I cut him a look as our waitress appears, and we pause our conversation.

  “What can I get for you two?” She gives Stuart a little wink, but he’s not receptive.

  “Steak and eggs with a side of bacon. Hold the toast.”

  She does a little smirk. “In the mood for some protein, I see.”

  He only grunts and hands over his menu.

  “I’ll have the house omelet with wheat toast,” I say, with a slight smile. It earns me a wink.

  “You got it, sugar. And I’ll keep the coffee coming. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  She sashays away, and Stuart leans forward against the table. “We need Patrick to get his ass here now. Did you call him?”

  Shaking my head, I lift my coffee. “He’ll be here.”

  If I’m right about what’s happening to him, I don’t have the heart to disturb him, especially after my disappointing wake-up.

  “Well, I’m not wasting time. Tell me what happened.”

  “He got a lead on Alison’s killer.” Leaning forward in the booth, I lower my voice. “It was an ambush. We walked into a nest. I had to shoot us out.”

  A low whistle, and he lifts his coffee. “How many?”

  “Couldn’t say. We were led to believe it would only be one. We saw three, and one of them was... Old.”

  Stuart makes a disgusted face. “The older they get, the weirder they get.”

  “No shit. I can still see that fucked-up grin.”

  Patrick’s breezy voice interrupts us. “Morning, ladies! Captain Asshat. I assume you’re here to bust my balls.”

  “Where the fuck have you been?”

  “Heaven, big brother.” He drops into the booth beside me, his player grin in full effect. “I have been in heaven. And it smells like honeysuckle and tastes like sugar.”

  “You smell like you’ve been eating honeysuckle all night,” Stuart sniffs.

  “Jealous?”

  Our waitress is back, and she’s more than happy to see our new addition. “Hey there, darling.”

  “Hey, Polly,” Patrick beats her to the wink, and I am not surprised he knows her name. “Can I get the Spanish omelet with a side of bacon?”

  “Sure thing, handsome. Coffee?”

  “No thanks. O.J.”

  She smiles and heads for the kitchen, and he turns back to me. “Have you filled him in?”

  “Derek says you’ve had a little change overnight? Met your mate?”

  Irritation flashes in Patrick’s eyes. “That’s none of your damned business. I’m talking about our case.”

  Everything changes when Stuart laughs. “Shit. You did.” He shakes his head and looks at his coffee. “Can you keep your head in the game?”

  Patrick’s hackles are up, and I see the muscle in his jaw move. Last thing I need is for these two to start fighting. Even if Stuart is the oldest, the alpha, his younger brother still kicks against his authority.

  Reaching over, I slap his shoulder. “Patrick’s with us. Now let’s focus.” My voice lowers again. “We’ve got to find out as much as we can about this nest—how many, how old. If it’s truly our target, we need to get back there tonight before they regroup.”

  Stuart’s expression is grim. “If you surprised them early last night, they’ve had plenty of time to prepare for us. How sure are you about our intel?”

  The waitress appears with a busboy carrying a large black tray and our orders. We wait as they put everything in front of us and ensure we have all we need. As soon as they’re gone, Patrick answers him.

  “Based on what I read in Sloan’s notes, this could be the one. We can’t walk away.”

  Stuart cuts his eyes to his little brother. “The actual killer?”

  Patrick nods as he puts a bite of beans, cheese, and sour cream wrapped in egg into his mouth. I’m as energized as when we got here, knowing we’re so close to the end of my quest. The revenge I’ve been obsessed with for years is right here in our grasp.

  Yet, it’s interesting how my outlook has changed. I’ll be glad to end my search, to find resolution, but whereas before, it was the only thing I cared about—it was my life—now I see a different future, a future where I put the past behind me and start to live again. That is, once I’ve convinced Melissa to try.

  Stuart snaps me back to preparations. “You, go sleep. I’ll gather what we need for the ritual.”

  I nod, but Patrick cuts in. “Where can we do it?”

  “My suite,” I say. “I have a Jacuzzi tub.”

  “What the hell?” Patrick leans back. “How did you get a fucking Jacuzzi tub?”

  “Came with the room.”

  “Good,” Stuart says, getting us back on track. “In two hours, we meet in Derek’s room. It should give you enough time to recover before we have to head out tonight.”

  Patrick stands to let me out of the booth. I’ve only eaten half my breakfast, but I wasn’t hungry. Anyway, the ritual always leaves my stomach queasy. The most important thing I can do now is sleep. My beautiful Melissa will have to wait.

  Tonight is critical.

  * * *

  Melissa

  The sound of someone attempting to be quiet, bumping around the room rouses me from the dark waters of slumber. I hate to open my eyes, because in my dreams I’m wrapped tightly in the cocoon of Derek’s strong arms. His masculine scent is all around me, and the luscious taste of him is on my tongue. It’s the closest to heaven I’ve been in so long.

  A little crash followed by a sharp yelp makes me sit up in the bed and reach for the lamp. “Elaine?”

  “Oh,” she laughs. “I’m sorry. I was trying to let you sleep.”

  “What time is it?” I rub my eyes as she goes to the window to pull back the curtains.

  “Almost two.”

  “Lainey!” Throwing the sheets back, I jump out of bed. “I need to shower, change…”

  “It’s okay! I already called Mariska. She’s meeting us at ACME at three. We’ve got plenty of time.”

  “Oh, good.” Exhaling, I slow my pace. ACME oyster house is a half block from our hotel, and one of my favorite casual restaurants in the city. “Mind if I shower first?”

  “Go ahead.” I watch as she climbs onto the bed and seems ready to nap.

  My eyes narrow. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

  She starts to giggle. “Did you?”

  “Doesn’t count. Every night that passes, I sleep less and less.”

  “Particularly the nights involving Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy.” She sits up and wraps her arms over her knees. “He’s really into you. I saw it in his mind.”

  My jaw clenches. “That is not cool, you know.”

  “Trust me, I know.” She nods quickly. “But when emotions are that strong, it’s impossible for me to stop them flooding my brain.”

  I know from experience she’s telling me the truth. She’s often complained about not wanting to hear everything people are thinking.

  I go over to the bed and sit beside her, lifting her hand in mine. “Derek is… the most incredible man. But I can’t pull him into my troubles. You know that.”

  Her lips press together, and the way she blinks down, I can tell she’s hiding something. “What is it?”

  She hesitates before answering. “Actually, he might be exactly who you need to pull into this.”

  Frustration overwhelms me, and I snap. “Don’t be cryptic. Just say whatever the hell you know.”

  “Hey! Whoa,” she rubs my hands. “Give me a chance! I know you’re scared.”

  Dropping my chin, I cringe. “I’m sorry. I can’t seem to control my moods anymore. My emotions are all over the place.”

  She gives me a little squeeze. “It’s okay. Now listen to me. When we met Patrick at Maspero’s, we both had a reaction to him.”

  “You had a reaction, too?”

  “I didn’t want to upset you. It’s why I suggested we go to K-Paul’s instead.”

  My brow lines. “Did he make you feel sick? Nauseated?”

  She starts to laugh, then clears her throat. “No. Just the opposite.” I watch as her cheeks flood with pink. “He made me feel very sexy, and… I don’t know… like I’ve never felt before. Like the crown jewels or the Hope Diamond. Like—”

  “I’m confused.”

  “He’s a shifter.”

  “Oh my god.” I jump off the bed and start to pace the room. “How do you know? Did you see it in his mind? Can you read shifter minds? Is he going to kill me?” In a flash of horror, I have another thought. “Is Derek a shifter?”

  No. He couldn’t be…

  “Slow down!” She’s off the bed, catching my hands again. “He’s not going to kill you! Patrick isn’t like that. He doesn’t hunt vampires for sport.”

  My eyes go huge. “But he does hunt them.”

  “Let me finish telling you what happened!”

  We ease down onto the bed, but I can’t stop shaking. He’s nowhere near us, but I’m overcome with the sensation I might lose my breakfast for real this time. Only I haven’t had breakfast.

  “Last night when we found him at Razoo’s, I’d finally figured out what he was. I’d been sorting through the emotions coming at me from him, and it finally clicked.” Her tone is academic. “To answer your question, no, I can’t read his mind. It’s completely different with shifters. I don’t get words, only feelings. I read about it in an online discussion group once. It’s how I knew—”

  “Feelings like… anger?”

  “Anger, happiness, irritation, hunger, desire.” She falls back on the bed again and a dreamy quality enters her voice. “Oh, Mel, he’s so sexy and so fun. He’s perfect for me. I can’t believe I’m so lucky!”

  “You sound like you’re going to marry him.” Her body stills at my words, and she leans up on her elbows to look at me.

  “Are you insane?” I cry. “You just met him yesterday!”

  “Shifters imprint, Mel.”

  My jaw drops, and for a second I can only blink at her. “You think he imprinted on you?”

  “I know he did, and it’s the strongest, the most intense thing I’ve ever felt in my life!” She does a little shiver.

  “But… You’re just accepting it? Without question? What if he’s abusive? What if he’s a murderer? What if he’s in the underworld?”

  “Well, technically we’re all in the underworld. You in particular—”

  “You know what I mean! What if he’s hiding something horrible?”

  “He’s not. We spent all last night talking and catching up and making love.” She smiles, and her face glows. “We had to encounter each other at some point. It’s how it goes for them. He had to find me. It was unavoidable.”

  “You are not a shifter. You are not bound by their—whatever it is. Their rules. You can walk away.”

  Her platinum head shakes, and she glances down. “You’re right. I’m not bound by their rules, but I don’t want to walk away.” She smiles so big as she reaches forward and takes my hands again. “Have you seen him? Can you believe my luck?”

  “I think you’re being impulsive about something really serious.”

  Her eyes narrow, and she pushes my hands away. “I would think after all this time you would trust me. I can read minds, after all.”

  “I’m sorry.” I reach for her hands again, and she lets me take them. “You’re right. He’s gorgeous, and he does seem very fun—from twenty feet away. I’m just… I’m not very good at optimism these days.”

  “Come here.” A sad little smile pulls her lips as we hug each other. “You’re going to be just as lucky, I promise. We’re going to fix this.”

  My eyes heat, and I’m afraid I might cry. Instead, I clear my throat, remembering the other part of her story that concerned me the most. “You said something about Derek. What was that?”

  “Oh!” She’s back to excited. “He’s a vampire hunter as well. One of the top guys in his field, in paranormal investigations.”

  “Oh my god.” My head goes light. “Oh my god, Elaine.” I lean forward, pushing my hands into the sides of my dark hair.

  “I thought you’d be happy!” She’s watching me with a frown. “If anyone would know of a cure, it would be someone who specializes in vampires, don’t you think?”

  I bit him. Oh my god, I bit a vampire hunter. His blood is swimming in my veins. Oh my god. Was I cursed as a child? Born under a bad sign?

  Elaine hops up and catches me, stopping my rocking. “You know it drives me crazy that I can’t hear you anymore. Why are you so freaked out by this?”

  For the first time in my life I’m thankful she can’t read my thoughts. “I’m a vampire,” I deflect. “He hunts me.”

  “First, you are not a vampire. Not until you make your first kill. Second, I can’t think of anyone more qualified to help you! I told you he has powerful feelings for you.”

  With a shudder, I can’t imagine his feelings are as powerful as mine, and if he ever found out what I did…

  A quick glance at the clock tells me it’s two-thirty. “We’ve got to get moving or we’re going to be late to meet Mariska.”

  “Oh!” She jumps away. “I showered already with Patrick. I’ll head on down. Meet us there, okay?”

  Shaking my head, I pick up a towel. “I’m right behind you.”

  7

  Special Forces

  Melissa

  Mariska studies my palm, examining the lines, extreme concentration creasing her pretty brow. Finally, she releases a deep exhale. “I’m sorry. I can’t read your future. It’s a swirl of indecision. One option appears then another contradicts it.”

  “Fuck,” Elaine snaps.

  “Lainey.” I glance around the crowded restaurant. “Families come here. Anyway, she tried.” I give Mariska a genuine smile. “Thank you.”

  “I’m sorry,” my best friend says. “The uncertainty of all of this is making me crazy.”

  I squeeze her hand and turn back to the young woman in front of us. “Did you find anything?”

  Mariska pushes a lock of wavy chestnut hair behind her ear. “I don’t want to give you false hope, but…” Her golden eyes are so earnest, I can’t help liking her. “The problem with vampire cures is no one’s ever survived long enough to confirm if any of them actually work.”

  “Oh.” I pull back. “What does that mean?”

  “I spent all day yesterday pouring through Yaya’s journals and the journals of Philome. In most cases, the alpha vampire either kills the hybrid, or the hybrid kills the human trying to save him or her.” She gives me a cautious look. “From what I understand, the drive to feed is overwhelming. Most hybrids aren’t strong enough to stop before it’s too late.”

  The memory of Derek’s blood floods me with heat. “It’s very hard,” I whisper.

  “Well, that’s not very encouraging,” Elaine retorts.

  Just then our oysters arrive. We lean back as the server puts a bowl of Oysters Rockefeller soup in front of Mariska, an ACME Special po-boy in front of Elaine, and a Peace-maker in front of me.

  Mariska takes a spoonful of the dark brown soup and makes a happy sound before she continues. “Either way, I found two distinct possibilities!”

  “What are they?” Elaine’s tone is sharp before she takes a bite of her debris-style roast beef sandwich.

  I place a hand calmly on her forearm. “Tell us what you found.”

  “Okay,” Mariska nods taking another bite of soup. “The first is pretty quick and easy. Kill the head vampire.”

  “Seriously?” Elaine flops back against the booth, throwing up her hands. “Fucking Lost Boys?”

  “I’m not sure Patrick is such a good influence on you,” I mutter, looking over my shoulder in her direction.

  “I know!” Mariska nods unfazed. “They used it in that movie, but it actually has a basis in fact. Many devices novelists and screenwriters use have a basis in fact. It’s really cool.”

  “I’m sure.” Elaine’s tone is the exact opposite.

  “So our first option is to kill the one who made me straight out,” I say, trying to get us back on track. “I don’t think I’m strong enough for that.”

  “Oh, you’re not,” our gypsy friend says with certainty. “Only specially trained vampire hunters should even attempt something like that. And they usually fail.”

  I do my best to steady my breathing, and I realize I’m not going to eat any of my fried oyster and shrimp sandwich. All I can think about is Derek being specially trained. Derek failing.

  “So assuming that’s not an option,” I say. “What’s our number two?”

  “Okay,” she says again, wiggling a bit in her seat. “This one has real potential. It’s an old cure for chupacabra. It involves mingling lycan blood with verbena root—”

  “Lycan?” I interrupt. “As in werewolf?”

  “Or shifter. They’re also immune to vampire bites, so their blood would work.” Elaine and I exchange a look as Mariska continues. “I don’t know where we’d find a lycan or a shifter, but supposedly, if you mix their blood with the verbena root into a draught, it will burn the vampire taint out of you.”

  “Burn?” My voice is quiet.

  We’re all quiet, and Mariska looks straight at me. “Yes. That’s the downside of this cure. The lycan blood and the vampire blood oppose each other in your veins until one wins. It’s incredibly painful, and I’m not even sure how much shifter blood we’d need. If we even knew a shifter.”

  Ice fills my stomach. “Oh, god. I was born under a curse.”

  My hand is suddenly clasped in an iron grip. “Stop it!” Elaine’s green eyes bore into mine. “Whatever you’re facing, whatever sign you’re born under, I’m with you in it. We’re going to fix this.”

  Turning to Mariska, her tone is all business. “Can you get this verbena root?”

  “Of course!” Mariska smiles. “It grows wild all over the place.”

  “Get as much as you need.”

  “Wait.” Mariska’s eyes narrow. “Does that mean—do you know a shifter?”

  “Actually, if you can believe it, we just met one.”