Olivia was pacing in Barker’s office, waffling between anger and anxiety. She was worried about Robby and J.L., but also angry that they hadn’t allowed her to go with them.
“Relax,” Barker said from behind his desk. “They’ll be fine.”
“J.L. isn’t used to being a vampire yet. He shouldn’t be fighting so soon.” Her cell phone rang, and she checked the caller. “Oh my gosh, it’s J.L.”
She flipped the phone open. “Hello?” She shot Barker a worried look. “J.L.? Are you there?”
“I’m right here, darling.”
She gasped and spun around. Otis was in the office, holding J.L.’s phone.
“Shame on you, darling.” Otis affected an injured look. “You were supposed to come to the warehouse. But lucky for me, I had another way to find you.”
She dropped her phone and drew her weapon.
Barker jumped to his feet, aiming his pistol.
Otis tossed the phone on the floor and stepped toward her. “Now, at last, we can be together.”
Barker shot at him, but Otis vanished. Olivia spun around, looking for him.
She heard Barker gasp. His face contorted in pain, then he slumped to the floor. Otis was standing in his place with a bloodied knife in his hand.
“They left you poorly protected, didn’t they?” He wedged the knife under his belt.
Rage exploded in Olivia. She fired her gun. And missed.
Otis had moved out of the way at vampire speed, his body zooming across the room in a blur. He knocked the gun from her hand. She jumped back and drew her dagger.
Otis smiled. “You like knives, too? I knew we were perfect for each other.”
She lunged forward, stabbing at his chest, but again he vanished. He was suddenly behind her, yanking her up against his chest and ripping the dagger from her hand.
She elbowed him in the ribs and stomped on his foot. When his hold loosened, she broke free and ran for her dagger on the floor.
He tackled her from behind, slamming her onto the carpet. Before she could catch her breath, he flipped her over. She swung punches at his face, but he grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms down.
“At last.” He breathed heavily. “I’ll make you mine forever.” He reared his head back and his fangs sprang out.
She kneed him in the balls. He hissed, and lifted her up just to slam her back onto the floor.
Pain shot through her skull. Her vision cleared in time to see him drawing closer to her neck. She struggled, but he was too damned strong.
He flinched and pulled back. “What?” He regarded her with horror. “You’ve been marked. You let someone else bite you?”
“I’ll never be yours. Never,” she hissed.
“You bitch!” He pulled his knife from his belt.
A silver chain was suddenly looped around Otis’s neck and he cried out in pain. The knife tumbled from his hand.
Robby yanked the chain tighter, and Otis’s skin sizzled. He hauled Otis off her. Otis flailed his arms, trying to reach Robby behind him.
“His knife,” Robby growled. He yanked Otis to his feet, still squeezing him around the neck with the silver chain.
She spotted Otis’s knife on the floor beside her, grabbed it and scrambled to her feet. “This is for all the women you tortured and killed!” She plunged it into his chest.
He turned to dust.
She dropped the knife to the floor. Robby dropped the chain and pulled her into his arms.
She held him tight. Even so, she started to shake.
“’Tis over, sweetheart.” He hugged her. “He’ll never threaten you again.”
“Is it really over? Did you kill Casimir?”
“Nay. I left him to save you.” Robby kissed the top of her head. “I couldna bear to lose you.”
A moan sounded behind the desk.
“Oh my gosh, Barker!” Olivia skirted the desk and found him on the floor. Blood oozed from his wound.
He blinked up at her. “You’re all right?”
“Yes.” She fumbled for the phone on his desk. “I’ll call an ambulance.”
Robby stopped her. “Ye may no’ need to. Barker, will ye heal if ye shift?”
“I think so. But I’ve lost a lot of blood.” He winced. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I wasn’t much help. I passed out.”
She squeezed his arm. “Don’t apologize.”
More Vamps appeared in the room.
J.L. ran toward Olivia and Barker. “Are you guys okay?”
“Otis stabbed Barker in the back,” Olivia told him.
Connor stepped forward. “I can teleport him to a Vamp doctor in Houston. We’ll make sure he heals properly.”
“Oh, thank you,” Olivia said.
Connor gathered Barker up and vanished.
Olivia gave J.L. a hug. “I was worried about you. Did you find Yasmine?”
“Oh yeah.” He made a face. “The woman’s crazy. We called the police to come get her.”
“What happened to Casimir?” Robby asked.
Angus sighed. “The bastard teleported away right after ye did.” He motioned to the pile of dust on the floor. “I gather this was Otis?”
“Aye. Olivia killed him.” Robby smiled at her.
“We did it together.” She stepped into his arms.
He hugged her tight. “We make a fearsome couple.”
Angus chuckled and nudged his wife. “I think we’ll have some wee bairns in the family soon.”
Emma grinned. “Oh, I hope so.”
Robby scoffed. “Do ye mind if we get married first?”
Olivia touched his cheek. “Are you proposing?”
“No’ here.” He kissed her brow. “But I know the perfect place.”
She smiled. “It’s a date.”
EPILOGUE
Eleni had been thrilled when Olivia had suddenly arrived early in June. She’d been even more thrilled that Olivia was leaving the FBI. But this latest news shocked Eleni so much, Olivia felt her grandmother go blank for a few minutes.
“Are you sure?” Eleni asked. “Some people just have very pointy teeth.”
“I’m sure. I know it comes as a shock, but it’s true.”
Eleni sighed. “I can sense you’re telling the truth.” Her emotions took a dark turn, with disbelief and suspicion swirling around her. “He’s not hurting you, is he?”
“No, he’s a sweet and gentle man.”
“How can that be? Isn’t he some kind of demon?”
“No. Robby was dying on a battlefield when his grandfather transformed him. He was a good, honorable man, and he still is. His death couldn’t change who he is.”
Eleni pursed her lips. “I thought vampires were evil.”
“Some of them are. An evil person will turn into an evil vampire. Actually, I suspect they become even more evil. All that extra power goes to their head.”
“He’s not a devil worshipper, is he?”
Olivia snorted. “No. He was raised Roman Catholic. And he says he’s willing to become Greek Orthodox.”
“Oh.” Eleni’s aura of suspicion cleared away. “That’s good news.”
“And we can still have children.”
“What?” A surge of joy emanated from Eleni. “Why didn’t you say so from the beginning? Of course we’ll welcome your young man into the family.”
Olivia exhaled with relief. “Thank you. It’ll mean a lot to Robby that you’ve accepted him.”
Eleni waved a hand in dismissal. “I always knew he was the man for you.”
“I thought you had your hopes up for Spiro.”
Eleni shrugged. “Spiro ran off last month to get married.” She winced. “To Dimitrios.”
Olivia laughed. “I’m going to meet Robby on the beach after sunset. I can bring him back here if you like.”
“Of course!” Eleni bustled over to the refrigerator. “What would he like to eat?”
“He doesn’t eat, Yia Yia. He drinks synthetic blood out of a bottle every night.”
“You mean you won’t have to cook for him?” Eleni shut the fridge door, smiling. “That is perfect for you, child. I’m afraid you were never much of a cook.”
Olivia hugged her grandmother. “Thank you so much for understanding. I knew I needed to tell you the truth about Robby.”
“Of course.” Eleni wagged a finger at her. “I will know if you ever lie to me.”
“This is something we need to keep secret. I know you like to gossip with—”
“I do not gossip,” Eleni huffed. “And I can keep a secret. Now go on, go see that young man of yours. And tell him I expect you two to get married here in my church.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Olivia left the kitchen and crossed the courtyard. Memories flashed through her mind. This was where she’d first talked with Robby, where she’d first started falling in love.
