Alpha’s Bane: Second Chance Romance (Bad Boy Alphas Book 9)

Trey

I should’ve expected it sooner, honestly. When I ride home from Garrett’s and find Lance Green at my house, I realize I’ve been waiting for this moment since the first time I kissed his daughter.

He’s sitting on our shabby couch, an untouched glass of water on the coffee table in front of him. My mom surges up from the armchair, a wild, frightened look in her eyes.

Who could blame her? Mr. Green is CFO of Wolf Ridge Brewery and sits at the very head of the pack after Emmett Green, Garrett’s dad. My mom is the lowest of the pack—an omega. Which means keeping Lance happy is at the very top of her list, and I’ve fucked it up for her.

“Trey, honey,” my mom chirps, twisting her hard-worked fingers together. “Mr. Green stopped by to see you.”

I went still the moment I stepped in, but I force myself to incline my head in his direction now.

He walks toward me. “I’ll have a word with you.” He keeps going, right out the front door.

I follow him out, attempting a reassuring smile for my mom’s benefit.

He walks down the steps and stands beside my motorcycle, arms crossed. He’s glaring at it, like it’s the monster dating his daughter instead of me. Or like it’s the bike that killed his son.

“She got into Stanford.”

“Yes, sir, I know.”

His head snaps up, fury blazing in his eyes. “She doesn’t want to go.” He speaks through clenched teeth. “Because of you, no doubt.”

I work to swallow. “I made sure she sent in her acceptance.” I don’t know why I said it—he’s not going to find me to be the hero here by any stretch of the imagination.

He sneers like he doesn’t believe me. “End it. You end things with her right now so she can go to college and focus on what’s important—her education. I’m not going to let you screw up her whole goddamn life.”

Despite the fact that he ranks way above me, my fingers curl into fists. Not at the insults to me, but because my wolf can’t stand the threat to his claim. To the mating that hasn’t yet been completed.

I somehow keep my upper lip from curling and showing my teeth. “I can’t do that, Mr. Green.”

In a flash, he tackles me to the ground, his hand around my throat. I hear my mom gasp from the doorway, and it’s that sound that reminds me not to fight back. To surrender to his dominance.

“If you don’t want me to throw you and your mom out of this pack, boy, you’ll do what I tell you. Break. It. Off. You have one week.”

I glare, but lift my chin to show my throat, which he still has in a choke hold. It’s a sign of submission. One I have to offer.

He squeezes harder, cutting off my air. I refuse to struggle or show signs of stress—I just glare into his yellow eyes.

Fucker.

“I won’t let you ruin her,” he repeats, then abruptly releases me and gets up. He climbs in his car and drives away without another backward glance.

I walk inside and hold my mom, who’s trembling and crying. “It’s all right, Mom.” I speak against her hair. “You don’t need to worry about it. I already broke up with her.”

Present

Sheridan

The pack clubhouse—aka Garrett’s nightclub Eclipse—is wall-to-wall stuffed with leather-clad wolves. I sneak in the back, ignoring ugly looks and burrowing deep into Trey’s jacket. I’d hoped the Tucson wolves had mostly forgiven me for what I’d done to them twelve years ago. Guess I was wrong.

“Why is she here?” one grumbles to his friends. Another shakes his head, looking straight at me, not bothering to hide his disgust. “Sad to see a wolf act like a rat.”

Wolf Ridge basically shot itself in the foot kicking out Garrett, Trey and Jared, because nearly every young virile wolf in our generation and after followed them to Tucson. That’s part of the reason I’m so high up in the pack—a female. Fifteen years ago it would’ve been unheard of. It should be Garrett poised to take the helm of Wolf Ridge Brewing, and of the pack.

I raise my chin and push to the front so I can see. My cousin Garrett stands on the stage, fingers hooked into his belt loops. Tank, the pack second, stands a little behind him to the right, massive arms folded across his chest. Neither look happy.

“Quiet down,” Garrett says, and everyone settles. He doesn’t shout, but he doesn’t have to. His voice is infused with command. “We’re here to talk about the events at the shifter fight club and the proposed treaty between us and the leeches.”

“Burn ‘em down,” someone shouts, and a few more voices rumble approval.

“Shut up,” Tank growls, and silence falls again.

Garrett continues, “The fact is, we had an agreement, and a few days later, they broke it.”

“Not formally,” Jared comments. He’s right next to the platform, a boot propped on it. “We don’t know which leech was behind the dead body.”

“No, we don’t,” Garrett admits. “But we know it was a vampire. Whether or not Frangelico sanctioned the kill, it happened after the treaty, and on the premises of a shifter owned business. While we don’t claim that part of town formally as our territory, Trey and Jared are our brothers. We have their back.”

“Thanks, boss,” Jared mutters.

Garrett nods. “Like it or not, we gotta do something.” He glances at Tank, who steps forward and jerks his chin at the audience. “Floor’s open,” he announces. “Say your piece. Keep it civil or I’ll throw you out.”

Immediately, a rough looking wolf speaks up, “I say war. We take them out.” A few rumbles of approval and Jared shakes his head.

“War means deaths and collateral damage. Last thing we want are vampires going after innocents.”

“They already are,” a dissenter points out, and everyone agrees.

Jared raises his voice, stepping onto the platform. “A few years ago I might be into fighting until death and glory. But now I have a mate. If there’s a way to make this treaty work, I say we do it.”

“But the vampires broke the treaty,” the rough looking wolf says.

“Not Frangelico,” I call out, pushing forward. “I met with him and I don’t think he’s behind it.”

“Remind me how you’re part of this, traitor?” someone mutters.

I whirl, teeth bared, but Garrett barks, “Sheridan, up here. Now.”

Tucking my head a little, I obey. My cousin looks pissed.

“You met with Frangelico, right? What was his reaction?”

“He’s not happy about this body, either.” He seemed more unhappy about his orders being disobeyed than the actual death, but I leave that part out. “I think one of his lieutenants, might be acting without his permission. Just a gut feeling,” I hasten to explain. “Nero has, um, a thing for me. He’s been willing to stir up trouble.” A glance around the room tells me the wolves don’t believe me, and why should they? I’m an outsider who betrayed them once before. “Trey,” I blurt before I can stop myself. Garrett raises a brow and I wish I could rewind and erase. Trey doesn’t deserve to get dragged into this.

“What about Trey?” Garrett prods.

Darn. “Trey was with me. He can tell you more.”

Garrett raises his voice. “Where’s Trey?”

“Here,” a rough voice makes my heart leap. Trey’s tall form shoulders through the crowd. When he steps on the platform, the light hits his bruised face and a few shifters gasp.

“What happened?” Garrett growls.

“Had a little disagreement with a leech, so I fought him.” Trey’s expression is unrepentant.

“Got to be some real damage if it’s still showing,” Tank points out, and Trey shrugs.

“Let me get this straight,” Garrett frowns. “You fought a vampire?”

“Not a vampire. One of his seconds. Frangelico doesn’t let his leeches fight. But what Sheridan says sounds about right.” My heart quickens at Trey backing me up, only to realize he hasn’t once looked at me. “I think one or a few of Frangelico’s lieutenants are rogue.”

“If that’s the case, Frangelico should want to know who broke the treaty as much as we do,” Tank says.

“Wolves and the leech king on the same side?” Garrett sounds doubtful, but shrugs.

More wolves start shouting out their opinions, and jostling each other. Someone pushes against me, and I push back, fighting to stay on my feet.

“Enough,” Tank roars. Garrett holds up his hand for silence and gets it immediately.

“All right, discussion over. This isn’t a democracy. We’re a pack. I’m the leader, and if I see fit to deal with vampires, that’s what we’ll do. We stand our ground without a full out war. Keep looking for the killers, and hope Frangelico will do the same.”

Even though they were about to riot a moment ago, the wolves around me nod agreement. I let myself relax.

That’s when my dad and Alpha Green walk in.

My heart plummets.

They chose a back exit, so they come up behind the platform. Tank turns first, stepping off the platform to make way for Garrett’s dad, the Wolf Ridge alpha. My alpha. Father and son face off, faces blank. They look so alike, only a few touches of gray signaling the elder.

Garrett speaks first. “Dad.”

“Son,” Alpha Green’s voice is just a touch deeper than his eldest’s. His stance is more wary, but he is the odd one out here. Most of the wolves present belong to Garrett. The split between the packs was mostly peaceful, but that could change.

Fates, I hope not. A war between packs would be worse than one with vampires.

“We’re here because you’re having a little trouble with the humans.”

“It’s a vampire problem, actually.” Garrett steps closer to his dad and plants his feet. “But we’re getting it under control.”

Alpha Green raises a brow, just like his son does when he’s skeptical. “I just spent the past twenty four hours meeting with contacts at the FBI and state police, calling in favors. They’re labeling the body a drug overdose—elements of a toxic substance were found in the victim’s blood stream. They also agreed to keep any curious details from the human media. For now.”

The room seems to heave a relieved sigh. Garrett nods. “I appreciate your help. The whole shifter community does.”

“I did what I had to do to protect our species,” Alpha Green answers. “The question is, are you?”

Garrett bristles, but appears to gather patience. “We’re dealing with the vampires. We have reason to believe this death was caused by a rogue leech. If we catch him, we can turn him over to Frangelico, end the deaths and keep the peace.”

Alpha Green nods slowly.

“What about the fight club?” My dad clicks his teeth as if tasting the scent of prey. “It has been causing trouble for us since it opened. It is obviously a point of weakness for us wolves. First the authorities investigate the fights and the drug dealing, and now this body. Seems to me, we won’t have much time to back you against the vampires if we’re too busy hiding evidence from the humans. Cleaning up your mess.”

“Well, son?” Alpha Green says to Garrett. “What do you intend to do about the fight club?”

“I can answer that,” Trey calls out. All eyes turn to him, and he steps up on the platform, facing my dad, who visibly grimaces at the cuts and bruises all over Trey’s face. “It was mostly my idea.”

“Mine too,” Jared puts in quickly, but Trey shakes his head.

“It was my idea to give the vampires free reign in the club. And I hired Grizz, too. He fought for us, and I thought he was solid. Now I realize we’re caught up in something big here. Possibly a vampire coup. I don’t want anything I’ve built to jeopardize my pack. I’m willing to pull the plug on it, if that’s what my alpha thinks is best.” He makes it obvious, he’s looking at Garrett, not Alpha Green.

As Trey speaks, a smug look spreads over my father’s face. My own hands clench into fists.

“Shut it down?” Garrett asks. “Is that what you want?”

Trey shrugs. Jared shakes his head, but mumbles something like, “Whatever you think is best.”

Now my father is outright gloating. “It sounds like the best thing for the pack is shutting the fight club down. For good.” A murmur goes around the room, rumblings of discontent. The fight club is popular. It’s brought a lot of new wolves to town, new pack members. If Trey would just speak up, he’d find how many backers he has in the room. Instead, he folds his arms and stares out the window.

I want to run to Trey, and force him to look at me instead of my father. Why won’t you defend yourself? I want to scream.

“Sounds like you have a clear course of action,” Alpha Green says to his son. Garrett’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t say anything. From what I know of my cousin, he’s still thinking, and when he makes his decision, it could spell the end of Trey’s dream. And for what? Because my dad used his political clout against my ex-boyfriend, and twisted everything to make it sound like Trey’s fault.

It’s not fair. But am I brave enough to stand against my pack, and, more importantly, my dad?

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Not now, Lao Tzu.

I move closer to the platform. My dad catches my eye and I stop.

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. — Anais Nin.

Great. I’m so scared my life is flashing before my eyes, and it consists entirely of cheesy wisdom quotes.

Trey steps down, and starts to walk away. It’s now or never. I step onto the stage just as he’s about to walk through the exit.

“Wait a minute,” I hear myself say.

Trey

I can’t believe it. Sheridan steps up onto the platform, bold as you please. It’s getting a little crowded, but she puts her hands on her hips in a proud Wonder Woman pose. “This isn’t right, and you know it.”

Her father bristles but Alpha Green raises his hand. “Say your piece.”

“Frangelico decided to move here and claim territory. He’s old, he’s powerful, no one can stop him without lots of bloodshed. So far, we’ve had a peaceful treaty. Fight Club had nothing to do with the death, in fact, they were a target. We shouldn’t be shutting it down. We should be defending it. Because we need a place like it. A place that’s neutral where both vampire and shifter can interact. Someone saw the possibility of that, and decided to target it. And if you shut it down, you’re playing right into their hands.”

The room is silent. Alpha Green looks thoughtful, Sheridan’s dad is incensed. But no one will speak until an alpha does.

Garrett steps up and claps a hand on Sheridan’s shoulder. “She’s right. When Fight Club was first set up, I was skeptical. But since it opened, we’ve had less pack violence, both between our members and with other animals. Any shifter with a grievance can go let out steam. And because it’s not claimed by the pack, we’re not responsible to arbitrate or reimburse any deaths.”

Sheridan looks back at her cousin and he jerks his chin up in approval before dropping his hand.

“But it’s not safe,” Sheridan’s dad says. “Any human could walk in there. The authorities are watching closely.”

“So we move it. Or we fly under the radar for a few months. Human fights only. The concept remains. It’s a good one.” Garrett folds his arms over his chest, facing his father. “I don’t like the vampires there any more than you do. But Frangelico isn’t going anywhere. And he didn’t come in and start a war right away. He seems to be willing to deal.”

“Sheridan, I’m surprised at you,” Sheridan’s dad says. Sheridan flinches but doesn’t cower. “I expected you to think more responsibly about things.”

“Hey,” Garrett intervenes. “You sent her to scope the situation. Either you trust her or you don’t.”

Garrett’s dad’s eyebrows go up, and the two stare at each other for a moment. Alpha Green breaks away first, not lowering his gaze. He looks almost proud. “It’s up to you, son. It’s your territory. Phoenix will back you.”

“Fight Club stays open,” Garrett commands. A shout of victory goes up. Someone claps me on the back.

“We’re not done yet,” Tank growls. “We need to solve the crime. Get it sorted with the vampires. Time is running out.”

He and Garrett start giving out orders. Sheridan steps down, becomes one with the crowd. Probably hiding from her dad. I don’t blame her. It took guts for her to stand up to her father.

She’ll be leaving, and it’s for the best. She deserves a good life, one I can’t give her.

On that thought, I hit the exit. Time to get on my bike and ride, clear my head. If by the time I get back, Sheridan’s gone, I’ll know where I stand. At least I’ll have the fight club to focus on. And Mr. Green’s face, the moment his precious little girl grew up and called him on his shit.

“Robson,” someone snarls behind me and I whirl.

Lance Green prowls up, his eyes shifter bright. “Stay away from my daughter.”

I stare down at him. Why was I ever intimidated by this guy? I can just pack up my mom and have her move. She’ll probably be better off in Tucson anyway, away from those snotty wolves.

Mr. Green growls, “If you try to keep her here, I will end you and your pathetic little club. Do you hear me?”

“No.”

A vein practically leaps off his forehead. “What?”

“I said no. Listen, graybeard. Sheridan’s an adult. She makes her own decisions. She made it pretty clear in there, but if you won’t accept it, that’s between you and her. I know you want to protect her, but if you think you threatening me is gonna work this time, you got another think coming.”

“You can’t talk to me this way, you mangy—”

“Shut it.” I stab my finger into the older wolf’s shoulder. He may have seniority, but I’m bigger and stronger and taller and completely done. “Sheridan makes her own decisions. I know she has a good life in Phoenix, and I’m not gonna push her to give it all up for me. But I’m done kowtowing to you. I rolled over once. I’m not going to do it again.” I spin on my boot and stride to my bike.

“How dare you talk to me—”

I growl at him and he stops in his tracks a few feet away. “It’s over. You want to fight it out, get on the schedule at the club. I fight most Fridays.” I start my bike and the engine’s roar rips the air between us. “And one more thing. I hear you threatened my mother again or go after her job at the brewery, I’ll challenge you for dominance.” He whitens at that. A dominance fight would upset the balance of the Phoenix pack, but I don’t care. About time someone knocked him off his pedestal and put his shady dealings on display. “I don’t care how many I have to fight to do it. I’m young and tough and I might just win.” With that, I hit the gas and speed outta there, not bothering to look back.

Sheridan

Garrett is about to wrap up his alpha speech when I see my dad leave, following Trey. That can’t mean anything good. I push my way to the exit, hurrying to the parking lot in time to hear Trey shouting my name.

“Sheridan makes her own decisions. I know she has a good life in Phoenix, and I’m not gonna push her to give it all up for me.” He jabs his finger into my dad’s chest again. “But I’m done kowtowing to you. I rolled over once. I’m not going to do it again.”

What the heck? What does Trey mean? I bite my tongue, hugging the wall.

My father looks insulted, huffing and puffing something as Trey walks away, but Trey is having none of it.

“It’s over. You want to fight it out, get on the schedule at the club. I fight most Fridays.” Trey’s bike cuts on. I jump from the shadows, ready to hustle over and get to the bottom of things, when Trey’s shouted words stop me cold.

“And one more thing. I hear you threatened my mother again or go after her job at the brewery…” The rest of what he says is drowned out by the rushing in my ears.

My father threatened his mother. That’s why Trey cheated. That’s why he broke things off. That’s why he’s getting away again.

“Stop,” I shout, but too late. Trey’s gone, his bike growling up the road. He doesn’t look back. I wouldn’t, if I were him. What have we Greens ever given him but heartache? “No.” I kick a rock against the wall. It’s not satisfying enough. “Fuck,” I spit. That’s better.

“Sheridan.” My dad turns, both stern and placating, ready with another lecture. I can see it on his face.

I am not in the mood. “What the fucking fuck?” I shriek at him.

He jerks back. “See here, young lady—”

“You threatened his mother?” Bootsteps at my back tell me we’re no longer alone.

“Cuz?” Garrett’s voice barely penetrates. I stalk forward, fists balled. I’m not going to hit my father, but he’s about to get a piece of my mind.

“Sheridan—” my dad starts.

“I don’t believe you. I got good grades and followed all the rules, and what do you do? You go after my high school boyfriend? Not only that, but his family? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

My dad steps forward and I push him back. “Leave Trey alone. And his mother! You don’t abuse your power in the pack to tell me who to date! You don’t tell me who to date at all. Or mate, for that matter.” I yank back my shirt collar to show Trey’s mark.

“Sheridan,” someone else says. Alpha Green. I should act submissive and listen to him, but I’m done acting. Real Sheridan is in the house and she is not hiding. I’m as alpha as the rest of them, if I want to be.

“I’m done. I hereby withdraw from the Wolf Ridge pack.” As soon as I’m finished saying the words, I feel something crack inside me, like the pack bonds were hit by a hammer and shattered.

“Sheridan,” my dad says, alarmed. “You can’t—”

“You can’t stop me,” I snarl and stalk towards my Mercedes. Not quite the exit I wanted, driving off in a car my dad gave me, but whatever. I pay insurance and put gas in it; it’s mine.

“Where will you go?” Alpha Green calls. I know he felt the backwash of the blow to my pack bonds.

“Anywhere but Wolf Ridge. Other than that, I don’t know.” Actually, I do know. I’m going to go pack my things, and call Trey and beg him to take me back. I’ll hang out at the fight club. Sleep on the stoop if I have to. Well, there was just a dead body on the stoop, so maybe not that.

I throw the car into gear and peel out of there, and don’t look back. Garrett and his pack probably don’t want me, but it doesn’t matter.

Only Trey matters. I belong to him. Trey is my pack, and my home.

Trey

I roar up the highway, heading out of town. Fuck Tucson anyway.

Something tells me to pull over, so I do. There’s no danger around, so I don’t know what my wolf is telling me, but I pull out my phone and scroll through old messages. There are a bunch from Sheridan, most of them asking me to call back. I listen to each, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words. She sounds crisp and professional, not desperate or weepy. But that’s Sheridan. She’s not about to lose it over a guy. Maybe what we have was really just her reliving her youth, sowing wild oats.

She came out here to do a job, and the job is done. There’s really nothing for her here, except me. But I don’t count. I can’t give her the life she’s meant to live.

“Fuck,” I mutter. I’m tempted to toss the phone, but some instinct stills my head. My wolf is hoping she’ll call us or something.

I slump on my bike. I’d give anything to have her call. I can stop myself from claiming her, if I stay away long enough for her to leave, but if she calls and chooses me, I’m hers.

I’ve always been hers.

Sheridan

The first thing I do when I get home is throw the damn quote calendar in the trash. Wisdom is nice and all, but it’s time I went with my gut.

My next call is to Garrett. He answers on the first ring. “Cuz?”

“I’m requesting asylum with your pack.”

“I figured this was coming.” He sighs. The voices and commotion in the background fades. A door shuts and his voice comes in clearer. “How long?”

“I don’t know. Just…give me a couple of days to get my stuff together. Your pack probably won’t be happy with me staying. Not after I got them all kicked out of Phoenix.” I took a deep breath. “Garrett, I’m so sorry about that… about betraying you and the others. I was just so scared someone was going to get into real trouble, get hurt all over stupid drugs but…” I pause, knowing this wasn’t the first time I’d apologized, but it would be the first time I’d told the complete truth. “When Trey broke up with me, I thought I’d die, but then when he took up with Kaylee… something inside me broke… I broke. I just go so mad. I know that doesn’t excuse what I did, but—”

“Maybe not,” Garrett says slowly. “And I won’t lie and say we weren’t really hurt… we were. But maybe it wasn’t just you. Maybe everything happened as it did because of the fates. If you hadn’t betrayed us, we wouldn’t have been kicked out of the pack. If we weren’t banned, we wouldn’t have come to Tucson and formed a new pack. Our own pack. Most of our members have good lives here. Better, one might argue, than the scraps they would’ve had to fight over in Phoenix. But that doesn’t mean they’ll forgive you as easily as I did. If you try to join my pack, they won’t make it easy on ya.”

“I know. I deserve it.”

“Tell you what, kid. You got asylum as long as you need. As long as you’re on our turf, no one messes with you. But to join our pack you need a sponsor.”

“Sponsor?”

“Yeah. And there’s only one who I trust to look out for you.”

Trey. My heart leaps up, only to plummet. “He’s not talking to me.”

“You stood up to your father and mine tonight. Not to mention handling meets with the vampires. If Trey wants you in, I could use you.”

“Thanks, Cuz.” We end the call and I let the phone drop. Now I just need to find Trey and grovel. And for that I need the right outfit…

There’s a strange scratching on the window, a figure moving in the shadows. I rip the curtain aside and glare at the creepy vampire beyond the glass.

“Nero.” I knew it. Yep, there’s his black car is parked at the curb.

“Hello, little wolf.” He draws his nails down the window and I grit my teeth at the horrible sound. I close the curtain, and open my desk drawer, drawing out a little surprise I have ready.

When I open the door, Nero is waiting.

He pushes back the silky blond curtain of his hair, licking his lips. His fangs flash as he caresses the air between him and me, as if there’s a solid wall keeping him from crossing the threshold. “Little wolf, little wolf, let me come in.”

“Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin,” I say, and have an idea. “But if you tell me who left the dead body at Fight Club, I’ll come out to you.”

Nero raises a brow. “Why do you wish to know?”

“I’m impressed,” I lie. “Lucius is so old he’s practically all powerful. Whoever dares to disobey him must be very strong.”

“Oh I am, lady wolf. I will show you how strong.”

I cock my head to the side. “So it was you?”

“Yes,” he hisses.

“Why?”

“Frangelico is old, but he has forgotten his purpose. Vampires are made to rule. Me and my brethren, we keep the old ways.”

“Brethren?” Dang, there were more of them flouting Lucius’ rules. They hadn’t done much yet, but they were probably only beginning.

“Soon you will know. The world will know.” Nero licks his lips. Did I ever think he was hot? “Now come out, little wolf.”

“Okay. But first”—I twitch aside my bathrobe sleeve, and raise the Glock I bought after I took out a frat boy—“say hello to my little friend,” I quote, and aim for the vampire’s crotch.

Trey

The call comes in right as I’m about to pack up and ride back. Sheridan’s number scrolls across the screen as if I’ve conjured it. In my rush to answer, I almost drop the phone.

“Trey?” Sheridan’s voice wavers, just a little, and I’m on my feet, muscles tight and ready to fight.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” If her father yelled at her, so help me…

“I have a…leech problem.”

I kick up my bike’s kickstand before she’s gotten half her explanation out. “Where are you?”

“At the casita.”

“Stay there. Stay put.”

“I’ve got it mostly under control, I just—”

“Do as I say,” I order, and roll out.

I break a speed record getting back to Sheridan’s place. My motorcycle races through the old barrio, pulling in behind a black sedan that smells of vampire.

Sheridan’s sitting on the stoop in a bathrobe, her eyes vacant.

I go to one knee. “You okay?

“Yeah.” She forces a smile.

“What happened?”

“I had a visitor.” She nods to the dark car parked on the street in front of her house. “I shot him.” Twitching aside a fold of her bathrobe, she uncovers a gun with an extended muzzle.

“Whoa.” I hold out my hand. I want to know what the hell happened, but Sheridan’s acting so weird, probably best to go slow. I pick the pistol up and examine it. It smells funny.

“And no one called the cops?” I glance around but all the houses are dark and silent. No one is squinting through the blinds at their neighbor in a bathrobe, which is good, because they’d also see a big scary biker carrying arms.

“I had a suppressor.”

“I can’t believe this.”

She shrugs. “Speak softly and carry a big gun.”

“All right. Where’s the body?”

“Secured. It’s Nero.”

“You shot a vampire?” Come to think of it, the gun smells like garlic.

“And staked him halfway. It won’t keep him down forever, but it’ll buy us some time.”

“For what?”

She rises and shakes her hair out of her pony tail. “I need to dress, and then I need an escort.”

“Escort?” I blurt. This is all going too fast.

“Yeah.” She pauses on the threshold. “He confessed to killing the fight club victim, so we need to deliver him to Frangelico.”

Before she can disappear into the house, I catch her hand. There’s no time, but I have to say something. “Wait. Sheridan. You’re really okay?”

“I was in shock a little. But now I’m fine. You’re here.” She pecks me on the lips. Again, she starts to go and I tug her back.

“There isn’t time to discuss this now,” I tell her. “But when you were in danger you called me.”

“Yes.”

“You chose me.”

Her expression softens. “Yes.”

I kiss her, and let her go. “Go change. Fast. We’ll talk later.”

She grins and disappears, my little vampire huntress.