Eat Prey Love las-9

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  “All right.” So his steak dinner would be delayed a few minutes. He could handle that as long as he didn’t have to deal with her.

  “Could you go down to the firing range?” Emma asked. “Caitlyn’s there with Phineas, and she needs to be warned that her father’s on the premises. She might not want to see him right now.”

  Damn. “Why don’t we just call Phineas?” He reached in his pants’ pocket for his cell phone.

  “We tried,” Angus explained. “But he dinna answer. He must be…verra busy with her.”

  Carlos’s hand flinched around his cell phone. Merda. He was reacting like a jealous lover. He took a deep breath to calm the raging beast, then made sure his claws hadn’t emerged before removing his hand from his pocket.

  He realized Angus and Emma were watching him curiously. They know about the kiss. A shot of pain speared his temple. “I’ll be right back.”

  A few minutes later Carlos swiped his ID card through the security pad next to the indoor firing range and slipped inside. Both Phineas and Caitlyn were wearing headphones and didn’t hear him enter. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest as his gaze meandered over her body.

  Her feet were spread wide to maintain balance. Her legs were long and tanned, beautifully shaped. Her wide stance stretched her gray skirt taut around her thighs. If he was one of the wolf shifters, he’d be drooling by now.

  She’d removed her jacket, and her sleeveless silk blouse clung to her torso, clearly showing the elegant line of her back and how it narrowed into her waist. He wondered if the rose-colored silk was the same color as her nipples.

  Bam! She stumbled backward from the recoil but managed not to fall over. At the far end of the room the large paper outline of a man remained perfectly still.

  Carlos sighed. So much for his hopes that she would already know how to shoot. She was woefully inexperienced.

  Next to her, Phineas slid his headphones off to rest around his neck. “Damn! You missed again.”

  She ripped off her headphones and dumped them on the counter in front of them. “This is so frustrating. I’m doing everything you said.”

  “I know what’s wrong,” Carlos said.

  With a gasp, she spun toward him.

  He winced and held up his hands.

  “Whoa!” Phineas shoved her hand down. “Remember the first rule I told you? Don’t point your gun at anyone unless you want to kill him.”

  “But who knows what a lady wants?” Carlos murmured.

  She glared at him with a look that could kill. “Right now I’d like to hit the damned target. I’m halfway through my box of bullets and I haven’t come close.”

  “You’re too tense.” Carlos pushed off the wall and strode toward her. “Kick off your shoes.”

  “What do my shoes have to do with anything?”

  “You’re teetering on those high heels,” Carlos explained. “It’s distracting you.”

  “Yeah.” Phineas nodded. “She has been stumbling a lot.”

  “Fine.” She kicked off her shoes. “What now?”

  He smiled slowly. “Your skirt’s too tight. It’s restricting your movement.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not taking off my skirt.”

  “Damn.” Phineas slapped his leg. “That was a good try, Carlos.”

  She snorted. “Do you have any useful suggestions?”

  “Yes.” Carlos’s gaze lingered on her sweet mouth. He could think of a lot of suggestions. “Will you do as I ask?”

  She licked her lips. “Maybe.”

  He motioned with his hand. “Turn around. Face the target.”

  She turned her back to him and rested her hands on the counter, the gun still gripped in one hand.

  Carlos waved at Phineas to leave, but he just grinned. He wandered over to a chair and plopped down, obviously determined to enjoy the show.

  Carlos moved behind Caitlyn, placed his fingertips on her shoulders, and she flinched.

  “Shh, menina.” He pressed her shoulders down. “You’re hunched up to your ears. You need to relax.”

  “How can I relax when I’m holding a freaking gun? I’m not a violent person.”

  “Any person can be violent.” He leaned toward her and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair and skin. “Close your eyes.”

  “Why?” She turned her head slightly, and her temple brushed against his mouth. She looked away, her muscles constricting under his hands.

  “Relax.” He gently massaged her shoulders. “Close your eyes, menina.”

  “What are you going to do?” she asked with a breathy voice.

  “I’m going to tell you a story.” He stroked his fingers along the tender skin of her neck and paused when she shivered. Merda. She was so susceptible to his touch. And she smelled so good, it took all his control not to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. “Close your eyes.”

  “I don’t trust you.”

  “Catalina,” he whispered. “You have the gun. You have the power. Close your eyes.”

  She lowered her head and her eyes flickered shut.

  He leaned close, his lips next to her ear. “You have a lover.”

  “I don’t think so.” Her shoulders rose, tensing again.

  “Play along with me.”

  “You wish.”

  He dug his fingers into her shoulders, pressing them down, and she moaned. “You were madly in love with him. You gave him your heart, your soul. But then he did you wrong.”

  “He kissed me, then acted like it was a mistake?” she muttered.

  Carlos winced. “Yes, that is exactly what the bastard did. Now open your eyes and shoot him in his black heart.”

  She lifted her head, clasped the gun with both hands, and took aim. Bam! She swayed back from the recoil, bumping against Carlos’s chest. He steadied her, holding her against him. The paper man shuddered with a hit.

  “You did it!” Phineas ran up to the counter and pushed the button to activate the pulley that would slide the paper target close to them.

  “Damn, woman.” Phineas gave her a horrified look. “Remind me never to make you angry.”

  Caitlyn gasped as the paper came close enough for her to spot the bullet hole with her mortal vision. “Oh dear.”

  Carlos winced. She’d blasted the man right through his balls. “Well, I think we should be positive about this.”

  She looked over her shoulder at him with a grateful smile. “That’s what I always say. We should look at the bright side.”

  Carlos returned her smile. With a small mental jolt he realized his headache was much better. The scent and feel of her was so damned sweet.

  “There ain’t no bright side,” Phineas objected. “The man’s got no gonads.”

  “But she hit the target,” Carlos said.

  “The man has got no gonads,” Phineas repeated forcefully.

  “It was an accident.” Caitlyn set her gun on the counter. “I was aiming for his chest.”

  “You blew his pecker into Connecticut,” Phineas muttered.

  She grinned. “I think you have issues, Phineas. It was only a paper pecker.”

  “The worst kind,” Carlos added.

  She laughed, and his heart stopped. She sounded like music and tinkling wind chimes and the trill of birdsong all in one. Making her laugh made him feel like he could conquer mountains.

  “Would you like to practice some more?” he asked.

  “I think I should stop while I’m ahead.” She ejected the cartridge from her automatic. “My ears are ringing.”

  Carlos removed his cell phone from his pants’ pocket. Maybe enough time had passed and her father was gone. “I’ll see if it’s okay for you to go upstairs.”

  “Why wouldn’t it be okay?” she asked.

  He hesitated. “Your sister and the children are in the nursery.”

  “Oh, I’d love to see them.” Caitlyn slipped her shoes back on and reached for her suit jacket.

  “And your fa
ther’s there,” Carlos added.

  She paused with her jacket half on. “Oh.”

  “He brought a present to Tino,” Carlos continued. “Angus and Emma sent me down here to warn you. They figured you wouldn’t want to see him right now.”

  “Oh, man.” Phineas shook his head. “Your dad’s gonna be pissed when he finds out you’re working for MacKay.”

  “He has to find out sooner or later.” Caitlyn finished putting on her jacket. “I might as well get this over with.”

  “Are you sure?” Carlos asked.

  She took a deep breath. “Yes. I made my decision, and I’ll stand behind it.” Her eyes hardened with a glint of anger. “Besides, I have a few questions for my father.”

  Chapter Eight

  C aitlyn exited the elevator and strode across the foyer. Just as she entered the hallway, she spotted her father leaving the nursery. His head turned at the sound of her heels on the marble floor. His eyes widened.

  She steeled her nerves for his reaction.

  “Caitlyn,” he demanded, “what are you doing here?”

  She continued to walk calmly toward him. “I work here.”

  He flinched, then his face turned red. “The hell you do. Is this some kind of sick joke?”

  Shanna peered out the open top half of the nursery door and gave Caitlyn a worried look. “There’s no reason for anyone to get upset. I’m sure we can discuss this in a rational manner.”

  “It’s really quite simple,” Caitlyn added. “I’ve accepted a job with MacKay Security and Investigation.”

  “No!” Sean’s face grew a darker red and his hands fisted. “I’ve lost one daughter to this foul place. I refuse to lose another!”

  “There’s nothing wrong with this place.” Caitlyn stopped across the hall from the nursery.

  “It’s infested with vermin,” Sean hissed. “Foul creatures of the—”

  “Enough!” Shanna stepped into the hall, closing the nursery door behind her. She lowered her voice. “Don’t talk like that in front of my children.”

  Sean ground his teeth as he visibly fought for control. “This is a nightmare.” His head snapped to the side and he glared. “Get lost. This is a private conversation.”

  Caitlyn whirled around and found Carlos walking toward them. Damn. He didn’t follow instructions well. She’d told him and Phineas that she wanted to handle this alone.

  “Don’t mind me,” Carlos muttered as he strolled by. “Just passing through. I have a meeting to attend.”

  Sean waited till Carlos swiped his ID card by the MacKay security office, then he stepped closer to Caitlyn. “I can’t believe you did this to me. Do you know how hard it was to get the CIA to accept you? They were not impressed by the fiasco you created at your last job.”

  Caitlyn glanced at Carlos. He’d paused outside the door, his head cocked in a way that made it obvious he was listening. Damn him. Though she probably deserved it for eavesdropping on him last night. “I wouldn’t call it a fiasco.”

  “It got you fired,” Sean argued.

  “It saved a woman’s life.” She noticed Carlos had stopped pretending not to listen. He was now leaning against the door, studying her with his gleaming amber eyes.

  “It caused a scandal,” Sean said. “I had to call in some major markers to get you a job working for me.”

  “I appreciate your efforts, but I decided to work here.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” Sean gave Shanna an angry look. “This is your fault, isn’t it?”

  Shanna frowned. “I invited her to Tino’s party last night and explained the situation to her.”

  “You mean you brainwashed her,” Sean growled. “You were always the one to cause problems.”

  “She did nothing wrong.” Caitlyn jumped to her sister’s defense. She had a terrible feeling there were secrets she still didn’t know about. “I could see with my own eyes that the vampires, mortals, and shape shifters here have combined to make one loving, supportive family. And I’m happy to be a part of it.”

  “I will not allow it,” Sean growled. “You will not live with these monsters!”

  “I’m not a monster!” Tino yelled.

  Caitlyn gasped when she saw the little boy had levitated so he could see over the closed bottom half of the door. “Dad!” she shouted, drawing his attention to her before he could turn. “My mind is made up.” She noted with relief that Shanna was hurrying into the nursery to grab Tino.

  “Cait, you’re not thinking clearly,” Sean said, facing her. “Who would you trust the most—vampires or the government?”

  She tilted her head. “That’s a tough one.”

  Carlos chuckled.

  Sean spun toward him. “What the hell are you doing, listening in on us?”

  Carlos smiled. “Good night, sir.” He glanced at Caitlyn and switched to Portuguese. “Brava, menina. You’re a brave and fearless fighter.”

  Her heart swelled at the compliment. “Thank you.”

  “What did he say?” Sean demanded as Carlos slipped inside the MacKay office.

  “Nothing,” she mumbled. She noted with relief that Shanna was now holding Constantine. The little boy’s secret was safe.

  “I’m not letting this go,” Sean warned her. “I’ll talk to MacKay myself and get him to release you.”

  “You will let it go.” Caitlyn lifted her chin. “Or I’ll ask Mom why Shanna never received any of the letters I wrote to her.”

  Sean’s face paled. “I…don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “After Shanna left home, I wrote letters to her, lots of letters, and Mom gave them to you so you could mail them from your office.”

  Sean shrugged. “They must have gotten lost. Or maybe we had the wrong address.”

  “Or maybe you never mailed them,” Caitlyn said quietly.

  Shanna shook her head sadly. “Cait, let it go.”

  “Right,” Sean agreed. “It was a long time ago. Water under the bridge.”

  “It was a bridge I never got to cross,” Caitlyn snapped. “I needed my sister. I felt all alone and abandoned. And Shanna felt abandoned, too.”

  Sean crossed his arms, scowling at her. “You have no reason to complain. You were well provided for, both of you. You always had everything you needed.”

  “Except each other,” Caitlyn muttered.

  Sean’s mouth thinned. “I thought it was for the best.”

  Caitlyn planted her hands on her hips. “And I’m doing what I think is best. I’m working for MacKay. It’s my decision, and I expect you to respect it.”

  With a groan, Sean shook his head. “It’s a big mistake, but I guess you’ll have to learn the hard way. Whatever you do, please don’t get involved with a vampire. I know they’re somehow attractive to females, but—”

  “It’s all right, Dad. I won’t fall for a vampire. I promise.” Because for better or for worse, her interests were focused on a shape shifter.

  When Carlos stepped inside the security office, he discovered the meeting had already commenced. Angus sat behind the desk, talking, while Emma perched on a corner. The two chairs in front of the desk were occupied by Lara and Olivia. Their Vamp husbands, Jack and Robby, stood behind them.

  The Draganestis’ daytime bodyguard, Howard Barr, eased behind the desk to select a bear claw from the doughnut box on the console. As a were-bear, Howard constantly ate as if he were preparing for a winter’s hibernation. Roman’s nighttime bodyguard, Connor Buchanan, leaned against a wall, his arms folded across his chest. Next to him was J.L. Wang, a fairly new Vamp who had worked with Olivia at the FBI. Ian MacPhie had teleported in from Dragon Nest Academy and brought Phil Jones, the werewolf, with him.

  Phineas was missing. Since Caitlyn had asked him and Phineas to let her deal with her father alone, Phineas had gone outside to do his rounds. Carlos spotted him on a surveillance monitor, zipping over the grounds at vampire speed.

  Carlos had been too curious to stay away from Caitlyn’s conversa
tion with her father. He preferred to think of it as curiosity. Not protectiveness. Even though he had been prepared to punch Sean if necessary.

  Caitlyn had handled the situation remarkably well. Carlos doubted she was very strong physically, but mentally and emotionally, she was tough. He’d heard her the night before, talking to Raquel and Coco. She’d helped them more in just a few minutes than he had in the last five years. It had sorely aggravated him at first, but now he realized he was grateful for the compassion she’d shown to his girls and the comfort she’d given them. She was brave in a way that he was lacking.

  And she was monopolizing his thoughts, dammit. He pushed her to the back of his mind and concentrated on the discussion at hand. Robby MacKay was voicing his frustration over their inability to locate Casimir.

  “Aye,” Angus agreed. “The bloody coward is too good at hiding.”

  “Could be worse,” J.L. observed. “At least when he’s hiding, he’s not killing people.”

  “Aye,” Connor muttered. “When he stops leaving a trail of dead bodies, he’s impossible to find. He could be anywhere. And if we get close, he only has to teleport away.”

  “We need to keep watch on his entry points into America,” Jack warned. For safety reasons, a vampire either used a sensory beacon to teleport somewhere or he would go to places he’d teleported to before. Those locations would be embedded in his psychic memory.

  “We know of several places he’s teleported to,” Robby said. “Apollo’s compound in Maine, the coven house in New Orleans, the campground south of Mount Rushmore, and the federal prison in Leavenworth.”

  “And those farmhouses in Nebraska,” Olivia added. “My old boss at the FBI will let us know if anything happens in Nebraska or Leavenworth.”

  “I’ve asked the werewolves in Maine to keep an eye on the compound,” Phil said. “And I’ve contacted some Lakota Indians who can shift into wolves. They’ve promised to watch over the area around Mount Rushmore. The Black Hills are sacred to them. They want no more spilled blood there.”

  “Excellent.” Angus nodded. “Now let’s move on to some new assignments. Zoltan Czakvar is hunting for Casimir in Eastern Europe, and he’d appreciate some help.”