Eat Prey Love

Chapter Six

In the parking lot at Romatech Industries, Caitlyn climbed out of her rental car and winced when she saw how far her skirt had ridden up during the drive from Manhattan. She tugged the hem down to its proper length just above the knees, then buttoned her jacket. She checked the interior of her leather portfolio again to make sure her résumé and referrals were inside.

She’d decided a few hours ago to take the job at MacKay Security & Investigation. An interview with her father had helped her make up her mind. Sean had asked her to meet him at the Federal Building, and there in his office, he’d revealed the shocking news. Vampires were real, and by joining his Stake-Out team, she could help him wipe the hideous bloodsuckers off the planet.

At first she pretended to be shocked, but there’d been no need to feign a reaction. Her dad seemed to forget she was in the room. He paced about, waving his arms wildly, shouting and cursing. In the end her shock had been real. Sean was so consumed with hatred for vampires, she feared he was no longer rational. He clearly wanted them dead. All of them.

Her chest had tightened with a terrible fear that somehow he would convince himself that Shanna’s beautiful children were spawned by the devil and therefore needed to be destroyed. After ten minutes of listening to her father’s virulent rant, she stood up and announced her regret that she couldn’t accept his job offer.

“What?” he shouted. “You can’t refuse. You have a moral obligation to help me fight these monsters.”

“I—I can’t. I’m sorry.”

He muttered another curse as he paced across the room. “I don’t blame you if you’re scared. Those damned parasites are scary.”

So are you. “I’m sorry, Dad.” She’d left in a hurry and taken a taxi to Central Park. She’d walked down the paths, barely noticing the bright patches of daffodils as she wrestled with all the recent twists and turns in her life. She’d grown up trusting her father and believing Shanna had abandoned her. Now everything was upside down. Vampires. Shape shifters. Malcontents. A father obsessed with killing them all.

And in the midst of all the confusion, the innocent faces of Constantine and Sofia invaded her mind and filled her heart with warmth. She remembered the tearful joy of being reunited with her sister. She recalled the feel of Carlos’s arms around her, the touch of his lips against hers. And she remembered the way Coco and Raquel had needed her. She had felt such a strong sense of purpose and completion, as if she’d been given a sacred mission to protect them.

Her dad promised a life motivated by hate, while her sister’s world offered a life filled with love. In the end the decision was easy.

Caitlyn had driven to Romatech, ready to accept the job with MacKay Security & Investigation. She wore her most expensive suit and high heels. She’d twisted her long hair into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. Instead of her red silk embroidered bag from Singapore, she brought a black leather handbag.

As much as she wanted this job, she was still wary about entering the world of vampires. Just in case it was dangerous to display a bare neck in their presence, she’d knotted a silk scarf around her throat.

As she strode toward the entrance, her heart began to pound. Was Carlos inside? Had he thought about her at all?

The door opened and Emma MacKay greeted her. “Come in.”

“Thank you.” Caitlyn stepped into the foyer, her stiletto heels clicking on the marble floor. Maybe she’d overdressed. Her new boss was dressed simply in jeans and a green sweater. Hard to believe she was a vampire. Emma looked and acted so normal.

Emma locked the door and pressed some buttons on a security panel. “We have to be careful at night because that’s when the Malcontents might attack.”

“Shanna told me a little about them,” Caitlyn said. “They hate the synthetic blood that’s manufactured here.”

“Yes. They adhere to an archaic belief that vampires are superior and have the right to use and abuse mortals however they like. The truth is they were a bunch of thugs when they were alive and becoming Undead has only made them worse. They’re a bunch of vicious killers, and we’re doing our best to defeat them.”

Caitlyn suppressed a shudder. Shanna had made the job sound like an exciting adventure—traveling around the world, making it a safer place for mortals—but now she wondered just how dangerous this job could be. “What kind of powers do the Malcontents have?”

“Levitation, teleportation, mind control, super-speed, and enhanced senses,” Emma explained as she led Caitlyn down a hallway on the left. “But don’t worry. We have some excellent Vamp warriors on our side with the same powers. And we have employees with all kinds of talents and abilities. Shape shifters, mortals—in fact, we recently hired a mortal who can detect lies. Robby’s wife, Olivia MacKay. You may have met her.”

“I did. When I moved into the townhouse this morning, I met Olivia and Lara.”

Emma smiled. “Aren’t they lovely?”

“Yes.” Caitlyn had taken an instant liking to them both. She realized that Olivia had been the woman in the gazebo the night before. Of course she didn’t meet the man who had made Olivia squeal. He was dead during the day.

“I’m a bit concerned that I don’t have the right credentials for this job,” Caitlyn admitted. “Lara told me she used to be a police officer. And Olivia worked for the FBI.”

Emma stopped her with a touch on the shoulder. “They have their own talents, but yours is truly unique. You can learn a new language in a few hours, right?”

Caitlyn nodded. “And I can understand any language that’s spoken.”

Emma’s eyes widened. “That’s amazing. Good heavens, we could have used you a month ago. We were hunting for Casimir in Bulgaria, and none of us knew the language.”

“Who is Casimir?”

“The leader of the Malcontents.” Emma gestured to the right. “This is the nursery for Shanna’s children, and next door is her dental office. They should be arriving soon.”

The top half of the nursery door was open. Caitlyn peered inside and saw shelves full of toys, books, and stuffed animals. A rocking chair sat in the corner. The carpet was printed to look like a town with streets and buildings.

She smiled to herself. Her sister might have given birth to half-vampire children, but she was managing to give them a fairly normal childhood.

Emma sighed. “I have to be honest with you. We have no plans to ever put you in a dangerous situation, but we’re dealing with a dangerous enemy so it could still happen. Every MacKay employee undergoes some self-defense training just to be safe. Are you all right with that?”

Caitlyn swallowed hard. There was no avoiding the potential danger. Even if she had joined her father’s Stake-Out team, she would have needed to be prepared for a possible confrontation with a Malcontent. At least by working for MacKay S & I, she’d be surrounded by Vamps who possessed the same powers as the Malcontents. And she’d be able to see her sister, niece, and nephew. “I understand the danger.”

Emma nodded. “We’ll do our best to keep you safe.” She snorted. “Shanna would probably stake me in my sleep if I let anything happen to you.”

A door opened down the hall, and a big man in a kilt stepped out. Caitlyn recognized him as the redheaded man who’d played basketball the night before.

“Angus.” Emma strode toward him, smiling. “This is Caitlyn Whelan.”

He extended a hand. “Pleased to meet you, lass.”

Caitlyn shook hands with him. “Thank you.”

Angus wrapped an arm around Emma. “Have ye convinced Miss Whelan to work for us yet?”

When Emma hesitated, Caitlyn spoke up. “Yes, she has. I would be delighted to work for you.”

Emma’s face lit up with a big grin. “That’s super!” She hugged Caitlyn. “Thank you, dear.”

Angus chuckled. “Excellent.”

“Yo, dudette.” A tall male filled the doorway, grinning at Caitlyn. He was dressed in khaki pants and a navy polo shirt. “Welcome to the hood. I’m Phineas McKinney, aka Dr. Phang.”

Caitlyn remembered him from the basketball game, too. “You’re a vampire doctor?”

“I’m the Love Doctor.” He winked. “Available every night for consultation regarding your romantic queries.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed all the happily married couples around here.” Phineas flipped up the collar on his polo shirt. “Is it a coincidence that all this conjugal bliss abounds while the Love Doctor’s in the house? I think not.”

Angus snorted. “Doona let his jesting fool you, Miss Whelan. Phineas is a fierce warrior on the battlefield, and the enemy has learned to fear him.”

“Oh yeah, I’m bad.” Phineas moonwalked back. “Bad to the bone, baby.” He spun in a circle, then went up on his toes. “Ow!”

“And if he can behave in a professional manner”—Angus gave him a pointed look—“I’ll be promoting him to head of security here at Romatech.”

Phineas halted in the middle of his dance routine, his eyes widening with shock. “No shit? I mean, really, sir?”

Angus’s mouth twitched. “Really. Ye’ll be in charge here. Connor will still be around, but his main focus is keeping Roman and his family safe.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.” Phineas saluted.

Angus turned to Caitlyn. “Ye’ll have to undergo some self-defense training. Carlos has been assigned as yer trainer until he leaves on his trip.”

Caitlyn took a deep breath. Where was Carlos going? Was it the trip he had argued about last night before getting slapped and punched? He’d mentioned something about needing a mate, but she didn’t want to dwell on that. The important thing now was that he was going to train her. That meant time alone together.

“Let me get the forms for you to fill out.” Emma slipped into the office, and Angus followed her.

Caitlyn stepped inside and was instantly intrigued by the wall of surveillance monitors. She spotted the main foyer and hallways in Romatech and recognized the cafeteria. She saw the front parking lot and the basketball court. The gazebo and gardens.

She gulped with a sudden thought. If anyone had been in this office last night, they would have seen her and Carlos kissing. She struggled to remember. When she’d returned to the cafeteria, Howard had been there, eating cake. Maybe the kiss was still secret. The hottest, most glorious kiss of her life.

She turned away from the monitors and noticed that the back of the office was caged off. What a huge arsenal of guns, rifles, and swords! Her skin prickled with alarm.

The most violent act she’d ever perpetrated in her twenty-six years was the smashing of cockroaches with her rain boots. And that had been a traumatic experience, considering the gargantuan size of roaches in Southeast Asia. She might be a complete wimp when it came to a big, vicious vampire with fangs.

Think of this as an adventure, she reminded herself. She’d always hated violence, but she loved adventure. And she wasn’t one to give up easily. She’d been brave enough to live in strange, exotic places. Strong enough to survive even though she’d always felt alone.

She wasn’t alone now. She would have Shanna and these new friends. As she mentally calmed herself, she became aware of a prickling sensation on the back of her neck, as if she was being watched. She turned slowly. Phineas was lounging in a chair in front of the desk. He gave her a friendly smile.

She smiled back. It wasn’t him. This was something hot and…dangerous, like she was being targeted as prey. Angus and Emma were standing in front of the desk, their backs to her as they rummaged through papers.

She stiffened. Seated behind the desk, barely visible in a narrow gap between Angus and Emma, was Carlos. He was staring at her with those intense eyes that glowed like amber. Every nerve fiber inside her sizzled.

She lifted her eyebrows. Was he just going to sit there and refuse to talk to her? “How do you do?”

His jaw ticked.

Angus turned toward her. “Miss Whelan, I believe ye met Carlos last night.”

She opened her mouth to say yes, but was taken aback by the twinkling amusement in Angus’s eyes. Did he know about the kiss?

“We met.” Carlos stood slowly. “Briefly.”

“I saw him playing basketball,” Caitlyn murmured.

“Oh yeah, man.” Phineas leaned back in his chair. “Carlos was the star player on the Claws team. He leaves those wolfie boys in the shade.”

“Aye.” Angus gave Carlos a pointed look. “I believe ye scored big last night.” He glanced at Caitlyn, then back at Carlos. “’Twill no’ interfere with yer duties, will it?”

Carlos’s tanned face took on a reddish hue. “No, sir.”

Caitlyn felt her own cheeks warm with a blush. Angus knows.

“We’ve added more security measures at the townhouse,” Angus continued. “Phineas and Carlos, I’d like for ye to move back there. We doona need one of our guards here if all the Vamps do their death-sleeping at the townhouse. Since Miss Whelan is living there, ’twill make it more convenient for you, Carlos. Ye can train her during the day while ye’re guarding the Vamps.”

Carlos nodded. “I’ll pack my things.” He skirted the desk and strode from the office.

Emma gathered up a stack of papers. “Come with me, Caitlyn. You can fill these out in the conference room.”

Caitlyn followed her into the hallway. As Emma entered a room across the hall, Caitlyn paused to watch Carlos. He had almost reached the foyer. He was dressed like Phineas, with a navy polo shirt and khaki pants, but the ordinary clothes couldn’t hide the extraordinary way he moved. Stealthy and controlled, masculine yet graceful. She could imagine him as a cat stalking prey in the jungle.

He turned into the foyer, glanced back, and stopped. For a sizzling moment their eyes met. Then his heated gaze meandered down her body and lingered on her bare legs, before heading back to her face. Her knees grew weak. How much beast lurked beneath his handsome human exterior? Would he purr if she tickled him behind the ears?

“Caitlyn?” Emma called to her.

“Yes.” Reluctantly, she turned away from Carlos’s hot amber gaze. She entered the conference room, then took a seat in the chair that Emma indicated. With great effort, she attempted to shove all thoughts of Carlos away so she could concentrate on business.

“We have some forms for you to fill out.” Emma placed the papers on the table in front of her. “And you can choose which kind of insurance plan you want.”

“Thank you.” Caitlyn retrieved a pen from her portfolio, along with her résumé and referrals.

“I’ll issue a sidearm to you while you work. Be right back.” Emma strode from the room.

A sidearm? Caitlyn swallowed hard. Her father had always owned guns, and he’d taught her and her brother about gun safety. Over the years, he’d taken Dylan often to a shooting range. He’d only taken her once. No doubt the humiliation had been too much to bear.

She groaned inwardly. Should she admit to Emma how much guns scared her? Or how she couldn’t hit the side of a barn?

She shook the doubts away. Her disastrous trip to the shooting range had been ten years ago. She would do better now. She had to. Her life might depend on it.

Her dad’s stash of weapons made more sense now that she knew he’d always been employed by the CIA. As a young girl, she’d grown up believing he worked for the State Department in a peaceful office setting. He’d lied about that. Now she was left wondering what other lies he’d told. Why hadn’t Shanna received any of her letters?

She pushed aside her suspicions and started filling out the forms. After a few minutes, Emma entered the room and set a small box on the table.

“This is plastic short-range training ammunition.” She opened the box so Caitlyn could see the contents. “I’ve issued you a nine millimeter automatic. Carlos is busy packing, so I asked Phineas to take you to our indoor firing range down in the basement.”

“Okay.” Caitlyn cast a wary look at the ammunition. Even though the bullets were plastic, they still looked pointed and deadly.

Emma perched on the end of the table. “Carlos is in a hurry to go on his trip, so if you don’t mind, he’ll start your self-defense training tomorrow.”

Caitlyn’s heart pounded in anticipation. “Okay.”

Emma watched her closely. “Remember how I said vampires have enhanced senses? I can actually hear your heartbeat. It just sped up.”

Caitlyn’s face grew warm. “I’m…excited about this new job.”

“Angus told me what he saw on a monitor last night.”

Caitlyn winced. “It was nothing. Really.” Just the hottest kiss she’d ever experienced.

“Well, perhaps Angus exaggerated.” Emma smiled. “He can be such a hopeless romantic. He said you and Carlos shared a kiss that was so hot, he feared you would set the garden on fire.”

It was that obvious? Caitlyn’s cheeks blazed with heat. “I…it just happened. I don’t usually kiss strangers.”

“I’m not judging you.” Emma touched her arm. “I’m just concerned for you.”

Caitlyn let loose a deep sigh, and her shoulders drooped. “Shanna told me not to get involved with him.”

Emma’s gaze was full of sympathy. “That may be for the best. He’s leaving soon on an expedition to hunt for more of his own kind.”

“Were-panthers?”

“Yes. They’re an endangered species,” Emma explained. “As far as we know, he and his five adopted children are the only were-panthers left.”

Caitlyn’s heart sank. Now she knew why Carlos was rejecting her. He needed a were-panther mate.

Emma gave her a curious look. “But it does seem odd that he would kiss you when he’s planning to leave.”

Caitlyn shrugged. “It was…just one of those things. I won’t have any trouble working with him.”

“You don’t want to kiss him again?”

Caitlyn opened her mouth to agree, but her throat constricted and she couldn’t force the words out. Good God, she was dying to kiss him again.

“Oh, dear.” Emma sat back. “Perhaps we should have Lara or Olivia train you.”

“I want Carlos,” she blurted out, then winced. “I mean in a professional type of relationship. Strictly business.”

Emma snorted. “I know a Freudian slip when I hear one.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “Interesting.”

“He is.”

“I meant the situation.” Emma gave her a worried look. “You need to think about this.”

Caitlyn sighed. She knew that, but whenever Carlos was around, her thinking process went haywire.

Emma stood and gathered up the papers. “We’re done here. Phineas will take you down to the firing range.”