Gunner took to the streets on foot, shunning the confinement of a car and its filtered air. He needed to be able to react quickly to the changing winds.

There it was.

The slightest of hints, a whisper of a scent carried through the breeze straight to him. With no other choice, he followed where it led, through the busy twisting streets of the city. And then the traces increased, and his veins seemed to dry up in an instant.

Faster and faster he went, until he turned onto an avenue, and the odor mixed with something else, and the one he’d been trailing disappeared completely.

Shifters.

Dammit! It must’ve led me to Lee’s house.

As if on cue, Lee’s door opened, and he stepped out, shirtless, in a pair of tight neon orange boxers. After closing it behind him, he crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“What’re you doing here, Gunner?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, he said, “Honestly, I don’t know. Whatever it is... led me here.”

“Don’t you have more important things to be worried about, like keeping your head on your shoulders?”

“Says the man who’s found his mate.”

The door creaked open, and Piper said, “Lee, is everything okay?”

Gunner’s eyes landed on her, but rather than the rushing to take her, he had no compulsion for her at all.

“Stay back, sweetheart. The vampire’s leaving... aren’t you?”

“I’m not having a reaction to her anymore.”

“What?” Lee barked at him.

“She’s not affecting me like before.”

“Good.” He eyed Gunner warily. “Then, why are you still here?”

“Boys,” Piper said, stepping back to stand behind Lee. “Look, since he’s normal now, why don’t we go inside, sit down like adults, and see if we can figure this out?”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Lee said, as he wrapped his arm around her.

“If he acts up, we kick him out. Disinvite him.” Her eyes landed on Gunner. “That works, right?”

He nodded.

“I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this,” Lee muttered. “Okay. Come on in, but you’d better keep your hands and fangs to yourself.”

Gunner brought out the blood packs he’d stuffed into his jacket pockets.

“I’m prepared.”

He waved Gunner inside, and as he passed him, Lee growled. Gunner returned the warning with a low rumbling from his throat and flashed the fires in his eyes.

“Just pull ‘em out and measure ‘em, already,” Piper sighed, as she walked inside ahead of them both.

Gunner coughed a laugh at her taking the wind out of their sails, easing the tension between the two men.

“You’d have your hands full with that one.”

“And then some,” Lee agreed with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “Come on. We’re supposed to be on the same side.”

Gunner entered the house and was enveloped by the scent. Bending at his waist, he clutched his stomach.

“Piper, run!” Lee shouted, but she stayed where she was seated on the couch.

“It’s not me,” she said with a shake of her head.

“What?” Gunner and Lee both asked.

Gunner sank his fangs into yet another blood bag.

“Let him get himself under control a little bit more, and then I’ll tell you my theory.”

After drinking four packs, Gunner felt well enough to take his seat. Once he did, Lee went to stand in front of the fireplace. It didn’t go without Gunner’s notice that he had placed himself at the perfect spot to launch an attack. He would’ve done the same had he been in Lee’s shoes.

“Imogen,” Piper said plainly.

“What about her?” Piper stared at Lee pointedly, with her head canted to the side. “He’s never laid eyes on her,” he replied.

“And you hadn’t seen me, either, before the Hunger hit you.”

“But Gunner’s not a shifter.”

“Well, it seems to me that if there’s some force pairin’ off our kind, it stands to reason that there’s also somethin’ like that for vampires.”

“But Immie? Why her?”

“How should I know? Why did it pick me for you, Lee? But it seems to be based on scent, and I was around her right before he went berserk. She hugged me, so apparently, he smelled her on me. I’ve showered since then, and I’m wearing clean clothes, and he doesn’t want me anymore. But she’s been all over this house, so that’s why he’s affected again. Seems like a valid explanation to me.”

“Who is this woman?” Gunner asked.

Lee whipped around, grabbed a picture from the mantel, and handed it to him.

“That’s her and me earlier this year at a music festival she wanted to go to.”

Gunner stared at the photo, as something locked into place. She was beautiful, his Imogen. She had tiny flowers at her ears, tucked into her brown hair that fell in waves below her shoulders. Her smile shone brightly, as she held her fingers up in a sideways peace sign, with an ankh bracelet dangling from her wrist. Her cheeks were rosy, with the start of a sunburn, and freckles peppered her nose, adding to her allure. Through the beige peasant blouse, he could see the outlines of a sky-blue bikini top, and his eyes followed the strings to where they circled her neck, tying at the back.

To him, she was a vision of soft femininity, the gentleness that was missing in his life of blood, bullets, and incriminations.

“Take me to her,” he murmured, lost in the photo of the woman he believed to be his mate.

“Dude, it’s freaking 2 a.m. She’s asleep.”

Setting the photo on the coffee table, Gunner jumped up from his seat and stormed over to where Lee stood.

“I said, take me to her! Now! I need her, and she might be suffering like I am!”

“Back off, before I kick you out!”

“Guys!” Piper stood with her hands on her hips. “Here’s what we’re gonna do. Lee, invite Imogen to visit and have some wine with us tomorrow night. You,” she said, pointing to Gunner, “come over after you wake up, and then you can meet her. And you’d better bring your A game. This chest-thumpin’ act is not gonna impress her. And she’s human, so I doubt she’s feelin’ whatever is happenin’ to you.”

Gunner placed his head in his hands.

“This isn’t how I normally behave. I’ve lost all control of my senses.” Looking up, he said, “This thirst is overwhelming. The need for blood is ruling me in a way I haven’t experienced since I was first turned. It’s even worse than that!”

“Sounds exactly like the Hunger to me.”

“Then, you know why I have to go to her!” Gunner thundered.

“I scarfed down an ungodly amount of carbs in order to keep working on your case and control myself. If I can do that for a couple of weeks, you can handle one more night.”

“Oh, Lee…” Piper whispered. “My poor baby.”

“Hush, woman,” he said, as he winked at her.

“What time tomorrow night?”

“How about 9? She should be done with work by then.”

Resigned to his fate, Gunner stood and went to the door.

“I’ll be here.”

“Gunner.” He craned his neck to look at Lee over his shoulder. “If she’s not the one, leave her alone.”

“She is. I have no doubt of it.”