Bones settled back into his chair. “You want what every commander of troops wants-loyal soldiers who are stronger than your enemy. How many times have you wished more of your team had her powers? How often have you longed for soldiers blessed with the same advantages your enemies had? This is a onetime offer, mate. You choose your best, and I’ll make them better.”
Stunned, I watched Don consider the offer, then he set his hands on the desk.
“What if after they crossed over, they turned on us? That happens, as I know, and then I’d have unleashed mayhem on myself and my remaining team.”
“Simple. They threaten you, then they threaten her and I kill them. I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to eliminate a danger to her, and you already have two bodies to prove that. However, a period of apprenticeship might rest your mind. Pick your potentials and give them raw blood. See how they handle the new power. If they can’t control a little, then they can’t control the rest of it. But if they can…” Bones let the sentence dangle.
“Let me get this straight,” Don said briskly. “You’ll accompany Cat on missions in order to minimize her risk. You’d also agree to change selected soldiers into vampires. They would be under your supervision, terminated if necessary, and directed by me via her. Do I have this right?”
“Yes.” No hesitation in Bones’s reply. I was still dumbfounded over the entire negotiation.
“Anything else?”
“I have some conditions,” I interrupted, seizing the opportunity. “My schedule changes. Your operation just got seriously upgraded, Don, so I don’t want to hear any complaints. First, no more surveillance. I better not see
Don was silent for several moments. At last he gave a sardonic smile.
“Well, Cat, Bones…I guess we have an agreement.”
Parley completed, there were some loose ends before we could leave. “Is my mother still here?”
“She’s in one of the bunkers. You want to see her?”
“No. But keep her here. If my father knew where to find me, then she’s not safe at her house.”
“We also can’t have your team wandering around for Max to snatch them up and discover I’m involved, Kitten,” Bones stated. “As for the rest of your employees, round them up. They won’t remember seeing me.”
“What about Noah?” This from Don, and I winced.
“He doesn’t know anything.”
“That’s not what he means,” Bones stated in an even way. “Noah would make right good bait for you, whether or not he knows why. Max might reckon you still hold feelings for him.”
I hadn’t thought of that. “Then put a watch on Noah, Don, work and home. Any sign of the supernatural, and we move in. Maybe we can catch Max at his own trap.”
“I’ll make the call now,” Don promised.
We stood. It had been a long day, and it wasn’t over.
“Bones, while you and Don play Bright Eyes with the other staff, I’m going to talk to the team about your new status.”
Bones grinned. “Give your bloke my regards, Kitten. Can’t wait to start working on him.”
I knew who he meant. “
His smile broadened. “Right.”
An hour later, my temples pounded with a nasty headache. Tate, as I expected, had hit the roof. Juan had been unexpectedly blase after I answered some of his concerns, and since Cooper was the third captain, he’d been roused from his concussion and informed that the cause of it was now officially joining our team. Tate had expected Cooper to back him up, but he’d actually taken it better than Juan had.
“He whipped our asses, Commander. If he wanted us dead, I guess we would be.”
“He’s the same vampire who trained me, Coop. Oh, and I’m sleeping with him, to save Tate the trouble of announcing it next. Got a problem with any of that?”
Cooper didn’t flinch. “You’re a freak. Why wouldn’t you want a freak also?”
“I don’t fucking believe this,” Tate said in disgust.
Bones strode into the room. Tate glared at him as Bones put his arm around me.
“Feeling better, mate?” he inquired of Cooper. “If not, you will soon. Don drained a pint out of me just now, Kitten,” he said with a grin. “Seems the head pathologist didn’t want to stick me himself. Poor bloke was quite jittery, though I can’t imagine why.”
“Could be because you made dinner out of his assistant,
Cooper hadn’t heard that. He swung his gaze to me.
“We’re letting him eat people?”
“Apparently,” Tate snarled.
“Brad Parker plotted with another vampire to put me out of my misery, Cooper.” I shot Tate a dirty look. “You heard about last night? Well, you can thank the late Mr. Parker for giving away my location and my weaknesses.”
Cooper eyed Bones, and then shrugged. “So he deserved it. Too quick, though. He should have been hurt first.”
Bones smothered a laugh against my temple. “You and I will get along famously, soldier.”
Tate muttered something profane, and I’d had enough.
“I want you with me on this, Tate, but I can’t force you. Are you in or are you out? Decide now.”
Tate folded his arms across his chest. “I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.”
“Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches from my throat. “And as you know, he doesn’t breathe. Now that details about our new team member are settled, I’m leaving. I’ve got a family reunion to plan.”
TWENTY-SIX
WE PULLED AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE Virginia Tech campus. Bones shut off his motorcycle and left it leaning against a tree. I gave a look around at its stone-front buildings and cobbled streets, students still milling about even though it was eleven at night, and cleared my throat.
“I thought you said we were meeting some big important vampire. Did you just stop here because you wanted to grab a bite to eat first?”
Bones chuckled. “No, luv. This is where we’re meeting him. Well, under here, as it were.”
My brows rose. “
He took my arm. “Follow me.”
We went across the campus to Derring Hall. Seeing all the young faces milling around reminded me of my own college days. I hadn’t graduated-that whole murdering the governor and being scooped up by Don interfered with my diploma plans. Still, I’d more than gotten my chance to get out of my small town and travel. Who knew it would be my skills with a silver knife, instead of graduating with honors, that would be my ticket to a new life?
Once inside Derring Hall, we went down. After several turns and then a long corridor, we were at the basement. There was a guard there, and Bones walked right up to him with a genial smile-and then hit him with his gaze.
“Let us pass, and we were never here,” he said. The guard nodded and let us by him without losing the glazed look on his face.
There weren’t any other people in the basement. Bones took me past several storage rooms until we came to a small, locked gate. He casually ripped the bolt away from the gate and held it open for me.
“After you, Kitten.”
I went inside and waited at the entrance of the narrow, tight tunnel that led into darkness. There were
