Chasing the Shadows (Nikki & Michael 3)

"Then don't go back. Run for it."

"You don't know these people..."

He gave a final twist and shattered her hold on him. Agony locked her mind tight, and she fell to her knees, fighting tears and the red tide of pain threatening to engulf her. She wrapped her fingers around the remaining stake and thrust it out in front of her, knowing it would be as useless as a toothpick against a snake.

But the young vampire didn't attack.

He ran for the window and the sunlight instead.

"Don't—"

The rest of her words were lost in the shattering of glass. She scrambled to her feet and staggered over to the window. The vampire's body became flame the minute he fully hit the sunlight, and the fire consumed him with a fierceness that turned her stomach. There was nothing left of him but black dust by the time he hit the pavement.

"What the hell has been going on here?” Jake said from behind her. The cavalry has arrived. But too late, as usual. An insane desire to laugh bubbled through her, but what came out was more a sob. She slid down the wall and closed her eyes.

"Nik? What happened? Are you all right?” Jake knelt beside her and touched her arm. She flinched, and he cursed.

"You're bleeding. Henry, get the hotel doctor up here immediately." She opened her eyes a slither and saw a big man in an official-looking black and gold uniform walk over to the phone. Henry, obviously. “Are all the exits in this hotel guarded?” she murmured. Jake frowned. “Yes. Why?"

"Because a vampire just waltzed into my room and attacked me with a very large knife he'd stuck down the leg of his jeans."

Jake glanced quickly at the man on the phone and lowered his voice to ask, “Are you sure?"

"Sure that it was a vampire?” She forced a smile and rubbed her forehead with her good hand. “Oh yeah, I'm sure. If you look down at the pavement below this window, you'll see his dust."

"Did he say anything?"

"Other than they wanted me dead, no."

"The doc's on his way,” Henry said as he put the receiver back down. “And I called the cops." Jake cursed under his breath. “Thanks, Henry. Do you mind standing guard outside the door until the police arrive?"

The big man nodded and headed for the door.

"He knew my name, Jake,” she said when Henry had disappeared. “It was no mistake." "But you're not registered here under your name—only as my guest. How the hell did they even know you were here? You'd barely arrived.">"Good.” He stopped at the desk and signed her in.

"There's a message for you, Mr. Morgan.” The receptionist handed him a slip of paper along with the room keys.

Jake scanned the note quickly and grinned as he handed it across. “Looks like you might be celebrating Christmas with Michael after all."

Her hands were actually trembling as she took the paper and read it. I'll be there by ten, it said. Tell Nikki not to do anything until I arrive. Disappointment, and just a little anger, shot through her. She crushed the paper into a ball and tossed it into the nearby waste basket. Why hadn't he left something for her? He knew she was here—even a

“can't wait to see you again” would have been nice.

She forced a smile and glanced up at Jake. “Let's go up and meet your friend." He frowned, blue eyes concerned. “You sure you don't want to wait for Michael?"

"Do you think we can afford to?"

"Well, no, but—"

"No buts,” she said with a smile. “Besides, all I'm going to do is see if I can trace her through her possessions. It won't make a difference if he's here or not." Which was not exactly the truth, especially if her abilities took her into this woman's mind and made her share her experiences. Michael had once warned her she could lose herself if she wasn't very careful. So doing this alone, when he wasn't there to pull her out, was more than just a little dangerous. But she wasn't about to tell Jake that.

He still looked doubtful, but guided her toward the elevator. “If the Feds are still with Mark, it might be wise to try to find Dale in your room."

"It might be better to do that anyway,” she commented as the doors closed. “The Feds certainly won't want us involved in the case.” And she certainly didn't want them walking into the middle of everything—especially if things went wrong.

Jake nodded. “In that case, I'll escort you to your suite, then go and collect the items you'll need from Mark."

"Good,” she said, despite the sliver of unease that curled through her stomach. They stopped on the top floor and got out. The golden theme from the lobby was extended here, lending the long corridor warmth. Flowers cascaded over tables in corner nooks, and palms sat either side of the elevator doors, their fronds waving gently in the breeze of air conditioning.