Chapter Two

Maddie's Albuquerque Bunker

Saturday, 6:00 AM

Maddie released the knife, trusting it to anchor at least one part of the vampire in place. Gazes still locked, she prepared for him to strike. Any second he'd plunge his fangs into her.

She'd been bitten before but knew this wouldn't be like anything she'd ever experienced. Not only was he an old one, but he also wasn't lost to the madness of bloodlust. Strong and in control, he would take her down, force her to accept his will, until she begged him to drain her. Until she wanted him more than life itself.

"Maddie…" Her name on his lips again.

Her wolf spirit rumbled its discontent. She wasn't the kind to give in to any kind of forced seduction. She caught his free arm and reached over it to touch the broken cord. "How did you break it?"

"Is that really what you want to know?"

A smart-ass question about a banana in his pocket flitted across her mind but joking wasn't a good fit for this moment with her life in the balance.

"The blessing was applied poorly. Once I undid the blessing, the cord wasn't strong enough to resist brute strength."

She wanted to break eye contact and study the broken restraint. It was her own design and if it was flawed, she needed to know how so she could do it correctly in the future.

His arm around her waist tightened and then released her.

She slipped from his lap, almost regretting the escape. He'd had her. Despite the knife in his arm, she'd have been dead if he wanted it. Instead, he'd released her. And even explained the weakness in her equipment.

"Did you design the restraints yourself? Division Eight could use someone of your talent. You should consider joining us."

She pulled the knife from his arm and turned away to hide her shocked expression. She'd kidnapped, interrogated, and even stabbed him. His response was to offer her a job. "How's your arm?"

He'd already undone the cords around his neck and right hand and was working on the ones binding his legs in place. "I'll heal."

"There's silver on the blade. Does that not bother you?"

"Not as much as the damage to my suit."

"Your suit?" Seriously? He was… unbelievable. She laughed. Really laughed, for the first time since Bella had gone to sleep.

He continued to undo his restraints, but she caught a fleeting glimpse of a grin on his lips.

"I can't tell if you're as strong as you think or if you're just an idiot."

"Maybe both. Only time will tell."

She chuckled again. "Maybe."

He sat back up in the chair, somehow making it look more like a throne for a king. "If Bella is missing, then the first step we should take is to find her. Only then will we know if it was her idea to go missing or not."

His suggestion was logical. But she was mostly out of ideas. Catching him had been her last hope. "If you were trying to find her, where would you look?"

"Her vineyard."

"And then where?"

"With either me or Georgie."

"She's not with you. That leaves Georgie. Who very well might have gone mad and spend his time killing humans."

"We have been considering that possibility." He shook his head. "I should be more honest if we are planning to work together. We've already come to the conclusion that Georgie is at the center of the killings."

"Are we working together?"

"Seems like our goals align. Combining our strength makes sense at least for the time being."

"Fair enough. Let's call it a truce until we find Bella." After that, she couldn't be sure of the vampire's agenda. His agency might present themselves as the ones who stop murdering monsters but that might not be the case when it includes the ones who he considers his closest family. She couldn't even really blame him. If she was in the same position, would she have the mental strength to set aside her loyalty in order to do the right thing?

"I doubt Bella was taken anywhere against her will. I suggest that we proceed under the assumption that she woke up and left on purpose. With that in mind, I feel certain there are only two logical motivations. Either she slipped away to find a meal, or she left in order to find her brother."

"There has always been blood available at our home. Both bagged or fresh from willing and loyal family members."

That made Quinn pause. He'd never considered feeding off the people he called family. Part of that was because of their inhuman nature, but mostly because it just felt wrong. But his personal values had nothing to do with Bella's choices. "In that case, finding Georgie is the more likely option."

"I agree. Give me a moment to check in with my people at the villa and see if they have found any new information."

He was surprised by the rising feelings he had for Madeline. It had been a long time since he"d felt such longing. The urge to connect with another being, he recognized that emotion. But this was something deeper and more demanding. He wanted to explore every inch of her body, discuss every topic of conversation. He wanted to see the world through her eyes.

No, more than that, he wanted to see himself as part of her world.

And he desired her. He wasn"t a monk. He had wanted others before her but never like this. To be beside her while they hunted for a killer... It was dangerous and unreasonable and yet, there was no way he"d send her away. It would be physically impossible to reject her presence.

And it wasn't as if she was weak. She may have captured him using subterfuge but that was a sign of her strength. She'd overcome her natural weaknesses to put her on level with a vampire of his strength. He looked down at the hole in his suit sleeve. A clear sign of her determination.

A reminder of how she'd felt in his arms.

Damn. She'd felt good. All heat and energy. Soft curves, tight muscles. He could get used to more of that.

Other than the knife of course.

He'd been the one to suggest working together. Logically he knew it wasn't like him to put another in danger. Would it be a mistake to give in this once, in order to keep her by his side? Or would working together actually prove safer for her? She wasn't the kind to sit quietly on the sidelines. Just because she'd been able to capture him, did not mean she'd be able to walk away unharmed if she faced Georgie.

His friend from the past hadn't been the type to seek violence. Nor had he been willing to endanger an innocent. But he had no way of knowing who Georgie had become in the time they'd been apart. He might be nothing at all like the man he'd known before.

His partnership with Maddie was only until they found Bella. That much should be safe. The rest he'd figure out on his own. Hadn't that been his plan all along? He'd intended to slip away from his family and find Georgie by himself.

One concern continued to nag at him.

As much as he desired to protect her, he also was almost desperate to taste her, drink from her, possibly drain her. The image of him sinking his body into hers, while drawing her blood into himself. The taking and giving. The complete circle of becoming one with her. Until he took her all into himself and they could be together forever...

He shook back the animalistic urge. That was the demon blood that still drove his body. He"d come to recognize it long ago. It was him, but not him. Those were his desires but also not his.

He was more than a sack of vampire hunger. His maker had taught him to control his urges and remember who he wanted to be. That iron willpower was what allowed him to create a happy life while living among the mortals.

Meeting this vibrant woman wasn"t enough to destroy his determination. If anything, meeting her was practically a miracle. An opportunity that he probably didn"t deserve. With her there was hope for him to create a bond like he"d envied for so very long.

He hadn"t even imagined such a thing was possible.

In his mind, he could play out the various scenarios and none had a happy ending. She was human and he was a vampire. It wasn"t as if he could become a human again. Nor would he wish her to become undead like him. Not that it was a terrible life. It wasn"t. Not at all for him anyways. But most vampires couldn't build the kind of connections that kept him content. Not Georgie and seemingly not Bella either.

Why had Bella never considered turning her companions to allow them to remain by her side?

More than likely she felt the same way as he did. A human"s life was precious because of its limits. Not that his life was not. That was not his point at all. He was conflicted by the concept. To love someone so much that you don"t want to hurt them but also experienced unending fear of the inevitability of the coming loss.

He was getting ahead of himself.

He hadn"t even asked the girl out. Or held her hand.

Maybe she wouldn"t even choose to be with him. Wouldn"t that be a funny twist? Here he was worrying about how he would eventually lose her to old age when she might not even say yes to a date.

* * *

Division Eight Headquarters

Saturday, 8:00 AM.

Zeven Ochoa lay back on the bed and cradled his daughter, Lena, against his chest. The newborn had just fed and was contentedly sleeping. What was this strange feeling that filled his heart more often than not lately? Like he was so happy he never wanted even a moment of it to change. But deep down he felt something fierce and desperate lying dormant within him, lingering calm and quiescent but ready to rip the world apart to protect this tiny beloved family.

"Hey honey…" His mate laid a warm hand on his bare ankle.

His body shot awake at once, but he forced himself to stay still. "What's up, Harley?"

"Zeven, we have a problem."

This time he did sit up. Scooching across the bed to sit close enough to better see his other daughter who was nursing. "What's wrong?"

She stroked little Zena's head. "I'm not producing enough milk to feed them both. It's only been a few days, but they are drinking so well, and my body just isn't keeping up yet."

"Want me to mix up some of that formula?"

"I tried that earlier. Both our little darlings refused it. I'm not sure what else to try. Can you ask Quinn?"

He wasn't sure if the old vampire would have even a clue about how to feed werewolf babies and it didn't matter since Quinn hadn't come home yet anyhow. Either way, there had to be a better choice. "Maybe I can ask Jose from the Coyote Clan. He will probably have better suggestions."

"That's a great idea. If you think he'll be up already, go ahead and do that now. I'll watch our little cuties."

He settled Lena into the bassinette next to the bed. She didn't even wake up. Grabbing his mobile phone, he headed downstairs. He'd actually been in touch with Jose several times since they'd met all those months ago. He couldn't exactly say they were close, but he'd known from the beginning that he would need to have some contact with other Valàfrn if he was going to raise his family well. And this was exactly the kind of scenario that made the connection worthwhile. He dialed the number and was relieved when Jose picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jose, it's Zeven. Sorry to call so early. I have a little problem I thought you could help us sort out."

Jose's response was instantaneous. "Anything you need. Say the word."

"Don't worry. I won't drag you into any battles. This is more of a help with my new babies kind of thing. I need to know what kind of formula is best for newborn pups? I figure your kid's not that old and there were other young in your clan. You'd be my best resource."

"Formula? Most don't take well to human made formulas. You're better off with goat milk. Unprocessed if you can find it."

"Fresh goat's milk… yeah, bet I can make that happen. Thanks man."

"No problem. You saved my clan. Something like this won't make us even by far."

He felt a little odd accepting the gratitude that his brother deserved more. "Later. Thanks again." He hung up.

Sneaking into Tess's office he did a quick search and found a local farmer's market happening today. If he hurried, he could make it there and find some milk and be back before it was time to feed the babies their lunch.