“Hey, buddy, that harassment is partof my job.”
He smiled. “I am not complaining. I neverwould have met you if you hadn’t come to the Fang to harassme.”
I opened my mouth to shoot back some smartreply but at that moment Celeste herself appeared and I forgot whatI had been going to say. She was dressed in a long red silk robethat draped around her dramatically and made her pixie-cut blondehair look almost white. Her dark eyes were filled with rage.
“You.” To my great relief she was talking toCorbin, not me. “What are you doing in my house at this time ofday?”
“It’s twilight outside, Celeste, no longerdaytime. Or are you unable to go out until full dark?” He shook hishead. “Such weakness. What a pity.”
“What are you doing here?” she repeated andthen she saw me. “And why ever did you bring that annoying littlenon-glam with you?”
“I have come for a fledgling you created. Iunderstand you have been abusing her.”
“What? Why should you care what I do with mycreations? Unless…” Her eyes narrowed and she glared at me. “Youare speaking of Taylor, aren’t you? She is the one you have comefor.”
Corbin inclined his head gravely. “Indeed.So if you could please produce her, I will be on my way.”
“It’s not so easy as that,” Celeste spat. “Idon’t know how this little human has bewitched you into taking herside but Taylor is mine. I brought her over and I am not willing tolet her go.”
“Come, Celeste—this isn’t worth your time ortrouble. I understand the one in question—this Taylor—has been agrave disappointment to you. You should be happy to be rid ofher.”
“I am never happy when someoneinvades my home and tries to take what is mine,” she snarled. “Andbesides, I am not done with Taylor yet. So is so sensitive—I quiteenjoy tormenting her.”
I saw Corbin’s eyes harden. “You must forgothat pleasure in the future. Produce the fledgling at once or facethe consequences.”
“How dare you!” She rushed forward, herhands hooked into claws, but it was me she was headed for, notCorbin. I was already reaching for my Glock but I would have beentoo late—much too late—if Corbin hadn’t stepped in front of me.
He caught Celeste in his arms and bearhugged her until I could hear her ribs creak. Considering that areal bear couldn’t have gotten that response from a vampire’s body,it was pretty damn impressive.
“Let me go. It was that stupid little humanwho put this idea in your head—I know it was. I never should havelet her leave here alive in the first place.”
“Are you threatening my consort?” Corbingrowled.
Abruptly she stopped struggling. “You’reserious? You actually claim a human as your consort? I couldunderstand using her as a snack or even a fuck if you’re feelingdestructive but a consort? Even a shifter would be betterthan a human.”
“It is true it would be better if she werebrought over,” Corbin said. “Nevertheless, Addison is my consortand as such she is under my protection both day and night. I willkill anyone attempting to harm her. Is that clear?” He shookCeleste once, like a rag doll before depositing her almost gentlyon the ground.
Celeste looked up at him, her eyes stillglowing with rage. “It’s clear. Clear that this human has you underher spell somehow. How she has done it, I don’t know. But now Imust pay the price for it.”
“What price?”
The voice belonged to a new vamp who wassuddenly standing behind Celeste. He was dressed like a gentlemanfrom the Civil War era with a waistcoat and a white linen poet typeshirt and his hair was in loose, dark waves over his shoulders. Butwhat caught my attention were his tattoos. Beneath his left eyewere four tiny blood red stars. And beneath his right eye were twomore.
Six hundred years old. I couldn’thelp sucking in a breath. Holy shit, Corbin was the oldest vamp I’dever met and this one—who had to be Roderick—was two centuriesolder and thus, considerably stronger. If things went south now, wewere in very big trouble.
But even stronger than my fear was my fury.This was the asshole who had been forcing Taylor to do demeaning,disgusting things. This bastard had made her want to kill herself.My hand was still on the butt of my gun and my finger itched topull the trigger. But if I killed a vamp in a non-officialcapacity, I was in for a shit-load of trouble and not just from thegovernment. Vampires had been known to exact their own revenge forillegal kills and it was never pretty. Reluctantly, I kept theGlock holstered, hoping for a legitimate chance to use itlater.
“What is all the commotion?” Roderick asked,looking between Corbin and Celeste. His eyes didn’t even registerme at all. I guess humans weren’t worth his time or attention.
“Inquisitor Roderick.” Celeste bowed low tohim and Corbin inclined his head. “Corbin here has taken it uponhimself to come and take away one of my fledglings because he heardI was being cruel to her.” She laughed as though it was themost ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.
Roderick frowned at Corbin. “Explain.”
“Celeste has lived in my area for over ahundred years and though I am older and stronger than her, I havenever tried to exact any tribute. Now, however, she has something Iwant.” Corbin shrugged. “So I am taking it.”
“He has no right!” Celeste exclaimed.
Corbin grinned, flashing his fangs in a waythat had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with menace.“Might makes right. It is the creed of our kind, as you well know,Celeste.”
“Enough.” Roderick held up a hand forsilence. “Who is this fledgling you are so set on having,Corbin?”
“It is Taylor—the one I gave you to amuseyourself with,” Celeste answered quickly. “He wishes to steal herfrom under your very nose, Inquisitor.”
“I wish to remove her from a situation thatis causing my consort distress,” Corbin said, nodding at me.
Roderick gave me a surprised look and I wassure it was the first time I had registered on his radar. “Youclaim a human as your consort?”
“I do.” Corbin gave him an unwaveringstare.
“And you find that to be satisfactory? Youare able to fuck her
