Born to Love (The Vampire Reborn Series) (Entangled Ignite) by Caridad Pineiro Read Free Book Online

patterns seem to have the wrong number of teeth.”
    “They don’t think there are forty-two teeth like most canine jaws?” Maggie asked.
    Diana circled the close-up photos of the bites. “Apparently, if we extrapolate the jaw size and apply the spacing we see, it’s more likely we’re looking at thirty-something teeth.”
    “Which is close to human bites. But again, that makes no sense, especially in light of the size of the mouth we’re talking about,” Maggie said.
    David tossed his copy of the report onto the conference table. “If we go with the claw wounds, puncture depth, and position sizes… God, I’d say we’re going to need a really big leash.”
    She and Maggie chuckled at his gallows humor.
    “You double-checked all the area zoos, wildlife habitats—” she began.
    “Every one of them, Reyes. There is not a single missing animal big enough to do this,” he replied, shoving around the additional photos on the table that showed the victim’s wounds.
    “Maybe the report on the fibers will give us more to go on,” Maggie said, and rubbed at her arm. A pink line marked where the cast chafed against her skin. After another bout of rubbing, she yanked up the sleeve of her sweater, undid the straps, and ripped off the cast.
    “Is that wise, Mags?” David asked, beating Diana to the punch.
    Maggie glanced down at her wrist and pulled her sleeve higher, displaying the shiny new skin that had formed over the wounds where the animal had bitten her. “It’s fine,” she said, although disbelief rang in her voice.
    Diana shared her incredulity. She’d seen the wounds and bone breaks firsthand. What she was viewing now seemed as if Maggie had almost completely healed already. The only time Diana had seen healing that fast was on vampires. But the creature last night had definitely not been a vampire. She didn’t want to think about the possibility that this case would take them into the vast, non-human underworld that existed in New York, much of which she was sure she had no clue about. But at some point, that might need to be addressed.
    Worry slammed into her, but she hid her fears. Maggie was already dealing with a lot, and bringing up such things would not do anyone any good right now.
    Veering away to another subject, she said, “Are you satisfied with the lab results, Mags?”
    Her friend nodded. “I double-checked them myself. We’re probably looking at two unsubs at last night’s crime scene. The unsub we wounded, and the other who left blood and saliva in the bite wounds…” A confused shrug chased her words.
    With night coming more quickly with winter nearly upon them, Diana wanted to do another walk around the crime scene before dark. It would be difficult with David in his wheelchair. But she valued what he might spot. He had always been the more observant of the two of them.
    “I’d like another look at the crime scene. David, we could use your eyes on this.”
    David guffawed at her suggestion and motioned with his hands to his chair. “You found her body on a rock-strewn incline. How do you suppose I’ll manage that?”
    Diana walked over to him, braced her hands on the arms of the wheelchair, and leaned forward until he actually had to move his head back to avoid her. “She didn’t start on the rocky incline, Special Agent Harris. She was on the paved trail before she died on the ridge. Besides, I don’t see a problem with your eyes.”
    “Bitch,” he said, his voice low and raw with anger. The muscles in his neck were tight and visibly quivering.
    “Maybe, but this bitch needs her partner back. If not for me or you, then for Maggie. Because something major league wonky is going on here.”
    She straightened and sauntered away from him, wanting to goad him to action. She met Maggie’s concerned gaze, but knew her friend understood. It had been nearly three years. High time to push David to do more. To get him to recognize that while he was different, that hadn’t