"Could be." After all, who knew what fate had planned? Certainly not me. Not after all the shit she kept heaping my way.
The car park Jack had chosen had once been an old office building that had been converted to try and cope with the ever-growing number of cars coming into the city. The building was thin and narrow, and smelled of exhaust fumes, petrol, and wet mustiness. I wrinkled my nose. "Where is he parked?"
"Tenth floor. And the lifts are out."
"Great."
"Why don't you park your pretty butt right here, and I'll go fetch them?" Kade suggested.
I shared a glanced with my brother. Rhoan had his cell phone and could have easily called Jack down, but hey, who was I to stop a man eager to please? "Go for your life."
He ran off. The two of us enjoyed the sight, then Rhoan said, "Making any man run ten flights is just plain mean."
"He's fit enough," I said mildly. "Besides, that's what he gets for being dishonest."
He crossed his arms and leaned back against a railing. "So, did you learn anything useful?"
"Yes." Somewhere in the dark and distant bowels of the parking lot, a door squeaked. My gaze searched the shadows, seeing nothing out of place. So why was unease suddenly prickling across my skin? I frowned and glanced at Rhoan. "Can you smell anything?"
He raised his nose slightly, sniffing the odious air. "Besides car fumes and mold, you mean?"
I nodded and rubbed my arms. It suddenly seemed cooler in the car park - or was that simply my imagination? The feeling that something was out there in the dark, watching us?
"Not really." He hesitated. "Well, there is something - but I can't place it."
"I think perhaps we'd better start walking up toward the van." I scanned the shadows again. "I don't like the feel of this place all of a sudden."
He nodded, and touched my elbow, lightly guiding me toward the up ramp.
That's when I heard it.
The slight scrape of claws against concrete.
I froze. So did my brother.
"It came from the right," he said softly. "From near the other ramp."
I flicked to infrared, and the shadows leapt into focus. And there, deep under the cover of the ramp, was a familiar hunched shape.
My mouth went dry. "Orsini."
"Ugly-looking suckers, aren't they?" Rhoan commented. "How fast are they?"
"Very."
"So if we run, it's likely to catch us?"
"Yep."
"One option out, then."
I looked at him. "Have you got a gun?"
He shook his head. "Couldn't carry it into the club, and didn't bother grabbing one afterward."
"That's slack. What if someone tried to snatch me?"
"They wouldn't have gotten far. Trust me on that." His expression became somewhat grim. "So, I guess we're left with dhampire strength versus orsini."