CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

“ W e lost the girl,” Nikolay Mikhailov said, his voice dark and angry. “And I lost four good men.”

Xander would be lying if he didn’t admit the guy scared the living daylights out of him. Partnering with the Russian mob could be the worst or best decision he’d ever made.

Or both.

“I’m not surprised. They’re very protective of their women.”

The man let out a rough snort and made a dismissive pfft sound. “Why? They’re often more trouble than they’re worth. After they’ve spread their legs.”

Xander let out a laugh and nodded. “Couldn’t agree more.”

He was really beginning to wonder if he should move Elizabeth, his sexy finance manager, to the United States. He’d had to have sex with his wife this week because he was getting sick of his own hand. He’d considered having women come to him at the house and had dismissed it, but after the vanilla missionary-style fuck with Suzanne, and no end in sight to his returning to Seattle or Italy, it was looking more and more like he’d have to.

He lifted his glass of whiskey to his lips and watched the mob boss light a cigar. He puffed out a mouthful of smoke and settled back in his chair.

“I want you to create a vampire vaccine,” Nikolay said. “One every human will need to take if they want to be protected.”

Xander narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“That’s not how this works. They’re a different species, not a virus.”

“I don’t give a fuck. You will tell them it is. Scare them enough and they’ll be lining up on the sidewalks ready to be jabbed.”

He wasn’t wrong.

In fact, it was fucking genius.

“Twice,” the Russian added. “Hell, make it an annual booster.”

The two of them laughed as Xander’s mind began calculating the enormous profit this could mean.

God, he could retire in five years.

Buy his own island.

Divorce his wife and have a lover for every week of the year.

Yeah, this had merit.

“I’ll have to speak to the directors of the business. Our project isn’t known to all of them, and this will take considerable resources.” He scribbled notes down on a pad of paper as the ideas began to flow.

Why hadn’t he thought of this?

“I don’t give a fuck about your internal politics, Tomassi. Get this done and report back to me next week.”

He choked.

“Ah, this isn’t going to happen in a week, Mikhailov.”

“Why not?” the man growled, blowing out more smoke as he loosened his necktie revealing a dark-looking tattoo.

“Because we have to develop it, then get it tested, and then FDA approved.”

“No. You don’t,” he replied. “Whatever hoops you need to jump through; whatever walls you need breaking down, let me know. I accept it won’t be a week, but you have months, not years.”

Jesus.

He wasn’t sure how he was going to do this, but one thing was for sure, now he had to bring a lot more BioZen people into his inner circle.

He’d speak to Cash Waltmore, Director of BioZen, and together they’d have to decide their future, because he knew there were owners and people on the board that wouldn’t be okay with this.

“Let me be clear,” Mikhailov said. “Anyone in the way can be... removed. You understand what I am saying?”

Xander did.

And it might just come down to that.

“ Si, capisco ,” he said, reverting to his native Italian tongue, to confirm he understood. “I’ll need something in return.”

The man was silent.

“I need a higher level of protection so I can move about and get out of this damn hell hole,” Xander said. “Provide me with some of your men and I can get the ball rolling.”

“Fine,” he said. “I will have five of my best in the United States in three days.”

Xander smiled.

Fuck the Moretti’s.

They may be vampires, but the Russian mob were still dangerous assholes to mess with.