MARQUIS WAS A SWINGERS’ BAR WHERES amp;M was in vogue and humans were the minority. To blend in with their anything-goes style, I was posing as the third in a trio with Tate and Dave. Bones was here somewhere, but I hadn’t seen him. It was hard enough for me to disguise who I was without walking in arm-in-arm together.

Not that we were here for kinky fun and games. Even though we were at war with the undead-the veryfamous undead, to be precise-I still had a job to do. After the deadly fiasco with Belinda, Don hadn’t found another woman to be a replacement for me as bait yet, and this club was reported to be a place several people had disappeared from. Even though it was getting very difficult trying to juggle my job with all the upheaval in my personal life, work waited for no one. Not even the two-millennia-old daughter of Cleopatra.

I still had a hard time coming to grips with that, but Bones reminded me that people who were remem bered hundreds or even thousands of years after their time were bound to make a lasting impression on their contemporaries. Put like that, I guess it wasn’t such a surprise that some of history’s notables-or their offspring, like Patra-had been changed over by a vampire or ghoul. But Mencheres hadn’t just changed Patra, he’d also married her a mere few years after turning her. Practically a whirlwind courtship, as far as pulseless couples went. And even worse for him was that while he couldn’t bring himself to kill his estranged wife, she sure didn’t seem to have that same hesitation with him.

To blend in with the Marquis crowd, I’d had a drastic makeover. My hair was streaked with wide black highlights, and my outfit, if it could be called that, looked like a combination ofLast Tango in Paris andAmerican Chopper.

Two black leather circles attached to my breasts by thin metal chains were all that covered me from the waist up. Black leather thong panties were the bottom half, with more chains dangling from my waist in an absurd version of a skirt. Leather-topped thigh-high stockings embedded with spikes doubled as my hosiery, and I wore solid silver high-heeled shoes. All the better to kick the hell out of someone with. I’d gone heavy on the black eye makeup until raccoons and I could pass for cousins. Add numerous chains crisscrossing my arms, and this evening couldn’t end fast enough.

Dave and Tate were dressed with equal heinousness. More black leather, chains, and whips. Either Don’s staff truly had costumes for all possible occasions on hand, or someone at wardrobe had a lot of explaining to do.

We were checked for weapons at the door, all our chains notwithstanding. As usual, my silver shoes went overlooked. Hiding a weapon in plain sight had proven to be very effective. I was ushered in with Tate and Dave without anyone guessing a thing. Let the free-for-all begin.

The three of us surveyed the interior of the club. Even I, who’d seen a lot, blinked at the spectacle around me.

Couples led each other around by collars, dog-walking style. Every other person had a whip. I almost felt left out. In front of us a domestic dispute was going on. A man backhanded his date so hard, blood pearled at her mouth. My abrupt step forward was put on hold when she moaned in pleasure, asking for another blow.

Ew.Well, what did I expect?S amp;M didn’t stand forsoft and mushy.

What almost gave me away as a quasi-normal person was my reaction when I got a look at the dance floor. Random beatings aside, which seemed to be the norm, some humans and their undead companions were giving dirty dancing a whole new name.

“Wow,” Tate whispered. “They’re fuckingright on the dance floor. ”

“I see that.” There was an edge to my words.

Dave gave me a sideways grin. “Juan will cry at being stuck in the van. If he were here, he’d be screaming,Authenticity’s imperative! and taking his pants down.”

That relaxed me enough to laugh. “You’re so right. Well, let’s boogey, boys, but keep your pencils in your pockets. We have a job to do.”

For the next half hour, we grooved while manag ing to do a sweep of the area at the same time. So far, nothing looked murderous, even if it was nasty and rough.

I felt a hum of power nearby. Bones had gotten to be so familiar to me that I knew him by aura alone. As casually as I could manage, I glanced over Dave’s shoulder, seeking him out. My eyes widened when I found him.

Bones was shirtless, those luscious muscles moving under his crystal flesh as he danced. And holy hell, when had he found the time to pierce his nipples? Those rings must be silver; that was the only thing a vampire’s body wouldn’t naturally dispel, but would need to be forced out by willpower instead, which Bones obviously wasn’t doing. Those shiny silver circles drew the eye to his sculpted chest. It took me a minute to even notice his pants, and then I did freeze.

“Keep moving, Cat,” Dave whispered.

I picked up where I’d left off, staring over Dave’s shoulder as I danced. Bones’s pants were made entirely of thin metal chains linked together. Skin peeked through the gaps whenever he moved, and anyone could tell he wasn’t wearing anything under them. He caught my eye and grinned, running his tongue over his lip slow enough for me to notice that his nipples weren’t the only thing he’d pierced.

I was just starting to get warm all over at the thought of how that spike in his tongue would feel, when a brunette jostled around other people to peer up at Bones, her expression one of delighted shock.

“I don’t believe it, it’s you! Do you remember me? Think Fresno, late eighties. Of course, I was human then. I almost didn’t recognize you with the dark hair, you used to be blond…”

Bones was giving her a glare that would have frozen steel, but she went on, heedless.

“…come here before? I’m here all the time, and I can show you theprivate party area.”

Bones lost his annoyed look at once and beamed at her. “Priscilla, wasn’t it? Of course I remember you, my lovely. Private area, you say? Show me.”

Bones let her drag him off to the side. Tate watched, a faintly disgusted curl to his lips.

“Don’t you get sick of it? How half the women he runs into have had a piece of him?”

I ignored that and focused on Bones and Priscilla. Bones was telling her I was on the menu for tonight, if that private area was discreet enough for dining.

“It is,” Priscilla was saying as she ran her hands over him. “I can’t wait to fuck you now that I’m a vampire. You were so amazing before, and it’ll only be better…”

My teeth ground together. Tate just let out a knowing snort.

Priscilla pulled Bones’s mouth down to hers next. I knew I should look away, but I couldn’t. Nor could I leap across the dance floor and pummel her into a mass of goo, which is what I really wanted to do. But if I did, I might as well grab a bullhorn and announce myself. So I watched Bones kiss her with a thoroughness that had my nails ripping into my palms.It’s not real, just like it’s not real when you have to romance targets on a job, I reminded myself.

But it hurt like it was real, making me wonder how Bones stood it when the situation was reversed and it was me French-kissing and getting feely with other men. At least he grabbed Priscilla’s hand to stop her when the tramp reached for the front of his pants.

“Soon, sweet, after I’ve eaten,” Bones told her in a sensual purr. “Wouldn’t want to be distracted, would I?”

Bones propelled her back toward our little group.

“This is William,” he said with a nod to Dave, still in my arms. “The rest aren’t worthy of names,” he finished, indicating me and Tate.

Priscilla ran a finger over his chest. “What’s yours? You never did tell me.”

He brought her hand to his lips. “I’ll tell you afterward.”

My teeth ground again, but I didn’t say anything.