Everything inside Theo settled. Right then and there. She said yes. “You won’t regret it.” He’d spend a lifetime making sure of it—after he saved her life. He slid his hand up her back to capture her nape, leaning down to kiss her.
His damn phone buzzed again. Swearing, he reached for it, reading the face. “Shit. Saul ordered a car at eleven.” He stepped back, his mind going into battle mode. “We have to go now.” Somebody banged on his door. “Coming.” He set Ginny to the side. “Get dressed, Gin.” He hustled out, shutting the door and jogging through the living room to the front door. At this point, he was never going to get inside the woman.
He yanked open his front door.
Jared and Chalton moved in, already shrugging into bulletproof vests. “Where the hell would he be going tonight?” Jared muttered, handing over a vest.
“Who knows?” Theo fastened the Velcro and then moved over to remove a long painting of an island that no longer existed in the Arctic. He planted his hand flat against the wall, and it slid open to reveal a small room holding a multitude of weapons. He stepped inside and started handing out guns and knives, already knowing his brothers’ preferences.
Ginny poked her head around the corner. “That’s a nice Fremt.”
He nodded and slid the green laser gun into the back of his waist. Lasers turned to solid bullets when impacting immortal flesh. “I don’t plan to use it. I’m better with a knife.” He didn’t want her to see this side of him, but maybe it was necessary. When they mated, they’d need to let each other in to their hidden worlds. “I’ve called for Realm soldiers to guard the door and exits to the building here,” he said, partly for her comfort and partly to warn her. “You’re to stay safe.”
She rolled her eyes. “I have the flash drive, which keeps me safe from Saul. You’re the one running into danger.”
“I’m glad we already have our roles straight,” he said, enjoying the instant swirling temper in her eyes.
Jared cut him a curious look, but he didn’t respond. So Jared finished suiting up and headed back out. “I’ll make sure the guards are at post out here.” He disappeared with Chalton on his heels.
Theo inserted a couple more knives along his right leg. “I’m sorry about earlier.” They kept getting interrupted.
She smiled. “That’s all right. We were both carried away. This is probably better.”
He stood to his full height. “It’s a done deal, Gin. There’s no other alternative for you, and you know that deep down. Don’t worry. We’ll make it work.” He grasped her and kissed her hard. “Stay here.” Without waiting for an answer, he moved into the hallway to follow his brothers down to transport.
He fully intended to end Saul Libscombe for good.
* * * *
Ginny’s mind spun, but she had to focus. The second Theo had departed, she moved toward his computer and read all the data from the queen. Her stomach turned queasy, but she forced herself to read the Realm notes. They were in line with what she’d already learned by research and by living with the damn anklet for the past ten years.
It had already killed her.
Well, if she didn’t mate. She’d meant it when she’d said yes to Theo.
Could they make it work? Maybe if they ever actually made it to bed, they had a chance. She grinned and closed the computer file. Another one caught her eye, and she didn’t hesitate to click on it.
Oh, she’d been studying Saul Libscombe for a decade, so she didn’t expect to find many revelations in Theo’s compilation. And yet, there was some new information there. “Look at that,” she breathed, taking note of a safety deposit box right there in the city, as well as some land holdings he had in Russia. Of course, Theo’s contacts in Russia were far better than hers. But how in the world had he found a safety deposit box she’d missed?
Squinting, she leaned forward and read the name of the bank. Oh. It was a Realm bank here in the city. No wonder she hadn’t found it. The Realm was notoriously secretive. And yet, vampires helped vampires. The king had obviously sent this file to Theo. The land didn’t interest her.
But the deposit box. Now that held promise.
Of course, she’d already known of several places Saul had stashed information and funds throughout the world, but she hadn’t been able to make a move because of the GPS in the anklet.
Saul would be busy with the Reese brothers tonight. If she was ever going to make a move against him, it would have to be tonight before everything went to hell. If Theo’s plan didn’t work, Saul would set off her anklet. Now was her one chance to get him. To maybe find leverage to use.
She chewed her thumbnail, thinking. It wasn’t like she’d vowed to stay in the apartment. No. Theo had just ordered her to stay, and he’d assumed she would. She’d never been a soldier, but she knew how to broker information. Breaking into a Realm bank was colossally crazy, and yet… Whatever Saul had secured there had to be good. He was a shifter, not a vampire. For a shifter to use a Realm bank, he must really want to keep something under wraps.
Reaching for her phone, she dialed up one of her many contacts.
“Phil’s Brewery,” said a chipper female voice.
“Hey, Sally. It’s Ginny,” she said evenly.
A series of clicks came over the line. Then, “Hey, girlfriend! It’s been so long since I’ve heard from you. What’s up?” Sally asked.
Ginny grinned. “So much I don’t have time to tell you right now, but we’ll catch up soon.” The thousand-year-old witch was one of her favorite people in life. Plus, she had skills. “I need the schematics for the Realm Bank in New York City.”
Sally tsked her tongue. “Are you crazy? Even you aren’t insane enough to rob Dage Kayrs.”
Ginny bit her lip. That was a damn good point. “I didn’t say I was robbing him. I just want the bank schematics.” It wasn’t like the king owned the box she was going to break into. “Besides, Dage is a friend.” Okay. Not her friend. But he was obviously close to Chalton.
“Then why not just ask him to let you into his bank?” Sally asked reasonably.
Ginny shut her eyes. “Because he might say no.” The guy probably had contracts with people who used the safety deposit boxes, right? “I don’t want to put him in a tough position.”
Sally laughed high and loud. “You are still so full of blarney. I have the schematics, but they’re going to cost you. A lot.”
Ginny sighed. “I’m sure. Email them to me, and I’ll send secured payment immediately.”
“Triple my usual price,” Sally said, her voice deepening with the pleasure of a good deal.
Ginny winced. “Fair enough. And if I get caught, I know the drill.” She had no clue where the schematics came from.
“All right, doll. Watch your email.” Sally clicked off.
Ginny waited for the beep and then sent almost her entire savings account across the world. If this worked, it’d be worth it. She stood and stretched. If Theo had the doors covered, she’d have to figure another way out of the building.
She couldn’t help but smile as she got to work. If she did this right, she’d take down Saul, and she’d be home before Theo walked through the door.
What could possibly go wrong?
* * * *
Theo crouched down in the snow after taking out the guard nearest the back door. The drive to Saul’s had taken more than two hours because of the damn weather. A snowstorm barreled around Theo, turning the world white and hard to see. He stepped over the unconscious shifter guard and moved silently for the window to the east. Libscombe’s New York home was on two acres in the middle of a high-end subdivision complete with gate, guardhouse, and patrolling security teams.
Human teams.
Theo lifted a shoulder toward Jared, who was silently waiting in the snow for the human duo to pass by the house. Immortals would be able to sense them, but apparently Saul felt safe enough with humans around. That was odd. There had only been four shifter guards near the house. Shouldn’t there be more? Theo closed his eyes and tuned in to the world around him.
Nothing. Just the billowing wind and piercing cold.
He stilled and held up his hand for his brothers to stop. Why weren’t there immortal signatures around? He moved closer to the white clapboard two-story. Shifters could mask their signatures, but there should still be some sort of hint. A blur of the atmosphere.
He was getting nothing.
The human guards finally passed, good-naturedly arguing about some movie.
Theo was just about to call his brothers over when he spotted movement inside the home. Ducking low, he moved to the window to see Saul Libscombe inside a rec room complete with wall-wide television, pool table, and dartboards. Last year’s Superbowl was playing across the screen in vivid color.
The bastard had a glass of amber-colored whiskey in one hand and the remote control in the other. Apparently torturing Ginny earlier that day hadn’t fazed him any. Oh, he was going to bleed.
Theo gave the hand signal, and his brothers disappeared around the corners.
He brushed snow from his eyes and angled back around toward the door. Chalton had already cut the feed for the alarm, so unless there were sensors Chalton hadn’t found, which was pretty much impossible, Theo could walk right in. Taking a deep breath, he slid the wide door open and crossed into warmth, just as quietly closing the door.
The sound of the game in the other room was the only noise. He couldn’t sense Saul, which was intriguing. The guy certainly had a way with electronics. Once Theo sliced him open, he’d have to search the place to see what all Saul had invented. After he turned off that damn ankle bracelet.
The ability to mask immortal signatures would be very much sought after. How had Saul done it?
Theo moved silently through the house, easily reaching the rec room just as Chalton and Jared entered from the other doors, their weapons already in their hands. Theo wanted to use his knife this time.
Saul turned. “Evening.”
Theo stilled. Something wasn’t right. He moved directly into the room. Holy fuck. The entire room was one massive screen. A modern-day hologram that looked fucking real from outside. “Retreat,” he yelled, turning and rushing for the door. He’d almost reached the back when the ground rumbled and the air bunched.
The home exploded, throwing him high and far into the wild storm. Pain pierced through his skull. His last thought was of Ginny and her pretty blue eyes. Then blackness caught him before he hit the ground.