Thomas dropped his lids halfway, not wanting to see the pain and desperation that was engrained in Cain’s every cell. He understood him all too well. He understood the pain of knowing there was somebody who had counted on him. He’d walked away once himself, knowing if he hadn’t he would have become a different person: a power hungry, dangerous vampire. Walked away from one who manipulated others because he could, because of the power that coursed through his veins.

Thomas knew he’d inherited that same blood. It carried power—and destruction. Walking away had been the only way to survive.

Maybe Cain had walked away from something similar, and his mind had graced him with memory loss. What a gift.

“What if you don’t like what I find?” Thomas challenged. “What if it’s something you’d rather not know?”

Cain shook his head. “Whatever it is, I want to know. I want to be whole again. I know there’s something . . . I feel it.” He pressed his hand to his chest. “Here. I feel it here.”

Then he pointed his finger toward the door. “Out there, somewhere, my past is waiting for me. I need to know what I’m up against before it comes biting me in the ass.”

Slowly, Thomas nodded. He wished he didn’t have to lie to Cain, but he was already in the middle of investigating the other vampire’s past. Gabriel had ordered it shortly after Cain had come on board. Yet so far, nothing had turned up.

“Fine. I’ll see what I can find out. Email me everything you remember, anything at all, no matter how insignificant. I know you’ve already given us some of this information when you joined, but I want you to think about it, try to remember what else there might be. Will you do that?”

A grateful smile spread over Cain’s handsome face. But oddly enough, despite the other vampire’s attractiveness, Thomas felt nothing other than the connection he felt with all Scanguards vampires. It was different with Eddie, the young vampire he mentored and who lived with him. The straight vampire, he tried to remind himself. And he would never make a pass at a straight man, no matter how much he longed for him, how much he craved his touch.

There were lines he never crossed, because he knew that adhering to his high moral ethics was the only way to keep the lust for dominance at bay and to hide from everybody how truly powerful he was.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Cain grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically.

“Yeah, yeah, now get out of here.”

Before Cain could open the door, there was a knock.

“Come in.”

To his surprise, Quinn stepped in.

“Hey, what’s bringing you to my humble office?”

“Just a quick thing.”

“See you,” Cain said and walked through the door.

“Oh, Cain,” Quinn called after him.

“Yeah?”

“You were just assigned to me. Can you wait for me in the V Staff Lounge?”

“Sure thing.” Then he pulled the door shut behind him.

“Do you have a minute?” Quinn asked and let himself fall in the chair opposite Thomas’s desk without waiting for an answer.

“Not really. Do you need me to check the system to see what other staff is available for your assignment? I’m assuming since it’s bringing in a million dollars, we can throw a few more bodies at it.”

Quinn quickly waved him off. “I’ve already checked with Gabriel on who’s available. I’ve got it in hand. Not to worry. But you could do something else for me.” He leaned forward, and his eyes darted to the door, then back to him.

Thomas raised a curious eyebrow.

“I need you to find out everything you can about Rose.”

Thomas felt his jaw drop. His friend couldn’t be serious. “Listen, I don’t know what’s between you and her, and I’m not asking about it.” He raised his hands when Quinn tried to interrupt. “But I’m not violating somebody else’s privacy for no reason other than your curiosity.”

Quinn jumped up. “It’s got nothing to do with my curiosity. Rose is lying to me. She’s hiding something from me, and I need to know what it is.”

“That’s not my problem. If she’s hiding something from you, maybe it’s none of your business.”

“It is my business,” Quinn bit out.

“I can’t help you. If it’s got nothing to do with the assignment, then I don’t want to be dragged into some domestic issues between a couple.”

“We’re NOT a couple!”