quarry to his presence making them find another hiding place somewhere else. At least he now knew that was a hot spot for Alusian runaways and he had already decided he would be returning soon to destroy the den.
The hot summer heat was getting warmer by the minute as Jake ran his sleeve across his forehead wiping away the beaded perspiration that gathered there. He looked out the window as he sat back in his leather chair, gazing at the tree lined street of one of New Orleans most rambunctious neighborhoods. Although the air conditioning was humming softly in the background and kept the muggy heat at bay, he itched to open his windows and let the tangy scent of the salty sea air fill his nostrils.
His office was located on the riverfront just south of Jackson Square right off of Decatur. If he walked outside and turned left through the alley he would be on the docks of the Half Moon Walk in less than two minutes. He sighed heavily. He hated to be cooped up inside all day. He was like a caged animal yearning for wide open spaces and fresh air, but that didn’t help pay his bills. Although he truly didn’t have to be here he supposed. He was wealthy enough to do what ever he pleased, but he’d learned early on that wealth didn’t give him the satisfaction that his cases did. No, he kept that part of his life from the situation. He found he had more worthwhile clientele that way which made life for an Immortal more bearable.
Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end bringing him to full alert. He was no longer alone in the room. Tensing for battle he slowly turned his chair back toward his desk and the intruder. What met his eyes sent a shiver through his whole entire body making him want to groan out loud.
The first thing he saw were long shapely legs standing at the edge of his desk. Slowly he raised his eyes, following the contour of those legs up to small well-rounded pleasing thighs and hips. He could tell because the jeans she wore fit her like a second skin. Easing his eyes ever upward he saw a slender waist with a flat stomach peeking out from under a shirt that didn’t quite cover her lovely belly button, which by the way, had an exquisite little sapphire stud embedded just to the south of it.
Trying to keep his drool to a minimum and act professional at the same time, he kept his gaze steady as he slowly wandered up to melon sized breasts that seemed too perky to be real, although if the gods were on his side, he would find out real fast how real they were. Adjusting in his seat as he had become very uncomfortable just then, he heard a faint clearing of a throat and eased his eyes away from her luscious breasts to look into the sexiest crystal green eyes he had ever seen.
“Excuse me, but are you Jake Mosley?” Her voice was like a siren song thrumming his blood to the boiling point. Soft, sweet and seductive all at the same time. He was mesmerized as she flung back her long black hair, the tips he noticed were silver, giving her an even more ethereal aura.
“Yes, I am. Please, have a seat.” How did he manage to sound so calm and in control when all he wanted to do was eat her alive.
“Mr. Mosley,”
“Jake, please.”
“Jake. My name is Serena Keller.”
Serena, what a lovely name, he thought, imagining her sitting across from him in a dimly lit room, a glass of red wine in her hand grazing her lush lips with its sweetness, lust lingering just beneath her lashes making those crystal green eyes dance with excitement. Mentally shaking himself back to the present he said, “What can I do for you, Miss Keller?”
Leaning forward on his desk trying to act as professionally as possible considering he had a hard on as large as Texas rising between his thighs trying to escape his pants. Damn good thing he didn’t have one of those new acrylic desks that were all the rage or things might be going a little differently at the moment.
“I want to hire you. Money is no object.” she said quite sincerely, digging into her purse for something.
“Exactly what did you want to hire me for?” his mind and body could think of several ways he would love payment.
“You are a Night Stalker by trade, are you not Mr. Mosley?” She asked quirking her eyebrow at him.
“Not many people know about that part of my business.” he said, suddenly sitting up. He looked her square in the eye. It was time to stop daydreaming and pay more attention to the woman that sat across from him.
“Actually, I’m sure only other Night Stalkers would know who you are.” she stated more than asked. She reached out her hand to him and said, “Serena Keller, Night Stalker by trade.”
Perhaps that was the reason he had not sensed her when she first came into his office. Slowly he reached out his hand. He couldn’t resist the temptation to touch her. Soft as velvet, long nails that were well manicured but not overly long. He didn’t care for the nails woman sported today. They seemed too pretentious to him.
“So what do you need me for, Serena, if you are a night stalker as well?” he asked, reluctantly letting go of her hand when she pulled it away. He didn’t know if she felt the tingle when they had touched but he certainly did. He filed it into the back of his mind to think about later along with the not sensing her presence thing. Now he was more interested in knowing what a night stalker wanted with him. Usually they were all loners.
“I need help, Mr. Mosley,”
“Jake, please. Call me Jake.”
“Jake,” she said taking a deep breath. “I need help in finding my brothers killers.”
“I see.” he said sitting back in his chair deep in thought.
“No, I don’t really think you do see.” she told him, pulling out an envelope and slapping it hard on his desk.
“What’s this?”
“My brother.”
Jake gave her a solemn look then took the envelope and opened it. Taking out the contents sent shivers of revulsion running down his spine. In his long life he had seen death in many forms but this had to be the worst yet. Each photo he looked at depicted a different act of violence toward a man that had been bound to what looked like a stake except his feet and hands were spread apart and tied at odd angles from the post. That in itself had to be filled with excruciating pain. Then his tormentors had started carving his skin from his body. From the contortion of the mans face you could tell he was still very much alive while this was going on. Each new photo displayed even more graphic torture than the previous ones. Jake realized that even he wasn’t this cruel with the marks he pursued.
“Where did you get these?” he asked as he gathered them up and put them back into the envelope.
“They were sent to me, hoping to affect my decision to alter my course of action against a specific mark that I had been after.” she told him, gathering the envelope and replacing it in her bag.
“And did it?”
“If anything it has made me even more determined than ever to get these killers and serve justice on them.” she told him, her voice like blades of ice.
Good girl, he thought as he steepled his fingers together in thought.
“Who was the mark you were after?” Jake asked with interest.
“Dimitri.”
“The demi-god of the Underworld?”
“Yes.”
“Why were you after him? Someone pay you to get rid of him?” he asked wondering why it mattered.
“You know I can’t tell you that.”
He waited for her to elaborate but she said nothing else. Warning lights flashed between his eyes. Dimitri was the keeper of lost souls; a demi-god you did not cross not if you didn’t want to spend eternity in the Netherworld. He’d already seen what happened to Serena’s brother and that had only been a warning to her to back off. He could just imagine what a full scale retaliation would be like.
No. No amount of money was worth this. As much as he wanted to taste the beauty sitting across from him, he would have to decline her offer. He wanted to live the rest of eternity in one piece, not several.
Serena sat back in her seat and sighed heavily. “You’re not going to help me are you?”
His heart clinched in denial, her dejection written plain as the pert nose on her face, but he shook his head no just the same.
“You were my last hope, Jake.” she told him, green eyes swimming with moisture, her spine stiffening as she rose from her chair. “I’d heard you were the best. Guess now I will never know.”
He might be the best, but he wasn’t no fool.
“I’m sorry Serena. I truly hope you catch the slag’s that killed your brother.”
Without another word she left his office, leaving behind a man that knew, deep down to his soul, the best thing that had ever walked into his life had also just walked out of it.