"It's a normal reaction for a vampire."
"I don't think so." She studied the red, glowing irises. "None of the other Vamps do that."
"Good. I wouldna want to fight any of my friends."
"What are you talking about?"
He gave her a wry smile. "Toni, when my eyes turn red, it's because I'm wanting you verra badly."
She swallowed hard. "But it's been happening for days."
"Aye, since I first met you. But doona let it worry you. I know ye hate our kind."
"I don't hate you, Ian. I don't hate any of the good Vamps. Maybe I did at first, but now…"
He watched her carefully. "How do ye feel now?"
A flood of emotions brought tears to her eyes. "I–I have a lot on my mind. Not just you, but my friend Sabrina. I'm so very worried…and confused." She shouldn't feel so damned attracted to a vampire.
"Tell me what's going on. I might be able to help you."
She studied his handsome face and saw genuine concern and compassion. She wanted to trust him. Dear God, she wanted to stay in his arms forever. "I'll think about it."
"Good. Hang on, sweetheart." He pulled her tight, and everything went black.
As soon as Ian was assured that Toni was safely ensconced in the silver room at Romatech, he teleported back to the townhouse with Dougal and Phineas.
When they materialized on the back porch, they heard the high-pitched buzz of the alarm inside the townhouse. They instantly drew their swords. There were only two explanations for the alarm—either a mortal had broken into the townhouse and didn't hear the alarm, or a vampire had teleported inside and didn't know the proper combination required to turn the alarm off.
Dougal quietly unlocked the back door and let it swing open. They waited, swords ready, for someone to poke his head out the door and look. If it was a Malcontent, his head wouldn't stay attached for long.
No one fell for the bait. Ian moved to enter, but Phineas pulled him back.
"It's you they want, bro. Stay between us." Phineas entered first.
The kitchen was a mess. Cabinets and drawers hung open, and the contents were scattered on the countertops.
"They must be looking for the drug." Dougal started to punch in the combination to turn off the alarm.
"Nay." Ian stopped him. "If we turn it off, we'll be announcing our arrival."
Dougal grimaced. "Ye're right, but the noise is bloody annoying."
"Yeah, sounds like a cat on crack," Phineas muttered. He positioned himself by the swinging door. "Ready?"
Ian nodded, and the three Vamps zoomed into the foyer. A quick glance assured them that the intruders were not on the first floor. Books were tumbled onto the floor in the library, and the parlor had been ransacked.
They zipped downstairs to the cellar. Phineas's bed had been slashed, and the coffins ripped apart.
"Shit." Phineas studied the broken picture frame of his family. "We're too late."
"We should check Roman's office," Ian suggested. "I'm sure they've realized that he invented the drug."
"We go together," Dougal said. "Aim for the fifth-floor landing."
The trio teleported to the landing outside Roman's office and bedroom. The two doors were open, and inside, voices were speaking in Russian.
Ian eased toward the office door and spied Jedrek Janow at Roman's desk, fiddling with the computer. The Malcontent cursed and pounded a fist on the keyboard. Then he started rifling through the desk drawers.
Dougal peeked into Roman's bedroom, then raised two fingers to indicate two men. Ian lifted one finger. It was three against three. He gave Dougal and Phineas a questioning look, and they both nodded.
Ian charged into the office, headed straight for Jedrek. The assassin glanced up and reached for the sword he'd left on the desk. Ian was already swinging his sword down for a killing blow when Jedrek teleported away.
Ian's sword ripped through an empty office chair. "Bloody hell." He spun to see if Jedrek had materialized behind him.
He hadn't. The Russian coven master reappeared in the bedroom next to his two followers.
Ian moved toward them while Dougal and Phineas flanked him.
"Just the man I was looking for," Jedrek sneered. "Stasio, Yuri, take the man in the middle."
The two Malcontents lunged toward Ian, but Dougal and Phineas jumped in front, and each engaged in battle. Ian cursed inwardly at being treated like a helpless pup. He headed for Jedrek, but the coward vanished once again.
Ian whirled just as Jedrek's hand gripped his arm from behind. A dizzying sensation stole over him, and he realized Jedrek was attempting to teleport away with him. He slashed his sword down onto Jedrek's arm, and the man yelped in pain just before disappearing completely.
"You coward!" Ian shouted at the now empty space.
A cry of pain drew Ian's attention back to the sword fights. Phineas had sliced his opponent's torso. The Russian stumbled back, and Phineas stabbed him in the chest. The Russian turned gray, then crumbled into a pile of dust on the floor.
The second Russian shouted in anger, then teleported away, leaving Dougal cursing in his wake.
"I did it!" Phineas lifted his sword in the air. "Did you see that? I was a killing machine!"
Dougal slapped him on the back. "Yer first kill. Congratulations."
Phineas raised his hand to give them both a high five. "Oh yeah, Dr. Phang strikes again!"
Ian smiled wearily. After a few centuries of killing Malcontents, he no longer felt the thrill. He strode back to the desk and turned off the alarm. "Jedrek was injured. I doona think he'll try anything else tonight. Let's go back to Romatech."
Roman and his family would be safe for the time being. And so would Toni.
As soon as Jedrek Janow materialized in his Brooklyn office, he felt the pain of his slashed arm. He dropped his sword on the floor and clasped a hand over the wound. Blood seeped through his fingers and dripped onto the expensive Turkish rug. "Damn."
"Sir, you're bleeding," the guard at his door said.
"Brilliant observation, moron," Jedrek growled. "Get Nadia in here now."
"Yes, Master." The guard zoomed away.
Jedrek pulled his ripped and bloody sweater off and tossed it in the litter bin.
The guard returned with Nadia in tow. She hovered by the doorway, refusing to look at him.
He knew she was angry. She hadn't enjoyed killing the blonde. "Bring bandages. You will bind my wound."
She lifted her chin defiantly. "Your wound will heal during your death-sleep."
"That's five hours from now, bitch. Bring the bandages now."
She trudged off. Still too much spirit, but he would break her soon.
"You." He glared at the guard. The guy's name was Stanislav, but Jedrek didn't like to call people by their names. It made them think that somehow you liked them. "Give me your shirt."
"Yes, Master." Stanislav unbuttoned his white shirt.
Meanwhile, a form wavered, then solidified by the desk. It was Yuri. He sheathed his sword and avoided looking at Jedrek.
"Where's Stasio?" Jedrek demanded.
"He—he's dead," Yuri whispered.
"Then he should have fought better." Jedrek grabbed the shirt Stanislav offered and wrapped it around the cut on his forearm. The white cotton turned red with blood. "Who killed him? Was it one of those damned Scotsmen?"
"No," Yuri replied. "It was the black vampire."
"Black?" Stanislav asked. "I wonder…"
"Out with it," Jedrek growled.
"There was a black guy in our coven for a while," Stanislav explained. "Phineas McKinney. Alek transformed him because he was a drug dealer, and Katya needed his help to make Nightshade."
Unfortunately, the now-deceased Katya had used up all the Nightshade in her failed attempt to deliver Angus MacKay to Casimir. Jedrek had hoped to find some of the drug here in the office, but no such luck. "Where is this Phineas? If I'd had some Nightshade tonight, I could have paralyzed Ian MacPhie and brought him back."