.Chapter Five .

Deven was happy to be back home. Quinn had been far too silent for the whole return trip. He and Zeven had talked a little during the drive and flight but mostly it had been four hours of boredom.

Which had left him feeling even more stressed than if they'd actually had someone to fight.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the moment they were in the door, Zeven bailed to be with his mate and Quinn locked himself up in his office.

He headed for the kitchen. At least he could grab some food. He'd expected the large kitchen to be empty but instead Tess was at the sink washing dishes and Joseph was slouched over the kitchen island, head resting on his folded arms.

Tess motioned him to be quiet and then waved him over to the sink. "Try the cookies. They are amazing." The words were whispered.

He snagged one from the tray next to Joseph. The first bite confirmed her opinion. Snickerdoodle and one of the best he'd ever tasted. He leaned against the counter beside Tess and polished off three more. "You made these?"

"Hell no. That was Joseph."

"Wow." If the kid could do that well with food that he didn't even need anymore… "We need to keep him here."

"Yeah. For completely selfish reasons. But yeah." He snagged two more. "Did we miss anything exciting?"

"Yeah, I think I've got a lead on the new vamp."

"Already?" She was too much. "Guess that means we'll be heading west again right away."

"Not as far as you were. He's on the move and fast." She looked puzzled. "I hadn't even thought about it but how could he move that fast? I think he's heading for Vegas."

"If he is traveling by car, that's only four to five hours. But traveling only at night…"

"Right? He's new to being a vampire. How could he be risking so much travel so soon? Usually, they hole up somewhere for a while to get their bearings." She finished washing the last of the cookie sheets. "I had been thinking that he was heading straight there. But from what I saw I wonder if I could be wrong?"

"Going by your intel, when did you think he would reach Vegas?"

"I'm not sure. But probably tonight or tomorrow night."

Just how was she coming by that information? He'd assumed she was using a collection of tracking data to predict future behavior. But something about her phrasing made it seem more like a precognitive ability of some kind.

"Do you think the vamp would have made it to Vegas tonight?"

"Probably not, but we should run it past Quinn and let him make the call." All this time they'd been whispering but it must not have been quiet enough.

Joseph sat up and looked around with a sleepy expression.

"Hey man, that's no way to get decent rest." Turning back to Tess he said, "Go talk to Quinn right away and we'll go with whatever he says."

"Deven…" Joseph's gaze sharpened with a glint as he became more alert.

He'd seen this a number of times and had sent Tess out of the room on purpose. Sometimes when a very young vampire woke up their hunger got the better of them. He pulled open the second fridge with the cabinet style door panels and took out a bag of blood. "Here. Drink this and then get some sleep in a real bed."

"Thanks." Poor kid was lisping around his sensitive fangs even as he reached out and took the bag. "Night." He was already slurping at the blood even as he padded silently out of the kitchen and down the hall.

He watched until Joseph made it back to the basement stairs where he still chose to sleep. I liked the kid, but he'd learned a long time ago to not trust young vampires completely no matter how much you liked them.

He made himself a couple sandwiches and then started toward his own bed. As he passed by Quinn's office, he overheard the verdict. Quinn was certain they could head out after a decent night's sleep. That way they'd stake the place out and be there when the target arrived.

* * *

"Explain it to me again. Why the hell are we getting married?" Tessa gazed up at her partner for the mission with every ounce of blatant adoration she could convey.

He stared back at her with his usual serious face.

"We are supposed to be undercover as happy ever after runaways... Couldn"t you at least smile?"

His lips tightened revealing short, gleaming white fangs. The flash of his biters definitely wouldn"t convince even a single soul that he was happy to be taken down the aisle. "Let"s just get through it."

"What are you so pissed about?"

"What...? Shit girl, what were you thinking when you got dressed for today?" His eyes closed as if to block out her appearance. "Seriously, isn"t a wedding dress supposed to be white or some such shit? Instead, you change into black leather and garters... And hell if it doesn"t show off a new tattoo."

She grinned. She was hoping he'd notice the new one, because that meant he was looking somewhere daring. To be specific it was on her inner thigh, exposed between her thigh highs and the edge of her miniskirt. "Do you have a problem with my tattoos?"

His palm was resting over the one on her upper arm, a dagger with peony blossoms. "What if I do?"

She almost laughed. His gaze kept darting downward. "Too damn bad. It"s my body and I"ll do what I want to decorate it."

His voice dropped to a low growl. "Was that a snake?"

"It certainly is. I think it turned out pretty damn sexy." Though the rattlesnake and roses design was only a henna tattoo that she"d created herself, she was happy with how it turned out. And considering the way Deven had reacted, she couldn't wait to get a permanent version.

He pinched his eyes closed as if praying for patience. "It"s far too flashy and fits you perfectly."

"Then what is your objection?" She wondered if he'd be bold enough to admit it was the location that bothered him.

"Some of our jobs require more discretion. You know, like this particular one. You have to be able to adjust your image to fit what"s needed. Permanent tattoos don"t make that part of the job any easier."

She chuckled and leaned against his arm. "Don"t sweat it. I found this thing called makeup that covers anything I need to cover. And if that doesn"t work, I can always borrow some of Quinn"s mojo."

"I don"t recommend borrowing anything from Quinn. The lending rates can be steep."

"True that." The clothing and stake out plan had been Quinn's idea, but it matched her vision down to the detail. They were posing as runaway elopers and once they caught sight of the forger, they would quietly apprehend him and wait for the vampire to arrive. She looked around the tiny wedding chapel and found it exactly as it had been when they arrived. Empty. "So how long do you think we"ll be waiting?"

"Not sure. We're on this one mostly blind. All the intel we do have came from you." He folded his arm around her, pulling her against his warm leather-clad side. Even though he"d pestered her about her clothing choices, his were along the same lines, just as she"d expected. Part of her decision had been based on the plan to match up well with him. After all they were supposed to be a young couple running away to elope in Vegas.

"You know, this whole thing could be a waste. What if this guy never shows up? The intel from the website says he only works here occasionally."

"He"ll be here. I figure that"s why we"ve been left waiting. I"ve been shedding enough vibes to get the attention... why are you laughing?"

She couldn"t hold back. "Shedding."

His arm tightened around her shoulders. "You"re still a little shit, aren"t you?" His tone might have been filled with growl, but his face finally relaxed. He was actually smiling just like she"d seen in her vision.

How about that? He was smiling and the shock of seeing dimples stilled her laughter. Oh sure, he was always a hard-core hottie, but those dimples... She couldn"t help it. She cupped his jaw and leaned up to press a kiss to his lips. Just a quick brush of contact.

The kiss sparked between them. The tingle sent unexpected heat rushing through her.

He pulled back with a quizzical look and whispered, "What the hell?"

What the hell, indeed. Holding his gaze, she slapped her mouth shut to keep from stuttering. But what did it mean? Was that his magic? Or just some kind of wild attraction? And most importantly, how soon could she kiss him again?

"Chill. We"re about to meet the guy."

"What?"

"Pay attention, Darling."

"Darling?" What was he talking about? "Oh!" The mission, the guy was finally here. She looked around but nothing had changed. The chapel was still empty. Keeping her voice at a whisper she asked, "Where?"

"I think he's human?"

That didn't make much sense. She'd thought it would be someone paranormal who would be selling forged papers specifically for non-humans. She was new to just about all of it. Good thing Deven was used to dealing with damn near anything. "What should we do?"

"He"s hesitating. I think he might be psychic or at least have better than average intuition. We need to up the act before he spooks. Feel up to raising the temperature a few degrees?"

This from the guy who had rarely even touched her before this mission… Still, she couldn"t let him down, not on her first time in the field. "I"m game. Let"s do it."

He pulled her more tightly into his arms. Logically it should have been simple contact. But this was far from simple. From breast to hip, the heat smoldered between them. Their gazes locked. His golden eyes darkened with a possessive ferocity. One arm held her pinned against him but the other stroked up and down her back in delicious sensual caresses.

It was all an act, but it sure as hell felt real.

She briefly considered the responsibilities of the job. They had to catch the forger, had to use him to catch Soldier Boy and prevent him from reaching his potential as a mass murderer. But all the reason and logic slipped away under the rising desire for Deven. So much for professionalism.

Deven"s mouth hovered above hers. His warm breath tickled across her cheek. "Sorry about the pheromones. It"s the best way to sell our cover story."

"Whatever works." Who cared about the damn mission? She stood up on her tiptoes and claimed his lips for herself. No more teasing. She pressed into the kiss and licked over the crease of his lips.

Then his mouth slanted over hers. One hand cupping the back of her head, pinning her into the kiss that grew deeper and more soul claiming by the second. His body pushed her back against the end of the church pew. Arms like iron, possessive, dominant. It was a demand that accepted only one answer.

Far from wanting escape, she clung to him, arms around his neck, one leg sliding up, wrapping around his thigh. She tangled her tongue with his, teasing, tempting, battling in a war they could both win.

The world intruded with a cleared throat and the distinctive chimes of the wedding march.

Deven pulled back. "Damn."

He looked flustered and she couldn"t hold back the smug grin. It was about time he got stirred up too. She tucked away the surprising happiness and focused on the job. "What do we do now?"

"I'm not sure he's our guy. Seems we"ll have to walk down the aisle and get a little closer." His expression tightened some. "It's not real. The church is just a front. He isn"t ordained."

"You sound worried that I"ll lock the ball and chain onto you and steal your freedom."

"Of course not. Human marriage isn"t the same as a life mate bond. I just didn"t want you to be confused by the situation."

"Confused? Like I"m going to spaz over a wedding mission? I may not be an old shit like you but I"m not a child, you know."

"Old shit?"

Movement caught her eye, drawing her attention to the man in all black at the opposite end of the decorated aisle. The fake minister? Or was that the forger himself? She drew the air in and tried to taste the scent just like Quinn and Deven insisted she should be able to do. Nada. Zip. She couldn't make out anything useful from this distance. What she did know was the dude was waiting for them to take the walk.

And Deven was too busy glaring at her to take the lead.

"Come on. Let"s get married."

Deven"s warm hand wrapped around hers. Together they walked through the narrow space between the folding chairs. Her feet fell into step with the music. The damn music slid under her skin, sank deeper until it echoed in her bones. The whole thing might be fake but that didn"t stop her heart from racing.

Her only anchor in the sudden wash of fantasy lay in Deven"s strong grip. When the preacher wanna-be did his lines, she managed to answer at all the right moments. But the words and meaning flowed over her. She thought only about his hand.

Until the moment he let her go.

The second of loneliness burned painfully.

Then he took her hand again to slip a plain gold band onto the ring finger of her left hand. A wedding band. When had he bought it? How did he know her size? Or her tastes? The simple band, with no extra adornment, was exactly the kind she often admired on others.

No, wait. It was probably only a prop. Quinn had given it to Deven. The wedding was fake. None of it was real.

Except for her feelings.

Kissing Deven had brought home the truth that she"d been dancing around for a while. She had fallen in love with the werewolf and wasn"t at all unhappy about the idea.

She clung to him while he signed a book and then pushed it her way. Oh… Not just a book. There was also a marriage certificate. This seemed a little too real. Very wonderfully real. She signed her name.

And then her happy little moment shattered. When Deven grabbed the preacher by the collar and slammed him down face first on the small alter. "I have a question, Ferdinand, a question only you can answer. A question you will answer." Deven in full on snarling menace - not many would be able to defy him for long.

"If you"re not happy with the ceremony..."

"Wait for the question, asshole."

Ferdinand trembled but seemed smart enough to not challenge an enraged wolf in any way. Amid the trembling, he managed several fast nods.

"We"re looking for a baby vampire. He would have contacted you about a new identity. Has he been here or contacted you? If so, tell me everything you know."

"Vampires come through here all the time. How should I know which one you want?"

Deven snarled and slammed him down on the altar again, this time hard enough to risk breaking bones. "I'm not wasting time. If he's been here, you would know which one I mean. Military looks, freshly turned, but hungry, probably violent and it would have been in the last forty-eight hours."

"Ahh..."

"Spill it all."

"He was here early this morning. I gave him a plain name. Bill or Bob Smithton. I just wanted to get him back out the door as quickly as I could. When they wig out as badly as him, they tend to meet a hunter or the sunrise soon enough."

"When was he here? Where did he go from here? Where can we find him?"

"Seriously, my only goal was to survive meeting the guy. I don't know where he came from or went but he kept talking to himself about his wife and kid. If they're still alive, he's probably looking for them."

Deven didn"t bother to lay out the reasons verbally. Instead, he let his magic out, partially transforming into the werewolf monster of legends.

She couldn"t hold back her gasp. She"d seen him use magic before but not very often. He preferred to use guns or knives to make his point. The power that flooded out from him was amazing and more than a bit scary. Good ol" Ferdi must have thought so too.

"Okay, okay! I got it." Ferdinand"s flushed face relaxed as Deven loosened his grip and allowed some air in. "I keep notes on the strange ones. You know, just in case a crazier killer comes along, and I need to negotiate."

"Good plan." Deven released Ferdi and the forger darted through the back door with Deven close on his heels.

Deven wouldn"t mind being called crazy if it got the job done. If he knew how riled she felt on his behalf he"d laugh his ass off. Then he"d probably lecture her. This might be their first mission together, but he"d been a good role model from the beginning.

She smiled and followed them into a spacious, well-equipped office. "Oh…" Yeah, now this was her game. She ignored the other two. Deven would intimidate and Ferdi would give in. They had a thing that would work. She would handle the negotiations with the computer. She didn't bother to sit, just shoved the chair back and dove right in. It wasn't too high-tech. Just a basic desktop version pc. She could ask Ferdi for the password, but it was almost as fast just to insert her flash drive and break it herself. One of her first adult projects had been to design her own code breaker software.

Then the computer was open and putty in her hands. Ferdi was surprisingly well organized. She copied all his files to a flash drive, making sure to print out the recorded information on Soldier Boy's new license and credit cards. There was probably way more than they would need for this mission but who knew what scumbag would pop up around the next corner.

In under a minute, Ferdi passed a handwritten notebook page to Deven.

Deven glanced over the sheet and then clapped the forger on the back. "Thanks, Ferdinand."

"That"s it?"

"Not exactly. Now, you get to sit here in cuffs while we empty that computer and shut this place down."

The forger looked shocked that he wasn't going to get off scot-free. "What do you mean? Why am I in trouble? I helped you out, didn"t I?"

"Yes, but without you complicating things our future cases should be a lot easier."

Ferdinand gave in with a slight nod. "I see there"s no arguing with you." He held his hands up and backed toward the seat against the wall.

That was a relief. It was surprisingly nice when villains accepted their defeat with good manners. She stood up and rounded the desk. Everything was already copied from the computer. With some luck they'd hand Ferdi off to the locals and be on the road within the hour.

Then Ferdi snagged a small vase off the wall shelf and with a quick twist, he smashed it on the floor between her and Deven.