He looked back at her quickly. Had her sarcasm been a little bit too evident? "I parked down by the road."

"What an odd thing to do."

"Where's your car, ma'am?"

"Oh, I'm not here alone. I have two colleagues with me. They took the car into town to get us some junk food and DVDs."

"I see. And can I get your name?"

"Sure. If I can get yours. I imagine it's on your identification, isn't it?"

He frowned at her. "There's really no need to be defensive, ma'am. Unless you have something to hide."

"I'm a woman alone in the middle of nowhere, with a strange man standing at my door. I'm not being defensive, I'm being careful." He smiled a little. "How well do you know the owner?"

"Not well at all. I've met him once or twice, and we share a love of horses. He phoned to ask if I could care for his, and I said yes." She waved a hand. "How could I not? It's a gorgeous place, and like I said, I love horses."

"And where are these horses now?"

"Munching oats in the stable," she said, hoping that nasty little tracking device had been crushed to dust by now.

"Do you know the owner's name?"

"It's on the mailbox, Officer. Dan Smith."

"Mmm. And how long will Mr. Smith be gone?"

"It's open ended. I told him I could stay as long as he needed."

"Do you know where he's gone? Did he leave any contact information with you?"

"No. And no."

"Don't you think that's a bit odd? What if something happened to one of the horses?"

"I imagine I'd call a vet. You still haven't shown me your I.D."

He stared at her silently for a moment, as if trying to decide whether she was what she said she was. She probably ought to stop taunting him and play the obedient citizen, intimidated, as most people were, by authority figures.

"Oh, h.e.l.l," she said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a business card. "Here."

He read the card out loud. "Peggy Johnson. House sitting and in-home animal care."

"That's right."

"There's no address."

"I go where I'm needed."

"Work is that steady?"

"You'd be surprised." She smiled. "Why don't you call my office if you don't believe me?"

His eyes narrowed a little, and he pulled a cell phone from a pocket, quickly dialing the number.

The phone that was clipped to her jeans pocket rang, and she quickly picked it up and said, "Peggy Johnson, House-Sitting and In-Home Animal Care. Can I help you?" The "cop" almost smiled as he closed his flip-phone and returned it to his pocket. "Very funny," he said.

"I couldn't help myself. You're so serious. Is Mr. Smith in some kind of trouble?"

"No. I just need to ask him some questions about a few things."

"I see. Well, I'll tell him you were here if he calls in. Or if not, then when he returns."

"You do that, Ms. Johnson." He nodded, his eyes taking their time scanning the room beyond her before he finally turned and walked down the driveway, back to where she saw he'd actually parked his car.

Why? Did he have a partner waiting in the vehicle? Weapons? What?

She watched him all the way there, then watched him get into the vehicle, visible now that she knew where to look, though it was too dark outside to see any details, and remained where she was until it pulled out of sight.

She wondered briefly whether he'd believed her, and knew that whether he had or not, he would be checking out her story. She was grateful that she and Ginger had planted enough information to satisfy at least a surface investigation. There was a website advertising her services, complete with testimonials from satisfied customers, all of whom were, of course, Sisters of Athena.

No matter what he thought at the moment, once he checked on her, he would believe her story. What other theory would explain the presence of a harmless looking mortal woman in the home of a vampire?

Nothing he could imagine, she ventured.

After he drove away, she turned, noticing again the framed print that hung above the mantel. It was meant to depict the legendary first wife of Adam, the one who refused to submit, and was expelled from the garden and replaced by the obedient Eve.

Well, obedient for a while, anyway.

Ethan must have cared a great deal for her daughter when they'd been at The Farm. Maybe he'd even loved her.

She hoped he still did. That he would continue to. That he would protect her, the way Serena wished she could do herself.

Moving to the window, she gazed out at the slowly fading night. "I'll find you, sweetheart. I will. And I'll make everything all right for you again. I promise."

The sound of a car, moving far too quickly along the driveway, startled her, and Serena turned and rushed to the front door, fully expecting to see the faux cop and a dozen friends swooping in on her.

Instead she saw the familiar Taurus, Ginger behind the wheel, Terry gripping the dashboard as if for dear life.

Opening the door, Serena rushed outside, meeting them halfway as they hurried toward the house.

Ginger was holding up her cell phone, her eyes eager. "We had a message from"

"Not here!" Serena flung up a hand in traffic cop fashion, stopping her in mid-sentence even as shelooked left and then right in search of eavesdroppers. When Ginger blinked in confusion, she said, "I had a visitor while you were gone. Can't be sure he's not still lurking."

Terry and Ginger exchanged glances, then nodded. Terry had two bags in her arms, and Serena felt her stomach growl in spite of everything on her mind.

The three women went straight to the kitchen, where Terry set the bags down and began putting things away.

"Is it safe to speak in here?" Ginger asked.

"Yes, it's fine. I didn't let him inside."

"Who was he?" Terry asked, opening the fridge and wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"DPI." Serena grabbed one of the grocery bags, and edging Terry out of the way, quickly put the blood into the bag and tucked it into the vegetable crisper, out of sight. "He said he was a cop, but he never showed any ID. I gave him the cover story, and I think he bought it."

"For how long?" Ginger asked. "Not that it matters. We won't be here long anyway. Here." She held out her cell phone.

Serena took it and looked at the screen, which showed the text of an email. Glancing up, she asked, "From Callista?" The other two nodded.

Serena looked back at the phone and began reading the message aloud. "'Sending this riskybut risks necessary now. E and L planning to return to Farm to rescue the rest. Everyone knows and they're waiting. It's a trap. Find this place and intercept them first. Stop them at all cost or they will both be killed. Farm is former military base, if that helps. Must return phone before it's missed. Will leave it on.

Number is 555-0689. DO NOT CALL THIS NUMBER. Use to triangulate signal.'"

Serena tried scrolling down for more, but that was the end of the message, except for an odd little symbol, two zeroes with a V underneath them.

00.

V.

It vaguely resembled the face of an owl. Owls being sacred to Athena, and one of Her symbols, this simple design told Serena that the email was genuine.

"How could they know?" she asked, and even she wasn't certain who she was asking. The phone? The woman who'd sent the message and could not hear her? The two who stood staring at her now? Or the G.o.ds themselves? Maybe all of the above.

"They must have told someone about their plan," Ginger said. "Someone who betrayed them."

Nodding, Serena fished out her own cell phone and placed a call to the Sisterhood's Appalachian headquartersthe place she called home. "It's Serena. I need you to find the location of a cell phone signal.Can you do that?" She listened, then nodded and gave them the information. "Call me back when you have it." Then she hung up. "As soon as we know where The Farm is, we'll head out."

"I'm not quite sure how we're going to do that," Ginger said. "Lock the doors, ladies."

Serena frowned, turning. Ginger was standing at a window, holding the heavy curtain aside and looking out. The other two quickly looked, as well.

There were people out there. Two at the end of the driveway. One near the stable. Three more in the trees to the right. Just standing there, pale as ghosts.

Terry jerked back from the window, ran to the door and threw the locks. "Are they ?"

"Vampires," Ginger said. "And if they want us, I don't think locks will keep them out."

Serena stood silently, staring at the creatures, wondering why they were lurking, what the h.e.l.l they wanted. None of them were moving any closer. They were just standing there. "Callista told us that the Chosen at The Farm are transformed when they reach adulthood and sent on missions for the DPI. I'd say we're their latest mission."

Terry was shaking visibly. "So what do we do, then?"

Ginger backed away from her window and strode toward the fridge. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to get something to eat."

"I'm going to take a quick look around before the sun rises."

"h.e.l.l, Ethan, there are two hours before dawn. At least." Lilith leaned on a post inside the barn as he headed for the door. The place smelled of musty hay long past its usefulness.

"I know. But still just to be on the safe side," Ethan said.

Lilith nodded, then returned to her task, spreading her blanket c.u.m cloak over the straw on the floor to create a soft place to rest.

Ethan stepped outside and swung the barn door closed behind him, but he walked only a short distance before he lowered himself onto the gra.s.sy ground, closed his eyes and focused on blocking his thoughts from everyone except the one to whom he spoke.

James? James, can you hear me?

I've been waiting all night! Where are you? Are you still all right?

Ethan nodded, letting the feeling of the motion move from his mind to his brother's. We're fine. But she's remembering her way back, and I'm beginning to think there's no talking her out of this insane notion.

Then stop trying.

Ethan went still, shocked into silence by his brother's suggestion.

Maybe she's right, Ethan. Have you thought of that? I've entertained the notion of returning to that placeand freeing everyone there ever since I left.

But you didn't. The thought rushed from him before he could censor them.

And you resent it, don't you? That I didn't come back for you. But think about it. You didn't go back for Lilith, either. You left her there, because you knew you would have no chance.

No, that wasn't why. I was waiting.

For what?

For you! I knew that if I could find you, you'd help me. You'd know things, you'd have ideas, you'd help me.

He felt his brother's hesitation before he finally replied. And that's exactly what I'm going to do, Ethan.

I'm going to help you. There are three of us now. That's three times the chance of success.

Three times zero is still zero. I can't believe you're going along with this insanity.

I thought you said you planned to go back yourself?

For Lilith! Ethan shouted mentally. But she's free now, and there's no reason to risk my life for the others. They don't even want our help.

Some of them might, James returned. Just tell me when you get there. I'll be waiting.

We'll hit the road again at sundown, and we don't have far to go. I'll delay her, try to steer her off course, pray to G.o.d she can't find her way and that we aren't spotted while she tries. But if get there, we'll be there before sunrise tomorrow. Well before, I imagine.

I'll be there, James promised. And, Ethan I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't come back for you.

"Ethan?"

He started, spun around and tried to wipe the guilty look off his face as he spotted Lilith standing there staring at him. And then he didn't need to try anymore, because she was completely naked. She'd pulled her long hair around in front of her shoulders, so that the endless coils spilled over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and waist and hips, all the way to her thighs. But they hid nothing, only made the tantalizing glimpses even more erotic.

He felt himself growing hard, and he wanted her right then, more than he'd ever wanted anything.