He ran his tongue over my teeth. I met him with mine. We kissed and kissed and kissed and kissed. His hands grabbed my waist and pulled me against him. Then they roamed up my back to my shoulders and into my hair. I felt him remove the tie. Tenderly he undid the braid with his fingers. In that moment or in those minutes, everything but Adam and me disappeared. There was only us. We were no longer on an airport runway, but in a forest, my back pressed against a tree. Wildflowers grew all around us, perfuming the air as birds sang us their love song.

All I could do was cling to him. My body was alive with so many amazing feelings and emotions that I thought I would die from the glorious pain.

The agent cleared his throat.

We reluctantly let each other go. Adam’s eyes held mine though and for a moment I felt like he was still kissing me. He touched my bottom lip with his thumb, caressing it.

I was shaking all over with needs and desires and wants I’d never had before.

“The pilot is ready to take off, Miss Cavanaugh.”

“Right. I’m coming,” I said, keeping my focus on Adam. “Why did you do that?” I whispered. For some reason I had to know. I didn’t mind. In fact, I loved it so much I wanted to do it again.

A mischievous twinkle lit his eyes. “I’ll tell you when you get back.” He bent over and picked up my purse and phone and then took me by the arm and led me over to the stairs. I was so glad he did. My body had forgotten how to move and needed his encouragement. “Hold on to the rail,” he said, as he handed me my stuff.

I did, climbing the steps carefully. When I reached the top I turned back. He was still at the bottom. “Go on. I’ll see you soon.”

I nodded. I wanted to say good-bye, but the words wouldn’t come, so I raised my hand and waved.

“Miss Cavanaugh. We need to get you buckled in. Genevieve has prepared you a steak per Isaac’s instructions and once we’re in the air she’ll bring it to you.”

I allowed him to lead me inside and to my seat. After buckling up, I peered out the window. Adam was by the driver’s side door of the Lykan. He waved once and then got inside and drove away. I watched until I couldn’t see the car anymore.

Genevieve came over. “We are about to take off. Can I get you a drink?”

“No. Thank you.”

She nodded and left the main cabin, I guessed to buckle herself in. The airplane lurched forward and we sped down the runway. When the plane lifted off, I had the oddest sensation that my life would never be the same again.

I called Adam Henry as soon as I landed. He gave me an address for Salem, Massachusetts, which I then gave to the driver. Then I texted my Adam just to let him know I’d arrived.

It was a little after ten in the evening. I stared out the window at the water and the lights. Salt Lake was a booming city. It had everything, but it wasn’t until I drove in a city like Boston that I realized Salt Lake was still pretty small.

The partition between the driver and me was down and he asked, “Are you here for business or pleasure?”

My mind thought one thing: business. But my mouth said the other, “Pleasure.”

The driver winked. “If you want the inside scoop on where all the fun places are, just let me know.”

I pressed my back into the seat. “My itinerary is already capped out, but thanks for the offer.”

The driver chuckled. He was a big guy with burly arms and beefy hands. His hair was black, greasy, and slicked back. “Itinerary and pleasure can’t mix.” He laughed again.

“They do in my world.” My words came with icy finality. I was done talking.

It took nearly forty-five minutes to get from the airport to the address Adam Henry had given me. I realized it was a residence not unlike mine as a large mansion illuminated by dozens of lights came into view.

“Nice place,” the driver said, putting the car in Park.

“I agree.” He came around and opened the door for me. I climbed out. “I’ll need you to wait here. I shouldn’t be too long.”

“Yes, Miss Cavanaugh.”

I climbed the steps, my heart thundering in my chest. Adam Henry had information about the Vaktare. He had answers. The prospect of finding out more was both terrifying and exhilarating. I knocked on the door. A guy around my age, maybe a little younger answered. “You must be Beatrice?”

“Yes, may I speak with Adam Henry?”

“Sure, he’s waiting for you in his study.” The guy was tall, had lean muscle and that just-mussed hairstyle all the guys were going for. “I’m Troy by the way.”

I glanced up at his pretty brown eyes. “Nice to meet you, Troy.”

“So you must be in some kind of trouble. I know Grand Pops has been flitting around the house like a scatterbrained—”

“I don’t flit.”

Troy jumped and whipped around. I leaned around Troy so I could see who spoke. The man standing in front of me was older. He smiled, and the skin around his eyes wrinkled. His hair was graying. He was handsome. Kind eyes. He wore khaki pants, a button shirt and a button sweater. Across his forehead was a set of silver reading glasses. And in his hand was an ancient book.

“Go on, Troy. I need to have a conversation with Miss Beatrice.” He winked when he said my name and I had to smile. He was personable, friendly, and I immediately liked him.

“Fine.” Troy jogged past Adam Henry, and slapped him on the back. “See ya, Pops.”

Adam Henry chuckled. “My whole life has been filled with boys. It’s nice to see a female in the house again.”

I nodded. “You are Adam Henry?” I asked, just to verify.

“Yes, but everyone calls me Professor Pops.”

That was an odd name. “Ad— Mr.—” Professor Pops totally fit. “Professor Pops, you know what a Va—” He put a hand over my mouth.

“Follow me.” Then he put a finger to his lips, giving me the universal sign for be quiet.

I complied and followed him through the kitchen, down a hall, to a set of stairs. We went down. We were in the basement. He opened a door to what appeared to be a storage room. In one corner was a furnace. Professor Pops walked up to it, pressed a button and the wall behind it swung open to reveal another set of stairs.

“We’re almost there,” he said when I hesitated.

I went down after him, nervous about where we were going and just how deep into the earth we were. It smelled like dirt and wet cement. The wall closed behind us but before we were in total darkness, lights along the walls flicked on.

When we finally made it to the bottom, there was another door. Professor Pops took a key that hung around his neck and used it to open the door. “It’s peculiar,” he said as he pushed the door opened. “I haven’t been down here in years. But in the past several days I’ve needed to come down here twice.” He gave a short laugh and flipped on a light.

Never in a million years did I expect to see what I was seeing. The door had clicked shut behind me. I had a feeling it locked automatically. But I wanted to test the theory. Because the room I’d just entered couldn’t be real.

I pressed myself against the door, trying to turn the knob.

“Beatrice, it’s okay. This is a museum of sorts. I once told someone it was like a Museum for the Supernatural.” Professor Pops walked over and patted my arm. “Nothing in here is alive, except you and me. And every creature in here gave me permission.”

I swallowed and nodded my head. I wasn’t convinced though. Was he telling me the creatures agreed to allow themselves to be slaughtered so that he could stuff them and put them down here. And for what purpose? There were creatures big and small inside glass boxes. Some were from fairy tales, like a fairy, a troll, and a dragon. Others were from nightmares or scary movies.

“What is he?” I asked, walking over. It was an extremely striking man with crimson eyes.