Amanda moaned as she felt a warm, strong hand sliding over her bare stomach to her hip. Instinctively, she turned into the caress, her body instantly on fire with need.

Kyrian rolled her over, onto her back, and captured her lips with his. Her head swam at the contact. At the feel of all his strength and power. Never in her life had she felt anything better than his tongue on hers. Or his exquisitely hard body sinuously sliding against her.

She burned even more.

His kiss was fierce and hot, yet strangely tender. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the spicy scent of his skin and tasted the heat of his mouth.

She ran her hands through the silk of his golden hair, delighting in the way the waves curled around her fingers.

He pulled back and stared down at her with a powerful hunger that made her burn as those gorgeous muscles of his shoulders bunched and flexed under her hands. "I will have you," he said fiercely, his voice possessive.

"And I will have you," she said, smiling as she wrapped her legs around his narrow hips.

His devilish, fanged smile took her breath. With her cradled in his arms, he rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him. Amanda bit her lip as she stared down at his handsome face while she felt his hard, masculine body between her thighs.

Needfully, she rubbed herself against his long, hard shaft. He growled in response to her caress.

He swept a famished look over her, then reached up and cupped her breasts in his warm hands. She covered his hands with her own as he squeezed them gently.

"I could stare at you all night," he whispered.

She could definitely relate because nothing would please her more than watching him move around naked for the rest of eternity.

That walk ... that body...

It was more than a mere mortal woman could handle.

He lifted his hips, sending her forward.

Amanda caught herself with her arms. She leaned over him, her hair falling around her face to form a dark canopy over them.

"Now that's what I want." Kyrian reached up to cup her face and pulled her lips to his. His mouth teased hers as he gently sucked her bottom lip between his teeth.

Amanda moaned at the contact as he trailed his hand from her breast down her side and to the center of her body. "And this is what I want most." He plunged two fingers inside her.

Amanda hissed in pleasure as his fingers teased her relentlessly. In and out and around they swirled, making a hot fire to consume her.

He pulled back from her lips. "Now tell me what you want."

"You," she breathed.

"Then you shall have me." Kyrian moved his hands to her hips and pressed her body toward his erection.

Biting her lip expectantly, she longed to feel him inside her. To have his fullness stretch her body while they shared the most intimate of experiences.

She felt the tip of his shaft pressing against her core.

Just as she was sure he'd slide inside, the alarm clock went off.

Amanda came awake with a start.

Dazed, she glanced around the unfamiliar room and it took a full minute before she remembered she was asleep in the nursery at Grace's house.

It had all been a dream?

But it had seemed so real. She swore she could still feel Kyrian's hands on her body, his breath against her neck.

"Oh, it's so not fair," she groused as she got out of bed and turned off the alarm clock. It had just been getting really good.

How could it have been just a dream? Just a dream of mysterious stranger who hid pain behind sarcastic quips and of eyes so dark and deadly they captivated her?

Trying her best to forget the intensity of her subconscious, Amanda wrapped Grace's thick robe around her, then headed for the bathroom.

"Where did it come from?" Grace asked.

Amanda paused in the hallway as she heard Grace and Julian talking below.

"I assume Kyrian left it," Julian said.

Yawning, Amanda went downstairs and found the two of them in the living room surrounded by shopping bags and boxes. Julian was already dressed for work in a pair of khakis and a sweater. Grace wore a blue maternity nightgown while Niklos pulled and shredded paper from a sack beside her.

"What's all this?" Amanda asked.

Julian shrugged.

"You're right," Grace said as she found a note in one bag. "They're from Kyrian." She read the note and laughed. "All it says is, 'Thanks for the Band-Aid.' " She handed the note to Julian.

Julian let out an exaggerated breath as he read the note. "It was customary in our time to bring gifts whenever you visited a friend. But I mean, damn, we didn't leave this many." He ran a hand through his hair as he surveyed the mountain of gifts. "Kyrian was always generous, but... damn," he repeated. "I guess he came back last night and dropped them off while we were sleeping."

Amanda was amazed. It looked like Christmas... at the Rockefellers'. She watched as Grace pulled out dozens of toys for the twins. Dolls for Vanessa, building blocks for Niklos. A train and a toy horse.

Grace pulled a small box out of one bag. "This one's for you," she said, handing it to Julian.

Julian opened the box, then paled.

Grace looked over and gasped. "It's your general's ring."

They exchanged a stunned look.

"How did he get it?" Grace asked.

Amanda edged closer to take a look at the ring. Like Kyrian's, it had a sword of diamonds and emerald laurel leaves against a deep ruby background. "It looks like the one Kyrian wears. Except his has a crown on it."

Julian nodded. "His is marked with a royal seal while mine is strictly military."

Confused, Amanda looked up at him. "Royal?"

"Kyrian was a prince," he said simply. "Sole heir to the throne of Thrace."

Amanda's mouth dropped. "The Romans crucified an heir? I didn't think they could do that."

Julian's jaw ticced. "Technically, they couldn't, but Kyrian's father disowned him the day he married Theone."

"Why?" Amanda asked.

"She was a hetaira." He saw the bemused scowl on her face and added, "They were lower-class women who were trained to be entertainers and companions for wealthy men."

"Ah," she said, easily seeing how that could make his family angry. "Was he looking for a companion when he met her?"

Julian shook his head. "Kyrian met her at a friend's party and was enchanted by her. He swore it was love at first sight. All of us tried to tell him she was only after his wealth, but he refused to listen."

Julian laughed bitterly. "He did that a lot back then. His father adored him, but when Alkis found out Kyrian had broken his engagement to the Macedonian princess so that he could marry Theone, he was incensed. Alkis told him that a king couldn't rule with a whore by his side. They argued, and finally, Kyrian rode out of his father's palace, straight to Theone and married her within the hour. When Alkis found out, he told Kyrian he was dead to him."

Her chest tightened at his words as sympathetic pain sliced through her heart. "So, he gave up everything for her?"

Julian nodded grimly. "The worst part is, Kyrian was never unfaithful to her. Neither one of you really appreciates what an accomplishment that was. In our day, there was no such thing as monogamy. It was completely unheard of for a man to be faithful to his wife, especially one of Kyrian's heritage and wealth. But once Kyrian married Theone, he never wanted anyone else. Never even looked at another woman."

Julian's eyes flashed angrily. "He really did live and die for her."

Amanda's heart ached for Kyrian. The pain he must still have over it.

Grace handed Amanda three bags that held gift-wrapped boxes. "These are for you."

Amanda opened the largest box to find a thickly woven designer coatdress. She ran her hand over the soft, navy blue silk. She'd never felt anything like it. Looking in the bags, she found shoes, and other boxes marked with the Victoria's Secret logo. Blushing, she didn't dare open those around Julian and Grace. Not unless she wanted to die of embarrassment.

"How did he know my size?" she asked as she checked the tags on the dress.

Julian shrugged.

Amanda paused as she found a note addressed to her. The handwriting was elegant and crisp.

Sorry about your sweater. Thanks for being such a good sport.

-Hunter

Amanda smiled, even though a tiny part of her was hurt by the fact he still refused to use his real name with her. No doubt it was his way of keeping a distance between them.

So be it. He had a right to his privacy. A right to live his dangerous immortal life without any kind of close entanglements with humans. If he wanted to remain Hunter to her, she would respect that.

Still, after all they had gone through last night...

In her heart, it didn't matter what name he used. She knew the truth of him.

Gathering her gifts, she headed back up the stairs to get ready for work, but what she really wanted to do was thank Hunter for his kindness.

After her shower, Amanda opened all her gifts to find a treasure of naughty lingerie. Hunter had bought her blue silk stockings with a matching garter belt. She'd never before owned or worn one, and it took her several minutes to figure out how to operate it. A matching silk bra and thong completed the outfit.

"Hmm..." For a man wanting to keep his distance, he certainly made some very personal choices for her. But then, he was nothing if not an enigma.

Amanda bit her lip as she reached for her dress. She felt so incredibly feminine and soft wearing her new lingerie, and a tiny shiver went up her spine as she thought about the fact that Hunter's hands had touched them.

It was incredibly erotic knowing his hand had probably traced the delicate lace of the thong that now rested intimately between her thighs. That his hand had touched inside the cup that cradled her breast.

How she wished to have him there to undress her. To touch her as intimately as the garments did.

She drew her breath in sharply between her teeth as she imagined the dark, hooded look on his face he would have as he took her into his arms and made love to her. Her breasts tingled and swelled at the very thought of it.

She picked up the dress from the bed and held it against her. For the merest instant, she thought she caught a whiff of Hunter's exotic scent. It sent stabs of desire through her.

As she dressed, the silk of the dress slid against her skin, reminding her of her dream. The feel of Hunter's hands on her body.

Oh, how she wished he were here. How she wished she could watch him unbutton her dress to discover the woman beneath it. But it would never happen. Kyrian was gone forever back to his dangerous life.

Her stabs of desire ended instantly, and were replaced by a profound pain in her heart. A pain that made no sense to her and yet it was there. Aching. Wanting. Needing.

Sighing, Amanda slid the shoes on and made her way downstairs where Julian was waiting to take her to work.

"I am so sorry about you and Cliff."

Amanda looked up from her desk and counted to ten. Slowly. If one more person said that to her, she was going to go berserk, head down to Cliff's office, and carve him into little, bloody Cliff-kabob pieces.

He had told everyone in the office about their breakup and had arrogantly said she was too torn up by it to come in yesterday.

She could kill him!

"I'm fine, Tammy," she said to their office manager with a forced smile.

"That's it," Tammy said. "You keep your spirits up."

Amanda curled her lip as Tammy left. At least the day was over. Now she could go home and...

And dream of the tall, handsome man she'd never see again.

Why did that hurt more than the fact Cliff had broken up with her?

What was it about Hunter that made her miss him so... ?

But she knew. He was gorgeous and smart and heroic. He was mysterious and lethal. Better yet, he made her heart pound every time he flashed that dazzling smile at her.

And he was gone forever.

Depressed, she prepared to leave.

After putting her files in her briefcase, Amanda headed out of her office, to the elevator, and pushed the button to the lobby. She didn't want to keep Grace waiting outside with the twins. Besides, she was tired of the office.

This had been the longest day of her life.

Why had she ever wanted to be an accountant, anyway? Selena was right, her life was mind-shatteringly boring.

When the doors to the elevator opened to the glass-enclosed lobby, she stepped out and looked around. Even though it was dark outside, the parking-lot lights were so bright, she could tell Grace wasn't there yet. Damn! She was more than ready to go home.

Irritated, Amanda went to stand by the door.

As she shifted her briefcase, Cliff came out of the next elevator, surrounded by his friends.

Great, just great. Her day kept getting better and better.

Spotting her alone, Cliff preened like a peacock as he approached her. "Is something wrong?" he asked as he stopped by her side.

"No. My ride isn't here yet," she said curtly.

"Well, if you need a ride home..."

"I don't need anything from you, okay?" She headed out the doors to wait in the dark cold. Better to freeze in the winter chill than spend another minute around the last man on earth she wanted to see.

Cliff pulled her to a stop outside the building. The streetlights glinted dimly against his dark blond hair. "Look, Mandy, there's no reason why we can't be friends."

"Don't you dare be magnanimous about this after the stunt you pulled today. Who do you think you are, telling everyone about my family?"

"Oh, c'mon, Mandy-"

"Stop calling me Mandy when you know how much I hate it."

He looked over his shoulder and she realized half the office was standing there, listening. "Look, I'm not the one who had to stay home yesterday because I was so emotionally distraught over Saturday night."

Her anger ignited. Emotionally distraught? Her?

Over him?

Amanda took a good look at him. And for the first time, she realized just what a weasel he was.

"Excuse me, but I wasn't home yesterday, either. In fact, you know where I was? I spent the entire day in the arms of a gorgeous blond god. I am so over you."

He snorted. "See, I knew it was just a matter of time before your family rubbed off on you. You're crazy like the rest of them. I bet you show up tomorrow decked out in black leather and talking about staking vampires."

Never in her life had she wanted to slap anyone as much as she did him right then.

Why had she ever thought they were compatible? He was vile and rude. Worse, he was judgmental! Tabitha might be a nutcase, but she was her sister and no one not related to them had better insult her!

Suddenly, every flaw she had dismissed about Cliff came to the forefront. And to think she had spent a year of her life trying to please this jerk.

She was an idiot! And stupid, dumb...

Amanda felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise an instant before she heard the revving noise of a finely tuned engine in the distance.

Cliff turned his head toward the street and gaped.

She looked to see what had captured his attention and froze at the sight of a sleek black Lamborghini heading up the drive and stopping at the curb in front of them.

A smile broke across her face.

Surely not...

Her heart pounded as the door lifted and Hunter got out Dressed in faded jeans, a gray and black V-neck sweater, and a black leather jacket, the man was drop-dead stunning.

And that deadly swagger of his made her weak in the knees.

"Oh baby," she heard Tammy whisper as he came around the car.

Hunter stopped in front of Amanda and raked a hungry look over her body. "Hi, luscious," he said in that deep, evocative voice. "Sorry I'm late."

Before Amanda knew what he was doing, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a sizzling hot kiss. Her body burned in response to his tongue tasting hers as he fisted his hands against her back. Then, he dipped down and picked her up in his arms.

"Hunter!" she gasped as he carried her effortlessly toward the car.

He gave her that devilish tight-lipped smile. His midnight eyes were warm and alive with humor and hunger.

With the toe of his boot, he opened the passenger-side door and set her inside. He retrieved her briefcase and purse from the sidewalk where she had dropped them and handed them to her. Then, he turned and gave a knowing smile to Cliff. "You really have to love a woman who lives to see you naked."

The look on Cliff's face was priceless as Hunter closed the door, then gracefully walked over to the driver's side of the Lamborghini. In one fluid movement, he got inside the car and they were headed out of the lot.

A thousand emotions tore through Amanda. Gratitude, laughter, but most of all, happiness at seeing him again, especially after both Julian and her mind had convinced her that she never would.

She couldn't believe what he'd just done for her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as he headed out of the parking lot.

"You have made me insane all day long," he breathed. "I could sense you in turmoil and pain, but I didn't know why. So, I called Grace and found out she was supposed to pick you up after work."

"You still haven't told me why you're here."

"I had to make sure you were okay."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just did."

Warmed by his words, she toyed with her seat belt. "Thank you for the clothes. And for what you did back there with Cliff."

"My pleasure."

Right now, it was all she could do not to reach out and touch him. To kiss her scrumptious champion.

Hunter shifted gears and headed away from the business district. "I just have one question, why would a woman like you ever want to marry something like him?"

Amanda arched a brow. "How did you-"

"I'm psychic, remember? Your true feelings for the 'imbecilic jerk' are all over your mind at the moment."

She cringed and wished she could shield her thoughts.

"I heard that, too," Hunter teased, making her really wonder if he had.

"Is there anything I can do about your peeping into my head all the time? It really makes me uncomfortable."

"If you like, I could relinquish that power over you."

"Really? You can just drop a power anytime you want to?"

He snorted. "Not exactly. The only power I can relinquish is the ability to see into someone's thoughts."

"Once relinquished, can you get it back?"

"Yes, but it's not easy."

"Then banish it, buster."

Kyrian laughed and tried to focus on the road, but all he really noticed was the slit in her dress that bared a goodly portion of her silk-clad thigh. Worse, he knew what she wore beneath that dress. It was another image that had haunted him all day as he had tried to sleep.

The thought of her lush curves cupped by the garter belt and thong... It made his mouth water. And all he wanted to do was slide his hand underneath that well-crafted hem until he felt the tiny strip of silk that shielded her most private place. Oh yeah, he could imagine moving it aside with his fingers until he had full access to her.

Or ripping that tiny, frail piece of silk away from her hips and burying himself deep inside her while her silk-clad legs wrapped around his.

Hunter shifted in his seat and remembered too late he should have bought himself a pair of baggy pants.

Touching her would be paradise.

If only paradise were a possibility for a creature like him.

He tightened his grip on the gear shift as the thought tore through him.

"No woman will ever love you for anything other than your money. Mark my words, boy. Men like us will never have that one basic need. The best you can hope for is a child to love you ."

His breath caught as the repressed memory flooded back to him with total clarity. And hard on its heels came the final words he'd spoken to his father.

"How could I ever love a heartless man like you? You mean nothing to me, old man. And you never will."

The pain of it stole his breath. Words he'd spoken in anger that could never be retracted.

How could he have said them to the one person he had loved and respected most?

"So," Amanda asked, distracting him, "what happened with Desiderius last night? Did you get him?"

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and focus on the here and now. "He went into a bolt-hole after our confrontation."

"A what?"

"A bolt-hole. Sanctuary for the Daimons," he explained. "They're astral openings between dimensions. The Daimons can go in for a few days, but when the door opens, they have to leave again."

Amanda was aghast at what he was describing. How could that be possible? "I can't believe the powers that be would give the Daimons such a haven to escape justice."

"They didn't. The Daimons discovered bolt-holes on their own." He flashed a wicked smile at her. "But I'm not complaining. It makes my job infinitely more interesting."

"Well, just so long as you're not bored," she said sarcastically. "I would really hate for your job to ever get dull."

He cast a glance at her that set her on fire. "Chere, I have a feeling being bored around you would be an impossibility."

His words struck a painful nerve in her. "You're the only one who feels that way," she said as she remembered her conversation with Selena. "I've been told I tip the scales way into Boredom City."

He stopped at a light and gave her a penetrating stare. "I don't understand that comment since I've been nothing but amazed by you ever since the moment I woke up to you calling me 'Mr. yummy leather guy.' "

Her face on fire, she laughed at the memory.

"Besides," Hunter continued, "you can't blame people for saying that when you're the one who puts up the shield."

"Excuse me?"

He shifted into first and headed down the street. "It's true. You bury the part of you that craves excitement underneath a career guaranteed to one day replace tranquilizers. You wear drab colors and turtlenecks that hide the passion you keep harnessed."

"I do not," she said, bristling with indignation. "You hardly know me well enough to say that. And you've only seen me in one outfit of my choosing."

"True, but I know your type."

"Yeah, right." She mumbled her denial.

"And I've sampled your passion firsthand."

Amanda's face flamed even more at that one. She couldn't deny the truth. However, it didn't mean she had to like the way he seemed to see straight into her heart.

"I think you're afraid of that other half of yourself," he continued. "You remind me of the ancient Greek nymph Lyta. She was two halves of one person. The two pieces warred with each other, making her-and anyone who knew her-miserable until one day a Greek soldier came upon the two halves and joined them. From that day forward she lived in harmony with herself and others."

"What, are you saying I make you miserable?"

He laughed. "No. I find you amusing, but I think you'd be much happier if you would accept your true nature and not try so hard to fight it."

"This coming from a vampire who doesn't drink human blood? Tell me, aren't you fighting your nature, too?"

He smiled at that. "Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I too would be happier if I turned the wild beast inside me loose." He glanced askance at her. "I wonder if you could handle that part of me."

"Meaning?"

He didn't answer. "Where do I need to take you? Julian's, your mother's, or your place?"

"Well, since you're headed toward my house, I suppose there. I live a few blocks over from Tulane."

Kyrian did his best to stay focused on traffic, but over and over he kept seeing flashes of his dream in his mind. Damn, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had such a vivid dream. He'd awakened early in the morning, hard and aching for her. And he could have sworn her scent was on his pillows. His skin.

He'd spent the rest of the day trying his best to sleep, but it had been fitful at best. He wanted this woman with a need so profound that it made him shake just to be near her.

Never in his life had he wanted anything more than to do what she suggested: to turn himself loose on her and devour her.

If only he dared.

As soon as it had turned dark, he had gone hunting for her.

It was the first time in his Dark-Hunter life that he'd pursued a human.

"You know," she said, that soft, lilting drawl sending an electric charge down his spine straight to his groin. "You didn't have to pick me up. You could have just called the office and checked on me."

Kyrian cleared his throat as he felt heat creep over his face. Dammit! She had him blushing? He hadn't blushed since he was a callow youth over two thousand one hundred and sixty years ago. "I didn't have your number."

"You could have gotten it from any phonebook or information. And of course, Grace has it."

He felt her smiling at him.

"Heck, you could have probably picked it right out of my brain." Her look turned devilish, suspicious. "I bet you just wanted to see me again, didn't you?"

"No," he said a little too quickly.

"Umm-hmmm." Disbelief echoed in her tone. "Why don't I believe that?"

"Probably because I never could lie worth a damn."

They both laughed.

Amanda watched him while he drove. He had his small round sunglasses back on and looked more dashing than any man had a right to.

"Tell me something?" she asked.

He arched a brow expectantly, but didn't say anything as he kept looking straight ahead.

"Do you really like being a Dark-Hunter?"

He glanced at her and smiled a smile that actually showed his fangs. "Tell me how many jobs are out there where you get to play hero every night. My pay is astronomical and I live forever. What is there not to love about this job?"

"But don't you ever get lonely?" she asked.

"You can be in a crowd and be lonely."

"I guess so. Still..."

He looked sideways at her. "Why don't you ask me what you want to know?"

"Since you can read my thoughts why don't you answer it?"

His smile widened hungrily like a wolf that had just found its next meal. "Yes, sweeting, I think you're incredibly sexy. And I would love nothing more than to take you back to my place and make your toes curl."

Heat consumed her face. "I hate the way you do that. You're worse than Tabitha. Good Lord, do all Dark-Hunters have that kind of power?"

"No, baby, just me." Then he added, "Each one of us has our own set of abilities."

"I have to say, I really wish you had a different one."

"All right, love. For you, it's gone. No more mind reading."

As Amanda watched him, she realized that even though he was blustery and macho, there was still a decent heart underneath it all. "You're a good man, Hunter."

"I'm a good vampire, you mean."

"Yes, but you don't suck blood."

One corner of his mouth quirked at that. "So Julian told you that, did he?"

"Yes, he did. He said Dark-Hunters, unlike Apollites, were spared that part of Apollo's curse."

"For the record," he said ominously, "we don't need blood to live, but there are some Dark-Hunters, called Feeders, who do drink it." He shifted gears. "I think you and Julian spent entirely too much time talking last night."

"Perhaps." But then Hunter had become her favorite topic. She'd kept poor Julian awake half the night asking things about Kyrian and the Dark-Hunters.

"Is it true Daimons only live twenty-seven years?"

He nodded. "That's why they're so dangerous. Most Apollites will do anything to buy themselves another day."

Which was why the Dark-Hunters, according to Julian, were soulless. It kept the Daimons from taking the most powerful souls of all. And the more powerful the soul the Daimons took, the longer they lived on borrowed time.

"Someone like you," Kyrian said, "is prime Daimon bait. When they take your soul, they take all your psychic powers with it."

Amanda scoffed. "I have no powers."

"Whatever lie makes you happy."

"It's not a lie," she said defensively. "I have no abilities whatsoever. At least not unless it involves crunching numbers."

"All right, number-cruncher, I believe you."

His words might say that, but his voice didn't. Narrowing her eyes on the stubborn man, she directed him toward her house.

As they drew near, she saw clouds of gray billowing smoke against the night sky. "Is that a house fire?"

"Yeah, it looks like a big one, too."

"Oh no," she gasped as they got closer and she saw her house on fire.

But Hunter didn't stop there, he went down the street to Tabitha's where another blaze was roaring.

Tears filled her eyes as she fumbled for the door latch. "Tabitha!" she screamed, terrified her sister might be inside the house.

Faster than she could blink, Hunter got out of the car and ran into the burning house.

Her heart hammering, Amanda scrambled from the car.

After kicking off her high heels, she ran to the porch, but didn't dare try to run inside with her bare feet.

"Hunter?" she called, trying to see through the flames. "Tabitha!"

Please be okay, Tabby. Please still be at work!

As she waited for sight or sound of Kyrian, a motorcycle flew through Tabitha's yard and slid to a screeching halt next to the walkway.

Moving like lightning, a man pulled his black helmet off, tossed it to the ground, then ran toward the house so fast she couldn't even make out his features. He went around back at the same time Hunter came out the door, carrying Tabitha's roommate.

Amanda followed Hunter to the lawn where he laid Allison down on the grass.

"Tabitha isn't in there," he said. He inclined his head to Allison's unconscious body. "She inhaled a lot of smoke." He scanned the street around them; several neighbors stood nearby, but none of them came forward. "Where's the damned ambulance?" he snarled.

Terminator came running up to them. He licked Allison's face, then Amanda.

Patting the white and black dog, Amanda looked up to see the man who had arrived on the motorcycle. He was every bit as handsome as Hunter, yet there was something ethereal about him. Mystical.

His blond hair was cut short except for two long braids that fell from his left temple down to the middle of his chest. He wore a zipped-up black motorcycle jacket that had red and gold Celtic scrollwork painted all over it and a thick gold tore around his neck.

He knelt beside Hunter and passed his gloved hand over Allison's body about an inch above it.

"Her lungs are singed," he said quietly.

"Can you help her, Talon?" Hunter asked.

Talon nodded. He removed his gloves, then placed his hands against Allison's ribs.

After a few seconds, Allison's breathing became slow and steady.

Talon met Amanda's gaze. She shivered as she saw that he had the exact same eyes as Kyrian.

There was something very unsettling and strange about this new Dark-Hunter.

He was stillness, she realized. Like some bottomless pond. There was a calm serenity to him that was both beguiling and frightening.

And it dawned on her that something really bad must be going on. Why else would another Dark-Hunter be here at the same time?

"Desiderius set the fires, didn't he?" she asked.

Both of the men shook their heads no.

Hunter looked to Talon. "Your target?"

"My guess would be they've teamed up. Mine is trying to flush you out while yours is in hiding."

At last the fire crews arrived. An EMT team took over with Allison while the three of them moved to stand to the side.

"Well, damn, Talon, this is new," Hunter said as he raked a hand through his hair. "It leaves us completely vulnerable."

Talon inclined his head toward Tabitha's burning house. "Yeah, I know. It sucks that they can combine their strengths while we can't."

"Why can't you?" Amanda asked.

Talon turned to Hunter. "How much does she know?"

"A lot more than she should."

"Can we trust her?"

Hunter looked askance at her; the uncertainty in his eyes hurt her. She would never do anything to harm the man who had saved her life.

"I had a voice mail from Acheron this evening that said to give her whatever information she wanted."

Talon frowned. "That doesn't sound like T-Rex to me."

"You know, Acheron really hates when you call him that."

"Which is exactly why I use it. And I find it hard to believe T-Rex would give her carte blanche."

"Yeah, but you know Acheron. There must be a purpose to it, and in his own, decrepit time, I'm sure he'll get around to enlightening us."

"So tell me, then," she prompted. "Why can't you guys combine your strengths?"

"It's to keep us from cockfighting or using our powers against the humans or gods," Hunter explained. "As a result, as soon as we get together, we start draining each other's powers and dampening them. The longer we stay together, the weaker we become."

Amanda gaped. "That's not fair."

"Life seldom is," Talon said.

Hunter turned to Talon. "Any idea where your target is?"

"I lost the tracking signal here. So I'm guessing there must be a bolt-hole close by."

"Great," Hunter said, "just friggin' great."

Talon concurred. "I'm thinking we should call in Kattalakis to flush both of them out."

"No," Hunter said quickly. "This isn't the typical Daimon we're dealing with and something tells me siccing a Were-Hunter on Desiderius would be like tossing a grenade on a keg of dynamite. The last thing we need is for him to grab one of their souls. Can you imagine the damage he could wreak with that?"

"Were-Hunter?" Amanda asked. "Is that like a werewolf?"

Talon cleared his throat. "Not exactly."

"We protect the night," Hunter said. "Hence Dark-Hunter. And they..." He gave Talon a searching gaze.

Talon took up the explanation. "Were-Hunters are..." He looked to Hunter as if seeking the right word, too.

Hunter shrugged. "Sorcerers?"

"Works for me," Talon said.

Well, it didn't work for Amanda, who had no idea what they were talking about. "Sorcerers? Like Merlin?"

"Oh hell," Talon muttered. He locked gazes with Hunter. "You sure about what T-Rex said?"

Hunter undipped his cell phone from his belt, scrolled through his saved messages, then handed it to Talon. "Listen for yourself."

Talon did. After a brief wait, he handed the phone back to Hunter and faced Amanda. "All right, then, let's explain it this way. There are four basic kinds of Daimons or vampires: bloodsuckers, soulsuckers, energy/dreamsuckers, and slayers."

Amanda nodded. That made sense to her. "You guys are the slayers."

Hunter snorted. "What? Were you born with a remote in your hand?"

"No," Talon corrected her while ignoring Hunter's sarcasm. "Slayers are the nastiest of all the vampires because they don't want anything from their victims. They merely destroy for the sake of destruction. Not to mention, they are the strongest of the vampires."

A shiver went down her spine. "Is Desiderius one of them?"

Hunter shook his head negatively while Talon continued to explain it to her. "To protect the world as we know it, there were three races of hunters created to police and destroy the Daimons. We are called 'the Pyramid of Protection.' Dark-Hunters pursue those who feed on human blood and souls. Dream-Hunters go after the energy- and dreamsuckers, and Were-Hunters stalk the slayers."

Amanda frowned. "I guess what I don't understand is why you don't have one group that does it all."

"Because we can't," Hunter said. "If one person or group was strong enough to walk all four realms of existence, they would be able to enslave the world. Nothing and no one could stop them. And the gods would be greatly pissed."

"What four realms?"

"Time, space, earth, and dreams," Talon said.

Amanda let out a deep breath. "Okay, now that is scary. Some of you guys walk through time?"

"And space and dreams."

"Ah." Amanda nodded. "So Rod Serling was a Were-Hunter?"

They didn't look particularly amused.

"Okay," she said. "Bad attempt at humor. I'm just trying to figure all this out."

Talon laughed. "Don't. I've been trying to understand it all for over fifteen-hundred years and I'm still learning things."

Hunter grimaced. "You? Every time I think I have it pegged someone like Desiderius comes along and completely alters the rules."

"True," Talon said with a short laugh. He rolled his shoulders. "And speaking of scary things, I need to leave. My guides are fading even as we speak."

Hunter faked a shiver. "I hate when you commune with the dead in front of me."

Talon gave him a droll, unamused stare. "Are you the asshole who sent the 'I See Dead People' T-shirt to me?"

Hunter laughed. "That would be Wulf. I thought he was joking about it."

"He wasn't. I got it three days ago. I am going to get him back for that." Talon looked at Amanda. "Keep her close."

Hunter nodded.

Talon glanced over his shoulder at one of the fire crews. "Is it just me or is the Apollite fireman behind me paying a little too much attention to us?"

"Yeah, I caught that, too. I think I should question him."

"Not tonight. Secure her first. I'll interrogate the Apollite."

Hunter cocked a brow in amusement. "Don't you trust me?"

"Hell, no, Greek. I know you too well." Talon headed back to his black Harley-Davidson and retrieved his helmet from the ground. "I'll e-mail you later with the results."

"E-mail?" Amanda asked. "Should I ask?"

Hunter shrugged. "We've come a long way. We used to pay runners to carry information between us."

"Ah," she said, then she noticed a solitary man standing across the street in the shadows. Instead of watching the fire, he seemed more concerned with Hunter and Talon.

Talon rejoined them.

"Question," Amanda whispered as she studied the gorgeous blond shadow across the street. "Are all Daimons blond?"

"Yes," Hunter said. "As are all Apollites."

"Then how can you tell an Apollite from a Daimon?"

"Unless they have us blocked, we can sense them," Talon said. "But the only way for a human to tell is that when an Apollite crosses over, a black tattoo-looking symbol appears in the center of their chest where the human souls gather."

"Ah," she said again, still watching the man who was watching them. "Tell me, do you think your targets are purposely putting the two of you together to drain your powers before they strike?"

The men gave her a puzzled look.

"Why do you say that?" Talon asked.

"Well, I'm no expert, but that guy behind you looks like a Daimon to me."

The words barely left her lips before a flash of light hit Talon straight in his back and sent him to the ground.

Hunter cursed as he shoved her toward the car. He leapt over it, and ran straight at the Daimon who had attacked Talon. The two of them locked arms and fell to the ground in a fierce struggle.

Amanda made her way to Talon. He was covered in blood. Her heart pounding, she tried to help him up, but before she could another Daimon attacked them.

Reacting on instinct, she grabbed the Celtic dagger from Talon's belt and caught the Daimon across the chest. The man hissed, then shrank back.

Talon came to his feet. Grabbing his dagger from her hand, he sent it flying into the back of the Daimon as he fled. The Daimon vanished in a flash of light.

Hunter came out of the darkness, his breathing labored as he retrieved Talon's dagger from the ground, then returned it to the Celt. "You all right?" he asked.

Talon grimaced as he flexed his arm. "I've bled worse. You?"

"I've bled worse."

Talon gave a curt nod to Amanda. "Thanks for the assist." He rubbed the back of his shoulder with his hand. "Secure your woman. We'll talk later."

"All right."

Amanda grimaced as she watched Talon sling his long leg over his motorcycle. His movements were slow and steady, and that alone was proof of the pain he must be in. "Is he really okay?"

"We heal fast. Most wounds vanish in less than twenty-four hours."

A siren sounded in the distance. Kyrian looked down the street where the lights were flashing. "The police are coming. We need to head out before they arrive."

"What about Allison?'

"She'll be all right once she wakes. Talon's touch can heal anything except death."

"And Terminator?"

Hunter gave a whistle and opened the door to his car. He put Terminator in her seat. "It'll be a tight squeeze, but I think we can manage."

Amanda got in the car and adjusted Terminator in her lap as best she could. It wasn't until Hunter sat next to her that she saw the blood on his hand and arm. "You're hurt?"

"Flesh wound on my forearm. It'll heal."

"Jeez, Hunter. How can you stand doing what you do?"

He laughed. "I've done it for so long, I honestly don't remember what life was like before I died."

His words sent a chill over her. "You're not really dead, are you? I'm kind of fuzzy on all this. You have a heartbeat and you bleed, not to mention that your skin is warm to the touch. That implies life, right?"

He started the car and headed down the street away from the police. "Yes and no. Once a human dies, Artemis uses her powers to trap our souls. After the soul is contained, we are brought back to life."

"How?"

"Since I was dead at the time, I have no idea. All I know is that I felt everything go black, then I woke up with powers and strengths I never knew before."

Amanda thought about that as she stroked Terminator's ears and held the dog's head against her stomach to keep him quiet. "Does that mean you can die again?"

"Yes."

"Then what happens?"

Hunter took a deep breath. "If we die before we reclaim our souls, we walk the earth eternally without powers. We are trapped as Shades in our corporeal bodies, but we have no real substance, which means we can't touch anything or be heard by anyone other than the Oracles. We crave food and water, but have no way to appease the hunger or thirst. It's a short trip from partial damnation to a total damnation."

Amanda gaped at the horror of such a fate. She couldn't stand the thought of something like that happening to him. "Does that happen even if a Daimon kills you?"

He nodded.

"That's not fair."

He glanced over at her. "What kind of life have you lived, little one, that everything seems to be a question of fair and unfair? Life and death just are. Fair has nothing to do with it."

There was something very telling about that statement.

Just how many times had he suffered injustice to feel that way?

That thought was quickly followed by another. "Julian said you can get your soul back."

"In theory, yes."

"In theory?" she asked as Terminator lifted his head to look at Hunter.

Hunter reached over and patted the dog's head until Terminator settled down again.

"We are given an out clause, but in the last two thousand years, only a handful have succeeded. Most of the ones who tried ended up as Shades."

Amanda frowned. How horrible. By his tone she could tell Hunter had resigned himself to the fact he would never even attempt it. Why?

"What would you have to do to get your soul back?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. None of us do since the path to redemption is different for each Dark-Hunter. All I know is that when the moment of truth comes, the Dark-Hunter is either set free or damned for eternity."

What Kyrian didn't tell her was that in order to be free, the Dark-Hunter must place his or her soul into the hands of someone who loved them. Having been burned so severely by his wife, he would never again trust anyone with his body or heart, never mind his immortal soul.

He had seen too many of his brethren trapped as Shades because the person they trusted had failed the test.

And in the back of his mind was the knowledge that no woman could ever love him. Not even a tiny bit. Let alone love him enough to set him free.

"Why did you agree to this life?" she asked.

He arched a brow. "I told you, I have unlimited income and immortality. What's not to like?"

Still, Amanda didn't buy that. It was too easy and he didn't seem so superficial. "You just don't seem the greedy sort to me."

"No?"

"No. You're more grounded than that. More generous. Greedy people don't leave the kind of thoughtful gifts you left for Julian and his family." She saw his jaw flex and she knew she'd pegged him perfectly. "How did you get his ring back, anyway? Julian said he had sold it a few years ago."

Hunter remained so quiet that she didn't think he would answer. Finally he spoke. "I saved a man who was wearing it about a year ago from a Daimon attack. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. I offered to buy it from him, but he let me have it for saving him."

Amanda narrowed her eyes on him, wishing she could see into him the way he was able to see into her. "Why did you want it?"

A veil fell over his face and she could tell just how much the topic bothered him.

"Well?" she prompted when it became evident he wouldn't answer.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, his voice sharp and moody. "That I had a moment of weakness when I saw it? That for an instant I felt the pang of being homesick? Yeah, I did. There, you now know the Dark-Hunter who has no soul has a heart. Are you happy?"

"I already knew you had a heart."

He stopped at a red light and looked at her. A fierce frown creased his brow as if he were trying to figure her out.

"Believe it or not," she continued, "it shows in everything you do."

He shook his head as if he couldn't believe her, then he looked back at the light. "You know nothing about me."

It was true and yet...

She was intrigued by him. Captivated. This man who wasn't a man called out to her and seduced her. All she had ever wanted in life was to be normal. To have a warm, loving home with children. A quiet life.

He could offer her none of that.

Yet when she looked at Kyrian, when she thought about him, the strangest things happened to her. It wasn't just lust.

There was something more.

Something undefinable that made her heart just a little happier, a little more tender. Something about being around him that made her soar.

She wondered if he felt that, too.

If he did, he kept it well hidden behind that tough exterior of his.

"Can I ask you something else?"

He sighed irritably. "What the hell? You've asked me everything else."

She disregarded his caustic words. "Why did you become a Dark-Hunter?"

"I wanted vengeance at any cost."

"Against Theone?"

This time there was no mistaking the pain on his face, the slight flaring of his nostrils. His hand was so tight on the steering wheel that she could see his knuckles protruding sharply against his skin.

Amanda took a deep breath as she stroked Terminator's ears. She couldn't fault him for wanting revenge against a woman who had been so cold-blooded as to turn him over to his enemies. "Julian told me the gods give you twenty-four hours to exact revenge. What did you do to her?"

A tic started in his jaw and when he spoke, his tone was rife with anger. "For her, I turned my back on my family. I gave up a kingdom and hurt the people who truly loved me. Because of Theone, the last words I spoke to my parents were hurtful and cruel. And when they delivered the news to my father that I had died, the grief of it drove him insane.

"He flung himself from the window of my childhood room onto the courtyard stones below, where he died a broken man, calling my name. My mother never spoke another word again until the day she died, and my youngest sister sheared her hair off to let the world know just how much she grieved.

"Without me to lead our forces, the Romans invaded and took over my homeland. My people lost their dignity, their nationality, and suffered for centuries under Roman occupation."

Hunter glanced at her. 'Tell me, what would you have done to my wife?"

Tears welled in her eyes as she listened to the pain in his voice. How she ached for him. Dear Lord, no one deserved such punishment because they had mistakenly thought someone loved them.

But what struck her most was that there was no mention of what Theone had done to him. He was only sorry for what it had cost his family and country.

She wanted to touch him so badly that she wasn't sure how she refrained. Instead, she kept her attention on Terminator. Holding the dog the way she wanted to hold Hunter.

"I don't know," she whispered past the stinging lump in her throat. "I guess I would have killed her, too."

"One would think that, anyway."

A chill went up her spine. "You didn't, did you?"

"No, I didn't. I had my hands wrapped around her neck and was about to end her life when she looked up at me with those weepy, fearful eyes. One minute I wanted to kill her and the next thing I knew, I wiped her tears away, kissed her trembling lips, and left her there in peace."

He clenched his teeth. "So, you see, you sit beside the greatest fool ever born. A man who traded his soul for a vengeance he never took."

The full horror of his past hit her. After all he had suffered because of his wife, after all he had lost, he had still loved her. Greatly.

No matter what Theone had done to him, in the end he had forgiven her.

How could anyone have betrayed someone capable of so much love and loyalty?

Amanda couldn't fathom it. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. As they say, I made my bed and I was crucified in it. I was the one who was blind and foolish. I realized too late that she had never, once, told me she loved me."

The regret and sorrow in his voice tore at her. "It wasn't your fault," she said as they headed into the Garden District. "She had no right to betray you."

"Theone never betrayed me. I betrayed myself."

Good Lord, he was strong. She'd never known anyone who was so willing to shoulder such responsibility on his own shoulders. How she wished for a way to reach through that iron wall he kept around himself.

Her heart heavy, Amanda watched as they passed by the antebellum mansions where large oaks and pines were draped with tons of hanging Spanish moss.

Hunter pulled into a drive at the end of the street. Trees obscured her view to the house, and two large stone pedestals secured a heavy wrought-iron, twelve-foot-high gate. A tall redbrick wall surrounded the grounds and seemed to go on forever.

The place looked like a fortress.

He grabbed a remote out of the glove compartment, pressed the button, and the heavy gates swung wide.

Amanda's breath caught in her throat as he drove up the long, curving driveway and she could finally see where he lived.

Her jaw dropped. His house was huge! The neoclassical architecture was some of the best she'd seen. Tall columns ran all the way around the house and the upper balconies had ornate white iron scrollwork.

Hunter drove around to the back of the house and into a six-car garage where she saw he also owned a Mercedes, a Porsche, a vintage Jaguar, and a new Buick that looked strangely out of place.

Okay, the Lamborghini had clued her in that Hunter had a lot of money, but she'd never dreamed he lived like this.

Like royalty.

She winced at the thought. Of course he did, since that was what he was. A prince. A real-life prince of ancient Greece.

As the garage door closed behind them, Hunter helped her out of the car. He turned Terminator loose in his backyard, then led her inside the huge house. Her gaze tried to take in everything at once as they walked down a small hallway into a kitchen where a thin, elderly Hispanic woman was pulling something delectable out of the oven.

His kitchen was mammoth, with stainless-steel appliances and antiques lining the dark green walls and marble counter-tops.

"Rosa," Hunter said in a chastising tone as he laid his keys down on the counter by the door. "What are you doing here?"

Rosa jumped and patted her chest. "Lord, m'ijo, you scared me out of ten years."

"I'm going to scare you out of more than that if you don't do what the doctor said. You and I had an agreement. Do I have to call Miguel again?"

She narrowed her large brown eyes on him as she set her pan of chicken on the stove. "Now, don't you go threatening me. I gave birth to that boy and I'm not about to let him go lecturing me on what I need to do. And that goes for you, too. I was minding my own home long before you were born. You hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Rosa paused as she caught sight of Amanda. A wide smile spread across her face. "It's good to see you with a woman, m'ijo."

Hunter passed a sheepish look to Amanda. He stepped over to the stove to inspect the food. "This smells delicious, Rosa, gracias."

Rosa smiled proudly as she watched him savor her work. "I know; that's why I made it. I'm tired of seeing TV dinners and fast food bags in the garbage. You need to eat real food once in a while. That processed stuff will kill you."

Hunter gave her a gentle, tight-lipped smile. "I think I can handle it."

Rosa snorted. "We all think we can, and that's why I have to take heart medicine now."

"And speaking of," Hunter said, turning to her with a chiding stare, "you are supposed to be home by now. You promised me."

"I'm going. I put a salad for you in the refrigerator. There should be enough for both of you."

Hunter took Rosa's coat from the back of the chair and helped her into it. "You are taking tomorrow off."

"But the gardener man, he comes."

"Nick can let him in."

"But-"

"Nick can handle it, Rosa."

She patted his hand affectionately. "You're a good boy, m'ijo. I'll see you Wednesday."

"But not before noon."

She smiled. "Not before noon. Good night."

"Adios."

"So," Amanda teased as soon as they were alone. "You actually do know how to be nice to someone."

She saw the corners of his mouth twitch as he fought down the urge to smile at her. "Only when the mood strikes me."

He pulled a fork and knife out of a drawer and cut a small bite of chicken.

"Oh, this is good," he said. He cut another piece. "Here, you have to taste this."

Before she realized what she was doing, Amanda allowed him to feed it to her. The spices filled her mouth at the same moment it dawned on her just how intimate a moment they were sharing.

By the look in his eyes, she would say it occurred to Hunter about two seconds after her.

"It's very good," she said, stepping back from him.

Without another word, Hunter set about putting out plates for them. As she watched him, the full horror of the night came crashing down on her.

"My house is gone," she breathed. "Completely gone."

Kyrian set the plates aside as he felt her pain reaching out to him. It was a staggering wave of loss.

She looked up at him, her eyes swimming in grief. "Why did he burn my house? Why?"

"At least you weren't in it."

"But I could have been. Oh God, Hunter, Tabitha is normally home at that time! What if you hadn't been there? Allison would be dead. Tabitha could have been killed." She sobbed as she looked about, panic-stricken. "He's not going to stop until we're dead, is he?"

Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms and held her close. "It's all right, Amanda, I've got you." Kyrian froze as he realized what he'd done.

He'd used her name. And with it, he felt some inner barrier shatter.

Tears rolled down Amanda's cheeks. "I know it's just a house, but all my things were in there. My favorite books, the blanket my grandmother crocheted for me before she died. Everything that was me was in there."

"Not everything. You're still here."

She wept against his chest. Kyrian closed his eyes and leaned his cheek against the top of her head as she clutched at him. It had been centuries since he'd comforted a woman.

Centuries since he felt this way. And it shook him deeply.

"Can Desiderius get to Tabitha?"

"No," he whispered against her hair, trying not to inhale the sweet rose scent. He failed and his body reacted instantly as his groin tightened and burned for her. "As long as she stays in a private, human dwelling he can't get to her. It's one of the limitations Apollo put on them when he cursed them so that humans would have some protection."

Amanda took a ragged breath and stepped away from him. "I'm sorry," she said, wiping the tears from her face.

He clenched his teeth as he noted the way her hand shook. He could kill Desiderius for hurting her like this.

"I don't normally cry in front of people."

"Don't apologize," he whispered, cupping her face in his hands. "You're actually holding up a lot better than anyone should under the circumstances."

She looked up at him from under those long, dark, wet eyelashes. His heart hammered at the vulnerability he saw. A vulnerability that touched him on a level he didn't want to think about.

He wanted her. Desperately.

He hadn't felt this in so long, no, he corrected himself, he had never felt this way about another woman, not even Theone. This wasn't just lust or love, he felt a bond with her. They were like two parts of a single heart.

But it was a lie. It had to be. He didn't believe in love anymore. Didn't believe in much of anything.

And yet...

She made him want to believe again. Made him long for things he had forgotten. Things like a tender hand in his hair when he woke up. The feel of a warm body lying next to him while he slept.

He was almost powerless before it.

His cell phone rang. Kyrian pulled it off his belt and answered it.

It was Talon.

"Is the woman with you?" Talon asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Because you have one big problem. The Apollite told me the fires were set from an electronic timer that was hidden inside the houses."

Kyrian frowned, then went cold as he remembered something else Amanda had said to him yesterday. "Amanda?" he asked, drawing her attention to him. "Didn't you say Desiderius had captured you while you were inside Tabitha's house?"

She nodded. "In her living room."

His stomach settled into a cold knot of dread. "Did you hear that?" he asked Talon.

Talon cursed. "How is that possible?"

"Someone must have invited Desiderius in, which means there's a human running around working with or for him. My money says Tabitha wouldn't be so stupid."

"Neither would Allison," Amanda inserted. "She knows to watch out for anyone suspicious."

Kyrian thought it over. "Any ideas?" he asked Talon.

"I don't know."

"What does your guide say?"

"Ceara knows nothing. And the next tiny problem, my back isn't healing."

If his stomach drew any tighter, it would make a diamond. "Not healing how?"

"I was hit with an astral blast. The same kind a god wields."

Kyrian went cold. "I didn't kill a god, I killed a Daimon."

"I know."

Kyrian cursed under his breath. "What have we gotten into?"

"Beats me, but until we know more, I suggest you sit tight on her. With the untapped powers she has, Desiderius will be after her full force. I'm sure by now he'd rather have her than her sister."

Kyrian shifted the phone as he watched Amanda take a seat at his table. Gods, he couldn't stand the thought of her being hurt. The pain of the idea racked him. "Do you need me to do anything for your back?"

"No. It just hurts like hell."

Kyrian knew the feeling. His shoulder was still stinging from Aphrodite. "I'm beginning to understand how Desiderius killed the last eight Dark-Hunters who went up against him."

"Yeah," Talon agreed. "And I don't want us to be nine and ten."

"Me, neither. Okay, I'll keep Amanda safe with me, but we still have the problem of her sister out there."

"I can have Eric put a leash on Tabitha for the time being. You just make sure Amanda stays in touch with her or she's likely to make our lives even more difficult."

"Will do." Kyrian hung up and tossed his phone onto his counter.

"Is something wrong?" Amanda asked.

He laughed in spite of himself. "I think a better question would be, is anything not wrong?"

"And that means?"

"It means your boring life has just ended. And for the next few days, it looks as if you're going to find out exactly how dangerous mine is."