A muscle flexed in Leo’s jaw. “I don’t hear a question. Just a panther rambling.”
He grabbed the guy’s shoulders and let his claws cut into the skin. “You killed the guard, didn’t you?”
Leo glanced down at Julian’s claws, then back up at his face.
“The guy didn’t turn because of the angel. She didn’t work her magic on him. You found the guy, you knew he was tied to the Collector, and you tried to make him tell you where the angel was.”
“You should move those claws.”
“And you should stop dicking around!” He let the claws sink deeper. “What went wrong? Was it another one of those deeply buried compulsions? Did your power not work on the human because of it? He could hold out against your power so you killed him?”
“He tried to kill me. I had no choice.”
But Julian had to laugh at that. “There’s always a choice, mate. We just don’t make the right ones.” He knew that from bitter experience. “Don’t lie to me again, got it? Not when Rose’s life is on the line. I don’t care about your angel. I only care about her.”
“Obviously,” Leo drawled. “But it’s not my fault your vamp was just at death’s door. I never told her to drink my blood.” His eyes gleamed. “And if you want to keep her with you, then I’d suggest you make sure she never gets the urge to bite around me again.”
Maybe he should just take the guy’s head right then and there—
“I say that as a warning. Sometimes what doesn’t kill us the first time…it takes us out even faster the second.” Leo inclined his head to Julian. “Remember that.”
“Hey!” Rayce called out. “You assholes coming or what?”
Julian retracted his claws.
Leo spun away and marched into the hallway. Julian followed but stopped short when he saw Rayce—still holding the human. He knew Rayce had overheard his little chat with Leo. Rayce shook his head. “You are playing a dangerous game.”
“Those are the only games I like.”
And they were the games that he had to win.
***
“Sir? You’re being hailed on the radio.”
The helicopter flew over the water, heading back for the landing pad. Simon needed to fucking regroup after the shit he’d seen.
The vamp isn’t getting away. I just have to get rid of her protectors…some very unusual protectors.
“It’s the woman you sent. Keri.”
He blinked. She was still alive? “Patch her through to my headset.”
And a moment later…
“S-Simon?” He instantly recognized her shaking voice. “You said…said you would come.”
“Change of plans.” Why was she still alive?
“I…have the vampire.”
He stared down at the water below him. Then he picked up his binoculars and gazed into the distance. He saw a boat zipping across the waves.
“I drugged them all…and she’s on the boat with me. I’m-I’m coming back to you.”
Wasn’t that interesting? “And the others are all on the island? Tell me, Keri. Tell me where they are.”
Silence. Then… “Wh-where are you?”
She can’t tell me a lie. That was part of the compulsion he’d planted deep within her mind.
So he thought over the words she’d said to him. I drugged them all. Truth. She had. But…
Were they still unconscious someplace? Or were they out, hunting?
And…as for the vampire…she’s on the boat with me. Another truth. Only Keri hadn’t said that Rose was unconscious, just that she was on the boat.
He smiled. I smell a trap. How very creative. Did they think he’d just waltz right up to them like a lamb to the slaughter? “I’ll meet you on Key West. Head for the south end dock. I’ll be there.” Then he motioned to end the connection. The helicopter buzzed through the air.
He had come prepared this time. Humans weren’t the only ones that he knew how to use. He took off his headphones and glanced back at the man behind him. “Retrieve the vampire. I’ll meet you back at base.”
The man nodded. Then he moved toward the helicopter’s door. He yanked it open and air whooshed into the chopper. The wind beat against the suit that the fellow wore. He stared down below for a moment, looking at the waves.
And then he jumped.
Simon smiled. The guy had been his first experiment—and he was still one of Simon’s favorites.
Chapter Fifteen
Leo made sure that he stayed out of sight. His wings flapped in the air, carrying him easily. Not that he believed he’d been spotted by Simon Lorne before…but…okay, perhaps he had.
But he’d been trying to help. Not that the dark paranormals had appreciated his efforts. They never did.
Just like his brother Luke never appreciated anything he did. Luke lived by his own rules, tending to just feel as if the rest of the world could go fuck off.
It couldn’t. That wasn’t the way things worked.
His eyes swept the water below him. The Devil’s Prize was making its way to the Key West dock, moving at a fast clip. Rose was hauling ass. He almost smiled, but then he remembered he wasn’t supposed to like vampires.
Only she wasn’t ever meant to be a vampire.