“You think,” she snapped, but her body was melting of its own accord into his. He was fire and ice, white-hot heat and electric excitement.

Gregori put her from him and turned back toward the cluster of men. They were whispering now, formulating their plan of attack. He moved toward them with his easy stride. They fanned out, thinking to overpower him in a rush.

“Do any of you know Beau La Rue?” he asked softly, startling them.

One man, on his left, cleared his throat. “Yeah, I know him. What of it?” He tried to sound belligerent. To Gregori he sounded young and scared.

“Are you a friend of his?” This time Gregori’s voice was pitched low, captivating them, ensnaring them, weaving a black-magic spell.

The man felt compelled to answer, to move forward, away from the safety of his friends. “Yeah, you have a problem with that?” he snarled, pushing out his chest.

Gregori smiled, a show of gleaming teeth. His eyes glowed hot and strange in the night. Come to me and allow me to feed.He sent the call, wrapped them in it, and drew them to him. He drank his fill from four of them, sating his bloodlust and the aching, gnawing hunger. He was not particularly gentle about it, and he allowed them to fall to the ground unaided and dizzy. He planted memories of a fight, one man against so many. They were all in pain, all knocked down and out. The friend of La Rue’s he saved for last, for Savannah. When he fed, he was far more careful, making certain the man would feel the need to thank Beau La Rue. He would thank him for saving him from the severe beating the others had received.

He gave Savannah no chance to protest his feeding her. He commanded her obedience, and she was blinking up at him with drowsy eyes before she was aware of what he had done. He saw awareness come, the smoldering heat heralding her temper. She shoved him away. “Imbecile.” One word. It should have crushed him, but he wanted to laugh.

Gregori caught her head in his hands and hugged her hard, joy exploding through him. Life was all around him. The night was theirs. He caught her up, and, cradling her in his arms, he launched himself skyward.

Gary nearly fainted when the couple materialized on the balcony outside his room. He slid open the door and gaped at them. “Are you nuts? Anyone can see you out there. Everyone’s room looks into the courtyard.”

Gregori swept past him and tossed Savannah unceremoniously onto the bed. She took a half-hearted swipe at him, then rolled over to glare at him as he paced across the carpet to Gary’s side. “No one can see us when we do not wish it,” he explained patiently, averting his gaze from Savannah’s perfect bottom. “Did you retrieve the list of names we need? Those under suspicion by the society?”

“The manager here allowed me to use his printer,” Gary acknowledged, handing Gregori the list. “Hey, Gary,” Savannah said, “do you want to go on a vampire hunt?”

Gregori swung around to pin her with his brilliant silver gaze. Do not even start.He used the beauty of his voice like the weapon it was, compelling and mesmerizing.

Savannah blinked, then smiled sweetly up at him. “Really, Gary. I saw it in one of those tour brochures.

Isn’t that the perfect place to look for those society types? They must hang out around those kinds of things.”

“A vampire hunt?” Gary echoed incredulously. “For real?”

“I have the brochure at home.” She studiously avoided Gregori’s furious gaze.

She wore the little secret smile again, the one that always drove Gregori crazy, turned him inside out, and melted his heart. She was up to no good. He had no doubt of it. It has occurred to me that you need a good spanking.

Her smile grew smug. I said I was willing to try anything once, lifemate, but I think it best if we wait until we are alone, don’t you?

“Is she putting me on?” Gary demanded of Gregori. “Is there really a vampire hunt for tourists?”

“Believe me, mortal, if there is such a thing, she would know about it,” Gregori admitted. “I fear we are going to be talked into something we will regret.”

“You won’t regret it,” Savannah said quickly, sitting up. Her blue eyes had gone vivid violet, those mysterious silver stars shining in their centers. “We could go tomorrow night. I’ll bet it would be fun. It starts out at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop at eight. They even provide the stakes and garlic. Let’s do it, Gregori.” Her long eyelashes swept down to cover her expression, and that little infuriating smile brought his attention to her soft mouth. “You might pick up some pointers. After all, these guys are probably professionals.”

Gregori felt the laughter welling up from somewhere in his soul. The silver eyes warmed to molten mercury, quicksilver. “You think they might be able help me out?”

Savannah nodded solemnly. “It says right on the brochure, no drunks. That has to mean they know what they’re doing, don’t you think?”

“What else does it say?” Gary asked, curious.

Savannah grinned at him mischievously. “Actually, it says it’s pure fun. You walk around, and they tell you stories. History mixed with myths and legends.” We might actually learn something, Gregori. You never know.There was a faintly hopeful note in her voice she tried desperately to keep from him.

Gregori instantly crossed the distance between them and cupped the side of her face with his palm, his thumb sliding in a little caress along her jaw. Why would you ever be insecure, Savannah? I can feel it in you, that you imagine I will consider you silly for wanting to do these tourist things.

Savannah’s laughter-was soft and somehow sexy. She put her hand over Gregori’s. “I am in you, lifemate,” she said gently. “I read you as easily as you read me. You think ninety percent of the things I want to do are silly.”

“I think my allowing you to do all these things is silly.”

She winced visibly. “We need less of this allowstuff. Besides, you owe me a night out without any trouble.”

“You had trouble tonight?” Gary asked.

“There was no trouble.” Gregori was clearly puzzled.

“You’re always getting in fights. Everywhere we go, you just can’t help yourself,” Savannah accused indignantly. “You picked the one tonight.”

“You picked a fight?” Gary was astounded.

“I did not pick a fight,” Gregori denied. “A few men were determined to mug us, so I provided them with an interesting experience. There was no fight. Had I actually struck them physical blows, they would be in the hospital.” His white teeth gleamed, the silver eyes glittering with more than danger, with a hint of amusement. “As it is, they just think they should be hospitalized. There is nothing wrong with any of them. I was quite gentle for Savannah’s sake. Which, I see, she does not appreciate.”

“I would appreciate going out and behaving normally.”

“I was behaving in my normal fashion, chérie,” he reminded her gently.

“I take it we’re going on a vampire hunt tomorrow night,” Gary said, laughter in his voice.

Gregori took the list of names from Gary and glanced at it, committing the contents to memory before handing it back. For a moment his silver gaze rested on Gary’s face, a cold, bleak reflection of emptiness. When Gary shivered, Gregori blinked, and the illusion was gone. Gary wondered just which was the illusion—the warmth Gregori showed on occasion, or the harsh, soulless void in his eyes.

Savannah flounced off the bed, sent Gary a flash of deep blue eyes, then tucked her hand into the crook of Gregori’s arm. “We’ll meet you at the blacksmith shop—well, bar, tomorrow at eight.”

“I’ve got to get back to work,” Gary objected. “I’ll lose my job.”

“You can’t go back,” Gregori said softly. “The minute you told Morrison you were going to call the police, the minute you objected to his changing your formula, you sealed your own fate. He will send his people after you, and all of them will be controlled with a compulsion to kill. Morrison is the master vampire—we know that now—and you have crossed him.”