Chapter 1
Officer Terrence Green had never interrogated a witch domme before. Hell, he’d never spoken to a domme before. He’d expected latex clothes, vulgar makeup, and titties on display. But Diana Monroe was nothing like that.
With her svelte wrists cuffed in magic blocking chains, sat the most beautiful lady he had ever seen, looking him in the eyes with the intensity that could burn a hole through his mind.
“Take a good look,” Terrence shoved a stack of photos her way.
Her full lips curled in disdain, the white frill of her buttoned-up silk blouse sliding across the tired wood of the table when she picked up the pictures. Her long, polished nails gleamed white against the paper as she gave each photo a long, appraising look.
“The lighting could be better. And you should dial up the contrast,” she said, handing him back the photographs from the three recent murder scenes.
Not a muscle twitched in her pale oval face.
“That’s all you have to say about the men you killed?’ Terrence forced himself not to scream.
“I’ve never seen the poor bastards in my life,” Diana said, her jet black eyes emotionless, as she held his gaze.
“You left your magical signature on the murder weapon,” the officer growled.
“And that murder weapon would be? Diana asked with cold interest as if she weren’t a suspect in the triple murder case.
“I thought you’d recognize your velvet ropes,” he smirked, waiting for her reaction.
She lifted her brow. “Some of my… toys have been stolen recently,” she answered with a small smile.
“We don’t have any report from you,” Terrence sounded dismissive.
“I didn’t think the police would be interested in looking for a bunch of whips and chains,” she said with a smirk, then added, looking at Terrence, “But maybe I was wrong. You officer would like to take a closer look at my whip, I see.”
Green clenched his fists under the table. He’d gladly strangle the cursed witch right there and then. But it wouldn’t do to kill the suspect during the interrogation.
“I’m in the homicide department. I wouldn’t be the one looking for your toys anyway,” he barked and immediately wished he hadn’t, when she gave him an ironic smile. Why was he explaining himself to this perverted woman?
“You’re new to this department?” she asked, cocking her head, a wave of her shiny, blonde hair falling to her face for a moment. She brushed it away with her cuffed hands, not bothered by her situation.
Terrence took a deep breath, but the heady scent of musk and roses emanating from Monroe did nothing to help him calm down. He’d been solving murder cases for the last fifteen years, with an unblemished track record.
“What made you think so?” he forced himself to ask quietly. He even managed to shoot her a crooked smile.
“Several things. First, you should know that a signature on a magical object is not enough evidence to accuse anyone of anything, and most certainly not to be the only proof in a murder case.” Terrence gritted his teeth, but she continued unfazed. ”Second, you haven’t done the background check on me. I don’t take humans as my pets. They are too easy to… break,” she said, giving him a look that suggested that she considered him an easily breakable human as well. Green frowned. “Third, you messed up your research. I make all my pets get a rose tattoo just above their private parts. The victims you’ve shown me had no such tattoo,” she finished her lecture and sat in silence, which was comfortable only for her.
Terrence stifled a curse. No normal woman would be able to look at those pictures of naked, bound men, strangled to death with a red velvet rope, and examine them thoroughly without flinching. Even his partner Kimberley, the smart girl that she was, was moved by this sight.
As if she knew he’d been thinking of her, Kim entered the interrogation room, her worn trainers not making a sound on the stone floor of the cell.
“Ms Monroe’s lawyer has come,” she said quietly and made way for a tall vampire in a black, tailored suit.
“Nice to see you, Gary,” Diana welcomed him, ignoring Terrence’s fierce scowl.
“I’m sorry you had to wait, my lady. I’ve come as soon as the sun set,” the lawyer addressed his client with a short bow. Leeches were rarely working normal jobs because they were literally dead for as long as the sun was up.
Terry sighed. In the windowless room, he hadn’t realised it was already this late. He checked his watch. After four hours of interrogation, the cursed witch still looked fresh and collected, while he was going to need either a night at a bar or a weekend of fishing at the lake to recharge.
“It’s all right, I’ve just given the officer all the information he would need from me, I believe,” she said, casting Green an ironic look that made his blood boil.
Before the vampire could launch into his speech about the rights of his customer, Terrence stood up and unlocked the cuffs on Diana’s hands. “You’re free to go. For now. Don’t leave the town. I’ll contact you when I have more questions,” he recited, giving her a hard look.
He would get to the bottom of this. She was probably making up all those things he supposedly missed. She had no alibi for the time the murders had taken place. She’d go down sooner all later. Like all those fancy murderers who thought they were smart, but he got them locked up anyway.
“So, should I expect your visit, officer?” she taunted, as she rose, smoothing out her black pencil skirt.“I’d gladly return your hospitality,” she added, massaging her wrists.
Terrence clenched his fingers at the edge of the table till they hurt. “I’ll give you a call.”
“Of course,” she nodded and turned to the vampire, who offered her his arm, lowering his gaze in reverence.
Even in her killer stilettos, she was much shorter than he, and yet it was obvious she was the one in charge. “I’ll be waiting, officer,” she said with a smile and left. Terrence slammed his hand on the table. Cursed witch.
