Morgan sat uncomfortably in the side chair of a cheap motel room. The only place they could find was barely an upgraded roadside motel. The image on the TV flickered and changed as he flipped through the channels. Hundreds of stations available on cable, and the hotel had an odd collection limited to six channels. Cheap motel accommodations, quality hotel prices, but to not have any network news to watch was too much.

He kicked his boots off and really wanted to stretch out on the bed, while he waited for Shane to finish in the shower. If he did, he’d have to sleep in his road-dirt-covered bedding. He thought about calling Honey, but she had sounded exhausted earlier. He didn’t want to wake her up if she was asleep.

Shane stepped out of the bathroom, wearing gray sweat pants and toweling off his shoulders.

“Your turn,” he said in his low gravely voice. “I’m going to call my contact, so when you get out, I should have a time and place for us in the morning.”

Morgan nodded.

“You think this place has pizza delivery?” Shane asked picking through the various advertisements and fliers Housekeeping had arranged on the low dresser, next to a plastic ice bucket and ‘sani-wrapped for their protection’ plastic cups.

“Get me one if they do. I could handle a large with everything.” Morgan closed the door behind him. He should have thought of that while Shane showered. After a long day on the road, thoughts of Honey and how she tasted had distracted him.

He pulled back the grimy shower curtain, turned on the water, and adjusted the temperature. He stepped over the edge of the tub and ducked his head under the low shower head. Hot water ran over his head and down his body. Morgan closed his eyes letting the warm water sluice soap suds off his skin as he lathered his chest. Thoughts of Honey and her lips left him hard. He hadn’t intended on kissing her in her workplace, but as soon as he saw her—those wide green eyes, her messy hair, the glowing aura—he had to claim her. He had to let her know his intentions. He had to taste her. He had never kissed her before, a mistake he wouldn’t leave any longer.

Honey’s lips had been soft and pliant. His hand wrapped around his cock. It throbbed with his want. At first, she had barely accepted his kiss, but then she had started kissing back. His hand ran over his chest, brushing a nipple. It hardened. Their lips moving together. Morgan stroked his length, each motion sharpening the memory of Honey’s lips. Stroke.

No, he wanted her. Nothing else would satisfy his need. When he kissed her, she had tasted like coffee and raspberries. Morgan’s mind began imagining the taste of her skin. She would taste cool and fruity, like a refreshing cocktail on a hot day. Her sweat would be citrusy and he would lick drops of it from between her breasts. Morgan stifled a groan. He could see her lean body in his mind’s eye, slender limbs. They would entwine with his so pleasurably.

Morgan let out a ragged sigh. He turned the hot water up, it helped to ease the tension from his shoulders. His body and mind still craved Honey.

A stack of cardboard pizza boxes sat on the table. Shane was gone, and so was the ice bucket. Morgan opened the top two boxes and lifted out two slices of the one loaded with everything. Lust hungry for Honey, he would have to make do with satisfying the needs of his stomach. He lounged on the bed, clean and in sweats, eating while he waited for Shane to return. Shane had left the TV on the local news channel. Morgan tuned it out as he ate.

Shane tossed him a can of cola when he stepped back in the room, ice bucket full of sodas.

“She wants to meet late afternoon at a park on the south side of town. It sounds like she thinks she might be being watched.”

“Why outside?”

“Clear line of sight, no recording equipment. There is definitely something going on with the bloodsuckers.”

Morgan sucked in air at Shane’s terminology. Shane never referred to them as vampires. Too much bad history there.

* * *

Their contact was late. She said she would only meet them in person. Morgan sat on a concrete bench facing a pond with a small fountain. He watched Shane circle the pond. The sun hung low in the afternoon sky.

Morgan felt a tickle of unease. Being here felt like a bad idea. This felt like a lot of effort for what potentially was only going to amount to rumor. They had better walk away knowing more than they knew right now, and that was not very much. He knew he shouldn’t be sitting and waiting. It made him, literally, a sitting target. Shane, being out in the open, was even more of a target than Morgan. Trees provided enough cover for a sniper, but Morgan suspected if this was a setup, a sniper would most likely set up between the nearby houses. Yes, the meeting venue provided a clear line of sight. But for whom? No, Morgan didn’t like this, but it was Shane’s call. And Shane said this contact was trustworthy—a friend.

Morgan watched as a slender figure with bright pink hair approached Shane. He pulled her in for an embrace. Together the figures—one petite and lithe, the other broad and hulking—walked towards Morgan. The woman was small and delicate and she wore a low-cut, black shirt. Her skin was pale, and she emphasized her facial features with heavy dark makeup. She wore a black leather choker with a thick silver ring hanging between her breasts which created a stark contrast between her clothing and her skin. Her jeans were ripped at the knees, exposing lace stocking. She looked young, but age was difficult to determine for vampires and their kin. Daywalkers aged much slower than humans.

“Gentlemen,” the woman said. “Let us walk while we discuss.”

Morgan fell in step next to Shane.

The young woman began talking. “All we have are rumors. But the buzz is that someone pretty big and bad is back. Names keep flying around. But one name, Lazarus, keeps coming up.”

“Lazarus is dead,” Shane snarled.

“Maybe not,” She said. “Vampires don’t kill easily. Unless his head was cut off or he burned to ashes, there is always the possibility of coming back. There is a reason they are immortal in legend.”

“I thought that’s just myth,” Morgan added.

“You don’t know all our secrets, wolf,” she snapped.

Morgan shook his head. “So we have a possible vampire overlord back from the dead. What could that possibly have to do with him wanting me to kill another wolf?”

“Do you not know his history?” she asked.

“I am well aware of the atrocities Lazarus committed against my kind. But what does that have to do with taking out other wolves?”

“Not just any wolf. The head of another family. Correct?” She glanced at Morgan questioningly. “Wolves allied present an overpowering force. That is not necessarily a good thing for my kind. Vampires are used to wanting control over your kind. Lazarus, particularly so. ” She stopped and turned to face the men. “I understand your family recently negotiated a truce and agreed to potential future alliances with another family. The merging of two wolf clans could be seen as hostile forces gathering for war.”

Morgan scoffed, and tossed his hands up, frustrated. “Why are vampires always so dramatic? It’s a fucking business merger not a power play. I think if anyone needed to be concerned, it would be other wolves, not vampires.”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Dramatic? You have no idea. Lazarus thrived in chaos. If it is Lazarus, he will go straight for massive disruption. He’ll be gathering forces, lining up minions. He left a lot of enemies behind. I don’t know anyone who was sad at word of his demise. Most of us—” She looked at Shane. “—would like to forget that part of our lives. I know I would.”

“Look,” she turned to Morgan. “If they were after you as the next alpha on their list, you can bet they will attempt to recruit another wolf to take you out. Especially since you said no.”

“He’s not going to find wolves very helpful.”

“Shane already told me he’s had at least one working for him. If he can find one, he can find more. He’ll go after the weak, the disenfranchised. Build their confidence, their self-worth, make them feel powerful, worthy. He’ll go after the corruptible first, then the hurt, the angry. He’ll build his followers from your castoffs.”

She turned her gaze back to Shane, her eyes softened with old memories. “That’s how he did it before. That’s how Lazarus works.”

“So what are you hearing location-wise? Does this guy have a base of operations?” Morgan asked, eager for some solid information.

“Nothing definite. There have always been rumors about him, but the noise is louder, more frequent.” She paused and glanced around. “I doubt he’s in California. At least, not yet. Too many enemies. He’s probably lying low, sending in his spies and flunkies first. Did I understand Shane correctly when he said there is already a human minion?”

Morgan nodded. “A money hungry man with a history of violence towards women. The kind of man who would easily be lured with the promise of wealth and position.”

She shook her head. “Damn it! Did he know much about us? Could you tell if he had bite marks? Did he seem eager to be turned? Shit, was he good looking?”

Morgan shook his head. “Maplecourt is clueless, blinded by greed.He didn’t have the slightest idea there was anything going on beyond some nasty industrial sabotage and corporate manipulation. But, yeah, he is good looking enough that a vampire might consider turning him.”

“Is someone going to take care of that problem?” she asked.

“Are you familiar with Cyan del Fuego?”

She huffed. “The del Fuegos have a certain reputation.”

“Well, it looks like he’s crossed her company, Cyan Group. We’re investigating exactly what that entails. I take it we can trust Cyan to handle the situation once we hand over our findings.” Morgan continued.

“You’re working with Cyan?” She paused, shifting her gaze between the two men. “That might be the real reason Lazarus’s men picked you up. Your wolf pact might merely be a coincidence in timing.”

Morgan stopped walking. He hated that he did not know her name. Names had power, and she could be in danger just for talking to them. He understood that. Without a name, Morgan could never divulge who his informant was.

“They wanted me to kill another alpha. How could working for Cyan Group have caused that?”

“Del Fuego is a powerful coven master. He wasn’t back in Lazarus’s time. He stepped into the hole Lazarus left behind. Some say he created that hole. Lazarus would see Del Fuego as a threat, his first obstacle to regaining strength and glory. Lazarus could very well be going after Del Fuego by targeting his daughter, and you just happened to get caught in the middle. A wolf clan war in their jurisdiction would be a distraction. Take attention away from something more subtle, something that could do more long-term damage.”

Shane huffed and stared into the sky. “Great, we have to offer protection to a blo…” He stopped speaking before he finished the word.

“Look, Shane, I understand what you are feeling and why. Remember, I was there. We’re not all bad.” She rested a small hand against his powerful forearm. “I know you know that. Cyan del Fuego won’t need your protection. But if you can become allies with a rival wolf clan, you might also want to seriously consider allying with the Del Fuego coven.”

She turned toward the imminent sunset. “Look, I know I didn’t give you any answers. I wanted to see you again, remind you that some of us are your friends.” She faced Morgan. “I’ll keep my ears open and let you know if I hear anything.” She turned to face Shane then quickly hugged him before running to an SUV in the parking lot. She gave a small wave before she disappeared into the vehicle.

Morgan stared after her. “I think that left me with more questions than answers. You?”

Shane shrugged. “What’s confusing. Wolves good, Del Fuego good, Lazarus bad. It’s a start. It might be enough. I’ve got some digging to do on Lazarus. I would have sworn that bloodsucker was dead.”

“We have scattered puzzle pieces, but nothing definite. I’m going to leave it to you to keep moving forward on this. Find out what you can about Lazarus. I want Dante digging harder on Maplecourt. We need to start following up with other families. Make sure there are no loose ends for Lazarus to find. Also, we need to ascertain whether there have been any more attacks on our kind while I was gone.”

“What are you going to be doing?” Shane asked.

“I have to get back to Monterey.”

“That woman?”

Morgan nodded. “She’s important.”

“To all of this? Shane asked incredulously. “How?”

“Not to this.” Morgan flipped his thumb back toward his chest. “To me.”