With most fledglings, the threat would have been useless. They were too caught up with their cravings, too consumed by the need to explore who they were and what they had become, to understand threat. But Rachel nodded and gulped. Maybe it was the imp in her, giving her the sanity it took most fledglings years to attain.

Nikki slowed and turned into a driveway. There was a man at the gate. She opened her window and spoke to him for several minutes. Michael touched the man's thoughts, erasing all memory of Rachel—just in case Cordell came looking for them. “Runway's lit and ready,” she said, driving on.

"Park nearby and wait.” He turned his attention back to Rachel. “What else can you tell us about Cordell?"

"Nothing. We know nothing."

"How did you meet him, then?” he asked.

Rachel crossed her arms, her look petulant. “We met him on the Internet." He glanced at Nikki . Didn't Matthew meet his abductor via the Net? He didn't mention Elizabeth, though her name hung in Nikki's thoughts. Elizabeth hadn't exactly admitted to being involved—hadn't denied it, either—and her burned hand was an ominous sign. But he wasn't ready to accuse her when they had no definite proof. He owed her that much, at least.

Yes. Nikki's annoyance was a black cloud that stung his mind. And isn't it odd that the link seems to open every time you have a question that can't be asked out loud. You wouldn't happen to be blocking it, would you?

Now is not the time for this, Nikki. He slammed the link closed again, but nevertheless felt the surge of her anger. Ignoring it and her, he looked back to Rachel. “And you became lovers?"

"We were before he turned me."

Meaning, obviously, they were no longer. Why? Did Cordell lose the taste for them once he had turned them? “He must have told you something about himself in the time you were lovers. Where did he live?"

"He had an apartment in The Heights."

"A plane is coming,” Nikki said. She stopped and craned her head out the window. Michael saw the lights beginning to descend. He glanced back at Rachel. “If he could afford to live in The Heights, why is he kidnapping these millionaires?"

She shrugged. “He hates them. He thinks they owe him."

He frowned. “Why would he think they owe him?"

"We don't really know, do we? Probably something to do with his accident."

"Accident? What type—"

"Michael,” Nikki interjected. She was staring out the rear window, and there was fear in her tone, her face, and her thoughts. “He's here. He's somewhere behind us."

"Where, exactly?” He twisted around, searching the night. Light flared behind them, a jagged blue-white beam that cut through the night, heading straight toward them. Fear tightened his gut. “Get out!” He reached across Rachel and thrust open the door. “Get out now!" He pushed Rachel toward the door, saw Nikki dive out, then flung open his door and rolled out. He'd barely hit the ground when the night, and the car, exploded into flame around him.

Chapter Sixteen

Nikki huddled against the ground, nose first in the dirt, her hands over her head and heat searing her back. Chunks thudded into the soil around her, bits and pieces of red-glowing metal, all that remained of the car. The air sizzled, thick with smoke and burning her lungs with every intake of breath. Michael? She twisted around quickly, scanning the fire-drenched night behind her. Here. I'm okay. You?

Relief swept through her. Fine . Even if her ears were ringing so loudly the roaring flames were little more than a whisper of sound. On hands and knees, she crawled farther away from the car and the heat, then sat down and stuck a finger in her ear. It didn't seem to help . I think I've gone deaf, though. Can you see Rachel?

She looked around again and saw the young vampire sprawled ten feet away. A jagged piece of metal poked out of her back. She staggered across to her and felt for a pulse on Rachel's neck. She's injured but alive.

A warning tingled across her skin. She glanced up. Michael stood opposite her, though the shadows were wrapped tightly around him. He was little more than a slight shimmer in the darkness. Fear surged anew. “What's wrong?"

Nothing. Can you sense Cordell any more?

She studied the night for several seconds. Out on the main road, coming from the right, lights approached—the flashing lights of emergency vehicles. How had they gotten there so fast? The ranch owner had obviously called the fire department.

I can't sense him anywhere near. Why aren't you showing yourself?

We have to get Rachel away from here. She's too dangerous, and we won't be able to keep her restrained once the cops get here. Cordell obviously wants her dead, so we have no choice but to save her.

The man at the gate saw her in the car with us—won't he think it a little suspicious ... She hesitated, suddenly remembering the slight wash of power she'd felt before. You erased his memory, didn't you?

It's safer that way—for him and for us. I'll wrap Rachel in shadows and take her over to Doyle. You wait here.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw the small plane taxiing to a halt at the far end of the runway. Will Seline be able to help her?

His shrug was something she felt rather than saw. Probably not. But it's Rachel's only chance. And killing Cordell might be the flame imps’ only chance. She shivered and rubbed her arms. Don't be long.

I won't. Night crawled across Rachel's form, stealing her from sight. Nikki sat back down on the ground, picking bits of grass from her hair and watching the approach of the emergency vehicles. Five minutes passed. The plane lifted off again as the firemen clambered out of their truck and put the fire out. The police began to make noises about sending someone after Michael—at which point, he reappeared, running towards her, his face a mask of fear. He knelt beside her, frantically touching her, kissing her, as if they were true newlyweds and he was assuring himself she was all right. You should have been a damn actor. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close. Not for the sake of the watching police, but because she simply wanted to hold him.

"I was.” His breath brushed warmth past her ear as he whispered, “Remind me to show you the posters one day. I was a Broadway sensation for all of, oh, two weeks." She buried her face against his neck to hide her grin. Rachel?

Safe with Doyle. He'll take her back to Seline and see what can be done. One of the police officers cleared his throat, and the questions began again. It was another twenty minutes before they were able to order a cab and leave.

They headed straight back to the hotel. After explaining what had happened to the rental car—and horrifying the concierge in the process—they headed up to their room. She grabbed her cell phone and called Mary. Jake was still in intensive care, but he was stronger. The doctors were hopeful. Relief coursed through her. She hung up, then flopped back onto the bed and closed her eyes.

"Jake's okay?” Michael asked from near the bar.

"Getting better.” Only time would tell for certain. “Are we safe here, now? If Cordell is behind the kidnappings, he'd have to know we're staying here."

The bed dipped slightly as Michael sat next to her. She opened her eyes and accepted the drink he held out.

"We have no other choice. We can't get on the hotel grounds unless we're guests.” He took a drink, dark eyes thoughtful. “I doubt he'd make a direct assault, not here in the hotel, anyway. But he's forewarned now, and that will make it more dangerous when we head into the caverns."

"He might even leave.” She raised up on one elbow and sipped the drink. She grimaced. Too much bourbon for her taste buds.

"He has a very nice setup here, and I doubt he'd leave unless he thought it was absolutely necessary. As yet, we haven't provided much of a threat."

True. And he had the safety of numbers on his side as well. “What are we going to do, then?" He leaned forward and picked grass from her hair. “Do you feel up to entering the caverns tonight?" She licked her lips. After witnessing what Cordell was capable of, she sure as hell didn't want to go anywhere near him. “What about your burns? Shouldn't you rest?" His smile made her heart do strange things again. “You have to stop thinking of me in human terms." He undid his shirt and showed her. The blisters had already disappeared, and his skin was only slightly pink.

"Amazing,” she said, running her fingers lightly across his chest. “You're not even going to scar."

"No. One of the few advantages of being a vampire.” He caught her hand and brushed a kiss across her fingers. “I can go into the caverns alone, if you wish."

"It'll take you too long to pinpoint Matthew.” Besides, his ex was prowling around down there somewhere. Alone was the one thing he was not going to be the next time he met her. Trusting him was one thing, trusting her was another matter entirely. “But won't Cordell be expecting such a move?"

"I doubt whether he'd expect it so soon. If we wait, we give him the chance to fortify his defenses."

"I wish I had my knives with me.” She might be able to protect herself with kinetic energy, but she still felt a whole lot safer with the weight of a knife in her hand. Which was no doubt a hang-up from her days on the streets, when the obvious protection of a knife did more for her safety than the unseen threat of energy. She gulped down the rest of the bourbon and shuddered. “Ready when you are." He rose from the bed and offered his hand. She accepted his help and found herself pulled into his embrace. “You will do as I ask down there, won't you?” His expression was a mix of amusement and worry. “You're not going to wander off alone, are you?"

She grinned. “I always do what I'm told. You know that."

"That's exactly why I'm asking.” His voice was dry.

Grin widening, she raised on her toes and wrapped her hands around his neck. His eyes were dark jewels that sparkled with caring, his mouth a breath away, warm and inviting. Too inviting to resist—so she didn't. His arms tightened around her waist, and the kiss deepened, sending ripples of pleasure pulsating through her until her need for him became an ache so fierce she wanted to scream. But her timing, as ever, was wrong.

He pulled away, his breath ragged, brushing heat across her skin. “If I wasn't what I am,” he said softly.

“If I didn't do what I do for a living—"

He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to. “If you weren't a vampire and hadn't come to Lyndhurst, I would be dead. But you saved my life and made me a part of you forever.” She cupped a hand against his cheek, staring into the dark eyes that she loved. “I want to share your life, Michael, and I'm not going to give up the hope that one day I will. No matter what you say or do." He sighed, his thoughts as troubled as his expression. “Nikki—" She pressed a finger against his lips. “Just think about it. That's all I'm asking."

"I have spent the last six months thinking about nothing else."

"Then think about the fact that my life is also filled with danger and death. Think about Jake, lying in the hospital, and how easily it could have been me. The woman in the warehouse sensed your life force in me and, no doubt, knew how to kill me. The danger in my life won't stop just because you're not a part of it."

"Maybe,” he murmured. He brushed the hair from her eyes then kissed her forehead and stepped away.

“But I know for a certainty it will increase should you become a part of my world. You mean too much to me to take such a risk."

Then they were at an impasse—again. Yet the flame of hope flared brighter in her soul. The more they talked about it, the more she could make him see she knew and accepted the risks that were such a major part of his life.

She walked over to her bag and dug out the small flashlight she'd packed, then picked up Matthew's watch. Images teased the outer reaches of her mind, flashes of color and emotions that sent chills running down her spine. There was something very wrong in the taste of those images—something dark and deadly. She licked her lips and glanced at Michael. “Ready when you are."

"Keep close,” he warned again, and offered his hand.

Right now, she had no intention of doing anything else. She wrapped her fingers in the safety of his and followed him from the room.

* * * *

They entered the tunnels from the ledge entrance they'd discovered earlier. Nikki eyed the darkness warily, fear stirring in the pit of her stomach. With no sunlight to warm or guide them, and the heat of the day still seeping from the rocks, they might have been entering hell itself. And she couldn't shake the sudden feeling that hell was what would greet them further in. Michael squeezed her hand. The link flared to life, and warmth wrapped around her, a cocoon of strength and courage.

Why? she asked. Why block her, and why open it now?

I cannot sense anyone near, but we dare not make much sound. Better to use the link than talk. That wasn't what I asked.

No. His sigh was a cool breeze that tempered the warmth in the link. The link strengthens every time we use it.

That might be true, but she suspected the real reason he kept the link blocked most of the time was because, with the link open, he could not hide behind words. She could see the truth in the color of the emotions flowing from his thoughts to hers.

Meaning, the more you use it, the less you'll be able to block me?

He hesitated, then answered almost reluctantly. Yes.

She grinned. At least I now know where the next line of assault should be. You're incorrigible. His amusement shimmered around her. I'm also headstrong and stubborn and very bad-tempered in the mornings before I get my coffee. And I'm in love with the most muleheaded man I have ever met in my entire life. And he loves you, even if he doesn't want you in his life. She stopped dead, pulling him to a halt as well. That's the first time you've actually said you loved me. Why couldn't he have said it while they were in their room, when she could see him, see his eyes?