John stuck his hand toward the door. “All you.” Then he walked away.

She swallowed down the fear that had taken hold of her throat again. She could do this. His business was obviously suffering. He needed the curfew lifted much more than she did. Straightening herself, she opened the door and walked into Dominic’s office.

Except Dominic wasn’t there.

“Ciao, bella. What can I do for you?” If not for the fangs he proudly displayed, she wouldn’t have been sure the man who’d greeted her was actually a vampire. Something about him just didn’t read that way. He was lean and ropey like a long-distance runner, his dark complexion reminding her of Dominic, but with an edge. Despite their one encounter, Dominic had struck her as a smooth character, a man used to getting his way. “I’m looking for Dominic.”

“Ah, I am so sorry, but Dominic is not available. I am his nephew, Luciano. And you are?”

“I am the mayor of Paradise City, but you can call me Lola.”

“Lola, cara mia, it is my great pleasure to meet you.” He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, brushing his cool lips across her knuckles. She shivered. “You are a very important mortal, no? Perhaps I can help you with something?”

Being referred to as mortal, important or otherwise, reminded her of her mission. She eased her hand from his grasp as wheels in her head began to turn. She smiled at the plan forming in her thoughts. He smiled back and she had a good feeling this evening was going to go exactly the way she wanted it to. “You can help me. May I sit?”

“Mi scusi! Si, come in, sit down.” He moved out of her way and held his hand toward a pair of beautiful antique chairs.

“Thank you.” A wealth of antiques filled the office, but the centerpiece was an impressive marble-topped desk. Dominic had expensive taste. He had to be hurting. She took one of the chairs.

Luciano sat across from her, not behind the desk as she’d expected. He pinched the knife-edge crease of his trousers to straighten it. When he looked at her, his eyes held one of the most calculating stares she’d ever seen. It was as though he were sizing her up, measuring how fast she could run, how quickly she’d react. How loud she’d scream. “My uncle tells me you are the one responsible for the curfew.”

“Yes, I am. That’s why I’m here, actually.” How much had Dominic told him? Not too much, hopefully. “Your uncle and I had discussed the possibility of ending the curfew. Did he mention that to you?”

“No, I am afraid not. You would be so kind as to fill me in?”

Luciano blinked far too little for her liking. She swallowed and prayed that he was telling the truth and that her lies came off sincerely. She crossed her legs. His gaze drifted from her face to watch. The little black dress had been the right choice. “The matter is simple. I am willing to drop the curfew so that your uncle’s business may resume and the lives of all othernaturals will return to their normal routines. However—”

“You want something in exchange.”

She laughed, her nerves showing through more than she liked. “Isn’t that the way of the world?” She rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and stroked the underside of her jaw. Again, his gaze followed. “I would ask that men of power like your uncle and yourself urge the othernatural community to be patient with the mortal citizens of the city.”

“That is not such a difficult thing.” He sucked his bottom lip between his tongue and teeth, his fangs scraping the skin almost audibly. Then he smiled and this time, it reached his eyes, lighting his entire face with a wickedness that sparked something deep in her belly. Did all vampires cause weakness in mortal women? He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “But that is not all you desire, is it, Lola?”

Again, she swallowed, but this time it was to rid her mouth of the saliva pooling there, not to control her fear. If he was using some sort of power over her, it was working. Very well. “No,” she breathed. Her fingers traced the wide neckline of her dress. If he rejected her… “I want to be turned.”

He sat back and squinted as if he didn’t understand. “Turned?”

Her hands dropped to her lap and she twisted the gold and onyx ring on her pinkie. “I want to be made vampire.” She waited for him to laugh or yell or throw her out. When he did none of those things, she glanced up.

His intense stare met her. “Why?”

There was no derision in his question, just honest curiosity. It emboldened her to tell him the truth. “My daughter was one of Dominic’s comarré, but she was murdered—maybe you heard about that?”

He nodded ever so slightly.

“Before she died, she had a baby with a vampire named Preacher.”

“I have also heard of him. He is not like the rest of us.”

“No, he isn’t.” Except that he wouldn’t turn her either. “The baby is half vampire. And while I have plenty of experience being human, I don’t think I can raise a child like that without personally understanding what it means to be a vampire.”

He nodded. “That seems… reasonable.”

“That’s not my only reason. I believe being vampire would enable me to be the best mayor possible for Paradise City. I could serve both the mortals and othernaturals equally well. Understand each side and their needs. And ultimately, by becoming a vampire, I would be siding with your kind should any difficulties with the varcolai or fae arise.” She smiled, hoping he saw the logic in her argument.