“I think I—” She was cut off as the door flew open. She knew it had been locked. She’d watched Hank turn the deadbolt.
A dark presence seemed to fill the room. Then a man stepped through the doorway. No, not a man. There was something about him that wasn’t quite human, a dark, almost sinister energy that seemed to sweep before him to announce his presence. This was the vampire. The mysterious Damek had arrived.
Chapter Eight
Bethany couldn’t drag her eyes away from the vampire. He was tall and his skin was pale. His lithe body was covered with a designer suit, but he wasn’t wearing a satin-lined cloak like in the old movies. She was almost disappointed. She could tell by the way it fit him his suit hadn’t come off any rack, but had been tailored to his exact measurements. His hair was black as night and flowed to his shoulders. His eyes were just as dark. They seemed to absorb the light around him.
He was extremely handsome. He was also scary as hell. This was a man with many secrets. A dangerous man who had watched time pass him by. She had no idea how old Damek was, but he appeared ageless, like an old soul in a young man’s body. There was just something about him that told her to beware. She had enough animal instinct to know this was a man she didn’t want to make an enemy of, a man who should be approached with great caution.
Quinn wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she slid off the barstool. She was grateful for the support.
Damek’s gaze passed over the group, pausing to study her and Quinn. One corner of his mouth twisted upward into a brief smile as if he were amused by something before he continued his perusal of the others in the room.
The door closed behind him with a thump. Bethany jumped. She was extremely nervous. What did one say to a vampire? Better for her to blend with the background and let the others do the talking.
Isaiah stepped forward. “You ever think about knocking?”
Damek inclined his head. “I think about it, but then ask myself why would I bother?” Beside her, Bethany heard Craig give a snort of laughter at Damek’s reply
Meredith laughed and welcomed their guest while Isaiah simply scowled at him. “Good evening, Damek.”
Damek inclined his head. “Gracious as always.” His gaze cut sideways toward Isaiah. “How do you Strikers find such exquisite females?”
Isaiah dragged his mate closer, his arm wrapping possessively around her. Meredith patted Isaiah’s arm while she continued to speak to Damek. “Have you discovered anything new?”
The vampire shook his head and Bethany felt the muscles in Quinn’s arm tighten around her. “I have heard nothing yet, but I have feelers out everywhere.” He seemed to flow across the floor, his movements smooth and graceful, like a dancer. One moment he was near the door, the next he was in front of her and Quinn.
“It is an abomination what is being done to your sister. I am sorry for that.”
Bethany felt some of the tension leech slowly out of Quinn. “Thanks. I appreciate anything you can do.”
The vampire lifted his hand toward Bethany. She shrank back, unable to stop herself. The dark energy coming off Damek frightened the crap out of her. Quinn growled. The other males in the room shifted restlessly. The moment was fraught with danger.
“I mean you no harm, little one,” Damek promised. He lowered his hand, but she still felt a light brush against her skin as though he’d touched her.
The vampire shook his head. “Yet another beautiful woman to add to your pack.” He shook his head and sighed. “You Strikers are lucky bastards.”
Heat climbed up Bethany’s cheeks. She fought the urge to turn her face into Quinn’s chest and hide. She hated feeling like she was on display in front of everyone.
Damek snapped his gaze from her and turned his attention to Quinn. “Do you have a list of properties that you haven’t checked yet?” Damek’s eyes seemed to be lit by an inner fire, one that burned hot and dark. Bethany found his eyes mesmerizing and scary at the same time. She wanted to look away but couldn’t pull her gaze from him.
Craig stepped forward. “I’ve got an expanded list. I’ve marked off the ones we’ve already checked out. I came up with a couple new places. I thought we might have a look at them tonight.”
Damek smiled and she caught a flash of sharp white teeth. “Ah, the human.” He snatched the list from Craig’s hand and perused it. “You have done well.”
Quinn growled low. Threatening.
Damek waved his hand. “I mean your brother no harm, wolf. He’s interesting for a human. And unlike many of your kind, I like humans.”
Bethany didn’t want to think about the reason Damek liked humans. Vampires needed blood to survive. Or at least that’s what all the legends said. She was quickly learning there was some truth to folklore when it came to werewolves, so why not vampires?
The thought of having to take blood to survive made Bethany’s stomach roil. She swallowed hard, afraid to look away from the powerful creature in front of them.
“If you ever get tired of working for wolves I could use someone like you,” Damek said to Craig, ignoring the way Quinn and the rest of the males in the room bristled.
“Leave my pack alone, Damek.” Isaiah strolled over to stand next to Craig. He looked huge next to the younger man. He also looked prepared to fight, which surprised Bethany.
“Ah, you werewolves are so territorial.”
Isaiah snorted. “And you’re not?”
Damek chuckled. “I won’t deny it.” He shrugged. “I was here long before this place was anything more than a smudge on a map and I’ll probably be here long after all of you are gone.”
There was a deep, compelling sadness in his voice that made Bethany frown. He sounded…lonely. She couldn’t begin to imagine how old Damek was.
He settled his dark gaze on Isaiah. “I wouldn’t hurt your human. I was offering him a job. His computer skills are impressive.”
Craig gave a rueful smile. “Thanks, but I’m happy here. With my family.” His gaze slid to Quinn, but he quickly returned it to the vampire.
“Still.” A heavy vellum card seemed to appear in Damek’s hand as if by magic. He handed it to Craig. “If you change your mind.”
To Bethany’s surprise, Craig took the card and shoved in the back pocket of his jeans. “Thanks.”
Damek studied the list before handing it back to Craig. “I will check the new addresses tonight. I can do it more quickly than you can. Plus, I will attract no attention. I will call you if I come across a likely location.”
Isaiah started to protest, but Damek held up his hand. Isaiah stopped, but appeared ready to throttle the vampire. Bethany held her breath, not wanting to see any kind of battle between the incredibly strong alpha male and the powerful vampire.
“I don’t doubt your skills, my friend,” Damek began. “But this will also allow me to search the minds of those who wander the dark corners of the city, especially the South Side, which seems to be the most likely place for this doctor to try to hide.”
Bethany’s mouth went bone dry. The vampire could read minds. Could he read hers? As if hearing her question aloud, he turned and stared at her. Then he winked. It was such an unexpected gesture it made her grin. It seemed so incongruous for a debonair vampire to be winking at her.
Quinn was practically vibrating with anger. She wrapped her arms around his waist, desperate to keep him from doing something crazy like attacking Damek. That wouldn’t end well no matter what happened.
“I’ll contact you before dawn. If I am successful at finding the location of your missing female it will be up to you to rescue her.” Damek rubbed his fingernails against the sleeve of his jacket to buff them. “I am not at my best during the day.”