Midnight Awakening (Midnight Breed 3)

It wasn't often that Tegan was taken by surprise, but hearing those words coming out of the petite female hit him like a brick to the back of his head. You can't be serious.

But she was. The level look she gave him left no doubt whatsoever.

Behind her, the television screen flashed with a live breaking-news bulletin. A reporter came on, delivering word that a stabbing victim had been discovered a few minutes before:

"...the deceased was found just two blocks away from the train station, yet another killing in what authorities are beginning to suspect is a string of related murders..."

As the report continued, and Elise calmly stared at him from across the room, Tegan's blood ran cold with understanding.

You? he asked, already knowing the answer, incredible as it seemed.

When Elise didn't respond, Tegan stalked over to a footlocker on the floor near the futon. He yanked it open and swore as his eyes lit on a large assortment of blades, guns, and ammunition. A lot of it was still brand-new, but others had been used and had the wear to show for it.

How long, Elise? When did you start this insanity?

She stared at him, her slender jaw held rigid. My son is dead because of the Rogues. Everything I loved is gone because of them, she said finally. I couldn't sit around doing nothing. I won't sit back and do nothing.

Tegan heard the resolve in her voice, but that didn't make him any less pissed off about what was going on here. How many?

Tonight wasn't the first, obviously.

How many times have you done this, Elise?

She said nothing for a very long time. Then she slowly walked over to the bookcase and knelt down to pull out a lidded crate from the bottom shelf. Her gaze on Tegan, she lifted the top and calmly set it aside.

In the bin were more Minion cell phones.

At least a dozen of the damned things.

Tegan dropped his ass onto the futon and raked his fingers through his hair. Holy hell, woman. Have you lost your goddamn mind?

Elise rubbed her palm over her forehead, trying to ease some of the throbbing that was battering her from within. The migraine was coming on fast, bearing down hard. She closed her eyes, hoping to stave the worst of it off. Bad enough she'd been discovered tonight; she didn't need the humiliation of a psychic meltdown that would leave her unable to function, let alone deal with the Breed warrior in her living room. Do you have any idea what you're doing? Tegan's voice, though level and without a hint of anything beyond basic disbelief, boomed into Elise's head like cannon fire. With the box of cell phones in hand, he started pacing off somewhere behind her in the small studio, the sound of his heavy boots on the worn, grubby, low-pile carpet grating in her ears. What the hell are you trying to do, woman, get yourself killed?

You don't understand, she murmured through the drumming of pain behind her eyes. You couldn't...could not possibly understand.

Try me. The words were curt, sharp. A command issued from a powerful male who expected to be obeyed.

Elise slowly got up from her kneel beside the shelving unit and moved to the other side of the room. Each step was a chore she worked hard to disguise, relief coming only when she was able to lean her spine into the wall for some much-needed support. She practically sagged into the acoustic- padded plasterboard, wishing Tegan was gone so she could collapse in private.

This is my own business, she said, knowing he probably heard her shortness of breath, which she was unable to fully conceal. It's personal.

For crissake, Elise. It's fucking suicide.

She flinched at the warrior's profanity, unaccustomed to hearing rough language. Quentin had never uttered anything harsher than an occasional damn in her presence, and then only when he was in the worst of states over frustration with the Agency or restrictive Darkhaven policies. He'd been a perfect gentleman in all ways, gentle even though she knew that as one of the Breed, his strength was immeasurable. Tegan was a crude, deadly contrast to her departed mate--one she'd been raised to fear growing up as a ward of the Darkhavens from the time she was a young girl. To Quentin and the Enforcement Agency he'd been a part of, Tegan and the rest of the Order were considered dangerous vigilantes. To many in the Darkhavens, the warriors were simply a cadre of savage, medieval-minded thugs who'd long outserved their purpose as defenders of the vampire nation. They were merciless--some would say lawless--and even though Tegan had saved her life tonight, Elise couldn't help feeling wary of him, as if there was a wild animal loose in her home.

She watched him thrust his big hand into the box of Minion communication devices, heard the clatter and slide of plastic and polished metal as he inspected the collection.

The GPS chips on these are already disabled. He leveled a narrow, dubious look at her. You knew to shut them off?

She gave a faint nod. I have a teenage son, she replied, then winced as the words left her lips. Lord, it was still so automatic to think of him alive, especially at times like this, when her body was weakened from psychic fatigue. I had a teenage son, she corrected quietly. Camden didn't like me being able to keep tabs on him, so he used to turn off his cell phone's GPS when he went out. I learned how to reactivate it, but he always found me out and shut it back off.

Tegan made a noise in the back of his throat, something low and indistinct. If you hadn't crippled these tracking devices, there's a real good chance you'd be dead by now. Better than good-- it's a fucking certainty. The one who made the Minions you've been hunting would have found you, and you don't want to know what he is capable of.

I'm not afraid of dying--

Dying, Tegan scoffed, cutting her off with a sharp, exhaled curse. Dying would be the least of your worries, female, trust me. You may have gotten lucky with a few careless Minions, but this is war, and you're way out of your league. What happened tonight should be evidence enough of that.

What happened tonight was a mistake I won't make again. I went out too late in the day and took too long. Next time I'll be sure I'm finished and home before nightfall.