Embrace the Night

3

How had she ended up in this place? A few hours ago, she’d been at work in her pristine lab. An hour ago, she’d been a murder suspect. Now she was a victim in the making with a terrorist who wanted to do to her what he’d done to Damien. It just couldn’t be real. She was dreaming. Having a nightmare. Having a psychotic break. Her research had final y driven her around the bend. Chloe stared blankly at her surroundings for a moment before anything even registered.

The safe house was smal and dark, with a faint dankness in the air that said the Pacific Northwestern damp had set in and begun to rot the wood somewhere in the building. It was nothing like her beautiful, airy home.

She swal owed, already hating the gloom of this place. She wanted to go around and turn every lamp on.

Instead, she glanced at the men who dominated the living room. Peyton’s nostrils flared, the closest thing to emotion to cross his face in the hour since she’d met him. He didn’t smile; he didn’t talk much; he just looked over and summed her up in a cool y competent way that made her real y, real y glad they were on the same side.

What Peyton lacked in gregariousness, Luca Caval i more than made up for. He had the gift of gab and had kept up a light stream of conversation she could tel was meant to put her at ease. It didn’t work because she could also tel that, in his own way, he had summed her up and reacted accordingly as quickly as his werewolf agent had. She was being handled. She wasn’t sure which method she liked less, but at the same time, she didn’t feel threatened by either man.

Perhaps because Merek had given her that one tiny nod to let her know these people were tel ing her the truth, that she could trust them to look out for her.

At the same time, she knew she’d feel a lot safer if the detective were with her instead of the agents. She frowned, shook her head to clear it. She didn’t know Merek Kingston any better than she knew these men.

Sex was not the same thing as knowing someone. She’d had a lot of sex with Damien, and look where that had ended up.

The thought made something huge and horrible expand inside her chest. She couldn’t breathe; she wanted to curl up and cry. Damien was dead, Ivan was gone, and her life was over. Her world had been shaken up and tossed out again like dice in a cup. She had no idea what was beyond the next rol .

“This is just temporary, until we get you transferred somewhere else.” Luca’s gaze met hers, and she guessed she was supposed to feel reassured. She would have if it had been Merek. She pushed that notion away. “Somewhere outside Seattle, but we wil keep you safe.”

Butterflies took wing in her bel y, fluttering madly. She hoped that meant another big city. She didn’t want to leave the people and the comforting brightness and energy that swirled around her when she was in a booming metropolis. She dragged in a breath. There was no need to worry about that now. They might ship her to New York or Atlanta or somewhere else just as frenetic.

“I understand. Thank you.” She gave Luca the best smile she could manage. She understood they’d try to keep her safe, but whoever Leonard Smith was, she knew he’d already managed to break into a Conclave-owned apartment building and kil two ful -grown vampires. That didn’t say much for her chances, but she didn’t voice that opinion aloud. Tempting fate just seemed like a bad idea at this point.

She stepped through the doorway from the smal living room to the even smal er kitchen. Maybe looking around would make this al seem more real. At the moment, she felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. She was stil moving around as if everything were normal, but her mind was floating about a foot above her body, looking down on some dream she wasn’t quite attached to.

The tile was cracked on the floor, and the faucet dripped steadily into a big, old-fashioned enamel sink. A door on the wal adjacent to the entry she stood in led to what must be a backyard. It was half glass, and it wasn’t until that moment that she noticed every window had the blinds closed so no one could see in. The place was ugly and worn down, but if it was safe, then she didn’t care. She pul ed in a calming breath.

“Before I leave town there are some things I’m going to need.”

Peyton spoke for the first time, his voice richer and mel ower than she’d have expected. “It’s best if you detach yourself from everything here.”

“Trust me, you want my aunt to know I’m going into protective custody, or she wil tear this city and then the rest of the world apart looking for me.” Again, she didn’t need to mention who her aunt was. Mil ie Standish was a byword in the Magickal community, and not just in Seattle. “Also, I need my familiar with me. I won’t leave her behind.”

Neither man looked happy, but both of them nodded their agreement. Luca slid his hands into his pockets, his lips twitching ever so slightly. “I suppose I have the dubious honor of letting Mildred Standish know her niece’s life is in danger. Wonderful.”

“One of the perks of being the boss, boss.” What could almost be cal ed a smile crinkled the corners of Peyton’s blue eyes. “We can send someone to gather your things for you, Dr. Standish. Make us a list.”

“One more thing, and this one neither of you can do for me.” Chloe twisted the strap of her purse between her fingers. “I need to cal my godson and let him know what’s going on. Unless . . . he’s already in protective custody, too?”

“That would be Alex Nemov, correct?” Luca’s shoulders rol ed beneath his expensive shirt.

Peyton’s gaze sharpened, cutting from her to Luca and back again. Something she couldn’t quite decipher moved behind his eyes, but it was gone so fast she thought she might have imagined it. “Ivan Nemov’s son. Werewolf.”

“Yes, and now that his dad is missing, he’s my responsibility.” Being a godparent was a sacred vow in the Magickal world, reinforced by spel s that bound a person to care for the child in his or her parents’ absence.

Or death. She locked her gaze with Luca, letting him know that this was nonnegotiable. She would never break her vow. “Alex needs to know what’s going on. Maybe he knows where his dad went.”

The big vampire sighed. “We’ve thought of that, and we’re handling it.”

She firmed her lips. “Wel , it doesn’t matter what you’re handling. His sole remaining parent is off the grid, and that makes him my responsibility. If you haven’t picked him up yet, then I need to. He interns with me at Desmodus after school. He’l know something is wrong when both his father and I aren’t at work.”

Luca looked her over as if deciding how much he was wil ing to tel her. “He didn’t go to his internship today. In fact, when we tried to pick him up from school, he wasn’t there.”

Her heart stopped, literal y skipped two whole beats as terror she’d never wanted to feel punched through her.

Oh, gods.

“Alex doesn’t shirk his duties, which means he’s missing, too.” Cold dread gripped her bel y, and she clutched her purse closer, fumbling for her cel phone.

“We can’t know yet that anything has happened to Alex. We have agents stil looking for him.” The vampire gentled his voice, handling her again. This time she found it infuriating.

“Real y?” She arched an incredulous eyebrow. “You know him wel enough to know where to look?”

Irritation crossed Luca’s too-handsome face, and she thought she saw a flash of fang when he answered her. “We spoke to his teachers, his friends—we found out his favorite hangouts. We have people waiting at those locations in case he shows up. We have other people out looking.”

She snorted, sat down at the kitchen table, and continued digging around the bottom of her purse for her phone. Her heart stil beat too hard, worry digging roots deep inside her. “One of his favorite hangouts is my house.”

“Your house is already being watched. We’re handling this, Dr. Standish. Try not to worry.” Luca settled back against the cabinets and crossed his arms. Peyton propped his shoulder against the doorjamb to the living room. He just watched them both and said nothing.

“Yeah, I don’t have a care in the world.” Her hand closed around the hard plastic of her phone, and she yanked it out of her purse. Since neither man tried to stop her from making the cal , she assumed that meant they were okay with it. Punching in the speed dial code for Alex’s cel , she hunched her shoulders away from the agents. “Excuse me.”

She didn’t bother getting up and going into another room. Vampires and werewolves both had exceptional hearing. If they wanted to hear her, she wouldn’t be able to hide her conversation from them.

The phone rang and rang, and her insides twisted tighter and tighter with each one. On the fifth ring, she knew it was about to kick over to voice mail, and her throat closed. What the hel was she supposed to leave on the message? Cal me? Your dad’s missing? Why weren’t you at school or your internship? Are you okay? I love you, kiddo? She wanted to know al of those things, needed to say every single one of them.

“Chloe?” Alex’s voice was rushed and breathless, the phone fuzzing with every quick exhalation.

She squeezed the phone so tightly the plastic squeaked. “Alex! Oh, gods!”

He wheezed out a laugh. “I’m okay. Don’t worry.”

“Too late. I’m worried.” Her free hand clenched on the edge of the table until her knuckles whitened.

“Where are you?”

“I’m being fol owed.” The sentence was spoken so calmly and matter-of-factly that she blinked for a moment while his words processed. This just couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t.

“You’re being fol owed? By who?”

“I’m not sure.” What sounded like pounding footsteps echoed in the background of the cal . “It’s a male wolf, and he’s been tracking me al day. My senses tel me he’s a danger to me.”

Now Luca straightened away from the counter, his gaze glinting. “We don’t have any male wolf agents looking for him. Two female wolves, but Peyton’s the only male wolf on my team.”

“Who was that?” Alex’s sharp question jerked her attention back to him. Right. Wolf-boy’s hearing was just as sensitive as that of the agents before her.

“He’s from the FBI.” She swal owed, gripping the table so hard it hurt her hand. “Alex, your dad’s disappeared. The person tailing you might have something to do with it.”

“Yeah, I went by the house, and it’s been gone through by at least two groups of people. Lots of muddy scents, lots of bad vibes creeping down my spine. I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before, Chloe.”

The vulnerability and tension in his tone scared the shit out of her. Alex was a rock-steady kid—mature, calm, and col ected when most boys his age were prone to fly off the handle. If he was afraid, there was reason to be afraid. Her muscles trembled in reaction, but she forced herself to keep her composure. Alex needed her now. He was in danger.

Pul ing in a deep breath, she let it ease out. “Okay. Okay. I need to know where you are. I’m going to send an FBI agent to get you. He’s a vampire. His name is Luca Caval i. Six foot four-ish, dark eyes, short black hair, little goatee on his chin. Good-looking, if you go for that type.”

The boy’s snort was almost a chuckle. “I don’t, but I’ve got the idea.”

Luca slanted her a narrow-eyed glance . . . because of the good-looking comment or because she was summarily sending him to fetch her godson? She didn’t care so she ignored him to address Alex. “Where are you?”

A long pause came before the teen answered. “I’m at the corner of Denny and Westlake, but I can’t stay in one place.”

“That’s fine.” Luca nodded, already turning to walk toward the front door. Peyton stepped back to let him pass. “I can track him once I get his essence.”

She arched her eyebrows. This was a Magickal skil she hadn’t heard of. “His essence?”

“Blood.” He glanced over his shoulder as he opened the door. His ful lips quirked in a smile. “I can track the scent of his blood.”

Alex’s voice came through the phone. “That’s fucking creepy.”

Chloe snorted and shook her head. “Tel me about it.”

“I’l see you soon.”

“Yes, you wil .” Clutching the phone a little tighter, she forced herself to relax her hold on the table.

Everything would be okay. She had to believe it because she couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to Jaya’s son. “Be careful. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Chloe.” His voice cracked just a little before he hung up.

She looked to Luca, who was just about to step out the door. “Take care of him, and bring him back in one piece, is that clear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And don’t cal me ma’am.”

For a moment, he appeared nonplussed, but then he shook his head and spun away in that eerily silent way only vampires could manage. A minute later, the sound of his car driving away faded into the deepening evening.

Peyton stood with his hands in his pockets, a cool expression on his face as he looked at her. Some instinct tickled the back of her mind and built until her shoulders twitched in discomfort. She dropped her phone back into her purse, trying to busy herself until the odd feeling faded.

It didn’t fade. Instead it increased by the moment, some whisper-soft niggling growing to a harsh scream until she was al but shaking. She didn’t know what it meant, what to do. Was it about Alex?

Danger. The word was clear as a clarion bel in her mind. Her gaze snapped to Peyton, but he wasn’t looking at her anymore; he had tugged aside the blinds on the kitchen window to peer outside. Werewolves and vampires were both telepathic, but that hadn’t sounded like his voice in her head.

“Peyton, is everything al right?”

He sighed, but didn’t turn around. When he spoke, his tone was weary. “Everything is fine, Dr. Standish.

Exactly according to plan.”

“What plan?”

There was a knock on the backdoor before he could reply, and he went to open it. A smal woman stood under the mel ow glow of the porch light.

The instinct howled in Chloe’s mind, the words becoming crystal clear. Danger. danger. Danger! RUN!

And then she knew what it was. Her usual y dormant precognitive ability. She had clairaudience—and the voices in her head were warning her of oncoming peril. She didn’t know what the danger was, but only a fool ignored her precognition. She lurched to her feet, staggered under the pain of what felt like unused muscles coming to life, and overturned her chair as she searched for a way out. There was only the backdoor and the door that led to the living room, both of which she’d have to get past Peyton to use.

They were on her before she could react. The woman hit her with a spel that left her stunned, the magic reverberating through Chloe the way only a Fae could make it.

Chloe barely managed to keep her feet under her, her body wanting to col apse under the force of violent, ugly magic. Her tongue felt awkward, too thick for her mouth as she looked at Peyton. Her voice was a mere breath of sound. “Why?”

He shook his head, what might have been regret flickering in his gaze before a hard mask settled over his features and his lips pul ed back in a snarl to bare his wolf fangs. He reached her side with a speed that left her dizzy, and then he struck her with just the tips of his fingers, almost gently, and she lost consciousness.

She woke up bound to her chair by metal handcuffs and magical restraints. She didn’t know how much time had passed. An hour. A minute.

Al she did know was pain. It pounded through her in endless, agonizing waves. Black spots swam before her eyes, and she prayed for death . . . or a return to unconsciousness, whichever came for her first, but they wouldn’t let her rest, wouldn’t let her pass out, wouldn’t stop.

She told them everything, her every secret, every lie, every half-truth.... She left nothing out; they wouldn’t let her. And stil it wasn’t enough. If the spel s would have al owed it, she’d have told them anything they wanted to hear. Anything. Even if it wasn’t true. Just to make the pain stop.

Sweat slid in cold, sticky rivulets down her skin. It burned her eyes and blurred her vision. Every breath was a torturous rasp of air. Her head lol ed on her shoulder, and she hadn’t the energy left to lift it. The metal handcuffs were bronze, an al ergy to al witches. They’d scorched her flesh, rubbed her wrists to ragged, bleeding patches of skin, but other than that, she was physical y unharmed. It did little to ease the way she ached from the bones out.

Voices murmured around her, and she was no longer sure if it was Peyton and the Fae woman or the clairaudient voices in her mind. It didn’t matter, but she clung to the question as if it were the key to saving what was left of her sanity. And maybe it was.

Another spel lanced through her, making her body arch away from the chair, rip against the restraints that bound her. A howl that wasn’t quite human wrenched from deep within her. More pain. Her throat was already raw from al the talking, the begging. The screaming.

She knew she was losing it when his face appeared before her, the cynical gray eyes, the squared jaw, the lips just a little too ful for his chiseled features.

“Merek,” she breathed.

And then she knew no more.

***

They’d muffled the sound of her screams.

If Merek hadn’t decided to get a better look at the house, he never would have peeked through a gap in the blinds to see her strapped to the chair. Arching, tears flowing down her cheeks, her mouth opened in what looked like a silent shriek.

He exploded through the door, past the warding spel s that had been placed on the building, his rage and terror lending him extra power. The percussive boom of the ruptured spel shield made his ears ring, but his weapon was already up and leveled on the two Magickals looming over his woman.

The Fae had sweat pouring down her face, her breathing shal ow and ragged. No doubt from the energy she’d spent torturing Chloe. His teeth bared, and he squeezed off a shot, aiming for her heart.

It never touched her.

Peyton looped his arm around the woman’s waist, spinning her out of the bul et’s path. Chloe’s chair was knocked over, tumbling until it hit a wal . With a leap, the wolf had himself and the woman into the living room. Merek’s next shot caught Peyton in the back, and he stumbled, a howl tearing loose. He hit the front door, ripping it off its hinges. Then he and the woman were gone, the werewolf’s speed making it impossible for Merek to fol ow.

He might have attempted it, but it would have meant leaving Chloe alone. He couldn’t do that. Holstering his weapon, he lifted both hands to cast a temporary warding spel over the house. No one less powerful than him could enter, and even then he would know his shield had been breached. His hands were shaking when he dropped them to his sides. A part of him stood back and wondered what the hel had happened to al his steely discipline when the fate of one slender woman could make his hands tremble.

Turning back toward the kitchen, he found Chloe struggling against her bonds. He stroked a hand down her shoulder. “I’ve got it.”

“Thanks,” she grunted, going limp against the awkward position. “I . . . don’t have the energy to cast a spel to get loose.”

Her wrists were blackened, blistered, and oozing blood around the cuffs, so he knew they were made of bronze. As a warlock—a male witch—he was deathly al ergic to the stuff, too. He was careful not to touch as he waved a hand to unlock them. His jaw locked as rage whipped through him. The bastards had used bronze on her.

The cuffs fel away, clattering against the linoleum. Then she was in his arms, her soft body pressed to his harder planes, and it felt so fine he almost groaned. Burying his face in the curve of her neck, he inhaled the scent of her. She was alive, and she was here. His brain was having trouble absorbing that reality. “Chloe.”

Clinging to his neck with surprising strength, she dragged in great, shuddering breaths. They should get out of there in case Peyton came back to finish what he started, but Merek couldn’t make himself let her go.

Just another minute. He swal owed, pressure building behind his eyes.

She drew back until she could see his face, and the naked vulnerability there made his gut clench. “How did you . . . What are you doing here?”

“I fol owed you, but they were damn good about shaking someone tailing them.” He stroked her ebony hair back from her face, the silky strands damp with sweat. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”

“You made it before I lost my mind. That’s soon enough.”

He winced at the bleak, utter certainty in her voice. From what he’d seen, she was right. They’d had every intention of ripping into her mind until there was nothing left. The darkness of those spel s stil lingered in the air, sent chil s down his spine. He pressed a kiss to her temple. “We need to get you out of here, sweetheart.”

She nodded, pushing herself slowly to her feet. A soft chuckle bubbled out of her when he hovered, his hands outstretched to catch her like he would for a child just learning to walk. “I’l be fine, Merek. No permanent damage was done. Physical y.” She swal owed hard. “I’m real y, real y glad you’re here.”

He jerked her back into his arms, needing that contact. His heart hammered in his chest. Gods, what would he have done if he hadn’t gotten here in time? Another loss he couldn’t have prevented because of a blankness in his fucking precog gift.

She trembled against him, a violent shudder racking her body. “Oh, gods. I was sure I’d gone crazy when I saw you here.”

“Sweetheart, I—”

He didn’t get a chance to respond before she pressed her mouth to his. He stiffened, but her fingers shoved into his hair to hold him tight, and the feel of her lips against his registered over his shock. Then it was al over. His arms banded around her, pul ing her closer. The fear and the need to confirm in the most basic, carnal way that she was safe and sound overruled his better judgment. She bit his lip, her movements as frantic as his, and he could taste the terror she’d been through, her need to forget.

One hand lifted to cradle her head, the silk of her hair spil ing through his fingers. He tilted her face up and took control of the kiss. His tongue traced the seam of her lips until she parted them for him. He plunged into her mouth, the taste of her lush and female on his tongue. A low groan shook his chest, and he hauled her closer.

She twisted to get nearer, as desperate as he was to reassure herself that everything was al right. Her fingers skimmed down his arms, around his waist, over his ass, up his back, everywhere she could reach.

Her touch had a predictable effect on his body. His cock went hard, his body ready and wil ing to give her anything she wanted.

Cupping the smooth curve of her buttocks in his hand, he lifted her into his body until he was right where he wanted to be—or as close as he could get when they were stil dressed. He could feel the heat of her sex through their clothing as they rubbed against each other.

Releasing his grip on her hair, he let his hand drift down until he cradled her breast. Her tight nipple jabbed into his palm. He grunted in satisfaction at her eager response. He stroked the little nub with his fingers, pinching it, toying with it until she writhed against him. She whimpered and tried to climb him, her body straining against him, her leg wrapping around his to pul him closer.

It was al he could do not to back her against the nearest wal and take her.

Shuddering, he broke his mouth away from hers. “We can’t.”

“Why not?” Her palm slid between them to cup his cock and rub it through his pants.

“Gods,” he groaned, and he couldn’t keep the torment from his voice as he thrust against her hand before he forced himself to stil ness. “Because I’m a big enough idiot to turn you down, but not a big enough asshole to take you up on your offer. And I real y, real y want to take you up on your offer.”

“So take me up on it.” Her breasts brushed against him with each panting breath, and her eyes were wild.

“I’m offering. I’m not protesting. I want you.”

He caught her fingers and removed them from his cock. Each digit was puffy and swol en from bronze damage. That brought a cold rush of reality in to chil his ardor. “We have to get out of here. We’re not out of danger yet.”

Her head tilted as if she was listening to something. Then she blinked, nodded, and dropped her hands.

She stooped down to scoop up the scattered contents of her purse and hooked the bag over one shoulder.

“Okay, let’s go.” She gave him a sturdy nod. “Luca went to get my godson, Alex, so we need to find them. If I wasn’t safe in a safe house, they certainly aren’t.”

Dropping the shielding spel on the house, he led the way out, palming his pistol from its holster and keeping a death grip on her forearm, careful not to touch her chafed wrists. “Luca can take care of himself and your godson. I’d trust him with my life, unlike Peyton, who I didn’t know. Right now, I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“I’m just fine, thank you.” She tugged at her arm, but he just hauled her along behind him. “Alex is—”

He spared her a bare glance. “I’d rather have a doctor confirm that. The kind of spel s people use for that kind of questioning can have some nasty side effects. A doctor could take the edge off of those for you.”

“I am a doctor.”

“You’re a medical researcher. You don’t treat people. Even if you did, you don’t have the energy to fix yourself, and I don’t have the expertise to deal with bronze wounds.” Pausing at the end of the garage, he peered around the corner to see if anyone was paying attention to this house. No one. At least, no one he could see or sense. They’d have to risk the run across the street to his car.

“If you—”

She broke off, stopping in her tracks as abruptly as if she’d hit a brick wal . “I can’t go to the hospital yet. I need to go home.”

“The hel you say. You’re not running around after your godson, and you’re not going home. We can cal Luca on the way, but that’s the best you’re going to get.” He palmed his keys before propel ing her toward his vehicle. “Because you’re going to the hospital, and that’s final.”

“Fine, Detective Control Freak.” She snatched the keys from his hand and slid into the driver’s seat, shutting and locking the door behind her. He blinked, but instead of standing there like an easy target while he tried to get her out of his seat, he loped around to the passenger side and climbed in. The woman had a knack for throwing him off balance that he didn’t care for at al . She started the car. “I appreciate your saving me, but my life isn’t the only important one. Put your seatbelt on.”

He growled at her, but obeyed. “Your life is important enough.”

She chirped the tires when she pul ed away from the curb, quickly navigating Seattle traffic . . . and not going toward Harborview Medical Center with its Magickal ward that could treat her. “You want to tel me where you think you’re going?”

“I don’t think I’m going anywhere. I’m definitely going home. I have to go home.” Those hazel eyes were wide with pleading. They both knew in her current condition he could overpower her easily if he wanted to.

The thought of scaring or hurting her more than she already had been was too much for him. He stayed on his side of the car and fumed. If possible, her eyes went even wider. “I swear I’l go to the hospital without protest afterward.”

He sighed and kept an eye out for a tail. “Chloe—”

“It’l take us—what?—an extra fifteen minutes? If I was going to drop dead, I would have done it by now. If you thought I was that bad off, you’d have cal ed an ambulance instead of wanting to take me there yourself.”

She was right; he wanted her checked out, but he didn’t think she was that injured. He shifted in his seat to look at her. “There are people watching your house. And those people aren’t necessarily the good guys.

Hel , at this point, we don’t even know who the good guys are except Caval i.”

They hit Lower Queen Anne and started working their way up the hil . Even though they were already on their way, she kept trying to reason with him, which he found both amusing and annoying. She shot him a grim look, her swol en fingers tapping lightly against the steering wheel. “I understand that, but here’s how this is going to be. You can either let me go home now, and then take me to the hospital, or you can force me to go to the hospital and when I’m done there, I’l go home without you.”

“If you think for a single fucking second I’m letting you out of my sight, you’d better think again.” The glare he gave her was sulfuric, and his voice dropped to a dangerous softness that normal y made grown men back up a couple of steps.

Chloe, of course, just sniffed, and her jaw took on a stubborn tilt. “You can go with me now, or you can let Luca drag me out of your sight again, in which case you won’t even get to see if I make it home safely.”

“Luca’s not going to let you go home,” he snarled, hating that she was right. When Caval i showed up again, she was gone. His grip on his weapon went white-knuckled.

Her eyebrows arched. “He can’t force me into protective custody, can he? I can walk away if I want to.”

“Do it, and you’l be dead within twenty-four hours.” His blood ran ice-cold at the mere thought, and he knew if he didn’t have a hold of the gun, his hands would be shaking again. He’d already come so close to losing her. Too damn close. “Tel me what happened with Luca and Peyton. How did Caval i end up running off to rescue your godson?”

She didn’t even smile at his obvious concession and fil ed him in on everything that had gone down from the moment she’d left the police department until he’d come bursting into the safe house. Luca, Alex, Peyton, the Fae torturer. What Peyton and the Fae had to do with Leonard Smith, Merek didn’t yet know, but he was going to find out. She’d just wound to a finish when she turned onto her street, which was awash with flashing lights from various law enforcement vehicles. He could pick out two patrol cars and what he’d guess were cars from some of Caval i’s FBI team.

Chloe left the car running and was already sliding out of the vehicle before it had rocked to a ful stop. She probably figured he’d stop her if she waited. She was right. And he was pissed. He should have asked her why she wanted to go home so desperately instead of assuming it had something to do with traumatic shock. “Fuck.”

He flipped on the blue light on his dash, shut down the engine, and caught up with Chloe before she’d reached the house. She didn’t look at him. “I’m not going to apologize.”

Getting a stranglehold on his temper, he had to remind himself of what she’d been through to stop himself from taking her over his knee and spanking her. “Do you know who broke into your house?”

“No, but I felt a breach to my warding spel , and Luca said he had people watching my house.” She slid her hands deep inside her pockets in an obvious attempt to conceal her mangled wrists.

His fingers flexed on his gun before he forced himself to relax them. “Why didn’t you let the authorities handle it then?”

“It could have been Alex.” She shrugged. “He comes over a lot, but I’ve never given him a key. I should have. I wil , actual y.”

He shook his head, trying to fol ow her train of thought. She might never get to come home again, and she was worried about giving someone else a key. He was more concerned about who was in her house right now. “Would Alex have led his pursuers to your home?”

One shoulder dipped in a little shrug. “I doubt it. He’s a smart kid, but he’s stil a kid, and he’s justifiably scared.” She snorted, and he heard tears in the sound, but she glanced away from him, so he couldn’t be sure. “Hel , I’m an adult, and I’m scared.”

“You damn wel should be scared.”

“Thanks for the confirmation.” Her tone was dry, and she arched a sardonic eyebrow.

They both stopped talking and pul ed out ID as they approached the nearest officer, who Merek recognized as a rookie on the MTF. In seconds, they were cleared to go beyond the police barricade and approach the house. More cars with flashing lights rol ed up, and the police officers did their best to move Chloe’s neighbors as far from the scene as possible. The fewer Normals they had to perform memory spel s on, the better. They’d have a telepath watching the crowd to see who noticed anything magical and snag them before they could talk.

Chloe ignored the ache in her limbs, the sting in her wrists, and the burn of sexual chemistry from Merek that apparently no amount of pain could fend off.

The closer they got to her house, the more secure she felt. It wasn’t just that her home was somewhere familiar and safe for her, it was the bright lights of the police cars, the people and noise and hubbub. She wasn’t trapped alone with terrorists who hurt her. Her heart tripped at the thought, her hands trembling so hard she had to clench them.

Every light in her house was on, just the way she left it. Just the way she always liked it. Bright and safe and surrounded by a city ful of people. Cities never real y slept. There was always something going on.

Today’s events had only reinforced a lifetime’s understanding that there were monsters in the dark. She knew from experience just how scary and dangerous it could be.

Tess stood on her front porch, her hands raised above her head, but her posture was relaxed. Chloe couldn’t hear what her friend was saying, but she watched her friend two-finger some identification out of her purse and hand it to the closest of the five officers surrounding the porch.

“Shit,” Chloe sighed.

Merek squinted to see through the flashing lights and high beams. “What? You know that woman?”

“Yeah.” Chloe tucked her hands even deeper into her pockets, not wanting her friend to see her damaged wrists. The fabric rubbing against her skin burned like acid, but an explanation was something she couldn’t give. “My best friend, Tess Jones. She was supposed to meet me here at seven. We were supposed to have dinner.”

He grunted and jerked his chin in her direction, but his gaze swept the area, taking in every detail of the street, the houses, the people, the cars. “She looks remarkably calm for someone with a whole lot of weapons pointed her way.”

Chloe found herself fol owing his example, discreetly checking everyone out. Her neighbors, she knew, but who else might be watching? Leonard Smith? More of his people? She usual y liked being around a lot of people, but now it seemed just as dangerous as being isolated. Her bel y cramped tight, and she stuffed the fear into the deepest corner of her soul, to be dealt with when she was in a safer place. “Tess’s a pathologist for the FBI. The Normal side of it. She’s a Normal.”

“Ah. So, she doesn’t know anything.” He made it a statement, but Chloe could hear the question in his words. Had Chloe told her Normal friend anything? Had she broken Magickal law?

“No, she doesn’t know anything.” Chloe had wanted to tel the truth. Many, many times. But she’d never given in to the temptation. She licked her cracked lips, wincing as her body ached as if she had run a marathon. Or been worked over by a basebal bat. Now that the adrenaline was fading, she could feel every single twinge, every screaming echo of pain.

Merek’s big hand closed around her elbow when she swayed on her feet, but the touch hurt so she tugged her arm away from him. “If you know who’s here, we can take you to the hospital now. Don’t you think so, Caval i?”

“Not just yet.” A low voice spoke from behind her, and she turned to see the vampire. A quiet and watchful Alex stood beside him, and relief so sharp she almost burst into tears sliced through her. He was safe and here. Thank the gods.

“You al right, Chloe?” His gaze searched her, his nostrils flaring as he caught her scent, using his senses to check her for damage.

Aside from the residual tension thrumming through her muscles, she wasn’t sure how much, if anything, he could sense of what had happened to her. She hoped nothing. This was something she didn’t want to talk about with anyone right now, maybe not ever. “I’m fine. You?”

“Never better.” His young voice was flat, his face blank. It hurt to see him that way. Whatever he had seen, whatever he had been through today, had already done more harm to the boy than she liked. Her heart squeezed, but she let her mind cling to Alex rather than what she’d been through herself.

Cavalli caught up with me before the werewolves did, though it was a close call. Alex sent his private thoughts to her telepathical y, a gift of only the werewolf and vampire races, so Chloe couldn’t respond in public other than with a smal nod of acknowledgment. She would definitely be talking to him about what happened and how he was real y doing later, but this wasn’t a good time for it.

“Hey, Detective? This woman says she’s a friend of Dr. Standish’s.”

Chloe swung around to see a police officer with slightly pointed ears trailed by Tess. Keeping her hands firmly tucked in her pockets, Chloe nodded to them both. “Yeah, I know her.”

“Thanks, Patterson.” Merek jerked his chin at the onlookers gathered beyond the police line. “Let’s get everyone cleared out of here.”

The elf officer nodded, what looked almost like dazed awe on his face while he spoke to Merek. “You got it, sir.”

The group stood in silence, each staring at the others for long, strained moments. Tess propped a hand on her hip, her body language resuming that lazy, casual pose that Chloe knew was a complete sham. Tess was unhappy, and they were al about to hear about it. “So. Does someone want to tel me what the hell is going on? I’m pretty sure my supervisor is not happy to have gotten a cal from the police to confirm my identity. And his level of pissed off is nothing compared to mine. So, who wants to go first, hm? Alex?

Chloe? Detective Whatever? Tal , Dark, and Agently?”

Luca lifted a sculpted brow. “You can tel I’m an agent just by looking?”

Tess flipped her sheet of long auburn hair over her shoulder, her gold eyes narrowed, and she wrinkled her pert nose. “You have that stench about you, yeah.”

The big vampire’s even white teeth flashed in a smile, his eyes lighting with chal enge as he looked over Tess with slow, unmistakable deliberation. “And you are?”

Her lips twitched, but her gaze cooled as she gave him just as thorough a once-over. Her expression said she wasn’t impressed with what she saw. “Dr. Tess Jones. You?”

“Special Agent Luca Caval i. FBI.” Taking a step toward her, he held his hand out for her to shake.

She sniffed dismissively. “Never heard of you.”

“Good.” His hand remained extended, a dare to see how she’d react. “My work isn’t supposed to be broadcast on al stations.”

Her amber eyes narrowed to slits, and she shoved her hand into his grip, giving two brisk pumps and pul ing back. Or she tried to. Luca’s fingers tightened, and he ran a thumb over the back of her hand. A visible shiver passed through her, and her eyes widened in what might have been alarm as she jerked her hand from his grasp.

Mating rituals for the vamp-human crossover. Chloe rol ed her eyes. “Okay, focus, people. Seriously.”

“Sorry, hon.” Tess broke eye contact with Luca, and he scowled. Chloe tried not to grin. She’d bet he was trying a little vampiric mesmerizing on her friend, but the subtle stuff only worked on the weak-wil ed, and Tess was anything but weak, Normal or not.

“What happened, Chloe?” Alex’s gaze locked on her, and he ignored everyone else.

“Later.” She gave Tess a pointed look to remind Alex that they had a Normal in their midst, offered a weak smile, and nodded in Merek’s direction. “Everyone, this is Detective Merek Kingston, Seattle PD.”

She didn’t mention he was on the Magickal Task Force—Alex would already have guessed, and Tess didn’t need to know. A few more men joined their group, and the way they looked at Luca said he was speaking to them telepathical y and that they were on his team.

Chloe shifted her weight to try to get more comfortable, but instead sent a sharp throb of agony ricocheting through her body. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, and when she final y refocused, she found that Luca had introduced the agents to everyone.

Alex shoved a hand through his dark hair and offered Merek and the new agents a solemn nod. His nostrils flared a bit as he caught their scent, his bril iant green gaze moving from one to the next as if marking their faces and scents in his memory. A few of the men shifted uncomfortably, and Chloe tried not to smirk.

A smal smile crossed Luca’s face, but before he could say anything, Tess ignored al the law enforcement officials and made an impatient gesture at Chloe. “So. Forget the ‘later’ business. Tel us what happened. Why are al these people here? That’s a hel of a lot bigger response than someone gets for setting off a home alarm.” She waved a vague hand in Luca’s direction. “FBI agents don’t make house cal s.” She flapped the same hand at Merek. “Detectives aren’t usual y first responders either.”

Chloe sighed, shifted on her sore feet—and why the hel were her feet sore?—and bit back a gasp of pain. As much as she wanted to be in denial about what had happened, her body was going to make that impossible very soon. “Damien and his fiancée were murdered. They thought I did it, then they realized Ivan was missing, and it may have had more to do with stuff at work.”

Tess tilted her head, keen intel igence transforming her face from merely beautiful to stunning. “Industrial espionage?”

“Yeah.” Chloe scrunched her shoulders in a short shrug that stil managed to make pain shoot up her neck and down her back. She fisted her shaking hands in her pockets. Beads of sweat began to form under her hair. “You know how product development can be. That stuff is guarded like Fort Knox.”

Tess took a step toward her, and it was al Chloe could do not to cringe away from possible physical contact. “If Damien and Ivan—”

“Yeah, I’m in danger.” She tilted her head at the silent teen, who watched her far too closely for her peace of mind. “Alex, too, since they don’t seem to have a problem hurting family members.” Damien’s pregnant fiancée came to mind, and Chloe’s gorge rose. Yes, family members were definitely in danger, and she was suddenly grateful Aunt Mil ie kept a personal bodyguard.

“We’l take good care of them.” Luca gave Tess his most engaging smile. She arched an eyebrow and gave him another dismissive sniff.

They’d take good care of her? Chloe snorted, tears burning her eyes. Yeah, right. She felt total y safe with the FBI. Merek’s body was a rigid line of rage as he moved closer to wrap a protective arm around her waist, and she hated that she did feel safer, even if the touch hurt. A lot. Three sets of eyes took in the gesture. Luca’s gaze narrowed, Tess’s mouth quirked, and Alex’s eyebrows rose.

A wave of exhaustion she couldn’t hold off any longer crashed through her system. The entire day swirled through her mind, and the street in front of her cartwheeled before her eyes. She closed them tight and set her hand on Merek’s brawny forearm. “Wil you do something for me?”

“Anything.” His warm breath brushed against her temple, and she shuddered.

“Keep an eye on my godson.” She swal owed, feeling unconsciousness creeping in to claim her. She welcomed it, letting her breath sigh out. “And catch me.”

Then her knees buckled, and she was caught, safe in his embrace.