Shoot her sideways.

Natasha’s mouth dried as it fell open. Her eyes bugged out of her skull.

Holy mother of yumminess!

Titan was wearing a suit, only sans the jacket. The crisp white shirt fit him like a glove, molding itself to every hard contour of his body. The pants were just as fitting. It was like the thing had been tailored especially for him. A black leather belt was secured around his waist. His tie was pink, of all colors. It worked though. It looked pretty darned near perfect around his neck. Titan looked somber. There were worry lines between his eyes and his neck muscles were roped. His lips were pressed together tightly.

He carried a couple of suit bags in one hand.

Natasha whistled. “You clean up good.” Shit! Her voice sounded a tad husky. Stop eyeballing the guy. Stop it!

Titan didn’t seem to notice her appraisal of him.

“Yeah,” one of the guards smirked. “You clean up real good. You should wear a monkey suit more often.”

“Let the king hear you say that. This is Brant’s suit, asshole.” If looks could kill, that guy would be dead and buried. Titan finally broke eye contact with the squirming guard. “Let’s get out of here.” He glanced her way.

Natasha nodded and walked towards the elevator and then pushed the button.

“Goodbye, female,” the other guard said.

Before she could answer in kind, Titan turned and snarled at him. He sounded like a vicious animal. His lip even curled away from his teeth. There it was again, his fang. It wasn’t as long as she had imagined vampire canines to be. It still made him look dangerous. Her heart beat a little faster. Damn, he was seriously hot. The guy was smoking, despite acting like some kind of feral animal … or then again, maybe it was because of it.

They walked into the elevator and the doors closed. She’d had him all wrong. There was no way Titan was the sexist asshole he pretended to be. He looked out for her. Always insisted on allowing her to go first unless there was trouble or perceived trouble. It wasn’t lost on her how he’d moved in front of her at the gate when that one guard was giving them trouble. He’d stood up for her, more than once. He’d even read her damned file. He’d studied the thing. The guy probably knew more about her than most.

“You can stop smiling.” Titan looked straight ahead.

“They were just trying to be nice.”

“Nice my ass,” he grumbled.

“You’re a good guy, Titan.”

He flexed his neck to the side. “You’re wrong.”

“I don’t know why you put up such a big front. You’re a sweet guy.”

He snorted. “Sweet?” He shook his head, his facial expression told her that he thought she had lost her mind. “Nope! Nothing sweet or nice about me. You have me all wrong. I have killed and will kill again.”

“So have I, that doesn’t make you bad. Not unless you murdered someone in cold blood.”

He shook his head. “I’ve done worse but I’m not discussing or debating this with you. I’m not who you think I am. You don’t know jack about me. Now stop with the smiling and the compliments. We’re not going to suddenly be friends. We have a job to do. Am I clear?”

It wasn’t like she wanted to be bloody friends … did she? No! Point was, she could see right through his bullshit. This was just the wall talking. She wondered what had happened to make him act this way. It had been a long time since someone had truly had her back. Since someone had stood up for her. Titan’s actions spoke louder to her than his words but she didn’t want to argue, especially when it wouldn’t do any good. She finally nodded. “Yes, loud and clear. You won’t regret your decision to bring me onboard.”

Titan didn’t answer. They made their way down the various hallways.

“What is bloodlust?” she asked.

Titan sighed, for a moment she thought he wasn’t going to answer her. “Human blood is highly palatable to vampires. It’s supposed to be sweeter.” He had a bored look on his face. “I’m not sure of the stats,” he frowned, “something like one or two in ten vampires suffer from bloodlust. Blood will taste so divine that there is a chance of them drinking every last drop. They end up killing the person they drink from. Unable to stop or think.”

“Oh wow! That’s terrible! Has it happened before? Has a vampire actually killed a human? If so, I wasn’t aware.”

Titan shook his head. “It has thankfully never happened. That is why the mingling of our species takes place under strict rules. Males are tested for the affliction. Those who suffer from bloodlust may not take part in The Program.”

“That’s understandable,” she said as they walked into a vast space. They were almost at the main entrance. It looked like a common area. There were sitting alcoves positioned all around the space. Natasha hadn’t been sure what to expect but this wasn’t it. It was lavish. From the large crystal chandeliers to the plush woolen carpets and gleaming marble floors. The decorator had gone with classic and modern. Even the artwork was beautiful. There was lots of color and bold brushstrokes.

The area was busy. There were vampires coming and going. There were groups of people either standing around or sitting together on the sofas.

One thing was for sure, vampires were beautiful. The men were masculine and fierce in their beauty and the women were just plain gorgeous. Tall and athletic. Everything from their hair to their long, lean legs. They wore tiny shorts, little tops with … she tried not to stare. None of them wore bras. Not a one. One lady vampire strode past them. She wore the tiniest skirt and a sheer top. Natasha could actually see her small, high breasts. She glanced away. The vampire woman glared at Titan, it looked like she was giving him a dirty look. Titan just kept walking. Either he hadn’t noticed or he didn’t give a shit.

Quite a few of the men gave Titan a nod. One or two guys tried to engage them in conversation but Titan brushed them off. He led them to where their vehicle was parked, just a short distance from the gate.

Eliot jogged over. He smiled as he handed the keys over to Titan. “Thanks,” Titan said.

“Sure.” Eliot looked over at her. There was interest in his eyes. “So, are you guys headed out?” He turned back to Titan, who nodded.

“Will you come and visit again soon?”

Titan shook his head. “Not for a week or two. I’m going to be too busy catching these fuckers to—”

“We,” she said.

“What?” Titan frowned.

“We are going to be too busy.” She smiled at him.

Titan’s jaw tightened. “Things are going to be busy.”

“Well,” Eliot said. “Good luck and be safe … both of you.” He glanced back at her.

Natasha nodded once as she walked over to her side of the vehicle.

“Leaving us so soon?” The voice was mocking. It was the guard from earlier, Luke. Why was the guy being such an asshole? She noticed that the red puffiness around his nose was gone.

Titan didn’t even look that way. He opened his own door, eyes still on Eliot. “See you around.”

“Female,” Luke called to her in a rough rasp.

Natasha chose to ignore him as well. She had a feeling he was either going to hit on her or put Titan down somehow. For whatever reason, he didn’t seem to like her partner.

“Female!” Louder this time.

She continued to ignore the guy. He was an idiot. Natasha was just stepping into the SUV when Luke shouted something at her. “You aren’t safe with him!” At least, it sounded like he had said that but she couldn’t be sure. Natasha stopped herself from sliding all the way into the seat.

“Stop your shit, Luke.” Eliot turned to the head guard. “Drop it. You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t have the full story.”

“Like fuck!” Luke looked really pissed. “That human is not safe with the likes of him. I have no idea how he made head of human security … how he got this assignment in the first place. Our kings have lost their minds.”

“That’s blasphemy. Stop it now! You have no idea what you are talking about,” Eliot raised his voice. “You both applied for Head of Human Guard and Titan was promoted … get the fuck over it.”

“That position has nothing to do with it!” Luke shouted. “Although,” he gave a humorless chuckle, “I can’t comprehend why he …” Luke pointed at Titan who gave a soundless snarl, “would get a role that entails working with human females.” Luke shook his head.

“Get in the car!” Titan growled at her. Shit! He looked angrier than she’d ever seen anyone before. His face was red, his eyes blazing. Both fangs were out and in all of their glory. His eyes seemed to glow a brighter, lighter blue … cold and icy. Hard as nails.

Natasha swallowed hard and jumped in the vehicle, she grabbed the handle but before she could close the door, Luke shouted something. The words made her blood run cold. It couldn’t be. No! She didn’t believe it. This Luke guy was an asshole.

Titan roared, sounding more like a lion than a human. His muscles bunched as he took off towards Luke in a flat-out run. The coward ran for the guardhouse and shut the door with a bang. Eliot gripped Titan around the torso just as he reached the door. Titan yanked himself free.

Eliot said something to Titan that made him stop in his tracks. Eliot said something else. Titan turned, his face was both a mask of rage and of pain … maybe she was reading too much into this but if he was hurt over the words, maybe there was truth to them. It couldn’t be. The two of them spoke for a few seconds, the conversation heated. Then Titan scrubbed a hand over his face and nodded. He looked her way, his face solemn. His whole stance tense. A shiver raced up her spine as she recalled what Luke had said.

No!

She wasn’t afraid of Titan. In fact, she would go so far as to say that she trusted him. She was growing to even like the guy. Had her gut let her down?

No!

Titan strode towards her. She waited for adrenaline to surge for her hands to become sweaty. It didn’t happen. Luke was a gigantic asshole. She’d dealt with his type before. Power hungry and willing to do anything to get to the top. He acted like he was jealous of Titan because he had been promoted ahead of Luke. Maybe the guy was just spreading rumors. Yeah! That had to be it. The asshole was talking smack, he was jealous of Titan. That had to be it. She could breathe more easily.

“Put on your safety belt,” Titan said as he reversed the car in a spray of gravel.

He waited while she did as he said. As soon as the buckle clicked into place, he floored it. His tires squealed on the pavement. The engine roared as they drove out of the gates. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Her breath came in pants. Calm down! Breathe! It wasn’t like she hadn’t been in a high-speed vehicle before. She had her fair share of chases over the years and she’d taken part in several advanced driving courses. Logically, she knew her racing heart had nothing to do with the speed they were traveling.

The back end of the SUV slid out to the left. Her seatbelt bit into her. Titan counter-steered, gaining back control. He handled the vehicle like a pro. Natasha stole a look in his direction. His hands were white on the steering wheel. His jaw was clenched.

A few minutes later, Titan had slowed down some. He was just as tense though. In fact, it looked like he had developed a tic in his jaw.

“Your shirt is torn,” Natasha said, looking pointedly at his bicep. There was a short lengthways tear in the fabric. Probably from when he’d gone after Luke.

Titan glanced down and swore. “I will have to get it replaced. Brant won’t be happy.”

“It’s not that bad, you can wear a jacket to cover it. I’m sure Steve knows Brant’s measurements. I mean, Brant uses Steve so …” She shrugged, stopping mid-sentence. She was babbling. Her chest felt tight.

He gave a hard nod, there were still deep frown lines on his forehead. He didn’t say anything else. His eyes remained trained on the road ahead.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t believe what he said,” Natasha finally blurted. Someone had to address what had just happened.

Titan pursed his lips. They needed to talk about it. Get it out in the open. “What a prick. You should have torn down that door and kicked the shit out of him.”

Titan’s lip twitched before he pursed them together again. He breathed out heavily through his nose.

“No really, you should report him or something. People should not be allowed to spread lies and rumors. It isn’t fair, it—”

“I won’t be reporting him because what he said was true.” Titan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“What? No …” She felt herself frown. What was he saying? “No … you …”

“Yes!” he growled. “It’s fucking true, now can we please drop it?”

Luke’s words ran through her head. Over and over.

“Titan tried to force himself on a female. He likes to rape human females.” Luke had sneered as he said it. Like he was enjoying himself.

Force.

Rape.

She snorted. “I don’t believe it. Not for a second. You wouldn’t do something like that.”

“You’d better believe it,” Titan said, his voice calm.

“Okay, fine! Are you saying you raped someone? Is that what you’re saying because I have a hard time believing it.”

“I don’t give a fuck whether you believe me or not. I’m dangerous. I’m not nice. Not even close. You would do well remembering that.”

Shit! Had he …? Raped someone? Had he done something so awful? So horrendous? She could hear her breath rasping in and out in quick succession. Her heart was just about beating out of her chest. Natasha couldn’t seem to get her panic under control.

“Why aren’t you in jail? If you raped someone you would be in jail.” There was a hint of panic in her voice.

“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change the facts.”

Her mind raced. It couldn’t be. Why wasn’t he denying it? It couldn’t be true … Could it?

“I won’t hurt you,” his voice was soft and gentle. “I won’t so much as lay a finger on you.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” a whisper. It was true. Despite what he had said he had done she still trusted him. Had she gone completely mad? She was obviously stupid but she couldn’t help but feel safe with this man. She was just shocked to her core. The idea of having to work so closely with a rapist didn’t sit well with her. The fact that she still didn’t see him in that light scared her the most. The fact that she still felt comfortable with him, moreover, that she still found him attractive, terrified her. She could smell his masculine scent. It was appealing. There was definitely something very wrong with her.

Titan laughed. The sound held no humor. “You’re fucking terrified, and with good cause.”

“You’re wrong! I’m freaking out but I’m not afraid of you.”

“You should be.”

“I’m not. You said it earlier, we don’t have to be friends. We don’t even need to see eye-to-eye. We do need to work together though.” She pulled out a file from her laptop bag. “I’m still having a hard time believing this whole thing.” She couldn’t say it. “Eliot said it was a misunderstanding. He said that Luke had it all wrong and didn’t know the full story. There’s parts to this you’re not telling me.”

“Whatever! I’ve warned you and let’s leave it at that.” His gaze went back to the road where it stayed. He looked resolute.

“Good idea, let’s move on.” She tried to sound assertive. “The first person we need to interview is Liam Stevenson’s mother, June, and then his younger brother. Carl Stevenson still lives at home. He is unemployed.”

“You can go back to the office. I will interview them.”

“Bullshit! I need to cover your back whether you want me to or not. It’s protocol. Either we,” she put major emphasis on the word, “do this together or I’m going back to Oregon.”

“You’ll be fired if you go back.”

“No, that … flip!” She felt like an idiot. “It was your decision to bring me onboard not my boss’s but yours.”

He sucked in a breath.

“Don’t even try to deny it. It’s written all over your face. I’m not sure why you would let that cow take the credit. Look, I’m going with you and that’s that. Either I go in my own vehicle trailing behind you or we can do this the easy way and go together. You can decide.”

Titan ground his teeth together. Just when she was sure he was going to tell her to go to hell, he nodded. “Stay out of my way.”

“Done.” She sounded triumphant.

Titan nodded. “We’ll first secure a rental vehicle.”

“Yeah. Let’s do that and then we’ll head to the Stevenson’s.” Her heart still beat like a mad thing.

They drove in silence for a time. Natasha kept stealing little glances at him. Her mind worked overtime. If Titan was a rapist, he forced women. Human women. If that was the case, why was he made Head of the Human Guard? A guard that, by the sounds of things, looked after the safety of human women on vampire property. Why was he here on this assignment? Placed amongst humans. Why had he looked so upset … like he was in pain? He said that he didn’t have sex … ever … did that have something to do with it? None of it added up. It was clear that she wasn’t going to get anything more out of Titan on the subject. The more she thought about it, the more she knew that there was a whole chunk of the story missing. Titan wasn’t being honest with her about himself or this investigation. She needed to be careful around him even though she still felt like she could trust him. This whole situation stank.

Titan pulled in the parking area of her hotel and parked the car. Then he pulled out his phone and placed a request for an Uber.

“You’re leaving your SUV at my hotel?”

Titan frowned. “I’m also staying here.”

Oh … Oh!! He stayed in the same hotel as her. Surely she should start panicking about her safety now? Nothing! She got crickets. It was quite simple, she’d put her head down and do her damned job. That’s what she was there for.