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thought every time I pulled the leather out of my
closet. But you ask any Harley rider who s
experienced road rash, and he ll explain why he
wears leather. Because it works. Steel can slice,
and bullets can pierce. Leather makes those
things a little harder to get through.
I pulled a longish, flowy, gray tank top from
the closet and paired that with the leather pants,
then pulled my hair into a high ponytail, leaving a
fringe of bangs across my forehead. I skipped the
Cadogan medal I was attempting to fly
undercover, after all but I pulled a long
necklace made of strands of pewter-colored
beads over the tank. With my black boots, the
ensemble looked half-runway, half party girl. It
didn t scream vampire soldier, which I figured
could only help. Element of surprise, and all that.
I slid my dagger, inscribed on one end with my
position, into my right boot, then stuck my phone
and beeper into a tiny clutch purse. I wouldn t
take the purse or the beeper to the event, but at
least I wouldn t have to carry a handful of
gadgets to the car. En masse, they weren t
exactly ergonomic.
I d just added blush and lip gloss when there
was a knock at the door. Luc, I assumed, having
been sent upstairs by Ethan for a last-minute
strategy session.
About time, I said, pulling the door open.
Green eyes stared back at me. Ethan hadn t
sent Luc upstairs; he d come on his own. He
scanned my outfit. Date night?
I m trying to fit in with the rest of the
partygoers, I reminded him.
So I see. You ve got weapons?
A dagger in my boot. Anything else would be
too obvious.
The emotion was clear in his eyes, but I
needed to stay focused. I kept my voice neutral,
my words careful. I ll be safe. And Noah will
have my back.
Ethan nodded. I ve updated Luc. The guards
are all on standby. If you call, they come
running, immediately. If you need anything, you
call one of them. If anything happens to you
I m immortal, I interrupted, reminding him
of the biological clock he d stopped from ticking.
And I have no interest in taking liberties with
my immortality.
He nodded, regret in his eyes. That look made
it seem he was seeking a discussion between two
lovers, not between boss and employee. Maybe
he did have feelings for me. Real ones, unbound
by obligation or position. But even if I was
interested in pursuing that lead, now was not the
time. I had a task to perform.
But before I could remind him of that and send
him on his way, he cupped my face in his hands.
You will be careful. It was an order that
brooked no argument. That was convenient,
since words failed me.
You will be careful, he repeated, and you
will stay in touch with me, Luc, or Catcher.
Darius will be here, so Malik and I may be
indisposed. Get in contact with whomever you
can. Take no unnecessary risks.
I promise I wasn t planning on it. Not
because you asked me to, I hastily added, but
because I like being alive.
He clearly wasn t dissuaded, and stroked my
jawline with his thumb. You can run. You can
keep running to the ends of the earth. But I won t
be far behind you.
Ethan
No. I will never be far behind you. He
tipped up my chin so that I could do nothing else
but look back into his eyes. Do the things you
need to do. Learn to be a vampire, to be a
warrior, to be the soldier you are capable of
being. But consider the possibility that I made a
mistake I regret and that I ll continue to regret
that mistake and try to convince you to give me
another chance until the earth stops turning.
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my
forehead, my heart melting even as my more
rational side harbored suspicions.
No one said love was easy, Sentinel.
And then he was gone and the door was closed
again, leaving me standing there, dumbfounded,
staring at it.
What was I supposed to do with that?
CHAPTER SEVEN
MORE HUMAN THAN
HUMAN
The Chicago Water Tower sat like a
wedding-cake topper in the middle of
Magnificent Mile. It had survived the Great Fire,
and now it served as a symbol of the city and a
background for tourist photographs.
Jonah leaned against the stone railing beside
the steps into the building in trim jeans and a
silvery button-up, his gaze on the phone in his
hands. His hair was loose around a face that
might have been carved by Michelangelo
himself if Michelangelo had sculpted a man
who had looked like an Irish god. Perfect
cheekbones, thin nose, square jaw, and long
almond-shaped blue eyes framed by locks of his
auburn hair.
Yes, Jonah was plenty handsome, even with
the dour expression that marred his face when he
looked up. He tucked the phone into a pocket
and moved closer. I watched him look me over,
taking in the leather and debating whether I d be
a help or a hindrance on this particular escapade.
You re early, he said.
I reminded myself to pick my battles. I prefer
early to late. I thought we might want to talk
strategy before we go in.
He gestured down Michigan toward the river.
Let s walk and talk.
And so we started down Michigan Avenue,
two tall and welldressed vampires, probably
looking like we were on a date instead of
planning to infiltrate a vampire blood orgy. And
we looked normal enough, apparently, that no
one made us out as vamps. Ah, the benefits of
nightfall.
How many vamps? I asked him.
I don t know. Raves are pretty intimate
affairs, so if this is one, not many.
If you found the phone with the invite at
Benson s, are you thinking it belonged to a Grey
House vamp?
Jonah glowered. I m hoping, for the sake of
the Grey House vamps, that it didn t. But as you
said, the bar has an open-door policy, and we
generally keep its House affiliation a secret. So it
could have belonged to anyone.
I nodded. Have you always been in Grey
House?
I have not. I was born Rogue. Grew up in a
rough part of Kansas City. Not the easiest place
to come of age. I almost didn t make it out. And
then along came Max.
He s the one who made you a vampire?
He was. He helped me escape a bad scene.
Well, to the extent inheriting vampire politics and
drama is an escape.
I can relate.
I figured. No offense, but Sullivan s as
political as they come.
I laughed aloud. Truer words have never
been spoken. He s a good Master. Cares deeply
about his House. But to the exclusion of all
else, I silently added.
And you two ?
I cut off the question. Most of the Cadogan
vamps knew Ethan and I had shared a night
together, so it didn t come as much of a surprise
that Jonah, member of an espionage group, did,
too. But while I appreciated that he was giving
me the opportunity to clarify, it irked me that he
assumed I d be a liability, emotionally or
otherwise. Starting off with a clean slate would
have been nice.
We are not an item, I assured him.
Just checking. I like to get a line on any
possible complications that might spill my way.
None from this end, I assured him. Much to
Ethan s disappointment.
We separated as a flock of teenagers bounded
down Michigan. It was two in the morning, and
the stores were long since closed, but it was also
a summer night and school hadn t yet started. I
suppose wandering Michigan Avenue was a
relatively safe activity if you were a teenager
with too much time on your hands.
Anyway, Max was a vampire with Master-
worthy power, but no House. The GP considered
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