Midnight Awakening (Midnight Breed 3)

Hello, Elise said, offering her hand. A pleasure to meet you.

Likewise, came the accented purr in reply. Elise's fingers were gripped in a firm yet feminine hold that echoed the confidence gleaming in Helene's dark eyes. That self-assured gaze slid in Tegan's direction and politely feigned unfamiliarity, a gesture that seemed for Elise's benefit. Hello and welcome to Aphrodite. Both of you.

Good to see you again, Helene, Tegan said, his tone cutting through all pretense. Reichen tells me you have some intel.

Yes, I do.

The woman picked up on Tegan's all- business tone and reached for a laptop computer that sat on her desk. She opened it and typed something on the keyboard. Behind her, one of the wall-mounted video screens went black, then came back on with a freeze-framed surveillance image of a man seated at the club's bar downstairs. The scar down the Minion's face identified him instantly.

That's him, Elise said. She could still feel his punishing hands on her, could still hear his ugly thoughts ringing in her ears.

He came here only a few times. He was a prick, very nasty to the girls. I banned him a couple of months ago. It wasn't until later that I heard rumors of his involvement in the blood clubs. Helene glanced over at Elise. You were lucky today. I'm glad you gave him some pain.

Elise didn't feel any pride in what she'd done. But more than that, she inwardly shuddered at the mention of blood clubs. They were all but unheard of in Boston for many decades, due mostly to the Enforcement Agency's crackdown on the illegal operations. Quentin had especially despised them as little better than organized sport where humans were the captive playthings of twisted members of the Breed. To think that she and Irina had been in arm's reach of one of the suppliers for that kind of activity put a chill in her marrow.

Tegan's hard gaze on her now told her that he didn't like the idea any more than she did. Do you have any leads on the area's clubs? Anything on this guy's associates, or someone who might know his name or where to find him?

Helene nodded and typed something else into the laptop. I have cultivated a few close friends among the police. Not surprisingly, this Minion is no stranger to the law. She walked over to a laser printer behind her desk and retrieved a sheet of paper as it came out of the machine. I was able to get his most recent arrest record, which contains his name and last known address.

Beautiful and resourceful, Reichen said approvingly as Helene passed the report to Tegan. Elise watched Tegan drink in every detail of the report, his eyes narrowed, calculating. He glanced over at Reichen. Will you see Elise back to the Darkhaven?

Of course. It will be my pleasure.

What are you going to do, Tegan? Even as she asked the question, she knew his intentions. He was going out to kill the Minion who'd attacked her. She could see the warrior side of him locking in to place, its sights fixed on the target with deadly focus. Tegan, just...be careful.

He met her gaze for a long moment, then looked again to Reichen. Get her out of here. I'll meet you back at the Darkhaven when it's finished.

Elise wanted to throw her arms around him, but Tegan was already stalking toward the elevator, a solitary warrior with a single purpose. This was who he was, who he would always be.

She closed her eyes as he stepped inside the waiting car and the polished brass doors closed behind him. Her senses tracked him as he descended, her blood link to him warm and alive in her veins. It was the only part of him she could truly hold on to; she wasn't sure he would ever let her close enough to have anything more.

Chapter Twenty-six

Tegan crouched low on a rooftop, his eyes trained on a light-filled, curtainless window in the building next to him. The Minion had been on his cell phone for the past fifteen minutes. Judging from the speed his lips were moving and the look of worry on his distorted face, it appeared he was in the process of trying to talk his way out of some pretty serious shit. No doubt his Master was on the other end of the line, getting the unhappy news that his orders hadn't been executed quite as planned.

Tegan's mouth quirked as he watched the Minion squirm and pace his filthy, rathole apartment. The human's neck was bound with thick gauze, a spot of blood coming through the white bandage where Elise had stuck the bastard. His bare chest was similarly doctored up and from the way he was clutching at his ribs as he spoke, Tegan guessed he was probably sporting a perforated lung as well.

Next to him, on a coffee table cluttered with porn magazines and empty beer bottles, was a blood-soaked shirt and open boxes of medical supplies. More cotton gauze, white surgical tape, even a used roll of suture filament and a bent sewing needle. Evidently he'd been busy with a little do-it-yourself first aid after he fled Irina Odolf 's place that day.

Wasted effort, Tegan thought with grim satisfaction as the Minion abruptly ended his call and threw the cell phone down onto the table.

He disappeared into another room, then came out a second later, gingerly shrugging into a flannel shirt. He buttoned up, shoved the phone into the pocket of his jeans, then grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

Tegan was already on the pavement below by the time the Minion exited his building. He stepped into the human's path and shoved the guy back with a sharp mental command.

What the hell! The Minion's look of annoyance quickly bled into one of alarm when Tegan flashed him his fangs. Oh, shit!

He pivoted to run back into the building, but Tegan blocked him faster than the human's eyes could follow. He reached out and grabbed the Minion by the throat, closing his fingers around the thick neck.

Aagh! the Minion cried, struggling and wheezing against the sudden choke hold.

Yeah, that probably hurts, Tegan said coolly. He squeezed harder, increasing pressure to allow only the smallest bit of air to pass into the Minion's lungs. Had a little trouble in town today, did you?

Let...go...

Tegan's touch told him of the Minion's recollection of what happened at Irina Odolf 's place. He read the Minion's anger, his surprise at Elise's retaliation, his disgusting intent to make her suffer for it deeply, had she not been able to get away from him.

Who sent you after her? Tegan demanded, all but certain on his own, but needing to hear it. Who's your Master, you sick fuck?