I smiled, batting my eyelids. “I’m just special like that.”

He chuckled, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth. “You are to me.”

When his smile faltered, I knew he was thinking about Evan again. “So what are your thoughts on what to do next?” I sensed that Jared needed to run this show, needed to feel as in control of it as possible. I’d offer my suggestions when necessary, but I’d let him take the lead.

“I’m thinking we need to speak to someone who knows about viruses. Yeah, I know this isn’t a virus, but it’s something similar. Maybe if we know more about how they work, how antiviruses are developed, we might get an idea of how best to approach this situation.”

That wasn’t bad as ideas went.

“So we should kidnap a human scientist.”

Not such a good idea.

“Obviously we won’t let them meet the guys or reveal that we’re not human,” he continued as we rinsed off the last of the soap from both our bodies. “But we can pick at the scientist’s brain for as long as it takes to come up with something.”

“Or we could just find and talk to one. The whole ‘kidnapping’ part could be optional.”

As if he realised that his plan was slightly on the dark side, he groaned at himself. “I’m just worried about Evan, Max, and Stuart.”

“You won’t particularly care if it turns out that Cristiano is tainted as well, will you?”

He shrugged, turning off the spray and stepping out of the shower. “If he is, I’ll simply think of it as karma for ogling my mate and constantly giving me smug smirks because he knows how you taste.”

Yeah, that had been pretty mean. As we patted each other dry, I said, “Still, it wouldn’t be fair to Ava to let her brother die simply because we think he’s a dickhead.”

After a pause, he inclined his head, conceding that. “I noticed you were right about her – she sure can fight. Who the f**k trained her? Jackie Chan?”

“Her gift is muscle memory. It’s a little like having a photographic memory. Whereas someone with a photographic memory can remember in detail anything they’ve seen, Ava can perfectly replicate any move she’s ever seen.”

“So all she has to do to learn combat is watch how other people fight and play some Kung Fu movies? Cool gift. Did you notice that Salem?” He cut himself off on hearing a heavy knock on the front door. “It could be someone with news about Evan.”

Thanks to vampire speed, we were dressed and at the front door in less than ten seconds. The squad – minus Max and Stuart, of course – Ava, Cristiano, and Fletcher all piled in. Each of them looked a mixture of confused, devastated, and pissed off. So Cristiano wasn’t tainted then. I would bet that had greatly disappointed Jared, but I wouldn’t wish the possible fate of Evan, Max, and Stuart on anyone.

Fletcher pulled me into a hug. “Luv, I’m so glad you’re all right. I was with Antonio when he briefed the squad on The Reaper’s Call. I swear my heart skipped at least four beats.” Like me, Fletcher was British, and I loved him to bits. But he was also a bloody drama queen – even Norm agreed on that. He addressed both Jared and me as he added, “You must be a bag of nerves right now. I know I am. Poor Evan. And the others of course, but Evan…I’ve always had a soft spot for him. No doubt you have a plan of action. I’m eager to hear it.”

He squeezed himself between David and Damien on the sofa. Reuben had perched himself on one arm of the sofa while Chico perched himself on the arm that Jared had bent me over not so long ago. I had to fight a smile, and I saw that Jared was doing the same.

“Antonio put Evan, Max, and Stuart into a containment cell.” Chico traced his goatee. “They’re not pleased about it, but they understand.”

The containment cells were located beneath the large mansion and made of unbreakable glass. A cell was, therefore, the best place to put Evan, Max, and Stuart, but I still couldn’t help balking at the idea of them locked up like that.

“Antonio’s news scared the crap out of all of us,” continued Chico. “I’d never even heard of The Reaper’s Call before. Have you?”

I shook my head. My attention went to Cristiano and Ava, who were clearly devastated to know that their vampires had fallen victim to The Call and died in those tunnels. Ava was cuddling herself while Denny kept a comforting arm over her shoulders. I couldn’t help but notice that Salem, who was standing behind them with Cristiano, was scowling at Denny’s comforting arm. As if he sensed someone looking at him, Denny turned his head. When he saw the expression on his fellow squad member’s face, his eyes widened. Denny looked from Salem to a totally clueless Ava and back again, and then abruptly dropped his arm. Salem simply grunted in what could have been satisfaction. He wasn’t an easy one to read.

“Antonio said that you and Jared are planning to search for a way to help them.” Ava’s voice was surprisingly strong, considering she looked like a small wind could knock her on her arse. “Do you really think you can find one?”

“No other outcome is acceptable,” Jared told her. His confidence seemed to reassure her, because she visibly gathered herself and released a cleansing breath.

Leaning against the wall beside Butch, Harvey asked, “Where are you starting your search?”

“Our plan is to learn as much about viruses as we possibly can,” replied Jared.

David arched a brow. “It’s a virus?”

“No, but it follows the same logic as one. Hopefully we can learn something from a scientist who specializes in viruses.”

Salem pursed his lips. “And if we don’t?”

“Then we look elsewhere. And we keep looking until we find answers of some kind.”

Cristiano suddenly piped up. “Ava and I would like to come with you.”

When Jared opened his mouth – most likely to object, just like Salem appeared ready to do – Ava quickly spoke, “You lot must all know how my brother and I are feeling right now. If we help defeat The Call, it will be like getting vengeance for what happened to our vampires. You’d want to do the same in our position.”

Jared exhaled heavily. “Fine.” Salem didn’t look pleased by the decision and was frowning at Ava’s back.

“Well then,” began Butch, “let’s go find ourselves a scientist.”

“Wait a minute.” We all turned our attention to Fletcher. “Now tell me if I’m overstepping my boundaries here by interfering” – like he really cared about boundaries – “but wouldn’t it be much simpler to talk to Bran’s Heir?”

I cocked my head. “Bran’s Heir?”

“Harry Covington was a doctor during his human life. It’s different from a scientist, I know. But surely he’ll know something about viruses that could help you.” Seeing that everyone was staring at him, wide eyed, Fletcher squirmed under the attention. “What?”

He, a PA, had come up with a better plan than two commanders and a squad from the legion – that was ‘what’. “Fletch, have I ever told you how much I love you?”

He gave me a playfully scathing look. “Not often enough, but I try not to take it personally.”

Jared, who was filled with a newfound enthusiasm, turned to me. “We might have to return to the whole kidnapping plan. Bran isn’t going to want us visiting Covington, knowing we’ve been in contact with people who are tainted. He won’t risk it in case any of us are tainted too.”

“Again, though, the kidnapping part can be optional. I say we just ask Antonio if we can join in on the teleconference.” Ridiculously, they all looked disappointed that no one would be being kidnapped. Unreal.

CHAPTER FOUR

(Sam)

It took a while for Antonio to finish the teleconference. Once it was over, he asked Bran to remain on the line and then invited Jared and I to sit beside him in front of one of the TVs. Thankfully, Bran granted us some time with his Heir, and soon we were looking at the surprisingly attractive face of Harry Covington. I’d been expecting someone who looked much older. Harry couldn’t have been much more than twenty-five when he was Turned.

Clearly anxious for answers, Jared didn’t bother with pleasantries. “What can you tell us about viruses?”

Harry looked taken aback by the question but shrugged. “Put simply, they’re strands of DNA or RNA covered by a protein coating.”

Admittedly, that made no sense whatsoever to me. Science had never been my strong point.

When Jared waved his hand in a ‘carry on’ gesture, Harry squinted. “This is about The Call, isn’t it? You think it’s like a virus.”

“It seems to be similar.”

“That’s what I thought in the beginning. I was wrong.”

I arched a brow. “You’ve been in contact with people who were tainted?”

“No, but I’ve researched it. As you can imagine, it intrigued the medic in me. It’s in my nature to want to treat something, to cure it. I’ve done my best to understand The Call over the centuries. What I’ve learned isn’t good.”

Beside me, Antonio softly cursed.

Gritting his teeth, Jared urged, “Go on.”

“My opinion is that it’s entirely different from a virus. You see, viruses aren’t alive, but nor are they dead. They exist somewhere in between. In effect, they’re parasites. Without a host or a group of host cells, they can’t thrive or survive. The Call, however, is very much alive.”

That didn’t sound good. “What do you mean by ‘alive’?”

“Not alive as you or I know it. It isn’t a biological organism. In fact, it’s not at all tangible. The Call could be described as incorporeal venom. It travels into the blood, contaminating it, polluting it. It is nothing you could see, nothing you could fight, because it has no physical properties. It doesn’t attach itself to cells, doesn’t use us as a host – it simply ‘visits’ us, doing a circuit through our blood and tainting our system as it does so. That’s why it wouldn’t be possible to treat The Call in the same way that humans treat a virus.”

And there went Jared’s optimism. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “In other words, there’s no point in looking for a counteragent.”

“No.”

“So, we’re f**ked.”

Harry’s eyes slid away. “Well…”

Jared straightened in his seat. “What?”

“There is someone who might be able to help your vampires. She wouldn’t be able to come up with some kind of counteragent, but it’s possible that she could help the tainted.”

“Who?” Jared and Antonio asked in unison.

“Her name is Paige West, and she’s a Keja vampire who is part of my line. Her gift…She can heal, but she’s not a healer.”

Frowning, I shook my head. “I’m not following.”

“Her gift is actually offensive. If you were to harm her, she could take her pain or her injury and give it to you, and it would be three times worse when revisited onto you. Her gift is more about inflicting pain and avenging herself than about healing.”

Well. Call me odd, but I found that gift kind of intriguing. It was pretty much a karma-like gift, and I was a big believer in tit for tat.

“And she can do that for others?” asked Jared.

“Yes, she can take their pain or injury, but she must have someone to give it to. Without that, the hurt will almost instantly return to the person it came from. I imagine it would work on tainted vampires. But I can’t be sure.”

“We’ll take our chances.” Jared shrugged. “At this point, we have nothing to lose anyway.”

And if there was even the slightest chance that she could help Evan, Max, and Stuart, then Paige West was now my new best friend. “Where do we find her?”

Harry gave us a grim smile. “That’s the tricky part. Nobody actually knows where Paige is.”

Well, crap.

“She doesn’t particularly enjoy this life and has cut herself off from all vampirekind?” asked Antonio. It wasn’t an uncommon thing.

“No. It was, in fact, her decision to Turn. Her Sire sent her on an assignment – I’m not sure exactly what it was – but instead of coming back with the information he wanted, she killed the vampire who had the information. After that, she disappeared, along with the information, and no one has been able to find her.”

Well great. Just great.

“Surely her Sire has a vague idea of her location,” insisted Jared.

“Possibly, but I’m not certain.”

Antonio tilted his head. “Who is her Sire?”

“His name is Robert Langley. I can give you his contact details.” After consulting his smartphone, he rattled off an address and a cell number. Jared entered it all into his cell phone while Antonio scribbled it down onto a piece of paper. “Warning, Robert’s not the most pleasant of people.”

“That’s okay.” Jared smiled, looking a little evil, to be honest. “Neither am I.”

Antonio briefly bowed his head at Harry. “You have been a huge help, Covington. I appreciate it.”

Jared nodded. “Yeah, thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Even if you find Paige, it won’t be easy to convince her to help you because she clearly wishes to be left alone.”

Jared’s evil smile widened. “Don’t worry about us finding a way to make Paige cooperate. We can be very persuasive.”