boy. “What’s your name, lad?”
After a reassuring nod from Niki, he answered, “Robby.”
“ And your story?”
“ He escaped from the man I’m searching for. Seems like Thomas is keeping young vampires prisoner, though who knows why.”
“ I heard.” Jordan’s eyes blazed, red flooding the blue. “How many?”
“ A few.”
“ And you didn’t tell me?”
She snorted. “As you said, I’m not your clan.”
His fangs flashed behind his scowl. “Yet, you ask for my help.”
“ Let’s not talk in circles. I can’t keep an eye on the kid. Hell, he can’t even protect himself. He knows nothing about us or our power--he was afraid he’d burn in the sun until I showed him otherwise.”
Jordan glanced at the boy.
Robby was sitting a little straighter. “You’re sending me with him?”
A sharp pang pierced her chest, but this was for the best. “He can keep you hidden. Do you want to be safe?”
“ I don’t want to leave you.”
“ I get that. But I need to find Thomas. I can’t do that if you’re with me.”
The boy slumped in the seat again, biting his lower lip and blinking furiously.
She turned back to Jordan. “If you take him, I have conditions.”
The King raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Ah, demands go along with your request.”
“ You can keep him safe. Isn’t that your duty?”
“ He’s not my clan.”
“ He doesn’t have one.”
“ Go on. What are your demands, woman?”
She hesitated at the barely controlled anger in his voice, but forged ahead. She was already sinking, might as well go all the way.
“ First, you’ll have someone start teaching him about us, and his powers.”
“ Next?”
She took a deep breath. “I want your word you won’t force him to join your clan until he has enough knowledge about vampire politics to make his own decision.”
MacDougal’s eyes blazed with fury. “Just what kind of bastard do you think I am?”
Stunned at the ferocity of his reaction, she sat back. “Well, you’re a Master vampire, and a King to boot. You’re probably one hell of a bastard.”
He stared at her for a moment before laughing sharply. “You’ve got balls, lass.”
Either that or she was the biggest idiot around. But, he hadn’t killed her yet.
“ I’ll take the lad. And you have my word, there will be no forcing him to join up with my horrible corrupt self.”
Robby’s face was so distraught, she couldn’t stop herself. “When I’m done, he will have the choice of leaving with me.”
They both knew the odds of her surviving Thomas were slim, and if she killed him, she had no future.
MacDougal stood and winked at Niki. “I’ll take my leave before you add any further demands.”
She shrugged. The boy inched out of the booth and stood next to MacDougal.
Niki watched them go. Just before they reached the door, the kid turned and raced back. He grabbed Niki, hugging her tight.
“ Promise you’ll come for me?”
Her heart thumped and emotion lodged in her throat at this kid’s blind belief in her. “If I can,” she finally managed to say.
Robby let go and she met MacDougal’s amused gaze.
After they left, she continued to sit in the booth, wondering how she’d gotten into this mess in the first place. This town was dangerous, full of people who could make her feel. How did it happen? When she couldn’t come up with any answers, she left the diner and headed back to the Inn, making sure no one was watching for her. Everything was quiet. Silent and deserted.
In her room, she strapped on her weapons, skipping the steel and going with silver in case she ran into more shifters. Out in the parking lot once more, she picked up the blood trail of those she’d fought. It was time to find the men who’d tried taking Robby, and the one behind it all.
Chapter Nine
D isgruntled when the Alpha was nowhere to be found, Shane headed back to the station. The sun was setting, and he wanted to get to
After a reassuring nod from Niki, he answered, “Robby.”
“ And your story?”
“ He escaped from the man I’m searching for. Seems like Thomas is keeping young vampires prisoner, though who knows why.”
“ I heard.” Jordan’s eyes blazed, red flooding the blue. “How many?”
“ A few.”
“ And you didn’t tell me?”
She snorted. “As you said, I’m not your clan.”
His fangs flashed behind his scowl. “Yet, you ask for my help.”
“ Let’s not talk in circles. I can’t keep an eye on the kid. Hell, he can’t even protect himself. He knows nothing about us or our power--he was afraid he’d burn in the sun until I showed him otherwise.”
Jordan glanced at the boy.
Robby was sitting a little straighter. “You’re sending me with him?”
A sharp pang pierced her chest, but this was for the best. “He can keep you hidden. Do you want to be safe?”
“ I don’t want to leave you.”
“ I get that. But I need to find Thomas. I can’t do that if you’re with me.”
The boy slumped in the seat again, biting his lower lip and blinking furiously.
She turned back to Jordan. “If you take him, I have conditions.”
The King raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Ah, demands go along with your request.”
“ You can keep him safe. Isn’t that your duty?”
“ He’s not my clan.”
“ He doesn’t have one.”
“ Go on. What are your demands, woman?”
She hesitated at the barely controlled anger in his voice, but forged ahead. She was already sinking, might as well go all the way.
“ First, you’ll have someone start teaching him about us, and his powers.”
“ Next?”
She took a deep breath. “I want your word you won’t force him to join your clan until he has enough knowledge about vampire politics to make his own decision.”
MacDougal’s eyes blazed with fury. “Just what kind of bastard do you think I am?”
Stunned at the ferocity of his reaction, she sat back. “Well, you’re a Master vampire, and a King to boot. You’re probably one hell of a bastard.”
He stared at her for a moment before laughing sharply. “You’ve got balls, lass.”
Either that or she was the biggest idiot around. But, he hadn’t killed her yet.
“ I’ll take the lad. And you have my word, there will be no forcing him to join up with my horrible corrupt self.”
Robby’s face was so distraught, she couldn’t stop herself. “When I’m done, he will have the choice of leaving with me.”
They both knew the odds of her surviving Thomas were slim, and if she killed him, she had no future.
MacDougal stood and winked at Niki. “I’ll take my leave before you add any further demands.”
She shrugged. The boy inched out of the booth and stood next to MacDougal.
Niki watched them go. Just before they reached the door, the kid turned and raced back. He grabbed Niki, hugging her tight.
“ Promise you’ll come for me?”
Her heart thumped and emotion lodged in her throat at this kid’s blind belief in her. “If I can,” she finally managed to say.
Robby let go and she met MacDougal’s amused gaze.
After they left, she continued to sit in the booth, wondering how she’d gotten into this mess in the first place. This town was dangerous, full of people who could make her feel. How did it happen? When she couldn’t come up with any answers, she left the diner and headed back to the Inn, making sure no one was watching for her. Everything was quiet. Silent and deserted.
In her room, she strapped on her weapons, skipping the steel and going with silver in case she ran into more shifters. Out in the parking lot once more, she picked up the blood trail of those she’d fought. It was time to find the men who’d tried taking Robby, and the one behind it all.
Chapter Nine
D isgruntled when the Alpha was nowhere to be found, Shane headed back to the station. The sun was setting, and he wanted to get to
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