The Shadow Agency is on the case...

Investigator—and werewolf—Maggie Kinslow is used to uncovering secrets, but reporter Jake Cassell’s hoping to prove shapeshifters exist. To protect her kind, she must distract him...and keep their attraction from burning out of control!

Vampire Carmen Vargas must stop a terrorist group from unleashing a virus. Being undead makes her the perfect undercover operative, but her growing feelings for her handler, Rick Fallin, could endanger millions.

KAREN WHIDDON started weaving fanciful tales for her younger brothers at the age of eleven. Amid the gorgeous Catskill Mountains, then the majestic Rocky Mountains, she fueled her imagination with the natural beauty surrounding her. Karen now lives in north Texas, writes full-time and volunteers for a boxer dog rescue. She shares her life with her hero of a husband and four to five dogs, depending on if she is fostering. You can email Karen at kwhiddon1@aol.com. Fans can also check out her website, www.karenwhiddon.com.

Also by Karen Whiddon

The Texas Shifter’s Mate

Finding the Texas Wolf Whisperer

The Wolf Princess

The Wolf Prince

Lone Wolf

The Lost Wolf’s Destiny

The Wolf Siren

Shades of the Wolf

Billionaire Wolf

A Hunter Under the Mistletoe (with Addison Fox)

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Finding the Texas Wolf

Karen Whiddon

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08209-9

FINDING THE TEXAS WOLF

© 2018 Karen Whiddon

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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To all my “family” not related by blood ties. You know who you are, always offering help or a smile or a shoulder to cry on. Many of you are my friends, but oh so much more than that. I appreciate you, I love you and I’m grateful you’re in my life.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

The heavy oak door, scarred and weathered, looked like something out of a medieval castle. Above, a simple sign. No words, just a rusted iron bar from which hung two chain links, each half of what had once been whole. There were no lanterns, not even a streetlight to illuminate the shadows. The entrance sat near the end of a dead-end alley, innocuous enough that no soul, human or otherwise, would give it a second glance. Unless, of course, one knew what lay inside.

Maddie Kinslow usually preferred to take her time. Her slow and steady approach, sometimes viewed by others as reticence, enabled her to take full notice of her surroundings. When in her human form, her eyes were her primary tool, and when she shape-shifted into her wolf form, her nose took precedence over her other senses.

Tonight, with the moon a perfect sliver in the cloudless sky, she walked a little faster than normal, intent on reaching the dead-end alley that led to Broken Chains, the Galveston bar where only others of similar ilk were welcome. She, along with two of her best friends, had recently formed The Shadow Agency, a private investigative firm catering exclusively to Shape-shifters, Vampires and Merfolk. They’d recently successfully closed their first case and she’d gotten a lead that someone might be in the bar tonight who wanted to set up a meeting about becoming their second client.

Since Maddie lived and breathed her goal of making The Shadow Agency a success, her eagerness to meet with this individual had her practically running.

Until she stumbled over the bloody and beaten man halfway up the alley.

She tripped, caught completely by surprise, screamed once and fell. Right on top of the unfortunate human, who let out a guttural groan.

Naturally, she scrambled up, away from him. “What happened to you?” she asked, not even sure he could answer her. He appeared to have been on the losing side of a run-in with a semi truck. Digging her phone from her pocket, she realized she couldn’t call 911. Not from here, so close to the unmarked door. By spell or by due vigilance, it would never open, not for humans and not without potential death. To be safe and prevent any unnecessary curiosity, she needed to get this poor man out of the alley.

“I was beat up,” he said, his voice clear, despite the fact that his lip had been split. “Two big guys.”

“Were you robbed?”

“No.”

She watched in disbelief as he managed to heave himself off the ground to his feet. With one eye swollen shut, he squinted at her with the other.

“They went in there,” he said, pointing at Broken Chains’ unmarked door.

Heart pounding, she shook her head. “In where? There’s nothing around here but some old abandoned warehouses.”

“Lady, come on.” He swayed slightly as he took a step toward her. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ve been watching this place. I’ve seen you here before. What I want to know is what’s going on behind that door? People come and go all night. I don’t know what they do to get inside, but they do. I’ve tried, but no one will let me in.”

He had no idea what kind of danger he’d placed himself in. A human, trying to gain entrance to Broken Chains? Now she understood. A couple of the bouncers must have taken exception to him pestering them. In light of that, he was lucky he’d only been beaten rather than killed.

“You need to go somewhere else.” She didn’t even bother to try to hide the urgency in her voice. “It’s not safe here for you. Go away and forget you ever saw this door.”

Judging from the way he perked up, her heartfelt warning only made him more determined to stay. She eyed him—as far as human males went, he looked tough, with his broad shoulders and muscular build. But even the most fit human had no hope of fighting back against a Shape-shifter or Vamp. Both had power reserves of at least ten times those of any human.

Which explained why this guy’s swollen face made his features unrecognizable.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He crossed his arms, exposing purpling bruises and several small cuts that still oozed blood. In addition to the split lip and black eye, and judging from the multiple bruises and swelling, he’d been pummeled. Again, lucky to be alive, even if he didn’t get that. “My name is Jake Cassel. I’m an investigative reporter.”

“You can barely stand,” she pointed out. “I’d think you’d want to get yourself some medical assistance.”

“Good idea. I’ll dial 911 and when the paramedics arrive, I’ll ask for them to also send cops. I’m sure they can find out what’s behind that door.”

Exactly the situation she hoped to avoid.

“It’s not safe for you here,” she reiterated. “How about I walk you to my car and drive you to the ER?”

Her offer appeared to confuse him. “What? Why? You don’t know me. What if I turn out to be a predator? You’ll be alone with me.”

Of course she had no answer for that. She wasn’t about to tell him that as a full-blooded Shifter she knew she’d be safe. “I’ll be fine,” she finally replied. “I might even be willing to tell you what I know of that door.”

That finally got his attention. “Seriously?”

“You sound skeptical. I don’t blame you.” Somehow, she managed to keep herself from glancing at the still-closed door. “But I should also let you know that I expect those guys to come back at any moment.” And she did. “If they attack you again, which they will if they find you still here, they’ll kill you this time.”

While she had no idea if he believed her or not, he shuffled forward. “Give me your word,” he demanded. “Give me your word that you’ll tell me the truth about that door.”

“I’m Maddie Kinslow. You have my word.” And she would tell him. Because one thing she’d learned was to be very specific when relaying what one wanted. This human had asked for information about one item only—the door. She knew where it had come from, when it was installed, what kind of wood it had been made of and how often it was painted.

And a careful reciting of those facts was exactly what he’d get.

Driving as fast as she could without breaking the speed limit, Maddie soon pulled up in front of the ER at UTMB Health John Sealy Hospital. Despite his best efforts to remain alert, her passenger lost consciousness before they arrived. Well aware of how these human hospitals worked, she hoped Jake Cassel had his ID and an insurance card on him.

After leaving him in the car, she rushed inside and up to the triage window. “I found a man beaten on the sidewalk,” she said. “He wouldn’t let me call for an ambulance, but he allowed me to drive him here. He’s outside in my car, now unconscious. I need help getting him inside.”

If she expected a medical team to jump into action like they did on TV, she was wrong. The nurse simply nodded and told her she’d send someone out with a wheelchair in just a moment.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity but was in fact four minutes, an orderly appeared with a wheelchair. She led the way out the double doors to where she’d left her car parked, with the injured human in the front seat.

But the front seat was empty.

Cursing under her breath, she spun around. “He couldn’t have gone far,” she promised. “He was pretty beat up. And he lost consciousness on the way here.”

The orderly squinted at her. “Okay,” he said. “Come and get me when you find him.” And he turned to head back into the hospital.

He had a point. There really wasn’t anywhere to hide. The helipad sat behind a metal rail, and the tall palm trees dotting the landscape didn’t provide much in the way of shelter.

“Wait,” she ordered, stopping the orderly in his tracks. “The man can barely walk. I was inside for under five minutes. He really can’t have gone far.”

“Is that him?” He pointed to the covered bus stop near the road.

A lone figure sat on the bench. A quick calculation revealed that maybe, just maybe, Jake Cassel could have made it to there.

“I think so,” she said, letting her excitement show in her voice. “He’s wearing the same color shirt. Come on, help me go get him.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t.” The orderly appeared apologetic. “I’m not allowed to leave the ER grounds.”

Of course he wasn’t. The way this day was going, she’d begun to wish she’d never set eyes on the beat-up human. “May I borrow the wheelchair?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” Clearly wavering, he looked uncomfortable. “I’ll get in trouble if you steal it.”

“I won’t,” she assured him. “I just need to retrieve that patient.”

“I think you might be too late,” he said, pointing. “The bus is coming. Your guy might not be able to walk too well, but he apparently doesn’t want to go to the ER. I’m guessing he’s getting on the bus.”

Calculating, she knew even if she started running, she’d never make it in time. Instead, she watched as the bus pulled up and as Jake, doubled over in pain, managed to climb on board.

Cursing, she turned and sprinted back to her car instead. She knew the bus would continue down Avenue D to 22nd Street, where he’d have to get off and switch buses or ride back to the hospital. She planned to be there either way.

Because what he’d done didn’t make sense. Jake Cassel had been severely beaten. He needed X-rays and possibly stitches, definitely pain meds. He wouldn’t have fled unless he had something to hide.

And Maddie had never been able to resist uncovering the answer to a good puzzle. The trait was what made her such a doggedly good PI.

She managed to catch up to the bus after its first stop. She watched as the two elderly women who’d gotten off slowly crossed the street.

Next up would be the 9th Street stop. The bus slowed, but continued on. It made several more stops, but he didn’t disembark. Finally, at 22nd Street, it turned into the new downtown terminal. Her heart sank. If he got off in a crowd, she’d never be able to tell if he got on a different bus. She could only hope his slow and painful movements would help her locate him.

As she drove past the terminal entrance, her luck held. There. Jake. Arms still wrapped around what had to be an aching middle, he shuffled down the sidewalk as the bus rumbled off.

Where could he be headed? If he’d driven to Broken Chains and parked, his car was in the opposite direction. It would have been much easier to reach from the hospital. Perhaps he had friends in this area or, even better, lived nearby himself.

Instead of immediately confronting him, she decided to follow him and see where he went. She hoped his destination would give her some answers.

She got caught at a streetlight. While she waited, she kept her eyes on him, aware that at his pace he wouldn’t be able to get too far ahead of her. There were only two cars coming from the cross street. One continued past, but the second—an older model black Lincoln with dark, tinted windows—pulled up alongside him.

Jake lifted his hand in greeting and carefully got in.

The Lincoln took off, past City Hall, making a left on Avenue M. It disappeared in traffic before her light changed. Though she drove as fast as she could, by the time she got to heavily congested Seawall Boulevard, she had to concede that he’d lost her.

Worse, she realized she’d stood up Carmen. They’d agreed to meet at Broken Chains to discuss strategy for their next Shadow Agency case. Maybe she wasn’t too late. She swung the car around and headed toward Harborside Drive. Most likely, Carmen was still there.

* * *

Earlier that night, when he’d been in the alleyway by the door that wouldn’t open, Jake Cassel hadn’t seen the two large men until he turned and saw them right behind him. Since the alley was a dead end, they must have come through that door. He cursed silently, moving aside to get out of their way.

But instead of pushing past him, they stopped. Too late, he saw the anger in their faces. Hostility radiated from the jerky way they moved to their clenched fists.

“I mean no harm,” he began, about to offer them his wallet and his watch, whatever they wanted. But when one of them punched him, followed by the other, raining down blows so swiftly he barely saw them move, he realized this was not a mugging. No, this was a beating, and he’d be damn lucky to survive.

Though he could hold his own in a fair fight, not only was this two against one, but they were built like linebackers. So he curled himself into a defensive ball and tried not to make a sound, hoping eventually they’d leave him for dead and he wouldn’t be.

The next thing he knew, the redheaded woman was tripping over him. She let out a little scream as she fell, the sound letting him know he’d somehow survived. He must have lost consciousness, because the last thing he remembered before that was the two men whaling on him. They’d even gotten in a couple of kicks, catching him right in the ribs.

He wasn’t sure he could breathe, never mind stand, but somehow, he managed to push himself to his feet. This woman had been here before. He’d watched the alley for weeks, and she’d visited at least twice. Maybe three times. Since he could only watch the entrance to the alley, he assumed she’d gotten the door to open for her. Because she’d gone into the alley and hadn’t come out for hours.

He’d observed all kinds of people heading into that dead-end alley. From suit-wearing business types, to hipsters, to the grunge-slash-metal crowd. They never came out immediately. Whatever they were doing in there, behind that mysterious door, had to be interesting.

The wondering consumed him. Every single journalistic instinct he possessed kicked into overdrive. Whatever went on behind that door had to be a story. A big story. Not just mildly interesting.

Because one night when he’d been staked out watching the alley, he’d seen a man emerge, unsteady on his feet, clearly inebriated. The guy had walked to where the alley met the street, looked left and right and, right there on Jake’s cell phone video, began to shimmer. His form had wavered, too, changing from human to something definitely wolf-like, before going back to human once more. Then, the man shook his head, adjusted his clothing and walked away.

Not believing his own eyes, Jake had watched the video several times. He’d uploaded it to the cloud, knowing he couldn’t take a chance of losing it, though he kept the copy on his phone.

This, if he could prove it, would be the story of the century. Because based on what he’d witnessed, he just might be able to prove to the world that werewolves truly existed.

If he could manage to live through this investigation, that is.

A groan slipped from his lips as he attempted to take a step after standing. She came to him then, using her slender shoulder to brace him, uncaring of the fact that his blood would stain her pretty dress. As she helped him move toward the street, she muttered under her breath.

“Did you just say ‘Damn humans’?” he asked, careful to hide his excitement.

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice cross. “If I can get you to the sidewalk, we can call for an ambulance.”

“No ambulance,” he insisted.

“We need to get you to the hospital. How else do you propose we do so?”

“My car is parked over there,” he told her, pointing with an unsteady hand. “The keys are in my pocket.” Somehow, he managed to dig them out. “Here. You can drive.”

Though his pain level had been off the charts, Jake had known he’d have to ditch the redhead. Though he wasn’t sure why exactly, he knew the reason would reveal itself soon enough. He’d learned to always trust his gut instincts. Always.

She’d been kind. Interested, even. And beautiful, the kind of beauty that once would have sent men off to war. While her beauty lured him, he didn’t trust her. She knew things he didn’t. Since she’d done everything in her power to hustle him away from the dead-end alley, she had no intention of sharing any of her knowledge with him.

He’d seen her go in the door. That damn door. What had started out as idle curiosity had become a full-blown obsession. So much so that he’d put his own life in danger.

The salt-scented, humid breeze made the cuts on his face sting. He thought he could make it back to his car, but he’d begun to second guess the instinct that had made him flee the hospital. While the woman—Maddie Kinslow—had put on an outward show of compassion, she was part of whatever secret lay behind that door. Call him overly paranoid, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been sent to finish the job the two thugs had started. He wasn’t prepared to risk finding out.

Still, she’d been right about one thing. He needed medical attention. He suspected he had, at the very least, a couple of broken ribs. If not broken, then bruised.

An older black Lincoln pulled up alongside him. “Hey, man,” a familiar voice said. “You need a ride?”

Wayne. One of the guys he played basketball with every Saturday. Jake had never been so glad to see someone in his life. “I do,” he said, lifting his hand in greeting.

“Climb on in.”

Jake did. When Wayne got a good look at his face, he whistled, low and furious. “What the hell happened to you?”

“I got jumped over by Harborside.”

“By the cruise ship parking lots?” Wayne wanted to know.

“Yeah, sort of.”

“What were you doing over there?”

Since his friend knew exactly what Jake did for a living, he told the truth. “Following a lead. I got a little too close for someone’s comfort.”

“Let’s go to the hospital,” Wayne suggested.

Since Jake felt dizzy, like he might pass out again, he agreed.

This time, he made it inside the ER under his own power. Though Wayne had offered to stay, Jake told him no.

Three and a half hours later, Jake learned his ribs were bruised, not broken. By some miracle, his most serious—and painful—injury was a dislocated shoulder. They gave him some muscle relaxers and a shot of something, and the doctor manually worked it back into place. When he did, it hurt like hell. Perspiring, trying not to swear, Jake managed to stay conscious.

When they were finally done and the doctor came to discharge him with a prescription for more pain pills and some antibiotics, he asked Jake if he had someone to drive him home.

“No. But my car is only a couple blocks away,” Jake said, his tongue feeling thick in his mouth.

“You can’t drive,” the doc said firmly. “You need to call someone to come and pick you up. We gave you some strong narcotics. No driving for at least twenty-four hours.”

“I’ll find someone.” He dug out his phone. Maybe he could talk Wayne into coming back and picking him up.

“No need,” a cool, feminine voice said from the doorway. “I’ll take you home.”

The redhead. Maddie Kinslow.

“Perfect,” the doctor said, smiling. “Take him straight home, make sure and fill these prescriptions, and force him to get plenty of rest.”

“I sure will.” Now she sounded positively cheerful. He turned to stare at her, wondering how she’d known to come back here looking for him.

“I’ll send a nurse to wheel you out to the car,” the doc continued. “Hospital regulations,” he added when Jake began to protest.

Jack nodded. He waited until the doctor had left the room before confronting Maddie. “Are you stalking me?”

“No.” She frowned, looking both hurt and angry. “I will say I was concerned, especially when you took off like you were afraid to go into the ER. Why was that? I wondered. Do you have a warrant out for your arrest?”

“No. And no. As you can see, I haven’t been arrested. Where do you come up with this stuff?”

“I’m a PI,” she retorted. “It’s part of my line of work.”

“A private investigator?” At first surprised, the more he considered, the better he felt. Ms. Maddie Kinslow might not realize it, but she’d just given him an idea.

She started to respond, and then closed her mouth. Lips a tight line, she looked away. Whatever she wasn’t telling him, she clearly had no intention of saying anything else about her work. Which was okay with him. She’d said enough.

Luckily for her, a cheerful nurse arrived with a wheelchair. She ordered Maddie to get her car and pull up right outside the entrance. Once Maddie had left to do that, the nurse wheeled him out front to wait for her.

When Maddie had parked, the nurse helped Jack out of the wheelchair and into the passenger side. He was able to buckle the seat belt, wincing.

“Are you all good?” she asked, her candid gaze searching his face.

“Yep. Better than good,” he replied. “I’m actually really glad to learn you’re a private investigator. As it turns out, I want to hire you.”

Judging by her sudden intake in breath, he’d shocked her. “Um, my agency is specialized. We wouldn’t be a good fit.”

“Yes, we would,” he insisted. “Plus, you’re the only PI I know. I’ll pay whatever your going rate is. And I promise, you’ll find my job to be a simple one, easily completed.”

She shifted into Drive and pulled away from the hospital.

“Well?” he pressed once she’d exited the parking lot. “What do you say?”

“I’m thinking. Give me a minute.”

He gave her more than a minute. She followed his directions, pulling in to the driveway of his small home on San Jacinto. Once she’d put the car in Park, she turned in her seat to face him.

“What’s the job?” she asked, her expression professional. “I really can’t commit my resources until I know what is involved.”

And here came the part she wouldn’t like. He told her anyway. “I want to hire you to find out what’s behind that door on the dead-end alleyway. The one where you found me all beat-up.”

Chapter 2

Inside Broken Chains, Carmen Vargas sat back in her chair, took a sip of her drink and surveyed the smoky room. As always, every table had been taken, and those without a seat stood shoulder to shoulder. Carmen had arrived early and claimed her usual prime spot near the back, close enough to have a view of the dance floor, but not so close that the loudness of the band would make any attempt at conversation impossible.

Her friends Maddie Kinslow and Shayla Dover-Cantrell usually met her here, but Shayla had recently gotten married and was just getting back from her honeymoon. The three of them had formed a supernatural private investigative agency and had recently successfully closed their first case. Carmen imagined Maddie had already gotten busy hustling for a second. Still, she was very late. Not like her. Carmen figured she’d give her a little bit longer before calling her friend’s cell phone.

“Have you got a minute?” The low growl of a masculine voice to her left had her betting he’d be a Shape-shifter. With a lazy movement, she swiveled her head to look. Damn. She, who never was shocked, sucked in her breath. Talk about hot. This guy had to be new. His aura revealed she was correct. Shape-shifter. And a damn good-looking specimen, too.

Exactly her type, if she’d had one. Tall, close-cropped dark hair, bright blue eyes, broad shoulders, narrow waist and muscular arms. He looked like a cop, or some other straight-laced profession. She’d learned from experience that those kinds of men were almost always the most fun in bed.

She let herself experience a delighted shiver before responding.

“Of course,” she purred, indicating the chair next to her. “Have a seat.”

He pulled out a chair and sat down, his bold stare frank and assessing. Confidence. She liked that in a man.

This evening had just gotten a thousand times more interesting. After so many centuries on the planet, Carmen rarely felt an overwhelming attraction like this.

“I work for the government,” he said. No surprise there. “And I’ve been talking to the Pack Protectors. They let me know about your Shadow Agency, operating right here in Galveston.”

A job. He wanted to discuss a job with her. Years of practice enabled her to hide her disappointment. She simply eyed him calmly while waiting for him to elaborate.

Instead, he glanced around. “Is there somewhere quieter we can talk? This is classified, so not information I’m comfortable shouting.”

She took a moment to consider, enjoying the way his gaze traveled over her. “Maybe later,” she finally said. “I’m waiting for a friend and I don’t want to lose our seat.”

His gaze narrowed and his mouth tightened. “This is a matter of national security.”

Though intrigued, she pretended not to hear him at first. Only when he leaned close, his mouth against her ear, and repeated himself, did she nod. “Perhaps you should make an appointment with our office. I’m certain you don’t want to discuss such a weighty matter in a bar.”

Instead of putting him in his place as she expected, a flash of annoyance sparked in his eyes. “This is urgent. I don’t have time to make an appointment. If you don’t want the job, just say so. I’m sure I can find someone else.”

Rueful, she conceded. “Wait. I’m interested. If you could just give me a few minutes until my friend arrives, I’ll find a quieter place where the two of us can talk.”

“Five minutes,” he said. “No longer.”

Clearly, he was the kind of man used to giving orders. She found this incredibly arousing. Most men were too intimidated by her frank and blatant sensuality. They tended to fall all over themselves trying to please her.

“Five minutes,” she agreed, smiling. Maddie had a tendency to run late, but never extremely so.

The allotted time passed. Still no Maddie. Handsome Guy eyed her and she knew he meant to leave.

“Come on,” she said, getting to her feet. “They have private rooms in the back. Let me see if I can secure one and we’ll go there and talk.”

He followed as she strolled to the bar. One glance over her shoulder showed no less than six people had rushed the table the instant she’d left. They’d have to duke it out among themselves over who ended up with it. Or share.

As luck would have it, she was able to rent a small room for half an hour. She sent Maddie a quick text to let her know where to go once she arrived, and then led the way through the double doors to the private part of the bar. She’d heard stories about some of the goings-on in these private rooms.

Stopping at room number 7, she used her key to unlock the door. “Here we are,” she said, entering. Handsome Secret Agent Man brushed past her and began looking around. As in, seriously searching for something. Fascinated, she watched, realizing he must be checking the room for recording devices.

When he finally finished, he turned to face her. “I’ll need your cell phone,” he said, holding out his hand.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” she replied. “I’m not handing that over to a total stranger, just because he’s cute.”

Her choice of adjectives made him blink, but that was his only reaction. Disappointed, she pulled out a chair and sat. “You were about to tell me why you needed to hire me?”

“Not until I know for certain that you’re not recording,” he countered, stoned-faced. “At least put your phone on the table.”

“Are you serious?” she asked, even though she knew he was. With a sigh, she retrieved her phone from the depths of her Prada bag and placed it on the table.

“May I?” he asked, as he reached for it.

“You can look at it,” she replied. “But I want it back on the table once you’re done.” Though she had no idea what she’d do if he decided to drop it into his pocket. By virtue of being a Vampire, she had the elements of superspeed and strength on her side, but he was some kind of Shape-shifter, which made him a much more even match than, say, a human would have been.

Finally, he finished checking out her phone and placed it back on the table.

“My name is Rick Fallin,” he said. “I’m a member of a covert intelligence agency within the FBI. Our country is being threatened by terrorists and we need the help of someone with your credentials.”

“My credentials?”

“Yes. You are one of the top biowarfare scientists.”

She nodded. “True. But you could have approached me at the lab. Why here? Why ask for help from The Shadow Agency?”

“Because we need you for one other reason. You’re a Vampire. And as such, you’d be immune to a deadly, human-created virus.”

“You’re a Shape-shifter,” she shot back. “And if you’re full-blooded, you’re also immune.”

“We’re not sure about that,” he replied. “Let me explain. This is a completely new virus. We’re not completely sure of the effects it will have on the paranormal population.”

“Now I’m really intrigued,” she drawled. “I can’t wait to get a look at this thing.”

* * *

Though several of his colleagues had warned him that he’d take an immediate dislike to the Vampire woman, Rick Fallin discovered they were all wrong. Instead of the usual revulsion his kind normally felt around those of her ilk, he got a jolt of attraction every time he looked at Carmen Vargas instead. Which he struggled mightily to do as seldom as possible, aware he needed to focus on the job and only the job. This was far too important to mess up.

“A terrorist group has developed a new disease,” he said, once he had her full attention. “Not a known group, either. They call themselves Sons of Darkness. This one appears to be newly formed. We’re not even sure what kind of ideology they possess.”

“Sons of Darkness,” she mused, a flash of interest in her eyes. “Sounds like possible Satanists. Do you have proof of this disease?”

“Yes. I don’t know if you heard about that junior senator who died so mysteriously a couple days ago?”

“I rarely watch the news anymore.” She gave a delicate shrug. “Unless it pertains to my work or my friends, I’m content to keep my world knowledge as compact as possible.”

Made sense. While he had no idea of her actual age, he’d always heard Vampires lived centuries. He imagined anyone would get a bit jaded after watching so many humans come and go.

“Let me fill you in then. Samuel Jansson was infected with this virus. We’re not sure how or when, but most likely it was in a bar on the hill where he frequently stopped for a drink after work. He died a horrible death at home in his bed less than twelve hours later.”

She whistled. “That’s a fast-acting virus. But how do you know that’s what killed him?”

“The terrorist group contacted us shortly before his body was discovered. But even then, we had the same doubts. We rushed an autopsy.”

“And?”

“What killed him was a virus never before seen. We have no antidote.”

Another flash of interest lit up her face. “What do they want in exchange? I’m assuming it must be something big, right?”

“Oh, it is. It is.” He’d been instructed not to tell her if at all possible, to gain her assistance without doing so. Once he’d completed a full read-through of her dossier, he’d wondered what his boss had been thinking. A rational, intelligent, professional scientist like Carmen Vargas would want to know everything. If they needed the best, they’d have to give her 100 percent of the info.

“They want our country to go to war,” he said slowly. “Unless we obliterate the entire country of West Latvia, they’ll unleash this virus on our general population. It spreads through the air and kills fast.”

“West Latvia?” She frowned. “Why?”

“They trade heavily with Russia. Whoever these terrorists are, they want something Russia gets instead. They haven’t specified what exactly. We have people working on finding that out.”

“You say this senator was found dead?” she asked. “What about the people who found his body? Have they been placed in isolation to avoid contamination?”

“Yes. The terrorists claim it’s only active while the body is alive. We’ve got people working around the clock to verify this.”

She nodded. “As you know, I’m a damn good scientist. I assume you want me to join one of your research teams?”

“Possibly. Though that’s not the entire reason we need your Shadow Agency—and you. Many on my task force are full-blooded Shifters, too. As you know, only a silver bullet or fire can kill us. Normally.”

Tucking away one wayward blond strand of hair behind her ear, she eyed him. “You aren’t sure if this virus might be another thing that can take your kind out, are you?”

“Exactly.”

“Since I’m already dead...” Her slow smile made his heart skip a beat.

To cover his unwanted reaction, he looked down, pretending to be lost in thought.

“Hey, it’s okay.” When she reached out and covered his hands with hers, he felt a jolt straight in his groin. His inner wolf, startled awake, sat up and took notice.

“I enjoy being useful,” she continued. “What I need to do is get you a full printout of our rates. We charge by the hour, plus expenses. There’s a flat fee—a retainer—that’s payable up front and is nonrefundable.”

Slowly he slid his hand out from under hers. “None of that matters. You’re dealing with a well-funded covert government operation. If you agree to assist us, we can pay you this.” Though doing so felt a bit melodramatic, he opened his briefcase to get a better look at the neat stacks of bills inside. “Twenty-five thousand dollars cash, up front. Another twenty-five once the mission is successfully completed.”

If he expected her to gape, he was doomed to disappointment. She looked coolly from the money to him. “This is most unusual,” she said. “I’ll have to consult with my partners.”

But he refused to accept this. “I happen to know your private investigative business is a start-up. You’ve only had one case, I believe. Cash flow has to be important. You can’t afford to turn this down.”

Stone-faced, she stared at him.

“And this is important,” he continued. “It’s not just a case. It’s your chance to make a difference.”

Watching her, he swore he saw that same flicker of interest in her eyes.

“Fine,” she finally said. “I’m in. Representing The Shadow Agency.” Her chin came up and she held his gaze. “But not just because of the money. I’ve always wanted to make a difference.”

Admiration warred with attraction. He nodded, closing the one briefcase before pulling a manila folder from the other. “We’ve taken the liberty of having a contract drawn up in advance. I’ll need your signature in three places.”

Though she accepted the pen he offered her, instead of immediately signing on the dotted line, she began to read through the contract. “No,” she said abruptly. “This part here is unacceptable.” She stabbed her long, bloodred fingernails at the page. “I refuse to keep my partners in the dark about this job. We’re in this together. Otherwise, you’re not hiring The Shadow Agency. You’re just hiring me.”

Somehow, he sensed this minor issue would be the one thing that could make her walk away. As far as he knew, they didn’t have a backup. “I agree,” he conceded. “Strike through that part and initial it. I’ll do the same.”

Once she’d done as he’d suggested, she finished her read-through and then signed. Handing him back the papers, she held out one elegant, pale hand.

“I should have told you,” Rick said, after neatly filing the contract in his briefcase. Then and only then did he slide the briefcase full of cash across the table toward her. “You and I will be partners for this case.”

She stared. “I work better alone. Plus, I already have two partners.”

“Not on this case, you don’t. You might want to put that somewhere safe,” he added, gesturing at the briefcase. “Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to let your partners know that you have to disappear for a while.”

“Disappear?” She didn’t really protest. “They’ll be used to it. It’s kind of what we Vamps do.”

He laughed, the full, rich sound filling the room.

“I just need to let Maddie know,” she managed to say, sticking to the topic at hand. “She’s the one I was supposed to meet here tonight. She’s probably out there right now, anxious about where I am even though I texted her.”

“Let’s go find her, then. After that, you’re coming with me.”

“Okay. Enjoying this, are you?” she drawled. “You might be pretty, but this is serious business. I don’t need a distraction, and believe me, I could see you becoming a big one.”

To her annoyance, rather than fluster him, her remark made him laugh. “Nice try, Vargas. But it’ll take more than that to make me go away. I’m going to be stuck to your side like glue, so get used to it.”

“Fine, whatever.” She gave in sullenly. “I was thinking I’d start in the lab first. I’m assuming you plan to provide me with tissue samples so I can begin to analyze the thing.”

“That won’t be necessary,” he said. “We’ve already got teams of the best scientists working on that.”

He’d managed to surprise her, and not in a good way. “I am one of the top biological specialists.”

One corner of his mouth quirked up. “True, but there are others. We’ve got them in the lab working feverishly for answers.”

He could see she didn’t like that. “Then why do you need me? Honestly, if you want to develop an antidote, I’m of the best use to you in the lab.”

“We need your help to neutralize the terror group. Time is of the essence. While the president has been fully briefed and continues to be, he’s not sold on the idea of declaring war on West Latvia.”

She nodded, watching him closely. “Have they given you a time frame?”

“Yes. Seven days. If war is not declared and troops deployed, they plan to infect Houston. If they release this virus into the general population, we’ll lose a couple million people in one day. No, Carmen Vargas. We need you in the field. You and I are going to try to infiltrate the terrorists. Our job is to unmask them and take them down from the inside.”

She nodded. “This job is sounding more interesting by the minute. How do you propose to do that?”

When he grinned, the flash of his white teeth made her fangs ache. “I have my ways. We’ve got people who’ve been working undercover. You and I are going to pose as people interested in joining the terrorist cell.”

“I thought you didn’t know who they were affiliated with.”

“We don’t. Not yet. They may be part of a larger group, or might have splintered off from one.”

“With a name like Sons of Darkness, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out it’s a bunch of teenaged kids,” she said. “Except for the virus.”

“Except for the virus,” he repeated. “I think we can pretty much rule out teens. Even if one of them turned out to be some sort of genius, I’d think they’d want cash rather than war declared on some small European nation sandwiched between Estonia and Lithuania.”

“West Latvia,” she mused. “I believe some of my ancestors came from that area, but I’ve never been there.”

Though he nodded, his mind was elsewhere. When he looked up to find her watching him, he grimaced. “Sorry. I’ve been going over the plans. Are you ready to get started?”

She nodded. The rush of anticipation that filled her was unlike anything she’d experienced in centuries. “I am. Tell me what you want me to do.” She frowned. “But first I need to check on my friend.”

If he hadn’t known better, Rick would have thought Carmen was stalling. He stayed with her, right on her heels, as she proceeded to search the bar for her missing friend. They made two complete sweeps of the crowded place, upstairs and down, before she finally admitted defeat.

“This is so not like her,” she said as they walked out the door. “She’s really reliable. Always where she says she’s going to be. I hope she’s all right.”

“Try calling her,” he suggested.

“I have. Several times. Calls are going straight to voice mail. I left her a message—well, two now.”

“That’s worrisome.”

“Maybe.” She lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “And maybe not. Maddie’s always forgetting to charge her phone. It’s entirely possible that it’s dead and she has no idea.”

He spoke without thinking. “She sounds like a scatterbrain.”

“She’s not.” Rushing to defend her friend, Carmen sounded fierce. “We all have our own little character flaws. It’s not such a big deal.”

“Maybe not,” he agreed, glancing at her sideways. “What’s yours?”

His question appeared to puzzle her. “Mine?”

“Your little character flaw. I’ll tell you mine if you’ll tell me yours.” He couldn’t believe he was flirting with her, but then again, how could he not. They needed to get past this awkwardness with each other for the undercover roles they were going to play.

“I don’t have any flaws,” she snapped. A second later, she appeared to realize what she’d said. “I’m pretty damn near perfect,” she elaborated, laughing. “As I’m sure you are, too.”

As he gazed down into her smiling face, something shifted inside him. Damned if she wasn’t alluring. He hadn’t expected this sudden craving to hit him so strongly.

Outside in the alley, he led the way across the street to where he’d parked. “Do we need to move your car somewhere?”

This made her chuckle again. “No. I walked here.”

Her statement almost gave him pause, considering that some of the neighborhoods nearby could be dangerous late at night. But then he remembered she was a Vampire. Anyone messing with her would get the shock of their life.

She settled into the passenger seat of his black Tahoe, even using the seat belt. He couldn’t help but notice how her every movement contained a sensual sort of grace. “What now?” she asked. “Where do we go from here and what’s the plan?”

Now was as good a time as any to tell her. At least they weren’t inside the crowded bar. “We’re posing as a married couple,” he said, starting the engine at the same time.

“Married?” One elegantly arched brow rose. “That’s the one thing I have absolutely no experience with. I’m not sure I can be convincing.”

He glanced at her and grinned. “Just follow my lead, darlin’. That’s all you have to do.”

From the momentary look of confusion on her face, he guessed she wasn’t sure how to react to the endearment. He hadn’t called anyone darlin’ in years, not since his fiancée had died. But since he and Carmen were going to pretend to be spouses, he figured using it would be particularly apropos.

“Sounds good, sugar plum,” she drawled, dead-faced.

He laughed—he couldn’t help it. It had been a long time since he’d been around a woman who could make him laugh. Pity she was a Vampire. But then again, he wasn’t looking for a mate. “I think we’ll work fine together,” he finally said.

When he glanced at her again, her beautiful face wore a ghost of a smile.

“Here’s how we’re playing this,” he said, all serious again. “Word has gone out in a certain group of people that the Sons of Darkness are looking to hire someone with a biology background. They’re willing to pay big bucks. You happen to perfectly fit the bill.”

“A biology background?” she snorted. “That’s putting it mildly.”

He continued on as if she hadn’t spoken. “Your credentials and employment are right there for them to look up. You’ve never done any work with law enforcement, so there’s no reason they’d suspect you.”

“Maybe not, but what’s my motivation? I’m well paid. I like my job. Why would I want to join their organization?”

Bracing himself, he gave her a sideways look. “You’ve just lost your job. That’s your motivation. Plus, we’ve set it up so that anyone looking will believe you’re massively in debt. You need to find work and find it fast.”

“Lost my job?” She might have become a statue, she went so still. “Are you serious?”

“It’s only temporary. We’ve got someone who pulled a few strings to make this happen. I’m sure you’ll be fully reinstated once this is over.”

Glowering at him, she sighed. “I’d better be. I love my job and I’m damn good at it.”

“I’m sure you are. But look at it this way,” he said. “You’ve got a chance to save the world. How many can say that?”

Chapter 3

Maddie could only stare. This guy, this journalist, had no idea what he’d just asked her to do. She couldn’t, she wouldn’t, and she needed to figure out a way to tell him that wouldn’t arouse suspicion. Betraying her own kind, not to mention the other paranormal beings who frequented Broken Chains, was an act punishable by death.

“Jake,” she said, swiveling in her seat to face him. “I can’t. The private investigative agency I work for specializes. Your particular request doesn’t qualify.”

His jaw clenched. Slowly, he shook his head. “First off, I don’t believe you. Second, I’m well aware you know what’s behind that door. I’ve seen you go through it. With or without your help, I will find out what’s going on.”

Though she knew he had no idea of the magnitude of the danger he’d be placing himself in, she couldn’t help but admire—just the teeniest bit—his dogged determination. Even though it completely mystified her.

“What is it with you and that door?” she finally asked. “Do you honestly think whatever is behind it is worth you being beaten within an inch of your life? Because I can promise you, if you keep pursuing this, that’s what will happen again. Or worse.”

“Wow.” He stared at her. “Whatever the secret is that you’re hiding, it must be something big. I can’t believe you’re threatening me.”

“Not threatening. Warning.” She let her gaze roam over him. Even with his battered and bruised face, he was still handsome. His angular features and the light brown tint to his skin made his brown eyes stand out. She liked his lean muscular build and narrow waist. In fact, if she’d met Jake Cassel under different circumstances, she’d have dated him.

Even now, despite him ditching her earlier and then stating he planned to continue on his dangerous and foolhardy course of action, she felt a twinge of attraction.

A jolt of awareness struck her. She realized she had to do whatever it took to keep the truth hidden from him—and by doing so, keep him safe.

“Jake, look.” She swallowed. “I’ll do it. I’ll take the job.”

Instead of making him happy, he narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

That made her laugh. “What do you mean, why? I thought you wanted my help.”

“I do.”

“Yet you’re still frowning.”

“Because I can’t shake the thought that you’re somehow playing me.”

Good instincts, though of course she couldn’t say that out loud. Instead, she shrugged. “Up to you. We don’t come cheap. I completely understand if you’ve changed your mind.”

He tilted his head, eyeing her as if honestly trying to read her mind. “Do you have a card?” he asked.

“Of course.” Luckily, she’d just printed up a batch. She kept several in the console, so she pulled one out and handed it to him. “You can call me if you change your mind.”

He accepted it, put it in his pocket and stared straight ahead.

“Where to?” she asked. He gave her an address in a neighborhood near hers, but a few streets away. She drove silently, efficiently, keeping her concentration on the road. When they finally pulled up in front of a small yellow frame house, she parked. “I hope you get to feeling better soon,” she said.

“Thanks.” Still avoiding her gaze, he slowly and painfully climbed from the car. “I’ll be in touch.”

She watched him walk up his driveway, waiting to pull away until he’d disappeared into the house. Then, because it was her habit, she made a note of the address on a small pad she kept in her console.

As soon as she got home, she called Carmen. Her friend didn’t answer, which made Maddie suspect the Vamp harbored some resentment over being stood up. Maddie apologized over voice mail, said she needed to talk to her about a potential new case and hung up. No doubt Carmen would disappear for a day or two, as was her wont. When Maddie and their other partner, Shayla, called her on it, Carmen always simply shrugged and told them to get used to it, because that’s what Vampires did.

Simple chores, like pouring herself a glass of wine and reheating a leftover bowl of pho she’d picked up for lunch yesterday, brought Maddie a measure of calm. A creature of habit, she liked things to happen as planned and in a particular order. This made her feel secure.

Tonight she’d agreed to meet Carmen for an early drink at Broken Chains. Everything had spiraled out of control before she’d even reached the iconic door. And while she hadn’t intended to spend so much time tracking down Jake Cassel, she knew in her core that she’d done the right thing. There were procedures put in place—some of them primitive and violent—by those who protected their kind from discovery. Jake was lucky he’d only been beaten.

In fact, Maddie knew she actually had an obligation to uphold. Sipping her soup, she deliberated. If she made the call to the Pack Protectors—or, most likely, her brother, since he worked as one—they’d send people to round up the reporter. It wouldn’t be pretty, it wouldn’t be kind, and she wasn’t a hundred percent sure Jake would survive.

Though calling her brother might be the right thing to do, she couldn’t. Not yet. Instead, she’d keep an eye on Jake and try her best to protect him from harm. And from getting too close to the truth. If he’d actually hire her, that would make her task a lot easier.

She poured herself a second glass of wine and rinsed her bowl before putting it in the dishwasher. Carrying her wine to the living room, she clicked on the TV just in time to catch the evening news.

An ominous red banner was displayed across the scene. Breaking News. Apparently, there had been an explosion in one of the warehouses down near the pier. No one had been killed, there were three people injured and the police were looking for the suspects. It had not yet been called a terrorist attack and motive had not yet been determined. The warehouse had been believed to be empty, but firefighters said it was not.

When the camera panned the crowd, Maddie let out a little yelp of surprise. That woman in the group over to one side—tall, blonde and elegant—looked like Carmen.

Maddie hit the pause button on her remote and went back. Yep. She paused again. For whatever reason, Carmen was down near the pier. And from the looks of things, she wasn’t alone. She stood arm-in-arm with a ruggedly handsome military-type man. He gave off a dangerous yet sexy vibe. He’d have to, she thought, to keep up with Carmen.

No wonder her friend hadn’t answered her phone. Maddie couldn’t say she blamed her. Jake made Maddie feel the same way—like going off the grid and getting to know him.

She found herself grinning when she thought of Jake. He didn’t realize it, but she’d only told him the truth. While she knew what she was planning on doing walked a fine line as far as Pack law, she’d be careful. If, at any moment, Jake got too close to the truth, she’d talk to her brother, but right now she thought she could redirect Jake to some other story. The only problem was that she’d need to find one first.

In the years since moving to Galveston, Maddie had been on a lot of dates, especially when she’d worked as a police dispatcher. Human men, Shifter men, and even a Merman or two. Not a single one of them affected her the way Jake did.

Because she had an analytical mind, she sat down and tried to figure out what specifically attracted her to him.

It could be his dark good looks, but she’d dated many handsome men. She didn’t know him well enough for it to be his personality or sense of humor, which brought her an odd sort of relief. Physical attraction was easily dealt with. She certainly wasn’t ready for anything stronger.

The next morning, Maddie set to work. Taking her time, she snapped a camera phone pic of the sheet she’d printed out with The Shadow Agency’s rates. She’d actually had to print out an amended list, as she couldn’t send Jake the one that listed items like “Undersea Investigation,” which was Shayla’s area, since she happened to be a Mermaid.

After she’d sent the text to Jake, she tried again to call Carmen. She went straight to voice mail, which meant her Vampire friend had disappeared. With a sigh, Maddie left another message, knowing Carmen wouldn’t call until she’d finished with whatever it was that she did when she disappeared.

Next, she phoned Shayla. Though her Mermaid friend had just returned from her honeymoon, Maddie really needed someone to talk to about this entire Jake situation.

Shayla answered and sounded delighted. “I was just thinking about you,” she exclaimed. “I told Zach I needed some girl time with you and Carmen.”

“Carmen’s gone on one of her disappearances,” Maddie said, relieved. “But I’d love to meet up with you for a drink at Broken Chains when you have time. I need to talk to you about something.”

“I hope that’s not as serious as it sounds,” Shayla teased. “Either way, you know I’m full of advice, whether needed or not. Can you make it tonight around eight?”

“Perfect. I’ll get there early to snag our usual table.”

After ending the call, Maddie felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest. Even though her friend wasn’t Pack, Shayla understood all too well the intricate nature of keeping their truths hidden from humans. Heck, Maddie wouldn’t have minded if Shayla brought Zach, her husband. Since Zach was also Pack, Maddie would definitely welcome his input, though she wouldn’t have been able to speak as freely if it were just her and Shayla.

Trying not to look at the clock too often, Maddie caught up on housework, went grocery shopping and checked her email. She heated up leftover pizza for her dinner, reapplied her makeup and tried to decide what outfit to wear. In the end, she went with a simple black skirt and light green sheer top over a black camisole. Though she usually wore ballet slipper–type flats, she tried on a pair of heels. In the end, she discarded them and slipped on her usual comfy shoes.

Dangly silver earrings and several cute bracelets and she was out the door an hour early. As was her habit, she parked near Pier 21 and walked back in the direction of the bar. The salt-scented sea breeze felt warm and familiar, reminding her how long it had been since she’d visited the beach. Now that tourist season was over, she needed to go. Fall was always a good time, even though her favorite time to meander down the sand was winter, when the colder water kept even most locals away.

As she strolled toward the bar, she found herself wondering where Jake hid when he did his surveillance. He’d claimed to have spent weeks watching the dead-end alley, but for the life of her she couldn’t see where. This time, she’d pay special attention to her surroundings and see if she could spot him.

When she reached the alley, she slowly pirouetted. Regular protocol demanded those entering the alley check left and right, making sure no humans were in the vicinity before proceeding to the door. Now, in addition to that, she realized the abandoned warehouse across the street still had numerous windows that had not been boarded up, some with shattered glass. It would be a simple thing for someone like Jake to gain entrance and set up a camera in one of those windows. In fact, for all she knew he might be there right now.

Refusing to wave, she finally made her way down the alley, knocked on the weathered door and waited. After a moment, it swung open and she stepped inside, then waited until it closed automatically behind her.

Because she was Shifter, the smells hit her first. Smoke and beer and whiskey, along with the various scents of other bodies. Next came the noise. Even though the band had not yet started playing, there was the low hum of voices, the clinking of glass and silverware, the scraping of chairs on the old wooden floor.

She sighed with pleasure. Of all the places she frequented on the island, this bar felt the most like home.

Wending her way through the crowd, she smiled when she saw Jason, her favorite bartender, had placed a small Reserved sign on her favorite table.

Waving at him, she took a seat. Immediately, he brought her a tall glass of wheat beer, her usual. She told him Shayla would be joining her, but not Carmen, and he nodded, whistling cheerfully as he walked off.

A shadow fell and she looked up, smiling. Her smile faded as she realized it wasn’t her friend. Instead, a tall, muscular male Shifter stood glowering down at her.

“I’m not interested,” she started to say, then gasped when he grabbed her arm in a painful grip.

“We need to talk,” he said. “You’ve been seen with that human reporter. I’m a Pack Protector. I don’t think I need to warn you of the severity of your crime against the Pack if you’ve revealed anything to him.”

* * *

Nothing could have prepared him for the way Maddie affected him. After all, Jake considered himself like a bulldog. Once he fixated on a story, nothing got in his way. Nothing.

Not even a sexy redhead with a smattering of freckles across her nose. Then why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?

When he’d asked to hire her, he hadn’t expected her to eventually agree. After all, he knew she had secrets and they were tied in with whatever was behind that damn door. If his investigative reporting uncovered something illegal, something dangerous, he had to be prepared to take her down, too. This knowledge made his stomach churn.

Especially since he knew it could be worse than he’d originally suspected. When he’d seen the news of the explosion in a warehouse near Pier 21, he’d immediately thought of them, the mysterious group of individuals who met behind that strange old door.

Especially when, without any proof, the anchorman speculated that this might have been a terrorist attack. He’d said this as casually as if speaking about the weather. Sloppy reporting, Jake knew. Yet of course, this possibility made him wonder. Terrorists. What if a local cell of them met in that place along that dead-end alleyway? That would explain the reason for refusing to open the door and for the two men to jump him there.

No. He refused to play a guessing game. His journalistic integrity demanded facts. Without them, he had nothing.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized Maddie Kinslow might be his best chance at getting an actual lead.

He pulled out the business card she’d given him. The Shadow Agency was emblazoned across the top. Underneath that, A specialized private investigation firm. And then simply her name and phone number.

Specialized. In what? He turned the card over in his hand. To be fair, she’d tried to tell him her company handled only a certain type of clientele, though she hadn’t been specific.

Deciding, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number. His call went straight to voice mail. He left his name and number, nothing else. Now to see if she’d actually return the call.

When his phone rang five minutes later, his heart leaped in his chest. “That was quick,” he said after answering.

“Yeah, well...I’ve been worried about you.” She made the confession in a husky voice that had his body stirring.

Ruthlessly, he tamped down the desire. “Don’t,” he snapped. “I’m fine. I just need a little time to heal and I’ll be back to normal.”

To his surprise, this statement made her chuckle. “I’ll never figure out what it is about men that they think they have to be so tough. You forget, Jake. I was there. I saw you.”

Instead of replying, he let his silence speak for itself.

“Okay,” she said when he didn’t respond. “What did you need? Why did you call me?”

Though he’d already begun to doubt the wisdom of his decision, he decided to go through with it. “I want to hire you.”

Now she went quiet. He waited her out.

“For the same reason as before?” she finally asked. “Because you want me to help you find out what’s behind the door?”

“Yes.”

She sighed. “Are you absolutely certain you truly want to continue to pursue this? Because I can tell you this—it’s dangerous. As in, you could lose your life, dangerous.”

Deep down, he’d suspected as much, but hearing her confirm it made his gut twist. “Are you involved in whatever it is?” he asked.

“I can promise you, whatever you think you know is wrong,” she said, without answering his question.

“Then enlighten me,” he urged. “I’ve been watching that place for nearly a month. I’ve seen all the people coming and going. I’ve see you there numerous times, Maddie Kinslow. And you went inside. Why play games? Just tell me what you can and I’ll find out the rest.”

Again she sighed. “I wish I could, but then I’d have to kill you.” She laughed, but he couldn’t shake the feeling she wasn’t kidding. “While I can’t reveal the truth to you, even though it is such a minor thing, I can help you get a fabulous story.”

“Are you offering me a bribe? Because it sure sounds like it.” Now it was his turn to laugh, though without humor. “I have to say, the fact that you’re actually doing that makes me even more eager to uncover the secret.”

Silence.

“This is a bad idea,” she finally replied. “Forget I ever offered my services. I wish you luck, Jake Cassel. Believe me, you’ll need it.”

She ended the call.

He cursed. He’d gone too far and lost his chance. The beautiful Maddie Kinslow would be avoiding him now. What a shame, because he truly would have enjoyed getting to know her. Maybe it was all for the best. With such strong attraction sizzling between them, she’d probably have been too much of a distraction. Now he could focus solely on the story.

His phone rang again. “It’s me,” Maddie said, the sexy sound of her voice sending a shiver down his spine. “Look, I like you, Jake. I really do. But there is too much at stake here. People’s lives, homes, families. Are you sure you don’t want to at least consider my offer?”

“How can I when I don’t even know what I’d be giving up?” He used the most reasonable argument he had. “Tell me what’s behind the door and let me decide.”

She hesitated. “Fine. There’s a bar behind that door. Access is granted only to certain individuals. See? No story. Not even interesting.”

“A bar?” He didn’t bother to hide his skepticism. “What would possibly be so secretive about a bar?”

“The clientele. It’s imperative that no one but certain...people are allowed in.”

He had to give it to her. Her story had enough intrigue in it to interest him. And he knew it had to be—whatever, if any, part of it was true—the tip of the iceberg.

“Well?” she prodded after he didn’t respond. “What do you think?”

Now he knew he had to play it cool. While he didn’t entirely buy her story, in the end she was the best and only lead he had. If he “hired” her, eventually she might slip up.

“If your rates are reasonable, I’ll definitely consider it,” he finally said, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

This time, he hung up first.

Pretending not to notice the man who’d been parked in the expensive car across the street and watching his house, Jake limped down his sidewalk to get the mail. The sun had begun to set and the breeze carried the smell of the sea. Bruised and battered didn’t begin to describe how he felt today—more like he’d been run over by a large truck loaded with cement.

Late-model Mercedes, navy blue. Dark tinted windows, no plate on the front.

While he had no idea who his shadow might be, he figured it had something to do with that dead-end alleyway and the door that wouldn’t open for him.

Back inside the house, he glanced at the clock. If he planned to continue his surveillance, he’d need to head downtown soon. He’d taken great pains to ensure his point of entry into the abandoned warehouse would be hidden from any inquisitive eyes. And now he had no doubt they’d be looking.

He opened his laptop and checked his email. Finally, he really examined the message from Maddie detailing her company’s rates. While he had no idea if these prices were competitive or not, it wasn’t like he had another option. Maddie knew what went on behind that door. He just had to figure out a way to get her to tell him.

As dusk began to arrive, he knew if he wanted to leave his house, he’d need to shake his tail. If he got into his car and drove, the guy would certainly follow him. Normally he’d simply go out the back door, climb the fence that separated his yard from the guy behind him, and walk out onto the next street over. From there, it wasn’t too long a walk to reach a bus stop, or if necessary, he could call for a taxi. But his bruised and battered body simply wasn’t up to it yet.

Instead, he needed to get rid of the stalker. First, he called Maddie. But the call went straight to voice mail. Okay, he could understand that. It was after hours and he hadn’t yet become her client.

Next up, he dialed the Galveston Police Department’s nonemergency number. “I’d like to report a suspicious vehicle parked outside my house,” he said. “I was jumped and beaten up the other day and I think the same individual has come back to try to finish the job. Could you please send someone?”

The dispatcher rerouted him to 911. After he repeated his situation, he was told to stay inside the house and wait for the police to arrive. She asked him to stay on the line, so he did.

A moment later, a police cruiser turned onto his street and pulled up behind the parked Mercedes. The officer got out and walked up to the driver’s-side window. He stood there a few moments, clearly talking to the driver. Jake hoped he’d asked for a driver’s license and registration. If he at least had a name, he could do more research.

Finally, the policeman stepped back, lifted his hand in a friendly wave and watched as the luxury car drove off. One it had turned the corner, the officer walked up Jake’s sidewalk and rang the bell.

Ending the call with the dispatcher, Jake hurried to answer the door. “Thank you so much, Officer,” he began.

“You’re welcome. But I wanted to let you know, there was no reason for you to be concerned. That was the mayor’s son. He works for the City Planning and Zoning Department. He was parked on your street for business.”

Though his insides froze, Jack managed to nod. “Good to know. Thanks again for coming out, Officer.”

“No problem. I’m glad I could put your mind at ease.” The policeman peered at him. “They did a hell of a job on you, didn’t they? I hope you saw a doctor.”

“I did.”

“Good.”

Finally the patrolman left. Jake closed the door behind him and made sure he locked the dead bolt. The mayor’s son? Just how high up did this story go? If anything, this made him even more determined to get to the truth.

Moving as fast as he could, Jake hurried to his car. But before he even reached it, the navy Mercedes turned back onto his street and parked in the exact same spot.

Chapter 4

Carmen hid her surprise when Rick took her to the pier. Once the shrimp boats came in, sometimes the men would get together and drink and play cards or dice. An occasional prostitute worked one corner. Mostly, both tourists and locals avoided this place. It was nothing like Pier 21 with its popular restaurants and fish markets, close to The Strand. It wasn’t even like Pier 19 or 20, with Sampson and Sons and Katie’s selling seafood right off the boat.

No, this was further down, past a few abandoned, dilapidated buildings with cracked sidewalks and weeds. An overall sense of decay permeated the place. Once, smugglers had hung out here, with illegal gambling and gin joints and a whorehouse or two. Now, most of that was only a memory, though Carmen had been here once or twice during its heyday.

These days, this was where men went when they wanted to do things in secret, where the dim lighting and sense of anonymity made them feel at ease. It was an area she sometimes frequented when the craving for fresh, warm blood grew too strong. She’d become quite a pro at extracting just enough to make her target pass out, but without serious harm.

“Here.” Rick’s gravelly voice brought her back to the present. “In a moment, there’s going to be an explosion. It will bring the rats scurrying from their holes.”

She swung around and stared. “Why?”

“It’s something I promised to do, as a sign of good faith. There’s an illegal shipment of guns in one of these buildings. The Sons of Darkness needed a distraction so they could get them out. This will be a big one.” He got out his phone and prepared to punch in a number. “Are you ready?”

“Sure.” This got more interesting by the minute.

“Here we go.” He dialed a number. A second later, a loud boom sounded and the ground shook. Someone screamed and someone else swore. Several people staggered toward them, some of them drunk, others in shock.

“I’m calling 911,” Rick told them, holding up his phone. She watched, wondering if he really would since he didn’t appear to be in any hurry to punch in the numbers. Maximizing time for the distraction, she guessed.

Someone else must have called, though, because sirens sounded in the distance, getting closer. The occasional straggler came down the sidewalk, one or two of them appearing shell shocked. Thick black smoke billowed from somewhere behind them, appearing to almost follow them as they fled.

“Do you think there were any injuries?” she asked.

“No one was seriously hurt,” Rick assured her, sounding positive even though she didn’t see how he could be certain. “The bomb was in a locked warehouse where we stacked some dry hay and bundled newspaper. Just enough to start a good fire with possible building collapse. It’s far enough from the warehouse with the guns that no one will spot the crew moving the cargo. A perfect plan, if I do say so myself.”

Since he sounded so pleased with himself, she felt the need to point out what seemed to her an obvious flaw. “But you destroyed a building. Most likely a historical one.”

His jaw tightened. “That kind of collateral damage is better than people. Millions are at risk unless we do our job and get inside this group. I hope you understand that.”

“I do.” Before she could say anything else, the sirens grew closer. Lights flashing, two patrol cars pulled up the next street over. A moment later, a fire engine and ambulance arrived. Along with a growing crowd of people, they watched as Galveston PD cordoned off the street and sidewalk.

Soon a KHOU 11 news van arrived, which seemed awfully quick since they were out of Houston. They set up a reporter with her back to the mayhem, handed her a microphone and began filming.

“You do know in a few minutes that reporter is going to start asking people what they saw?” she said drily.

“That’s good. We want to be seen. How else can I make sure Sons of Darkness know I was there?”

“You seem to have thought of everything.” She shook her head.

“That’s my job,” he countered. “And I’m damn good at it.”

Before long a couple of the other news stations sent their own crews. The crowd of onlookers continued to swell. News cameras panned the area. Rick grabbed Carmen’s arm and made sure they were front and center, virtually guaranteeing them a spot on one, if not all, of the stations’ evening news programs.

Since she’d spent most of her long, long life avoiding the spotlight, Carmen struggled with this. While she managed to keep her outward appearance cool, calm and collected, inside she battled the urge to step back and disappear into the large group.

But Rick’s plan, she concluded reluctantly, actually made sense. If this was what was needed for them to gain entrance into that group, so be it. The idea that she—Carmen Vargas, Vampire—could make a difference in this world intrigued her. Plus, if she were totally honest, as she always was, she ached to get her hands on a microscope and take a close look at this new virus. Because of her expertise, the CDC had even contacted her several times, wanting her to come to Atlanta and work with them. She’d been tempted, but she’d come to value her friends and life here in Galveston, so she’d declined. Since they were no doubt involved closely in this case, she had a feeling that was how her name had been mentioned. For that, she considered herself lucky.

“Okay,” Rick said, tightening his grip on her arm. “Time to go.”

This time, she let him pull her away without questioning. He led her through the thick throng of people, up the sidewalk and to the still-crowded Pier 21 area. A couple had just gotten up from a bench along the walkway, and he hurried them to it.

“No matter what happens,” he told her sotto voce, “show no expression. Just go along with it.”

“No worries. I’m a master at that.”

They sat. He put his arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. She let herself relax into the curve of his arm, liking the solidness of his muscular body. They pretended to be people watching. Despite the commotion going on a few blocks over, most of the ones strolling by her were fixated on having a good time.

“Mind if I join you?” The tall man wore a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. Carmen eyed him coolly but didn’t speak.

“Sure,” Rick said, pulling Carmen closer to him so there was additional room on the bench. “Have a seat.”

The stranger sat, staring straight ahead and ignoring him. Every sense alert, Carmen pretended not to be hyperconscious of him.

“Are you the biologist?” he finally asked, low-voiced.

Widening her eyes, Carmen nodded. “I am. Actually, I’m an infectious disease specialist. And this is my husband, Rick.” The instant she spoke, she realized she hadn’t asked if they were using assumed names or not. Most likely not, at least for her, since these people no doubt had wanted to verify her credentials.

“Rick.” The man nodded, his gaze skittering from her to Rick and back again. “I’m Landers. The shipment was moved without a hitch. Thank you for your help.”

“No problem.” Rich shrugged, both his demeanor and his voice casual. “I did what you requested, and here we are. Are we in?”

“You’re in.” Landers stood, glancing left and then right. Finally, he focused on Rick and grinned. “Just so you know, we have several other guys who can do what you can do, but only one other biologist in our employ. Your wife is infinitely more valuable to us than you could ever be.”

Carmen exhaled, recognizing the tactic. Divide and conquer. Except she knew this wouldn’t work, not this time. “It’s okay,” she said, her tone lofty. “He likes that I make so much more money than he does. He jokes about being a kept man.”

“Really?” Landers shook his head. “Well, there’s none of that around here. Every single one of us has to earn our keep.”

“And I will, I swear.” Shooting Carmen a cross look, Rick shifted his weight from foot to foot. “You won’t regret hiring me, I promise you.”

“We’d better not.” Was that a flash of pleasure across Landers’s face? Carmen thought so, which meant she’d been correct. For whatever reason, Landers wanted to put a wedge in between her and Rick.

If that’s what he wanted, she’d speak to Rick privately and make sure that’s what he got.

“He follows orders well,” she drawled, just for the hell of it. “Ask me how I know.”

Rick flushed but didn’t respond. This prompted another snorting laugh from Landers. “I’ll bet he does,” he sneered, leering at her.

“Now, can we possibly get out of here?” she asked, pretending to be uneasy with their location. “There are too many people around. If someone hears, they might have questions. Questions for which we will not have answers. I prefer to avoid collateral damage whenever possible.”

Landers stared. “As if you’ve done this sort of thing before,” he scoffed.

For an answer, she only lifted one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

Instantly, the other man’s demeanor changed. “If you’ll come with me,” Landers said, “I’ll take you both to meet the others.”

“Lead the way,” Carmen pronounced. “I’m looking forward to getting started.”

* * *

Keeping his arm around Carmen, Rick followed Landers to a black Escalade with dark tinted windows. With shiny chrome accents everywhere, it was not the most inconspicuous vehicle. Who knew? Maybe they wanted it that way.

As they approached, the driver stepped out and opened the back door, motioning for Carmen to get in first. Moving with her usual fluid grace, she climbed inside. Rick followed her, trying unsuccessfully to avoid staring at the gleaming length of shapely leg her short skirt displayed.

Once the door closed, Landers got up front, riding shotgun. “It’s about a thirty-minute ride, depending on traffic,” he said.

“Off-island?” Carmen asked, frowning.

“Not too far, but yes. La Marque.”

This surprised her, Rick knew. Surprised him, too. La Marque was a small town. Building a quality lab and running an operation of that size without attracting unwanted attention would be more difficult in a place like that.

As they drove, Landers turned around several times, making innocuous comments about the passing landscape. His frank stare assessed Carmen, as if weighing what options he had as far as trusting her.

Feeling the need to reassert the fact that he and Carmen were a team, Rick took her hand and clasped it firmly. Though he felt her briefly tense, her expression remained smooth and unruffled. And beautiful. He couldn’t blame Landers for repeatedly checking her out. Hell, even Rick fought a constant battle to keep from staring at her.

Finally, they exited 45 and turned left, passing under the freeway and by the single motel, eventually leaving pavement for a gravel road. The houses here were small frame structures, and the flat landscape and sparse vegetation made everything visible.

For the first time, Rick wondered what they’d gotten into. He squeezed Carmen’s hand, telling her silently to be ready in case this was some sort of trick. She squeezed back, cutting her gaze to connect with his to let him know she’d thought the same thing.

One more turn and they found themselves surrounded by pasture. Cattle grazed and vultures circled in the cloudless sky above. They continued on until they reached a black wrought-iron gate, which was closed. The driver punched a code into a keypad and the gates swung slowly open.

After turning in, they continued on to a low-slung stone ranch house. Nearby were several outbuildings, one of them a well-constructed barn that appeared to be new. There were black burglar bars over the windows.

Which meant that had to be the lab.

As they rolled to a stop in front of the house, two armed men stepped outside to greet them. Though inside Rick tensed up, he kept his posture and expression relaxed.

Again, the driver jumped out and opened the door, this time on Carmen’s side so she could get out first. And she did, with an impressive display of leg. Her sky-high heels made her look both dangerous and sexy. Exactly his kind of woman, except for her being a Vampire. Too bad.

Head high, expression cool, she looked both of the newcomers up and down. Rick hid his smile.

Landers came around and told them to follow him. Once they’d gone up the steps onto the porch, someone pushed open the screen door and stepped out of the way. Rick reached for Carmen’s hand as they went inside.

The small room had been sparsely furnished. Three men looked up as they approached, though they all remained seated. Eyeing them, Rick wondered which of the three was the leader. Landers made the introductions in a clipped voice. The short, wiry man with the long white beard was Tommy. The bald guy who looked like a linebacker gone to seed was called Holt. And the thin, pale dude with the flat dark eyes was Gus.

They all dipped their chins in greeting. If Landers found it odd that no one spoke, he didn’t show it. He motioned that Rick and Carmen should sit, so they took the empty spot at one end of the soiled couch.

“We got the shipment,” Landers announced, filling the others in on the explosion Rick had engineered as a diversion. They listened carefully. Rick couldn’t help but notice the way their gazes continually went to Carmen, as if they hadn’t seen a woman in too long. For the first time since meeting her, he was glad she was a Vampire. At least he knew she could defend herself against any human male’s unwanted attention.

“She’s the biologist,” Landers finally said, gesturing at Carmen.

“I’m thinking Sheldon’s not gonna be real happy about her,” Holt said, scratching his double chin.

“Maybe not,” Landers replied. “But he could use the help. And look at her. What red-blooded man could stay mad in the face of such beauty?”

Though Rick’s stomach twisted hearing this, he pretended not to care.

Carmen, however, apparently had heard enough. “I’m right here,” she said, her voice clear and hard. “I can hear you, you know.”

While Tommy and Holt fidgeted, each appearing embarrassed, Gus simply continued to stare. The hair on the back of Rick’s neck lifted. Something was off with that one. He bore watching, in case he turned out to be especially dangerous.

Landers laughed. “True. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll try to do better.”

“I’m not your sweetheart.” Yanking her hand free from Rick’s, Carmen pushed to her feet, eyeing them with clear disdain. “I’ve changed my mind about helping. I don’t see anything here that makes me think you could actually pull off engineering something as complicated as a new virus.”

Damn. What the hell was she doing? Did she really think these people were going to just let them go? Not likely, especially since they’d now seen their hideout.

“And,” she continued, “even if this Sheldon person is some kind of biology genius, I fail to see how you could use something like this to your benefit. Thanks, but no thanks.”

Though he had to tamp down his alarm, Rick stood, too. He hoped Carmen knew what she was doing. “Well, the boss has spoken,” he drawled, while keeping his eye on the others to gauge their reactions. “I guess this means we’re out.”

“Not so fast.” Landers placed himself squarely between them and the door. “It’s too late. You can’t quit now. You know where we are and you’ve seen all of our faces.”

Rick decided he’d take a chance. “Maybe so, but none of that matters. We haven’t laid eyes on your boss, so I’m thinking we’re good to go. If you’d just pay me for the explosion, we can call it even.”

Landers narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, you haven’t seen the boss? You’ve been dealing with me all along.”

Unsure whether to laugh or take the other man seriously, Rick realized it would be prudent to play it safe. “You’re in charge here?”

Immediately, Landers nodded.

“No, he’s not,” Carmen put in, her voice cool. “It’s the quiet one, Gus. He’s the leader here.”

Landers froze. Judging by the panicked look he shot Gus, Carmen was right. Good instincts.

“Grab her,” Gus ordered, his tone bored though his expression seemed furious. “Put her in my bedroom. It’s time she and I had a private, one-on-one chat.”

Rick stiffened, ready for whatever might happen next. To his relief, Carmen allowed Landers and Tommy to manhandle her, leading her from the room. The glint in her eyes told Rick she was actually enjoying this.

Rick started after her, but Holt, moving surprisingly fast for such a large man, blocked his way. “You wait with me. The boss will let us know when he’s finished.”

* * *

There was nothing Carmen loved better than taking down a power-hungry idiot who thought he could dominate her. While she knew she had to be careful so she didn’t blow this important mission, there was no way in Hades she’d let this Gus person push her around.

His two henchmen shoved her into a large bedroom, dominated by an ornate four-poster bed. She pretended to stumble, but pivoted on her feet, ready to face the leader of the Sons of Darkness. As if. If only they had an idea of what a real son of darkness could be. Silly humans. They had no clue, nor would they ever.

Gus strode into the room and gestured at the other men to leave. Once the door closed behind him, he crossed his arms, his flat gaze hard. “Why are you here?” he demanded.

Since this line of questioning was not at all what she’d expected, she took a moment to choose her reply. “For money,” she said. “As I’m sure you’re aware, I was let go from my job.”

He continued to glare at her, as if by the force of his gaze he thought he could compel her to be truthful. Such a stunt might work on humans, but since she was a Vampire, she had to suppress the urge to laugh in his face.

“That’s what I’ve been told, but I don’t believe it.” There was the slightest hint of a challenge in his even tone. “I’ve looked up your credentials,” he continued. “You’re one of the top three leading biologists in the United States.”

In the world, she thought, but didn’t say it. “I didn’t believe it, either,” she said, her voice sullen. “They accused me of stealing narcotics.” Spur of the moment, but she thought it sounded realistic. “Among other things,” she added, just in case. “None of it is true. I’m a damn good biologist.” After all, she’d had centuries to hone her skills.

Looking her up and down, he grimaced. His flat eyes reminded her of some really ancient Vampires she’d met once. But this one was only human; she could smell the coppery scent of his blood and hear the steady thump of his heart.

As the silence stretched on, he continued to stare at her, no doubt trying to make her uncomfortable, but she refused to allow this. Instead, she stared right back and waited.

“Do you know what we’re developing here?” he asked.

This time she didn’t have to feign her interest. “Yes. A new virus. I admit, I find that fascinating. I’d love to be part of research like that.”

“It’s not research,” he corrected her. “We plan to use it if we have to. Unless we receive what we want from the US Government.”

Now they were on tricky ground. Rick hadn’t told her how much of this she was supposed to know. “What do you want?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

“War with West Latvia,” he immediately said. “I want that country’s trade wiped off the map.”

“But why?” And this truly was the part she didn’t understand. “What are your reasons?”

“Russia.” He spoke the name as if saying it should be enough. Still, she waited, not sure what he meant.

He sighed at her lack of reaction. “Russia trades heavily with them. It’s a way to buy myself power.”

“But why would you want power with Russia?”

This time, he laughed. “How about you just stick to biology? I don’t have time to explain the intricate nature of politics to you.”

His condescending tone had her clenching her teeth. But she kept her annoyance in check, aware the stakes were far too high for her to blow it on something so trivial.

“Money can buy power,” she finally said. “I’m guessing you’re aware of how much something like this would fetch on the international market?”

“We’re exploring all options.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “I can see how someone like you might be valuable to my organization. Your husband, though—I’m not sure I need him.”

Alarm prickled along her spine, though she took care to show no reaction. Straightening, she tilted her head and eyed him the way one would look at a particularly noxious rodent. “My husband and I are a team. You can’t have me without him.”

He laughed. “You’re not running things here, sweetheart.”

This human was damn lucky she’d had centuries to learn how to control her anger. Even so, she felt that familiar flash of rage and wanted to crush him. Which she easily could, right here and right now, without blinking an eye.

“Again, I’m not your sweetheart,” she drawled. “It’s me and Rick or neither of us. Now, do we have a deal or not?” Bracing herself for Gus’s reaction to her declaration, she knew she had to come up with a quick plan in case he decided to simply kill them. He had no idea he couldn’t—the only thing that would end Rick was a silver bullet or fire. As for her, a stake through the heart. Beyond that, they were invincible. They could be hurt, true. But Rick’s kind had supernaturally fast healing powers. She couldn’t bleed if she hadn’t been fed enough blood.

Instead of yet another staring contest, Gus laughed again. She detected a slight note of unease hidden in his pretend mirth. “You’re a tough one,” he said. “I will agree to take both of you—on one condition.”

She nodded.

“No drug use while you’re in my employ. Either of you. If I find out you indulged, I will kill you.”

Finally, something that actually made sense. “Agreed,” she replied. “As long as you leave my husband to me. I will need him at the lab, working as my assistant. He follows my orders really, really well. If he doesn’t...” She lifted one shoulder delicately, letting her meaning sink in. “There are consequences to pay.”

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