Urian’s head pounded from the voices that screamed louder and louder. It drummed to the point that he felt as if he were about to go insane and turn mad. Standing on the edge of a rooftop, he pressed his fingertips to his temple, tempted to step over the edge and end his suffering.

Nights like this …

It’d be real easy.

Especially the way the frigid wind whipped through his sweater and long leather coat.

Blinking fast, he shook his head and forced himself to focus. With a sigh, he jumped down the fire escape and was about to case the building when all of a sudden he almost landed on top of one of his targets.

With a startled gasp, the woman looked up, shielding her face.

Well, this wasn’t supposed to happen …

Stunned, he wasn’t sure what to say or do as he stared into a pair of dark brown eyes set into a perfectly sculpted face. Her golden-blond hair was stylishly cut and framed her features in a way that made them appear strangely elvish.

Up close, she was tiny and frail in appearance. Much younger than he’d have thought, but still a woman full grown.

And she blushed.

“Sorry! I thought I was the only one sneaking out.”

Urian scowled. “What?”

Wrinkling her nose in the most adorable fashion, she gestured up at the windows, then leaned forward to whisper. “I’m sneaking out past curfew to meet friends. Are you running from a boyfriend or husband who came home early?”

He laughed at her presumption. “Neither.”

“Oh, please don’t tell me you’re a pervert or burglar.”

“Hardly!” Although … he was here to stalk her. Now that he thought about it, it was kind of pervy. Maybe he’d spoken too soon.

“Then why are you on the fire escape?”

Shit … he needed a viable excuse. “Um. I’m testing it.”

“Testing it?”

“Yeah. I work for the city. And uh … we’re conducting a safety check to make sure they’re in working order. You know? Can’t have them faulty.”

She laughed. “You’re so full of shit!”

“What makes you think that?”

“Midnight and you’re dressed like a Bond villain.” She let out an evil cackle.

Urian wanted to hate her. He’d been sent here to kill her and her family.

All of them.

She and her sisters and mother were the very last of Apollo’s living line. After all these centuries of hunting and killing, they’d finally done it. Finally tracked them down to the last few.

And this one …

“I’m Phoebe Peters, by the way.” She held her hand out to him.

For the love of God, don’t tell me your name! That was just wrong when he was here to kill her. “Urian.” He even shook her hand like an idiot.

Gah, I’m a moron. Because the moment he touched that tiny little hand, he realized just how soft it was. How delicate.

How good she smelled. How much he wanted to taste a piece of this most forbidden fruit. Especially when she looked up at him with an adorable grin.

I’m so doomed.

And he was. Especially when she bit her lip and he saw the tiniest flash of fang.

She’s your enemy.

Yet it didn’t feel that way. And his body wasn’t reacting to her like she was his enemy. In fact, he was harder than he’d ever been in his life.

“Well, nice meeting you, Urian.” She rose up on her tiptoes, kissed him, and vanished as if she had no clue how lethal he was.

Dismissed him! Completely stunned, he tried to get an idea where she’d gone, but his clever little bunny had gone to ground with resounding skills.

Damn. Just damn.

He certainly couldn’t report this. His father would put him through a wall.