But what could Austin do? He couldn't let Sean terminate the good Vamps.
Austin fed Garrett's list into the shredder and punched the button. Damn it to hell. He'd just become a double agent.
He rushed to the men's restroom and splashed cold water on his face. He breathed deeply until he was calm. Then, he marched toward the conference room.
Garrett had been easy to manipulate. Sean Whelan would not.
He entered the conference room and gave Garrett and Sean a nod. "Good morning." He shut the door.
"You're late." Sean sat at the head of the table. Garrett sat on the right, his shoulders slumped.
Sean tapped the end of his pen on the table. "We have a problem."
"Yes?" Austin approached the table.
"I want your reports, but Garrett doesn't have one. He says you don't either. He says the vampires messed with your heads."
Austin took a seat. "Yes, I believe they did."
"How could you let that happen?" Sean glared at him. "I can understand Garrett having trouble repelling their mind control, but you—Austin, your power is rated off the charts! You should have been able to stop them."
Austin narrowed his eyes as if in deep concentration. "I do remember some things. But nothing of any value. We don't know where your daughter is. I'm sorry."
Sean's jaw clenched. "What do you remember?"
Austin shrugged. "I can't recall their names, but there were several vampires there. They were harmless."
Sean snorted. "Now, that's an oxymoron, a harmless vampire."
"They would have never harmed us."
Sean slammed his pen onto the table. "They've been messing with your head. That is harming you."
"I remember some names," Garrett offered. "Roberto. No, maybe it was Alberto. And there was a beach house."
Austin shook his head. "No, it was penthouse."
"Oh yeah, that's right." Garrett grimaced. "Why am I remembering a beach house?"
Austin slipped into Garrett's mind and fed him more pictures. "I remember the contest, and there were five judges."
"Poodles," Garrett said.
"What?" Sean shot him a confused look.
"The judges were fluffy pink poodles." Garrett frowned and rubbed his glistening forehead. "That can't be right."
"Those bastards." Sean banged a fist on the table. "They're toying with us." He stood and paced about the room. "This has been a waste of time. We're no closer to finding my daughter."
Austin took a deep breath. "I think we should concentrate our efforts on the vampires who are actually attacking people. The Vamps at DVN just want to entertain each other with dorky soap operas and sell a few bottles of Chocolood. They may be guilty of bad taste, but they're basically harmless."
Sean stopped his pacing to stare at Austin. "If the vampires messed with your head, everything you say is suspect. There is no such thing as a harmless vampire."
"I remember enough from the reality show to know that those vampires would never harm humans."
Sean scoffed. "Is that what you remember, Garrett? A bunch of sweet, harmless vampires?"
Garrett's face flushed with heat. "There was never any biting. The poodles were nice." Sweat beaded on his brow. "I mean, the ladies."
Sean frowned at him. "You look ill. Have you checked your neck for tooth marks?"
Garrett paled. "Oh, my God." He unbuttoned his collar and ran his fingers over his neck. "I'm all right."
"No, you're not." Sean ground his teeth. "You've been brainwashed. Get an appointment with the Company shrink."
"Yes, sir." Garrett wiped his moist forehead. "I do feel strange, like I'm running a fever."
Sean narrowed his eyes. "You may go," he ordered quietly.
"Thank you, sir." Garrett weaved toward the door and left.
Austin stood to make his leave.
"Sit."
He sat back down. A swoosh of hot air surrounded his mind, powerful and suffocating. Austin knew who it was, and he also knew his mind was full of memories he couldn't allow anyone to see. Memories he had claimed were forgotten. And memories about Darcy. Sean's mental forces tightened like a vise. Austin instantly erected a firewall and began gathering his power.
"Not bad," Sean whispered. "You do realize, don't you, that when a human invades your mind, you feel heat? How interesting that Garrett was feeling hot."
Austin's power had reached critical mass. He dropped the firewall and unleashed his power, shattering the vice that had surrounded him.
Sean stiffened with a gasp.
Austin stood. "Don't try that again."
"And you expect me to believe the vampires messed with your mind?" Sean's face was pinched with anger. "As strong as you are, they couldn't do anything to you. Unless you wanted it."
Austin gritted his teeth. He had hoped to steer Sean's focus onto the Malcontents and away from Darcy and her friends. But it would never work. Sean no longer trusted him.
Sean gave him a scathing look. "What happened to you, Austin? Did you let one of those vampire bitches seduce you?"
He balled his hands into fists. "I assure you, I am in complete control of myself."
"Then prove it. Go back to the penthouse and stake them all while they sleep."
Austin swallowed hard. "No."
Sean planted his palms on the table and leaned forward. "Think twice before you answer, Erickson.
Are you disobeying a direct order?"
His heart raced, causing a thundering sound in his ears. "Yes. I am. I'll turn in my resignation today."
"You stupid fool."
Austin shook his head. "You are the one who refuses to learn the truth. There are two kinds of vampires. You should leave the harmless Vamps alone and concentrate your efforts on the Malcontents. They are the dangerous ones."
"They're all dangerous!"
"No, they're not! For God's sake, Sean, talk to your daughter. Shanna will tell you the truth."
"Don't talk to me about her! She turned against me. And now, you've betrayed me, too. Get out of here!"
Austin strode to the door. "I'm going to continue the fight against evil. We will still be on the same side."
"You are evil, you traitor! Get out of here," Sean yelled.
Austin closed the door behind him. Alyssa and Emma were hovering outside, their faces worried.
He removed his ID card and handed it to Emma.
"You mustn't leave," she whispered. "You're the strongest one amongst us."
"I'll still be fighting the bad guys." Austin smiled sadly. "Be careful out there." He walked out and took the elevator to the ground floor.
He'd screwed up everything. Sean knew where the reality show was being filmed, and he was furious enough to wreak revenge on the Vamps who were there. Austin would have to go back to the penthouse to make sure Darcy and her friends were protected. There was only one night of recording left. Once it was over, Darcy and her friends would be safe.
And what would he do then? He'd lost his job. He'd lost the girl. He'd tried to do everything right, but it had all fallen apart.
You can either marry me or spend eternity in a drunken stupor. Austin's unfortunate choice of words continued to haunt Darcy. She couldn't marry him. How could she subject him to a life of darkness and a wife who could turn into a monster at any given moment? She still shuddered every time she remembered the pain of her fangs elongating, the powerful urge to use them, and the overwhelming lust for blood.
Fortunately, her reaction of horror and disgust had been just as strong as her need for blood. That alone had helped her maintain enough control to keep from biting Austin. But what if it happened again and again? What if she slowly grew accustomed to it, and the horror faded away? Then, there would be nothing to keep her from biting Austin or transforming him against his will. And then, he would hate her. Just like she hated Connor.