Saved at Sunrise by C. C. Hunter Page A

the parents’ day visitations, but they were always the first to
     leave, and eager to do it. Especially her father, the man Della had spent her entire
     life trying to impress.
    A daddy’s girl, her mom used to call her.
    Not anymore.
    No doubt her sister had taken over that role.
    Turning vampire hadn’t been Della’s choice. It was one of those things life slapped
     on your ass and you just had to accept it. Which meant she’d had to accept that her
     family would never be able to accept her. Not that it really bothered her. Not anymore.
    She was so over it.
    “Am I making myself clear?” Burnett asked, yanking her back to reality.
    “One hundred percent,” Della said, working hard to keep her attitude from spilling
     over.
    “Yes, sir.” Steve nodded.
    Yup, an ass-kisser.
    “Okay, you got your orders?” Burnett said. “You know where to go and what your cover
     is? They expect you to meet them at four in the morning. Don’t be late, don’t be too
     early. Don’t let them lure you back to their compound. The policy, if they follow
     their own policy, is that three of the members will meet with you to talk. You get
     the information about joining, you get out.”
    “Got it.” Della held up the brown envelope. And you’ve gone over this ten times.
    “Then go get your things.” Burnett eyed Della. “And please, don’t make me regret sending
     you on this.”
    “You won’t,” Della said.
    Della and Steve stood to leave.
    “Steve,” Burnett said. “Give me a few minutes.”
    Della looked from Steve to Burnett. What the hell did he need to talk with Steve about
     that couldn’t be said in front of her?
    Burnett shifted his gaze to Della and then cut his eyes to the door.
    Frowning, Della shot up from the chair and left. She stopped about fifty feet from
     the porch, holding her breath and not moving a muscle. Hoping Burnett wasn’t still
     listening, she tuned her own vampire hearing and waited to discover what the hell
     was up. The afternoon sun spilled over the trees, casting shadows on the ground as
     she stood frozen in one spot.
    “I’m trusting you to keep Della safe,” Burnett said.
    Della inwardly growled at Burnett’s chauvinistic approach and fought the need to rush
     back in there and give him some lip. I’m the one who’s gonna have to protect his butt!
    “I do not believe this is the gang we’re looking for.” Burnett’s voice carried well. “Or I wouldn’t be sending you two. This is just a clearance check. But that doesn’t
     mean this group isn’t dangerous.”
    “ Don’t worry,” Steve’s deep voice answered. “I’ll keep her in my sight at all times.”
    Like hell you will. She already had a plan of doing a little side trip, and she didn’t need Steve tagging
     along.
    *   *   *
    At six that evening they arrived at the cabin the FRU had rented them right outside
     the vampire compound. To call the place a dump would have been like calling one of
     those roach-coach vans fine dining.
    Of course, she and Steve were supposed to look like a couple of supernatural teen
     runaways. She supposed it would have looked suspicious if they’d rented anything with
     even part of a star attached to its reputation. But damn, this was supposed to have
     been a fun trip.
    She wasn’t a prima donna, but sleeping on a mattress that was more dust mites than
     filling, with sheets that looked as if they hadn’t been changed in a year or so wasn’t
     her idea of fun. The bed’s covers were half on and half off the mattress, and the
     pillow sported an indented greasy spot in the center as if someone with not-so-clean
     hair had slept there.
    Or maybe died there.
    As disgusting as that thought was, one even worse hit. Someone had probably done the
     humpty dance on that bed.
    Yuck.
    She could probably get a disease sleeping on it.
    Walking back into the tiny living area, she found Steve staring at the sofa with about
     as much distaste as she had while gaping at the