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Copyright ©2002 by Keri Arthur
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Get ready, Nikki. It comes,
Michael mentally ordered through their shared psychic link.
She flexed her hands. Energy danced across her fingertips, brighter than he'd ever seen it before. Someone knocked loudly on the
door. He glanced at her. She cleared her throat, then said, “Who is it?"
No answer.
After several heartbeats, the knock came again. There was no heartbeat, no thoughts, nothing to indicate there was anything human,
vampire, or anything else vaguely alive, standing on the other side of the door. It could almost have been a zombie, except for the
fact there was no smell, and no shambling step.
He nodded at Nikki again.
"Hang on a sec,” she called.
What now?
Say you're coming, then step back.
Humor momentarily chased its way through the tension in her expression.
I'd rather be coming right now than facing an
imminent attack from a madman, let me tell you.
So would I.
He reached out through the link, momentarily caressing her mind with warmth and love.
She smiled.
And I love you, even if you are the most irritatingly stubborn man at times.
He reached for the door handle, and her smile faded.
The door was rapped a third time.
Do it
, he said.
"Coming, coming,” she called and stepped backwards, out of immediate sight.
Michael turned the handle and pulled the door open.
Chapter One
Michael? Where are you?
The sharp voice swam through his consciousness, scattering any remnants of sleep. He opened his eyes and watched the moonlit
landscape sweep by the cab's windows. Only a few more miles and he'd be with Nikki.
Michael?
This time, Seline's piercing mind voice held a hint of concern.
Can you hear me?
He sighed. How could he not hear her when she was all but screeching?
Yes, I can hear you
. He just wasn't concentrating. All he
wanted to do right now was get home to Nikki. They'd been apart for nearly three weeks, and it felt like forever.
After living alone for over three hundred and sixty years, it was amazing how quickly he'd become accustomed to having her in his
thoughts and in his life. He needed her, not just physically, but emotionally.
You sound tired, Michael.
He was. Tired of chasing vamps gone bad. Tired of killing. Or maybe he was just tired of doing it alone, though he had no intention
of giving in to Nikki's demands to let her share this part of his life. One killer in the family was more than enough.
It's been a long
three weeks, Seline.
It was a tougher case than I'd originally thought. I'm sorry.
He smiled wryly. That was a first—her apologizing. She
had
to be after something.
What's the problem?
You know me too well.
Her amusement swam down the mental line between them, yet it was mixed with an anger that burned so
sharply he could almost smell it.
Curiosity stirred, but he thrust it away. He'd never refused Seline anything she'd asked him to do, but after one hundred years, he
was getting a little weary of helping everyone else at the cost of his own existence. Especially now, when he had someone to exist
for.
Seline, I'm tired, I'm almost home, and I'm in no mood for games. Get to the point.
She sighed.
I think we need your help on another case.
I've just finished this one. I need a break.
Needed time to regain some sense of normality—something that had been sorely
missing in his life until Nikki had come along.
I know, and I'm sorry. But vamps are your area of expertise, and this case has a bad feel to it.
Was there ever one that didn't? For a moment, he studied the softly glowing aspens lining the road, then glanced at the cab driver.
“It's the next left.” Ten more minutes, and he'd be with her. The longing that had sat like a weight in his gut these past three weeks
lifted, and something close to excitement bubbled through his veins.
What are we dealing with?
he asked eventually.
That's it—we're not exactly sure.
Then how do you know it's me you need?
Impatience edged his words, and her smile shimmered through his mind.
I'm a witch. Some things I just know.
He rubbed his eyes
. Seline...
Okay, okay, I'll come to the point.
She hesitated again, then all sense of amusement disappeared, replaced by a bluntness that
spoke of fury.
Two weeks ago, the wife of a wealthy restaurateur was kidnapped from a high profile hotel in San
Francisco, and a ransom subsequently demanded. The husband paid the ransom, but his wife wasn't returned, and the
money hasn't resurfaced.
He frowned. As yet, it didn't seem the sort of case that the Circle would get involved in, let alone one that would need his expertise.
And ... ?
Four days later, another woman was kidnapped. From a private home this time, but otherwise, everything was the same.
So the police are dealing with a serial kidnapper?
Yes. And there was a third victim—she was taken two days ago. They found the body of the first victim yesterday.
He raised his eyebrows, surprised by the fierce undertone of anger washing down the mental lines.
How did she die?
They'd drained her. The autopsy revealed half a dozen different puncture wounds.
Meaning six vamps had fed off her?
That
was
unusual, because most vampires didn't like sharing their meals. Yet it didn't really
explain the anger he could feel in Seline.
Apparently. But that's far from the worst of it.
She hesitated, and again the anger surged—a wave of red heat that roared
through his mind.
These vamps weren't just after blood and money. They were after far more than that.
What did they do?
In over one hundred years of knowing her, he'd never heard her so riled—and they'd tackled some pretty
damn tough cases in their time together.
The bastards mutilated her—they shaved off her hair, pulled all her nails, scarred her face and slit her nose. And cut off
her breasts for good measure...
Her voice faded, but her anger remained, sizzling his mind with its heat.
So basically, they destroyed her self-image before they killed her. Or at least, took away practically everything that defined
her as a woman
. Obviously, they weren't just dealing with vampires, but vampires with some serious psychological problems.
A shudder ran down the mental line.
I want these things caught, Michael. I want them killed quickly, before they can do this
again. No one who is capable of something like this has a right to life—whether they're human or not.
He scrubbed a hand across his eyes again. He didn't want this case, but he knew he had no real choice. Seline was right. Vampires
were
his field, and this sounded particularly nasty, though he'd heard—and seen—much worse over the years. This sort of
defilement certainly wasn't new.
I can't leave right away. I need to see Nikki first.
Lord, wasn't she going to be ecstatic over him leaving again so soon?
Fine. I'll send the helicopter over to pick you up. It should be there by four.
He glanced at his watch. That gave him six hours with Nikki. After three weeks of abstinence, it was nowhere near enough.
How
do you want to play this?
I want you to go undercover. I've set you up with a new profile—and seeing you don't want Nikki involved in any of these
cases, I'm sending Katherine to play the part of your wife.
He'd worked with Kat a few times in the past, but her forthright manner tended to get on his nerves—as did her raucous laugh.
Kat
comes as a pair with her grandmother. I really don't think she's the best choice...
And I really don't care what you think of the woman. She's the best choice for the case, and she lives in San Francisco.
He bit down on his irritation. He knew it came from tiredness more than any real annoyance
. Is she there at the moment?
Seline hesitated.
No. But I can pull her off the other case easy enough. This is more urgent.
She's being used as bait, and you know I don't like doing that. I really do prefer to work alone.
We haven't the time on this one, Michael. We have to flush them out fast. Katherine can defend herself well enough,
believe me
.
He knew she could defend herself. He just didn't like setting anyone up as bait. No matter how carefully you planned, things always
went wrong. And more often than not, the bait became the victim. As annoying as Kat could be, he didn't want her dead.
Where
are we staying in San Francisco?
The three kidnappings happened within a radius of two blocks from each other. The third victim was taken from the
Diamond Grand—and that's where you'll be staying.
He frowned. He'd heard the hotel mentioned recently, but he couldn't remember where—or why.
Surely they won't hit the same
place twice?
Instinct tells me the Diamond Grand has a major part to play in this. But it also tells me it's not the location that matters
as much as the people themselves. The victims have three things in common—they all originally came from Boston, they
all married extremely wealthy men, and they all attended a fund raising benefit at the Hyatt two and a half weeks ago. Kat
attended that benefit, which is why I wanted her along.
Michael raised an eyebrow.
Does that mean you think all the women who attended the benefit might be potential victims?
I doubt it, though it's not beyond the realm of possibility. That benefit went badly wrong—six men broke in just before dessert and
took everyone's cash and jewelry. It's linked to the kidnappings, I'm sure of that. I'm just not positive how yet.
How did the thieves get past security?
No one knows. They disappeared just as easily, as well.
What about the security tapes? They been checked?
Even vampires wrapping themselves in shadows would not escape the
camera's eye—simply because no hotel could afford to have foyers or corridors half-lit these days.
Yes. Nothing was found. The people behind the theft or the kidnappings aren't getting into the hotels through any normal
means.
If vampires
were
behind all this, then all it took was one employee under their control to leave open a window, and they were in
undetected.
Did Kat give you much of a description of the men involved?
She said there were six of them, and that they were all vamps. They wore leathers and motor bike helmets, so it was
impossible to see any features. But she did say there was one maker and five Loop members.
Which suggested two things
—
not only that the head vampire was gay, but that he liked more than one partner. Though five was
taking it a bit far. Even Elizabeth at her worst only had four lovers at any one time—and they were never created
at
the same time.
Controlling a fledgling was often difficult. Dealing with a Loop of them—whether that Loop contained three, five or more vampires,
would be overwhelming.
Did she sense anything else?
Only that she thinks robbery was not the true motive. The Loop's creator was skimming the minds of the older women there.
That could mean he had a definite target, and the robbery was little more than a means of collecting recent information
about them. What's the police thinking on this one?
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