The hope he’d experienced minutes earlier had drained from his body. He was still in the same old boat, drifting in an ocean without any paddles. And the paddle he’d just seen appear on the horizon turned out to be just another mirage. It was better not to dwell on it.

“Listen, I’ll do some more thinking on this.” Drake seemed eager to help him.

“Why? It’s a waste of time.”

“As a doctor, I have a responsibility to my patients.”

That was new. Was everybody suddenly developing a conscience? So far Drake had taken his money whether he thought his sessions helped him or not. Amaury shrugged his shoulders. Well, it wasn’t his problem if the good doctor suddenly had scruples about all the money he’d made off him without producing any tangible results.

“It’s your time, not mine.”

“I’ll be in touch.” Drake turned at the next corner and disappeared amidst the shadows of the night.

Amaury tried to push back the disappointment he felt spreading in his chest. He should have never gotten his hopes up. He would just have to continue like he’d done the last centuries and use sex to ease his pain.

But he still didn’t understand why he couldn’t sense Nina’s emotions. It made no sense, particularly since he hadn’t even technically had sex with her, something he planned to remedy tonight. However, in her presence the pain in his head seemed to ease, even without sex. And that was just the medicine he needed right now.

His cell phone vibrated again. What was going on tonight? He looked at the number, but didn’t recognize it. A New York number, but it wasn’t Gabriel’s, thank God.

“Yes?”

“Amaury, it’s Quinn. Listen, I can’t talk long.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve been helping Zane shadow this employee, Paul something, and we’re at the Mezzanine nightclub. Zane’s been mumbling something about your girlfriend being here cozying up to some guy. Thought you should know.”

“What?” Amaury felt his heartbeat increase and his blood pressure spike. “Where is she?”

“Gotta go.” The line went dead.

Nina? At a nightclub, when she’d promised to wait for him in bed? What the hell! Could nothing go according to plan tonight?

Seventeen

Nina took another sip from her beer before she looked back at the guy who’d been making advances at her for the last few minutes. From the bar she had a good view of the goings on in the nightclub. So far, she’d spotted several men who would fit the description Benny had given her, but none seemed to show any recognition when she looked at them.

And if Benny’s information was correct, then the man she was looking for knew who she was and would show some sign of recognition. That was what she was counting on. It would be the only way she’d recognize him. That, and if he attacked her. Luckily, the club was busy and an attack would not go unnoticed.

In the meantime she had to fend off the man sitting next to her. It wasn’t that he wasn’t good looking, but she wasn’t in the mood to flirt, nor did she want to waste her time when she was on the lookout for that despicable son of a bitch involved in Eddie’s death.

“Looks like whoever you’re waiting for stood you up.” The man on the barstool next to her gave her a knowing grin.

“What makes you think I’m waiting for someone?” Maybe she should move to a different location in the club to get away from the thick-headed guy who couldn’t take a hint.

“You’ve been looking at every man who’s come here in the last half hour. Looks to me like you’re expecting someone. Can’t be worth it though if he keeps a pretty girl like you waiting for so long. What if someone else staked his claim instead?”

Now the man had just crossed the threshold from annoying to creepy. She cast him an icy look. “Nobody is gonna stake a claim on me, not that it’s any of your business.”

Nina turned away from him.

“I’d say somebody already has.” A second later she felt his hand on her arm. Nina jerked her head back to him and yanked her arm out from his grip. She caught how he inhaled sharply, as if he was sniffing her.

“You’d better move along before I kick your ass!”

Instead of being offended by her outburst, he answered with a broad grin. That’s when she looked at him for the first time and really noticed him.

Oh God, no!

He was one of them. She’d been sitting next to a vampire without noticing because she’d been too preoccupied with finding the guy Benny had described.