Kat stood in the doorway. Waiting.

“Where the fuck were you?” Chase asked.

Really? He was cussing now? Kat nearly said something about it, but snarky remarks wouldn’t earn her any brownie points. And she needed the brownie points. Still…

She pulled out half of the stake from her pocket and waved it a little. “I was fighting a vampire lord named Ascelina. How was the event tonight?”

The team exchanged glances. Chase shook his head. “If you had faced her, you’d be dead.”

“Fine, you’re right. It wasn’t much of a fight. She mostly toyed with me. And killed a lot of Ashwood Yellow.”

Poor Walla. She wasn’t looking forward to the nightmares she’d no doubt have, playing through his death over and over, wondering if she could have done something—anything—else to save him or his team mates.

Another moment of silence passed as the team weighed her words.

“She wears no contacts,” Brick said softly.

Javi said something in Spanish to Dawn.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m on it,” Dawn answered as she crossed the room and put her hand on Kat’s forearm and closed her eyes.

Dawn’s touch grew uncomfortably hot, and Kat fought the urge to pull away. “What’s she doing?”

“Quiet, let her work,” Chase said.

Dawn removed her hand. “No, no compulsion.”

The tension in the room drained a little.

“What was that about?” Kat asked.

“Vamps can compel humans…” Javi started. Kat knew that. That’s how her monster-dad had forced her to invite him in. “It usually only lasts a few moments. With a vampire lord as old as Ascelina, she could plant something in your brain to trigger later, or enthrall you permanently.”

Dawn pushed down the strap of her dress, pointing to a tattoo on her shoulder. “I have an affinity with this rune. Lets me tell if someone’s been compelled.”

Necrus plopped on Kat’s bed. “It’s super rare. Only like one out of a thousand hunters can use it. You should have come tonight. The Lord General has a new vampire slave—”

Chase shot Necrus a now’s-not-the-time glance then returned his gaze to Kat. His dark eyes and scarred face made him look anything but friendly. “When alarms sound, the protocol is to locate teammates. You told Javi you were staying in your room. From now on, until I say so, none of you are allowed to leave campus without another teammate with you.”

That earned him a few groans. When Kat opened her mouth to protest, he held up his hand to silence both her and the team. “I don’t want to hear any complaining. We’re soldiers, and since some of you have forgotten that, I’ll be happy to remind you all day tomorrow starting at five a.m.”

There were no groans that time, but no one looked happy. They wouldn’t be getting much sleep before they had to get up to train.

“I’ll take her to get her physical tomorrow. Dawn, teach her about the contacts.” Chase didn’t wait on any acknowledgements as he brushed by Kat and left.

“Contacts?” Kat asked.

Dawn pointed to her eyes. “We all have them in, prevents compulsions. You’ll have to wear them every time you leave.”

“Man,” Necrus said to no one in particular. “He’s going to make us do boot camp again, isn’t he?”

“It won’t be so bad,” Javi said. “We all have our runes this time.”

Brick nodded in agreement.

Kat frowned. “Except me.”

“Don’t worry, chica, you’ll get them soon.”

Not soon enough.

Brick tapped Necrus’ shoulder to let him know it was time to go.

The three men filed out. Javi left with a, “See you ladies in a few hours.”

When the door closed, Dawn and Kat went about getting ready for bed.

“So…? How’d the date go?” Dawn asked while Kat brushed her teeth.

Kat looked at Dawn’s reflection in the mirror. “Great until the end when he became a raging dick hole.”

“Oh. Shame.” Dawn didn’t press for any more details, perhaps sensing Kat wasn’t in the mood to talk. It wasn’t until the lights were out and they both were lying down when Dawn spoke again. “Not many hunters survive a run in with Ascelina. You got really, really lucky tonight.”

Kat didn’t feel lucky.

* * *

Training sucked. Running and pushups and exhaustion.

Chase led the team for a few hours in the morning, then an instructor—a veteran hunter—stepped in to take over. From Necrus’ loud complaining, Kat found out that instructors usually only led year threes and fours a few nights a week for special exercises or courses. Otherwise, older cadet teams worked normal hunter rotations, usually guard duty, but sometimes they got to go on low priority missions.

Except now with Kat on Ashwood Red, veteran hunters and incubi warriors were slated to give them extra training. Something other members didn’t seem too happy about. Not that any of them voiced it. Except Necrus. The thin guy had no filter.

After hours of drills, the team piled into the mess hall for lunch. Kat hadn’t expected the food to be any good, but it wasn’t half-bad. Javi snuck her a cookie, and since no one else had cookies, she wondered how he had acquired it.

Halfway through shoving the illicit cookie into her mouth, Commander Cullip teleported into the mess. Every hunter in the place stood and saluted. Kat followed their lead. Chase had gone over how to salute with her, pressing her right hand to her left shoulder and bowing slightly, with the depth of the bow depending on the rank of the hunter or incubus, but this was the first time she’d done it outside of training.

Cullip pointed to Kat. “You’re with me.”

Kat swallowed the remaining cookie and followed him out. He said nothing as he directed her to get into an SUV. He took the seat in the back with her and motioned for the driver to go.

Cullip rubbed his greying goatee. “You’ve been here three days.”

Kat wasn’t sure how to respond to the statement. “Yes?”

“Sir.”

“Right. Sorry. Sir.”

He sighed. “You’re a handful.”

“I don’t mean to be.”

“Yeah, that’s the worst part.”

“Am I in trouble, sir?”

Cullip leaned back into the seat and laughed once. “We’ll find out soon. Do me a favor though, remember to salute.”

“Sir?”

The commander didn’t answer, sitting quietly for the rest of the drive from Ashwood VHA to the estate.

The driver pulled up to the main entrance. Kat followed Cullip up the stairs and through the imposing doors. Every hunter guard they passed saluted him.

He led her into an elevator. They rode to the third floor in silence.

The doors opened to a room with hunter guards. Long hallways stretched to the left and right; hunters darted in and out of a room with sizable double doors in front of Kat and Cullip. Inside the room, she caught a glimpse of high-tech tables with touch screens and a wall covered in monitors—some showing live footage from wearable cameras. Gruff-looking hunters and a warrior incubus with his horns out were discussing something happening in Russia, based on the few words Kat overheard. There were also dispatchers talking into headphones, issuing orders.

“That’s the Ashwood command center,” Cullip said.

Kat hadn’t expected it to be so modern.

Cullip directed her to enter a room. An office. With an imposing dark wood desk, leather chairs, impressive crown molding, bookshelves, files neatly piled labeled “classified”.

The commander crossed his arms, waiting for something. Kat awkwardly clasped her hands in front of her. She wanted to ask him some questions, but he didn’t look like he’d answer them.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long.

The door swung open, and an incubus with dark blond hair entered. He wasn’t bulky—not like some of the warriors she had seen—but he filled his dark tailored suit well, and he oozed confidence. Every incubus seemed to, as if they all knew the effect they had on humans. This incubus especially so.

His dark blue eyes landed on Kat. His gaze wasn’t cruel but seemed…expecting.

Cullip saluted with a deep bow. And when Kat didn’t do anything, Cullip bumped her arm with his elbow.

“Sir?” Kat asked the commander.

“Salute.”

Kat did, unsure why.

“You don’t know who I am,” the incubus stated.

“Uh. You look kind of like Tane.” He did. Eerily close, except Tane looked a few years younger and had a smaller frame. “Are you also the Lord General’s son?”

Cullip stifled a chuckle. “I’m sorry, sir. I’ve had her three days.”

“It’s okay.” The incubus flashed a perfect smile at Kat. “I am High Lord General Tarrick.”

“Y-you’re the general? But…” She looked at Cullip who raised an eyebrow, then back at the incubus. “The way Darius talked about you, I thought you’d be older.”

“How old do you think I am?”

“Uh. Like maybe, twenty-eight? Thirty-five?” She was terrible with ages, and he could pass as either.

This time Cullip didn’t bother to stifle his laugh, letting loose a deep bellow, and Tarrick smiled wider.

“Thank you, Commander.” With a wave of his hand, the incubus dismissed Cullip.

Cullip saluted again and left, still laughing.

Kat felt a little stupid. Darius looked young even though he had decades on her, it made sense even an older incubus would look younger. Tarrick motioned to one of the leather chairs. Kat took a seat, watching as he went to the other side of the desk and unbuttoned his suit jacket as he sat.

The general opened a file and glanced it over. “You’ve had an eventful few days. Including facing a vampire lord. The reports say you didn’t run or beg her to stop, despite her toying with you.”

“I’d never beg a vampire.”

“Good. I expect nothing less from my hunters. But that’s not why you’re here today.” Tarrick regarded her for a moment, then sucked in a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. “You have issues with incubi.”

“I—”

Tarrick motioned his hand to cut her off. “I’m not worried about it. You’re not the first to be brought into the fold with conflicting feelings they need to reconcile. But it does make me curious as to why you agreed to go on a date with Darius.”

“It, um, it’s complicated. Sometimes it seems like there’s more to him than he lets show. When I see a glimpse of it…” Kat averted her gaze and shyly smiled. “Plus his body isn’t half-bad.”

“But you’re hesitant to sleep with him because you’re afraid he might be using you?”

That was personal. Too personal. And yet…she couldn’t help being open with him. It felt like talking to a good friend. She wanted to tell him. “Yes. Is he using me?”

“I don’t think so. He’s never fallen in love, and he’s as scared as you are.”

In love? That was ridiculous. They’d only known each other a few days. And who said she was scared?

“Over one thousand.”

“What?”

Tarrick motioned to himself. “That’s how old I am.”

She studied him. “No way.”

“Are you aware that incubi are empathic? We can read emotions. The older we are, the easier it is.”

“I knew you could sway emotions—wait. That’s what you’re doing to me right now, isn’t it? Making it so I want to tell you everything.”

“Yes.”

His lack of denial surprised her. She shot up and balled her fists. “How dare—”

“Calm yourself, hunter.”

And like that, her anger melted.

The general stood and came around his desk. “Sit.”

She did.

He leaned his butt against his desk and crossed his arms. “Darius is my ward. Not only am I responsible for him, I care for him. I’ve raised him the same as any of my children. It’s clear that his actions during the date hurt you, but he did it for your protection. He nearly lost control. Getting you away from him was the only way he could ensure your safety.”

Kat opened her mouth to say something but wasn’t sure what she should say.

Thankfully, Tarrick seemed to have no problem carrying the conversation. “Which brings me to my current problem. Sometimes young incubi can fall victim to their more primal impulses. On rare occasions, it can get bad enough that they won’t feed until they’ve acquired the object of their desire. Darius isn’t feeding. I need you to have sex with him, or he’s going to die.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“But—” Kat wasn’t sure how she felt. The date had been surprisingly fun; the orgasm earth-shattering. Had he really sent her away to protect her? She’d been so hurt, and knowing the reasons behind his actions didn’t magically change how pissed off she felt by the way he handled it.

The general waited for her to answer, no doubt reading every emotion passing through her.

“What happens if I say no?”

“I’d remind you of the contract you signed that includes a clause expecting you to sleep with an incubus if it would save their life. And if that wasn’t enough to sway you, I’d remind you that I care deeply for Darius and you’ve been here three days.”

The words hung in the air. He didn’t have to spell it out; he’d let Darius take her. “And after? How would Darius feel?”

“He’d hate me. But he’d be alive, so I’m willing to pay that price.”

“‘Not everyone agrees with his methods, but he gets results.’ That’s how Darius described you.”

Tarrick nodded once. “It’s a fair assessment.”

She’d misjudged the general. On the surface, he seemed a charismatic, understanding leader, but under that lurked a pragmatic, brutal man. Traits, she imagined, were necessary for a general.

But he wouldn’t have to let Darius rape her because she’d already made her decision. She couldn’t let Darius die. Of course she couldn’t. Her feelings were complicated, but she wasn’t heartless. Even still, she couldn’t forget her reasons for being here. “I’ll do it. But there’s something I want.”

The general pulled a document out of the file he’d been looking at. It was a payment transfer of five million dollars from House Tarrick to the Echowind Coven.

She glanced up at the Lord General, who said, “I’ve already expedited the approval of your runic tattoos. You’ll have them by the end of the night.”