by

Mallory Crowe

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whattsoever without the express written permmission of the publishher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Fonts used with permission from Microsoft.

Copyright © 2016 by Mallory Crowe

Mallory Crowe (2016-4-15). Stealing Fire (Bad Boys Of The Underworld Book 5)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Epilogue

Check Out All Of Mallory Crowe's Books!

Ella shoved open the door to the sheriff’s office, slamming it against the wall. So what if all the deputies were staring? Let them know she was angry.

Gus looked up from his paperwork, a lazy grin planted on his face. “Ella, if you really want to see me, all you have to do is call,” he said with his signature drawl that had all the girls in the small Maine town of Pine Springs drooling.

All the girls except Ella.

“Have you found my dad?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

Gus stood up from behind his desk, towering over her tiny five-four frame. “We were able to track his car down, but there was no sign of him. It was out in the middle of nowhere. He’s probably in the woods, tinkering with some new invention or whatever the hell it is he does.”

Ella chewed her bottom lip. “He wouldn’t run off without telling me. I called the Lexington Hotel. He never checked in, and he was supposed to present at the science convention last weekend. I haven’t talked to him in a week.”

Gus nodded as if he were listening, but she could see in his eyes he’d already written her off. “Normally, that would all be quite alarming, but you can’t exactly call Dr. Murray ‘normal.’”

She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. “Why aren’t you taking this seriously?”

Gus moved to stand in front of her and set a hand on her shoulder. The touch sent a shiver through her. She pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Your dad’s a biologist. You said yourself he used to specialize in bats, and it’s the best time of the year to view them. Why don’t you take a walk to collect yourself? I’ll swing by your place after I get off and we can discuss this over dinner.”

She didn’t even dignify his offer with a response. Her father had been missing for a week and he wanted to go on a date? They needed to be doing something!

“Where was his car?”

He rolled his eyes. “Off Aroostook Highway, about sixty miles out. No signs of struggle. No sign it was stolen. If it’s still there in a few days, I’ll scrounge up some of my men to take a look at the woods around the area.”

Ella tightened her lips. Dad could already be dead in a ditch somewhere and Gus wanted to wait even longer. She opened her mouth to argue more but stopped herself. It was pointless. He was so convinced her father was crazy, he wasn’t even considering Dad could be in danger.

Sure, Dr. Scott Murray was eccentric. She had yet to meet a scientist who wasn’t a bit scrambled in the head. Though, considering she normally only met scientists her father worked with, maybe that said more about him than his profession.

But he needed her. Heck, he couldn’t even remember to feed himself when he was in the midst of one of his experiments. If he was going out into the middle of nowhere for God knew how long, not only would he tell her, but he’d probably demand she come with him.

He hadn’t said a thing to her about taking a trip. He wasn’t even studying bats anymore. The presentation he’d missed was supposed to be about the possibility of echolocation in the Mexican Long-Tailed Shrew. Mexican—as in they lived in Mexico. Nowhere near the forests of Maine.

Ella shook her head and turned to leave.

“Should I pick you up at your place around six?” shouted Gus as she walked out.

“I’m sure you have much better things to do,” she called over her shoulder, not bothering to turn around.

Deputy Louie caught up with her brisk pace and Ella fought the urge to walk even faster.

“I wouldn’t worry, Ella. Gus is great at his job. He knows what he’s talking about.”

Gus did love to surround himself with devotees. “Easy for you to say. It’s not your family.”

“You know Gus has a soft spot for you. He’ll make sure you’re taken care of,” assured Louie.

Ella didn’t even argue with him. What was the point? He was obviously as infatuated with the sheriff as the rest of the town. She pushed open the door as the deputy rushed to hold it for her. “Good-bye, Louie,” she muttered.

Gus didn’t have a soft spot for her. He had a soft spot for the former Miss Pine Springs. Her beauty pageant days were long past her, but people in small towns had long memories. Other winners of the pageant had a bad habit of marrying young and getting the hell out of Dodge, so Gus decided to make her his mark.

He didn’t like her, and marriage probably wasn’t even on his radar. He liked the idea of bragging about banging a beauty queen.

Ella slid into the driver’s seat of her old Chevy Malibu and rested her head against the steering wheel. Her breaths came faster and her face scrunched up, but she refused to cry. She would find him.

Dad might be a bit out there, but he was brilliant. No matter what trouble he got himself into, he was a survivor. That being said, she couldn’t abandon him. He was all she had. What little family Dad had barely spoke to him, and her mother had been MIA for the entire twenty-five years of her life.

Dad was all she had.

Ella took a calming breath and turned the key in the ignition, letting the AC cool off the heat of the early August sun. Gus might not be good for much, but at least he’d given her a clue.

The clock on her dashboard read three fourteen. If she could get her boss to give her the night off, she would be on the road by five and have just enough daylight left to check out Dad’s car and make sure Gus wasn’t playing her when he said nothing was suspicious about it.

Wasn’t the very idea of a car abandoned sixty miles outside of town suspicious?

After a short drive—everything was a short drive in Pine Springs—she parallel parked in front of Off the Page, the used bookstore she’d worked at for the last five years.

Her boss, Ray Menken, looked up from the book he was reading, probably some King or Koontz, his favorites. They made a good pair: he tended toward the suspenseful and scary while Ella preferred the passionate and sensual romance section. And if a book happened to have all those elements, Ella was in heaven.

He must’ve seen the frustration on her face, because he set his book down and walked around the counter, consoling expression firmly in place. “Gus didn’t find anything?”

Once again, Ella found herself fighting back tears. It was so much easier to deal with Gus’s arrogance and stupidity than the honest sincerity of a friend. “He found something. He just doesn’t seem to give a crap. Apparently they found his car out in the middle of nowhere, way the heck out of town, but he’s not even looking into it because there aren’t any ‘signs of struggle.’”

Ray frowned at the strange logic. “He’s been missing for a week. Don’t the police usually get involved after twenty-four hours?”

Ella shook her head. “Not necessarily. If there was evidence of a kidnapping or something, they’d get involved sooner. Gus thinks Dad is crazy.”

“You think he was kidnapped?” Ray’s brow furrowed, as if imagining the elderly Dr. Murray being dragged off.

Ella rubbed her hands over her eyes and shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is that Gus isn’t doing enough. I need to go look at the car.”

“So this is your way of asking if you can have the night off?”

“More like the week. If I don’t find anything tonight, I might be doing some hiking. Gus thinks Dad is out in the woods, doing some experiments. I don’t know how much credibility I’d put on that theory, but I still want to look around. Make sure he’s not stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken leg.”

Ray shook his head. “Even if you go out there, how do you expect to find him all on your own?”

“I can’t do nothing. No one else is even looking for him!” Ella took a deep breath as she tried to calm down. Ray didn’t mean anything; she was just on edge. She’d barely gotten any sleep since Dad went missing, and she was tired of people telling her to sit back and let the police do their job.

Ray took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I know this is important to you.” Ella breathed a sigh of relief, but Ray wasn’t done. “However, you don’t have the best attendance record. My niece is in town and she can cover your shifts, but she’s been asking for a full-time job for months. If you aren’t back by next Tuesday, I’m going to have to offer her your position. I’m sure we can still work something out on a part-time basis.”

The pounding in her head suddenly intensified. “You know I’m not taking a vacation to the beach.”

“That’s the problem. You always have an excuse. Reasonable excuses. Always for your father. You’re a good daughter, but you’re not the only one with family. I’m here fifty hours a week when I’m not working your shifts for you. I can’t keep this up. I’m getting older. There are more and more grandchildren popping up and I need to make sure I’m there to see them grow.”

“So you’re firing me?” She didn’t want to sound surly, but it was hard not to.

“Not firing. Warning you. I’ve cut you a lot of slack because of our friendship. I know you might not trust Gus, but he is good at what he does. Take the night off and drink a glass of wine. Read a good book. Let the police do their job.”

Ella shook her head. One more of Gus’s worshipers. “You just agreed they need to take this seriously.”

“That doesn’t mean you should go out on your own looking for your father. You need to consider your own safety.”

“I’ll try to be back by next Tuesday.” Ella strode back into the late summer heat.

Three hours later, Ella pulled the Malibu over next to Dad’s 1997 Ford Ranger. Her first instinct was to run to the truck and look in all the windows, but she held herself back. She circled the vehicle, looking at the ground and surrounding brush for anything Gus and his guys might’ve missed.

Patches of grass were scattered along the side of the road, but the majority of the ground was covered in old and dead pine needles. She could see multiple disturbances that were probably footprints, but she was no tracker.

It could have been the cops checking out the abandoned car or it could’ve been a bear for all she knew. Sighing at her poor detective skills, she trenched her way over to the Ranger and looked in.

On the seat were some printed directions. Ella squinted and struggled to read the upside-down writing. The directions seemed to lead to exactly where he was parked. Why would Dad be going here as his destination?

Ella looked around her, but all she saw was the curving highway and pine trees as tall as skyscrapers.

She took a few steps back, looking for tire tracks, but came to the same problem she had with the footprints. She couldn’t make anything out too clearly, and anything she saw could’ve been tracks from the cop cars that had originally located the Ranger.

The sudden electrical sound from the trees made her jump around. Craning her head up, she was barely able to make out a small amount of movement.

Without thinking, Ella ran to the base of the tree, never taking her eyes off the black object that scanned the ground and highway.

Was that a camera?

Lucian looked through the computer screen at the beauty staring back at him. Well, not at him. She stared at one of the hundred or so cameras placed on the perimeter of his Maine compound. His predecessor made sure the land was spelled to keep all humans away, but there were much worse creatures out there than humans.

Lucian would know. He was one of the worst.

He pushed away from the collection of monitors, showing twelve different views of the surrounding woods, and reached for the phone. He hit the speed dial for his head of security, Cade. Ever efficient, Cade picked up before the phone finished its first ring. “Hey, boss. I heard the alarm go off. Did the cops come back?”

Lucian shook his head, even though the other man couldn’t see him. “Why don’t you come look at this?”

In less than a second, Cade materialized behind Lucian. “Who is it?”

The large male was roughly the same size as Lucian, standing at six four, but Cade looked military with a blond buzz cut, standard khakis, and black T-shirt.

Lucian preferred his hair longer, just long enough to pull back if he needed it out of his face, and tended toward black slacks and buttoned-down shirts. After all, he was coven master. He at least needed to look polished.

Cade was a soldier. All he needed to do was be ready to kill.

Lucian pointed to the screen. “See for yourself.”

Cade bent over to look at the monitor in question. “Holy fuck. Can we keep her?”

Lucian laughed, but it wasn’t as if the same thought hadn’t crossed his mind. The woman, probably closer to a girl, was drop-dead gorgeous. She was dressed modestly enough in a V-neck that showed no cleavage and denim shorts, but even through the black-and-white screen, he could see how generous her breasts and ass were. She was on the shorter side, and her dark hair against her pale skin surrounded a pert nose and eyes that were large, dark pools of curiosity.

“She found the camera, but I don’t think she’ll be a problem. I thought you might want to take a look,” said Lucian.

“She might be lost.” Cade cracked a smile. “I should really make sure she doesn’t need help.”

“You have better things to do,” muttered Lucian, not taking his eyes off the girl, who was now looking around at the other trees. Probably searching for more cameras. “How is the good doctor doing?”

“I wouldn’t know. He hasn’t said a word to me in days. We stopped feeding him Saturday and he isn’t showing any signs of breaking.”

Lucian frowned. “Three days without food. How long before humans die? Is it a week?”

“Google said Gandhi survived for twenty-one days. Should we cut off his water too?”

Lucian shook his head. Torture was never a good way to get someone to help you, but he was getting desperate. When he took over the coven ten years ago, he’d promised his men he’d help them replenish their numbers but had gotten nowhere. The only one who’d seemed to come close was Dr. Scott Murray, and he didn’t exactly have a good history with the myotis.

The woman walked back to her car; Lucian made sure the camera followed, enjoying the sway of her hips. His lips curved as he imagined what those hips would look like without the shorts. What they would look like bent over her rundown car.

His smile dissipated when she strode back to the camera, cell phone in hand.

“Is she taking a picture?” asked Cade in a shocked voice.

“Fuck,” muttered Lucian.

Cade squinted at the screen. “It’s too sunny for a vampire.”

Lucian had been sure she was human, but that was impossible. Any human who approached his land was overcome with the urge to get the hell out of the area. The girl put the phone back in her purse and took a long swig from a plastic water bottle before she walked farther into the woods and out of view from the camera.

“Fuck,” he repeated.

Cade grabbed a handgun and silver blade from the weapons cabinet. “I’ll take care of her.”

Lucian stood, accidentally tipping his chair back far enough to send it clattering against the floor. “Stay here. Watch the doctor. I’ll see what’s going on.”

Cade looked Lucian over. “You just want to see her because she’s hot.”

“I want to see her because she’s a curiosity.” And because she’s hot. Cade didn’t have to know that, though.

He closed his eyes and focused on a spot in the woods about two hundred yards from where he’d last seen the woman. The last thing he needed was her seeing him teleport.

When he opened his lids, all he saw was trees and the barest hint of highway. No sign of the girl. He sniffed the air and caught her scent mixed in with the sap and pine.

She smelled like shampoo and aloe soap. Nothing overpowering, but subtly feminine. A predatory grin covered his face and he followed the scent.

Dry needles crunched under Ella’s tennis shoes as she walked farther into the trees. She kept her eyes to the forest floor, searching the dried pine needles and dirt for signs of where Dad could’ve gone, but didn’t see anything resembling a footprint.

She looked up again, keeping an eye out for more cameras. How had Gus missed that? Whoever owned the equipment might have footage of Dad. She could check whether he’d ventured into the woods or gotten into a different car.

A stick snapped behind her. Ella twisted around at the sound, only to be confronted by nothing but forest. “Hello?” she called out. No answer.

Was someone there? The trees were so scattered and the foliage was so sparse, there weren’t many places for anyone, or anything, to hide. On the other hand, she was also exposed.

It wasn’t as if the woods were empty. There were probably wolves and bears. If there were cameras, that meant there were people too. She wasn’t sure which she’d rather see.

She stepped backward, carefully scanning the trees again for any sign of movement.

Satisfied she was alone, she turned around and slammed right into a massive male chest.

Ella liked to think she was brave, but the scream that bubbled up from her throat was unavoidable. She stumbled away, tripping over her own feet, and started to fall. But she never hit the ground.

Big hands closed over her upper arms, pulling her back up and against him. Fear and adrenaline had her gasping for air as she finally got a good look at the stranger.

And forgot how to breathe.

He was amazing. His deep, dark, blue eyes looked her over. His hair was brown, but not just brown. A rich chestnut that made his eyes stand out even more. His chest was much bigger than the entire width of her shoulders, and his arms were massive, though the black dress shirt he wore fit perfectly and didn’t stretch the slightest over his large, muscled body.

Dress shirt? Ella looked down at his nice shoes and black pants. Not exactly hiking clothes.

“Are you okay?” he asked in a deep, husky voice.

She blinked as she tried to remember how to talk. “Umm, yeah. Sorry. You scared me.”

“It happens.” Not exactly an apology.

She realized he still had his hands on her arms and she was still leaning against him. She pushed herself back. Blood rushed to her face at her own clumsiness. Not exactly the finest example of grace under pressure. He released her; his hands lingered on her a second too long before he moved away. “So, um, what brings you out to the middle of nowhere?” Hopefully not kidnapping and murdering.

“I live here. You?”

Ella looked around at the endless woods. “You live here?”

His mouth crooked up, not seeming to mind that she didn’t answer his question. “My house is about a mile west of here. This is my land.”

And she was trespassing. Crap. “Um, I probably should get going. I didn’t mean to intrude on your property.” She took a few steps back, hoping he’d tell her it was no problem, but he remained silent. His eyes scanned over her, taking in her every movement; the hair on her arms stood up.

She turned to retreat back to her car, but the feeling of his eyes burning into her back had her facing him again. This was no Gus or Louie. This was a stranger. She was invading his territory and she could tell he wasn’t exactly happy about it.

And he was dangerous. He hadn’t said or done anything untoward, but she knew.

Which put her in a tough spot. She was too afraid to turn her back to him but still needed his help. Closing her eyes, she mustered up every ounce of courage. “Are those your cameras out by the road?”

He cocked his head at the question. “Yes. I take my privacy very seriously.”

She took another steadying breath. “My father has been missing for a week now, and his car is out on the road. Would it be possible for me to take a look at the footage to see what happened?”

His eyes widened. “Your father’s car is out there?”

She nodded. “I have no idea what he was doing here, but there were some directions in his front seat he followed to that spot. The police aren’t concerned, but I am. If you could help, I’d be forever grateful.”

Once again, those ocean blue eyes looked her up and down. She couldn’t be sure, but they seemed to linger at a few key points. She tried her hardest to keep her face steady and not blush. When she said she’d be grateful, that wasn’t what she had in mind.

A bird squawked overhead, the sudden noise piercing the silence of the woods. Once again she was reminded just how vulnerable she was.

He seemed oblivious of her sudden tension. “If you don’t mind a walk, we can take a look at what my cameras show.”

Ella looked behind her to the safety of her car and back to the stranger. Her father could be dead, she reminded herself. “Do you think you could e-mail me the video?”

He shrugged. “It’s important enough for you to trespass, but you aren’t even going to help me sort through a week’s worth of footage?”

“I don’t know you.”

“I don’t know you either,” he shot back.

She raised an eyebrow, trying to imagine how her tiny frame could possibly make him uncomfortable.

“Call the police and let them know where you’re going and that you’ll send them the footage. If that makes you feel safer,” he said with a mocking smile.

She narrowed her eyes at him and fished out her cell. She hoped he was serious, because that was a great idea. She dialed Gus’s cell number, because he wouldn’t be at the station anymore.

“What’s your name?” she asked the stranger as the phone rang.

“Lucian Montclair.”

The name fit him. Strong, masculine, and timeless. How old was he? Maybe mid-thirties, but something about him seemed so much older.

Gus answered on the fourth ring. “Hey, hon. Where you at? I stopped by your place, but you weren’t there.”

Ella’s brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what he was talking about. “Gus, I never agreed to meet you for dinner. Remember?”

She could imagine his utter befuddlement at her ability to resist his advances. “I thought we had plans tonight. McClaine’s has a new band from the city coming in to play. Some drinks and dancing. It’s not too late to join me.”

Lucian smiled and Ella turned away. He couldn’t possibly hear the whole conversation from where he was. “Gus, listen to me. I tracked down Dad’s car and there are cameras surrounding the highway where it was abandoned. Apparently the owner of this property likes his privacy, but he’s agreed to let me review the tapes.”

Gus’s voice lost all traces of his fake drawl. “Ella, you need to get out of there. Those woods are dangerous.”

“I’m already here and this is closer than anything you’ve come up with. His name is Lucian Montclair and his house is a mile west from where you found Dad’s car. I just wanted to make sure someone knew where I was.”

“Ella, you need to come home. Now.”

She rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Gus.” She hung up, turned back to Lucian and jumped. When the heck had he moved so close? “You have to stop doing that. I’m already on edge.”

At least this time she hadn’t tripped over herself.

Lucian smiled down at her. “Maybe I just like catching the damsel in distress.”

She shook her head and started to head west. “This way, right?”

He nodded and moved in next to her.

“We can just take my car,” she offered.

“We’re already walking. It’s not too far and I can drive you back after we review the footage. Or you can have your cop pick you up.”

Ella scoffed at the thought. “Yeah, I’d rather walk back in the middle of the night.”

He snorted but said nothing.

They continued in silence for a few minutes before she couldn’t stand the quiet anymore. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but women these days try to avoid being damsels in distress.”

“Well, you’re obviously not a damsel in distress,” he assured her.

Ella thought back to all the embarrassing things she’d already done in front of him. “What makes you say that?”

“You’re the knight in shining armor, riding into enemy territory to save your father.”

She smiled. She hadn’t thought of it like that. What did he mean by “enemy territory”?

As they approached a cluster of pines, Ella moved to go around, but Lucian held the branches aside for her to pass through. “So, what is your father like? He obviously means a great deal to you.”

How did she explain Dad to a stranger? “He’s...unique. He is a scientist, but he started out as a medical doctor. An OB/GYN, actually. He specialized in helping women who couldn’t get pregnant. Then he suddenly decided he hated people and switched to biology, focusing on various small mammals.”

“That’s quite a switch,” he murmured.

“Well, when he puts his mind to something, he gets it done.”

“That must’ve been difficult on you and your mother.”

Ella shrugged. She hadn’t intended for the conversation to get so personal, but she supposed conversation about her family was probably inevitable considering why she was trespassing on his land to begin with. “It’s just me and Dad. My mother was never really in the picture.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you’d lost her,” he said, not truly sounding remorseful.

“She’s not dead or anything. Well, she could be, but that’s not why she wasn’t there. Dad doesn’t talk about her much. He just said they weren’t on the same page when it came to kids and we were better off without her.” It was probably too much information, but she didn’t like people feeling sorry for her. She was glad her mother wasn’t around. If she was half as bad as Dad made her sound, Ella didn’t want to ever meet the woman.

“My mother wasn’t around either. I guess she couldn’t handle the craziness that was my father, and she was afraid I’d turn out like him.” The words held no remorse or emotion. Just the facts of his upbringing. It was at least one thing they had in common. They hadn’t had “traditional” upbringings, but they weren’t ashamed or damaged from their childhood.

“Do you look like him?”

Ella bit back a laugh at the question. “Not really. He was a bit of a cradle robber and was forty-one when I was born. So he has crazy white hair and white beard, because if you’re going to be an eccentric scientist, you might as well look the part.”

Lucian looked back at her. His eyes roamed over her face and briefly skimmed over her body. “I definitely don’t see eccentric scientist when I look at you.”

“Good to know,” she muttered.

Once again, they walked in silence, the awkwardness of their meeting at odds with the casual and personal banter. Was that flirting? She was so used to Gus’s outright advances, and all the other eligible bachelors seemed to assume she was going to marry Gus. She’d almost forgotten the casual fun of flirting.

She shook her head at the thought. Lucian wasn’t flirting with her. She’d called the cops just minutes ago in case he planned to murder her. That was hardly the kind of behavior that had guys drooling for a date.

Not that she wanted a date. The last thing she needed was another man in her life. Dad already took enough time and all men were mostly the same: looking for someone to cook and clean and raise children. No thanks. She had her own plans.

She’d just about saved enough from her modest bookstore income to put a down payment on one of the tiny houses on the outskirts of Pine Springs. They were nothing special, but they would fit plenty of bookshelves and had a yard big enough for the dog she’d always wanted. Usually one or two of the small houses were listed for sale. She was so close to her little piece of freedom. All she had to do was find Dad and get back before Ray fired her.

The sound of rushing water became louder and louder the farther they walked. She frowned as they approached the fast-moving stream. Really, it was wide enough it could probably be considered a river. It was no Mississippi, but who decided these things anyway?

She looked past the water and stopped in her tracks at the sight of the house behind the water. “How did they even build that all the way out here?” she whispered.

When Lucian said he lived a mile away, she hadn’t expected a mansion. The large brick building was a towering, gothic relic. The dark-brown brick stretched up three full stories. One room toward the front of the house stretched even farther for a fourth story that looked like a tower.

A wide staircase with six steps led up to the front door, the porch framed with eight tall columns, each the same dark color as the brick.

“Creative transportation methods,” said Lucian from behind her.

She looked back to him, momentarily forgetting what he was talking about. Oh, yeah. She’d asked a question.

“It’s amazing.” And incredibly creepy. She suddenly had second thoughts about going in there alone with him.

Lucian headed toward the bridge leading over the river, and a light touch caressed her back. Ella jumped at the unexpected contact and looked at Lucian.

“I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you afraid of bridges?”

No. I’m afraid of you. She looked over at the wooden bridge that had seen better days. “It’s not the most stable-looking thing. How deep is that water?”

“Deeper than it looks,” he warned. “Don’t worry. You’ll make it across.” Once again, his hand went to the small of her back. She didn’t jump this time, but the shiver that raced through her was unavoidable. Gus had given her the shivers too, but in a completely different way from Lucian.

It wasn’t as though she’d never been touched by a man. Gus found every excuse imaginable to put his hands on her. This was different.

She couldn’t say she necessarily liked the feel of his large hand on her, but she definitely wasn’t repulsed by it like she was by Gus’s. She’d just met Lucian. She shouldn’t want him touching her.

The old wooden planks squeaked and moaned under their feet. She started to think they should’ve taken the aging bridge one person at a time. Why would Lucian have such a nice house and such a crappy bridge right next to it?

Keeping her eyes on the planks, she said a quick prayer of thanks when she finally was back on solid ground. She smiled as Lucian’s feet came into view. His formerly shiny black shoes were now covered in a coat of dust from their walk.

Why hadn’t they been dirty when she ran into him? If he’d really just walked from his house, they should’ve been dirty. Of course, he never actually said he’d walked out there. He could’ve driven, but why would he walk back with her if he had a car parked on the side of the road?

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Great. She’d probably been staring at his feet for a full minute and now he thought she was even crazier than he’d already assumed. “I’m fine. Just lost in thought.”

He smiled down at her, as though he knew exactly what had her puzzled, and headed to the house. He took the stairs two at a time and Ella knew this was her last chance to turn back. If she was in danger, Gus wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Lucian was in a completely different league.

Instead of turning back, Ella’s feet pulled her forward. As Lucian held the door open for her, she couldn’t help but feel she was walking into a trap.

Lucian couldn’t stop staring. Ella seemed so out of place in the gothic mansion. She was sunshine and flowers. This place was darkness and violence.

He heard footsteps on the staircase and knew Cade was making his way down. It was just the two of them at the Maine compound. Well, the two of them and their captive in the basement.

Cade stopped in his tracks at the sight of Ella. “I didn’t realize we were having company,” he deadpanned.

Ella took a step back at the sight of Cade and bumped into Lucian. No big surprise. Cade was almost as tall as him, and the severe buzz cut was enough to put anyone on edge.

More than that, humans in general were uneasy around myotis. Some buried instinct told them to be afraid. It grew tiresome at times, but he was grateful at the moment. It was hard to be upset when Ella stood so close to him. He took a deep breath, savoring her scent, and resisted the urge to pull her more fully against him. He bit his lip as he summoned up all his self-control.

“Cade, this is Ella. Ella, this is Cade, my...brother.”

Cade grinned at the lie and approached Ella, hand outstretched. Lucian could sense her apprehension, but she met Cade’s handshake.

“Ella’s father went missing and his car is parked on the border of our property. Ella saw the cameras and is hoping we might be able to help.”

Cade nodded as he stared between Lucian and Ella. “I’m sorry to hear about your father. Why don’t you follow me to the security room?” Cade shot Lucian a pointed glance as he headed up the stairs, leaving Lucian and Ella to follow.

“So, why do you guys have a security room anyway?” she asked as they turned down the second-story hallway.

Cade opened his mouth, but Lucian answered first. “We both work with high-value defense contracts. We have very valuable information stored here.”

“You work on defense stuff in Maine?”

Lucian squeezed in front of Cade and opened the door to the camera room. “We like the peace and quiet.”

Ella walked into the darkness, lit only by the twelve black-and-white monitors. Her eyes widened. “This is peaceful?”

“To each his own,” muttered Lucian.

Cade pulled out a chair for Ella. “Have a seat and I’ll get some of the archived footage pulled up.”

Twenty minutes later, Cade pulled Lucian into the downstairs kitchen. “What the hell is going on?”

Lucian looked to the stairs, making sure Ella was still upstairs searching through useless video archives. “This could be the break we’ve been waiting for.”

“What break? You have her father locked in the basement, but you just waltz her in here to look for him? She never should’ve been able to make it past the barrier spells.”

Lucian shook his head. “Think about it. How long ago did Kalger make the doctor work for him?”

Cade thought for a moment. “Sometime in the eighties.”

“Murray wasn’t married and didn’t have any kids. I saw the original file Kalger had on him. Now, he suddenly has a daughter who isn’t affected by our barrier spells and doesn’t know who her mother is. How old do you think she is?”

“Shit,” muttered Cade. “She’s got to be mid-twenties.”

“The thing that’s been bothering me about Murray is why he’s even alive. Kalger was a dick. If Murray failed him, he’d be dead. The only reason he’d let the doctor live was if he still thought he was useful.”

Cade nodded. “But if he was successful in genetically modifying a living embryo, it would be a waiting game to see if it worked.”

“Exactly. But Kalger was no dad of the year. He wouldn’t want to babysit some kid for over a decade, just hoping she’d work out. I think he let Murray escape, fully planning on collecting Ella when she was old enough. I killed him ten years ago. Probably just before she hit puberty.”

“You think that’s why Murray hasn’t helped us?”

“If Murray said he didn’t know or told us he failed Kalger, that would be one thing. But he’s refusing to talk at all. He is hiding something or someone, and I’ll bet you anything this girl is it.”

Cade leaned against the counter and narrowed his eyes at Lucian. “So what are you going to do with her? Forced breeding doesn’t exactly sound appealing.”

“Do you think that’s something I’d do?”

“You’ve done a lot of shit to get to where you are.”

Lucian decided it was best to not directly respond to that. “Besides, it’s going to take more than one girl to replenish the coven. We need to know what makes her different. How she could get onto our land and if she’s really the doctor’s daughter.”

“So we’re going to force her to undergo medical experiments?” Cade shook his head and held up his hands. “This is too creepy, even for me.”

Lucian looked out the doorway once again to make sure the coast was clear. “We aren’t going to force her to do anything. She’s going to volunteer.”

Ella’s eyes drifted shut as the same old trees played in front of her for the thousandth time. She’d long ago established that the camera next to her father’s car wasn’t facing the road whenever he’d arrived. His car just appeared during the sway of the camera as it swung from its perch in the trees.

Just to be thorough, she reviewed all the footage taken that day, hoping for some sight of Dad. So far she’d gotten nowhere. Lucian and his brother were apparently both bored enough that they left her on her own after only half an hour. She should go home. It was late enough. A glance at her phone showed it was already ten thirty.

She didn’t want to leave until she found something that could lead her to Dad, but her exhausted eyes wouldn’t be able to detect anything in the endless sea of black and white.

As though on cue, Lucian opened the door. “Hanging in there?”

Ella rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “Not really. I don’t think I’m good for much at this point.”

“You’re more than welcome to grab a nap in one of the spare rooms. I know you have a long drive home.”

The last thing she needed to do was to sleep here. “Thanks for the offer, but I really can’t take advantage of you any more than I have.”

He nodded. “At least come downstairs. We aren’t the best cooks, but we have some delicious frozen burritos. I should’ve offered sooner, but I’m not used to company.”

“You’ve already done so much.” Ella pushed herself up and found herself just inches from Lucian. How did he always manage to get so close without her noticing? “I don’t know how I can thank you.”

He looked down at her and quickly turned away, heading to the door. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” he said over his shoulder.

She frowned. The words seemed sexual, but his tone was completely innocent. She decided the exhaustion was playing tricks on her.

“Where’s Cade?” she asked as they entered the empty kitchen.

“Around here somewhere.” He opened the freezer and examined the contents. “Let’s see...we have the aforementioned burritos, some sort of chicken bake thing and a pretzel sandwich.”

Ella grinned at the bachelor pad menu. “Whatever is easier.”

“They go in the microwave for three minutes. There really isn’t a difficulty scale in question here.”

“A burrito is fine.” It was obvious the brothers didn’t cook much. The house itself was decadent and well maintained, but most of the kitchen was dated. The stove was probably at least ten years old. The only newer-looking appliance was the microwave.

The small table and chairs in the corner were in the same Victorian style as the outside of the house and the cabinets were a dark chestnut.

There were a few windows, so maybe the kitchen looked better when some sunlight got in. Lucian had just popped the burrito into the microwave when Cade appeared in the doorway. He must’ve been somewhere on the first floor because she hadn’t heard the stairs creak. “Lucian. Aleksander’s on the phone. It’s important.”

Lucian shot Ella an apologetic glance. “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.”

Ella nodded and tried to imagine who Aleksander was. Someone important in the defense game apparently. Did Cade and Lucian work for him? Was he high up in the US government?

Or some other government?

A metallic clanging sounded from below her and Ella jerked around at the sound. What the heck was that?

She shook her head at her own jumpiness. Just because the house was old and slightly creepy didn’t mean she needed to jump at every strange noise.

Then she heard it again.

The lingering uneasiness she’d felt ever since she entered the strange house now reached fever pitch. She took a deep breath and told herself it was nothing. This was an old house and old houses made strange noises.

Metal clanged against metal.

“Lucian? Is that you?”

No answer.

She approached the hallway, moving closer to the origin of the sound. She looked left and right but saw no one. Not that she expected different. The sounds came from beneath her. The clanging metal sounded again and Ella estimated it was right below her.

“Cade?” she called.

Again, no answer.

She should go back in the kitchen. Lucian would be there and he would take her back to her car.

It was probably an old furnace or water heater. The noise sounded again and Ella couldn’t take it anymore. No furnace made noises like this! She would just peek downstairs and see what it was so she could calm her frayed nerves.

She turned down the hallway, trying to see whether Cade or Lucian were anywhere nearby, when she stopped in her tracks. The open door led to a darkened staircase.

That door wasn’t open a second ago. She was sure of it.

Ella took a deep breath. Stop imagining things. This house isn’t haunted, and there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this. Just go down the stairs and see for yourself.

Upon closer inspection, the stairs weren’t as dark as she thought. A faint light shone at the bottom. At least she wouldn’t have to fumble for a light switch. Houses like this one tended to be covered in cobwebs.

She assumed. She’d never really been in a house like this before.

Ella didn’t consider herself scared of spiders, but she still wouldn’t want to sneak up on one.

Each stair creaked and moaned as she stepped; she paused. It wasn’t as if she were sneaking anywhere. If Lucian or Cade came around, she’d tell them the truth. She’d heard strange noises repeatedly and hadn’t been able to get either of them to check it out.

Really, she was doing them a favor.

She grinned at her logic as she made it to the end of the stairs. Looking around, her heart dropped out of her chest.

She’d expected to see normal basement stuff: storage boxes and the ugly appliances no one wanted on the upper levels.

She found a dungeon.

Her breaths came in short pants as she stared down the dark, narrow hallway. Two doors on either side, each with a small, barred window. She should go. Turn and run. A mile wasn’t that far. If she left right now, she could probably make it to her car before Lucian did. Probably.

She twisted back to the stairs before a sickening realization filled her. Dad’s car was right outside Lucian’s property.

Flooded with the urgency to escape, Ella pushed past her fear and ran to the doors. The first two cells were both empty, containing only a depressing-looking bucket and a bare, metal bench.

The third one was exactly the same, except for the small man huddled in a corner. All she could see was messy, white hair and a tattered brown sweater, but she knew exactly who this was.

Lucian had her dad locked in his basement dungeon.

“Dad!” she whispered.

He twitched at her cry; his white hair shook with the movement. “Ella?” He squinted at the door, as though his eyes weren’t focusing.

Her hands fumbled at the door, the dim light making it hard to see. She threw up a silent prayer of thanks when she saw the locking mechanism. She didn’t need a key. It was just a massive deadbolt from the outside.

She slid the lock loose and ran to her father. “We need to get you out of here.”

Her father shook his head frantically. “How did they find you? I never told them, I swear! You need to leave. They cannot know about you!”

Ella’s heart broke at his garbled ramblings. “Please, Dad. Can you stand? We need to get out of here.”

Could she make it to her car? Dad seemed so weak. He’d never be able to run and it was only a matter of time before Lucian realized she was missing.

“You need to go!” he shouted.

Ella froze for a moment, listening for footsteps pounding on the stairs. Nothing.

“Not without you,” she whispered. She wrapped an arm under his shoulders and hoisted him up. Once he was standing, he was more compliant, supporting his own weight and walking on his own.

She tiptoed to the stairs ahead of him and looked upwards. No sign of the brothers. What the hell were they doing with a dungeon in their basement? Had they planned to put her down there? Why hadn’t the thought of her calling the police scared Lucian at all? He was the one who suggested it.

Ella crept up the stairs, pushing the questions from her mind. She would have to deal with the whys later. For now, she had to focus on getting Dad to safety.

He didn’t have any obvious injuries, but it was too dark to know for sure, and he seemed so weak. When she reached the top of the stairs, she forced herself to peek into the hall, though it would be hard to hear anyone approach over the thunderous beating of her heart.

The coast seemed clear. The front door was just twenty feet away. Freedom was so close. She reached behind her to where her father slumped against the rail. “We’re going to run, okay?” She squeezed his hand tighter. “I’ve got you. Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

She started for the hallway, but Dad pulled her back. “Ella. They’re monsters.”

“I know, Dad. You’re going to be okay, though. I promise.” Determined not to overthink it, she ran for the door. With her father trailing behind, she couldn’t work up to a full sprint, but soon enough she and Dad made it into the fresh, summer night.

The relief was immediate, but she couldn’t fully relax yet. She reached in her pocket to verify her keys were there. Her phone was in her purse, but she couldn’t risk going back in for it.

Without her phone, there was no frantic 911 call. She wouldn’t be getting any police escort home. It was just her and Dad.

Just like always.

She pulled her father toward the bridge. “We have to go a mile. Then you can rest.”

“They’re monsters. They’re going to take you from me,” he mumbled.

Ella fought tears back at the sight of Dad. His head hung low, feet shuffling over the ground, his eyes bright with worry. “You’re almost safe. Let’s just keep going.”

They made it over the creaky wooden bridge and kept up a slow jog for a few minutes until Ella could no longer see the lights from Lucian’s house of horrors and Dad wasn’t able to run anymore.

She slowed to a walk but couldn’t stop glancing around in a circle with every step. When Lucian first approached her in these woods, he hadn’t made a sound. How did she know he wasn’t stalking her at this very moment? Playing with her and her father like a cat plays with a mouse. Just waiting for the best time to pounce.

Every snapping branch made her jump. Every bird flapping its wings had her looking at the sky, somehow expecting Lucian to fly down from the darkness of the treetops. She listened for the telltale electronic hum of a camera, turning to follow her every move.

She needed to get off Lucian’s territory.

Ella didn’t remember the exact path she’d walked with Lucian, but she knew she was walking in the right direction. If they didn’t come out by her car, she’d just have to flag down the first driver she saw. She’d rather take her chances hitchhiking than with Lucian dragging her and Dad back.

When the road finally appeared in the distance, Ella let out a pent-up breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. “We’re almost there, Dad.”

They took three more steps before Dad fell to the ground, screaming and clutching his head. “Ahhhhh!”

“Dad, what’s wrong?” She tried to pull him up, but he curled into the fetal position as his cries got even louder.

The sharp sound in the still night had Ella keeping her eyes on the horizon. If Lucian was looking for them, surely he would’ve heard that.

He broke away from her and scrambled deeper into the woods and away from the road. When he was fifteen yards from where he’d collapsed, he leaned against a tree, exhausted eyes falling shut. “They won’t let me leave,” he moaned.

“We’re leaving. It doesn’t matter what they ‘let’ you do. I’m getting you the hell out of here.”

Ella grabbed at his arm and pulled him toward the road, but he held his ground, shaking his head at her efforts.

“You’re going to kill him.” The rumbling voice came from behind her.

To her credit, she didn’t jump. She’d been half expecting him to materialize out of the darkness this entire time.

She bit her bottom lip to keep her defeat from showing as she faced him. “You son of a bitch.”

Lucian cocked his head at the insult. “You’re probably right. I didn’t know my mother all that well.”

Dad pushed himself away from the tree. “Leave her alone! I’ll go back with you. I’ll do whatever you want.”

Ella’s eyes widened as Dad tried to throw himself at Lucian’s feet. She narrowly managed to snag a piece of his shirt and hold him next to her.

Lucian dispassionately considered the offer. “I think I know your secret, old man. This is what you’ve been hiding.”

Dad shook his head and tears escaped his eyes. “Please, no.”

Ella nervously gulped. She’d never seen Dad cry. Not once.

“Just let us go. The road is right there. We won’t tell anyone about this. I promise.”

Lucian turned his glacial gaze on her, the blue of his eyes almost black in the darkness. “You can go,” he offered. “There’s nothing stopping you.”

She stared him down for a moment, waiting for him to rescind the offer or to attack. For all she knew, Cade was hiding in the shadows.

When he said nothing, she pulled on Dad’s shirt. “Let’s go,” she whispered.

Lucian stepped forward. “I wouldn’t do that.”

She knew it. “But you just said...”

“I said you could go. Your father can’t.”

Ella shook her head in denial. The tears she’d been fighting finally made their way past her defenses and trickled down her cheeks. “Please let him go. What has he ever done to you?”

He cocked his head at her again. It was such an animalistic gesture. Just another reminder of his predatory nature she’d sensed since the moment they met. “I don’t intend to hurt him. I need him and he refuses to help me. I’m desperate and he might be the only person who can save my people. You expect me to let him waltz off into the sunset because you start crying and asking nicely?”

Ella looked to Dad, gauging his reaction.

“You have to leave.” He sounded so hopeless and desperate. How could she leave him?

“Please,” she breathed. She couldn’t just abandon Dad, to be thrown back in that prison cell.

Lucian took a step toward her. She wanted to retreat but refused to put her father between Lucian and her.

“You need to understand. Your father will die if he goes to that road, and I won’t be the one killing him. Not directly anyway. I have a barrier spell around my property. Humans cannot enter without one of my people moving them past the spell.”

It all made so much sense now. Lucian was bat-shit crazy. “Of course humans can cross. I did.”

The corners of his mouth curved in a wicked grin and Dad moaned again.

“Ella, run!” he shouted, pushing her away from him.

Ella stumbled toward the road, but stopped herself before she fell. Lucian soundlessly appeared right next to her, steadying a hand on her arm. She jerked free from his grip. Had he walked over to her? How did he move so silently?

“Your father has been keeping secrets from you. The reason you can enter here is because you are not human. At least, not fully.”

She shook her head. “You’re crazy,” she mumbled as she inched backward, cursing every additional centimeter added between her and Dad.

“Twenty-five years ago, your father worked for us. We haven’t had a child born to my race in centuries. Through the wars and battles, our numbers are dwindling. He was supposed to help. Give us a female who could bear our heirs.”

“What’s wrong with you? Are you even listening to what you’re saying?”

A sudden and chilling wind ripped through the woods, pushing Ella’s hair in her eyes and making her feel even more overwhelmed.

“Now that we bring him back to finish the job, he’s refusing to say a damn word. And here you are. Mid-twenties. No idea who your mother is. Somehow able to walk onto my property without so much as a headache. Why do you think the cops didn’t look into your father’s car? Why do you think your father was in so much pain?”

She thought back to how adamant Gus was that the car was not a big deal. How fervent he’d been when telling her to get out of the woods. “That’s why you had me call him. You think that even if he knows I’m here, he can’t get to me.”

Lucian nodded, mouth curving at her slow acceptance. “I’m saying that if I wanted to, I could keep you as long as I wished.” Ella took another step back at the words. Lucian lifted a cold hand and brushed the backs of his fingers down her tear-stained cheeks. “Don’t worry. It’s not you I want. Even if you could bear our children, it takes more than one to replenish a species, and a forced pregnancy isn’t exactly healthy for the child. You are safe from me. I need to know how you were created, though. What makes you special.”

He turned away from her and stalked toward Dad, who still lay limply against a tree. Without an ounce of gentleness, he lifted the old man over his shoulder.

“Stop!” she shouted as her world crumbled around her.

Lucian faced her as though the weight of Dad was nothing to him. “I said you’re free to go.”

“Take me. Find out what makes me different. I’ll help you, I promise. Just let him go.” She wanted to sound brave and heroic, but she couldn’t stop the tears. What exactly was she volunteering?

Lucian smiled at the offer, and she suddenly realized this was exactly what he’d wanted all along. All the pieces clicked into place. The open door to the basement. The clean getaway. The noises. Dad had barely been moving. He couldn’t have been the one making all the racket.

Lucian let it all happen. Just waiting for her to offer to take Dad’s place.

But she had no choice. If he would truly let Dad go, she’d go back with Lucian.

“I won’t rape you,” he said. “It will be a harsh adjustment and I expect you to be complacent with the tests that will be required.”

Unable to summon her voice, Ella nodded.

And then Lucian and Dad vanished in front of her eyes. One second they were there and the next they were gone. “Dad!”

“He’s right here.” Lucian stood at the side of the road, propping Dad against a tree.

Ella ran over to them, but Lucian caught her before she made it to Dad, pulling her back up against his chest. “It’s time to go,” he warned.

“Let me say good-bye,” she screamed as she struggled to escape his grip. He seemed to consider it for a moment before he released his hold.

She reached Dad, but he didn’t move except for his ragged breathing; his eyes were closed. “What did you do to him?”

Lucian shrugged a big shoulder, as though none of this was his fault at all. “Nothing worse than had already been done. The stress of everything probably just got to him.”

She narrowed her eyes at the callous words. “You were going to leave him passed out on the side of the road?”

“His heartbeat is strong and he doesn’t have a head injury. He’s a smart man. He would’ve made it back home.”

“How the hell would you know if his heartbeat was strong?”

“I can hear it,” he said simply.

Instead of dignifying his ridiculous statement with a response, she switched tactics. “We need to call someone. I won’t let you leave him here.”

She half expected him to fight with her. Instead, he slipped his phone from his pocket, quickly running his fingers over the touchscreen, and put it to his ear. “Hello. I was driving and just found a man passed out on the side of the road.”

Ella remained silent as he gave detailed instructions on how to locate Dad, including nearby landmarks. She didn’t know how he could see anything in the darkness, but he probably knew this area like the back of his hand.

When he hung up, he was smart enough to let Ella have a moment with Dad. She didn’t know what she would’ve done if he’d tried to drag her off.

She probably wouldn’t have done a damn thing. He’d already proved how much stronger he was. He moved silently and faster than anyone she’d ever met. Maybe he wasn’t completely crazy when he said he wasn’t human.

Quicker than she would’ve expected, considering how out in the middle of nowhere they were, the flashing lights of a police cruiser shone in the distance.

“We need to leave.” Lucian spoke from right behind her, but, at this point, his sudden appearance wasn’t surprising.

She pushed herself up, but she must not have been fast enough for Lucian. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her deep into the shadows just as the cruiser pulled over.

She held herself ramrod stiff as the two officers got out. Ever since she first stumbled across him in these woods, Lucian found every excuse to touch her and she couldn’t stand it. He’d effectively ruined her life and hadn’t even batted an eyelash. He could kill her or her dad without breaking a sweat and here he was with one steel band of an arm wrapped around her.

His breath tickled her neck and sent shivers down her spine when he leaned forward. “Do I need to cover your mouth?”

Ella took a deep swallow and shook her head. If she had any plans to test her new captivity, it would be when Dad was nowhere around and safe from danger.

One of the officers checked Dad’s vitals while the other swept the ground with his flashlight. Probably trying to figure out what the heck happened.

The light shone into the woods and stopped inches from where she and Lucian stood. The officer took two steps forward until he abruptly stopped. He stood stock-still for a moment before he turned back to his partner. “There’s nothing in there. We better not go in.”

The other officer looked into the darkness. “You’re right. We better not go in.”

Ella looked over her shoulder and silently met Lucian’s eyes. His expression didn’t change, but she knew he was thinking, “I told you so.”

He leaned forward and whispered, “We’re going to leave now.”

It wasn’t a question, but she nodded anyway. There wasn’t any more she could do for Dad. She expected Lucian to release her and start back to the house, but he just held her tighter. The dark woods spun in front of her as the blackness and deep browns swirled together.

Ella tightly closed her eyes, half expecting to pass out. After all she’d been through, it’d hardly be surprising.

Except when she opened them, she was still in Lucian’s arms. Staring right at his house of horrors.

Ella jerked away and turned in a tight circle. Sure enough, they were somehow back at his place. “Did I pass out?”

Lucian’s eyes followed her every move. “No. I teleported you here.”

The words sounded so casual coming from him. “Teleported? Are you crazy?”

“You tell me. You were there.”

She stared him down. Teleportation would make a lot of sense. It would explain how he was so quiet and she never really saw him move. She thought back to his sparkling shoes when he first surprised her in the woods.

She definitely wasn’t in Kansas anymore. “So, just to clarify, there is a spell all the way around your land and you can teleport? What else is inhuman about you?”

“A lot. Do you want to talk about it now or later?”

Any other time, she’d say now. She’d want to know everything right away. Get all the facts and try to formulate a way out.

Instead, she squeaked out, “Are you going to kill me?”

Lucian’s lips tightened, the first sign any of this bothered him at all. “I wasn’t lying. I need you. I need your help. That means you need to be alive and protected. As of right now, you’re the safest person on the planet.”

Ella absorbed the information, trying to decide how much of it was bull. “Somehow, I don’t believe you.”

Lucian shrugged. “That’s not my problem. Now, are you going to walk inside or do I have to carry you?”

She wanted to scream and fight and make him work for it, but the thought of him touching her again was too much. “I’ll walk,” she announced, making her way toward the door. She stopped as her hand touched the handle. “Are you going to throw me in the dungeon?”

“You’re not going in the damn dungeon. Just get inside,” he barked.

Ella’s eyes widened at his outburst, but she obediently walked back into the house of horrors. “I don’t know what you’re so upset about. Aren’t you getting everything you wanted?”

Lucian stomped past her to the stairs, and Ella assumed he meant for her to follow. “I have shit I need to get done and getting you took longer than I expected,” he grumbled.

He moved up to the third story. Each of his footsteps echoed through the old Victorian.

He stopped in front of a nondescript door, the same drab color as the rest of the house. “This is your room. The door isn’t going to be locked, though I recommend you stay inside at night. Tomorrow I’ll have one of my men fly out, and he and Cade will take turns watching you. You’re not a prisoner, so you can go wherever you want during the day as long as one of them is with you.”

Ella raised an eyebrow at that. “I’m not a prisoner? What would you call me then?”

Lucian thought on it for a moment before his lips formed a sardonic grin. “An honored guest.”

She shook her head at his messed-up logic. “And no one will be coming into my room, right?” Not that she was in any place to make demands, but it was the one guarantee she had.

His brief grin disappeared as his face twitched a bit. For a moment, she could’ve sworn his eyes started to change color. “You have the safest room in the house. I’m right next door if you need anything.”

She took a step back. “How is that supposed to make me feel better?”

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I have to go. Just get in your room and stay in there until dawn,” he spat out, opening the door and ushering her inside.

As soon as she was over the threshold, the door slammed shut behind her and she was left alone.

Ella leaned against the closed door and observed her new prison. The room wasn’t horrible. It was definitely a step up from the dungeon. Another plus: it wasn’t decorated in the same drab colors as the rest of the house.

The bedspread was a soft green, and a few of the many pillows at the headboard were pink. The furniture was white and nothing seemed too dusty.

Ella examined inside the armoire and dressers, but they were all empty, save for some antique-looking perfume bottles next to the vanity mirror. The room was obviously for a woman and kept up, but there didn’t appear to be any current occupants. There was one window along the wall. She studied the latch. It didn’t seem locked from the outside. She could probably open it and jump out, but she thought better of it. A third-story fall couldn’t be good for her spine, and she had a feeling Lucian would just drag her back. Any escape attempt now would surely be expected. Better to bide her time until she knew Lucian wouldn’t chase after her.

Defeated, Ella fell back against the bed. The headboard thumped loudly against the wall. What the heck was she supposed to do now? Sleep?

Lucian barely made it to the stairs before his skin started to ripple and change. He took the steps two at a time, and when he hit the first level, the transformation was completed. His eyes were completely black while his skin changed to a leathery gray, slightly withered even where it stretched over the bulging muscles of his myotis form.

His top fangs lengthened so much he couldn’t fully close his mouth, and his ears now stretched into long points that merged with the back of his skull. He paused at the bottom of the stairs to carefully unbutton his slacks, skillfully maneuvering his extended claws as to not to rip the material. He didn’t gain much size when he shifted, but the extra three inches of girth was enough to strain the seams.

His shirt was loose enough to begin with, so it didn’t cause him any trouble. The damn pants got him every night.

Cade was in one of the offices on the first floor, typing quickly, his own claws not slowing him down at all.

“Who are you talking to?” Lucian took a seat at his own computer.

Cade looked over his shoulder and studied Lucian for a moment. “You took longer than I was expecting.”

“You and me both.” He’d hoped to get Ella safely in her room just after dark, but the wait for the police had taken longer than he’d thought. It wasn’t impossible to hold his human form once the sun set, but it was a pain in the ass and every other part of his body. He’d be stuck with this headache for half the damn night. “Who are you talking to?” he repeated.

“Dmitri. He says there was another attack. This time on a military base. The Army is definitely involved now.”

“Fuck.” Lucian leaned his head back against his seat and closed his eyes. “How much do you think the government knew about vampires before this all started?”

Cade laughed. “Well, they’re about to get a crash course. Aleksander is trying to get Ironheart to work as a liaison between him and the humans.”

Lucian raised a brow. “The mercenary?”

Cade nodded. “According to Dmitri, she’s the most powerful human turned vampire they have. She has a long record of loyalty to humans and has historically supported Aleksander.”

“She supports him for the moment. She’s been known to change her mind. Whatever. She’s not my fucking problem. Does Dmitri want anything from us?”

Dmitri was their main liaison with the vampire high council. Kalger’s method of ruling involved isolating the myotis from all other supernatural races, with a focus on increasing his wealth and surviving as long as possible, namely forever.

While he got his riches, the myotis died one by one. Even worse, all the other races considered them vile monsters that lived for killing, kidnapping, and raping. Over the past year, Lucian had been slowly improving their reputation, but it was hard to change beliefs people had held for centuries.

The vampires were currently in the middle of a crisis, so they’d come to accept help from Lucian. There weren’t many myotis left, but their superior strength, even compared to the vampires, and ability to teleport were useful during a war.

“Don’t tell Dmitri about Ella,” warned Lucian.

Cade rubbed a hand over his head. He had the same gray and leathery skin, but his hair remained short and buzzed; his fangs were a bit shorter than Lucian’s and his lips were a jet-black instead of dark gray. “You don’t trust him?”

“I don’t trust anyone when it comes to her. She’s our chance. Our hope.”

“You kidnapped our hope and are keeping her prisoner?” said Cade dryly.

“What was I supposed to do?” snapped Lucian. He took a breath to calm down, but his head was still pounding. “Murray wouldn’t volunteer his services, so I had to apply pressure. Once we found out about her, I couldn’t just ask her nicely!”

Cade turned back to his computer. “You could’ve tried it,” he muttered under his breath.

Lucian mentally reminded himself of all the reasons he shouldn’t attack his right-hand man. He really let Cade get away with too much, but it was hard to think of him as a subject. They’d been friends for centuries, struggling to survive together under Kalger’s brutal and idiotic rule.

If possible, they probably would be co-coven masters along with Dean, but that wasn’t how it worked. Lucian killed Kalger, so Lucian took over. Simple as that.

“When will Dean get here?” asked Lucian.

“He’s getting some stuff settled before he makes his way over. He’ll be here before she wakes up. How do you think she’ll be in the morning?”

That was the million-dollar question. “It doesn’t matter to me. It’s your job to make her happy.”

The look Cade shot Lucian was murderous.

Ella didn’t know how long she stared at the door. It could’ve been hours but was probably less. It was daylight, so, theoretically, she could leave. Those were the rules for her “not a prison” confinement.

Did she want to venture out? She knew someone was up, because she would periodically hear the stairs creak or doors shut.

She hadn’t heard Lucian move around in the room next door, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t there. When she listened for him, she would stare down the other door in her bedroom.

The one that connected her room to his.

He said he wouldn’t touch you. She’d repeated those words to herself all morning, but it didn’t help her feel better.

Suddenly, she heard movement from behind the wall. Lucian was in there! Was he just getting up or did he just go in? She hadn’t heard the stairs creak, but he didn’t have to take the stairs. He could just wiggle his nose and go wherever he darn well pleased.

Another creak sounded from his room. Ella was off her bed and sprinted for the door. Of course, it made a loud squeaking noise when she opened it, so she bolted to the stairs as quickly as possible without actually running.

The stairs weren’t any more subtle. Her smaller frame didn’t make as much noise as she’d heard during the night, but anyone in the house would know she was moving around.

When she reached the first floor, she stared wistfully at the door. Chains would’ve been better than knowing no amount of speed would get her away from her captors.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty!” came a friendly, deep voice from the kitchen.

Reluctantly, she looked away from the exit and to the unfamiliar voice. “Oh look,” she muttered when she saw him. “It’s another male model.” He really did look as if he should be on the cover of GQ. His skin was such a beautiful ebony, he almost seemed photoshopped. His cheekbones were high and defined, and his body filled out his gray polo shirt amazingly well.

The man grinned widely at her praise, showing off amazingly white and straight teeth. “Nice to see you, too, babe.”

Ella grunted. “It wasn’t a compliment.”

“Well then, I need to teach you some better insults. Ohh! Try out my newest one—rock fucker.”

Ella just stared blankly for a moment before what he said truly sunk in. “Rock what?”

“Rock. Fucker.” He made sure to carefully enunciate each word, even though he knew she heard each one perfectly the first time. “As in, so dumb, you’d fuck a rock. Probably end up with a bruised dick. Maybe broken. To be honest, I’m not really sure what would happen.”

A series of increasingly disturbing images crossed through Ella’s mind. Before thinking better of it, she asked, “Is there a hole in the rock?”

The man threw his head back and a deep, throaty laughter filled the room. “Oh, shit. I never even thought about that!”

“Well, thanks to you, I have. And I can never unthink it.” The corners of her mouth started to curl into a smile, but she stopped herself.

She stared down at the aged wood floors and made her way around the man.

“I’m Dean,” he said as she walked past.

She ignored him and entered the kitchen, stomach growling. Of course she was hungry. Leave it to her to think of food even at a time like this. She should be curled up into a little ball in her room, freaking out—not thinking about breakfast.

As hungry as she was, a frozen burrito didn’t sound appealing at the moment. There had to be something else to eat. She heard Dean behind her but didn’t look. Let him stand awkwardly. See if she cared.

The pantry had a couple of promising items like cereal and granola bars, but mostly it was chips and junk food. Not that most cereals were that healthy anyway.

She eyed the box that probably had more sugar per serving than a slice of cake. What the heck? If there was ever an excuse to binge, it was being kidnapped.

Could this be considered kidnapping? She’d offered to go with him, but she was under duress. Was there legal precedent for this? Not that it mattered. It wasn’t as though she could press charges.

She grabbed the box and made her way to the fridge, hoping for some fresh milk. Bingo!

She turned to search for a bowl and Dean was already fishing one out from the cabinets. She walked past his outstretched hand and grabbed her own bowl. He looked down at the empty dish and shrugged, setting it back on the counter as Ella sat at the small table.

“So what are we doing today?” he asked in that same cheery voice.

“Taking me home?”

Dean shook his head. “Come on. You don’t want to leave. You just got here. It’s like a paid vacation.”

Ella angrily poured her cereal, never before realizing it was possible to angrily pour cereal. She slammed the box on the table. “I’m not getting paid. In fact, I’m probably going to lose my job. So, thanks for the reminder.” She poured the milk, and Dean carefully grabbed the carton from her before she could slam it down too.

“I wouldn’t worry about money. Lucian will take care of you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Great. I can be his little pet he can dress up however he likes. I had plans, you know. I was going to be getting a house and a dog and finally live on my own. Now I have babysitters who may or may not be human.”

“Not human,” clarified Dean.

“We’ll see.” She’d gone over the events of last night a thousand times in her head and hadn’t been able to come up with one rational explanation for the things she’d seen Lucian do. That didn’t mean she was willing to believe he was some sort of monster. Metaphorical monster, sure. That she could believe.

“What kind of dog?” asked Dean, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Hmm? Oh, nothing special. Just a mutt.”

“I’ve met lots of mutts. Usually they’re pretty special.” Dean grabbed a breakfast pastry from the pantry and sat across from her. He chowed down without bothering to heat it.

“You like dogs?” If they truly were inhuman, wouldn’t dogs sense it or something?

“Who doesn’t?”

Ella shook her head at the question. “Lots of people don’t like dogs.”

He just shrugged. “Whatever you say. So, a small dog? One you can ride to the store? You have to have some idea in your head.”

“Well, I volunteer at the shelter. There’s this guy that’s been there for seven months and he’s the friendliest dog. He’s got this bright red coat and the ears that start to stand up, but flip over at the last minute and squinty eyes that make him look like he’s stoned all the time.” Ella frowned and looked at her cereal. She’d probably said too much. He was trying to bond with her. Become her friend.

But he wasn’t a friend. He was her guard.

She pushed the bowl away and stood. “I’m going back upstairs.”

“It’s boring up there. I’m here to show you a good time! You like video games?”

Ella narrowed her eyes. “Do I look like the video game type?”

“I don’t judge based on appearance. And, as a matter of fact, that look you’re giving me screams ‘first-person shooter.’”

Ella continued staring, letting her eyes tell him exactly how ridiculous the idea was.

“You can pretend you’re shooting Lucian.” He grinned.

Of all the things Lucian expected to hear as he walked down the stairs, it wasn’t the sound of Ella screaming at the television.

“That was a clean shot! How is he not dead?” She threw the Xbox controller on the couch cushion between her and Dean, watching helplessly as her animated character fell to the ground. Large bloody holes tore up the soldier’s head.

Dean laughed at her predicament. “You’ll get the hang of it.”

“No, I got it. Point and shoot. That’s exactly what I did, and the little aim-y thing told me I was shooting him in the head, but guess what? I’m the one dead!”

Lucian stared between the two of them, trying to figure out what the hell he was looking at.

“Morning, sunshine.” Dean reloaded the level.

Ella stiffened as she realized Dean wasn’t speaking to her, but pointedly ignored him.

Even though he knew her fear was justified, he couldn’t resist the urge to mess with her a bit. “You don’t seem like the video game type.”

She kept her gaze firmly locked on the TV. “Some people don’t judge others based on looks alone.”

“Or else you’d have people thinking you were Miss America all the time, right?”

Ella’s shoulders tensed even more and Dean’s eyes bulged. “Oh my God! You’re a beauty queen!”

Lucian threw his head back and laughed. “Seriously?”

She rolled her eyes. “I was a pageant girl. I don’t know why you’re both laughing. There’s nothing funny about it.”

Dean looked back to Lucian. “Remind me to Google this later.”

“Go for it. All you’ll get is a few pictures of me looking great in some ball gowns.”

“No bikini?” asked Lucian. That earned him a look of disgust from Ella.

“Don’t you dare Google me just so you can see me in a swimsuit.”

He held his hands up in surrender. “If you insist.”

She sighed and turned away from him again.

This really would be an uphill battle, but he wasn’t making things any easier by baiting her. “Ella, I need to see you over here.”

Her back went back to ramrod straight position at the sudden order. After a slight hesitation, she stood and faced him. He knew she’d be afraid of him, but it was frustrating to see her so jumpy at the slightest word.

And she probably wouldn’t be any happier with him after what he was about to do.

He strode to his study, leaving her to follow him.

She stood at the threshold to the room for a moment before she entered.

“I’m not going to bite.”

“Right. Because you’ve given me no reason at all to fear you,” she said in a sardonic tone.

Instead of pointlessly defending himself, he held his hand out to a chair next to him. “Sit.”

She plopped herself down, looking more like a surly teen than the beauty queen she apparently was. Even surly, she was a knockout. Her hair was tangled and her eyes showed just how little sleep she’d gotten, but when she looked up at him with those big, brown eyes, he had to remind himself how to breathe.

And now he was going to make her hate him even more. “Are you afraid of needles?”

She scooted away from him on the chair. “I’m afraid of you and I’m not a big fan of needles. I sure as heck don’t want those two things mixing.”

He tried to put on a comforting expression, but had a feeling it wasn’t working. “I’ve done this plenty of times before. I just need to get some blood from you to have analyzed. It should only take a minute.”

“A minute of you stabbing me with a needle,” she clarified.

“This was the deal. I’m not going to need too much, but I do need to find out what makes you different.”

“If I only need to do a couple tests for you every once in a while, why can’t I just stay home?”

Lucian reached into his drawer for the supplies Dean had brought with him the previous night. “I need to keep you safe.”

She let out a snort of laughter. “Right. The only one I’m really in danger from is you.”

Lucian tightened his lips. “We have enemies. If they know we might be able to bear children again, they will try to kill you.”

She raised a brow. “Really? Are these enemies monsters too? Or just plain old humans?”

“You aren’t going to like the answer.”

“I haven’t liked any so far.”

“At the moment, the greatest threat is the vampires.”

Silence hung thick in the air between them as she shook her head and looked away from him. “You’re so full of crap,” she muttered.

“Believe what you want. Give me your arm.”

Her eyes shot him daggers as she set her arm, palm up, on the wooden desk on her right. He tied the tourniquet around her bicep and turned for the rest of the kit.

“So what did you do to piss off the vampires?”

“Well, it’s not all vampires. Just some of them.” He pulled out the needle and Ella shuddered. Shit. She really was afraid of needles. He couldn’t make it painless, but he could talk her through it.

“When the Earth was created, it was intended to be a magic-less realm. It was going great, but every once in a while some creature, or monster as you’d call it, would sneak in. The ‘powers that be’ would allow the occasional intruder, but the biggest threat was when a faction of the vampires forced their way in.”

He pushed the needle into a vein with the last word. Ella hissed at the sting but stayed extra still. “Who are ‘the powers that be’?”

“Angels. Silent beings of great power that watch over Earth. Very few have ever seen them, but one of the most powerful vampires just married a half angel, so we have learned a little more about their race.”

Ella frowned. “Wait—a half angel married a vampire?”

Lucian mentally grinned. He’d gotten her distracted, and the blood draw would be over in a few seconds. “It’s a long story. Anyway, the angels stopped the vampire invasion and agreed to let them stay, but they erased all memories of the vampires’ original homeland.

“Well, now the vampire realm has opened another door to Earth and they are starting to invade. We are helping the original vampires who crossed over. It is the new ones who would wish us harm.” He pulled the needle out and held gauze over the crook of her elbow.

She stared intently at the spot where his fingers touched her sensitive skin. He couldn’t tell whether he was hurting her or not. She was so warm, the simple touch seemed to heat his entire body.

“Why would the vampires want your help?” she asked quietly.

“We’re stronger than them, which is saying a lot. We can go anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye. And, when we want to, we can appear very intimidating.”

A corner of her mouth lifted. “I believe that.”

Lucian decided not to elaborate on just how correct she was. She had no idea how scary he could look if he really wanted to. He handed her a bandage. “Put this on and you can go back to playing your games with Dean.”

She took the bandage and opened it. “No fun designs or neon colors? Shocking. And I wasn’t ‘playing games.’ I was practicing for when I shoot you.”

“Well, you’re practicing wrong. Guns are not very effective when it comes to killing a myotis.”

“Myotis? That’s what you are called? Isn’t that a type of bat?”

He should’ve known she’d catch that, considering what her father did for a living. “The original legends about my kind claimed we turned into large bats. The name has evolved over the centuries, but this is what we’ve settled on for now.”

He stood up at the same time she did, and for a second they almost touched. Her head barely came up to his chin, and he couldn’t stop himself from leaning in and inhaling her scent.

Nothing special. No perfumes or fancy creams. Yet he still couldn’t get enough.

She tensed at his proximity, and he moved away before she realized he was sniffing her. He figured she could only handle so much weirdness at a time.

“We’re good, right?” she asked, eyes firmly on the ground.

“You’re done. I’m sending this in today and later in the week, we’ll probably go to a medical center in the city and have some more tests done.”

“Can’t wait,” she muttered as she walked by him.

He stood alone in his study, only the lingering scent of Ella to keep him company. Soon the banging of machine guns sounded from the entertainment area.

He looked down at the blood in his hand. “This had better work,” he growled.

It really was one of the strangest weeks of Ella’s life. It was a whirlwind of fear mixed with the nervous energy of doing something new. Cade and Dean made it their life’s mission to show her a good time, no matter how much she was determined to hate them.

And, God help her, it was starting to work. They would do anything and everything she asked as long as it fit within Lucian’s rules. Any movie she asked for, they would teleport to the store and buy. Not only that, they’d watch it with her. She watched The Notebook three times in a row just to see if they would cut her off. By the third viewing, they were quoting the lines, usually with crazy accents, and cheering every time Rachel McAdams took her clothes off, but they didn’t complain.

They brought her books and clothes and anything else she wanted. In the evenings, she would be ushered back to her room and warned to stay inside or else.

They never specified what the “or else” was, but their tones made it sound so serious.

Which was strange, because nothing Cade and Dean ever said was serious. They were always smiling and joking. As if the three of them were friends on vacation.

But then Ella would remember. They weren’t friends or old acquaintances. They’d kept her father there against his will, and now she was unable to leave. To clear her head, Ella would go for long hikes—with one of the guys right behind her, of course. At least they would hang back and give her the illusion of privacy for her to sort out her clustered thoughts.

Had Ray officially hired his niece to replace her? Was Dad okay? He hadn’t seemed too injured when the police found him, but anytime someone lost consciousness it could be a sign of a serious problem. Besides, he wasn’t a young man anymore. Whenever she asked Cade or Dean about her father, they told her to talk to Lucian. Fat chance.

Lucian was usually around somewhere, but he rarely spoke to her. He would say “hello” in the halls, but she would look anywhere but at him and he wouldn’t say any more.

So when he tracked her down in the middle of one of her hikes, she knew something was up. “What do you want?”

Lucian raised a brow at her hostile tone. “How can you possibly be so grumpy on such a beautiful day?”

She set her hands on her hips. “Don’t be dense. Say what you came to say.”

“Your blood tests came back. Feel like a field trip?”

She shifted on her feet. “What did they say?”

“The doctor’s exact words were ‘interesting.’ He wouldn’t tell me much more than that. Wants to see you in person. Are you up for it?”

Ella moved past Lucian, making sure to keep a few yards between them at all times. “I love how you phrase it like a question when we both know I have no choice.”

“There’s always a choice,” he said quietly from behind her.

“When you’re backed into a corner, there’s only one direction to go,” she muttered, refusing to say anything else.

As they walked into the hospital lobby an hour later, all heads turned. Ella hung back, letting Cade and Lucian lead the way and take all the glory. They were the ones attracting all the attention anyway.

She was pretty enough, but it took a lot of time and effort to get back into show-stopping condition. Lucian and Cade were just that way naturally: the perfect cross between a male model and NFL linebacker.

Without stopping at any check-in desks, Lucian turned down one of the hospital corridors. After a few twists and turns, he let her into a normal-looking checkup room. Lucian turned to Cade. “Keep an eye out in the hall. Let me know if you hear anything.”

Cade nodded and left.

Ella looked around the room for something to distract her, trying her best to keep her gaze from the oversized male next to her. She had nothing to say to Lucian, and she couldn’t imagine she’d want to hear anything he had to say. She’d been able to live in the same house as him for a week and he’d barely acknowledged her presence. What was a few more minutes of awkward silence?

She picked up a pamphlet about diabetes and flipped through the pages.

Ella didn’t think it possible, but Lucian actually looked uncomfortable. Did he feel as on edge around her as she felt with him?

“Stay here. I’m going to find the doctor.” He abruptly left the room.

Stay here. As if she had a choice.

She flipped through the rest of the pamphlet, learning more than she ever wanted to know about insulin injections and blood sugar levels.

She wanted to check her watch or a phone for the time, but Lucian didn’t allow her either of those items, so she was out of luck. A few more moments passed, and there wasn’t a word in the exam room she hadn’t read, more due to the lack of literature than the time passing.

She probably hadn’t been waiting more than ten minutes, but it felt longer. She inched the door open to peek into the hallway.

“Impatient much?” Cade stood watch outside the door.

“Why are you out there? Can’t you guard me from in here?”

“Miss me already?” he said with a sideways grin that probably got him all the girls.

Ella snorted. “Just wondering what’s so scary here.” In truth, she’d grown used to Cade. Her captivity would’ve been endless days and nights of confinement if not for Dean and Cade. They kept her amused and smiling, even if she didn’t want to.

It was pointless to be bored and alone when her main source of amusement was only a few feet away.

Cade glanced up and down the hallway before he turned back to her. “This is our first public trip with you. If anyone found out what we’re trying to do, they might plan an attack. Dean and a few others are on call if we need reinforcements.”

“Right. You mean the,” she paused to lower her voice for an overly dramatic whisper, “vampires?”

Cade raised a brow. “Laugh all you want. When you’re fighting for your life against one, you won’t think it’s so funny.”

“That’s why I have you, right? Aren’t you doing my fighting for me?”

“I am doing this for the sake of my species. Not for you at all.” He winked.

Ella shook her head at his endless peppiness and glanced around at the sterile, white surroundings. “Hospitals creep me out,” she muttered.

He shrugged. “Hospitals are fine. Doctors give me the shivers.”

“Something can scare you? I didn’t realize you were afraid of anything.”

“Hey! Being scared and creeped out are two different things. I’m just saying, I’ve seen more limbs chopped off by doctors than saved.”

She frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve been in a war or two.”

“Like what? You can’t be older than thirty.”

One side of his mouth ticked up. “Try three hundred thirty.” Her mouth dropped open. “Three hundred and thirty-four years, to be precise.”

“You can’t think you’re three centuries old!”

“I don’t think it. I know it.”

She thought about all the implications. “How old does that make Dean and Lucian?”

“Dean’s just a baby. He’s two fifty.”

“Two hundred and fifty? As in years? That’s a baby to you? What about Lucian?”

Cade stared down at her. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”

Footsteps sounded at the other end of the hall and, without looking, Ella recognized Lucian’s confident gait. “Quit playing around and tell me.”

Cade looked over her shoulder and nodded in greeting to Lucian. He leaned in close, whispering in her ear, “North of seven hundred.”

The cold stethoscope was pressed to Ella’s chest and a quick shiver rushed through her. Something about sitting in the small room surrounded by two men made her feel naked even though she still wore her tank top and jeans.

Designer tank top and jeans. Everything the boys brought her was top-of-the-line and made from quality materials she’d never even heard of. She wished she could hate the clothes, but damn if they didn’t look great on her.

How did the pants manage to hug her thighs and butt so tight without giving the slightest hint of a muffin top? Maybe it was magic.

She really wished she could think that sarcastically.

The doctor moved the stethoscope away.

“Hear anything interesting in there?” she asked.

He tightened his lips. “No, but I doubted I’d find two hearts or anything. You don’t really look like a Time Lord.” He burst out laughing.

Ella turned her blank stare to Lucian. A faint grin curved his lips. “You don’t watch Doctor Who?” he asked.

“Doctor What?”

The doctor put down the stethoscope with a little too much force. “I don’t think I can help this one.”

Ella frowned as she tried to figure out whether he was joking. The doctor certainly was a strange one. He reminded her of Dad a bit, but younger. Probably mid-forties or a well-maintained fifty. He had a scruffy blond beard and bright blue eyes.

Beneath his white coat, he had a big build Ella was more used to seeing on gym rats than doctors.

“Lucian—he knows about you, right?”

Lucian nodded. “Not that he wouldn’t anyway after your subtle way of asking.”

“That’s your problem. Is he human?”

The doctor turned around with a rather threatening needle in hand. “‘He’ is standing right here and I’m very human. Why do you ask?”

She shrugged. “Seems like no one’s human these days,” she muttered.

He stepped toward her with the needle, and Ella instinctively leaned back. “Whoa. What’s that for, buddy?”

He grimaced, apparently not happy about having to work with someone who was afraid of needles. Well, tough luck. She wasn’t exactly a fan of having needles stuck in her, so they would just have to deal with it.

“I need a small sample of blood.”

She shook her head. “No. Lucian took a sample of my blood a few days ago. That will have to hold you over.”

Lucian put a hand on her shoulder. She wasn’t sure whether it was more to comfort her or hold her in place. “He needs some more. It won’t be that bad.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“I’ve had much bigger objects than that shoved into me,” he insisted.

“Yeah, well—wait. What?”

The doctor burst out laughing, and for a split second, she could’ve sworn she saw Lucian blush. “Not those types of objects. The point is, I’ve been stabbed a lot.”

She raised a brow. “I just bet you have.”

“I was feeling all sad for you because you had to get your blood drawn, but suddenly I don’t feel so bad.”

She let out a sigh of defeat and held out her arm to the doctor. “Fine. Just do it fast.”

Lucian bent in closer to her. “Don’t hear many women say that.”

She rolled her eyes as she glared at him. She almost shot back some witty retort but stopped herself. This wasn’t a casual visit to the doctor or an afternoon outing with friends. This was the deal she made.

He would release her dad if she gave her body over for him to do whatever experiments he wanted to do. She looked down at her lap and waited for the pinch of the needle.

The doctor wrapped the tourniquet around her upper arm.

“Relax,” whispered Lucian.

She didn’t move. Just waited for the sting.

The clanking sounds on the table next to her told her the doctor was getting ready to start the blood draw. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Instead of pain, she felt the tickling sensation of air blowing across her neck. She twisted around to glare at Lucian just as the needle pierced a vein. “Did you just blow on me?”

“You looked like you needed a distraction.”

She looked between the two men and settled on Lucian. “You can’t do that!”

“Why not? It worked, didn’t it?”

“It distracted me, but it wasn’t like I was going to die. Listen. We aren’t friends. There is no playful innuendo or blowing of anything.”

He raised a brow but didn’t take the low-hanging fruit she’d offered. “Sorry for trying to help.”

“No you’re not. If you were sorry, I wouldn’t even be here. That’s like stealing my car and apologizing as you’re driving off in it. Somehow the apology just doesn’t work.”

“Just because I stole your car doesn’t mean I meant to run you over. I can still feel bad.”

“Feel bad all you want. Feel terrible. I hope you cry yourself to sleep.”

“Let’s be honest—it’s a really nice car.”

She lightly whacked the back of her hand against his shoulder and froze. Damn it! He was doing it again. Making her forget about the hospital and needles and kidnapping.

She curled her fingers into a fist and held her hand at her side. “So what have you learned so far? Am I different?”

The doctor removed the needle from her arm and set the tools back on the metal tray. “How often do you get sick?”

Ella shifted her eyes between the two men. “I cough every once in a while.”

“But an actual cold? Flu?”

“I happen to have healthy genes, okay? What does all this mean? Am I human or not?”

The doctor bandaged her arm. “That’s what we’re looking into today.”

“That sounds like a fancy way of saying you have no idea what’s happening.”

“Medicine is complicated. I can’t run your blood through a special computer and get some magical printout explaining what was done to you before you were even born.”

Ella narrowed her eyes. “Thanks for the mansplaining, Doctor. For your information, my dad used to be one of the foremost experts on fertility in the country, so I think I know a thing or two about the medical process. Somehow I just assumed you were capable of comparing two blood samples under a telescope and figuring out the difference. Sorry if I overestimated your capabilities.”

He flushed a bright shade of red. “If he’s even your father,” he mumbled.

She pushed herself off the table and stretched to her full, if not that much more intimidating, height. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lucian laid a calming hand on Ella’s shoulder. “Let’s just take a second.”

She shook off his touch. “No. You asked me to be here, so I’m here getting poked and prodded and I want to know what he means when he says Dad isn’t my father.”

Lucian took a deep breath before he answered. “After examining your DNA, it doesn’t look like Dr. Murray is your biological father.”

One side of Ella’s lip curled up in a sneer as she stared Lucian down. “No. This is just some messed-up trick to get me on your side.”

“Is it working?” If looks could kill, he’d be a motionless puddle on the floor. “If I were going to play games to get you on my side, I’d at least make sure they worked.”

Ella slumped back onto the doctor’s table and stared blankly at her feet as all the pieces clicked into place. She looked nothing like Dad, though it was hard to look like a man whose entire face was covered by crazy white hair and beard. He was older, but it was common enough for men to have children in their forties.

“So, what? Am I half...whatever the heck you are?” She waved her hand limply toward Lucian.

The doctor shook his head. “Not necessarily. After reading a few of your father’s articles from back then and taking a closer look at your blood, it looks like you were exposed to the myotis genetic code during the early stages of your development.”

“Like, when I was a baby?”

“More like a fetus. Most likely he performed surgery on your mother while you were in the womb and either fed or injected you with something.”

Ella shivered as she imagined a pregnant woman allowing these people to do things to her unborn child. “That sounds dangerous.”

The doctor and Lucian exchanged an uneasy glance before Lucian stepped forward. “We think that’s why Dr. Murray ran. He truly cared for you and didn’t want to see you get hurt.”

“And he was just allowed to take me? Didn’t you say the old king was mean?”

“He wouldn’t have much use for a baby. He was probably planning on tracking you down once you’d reached, um, once you were older.”

Ella couldn’t stop the look of revulsion that covered her face. “He was going to see if I could get pregnant.” She took a few deep breaths as she tried to keep herself from gagging.

The doctor shifted in his seat as Lucian clenched and unclenched his fists. “He’s dead now. That’s not going to happen. I promised I wouldn’t touch you.”

“For the love of— Stop pretending you not raping me makes you the good guy. I’m here against my will. I’m not allowed to call anyone. I’m not allowed to go anywhere without babysitters. You’re not the good guy here!”

Lucian moved between Ella and the doctor until the only one she could see was him. Everything in her wanted to stare defiantly at the ground, but she refused to back down and brought her eyes up to his.

“My people need you. I need you. Here. I’m not going to apologize for that.”

Ella considered punching him but knew it wouldn’t do her any good. Instead, she gave in to the impulse to look back to the white tiles on the floor and let out a sigh.

“What’s next on the agenda?” asked Lucian, apparently eager to change the subject.

“I can’t schedule many tests until I know more. The MRI is in half an hour. After that, you’re free to go.”

Ella folded her arms in front of her, not even caring whether she looked like a sulking child. Let them think she was immature. She didn’t care. “Whatever gets me out of here faster.”

Ella set out the pesto and pasta on the counter. She refused to consider herself a cook for her captives, but pasta was easy enough to make in big batches. She didn’t want to feed Lucian, but Cade and Dean seemed nice enough.

No one asked her to cook. Besides, it wasn’t as if she slaved away for hours in the kitchen. She could only survive on frozen burritos and takeout for so long, though.

Cade walked in behind her, a hand over his heart. “Sweet Jesus, you made dinner.” He fell to the ground at her feet, kneeling on bent knee and grabbing at one of her hands. “Marry me. Right now. We can have a private ceremony. It’ll be beautiful.”

Ella smiled down at his antics. “Shut up and eat your dinner.”

Cade stood and piled pasta onto a dinner plate.

“Feel free to leave nothing for Lucian.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“That doesn’t sound good. Was he misbehaving at the hospital?”

She snorted. “Misbehaving? He wasn’t that bad. The doctor had his head way too far up certain parts of his anatomy though. Lucian was...strange.”

“Stranger than normal? That’s saying a lot.”

Ella rubbed the back of her neck, remembering the soft tickle of his breath brushing across her skin. “You’re good friends with him, right?”

“Best friends.”

“And what he’s doing with me, keeping me here, that doesn’t bug you at all?”

Cade set his plate down, his normally silly expression turning serious. “Listen, I know this isn’t great for you, and I feel for you. I really do and I know Lucian does too. But when you’ve been alive as long as we have, it’s hard to see brother after brother die without any hope of survival. We need you. We need the hope you represent.”

“And I need to be here for that?”

“This vampire shit is real and it’s dangerous. If they know about you, they will kill you without a second’s hesitation.”

She opened her mouth to say more, but Dean rushed in from the hall. “Dude. Code red from Dmitri. Lucian and I are heading out. Watch the girl.”

With that, he teleported away, leaving her and Cade in the kitchen. Cade cursed and moved past her to the hallway. “I’m going to try to find out what’s going on. Yell if you need anything.”

And then she was left alone.

The sudden clatter of footsteps and raised voices pulled Ella’s attention from the book she was reading in her room. The sound of something crashing to the ground and glass breaking reverberated through the house. What the heck was going on down there?

She stood up to check it out but stopped herself. It could be dangerous. She didn’t know much about these people, but she knew they were involved in shady dealings. She crumpled up her comforter and ran the material through her fingers. Lucian promised she’d be safe here. So far, he hadn’t hurt her, and no matter how misguided his beliefs were, he did seem sincere.

It was late in the evening, but a small amount of light still filtered through the windows, so she wouldn’t be breaking the rules by going to investigate. Steadying her resolve, she threw the comforter onto the bed and strode out of the room.

A loud curse from Dean filtered through the house, followed by the sounds of pained breathing. Though it was impossible to go down the old stairs quietly, she did her best to not draw too much attention. Not that she needed to worry. Everyone was too busy to notice her anyway.

Dean had returned, and he wasn’t alone. Over his shoulder was a seemingly unconscious man and, judging from the amount of red droplets falling onto the floor, he was badly injured. Ella flattened herself against the wall as she balanced on the last step while Cade approached Dean from the other direction. “Move him into the study. I made sure all the curtains are down.”

Dean carried the injured man over to the darkest corner of the room. Ella couldn’t see anything but the man’s foot from her vantage point on the stairs.

“Cade, grab him a drink. I’m going to get Roman on the line and try to sort this shit out. Have you had any contact with Lucian?”

“No. Last I saw, he was holding his own. He should be here any minute.” Cade lowered his voice. “Hang in there. I’ll be right back.” Then there was silence and Ella had a feeling Cade wasn’t in the house anymore.

Dean started to leave the room but stopped as he reached the doorway. He fished his cell phone from the pocket of his cargo pants and turned back to the man. “Think I can reach your dad at the apartment?”

“No,” bit out the injured man. “Cell.”

Dean cursed under his breath. “Hang tight, okay?” He strode into one of the spare offices as he punched some keys on his phone.

When he was out of sight, Ella scooted closer to the study, trying to get a better look at the newcomer. He didn’t come completely into view until she was right at the threshold. A shiver of unease snaked down her spine, but she shook it off. They wouldn’t bring any dangerous, or whatever they considered dangerous, people here. If so, he would be in the basement. In the dungeon.

Cade and Dean seemed to generally care about his well-being. They might be her guards, but, besides being kidnapping bastards, they were okay guys.

“Hey there,” said the man. Judging from the amount of leg hanging off the recliner, he was well over six feet tall. His build was a bit more slender than Lucian and her guards, but she could see how muscular he was even through his gray shirt.

But his muscles were hardly what drew the eye at the moment. She was more worried about him bleeding to death from the gaping wounds in his gut and neck than his physique. “Do we need to get you to a hospital?”

“I need your help.” Was it her imagination, or was his voice getting fainter? Dean better get back soon.

She looked to the door Dean had disappeared behind. Comforted for once by her guard’s proximity, she approached the injured man. As she got closer, the amount of blood covering his shirt and still dripping onto the floor shocked her. He could barely breathe, let alone hurt someone.

“Shouldn’t we be putting pressure on that?” She wished she’d paid better attention in health class. To be fair, this was hardly the subject that would’ve been covered.

His fingers twitched and it took her a few moments to realize he was signaling her to bend over him. She leaned in a few inches, but tough luck if he wanted her any closer. “I want to help you. Just tell me what to do.”

He turned his golden eyes on her face and stared intently. “You’re not afraid of me.”

Not sure whether that was a good thing or not, Ella simply replied, “I’m not afraid of you.”

And with a speed she didn’t think possible for anyone at full health, let alone injured, he grabbed her shoulders and bit into her neck.

The pain was intense and almost debilitating. She wanted to scream but couldn’t manage to do more than croak out a pathetic-sounding moan. She pounded at his face and tried to pull free. Her struggles made the pain a thousand times worse, shooting through her like railroad spikes.

He pulled away from her, staring down with a confused expression. Ella pulled out of his grip, and the sudden freedom had her tumbling onto the hardwood floor. The fall jarred her entire body, and the agony in her neck got worse.

She held her hand up to the wound. Thick streams of blood covered her hand in seconds. At the sight, her mind went blank. That wasn’t a normal amount of blood. She needed to get to a hospital.

His brows furrowed. “I told you not to be afraid!”

Ella tried to scoot away, but the ground became increasingly slippery. She only then noticed the man’s teeth. Were those fangs?

Crap. Vampire. She was bitten by a vampire. No. No. No. No. No.

Dean. He could get her to a doctor. They could be there in seconds. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. The man suddenly looked over her shoulder, and his eyes widened in terror.

A roar came from behind her. The type of sound one expected to hear when in the middle of a distant jungle. Not in a house.

The vampire tried to back away, but there was no escape.

The thing that made the noise slammed into the man, throwing him against the bookshelves, breaking every single wooden plank.

“Oh shit,” said Dean from the doorway.

The thing was straight from Ella’s nightmares. He was almost seven feet tall, with grotesque charcoal skin. Its lips were a dark gray, which only highlighted the bright white and humongous fangs long enough to hang over the bottom lip.

The nose and ears were pushed against the face, giving a more skeletal appearance to the head. The rest of the body was muscled to the extreme. They would’ve been bulging, but the loose skin still had slack.

He pulled back a clawed hand and pummeled the vampire. The sounds of bones snapping and a strange gushing noise filled the room, interspersed with the angry growls of the beast.

Arms wrapped around her and she screamed, too enthralled in the vicious scene to realize Dean was right next to her.

At her shout, the beast looked right at her.

His black eyes locked in on her and in a second he was at her side.

Ella blinked. Did he just teleport?

The beast pushed at Dean, both palms flat on his chest, and the force was enough to send Dean crashing through the wall. Drywall and chunks of wood littered the room.

With Dean’s support gone, Ella caught herself with her free hand, but her arm shook with the effort of holding herself up. Her vision got blurry as the beast wrapped his massive arm around her waist.

One second, she was trying to breathe through all the dust; the next, she was outside.

They weren’t in the distant woods of Maine, though. There were people. And lights right in front of her. They were outside some big building and the beast was quickly walking her inside.

She tried to focus on the words written on the walls as he moved past them, but her eyes wouldn’t obey. People stared at them. That didn’t seem right. Shouldn’t they be running away?

Ella looked back to her beast, but he wasn’t a beast at all. Lucian was carrying her through the bright white room. “I need a doctor,” he shouted. The noise reverberated through her head.

Why did her head hurt so much? Her neck. She moved her hand away to find it caked with fresh blood.

Lucian pushed her hand back over the wound. “Keep applying pressure for me, okay?” His tone was so gentle, she almost didn’t believe it was Lucian.

She really didn’t have a choice, because he held his hand over hers on the wound. Was he holding her with just one arm? Not that she should be surprised by his strength.

Two green men approached, one pushing a stretcher. No. Not green men. They were wearing something green.

They asked Lucian questions, but Ella couldn’t seem to understand the words. Lucian said something about an animal attack and then he gently placed her on the stretcher.

Her body was confronted with overwhelming cold as he released his grip on her. “C-cold,” she mumbled.

Lucian leaned in close. “You’ll be warm in no time. I promise.” He bent forward and kissed her on the forehead just as the stretcher started to be pushed down the hallway.

That was wrong. He shouldn’t be kissing her. He was a beast. Beasts don’t kiss.

Lucian sat on the floor, concentrating intently on the feel of the cold tile beneath him and the drywall behind him. Every breath and every heartbeat pushed a new wave of agony through his system.

It was now well past midnight and he’d never fought the change for this long. He didn’t know he could.

Funny what the right motivation could do for a guy.

His eyes darted down the hallway toward the supply closet. He could sneak in and shift. Get a few minutes of relief before Ella woke up.

Except he had no idea when Ella would wake. It could be minutes. It could be hours.

The blood loss had been severe, but she’d been treated quickly. If he didn’t have the ability to teleport, she’d be dead.

The thought sent rage coursing through his veins. The change beat down on him. All his cells cried out for it.

Fuck! This never should’ve happened! What the fuck was Dean thinking? Leaving her alone with an injured vampire. They were almost lucky Ella had been so seriously injured. If he felt he had any time to spare, he would’ve killed them both. No hesitation. No questions.

Dmitri would probably take weeks to recover from the beating, and Lucian still hadn’t decided whether he would kill the vampire.

He should’ve been there. He promised her she’d be safe. It wasn’t even an enemy who attacked. It was an ally. A friend.

He’d scared her half to death, assaulted her father, kept her shut away from everyone she’d ever known all for the sake of keeping her safe and protected. Some protection...

Footsteps sounded down the hall, and before he looked, Lucian knew who approached.

His upper lip curled in a snarl, and his claws and fangs dropped as he stood. Roman Entin held his hands up, signaling he meant peace, but Lucian didn’t feel particularly peaceful.

“Leave me,” he spat out, his vision sharpening, telling him his eyes had turned obsidian.

“I just want to talk,” said the vampire. Roman was dressed in his usual dark designer suit. His short black hair was slicked back, emphasizing his sharp cheekbones and clean-shaven jaw. A real American Psycho type.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” His head twitched and his hands shook with the effort to hold back any more of the change.

Roman’s eyes turned the same black as Lucian’s. One of the similarities between the species. He might hold his hands in surrender, but creatures like the two of them were never truly defenseless.

“My son is in very serious condition. He should pull through, but I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t try to finish what you started.”

Lucian’s entire body twitched. “I started nothing!”

A nurse walked from around the corner, giving Lucian and Roman an accusing look.

“Can we go in her room?” asked Roman in a suitably quiet tone.

Lucian’s instincts screamed at him to keep the vampire away from Ella, especially when she was so vulnerable, but the logical side of him knew Roman was no threat.

Roman was here on an apology mission, and the myotis were inherently stronger than vampires.

Lucian moved out of the way and followed Roman inside. The nurses had ordered Lucian to stay out, but Roman would have no trouble using his vampire mind control on anyone who decided to yell at them. No one would even know they were there.

As soon as they were enclosed in the privacy of the room, Lucian allowed the change to take over. The relief was instantaneous.

“Are you less homicidal now?” asked Roman.

The heart monitor beeped and Lucian made his way over to Ella’s motionless form. She was still pale but already looked much better. A large white bandage covered the side of her neck. The bleeding stopped relatively quickly, because they got to the hospital so soon after the bite.

Lucian was aware of what happened without anyone having to tell him. Dmitri tried to feed on her, thinking she was nothing but a beautiful human.

But his Ella was so much more.

Dmitri thought he had her under control, but she fought him. In the fight, Dmitri’s teeth did much more damage than he ever intended.

Knowing the severity of the wounds was an accident didn’t make Lucian feel better. “Less homicidal doesn’t mean much considering how pissed off I was.”

Roman moved to Ella’s side. “How is she?”

“Ask her yourself.” Lucian pointed to her sleeping form. “Oh, wait. You can’t. She has eight stitches in her neck, almost died, and had to be teleported to the fucking hospital. Even then, she nearly didn’t make it.”

A muscle ticked in Roman’s jaw. “You know there were extenuating circumstances.”

“How about you bring your sexy little siren wife in here and give me five minutes alone with her. You know, since there are extenuating circumstances.”

“Point taken,” growled Roman. “He’s my son. I raised him well. He respects humanity. If he thought she would fight or fear him, he never would’ve touched your woman. I think you know we both need each other too much to allow this to break our arrangement.”

“Why don’t we wait to hear what she wants? I’ll tell you what. If she asks me not to kill your son, I’ll consider it.”

The air shifted in the room, and Lucian was immediately back in his human form. The heart rate monitor didn’t make any extra beeping noises, but Roman and Lucian didn’t need the assistance of human technology. They were both predators.

Ella was awake.

Ella cracked open an eye as the man Lucian called Roman left her hospital room.

She’d never woken up in a hospital before. She had to admit it was a disconcerting experience. The bed was strange, the lighting was industrialized, and the smell was so...off.

How had she gotten to the room? She remembered Lucian carrying her into the hospital, but everything after that was black.

“Was he a vampire too?” she croaked out.

She mentally frowned. Of all the questions to ask, that was the most important?

“Yes.”

Apparently Lucian wasn’t in a talkative mood.

“So this was all some sort of misunderstanding then?”

“That’s an understatement,” grumbled Lucian as he paced to the other side of her room.

“You’re upset.” Shouldn’t she be the one angry and storming around the room? Assuming her legs would even hold her at this point.

He stopped his pacing in the far corner of the room. “It’s been a long night.”

She snorted. “Tell me about it.”

His brows knotted together. “How are you feeling? You still look pale.”

“Easy there on the compliments. Girl could get an inflated ego around you.”

“Do you want me to honestly tell you how I see you?”

His voice was so stark. So intense.

Ella took a deep gulp. The pain of the small action snapped some sense into her. “Probably best if you don’t.” For a moment, neither spoke. She was so rarely alone with him. When he’d first taken her, she was much too afraid to say anything to him. Then he would only be around when Cade or Dean was there. She didn’t really know how to act around him.

He’d saved her life. He’d risked her life. He promised he would keep her safe, yet here she was in the ICU, hooked up to all kinds of tubes and needles.

He stood as far away from her as the room would allow. His entire body was tense and his face was drawn in what looked like a mixture of exhaustion and frustration.

“What were you tonight?” she blurted out. She regretted it instantly. She didn’t want to know. It was one thing to see him appear out of thin air. Seeing him as a literal monster was too much.

His azure eyes pierced her from across the room. “The same thing I always am. Myotis.”

“So, is that your true face? You’re just pretending to be handsome all the time?” A corner of his mouth twitched up and a blush crept up her cheeks at the slip. “Like you didn’t already know,” she muttered.

“I’m not pretending anything. Both faces are part of me. During the day, I appear human. During the night, a monster. I didn’t want you to have to see that side.”

“That explains the curfew.” She eyed all six and a half feet of him. “But I’ve seen you at night before. Right now, you look pretty human.”

“I’m in a lot of pain right now. It takes effort to maintain this form.”

“So Dean and Cade look the same as you?”

“Give or take a few details. Hair is a bit different. Even in myotis form, Dean’s skin is darker and he’s bald.”

“What about the eyes? Yours were black. Like, no whites at all. Just black.”

“All of us have black eyes when we turn. Vampire eyes turn black when they are about to feed or mate. Werewolves’ glow a golden color. Demon eyes burn red. Some powerful sorceresses will have glowing blue eyes.”

Ella held up a hand. “Whoa. Hold up there. Are you kidding me?”

“It’s a big world out there. There are creatures beyond your wildest imagination.”

“You are beyond my wildest imagination,” she muttered.

He’d mentioned the other species before. He’d told her about the vampire war and about angels, but she’d brushed it aside. Stories from a disturbed mind.

She couldn’t brush this aside anymore. There really were shape shifters and vampires. Angels and demons. Witches and sorceresses.

And where did she fit in in all this? She couldn’t move things with her mind. She wasn’t super strong, and she couldn’t change forms. And judging from the pain in her neck, she still healed just as slow as she normally did.

But she wasn’t human.

Ella winced and studied the IV bag dropping liquid into her arm. “Is there painkiller in that?”

“Go back to sleep. I’ll make sure you’re suitably drugged up.” He strode to the door but stopped just as he touched the knob. “And thanks for not screaming bloody murder when you woke up.”

Ella shrugged her good shoulder. “It wouldn’t make a difference. You’d still drag me back with you.”

Ella stared out at the sea of pines, following the slow descent of a falling brown needle with her eyes. The sun was starting to hang low in the sky, but she didn’t want to go back in. It wasn’t as if she needed to be hidden at night anymore. She already knew the big secret.

She was as free as she could be in her prison.

It was all too much for her to take. She couldn’t handle another day of trying not to smile at Cade’s jokes and going into high alert whenever Lucian walked into the room.

Every time she started to feel remotely comfortable, she would be jerked back into reality and see something that would remind her she that if she tried to leave, her throat would get ripped out by a vampire.

The hospital only kept her for the one night. The wound in her neck was severe enough to cause pain pretty much any time she twitched, but it was healing quickly. In a few days she could probably start hiking again, but she couldn’t muster any enthusiasm.

It was all an illusion. She might be allowed to go outside, but only under guard. Those guards might pretend to be her friends and they might be able to make her laugh as though nothing was wrong, but they weren’t friends.

She was the only one in this godforsaken house who was on her side. She just had to remember that.

Sticks crunched behind her and she turned to see Cade walk to the front of the house. A few seconds later, Lucian’s black pickup drove into view.

Ella gulped and looked back down to the forest floor. What was he doing driving? Couldn’t he just pop up wherever he wanted?

The last thing she wanted was another uncomfortable silence between Lucian and her.

Cade and Dean had no problem treating her like a normal person. Lucian just seemed to stare at her as though she were some strange alien. To be fair, they still hadn’t figured out what she was. Obviously she didn’t change forms whenever the sun set, but the evidence kept mounting that she wasn’t completely human.

If only she could call Dad and ask him.

More leaves rustled as something ran straight for her. Ella whipped her head around, jumping up and preparing to run, belatedly remembering her sore neck.

She stared in shock at the blur of red speeding toward her. “Reno?” she breathed. The dog stopped just short of slamming into her, jumping on his hind legs and ramming his front paws into her stomach to greet her.

“Oh my God. Reno!” Ella wrapped her arms around the squirmy dog. His tongue covered her face as his tail whipped anything in the vicinity.

Lucian stood back, silently watching the reunion. Ella’s entire face lit up, beaming from the inside out. She picked up a stick from the brush and threw it, sending the dog scrambling to catch it.

Except the dog never brought the stick back. It picked it up, whipped around to show Ella he had it, and then flopped onto the dirt to devour his prize.

Ella turned her smile on him and he felt his entire world melt away. She’d smiled around him before, but never like this.

Her skin seemed to glow. Her eyes were the same dark brown, but that darkness held an otherworldly shine now. The sun caught the reds and golds hidden in her hair, making it look better than anything he’d ever seen in a hair product commercial.

She was a fucking knockout and she was walking right toward him.

She never walked toward him. She walked around him or anywhere but where he was. She wasn’t even walking anymore. She was running.

A second later, her arms wrapped around his neck, her curvy body pressed completely against his. Her breasts against his chest. Her hips against his.

He didn’t know what was happening, but he didn’t question it. His arms went around her as he took in her feminine scent and soaked in the feel of her body.

How many times had he imagined having her crushed up against him? Under him?

Still holding his neck, Ella leaned back and stared into his eyes. “Lucian, you have no idea how much this means to me.”

He tried to memorize every nook and cranny of her perfect face. He needed to file this memory away somewhere he’d never lose it. “I have an idea,” he murmured.

She shook her head. “No, you don’t. Ray and Dad...they can take care of themselves. I kept thinking of Reno. All alone in his crate and not knowing where I was. This is amazing.”

“Well, don’t get too attached. He has an appointment tomorrow night to have his manhood, um, removed.”

She grinned at him, obviously enjoying his discomfort. She looked back to the dog for a second. “It’s for the best. Besides, this has helped me to realize something about you.”

He took advantage of her bared neck to lean forward. He wanted to rub his lips along the sensitive skin and feel her shudder under his touch. “What was this realization?”

“You’re going to let me go.”

He lifted his head as she turned back to him. “Me giving you a dog isn’t me saying you can leave.”

“No. But it shows that you truly care about my happiness. One day you’ll care enough about me to let me go.”

He didn’t know whether he should be happy about her faith in him or horrified at the idea of not having her within reaching distance. “Tell me something, Ella. Do you hate me?”

She stiffened at the question, her happy glow smothered by a frown. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “There are times, like this, when you seem so normal. More like a friend than crazy kidnapper.” The questioning tone in her voice kept him from celebrating. “But then I think of my first night here. Seeing Dad so ill and terrified. How far you went to make sure I stayed.

“I’ll never be able to forget that night. No matter how many dogs you save for me, I don’t think I can ever forgive you.”

Lucian nodded. It wasn’t the answer he wanted, but it was the one he expected. “Then I guess I’ll have to take full advantage of this moment then.”

She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he covered it with his before any words came out.

Ella gasped at the contact but didn’t pull back. Maybe she would’ve if he’d been rough or forceful. But his lips just touched hers, a feather-light caress. It was so different from everything she’d come to expect from him.

So instead of pushing him away, she stood on her toes and kissed him back. Her fingers curled in the soft fabric of his sweater. She increased the intensity of the kiss, and he responded with a growl, pulling her closer. He tasted like darkness and heat mixed together, and she wanted to drown in it.

A simple kiss shouldn’t affect her so much. She’d been on dates. Knew the ropes, danced the dance.

But she’d never been kissed like this.

Lucian was obviously experienced and definitely attractive enough to have his fair share of girls, but he kissed her as if she were the first woman he’d ever touched. The outright admiration fueled her, and she tentatively touched her tongue to his lips.

Lucian’s control broke. He dragged her against him; her feet barely touched the ground as he effortlessly lifted her. The hard evidence of his arousal pushing into her hip was shocking but exhilarating. In the back of her mind, she knew they had to stop, but any reasonable thoughts were chased away when he took her bottom lip between his teeth and nipped at her.

This was her beast. She wanted the ferocity and the roughness.

She kissed him right back, hooking a leg over his hip and pressing his length against her core.

Heat pooled low in her belly, and she let her head fall back, nothing but the electricity and pleasure rushing through her.

Lucian moved to her neck, caressing the delicate nerves with his soft lips.

Abruptly, he ripped his head away from her. He tensed beneath Ella and let her slide down his body. He might not be kissing her anymore, but the friction wasn’t cooling her down at all.

Lucian took in deep gulps of air, and Ella looked firmly at the ground. Had she really just done that? “Why did you stop?” she murmured. Why hadn’t she?

One big hand cupped her face and turned her gaze back on him. “I’m guessing you didn’t want to go further. Not really.”

She stared into his crystal-blue eyes, wishing she had an answer. She’d been around a lot of pretty people in her time, but Lucian’s strong features and deep-seated confidence were unlike anything she’d ever seen.

“You need to let me go,” she whispered. He released his grip on her, but they both knew what she meant. No matter what she felt, she couldn’t act on anything. What just happened was a mistake. One that wouldn’t be repeated.

He seemed to care about her safety. She knew it bothered him to know she’d been hurt because of him. He even tried his best to make her happy in spite of the circumstances.

But he didn’t respect her. He couldn’t. He kept her locked away like a pet or possession. Even if he wasn’t the complete monster she’d once believed, he was dangerous to her.

She thought back to Dad, the disgusting memory of his terror dampening any lingering desire.

“I’m glad you liked the dog.” Lucian turned back to the house.

Lucian threw the papers back on his desk. He wasn’t going to get anything productive done today. All he could think of was Ella’s lips on him. Her legs pulling him tighter. It’d been stupid to kiss her, but goddammit! He never expected her to kiss him back.

Not just a quick peck. When she kissed, it was with every fiber of her being. As though nothing existed except for the two of them and their touching.

It was mind-blowing, and the idea that he might never be able to do it again was devastating.

How could she ask him to let her go after they shared a moment like that? How could he ever bear to see her leave? In just one week, he’d become so used to her. Her laughter would fill the house even at the slightest joke. Her smile would light up even the darkest rooms of the Maine house.

And she thought he would let her go?

Lucian walked over to the window where he could see her playing with the dog. Reno, he was called. Lucian had to admit he liked the thing. He wasn’t the biggest dog, maybe only sixty pounds, but he was all muscle and energy. Best of all, judging from the way he would look up at Ella when she was about to throw a stick, he adored her.

Not that Lucian was surprised. Everyone seemed to love Ella. Cade and Dean were both wrapped around her little finger and Lucian wasn’t much better.

No. She wasn’t going anywhere.

Ella stared at the perfect floor. Just a day ago, the wood had been soaked with blood, both hers and Dmitri’s. Where had it all gone? The floors didn’t look new. It looked exactly as it had when she first arrived.

Old and weathered, but not bloodstained.

What kind of violent life caused them to be so proficient in cleaning blood off antique wood?

The blinking screensaver on the computer and the small crack in the heavy green curtains to the left of the screen were the only sources of light in the room. Ella circled the scene of her attack, looking for any sign of a struggle.

Even the bookshelf looked perfect. The books were a little disheveled, but they were, for the most part, in the same order as they’d been before Lucian broke the shelves with Dmitri’s body.

The screensaver flashed from behind her. Ella turned and bent over the desk, peeking through the sliver of open curtain. Cade threw the ball and Reno and Dean raced for it. Dean was shockingly fast. Well, not as shocking anymore. He could easily outrun the athletic dog, but he obligingly let Reno win every couple of throws.

Reno looked as if he were in heaven. His tongue lengthened to twice its normal size while his tail was just a blur of movement.

The screensaver changed again, illuminating the room with an icy landscape and casting an eerie blue glow on the dark wood floors and bookshelves. Ella bit her lip as she looked at the computer. Lucian wasn’t here, and she had at least a few minutes before Cade and Dean would come looking for her.

Taking a breath, she sat in the computer chair and moved the mouse.

The computer wasn’t password protected!

She smiled at her victory and opened the Internet browser. She typed her name into the search engine and sat back as the results came up.

To her relief, there wasn’t too much. She’d hoped there wasn’t some national manhunt out looking for her. No one would be able to find her, and Lucian made it clear there were no human means of freeing her.

There was one recent article from the Pine Springs Journal with her name in it.

She opened the page and scanned the short blurb, heart dropping out of her chest as she read the words.

Local scientist and town fixture, Dr. Scott Murray, was hospitalized for acute exhaustion late on August 28. Per reports from several patrons of McLarens Pub, he entered the establishment earlier that same afternoon, claiming monsters were the reason for his disappearance and had kidnapped his daughter, Ella Murray, clerk at the local bookstore, Off the Page. Many witnesses have accused Dr. Murray of erratic behavior in the past and police consider him a person of interest in her disappearance. Authorities report there was no signs of struggle in the home the Murrays shared and they have yet to locate her vehicle. Per Sheriff Gus Everett, who was the first to report her missing, they are treating this case very seriously and will not stop until they find her.

Ella stood up so fast the computer chair shot across the room. Her steps pounded on the old floors and echoed through the house as she ran to the back door. Let her make a ruckus. She was about to raise hell.

How could Cade and Dean look at her with smiles and their signature carefree attitude knowing full well her father was killing himself with worry?

She tried to remember how he’d looked when she last saw him. How foolish she’d been to allow Lucian to just cut him off from her like that. Of course he’d do everything in his power to get her back. But who would believe a crazy old scientist raving about monsters kidnapping his daughter?

She should’ve known. Dad wasn’t the type of man to abandon someone he loved, especially when he was probably imagining the myotis forcing kids on her. She shook her head at her own stupidity. She thought she was saving him from torture, but in reality she damned him to a whole different hell.

She pushed the screen door open with enough force to bang it against the exterior brick. Cade and Dean’s expressions immediately turned serious. Reno bounded over to her, but soon enough he stopped, also sensing her mood.

“Tell me you didn’t know about Dad,” she demanded.

“Didn’t know what about your dad?” asked Cade, perfectly innocent expression on his face.

“That he is a person of interest in my ‘disappearance’ and has been hospitalized for exhaustion. The entire town thinks he’s crazy for saying monsters kidnapped me.” She looked back and forth between the two.

Dean exchanged a cautious glance with Cade. “We don’t follow the news,” he said, face blank.

Ella shook her head in disgust. “You two are so full of crap. Get Lucian here. Now.” She turned and stormed back to the house, calling for Reno to follow her.

She was still furious ten minutes later when a soft knock sounded at her bedroom door. The dog, who’d made himself at home on her bed, lifted his head at the noise. Ella motioned for him to stay there as she strode over to the door.

Lucian stood on the other side. “You called?”

She narrowed her eyes and slid into the hallway. No way in hell was she letting him into her bedroom.

She crossed her arms over her chest, ready for a fight. “My father is being investigated by the police and is in the hospital right now and you didn’t even bother to tell me?”

A muscle in Lucian’s jaw ticked. “How do you know this?”

She closed her eyes at his lack of denial. Every time she started to think Lucian was the tiniest bit human, he would slap her in the face like this. “I read it on your computer.”

He nodded. “I should be surprised, but I’m not. You probably could get those two poor-ass excuses for guards to drive you back home with a police escort the way you have them eating out of your hand.”

Ella snorted. “They didn’t let me look at anything. I snuck in when I said I was getting water after we were playing with Reno. Don’t worry. They’re still madly in love with you.”

“They shouldn’t have let you go inside without protection in the first place. Especially considering what happened the last time you were alone.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Do you want them to start coming in the bathroom with me? How about the shower? I know. You want to be the one showering with me, don’t you?”

Lucian growled low in the back of his throat. The sound was so unexpected and animalistic, Ella took a step back.

“If I wanted you, I could’ve had you,” he reminded her.

“You said you wouldn’t force me,” she shot back.

“I wasn’t forcing anything in the yard yesterday.”

Without thinking, she slapped him across the face. Hard. Lucian didn’t even flinch. He just kept those cold eyes focused on her. Crap. He’d promised not to hurt her, but was that out the window if she struck first?

No. Lucian would never hurt her. At least, not his definition of hurt, which covered all the physical bases. Psychological and mental torture were concepts he clearly didn’t understand.

“You’re assaulting me now?” His voice was deceptively calm.

“You’re lucky I didn’t punch you.”

He stepped in closer. She tried to stand her ground but wimped out just as he finished his step, bringing her back in contact with her bedroom door. Like the predator he was, he followed and pressed his massive body against hers.

She could feel every inch of him: His strong thighs. Muscled chest. The obvious erection.

Ella stared intently at his neck as a blush crept up her cheeks. He bent his head to her throat, his nose just touching her as he took in her scent. God help her, she responded. Her breath quickened as heat pooled low in her belly.

She closed her eyes tightly and tried to block out the sensations. You do not feel this! Not for him!

He lifted his head, mouth just inches from hers.

Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to?

No. She most definitely did not want to feel his soft mouth on hers as he gripped the back of her thighs, lifting her against the door as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“Let me give you some advice,” he whispered so quietly she almost missed it. “The next time you strike at a myotis, vampire, sorcerer, or any other beast, don’t pull your punches.”

He leaned away from her then. Not moving his body, but his face was at least out of immediate kissing range. His hands settled on the curve of her waist. He didn’t pull her closer. Just rested his hands there, as though he couldn’t resist touching her. “I’m aware of the situation with your father. It’s because of me he’s a person of interest and not a formal suspect. They have no evidence. However, without sending a vampire over to control his mind, I cannot stop him from telling everyone about the monsters in the woods.”

“You, um, you should’ve told me.” She couldn’t think straight when he was this close to her.

“When will you admit it? That was your old life. You’re mine now.” He pushed away from her and strode to the stairs, never once looking back at her. As his footsteps pounded on the steps, he called back, “Dean is taking Reno to the vet in half an hour.”

Ella let her head fall back against the door. What was she supposed to do about him?

Ella narrowed her eyes at the light switch all the way across the room. Should she walk the short distance to flip it on? There was still just enough sun for her to make out the words in her book, but it was starting to get darker.

Sighing in defeat, she moved to get up but stopped abruptly when the air in front of her blurred. A second later, Cade stood in front of her.

She threw her book down. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”

Cade held up a finger over his mouth. Softly, he said, “I saw something on the cameras. Not really sure what. Could just be a coyote or something. I’m going to check it out. You should probably hang tight.”

“You’re not afraid I’m going to run if I’m left alone?”

Cade drew his brows together. “Since I’m making sure nothing that might want you dead is lurking in those woods, I’d recommend staying inside.”

Ella searched his face, looking for any sign he was kidding. Nothing.

She shook her head. Where could she go if she ran anyway? Lucian would find her. She could run to China and he would still be able to track her down and drag her back. “Isn’t it too light for vampires?”

“There are other beasts besides vampires. Besides, at this time of day, there are plenty of shadows to keep them from burning too bad.”

Ella turned to the window, arms crossed over her chest. “Whatever. Go. Try not to die.”

“I’ll do my best,” he muttered.

“Oh, wait,” she called as he started to disappear. “Can you turn the light on as you go?”

Lucian rapidly blinked his eyes as he maneuvered his car through the dark, winding roads that led up to his compound.

He’d planned to get back sooner, but after Dean dropped Reno off to have his little soldiers removed, Lucian took the car to do some discreet checking up on Ella’s father while Dean transported to New York to handle some business.

Things weren’t looking too good for the old man. He was locked down tight in the hospital, with a police guard posted outside his door. If they hadn’t charged him in Ella’s disappearance yet, they would soon.

Which meant he’d have to call in a favor with the vampires to get the police to think Ella’s disappearance was voluntary.

He shook his head as his nerves started to tingle. The sun had just disappeared behind the dense forests of Maine. It was deserted enough that he could probably change without scarring the minds of any innocents with his myotis form, but he decided not to chance it. He should be back to the safety of the compound in five minutes anyway.

He curved around the next corner as the blast hit. A sudden burst of light blinded him right before his car was thrown from the road as though it was nothing more than a toy.

The next few seconds seemed to tick by in slow motion. He reached out for something to brace himself with, but nothing was safe when being hurled through the air. Instead, he held his forearms over his face just as the metal of the truck’s body smashed into the trees.

The car tilted in the shockwave of the explosion and landed on its side with Lucian’s window resting against the forest floor.

He blinked his eyes a few times as he reached for his seat belt and tried to get his bearings. He could transport to the compound but needed to know what threat he was dealing with first.

The explosion could’ve been an accident caused by some sort of chemical truck, but Lucian had his doubts. A blast big enough to crash the pickup into a tree and flip it over seemed too forceful for an accident.

The damn seat belt wouldn’t unlatch. Groaning, he threw his head back, grimacing at the pain in his head he hadn’t noticed until that moment, and focused on a spot on the street to transport to.

A moment later, he felt himself reforming on the pavement across from his wrecked car. He heard a stick crunch behind him; a sharp sting shot through his neck just as he turned to investigate.

He ripped out the dart as his eyes scanned the dark trees surrounding him. Not a sound came from the forest. Whoever—whatever—it had done this, they were holding their ground.

Lucian tried to transport himself to Ella’s room, but nothing happened. Cold fear rippled through him, a most unfamiliar sensation.

He cleared his mind and focused all his concentration on getting to Ella. Once again, nothing. “Fuck.”

A branch being pushed aside sounded from behind him, and Lucian decided it was best to abandon his position. He slunk through the forest, careful not to step on any sticks that would betray his location. He wasn’t used to having to conceal his steps. Normally he would leapfrog through space to get to wherever he needed to go.

He’d been trained in the art of moving stealthily, but that was ages ago. He wasn’t a small man, and the forest floor was littered with dry needles and branches, all just waiting to give away his position.

It only took a few steps before something slammed into him. Lucian hit the nearest tree, feeling as though he’d just been run over by a semi-truck. He fell onto the dirt and pushed himself up. All he saw was darkness. Despite what his eyes told him, he knew he wasn’t alone.

He could feel the vampire stalking him.

Lucian closed his eyes, using his other senses to find the hunter. He didn’t hear a single footstep or indrawn breath, but he felt the subtle shift in the air as the vampire struck. Lucian was ready.

He rolled away at the last second. The vampire’s fist struck the ground with such force that there was a one-foot hole where Lucian’s head would’ve been.

In the split moment the vampire was distracted, Lucian wrapped his arms around his neck and twisted, the sudden snapping the only sound in the darkness.

The vampire twitched and writhed in Lucian’s arms. Breaking the neck wouldn’t kill him like it would a mortal, but it weakened them, making their movements uncoordinated and slower. Giving Lucian the advantage.

It would’ve been easier and faster to rip off the vampire’s head, but the blood would draw all of the vampire’s friends, and Lucian didn’t have time for any more fights. Even now, they were making their way to the house. He prayed Cade would hear the danger and transport Ella to safety before they dosed him with whatever was grounding Lucian.

He dropped the vampire to the ground, pacing to the nearest tree and ripping off a branch. The vampire struggled to crawl away. He was still faster than a human, but not faster than Lucian. He easily caught up to the injured man and rolled him on his back. As soon as he had a clear shot, he rammed the makeshift stake into the vampire’s heart.

The vampire’s claws scraped at the branch, but it was too late. After ten seconds, the struggles stopped and the vampire lay motionless.

Lucian stared down at the dead body. The vampire was bald; various tattoos covered his neck and head. He knew hundreds of other markings in the same style would cover the vampire’s arms, legs, and torso. It was the most obvious way to spot one of the invading rebels.

Wherever they came from, tattoos were their status symbols and personal diaries. The most skilled fighters had little to no skin visible. The one at his feet had probably seen a few battles but wasn’t exceptionally experienced.

Lucian was.

He ripped the branch from the dead vampire and continued on toward the house.

Angry music blared in Ella’s ears. She closed her eyes and let the wails of Halestorm take her to that small place in her mind where she was allowed to scream and fight. She wished Reno was here. She would’ve liked to have something furry, cuddly, and completely nonthreatening around.

She hadn’t spoken to Cade since he left her alone over two hours ago. She expected him to pop in and let her know everything was good, but so far he was a no-show.

Could he be in danger? No. If he saw anything remotely threatening, he’d take her to safety. She was Lucian’s number-one priority, therefore Cade’s number-one priority. She’d kept herself in her bedroom for the most part, only leaving to go to the bathroom, but she hadn’t heard anyone moving around downstairs.

Shouldn’t Dean be back by now? He left with Reno hours ago. If Cade had been really worried, he would’ve called Dean and he could’ve transported to help out.

For all she knew, they were playing video games or something strangely normal while in their creepy monster bodies right below her. What had Lucian called it? Myotis form.

The song switched, from an angry anthem to a softer ballad, and Ella grimaced. Screw the love songs. She wanted angry, vengeful women songs. Some Alanis maybe. Heck, at this point Katy or Taylor would probably work.

Ella skipped to the next track and heard a creak coming from the stairs in the few seconds of silence. She paused the MP3 player and listened, trying to hear whether Lucian was coming up to his room.

He didn’t use the stairs a lot, but it wasn’t impossible for him to get the urge to work his legs. Another creak sounded, and it sounded as if it came from the second story. Ella frowned and took off the headphones. The old house squeaked plenty when her three roommates/captors moved around, but the soft and subtle sounds coming from below her was different.

Someone was trying really hard to keep their movements disguised.

Now that all her attention was on the creaks, she realized there were at least four others in the house. No one was talking, but the house was very vocal. Ella had only been there a bit over a week, but she’d already memorized the normal moans and groans of the old Victorian.

How could they have gotten past Cade? Why wouldn’t he have called for help?

All she could think was that he was either incapacitated or dead, but she tried not to let her mind dwell on those thoughts. A cold chill snaked down her spine. She needed to get out of this house.

She stood and moved for the door but stopped mid-step. If she stepped on that board, they would hear her. She changed her direction and headed toward the vanity. There must be something she could use as a weapon.

What killed vampires? Destroy the heart, rip off the head, fire. Great. She was basically dead.

She winced at the negative thought. You can do this. You’re a survivor.

If she couldn’t fight, she could run. Except they could move faster than her and had a better sense of smell than Reno.

You can do this.

If she couldn’t run, she’d have to hide. She didn’t know how to mask her scent, though. Would rolling in mud be enough or would it just make her really dirty when she died? Was there any mud around her? When was the last time it rained?

Her eye caught on the glinting glass perfume bottles. Maybe she couldn’t mask her scent, but she could confuse their noses.

She grabbed a purple tear-shaped bottle and blue sphere. Sticking to the edges of the room, she tiptoed to the door, careful to avoid any possible noise.

When she reached the door, her heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest. They could’ve heard her. They could all be waiting on the other side of the door, ready to attack.

She shook her head. They probably weren’t waiting for her. If they truly wanted to attack, they wouldn’t wait. She wasn’t exactly threatening. Steeling her nerves, Ella turned the knob. She didn’t open it far. The hinges tended to squeak if they moved too much.

She peered through the few inches of hallway revealed. With the door opened, the sounds seemed even closer. Now or never.

She threw the two bottles, one right after the other; the old glass broke as it hit the hardwood floors. As quickly and silently as she could, she shut her door. She heard footsteps gather at the landing of the stairs, and she used the cover of the sound to make a run for it.

She grabbed her shoes with one hand and worked the window latch open with the other. She tried to hear whether anyone was at her door, but her heart made too much noise.

The bottles had hit right on target. Anyone who walked up those stairs to the third story would be covered in perfume vapors.

When the window finally opened, she didn’t have time to be afraid. She took one deep breath before she threw herself over the ledge.

The good news was that she wasn’t dead. Ella hit the grass on her shoulder and hip, rolling on the impact. She took a second to get her bearings. She was on the side of the house. The cover of the woods was at least a hundred yards away.

She shuffled to her left, pushing aside prickly branches to make just enough room to shimmy behind a shrub up against the house. The thorns didn’t make it ideal, but it was better than nothing.

She knew the days had been getting cooler, but she hadn’t realized the nights had turned so cold. She hadn’t been allowed outside past dark since before Lucian.

Even with the shrub and house protecting her from the wind, the cold cut right through her T-shirt and pajama pants; her neck still throbbed from her vampire bite. She wasn’t looking to add to the number of holes in her neck.

She moved slowly and methodically as she put her tennis shoes on, trying not to rustle the bush at all. Once they were on, she sat back and listened, waiting for her window.

Just a few seconds. That’s all she would need to make it to the woods. The farther away she got, the harder she would be to find.

She tried her hardest but couldn’t hear anything except the crickets and the soft rushing of the water flowing under the bridge. She counted in her head as she tried to calm her frayed nerves. One, two, three, four, five, four, three, two, one...

She bolted out from under the bush, trying to ignore the thorns that scraped her bare arm. She ran through the clearing, aiming straight for the bridge that led to the woods.

She didn’t even get halfway before something grabbed her arm. The momentum of her sprint caused her to flip painfully on her back.

She opened her eyes and stared up at the thing who grabbed her. Her breath caught at the sight and she started to inch away. Faster than she could see, he was on top of her. One claw-tipped hand wrapped around her throat, holding her in place but not squeezing, and one knee sat on each side of her waist.

The thing was probably two hundred fifty pounds of muscle. Every inch of skin exposed by his black Henley and dark cargo pants was covered in tattoos, some sort of detailed and intricate design she couldn’t make out in the dark. Judging from the smell of him, he’d gotten the brunt of her perfume attack.

“You leaving the party early?” he sneered.

“Not my scene,” she croaked out, wincing at her words. Why couldn’t she just play nice and beg for her life like a normal person? She’d begged Lucian in these same woods just days ago.

The man lifted a claw and stroked it down the side of her face. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I think this is exactly the kind of party for a girl like you.”

The claw stroked over his own fingers wrapped around her neck until it reached the delicate valley between her collarbones. “Why are you so important to the myotis?”

Ella frowned. How did he know she was valuable but not know how? Lucian said if they knew she could help them reproduce, they’d kill her on sight. Sometimes honesty wasn’t the best policy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. These men kidnapped me. They said they’d kill my family if I didn’t stay with them. Please, just let me go home!”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. I saw video of you at the hospital with their leader. You didn’t look that helpless to me.”

Ella tried to keep her face blank. “I was playing along! These things are monsters! I’ve seen what they become after dark,” she added in a whisper.

His claw abruptly left her neck and in less than a second, he grabbed her wrist and lifted her arm to his mouth.

Ella thrashed her head back and forth. “Please don’t do this!”

He smiled at her fear, and she felt the sickening feel of his arousal on her stomach. The bastard was getting off on this.

“In a second, all my guys will be out here feeding on you. Do you think we should take turns or rip you apart at once?”

Ella didn’t know whether the fear had finally gotten to her or whether she was too drained. She couldn’t say anything. Her eyes stared down this new enemy, but she refused to let her fear show. Tamping down her shaking, she tightened her lips.

“Your friend tried to be brave too. Didn’t help him when I crushed his throat.”

Cade. Ella felt as though her heart fell out of her chest. If Cade couldn’t fight off these things, she didn’t stand a chance. There was no myotis about to rescue her. Her only hope was gone.

His smile disappeared as she kept her face emotionless, refusing to let him see her pain. “Be that way. Let’s see if the taste of your blood will tell me if you’re human.”

He rubbed his face along her scratches, his tongue lapping up the small amounts of blood. He threw his head back as though savoring the taste. “That is different,” he whispered.

When he looked down again, his fangs were out. Ella closed her eyes and braced herself for the stinging pain. It never came.

The vampire thudded to the ground ten yards away from her, and Ella opened her eyes just in time to see the vampire rake his claws at this new opponent. The man ducked out of the way with only millimeters to spare. He grabbed the vampire’s arm and twisted upward in a quick jerking motion, the snapping sound clear even over the sounds of the forest.

The man moved, and moonlight shone on his face. Lucian. Ella frowned at the revelation. Why would he be in human form?

The vampire ran at Lucian, but Lucian was ready. He held out a large branch and threw it at the vampire. The stake headed straight for the vampire’s heart, but he ducked aside at the last minute. The branch embedded in the vampire’s throat, causing him to instantly fall to the dirt. Blood bubbled up from the wound.

Ella pushed herself up as Lucian walked toward the incapacitated vampire. From behind them, Ella spotted three dark forms emerging from the front of the house. “Lucian,” she whispered.

His head whipped around to face her.

“They’re coming!”

He ran to her side, his speed making him look like a blur. “We need to get into the water.”

If the water was half as cold as the air was, she was about to enter her own personal hell. “Are you crazy?” she whispered even as she tried to keep pace with his super speed.

“Trust me,” he pleaded as he pulled her into the river.

She heard shouts in the distance right as the current pulled her under the surface. The cold was numbing and painful all at the same time. She felt as if she were being stabbed by needles on every square inch of skin while losing the ability to work her limbs.

She held her mouth shut, but the liquid still managed to sneak down her throat. She tried to pull herself to the surface, but the current was stronger than her.

But it wasn’t stronger than Lucian. He pulled her up until her head was clear, and she coughed as she caught her breath.

“Shh,” he whispered.

One of his arms wrapped tightly around her as he navigated the rushing waters, pulling her slowly to the other side of the riverbank.

She tried to kick her feet to help, but they felt as though they weighed a million pounds. Once Lucian was in shallow water, he lifted her, one arm under her knees and one under her shoulders.

Her teeth chattered as she looked at his beautiful face. He was in human form and he apparently couldn’t teleport. Something was terribly wrong.

“Relax.” He held her closer as he picked up the pace to a trot, her weight not seeming to slow him down at all. “I’ve got you. They can’t cross that river. I took out the bridge and the water is laced with silver. They will have to go a few miles upstream to find the clean water. They can still hear us and sniff us out, though.”

Ella glanced over to the scattered remnants of the bridge. Hadn’t it been there as she jumped from her window? How could one man do so much damage so quickly?

Unless it was rigged. If the water was laced with silver, Lucian must’ve been prepared for a vampire attack. All he probably had to do was push a button.

“Most of them can’t sniff,” she said. “I doused the hallway in perfume.”

Lucian chuckled, but his breaths came faster. Ella furrowed her brows. She’d never heard Lucian out of breath from exertion. He’d always had so much control over himself.

Well, except when touching her. This was different, though. He’d seemed so sure of his ability to keep her safe, but this was the second time since she’d met him she’d almost died.

She ducked her head to his neck, his warmth the only thing keeping her sane. His pace was slow as he carefully considered every step.

She looked over his shoulder, listening for any sign that the vampires had found them again.

Just as Lucian leaped over a fallen tree, Ella spotted something glinting in the moonlight. Unable to form words, she curled her fingers in the collar of Lucian’s shirt and pulled. He stopped and looked down at her, following the direction of her gaze until he spotted it too.

Cade was sprawled on the ground, motionless and covered in blood. His beautiful, human face smashed almost to pieces, his thick hair plastered to his skull.

“Is he...” she croaked out.

“We need to keep moving.” Lucian kicked his speed up to a jog.

He ran with her for miles. She lost any sense of time and direction as he bounded through the woods. The constant jostling and bumping had her already throbbing head hurting even more, and the night got even colder.

Lucian abruptly stopped and set her down on the ground. Ella tentatively stood and pushed away from his supportive weight, but her legs immediately started to buckle.

Lucian caught her before she fell.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“You’re doing really good,” he murmured against her hair, which had thankfully dried off a little during the long run. He hadn’t said a word about Cade during their run. Neither had she.

What was there to say?

“What are we doing here?” she asked. It was best to keep focused on the “now” instead of what couldn’t be changed.

“There’s a small cave right over there. That’s our Ritz-Carlton for the night.”

Ella looked over the small opening no higher than her waist. “You’re joking, right? How do you know a bear doesn’t live there?”

“There isn’t a bear in there,” he assured her.

“Maybe not right now, but that doesn’t mean he won’t come back!”

“I might not be in peak condition, but I can take on a bear.”

Her eyes widened. “You can’t kill him! We’re the ones invading his home.”

Lucian smiled down at her. “I can’t tell if you are actually joking or if the water has gotten to your head.”

Ella raised a brow. “Well, I can’t tell either, so I think we’re in trouble.”

Lucian wrapped both his arms around her, holding her close. “I’m going to get you out of this, I promise. But we do need to hide.”

When was the last time Lucian had actually had to hide?

Ella leaned her head against his chest. Even though he’d taken the same freezing swim, his body and clothes had warmed up during the run, especially the ones trapped between their bodies as he’d carried her.

She shouldn’t like his support. She shouldn’t like the feel of him holding her. But she did. He was her one hope, even though she knew he’d gotten her into this.

“What about Dean?”

A muscle ticked in the back of his jaw. “Dean is fine. He was still in the city, so he was out of the line of fire.”

Ella finally stopped tiptoeing around the black hole in the room. “Cade died because of me.”

Lucian turned her face toward his and looked into her eyes. “He died because the vampires feel threatened by us. None of this is your fault.”

Ella nodded, but she couldn’t get the image of a battered and bloody Cade lying lifeless on the ground. He would never smile at her again. He would never make fun of her beauty pageant days again.

Just one more person she was supposed to hate but couldn’t.

“Can I go home after this?” she softly asked.

His grip tightened around her. “I need to figure out what the vampires are doing. They poisoned me tonight. I can’t shift and I can’t teleport. I think you might be safer without me.”

Relief spread through her, finally sending warmth through her chilled bones. The warmth was taken away as soon as it’d appeared when Lucian stepped away from her.

“I’m going to make sure there are no bears. I’ll be right back.”

She hugged herself tightly as he left her. A particularly strong wind ripped through the pines and she was suddenly much happier Lucian was able to find shelter.

She heard a rustling coming from the cave, and Lucian crawled back out, pushing a few sticks and brush from the cave. He stood up and held his hand out to her.

She intertwined her fingers in his and let him lead her to the cave.

“It’s a bit cramped in there, but with the cold, the confined space will actually be a bit warmer.”

Ella nodded but wasn’t looking forward to the next couple of hours. “Do you think they’ll find us?”

“I think this is a better option than running and, if you really did mess with their noses, we’ll have a good chance.”

She took a deep breath and mentally went over the events of the night. “I can’t guarantee I got all of them.”

He squeezed her hand. “If they’re looking for us, they’ve probably split up. I’m still as strong as normal and probably smarter than the lot of them.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. “Go inside. Get some rest.”

She looked back at the dark opening. “No bears?”

“No bears. Or anything else, for that matter.”

She knelt on her knees to crawl in but noticed he didn’t move. “You’re not staying out here?” She didn’t want to crawl into that darkness without him.

“I’m going to cover up the opening. It will help keep us hidden and the wind out.”

She nodded, trying to think of any good reason to stay out of the cave. Another gust of wind sent goose bumps along her arms and set off a sudden batch of shivers. Finally resigned to her fate, she shuffled in.

The blackness surrounded her immediately. She only knew when to stop by holding her hand out in front of her to feel for the rock wall. As soon as her fingers touched the frigid rock, she jerked her hand back. She closed her eyes, trying not to focus on the small space or the very real danger of being found and dragged out.

The small amount of moonlight was snuffed out as Lucian covered up the opening. He climbed in backward to arrange the camouflage in the opening before awkwardly turning around in the small space.

Ella moved back to give him as much room as possible and gasped in shock as her back hit the rock that seemed to freeze through her thin shirt.

Lucian moved, and from the sounds of it, he was taking off his shoes.

“Aren’t your feet going to freeze?” she whispered. Somehow speaking in normal tones seemed too loud in such an intimate space.

“They’re already freezing. I bet you can’t even feel your toes anymore.”

Ella frowned. She remembered her feet aching when she’d been pulled from the river. When had the pain stopped? She tried to wiggle her toes and couldn’t tell whether they even twitched. “You might be right,” she muttered.

A hand pulled at her ankle and started untying her shoelaces. Ella shot up. “What are you doing?” she whisper-yelled.

“Trust me,” he said, probably with one of his cocky little smiles.

She humphed at his words but didn’t fight him. When her feet touched the air, it didn’t feel much colder, though the freedom to move did feel good. She was happy her toes weren’t completely numb, considering there wasn’t much she could do about frostbite until sunrise.

“Sit up for a second,” said Lucian.

She could almost sit up completely without hitting her head. Lucian bumped her as he set something on the ground and his bare skin on her arm made her jump. “Where’s your shirt?”

“It’s going to be our bed for the night. Not too comfortable, but better than dirt and rock.” He finally lay down and Ella bit her lip.

Hiding in a cave from vampires was one thing, but this was suddenly much too intimate. “You’re shirtless?”

“You’re braless,” he pointed out. “Don’t hear me complaining.”

For the first time that night, she was thankful for the dark so he couldn’t see the red creeping up her face. She’d been running for her life. She barely had time to grab shoes! “Low blow, Montclair.”

“I’ll be good. Promise. Just lay down before you freeze to death. I’ve been trying pretty hard to keep you alive and it would be a shame if your modesty did you in.”

She fully believed he’d keep his hands to himself. He’d more than proved his control. It was her own control, or lack thereof, that worried her.

Not that she was going to tell him.

She settled down on his sweater, the material not as nice as a mattress, but a step up from the rock bed. Her head was at a strange angle with no pillow and she fidgeted as she tried to get comfortable.

“Here,” whispered Lucian. He turned on his side, setting his meaty arm under her head as a pillow. His other arm curled around her waist and pulled her back fully up against his chest.

This was by far the most comfortable position she’d tried, but his closeness gave her pause. “Now I know you’re taking advantage,” she muttered.

He nuzzled his head into the curve of her neck, and suddenly her shivers weren’t from the cold.

“You’re not the only one who could use some warmth,” he breathed into her hair.

“Well, I know for a fact that parts of you are enjoying this way too much.” She wiggled her hips against the growing bulge of his manhood as emphasis.

“I can’t help it. When you are around, all I can think about is taking you. In a bed, in a cave—doesn’t matter.”

Her body was heated from the inside out with his words. “I thought you said you weren’t going to touch me.”

“I’m imagining touching you. There’s a difference.”

Ella sputtered as she tried to find words. “You can’t say that out loud!”

He chuckled in her ear; his warm breath tickled her throat. “You are leaving me in the morning. Surely you wouldn’t take this away from me. If you won’t let me kiss you, the least you could do is let me think about it.”

“I think there’s a flaw in your logic.”

He smiled into her hair. “You let me know when you find it.”

A few seconds of silence filled the air. Ella couldn’t stop her mind from racing. Should she move away? Was she teasing him by lying right up against him? Would this really be the last time he would ever touch her? Why wasn’t she overjoyed at the thought?

“Just relax.” His fingers started to draw little patterns on her stomach. “I’ve got you for now and, soon enough, this whole cavern will be a little furnace.”

Taking his advice, she stopped her mind. This was her last night with Lucian and she enjoyed laying here with him. She enjoyed his arms around her. She even enjoyed the reminder of how much he wanted her. Lucian was the most beautiful and powerful being she’d ever met. Who wouldn’t be flattered by his affections?

As she let go of her worries, she slowly drifted off. Only Lucian could make her feel comfortable enough to fall asleep in the freezing cave while vampires were trying to kill them.

Lucian sighed a deep breath of relief as the sun started to peek over the horizon. The small cave was still shrouded in darkness, but the throbbing pain in his head finally started to recede.

Thankfully, the poison wasn’t long-term. On the flip side, the need to shift had gotten progressively worse during the night.

It’s not as if he didn’t try. Even with the effects of whatever toxin had wormed its way into his system wearing off, he couldn’t manage the power necessary to push past and change. Instead, he’d just had to endure.

The only plus side was the distraction it had given him. He’d promised Ella he wouldn’t touch her, but actually having her sweet ass brushing up against his rock-hard erection and her breasts just inches from his hand was a brand new type of torture.

Every movement, every twitch, was an erotic brush against him. Why couldn’t she snore or drool like a normal human? Even in her sleep, she looked perfect.

He wanted to test his teleportation abilities but didn’t want to wake her. He had no idea how she’d slept so soundly. God knew the ground wasn’t comfortable and his arm was a bit too big to be a soft pillow.

His hand fell asleep hours ago, but he refused to move. Not until she was finished with him.

What would he do without her? Not that he’d ever truly had her. He stole her. She never wanted to be with him. Even her kisses had been the product of her captivity.

Wasn’t there a word for it? Stockholm syndrome. Would she still look up at him with the same trust and admiration as she did last night?

Even though he was the reason she was in such danger, she’d trusted him to keep her safe. She dove right into the river, even when the cold was unbearable. She’d slept in a dark cave with him, never even complaining about the chill or rocks.

And he had to let her go. He couldn’t put her in danger any longer. Her father had raised her for twenty-five years without half the shit Lucian had put her through in one week.

And now the vampires knew her. He’d left the one alive, desperate to get her away before his friends came to his aid. He heard them running. He might’ve had time to stake the bastard, grab Ella and dive in the river, but he wasn’t certain. When it came to Ella, he had to be certain.

A tiny ray of light penetrated the darkness of the cavern. At that moment, Ella opened her amazing brown eyes and yawned. She craned her head over his bicep to look up at him, and Lucian thought it might be the single best moment of his life.

Until she leaned up and kissed him a second later.

Ella moaned as her lips touched his. His mouth was soft and sweet and felt like silk. Such a strange contrast to the hardness in the rest of his body. At first, he seemed too shocked to move, and she took full advantage, gently teasing his lips with her tongue.

A deep growl sounded from the back of Lucian’s throat and a second later, he flipped her on top of him, adjusting her legs until they straddled his torso.

She laughed at the abrupt motion. “What was that?” she whispered against his lips. Her mouth moved down, following the line of his jaw to the thick cords of his neck.

His hands ran up and down her back, touching every square inch he could reach before resting on the globes of her ass and giving a rough squeeze. They both let out a groan at the sensation. “I want you to be as comfortable as possible so you never even consider stopping.”

She laughed against his throat and nipped the sensitive skin. One of his hands traveled up and held her closer. She continued her exploration. It was dark, so she had to feel out the lines and planes of his chest. The collarbones over his large pecs. The sensitive nipples in the light nest of chest hair.

Would it be the same color as his iridescent chestnut-brown hair? Her hands moved over the ripples of his abs, wishing she could fully see his beauty. She pushed herself up, looking down at him and trying to make out the details. “This doesn’t mean anything. I’m still leaving tomorrow, er, today,” she warned.

“Then why are you doing this? Not that I want you to stop. I just want to know what I could’ve possibly done to become the luckiest man on earth.”

She blushed at his praise. He always found ways to make her feel like the only woman in the world. “Because I want to. And you want to. If we’re never going to see each other again, shouldn’t we at least try it once?”

Lucian shot up, grabbing her face between his palms, and pulled her close for a soul-searing kiss. He wasn’t gentle and he wasn’t soft. He nipped at her lips, and she fisted her hands in his hair. Her hips settled over his erection and she rubbed herself against him. The feel of his length stroking her, even through clothes, caused heat to pool and moisture to collect in preparation for him.

“You can try anything you want with me, baby,” he muttered between kisses. His fingers hooked in the hem of her shirt and he pulled it up. She leaned back and helped him strip it from her.

She leaned in for another kiss, but he stopped her. His hands cupped her breasts, and for a second, he just stared at her as though in awe. How well could he see in the dark? She knew it was better than her, but she started to think she was at a heavy disadvantage.

His hands kneaded the globes, more than big enough to fill his hands. His thumbs lightly grazed the nipples, and a shudder wracked her body.

“Please,” she breathed. She wanted to throw him against the ground and rip off his pants. She wanted him inside her, showing her exactly all the things she shouldn’t want but couldn’t stop thinking about.

He leaned forward, catching a rosy peak between his teeth, bringing her just to the edge of pain. One hand fisted in his hair; the other gripped his neck.

She rubbed against him harder and he moved his hands to her waist, showing her exactly how to ride him.

She threw her head back at the overwhelming sensations shooting through her, the dual attack too much to take. Her eyes drifted shut as the world spun around her.

When she opened them again, they were no longer surrounded by rocks and darkness. She was straddling Lucian in the middle of a king-sized bed, bright light shining in the windows of some towering apartment building.

Ella frowned and tried to get a better idea of where she was, but Lucian covered her mouth with his just as he moved his hips in a particularly distracting manner.

She moaned against him as he flipped her on her back, leaning his weight against her core. He bent his head to her. This time, the kiss was slow and sensual—a systematic attack on her senses as his hips continued to move against exactly the right spot.

The kiss deepened, and he pushed his tongue into her mouth. Suddenly it was too much and her lust completely consumed her. She needed him. On top of her. Inside her. Kissing her. She needed everything he could give.

She pulled him closer, kissing him with everything she had. One hand struggled to push down her panties and pajamas.

Lucian pulled away, and for a heartbeat, she thought he was going to stop. Instead, he hooked his fingers in the waistband of her pants and panties, pulling them from her legs in one swift motion.

A blush crept up her neck as she lay naked in front of him. Not that she wanted to stop. She might kill him if he stopped touching her.

She held a hand out, beckoning him back to her. His hands moved to the buttons of his pants, making quick work of them. A second later, they joined hers on the floor as his full length was bared.

Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened at the sight.

He must’ve mistaken her reaction as second thoughts. “Are you sure about this?”

Ella laughed at the question. As if she could look at Lucian in all his naked glory and possibly decide she didn’t want him.

The man was an Adonis. He was the man who inspired sculptures and paintings and freakin’ pyramids. He was the man who took her and the man who saved her and was letting her go because he wanted her to be safe.

He was hers, at least for right now. She reached out again, this time intertwining her fingers with his as she pulled him back down. His big body covered hers as she widened her legs for him.

He kept his hold on her one hand; the other gently stroked her face as he bent in for a kiss. She closed her eyes and moaned at the sensation. He chose that moment to push into her.

At the invasion, she immediately tensed, wrapping her free arm around his muscular shoulders. He deepened the kiss as he slid all the way home.

Ella woke up to an empty bed. She sat up and frowned, looking around the darkened room. Had she really slept all day?

Well, not all day. Lucian had been insatiable. Not that she’d been much better...

After they both collapsed, breathless, onto the sheets, he’d given her time to recover, just lying with her and talking. She told him about her life growing up with a mad scientist. Moving around as Dad would pick a new specialty. The strange animals that would run around the various houses, be it mice or bats.

She told him about the romance novels she loved to read. The detailed historicals and the epic fantasies. She told him all the popular movies she hated and all the obscure movies she loved. All the while, he held her. Either stroking the curve of her waist or intertwining his fingers with hers.

He’d told her about the vampires he called friends and the werewolf king who hated him even though the queen considered him a friend. He told her how he first met Cade during the American Revolution and about all the women Cade had seduced over the centuries.

A long silence filled the room after he stopped talking about Cade, the both of them lost in their own memories of him.

Lucian broke the spell when he carried her into the shower, taking the time to soap and lather every inch of her. Hair, neck, breasts, feet: nothing was ignored. When he finally reached the exquisitely sensitive inner lips of her core, she was already unraveling at the seams. Then his mouth and tongue pushed her over the edge. Not even the cold shower tiles could pull her from the climax. Stars burst behind her eyes, and when they finally receded, Lucian was in front of her, hands lifting her hips and putting her into position for him to slide home in one powerful thrust.

They both screamed then. All she could do was hold on tight as he ruthlessly pounded into her. She gently bit his shoulder as her nails dug into his back. Lucian growled at the slight pain and held her even tighter.

He threw his head back and came just as the water started to chill.

Afterwards, they ran back to the warmth provided by the covers, reveling in each other’s body heat and talking about their respective lives.

He made love to her once more. Slowly and gently, laying soft kisses along her breasts and throat as he thrust in and out. The pleasure stretched on so long she didn’t even know whether she could survive it. When Lucian finally let her come, and she had no doubt he was in complete control, it was so intense, she’d fallen into an exhausted sleep immediately after.

And now he was gone.

Ella sat up, holding the sheet in front of her bare breasts, looking around the room for any sign of Lucian. Was he in his myotis form and hiding? He should know by now she wouldn’t go running. She wasn’t exactly up for a round of screw the monster, but they could still hang out.

Hang out? Was that what they were doing? She shook her head at her own silly thoughts.

Ella stood and walked around the contemporary decorated bedroom. Lucian’s apartment was simple and neat: white walls, black rugs, gray comforter, and brown hardwood floors. Not a single feminine touch in sight.

At least she knew he didn’t have a wife stashed away here. Not that it would matter. She was leaving.

They hadn’t mentioned it once. All their conversations had been as though they were a true couple, sharing their pasts and planning to have a future together.

On the chair next to his closet were her neatly folded and recently washed pajamas. When had he retrieved them? She knew for a fact her shirt had been abandoned on that cave floor. She must have been really out of it, not that teleporting made a lot of noise. She slipped the T-shirt and loose pants on.

She wandered into the living room just as there was a knock at the door. “Lucian?” She shook her head at the question. Why would Lucian knock at his own apartment?

She tiptoed over to the door, not wanting to let anyone in the hall hear her, though, knowing the supernatural races like she did now, it was probably impossible to mask her sound.

When she peered into the peephole, her heart summersaulted when she saw who was on the other side of the thick wood. She ripped the door open and jumped into Dad’s arms.

“Ella!” he shouted, hugging her close.

Tears trickled down her cheeks as she smelled the familiar scent of Dad’s cologne and his unshaven, graying beard tickled her cheek. She’d been so worried she’d never experience one of Dad’s bear hugs ever again.

“How did you find me?” she squeaked, barely able to speak with how tightly he was squeezing her.

“We need to leave.” He let her go and pulled her toward the elevator. When the doors closed, he breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her again. “A man came to the house. He dropped off a dog, of all things, and said I could find you here. I thought he was setting me up, but I had to try. He must’ve been an angel.”

Angel? “Was he tall, handsome, and black?”

Dad frowned. “He was an African-American of above average height.”

She snorted. Dean. Dad’s angel was one of the monsters he feared so much. He took her reaction as a sign of disgust. “It’s okay now. We are going home and those beasts will never touch you again.”

The doors opened and Ella walked barefoot onto the bustling streets of New York City. “I can’t go home. They’ll find me.”

Three Years Later

Ella ducked down just before the big fist smashed through the air where her head had just been. With her palm flat, she aimed for her attacker’s ribs, grinning at the pained grunt she got in response.

“God, Elly! Are you out for blood or something?”

“Sorry, Charlie.” She stood and caught her breath.

He bent forward, resting his hands on his knees. “You keep up like that and I’m going to have to start taking lessons from you.”

She couldn’t help the self-satisfied grin at his praise. “I’m not quite a Navy SEAL level of kick ass yet.”

He straightened and made his way over to their water bottles. “I don’t know about that. You’ve put in a lot of hours here. Maybe more than some of the SEALs I was partnered with.”

She took a sip from her own bottle. “A girl’s gotta be prepared.”

“For what? The zombie apocalypse?”

More like vampire invasion. “It’s a crazy world out there. The news was saying there was a skinhead attack last week in Marietta.”

Charlie didn’t look fazed. “If there are skinheads in Atlanta, I wouldn’t worry about it. We’re far enough away and small enough that they probably wouldn’t even look twice at the highway exit.”

Ella nodded, hoping he was right. The entire reason she’d moved to the small town of Pikesville, Georgia was because it was far away from Maine and tiny enough to avoid the notice of vampires and myotis.

The country had been dealing with the growing violence from the newest gang only known as “skinheads.” It was the name the news had bestowed them, but not one had ever been caught or interrogated in the year since they had popped up on the national radar.

All the talking heads were flabbergasted that an entire gang could elude capture for this long. Ella wasn’t. She knew exactly how they were doing it. They were vampires.

And, judging from the body count, not the good kind. Which meant Lucian and his men were losing the war and she had no idea whether either party was out looking for her.

“You still there?” asked Charlie.

She snapped her head back to him, not realizing he was just inches away from her. “Yeah, sorry. I really shouldn’t watch the news. It messes me up.”

“It’s good to be informed. Just remember, if those skinheads ever do attack you, you’re better prepared than just about anyone they’ve ever fucked with.”

She smiled up at him. “You always know just what to say to cheer me up.”

His mouth twitched up and the air suddenly seemed to grow thicker. “I try,” he said softly.

Was it her imagination, or was he inching even closer?

Ella tried not to let her panic show as she casually backed away. “It’s good to know I have you as backup.”

He must’ve taken the hint, because he didn’t follow her. “You know it.”

She turned to gather all her things in her gym bag. How long would it be before Charlie made a pass at her? He’d been her personal trainer for over two years, ever since just after she moved to Pikeville. He was the owner of the local gym and, when he saw how inept she was at using free weights, had offered her some training sessions.

He wasn’t cheap, but the training was so worth it. With his help, she could squat more than her own bodyweight and was, according to him, a very dangerous woman. Of course, after spending so much time with the most eligible bachelor in town, it seemed everyone expected them to start dating.

Not that Charlie wasn’t a great catch. He was definitely handsome. He had the type of chiseled jaw and ripped body that all Hollywood movie stars aspired to. His nose had been broken a time or two, and a few scars marred his perfect physique, but he was a head turner. On top of that, he was a successful business owner and had no problem listening to her complain about the politics of working for the government for two hours while they threw punches at each other.

Working in the library wasn’t too high up the political ladder, but the bureaucracy she had to deal with to get anything done was ridiculous. Sometimes her three training sessions a week were the only thing that kept her sane.

She pulled a light hoodie over her sweaty tank top. Her long hair was a mess, but it was back in a ponytail, and she wasn’t even going to try to fix it. She turned back to Charlie and he quickly looked away. Please don’t tell me he was checking out my butt.

To be fair, yoga pants and regular squats did amazing things to a woman’s derrière. Still, she was aiming to keep Charlie firmly in the friend-zone.

She hadn’t even considered dating since Lucian. How could she? Everything with Lucian was so intense and hot and messed up. What man could compare to that?

She wasn’t waiting for him. That’s what she told herself every day. He’d kidnapped her. Made her submit to medical experiments and played tricks with her mind. What happened between them was a one-time deal. Not that she blamed him for the sex. That had been her.

She’d felt so empowered by their narrow escape and his promise to free her. He was the most physically attractive man she’d ever met, and she wanted to get to know all of him. Their one day of mad lovemaking was the most powerful she’d ever felt in her life.

Dad was convinced she hadn't been in her right mind, accusing the myotis of sexual assault and brainwashing, but Ella knew she wasn’t brainwashed. She’d read every single book she could get her hands on about Patty Hearst. This wasn’t Stockholm syndrome. This was just two people thrown into a strange situation.

No matter his methods, Lucian cared about her in his own way. It was why he let her go.

Unfortunately, he didn’t always see things in a logical manner. As long as the vampires were still a problem, he would let her be. But the second the threat was neutralized, he’d come for her.

And she could never let that happen.

“Are you thinking about him again?” asked Charlie.

Ella frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know exactly who I’m talking about. I know you still think about him. It’s pretty obvious.”

Darn it. She thought she was better at hiding her emotions by now. A kickass ninja in training shouldn’t be so easy to read!

“Just tell me one thing,” he said.

“What?” Please don’t let it be something I have to lie about.

“Is he the reason you wanted to learn self-defense so bad?”

Ella took a deep breath as she considered the answer. “My ex was, um, he, well—” She took another breath. “He was dangerous. Not to me necessarily, but his entire lifestyle was violent and scary and whenever I was with him, I felt so out of control.

“I just never want to feel that way again.”

Charlie nodded. “I understand that.” She highly doubted he did, but didn’t say it out loud. “If you ever want me to have his ass kicked, you just give me a name. I know people.”

Ella snorted. Charlie did know people. Dangerous people she’d never want to come across in a dark alley. That being said, Lucian played in a completely different league.

“Thanks for the offer. I’ll let you know if I’m ever in the mood to issue a hit,” she said with a sardonic grin. “In the meantime, it’s late and I need to pick up dinner.”

Charlie walked her out of the fitness studio, past the cardio equipment and to the door, politely holding it open as she stepped out into the Southern November air. “It’s not too busy here. We can walk to the sub shop together.”

Way too close to a date. “I really have to get home and I have my car with me. I’ll see you Wednesday?”

He nodded with a smile, showing no sign of rejection. “See you then. Tell Clara and Reno I said hi.”

“Will do.” She walked to her car as quickly as possible without running. She sat down and banged her head against the steering wheel.

Why was he pushing this now? They had such a good thing and she’d been so careful not to give any signs of interest!

Well, she had straddled him a few times, but they were training! Physical contact didn’t count as flirting when you were learning how to kill someone!

Shaking her head, she turned the key in the ignition.

Five minutes later, she walked into the sub shop between the gym and her house and cursed at the long line. It was already dark out and she hadn’t even gotten dinner. Sometimes she felt selfish for all the time she spent at the gym, but she would remind herself it was for the best.

The world was filled with super-fast and super-strong monsters. She might never be at their level, but she had to be in tip-top shape if she wanted to have a chance in hell of staying alive.

Chances were she would never even see, or recognize, another vampire, myotis, werewolf, or anything else Lucian had mentioned. That didn’t mean she couldn’t be prepared.

As though fate was reading her mind, the door swung open as a new customer walked in. Ella glanced over her shoulder and whipped her head back to face the counter. Her breaths sped up as her heart beat harder in her chest.

Calm down! He can hear your heartbeat! The man filled up the entire doorway, which said a lot considering he didn’t have any hair to make him appear taller.

Just a bald head and intricate tattoos.

His footsteps got closer as he walked farther into the shop. Her body vibrated with the urge to turn around. Having her back to something so dangerous went against everything she’d learned in the past two years of self-defense, but she pushed down her nerves.

She fisted her hand so it wouldn’t tremble as she reached into her purse. She pulled her cell phone out and scrolled through her favorites list. She almost didn’t hit the Send button. If this vampire was half as dangerous as the last one she’d faced, there wasn’t much Charlie could do.

She sent the call. No matter what he said, Charlie was a better fighter than her and she needed all the help she could get.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the vampire. He was dressed relatively normally in jeans and a flannel shirt. Except he wasn’t looking at the menu. He was eyeing the people in line.

Charlie answered on the third ring. “Hey, stranger.”

She forced herself to smile. “Hey you. Listen. I think you should come get subs with me. I’m here right now and could really use your expertise.”

How good was the vampire’s hearing? Would he be able to hear Charlie? Please don’t say anything stupid...

“Are you okay?” he asked.

A woman in front of Ella finally noticed the man. Her jaw dropped; she turned to the man next to her and whispered something.

The vampire approached. “I’m sorry, what did you say? Did you say I look like the guys they talk about on the news?”

Yep, the hearing was just as strong as ever.

“Something’s going on. I’ll have to talk to you later,” she said into the phone and hung up. Would that sound too suspicious? Something was going on.

The woman took a step back and her partner moved between her and the vampire. “We don’t want any trouble.” He held his hands up to show he wasn’t a threat.

“Well, I do,” growled the vampire. He grabbed the man by his shirt and threw him into the counter, breaking the glass and probably a bunch of the man’s bones in the process. The woman screamed and everyone scrambled toward the door.

Except for Ella.

Her eyes widened at the violence as her hand reached into her purse. She looked at the people scattering around her and knew she made a mistake. The vampire stared right at her.

She should’ve run like the rest of them. Now she stood out like a sore thumb.

The woman screamed again and he turned back to her. “You don’t remember me or anything that happened today.”

She stopped screaming as her brows furrowed. She turned in a slow circle, taking in the chaos around her.

The vampire strode to Ella. She looked to the door, but customers were still squeezing through the opening. She’d never make it to the street before he caught her. The kitchen was her best bet.

She scrambled on the tile floor, but the vampire was in front of her before she’d even taken two steps.

She couldn’t control her nerves anymore. Her heart was about to beat out of her chest as she tried to take in enough air.

The vampire leaned toward her and sniffed. “You’re different. Do you taste as good as you smell?”

Ella pulled the small spray canister out of her purse and he smiled. Apparently he wasn’t afraid of pepper spray.

Luckily for her, there were no spices in this special formula. She pulled the trigger, dousing his face with water saturated with silver. He grabbed his eyes and screamed.

She ducked under his arm and ran for the kitchen. There had to be a back way out of this place. She ran past the stainless-steel refrigerators toward the first door she saw. She turned the knob and pulled, only to come face to face with a broom and pile of cleaning supplies.

Crap. She looked behind her and saw the other door, clearly labeled with an “Exit” sign, but there was no time to run for it.

The vampire charged into the kitchen, running straight into the sink holding all the dirty dishes, causing the spoons and bowls to clatter to the floor. “Get over here, you bitch!”

Ella crouched down behind one of the counters. The whole kitchen was a big rectangle with an island in the middle that served as a prep station.

She heard him move closer and she inched in the opposite direction.

“I can smell your fear, you little cunt. You have any idea how much I’m going to enjoy ripping your fucking throat out?”

Her hand frantically dug through her purse. If he was still blinded, this might be her one chance.

She must’ve been too loud. The vampire flew over the island, landing in a crouch just in front of her.

His eyes were swollen and blistered, but it didn’t detract from his huge smile, showing off very sharp-looking fangs. “Miss me?”

Ella shoved the silver knife into his chest and relished the sight of his smile disappearing. “By the way,” she twisted the blade into his heart, “I taste fantastic.”

She left the knife in as he sunk to the floor.

Was he dead? It was hard to tell when she couldn’t see his eyes.

Pounding footsteps came from the dining area. Ella bent down and ripped the knife from the vampire’s chest, readying herself for the next attack.

When Charlie ran into the kitchen, she let out a sigh of relief. “Charlie!” Without thinking, she ran to him, jumping into his arms, and the tears broke free.

“Oh my God, Elly. Are you okay?” He stepped back, smoothing her hair out of her face.

She shook her head. “This is bad. They’re going to come for him and when they find out what I did...”

He looked over her shoulder and stiffened.

Must’ve seen the dead body. Could he tell it wasn’t human?

Charlie shook his head. “It’s okay. It’s all gonna be okay. The police are on their way and they’re going to take care of everything.”

Ella stepped back. “No. The police can’t know. They control the police.”

“I’m sure they don’t control the entire police force. Especially not in such a small place.”

Sirens sounded in the distance. “I need to get out of here. Don’t tell them what happened. Promise me.”

His brows drew together as he took in what she was asking, but he eventually nodded. “If you insist.”

“Thank you,” she mouthed as she turned and ran out the actual exit. She forced her steps to slow to a walk as she focused on keeping her heart at a steady pace.

She slipped into her car right as the third police car skidded to a stop outside the sub shop. She spent a few seconds staring at the scene before she could get her shaking hands to turn the key in the ignition.

Ten minutes later, she pulled into her driveway. She looked at herself in the mirror. Shockingly, she didn’t look too bad. A bit paler than normal, but she normally came home sweaty and tired, so this was no different.

She brushed any remnants of tears from her eyes and tucked some loose hair behind her ears as she climbed out of the driver’s seat.

As she started to push the key into the lock, the door opened.

“About time you got home, Elly.”

She forced a smile for Gloria. “Sorry I’m late.”

The teen shrugged. “No big deal. I have to run, though. See you later!”

With that, she was gone and Ella was left staring out the doorway, wondering what on earth could be so important that she had to run off so quickly.

Probably a boy. Gloria was in that young and adventurous stage where every date was fantastic and every kiss was epic. For a second, Ella flashed back to her own epic kisses she’d shared with Lucian.

“Mommy?” A soft voice came from behind her.

She turned around to see Lucian’s pale blue eyes in the face of an adorable, blonde, cherub-looking girl. “Hey sweetie. Did you and Gloria have fun?”

Clara rubbed her eyes as she tried to pretend she wasn’t tired. “I thought you were bringing dinner.”

Ella replayed the scene from the sub shop. “I was thinking it was a mac and cheese kind of night.”

Reno leaped into Clara’s bed, curling into a tight little ball, just as Ella pulled the covers over her. The girl giggled as she reached out to scratch the dog’s ear. Reno sighed at the attention.

He only took up a small spot next to Clara now, but come morning, he would be stretched out on top of her like a blanket. Ella stroked his short, red fur and smiled at Clara.

“Is Reno gonna protect me?” She lay down.

Ella pushed herself up and flipped the nightlight on. “What do you need protecting from?”

“Monsters.”

Ella put on a disbelieving grin. “I’ve told you a million times. You don’t have to worry about monsters. I’m here to protect you.”

Clara wrinkled her nose. “You can’t protect me. You’re just Mommy. Reno has sharp teeth.”

Ella rolled her eyes down to the sleeping dog right as he let out an ungraceful snore. “He is a mighty defender.” She shut off the main light and returned to sit on the bed next to Clara.

The room was made for a princess. The walls were bright pink with a purple border. The furniture was pristine white, and a purple canopy and comforter covered the bed.

The house she’d purchased wasn’t huge, but it was the perfect size for their small family. Three small bedrooms and a nice fenced-in yard for Reno.

As far as she’d run, she’d never be able to fully escape Lucian. He was all around her. Every time she looked at Reno, she was reminded of the first time she kissed him. Clara was a walking, talking keepsake from the one day they’d had together.

Even the house was one big neon sign that read “Lucian.” After all, he paid for it.

Dad had received a sizable and mysterious deposit into his bank account the same day he’d come for her. She knew it was from Lucian. There was no other explanation.

Dad helped her quickly and quietly move. There was no telling whether Lucian would come back, and the vampire who attacked her was still out there. Who knew whether he was searching for her?

And then she found out about Clara.

She hadn’t realized she was pregnant until three months after she left Lucian, and Clara arrived after another three. She’d been much too scared to go to a doctor during the pregnancy. Luckily Dad could monitor her as Clara rapidly grew.

He was the one who first told her it was a girl.

No one could ever know. What would happen when the races learned about a daughter born to a myotis?

“Are there monsters here, Mommy?”

Ella rubbed her eyes with her hand before she looked down at her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Her miracle.

A normal two-year-old would barely be speaking. At this point, Clara looked as if she was four and could form sentences better than some adults she knew. She should probably be enrolled in preschool by now, but Ella hadn’t been able to send in the paperwork.

She would have to get a fake birth certificate so no one knew how fast Clara was growing. Plus, it didn’t look as if her aging was going to slow down any time soon. What would she do in a year when Clara was as big as a second grader?

Ella kept thinking of Lucian locking her away in that old Victorian as though he owned her. What would he do with his own daughter?

“There are monsters, baby, but we’re stronger than them.”

She giggled. “I’m just a kid.”

Ella reached over and tickled her through the blanket. “You’re not just anything. Besides, I saw a monster on the way home tonight and I made sure he wouldn’t be causing any trouble.”

Clara’s eyes widened. “How?”

Ella tightened her lips. She never knew what to tell Clara about the dark side. Clara would be on the run from vampires and myotis her entire life. She had to know the truth.

But who really wanted to teach their daughter about all the things that went bump in the night?

“I sprayed him with my monster repellant and ran. When he chased me down, I stopped him with my sword.”

Clara’s eyes got even bigger and rounder. “I don’t want you fighting monsters, Mommy. I want you safe.”

Ella sighed. “I don’t want to fight them either.” But she would. Every single last one that tried to get between her and her daughter. Even if the monster was Lucian.

She rolled over and wrapped an arm around Clara. “I’m going to sleep with you tonight, okay, baby?”

Lucian materialized in Dean’s apartment, scowl firmly in place. “This had better be good,” he grumbled.

He and Dmitri were close on the trail of the rebels based out of LA. In another day or two, they would locate the nest and kill the bastards.

Assuming they hadn’t already packed up and left town like the last ten times they’d tracked down the nest.

“I didn’t say you had to get here immediately,” shot back Dean, swiveling around in his computer chair.

It was only seven in the evening, so they still had a few minutes before the change would call to them, not that it mattered much in the comfort of their own homes. It sucked to either have to let Dmitri do all the evening legwork in public or suffer the massive headaches that came with holding back the change.

To be honest, it was nice to get away from the vampire for a bit. Normally, he and Dmitri worked quite well together, but lately Dmitri had been a lot to handle.

He was too busy moping over his own damn stepsister, who was unhappily married to a vampire much more powerful than Dmitri. Fucking siren bitch.

Just like the stereotypes, she used her beauty and charm to make all men fall in love with her, only choosing the one who could help her advance the furthest and leaving all the other lovesick bastards in the dust.

Not that all sirens were nasty bitches. Dmitri’s other stepsister was pretty awesome. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the one Dmitri decided to obsess over.

“You said you found something?” he asked Dean.

He swirled back around to his computer. “There’s been another attack. The suspect is described as big, bald, and tattooed. It happened in some small town about forty minutes outside of Atlanta.”

Lucian frowned. “Why should I care?” It wasn’t as though he wanted to sound callous. The fact was, these rebels were killing innocents every day and it was getting worse. He needed to be where he could do the most damage, and he doubted it was in some small town that had one isolated attack.

“You should care because nobody died. Apparently this guy was killed at the scene. News stations reported it last night, but issued rather sudden retractions about an hour later.”

“The cleanup crew arrived,” muttered Lucian. “Do we know who killed him?”

Dean shook his head. “According to the news, it was the owner of the local gym. It happened at some deli or something. Witnesses said he was heroic and ran right in as everyone was piling out. One guy was thrown into the food station and had a broken arm and some broken ribs. Watch this.”

Dean clicked on a video file and played a two-minute segment saying the same thing. The “hero” didn’t want to speak to the camera crew, but Lucian was able to get a decent look at him.

Big guy. Looked like former military. It wasn’t unbelievable that he could kill a vampire. Still not likely.

Lucian leaned back after the clip ended. It hadn’t told him anything new. “You want to go check it out?”

“I figured you would too, after I show you this.”

Lucian got a bad feeling. “What?”

“That district you were tracking the vampires to? A house burned down last night and five dead bodies were found. Didn’t die in the fire, though.”

Lucian took in a deep breath before he turned and punched a hole in Dean’s wall. “Mother fucker!” They abandoned the nest. Who knew where they would be setting up shop next.

“So, Georgia?”

“Fucking Georgia,” Lucian spat out as he teleported away.

Lucian eyed the small gym as he and Dean strode through the double doors. The police station had been a bust. Anyone who knew anything had already had their memories erased. Same story with the news crew and reporters who covered the story.

The gym looked decent considering it wasn’t part of a chain. It was clean and had a good range of equipment. There was the normal ratio of cardio bunnies, steroid poppers, and people who actually looked as if they knew what they were doing. He let Dean lead the way. This was his find. Let him do the talking.

Lucian was still too pissed to hold pleasant conversation anyway. Neither he nor Dmitri were pleasant company at the moment. At least Dmitri had the Georgia sunlight as an excuse to stay in. Lucian wasn’t allowed to mope and rage until it was dark and he had no option but keep out of the public’s view.

The cute and fit girl at the counter looked up at them and her eyes widened as a huge smile lit her face. “Hey, there.” She bit her lip as her eyes moved over Lucian and Dean.

Just what he needed—jailbait hitting on him.

“Are you here for a membership?” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and straightened her posture. A not-so-subtle way of pushing her breasts a few centimeters closer to him.

Lucian rolled his eyes and glared at Dean.

Dean’s smile took over as he drew the girl’s attention. “Hey, honey. We’re here looking for a Charlie Garret.”

Lucian could practically see her melt as she got the focus of Dean’s full attention. “Follow me,” she said in a husky voice.

She moved out from behind the counter and they obediently followed. Lucian didn’t fail to notice the exaggerated sway of her hips as she led them past the cardio area and into the windowed office.

The man he recognized as Charlie sat facing away from him, typing into a small laptop.

“Charlie Garret?” said Dean.

He turned and eyed Lucian and Dean. Untrained eyes wouldn’t have noticed the difference, but Lucian saw Charlie’s back stiffen.

“I’m Charlie.” He stood and held out a hand.

Lucian and Dean returned the handshake as Dean continued, “I’m Special Agent Dean Gold. This is my partner, Lucian Montclair.”

“Special agent? Am I in trouble?”

Dean shook his head and Lucian tried to appear as nonthreatening as possible.

“We just wanted to ask you a few questions about last night,” said Lucian.

Charlie’s eyes shifted between the two of them. “I already talked to the police last night.”

Lucian and Dean exchanged a quick glance of victory. They’d found at least one person the vampires hadn’t gotten to yet.

Dean inched forward. “We thoroughly reviewed the reports. Because of the suspect’s similarity to the skinheads causing so much trouble these days, we wanted to make sure we talked to you in person.”

Charlie nodded. “Well, I hate to break it to you, but you’re wasting your time with me. I saw people running out so I wanted to help, but the guy was already dead when I got into the kitchen. I saw some big guy run out the back door, but the police were here by then so I decided not to chase after him.”

The rapid thumping of Charlie’s heartbeat filled Lucian’s ears and a predatory grin twisted his lips. Charlie was lying to them.

“So you ran straight into the restaurant, not having any idea what was going on, and then decided to let the police handle it at the last minute?”

Dean took over. “It’s not like you could see into the kitchen. You ran in there blind. Why not run into the alley to see the accomplice?”

Charlie’s features hardened. “Whoever killed the bastard was doing the world a favor. He wasn’t any type of accomplice.”

“You really have no way of knowing that since you never saw him,” pointed out Dean.

Charlie shifted on his feet. “That’s right.”

“I thought you saw him just as he ran out the door. You said he was a big guy.”

The human’s brows drew together. “I meant I never saw him well,” he bit out. He looked over his shoulder to the clock that read five fifty. “I thought you were just here to go over my report.”

“What does it sound like we’re doing?” asked Dean, pleasant smile still firmly in place.

“Well, you’ll have to come back. I have a private session in a few minutes and I’d rather she not see me being questioned by the... What agency are you two with again?”

“FBI,” they said in unison.

Charlie moved toward the door, but neither Dean nor Lucian moved out of his way.

The human squared his shoulders back and narrowed his eyes. “I said out.”

Lucian tilted his head in surrender and backed out. In a few hours, it would be dark and he could drag Dmitri’s whiney, lovelorn ass out here to get Charlie to spill all his deepest, darkest secrets.

The counter girl waited for them, one hip pressed against the wall. Her dark hair was down now. Dean gave her an appreciative once-over as they walked past. A dark sedan pulled into one of the first spots and Lucian glanced at the driver.

And stopped dead in his tracks.

She was here. Just feet from him. Real, live, and in perfect fucking color.

His Ella stepped out of the driver’s seat and shut the door before she turned to grab a gym bag from the backseat. She looked just the same and completely different at the same time. Her thick and gorgeous chestnut hair fell down to the curve of her back, looking wild and untamed.

She seemed stronger. The tight black pants she wore showed off her fit legs and the perfect round globes of her ass. She hit the button on her keys to lock the door and finally looked up.

She saw him immediately. Her jaw dropped and her bag fell to the concrete parking lot. And then she ran from him.

She yanked open her car door and had the engine started before the door was closed.

Why was she running from him? Her heart hadn’t stopped at the sight of him like his heart had?

He growled deep in his throat. She was his. There was no escaping him. He was just about to transport to her when Charlie’s fist slammed into his face.

Blood trickled from his nose as he lunged at Charlie. Dean caught Lucian around the shoulders, barely holding him back. A low rumbling came from Lucian’s chest. “Leave the mortal. Was that Ella, man?”

“Stay the fuck away from her,” warned the human.

Lucian snarled as his rage bubbled over, turning his eyes jet-black. He let them close as he tried to regain control and was outside the gym an instant later, with Dean right behind him.

Ella’s bag was abandoned at his feet. He looked left and right but didn’t see any sign of the car she’d driven off in.

She ran from him. Why the hell would she run from him?

“Garret’s gone. He took off out the back,” said Dean.

Lucian’s breaths came faster and his lips tightened. “He knew her.”

How well did the human know her? Had she moved on? Was she living a happy and normal life?

He knelt next to her abandoned bag. It didn’t smell like a man. It smelled like Ella. Maybe a different soap or detergent, but underneath the chemicals, it was her. He breathed her scent into his lungs. Every memory of touching her, holding her, her naked body pressed up to his rushed back to him.

Ella.

Dean sent a worried glance to the windows of the gym, where a crowd had gathered. Lucian didn’t give a fuck if they saw him teleport. He had more important things to worry about.

Dean said, “Let’s head to the police station. We can probably track her down before dark.”

Lucian shook his head. “I don’t need them.” Her scent was all over these streets. How had he not noticed before?

Something was different with her. Maybe it was a man. Did she spend so much time with him that her scent changed?

He would kill him.

Dean grabbed Lucian’s shoulder with a painful grip, pulling him back to reality. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Lucian shrugged Dean off him. “Help me find her or not. Your choice.”

He stalked down the street. Whether she wanted to see him or not, she would be in his arms before sunset.

Shit, shit, shit, shit.

Ella swerved around a car and sped up, just narrowly avoiding an accident as she ran the stop sign.

No time to stop. For all she knew, he was at her house already. He could’ve taken Clara by now.

She slammed on the gas, going well over fifty in the residential streets.

If only she’d seen him sooner. She’d been so used to her routine, she didn’t even look at her surroundings before she got out of her car, lulled into a false sense of security by the sunlight, thinking the worst monsters around were vampires.

Was he here investigating the vampire or her?

It didn’t matter anymore. He’d seen her and she knew that look in his eyes. He was so not over her.

If she kept driving like this, someone would call the cops on her. Most of the folks in town would recognize her car. Would the cops make it to her place before Lucian? Would it even matter?

Ella’s head pounded and she bit back another curse as she made a sharp right into the driveway, tires squealing. She stopped just short of the garage and ran to her house, not even bothering to close the driver’s side door.

Her head and heart pounded in the same painful rhythm. Please let Clara be here.

Her nerves had her stumbling as she opened the door, only the handle keeping her from falling over the threshold. “Clara! Baby, are you home?”

Gloria poked her head out from the living room, young brow furrowed in confusion. “You’re home early, Elly.”

Why wasn’t Clara with her? “Where’s Clara?”

A tiny blonde head emerged from behind Gloria. “Mommy? It’s early.”

Ella let out a sigh of relief and threw her head back. She wasn’t too late.

That didn’t mean she had a lot of time. Lucian could track her down any minute. He looked unhinged enough at the sight of her. Who knew what he would do when he saw Clara.

None of this was her fault! It wasn’t as if he left her with a list of contacts to call in case she got knocked up! It was just sayonara, see you later.

No calls. No emails. No text messages. No letters. Only one seven-digit deposit into Dad’s bank account that she told herself was for the kidnapping and not the sex.

Not that she wanted to see him. Everything he’d put her through had knocked her world on its axis. Every time the sun set, she would hesitate to go outside. Every time she saw an oversized male, she half expected him to turn around, bearing fangs.

So far, she’d been able to lead a relatively normal existence. Low-paying government job at the library, house, dog, and daughter. All completely normal.

Except nothing was. She was constantly trying to hide Clara’s rapid growth, but it was getting harder. The girl was too social! She would walk up to anyone and start a conversation. She was two! How much did she really have to talk about?

Between her mature speech patterns and beautiful blue eyes she got from her father, people tended to remember her. Ella was already hearing the comments. Who knew how many times the well-meaning neighbors had mentioned, “She’s growing up so fast!”?

Clara was her miracle. She needed to keep her safe. She needed to keep her from Lucian.

Ella looked to Gloria. “My dad called and wants to go out to his cottage for a few days. I have to rush if I want to meet him in time. You can take off now. Thanks!”

She ushered the teen to the door, unable to think whether her story made sense at all.

“No problem, Elly.” She stepped onto the porch. “I hope you two have fun!”

Ella forced what was probably the fakest smile ever to be faked on her face. “We will.” She waved while Gloria left, and the smile completely dropped as Charlie’s Jeep pulled into the driveway. She really didn’t have time for this.

He jumped out and jogged over to her. “What the fuck was that, Elly?”

She narrowed her eyes at his curse. Clara was probably listening. She loved to listen to “grownup conversations.” This wasn’t the time to yell at Charlie for his choice language, though.

“I have to leave. You have to go too. If they want to find me, they can use you.”

Charlie put a hand on her arm, probably trying to calm her, but it only amplified her unease. She wanted to shake him and scream. They needed to run!

“Take a breath. Relax. Pack up Clara and Reno. You guys can stay with me until we figure this out.”

“You don’t understand. These people aren’t people at all. They will find me. I need to—”

Too late.

There, at the foot of her driveway, was Lucian.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. He looked devastating. His strange, brown, iridescent hair caught in the wind. It seemed longer. Just past his shoulders. Even from so far away, he seemed so big. So much stronger than her.

How had she ever gotten away from him?

“Elly, what—?” Charlie looked over his shoulder, finally seeing Lucian.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed and he approached her. Dark energy emanated from him. Even Charlie somehow seemed to know that Lucian was no ordinary man.

Every step he took pounded within Ella’s head. Should she run? She felt as if she should run. Her feet never got the message. All she could manage was a slow backward retreat until her shoulders hit the column of her front porch.

Nowhere else to go.

Charlie stood between Lucian and her, body tense and ready for a fight. “I think it’s time for you to go,” he said in a firm voice.

Lucian stared right at her, not even acknowledging Charlie. Without breaking stride, he transported straight past Charlie, appearing just a breath away from Ella.

She gasped at the suddenness, closing her eyes and inhaling his scent. She could feel the warmth radiate from him. Memories flooded back to her. Her fear that first night in the woods. The first time she kissed him after he’d brought her Reno. The feel of his hands on her body as the warm shower water caressed her back. His hands gripping her hips as he stood up, opening her for his invasion.

When her eyes opened, she was back in the present. “You need to go,” she breathed, barely able to get the words out.

He lifted a hand and gently stroked her face. “You feel exactly the same.”

Warmth snaked through her at his touch and she clenched her fists to stop them from shaking. “Please, leave.”

“Get your hands off her!” shouted Charlie.

“Is he your new man?” asked Lucian.

She shook her head, unable to form words.

“What the— Get the fuck off me!”

Ella looked over Lucian’s shoulder and saw Dean holding Charlie back. The ex-SEAL struggled in Dean’s grasp, but no amount of lifting weights would make him stronger than a myotis.

She was all alone.

“Lucian—”

She never finished. His mouth covered hers and everything seemed to melt away. She brought her hands up to push him away, but they fisted in his coat and pulled him closer.

How had she pushed this out of her mind? His kiss was just as fierce as the man. Soul-searing and earth-shattering. Thorough. Devouring.

His hands rested on her hips as his tongue teased the seam of her lips. She should stop him. This was wrong.

She opened for him, all logic and reasoning floating away under his touch. He backed her fully against the post; his hands ran up and down her sides as his erection pressed against her stomach.

The feel of him suddenly brought her back to earth and she ripped her mouth away. She kept her gaze firmly locked on the ground. “Lucian, I’m not joking. Get. Off. My. Property.”

He huffed out a breath. “How can you kiss me like that and tell me to leave?”

“I was telling you to leave before you kissed me like that.”

He opened his mouth, but the deafening sound of the doorknob twisting interrupted him.

Ella twisted out of his grip and turned to the door.

There stood Clara, messy blonde hair framing her face, large blue eyes looking back and forth between Lucian and Ella.

“Mommy, who’s he?”

Ella’s heart stopped in her chest as her gaze slid over to Lucian.

Lucian stared at the small child as he tried to put the pieces together. She called Ella her mother.

She looked like Ella. They had the same pert nose and almond-shaped eyes. A little mini-Ella with different color hair and eyes.

His eye color, to be exact. Was he imagining it? She looked older. Probably at least four. But Ella hadn’t had any children when she’d been with him. She would’ve told him if she had a baby waiting for her, right?

But when he looked back at Ella, he knew all he needed to. “You were going to keep her from me.”

She stiffened at the accusation. “I was keeping her from all of you.” She shifted her gaze to the child. “Clara, this is Lucian. He’s my...friend.”

He raised a brow at that. Of the many words to describe their relationship, friend definitely wasn’t one of them.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. This was his daughter. A son hadn’t been born to a myotis in centuries. A daughter was unheard of. What was he supposed to say?

Had Ella told her about him? Did she tell the child about the brute who stole her from her home and family or about when he brought her the dog and kept her warm in that cave?

“Hello.” Great first impression, jackass.

“Hi,” she said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Mommy, is Charlie in trouble?”

Lucian turned to where the human was still struggling to break Dean’s grip. He’d forgotten he was even there. With a subtle twitch of his hand, he signaled to Dean to let the human go.

Garret stumbled away from Dean at the abrupt freedom. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but never opened his mouth. Lucian wasn’t sure whether it was the threatening look coming from him or the deer-in-the-headlights look from Ella.

“Charlie’s fine, honey. Why don’t you come here?”

The girl shuffled over to Ella, where she was lifted into her mother’s arms, perched on Ella’s hip.

“What’s your name...” He trailed off as he tried to think of a term of endearment for a small girl. Ella called her “honey,” but that didn’t sound right. Sweetie? Little girl?

He must’ve taken too much time in his thoughts.

“This is my daughter, Clara.”

“It’s really nice to meet you.” Lucian frowned. That didn’t sound right. Too formal. Was he supposed to speak in a higher voice or something? He thought it was called baby talk. But she wasn’t a baby.

Fuck.

Clara just stared at him. He was messing this up so badly.

“It’s getting late.” Ella eyed him warily. “I think we should talk about this later.”

He glanced at the horizon, where the sun was slowly disappearing. In less than an hour, he would need to change. Hardly the best first impression. “There was an incident last night. A...someone allergic to the sun made an appearance. Know anything about it?”

Clara’s eyes lit up. “Are you talking about monsters?”

“Umm...yes?” He looked to Ella, not sure whether he was saying the right thing.

A corner of her mouth twitched up. He almost missed it, but she was definitely amused.

Clara smiled. “Mommy killed the monster!”

“I didn’t—I mean, I did, but—” Ella winced. “Okay, yeah, I killed the monster.”

“You? Really?”

She straightened. “Yes, really. I didn’t just sit back and twiddle my thumbs after you left. I can take care of myself.”

“And your daughter.”

“And my daughter,” she agreed.

The silence stretched, thousands of questions going unasked.

“Other, um, monsters were here. Garret was in the news. The police think he killed the monster. The monsters are going to come for him.”

“Who’s Garret?” asked Clara.

Ella narrowed her eyes at Lucian. “Garret is Charlie’s last name.”

Clara’s mouth dropped open. “Mommy, I don’t want the monsters to get Charlie!”

“The monsters aren’t going to touch him, baby. That’s why Lucian and Dean are here. They’re going to protect him.”

Garret swished his arms in front of him in an X motion. “Hell no!”

“This is important to you?” asked Lucian, ignoring Garret’s protests.

“If it weren’t for Charlie, I probably wouldn’t have survived last night.”

“Then we’ll make sure he lives. But this isn’t over.”

Ella nodded, looking back to the ground.

At least she had the grace to be ashamed. He swore to God, he was obsessed with the woman, but he couldn’t get the image of her running from him out of his mind. She truly believed he was a danger to Clara.

Was he? He pushed Ella away for her own safety, and he wasn’t even close to getting the rebel vampires off the earth realm.

“Good-bye, Lucian,” she said, effectively dismissing him.

He shook his head and turned away from her. He couldn’t say good-bye. He was too busy trying to figure out whether he was relieved to find her or pissed off.

“We’re leaving, Dean. The human comes with us.”

Garret strode over to him. “Listen, I don’t know what the hell your problem is or what you think you are, but I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Leave him alone,” called Ella from the porch.

“If you want me to protect him, I have to keep an eye on him all night. That means he’s coming with me. Unless you plan to invite us all in?”

She eyed him, as though trying to decipher his intentions. “You said you’d help.”

“What the hell do you think I’m trying to do?”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do. That’s the problem.”

He took a deep breath. “Go inside, Ella. Don’t invite anyone in.”

He grabbed Garret’s arm and thought of Dean’s apartment.

“What the fuck?” muttered Garret. “Where am I?”

“New York City. Make yourself at home and tell me everything you know about Ella.”

Garret frowned. “New York? Are you out of your mind?”

Lucian shook his head. “I don’t have time for your disbelief. Tell me about Clara.”

“She’s none of your goddamn business.” Garret crossed his arms defensively over his chest.

“She’s my daughter.”

“Fuck,” muttered the human.

“Pretty much,” said Lucian.

Dean materialized next to the door and Garret backed away. “Was I drugged?”

“Do you feel drugged?” Dean grinned. The grin disappeared when he looked at Lucian. “So...that happened.”

Lucian was in no mood to discuss it with Dean or the human. His questions would just have to wait. “I’m going home. Watch the human. Make sure he doesn’t blow a gasket when you change.”

Before he heard a response, he transported home. He fell into his bed, fully clothed.

A kid. Him. It was just what he’d been aiming for, but he never expected it to happen like this.

He thought he’d crack what made Ella special and find some sorceress or witch who knew about the realms and dangers involved and was prepared to take on the risk. He would have a son and heir to continue his lineage and help to replenish the dwindling population.

What was he supposed to do with a daughter? Once his men found out, they would be elated. It was all great while she was young. Before long, she would be grown. Judging by her speech and appearance, it was happening a bit faster than normal.

How long had it taken him to reach maturity? It was so long ago he couldn’t even remember. There was no formal calendar for him to record the days and years. There were no annual birthday parties to mark the passage of time.

The times were so different now. He couldn’t just lock her in a room to keep her protected. Especially not with Ella as her mother.

He bit his lip at the thought of Ella. God, she still kissed the same. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, there was something between them. He heard her heart kick up when he was close, and there was no denying that she kissed him back.

If they’d been alone and had a few more minutes, he would’ve had her pressed up against that post, legs wrapped around him.

He opened his eyes, breaking the fantasy.

Ella wasn’t with him. She was hiding in her house, thinking of all the ways he was going to ruin her life.

He let her go for her own protection, but the vampires found her anyway. It didn’t seem as though it was a planned attack. If it was, there would’ve been more than one vampire sent. Just some freak coincidence.

Maybe not that freakish. Just another sign that the vampire problem was getting bigger.

It was time for him to re-evaluate his plan. Distance wasn’t the answer. It was time he and Ella became reacquainted.

Ella looked out the front window for the fiftieth time in the last hour. The sun was well over the horizon and there was no telling when Lucian would show up again.

She had no doubt he would. He wasn’t the type of man to discover a love child and take off running.

Not that Clara was a love child. More like a lust brought on by a dramatic situation child. A lust that had apparently more than survived over three years of separation.

God, she should’ve fought him. Should’ve run faster and farther.

She heard movement down the hall and jerked her head to the side, but it was just Reno making his way to the back door.

Clara always slept in, averaging ten hours a night. Ella assumed it took a lot of energy to grow and learn as fast as she did. She probably ate twice as many calories a day compared to normal four-year-olds. Of course, she wasn’t four. She was two. And a half. The half was very important.

Did Lucian notice the rapid aging? He must’ve. It was impossible to miss. Though, he probably didn’t spend much time around kids. For all she knew, he’d think that was normal.

She almost felt bad for him. He’d seemed so uncomfortable around Clara, tripping over his words and carefully considering every syllable.

She didn’t blame him. She hadn’t known anything about children before Clara. Dad didn’t have much family, so there were no kids to grow up around. She’d seen babies and held them, but never felt anything more than a “that’s cute...have your baby back” while they were in her arms.

Clara was different. Every time she looked at Clara, her heart would swell with pride and her maternal instincts would take over.

This was hers. The most important thing she’d ever done or created and she needed to keep her safe.

There was still time to run. She’d thought about it all night. Packing up Clara like she’d originally planned. She had a duffel bag of cash and a supernaturally smart daughter. It wouldn’t be easy to track her down.

But he would. Finding her was one thing. But if she took his daughter from him, he would stop at nothing to track her down and bring both of them back.

Or just Clara. What would she do if he took her? What could she do? Go to the government? Ella didn’t even know whether they knew about the myotis or vampires. If they did, the kidnapping of a girl would be the least of their concerns.

No, playing nice was her best option. She just had to stop thinking of Lucian as the beast who took her and trapped her. This was the same man who warmed her with his body and obsessed over keeping her safe.

He would be a loving father to Clara. How many times had Clara asked about her father in the past couple of months?

No matter how many times Ella insisted Clara’s father was “out of the picture and not coming back,” Clara kept on asking.

Now she could know. And who wouldn’t want a handsome, powerful, and caring father? They might have a hard time getting to know each other, but soon enough they would get into a rhythm.

Of course, this was assuming Lucian hadn’t killed Charlie overnight. She’d been calling him all night, but he never answered his phone. “If Lucian said he’d keep him safe, he’s going to,” she muttered to herself.

“Your friend is fine,” said Lucian from behind her.

Ella jumped at the sound. “God, Lucian! Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”

She turned to see him in the living room, flanked by Clara’s little pink kitchenette set and the television. His oversized frame looked completely out of place.

He shrugged. “Isn’t it bad to ring the bell when there are small children in the house?”

She snorted. “Yeah. Good luck getting that girl out of bed when she doesn’t want to.”

The corner of his mouth tilted up. “She’s a heavy sleeper?”

“Yep. It’s one of the...different things about her.”

“Is she very different?”

Ella considered it for a minute. “I don’t know. I don’t have much to compare her to. Sometimes she seems so old when she speaks. She eats more than normal children. Sleeps more, grows more. She hasn’t changed into, um, whatever it is you turn into.”

“That’s good,” he muttered.

“Is it? I really have no way of knowing.” She crossed her arms in front of her, suddenly feeling cold in her long-sleeved sleeping shirt and pajama pants.

“So what have you been up to?” he asked.

The question seemed so casual. Something that would be asked of a long-lost friend, not whatever it was they were. “I work at the local library. They had a big computer overhaul when I moved to town and I was hired to help out. Charlie’s been helping me with self-defense. He says I’m pretty good.”

Lucian chuckled for a second. “He mentioned that.”

“He’s really okay?”

“He’s a bit confused. It was a lot to take in. Experience has taught me that changing in front of a mortal is the best way to tell him the truth.”

She bit her lip. “This is all my fault. I should’ve never called him that night.”

“You called him to save you from a vampire?”

“I didn’t really know what to do. It was the first one I’d seen since—well, you know when. Charlie is former military. I figured he could help. But I had it taken care of before he got there.”

“How exactly did you pull that off?”

A prideful smile came to her lips. “Well, I have some vampire mace I sprayed in his eyes and I stabbed him in the heart with a silver knife when he was blinded.”

“Vampire mace?”

“You said they couldn’t cross the river because it was laced with silver. So I have some canisters I filled with silver chains and water. Eventually the metal leaks into the water and, voila. Vampire mace.”

Lucian laughed. “Funny. We have something similar to that. A bit more sophisticated, but the same general idea.”

Ella smiled but didn’t say anything. Should she offer him coffee? Did he drink coffee? File that under things she should know before sleeping with a crazed kidnapper. “Did you want something to drink?”

“Water is good.”

She turned toward the kitchen and heard his footsteps behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood. He really wasn’t the type of guy a girl should turn her back on.

“The pregnancy was short. That was another thing different about Clara. Six months total.”

“Was it hard? I don’t really know what that means, but don’t women talk about their pregnancies being hard...”

“That is a thing, yes. It’s difficult to judge since I’ve never been pregnant before and don’t know anyone who has. I didn’t go to a doctor because of the unusual circumstances. I did take a class or two beforehand, though.”

“You’re rambling. That means it was hard, doesn’t it?”

Ella frowned. “There were a lot of backaches. I was pretty much bedbound for the last two months.”

“I should’ve been there,” hissed Lucian.

“Right. You should’ve kept me your prisoner so you could wait on me for those two months. I survived.” The last thing she wanted was for him to regret his decision to let her go.

Reno chose that moment to wander into the kitchen. Stretching as though his life was so hard, he made his way over to Lucian and leaned against his leg.

If the dog liked him, that had to be a good sign. At least, that’s what she told herself.

“Hey, buddy.” Lucian bent down to scratch the dog, causing Reno’s tail to become a blur of motion. Lucian looked to Ella. “Not the best guard dog, huh?”

She shook her head. “Babysitter dog. He and Clara can keep each other amused for hours.”

“Good to know.” More silence.

“I told her about vampires,” blurted out Ella.

“I noticed.”

“It wasn’t like I had a lot of options and I didn’t want her to be blindsided by their existence like I was. She has a right to know, especially if she’s going to be in danger.”

“It’s fine, Ella.”

She slammed a hand down on the counter. “No, it’s not fine. She’s just a kid. She shouldn’t have to know about the things that go bump in the night. I should be able to look at her and honestly say there are no monsters in the closet, not check inside holding a silver knife.”

Lucian walked closer. “You’re a fighter. I’m a fighter. I’m sure Clara will do just fine.”

Ella looked at him with a look of disbelief. “You really think it’s that easy? We don’t have any idea what we’re dealing with. I know you don’t know more about raising kids than me, which says a lot since I know nothing.

“She’s smart. Really smart. She needs to go to school, but how can I enroll her when she might look like a ten-year-old by the time she’s in the first grade? At this rate, she’ll look like she’s ready for college before she gets out of elementary school!”

“There are schools we can take her to. Dmitri can help.”

“Dmitri? The one who bit me?”

“He hasn’t bit an unwilling woman for some time.”

“Just to clarify, him using mind control doesn’t make her willing.”

“Then I will have to retract my statement.”

She frowned. “‘Retract your statement’? Who says that?”

He smiled. “I do.”

“That’s so weird.”

“I guess I’m just weird.”

She laughed and looked up at him. When had he gotten so close? If he just took one step closer and bent down, he’d be kissing her.

God, she wanted him to kiss her.

Why him? Others had shown interest. Even Charlie! Perfect, attractive, smart, and great with Clara. Why couldn’t she fall for him?

Not once had she felt this all-consuming need to cover Charlie’s lips with her own. She’d never thought about what it would be like if Charlie backed her up against her kitchen counter, lifting her to sit on the edge. Then she’d pull him closer, kissing him passionately and wrapping her legs around his waist, wishing neither was wearing any clothes.

“What are you thinking?” asked Lucian in a dark and husky voice.

“Bad, bad things,” she whispered.

Lucian licked his lips and closed the distance between them. “I think bad things about you all the time. I don’t want to, but I can’t seem to stop myself. I think of doing things to you that would make you slap me and run away.”

Ella took in a hot breath, fighting everything in her as she kept herself from bringing her lips up to his.

Suddenly, Lucian’s head jerked to the side and he stepped back. Before she could ask why, Clara stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes as she walked.

She stopped in her tracks when she finally saw Lucian. Big blue eyes shifted between Ella and Lucian.

“Honey, you remember Lucian from last night?”

Clara eyed him. “Did you sleep here?”

Ella covered her hand with her mouth and Lucian smiled at the question. “Lucian just got here.”

“Does your mommy have a lot of sleepovers?” asked Lucian, earning him a swat in the bicep.

Why did his arm have to be rock hard? Was he even flexing?

Clara enthusiastically nodded. “Mommy has sleepovers all the time!”

Lucian stiffened and Ella’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

The girl frowned at Ella’s shocked reaction. “You have sleepovers with me and Reno.”

Ella let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding. “Those sleepovers.”

Reno moved to Clara’s side and plopped down on the tile directly in front of her.

“He’s a very loyal dog,” said Lucian.

Clara knelt and patted Reno on the head. “My daddy bought him for Mommy.”

Ella bit her lip and stared intently at the tile. She should tell Clara. She had a right to know who her father was. Now that the very idea of hiding from Lucian was out of the realm of possibilities, it was time she knew the truth.

But how was she supposed to break the news? Just blurt it out in the middle of her kitchen? Hey, Clara! This random guy you’ve never met before today is your dad! Start bonding!

She should let them get to know each other, but that was just prolonging the lie. One of her hands rubbed the back of her neck as she tried to think out the situation.

“So, what’s on the agenda today?” asked Lucian, thankfully dropping any conversation about Clara’s “daddy.”

Ella gave him a small smile of appreciation. This was all too much to deal with at once.

Considering she’d half expected him to just take Clara without a second glance, it was a pleasant surprise to see him being considerate of their mother-daughter relationship.

Ella moved to the fridge as she grabbed some eggs. “Well, I have to call in to work since I conveniently told the babysitter yesterday that I was going out of town.”

“Is that a big deal?” He moved out of her way as she grabbed a skillet from the drawer below the stove.

“Well, I’m not fighting supernatural wars or anything, but I do have things to get done. We just ran an update to the inventory management software last week and I’d hate to leave the other staff hanging.”

“Why don’t I watch Clara?”

She jerked her head to Lucian. “Um, well, I—” Lucian alone with Clara? That just screamed bad idea. “Do you know anything about kids?”

“I have to learn somehow.” He looked over to Clara. “You feel like hanging out with me all day?”

Clara considered it for a moment. “I don’t really know you.”

Ella rolled her eyes. Sometimes Clara sounded older than her.

“After today you’ll know me much better.”

“Gloria lets me watch TV.” She moved over to sit at one of the chairs at the table as Ella put a few pieces of bread in the toaster.

“I don’t see a problem with TV.”

“Mommy doesn’t like it. She says I should get outside and play.”

“Can’t you do both?”

“As long as I can choose when I do what.”

Lucian’s brows drew together. “How old are you again?”

“Mommy says I should tell people I’m four.”

He nodded. “You’re very smart.”

“I hear that a lot.”

Ella set the over easy eggs and toast in front of Clara. “God help the world when you realize that you’re smarter than the rest of us.”

“What does that mean, Mommy?”

“It means I love you.”

Lucian’s eyes moved to the single plate on the table. “You aren’t eating?”

Ella inwardly groaned. She hadn’t even thought to offer Lucian anything. “I already had something. Did you want some eggs?”

He shook his head. “I’m good. What do you say? Me and Clara for the day? You can stop by to see the gym guy on your way home.”

“Seriously? You don’t care if I stop by to see Charlie?”

“You’ll be coming home to me,” he pointed out, not even bothering to hide the possessive undertone.

She shifted on her feet as she thought about the possibilities. Lucian. Alone. With her daughter. Technically his daughter too, but that didn’t make her feel better about it. “I’m going to get ready for work, but I haven’t made up my mind yet,” she warned as she moved to her bedroom, all too aware that she was leaving them alone together for the first time.

She gently pressed her bedroom door shut and leaned against it. What the hell was she supposed to do?

At the moment, nothing. Lucian would do what he wanted, when he wanted. If he truly wanted to get to know his daughter, he would. He had a right. As much crap as he’d done to her, he never forced her.

Clara was born from a day of happiness and escape. Not of violence and thievery. He deserved a chance to prove himself to both of them.

Why was she in her room again? Oh yeah, getting dressed. She tore through the clothes in her closet. It was full of various colors and styles, but nothing seemed quite right. Too bright or too dark. Too matronly and too revealing.

She finally settled on a purple and blue patterned skirt with a lavender cardigan and white camisole underneath. A decent balance between youthful and conservative. The skirt fell to her knees and the camisole hid any hint of cleavage.

Not that she cared what Lucian thought of her looks. He could suck it.

Her mind wandered to all the things he had sucked and her face turned beet-red.

Focus, Ella!

She did a quick layer of makeup, making her eyes look bigger and her skin even. After putting on a simple pair of silver earrings and black ankle boots with reasonable heels, she took a calming breath. She could do this.

Back in the kitchen, Lucian sat at the table across from Clara.

“You’re a soldier?” she asked.

“I’m a leader,” he said.

“Of an army?”

“Something like that.”

“If you lead an army, doesn’t that make you a soldier?”

“Not exactly.”

“Who are you fighting?”

“A type of monster.”

“Why not all monsters?”

“Not all monsters are bad.”

“If they aren’t bad, why are they called monsters?”

“Because people are mean.”

Ella bit back a smile at their back-and-forth. Clara wasn’t always the easiest kid to be around, but Lucian seemed to understand her.

The problem was that people liked to talk down to Clara and over explain things. Short and straightforward was exactly what she needed and Lucian was definitely straightforward.

This might actually work.

“I’m going to head out.” She pulled out her phone. “Let me know how I can reach you. I plan on calling every fifteen minutes on the dot,” she warned.

“What’s the point of going to work if you’re going to be stalking me the whole time?”

“Stalking, spying, tomato, tom-a-to. It’s all relative anyway. Phone number. Now.”

He grabbed her phone from her; their fingers brushed. The brief contact had her heart speeding up and heat spreading through her.

Focus!

He typed his number into her phone before he glanced up, truly seeing her. “You clean up nice,” he breathed.

“Are you saying I look nice now or that I didn’t look nice before?”

“And I’ve walked into a trap.”

She smiled at him. “Don’t worry. I can take a compliment.”

He handed her phone back. “Good.” His voice lowered as he leaned forward. “Because, no matter what you’re wearing, I always want you. In your sleeping clothes, dirty workout sweats, or that sexy ass skirt.”

No matter how much makeup she wore, her blush would’ve been visible. “On that note,” she muttered as she pulled her purse over her shoulder.

“It’s going to be fine,” he assured her.

She nodded. “You’re doing great. Just treat her like a tiny adult and she’ll love you.” She thought over it for a second. “But with less cursing.”

“I got it. Go before you’re late.”

She took one more deep breath. “Okay. See you later.”

“I’m bored.”

The words rocked Lucian to his core. “There isn’t anything on TV?”

Clara shook her head. “No. I don’t like any of the twelve o’clock shows.”

“What do you and Gloria normally do?”

She put her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Walk to the park.”

“Why don’t we do that then?” This whole babysitting thing wasn’t that hard.

“It’s going to rain.”

Lucian stood up and walked over to the window. Sure enough, gray clouds had started to roll in. Fuck.

The day had been going so well before this. He’d been able to sit back while she watched various cartoons. Every once in a while, he could snoop around the house. He’d even snuck into Ella’s room for a few minutes.

It was enough to ensure he wouldn’t be able to sleep without picturing her lying alone and naked in her bed, just waiting for someone to keep her company.

Most of the house was done in natural colors and contemporary styles, but Ella’s room was truly her own. A purple-tinted blue covered the walls and her bed was covered with a gray comforter decorated with delicate pink petals of some sort.

He’d been about to start opening drawers when Clara appeared in the doorway.

“What are you doing here?”

His mind went blank at the high-pitched accusation. “Umm, looking around.”

“I don’t think Mommy would like you looking in her room.”

“Probably not.”

Clara nodded, apparently happy with his quick agreement. She turned and left him no real choice but to follow.

“You don’t like walking in the rain?” He let the curtains fall back into place.

She shook her head. “I don’t like getting wet.”

“You shower, don’t you?”

“That’s different. That’s clean.”

“Is rain dirty?”

She nodded. “It makes me feel icky.”

“So you never roll in the mud or anything?”

She frowned. “I’m not afraid of the dirt. I just like to avoid it.”

“When are you okay with getting a bit of dirt on your clothes?”

“Horses.”

“Horses?”

She nodded and a big smile stretched across her face. “Every year on my birthday, Mommy takes me horseback riding.”

“Why don’t we go riding then?”

Her eyes widened, but she quickly contained her glee. “I don’t think horses like to get wet either.”

He put an exaggerated frown on his face. “You’re probably right. We’ll just have to go somewhere it isn’t raining.”

“Where wouldn’t it be raining?”

“It’s probably dry in Montana. A bit cold, though.”

Clara pushed her hands out, gently hitting him. She must’ve picked that one up from her mother. “We can’t go to Montana!”

Lucian looked around him. “Reno’s inside, right?”

She nodded.

“Then hold my hands real tight.”

She put her tiny palms in his and squeezed hard. Lucian frowned. Definitely more strength than he expected from someone her size. Did Ella know about that? “Close your eyes and don’t open until I say.”

She closed her eyes so tight even her mouth scrunched up.

Lucian closed his as well and thought of his favorite ranch surrounded by pine-covered foothills, the fields all dotted with various cattle.

A second later, a chilly breeze cut through his thin shirt and he opened his eyes. Clara let go of his hands and turned in a wide circle.

The clouds were tight cotton balls in the sky, the breeze moving them quickly overhead. “Where are we?” she asked, breathlessly.

“Montana. I know the owner of this ranch. Want to see if he’ll let us take one of his horses for a ride?”

He didn’t think it possible but her eyes got even wider. “WE’RE IN MONTANA AND WE’RE GOING TO RIDE HORSES?”

Cattle looked up from their grazing, and birds escaped from the trees at her loud shout. Lucian couldn’t help but smile at her joy. “That’s the plan. But first we have to get a bit warmer. Jack has some daughters around your age. You can borrow some of their riding gear.”

Jack better let her borrow one of their jackets. Lucian had saved Jack’s ranch from a vampire attack just over a year ago and the rancher owed him one. Actually, he owed him five, if Lucian went by family members saved.

He held his hands out and she jumped into his arms. Following Ella’s example, he held her up against his side.

Her arms wrapped around him and she rested her head against his shoulder. “You’re the best babysitter ever,” she said.

He had to fight everything in him to not correct her. He didn’t want to be the best babysitter. He wanted her to call him Dad and know that everything he did was for her. He wanted her to know that from now on, she would always be under his protection.

But this was a conversation Ella would have to be present for. For all he knew, Clara wouldn’t believe he was her father anyway.

He knocked on the door and Jack’s wife answered. At first, her face went pale with fear, but she’d immediately relaxed when she saw Clara’s beaming face. The last time he’d shown up at her door hadn’t been the most pleasant experience.

She took Clara upstairs to get outfitted with some riding clothes while Lucian waited for Jack to come up to the house.

While waiting, Lucian sent Ella a quick “everything’s okay” text. She had been a bit more lenient than she’d threatened, but still called about every hour or so. The last thing he needed was his phone ringing while he was on a horse.

Twenty minutes later, he was at the stables with Clara as she looked at all the horses with awe. “So how fast do you want to ride?” he asked.

She looked up at him. “I’m too little to go fast.”

“Tell you what. Why don’t we go on that big guy? He can carry both of us and I’ll make sure he goes really fast.”

She looked over at the massive brown stallion that was almost three times as tall as her. A mixture of fear and excitement filled her face. “I won’t fall?”

“I promise I won’t let you fall.”

She turned back to him, nodding frantically. “Yes! Yes! I want to ride the big one!”

“Jack, can we borrow Max for a few hours?”

Jack lifted a prematurely gray brow. “You two gonna ride Max? You’re in for a blast. He’s not quite ready for me to use as a daily worker, but he’s well on his way to be the perfect companion. I’m sure you can handle him, though.”

“You won’t let me fall?”

“Didn’t I just say that?”

“Just checking.”

Lucian pointed to the saddle blankets. “Why don’t you go pick out your favorite?”

Jack’s eyes followed Clara as she walked past him. “That’s a strange kid you have there.”

Lucian straightened to his full height at the comment. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Jack didn’t appear intimidated. “It means she’s a strange one. Is she yours?”

“No. I’m just watching her for the day.” Lucian liked Jack, even trusted him to some extent. Saving a man’s family and his livelihood from an evil army earned a certain amount of loyalty. But when all was said and done, Jack could be controlled by any pure breed vampire and Lucian had to protect Clara.

“Hmm,” muttered Jack, not sounding completely convinced.

Clara came over with the biggest, black saddle blanket Jack had hanging on the wall. The thing was bigger than her, but she maneuvered it well through the stable. “Here! I grabbed this one because it’s huge and matches his mane and tail.”

Jack gave Clara a tough pat on the back. “Let’s get old Max saddled up then.”

Ten minutes later, Lucian lifted Clara up into the front of the saddle. Her eyes bulged as she finally realized just how high up she was. “I think I’m going to fall.”

He rolled his eyes and hoisted himself up behind her. “You’re not going to fall,” he said for the sixth time. She’d become a bit more freaked out when she realized her feet would be hanging loose and not in stirrups.

Between the massive horse and her tiny legs, even if they did rig stirrups to reach her feet, they wouldn’t be functional at all. But when he asked her whether she wanted to ride a pony on her own, she’d adamantly shook her head.

He reached around her to grab the reins.

“Are you sure I don’t need a helmet? The place Mommy takes me to makes me wear a helmet.”

“You only need a helmet if you fall and I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

She huffed a bit but didn’t argue. He tried not to be offended at her lack of faith in him. Trust was earned, and this was his first day with her.

“You ready?” he asked.

Her blonde head bobbed up and down beneath him. He gently tapped Max and the stallion took off in a trot. “Hang on tight.” Not that it mattered. He said he wouldn’t let her fall, and he was damn sure going to keep that promise.

Ella looked at her phone again as she walked out of the library. She hadn’t heard Clara’s voice in over two hours. Lucian just kept sending “Everything’s okay” text messages and ignored most of her calls.

He’d answered once around two in the afternoon and insisted everything was going well and Clara had giggling-ly backed him up. Which was worrisome. Not that she didn’t want Clara to be happy, but she didn’t want her to be that happy.

Kids were only that happy when they were doing something they shouldn’t be doing. Knowing Lucian, the possibilities were endless.

She climbed in her car and stared blankly at the steering wheel. Should she go home? She hadn’t had a chance to talk to Charlie because he’d also been ignoring her calls all day.

It was probably better they talked in person, but did she really want to leave Clara with Lucian any longer than necessary?

Ugh! This shouldn’t be so difficult! She wanted to scream that Clara was her daughter and he should stay the hell away from both of them. He might be her father by blood, but he’d brought nothing but trouble into her life. Trouble and one day of bliss, but she tried to push that day out of her head every time it stubbornly popped up.

Clara is fine. She’s just off having a blast with her dad and the only one freaking out is you.

Even if she did rush home to check up on Clara, it wasn’t as if she could make a difference. Worst-case scenario, Lucian took Clara. He would be long gone by now. If any nasties decided to attack, he could probably do a better job of keeping her safe anyway.

Okay. Charlie it was. Ella quickly navigated the three miles between the library and Charlie’s gym. She knew he was there because she’d called the front desk somewhere between the fifth and twentieth call he’d ignored.

When Courtney, the personal trainer who answered, said he was in fact working and asked whether Ella wanted to talk to him, she’d declined. Anything she had to say couldn’t be said over his work line with his employees looking on.

Walking into the gym in her skirt felt a bit too strange. She normally changed at the library, preferring the privacy of the employee restroom to the locker rooms, and was always in her sweats at the gym. Out of habit, she brought a loaded gym bag but didn’t bother bringing it in.

She wanted to get home to Clara as soon as this was over.

Courtney looked up from the computer as Ella walked in. She looked Ella up and down. “Oh my God! You dressed up for someone in particular or just felt like torturing Charlie a bit extra today?”

Ella bit her lip. Courtney probably didn’t mean anything by it, but she still hated the idea that Charlie and she were a couple. Especially now that Lucian was back. It wouldn’t do either man good to deal with those rumors.

But denying it would only make it worse. “Is Charlie around?”

“Yeah. He’s in his office. Want me to walk you?”

Ella shook her head. “I’m good. Thanks.”

Charlie looked at the doorway as she walked in and gently closed the door behind her. “You know you’re in trouble when the door is closed.”

She didn’t laugh. “You haven’t been answering my calls.”

“Astute observation there. I probably haven’t been answering because I’m pissed.”

Her lips tightened. “You had no idea what you were dealing with.”

“It would’ve been nice if you mentioned the vampires a bit earlier!”

She put a finger over her mouth. The last thing he needed was his customers hearing him talking about vampires. “Like you would’ve believed me.”

“And those things you shipped me off with? You used to date one?”

Ella’s back went straight. “Um, date is a strong word.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t play around. Clara’s his, isn’t she?” Her silence was answer enough. “Usually it takes more than light conversation for that to happen. Or are these bastards even stranger than I thought?”

A blush crept up her cheeks. “Nope. She was conceived the old-fashioned way. But it was only one time and there were extenuating circumstances.”

Charlie frowned. “One time?”

Well, multiple times. One night. Not that she was going to correct herself in front of Charlie. “The point is that it’s over.”

“It didn’t look over last night when you were trying to swallow his tongue.”

“Well, it is. That was an anomaly and it isn’t going to happen again.”

“You trying to convince me or yourself?”

Definitely time for a change in subject. “Why are we talking about me? What happened after you left last night?”

“I went on a magic freakin’ carpet ride to New York. Took about two seconds, round trip.”

“There was a carpet ride?”

“There was no carpet! It was a metaphor!”

Her brows knotted together. “I don’t think that’s a metaphor.” It looked as though Charlie was about to blow smoke out of his ears, so she quickly continued, “So they told you about vampires and myotis and all that crap? Are you doing okay with it all?”

“I don’t know how I’m doing with it. I haven’t really had a lot of time to process. They said I’m still probably in danger and are going to send one of their guys who won’t go all Mr. Hyde after dark to watch my back. It’s bullshit.”

“It can’t hurt to have a bodyguard.”

“I don’t need a goddamned bodyguard. You killed one of these guys on your own.”

“That was a mix of luck and preparation. I don’t know what I would’ve done if there was more than one. Besides, their mind control doesn’t work on me.”

His head snapped to attention at that and she winced at the detail she’d let slip. “What do you mean, ‘their mind control doesn’t work on you’?”

“Um...shit.” Ella grabbed the extra chair and took a seat. “Well, long story short, my DNA was kind of, um, altered when my mom was pregnant with me.”

Both his brows went up. “Who would do that? Why?”

Everything in her wanted to lie, but she knew he would find out sooner or later. Besides, he was a friend and she’d gotten him in this mess. He deserved the truth.

“Funny, completely not creepy story. Lucian’s people have a hard time having kids and hired a doctor to figure out a way to let human women carry their children, and I was kind of the result of that.”

“Your father let them do that to you?” She could understand Charlie’s confusion. He’d met Dad. They’d shared beers together at the local bar and bonded over football.

“He’s the one who did it. I’m not his biological daughter. My real mother didn’t want me and was paid for her services. When I was born, Dad couldn’t bear to turn me over to Lucian’s predecessor—from what I understand, he wasn’t very pleasant—and ran away with me.”

“In all honesty, Lucian isn’t all that ‘pleasant.’ Obviously Lucian found you somehow.”

“Yes. I am not going into detail about that. Let’s just say we fought a lot, agreed for one day, and haven’t seen each other for years until last night. He didn’t know about Clara, and I was worried what he would do when he found out. That’s why I ran.”

“So, you are afraid he is going to take Clara, yet you still think he’s basically an okay guy?”

“If he was going to take her, he would’ve last night. There was nothing stopping him.”

“I was there,” insisted Charlie.

“There was nothing stopping him.”

His wince told her exactly how much her words stung, but she didn’t take them back. Charlie couldn’t walk around thinking he could take on a myotis or vampire. Cockiness bred mistakes, and he had to be on his guard.

“How did the vampires know you were involved with me?” she asked.

“I was on the news,” he muttered. “When I came out and the cops found the guy dead, they assumed I’d killed him.”

“I told you not to talk to anyone,” she bit out.

“I didn’t! I was just in the background and they said my name. Not that anyone remembers it now. I guess the vampires got to work erasing everyone’s mind. I saw Sheriff Daniels last night and he acted like he never helped Shelly clean blood off the floor. Crazy shit.”

Ella sighed. It was crazy shit, and she’d put him right in the middle of it.

The door opened behind her, and from Charlie’s sudden scowl, she knew exactly who it was.

“Why do I get the feeling you were talking about me?” asked Lucian.

“Because you’re a narcissist,” shot back Charlie.

Clara ran past Lucian’s legs and jumped into Ella’s arms. “Mommy, Lucian is the best babysitter ever! Can he watch me every day?”

Charlie cursed under his breath and Ella studied her daughter. Her cheeks were flushed, and she had the outdoorsy smell kids get when they’ve spent all day running around a park. Which would be normal, except for the continuous rain all day.

“Where have you been?”

“Lucian took me horseback riding!” she shouted, probably loud enough for the entire gym to hear her.

“You rode horses in the rain?” mumbled Charlie.

Clara rolled her eyes. “No, silly. We went to Montana.”

Charlie nodded. “Of course. Montana. Why wasn’t that the first thing that came to mind?”

“Did you at least wear a helmet?”

Clara exchanged a look with Lucian and Ella didn’t even want to ask.

“Lucian didn’t let me fall.”

Which meant no helmet. Great. Ella wanted to be angry. He’d taken Clara out of the state and put her in a potentially very dangerous situation without even asking her. But any anger seemed to melt away when she looked down at Clara’s wide smile.

She turned her gaze to Lucian. “You know we’re going to talk about this later.”

He plastered on an innocent expression. “It’s her fault. She said she wanted to go riding.”

Clara didn’t look the slightest bit guilty.

Ella bent her forehead to Clara’s, a soft touch they were in the habit of. “So what are you two doing here?”

“We were wondering if you wanted to grab dinner. Clara said you were normally here after work. So we’re here too.”

Charlie stood, finally getting tired of Lucian standing over him. “No training today?”

Lucian perked up at that. “If you were going to train, we can go out later.”

Ella gazed over at him, looking for any sign of jealousy, but he seemed sincere. “You really don’t care if I train?”

He shrugged a big shoulder. “It’s important to keep yourself in fighting shape. Obviously you two are doing something right since you took down that...monster without breaking a sweat.”

Everyone in the room looked to Clara, but she didn’t seem disturbed by the conversation.

“There was definitely sweating. Gross amounts of it.”

“As long as there wasn’t bleeding, something was going right.”

Ella looked to Charlie. “Did you feel like kicking my butt?”

An evil grin filled his face. “Funny you should ask.”

Ten minutes later, Ella had traded her skirt for workout pants, and Clara was tucked away in the on-site childcare offered for members. The room was set up for group classes, but there were none scheduled for the next hour. Three of the walls were filled with inspirational posters; the other wall was composed of mirrors.

Charlie fiddled with his MP3 player hooked up to the speaker system. “You in the mood for anything?”

Ella fiddled with the bottom of her T-shirt. “Some kind of rock. I need to work out some anger.”

“Linkin Park?”

“Works for me. You have a problem with it?” she asked Lucian.

He shrugged. “I’m just here to watch. You two do whatever it is you normally do.”

“Normally no one would be watching us train,” she mumbled.

Lucian grinned but didn’t say anything. He leaned against the mirrored wall, still wearing his black leather jacket and jeans. His dark boots were still covered in what she was telling herself was dirt from his little romp at the stables with Clara. Charlie didn’t seem to notice the mess, and Ella wasn’t about to cause any additional drama by pointing it out.

Charlie put on a fast-paced song and swung his arms to loosen up, rolling his shoulders. Ella tried to relax, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Lucian’s eyes boring into her back.

She turned to glare at him. “Stop it.”

He held out his hands. “Stop what?”

“Judging me.”

“I’m not judging you.”

Ella set a hand on her hip. “There is definitely a judgy vibe coming from over there.”

“No judging. I just want to get an idea of your skill level.”

She sighed but decided to let it go. A good workout and a sweat was exactly what she needed, not bickering with Lucian.

Charlie stood in front of her, bare feet braced and arms in defense position. “You ready?”

“Let’s do this.” She took the first swing.

Charlie ducked away and kicked out at her ankle. She tried to jump, but he still tapped the bottom of her foot. As she came down, she had to catch her balance and Charlie was already coming at her with a right hook.

She threw up an arm just in time to block it and grunted at the impact. Charlie always tried not to hurt her, but sometimes a hit would land.

Nothing that wouldn’t heal in a few days.

The pain gave her motivation. If this was what someone who cared for her could do, she could only imagine what a rogue vampire would do to her.

Or to Clara.

Ella tightened her jaw and kicked out; her bare foot hit Charlie squarely in the shin. He groaned, and she pushed her hands out at him, knocking him in the chest with her palms.

Charlie met her eyes as a tiny corner of his mouth lifted. The first few minutes of their workouts were to gauge their moods. Now that Charlie knew she was all in, the fight was on.

For the next ten minutes, the (mostly) harmless blows continued. The upper hand would switch between her and Charlie, with both of them ending up flat on their butts a few times.

As she was helping Charlie up and breathing hard, Lucian pushed away from the wall. “Okay, enough of that. It’s my turn.”

Ella looked Lucian up and down as he took off his jacket. “I, um, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

He bent down to unlace his shoes. “Is that right?”

Charlie looked between the two of them. “Probably wouldn’t hurt. It’s always good to train in a variety of styles.”

Ella shot daggers with her eyes. “I said no.”

Lucian stood up to his full height. “You want to fight the supernatural. I’m supernatural. I’m missing the problem.”

Even though Lucian hadn’t moved any closer, Ella still stumbled away from him. “I just don’t feel like it.”

“Don’t be a baby. I’ll be gentle, promise.”

The condescending words sent a fresh wave of annoyance through her. “What the hell? It’ll feel nice to punch you a few times.”

Lucian smiled, and she cursed herself for playing right into his hands.

Of course he wanted to train with her. He was fifty times as strong and could kick her ass without breaking a sweat. She just hoped she didn’t embarrass herself too much.

Lucian closed his eyes for a second and tried to erase any memory of Charlie’s hands on Ella’s body.

Every blocked blow felt as if he was being punched, and every gentle pat on the back or helping hand up would send a new wave of jealousy through him.

If he had to spend ten more seconds watching Charlie touch her, he was going to kill the human. Not exactly the best way to convince Ella he was safe enough to be around Clara.

In all honesty, if it weren’t for Charlie, he could watch Ella train all day. With every duck and swing, her tight tank top would hug her generous breasts even tighter, and every step showed off her toned ass to its best advantage.

He had to clench his fists and his jaw to keep from running to her. From pulling her away from the arms of another man and touching her in all the ways he’d imagined over the years.

The memory of her mouth under his rushed back. Just last night, she’d kissed him. He hadn’t forced that reaction. She’d pulled him closer and didn’t scream or fight his touch.

Okay, she’d eventually stopped him, but he was convinced that was her misguided attempts to hide Clara.

But now that the cat was out of the bag, there was nothing truly keeping her from him. Just remnants of her fear. Fear of him. Fear of his world.

But she wasn’t the same Ella he’d met three years ago. This was a fighter. A mother. She was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen when she appeared in his woods three years ago, and somehow she’d only gotten sexier.

She moved to stand in front of him, holding her arms in front of her, fists tightly clenched and ready to throw punches.

His mouth tilted up at her enthusiasm. He held a hand out and curled his fingers up, signaling his readiness.

Her gaze scanned his body, but she didn’t strike out. He wasn’t about to make the first move, though. This was to see how she fought. How she handled these situations.

He moved to the left as he started to slowly circle her.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m throwing you off balance. Is it working?”

She snorted. “If by off balance you mean dizzy.”

“Then hit me, Ella.”

She pivoted on her heel to follow his progression. “What’s your game, Montclair?”

“No game. Stop stalling and just do it.”

Her chest rose and fell as she took a steadying breath. Then a fist swung at his face. He easily knelt to avoid the blow, one hand against her sternum, just an inch above her beautiful breasts, to push her back.

She coughed with the impact and looked at him with renewed determination. She stepped forward and threw a left hook. He ducked it easily, but she was ready and kicking out at his leg as he ducked.

The blow threw him off balance, but he caught himself just as her other fist came at his face. One hand shot up to grab her wrist before it connected. He scanned for other flailing limbs, but was taken completely off guard when her lips connected with his.

What the hell?

He hadn’t read any signs of interest from her. Not in the last thirty seconds at least. Where was this kiss coming from? Not that he fought it.

She opened her mouth and his tongue slid in, the sleek warmth of her mouth teasing other parts of her that would be just as hot and welcoming. His tight grip on her arm softened; his hand ran down her arm and skimmed down her back.

He tilted his head for better access when the flat of her palm slammed into his bicep and her sharp knuckles connected with his nose just as she pulled her head back. A trickle of blood immediately poured down. He reared away and covered his face. “What the fuck?” he shouted.

Her eyes widened in mock innocence. “Someone once told me that when dealing with myotis, I should never pull punches.”

He wiped the blood from his face, the nose already healing. “If you wanted to play dirty, all you had to do was say so.”

And then he was on her. He charged, full speed. She swung at his throat, but he caught her arm, twisting her around and pulling her against him, her back to his chest. He only had a short second to enjoy the feel of her ass, covered in just those thin yoga pants, rubbing against his cock before her bare foot hit his shin with enough force to make him grunt.

Her head smashed back, aiming for his already injured nose. He let go of her and crouched low; her head butt hit only air and threw her off balance. He kicked out her ankles and she fell hard on her back.

Lucian jumped on top of her, straddling her stomach, and looked down at his prey. God, he wanted this woman.

Only the knowledge that Charlie stood a few feet away stopped him. The things racing through his mind didn’t call for an audience. Just him and Ella and a bed.

She gasped for breath underneath him. The bottoms of her breasts hit the top of his thighs, just inches away from his now completely erect cock that strained uncomfortably against the jeans stretched tight from the position he sat in.

“It’s good advice,” he whispered from above her.

Her big brown eyes looked up, and he could hear the catch in her breath the exact second she realized what he was thinking.

God help him, were her nipples hardening?

Her palms hit him in the chest, albeit much more gently than the last time she’d hit him. “Get off me, you big lug.”

Yep. Her nipples were hard as rocks. His mouth watered as he pushed himself up. He held a hand out to her, but she ignored it as she stood up without his assistance.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine. Pride is a bit bruised though.”

Charlie walked up from behind Ella and laid a hand on her shoulder. “From where I was standing, you held your own. Never tried that kiss move before, though. Maybe I should work that into my training.”

Lucian’s lip curled into a snarl. He would show the human a few of his choice moves if he didn’t move his fucking hand.

“Let’s pack up, Ella. I’m sure Clara wants to get home and I need to be out of public before dark.”

“I can drive Clara. You don’t have to wait around,” said Ella.

He started to lace up his shoes. “I had a good day with her. I’d like to tell her who I am tonight.”

Ella chewed at her bottom lip. “Do you really want to do that when you’ll only have an hour before you change?”

“I’ll hold it back if I need to. We need to do this.”

She closed her eyes and tilted her face to the ground. “I’ll grab her and then we can go.”

She walked to the door, finally causing Charlie’s hand to fall away.

The human turned to stare down Lucian. “What the fuck are you doing with her?”

Lucian straightened. “It’s my daughter. I have a right to know her.”

Charlie shook his head. “Not her. Ella. You’re messing with her mind. I can see it.”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t talk about Ella to me.”

“Are you threatened?”

“Maybe you missed the subtle undertones of this conversation, but you’re the one being threatened.” Lucian walked over to Charlie. “And I follow through on my threats. Believe me when I say Ella is mine and I protect what’s mine.”

Lucian tried his best to loom over the human but it was hard when they were the same height. Still, they both knew Lucian was a lot stronger.

Charlie laughed and crossed his arms over his chest. “If you think it’s possible to own Ella, you’re more deluded than I ever thought.”

Lucian frowned. “It’s not about owning anyone. Can you honestly say she ever looked at you for even one second the same way she looked at me when we were sparring?”

“You mean with pure and utter hatred? No. She’s never looked at me like that.”

“With passion. That’s what her passion looks like. I would know.”

Charlie uncrossed his arms and his fists clenched at his sides. “You don’t know shit. If she weren’t so terrified of you, she’d have run off with her daughter the second she realized you were in town.

“She told me about what your people did to her. Bought her from some bitch of a mother and did some funky experiments on her when she was just a baby. Tell me, did you look at that squishy little kid and just count down the days until you could fuck her?”

Lucian’s fist slammed into Charlie’s face and the human collapsed to the ground. “You ever talk like that to me again and I’ll rip out your fucking throat with my fangs. I didn’t do that to her. I had no control over it. I would never hurt her.”

Charlie looked up at him from the ground, cheek already starting to swell up. “You already have, jackass. You’re just too self-centered to notice.”

Lucian struggled to breathe as he turned away from Charlie, unable to contain his rage. He couldn’t hurt the human. Ella would kill him, and he needed Clara to like him. The punch was already too much.

If Clara liked Charlie, he’d have to play nice. But he didn’t have to listen to any more of his shit.

He strode into the main room of the gym. “I’d talk more, but I need to see my daughter home.”

Ella looked deeply into Clara’s eyes. “Baby, did you hear me?”

She nodded. Her gaze shifted between Ella and Lucian, but she didn’t say anything.

“Are you mad?” he asked.

Clara shook her head. “It makes sense. That lady thought I was your daughter today. I didn’t correct her, though.”

Ella knelt on the carpet next to where Clara sat on the couch. “I know this is a lot to take in. Lucian was fighting in a very dangerous war when we met. We didn’t think it was safe to have him around.”

Lucian didn’t correct her use of the word “we” and Ella breathed a silent sigh of relief. It was already a big enough bombshell that he was her father. The revelation of the circumstances of their meeting would be enough to drive anyone to therapy.

“Is it safe now?”

Ella turned to Lucian, silently asking him the same question.

“I’m going to make it safe. I have lots of friends. You met Dean last night, and you have your mother and Charlie. We are all going to make sure you’re safe.”

Clara looked away from the both of them, instead focusing on Reno, who was perched next to her on the couch. She covered one of his paws with her hand and played with his short fur and claws. The dog tolerantly allowed the attention.

Ella put a hand on Clara’s pajama-covered knee. “Did you have any questions for us?”

Clara moved on to playing with one of Reno’s floppy ears. “Maybe. Do you want me to be your daughter?”

Ella’s heart broke at the question, and she shut her eyes to stop any tears from escaping.

Lucian knelt next to her on the floor. “The day I came back here is the best day of my life. Hands down. Followed closely by today because I got to spend all afternoon hanging out with you. You had fun, right?”

She nodded so subtly it was barely noticeable.

“I promise that, from this day forward, I will be the best dad imaginable. I’ll be so awesome, you won’t even remember the time I wasn’t here.”

Clara’s small hand lightly touched Lucian’s jaw, her fingers running over the rough stubble. “I believe you.”

For a few heartbeats, no one moved. Ella was entranced, watching Clara stare into her father’s eyes while Lucian looked as if he were in heaven having Clara touch him. Acknowledge him as her father.

Then she took her hand back. “I’m tired. Can I go to bed?”

Ella snorted at the question. “You don’t have to ask permission for that, baby.”

Clara smiled and pushed herself off the couch; Reno quickly followed.

Lucian stood and looked at the three of them awkwardly. “Can, um, can I come up?”

Clara reached up to him and grabbed a few of his fingers. “Come on.”

He obediently followed, shooting a smile over his shoulder at Ella.

She gave him a thumbs-up sign, making sure to keep her distance as he got to tuck his daughter in for the first time.

So many firsts. Ever since Lucian let her go, she never once allowed herself to feel sorry for him until now. Not until she saw how genuinely happy being with Clara made him. The look of awe on his face every time she said or did anything that caught his attention.

He even shot her a huge smile when she’d coughed in the backseat on their way back to the house. A cough!

She thought Lucian would see her as a pawn or as a means to furthering his species. That she could deal with. She had no idea what she would do with Lucian, the loving father.

He pulled the covers over Clara as Reno settled into his customary spot. Soft words were exchanged, but Ella couldn’t hear them from the doorway.

A few seconds later, Lucian turned toward her.

Ella shook her head. “Nightlight,” she whispered as she walked over to the corner of the room to switch it on, filling the room with a soft blue glow.

He nodded as he watched her; then they both moved into the hallway and shut the door behind them.

“Is she afraid of the dark?” whispered Lucian.

“She just likes the color.”

As they went to the kitchen, Ella picked up a dirty plate from the table to take to the sink while Lucian checked his phone. “You weren’t kidding when you said she sleeps a lot.”

“What can I say? We lucked out with the easiest kid ever.”

“Ella,” said Lucian softly from behind her.

She turned to find him just inches away. “Lucian,” she murmured.

“Thank you for taking care of her.” He leaned in closer, forehead almost brushing hers.

“As I said, she’s easy.” God, why did he have to smell so good?

“No, she isn’t. She’s different. That has to be terrifying. Looking over your shoulder and carrying silver mace with you wherever you go isn’t an easy way to live.”

She sighed and leaned into him, allowing their foreheads to touch. “But if anyone’s worth it, she is. Right?”

Lucian brought his lips to hers, a feather-light touch. The barely perceptible contact sent warmth to the deepest core of Ella’s body.

But she still pushed away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He clenched his jaw and took one tiny step back. “I want you.”

“You had me.”

“I want you again.” He lowered his head to her neck and kissed the sensitive skin where throat met shoulder.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of all the reasons this was wrong. “We need to think of Clara. We can’t just be getting together and breaking up.”

He kissed his way up to her earlobe. “But you do want me.”

It wasn’t a question.

One of his hands touched her knee and she jumped at the shiver that ran through her, the thin material of her pajama pants not seeming to dull the sensations at all. “Lucian,” she breathed.

He moved his hand up; his fingers lightly traced random patterns along the inside of her thigh. When he reached the apex of her thighs, he cupped her mound. The steady pressure sent waves of pleasure through Ella and pushed her on her tiptoes.

“Lucian,” she repeated as her hands clenched his biceps for support.

“You want me just as much as I want you.” He covered her mouth with his again, tongue plunging into her mouth as his hand rhythmically rubbed her through the soft cotton.

The rawness and crudeness of the gesture was strangely erotic as his lips chased all sense away. Just as she reached up to pull him closer, completely forgetting any reason she should be pushing him away, the doorbell rang.

She tightly shut her eyes as she tried to control her breathing.

Lucian seemed completely passed the episode as he jerked away. “You don’t think he woke Clara?”

She rolled her eyes. He might have his hands all over her, but he was still firmly in new dad mode. “That girl could sleep through a plane crash,” she said. Then his words sunk in. “He? How do you know it’s a guy at the door?”

He almost hid it, but for a split second, a look of guilt flashed in Lucian’s eyes.

“What did you do?”

“I am keeping you safe,” he muttered as he strode to the door.

She huffed. “I think somehow you confused the phrase ‘I’m keeping you safe’ and ‘I’m being a dick but don’t care’ confused. They mean very different things.”

He reached the door and turned to face her before he turned the knob. “Just don’t get pissed until I can explain.”

“Famous last words,” she muttered under her breath as she reached around him and opened the door herself.

And looked right into the eyes of the vampire who bit her. “Oh hell no.” She slammed the door in his face. She turned her angry gaze on Lucian. “Are you kidding me?”

Lucian squared his shoulders. “I can’t be here at all times. Dmitri can watch out for you when I can’t.”

“That’s great. Who’s going to keep me safe from him? You expect me to let him anywhere near Clara?”

“What happened before was a misunderstanding.”

“He put me in the hospital!”

“A serious misunderstanding.” Lucian took a deep breath. “I was there. You saw how pissed I was. How close I came to killing him. Don’t act like I didn’t take it seriously.”

“I don’t care how you reacted then. I care about now.”

A shout came from behind the door. “You guys know I can hear every word you’re saying?”

Ella groaned and swung the door back open. “Hear this: Go away.” The vampire’s eyes shifted to Lucian, and Ella snapped. “Don’t look at him. This is my house. If I tell you to leave, you damn well better turn into a bat and fly away.”

His brow creased. “You know that doesn’t actually happen, right?”

Ella rolled her eyes and threw her head back. “Yes. Doesn’t change my point.”

Lucian slid past Ella to stand in the doorway between her and Dmitri. “What happened to you was an accident. He wasn’t expecting a struggle and tore something important. I beat him much more severely than he hurt you. He’s a vampire and it still took him weeks to get back to full strength. Even so, he has stayed with me through a lot of crap. I trust him and I can’t say that about many people.”

Ella looked past Lucian to the vampire. “Is that true?”

“That I accidentally almost killed you and then Lucian beat the shit out of me? Yeah, not one of my proudest moments.”

She sighed. “What exactly are you asking me to do? Spend the night with a virtual stranger who I still don’t completely trust?”

Lucian shook his head. “No, no. Vampires can only get in if you invite them, but they can still blackmail you out with a loved one or just burn the place down with you inside. So I want you to invite Dmitri in and he will hang out on your porch and make sure no unwanted visitors stop by.”

“You want me to let some guy—who I know basically nothing about, by the way—sit outside my house all night?”

“You can get to know him better. For instance, he’s in love with his stepsister but she’s a raging bitch and hardly gives him the time of day unless she wants something from him.”

Dmitri whacked Lucian in the shoulder, and based on the sound of the hit, it was painful. “What the fuck, dude?”

“It’s true and you know it,” said Lucian, not looking away from Ella.

Dmitri ground his teeth. “Does knowing I’m completely whipped help you trust me?”

Ella looked over the big vampire, trying to imagine some woman having him at her beck and call and not even wanting him. He was textbook tall, dark, and handsome. “It makes you seem less villain-y.”

“I suppose that’s a win,” muttered Dmitri.

“So, can you please invite him in?” asked Lucian.

“Why can’t you sit outside my house all night?”

“Last night Charlie’s apartment was raided by someone or something. We’re assuming it was vampires. We’re going to see if we can track down where they’re hiding out during the day.”

“We? Who’s we?”

“Dean, Charlie, and me. I should have some more guys arriving in town tomorrow. They are all finishing up their jobs before heading over and they can’t teleport since they’ve never been here.”

“You’re dragging Charlie into this?”

“Well, I’ve been informed that locking humans in their homes and posting a guard outside the door is a dick move.” Ella just glared at him. “He said he wanted to help. He’s a good fighter and willing. I saw no reason to say no.”

“So if I order you to keep Charlie somewhere away from all this crap, you’re just going to use that against me. You’re a bastard, Montclair.”

He didn’t look sorry. “Please invite Dmitri in.”

Ella turned from the doorway. “Please come in, Dmitri.”

“Well, that wasn’t awkward at all. I’ll be outside if you need me,” he said.

She didn’t hear him move, but he was out of sight when she looked back, probably hiding in the shadows as the last bits of sunlight disappeared.

“Isn’t it too light for vampires?” she asked Lucian.

“Just before dusk is a dangerous time. Everyone assumes the vampires are still in hiding, but they are more than capable of using the long shadows of buildings to move through. But even in full daylight, they can use mind control to turn any human into a weapon.”

“Well, there goes any hope of me feeling safe, you know, ever.”

Lucian looked into his rearview mirror just in time to see Charlie rolling his eyes. “You got a problem back there?”

Charlie met his gaze through the mirror. “No. I just assumed you would have some way of tracking these guys.”

“We’re not magic,” said Dean from the front seat. “The last few hotels were a bust, but there are only two more to check.”

For the last five hours, they’d driven aimlessly around the surrounding towns, checking all motels and hotels in the vicinity. Usually the desk clerks would have their memories of the vampires ever checking in wiped, but the maids could tell whether someone was always in their room during the day and out all night.

Usually they traveled in packs but didn’t like to share rooms, so there would be a huge block of big men with the same unusual habits.

Of course, this was assuming they were staying at a hotel at all and hadn’t “commandeered” someone’s house. They wouldn’t always kill the owner right away. If they were hiding from Earth’s resident vampires, they would keep the human owner alive and contained so no uninvited vampires could enter.

Charlie turned to look out the tinted window. “Can we stop by the gym? I want to make sure Courtney closed up right.”

Dean laughed. “She the cute one?”

Charlie narrowed his eyes. “She’s seventeen. I don’t care what species you are, it’s still illegal.”

Dean held up his hands, twisting in the front seat so Charlie could see. “Hey, man. My cutoff age is twenty, so we’re good.”

“You’re still over a hundred years older than them. How is that less creepy?” As annoying as Charlie could be, he had balls. Even with Dean and Lucian in full myotis form, he didn’t back down from giving them shit.

As brave as it was, it was also getting damn annoying.

Lucian shrugged. “They’re adults. I’ve never met a woman who regretted spending the night with Dean.”

Charlie narrowed his gaze at Lucian. “What about you?”

“Well, there have been a few women who regretted sleeping with me. I just don’t have the charm Dean has.”

Charlie scoffed. “So I’ve heard.”

Fuck you too, buddy. Lucian bit his lip. It would take more than a few jokes to become best friends with this human, and at the moment, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to be acquaintances with the man.

They drove the rest of the way to the gym in awkward silence. One of the good things about driving at two o’clock in the morning was that there were no cars to get in his way.

Because they were visiting so many places they’d never been to, teleporting was out of the question. Not that Lucian minded the drive. It was actually relaxing after such a hectic few days.

Well, it would’ve been more relaxing if not for the steaming pile of judgment sitting in the backseat. For the hundredth time that night, he had to remind himself to play nice. He fully intended to become a part of Ella’s life. The right way this time. No more ordering her around and forcing her to be with him.

She wanted to be with him. She might deny it, but she kissed him back much too easily to believe her protests were anything but a feeble attempt to protect her heart. If for one second he thought she truly didn’t want him, he’d leave her be.

But he knew she wanted him. He wasn’t sure she needed him the way he needed her, but he could work on that. She liked him, and for now that was enough.

He pulled into the first spot in front of the gym, the bright fluorescent lights shining on the sidewalk.

“Fuck,” muttered Charlie.

Dean and Lucian both tensed. “You see trouble?”

“No. I see Courtney getting fired. Do you have any idea how high my electric bill is already? Those lights need to be off at night.”

Lucian exchanged a look with Dean but kept his mouth shut. He reached for his sword as they climbed out of the big SUV. When he was in public places, he would use his long overcoat to hide it and force himself to remain in human form, but he didn’t bother to hide anything now. He needed to be ready.

One of the nice things about modern society was how accepting they were of strangeness. If they saw a monster holding a sword and walking down the street, they would automatically assume it was some crazy dude wearing really good makeup.

A few hundred years ago, the villagers would be racing after him with pitchforks.

Charlie looked at Dean and Lucian’s outstretched weapons. “You think it wasn’t Courtney who left the lights on?”

Lucian checked for any sign of movement inside the gym. “I’m being cautious. I suggest you do the same.”

Charlie held up his silver knife. “Already there.”

Lucian had extra swords Charlie could borrow, but the ex-SEAL was better trained with a knife.

“I’ll go first,” said Lucian. Luckily the human didn’t argue. It was hard enough for most mortals to accept they were nowhere near as strong as a vampire or myotis, but it was even more difficult for former military to accept foreign leadership.

The doors were glass and pulled open. The handles looked metal, so Lucian gave them a quick tap with his sword, looking for any signs of a trap. No sparks flew, so he touched it briefly with his bare fingers. No shocks or sudden explosions. Always a good sign.

Lucian pulled the door open and stepped inside. Luckily nothing jumped out at him, but he wasn’t expecting a surprise attack from this angle. Because of all the windows, it would be impossible for anything to hide behind the door in the time it took him to get to the door.

He tilted his head, signaling the other two to enter.

Charlie studied the door. “It wasn’t locked?”

“Nope.”

Charlie tightened his lips as he scanned the empty gym.

Lucian saw Dean’s nose twitch as he sniffed the air and he took a deep inhale. The familiar metallic scent filled his nostrils. “Shit.”

“What do you two know that I don’t?”

Lucian walked forward, sword ready and in swinging position. “There’s blood. A lot of it.”

“Son of a bitch. I’m gonna kill the bastards.”

Charlie started to run forward, but Dean stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Easy.”

The girl was in the office. The smell of death was overwhelming this close, but Lucian knew he had to make sure the entire building was clear.

A quick glance told him exactly why Courtney never had a chance to lock up and turn out the lights. From the looks of it, she hadn’t been killed for food. Her blood was everywhere, soaking into the floor and covering Charlie’s computer and wall.

Lucian had done his fair share of carnage and knew effort was put into this. They wanted to make Charlie hurt.

Courtney was crumpled in a limp heap, surrounded by her own blood. Her eyes stared vacantly at the wall, and her skin had a strange blue tint brought on by the blood loss.

It never got easier. He’d seen her smiling and flirting just a day ago. Now she was nothing. Just an empty shell of a person.

For a brief moment, the image of Ella laying lifeless and surrounded by blood filled his mind.

He looked away. Nothing good would come from dwelling on it now. He would have to push any sympathy out and deal with it when he had time. He scanned the room once more. Some of the blood was dried; other sections were wet puddles. Courtney hadn’t gone quickly.

They made sure her death lasted.

He ground his teeth until his jaw ached.

“How’s it look in there?” asked Dean as Lucian walked out.

“How the fuck do you think?”

Charlie pushed his way to the office and Lucian turned to watch him. “You sure you want to do that?”

The human’s face was expressionless. “She was my responsibility.”

Lucian nodded. It was always hard to lose a friend, and Lucian understood exactly how it felt to have a life on his shoulders. “I’m going to continue the sweep. You stay with him,” said Lucian to Dean.

After five minutes, Lucian finished his patrol and came back into the main gym area. Dean scanned the windows as Charlie sat on the floor, elbows resting on his knees and his back up against the white wall.

“I’m sorry about Courtney.”

“Why did they do it?” His voice sounded as though he’d just swallowed a handful of sand, but his eyes remained steady. “Was it because they think I killed one of their guys or because they wanted to get to you?”

“Hard to say. This is how these guys communicate. Through blood and murder. The world they come from is dark and dangerous and violent. Now that they have a foothold in your world, they’ll do anything to keep it.”

“She never stood a chance. She’s one of the fittest and strongest girls here, but there weren’t even any defensive wounds on her.”

“This is a populated area. There’s always a chance they made sure she couldn’t feel it to stop her from screaming.”

Charlie met his eyes for the first time since seeing the body, and Lucian finally got a glimpse of his rage. “Don’t bullshit me. I know the rules now, remember? They could’ve just ordered her not to scream. They didn’t just kill her. They butchered her.”

“Guys!” called Dean from the front. “We’ve got a problem.”

Charlie jumped up as Lucian stepped forward to look at the opening door to the gym.

“Problem” was an understatement.

Three vampires strode into the building as if they owned the damn place, which was even more disconcerting because vampires usually ran at the sight of a myotis in full form.

These vampires were either complete idiots or they knew something Lucian didn’t. Considering their faces and bald heads were covered in tattoos that symbolized their victories and age, he didn’t think they were all that stupid.

The three vampires all looked the same, with the same dark eyes, large build, and bald heads. The only distinguishing features were their clothes and slight variations in tattoo placement. The seeming leader stood in front of the other two, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. His short sleeves showed off the ink on his arms.

The native vampires shunned tattoos. They wanted to fit into society and pass as human. Tattoos would be too easy to identify if they ever ran into someone they hadn’t seen in fifty or so years. These guys definitely weren’t from around here.

“Fuck,” muttered the leader. “I wasn’t expecting to run into Leather Face.”

Lucian narrowed his eyes as Charlie stepped forward. “You son of a bitch,” he screamed as he ran at the vampires.

Lucian held out the flat side of his sword, halting Charlie’s charge. “Give me one good reason not to kill the three of you where you stand.”

The vampire cocked his head. “One reason? How many people do you think are sleeping soundly in that building over there?” He pointed across the street to a three-story apartment complex. “Ten? Twenty? Let’s be conservative and say ten. That entire place is rigged with explosives and if Gido here,” he set a hand on one of his minion’s shoulders, “presses this button, that building is going up in flames.”

“All this for a human? Seems like overkill.”

“We came here for the human. His girl was the one who told us about the new crowd he’s been running with. Makes sense, though. A normal mortal wouldn’t exactly be walking around with a stake, would they?”

Charlie’s lip curled. “Don’t you even fucking mention her. She never hurt a goddamned fly, you bastard. None of those people have done anything to you!”

Lucian’s lips tightened as he kept himself from reining Charlie in. He’d expected the ex-military man to remain calm under pressure. Able to stand up to the challenge of the vampires.

Maybe Charlie wasn’t the one with the problem, though. Maybe he should be feeling more pain. More anger.

But he couldn’t. He’d seen it all before, and the past few years of fighting against the rebel vampires had taught him exactly what they were capable of.

Was he really so far removed from humanity?

“So what is it you want from us? If you come at me, I’ll kill you. Bomb or no bomb.”

The leader smiled. “You don’t even remember me, do you?”

Lucian made sure none of the confusion showed on his face. “You know vampires. After you’ve killed one, they all look the same.”

“Funny. You didn’t seem that calm when I had your girlfriend underneath me.”

Oh, God. How couldn’t he have seen it? He’d never get the image out of his mind. Coming back for Ella that dark night and seeing her trapped beneath a vampire.

He’d been smiling, just like he was now. The smile of a creature who genuinely enjoyed inflicting pain on others.

“Was that you? I almost forgot about that,” he lied. He couldn’t let the vampire know his weakness.

He hated to think of Ella like that, but it was partially the truth. She was his vulnerable spot. If anything ever happened to her, it would be as if someone physically ripped his heart from his chest.

He wasn’t going to play any more of this vampire’s games. “If you want to fight, fight. If you want to go, go. I’ll find you soon enough anyway.”

“You hadn’t found me yet.”

“I thought the whole breaking your neck thing established that you are firmly beneath me on the food chain. Now get the fuck out.”

The vampire shrugged indifferently. Lucian tried to decipher whether he was truly unafraid or whether he was just trying to look calm and collected in front of his people.

“I’ll be seeing you, I guess.” He made a swirling motion with his finger, signaling for his men to follow him out.

Dean growled as they turned their backs to them, not showing even the tiniest hint of fear. This wasn’t how these things were supposed to go.

Lucian would face the murderers. Lucian would kill the murderers. Simple.

None of this bullshit with bombs and hostages. How the fuck was he supposed to look Charlie in the eyes? He’d promised to keep Ella and him safe, but this was the kind of shit he pulled Charlie into.

Dean took a few steps forward to get a better look at the car the vampires were driving. “No plates. I can try to track it tomorrow. There are probably some cameras on the street I can wire into.”

Charlie rubbed a hand through his hair. “We aren’t going after them?”

“Not if they really have that building rigged to blow. Somehow, I don’t think killing all those people in the blink of an eye would be a problem for them.”

Charlie let out a loud scream and threw his knife, firmly embedding it up to the hilt in the white drywall of the gym.

“Right there with you, dude,” muttered Dean.

The air shifted right before a giant boom knocked out all the gym windows and sent the three of them flying backward.

Shattered glass sprinkled down on Lucian as he sat up, staring at the crumbling and burning remains of the apartment building across the street.

Ella opened her eyes. Ugh. Was it six o’clock already? Mornings were evil.

She rolled over to glance at her alarm clock and frowned at the time. It was only three thirty. She was never up this early. She and Clara both tended to sleep like the dead.

She rubbed her eyes and fell back on the bed, but right when she removed her hand from her face, one of the shadows moved.

She jerked up, holding the sheet to her chest.

“It’s me,” said the deep, husky voice. Lucian.

She let out a pent-up breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Good grief! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” she yell-whispered. Reno, otherwise known as the worst guard dog ever, sat happily at Lucian’s feet.

“Can I take a shower? I didn’t want to wake Clara, so I figured your bathroom would be better.”

Ella shook her head as she pushed the covers back. She was dressed modest enough in a T-shirt and pajama pants, but she still felt Lucian’s eyes rake over her. “Is there a particular reason you can’t shower at your place?”

“You’re not there.”

She decided not to dignify that with a response, and hopped off the bed. She flipped on the bathroom light and turned back to Lucian when a gasp caught in her throat. “You’re filthy! And human. Doesn’t that hurt?”

He met her eyes and she realized he wasn’t completely in his human form. His eyes were big black pools, not even a hint of white showing. “It doesn’t hurt around you.”

“Liar,” she whispered. “You don’t have to do this, you know. I’ve seen what you look like. I won’t run screaming.”

“Can you just move out of the way so I can get in the shower?”

She pursed her lips as she looked him up and down. Something had happened. Something bad. Part of her wanted to know and part of her didn’t. “Is Charlie okay?”

“He’s alive. A lot of other people aren’t.”

Ella took a deep swallow. “I’m sorry.”

Lucian didn’t wait for her to move, pushing past her and into the green and gray decorated bathroom. “For a second there, I thought I might be just as bad as them. When there was just one dead girl. Charlie was pissed and almost broke down. I just stood there. Upset but still in control, you know?”

Ella nodded, though she didn’t truly have any idea what he was talking about. She held her breath as he continued, not wanting to interrupt him in even the tiniest way.

“And then—” He looked down for a moment before he pulled his shirt over his shoulders, leaving him in just his shoes, jeans, and the two pounds of dirt and dust that covered him. “I tried to save them. I got to a few in time. Even saved two dogs. But there were so many who didn’t make it. Now I know I’m not like them.” His voice held a strange, wistful tone.

“You’re jealous?” she asked.

He looked up at her, his terrifying eyes surrounded by sadness. “It would be nice to not feel anything, wouldn’t it?” The side of his mouth hooked up in a crooked grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “You’d probably never think like that.”

Ella stepped into the bathroom and touched Lucian’s hand. She didn’t hold it. Just placed her fingers over his. “Everyone feels that way sometimes. It’s the ones who feel the most who wish they could turn it off.”

Lucian moved forward, leaning down and inhaling her scent. “How can you even bear to look at me?”

She grinned and tilted her head back to meet his eyes again. “I’m not sure if you’ve seen your daughter, but I basically look at you every day.”

One of Lucian’s palms ran down the side of her face before cupping the back of her head. She was just inches from his lips and all she could think was how soft they felt against her in comparison to his rough hands.

“Tell me to leave and I will,” he whispered against her.

She could’ve laughed at the gentlemanly words. Instead, she stood up on tiptoe and covered his mouth with hers. He met her kiss with untamed ferocity. His lips were hot and hungry and they seemed to devour her whole.

But she wasn’t scared. She pulled him closer, fingers gripping into his shoulders. His tongue urgently invaded her mouth and she moaned at the primitive rhythm. His arms wrapped around her, lifting her off her feet, and he maneuvered her out of the bathroom.

“Baby,” he muttered as he moved his mouth from her mouth to her neck.

“Mmmm?” She moaned as his teeth found just the right spot to nibble.

“Your bed’s about to get dirty.”

She let her head fall back as she laughed. As second later, she was falling through the air and on the mattress. She expected him to immediately follow, but all she felt was cold.

The click of the door closing sounded and she looked up into the darkness of his silhouette against the bathroom light. She heard the unmistakable sound of his jean zipper sliding down and the rustling of his pants and boots coming off. She couldn’t see any details, but the idea of him being completely naked and ready for her caused her mouth to go dry. She bit at her bottom lip.

The mattress dipped as he rested one knee on the edge, followed by both his hands until he straddled her.

She reached one hand up to run along the ripples of his chest. “I wish I could see you.”

“I can see you,” he whispered. He placed a soft kiss on her temple as one of his hands played with the hem of her shirt. “I can see the gold in your eyes.” He kissed her right on the bridge of her nose. “I can see there are little dots on your shirt.” He lifted the material and moved down her body to lay a kiss on her stomach.

She moaned and lifted herself up, allowing him to pull the shirt over her head, leaving her only in panties and pants.

Lucian groaned as the shirt fell to her side. “I can see your amazing breasts.” He covered the rosy tip of one with his hot mouth as his fingers teased her other nipple. Ella arched off the bed at his touch.

His rock-hard erection rested against her. Ella suddenly needed him inside her. Well, maybe not so suddenly. They’d been building up to this from the moment he showed up at Charlie’s gym.

He moved to the other nipple and her hands fisted in his hair. She wrapped one leg around his tight butt, positioning him right at her opening. She tilted her hips just the right way as his teeth gently squeezed the tip of a breast. The multiple jolts of electricity almost caused her to jump off the bed.

“Please,” she murmured.

“Please? Are you ready so quickly?”

Was this quickly? Time seemed to dissolve into one big blur when his hands were on her.

“You aren’t even naked.” He left her breasts and snaked kisses down her belly. When he reached the waistband of her pants, she lifted her hips, letting him pull the material, along with her panties, off her legs, where it ended up in a pile on the floor.

The width of his shoulders pushed her thighs apart and Ella was suddenly shy again. She hadn’t had a man down there in years, and she knew his night vision could pick up on every minute detail.

She moved to cover herself with her hands, but he caught her wrists. “No hiding.”

His fingers traced up the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, his touch so light but reverberating through her entire body. He reached the center of her and without warning, pushed two fingers deep inside.

Her hips thrust off the bed and her hands fisted in the sheets.

“God, you’re beautiful,” whispered Lucian. He moved his fingers almost all the way out before he pushed them back in again. “And tight. And wet. Fuck, Ella.”

On account of her eyes being squeezed closed in ecstasy, she didn’t see him move, but she felt as if she’d been hit with some sort of orgasmic lightning as his lips closed over her clitoris, tongue working the small nub as his fingers moved within her.

The double onslaught was too much to take. She thrashed beneath his talented tongue, her heels pressing into his back. Her breaths came in short pants and she bit down on the meaty side of her palm to keep from screaming out too loud as her world exploded into millions of tiny lights, every cell in her solely focused on what Lucian was doing to her body.

As she slowly came back down to earth, Lucian moved up, desperate hunger etched in his face.

He hooked one of her knees over his wrist and spread her wide for him. He slid home in one smooth motion, her still extra-sensitive nerve endings vibrating at his entry. He groaned above her. He let his head roll back and held himself there for a moment, seeming to savor the moment.

And then he started to move.

His muscles shook as he pulled out so far that just the smallest tip of him was still imbedded in her and then slammed forward, filling her to the brink.

She couldn’t hold back the moans any longer, throwing her head back and releasing a scream he caught in his mouth. Her nails bit into his back as he thrust faster and faster. His hands caught her hips, holding her steady for his brutal assault.

Not that she minded. She gripped him tighter, reveling in the feel of his hips slamming into hers. When his entire body tensed above hers, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him close as he shuddered above her.

When he was finished, he sank against her, chest heaving for air. Ella was having a bit of a problem catching her own breath.

“That was—” She trailed off as she tried to think of an adequate word to describe it.

Lucian bent over and kissed her on the forehead. “You were amazing.”

“What do we do now?”

“Just enjoy the moment. We’ll deal with the consequences tomorrow.”

Ella closed her eyes and let the darkness sweep over her. There was always tomorrow.

Though Ella didn’t go into work the next day, she did head over to the rubble to help the cleanup efforts.

The eight hours she was there seemed to go by alternately fast and slow and was filled with all the craziness that was to be expected after a small town was the victim of a terrorist attack. That’s what the news stations were calling it, and they weren’t wrong. It had caused terror. In essence, the building was blown up as a sign of the vampires’ power and just how far they were willing to go to get what they wanted.

Of course, Lucian had informed her he wasn’t exactly sure what they wanted. He’d expected them to come after Charlie for revenge because of the man they assumed he killed. Now that they knew the myotis were involved, Lucian wasn’t sure what they had planned.

The vampires had a long history of losing when going head-to-head with the myotis. Hopefully the building was their last hurrah before retreating.

Explaining to Clara why Lucian was there when she woke up took a bit of tiptoeing. Ella decided lying was her best option in this case and told Clara Lucian had gotten there extra early to watch her.

Clara didn’t question it. She was just happy to have her “favorite babysitter” back.

When an exhausted Ella got home at six o’clock, Clara ran into Ella’s arms, giving her a tight hug. “Hi, Mommy!”

Ella smiled and pushed her nose into Clara’s hair. “Hey, sweetie. Did you and Lucian have fun?”

Lucian was suspiciously silent, but Clara nodded emphatically.

“So what did you guys do all day? I don’t smell horses.”

“Lucian took me swimming!”

Ella frowned. “I take you swimming all the time and you never look that happy.”

“This was the biggest lake I’ve ever seen. It was so big I couldn’t even see the end! And it tasted funny, but I just made sure I kept my mouth closed really tight.”

Ella nodded, pretty much expecting this. “The ocean. You took her to the ocean. Is the television really so repulsive to you?”

Lucian grinned at her annoyance. “You’re just jealous you didn’t get to go.”

Clara fidgeted and Ella set her down. “There is so much wrong here. You need to tell me where you take her.”

“I didn’t plan it ahead of time. To be fair, she said she wanted to go to Disneyland. I thought the beach would be a good compromise.”

Ella pinched the bridge of her nose. “You need to keep me informed. What if something had happened?”

Lucian’s hands fell to rest at her waist. The sudden contact made her jump. “Next time, I promise I’ll call. Okay?”

“Screw calling. Next time, I get to go to the beach too.”

He laughed softly before he kissed her on the forehead. As good as the contact felt, Ella felt awkward with the PDA because Clara was so close. She twisted away from Lucian and glanced to their daughter, who seemed distracted enough rubbing Reno’s stomach. The red dog was stretched on his back and looked as if he was in heaven.

Relieved Clara hadn’t seen them, Ella turned back to Lucian. “What’s on the agenda for tonight?”

“Same as last night but hopefully with better results. Dean, Charlie, and I try to track down where the monsters have been nesting and stop them from hurting anyone else.”

Ella opened her mouth to offer to go with him. She was smart. She’d survived vampire attacks before and this was her town they were messing with.

But the words never came out. Clara was here. She needed to be protected. She was in the most danger if anyone ever found out about her and the most vulnerable.

“You’ll be safe, right?”

Lucian wrapped his arms around her, giving her a few seconds to lean against his hard strength and rest her head against his shoulder. A few seconds of warmth after the dreary day spent dealing with misery and death.

“I’ll be extra careful. Promise.”

She let out a sigh. He’d better be.

As Rok glided through the crowded building, the mortals parted. Some instinct buried deep within told them he was dangerous. A threat.

The corner of his mouth hooked up. Humans. Weak, predictable creatures. He loved it.

As normal, the majority of them were huddled around the bar, just waiting to make themselves even more vulnerable, but the mood seemed different tonight. No loud shouts of laughter or screaming orders at the bartender.

Instead, all eyes were focused on the television screen in the back corner of the building.

Some news program had them all riveted. Without bothering to try to get any closer to the screen, he focused his advanced senses on the newscaster. She stood in front of a burned-out building and threw out theories of what caused the explosion that brought the building down.

His grin widened. They were talking about him.

Pictures flashed on the screen of the casualties caught in the blast and the soft sound of a girl crying caught his attention.

As far as humans went, she wasn’t terrible-looking. Her light hair was pressed into unnatural curls and her skin still held the glow of youth. Nothing compared to the women of his homeland. Most had long since died out, but he could remember the long, dark, silky tresses, and curves that only a true warrior could fully appreciate.

Rok pushed the memory from his mind. That was his old life. This was his new one. His new world. His kind gained more and more influence with every day. Soon he wouldn’t have to hide and hunt in the shadows. Soon, he could bear his warrior marks with pride.

At the thought, he pulled the stupid head covering lower. A “baseball” cap. Some sort of sport, but the one time he’d seen it on the television, none of the players had worn a hat like it.

Still, it was one of the more common items humans wore to cover their head, and it got the job done.

At the crowded bar, the mortals didn’t part for him as easily, but all it took was a soft shove or a pointed glance to truly get his way. Soon enough, he was right behind his prey.

As though she sensed him, her back stiffened as she turned to face him. Not in the mood to play with his food, he met her eyes and immediately took control. “Why are you crying?”

Even as she gazed blankly up at him, she kept sniffling. Disgusting.

“All those people. I knew them. All of them. It’s such a small town it’s impossible not to....”

Interesting... “And the man who owned the gym across the street? What can you tell me about him?”

The girl blinked a few times and glanced around her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name.”

His hand shot out and his fingers wrapped around her arm. Just as she let out a squeak of pain, he caught her gaze with his again. “Tell me about Charlie Garret and his friends. The scary ones.”

“Scary ones?” Her empty stare told him nothing.

“Big guys. They’d stand out. How does he know them?”

“Courtney called them the cute ones. They’re FBI, but she didn’t know what they wanted with Charlie...” Her voice drifted off as her bottom lip quivered pathetically.

“What now?”

“Courtney was in the building. I have no idea why.” The sobs started again as she hung her head and shoulders low, completely defeated.

Rok gripped her chin and forced her eyes back to his. “Focus, you idiot. What were those men doing with Charlie?”

She shook her head. The trails of tears glittered in the pale lights of the bar. “I never even saw them. All I heard was that they were hanging around Charlie and Elly a lot.”

“Elly? Who is that?”

“My boss. I babysit for her four-year-old.”

“And these FBI are involved with her? She’s important to them?”

The girl inched away the small distance his mind control would allow. “I don’t know. Honestly.”

Rok nodded and moved his punishing grip from her arm to her hand. “It’s time to go. We have work to do.”

Ella rinsed off the dish she was washing and looked out the window at the semi-comforting sight of Dmitri silhouetted against the streetlight.

She pressed her lips together. Should she invite him in? He was there to protect her. She set the bowl in the rack to dry and turned away from the window. No. She had Clara to think of. Even if Lucian trusted the vampire, he would have to do a bit more to prove himself.

Unconsciously, Ella’s hand went to her neck. The wound had healed without even a scar, but the memory was still fresh enough. Her fear. The pain.

Dmitri would just have to make himself comfortable outside. He was a creature of the night anyway. He should feel right at home.

She unrolled some paper towel and moved to wipe down the counter before she realized the counters were already spotless. Really, the whole kitchen was meticulous at this point. She’d been cleaning like a madwoman for the past three hours. It wasn’t as if she could sleep.

Not with the images of burned-out buildings and grieving friends still stuck in her head. And the threat wasn’t past. She could be a target, and all she could do was stick close to Clara.

She crossed her arms and leaned against the cabinets. Part of her wanted to scour the house for some spot of dirt she’d missed while the other just wanted to crawl in Clara’s bed to be comforted by the warmth of her daughter and Reno.

She needed rest. She’d have to go back to work tomorrow. The entire town would have to pick itself up and go back to normal. Smiling at passersby on the street. Pretending no tragedy had ever happened.

Just as she resigned herself to her need for sleep, a blaring ring came from her cell phone. Ella fumbled in her pocket to quiet the noise cutting through the silent house. She brought the screen to her face, only to slump her shoulders when she saw it wasn’t Lucian calling.

He’d been good about texting her small updates every hour or so, but she was desperate to corner him and discover what they’d learned during the night. It was already two in the morning. It was past time for a full report.

She pulled the phone to her ear. “Gloria. Is everything okay?” It wasn’t like the teen to call at odd hours of the night.

“I thought you said you were going out of town.” Heavy breathing punctuated the girl’s words.

“Are you okay? Are you running?” Ella strode over to the window, checking to make sure Dmitri was still there. His presence had officially crossed over to calming her.

“I thought you said you were going out of town,” she repeated. “Am I fired?”

“No! Of course you’re not fired. Clara loves you. I just had a last-minute change of plans.”

“I need this job. I need the money for school. I need to see you. Can you meet me out here?”

Ella frowned at Gloria’s odd phrasing. Her heart sunk to her stomach. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I can meet you in my front yard if you want.” Right next to my vampire bodyguard.

“I need to see you,” she repeated, desperation palpable over the phone.

Ella blinked a few times as she tried to focus and regroup. If she could call Lucian, he’d be there in seconds. “Where do you want to meet?”

“The library. Just you.”

“I’ll grab my purse and meet you there as soon as I can. It’s going to be okay, Gloria.” She didn’t know what the girl was going through or who she was with, but Ella wanted to offer what limited comfort she could. Lucian would keep her safe. She’d see to it.

“If you hang up the phone, I’m going to burn your fucking house down.” The voice was Gloria’s, but Ella knew she wasn’t the one truly speaking. The words were calm and cold and Ella believed each one.

“You’re going to or the person controlling you is?”

“I’ve brought down entire empires made up of beings much stronger and smarter than you. Abandon the vampire and come to me.”

“And yet you’re wasting so much time with me.” Ella waved a hand in the air, willing Dmitri to look her way.

“Put your hand down, you pathetic bitch. No one can help you now. Are you going to meet me or do I have to light your house up? I know you have young in there. What are the chances she’ll survive the smoke? Or maybe it will be the flames that kill her.”

Ella jerked away from the window, clenching her fists. How could they be so close without Dmitri knowing? “Leave her out of this.”

“She’s not the one bat boy’s been sniffing around. You are. If you come with me, I’ll leave her out of this. I promise.”

She fought the urge to snort at his ridiculous “promise.” As if she would believe a word he said.

Well, she did believe he would hurt Clara if she didn’t come to him. She might not be able to call Lucian or signal Dmitri, but she didn’t need to make a scene. Dmitri was a vampire and had the super hearing that came along with it. All she had to do was walk loud enough and he should know she was leaving. Right?

“I’m coming to you,” she bit out. The words stuck in her throat.

“Not yet,” said Gloria. “Wait until the vampire moves to the back of the house. Then you come out the front door.”

The walls seemed to close in as Ella’s heart pounded in her chest. She kept her breathing at a normal pace as she squeezed her eyes shut. There had to be some way out of this. They couldn’t just lure her out of the house this easily.

She opened her eyes just in time to see Dmitri turn and walk toward her backyard. Her heart sunk.

“Now,” came the alien voice of Clara’s babysitter. “Come out the front door or I kill the vampire and burn down your house with you and your offspring inside.”

Ella chewed her bottom lip, holding back all the obscenities she wanted to shout through the phone. She turned, looking around her kitchen for anything she could possibly use as a weapon.

“You can bring a knife if you like. I’ll just take it from you,” said the one using Gloria’s voice.

Shaking, Ella ripped a butcher knife from the block in the kitchen and fished out a smaller, silver blade from the purse next to the front door. If he expected her to have weapons, she wouldn’t disappoint. Maybe he’d even miss one or two.

Slipping the silver knife into the back of her pants, she fingered the silver mace, trying to figure out where she could stash it. Anywhere with easy access would be the first place the vampire would look.

Taking a breath, Ella arranged the cold canister in her bra, making sure her T-shirt didn’t show a bulge.

“Last chance. Come out now or sparks are gonna start flying,” warned Gloria.

“I’m coming,” muttered Ella, not allowing herself to second-guess her decision any more than she already was. She pushed open the front door and walked into the cool evening air.

The wind whipped her hair around her face as each step took her farther from her daughter and home.

It’s for Clara. She repeated the thought with each stride. Her lungs felt as though she were being crushed. The hand still holding the butcher knife trembled so hard, she was sure she would drop it before the vampire had the chance to take it away.

As she kept walking, her house got smaller and smaller. There was no Dmitri running around the corner to save her. Lucian didn’t magically appear in front of her. Just the cold emptiness of the night.

Was Dmitri even alive? He was just one vampire against who knew how many. Lucian said there were at least three, but that didn’t mean there weren’t more.

Ella shook her head. She needed to focus. She needed to be ready.

As she reached the end of the street, she turned left, toward the library. Gloria told her to meet the vampire there, but Ella had no illusions. They were watching her and were just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

She didn’t have to wait long. Right as she turned the corner onto the street that led to downtown Pikesville, Gloria emerged from behind a parked car. Her skirt was so short and her top was so low, she must’ve been out with friends when she was caught.

Gloria stopped just feet in front of Ella, her blank stare confirming she was not the one in control of her body.

Ella’s hand tightened on the butcher knife. “Where’s your friend?”

The teen said nothing. Just blinked, as though no one was in front of her.

Which meant she was the distraction.

A cold hand wrapped around Ella’s wrist before the thought was ever completed.

“Are you going to drop it, or do I have to make you?” Unlike Gloria, this voice wasn’t emotionless. It was deep and serious, with a slight hint of glee. This thing wanted her to fight him.

In all honesty, she wanted to fight him too. She knew better, though. She loosened her fingers, allowing her weapon to clatter onto the sidewalk. She tried to keep her mind blank, not wanting to inadvertently give away the locations of her other weapons.

Trying her best to keep her hand from shaking in his hard grasp, Ella turned to face her demon.

Familiar black eyes stared into hers. “Miss me?” he asked.

“Not especially,” she said, unable to prevent the quiver in her voice.

He let out a soft laugh. “We’re going to have fun together,” he whispered into her ear.

The trembling spread from her hand to the rest of her body.

“Pick up the knife.” The vampire’s booming voice, so close to her ear, was almost as painful as his tight grip.

At first she thought he was ordering her to pick up the discarded weapon, but Gloria bent down to collect it. The teen turned her empty eyes back to the vampire, silently asking for further instruction.

“Stab yourself in the gut.”

Ella’s eyes went wide at the command, but her captor was ready for her outburst. Ella used every bit of strength she had to pull toward Gloria, dropping the phone to claw and scratch and kick her feet as hard as her training allowed, but it was no use. In seconds, the blade was imbedded to the hilt in the teen’s stomach.

Gloria’s eyes watered and her breathing quickened. Her knees seemed to shake, but she didn’t fall down or make a sound.

“You goddamn son of a bitch! Fucking ass—”

His fingers curled in her hair and jerked her head back. The sudden pain and awkward angle made words impossible.

“She’s not dead yet. I want all your weapons on the ground in the next ten seconds or I’m going to make her do it again.”

And for the first time that night, Ella felt truly powerless. Cutoff from Clara. From Lucian. Trapped in the arms of a psychopath.

She didn’t even consider fighting him. As she looked up at the night sky, she pulled the hem of her shirt away from her waist and snaked her hand up to shake the mace loose from her bra. The aluminum clattered onto the pavement.

Still avoiding his probably smug gaze, her other hand reached to her back, having to force its way between her body and his. A wave of nausea hit her at the contact and she closed her eyes tightly.

As quick as her shaking would allow, she plucked the blade from her waistband and threw it to the ground.

“That’s everything?”

The damn shaking wouldn’t stop. “Are you going to search me?” He laughed again and Ella still refused to look at his grin.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her fully against him while releasing her hair and stroking his fingers along her cheek and neck. “I think you’re going to behave.”

She wished he was wrong, but she couldn’t deny the facts. If she disobeyed, Gloria was dead and they were still so close to Clara. Any type of offensive move would have to wait.

So she stood still, not making a sound. That apparently wasn’t good enough for the man.

“Girl! Take that knife and ram it into your throat.”

Gloria’s eyes widened and her arm tensed as though she was trying to fight against the compulsion to obey his every command.

“Please!” begged Ella, pulling against him even knowing she couldn’t get away. “I’m doing everything you ask. You don’t have to do this!”

But it was already too late. Gloria shoved the blade through the delicate skin of her neck. The immediate squirt of blood, followed by a steady stream, flowed down to mix with the blood already spilling from her stomach.

Ella felt the world spin around her as she struggled like a wild animal, trying to hurt him in any way possible: nails, teeth, head butt. All she could see as she struggled was Gloria’s terrified eyes as the lights seemed to slowly go out and she slipped limply to the cold ground.

And then came the sharp sting in her neck as his fangs sank in. Ella’s struggles slowed as defeat set in. Then there was nothing but black.

One heavy push on her back sent Ella sprawling on her hands and knees as a heavy door slammed shut behind her.

The darkness surrounded her, the utter blackness more paralyzing than any bindings. She didn’t hear anything except the sound of her own breathing but couldn’t shake the feeling that something was in that darkness.

She moved a hand out a few inches in front of her, feeling only grime and cold tile. Pushing herself up, she sat back on her knees and wiped her hands on her pants. She should hold something to her neck to stop the bleeding, but she had no idea what types of filth her hands had just touched.

She held the back of her fingers to the wound. Wasn’t perfect, but better than nothing. The bleeding from the first bite outside her house had stopped while she was bounced around in the trunk of the vampire’s car. However, he decided to feed from her once more after dragging her through a maze-like arrangement of cells in what looked to be an old warehouse.

She tilted her head to look up and around her, but not even a sliver of light penetrated her cell.

Something felt wrong. This room was wrong.

The corner of her mouth lifted. What was she thinking? Of course it felt off. Nothing about this was right.

She could only hope Lucian or Dmitri realized she was missing and got to Clara. She didn’t know what she’d do if these bastards turned their attentions to her.

Lucian would take care of their daughter. He might be hard to deal with and much too controlling at times, but he loved Clara. He would keep her safe.

She wasn’t so sure about her own safety at the moment.

She should investigate. Feel around the borders of the room. Search for anything the vampires might’ve missed.

Instead, she leaned against the door behind her, still holding her neck. What were the chances she’d find a way out of this prison?

But it was more than the sense of defeat that left her motionless against the door. The darkness seemed to beat at her, as if it were another living being in the room. Surrounding and stalking her.

She had no idea how big or small the cell was. Just that it was dirty, cold, and she was trapped in it.

She got the idea it wasn’t too big. Maybe a six to ten-foot square. The sounds didn’t seem to echo the way they would in a bigger room.

A bright light turned on, almost like a spotlight, and shined directly at her. Instead of allowing her to see into the dark, it blinded her. She held her free hand in front of her face; the light burned her retinas even through closed eyelids.

The squeak of a speaker filled the room before stabilizing. “I’m sorry to be so rude,” came the voice. It was the same bastard who’d dragged her in here. “I forgot introductions. This is our pet. He loves raw meat.”

Ella pushed herself away from the door and slammed into the nearest wall. She whipped around to stare at the entrance, waiting for some horror to burst through.

The door didn’t budge.

If nothing was coming in, that meant...

She gazed into the blinding glow again. Was this terror already there?

Something shuffled in the shadows behind the light.

Ella plastered herself to the wall and listened for any other sign of movement, but all she heard was her frantic breathing.

She felt around on the dirty tiles, feeling for anything that could be used as a weapon, but all she found was more dust and debris.

Not even a stick littered the floor.

No, no, no, no. She couldn’t go out like this. All her training and promises to Clara lost as she was stuck, defenseless, in a trap made by the vampires. She was supposed to go out in a blaze of glory, firing guns and slowly walking away from explosions.

Not with a whimper.

“Who’s there?” she called.

Laughter dripped from the speakers. “Silly girl, animals don’t talk. Tell me what you are and I’ll keep him from eating you.”

More shuffling. Whatever it was, it seemed to be agitated by the speaker’s voice. Well, at least they had something in common.

“I’m human,” she repeated, not willing or able to tell the bastard what he wanted to know.

“Wrong answer.”

The lights rapidly flickered, and Ella jumped to her feet. Whatever he was planning, she wasn’t going down without a fight.

She clenched her fists, one dry and one still wet with blood, and held them defensively in front of her.

The shuffling moved closer and she tried to regulate her breathing. No matter how badass she stood, she’d still look like a fool if she died hyperventilating. Though what did she care if she looked like a fool when she died? She’d be dead.

Ella squinted and tried to see the creature better through the strobe effect of the flickering lights. What could be dangerous enough to threaten her, yet so silent? Some type of vicious dog would surely be growling, panting or pacing.

Besides that, the little noise she did hear told her this thing was much bigger than a dog.

“Bite her, you moron!” shouted the speaker.

Ella’s heartbeat kicked up a notch, which was saying something considering how fast it already pounded away in her chest. So, whatever this thing was, it could speak English and had sharp teeth.

Some sort of feral vampire? Did vampires turn feral?

More rustling sounded and for the first time, it moved into the light.

Ella’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of a gaunt and skeletal man. His arms and legs were nothing but skin and bones. Black eyes stared at her above hollow cheekbones. Thinning hair covered his skull and reached well below his shoulders.

“Oh my God,” she breathed. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t deny the instant recognition.

Even with the heartbreaking features, she would recognize him anywhere. “Cade?”

His lips curled in a snarl. This new Cade looked her up and down. Disgust filled his gaunt features. Then the frail-looking creature she used to know ran straight for her throat.

Lucian appeared in Ella’s living room, eyes narrowing at the sight of Dmitri on the couch with Clara. As quick as he could, he donned his human form. “Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?”

Clara met his eyes. “Mr. Dmitri woke me up. Mommy is missing.” She said the words calmly as she looked at him. As though she had complete faith he’d find Ella.

And he would. Ella would be back with him by sunrise, he swore to himself.

“I think it’s best you stay with me for the rest of the night. Why don’t you go pack a bag, okay?”

Clara nodded and pushed herself off the couch.

As soon as she was out of sight, Lucian changed back to his myotis form. “How the hell did you lose her?”

Dmitri’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know. I saw her in the kitchen one minute. I went to check out a sound in the backyard, and I didn’t see her again. I figured she just went to bed.”

“How long ago did you see her last?”

“Hour tops. Your text came pretty quickly.”

Thank God Lucian had been keeping in contact with Ella. When she stopped responding to his messages, he asked Dmitri to make sure she was okay. Now there was no trace of her.

“Her purse is still here but I can’t see any trace of her phone,” said Dmitri.

Lucian strode over to the purse sitting open on the table next to the couch. He riffled through the contents before he threw the bag against the nearest wall.

Dmitri jumped up. “What is it?”

“Her mace is gone. She had it in her purse. It was how she had the chance to kill that vampire. If you didn’t hear a struggle and the mace is gone, that means she left voluntarily.” Lucian pushed open the door, not bothering to change back to human. He took a deep breath as he gazed at the mostly dark houses.

Just on the edge of the wind was the barest hint of her scent. “Stay with Clara. Call Dean.”

The farther he got from the house, the angrier he got. They made her walk this far. She wouldn’t have left Clara unless Ella thought Clara would be in more danger if she stayed.

His already bubbling rage overflowed as he turned the corner. Her scent ended right at the bloody body of a young blonde lying face down. She was half on the concrete sidewalk and half on the grass, her skirt riding up to take away any remaining piece of dignity.

Leaning above the corpse, Lucian rolled her over and stared into the still open eyes of Clara’s babysitter. He’d only glimpsed her momentarily, but it was long enough to get a good look. Judging by the position of the blade and the angle of the cut, the vampire made her impale her own throat.

Chances were he’d done it in front of Ella. The ultimate display of power. Lip curled in disgust, Lucian closed his eyes. Anger was fine, but he needed to think clearly. He needed to find Ella before the trail went cold.

He gently pulled down the young woman’s skirt and stood up, only then seeing the crushed cell phone at his feet. Cursing under his breath, he transported back to Ella’s living room where Clara waited, her small pink and purple backpack already packed with stuff.

Lucian bent down, pulling Clara to him in a tight hug, inhaling the scent of her shampoo and hair, needing to know at least one of his girls was safe. “Where’s Dean?” he asked over Clara’s shoulder as Dmitri walked in the room.

“Said he was looking for the car that took her. Should be here any moment,” said the vampire.

Lucian didn’t have time for this shit. He picked Clara up, holding her tightly, and thought of Dean’s New York apartment. “Dean! Where is she?”

Dean jumped at Lucian’s sudden appearance. His gaze darted between him and the girl. “You sure you want to talk about this now?”

Lucian narrowed his eyes. “Time is important here. Tell me what you know.”

Clara’s gaze kept switching between Lucian and Dean. “You two both look like monsters,” she stated.

Lucian stiffened. Damnit! He should’ve changed back! He couldn’t focus on all this shit. He needed to find Ella. “Are you afraid of me?”

She shook her head. “You don’t act like a monster.”

Lucian let out a sigh of relief. “I need you to think hard. Did you hear anything strange before your mother left?”

Tears filled the child’s eyes. Being held by a monster didn’t faze her, but the reminder of her mother was too much. “I was sleeping. I shouldn’t have slept through the monsters.”

Lucian laid a comforting kiss on her forehead, only belatedly remembering what he looked like. But the child leaned deeper into him, wrapping her arms even more tightly around his neck. “Don’t worry. We’ll find her. I promise. Dean! Do we have any footage of the cars they were driving?”

Dean took a nervous gulp, his leathery neck bobbing with the action. “I was already on it. Because it’s so late and there were so few cars on the road during the timeframe Dmitri gave me, I was able to narrow down what car they used to get away and used the security camera at the bank down the road to get a read on the license plate.” Dean paused.

“And...” pestered Lucian.

“And I tracked the car to a gas station about twenty minutes from where Ella was taken. They switched cars.”

Lucian felt the world spin around him. “Were there any cars stolen from there?”

“None reported. They could’ve just made the guy they stole the car from forget. Or worse,” he muttered.

Clara hugged him tighter and he knew she understood exactly what Dean meant.

“We need to get to that station. Grab Dmitri and Charlie and head out there to take a look. I’m going to drop off Clara and I’ll meet you out there.”

Dean nodded. “Who’s going to watch Clara?”

Lucian ground his teeth, not looking forward to his next task. “Her grandfather.”

Lucian appeared at the foot of Dr. Murray’s driveway, not wanting to get too close. Knowing his history with the doctor, he’d end up with a bullet in his head before he could hope to explain the danger Ella was in.

He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth as he forced his human form to resurface.

Clara gasped in his arms. “You’re back.”

He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “I never went anywhere.”

“Why don’t you always look like you?”

“Both of my faces are me. This one hurts me at night and the other one hurts during the day. Since I’m seeing your grandfather for the first time in a long time, I wanted to look my best. You know, some people get scared of my other face.”

Clara scrunched up her face. “You’re not scary.”

Lucian snorted. “Thanks.” He wasn’t sure whether he should be happy his daughter accepted him or offended.

“But you can scare the bad men, right? You can make them give Mommy back?” Her words were just as calm as always, but her eyes revealed the fear she was trying to hide.

“That’s the idea. First of all, I have to make sure you’re safe.”

“As long as you bring Mommy back.”

Lucian wanted to reassure her. Promise he’d bring Ella back safe and sound.

But how could he make that promise?

He needed to get out to hunt for her. The longer he was gone, the farther away they were taking her. The longer she was missing, the more likely they were to kill her.

He ground his teeth and tried to clear his vision. Focus! First of all, Clara needed to be safe.

Footsteps pounded down the driveway. “Clara!” shouted Dr. Murray with a trembling voice.

“Grandpa!” she called back, seemingly unaware of the tension between the two men.

Dr. Murray stopped just short of Lucian, sending rays of hatred from his eyes. “Give me my granddaughter.”

That was the plan anyway, so he didn’t argue. He set Clara on the ground and gave her a pat on the back. “Go on,” he murmured.

The old man’s brows drew together as Clara ran over to him. “What are you doing here?”

“Ella’s in trouble. Clara needs to be somewhere safe.”

“She’s in trouble because of you.”

Lucian didn’t deny it. “I’m going to get her back.”

“You should’ve left her alone.”

“I never should’ve left her in the first place.” He’d thought he was doing what was best for them both. He hadn’t realized the magnitude of what they had. It wasn’t just attraction between them. It was never clear to him until he saw her outside Charlie’s gym. Even before he discovered Clara, he knew whatever was pulling him toward Ella was more than physical attraction.

He would get her back.

He could admit that he never should’ve taken her against her will or threatened her family. But letting her go was wrong. He hadn’t been with her when she had to endure a supernatural pregnancy. He hadn’t been with her as Clara aged at twice the normal rate.

He just hadn’t been there. He’d been waiting for someone like her for centuries. He should treat every moment as a precious goddamn gift. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her so soon after finding her.

Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose as the pounding in his head got worse. He needed to change. “I don’t have time to argue. I’m going to get your daughter back.”

The doctor bent forward to hold Clara’s hand. “Why give her to me? Don’t you have an army of men who could watch her?”

“You’re her grandfather. I think she’d rather be with you than a stranger. The only other myotis she’s met is going to be helping me tonight.”

The doctor looked even more confused at that answer, but Lucian didn’t have time to reassure him anymore. He handed him a folded piece of paper. “This is my phone number. Call if there is any trouble. I will be in touch. Keep her safe.”

And then he was gone.

Ella opened her eyes, but the bright light shining in her face sent a fresh wave of pain shooting through her. “Crap,” she whispered.

She almost wished she could have amnesia like everyone seemed to get in the movies, but she remembered every painful detail. She would never be able to erase the memory of Cade stepping into the light.

He was supposed to be dead! She’d almost prefer him dead than whatever hell he’d been put through over the past three years.

The vampires had turned him into some feral creature. He’d bit her. Not in an “I’m sorry they’re making me do this” sort of way. He’d torn into her already injured neck and drank with abandon.

She’d struggled for a moment, but his hands gripped her so tightly that his long nails drew blood.

This wasn’t the happy-go-lucky myotis she knew before. This was something else.

But why hadn’t he killed her? Was there some part of him still in there?

She groaned at the question. The vampires still wanted to know what she was. They probably wouldn’t want her dead. Just weak and frightened.

Mission accomplished.

Not that she was going to let them know.

Taking a breath, she decided to open her eyes again. If she stood any chance of surviving this, she needed to be aware of her surroundings.

The light didn’t blind her anymore. Cade stood right above her.

Ella flinched and pushed herself away; the sudden movement made her head scream.

He continued to stare.

Looking past him, it appeared they were in the same room as before. Great.

He still stared.

“Can I help you?” she snapped. If he was going to bite her again, she damn well wanted some advance warning.

He blinked rapidly at her words. “They can hear you,” he croaked out.

Ella winced. His voice sounded so ragged. How many people had he even spoken to since he’d been taken? She doubted anyone would treat him with kindness. Only pain and cruelty.

“I don’t have anything interesting to say,” she lied. She wanted to shake him. Tell him about Clara. There was hope for his species, and Clara was walking— and much too advanced talking— proof.

He nodded and his eyes went to her neck. “You heal fast.”

Her hand came up to her neck and touched the still open and sore wounds, the sting running through her body. “Funny, it doesn’t feel like it.”

He shrugged a bony shoulder, not offering an apology. “How long have I been gone for?”

Part of her didn’t want to tell him. Would it make it better or worse if he knew the duration of his captivity? Either way, he deserved to know. “Three years.”

He nodded, not showing any emotion at the information.

“Why did you bite me?” she asked.

He looked up, brow creased at the question. “Because they told me to.”

“And would you kill me if they asked you?”

“Wouldn’t you want me to?”

Ella cocked her head. “Why would I want you to kill me?”

“Better me than them.” He pointed to the closed door.

Ella’s gaze followed his finger. Was he right? Would she rather die by the hands—er, fangs—of someone she knew or by strangers full of hate and malice?

She closed her eyes for a second. She had to stop thinking like that. She wasn’t going to die. She would find some way out and back to Clara.

Cade must’ve figured out what she was thinking. “Do you think Lucian will rescue you?”

She carefully considered her words, not sure how she should handle this new Cade. “I’ve never been one to sit back and wait to be saved.”

Cade grunted but didn’t say anything. The silence started to sting more than Ella’s neck. She remembered Cade’s smiling face. She was so terrified after being forced to stay with Lucian, and he’d gone through so much trouble to make her laugh and relax.

Now all she got was silence.

When she couldn’t take it anymore, she asked, “Why are you in human form? I know it was night when they threw me in here.”

A few seconds passed before he answered. “I haven’t changed since they took me.”

Ella’s jaw dropped. “Three years? Isn’t that painful?”

“Yes.”

She pressed her forehead into her palm. Why would she even ask him that? Of course it hurt him, and his abrupt and short answer gave her an idea of just how painful it must be. Why would the vampires do this? Just for fun? Were they trying to find out something? Had they interrogated him?

She bit her tongue from asking any more questions. She wouldn’t want to hear the answers and didn’t want him to have to relive any painful memories for her curiosity.

Instead, she stood. No more sitting and feeling sorry for herself. She was going to at least try to figure a way out of this godforsaken room.

The light didn’t seem quite as bright now that her eyes had adjusted. The room was plain white, with speckled tile on the floor, now decorated with her dried blood, and walls made of cinderblocks and cement.

How sturdy were cinderblocks? Cade should be strong enough to smash a hole with a strong punch or kick. Wouldn’t he have tried that first thing? Was it rude to ask? She didn’t want to hurt his feelings or anything.

Screw it. Rudeness didn’t matter at this point. “Can you bust through the walls?”

“They are reinforced with some sort of spell. The brick won’t budge.”

She frowned. “That’s possible? Why would a witch help these assholes?”

“Probably a sorcerer or sorceress. Witch wouldn’t have that kind of power. Who knows why they would help. They could’ve been forced to. They could be evil.”

“Did they make it so you couldn’t teleport out either?”

“Don’t know. Might be the drugs. Might be the spell.”

It was the most words she’d heard Cade speak since they were thrown together. That had to be progress, right?

The door opened and Ella jumped a good six inches. So much for not showing fear.

Rok stood in the doorway, not seeming threatened by Cade at all. Though, the way he sat solemnly and stared intently at the floor, a bunny wouldn’t be threatened by Cade.

“Are you ready to be honest with me yet?” asked Rok.

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know.”

“You can stop fucking lying to me.” His voice didn’t seem threatening at all, but the room seemed to vibrate with menace. “Besides, if you don’t know anything, you aren’t useful to me.”

Ella looked to Cade, who still had his head facing firmly down. “You kept him around. What’s his use?”

Rok’s face filled with an evil grin. “That thing? He started out like you. Torture, interrogation. But he was just so much fun to have around. Isn’t that right, buddy?” Rok’s leg shot out and viciously kicked Cade in the face.

Cade flew halfway across the room, landing in a heap on the floor.

Ella ran to him. “What the fuck?” she shouted.

Once she reached Cade, she was hesitant to touch him. Was this the gentle friend she remembered who needed comforting or was this a feral animal who would lash out?

She bit her lip and ran her hand along his back. “Hey, buddy,” she whispered.

To her relief, he didn’t jerk around to punch her in the face, but he didn’t seem happy at the touch. His muscles coiled, as though prepared to spring at any moment.

She wanted to whisper words of comfort and reassurance like she would when Clara had a nightmare, but couldn’t bring herself to speak. She refused to lie to him. Not when he’d been stuck there for three whole years.

How could she possibly tell him everything would be okay after that?

“I’m here,” was all she said.

But Rok wasn’t done. “Dog. Grab the girl and bring her to me.”

Obediently, Cade pushed himself up, blood now dripping from an open gash on his forehead. His face was completely blank as he gripped Ella’s arm and brought her to stand a foot from the vampire.

His grip was painful even though she didn’t resist. She knew they would both get hurt if he disobeyed.

Rok ran a hand over her bloodstained hair. “Last chance of the night. Tell me what makes you special to Lucian.”

Ella met Rok’s brown eyes with her own. “He loves me.”

Rok scoffed. “There has to be more to it than that.”

“There’s a lot more. But the main reason he’s going to kill you is because you hurt something he loves. That’s what this all boils down to.”

“Is that your final answer?”

“That’s the only answer.”

Rok’s lips tightened but he didn’t say anything. Unable to take his gaze any longer, Ella squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to imagine her punishment.

She didn’t have to wait long.

She registered the sound of something snapping before the pain in her wrist registered. She bit her tongue as she tried to hold back a scream, but a second later she couldn’t stop the gasping moans from escaping.

Her breaths came in quick pants as she tried to focus on anything but her unnaturally bent arm.

She glanced at the strange angle of her wrist and quickly looked away. Her stomach clenched and her throat constricted. The lack of food and water left her with only dry heaves, but every twitch was agonizing.

Her knees gave out; Cade put his other arm around her waist to hold her up.

“I’ll give you some more time to think about it. I’ll be back in a few days, probably. If you don’t have a better answer the next time I see you, I’m not playing any more games. You won’t be as amusing to me as he is.”

She would’ve told him where to stick it if she wasn’t so busy trying to keep herself from crying. Her eyes were still closed when the door shut behind Rok and she was left alone with Cade again.

His arm tightened around her waist and he lifted her just off the ground, carrying her to the closest corner. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and focused on controlling her breathing.

Clara. Focus on Clara. Your daughter is safe with Lucian. He’ll keep her safe.

“Clara,” she whispered under her breath, the physical word giving her strength.

“Who?” asked Cade.

Ella opened her eyes and stared straight into the bright light. “No one.”

Clara stared at Grandpa’s TV but didn’t care what the cartoon dog was saying.

She wanted Mommy. Where was Lucian? He said he’d bring her back. It was almost night again. Did the monsters have her all day?

She rubbed her nose, but it already hurt from too much rubbing. Had she ever cried enough to hurt her nose?

She pushed herself off Grandpa’s couch, keeping her stuffed dog, Reno Jr., tucked tightly under her arm. “Grandpa!”

He poked his head in, brow furrowed in concern. “Are you doing okay?”

“I want Mommy.”

His face got sad and she knew what he was going to say before he started. “Your mommy isn’t back yet.”

“Then I want Lucian. I mean, I want Daddy.”

His face wasn’t sad anymore. “That man isn’t your ‘daddy.’”

“Mommy said he was.”

“Lucian is dangerous. You and your mother need to stay away from him.”

“I know he’s scary. That’s how he’s getting Mommy back. He’s scarier than the monsters.”

Grandpa shook his head. “Help is on the way. You just sit tight and we’ll have your mother back in no time.”

Clara hugged Reno Jr. tighter. How was Grandpa supposed to fight the monsters?

She sat in the middle of the floor, folding her legs underneath her. She tightly clenched her eyes. Maybe if she wished really, really hard, she could bring Mommy home.

She thought of Mommy’s smile. The way she’d tuck her in at night. The stories she told about monsters and how she promised to always protect her.

She thought of walking with her and Reno. Eating hot dogs in front of the TV. She thought of the last time she’d been hugged before Mommy tucked her in and turned on the nightlight.

She thought of the second she realized Mommy was taken.

Ella opened her eyes, once again confronted with the bright light. It wasn’t the pain in her head that she noticed first.

Her arm was still front and center. Looking down, she saw it was back in its normal position, though still swollen to twice its normal size.

“I set it.” Cade’s voice rumbled against her back and she realized he still held her.

“I didn’t wake up?”

“You did. Then you passed out.”

Great. She was already repressing memories. Whatever he’d done, her arm felt much better. Still hurt like a bitch, but it wasn’t the same screaming agony from the night before. Or day before? It was so hard to mark the passage of time with no windows or other technology.

“Your neck looks good,” he said.

After he said it, she realized it felt better too. Or maybe her wrist distracted her from feeling the pain. She’d take any relief she could at the moment. “How long was I out for?”

“Most of the day. Maybe ten to twelve hours. What month is it?”

Ella sighed. “November.”

“Probably twelve hours then.”

His bony chest was hardly the most comfortable seat and he obviously hadn’t bathed in a good long while, but his warmth was a bit relaxing. “Thanks for staying with me.”

“There’s nowhere for me to go,” he pointed out.

Ella gestured to the opposite wall. “You could be over there.” She looked up to see whether he had any reaction and wanted to pump a fist in the air when she saw the corner of his mouth tick up.

“Think Lucian will be mad when he finds out I slept with his girl?”

“You’re good. I think Lucian will be too distracted being pissed off at everything else that’s happened.”

She got another small smile from Cade, but neither spoke after that. She was becoming more comfortable with the silence. Talking was too depressing. Everything came back to the things they missed and might never have again or the shitty situation they were in.

At some point, she fell back into unconsciousness. Suddenly, Cade’s entire body went stiff against her. She opened her eyes to see what changed, but quickly realized she was dreaming.

Clara was there. Her eyes were tightly closed and she wore her cupcake pajamas and held her favorite stuffed dog that looked like Reno. She’d given it to Dad last Christmas because she’d felt sad he didn’t have a Reno of his own.

Ella smiled at the dream mirage, happy to take any image of Clara she could. “Hey, baby.”

Clara’s eyes snapped open. For a second, they just stared at each other, Clara with shock and Ella with relaxed joy. Then Clara ran like a bullet into Ella’s arms, jerking Ella’s broken wrist and holding her neck tightly. She bent forward and inhaled Clara’s scent. The familiar smell of her daughter brought tears to her eyes.

Clara shifted, hitting Ella’s arm again. The sting jolted Ella. Was she supposed to feel pain in a dream?

Ella shot up, her good elbow pushing into Cade and causing him to grunt. “Go home,” she whispered as sternly as possible.

Clara looked up at Ella, blue eyes wide. “Mommy, I—”

“No. No talking. You need to go home. You understand me?” Ella could easily read the confusion in Clara’s face. She didn’t have a mirror, but she knew she looked a wreck. Dried blood was all over her hair and neck. Dirt from the floor had gotten all over her clothes and face. She just hoped Clara hadn’t noticed the arm, even though the swelling had already gone down quite a bit.

Clara’s gaze moved to Cade and she backed away a few inches. “Did he hurt you, Mommy?” she whispered.

Ella shook her head. “He is a friend of Lucian’s. He’s protecting me.”

Cade leaned forward. “She needs to leave. They can’t find out.” Of course he knew who Clara was. She looked like a mini version of Lucian and had teleported into the room.

Ella glared over her shoulder at him. What exactly did he think she was trying to do?

Lucian stared at the computer screen, looking over the video footage on fast-forward for any hint of where the black Mustang had gone.

Not that he really expected to find anything. Dean pulled every security camera footage hooked into a wireless network within a twenty-mile radius of the gas station. He had five other guys trying to get a hold of any footage Dean couldn’t get through a computer.

Any employees or store owners his guys couldn’t charm or intimidate into handing over the footage would have to be visited later by a vampire, who would be more “convincing.”

Every second that went by was another second they could be taking Ella even farther from him. Hurting her. Killing her.

She couldn’t be dead. He would know. Wouldn’t he?

His phone buzzed on the table next to him. Charlie.

“What have you found?” he barked into the phone. Charlie was in another room reviewing additional camera footage.

“Nothing yet. Just a heads-up. Dean is widening the search another ten miles. We’re almost through all the tape he’s pulled and the other stuff is coming in too slowly.”

Lucian clenched his fist before he slammed it down on the table. Splinters flew and the computer mouse dangled through the hole. “How could they have disappeared? They couldn’t avoid every single camera. Maybe we missed something.”

Charlie was silent for a moment. “How can you things be so powerful, but have no way to bring her back?”

“We have some women coming. Witches, sorceresses. They should be able to do some sort of locator spell. Micah was only able to track them down an hour ago. They were off on some fucking Wicca retreat in the woods. I don’t know what they do in their spare time and none of them can answer a fucking cell phone. We’re in the middle of a goddamn war and they need to be fucking available!”

There was another beat of silence after Lucian’s rant. “Let me know when the witches are here.”

Lucian didn’t say good-bye. He just hung up and stared blankly at the screen.

What were they doing to her? Was she wondering where he was? Why he hadn’t saved her yet?

He should be there!

He shook with the need to hit or break something or someone. Leaning forward, he rested his head in his hands. This wasn’t how to fight a war. Even in the most barbaric corners of the Middle Ages, warriors had honor.

Ella was innocent, not even willing to hurt a fly. Hell, she’d even been able to forgive him for stealing her. Instead of giving him hate, she’d offered love and open arms. Maybe not right away, but it was still a lot more than he deserved.

His phone vibrated again. He frowned at the unfamiliar number. If it wasn’t someone calling saying the witches were in the next room performing the locator spell, he was going to kill someone. “Lucian here.”

“What did you do with her, you son of a bitch?”

It took him a few seconds to place the voice. “Murray? What did I do with who? Where is Clara?”

“Don’t play stupid with me. You think this is funny, don’t you? Giving me my granddaughter like you aren’t some type of—of monster!”

Lucian didn’t have time for Murray’s low opinion of him. “Is Clara with you or not?”

“She’s gone!”

“What do you mean ‘she’s gone’? You were supposed to be watching her! Did someone break in?”

Lucian’s mind raced. The vampires could’ve taken Clara and made Dr. Murray forget, but why would they? They’d want to scare him and show Lucian how vulnerable his family could be. “Are you sure she didn’t sneak out?”

There was a pause on the other end of the phone. “Has she seen you teleport?”

He frowned. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”

“Since she shares your DNA, it’s very possible she could teleport too.”

Lucian clenched his fists but stopped just before he broke the phone in his hand. The last fucking thing he needed was Clara teleporting all over the damn city with myotis and vampire running around. The sun was still out, but the evening shadows were getting longer and longer.

Dr. Murray continued, “You might be able to find her. You share her blood. Try thinking about her while you teleport.”

“I can’t just think of someone and zap myself to wherever they are. It doesn’t work like that.”

“Kalger told me stories of parents being able to track their children. You have to at least try.”

“Why wouldn’t I know about this?” demanded Lucian as he stood up. He tried to remember his parents raising him, but it was so long ago. They’d been dead for centuries, and his childhood was long over.

Since no myotis had children, no one ever talked about these things. Could the doctor possibly be right? “I’ll find her,” he promised before he hung up the phone.

He looked down, envisioning Clara’s blue eyes. Just like he was searching for a place, he concentrated on his daughter. After thirty seconds of intense focus, he finally got a lock. Without any hesitation, he transported. One second later, he was in a dirty and dank room, the smell of blood and rot almost overpowering.

The only thing in front of him was white cinderblocks. Turning around, his heart leaped in his chest.

Ella met his gaze over Clara’s curls. She looked like hell. Dark circles stretched under her eyes and her head had dark bruises on her cheeks and forehead.

Her clothes were covered with dried blood that stretched up her neck, but he couldn’t get a good look at any wounds. One of her arms was an angry purple color, and swollen enough to let him know it was at least a serious fracture, if not a lot worse.

She held up one finger from her good hand to her mouth, signaling his silence. She jerked her head to the left and he took note of the other man in the cell. One look at his gaunt appearance and overgrown beard assured Lucian this was another prisoner and not a guard.

The man eyed Lucian, not showing any expression. He didn’t appear overwhelmed with joy at the sight of a possible savior, but Lucian had rescued more than one long-term prisoner in his day. It was hard to accept anything good after so much shit.

“Clara. Lucian’s here to take you home,” whispered Ella.

Clara whipped her head around, knocking Ella’s arm; Ella bit her lip in response. Clara ran over to him. “You said you’d find her!”

“Shh,” he said into her hair as he picked her up. He looked back at Ella. “I’ll be back.”

She nodded. “Go!” she whispered at him.

A second later, he was back at Murray’s driveway. Gripping Clara tightly, he raced up the pavement to the front door, pounding on the wood until her grandfather answered.

He practically threw Clara into his arms, not caring whether he was strong enough to hold her or not. “I found Ella. I’m going back.”

In a blink, he was in the cell. Ella and the man were in the same huddled-up position as before.

He crouched in front of Ella, gently stroking her face with his fingers. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he wanted to reassure himself she was real. Alive and right in front of him.

“Hey stranger,” she whispered, smiling up at him.

“Hey yourself.” So casual. As though there was nothing wrong with this situation at all.

Her eyes roamed over him. “You are a sight for sore eyes.”

He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Funny. I know I’m not at my best.”

He leaned in, laying a soft kiss against her lips. “Seeing you alive makes this officially the best day of my life. It happens to be tied with the worst because I thought you were lost.”

She leaned her forehead against his. “I love you,” she breathed.

He hooked an arm between her and the man she was sitting against, giving him an apologetic look at the jostling, and lifted Ella into his arms. “You have no idea how much I love you, baby.”

She closed her eyes and leaned into Lucian’s chest.

He gave the other man one last look. “Hang in there, buddy. I’m going to make sure she’s safe before I come back.”

The prisoner nodded, still showing no joy or skepticism.

Something about him seemed familiar, but Lucian couldn’t put his finger on it. Instead, he focused on getting Ella to her father.

This time, he had to kick at the door because Ella took up both of his arms. Half of him wanted to just kick the damn thing down, but he really should be especially nice to the good doctor. His last-minute intel had saved Ella and Clara, and he was going to be pissed when he got a good look at Ella and her injuries.

He would just have to get over it. Lucian was already mad enough at himself. He just needed to focus on killing the vampires who’d done this so he and his family could live in peace.

Sure enough, the doctor was furious when he got his first good look at Ella. Lucian ignored his screams, walking around the older man and making his way to the first bedroom he found.

He set her down on the bed and only then realized she was sleeping. For a split second, all he wanted to do was crawl into that bed and hold her. The stress of her abduction and lack of sleep suddenly hit him like a bag of bricks.

But he had more to do. There was one more prisoner to rescue, and he would have to figure out where the hell that cell was. He and his men would pick through it after nightfall, taking out any vampire on the premises and teaching them just what it meant to fuck with the myotis.

He turned to the still ranting Murray. “I have to go kill the ones who did this. I’ll be back before morning.”

Clara ran up to him and hugged his leg, the suddenness of her gentle touch knocking the air from his lungs. “Thank you for bringing home Mommy.”

He patted her on the shoulder. Eventually he would have to tell her she was the reason Mommy got home safely. She’d been able to teleport to Ella because of their mother-daughter relationship, and Lucian was able to track Clara. He might never have found Ella otherwise.

But that was a conversation for another day. He crouched down to hug her close. Over her shoulder, he said, “Ella’s arm is hurt. It might need a splint and I’m sure she needs antibiotics of some type. Her color looks okay, though, so I don’t think she’s going to need any blood.”

Murray narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to pay for this.”

Lucian sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Probably,” he muttered before he transported back to the cell.

The man was in the exact same location with the exact same look on his face. A ball of fucking sunshine.

“Lucian,” croaked out the man.

For a second, Lucian didn’t think anything of the name. Ella had surely mentioned him at some point.

Then recognition hit him. “Cade?”

“Do I look that different?”

A cold rage ripped through Lucian. “You were dead. You were supposed to be dead!”

The sickly-looking man who was his best friend nodded. “Would you prefer it that way?”

Lucian ran his hands over his face and through his hair as the events from three years ago raced through his mind. “I can’t even fucking deal with this right now.”

He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Dean. He looked over at Cade again. He was so thin. Blood covered one side of his face and crusted in his beard. Why hadn’t he transported out?

Lucian knew the vampires had drugs to keep the myotis grounded, but surely they couldn’t have kept him drugged for three years!

Dean answered in the middle of the first ring. “Hold your horses. The witches will be here any minute.”

“Cancel the witches. I found Ella. She’s hurt, but safe for now. I need you to trace my phone.” He dropped the cell to the ground and bent over Cade. “You ready to go home, man?”

Cade let out a dry laugh. “You have no idea.”

Micah, Kai, Dean, and Dmitri all stood around Cade, various expressions of shock on their faces.

“Are you even real?” asked Dean.

“Of course he’s real. Stop staring.” Lucian had a hell of a time ripping his own eyes from the shell of his friend.

Cade just shrugged. “Let them look. I haven’t seen a mirror in forever and I’d rather have them look now before I actually know how bad it is.”

Lucian rubbed a crick in his neck as he felt the setting sun and morphed into his myotis form. Everyone except for Cade and Dmitri followed suit.

Micah frowned. “Why didn’t you—”

Lucian purposely ran into his shoulder as he walked out of the room. “Drop it.” If the vampires had been keeping Cade from changing for the duration of his captivity, who knew how long it would take for that shit to wear off?

“You guys gather some weapons and get ready to raid the vampires’ nest.”

Dean was able to track Lucian’s phone signal to a warehouse in the middle of Atlanta. The big city made it easier considering they’d all been to some point in Atlanta before.

“Cade, follow me.”

Once they were in Lucian’s room, he shut the door.

Cade stood just inside the door and looked around the room. “So is this where I get the tough love?”

“What?”

“I know why I’m here. You want to know if I need to be put down.”

Lucian cocked his head. “How can you even think that?”

“Because that’s what I’m thinking.”

“You don’t seem evil to me.”

“I’m different. You know that.”

Lucian couldn’t deny it. This wasn’t the same man he knew three years ago. At the same time, he didn’t seem as though he’d gone completely off the deep end. He was walking. Not talking much, but still able to form sentences. None of that was reason to put him down.

“Not that different.” Lucian opened his closet that held his favorite swords. “We’re going to destroy that place tonight. I just want to know if you are in or out. No pressure. If you say no, I’ll tell the guys I wouldn’t let you go.”

Cade walked up to the weapons case and ran his fingers along one of the silver blades. “I haven’t held one of these in years.”

“If it’s going to be weird...” Lucian trailed off.

Cade grabbed the sword, deftly twisting the handle in his hand. “I know this might not make me sound any more sane, but I think killing something would make me feel much better.”

Lucian grabbed his dagger and sheathed it in a waist holster. “To be honest, I’d think you were worse off if you didn’t want to kill something.”

Ella sat up and gently pushed Clara off her. She rolled her shoulders and neck, trying to loosen her tense muscles. Apparently a rock-hard floor wasn’t the best place to recuperate from serious injuries.

To be honest, she didn’t feel all that bad. She brought her injured arm up but couldn’t see how bad it was due to the bandage covering her wrist. Dad must’ve wrapped it in a splint while she slept, and whatever pain pills he gave her worked wonders. She stumbled into the bathroom, getting her first good look at herself.

Sure enough, she looked as if she got hit by a semi. Between the bruises on her face and bags under her eyes, she could easily pass as a zombie.

She ran the water and waited for the water heater to kick in. When it was warm, she ran the washcloth down her neck, moaning at the relief of washing away the grime. She’d hop into the shower right then and there, but Dad never had towels in the guest bathroom.

She looked at her neck wounds, and frowned. They were tiny. Just a few small scratches against her skin. That couldn’t be right. She remembered the vampire biting into her. Maybe he would leave two small punctures where his fangs bit in, but they were still deep punctures.

Cade’s bite was different. His fangs weren’t for puncturing and drinking. They were for ripping and tearing. She’d felt every agonizing second of it, so she had a pretty good idea how severe the bite was.

Her bruises were still evident, though. Was Cade’s bite healing faster or something?

Ugh! Stupid supernatural crap. Just one more thing for her to try to figure out when Lucian came back.

She laid a soft kiss on Clara’s forehead before she made her way out of the guest room. It was time to burn these clothes and find some towels.

Dad stood next to the front door, staring out the window.

“Looking for someone?” she asked.

He jumped at the sound of her voice. “You’re awake. Thank God!” His big grin made her heart melt and she gave him a tight hug.

“Hey, Dad. It looks like you took good care of me. I already feel a lot better.”

He stepped back to look at her. “I did all I could. I can’t believe what those monsters did to you. Are you okay? When did Lucian find you again?”

She took a breath, a bit overwhelmed by all the questions. “I’m hanging in there. The Lucian development is, um, new.”

“Don’t you worry about him. When he comes back, I’ll be ready.”

Ella winced. Nothing like having your father hate your boyfriend. God, that word seemed much too casual. “This wasn’t Lucian’s fault, Dad. Don’t worry about it.”

“How can you defend him after everything he’s done?”

“Because this is legitimately not his fault. I ran into a vampire on my own and killed him in self-defense. The vampires would’ve tracked me or Charlie down eventually.”

Dad raised a white eyebrow. “You’re saying vampires took you?”

“Pretty much.”

“Why would they kidnap you instead of killing you? Not that I’m complaining.”

Ella took a deep gulp. “Well, that part might be because they saw me with Lucian, but the kidnapping still wasn’t his fault.”

Dad groaned and grabbed his hair with a fist. “Can’t you see his game? He puts your life in danger and saves you, making him looking like the hero when it’s all his fault to begin with.”

“I’m not saying he hasn’t made mistakes. He has and even he admits it. But if you just see him with Clara, you’ll know what I see in him.”

“But this isn’t you wanting him in Clara’s life. You want him in yours.”

Ella’s silence was answer enough.

“It doesn’t matter. I have someone coming and he’s going to fix this.”

Ella’s eyes widened. “What the hell does that mean? Who’s coming?”

“After I got you back the first time, he came to me. He told me to call if I ever saw Lucian again. I called as soon as he dropped off Clara yesterday.”

Ella felt the world tilt. “You called some random guy to do what? This doesn’t even make se—” She trailed off as it suddenly clicked. “You called a vampire.”

Dad scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s not a vampire.”

Ella backed away from the door. “He made you. He came to you and planted the compulsion to call him if Lucian ever showed up again. We need to get Clara out of here.”

Dad slowly followed her. “Just take a breath and relax. He will be here soon to sort this out.”

Suddenly the warm eyes she was so used to were cold. Determined.

Phone. If she called Lucian, he would come to her. Where the hell could she get a phone?

Dad didn’t have a landline here. He’d finally gotten rid of it as he’d become more used to his cell. She could make a run for his room, but there was no guarantee it was there.

Clara was the first priority. Grab her and make it to Dad’s car before any vampires arrived. She took one calming breath before she turned on her heel and ran back toward the guest bedroom.

Dad was surprisingly fast, fingers grabbing her shoulder to hold her back.

She twisted out of his grip and instinctively punched out with a fist but pulled back at the last second.

This was still Dad. His actions were not his own. He was under the influence of some creature who made him think she was Lucian-obsessed and that vampires were the good guys.

Well, she was Lucian-obsessed and some vampires were good, but still. He reached for her again, and she kicked his leg out from under him.

As he toppled to the floor, she scrambled back to the guest room, ramming her shoulder into the door as she slammed it shut.

Clara jumped up at the sound. “Mommy! Did the monsters find us?”

Dad banged on the door, and Ella kept herself propped against it. She didn’t think he could be that strong with his arthritis, but obviously whatever the vampires had done let him work through the pain.

“Something like that. Can you go to Lucian’s? Tell him I need a ride, okay?”

Clara nodded and closed her eyes, but she didn’t go anywhere.

Why wasn’t it working?

The banging suddenly stopped on the door and she set her ear to the wood, trying to hear what was happening. If he was going outside to grab the axe, she wouldn’t be able to keep him out of the room. On the other hand, she might have just enough time to get Clara to his truck.

All assuming Dad wasn’t just waiting to attack when she opened the door. She turned back to the bed, but Clara was gone. It must take her longer to teleport than Lucian. She hadn’t had as much time to perfect it as he had.

Ella leaned her head against the door and let out a sigh of relief. Now that Clara was safe, she could focus on herself. She turned the knob, trying her best not to make a sound. The door cracked open and Ella peeked through the one-inch crack. There was no sign of Dad, but he could easily be on the other side of the door. Just waiting.

She took another breath and stepped one foot out of the room, just waiting for something to jump out at her from behind the open door.

Nothing.

She held her hand up to her beating chest as she tried to formulate her next move. Now that Clara was gone, should she go back to wait for Lucian?

No. There was no guarantee Clara would find him. She had to make sure she had options.

Dad’s keys would be in the kitchen. All she had to do was make it down the main hallway and she would have a chance. Her bare feet moved silently on the hardwood floor. She kept close to the wall, keeping an eye out for any sign of movement.

Her father was far from subtle. What could he be doing?

Not wanting to waste any time, she darted into the kitchen, sliding past the refrigerator to grab the keys from the holder on the wall.

She turned to run for the door and ran straight into Dad.

“Honey, where are you going?”

A small scream sneaked past her lips as she jerked away from him. “Dad. I didn’t know where you went.”

He smiled, eyes vacant and arms limp at his sides. “I was getting our guest. He was so polite, I had to insist he come inside.”

On cue, a vampire walked behind Dad.

Rok.

Lucian kicked his foot out, effectively dislodging the dead vampire from his sword. The other myotis were finishing off their kills all around him.

Once Lucian’s men kicked down the doors to the warehouse, there hadn’t been much of a fight. The vampires were strong, fast, and clearly trained fighters.

But Lucian’s men were better.

There were probably four vampires to every one of Lucian’s men, including Charlie, but it didn’t matter. All of his guys were a little banged up and bruised, but Rok’s men were dead. Except Rok.

Lucian had kicked down every door in the building but hadn’t seen any sight of him, even though his scent saturated the place. He was gone now and probably wasn’t coming back.

The rooms he had seen were the stuff of nightmares. The whole place had essentially been converted into a science lab. There were various rooms constructed, most with one-way mirrors, but some completely closed off, like the one he’d found Ella in.

And plenty contained prisoners. His men freed werewolves, witches, a demon, and a few human-looking creatures with long claws and completely white eyes that seemed to stare into his soul.

Whoever they were, he was happy he wasn’t on their bad side.

Even Charlie held up his own. Lucian provided him with a silver dagger and a gun that shot silver bullets. The human took down at least two vamps that Lucian saw. Maybe more when he wasn’t looking.

Though Dean had watched Charlie’s back and gotten him out of a few close calls. Micah and Ash had each done respectably, racking up a decent body count.

But Cade had killed more than any of them. Even in his weakened and starved state, even in his human form, head after head piled up at his feet.

Except Lucian had no idea where Cade was now. Each of the containment rooms were set up like little islands in the warehouse, with pathways leading along all four walls and a good thirty feet of open air over each cell before there was ceiling. As though a guard could stand watch on a raised platform and take out anything that tried to escape.

He made his way through the dark passages. When they’d first arrived, they’d been lit well enough, but some of the bulbs must’ve broken during the fight.

A human probably wouldn’t have been able to see anything, and even with his enhanced vision, it was hard to make out the doorways in the containment rooms.

He checked cell after cell, repeating the same process he’d gone through when looking for Rok. “Cade!” he yelled.

Could something have happened to him? He’d seemed as though he was fighting so well, but that kind of anger and focus could be the recipe for some resourceful vampire sneaking up behind him and finishing what the vampires had started three years ago.

He stood still as he listened for a response from Cade. After he didn’t hear anything, he started to move on when someone moaned in the room to his left.

Hadn’t they already freed all the prisoners?

He strode through the open cell door and peered into the darkness. The first thing to hit him was the smell. Blood. So much of it.

He frowned. His men definitely wouldn’t have missed a cell filled with this much fresh blood.

Then he saw Cade. Leaning back against a wall, staring right at Lucian, blade resting at his side and still dripping blood. Next to him, tied to a hook in the ceiling, was one of the rebel vampires. What was left of the still living vampire.

Cade had managed to cut off every tattoo visible on his face and stomach. Probably would’ve kept going if Lucian hadn’t interrupted. The vampire was gagged with a towel held in place with a sturdy silver chain.

“What the hell is this?” Lucian made sure his voice had no accusatory tone, but it was hard not to be freaked out.

Lucian had seen plenty of torture in his time and this was far from the worst. But he’d never imagined Cade doing the torturing, let alone enjoying every second.

“What does it look like? I just scalped a guy.”

Lucian glared at the skeletal-looking face in front of him. Only a few patches of skin hung on. “I’d say that’s a bit more than scalping.”

Cade pushed away from the wall. “I had every reason to do this.”

“Do you feel better?”

“Fuck yes. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be enjoying myself even more.”

Lucian wanted to pull Cade away but knew it wouldn’t help anything. Cade would still be a completely different person. Well, the vampire would be helped, but Lucian couldn’t care less about him. “Was this one of the vampires who hurt you?”

“Yes. Does that soothe your conscience?”

Lucian ignored the question. “Why don’t you take the gag out so we can at least get some answers.”

Cade reached out and ripped the silver chain and gag from the bloody vampire’s face. He screamed as the silver cut into his already raw neck and fell to the floor.

“’lease,” he moaned, the p silent because he no longer had lips.

Lucian had to look away. Revenge was one thing, but this was straight from a horror movie. He wanted to just put the vampire out of his misery but knew he had to protect his own. That meant finding Rok and killing him before he ever had a chance to find Ella or Clara.

“Your leader. Rok. Where is he? Why wasn’t he here?”

“Looking ’or girl.”

That would be easy enough. All he would have to do was scope out Pikesville and hopefully he could track down Rok by the end of the night. “Do you know where he was looking?”

“Her ’ather called.”

Lucian’s blood ran cold. Why would Murray call Rok?

Fuck. Why wouldn’t he call him? Rok hated Lucian and so did Murray. Two enemies of Lucian would make them best fucking friends. Even if he didn’t already have reason enough to side with the vampire, there was always mind control.

Either way, he had to get back to Ella. With the flick of a wrist, Lucian sent his blade straight through the vampire’s heart, gritting his teeth as the vampire’s eyes went blank.

Instead of his normal satisfaction at a kill, all he felt was pity. Not a feeling he enjoyed.

None of his men could teleport to the doctor’s cabin because Lucian was the only one who’d been there before, and Lucian could only take one of his soldiers. He grabbed Cade’s arm and transported them both.

Her heart sank at the sight. “How?” she breathed.

Rok cocked his head at her distress. A sadistic smile twisted his mouth. “When did you break loose? Better question. How did you get loose? I had my dog trapped in there for years without him coming close to escaping.”

Ella refused to answer, backing away from him until her thighs ran into the counter. Not looking away from the new threat, she blindly reached behind her until she felt the knives from the chopping block and tore one free.

He raised an eyebrow at her weapon. “You gonna slice and dice me? That pathetic thing isn’t going to help you.”

Ella studied the blade for a moment. “I can cut off your head with it.”

“No. You can try to cut off my head. Those are two very different things.”

Ella stood up straight, not caring whether she looked like crap and was nowhere near as strong as this vampire asshole. “No backup? You really aren’t afraid of me.”

He scoffed at that. “That’s the thing. I was expecting you to be safe and sound back in your little prison. All I came here to do was interrogate your daddy. I told him to call me if Lucian showed up, and three years later, I get the call. Fucking serendipitous.”

Ella rolled her eyes and gripped the knife tighter. “It’s not serendipitous if you’re the one who caused it.”

Her father stood behind Rok, same vacant expression on his face. No comprehension of what he’d been forced to do.

“You’re giving me English lessons now? It’s a messed-up language, lady. I can only learn so much. I want different lessons from you now. What are you?”

Ella opened her mouth to tell him where he could shove it when her heart froze in her chest.

“Mommy? I couldn’t find Lucian.”

No. She charged forward, refusing to let Rok get anywhere near her daughter. She threw herself at him, aiming the knife for his neck, but she never stood a chance.

One beefy arm swung out, whacking her in the face and sending her flying across the kitchen and into the cabinets. Her head slammed into the wood. The force sent splinters spraying across the room as she fell limply onto the floor, her world dissolving into blackness.

Clara screamed and Ella tried to push herself up. Nothing. Her arms refused to move, and her legs didn’t even twitch. There wasn’t even any pain. Just the dark.

“Who are you, little girl?”

Ella tried to scream at the sound of Rok’s voice, but her mouth didn’t budge.

Suddenly her neck wrenched back and pain reverberated through her body. She reached her arms back, frantically trying to stop whatever was jerking her around, but her hands only found air.

She was moving! Everything hurt like crazy, but she could move! Even opening her eyes sent a fresh wave of agony through her, but she pushed past it, scrambling to stand.

Ella’s legs shook as she tried to steady herself, but she refused to let herself fall. She scanned the room, frantically looking for Clara, but didn’t see either of them.

She made her way to the hallway, tripping over every step and propping herself up against the counters and refrigerator as she moved as fast as her body would let her.

She pulled two random knives from the block as she stumbled by, one big chopping blade and a smaller dinner knife. She gripped them both in her left hand, not wasting any time to hide them. Every step, every tightened muscle sent shockwaves of pain through her spine and head. No time. She had to get her daughter.

When she turned the corner, her heart sunk in her chest. The son of a bitch had Clara by the throat and up against the wall.

Clara’s eyes were wide with terror; her tiny hands clawed at the vampire’s hand. Ella’s vision went red. There was no pain, no fear. Just rage.

She transferred the small knife to her good hand, all of her throwing skills learned from Charlie sweeping through her.

The blade flew through the air, firmly imbedding in the vampire’s neck.

It wouldn’t kill him, but it would damn well get his attention.

Blood squirted from the wound, hitting Clara on the top of her head and splattering on the wall.

Rok dropped Clara and turned to Ella with his black, soulless eyes filled with rage.

Ella’s heart felt as though it were about to beat out of her chest, but she refused to let her fear show. “Clara, go.” She tried to keep her voice even, but it caught on the last word.

She’d already thought she said good-bye to her daughter. Now that she’d just got her back, she wasn’t saying good-bye again. Not without a hell of a fight.

Rok held a hand to his neck to stop the blood that flowed. “There is nowhere to run.”

“Who said anything about running?”

Rok turned back to where he’d just dropped Clara, but she wasn’t there anymore. Ella had no idea where her daughter teleported to, but as long as she was away from this monster, Ella could breathe easier.

Rok growled and bared his fangs. “So how did Lucian do it? How did he find someone to whelp his young?”

“For one, he used more romantic words than ‘whelp.’”

He removed his fingers from the neck wound, blood still seeping free, and clenched both hands in fists at his side. “I thought you liked my dirty talk.”

Ella moved the chopping knife in front of her. “Wait until you hear mine. You’ll just die with pleasure.”

Rok charged her. His body became one big blur as he raced through the short distance. Knowing she couldn’t run at anywhere near his speed, Ella ducked, holding the blunt side of the knife against her shoulder as she dove to the side.

Just as she hoped, his own momentum worked against him, and the blade dug deep into his shoulder.

He screamed in anger and pain as she scrambled to the other side of the hall.

Once again, they stared at each other, but Ella knew she didn’t have many more chances to escape. There were only so many times she could duck his attacks. She needed to get some sort of sword or silver if she really wanted to stand a chance.

Blood ran down his chest from his latest injury, his neck still gleaming with fresh blood.

Ella’s brow knotted together and then a big grin spread across her face. Dad might just be human, but he was no fool.

His kitchen knives were silver.

Rok ran at her once more and she braced herself, aiming the blade straight for his heart. But Rok was smarter than the vampire in the deli and grabbed her knife with one hand; the other punched her in the gut.

She grunted as the blow seemed to reverberate through all her limbs, sending her sprawling on the floor.

Her eyes only saw the hardwood below her, but she felt Rok’s smugness above her. Gloating over his victory.

Every time she started to feel better, he managed to break her in some new way. How had Cade endured this for three years? Judging from the state he was in, the answer was “not well.”

She had no doubt Rok would kill her now. He wanted to know why she was special and now he knew about Clara.

He had new game to hunt. The thought of Clara having to be on the run broke her heart, but at least she had Lucian to look after her now. He would keep her safe, just as he had tonight.

Something poked into her side, and Ella shifted, trying to avoid at least some pain before she was killed.

Rok grabbed her shoulder and flipped her over, straddling her just like he had three years ago. “You were right,” he hissed. “I did enjoy that. Foreplay’s over now, babe.”

He shot forward, sinking his fangs into her neck, and moaned in pleasure.

Right when he relaxed and started to take long draws from her neck, she twisted, giving herself just enough room between his chest and hers to slam the smaller steak knife through his heart.

He went still, withdrawing from her neck to stare down at her in confusion.

“Word of advice. Next time you pull a knife out of your neck, don’t just throw it on the ground all willy-nilly. It’s rude.”

Rok’s body went limp above her, and she twisted under his weight. It was harder than she thought to get two hundred fifty pounds of dead vampire muscle off her.

She let her head fall back and laughed. Of all the problems to have, this was one of the best.

She turned her head at the sound of shuffling feet.

“Ella! Oh my goodness, are you okay?” Dad knelt next to her as he helped to roll Rok over.

“I’ll live,” she muttered. “How about you? Still feel like you want to serve me up to the vampires?”

He sat down next to her and leaned against the wall. “I don’t even know what I was thinking. I mean, I wasn’t thinking at all. Everything he said just seemed to make so much sense. He could’ve ordered me to drink bleach and I would’ve thought he was the smartest being I’d ever met.

“How can something have that kind of power over us?”

Ella belatedly remembered she was bleeding and held up a hand to her neck. How did someone forget about that? “I’ve been bitten by vampires too many times. They get less painful the more you do it,” she muttered

Her father scanned her face, brows drawn together. “Let me see your neck.”

She moved her hand.

Dad frowned. “It’s not bleeding.”

Ella stared down at her hand in horror. Just like he said, there was no wet blood on her hand. “What do you mean it’s not bleeding? How is it not bleeding?”

The sound of wood being split into pieces had both her and Dad looking to the front of the hallway. Loud footsteps pounded in the entryway right before Lucian bounded into sight.

“Ella!” His shout died out as he looked down and saw her, Dad, and the dead Rok.

He fell to his knees at Ella’s side, cupping her face and examining her injuries.

Cade walked in stoically behind him, eyeing the scene.

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve been here.”

Dad shook his head. “No, this is my fault. She is my daughter and I should’ve been able to resist if her safety was at stake.”

Ella rolled her eyes. “Crazy idea. Maybe it’s the dead guy’s fault.”

Cade kicked Rok over, getting a good look at his face. “I’m impressed.”

“Not to brag or anything, but it is my second vampire kill in a week.”

“Then I’m twice as impressed.” It sounded like the old Cade, but not a hint of a smile covered his face. Maybe once his beard was gone and he got some muscle back, he’d be better.

Lucian’s eyes raked over her once more. “You don’t look injured.”

“Well, I can take care of myself.”

“No. I mean you look perfect. Your neck...your arm.”

Ella held her hands up, examining her wrists. Sure enough, the purple bruising in her wrist was gone and there was no sign of swelling. “What the—?”

Lucian whipped around to face Dad. “What did you do?”

“It’s not his fault. The vampire made him do it. He had no control over himself.”

Lucian shook his head. “You didn’t heal this fast three years ago. Something changed.”

Dad stood up straighter. “How dare you accuse me! This is all your fault.”

Lucian’s narrowed gaze told Dad exactly what he thought of this blame game. “How could I have done this?”

“It’s your people who wanted me to do these experiments in the first place. You know she had some of your vile DNA to begin with.”

“But she’s different. Something changed her.”

Ella couldn’t stand their arguing, literally, over her. She pushed herself up and stood between the two men in her life. “Lucian, I think, changed me.”

His brow furrowed as he looked at her.

She continued, “It was probably Clara...the pregnancy. Did you know about this, Dad?”

“I suspected. But it didn’t matter. I promised I would never look at you as a test subject again, and it makes no difference to me if you are super or sub-human. You’re my daughter and I was just happy you and Clara made it out alive.” He took a pensive breath. “For all I know, it was Lucian coming back into your life that worked as a catalyst.”

“So what else is different?” asked Lucian. “Are you immortal? Can you teleport? Are you going to start changing forms?”

.

“Are you sure you want to see this?” asked Lucian.

Ella took a nervous gulp. To be honest, she wasn’t sure at all, but it was too late now. She was here and would face her fears head on. “Yeah.”

He interlaced his fingers with hers and they stepped into the building. Sunlight streamed through broken windows, shining on the glass and debris that littered the floor.

Rust-colored patches colored the floor and Ella averted her gaze. “It looks so different.”

“By the time we’re done, there won’t be anything left.”

“Are you going to burn it down?” Ella carefully stepped over a pile of broken brick and rubble; Lucian rushed to her side to make sure she didn’t fall.

“Fire will draw too much attention. By next Friday, we’ll have the inside completely gutted. No trace that anyone was ever here.”

Ella approached the first of the cells, laying a hand on the cold concrete. “Cade was just a lab rat to them. Poking and prodding him...developing chemical weapons. Who knows how much they’ve discovered.”

Lucian set a comforting arm around her waist, pulling her from the cell. “We stopped it, though. The best computer technicians in the world are combing through the hard drives we recovered even as we speak, looking for anything we can use. This was an important victory.”

Cade’s gaunt face popped up in Ella’s mind. “It doesn’t feel like a win.”

Lucian tipped Ella’s face back and stared deeply into her eyes. “I got you back safe and sound. My best friend is alive. And I found out I’m in love with an indestructible woman and have a multi-talented daughter. I might be the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Ella smiled up at him. His words pushed away all the doom and gloom from her mind. “When you put it that way...” She leaned forward, laying a gentle kiss on his lips.

Check out all of Mallory Crowe's Books!

Billionaires In The City Series

Teaching The Boss

Teasing The Boss

Tempting The Boss

Devereaux Billionaires Series

Touching Jace

Trusting Michael

Testing Luke

Taming Rourke

Fractured Farrells; A Damaged Billionaire Series

Ruthless

Reckless

Remorseless

Restless

Relentless

Bad Boys of the Underworld (A Paranormal series)

Finding Fire

Daring Fire

Binding Fire

Ruling Fire

Stealing Fire

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Epilogue

Check Out All Of Mallory Crowe's Books!