by Janice Jones
Conner just nodded. He waved them all forward.
He waited for them to be seated in the chairs on either side of him before he spoke.
“I don’t have to tell you how disappointed I am.”
All nodded with their eyes cast down.
“Not in you,” Conner continued. “But we seem to be one step behind him at every turn. Either we have an informant in our midst or we’re not as good as we think we are.”
Aiden sat forward and poured himself a drink, then one for his brother Sean, who was seated next to him. “Had the humans told us sooner, maybe we would have been able to recapture him. God only knows where he is by now.”
“He had help,” Conner sighed. “He couldn’t have done this without it.”
Aiden pushed the bottle toward Conner, who sent it in the opposite direction. His other two sons, Zu and Raphael, who looked more haggard than their brothers, poured a vial of blood in their glasses.
“We have to consider the possibility of a traitor inside the Council,” Zu sighed in his West Indian accent. “But we’ve been so busy tracking his sarcophagus we haven’t had time to look into it yet.”
“Speaking of which,” Conner sighed. “Where is it now?”
“My lab, under guard,” Sean replied. “I’ll take a look at it in the morning.”
Conner nodded again and emptied his glass. “Get some rest, all of you. I’ll meet you at home. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
They stood and Conner hugged each of his sons.
As they walked slowly across the empty floor of the hall, he moved around the table and watched them until they reached the large wooden doors leading out.
“Hey,” his voice boomed through the space. They turned as if they were one person in response to Conner’s call. “Let me know when Michael has returned.”
They all smiled and waved at him as they disappeared from his view. He could hear the echo of their conversation and laughter move slowly away as they did.
Chapter 16
Alex glanced up from her work to see Jason narrow his focus on her. He was still as a photograph. With everything that had happened over the last few days, it seemed only logical he’d show up on her doorstep to whisk her off to Vegas. To everyone, it was a romantic gesture meant to prove that there was something more than business going on between them. To her, it was proof the vampires were just as scared as the humans were about the body count.
When Jason blinked, his irises turned pale amber then back to deep brown as he stared at her.
“What?” she sighed as she tapped on the keyboard.
“I’m sorry about your friend,” Jason said as he closed his laptop on the seat next to him.
“Sure you are,” Alex replied without even a glance at him.
She ignored him as he crossed the small space between them. He closed her laptop and pulled it away before she could protest. As he sat down next to her, he placed it on the tray in front of them, then pushed it all to the side.
“I mean it,” he said as he took her hand in his. The tips of his fingers moved down her palm. “I didn’t do it either. You have to know that.” When his fingers stopped at her wrist, he wrapped them around it and she could feel her pulse jump beneath his grip.
“I wouldn’t be here if you had,” she replied. “And neither would you.”
“Who was she to you, if not a lover?” he asked, as his lips lightly touched her palm.
“Does it matter?” Alex sighed. “She’s dead now. If I’d left her where she was, maybe she’d still be alive, even as bite junkie.”
Jason pulled her arm up and ran his nose over the vein in her wrist. She felt that chill again, but it was different from when they kissed.
“Or not,” she heard him whisper, his warm breath on her wrist caused the vein to throb. “You saved her for a reason. The problem is someone didn’t want her saved.”
As much as she knew she should, she couldn’t pull away. The way his lips brushed her skin, then his tongue traced the bluish-green vein back to her palm, made her head swim.
“Obviously,” she whispered to the top of his head.
He looked up at her. “Sorry.”
She let her right arm rest on top of his left, his hand almost swallowing hers. When his fingers slipped through hers, he curled them down as they pulled hers into a double fist. In his grip, shoulder to shoulder, she was caught, literally and figuratively. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t let any vampire this close to her—hell, any human either—but it seemed safe in a dangerous kind of way. Obviously he wanted something from her besides sex. It was written all over his face. He had an agenda, like most people did, but his wasn’t quite clear just yet.
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Strange to be so close, but feel so far away, Jason thought. She would warm up to him, but it wouldn’t go as smoothly as he wanted to believe. Aside from the sexual attraction between them, Jason could also tell she had a natural distrust of people in general, not just vampires. Usually, he didn’t give a damn what humans kept locked inside their heads because he could get to it, if he wanted. But he couldn’t with her. Every time he tried, he was rewarded with a sharp pain to his right temple and nothing else. Alex Stone was much more than she appeared to be, so much more. He’d never come across any other human who could block his telepathic abilities. Not one that could match his speed, stamina, or intellect, not one. Then she was pushed into his life and all bets were off. Which made him wonder what he was really more excited about. Being on Conner Gale’s short list or being Alex Stone’s next lover.
Physical closeness was all an ordinary man could have with her. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy the wealth of emotions Jason was sure Alex had at her command; she wouldn’t let him. All the average Joe would ever know was one part of her, Jason was very sure of that. But for him, an immortal with the gift of telepathy, connecting to her mind while he seduced her would be an experience beyond description. But he had tried to move too fast back in her office and ended up back at the starting line. Now, he would have to work back up to square one, on her terms, unfortunately.
So as his body touched hers, he tried very hard not to even attempt to use his abilities on her. Could he possess her, fully, without that edge though? Would she allow him inside so that they shared in each other’s emotions? The idea drove his temperature up. Just the thought of being able to hear what she wanted from him, what she wanted him to do to her, caused his heart and his body to crave the taste of her blood and the feeling of being so deep inside her she wouldn’t want anyone else but him.
It had been almost one hundred years since he had to seduce a woman with only his prowess. He raised her wrist to his mouth again and took a deep breath. Her perfume had faded hours ago. Now her true scent had surfaced and it was a combination Jason had never encountered before. Most women smelled of cheap knockoffs or very expensive perfumes and soaps. She didn’t. He wasn’t sure what his nose had discovered, but it was wildly sensual, almost inhuman. Odds were it was just his desire that made him believe she wasn’t just human. As with anything forbidden, being told you can’t have someone makes you want to disprove that theory. He could have anyone he wanted, even in the slightest way. A woman like Alex was too rare for just anyone. And Jason wasn’t just anybody. Jason was somebody no one had ever denied.
The sound of her heart as it raced in her chest sharpened his attention to the moment. Her body temperature had risen, however slightly, as he held her to him. But her thoughts were locked away in her brain, a brain he couldn’t enter. Without thinking, his fangs dropped. Long and white against her brown skin, they came to razor sharp points as they gently touched her vein. Jason’s mouth watered at the thought of one long taste of her blood.
“Don’t,” she said in his ear. The vibration of the raspy spoken word shook his insides.
He heard the blood as it flowed like an angry riv
er. It teased him without shame. It called his name, dared him to taste it. Jason licked at her wrist and hoped for a different answer.
“I’m asking you not to,” she repeated.
His teeth retracted, then he dropped her hand and turned to her. “Just a taste, one taste,” he moaned.
“No.”
Her denial never crossed his mind. She seemed so willing just a few seconds ago, or maybe it was just wishful thinking.
“I won’t hurt you, Alex,” he said as he picked up her hand again.
“You can’t hurt me, Jason,” she replied, pulling free of his grip.
Just as he felt the urge to take what he wanted, the co-pilot appeared and announced their approach. He picked up the stray cups of coffee and asked them to prepare for their landing in Las Vegas.
Jason packed his briefcase and buckled up. So did Alex.
She suddenly grinned at him. He couldn’t help but grin back because she was so hard to deny. Later, he’d have another chance; he knew that for sure. But a different approach was in order. She was different from the others he’d conquered and controlled—mostly because he couldn’t control her at all.
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Jason was pleased that Alex agreed to join him for breakfast the next morning. He wanted to apologize for the night before and start new. If she didn’t trust him completely the plan wouldn’t work. He would turn up the charm, get her trust, and prove to Conner that he was the right choice.
He continued his phone conversation as she approached the table. When his bodyguard held her chair, she smiled and took his hand as she sat. Jason shook his head slightly as the young bodyguard flushed red. Young men can be so easily manipulated. Young vampires were too busy trying to control all the changes inside them, so it was understandable that an attractive woman would distract them with very little effort.
“That was Coop,” Jason said as he placed his phone down on the table. “We’ll meet for lunch. See where we are on all of this.”
“Great, “Alex replied.
After she dumped too much sugar and cream in the small cup of Colombian coffee, she stirred it slowly, eyes fixed on it. Jason watched her, still trying to figure her out.
From the moment they met, there had been a distance between them. One of her making, of course, but it was there when he kissed her that day. It was there on the plane last night when he took her hand in his. He could still smell her blood lingering around his nostrils. And it was here now, deep and wide, and Jason had no idea how to cross it.
“I have a couple of meetings this morning,” he continued as she stirred and stirred. “What about you? Anything planned until lunch?”
She just shook her head as the mocha colored liquid spun around and around.
“Shopping? That’s always fun during the holidays,” he said. Alex cut her eyes up at him with a frown. “Fine, you’re not a shopaholic,” he chuckled. “I just thought maybe you’d need something to help pass the time, that’s all.” He gave her a bow of his head to apologize.
“I’m sure I can find something to amuse me till then,” she replied.
“I’m not sure if that’s good or bad,” Jason replied.
“Relax,” Alex grinned finally, then took a sip of her coffee. “I promise to be a good little girl.”
“I bet you’re better when you’re not,” he said absently, as she wiped her mouth and stood. The bodyguard helped her with her jacket.
Before Jason stood, she was over his shoulder, her hand kept him seated. She leaned over and put her lips to his ear. “I bet you are too.”
Her lips brushed his ear with such a light touch that he shuddered. After she thanked the bodyguard for his help, she walked away without even one look back.
“Follow her,” Jason told the bodyguard. “Don’t get too close, but keep her in sight. And remember, she’s just a pretty woman, Oren. There are lots of them in Vegas.”
“Yes, sire,” Oren replied. “You can count on me.”
Chapter 17
The kid in the really expensive suit would be easy to lose, so Alex kept her casual stroll down the sidewalk.
With a loose grip on the phone in her jacket pocket, she waited for their signal. When it buzzed, she stopped in front of the Monte Carlo, put the device to her ear and pretended to talk. Her shadow appeared a few feet away, hidden from the bodyguard’s view by a high fence covered in black plastic bags.
She had to admit it was a good idea.
As she inched closer to the makeshift construction barrier, a crowd of teenagers blocked his view and the switch. Behind the fence, Alex handed her jacket to a woman approximate in height and weight with a smile. The decoy stepped out onto the sidewalk and the vampire followed.
“Nina will keep him busy for hours,” Sebastian smiled as he led her down the dimly lit tunnel.
“This won’t take that long,” Alex replied as they headed toward sunlight again.
At the end of the tunnel, Xavier and the twins sat on a low wall as people passed like zombies on their way to wherever. Xavier tossed a box at her along with a jacket.
“Thanks,” she said. “Everybody ready?”
“Coop says she’s expecting you,” he replied. “He says you owe him a grand, by the way.”
“So what’s the big secret,” David said. “Where are we going?”
The sleek black GMC Yukon sat next to a steel gray Maserati GranCabrio Sport, top down. The back lot was quiet for a Friday morning, but all the action was inside the casino, even on a Friday morning.
“You three are headed here,” she said and she texted Kai a name and address. “Just tell him Alex sent you. He’ll take it from there.” Then she turned to a very surprised Sebastian. “You’re with me.”
David tossed the keys to him as she got in the passenger side.
“Don’t forget to thank the man when you’re done,” she yelled. Both of them waved as they burned away. “See you at lunch!”
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Sebastian wasn’t sure if he should be scared or honored, but he enjoyed the wheels he sat in now. As he blended into morning traffic, she entered an address in the GPS, then eased the seat back with a yawn.
“So, where to, boss?”
He caught the little grin on her face from the corner of his eye.
She tapped the navigation screen and shut her eyes. “Just follow the nice lady’s instructions and relax.”
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“I’m relaxed,” he replied. “Don’t I look relaxed?”
“I’m guessing you’ve fed,” she grinned and ignored his attempt at being cool even though he wasn’t at all. His death grip on the steering wheel made that obvious.
Sebastian chuckled, turned down the radio and rolled up the windows. He should be able to hear her perfectly over the wind and music. The gesture, she figured, was mostly for her benefit.
“I have. But if you’re offering, I could use a quickie!”
She turned her head toward him as it still rested against the seat.
“I’m not,” she yawned again. “This lead might have something we can use, so I need you to stay focused, that’s all. And for the record, I don’t do quickies.”
“Noted,” Sebastian replied.
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“You boys known Alex long?” the old man croaked as the twins inspected each gun carefully. Government issued C-4 and caps were packed carefully in the other case with the ammo.
“Not long,” Xavier replied. “You?”
The old man, his weathered leathery skin stretched and folded in long grooves around his cracked lips, grinned. “Long enough.” He stifled a witchy cackle as he packed the cases in front of him with special weapons.
Sleek lines polished to a high shine, both Stealth Recon Scout .338s fit snugly in their black cases. There were two more cases
with two P226 X-Six Sig Sauers each resting on the table beside the rifles. Modified to carry the custom ammo, their wood grip plates were polished and brand new. He closed each one, then tapped the counter top for the twins to pick them up.
The twins each took a case and followed the old man and Xavier outside again.
Small dust clouds swirled around their feet as they packed the SUV.
“Tell her I heard this guy has a prototype she might be interested in,” he said as he slapped a piece of ragged paper into Xavier’s palm. “He’s in L.A. Good huntin’ fellas!”
“Do you get the feeling he knows something about her we don’t?” David sighed from the back seat.
Xavier nodded, but kept silent. Kai just slumped in the passenger seat and sent Alex a text that they had the weapons and a lead in L.A.
“We should get a full bio on him by tonight,” Xavier finally said. “The doctor erased her file and everything on that last mission. We’re supposed to find out why. So just do what she tells us and finish in one piece.”
Kai’s phone buzzed with a response. “She says get a plane ready for L.A. by the time they get back.”
Chapter 18
She sidled up to Sebastian with sex oozing from every pore. Alex could hear her tiny sniffs here and there and the soft purrs as they floated through the air. Sebastian did as he was told, one eye on Alex, the other on the woman as she moved around him like silk.
“Vampire,” Alex grinned.
Kit Blaze, high priced call girl and Shifter, frowned as she circled and sniffed.
“No kidding,” she squealed, then shook her head. “That’s a shame. Can he . . .”