"Remind me again why I have to be the bait?"

Dante heard Jonah’s voice in his ear as he hid behind the dumpster. Lowering his voice, he replied, "Because I was bait last time."

"Right. You’ll tell Ariel I love her if I don’t make it?"

"You’ll be just fine, Jonah. I’ve got you covered and Basil is lurking about, ready to jump in and snatch the bastards. Just stay calm."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. Oh shit! Bloodsucker, eight o’clock."

Dante swiveled in his spot behind the garbage bin, looking in the direction Jonah instructed. He saw the chubby guy heading Jonah’s way and prepared himself for the attack. The vampire’s ugly yellow eyes caught sight of Jonah and Dante could imagine what was going through his mind.

Fresh meat.

Not this time.

"Get ready."

"I’m ready." Pulling the tranquilizer gun from his belt, Dante aimed it at the vampire and waited. Because Jonah had the microphone pinned beneath his jacket, Dante could hear everything, including the vampire’s comments.

"Well, looky here. What have we got? Oh, and I smell lots of fear. Gonna be a nice snack for me."

"You don’t want to drink me. I’m anemic. I won’t satisfy you much," Jonah added with a great deal of quiver in his voice.

"Oh, I’m betting you’ll be just what I need."

He heard the growl, heard Jonah scream, and took his shot. The dart hit the vamp right in his backside and as

Dante stood up, he saw the vamp pull back in shock. He didn’t waste any time and took another shot. This time he hit the vampire in the arm. The vamp looked up, searching for where the shot had come from as Dante raced towards him.

"Took your time. He was about to bite me." Jonah took a couple steps away from the vamp.

"I had to make sure I got a good shot." The vampire hissed as he approached, then his knees gave out and he went down. "Damn, I was hoping to knock him around a bit first."

"You’ll get your chance later."

"Jesus Christ, Basil! I hate when you do that." His heart pounding, Dante aimed a steely glare at Basil. The guy loved to make an entrance, but did he have to appear out of nowhere without warning and scare the living shit out of him?

"Good shot," Basil stated as he lowered down to the vampires body. "But next time, aim higher. If you can get the neck or near the heart, he’ll go down with one shot."

"Yeah, thanks for the advice." He’d only known Basil a few short days and was still on the fence about him. The guy was the last of the true vampires and had several advantages over the rest of the vamps. For one, he could materialize at the blink of an eye and transport himself anywhere. Two, he could transform into any creature and blend in everywhere. And anyone that didn’t know him personally would think he was your typical average human being. Until he bore his fangs and his icy blue eyes began to glow. Only the truest vampires had the icy blue eyes, all the others were yellow.

A sign of their impurity.

"He one of Chaos’ men?" Dante asked, looking down at the unconscious vampire.

"Won’t know until he wakes up and talks. Let’s call it a night for now and get some rest." Basil hoisted the vamp over his shoulder. "You can ride with me, Jonah, and make sure this guy doesn’t wake up before we get to the castle."

"Gee, thanks, boss."

"You can follow us in your car, Dante."

While the sun was nonexistent they had all agreed to stay at Basil’s castle. It was a smart idea, keeping them all under one roof, but Dante was feeling the crunch of hanging around the same people day and night. He needed a bit of a break now and then, and though Basil’s place was huge, he still managed to run into someone often enough. He was used to living on his own, having no one around but himself.

He missed his privacy.

But he climbed into his car, ready to follow them anyway. Glancing in his rear view mirror, he watched them pull away and saw what looked like a woman, running towards him. He turned around to get a better look, then hustled out of the car. It had been a woman running towards him, clad in only a bra and panties.

And two burly men were right behind her.

"You’ve got to help me. Please, help me," she screamed as she ran.

Running towards her he pulled out his revolver. "Get behind me," he ordered to her and took aim. It utterly shocked him when the two men halted then spun around and took off in the opposite direction. "Fuck!" He turned to the woman who was shivering in the cold air. "Get in the car and lock the doors. I’m going after them."

"No, no, please, don’t leave me."

She grabbed hold of his arm and pressed her body so tightly to his he could feel the curve of her breasts through the thickness of the suede jacket he wore. "I have to go after them."

"No, please, just let them go. I don’t want to be alone."

She clung to him even tighter.

What was he going to do, shake her off of him and drag her to his car? Not likely. So the only chance he had was to stick by her. "Okay. I won’t go after them. You can give a description of them to the cops..."

"NO! No police. Please, don’t take me to the cops."

He didn’t know what her deal was but she sure was adamant about not involving the cops. And that worried him some. "You have to tell them you were attacked."

"I don’t want to follow up on this. Please, don’t make me. I don’t trust the cops," she sighed, still clinging to him.

He could feel her body tremble and he wasn’t sure if it was entirely from the chill in the air, or from fear. "Okay, I won’t take you to the cops. You’re cold. Let me give you my jacket." When she didn’t release him, he patted her arms. "I need you to let me go so I can take off my jacket."

"Oh, okay." She released him and wrapped her arms around her chest.

He striped from his jacket then held it out to her. "Here, put this on before you catch a cold."

She took the jacket and hurriedly slipped into it.

"Thanks."

"No problem. So why don’t you tell me where you live and I’ll give you a ride home."

"I don’t have a home." Dante’s brow lifted and she continued. "I was evicted a few days ago."

He heard glass breaking in the distance and assumed someone was breaking into yet another building. "This isn’t the safest place to be right now. Why don’t I take you to my place and we can figure out what we’re going to do next."

He held his hand out to his car then walked with her to it, holding the passenger side door for her. After she’d settled in, he hurried to his side and climbed behind the wheel. He got them rolling and was damn glad they were only three blocks from his office/apartment.

"My name is Dante, Dante Vega."

"Gypsy Dawn."

She’s getting moist for you.

He’d never heard voices before. Never on the job or in his daily life. But he couldn’t deny the coincidence as the voice echoing in his head registered on the EMF.

Her body aches to be touched by you, to be pleased by you.

"Little do you know, buddy. She hasn’t wanted me in a good long time."

"Here you go. There’s a baseline temp of 20 degrees Celsius in the other room. It didn’t change as I was walking through the hall."

Startled by her appearance, James cleared his throat and held up the EMF. "Got another spike. So far, the kitchen and two bedrooms are registering activity. Let’s check the third bedroom."

She longs to feel you in her hands, to know as you grow to harden, you grow because of her.

He left the room, feeling a tightness in his groin, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

"Temp in here is the same as the other room," Gina announced as she entered the third bedroom. "I’m not as hot in here as I was in the other room though. Maybe we should test the temp in the first room."

"There’s a spike in this room as well. But you’re right, we should check the temperature in the first bedroom." Leading the way, he entered the first bedroom and the heat seared into him.

"Major spike in temperature here. We have a hot spot."

She wasn’t kidding. He was feeling it right to his toes. "See anything now on the camera?"

"Hang on. Here, take this."

He took the thermometer and as their hands touched her felt the heat engorge him.

"Oh ... wow."

He took the thermometer from her, taking a deep breath. "What?"

"Did you just ... feel something?"

"Like what?" Like he didn’t know.

Her body craves you, need you to fill her. She wants you on top, pressing yourself to her, separating her as you thrust inside.

"I don’t know. Like ... a warm ... sexual desire?"

So it wasn’t just him. "I did. Interesting."

"Was anything like this mentioned in the file?"

"The couple said they felt things in the bedroom, weird things, scary things but nothing too specific." He hadn’t really urged them to explain what they meant. Which wasn’t like him and only added credence to his thoughts of something being wrong with him. He just didn’t care like he once did.

"And you didn’t ask?"

"No, I didn’t ask." His remark was short and filled with a great deal of attitude. "What are you picking up on the camera?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean, nothing?" Scooping the camera out of her hand, he held it up and scanned the room.

"Just what I said, nothing, but feel free to see that for yourself."

He was, and it pissed him off. "We’ve got a tricky one."

He wasn’t watching where he was going; he just walked, needing freedom, needing air. The wind was brisk but that too went unnoticed. He was mad and it showed in the way his feet ate up the concrete as he walked.

"Now that’s a familiar look."

Justin stopped abruptly, lifting his head to the man that spoke. He was the last person he wanted to see right now. "What?"

"That look on your face." Wes stepped out of the shadows of his yard. "I remember seeing it plenty of times on your face when your daddy pissed you off."

That much at least hadn’t changed. He was once again pissed at his father. "Yeah, right."

’Wanna come in for a beer?’

’I just want to be alone right now, Wes.’ And nowhere near him.

’Just one, come on man. For old times sake."

"Another time, maybe. Catch you around, Wes." Pulling a cigarette from the package, Justin headed off. When he saw Beth step in front of him, he actually rolled his eyes and blew out a long breath. "Great, another person I don’t want to see."

"If you’re planning on starting up where you left off, Justin, know that I’ll be watching your ass."

"Jesus Christ, Beth. How about a trial before you execute me. I wasn’t doing anything."

"Yet."

He flicked the ashes into the air, snarling. "Fuck off, okay."

"I’m in charge of protecting this town now, Justin, and I won’t tolerate you making a mockery out of it, or your parents."

He dropped the cigarette and not so gently stomped it out with his foot.

Beth pulled the pad from her back pocket of her police uniform pants and began writing.

"What the hell are you writing?"

"A ticket." She snapped it off and handed it to him.

"For what?"

"Littering."

He took the ticket, glanced at it then back up to her. "You have got to be kidding me."

"I never kid where my job is concerned."

"Jesus, you really turned scary." He crumpled the ticket into his pocket. "For the record, constable, I have no intentions of making a mockery out of anyone. All I want is to make amends and set the record straight." No, what he really wanted was to go home and forget the town of Passion.

"What record would that be?" she asked with a snarl in her tone.

"I was not responsible for the B&E."

"Right." She chuckled sarcastically.

"You know, I’m really getting tired of being persecuted for something I didn’t do."

"You were caught red-handed."

"I was set up."

Beth simply stared at him.

"Fine, don’t believe me. Why should you be any different than anyone else." He pushed past her, bumping her lightly as he marched off. He didn’t need this shit anyway.

"Well it’s not like you gave anyone reason to believe you."

He spun around, furious. "I thought you above anyone else would believe me."

"What was I supposed to believe when you ran off without saying a word, no letters, no calls to say how you were doing."

"I couldn’t call because I..."

"You’re a coward."

He actually felt like his head might explode with rage. "I am not a coward."

"No, then why did you run?"

"I ran because I had no other choice."

"You could have stayed and faced it like a man."

"I was only eighteen."

"Old enough to knock off a gas station."

"I didn’t rob it," he shouted at her, getting right into her face.

"Then explain why you were there and the locks were broken and the cash gone."

"I was framed."

"Right." She turned to leave and was quickly spun around.

"Where was the cash then, Beth? It wasn’t on me. Why wouldn’t I have it if I had just robbed the place?"

"You gave it to your buddies."

"Right and I stayed to what...get caught? Think about it."

"I have thought about it, for six years. Let me go, Justin."

"You’re a cop; look at the evidence, Beth. Look at it through a cop’s eyes, not a friend’s eyes."

"I don’t want to discuss this anymore. Let me go, Justin."

"Just listen to me."

"Let me go."

"Damn it, Beth." He was completely thrown back when she gabbed his head with her other hand and plastered her mouth over his. Her lips were hot, her mouth was sweet, and as she pulled away, he saw the wide eyed look on her face. Slowly he released his hold on her.

She spun around.

"Beth..."

She rushed off without saying a word.

"Officer, oh, officer. I need your help."

Turning his attention to the high pitched voice, Vic saw the elderly woman running towards him. Instinct kicked in; he prepared himself for the worst. "Is there a problem, Mrs. Dunbar?"

"Yes, yes, oh, dear, dear me."

"Just relax, Mrs. Dunbar. Take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong."

"It’s Mr. Jingles, oh, Lord, he’s stuck under the tree."

"Did you call for help?" Vic asked, rushing along with the woman as she led him to her house.

"I was just about to go into the house and call, but then I saw you. Thank God. You have to help him."

"Okay, just relax. Was he conscious when you left him?"

"Oh yes, and yelling his head off."

"Okay, that’s good. What part of him is under the tree?" Vic pulled out his radio and was about to call in for backup when she spoke.

"His tail."

He paused not just in step, but thought as well. "Come again?"

"His tail. I heard him crying, so I went out to see where he’d gotten to, and I found him stuck under the tree."

"His tail?"

"Yes," she said with exasperation, leading him to the back of the house. "See."

One look and Vic wanted to curse out loud. "That’s a cat." And like she’d said, it was screaming its head off.

"It’s Mr. Jingles. I don’t know how he got himself stuck to the base of the tree. You have to help him, please, officer."

Letting out a deep breath, Vic walked up to the tree. Yep, she was right, the cat was stuck and apparently not just his tail, but it looked like his butt as well. Vic couldn’t help but laugh.

"This is no laughing matter, officer."

He didn’t bother to correct her in regards to his rank but did stop laughing. Or at least he did his best not to laugh. "Okay, let’s see what I can do." Biting his tongue, Vic knelt down to the cat, who looked like he was ready to shred anything that came near him. Thank God for the regulation work gloves Vic wore. He pushed some snow away from the cat to get a better look. "Well, looks like I solved this one quickly."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Looks like Mr. Tinkles..."

"Jingles," she corrected.

"Jingles, sorry, has gotten his butt stuck on his own urine." Vic looked down at the panicked cat. "Don"t you know that when it’s this cold out, you shouldn’t put your butt down when you’re taking a leak?" he chastised the cat while he hissed and swiped his front paws at Vic.

"Can you help him?"

"I think I can. What I need you to do is go inside, run some hot water into a bucket and bring it out to me." The instant she hurried to the house, Vic let the laughter roll. How could he not find humor in the situation when the damn cat’s ass was frozen to the snow because of his own piss? "See, that’s where dogs are smarter. They lift their legs to pee and, therefore, prevent having their balls and ass stick to the snow."

"Here we go."

Biting his lip, Vic took the bucket of hot water from Mrs. Dunbar and knelt back down to the cat. "Now, be a good kitty and don’t claw my eyes out when I free you."

"Don’t hurt my baby," Mrs. Dunbar pleaded.

Nodding to her, Vic just hoped he wasn’t the one that got hurt. "Here we go." Tilting the bucket, Vic began to pour the water beside the cat, in hopes it would melt the snow and release Mr. Jingles. The cat hissed, began to claw wildly, kicking up snow in his fight to free himself.

"Mr. Jingles!" Mrs. Dunbar cried out.

Because he worried the cat would rip its balls off, Vic placed one hand on top of his back while he poured the rest of the water. It wasn’t easy holding Mr. Jingles down; the cat was large, fat but strong, and put up a good struggle. The water melted the snow which released him from the spot he was frozen to, and Vic managed to scoop up the cat with both hands before it managed to run away. "Hold up there, big guy. Let’s check you out."

"Is he alright?"

The cat fought like it was being murdered and managed to dig his claws right through the thick leather gloves Vic wore. He cursed under his breath, shifting the wiggling cat to check out his backside.

That had been a major mistake.

Mr. Jingles wiggled, Vic lost his grip and the cat lunged at him, clinging to his jacket. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Mr. Jingles took one carefully aimed swipe at Vic’s face and scratched him right across his left cheek.

"Son of a bitch!" He dropped Mr. Jingles, and the cat instantly ran for the house.

"Mr. Jingles," Mrs. Dunbar cried, racing to the house.

"You’re welcome," Vic called out, dabbing at the fire on his cheek. "Brutal bastard," he muttered under his breath, trudging his way through the alley and away from Satan’s spawn. Damn cat.

With his gloved hand, Vic covered the wound as he marched his way home. Do someone a favor and look what you end up with. What had his life come to? He’d resorted to freeing cats frozen to the snow because the feline was too stupid to take a piss inside when it was cold. Six months ago he’d been investigating major crimes, and now he was freeing stupid cats from the snow.

Lord, what had he been thinking?

"Well, hello, handsome."

Glancing over, Vic smiled at the beautiful blonde with big, blue eyes and replied in a sexy growl, "Well, hello yourself."

Finally, things were looking up.

That damn itch she’d been having lately was back, and it was driving her nuts. Rolling her shoulders, she watched two redheads staggering from the bar’s exit and towards a dimly lit street.

Here we go again, She kept to the shadows as she followed after them. Uneventfully, they made it to their car and drove off. She hoped the cops were out tonight and those two were hauled in to sleep off their drunk.

Turning back to the club, she waited and watched for the next two hours and was glad nothing had happened. So far. But the night was still young.

"Can you smell it?"

She didn’t jump, but slowly looked over at Basil who appeared next to her. She hated when he just appeared out of thin air, but she knew he loved that entrance the best. "Your stink? Always."

He didn’t sneer at her but slowly lifted his hand and lit the cigarette between his fingers. "The blood of a human. Does it still draw you in, make you hunger, make you want?"

"I’ve got a strong will." Deliberately, she shifted away from him. It wasn’t only the smoke that bothered her...and always had...but his scent. It pissed her off that he could still make her ache.

She waved the smoke away annoyingly and shifted just a bit farther away. "Why are you skulking, Basil? Because if you’re following me, I am going to so kick your ass."

"I was in the neighborhood."

She glared at him and growled her response. "If you’re here to drink, let me warn you now that I won’t allow it."

"Who am I supposed to drink from now that I no longer am nourished by your blood?" She chose not to answer that. "Why does it seem that you’re always around, lurking in the dark, around places that aren’t your usual hangouts? Unless...there’s a reason?" The thought stabbed into her, and though she didn’t want to believe it, she had to ask. "Are you trying to take more females of your own? Are you the one abducting young girls?" With one quick and easy flick, he tossed the cigarette into the darkness. The red tip glowed as it flew through the air before landing on the gravel to bounce and spit out a cloud of red sparkling fireworks. "I will not even dignify that with an answer."

"It’s so obvious, now that I think about it. I was young when you took me, made me yours. Is that what you’re doing, Basil, making another mate?"

His icy blue eyes narrowed dangerously as he stepped closer. "I have a mate and to think you would even have such a thought sickens me."

"You don’t have me, Basil." Her voice grew dangerous. "If I’m so wrong, then do explain to me why you’re always out in the darkness, skulking near all these young girls?"

"The very same reason you are, my dear." He ran a finger along her face, making her scowl.

She snorted, stepping away from him before he decided to do something stupid, like kiss her. "Please, I hardly think you’re out here looking to find the person or persons responsible for taking four innocent girls."

"Leaning against the building behind them, Basil looked off into the direction of the bar and the people waiting in line to be allowed inside. "You think so little of me and that’s a shame. But I suppose I’ve done it to myself. Yes, Trinity, I am looking to find out who took those young girls, as you are. And why you might ask?" He shifted towards her, sliding in nice and close and making her pulse speed up. He laid his fingers on her cheek, then slowly slid them along her face. "Because I have a feeling I am connected to the reason they’ve been taken."

She had all but a moment to open her mouth to respond when he closed it with a mind numbing kiss, then pulling away, turned into a dog and scampered away.

Now what the hell did he mean by that?

"Mind if I position you?"

"Oh, baby, do with me what you will."

Thomas hoped he could get this done without embarrassing himself. Her deep seductive voice definitely was doing a number on him. "Lie partially on your side."

"Like this?"

"Not that much; tilt your upper body to the side a bit. Like this." Oh, touching her had not been a smart move. Biting his lip, Thomas shifted her into position. "Now lift your right leg, bend at the knee and place your left hand across your belly. Perfect."

"Thank you."

He was going to lose it. Seeing the roses on the table, he picked them up and snapped off the blooms.

"Hey!"

"I’ll buy you more." She’d brought over four, and he was going to use all four. Leaving one on the table, Thomas began plucking petals from the rest and dropped them onto her naked body. They fell lightly to land on her chest, belly and hands. The last bloom he took and carefully slid it into her hair just over her right ear. He took a step back, looking at her through a painter’s eyes and was satisfied with what he saw.

"Are we good to go?" Cassie inquired.

With a nod, Thomas walked to the easel. Lifting the charcoal pencil, he began to work.

"How many nudes have you really painted?" Cassie asked while Thomas worked busily behind the easel.

"Ten."

"Wow. My nose is itchy."

"Don’t move."

"Easy for you to say." She wiggled her nose, and he scowled at her. "Sorry."

"You only think your nose is itchy because you can’t move. We haven’t been at this long. I’ll be done soon enough, then you can scratch your nose. Think of something else."

"How long will this take?"

He paused, looked around the easel at her. "We can quit right now if you like?"

"No. I’ll deal with it. So, why did you move all the way out here?"

"Why did you?" His hand worked quickly, putting the lovely image before him on canvas.

"I pulled out a map, closed my eyes and pointed. When I opened my eyes, it had landed on Passion. Here I am."

His eyes lifted from his work. "You pointed to a map and that’s how you chose where you’d live?"

"You betcha."

She was an odd one. "Why didn’t you stay in Calgary?"

"I wanted to be on my own, and I knew if I stayed too close to home I would only end up relying on my parents. It was time I moved out on my own in any case."

"You’re what...twenty-three-ish?" Thomas spoke while his hand drew the fine lines of her figure.

"Oh, you are a sweetheart. I’m twenty-eight."

His eyes lifted now with a great deal of surprise. "You don’t look it."

"You definitely know how to flatter a girl. What’s your story, Thomas Healy? Why did you choose to live in this small out of the way town?"

"It was quiet." It was proving to be a little more difficult drawing her breasts than he thought it would be. Closing his eyes, he chastised himself for letting his mind wander, then returned to his art.

"It was quiet? What kind of answer is that?"

"A simple one. You moved your leg."

"I did not."

Thomas grunted, setting his pencil down before walking to her. "You’re leaning it against your other leg." Taking her knee in his hand, he moved it back into place. His eyes drifted to the ripe pinkness between her legs, and he nearly drooled all over her. "Keep it there."

"I know you want me, Thomas."

Who wouldn’t want her? "We can’t always have everything we want." He proceeded to draw the detail of her body.

"Certain things we can, and I wouldn’t mind one bit if you took me."

"I’m sure you wouldn’t, but I don’t mix business with pleasure."

"Fine, I’ll hire someone else to fix up my house."

"You signed a contract which is legally binding."

She huffed. "Then I’ll break it and let my lawyer deal with the outcome."

"It’ll be tied up in court for months, maybe longer, and you still wouldn’t get your way."

"Why are you being so stubborn?"

"It’s ingrained. I said don’t move," he chastised her when she sat up.

"I nearly had you on the stairs at my house, and trust me, you weren’t thinking of business or the damn contract at the time. I could have you begging me to take you. Just like that." She snapped her fingers.

"And you would only humiliate yourself. Lie back down," Thomas insisted.

"The hell I will." She stood up, rose petals floating to the floor.

"If you don’t lie back down, I won’t be able to finish the painting." He lied; he could draw or paint her with his eyes closed. Every curve of her body was ingrained in his memory.

"Screw the painting. You’re trying to tell me that if I came to you now, wrapped my arms around you and rubbed my naked body against you, that you wouldn’t take me?"

Thomas laid his pencil down because he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere until she was through with her snit. "Funny, you don’t strike me as a desperate woman."

Her jaw dropped. "Desperate! How dare you."

"I believe anything worth having is worth waiting for. Anything that is rushed is not. I’m not looking for a quick fuck, and if that’s all you’re looking for, go hang out at the local bar and wait for the oil riggers to come in. They’re always looking for a quickie." He mentally cursed himself for what he’d said.

"You bastard." Grabbing her wrap, she threw it on and stomped from the house.

"That was nice, Thomas, really fucking nice," he muttered after the door slammed with her exit.

"Cooper...no!"

"It’s the only way," he said, then sunk his teeth back into her neck. He drank in her blood, sating not only his thirst for her, but his need to have her as well. He felt her struggling beneath him and knew he needed to calm her before the final release. Rising up, he cupped her face in his hand, steadying her as he looked into her eyes.

"There is no cure, my sweet, and I could not live without you in my life any longer. This is the only way. I love you," he proclaimed and took her neck once more. As he drank her life into his, he felt something damp slide over his fingers. Glancing up, he saw that they were her tears. It would all be better in no time and then they could be as happy as they had been so long ago.

When he felt her heartbeat slow and her pulse weaken, he pulled away and bit into his wrist. "Drink from me, my sweet. Drink and live."

Her eyes drooping, she opened her mouth...he knew to protest...but he placed his bloody wrist over her mouth instead. "Drink, Gabriella. It’s the only way to save you." She hesitated but when the blood coated the back of her throat she gagged. To ward off choking, she began to swallow. She drank and drank and drank until Cooper felt his own pulse slow. He pulled his wrist away and took her lips. She tasted of his blood mixed with the sweetness that was his Gabriella.

He could feel her body as it began to regenerate, as it began to meld with his blood. When her mouth grew more eager, he pumped himself into her until they both screamed with their release.

"Why?" she whimpered, her arms falling to her sides.

Pulling free, he laid at her side, stroking her face. "It was the only way for you to have a life. Shh now, you need to sleep. Your body needs to reform." He kissed her once more and sent her to a sleepy slumber.

Cooper dressed, feeling more alive than he had in more years than he could count. Mostly it was from the fresh human blood which he hadn’t had in many years, but he also knew it was because he had his love back.

Looking down at Gabriella as she slept, her body pink from their lovemaking, he felt the love wash over him.

Finally, he had her back.

Now all he needed was to bring her home.

There was blood, all around him, pools of it, teasing him, calling to him, and all he wanted was to drink it. Yet the closer he got to it, the further it was away. The scent of it, like strong copper, filled his nostrils and tantalized his tastebuds.

He wanted it more than life itself.

Bolting awake, Jonah stared wide eyed into the room. Every part of him hurt.

"Jonah? Are you okay?"

He could smell her as if she were beside him. Her scent, her blood, called to him. "Stay away from me!" He felt his teeth ache and the urge to take grew tenfold.

"What’s the matter? Do you have another cramp?"

"No! Please, stay away from me." Then she stepped up beside him and all he could think was take. He could hear her blood rushing through her veins, her heart as it pounded in her chest. With each whoosh his body responded. "Please, just stay away from me."

She clicked the light on over his bed and it was all he could do not to lunge at her and bite that supple vein at the side of her neck. "For God’s sake, Raven. Get lost!"

She stopped, tilted her head, then laid her hand on his head. "You need to feed."

"Just leave me alone. Please. I beg of you." If he could run away from her right now, he would.

"This won’t get any better unless you give your body what it wants. Here, drink." She thrust her wrist out to him.

He slapped it away. "No!"

"What you’re feeling right now will only become more intense the longer you wait. Just take my vein and drink. I’ll be fine. I’ve done this before."

He pushed her aside, then rolled himself off the bed. He fell with a thud onto the cold tiled floor but the pain was nothing compared to what he felt inside. It was more intense than anything he’d ever felt before. It felt like fire ants were clawing through his veins, his mouth was so dry his lips stuck to his teeth and his head...the call he heard in his head was the whooshing of her blood pumping through her veins.

It was going to drive him insane.

"Take it, Jonah," she demanded, falling down beside him on the floor.

"I won’t drink from you." He’d rather die.

"If you don’t drink now, Jonah, you’ll go insane and I refuse to let that happen." She jumped up onto the bed and when she came back down, she had the knife in her hands.

"Now, drink." She slid it across her arm by her elbow then thrust it out at him.

"Stop it! What have you done?" But the blood, so red, so thick, so...juicy, called to him.

"I can stitch myself up after. Just drink."

"Please don’t make me do this," he pleaded.

"I have to." She grabbed his head and thrust her arm to his mouth.

The instant the blood touched his lips he was compelled to take it in. He couldn’t help himself. She was delicious, so smooth, so gloriously sweet that he wanted to drink her up. And as he sucked on her arm, drawing in her blood, the ache began to subside.

"Good, that’s it, drink from me."

Her voice was soft and soothing, so similar to her blood. She was nectar and he was parched. Then he felt her go limp and when he looked up, he saw her beginning to sway. Jonah pulled his mouth from her arm and captured her before she fell backwards onto the floor. "Damn it! What did I do?"

"You’re a vampire?" She backed away from him, her brown eyes wide.

"Well...yeah. What the hell is wrong with me? Why can’t I move?" It was like his brain had lost communication with the rest of his body. Yet he could feel everything.

Weird.

"I froze you. You were going to bite me."

"Once again, yeah. Vampire here. And what do you mean you froze me?" He was straining so hard to move that if he wasn’t careful he was going to drop a load in his pants.

"I’m a witch."

"A what?"

"A witch."

At least he could use his face and, frowning at her, said, "You’re a witch?"

She folded her arms over her chest and cocked her hip to the side. He corrected his earlier thought. She wasn’t just hot. She was damn hot! "Yeah, what’s wrong with being a witch?"

"Nothing wrong with it. You just don’t look like a witch."

"Why, because I don’t have a green face and a pointy nose?" She rolled her eyes.

"No, because...well, you’re hot!" There was no denying it, the woman had curves in all the right places and that tight, black, v-neck t-shirt she wore teased of ample breasts. Never mind the blue jeans that looked painted on. "Only children think witches look like that. I’m not that stupid."

She planted her fists on her hips and gave him an indignant look. "I don’t like your attitude."

"No problem. Unfreeze me or whatever you need to do to give me back the power of my body and I can be on my merry way. Killer, hurry your ass in there already!" Where was that cat anyway?

"Killer? There are more of you in here?" She spun around, facing towards the entryway to the kitchen.

Oh, this was too perfect. "Oh yeah, there’s a whole bunch of us here and we’re all going to take turns sucking the life right out of you."

She glared as she turned to face him. Maybe he should have used less sarcasm. "I don’t believe you."

"Suit yourself. Come on out, guys!" This was too much fun.

Then Killer walked in, meowed, and wound his body around Danny’s legs. How was he supposed to pretend to be mean when the cat was cuddling up to him?

"There’s no one else here, is there?"

"Sure there are." He was losing her rapidly.

"I don’t think so." Daringly, she inched towards the doorway, peering around the corner.

Danny just couldn't resist. "Get her!"

She jumped, spun around in some sort of karate kick, her fists raised and ready.

It was the hottest thing he’d ever seen.

"I knew it! There is no one else here." She spun back towards Danny. "You lied."

"Can’t blame a guy for trying. All right already, Killer, go lay down on the sofa or something." The cat was annoying him only because he was tickling Danny’s shins and there was nothing he could do to stop it, being frozen and all.

"Killer? That’s Killer?" she chuckled as she made her way to the cat, scooping him up. "You don’t look so fierce.

"Come here pretty girl."

"He’s a guy." The nerve of her assuming Killer was a girl!

"Aren’t you a sweetie pie?" She nuzzled her face into the cat’s fur. "Yes, you are."

Killer was loving every minute of it. "You wanna unfreeze me now?"

"Right, because I look stupid."

"Well..."

"Don’t."

"You walked into it, toots."

She narrowed those big, brown eyes at him. "Don’t call me that. If I let you go the first thing you’ll do is jump me and bite my neck."

"Doesn’t have to be the neck and I’d probably do more than just jump you."

Her eyes narrowed a little more. "What does that mean?"

"Just forget it. If I promise I won’t bite you, will you let me go?"

"Sure. NOT!!" She laughed at him then took a seat on the sofa with the cat. "What’s a pretty kitty like you doing with a big, bad vampire?" Her head jerked up and her eyes went wide making them look even bigger than they already were. "Oh my Goddess! You don’t drink from him, do you?"

That was just the most appalling thing he’d ever heard. "What? No way. Killer and I are tight. We’re pals."

"You’re pals?"

"Yeah, I saved him from a bunch of hungry dogs a few weeks ago and we’ve been roomies ever since."

"You’re roomies?" Her lips twitch with a grin.

He wasn’t impressed. "What’s wrong with that?"

"That’s sweet. You have a kitty as a pet." Snuggling the cat to her face, she flashed a huge smile at him.

"Wanna release me now?" He didn’t like the way she was looking at him or being called sweet. He was anything but.

She leaned back and Killer made himself right at home on her lap. "Not yet. So why were you leaving...I don’t even know your name."

"Danny."

"Cool. I’m Starla Raine. So why were you leaving?"

"Starla Raine? What kind of name is that?"

"It’s a perfectly fine name. Starla was my grandmother’s name."

"So Raine is your last name?"

"Yes. Why were you leaving?" she repeated, gently stroking the cat’s head.

Maybe if he played nice and gave her what she wanted she’d release him and then he and Killer could go on their merry way. "I’m tired of this town."

"I would think someone like you would love living here where there’s no sun to burn you up."

"The sun doesn’t kill us. That’s just a myth. But it does give us a nasty third degree burn. I’ve spent twenty years learning to live with the sun, doing so now won’t be any different."

"Twenty years?" She frowned. "How old are you?"

"Thirty-three."

"Get out? Wow, how old were you when you were taken?"

"Thirteen. I answered your questions, so you wanna let me go now." His body was starting to cramp up and it was not a good feeling, especially since he couldn’t rub the tightening muscles.

"The response you gave to my question was lame. Now tell me the real reason you and Killer," she smiled down at the cat on her lap, "were leaving."

"Why does it matter to you?" She was pissing him off now.

"Just curious. What’s the real reason?"

She just wasn’t giving up. "If I tell you the truth, will you please release me?"

"You bet." She kicked her legs up onto the couch and

Killer stretched out, placing his paws and his face on her knees.

"You are just loving this," he growled at Killer. "Okay,I’m kind of an outcast here. I used to be part of the group of vamps that started this whole darkness crap, but I disobeyed the leader and so he kicked me out. Now no one wants to hang out with me even though Chaos has been taken hostage and is hidden somewhere. So why stay where I’m not wanted?"

"Chaos was the leader?"

"Yeah. Now you know the truth you can let me go."

She stood up holding the cat in her arms. "I don’t think so."

"What? You said you would?" This was bullshit!

"Yes, I did, but that was before I knew you were connected to the darkness." She walked right up to him, her face a breath away. "I came to Jacob’s Cove to find out everything I can about the ritual that cast the city in darkness. I’m thinking you might come in handy."

She walked off towards the kitchen, the cat in her arms.

"What? No fucking way! Get back here. Did you hear me, Starla? Get your ass back here now!" If he had the ability to chase after her she would so be on her face right now. "Damn it, Starla. Let me go!"

"Behind you! Get down."

The gun came up in his hand, aimed at her head. She felt the presence of the vampire as he jumped out from behind the dumpster. As she spun around to take him down, the gun fired, hitting the vamp in the right shoulder. He jerked back, screeching like a banshee.

"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled at the man with the gun as she ran to the vamp. "Daisy, stay!" Daisy sat as she’d been instructed while Sienna knelt down beside the screaming vamp. She pressed her knee to the vamp’s bleeding shoulder to ensure that he wouldn’t move. "You are under arrest for breaking the laws of human and vampire and will be detained in the local jail while awaiting trial."

"You’re a cop?" the guy behind her responded.

"Yeah, I’m a cop. Oh, stop your screaming already," she yelled at the vamp, then flipped him onto his belly and pulled his arms to his back, pinning them in one hand while she searched for her handcuffs. "Damn it, why don’t I have my cuffs on me. Wanna tell me why you were about to attack me?"

"I wasn’t...honest...I was only...out for a walk. Yeah, I was walking. I’m going to sue the cops for harassment. I was minding my own. Fuck, my shoulder is killing me. Police brutality!"

"Shut the hell up. No one gives a damn."

"Here."

Sienna glanced up to see a set of shiny silver handcuffs dangling down before her. Glancing up, she took a moment to survey the gentleman and noticed he wasn’t bad on the eyes. His dark brown hair was messed up but somehow looked natural. And wow! The guy had a hell of a body. Broad shoulders, wide chest, and narrow waist. His face was pretty decent to look at, even with that thin line of hair over his upper lip that ran down the sides of his mouth to cover his chin. He had nice eyes, dark, round, with long lashes. "I’d prefer a regulation set rather than your bondage toys’

"These are regulation. I’m a detective. Nathan Powers," he introduced in a deep, throaty voice that sounded as if he’d had one too many cigarettes.

The vamp squirming beneath her, she took the cuffs. Before slapping them on the vamp�fs wrists she made sure they were regulation. Flipping him onto his back, Sienna pinned him with her knee as she had before. "Don’t try anything stupid."

"Bitch!" the vamp spat.

"What the hell’s with the yellow contacts and fake fangs?"

Sienna glanced over her shoulder as she responded to the detective. "What? You’ve never seen a vampire before?"

"A what?"

"A vampire."

"I heard you. I thought I’d seen it all, but I guess not. Now we’ve got junkies playing vampire," The detective chuckled with a shake of his head.

One look at the guy told her he was serious. "Oh jeez, he’s a virgin." She rolled her eyes. "I told you to shut up." She yanked the screaming vamp to his feet. "This is a vampire, not a fake, the real deal and if you plan on being in Jacob’s Cove for any amount of time you might want to be on the lookout for them. Some of them refuse to abide by the new laws. Isn’t that right, screamer?"

"Seriously though, he’s a vampire like the blood-sucking kind?"

"Don’t know any other kind."

"Shouldn’t you like...you know, jam a wooden stake through his heart? I can’t believe I just said that." He laughed boldly.

Was he for real?

She didn’t care for the sarcasm in his voice. "Neither can I. We prefer to rehabilitate them rather than turning them to dust." Holding the vamp in one hand, she pulled her cell phone out with the other and dialed the station. "Lieutenant Storm here. I have a rogue vamp I need brought in."

"I wasn’t doing anything, you stupid bitch."

She clamped onto the squirming vamp a little tighter as she gave her location. She slipped her phone back into her shirt pocket when she was through and gave the vamp a hard shove against the dumpster. "Right, you were only skulking in the dark because you needed a smoke, right?"

"It’s a free world last time I looked."

"Sure, except when you’re attempting to drink someone dry. Save it for the judge; I’m done listening."

"You can’t prove anything. I’m innocent."

"Do you know what I am?" she asked as she leaned in real close. "I’m a Tejakkan which means I have precog abilities. I saw you moments before you jumped out and I saw just what you’d planned to do so save your ’I’m innocent’ act for someone who gives a damn."

"Bitch!"

"That’s right and remember it."