Chapter One

My life was simple until I met the Hightower Enforcer, Tamara. Since then, I’ve been turned, spelled and married. Now, I’m on my way to Texas to find Tamara’s sister, Kaley, while their mother, the Vampire Matriarch Katherine, invades my thoughts and resides in my head. If you think you hate your in-laws, try mine on for size!

Oh yeah, did I mention that my wife Tamara, the enforcer is dying because of me and I’m the only one who can save her, but I don’t know how?

Chapter One

I have a reoccurring nightmare that latches onto me like a pit bull attacking his last meal. I see myself lying on a lounger on a white sandy beach in Jamaica. The wind is softly blowing a cool breeze while the sun shines above. Its delightful rays are warming me while shadowing a gorgeous cabana girl who is approaching me knowing she will tend only to my wishes. Her bright smile relaxes me.

“Can I get you something else, Ms Izzy? ” she asks with a flirtatious Island accent.

I am tempted to let go of the hold I have on reality and forever spend the rest of my undead days lapping up the sun and the care that this beauty offers. Then I snap out of my delusion and realize that after everything I’ve been through, I ended up in Texas—not the Islands, where I could enjoy the sun and the fun while searching for Kaley Hightower. Oh no, that would have been asking for way too much. Instead, I’m stuck here where everything is supposedly bigger and I have yet to see better. What I have seen is that the lack of Kaley’s blood donor centers has made Texas a free-for-all-vampire-feeding-frenzy state.

A few months ago, Kaley, and her human girlfriend, Jules, had a major fight. Afterward, Kaley showed up at our house with her hunger raging for blood and she attacked me. Tamara, my vampire girlfriend and Mistress of the East Coast, fought her off, but in the few seconds Kaley had me, she drained too much of my precious elixir, leaving me near death. Welcome to the Hightower Clan. If you think you’ve got it bad with your in-laws, try mine.

I never doubted Tamara would preserve my humanity. I never even had a fear and maybe that’s what got me into trouble. I trusted vampires, especially the Hightowers, and even though it was a stupid thing to do, let my guard down. Imagine my surprise when Kaley, Tamara’s sister, bled me. In an effort to save my life, Tamara took me to the Hightower estate and turned me into one of them. Yeah, she said she couldn’t bear the thought of losing me forever and took matters into her own hands. Even that wasn’t easy. The half-witch in me complicated things and I turned into the first living vampire to walk on the Earth. My heart still beats, but my lungs don’t breathe and my magic is fizzling out while the vampire in me grows. Oh yeah, and I don’t die when the sun comes up. That’s right…I’m a day walker, which means, most importantly, I don’t burst into a ball of fire when sunlight touches my skin.

As for how I’m handling my transformation, some moments are better than others. I still have the undeniable urge to latch onto and feed from the first available donor—willing or not—and I have a hole in the pit of my stomach that regularly reminds me no amount of nourishment will satisfy my new needs. I pass normal, everyday people who are oblivious to the monsters walking beside them. We are the monsters that want their blood, their lives, even their souls. Monsters, like me, who feel their tempting warmth and focus on the pulsating artery on the side of their necks that calls to us to feed and fill our needs—when our needs arrives.

After Tamara turned me, we married vampire style, which consisted of making a concoction of our blood and drinking it. My genetics for being half-witch are wrecking havoc on Tamara’s vampire system and now, after hundreds of years, she can’t sleep. Believe me, you haven’t seen chaos until you’ve seen a Mistress Vampire afflicted with insomnia. She’s cranky, irritable, and emotionally unstable. A trip to Jamaica would have benefited me greatly.

That’s why Lady Katherine Hightower, Matriarch of the Hightower Clan and my new mother-in-law, sent me, not Tamara, to find her other beloved daughter, Kaley, and bring her home. I’m no match for a Hightower, especially a rogue one, so Katherine had the bruja, Shamana, a witch from days past, brew up some mojo, and I now share Katherine’s experiences. Talk about not being able to get away from your in-laws. Can you feel my enthusiasm?

Katherine provided me with a recon team to help me in my quest, but Texas is such a big state, we had to separate to cover most of it. Raven, whose black hair, dark complexion, and fluid movements adequately describe her nickname, is in Austin. Tank, a tall, handsome, well-educated, black man and ex-football player whose remarkable muscle mass would intimidate the entirety of the Dallas Cowboys team, is in Houston. Hummer, the epitome of an ex Hell’s Angel biker, wearing Italian tailored suits trying to blend in, is in El Paso. That leaves me in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, alone.

On Tamara’s advice, I found Pinky’s, a small, grey, square building with limited parking, and Fort Worth’s only gay bar. It seemed that it was common practice for patrons to mingle in the parking lot as couples hid behind cars making out and women gathered in small groups listening to the music emanating from the bar while catching a breath of fresh air. Not exactly what I would have expected, but hey, not every club is as nice as Club Red, the club I own in Florida.

The smell of sage, flee dip and hormones stopped me at Pinky’s front door. A mixed club, just grand! Witches, weres and humans, it couldn’t get any better. I knew Kaley wasn’t here. After she killed me, I had developed a weird connection with her. I don’t know where she’s at, but I know where’s she’s been and she’s been here, of that I’m sure. As I stood at the door debating whether to enter, a group of women brushed past me, leaving the aroma of hormones and excitement lingering in the air. What the hell? I might get lucky—gathering information about where to find Kaley—and we could all head home soon.

All eyes turned to me as I walked in. It was an awkward moment, trying to figure out whether I was something to look at or if they saw their next meal. It’s a long-standing rule that vampires and weres don’t mix well and with my luck, they were probably thinking the latter. So I did the next best thing—I smiled, flashing a toothy grin and my pearly whites in a nerdy manner. The dance floor was small in comparison to my club and their dé cor was, well, it’s actually not much. Liquor posters were plastered on the walls in no particular order. Large plastic beer bottles decorated space behind the bar and Christmas lights strung across large mirrors, but the club seemed to draw in a big crowd. Elbowroom was in tight demand tonight as a first-time author’s book debuted—a lesbian vampire series—attracted most of the crowd. If she knew anything about us, she wouldn’t be here writing about it, instead, she’d run for the cold Northern weather where she’d be safe from us.

Everyone casually moved away from me while I headed to the bar. My newfound abilities tended to slow things down for me and I wasn’t sure if that’s what was happening or if people were being obvious about pulling in the welcome mat. Yeah, learning how to be a vamp was interesting. If I focused on something, everything slowed down to a crawl. It’s not that people slowed down, but rather, my perception sped up, making everything else seem slow. I took a seat on the stool, kitty-corner to the dance floor, and casually but quickly did an armpit check—you know the move—where you half-raise your arm and pretend you’re looking at the floor while taking in a deep breath. Did I really smell as bad as the werewolves did?

An attractive woman in her mid-forties, smelling like the clean scent of a dewy morning, bumped into me. “Bartender—rum and coke please, ” she yelled over the music while waving a twenty-dollar bill. She flashed a smile that said, I know you’re a vamp and then got comfortable on the stool next to me. “It’s finally nice to meet you.”

“You must have me confused with someone else, ” I mumbled, partially ignoring her and glancing around the bar.

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

I watched her casually adjust her shirt, allowing more cleavage to show.

“Keep the change, sweetheart.”

Then I felt her gaze on me.

“I’m Natasha and she’s not here, ” she proclaimed, self-confidence oozed from her while she gulped down half the drink.

“Who’s not here? ” My attention now focused on the dance floor.

“Katherine’s daughter, of course! ” she blurted, tossing back the last of the alcohol.

I expected her to say many things—whomever you seek, the love of your life, best fuck you’ll ever have—anything but that. My curiosity and attention were now devoted to her. “Have you seen her? ” I raised my brow, facing her, waiting for an answer, but a woman who smelled like flee dip walked up and started humping and grinding on Natasha’s leg before she answered. God how rude! Did wolves have no common courtesy?

“I really like it when they do this, ” Natasha leaned in close, yelling over the music that had gotten two octaves louder. “You can tell how good a lover someone will be by the way she dances. Did you know that? ” She hopped off the stool, holding her drink up, so as not to spill it, and returned the stranger’s rhythmic humps as they moved toward the dance floor.

Maybe, it’s me. Maybe my underexposure to werewolves has developed into a dislike of them, but either way, my patience was running out. The easiest way to find out if anyone has seen Kaley was to search their memories and that was something that with Katherine’s experience, I could do.

I leaned against the bar and quieted my mind, drowning out the music, but not my surroundings. I wouldn’t leave myself completely open for a surprise attack. Wooden stakes weren’t the only things that were fatal. I focused my attention on a cute little redhead swinging and jerking her way around the dance floor. She wouldn’t even know I had entered her mind. Once I was in, I would search her memories, much like flipping through a Rolodex. I would be in and out, jumping into the next person before she even finished her sentence. I bowed my head concentrating on my task. Slowly, images started appearing—home life, a pet, friends, sex and then they rolled through me until the memories flooded my psyche.

It would save time not to go too far back so I only focused on the last couple of months. I finished scanning the redhead and jumped into the next mind. The memories came upon me quicker and I found myself scanning the unsuspecting minds at the bar faster than I had thought possible. It was mostly of numerous bad days at work, upset lovers, betrayed confidences, friends and excited hormones. Everyone I skimmed had the same memories of sharing secrets and interrelating with friends. How I missed being normal and that’s when the dark cloud of loneliness rolled over me and claimed me as another victim. I felt lonely primarily because I was alone. Pushing my self-pitying thoughts aside, I kept at the task at hand.

I was on a roll, examining for memories of Kaley, when I hit a mind that not only denied me access, but also slammed me out of my trance with an impact that jolted me in my seat. Lifting my eyes, I saw a woman standing in front of me, smiling and touching my arm. My black eyes locked onto her amethyst eyes. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at how her eyes, which swirled with golden colors amidst the purple, radiated an inviting energy.

“You shouldn’t do that here, ” she warned with a smile. “You are outnumbered and others, ” she motioned behind her, “don’t like your kind. It’s not safe for you considering…” She paused, then leaned closer, whispering, “That there is only one of you.”

Her warning was clear. I needed to be careful of my new surroundings. Apparently, there were issues that I wasn’t aware of and something as innocent as scanning memories, they could perceive as a prelude for an attack. Shifters had started to get on my nerves. “I meant no disrespect.” Interestingly, I sensed nothing behind her purple eyes—no life, no memories, nothing and yet she captivated my interest in a most unusual manner. I had to find out more about her. Slyly moving my energy toward her, she pressed her lips tightly together in a disapproving scowl.

“Izzy, don’t press your luck, ” she whispered, barely audible as if knowing I would be able to hear her over the extremely loud music.

I found it strange that she knew my name and my attempts at mind scanning. I wondered if she had any idea of whom and what I am. It’s not as if I had worn a tee shirt that stated I’m a vamp. “How do you know? ” I asked, still unable to break my gaze, but more importantly, feeling an immediate connection with her.

“I know who you are, ” she answered with a smile, leaned closer to me, and softly caressed my face with her cheek. “Don’t try to figure me out, you haven’t met my kind yet, ” she said, sliding her hand over my thigh. “Natasha sent me to keep you safe while you are here.”

With her hand brushing against my crotch, I should have lost myself to her completely, but my instincts screamed that something was wrong. I had been too distracted to notice that what little personal space between the patrons and me had disappeared. The women at the bar were banding closer together as a group, surrounding me.

“I smell a dead leech! ” A voice snickered. “Someone forgot to take the garbage out.” A chorus of laughter followed.

I knew this is where things escalate and someone inevitably gets hurt. Since I was the only vampire in the club, which, from my perspective, had too many pointed wooden objects readily available, I knew that I was the dead leech. I stood and faced the crowd of flee-dipped shifters that gathered behind me, snarling. Suddenly the group of women stepped aside, creating an opening in their ranks, and a young female with an assertive gait approached.

“Abby, ” she said, shaking her head and frowning. “I should have known it would be you interfering.”

“Rosalie, you of all people should know that I have not interfered.” Abby took a step forward, putting herself between the woman and me.

Rosalie waved a finger at me. “She came very close to breaking the treaty and you stopped her. It would have justified our actions tonight without retaliation from Adele’s clan, ” she replied angrily. “You ruined our fun.” She pouted, puffing out her lower lip.

Rosalie’s demeanor was powerful. She carried an air of strength and self-confidence that made the other woman appear as weak puppies that were first learning how to run and frolic without stumbling over their own paws. It wasn’t surprising that the pack was acting subservient to her. In my world, she had potential to be a Mistress.

Abby interjected, “She’s not from here. She doesn’t know about the treaty.” She then took a step toward Rosalie. “It would start a war if you killed one of them without their knowledge of the treaty. Is that what you want? ” Her tone was even not to mention, majestic in nature. “A war? ”

I just love when people talk about me as though I’m not even there. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling all over. Katherine’s experience told me that I shouldn’t interfere so I stayed quiet, listening and learning as Abby and Rosalie ironed out my fate. If Abby won, I would walk away without an incident, but if she lost, I would find certain doom within these walls. The one thing I knew Rosalie wouldn’t count on was that I wouldn’t be an easy target. With Katherine’s experience mumbling in my head, I would surely hurt their numbers.

Most of the pack held their breath while Rosalie thought about what Abby had said. The moment was tense as Rosalie took half a step back and laughed.

“No, we are finally at peace.”

The pack took a collective breath as she waved her hands around. “Tell her what she needs to know, ” she added while turning to face me. “Make her understand that she’ll get no second chance here.”

Abby bowed her head and Rosalie slowly stepped back until her pack had surrounded her, then turned and walked away. It was a smart, defensive move not to give a potential threat her back. Kudos for that, there was an intelligent dog in their midst. She had potential.

Turning on her heels, Abby spun around facing me. “You are not safe here.” In a tender moment, she raised her hand and caressed my face. “We need to leave before there’s another incident.”

The soft touch of her hand slid down my arm until she had entwined her fingers in mine.

Who could argue with a delicate touch? I stood, following her lead as she escorted me out of the club and we raced out of the parking lot in her Antique Steel Blue 69 Mustang.

“Are you suicidal? ” she demanded, gunning the accelerator. “Because you almost got yourself killed back there and I didn’t sign up to babysit a death seeking vamp! ”

After all the fear that I had felt in the bar, her anger was soothing and it tickled my inner monster, teasing me for a small taste of what pulsed through her veins. As difficult as it was, I was careful to keep my hunger in check. There would be time to feed later. I could force a few more hours before my need became desperate.

“God damn it! ” she snapped. “Don’t just sit there and smile. Answer me! ”

I chuckled. “No, I’m not suicidal. Tell me of this treaty.”

She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. “It’s stupid, that’s what it is, but it keeps the peace so I won’t complain much.” She swerved around a slower moving car. “Not too long ago, a vampire came into town and had a few werewolves for dinner. I know you guys like their rich blood and all, but, ” she curled her lips, “the wolves came back as mutant were-vamps and the pack had to put them down.”

Now I understood the distrust back at the bar. A werewolf with the abilities and strength of a vampire could be a potential problem for our entire community, humans included. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the damage one of those monsters could create, much less a pack of them. That would definitely be a problem.

“It wasn’t easy, ” Abby added. “They lost most of the high ranking pack members trying to clean up the vampire’s mess. Rosalie was the most dominant member to survive, so she took control of the pack. What a mess that was! ” She exhaled. “Natasha said you’re here to find the vampire, is that true? ”

“Well, yeah. I am.” I leaned against the window and watched the bright city lights speed past me, pushing aside the thought that finding Kaley Hightower was the equivalent of finding my own death.

“Don’t sound so happy about it.”

Abby had a sense of humor or a hell of a sarcastic side. I hadn’t decided yet. “I’m not, ” I mumbled into the window, not turning to look at her.

We sped along the highway into an area called Whiskey Flats, then traveled several more miles before she turned onto a dirt road and followed it to the end where a large gated house came into view. We were truly out in the middle of nowhere.

“Here we are.” Abby hit the remote and the front gates creaked open, giving us access to a long, dark, narrow driveway.

“Where is here? ” I’ve been ushered out of the bar and halfway across town. I haven’t fed and I’m no closer to finding Kaley than I was several hours ago. I noticed that my hunger was directly related to my mood and something would give soon. Be it my hunger or my patience.

“This is my home and the house of the keepers.”

Keepers …I thought. Okay, my night just went from weird to wacked. I scanned the wooded area as we drove past it. Old, dense trees that formed a canopy against the moonlight, covered the grounds.

“Keepers, huh? Keepers of what? ” I asked, thinking that the weeds and vines had grown out of control. The area desperately lacked the human touch of lawn work. Obviously, the keepers didn’t keep a lawnmower and Mother Nature was reclaiming her territory.

“The keepers of what you seek. You’ll understand, soon.” As she pulled into the large six-car garage, I saw a woman standing at the backdoor. She was dressed in a long, dark robe with the hood covering her head. “That’s Denton, ” Abby pointed, turning off the car’s engine. “She’ll be our overseer tonight. Come on.” She closed the car door and headed inside the house.

I followed, noticing the marble floors and the custom artwork hanging on the walls. From the outside, this looked like a mediocre, middle class, large family home. The inside was nothing close to that. In fact, the artwork alone was worth a fortune and the custom woodwork that went into the house was spectacular. I followed Abby up the spiral staircase into her bedroom and Denton followed me.

Abby took her top off and flung it across the room. I stared at her bare breasts, then looked away. I had gone down this road once and refused to travel this path again. I wouldn’t cheat on Tamara.

“What’s the meaning of this? ” I’ve heard of people seducing vampires just to be turned and I wasn’t going to play this game with her. I wasn’t going to take on a newbie. Hell, I was barely capable of taking care of myself. I had work to do and I needed to get home to my wife—a wife with a hell of temper lately.

“I need to help you and you need to feed.” She slid out off her tight jeans, then using her foot, flicked them into the corner. “This couldn’t have turned out more perfectly if I had planned it.” She giggled, slowly closing the distance between us. “You enjoy having sex while feeding. So, let’s do this, Izzy Hightower. Call your beast and feed from me.”

I thought about looking for the candid cameras that had to be secretly set up. This had to be a joke. No one in their right mind would have demanded such a thing, especially from a newbie like me. Our ability to control our hunger was minimal at best. We gain control over time and time was not something I had on my side.

Shaking my head, I chuckled at her audacity. “No, that’s not going to happen. I can sustain my needs for much longer than you have patience.” Oh, by the Gods above, I hoped I was telling the truth.

“We waste time, ” Denton snapped behind me.

The two women nodded in sequence and my hunger started to roar to life. I felt the beast within push its way to the surface. I felt the pressure of my eyes turning black, my fangs revealed themselves, and for the record, I hate that part. I’m not entirely used to it and always end up biting my lip. I felt my hunger forced to the surface and fought to keep it contained. I knew that once unleashed, I wouldn’t be able to control myself and I refused to be the one responsible for a blood bath.

“Stop! ” I heard myself hissing as my hunger rose. “Please, stop! ” I went down on my knees, doubled over from the pain of fighting back my own demons. Trying to keep my monster contained, I yelled, “Don’t…do…this! ”

Denton’s voice echoed in my head. “She’s inexperienced…she’s too young, she may end up damaged if we continue.”

As suddenly as the throbbing started, it stopped. Air easily flowed back into my lungs, not that I needed to breathe, it was still a living habit that I hadn’t lost, but my beast quieted. I knelt on the floor, shaking, sweat running down my face and stinging my eyes.

Abby knelt in front me and tenderly caressed my face. “Why are you so difficult? ” She leaned toward me, working her hand down my neck and past my chest. “What is your weakness? ” she whispered as she kissed me.

Images of Tamara flooded my mind. When I opened my eyes, I saw Tamara’s green eyes staring back at me and my world suddenly went still. Kneeling in front of me, she held her hand out to me and I took it. She led me to the oversize bed, my desires burned to touch her, to feel her touching me, and to be with her. She unbuttoned my shirt and slipped it off my shoulders, kissing my breast and teasing my nipple with her soft, familiar tongue. I fumbled with my zipper and she placed her hand over mine and guided me out of my pants. Tamara wrapped her arms around my waist and caressing my back, pulled me tightly against her naked body, fulfilling the only desire I’ve had since I left Florida.

With a gentle tug, she pulled me onto the bed. I fell on top of her and she kissed my neck, her pointed teeth barely scrapping against my skin. My defensives melted and I was willing and ready to have her claim my passion, to control my pleasure and to capture my euphoria.

Her hand slid between my legs and my warmth welcomed her. I kissed her, running my tongue along her fangs, playing with her points. She kissed me back, passionately gripping my crotch within her hand. I froze. Something was wrong. Her Achilles heel had never failed me, until now.

“Relax, ” she whispered, “let me love you.”

Mistake number two, she would never say let me, she would say, give me this. I pulled away and looked at her. It was Tamara’s face looking back at me all right, it was her lips curled into a smile, and it was her perfect, flawless skin glimmering in the light. It was too perfect of an image staring back at me. Her scar was gone.

She leaned toward me. “What’s wrong, my love? ” I watched her hand slowly move up my thigh as she whispered, “Give me this.”

I raised my eyes, examining her face again and without a doubt, her scar was right where it was supposed to be, adorning her right cheek. I kissed her, playing with her fangs and she froze, not moving a muscle, acting as she had always reacted. Perhaps my hunger was playing tricks on me or perhaps I was finally losing my mind. She parted my wet lips and slid a finger deep inside me. A moan escaped my throat as I willingly opened myself up to her pleasures. Slowly my passion built, I needed more of her. I wanted more of her. Running my tongue down her neck and over her breast, I gently nibbled her hard, pink tip, taking her breast into my mouth. Suckling it and teasing it, my free hand cupped over her other breast, fondling it, squeezing it and pinching her erect nipple. Hard.

With a speed that surprised even me, I pulled her into a sitting position and shifting behind her, wrapped my arm around her neck in a tight headlock. “Who the hell are you? ” I demanded.

“My love, why do you do this? ” She raised her hands up in front of herself, where I could see them. “Why do you fight when there is no need? ”

“You’re not Tamara! ” I squeezed, feeling her neck crushing in my grasp.

“You’re right, ” she gasped for air without fighting. “Izzy, let me go and I’ll explain.”

Her request, more of a not-to-be-disobeyed order, pierced through every muscle and even though I refused to let go, my grip loosened from around her neck. My body burned with an invisible fire to obey her.

“You’re a very strong-willed person. It took me a while to get inside your mind.” She scooted off the bed, leaving me naked on my knees. “As I said earlier, we are gatekeepers. We, ” she pointed to Denton, “are only a small fraction of the power that lives in this house.”

I shot her a nasty look. I was surely in trouble if these women turned on me. “What the hell just happened? ”

“No need for deceptions anymore, ” Natasha, the woman who ordered the rum and coke at the bar said, entering the room. “If you want to find Kaley…”

“And get home to Tamara…” Abby continued.

“Then you will let us help you.” Denton finished their thought.

It couldn’t get any worse, could it? I was naked in front of strangers whom one in particular, demanded I feed from and now they were finishing each other thoughts. I couldn’t possibly get myself in a more awkward position, could I?

“Well, what…” Natasha started.

“Do you…” Abby jumped in.

“Say? ” Denton finished in perfect harmony again.

“Stop! ” I yelled and the three women looked at me simultaneously. This was quickly turning into a bad Jerry Springer episode. “All right.” I let out an exasperated groan. “I’ll help you, but you can’t do that to me. If you start a sentence, you must finish it yourself.” I didn’t even know it was possible for vampires to get headaches, but I felt a doozie coming on. Spinning my legs around, I plopped on the edge of the bed, resting my elbows on my knees, clutching my head. “What do you need me to do? ”

Both Abby and Natasha spoke at the same time and I glared at them, stopping them in mid-word.

“You have established a relationship with her. You should take it from here, ” Natasha said, bowing her head at Abby.

Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes. “Can we get on with this? ”

Abby sat next to me, taking my hand in hers. “What you need to know is that Katherine saved our kind and we are indebted to her. That is why we’ll help you find Kaley.” She shifted on the bed to get a better look at me. “I have certain powers that I can use to help you find her.”

Well, if nothing else, I was headed in the right direction. Luck finally shone through. That’s progress.

“For instance, ” Abby continued. “I get glimpses of the future and with that I can help you find her. Do you understand so far? ”

I raised my brows in confusion. “No, but it doesn’t matter.” I slid my hand out of her grip and waved her on. “I’ll catch up.”

“To help you, you must carry my blood in your veins, which is why I need you to feed from me.”

Knowing what my blood did to Tamara, I shrieked, “Oh no! ” I stood, pushing her away, but she placed her hand on mine and I froze, unable to move. The last thing I needed or wanted to find out is what, if any, reaction my blood would have with her.

“It will not be as you think. I will not have any hold on you, per se, ” she assured. “However, you will not be able to take from me unless I sanction it.”

They obviously didn’t know my body or me very well and they certainly didn’t know that everything seems to work in reverse for me. “Are you crazy? ” I grabbed my pants and slid back into them. “I can’t guarantee your safety. If you truly posses these powers, my hunger will stop at nothing to take them from you.” Finding my shirt, I finished dressing.

“Let us worry about that, ” Natasha interjected. “We have a plan for that, too.”

“You seem to have a plan for everything, ” I sneered, plopping on the bed. I picked up one of my boots, forcing my foot down the shaft until it settled comfortably on the insole. “What about a plan for the unexpected? Have you thought about that, too…the unexpected? ” Without waiting for a response, I looked heavenward and let out an, oomph as I pulled on my other boot.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to get anything accomplished around this trio of weirdoes. It was a stupid idea to send me, a newborn, into the field to find Kaley. I didn’t even know what I was capable of yet. I rubbed my hands against my face in frustration. This had to be the stupidest, most absurd idea Katherine had ever come up with, and I was stuck in the middle of it. I looked up and stared at the impending squad of volunteers. I fell against the bed, my knees dangling off the mattress while I stared at the ceiling. I may as well accept all the help I can get. “Fine, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

No sooner were the words out of my mouth than Abby jumped on top of me, straddling her legs around my waist. Gradually, bending forward, her long hair tickled my face as she exposed her neck and moved closer to my mouth. Staring into her purple eyes, I saw the swirl of golden flecks dancing with an innocence I hadn’t felt in a long time and the entire thing felt wrong. “I can’t…I can’t do this.”

“No, but we can, ” Denton answered.

Instantly, I felt the pull of magic and my eyes turned black. Everyone sees them as black, but I see through a red filtered lens. It’s too weird to explain so you’ll have to take my word on it. I felt my fangs lower. My hunger forcing to emerge, but this time, I didn’t fight it. I let it rise, giving in to it. Abby continued moving closer and I wrapped my hands around her neck, gently pulling her to me. The sudden momentary fear she oozed when I pulled her closer to the mouth of the beast, jolted my urging and I lost complete control. God help her now.

Her artery pulsed with a heavy beat, every contraction called my name, enticing me to feed. Closing my eyes, focusing on making this a pleasant experience for her, I repeated, e njoy the moment and feel no pain, as I drove my fangs into her neck, being careful to avoid her artery. No need to drink from the main tap when another one would do. Her sweet blood flooded me with images of Tamara. Memories of us making love, and feeling the tides of ecstasy that her pleasure washed upon my shores. For a brief moment between when the alluring smell of blood flows from its host and encapsulates my senses to right before it hits my tongue, my world has purpose and I knew where I belonged. In that miniscule moment, everything in this screwed up world made sense. This is the thing that I lived to do—drink and drink deep.

I took in her morning dew scent as I sucked her sweet nectar into me, filling an empty void with warmth. Her blood swelled in my mouth, the thickness easily flowed down my throat, coating everything with its delectable metallic element. Her blood surged through me with immense power, and I sucked harder and deeper, falling into the power she contained within the illusion of her frail human body.

My mind traveled to places that even in my wildest dreams I could not have comprehended. I witnessed the creation of Katherine’s obsession with the Council, when they targeted her family and newborn daughters and I saw their demise. Unknown to her, Katherine had truly obliterated their bloodline. Killing the last of their strongest members, the Council floundered aimlessly, regarded as radical religious fanatics that no longer merited attention.

My mind raced forward…I saw a very young Jules watching a vampire attack and kill her parents, swearing to avenge their deaths.

My mind raced ahead to the evening that Kaley and Jules had their fight. Kaley had tried to leave several times that night, each time she met with Jules’s resistance. The fight escalated and stumbled into the kitchen where Jules grabbed a knife. Kaley took hold of it, holding it to her own throat crying, if my death will avenge your parents, kill me now or love me without reserve. In a moment of panic, I watched Jules grab a syringe off the countertop and jab it into Kaley’s arm. The magical concoction, which had Celeste’s signature all over it, affected her immediately, her eyes turned blood red, and she went to her knees, screaming and foaming at the mouth. Struggling to her feet, she raced out of the house, heading to the one person she knew would help her, but found me instead.

My mind raced forward to the night of Tamara and my union and I caught a crude glimpse of what our blood mixture had created. As she took it in, it settled into her bloodstream, negating her vampirism, forcing her heart to beat and her lungs to burn with air for the first time in hundreds of years. Warmth had started returning to her cold body. I’m sure her mind had forgotten the involuntary reflex of keeping her organs working after so many years. I have all but forgotten mine, after such a short amount of time. I breathed because it was habit, not because I needed to. I now understood why the mental connection between Tamara and I was failing. She was turning human and would surely die!

Again, my mind raced and I saw Kaley sitting on a dance floor. Bodies littered around her as she drained the last of Rosalie’s blood. This was not good! If she left a shifter alive, there would be catastrophic problems.

With a grinding halt, my mind went blank. I was too afraid to open my eyes for fear of what I might see next.

“It is done, Izzy, ” Natasha said, “Release her. Now.”

Keeping my eyes closed, I contemplated her request. Abby’s blood surged with a power that made me feel warm and alive. It worked itself into every fiber of my body, overwhelming me in passion. Thinking about Tamara, I forced my lips away from Abby’s flesh, slowly gliding my tongue along her wound as I pulled away. Everything had become so painfully clear and obvious. The tides of destiny had shifted, sending everything into a chaotic tailspin.

I didn’t so much as see but felt the fall of the Hightower Clan. Vampire or not, I couldn’t, wouldn’t see my life without Tamara in it. I could easily live an eternity by her side, but I couldn’t fathom living five minutes without her. She had made me whole in the muddled reality we call life. Her cold, dead heart warmed me and she filled the empty gaps in my life with love. “I’ve got to get home.” I scrambled out from underneath Abby. “I have to see Tamara, ” I said, heading for the door.

Denton blocked my way.

“Move, ” I commanded in my most powerful vamp voice. “Move now.” She instead, stood motionless.

“We do not respond to your powers.” Natasha stepped toward me. “You respond to ours, ” she said, taking my hand and leading me back to the bed, then motioning for me to sit. I stood, refusing her invitation.

“Izzy, what you saw was a possible future. It doesn’t mean it will happen, only that the possibility exists. Relax. Tamara is well for the moment.”

“What do you mean for the moment? I saw the fall of my clan. I can’t continue to waste time chasing after someone whose mind is gone. Kaley has reverted to the animal within. There is no help for her now.” Turning on my heels, I stared at Abby. “Please help me save Tamara.” I would swallow my pride and beg, if that’s what it took. “There is no help for Kaley, but Tamara…” I let out an exasperated sigh. “There is still hope for her if we get to her in time.”

“We have a more prominent danger to stop first and then I’ll help you. Now, we have to get back to Pinky’s…” Abby caressed my face and her words burned true.

“And stop her.” I finished her thought.

“Yes.”

Abby hopped off the bed and disappeared into the enormous closet, leaving Natasha, Denton, and me in the room. We just stared at each other, unsure of what to say. My experience with keepers was not what I had expected. I thought they would be more like humans and even though they carry human form, they are far from it.

“Well, ” Natasha said, breaking the silence. “Now that you’ve fed from Abby, you’ll be able to better control your hunger.” She smiled and then added, “When it comes to her.”

“That’s nice, ” I mumbled, feeling the pressure of this mission and the new visions straddling my shoulders.

“You will find Kaley, ” Denton interjected. “I have seen it in my dreams.” She rocked her weight uncomfortably.

That wasn’t reassuring.

Abby came bouncing out of the closet dressed in a tight pair of black jeans, a low cut purple blouse that accentuated her amethyst eyes, a silver and black scarf and a pair of black cowgirl boots. In spite of the dangers I would soon face, I couldn’t help but stare at her full cleavage. She looked absolutely enchanting.

“Okay, let’s go kick some vamp ass.” She caught her breath and whispered, “Oh sorry. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”

“It’s okay. Really.” I laughed, unable to restrain the smile that crept across my face. “I know exactly what you meant.”

Chapter Two

The tires of the ‘69 Mustang squealed as Abby hooked a sharp right into Pinky’s parking lot. The car bucked, throwing me forward, bringing us to a sudden stop by the front doors. She looked around the parking lot, then shot a disturbing glance at me. I had noticed it, too. No one mingled in the small lot—not like there had been before. Now, only empty beer bottles instead of would-be customers adorned the cement pavement. Abby pulled the emergency brake, turned off the car’s engine and looked at me.

“This isn’t good.” She squeezed my thigh. “Is she inside? ”

A chill ran down my spine as I scanned the bar. There was a vampire in there, but I hadn’t picked up the scent of blood, yet. Yeah, Great Whites didn’t hold a candle to what I could smell, sad that I was comparing myself to a shark, but true. However, I did notice the scent of fear and adrenaline. A lot of it. Tension was building. We had to get in there fast. “I think so.”

Abby scrunched her brows together in a way that screamed a you-think-so-how-can-you-not-be-surelook.

Ignoring her unspoken sarcasm, I opened the door, jumped out of the car and within a fraction of a second, found myself inside the bar.

Again, all eyes turned to me as I entered the bar, only this time I knew why. Two vampires, one obviously a whack job, in such a small confined space, didn’t look like a good idea. I can’t say I blamed their uneasiness. It was a little unsettling for me, too.

The crowd had dispersed, leaving Kaley, in full view. Her tall, lanky frame leaned against the bar while her black gaze fluttered around the room. She reeked of death and my stomach turned. The smell of wet dog was easier to take over her. Her energy was sporadic. I knew she was trying to keep control—I felt it. She jerked her sights on me and a cold chill ran down my spine. My fears didn’t disappear when I turned into a vampire. If anything, I’ve added a few things and right now, Kaley was number one on that list.

“We must stop her, ” Abby whispered, then sidestepped to move past me. Kaley hissed and I put my hand out, stopping Abby’s approach.

“We must not threaten her. She fights to keep control.” Slowly stepping toward Kaley, I positioned myself between them. “Empty out the bar. Slowly, ” I ordered while continuing my approach.

Kaley took a step back and then raised her eyebrows as if she had recognized me. She smiled, but the smile only paved the way for a monstrous warning hiss that weakened my knees. It made me want to run out of the bar screaming like a sissy. That’s what it intended to do—to scare the shit out of me and it worked. I forced myself to keep a stern face, straightened my back, flared my shoulders and puffed out my chest. I refused to show weakness. I had to trust that Katherine’s experience would not fail me now.

Abby had managed to get everyone but a few stragglers out safely. Among them were Rosalie, the disc jockey and a couple of inebriated dancers. I wanted to remove Kaley’s food source, forcing her to deal only with me, but that wasn’t going to happen because too many grab-n-go snacks stayed behind.

She leaned toward a drunken girl hunched over on a small table. My face tightened into a disapproving glare as I stiffened my brow, slightly cocking my head to the side. I sent a clear message. I would challenge her if she tried to feed. Kaley stopped, meeting my defiant stare. The terror oozing off the disc jockey caught both of our attentions. Luck was on my side. I had fed earlier and was able to control my hunger. I moved to the center of the dance floor, giving me a more open area, in case Kaley lunged at me. Taking in a deep breath, I let out a warning hiss that reverberated off the glasses. Abby stared at me and I shrugged my shoulders, not knowing I was capable of that. In a split second, I had turned it from a feeding challenge to a battle of dominance and I would not tolerate insubordination.

Stacia stopped as we got closer. “Her temper runs on a short fuse, ” she said, headin