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  Jonavas lifted a finger. “Question. May I indulge myself with said councilwoman?”

  The Ice Queen scoffed and rolled her eyes.

  Ignoring him, Tristan continued. “She’s a key member of the United Nations underground committee, which means she has direct access to the secret passage. Do not dispose of her until you gain that access.”

  “Soo, that’s a yes then?” Jonavas persisted with a wide grin.

  “Nefertiti, contact Führer Maruyama to give him a status update. I’m leaving you in charge of security. Find a way to tap into the Central Command’s server. Those UV domes must come down before the league moves in.”

  Alexis clucked her tongue loudly. “That wasn’t very smart.”

  All supernatural eyes cut her way.

  “Discussing your diabolical plans in front of me.” She scooped up a saber from the dead soldier near her. The weapon was a little heavy ended, oddly unbalanced, but beggars can’t be choosers at this point. She would wield any blade she could get her hands on. “Now ya gotta keep me quiet, so I don’t spill your secrets to the Federation. How do ya plan to do that, General?”

  Tossing a devilish smirk at her, Tristan carried on with his directive to the trio under his command, “You have your orders. Get it done.”

  “Are you sure we should leave you alone with her,” Helena spoke up, a hint of venom in her tone. “She poses a problem for—”

  “Go. Now.”

  A collective, “Yes, General” sounded. The three slammed their fists into their chests and vanished, moving so fast it was impossible to trail them.

  Wouldn’t stop her from trying, though. Clutching the grip of the sword, Alexis took off.

  As expected, Tristan slid in front of her. “Let them go, Lexi.”

  “Let them go? You got life all kinds of twisted if you think you can order me around like one of your subordinates. I’m not the fuckin’ one!”

  He threw his hand out. “Please, baby, don’t make this difficult.”

  Her body froze. She struggled to move. She couldn’t even lift a finger. His force kept her rooted to the spot. Felt like a dozen unseen hands were holding her down.

  “Lexi, listen…”

  She growled as she pushed forward against the unseen restraints. Something snapped, or rather cracked through the air.

  Tristan’s eyes grew wide.

  In that instant, she could move again. Anger driven, she closed in on him. She swept the sword, anxious to land a blow. When she did, the blade sparked. Well, more like flashed, like a strike of lightning. It left an electrical current in its wake.

  Wearing a sly smirk, he bounded over the bolt in a swift, nimble leap, then he backhanded the air.

  A gust of wind enveloped her and pushed her back, making her feet slid across the floor.

  “Your inner warrior is relentless. Add your magical strength to that, and you are unbelievably dazzling. My God…” Licking his lips, he moved toward her, slow and sexy-like, brandishing that dangerous Italian swag of his. His eyes gleamed in feverish passion. “I’ve never wanted you as badly as I want you right now.” A visible shudder ran down his body. He touched his lips as he let out a breathy moan.

  She felt his fingers caress her lips, even though he was more than an arm-length away. Jesus, what is this?! Head tilted, she stumbled back, widening the space between them. Is he charming me? A torrent of pleasurable stimulants thrashed throughout her body. Fuuuck! He IS charming me. “Stop it,” she growled.

  “I don’t even know how to contain myself. Please, Lexi…let me feel you, let me taste you. Just once more.”

  The heated kiss they shared earlier eased into her thoughts. She wanted more. So much more! Her knees grew weak, her nipples budded, and her pussy quivered. Fighting the need growing within, she swallowed a whimper.

  Before he was a monster, he was her sweet, swaggy, charismatic diamond boy who knew his way around her body. She remembered the sensation of his mouth on her skin, of his tongue gliding across her most sensitive parts. It was so vivid in her mind.

  Moisture built between her thighs and oozed along her slit. To this day, the man made her feel incredible things. Only now, it was way more intense.

  “Dammit, man. Mm-kay, just a little,” she heard herself coo as she stepped toward him. “Then we finish this.”

  No, wait! Blinking rapidly, she stopped. Am I seriously offering up the pussy when I should be chopping his head off? Hell no! This ain’t right.

  She briefly closed her eyes and heaved out a groan in an attempt to hang onto her resolve.

  I can’t get caught up in my feelings and lust for him. Not now!

  “See, I should’ve known you would pull some shit like this.” She skipped further back from him. “Cut it out!”

  He went rigid. His crystal eyes danced, his brow bunched. “Sorry.”

  “Bullshit. You’re not sorry.”

  A timid expression overtook his beautiful face. “I promised myself I wouldn’t compel you against your will, but it takes over sometimes.”

  “Uh-huh, yeah whatevas.” Even though her body was ready to betray her, her mind was set on one goal. Take him down before he kills again. Kneeling, she claimed a dagger from another body. “This ain’t ‘bout to go down how you want it to, so you best draw.”

  “Lexi…” His smile faded as he shook his head. “My pain will become your own. You gotta stop.”

  “I gotta stop?” she bit out on a disparaging snort. “C’mon, diamond boy. You should know by now that I never stop.” Now armed with two blades, she lunged at him.

  Chapter Two

  Vampire’s Spell

  How could I have let this happen?!

  Cole stood frozen in the spot where the vampire abducted his best friend.

  Much time had passed since it happened, yet his heart still raced. He couldn’t erase the scene from his mind. It haunted him. The smug grin on the demon’s pale face…Alexis unconscious in his arms…

  “Cole?” Bishop’s voice eased up behind him. “You’ve been standing here for a while now. Please talk to me. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

  What I’m thinking? If only he could put it into words. Tears of fury blurred his vision. He blinked, and the wetness cascaded down his cheeks. “He—he rolled off in here like he owned this joint and took her.” Clutching his hands into fists, he bit back a scream. “He just…took her.”

  A warm body pressed against him from behind. “C’mon, papi.” A pair of hands slid around his waist. “Shake off the shock, and let’s think this through before we make any moves.”

  “What move can we make, huh?” Cole growled, jerking away from him. “You heard what he said!”

  “What I heard was an empty threat. Did you notice how he held her? There’s no way he’s gonna hurt her…”

  The rest of Bishop’s words faded into the pits of Cole’s rising rage.

  Again, he turned to the spot where the brazen demon stood. I could’ve stopped this before it happened. Or could he? Not like he didn’t have a feeling something like this was about to go down. Alex acted weird out in the field. She heard voices and whatnot. He was a hundred percent sure the voices she heard belonged to that goddamn vampire. Then there was the exchange with that vamp child. After that happened…

  Never should’ve taken my eyes off her!

  He should’ve headed to Alex’s place as soon as he left Central Command. To hell with the Primos’ orders. He should’ve grabbed her and kept her close the second he realized she was under a vampire’s spell.

  I should’ve…

  Cole crooked his arms over his head and fisted his dreads. “Fuck!”

  He was one of the strongest knights on the force. Yet, he could do nothing but watch as the smirking demon scooped his best friend up and disappeared. Last time he felt this worthless, he was forced to watch a vampire devour his sister’s soul. And now, it had happened again!

  Could I have saved her? Could this have gone any other way?

>   The moments before she was taken played on repeat in his mind as he searched for answers.

  An Hour Ago…

  Bickering voices drew his eyes open.

  Cole lurched upright, swung his legs over the side of the bed and stared at the closed frosted door. Silhouettes moved about. He paused and listened.

  Bishop’s voice rose and fell. A female’s voice chimed in, laced in anger. Wait. Is that…? “Alex?” What is she doing here? Her probation required her to remain in her quarters. If she was here, that meant she snuck out against orders. Shit! Last time they spoke, he made it clear that he would come to her, not the other way around.

  “I said shut up!” she snapped.

  Aw man, she was pissed. What the hell did Bishop say to her? Knowing him, probably something inappropriate.

  “Better go step in before she kicks his ass,” Cole grumbled as he pulled on a pair of sweatpants. He opened the door to see Bishop running behind Alexis.

  She headed for the exit with a quickness in her step. But something was off with the way she moved. And what was…? Is that steam flowing off of her?

  “Mami, you should really drink that tonic,” Bishop pleaded, anxiousness rushing his tone. “A vamp’s influence can make you do some crazy shit.”

  “What vamp influence?” Cole stepped into the room.

  Alexis froze several feet from the front door. Her shoulders slumped and her head dipped, but she didn’t turn around. Wetness emerged from her skin, making her clothes stick to her.

  He moved toward her. “What’s going on, Alex?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “Doesn’t look like nothing.” Nervousness skittered along his flesh and seeped into his bones. Something was very fuckin’ wrong here. “About face, sis. Right damn now.”

  “Cole—”

  “Now!”

  She huffed out a sigh, then slowly turned around. “Don’t spaz on me, a’ight?”

  The second he saw her face, his heart shuddered to a stop. Mouth agape, he stumbled back. “Don’t spaz?”

  She’d lost a shade in her swarthy skin. A pasty tone replaced it. A dark shadow had swallowed the deep brown in her eyes and damn near overtook the white. Sweat poured down her face in sheets as waves of smoke clouded around her.

  “Da fuck, Alex?”

  She looked frightening, like she was on the verge of turning into the thing they hunted.

  Reaching out to her, he tried to approach her.

  Panic crossed her face. She scrambled out of his reach. “No-noo, stay right there.”

  “Yo, why’re you sweating like that? Where’s all that damn smoke coming from?”

  Confusion knitted her brow. She looked down at her arms. Fear claimed her expression. “I don’t know.”

  “Somebody better know something.” Cole swung his glare at Bishop. “Somebody better start talking!”

  “Que?” Bishop glanced at him, then her, and back to him. “I ain’t do that to her.”

  A blaze of heat shot through him and settled behind his eyes. His best friend looked like she was about to trip over to the dark side and no one would tell him anything. “But you know why she’s like that!”

  “Chill, Cole,” Alex breathed out as she swayed in place. “I, I’m…fine. Just need to…”

  A combination of fear and anger consumed him as he rushed toward her.

  Bishop jumped in front of him and threw his arms out. “Okay hon, I know this is a scary sight, but you gotta give her some space. She’s going through withdrawals.”

  The meaning of Bishop’s warning struck him dead in the heart. He knew what that meant. Oh hell no, not my Alex! No matter what he did at this point, Alexis would be lost to him. Still, he heard himself scream, “Withdrawals of what?”

  Alexis trembled. Along with the ever-flowing sweat, tears formed and trickled down her cheeks. “Cole, I’m so sorry. I—I lied to you,” she cried out. “I lied to you both. That little girl—I do know her, from my dreams. As soon as I hit the brakes on the Prolibrium injections, she started to come to me. I don’t know why, or how, but she—she’s trying to show me something…in the city. There something’s in the city…and then there’s the cat…” The bottle she was holding fell from her grip and hit the floor. Her eyes rolled back and her body tilted.

  “Oh my God, Alex!” Cole leaped forward to catch her. A tremor coursed through him, stopping him dead in his tracks.

  All movement dragged to a halt. Sound blinked out. The vacant space behind Alexis widened, then folded as she continued to drift to the floor in slow motion.

  A void opened and a spot of darkness emerged. It then enlarged and morphed into the shape of a man. He stepped through, shedding his shadowy cloak.

  The reveal pulled a sharp gasp from Bishop.

  The intruder was draped in a gold and ivory uniform fit for a high-ranking warrior—a Legion warrior.

  Cole blinked wildly as he stared and awe. The moment seemed unreal. Did this dude just step through space and time? Then suddenly, something became horrifically clear. He knew this man—no, this monster! His mind took him back to that toxic wasteland, where he watched his comrades get slaughtered by a Legion vampire. The same vamp who now stood here in his quarters.

  The monster winked and smiled at him, baring his fangs.

  Muthafucka! Cole clutched his hands into fists. Fury washed through him so fast, he could hardly stay still.

  Bishop moved to his side and took ahold of his arm.

  The dark intruder gently slipped his arms beneath Alexis’s back and legs, ending her slow fall. He cradled her against him and gazed down at her lovingly. “Told ya’ so.”

  “Asshole. You shouldn’t…have come here,” she uttered on a slur as she went limp in his arms. Her breathing slowed and her eyes closed.

  The vampire lifted his head, and once again taunted Cole with a smile. “As if I had a choice.”

  Cole shoved away from Bishop, knocking him back, and sprung forward with a growl.

  The fanged one thrust his hand out, halting Cole’s advance. “Come any closer, and I will kill her.”

  Fuck! Cole stirred anxiously. What to do? He couldn’t just let this monster stroll out of here with his girl. But if he made a move, or went for the weapon sitting on the table, that would be the end of Alexis. Wouldn’t put it past this fucka. He would definitely kill her, like he killed his whole fuckin’ squadron in the wastelands two years ago.

  “You—I know you,” Cole gritted out through clenched teeth. “You’re the one who massacred my team!”

  The vampire cocked a brow, but didn’t address the accusation. “You love her?” His gaze shifted from him to Bishop then back again. “You would do anything to keep her alive, yes?”

  Doing his best to suppress the need to attack, Cole glowered at him. He couldn’t speak, he couldn’t breathe without feeling the inferno of rage exploding inside of him.

  “Si, of course,” Bishop answered some feet behind him. The fear in his voice radiated throughout the room. “What do you want us to do?”

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” the demon replied casually. “I have her wrist-com. I’ll place it on her, so you can track her vitals to make sure I keep my end of the bargain. However, if you come after her, she will die. If you dare to reach out to the authorities, or anyone about this, she will die. I hope we understand each other. Until we meet again, addio, Officer Cole Davis.” Hugging Alexis in his grasp, he took a step back and vanished into the void.

  “Well, we know one thing for sure…” Bishop’s voice pulled Cole from the depths of the disturbing memory.

  Cole turned around to face him.

  Bishop was propped on the arm of the couch, his legs crossed, puffing on his pipe. “When she wakes up, she’s gonna give him all kinds of hell.”

  Chapter Three

  Evade Love

  The purple coat flared out as Tristan dashed around the hall, moving so fast, she could barely catch him. Every time, she drew near,
he would evade and shift.

  At this rate, Alexis would run out of steam before she could get a good strike in. “You and that cat girl love dodging, don’t ya?” she grumbled in frustration.

  “Wait.” Face bunched and jaw tense, he paused. “You crossed swords with Nefertiti?” He shook his head and made a tsking sound. “She was under strict orders not to engage you.”

  “I engaged her, and she fled like a cat with its ass on fire.” She sucked her teeth, growing more agitated by the second. “That must be the Legion’s special tactic, ‘cause you haven’t stopped running yet.”

  “There’s a reason I’m running.” Head tilted, he beamed at her. “By now, I’m sure you’ve gaged the differences between our power. I’m stronger than you, sweetheart. Stand down.”

  Stand down?! Biting back a snarl, she squeezed her blades. “Still think you can bark orders at me, yeah?” She charged yet again, with an extra boost of speed in her step.

  This time, Tristan didn’t move, nor release his weapon. He stood there, calmly watching her advance, as if she posed no threat.

  Cocky ass jerk!

  Once she got within range, she swept her weapon through the air, its tip aimed at his throat. She spun with the motion, putting all her force behind it.

  The sound of metal clashing with metal rung out.

  The vibration rippled along her arms and cascaded through her body, its current so powerful, her teeth clattered. “Ah—see! I knew I could make you draw.”

  Eyes narrowed and glowing intensely, he held her sword’s lethal edge at bay with his own. “You’re the only one I would draw for without deadly intent.”

  “You may regret that.” She slid her blade down the length of his steel, and spun it outward. As she did, she sliced her dagger inward.

  A cracking sound reached her ears, pausing her assault. The longsword in her grasp suddenly lost its weight.