Read Fighting Temptation [Brac Village 11] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) for Free Online Page B

scene?” Carmine asked as one thick, dark brow rose high on his forehead. If his mate wasn’t mad, it would have been a very sexy look.
    “Uh, yeah,” Turi replied and then shook his head, holding his hands up. “Wait, no.”
    “The first answer was correct,” Carmine said and then crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I knew you were there the moment you stepped out of the car.” He pointed to his nose.
    Turi craned his neck around Carmine, trying to get a glimpse at what was going on behind his mate. He might be in trouble, but he was still very curious. “I’ve just never seen a dead body before,” he whispered so no one else would hear him.
    “And you aren’t going to see one now.” Carmine pointed toward the car. “I told you to stay put.” When Carmine came toward him, Turi danced around his mate’s grabbing hand, wanting just one tiny—Turi came up short when he spotted the body.
    “Turi.” Carmine wrapped his fingers around Turi’s upper arm. “This isn’t something you should be looking at.”
    “Wait.” Turi pulled at Carmine’s hand as he stared into milky eyes. He thought maybe the guy would look like he was sleeping. But he didn’t. The poor man’s eyes were wide open, his head turned at an awkward angle. “I know him.”
    Carmine pulled Turi off to the side, away from the busy men. “Turi, this is a crime scene. You shouldn’t—”
    “I know him,” Turi repeated more firmly. “He’s come to my village a few times. He was always talking with my uncle.” His eyes locked onto the dead body once more. The man should be standing up straight, talking, walking. Not lying there staring at…nothing.
    Even though Turi had never cared for the guy—the man always made his skin crawl—that didn’t mean the guy should have died such a violent death. The victim was still relatively young. What kind of a monster would do something like this?
    “Do you know his name?” Carmine asked. He was no longer trying to pull Turi away, but his mate did block his view.
    “I heard my uncle call him Grainne one time.” Turi wished he could be more help. “I was never allowed to listen to their conversations.” His tone was apologetic as Turi glanced toward the grass, really wishing he hadn’t been so nosey. Now he couldn’t get the image out of his mind.
    Carmine pulled him even further away from the men working around the dead body. “The deceased is human. You’re telling me he was working with fey?”
    Turi nodded and then shook his head. “I’m not sure if he was working with my uncle. But I’ve seen him at least five times at the village.”
    Carmine cursed. “I’ll have to write this up as a mugging and then do my own investigation.”
    “Why?”
    Carmine placed his hands on his hips, staring intently at Turi.
    “Oh!” Turi said as realization dawned on him. “Because it’s now a paranormal thing.”
    His mate nodded.
    “Go wait in the car, Turi.” Carmine turned and walked back over to the stranger he had been talking to. Turi went back to the car. He didn’t want to see a dead body anymore. That would teach him to be curious. He wished he could erase the memory, but it kept coming back to him. Those milky eyes were going to haunt him for a long time to come.
     
    * * * *
     
    Carmine was pissed that Turi had disobeyed him. He wasn’t trying to be a prick, but he knew what it was like to see a dead body for the first time. It had to be Turi’s first time because he was a little too intrigued.
    “I’ve never seen you bring a civilian to a crime scene before,” Officer Belgravia said as he stared at Carmine’s car. From the way Belgravia was staring at Turi, Carmine knew the cop was a little more than interested.
    He chose not to answer as he walked over to the coroner. “I’ll be by later for your report.” He knew he needed to wrap this case up. As much as Carmine hated to make this look like a mugging, he knew he had no choice. But as soon as he was done