Callie’s Shadow

Wendy Stone

 

Her nose twitched. Lifting her face into the cooling breeze of dusk, she inhaled deeply, a small smile touching her full lips. Callie Anne Wolfe had found their prey. The walkie-talkie squealed when she hit the talk button and she hurriedly turned it down, not wanting to alert their target.

 

"I got him," she said softly into the mic. "Two blocks north of Main just off Neppesing Lake Road."

 

Shadow's voice came over the small speaker. "Stay put, Raven. We're on our way. Do not try to apprehend him on your own, understand?"

 

"Yeah sure," Callie said but she didn't hit the talk button. Sarcasm dripped from her words. "More macho bullshit. I can take care of myself better than anyone on this team."

 

She reached into the small holster at her back and plucked out her specially designed taser. It gave off a stun twice as strong as a normal police issue taser and was made to Callie's specifications. Of course, the targets that her team went after were a lot stronger and a lot scary than any serial killer known to man.

 

"Good thing I'm not a man," she muttered, pulling up the hood on the team suit she wore.

 

It fit snugly, outlining every curve and dip she possessed. The suits were made in dark gray leather, cut to fit each member of the team with a small patch on the shoulder with the initials ASP blazoned across it in silver and a place to tuck in her badge at her waist when it was time to look official.

 

Callie glanced around, searching for the rest of the team. Taking another deep breath, she realized that the subject was moving away and would be beyond even her powerful senses before anyone arrived to back her up.

 

"Fuck," she steamed, slapping her palm against her sleek, leather encased thigh. "He's going to kill me for this." A sigh escaped her lips as she took off, running lightly in the heeled boots that went with the suit. Following her nose, she slowed when she sensed it was closer.

 

The mouth of an alley loomed before her, dark and creepy looking, beyond the streetlight. Pressing her back up against the brick of the drugstore, she glanced quickly down the alley. Even her highly advanced senses couldn't see through the gloom of the alley, leaving her blind as she stepped out of what little light there was into the dark.

 

Her walkie squelched and she lifted it quickly. "Down two more blocks to the alley. I'm not sure where it is, but it's in... ah!"

 

The walkie fell to the ground, shattering. A huge foot slammed down over what was left, smashing it more. One huge, meaty hand reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her forward and into the brick wall.

 

Callie felt her skin scrape free against the rough wall, her breath almost knocked out of her lungs by the powerful hand. "Ugh!" She tried desperately to hang on to her taser but it fell from her hands bouncing once into a pile of garbage bags.

 

Her other arm was grabbed and then something long and thin curled around her ankle, yanking her legs apart so that she was spread eagle against the wall. Her hood was knocked back, a forked tongue flicking at her throat and ear, as if it were tasting her to see how good of a meal she would make.

 

She struggled, but even her immense strength was no match for this giant. "Let me go, you son of a bitch!"

 

The thing that had grabbed her ankle slid up, caressing her calf and then her knee before slipping over her leather clad thigh. Callie badly wanted to look down, to see what it was, but she couldn't move.

 

It rubbed at the thick seam that ran between her legs, trying to find a weak spot in the fabric where it could get at her skin. Callie kicked back with her foot, hitting what felt like a cement filled pole. "I'm going to kick your ass, fuckwad. Let me go!"

 

It hissed, its breath foul in the already fetid air around her. "No."

 

The thing moved again, frustrated by the well made suit. It rose up the front of her body, finding the zipper that closed the suit. Pulling down, the tight leather split, exposing a creamy slash of pale skin.

 

"Niceeeee," the huge lizard-like animal hissed, its big head coming into her view over her right shoulder, staring down the length of her body. His tail released the zipper when it reached the stop, sliding up and pushing the two sides of the suit further apart to expose her breasts.

 

A trail of saliva slipped from the thing's mouth, dropping to slide down her skin, clinging to the pale brown of her nipple.

 

"God, ick," Callie growled, feeling her stomach turn. "Keep your bodily fluids to yourself, dickweed!" She took a deep breath, slamming her head back and into the thing's face, taking it by surprise. It staggered back and Callie dived to the side, grabbing for her taser and sliding her finger over the setting dial, turning it to full power.

 

It roared and Callie got her first good look at it now that her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light. Green scales covered most of its body except for down at its groin. There a thick thatch of almost human looking hair was a nest for a sex organ bigger than Callie's arm.

 

"Oh, fuck no. You aren't getting that thing anywhere near me," she breathed, her finger on the taser's trigger.

 

It wiped away blood from its mouth, glancing down at the green smear on its hand before roaring loudly. Then it attacked!

 

Four tasers hit it almost at the same time. It growled but didn't go down. Callie hit her trigger again before ducking under the hugely muscled arms, driving her fist with as much power as she could into the beast's groin.

 

It stopped almost dead in its tracks, its mouth opening but no sound coming out. The animal's huge yellow eyes rolled back into his head and he teetered for a moment before falling back to the ground.

 

"Geez, Cal, I think you killed it."

 

"It drooled on me, Angel. Be glad all I did was kill it." Callie took a step back before realizing her suit was still open. Grabbing the zipper tab, she slid it back up.

 

"Nice tits," Marcus said, coming to stand beside her. "You okay?"

 

"Fine," she said shortly. "But I need a shower."

 

There were sounds of sirens in the distance, growing louder by the second. "Cops," Angel said, reaching into the pocket in the front of her own suit and pulling out a small communicator. "One big lizard out for the count but we got cops on the way, Central. Advise."

 

"Burn the body and get out of there," came the reply.

 

"It's not dead," Callie said, loudly enough for the communicator to pick up.

 

"Then I suggest you kill it."

 

Shadow, the biggest of the team, bent over and grabbed the beast's arms. He dragged the animal over to the overflowing dumpster. "Cover it with bags. We'll watch it and when the humans leave, we'll come back and collect it." To be sure it wouldn't get up and walk away, Shadow grabbed specially made zip ties and slid them around the massive wrists and ankles of the beast.

 

They finished quickly, ever aware of the growing sound of the sirens. Then Shadow slipped into the dim murkiness of the building's shadow and disappeared. Angel gave Callie a quick smile and leaped lithely to the fire escape above their heads. Climbing at a speed almost too fast to see, she was sitting at the top of the metal stairs by the roof in seconds.

 

"Need a lift?" Marcus asked by her shoulder.

 

"Nope, got it covered," Callie said. She watched as huge wings unfurled from his back and he leapt into the air, leaving a strong breeze behind to ruffle through her hair.

 

Callie quickly unzipped her suit, pulling it off her curvy body. She threw it behind the dumpster and then took a deep breath.

 

The change was quick and relatively painless. When it was over, a black wolf stood next to the dumpster, her silver eyes moving over the hiding spot of the beast before she turned and moved deeper into the alley, hiding in the shadows.

 

She was still there when the police arrived, squealing their tires and shouting out orders. Shaking her huge, well shaped head, she watched as they tromped around the alley, shining their lights and waving their guns. Any evil thing with even half a shred of dignity would cringe at being caught by them.

 

One beam fell upon her and she shrank back, closing her eyes to keep them from shining in the light. Holding her breath, she waited to see if they would advance or if she had escaped detection. The beam flashed over her once more and then was gone. Callie opened her eyes to watch as one officer called it in as a false alarm or a crank.

 

She rose on her four legs, moving closer to the beast when all but one officer got back into his car. This one man sensed something; she could see it in his face. If he got too close to their subject, she would have to dart out and lead him away.

 

After a few minutes, he shook his head, turning away from the alley and headed to his car. Saying something Callie couldn't hear, they backed out and sped away. She stayed where she was for a moment before she looked up to see Angel's long slender legs standing next to her.

 

"Nice puppy," Angel teased, patting Callie's head until she growled and snapped at her. "Uh oh, bad dog," she said, baring her own fangs. "Go get dressed. We still got work to do before sun up."

 

Marcus drifted down, his feet lightly touching the sticky alley floor. He folded up his wings, crossing his huge arms over his chest. "I ain't touching that thing."

 

"Baby," Angel scoffed. "I can't believe what a wuss you can be sometimes, Wings. I swear I think you slept your way into the squad."

 

"What if I did? You see the happy face on the Magistrate?" He dropped one hand, rubbing it lightly over the front of his pants. "This is better than any stun gun I know."

 

"That's because anyone who sees it is too busy laughing to be able to hurt anyone," Angel shot back, laughing when she saw Marcus's green eyes narrow. "Did I hit a button, baby?"

 

"You two knock it off. You're worse than any two year olds ever thought to be. We've got to get beast boy into the unit and get back to the House before someone else decides to call the cops." Shadow turned toward Marcus. "You go get the unit, and fucking hide those wings, would you?"

 

Callie walked up, flashing a hint of cleavage as she zipped up her suit. She pushed her thick black hair behind her ear, making an effort to not stare at Shadow. Right now, every emotion she felt was in her eyes and she couldn't afford to let him see how she felt.

 

"Come on, Angel, let's get the trash bags off him."

 

"Did you see the size of the cock on that boy?" Angel said, going to Callie's side to help her. "Imagine what he could do to you with that." She sighed, the sound one of longing.

 

"You need to get laid," Callie laughed.

 

"You know it." Angel grinned.

 

"You always need to get laid," Callie said, dumping the last bag off of the beast.

 

"Yep, something wrong with that? Maybe if you got laid more often, you wouldn't be so uptight all the time." Angel glanced back at Shadow, watching him as he spoke into the small communicator. "I think we might have a volunteer to help you with your problem, girl."

 

"Oh, shut up. He doesn't feel like that toward me. He doesn't feel like that toward any female I've ever seen. You don't think he's gay, do you?"

 

"Gay? God would that be a waste," Angel said licking her tongue over her lips than across her fangs. "The boss is definitely bitable."

 

Callie narrowed her eyes at Angel. "Do you remember the old werewolf/vampire feud? Watch it."

 

Angel laughed, the sound dark and lovely. "I knew you wanted him, Cal. Why don't you just hop in his bed some night? It would save all the moonie eyes and panting you do around him."

 

"I do not pant or have moonie eyes," Callie argued, reaching down and grabbing the beast's arms. She lifted him with a grunt. "Grab his feet, will you?"

 

"Oh, all right. I still think Marcus should do this. Someone needs to unwimp that boy." She grabbed the huge feet, lifting them easily. They carried the huge beast to the edge of the alley, waiting for Marcus to bring back the specially designed silver Suburban they used.

 

The vehicle came to a stop in front of them, Marcus putting it into park and hitting the latch release on the back of the truck. Then he sat in the driver's seat and didn't move.

 

"Just like him, fucking pussy!" Angel groused, lifting the gate and helping Callie to deposit their guest. She slammed the gate, going over to the passenger side and sliding into the front seat. Callie could hear them arguing from where she stood.

 

"You okay?"

 

Callie jumped, turning around swiftly to find herself brushing up against Shadow. If he lifted his arms, Callie would be in his embrace. She couldn't move back because of the truck and he stood right in front of her. His scent filled her nose, teasing her senses and making her sweat. She wanted him so badly, she couldn't figure out how he didn't know.

 

"I-I'm fine as long as you quit scaring me like that."

 

His hand came up, pulling a stray strand of silky black hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. "He hit you pretty hard against that wall. You should have this checked out." He traced his finger across her cheek.

 

"W-what checked out?" she said blankly, stammering slightly.

 

"This," he said, cupping his hand around her jaw and tilting her head toward the light. "It definitely needs cleaned. Get it taken care of when we get back to the House." He dropped his hand, turning around and heading toward the car.

 

Callie realized she wasn't breathing when her head began to spin. "Shit," she hissed, her hand going to her throat. Her cheek tingled where his hand had touched her and she could still feel the heat of his breath on her skin.

 

"You coming," Angel called. "I'm hungry."

 

She sighed and shook off the heat that was running through her body. "Yeah, you're always hungry," she called back.

 

"Can I help it if I'm anemic?"

 

The trip back to the "house" went quickly, Marcus driving like the madman he was.

 

Callie sat in the back seat, bracing herself as he took the corners on two wheels. Shadow sat next to her, his eyes shuttered. The only time he showed any emotion was when she was flung against him.

 

"Dammit Marcus, slow the fuck down before you get those of us who can die killed," Shadow growled, holding on to her lightly.

 

"See," Angel smirked. "You got yelled at."

 

"What are you two, children?" Callie smirked.

 

"Vy yes, yes ve are," Angel said in a terribly cheesy impression of Dracula's voice. "Ve are the children ov the night." She let out a spooky chuckle and Callie rolled her eyes. Angel turned around, eyeing the way Shadow still held Callie. "You two look awfully comfortable. Should we stop at the drive-in so you can make out?"

 

Shadow dropped his arm and Callie jumped away from him as if she'd been burned. Then she glared at Angel who shrugged her shoulders and turned around, smiling widely.

 

"I have a stake with your name on it," Callie muttered, narrowing her glare at the beautiful blonde vampire.

 

Angel's voice sounded in her head. "You love me and you know it."

 

Marcus pulled into an underground parking garage, going to the far end and taking the spiral drive down to the bottom level. Hitting a small button on the dashboard, he opened another door big enough for the suburban to fit through and slowly drove into the parking lot of ASP. It was teeming with activity but the team ignored it all, driving to where a large flatbed trolley waited.

 

Shadow jumped out as Marcus put the car into park. He talked to two men dressed in white lab coats. One of the two was wolf, Callie could smell him as she got out and she turned curious eyes toward the two. The wolf nodded at her and she gave him a small smile back. It was small because she didn't want to let him think she might be interested.

 

Most single wolves will have sex with anyone they find attractive.

 

But not Callie. If the wolf knew she was a virgin, well, he'd more likely sneer at her than throw her the wink he just had.

 

"Come on, Cal. We got debriefing. Man, Daniels is going to be pissed this time." Angel grabbed Callie's arm and urged her forward. They followed Marcus through a pair of wide glass doors that led to the front offices of ASP, The Agency of Supernatural Police.

 

Pushing through another door, Marcus turned and took the stairs two at a time. Another long hallway was at the top and at the very end were their offices and the meeting room.

 

Daniels was waiting for them in the meeting room. With his light blue face and amazingly bright shock of yellow hair, it was easy to believe he wasn't human. "This was a huge circle jerk, now wasn't it?"

 

He stepped forward as Callie came into the room, grabbing her arm gently and forcing her to stand still. "You had that looked at?"

 

"It's a scratch. It'll heal."

 

"If you don't want benched, as soon as this meeting's over you'll go see Doctor Chartreuse and let her check that out."

 

"Fine," Callie said, yanking her arm out of his grasp. She went over to the vending machines against the wall and fed it in quarters before making her choice. Pulling the hot cup of coffee out of the dispenser, she went to her chair and sat down, slumping as she stared at the rising steam coming from the cup.

 

"Quit pouting," Angel said, her sharp fangs puncturing a plastic bag of blood she'd gotten from another machine. "Mmm, O negative, my favorite."

 

Callie shuddered, watching her devour the blood with a zeal that left her skin crawling. She took a sip of her coffee and then set the cup down on the table. "Can we get on with this?"

 

"We're waiting for Shadow. He wanted to oversee the unloading of the Lingus Lizard himself." Marcus unfurled one of his wings, his fingers stroking over the soft feathers, straightening and grooming them with a fastidiousness that used to fascinate Callie. Now she just chalked it up to Marcus's conceit. She also knew that Marcus had a thing for Angel, one that the female vampire didn't return.

 

Shadow walked into the meeting room, going over and getting his own cup of coffee. From an inside pocket in his gray leather suit, he pulled out a small packet of green powder and dumped it into the hot brew. Stirring it, he came over and took the empty chair next to Callie.

 

"You didn't follow orders." Daniels's words were short, crisp and to the point. "I told you to burn the lizard."

 

"There was no time, not even for a flash. The cops were too close and would have seen the residual. We didn't want them taking samples, did we?" Shadow asked, cocking one dark brow at his senior officer. "I made a call out there, my team did as I ordered and we brought in the lizard with no one knowing the better. Case closed." He took a sip of his coffee, grimacing at the taste.

 

"The case is not closed. An officer was injured, she didn't follow your orders, Shadow." Daniels paced back and forth in front of the room. "That kind of subordination is not to be allowed."

 

"She is my officer, on my team and it was my order she didn't obey, not yours. I will deal with her in a way I see fit."

 

Callie sat and listened to the two of them discussing her as if she weren't there. Her temper flared. "Did either of you think to ask me why I didn't obey orders?" She slammed her coffee cup on the table, not even flinching as the hot liquid flowed over her hand. "No, you just want to yell at each other and use me in the process."

 

She started to rise, ready to walk out of the room. "Raven," Shadow said softly, using her code name to remind her of her place. "Sit down."

 

Their eyes met, clashed, silver to icy blue. She was ready to tell him what to do with his orders and with the stupid code name he'd given her because of the initials of her name, then he stopped her. "Please," he said.

 

"Fuck," she hissed, sliding back into the chair and picking up a couple of the napkins that Angel pushed across the table to her. Wiping off her hand, she counted to ten and then ten again before looking up.

 

"Why did you disobey my order?" Shadow asked, leaning forward and resting his elbow on the table. He took another long sip of his coffee, grimacing unconsciously and then set down the cup, waiting for her to answer.

 

"I wasn't trying to be a hero. I was trying to keep the subject close enough that I wouldn't lose his scent. When I stepped in the alley, the scent of the trash was covering his up. I couldn't be sure he would be there. He used that confusion to waylay me."

 

"He almost raped and killed you." Daniels started pacing once more. "Your death would have been particularly gruesome, Raven. The Lingus Lizard tears the head off the female lizard during the mating process. She fertilizes him with an agent that is in her blood. He has to bathe himself in it."

 

"Yummy," Callie said, pushing aside her coffee. "That's a thought that'll help me stick to my diet."

 

"When we got to her, sir, she was preparing to stun the subject. She had the situation under control." Shadow finished his coffee with another grimace. "We hid the beast, waited out the police and then returned to the house. The lizard was brought back for study, no one was seriously hurt and the humans are none the wiser."

 

Daniels closed his eyes, the only thing that looked remotely human about the blue skinned demon. "It was a comedy of errors and once more you're trying to cover Raven's ass."

 

"Just as she'd cover my ass, or Orchid's, or Loki's. We are a team, sir. We've been a team for four years and the best you've got as you've said yourself. I'm not about to throw one of my team to the wolves... so to speak," Shadow said.

 

"Shadow, one of these days, she's going to end up on the slab down in the morgue because she couldn't obey your orders or mine. Are you willing to see that happen?"

 

Callie stood, she couldn't stay sitting down when they were discussing her like they were.

 

She would admit that occasionally, she managed to find trouble a little easier than others, but she was a good cop. She pulled her fair share of the weight of their team. "So what are you saying, sir? Do you want my badge, is that it? Are you pulling me from Alpha team?"

 

"You take her badge and you can take mine," Angel said, dropping her bag of blood on the table. "She's saved my ass more than once." She stood, then turned and stared down at Marcus. Slapping him on the back of the head, she glared at the immortal.

 

"What?" he asked, looking like he'd been sleeping. "Oh, fine, okay, you'd have to take mine too." He glared up at Angel. "Happy?"

 

"Delirious."

 

"No one is taking anyone's badge," Daniels said, holding his hands up in a patronizing gesture. "This meeting is over. Shadow, I need to speak to you, the rest of you have down time. Raven, go get that cheek looked after." He turned, dismissing them and going to the wall monitor.

 

Callie slammed the chair into the table, picking up her half empty cup of coffee and throwing it into the trash. She slammed out of the meeting room, ignoring Angel's yell. She'd been ordered down to the Med Unit, that's where she would go.

Shadow sat in his chair, watching as Callie slammed out of the meeting room. He sighed, a tired sound. Some days, the existence that had been forced upon him was more than he wanted to take anymore.

 

There were days when he craved the sound of another human voice calling his real name. But it was a dream. Anyone who knew him when he was nothing more than a human male was long dead. He'd been Shadow for more years than he'd been human.

 

Those ridiculous bomb tests out in the deserts of Nevada had done more than just blow up a few thousand cacti. He'd been bombarded by radioactive particles until he almost glowed. The sickness had taken him, eating at his body and his mind until he'd wandered, half mad, his skin falling away from his body, out into the desert that had made him that way.

 

He still wasn't sure what had happened out there. He had a slight memory of an aged man, impossibly old and frail looking, stronger than he could believe, lifting him in his arms. The rest was a blur of faces and sounds, mostly coming to him in his restless sleep at night.

 

Someone had save him from the radiation poisoning and, in doing so, had created Shadow. He was able to change his molecules, shifting them to blend in to whatever he was by. He could do it without thinking about it now, though the first time had caused him massive pain.

 

"When are you going to take control of your team?" Daniels said, interrupting his thoughts.

 

"When are you going to get off my back and realize I do have control of them?" he asked without skipping a beat. "Callie is a good cop and she thinks on her feet. She was in the process of saving herself when we got there. Give her a chance and quit letting who her father is affect the job."

 

"Maybe you should let it affect your job a bit more," Daniels growled. "He created this agency, or did you forget that Callan Wolfe's name is on the brass plate that sits at our front doors."

 

"God, how could I with you throwing it in my face all the time?" Shadow rose from his seat, taking his cup and tossing it in the trash. "Our mission was to retrieve the lizard and keep him from taking human lives. We did it. Mission accomplished, yay for us. Now, if there are no other problems you want to throw up in my face, I have reports to update."

 

Shadow walked out of the room feeling Daniels' glare against his back. He strode down the hall, almost growling as someone said something to him, then went in the door to his office. Closing it behind him, he also closed all the blinds, desperately seeking some time to get himself together.

 

It didn't help that he couldn't get the image of Callie out of his mind. She'd tossed aside her suit, leaving her curvy little body naked and within his reach. He had been able to see every curve, every line, every lovely inch of her. He'd felt just a brush of her warmth as he'd reached out to her, wanting so badly for more.

 

"Ahh!" he groaned, grabbing his head as he fell into his chair. "Get out of my mind."

 

"Boss?" Marcus's voice was concerned as he opened the door to Shadow's office. "You okay? That powder's still working, isn't it?"

 

"The powder's fine but you'd think with all the money they throw out on research and development, they could find a way to make it taste better." He looked up, seeing Marcus half in and half out of his office. "Did you need something?"

 

"Angel over easy with a side of toast, but that's my own problem. You just looked kinda peaked is all."

 

"Did you just say peaked?" Shadow lifted his head the rest of the way off his hands, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. It changed him from stern and gruff into unbelievably handsome, but it was lost on Marcus. "Didn't the Gods in Atlantis or Greece or some such place create you?"

 

"Well, not exactly create, but yeah, I was once part of a great contingent of warriors created by the Atlantean Gods to do their dirty work, until that damned earthquake took me down and had me buried for a couple, three centuries. Why?"

 

"No reason." Shadow shook his head, pulling a file from the stack of paper work he'd been putting off doing.

 

"Just take it easy boss, I really don't want to have to break in another." Marcus gave Shadow a snappy salute and then closed the door softly behind him.

 

Shadow opened the file, staring down at the pictures that were clipped to the front of it. The girl was young, beautiful in the head shot of her, with light auburn hair and creamy skin that would freckle in the sun. Her eyes were green, open and friendly in that first picture.

 

She wasn't so beautiful in the next shot.

 

His face turned grim as he forced himself to memorize every ugly detail of the horror that had been forced upon the girl. Her throat had been ripped out, but no blood had been found by the cops. Of course, then they thought they would have a primary and secondary crime scene, but he knew that there had only been one.

 

A group of rogue vampires had found this poor girl. They'd fed on her, until there was only the faintest of heartbeats left. Then they tortured her, playing with her while she weakly tried to crawl away. Her dirt stained face held evidence of tears that had trailed down the muck and grime on her cheeks. Her death was finally attributed to trauma from a blunt object, a baseball bat by the look of the wound.

 

This same group of vampires was responsible for at least twelve more deaths, all grisly as the rogues swept a swathe of destruction through the night.

 

He studied the file before opening the next, staring at the gruesome pictures and making notes on a yellow pad of paper. So engrossed was he, that he didn't hear the knock on his door or hear the creak it made as it opened. He didn't hear her enter but his nose told him she was there. Slowly, he lifted his head from his work and let his eyes roam over her sleek form in the silver uniform.

 

"What did the doctor say?" he asked when he saw the bandage on her cheek.

 

"I'll heal. I really didn't need to go see her, Shadow. She kind of gives me the creeps." Callie walked into the office and looked askance at him.

 

"Sit down," he said hurriedly. "Dr. Chanteuse is one of the best doctors that ASP has."

 

"I know but the constant humming she does, it gets on my nerves. Don't you think it's a little creepy?" She sat and picked up a paperweight from the desk, turning it over and over in her hands.

 

Shadow could see she was nervous and he stayed silent, waiting for her to spill why she'd come to see him.

 

"I um... I wanted to thank you for sticking up for me with Daniels. I think he'd stuff me behind a desk and give me nothing but paperwork if he could get his own way. He's so worried about pissing off my dad. Well, anyway, thank you." She stared at the round ball of acrylic that held a single gold coin in the center.

 

"That would be a big waste of a very talented agent," Shadow said softly, watching her hands as she played with the paperweight. "Going into the alley on your own was pretty reckless, Callie. You know that as well as I do. If that lizard... Well, you heard what Daniels said was their mating practices."

 

"Yeah," Callie answered, shuddering at the thought. "Not my idea of a fun night on the town." She sat up suddenly, looking at the file he'd been in the process of studying. "Is this our next case?"

 

"This one won't be as easy as that lizard," Shadow said, squinting down at the file. "These vamps have been causing problems for a long time. Every time one of our agents gets close, they disappear. It's almost as if they've got inside information." He shook his head. "I'd trust any of our agents with my life, especially our team, but I can't figure out how and where they go to ground."

 

"May I?" she asked, holding out her hand for the file.

 

Shadow held out the file, seeing Callie flinch as she saw the picture. The woman hadn't been particularly beautiful, but she was smiling in the first picture, her hands cupped over her belly, showing off her pregnancy. What the vampires had done to her, well it was particularly gruesome.

 

"They killed both of them," Callie whispered, rubbing her hand over the one picture where the woman had looked so happy.

 

"The baby was torn from her womb," Shadow said, getting up and sitting in the other chair that was in front of his desk. He put his hand over hers, feeling her jump just a bit and that strange electricity, that jolt of awareness that he always felt around her tingle through him. "This case isn't going to be easy on any of us, Callie."

 

"Especially Angel if she knows any of these killers," Callie said quietly, glancing up and into the strange icy blue eyes of his.

 

"We've chased vamps before, but God, Callie, I can't think of any case that could even compare to this one. Not only are they killing, they are changing some of their prey. You know, it takes an Old One to do something like that."

 

"If the Old Ones are changing and going back to the way it used to be," Callie shivered "we're going to need more help than just the squads. We should get in touch with my father. You know he needs to know this."

 

"I've sent him a message, Callie. I wasn't going to keep this from him. It wasn't too long ago that Vampires and Werewolves were feuding. If it wasn't for your father and his ideals, they still would be." He squeezed her hand and then released it. "It's getting close to sunrise. You should go home before it gets too late. I'll be briefing the team tonight after I've gone through all the files.

 

"I could help," she offered quickly.

 

"No, you need to get some sleep."

 

"No more than you do," she said. "If you don't want me around, Shadow, tell me. Don't push it off on my needing rest or the sunrise, whatever." She got up from her chair staring at his back. "And don't stand there and think you're doing this for my own good either."

 

Callie slammed down the paperweight on the desk, hearing it crack. She spun, heading for the door. So wrapped up in her own misery, she never heard him move until he grabbed her arm, spinning her to face him.

 

"You want to know why you can't stay here?" he growled, his voice deep and menacing sounding. "I'm afraid I'd do this." His head bent, his mouth covering hers, drowning out her squeal of surprise. He kissed her until all he could think of was her, her taste, her scent, the way she rubbed up against him. He felt the softness of her lips and let himself drown in her for a single instant in time.

 

Then she was free and his back was turned to her again. "Now you understand. Go home, Callie. I'll see you at the team briefing at dusk."

 

Shadow stared at the wall, for the first time wishing that the underground office building had a view and a window he could pretend to look out of. He waited to hear her moving, cursing himself for allowing his baser side to react when he'd promised to never let show how he felt for her. She was a Were, belonging to one of the most noble of Were families. Her father had built ASP, had stopped the feuding, and had brought the Were community together as one, even those that usually were scorned.

 

The door closed quietly behind her and he allowed himself one final look through the glass door. Her head was bowed, her hair swinging down to cover her face. He couldn't judge how she reacted to what had just happened. It took everything in him to walk to his desk and sit down, moving the file they'd been looking at back on to his blotter.

 

But he couldn't concentrate. He held his hands up to see them shake, the blood flowing through his veins in such a heated rush that it drowned out any other sound. He could taste her, feel her pressed against his chest. He wanted to go after her, to strip her uniform off of her and push his hard and aching cock into the wet heat he knew he would find between her thighs. "Dammit!" he almost shouted, picking up the cracked paperweight and heaving it at the concrete wall.

 

Callie's hands shook all the way to the locker room. Her body quivered inside the tight suit and she licked her lips, still tasting him there. She pulled open the door to the locker room, finding her locker and fumbling with the lock.

 

After her third try, she gave up and sank down on the bench, dropping her head into her hands. "Holy hell," she breathed. Her lips felt swollen, ravished even as her body cried out for more. She was wet and swollen between her thighs as well, her sex aching with need for him.

 

"What's up?" Angel asked, dropping down next to her. "The doc give you the all clear?" She turned and looked at her friend, brushing her long white blonde hair out of her face. "Whoa, girl, are you okay? Your face is red." She reached out, laying her palm on Callie's forehead. "Damn girl, you're on fire. Who got you all hot and bothered?"

 

"Shadow," Callie almost whimpered. "He kissed me." Her hand came up to touch her lips, her fingers shaking.

 

"Well, I guess we now know he's not gay," Angel kidded.

 

"Don't you have a crypt to get to?" Callie asked irritably.

 

"Ah, so you want more of our mysterious leader." Angel grinned holding up her hands when Callie turned on her, her eyes glowing the silver of the change. "Hold on, girlie, don't take your unrequited lust out on me. If our indomitable Shadow got your panties in a twist, maybe you should just trot right back up there and let him untwist them."

 

"He sent me home," she replied in almost a whisper. "He kissed my socks off then sent me home."

 

"Oh hell, honey, I'm sorry. But you know he's just looking out for you." Angel stroked one hand down her back in a comforting manner.

 

"Maybe I don't want him to look out for me. Maybe I want him to... to slam me against the wall and fuck my brains out."

 

"Now that is a very unappetizing thought," Angel joked. "But I know what you mean. And since the boss man doesn't seem inclined to help you out, I could suggest a number of males that would love to rock your world."

 

Callie sighed. "It wouldn't work with anyone else."

 

"How do you know? Have you been out getting happy with the furry ones?" Angel leaned closer, stroking Callie's hair.

 

"I haven't been happy with anyone," she said morosely, before realizing what she'd just admitted to. "I-I m-mean..."

 

"You're a virgin?" Angel stared at her in disbelief. "An honest to goodness, real live virgin? I didn't think they existed anymore, well at least not unless you're eight. Holy shit girl, I bet if you let Shadow know, he'd be willing to be your first, you know, for the sake of the team," Angel joked.

 

"Shut up," Callie said, holding her hands over her ears. "You can't tell anyone what I said. You have to promise, Angel. You can't even tell Marcus."

 

"Wings is like the last person in the world I'd tell. You don't need him sneaking up behind you and trying to get into your furry little ass."

 

"I'd bite it off if he tried," Callie said, smiling a little at the thought. "Besides, I happen to know that he has a thing for someone else." She nudged Angel with her shoulder. "Maybe you should worry about your own blood sucking ass... ewww, forget I said that."

 

Angel chuckled. "I know some guys that should have that tattooed on their foreheads."

 

Callie turned, surprised. "Shadow was going through some files when I went to his office. We're going after a group of renegade Vamps who are attacking humans. He thinks there is an Old One that is changing some of their victims."

 

"Shit," Angel hissed. "I've heard of them through the grapevine, the one here, not the vampire grapevine. This isn't going to be an easy one, Cal."

 

"They're torturing their victims, tearing babies from their mothers' wombs. I didn't thing it was going to be easy. But they have to be caught and punished. You know what their punishment will be," Callie said softly.

 

"Sunlight," Angel hissed, shuddering in revulsion. "That's death for any vampire, even for an Old One."

 

"Yeah."

 

Angel rose from the bench, her lithe body moving with a grace that was beautiful to watch. Even in her uneasy state, she radiated sex. Callie couldn't blame Marcus for wanting her. Hell, she couldn't blame any man or woman if that be the case.

 

"I feel the need for some time on the mats."

 

"You need a sparring partner?" Callie asked, needing to work off her own angst and sexual need.

 

"You're it," Angel said, grinning. "Get into something sexy and let's go get sweaty."

 

"You don't sweat," Callie said, turning to her locker again and opening it the first time.

 

"Okay, let's go get you all sweaty."

 

"You're on."

 

The training room at Asp was a huge space, almost the size of a school gymnasium. Weaponry of all kinds hung upon the walls, ready for use. Not too many rules applied here. If you got hurt, it was your own fault for not training harder, which was just the way Callie liked it.

 

Mats ringed the floor. At this time of morning, with the sun coming up soon, not many people were training. They had their pick of mats.

 

Angel looked incredibly edible, wearing a sports bra that pushed her breasts up into an unbelievable display of cleavage. Tiny shorts cupped her beautiful ass, skin tight against her smooth skin. Her body was slender but leanly muscled with a Vampire's powerful strength.

 

She'd pulled her white blonde hair up, winding it around her head to keep it from being used against her. Her blue eyes were soft and wide, giving her an innocence that was easily betrayed the instant she opened her mouth.

 

"Okay, sweets, you ready to find that cute furry ass of yours on the floor?" she called back to Callie.

 

"Watch it, big mouth. I just might wipe the floor with you this time." Callie dropped the elbow pads she was carrying and started stretching. She bent over and easily touched the floor with her hands, stretching the back of her calves. She didn't realize what kind of view she was giving the males in the gym, but Angel knew and grinned.

 

"Honey, you might want to watch bending like that in front of this crowd. These guys might take it as an invitation," she called, baring her fangs at the nearest male. He backed away, holding his hands up in surrender."

 

Callie rose, looking around the room. Her eyes swirled silver as she used her wolfen powers to discern exactly what each was. She counted seven vampires, one wolf and one that wasn't something she'd seen before. Lifting her face in the air, she scented him and then recoiled. Demon and a powerful one, he stank of evil. Callie could feel him now, trying to get into her head even as he stepped closer to her.

 

Images flashed through her mind, some pretty graphic ones had her gasping. But when he stepped close enough, thinking that she would be under his spell, she spun into a round house kick that sent him stumbling back.

 

"Better demons than you've tried, buddy. Get a fucking life." Callie grinned but inside she was shaking off the images, disturbed by them.

 

"You okay?" Angel asked, coming up from behind her.

 

"Yeah. Who is that guy?"

 

"New guy, I've never seen him before. I know Daniels is trying to bring in some more demons, figuring that adding their black magic to what we've got will help the job. I think he should clone Wings. Every team needs one like him to put his nose up when things get a bit dirty."

 

"You like Marcus and you know it," Callie answered. "You wouldn't want to change a hair on his cute head."

 

"No but it might be fun to pull out his pubic hair, one at a time with some dull tweezers," Angel laughed. "You ready for this?"

 

"Yeah, weapons or hand to hand?"

 

"Oh weapons, please. It's no fun unless we use weapons. Shall we start with stun sticks?"

 

Callie went to the wall and pulled down two long sticks about the same length as a pool stick. She hefted them in her hands, testing their weight before tossing one lightly to Angel. Wires ran down the sticks. When they were used, the wires would give off small shocks of electricity, growing stronger with each hit until one or the other opponent dropped the stick.

 

Moving into a ring, each stood facing the other, sticks at the ready. They tapped them once against the floor to turn them on. Callie moved slowly to her left, circling Angel. Her stick hummed with power, seeming to almost tingle in her hands.

 

Angel struck first, almost knocking the stick out of Callie's hands with her blow. She grinned at the tiny shock of power that ran through her, absorbing it into her system eagerly.

 

Callie growled, the sound coming from deep inside where her beast waited to be released. Slowly circling the other way, she saw an opening and took it, using the end of the stick to strike Angel, catching her just below the ribs.

 

The wiry blonde grunted, her stick giving off a shock that tingled her fingers. The blow had been hard enough to knock the breath out of her, if she breathed. Since she didn't, she returned the blow, sweeping her stick low to try and catch Callie's ankles.

 

Callie jumped, using her stick to propel her into a back flip just out of Angel's reach. If Angel had been an inch closer, her maneuver would have sent her feet into her face.

 

"Nice," Angel said, smiling as she stood. "What else you got to show me, sweets?"

 

Callie wiggled her fingers in a come hither wave. "Come here and find out."

 

"I can't wait," Angel grinned, her fangs growing longer.

 

"You keep those things sheathed," Callie growled, her eyes swirling silver once more.

 

"Ah baby, you know you want me, why deny it?"

 

Callie couldn't help the grin that bloomed on her face. Angel was like a natural high, she could almost always make her laugh, or smile. There was just something endearing in the beautiful Vamp, which in itself should have her making an appointment with a shrink. "Did I say I didn't? Come and play."

 

They moved around each other, neither finding an opening, ignoring the catcalls of the other ASP members. Angel struck first again, grinning as the power tingled up her arms as their sticks sparked against each other. "You have gotten better at this. Are you sparring with another Vampire?" she demanded in mock indignation.

 

"No one could take your place, Angel. My dad has been giving me a few pointers."

 

Angel grinned and dropped one end of the stun stick on the ground, using it as balance as she kicked her feet around, clipping Callie on one shoulder and causing her to jerk backwards. "You're getting better, but you still have things to learn yet, Grasshopper."

 

Callie narrowed her eyes, ignoring the throbbing in her shoulder. She would have a bruise there later, but for now, she had more important things to worry about. Like how to teach a jeering Vampire a lesson of her own.

Marcus popped his head into Shadow's office, his wings held up and almost quivering against his back. "What'd you say to Callie?"

 

"Huh?" Shadow looked up, noting the high color on Marcus's face. "Why?"

 

"Cuz she's kicking Angel's ass on the sparring mats. I've never seen her like this." He ducked out, heading back toward the gym before Shadow could question him further.

 

"Hell," Shadow growled. "I'm more of a baby sitter than a boss." He got up and headed out of his office jogging to catch up with Marcus.

 

"They've got stun sticks, boss. I've never seen them spark like this before. I think even Angel's breaking out in a sweat."

 

Shadow opened the door to duck inside the gym, noting the men that were circled around the two women. Over the top of their heads he could see a glimpse of Callie, a sheen of sweat making her skin seem to glow. Somebody yelled encouragement as her head disappeared behind the crowd of men once more and Shadow could see sparks flying.

 

"Dammit," he growled, striding towards the group of men just as Marcus took a step back, nudging the guy next to him and nodding his head toward Shadow.

 

Suddenly, all the men who'd been so intensely interested in watching the two women go at each other had something better to do. The gym quickly emptied, leaving Angel and Callie still battling on the mat. The two were so intent upon the other; they didn't notice Shadow coming in or the men leaving.

 

Sparks flew from the stun sticks as they moved around the mat, grunts and groans echoing around the now almost empty gym. Angel landed a blow, almost knocking Callie off her feet and leaving a bright welt that matched at least ten others. Callie kept her feet, though Shadow didn't know how. Angel's powers were vast, but he could see she was tiring and that the burning of the stick was getting to her.

 

"Stop this," he growled, stepping between the two women and grabbing both sticks. The power of the shock the sticks were giving off almost knocked him off his feet. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

 

"Training," Callie said, holding on to her stick.

 

Angel let go of hers, bending at the waist. If she actually breathed, she might look as if she were catching her breath. Instead she was cooling off the burns on her hands against her skin, unwilling to let Callie see how bad they were.

 

"Angel, go take a shower and bed down here, you'll never make it across town before dawn."

 

She nodded, turning and heading to the locker room, rubbing her shoulder where Callie had struck last. On her way past Marcus, she grabbed at his arm. "Let's give the kiddies some time alone," she said, nodding back where Shadow was still holding both sticks.

 

"Oh hell, you always ruin all my fun. If I go like a good boy, will you let me scrub your back?" Marcus smiled, moving closer to her only to draw back when she bared her fangs at him. "Okay, geez, it was just an idea."

 

"Keep your ideas in your pants," she growled waiting until she was out of sight of the other two members of their team before she gave in and started limping.

 

"She really kicked your butt, didn't she?" Marcus whistled, holding up his hands when Angel narrowed her eyes at him.

 

"I'm fine, Wings, so drop the subject. Why don't you go find someone who enjoys having your around. Oh, wait, you'd have to find a time machine and find one of those Greek Gods that created you."

 

"Atlantean," he corrected, brushing off her snide remarks. "I'm happy right where I am."

 

"Yeah, but I'd like you to get lost," Angel demanded. She grabbed his arm when he went to turn around and go back into the gym. "Not that way, big guy. You've got to go through here."

 

"The women's locker room? Not likely, not even for you, unless..." Marcus let the words trail off, taking her hand and running it down his smooth, bare chest. Her hand was cold, making him shiver, causing his nipples to rise into small points. "I'd need a little incentive."

 

Angel turned to look at him, every bit of the cocky female vamp gone from her face. "Marcus, please," she almost begged. "For once in your centuries of life, could you just do something for someone without blackmail and bribery?"

 

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked, then took a better look at her face. "Yeah, sure," he said, scooping her up in his big arms. "Dawn's almost here."

 

"How do you.know that?" Angel asked, not even fighting him when he walked through the door and into the locker shower room.

 

"You're way too pale even for you. I've only seen you look like this when dawn's almost here. You need blood and a crypt." He set her down, turning on the shower head and putting her in the spray dressed just as she was. Then he surprised her even more, stepping into the spray with her.

 

"You're ruining your boots, Wings."

 

"I'll let you buy me a new pair," he said.

 

"Oh, how magnanimous of you." Her words were coming out slurred, her body reacting to the dawn though she couldn't see the sun.

 

Marcus washed her long hair, running his fingers through the silky softness of it. He'd always wanted to get lost in it, to bury his face in the white blonde tresses and forget about all the terror and horror he'd seen and done in his many centuries of life. He could feel the coolness of her skin against his arms, he could smell the shampoo in her hair mixed with her natural scent. He had but to drop his head and he could kiss her.

 

Oh how he longed to taste her lips, to feel her fangs with his tongue, to let her feed off of him while he was inside of her, fucking her with long, hard strokes. Angel would take all of him, he knew it as well as he knew his own name.

 

He was massaging her scalp, hearing her make little cooing whimpers of pleasure that were about to send him up in flames. "So who turned you?" he asked hoarsely, desperately trying to take his mind off of what he'd like to do to her.

 

"I wasn't turned," she groaned, leaning back against him as he rinsed her hair. "My father is one of the Old Ones. My mother was his consort for a while until they tired of each other and went on to find other lovers."

 

"They tired of each other? But what of you?"

 

"I was never something to be tired of. I was his daughter, one of four children my father had." She could feel the sleep calling to her, but she fought it. "We are only allowed so many children in our lives. My father is Armand Rand, I am his youngest."

 

"I've met your father," Marcus said, finishing with her hair. He turned off the shower and reached for the sports bra she was wearing, stripping it over her head before she could protest. His eyes dropped to the small but perfectly formed breasts he'd just bared and he swallowed heavily. Grabbing a towel, he put it over her shoulder and pulled her hair free before kneeling at her feet and ridding her of her shoes and socks.

 

"You know my dad?"

 

"Yeah, I met him after I was dug up. He was quite the party animal, and a babe magnet." He closed his eyes, promising himself he would do no more than finish undressing her, dry her off and get her into a crypt. He wouldn't take undo advantage because she was almost comatose, he couldn't do that to her. "Hell," he hissed, letting his hands run up the outside of her silky legs, finding the wet shorts and pulling them down. The tiny scrap of lace she called underwear came off as well, leaving her naked under the towel.

 

"Marcus?" she called, dropping her hand onto his shoulder as she weaved drunkenly against him.

 

"Yeah?" He stood up, grabbing another towel to wrap her hair in, than taking the first to pat her dry.

 

"You know I'm going to have to kick your ass for this tonight when I wake up?"

 

"Yeah," he grinned, running his hands over her with the towel between her skin and his. "I know you're going to try."

 

She snorted. "Try my ass, you ain't nothing but a big butterfly." Her hands came up to rest against his chest, her fingers curling against his skin. "Thank you. For all of this."

 

"You're welcome, but we still need to get you fed."

 

"Can I?" she asked, staring at his neck. "I've always wondered what ancient Atlantean warrior would taste like."

 

It was like his daydream come true. Angel biting into him, drinking from him. His cock was so hard, he thought it would burst through the wet leather of his pants. He lifted her in his arms, the towel forgotten and hurried out of the shower room. "Where's your locker?"

 

"Down there," she pointed carelessly, her eyes fixed on his neck where she could see the pulse throbbing under his skin. Her fangs had lengthen, her tongue running over them and then across her lips.

 

He opened the locker, searching through it for something for her to wear. A silken robe caught on his rough fingers and he pulled it out, setting her down and putting her arms through it. It came down to her knees, the multi colored muted silk festive and pretty against her skin. Lifting her in his arms once more, he headed out of the locker room and down the hall, ignoring the looks he received from the other ASP agents as he carried Angel down to the elevator.

 

Three floors down, in the deepest part of the building, were the crypts, housing for the vampires who were either on call or trapped by dawn. Marcus stepped out of the elevator, taking a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. Rooms lined either side of the hall, some doors opened, others closed. Marcus headed for the closest one, closing the door behind him and setting the lock.

 

The room was bare, stone walls, plain linoleum floors, but no one here cared about the ambiance. What they cared about was sitting in the middle of the room. The box was close to seven feet long, wide enough for two or three if they squeezed close. The top was hinged, made of black shatter proof glass and sitting open, as if in invitation.

 

Marcus laid her down gently inside the box, toeing off his boots and throwing his wet pants to the floor. Lying down next to her, he reached up for the hinged lid, meaning to close it, when her hand stopped him.

 

"No... you're claustrophobia," she murmured.

 

He couldn't help but smile. It was just like the cocky female vamp to remember his fear of enclosed places since being trapped underground for a couple of centuries. "If I have a panic attack, you can hold me, okay?"

 

She nodded, barely conscious, waiting for him to lay back before wrapping her lithe body around him, her knee coming up to rest against his upper thighs, her arm across his chest, her face buried in his neck. He felt her take a deep breath, inhaling his scent and letting out another of those whimpering moans that were driving him crazy.

 

"May I?" she whispered, licking the spot over the pulse in his throat.

 

He wrapped his arm around her, moving her body so that she straddled his stomach, her breasts against his chest. "Please," he whispered raggedly.

 

She lifted her head, her eyes almost glowing in the dark, contained space of the crypt. He could see what little light made it inside from the white sides of the box glistening on her fangs, extended far enough now to bite deep into her prey. Angel moved once more, and he could feel her wetness against his lower belly, his cock nudging at the swollen flesh between her thighs.

 

She moved again, having more energy in the darkness of the crypt. Pressing herself backward, he felt her soft, wet flesh engulf the head of his cock. He trembled under her, more affected by this giving of herself than he could say. "Gods, Angel, I've dreamt of this."

 

"Show me," she growled huskily, licking at his throat once more.

 

Marcus ripped off the silken robe she wore, the fragile silk shredding under his strength. He wove his hand in the heavy still wet tresses of her hair, pushing her closer to the spot even as his hips moved, thrusting upward and impaling her upon the long length of his cock. "Bite me," he commanded in an authoritative voice that belayed his usual laidback demeanor and showed the qualities that he had been made for.

 

An almost giddy feeling filled him as she bit into his flesh, her teeth puncturing deep. He felt both conquered and conqueror as he thrust up into her, his big hands holding her slim body against his. He braced his feet against the bottom of the crypt, his breath almost startling loud in the enclosed space.

 

Angel moaned, moving against him as the sweet taste of his blood poured into her mouth. There was a different flavor to it, a sugary taste that was almost intoxicating. She felt power unlike anything she'd known before flooding into her veins.

 

It was heady, this power, and she suckled eagerly, wanting more. Her body began to move against his, the feel of his thick cock thrusting between her slender thighs had her on the edge of bliss almost from the start. She had to force herself to pull away from his neck, licking the wound closed when she wanted more. Instead, she pulled her body from him, evading his hands, not an easy thing to do in such a confined space.

 

"No, Angel, Gods don't..." Marcus began, only to thrust his head back against the soft pillow as her mouth moved over his chest and down to envelop his cock. "Don't you even think of biting me there," he hissed.

 

She licked her tongue across the tip of his glans, tasting his essence in another elemental way. "Don't worry, butterfly, I won't pull your wings off."

 

"I'm not worried about my wings," he groaned, even as she took him deep into her throat. "Oh bloody hell, Angel, go ahead and bite me but just keep doing that."

 

Angel smiled around the thick base of his cock. Who'd have thought that Wings would be so damned sexy or taste so intoxicatingly good? She closed her lips around him, pulling back until just the head of his cock was in her mouth. Holding on with one hand, she slid the other down her body, finding the vee of her thighs and the slick wetness between. Her fingers twiddled over her clit, making her gasp even as she licked and flicked her tongue at the thick vein running along the underside of his cock.

 

He squirmed under her, his knee bending and hitting the top of the crypt. Without taking her mouth off of him, Angel lifted the lid, letting in a rush of fresh air. Moving her head over his cock, she stroked him, sucking on him and relishing the taste of his pre-cum.

 

Marcus could feel the come boiling in his balls, his climax a hairs breadth away. He reached down, grabbing her eagerly and pulling her over him. "Kiss me!" he growled, filling his hands with her breasts, anything to stay the urge.

 

Angel stared down at his mouth, licking her lips and humming over the taste. If he kissed as good as he tasted, she was in serious trouble. His hands felt exquisite against her skin, his heat warming the coldness of her skin, making her feel more alive than she had in a long time. Dipping her head, she rubbed her lips against his, teasing him with tiny touches of her tongue and backing away mischievously when he would try to take it any deeper.

 

He reached up, wrapping his hand in her hair and holding her still. "I said kiss me," he demanded, pulling her back down. His lips were hot, his tongue urgent in her mouth. He didn't tease, he demanded. His mouth was hungry, staying on hers even as he rolled her to her back, dragging one of her legs over his arm.

 

She closed her eyes feeling him move above her, sliding back into her with an ease and a fullness that had every nerve in her body humming with joy. "Ahh," she cried as he lifted his mouth, holding himself away from her on his arms. She couldn't stop moving, her hips undulating, forcing him to fuck her when he would hold himself still.

 

"Do you want to come?" he growled in her ear.

 

"No," she groaned. "I'm just doing this to make you feel good."

 

Marcus chuckled at the sound of sarcasm in her husky voice. "Okay," he rasped in agreement. Letting her leg go, he lay on top of her and buried his face in her hair. "Good night."

 

"Wings," she hissed, "unless you'd like me to pluck your feathers and make you into chicken soup, move your ass."

 

"Okay," he said innocently. "I was just trying to be helpful." He kissed her once more then moved down her body, kissing and caressing her cold skin. Taking her nipple in his mouth, he bit down gently.

 

Angel squirmed, her hands burying in the thick golden blonde curls on his head. She arched when he started sucking, feeling her womb contract with every pleasure-filled suckle. "Harder," she begged. "Bite me harder."

 

He shifted to the other nipple, his thumb and finger rolling the other still wet from his tongue. Lashing at the pale tip with his tongue, he drew it into his mouth, biting down until she squealed then lapping at the welts he made.

 

It was too much, or maybe just enough. Angel dug her nails into his back, her body arching and stiffening as the pleasure burst inside of her belly, spreading in waves of heat over her body, bringing a flush of blood to her cheeks. "Oh God!" she cried as her toes curled under the spasms of bliss.

 

Marcus let loose of her nipple and gritted his teeth, feeling the muscles of her sheath convulse around his cock. He began to move harder against her, riding the waves of her pleasure and grasping for his own. He threw his head back in the open crypt, growling her name as he filled her with his sperm. Gasping for air to fill his starving lungs, he relished each sweet pulse of pleasure.

 

When it was over, he rolled off of her, pulling her up so that she lay across his chest. Angel didn't argue, cuddling against his massive chest and kissing his neck while he reached up and once more closed the crypt.

 

"You ain't so bad, Wings, for a finicky warrior who's afraid to get his hands dirty."

 

"You ain't so bad either, Angel, for a sassy mouthed blood sucker who's afraid of commitment."

 

Angel lifted her head just a bit, her eyes sleepy and half closed. She tried for a glare but it wouldn't come. Instead she nipped at his nipple, feeling him jerk under her while she licked her tongue over the mark and closed the tiny wound.

 

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" he asked, running his big hands down her back.

 

"I don't have a sassy mouth," she snipped. "I'm a smart ass. See the difference?"

 

Marcus's hand came down hard on the soft part of her that she thought so smart. The he cupped the round cheek, squeezing and playing with her firm flesh. "Yeah, now that you mention it..."

 

"Go to sleep, Wings," Angel sighed.

 

Marcus kissed the top of her head and sighed. Then he closed his eyes in the murky darkness of the crypt.

 

He never saw Angel's eyes coming open or the worried look on her face. It was a long time until she slept.

 

Shadow held both stun sticks in his hands, trying to ignore the shock that was going through his body as he glared at Callie. She looked like hell, her hair stuck to the sweat on her face, welts on her arms and legs from her battle with Angel.

 

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"

 

"No," she growled. "So don't worry, your precious team will still be here when you want us around." She yanked on her own stick, trying to pull it from his hand.

 

"Dammit Callie, I can't talk to you when you act like this." He let go of her stick, watching as she stumbled back a couple steps before righting herself.

 

"Fine," she said, pushing the hair out of her face. She grabbed her stun stick in both hands, spinning and bringing it down so that it would strike across his chest. Only, he wasn't there when she turned and she stumbled again, this time almost falling to the floor before she caught herself.

 

"You want to fight me?" Shadow asked from behind her, making her spin around to find him. "Get a bit bigger in the britches, girl, if you think you can take me on."

 

"Are you saying that I would lose because I'm a girl?" she asked, narrowing her eyes and taking up a fighting stance. "I'm just as good as any agent here and better than some." She attacked again, taking a jolt as his stun stick blocked hers.

 

With a move almost too fast to see, he spun her stick around in her hands, the force tearing it from her grasp so that it struck the mats. Before she had a chance to even look down to pick it up, his stick smacked into the back of her ankles and she ended up down on the mat, staring up at him.

 

"I don't want to fight you, Callie. I've been doing this a hell of a lot longer than you." He stood with Angel's stun stick hanging laxly in his hand. "Come on, you don't need to prove anything to me." Shadow reached down and offered her his hand, to help her up.

 

Instead, he found himself on the ground and Callie up, moving on the balls of her feet as she held her stick at the ready.

 

Shadow stared at her, a small smile touching his lips. She had grit and guts, maybe more than she should. He couldn't help but find that admirable in one so petite.

 

"Are you going to sit there grinning or are you going to get up and fight?" she jeered, moving back on the mats and giving him room to rise.

 

Shadow rose with ease, his icy blue eyes glimmering in the bright lights of the gym. "What's the prize?"

 

"Winner's choice?" she suggested, trying to shake off the fatigue as her muscles screamed at her already from her fight with Angel.

 

"It's not really fair. I haven't warmed up," he said.

 

"Take it or leave it, Shadow," Callie growled, allowing the wolf to rise in her and add power to her depleted muscles. "It's the best you're getting."

 

"Then I'll take it." He held the stick between his feet, stripping off the top of his uniform then he kicked off his boots, pulling off his socks as well and throwing to the side. Taking a deep breath, he faced her.

 

"Ready?"

Callie's eyes swirled with silvery lights giving her an otherworldly look. Fangs appeared in her mouth but that's as far as she allowed the change to go. Her aching body seemed to throw off its fatigue, giving her a second wind she desperately needed if she was going to win against Shadow.

 

"Then you'll be mine," she whispered under her breath. She knew what her winner's choice would be and where it would be. She'd take him home with her and finally have him as her own, if only for a short time.

 

"Are you ready or not?" Shadow called his stick in his hands, held at the ready.

 

"Yeah, keep your pants on," Callie called, knocking her stick on the ground to turn it off. They would start at the beginning, with the sticks at low power. She took up her position opposite him, meeting his gaze with a steady eye. Nodding, they both tapped the sticks on the floor and then the fight was on.

 

Shadow struck the first blow, a glancing tap on her shoulder that she barely felt. It pissed Callie off. "If you aren't going to take this match seriously there's no use even having it," she growled, feeling her hair prickle as her anger fueled the beast. "I've been hit harder by a pup."

 

"Fine," Shadow said, taking up his stance again. "I won't pull my blows."

 

"Thank you," Callie said, surprising him by spinning under his arm and hitting a good blow against the back of his knees that almost had him on the floor. The electric shock went through him making him swear.

 

"Nice," Callie teased. "Did you kiss your mom with that mouth?"

 

"You're pretty feisty for someone who's had her butt kicked twice today."

 

"Twice? What the hell are you talking about?" She furled her forehead, missing his move and found herself on the floor, her foot jumping from the shock of the stick. Jumping back to her feet, she glared at him. "You're full of it, Shadow, and you're also scared of me."

 

"Right," he said, nodding his head but watching her hands. "You just terrify me."

 

"I do," she confirmed, then threw her body backwards into a perfect back walkover, the toe of her workout shoe catching him on the chin and making him stagger back. "You're afraid if I win I'm going to want you to fuck me."

 

Shadow shook his head, clearing it. "Nice, you kiss your mom with that mouth?"

 

"You want me to kiss you with this mouth," she taunted, blocking one of his blows and ducking the other. "Quit patronizing me, Shadow. I know you're better than this. Or maybe you want to throw the match. Maybe you actually want to share my bed."

 

"Honey, I don't want to get your fleas." He laughed when he saw the barb strike true and she came at him, anger making her clumsy. He deflected her blow, getting in one of his own that sent her skidding backwards. "Had enough?"

 

"In your dreams," she snapped, getting back to her feet. Callie was angry with herself for letting him get to her. She couldn't do that if she expected to win.

 

She came at him again, this time methodically striking and blocking, feeling the power of the stun stick in her hands and arms as the shock of electricity grew. Their panting was about the only sound that could be heard in the cavernous gymnasium, that and the sound of stick striking stick, the sparks shooting high in the air.

 

Then Shadow stepped into her blow, grabbing her arm with one of his strong hands. He spun her around so that her back was to his chest and he held his stick at her throat. "Give up?" he whispered in her ear, flicking it with his tongue.

 

"Fuck no," she growled, struggling against his strength.

 

He laughed, making her all the more mad. Dropping her stun stick to the ground, she leaned against him weakly, breathing heavily.

 

Shadow let his stick fall from his hand, his other coming up to turn her chin so that he could look at her. Instead, he yelped as she stomped down hard on his toes with her heel, ducking under his arm and grabbing it with both hands. A quick turn of her body and she used his own body weight against him, flipping him over her hip so that he landed on his back on the ground. A quick flip and she was once more armed, standing over him with the stun stick pointed at his throat.

 

"Give up?" she asked, rubbing his thigh with the toe of her shoe.

 

"Fuck no," he said, growling her words back at her. He grabbed her ankle, trying to throw her off balance, but she moved with the grace of a cat, using him as a spring board and flipping back away from him. She ended close to the wall, dropping her stun stick and grabbing two of the finely made, deadly sharp swords.

 

Waiting until he got to his feet, she threw him one of the blades, watching as he swished the blade through the air, hefting it in his hand to test the balance. "Ready?" she asked.

 

"Shouldn't that be 'en garde'?"

 

"Whatever," Callie said, rolling her eyes. But she was ready for the first attack, their blades flashing through the air, the clang of metal on metal seeming continuous. He attacked furiously, sending her skipping nimbly backwards, only to push one of the training dummies into his path.

 

He leapt around it, a smile coming to his lips. He had never trained with Callie when it came to the swords. She was graceful and swift, her grip on the blade, firm and true. His blows were met and returned with a finesse that was impressive to say the least.

 

"Very nice," he said, allowing his surprise and delight to color his tone.

 

"Thank you, my father is a master with the blade and I learned from him." She met his blade again, their hands meeting as each tried to get the upper hand before finally, he pushed her back. She stayed on her feet, glancing at the wall behind her and grabbing a dagger in her left hand.

 

"Unfair advantage," Shadow commented. He stepped back and into the wall, the sword in his hand affected by his own accelerated molecular rate and changing with him.

 

"You wanna talk about an unfair advantage," Callie called, her eyes carefully scanning the wall. "You're cheating, Shadow."

 

He reached over her shoulder and took the blade out of her hand, surprising her enough that she actually let him take it.

 

"Foul!" she cried, spinning around.

 

"No rules were made, Callie." He ducked backward as she narrowed her eyes, aware she still held the dagger. "You made no mention of anything but the stakes for the winner. Are you ready to admit defeat?"

 

"You don't know me very well," she growled. She stepped back, dropping the dagger to the floor. Before he could say a word, she pulled her top over her head, dropping it on top of the dagger. Her shorts were next, landing on top of the shoes she pushed off. In two steps she changed to the wolf, leaping at him and knocking him to the ground.

 

The blades were knocked out of his loose grip and he fell back, landing with an oof on his back on the mat. Callie was on him in seconds, her teeth touching the sides of his throat without actually breaking the skin. Her eyes were full of triumph, staring at him as if daring him to move.

 

Shadow smiled.

 

Without breaking a sweat, he relaxed against the mat, his hands on her furry front legs. Before she could move, he'd sunk back and into the mat, drawing her there with him. She lifted her nose as she felt the strange sensation of her legs sinking into the mat.

 

He left her there, emerging from just in front of her. "Now," he grinned, "I know you can't talk, but I'll accept the fact that you are stuck there until I release you as proof that I've won the wager."

 

Callie growled, deep and low in her throat. She snapped her jaws shut, her silver eyes glaring at the pulse in his throat.

 

"Un uh," he smiled. "No biting. Now, admit defeat so we can get to bed." Shadow realized what he'd said and cursed lightly under his breath. "I mean alone, Callie. Admit defeat so we can go to our separate homes."

 

She stubbornly kept her mouth shut, glaring at him before turning her big head to the side, and not looking at him.

 

"I never thought you'd welsh on a bet."

 

The disappointment in his voice got to her and with a growl, she turned back toward him and nodded her head. Her eyes were hard as he pulled her free of the mat and she trotted to where she'd left her clothing, turning to stare at him.

 

Shadow had seen her change before, but he'd never seen her turn back. She stood before him, conquering the wolf once more and letting the human side of her emerge.

 

It happened slowly and he was spell bound by each little difference, how the fur seemed to recede into her skin, leaving it smooth and bare. He watched the hair on her head grow long and thick, her ears changing from points to curved whorls. He almost groaned as she stood before him, proudly naked, curved and sleek with a well trimmed patch of curls upon her sex, her breasts full and lush, the nipples pointed and hard.

 

"I won't welsh, Shadow. This is what you'd have had if you'd lost. What do you want of me?" Her voice was husky as she stood still under his gaze.

 

Shadow felt as if someone else were controlling his body. He took the three steps that separated them, unable to do anything else. His hand shook as he reached for her, sliding over her waist and to her back. "You're so beautiful."

 

His other hand came up, pushing a thick lock of her hair back from her face. "You did this on purpose, Callie. You knew I'd never be able to resist."

 

"I-I'd only hoped," she stammered. "Shadow..."

 

"Brian," he said, interrupting her.

 

"W-what?"

 

"My name. It's Brian," he repeated. "Brian Matthew Harris."

 

"Brian," Callie said softly, tasting his name on her lips as her hands slid up his chest. "Will you kiss me, Brian? Please?"

 

"I don't know if I'll be able to stop if I do, Callie." His voice was husky, his hands moving over the smoothness of her flesh as if he couldn't be still. This was the side of him he'd always wanted to show to her, the side he'd hidden since the first day she'd stepped into his office as his newest recruit.

 

"I don't want you to stop." She stepped closer, until he could feel her heat, the softness of her skin against his bare chest.

 

A low moan was ripped from him as she reached his neck with her hands, one sliding over and playing in the soft edges of his dark hair. Her nipples brushed against his chest and a shiver slipped through her, one that he knew wasn't from the cold. Her skin was hot against his chest and under the palms of his hands as he pulled her even closer. "Say my name again," he almost begged.

 

"Brian," she moaned, coming up on her tip toes. "Kiss me."

 

With a moan of his own, he did. His lips were soft, brushing against hers lightly as if afraid to take it deeper. He was, he was terrified of the hold she had on him and what she could do with it if she ever found out. He'd fought and worked to keep her away, to hold her at arm's length because of what he was and who she was. In a single moment of madness, he'd been unable to resist.

 

His hands cupped her ass, dragging her even closer as his tongue pushed past her lips and found the heat and taste of her mouth. She was sweet, the taste of coffee mixing with the essence of her passion, overwhelming him. Moaning, he changed the direction of the kiss, unable to stop himself, wanting more with every touch and promising himself he'd stop after just one more.

 

Callie rocked against him, unconsciously rubbing against the thick ridge of flesh hidden by his pants. His hand slid down her thigh, lifting her until she wrapped her leg around his hips. He groaned against her lips, feeling her heat and the wetness of her sex. Tearing his mouth away, he tried to drag air into his straining lungs.

 

"I've got to have you," he managed to say. "Now, Callie. God..."

 

"They were really going at it, you should have seen them," a voice said from behind Shadow. They froze, and then Shadow instinctively turned, his body hiding Callie from the sight of the two men who were coming into the gym.

 

"Oh, we didn't see you there, sir," one of the two said.

 

Callie recognized his voice. He was another Were, though not a wolf. She shivered, trying to stay hidden behind Shadow's back even as he spoke to them.

 

"I'll need the gym for about ten more minutes," he said gruffly. "You two can have it then."

 

"Oh, sure," Boyce, the Were-rabbit said. "Not a problem." He looked at his friend and shrugged. "We can come back then."

 

They turned and Callie darted from behind Shadow, grabbing her clothing. She stood there uncertainly for a minute, looking into Shadow's icy blue gaze.

 

Shadow closed his eyes, shutting out the sight of her, one that would haunt his dreams. He shook his head, only looking up when he heard her bare feet slap against the mats and head toward the lockers. The door closed behind her before he moved. Then he picked up the weapons they had used, carefully putting them back in their brackets on the walls and picking up his uniform top and his socks and shoes. Glancing once at the closed door to the woman's locker room, he left out the hallway door and headed toward his office.

 

Callie stood under the water in the shower for a long time, letting the heat hide the flush on her cheeks before turning the water cold. It did little for cooling off the fire she had in her blood, one put there by Shadow.

 

"Brian," she whispered. She couldn't help but wonder why he'd told her his name. She'd tried for the longest time to get him to tell her, but tonight, he'd begged her to use it. "Brian," she whispered again. "Damn you, Brian!"

 

She shivered under the cold water for a moment longer before she realized that it wasn't going to cool off the passion he'd drawn from her and the need she felt now. Then she slammed off the shower, not even noticing the clothing strewn in the corner of the tiled room.

 

Going into the locker room, she gave half hearted smiles to the two women who were in there, readying themselves for the day shift of ASP. She pulled street clothes onto her still wet body and grabbed her purse, sliding her taser into it as well as her badge before she grabbed the duffle and tossed in her dirty clothes. She shook her hair, not caring if drops of water still dripped from it, little caring that they drenched the back of her shirt.

 

She dug her keys out of her purse before she'd even left the locker room. She was running, she knew it and hated herself for it. But the look in his eyes before he'd shuttered them behind his lashes had told her everything she needed to know. He regretted what they'd done.

 

The thought was a bitter pill to swallow. The fact that she'd all but thrown herself at him was worse. If he'd wanted her even half as much as she had him, he'd never have been able to turn away that easily. Would he?

 

The hallway out to the parking garage was empty and she used her key at the end to make her way into the garage, climbing up a floor to reach her car. Her red Mustang didn't even cheer her, even though she'd scrimped and saved, refusing daddy's help to buy that beauty for herself. It was the one thing that always made her smile... until today.

 

Now she hit the button on remote on her key ring, unlocking the car. Opening the car door, she threw her duffle bag into the back seat, climbing behind the wheel and starting the car. The engine purred and the stereo turned on, blaring Hinder from the car's many speakers.

 

Callie flipped off the radio and put the car in reverse, backing out slowly before throwing it into first gear and letting up on the clutch. The tires spun as she took off, driving recklessly out of the garage and into the early morning traffic. Brakes squealed and the guy she'd cut off laid on his horn, giving her the single digit salute when she glanced in her rear view mirror.

 

She drove across town, cursing when traffic began to get heavy the closer she got to the business district. Cutting down a side street, she breezed through a yellow light and hit the button on her dash. Large wrought-iron gates parted before her and she headed down a private drive and onto the circular driveway that was in front of her father's home.

 

It was an impressive place, surrounded by trees, a garden and even a small lake, as well a wide stone fence meant to keep people out. It did the job admirably. But of course, it would, Callie thought. No one would dare try to intimidate or rob the great Callan Wolf.

 

Callan was a master of commerce, collecting companies the way some people collected coins. He loved being on the front lines of any new product, lived for the rush of one upping the competition. But he wasn't just a Master of business. No, Callan Wolf was a philanthropist. No crisis was too big or too small for Callan. When Katrina hit the shores of Louisiana, Callan was the first to send planes full of water and food and to offer lodgings for the Weres and the supernatural community that was uprooted by the catastrophe.

 

When the horror of 9/11 struck, Callan was there. He helped to look for those that were lost, giving money as well as himself and his resources to the men and women who went through the rubble, searching for signs of humanity.

 

He'd even spent time in Iraq until his wife had begged him to come home.

 

Callie was named after him. Her mother had dubbed her as Callandria Ann, a mouthful to a young pup. Her father had shortened it to Callie. He'd hoped she'd follow him into business, starting at a very early age with taking her to his office, transacting multi-million dollar deals with her on his knee.

 

But Callie knew what she wanted to be. She knew the only thing that would make her happy and she went at it despite any walls that her father could have put up.

 

Parking her Mustang in front of the house, she skipped lithely up the front steps and let herself in the stately front doors. Callie smiled as her father's man, Tucker, came out into the entry, quickly twitching his jacket into place before he saw her and relaxed.

 

"Miss Callie, we weren't expecting you today. What a pleasant surprise. You father will be delighted."

 

Callie walked up and went on tiptoes to plant a kiss on Tucker's cheek. Despite his youthful looks, the Were-tiger had been with them for years. Her father had taken him in off the streets, giving the young cat food and shelter. He'd gone to bat for Tucker, helping to clear up problems with the human police and gave him a sense of pride in whom and what he was once more.

 

Tucker had repaid Callan in kind, loyally working for him ever since.

 

"I didn't know I needed to be expected," she teased. "Is he in his office?"

 

"Isn't he always," Tucker teased, making Callie laugh.

 

"You've got me there. I'll just pop my head in and say hi. I can't stay long."

 

"You need to come for dinner, Miss Callie. This big house is so empty since you pups grew up and moved out."

 

"I promise, Tucker. I'll try to get around more often. You are better than my mother with the guilt trips. Did you somehow turn into a Jewish grandmother when I wasn't looking?"

 

"Ha, funny," Tucker narrowed his eyes but he couldn't help the delighted grin that turned up the corners of his lips. "Get along with you and stop in and say good-bye before you leave."

 

"I'll do that," she said over her shoulder as she moved down the hall. Stopping in front of the twin doors of her father's study, she finger combed her hair and glanced quickly in the mirror above one of the side tables.

 

She looked pale, her silver eyes too large in her wan face. The scrape on her cheek stood out, the bandage having come off while she showered. It looked almost like road rash. Her eyes seemed haunted and she tried to rid herself of the emotions that coiled and writhed just below the surface. If her father even guessed she was upset, he wouldn't stop until he'd gotten it out of her. She couldn't tell him about Shadow. No, Brian, she'd call him Brian from now on. She could never tell her father about Brian.

 

Taking a deep breath, she pasted a cheery smile on her face and knocked on the wooden doors.

 

"Come," her father called from inside.

 

She opened the door, letting herself through. "Hi daddy," she began, only to stop when she noticed the other man sitting across from her father. "Oh, Tucker didn't tell me that you were in a meeting."

 

"I'm not, well not really." Callan Wolf stood, coming out from behind the imposingly wide desk and taking her hands in his. "This is a wonderful surprise. I was going to call you today and invite you to dinner this Sunday."

 

Callan Wolf was tall, his hair was almost as black as Callie's but he had silver strands at his temples that only made him look more daunting. She got her eyes from him as well, that same strange silver shimmer that gave pause and often caused second and third looks. She was petite, getting that from her mother, while her father was tall and broad, as the figure head of so many corporations should be.

 

Callie had always felt her father was larger than life, unable to fail at anything he set his mind to. She was mostly right except for when it came to what she wanted to do with her life. "I can't stay long, daddy. I just wanted to stop by and say hi on my way home from work."

 

"Did work do this?" he asked, running his thumb under the scrape.

 

"Yes, but I've already had it checked. It's just a scrape, no broken bones or permanent damage." She glanced over at the other man who seemed to take a particular interest in her conversation with her father. "So, if this isn't exactly business, what is it?"

 

Callan cleared his throat, his hesitation making Callie suddenly very nervous. "You're okay aren't you? No health problems?"

 

"Oh yes, sweetheart. I'm as strong as an ox, as the humans would say."

 

"It's not mom?"

 

"No, no, nothing like that. I didn't mean to worry you, baby. I just wasn't prepared to introduce the two of you today. I had hoped to do this Sunday but since you're both here... Well, there's no time like the present." He took her hand in his, clasping his other hand over the top and urging her towards the man who stood as they approached.

 

Callie scented the wolf in him before she'd moved two feet, though he wasn't of their clan. He was a handsome man, his hair a deep auburn that shone with red gold highlights in the sunshine coming through the big glass doors that stood open to the gardens. His eyes were brown, intelligent, but with a playful glimmer that she couldn't help but like. She smiled, wondering if this was a new employee of her father's.

 

"Aidan Kent, this is my daughter Callandria. Callie, this is Aidan Kent, head of the Kent Clan of wolves in northern England."

 

Callie held out her hand, feeling it engulfed in two massive hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kent."

 

"No," Aidan said, his accent giving his voice a soft sensual appeal. "It's definitely my pleasure. Please, it's Aidan."

 

"I'm Callie," she responded her grin wide and natural. "What brings you across the pond?"

 

Aidan cleared his throat, glancing with surprise at Callan. "Well, uh, I'm here for a wedding actually."

 

"Who's getting married?" she asked, glancing up at her father as well. The sudden look of discomfort on her father's face gave her pause and sent what her mother had always called her "spidey" senses into overdrive. "Daddy," she said. "Who's getting married?" It wasn't so much a question as a demand.

 

"Uh, you are, Pumpkin."

Callie dragged herself into work that evening, her eyes burning from lack of sleep. Her hand tingled from the weight of the ring she now wore on her left hand ring finger. It was an amazing yellow diamond, huge and square cut, simplistic on a gold band.

 

An heirloom, Aidan had told her as he'd presented the ring to her for her to wear. It had belonged to his grandmother and then to his mother, now he wanted her to wear it.

 

"B-but..." she'd looked up at her father helplessly, not knowing what to say. She had been able to see what he wished shining in his eyes, and Aidan, well, looking into his brown eyes, she'd been unable to say no. But she hadn't said yes either. Instead, he'd told her to wear the ring, get used to it and him, and in a few weeks, Aidan would ask her again.

 

He was so sweet, kind, and funny, making her laugh even as uncertainty weighed her down. Being tall, dark, and furry didn't hurt much either she had to admit to herself.

 

"God I'm an idiot." She growled low in her throat and smacked the lock on her locker, almost tearing it off in the process. "What am I going to do?"

 

"You're an idiot?" Angel asked, making Callie jump as she slumped down on the bench next to her. "I slept with Marcus."

 

"No," Callie said, turning to look in surprise at the beautiful blonde. "You're lying. You told me you'd never sleep with anyone you worked with and especially not with Marcus."

 

"I don't' know what happened," Angel grimaced, dropping her gym bag onto the floor at her feet. "One minute you were kicking my ass on the mats, the next I was in the crypt with the big guy doing the wild thing."

 

"In the crypt?" Callie asked, her brows rising in surprise. "You fucked Marcus in a crypt? I thought he'd never get into another enclosed space since he'd been buried alive for those centuries, which is he claiming now, five or six centuries?"

 

Angel sat forward and smacked her head on the locker in front of her, hitting it again and again. "All I know," she hissed, "was he was taking care of me. He was going to take me down to the crypts and go and get me some blood and then... Oh hell, then I was feasting off of him."

 

"You fed from Marcus? Holy hell, Angel, what was it like?"

 

"It was like the difference between Boones Farm and the bottle of Dom Perignon that my father has hidden in his wine cellar." Angel sighed. "It was a rush better than any I have ever had. I felt as if every cell in my body was filling with him and then I had his dick in my mouth. Ahhh!" One more slam against the locker and Callie slipped her hand between Angel's head and the dented metal.

 

"Stop it," she said, suddenly hearing a clink of metal against metal. Angel lifted her head, rubbing the spot on her forehead where Aidan's diamond had left an impression.

 

"What the hell are you wearing?" Angel grabbed her hand before she could hide it, staring at the huge yellow diamond. "Shit girl, that ain't real, is it?"

 

"Yeah, I'm afraid it is," Callie said softly, trying to pull her hand away.

 

"Left hand, ring finger, big diamond solitaire—did Shadow... ?"

 

"No, Shadow doesn't want me. He proved that to me last night. I'm an inconvenience. Having the boss's daughter as part of your team can be too much of a liability. You heard Daniels."

 

"Bull shit," Angel said crudely. You are no liability. I don't even want to hear that you think that way." She held Callie's hand up so the light played in the diamond, making it burst into a sparkling mass of glinting fire. "So if not Shadow, then who?"

 

"His name is Aidan Kent. My father sent for him."

 

"Wait, your father mail ordered you a groom? I thought that went out in the dark ages?"

 

"Aidan wasn't mail ordered. God I knew this was going to be hard to explain. I should have left the damn thing at home."

 

"Then why didn't you?" Angel asked, dropping Callie's hand.

 

"I was afraid I'd lose it. It's an heirloom in the Kent Clan."

 

"Ah... the picture is starting to come to me. Clan as in Werewolf, your father is hunting a respectably groom for you."

 

"Yes, and he had to go all the way to England to get one."

 

"England?" Angel snorted. "I spent some time in England. There were too many staid and uptight people there. I went mad in the fifty years I stayed there. And what's with the teeth?"

 

"Aidan doesn't seem staid, I don't know for sure though. I just met him this morning?"

 

"Oh girl," Angel sighed, shaking her head slowly. "You're between a rock and an even bigger rock, aren't you?"

 

"Yeah, but my problem seems to have helped you with yours."

 

"Hell, dealing with a horny warrior god who has OCD is nothing compared with what Shadow is going to do when he sees that ring." Angel glanced at the clock that hung up in the corner of the locker. "And if we don't get our tails in gear, he'll probably be coming in here to see it." She got up and went down the row of lockers, stopping at her own.

 

Callie unlocked her locker and threw in her own bag, pulling out her uniform and the boots and sliding off her street wear. She was zipping her uniform up and tucking her taser into place when Angel grabbed her arm.

 

"Come on, we're late again."

 

Callie slammed the locker and shoved her badge on her uniform, gathering her long hair into one long tail to fall down her back and securing it with a rubber band as they walked. As she brought her hand back down, her eyes fell on the ring and she turned around.

 

"Where the hell are you going?"

 

"I forgot to take this off," she said, holding up the ring.

 

"It's too late now. We're already fifteen minutes late. I can't afford to get docked again."

 

"Then go ahead," Callie said stubbornly.

 

"Just wear it, Callie. He's going to find out sometime. Wouldn't you rather he heard it from you rather than read it in the newspaper's society section?"

 

Angel grabbed her and pulled, ignoring her half hearted struggles.

 

"There you are," Marcus snapped, grabbing Angel and yanking her into the small briefing room. "Do you two know how to get to work on time?"

 

"Somebody didn't let me get too much sleep today," Angel growled at Marcus, who had the bad timing to smile just at that moment. "Shut up, Wings. Stay the fuck away from me tonight."

 

She walked to another table and sat down, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at the front of the room.

 

"What's with her?" Marcus asked, clearly at a loss.

 

"You, that's what's wrong with her. She's not very happy with you right now, Marcus. You might want to give her some room today." Callie went and sat down next to Angel, leaving the other table for Marcus. "Where's Shadow?"

 

"He said he'd be right back. He's looking a bit pale today. Don't give him any problems," Marcus warned.

 

"What? Are you like his babysitter or something?" Angel snapped then turned her back on the huge winged warrior.

 

Callie almost burst out laughing as Marcus glared at Angel's back, finally sticking his tongue out at her. But the smile left her face when the door to the briefing room opened again and Shadow walked in. Her mouth opened in shock as first Aidan followed him in and then her father. She elbowed Angel, getting her attention and nodding toward the two men talking to Shadow.

 

"That's him?" Angel ran her blue eyes over the tall well-made wolf and licked her lips, ignoring Marcus's scowl. "He's hunky, girl. If you don't want him..."

 

"I know," Callie said. "Now shut up before he hears you."

 

Shadow turned at that moment, his eyes shuttered and hard, looking at Callie. "Raven, could I have a moment of your time?"

 

Callie flinched, hearing her code name and the cold, unflappable tone it was said in. She pushed back from the table, moving slowly across the room and stopping in front of Shadow. "Yes sir?"

 

"Your father brought your fiancé here to see where you worked. He requested that you show them around. Afterward, meet us back here and Angel can bring you up to speed on our case." He nodded at her, and shook her father's hand as well as Aidan's. "Congratulations again. We'll miss Raven when she leaves."

 

"Leaves?" Callie asked, looking after Shadow as he turned away and went up to the front of the room. "What does he mean, leave?" she demanded of her father as he pulled her out of the room.

 

"You didn't think you'd be staying here after you're married, did you?" Callan smiled down at his daughter, beaming. "You'll be moving to England to be with your husband."

 

"Leave ASP? But..."

 

"Honestly Callie," Callan said. "You're making a big to do out of nothing. You really didn't think you were making this a career?" He chuckled and bent to kiss her cheek. "It will take a while for you and your mother to get the wedding plans made, especially since we'll be calling Aidan's mother for her help as well. You can stay until it gets closer to the date of the wedding."

 

Callie couldn't deny her father nor stand to see the light of happiness leave his eyes. She pasted a smile on her face, swallowing the words of denial that wanted to spring to her lips. Her eyes were shadowed, the spark of life gone out of them.

 

"I have to get back to work, daddy," she said slowly, forcing herself to go up on her toes to give her father the usual kiss. "I'll stop by in the morning when I get done."

 

"That's fine, sweetheart. We'll have breakfast." He said his good-byes and Aidan gave her an understanding smile, stopping to take her hands in his. "Doing your duty can be a bitch, can't it?" he murmured for her ears alone.

 

Callie couldn't help the small smile that touched her lips, nodding.

 

"We'll get out of your way. Be careful," he said quietly, dropping a quick kiss on her cheek before he let her go.

 

Callie opened the door to the briefing room, unable to look at Shadow as she quietly went back to her chair. She looked up when he spoke to her, her eyes bleak.

 

"Angel can catch you up in the truck, Callie." He waited until she nodded then pulled some pictures out of a file folder.

 

Shadow felt as if someone had slammed a fist in his stomach. "Engaged? That's--That's fantastic." He held his hand out to Aidan, waiting for the male wolf to take it. "Congratulations." He managed to summon up a smile and could only hope it was convincing.

 

He'd thought all day about her, about the way he'd seen her last and about how she'd felt in his arms, against his body. Maybe it was the terminal case of blue balls he'd developed talking or maybe he was letting one head make the decisions for the other, but he'd finally decided that maybe things could work between them. His heart had felt lighter, his mood better despite the gory details of the information he was compiling.

 

Now this. He felt betrayed. She'd been with him like she had this morning and she was engaged? How could she? How could she not tell him? They were a team, they had to depend upon each other, trust each other.

 

He kept control in front of her father and her fiancé, managing to smile and make reasonable conversation until they walked into the briefing room and Callie was sitting there. She'd refused to look at him, refused to meet his gaze, even when he'd called her over. Seeing her made it worse. It bit a hole in his gut that had him feeling hollow and even worse, used.

 

Shadow managed to make it to the front of the briefing room. "Callie will be back in a few minutes. We're going to start with out her." He shuffled the papers in front of him. "In the last year, we've had more than thirteen bodies that Clean Up has had to dispose of without the human police knowing exactly what happened to them. Our liaison with the police says that they know something. It was only a matter of time before they caught on."

 

He paused as Callie came back in, watching her sit down. "Angel can catch you up in the truck, Callie," he said, waiting for her to nod. Then he pulled out the pictures he'd gathered, the facts about each victim firmly entrenched in his mind.

 

Turning, he put them on the huge white boards behind him, using magnets to put up each picture. "David Bramer, Jessica Albert, Patricia Bane, Alisha Williams, Jackson Jones, Carolina Staller," he said as he put up each picture. Even an ancient warrior of Marcus's years with the countless battles he had seen flinched at some of the horrors done to these victims.

 

"We have a gang of Vampires headed by an Old One, but which, we aren't sure. These are pictures of those that were used for food," he touched a picture where the man's throat had been ripped out. "Or pleasure," he said bitterly, turning from the images that were even now burned in his mind.

 

"Asp has sent out three other agents undercover. Not a one has been successful in getting any information."

 

"Of course they wouldn't," Angel said grimly. "My father is an Old One. You cannot lie to a Vampire who has lived as long as the Old Ones have. It really put a downer on my Saturday nights when I was a kid."

 

"What else, Angel?" Shadow asked. "What are the biggest differences between an Old One and a regular Vamp? Why would an Old One cross like that?"

 

"My father had powers that were amazing, but he rarely used them. He told me once that the powers that he'd obtained could become so addictive, it could change him. He worried about the Old Ones and how they might over use their power and let the evil seduce them."

 

"Your father isn't evil, Angel. I've seen him do a shit load of seducing though." Marcus stared at Angel, wanting to throw something when she refused to look at him. "Armand Rand is a good man."

 

"There's good and bad in all of us," Shadow said, staring at Callie. "Sometimes more bad than good. Anyway," he said before anyone could comment, "we are going to hunt down the rogues, starting tonight."

 

"But no one knows where they are," Callie said. "How do you expect us to get close?"

 

"While the rest of you were catching you're beauty sleep, I've been on the streets. I got some information about a new club, one that has a very limited VIP list. We are going to infiltrate that club."

 

Angel smiled, turning to Callie. "Hey girl, you got clubbing clothes in your locker?"

 

"Raven won't be going inside, Angel."

 

Shadow went to the board and grabbed a few more pictures before either girl could say anything. "These are three of the Vamps we will be looking for." The pictures were ASP mug shots taken with specially designed cameras that could photograph Vampires. "Cody Allen, Jose Rodriguez and Riley Randall. I have copies of their mug shots for you to keep with you."

 

Shadow turned, looking at his three team members though his eyes landed only briefly on Callie. "Angel, Marcus, if you want to head out to the truck, I'll be there momentarily."

 

Callie watched them leave then turned to stare at Shadow. "Why aren't I headed out to the truck?"

 

"I need you here," Shadow said briefly. "I need you to set up the boards." He threw a thick file in front of her. "This is all the information we have on these Vamps."

 

Callie stared at the file in front of her and then back at Shadow. "You're taking me out of the field? Why?"

 

"Because I need you here, no other reason, Raven. Do you have a problem with that?"

 

"Hell yeah, I have a problem with that. Is this some kind of punishment because I threw myself at you yesterday?"

 

"I would have expected something better of you, considering the fact that you were engaged. I'd heard that Weres' have different ideas of what is morally right and wrong. So maybe I shouldn't be surprised at you stringing me along." Shadow turned shuttered eyes to her, refusing to see the emotions on her face and in her own eyes.

 

"Brian, I didn't even know..."

 

"Shadow," he interrupted callously. "I don't want you calling me Brian. I don't want to hear it out of your lips again." He turned toward the door, unable to be around her anymore. "Do the boards. If you have any problems with the way I'm treating you, write up a complaint. I'll be sure to give it to Daniels myself. Or better yet, go to your father. He could probably get you reassigned."

 

He took one last look at her and then walked out of the room.

 

Marcus followed Angel out to the truck, grabbing the keys out of the garage office and unlocking the doors for her. "This is a pile of shit," he said, sliding behind the wheel.

 

"It looks the same as it did this morning?" Angel said, glancing at him in confusion. "What's messing with your feather's today Wings?"

 

"You."

 

"Me? What the fuck did I do now?" she growled, slamming her door and pulling on her seatbelt.

 

"You haven't looked at me since we got out of the crypts." Marcus turned toward her, glancing out the window to see who was watching. Then he slid his hand around the back of her neck, his fingers rubbing gently at her nape as he leaned toward her. "I've been thinking about kissing you again," he said softly, his eyes on the fullness of her lips.

 

"Do it and we'll need Dr. Chanteuse out here to sew you back together."

 

"Dammit Angel," Marcus hissed, pulling back as she smiled. "It's just a kiss. You and I did a whole hell of a lot more than kissing. Remember how you woke me up," he said, letting his voice deepen as he became aroused by the memory. "Gods you were hot."

 

"It's physically impossible for me to be hot," she said, but she couldn't help the way her voice developed a bit of huskiness when it came to that memory. If she could blush, her face would have been red as a beet. "Knock it off, Wings. We got more important things to think about than the mistakes we made earlier."

 

"Mistakes? Angel, you have to know how I feel about you..."

 

"Not now, here comes Shadow," Angel said, for once happy to see their intrepid leader. She waited for him to slam closed his door. "Where's Cal?"

 

"She's working out of the office today," Shadow said, his tone implying that he didn't want to talk about it. "Marcus, we're going to Minstrels on Third Street just past Oak Avenue."

 

"Minstrels?" Angel's head spun as she turned to look at Shadow. "That's one of my father's places. You don't think that my dad..."

 

"I don't know what to think, Orchid," Shadow said, using her codename to remind her of her place with the team. "I'm going with the information I have."

 

"My father would never abuse his powers or try to change any human into one of us. He is a believer in the purity of blood, Shadow. Trust me when I say that Armand Rand would rather stake himself out in the sun than create half breeds."

 

"Angel, I'm not taking anything at face value, not when it comes to what these killers have done. I have to check up on any kind of lead. I was told Minstrels and that's where we are going. Now, do I have to have you reassigned until this case is over or can you behave yourself in a professional capacity?" Shadow's voice was hard, almost as hard as the icy blue of his eyes.

 

"Sir, I am always a professional," she retorted, narrowing her eyes at him. She turned in her seat. There was no use in proclaiming her father's innocence. It was just a matter of time before it was proven and she made a note to be there to spoon feed Shadow his "I told you so".

 

"How are we working this, Shadow? It's kind of hard to be inconspicuous in these uniforms." Marcus put the truck into gear, hitting the button that would open the garage doorway into the main part of the underground parking. Driving the truck through, it closed automatically behind them. He easily guided the big vehicle through the maze of the building, finally pulling out into the street and the glaring array of the night's neon lights.

 

"I want our presence known in the club. I want those Vamps to know that we are on to them. I want them worried."

 

Angel snorted but kept her mouth shut. Didn't he know that Vamps weren't afraid of much that wasn't flaming or sharp and pointy? Why would they fear the three of them?

 

"I want you to introduce me to your father, Angel. If he is innocent, like you say, then he should be willing to help us out." Shadow shifted in the seat, reaching into a small case set off to the side and pulling out a few supplies. Three stakes, sharpened to a very lethal point sat on the seat. Next to them was a specially designed automatic weapon. Instead of regular bullets, the pistol's 18 bullet clip carried specially designed silver bullets. Each one was filled with a liquid that when ignited, would burst into fire as bright as any solar light. Another clip was filled with liquid silver and a third was filled with hollow points, guaranteed to wreck any human's day.

 

He slid the clips into pockets sewn into his uniform pants, the pistol with the first clip already loaded went into a holster at his back.

 

"Do you really think my father will allow you in the club with that kind of arsenal?" Angel asked.

 

"This says he will," Shadow said, shoving his badge on his uniform. "Unless he wants to find himself in a cell down at ASP, he will respect it."

 

"Of course he respects the badge. He respects me as well and I carry the badge. Dammit, Shadow, I don't know what bug crawled up your ass, but shake it out. We can't work this way."

 

"Figure out how," Shadow snapped. "The club's on the next block, Marcus. Pull right in front even if you have to double park. Let's let them see us come in the front door."

 

"You got it," Marcus said, but his eyes flitted over the figures standing in front of the club. Some were no doubt human and part of ASP's creed was to stay below the human's radar. He made sure his wings were folded, hidden beneath a flap of skin on his back. Still, not many men were built like him and he could already feel the stares.

 

Putting the silver truck into gear, he pocketed the key, locking the doors the instant the rest of the team got out. Striding around the truck, he stepped up and onto the sidewalk, falling into step behind Shadow, Angel right on his elbow.

 

"Hold it," the bouncer said, his hand out. Shadow pointed to the badge and walked right past the burly man. Marcus was on his heels and he felt Angel grab his arm, yanking him back a bit.

 

"This isn't going to go over good. My dad's not going to take kindly to accusations."

 

"I didn't think he would," Marcus said. He squeezed her hand. "We got a job to do," he said softly. "Let's do it. I just wish Callie was here. Maybe she could talk Shadow down."

 

"Callie is Shadow's problem right now, Wings. Why do you think he left her at the house?"

 

Marcus nodded. "We're about to get ass fucked, aren't we?" Marcus tried to grin, just as they walked into the loud raucous club. Angel nodded, her eyes traveling over the crowd that was already inside, most of them on the dance floor. It looked like a huge lake of humanity all dipping and bouncing in time to the music.

 

"Where's your father?" Shadow yelled.

 

"If he's here, he's in his office. He can't stand this music." Angel walked over to the bar, nodding at the bartender who grinned, exposing a set of fangs. She leaned close, yelling something into the man's ear. He nodded, using one of the nods to point out the private elevator that opened further down but still behind the bar.

 

Angel signaled them to come over and led them into the elevator, keying in a code and hitting a button that closed the door and started the car up. As soon as the doors closed, the loud, ear-busting sound of the music was gone.

 

The doors opened into luxury. A thick carpet was under their feet as they stepped out, the color an impossible white. Satin covered the walls in a soft blue, framing the pretty water color art work done is soft, muted colors. Antique furniture mixed well with a soft, overstuffed couch and chairs in what looked like a family living room.

 

The sound of the club downstairs was almost imperceptible, just the echo of the heavy drumbeat came through the sound proofing. "This is dad's apartment. He likes to keep one in each of his clubs. His office is through here."

 

As she spoke, the door to the office opened. Angel began to smile, expecting to see her father coming out to greet her. Instead, there was the sound of a shot and she gasped in pain, looking down to see a hole in the center of her suit.

 

"Marcus?" she whispered, turning to look at him, feeling him grab her as she began to fall.

Callie growled for the third time, feeling her wolf badly wanting to emerge. She wanted to let it, find Shadow and bite his stubborn ass for him. Instead she took a deep breath, grabbing her cup of coffee and taking a sip of the caffeine laden murky brew. Setting it down, she picked up the next pile of pictures that Shadow had paper clipped together, spreading them out on the table and studying each one minutely.

 

He'd been young, not much older than eighteen. If he'd been wolf, they'd have thought him no more than a pup. He'd have been watched, cared for, mothered, taught to take care of himself. But the humans, she shook her head. As a human, he was considered adult. How could someone that age care for themselves.

 

He'd been searching. Callie could see it in his eyes. Glancing at the yellow post it, she found his name in Shadow's broad scrawl. Rudolph Brosnick, nineteen years old and full of promise. He'd been found in a back alley behind his home. He'd been torn apart, his promise ripped from him.

 

Carefully, she picked up the pictures, starting at the top of the board and affixing them in order, fussily straightening each one. Under them, she wrote the pertinent facts of name, age, dob, and date of death. She gave time of death and a quick run down of what their coroner, Dr. Gams, had listed as cause of death and important wounds.

 

She looked around the room, gazing at each of the seven boards she'd already set up, leaving spaces under the facts for any additional information that might come in. Death boards, each one told a story, not of life but of death. What they told was important. It was necessary if they were to find the killers.

 

Something caught her eye in one of the pictures and she stepped closer, staring not at the body in the picture but off to the side. "Shit," she whispered. Pulling it off the board, she looked around the room then headed for the door. Daniels had to see this.

 

"Angel!" Marcus grabbed her as she started to fall, her eyes, even as they looked up at him were wide with surprised pain. "No baby," he crooned, lifting her into his arms.

 

Another shot came from the darkness of the study, clipping Marcus in the arm, though he acted as if he hadn't felt it. Turning, he laid her on the floor out of range of the bullets. Grabbing a table cloth, he tore it off the side table, uncaring of the items upon it. "Angel, you've got to stay conscious. I need you to keep pressure on this," he ordered her, seeing her biting her lip. "Come on, baby, stay awake." He watched as she pressed down on the folded up fabric.

 

Then he turned and headed back to where Shadow was trying to return fire. Concentrating, he held out his hand and a sound like thunder filled the room. When it was done, a sword almost as tall as Angel was in his hand. "I'm going in. Angel's wounded."

 

"Marcus, you can't..." Shadow found himself staring at the ancient warrior's back. "You goddamn fool!" He got up, ducking as another volley of shots came from the darkened doorway. He saw Marcus stagger back before recovering and rushing into the room.

 

Shadow saw glints of fire and then heard the swish of Marcus's broad sword. He ducked inside, taking aim at a vamp who was trying to sneak up behind Marcus. The bullet sped true and took the vamp in the back. He burst into a quick ball of flames. "Marcus, leave one alive," he yelled just as Marcus was about to decapitate the last of them.

 

He stayed his hand, barely. Lifting the Vamp in one iron fist, he slammed him back against the wall, hearing his head crack against the wall. Letting him fall from his hand, he watched for a second as the man slowly slid to the floor, his ass against the wall, his head hanging down. "He's still alive," Marcus said. Then he turned and raced out to where he'd left Angel.

 

She was conscious, but barely, her blood sluggishly pouring out the hole in her stomach. "What do you need to heal baby?" he asked her.

 

"B-blood," she whispered.

 

Ignoring his own wounds, he picked up his sword and, after wiping the vampire blood off of it, he let it cut deep into his wrist, lifting her head so that she could drink from him. "Take it, Angel," he ordered when she tried to turn her head away.

 

"Y-you're h-hurt," she argued weakly.

 

Marcus's eyes narrowed. "Quit being so fucking stubborn and do as you're told." He held his wrist to her mouth, the first few drops of his warrior blood dripping onto her lips. She licked them once, her eyes going wild at the taste. Her mouth opened and fastened upon his wrist and he could feel her suckling on the wound.

 

Shadow stood behind them, watching as Angel fed off of Marcus, seeing the frenzy of concern and anger on Marcus's face. His green eyes were hard, full of concern for Angel.

 

"Did you see Rand in there?" Shadow asked quietly, putting his hand on Marcus's shoulder.

 

"No, he wasn't there, just his henchmen. You can mark three off of the tally as well as the one I left alive."

 

"Your wounds?" Shadow asked, knowing that Angel would be fine as long as she got blood. Marcus was an unknown. He was supposedly immortal.

 

"What wounds?" Marcus asked. Looking down, he saw the pink flesh of the healing bullet wounds, drying blood trailing down to thicken in the waistband of his leather pants. "I'm healed, don't worry about me."

 

"I'm going to call this in." He walked back into Armand Rand's study, drawing out a couple of zip ties and hog tying the last of the vampires. Then he pulled his communicator. "Shadow to ASP," he said, waiting a few seconds before repeating himself.

 

"Go ahead, Shadow," a woman's voice said.

 

"We were jumped at Minstrels. We have one prisoner to bring in."

 

"Was anyone hurt?"

 

"Not permanently," Shadow replied. "I want to close this place down. Armand Rand is an unknown entity."

 

"Sending three units. Return to base with prisoner."

 

Shadow could hear noise behind the steady voice of the female operator. Then a male voice came on the line. "Daniels to Shadow."

 

"Go," he said shortly.

 

"Raven found something you need to see. Return to base as soon as possible."

 

"On our way." He pushed the communicator back into his pocket and grabbed the Vamp by the arms, dragging him behind him. Angel was sitting up, wrapping a ripped piece of fabric around Marcus's wrist.

 

"You okay?" he asked, concerned.

 

"Fine. Wings here has some super blood. It makes me kind of feel punch drunk."

 

"Good, when we get back, go get checked out at the med unit. Raven found something that we all need to see."

 

"Wait, Shadow," Angel got up with a grimace and a little help from Marcus. "My father? Marcus said he wasn't in there. Do you know where he is?"

 

"No, we don't. I'm having the club shut down and we're going to bring some of his employees into ASP to question them. If you want to be in on that, head down to the med unit as soon as we get back to the house."

 

"I do," she said.

 

Callie was standing outside the darkroom, staring at the red light in front of the door. She couldn't go in, not until the light was off. "Come on," she muttered, pacing back and forth in the hall.

 

When the light went off she was in front of the door, her fist raised to knock on it. It opened before she could touch it, their photo specialist, a Vampire named Ralph Friendly, holding it open for her. "Come on in, Callie. I knew you couldn't wait for it."

 

Callie glared at him while he chuckled, showing off a gleaming white set of fangs. "Was I right?" she asked.

 

"Yeah," Ralph said, reaching out and plucking a picture off a drying rack. "Big eyes and curly hair, you've got a witness to the murder."

 

"A child," Callie mused. "A little girl saw this woman killed. She wasn't found with the body. They could have her." She glanced down at the picture, shaking her head. "Shadow's going to give the CS unit a piece of his mind for missing this." Grabbing the original picture, she headed out of the dark room. "Thanks Ralph," she threw over her shoulder, turning just in time to run into someone coming toward her.

 

She scented him before she lifted her head and her heart jumped into her throat. Shadow. He held onto her arms for a second then let her go like she was something foul. He stepped back, his eyes cold and hard, an icy blue that went through her like a knife.

 

The look on his face was harsh, worse than anything she'd seen from him before. Her stomach dropped at that look and she managed to stutter an apology. "I-I didn't s-see you.

 

"It's fine. I was actually looking for you. What was in this picture that you had to call us back in?" Shadow dropped his hands, feeling the tingle of awareness that he always felt. It pissed him off even more.

 

"Here," Callie said roughly. "See for yourself."

 

"Fuck," he hissed, staring at the heart shaped face and big brown eyes of the six or seven year old girl. She was hidden behind some garbage cans, her face pale, staring right into the camera. "Do we know what happened to her?"

 

"Do you think I'd have been so anxious about the picture if we did?" she snapped.

 

"Raven, I can do without your comments. Go to the med unit and check on Angel. When you're done, come and find me and I'll have your next task ready for you."

 

"Check on Angel? What happened to her?"

 

Callie grabbed his arm when he started to turn without answering her questions. "Wait a minute. I know you think I've done something to you. But Angel is my friend and I am an accredited Agent in this team."

 

"Angel was shot at her father's club when we were heading into his office to talk with him. I have no say in anything you do." He grabbed her hand, holding it up so that the big yellow diamond shimmered in the light in the hallway. "Your fiancé has that say. The fiancé I didn't know anything about until just a few hours ago. Now, if there isn't anything more, please do as I've asked."

 

He dropped her hand, ignoring her startled and hurt look and headed back the way he came, the pictures in his hands.

 

A tear formed in Callie's eye, one that she angrily wiped away. Turning the other way, she headed down to the med unit. If Angel was hurt, she would need blood and a lot of it to heal.

 

"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm fine?!" Angel almost shouted, reaching for the zipper to her uniform to pull it back up.

 

"Stop it," Dr. Chanteuse hummed, her fingers gracefully working over the skin of Angel's stomach. There was a small dimple in the skin where she'd been shot, but that was the only evidence that anything had happened to her. "What happened to the bullet?"

 

Angel stared at the small woman whose long blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun. She lay on one of the med unit's gurneys, her uniform half off of her while the creepy doctor poked and prodded at her. "My body will either absorb it or it'll be flushed out of me. Come on, doc, sign the form and let me go back to work. You didn't keep the big butterfly in here this long."

 

"If you are referring to Marcus, he's immortal. There really isn't much that I need to do for him. You on the other hand, aren't quite so lucky. I think we need to retrieve that bullet. A vampire with lead poisoning wouldn't be a good thing." She turned and picked up a tray, going to a small cupboard and opening it with a key. Pulling out a vial, she got a syringe and started to fill it.

 

"You ain't touching me with that, no way, no how. I got work to do." Angel tried to get up but the doctor grabbed her arms calmly and held her down despite how Angel struggled against her. "What the fuck are you?"

 

"Demon and doctor. You won't win, my dear. Just stay still and I'll have that bullet out of you in no time."

 

Callie pushed open the swinging door to the med unit surprised to hear Angel's voice and the panic that was in it. "Let me go!"

 

"What the fuck is going on in here?" Callie demanded, staring at the lady she called Doctor Creepy.

 

"Get her off of me, Cal. She wants to open me up." Angel struggled harder, finally managing to get an arm free. "Bite her, Callie. Do something!"

 

Callie tried to hide the grin that was playing peak-a-boo with her lips while she watched Angel's panicked struggle. "Not so funny when the shoes on the other foot, is it, Ang?"

 

"Get her off of me and I'll help you with Shadow," Angel begged, willing to do about anything but let the doctor around her with a scalpel.

 

"Deal." Callie grabbed a silver bed pan, coming up behind the doctor and bringing it down upon her head. Dr. Chanteuse turned, glaring at Callie and rubbing her head. So Callie did the only logical thing and hit her again.

 

As the older woman fell, her body made a noise like air leaving a balloon. "Oh shit," Callie said, looking down at what was left of the woman.

 

"You hit her kind of hard, Cal." Angel sat up, pulling up her zipper even as she glanced down at the doctor.

 

"I didn't hit her hard enough for this," Callie groaned, dropping the dented bedpan. "I've popped her."

 

"I think I've seen this before." Angel jumped down from the gurney and stepped over the flattened doctor. "She'll be okay. Let's put here on this gurney and cover her up. We can turn off the lights and close the doors. Everyone will think she went home."

 

"What if I killed her?" Callie asked, bending to pick up the woman's arms as Angel went for the feet.

 

"You didn't. She's demon. I don't think they'd let themselves have death by bedpan put on their death certificate."

 

Callie snorted at that. "It was the only thing within reach. You did sound kind of desperate." They put the doctor on the gurney, laying her head on the pillow. Angel grabbed a blanket and covered her, setting a tray with a glass of water next to her. Then they left the office, turning off the light and closing the door.

 

"Shit," Angel said as she started to walk away. "I forgot to get her to sign my paperwork."

 

"She has a signature stamp in her desk," Callie said. "I watched her use it yesterday."

 

They snuck inside, Callie breathing a sigh of relief when a loud snore came from under the blanket where Dr. Chanteuse lay. Going to her desk, they pulled open the center drawer, pulling out the small stamp and using it on Angel's paperwork. Then they left the off ice again, giggling like teenage girls at a sleepover.

 

"You look a hell of a lot better," Marcus said, coming up behind the two and running his hand over Angel's stomach where there was still a hole in her suit.

 

"Thanks to you," Angel said. "I mean that, Wings. Thank you. But please don't ask me to repeat it, I might vomit."

 

"There's the Angel we all know and love. I was afraid that smart ass was gone for good." Marcus chucked her under the chin. "Shadow wants us in the briefing room. ASAP, if not sooner."

 

"There's a missing girl," Callie said. She looks about six, maybe seven. She might have seen one of the murders."

 

"Oh shit," Marcus growled. "I hate it when they bring kids into these cases. The kids are always the losers."

 

"Do we know anything about my father yet?" Angel asked, her eyes concerned.

 

"No, though I tried that number you gave me. It went right to voice mail." Marcus held onto Angel's arm pulling her back. "Wait a minute, Callie." He sighed heavily. "Just remember, I'm only the messenger. Shadow wants you in his office. He has some filing on his desk he needs done."

 

"Filing? He wants me to file papers for him while there is a little girl out there that might be lost or held by killers?" Why doesn't he just take my fucking bag and get this shit over with?" Callie looked helplessly at Angel. "Why?"

 

"He thinks you betrayed him and the team, Cal."

 

"What? Why? Because my father is forcing me to marry Aidan? How is that a betrayal of the team?"

 

"The big guy's head is messed up," Marcus said, laying his hand on Callie's shoulder. "I think he was going to ask you out himself before he found out about this other guy."

 

Callie felt her heart leap and she forgot how to breathe for a moment. "Really?"

 

"You three have better things to do than stand in the hallway and gossip like old ladies," Daniels said as he came up behind them.

 

"Yes sir," Marcus said, rolling his eyes at Angel. "We were just heading into the briefing room."

 

"Yes we were, sir," Callie said, her eyes hard. "All of us." She slid the ring off of her finger and held it in her fist.

 

"Callie," Angel said softly. When Callie turned to look at her, Angel gave her the thumbs up. "It's about fucking time."

 

Shadow sat at the front table of the briefing room waiting for his team. Or what was left of them, he thought, fury eating at his stomach. He reached into the inside pocket of his shirt and pulled out a packet of the green powder that helped keep him alive. He poured it into the bottle of water he had in front of him, swishing it around until it was dissolved. The stuff tasted terrible, but without it, well his molecular structure would begin to break down until he would no longer be able to hold himself together and then, he'd be litter more than goo on the floor.

 

Taking a deep breath, he drank the water down, grimacing at the taste. He closed his eyes when he'd finished, giving the chemicals a chance to work their way into his system. Sighing, he opened his eyes, staring into silvery irises.

 

"Shit," he jerked back, his hand going to his heart. "I thought I told Marcus to have you go down to my office."

 

"Why don't you tell me that, Shadow," she growled, slamming her hand down on the table.

 

"I need you to go down to my office and file the papers that are on my blotter," he said calmly, meeting the swirling silver of her eyes with his own icy blue.

 

"No," she said softly.

 

"What did you say?" Shadow asked, beginning to rise from the chair.

 

"I said and I meant, no." Callie watched as he stood up, praying that Marcus could keep Daniels out of here for a few more moments, at least until she made her point.

 

"Dereliction of duty is an offense punishable up to and including termination, Agent Wolfe. Is that what you're bucking for?"

 

"No, but your pushing me to that point and you're doing it on purpose. You can't stand your feelings for me and you think I've betrayed you by being engaged this entire time and not telling you. Tell the truth, Shadow. Tell the goddamned truth for once about your feelings instead of trying to hide them. You don't want me on the team because it hurts you to see me."

 

"Agent Wolfe, you're pushing..."

 

"Damn right I'm pushing. I have done everything you've asked today. I stayed off a mission where I might have been able to save another Agent from being shot. Not just another Agent but a friend as well, all because of your ideas of betrayal. If you want to know about Aidan, about how my father sprang all this on me this morning, than fucking ask, otherwise, let me do my job!"

 

She slammed her hand down one more time on the table in front of him, lifting on her tiptoes until she was almost nose to nose with him. They stared at one another, the werewolf furious.

 

"Sit down for the briefing," he said briskly, breaking eye contact and walking away from her.

 

Callie waited until she was sure he couldn't see and then allowed a smile to touch her lips, one that was only there for a moment. She'd won her first battle, the war would start when their shift was over. This was one war she planned to win even if she had to cheat to do it.

 

Moving to her usual chair, she sank down, aware of the rapid beating of her heart. Shadow had no idea how much she wanted him, none at all. She glanced down at the small slip of paper clutched in her hand, Shadow's address taken from his files that she'd confiscated just long enough to write the information down.

 

Angel walked in, arguing loudly with Marcus, as usual. She glanced over at Callie and gave her a smile before sinking down next to her. Tapping Callie's fist with her own, she winked. "I knew you could do it."

 

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Callie hissed out the side of her mouth as Shadow walked up in front of them.

 

The briefing was short and concise. They were heading back to the crime scene to see if they could sniff out the girl and find out where she was. If she was home and safe, then they would find her and find out what she'd seen. If she wasn't, well, Shadow already had their liaison with the police looking for missing children in the cops' database.

 

Callie was in the back with Angel, her eyes on Shadow as Marcus drove toward the crime scene. Her nerves were jumping and she kept squirming in the seat, unable to be still.

 

"What's your deal?" Angel asked. "Get rid of the ants in your pants girl or I'm gonna find me a bedpan with your name on it."

 

"Ha ha, very funny. I can't help it. I just have this feeling."

 

"What kind of feeling?"

 

"Something big is going to happen today."

 

"Well let's just hope it's that we find this child and she's safe at home with her mommy and daddy. Maybe while you're at it, you can figure out where my father is as well."

 

"We will," Callie said, stroking Angel's arm and then patting her hand. "I don't think he could be involved in this. My father knows yours pretty well and always spoke well of him."

 

"I know he wouldn't do this. If there's an Old One involved, it's not my father." Angel spoke the words loud enough that both Marcus and Shadow heard them.

 

"Angel, no one doubts you," Marcus said.

 

"But we have to keep our eyes on the facts. If you father wasn't involved than where is he and why were those vampires waiting for us at his club?" Shadow turned slightly in his seat, looking back at Angel while trying to keep from looking at Callie.

 

"I don't know, but I intend to find out."

 

"We all do, Angel, you aren't alone in this. Right now though, we have to see if we can find the girl." Shadow glanced out the windshield. "It's right up here."

 

"Yeah, I see the crime scene tape." Marcus pulled to a stop behind a row of houses that looked as if one good strong wind would take them all down. Somewhere down the street a dog began barking and a light turned on. A window was thrown open and a man shouted down at the dog to be quiet.

 

Callie stepped out, her eyes taking in the familiar aspects of the scene. There was still a dark stain from where what little blood that had been left in the victim had bled out onto the pavement. She could smell it and the scent of violence that still pervaded the place.

 

"Callie?"

 

She jerked, looking up surprised to see Shadow staring down at her. "Yeah?"

 

"You okay?"

 

"Yeah," she said. "There's a lot of violence, a lot of hatred here."

 

"You can scent that?" Angel asked.

 

"Breathe deep, I bet you catch some of it as well."

 

Angel did. "Nope, all I smell is blood."

 

"It's there, it's just under the scent of blood." She shook herself, walking past Shadow and over to the garbage cans where she'd found the girl in the picture. A small bundle of blankets was laying there, the figure inside unmoving. "Shadow," she called, not wanting to see the girl's dead body.

 

He followed her to the cans, pushing them aside as he saw the small bundle. "Shit," he growled.

 

"I can't," Callie said. "I-I just can't."

 

Shadow touched her shoulder, rubbing gently before using it to turn her away. "I'll do it," he said.

 

Callie handed him her flashlight and turned away.

 

Shadow moved the trash can a bit more, crouching down next to the small figure wrapped in the blankets. With a deep breath and a steady hand, he reached for the edge of the blanket.

Shadow gently pulled the blanket aside, expecting to see the partially decomposed body of a little girl. What he did see surprised a laugh out of him. "It's not her," he called, holding up the wrapped up teddy bear that had to be almost as big as the girl they were here to find.

 

Angel went to reach for the bear.

 

"No," Callie said. "Don't touch it."

 

Angel drew back her hand as if the bear was ready to bite her. "Why not?"

 

"It's bloody," Callie said, swallowing hard. "I can smell that and the violence on it. She didn't leave it here. Someone else did."

 

Angel went to the truck and grabbed a couple of bags out of the back end. The blanket went into one and the bear in the other.

 

"What else, Callie?" Shadow said.

 

"It's all confused, but they were here after our lab techs were."

 

"Can you scent the girl?" Shadow asked.

 

Callie walked back to where the cans had been pulled out, stooping down. She sniffed the air, closing her eyes to try to make sense of the chaos of smells that she drew in. The trash which contained leftover take out from some Italian restaurant, gone bad, hot dogs, cabbage and diapers. Then there was the crime scene smells, chemicals and blood, the scent of the different techs, the humans that had been in the area.

 

Just under it, she caught the faintest whiff of baby powder. "Shadow," she called.

 

"Yeah."

 

"Our techs and the cops' techs, their gloves, what do they use inside, is it just talcum or is it baby powder?"

 

"Talc, I think. I'd have to call and find out."

 

"Don't bother. I think I've got it," she said, rising and moving toward the dark area of the alley. She'd given Shadow her flashlight so she hesitated a minute to let her eyes get used to the dark. Then she was off walking with a steady gait toward the other end of the alley.

 

"Marcus, get in the truck and follow us. Angel, stay with him, I'm going to follow Callie." Shadow gave neither of them time to argue, heading off to trail after here, though he gave her plenty of room.

 

Noises assaulted Callie's sensitive ears, but she ignored them, her brain figuring out what they were even as she worked to keep that faint scent of child. "How long has she been out here?"

 

"The body was found two weeks ago. If she's not with somebody, she could have very well starved to death."

 

"No, she's not dead. She's not with the vampires either." Callie stopped moving, motioning for Shadow to stay back. Crouching down, she spoke softly to someone that Shadow couldn't see. "Hi there, little one. Was it your bear we found back there?"

 

Shadow missed what was said as Marcus drew closer with the truck. He held up his hand for Marcus to stop, hearing the two doors opening.

 

"What's she doing?" Angel asked, coming up to stand beside him.

 

"I think she found her. Stay right here." He walked toward the shadowed side of the building and disappeared. Angel squinted, trying to find him in the brick.

 

"How the hell does he do that?" she muttered.

 

"I'll tell you the story some day when we're lying in the crypt together." Marcus put his hand on her waist, only smiling when she brushed him off, giving him a dirty look.

 

Callie kept her voice low, soothing, trying not to scare the dirty child. "I bet you're hungry. I think I have a candy bar if you'd like it," she offered.

 

"M-my momma said not to take candy from people I don't know."

 

"Your momma is a very smart lady. Do you know where she is?" Callie asked.

 

"She comes and sees me some night," the girl said, her voice taking on a sing-song quality that frightened Callie. "She holds me when I'm sleepy. It only hurts for a minute."

 

Callie's eyes closed tightly as she tried to control her emotions. Her mother was a vampire, she was feeding off her own daughter. "What's your momma's name, sweetie?"

 

"Kendra," the little girl said.

 

"Kendra, what a pretty name. I bet she gave you a pretty name too," Callie said, moving just a bit closer. "What's your name, sweetie?"

 

"Stephie."

 

"Stephie? It's a pretty name for a pretty girl. My name is Callie."

 

Stephie nodded her head, the little curly haired girl holding onto another blanket with her hand near her face. She rubbed her eye with her fist and yawned.

 

"Would you come with me?" Callie asked, holding out her hand. "We'll take you somewhere that you could get a bath and a place that's nice and warm to sleep with a real bed. We'll even give your teddy a bath so you can put him to bed with you. Would you like that?"

 

"Can my momma come too?"

 

"Do you want her to?" Callie asked, scooting a bit closer. She could reach out and grab Stephie now if it were necessary. But she didn't want to. She wanted the little girl to trust her.

 

Stephie looked around then slowly shook her head. "She's cold and she scares me."

 

"Okay, we won't let her come with us then," Callie said.

 

"Who's going to stop me?"

 

Stephie gave a little scream, moving deeper into the small space between the wall and the dumpster. Callie stood, staring at the woman who came out of the deepest shadows of the alley.

 

She was pretty, though she looked like something out of a bad Vampire movie. Her hair was blonde streaked with black chunks, ratted and sprayed. She wore a black dress that was cinched at the waist with a corset. Bright red lipstick outlined her full lips and looked almost like blood against her pale skin.

 

The dress was low cut, showing off an impressive cleavage. Her waist was tiny, her hips full, shown off by the flare of the skirt. It came to mid thigh, her legs encased in fishnet stockings. She wore heels that gave her an impressive height and moved with a grace that showed what she now was.

 

"Kendra, I take it," Callie said.

 

"You take it right. What are you doing with my daughter?"

 

"Keeping you from bleeding her dry," Callie growled, her silver eyes swirling. "If you want to continue your undead life, you'll leave right now."

 

"NO!" Angel growled, stepping forward and glaring at the other Vampire with eyes that told of her distaste. "You won't let her go, she might know where my father is."

 

"You're Angel," Kendra smiled, her fingers moving over the front of her dress, tracing the neckline with a brightly painted nail. "He said you'd look down on us, that you wouldn't understand."

 

"Who said?" Angel growled. "Who's doing this? Who changed you?"

 

"He's had his eyes on you for a while, Angel," Kendra said, the nail going to her lips, her white teeth biting teasingly against the red paint. "You are just his type, and a pure blood. You're not half like the rest of us." She moved quickly, almost quicker than Callie's eyes could track. When she appeared again, she held her daughter in her arms.

 

"You want her?" she jeered at Angel. "Come and get her."

 

Then both mother and daughter seemed to disappear even as Shadow came out of the wall and tried to grab them. "Angel!" he shouted.

 

"I'm on it," she called.

 

"I'm behind you," Callie growled, throwing off her uniform and changing into the wolf before anyone could stop her.

 

She took off at a ground eating lope, following the two vampires by the scent of the little girl. There was no way she could move with the pace or the ease of the two female vampires, but she was determined to get to the little girl while she was still relatively unharmed.

 

"Dammit!" Shadow ran past Marcus just as he turned to head for the truck. Pulling out his communicator, he called for back up even as he slammed the front door of the truck closed behind him.

 

"Shadow to ASP," he repeated. "Agents are in pursuit of fleeing suspect. North on Dixon. Need backup."

 

"Ten-four," the female voice said. Shadow heard her calling out for their back up.

 

"There's Callie," Marcus said, pointing down the street just as Callie ducked across an alley. "She's turning left on Oak." He made the turn, hearing the sound of brakes squealing as he cut off a Honda. The car skidded, almost hitting them before stopping. Shadow reached up and grabbed his seatbelt, clicking it on.

 

"Where is she?" Shadow growled, looking for the black wolf.

 

"There," Marcus said, pointing at the edge of another alley. "She's heading down there."

 

Shadow heard Callie's howl, knowing she'd found what she was looking for. "They're down there."

 

Marcus cut down the alley, the lights on the truck illuminating the two vampire woman and the wolf, who paced back and forth in front of Kendra. She still held her daughter, stroking her dirty hair even as she bared her fangs at Angel.

 

Slamming the truck into park, Marcus and Shadow both jumped out, moving toward the standoff at the end of the alley.

 

"Move again and I'll break her neck," Kendra hissed, her hand against the back of her daughter's head.

 

"You'd do that?" Angel asked. "You'd kill your own child?"

 

"She's a human child. Humans are little more than food." Kendra sneered at them. "I've heard of you do-gooders and how you protect the cattle. I've been told of how you drink out of plastic bags. We're hunters. We own the night. The humans can never understand what we are. They don't know what it's like. They've never felt the air the way we can. Or feel the dark as it pulses against your skin. They'll never understand the seductiveness of walking into a room full of humans and taking your pick. I can have anyone," she scoffed. "Anyone!" she repeated.

 

"Then put the girl down and take me," Angel growled. "You think you know, you think you have half a clue of how it feels to be a true blood? You'll never even come close to knowing. Come and feed off of me," she taunted. "I'm a pure blood." She lifted her hands, taking one nail and slicing into her skin with it. Her blood rushed to the surface, filling the gash, the scent of blood, the coppery metallic sweetness of it tempting Kendra.

 

"No, Angel."

 

"Shut up, Marcus. Let her talk," Shadow said to the distraught warrior.

 

"Shadow," Marcus growled, ready to argue.

 

"Shut up, Wings. I got this." Angel didn't even look back at him. "Put the girl down, Kendra. You know you want what I am. Come on, have a taste." She waved her hand back and forth, letting the scent carry into the breeze.

 

Shadow could see the vamp was salivating. Keeping his eyes on the woman, he backed into the wall, walking through it and around. He took on the color of the trash bags as he walked through them, getting closer and closer to Kendra and the little girl she held so tightly.

 

"Let her go, Kendra. Let Callie have her and I'll let you feed."

 

Slowly, her eyes locked on the blood that dripped from Angel's arm, Kendra bent, letting Stephie find her feet. "Go to the big doggie," she ordered her child. "Now, Stephie, do as I told you. I'll be back for you in a little while."

 

Callie stepped forward, putting her furry body between the child and her mother. She felt the tiny hand tangle in the thick hair at her neck, walking away with her. A tormented scream sounded from behind them but Callie kept moving, nudging the little girl to keep her walking when she wanted to turn.

 

Passing Marcus, Callie whined at the winged warrior. He turned and picked up the little girl, smiling winningly at the tyke. "Come on, cutie. Let's go check out the truck and see if we can find that candy bar Callie said she had."

 

Stephie nodded, her hand reaching over his shoulder to play among the softness of his feathers. "You have wings like the pictures of the angels my momma used to have in our house.

 

"Yes I do," he said, glancing back at where the action was happening before he kept moving, speaking softly to the little girl. "That just means I'm a really good guy and you can trust me."

 

Shadow struggled to contain the fury of the woman in his arms. She fought him, using her nails against his arms and digging in deep even through the leather uniform. Angel moved forward quickly, feeling Callie's fur brush against her as she went into the battle as well. Between the three of them, they finally managed to subdue the woman, hearing her screeching and yelling.

 

Shadow stood, breathing heavily, blood dripping from his arms. He handed the female vamp off to the second team that showed up as they were finally cuffing her. "We got the girl, we'll bring her into the house."

 

Callie sat at the feet of the girl who stood on the other side of the car from where they were taking her mother. The girl's arms were around her neck, her face buried in her fur. Stephie was leaning into Callie, so tired she was half asleep on her feet.

 

"She's a tired little one," Angel said.

 

"She needs a bath, some food and sleep," Shadow said. "Let's get her back to the house."

 

Angel went to lift the little girl but she refused to let go of Callie's neck.

 

Marcus knelt down. "Come on, we'll let the nice doggie ride with you."

 

Stephie nodded. She let go of Callie and held her arms up for Marcus to pick her up. Marcus slid her into the backseat and buckled her in, letting Callie hop into the car and sit at the little girl's feet, her head in Stephie's lap. Marcus got in on the other side and gave Shadow the keys, sitting in the back with the little girl.

 

They stopped long enough to pick up Callie's clothes then they were back at the house just as the big clock in the square across from the garage sounded the hour of two a.m... By the time they got the truck parked, the little girl was sound asleep, her fingers twined around Callie's fur. Marcus picked her up, getting a little yelp from Callie as Stephie kept hold of her fur. She followed them, slipping into the elevator to go down to the floor above the crypts where bedrooms were kept.

 

Marcus slipped the little girl into one of the bed, brushing her dirty hair away from her dirty face. "Poor little one. You haven't had an easy time of it. He went to turn and leave, holding the door open for Callie. "You coming, Cal?"

 

Callie jumped up on the bed, curling up next to the girl and feeling her snuggle into her. She lifted her head, giving off a bit of a whine. Marcus smiled, closing the door behind him, leaving her with Stephie.

 

"Where's my father, bitch?" Angel growled, back handing Kendra with enough force to send the woman swinging in the chains she was held in.

 

"Last time I saw him, he was begging for his life," Kendra laughed, licking the blood off of her chin. "I won't give Dorian up. You can beat me, leave me out for the sun and I'll still never tell you anything."

 

"Dorian Amante?" Angel asked, her eyes wide.

 

Kendra realized she'd blown it and shut her mouth. She looked off to the side, hanging loosely in the chains. "I'm done talking."

 

"You've said enough," Angel said softly. She wiped off her knuckles on a rag and then walked out of the 'interview' room. "Did you get that?" she said to Shadow.

 

"I got it but I don't think I've ever heard of Dorian Amante. Who is he?"

 

"The biggest mistake I ever made," Angel sighed. "He's one of the youngest of the Old Ones, brash and impulsive. I... spent a few decades with him back before I had any idea of what kind of man he actually was."

 

"So why does his name make you look even paler than normal, Angel?" Shadow finished wrapping bandages around his arms after pouring a healthy dose of holy water and alcohol over the deep furrows caused by the vampire bitch in the other room.

 

"Dorian believes that the Vampire should be the superior race. He wants the Old Ones to band together, to take over the running of the country and then the world. Humans would be used like cattle, the best kept to breed, the rest used for food. He had plans, huge, elaborate plans of what and how he would accomplish everything to that account. I thought he was full of himself but he was always a good time and if there was a party, Dorian knew where it was."

 

"So this is a party animal who has vampire Nazi ideals." Shadow glanced over where Daniels was sitting, watching the two of them. "What do you want us to do?"

 

Callie stayed with Stephie until she was sure she would stay asleep. Then she rose from the bed, changing back to human form to sneak out the door. Her uniform was still in the truck and since she didn't relish running into anyone while she was naked, she changed back to wolf.

 

Rising on her back legs, she hit the elevator button with her paw, sitting and waiting for the doors to open. She had to know what was going on. It was driving her insane not knowing. She hopped off the elevator at the main level, seeing the truck where Marcus had parked it. On the backseat were her clothes, waiting for her.

 

She pushed through the doors, her nails clicking on the cement as she headed toward the truck. Her nose went to the air, sniffing carefully, even as her eyes searched the area. No one was around. She changed to human, shivering in the air conditioned breeze that swirled around her. Reaching for the car door, she'd just got it open and was reaching for her clothes when he walked out the door.

 

Shadow stopped dead in the doorway, his eyes taking in the picture of wild beauty that was Callie. She stood in the opening of the car door, her body bare as the day she was born. His hands itched to touch her, to strip off his own uniform and claim her for his own. Fuck her father and Kent. Why shouldn't he take what she'd been offering him for the four years they'd worked together?

 

He moved toward her, his step even, the look in his eyes like blue flames, caressing her skin. "You keep showing up naked around me," he growled.

 

"What are you going to do about it?" she growled right back at him, turning to face him completely, proudly, her hands at her sides.

 

"Maybe I should just take what you're giving to him, maybe I should throw your ass in the back of the truck and fuck you until neither of us has the energy left to breathe much less move. Maybe I should..."

 

Callie stepped forward, grabbing his hands and putting them on her breasts, forgetting for a moment how to breathe as the heat of his hands sent pleasure soaring through her. "Maybe you should shut the fuck up and show me," she gasped.

 

He slammed her back against the side of the truck, his arms going around her, dragging her against him. "You talk too much," he said seconds before his mouth slammed down on hers, his lips parting hers, his tongue thrusting deep. Need, dark and desperate, almost brought him to his knees. His cock, hard and throbbing, pushed against the metal zipper of his pants. He wanted to lift her, free himself and push inside of her heat. He wanted to fuck her until neither of them could walk. He wanted to lose himself in her scent, her taste, the feel of her skin.

 

Tearing his mouth off of hers, he lifted his head. "Get your ass in the back seat, now."

 

She shivered and he turned her, his eyes on the rounded curve of her ass as she stepped into the truck. He followed her, slamming the door after himself. For a second, reality hit him. He couldn't do this, not to her, not here.

 

"Shadow," she growled, grabbing his hand and pulling him closer before lying over his lap, her naked body his to do with as he wished.

 

Reality disappeared. It became little more than his next caress, the next taste of her lips, the feel of her nipples as they grew hard in his mouth. Her cries of pleasure egged him on, her pants and gasps like sweet music. He pushed her down to the wide bench seat, pulling off his uniform shirt even as he felt her fingers against the button of his pants.

 

Her mouth was on his chest, a sweet burn that had his head thrown back, his teeth gritted. He pushed her back down. "Stop, I want you too much," he growled. "You'll make me come too quick."

 

"What's wrong with that?" she asked in a husky voice. "I want you to come. I want to see it, taste it. I want you to f-fuck me." She stammered only slightly on the familiar word that had a much different meaning this time.

 

Shadow pushed her hands away from his fly, unzipping it and pushing the leather pants down. His shorts cam next and he reached between them, moving her legs further apart. His hand slid over the soft curls of fur on her mound before pushing between her legs, his fingers finding her wet, hot for him. He closed his eyes, his middle finger finding her opening and pushing inside slowly while his thumb brushed across her clit. It was pebble hard, every tiny brush of his thumb making her cry out, her nails digging into his shoulders and back.

 

"You're so tight," he growled, slowly trying to press another finger through the tiny opening. He felt her tense under him, a gasp coming from her lips that didn't sound like pleasure. The truth hit him, cutting through the passion and heat he felt like a cold knife. "You're too tight, Callie. You've never done this before?"

 

"What are you talking about?" she tried to bluff. "How old do you think I am, anyway? I could never be a virgin at this age." She gasped once more as the pinching pain came again.

 

"You're lying to me," he growled, though he didn't move from where he lay on top of her. "Tell me the truth." He looked down at her face, seeing her lush lip caught between her white teeth, the look of pain on her face. "You're a virgin."

 

"I'm a virgin," she finally admitted. "There's a reason."

 

"I can't wait to hear it," he said, sitting up and pulling his hand away from her. He couldn't hide his cock, standing erect from his lap. He reached down to grab his pants, yanking them back up and quickly fastening them. "Okay," he said, motioning for her to start talking. "What's the reason?"

 

Callie sat up slowly, reaching across him for her clothes. If she was going to talk to him, she was going to do it with her clothes on. That way if he rejected her, well, at least she wouldn't be running out of her naked. Her breast brushed against the back of his hand, her hard nipple rubbing teasingly against the heat of his hand. She felt him turn his hand over, his palm cupping her. Unable to move away, she let him toy with her, her thighs clenching together as the throbbing in her sex became almost too much to handle.

 

"I-If y-you want me to talk," she moaned helplessly. "You've got to stop that." A gasp came from her lips as he rolled her nipple in his fingers.

 

Shadow could smell her arousal, could see her trying to assuage the ache he'd caused. He wanted to hear her come, he wanted to watch as she did. Then they could talk about this virginity thing. He flipped her over suddenly, leaving her lying on her back across his lap. His hand went back to the heat of her pussy, his finger slipping over her clit, sliding with slick ease through her wetness.

 

When she tried to move, he held her still with one growled command, his eyes on her face as he began to stroke her wet, pink flesh, slipping inside and then running his finger over her clit. Her hips began to move as she mewled his name, her head falling back to the other side of his legs. It didn't take long before she was gasping, moving uncontrollably, her hands grasping at his wrist, pushing him desperately against her.

 

"I want you to come," he growled, unable to take his eyes off of her face and the exquisite look of tension he could see there. "Come for me, Callie. Let me feel it."

 

Her eyes opened wide, silver meeting blue as she gasped, her body arching into a bow as the first spasm of pleasure burst inside of her. She convulsed again, crying out his name as it continued, more intense, sharper than anything she'd ever made herself feel. Her toes curled into the leather seat, and she growled with the forceful contractions of pleasure that tore through her.

 

When it was done, she lay weakly in his lap, her body twitching as he continued to play between her thighs.

 

"What's the reason?" he whispered though he could barely move for wanting her.

 

"R-reason?" she stammered.

 

"Why are you still a virgin?" he asked again, his voice harsh.

 

"I-I wanted to give it to you," she said in a rush, turning her face into her arm so that she didn't see his reaction.

Angel stood in front of the sink, staring into a mirror that didn't reflect her image back at her. Sometimes being undead sucked, and she didn't mean literally. She reached out, twisting the cold water on and splashing some in her face, using her wet hands to smooth down the hair that her time with Kendra had tangled.

 

"Damn," she snarled, turning off the water and grabbing a towel. Pacing the floor, her mind flashed to the last time she'd seen Dorian Amante.

 

"I've brought you dinner, sweet," Dorian called, throwing open the door to their suite, in his arms two ten year old twin boys. "Come, they aren't quite ripe, but their youth is intoxicating."

 

Angel rose languidly from the window seat where she'd been watching the night go by, feeling the throbbing pulse of a New York City night life rushing like heated blood under the neon lights. "Dorian," she chuckled, running her finger over one of the twin's blonde hair. "You are such a prankster. Take them back to their mother."

 

"I would, my love. Alas, she was my dinner." He sat one of the boys down, smiling as the boy slid to sit at his feet, his eyes dazed and dead looking. Winking at the other boy, he hooked his hand behind Angel's neck, dragging her close, his tongue slicking over her lips before he melded his lips to hers.

 

She tasted his passion and the blood that he'd drained from his kill earlier. They'd argued earlier about that, as always, his habit of killing his prey instead of taking just enough to sustain their own lives. Dorian finally left her, slamming out of the door, leaving her wondering if she'd see him again.

 

He held a power over her that she hated, one that she feared. It was in his eyes, the almost black depths of them. He was tall and leanly muscled, his hair as dark as his eyes. He had the pale skin of all the Old Ones, as well as their knowledge and their powers. Her father held his in check, stressing what could happen if the addiction was fed.

 

Dorian reveled in his and the danger of that had held her enthralled as much as his exotic looks. His voice held just a hint of an Eastern accent. She'd watched women listen to him talk, smiling as he captured their interest with just a word. He'd done the same to her, coming up behind her, whispering his name into her ear.

 

A small groan escaped his lips. "You're thinking again, Angel. How many times have I told you how dangerous that is? You should act, not think." He sat the other boy down, letting her loose as well. "If you don't wish a snack you have but to say, love. I'll send these two off. They have a father somewhere, I'm sure."

 

"You can't just send them out into a New York night, Dorian. She lifted her hand and touched his cheek. Gazing into those black eyes, she blinked her own almost innocent blue eyes. "Put them somewhere safe, please?"

 

Dorian sighed, dragging his hand through his elegantly mussed hair. "For you," he said softly. "Come boys, there was a maid two floors down. I shall release them on the elevator. When the doors open, they'll regain their faculties, love. But," he took her chin between his fingers, holding her face up to his, "you'll pay for it."

 

"I can hardly wait," Angel sighed. Her smile made him growl and dip his head to taste her mouth once more.

 

"I want you in our bed," he demanded when he lifted his head. "We shall play a new game tonight."

 

Angel smiled again, playing with the tie at the neckline of her red gown. "I can hardly wait. Go, take them to the maid. Hurry back to me."

 

He picked up the boys, leaving with as much aplomb as when he'd arrived. Angel strolled into their bedroom, untying the tie that held her silk gown closed. Dropping her arms, the silk slid over her smooth skin, catching for an instant on her nipples, the sensual feel of the silk skimming across them making them hard and aching.

 

Her hands followed the journey of the gown, skimming over her breasts, smoothing over her slender waist and slim hips. She brushed her fingers over the soft white blond curls on her mound as she stepped out of the pooled red material, climbing the two steps up to the wide platform bed. Kneeling in the center, she reached out for the thin shawl that she'd draped earlier over the bed.

 

With a casual shrug, she threw the softness of the material over her body, letting it drape naturally along her curves, the wide weave showing more than it concealed of her pale skin. She settled against the softness of the pillows, staring over at the wide balcony doors. With a negligent wave of her hands, she willed the doors to open, feeling the pull of the powers that made her wish to use more.

 

"I saw that," Dorian said from the doorway.

 

"It was just a little thing," Angel said hurriedly, wondering why she felt so defensive about it.

 

"But what would your father say," he chuckled, enjoying her reaction. Her guilt was just another part of her that fed his senses so well, better than any paramour he'd had in the centuries of his life.

 

"He would say that I've been tainted by you, that I've forgotten all that he'd taught me. He'd be right." She rose to her knees. "I should hate you for showing me these powers, for making me know the pull of them, the pleasure that there is in using."

 

"But you don't," Dorian said, stating the obvious. He ran his fingers through the long trailing ends of the shawl, his fingers stroking over her thighs and sending a shiver of longing through her. "You couldn't hate me, you never will be able to."

 

"You sound certain of that," she said, her voice grown husky with the sensual thrill his presence always brought her.

 

He pulled on the shawl, slowly stripping it off of her, his eyes taking in every part of her body that he bared. "I am certain," he said roughly. "Just as I am certain that you are the only one for me." Dropping the material to the ground, he ran his hands down her neck, pushing the thick lengths of her white blonde hair off of her shoulders. "Have you eaten?"

 

Angel barely heard his question, wrapped up in the feeling of his hands, the softness of his palms as he caressed her. He was infinitely gentle with her, lifting and cupping her breasts, bending to find the brown tips with his mouth. He kissed each pebbled nipple before lifting his head, his brow rising in question. "Have you?"

 

"Yes," she moaned. "I grew tired of waiting for your return."

 

Dorian drew her off the bed, his eyes admiring her graceful movements and the long length of her legs. He slipped behind her, brushing her long hair over one shoulder and nibbling gently along the tendon of her neck. "You couldn't have gone out," he said, his tongue rasping roughly against her skin. "Who did you eat?"

 

Angel bent her head, baring her neck submissively. "I called down and had a waiter come up to bring me ice."

 

"Very resourceful," he teased, his hands slipping under her arms to pull her back against him. "He didn't give you any problems?"

 

"I'm capable of feeding myself, Dorian. I know our ways better then you." Angel pulled away from him, walking out the balcony doors. They were high over the lights of the city, a view of the harbor easily seen from the windows. Leaning over the railing, she gazed far down below where the city life raced along.

 

She heard him come out after her, felt him behind her. His voice was in her ear, apologetically sweet. "I meant nothing of it, I just wanted to be sure you were cared for, my Angel. You know that. I would tear off my own arm before hurting you."

 

"I know. Dorian, I do know. What I don't know or understand is what is wrong with me? I feel such... discontent."

 

"With me?" he asked, grasping her upper arms and pulling her back against his much bigger body. "You are... tired of me?"

 

"No," she said quickly, glancing over her shoulder and up into his dark eyes. "Not with you, Dorian, but with this life. We aren't living, not really. I accomplish nothing." She shrugged her bare shoulders, lifting her hands. "Perhaps it is time to move on."

 

"You love New York City in the spring." Dorian gently pushed her closer to the thick cement rail that surrounded their balcony, holding her against it. "You've always wanted to be here when the new fashions arrive from Paris."

 

Angel sighed unhappily, knowing she'd never be able to tell him. She felt empty, used up with the sameness of their nights. It wasn't just boredom, she could combat boredom, it was a trait you learned when you'd been alive as long as she had. This was something deeper, something more elemental. "Forget I spoke, my love. I don't know what is wrong with me tonight.

 

The coldness of the railing was nothing against her icy skin for only when she fed did she ever feel the warmth of true life. But her kind didn't take notice of such things. It was what they were used to. Anything else would feel foreign.

 

"Look over there," he whispered in her ear. "Do you see him?"

 

Angel followed his gaze, staring down and across at another building. A man stood in the window, his eye pressed to a telescope which was pointed... at them. "He's peeking," she said.

 

"We should give him something worthy of looking at, don't you think?"

 

Angel brought her hands up to her breasts, cupping them and kneading the supple flesh. She pulled on her nipples, twisting them, her head falling back to rest against his chest, even as she kept their peeping tom within sight. "I believe he likes my breasts."

 

Dorian smiled against her hair. Running his hands over them, he pinched her nipples hard enough to send a shivery pain through her. "I like your breasts," he growled, baring his fangs. "Put your hands on the railing," he ordered.

 

Angel did, moaning as he slid one hand down over her stomach and between her thighs. She was already wet, her arousal coating his finger as he slid it deep inside of her. Her back arched, her hips pressing backwards and against him. Her arms rose, reaching over her shoulders to find him behind her, wanting to turn, to have him fill her with his cock, to slam into her while she felt the eyes of the other watching their every move.

 

But Dorian held her still, always with his own agenda, no matter how desperately she craved him. "Shall I have him come over here, my love? He could play with us a bit. You know how I always wish a snack after we love."

 

"You first," she moaned. "Take me here while he watches and wishes he were you."

 

"You think he wants you," Dorian said, his lips moving over her neck, his teeth teasing her with tiny nips of pain that had her mewling and unconsciously pressing against him. "Perhaps it's me he wants?"

 

Her laugh rose upon the air, wafting away as she glanced behind her at him. "Maybe he does, shall we see which he prefers?"

 

Angel turned quickly, forcing Dorian back with a rare burst of her vampiric strength. Before he could change their positions, she'd tugged the white silk shirt he wore open, sliding it over his shoulders, letting it fall from the balcony railing to flutter in the breeze.

 

"You owe me a shirt," he said, raising his eyebrow at her.

 

"You have hundreds," she growled, her fingers sliding over the pale beauty of his smooth chest, enjoying the texture of his skin, the hardness of his physique. Slowly dropping to her knees in front of him, she peeked through the railing, smiling as she saw that the man was still there, though now one of his hands was against the front of his pants, rubbing slowly. "You may be right. He may want you more than me."

 

Dorian didn't even bother to look. His hand buried in the softness of her hair. "Don't stop now," he rasped.

 

A sly smile touched her lips and she reached up, unbuckling the thin black belt her wore and pulling it from his pants. Rising, she freed her hair from his hand, grasping his wrist. Making a loop in the leather, she put it over his hand before stepping behind him.

 

"What are you playing at, sweet?" Dorian laughed. His other wrist was put through the loop and the leather wrapped around it until she could secure him tightly.

 

"You always stop me too soon," she said, looking up at him from beneath her thick lashes. "This time, you'll keep your hands to yourself." She dropped once more to her knees before him, her hands sliding down across his chest, her nails leaving tiny red trails on his smooth pale skin. Reaching the button to his pants, she leaned forward, taking it in her sharp white teeth and biting down.

 

It popped off and into her mouth. She let it fall onto the balcony, laughing as he gaped at her. "Your wardrobe will survive, Dorian. I sometimes think you are more of a clothes horse than I." Nuzzling her nose against his stomach, she licked a trail from just below his navel to where his pants were held up by the tenacity of the zipper. "I'm worth more to you than a pair of pants and a shirt, aren't I?"

 

He narrowed his eyes at her as she lifted the tab of the zipper with her tongue, catching it between her teeth and pulling it slowly, ever so slowly down. "There are occasions, my sweet, where I wonder."

 

"Then maybe, instead of watching what I do with your clothing, you should keep an eye on our friend. Maybe he'll enjoy watching while I suck your cock down my throat."

 

"I think he'd enjoy being here instead," Dorian said, causing her eyes to rise from what she was doing to meet his. If she hadn't come out here on her own, she might have accused Dorian of setting this scenario up.

 

Instead of answering, she tugged on his pants, pulling them down his lean hips and over his thighs, his cock standing straight out from his body, hard and throbbing. "I see I have your attention."

 

"What sane man would be able to ignore you? Especially in this position." He thrust his hips forward, the tip of his cock brushing against her lips and painting them with his pre-cum. "If you won't allow the human to come and play, then you must play and make me come, Angel."

 

Her hand slid over his stomach, the other coming up between his spread thighs to cup the soft orbs encased in their sack of skin. Dorian growled his pleasure, his eyes moving from her soft lips to the man who now had his cock out of his pants, slowly stroking himself.

 

Angel parted her lips, sliding them across the spongy glans, her tongue lapping gently at the small drop of fluid at the tip. She moaned her pleasure at his taste even as he pressed slowly against her, feeding her his cock, achingly slow inches at a time. Her mouth was full of him, her tongue playing along the underside of his hardness. She felt the tip touch the back of her throat and knew he still had inches she hadn't tasted yet.

 

Her lips sealed around his cock, her mouth drawing back slowly, hearing Dorian's pleasure in the moan that escaped his mouth. She felt him move, felt him spread his legs a bit more to keep his balance as she drew him in once more, this time not stopping until the head of his cock slipped past her throat, swallowing around him. Slowly she stroked back, her hand playing with his testicles, drawing on them, tickling them with her nails.

 

"All the way," he growled, making Angel smile around his hard flesh. She looked up at him as she swallowed his cock, her nose pressing against the crinkly hair at his groin. The soft blue of her irises had almost disappeared, her pupils dilating with pleasure, her lashes like thick fans, fluttering as if she were shy.

 

He'd told her once that it was the innocence in her eyes, the contrast between their beauty and the lush sassiness of her mouth when pulled tight around his cock that drove him wild more than anything else. He said he lived for those moments, those exciting contrasts of angelic sweetness and sensual temptress that she displayed for him.

 

Angel knew he was seeing it now, seeing as well as fighting the urges to grab her, to use her mouth like he used her body, with seductive roughness that sent her arousals soaring. If she hadn't secured his hands, he'd have done so now, grabbing her hair while he plumbed the depths of her mouth until he spewed his essence into her throat with an animalistic roar.

 

"You know what I want," he growled, moving as much as the suction as well as the hold she had on his balls would allow him. He tried to thrust against her mouth, unable to do as he wished with his hands where they were. "You know what I want," he said again, this time making the words an order.

 

She pulled free of his cock, stroking it with her hand as she licked her lips clean. "No," she said simply, her tongue circling the spongy tip as it came from between her fingers.

 

"Angel," he growled in warning. "Release my wrists." A moan escaped his lips as well as she moved her mouth over him, every thrust taking him deep, her lips creating a friction that was as sweet as it was sensual.

 

She could feel his balls growing tighter and redoubled her efforts to please him, her free hand going around his body, pulling him closer. Her fingers stroked the crease between the tight cheeks of his ass, finding the furled bud and teasing it with one finger.

 

"Ahh," he cried, clenching against her. "No, Angel."

 

Then stop me, she thought at him, her mouth too busy to speak. Stop me if you can.

 

His cock was twitching between her lips, his body jerking almost spasmodically. Her finger popped inside the tight sphincter ring, knowing that he was enjoying it despite his protests. She could feel it in him, his pleasure extending to her and then back to him, another power of the Old Ones. He could feel what she felt, feed off of it, and with his permission, she could do the same to him.

 

I knew you liked this, she thought at him, feeling his climax rising as she pressed further inside.

 

"Let me go!" he shouted once more and suddenly, his hands were in her hair, dragging her off of his cock before he could loose his seed inside of her mouth. His mouth was hot and hard on hers, his hands dragging her against him. "You bitch," he growled when he let her mouth go and looked down at her loveliness.

 

Angel just smiled, glancing over at the apartment of their friend. The lights were out, but she could see that the spot next to the telescope was empty. "Oh, our friend is gone."

 

A warm naked body fitted itself up behind hers, startling her. "I'm right here," the human said, rubbing his cock against the crack of her bottom. "Your boyfriend is right, you are a bitch."

 

She struggled against Dorian but he just held her still, his strength so much more than hers. "I told you I wanted him to come play, my love."

 

"You set this up?" she cried, sending out her senses, feeling him and the truth inside of her heart. "You set me up."

 

"You know you'll enjoy this," he whispered, his lips spreading feather light kisses over her face. She tried to pull away, tried to step away from the hands that were caressing her harshly, leaving red marks over her pale skin as he pulled and twisted her flesh.

 

"Not like this, I wanted you," she cried. "I wanted to be with you tonight, to show you how sorry I was about the fact that we fought once again today. I don't want him," she shuddered, feeling the length of a long heated cock slide between her thighs, pushing at the softness of her lips and then into her wetness. "Please, Dorian. Stop this."

 

"You wish me to be disrespectful to a guest?" he asked, his voice growing harder, his accent more pronounced. "You know we don't act inhospitable to our guests."

 

"I want her to suck my cock," the human said rudely. "Make the bitch go to her knees."

 

"I would, my friend, but she has a tendency to bite," Dorian said with a small, apologetic laugh.

 

"You said you wanted to teach her a lesson."

 

"I do, but believe me when I tell you that you don't want to put your cock in her mouth now. That doesn't mean that her orifices are out of play."

 

"I can fuck her ass?" the man asked crudely, his hand slapping down on Angel's pale backside. He pulled apart her soft cheeks, gazing at the firmly furled rosette.

 

"You let him do this to me and we are through, Dorian."

 

Dorian smirked, the smile making him appear more devilish. "You'll never make it without me, Angel mine, you know that. Even if you leave, you'll be back. This is just a little punishment and a tiny lesson that must be learned before we can carry on. Fuck the man, Angel. Let me see how much you love me, fuck him like you would if it were me."

 

Angel shook her head, fighting him with every ounce of her strength even as she felt the man behind her begin to push into tightly clenched bottom. Finally she slumped, her head down, resting against Dorian's chest, her eyes shut.

 

"See, it won't be bad at all if you relax and do as you're told, Angel. Afterwards, we'll have our snack and then maybe fly to France. How does Paris in the spring sound to you?"

 

As he spoke, his hands began caressing her arms, no longer holding her so still. The man behind her was rutting against her ass, trying to fuck her. She concentrated upon the pain, letting it sink into her, letting it be all she could feel. Then quickly, she slammed her knee into Dorian's crotch, feeling his fingers dig in for just a second before he fell to the balcony's cement floor.

 

Pulling easily from the human, she turned on him, baring her fangs in a fierce display meant to terrorize the man. She succeeded, for he raced from the room, leaving his clothes on a pile near the door to the bedroom, a trail of urine following in his wake.

 

"You don't punish me," she hissed at Dorian. "You don't force me to fuck for you. You don't touch me or come near me again. I cannot believe I was so wrong about you." Refusing to cry, she walked back into the bedroom and quickly packed a bag, throwing on the first clothing that came to her fingers. She picked up her purse, seeing Dorian's wallet on the dresser and took the cash out of it. She could hear him moving as she walked out of the room, closing the apartment door with a sense of finality.

 

She was in the elevator when the first of the drops of blood rained down on her, having soaked through the ceiling. Her eyes flashed to the growing stains and the drops that were on her pale skin. She hit the button for the next floor down, stepping out quickly into the empty hall and wiping at the blood with her sleeve.

 

"That bastard," she growled, not having to look to know where the blood originally came from. "He said he let them go."

 

Angel took the stairs the rest of the way down to the lobby, ignoring the man at the front desk who always fawned over her as well as the doorman. She got into the first cab, giving the address of her father's home even as the first scream came from the hotel.

 

Now he was back. Dorian Amante with his soulless black eyes and his sensual manners. He was back and killing again, and worse. Had he come back for her? Had he gone to her father to take his revenge for the way she'd left him? It would be like him.

 

He'd blame her for the deaths. If she hadn't left him, he wouldn't have killed. She could hear him now. Angel sank down on the bench, her arms crossed, holding herself as she rocked.

 

She wasn't the same woman that had been Dorian's toy. She was stronger now. She could handle seeing him again. If it came down to a fight...

 

"Are you all right?"

 

Angel shouted, turning and grabbing Marcus's throat in reaction. "The devil take it, Wings. I could have broken your fucking fool neck!"

 

Marcus snorted. "Yeah, right." He took in the wild look in her eyes and the way her hair was mussed. "Something's got you all upset. What is it?"

 

"Nothing," she said, unable to speak about Dorian when the memories that she'd buried so deeply were so close to the surface.

 

"You know, Angel, you can let me in. I won't hurt you."

 

Dorian's face flashed in front of her blue eyes, his looking at her with tenderness and love. "I'd never hurt you, my heart."

 

She shook the memory away, pushing Marcus away from her and shoving his hands off of her. "Don't touch me! Leave me alone!" she shouted, panic in her voice.

 

"Whoa, baby girl. Take a deep breath there for a minute." He pulled his hands back, holding them up to show her he wouldn't touch her. "I don't know what is scaring you so badly, but we need to talk about it, if not for the two of us, then for the team. Something is going on with you, Angel. Tell me, please?"

 

A voice popped into her mind, a voice she hadn't heard in years, not enough of them. Yes, tell him all about it, Angel mine. Tell him about us and tell him the reason that I'm going to kill him.

 

Her head began to spin, his laughter filling her mind, filling the room until she couldn't escape. She screamed, holding her hands to her ears, trying to run. She felt arms come around her and didn't recognize Marcus when he tried to grab her, instead turning blindly the other way and slamming into the wall.

 

Dorian's voice was the last thing she heard. Time to come and play, my sweet. I've missed you.

Shadow stared down at her, his eyes locked on the sweet misty gray of her eyes taking in the uncertainness he could see there. "You wanted to give it to me?" he asked slowly as if his mind couldn't grasp the concept. "Why?"

 

Her flushed face flamed as she tried to find the words to express how she felt. "I-I lo..."

 

Just outside the truck a low wailing siren sounded, startling both of them. "I left Stephie alone," Callie gasped, rolling out of his lap and down onto the floor to grab her clothes. Quickly pulling them on, she opened the door seconds before Shadow was getting out the other side. They sprinted toward the doors, yanking them open and rushing down and into the main lobby.

 

"What's going on?" Shadow shouted at the officer sitting at the desk.

 

"All I know is that we got a red light on the women's bathroom on level two. We got emergency personnel headed there right now."

 

Callie didn't wait for him to say more. She took off at a run, climbing the stairs up to the level they used for their team. The bathroom was to the right at the end of the hall and she could see a crowd milling around the area already. Pushing her way through, she felt Shadow behind her, his arm coming out to block her from being hit when another agent turned too suddenly.

 

"God dammit! Get me off this fucking stretcher before you need one! Wings, you fuckwad, get these straps off of me now!"

 

"Angel? Wha..." Callie began, hearing her friend's voice as she turned the corner. She could see Marcus's head above everyone else's and she zoomed in on him, pushing through the looky-loos.

 

"What's going on here?" Shadow growled.

 

Callie smiled, watching as the crowd dispersed until it was just the four of them as well as the emergency team. "Why the hell didn't you do that earlier?" she asked.

 

"Angel passed out on me," Marcus said, grabbing Callie's arm as if he had to have something to hold on to. "She started saying weird things and then she screamed and went down."

 

"Callie," Angel yelled, seeing her now that everyone was gone. "Tell this fuck waffle to let me go. I'm not going down to see Dr. Chanteuse, not after you hit her with the bedpan. Callie!"

 

Callie ducked the question she saw in Shadow's eyes and went to her friend. "What the hell happened? Marcus said you passed out."

 

"I didn't pass out pass out. I just, you know, passed out." Angel grabbed her hand. "You gotta get me out of here. I know what's happening now. My dad's in danger," she whispered, unwilling to let the techs working on her hear what she was saying.

 

"Are you just saying that so I'll get them to let you go?"

 

Angel shook her head. "You know me, babe. I might try pulling something like that on Wings but not you. Girl power, remember?" she added, reminding Callie of one of their many nights off spent training and carousing together. She held up her fist, waiting until Callie knocked it with her own. "Now get me off of here. We've got to go. I know who's doing all of this."

 

Callie glanced over at Shadow. "She's fine," she said. "Will you tell them she's fine?"

 

"What, no bedpans around to use?" he teased before taking one of the techs aside. Callie started to unstrap Angel, Marcus coming over to help as well as complain.

 

"You shouldn't be getting up."

 

Angel sighed, sitting on the edge of the gurney and leaning her head against Marcus's wide chest. "I'm fine, Wings. I know who we're up against. I know who the Old One is."

 

"Dorian?" he asked, lifting her chin to look down into her eyes.

 

"How'd you know?"

 

"You were screaming about him coming after you right before you passed out on me. You aren't getting within five feet of him." Marcus leaned down, not caring who was watching and kissed her. When he lifted his head, he narrowed his eyes at her. "Next time I have you alone, I'm taking you over my knee for putting me through that. You scared ten years off my life."

 

"You're immortal, you asshole. Don't kiss me at work," she hissed, smacking him across one of his huge biceps.

 

"I'm going to need to be immortal with all the bull shit you get into." He kissed her again, ignoring her screech of indignation. "When we have a chance, you're also going to have to tell me what a fuck waffle is," he told her seriously.

 

"I hate to interrupt this love fest," Shadow said, coming up behind Callie. "If you're all right, Angel, we need to be briefed on what you know and how you know it."

 

Angel dropped down off the gurney, stumbling a bit before regaining her footing. "I'm fine," she said gritting her teeth.

 

"I can see that," Shadow said, his eyes watching her with concern. "Go sit down in the briefing room. Marcus..."

 

"I'm going with her," he said, grabbing her around the waist even as she tried to smack him away.

 

"Get off of me, butterfly. I'm not going to let you paw me at work!"

 

"Does that mean outside of work I get to paw you all I want?" Marcus asked her, steadying her as they walked off.

 

"You're the south end of a fucking horse headed north, you know that?"

 

Callie couldn't help but grin. "Where the hell does she come up with this stuff?" she said, mostly to herself.

 

"A wicked imagination, I would say," Shadow said, watching as the techs cleaned up the rest of the mess they'd made before nodding at him and leaving.

 

Callie stared after them, feeling a bit uncomfortable now that they were alone again. She glanced at him and then quickly away when she saw him watching her. "I ah guess we should get to the briefing room." She turned without waiting for him to answer, only stopping when he grabbed her arm.

 

"Callie, we need to talk," he said, dipping his head until he was close to her ear. "I can still smell you on me."

 

A rush of blood flooded her cheeks even as heat swam through her system, arousing her passions that were never far from the surface around him. "Y-you shouldn't talk like that here," she whispered.

 

"Why not? It's true. If you were being honest with me, you'd admit it." His fingers caressed her cheek, quickly dropping to his side when he heard a shuffle of feet coming behind them. "You wanted to check on little Stephie?"

 

"I thought I would ask Nancy down in the child care center to keep her eye on her." The child care center was a fairly new program in ASP. Even supernatural beings had failed marriages and could be single parents. Child care was even more difficult to come by if your child had fangs or had a tendency to howl at the moon.

 

"Nancy is a great idea." He tugged on a lock of her hair, unable to stop from touching her in some way.

 

"I'll, uh, go call her then meet you in the briefing room. Hello sir," she said to Daniels as he walked up behind Shadow. She turned and left, glancing back once to see that he was watching her. She flashed him a quick smile and kept going, unable to stop smiling. The problems weren't over yet, but things looked a hell of a lot better now than they did at the beginning of shift.

 

The call to Nancy went well. She told the gorgeous redheaded empath where she'd left little Stephie sleeping and what the poor little girl had been through since her mother's change. Nancy had made sympathetic noises but she knew the cheerful woman would win Stephie over easily enough.

 

She sighed, one thing down another ten to twelve to go before she could get her life back on track.

 

Shadow walked into the briefing room whistling.

 

"Well boss, you sure are chipper. You get that burr out of your butt?"

 

"You are starting to sound like your girlfriend," Shadow said, laughing when Angel bared her fangs at him. "Where's Callie?"

 

"Right here," she said, skipping into the briefing room and closing the door behind her. "I've got Stephie set up with Nancy. She's going to take the girl home with her today. She's got kids of her own at home that Stephie can play with. She's also going to take her to see Dr. Chanteuse and make sure she wasn't hurt any worse by what those vamps have been doing to her."

 

"Yeah, you'd better stay off of Dr. Chanteuse's radar until I can smooth things over with her," Shadow said. "May I ask why you hit her with a bedpan?"

 

"Because I didn't have a stake handy?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I told you that the woman was evil. You won't listen to me."

 

"Angel?" Shadow turned to the blonde Vampire. "You're involved in this somewhere, do you want to translate for me?"

 

"I told the demoness that I didn't want her to cut in to me. Callie was saving my skin. She had a syringe this big." She held her hands about a foot and a half apart.

 

"Callie did?"

 

"No, the doctor did. Callie only hit her a couple of times."

 

"You aren't helping here, Angel." Callie shrugged. "I couldn't let one of the team down, now could I?"

 

Shadow closed his eyes, slowly shaking his head. "I don't think I want to know more. Let's hope I can smooth this over before she wants your badges." He sighed. "We haven't got much time until sun up. Angel, we need to know what you know of this Dorian Amante."

 

"Too much," Angel said seriously. "I met him in Prague. I was at the age to rebel against anything my parents wanted. They wanted me in college, I wanted to spend time anywhere but in the United States. I traveled all over." She was silent for a few seconds. "I made a huge mistake. I gave Dorian everything I had. I trusted him. I believed in him even though he was everything my father was against."

 

"What happened?"

 

"He tried to share me with some human that he planned to drain afterward. I let him lying in a pool of his own vomit after I gouged his groin with my knee." Angel stood slowly, walking around the room as she talked. "He killed two young boys that he tried to give to me. He'd already killed their mother. We argued constantly about leaving humans alive after biting them. I believe as my father always had that draining humans to the point of death does nothing more than show them what and who we are. If they know, then we are the ones in danger, not them. Dorian never believed he had a weakness that could be exploited like that."

 

"What happened in the bathroom?" Callie asked, getting up to sit on one of the tables that was behind her friend, just in case.

 

"I'd gone in there to wind down. That bitch Kendra had really pissed me off, spouting her bullshit about my father. When she mentioned Dorian, it was like every wall, gate, door I had ever put up between myself and him came crumbling down with a single blow. I needed to regroup." She turned, seeming startled to see Callie so close then she gave her a grateful smile.

 

"I started thinking about the last day, the hotel room in New York City and all he'd said. I knew he was doing this because of me. I'd brought him low that day. He didn't like it. Dorian is nothing if not patient. He's here for his revenge and he's already started with my father. H-he merged his mind with mine in the bathroom. He sent images of everything he's done, of every horror he's perpetrated since that day. When I screamed, he laughed," Angel said bitterly, reaching out to Marcus.

 

The winged warrior was there in a minute, wrapping his arm around her. He steadied her, he gave her what she needed to continue without asking anything of her in return. "Do you know how amazing you are?" she whispered.

 

"Oh yeah," he whispered back, making her laugh.

 

That helped even more, making this night seem normal after so much strangeness. If Wings could be his usual conceited self, than the world hadn't changed that much after all.

 

"Did you see your father?" Callie asked. "You told me that he was in danger."

 

"Dorian has him. He's alive for now, but only so Dorian can use him against me." She turned to Shadow. "We have to get invited to a council meeting of the Old Ones."

 

"No one in ASP has ever been invited to the council, Angel. The Old Ones are almost religiously determined to keep to the ways of life they've been following for years. I don't think even Callan Wolfe has been invited." Shadow sat down, his brow crinkling as he thought. "But I also don't think they've ever had a threat like this before. We can get the occasional rogue that needs put down, but it's never been one of their own."

 

"Let me make some phone calls," Angel said. "My father's brother is on the council. He might be amenable to calling a meeting when he hears what I have to tell him."

 

Shadow checked his watch. "We've got half an hour to sun-up. Get out of here, Angel."

 

"Not alone," Marcus growled. "Until Dorian Amante has paid for what he's done and is no longer a threat, you're staying with me."

 

Callie waited for the explosion but there wasn't one. If Angel was accepting a man's decision on anything, she had to be terrified. "Angel's out for the count, but we could..."

 

"No," Shadow said, shaking his head. "There isn't much we could do, not while the sun is up. I'll have a couple of techs digging through the archives to get information on what properties Dorian might have here. He has to have a house or a warehouse for what he's doing. He'd need the privacy. Somewhere there has to be paperwork."

 

"Have them check his victims' background as well," Callie said. "It doesn't really have to be his now does it?"

 

"Dorian hates owning houses. He'd rather fly in, stay in the lap of luxury at some five star hotel and then fly out when things get too hot for him."

 

"Where'd he get his money?" Shadow asked. "That kind of life gets expensive."

 

"He got it the old way," Angel said with a sneer. "He stole it from every one of his victims. It was so easy. Use mind control, get the mark to turn everything over to him and then suck them dry. Oh, yeah, one other little fun fact about Dorian. He believes in playing with his food."

 

"All right," Shadow glanced again at his watch. "Get out of here you two. Callie, you get as well. Get some sleep. We're going to be hard at it tonight."

 

He watched in amazement as Callie didn't argue with him, only gave him a shy smile and followed Marcus and Angel out the door. "Okay," he said to the empty room. "Let's get this started."

 

Callie hit the button on her dash that would open the wide gates to her father's home. Driving through them, she glanced in her rearview mirror, watching as the same black sedan pulled past that had been following her since she'd pulled out of ASP. She had an inkling of who was having her followed and she didn't like it one bit.

 

Parking in her usual spot, she skipped up the wide steps and let herself in, anxious to get what she had to do done and over.

 

Tucker met her in the hall, his eyes lighting up. "Miss Callie, you are a sight for these sore old eyes of mine."

 

"Old my as... my aunt fanny," she said hurriedly with an apologetic smile at the slip. "My father is up?"

 

"Isn't he always?" He waved her toward the study where today the wide doors stood open and inviting.

 

She peeked in before she knocked, seeing her father in there alone. "Hi daddy," she said softly, moving to kiss his cheek when he looked up.

 

"How's my girl?" Callan Wolfe said, reaching up to stroke her soft cheek. "Your mother is so looking forward to starting the wedding plans. She already has a stack of sample books set out for the two of you to go over."

 

"About that, daddy... I need to talk to you."

 

"I hope it's not about our visit last night. Aidan so wanted to see where you worked. I thought it was a bit rude that you cheated him out of his tour of the building, but we all know how busy you are." He rose, towering over his petite daughter an heading for the small bar built against one wall. Reaching into a small refrigerator, he pulled out a pitcher of orange juice and poured some into two small tumblers.

 

Callie took it from him, feeling his hand on her back as he guided her towards the small setting area. She sank down onto the leather couch, waiting for her father to sit as well. Taking a small sip of her drink to wet her dry throat, she tried again. "No, the visit was okay, daddy. My boss isn't that anal. He understands. Besides, it isn't as if you couldn't have given him that tour anyway. You drew up the blue prints for the place." She leaned forward and sat her glass down on a coaster on the oak coffee table.

 

"Aidan should be here anytime. He's so excited about getting to know you better, darling. I know the two of you are going to be good together."

 

"Daddy did you have a car put on me?"

 

"What?"

 

"Are you having me followed?" Callie asked again, scooting forward in the seat until she sat on the edge. She clasped her hands between her knees, her eyes steady on her father.

 

"Not followed, Callie. Come on, quit being so melodramatic. But Aidan is a very important member of the Wolfen clans. When the word gets out about your engagement, I have no doubt that you could be in danger. Especially with all that running around you do. I was thinking that maybe you should move back in here until you leave. Then we could spend so much more time with you. Your mother would adore the idea."

 

Callie closed her eyes, her hand coming up to rub gently at her temple where a throbbing pain was starting. "It's not mom that wants me to move back in, daddy, and you know it. The trip to my work, upsetting the balance of my team, Aidan, all of it, none is mom's idea, is it?"

 

Callan set his own glass down, reaching out to touch his daughter's hand. "Oh Callie, you're thinking too much again," he said with a chuckle.

 

"No, I'm not. For some reason you want me out of ASP and the country. You've never been this way before, Daddy. Blaming mom for it won't work this time. Something is up. I know it. I can feel it."

 

"You're being ridiculous, Callie." Callan rose, stalking the floor between the chair he'd been sitting in and the desk. "I just want to see you happy. Is that too much for a father to ask?"

 

"I'm such an idiot. Who's threatening you, daddy? Who has you so afraid that you won't even fight him?"

 

Callan sank down into his desk chair, his hands folded on the blotter in front of him. He didn't speak for a moment, instead, seeming to study his hands. When he lifted his head, the same gentle, patronizing smile was on his lips. "No one is threatening me, Callie. I don't know where you get these idiotic assumptions. I'm not being forced into anything. I want your happiness and you're making it into some huge conspiracy theory."

 

"Hello," Aidan said from the door, looking from Callie to Callan. "Am I interrupting?"

 

"No," Callan said jovially.

 

"Yes, Callie growled, irritated at the interruption.

 

"Callie, mind your manners." Callan rose and walked toward Aidan, his hands out to clasp Aidan's. "Don't mind here, she's had a long night and is missing her beauty sleep."

 

"If I'm interrupting," Aidan said even as he shook Callan's hand. "I can go back out again and give you some time."

 

"No," Callie said. "It's me that needs to leave. My father is right, I had a very long night. One of my team was shot and we had to save a six year old girl who was living on the streets from becoming her mother's midnight snack." She ignored the shocked look on the men's faces. Kissing Callan on the cheek, she stared into his eyes. "We will be discussing this later, father. It's not over yet."

 

Storming out of the room was something she just wouldn't allow herself to do. She touched Aidan's hand in passing, knowing that none of this was his fault. He was as much a victim as she had been. It was a good thing she hated being a victim.

 

"But what of breakfast?" her father asked.

 

"I'll eat later. I'm just not hungry right now." Then she strode out the door and past Tucker, giving him a wave as she slowly closed the front door.

 

Across town she pulled into another underground parking structure. The address she sought was just down the street. Luck was with her and she happened on a main floor parking place that another car was just pulling out of. It seemed a good omen. She only hoped the rest went the way she wanted as well.

 

She locked her car, stashing the keys in her bag. They clinked against the can of pepper spray she carried, coming to a rest next to her taser. A girl couldn't be too careful living in the big city, she thought with a smile.

 

The day was one of those that start out cool and become perfect, the sun shining down warmly on her from a cloudless blue sky. It was so clear that everything seemed almost to sparkle. She walked casually down the street, her easy going manner belaying the ball of tension that was eating at her gut.

 

Two blocks down and she crossed the street, finding the building she wanted and going inside. She slipped past the doorman without any problem, the man was too busy helping two old and cantankerous women take bags out to a waiting Lincoln Town car. Callie smiled when the two puffy poodles each old woman was hold a leash to, decided to take off at a run when the women were busy lambasting the poor doorman for scratching one of their bags.

 

"No Muffy," one of the women cried.

 

"Come back here, Buffy," the other woman ordered sternly to the quickly fleeing pups.

 

The doorman took off at a shuffling lope, his beleaguered attitude seeming to say that he'd done this once and would be doing it again before he could possibly hope to retire.

 

Callie was still laughing as the elevator doors closed behind her. She hit the button for the tenth floor, trying to swallow her heart back into her chest from where it was slowly climbing into her throat. She fiddled with the tie on the thigh length raincoat she wore, making sure that it was securely tied. Pull the flaps up around her throat, she stepped out of the elevator onto a floor with only two doors.

 

"Okay, Cal, this is it," she said quietly to herself. "You can handle this. Just knock on the door." Taking another deep breath, she walked to the door that held silver letters reading "8B" in a pretty script. She closed her eyes, knocking quickly before she lost her nerve.

 

She looked up when the door opened, hearing a gasp as the owner of the apartment took in her appearance. Four inch heels gave her the illusion of height and made her bare legs seem impossibly long. She wore the raincoat closed, tied tightly, the bottom coming just mid-thigh. Her hair was down and she'd taken a few moments to give it some curl, letting it bounce around her shoulders and frame her face in a way that was amazingly attractive on the petite wolf.

 

With her silvery eyes outlined and a pale peach color upon her lips, she looked more beautiful than he'd ever seen her before.

 

"May I come in?" she asked huskily.

 

Shadow opened the door further, letting the book he held in one hand close even as he took the glasses off of his nose.

 

Callie glanced back as he closed the door. He'd been home long enough to get comfortable. He'd taken off his uniform and wore a pair of pajama pants in dark blue. His chest was bare and so were his feet. He stood there shocked, his mouth still hanging open a bit. "You said we needed to talk? Was I wrong in coming?"

 

"No," he said. Then he shook his head. "I mean yes, we need to talk. No, I don't mind you coming here. It was just a surprise. I didn't think you knew where I lived."

 

"I didn't. Well, at least not until I was working in your office and looked it up." She smiled, finding it easier to be here since the unflappable Shadow seemed so shocked to see her.

 

"That was r-resourceful," he said, his eyes moving over her slowly. When he reached her eyes, he swallowed heavily.

 

"I need to know one thing before we continue," she said, watching his eyes as she reached up to pull apart the ties, slowly unbuttoning the coat until it parted down the front. She shrugged her shoulders, the coat falling to land at her feet, leaving her as naked as the day she was born except for the fuck-me shoes. "Will you fuck me, Brian?"

Her words seemed to vibrate in his head, his eyes couldn't stop moving over her body. The book fell from his hands, his glasses landing on top of it on the hall floor. In two steps he had her in his arms. Spinning, he held her against the wall, his mouth hungrily finding hers.

 

Callie's moan was soft, sweet to his ears. The feel of her against his body had Shadow's pulse racing, his blood rushing through his veins. "Do you mean it?" he gasped, lifting his head.

 

She could barely breathe. Her leg slid up the softness of his pajama pants, sliding around his hip and pulling him against her. "What do you think?" she panted, excitement and just the touch of nerves revving her arousal even higher.

 

He bent his head, capturing her mouth again as if he couldn't leave it alone. "Say it," he growled. "I want to hear you say it again."

 

"I want you to fuck me, Brian," she whispered, staring into his eyes. "I can call you Brian?"

 

"Yes," he said before once more devouring her lips, his head moving as he changed angles. His tongue parted her lips, sliding inside of her mouth, finding hers and dancing against it. His hands found her arms, lifting them from where they had slid around his neck, pushing them above her head to hold her wrists in one of his big hands. Tearing his mouth from hers, he started a trail of desperate kisses along her neck, his mouth open as he savored the taste of her skin, the scent of sunshine that seemed part of her.

 

Her skin was soft and warm, so incredibly warm. He bent his head further, taking the tip of her breast between his teeth, his tongue playing with her nipple. She moved against him like a dream, her arousal and his caresses pulling tiny whimpers from between her lips.

 

"God, Brian!" she cried, arching her back to ask for more. "That feels so incredible."

 

He grinned, lifting his head to look at her. "You ain't seen nothing yet." His arms went around her, lifting her and cradling her against his chest. "I hope you don't have any plans for the rest of today. I don't plan on letting you leave."

 

"Really?" she asked, her voice cracking. "I-I wasn't sure of my reception."

 

Shadow carried her through his living room, not giving her a chance to look around. A short hall led to a kitchen and dining room, on the other side was his bedroom and the guest bath. He kicked open the door to his bedroom, kicking it closed behind him. "I can't believe you'd think I wouldn't want you. Was I the only one in the back seat of the truck this morning?" He chuckled when she blushed, the color rushing to her cheeks.

 

"No," she said softly. "You made me feel things today that I'd only read about."

 

"Hmm," he hummed, setting her gently on the bed, his hands lingering on her legs. "I think I need to come and investigate you're reading material."

 

"You never know," she said, a dimple peeking from her cheek as she smiled up at him, "you might learn a thing or two."

 

"Really?" he asked, trailing his fingers down the inside of her thighs to the black pumps she wore on her feet. Pulling them off, he kissed her arches, rubbing gently at the soft skin. "Maybe, instead of just reading it, you could show me? I learn more from the hands on technique than from a book."

 

"You haven't even had me once and already you're planning on more." Callie moaned as he played with her toes. As a human, her feet were very sensitive.

 

"And more after that, and then more after that. You got a problem with that Agent Wolfe?"

 

"None sir, I just hope my senior officer understands when I get to work tonight." She gasped as his nails tickled the back of her knees.

 

"I'll write you a note." He stared down at her, a strange look coming to his face.

 

"What?" she asked, suddenly scared. She reached out her arms and Brian couldn't help but go to her, holding her to him and rolling across the bed with her.

 

"I'm afraid I'm sitting in my chair and fell asleep. I know if I wake up and find out that you, that this was a dream, I won't live through it, Callie." He looked down at her, pushing her hair out of her face with a shaking hand. "I've dreamt about this for so long, you don't even know, you couldn't have a clue..."

 

Callie lifted her hand, her fingers pressing against his lips. "Me too," she said softly. "Since that first day in your office when you had me almost shaking and then said something stupid to make me laugh. Then I found out you did that to all the new recruits. I was heart broken."

 

Brian moaned when she parted her thighs under him, his hips nestling in the cradle her legs made for him. "I was tongue tied," he whispered, his fingers tracing over her face, gliding over her lips. "You were the boss's daughter and I kept thinking about pushing you down on my desk and fucking you."

 

Her fingers traced patterns on his back, sliding lower until she was at the small of his back. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. He could smell her arousal, he could feel it through the thin layer of flannel he wore. It was all that kept him from moving his hips and finding his way home.

 

That's what she was and had always been to him, even the past couple days when he'd been furious with her. She would always and forever be home to him. He had it bad, so bad that he was shaking with the force of it. "Take off my pants," he ordered.

 

Brian could see the wheels turning in her head as she processed his order and the best way to do it. When she pushed on his shoulder, he let her turn him to his back. She sat next to him, her fingers going to the tie and then the buttons that held his tented pants on. When she'd fumbled the last button free, his cock sprang out of the opening, rubbing against the back of her hand.

 

He groaned at the contact, his hips lifting even as she began pulling the flannel material off his legs, leaving him as naked as she. Callie dropped the fabric over the edge of the bed, her eyes never leaving his body.

 

"You're beautiful," she whispered, reaching out to stroke his stomach, her hand tracing the dark trailing line of hair that started just below his navel and the blossomed into the thick thatch of fur at his groin.

 

"Women are beautiful, not men," he argued, closing his eyes to savor her sweet caresses.

 

"Well, I could have called you pretty but I was afraid you'd fire me if I did." She giggled when he laughed.

 

"Good idea." He lay as still as he could under the soft tickling touch of her hand, finally moaning and taking her hand in his to wrap around his cock. "You're a tease," he growled. "You have no clue how much power you have in those little hands do you?"

 

Callie was investigating the soft, satiny hardness of his cock, marveling at the contrast. She closed her fist around it, feeling his hand moving hers. When he let go, she kept up the slow stroking movements he'd started. A sudden urge took her and she bent closer, licking her tongue gently along the tip of his cock as it came out from between her fingers.

 

Brian gasped, his head falling back against the pillows, his hands grasping the dark blue comforter under him. He felt the heat of her mouth slowly engulf the tip of his cock. "Fuck, Callie. That's incredible."

 

"I-I don't want to do anything wrong," she whispered, pulling her mouth back.

 

"The only way you could do anything wrong in my book is if you got up and left me like this, baby." He reached down and moved her hair out of her face, sliding it over her shoulder. "I've seen you here, with me so often this is almost surreal."

 

Callie bent toward him again, her mouth taking more of his this time. Brian felt the smooth, silky caress of her hair over his thighs, the heat of her mouth, the tantalizing teasing of her tongue. He groaned, unable to stop himself, his hips beginning to rock under the suckling pressure of her mouth. He reached down, grabbing her hips, pulling her so that she lay over him, her legs straddling his head.

 

Her arousal was sweet, the scent exquisitely tempting to him. He pulled her down closer, lifting his head to slide his tongue through the slickness of her secretions, tasting her for the first time. Pulling her even closer, he explored the soft feminine folds of her sex, teasing the small inner lips, suckling gently on her labia, flicking his tongue across her clit until she cried out.

 

"Oh God," she groaned, pulling away from his cock to nuzzle her face against his hip. "I can't think when you do that."

 

"Do what?" he asked huskily, "this?" Using his lips, he pulled her clit into his mouth, biting down gently on it, feeling her body arch against him, her hips pressing down and into his mouth, almost grinding down on him.

 

"God!" she almost howled, the wolf inside of her making her presence known. "Don't stop, God, please don't stop."

 

He slid one finger gently inside of her, thrusting slowly at first then pushing the pace until she began to ride his hand and his mouth, unable to stop. It took him little time to push her over that first hurdle, feeling her pleasure as she came, her juices raining down on him.

 

When she slumped back against him, he slowly rolled her over, watching the expression of ultimate joy move over her face. Before she can recover, he rose above her, finding the small opening with his cock and pushing inside.

 

She tensed under him for just a minute as he tore through her hymen, breaching it with one thrust. Brian stilled on top of her, letting her get use to the feeling of being full, hearing her gasp at the pain of her lost virginity. When her hands came up to his chest, he leaned down and kissed her gently, pressing fleeting kisses on her face and throat. "You okay?" he asked huskily.

 

She was so tight around him, the fluttering pleasure that still filled her loins sending little shock waves of pleasure through him as well. He shifted, going to his elbows over her, his hands pushing the hair off of her face so he could see her reaction.

 

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes swirling silver. "It feels so different than I thought it would."

 

Slowly he moved on top of her, never rushing even when his body begged for him to slam into her. He cupped her breast in one hand, his fingers playing with the hard bud of her nipple, twisting and teasing the pebbled tip until she was moaning. He kissed her, parting her lips with his tongue, feeling hers sliding against his.

 

He tore his mouth away, reveling in the feel of her pussy around him, of the spasms that she was feeling caressed the length of his cock. He whispered words to her, words of want, of need. He told her how beautiful she was, groaning when she began to move against him, her eyes closing. He buried his face in her hair next to her ear. "Tell me what you were going to say in the truck this morning."

 

Callie was soaring, flying into the cloudless blue sky. His tongue and mouth were doing the most amazing things to her, things she'd never dreamed of feeling. She couldn't help but push against him as he licked and sucked and nibbled her into an orgasm that left her weak and slumped against his stomach.

 

She felt him move her, felt the heat and hardness of his body as he rose over her. His cock pushed against her and she moved her legs, wrapping them around him to open herself further. This was it, she thought, her excitement rising again. He was going to fuck her.

 

The pinching pressure made her stiffen and then a sharp and quick pang of pain shot through her. It was done and over before she'd felt much of anything, leaving her with only a feeling of fullness that was strangely terrifying and satisfying at the same time.

 

She shifted under him, feeling him rubbing against her inside. It left a tingle of reawakening arousal to shiver through her. "Hmm," she hummed, moving again.

 

"You okay?" Brian asked, pushing even more of his cock inside of her with every slow stroke.

 

"Yes," she whispered back. "It feels so different than I thought it would."

 

He kissed her once again, then buried his face in her hair. "Tell me what you were going to say in the truck this morning."

 

"Now?" she gasped, turning her head to look at him in surprise.

 

"Yes, now."

 

He was too close, his eyes searching hers too intensely. The emotions she was feeling were too vulnerable. How could she tell him now that she'd loved him from that first day?

 

"Not now, Brian. I promise I'll tell you later. Please," she begged, knowing that if he didn't back down, she would tell him exactly how she felt. Then all this might end before it had a chance to even begin.

 

"Before you leave this bed, you'll tell me."

 

It wasn't a question, it was an order but she took it, nodding gladly. A mewl of surprise left her as he began to move faster. His body was rubbing against hers. His hand cupped her breast, molding and kneading the soft flesh until every touch sent her excitement to a higher level.

 

He was pushing her toward another orgasm and she opened her eyes, staring into his as it began. "Don't stop," she begged huskily. "Oh fuck that feels so good."

 

"You want more," he teased, take short rapid strokes that had him gasping for air.

 

She undulated under him, her soft creamy skin taking on a sheen of sweat that made her glow. Her eyes were half-closed, her hands grasping at him, caressing him, imploring that he never stop. It was more intense this time, more mind-ripping and devastating. She couldn't help but howl her release, it was so incredible.

 

Tears spilled from her eyes, soaking into the hair at her temples as she tipped her head back, arching, wanting to touch him with every part of her being. His lips found her breasts, the pleasure of his suckling echoed in the throbbing in her womb even as her silken sheath caressed him. Callie heard his growl, felt his big body jerking against hers and the warmth between her thighs turned even hotter. As the first pulse of his pleasure struck, he threw his head back, crying out her name, filling her with the essence of his being.

 

She felt each throb, each rush of sperm from his body and shivered with the joy of it. She'd made him come. Now all she had to do was get him to admit his own feelings. He rolled off of her, falling to his back on the dark blue comforter. Callie rose over him, smiling, her eyes sleepy and sexy looking. Her hair was mussed from his hands and a red spot on her neck came from the stubble on his face.

 

Callie snuggled in against him, her lips gliding over his chest, kissing a trail down over his body. She stroked him gently with her hands, exploring his body while he laid prone before her. Lying her head on his thigh, she stared up at him.

 

"Do you really want to know what I was going to say?"

 

Brian opened his eyes, staring down at her, his hand lifting one of hers and kissing it with a tenderness that took her breath away. "Yes," he said, his voice deeper than usual. "I want to know."

 

Callie glanced down, staring at the window where the blinds were open, letting in the sun. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him. "I love you."

 

"What's wrong with me being in love with you, Angel?" Marcus growled, staring at the stubborn female vampire. "I have been since the first time I saw you."

 

"Marcus," Angel began with a soft sigh. "We are so different. I could never go out into the sunshine with you. You can't stand enclosed places. You eat, for Christ's sake."

 

"Yeah and you suck blood. I know you get a big kick from my blood, Angel. About enclosed spaces, I slept in that crypt with you, no panic attacks. Maybe you cured me of my phobia. Maybe we should start a self help class or something. You could show them how you cured me."

 

"You aren't listening," Angel said in disgust, standing up and pacing across the floor of her bedroom in the basement apartment of the building cross town from where they worked.

 

"No, I am listening. What I'm not hearing is what's important. In all the excuses you've made, not once have you said that you didn't love me." Marcus sat up, the sheet pooling at his waist. "If you can turn around and come over here, tell me to my face, looking into my eyes, that you don't love me, then I'll back off."

 

Angel came over and sat across from him, the white silk robe she'd donned almost seemed to glow in the semi dark of the room. She stared up at him, taking his hands and holding them in her own. "Marcus," she said. "I-I don't l-love..."

 

"Don't finish that unless you absolutely mean it, Angel." His voice was low with warning, the fiercest of growls, as his cheeks flushed and his green eyes grew hard.

 

"I don't think I could have anyway," she snapped at him, pissed because he'd called her on her feelings. "Dammit, Marcus, how the hell did you do this?"

 

"Do what?"

 

"Make me fall for you, dammit. I promised that after what Dorian put me through, I wouldn't allow myself to fall for any man again. Now I've fallen for a big obsessive warrior who snores."

 

"I don't snore," he said with a smile on his face. He grabbed her arm, yanking her toward him with enough strength that she fell on top of him. "Now I want to hear you say it."

 

"Marcus..." she whined. "You know I hate sappy."

 

"You do not hate sappy. You love it. You're just trying to be the strong one. You want to keep up your shields against me, to keep me at arm's length. You just didn't realize that I knew a secret entrance. Now, instead of sniping at me, tell me what I want to hear.

 

She ran her hand over his face, closing her eyes and using her fingers to explore as if she were blind. Her thumbs gently traced the arched swoop of his blonde brows. She explored the warmth of his lips, dipping her head to kiss him slowly, with more affection and love than passion. There was tenderness, care and joy in that kiss, so much so that Marcus couldn't help but smile under her lips.

 

"Nice try," he said when she lifted her head. "I still want the words."

 

"Grrr," she growled. "And you think I'm stubborn?"

 

"No, there's no thinking to it. I know you're stubborn," he said, chuckling. "Now quit trying to pick fights and say the words, Angel. It's three very small, very simple words. You can do it."

 

"I know I can do it."

 

He crossed his arms over his chest and waited, trying to hide his smile as a pout pulled her full bottom lip out.

 

"Iloveyou," she gushed quickly and all in one word.

 

"Nope, ain't cutting it. Say it like you mean it."

 

"Fine! I love you! Now are you happy?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at him.

 

"Ecstatic." He pulled her toward him, ignoring her mutinous looks and the crossed arms. "I love you, Angel. I have since I first saw your baby blue eyes. As soon as we find your father and I stake this Dorian character outside, you and I are going to take off together alone."

 

She gave up. It didn't matter how she treated him, he still loved her and wanted to be with her. Shaking her head, she curled up against his wide chest, her body resting on top of his. She drifted off to sleep listening to him, his hands holding her gently.

 

The room was pitch black, so dark that Angel couldn't see her hand in front of her face. She stepped forward, hoping to find a wall or a hanging light, something, anything to get her out of the darkness. The ragged sound of breathing stopped her and she stood trembling. There was something about this blackness, it felt like a shield, like a hiding place for evil. Did she want to know what it was that was making the noise?

 

There was a click of a door being closed, and she whirled toward that sound, trying to pin point it. But the darkness confused her, making it all but impossible to figure out where the door was.

 

"Is someone there?" she called.

 

At the sound of her voice, the breathing stopped, leaving her in a soundless void so intense her ears seemed to ring. "Please," she called. "I can't see anything. Please make some noises so I can find you."

 

A low rumble sounded from behind her and she twisted frantically, trying to figure out what it was. A small line of light appeared on the floor of the room, seeming so bright it hurt her eyes. It also showed what else was in the room and she gasped in horror.

 

Running toward the middle of the room, she cried out as her eyes fell on the feathers that littered the floor, feathers that were tinged with blood. A few stray pieces floated in the air around them. "Marcus?" she breathed, going and putting her hands against his face. "Open your eyes baby, look at me."

 

He did, but it was almost as painful for her as it was for him. One eye was completely swollen shut, the other was bloodshot, the green iris surround in blood.

 

He'd been whipped, badly enough that his skin hung in tatters on his back and his chest. A large red welt lay upon his upper thigh, the sign of the fleur d'lis, the brand of the traitor burnt into his skin. His face was swollen and bruised, his wings gone, he simple hung from his arms by a chain in the center of the room.

 

"Who did this to you?" she cried, trying to pull the chains apart to get him down.

 

He opened his mouth to speak, his teeth shattered painfully. His voice was slurred when he spoke. "Dorian."

 

Angel gasped, seeing the fang marks on his neck, on his back, even on the inside of his upper thigh so close to his testicles that they almost hid the bite. "They fed from you? I'm going to kill him, Marcus.

 

"So you think," Dorian said, his voice coming through a speaker set just above the door. "You might try but I'd think you'd notice by now that you actually don't have long to live yourself."

 

Angel glanced around the room, suddenly seeing what he meant. The line on the floor was sunlight, let in as the ceiling of the room they were in was slowly being pulled back. The line had turned into a square and was growing bigger with every second.

 

Her eyes went to Marcus.

 

"Get out of here," he muttered hoarsely. "Go before it gets any bigger."

 

"I can't leave you."

 

"Don't be an idiot, Angel. Go!"

 

She took one last look at him, tears streaming down her face. Then she ran for the door, pulling it open on to hiss and pull back. The only door in the place led to a wide front yard, well groomed with no trees for shade. The sun shone down brightly. She was trapped.

 

She turned, seeing the light coming in faster and faster, filling every corner of the room with the brightness of the sun. Angel slid down on the floor, her back to the wall, hugging her arms around her legs. She stared at Marcus but he'd passed out once more from the pain. She was trapped and virtually alone.

 

The sun touched the tip of her toes and she let out a hiss at the burning pain. Her feet began to smoke, to smolder and then catch fire. Her screams were hoarse and loud as the fire spread up her legs and over her body, taking her face last.

 

When it was done, a perfectly shaped ash statue of Angel sat where she'd been until a slight breeze hit it, then that too was gone.

Angel woke with a jerk, her eyes searching the familiar room, hearing Marcus breathing so close to her. Sitting up, she stared down at him. "You're right," she whispered. "Those things don't matter. But I'm not going to let Dorian get his hands on you. I can't let you be hurt because of me." She glanced at the time knowing by instinct that the sun was beginning to set.

 

Sliding out of her bed, she walked over to her bathroom, pulling open the double doors and closing them quietly behind her. The white robe fell from her shoulders as she walked over to the huge shower. The silk was a pretty contrast against the pale rose colored tiles that covered the floor. Minty green towels hung over a towel warmer, a silly extravagance that her father had thought she would enjoy. Why would a vampire need warm towels?

 

She smiled at the thought, though it was a sad smile. Dorian had made his intentions crystal clear in that dream. If she didn't come to him, she would find Marcus broken and beaten. She couldn't allow that to happen, she wouldn't. He wanted her. Maybe if he had her he would be satisfied and leave her friends alone.

 

The water in the shower sluiced over her, washing away the last bit of the dream. She picked up her favorite shampoo, smelling the sweetness of vanilla as she poured it into her hand.

 

"Whoa, girl. That's my job." Marcus stepped into the shower, shivering at the temperature she had it set at. He reached over, warming it up several degrees from the ice cubes she'd had rushing down her. "Give me that."

 

Angel let him take the shampoo from her hands, feeling his fingers stroking through her wet tresses, gathering them in one large palm. She could still smell the vanilla as he started soaping her hair.

 

"You didn't wake me up," he said suddenly.

 

"I wanted to let you sleep. We still have time before we have to go to work." She kept her face averted from his, knowing he would see the truth in her eyes no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

 

"I can't sleep without you," he said suddenly, turning her face up to his. "I want you to marry me."

 

Pain, rich and hot, slammed through her. Tears she fought to hide trembled bitterly against her lashes. "Marcus, we... we don't need to talk about this now."

 

"Something's happened," he said, studying her face. "It's that Dorian character again, isn't it. He got to you somehow. Tell me," he ordered, his hands on her shoulders.

 

"There's nothing to tell, Marcus. I-I was wrong last night. There are too many differences in our lives. We'd never be able to make a go of it."

 

He stared down at her, the look on his face was one of disbelief. "I can't believe you're saying this, Angel. What the hell is going on? Talk to me," he begged.

 

"Nothing is going on. I-I made a mistake and I have to put things right before they go too far and one of us gets hurt."

 

"Gets hurt?" Marcus roared. "You don't think I'm not hurt by this? You tell me you love me, you sleep with me, lead me on and the say oh, sorry, it was a mistake? No fucking way. You're hiding something." He stepped forward, backing her into the corner of the shower. "Tell me what you're hiding, Angel."

 

The demand in his voice struck a chord in Angel. No, not a chord but a huge pile of pissed off. It spilled out of her and she took a step forward, shoving her finger into his chest. "You don't order me around," she growled, her fangs flashing in the overhead lights. "Don't patronize or tell me what I'm feeling. Did you ever think that you might have just been an itch I needed scratched? Consider yourself scratched." She took a minute to rinse the soap from her hair, stalking by him, her head high.

 

Gathering a towel into her arms, she flipped it open and then threw it over her shoulders, walking back into her bedroom. She'd get dressed and get out of here.

 

"No." Marcus came out of the bathroom, his incredibly honed body still dripping wet. He shook the damp golden curls out of his eyes as he reached for her. "You may be done, but I'm sure as hell not." He lifted her by her arms, tossing her in the middle of her bed and following her down.

 

"Marcus," Angel said, the hard look in his eyes scaring her. "Don't," she gasped as his mouth found hers, hot, hard and hungry. His hands ripped the towel away from her before running down her body, curving around her thighs and parting them. His body slid into hers too easily, the violence he was showing her calling to the part of her that craved his domination.

 

"You want me, admit it," he growled against her lips, his hips moving in a harsh rhythm with enough force to have her whole body jerking at every thrust.

 

"Just because I want you doesn't mean I love you," she managed to get out between her gritted teeth. She moaned, her eyes locking on his throat, her body craving the rich taste of his blood.

 

A hard smile touched his lips as he noted where her gaze rested. Reaching around his neck, he pushed aside the wet curls that clung to his skin. "Hungry?" he asked harshly.

 

"No," she said, shaking her head but her eyes gave away the lust she had for his blood, needing that tie to him even as she fought it.

 

"You do, you want this, you want me. You're being stubborn." There was a note in his voice, a desperation that she couldn't help but hear.

 

"Yes, okay, I want to feed. I'm hungry and your blood has a kick like nothing I've ever tasted before."

 

"Do it," he said. "If this is it for us, then do it." He lifted his head, baring his throat to her.

 

Angel was more scared of this than of anything but seeing him hurt. Feeding involved an intimacy that was so much more than sex. There was pleasure for both parties. But she couldn't resist. Her fangs lengthened, her mouth grew moist with longing and she trailed her fingers over the pulse throbbing there at the base of his neck.

 

Closing her eyes, she breathed in his scent, the musky smell of his flesh, the scent of his blood that was pounding just beneath his skin. She leaned up, her teeth barely touching his neck.

 

Marcus grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head up, feeling the sharp points of her fangs break the skin. She bit down and he groaned, an anguished sound that had tears in her eyes even as she fed hungrily from him.

 

Rich and thick, his blood flowed like honey into her mouth. It was sweet, like some kind of heavenly nectar. She could feel it filling her veins, flowing through her body, making her feel strong. She felt invincible. She swallowed as quickly as she could, knowing she'd have to let go soon.

 

Angel could feel him trembling, she could hear his panting breathing. He moved over her faster, fucking her with long strokes that had her entire body tensing in pleasured pain. Reluctantly, she released him, her tongue sliding over the tiny wounds her teeth had made, licking away the rest of his blood and closing the wounds. In ten minutes, they would be healed as if they'd never been there. But now her head was spinning, her body writhing under him. She pressed her breasts against his massive chest, her nipples like hard little pebbles, pushing into him.

 

Her hips rose, meeting his thrust. She groaned when he pulled away, flipping her over to her belly before lifting her easily to her hands and knees. When she tried to wiggle away, he slapped his hand over her ass, his wide palm making a loud slapping noise.

 

He pushed into her from behind, going slowly until his body pressed against her hips. Leaning over her, he teased her ear with his tongue. "Beg, Angel," he growled. "If you want me to let you come, beg for it."

 

Angel shook her head. "No."

 

"I guess I'll have to see what I can do to make that a yes." He slid his hands from her hips, moving them over her waist and then around her body, finding her nipples with his fingers. Pulling on them, he twisted and played with the hard brown tips. She squirmed under him, trying to move enough to rub her clit against his cock, but he held her still easily.

 

Marcus pulled his hand away from her breast, letting his wide palm rest against her stomach. His fingers touched the top of her mound, the soft white blonde fur crinkling under his teasing. Moving it slowly downward, he found the top of her slit, feeling her moisture already gathering, coating his finger tips.

 

"I'm going to fuck you now. I'm going to make you come so hard that you'll beg me not to leave." He wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her up easily, his other hand still slipping slowly over her clit. Her back pushed back against his chest, he started thrusting into her again, using his arm around her waist to hold her still.

 

She whimpered, the assault on her senses as well as his blood in her body combined to make her so sensitive it was almost as if she were having one continuous orgasm, shards of pleasure bursting only to fall back and burst again and again. "Marcus," she groaned, her hands roaming over his thighs, her head turning, searching for his lips.

 

He grunted in response, his body on a hair trigger. He was staving off his own orgasm by sheer will. Pushing her back down on the bed, he grabbed her hips in his hands, using them to pull her back against him, plunging deep. Their bodies slapped together, sounding loud in the semi quiet of the room.

 

Angel arched her back, pushing back harder. Marcus filled her like no other lover had, he knew her better than anyone did, saw through her easier. He ignored her moods, slapped down her bullshit and could take anything she threw at him.

 

In bed, well he was everything a War god should be. She loved him. Her mouth opened and she cried out his name as a rushing wall of bliss fell over her. She heard his cry echo, heard the words he spoke as tears slipped down her cheeks.

 

Marcus didn't let go of her, instead, he fell to his side, pulling her with him. "Tell me you love me," he ordered her.

 

"I love you," she said, her voice sounding more like that of some automaton than a woman. Her eyes were dead looking when he turned her face up to his and she closed them slowly, unwilling to look at him. "Now will you go?"

 

He reared back as if she'd slapped him, his cock slipping free of her body. Marcus stared at her rigid back, confusion and hurt warring for dominance in his eyes. "You want me to leave?"

 

She nodded her head, averting her face. "Go, please."

 

Marcus rose, more confused than before. "I love you Angel, I'm not giving up on this thing between us. I've never felt more alive, more at peace with myself than when I'm with you. I'll leave, but as soon as I take care of this little problem between us, I'll be back." He grabbed his pants, pulling them on. Without another word, he strode from the room and slammed out the apartment door. Taking the steps two at a time, he didn't even wait until he was on the street before he unfurled his wings, leaping into the air and flying away.

 

Angel sat up on the bed, her body still tingling with what Marcus had done to her. She could feel aches and pains from his rough treatment, relishing the slight pain because it kept the harsher, sharper pain of his leaving away. How was she ever going to handle seeing him at work? Maybe she should call in, or quit.

 

"I can't quit," she whispered, wiping at the tears that were streaming down her face. She heard the door to her apartment open and then slam closed. "He's gone." Fresh tears filled her eyes and she replayed the last words he'd said to her in his mind. "What little problem between us?" she asked herself slowly, her eyes darting around the room. "Dorian!"

 

Forgetting about everything but Marcus, she rushed from the room and out the door, taking the steps to the street in bounding leaps. "Marcus! You idiot, get back here. You can't go after Dorian on your own!"

 

But he was already gone. Like a tiny snowflake, a single downy feather fell in front of her. She caught it, holding it in her fist as she scanned the sky. Then she turned, rushing down the stairs. She had to find Callie and Shadow.

 

"I love you."

 

The words seemed to hang in the air between them, heavy and irretrievable. Callie felt her face begin to flame and a bubble of hurt and resentment burned inside of her. "You don't have to say them back," she said, trying to act nonchalant about what she'd said. "I mean, I just wanted to let you know how I felt."

 

Sitting up, she scooted over to the side of the bed, staring at her hands. She'd never been in this situation before and she didn't know how to get out of it gracefully.

 

Brian stared at her back, stunned. "Wait," he managed to force out. "Say it again." He sat up, reaching for her. She was stiff, not wanting to let him touch her. He got out of the bed, kneeling at her feet. "Please Callie. Say it again."

 

She stared down at him, naked and kneeling at her feet. A small smile touched her lips. "I kind of like you there," she couldn't help but tease.

 

"Don't get used to it," he said dryly. "Now, please, say it again.

 

"Brian," she said softly, her palm sliding across his cheek. "I love you."

 

His smile was wide, his blue eyes dancing. "I love you, too." With a shout of laughter, he rose to his feet, grabbing her around the waist and swinging her around the room.

 

Callie wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling at his antics. When he finally finished, setting her gently on her feet, she rose on tiptoe. "Say it again," she teased.

 

"Callie Wolfe, I have loved you since the first moment you walked into my office. That door opened and I looked up and never knew what hit me." He bent, swinging her up in his arms and taking her back to the bed.

 

She held onto him, pulling him down with her. "You looked so mean that day. I thought you were mad about who I was. I never asked for special treatment or consideration because of my father."

 

"I know that. Speaking of him, you know you aren't marrying that Kent guy, don't you?"

 

"I kind of figured that one out myself." She paused and a frown crossed her face.

 

Brian dropped a kiss onto her nose, his fingers smoothing out the wrinkles in her brow. "I'll go with you," he offered.

 

"You would? You'd face my father in his own study?"

 

"Since I don't want to follow you to England and have an affair with a married woman, I guess I'll have to." His hands began to roam over her again, his mouth dropping to nuzzle against her throat. "I can't afford to buy huge yellow diamonds."

 

"That thing was so gaudy," she admitted with a giggle. "I was always afraid it was going to fall off or I was going to get mugged wearing it."

 

"What about work?"

 

"What about work?" she repeated.

 

"Well, Daniels might not like us seeing each other."

 

"Fuck Daniels," Callie said, arching her head back to give him better access to her throat.

 

"To put it in Callie words, ewww, no thanks."

 

"Smart ass, you know what I meant. Why does he even have to know?"

 

Brian lifted his head, gazing down at her with a shocked look on his face. "Callie Anne Wolfe, are you planning on keeping me on the side? I never thought I would be looked at as little more than a sexual object. I'm shocked at you."

 

Callie rolled her eyes, laughing despite herself. She sobered suddenly, rolling to her side to face him. "I don't even know how old you are," she said quietly, tracing a pattern across his chest.

 

His hand slipped over hers, pressing her palm flat against his chest. "You've only got to ask, gorgeous."

 

"How old are you?"

 

"I was born in 1910. My mom and dad were German immigrants. We lived in a little area of New York City where people like my parents seemed to settle."

 

"You're almost one hundred years old?" Callie stared at him in amazement. He seemed a little over thirty though she wasn't a great judge of age. "You look pretty good for an old geezer."

 

"Thanks, I try to eat right."

 

"What happened to you?"

 

Shadow settled back on his back, reaching down to pick up the comforter to throw over the two of them. He dragged her closer, settling her head in the crook of his neck. "It's kind of a long story," he said.

 

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere today, you?"

 

"Nope," he sighed. "My parents worked really hard and put me in school. They new that in this new land they were living in, education was the way to make something of yourself. We pinched pennies and scrimped and saved so that they could send me to college."

 

"They sound like wonderful people."

 

Brian smiled, his fingers tangling in the trailing tresses of her hair as it lay across his chest. "My dad had a voice that could set the dishes in the cupboard to rattling. But he was all gruff and no bite. My mom had apple cheeks and could make a strudel that would have your taste buds believing in heaven. We didn't have much, but we had each other and my little sister, Gretchen."

 

"You have a sister?"

 

"Had, she passed away in 1972. She'd thought I died in 1945, everybody did. They had to. No one really knew what to make of me when I came out of the desert in New Mexico."

 

"Isn't that where they did bomb testings?" Callie asked, wrinkling her forehead.

 

"Where we did tests," he corrected mildly. "I love science, I always have. My parents scraped enough money together to get me started in college and I quickly proved myself to my teachers. I earned scholarships and one of the professors found me a mentor, a wealthy man who helped to finish paying for my studies. All they asked was that I spend a year or two working for the government on a few little projects they had laying around. I was so gullible back then. So after I graduated, I went to work for the government, helping out a team who was set on building the Atom bomb."

 

"I'd never really given it much thought, you know, what the government would do with the science after we perfected it. The destruction ratio was unbelievable. So we took it out into the desert, and we blew it up. Bomb after bomb we set off out there until we had it perfect. Our first successful bomb test was in July of 1945. Then we built 'little boy'."

 

"What's that?"

 

"You've heard of the Hiroshima bomb? It got the nickname of 'little boy'. We built it, we built the securing cage on the Enola Gay. August 6, 1945, the crew of the Enola flew over Hiroshima and dropped 'little boy'. By that time, the radiation poisoning that I'd contracted was so bad, I was out of my mind."

 

He was quiet for a moment and Callie knew that he was seeing those events as if he were reliving them. "What happened then?" she asked softly.

 

"I somehow made it to the desert. I wandered out there, alone, sick, delirious for I'm not sure how long. I have a memory of lying in the sand, feeling it scour over my skin which was already fall off of me. Then a strange looking face blocked my vision of the sun. He picked me up and took me back to his town. They gave me herbs, concoctions, some of it so nasty tasting I don't know how I got it down. But I did. I woke up twenty-six days from the day he'd found me in the desert and I was alive, weak but alive."

 

"So like Spiderman getting bitten by that radioactive spider, you had your powers?" Callie asked.

 

"Something like that," he said, rolling his eyes at her. "It was a mixture of the drugs and the radiation. I was different, changed by what had happened. I found that I could change shape, I could mix my molecular structure in with walls or windows, or whatever. I could literally walk through walls. At first, it wasn't a pleasant procedure but I got used to it."

 

"What happened when you came out of the desert?"

 

"The police found me. I was on a list that the government had sent out. They took me to this installation." He frowned. "Let's just say that I wasn't happy with the things they did there. I took off, became just another invisible person in a land full of them."

 

"And then you got involved with my father and ASP, then met me and fell in love. Now we get to live happily ever after, right?"

 

Before he could answer, someone began pounding on the door of his apartment.

 

"You expecting someone?" she asked.

 

"No. You?"

 

"Not here. I mean, my dad's good but he's not that good."

 

Brian slid out of bed, gathering his bathrobe and throwing at Callie. He grabbed his pajama pants and slid them on his legs, admiring the way his robe looked on Callie's lush figure. He was about to grab the tie in the front and drag her over for a kiss when the knocking sounded again, loud and almost panicky.

 

"Dammit," he growled. "Do me a favor and don't go anywhere, okay?"

 

"I promise," she said, smiling at him.

 

He hurried through the living room, stopping only to pick up the raincoat that Callie had worn over to see him. "Who is it?" he called through the door.

 

"It's me, Angel. Open up, God dammit, Shadow. I need your help!"

 

He opened the door, letting in a panicked Angel. "I can't reach Callie. I don't know where she is, no one can find her. What if Dorian has her? And... and Marcus," she stuttered to a stop, tears streaming down her face. "If something happens to him it's all my fault. I should have let Dorian pull my strings that way. I should have ignored it, but I couldn't."

 

Callie came out of the bedroom, hearing Angel's voice. "What are you going on about, Ang? Pull it together so we can understand."

 

"Callie! Thank God you're safe. I thought he had you too." She stopped talking, looking at how Callie was dressed and then back at Shadow. Her mouth opened in shock then she slapped it closed. "As soon as we get Marcus back I'm going to high five you and say it's about damn time you give Shadow here a chance to show you how much fun sex is. For now though, Marcus has gone after Dorian by himself. Get dressed!"

 

"Whoa, wait a minute. Marcus wouldn't do that without a good reason," Shadow said.

 

"I gave him one. I told him I didn't want him any more." Angel began to pace, her long legs eating up the length of the short hall.

 

"Why the hell did you do that?" Shadow asked, grabbing her arm.

 

"Dorian sent me another dream... it's a long story, can't you get dressed and I'll tell you on the way?"

 

Shadow gave Callie a look, taking in her state of undress.

 

"I've got clothes in my car," she said sheepishly as Angel's head whipped around to look at her.

 

"Why don't you have clothes here? Wait, I don't want to know."

 

Shadow handed Callie her raincoat. "I'll bring your shoes out with me."

 

"Okay," she said, smiling at him.

 

"I hate being a bitch, but could you two hurry up and save the snookie games until later? I'd like to get to Marcus before he's filleted."

 

Marcus flew through the night sky, enjoying the chance to stretch out his wings and fly. He flew just high enough to keep out of sight of some of the buildings, but close enough that he wouldn't miss what he was watching for. It was still early, he wouldn't even have left for work yet, but tonight he wasn't going into ASP. He might not even have a job left when he finished with what he had to do, but that was okay. If he couldn't have Angel, he didn't want to be there anyway.

 

The sound of a scream caught his ear and he swooped around, going back the way he'd come. Another scream followed and he used it to find his prey.

 

Setting down in the dark alley, he stared at the two vampires who held one woman between he two of them, sharing her. She was naked, her body bruised and bloody. The two vampires were fucking her even as they drained her dry, laughing as she flopped like a rag doll between them.

 

"Oh man," one of the vamps said, lifting his head and wiping his mouth with the woman's hair. "The bitch is a dead fuck."

 

The other giggled, a high pitch sound that was annoying as hell. "Dead fuck, that's funny, Johnny."

 

They let the woman go, letting her drop onto the dirty alley floor with barely a look. "She was no fun. Let's go find someone with a bit more life to them."

 

"Hey," Marcus said, coming up behind them and grabbing their heads, slamming them together. They slithered to the ground almost at the feet of their victim. "Next time pick on someone your own size, like me."

 

"Ouch, Johnny, can I take him, can I?"

 

"God, Stevie will you just shut the fuck up. Mister, you don't know what you're messing with. We got friends in high places. Something happens to us and he's not going to be happy."

 

"Is Dorian Amante your friend?" Marcus asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

"Yeah, and he's strong man, he'll kick your fucking ass and then hand it to you on a fucking plate."

 

"Good, then you just have to take me to him."

 

"Wait, dude, you want us to take you to him? Do you have any idea who this guy is? He's a Master. He'll fuck you up good."

 

"He'll try. Now are you going to take me or not?"

 

Johnny looked at Stevie then back at Marcus. "Sure dude, it's your funeral."

Fog swirled on the floor of the club, the lights flashed, strobes adding to the chaotic atmosphere of the place. It was a huge warehouse filled with colored lights and dry ice, the clubbers just starting to arrive. Teenagers whose only thoughts were to dance and party away the night, the twenties crowd who wanted a bit more, hungry eyed women searching for Mr. Right Now as they drank and did the extras not advertised on the menu.

 

He watched them all, standing on a platform well above all the noise and people. The smile on his handsome angular face was almost angelic as he surveyed his kingdom. A sense of excitement filled him. She was close and coming to him. He knew it. Closing his eyes he sent out a message before opening them and looking down at the pentagram shaped bar. Each of the five points held a bartender, the center filled with sparkling bottles and the prerequisite refrigerators.

 

The bar was black slate, pricy and beautiful. The chairs surrounding each point were metal, the silver burnished to a dull plate. Black leather covered the thick padded bottoms of each chair. The servers wore bright red bloused shirts, the material billowing over the waist band of tight black pants for the men and short black skirts for the women.

 

Tables filled every available space except for the wide dance floor, colors swirling from under the translucent tiles. Every table close to the floor was filled, the buzz of people talking growing louder as the band began to set up. His dark eyes shone, almost glowing. It would be a good night.

 

Glancing over his shoulder, Dorian smiled at his companion. "You were so right Armand, the club business is the way to go in cities such as this. Come up with a theme and they'll rush to fill the seats." He chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Tonight is the night. I have some special entertainment planned for those down below."

 

Armand sat and stared at him, stoned faced. A gag was in his mouth, his hands and feet were cuffed and shackled. Blood was dried upon his face, a gash over his head just beginning to heal.

 

"You're looking better," Dorian said, going to his desk and sitting down behind it. He brought up his hands, his fingers making a pyramid under his chin as he stared at Angel's father. "I didn't mean to let them go that far, Armand. But you'll heal. It'll just take a bit longer without fresh blood to help you. I want you to be good and hungry when your daughter and her friends arrive."

 

Armand struggled against the chains holding him. They rattled annoyingly but didn't give in the least.

 

"You're just making yourself weaker, my friend. The warrior god is mine. I think you'll enjoy the wolf. She's quite a tasty looking piece."

 

Muffled curses came from behind the duct tape that covered his mouth. Dorian rose, a slight smile tipping up his lips. He walked close to Armand Rand, reaching out and yanking the tape from his mouth. A week's growth of beard covered his face, some pulling loose with the tape, and he moved his mouth slowly before trying to talk.

 

"You bastard," he finally growled. "Don't touch my daughter."

 

"I plan to do a lot more than touch," Dorian laughed. "I plan to take her with me. She'll come with me willingly when she realizes what will happen to you and all those people down in the club if she doesn't." He reached down and slapped the elder across his face, his nails curving to leave furrows of almost bloodless wounds. "You really are hungry, aren't you? The madness of blood lust is next and then, you'll drain anyone to get what you need."

 

"Go to hell, Dorian," he said harshly. "Just fucking go to hell."

 

"Such language," Dorian laughed. "What would your daughter say?"

 

"She'd tell you that she's going to kill you, that's what she'd say."

 

"After tonight," Dorian smiled slowly, holding up his hand to check his manicure, "she'll be willing to get on her knees in the middle of Turbail Square and suck my cock. She'll fucking beg for it." He laughed, the sound of a man with nothing to fear. "Now you behave, I have a few things I need to work on before they arrive." Pulling off a new length of tape, he slapped it over Armand's mouth, smoothing it carefully.

 

Then he turned and walked out the door.

 

Angel rushed into ASP, her eyes searching for one winged warrior and only for him. She pushed past people, running through the gym and the men's locker room before heading up to his office. Sinking down on the floor by his desk, she wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked.

 

Callie and Shadow found her there, almost incoherent with fear and grief. Callie sank down next to her, holding her tightly, rocking with her, trying to reach her friend. "Angel, come on girl, you're tougher than this. You've got to get up so we can kick some ass and find Marcus." She smoothed back Angel's tumbled locks, seeing the terror on her face.

 

"Marcus is taking on Dorian. I-I tried to get him to leave me, to just go away so Dorian wouldn't hurt him, or you and Shadow. He'll take everything that I love and kill it." Angel's voice was calm, almost monotone. Her blue eyes, usually full of emotion were lifeless and flat. She looked at Callie almost as if she didn't know her. "He'll kill you and laugh while he's doing it."

 

Shadow crouched down next to the two women. "He's not going to kill us, Angel. We're going to take him out. Then he will be the problem of the Vampire council. They'll stake him out for the dawn."

 

"You don't understand, Shadow. Of course you don't. You've never faced anything like this before. He had powers before, when I was with him, but they're nothing compared to what he's given me a taste of. He's strong, stronger than my father. We go up against him, you'll die and I'll wish I was dead."

 

"Angel," Callie said shocked. She looked at Brian and then back down to the badly shaken female vamp. "You've got to snap out of this. Do you want Marcus to walk into his death?"

 

"I tried to stop him. Maybe if I go to Dorian alone, if I give myself to him, he'll leave all of you alone." She shook her head even as she spoke, knowing just the thought was ridiculous. He'd decided she needed punished and he wouldn't stop until she was a quivering mass on the floor on her knees in front of him. That idea terrified her. What would he do to her or make her do before he was done exacting his revenge?

 

Shadow stood, his eyes on Angel. "Okay, enough. Orchid! On your feet!"

 

Angel blinked at the harsh tone in his voice, but the ASP trained part of her had her shooting to her feet, standing at attention. "Yes sir!"

 

"I'm surprised at you, Agent. Have you forgotten that we have all the powers of ASP behind us? Now, stop the pity party whining and let's get our agent out of there."

 

"Yes sir," Angel said.

 

"Come on, we've got work to do and I want to go and find Sammy the snake. The way he slithers through the underbelly of this city, he has to know where Dorian Amante is. If not him, then we'll give Kendra another go."

 

Callie grabbed Shadow's sleeve as Angel led the way out the door. "She's going to lose it when we find him, you know that don't you?"

 

"Yeah, so we have to give her a reason not to."

 

Sammy lifted his triangular shaped head, his tongue flicking out and sensing the air in the alley. There'd been too much carnage, too much blood shed and just too damn much drama for him just recently. With his nerves, his doctor had suggested moving to someplace warmer and dryer. Maybe this time he'd listen and go to Arizona or Nevada. The idea of sunning himself on a rock out in the desert was sounding better all the time.

 

Sliding his way further back into the alley, he began the change, stepping back to where he'd left his clothes. "Yeah, it's time to get out of this town," he said softly to himself, reaching out for his shirt. He jumped back when a hand appeared out of the wall in front of him, plucking the shirt out of his grasp.

 

When Shadow stepped forward, Sammy gasped, putting a hand to his heart. "God, you could give a guy a heart attack with that trick, Shadow. Give me some warning, would ya? You know the doc said I got a bad ticker."

 

"Now why would I want to give a slime like you warning when I'm watching you?" Shadow threw the shirt at him. "Get dressed, there are ladies present."

 

Sammy swiveled his head, staring at Angel and Callie as they moved in behind him, trapping him. "Is this anyway to treat a guy?" he whined at Shadow, yanking on his shirt. "Can't I get a bit of privacy?"

 

"No way in hell, Sammy. We turn out backs and you're slithering out of here like the snake you are. Nope, I think I'd rather have to put up with watching your skinny behind then have you running." Callie reached out and grabbed the rest of his clothes, throwing them at him. "Tell us what you know about the new power in town."

 

"What new power?" Sammy whined. "I just got back in town. My doctor says I need rest and quiet. I took a trip."

 

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy," Callie smirked, shaking her head sadly. "You know my friend Angel? She's in a foul mood tonight. Her father is missing and we think he's being held by this new power. Now we all know that you know who it is and where we can find him. If you don't talk, Shadow and I will turn our backs while Angel finds out in ways only Angel can, what you know. It's not a pleasant way to have a chat."

 

Angel snarled at the man, letting her fangs lengthen against her lips until the tips could be seen over the top of her lush lower lip. She took a step forward, her hand coming out to grab Sammy.

 

"No," the were-snake whimpered. "I've heard of you. You're psycho. Shadow, come on man, give me a break. I talk and he finds out I've talked, he'll be wearing a snake skin belt."

 

"You don't talk and I won't leave enough of you in one piece to make a belt, mother fucker," Shadow growled. "We aren't playing here, Sammy and I don't have time for your shit. Tell me what you know, make me believe you're telling the truth and then you're on your way. I'll buy you a ticket to where ever you want to go."

 

Angel snarled as the man hesitated once more, taking a step forward to reach for him.

 

"NO!" he shrieked. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you. Just keep that fanged bitch away from me."

 

Shadow slapped Sammy across the back of the head.

 

"Hey! What was that for?"

 

"You aren't allowed to call her a fanged bitch."

 

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry, okay?"

 

Callie grabbed Sammy's arm bringing him over and putting him in the cage in the back of the truck. She snapped the door closed then showed Sammy a small fob like the kind that comes with the locking controls on cars.

 

"What's that?"

 

Callie smiled, pressing one of the buttons. Sammy shrieked, backing away from the electrified metal. "Behave Sammy," Callie said, blowing the were-snake a kiss before slamming the back doors closed and hopping in the back seat. "Let's go," she said to Shadow who was behind the wheel of the truck.

 

Marcus stood outside the warehouse, his eyes moving over the building checking out the reinforced walls, the steel doors and the bricked up windows. He had no doubt that once he got inside, he wouldn't be coming out without a fight. "Dorian lives here?" he asked his two new compatriots.

 

Stevie nodded, a tiny amount of drool sliding down one of his fangs and onto his chin. He wiped it away with the back of his sleeve even as he laughed, a whiny little sound.

 

"Sure dude, he's got a huge pad up on the second floor. It's where he keeps his honeys." Johnny smacked Stevie on the back of the head. "Come on, dude. Dorian's going to be happy to see us."

 

"Think he'll let me have one tonight?" Stevie asked, spraying spittle in his excitement.

 

"I think he'll let us choose which ones we want," Johnny grinned. He stepped forward, shoving his hand in a square box. A blue light flashed over his skin and then a door opened. He motioned Marcus forward and with Stevie following, they stepped through it.

 

Marcus had expected to be going into the club itself, but instead he found himself in a bare room. Well, bare besides the twenty or so vampires who stood at the perimeter, arms folded across their chests. The room was made of cement, walls, floor and ceiling. A small drain was set in the center, the floors sloping mildly toward it. Brownish red stains were in the cement.

 

In the center of the pack of Vampires one man stepped forward, his arms crossed negligently on his chest, his eyes roaming over Marcus, sizing him up. "So you're him," he said, his voice heavy with a Slavic accent.

 

"I could say the same," Marcus said, stepping forward. His green eyes roamed over the man that had sent his tough Angel into paroxysms of fear. He was tall, leanly made, his body wiry. Power and confidence radiated from the man that even a non-vampire could feel.

 

"Will you come without a fight?" Dorian smiled, acting as if he were asking Marcus what he could get him to drink.

 

"You're fucking joking. Angel never told me that you were stupid."

 

Dorian laughed. "While these techniques might work on others, I am beyond that. You are outnumbered and weaponless. Give up and I'll make your death relatively painless."

 

This time Marcus laughed. "Yeah, right." He held his hand out and the sound of thunder filled the air. With a grin, he held up his sword. "Who wants to play first?"

 

"Come on, Sammy," Callie growled, letting her fangs lengthen. "I know you know more than that."

 

"No, God, honest. If I did, what reason would I have not to tell you?" He shrunk back in his chair when Angel slammed her hand down on the table in front of him.

 

"Let me have a go at him," she said huskily. Her eyes flashed blue fire, her body was held so tightly, she looked as if she'd snap in two. Her hand came out, her nails razor sharp. "I'll make snake boy talk."

 

"No!" Sammy jumped up from his chair only to slam back down as Shadow grabbed him. "Don't let her at me. God Shadow I'd tell you if I knew anything else."

 

Shadow stared down at him for a minute. Finally he nodded toward Angel and Callie. "Come on."

 

"Wait..." Sammy started to stand but sank back down as soon as Angel whipped around to glare at him. "What about me?"

 

"What about you what?" Angel snarled.

 

"C-can I g-go?"

 

"I think you can afford to spend one evening hanging around here," Shadow said. "If we get Dorian, I'll put you on a plane myself tomorrow."

 

"And if you don't?" he squeaked.

 

"Then you'll be going out and getting information for me, Sammy. I want you to sit and think on that while we're gone."

 

"Shadow, no, you can't do that to me! I've always helped you out, always! Shadow... !"

 

Callie slammed the door closed behind her. "Now what are we going to do?"

 

"Now, we go see Kendra." Shadow winked at Callie, his hand squeezing Angel's shoulder.

 

Kendra had been taken down from the chains and put in a different cell. She paced the floor now, moving with a jerky gait as if her legs weren't working quite right. A tray sat on the floor, a plastic packet of blood sitting untouched on top of it.

 

"Well, hello Kendra," Shadow said, setting down the clothes he held in his hand. He pushed them through a slot in the bottom of the cell door. "Don't care for the year?" he said motioning to the packet of blood.

 

"It's cold," she said, disgust apparent on her haggard face. "Blood should be warm, pumping into your mouth, not cold and syrupy." She looked down at the clothing she'd been wearing when she came in. "What's this?"

 

"Your clothes. We're letting you go."

 

"What about my daughter?" she asked, bending to pick up the pile. She gave another disgusted look at the bright red jumpsuit she'd been given to wear.

 

"You daughter is no longer your concern, Kendra. She's been sent to live with another family in another state. She'll be raised right, given every chance and let's hope like hell she forgets who gave birth to her."

 

"You can't do that," Kendra growled.

 

"We have done that," Shadow said flippantly. He turned his back. "Get dressed and then I'll escort you out of here."

 

"What makes you think that I won't turn on you when you open the doors?"

 

Shadow turned, stepping forward until he was almost pressed against the bars that held her. He smiled at her, waiting.

 

She took the bait as he knew she would, rushing the bars and grabbing him. Pulling him into the bars, she started to bring her teeth to his neck.

 

The smile on his lips grew wider as he calmly lifted his hand, the small vial pointed toward her face. Hitting the aerosol button, he let it spray for about three seconds and then waited.

 

The coughing sent her flying back away from him, her eyes watering. She sat on the small bunk, bent almost double. "W-what... what w-was that?" she gasped.

 

"Oh this? This is just a little something that our research and development department came out with. Colloidal silver, put in an aerosol can, it's like Vampire mace." He smiled wider. "Now, shall we start again?"

 

Kendra nodded, picking up the clothing she'd dropped. Yanking on the first button of the jumpsuit, she quickly stripped it off, not caring that Shadow hadn't turned his back. She pulled on her dress, leaving off the stocking and slipped on her shoes.

 

She looked back at Shadow, smirking when she saw that he'd been staring off above her head. "Oh, what a gentleman."

 

"Ready?" he asked, ignoring the sarcasm.

 

"You know, I will find my daughter. She's mine and you can't take her from me."

 

Shadow went to the cell, opening the door and sliding it back. He waved her through, taking her arm in his big hand and using it to hold her still. "If I ever find you within two hundred miles of that little girl, I'll happily stake you out myself. Remember that," he said softly. Then he took her out, guiding her with the grip on her arm.

 

Kendra was quiet until she saw Angel standing outside. She hissed at her. "I owe you bitch."

 

Angel stepped forward despite Callie's hand on her arm. "Any day," she said softly. "You name it, I'll be there."

 

Kendra took a step back, involuntarily leaning against Shadow. "Dorian will take care of it. He'll kill you while I watch and then let me drain you dry. He loves me."

 

"I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy," Angel growled. "I pity you."

 

Then she turned her back on the woman, nodding at Callie before she left the room.

 

Callie gave Shadow a look. He winked at her and then tightened his grip on her arm, guiding her toward the elevator. "I'll take you to ground level, then you're on your own."

 

"I hope you don't expect me to thank you," she snarled. "That bitch gave me a bloody lip and almost chipped my tooth. I should sue."

 

Shadow burst out laughing, stopping when she glared at him. "You were turned recently, weren't you? This part of the world doesn't have things like courts or lawyers. You can't sue when you aren't happy with the way you've been treated. In the supernatural world, ASP proclaims guilt and innocence. Get used to it, sweetheart."

 

She didn't answer, instead, she glared at him, tripping when the elevator doors opened onto the main level of the parking garage. Shadow stayed inside the elevator, wiggling his fingers good-bye at her. The doors closed behind her, leaving her alone in the garage.

 

Kendra stared down at her high heeled shoes, groaning. "Stupid son of a bitch," she mumbled. Then she stomped her foot once and started walking.

 

She was barely out of sight when the elevator doors opened once more and Shadow stepped out. He took two steps and the SUV pulled up in front of him, Angel at the wheel. She got out and let Shadow take the driver's seat.

 

"Don't get too close, we don't want her to scent you."

 

"I'm a ghost," Angel said. "You just keep an eye on that tracking device you put in her shoe. Make sure the cavalry is there when I need it."

 

"We won't let you down, Ang. You just be careful until we can get there." Callie leaned over Shadow, holding out her hand. Angel took it, giving Callie a small smile, then she was off, running with a speed that was blinding.

 

"Let's do this," Callie said to Shadow.

 

He grabbed her chin, dropping a quick kiss on her surprised lips. "For luck."

 

She grabbed him, kissing him, her tongue exploring his lips and then his mouth. Pulling back, she smiled up at him. "We're going to need all the luck we can get."

Angel darted between two parked cars, her eyes on the back of the woman's head she was following. She kept her pace, staying about the same distance away, close enough to keep an eye on her, far enough that she could duck out of sight if necessary.

 

Kendra stopped in her tracks, her head lifting and a smile coming to her lips. Angel watched as she stepped deliberately into the darkness of the alley.

 

"Oh shit," she breathed.

 

"Hey baby, you here by yourself?"

 

The voice came from behind her and startled her. Angel's attention was on Kendra, she hadn't noticed the man approaching. "Leave me alone."

 

"Aww, don't be that way, baby."

 

Angel closed her eyes trying very hard to control her fury. "Get away from me," she growled.

 

"Be nice, baby. Don't you want to party? I got some stuff here, we can..."

 

Angel whirled, slapping out her badge just long enough to show to the man. "Now get the fuck out of here!"

 

"Whoa, I'm going baby. Don't get your panties twisted."

 

She heard his footsteps running away down the sidewalk but her attention was already on Kendra. "What the hell is she doing down there?" Stepping up to the edge of the alley, she quickly glanced down into the darkness.

 

A scuffling sound came from the black shadows, a small cry that spoke of pain. "Fuck," Angel whispered, her back against the alley. Everything in her wanted to race down the alley and save whoever Kendra was feeding off of. But if she did... "Dammit Marcus," she whispered. "Why did you have to take off like that?"

 

She pulled her communicator out. "Shadow?"

 

"Go Angel," was the staticy replay.

 

"Kendra has found a snack. I'm heading in to intercept. I hope like hell that your homing device works because I'm blowing my cover."

 

"Roger, Angel. Go."

 

Slamming the communicator back into her uniform, she spun away from the wall of the alley. "Feeding off of tramps and vagrants? God Kendra how the mighty have fallen."

 

The vampire rose from the body she'd been draining, letting the old homeless man fall back and into his blankets. He moaned and rolled away from her, getting to his feet, dazed and confused.

 

"Don't go away, sweetie," Kendra urged. "I'm still hungry."

 

"Not in my city," Angel snarled. "Get out of here," she all but shouted at the old man who quickly piled his possessions in a squeaky old cart and pushed it away. "Now, what was that crap your were spouting about kicking my ass?"

 

"Where's your buddies?"

 

"I've gotten tired of dealing with the furred and the weird. I'm out patrolling on my own tonight."

 

"You're out looking for Dorian. You want him no matter what you say otherwise. I know, no one can withstand his charms." Kendra looked up, all the brash and bluster gone for a moment from her face. Instead, she seemed almost sad, a young mother who was attacked and made to leave all she knew. But it was gone as quickly as it came and that same sly, evil smile was on Kendra's lips.

 

"I told you the truth, Kendra. Dorian is a user, whether it be women, drugs or blood. He'll do to you what he did to me. He's only coming after me because I got away from him. I hurt his pride and his gonads, three things Dorian prizes." Angel slowly circled around Kendra, keeping her back to the wall of the buildings.

 

"I don't believe you. Dorian told me what happened, how he tried to save you from yourself. How you brought all those diseased and putrid men into his bed when he was out. How he finally had to give you the boot because you took it too far. He told me how you begged to stay, how you whimpered and cried like a little bitch."

 

"The reasons are adding up," Angel said, wishing that Kendra would take the opening she'd left her and run back to Dorian.

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"The reasons I now have to kill both you and Dorian." The words were spoken with deadly calm that was chilling. Then Angel took a step forward and snarled, letting her fangs grow to full length, her eyes glowing in the dim lighting. "Either come here so I can kill you or get the fuck out of my life."

 

Kendra looked confused for a moment then glanced down at the street behind her. When Angel made to rush her, she screamed, her body blurring as she raced out of the alley.

 

Angel stood there for a minute. Pulling out her communicator, she put her thumb on the talk button. "Shadow," she said.

 

"Go Angel."

 

"She's on her way."

 

"Are you all right?" Callie asked, her voice full of concern even over the staticy connection.

 

"I will be when we find Marcus. Angel out."

 

She tucked the communicator away, wiping away the tears that were leaking from her eyes. Then she was off, running behind Kendra, following her once more.

 

Marcus stared at the circle of vampires that ringed the cement room. His eyes held no fear, he was poised for battle and accepted the ending, which ever way it might go. But he didn't worry about losing. It wasn't in him to lose. Not to anyone but Angel. The thought of her stiffened his resolve. "You won't be able to terrorize her when I'm done with you," he said softly, knowing Dorian heard him. "Why don't we make this one on one, you and I, winner take all."

 

A half smile quirked the corner of Dorian's mouth. "That's not the way I work," he said just as softly. "If you've talked to Angel at all, you know that."

 

"Oh I've done a hell of a lot more than 'talk' with Angel," Marcus taunted. "When I'm through here, I plan to go back to her and do more."

 

"When you're through here, the only place you'll be going is the hell that the Gods have reserved for the twisted things they've created. I've seen it. You'll just love it there. Then I'll be going to Angel and she'll kneel in front of me and beg my forgiveness." Dorian chuckled. "Get him!" he called to the waiting horde.

 

Marcus stepped into the middle of the room, turning in a circle, his sword at the ready. "Yeah," he called. "Come and get me. My sword hasn't feasted on the foul blood of you half breeds in twenty four hours. It's hungry."

 

The first rush was done with more speed than grace, and Marcus let his sword bite deep, taking out three of the renegades. One struck a lucky blow and Marcus felt the flesh on his chest tear away. The pain was swift, sharp, sought after. He craved the pain because nothing had hurt him the way Angel's words had earlier.

 

He needed the pain to stay sharp. An immortal could die, and if anyone knew the way to do it, it would be Dorian. Marcus sought him out even as he defended himself and attacked those around him. He was standing in the back of the ranks of blood suckers, his face full of the enjoyment he was getting at the blood bath that was taking place in front of him.

 

Another blow slipped past his guard and he hissed in pain as a dagger sliced deep into his thigh. He pulled it out, using it to dispatch the next vampire, feeling his blood flowing down his leg. He healed quickly but the blood he was loosing would slowly take its toll on him. Dorian had to know that.

 

A quick spin and he felt the slight pauses in his movement as his sword cut through the bodies of three more vamps. Spreading his wings, he flipped up in the air, spinning above the heads of four more of them, coming down and slaying them with a vengeance that left blood spattering the wall and their bodies blooming into fire. He kicked another vampire, not even bothering to watch as the vamp fell into the burning pile of vampires, catching himself in the flames and screaming as they seared his skin.

 

The others shielded their faces from the heat of the flames, backing away, one young girl rushing toward Dorian who stood at the other end, the door out of this room at his back. Dorian sliced his hand through the air, catching the girl across the throat with his sharp nails, blood spurting out of the wound and flowing thickly down the front of her throat and over the black leather she wore. Her mouth gaped open and she stared in horror at Dorian before falling to his feet.

 

"You will fight or share her fate," Dorian said calmly. "Now finish him so that we might go and feed. The club is full. Those that are here are the fat and the spoiled of this country. They are here for your enjoyment tonight, in any way that you wish."

 

"You sick fuck," Marcus said, his deep voice husky. "You'd kill your own and then set others to rape and kill? What are you, an animal?" He looked around at the remaining vampires, all with blood lust in their dark eyes. Nowhere did he see any sign of humanity, nothing like what he saw when he looked into Angel's beautiful blue eyes. "You're worse than animals," he growled, breathing heavily. "Even they don't attack unless provoked."

 

"What do you know of humanity?" Dorian laughed. "You were created from a piece of Valoron's flesh. How would you know anything of what it's like to be truly human?"

 

"I might say the same for you," Marcus snapped. "How were you made? Certainly nothing of you is human, demon. Evil feeds you, evil and lust. You don't even fight for yourself. Come on, come play and we'll see which of us is more 'human'."

 

Dorian lifted his head suddenly, his eyes on the ceiling of the club. He smiled eagerly at whatever he was seeing. "I would. Oh, there is nothing I'd like to do more than be able to tell Angel how I disemboweled you and watched as my followers fell upon you until there was nothing left but that piece of Valoron. But unfortunately, my other guests are almost here." He turned to the unopened door, waving back at the rest of the vampires. "Finish him."

 

Kendra passed by the bouncers at the door, two big bald ex bikers that Dorian had delighted in changing. Each of them had been allowed to take Kendra for a night, the experience one that Kendra would have been delighted to be able to forget. But the bouncers saw her, smirking at the pretty brunette.

 

"Where you been, girlie? I was looking for you last night. I know you want some more of this." The bouncer grabbed at his crotch, thrusting his hips toward Kendra.

 

"Fuck off," Kendra growled, stepping through the thick steel doors and entering the loud club. She ignored the stares she received from the patrons, most of whom were already half wasted on the extras the club offered. Going to the back, she pushed her hand through a small plastic open ended box, watching as the blue light highlighted the small glyph that was tattooed onto her skin.

 

A small click sounded and she reached out and opened the door. Climbing the fifteen metal stairs that led up to Dorian's lush apartment, she pushed her hair out of her face, looking forward to a shower and some real blood. The old man had taken the edge off of her hunger, but he was pitifully underweight, his blood thin and anemic, leaving a terrible taste in her mouth.

 

She moved through Dorian's living room, smirking at Armand before going into the bedroom. Dropping her clothing to the ground, she stepped into the bathroom. With a groan of pure pleasure, she stepped into the shower stall, turning on the water. The shower head, built into the square tiled ceiling sprayed water straight down onto her.

 

"Where were you?"

 

Kendra squeaked, turning around to see Dorian standing just outside the doorway to the shower. "You scared me," she said, laughing.

 

"I asked you a question," Dorian said, picking up her brush and turning it around and around in his hands.

 

"I went to see my daughter." She stared out at him, his demeanor making Kendra very nervous.

 

"You went to see her over twenty-four hours ago. Where have you been all day?" His voice was very mild and soft, his eyes black and without emotion. "You must have had someplace to hide all day."

 

"I... It wasn't my fault," Kendra hesitated, reaching out to him. "They found Stephie and I-I couldn't let them take her away from me."

 

"You couldn't let who take her away from you?"

 

Kendra growled, staring up at the ceiling. Her body was glistening with water drops from her shower, one hanging from the tip of her nipple. "You're ex and her gang of thugs. They took me in to that ASP place and that bitch beat me."

 

"She beat you?"

 

"Yes, they had me chained to a ceiling, beating me, trying to get information out of me." Kendra reached out and turned off the water, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her waist. She shook out her long hair, reaching out and plucking her hairbrush out of Dorian's hands.

 

"What did you tell them, Kendra?"

 

"Nothing." She started brushing out her hair wishing she'd had time to wash it.

 

The brush was taken out of her hand and thrown across the room. Dorian grabbed her towel next, whipping it off of her body and wrapping it around her throat, bringing her closer. "I asked you a question, Kendra. Did you tell Angel I was here?" There was nothing soft about his voice now, nor were his eyes calm and black. Now they burned into her, staring deep into her eyes. "You did," he almost shouted.

 

"It was an accident," she said quickly. "I spoke without thinking. I only gave her a first name."

 

"You stupid bitch. You fucking stupid bitch." Dorian dropped his hands off of her, turning away and walking into the bedroom.

 

Kendra stared after him in shock, frozen in place. He paced the floor in front of his closet, his anger visible as he stomped his feet and ranted to himself. Finally he turned back to her.

 

"I can't believe you were so irresponsible," he shouted at her, pushing his hands into his hair and yanking on it. "I can't believe you could ruin all of this on me."

 

"B-but Dorian, y-you wanted her to know."

 

Dorian stomped back. "What did you say?" he asked softly

 

She began to sleep, only to find that she suddenly couldn't, her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She slowly lifted off the floor, her eyes bulging as she looked down at Dorian. Shaking her head desperately, she floated through the air.

 

Dorian's eyes began to glow, his hand lifted to almost shoulder height and a smile touched his lips. "You have to learn," he said slowly. "I do not allow mistakes like those. You've brought this upon yourself, Kendra." Twisting his hand, he watched her turn in mid air.

 

High pitched squeaks came from her lips as she saw what was in front of her. She looked back once, her eyes begging even as she shook her head frantically. The decorative black metal spikes around the top of the ceiling, part of the gothic look of the place, slowly pushed through Kendra's chest, another through her stomach and a third through her calf.

 

She struggled frantically as the metal pushed through her body slowly, agonizingly inch by inch.

 

"You'll die, Kendra. Before you do though, you'll know the terrible pain of the thirst. This is your punishment for betraying me." He chuckled, bringing his hand down and letting her sag against the spikes. Turning on his heel, he left her there, heading down into the club.

 

He was at the door at the bottom of the stairs when the small alarm on his watch began to go off. He took one look at it and then hurried out to the bar. His manager was there. "Aidan," he called over the sound of the music. "It's time. Round them up and lock the doors."

 

Aidan Kent looked up from where he was fixing a drink, helping out behind the bar while it was at its busiest. "Got it," he nodded at Dorian, smiling grimly at his friend. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

 

"Oh yes, have a little faith, my friend." He hurried to the back of the dance floor, dragging out a small ring of keys and pulling open a door hidden in the back wall. He pushed the key into the lock, watching as the metal grates came down over all the doors but the main doors. The music died with a suddenness that was almost shocking to the ears. The lights died but the small emergency lights in the walls which only gave off a dim glow.

 

He turned, watching the shocked faces of the patrons of the club, including some of the wait staff who had no idea what kind of monster that they worked for. "But they'll find out now," he said softly. He saw Aidan cross the floor, opening the main doors and letting the bouncers in before locking the doors with his own keys. He turned, nodding toward Dorian even as he began to pull off the black jacket he wore over his red shirt.

 

Dorian walked up to the stage, putting two fingers between his lips and whistling loudly. "May I have you're attention?" he said loudly. "Nobody panic. There's been a problem with the electrical. It should be fixed very soon. Until then," he said, staring over the heads of those in front of him to the bar, "drinks are on the house."

 

There was a roar of approval and then a mad rush toward the bar. Dorian couldn't help but grin, seeing the almost fear on the faces of his bartenders.

 

"Nicely done," Aidan said, his soft accent more pronounced. "How long before it works?"

 

"Depending upon how much they drink, it should work pretty quickly." He turned to Aidan, putting his hand on the wolf's shoulder. "I need you to do something for me, my friend."

 

"What is it?"

 

"I need to know what is happening with Angel's warrior."

 

"I'm on it. Just remember, Dorian, Callie is mine." Aidan gave Dorian a look, waiting until the vampire nodded before he turned toward the door to the cement room.

 

Callie slipped through the doors, all but ignored by the two vampires that guarded it. Ducking out of the gang of girls she'd hidden in, she moved off to the side of the room, mostly hidden by the crowd of people milling around. She found some shadows, slipping into the darkness, her eyes searching the room for any sign of Dorian or Armand Rand.

 

Just after she slipped through, she heard the rattle of metal grates and then the sudden silence of the music. The lights went, leaving everything dark for an instant before the emergency lights snapped on. Dim pools of light gave the huge room a kind of eerie look. A man stepped up to the stage, using two fingers in his mouth to whistle up the attention of the room.

 

"Dorian Amante," she whispered softly.

 

"Yes, that's him," Shadow said from next to her.

 

Callie whirled, her hands coming up to defend herself. "Dammit, Brian, do you have to do that?"

 

"Sorry," he said with a quick gin. Did you see the grating coming down? Amante is locking this place up tight."

 

"Electrical problem my ass," Callie snorted. "How dumb does he think we are?"

 

"It's not dumb, it's greedy. How many humans do you think are going to turn down something free?" Shadow nodded toward the mass rush of bodies that headed toward the pentagram shaped bar.

 

But Callie wasn't looking at the bar, or at the people running toward it. She was watching the two men on the stage. "Oh my God. Brian," she said, nodding toward them.

 

"He looks familiar," Shadow said. "Where do I know... him... from?" He turned, staring at Callie. "Your fiancé?"

 

"Don't call him that," she growled. "I'm going to tear him apart."

 

"Now you know why your father wanted you to marry. Dorian must have some hold over him." Shadow reached out, touching Callie's face.

 

"Not anymore," she snarled, only calming when he touched her, turning her face up to his.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

"I will be when this is through and you and I are tucked into your bed." She watched the smile come across his face and then he kissed her quickly.

 

"You're going to be the death of me," he said. "All I have to do is look at you and I get hard."

 

"Good," she said, her hand rubbing against the front of his pants. "Hang on to that thought." She winked and then started to move around the side of the room.

 

Shadow glanced at the stage, seeing Aidan moving off and heading to the side of the bar. Callie was on her way to follow him. "Be careful," he whispered, knowing she was too far away to hear him. "Dorian, you're mine."

 

Angel jumped when the band went suddenly silent. When the lights flashed off, she jerked away from the people around her, her eyes skimming over the darkness, searching for Dorian.

 

The emergency lights came up and she could hear the soft laughter of those around her as they joked about the reactions to the sudden blackness. A piercing whistle made her jerk and for a moment she felt a terror so strong, it seemed to clutch at her throat.

 

He hadn't changed. Dorian was still one of the most handsome men she'd ever seen. He stood above the rest of the crowd on the stage, his eyes moving over them. She felt them crawl over her before she ducked back and out of sight. She heard his voice but didn't understand the words he said, lost in the memory of him.

 

People jostled her on their way to the bar and she found herself drawn along with them, swept forward in a sea of humanity intent upon imbibing in free alcohol. She couldn't stop from watching him though, barely looking at the other man who joined him on the stage.

 

"Dorian," she whispered, watching as he slapped the other man on the back. "I'm going to kill you."

Marcus let out a huge roar, his sword singing as he swung it once more. All around him, the stink of vampire pyres let off a heavy heat, bringing a sheen of sweat to his skin. His hair was plastered to his head and he bled from many wounds on his body.

 

He was tiring, something he'd once thought an impossibility. It seemed that he killed them and another ten took their place. Staring at the leather clad night walkers, he narrowed his eyes. "What, does Dorian have some kind of machine popping you assholes out? When did he have the chance to turn all you dickweeds?

 

He wasn't answered. A heavy growl of blood lust filled the room as Marcus was rushed once more. He killed two, garnering himself more bloody wounds. Loss of blood was starting to affect his strength and for the first time in centuries, he contemplated not coming out of this one alive.

 

"Dorian will be please."

 

Marcus looked up, hearing the soft English accent spoken in such dignified tones. He narrowed his eyes at the man dressed in Dorian's uniform of black and red. "I know you," he said before turning and decapitating a vampire trying to sneak up on him. "Who..."

 

"Aidan Kent," the man said. "I'd shake your hand and offer you some refreshments but you seem a bit busy at the moment." He chuckled at his own joke, moving further into the room.

 

"You're the guy that Callie was supposed to marry."

 

"Not supposed to, will marry." Aidan crossed his arms over his chest, watching in amusement as four vamps attacked him at once. "You look like you're tiring. You almost didn't get your sword up in time for that last one."

 

"I don't need a play by play from some British asshole. Why don't you go bow and scrape before Dorian and then drop your drawers so he can bugger you right." Marcus killed another two, seeing the door open behind Aidan and breathing a huge sigh.

 

"Dorian doesn't own me," Aidan growled. "He's my partner, not my boss."

 

"It's good to hear you say that, Aidan. I couldn't figure out who my father was afraid of, or why. I still don't know the why, but it won't matter once I'm done with you." Callie stepped up behind him, her eyes glowing, the fangs growing in her mouth making her voice deep and a little garbled.

 

"Ah, there's my bitch," Aidan said with a smile. "Did you come to play?"

 

"No, I came to kick your ass. Oh, and to return the ring. Damn thing was way to gaudy for me." She watched as Aidan narrowed his eyes. "You okay, Marcus?"

 

Marcus was staring at the next wall of Vamps that were now standing between him and the door. His sword hung so the tip was barely held above the floor. He was weaving a little now. "Yeah, I'm fine."

 

The vampires started to attack and he brought up his sword. Suddenly she was there in front of him, her back to him, a hissing snarl of rage coming from her lips. "Back off!" Angel growled.

 

"Why should we?" one leather clad woman asked. "He's a god, his blood will keep us alive forever."

 

"Touch him and I'll kill you," Angel snapped. "Fucking half breed maggots. You want to party, you come play with me."

 

The one who'd spoken first took a step forward. "I'll play."

 

"She's Angel," another one said, taking a step back. "He'll kill us if anything happens to her."

 

Her name was spoken, whispered, even snarled through the newest ranks of the killers sent in to take care of Marcus. They backed away holding up their hands and exiting out the door of the room.

 

Angel waited until the door shut behind them, turning and grabbing a sagging Marcus. "You ass! I should..."

 

Marcus grabbed her, drawing her close, holding her as tightly as he could. He hadn't expected to ever see her again. "I love you," he whispered into her hair, holding her close.

 

"I love you, Marcus. Why did you do this? You could have been killed?"

 

A snarl of rage came from behind them and Marcus brought his sword up, ready to defend Angel with his life.

 

Two wolves circled each other, one black, small and swift. The other was a reddish brown, his eyes glowing with amber lights. Stiff legged, they growled and snapped, finally the bigger male rushing in to attack the female.

 

But Callie was young and fast, knowing more about combat and hand to hand then Aidan could ever possibly learn. He snapped and all he got was air as Callie turned, going to the other side of him and knocking him down. Her bite drew blood, but he rose before she could get a hold of his throat.

 

Callie backed off, her teeth showing in an impressive snarl, the hair on her neck and back standing up in a ridged ruff. She was ready for Aidan when he attacked again, slipping under his snapping teeth and knocking him down once again.

 

Yipping, he drew back, a new wound leaving him bleeding from his stomach. Callie stalked the floor in front of him, her muzzle wet with his blood. Her eyes swirled silver fire, glaring at the wolf that had somehow threatened her father.

 

But Aidan wasn't done yet. His movements were slower; he limped on his left front paw. But his snarl was loud and his anger very easy to see. He leaped at her, his fangs bared. Callie jerked to one side but this time she wasn't quite fast enough. Aidan's fangs bit deep into her shoulder, ripping into the muscle. Blood foamed from the wound even as Callie yipped, falling to her side.

 

"Callie!" Angel cried, starting to run toward her friend.

 

Shadow became like his name, a silent follower, carefully keeping Dorian Amante in his sight as he trailed him. Something was about to happen, Shadow could feel it as he watched Dorian stop to speak to some of the red and black garbed vampires.

 

A woman, obviously drunk, staggered into his path. Shadow reached out and grabbed her before she could fall, standing her back up. He looked into her eyes, startled at the way her pupils had dilated. "Are you all right?"

 

She stared at him, stared through him then stumbled off, weaving and almost falling again. Shadow glanced around, noting that more than half of the people in the bar were the same way, one lady falling out of her chair. "What the... ?"

 

Then he saw the first of the attacks, a man struck from behind, his head bent to the side. "Oh shit," Shadow hissed. Yanking out his communicator, he hit the button. "Shadow to base, Shadow to base."

 

"This is base."

 

"We need back up at our loca..."

 

"No, no, no," the female voice said, plucking his communicator out of his hand. With one quick move, she destroyed it, opening her hand to let the pieces fall to the floor. "I don't think the boss wants company tonight."

 

"I don't fucking care what your boss wants," Shadow growled, yanking his taser out of its holster. He stuck the two metallic prongs in the wide vee of the vamps shirt, hitting the trigger. A loud scream came from the vamp's mouth, mixing with the screams of those who hadn't imbibed enough of the drugged liquor to meekly let themselves be made into food. She burst into flame, quickly turning to ash.

 

Shadow took one look at the ruined communicator and then stepped over the pieces, heading in the direction he'd last seen Dorian. Moving swiftly he raced through the drugged crowd, his eyes searching faces.

 

He found himself standing in front of a thick steel door. Without a thought, he reached through the door, almost pulling his body through it to stand on the other side. Stairs led up to a small loft high above the bar floor. Shadow raced up the stairs, ignoring the sounds of the carnage that was happening below.

 

At the top of the stairs was a wide balcony looking out onto the bar. Standing there, watching what he'd wrought, Dorian smiled faintly. "What are you?"

 

"The agent that is going to bring your skanky ass to justice," Shadow said without missing a beat. "Let's see what you can do with someone who isn't afraid of you."

 

"You're not afraid of me? I suppose Angel hasn't told you of my powers." He shrugged his elegant shoulders, smiling wide enough to show off his fangs. "You'll learn." He leaned over the balcony, his eyes gleaming as he watched the horde below. "It's quite a show, would you like to see?" Dorian stepped back, waving Shadow forward.

 

"It's just more that will put another nail into your coffin, Dorian. What you are doing is illegal, it's immoral and it jeopardizes everything that ASP has been trying to do for decades." Shadow stopped talking as he walked up to the Old One. Black eyes make icy blue and locked.

 

"I don't think so," Dorian said in a soft almost guttural voice. "Instead, I think you should grab hold of the top of this railing and jump over."

 

Shadow turned, taking hold of the railing. His hands trembled, his body tensed and he readied himself to jump, his eyes on the floor so far below.

 

Callie felt the pain tear into her shoulder, burning as his teeth ripped into her. Blood began to flow, the heat of it coating her leg and the floor beneath her. She saw Aidan coming toward her once more and forced herself to her feet, ignoring the pain as best as she could. Looking at him, all she could see was lies and evilness. She couldn't think of him as anything else.

 

He came closer, his teeth bared, a look in his eyes that told her how much he was enjoying making her suffer. His fur was matted, a big hank torn out from one of her passes, blood matting and dripping off of him as well.

 

Callie waited. She knew she didn't have much more in her. She had to take him down this time and keep him down. Otherwise...

 

"Callie," Angel called.

 

Callie could hear the concern in her friend's voice. She gave a sharp bark, knowing that Angel would know what she meant. They had to stay back. This was her fight and she was going to win if it killed her.

 

Are you done? Aidan asked, his accent prevalent even as he sent her his thoughts.

 

Are you an idiot? Callie threw back, snarling her eagerness to rip him to pieces.

 

Your father would be so proud, Aidan smirked. Aren't you even curious about why he wanted you to marry me?

 

I'm betting you lied. I'm betting that you told him Dorian was after me because of my proximity to Angel and the only way to save me was to get me out of town. So you were doing the noble thing, after finding out about Dorian, and offering me the famous Kent name. Callie snapped at his leg, turning her head when he tried to bite her and getting his ear in her teeth. Ripping backward harshly, she found a large piece of the pink flesh still in her mouth.

 

Aidan's yelp turned into a roar of rage and he turned back on her, ignoring the blood that dripped over his face and into his eye. You fucking bitch!

 

Ya know, that endearment is getting a little tiresome. Let's try something new, huh?

 

I'm going to kill you, he growled, shaking his head and hissing at the pain in his torn ear. While you're lying there, bleeding to death, I'm going to fuck you. My face and my cock will be the last things you remember from this plane.

 

Well at least I'll die laughing, she jeered, seeing the scored point in the way he stiffened even more. Then he was attacking, his sharp teeth aiming for her throat, his eyes dark and full of blood lust.

 

Callie refused to move, watching as he came closer, readying for the last move of this dance of death. Her body was loose, her legs braced. Her tail was high and so was her head. Her eyes tracked his movement, everything seeming to slow down until it was almost like slow motion.

 

His mouth was wide open, his fangs gleaming. He dug in his feet to stop his attack, slipping in the puddled blood on the cement floor. Callie jumped to the side, her teeth snapping, getting hold of his throat. The momentum of his attack tore him away from her, leaving Callie with a huge hunk of flesh left in her mouth. She spit it out, turning quickly.

 

But the fight was over. Aidan lay defeated at her feet, his body twitching as the last of his life's blood drained from him. His eyes were already dead and staring, his body slowly changing back from wolf to human. One last gasp was forced from between his lips and then he was still.

 

Callie turned away, going to where she'd thrown her clothing and slowly changing back to human. Her shoulder showed the bite that she'd taken, blood flowing over her torn flesh. She pulled her pants on easily enough but that was as far as she got.

 

Angel hurried over to her. "Come on kid, we got to get you dressed before Wings over here gets ideas."

 

Marcus grinned. "Don't worry Callie, I only get those ideas now when Angel shakes her tits at me."

 

Callie managed a chuckle, the sound turning into a groan as Angel slowly pulled her jacket on over the wound. "I hope the fabric staunches some of that blood. The idea of walking into vamp party central smelling of blood isn't one I relish."

 

"I'll protect you, little one," Angel said, winking at her.

 

"Thanks so much." Callie used her good arm to drag herself up to her feet. "We've got to find Shadow." She headed to the doorway, weaving a little before steadying herself. Pulling open the door she took two steps into the main area of the bar and gasped.

 

Bodies lay everywhere, there heads turned, necks showing the wounds where they'd been sucked dry. The younger, prettier woman had been stripped, their bodies showing the other uses the vampires had put them through before finishing with them.

 

More humans were being rounded up, many of them stumbling and almost incoherent. They were being led through a door and into a back room by the vamps while others went through the bodies on the floor, checking for any sign of life in any of them. Those that still breathed had their heads raised and were forced to drink from an ornate bottle decorated with gems and gold leaf.

 

"Oh shit," Angel whispered, her eyes taking in the carnage with revulsion.

 

"You can say that again," Marcus groaned.

 

"We've got to do something. That bottle, it must be what is changing them." Angel stepped forward, her eyes on the vamp holding the bottle.

 

"What's in it?"

 

"Dorian's blood, herbs and a bit of nightshade. If it doesn't kill them, it'll turn them," Angel told Callie.

 

Callie nodded, shuddering. A bit of movement above her caught her attention and she gasped. "Oh God!" she cried. "Look!" She pointed above her head where Brian had hold of the railing on a balcony, readying to jump over it. "Brain, don't!" she screamed.

 

Dorian waited, watching the man as he stood at the railing. "What are you waiting for? Jump!" he ordered.

 

Shadow turned, his taser in his hand. "I don't think so, he said with a small smile. "I just had this uniform cleaned."

 

"That's not possible," Dorian growled. He glared at Shadow. "What are you? No mere human could resist me."

 

"I've never really considered myself a mere anything," Shadow said conversationally. "I've always managed to excel at everything I do. I don't expect kicking your ass will be any different." He started forward, eager for the battle.

 

Dorian streaked into the apartment, his sharp nails cutting through the tape that was across Armand's mouth. He unlocked the locks with a thought. "Fresh blood, my friend. Just what you need to heal yourself."

 

Armand's face was white, pale even for a vampire. He'd lost so much blood that the pain inside was a cramping horror. All he could think of was blood, the smell, the taste. He needed it. He growled with blood lust, shaking free of the shackles and ripping the rest of the duct tape from his face.

 

His eyes were hard, black dots, staring at Shadow as he came through the door. Then he was on him, knocking him to the floor and dragging Shadow's head back.

 

Shadow managed to get one hand up and under Armand's chin, using that to keep the vampire from his throat. How long he could withstand the vamp's rage induced extra strength he didn't know. He also didn't know what was under him. He could let himself fall into the floor and end up a stain on the bar floor far below.

 

"Armand Rand!" he shouted. "Don't do this."

 

Drool dripped down onto his throat and he felt the brush of those brutally sharp teeth against his skin. Adrenaline spiked through his body and he managed to get one more hand under the vamp's head, pushing his chin so far back that a normal human would have had his neck broken.

 

But Rand was like a slathering beast, his body so starved for blood that he couldn't control himself. He snapped and snarled, pushing his mouth ever closer to Shadow's exposed throat.

 

"Daddy, no!"

 

Callie raced to the back of the club, her eyes on the door she knew had to lead to the upper floor. She hit it hard, her uninjured shoulder taking the brunt of the blow. But the heavy steel door didn't budge.

 

"Watch out, Cal," Marcus said, stepping back and hitting the door with his foot. His leg vibrated and he swore, but still the door didn't move. "Fuck, what's that damn thing made of?"

 

Angel walked up, reaching out and turning the handle on the door, pushing it open and then turning to look at her teammates. "Did you ever think of trying the knob?"

 

Callie pushed past her, not answering. The man she loved was up there, his life at stake because of a renegade Old One that needed his butt kicked. Callie wanted her chance at a piece of his ass, after she saved Shadow that was.

 

Marcus flinched, brushing past Angel. "Smart ass," he growled, hearing her laugh. "Come on, this ain't over yet."

 

They were half way up the stairs when they heard the first of the back up teams break through the metal grating, forcing their way into the club. A loud roar could be heard and Marcus grinned. He knew that roar. "Carmella is here," he said.

 

Angel sighed. "Thank God. She'll take care of those vamps."

 

The balcony was empty. Callie glanced over the edge, her heart in her throat. He wasn't laying there, bloody and broken. She gave a sigh of relief and another for the sight that greeted her showed that their agents were winning the day.

 

Angel turned toward the door, knowing that Dorian was inside. She could feel him, like a maggot, wiggling around in her brain. Her heart was in her throat but she stepped determinedly, readying herself for the confrontation.

 

"Daddy, no!" Angel shouted, her body frozen by the sight of her father's face. He'd always been kind and supportive, keeping his lusts and his feeding habits private. Now, seeing him snapping at Shadow's neck like some kind of rabid dog shocked her.

 

Marcus moved in behind her, pushing her to the side as he went to rescue Shadow. He lifted Angel's father into his arms, holding him tightly as Armand fought to escape.

 

Callie rushed by them, going to Shadow's side. "Are you hurt?"

 

"No," he said, studying her face. "But you are."

 

"It's nothing," Callie insisted, helping Shadow up. "Where's Dorian?"

 

"I was a little too busy to be able to keep track," Shadow said. "We have to get Armand some blood. He's being driven mad by the lust for blood. His body is drying up. If he doesn't get blood soon, he'll turn to dust. Angel... Where's Angel?"

 

Marcus almost lost his grip on Armand as his eyes searched the room, looking for the woman he loved. "Angel!" he called, not hearing her anywhere. A sound came from the bedroom and he cursed loudly. "The bedroom," he shouted at Shadow.

 

Callie and Shadow ran down the hall, hearing the sound of a struggle coming from behind the door on the end. Throwing it open, they stared around the empty room. Callie hurried into the adjoining bathroom, coming out with her hands up in the air. A sudden flurry of noise had her looking toward the high ceilings, the shock of what she was seeing causing Shadow to turn also.

 

Both were stunned. Kendra hung from the wall, blood still dripping from the stakes that speared her flesh. She laughed, coughing up a thin stream of blood to fall on the floor almost at their feet. "Y-you're t-too l-late," she whispered. "D-Dorian will s-show that b-bitch."

 

"Kendra?" Callie said softly. "What do you know?"

 

"I-I know that b-bitch w-won't be so h-high and m-m-mighty now."

 

"Are you saying that Dorian has Angel?"

 

Marcus came running into the room. "Where is she?"

 

"Y-yes," Kendra tried to laugh but it came out as more coughing. "Y-you c-can kiss your f-friend g-good b-bye." Her voice stuttered and then drifted off and her eyes closed. One last drop of blood came from her wound and then she seemed to almost implode, one bright light in the center of her body drawing the rest of her in. All that was left was the bright stain on the carpet below where she'd hung.

 

"God dammit," Shadow growled.

 

"How are we going to find her now?" Callie asked, her body weaving as her own blood loss began to take its toll.

 

Marcus stood completely still, his body like stone. His eyes seemed the only part of him that was alive, the green irises flaming. "The council," he said slowly. "They are the only hope we have."

Callie stood over to the side, her body aching from the battle with Aidan. Her emotions were strained to the breaking point as she watched Marcus slowly feeding Armand Rand with blood they'd had brought up from ASP. He'd drained six packets so far and was just beginning to act normal.

 

"You okay?" Shadow asked, coming up behind her and leaning close.

 

"I'd be better if Angel was with Marcus and you and I were in your bed," she said, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

 

"Me too, baby," he whispered. "You don't know how badly I want that." He kissed her hair, not caring who saw the emotions between them. "I'm not going to have to stand guard over you in the med unit so you don't bash Dr. Chanteuse with another bedpan, am I?"

 

"When this is all done, I'll go willingly as long as I can go home with you after."

 

"It's a deal. Marcus told me about your fight with Aidan. He said you kicked his ass. I wish I could have watched."

 

"You wouldn't have just watched and you know it," she teased, her eyes on his. She could see the emotions he felt, the love he held in his heart for her and it made her own heart soar. Now if only Angel were still here, her life would be close to perfect.

 

"We'll get her back, Callie," Shadow muttered against her ear, dropping his head so that his forehead rested against her hair.

 

Callie's eyes closed and she laughed softly. "Am I that transparent or have you developed some new power you should tell me about before I embarrass myself?" She felt his hand move to her waist and then to her stomach, gently pulling her closer until his warmth seemed to be all around her.

 

"I'll never tell," Brian said. "I love it when you lean against me like this."

 

"I love it when you hold me," she whispered, looking up at him.

 

Marcus cleared his throat, his face almost like a marble mask when they looked at him. "I think Armand is more stable now."

 

"Callie!" Armand yelled. "You've got to find Angel. You've got to find my daughter!"

 

"We will, Mr. Rand," Callie said, limping over to the distressed vampire. "But we're going to need your help, yours and the council's. Can you get them involved in this?"

 

"Hell yes, I'll get them involved in this." He shook his hands when Marcus easily tore apart the shackles he'd replaced on Armand's wrists when he'd been in the midst of the blood lust. "What do you need?"

 

"Armand, we need to know where Dorian could have taken Angel. Do you have any clue where he could be holing up to wait out the day?" Shadow leaned down, helping the elder vampire to his feet.

 

Armand began to shake his head no then stopped, his brow furrowing. "Wait, I just might know where they are." He closed his eyes, his hands still shaking as he lifted them to grab Shadow's shirt. "Dorian was on the phone. He thought I was too gone to the blood lust to really understand anything he said. He spoke of a railcar, specially built to ward off the sun."

 

"A train? But to where?" Marcus asked.

 

"It doesn't matter. The only place that would be big enough to hold his railcar and have tracks to it close enough to the city has to be Kale Ridge Station." Shadow grinned. "He won't have time to get an engine out there before dawn."

 

"Then what are you waiting for," Armand growled, beginning to sound like himself again. "Get out there and save my daughter!"

 

"We will, but sir, we still need the council's permission to take Dorian," Callie said, straightening her shoulder even though she felt a rippling pain and a trail of heat that meant it started to bleed again.

 

"You'll have it by the time you need it. You have my word as one of the Council of Twelve. Now go, find my Angel. Be safe," he called as the three leapt for the door.

 

Marcus was down the stairs and across the floor quickly. He barreled through the agents and the cleaners that were working the scene. The club would be set afire as soon as everything that could be traced back to the supernatural world had been eradicated or taken back to ASP. Bodies would be piled as if they were rushing to get out. The minds of those left alive would be altered. They would remember a big fire and the mad exodus to get out of the place.

 

The cleaners were experts in their jobs, knowing every new bit of forensic science that was possible. Smoke would be forced into the lungs of those who'd died, making it look as if they had perished due to inhalation. The fire wouldn't be reported until it was a blazing hell, making the corpses unrecognizable. No clue would be left that this wasn't just a tragic accident that had claimed so many young lives.

 

If Marcus had his way, Dorian would be staked out in the center of the building, left to burn to death slowly. If he'd hurt Angel, Marcus would make sure of it.

 

"I'm flying," he shouted back to Shadow.

 

"Don't you take Dorian on by yourself," Shadow ordered, hoping the ancient warrior would listen to his words just once. "He's too strong. Marcus!"

 

Marcus leapt into the air, his wings beating hard. He looked back at Shadow once, sending him a cocky salute. Then he was out of sight.

 

Shadow hurried to where they'd left the truck, unlocking the doors quickly as Callie reached the passenger side. She climbed in, slamming her door, leaning back in the seat and breathing harshly. Shadow leaned over her, reaching for her seatbelt and fastening it for her. "I'd take you to the med unit but I don't think I could get you to stay, could I?"

 

She shook her head, bravely smiling even though her shoulder hurt like it was on fire and blood loss was making her pale. "I'll be fine," she said.

 

His eyes lingered on her face, the pale bruises that haunted under her silver eyes, her soft skin losing that rosy glow of health he loved so much. "If you die on me..." he growled, unable to finish the thought.

 

"I won't, baby."

 

"Famous last words," he muttered as he started the truck. Hitting the siren, he raced through the city, barely daring to hope that he'd be able to reach Kale Ridge before Marcus. He reached into his jacket, yanking out a packet of green power. Holding it between his teeth, he reached for a bottle of water that was kept in a small cooler between the front seats.

 

Callie grabbed it from him, twisting open the cap and then tearing open the packet with her teeth. With one hand she carefully tapped the green powder into through the small opening, then capped it and shook it, moaning only slightly as the movement jarred her shoulder. "You never did tell me what this is," she said, reopening the bottle and handing it to him.

 

"My cross to bear so to speak. If I don't drink this, my body will begin to shake and I'll lose all molecular cohesion. In other words, I'll shake into jelly onto the floor and die."

 

"Did the old man give you this?"

 

He tipped the bottle up, drinking half the contents at one grimacing time. "You'd think I'd get used to the taste after all these years. Yes, he gave it to me and then I gave it to your father. He manufactures it for me now." Taking a deep breath, he drained the last of the bottle of pale green water, shuddering in distaste. "I swear he must know how I feel about you. This shit tastes worse all the time."

 

"Aww, poor baby. I guess you'll just have to give him a reason to like you again." She moved against the seat, slowly pulling the zipper tab down on her shirt and exposing her shoulder. Opening the glove box, she pulled out the first aid kit.

 

Shadow screeched through an intersection then turned his gaze to her wounded shoulder. "Cal..." he gasped, shocked at the damage that had been done.

 

"I'm fine," Callie insisted, dabbing at some of the worst punctures with a wad of gauze. "I just want to clean it up a bit before we get there." Blood still flowed with sticky stubbornness down the front of her shoulder and over her breast. The inside of her shirt was dark with the stuff.

 

"You're staying in the truck," Shadow ordered, knowing he was going to be in for a fight. "With as much blood as you've lost, you could be more a hindrance than a help." She opened her mouth to argue and he held up his hand. "I love you," he said softly, careening around a corner and taking the big SUV almost up on two tires. "I can't afford to worry about you and Dorian both."

 

"I handle myself, Shadow. I'm not going to sit on my ass when the team is in trouble." He opened his mouth to argue when she held up her hand. "I'll stay back and out of the way, but I'm going."

 

"You were a lot easier to deal with before we slept together," he said, careening around another corner and then slamming down on the accelerator and letting the big engine run. Grabbing her hand, he gave it a kiss. "You stay back, you baby that shoulder because when this is all done, you and I are going back to my place."

 

Callie gave him a sassy smile, letting her jacket drop just far enough so that it caught on the tip of her breast. "You aren't planning on seducing me, are you boss?"

 

"Seducing? No," he said, laughing at the disappointed look on her face. "I plan on ravishing you until neither of us can move." He hand rose, pushing aside her jacket and cupping her soft breast. He played with the rounded flesh, his other hand on the wheel, his eyes on the road. "I've often thought of doing this to you."

 

"Doing what?" she breathed, a gasp coming from between her lips as he twisted her nipple.

 

"This, you and I together." He laughed, pulling his hand off of her and hearing her sigh of disappointment. "When this is over," he said softly, the words a promise he was more than willing to keep. "Now, get that wound cleaned, we've got a bad guy's ass to whip."

 

The rest of the trip was made quickly, the huge engine on the SUV easily outrunning any traffic. Within twenty minutes, they were pulling up to the locked up gate of Kale Ridge Station. Shadow slowly pushed against the gate with the grilled front end of the SUV, popping the lock and sending the gate flying on its hinges. It rattled loudly, making Shadow swear.

 

Two huge buildings were just inside the fence, beyond that were railroad tracks and rail cars, old and abandoned. The line had been out of commission for quite a while.

 

"Check out those tracks," Callie said, nodding toward the far building and the tracks that ran up to it. They were clean, the only tracks within sight that weren't covered in weeds. The rails looked new, freshly laid. "I think we've found what we're looking for."

 

"Good eye," Shadow said. They stopped the truck close to the other building and out of sight of their prey. Leaving the doors opened, they drew their weapons, holding them down so that they pointed at the ground. Callie scooted around the corner of the building, jogging toward the doors.

 

Close to the door, Callie caught sight of something white on the ground. She bent quickly and scooped it up. "Shit," she hissed, holding it up so that Shadow could see the long white feather. "Marcus is already here."

 

"I could have told you that." Shadow pushed open the door then counted to three. Going in high, he felt Callie brush against him, going in low. "You stay back," he ordered.

 

"Yeah, sure thing," Callie said, staying just behind him and covering the rear.

 

The room was full of boxes, some bolts of fabric and tools. A blueprint was tacked up in one corner and Callie skipped over to it, studying the lines. "A railway car," she whispered, tapping the paper.

 

Shadow had made his way to the door, glancing through the top part which was mostly reinforced glass. "In there," he said, cocking his head at the door.

 

He pushed open the door, sliding through, feeling Callie coming after him.

 

They heard the voices first, Angel's shrill and a little panicky. Dorian's low and angry. The words were easy to make out so they moved closer. In the center of the warehouse, a sleek railcar sat on the rails. Callie bent, looking under it, seeing Angel's feet and part of her lower legs.

 

"Over there," she mouthed at Shadow.

 

Shadow motioned to her, gesturing towards the door and having his fingers walk in the air. Callie rolled her eyes, nodding toward the far side of the railcar and pointing to herself. She skimmed along the side of the sleek metal car, ducking under specially made windows that kept the harmful rays of the sun from getting inside.

 

Shadow growled but then made his way along the other way. His eyes were searching the rest of the warehouse sized building, searching for Marcus or more of Dorian's changelings. He got to the platform at the end of the car, slipping up the iron stairs and checking inside the railcar with a quick look in the window.

 

Nothing.

 

"Just leave him alone, Dorian. I'll g-go with you without a fight if you leave him alone."

 

Shadow heard the words and felt his blood freeze. Dorian had Marcus. "Fuck," he hissed almost silently. "God damn stubborn idiot."

 

Taking a deep breath, he moved out of the cover of the car, his eyes taking in the scene before him. Angel stood a few feet to his right, her hands out, her pale blue eyes full of tears. Her uniform suit was torn, exposing the vampire's long shapely thigh and part of her hip. She was bruised, blood still flowing thickly from a puncture wound on her shoulder. Her hair was straggling down her back, coming free from the braid she'd put it in earlier.

 

"Dorian Amante, you are under arrest. Let go of the agent and surrender yourself and the council might show mercy."

 

"The council?" Dorian growled, his eyes going from Angel to Shadow and then down to Marcus who was slumped in front of him. One of his wings was hanging at a strange angle and blood soaked the other. "The council is nothing to me. I won't be dictated to by a bunch of narrow minded idiots who can't see what our potential is. We are more than vampires," he shouted, chuckling as his words echoed back to him. "We are Gods!"

 

"You're going to be ash," Callie said, stepping in behind the Old One. She held her taser to his skin, ready to jolt him if he tried anything. "Let him go."

 

"Ahh, the little wolf. I wondered how long it would be before you stepped into the picture. Aidan won't like you being here, little wolf." Dorian turned his smile on Callie, his eyes dark, boring into her. "You should go home to him, don't you think?"

 

"That'd be kinda hard to do, asshole, considering that Aidan is laying on a cold concrete slab right now, his throat torn out." Callie grinned unrepentantly. "I think you're going to be going somewhere just a bit warmer than that."

 

"You killed Aidan?" Dorian asked, his eyebrows rising. "I didn't think you had it in you, little wolf."

 

Callie's finger itched to pull the trigger of the taser but she couldn't, not as long as he held Marcus. Her eyes searched the fallen warrior, seeking signs of life. If Marcus was dead, well, the taser blast wouldn't hurt him.

 

"Drop him, Dorian. Let's make this easy, okay?" Shadow took two steps forward, holding his hand up for Angel to stay back.

 

Dorian's eyes locked on Angel's. He muttered a few words that Callie couldn't make out. But she did see Angel go stiff, her pale blue eyes going black as her pupils dilated. In disbelief, she saw Angel rush Shadow, tipping his head to the side and sinking her teeth into his throat.

 

"NO!" she shouted, though her eyes went back to Dorian as he moved against the taser. "Call her off," she ordered.

 

"I don't think you are in any kind of place where you can give orders," Dorian said, letting Marcus drop to the ground. He turned toward Callie, his gaze searching hers out.

 

Tiny probing fingers seemed to poke around in Callie's head. She tried to close her eyes, but it was impossible. She tried to move away, but he held her with that gaze. He forced her to move her hand as if he were controlling its function, not she, turning the taser against her own skin.

 

With every last ounce of strength she possessed, she fought the urgent need she suddenly felt to pull the trigger. "Y-you bastard," she stuttered. Her finger flexed, trembled and then flexed again, the crackle of electricity going from one metal post to the other. She'd managed to pull it back from her body in time, but she didn't know if she could do it again.

 

Suddenly Dorian was thrown off to the side, a white blonde haired fury standing between her and the Old One. "Pick on someone your own size, you fuckwad," Angel growled, wiping her arm across her mouth and spitting blood to the floor.

 

"W-what... ? Y-you can't be free."

 

"You should never have asked me to drink Shadow's blood. It's full of so many chemicals, it tastes like fertilizer." She spit again, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Let's just say it snapped me out of my trance."

 

"Good, you were really boring. I think I like this Angel better."

 

Listen, you sniveling, whiny little weasel, I've had it with you and your mind games. It's time we end this."

 

"My thoughts exactly," Dorian said, rising to his feet. He took up at a sudden burst of speed, rushing straight toward Angel.

 

"Get Marcus out of here and take care of him," Angel yelled at Callie, then she was rushing Dorian as well, a roar of rage making her look almost inhuman.

 

Shadow rushed to Callie's side, gently helping her up. "You okay?"

 

"I could ask you the same," Callie said, nodding at the two small puncture holes left from Angel's top canines. Twin trickles of blood seeped down his throat and stained his jacket.

 

"I'm fine, check on Marcus. His wing is broken."

 

A loud crashing noise had Callie glancing toward a stack of boxes. Dorian was picking himself up, his finely, tailor made clothing not looking so fresh and crisp. It was torn, dirty and stained. Angel stood, her feet parted shoulder width, her body relaxed as she waited for Dorian's attack.

 

It came with a wild rush. Angel sidestepped that angry vampire easily, using her nails and slashing them down the line of his back. "Ole!" she shouted.

 

"You fucking cunt," Dorian screamed, his rage consuming him. His face changed, going from angular and handsome to demonic, his skin wrinkling, his eyes sinking back in his head. His teeth were long and sharp, looking more like those in a shark's mouth. They pushed his lips out and sunk his jaw in. His skin yellowed and his back stooped.

 

"Ah finally," Angel cried. "It's the real you. You're ugly, Dorian. Ugly and pitiful and just plain repulsive. I can't even remember what I found even marginally attractive about you. You're nothing, Dorian. You're less than nothing to me."

 

He rushed her, his arms out, his hand curled into yellowed claws. A guttural scream of rage came from his mouth. His eyes were wild, rabid looking and honed in on the beautiful vampire.

 

But Angel was ready. She grabbed his arm as he tried to take a hold of her, falling to her back on the ground. Her foot was in his gut, lifting him and throwing him over her. She rolled, putting her own momentum into the throw and ending up on her feet.

 

There was a shattering of glass, a pained moan and then a screech. Angel turned quickly, waiting for his next attack, her eyes widening as she saw the hole in the specially made glass windows that had replaced the old windows in the warehouse. A streak of weak sunlight slanted across her body, landing on her hand where it smoked and she jumped back.

 

Outside, Dorian was witness to the rising of the sun, going from a weak rosy light to the bright yellow sun that the Old Ones feared. He tried to run, but there was nowhere close enough he could go that would hide him from this last enemy. The rays made his skin melt, his clothes smoldering over his body. His eyes grew liquid, leaving him blind as they ran down his cheeks. He hissed, swinging his arms, screaming and roaring in the ultimate of pain.

 

It took him five minutes to die. Five minutes to melt into a burning pile of nothing, until the first of the morning breezes blew him to the four winds.

 

Shadow looked down at Callie, then back out the hole in the window. "Let me say, in the words of Callie... ick!"

 

"I completely agree," Marcus said weakly from where they'd propped him up next to the railway car. "That was pretty gross. I hope you got the council's okay for that."

 

"Marcus!" Angel cried, giving the square of sunlight a wide berth before hurrying to the winged warrior. "Are you all right? God, I thought he'd killed you."

 

"It'd take more than nancy-boy there to kill me," Marcus said, groaning as she hugged him. "Ouch, careful of the feathers, baby."

 

Angel cupped his face, her lips kissing every inch of his dear face. "Thank you for being alive," she whispered when she lifted her head.

 

Shadow came over to pick Callie up from the floor. "You okay?"

 

"Fine. Takes more than some ancient vampire to hurt me," she teased. Lifting her hand, she brushed at the two fine holes in his neck. "Are you all right?"

 

"Yeah." He picked her up, pulling her until she was flush against him. With a sigh of relief, he found her lips with his own, taking his time and kissing her thoroughly. It was only the chirp of a communicator that made him lift his head. Even then, he didn't take his eyes off of her flushed face, holding his hand out and feeling Angel put the small box into his hand.

 

"Shadow," he said.

 

"Daniels," he heard come through the slight crackle of static. "You've got council approval to finish Amante off."

 

"Phew," Marcus joked. "That's good to know."

 

"Ten four," Shadow said, unable to keep the laughter out of his voice. "Target has already been erased. Team returning to base."

 

"Great work, Shadow. We'll be here waiting."

 

"Shadow out." He tossed the communicator back to Angel.

 

"You watch too many movies, Shadow," Angel laughed. "Target has been erased," she said in a voice that sounded a bit like Shadow. "Way too many movies, boss."

 

"Well, maybe Callie can figure out something we can do besides watching movies," he joked. "You three stay here. I'll go get the SUV."

 

He drove the truck right into the building, helping Angel get Marcus into the back seat. His bleeding had stopped, his broken wing was beginning to knit, but he was still pretty weak. Angel climbed into the back seat with him, closing the protective blinds against the sunlight.

 

"Come on," Shadow said to Callie. "Let's go home."

Epilogue

 

"I! AM! BEOWULF!"

 

Angel laughed, shaking her head and taking her dagger back from the winged idiot that she was madly in love with. "Okay, okay, I'll admit that Ray Winston would have looked better if he'd had wings. Now are you happy?" she asked, straightening up from sliding the weapon back into her boot.

 

"Ecstatic," Marcus sighed, wrapping his arms around the slender vampire. "The only thing that would make me happier would be you on your knees doing that thing..."

 

"Hey!" Callie said, interrupting his words. "Other people here, you know, ones that would like to keep down their dinner." She snuggled against Brian, her hand in the back pocket of his jeans.

 

Shadow chuckled. It was one of those rare nights when the four of them had off and could actually enjoy themselves. Marcus had suggested the movie and they'd all enjoyed it, well what he and Callie had actually watched. He chuckled again, thinking of the things she'd done to him with that little hand that rested against his ass inside his pocket.

 

It had been three weeks since they'd dispatched Dorian. Since that day so much had changed in his life. Callie had given up her apartment, moving in with him. Just having her with him had created a peace inside of him that he hadn't felt since before that fateful July in 1945.

 

They'd confronted her father. The wolf had actually wept when told that Aidan was dead and Dorian was o longer a threat. He'd greeted Shadow with an open heart and welcomed him into the family. Shadow had been mostly worried about how her father would react to her being with a non-were. Now his doubts were put to rest and he carried a small blue box in his coat pocket, waiting for the perfect moment to give it to her.

 

"What are you thinking?" Callie asked as Marcus and Angel walked ahead of them on the busy street.

 

"Oh, I was thinking of a certain little minx who needed her butt whipped for what she did in the theater," he said, chuckling again when her cheeks grew rosy in the light of the streetlamps.

 

"You enjoyed it and you know it."

 

"Well, I'd have to say I've never enjoyed a movie better than that one," he said, tucking her even closer to his side. He slid his hand in his pocket, feeling the box with his fingers. "I love you, Callie."

 

She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down to find his lips. "I love you, too, Brian," she whispered when he lifted his head.

 

What the hell, he thought. No better time than the present. "Uh, Callie," he began, pulling the box out of his pocket. Before he could go any further, Angel called his name. Shadow looked up just in time to catch the communicator Angel tossed him.

 

"It's base," she called.

 

The conversation was short, crisp and concise. He sighed, tucking the ring box back into his pocket. It would have to wait for another time. "Okay team, we're saddling up." Kissing Callie once more, he winked down at her and they headed for the SUV.