Never Go Back: A Blade Famiily Quadrilogy Book #3

By Lavendar Woods

Apollo Blade, a supernatural private investigator has seen and chased all sorts of supernatural beings with his partner Toka, a werewolf. Together they work as a team to hunt down Demons and other supernatural beings for any crimes they commit among the humans.
Leza Feran has been a detective for ten years, first as a homicide detective and now a Lieutenant in the Glendale Police Force. She has never believed in the Supernatural.
That is until she stumbles upon a gruesome scene that will prove the existence of the supernatural and no longer allow her to deny their presence in the world.
Now Leza has discovered that the supernatural does exist she can never go back.
Can she live with knowing the truth about Toka and Apollo? Can Apollo convince her she was meant to be a part of their world and with him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781716870989

Book preview

Never Go Back

A Blade Family Quadrilogy

Book # 4

By Lavendar Woods

Copyright © <2020> by

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

The Blade Family Emblem is a registered trademark of Lavendar Woods

First Printing: 2020

ISBN <978-1-71687-098-9>

Blue Moon Publishing

714 Mountain Road

Dauphin, Manitoba R7N 0S7 Canada

www.lavendar-woods.com

Cover Design By: Melony Paradise of Paradise Cover Design

www.paradisecoverdesign.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the production of the author’s imagination. Any references to any real people, places, and incidents are purely coincidental.

Live by the Bla

A drawing of a face Description automatically generated

Live By The Blade, Die by the Blade

Chapter 1

Apollo Blade sat across from his friend and co-worker Toka Goldwin at a small bar called Cat’s Eyes. It was a main establishment for police personnel and lawyers to sit and have drinks, either to celebrate or bemoan their accomplishments and defeats.

Man, it’s packed in here tonight, Toka stated as he sipped on his rye and Coke, keeping from being jostled off his chair by a couple of officers who had just gotten off duty and were passing by to go to the bar.

Apollo nodded. Yeah, today’s a busy one. If we didn’t have to meet Don here, I wouldn’t have come.

Don’t I know it, Toka grumbled as he adjusted his chair to sit closer to the table. You never go out. Anywhere.

Apollo glared at him before he spotted Donald Holt coming towards them. He nudged Toka. The werewolf followed his gaze and just grumbled.

Donald slapped a file down on the table between them, making both men sit up straight. A beefy, well-built man sat down on one of the empty stools.

Here’s the background information you were asking for, Apollo, he said as he gestured to a waitress so he could order his drink. I dug up all I could on the guy; he seems clean. Nothing too shady.

Thanks, Don, drinks are on me, Apollo said as he picked up the file and started to look it over.

I don’t get it. You two are top private investigators in the city, yet you ask me to do background checks on one of your clients. Why? Donald asked as he set his elbows on the table.

Toka sipped his drink, eyeing the man up and down for a moment.

Ever have a person who is guilty of a crime wander into your police station and report an incident, then it turns out he was guilty of committing the crime in the first place? he asked bluntly.

Don nodded, seeing the point the other man was trying to make.

Good point, Toka. I just was wondering why you guys don’t dig it up yourselves?

Apollo set the file into the bag he had with him.

That’s because if we follow him instead of doing the task we are hired for, then we could lose them as a client. Second, some clients are not so clean, and we don’t want to get mixed up in something that could lose us our P.I. licenses, he replied. We’re not dumb; besides, it gives you something to do when you are bored.

Donald Holt laughed. True, got me on that one, he said as he sipped his drink. He smirked; the two didn’t know he had doctored that file in their hands to make the idiot they were pursuing look innocent and not guilty at all.

Apollo’s gaze rose to Toka, and the man nodded, slipping off his chair and disappearing into the crowded bar.

Well, we have to go, Don. Thanks, he said as he stood up, slapping down a few bills to cover the drinks and a tip for the waitress. See you around.

He turned and started to head for the front door. Along the way, he ran right smack into another person. Reaching out, he steadied the person. It was a woman.

Her light honey-brown hair was short, but it didn’t take away from her features at all.

The moment she looked up; he smiled his most charming smile. Sorry, I didn’t realize you were there.

It’s okay, but that smile isn’t going to let you off the hook, the woman said, Come have a drink with me, sugar.

Apollo went on alert. Sure, no problem, he said as he stepped up to the bar with her and ordered them both a drink. The briefcase in his hand was set between them, and he indulged a bit flirting with her.

She played the part of an interested woman well; if it weren’t for the odd occurrence, Apollo would have thought she was really interested in him.

I’m in position, Toka’s voice said through their telepathic link. "Camera is rolling. Is she cute?"

Yeah, she’s a bombshell, but something is up. She isn’t into me, even though she plays the part well enough, responded Apollo.

Think she’s part of Donald’s crew? Toka asked thoughtfully. Don’t remember anyone saying that he used females, but you never know.

I think it’s something else we are unaware of. Her gaze keeps tracking Don, who is currently talking to a group from his station house.

Apollo grabbed the drink he had bought and chugged it back in one gulp.

Sorry, doll, would love to play more, but I’m needed elsewhere, he said, grabbing his briefcase and exiting the bar through the back door into an alley.

He stopped for a moment to check his bag to see the file still there, then fiddled with his phone for a bit, giving whoever would show up a bit of time.

He heard a can get kicked behind him and grinned. So far, the plan was working. He continued down the alleyway for a bit before making a left at an intersecting alley that he already knew would be a dead end. He stopped and turned.

Behind him were six men, all carrying baseball bats and wearing masks. They looked intimidating as hell, but one thing they were unaware of was that Apollo was not a normal human. Plus, Toka was filming this from above.

The six men parted lightly to let someone come through the group. It was Don, and he smiled viciously at Apollo.

You know, you are as stupid as they come, Apollo, he said as he stepped forward. You thought I didn’t know you were investigating me?

Apollo just shrugged. I suspected you would know, he stated. I just couldn’t help but take the case anyways; I mean, it’s not every day Internal Affairs of the police ask me to investigate where they can’t. When did you realize I was investigating you?

Pretty much the day you walked into the station. Donald said, There were some rumors that the I.A. were going to hire outside sources. I just didn’t think it’d be a two-bit team like you and your friend.

Apollo fought the instinct to roll his eyes. He knew who all these men were. Four of them were common mafia thugs and the rest were cops who had been sucked into the quick and easy money.

He lifted out the file from the briefcase. Then why did you stupidly give me the evidence we were looking for?

Don’s eyes narrowed, and Apollo smiled.

Look, buddy, you can either give up now or haul your own ass into the precinct and face the charges like a man, Apollo commented, waving the file in the air.

Still don’t get it, Donald? Apollo asked, using the man’s given name. It wasn’t just the fact you boys were embezzling goods out of lockup, but you were also doctoring files for the mafia. Keeping his men from jail.

Donald’s eyes narrowed. He had indeed given Apollo evidence of his crimes. 

Anger filled him; his cheeks became pink with heat. If Internal Affairs got their hands on that file, then he would be screwed.

You won’t leave here alive. Get him, boys, Don snarled.

Freeze, hands in the air. You are under arrest, came a female’s voice, just as two SUVs with no lights pulled to a halt in the alley and at least a dozen officers stepped out, guns drawn.

Don turned around. The six men with him were half-turned to face the new threat, guns drawn and ready to fire.

It’s him, he’s the one doctoring files from our precinct, he said, pointing to Apollo, who just laughed indulgently.

Put your weapons down NOW! Leza ordered the men, ignoring Donald’s accusations.

Slowly, all six men lowered their weapons and put them on the ground.

Kick them this way, she snapped. Hands above your head.

The men booted the guns towards her, raised their hands, and placed them behind their heads.

The woman walked up as the rest of the crew with Donald were hauled up against the wall and handcuffed. Donald Holt, you are under arrest for forging legal documents, bribery, two accounts of assault, and uttering threats.

The woman took out a pair of cuffs and began to put them on the sputtering man, continuing to read him his rights.

Apollo approached Captain Johnston, who had initially hired him and Toka.

Good work, Apollo, thank you for your help. You did a superb job of finding all those involved, he said. We were running a bit late, so we sent Lieutenant Feran to delay you before you made your move.

Apollo turned his head to the woman he had shared a drink with at the bar. She’s one of yours? I thought for a minute she was another one of the Donald’s crew, he said, earning a deep scowl from the woman as she pushed Donald into the hands of a waiting officer.

I’ll see that they get booked and write up the report, Lieutenant Feran stated as she got into one of the cruisers, and they sped off.

Toka approached Apollo and Captain Johnston, video in hand.

I got the whole thing on video, Toka stated. Every last word that was said in this alley. Thanks to Mirella’s microphones.

Thanks. I’ll send the payment when I get back into the office, remarked Captain Johnston. Thanks again, and I hope we can work together again sometime.

The three shook hands and parted ways.

Chapter 2

Apollo sat on the edge of the roof of his office building, which doubled as his home and his office.

Toka and him both had bought the space because it had two apartments above the main office where they worked.

It was a convenient space, and he liked the fact that he didn’t have far to go to get to work.

They had enhanced their security after Mirella had joined them a few years back, thanks to her uncanny ability to make anything electronic.

Now, he was enjoying the fresh air and looking at his niece Adea Melanie Blade on his phone. She was so adorable.

He had gotten the photo just two days ago from his oldest brother, Aries, who was now married to Angelina Winters.

Tonight, he felt the loneliness of the world sink into his body and sighed; he had yet to meet a woman who was the one for him. He was happy for his brother, but tonight he felt the pang of jealousy and grief.

Kyros was back at the secluded castle where his own wife Katherine was from, on an island off the coast of Ireland.

Setting his phone down on the table behind him, he stared out over the city.

Aries was probably tucking his precious gem of a baby into bed, no doubt, and Sapphire was at home, probably creating some beautiful jewelry or trinket for some customer or other.

Toka—well, Toka was probably out banging some woman at her apartment and giving her a thrill. The wolf was insatiable and tended to like going out often to hunt for another willing woman.

Apollo was so deep in thought he was barely aware of the commotion down below him.

People had gathered to point and talk. A police car came zipping up.

Though the siren wails were loud, they were not uncommon in Glendale, so he barely paid them any heed and kept his gaze over the horizon.

He wasn’t even aware of the person behind him trying to get his attention as they slowly approached as if afraid that he’d jump the moment he realized they were there.

What the hell is going on here? came the sharp female voice that snapped Apollo out of his depressed mood and had him nearly jumping out of his skin. He remained still. He recognized that voice; it was the same one from a few months ago in the alley.

He turned his head to see if he was right. Yep, there she was, listening to the uniformed officer who was talking a mile a minute to explain the situation.

Lieutenant Feran, Apollo recalled. 

Lieutenant, you shouldn’t talk to him that way. He might be depressed or upset about something, the officer said. He’s on the edge of the roof; he’s going to jump.

Oh please, if he were going to jump, he would have said something about it by now, the lieutenant snapped. Mr. Blade, get down from there before you give the onlookers something to blab about.

Leza stared at the blond-haired man. He was only sitting on the edge of the roof; she doubted he was attempting suicide. Someone must have looked up and panicked.

She felt the pounding in her head as the dull ache became a heavy drumbeat. She was tired and cranky after pulling a double shift, and she had been on the way home to sleep when she had gotten this call. She was in no mood to talk a person down from a suicide attempt.

Apollo turned, swinging one leg over the ledge and placing the other on the ledge. His feet were bare, she noticed, but he looked at her casually enough.

No hint of depression, no hint of any mental illness. He looked completely relaxed and slightly amused, not that she believed the officer who was standing beside her.

What brought you down to my part of town, Lieutenant? the nearly five-foot-eight blond asked. Also, how the hell did you get up on the roof?

The officer beside Leza shifted uncomfortably.

We smashed the glass in the front of the office to get to the stairs for the roof, he said. "The only other door we saw was