The Vampire’s Desire

Alexis Morgan

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 1

Frustrated and thoroughly disgusted, Ambrose O’Brien jerked his tie loose and stared out at the midnight sky. Being the baddest of the bad had its perks, but it definitely made for a social life that sucked. He’d just wasted yet another evening in long line of social functions, each more predictable and boring than the one before.

To make matters worse, she hadn’t bothered to show up. Wasn’t it bad enough that they’d spent the past two nights debating her clan’s latest bunch of ridiculous demands? The only reason he’d arranged for the dinner at all was the hope that after sharing a meal and a few drinks, he could convince the vampire rep and her human counterpart to each make some small concession. Nothing major, nothing important; just something to get the ball rolling when the real discussions started up again tomorrow night.

Was that too much to ask? Evidently so, since Miranda Connor hadn’t even bothered to send her regrets, leaving both him and the humans fuming over another example of vampire clan rudeness. Finally, after waiting for over an hour, Ambrose had signaled the waiter to take their orders.

The steaks had been tough and conversation even more so. Kurt, the spokesman for his wife’s clan, had become increasingly obnoxious as the evening wore on and his bottle of scotch disappeared.

Damn Miranda, anyway. If she’d only had the common courtesy to call, Ambrose would’ve had an excuse to cancel the dinner altogether. Instead, he’d wasted hours of precious time listening to Kurt complain, while his dumpling of a wife, Otka, ordered half of the menu for dinner, along with three different desserts. The last two were to go, and all on Ambrose. Somehow he doubted his employer, the North American Coalition, was going to reimburse him for any of it.

Most of the time he liked his job and took pride in doing it well. Like others of his hybrid species, the Chancellors, he had a strong sense of purpose. His job was to oversee all the Chancellors who worked for the Coalition, as well as take on the trickier negotiations between humans and vampires. He fought for and won the job because he was the strongest of his kind and had never—never—lost a negotiation. Sure, he’d been known to compromise, but that was all part of the game.

However, this latest round of meetings was definitely not going well. It seemed as if for each step forward they took, they tumbled back three. Kurt was bad enough, but Miranda, with her snooty vampire upper-class attitudes, only made it worse. So far, neither side had been willing to give an inch, and all for some acreage out in the middle of nowhere. The vamps owned it. The humans wanted it and were refusing to let convoys of supplies for the vast Connor estate move through their territory until they got it.

The vamps were having to fly in supplies so that no one starved. Air freight was damned expensive, however, a fact that Miranda never failed to remind him of at every opportunity. She’d even gone as far as to suggest the additional costs should be tacked on to the sale price of the property. That had pretty much shot down any progress they’d made up to that point.

Not that Kurt was any better. Ambrose had strong suspicions that the human was having such a great time here in New Eire that he was in no hurry to return to his rural home. And by all reports, Otka spent all her waking time shopping. Did Kurt’s people have any idea how much of the human clan’s hard-earned money Kurt and his wife were spending? Hell, all totaled it might’ve even been enough to meet the vampires’ asking price and then some.

Maybe he could arrange to leak that little tidbit of information to the folks back on Kurt’s estate. It would be underhanded, but at this point Ambrose was willing to try anything to get things settled.

What was so damned important about that remote piece of land, anyway? Ordinarily, he accepted the description of the property agreed upon by the two interested parties, but maybe that wasn’t smart this time. There was far too much tension between the two parties for everything to be on the up-and-up. He turned on his computer and fired off a quick order to his operative in that area to do some sniffing around. With luck, he’d uncover something that would help Ambrose force either Kurt or Miranda to compromise. He’d definitely love to see the human have to do some hard-core groveling and then catch the turbo back to his home where he belonged.

Miranda was a different matter. While Kurt was all posturing and bravado, Miranda was truly a worthy opponent, one who challenged Ambrose on every level. Whenever he faced her across the conference table, he had to work hard to stay one step ahead of her. The female was both intelligent and spirited. Too bad she was such a high-level member of vampire society. Otherwise he’d be tempted to see if she brought that same feistiness to other areas of her life.

He closed his eyes and imagined the vampire heiress in his bed, her fiery hair spread out on his pillow, those fierce blue eyes trained solely on him as he tasted all of her…passions. No doubt she’d be insulted by the very thought of being bedded by a Chancellor. Even with his high rank, she probably still considered him a lowly half-breed.

But even if she was willing, it was a bad idea for a lot of reasons, and he knew it. The truth was, she’d most likely come after him with her fangs bared for even thinking such a thing, but that didn’t mean a male couldn’t dream. He smiled at his reflection in the window, his mood definitely on the upswing.

Back to business. He punched in the code to bring up any messages he’d received since leaving for dinner. After quickly scanning the list, he picked out the handful that he’d have to answer personally. The rest he dumped into a file for his assistant to deal with in the morning.

Still restless, he considered his options. The wisest move would be to go home, pour himself a healthy dose of good scotch and catch up on paperwork. Failing that, he could drop in at the casino and play a few hands of poker. Trouble was, his reputation made it difficult to find anyone worth playing with. Sure, winning was fun, but not when it was because everyone else at the table was afraid to call his bluff.

Which brought him back to Miranda. Maybe he should pay an unexpected call on her while the night was still young and find out why she’d stood him up. She had to know that her failure to show up for the dinner wasn’t going to help her cause when he made a final ruling on the case. Miranda might be arrogant, but she wasn’t stupid.

On the way out of his office, he picked up his leather jacket and slung it over his shoulder. No doubt Miranda would rip into him for daring to show up on her doorstep, especially uninvited and unannounced, but he liked temper in a female. Hell, even her fangs turned him on, making him wish it was his vein she fed from on a regular basis. What would be her reaction if he offered?

When these negotiations were finally done, maybe he’d ask her and watch the fireworks.

Twenty minutes later he parked his transport in front of the Connor town house and got out. Considering who the owners were, it didn’t come as much of a surprise that every light in the place was turned on. After all, vamps were nocturnal by nature. Come sunrise, those same windows would be shuttered and locked down.

But something was definitely wrong. All his hunter instincts flared into full force as he slowly approached the front porch. The door stood ajar, light spilling out onto a body that lay sprawled facedown on the concrete.

As his fangs dropped into attack position, Ambrose drew his weapon and knelt down to check for a pulse. None. Considering the large pool of congealed blood surrounding the vampire’s corpse, he’d have been more shocked if he’d found one. He didn’t recognize the poor bastard, but the vamp had definitely gone down fighting.

Moving to the far side of the door, he slowly pushed it open. Just inside, another vampire casualty stared sightlessly up at the ceiling, an expression of surprised horror permanently etched on his face. Ambrose sidled inside, straining to hear anything beyond the ominous silence shrouding the house.

The smell of ripe blood and fresh death clouded the air, limiting his ability to determine by scent if there was anyone in the house left alive. Judging by the condition of the two bodies, they’d died about the time he’d ordered his steak rare. His stomach lurched. No wonder Miranda hadn’t shown up for dinner, but where was she now?

He moved toward the living room and then stumbled to a stop. Another body, this one female with that distinctive red hair, had been impaled on the crushed coffee table, a bloody spike of wood jutting up through her back. Oh, God, no! For a moment, he lost all caution as he rushed across the room. He knelt down to brush the hair back from the female’s face. It wasn’t Miranda, but his relief was short-lived. A slight stirring of the air was his only warning that he was no longer alone. He looked up just in time to see a broken table leg swinging directly at his face. When wood hit bone, the night shattered into a million shards of pain.

Chapter 2

Miranda danced back out of reach as Ambrose roared in pain and outrage. Luckily, he’d instinctively brought his arm up to protect his head from her attack, the only reason he was still conscious—or alive. It was a tribute to his warrior nature that he’d managed to hold on to his weapon. Right now it was pointed directly at her heart, and his eyes sparkled with a predator’s need for retribution.

Miranda immediately dropped her makeshift weapon and retreated a few more steps, holding up her hands in surrender. By standing still with her head slightly bowed, she allowed him the time he needed to stand down. Adrenaline and battle fever ran hot in her veins, but Ambrose O’Brien wasn’t her enemy. At least she hoped not. God knew, she already had enough of those.

She glanced at the blood seeping through his sleeve, the bright red contrasting sharply with the stark white cotton of his shirt. “Are you all right, Chancellor?”

His voice was rough when he spoke. “Yes, no thanks to you. What the hell happened here?” He lowered his gun, but she noticed he didn’t snap the safety back on.

“We were attacked.” She closed her eyes against the remembered screams and did her best to ignore the sweet scent of blood. Her fangs ached with the need to taste it, but vampires didn’t dine on their own dead.

When Ambrose continued to glare at her in angry silence, she lashed out. “What? You asked. I answered. Do I need to use shorter words?”

If anything, she’d only managed to make him angrier. It made him appear even bigger and more formidable than he usually did, although she didn’t know how that was possible. The male’s prowess as a warrior was legendary among the members of the Coalition. If Ambrose had ever lost a fight, much less an argument, she’d never heard about it.

His response was little better than a growl. “Damn it, Randi, I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”

Okay, that did it. She drew herself up to her full height, meeting him eye to eye. “First of all, my name is Miranda, not Randi. And secondly, if I knew more, don’t you think I’d tell you? All I know is that I was on my way to meet you for dinner when I got an emergency call to return home immediately. As soon as I got here, we heard the first shots. One of my guards shoved me into the hiding place under the steps as all hell broke loose. I waited until it was quiet to come out. Both of my guards were killed, as well as my…”

She paused as she looked past him to where her aunt still lay impaled. She drew a deep breath, trying to control her nausea. “My aunt also died. They must have mistaken her for me. You know how difficult it is for humans to guess a vampire’s age. If they were told to aim for a redheaded female, it would be an easy mistake to make.”

God, not that any of this was easy. How was she supposed to tell her mother that her only sister had died in her daughter’s place? And what about the guards, who’d been slaughtered just for doing their jobs? Why should her life be worth even one of theirs, much less all three of them? Now wasn’t the time for tears, but that didn’t seem to matter because they poured down her cheeks in acid-hot streaks, anyway.

Once again Ambrose showed his strength—a crying female didn’t send him into an all-out panic. Instead, he wordlessly yanked a silk handkerchief from his hip pocket and shoved it at her. While she scrubbed her face dry, he prowled the room testing the air with both his sense of smell and taste.

“Back to the attack. I’m picking up a mixed bag of scents. Vampires mostly, but that’s only logical. The rest is a combination of human and Chancellor. Any idea who all was here tonight? Legitimately or otherwise?”

Then it hit her. “The Chancellor has to be my cousin Alroy. He lives here in New Eire and volunteered to serve as assistant to my aunt. He’s occasionally does some work for others in the clan, but not often.”

Ambrose’s eyes narrowed, as if homing in on an elusive scent. “Why not?”

Okay, so this was awkward. “Because he’s a Chancellor. And before you take offense, it’s not what you think. I consider Alroy to be as much a part of the clan as I am, but he doesn’t see it that way. He’s the son of my mother’s older brother and his human lover. Even though I’m younger by a couple of years, I’m the heir because both my parents happened to be purebloods.”

She knew how bad that sounded, but she wasn’t in a position to change things. Not yet, anyway. “Look, I’m not defending the policy, just stating the facts. I volunteered to step aside, but Alroy says he wouldn’t accept the position even if it was offered to him. He likes life here in the city more than he does back on the family estate.”

There was a definite chill in the air that hadn’t been there before. But the unpredictable relationship between the various factions of humans, vampires and the hybrid Chancellors had been an ongoing problem for the North American Coalition longer than she’d been alive.

“I’m well aware of the attitudes, Miranda. Do you know if Alroy was actually here when the attack occurred?”

She closed her eyes and let her memories of those horrific minutes play out in her head. “I didn’t see him, but there was a great deal of confusion.”

“I’ll have my men try to track him down. Until we know otherwise, we’ll assume he was taken.”

“I hope not.” She shuddered. “If they killed without compunction, what would they do to a captive?”

“Why do you care?” Ambrose’s expression was ice cold. “Because he knows a lot about the inner workings of your clan?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth, Ambrose. Alroy and I might not always get along, but we’re still blood kin. I don’t want him hurt.”

He stared at her for a few seconds before some of the tension in his shoulders eased up. “Now, about the human scents?”

His apparent acceptance of her explanation meant more to her than it should have. Rather than say so, she concentrated on answering his question. “Our house servants are human. None live here, and they leave as soon as the first meal of the evening is served. We value our privacy, you see.”

“Okay, so you don’t like humans except for their veins.” Once again he sounded disgusted.

“You don’t know me well enough to judge me, Ambrose. Don’t make me out to be the villain here. The humans are not from our estate, so we didn’t feel comfortable discussing private clan business in front of them. That’s all it was.”

“Anyone else been around lately?”

She shook her head as her eyes automatically flickered down to her aunt’s still form. “No one that I was expecting, but that doesn’t mean some weren’t invited without my knowledge. My aunt was here looking for buyers for our excess grain production.”

“Where would she keep a list of her appointments?”

“Upstairs in her sitting room.”

“Go get it while I call this in. Then pack a suitcase. After I’ve stashed you someplace safe, my people will go over this place from top to bottom. We need to be gone before they get here, though. Whoever did this thinks you’re dead. I don’t want to give them reason to believe otherwise.”

Miranda hated being bossed around. She’d been trained since birth to give orders herself, but right now the number of people she trusted was down to one—Ambrose. If he’d wanted her dead, she already would be. Her vampire strength aside, he outweighed her by at least fifty kilos, all of it bone and well-toned muscle. Despite his tailor-made clothing and sophisticated demeanor, the man was a warrior straight through to the core.

“I’ll be back down as fast as I can.”

He gave her a quick nod of approval. “Good. The less time we linger here, the better.”

She started for the door, but turned back. “Can we at least move the bodies or cover them with sheets? I can’t stand to leave them like this.”

The sympathy in Ambrose’s eyes was mixed with promised retribution against the killers. “There’s no time, and we don’t want to mess with any evidence left behind. Besides, I want to make sure the murderers think they left everyone dead in here. I’m sorry.”

He was right even if she hated him for it. It was bad enough to leave her guards lying in their own blood, but at least they’d known the risks that came with their jobs. Her aunt deserved better. She’d been such a gentle soul.

Miranda wrapped herself in pure fury. “Whoever did this will die in bits and pieces, Ambrose, and by my hand, Coalition law be damned.”

His answering smile was all teeth and no joy. “Fine by me, Randi. I’ll even loan you my favorite knife, if you’d like.”

Despite his use of that awful nickname, his promise of retribution left her feeling better than she had in hours. She ran upstairs to grab the bare necessities while he made his calls. The sooner they were out of the house, the sooner she could exact vengeance for her clan.

Chapter 3

While Ambrose waited for Miranda to reappear, he considered their options. He needed to take her someplace secure, someplace where she wouldn’t be seen. Until they knew who was behind the attack, he didn’t want to trust her safety to anyone other than himself. He stared at the dead woman on the floor. It could have so easily been Miranda impaled there.

His rage burned hot even as he grieved for Miranda and her loss. He wanted to break something or kill someone; either would be satisfying. Right now, he’d get Miranda out of there and then they could plan.

True to her promise to hurry, she was already coming back down the stairs. Time to get moving. He met her in the foyer.

She held up a small electronic device. “I got my aunt’s calendar and files. Hopefully they’ll tell us something.”

“Good. Now let me take a look around outside and then pull around to the back. If all’s clear, I’ll flash the lights, and you come running. Okay?”

Even considering her species, Miranda looked pale. But she stood ramrod straight and met his gaze head-on with a sharp nod. Outside, he paused on the porch long enough to look around. If eyes were on the house, he couldn’t sense them. He stepped around the body, offering a silent apology for the disrespect and hurried to his transport. His crew should be descending on the house within minutes, and he wanted to be gone before they arrived.

He drove around the block and turned into the alley that ran behind the row of town houses. All was quiet and deserted. He rolled down his window and drew a deep breath. His mind automatically sorted out the various scents he was detecting. It was a heady brew of garbage, transport fumes and humans. He found it interesting the scent of humans grew stronger the closer he got to Miranda’s home. Of course, he shouldn’t be surprised, given that was the route the human servants had used to leave after the first meal.

But they would’ve left hours ago, so their scent should have faded by now. And if that was true, then what humans had been lurking back here long enough to leave such a strong taint on the evening air? As a Chancellor, he’d been trained to wait until all the facts were in before drawing a conclusion. He wouldn’t assume anything, but neither would he ignore the likelihood that Miranda’s attackers were human. But whether they were hired help or working on their own agenda remained to be seen.

Either way, they’d signed their own death warrant. Damn straight they had.

He flashed his lights at the house, and Miranda came running. Even in the darkness of the night and the moment, he admired the grace with which she moved, all sleek and feminine. Now wasn’t the time to be thinking that way, but when it came to Miranda, he couldn’t seem to control either his thoughts or his body’s reactions.

Once she was safely buckled in the transport, he hit the accelerator and drove straight for the one place he could keep her safe—his town house. He glanced over at his companion and wondered how she’d feel about that. She’d been sitting in silence, her eyes closed and her hands clenched in her lap since leaving her home. As if feeling his scrutiny, Miranda slowly turned her head to face him and then opened her eyes.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Someplace safe.”

He gave the control displays a quick study before turning his attention back to the road. Despite the late hour, traffic was heavy. Here in the capital city of New Eire, the mixed population of humans, Chancellors and vampires pretty much kept the place hopping around the clock. His transport was programmed to give both verbal and visual warnings if another vehicle came within striking distance. That didn’t mean he was willing to trust his life or Miranda’s to technology alone. He steered the vehicle into the outside lane as they approached the exit to his part of town.

“That wasn’t an answer, Ambrose. That was an evasion.”

His companion injected just enough irritation into her voice to make him decide to answer.

“I’m taking you to my place because the security is top of the line and I can follow the investigation from my home computer link.”

The ensuing silence hung heavily between them in the confined space. Maybe she didn’t appreciate his making all the decisions, but she was still reeling from the shock of the attack to be thinking clearly. He didn’t want to argue the point, but damned if he’d let her out his sight until he’d brought the perpetrators to justice.

His justice.

Chancellors were charged with carrying out the laws of the Coalition. Although there was a judicial system in place, as the head Chancellor, Ambrose was empowered to act as both judge and executioner if circumstances warranted it. And an unprovoked bloody attack on a high-ranking clan representative and her people definitely fell into that category.

Finally Miranda spoke. “Surely there’s someplace else I can go.”

“Not until I know more about who was behind the attack.” He shot her a hard look. “Besides, considering what you think of me and how well we get along, I figure it’s the last place anyone would look for you.”

“I wasn’t trying to insult you.” Miranda grabbed his arm. “It’s not that I don’t like you, Ambrose, but too many have already died because of me. I don’t want you to be caught in the crossfire.”

Okay, that pissed him off. He shook off her hand and snarled, “Don’t you worry about me, Randi. I can take care of myself. What’s more, I can and will take care of you. Got that?”

“No, as a matter of fact, I don’t!” Her every word was laced with temper, hot and furious. “I’m not helpless, Ambrose. Now either take me to a hotel or let me out at the next corner, I don’t care which.”

“Lady, that’s not going to happen, so sit back and enjoy the ride.”

“Ambrose! I said…”

“You’ve said enough! If you want to tear a strip off my hide, fine. But you’re going to wait until we’re somewhere safe.”

Then he gunned the engine, causing the transport to jet forward at speeds clearly not meant for a residential area. With deft skill, he navigated in and out of traffic until he reached the entrance to his underground garage. Without a word, he parked the transport and stalked around to wait for Miranda to climb out. As soon as she closed the door, he crowded close to her, forcing her to retreat until she was trapped between him and the vehicle.

Leaning in until he could feel her breath on his skin, he stared into her eyes for several long seconds before speaking.

“Understand this—protecting you is my job, Randi. I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Try to get away from me, and I swear I’ll chain you to my—”

He cut himself off before he blurted out the one place he wanted her—his bed. Even though all his protective instincts were running full bore, other powerful emotions were at work here. Ones he didn’t want to think about at the moment.

“Don’t you dare threaten me, Chancellor O’Brien!”

Miranda’s fangs ran out to full length, which only served to bring out the same response in him. “That wasn’t a threat, Randi, that was a promise. Now let’s take this inside.”

“And if I still don’t want to go with you?” She was tall enough in heels to look him straight in the eye. “How are you going to make me?”

“Like this.” Then he broke every rule known to Chancellors. He kissed her.

Chapter 4

Miranda’s first impulse was to shove Ambrose backward, with luck, knocking him to the ground. But her second was to latch on to him with all her strength and let the waves of white-hot heat washing over them carry her away from the horrors of the night. In her haste to get closer, to taste his heat, her fang caught on his lip, breaking the skin. The warm richness of a single drop of his blood sent a hot surge of need ripping through the last shreds of her control.

She wanted him, and had since the first time they’d met. His strength and intense sense of duty drew her as no other male ever had. Only by maintaining an angry distance had she been able to resist the powerful attraction she felt every time they were in the same room.

Now nothing separated them except a few thin layers of clothing and the chill of the night air.

This was insanity, but it could be her salvation. She tangled her fingers in Ambrose’s thick, wavy hair as she pulled him closer, holding him tighter, demanding more and offering everything she had.

She’d heard the old saying about great sex making the earth move, but she’d never experienced anything of that magnitude, at least until now. Even with the support of the transport behind her and Ambrose’s considerable strength holding her close, the world seemed to pitch and roll. A distant roar filled her head, making it impossible to make sense of the sensations buffeting her.

Without warning Ambrose ripped his mouth free of hers and started cursing. She tried hard to focus on what he was saying, but at the moment it was all she could do to remain standing.

“Son of a bitch! What the hell was that?” His eyes looked wild as he checked out their surroundings.

Then he had her by the hand, dragging her along behind him. She hated-hated-being treated like a mindless piece of baggage. Planting her feet, she yanked back on her arm, bringing him to an abrupt halt.

“Ambrose! What’s going on?”

He snagged her hand again. “I’m trying to get you out of here before the fallout from that explosion buries both of us down here.”

“What explosion?” Either she wasn’t thinking clearly or he wasn’t making sense. She really hoped it was the latter.

He looked at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted a second head. “What the hell did you think that loud noise and all the shaking was?”

She couldn’t answer that, not without humiliating herself, but he guessed, anyway. A wicked smile spread across his face even as he started tugging her toward the back exit.

“I’m flattered you thought all that was my doing, but sorry, honey, I’m just not that good.”

There was nothing she could say to that or wanted to. Instead, she followed him to the street outside. People were pouring out of the adjacent buildings and sirens could be heard in the distance. Their feet crunched on broken glass from the shattered windows above them.

Ambrose studied the shambles of what had been his home. “Bastards! First you and now me. That should narrow down the list of possible culprits.”

She stared up at the shattered windows. “How bad do you think it was?”

“Bad enough.” His expression was grim. “If we’d been in there, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, because we’d both be dead. Whoever planted the bomb knew what he was doing. He used enough to kill his target, but with limited collateral damage. I’d guess a few other people on the street have cracked windows or broken dishes, but that’s about it.”

How could he sound so calm? His home all but destroyed and he was able to think about his neighbors’ safety. Of course, that was what made him so good at his job. With his Chancellor’s inborn sense of right and wrong, he’d always put others first. Even so, there was a lot of pain in his eyes as he watched the glow of flames finishing off what the bomb had started.

She felt exposed standing out on the street. She gave Ambrose’s hand a squeeze. “Where to next?”

“What?”

His attention was still trapped by the fire, so she stepped in front of him. “Ambrose, we can’t stay here. It’s not safe. Where do we go from here? What if they’re watching and realize they’ve missed both times?”

He blinked a couple of times before nodding. “Sorry. You’re right.”

He studied the town house for a few seconds. “Wait here while I go back inside. If I can’t get the transport out, maybe I can at least grab your suitcase and the emergency pack I keep in the trunk. Then we’ll get moving.”

She studied the building. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

Ambrose grinned as he cupped the side of her face with his hand. “What’s the matter, Randi? Worried about me?”

This was no time for games. “Yes, I am.”

She stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. “Go, but don’t try to be heroic. Things can be replaced, but you can’t.”

He hugged her briefly before taking off at a run. Once the fire department and law enforcement people arrived, it was unlikely they’d let him anywhere near the garage. If the two of them were going to make good on their escape, it was best to do so during the confusion.

Time dragged out as she waited, and the feeling of being watched had the hair on the back of her neck standing up. Fear for Ambrose, mixed with the grief for her lost clan members, left a bitter taste in her mouth. She was being jostled by the crowd that had gathered to watch the flaming spectacle.

She did her best to ignore the crush, but then realized that it would probably be smarter to study them. If it was the killer she was sensing, he’d probably be watching for Ambrose, and for her, too.

Moving slowly, trying not to draw attention, she positioned herself where she could watch for the Chancellor, but also keep an eye out for anyone who seemed out of place or a little too excited about the fire. After sweeping the crowd twice, she gave up. Either the enemy was good at blending in or simply wasn’t there. No one stood out.

Where was Ambrose, though? Surely it wouldn’t take him this long to grab a couple of packs and get back out. She’d give him another two minutes and then go in after him. As she counted down the seconds, she listened to the roar of the fire. With each passing moment it became more and more unlikely that the fire department would be able to save anything of Ambrose’s home. Soon, the best they could hope for was to keep the damage from spreading to the adjoining buildings.

She cursed whoever had done this and vowed someone would pay and pay dearly. Ambrose would want his own brand of justice, but he’d follow the letter of the law. Vampire clans weren’t so picky about rules and regulations when it came to vengeance. Her fangs ached with a hunger for the blood of her enemies, whoever they were. Right now they might be shrouded in mystery, but that would change. When she brought the full weight of her clan to bear on the search, it would be only a matter of time before their enemy was revealed.

Lost in the sweet dream of vengeance to come, she didn’t immediately notice Ambrose beside her. When he touched her shoulder, her predator instincts had her lashing out. He jumped back out of range before she had a chance to do any harm.

She fought for control. “Ambrose! Don’t sneak up on me!”

He held his hands out to the side to show he meant no harm just as she’d done earlier. “I didn’t. I even called your name three times. Now come on. I had to park a block away to keep from getting caught up with the authorities.”

She followed the trail he blazed through the crowd. When they finally reached the transport, she noticed the backseat held more than just her suitcase and a single pack for him. Where had it all come from? Surely he hadn’t risked going inside the town house for the sake of a few possessions! When the scent of smoke rolled out through the open door, she had her answer.

She fisted her hands in frustration. “You went inside.”

He shifted gears and nodded. “Not far. My computer was just inside the door. We’ll need it.”

“And if the building had collapsed while you were inside?”

“Randi, we can play ‘what if’ games all night, but it won’t change anything. If the building had been that seriously compromised, I wouldn’t have gone in. I took a calculated risk, but I’m not suicidal.”

Before she could respond, he cursed a blue streak and gunned the engine.

“What’s wrong?” She craned her neck to see what had caught his attention.

“That third transport back has been mimicking our every move. He ran the last light to keep up with us. It might be nothing, but I’m not taking any chances.”

He powered their own transport through a series of last-second turns, barely missing both vehicles and pedestrians in the process. Miranda would have yelled at him for taking such dangerous chances, but her heart in her throat made talking impossible.

Finally, when he slowed to a less terrifying speed, she managed to stammer, “Is he still back there?”

Ambrose grinned, clearly pleased with his efforts to evade their pursuer. “No, I lost him two turns back, but I want to make sure he didn’t have company.”

She looked back herself. “What kind of company?”

Ambrose shifted gears and sped up again. “If I’d set up the tail, I’d have made sure the first one was spotted so the target wouldn’t notice they’d picked up a second or even a third tail.”

She knew Ambrose’s reputation in law enforcement was legendary. Now she had a better understanding of why that was. His thinking was devious, but that was how he stayed one step ahead of the bad guys. “You know, I’m glad you’re on my side.”

“Me, too. Now hold on.” He immediately executed another series of hairpin turns through the busiest streets in New Eire, turns that had her bracing her hands on the dash to keep from being slung from side to side.

A couple of minutes later, he reached over to briefly touch her face. “We’re in the clear.”

“Thank goodness.” She sighed with relief as they gradually slowed down to a saner speed.

When there was a break in the traffic, he turned toward her, his face showing the strain of the past few hours. “We need to get someplace safe.”

“Like your town house was supposed to be?” Okay, so she was being snippy, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. “Sorry, Ambrose, that was uncalled for. There was no way you could have known they’d be going after you, too.”

“And that’s where they made their mistake. Whoever is behind this is going to be damn sorry he messed with us. But right now, we need to go to ground somewhere soon. The sun will be up in just over an hour.”

“Got someplace in mind?”

“Yeah. A good friend of mine recently got married and moved to her husband’s estate. Joss left her keys with me so I could keep an eye on her place until she decides what to do with it. We’re close by, but it will take us another fifteen minutes to get there. I’m taking the long way to make sure we’re not being tailed again.”

Miranda let him drive in silence, not wanting to distract him while he was maneuvering through traffic while keeping a wary eye on the rearview mirror. A few minutes later, he made an abrupt left, followed by one last right turn, that threw her against the door before she could brace herself.

She shot him a dark look. “Thanks again for the warning.”

When he noticed her rubbing her shoulder, he grimaced. “Sorry about that. But the good news is we’re here.”

He pulled into a driveway at the end of the block. After keying a handful of numbers into the transport’s computer, the garage door slowly slid up. When the door was once again closed, this time with them on the inside, she slumped in relief.

Chapter 5

Miranda savored the first few seconds of quiet. For the moment, they were safe. Which left her a whole different reason to be nervous.

The longer she was alone with Ambrose, the more aware of him she was, on so many levels. Since they’d first met, she’d worked hard to disguise her interest in him, hiding behind an all-business attitude and a smart mouth. But after the horrors they’d endured the past couple of hours, she was too tired and drained to put up any kind of front. At that moment, she’d give anything if he’d wrap those powerful arms around her and hold the world outside at bay.

Now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. Instead, she hurried to help Ambrose unload the transport and carried their things into the kitchen. After setting down the last load, she looked around the compact house. It was plenty big enough for one person, but Ambrose’s solid presence took up a lot of space, leaving her feeling crowded. He set up his computer and checked in with his men. A few minutes later, he logged off, clearly not happy with the news.

“So far, no solid leads, but it’s early yet. They’re still doing a full sweep of both points of attack. They’ll signal me when they find anything definitive.”

She watched the play of the muscles in his back and powerful shoulders as he turned on lights after closing and locking all the shutters. Finally, he checked the pantry. “Are you hungry?”

Oh, yes, she was. But not for food, although she wasn’t about to say so. The building ache for his touch and the taste of his blood was burning hot in her veins. “No, I’m fine.”

“Well, if you change your mind, Joss keeps the basics stocked for when she and Rafferty are in town. It won’t be anything fancy, but you should find everything you need.”

He picked up their two bags and started toward the back of the house, leaving her to trail along in his wake. “The bedroom is on the left, the bathroom on the right.”

The bedroom? As in only one? That they’d have to share? As appealing as she found that idea, seeing how familiar he was with both the house and its owner bothered her a little. Okay, so that was a lie. It bothered her a lot and far more than it should have. His friend might be married now, but that was a recent development. How long and how well had Ambrose really known her?

“Are you sure this Joss won’t mind your bringing another woman to her place?” she asked as they walked into the bedroom. She kept her eyes firmly on the back of Ambrose’s head and away from the temptations the bed represented.

When Ambrose set the bags down and turned toward her, he was clearly fighting the urge to smile. He stepped within touching distance, once again crowding her into backing up a step. The thread of smug satisfaction in his voice, though, was all too clear when he finally answered the question she was really asking.

His hands did a slow slide up her arms to her shoulders, sending shivers of anticipation racing from her head down to her toes. The heated promise in his eyes melted her last bit of doubt.

“Randi, honey, you don’t have to worry about Joss.” He leaned in to brush his lips across hers. His voice was low and rough when he spoke again. “I assure you, she and I never experienced the kind of friendship you and I are about to indulge in.”

Miranda’s reaction was just what Ambrose expected. She couldn’t hide the fact she wanted him, not with her fangs running out full-length and her eyes flared wide and hot as she breathed in his scent. When it came to a mating dance, a vampire’s enhanced senses came into play. Scent, taste, sight, hearing were all affected, but especially touch. As a Chancellor, Ambrose’s vampire half shared those same powerful abilities, including his own rather impressive dental display.

His fangs dropped into place as he trailed his hands up and down her arms again, waiting for her to make the next move. They both knew they were headed for bed, but he wanted to make sure they were making the trip for the same reasons. He’d waited this long and would wait longer, even if it killed him. When he finally got skin-to-skin with Miranda, he wanted it to be because she wanted him as a lover, not just a distraction to block out all the ugliness the night had brought them both.

She stood her ground. “Slow down, mister.”

“I’ll go as slow as you want me to, Randi. I’ll even stop if you don’t want this…now.” He let his hands drop away from hers as a show of good faith.

Her smile was pure temptation. “I never said I didn’t want this.”

Her hands came to rest on his chest, one settling over his heart while the other moved upward to the pulse point at his throat. As her thumb brushed back and forth over the fluttering beat, she moved closer.

“I just don’t want to rush things. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve thought about this?”

She paused to brush her mouth across his, her tongue teasing his lips apart, only to dart inside and then retreat. She backed away. “This will cause problems in our negotiations with Kurt and his clan.”

Yeah, it would, but right now he had more important things on his mind. “I don’t care. I want you. You want me. Everything else can rot.”

“You say that now, Ambrose,” she said, laying her face against his shoulder and settling the curves of her body against him. “But beyond the walls of this room, the duties of your job and the needs of my clan have powerful holds on each of us.”

He wrapped his arms around her, liking the way their bodies fit together, knowing it would only get better when they finally crossed those last few steps to the bed. “Nothing is more powerful than this, Randi. If we want it badly enough, we’ll make it work.”

“If our enemies don’t end it before we really get started.” Her hand slipped under the back of his shirt to tease his skin with soft touches.

“Our enemies don’t stand a chance against the two of us. And we’re going to get started right here, right now. I’m definitely up for it.”

She giggled. “I know.”

He loved her laughter. It warmed places inside him that had been empty and cold for far too long. “Shall we?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

He helped her with her buttons and bra; she fumbled with his shirt, but finally managed to strip it off. As much as he wanted to get her onto the bed, he couldn’t resist pulling her back into his arms for another kiss. As their tongues tangled, he savored the sweet crush of her lush breasts against his skin.

“Damn, Randi, this is going to be so good.”

“The best,” she agreed when they broke apart again. “But there’s one problem—you still have too many clothes on.”

“We both do, but that can be fixed.”

And was.

Her pale skin glowed as she pulled the pins out of her hair, sending her fiery red curls cascading down the elegant curve of her back. When they reached the side of the bed, they paused to kiss and touch and breathe in the heat they were generating before reaching their final destination. He was about to go into full meltdown with just the scent of her skin and the silken feel of her hair as he ran his fingers through it.

“Now, Ambrose,” she murmured, her hand wandering down to caress him gently. “Please.”

He did some exploring of his own, loving the way she responded with a soft moan as he tested her readiness for what was to come. “I thought you wanted to take it slow.”

She nipped at his neck with the tips of her fangs. “That was then. This is now.”

He lifted her and laid her down on the bed. The mattress cushioned their weight as he stretched out beside her and propped his head up on his hand to study the incredible beauty next to him. With her hair spread out on the pillow just as he’d imagined and her siren’s smile, she was all feminine temptation.

He cupped her breast, its plump fullness a perfect fit for his hand. With teeth and tongue and lips he pleasured them both, loving the sweet taste of her skin. She held his head close, demanding more of the same. But it wasn’t long before that wasn’t enough for either of them. He needed to get closer any way he could.

He kissed her hard. “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.”

He left the bed long enough to get the box of protection he’d picked up at the town house. His hands were a bit shaky, but at last he was back with Miranda.

“Now, where were we?” He studied her lush body, memorizing his favorite parts. “Oh, yes, I left off here, didn’t I?”

He promptly starting kissing his way from her mouth down the side of her throat. Miranda loved this new aspect of Ambrose. Who would have thought he’d be such a tease? But as much as she enjoyed sharing a smile, now wasn’t the time. She wanted to feel the full weight of him as he took her.

Finally, he settled into the cradle of her body, lifting her legs high around his hips as he paused at the entrance of her body. His eyes stared into hers, their serious expression an acknowledgment that they were about to cross a boundary, one that would change their lives forever. She found herself nodding, accepting that she was giving herself to him in all ways, not just this one.

With a sharp thrust, he took her deep and hard. Ambrose froze for several seconds, giving her time to adjust, before slowly withdrawing and then going deep again.

“Ambrose!” She wrapped her arms around him, holding on tight.

As the powerful pressure built so that completion for both of them hovered close by, he twisted his head to the side and offered her his vein. She didn’t hesitate, sinking her fangs deep and hard and drinking fully of his life force. Her lover shuddered in her arms as they both shattered and then reformed into something new and wondrous in a single instant.

♥ Uploaded by Coral ♥

Chapter 6

When Miranda finally woke up, it was to find herself alone in bed and her Chancellor lover nowhere in sight. She located the clock on the dresser across the room and realized how late it was. She and Ambrose had slept in each other’s arms, waking twice more during the day to make love again. It had been amazing from start to finish, as he’d taught her things about her own body she’d never before experienced.

So where was he? She closed her eyes and listened. The rapid tap of fingers on a keyboard helped her pinpoint him. He was working in the kitchen. Had his men discovered anything? There was only one way to find out.

But rather than face stark reality immediately, she quickly showered and dressed before joining Ambrose in the other room. They both had duties and demands awaiting them in the world outside these walls. It was time to get on with their real lives. As long as they were entangled in this mess, neither of them was truly free to explore the long-term possibilities.

Ambrose looked up from the computer screen as soon as she stepped into the kitchen. “Did you get enough rest?”

The warmth of his smile drew her across the room. “More than you, evidently. How long have you been up?”

“A couple of hours. I wanted to check in with my men.”

Her stomach tightened. “Have they found out anything useful?”

“Enough.” He stood up. “They found DNA traces at both scenes from at least three different humans and one Chancellor. They’re running the samples through the system to see if we get any hits. At the very least, they should be able to narrow it down to a particular clan and with luck, down to a specific family.”

He stopped talking, probably giving her time to assimilate the information and connect the dots herself. It didn’t take her long.

“The only humans I’ve been dealing with are Kurt and his clan. Do you think they’re behind the attacks?” Her skin hurt as visions of her slaughtered friends and family filled her head.

“It would seem logical. The only question is why. It would take a mighty powerful reason for them to risk bringing down the wrath of the vampire clans on their heads, not to mention the Chancellors.”

He studied the list he’d been making. “Even before all this happened, I’d been wondering why this particular negotiation was so difficult. I had asked one my operatives to do some checking for me, but now I can ask you. What’s so special about that piece of land your clans have been haggling over?”

“Nothing that I know of. My family never developed that section, preferring to leave it as a buffer between our estate and theirs. It’s only been recently that the humans have been questioning who really has the rightful ownership.”

Pulling up a chair and sitting, she thought back over the recent months to what had been said. “Kurt first approached my mother five or six months ago. He started off by claiming that we had altered the property lines to steal that piece of land from them. We immediately filed for a binding ruling during the next session of the Coalition Council.”

“Your paperwork must have all been in order for your mother to be that confident.”

Ambrose went back to typing again. After a few seconds, he stopped to study the screen. “The case was accepted for review, but then it was withdrawn before it could be heard.”

“Once Mother received an offer to purchase the land from Kurt, she saw no reason to waste the Coalition’s time if we were going to be selling the land. Besides, Kurt’s offer made it clear that they were conceding the point that we were the legal owners.”

She frowned, thinking back about how things had unfolded. “Knowing Kurt as well as I do now, I have to say that it was out of character for him to concede even that much.”

Ambrose leaned back in his chair as he gave her a puzzled look. “You’ve never had dealings with him before this? How is that possible with your two clans sharing such an extended border?”

“My mother has only recently been having me represent the clan on negotiations of this type. I believe the same is true for Kurt and his father-in-law.”

Ambrose nodded. “That’s right. The estate he represents actually belongs to his wife’s family, not his. He must be trying to prove himself to her father by being a hard-ass, but that’s not going to fly if it’s the old man’s money they’ve been spending.”

He was right. She’d had limited dealings with the human clan chief, but he’d never struck her as a fool. It took an iron fist and a savvy business sense to keep an estate the size of his thriving. With their short lifespan, humans had to make long-term plans knowing they might not live long enough to see how they turned out. Finding someone they trusted to carry out that vision had to be one of their foremost concerns.

Somehow she doubted Kurt was up to the job. Maybe he knew it, too. Could this preemptive strike against both her clan and the Chancellors be his way of proving himself? If so, he’d sorely misjudged the situation. Even if he’d succeeded in killing Miranda, there were others in her clan who would step up to take her place. They might not do the job in the same way she would, but they’d do whatever it took to protect the family’s interests.

The same was true for Ambrose. His death would leave a huge gap in the Coalition organization, but someone would take over where he left off.

So the setbacks to both her clan and his employer would be short-term. When you added in the revenge factor, none of it made sense. Could the human be that stupid? She was on to something, she knew it. Now if she could only figure out what it was.

When Ambrose looked up from his computer to share his latest findings, Miranda was staring past him, her mouth pulled down in a heavy-duty frown. “Randi? What are you thinking?”

She blinked a couple of times and shook her head slightly before turning to focus directly on him. “Sorry, I was trying to make sense of something that doesn’t really make sense. At least not yet.”

Then she laughed. “Well, that didn’t come out the way I meant it to. Why don’t you tell me what you’ve found while I gather my thoughts?”

“Like I said earlier, I’ve been thinking that there has to be more to this than a simple land deal. Turns out I was right.”

He turned the computer around so that she could read the screen herself. As she scrolled down the screen, she worried her full lower lip with the tips of her fangs. He found himself remembering how spicy those lips had tasted, and when the sharp, sweet pain from those fangs had quickly morphed into something much hotter. As his manhood stirred to painful life, he admitted at least to himself how bad he had it for this female.

At least she seemed blissfully unaware of his rising passion as she continued to study the screen. “I don’t understand. Your man says the land is just as described—undeveloped, remote, no known mineral deposits to make it worth anything.”

When he didn’t immediately respond, she looked up. “Ambrose?”

Then her nostrils flared, no doubt picking up the unmistakable scent of his rising desire. Her eyes flickered down to the obvious evidence of the turn his thoughts had taken. She arched an eyebrow. “Uh, Ambrose, don’t think I’m not interested, but do you think now’s the best time for that?”

Damn, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d blushed. Maybe never. He wasn’t going to apologize, though. After the day she’d given him, she shouldn’t blame him for wanting more of the same. A lot more. Like maybe a lifetime’s worth, even if she was right about now being the wrong time, wrong place.

He dragged his gaze away from the desire flickering in her eyes and back to the report on the computer. “So, you were saying?”

“You said the report confirmed our statement about the nature of the property involved. How does that translate as significant?” She leaned closer to him, her hand coming to rest on his.

As much as he liked the feel of her skin on his, it wasn’t helping him concentrate. On the other hand, he wasn’t about to break off the small contact. Time to get this mess straightened out, the bad guys rounded up, and the paperwork filed. Then, and only then, would the two of them be free to pick up where they’d left off.

“I’m thinking that the land was a smokescreen, meant to distract us all from the real agenda, which was to get all the targets in one place at the same time.” He sat back and let Miranda think that much through.

After a bit, she nodded. “That makes sense, but who else was a target? Besides me, that is. My aunt?”

“She might’ve been, but definitely you. And me, although I’m not sure about that one. Considering the high-ranking nature of your clan, it was likely I’d take on the case myself, but there was no guarantee of that. It all depended on what other cases were pending at the time.”

“But if you weren’t a target from the beginning, why try to kill you now? They had to know an attack on you would bring the whole weight of the Coalition and the other Chancellors down on their heads. And what about the third member of the negotiations? Has there been any type of attack on Kurt or his family?”

“Not so far as I know. Of course, if the attempt was unsuccessful and his security handled it themselves, we might not have heard.”

Ambrose smiled, his fangs running out in anticipation of a battle to come. She knew that while he might choose to wear the trappings of civilization, underneath that thin veneer beat the heart of a warrior with pure predator instincts. Luckily, Miranda not only admired those particular traits, but shared them.

She gave him a wolfish smile of her own. “So what do we do next?”

He didn’t even hesitate. “I think it’s time to pay a courtesy call on Kurt and company with, oh, maybe a dozen or so of my men. You know, a show of concern because of the attacks on the two of us. I think it’s the least we can do.”

In a surprise move, Miranda straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know, I really like the way your mind works.”

“Just my mind?” he asked, knowing she couldn’t miss that other parts of him were definitely in fine working order at the moment.

She used her fangs to gently nibble her way along his jawline. “I may have developed a certain affection for one or two other parts. Do you think we might have time for an in-depth discussion about which ones right now?”

He laughed, liking her ability to tease despite everything else that was going on. “We could maybe hit the high points and go for a deeper understanding later.”

“Sounds good to me.” She leaned in to kiss him, moaning softly when he let his hands do some exploring.

He was going to suggest adjourning back to the bedroom to continue the discussion when all hell broke loose. The window across the room shattered, only the tattered remains of the shutters protecting them from the flying shards of glass.

As someone outside continued to strafe the front of the house, Ambrose quickly upended the table to give them another layer of protection. Miranda joined him in diving for cover without being told. But before he could formulate a plan of escape the back door exploded, leaving them vulnerable to attack from two directions.

Ambrose jumped back up to his feet, prepared to face their enemies with his bare hands if necessary, anything to keep Miranda safe. She pushed herself up off the floor to stand at his side, leaving them both room to maneuver. He couldn’t resist a quick look in her direction, knowing it might be their last few seconds together. Damn, but she was magnificent with her flaming red hair flowing over her shoulders, her eyes bright with battle fever and her fangs bared for the fight they both expected to come.

But it didn’t. Instead, a canister was lobbed through the back door at the same time another crashed through the shredded remains of the shutters. As soon as the two cans clattered to the floor, the hiss of an aerosol spray filled the room. He recognized the gas by scent. Low concentrations would only knock them out, but higher ones could be fatal, leaving them to die gasping for breath. If the two of them made it to the door, they’d likely die in a spray of bullets and blood.

Not much in the way of choices. He groped for Miranda’s hand, knowing that if he had to die, he wanted his last memory to be of her.

“I’m sorry, Randi,” he managed to choke out as his lungs filled up with the noxious scent of death. “I love…”

Before he could finish the words, darkness took him and sent him crashing to the floor.

Chapter 7

Miranda’s entire world narrowed to alternating waves of pain and nausea. She knew she should move; her life might very well depend on it, but she couldn’t bring herself to try again so soon. Not when the cold surface she was lying on continued to rock and roll every time she flexed even the smallest of muscles.

What the hell had happened? While she waited for the fuzz in her brain to clear, she risked opening one eye. Slowly. The only thing she could see in the dimly lit room was a man’s boot. By twisting her head ever so slightly and opening her other eye, she was able to recognize the boot and the leg it was attached to—both belonged to Ambrose.

She said his name, which came out sounding like a frog croaking. She tried again. “Ambrose?”

The boot stirred. “Randi, are you waking up?”

Now wasn’t the time to quibble about his nickname for her. “Yes, although the way I’m feeling, I’m not sure I want to.”

She considered her options and finally settled for rolling onto her back. Okay, that didn’t work because her hands had been tied behind her. Bracing herself for the worst, she pushed and shoved until she managed to sit upright. Once again the world spun for a few seconds, but not as long this time. So far, so good. At least this way, she could see Ambrose better.

He looked worse than she felt. On the other hand, they were both alive—for the moment at least. That actually came as a bit of a surprise, considering everything that had happened so far. Their luck had to run out eventually.

“Where are we?” It hurt to talk. The gas they’d inhaled had burned like acid, leaving her throat raw and her lungs sore.

Ambrose shrugged and then winced in pain. “Don’t know. Don’t know how we got here, either.”

A third party joined the conversation, coming from somewhere in the shadows across the room. “You’re in my basement.”

As she struggled to place the voice, Ambrose got there ahead of her. “Kurt? Are you crazy? Do you know what the Coalition will do to you for kidnapping Miranda, not to mention me?”

The human male’s answer to that was a bitter laugh. “Nothing would be my guess, considering I’m tied up just like you are. The only difference is that I’ve been down here since yesterday, while you two only got here about an hour ago.”

Miranda scooted across the floor to seek the comfort of being next to Ambrose and to present a united front against a common enemy. As soon as she could, she bumped her shoulder against his, drawing soothing warmth from his powerful body.

“So what’s going on, Kurt?” Ambrose definitely sounded more alert than he had a few seconds before. “Who put you down here?”

The human snarled, “One of your boys, Chancellor. He came into my house saying he needed my signature on a pile of papers from you. When I turned to get a pen, he hit me on the back of the head with something. Judging by my headache, I’d say he came damn close to cracking my skull.”

“Guess again, Kurt. I didn’t send anyone to see you. If I had needed your signature, I would have gotten it while we were at dinner. After that, I was too busy avoiding being blown up to think about work.”

Despite the dim light, it was clear that Kurt didn’t believe a word Ambrose had just said. He probably wouldn’t believe her, either, but she had to try.

“I can testify to the truth of what he says, Kurt. While you were at dinner with Ambrose, someone attacked my house and killed several members of my household. Ambrose came by to see why I had stood the two of you up for dinner and found me. Right after that, his town house was bombed. Whoever is behind these attacks tracked us down again and knocked us out with some kind of chemical. We woke up here.”

“Also keep in mind that not all Chancellors work for me.” Ambrose shot her a questioning look. “Some work for the clans in various capacities. Don’t they, Miranda?”

Who was he thinking about? Then it hit her—Alroy. Her Chancellor cousin lived in New Eire because of his antagonistic relationship with the elders in the clan. She’d always thought he didn’t extend that hostility toward her. For sure he’d always gotten along with their aunt. It was hard to believe that Alroy would have been party to killing her, but his presence certainly helped explain how the attackers managed to catch her guards unawares. They wouldn’t have questioned Alroy’s stopping by to visit.

She stared at Ambrose. “If he’s involved, I’ll kill him myself.”

“Who are you talking about?” Kurt demanded.

Even if the pieces were starting to fit together, she hated accusing Alroy with no proof. But when Ambrose gave her a pointed look, she reluctantly told the human, “My cousin Alroy is a Chancellor and lives here in New Eire. His scent was at my house, but that doesn’t prove anything because he works for my aunt.” Her voice cracked on that last part, but at least she managed to hold back the tears.

“What’s he look like?” Kurt had moved closer, despite being tied up just as they were.

She closed her eyes and pictured her cousin as she’d last seen him. “Tall, red hair a few shades darker than mine, pale gray eyes.”

Kurt started nodding at the mention of Alroy’s hair color. “That’s him.”

“I’m sorry, Randi,” Ambrose whispered.

Her heart hurt. “I know.”

Memories of their shared childhood flooded her mind, reminding her of how Alroy’s bright smile and mischievous nature had slowly faded into bitterness as they’d grown older. Neither of them had understood why she was their grandparents’ favorite, when Alroy was older and male. Eventually someone had made it clear to Alroy that his mixed blood had cost him what he saw as his rightful place in the family hierarchy. He’d left the estate shortly after that without even saying goodbye.

She’d missed him but also knew that seeing her only reminded him of how much he’d lost. The boy she’d known wouldn’t have lifted a hand to hurt another, but she didn’t know the man he’d become.

But now wasn’t the time for regrets or recriminations. They had to get free before their captors came back. Considering how close they’d come to dying already, there was no reason to think that whoever was behind the attacks wanted any of them to live long enough to seek revenge.

She drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So, gentlemen, what do we do next?”

Once again Miranda amazed him. That her cousin had come after her with murder in mind had to be a crippling blow, but she was still in the game, ready to do battle with their enemies. First, though, they had to get free of their bonds. Until they did, they were at the mercy of the first person through the door at the top of the steps.

“Randi, can you move your hands at all?”

“A little.” She leaned forward and wiggled her fingers to show him. “What do you need me to do?”

“Unfasten my belt. I keep something there you need right about now.” Then he winked at her. “I have a knife in the buckle.”

It felt good to hear her laugh as she scooted around to move her hands within reach of his buckle. With her limited mobility it took several attempts for her to get the belt unfastened. He talked her through pulling the blade free from its sheath.

She was a bit breathless by the time she’d pulled the knife clear of his belt without cutting either one of them. “Nifty trick, Ambrose.”

“Yeah, well, here comes the tricky part. You need to cut me free so I can do the same for you.”

“How about me?” Kurt demanded as he scooted across the floor to join them.

“First I get her free, then you, but only if I decide we can trust you.” Ambrose looked around the dingy basement. “Where’s your wife?”

“Out with her cousin,” Kurt snapped, jerking his head toward Miranda. “Seems Otka thinks I’m not strong enough to rule the clan. Once I’m dead, she and the Chancellor plan on taking over from her father.”

“That isn’t going to happen, not if we can help it. They killed my people. They’re going to die for that.” Miranda glared at the human, but then softened her expression. “I’m sorry, Kurt. This has to be hard for you.”

She shifted the knife in her hand. “Now walk me through this, Ambrose.”

“I will. We’re going to have to do this by feel, since neither one of us can see what we’re doing.” He pulled his hands as far apart as the plastic ties would stretch, which wasn’t far. Barely a blade’s width.

Kurt inch-wormed closer. “I’ll talk you through it, Miranda. Just go slow.”

Ambrose braced himself and did his best not to flinch as she worked the blade back and forth, following Kurt’s directions with only a minor mishap or two. The whole process couldn’t have taken more than a few minutes, even though it seemed to take forever. When his hands were finally sprung free, Ambrose took the knife from Miranda and cut her loose. He hesitated briefly, then sliced through Kurt’s bonds, as well.

After rubbing the feeling back into his hands, he asked the human, “Got any weapons stashed someplace close by?”

Kurt nodded. “I have some handguns locked up in the bedroom closet, unless Otka and her buddies took them all. Otherwise, I keep another one under my pillow.”

At least that was a place to start. Time to call in reinforcements. “Where’s the nearest phone?”

“In the kitchen at the top of the stairs.”

“Okay, I’ll lead the way. Miranda, you follow Kurt.”

Ambrose gave her a pointed look to cut off her protest. He didn’t trust the human and needed her to keep an eye on him while Ambrose had his back to him. She slowly nodded.

Armed with only the one knife, they started for the staircase. He hadn’t gotten very far when he heard footsteps overhead. Ambrose froze briefly before slowly backing down the steps. His two companions followed suit, retreating to the far corner of the basement.

“What next?” Kurt demanded. “You’re not going to do much with that pathetic little knife.”

Miranda turned on him. “Shut up, human! Without that knife, we’d all still be trussed up and waiting to die. At least we stand some chance of getting free.”

“Not much of one.”

Ambrose really wanted to smack the guy, but now wasn’t the time for feuding amongst themselves. There’d be time for that later if they survived the next few minutes.

He grabbed Kurt by the front of his shirt and got right in the man’s face, flashing his fully extended fangs for emphasis. “You will do exactly as I say. Got that?”

Kurt stared at Ambrose’s impressive dentition and swallowed hard. They both knew that Ambrose could rip out Kurt’s throat in seconds. And if he didn’t get the job done, Miranda would.

“What do you want me to do?”

“From the stairs, they can’t see the corner where they left you tied up. You’ll put on my jacket and pretend to be me. As long as you keep your back to them, they shouldn’t notice the difference immediately. I’ll be waiting under the stairs.”

Ambrose was peeling off his jacket even as he spoke. After tossing it to Kurt, he turned his attention to Miranda. “You’ll have to pretend to be tied up and unconscious, too. Are you all right with that? There’s not much chance of this succeeding, but it’s the best I can come up with.”

She didn’t waste time on a lot of words, using their last few seconds to give him a quick kiss before saying, “Go get ’em, big guy. Just save a little of the retribution for me.”

“Randi, you know I…”

The words choked off his breath, but she smiled. Her fingers traced his mouth, her eyes burning warm. “Yeah, I love you, too.”

He kissed her again, knowing they were running out of time, maybe for good, but at least she knew how he felt. And wonders of wonders, she loved him back. Strengthened by the gift of Miranda’s words, he stepped away from her and prepared to face their enemy.

She and Kurt hurried to assume their positions while Ambrose worked his way between the boxes piled directly under the stairs. He gripped his knife, ready for the deadly dance to begin.

Chapter 8

The second step down creaked loudly, echoing through the basement. Ambrose struggled to control his breathing, not wanting to give away his location before the enemy was in striking distance.

He counted the heartbeats coming from above him on the stairs, praying that Alroy and Otka had come alone. They’d obviously hired muscle to help with the assaults against Miranda’s clan, as well as against him. But if they had any brains at all, they would have engaged their services through a third party with little or no direct contact.

One…two…three. So they did have an accomplice with them. So be it. He’d faced worse odds before, although never with the woman he loved in the line of fire.

The first person reached the bottom stair—male, judging by the weight of his steps. He paused briefly before stepping out into the room. The other two quickly followed, but were careful to remain behind him.

“Why do we have to be here, Josiah? Just kill them, but make it look like they shot each other. We’re not to be implicated, or you don’t get paid.”

“Shut up, woman. And I told you not to use my name.”

Ambrose recognized Otka’s petulant voice, but Josiah was a stranger to him. Not that the bastard was going to live long enough for them to become well acquainted. Ambrose waited until they moved far enough into the room for him to get a good jump from behind them. One of the boxes toppled over as he lunged out of his hiding spot. It slowed his attack enough that all three of the newcomers had time to spot him before he reached Josiah.

As his fingers wrapped around the human’s throat, the basement exploded in a cacophony of gunfire and screams.

At the first shot, Miranda was up off the floor and running to join the battle. Damned if she’d play helpless victim while Ambrose faced down an armed killer. To give Kurt credit, he immediately jumped up, too. He wisely took on his wife, leaving Miranda to handle her cousin. She felt a brief pang of grief over his betrayal, but now wasn’t the time for a family reunion.

He sensed her attack and spun to face her, his face contorted beyond recognition with rage and fear. She didn’t hold back, knowing that any show of weakness right now would only further endanger her two companions.

The momentum of her charge carried them both to the floor, with him twisting to land on top. She bucked him off and tried to pin him down. She didn’t want to bring her fangs into play, because if she got close enough to use them, she’d be vulnerable to a similar attack from him. He managed to get a fist free and sent it flying straight at her face. She managed to deflect the blow at the last second.

“Alroy! We’re family. Stop fighting and I’ll spare your life!”

Not that she’d want to, and Ambrose would likely overrule her promise, anyway. Alroy didn’t know that, though.

“No way, bitch. We’re not family. You stole everything I’ve ever wanted the day you were born. It’s too late for me, and we both know it.”

That hurt, but he was right. She didn’t want to be the one to take his life, but he’d brought clan vengeance down on his own head when he sided with the human woman against his own bloodline. Bracing herself for the kill, she lunged for his throat.

“Randi, stop!” Ambrose’s big hand pulled her up and off of Alroy at the same time he shoved a gun in her cousin’s face.

At first she thought Alroy was going to continue fighting, but at the last second, he froze and then slowly lowered his hands to the ground beside him. He was smart enough to know he was staring sure death in the face. It might be postponing the inevitable, but he surrendered.

“Randi, go upstairs and call for backup. Wait up there until they get here.” Ambrose’s voice was stone-cold.

She started to argue, but stopped. This was the side of Ambrose that enabled him to rise to the top of the Chancellors. No wonder his name was spoken with both fear and admiration across their society.

She met his gaze head-on and nodded, telling him without words that she understood what his duty required of him and accepted it. Accepted him.

Ambrose kept the gun on Alroy. Josiah was no longer a threat to anyone. “Kurt, release your wife and go upstairs with Miranda.”

“But…” the human sputtered.

Miranda grabbed him by the arm to drag him away from his wife. “Now, Kurt. You don’t want to be here while he interrogates them. Presumably you have feelings for the woman.”

Otka was smarter than her husband. “Kurt, you know you love me.” She pointed at Alroy. “This was all his idea.”

The Chancellor sneered at her. “You were the one who always said the husband your father picked for you was too weak to lead your clan, Otka. As I recall, you told me that the first night you came to my bed.”

Kurt bellowed in outrage and charged right for Miranda’s cousin. Ambrose stepped between them. “Go upstairs, Kurt. Now. I’ll handle your wife.”

For a brief second, the human’s face showed real grief, but then it was gone. He looked from Otka and back to Ambrose. “I have no wife.”

Then he walked up the stairs without looking back.

Otka shrieked after him, “You can’t desert me like this, Kurt. Not with him! My father will kill you.”

Ambrose looked purely disgusted. “No, Otka, he won’t, not when he learns that it was you who brought the wrath of Miranda’s clan and the entire Coalition knocking at his door over a piece of worthless land.”

He kept the gun trained on Alroy, but walked over to glare down in the human woman’s face. “There’s also the little matter of him already being on the hook to repair the damage of at least three homes. I’ll also make it clear that if anything happens to Kurt, your father will be the one I’ll come after. I’d guess, when the dust settles, your name will no longer exist in his world.”

Miranda couldn’t bring herself to pity the woman whose selfishness had caused so much death and destruction. She followed Kurt up the stairs and made the call to Ambrose’s team.

The silence from the basement was deafening.

By shortly after midnight, Ambrose’s team had removed the bodies of the three executed prisoners, and Kurt was in protective custody until Ambrose had a chance to come to terms with the human’s father-in-law. There were forms to fill out and reports to be written, but all of that could wait. Right now, he had other, more important, issues to resolve.

He found Miranda on the front porch of Kurt’s house staring up into the night sky. The soft glow of the full moon illuminated her face. The past few days had definitely taken their toll, but she was still the most vibrant, beautiful woman he’d even known.

Ambrose resisted the need to touch her, not sure of his welcome now that she’d seen him in action. The fear that she’d no longer want him twisted in his gut like a knife.

“We’re done here, Randi.”

“I have to go home.” She crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. “It’s my duty.”

He understood that. After all, he’d dedicated his whole life to doing his duty. For the first time, he felt a twinge of regret that his very nature demanded that he continue to do so.

“I’ll take you to a hotel and make sure you have everything you need until you can make arrangements for transportation.”

She finally looked at him; her small smile held a hint of promise. “And if everything I need is you, Ambrose? Will you come with me?”

The weight on his heart intensified. Duty to his people was important, but his duty to this woman was, as well. He had to give her his truth.

“I love you, Miranda, more than I have the words for, but I can’t leave New Eire. The Coalition needs me here. Our people need me here.”

She stepped into his waiting arms and put her finger across his lips. “Ambrose, I know that, but I do have to return home, at least for a time. The elders of the clan will need my help dealing with the fallout from Alroy’s betrayal, as well as the death of my aunt and my guards.”

She raised herself just enough to whisper near his ear. “And I’ll need to pack if I’m moving here to be with you. I don’t believe in long-distance marriages.”

Some of the sadness in her eyes faded into humor as she asked, “You were going to ask me to marry you, weren’t you? I rather think my mother will insist on it, and she can be quite the terror when she doesn’t get her way.”

He swallowed hard. Damn straight he wanted to tie Randi to him any way he could, but he had to know where he stood. “Will she object to me being a Chancellor and not a pureblood vampire?”

“She wants me to be happy. That’s all that will matter to her.” Miranda toyed with his hair and studied his face. “And you will definitely make me happy.”

For the first time in hours, he could breathe without feeling as if a heavy stone was sitting on his chest. “We can assure her that I’ll take good care of you. Although come to think of it, I no longer have a place to live. Got any suggestions?” He nuzzled her neck, totally not caring that some of his team were standing a short distance away and staring at the two of them in stunned silence.

“Several, but now’s probably not the time to discuss them.”

Only his second-in-command had the courage to actually approach them. He cleared his throat and waited for Ambrose to acknowledge him.

“Yes, Liam, what is it?”

“First, let me offer my congratulations, sir.” Liam grinned and then held out a set of transport keys. “Thought you might need these. And don’t worry, I’ll personally handle the paperwork on this case, sir. It seems you have more important things on your mind.”

“That I do, Liam, that I do.” Ambrose tightened his hold on Randi and breathed deeply of her womanly scent. She sighed contentedly and laid her head against his shoulder.

He waited until the team was out of hearing and asked, “Shall we go find someplace more private than this porch, Randi?” Then he whispered what he had planned for them for the rest of the night—and the rest of their lives.

“You know, Ambrose, the way your mind works is just one of the things I love about you.” She broke away from him. “I’d like to point out a few of my other favorite parts, but this definitely isn’t the right place for that. What do you say we find somewhere a lot more private to continue this discussion?”

He led the charge to the transport, because he loved the way her mind worked, too.

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ISBN: 978-1-4268-4357-0

The Vampire’s Desire

Copyright © 2009 by Patricia L. Pritchard

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