All Others (Vampire Assassin League Book 27) by Jackie Ivie Page A

place?”
    “The Dark Plantation. I’m thinking I need another shower. I mean look at me. My zoot suit is ruined.”
    “Oh. You have lots more.”
    He grinned. “Yeah. I know. What’s the number?”
    “Eighty-six.”
    “That’s it?”
    She nodded. He pressed the numbers. Then connect. Somebody was talking before he had it to his ear.
    “You’re reached VAL Headquarters. May I ask who is calling please?”
    “VAL?” Cam looked down at Tessa. “What does that stand for? I mean I can figure out the ‘V’. Vampire. Got the league part. But the ‘A’? Could it stand for...allied? Associate? Aggregate?”
    “Please state your name and reason for calling,” the woman in the speaker interrupted.
    “Oh. Um. Yeah. Sorry. I‘m Cameron Preston. You don’t know me but we’re gonna need a 4-D Team over here. A pick-up. And a drop off.”
    “I’ll connect you, Doctor Preston.”
    Doctor?
How the heck did she know that? Cam’s eyebrows lifted as he pondered it. A male spoke next. The fellow had a supremely large voice. It resounded with bass tones. Cam flinched and pulled the phone away.
    “Greetings, Doctor Cameron Preston.”
    “Sorry. I forgot to warn you about Akron,” Tessa whispered in his other ear.
    “Akron?” Cameron asked.
    “You were expecting someone else?” Akron replied.
    Okay.
This was getting confusing. And he never allowed that condition. Then again, he’d never been in love. Or a vampire. Cam cleared his throat. “I’m calling because I need a 4-D Team. And a pick-up.”
    “The Dark Plantation has been compromised? What a pity. I really like that place. Tessa has a piece of heaven there. It’s dark. Secluded. Hidden.”
    “Agreed. And I’m gonna make sure it stays that way,” Cameron answered.
    “Then why do you need a 4-D team?”
    “Ramsay Mansion. Or rather...what’s left of it.”
    “Really? Lizbeth? Check on the Blue Team. Find out why they failed.”
    “On it.”
    “W-w-wait!”
    Cam’s voice had a distinctive tremor. It wasn’t the call. It was because Tessa had decided to run her fingers along his back. Up under his shirt. Along his spine. Sending all kinds of stimuli with her touch. It created all kinds of response. In the open? With witnesses? He reached down and pressed a quick kiss to the end of her nose. And then reached behind his back to pull her hand down.
    “Very well, Doctor Preston. I’m waiting.”
    “Oh. Sorry. It’s...uh. Yeah. Nobody failed, Sir. Two Hunters were hidden in the mud. They’ve been...eliminated.”
    “Eliminated?”
    “And then some.”
    “Excellent. I knew you’d be an excellent associate.”
    “So that’s what the ‘A’ stands for.”
    “No, Doctor Preston. Hasn’t Tessa informed you yet? It stands for assassin. We are assassins. All of us.”
    Cam’s mouth dropped open. “Now, wait a minute. Nobody said anything about killing people. And I’m drawing the line, sweetheart. Right here. Right now.”
    “Can we put this on the discussion list, too?”
    And then she blew him an air kiss. Akron chuckled. Cam dropped the phone. His ear was ringing. His other ear was getting kissed. Tessa wasn’t helping the situation. Her tongue was creating all kinds of havoc down his neck.
    “Um. Sir?”
    “I’m still here, Preston. For the next...fifteen seconds or so. What else can I do for you?”
    “Can we get a ride? Or...two of them?”
    “Two?”
    “Leonard and Tassanee probably need their own space. He’s uh...been changed. Is that the right word? Stop that, Tess.”
    “Leonard is now a full vampire? My. It’s been a fairly full night for you. 4-D Team and two choppers enroute. This call has reached its limit. Good bye. And good luck with the discussions, young man. You’re going to need it.”
    The man was laughing as he rang off. Cam almost joined him, and would have. If Tessa hadn’t claimed his lips. His life.
    And his future.
    And that was just fine with him.
    ~~~