Page 15

I’m still standing here when the door beeps to alert me that someone has just used a card key. Noah throws the door open and storms in. Cassian’s right behind him. Guns raised, they’re not messing around.

Noah scans the room and then demands, “Where’s Ethan?”

“He left right before you got here?—”

Before I can finish, Cassian is out the door, presumably on the hunt.

Exhaling, Noah lowers his weapon.

“How did you know he was here?” I ask.

“Olivia called Cassian as we were walking into the hotel.”

I forgot all about Olivia. She’s probably freaking out right now.

Noah slides his gun into a hidden holster in his waistband and sets his hands on my upper arms, the firm pressure of his touch reassuring. “Did he hurt you?”

“No,” I say, becoming a little wobbly as the gravity of the situation finally hits me. Ethan just broke into my hotel room. “I don’t even know what he wanted. I thought he might try to kidnap me, but when he found out you were coming, he took off.”

Noah pulls me into a tight hug. “Don’t let your guard down. He’s still dangerous.”

I personally know how dangerous Ethan can be, and I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

“Did you know he escaped from prison?” I ask.

“No,” he says, his tone icy. “But I’m about to make a few phone calls.”

I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of those phone calls for anything. I don’t know how much power Noah has, but he sounds like he’s in the mood to fire a whole slew of people.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” he asks.

I nod, stepping out of his arms. “Go ahead—do what you need to. Dinner can wait.”

Noah is on the phone for the next hour. By the time he hangs up, he looks even angrier than he was before.

“The prison is claiming the power went out during a thunderstorm a few nights ago,” he tells me. “Supposedly, the backup generators failed, all the cameras went down, and they lost the lights. When everything came back, half the prisoners in the vampire detention area were gone.”

“And they didn’t think to contact NIHA and let you know?” I exclaim incredulously.

“They said they were going to give us a ‘heads up’ just as soon as they finished searching the area.”

“Oh my word.” I drop my face into my hands, groaning. “They’re actually blaming a storm?”

“That’s what they said, but Chase talked to several local meteorologists, and all they received in Canon City was a little rain.”

“Ethan told me he has a powerful friend who instructed the guards to let them out.”

Noah turns to face me. “Did he say who?”

“He made it sound like Alfred was involved, even if he’s not directly responsible.”

“He admitted he’s here with Alfred?”

“Not by name. He said his friend is in the area to buy a hotel and then mentioned something about a yacht.”

“Sounds like Alfred to me.” Noah rubs the back of his neck, looking tired. “At least we know we’re on the right track.”

“Did you have any luck figuring out where he’s staying?”

“Not yet.”

A text message vibrates my phone. Still spooked, I jump a little. When I look down, I realize my anxiety is justified.

Unknown number: It was so good to see you, Piper. I’ll contact you again soon.

“It’s Ethan.” A cold, slimy feeling settles in my stomach. “I don’t like that he memorized my number.”

“We should get you a new one.”

“Can you imagine what a mess that would be? I use this cell for work, too.”

“You’re about to restructure your entire business. It would be a good idea to move those calls to a landline and keep your personal number private.”

He’s probably right.

I study the text message. “NIHA can track Ethan’s phone number if he calls me, right?”

“Absolutely.”

I pull my eyes from the disconcerting text. “I think I know how you can find Alfred.”

NIHA’s Miami office is larger than the Glenwood Springs branch, but it still has that generic business sort of appearance from the outside.

With its large glass windows, cracker-box shape, and low-maintenance landscaping, people driving by probably mistake it for an insurance office or the billing department of a medical group. That’s where the similarities end.

Inside, everything is modern and new, and we have to walk through a security station, complete with metal detectors, after we enter the doors.

We’re now tucked into a back room, surrounded by people who seem entirely too eager to be working overtime.

“All right, Piper,” Harold says after he’s set up his techy gadget stuff. Apparently, he’s important, but I’m not sure what his official job title is. “We just need you to keep Ethan on the phone for as long as possible, all right?”

“Okay.”

“Give us just a few more minutes to make sure everything is good to go, and then we’ll have you text him.”

I nod, nervous about my part in this. When Harold turns his attention to a man sitting at the desk next to him, I study the space. The room is filled with computers, and a quiet buzz accompanies the clacking of keyboards, the shifting of rolling computer chairs, and a few quiet conversations.

Even though it’s past dinnertime, and the rest of the building emptied an hour ago, there are ten men in attendance, all dressed in slacks, button-ups, and ties like they’re about to go to a meeting.

They wear badges hanging from lanyards with their names and pictures on them. Noah and Cassian have them as well, but I just have an adhesive visitor tag stuck to my shirt, with my name written on it in permanent marker.

“How’s your coffee, Mr. York?” asks a man with a slight Cuban accent, nodding toward the white mug he handed Noah not even three minutes ago.

“It’s great.” Noah takes a sip as if to prove it.

“I can make you a fresh cup if you’d like.”

“This is fine for now,” Noah assures him. “I’ll let you know when I need a refill.”

“Stop harassing him and get back to work,” Harold tells the young man, making a shooing motion with his hand.

“Sorry about that, Mr. York. You just let me know if anyone’s pestering you, and I’ll take care of them.

Are you comfortable? It’s a little warm in here.

Should we call in someone from the janitorial team to turn down the thermostat? ”

Noah’s expression dances somewhere between amused and annoyed. “I’m good, thanks.”

From the way the men are fawning over Noah, practically tripping over themselves to help, it’s obvious he’s a big deal in the organization. Maybe a bigger deal than I realized. Add Cassian to the mix, and you’d think I showed up with a couple of celebrities.

It’s kind of fun, though a bit baffling.

“People don’t treat you like this in Glenwood,” I whisper to Noah while Harold is preoccupied.

“I started there right out of high school.” A cocky grin ghosts over his face as he drops his voice. “Everyone knows me too well to give me the honor I deserve.”

“Careful, you sound like Cassian.”

Speaking of the vampire prince, he walks in from the hall, closes the door, and surveys our progress.

“How’s it going?” he asks when he joins Noah and me.

“I think we’re just about ready to begin,” Noah answers.

And he’s right. Not even a minute later, Harold finishes his conversation and turns his attention back to me. “Okay, Piper. We’re ready. Go ahead and text Ethan.”

Even though this was technically my idea, contacting Ethan feels gross. But I do as I’m told, texting the unknown number and asking my stalker to call me.

Not even thirty seconds later, my phone rings. Ethan’s new number lights the screen, and cold dread takes up residence in my stomach.

“You may answer it,” Harold says, thinking I’m hesitating because I’m waiting for instruction.

“Hey,” I say into the phone, feeling awkward in front of the room full of NIHA agents.

“Is everything all right?” Ethan asks, concerned. “You’ve never contacted me before.”

I’ve had a few hours to plan what I’m going to say, but I still feel like I’m about to step on stage and didn’t study my script.

“Did you make it back to your friends all right?” I ask, very aware everyone in the room is listening to the conversation.

“I did.” He pauses. “Is that why you called? To see if I’m okay?”

He sounds pleased.

“That and…I think we need to talk. Even though you visited my stand every week, and we went on that brief date, I really don’t know you—and you don’t really know me.”

“I would like nothing more than to get to know you better, Piper,” he says earnestly. “Ask me anything.”

I look at Noah, widening my eyes. He shrugs, silently telling me to make something up. Harold’s men stare at their computers, doing…I don’t know. Techy things. Harold lifts his hand, gesturing for me to keep the conversation rolling.

“Why…why did you ask Sam to infect me?”

Ethan chuckles, and from the sound of it, I think he’s settling in somewhere, preparing for a nice long chat. “You’re a smart girl, Piper. You already know the answer to your question.”

“All right. Then why me? You’re rich. You’re handsome—” Thanks to my nerves, I almost laugh when revulsion passes over Noah’s face, but I manage to hold it back. “You could have any girl you like. Certainly, one who’s a lot less trouble.”

“You’re no trouble, my love. I had time to do a lot of thinking in prison.

I know the only reason we’re not together is because I handled the first transmission badly.

I scared you—and for that, I am deeply sorry.

If I could go back in time and do it again, please know I would handle it differently.

My hope is that you can eventually forgive me—that you’ll learn to trust me.

” He sighs like it’s something that’s been weighing on his mind.

“But I believe we’re already on the right path. I’m so glad you called me, Piper.”

One of the men seated at the computers gives Harold a thumbs up, and Harold rolls his hand, giving me permission to wrap up the conversation.

Unsure how to go about that, I lower my voice. “Montgomery is coming—I have to go.”

“I’ll talk to you soon,” he promises. “Don’t be a stranger, all right?”

I make a noncommittal noise, saying goodbye, and then end the call.

“He’s at a cafe in Little Havana,” the man who gave Harold the thumbs-up says.

“We’ll get hunters over there and then follow him back to Alfred.” Harold turns to Noah. “We’ll let you know as soon as we have a location.”

“I’ll go with them,” Cassian says. He then turns to Noah. “You best stay with Piper.”

“Call as soon as you know something,” Noah says. “And don’t do anything stupid by yourself.”

Looking mildly amused, Cassian says, “So it’s all right if I do something stupid as long as you’re with me?”

I catch Noah’s eye, giving him a stern look.

Grinning, he chooses not to answer Cassian. Instead, he says to me, “Let’s get something to eat. It’s probably going to be a long night.”

One of the men steps forward as we’re leaving, extending his hand to Noah. “It was good to meet you, Mr. York.”

“You as well. Thank you for your assistance.”

“Let us know if you need anything else,” Harold says.

“Will do.”

Cassian hangs back as Noah and I leave. The halls are deserted except for a security guard we pass on our way to the elevator.

He nods as he walks by. “Evening, Mr. York.”

“Does everyone know your name?” I whisper to Noah when he’s out of earshot.

He grins. “Apparently.”

“So, who were all those people back there?”

“They’re the intelligence guys.”

“Do you have those in Glenwood?”

“Yeah—we’ve got Daniel.”

“Just Daniel?”

“ Yes, but if we ever need extra support, Denver isn’t far away.”

“So, what do they do?” I ask. “Besides track phone calls.”

“They assist the hunters.”

“And you’re…their boss?”

“No.” Noah chuckles. “My jurisdiction is in the western region. But we work together as needed.”

“All right, but let’s say NIHA has a ladder. How high on it are you sitting exactly?”

“Are you asking how important your boyfriend is?” Noah presses the ground-level button when we step into the elevator.

“I just want to know if I should curtsy when you enter a room,” I joke.

His amber eyes sparkle as he turns toward me, and he crosses his arms in a way that makes the muscles bulge under his shirt. “Maybe not every time I walk into the room.”

I roll my eyes, smiling. And then my good mood falls. “Ethan must have people watching us. That’s the only way he could have known which hotel room I was in.”

“I’m afraid you’re right. He’s like a cockroach—impossible to get rid of, and he has too many friends.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Exactly what we’ve been doing—we’re going to find Alfred.”

“For the rest of the week, I’ll be careful to make sure it’s room service before I open the door.”

Noah gives me a sideways look as we exit the elevator, and I can tell from his expression I’m not going to like whatever is about to come out of his mouth.

“What?” I ask warily.

“Now that Ethan knows you’re here, we can’t leave you unguarded. When we figure out Alfred’s location, you’ll have to hang out here while Cassian and I confront him.”

“Here?” I ask, startled.

“I can’t think of anywhere else that would be safe.”

Together, we step into the lobby. It’s eerily silent, and the lights are dim.

“What am I supposed to do here ?” I ask.

Noah bids the night guard a good evening as we pass through the metal detectors. When we’re outside, he turns to me. “You can’t go with us, Piper. It’ll be too dangerous.”

I look back at the building. “But, Noah…”

“I’m sure they have a break room. Find a couch and watch a K-drama. It’ll be all right.”

“You can’t be serious.”

He looks just as frustrated as I feel, but he’s not budging. “I don’t know what else to do.”

I don’t either.

Noah offers me an apologetic smile. “How about we find some cheese?”

This isn’t his fault, and I know that. So, even though I’m frustrated, I’m going to try not to take it out on him. Even if it’s really tempting.

I take a deep breath and nod. “Let’s go eat.”