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Marek stopped in his tracks as two Hunters strode past him. It wasn’t only their military bearing that tipped him off. He scented a mixture of vampire blood and drugs distinctive to biologically enhanced Hunters. What were they doing here? With the comatose witches, the hospital frequently had vampire visitors to check up on them.

The Hunters must know that. Did they think they would find an unsuspecting vampire here?

Olivia was at the cafeteria counter, ordering food, and surrounded by people. Marek ended his call, spun on his heel, and followed the Hunters. He’d already shirked enough of his CDI responsibilities since meeting Olivia. If he couldn’t be back in Vegas working, then the least he could do was kill some Hunters here.

Perhaps because he’d been preoccupied, Marek didn’t sense the trap until too late. He entered the stairwell after the two Hunters, only to have three more waiting for him.

The close quarters stifled his speed, giving the Hunters a good shot at him. Two bullets caught his shoulder. Acid lit up his shoulders, spreading rapidly into his veins. Silver. Marek grimaced. Stupid of him. His survival instincts kicked in and shut off the pain.

The Hunters may have limited his movement, but they also put themselves within easy reach. Marek grabbed the closest Hunter and slammed his head against the wall. Crack. The scent of blood perfumed the air.

He tamped down the urge to feed, grabbed the dead Hunter’s gun, and fired at the Hunter at the top of the stairs. Bang. Bang. The pop was loud to his vampire hearing, but the guns were equipped with silencers. No one outside the stairwell would hear them.

A red dot bloomed on the Hunter’s head. Ever since Marek learned to shoot, he’d trained to aim for the head since the Hunters wore bulletproof vests. It was a skill he drilled into the other CDI field agents as well.

The man collapsed, his eyes blank. Regret swept over him. It had been a long time since Marek had felt anything when ending a life.

It wasn’t a feeling he was used to, but if it was the price of having a mate, then he’d gladly take it.

The remaining three Hunters fled through the door to the upper floor. He was about to give chase when a sense of unease, of wrongness, tingled down his spine.

The Hunters had lured him here to their advantage. Why stop now?

Marek sprinted back the way he’d come, warning bells clanging in his head.

Shit. He’d been stupid.

When he emerged into the hall, he saw two strangers with Olivia: a woman about Olivia’s height and a taller man. Hunters.

The woman saw him first, and panic flared on her features. The man cursed and grabbed Olivia.

Red winked over his vision as Olivia struggled. Violence erupted like a volcano.

No one touched his mate.

“Olivia!”

“Ma—”

A snarl rumbled up his throat when the woman plunged a syringe into Olivia’s neck. Fear flashed over her expression, driving his vampire wild, before she slumped into the male Hunter’s arms. They dragged her toward the exit in a rush.

Marek pushed past the people in his way. Damn it, why was this place so crowded? His vampire was in a frenzy, clawing his insides.Mate. Save mate!

It took everything in him not to lose control and kill everything in sight.

His power, an oppressive wave, forged a path before him. People scrambled out of his way. He would have to worry about the cameras catching him with his fangs bared and red eyes in a crowded hospital later.

Three Hunters tried to stop him, materializing out of the crowd. Marek dug his elongated nails into his palms, fighting against the urge to slice open their throats. He couldn’t kill them, not in front of so many humans.

Dodging their grappling arms, he grabbed one and tossed him into another Hunter. The third one he launched behind him. Crashing tables and frightened shouts. He ignored it all.

The Hunter carrying Olivia had made it to the door by the time Marek caught up. The female Hunter pulled out a gun. Marek knocked it away like a toy. Fear was a pungent scent in his nostrils. Blood pounded in his ears. His right shoulder down to his arm screamed in protest despite his efforts at blocking out the silver.

A black van waited on the curb, in sunlight, with its side doors open. Olivia hung limp in the Hunter’s arms. Marek leaped forward to land between the Hunter and the van on the very edge of the shade.

“Release her,” he growled, uncaring that he sounded like a demon.

The Hunter paled. Marek wrapped his fingers around the Hunter’s neck and yanked him forward. With his fangs over the man’s throat, he hissed, “Release her.”