Michael leapt over the banister and hit the floor with enough force to jar his spine. Grunting, he pushed upright, and saw that the door was still closed. He swore viciously and punched the intercom button on the side of the doorway.

"Camille, get this door open!"

"It's not responding. He must have jammed it from the inside."

"Then I'll just have to break it."

"Be careful. The spell—"

He released the button, cutting off the rest of her warning, then clenched his fist and hit the door with everything he had—physically and kinetically.

For too many seconds, nothing happened. Then, with a screech that sounded like a live thing dying, the door exploded inwards. Wood and metal fell around him as he ran inside.

The smell of burning flesh hit him immediately. Lenny's screams pierced the muggy air, the beat of his heart loud and erratic. Beyond that, further down the room, two more heartbeats. Human heartbeats, suggesting Nikki and Jon. The slower beat of a second vampire's heart was nowhere to be heard. Obviously, Marcus was dead.

He swore under his breath and ran swiftly around the boxes, heading for those two beats. Nikki knelt next to Jon, her hand on his shoulder, pressing a T-shirt into his wound.

She glanced up as he approached, a mix of anger, confusion, and fear warming her expressive amber eyes.

"What took you so damn long?” She grabbed Jon's free hand and placed it against her makeshift bandage, then stood, thrusting her bloody hands on her hips.

Her anger burned through his mind, and he almost laughed out loud in sheer relief and joy. There wasn't much wrong with her if her temper was this high.

"Surely you could see what was going on in here?” she continued tartly.

"We did.” He grabbed her, pulling her into a hug that was as fierce as it was loving. “And I'm sorry, but Lenny barred the door. It took a while to force my way through. Are you all right?"

"Yes,” she said, her words muffled against his chest and at odds with the trembling in her body. “It was Jon who got hurt and...” She hesitated, her voice catching. “The other vampire was killed."

He held her away from him, his gaze sweeping the length of her then coming back to her face. Her left cheek was swollen and beginning to bruise. He gently brushed a tear away from her cheek. “Any loose teeth?"

"A couple,” she admitted.

He saw the blood on her teeth and knew she'd probably cut the inside of her mouth as well. He pulled her into his arms again, brushed a kiss across her mouth and glanced down at Jon.

"Thank you."

Jon nodded. Pain still lingered in his blue eyes, but Nikki had pulled the white ash out of his shoulder, and the healing process would have begun.

"Thank me by finding out how that bastard got a cross bow and white ash in here. I thought we had spells set in the foyer to detect such things?"

"We do, but all spells can be countered if you know how.” What they had to find out is how someone like Lenny, who had no apparent knowledge in magical law, had managed it.

And what his connection to Nadia might be. Michael had no doubt that there would be a connection. Two attacks, both using magic to get around the spells interwoven in this building, and both performed by people with no talent in magic—that was more than just a coincidence.

"You need a hand up?” he added, offering Jon a hand.

Jon's good hand clasped his, and Michael hauled him to his feet. “You'd better head to medical for a checkup, just in case those arrows were tipped with something."

Jon nodded and walked away. Michael pulled back from Nikki and brushed the sweaty strands of dark chestnut hair from her forehead. Her skin still burned with the heat of the flames she'd directed at Lenny. “You'd better get down to medical, too."

She raised an eyebrow. “You're not coming with me?"

His smile was grim. “I have a vampire to question."

Surprise and relief flitted through her eyes. “Then he's not dead?"

"No.” And he was no longer screaming. Either he was unconscious or the flames had stopped eating his flesh—though this second option suggested that Nikki had retained some control over her fire. It had not been so when the flames had first appeared in the sewers of San Francisco. Then, they'd cindered all that they'd touched. “Did you mean to kill him?"

"No."

"Then that's surely a good sign that the lessons have been of some use."

"Perhaps.” Her expression was dubious as her gaze searched his. “But how did I raise the fire when this room is supposed to be a psychic dead-zone?"

"The fire must fall into the zone of personal magic rather than psychic abilities. Same as the connection between us must be personal magic."

Her frown deepened. “I thought personal magic was something you were born with. My pyrokinetic skills are a leftover from the time the flame imps inhabited my body."

"Suggesting, perhaps, that for the brief time they were in your body, they became a part of you spiritually."

"Meaning the flame imps are now part of whatever I am?"

He smiled. “Don't sound so horrified."

"Why shouldn't I be? I'm not human anymore. I'm not vampire. I'm not anything, because no one seems to know exactly what I am."

He pulled her close again and brushed a kiss across her nose. “What you are is the warm and wonderful human being I intend take home at the end of this day and ravish in the comfort of our bed.” Home for the moment was the penthouse apartment he'd bought a few months ago. With Nikki and Jake both undergoing long-term training here, it made more sense for he and Nikki to have their own home rather than using the Circle's apartments, as Jake currently was.

Her sudden grin was both mischievous and saucy. “And what if she doesn't want to be ravished in bed?"

He briefly kissed her sweet lips, wishing he could kiss her more fully. But he didn't dare when there was blood in her mouth. The demon within was under control, but he wasn't about to take a chance when it came to Nikki. “Then she may choose anywhere else she pleases."

She raised an eyebrow, amber eyes twinkling as she pressed herself closer. “Anywhere at all?"

He smiled, wondering for perhaps the millionth time how he'd ever survived without her light in his life. “Anywhere at all,” he agreed softly.

"Cool.” She glanced past him for a second, and in that moment he became aware of the others in the room. Of Jake approaching them.

"So tell me,” she added, her expression becoming serious again as her gaze came back to his. “How is it possible for a creature like the flame imps to become part of my soul?"

"How is possible for a human to transform into an animal?” He shrugged. “There is some magic in this world that just is."

"In other words,” she grumbled, “neither you nor Seline can explain it, so I just have to accept it."

He laughed softly and squeezed her fingers again. “The day you accept something without question is the day I'll stop drinking blood."

"I don't question everything,” she said, her tone haughty but a grin twitching her lips.

"You don't?” Jake said, appearing in front of them. “Since when?” His gaze raked her as he added, “Are you okay?"

"Besides some bruises and cuts, yeah, I'm fine."

Jake's gaze met Michael's. “So why in hell was Lenny trying to kill everyone?"

"I don't know yet."

"You want me to take Nik down to medical, so you can stay here and find out?"

"That would be good.” He brushed another kiss across her lips, released her and stepped away. “I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Make sure that you are. I want to find out what is going on every bit as badly as you."

"Stop nagging the man,” Jake said, as he slipped his hand under her elbow. “You're not even married yet."

"I'll start nagging you if you're not careful,” she said, then glanced back and met Michael's gaze. “Be careful. I've a feeling Lenny is just the beginning of the problem."

So did he. He watched them leave before walking around the boxes to where Lenny lay. Camille was kneeling next to the young vampire, placing the last of five colored stones around his body. She made a sweeping motion with her hand, the vibrant pink of her sweater sleeve contrasting sharply against Lenny's blackened body. Energy stung the air, crawling across his skin like fireflies.

"I thought magic couldn't be performed in this room,” he said.

"Can't, unless you turn the spells off, which is what I've done."

He knelt down beside her. Lenny still writhed and moaned, and his agony saturated the air. Michael felt no sympathy for him. Lenny had chosen the wrong side to play with, and he had gotten exactly what he deserved.

"There was a spell on him,” she continued, sitting back on her heels. “Buried deep, so that we didn't sense it."

"It's deactivated?"

Camille nodded. “For the moment. I've got a feeling that if I try and kill it completely, I'll kill Lenny."

Michael frowned at her. “Meaning the magic is entwined in his life force?"

"It's the only way he could have gotten past all the spells.” She raised the crossbow and ran her finger along the barrel. Symbols had been burned deep into the metal. “Weapons are spelled, too, which is why we didn't sense them."

"Someone has gone to a lot of trouble."

Camille's bright gaze met his. “Someone who wants you and Seline very dead."

"You've no doubt Lenny and Nadia are connected?"

"None at all. The magic that binds them has the same feel."

"Is it safe to search his mind?"

"Yes. Whether you can trust whatever information you get out of him is another matter. Seline got very little from Nadia, and what she did has proven to be lies."

He nodded and pushed a hand through the barrier of the stones. Energy crawled up his arm, sharp and unpleasant. He spread his fingers over the other vampire's face, lightly touching his burned skin. Lenny made a gargled sound in the back of his throat, his body jerking in response.

Michael ignored it and psychically plunged deep into Lenny's mind, rifling quickly and none too gently through his thoughts and memories. There was little to be found. Once he'd left work, Lenny seemed to do nothing more than go home to sleep. Life beyond that seemed nonexistent.

Frowning, Michael reached deeper. Surely there had to be memories of friends, lovers, even the enjoyment of past victims, locked away somewhere. Something—someone—that might provide a clue as to who Lenny was working for.

But Camille was right. Lenny's mind was little more than a garbled, gray wasteland, suggesting Lenny himself was operating more on automatic pilot than any real thought processes.

Michael withdrew and met Camille's grim look. “Nothing."

"As I expected."

As he'd expected. A lot of planning had gone into the attack, and whoever was behind it wouldn't be careless enough to leave vital information hanging about in a mind as weak as Lenny's. “He's still living in that Massachusetts Street apartment?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't advise you going there. It's you they want."

He smiled grimly. “Marcus is one death too many. I'm not going to let anyone else fall for me."

"It may be what they're waiting for."

"And it may be the last thing they expect.” Either way, he had to take the chance. He'd learned a long time ago the best way to reveal a hunter was by allowing himself to be hunted. More often than not the thought of easy prey led the hunter into making a mistake or revealing himself.

Camille raised an eyebrow. “And what will you tell Nikki?"

"The truth.” Another thing he'd learned the hard way was that when it came to Nikki, anything other than the truth often had disastrous consequences—like her stepping into the middle of the very firefight he was trying to keep her out of. When she'd set her mind on a particular course of action, stubborn didn't even begin to describe her. But as much as it annoyed him, it was also one of the many things he loved about her.

He rose, offered Camille a hand and helped her to her feet. “Are you going to brief Seline?"

"Yep, after I tend to this piece of shit.” She sharply toed Lenny's thigh. “If you're going to search his place, I'd do it right away, before those behind him sense anything is wrong."

"My thinking exactly.” He stepped around Camille and headed for the door.

"Watch for traps,” Camille called after him. “This is far from over."

"That much I do know."

"And tell that girl of yours she passed."

He smiled. At least some good had come out of this whole mess. He took the stairs down to the fifth level and walked the length of the white corridor to the medical center. Jake was pacing the length of the small waiting room, and he looked around as Michael entered.

"She's being examined in two,” he said.

Michael nodded his thanks and continued on. Nikki's gaze met his as he pushed through the door, her relief a warm sigh through his mind.

"Anything?” she asked.

He shook his head and glanced at the doctor. “What's the verdict, Mike?"

The gray-haired doctor glanced at him over horn-rimmed spectacles. “She fine. Several loose teeth she might want to see about, but other than that, just bruises and cuts."

"So there's no need to keep her in observation?"

"No,” Mike said.

"No,” Nikki echoed, eyes flashing dangerously.

He smiled and twined his fingers through hers, then he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Then we have a job to do."

She hopped off the bed and grabbed her sweater with her free hand. “What job?"

"Lenny didn't give us anything. We'll have to check his apartment."

"We meaning you, me and Jake?"

He nodded. Even if he didn't need their help, he doubted he'd keep Jake away any more than he would Nikki. “I can't cross a threshold uninvited, remember?"

She grinned and stepped close to brush a kiss across his lips. She winced even as she did it. “Oww. That hurts."

He slid an arm around her waist, pressing her lithe body against his, drinking in the heat of her, the smell of her—sweat intermingled with cinnamon, sunshine and honey. “Then I shall have to find other places to kiss.” He brushed his mouth down her long neck. Her pulse raced against his lips, an intoxicating sensation that called to the man in him rather than the vampire.

Desire flooded the link between them. With her breasts pressed so snugly against his chest, he couldn't help being aware of her arousal, just as she was no doubt aware of his. He wished they were home. Wished he could give in to passion's flame. Hoped he had an eternity to feel this way.

But right now, they had work to do.

He stepped back. Her gaze scooted down his body and a cheeky smile tugged her lips. “Keep that thought until later."

"I intend to.” He tugged his shirt out of his jeans to hide his erection and led her toward the exit.

Jake fell into step beside them. “So, where are we off to?"

Michael smiled. “Lenny's place."

"Why?"

"To find clues."

"No luck with the mind rifling, huh?"

"No. Your car downstairs, or did you walk?” Jake's car had tinted windows, which would protect him from the effects of the sun. Though by the time they cut through the traffic, the sun shouldn't be a problem.

Jake's expression was horrified. “Me? Walk? I'm too old for that sort of foolishness."

Nikki snorted softly. “Old my ass. You did that test quicker and easier than I did. And you can out sprint me."

"Only when I'm scared shitless. Fear does wonderful things to the feet.” Jake's gaze found Michael's. “Is it safe for all of us to be going out?"

Meaning, was it safe for Nikki to go out? Michael pushed open the stairwell door and waved her through. “Yes,” he said, following Jake into the stairwell. “Because we don't know who else might have infiltrated the Circle."

"So we stick together?” Jake asked.

"For the moment."

"There go my plans for tonight,” Nikki murmured.

"Hey, old men can be deaf when they want to be."

Nikki's glance back at Jake was wry. “I wasn't planning to make bedsprings squeak. I had something more exotic in mind."

"Oh.” Jake's expression was amused. “Well, you'll just have to be exotic some other time."

"I guess.” But her thoughts slipped into Michael's, as heated as her skin had been moments ago. How about we spend a little time in the spa tonight? Not as exotic as I wanted, but at least the noise of the spa might cover ... other noises.

Heat flashed to his groin as he remembered the time they'd spent in the spa last week. She might have a lot less experience than him, but she'd taught him a thing or two that night.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Amusement and passion shimmered through the link, wrapping him in heat.

Say that a little more breathlessly, she said, and I might think you were excited about the prospect.

Just a little.

Cool. It's a date.

A smile tugged his lips. We live together, so it can hardly be called a date.

Don't use living together as an excuse for laziness. You will come appropriately dressed, won't you?

Oh, I intend to.

Her laughter ran through him. Good. I can't wait.

Neither could he. They reached the underground parking garage and walked across to Jake's silver Mercedes.

"Where to?” Jake asked, as they climbed in.

"Massachusetts Avenue."

Once they got there, Jake parked the car up the street from the apartment building, and they all climbed out. The apartment block Lenny lived in was not the rundown building he'd expected—though why he'd actually expected that was beyond him. The Chevy Chase area was considered one of the more prestigious areas in Washington.

"You must have been paying Lenny a decent salary if he could afford an apartment in this place,” Nikki commented, regarding the old but classy-looking apartment block dubiously.

"Apparently so.” He walked through the old-fashioned concrete arch and approached the security doors. He directed a lance of kinetic energy at the locks, and the door opened with little protest.

"You would have made the best cat burglar,” Jake commented.

"I was, once."

Nikki's gaze jerked to his. “You? On the wrong side of the law?"

His smile was wry. “Often."

Though his clashes with the law had more to do with the darkness within him gaining the upper hand than anything else. He'd walked the edge for more years than he cared to remember. If he hadn't met Seline, he might not have been around to find Nikki.

They took the stairs to the fourth floor. Michael checked the corridor and motioned everyone out of the staircase. Lenny's apartment was the third from the end. Though the echo of heartbeats came from the apartments on either side of Lenny's, no life beat in his.

Michael stopped and switched to the infrared of his vampire vision. No life at all inside, human or otherwise.

He stepped back and glanced at Nikki. “Your turn."

She pressed a hand against the door. Energy shimmered through the air, dancing lightly across his skin. The door opened without a creak of complaint.

There was little furniture in the living room—a chair, a TV, and a ratty looking coffee table dotted with dried coffee rings.

"What are we looking for?” she asked, stepping through the doorway.

"I don't know. Something unusual. Something out of place."

She nodded and began searching. Jake followed her in. Michael leaned against the doorframe and watched them explore.

They were going through the drawers, when he heard the distant sound of footsteps in the stairwell, footsteps that were moving up towards them. He looked toward the stair door, his gaze narrowing as he listened. Two sets of steps. Two sets of heartbeats. One human. One not.

He pushed away from the doorframe. Nikki, someone's coming.

She looked over her shoulder, expression pensive. Shall we leave?

No. Warn Jake, then close the door. I'll go check it out.

Be careful

Definitely. We have a date I have no intention of missing.

The warmth of her smile ran through him, stirring the very heart of him. Good.

He turned and walked toward the stairwell. The footsteps stopped, and for several seconds, all he could hear was the drumming of hearts in the apartments around him. Then the footsteps echoed on the stairs again, this time heading down in a hurry.

They've sensed me, Nikki. Stay in the apartment until I get back.

Be careful.

Always.

He slammed through the stairwell door and took the stairs two at a time. The two men were several floors below him, their footsteps as rapid as their hearts. The second man had the feel of a shifter rather than a vampire. Had they been intending to visit Lenny? If so, why run when they sensed his presence? The fact that they did might mean they knew who he was. Might know something about Lenny's attack on Nikki.

He heard a door open and close, and he swore. He couldn't afford to lose them now. Leaping over the banister, he dropped to the floor, jarring his spine for the second time in an hour. He pushed through the door and saw the men running down the street.

He ran after them. The sun caressed his skin, warming without burning. It was well after two now, and the sky was clear. Once upon a time, it would have proven his death to be out in the sun like this. But sharing his life force with Nikki had somehow improved his immunity. These days, it was only the hours between eleven and two that he had to be truly wary.

The men took a left at the first street and disappeared. He followed them with his vampire senses, all the while closing in. They were fast, even the human, but not fast enough.

He turned the corner. Saw the two of them just ahead. One long and lanky, similar in appearance to Lenny, and the other bald and thick set like a boxer.

A slight hiss cut the air, approaching fast from his right. He dodged, but something hit his shoulder, the force of the blow spinning him around. Warmth flooded his back and side, and fire began to burn through his veins. It was no ordinary bullet he'd been shot with, but one made of silver.

Dizziness hit him. He staggered for several steps then pressed a hand against the nearby wall. Sweat broke out across his brow, and the pavement seemed to be doing a drunken dance. He blinked and looked ahead. The two men were dark shapes that danced as erratically as the pavement. But they were looming closer rather than running away.

He swore and spun round. Only his feet wouldn't obey his orders and he found himself falling nose first to the pavement.

Pain smashed through the confusion, swamping his mind, swamping his senses.

As darkness closed in, two thoughts crossed his mind.

The bullet had been tipped with some sort of drug.

And he wasn't going to make his date with Nikki.