“Try the DMV. She must have a driver’s license,” Amaury suggested. He had to find her, no matter what.

Another screen popped open. Amaury watched as his IT genius of a friend hacked into the system.

“Here we are. Welcome to the Department of Motor Vehicles.” Thomas grinned broadly. He was in his element. Unfortunately, minutes later he had to concede defeat.

“She doesn’t have a driver’s license, at least not in California.”

“What? How can that be?”

Thomas shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, she doesn’t live in LA where she’d have to drive to get around. San Francisco has public transportation.”

“What now?” Amaury frowned. He couldn’t give up.

“I can try to triangulate her cell phone, but I can’t do that from here. I need my equipment from home.” He looked at his wristwatch. “It’s getting late. Tell you what. I’ll drive home, try to find out where her cell phone is and give you an approximate area. You think you can work with that?”

Amaury nodded. “If you send me within a couple of blocks of where she is, I’ll find her.” With her blood still in his veins from the night before he would have no problem picking up on her scent if she was close.

Thomas tossed a glance at Amaury’s midsection. “And do something about that boner, will you? It’s downright distracting.”

Before Amaury could hit him over the head, his friend was gone.

By the time Thomas called him from his home, it was close to sunrise. And his friend had bad news.

“Her cell phone is either out of range or switched off.”

Amaury cursed under his breath.

“I’ll try again later. You can’t go out now anyway. We’ll have to wait till tonight. You’d better spend your time sleeping so your wrists can heal.”

Like Amaury needed a nurse. But there was no need pissing Thomas off with the comment currently sitting on his lips. “Fine. Call me as soon as you know where she is.”

He slammed the receiver down and let out a frustrated shout. Once he found her she would be punished. Slowly, severely, and without mercy.

Fourteen

For the second time Nina looked at the text message.

Mezza9 2nite careful he nos who u r, the message read.

Apparently Benny had decided to give her one good-bye present before he left town to save his bony ass. She couldn’t tell whether the information was genuine. Most likely it was another trap. She had to assume as much. However, this time she would be prepared. Expecting a trap and walking into it well prepared, she could make it work to her advantage.

It was worth a try.

After the things Amaury had said the night before, she’d developed serious doubts about his involvement in Eddie’s death. The sincerity in his eyes had given her pause. And his insistence that Scanguards was investigating internally had chipped away a little more at her previous certainty.

Now she would put all her chips on the man who’d hired Benny to send her into a trap. Since he’d wanted her out of the way because she was looking into Eddie’s death, her conclusion was that he was involved. In what capacity, she wasn’t sure yet, but she’d find out, one way or another.

But before she was ready to go and seek him out, she would have to stock up on weapons. This time she’d go in armed to the teeth. She needed another silver chain at the very least. Even though she wasn’t sure who the person was, she had a hunch he would turn out to be a vampire. And she wasn’t going into the lion’s den without protection.

She grabbed her leather jacket from the chair and put it on, stuffed her keys into her pocket and released the door chain. As she opened the door and stepped outside into the dark hallway, something massive blocked her exit.

“Going somewhere, chérie?”

Nina’s heart stopped. Her immediate reaction was to bolt, but she didn’t get a chance. Amaury backed her through the open doorway and slammed the door shut behind them. In her small studio he looked even larger than usual.

Oh hell, he looked pissed. She hadn’t counted on him finding her. Well, at least not this fast.

“What do you want?” She lifted her chin, trying to look brave, when she felt anything but.

He cupped her shoulders and pressed her against the wall. “I want to warn you.”

Nina’s breath caught in her chest, as she watched his eyes penetrate her.

“Never, ever tie me up and leave me aroused without finishing what you started. Do you get that?”

She nodded automatically.

“I’m going to give you another chance to redeem yourself. One mistake, and I’ll deliver you right into Zane’s capable hands.”