He smiled again...and then started to fade at the edges, growing fainter, until there was nothing left of him.

I stared in silence. Then, "Is he gone?"

Bones knew what I meant. "I expect so. He accomplished what he wanted to, so he's moved on. Sometimes a few stubborn people hang on long enough to do one last thing."

And he'd trusted me to take care of that last thing for him. There might not be much I could say I was good for, but avenging people who'd had their lives stolen from them was definitely my specialty.

I headed for the door.

"What do you think you're doing?" Bones asked.

"Grabbing Miss Pink Toenails and piling her in here with the rest of them," I threw over my shoulder. "Then I'm going to wait until their friends come back, and kill the h.e.l.l out of them."

Bones came after me. "Sounds like fun."

We were on the dance floor nearest to the bathrooms. Anyone looking to access that grisly private room would have to pa.s.s by us first. I'd objected to dancing with him, even though it was our best cover option, but Bones just dragged me onto the floor in much the same way he had on our first date.

"You are a professional killer, aren't you?" he asked. "You can't hover around that hallway with blood spattered on you and expect to look inconspicuous."

My lavender dress did have red streaks on it. I'd washed the blood off my hands in the bathroom, but there was no fixing that. Bones was right-I'd stick out like a sore thumb loitering in the hallway, or even at the bar. Pressed against him on the dance floor, however, no one would see it.

Except that being pressed against Bones on the dance floor was playing h.e.l.l on my self -control. The last time I'd held him this way had been the morning I left him. I remembered it like yesterday: me fighting back tears and reminding myself that leaving him was the only option.

Yeah, some things hadn't changed.

I sought around for a distraction. Anything other than focusing on how much I'd missed being in his arms.

"Why are you here anyway? I thought you'd be busy with Felicity, what with how the two of you looked."

His brow rose. "Did seeing me kiss her bother you? I can't imagine why. Didn't you tell me in your note to move on with my life?"

A low blow. I started to pull away, but he just tightened his grip. It was either stay put or cause a scene and possibly miss catching the killers.

Grimly I began to dance again, hating that I still cared so much when it seemed Bones only had anger left in him.

"They knew what I was, Bones. The men who came to the hospital that day, they knew everything from my pathology reports. And they knew about vampires. The one in charge-"

"Don?" he supplied.

Oh, so he'd done his homework. "Yes, Don. He said he'd been looking his whole life for someone strong enough to fight vampires who wasn't one of them. He offered me a deal. He'd relocate us, and I'd lead his team. In return he promised to leave you alone. We couldn't have all survived any other way. We would have been hunted like animals, and you know my mother would have rather died than gone with you. She'd also rather see me killed than changed into a vampire, and let's face it, that's what you would have eventually wanted me to do!"

Bones let out a bitter snort, twirling me a little too hard. "Is that what this whole bleedin' thing was about? You believing I'd turn you into a vampire? b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, Kitten, did it ever occur to you to talk to me instead of just running off?"

"It wouldn't have mattered. You would have insisted on it eventually," I replied stubbornly.

"You should have trusted me," he muttered. "When did I ever lie to you?"

"When have you lied to me?" I pounced. "How about when you kidnapped and murdered Danny Milton? You swore to me you'd never touch Danny, but I don't suppose he's off in Mexico sipping margaritas, is he?"

"You made me swear not to kill, cripple, maim, dismember, blind, torture, bleed, or inflict any injury on Danny Milton. Or stand by while someone else did. You should save your concern for someone worthy; Danny gave you up like a bad habit straightaway. You know that brainwashing rot doesn't hold up under a Master vampire's eyes. At least the b.u.g.g.e.r was finally useful. He told me where you lived. Virginia. I had you narrowed down to three states, and Danny saved me some time. That 's why I told Rodney to kill him fast and painless-and I didn't stay to watch."

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d," I managed.

Bones shrugged. "Since the day I was born."

We danced in silence for a few minutes. I kept looking around for any telltale crystal skin on the patrons, but so far Bones and I were the only nonhumans. Where are you, bloodsuckers? Here, fangy, fangy, fangy...

"So, how long have you been dating the pet vet?" Bones asked.

The derisiveness in his tone stiffened my spine. "None of your business."

He gave a short laugh. "Indeed? You looked like you were about to ram a stake through Felicity's heart earlier, yet you begrudge me a simple question?"

The music changed to something slower. I cursed it, Bones, and the killers who'd put me in this situation.

"I wanted to ram a stake through her heart because she's a shallow b.i.t.c.h who p.i.s.ses me off. It had nothing to do with you."

Bones's laugh became softer. "Liar."

He moved closer, his body dipping into mine in time with the music. The feel of his muscles moving in sinuous ripples under his clothes made my hands clench. Now I was fighting back something other than tears as I reminded myself it could never work between us.

His nostrils flared. Inwardly I cursed. I could fake cool all I wanted, but Bones was a vampire. He'd be able to tell from one whiff how he was affecting me.

"Perhaps you did miss me after all," he said low, flecks of green appearing in his eyes.

I pretended to be blase. "Don't get flattered; you're just a good dancer. Felicity seemed to think so, too."

"Seeing me with Felicity was the least you deserved after I had to watch that human teddy bear fawn all over you," Bones replied curtly. "Really, Kitten, what were you thinking? Your mum has bigger b.a.l.l.s than Noah."

"His b.a.l.l.s are fine!" I snapped, then flushed. h.e.l.l if I knew, and G.o.d, did I just say that?

Bones snorted and twirled me in a circle before yanking me close. "Right. No wonder you're so hot around me. I reckon you've had a better time s.h.a.gging yourself than him. Must be frustrating."

His hips were brushing mine as he taunted me. Anger flared in me, covering my l.u.s.t. No way was I going to admit that I hadn't slept with Noah or, h.e.l.l, anyone since Bones. Frustrating? That didn't even begin to describe what I was feeling.

But two could play the taunting game. I hitched a leg up, curling it around Bones 's hip, and gave a hard circular twist against him that had his gaze turning flat green.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who's frustrated, Mr. Optical Hard-on. Might want to tone your eyes down. People will notice."

Bones closed his eyes, then he locked his hands around my waist and bent until his mouth touched my ear.

"Careful, luv. I might be angry with you, but that doesn't mean I don't still want you. So if you do that again, I'll s.h.a.g you right here, right now, and sod anyone who wants to watch."

His sudden hardness below emphasized that he wasn't making an idle threat. That scared me-and turned me on in ways I didn't even want to contemplate.

Bones took in a long breath. I shivered, knowing since vampires didn't need to breathe, he was inhaling the traitorous scent of my desire.

"Oh, Kitten..." His voice deepened. "Now you're just daring me, aren't you?"

I was saved from a reply-or worse-when the energy in the room shifted. Bones felt it, too, a lot clearer than I did. He tensed and his eyes snapped open, no longer green, but hard brown orbs.

"They're here."

FOURTEEN.

THE VAMPIRES CONSISTED OF TWO MEN AND a woman. They moved through the bar with a lethal, sensuous grace no living person could duplicate. Pity the living people around them couldn't sense the danger, however. No, they were vying and jockeying to catch the beautiful predators' attention instead.

Then they did something that made me groan out loud. They split up. Dammit. I 'd hoped they would all head en ma.s.se to their secret break room, leaving Bones and me to block their exit and kill them at our leisure. But of course that would have been too easy.

"I'm going to have to call in my team," I said low to Bones. "Have the perimeter secured."

He gave a disparaging snort. "Right. Your toy soldiers are well over an hour away, and I can practically feel the bloodl.u.s.t pouring off these sods. They're going to feed soon. You wait, and someone will die."

He was right. Already the three seemed to be picking out their entrees. If one of them headed back to the very messy members-only area and then sounded the alarm, the other two might get away. Furthermore, I couldn't just do my regular act of offering myself up as a test bite. The blood on my dress ruined my innocent-snack look.

"Got any ideas?" I asked.

Bones smiled. "I do."

He surprised me by grabbing the girl nearest to him and yanking her close. His hands cupped her head as he brought their faces right up next to each other. I was about to ask him what the h.e.l.l he thought he was doing when his eyes glowed, partially concealed by his hands. It only took a moment. Bones's eyes returned to their normal brown, and she stared ahead with a very obedient expression.

"Go to the ladies' room," Bones told her, "and switch your dress with this woman."

I was shaking my head in admiration when a thought occurred to me.

"You could have done that before; then we wouldn't have needed to dance together!"

Bones only smiled. "So I could have."

I gave him a single glare before I led the girl into the bathroom. We received a few odd looks when we both went into the same stall, but now wasn't the time to worry about winks and nudges. Quickly I stripped off my dress and she did the same, just as she'd been instructed. Hers was a little tight and a lot s.m.u.ttier than my bridesmaid's dress. It was also backless, so I had to take off my bra. When we got out of the stall, I caught a glance of myself in the mirror. My b.o.o.bs were bulging out from the low-scooped neckline, and anybody could tell I wasn't wearing a bra.

Just like old times, I thought ironically. I look like a s.l.u.t, and Bones is my backup while I go after murdering fang- bangers. The only thing that would make this complete would be to take off my underwear.

Then I smiled. And went back in the stall.

When I came up to the vampire that looked the closest to taking his companion on a one-way stroll, I didn't even bother with small talk. I just elbowed the pretty blonde he'd been speaking to aside and slapped my panties on his chest.

"As soon as I saw you," I purred, "I knew I wouldn't be needing these."

That got his attention. He glanced down at my panties, then put them to his nose and took in a deep breath. Eww, I thought, but my smile never faltered. Then he shoved his protesting companion aside.

"Never mind," he told her.

"b.i.t.c.h!" she hissed at me before stomping off.

Jeez. I'd just saved her life, and that was the thanks I got?

I linked my arm in his, being sure to rub my breast against him. "You're not the conversationalist type, I hope?"

His reply was to begin propelling me through the throngs of people. I didn 't see Bones, but that didn't concern me. If I didn't see him, then neither would the other vampires. I might not trust my emotions with him, but I had no hesitation about trusting him with my life.

We were down the hall and almost to the first hidden room when my companion stopped and took in a questioning sniff.

"What the-?" he began.

I didn't let him finish. My hand whipped down the front of my dress and I rammed a silver blade into his heart before he had the chance to form another word. It was simple, really. He'd had his back to me, never suspecting the danger.

Then I dragged him quickly inside the room, muttering and trying not to leave a blood smear. Thank G.o.d vampires didn't spurt blood like in the movies, but even a few drops outside would be too much with their sense of smell.

While in there, I checked on the other two girls. They were still pa.s.sed out, but Bones had said their pulses were steady enough that we could attempt our sting operation. I noted how pale they were and frowned. The last two vamps had to be taken care of quickly. Those girls needed to be in a hospital, not lying in this horror movie of a room with bodies everywhere.

A shocked gasp whipped my head up. In the doorway, the female vampire stood perfectly still, but her human male companion didn't. He gasped again, then started to scream.

"Aw, s.h.i.t," I sighed. She swatted him across the head so hard, he was unconscious before he hit the floor. Then she sprang at me with blurring speed, her fangs extended murderously.

I let her come, rolling back at the last second and then kicking out with my legs. Her momentum plus my maneuver had her smashing into the wall behind me. I leapt onto her before she had a chance to regroup, driving my knife into her heart and giving it two rough, satisfying twists.

"Kitten, outside!"

I was out the door and down the hall moments after hearing Bones's yell, but still barely in time to see him chasing after the last vampire, who was hightailing it out of the club. So much for a nice, stealthy execution of the trio.

I shoved past people with nearly the same blurring speed he had. Once in the parking lot, I only paused long enough to s.n.a.t.c.h a cell phone away from a person unlucky enough to have one pressed to his head while I galloped by.

"Thanks!" I called out, then said, "He'll call you back!" and hung up on whoever was on the other end. I dialed while keeping one eye on Bones as he zigzagged after our last perpetrator. He was about fifty yards ahead of me and gaining. G.o.dd.a.m.n, but I'd forgotten how fast he was.

"Tate," I gasped as soon as he answered. "Can't talk, but we need a containment group at the GiGi Club, stat. Got vamp bodies, human bodies, three victims still breathing, and a h.e.l.l of a lot of witnesses."

"What are you doing at the GiGi Club?" Tate barked. "That was supposed to be with us, tomorrow night!"

I jumped over a fence, ripping my borrowed dress, and played a brief game of speed Frogger as I darted across a busy street.

"Can't talk now," I repeated breathlessly. "I'm chasing down a vamp; I'll call you later!"

Then I threw the phone aside and pulled out one of my knives instead.

I couldn't see Bones anymore. He'd dashed out of my line of vision while I was concentrating on not getting hit by oncoming traffic. I kept running full out in the same direction, however, cursing my heels and debating whether it was faster to stop and take them off-d.a.m.n ankle straps!-or keep running with the potential neck breakers. Wouldn't that make a charming epitaph? Here lies Cat. Killed not by fang, but Ferragamos.