“Is he that much more powerful than the rest of you?”

“Absolutely. I’m a babe compared to him.”

Yes, he was a babe. A total babe. But not the way he meant it.

He grinned.

Krysta frowned. “Damn it! Stop reading my thoughts!”

Etienne shrugged. “I was just peeking to see how you were taking all of this.”

“Not well,” she admitted.

“Would you take it better if I told you I think you’re a total babe, too?”

“A little bit.”

He laughed and, wrapping an arm around her, drew her close for a hug.

Krysta looped her arms around his waist, surprised by how natural it felt despite the rubber suit.

“Every day you amaze me more,” he murmured. And she could have sworn he brushed a kiss across the top of her head.

“Every day you confuse me more,” she countered.

“It will all become clear soon.”

His earlier words squeezed past the confusion and concern for her brother, as well as the worry over where the hell they were going to live and how they would pay for everything. “Wait. Who is going to be at this meeting?”

“Most likely all of the Immortal Guardians in the area, as well as their Seconds.”

“What’s a Second again?”

“The human guard or assistant of an immortal. We all have one.”

“Like a Renfield?”

“I suppose so.”

“And how many Immortal Guardians are we talking?”

“Fourteen or fifteen.”

Krysta inadvertently tightened her grip on him as fear returned.

“We won’t hurt you, Krysta. I know it seems like we’ve been doing a piss-poor job of it, but we’re here to help you and protect you.”

She nodded. She supposed she would just have to trust them. Go with gut instinct. Blind hope. Because what other choice did she have?

Richart and Jenna returned.

Rather than leap away from her as Krysta expected, Etienne kept one arm around her and shifted her to his side. As if they were a couple.

“Ready?” Richart asked. “I’d like to go and get back so I can rest for a few hours before the meeting.”

Etienne nodded. “See that he does rest,” he implored Jenna. “He was tranqed earlier.”

Jenna frowned up at her husband. “You didn’t tell me that.”

“I didn’t want to worry you. Besides, Chris gave me the antidote.”

She nodded at Etienne. “He’ll rest.”

“Thank you.”

Richart stepped away from his wife and touched Etienne’s shoulder.

Blackness engulfed them. A second later, the room brightened. Only it was a different room.

Krysta glanced around.

In a different house.

“See you at the meeting tonight,” Richart said.

“I’m serious about you getting some rest,” Etienne said.

Richart’s lips quirked. “As soon as I finish what you so rudely interrupted earlier.”

An instant later he vanished.

“Seriously?” Krysta said. “After being shot and hunting whoever the hell that was at my house and being tranqed, he’s going to go home and make love to his wife?”

“They’re newlyweds,” Etienne said with a shrug. “That’s actually why I wanted to spend the day here instead of there. Their relationship is still new enough that they haven’t had a chance to soundproof the walls of their bedroom, so spending the day there can be awkward.”

“I would think so. With your ears, you can probably hear everything.”

He nodded. He and Lisette had learned very quickly that, although they were always welcome at Richart’s home (the three of them had always been close and routinely slept at each others’ houses to stave off loneliness), Richart wasn’t going to let their presence dampen his amorous pursuits of his wife.

Actually, Richart was so besotted that Etienne wasn’t sure it had even occurred to him that his brother and sister could hear him making love with Jenna. This situation was new to them. Lisette was the only one of them who had ever been married, and that had been before her transformation.

Cam entered, his hair mussed from sleep. He wore his usual sleeping garb: a T-shirt and sweatpants. When he had first been named Etienne’s Second, he had slept in the buff, which Etienne had nixed when he had arrived home one night battered enough to require immediate aid. Then had come boxers, which had been replaced by the sweats and a T-shirt after Lisette and Richart had made several surprise visits.

The pants were for Lisette’s benefit. Cam couldn’t care less about either of the men catching him in his drawers.

“Came home after all?” Cam said, eyeing Krysta curiously.

“Yes. Cam, this is Krysta. She saved my life tonight and lost her home as a result. Krysta, this is Cameron, my Second.”

Cam strode forward and offered his hand. “Good to meet you. Sorry about your house.”

Krysta shook his hand. “Thanks. Etienne seems to think it would be best if I bunk here for the day. I hope you don’t mind.”

“As long as you’re on our side, you’re welcome.”

“She is,” Etienne stated.

Cam nodded. “First things first. Are you wounded?” he asked Etienne.

“Yes.”

“Let me get you some blood.” He left, then returned with two bags of blood Etienne swiftly drew into his parched veins. “The men you fought were mercenaries?”

“Yes.”

Cam slid a glance Krysta’s way. “You’re sure she isn’t one of them?”

Krysta answered before Etienne could. “Would they have tried to kill me if I were?”

“Yes. The mercenaries we fought in the past considered each other expendable.”

“Cam,” Etienne warned, “don’t press her. She isn’t one of them.”

“You’ve read her thoughts?”

Etienne shifted. “Some of them. I can’t read her at will the way I can you and most other mortals.”

Cam stared at Krysta. “Damn. Lucky you.”

Much to Etienne’s relief, Krysta sent his protective Second a wry smile. “Not when the thoughts he can read are the inappropriate ones.”

Cam laughed. “I’m guessing you’re the reason he’s been so distracted these last few weeks.”

Krysta smiled as she met Etienne’s gaze.

He sighed. Was everyone he knew going to say that when they met her? “This is getting embarrassing.”

She laughed.

“You could have told me it was a woman,” Cam continued. “I’ve given you an earful about Laura.”

“Do we really have to talk about this now? In front of Krysta?”

“Yes. I’m pissed about you keeping me out of the fight. And, instead of pouting, I’ve decided to irritate you.”

Etienne shook his head. “You’ve been spending too much time with Sheldon.”

“Not by choice. Do you two want something to eat before you turn in?”

“No, thank you,” Krysta said.

Etienne agreed. “Seth has called for a meeting at David’s tonight, an hour after sunset. I want to get some rest before I face the inquisition.”

Cam nodded. “I’ll keep a sharp eye out in case any of the mercenaries show up on our doorstep.”

Krysta raised her eyebrows. “I don’t see how they could. Richart teleported us.” Her face scrunched up. “It feels so weird to say that.”

Cam laughed. “Like in a B-movie, right?”

She grinned. “Yes. But he did. So I don’t see how anyone could track us here.”

Cam held up a finger. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Etienne watched him head up the hallway to the room they affectionately called the armory.

A moment later he returned, carrying a handheld metal detector. “Disarm.”

Etienne removed his weapons one by one and set them on the scarred coffee table nearby. That’s new, he spoke in Cam’s mind. A metal detector?

Yes. Chris sent it over when we were dealing with Emrys.

Krysta examined the blades piling up on the table.

Cam crossed to stand in front of Etienne. “Now. Let’s see if you’ve got any shrapnel I need to dig out.”

Shrapnel, my ass, Etienne drawled.

If you’ve got shrapnel in your ass, it’s going to stay there, Cam responded with twitching lips. I’m looking for tracking devices the mercenaries may have tagged you with and didn’t want your girlfriend to know.

She isn’t my girlfriend.

Yet.

“Is that a metal detector?” she asked, abandoning the weapons to watch Cam and Etienne.

“Yes,” Cam said, sweeping it up and down Etienne’s limbs. “Usually, the bullets will be pushed out during the healing process, but little pieces that break off can take longer. He’ll heal faster if I dig them out.”

Her brow furrowed with concern. “Oh.”

You could have told her the truth, Etienne said, uncomfortable with the lie.

No, I couldn’t. Not until we’re one hundred percent sure she’s on our side. I assumed you wouldn’t want to lie to her yourself, so I did it for you.

Thank you, Etienne said grudgingly.

Cam shook his head. You really have it bad for her, don’t you?

Yes, damn it. But keep that to yourself.

Will do. “All clear,” Cam announced.

Krysta sighed with relief.

“Can I do anything for the two of you before you turn in?”

“No, thank you,” Krysta said again.

“Reordon is going to have some men escort Krysta’s brother Sean here when he gets off work,” Etienne informed him. “They’re well trained and shouldn’t be followed, but that’s when it will happen if it does.”

Cam nodded. “Is the brother on our side?”

Etienne glanced at Krysta. “That’s yet to be decided.”