He raised a hand to touch his throat. "But when I make my wish, none of that will affect me any longer. I can be stabbed with a wooden stake, but it won't kill me. Nothing will kill me. I will have no fears of my end, so I can focus on my ultimate plan."
"Which is?"
"Creating a race of greater beings. Those with vampire strength and stamina but the fighting training and instincts of hunters. And they will answer only to me."
"Maybe you should get a dog. Sounds like you're in serious need of a hobby."
He ignored that. "And you, Janie. You have recovered very quickly from what happened before."
"You mean when you tore out my throat and went all happy hour on me? I'm managing."
"This is why you would make a brilliant addition to my team. Are you certain I can't change your mind?"
"I already work for a twisted psychotic bastard—why would I want to make a lateral move now?"
"You would be hard to control, admittedly, but I see great things for your future."
"I wish I could say the same for you."
There was a rush of activity suddenly as a mass of people streamed into the casino. Janie and Malcolm were off to one side, in a section of slots reserved for an upcoming tournament. There was no one within hearing distance.
"They're coming from the theater." Malcolm frowned as he watched the swell of men and women with panicked expressions milling about, heading for the exit.
Janie's heart clenched. An image filled her mind of three hundred hunters finding a single vampire in their midst—not counting her, since there was no way anyone would be able to tell that she was one of the future fanged at the moment without being told. She shuddered. They would tear Quinn apart limb from limb. Or torture him to get information.
She really wished she had a weapon at the moment. Even her high heels were upstairs. She curled her hands into fists, every muscle in her body tense.
If Quinn was dead—her throat constricted—after what had happened between them… then she'd want to die, too.
After she took out a slough of hunters and Malcolm first, that is.
She eyed him to see that he was now clicking the detonator. He looked disappointed. Without thinking,
she kicked it out of his hand and it went flying across the floor.
"Don't be a sore loser," she said.
"Just wanted to double-check." He smirked. "But where is your lover now? He may have stopped the bomb, but perhaps the hunters stopped him in return."
"I've got to go find him," she said, under her breath, more to herself than to Malcolm.
And then she saw him turn the corner headed their way.
She felt so much relief that—yes, again—she started to cry.
Premenstrual. Definitely. Was that even possible now that she was a vampire? Would her body change so that she no longer had normal human problems like getting her period? She didn't know. All she knew was that she was a total emotional wreck. Is that really what she wanted when it came to having Quinn in her life? Her emotions in a constant state of upheaval?
If that's what it took, then, yeah.
She sucked in a breath and restrained herself from throwing her arms around him. Had to look strong and unaffected.
"I'm here," Quinn said, glancing nervously over his shoulder.
The PA system clicked on, and a voice that introduced himself as the manager of the hotel calmly suggested that everyone inside the building briefly leave the premises due to a bomb threat.
The voice was calm, but the effect was not. The remainder of the people in the casino gathered their chips and, with panicked expressions, fled to the nearest exits.
"You found my little present for the hunters?" Malcolm asked dryly.
"I did."
"And it was where I told you it would be?"
"It was."
"Then my part of the bargain is complete." He held his hand out. "Now, the stone, if you please?"
Quinn reached into his pocket.
Tension filled Janie's chest. "Quinn, what are you doing? You can't give it to him!"
Their eyes met. He might have looked only slightly strained on the surface, but his eyes held a different story. There was a storm going on inside Quinn. But when his gaze settled on her, a small amount of calm came over his expression.
"I made a deal," he told her.
"Forget the deal."
"I can't do that."
"Do you even know what this piece of shit plans to do with the Eye when he has it? Let me give you a hint. It's not to build children's hospitals inIndia ."
Quinn hesitated. The stone was clenched in his hand now.
"I should kill him," he said.
"Weshould."
"I am standing right here, you know," Malcolm said. "And I don't take kindly to broken promises."
The old man twisted around and caught Janie into a choke hold. He was good. He even knew how to use the pressure points in her throat to render her limbs useless.
Smart guy.
Her? Not so much. She should have seen this coming from a mile away. She could blame it on severe blood loss, species transformation, and/or her mixed up emotions wrecking havoc on her brain, but there was no excuse for letting this bastard take her by surprise yetagain . If she wasn't so scared, she'd be embarrassed.
Yet, despite his appearance, he wasn't just another old man. He was a vampire. And before that he'd been a high-ranking hunter. The man was death with a very bad haircut.