Reign of the Vampires by Rebekah R. Ganiere

anticipated, leaving her mind with time to fantasize about her sexy prize. Tonight after feeding from Matthew, she’d become more riled up than ever before. Between her hormones and her lack of gratification in over a year, her body was in need of a male. But her thoughts of Mason left her angrier still. How could she allow a human male to have such pull over her? She was a Vampire. A coven lord. There should be no human on earth that should have hold over her like this. She needed to put to rest all thoughts and daydreams of him and the only way to do it was to see him and prove to herself that she was in control.
    The Tracking Squad had taken over the old Great Lakes naval recruit training center, and had converted it to both living quarters and a training facility. Danika pushed the button by the faded metal door, the solitary entrance and exit for the building. She glanced around the now deserted naval base. It had been one of the first places the Vampires had taken over when they’d claimed Chicago. Most of the original captured slaves had been holdouts on the base.
    A camera swung in her direction and she glanced up into it. A buzzer sounded, opening the door, and she stepped inside. Silence emanated from the large warehouse. Rows and rows of supplies were stacked everywhere. Danika stepped onto the gray cement and the door slammed with a crash behind her.
    Wrinkling her nose at the stale smell of boxes, she headed for the elevator. The sound of her clicking heels bounced off the walls as she walked.
    She was halfway across the room when the elevator opened and Neeman stepped out. His black tank top stretched tight against his broad chest. His sinewy arms flexed and relaxed. His blond hair was a bit longer than the last time she’d seen him, but his chiseled cheekbones and squared jaw were ever the same. As was his toned and tight body beneath the clothing. Danika’s body stirred. The same sexual flutter she always got around him tightened her stomach. Even after having ended things with him, the chemistry between them was still palpable. At least physically. Emotionally he’d never been there for her.
    Danika strode toward him. He stood rigid as a soldier waiting inspection.
    “How are things progressing?” she asked without pretense.
    “He learns quickly and has obviously had previous training. My concern is his quick temper. We’ve been working on it with meditation, but I’m afraid it won’t be cured in thirty days. If I had him for maybe six months—”
    “Thirty days, that’s all. And even that’s pushing it.” She pressed the elevator call button. “That’s why I’m here, to see how he’s doing.” The door opened and Danika stepped inside.
    “Is there something going on? Some trouble that you’re in?”
    “I simply don’t want to wait.”
    Neeman stepped in beside her and the elevator closed. Danika took a deep breath. Mason’s aroma assaulted her. That warm, rich smell. He’d been in the elevator recently. It made her mind whirl. The way that Mason’s smell affected her was so strong she was willing to take down Neeman, right there in the elevator, to sate her hormones.
    Neeman stood silent for a long moment before saying in a low voice, “He’s a good specimen for a human.” He watched her.
    She cleared her throat and pushed at her upswept hair. “Thank you.”
    “I understand why a woman of high position would be intrigued with such a human.”
    “Neeman, you know nothing of my intrigues and haven’t for quite some time. Say what you have to say,” she snapped. They’d reached the fourth level down and Danika stepped out of the overwhelming elevator to breathe.
    “All right.” He stepped beside her. “There’s something about him that’s inherently dangerous. Something I can’t put my finger on. Nonetheless, I don’t want you hurt.” Neeman stood close to her. Too close.
    “Will he do his job?”
    “Yes.”
    “That’s all I care about,” she lied. “Now, you