“It’ll be fine. Trust me.” He patted her shoulder, then turned to his advisors. “My decision is made. We will proceed with the alliance. These Vamps possess special abilities that will come in handy.” He glanced back at Abigail and winked.
She gulped. Dad might be jumping into this alliance out of desperation to save Mom. Such an alliance shouldn’t be based on emotional reasons, but she couldn’t help but share his surge of hope. Mr. Holstein’s ability to teleport meant he could get her into China without the Chinese government even knowing about it. She might find the plants that had the most potential of saving her mother.
But what if Mr. Holstein had dangerous psychic powers? How could she possibly trust him? On the other hand, how could she pass up an opportunity to help her mother?
“Alan.” Her dad turned to the director of Homeland Security. “I’m putting you in charge of making that video disappear and proving to the public that vampires are nothing more than fantasy. Get started immediately.”
Alan Schiller nodded with a resigned look. “Yes, Mr. President.” He strode from the room.
“Thank you,” Mr. Holstein told her father. “We’ll be happy to assist you with any problems that might arise.” He glanced at Abigail and lifted his eyebrows with a questioning look.
She turned away, her cheeks growing warm. Would Dad actually do it? Would he ask a vampire to take her on her research trip?
“I have something personal I’d like to discuss with Mr. Holstein,” her father said. “General, George, Frank, thank you for coming.”
General Bond shot Mr. Holstein a disgusted look, then marched from the office, followed by the secretary of defense and the national security advisor.
“Mr. President?” Josh asked. “I’ll escort your daughters back to the residence floor now.”
“You can take Madison, but I’d like Abigail to stay.”
She swallowed hard. Yes, Dad was going to do it.
“But that’s not fair!” Madison latched on to Abigail’s arm. “If Abby gets to stay, then so do I.”
Dad lowered his voice. “Sweetie, we have business to discuss with Mr. Holstein.”
“I can do that! I’m a vampire expert!”
Dad’s mouth twitched. “I doubt you could know more than the vampire himself.”
“Oh.” She tucked her chin down. “I suppose that’s true.”
“If the young ladies wish to remain, I would be honored to have their company.” Mr. Holstein gave them a dazzling smile.
Abigail’s pulse jumped. Did he know the power of that smile? It was every bit as striking as his phenomenal hearing. The man who had accompanied him, Mr. Whelan, nudged him with an elbow and gave him a warning look that he seemed to find amusing.
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Holstein!” Madison grinned and extended a hand. “I’m so excited to meet you. I have long been an admirer of your . . . species.”
He shook her hand. “Please, call me Gregori.”
She giggled. “I love your name! It’s so vampirish. Don’t you think so, Abby?”
“I suppose.” She avoided eye contact with him, but still saw his hand reach out to her.
“Abby?” he asked softly.
She swallowed hard. Why did his voice have to be so deep and sexy? “Gori.” She clasped his hand, intending to give it one quick shake and release, but he held tight until she lifted her gaze to meet his.
A small frisson of energy shot through her, giving her a shock. Where had that come from? His eyes? His hand? Or both? She pulled her hand from his grip, jerking back hard enough that she lost her balance and fell onto her rump on the couch.
“Yes, let’s all have a seat.” Her dad sat in his chair at the head of the coffee table, apparently unaware that anything odd had happened.
The CIA director and Mr. Whelan sat on the other couch. Josh and the three Secret Service agents remained standing.
Had she imagined that little jolt? No, her right palm still tingled with residual electricity. Abigail clenched her hands together. Maybe it was just her. She ventured a glance at Gregori.
He was regarding her with a puzzled look.
“Gregori.” Her dad cleared his throat. “Do you mind if I call you Gregori?”
“No, that would be fine.” He sat in the chair at the end of the coffee table.
Madison set her dog bag on the coffee table next to the ice bucket, then sat next to Abigail. “I’m so sorry, Gregori, that I didn’t recognize you right away. I was expecting you to fly in as a bat.”
He nodded with a hint of a smile. “We try to be inconspicuous.”
Abigail snorted. As if Gregori Holstein could ever be inconspicuous.
He glanced at her, and his eyes darkened to an intense green.
Her heart went back into warp drive. Dammit, he could probably hear that.
Abigail’s dad leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees, as he studied Gregori. “Now that we’re helping you with your problem, I’m sure you realize that we expect something in return.”
Gregori shifted in his chair as he unbuttoned his suit coat. “What do you have in mind?”
Mr. Caprese cleared his throat. “Your ability to teleport makes you an excellent candidate for covert operations.”
Gregori nodded. “We can do covert. We’ve been covert for centuries.” He leaned forward, his expression earnest. “But you must understand that our commitment to not harm mortals remains firm. We will not torture or assassinate for you.”
Mr. Caprese huffed. “What makes you think we do that sort of thing?”
Gregori arched a brow, then pulled a bottle from the ice bucket.
Madison nudged Abigail and whispered, “Look! He’s going to drink blood!”
“He can hear you,” Abigail muttered.
He glanced at her, lifted the bottle in salute, then took a sip.
Yeech. She suppressed a shudder.
His eyes twinkled with humor as he licked his lips.
She looked away, her cheeks warm. The rascal was purposely trying to unnerve her. And succeeding.
“We won’t ask you to do something you find morally offensive,” her dad said.
The CIA director raised a hand in objection. “They were caught decapitating someone on video. I don’t buy the morally superior act.”
“That was a battle against the Malcontents.” Gregori took another sip of blood. “Our warriors kill in self-defense like any good soldiers.”
“So if you were attacked while on a mission,” Mr. Caprese said, “we could expect you to kill in order to defend yourselves?”
Gregori frowned. “If necessary, yes. But it is rarely necessary when we can simply teleport away.”
Mr. Caprese smirked. “Is that your usual reaction to danger? Run away and hide? I suppose that’s how you’ve managed to exist in secret for so many centuries.”
Abigail sucked in a breath. Gregori looked pissed. His eyes had narrowed and turned a more brilliant, luminescent green.
His voice was deadly soft. “Vamps have been risking their lives in battle against the Malcontents for centuries in order to protect mortals. You will not question their bravery.”
“Of course not,” her dad agreed.
Abigail watched Gregori, fascinated by the changes in his eyes. He seemed to be calming down now, and his eyes were returning to their normal shade of grayish-green. Still, while he’d been upset, the intensity in the room had felt electric and exciting.
He definitely didn’t like being considered cowardly. She wondered what other hot buttons he had. What would happen if he completely lost control? Was there a bloodsucking monster inside him just waiting to burst free?
“Who are the Malcontents?” she asked.
“They are the true enemy,” Mr. Whelan explained. “Evil vampires who believe they have the right to feed off mortals and kill them. Mortals would be defenseless against them in battle. But the Vamps have the same powers as the Malcontents, so they’re our best bet at defeating them. We need the
Vamps on our side.”
“Then on behalf of our country, I would like to thank you for protecting us,” the president said.
Gregori inclined his head. “You’re welcome.”
Strange, Abigail thought. Mr. Whelan made the Vamps sound like heroes. Protectors of the Universe with their black vampire capes and super powers. Come to think of it, she wouldn’t mind seeing Gregori in a spandex costume.
“I’d like to hear more about teleportation,” her dad continued. “How far can you travel?”
She sat up, anxious to hear his answer.
“I can go anywhere in the world,” Gregori replied. “But it has to be nighttime wherever I’m going.”
Abigail’s dad exchanged a look with her, then turned back to Gregori. “Can you take someone with you when you teleport?”
Gregori nodded. “One person. Some of the older Vamps can manage two, but we usually stick with just one to be safe.”
Abigail’s heart raced even faster.
Gregori leaned forward. “What sort of project do you have in mind?”
“Nothing violent.” Her dad waved a dismissive hand. “It would be more of a . . . humanitarian mission.”
“Mr. President,” the CIA director whispered. “We need to discuss this first.”
He nodded. “We will. I just wanted to gather some facts beforehand.” He turned to Abigail and lowered his voice. “What do you think? Would you be comfortable traveling and working with him and his kind?”
Her heart pounded in her ears. “It’s hard to say.” She cast a nervous glance toward Gregori. “I hardly know him.”
“Then you need to get better acquainted.” Her dad turned back to Gregori. “Would you mind spending some time with my daughter? Tomorrow night? Perhaps you could introduce her to your world and some of your associates.”
His eyes widened. “If you wish. Yes, sir.”
Abigail gulped. Did her father just set her up on a date with a vampire?
“I want to come!” Madison bounced on the couch with excitement. “Please, Daddy. I want to see the vampire world!”
“Yes.” Abigail grabbed her sister’s arm. “I’d like Madison to come, too.” Anything to keep me from being alone with Gregori Holstein.
“Oh, thank you, Abby!” Madison hugged her. “It’s going to be so much fun!” She turned to Gregori. “Where will you take us?”
“I—” He adjusted his tie and glanced at Mr. Whelan, who had just cursed under his breath. “Somewhere . . . public. I don’t know any vampire places in D.C. There’s a new vampire nightclub in Manhattan that’s very popular right now.”
“A vampire nightclub!” Madison clasped her hands together over her chest. “That sounds so exciting!”
Their dad frowned. “What goes on at this club? Is it a safe place for my daughters?”
“Completely safe. All the Vamps there will be drinking from bottles,” Gregori explained. “They just go there to talk and dance.”
“Then I guess it would be all right.” Dad motioned to two of the Secret Service men. “Josh and Charles will provide transportation. They’ll need to be with you at all times, and they’ll report directly to me every five minutes. The girls will arrive in Manhattan tomorrow. We’ll let you know where they’re staying.”
“Dad.” Abigail touched his sleeve. “I have to go to work tomorrow.”
“They can give you a few days off.” He squeezed her hand. “This is important. We have to know if you can get along with this vampire and his friends.” He glanced at Gregori. “And I need to know if I can trust you with my daughter.”
Gregori nodded. “I will guard her with my life.”
“Me too!” Madison clapped her hands merrily.
Their dad stood and gave Gregori a stern look. “I will hold you to that promise. My daughters are to stay safe and protected. If anything happens to them, if they come home just feeling unhappy, then our deal is off, and you and your vampire friends are on your own.”
“I understand.” Gregori stood and turned stiffly toward Abigail and Madison. “I will see you tomorrow evening at nine in New York.”
Madison jumped to her feet. “Thank you!”
He nodded at her, then gave Abigail a questioning look.
Her cheeks blazed with heat. A date with a vampire? Her whole world had suddenly turned topsy-turvy.
Her dad gestured to one of the Secret Service men. “Charles will drive you back now.”
“Thank you, but no. It’s not necessary.” Gregori took hold of Mr. Whelan’s arm and glanced at the dog bag on the coffee table.
Dolly opened her eyes and sat up.
Abigail stiffened and stared at Gregori. “You—”
“We can talk tomorrow,” he interrupted.
Before she could respond, he vanished, taking Mr. Whelan with him.
Chapter Nine
Gregori landed close to the side entrance to Romatech. He swore silently as he dug his ID card out of his wallet. Of all the stupid things—nowhere in his strategy plans had he counted on being a damned babysitter. He swiped his ID card while Sean Whelan pivoted in a circle.
“What the hell are we doing here?” Sean demanded.
Gregori opened the door. “After you.”
“We need to go to the safe house. Take me there now.”
“No.” Gregori strode down the hall. How the hell had this mess happened? As far as he could tell, the fate of Vamps around the world now depended on how well he could babysit the president’s daughters.
“You can’t tell me no.” Sean followed him. “I’m in charge of this operation.”
Down the hall, the door to the MacKay security office opened, and Angus and Emma MacKay stepped out.
“Did ye finish yer meeting with the president?” Angus asked.
Before Gregori could answer, Sean lunged in front of him, jabbing a thumb toward him. “This idiot’s not doing as he’s told. He was supposed to take us to the safe house.”
Gregori glared at Sean. “Who’s the idiot? You had the Secret Service pick us up there. I don’t consider it safe.”
“Of course it’s safe,” Sean insisted. “The president just made an alliance with us.”
“Och, that’s good news,” Angus said.
Emma smiled. “Well done, guys.”
Gregori shrugged. “I wouldn’t bank on it yet.” He still had to take the daughters out dancing. And keep them happy, or he and his friends were screwed.
“That’s why we should stay in D.C.,” Sean said. “We need to be close by for further negotiations.”
Gregori shook his head. “We’ll just teleport.”
Sean gritted his teeth. “I can’t teleport.”
“Learn how.”
“I can’t!” Sean ran a hand over his buzz cut hair. “Don’t you see the bind I’m in? I have to keep acting like I’m human. If they find out the truth about me, they’ll fire me and I’ll lose their trust.”
“He has a point,” Emma said. “Sean can help us more if he retains his current position.”
“All the more reason for him to stay away from the safe house.” Gregori turned to Sean. “What if your CIA buddies came to see you during the day and found you in your death-sleep?”
He gulped. “I—I would be in the basement. Garrett wouldn’t let them down there. He would protect me.”
“Garret works for the CIA,” Gregori gritted out. “He’ll do whatever Caprese tells him to do.”
“And he knows the truth about you, aye?” Angus asked. “Did ye no’ train him to hate vampires as much as ye do?”
With a grimace, Sean paced away a few steps. “It’s not fair! I’m the same person I was before. I’ve worked for the CIA for over thirty years! Why would they think I’ve suddenly become a monster?”
Gregori scoffed in chorus with Angus and Emma.
Sean gave them a sheepish look. “Okay. I get it. I was a little . . . judgmental toward you guys.”
“Ye were an arse, Whelan,” Angus muttered.<
br />
“Fine.” He scowled. “Rub it in. But how the hell am I supposed to keep my job when I’m . . . Undead?”
“It’s better than being dead,” Gregori told him wryly.
“If ye end up getting fired, ye can always work for me,” Angus suggested.
Sean grimaced as he raked a hand over his hair. “I’ll have to think about it. I’m still trying to . . . adjust.”
“Have you told your wife yet?” Emma asked.
“No. She thinks I’ve been overseas for the last two weeks. I . . . don’t know how to break the news to her.”
Emma patted him on the shoulder. “Once she gets over her shock, it will all be for the best. She can see Shanna and Caitlyn again. And once she sees how adorable her grandchildren are, she’ll recover soon enough.”
Sean’s face softened. “Those kids are really special.”
Gregori exchanged a look with Angus. Those kids were a lot more special than Sean knew. “Back to the matter of the safe house—it’s not really safe. Not when that asshole General Bond is claiming the world would be better off without us.”
Sean snorted. “Well, you didn’t help matters by threatening to snap his neck.”
Angus stiffened. “What?”
Gregori winced. “It’s a long story. Before we get into it, I think we should get our guys back here.”
Angus nodded. “Agreed. I never did like that safe house.”
Sean huffed. “I went to a lot of trouble to set that up for us. And that’s where the CIA will contact us for further negotiations.”
“Then Garrett can remain there and relay any messages to you,” Angus said. “Like it or not, Whelan, ye’re in our world now, so ye have to start doing things our way.”
Five minutes later, Angus, Robby, and Phineas had teleported the shifters and everyone’s luggage back to Romatech. Phil was transported back to the Dragon Nest Academy to help guard the school since most of the women and all the children were there. The remaining MacKay Security and Investigation employees filed into the conference room along with Sean Whelan and Coven Masters Roman and Zoltan.
Gregori sat at the table in the same seat he’d occupied the night before. As he gazed around the table, seeing some of his best friends—Phineas, Robby, Olivia, Howard, Angus, Emma, Zoltan, and Roman—the pressure to succeed bore down on him. Had he done well tonight or totally screwed up?
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