Liam’s thoughts were all over the place as Aiden drove them to an apartment building with several police cars surrounding the area. He barely managed to resist pushing an officer who barred his way to his soul mate. Instead, he flashed his own badge and the man stepped aside. It was sheer torture to force himself to walk at a normal, human pace. Stephanie was in danger. He hadn’t been there to protect her, even though he had found her after all these years. What had he been thinking? He should have focused on her safety above all else.

They were greeted in the hallway of the apartment building by Detective Hale. He had a grim look on his face, but he still seemed wary of them. “We’re going to have to run DNA tests on the eyes to identify unknown victims. Each of the eyes appears to belong to separate individuals and we haven’t been able to identify the preservative used. It will probably interfere with establishing IDs for the victims. Did you keep any known victims to yourself?” the question bordered on an accusation, and it was likely meant as one.

“No,” Liam was relieved that this, at least, was the truth. “Why do you ask? And where is Detective Hughes?”

“There were more eyes than known victims. Our medical examiner hasn’t been able to time the deaths. The preservative makes that impossible, so it seems there were victims that your team missed, either at the beginning of the killer’s spree, or somewhere in the middle.”

“We lost track of the killer for a couple months,” Aiden admitted. “When we heard about your case, we had been searching the southern border. We were starting to get worried that the killer had fled the country. International cases are much more difficult to solve.”

“As for Detective Hughes. She’s in my apartment talking to the chief until the forensic teams are done with her place and she has a chance to calm down,” Detective Simmons frowned.

“Your apartment?” Aiden asked, beating him to the punch. He managed to make it sound like curiosity, while Liam was almost outraged.

“Alright, I’ve had it with you two. I don’t know what your deal is, but you are here for business. Keep Stephanie out of whatever shady shit you secret agent types are involved in,” the detective growled.

Liam held his breath. This man was uniquely capable of keeping him from his soul mate. They were obviously close, and the detective didn’t trust him. Trust, that was what was missing. Liam took a deep breath and decided to explain some of his reaction. “I used to know Stephanie.” The man narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Maybe that wasn’t the best approach. “We had been dating and she just vanished without a trace. The only reason I joined law enforcement was in hopes of finding her again someday, to find out what happened.”

“It’s the truth,” Aiden added. “Liam, show him the picture that you always carry around.”

Liam was hesitant before he slipped the photograph out of his wallet. The photo showed the two of them standing outside the school she had been attending at the time. They had gone to a dance together. She had been so happy. He had been even happier. It was the day she agreed to acknowledge their bond as soul mates. He had agreed to wait until they both turned eighteen to seal those bonds. She insisted on a human wedding but had also agreed to an elven ceremony as well. Why had he even entertained the thought that she would just walk away from that without a word?

The detective’s face fell into an unreadable mask. He didn’t know what to make of it until the man spoke, “Do you know what happened?”

“If you are talking about the situation surrounding her disappearance, then no. When I saw her at the police station and realized that she didn’t recognize me, I knew something was wrong. I did hear about how she came to be in this town a short time ago,” Liam managed.

“How long was she missing before she showed up here?”

“A little over a year,” Liam was filled with regret. If he had looked sooner, maybe he could have saved her from whatever fate she had suffered.

“Right, so you both would have been around sixteen then when she disappeared. What about her parents? The chief was never able to find them.”

He should have known the question was coming, but he didn’t even know how to begin to answer that properly. “They were murdered when she was young. It was before we met so I don’t have many details.” That was as close to the truth he dared to step. Any further and he would have to dance around initiating this man, and that wouldn’t do anyone any good. If Stephanie still remembered the danger this world could drag people into, she wouldn’t want her friend involved in this. She was still in that danger without the benefit of knowing what was after her, without him being able to explain it to her. He didn’t dare try to initiate her when a shard was anywhere nearby. It had already shown interest in her, and he did not want to take any more chances with her safety.

“Did she have nightmares before or is that related to whatever happened between her vanishing and reappearing here?”

It could be a little of both, but she hadn’t had nightmares in so long, only a few since they had met. It had broken him every time he had heard her scream out in her sleep. He had been helpless to stop that pain. “It could be both,” Liam was hesitant to reply, but honesty would get him further than he dared to admit. This man was sharp and had a protective streak that could keep him from his soul mate. “She witnessed her parents’ murder so it could be that or whatever happened back when she had disappeared.”

“I see,” Detective Simmons frowned. “I was worried about that.”

“How was Stephanie even allowed to become a police officer with her tendency to get herself into danger?” Liam blurted out. It bothered the hell out of him. Stephanie was like a walking danger magnet. It was how they met. She was persistent, and Liam could tell that she hadn’t lost that part of her personality. When something wasn’t right, she dug in her heels and found the source. On top of that, she didn’t react well to threats against those near her, and he doubted that reaction could ever be erased no matter what horrors she must have suffered.

The detective frowned, “Ah that,” he said with a sigh. “Technically nothing that she does is against police protocol, so Chief couldn’t keep her from the police force. She is thorough, but I really do wish she would call for backup sooner. More often than not, when we are asked to help out with a case in the big cities, she somehow manages to get the criminal focused on her when she is alone. Last time, I even insisted that we never left the motel alone, but she still managed it. Freaking coffee run,” he grumbled the last words under his breath.

Liam felt like he was being gutted. Even though he knew Stephanie’s tendency to get into trouble, the thought of her being alone with any criminal, especially a potentially violent one made him feel as though he couldn’t breathe. And now, this monster had taken notice. Shards were nothing like humans. They were violent and existed only to kill, cause chaos, and spread evil. One was responsible for her parents’ murder. He wouldn’t let this one anywhere near Stephanie if he could help it. “Has she been hurt on the job?” he forced himself to ask, afraid to hear the answer.

“Yes,” the detective said simply. “Listen. I’ll tell the chief how you know Stephanie, but I would be a little more cautious about the subject with Stephanie. Approach it a little slower. She will need to get used to you.”

Liam nodded, “I assumed that would be a good idea, but if she asks me directly, I will tell her the nature of our relationship.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” the detective sighed. “Just wait until she calms down a little, okay?”

Liam nodded again. He had no intention of spilling his guts about everything right away. With how little she knew of him now, she could just as easily push him away. That would kill him. Liam followed Hale and was guided to a room a few doors down from Stephanie’s own apartment. “Chief, a word,” the detective announced before walking away.

The chief glared at him as he passed to join the detective, leaving Aiden and him alone in the room. “Liam has some stuff he would like to say to you,” Aiden pushed him further into the room before fleeing, leaving him alone with his soul mate.

He swallowed, suddenly unable to speak. What could he say? How did he start? “What is it?” Stephanie looked shaken, pale. The sight broke his heart. He should have been there to protect her. He should have just told her the moment he saw her in the station.

“I,” he started, “We,” he stopped again. Then he regained control of his brain again. “I used to know you.”

“Oh,” Stephanie sounded interested to hear his explanation.

“Before you disappeared,” Liam started to fumble with his explanation again. He still had the photograph in his hand but didn’t realize it until he dropped it on the floor.

Stephanie knelt to pick it up. He held his breath. Hoping she wouldn’t look or that she would. He wasn’t sure what he wanted at this point. He knew that they wouldn’t be able to just return to how things were before. He had to earn her trust and love all over again. She glanced at the photo momentarily, and then turned it over, examining it closely. “More than knew, it seems,” Stephanie said dryly. “Why not just come out and say it?”

“I was startled at first, and you didn’t seem to recognize me. I didn’t know why until shortly before Aiden and I got the call about the murderer getting into your apartment,” Liam admitted. “I should have said something though. I should have known you wouldn’t have left voluntarily.”

“Yes, you should have said something. I’ve been looking for answers ever since I was found in the woods outside of town,” Stephanie sighed, “But I guess I understand. I’m sorry if I don’t meet your expectations. I’m not sure who I was before so I don’t know if I’m anything like my past self.”

Liam didn’t know how to respond. Stephanie was everything to him, no matter what she remembered, or didn’t. “I already know that some things about you haven’t changed,” he admitted. Nothing would change the fact that she was his soul mate, but he couldn’t explain that now. “I do not mind starting over from scratch to earn the right to be your boyfriend,” Liam started. They had been so much more than that, but he couldn’t even begin to explain that until she knew him more.

“Are you certain? I mean, you must have some expectations that you formed from our relationship before…I might not be able to hold up to those. I barely know you. I don’t mind getting to know you, but…” she seemed genuinely worried. “And we really have to focus on this case. I have a feeling this case is nowhere near over. If we don’t stop the murderer soon, we could have a lot more deaths on our hands.”

Liam knew better than to doubt one of Stephanie’s feelings. “I understand all of that. I fully intend to handle this case to the best of my ability, but it is obvious that you are not safe staying in your apartment alone. I almost feel more comfortable with you staying with your partner, but,” he grimaced. “Besides his apartment probably has the same security measures as your own.”

“What are you suggesting?” Stephanie asked, she looked concerned and a little annoyed.

Liam swallowed. He couldn’t request the API’s help with this. They would demand an explanation, and if they found out about Stephanie, they might insist her be brought in. He wouldn’t stand for them controlling her when she had no memory of her connections to his dangerous world. “You should stay somewhere else. I’m sure your chief will agree.”

“He’s already suggested me staying with him and his wife and is probably suggesting the same of Hale. I’m not too keen on the idea. The murderer is obviously focused on me. I don’t want anybody to get hurt because I let myself get scared off.” Right, he had hoped she wouldn’t say that. “At the same time, the murderer could target other people in this apartment complex so I can’t exactly stay either.”

“I’m sure we can come up with a solution together,” Liam managed. They had to. He wouldn’t allow Stephanie to remain in danger. The unsecured apartment was too dangerous. The shard had proved it could and would enter the apartment without issue, but not much could be done to ensure that she would be safe from a shard.

The cell phone next to her rang and she answered without hesitation. She paled and asked, “Where did this happen?” After another few moments she added, “I’ll tell the rest of the officers. We will be there shortly. Get him to the hospital.”

When she hung up, she was pale and shivering. Then he saw a shift in her demeanor. It was like the determined reaction she used to get back then. “The murderer attacked a group of partying college students. There’s a survivor.” She stood and left the room abruptly, leaving him to absorb what had happened. The shard must have let the student live as a message, what that message was, he would have to find out. They had to question the survivor immediately, but there was no way he was leaving Stephanie’s side right now, not until he was certain she was in a safe location. He left Detective Simmons’s apartment to find out what was going to happen. The chief promptly ordered her to go question the victim and suggested her partner go to the scene of the crime to oversee the collection of evidence. Aiden quickly volunteered to join Hale.

“I will join Detective Hughes,” Liam managed.

The chief gave him a once over before giving a short nod. “Right. Stephanie, you can’t come back here. Your apartment is a crime scene right now. Regroup at the station after you get the statement and we’ll discuss a safe house or something, okay?”

Stephanie gave a reluctant nod before rushing outside. Liam was on her heals as he desperately tried to stay close enough to react if that monster showed up out in the open. The shard was bold. He wouldn’t put it past the monster to attack Stephanie in front of any number of witnesses, but he also couldn’t let that happen, ever.