Natasha needed her head examined. She was crazy. Nuts. So far gone even a psych ward probably wouldn’t take her.

Titan just looked at her like he wanted to tear into her, like he wanted to suck her bone-dry and fuck her hard while doing it. Her reaction … wait for it … wet panties. They were soaked through. Even now, her clit throbbed in anticipation. She was tempted to take a shower and ease some of her frustrations but it wouldn’t help. She’d tried that both morning and night since meeting the big vamp and none of it was helping. He’d told her that she should worry. He’d tried to scare her off and even though she didn’t believe him, she would take his advice. Titan was not only her partner, he was her superior for the foreseeable future. Mixing business and pleasure was never a good thing. It was a rule she had never broken despite receiving plenty of offers.

In the end, the bed looked far too inviting so she toed off her heels, took off her suit and blouse, hanging them neatly over the chair. Who knew when she would gain access back into her room? Hopefully by tomorrow evening. These things could take time. Natasha took off her bra and pulled on the t-shirt.

She drowned in it. The hem came down to just below mid-thigh. It was perfect. Next, she used the bathroom, washed her face and rinsed her mouth as best she could.

Then she crawled under the covers and fell into the deepest sleep. It didn’t last though. Covered in sweat and twisted in the bedcovers, she jerked awake. In her dream, the guys had gotten to her. Despite firing several times, they’d grabbed her. Dragging her from the bed, pulling her behind them like a sack of potatoes. She tried to scream but no sound would come out, tried to fight but her limbs were too weak. They’d dragged her down the hall, taunting her, telling her all the things they planned on doing to her.

“One-on-one combat,” the one had said, winking suggestively.

“I’ll show you my big gun,” the other had sneered.

The most gruesome thing of all was that the first guy had two bullet holes in him. The second of which had taken the back half of his skull clean off. The second guy’s neck was twisted so badly that his head faced almost in the wrong direction completely.

Her heart was still racing and her breathing was ragged. It was just a bad dream. Death. Killing people. It never got easier. It was the one thing that came with the job that she hated. Nightmares were a given. She knew that they’d slowly diminish over time. The burden would get more manageable, at least until the next time she was forced to pull the trigger.

Natasha checked the time on her cellphone which was next to her bed. It had just turned six. She’d barely slept for two hours. No wonder she felt so exhausted. She yawned as she slid from the bed. She was too wired to sleep. After splashing her face, she headed for the kitchenette. Natasha had spotted a couple of bottled waters in amongst all the blood. She had to smile as she remembered the horrified look on Titan’s face. He really thought that she was going to look at him differently for being himself. A vampire. Unfortunately, the opposite was true.

Not going there.

She noticed that his door was open just a smidgen. It was wrong of her but she couldn’t help sneaking a tiny peek through the crack, especially since one of the side lamps was on. Was Titan afraid of the dark?

The bed was rumpled on one side but empty. He sat slumped over his computer at a corner breakfast nook. From this angle she couldn’t make out the screen. She could hear a soft voice. Sounded like a woman. Maybe he hadn’t been able to sleep and was watching a movie.

She crept closer, opening the door just a tad. Maybe she should wake him. It couldn’t be comfortable sleeping across the keyboard like that.

Titan gave a soft snore and she had to smile.

“Oh, big boy …” She could just make out what the woman on Titan’s computer was saying. “I can’t wait to spank your ass until it’s shiny and red.” Although Natasha bit down on her bottom lip, she couldn’t stifle the giggle that burst out of her. Shit! What the hell was Titan watching? Roused by the sound, Titan sat up, his eyes were dazed.

“Mmmmmm, I love the sound of that,” a man’s voice. It was deep and eerily familiar although she couldn’t say why. “Spank me hard and …”

Titan’s eyes widened as he saw her in his doorway, they flashed to the screen. He frantically pushed random keys. “Once your ass is good and hot …” the woman went on. Titan cut off what she was about to say when he slammed the laptop shut with a loud bang. He scrubbed a hand over his face and huffed out a breath.

Natasha couldn’t help but laugh behind her hand. “I’m sorry!” she finally managed to get out. “I intruded on your privacy. It’s just that your door wasn’t properly shut and I saw that you were asleep. I was considering waking you.” She bit down on her bottom lip, trying to hold back another laugh. Titan looked horrified. “Look,” she put up a hand, “there’s nothing wrong with BDSM. I mean, you like what you like right?”

He frowned. “What is BDSM?”

“Spanking, chains, whips, nipple clamps, you know?” She widened her eyes.

His frown deepened. “Nipple what? No!” He shook his head vehemently. “I’m not into all that.”

“Whatever.” Like hell he wasn’t! She knew what she had just heard. “There’s nothing wrong with porn. You’re a guy and well … it’s fine. I’ve watched a couple of movies myself.”

“Porn as in …?” He shook his head, running his hand through his hair, which was loose. “No, you have it wrong.” He picked up his phone. “It’s still early, what are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep.” She shook her head. “Nightmares. I get them sometimes after killing someone.”

“They deserved to die.”

Natasha nodded. “I know but it still affects me.”

“You are a good female, Natasha.” His gaze dropped to her chest. His shoulders tensed and his eyes heated.

Shit! She was wearing the shirt. Thin cotton and no bra. Flip! She was giving him an eyeful. He averted his gaze and swallowed hard. Natasha should have known he would pass on an offer to ogle her chest. “You shouldn’t walk around dressed like that.”

“Why? Because you’re such a bad guy? Because you’ll jump me?”

He didn’t say anything but kept his eyes directed away from her.

“I could walk around stark naked and you wouldn’t so much as lay a finger on me. Actions speak louder than words, I don’t believe you raped anyone. Eliot said it was a misunderstanding. I believe that. What happened is your business but—”

“Yes, it is,” he growled, looking back at her, keeping his eyes on hers.

His whole attitude was beginning to piss her off. It was getting in the way of this investigation. “It must be really tough shouldering everything. You have a very definite plan to uncover these fascists and yet you won’t tell me what it is. I’m not an idiot, Titan. I know you have a hidden agenda. One that doesn’t involve me. Well, here’s the heads up, I’m already involved.” Her voice was raised but she couldn’t seem to stop. She hadn’t meant for this to come out but after such an emotionally charged day she needed it to. “You are going to work yourself into the ground. I’m here to help, you know. I’ve been assigned to this case and yet you won’t make use of me.”

“You are helping me; I’ve assigned you—”

“It’s all bullshit. What are you keeping from me? Let me help you.”

“You are helping, you—”

“Bullshit!” She took a step towards him. “What angle are you working? What are you keeping from me? You may as well tell me because I’m going to find out. I’ll dig and pester you until—”

“There is a mole, okay?” Titan growled. “You were right,” he added, softer this time.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Fine!” he exhaled. “I’m actively trying to uncover who it is, that’s what I’m keeping from you. They can’t know we’re onto them or they’ll disappear. I need this person to think we’re oblivious and heading this investigation in a total different direction. It’s imperative.”

Something eased inside her. She figured as much but she needed to hear it. Natasha nodded. “Thank you for telling me. Why didn’t you confide in me sooner?”

Titan frowned. “Because I don’t trust humans.”

“Oh really! I guess you wouldn’t have told me unless I forced it?” She folded her arms. “You can trust me, you know?”

Titan nodded. He looked her in the eyes. “Yes, I know,” he blurted. “I guess I trust you. This doesn’t mean we’re friends or anything,” he quickly added.

Natasha rolled her eyes. She walked the rest of the way into his room and sat down across from him.

“I also didn’t tell you because I need him ‒ the mole ‒ to buy that we’re exploring this externally. That we’re rehashing old angles.”

“Ye of such little faith. I’m really good at undercover work, which entails being able to play a role. I thought you read my file.”

He nodded.

“Let me help you.”

Titan nodded again. He spent the next fifteen minutes going over everything he’d done and uncovered so far. Every bug he’d planted as well as an update on each person who worked at the Sheriff’s office including contractors.

Natasha had to laugh.

“What?” Titan frowned.

“That’s what you were doing that day in the lab. You were planting a bug, weren’t you?”

Titan nodded. “It wasn’t that obvious, was it?”

“I knew you were up to something. It didn’t make sense that you had gone into the lab to wait for the tech guy when he was sitting right there in the cafeteria. It wasn’t obvious, no but, it felt off.”

“You were right.” Titan smiled for a second or two. “You almost busted me.”

“You’ve been sneaking around this whole time.”

Titan nodded. “Yeah! I’m not close to being done.”

“We.”

Titan grimaced. “We need to profile every person who has access to that building. Someone planted that listening device in the Sheriff’s office. There may be more, so we can’t talk about this at work. I do a daily sweep of my apartment so we can talk openly here.” Titan concluded. “So far, my surveillance hasn’t yielded any results but it’s just a matter of time before I uncover something.”

“We.” Natasha narrowed his eyes. “You really need to start using the word we. You aren’t alone in this.”

Something softened in Titan’s eyes. “Yeah, we.” He half-smiled for a second.

Natasha couldn’t help but to grin. “So, that was Big Bear Bill and his girlfriend?” She pointed to the computer. “Just now, that was them?” she had to laugh.

Titan cracked a smile and gave a nod. “They phone each other a ton of times a day, I don’t know how they get anything done, it’s excruciating to listen to.”

“Who’s the lady?”

“His girlfriend … fiancé … Tessa Hoole. They’ve been together for over a year already and recently got engaged.”

“And she likes to spank him?” Natasha giggled.

“Yeah, and he likes to have phone sex during office hours. He’s always trying to initiate a happy ending.”

“No! You mean they actually …?” She could feel how wide her eyes were.

Titan nodded. “It’s only gotten that far a couple of times but, yeah …” He pulled a face.

They both laughed. “We’re bad, we shouldn’t be giggling about this and you shouldn’t listen to their private … moments. I mean, if you can help it.”

His expression darkened. “I have to.” He clamped his mouth closed. “It’s highly unlikely but the mole could be one of them. Or, both of them.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“So that’s what you’ve been doing night after night, listening to all of the footage?”

Titan nodded. “Yup.”

“Why didn’t you have someone from the castle go through them for you?”

“I did consider it.” After a few moments of contemplation, he shook his head. “I guess, I don’t trust anyone else to do it. What if they miss something? I’m not saying I’m an expert on human behavior but I know more than most. Someone else might miss something small, something subtle. Hell,” he tensed his jaw, “I might miss it myself. That’s why I concentrate like mad and re-listen to certain parts. If I fuck up, another female might be abducted. There might be another attack on the royals or they might come after you.” The way he looked at her was so intense. “I’m not only listening to what’s directly said but also to what information can be gleaned from the conversations taking place. There is so much to do and so much monitoring that needs to take place.” His eyes were bloodshot. His face pinched.

Natasha leaned forward and touched his forearm. “I’m going to help you.” He tensed up and looked down at where her fingers rested on his arm.

Titan closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair. It looked as if he relished her touch, if just for a few seconds. Then he pulled his arm away.

“We’ll split the work,” she went on.

“I’m a vampire. I don’t need as much sleep. I’ll take care of it.”

“You’re full of shit! You need help, why won’t you admit it?”

“Fine! I might ask you to double check on certain recordings.”

“No!” she shook her head. “I want to help on this. I’m your partner, I don’t know why I have to keep reminding you of this but it’s getting old and fast.”

Titan breathed out slowly through his nose.

She leaned forward. “I really think that some of the individuals we interviewed need to be tailed. We can get through a ton of surveillance footage while on stakeouts.”

Titan’s whole stance relaxed and he sank even further into his chair. “That’s a great idea.” She could see him bite back a yawn. The black smudges under his eyes were more pronounced.

“I think we should get a few more hours sleep and then we can tackle it. We can tackle it, together.” She pushed back the chair and rose to her feet. “None of this vigilante shit going forward.”

“Yeah, I’m good with that.”

She gave a small nod and headed for the door. “Sleep well.”

“You too,” Titan’s deep voice rasped behind her. “Partner.”

Hearing him say that caused goosebumps to rise up on her arms. Hearing that one little word had her grinning like an idiot, at least for a moment. “Maybe one day you’ll confide in me on a couple of other things.” She kept her eyes straight ahead.

“Not gonna happen.” Shit! He sounded sad.

It took everything in her to keep from turning back and chewing him out all over again. “I can tell you more about Special Director Richard Evans’ pathetic attempts to—”

“It might make me go after the fucker, so I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“See.” She turned back, her hand on the door. “You’re a good guy.”

His eyes turned stormy and a muscle ticked in his jaw. Clearly he didn’t agree.

“I’m here if you feel like talking about it. For the record, I think it would help you to get it all out.”

“You would hate me.”

“I thought we weren’t friends, so why do you care?” She held her breath.

“We have to work together. It could affect the investigation.” Titan was all business, which was one hundred percent correct. Still, Natasha couldn’t help but feel disappointment. What had she expected him to say? Maybe that he cared what she thought of him. It felt like they were becoming friends. At least it did to her. Turned out that she had been wrong. It stung. It shouldn’t, but it did.