Sexiest Vampire Alive (20 page)

Gregori considered how to respond, then decided honesty would be best. “We’ve been bombed a few times.”

Abigail gasped. “Why? Synthetic blood saves thousands of lives. Who could object to that?”

“The Malcontents,” Gregori explained. “They hate synthetic blood. They figure if they can get rid of Romatech, they can force Vamps to go back to biting.”

Charles frowned. “If Miss Tucker is in danger, then we should leave.”

“She’ll be safe,” Gregori reassured him. “We have an excellent security force. Would you like to see their office?”

“Yes.” Charles nodded.

Gregori led them down the hall on the left. He reached in his pocket to squeeze the stress ball. The damned Secret Service man was hovering close to Abigail. At this rate, he’d never get some time alone with her to know how she truly felt.

“Our security is provided by MacKay Security and Investigation,” he explained. “The CEO is Angus MacKay. If you have a secret mission in mind, he can provide you with the best operatives in the Vamp world.”

Charles looked doubtful. “Do they have any field experience?”

Gregori snorted. “Some of them have centuries of experience. A few of the newbies used to work for the FBI and CIA. There’s one guy who teleports into Langley without you guys knowing.”

Charles’s eyes narrowed. “I doubt that.”

“Do you want to see the medal the Brits gave Angus? During World War II, he teleported behind German lines and rescued some Royal Air Force guys. Got them all out alive in one night.”

“Then the British government knows about vampires?” Abigail asked.

Gregori nodded. “I told your father about it the other night. We’d like to have the same sort of relationship with the American government.”

“That sounds good to me,” Abigail said. “I’m going to recommend to my father that we go ahead with the mission.”

“Miss Tucker—” Charles started.

“I can’t afford to lose any more time,” she interrupted. “If the British trust these Vamps, then I will, too.”

Charles glanced at Gregori with a look bordering on disgust. “Josh told me about him. He’s not to be trusted.”

Gregori gritted his teeth. “I would never harm Miss Tucker. I’m sure she knows that.” He wasn’t sure at all, but he hoped she would verify it.

She didn’t. She looked away, her cheeks turning pink.

Damn
. Did she not even like him?

As they approached the MacKay office, the door opened. No doubt the people inside had been watching them on the monitors.

Emma stepped outside. “Good evening. I’m Emma MacKay, vice president of MacKay S and I.” She smiled. “I worked for the CIA for a short time.”

“She’s a vampire?” Abigail whispered.

“Yes, I am.” Emma’s smile widened, and she pointed to her ears. “Super hearing. Please, come inside.”

Gregori stepped into the office, followed by Emma and Charles, who motioned for Abigail to remain in the hall.

“Remember me?” Sean Whelan shook hands with the Secret Service man. “I’m head of the CIA Stake-Out team.”

Charles quickly scanned the room, then gestured for Abigail to enter.

“Wow,” she whispered as she approached the wall of monitors.

“Impressive.” Charles eyed the stash of weapons in the caged-off area at the back.

“Miss Tucker?” Sean shook her hand. “Delighted to see you again. If there’s anything I can do to assist you, please let me know.”

“Thank you.” She gave him a curious look. “So you’re a friend of the Vamps?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Of course I didn’t start off that way. As head of the Stake-Out team, my original goal was to terminate all vampires. But over time, I learned that the good Vamps were on our side, helping to protect us from the Malcontents.”

Charles’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why are you here?”

“I drop by every now and then to keep an eye on things.” Sean wandered over to the table and poured a cup of coffee. “Would you like a cup?”

Charles shook his head.

Gregori bit his lip to keep from laughing at how Sean was pretending to still be mortal.

“My husband, Angus, will be back soon,” Emma said. “In the meantime, I’d be happy to answer any of your security questions.”

Abigail gasped and pointed at a monitor. “Four people just appeared out of thin air.”

Emma glanced at the monitor. “Yes, that’s my husband, Angus, and Roman Draganesti, CEO of Romatech. They’re teleporting Roman’s wife and sister-in-law here.”

Charles studied the monitor. “They arrived outside?”

“Yes, they’re coming in the side entrance now,” Emma explained. “Teleporting straight into the facility sets off an alarm. That way we can tell if any Malcontents have entered.”

“Excuse me.” Sean hurried out into the hallway.

“Dad!” Shanna called out to him. “What are you doing here?”

Sean winced and closed the office door.

“
Dad?
” Charles stepped closer to examine the monitor. “Those women are Sean Whelan’s daughters?”

Emma exchanged a look with Gregori.

He shrugged. They could hardly hide the truth. “Sean’s daughter Shanna is married to Roman Draganesti.”

Charles scoffed. “No wonder he’s friends with them.”

“Actually,” Emma muttered, “it took Sean several years to accept Roman as a son-in-law.”

Charles nodded, then shot Gregori an annoyed look. “No man would want his daughter involved with a vampire.”

Gregori scowled back. “Some women might think Vamps make excellent husbands. They don’t have to cook for us. We never snore. And while we’re passed out all day, they have free access to our credit cards.”

Emma chuckled.

Abigail continued to study the monitors, ignoring him, but her mouth twitched.

“What do you mean by
passed out
?” Charles asked. “You’re unconscious during the day?”

Gregori exchanged another look with Emma. “Something like that.”

“There’s a car pulling into the parking lot.” Abigail motioned to another monitor.

Emma winced, then gave them a bright smile. “Perhaps you should continue with your tour now.” She opened the door and stepped outside. “Come along.”

Gregori reached for Abigail, but Charles grabbed her arm first and ushered her into the hall.

Emma whispered to Shanna and Caitlyn, “Your mother has arrived.”

“I’ll let her in.” Caitlyn hurried down the hall to the foyer.

“Mr. Draganesti?” Abigail approached Roman.

He turned toward her.

“Roman, this is Abigail Tucker.” Gregori quickly made an introduction. “If you could talk to her later—”

“Of course.” Roman shook her hand, smiling. “I’d be happy to.”

“This way.” Gregori motioned for Abigail and Charles to follow him. Hopefully they could get out of the way before all hell broke loose.

“Dad, go inside the office,” Shanna said behind them. “Mom doesn’t want to see you right now.”

“But I have a right—” Sean objected.

“She figured it out, Dad!” Shanna interrupted him. “She knows what you did to her.”

“Impossible,” Sean replied. “I’ve always had complete control of her mind.”

Abigail stopped to listen.

“Come on.” Gregori reached for her arm.

“Back off,” Charles growled.

“He was controlling his wife’s mind?” Abigail whispered. “Is he a vampire?”

Gregori winced. “Sean has always had a lot of psychic power. That’s why he’s head of the Stake-Out team. He can resist any sort of mind control. Now, let’s move on.” He led them farther down the hall.

“You’re no longer in control of your wife.” Roman’s angry voice echoed down the hall. “The control was probably broken when you went into a vampire coma.”

Charles halted.

“Dammit!” Sean shouted. “This is all your fault, Roman!”

“How can you say that?” Shanna fussed at him. “He saved your life!”

“You call this
life
?” Sean roared. “He turned me into a—” He glanced down the hallway and spotted Gregori with Abigail and the Secret Service man. “Shit!” He ran into the security office and slammed the door.

“He’s a vampire?” Charles asked softly.

Gregori sighed. “He was mortally wounded in battle about a week ago. Shanna begged her husband to transform him. It was the only way to save his life at the time.”

“You can save someone’s life by transforming him?” Abigail asked.

Gregori squeezed the stress ball in his pocket. He shouldn’t have let Abigail and that damned Charles come here. They were learning too much. He could practically see the wheels turning in her mind. Was she considering having her own mother transformed?

“Sean is here?” a woman shrieked in the foyer. “He told me he was out of the country. That filthy liar! Where is he?”

“Mom, calm down!” Caitlyn told her.

Shanna ran toward the foyer. “Mom!”

Abigail followed, so Gregori and Charles went after her. They stopped at the entrance to the foyer.

“Shanna?” A middle-aged woman stared at Shanna, then burst into tears. “My baby! It’s been so long!”

“Mom!” Shanna hugged her, then Caitlyn joined in the embrace.

Darlene Whelan touched Shanna’s face. “Look at you. You’re so beautiful. I missed you so much.”

Shanna’s eyes glimmered with tears. “You’re back now, Mom. We have you back.”

They continued to hug each other and weep. Gregori glanced over at Abigail and found her watching with tears in her eyes. Hopefully no one would notice that Shanna’s tears were tinted pink.

Darlene wiped her face, then clenched her fists. “I know what he did to me. That control-freak bastard! I can hardly remember the last fifteen years. He stole them from me!”

“I know you’re angry, Mom,” Caitlyn said. “I was angry, too, when I found out what he did to you.”

Darlene gritted her teeth. “Anger doesn’t begin to describe how I feel. If I ever see him, I’m going to kill him!”

“Mom—” Shanna began.

“I have my bags in the car,” Darlene announced. “I’m leaving him. I was hoping I could stay with one of—” Her mouth dropped open. “Caitlyn, you’re pregnant?”

She patted her swollen belly. “Yes, with twins.”

“I have two children myself,” Shanna added.

“Oh my.” Darlene went pale. “I didn’t realize you two were married.” She frowned. “You are married, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Shanna grinned. “I know the perfect place for you to stay. You can see your grandchildren every day.”

“Oh. Oh my.” Tears ran down Darlene’s face. “That would be wonderful.”

“Come.” Shanna wrapped an arm around her mother’s shoulders. “Let me introduce you to my husband.”

Gregori, Abigail, and Charles moved to the side to let the three women pass. Roman, Angus, and Emma were still waiting in the hallway in front of the security office.

“Does the mother know about Roman?” Abigail whispered to Gregori.

He shook his head.

“Oh brother,” she murmured. “She’s in for more drama tonight.”

“Yep,” Gregori agreed. Not only would Darlene Whelan find out her daughter was married to a vampire, but her daughter had recently become one as well. And her other daughter, Caitlyn, was now a were-panther and expecting kittens.

The security office door opened and Sean jumped out.

“Darlene! Don’t leave me!”

“You bastard!” Darlene charged down the hall. Her daughters grabbed her to slow her down.

“Darlene, I only did it because I love you!” Sean shouted.

“The devil take it.” Angus shoved Sean back into the office. “Doona come out until ye know how to treat a woman.”

“But she’s going to leave me!” Sean bellowed.

“And ye deserve it.” Angus shut the door in his face.

“Never a dull moment around here,” Gregori muttered. “Come on, I’ll show you around.” He led Abigail across the foyer and through some double doors into another hallway.

She walked beside him with Charles trailing behind. “Sean Whelan was using mind control on his wife?”

Gregori nodded. “He sent Shanna away as a teenager when he discovered he couldn’t control her.”

Abigail shuddered. “No wonder his wife is so angry. If someone messed with my mind, I’d want to kill him, too.”

He glanced back at Charles, then lowered his voice. “For the record, I think what Sean did was unconscionable. It’s not how you treat someone you love.”

She didn’t answer, but he noticed her hands were clenched. “Here.” He handed her the stress ball. “These seem to help.”

She accepted the ball and gave it a squeeze. “What do you have to be stressed about? Can’t you live forever?”

“We’re not immortal. We can die. And we see people die.”