I Hunger for You

by Susan Sizemore

  “Aw,” Laurent complained, and got an agreeing look from Foxe.

  “Initially nonlethal?” Mia protested.

  “We cannot go in unprepared,” Barak told her.

  “You can’t do anything without me,” she pointed out, and crossed her arms. “And I have a plan.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Everybody’s going to be really pissed at me if this doesn’t work, Mia thought as the car approached the rendezvous point at the Van Trier airport.

  She and Colin were seated on opposite sides of the spacious back seat, not touching. They hadn’t spoken for a while, either, not even by telepathic contact. Ever since the op started, Colin had been focused on nothing else.

  To set everything in motion she’d made a phone call, and they’d been picked up by a car sent by her great-grandfather’s lawyer. So far, so good, but those who’d argued against doing it her way weren’t going to like it if anything went wrong.

  Colin had been one of the one’s who argued about her coming along, no matter how necessary her presence was. She didn’t know whether he was trying to protect her, or if it was because once the action got started, Primes were macho males who ran the show. She had a nagging fear that he didn’t quite trust the Patron’s great-granddaughter. And she almost didn’t blame him if that were the case.

  Even more important, if her plan didn’t work, people and vampires both could end up dead. She wanted no deaths on her conscience.

  Well, maybe the smart-mouthed blond Manticore guy.

  No, not even him.

  “What a rough, tough slayer I made,” she whispered, and got a quelling look from Colin in response.

  She quelled the impulse to stick out her tongue, since Colin’s gaze flicked briefly toward the driver. The driver ultimately worked for the Patron. The less gratuitous chatter, the better, if this make-shift undercover operation was to work.

  Colin was half tempted to reach over, pat Mia’s hand, and reassure her that she would do just fine. She might not be up to slaying vampires, but she could hold her own in a fight against mortal opponents.

  He was spoiling for a fight, but he had to hope that it didn’t come to one. One of the reasons he hadn’t wanted Mia along was that if she got into trouble, his first impulse would be to protect his bondmate. That impulse could cloud his judgment in the middle of a dangerous situation. And maybe another reason he didn’t want her in a fight was because he wasn’t sure which way her instincts would impel her to jump.

  But he admitted that her presence was necessary. She was the key. But having her with him was dangerous in many ways. Not only did he worry about her safety, he had trouble keeping his hands off her. This was not a situation where a Prime’s natural lust for his bondmate was welcome. Not touching her was a misery, but it was the only choice for now.

  “Remember to stay in character,” he’d told her before they left the house. “Keep your hands to yourself and your mind on business.”

  His tone and attitude had angered her. “Do I look like a lust-crazed idiot to you?”

  “Yes,” he’d answered, not adding that he was even more crazed than she was. It was better to have her pissed at him and in character, even if having her angry brought its own dangers.

  Now, as the car pulled to a stop next to another dark sedan, he chafed at not being in charge of the situation, but tried to tell himself that this was no different than an op led by his mortal SWAT commander. Except that he had total faith in his commander’s abilities.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  Mia steeled her resolve at Colin’s words, trying to emulate his calm. She got out of the car and approached the man standing at the rear of the other car, recognizing him as one of the lawyers she’d dealt with before.

  “Where is the object?” he asked when she reached him. Then he looked suspiciously at Colin. “Who is this?”

  Mia was pleased with the man’s reaction; he obviously didn’t recognize Colin for a vampire. She’d been worried that there was some secret way his nature could be detected, and now she was a bit more confident this would work.

  “He’s here to help,” she told the lawyer. She gestured toward the trunk of the car she and Colin had come in. “We brought what my great-grandfather requested.”

  “You’ll want to verify the merchandise,” Colin said. He made it sound like a drug deal.

  He walked to the back of the car, and she and the lawyer followed. The lawyer looked nervous.

  Mia was now glad that she’d had to agree to this addition to her original idea. “Pop the trunk,” she ordered their driver.

  It was after dark, and there were no other cars in the parking lot. There were lights illuminating a runway where a small jet was prepped for takeoff. The muted roar of its engines added a keening background noise to this tense meeting.

  The lawyer looked at the handcuffed male lying curled up in the trunk. The prisoner was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, and his ankles were bound as well as his hands. “This is the experimental subject the Patron requested?”

  “Yep, he’s a vampire, all right,” Mia answered. She reached into the trunk and lifted Laurent’s upper lip. He didn’t oblige her by showing even a hint of fang. “He’s drugged to the gills with the stuff I was told to use,” she added. “So you don’t have to be afraid he’s going to bite you.”

  “The subject has the required blood anomalies the lab is looking for,” Colin contributed. “Let’s get him loaded, shall we?”

  The lawyer looked around as if he was afraid they were going to be overheard. And even though Colin’s expression hadn’t changed, she knew he wasn’t happy with her saying the V word. He certainly hadn’t been happy when he’d found out that she been furnished with vampire catching equipment, even though they hadn’t used it. The blond in the trunk had flinched a little at the mention of drugs; maybe he was afraid of needles.

  The lawyer gently lowered the trunk lid. “Thank you for your assistance,” he told Mia. “I will take charge of the subject from this point.”

  “Just what does that mean?” Mia frowned. “My great-grandfather instructed me to bring him the subject.”

  “I know nothing of those instructions. Your presence is no longer required.”

  “Oh, no. That’s not how this plays out.” This lackey was not going to snarl up their plan.

  “He’s not going anywhere without us,” Colin seconded. “We’re taking him to the Patron.”

  “That is not possible,” the lawyer answered adamantly.

  Mia felt her temper rise. “It’s imperative,” she snapped.

  “You will be well compensated for your services,” the lawyer said.

  “I don’t need compensation. I am Henry Garrison’s great-granddaughter; this is a family matter. I did this for him, and for a good cause. It’s not finished until I know the subject is in his possession. Understood?” If this idiot didn’t—

  “My instructions are explicit. I am to take charge of the subject at the rendezvous point and convey it to the research facility. No mention was made of you”—he glanced at Colin—“or anyone else accompanying me.”

  Mia’s temper flared white-hot.

  Get out of my way! she shouted as she glared at the lawyer. Just do as you’re told and get out of my way!

  Colin took a swift step back, his vision flaring bright white and fading quickly to black, the inside of his head ringing with Mia’s telepathic shout. He heard a gasp escape Laurent from inside the trunk.

  When Colin’s vision returned, he saw the lawyer on his knees in front of Mia with his hands clutching his temples, his features a mask of pain. Mia was still glaring at the man, practically incandescent with fury, and he wouldn’t have been surprised if flames suddenly shot out of the tips of her fingers. He’s always known her temper could flash, but he’d never known it could burn.

  He rushed to his bondmate’s side and snagged her around the waist, turning her to face him. “Calm down. Focus it,” he comma
nded when she didn’t take her gaze off the mortal.

  Colin’s touch steadied Mia, made everything solid again. He brought the ground back under her feet, put the sky back over her head. His voice brought her back from a dangerous edge. The world had gone away for a moment, leaving only her will. She’d held it like lightning in her hands, and she’d used it like a weapon.

  She blinked now, and night air laced with jet fuel and desert dust rushed into her lungs. She coughed, shook her head, and told the man on the ground, “Get out of here.”

  He sprinted to his car and was gone within seconds, tires screeching as he fled the airport.

  Mia collapsed against Colin. “That was me,” she said, bewildered. “I did that.” Feeling like a lost child, she looked at him for help. “What did I do?”

  He held her and explained, “Telepathy. Very strong telepathy.”

  She rested her forehead on his shoulder and breathed in his scent, starting to feel dizzy. When she looked at Colin again, his face was slightly out of focus. “Domini said I had a psychic gift. That sometime it would just explode.”

  He nodded. “That was quite an explosion.” He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. “It’s your gift, and your curse.”

  She smiled, but it took an effort. She felt exhausted. “Like Spiderman?”

  “With great power comes great responsibility,” Laurent’s muffled voice came from the trunk.

  Mia looked toward the car. “We’d better—”

  “Not yet.” Colin held her tighter. “Wait for it.”

  “For wha—”

  The pain hit like a star going nova inside her head, driving her down into merciful darkness. She thought she heard Colin say, “That’s what,” just as the darkness closed over her.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  “Is she still out?” Laurent asked.

  Colin glanced across the seating area of the plane’s luxurious cabin. The other Prime was buckled into a plush chair opposite the couch where he was seated with Mia. She was lying with her knees drawn up and her head resting in his lap. The pilots were behind the closed cockpit door, and there was no one else on board.

  He’d been gazing at her worriedly for a long time, running his fingers through her dark curls. Until Laurent spoke, he’d only been aware of the silky texture of her hair and the muted roar of the jet engines as they flew northeast.

  And worry. He was very much aware of aching, desperate worry.

  “Is she going to be all right?” Laurent asked.

  Fear knotted in Colin’s gut, and a hint of primal jealousy began to creep into his emotions. “Why would you care?”

  Laurent raised his cuffed hands dismissively. “Oh, please. You have nothing to worry about from me on her account.”

  “You came after her,” Colin reminded Laurent.

  “That was just business. She’s too dangerous for my taste, my friend.” He tilted his head to one side, studying Colin. “You do know that she’s dangerous, right?”

  Colin looked back at Mia with pride. “We like them dangerous.”

  “Dangerous females are liabilities. Dangerous mortal women are even more dangerous. Mortal women with psychic gifts—that’s the world turned inside out, upside down, and really, really sick, my friend. You are going to ditch her once we’re inside the old man’s place, right? Or at least put a collar and leash on her, if you plan on keeping her.”

  “I’m keeping her,” Colin growled.

  “I know you’ve been forced into that, and I know you don’t like it. You can’t trust her, and she’s taking us into a lion’s den. You better keep an eye on her, and you better keep her under control. If you’re going to be her keeper, take a lesson from how we Tribe Primes handle our mortal women.”

  It would have been tempting to get up and hit the Manticore Prime, but no Clan Prime would strike a helpless prisoner. Laurent probably knew that, and so felt he could say whatever he wanted with impunity. And he seemed genuinely disturbed by Mia’s gifts, which amused Colin. But Colin also found the Manticore’s attitude very disturbing.

  “And how is it you treat your mortal women?”

  Laurent heard the danger in Colin’s tone, and backed down a bit. He shrugged. “They make nice pets, I’m told. I wouldn’t want to keep one, myself. A night and a bite with as many pretty ones as I can score, that’s how I relate to the mortal herd.”

  Laurent’s words made Colin squirm. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing a warped reflection. He was no different than a Tribe bastard, when it came down to what was really important. A strong shudder ran through him, and he tasted bile.

  Laurent laughed softly. “I see that you know exactly how I feel.”

  “I knew I should have put a gag on you,” Colin said.

  The Manticore frowned and rattled the cuffs. They both knew that he could pull them apart any time he wanted, but Laurent was willing to stay in his role as vampire prisoner for the sake of his tribe’s agenda.

  Perhaps he had some honor, after all. No—even though some of the tribes had been forced into less vicious behavior in the last century, the Manticore were not among that group. Laurent’s actions were motivated by greed, and probably fear of his pack leader.

  “Justinian trusts you to do the job, does he?” he asked.

  Laurent laughed softly. “Justinian would never be fool enough to trust anyone completely.” He nodded toward Mia. “Unlike some people I know. When she turns on you, remember that I told you so.”

  This conversation was going nowhere. Besides, Mia was beginning to stir to consciousness, and the plane was beginning its descent.

  “Hello,” he said when Mia lifted her head. She groaned, and he helped her sit up very slowly. Her skin was still a little cool to the touch, and there were dark circles under her eyes. “How do you feel?”

  Mia put her hands over her face and mumbled, “Head. Hurts.”

  If it would just fall off and roll gently away, she’d be perfectly happy. Who wanted a head, when it felt like this?

  Colin put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Do you feel kind of blank? Like the inside of your mind is stuffed up? Mental congestion?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good.”

  She managed to turn her head just far enough to give Colin a scathing look. “Good?”

  “That means you didn’t suffer any permanent brain damage, and you’ll be better soon.”

  Ahh, soon—good. Then, “Brain damage?”

  She heard nearby laughter, and decided that it came from Laurent. Then she realized they were on the plane. They must be on the way to Colorado, though her memories stopped back at the airport parking lot.

  Colin patted her arm reassuringly. “You just overloaded a few psychic circuits with your tantrum. With a little rest and a lot of training, you’ll be fine.”

  “You’ve done the same thing,” she concluded.

  “When I was a kid, yeah.”

  Mia didn’t like the implication that he considered her psychic gifts somewhere in the juvenile range. Then again, she had a raging headache, so she couldn’t objectively conclude if he was being insulting, or if she was just cranky from the pain.

  “Is the plane landing?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Looks like you woke up just in time.”

  Just in time? She scrubbed her hands across her face. Just in time for—

  Oh, yeah, she had a role to play.

  Mia sat up straight and disengaged herself from Colin’s embrace. She noticed that Colin didn’t try to stop her. In fact, when she glanced at him, he’d put on the distant persona once more. She did her best to look cool, calm, and competent, even with a raging headache and worries about whether this was the right thing to do. And whether she and Colin would ever—

  “Heads up,” Laurent announced from across the aisle. “We’re going wheels down.”

  “What are you doing here?” Henry Garrison asked Mia. He then pointed a bony finger at Colin. “Who is he? How did you get in
here?”

  The old boy wasn’t happy. But then, Colin doubted that Garrison was ever happy about anything, maybe just less annoyed from time to time. There was a sour anger in him that permeated everything around him. While the room was large and well lit, Colin had the sense of being trapped in a small, dark space with a hungry rat.

  He didn’t know whether to feel sorry for Mia, that this was her eldest living relative, or worried about the flawed genetics of his future offspring.

  He had only seen Garrison at a distance the night he’d helped destroy the research facility, but Colin recognized the thin old mortal, though not the pair of unmoving bodyguards who stood watch behind him. They hadn’t been among the mercenaries who’d hustled the Patron onto the airplane he’d escaped on.

  There was a wide desk between the old man and where Colin and Mia stood. The only thing on the desk was an open laptop computer. Its matte silver case stood out in stark contrast to the ornate wooden desk, gilt-framed floral prints on the walls, Oriental carpet, and dark velvet wing chairs that made up the room’s furnishings.

  Somehow, Colin didn’t think the Patron was the sort for Victorian decor. This suggested that Garrison had moved in hastily, taking over the remote old mansion sight unseen, and hadn’t had the time to make many changes. So hopefully the security system wasn’t up to modern standards yet, either. Every little weakness would help in shutting the Patron’s operation down permanently this time.

  Colin had taken careful note of every step of their movement into the heart of Garrison’s compound. Security was tight, but there were obvious weaknesses. The small airport where they’d landed was several miles away from the site, which lessened the Patron’s chance of easy escape. This place wasn’t as isolated as the facility in Arizona had been, either. There was a perimeter fence and guards at the entrance, but this was no fortified camp. And there was only this one building, though it was huge. When they’d come in, Laurent had been taken down a staircase off the main hall. Colin guessed that the Manticore Prime was now locked in a basement room.