“I’ll take it.” She nodded. “We’ll go.”

Baojia squeezed her hand, but she could see he was pleased. “Only if you’re sure.”

“George,” she said, throwing her arm around his shoulders as he groaned, “I’m sure of you. Everything else, we’ll figure out along the way.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

“This isn’t a good idea, Boss.”

Baojia considered the young man’s words from the back of the black Cadillac that his new employer had bought for him. The streets of Ensenada flew past; Luis still drove too fast.

“You worry too much,” he said as the driver pulled up to the side door of the club. He slapped Luis on the back before he slid out. “Stay with the car. I won’t be long.”

Luis only sighed and said, “Okay. But this is still—”

The slam of the car door shut him up. Baojia raised an eyebrow. The sedan had excellent soundproofing. He’d have to remember that. He walked to the doors of the club where the vampire guard eyed him cautiously.

“Is he expecting you?” the stocky man asked.

“No.”

The guard gave a nod, spoke to a human standing at his shoulder, then smiled at Baojia patiently. A few moments later, the human came back and nodded, and the guard waved him in.

“Welcome to Bar El Ruso.”

“Thank you.”

The flashing lights still annoyed him, and he was glad he hadn’t needed to spend time in their presence for over six months. The house he and Natalie lived in north of San Francisco faced the ocean and was set on top of sweeping cliffs with a secluded beach below. It had enough light for her and dark for him. Plus, it connected underground to the facility where he spent most of his nights. The infected girls had been brought from the desert four months earlier—much to Tulio’s relief—and most seemed comfortable so far. Security renovations on the facility were well under way, and Natalie was healing as quickly as she could. Though pain was still an issue, it was less and less every night.

Baojia climbed the stairs to the VIP lounge, nodding at the vampire guarding the entrance. He spotted Ivan holding court in his corner sofa as soon as he entered. The vampire watched him with a curious smile as he strolled over.

“My friend,” Ivan said graciously, though he didn’t stand. “What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to my city? Please, have a seat.”

He sat across from the wily earth vampire, as casually as he could when he was surrounded by six of Ivan’s guards. No sign of Carlos, of course. Carlos’s dust was scattered in the desert, along with Ivan’s old customers. “I’m only here for the night. I came to pay my respects to an old acquaintance.”

“Oh?”

He watched Ivan carefully for his reaction. “It is a beautiful monument, Ivan. Constantina would have been honored.”

A slight tic above his right eye was the only indication that the words had surprised Ivan. “I’m sure she would have,” he said. “And how is your woman?”

“She is well. Thank you for asking.”

“I heard she was in a rather bad accident.” Ivan leaned back, spreading his arms across the back of the sofa. “So unfortunately fragile, aren’t they? I trust the human doctors were able to repair her.”

Baojia smiled. “It was very bad, but she has recovered.”

Silence fell between the two immortals; even the guards surrounding them seemed to sense that they were intruding.

“I hear you are working for Katya now.” Ivan leaned forward, reaching for a red cocktail in a martini glass.

“I am.” It was the only reason Ivan was still living. If Baojia had not been connected to an organization, the vampire would be dead already.

“How very fortunate,” Ivan said with a smile. “For both of us.”

“I suppose that’s a matter of perspective,” he said under his breath so Ivan’s guards couldn’t hear.

Ivan only laughed. Despite everything he had done, the immortal was still clever. He knew, just as Baojia did, that both of them represented powerful organizations. An open attack on either would have grave consequences, so Ivan and Baojia could parlay in relative peace.

“Some in Mexico City were surprised by your move, but not me.”

Baojia folded his hands in his lap. “No?”

Ivan took a sip and smiled. “Some might say you have behaved… very out of character over the last year. I am not one of them.”

“You know me so well.”

The other vampire smirked. “I know you better than you might think. We’re not so unalike, you know.”

“I can think of a few important differences.”

“I’m sure you think you can.” Then a glint of anger entered Ivan’s eyes. “I’d be curious how far you would go if something of yours was threatened. Hypothetically.”

“I believe…” Baojia leaned forward. “There might be no limit to what I would do. Hypothetically.”

“Then we understand each other better than most, don’t you think?”

And suddenly he did.

Constantina. The lavish tomb in the rich cemetery was not something one did for an obligation. It was the tomb of an honored lover. Ivan had loved Constantina. Perhaps he had brought the Elixir to Mexico, thinking it would allow the human to live with him forever. Perhaps the truth had been as much of a shock to him as anyone else. But despite that, when Ivan had learned the reality, he had sought profit and power. He hadn’t cared for his lover in her final, painful days. That job had gone to another.