“Let’s go,” he ground out and turned abruptly.

“How do you want me to act?” Katie asked from behind him, while he marched to the door.

“You looked pretty convincing earlier. I don’t think you need me to coach you on what to do.” Luther ripped the door open. Strobe lights on the walls indicated that the intruder alert was still active.

He felt her hand on his elbow and with it a shock of electricity traveled up his arm. He whirled his head to her, a curse already on his lips, when he saw her eyes.

“I’m scared,” she murmured.

The curse never left his lips. Instead he lifted his hand and brushed his gloved knuckles over her cheek, surprising himself with the gentle gesture. “I’ll keep you safe.”

Her lips parted slightly, before he turned his head back toward the corridor and lowered the visor of his protective head gear.

21

The corridor was empty when Katie followed Luther, but even without vampire hearing she could already hear approaching footsteps and commands being shouted. Despite Luther’s assurance that he would keep her safe, she knew their chances of getting out of this place alive were minimal.

This had been a bad idea.

A guard came running down the corridor, talking into his communication device as he rushed past them with barely a second glance. Surprised, Katie gave Luther a sideways look. The reflective visor hid his face, and he appeared just like any other guard. Only the name tag would identify him. Bauer it said.

“Just how common is it for a guard to be seen with a woman?”

Luther shrugged. “Common enough.”

A door opened a few yards ahead of them and another guard dressed in Kevlar gear ran in the other direction. Katie followed him with her eyes when she realized something.

“Why wasn’t he wearing a visor like you?” The guard who’d run past them only moments earlier hadn’t worn one either.

“Because the UV lights aren’t on.” Luther’s response was clipped; he seemed pre-occupied with deciding which way to turn next.

He gripped her by the elbow and dragged her down a hallway to the left. She almost tripped over her own feet trying to keep up with him and only saw the door in front of them when Luther opened it.

The room looked like a central foyer from which several doors and walkways, as well as stairs, led in a multitude of directions.

Vampires dressed in their protective Kevlar gear seemed to converge here, some strapping on weapons, others speaking into their communication devices.

Neither glancing right nor left, Luther marched through the space as if he owned it. Katie’s heart pounded, while she tried to avoid looking at anybody in particular. None of them was wearing the kind of visor that covered Luther’s face. Shit! That had to look suspicious.

The door Luther was heading for was closed. Next to it, there was a card reader. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Luther pull an access card from his pocket.

“Hey, Bauer,” a voice from behind them called out.

Katie froze.

Luther grunted and pulled her along. Only a few feet separated them from the door now.

“What’s with the head gear, Bauer? You know something we don’t?”

Luther swiped the access card at the door. A click sounded. He ripped the door open, shoved her through it.

“That’s not Bauer! Get them!” At the words, all hell broke loose.

“Intruders in Section K, heading for—”

Katie pivoted and squinted as she suddenly saw the flash of UV lights coming from the guards’ guns. Luther ducked and dove into the corridor, slamming the door shut. He jammed the butt of his UV gun into the card reader on this side of the door, smashing it.

“You okay?”

She nodded automatically, meeting his eyes. “Will that keep them locked in?”

He’d already grabbed her arm and started running. “Central command can override any door. We’ve gotta get out before they can disable my access card.”

They ran down the hallway to the next door. Luther swiped his card so fast, Katie’s eyes couldn’t even perceive the movement. This time he went through the door first, shielding her with his broad body.

“What’s going on?” a male voice asked.

She saw how Luther jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Bit of an uproar,” Luther said and stepped aside, giving Katie a view of the room. “Not every day the boys get an eyeful like that.” His voice sounded muffled behind the visor.

The vampire guard who’d spoken—she read the name on his uniform, Patterson—looked at her for a brief moment, then glared at Luther. “Can’t bring a hooker through here. Rules are rules.”