Cin found Jonathan sitting quietly in the shadows on the back patio. He wouldn’t have spotted him if not for the glow of the man’s laptop.

Jonathan glanced up when Cin came to stand over him. “Hey, baby.”

The tension in Cin’s shoulders slipped away at Jonathan’s greeting. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Jonathan’s forehead furrowed in the sexy way Cin couldn’t resist. “I thought you’d be out searching the docks.”

Cin shrugged. “One night off won’t change anything. Besides, I’d rather be with you.” After urging Jonathan forward in the lounge chair, Cin climbed in behind him and wrapped both arms around Jonathan’s waist. “What are you working on?” Jonathan tilted his screen so Cin could see it. Cin rested his chin on Jonathan’s shoulder and read. “Port of Southern Louisiana. Are you on to something?”

“Yes and no,” Jonathan said with a shrug. “I had a chat with our guest today.”

“I don’t like you going near him,” Cin said, cutting Jonathan off without thought. He’d told himself he would let Jonathan in, but questioning a demon—even a spawn—was more than Cin could take.

“Too bad,” Jonathan shot back, showing the fire Cin had never been able to resist. He glanced over his shoulder, meeting Cin’s gaze. “No one owns me, Cin. My choices might be to stay here or starve, but those are still choices.”

Cin heard what Jonathan didn’t say. The man might very well choose to starve if pushed. The first wave of hope Cin had experienced in ages rose inside him at Jonathan’s defiance. This rolling over and hating himself that Jonathan had been showing was slowly killing Cin. He wanted his Jonathan back. His hold tightened on Jonathan’s waist. He pressed his lips to the man’s cheek and chuckled.

“Point taken. So, why Louisiana?”

“Because that’s the info I got from our guest today.”

Surprise had Cin blinking like an idiot at Jonathan’s answer. “Seriously? Is that all he said?”

“The only thing of consequence,” Jonathan said, sounding distracted. “The problem is, we can’t find anything here, and we only have twenty-two miles to search. Port of Southern Louisiana is one hundred and seventy-two miles on both banks of the Mississippi river. It’s impossible.”

Getting sucked in, Cin added his thoughts. “Try searching for places with a high missing persons count.”

Jonathan snorted. “You do realize, New Orleans is part of that one-hundred-and-seventy-two-mile stretch. Countless people have gone missing from that area, and that doesn’t include the homeless population. There’s no way to keep track of their whereabouts.”

The passion and drive was back in Jonathan’s voice. He was on the case now. Too late, Cin realized this was what he’d been stealing from Jonathan by keeping him secluded. All the qualities he’d fallen for when he’d fallen in love with Jonathan were showing themselves once more, making Cin realize the depth of his mistakes.

“You know I love you, right?” Cin asked, incapable of letting Jonathan continue to believe otherwise for another second.

“Yes.”

Cin winced. Jonathan’s agreement sounded more like a question than an affirmation. Cin grabbed the laptop from Jonathan’s hands and set it aside before pulling Jonathan tighter against his chest. Sometimes, Cin thought, if he held Jonathan tight enough, the man would finally understand how much he meant.

“I keep hoping we’ll find this pack, and then you and I can get lost for a little while. Maybe even talk Niall into going with us somewhere away from everything.”

“Is that really what you want or are you saying what you think I want to hear?”

A derisive-sounding snort left Cin before he could call it back. “Since the turn, I couldn’t even begin to guess what you want any longer.”

He felt Jonathan take a deep breath. Instead of flying into a rage, as Cin expected, he relaxed into Cin’s hold. “I can’t tell when I’m hiding my thoughts.” Relief washed over Cin at the confession. He’d thought Jonathan was keeping him out on purpose. It would make sense he couldn’t control it. “If I concentrate hard, I can put up a wall. Otherwise, whatever happens in there is out of my control.” Jonathan laughed as if he thought he sounded ridiculous. “I didn’t realize how much all of you depend on hearing my thoughts. None of you would ever make it as a human. No one ever knows what anyone’s thinking. You have to take things on trust and faith.”

“I trust you,” Cin said without missing a beat.

The humor in Jonathan’s voice died away. “Maybe you shouldn’t.”

Cin shook his head before touching his lips to Jonathan’s nape. “You’re so young. There’s a great big gray area out there you haven’t been introduced to yet.”

Jonathan snorted. “I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean.”

Niall appeared beside the chair. He seemed wary of his welcome. “May I join you?”

Jonathan moved his legs and Niall sat on the end of the lounge chair. Once he was settled, he urged Jonathan’s feet into his lap. Still, the cautious glint didn’t leave his eyes.

“Did you finish your sword?” Jonathan asked.

Niall’s shoulders relaxed.

Cin hid his smile. Jonathan always seemed to know exactly what to say to set Niall at ease.

“I did. Maybe you can check it out tomorrow?”

“I’d like that.”

Cin held his breath. The three of them were together. They weren’t fighting or feeding. All he could do now was hope neither man stormed off.

“Jonathan got some info out of our reluctant guest,” Cin said, hoping to keep things heading in the right direction.

Niall’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”

Jonathan nodded. “It’s not much, considering, but the pack is somewhere near Port of Southern Louisiana.”

“Damn. That’s a huge area to search.”

“I’d like to keep questioning him.” Jonathan’s words came out rushed, as if he expected to be denied.

“Of course,” Niall said, sounding like it was a given. “You’ve gotten more out of him in one day than we have in over a month. As long as you don’t cross the circle surrounding him, you should be safe.”

He felt Jonathan tense. Cin automatically tried to read his thoughts at the move. Before he made any headway, Jonathan let his feelings fly. “I’d like to be the only one questioning him. No more torture. Today has proven that method won’t work on him, and he might decide not to tell me anything else if you four are taking turns hurting him after I leave.”

Niall massaged Jonathan’s legs, looking lost in thought. Cin didn’t think the man was aware of touching Jonathan. Finally, Niall sighed. “Honestly, I’m fine to leave you to it, since I’m obviously wasting my time. I’ll let the others know to stay away as well.”

The tension bled from Jonathan at Niall’s answer. Cin couldn’t decide why it was so important to him. “Thank you.”

“You know he’s evil, right?” Niall asked, searching Jonathan’s face with his gaze. “Demons are deceivers. He’ll say anything to gain your trust.”

“You don’t have to worry over me,” Jonathan said, sounding so sure it was impossible to doubt him. “A demon killed me not too long ago. I won’t be an easy target.”

Niall smiled. It was sweet. Cin’s chest tightened at the sight. He couldn’t remember the last time Niall smiled and meant it. Niall continued to rub Jonathan’s legs as if he’d forgotten anyone else was there. “I trust you not to rip our hearts out by getting yourself hurt.”

Cin’s heart stopped before slamming against the wall of his chest. Niall had definitely included Cin in that statement. It was the first time Niall had said anything that gave Cin hope. Cin pounced on it before Niall had time to shut them out again.

“So, that’s settled. You should come to bed with us.”

Jonathan stiffened in his hold but didn’t speak up, withdrawing the offer. The silence filling the air said a lot about how hard Niall and Jonathan were trying to hide their thoughts.

“I’m sorry. What?”

Cin had a hard time hiding his smile. He couldn’t imagine how it looked because it felt evil even to him. “You should tell whatever dark thoughts you’ve been having to go fuck themselves. Stop pretending this isn’t what you want and come to bed with us.”

Niall looked away. Cin stared at his profile, watching the muscles in the man’s jaw flex. He wondered how anyone could ever mistake him for anything less than royalty. Niall gave off the most powerful vibe of anyone he’d ever met. No matter how angry he looked now, Niall hadn’t stopped running his hands over Jonathan’s legs. If Jonathan had taken a single breath since Cin made his offer, he hadn’t heard it happen.

Cin dropped his voice, trying not to spook Niall. He was a runner. “You don’t have to do anything this first time. We could just turn off the lights and hold each other.”

Niall finally looked over and met Jonathan’s gaze. The fury in the other man’s eyes took Cin back. “I’m sorry I turned you so you could spend eternity with a mate more than willing to share you. If you were with me, I never could.” Niall disappeared before Cin had time to explain.

A sharp pain stabbed Cin through the heart. It was so intense he couldn’t tell if it was his or Jonathan’s.

Jonathan stood. He wouldn’t meet Cin’s gaze. “Go after him. That’s what you want.”

“I want you,” Cin said, hearing the aggravation in his voice. He couldn’t temper it.

Jonathan stared straight ahead, hiding his thoughts and emotions. “There’s still two hours before dawn. Go after him. I’ll see you at bedtime, as always.” Without another word, Jonathan scooped his laptop from the ground and walked away. He needed a new plan. It was time for drastic measures.

* * *

After plugging his laptop in to charge, Jonathan headed for the kitchen. He grabbed Lire a few bottles of water.

Don’t think.

He spotted a box of prepackaged cupcakes and grabbed those too. With his hands full, he couldn’t rub the spot in the center of his chest that was slowly killing him.

Don’t think.

The second he stepped inside the garage, the tension drained from his shoulders. Work. He had a project to busy his mind. The most Lire could do was kill him. Jonathan was certain everyone else was trying to destroy him. This time, he found Lire pacing.

He turned at Jonathan’s arrival. “You’re back. Don’t you ever sleep?”

A snort escaped Jonathan. “Everyone else accuses me of sleeping too much.”

Lire resumed his pacing. “You’re depressed. People sleep a lot when they’re sad.”

Rather than taking Lire’s bait, Jonathan moved to the edge of the circle and held up the water. “I brought some things for you.”

Lire’s mouth lifted in one corner, but he didn’t stop pacing. “You realize I don’t need any of that to survive, right?”

Jonathan tossed the water bottles and cupcakes inside and walked away. “That’s fine. I won’t bother next time.” With his hands free, Jonathan gave in to temptation. He rubbed the center of his chest. Never in his life had he been more useless. He couldn’t help Niall. Cin was hell-bent on forcing things. He knew next to nothing of the world he now lived in. The demons were no closer to being found. Even Lire didn’t need his help.

“I said I didn’t need it,” Lire said, picking up the water. “I didn’t say I didn’t want it.”

“Whatever.” Jonathan heard the petulance in his tone. He was beyond caring.

“Jonathan.” At his name, Jonathan met Lire’s gaze. The man’s eyes were gold again. “Thank you.”

Jonathan dipped his chin. He recognized Lire wasn’t one who thanked many people.

“Ask your questions,” Lire said, cracking open the water. “You’ll never learn anything about this world you’ve been thrust into if you don’t ask.”

A small smile tugged at Jonathan’s lips before a bark of laughter escaped.

Lire’s forehead furrowed. “What’s so funny?”

“I never thought the day would come when a demon would be more willing to talk to me than my mate. What a fucking mess my life has become,” Jonathan said with a shake of his head. He sighed, trying to let it go. “It doesn’t matter. How are you holding up in there?”

Lire didn’t answer. Instead, he continued to drink his water while silently eyeing Jonathan. Once he polished off the water, Lire set the bottle aside. He waited until he’d reclaimed his chair before speaking. “Do you know how to bring two men to their knees? You get on yours,” Lire said, answering his question before Jonathan had time. “If you’re the one in control, then they’ll be helpless. As long as you let either of them remain in charge, you’ll always be at their mercy.”

Jonathan thought there might be some good advice in there somewhere. He didn’t feel like deciphering it right now.

“How old are you?” he asked instead.

“That’s a rude question. You should guess and flatter me.”

Jonathan eyed Lire for a moment before answering. “Thirty-two.”

Lire smiled. “Close. I mean, I was thirty-two in 1605, so you weren’t completely wrong.”

“Seriously? But you’re half human.”

“And?” Lire asked, sounding genuinely curious to hear why Jonathan thought it mattered.

Jonathan shrugged. “I don’t know. Shouldn’t the human side of you age?”

“A single drop of supernatural blood will overpower any human aspects of your anatomy. Think about it. You were born human. Does it matter now?”

“Yes,” Jonathan said without having to think about it. “I might be a vampire, but I can’t do everything vampires can do, because I wasn’t born a vampire. For example, I can’t dissipate. If I want to get anywhere fast, I still have to drive there. The sun doesn’t bother me at all. It stands to reason, even though you were born half demon, you’d still have some human traits.”

Lire tapped his chin, being obnoxious in his attempts at thinking things over. “Well, I didn’t kill you or use you to escape the one time you stepped inside my circle, so there’s that.”

Everything about Lire fascinated Jonathan. He loved learning about new things. In truth, he’d be every bit as excited to learn about life as a vampire too. Unfortunately, he had to learn about that through trial and error since no one ever told him anything. Lire was always willing to talk to him. “So, you mean to tell me, if you were full demon, you would’ve killed me?”

“Why does a serial killer kill people?” Lire asked instead of answering.

Jonathan turned the question over in his mind. “I guess it could be for several reasons. Schizophrenia. Past child abuse. Really any number of mental disorders.”

Lire shook his head as if he found Jonathan foolish. “Good people search for a reason behind every terrible act without understanding evil doesn’t need an excuse. It’s cold and empty. It exists for no reason other than destruction. Just as you struggle to understand how anyone could callously cut someone’s life short, evil doesn’t understand why you won’t.” Lire swiped his hand through the air, as if washing away his words. “But that’s not what you asked.”

“In a way, you answered my question,” Jonathan said, lifting one shoulder in a half shrug. “If you were full demon, you would’ve killed me for no reason other than you could.”

“Perhaps,” Lire said, as if willing to debate. “Being half human doesn’t lessen my dark nature. Instead, it adds a calculating side. If I’d killed you, Blondy would’ve killed me, and I like not being dead. Seriously, does no one sleep around here?” Lire asked, sounding as if he was done talking for the day.

Jonathan shrugged. “As far as I’ve seen, no one has a schedule. They just sleep whenever. There’s no going to bed at night—or day. No one turns out the lights, letting the house go silent. I don’t think I’ve slept a full eight hours in one sitting since the turn.”

“Aren’t you tired, Jonathan?”

As Lire said his name, Jonathan’s eyelids grew heavy. A yawn escaped. He was more exhausted than he’d ever been in his life.

Lire pointed toward the corner of the room. “There’s a cot over there. You should sleep, Jonathan.”

Another wave of weakness overcame him. He blinked at the corner. Jonathan was certain there hadn’t been a cot in the room earlier. He was too tired to think straight.

“Okay,” Jonathan said. Lire’s suggestion sounded better by the minute. He could close his eyes for a little while. No one would bother him out here. Not that anyone was looking for him. The cot welcomed him. It was more comfortable than Jonathan expected. The instant his head hit the pillow, the world went dark.