“Correct, but he wasn’t driving that car.”
“Please tell me the camera picked up the license plate.”
“It did. We already traced it. Looks like it’s registered to an address in Napa. We looked it up on Google Maps. Pretty remote area, deep in the woods. Ideal for hiding an illegal operation.”
“Let’s get a team together, now,” Blake ordered.
“Already done. We’re just waiting for you.”
He checked the digital clock on his nightstand. Not only did it show the current time, it was also programmed to count down to sunset and sunrise. “Sunset is in an hour. I’ll be at HQ before that.”
“Good. We’ll be waiting.”
Blake disconnected the call and looked at Lilo. “I wish I didn’t have to cut this short, but—”
She put a finger over his lips. “You don’t have to explain anything. We’ve gotta go. Let’s get dressed.”
“We?” He shook his head. “Oh no, you’re not coming with me this time.”
“But—”
“No but! We don’t know what’s waiting for us there. You must be crazy if you think I’d let you put yourself in harm’s way.”
She braced her hands on her hips, scoffing. “You’re calling me crazy?”
“Only in the best possible way.”
“There is no fucking best possible way.”
He gripped her hips. “While it does turn me on when you swear like that, I’m afraid you’re not going to win this argument. You’re staying put. And to make sure you do, I’m going to ask my family to keep you company.”
“You can’t do that!”
“I can and I will!” Furious that she wasn’t obeying, he thrust his hips upward, ramming his cock deep into her.
Her eyelids fluttered and he could hear her pulse race. Well, maybe he’d secure her submission by other means. He wasn’t above a little manipulation. And nobody would get hurt by it.
Sliding his hand between their bodies, he found her clit well lubricated by their combined juices and rubbed his finger over it.
“That’s not fair,” she ground out and dropped her head back.
“Life isn’t fair. Now be a good girl and come for your big bad vampire.”
While he plunged in and out of her, he steadily rubbed his finger over her clit, increasing the pressure and tempo with each second, until he finally felt Lilo stiffen in his arms. A second later, a shudder wrecked her body and she collapsed against him, while her interior muscles squeezed his erection. But he didn’t allow himself to come. Instead he lifted Lilo off his lap and laid her on the bed.
He pressed a kiss to her navel. “That’s a good girl.”
“You’re a bad vampire,” she murmured, but there was no heat behind her accusation. He’d managed to wear her out, at least long enough so he could get ready to leave.
He rose and smiled down at her. “Exactly how you like it, baby.”
32
Blake had left his Aston Martin in Scanguards’ parking garage and was riding in one of the blackout vans with Samson and John. Amaury and Wesley were following with Oliver in a second van, while Haven and Yvette followed in their car. It was unusual for Samson to take part in a mission these days, but given the serious implications of a drug that could control humans, he’d decided to get intimately involved in all aspects of the case. He’d been briefed on every detail and now knew as much about the case as Wesley and Blake.
It was busy on the bridge as they crossed the bay, and while John concentrated on the rush hour traffic, Samson turned to Blake. He’d insisted on both of them sitting in the back.
“How’s Miss Schroeder holding up?”
“I think you might want to start calling her Lilo.”
Samson raised an eyebrow. “So I wasn’t wrong then.”
“She saw me at my worst when I got shot. I couldn’t control the beast inside me. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t run.” Blake smiled at the recollection of how she’d tended to his injury, even though he’d been behaving like a wild animal. “She’s brave.” And that was the thing he admired most about her.
Samson chuckled. “Reminds me of somebody I know.” He paused. “Actually, reminds me of a few women I know. Very special women.”
“Me, too.”
“You trust her?”
He didn’t even have to think about his answer. “With my life. Did Ryder tell you how she got the silver bullet out?”
Samson smiled. “Quite ingenious. I’m glad you’re alright.” Then he turned serious. “A few things about this case don’t make sense for me yet.”
“Just a few?” In Blake’s mind, there were a lot of things that didn’t make sense.
“There’s something about this Ronny that doesn’t ring true. We believe him to be behind the disappearance of his girlfriend and the manufacture and distribution of the drug. But what’s not consistent with that picture is this: why go through the trouble of dropping Hannah’s terrier off at an animal shelter?”