Nighttime sleep is slipping further from my grasp. We make love in the Jacuzzi; we make love on the table. He takes me from behind, pulling my hair and holding my throat. I ride him reverse-cowgirl, so he can’t see me change when I come, moaning his name as my canines stretch out for him. I use every ounce of willpower I possess to keep my hunger in check. I won’t steal any more of his life.

He sleeps, his gorgeous form wrapped in the crisp white sheets, and I sit in the darkness watching him, longing for him. My evolving mind has the capacity to focus on him for hours, losing all sense of time.

What shall I do, my love? You’re mine, but you don’t know it. In my audacity, I stole your essence, but I can’t hold it for long. We’ll share these few days, and then I’ll return to face my fate. As I take my last breath, I’ll dream of your beautiful soul.

He rolls onto his side facing me, but I can tell he’s not entirely awake. He can’t see me very well in the darkness, but I see him plain as day—the bright day that now hurts my eyes. He blinks slowly at me sitting in the soft velvet chair completely nude.

“You’re so beautiful.” His deep voice is husky with sleep. “You’re even more beautiful now than you were earlier.”

“You’re dreaming,” I whisper, using my glamour to lull him back to sleep. He doesn’t know how his blood enhances my appearance, how it causes him to want me more. Sadly, it’s all part of the trap—only I won’t make him my victim.

He studies me a moment longer before closing his eyes again. A few moments, and he’s drifted away. As much as I want to sit here and gaze at him, I can’t stay any longer. My heart aches as I stand and collect my things.

Quickly, silently, I step into my dress and sandals. I search everywhere, but I can’t find my thong. It must be wound up with him in the sheets. I’ll have to leave it.

My lips throb with desire to kiss him one last time. My fingers tingle with wanting to slide through his soft, wavy hair. I can’t take the chance he’ll wake. Instead I go to the door and slip out, down the hall, down the stairs, into the pre-dawn night.

People roam Bourbon Street even at this hour. It’s the darkest hour before dawn, but I’m not afraid. I’m the most dangerous thing they’ll encounter tonight.

Not in a hurry to return to my hotel, I take Toulouse Street, away from the bars and the dying noise of revelry, toward the river. I walk slowly up the damp alley, under balconies of black wrought iron. Dark-green ivy climbs the sides of hotels and apartments, transforming their hard edges into rounded black shapes.

If my night vision weren’t so acute, they would look like hulking monsters, swaying toward the levee. The air is heavy and damp, and even without the sun it’s warm. Could it be another reason so many of my kind come to this city? The heat disguises the cold of our skin. Only, my skin isn’t cold yet.

My eyes… I’m not sure what my eyes look like this morning. I drank his blood, so it’s possible they have a faint red hue. Oh, god, I hope they don’t. I’m not sure I can handle seeing that, and it won’t help me with Elaine and Mariska. A shiver passes over my shoulders, and I hug my arms across my chest. I’ve never felt so alone in my life.

I wonder if Elaine is in our room. Somehow I know she isn’t. We’d been walking back from dinner at Antoine’s last night when she asked to take a detour through Bourbon Street. I had no desire to be around loud, rowdy drunks. Still, I went with her to the crowded street.

She was looking for someone, but she wouldn’t tell me who. I watched as she followed the voice in her head—or the sensation of a voice. I’m not sure how her power works. I’ve only watched her use it since we were little girls. When we arrived at the place, she left me to go to him.

It was the same man she met in Maspero’s before lunch, and I had the same sickening response to his presence. My stomach roiled, and I couldn’t enter. I could only hide behind the pane of glass and watch them talking, her touching his arm. He was incredibly attractive and seemed very sure of himself, yet when she touched him, he stilled as if she had some influence over him.

My brow lined as I focused on them, not understanding what was happening. Then Derek appeared, and I forgot Elaine. I forgot everything but him. For a moment, I close my eyes and savor the memory of last night. All of it is as vivid as the sunrise in my mind.

Turning west, I walk back toward our hotel. When I reach the Hotel Monteleone, a pale glow is just lighting the edge of the horizon. My eyes are heavy. Our room is empty as I suspected. Digging my phone out of my bag, I see a text from her. She sent it hours ago, when I was still blissfully wrapped in Derek’s arms.

Am with Patrick. See you tomorrow. Lunch with Mariska.

Crawling into my bed, I study the words. Patrick. The man from the bar. She’ll want me to meet him, and I’ll have to say no. I don’t even know why his presence makes me so violently ill. I don’t know anything about the changes happening inside me. Again, waves of loneliness consume me.

Lunch. Mariska. If only she has answers. A yawn surprises me. The sun streams through our windows, and with a groan, I pull myself out of the bed to close the heavy blackout drapes. I barely make it back before I fall into a deep sleep.

---

Derek

Stuart sits across the booth from me studying his menu with a frown. I touch the lip of my coffee cup, but I’m not thirsty. I’m not hungry. I’m angry and frustrated and miserable. I opened my eyes this morning and Melissa was gone. No note, no number, nothing.

The last I remember is waking to see her sitting in the silvery moonlight looking like a goddess. She told me I was dreaming, but no dream of mine was ever that beautiful. I wanted to take her, carry her back to bed and make love to her, but strangely, sleep overwhelmed me. When I opened my eyes again, she was gone. After everything we said last night, everything we did, she still walked out.

I want to forget her. I want to say fuck it and wash my hands of the situation. The problem is I can’t. I’m drawn to her in some inexplicable way. She’s like a drug, and being apart from her leaves me hollow. Without thinking, I rub my stomach.

“What’s wrong with you?” Stuart snaps.

I sniff and raise my eyebrows, sitting straighter in my seat. “Didn’t sleep well last night. I was pretty fired up after… what happened.”

It’s not entirely a lie.

Stuart nods, accepting my excuse. “Where’s Patrick?”

“He’s with a woman.”

“Big fucking surprise. You didn’t stop him?” Stuart cuts angry hazel eyes at me, but I’m in no mood.

“What Patrick does on his own time is his business.” My tone matches his in sternness, but it changes when I add the last part. “Besides, I think this one’s different.”

His brow lines. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I was with him when he met her. It was strange.” I think back to last night, the pretty girl who walked straight up to him as if she were reading his mind. “She had some kind of… power over him.”

“Are you trying to say he’s imprinting?”

I cut him a look as our waitress appears, and we pause our conversation.

“What can I get for you two?” She gives Stuart a little wink, but he’s not receptive.

“Steak and eggs with a side of bacon. Hold the toast.”

She does a little smirk. “In the mood for some protein, I see.”

He only grunts and hands over his menu.

“I’ll have the house omelet with wheat toast,” I say, with a slight smile. It earns me a wink.

“You got it, sugar. And I’ll keep the coffee coming. Let me know if you need anything else.”

She sashays away, and Stuart leans forward against the table. “We need Patrick to get his ass here now. Did you call him?”

Shaking my head, I lift my coffee. “He’ll be here.”

If I’m right about what’s happening to him, I don’t have the heart to disturb him, especially after my disappointing wake-up.

“Well, I’m not wasting time. Tell me what happened.”

“He got a lead on Alison’s killer.” Leaning forward in the booth, I lower my voice. “It was an ambush. We walked into a nest. I had to shoot us out.”

A low whistle, and he lifts his coffee. “How many?”

“Couldn’t say. We were led to believe it would only be one. We saw three, and one of them was... Old.”

Stuart makes a disgusted face. “The older they get, the weirder they get.”

“No shit. I can still see that fucked-up grin.”

Patrick’s breezy voice interrupts us. “Morning, ladies! Captain Asshat. I assume you’re here to bust my balls.”

“Where the fuck have you been?”

“Heaven, big brother.” He drops into the booth beside me, his player grin in full effect. “I have been in heaven. And it smells like honeysuckle and tastes like sugar.”

“You smell like you’ve been eating honeysuckle all night,” Stuart sniffs.

“Jealous?”

Our waitress is back, and she’s more than happy to see our new addition. “Hey there, darling.”

“Hey, Polly,” Patrick beats her to the wink, and I am not surprised he knows her name. “Can I get the Spanish omelet with a side of bacon?”

“Sure thing, handsome. Coffee?”

“No thanks. O.J.”

She smiles and heads for the kitchen, and he turns back to me. “Have you filled him in?”

“Derek says you’ve had a little change overnight? Met your mate?”

Irritation flashes in Patrick’s eyes. “That’s none of your damned business. I’m talking about our case.”

Everything changes when Stuart laughs. “Shit. You did.” He shakes his head and looks at his coffee. “Can you keep your head in the game?”

Patrick’s hackles are up, and I see the muscle in his jaw move. Last thing I need is for these two to start fighting. Even if Stuart is the oldest, the alpha, his younger brother still kicks against his authority.

Reaching over, I slap his shoulder. “Patrick’s with us. Now let’s focus.” My voice lowers again. “We’ve got to find out as much as we can about this nest—how many, how old. If it’s truly our target, we need to get back there tonight before they regroup.”

Stuart’s expression is grim. “If you surprised them early last night, they’ve had plenty of time to prepare for us. How sure are you about our intel?”

The waitress appears with a busboy carrying a large black tray and our orders. We wait as they put everything in front of us and ensure we have all we need. As soon as they’re gone, Patrick answers him.

“Based on what I read in Sloan’s notes, this could be the one. We can’t walk away.”

Stuart cuts his eyes to his little brother. “The actual killer?”

Patrick nods as he puts a bite of beans, cheese, and sour cream wrapped in egg into his mouth. I’m as energized as when we got here, knowing we’re so close to the end of my quest. The revenge I’ve been obsessed with for years is right here in our grasp.

Yet, it’s interesting how my outlook has changed. I’ll be glad to end my search, to find resolution, but whereas before, it was the only thing I cared about—it was my life—now I see a different future, a future where I put the past behind me and start to live again. That is, once I’ve convinced Melissa to try.

Stuart snaps me back to preparations. “You, go sleep. I’ll gather what we need for the ritual.”

I nod, but Patrick cuts in. “Where can we do it?”

“My suite,” I say. “I have a Jacuzzi tub.”

“What the hell?” Patrick leans back. “How did you get a fucking Jacuzzi tub?”

“Came with the room.”

“Good,” Stuart says, getting us back on track. “In two hours, we meet in Derek’s room. It should give you enough time to recover before we have to head out tonight.”

Patrick stands to let me out of the booth. I’ve only eaten half my breakfast, but I wasn’t hungry. Anyway, the ritual always leaves my stomach queasy. The most important thing I can do now is sleep. My beautiful Melissa will have to wait.

Tonight is critical.

---

Melissa

The sound of someone attempting to be quiet, bumping around the room rouses me from the dark waters of slumber. I hate to open my eyes, because in my dreams I’m wrapped tightly in the cocoon of Derek’s strong arms. His masculine scent is all around me, and the luscious taste of him is on my tongue. It’s the closest to heaven I’ve been in so long.

A little crash followed by a sharp yelp makes me sit up in the bed and reach for the lamp. “Elaine?”

“Oh,” she laughs. “I’m sorry. I was trying to let you sleep.”

“What time is it?” I rub my eyes as she goes to the window to pull back the curtains.

“Almost two.”

“Lainey!” Throwing the sheets back, I jump out of bed. “I need to shower, change…”

“It’s okay! I already called Mariska. She’s meeting us at ACME at three. We’ve got plenty of time.”

“Oh, good.” Exhaling, I slow my pace. ACME oyster house is a half block from our hotel, and one of my favorite casual restaurants in the city. “Mind if I shower first?”

“Go ahead.” I watch as she climbs onto the bed and seems ready to nap.

My eyes narrow. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

She starts to giggle. “Did you?”

“Doesn’t count. Every night that passes, I sleep less and less.”

“Particularly the nights involving Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy.” She sits up and wraps her arms over her knees. “He’s really into you. I saw it in his mind.”

My jaw clenches. “That is not cool, you know.”

“Trust me, I know.” She nods quickly. “But when emotions are that strong, it’s impossible for me to stop them flooding my brain.”

I know from experience she’s telling me the truth. She’s often complained about not wanting to hear everything people are thinking.

I go over to the bed and sit beside her, lifting her hand in mine. “Derek is… the most incredible man. But I can’t pull him into my troubles. You know that.”

Her lips press together, and the way she blinks down, I can tell she’s hiding something. “What is it?”

She hesitates before answering. “Actually, he might be exactly who you need to pull into this.”

Frustration overwhelms me, and I snap. “Don’t be cryptic. Just say whatever the hell you know.”

“Hey! Whoa,” she rubs my hands. “Give me a chance! I know you’re scared.”

Dropping my chin, I cringe. “I’m sorry. I can’t seem to control my moods anymore. My emotions are all over the place.”

She gives me a little squeeze. “It’s okay. Now listen to me. When we met Patrick at Maspero’s, we both had a reaction to him.”

“You had a reaction, too?”

“I didn’t want to upset you. It’s why I suggested we go to K-Paul’s instead.”

My brow lines. “Did he make you feel sick? Nauseated?”

She starts to laugh, then clears her throat. “No. Just the opposite.” I watch as her cheeks flood with pink. “He made me feel very sexy, and… I don’t know… like I’ve never felt before. Like the crown jewels or the Hope Diamond. Like—”

“I’m confused.”

“He’s a shifter.”

“Oh my god.” I jump off the bed and start to pace the room. “How do you know? Did you see it in his mind? Can you read shifter minds? Is he going to kill me?” In a flash of horror, I have another thought. “Is Derek a shifter?”

No. He couldn’t be…

“Slow down!” She’s off the bed, catching my hands again. “He’s not going to kill you! Patrick isn’t like that. He doesn’t hunt vampires for sport.”

My eyes go huge. “But he does hunt them.”

“Let me finish telling you what happened!”

We ease down onto the bed, but I can’t stop shaking. He’s nowhere near us, but I’m overcome with the sensation I might lose my breakfast for real this time. Only I haven’t had breakfast.

“Last night when we found him at Razoo’s, I’d finally figured out what he was. I’d been sorting through the emotions coming at me from him, and it finally clicked.” Her tone is academic. “To answer your question, no, I can’t read his mind. It’s completely different with shifters. I don’t get words, only feelings. I read about it in an online discussion group once. It’s how I knew—”

“Feelings like… anger?”

“Anger, happiness, irritation, hunger, desire.” She falls back on the bed again and a dreamy quality enters her voice. “Oh, Mel, he’s so sexy and so fun. He’s perfect for me. I can’t believe I’m so lucky!”

“You sound like you’re going to marry him.” Her body stills at my words, and she leans up on her elbows to look at me.

“Are you insane?” I cry. “You just met him yesterday!”

“Shifters imprint, Mel.”

My jaw drops, and for a second I can only blink at her. “You think he imprinted on you?”

“I know he did, and it’s the strongest, the most intense thing I’ve ever felt in my life!” She does a little shiver.

“But… You’re just accepting it? Without question? What if he’s abusive? What if he’s a murderer? What if he’s in the underworld?”

“Well, technically we’re all in the underworld. You in particular—”

“You know what I mean! What if he’s hiding something horrible?”

“He’s not. We spent all last night talking and catching up and making love.” She smiles, and her face glows. “We had to encounter each other at some point. It’s how it goes for them. He had to find me. It was unavoidable.”

“You are not a shifter. You are not bound by their—whatever it is. Their rules. You can walk away.”

Her platinum head shakes, and she glances down. “You’re right. I’m not bound by their rules, but I don’t want to walk away.” She smiles so big as she reaches forward and takes my hands again. “Have you seen him? Can you believe my luck?”

“I think you’re being impulsive about something really serious.”

Her eyes narrow, and she pushes my hands away. “I would think after all this time you would trust me. I can read minds, after all.”

“I’m sorry.” I reach for her hands again, and she lets me take them. “You’re right. He’s gorgeous, and he does seem very fun—from twenty feet away. I’m just… I’m not very good at optimism these days.”

“Come here.” A sad little smile pulls her lips as we hug each other. “You’re going to be just as lucky, I promise. We’re going to fix this.”

My eyes heat, and I’m afraid I might cry. Instead, I clear my throat, remembering the other part of her story that concerned me the most. “You said something about Derek. What was that?”

“Oh!” She’s back to excited. “He’s a vampire hunter as well. One of the top guys in his field, in paranormal investigations.”

“Oh my god.” My head goes light. “Oh my god, Elaine.” I lean forward, pushing my hands into the sides of my dark hair.

“I thought you’d be happy!” She’s watching me with a frown. “If anyone would know of a cure, it would be someone who specializes in vampires, don’t you think?”

I bit him. Oh my god, I bit a vampire hunter. His blood is swimming in my veins. Oh my god. Was I cursed as a child? Born under a bad sign?

Elaine hops up and catches me, stopping my rocking. “You know it drives me crazy that I can’t hear you anymore. Why are you so freaked out by this?”

For the first time in my life I’m thankful she can’t read my thoughts. “I’m a vampire,” I deflect. “He hunts me.”

“First, you are not a vampire. Not until you make your first kill. Second, I can’t think of anyone more qualified to help you! I told you he has powerful feelings for you.”

With a shudder, I can’t imagine his feelings are as powerful as mine, and if he ever found out what I did…

A quick glance at the clock tells me it’s two-thirty. “We’ve got to get moving or we’re going to be late to meet Mariska.”

“Oh!” She jumps away. “I showered already with Patrick. I’ll head on down. Meet us there, okay?”

Shaking my head, I pick up a towel. “I’m right behind you.”