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  As I jumped out of my truck, I couldn't see anything in color. Or I should say full color; everything I looked at was tinted red. The color of blood. The color of rage.

  I couldn't think straight anymore, as I walked into the bar I saw the astonished look on Ian's face. He came up beside me and I pulled the 228 out of the fanny pack, clicked the safety off, and shoved it in his face. He stopped dead in his tracks. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his enforcer Pedro get up from the corner table and start in our direction. Ian waved him back but he didn't sit back down. I looked at him with dead eyes. Not vampire eyes, but dead eyes, devoid of all emotion, I could have pulled the trigger and not flinched as I blew the back of Ian's head away. Not to say I wouldn't have felt bad later, but in that moment I didn't feel anything but rage.

  I continued to the bar and looked at Raul, the relief bartender. He looked at me with fear in his eyes, pulled my bottle out from under the counter and handed it to me. He did not pour me a shot, or hand me a glass just the bottle.

  My gun was still sighted on Ian's face as I took a pull off the bottle. Twelve-year-old scotch is the only thing I drank, when I drank.

  If you've never been consumed by rage this might be a hard concept for you to understand. I wanted to pull the trigger; I wanted to see the size of the hole that would appear in the back of his head. Maybe Ian knew this, maybe not but he didn't move. He wouldn't even meet my gaze. That would be bad. He would have seen all my nasty thoughts if he did. As it was, I was fighting the urge to splatter his brains across the dance floor.

  I took another drink out of the bottle, took a deep relaxing breath and counted to ten. As I exhaled, some common sense came rushing back into me. I turned back to bar and pointed my gun towards the ceiling, and asked with steel in my voice “Raul, could I have a glass please?” Maybe it was the calm voice, or the please but Raul paled. I took the glass, gave him a grim little smile, nodded my thanks and slowly turned back to the rest of my small audience.

  I looked at Ian, nodded to him, and he nodded back, his eyes guarded. I then turned to every other vampire, only vampires remained, because the humans had hidden or taken off. In a voice that was steady and calm, I said, “If any of you fucking dead bastards know where Raif is, or where I can find Nosta, tell me and you are free to go unharmed."

  "Ariana...” Ian started as I stared dead at him.

  "You have some info Ian.” I didn't make it a question, but a statement.

  "Yeah, but do not threaten my kiss.” He replied in a wary voice.

  "Then maybe you and I should have a private conversation.” I retorted. I turned back to the rest of the bar and yelled, “Get the fuck out!"

  I'd never seen so many vampires leave; in fact, scramble to get out of my line of sight. I turned back to Ian and gestured for him to lead the way. He gave me his back in a sign of good faith, I holstered my gun followed him with glass and bottle in hand.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  At the door to his private rooms, I turned to Pedro. “You stay out here.” I said in a bland tone.

  "No.” He gave me a matter of fact reply.

  "Pedro.” It wasn't shouted, but my voice was tinged with power. I shoved the power in his face. “You stay out."

  I looked at Pedro, then turned on my heel and slammed the door behind me.

  The scene that confronted me when I turned to face Ian was a total surprise. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't had any resistance to my rage, or maybe it was because there had been no question about the fact that I would blow any one of those vampires away without so much as a blink. Nonetheless, I was surprised to see Ian standing right in my face; or rather, I was standing face to his chest. I had to take a step back just to angle my face so that I could look into his eyes.

  Looking into a vamp's eyes is generally not a good idea. I had never been captured but it was still a real possibility. Older vamps had a skill for mesmerizing their victims with their eyes, I can't explain it, but I knew it happened.

  I knew it was bad to be staring into Ian's eyes when he was putting off this much energy. But for some strange reason, I trusted Ian not to capture me with his eyes.

  I could barely meet his gaze and if I thought I was seeing red, I knew for sure that he was. His eyes had reached complete turquoise, no iris, not white just turquoise.

  "So I'm a bitch, what do you want me to say."

  "An apology would be nice. Have you gone insane?” He asked baffled by the fact I had met his rage and responded with my own.

  "Insane? No. However, Raif was just in my house and I want to know why. You should probably answer my questions because I can't see anything but red right now and common sense is not in my vocabulary."

  "If you ever threaten my kiss again...” He left the statement unfinished because there was no need to complete it. We both knew what the next words were going to be. Something you should know about me is I didn't always think before I spoke, or for that matter think before I acted."

  I pulled my 228 out of the shoulder holster almost as fast as a vamp could. I pointed it at him and said, with a smile, “You'll kill me?"

  "Don't.” He made that one word a warning and a request. “Ariana I can't tell you everything I know, I can't even tell you half of what I know without the Vampire Conclave executing me. They would hire you to do it.” He said with an ironic grin. “The fact is Nosta is not for you."

  "Why? Why if I am being paid to kill the bitch are you preventing me from doing so? Was it you?” I asked the last question out of a hope that the only friend I had left didn't just totally fuck me.

  "If you mean was it me that screwed you, then no. What exactly happened?"

  "If I answer your questions then you have to answer mine."

  He nodded, “As much as I can."

  "Fine.” I said thinking about how to broach a subject that was too close to my heart with someone who, to my knowledge couldn't feel true heart break.

  "I know this is hard for you. You loved him and it saddens me to see that love turned to hate.” Ian said interrupting my thoughts.

  "What the fuck would you know about it?” I said letting anger and rage get the best of me. With that one little statement he blew what little control I had over my rage, I was blinded by red for a second. “You don't know what I feel, and hate for Raif is not it. I'm not sure if it's still love but loss has a big part in what I truly feel."

  "Sorry, I just thought that the amount of power that's behind your rage had to do with Raif. I misunderstood. For that I must apologize."

  Such an apology from Ian deprived me of speech for a moment. I tried to put into words the violation I felt from my home invasion. I especially felt violated by the man I had loved that abandoned me, it was too much and I burst into tears.

  I don't cry. I hadn't burst into tears since my parents died, and it was understandable for an eight year old. But that night, then and there, I did. I have no explanation for it other than I was tired and sick to death feeling like I was only half of what I was capable of.

  "Ariana you have to get over him, now I know you don't want to hear this but he could have called, wrote a letter, anything to stop you from killing your soul."

  "What would you know of having a soul?” I snarled. Yeah, I know it was a low blow, but when you are hurting, you tend to strike out.

  "I know more than you could imagine.” He made it a threat not a statement. “Just tell me what happened tonight, please."

  "He broke into my house."

  "How do you know who it was?"

  "Because, only he would know how to get into my computer, only he would know how to get into my vault, and only he would know each and every gun that was his and not mine."

  "I'm sorry Ariana, you deserve better."

  "Hah!” I exclaimed. “You of all people know I don't. Now, I told you the person who abandoned me broke into my house. What do you have to tell me?"

  "What would you like to know?"

  "I want to know about Nosta and
we can go from there."

  "Fine, I will tell you what I can, but you do realize there are some things I cannot say” I nodded my understanding and settled into the armchair I had sat down in sometime during our conversation. “As you know already, Nosta is at least five hundred years old, though some rumors I have heard put her closer to a thousand. You my dear Ariana are the resident age reader. You know I am six hundred and forty, though how you guessed my age so accurately I don't know. But not to veer from topic I can tell you that she is able to fly and that she resides in Las Vegas."

  "Christ that's a big city to cover, can you tell me her resting place?"

  "You know I can't."

  "Can't blame a girl for trying.” I said.

  "Nosta is extremely powerful; you need to watch your back. She is the one our dear Raif went after when he disappeared. Before you accuse me of withholding information I will tell you all I have found out concerning this matter."

  I couldn't resist a sour laugh and taking another pull off the bottle, I knew that wasn't a good sign. I sighed and retorted, “If I didn't know any better I would say that you have ulterior motives Ian. I mean the fact that any vamp in their right mind would have fired me the first time that I told them to go outside and play hide and go fuck themselves. Or even the first time I killed off one of their friends. If you can even have friends when you're a walking dead guy."

  "Sikaoki, if you're trying to piss me off even more its working. Regardless of how cute you think you are it is not enough."

  "Jealous?” I asked.

  "You know why I let you get away with all the things I do."

  "Do I?” Now I was grumpy having this conversation with Ian. “Don't give me that crap about liking to have the reaper around to keep your clients in line because that may have been an easy enough excuse to accept before and I'm sure it keeps some of the undesirables from even attempting to get into your kiss but it just don't wash."

  "You are right once again, hon."

  "What's with the hon crap?"

  "Do you want to hear what I have to say or not? If you do I suggest you shut your mouth because there is not very much time before sunrise."

  "Go ahead and we can discuss anything we don't get to tomorrow afternoon."

  "Afternoon?"

  "I know you are strong enough to get up before night fall Ian.” I said.

  "Fine you know yet another one of my secrets, but that is not the issue tonight."

  As I have told you Raif was hunting Nosta when he disappeared, when he did not check in I became concerned and contacted some acquaintances that I have known over the years in Las Vegas. They informed me that your love was there searching for Nosta's daytime retreat. He was just not there anymore. When my friends questioned Nosta she pleaded innocence. Sikaoki, I do not know what else to tell you on this matter. I believe that he is still alive and there will be a good excuse for him not contacting you. As for Nosta she kills much like you do."

  "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

  "It means, Sikaoki that she does not care about the deaths she causes."

  "What the fuck is Sikaoki anyway? You use it like a name."

  "It is; how shall I put this ... A term of endearment."

  "Excuse me.” I said very slowly trying not to blow up again. I told myself to stay calm and take deep breaths. Blowing up again would only cause the remainder of the night to be wasted.

  "You know Ian sometimes I think you are hitting on me.” That was civil.

  "Would you object if I was?” He asked in a bland voice.

  I looked into his eyes with a sharp intake of breath. I was at a complete loss for words. I never imagined that Ian would be attracted to me.

  "I see I have shocked you silent.” He mused. “I should try it more often. Now you are going to have to wait until tomorrow to get the rest of my little story—no, story is not the right word. Even after six hundred years, I still think in Blackfoot. Hmmmm."

  "You are a freaking Blackfoot Indian. Christ Ian I didn't think Blackfoot went that far back in history."

  "Maybe you should do more than kill rouge vampires and try studying once in a while."

  "Fine I know it is almost dawn, but could you give me some food for thought and answer at least one more question without avoiding it with some other little tidbit of information?"

  "Ask Sikaoki, and I will do my best."

  "Fucking vampires.” I said under my breath.

  "I heard that.” He mumbled right back at me.

  "Fine, are you attracted to me?” I asked in a rush.

  "Sikaoki, would you like me to put it in terms that you will understand best?” Not waiting for me to reply he answered his own question, “Do you want to fuck?"

  I was dumbstruck. I didn't know how else to put it. I just sat there and Ian that little prick started to laugh. Not just any kind of laugh, it started as a chuckle but turned into something more infectious. I couldn't help it, I felt myself grinning like a fool.

  "I take it that's an offer.” I said and trying to not laugh, I continued, “Ian love, I would break you.” And with that final statement, I turned on my heel and walked out the door.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  As I climbed out of the shower, I thought again, how late it was and that I should have been in bed at least three hours ago.

  Shit.

  Six-thirty in the morning, going to bed with the rising sun, what was my life coming to?

  I toweled off and put on boxer briefs and a tank top, my jammies I went to the king size bed and crawled under the covers. I tried to fall asleep but it just wasn't working, my mind kept going back to the last thing Ian had said, ‘Want to fuck’ I could not get it out of my head, and worse than that, I was imagining how good it could be. I didn't know what in the hell I was going to do?

  * * * *

  A hand brushed against my cheek, I inhaled sharply, and smelled dark wet fur, mingled with an intoxicating spice. That smell somehow spiked my arousal ten-fold. It was as if someone had drugged me, and as I lay there with sleep in my eyes, I enjoyed the feeling of hands wandering over my body. I had no desire to do anything but inhale the fragrance. The smell of fur only added to the sexiness of it all. I felt like I was in a big bed with my favorite dog cuddled up next to me.

  "A dog? Is that how you picture me?"

  I opened my eyes with a start and looked into dark turquoise eyes. When I sat up in bed, I surveyed myself. I was more than a little surprised to notice I now wore a leather bustier and leather thong panties. I yelled out, “Christ, Ian,” as I slapped his hand away from my stomach, “Stop touching me! How the hell are you in my dreams, and if this is the kind of actions I can expect from you, then yes dog about sums it up."

  "Hey, you're the one who fell asleep thinking about me, I don't sleep, I just die, remember?” He replied with a glint of humor in his eyes.

  "Cut the crap, what the fuck do you think you're doing? And take this ridiculous outfit off me, I am not some leather underwear wearing nympho."

  "Whatever you say.” And he did take the leather thong and bustier off my body, however, he did not replace it with my real clothes.

  "You son of a bitch!” I screamed at him, as I pulled at my comforter, which wasn't the comforter I went to sleep with, to hide my nudity. “I swear to God, as soon as I wake up from this nightmare, I am gonna come kill your ass.” I felt myself go still as I watched Ian freeze when he sensed how angry I had become. I am gonna kick your ass, I snarled.

  Goddamn right, I was going to blow a fuse.

  The fucking bastard invaded my dreams, and no matter how yummy he looked in those boxer briefs, he still had no right.

  "Get the fuck out of my dreams and go back to your resting place. I am no blood sucker's coffin bait and I refuse to let you seduce me into being yours!” When I looked up, he had vanished.

  I gazed about with eager eyes. I had woken up when he left, with my same old comforter clutched to my breasts, and wearing my boxers and a tank to
p.

  CHAPTER SIX

  I got up to throw on a pair of jeans. I glanced at the clock radio on the bedside table. I had gotten close to six hours of sleep. A new record for me.

  I walked to the kitchen and made a pot of fresh coffee. As the smell hit my senses; I gave a shrug and felt better.

  What was it about the smell of good coffee that made a day seem a little brighter? I poured a cup, and headed down to the basement and plopped down on my ass in front of the computer. I switched it on so that I could do a little research. I thought again, about how sexy Ian really was. Glancing up at the clock on the wall, I sighed with impatience and decided it was time for me to dig up some dirt on Nosta. I had about four hours to kill, while I waited for Ian to wake up so I could kick his ass.

  * * * *

  I glanced at the clock again, and found that only twelve minutes had gone by, I gave up because I found nothing useful about Nosta, I ended up just staring at the computer screen in a daze.

  When the screen saver came up, I realized that the dazed state I was in was better than trying to work. Ten minutes had already passed in the blink of an eye and I had accomplished nothing.

  I found that waiting for Ian to wake from his death was taking too much of a toll on my nerves, I decided I would just wait for him at the bar. At least there, I could drink in the company of loud music.

  Changing into clothes that were a little more intimidating, I went back to my vault and found a few extra pieces of artillery. I was about to go into the local Kiss's lair to pick a fight with their leader so I felt the two extra guns were justified. Throwing on a half duster that was just a tad too big for me so it would hide the twelve gauge shotgun I was carrying concealed on my back, it also hid the 228s.

  On the drive back to town, I noticed I had a tail. Never one to resist a challenge, I drove straight past Wolf's Den, down St. Francis and hit some old back roads that led out to an old party spot where the local kids used to have keg parties.