The Door Keeper

By Hurri Cosmo

The Minneapolis/Saint Paul 77th police precinct has been labeled as a group of misfits. It's unfair. In reality, they have loads of talent. Paranormal talent. Except, of course, no one knows that. Their job? Chasing and capturing all those creepy crawly things that go bump – or worse – in the night, and sending them back to their realms. In other words, they keep the people of the city safe and totally unaware that doors to other realms even exist.

Nick, their boss, is the keeper of those cosmic openings. He is the only one who can find, open, shut, and more importantly, seal other-worldly realm doors, preferably with its scary and sometimes homicidal inhabitants on the other side. Vicious hungry monsters waiting for Nick to mess up.

Or for an opening Nick misses.

From a single tear comes an unspeakable horror. A dangerous vampire. Ferociously brutal, he is a killing machine. A creature so lethal it will take Nick’s entire team and absolutely all their power to hunt him down to send him back. And the last thing Nick needs is another partner. Especially one as sexy as Arrain.

But Arrain intends on being more to Nick than just a partner. Much more. Something Nick cannot allow. Not with the devastating secrets he harbors.

Except Arrain has a few secrets of his own and one thing he knows. Nick is next on the vampire’s list. The handsome monster wants not only to seduce the talented Door Keeper, but to suck his power over doors right out of him. If that happens, the world of humans is doomed. Can Arrain make Nick trust him in time to save him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hurri Cosmo
• Release date: Dec 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463980835

Hurri Cosmo

Hurri Cosmo lives in Minnesota where she holds tight to the idea that there, where it’s cold a good part of the year, she won’t age as fast. Yep, she avoids the truth as much as she avoids mirrors. But one of the reasons she loves writing is reality doesn’t always offer up a “happily ever after” and being able to take control of that is a powerful lure. Being a happy ending junkie, writing just makes them easier to find. Oh, she doesn’t mind “real life” and she does try to at least keep it in mind when she writes her stories, but she truly loves creating a wonderful couple, knowing they will fall in love and have their HEA. Every - single - time. And, of course, that is exactly the reason she loves reading this genre, too. Give her a glass of red wine, some dark chocolate, and her computer, whether she is reading or writing, and she will entertain herself for hours. The fact she actually gets paid to do it is Snickers bars on the frosting on the cake.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Those eyes. Nick could once again feel that hot gaze. He was being watched. But by who, Nick had no idea. The man was close, though. This time he was so close. Nick shivered. It wasn’t out of fear. No. Far from it. He was thrilled under that haunting focus. Feral, sexual, demanding. Like he was being sized up as some sort of tasty morsel, and honestly, something like that should piss him off. Nick was the alpha in his relationships.

Well, he had been in the past, anyway. Distant past.

The hell of it was, he knew instinctively, if he were to ever meet this shadow man, he wouldn’t be. And for some reason, his heart actually beat faster because of it.

He shook his head. Why the hell he was even thinking about sex with a shadow, a complete stranger, was another mystery, but his cock was at the ready and his ass muscles flexed in anticipation. When was the last time that had happened? Truthfully? Never. And he had stroked himself to completion plenty of times, not that he would ever admit to it, just thinking about this dominant stranger and what he might do to him. Like tying him down, entering him from behind. Maybe the guy would be rough, talk dirty, make Nick come countless times.

Yeah, countless.

Nick had them doing it in the bed and in the shower, the hallway and on his desk. Oh yes. He had never had sex on his desk before.

Except… there was a problem.

The shadow man had shown up recently at each and every one of these particular murder scenes during the 77th’s investigation. Each and every time the pure incredible sexiness of the man had been palpable. It seemed that with every new body that turned up, the shadow came closer and closer. Nick knew he was the only one who knew of the shadow’s presence, although Mason had eyed Nick a few times, obviously concerned. Sure, he had thought of the possibility this shadow was, in truth, the killer, but dismissed it. The man would have to be here in order to kill in the way these people were being killed. And the shadow man wasn’t here. The one thing Nick knew about him was that he was in a different realm and, for some reason, not crossing over completely.

Nick hoped that the guy wasn’t trying to rip through.

Unfortunately, the 77th had dealt plenty with ominous rips including this most recent one. And now, Nick was thinking, with as close as his unseen potential lover was tonight, if there were one more murder, the shadow man would finally materialize. At last become flesh. Oh! He would become very hot flesh. One more body.

Except murders were definitely not something a cop should hope for…

Still…

Show yourself, Nick whispered, desperate for the man to materialize, but not willing to be heard by his comrades. "Please." Of course it was pathetic, but that didn’t stop him from needing. There was a physical pull toward this being, a necessity to be in his actual presence.

And on his knees.

Seriously? Fuck.

You beg so nicely, came the whispered reply. I can’t wait to sink into you, to claim you. Be patient, my sweet. The voice moved air. It tickled Nick’s neck, and his hair shifted as if the man stood right behind him, towering over him, enveloping him in his arms. Another shiver passed through Nick. Oh how he wanted this man.

Hey, Nick! Take a look at this.

Nick shook his head, thankful it seemed no one had noticed his ridiculous momentary slide back into adolescence, or his raging hard-on. Nick glanced over to the person calling him. Ross was standing near the murder victim, fourth one in as many weeks. Regrettably, the 77th had been unable to hide this one. The alley near 4th and Hennepin was now taped off with crime tape, and police and detectives and forensics were all over the crime scene. Not to mention the flashing lights of all the emergency vehicles attracting the attention of the locals, who were holding up their phones live-streaming the whole thing.

Shit. It was going to be old news before it even hit the news.

Nick stuffed his cold hands into his pants pockets and walked over to Ross. What’d you find? He turned his back to the alley entrance, the pounding in his left temple making him a little sick. The constant strobe of the emergency lights was about to send him into a panic attack.

He was fucking past those. They were relegated to his very crap childhood.

Our vic had a bit of fun before he died, just like the others. See this? Appears to be semen.

The victim’s pants were down, giving the impression that more had taken place than just the draining of the victim’s blood. He would have to wait for the ME to tell him all the specifics. If they were lucky, the semen would belong to the murderer, not that that would bring them any closer to catching the culprit. But luck was definitely not on their side where this particular murder was concerned anyway due to its unfortunate exposure to the rest of the department and therefore, the public. Besides, the semen they’d found with the other victims had turned out to be their own. No reason to believe this would be any different.

Nick just wanted to get the hell out of this alley. Anything else? He rubbed his temples. Fuck. This was going to be a migraine.

You mean the energy signatures? Nope. There’re so many in this alley, just like in the other cases. I can’t single out even one of them. Not even the vic’s. As if the perp is aware of what I can do and chooses his murder scenes accordingly.

Stupid kid was paranoid. Any signatures that feel or look familiar? Nick had no idea what Ross was seeing, he didn’t have his talent, but maybe he could help if he could get the kid to focus. Ross definitely had trouble with focus.

Ross cocked his head to the side, resembling a lost little puppy dog. Somewhere in Nick’s mind, he should have been able to register that expression as cute.

Cynical. That’s what old gets you.

Squinting his eyes, Ross said, Wish I could, but they’re all running together.

"Any…newer ones…at all?" Nick tried hard to rein in his irritation. He wasn’t sure of all that was contributing to it. Certainly the exposure this murder had received, the reporters trying to ask the stupidest questions on the fucking planet.

He stopped hearing them or even paying attention after, We understand there is no blood in the body. Is that what he died from?

Seriously? Are you fucking kidding me?

Plus, usually Ross’s gift served them better than this. It was more than exasperating that, in this case, it was worthless.

And Ross didn’t seem to care.

Not really. Everything is about the same age. Like everyone entered the alley together and left together, although that doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know. The most recent is the one coming from the woman who stumbled on the body, but that’s it. He huffed. Then, of course, all the other people swarming the scene. Those are all brighter, newer, and makes the others hard to see clearly.

Nick sighed. So sometime after two in the morning, our victim walks into this alley and gets himself murdered.

"Well, don’t know when he walked into the alley, but I can say that’s when he got killed. Can tell you that for sure. Got to tell you something else too. This is the exact same MO as all the rest…"

Let’s head back! Nick spoke loudly over Ross’s words and leveled a death stare on the kid, hoping it conveyed what he was thinking. Fucking shut the hell up. These morons know nothing of the other bodies. Stupid, stupid-ass kid.

"S…sorry. Shit! Yeah."

Nick at least had the pleasure of seeing the color drain from Ross’s face.

You’re right. Let’s head back. Damn it. Sorry, boss.

*                                      *                                   *

Nick, someone’s here to see you.

Nick glanced up from the paperwork he was trying to maneuver through, rather than pawn off on some unlucky bastard like he did most times. Fuck, he hated damn paperwork. It seemed if you blinked inside of an investigation, there was a damn form you needed to fill out because of it. He had allowed for the piles to grow and comingle, and now was doing his best to separate them case by case. Hard to do with a headache.

Ross was standing in his doorway, looking like he just woke up from a nap. Shit. Why the hell am I working my ass off when he’s fucking sleeping?

This someone have a name? Nick threw his pen on the desk and stretched, his back and neck cracking with the movement. Sucked to get old.

Ross leaned back out the door, presumably asking for a name. Nick sighed. Kid was a frigging idiot. He’d either forgotten it already or failed to get it in the first place.

When his attention came back to Nick, there was a smirk on his face. His name’s Chad Taylor. Says his mom is missing. Yeah. Ross was being sarcastic.

Ross jumped as a loud screeching came from just outside the office.

Nick narrowed his eyes and asked, What the hell is that?

Fuck if I know… Ross disappeared, and a young man came into view. A beautiful young man. Dark messy hair, big doe eyes, tight lean body with hands stuffed deep in his jean pockets. Couldn’t be but five six at the most. Light shirt, no jacket. Made Nick wonder if he came in like that or if the zoo that was the 77th precinct had already been all over the poor kid. That wide-eyed gaze darted out into the main office as another whining sound filled the air, then back again to meet Nick’s.

Sorry, he whispered, his head dipping low.

For what? Come in. Sit down. Nick rose from his chair and came around his decrepit metal desk, indicating a tattered old office chair sitting in front of it. He made his way to the office door as Chad quickly passed him to do as he was told. When he looked out the door, one of the old metal filing cabinets standing against a cubical wall had all but collapsed. Obviously, that was what had made the noise.

Shit, Nick muttered. Place was falling apart.

Nick closed the door, then turned and walked back toward Chad. Leaning up against a front corner of his desk, he faced the young man.

Hi, Chad. I’m a detective. My name is Nick. He reached out a hand.

Chad stared at it before taking it in a fairly decent grip. It wasn’t all pansy like Nick had expected. The kid’s size and demeanor when coming into his office had something to do with that expectation, however, it was more than that. He had to remember that most everyone loved their mothers, and when they went missing, they searched for them. Actually, pretty standard. Just because