"h.e.l.lo, Ronnie. Up until a few hours ago, the States were just fine. Now I seem to have a couple phony FBI agents trying to recruit the woman who recently purchased the cottage Thomas used to live in. They asked her to spy on the vampire next door," Zane said with disgust.

Vlad demanded he explain. When Zane filled him in on tonight's events and his suspicions there might be a link to Thomas' and Gustof's deaths, both Ronnie and Vlad were unusually quiet.

"Can you keep this woman close, watch what she does? Or do you believe she will turn on you and work with these men?" Vlad asked.

Zane heard the underlying threat in Vlad's voice and didn't like it. "Nicky is not going to turn on me. Keeping her close won't be a problem...you let me handle her. She's a romance writer with the crazy notion that if she doesn't actually ask me if I'm a vampire, then she won't be able to tell the two agents anything. Says she's playing a dumb blonde." His voice deepened to a growl. "She's not though. Her hair is that deep, blue-black of midnight."

Clearing his throat, hoping he didn't sound as proprietary about Nicole as he felt, he continued, "Anyway. She's understandably upset. I heard the men on the recording threaten her if she didn't cooperate. Once she talked to her friend and discovered the men aren't working for the government, she decided to let me handle it."

"Then handle it. If you need my help, call."

"I will. But something weird is happening. You know that red rock Yuli sent me to look after?"

"The ruby that once belonged to Catherine the Great? Has someone been looking for it?"

"No-unless that's what the men who approached Nicky really want. But I don't think so. My problem with the ruby is how it feels. Warm to the touch. Pulsing at times. I swear to G.o.d when I was at Nicole's earlier the d.a.m.n thing practically fried my hand it got so hot."

Vlad started laughing. Hysterically.

No matter what Zane threatened, both Vlad and his mate Ronnie refused to clarify what was so funny.

"Ah, my friend. I don't think I will be telling you. What I will do is take a little trip to the United States and watch what happens. It sounds as if you could use my help and I believe the next few weeks should make for the most wonderful of entertainments."

Several times Zane told Vlad he could handle the situation here, but the man didn't listen.

It sounded like he could expect company.

Nicole was not a happy woman. After Zane had left her body singing the opening lines to the old Motown cla.s.sic, "Let's Get It On," she'd been unable to concentrate. It didn't matter that he'd been right. They did need to make some sort of plan and an extended night of hot s.e.x wasn't going to accomplish that goal.

But a night of extreme frustration wasn't working either.

Flat on her back in bed, staring at the ceiling, she considered jumping in the shower to use the vibrating showerhead. It would ease her tension, maybe. Sighing, she realized that wasn't the answer. She wanted the real thing again. And she wasn't likely to get it until they came up with some information on Mike and JJ.

Somehow she needed to figure out a way to spy on- That was it! Bolting from the bed, she grabbed her purse off the dresser and started digging through it. The men had given her a number to reach them. Holding up the small piece of paper, she did a little jig. She could call them tomorrow to arrange a second meeting and pretend she had information for them.

No, that wouldn't work. Plopping her b.u.t.t down on the end of the bed, she sighed. Then she'd need information to give them. Somehow she had to trick the two agents into contacting her again. That way she could convince them she was still considering their request and then follow them when they left.

Like she had any idea how to do that.

Staring at the raspberry wall in front of her face, she realized the first part was easy. Nicole had a pretty good idea the two men were watching the compound. Wherever she led, they'd follow. Maybe Zane would know what to do next. Without considering the lateness of the hour, she reached over, picked up her phone and called the private cell number Zane had given her before he left this evening.

"Nicole, are you all right?" Zane's voice was full of menace.

"I'm fine, how did you...? Ah, caller ID. And I'm sorry I called so late," she said as she glanced at the clock. It was close to four a.m.

"I wasn't asleep," he said, sounding a little surly.

"I know the feeling," she muttered. Now that she'd called him, she wasn't sure what to say. What if their conversation was overheard? "I enjoyed tonight. I wondered if you might like to come over tomorrow and..." s.h.i.t. Obviously she wasn't prepared for all this cloak-and-dagger stuff. What the h.e.l.l did she say now?

Seeming to understand her dilemma, after a small hesitation, Zane answered her. "I'd love to talk some more. If it works for you, I'll come over about noon."

"That would be great."

The small growl Zane emitted caused Nicole's body to shiver. The man had a very s.e.xy growl. "I've been laying here wishing I hadn't left you tonight. I thought we could use some time to think before we complicate things. Yet I've spent every second replaying how soft the naked skin of your belly felt on my fingers, or how sweet your lips tasted. When I read your d.a.m.n book, all I could think about was trying some of the positions you wrote about and several things you didn't include. This is your final warning, Nicole. If you don't want me, you'd better say so now. Because as soon as possible, I'm going to tie you to my bed and explore every dip and curve of your luscious body."

By the time he'd finished his heated description, Nicole was panting into the phone. Her body overruled any mental reservations. "I'll hold you to that promise," she whispered.

"Then you'd better hang up and get some sleep, because I don't plan on wasting any more time. I'll see you tomorrow, Nicky."

"Zane?" She stopped him from hanging up. Nicole was determined to be an active partic.i.p.ant in this seduction.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to make a list tonight of all the positions and places I'd like to research. I'll make you a copy." Grinning at his frustrated groan, she disconnected the call.

Chapter Four.

Spring in Eugene, Oregon, meant rain. But then so did most of fall and winter. Whether the rain fell in a light, warm drizzle or came down as pounding, icy needles-its absence meant the sun was a welcome treat. Because of the rain, evergreens grew tall, the s.p.a.ces between the trunks filled with ferns or rhododendrons. No matter the season, every shade of green known to man was represented in the aptly nicknamed Emerald City.

Walking down the windswept street in the rare sunshine, Nicole couldn't help imagining she felt a little like Dorothy must have felt in Oz-totally out of her element. Instead of heading to Decadent Delights to play double agent, she'd much rather be looking for the wizard.

Glancing at her watch, she noted it was four o'clock straight up. She was right on time.

The small Victorian espres...o...b..r and bakery was just a few miles from Zane's fifty-six-acre compound in the hills by Spencer b.u.t.te. With her erratic schedule, she visited it at all hours of the day and night. Showing up in late afternoon wasn't out of character.

Stepping through the front door to maniacal bells announcing her entrance, she took a quick look around. With the coffee bar and pastry case located just inside the door in what had once been a living room, she could see there wasn't anyone taking advantage of the comfortable couches and chairs arranged for lingering customers. The bedrooms at the back of the house now served as private meeting spots. There was also a large deck that could be used when it wasn't raining.

Nicky planned on sitting right in front of the window. It's where she sat every time she came here. She loved settling in with a latte and cinnamon-laden pastry while she people watched. Using a notepad to write character observations or plot ideas by hand, she turned those ramblings into bits and pieces she could use in her books. It was amazing how a little snippet of overheard conversation could sometimes spark the idea for an entire novel.

Today, writing was nothing more than a cover. Vacillating between nervous excitement and sensual expectation, she wished Zane had kept his promise from the night before. He'd only been at her house for a few minutes before he'd been called away on some emergency with the new indoor horse arena he was building. They'd had time to discuss her plan, set the time to meet and nothing else. Not even a kiss.

Anxiously smoothing her hands over the flirty, knee-length black skirt, she wondered if she should have worn her usual jeans and sweatshirt. Wanting to dress nicely for Zane, she'd chosen her favorite turquoise sweater. Wearing the soft cashmere with the top three pearl b.u.t.tons undone exposed the lace edge of a matching push-up bra. To make sure Mike and JJ couldn't ignore her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she'd added a gold chain with a crystal N, allowing it to nestle in her cleavage, knowing it would slide in between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s every time she moved.

The outfit served a dual purpose. Hoping to torment Zane, at the same time she figured at least Mike would be distracted by the in-your-face display of her girls. Her plan was simple. Act stupid and flighty and see if she could get any information from the two goons. Then she'd leave and hope the men went straight home.

Ordering her usual at the counter, she accepted the drink and coffeecake. Claiming the empty seat in front of the window, she sighed as weak sunlight filtered through the gla.s.s, warming her skin and spilling over the blank tablet in front of her.

It wasn't blank for long. Once she set pen to paper, the words poured out of her...

Neither could deal with soft preliminaries. Disposing of his clothing in a mad rush, he fisted his hand in her hair, pulling her head back. Claiming her mouth in a bruising kiss, he slid his hand between their bodies, delving into her wet heat. Within seconds she'd drenched his hand with her honeyed secretions. Responding to his urgency, she slipped her arms around his neck and wiggled against his hand.

Drawing back to maneuver his hand around the base of his c.o.c.k, he nudged her thighs apart with his knee. Complying with his nonverbal demand, she hooked her thighs around his hips- "Fancy meeting you here, ma'am."

Blinking away the scene in her head, Nicole took a deep breath, using the precious seconds to prepare herself for what would come. Finally raising her chin, she looked up to see Mike Maloney's green eyes focused on her. She looked around for his partner. Ah, good. They were both here. JJ was getting coffee at the counter. Turning, he made his way toward them and Nicole stashed her tablet in her purse, covertly hitting the record b.u.t.ton on her hidden tape player.

Mike's unswerving interest in her strategically displayed a.s.sets kept his eyes on her chest. Thank you, Wonderbra!

Pushing her shoulders back, she waited for the games to begin.

"Ms. Martin, may we have a word with you?" JJ asked politely, making a specific effort to keep his pewter-colored eyes focused on hers. He was really trying to look harmless. The muscle working in his jaw belied his efforts. This man personified uptight and fanatically focused. Harmless wasn't working.

"I'm still thinking about what you said yesterday and maybe laying a little groundwork in case I decide to help you." She shrugged indifferently, knowing the motion would jiggle her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Focusing on her chest meant they wouldn't pay a whole h.e.l.l of a lot of attention to her words. Nicky's main concern was whether or not the men had someone on the inside. If they did, they might know she'd seen and talked to Zane last night.

"Yes, well...we simply want you to keep an open mind. What did Mr. Patrick say when you told him about us?" the older man inquired, elbowing his partner in the side in an effort to get Mike's eyes out of her cleavage.

Nicole suppressed a grin and concentrated on JJ. So they did know. It still didn't answer the question of someone watching from the inside. Maybe they'd known she talked to Zane because of the listening device. But his question was perfect...she'd been expecting this one and was prepared. Mentally she whispered a quick thank you to Mrs. Nathan for being such a b.i.t.c.h of an acting teacher during her soph.o.m.ore year in college. Nicky had wanted a cla.s.s she could skate through...instead she'd gotten Nasty Nathan. The woman's repeated demands of "Once more with feeling!" and "Make me believe you!" had driven her insane.

Without missing her cue, she managed a throaty laugh. "Like I would tell Mr. Patrick the FBI wants me to spy on him because he's suspected of being a vampire. Get real. My hot neighbor would think I was mentally imbalanced and my chances of getting somewhat closer to him would evaporate. Do you think I'm an idiot?" She leaned forward, reaching down to wipe imaginary dust off the toe of one of her shoes. "There's not one chance in h.e.l.l of letting that story fall out of my mouth."

Lowering her eyes, she noticed her girls were on the verge of complete exposure. The little N of her necklace caught between them. Carefully straightening her spine, she took a final sip of her coffee and glanced at her watch. "Well, I need to go. I've got a lot to do this afternoon."

But JJ wasn't finished yet. "So you admit you spoke to Zane Patrick last night?"

Turning wide, blue and hopefully what appeared to be dumb-as-rocks eyes on the man, Nicole told him what he wanted to hear. "Why yes, I did. Your visit intrigued me and I decided to at least try to get to know him a little better." She paused for dramatic affect and smiled. "You know, I've lived in the house for over two months and haven't been real neighborly, if you catch my drift." She winked and allowed her lips to curl upward in a slight smile, as if sharing a secret.

When JJ smiled back, she continued, "Soooo...I went over last night and asked to borrow a cup of sugar. When Mr. Patrick spilled coffee on himself, I invited him over for a cup of my special brew and a get-to-know-you chat. Stripping down to his t-shirt, he followed me home." And didn't that statement just fill her blonde-bimbo quota for the day? If it helped her get what she wanted from the man it would be worth it. Okay, JJ. Give. How much do you know?

"He didn't spend the night." The older man wasn't asking a question.

h.e.l.l. The man knew more than she'd hoped. Someone was definitely watching. "Hey, how do you know he didn't spend-? Ah...you're having him watched. Well see? You don't need me. And my momma didn't raise a fool. Not givin' the milk away for free was one of her first lessons."

Saying a quiet prayer of forgiveness to her mother, she turned on the hick accent. She may have been raised in the south, but her mother would have slapped her silly if she'd talked like this. Her parents had been extremely well educated and a little sn.o.bbish about it. At thirty-seven years old, Nicole still felt guilty she hadn't followed in either of their footsteps. Since they'd died in a car accident over ten years ago, Nicole kept expecting at least one of them to come back and haunt her for her career choice.

They wouldn't have understood how much she enjoyed writing romance. An acceptable job would be teaching, or publishing some weighty dissertation on the evils of, well-anything. Writing erotic romance novels would have been deemed a severe waste of a talented mind.

Nodding at JJ and Mike, she stood. "Well, I've got to go now. I'm going shopping and then treating myself to a pedicure. You'll be happy to know Zane's taking me out to dinner tonight. Maybe I'll have something to say about that later. You two just keep those binoculars or whatever you're using away from my windows," she admonished. Walking away, she acted like she didn't have a care in the world.

Slowly strolling across the street, she meandered into a shop. Ducking out into the back alley, she ran around the corner and hopped into a black car with an excellent view of the coffee shop.

As soon as she closed the door, Zane pulled her over the console and into his arms so he could kiss her. Tongue sweeping inside her mouth, he nipped her lips with his teeth and sat back. Panting. Without saying a word, he picked up her purse and pulled out her notebook.

Reading the few sentences she'd written in the coffee shop, he mumbled something about driving him crazy.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

With his focus shifting to the coffee shop, he motioned her to get down. "They're coming out."

She scooted low, bowing her body over the center console until she was practically lying in his lap. While she waited for Zane to give the all clear, she noticed he was aroused. He hadn't answered her question about the unexpected voracity of the kiss, but she supposed this wasn't the time to play. Just having her in this position made him squirm.

Once he let her up, she grabbed her sungla.s.ses and scarf out of her purse. Twisting over the backseat, she retrieved her running shoes and jacket with a very p.r.o.nounced a.s.s wiggle.

When she sat back down, she noticed Zane's eyes burned with a promise she thought he might keep this time. Nicole bit the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing.

After following the men to a small brown house a few blocks from the University of Oregon, Zane drove the rental car farther down the street and parked. Before he could decide what to do next, he watched the men leave again. This time dressed in sweats instead of the suits they'd worn while talking to Nicole. He a.s.sumed they were going jogging or to work out somewhere.

Breaking into the house was as simple as walking in the front door. Nicky thought the FBI fakes had left the door open. But all it had taken was a quick flick of his wrist to gain entrance. It was a little after five in the afternoon and he was confident they could get in and out of the house before the men returned. Slipping into the front room after Nicole, he started looking for some sort of clue to their ident.i.ty.

After about twenty minutes, Zane heard a car pull into the driveway. He froze briefly before rushing to the window and shifting the curtain to see Mike and JJ stepping out of their car.

s.h.i.t!

The combined torture of seeing how Nicole's soft sweater clung to the luscious curves, sharing her mind when she wrote the s.e.x scene, having her face buried in his crotch as she hid in the car and the sensual gyrations as she claimed her shoes from the backseat meant all his blood had settled in his c.o.c.k. There was none left for his brain.

It was the only excuse he had for being such an idiot.

"In here!" After a quick glance to make sure nothing was out of place, he pulled Nicky into the nearest bedroom. The first thing he tried was the window. It was sealed shut with several layers of paint. A brief scan outside showed bare ground in a side yard clearly visible from the street.

Which left the closet. Hearing the men enter the house, he was out of options.

Carefully sliding the louvered closet door, he stepped in and tugged Nicole in after him. Placing his back to the wall, with her back pressed tight against his chest, he settled his hands on her hips and tried to shift Nicky's body to the side in case he needed his hands free to fight. The movement made too much noise so he stilled.

Taking a deep breath, he inhaled the spicy fragrance coming from her skin. Thank G.o.d her perfume was too subtle for the humans to notice. Below the tantalizing scent he caught the pungent odor of fear. The pace of her breathing escalated. "Take slow breaths. In through your nose and out through your mouth." Hearing the rustle of a sack, he smelled the faint odor of hamburgers and fries. Instead of going somewhere to exercise like he'd thought, they'd picked up fast food.

Evidently they'd eaten in the car-because they moved directly toward the bedroom.

Nicole shifted nervously and Zane wrapped his arms around her to hold her in place. The soft brush of her body against his made him hiss. His c.o.c.k expanded, pushing into the small of her back. He had to forcefully clamp down on his reaction to her, reminding himself this wasn't a game of hide and seek. He was afraid the two men were more dangerous than Nicky realized.

"So, you believed her?" It was the voice he recognized from the tape as John Jackson. And they were standing right in front of the closet. Through the slats he could see the top of the man's graying head. Zane was five-foot-nine. He'd put Jackson at about five-foot-six.

Feeling Nicole's body tremble, he reached out with his mind to help her deal with her fear. This close to her, it was easy to brush through her slight mental shields and sense that she wasn't afraid of the men. She was claustrophobic. All she could think about was not having enough air to breathe, not being able to see. s.h.i.t.

"I don't know. It was kind of hard to take my eyes off those t.i.ts, if you know what I mean. Jesus, maybe we went about this the wrong way. Give me some time with her and I'll get the information we need." This voice was a little bit younger and very hopeful. Mike. Zane wanted to jump out and snap his neck. He strained to see the man through the louvered door, but Mike was standing too far away.

Nicky stirred and Zane tightened both his hold around her waist and the one in her mind. Don't move. Don't think about where you are. Close your eyes and concentrate on me. Since she wasn't telepathic and they hadn't established a blood bond, so she wouldn't hear the specific words, just the emotions and the comfort behind them. Shivering in response, she relaxed against him.

"d.a.m.n, why don't we just grab the b.a.s.t.a.r.d and his little ho? We can get our guy to herd them our way. I'll play with Ms. High-and-Mighty Martin while you figure out if Zane Patrick is a vamp," Mike demanded.

Zane suddenly straightened. Nicky turned silently in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck. She buried her face in his chest. He fought to control his reaction to having her soft b.r.e.a.s.t.s rubbing across his chest, concentrated instead on the feral urge to wrap his hands around Mike's neck and squeeze the life out of the man.

Sighing, he realized that as satisfying as the action might be, he couldn't do it. Nicky was mortal. If the men were armed, one stray bullet could end her life. It was enough to remind him not to move. So instead of ending this immediately, he stayed in the closet.

Besides, if he killed the men now he'd never discover who'd betrayed him. Solidifying his resolve to not move a muscle or make a sound no matter what the men said next, he tensed. Zane listened as one of the men paced the floor.

"She's our only hope for extensive access inside the compound. Our contact can't go in the vampire's house and search through his things, nor can he ask the man questions. Christ, if we believe her, he even got the relationship between the two of them wrong. Instead of being his girlfriend, she's his next-door neighbor! For now we'll have to take her word that she bought the house and isn't involved with him. But we need to watch her. I think our Ms. Martin is either foolish or playing a very dangerous game." John Jackson's voice moved closer to the closet. "Foolish is okay. In fact, I like stupid women. Makes them easier to control."

Both Zane and Nicole held their breath. Jackson was a scant few inches away from them. Close enough that Zane could see that the man might be short, but he was solid muscle.