By

©copyright by Tracey H. Kitts, April 2009

Cover Art by Alex DeShanks, April 2009

ISBN 978-1-60394-305-5

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Dedication

To my readers. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading my work and for encouraging me to continue doing what I love.

Chapter One

The black-cloaked figure waited silently at the end of the path. And as he waited his hunger grew. Surely it wouldn’t be much longer before she arrived. After all he’d remembered to call ahead of time to arrange this meeting. He looked around the park, careful to remain in shadow. Most likely he was not alone, but no one was close enough to hear their thoughts.

At last she emerged from the darkness at the other end of the path. Not that he needed the light to see her, but the soft glow of the street lights added to the shimmer of her long dark hair. She was dressed all in black, which probably meant she had been working earlier this evening. As she came to a stop in front of him, he took a deep breath before reminding himself that breathing was not a necessity.

His desire for her flesh was nearly as strong as his desire for her blood. Yes, he wanted her, but they had a deal. He and this human monster hunter had come to an accord, and it was important that he maintain their agreement until she said otherwise. After all, no one would suspect a human for what he needed.

“Good evening, pussycat,” he purred.

His smooth voice made Catrina shiver, but she hid her reaction well. She had worked around vampires too much to not understand the importance of remaining neutral. If they sensed a weakness they would exploit it. Especially a sexual one.

“Viktor,” she said with a nod. “How many times have I asked you not to call me that?”

“And how many times have I listened?” he replied with a smile.

“Listen sugar fangs, this isn’t a social call,” she said. Her expression hadn’t changed, though her comment was more playful than sarcastic.

“It never is.” He sighed.

Catrina ran a hand through her wavy hair, sending it in an ebony cascade down her back. Her green eyes sparkled up at him, though they were the only indication of the attraction she felt. She had even learned to school her body to a certain extent against his charMs. The key was to not be alone with Viktor if she could avoid it. Most of their business had been conducted long distance with only brief meetings. He had insisted on seeing her tonight, said it couldn’t be avoided.

“Why have you asked me here, Viktor? You know I don’t like to get too personal with my clients.”

His expression became serious as he confided, “The werewolf has gone too far this time. His bid for power must be stopped.”

“What do you want me to do?” she asked, all traces of sarcasm now gone. “I’m no match for an alpha male werewolf,” she told him honestly. “I’m good. I can say that with no pride. But I’m not that good.”

“Ah, but you are thinking in terms of a fair fight,” he pointed out.

The vampire took a step into the light and let the hood fall back from his dark hair. It was nearly as long as Catrina’s and only slightly less wavy. His silvery grey eyes glinted in the moonlight as he looked down at her and Catrina felt her heart beat faster. She put up stronger mental shields in an effort to keep Viktor out of her mind. He already had the hots for her. She couldn’t let him inside her mind, it would be her undoing.

He took another deep breath, something she was beginning to suspect was a nervous gesture, since vampires didn’t need to breathe.

“You smell like dirt,” he said abruptly.

The comment caught her so off guard she laughed before quickly composing herself.

“It’s cover scent.” He raised an eyebrow and she explained, “I’ve been tracking a shifter who was giving his ex some probleMs. He lives in the suburbs.” Her expression told him clearly that she wasn’t giving out any more information. After all, it would be a violation of client confidentiality.

“Will you sit with me for a moment?” he asked softly.

“Viktor, I--”

“Only a moment,” he said. With these words he reached out and touched her shoulder and quickly withdrew his hand, realizing his faux pas as the monster hunter stiffened underneath his touch.

“Please, indulge me. What I have to say is not easy for me.”

Catrina had known the master of the city for five years now and never in all that time during their brief meetings had she ever seen him show this much emotion. She followed him to a bench and sat down a comfortable distance from the vampire, turning slightly to face him. As per their agreement, he didn’t try to hypnotize her, so Catrina looked him in the eye as he began to speak.

“Someone very close to me was killed last night,” he almost whispered.

“A friend?” she asked, still not sure how to react to this new side of him.

“A very close friend, for the last fifty years.”

“I’m sorry.”

She moved closer, but fought the urge to reach out to him. If she violated their agreement, all bets were off. Not only could she not fight Viktor, she really had no desire to.

“I turned him myself,” he continued. “He was like a brother to me.”

“What happened?”

“He was found just outside his apartment a few hours before dawn. His blood was completely drained, but he hadn’t been bitten. There was a gash across his throat which looked to have been made by a large claw.”

“And you think Alexander did this?” she asked and immediately regretted evoking the name of the alpha werewolf.

“Yes,” he nearly hissed. “It’s no secret that he has long desired to overthrow me. It’s unheard of! A werewolf as the master of the city,” he scoffed.

“How do you know that’s what he intends?”

“He’s not content to live in peace, like so many have done before him. I’ve heard his complaints before about werewolves being ‘second rate monsters.’ He wants to be master of the city, a position which has long been held by vampires. In particular, by me.”

“Have you done something to provoke him?” she asked. His eyes narrowed and she clarified, “I’m just asking. If I don’t know what is going on, how can I be expected to help?”

“Let’s just say that he and I do not get along.”

Catrina steeled her nerves and asked, “So, what exactly is it you want me to do?”

Victor turned toward her and the look in his eyes was very human. He looked so hurt and alone. “Don’t be fooled,” she told herself. “He’s still a vampire and that makes him dangerous.” She had accepted vampires as part of society as well as shifters, but that didn’t mean she trusted them. The fact of the matter was, they were different. She had nothing personal against them, despite her job. However, it was easier than being a private investigator, which was the last job she’d had before monster hunting. It wasn’t that tracking down and capturing or sometimes killing monsters was “easy.” However, it was much preferred to sneaking down dark alleys and watching your neighbor’s wife screwing her personal trainer. That type of work disgusted her.

Strangely enough, it was mostly monsters themselves who hired her. And even more strange, she preferred to work with them. Most shifters or vamps were so glad to be accepted into society that when she treated them equally she found herself instantly in their good graces.

Catrina was licensed to carry a handgun and had a black belt in more than one style of martial arts. She was tough, but she knew her limits. Many monster hunters killed for money, but for her that was a last resort and a duty she had rarely had to perform. Both times was in self defense, so she hadn’t been charged with a crime. Not that the police were gung-ho about tracking down someone who killed a monster. It wasn’t fair, but it was true.

Viktor had yet to answer her question. She turned more to face him also, mimicking his body language. Finally, he said, “If you do not wish to take on the job, I will understand. But there is no one else I would trust with it.”

So, he trusted her? That was interesting.

“I’d like to renegotiate our agreement,” he said.

He paused for a moment to gage her reaction before elaborating. When Catrina didn’t immediately object he plunged forward. “I have a plan for infiltrating Alexander’s defenses and if you are to help me with it, our original agreement cannot stand.”

He’d begun to formulate the plan almost immediately after learning of Harold’s death. If anyone would be able to help him pull it off, he was certain it was Catrina.

“What part do you want to renegotiate?” she asked, careful to keep any emotion from her voice.

Viktor leaned forward slightly, but stopped short of making contact. He was near enough now that she could smell his cologne. Catrina took a deep breath and fought the urge to sigh. Damn he smelled good.

“I need to touch you,” he said softly.

His words carried more emotion than he’d intended. Though there was nothing obscene in what he had said, his tone was meant for a more private setting. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her off. Her cooperation in this was crucial. Not to mention, he really did want to touch her for reasons that had nothing to do with revenge. Viktor had made no secret of his attraction, just as Catrina had made no secret of wanting to keep things on a professional level.

Her heart jumped painfully at his words. However, she tried not to overreact.

“Why?” she asked as calmly as possible.

“Hear me out,” he said, lifting his hands in a harmless gesture. “Alexander hates me. I believe the best way to get close to him is to have you pretend to hate me as well.”

“Fine, but what’s that got to do with touching me?”

The smile he gave her showed only part of what was going through his mind, and that was enough to make Catrina slide backward on the park bench.

“You know what they say about a woman scorned?” he purred.

“You want to scorn me?” she asked skeptically.

“I want to date you,” he clarified.

“Date me?!”

“It’s only for appearance sake,” he assured her. “Be seen with me, pretend to love me, then leave me. We’ll make up some horrible story about why you left, fake a public break-up and everything.”

Catrina leaned back, crossing her arms and legs as she studied the vampire for a moment. His expression was earnest. As best she could tell, he seemed sincere. But then again, Viktor had been trying to get into her pants for five years now. She scolded herself mentally for thinking the worst of him. No matter what he might say or do, she was convinced that Viktor would not have murdered his own best friend in order to form an elaborate plan to seduce her.

“Suppose I did go along with this, how is that supposed to help get information on Alexander?”

The vampire was thrilled to get to explain his plan further. “Alexander likes to consider himself a gentleman. You know, coming to the aid of ladies in distress and all that.” She snorted and he said, “Obviously, you’ll need to work on your damsel in distress routine.”

“I get the picture, so then what?”

“Go to him with your sob story. By that time, word will have reached him of our involvement. I don’t exactly live a very private life. Claim to want revenge. Get close to him, earn his trust. If he trusts you, he may confide in you.”

“Say he does, then what?” she prompted.

“Seduce him.”

Catrina rose from the bench with a speed that surprised even the vampire.

“You want me to sleep with him?! Forget it. I think you’ve got me confused with an escort service.”

She turned to go back the way she came and instantly found the vampire blocking her path. Viktor was tall, six foot five compared to her petite five foot four frame. He looked down at her and waves of long dark hair fell over his shoulders, framing his handsome face.

“No,” he said softly. “I do not want you to sleep with him and I could never confuse you with a prostitute.” She crossed her arms again angrily and glared up at him. “I want you to get him alone where I can kill him.” Catrina opened her mouth to protest again, but he held up a hand to stop her. “If he proves to be the one responsible. Otherwise, I promise to let him be.”

“I don’t know, Viktor. This really isn’t what I do.”

“I know that. Don’t worry, you will be well compensated for your trouble.”

He mentioned an obscene amount of money and Catrina replied, “It isn’t just about the money.”

“Then what is it about?” he asked.

“Look, you’re my oldest and most loyal client, so I’ll be honest with you. I’m not sure if I can do this. Acting is not exactly my strong point.”

“Give it some thought,” he said reasonably. “I’m not asking for more than that.”

About that time, his stomach growled loudly, reminding Viktor that he hadn’t fed this evening and reminding Catrina that she might be on the menu. Instinctively, her hand went to one of the silver plated Escrima sticks strapped to her thigh.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but I have not yet fed this evening.”

“You should take care of that.”

She watched as Viktor pulled up the hood of his long black cloak before reaching inside his coat. Pressed between two of his long elegant fingers was a slip of paper which he held out toward her.

“Think it over,” he said. “And when you’ve reached a decision, you can find me here.”

She nodded, taking the card without taking her eyes off of him. “I’ll let you know within the week,” she said.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like me to follow you home?” he offered. “Eden can be a dangerous place at night.”

“Eden can be a dangerous place during the day,” she said with a smile.

“Very well then.”

With a swish of fabric he was gone. He disappeared so quickly that for a moment she wondered if he’d even been real. The still frantic beating of her heart was the only indication that she had been alone with the vampire only moments before.

Her mind raced as she walked back across the short distance to her motorcycle. The vintage Harley had been a gift from her late uncle who was a collector. She’d had some saddle bags custom made to hold her weapons, and once she reached the bike she checked to be sure they were all still there.

Eden Park was quiet most of the time, but when there was trouble here, it was BIG trouble. Catrina threw one slender leg over the seat and put on her helmet. Entering the park hadn’t been a problem, maybe that had been because she had Viktor to occupy her thoughts then. But as she left, she found her eyes wandering to the clearing near the middle of the park.

“Keep your eyes on the road,” she told herself. “Looking won’t make the memory go away.”

Catrina began to focus intensely on the path before her, ignoring as best she could the spot where her older sister had been brutally raped nearly twenty years ago. Catrina was only eight at the time though she understood enough to know what had happened. It not only changed her sister’s life forever, but Catrina’s as well.

After seeing the devastation wrought on her sister, Mandy, Catrina made a promise to herself: She would never be a victim. Her mother didn’t object when she wanted to start taking martial arts classes. Muay Thai had been her first style. When she was seventeen, she signed herself up for Savate and Escrima as well. The French style of boxing or as they called it “footfighting” known as Savate had come naturally to her. As for Escrima, well she just liked to beat things with sticks.

A prospective client had asked once about her martial arts knowledge and said, “Don’t you think that’s a bit much?” Catrina had often asked herself the same question. And every time she thought of Mandy she had the answer, “No.”