ShadowsofNight (2 page)

“Emma here,” she replied. “Yes, we’re coming down right now.”
She hung up the phone, stuck it back in her purse and headed for the door.

Cain blocked her path. “Wait, I’m not finished.”

“Can we make this quick? They’re waiting for us downstairs.”
She tried not to let her irritation show but her patience was running out.

“I want you to wear this.” He placed a transmitter on her
lapel.

Has he lost his mind?
“You’re not serious? If they
find this on me, I’m toast. Keep it.” She pulled it off her jacket and slapped it
into his palm.

“I’m not giving you a choice. Wear it or I’m taking you off
this assignment.”

When she spoke again, her tone was hard. “Why do I get the
impression this has nothing to do with my capabilities as an operative, but
your personal issues with me taking the assignment? I can handle myself. I’ve
proven it time and again. The Network hired me because I came with a special
skill set. Can we go now?”

“I care about you, is that so wrong?”

“No, it’s not wrong. But it isn’t a good idea either. We had
a fling. It was fun but let’s leave it at that, okay?” She tried not to be a
bitch but she
knew
they shouldn’t have gotten involved.

“You’re such a hard-ass, Agent Hayes. Sometimes I think you
want everyone to believe you have a set of balls hanging between those pretty
little thighs of yours.” He smirked.

She stepped closer and slid her hands over the planes of his
chest and his breath hitched. “Why? Because I’m not some little crybaby bitch who
needs her clit stroked to feel loved? Yes, I do like a good fuck every once in
a while—but I don’t need you hanging off my tit,
Sir
.” She dropped her
hands and took a step back.

Shit, did she really just talk like that to her commanding
officer? She never would’ve gotten away with it in the Army. But he deserved it
for that crude remark.

“Mouth, Hayes—I’m still your superior.”

“Then act like one, Sir.” She remained calm. His remark was
uncalled for and they both knew it.

“Being too confident and not assessing the danger has gotten
more than one operative killed. And as much as you’d like to think this is
about our hookups, it isn’t. You will do as I say because I’m your commanding
officer. Are we clear?”

“I haven’t disagreed, with the exception of the pin, Sir.”

“I want you to wear it. You’re entering their world now. It’s
not necessarily death I’m concerned about. They could turn you into one of
them. Do you want that to happen?” He squeezed her arm hard.

“Let go, damn it! I have no intention of becoming the next
statistic.” She was done with this conversation. It was time to go.

“Wear it. That’s an order.” He handed her back the tracking
device.

“All right,” she sighed, exasperated, sticking it back on
her lapel. “Can we go now?”

“Ladies first.” He released her arm.

Emma grabbed her raincoat and headed out the door, not
bothering to wait for him. She bristled inside at the way he threw his weight
around. Still, whether she liked it or not, he was her superior and had the power
to pull her from this mission if she stepped too far out of line. She usually
didn’t question authority, especially after eight years in the service, but the
lines between them had become blurred.

Luckily the operation was already in motion. He couldn’t
pull her now without having to start all over again and they might not get
another opportunity as golden as this one. It wasn’t easy to get inside Voss.
The company’s hiring requirements were stringent.

One of her fellow operatives held a van door open for her as
she emerged from the building. There was the smell of rain in the air and a
heavy fog blanketed everything.

“Are you ready, Agent Hayes?” He smiled.

“What do you think? Let’s roll.” She got into the van and Cain
climbed in after, taking the seat next to her. Emma couldn’t help but suspect
he was becoming a real problem, wanting things she wasn’t prepared to give. Sleeping
with him had been a big freaking mistake.

Cain was quiet as they drove to Brentwood, which was a
relief. The peace and quiet gave her time to focus on the mission. The van
stopped in front of her rented flat, where she would pick up her car for the drive
into London.

“Don’t remove that tracking device—and watch your ass,” Cain
said as Emma climbed out of the van.

“I know what my orders are, Sir.” She walked away without a
backward glance.

Emma got into her vehicle and drove the twenty miles to
London while watching the sun go down in her rearview mirror. A slight chill traversed
her spine at the thought of the world she was about to enter.

Let’s do this…

Voss International

London, England

It was well past dark when she pulled into the parking
garage of Voss International. Her new assignment meant she’d be working mostly
nights and some days, depending on Mr. Voss’ schedule. The company’s official
explanation was that Mr. Voss worked at night to accommodate their foreign
clients. She wasn’t shocked she’d have to work evenings. She also wasn’t
surprised they’d hired a human. Having a human assistant meant she could take
care of things for her boss during the day when necessary. Made sense. Why have
a vampire assistant who couldn’t go out during the most common business hours?

“I need to see some identification, miss,” the security
guard at the gate said.

“Here you go,” she replied, handing him her license. He
looked on a clipboard.

“Yes, Miss Parker, you may park on Lower Level Six.” He
handed the license back and waved her through the gate.

She drove past the guards and made a mental note of the
black globelike security cameras strategically placed in every corner of the
garage. She parked next to a bank of elevators, scanned the area for each exit
and then got out. It felt as though she was in a concrete tomb. Not surprising,
considering who owned the place.

Emma made her way over to the elevators and pressed the
button. She heard a whooshing sound just before the doors slid open silently.
Nice
,
she thought as she stepped over the threshold. Light wood paneling and glass
greeted her, instead of dark and dreary colors, which was kind of what she’d
expected.

These creeps do a good job of blending in.
She
pressed the button that said lobby and the elevator began its ascent. When the
doors opened, she entered a large reception area decorated in white marble and
glass. Plush leather chairs created a sitting area, complemented by a glass
table with an assortment of magazines fanned out neatly for visitors to read.
Lovely pearl-white roses accented with baby’s breath sat on the table in a
crystal vase.

On the other side of the vast open space was a huge
conference room, also enclosed in glass, with a massive table made of some type
of dark wood and a couple dozen or more chairs surrounding it. “Voss
International” was neatly etched into the wall in large letters.

She approached an elegant reception desk, and a man with
short gray hair looked up. “May I help you, miss?”

“Yes, my name is Emily Parker, I’m here to see Conner
Davies. He’s expecting me.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll inform him right away of your arrival.
Please take a seat over there and he’ll be with you shortly.”

“Thank you.” She took a deep breath and walked over to one
of the chairs. The smooth sound of classical jazz could be heard playing softly
in the background. She found it hard to believe this place belonged to a bunch
of bloodsucking vampires. Of course, hadn’t she heard they were known for
having impeccable taste?

“Miss Parker, I presume.” A man walked into the reception
area dressed in a white collared shirt and black slacks. He had short, curly
blond hair, beautiful blue eyes and a very impressive build. He was definitely
the athletic type, and looked more like he belonged on the cover of a magazine
as he held out his hand.

Well hello, jock boy.
“Yes it is, nice to meet you, sir.”
She rose to her feet and shook his hand.

“Call me Conner, please…”

She nodded and made a quick assessment of his appearance
without being overly obvious. No fangs present. Maybe he was human. She kept
her breathing even and made eye contact. No need to draw suspicion by staring
at his teeth.

“I’ll show you to your office, Miss Parker, follow me. My
assistant, Miss Palmer, will be joining us in a few minutes to show you how to
access our computer system and give you Mr. Voss’ schedule. Shall we?” He
gestured with a sweep of his arm.

“Yes, of course.” Emma followed him to another bank of
elevators, where she observed as he punched in a code. “This place is very
hi-tech.”

“Yes, it is. After you.” He motioned to the open door.

“Thanks.” She stepped across the threshold. This guy’s
manners might’ve impressed most women, but they did nothing for Emma.

“Don’t lose this.” He handed her a white card with coding on
the back. “You’ll need it to access your floor.”

“No problem.” She slowed her breathing a bit more. She
didn’t want to appear nervous, although that would be normal, considering she was
starting a new job. It did unnerve her that she couldn’t tell by looking at him
whether or not he was a vampire, despite knowing the creatures were able to
blend well with the human population.

Conner was tall, maybe a tad under six-two, with strong, angular
features. Clean-shaven and dressed impeccably. Those muscles couldn’t be
disguised under his dress shirt and slacks.

He was an imposing figure but that didn’t mean anything.
Some of her teammates were big guys. He smelled nice, at least.

The elevator doors slid open and they entered another
reception area similarly decorated as the one below. He led her down a long
corridor, past several closed doors, before stopping in front of one and
opening it.

“This is your office.” He held the door for her. “There’s
also a ladies’ lavatory across the hall, and a lunchroom fully stocked just a
few doors down. During your shift, you’re not permitted to leave the building
without letting security know. There are no exceptions.”

“All right, that shouldn’t be a problem.” That didn’t
surprise her. She’d be careful not to make any calls until she was far enough
away from the building and their surveillance.

“Very good,” he replied.

“Would the company prefer I not take my dinner breaks away
from the office?”

“No, Miss Parker. You may leave if you choose. However, security
is tight and it’s our protocol to be aware of our employees’ coming and goings,
that’s all.”

Vague. Also not surprising. “Is there anything else you’d
like me to know about the company’s rules before I begin?”

“You’ve been given the basics. Miss Palmer will go over the
rest with you. Oh, there
is
one more thing. You’re only allowed access
to this floor. You’ll not have clearance for any of the others unless I deem it
necessary, or I instruct Miss Palmer to give you access.”

“Okay…may I ask why?” That was unexpected. Didn’t matter, of
course; she’d find a way around their security system if necessary. Access to
the other floors was going to be crucial to her mission.

“It’s company policy for all our employees. There’s no need
for you to visit other floors, is there, Miss Parker?”

“I wouldn’t know, sir. I guess not.”
Better not to push
it.

“How long have you been in England, Miss Parker?” Conner
turned to face her fully, scrutinizing her with a penetrating gaze. A chill ran
down her spine. Was it because he was one of them? She drew in a breath. She
was here to do surveillance, not engage.

“Not long…just a few months. I came when my dad fell ill.”
She hoped that would pacify him for now. Barkley had recently died, so her
response shouldn’t make him suspicious. She suspected her cover as his daughter
was largely the reason she was hired.

“You have an American accent. Were you born there?”

“Yes, my mom and I were.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. Barkley was a good man; his sudden
passing was very unexpected. He will be sorely missed by everyone here,
including Mr. Voss.”

“I appreciate your condolences and also for giving me the
job.” She tried to throw more emotion behind her reply.

“Yes, well, I’ll leave you to get familiar with your desk.
Miss Palmer will be with you shortly.”

“Thanks.”
Well, that could have gone worse.

He nodded, about to leave.

“Wait. Conner, I do have one more question for you.”

“Yes, Miss Parker? What is it?” He turned to face her with
those piercing eyes, which she noted were studying her closely once again.

“I was curious…when do I meet Mr. Voss?” She had assumed
that would happen right away, but clearly not.

“You don’t. Your contact with him will be by phone or email
only.”

“Really?”

“Mr. Voss prefers his privacy. Do you have any other
questions for me?”

“No, I guess not. Thanks.” That was
very
unexpected.

“Welcome to Voss International, Miss Parker. I’ll let you
get settled in.” He turned and left the room. She placed her purse in one of
the drawers and hung her coat on the coat rack. It was going to be a long
night.

* * * * *

Miss Palmer had trained Emma on how to access Mr. Voss’
calendar, set up his appointments, check for work assignments, and scan and
email documents using a secure web link. She was also given a cell phone and
laptop.

Christian Voss was a busy guy. It wasn’t surprising,
considering the size of this operation. Emma’s first week was a chaotic flurry,
but she did find time to download some of the company’s encrypted files for analysis,
using a flash drive that couldn’t be traced when linked with its server. She
really didn’t expect to find anything but still did a routine check of their
system. Just as she figured, there wasn’t anything remotely related to the underbelly
of the vampire world. All files were company related. They weren’t just going
to leave things out the open for humans to find. They were far too smart for
that.

Emma knew gaining their trust was the only way to get the
sort of information she needed. But that would take time and she was still
under orders not to engage. No access to Mr. Voss made it more difficult too.
The guy was an elusive character. His voice mail messages and emails were brief
and businesslike in tone, which made it extremely difficult to establish any
sort of connection. There weren’t any pictures of him on the company website,
nor could she find any online. All she’d learned so far was that he had dark
hair and a large build. There wasn’t much more information. The guy traveled in
very tight circles and didn’t appear in public too often.

Weird, doesn’t this guy ever get out?

She was well into her third week and she hadn’t witnessed
anything out of the ordinary. It seemed like a normal place to work, though her
schedule was becoming a grind. They hadn’t yet asked her to work any day
shifts. Having to work all night for Voss then be up most days for Network
business, with only a few hours of sleep in between, wasn’t easy. Several times
she’d caught herself nodding off at her desk. Black coffee became her best
friend.

No rest for the weary.
She took a sip of the fresh
cup she’d just poured and settled in for another shift.

Her interaction with Conner had also been brief. She’d not
seen him again after her first night, in fact. Beyond Miss Palmer, she hadn’t
met anyone else besides some of the guards who manned the building, and the
receptionists on her floor and in the lobby area. Part of her wanted to pull
the plug on the whole operation. She could propose it, but a lot of time and
money were invested to get this sting set up, so quitting was highly unlikely.

She’d give it another week or two before suggesting anything
to her superiors.